The Gratitude Dance

Many of you know that I have a 24 year old son who is in the hospital fighting leukemia. Today I am thinking about gratitude.

This morning I woke up being grateful for all the healing Nic has experienced already. For his fungal pneumonia seeing a steady, slow decrease in size. For his kidneys returning to good function. For the chemo destroying the leukemic cells in his blood. For the new cells forming over the sores in his mouth. For his awesome friends that are faithful and spend so much time here with him in the hospital. For all our family, friends and many, many strangers who call and e-mail and post comments on his caring bridge page to lift us up. For the faith God has given us to be strong and help him fight this.

"Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful." Colossians 3:15

Take a look at this Youtube video and join me today in this "Gratitude Dance" - we are so grateful for continued healing!

The Gratitude Dance

Notes from the Universe

Yesterday I watched a small bird, flying very fast, disappear into the canopy of an oak tree. So dense were its leaves that it was impossible to see what happened next, though I can tell you it remained inside.

I wondered how the little bird found its opening through the leaves at such a speed, and then managed to gently align its fragile body on the branch it chose to land upon, all within a fraction of a second. Not to mention the impossible to imagine flying maneuvers required: the banking, the curling, the vertical and horizontal stabilizations, the deceleration and landing.

Memory? Calculation? Not in that tiny brain. Instinct? Maybe, but how does instinct know which way the branches of a tree have grown when no two are the same?

Terry, that little bird just knew. It had faith, in spite of not being able to see how things would work out, that if (and only if) it stayed the course the details would be taken care of; that an opening would appear and a twig would be found. In fact, had she slowed down enough to carefully and logically inspect the tree first, the prudent thing to do, she would have lost her lift and fallen to the ground.

Kind of like reaching for your dreams. Neither memory, nor calculating, nor instincts are the deciding factors, but faith coupled with action.

Tallyho,
The Universe

www.tut.com

I have to share a story today - enjoy.

This is Good

The story is told of a king in Africa who had a close friend with whom he grew up. The friend had a habit of looking at every situation that ever occurred in his life (positive or negative) and remarking, "This is good!"

One day the king and his friend were out on a hunting expedition. The friend would load and prepare the guns for the king. The friend had apparently done something wrong in preparing one of the guns, for after taking the gun from his friend, the king fired it and his thumb was blown off. Examining the situation, the friend remarked as usual, "This is good!"

To which the king replied - "No, this is not good!" and proceeded to send his friend to jail.

About a year later, the king was hunting in an area that he should have known to stay clear of. Cannibals captured him and took him to their village. They tied his hands, stacked some wood, set up a stake and bound him to the stake.

As they came near to set fire to the wood, they noticed that the king was missing a thumb. Being superstitio

us, they never ate anyone who was less than whole. So untying the king, they sent him on his way.

As he returned home, he was reminded of the event that had taken his thumb and felt remorse for his treatment of his friend. He went immediately to the jail to speak with his friend.

"You were right," he said, "it was good that my thumb was blown off." And he proceeded to tell the friend all that had just happened." And so, I am very sorry for sending you to jail for so long. It was bad for me to do this."

"No," his friend replied, "This is good!"

"What do you mean, 'This is good'? How could it be good that I sent my friend to jail for a year?"

"If I had not been in jail, I would have been with you, and not here with you right now."

In a very unusual way, the message here unfolds into exposing the following principle about life.

"Absolutely everything happens for a purpose; and out of what seems like adversity at the time; always comes good".

I'm sure that if any of us care to reflect back on the tragedy's, the heartaches, the 'bad times' in our lives, that we discover that we have really grown or developed during that period of time:even though the reflection may still cause us discomfort in some way.

It is in this way that we slowly gather experience and wisdom, and even though we may think or feel that it is unfair, that's the way it is.

"This is good". Many of our life's experiences have saved us from some form of cannibals; it's just that we often don't know that they have at the time.

So, for a simple example to help with awareness: next time you may begin to feel you are being 'wronged' by being stuck in a traffic jam, think about the cannibals that could be lurking down the road a bit,but will be gone by the time you get there.

Now that's a bit different, but worth trying: "this is good" - despite the circumstances.

Remember: "What others do or say is their stuff; how we react, or not, is our stuff"!
And: "True Happiness in life isn't having what you want, but wanting what you have"!

© Phil Evans

www.peoplestuff.com.au

This little message helped me today - I hope you can apply it to your life as well.

Terry

Free Yourself from Photo Clutter

Whether you're "digital" or "paper" we can all use a little Photo Freedom! If you're paper, you probably have a box, drawer, or maybe even a pile of pictures stacking up. And if you're digital, your hard drive can look much the same. I've been a victim of both... Organizing photos may seem overwhelming, but you can free yourself from photo chaos with a few simple ideas and tips. This process won't happen overnight. It's a process...and ongoing one, but before you know it you can be enjoying beautiful photos in your home, on your walls, or in heirloom-quality storybooks.

Not All Photos Are Created Equal
Step #1 -Weed through your pictures

• Toss out/delete all the bad, blurry pictures.
• For paper pics, set duplicates to the side in a separate pile.
• Keep only your favorite, quality images/pictures and throw the rest out!
• For paper images make a pile for pictures that you'd like to frame and/or send to friends and family.
• For digital images make a folder for pictures you'd like to print and frame and/or send to family and friends.
• With an acid-free photo pen, label the pictures on the back of the photo's edge. If you can recall the date, names, and place, add those details.

Keeping Things Simple
Step # 2 - Organize

• Make pile/folder by themes - by date, years, events, people.
• Pictures can be kept in photo-safe boxes AFTER they're sorted and organized.
• On note cards, used as dividers, write down notes, stories and memories about each theme of photos.

Share Your Photos
Step #3 - Sharing and Displaying

• Send copies of your photos to friends and family regularly. Have a stash of pre-addressed envelopes so they're ready to go out every few months. Not everyone has access to the computer.
• Build digital photo albums online or keep a BLOG and send notices to friends and family when they're updated.
• Intricate albums with details and captions can be...well...you know.... If you have the time, money, and more time and more money... scrapbooking can easily become an overwhelming and time-consuming hobby.
• Photos and stories combined are what create family traditions and heirlooms to be passed down. By choosing "one" special event, such as a wedding or new baby, you can create beautiful family story and photo books with Heritage Makers.
• Print and frame your pictures. Get them up on the walls, on your shelves, and out so they can be seen! Choose only your best photos. Use our amazing system to create posters, family folds, 12x12 pages that can be decoupaged to tiles as wonderful home decor.
  
• Be creative...string them from cute wire clips, use bulletin boards, memo boards...that way they are easy to change out and update.

Keep Up The Good Work

• Once you're caught up (yes, that can happen) keep up and control your photos! Organize your photos as soon as you download or develop.
• For paper pictures, keep a VERY SMALL photo/shoe box out.As the box begins to fill, sit down with the family and sort through the photos, share the stories, write them down and prep them to be scanned and loaded into a photo/story book.
• As soon as you download pictures, delete the bad ones! Label folders in your "My Pictures" folder with dates and event names if possible.

Using Heritage Maker's Studio can help you stay on top of your photo chaos. By simply adding story and a few photos, you can create meaningful photo books that can be shared with everyone who walks through the doors of your home. The entire family can be part of the process. This is no longer MOM'S job! It's a family thing.

Heritage Maker's Studio 3.0 is simple to use with an easy drag and drop system. You can upload your story text, images, and scanned images into a book template of your choice, or be completely creative and start your project from scratch using our 40,000+ pieces of art to complete your project. End result, a beautiful soft or hardbound book, poster, calendar, cookbook, card, poster, or home decor project will arrive on your doorstep in 10 - 15 business days.

Organizing your photos can be a daunting task. So keep it simple. These are priceless memories that can be easily enjoyed and relived for generations to come. Go to my website at www.celebrationstorybooks.com to get started now.

Essentially, the goal is make sure our stories, memories, traditions, thoughts and values can be passed on. Don't lose focus.

Photo Organizing tips from Tara Brown

The Lesson of the Morning Glory!

I planted seeds in my little garden this year.

I have never planted seeds before, because I am not a very patient person, and waiting for the little green shoots to rise above the ground, was just too much for me. But this year, I thought I would give it a try. I thought it would be a good metaphor for me, to plant something and watch it grow, much as I have many times, planted thoughts, dreams and affirmations and watched many of them become a reality.

And so, in the Spring of this year, I planted my garden. I chose many types of flowers and among them, Morning Glories. Within a month, many of the other flowers were bursting through the earth, but not the Morning Glories.

Each morning, I would run outside to check on them, and nothing, nothing for several weeks more. I was about to give up on them. I was sure that they just did not 'take' so to speak. But finally, it happened! They had broken through the earth, and were starting to climb. And climb, and climb, and climb, they did....with their big, beautiful, heart shaped leaves.

And so, the saga continued, nothing for weeks and weeks and weeks but more and more beautiful leaves. And I thought to myself, "Well, leaves are nice, but that is all I will probably get at this point." And then, one fine and glorious morning, there it was, the most beautiful sky-blue morning glory I have ever seen!!! It seemed like a miracle to me. I had waited over 3 months for this one delicate, funnel-shaped flower to show up and now here it was, in all its splendor.

It reminded me of just how many times I had waited in life for something I had longed for, and how incredible it felt when it finally arrived, and also, how many times, that I had wanted to throw in the towel, and just give up.

But I wasn't prepared for what was to happen next, with these little flowers, and I was surprised and deeply saddened by it.

Roses and geraniums and daisies and most other flowers bloom and stay around for a while, but not Morning Glories. Morning Glories open themselves up to the world, in the morning, in all of their glory, hence the name, Morning Glory.

And if you look closely at them, you will see how extraordinary they are, both in colour and texture, and that in their centre, is a kind of golden light that shines from within.

But here is the hard part...
At the end of the day, they turn a most beautiful shade of lavender, and then close up, wither and die. They live for only one day, and then they are gone. I cannot tell you how much this saddened me, and what a profound effect this little flower had upon my life. I kept thinking how sad to be so beautiful and live for only one day. And then, I suddenly realized what a gift they were.

You see, it doesn't matter how long your life is. It only matters that you were here, in all your glory, that you opened up completely, and let your light shine, and that you brought joy to those who came into contact with you. That's what matters to the morning glory, and that's what really matters to all of us.

The morning glories make me appreciate every new day now, in a way I didn't before. Each evening, I go and visit with them, knowing those particular ones won't be here tomorrow, new ones will take their place. If we knew when we woke up in the morning, that we only had that one day to really live, life would be very different indeed for many of us.

Now, each morning, I give thanks that I have been given the gift of another day, in all its glory. We can learn from all of life, if we remain open to the beauty that is all around us. And nature can be one of our greatest teachers.

What a profound lesson from such a simple flower.

Thank you, my sweet little morning glories!

Veronica Hay

Veronica Hay is an inspirational writer and author of In A Dream, You Can Do Anything, An Extraordinary Collection Of Words. Her work inspires others to be more of who they really are. For more insights and inspiration you can visit her website at: www.insightsandinspirations.com or email her at veronicahay@telus.net