Deb_Inside

"Love Is The New Religion"

This past week, I was able to offer some help to a friend. 
This friend and I are joined by our son's service in the U.S. Air Force. 
I'm planning on traveling to her home, to stay with her Mom while she
attends her son's homecoming from 'The Sand'. 

Other friends have learned about this help, and they've called me an Angel.
My response to them was..... I'm not an angel.....  I try and live these words...


"We must become the change we want to see in the world."
Mohandas Gandhi - 10/2/1869 - 1/30/1948.


In all honesty, I would rather not even mention of my helping,
but for our military parents support group, it was a great lift for everyone
to know that AF Mom 'M' was going to get the help she needs.  

This morning, I was searching on the net for some words
to assist me in explaining that I'm not an angel, it's
extending myself in a loving way, because I CAN, and
because I care.   I came across these words...


~ LOVE IS THE NEW RELIGION ~



Ohhhhhhhh my what a welcome home Brian's words
are for me....  I've come to know what I am....

I am an embedded agent of an secret, undercover
Clandestine Global operation....

Ohhhhhhhh man, I guess I just blew it because
this is 'undercover'.   Well, I'm not undercover anymore.

JOIN IN ----  Please join in.    :)))))

LOVE
Deb

Love Is The New Religion

On the surface of the world right now there is war and
violence and things seem dark
But calmly and quietly, at the same time, something else
is happening underground
An inner revolution is taking place and certain individuals
are being called to a higher light
It is a silent revolution
From the inside out
From the ground up

It is time for me to reveal myself
I am an embedded agent of an secret, undercover
Clandestine Global operation
A spiritual conspiracy
We have sleeper cells in every nation on the planet

You won't see us on the T.V.
You won't read about us in the newspaper
You won't hear about us on the radio

We don't seek any glory
We don't wear any uniform
We come in all shapes and sizes
Colors and styles

Most of us work anonymously
We are quietly working behind the scenes in every country
and culture of the world
Cities big and small, mountains and valleys, in farms
and villages, tribes and remote islands

You could pass by one of us on the street and not even notice
We go undercover
We remain behind the scenes
It is of no concern to us who takes the final credit
But simply that the work gets done

Occasionally we spot each other in the street
We give a quiet nod and continue on our way so no one will notice

During the day many of us pretend we have normal jobs
But behind the false storefront at night is where the real work takes place

Some call us the "Conscious Army"
We are slowly creating a new world with the power of our minds and hearts
We follow, with passion and joy
Our orders from the Central Command
The Spiritual Intelligence Agency

We are dropping soft, secret love bombs when no ones is looking
Poems
Hugs
Music
Photography
Movies
Kind words
Smiles
Meditation and prayer
Dance
Social activism
Websites
Blogs
Random acts of kindness

We each express ourselves in our own unique ways with our
own unique gifts and talents

"Be the change you want to see in the world"
That is the motto that fills our hearts
We know it is the only way real transformation takes place
We know that quietly and humbly we have the power of all the oceans
combined

Our work is slow and meticulous
Like the formation of mountains
It is not even visible at first glance
And yet with it entire tectonic plates shall be moved in the centuries to
come

Love is the new religion of the 21st century

You don't have to be a highly educated person
Or have any exceptional knowledge to understand it

It comes from the intelligence of the heart
Embedded in the timeless evolutionary pulse of all human beings

Be the change you want to see in the world
Nobody else can do it for you

We are now recruiting
Perhaps you will join us
Or already have....
All are welcome...
The door is open

-Brian Piergrossi
(From the book "The Big Glow")    link to Brian's web site

Gone - Northern Light Fantasy

THANKS Patricia for choosing Northern Light Fantasy.

The other 2 are still available.   :))))

#2 -    Awakening Pond

#3 -    Lagoon Paradise

xo xo
Deb

I'm Having a Car Wash

D
U
H......

Guess that's not the best idea for a blog.    :))))

Let me explain what's going on.    My niece Carla has the opportunity
for a couple of sports related trips.   Carla is winding down her Junior year of high school.

This summer she has two, once-in-a-lifetime opportunities to improve her skills and to develop her character (and have some serious fun!)  First, she is going to the USA Junior Nationals International Sports Festival  in Champaign, Illinois, to represent the state of Florida.  Second, along with her teammates, she will travel to Italy to represent the United States in the Italian Shoot-Out.   (Check out the link above to read my brother's entire post.   He's the PROUD Daddy)

In an effort to help raise the money for her trips, I have painted 3 watercolor paintings.
Each frame is 5 1/4" x 5 1/4".   Shadow Box-under glass. 

I will list them here as 1 - 2 - 3.   

I am offering them for $25.00 a piece.   (No extra charge for shipping)

All you have to do is email me and let me know the painting of your choice.
I will take the 1st request via the time stamp on the email.    I'll then send you
the details of where to mail your check, and upon receiving it, I'll mail the
painting out via priority mail.  

My email

AFMomDeb@aol.com

IN THE EVENT these go quickly............  I will be happy to paint others.  
I have 6 more of these shadow box frames available.

*  I will also be updating what's available in the comment section. 

THANKS IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF MY NIECE.  !!!   

LOVE Deb

#1 -    Northern Light Fantasy

#2 -    Awakening Pond

#3 -    Lagoon Paradise

HTML Testing

 

This is test post.   Testing an HTML link. 

Go to Google   

Go to Google   

Charla Nash - Woman Mauled by Chimpanzee

Steve Nash and Michael Nash, the twin brother of a woman
mauled by a 200-pound chimpanzee in Stamford Connecticut in
mid February appeared on the Today show, today.     Charla is 55.

The brothers said she is making progress.     They said that she has
been told she had an accident, but they don't know if she is aware
of exactly what happened to her.  

She is being treated at the Cleveland Clinic here in Ohio.  

She lost her hands, nose, lips and eyelids in the attack, and it was released
that she will be permanently blind in both eyes.
Police said the attack lasted for 12 minutes and that
responding officers, who could not discern whether Nash was
a man or woman, said, "He has no face."

Steve Nash commented today how very important the cards and notes
she has received from total strangers mean to their sister, and their family.

Charla has a 17 year old daughter, Brianna.     Steve said that Brianna
is heading to Cleveland on Spring break next week.     Could you imagine
how uplifting it would be for her daughter to see LOTS of cards sent
to her Mom ?  


I went and located the mailing address.   Email is nice, but
please consider dropping a SNAIL MAIL card to Charla.  



Charla Nash - C/O
The Cleveland Clinic
9500 Euclid Avenue,
Cleveland, Ohio 44195



This info is from the Friends of Charlie Web site.......

"She is really looking forward to your kind words."
"Send an email to Charla!"

Charla@FriendsofCharlieNash.com


http://www.friendsofcharlienash.com/

'Rock and Roll Discovery'

Space Shuttle Discovery NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

 

Lift Off March 15, 2009  7:43 p.m. EDT

Commander Lee Archambault leads Discovery's crew of seven, along with Pilot Tony Antonelli, and Mission Specialists Joseph Acaba, John Phillips, Steve Swanson, Richard Arnold and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Koichi Wakata on mission STS-119 to the International Space Station.

Discovery 55 seconds into launch

(photos NASA TV)

Video of March 15, 2009 Discovery Lift Off

 

NASA - Shuttle Mission Main Page

The 2012 Enigma by David Wilcock

It's coming......................   2012      

The 2012 Enigma by David Wilcock

There are links to video's of David's presentation on you tube.
10 individual links   OR     one link at the bottom that is all the
videos in one.  

IF you have time, this is quite interesting.  

ALSO............. here is a link to David's main web site:

http://divinecosmos.com/



David Wilcock is a professional lecturer, filmmaker and researcher of ancient civilizations, consciousness science, and new paradigms of matter and energy. His upcoming Hollywood film CONVERGENCE unveils the proof that all life on Earth is united in a field of consciousness, which affects our minds in fascinating ways.

David is also the subject and co-author of the international bestseller, The Reincarnation of Edgar Cayce?, which explores the remarkable similarities between David and Edgar, features many of David's most inspiring psychic readings, and reveals documented NASA scientific proof of interplanetary climate change… and how it directly impacts our DNA.




The 2012 Enigma by David Wilcock Pt. 01

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y5b-kLvppdg




The 2012 Enigma by David Wilcock Pt. 02

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1TNj9UrZLzA




The 2012 Enigma by David Wilcock Pt. 03

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VmVaOYDQAiY




The 2012 Enigma by David Wilcock Pt. 04

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=slUhK1RHJOk




The 2012 Enigma by David Wilcock Pt. 05

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AdcNpcLX8kw



The 2012 Enigma by David Wilcock Pt. 06

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3E1GXnfAq7A




The 2012 Enigma by David Wilcock Pt. 07

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Yp6YdoZ9d8




The 2012 Enigma by David Wilcock Pt. 08

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eER-s7Ris5s




The 2012 Enigma by David Wilcock Pt. 09

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omfHAR_q-Zo




The 2012 Enigma by David Wilcock Pt. 10

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N5d5AT3OehU

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


The 2012 Enigma by David Wilcock - Entire     96 minute video

  http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4951448613711060908

" I'm Lonely and I Miss You " !!!

Does the title of my post make you think that ~ I ~ miss you ?

Well..... it's not me, but SOMEBODY DOES !!!     

Every person reading this post knows someone, an Aunt or Uncle, or Grandparent
who is NOT online.    They don't have email..........    

        THEY are LONELY AND MISS YOU !!!

Sure, you could call them, but I assure you... a good old fashioned letter
will THRILL them to pieces.   

I am a military Mom, as my son Vince is in the Air Force.   There is a group of
Air Force Moms who send cards and notes to family and friends of one another.
My folks neighbor Larry was ill last year.    He was flooded with snail mail.  :)
My Dad said to me a few weeks ago....

"Debra, you will NEVER know what that mail did for Larry, it was better than
any medicine a doctor could give him."

So PLEASE....... would you consider sending a snail mail letter or card this week.

WHAT WILL YOUR MAIL will DO for the person you send it to ?   ......


IT will make their day........ AND WEEK !!!!

This is my Aunt Irene.   She is turning 86 in April. 
~ She is a DOLL ~
She writes me often..... and I write her back.    :)

What A Wonderful World ~ Louis Armstrong ~ 'Satchmo'

~ 'Beauty is not in the face - beauty is a light in the heart' ~
(Saks61)

CLICK THESE WORDS...... not the picture.  :)
Link to beautiful youtube video.......

 

Louis Daniel Armstrong  (August 4, 1901– July 6, 1971),

nicknamed Satchmo


-     -     -     -     -     -     -     -     -     -     -     -


From YouTube ~ Saks61

Name: Nermin Country: Germany
Occupation: peacemaker
Schools: life

http://www.youtube.com/user/saks61

Help Others.Org ~ Smile Card Project

HelpOthers.org -- kindness is contagious.

How did the SmileCard project start?

One college student was talking to another slightly older twenty-something guy about pranks that students do for rival football teams. The older guy says, "Isn't it interesting that students are motivated to do such incredible acts without getting any credit?" Such acts are fun, collective, creative, and incredibly challenging. But typically, they're not all that constructive nor do they leave anyone with a lasting "wow" feeling either. So the question followed -- why not do the same with kind acts? More friends joined in the conversation. Right then, we thought up a game of doing anonymous acts of kindness and leaving behind a "smile card" to keep the ripple going. Over the next three months, we tested out the concept. And then, we setup this anonymous website and got started.

What resources did you start with?
Not too many. One of our friends designed the card, another wrote up the content on the card, and another gathered 15 bucks to go to a local Kinkos. The guy at Kinko's, well, he found out about this and did it for free. That was September 2003 and our first box of 100 cards. We never anticipated that this concept would extend all over the world!

Is there a business plan behind any of this?
Nope. Everything here is (and always will be) a labor of love. We run this commerical-free portal with dedicated volunteers, we send weekly kindness newsletters without any agendas, we ship smile cards all over the world for free, we allow people to download, print and republish everything without any restrictions. Some people order free cards to do kind acts, some share creative ideas of compassion, some contribute stories of inspiration, some sponosor cards for others, and kindness keeps spreading.

What is the future of the project?
We just launched a new site -- our third revamp of the year -- to keep up with the increasing demand. More recently, we launched Smile Groups based on the requests we heard from smile-carders around the globe. Quite honestly, we don't really know the future; our attempt is keep doing "small acts with great love" in the present.

Is this a religious effort?
Not really. All the anonymous folks behind the scenes have their own reasons for practicing compassion; for some it might be their religious beliefs, for some it might be their spiritual cultivation, for some it might just be common sense.

How can I help?
Do something kind in your community. Join Smile Groups and make it a weekly habit. Comment on the many stories to encourage the carriers of kindness. And if you're still pumped-up to give more, drop us a note.

Kindness is contagious! Keep it going.

Jump over to the site and read some kindness stories....

........ like this one....................

Smile Stones, Mile Stones 

--posted by singlestep on Jun 9, 2008

Here's an idea that brings lots of smiles-- go to your neighborhood crafts store (I went to Michael's), pick up some polished colored stones, hand-draw some smiles, and leave those smile-stones with the following poem at coffee shop tables or just about any public venue.

Look a Smile Stone straight in the eye and you'll smile back not knowing why

It's something about their lopsided grins, their lack of noses and of chins

A twinkling something that's not-quite-art touches your heart

Like snowflakes and fingerprints no two are the same

But why? You ask- What's the point of this game?

Somebody's hand drew those smiles for you

To find and to keep and to give away too

For when the smile fades from the stone

Then you'll find it within

And this is where you get to begin

To share that smile where there's a lack

All you'll need is a pen

(Permanent. Black)

To draw a new smile in place of the old

And send it off on its way

to places untold

Smilestone milestones

Marking the way

We each can reach out

to

Make Someone's Day.

Spiritual Drifts from The River of Karma

ROK had a slow down of posts for 2008, but in January of this year
he has returned with this post................

Return to essence

 I invite you to check out his blog.........


River of Karma ~ (Quote from ROK's front page)

A blog that captures the thoughts of a Pranic Healer-in-training on his Spiritual path as he figures his place in the world, finds more time for his sleep and yoga all whilst doing his beloved religion justice. Life's a journey, and I'm on one. Cheers.

Tuesday, May 22, 2007

"But I think I also get what this blog may mean – As I post stuff to help others on their journey, it’s a guide point of my own. Where I am, and where I’ve come from. The prospect thrills me.

If only I could figure out what “here” means, and where I stand in it.

Well, I suppose its part of the process."

Spiritual Drifts from The River of Karma

http://driftings.blogspot.com/

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Inspirational Movies From - Simple Truths

 

 

Simple Truths is the brain-child of Mac Anderson, the founder of
Successories.   

If you have ever walked in an office and seen a beautifully framed
photograph along with one word or an inspirational quotation, I bet
it came from Successories.  

After selling Successories in 2004, Anderson published three
successful gift books – The Nature of Success,
The Power of Attitude and The Essence of Leadership.

He went on to create this company ~ Simple Truths.  

Anderson says……….

‘There is one thing in life that took me a long time to learn, and
that's... less is almost always more. This "simple truth" is the
foundation on which our company was built. I wanted to create
beautiful gift books that anyone can read in less than
thirty minutes.’

Simple Truths has created mini inspirational movies based
upon many of their gift books.

Each movie is around 3 minutes in length.  

The link to these movies can be found after the list of
movie titles below.   
For an inspirational,  beautiful get away check out these movies…….

 

 

 

Inspiration 365 Days A Year – Zig Ziglar

 

Dreams are Whispers From the Soul – Marcia Wieder

 

The Essence of Leadership – Mac Anderson

 

You Can't Send a Duck to Eagle School – Mac Anderson

 

The Simple Truths of Service –  Ken Blanchard & Barbara Glanz
Inspired by Johnny the Bagger

 

The Race – Dee Groberg

 

Eat that Frog! – Brian Tracy

 

Finding Joy - Mac Anderson

 

May You Be Blessed – Kate Nowak

 

The Power of Teamwork -  Scott Beare & Michael McMillan

 

The Dash – Linda Ellis & Mac Anderson

 

Rock Solid Leadership – Robin Crow

 

Nature's Inspiration - Ken Jenkings & Peggy Anderson

 

Change is Good... You Go First - Mac Anderson & Tom Feltenstein

 

Sales Motivation – Todd Duncan

 

Paper Airplane -  Michael McMillan

 

212 The Extra Degree – Sam Parker & Mac Anderson

 

One Solitary Life - James A. Francis

 

A Peacock in the Land of Penguins - BJ Gallagher and Warren H. Schmidt

 

The Richest Man in Town – V.J. Smith

 

Great Quotes from Great Leaders – Peggy Anderson

 

The Simple Truths of Appreciation – Barbara A. Glanz

 

No Glass Ceiling, Just Blue Sky - Marcy Blochowiak

 

What it Takes to Be #1 - Vince Lombardi

 

Finish Strong –  Dan Green

 

Walk The Talk – Eric Harvey & Steve Ventura

 
The Strangest Secret – Earl Nightengale

 

The Power of Attitude - Mac Anderson

To a Child, Love is Spelled T-I-M-E - Mac Anderson and Lance Wubbels

 

The Nature of Success – Mac Anderson

 

http://www.simpletruths.com/movies.asp

 

 

Main Page of Simple Truths

http://www.simpletruths.com

Beyond "Normal" - The Liquid Level Of Consciousness - By Wayne Wirs

Beyond "Normal" - The Liquid Level Of Consciousness

I am not enlightened, and yet, I am no longer "normal." Since you are reading this, I suspect you probably feel the same. Somewhere between the normal, Solid level of consciousness and the transparent, Ethereal level of enlightenment, lies a very fluid, Liquid level of awareness.

Just ahead lies a beautiful glen, a large clearing in the forests of the Soul. This glen is with you wherever you are, it lies just behind your mind, just behind your thoughts, just behind your emotions. This is sacred ground, the source of your true nature. Before proceeding, you must leave your beliefs, your opinions and your Solid ideals behind, for those are the traits of the Ego and the Ego has no business here. In the center of this glen lies a still, mirror lake, a lake where all your thoughts, emotions and dreams arise. Gaze down into this lake, into the image that stares back in fascination. See the reflection of your true face in all its natural brilliance....

Are you a "Liquid?" Do you experience the following symptoms?
   - When you see a tree, do you see living, breathing life, an integral part of something so much more?
   - When you feel the breeze, do you experience it as a lover, caressing your skin in a show of intimacy?
   - Do you see thoughts arise in your mind, glisten for a moment, then splash silently back into nothingness?

And the most important question of all...
   - Always?

Solid people rarely see the subtle. Ethereal people always do. And the Liquids? Liquids constantly flow back and forth between the two extremes. Like the tides of the ocean, they rise and fall according to their own nature. Sometimes experiencing the Solid, sometimes experiencing the Ethereal.

At times we'll see It. At times we won't. Back and forth we go. Sometimes caught up in our minds, our little story. At other times it's almost as if we didn’t exist, a "transparent eyeball" (as Emerson so aptly described), that looks out upon a world where boundaries fade and the words of Man are nothing more than moving air.

See this still and lonely lake. Its waters reflect the sky. Below the surface, nothing can be seen, and yet from its depths the entire Universe arises. Can you see this lake that lies behind your thoughts? Can you see the peaceful glen that lies behind your mind? Where do your emotions begin? What is the source of all your thoughts? Watch them arise and you'll soon find what you have never lost.

Many people, when they first start to experience the Liquid state, think that they are Enlightened. They think that they have achieved the realm of the Ethereals. They tell the world they are Awake - They teach, they write, they get a distant "I see God" look in their eyes. They mislead. It isn't intentional; they just don't understand. There is a simple test though, the test of Constant Consciousness....

Sleep. The night closes in around me. Thoughts arise from the stillness; I watch them, and the simple act of seeing them causes them to fade. Dreams arise, and I watch these. Sometimes I'll play with them, flying through the trees, walking on the rings of Saturn, chatting with the Buddha. Like the thoughts, the dreams gently fade back into the Stillness, the Emptiness. All is silent - no thoughts, no dreams, no ego story - but an aliveness just the same. I watch this Emptiness, too. I am this Emptiness. Without thoughts, there is no time here, only this moment, only this Awareness. Gradually, the world starts to form again, my chest softly rises as my body solidifies out of the Nothingness. I hear the sparrows outside my window and feel the warmth of the sun on my skin....

Constant Consciousness. The sign of the Ethereals. They are aware even in the depths of deep dreamless sleep. They are always aware. They are not fooled by the mind, they do not "forget" their True Face as we Liquids are so apt to do. They don't get caught up in a world of meaning and beliefs and ideals. Awareness during deep, dreamless sleep. I have only experienced it once. But then, I am not enlightened.

The awareness of the Liquid is always in flux, always shifting between two viewpoints, between that of the Solid and that of the Ethereal. Seeing the homeless man approach, his eyes fixed steadily upon you, you feel your body cringe, not wanting to be bothered, not wanting to hear a tale of woe. But suddenly a shift occurs, the compassion arises, and the feeling of oneness envelops you. Though you can't afford it, your hand reaches into your pocket for some change....

There is nothing wrong with being Liquid. Once you become comfortable with its dynamic nature, it can be almost magical. Everything has its normal, solid perspective, and at the same time everything is imbued with a spark of the Divine: Awareness becomes clear and filled with intuition; music takes on a movement and life of its own, and the rain dances happily to the symphony of the Gods.

The Solid "You" melts. The story gradually fades, and the Awareness that sees out your eyes, that sees out everyone's eyes, crystallizes. The drives, goals, and motivations of Man seem at once both silly and necessary. All Life acts in accordance to its nature. All is as it should be. All is well. On the lips of your True Face, a smile radiates.

---

Wayne Wirs is the photographer and author of Fading Toward Enlightenment - Life between the Ego and the Ethereal. A preview to FTE can be found at http://Fade2e.com. Wayne can be contacted at wayne@waynewirs.com or through his website: http://waynewirs.com.

~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~  ~   ~  

Also a MUST see by Wayne.............

What if you KNEW You Come Back After Death

Download the free ebook - The Implications of the Soul 

Free Audio Track - Past Life Recall

~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~  ~   ~  

I have been a FAN of Wirs since I ordered his book back in 2005.  
His spiritual journey is captivating without the - mumbo -jumbo.   

The outstanding photography invites you to.............
come live in the moment of each picture.  !!!!

XO XO XO

Deb 

Mantra-Tasking

Mantra-Tasking

Sometime around the first of the year, I was washing my hands for about
the millionth time and I started thinking.....   There are certain mantras that I
wish to hold in my mind.    What a better time to repeat the mantra than when
I am washing my hands.   I also thought... heck I am even multi-tasking.    

Taking what is normally a mindless sort of event and giving it added purpose.

Just today when I thought of writing this post, I thought to myself...
'Hmmmm it's not multi-tasking........  IT'S Mantra-Tasking.

So if there is some thought you wish to hold near and dear in the day,
consider incorporating the thought as you go about this simple task.

This would also be another way to incorporate an
affirmation in your daily life.

My thoughts have been....

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change.


So....... are there any mantras or affirmations that you might be
trying to hold near and dear in a day ?   




Daily Mantras Can Reduce Stress



* Not my bathroom - just a photo I found  :)

Inauguration Day Poem

Praise song for the day

By Elizabeth Alexander

Each day we go about our business, walking past each other, catching each others' eyes or not, about to speak or speaking. All about us is noise. All about us is noise and bramble, thorn and din, each one of our ancestors on our tongues. Someone is stitching up a hem, darning a hole in a uniform, patching a tire, repairing the things in need of repair.

Someone is trying to make music somewhere with a pair of wooden spoons on an oil drum with cello, boom box, harmonica, voice.

A woman and her son wait for the bus.

A farmer considers the changing sky; A teacher says, "Take out your pencils. Begin."

We encounter each other in words, words spiny or smooth, whispered or declaimed; words to consider, reconsider.

We cross dirt roads and highways that mark the will of someone and then others who said, "I need to see what's on the other side; I know there's something better down the road."

We need to find a place where we are safe; We walk into that which we cannot yet see.

Say it plain, that many have died for this day. Sing the names of the dead who brought us here, who laid the train tracks, raised the bridges, picked the cotton and the lettuce, built brick by brick the glittering edifices they would then keep clean and work inside of.

Praise song for struggle; praise song for the day. Praise song for every hand-lettered sign; The figuring it out at kitchen tables.

Some live by "Love thy neighbor as thy self."

Others by first do no harm, or take no more than you need.

What if the mightiest word is love, love beyond marital, filial, national. Love that casts a widening pool of light. Love with no need to preempt grievance.

In today's sharp sparkle, this winter air, anything can be made, any sentence begun.

On the brink, on the brim, on the cusp -- praise song for walking forward in that light.

http://www.elizabethalexander.net/home.html

I've read some criticism of this poem and I have read some praise.    I personally
loved the entire poem.    If you might not have been so taken, perhaps there is just
a line that will speak to you.    

To anyone who follows blogs, these words might speak to your heart ....

"We encounter each other in words, words spiny or smooth, whispered or declaimed; words to consider, reconsider."

There is a New Blog in the Neighborhood.

Welcome the White House to the Blogging World

The first WHITE HOUSE blog post was made today:  

Tuesday, January 20th, 2009 at 12:01 pm EST


Macon Phillips, the Director of New Media for the White House opens with a
first post.     Well in all there are 4 entries for today. 

 YIKS,
4 in one day....  Someone better set Mr. Phillips straight here,
he could be making the rest of us look bad.  LOL
Seriously, how exciting are these times....

www.whitehouse.gov/blog

Stop Shooting Arrows - Words

 My friend, Patricia Singleton over at   Spiritual Journey of a Lightworker
wrote a wonderful piece last week......... 


Kindness.... Why Is It Easier to Be Kind to Strangers ?

Patricia's has written this is such a way where you are stopped
right in your tracks and it gets you thinking.     Everyone can answer
this in their own way.    It's personal.   

If you are not familiar with Patricia's blog, she always shares
every bit of her authentic self .... the good and not so good.
The lessons learned from reading her writing is always powerful. 

Link to Patricia's Post

The words we speak can be like arrows.   

Here is a visual reminder.........





I have explored the kindness aspect in a previous post
titled ..... Tone.  

Gratitude ~ Day by Day

My blog friend, Deb Call over at Spirit in Gear wrote a wonderful New Year's Day post -

Try This in Lieu of Resolutions

Deb says this......

"Phil Gerbyshak's What's Your Word of the Year for 2009? caught me at a time when I most need it.  He suggests building your year around one word that resonates for you.  He gives credit to this idea to Christine Kane's Resolution Revolution post.  She supplies a lot of help if you need inspiration around words to select.  Both are excellent posts about creating something more powerful and lasting than a New Year's resolution."

Deb's 2 words are ...  "ease" and "savor."     Check out her post to see how she
has started and plans to blend these words into the fabric of her life.

My word ~  *Gratitude*        

HEY.... it's nothing new, and I even have a category already in place.  :)

 

I had tried to hold the word in my thoughts and really live
it, but there were times last year I did not accomplish that.

 

The day it SMACKED me over the head was a day in December.
I was removing 4 empty ice cube trays from my freezer. 

 

We had rearranged our kitchen early on in 2008.  Moving
the refrigerator, meant disconnecting the water line to
the ice maker.   The frig was in the house 8 years ago,
and although it's working fine, there will no doubt be a
time soon, when it will need replaced.
Rather than run a new water line, we opted to go with
ice cube trays.  I bought 4 of them.  I tried to remind
myself of the aluminum trays of my youth.  Be thankful for
these plastic ones where the cubes just pop out. 
I tried that MANY times.   But still every time I went to
empty and fill a tray, I bitched at how I missed my ice
maker, and what a pain these trays were....

 

Well...  in my mind, the rant of no
ice maker started up while I was filling the trays....

 

I was stopped RIGHT in my bitching tracks ....

 

I heard.....

 

BE GRATEFUL YOU HAVE CLEAN AND SAFE WATER !!!
BE GRATEFUL YOU HAVE ICE !!!
BE GRATEFUL YOU HAVE A REFRIGERATOR !!!
BE GRATEFUL YOU HAVE A HOME !!!

 

Not only with the ice cube trays, but everything
else ...........  ~*~ Gratitude ~*~  Day by Day !!!


THANKS Deb, for the idea to HOLD the word all year through. 





My 4 trays.  

 

Graffiti Interviews

Graffiti Interviews

 

Joe Powers has this on the opening page of his site..........

 

Soul Graffiti™ LLC was created with the single mission of building a community
aimed at shifting consciousness away from "material graffiti" to that of "soul graffiti."

Soul graffiti is not about inspiration or philosophy, but rather about action.

We believe that through soul graffiti - conscious acts of kindness -
we can leave a permanent mark on this world and upon the lives of others.

 

 

I've listed the names of those interviewed and also have a link

to his page here......

 

'kindness, love and compassion'.......   Let's KEEP it going.

Graffiti Interviews

http://soulgraffiti.com/cms/content/category/3/15/35/

'There are so many people around the world spreading the message of kindness, love and compassion. In our Graffiti Interview section, we speak with some of these people who share their ideas, thoughts and experiences.'

Judith Orloff, M.D. -World Renowned Medical Intuitive

Mark Victor Hansen - International Best Selling Author

Doreen Virtue, Ph.D. - Author & Spiritual Clairvoyant

Mira Kirshenbaum - Psychotherapist & Award-Winning Author

Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev - Realized Master, Yogi, & Mystic

Frederic Luskin, Ph.D. - Dir., Stanford Forgiveness Project

Ron Scolastico, Ph.D. - Psychologist, Author, Artist

David Friedman - Kabbalist, Artist, & Teacher

Julie Salamon - Best-Selling Author & Journalist

Echo Bodine - Renowned Spiritual Healer

Julie Exline, Ph.D. - Professor & Kindness Researcher

Elizabeth Sar'h Petrinovich, Ph.D. - Doctor of Metaphysics

Calvin Standing Bear - Native American Musician & Healer Venerable

Tenzin Yignyen - Buddhist Scholar & Teacher

James Van Praagh - World Renowned Medium

Michael Nagler, Ph.D. - Award Winning Author & Peace Scholar

"Abraham" - Evolved Spirit Teachers channeled by Esther Hicks

Gary R. Renard - Christian Teacher & Acclaimed Author

Nancy Nester, Ph.D. - Spiritual Healer & Teacher

Ken Page - Internationally Renowned Spiritual Healer

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

My blog post from October of 2006

 

"Soul Graffiti" Artist

Sharing a Get-Away For Your Mind

~ Calm Sanctuary ~

 Just for a moment, take a few deep relaxing breaths  


Picture yourself sitting in one of these chairs.....

toes wiggling in the sand..... the sound of the water.   

Ahhhhh I am so there...Calm Sanctuary indeed.   


This morning, I had the Today show playing in the
background while I was at my computer. 
A segment of the show was talking about travel
destinations.    One that was talked about was Stephanie's Inn
located on the Pacific coast of Oregon.   

http://www.stephanie-inn.com/default.asp

http://www.stephanie-inn.com/images/video/video.asp

~ Of Dreams and Spirit ~

The story of Lopez Lomong is an absolute must read. !




I dedicate this post not only to Lomong and his ~ Spirit ~, but the

~ Spirit ~ that LIVES in each and every one of us.   

‘True Olympic spirit is often found away from gold medalists
with their agents and sponsorship deals -- it is found
in its purest sense in those that come last.’
(Agence -Presse- French News Agency)

 

Presumed dead in Sudan, Lopez Lomong lives American dream

             

By WAYNE COFFEY    
DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER

      Wednesday, July 30th 2008, 10:15 PM    

       

       

                        

Lopez Lomong, now the pride of Tully, N.Y., goes from war-torn homeland to representing U.S.A. in Beijing.

Twenty miles south of  Syracuse and 6,000 miles west of East Africa, a freshly hung flag flies over the tiny town of Tully. It is on the pole in front of the high school, just beneath the American flag, a big white rectangle with five Olympic rings, a salute not so much to the Beijing Games that will commence next week, but to the Lost Boy who found a home and a life and an athletic calling, and who has made virtually everyone in his central New York state village proud.

The village of Tully has 924 residents and one traffic light, and one remarkable 1,500-meter runner, Joseph Lopepe (Lopez) Lomong, child prisoner turned feted Olympian. He will begin competing in Beijing on Aug.15.

"We've never had someone in the Olympics before, and we probably will never have another," says Eileen Baldassarre, a Tully resident whose sons are friends with Lomong. "This is huge, because...those of us who know Lopez know what a nice and generous kid he is."

Says Lomong, "I came a long way, for sure, from running through the wilderness to save my life, and now I am doing this for fun."

At 23, Lopez Lomong is a sinewy 5-11, 148-pounder and one third of perhaps the most intriguing team of 1,500 runners the U.S. has ever assembled, a melting pot on the move. The favorite for gold is Bernard Lagat, the defending world champion, who captured bronze and silver in the two previous Games, running for his native Kenya before becoming a naturalized U.S. citizen. The runner-up in the trials earlier this month was Leonel Manzano, a Mexican-American and two-time NCAA champion for Texas, whose father reportedly crossed the border 16 times before becoming a legal U.S. resident.

And then there is Lomong, a man whose journey has taken him from the southern Sudan village of Kimotong to a Kenyan refugee camp in Kakuma, to the lakeside home of Rob and Barb Rogers in Tully. He has seen kids in the next bed die, and has visited his own grave. Why wouldn't he savor his Olympic achievement?
"This is America, this is the land of everybody," Lomong says.

Lomong's story has been well chronicled, a fact that makes it no less chilling. At age 6, while attending Mass with his family in Kimotong, he and some 50 other children were taken at gunpoint by a government-backed militia in Sudan's long-running Civil War, hauled off in a tarp-covered truck to a work camp. After several weeks, three older boys found a hole in a fence, escaped the camp and brought Lopez with them, walking for three harrowing days through woods and wilderness, before stumbling into Kenyan border guards.

For the next 10 years, home for Lopez - one of the so-called Lost Boys of Sudan - was a a sprawling Kenyan refugee camp, where meals consisted of U.N.-provided corn and came once a day. Soccer provided about the only respite from the bleakness and boredom. The notion of anything better scarcely occurred to him until late summer of 2000.

Lomong earned five Kenyan shillings (about seven cents) for moving some dirt. He didn't spend it until he heard it could buy him a chance to see the 2000 Olympics on a black-and-white TV.

Lomong and a few friends walked five miles to see the Games. He came away mesmerized by Michael Johnson, running the 400 meters.

He prayed that God would give him a chance to do something similar. "I saw him run so fast and I said, 'I want to run just like that,'" Lopez says.

A year later, shortly after 9/11, an international relief effort began to place the Lost Boys in American homes. Lomong wrote an essay describing his ordeals. Rob and Barb Rogers, devout Christians, saw a notice in their church bulletin one Sunday that Catholic Charities was looking for foster parents for the boys.

Before long, 16-year-old Lopez Lomong was on his way to Hancock Airport outside Syracuse. He was shocked when the Rogerses met him in their car.
"He walked to the airport (in Kenya), and assumed he'd walk from the airport (here)," Rob Rogers says.

Lopez was awed by the breadth and asphalt splendor of Interstate 81, by electricity and running water. He enrolled at Tully High, became a cross-country and track star, before moving on to Northern Arizona, where he grew into an NCAA champion. Lomong's American adventure was just beginning, and it was for the Rogerses, too; they have since taken in five more Sudanese boys.

Rob Rogers buys and sells heavy equipment, while Barb manages the 27 apartments they own, and runs their laundromat, Suds and Bubbles. Uncertain about how a virtually all-white community would receive their adopted Sudanese sons, the Rogers have been heartened by the whole experience. Apart from a single nasty epithet written by two high school kids - an incident that aroused the ire of almost the entire school - the embrace has been universal.

"We thought we'd be in the 'out' crowd, and now we're in the 'in' crowd," Rob Rogers says, laughing. He pauses and talks about how life has changed since Lopez made the Olympic team on the night of July 6 - exactly a year after he gained his U.S. citizenship. He did it with a bell-lap charge that carried him from sixth to third, balky ankle be damned.

"The highlight of my life is telling CNN I couldn't talk because HBO was here," Rogers says.

At Christmas time last year, Lomong went back to Kenya and Sudan for HBO's "Real Sports" program, which was doing a segment on him. He reunited with his birth mother, Rita, and his younger brothers. He even visited the grave his family made for him, certain that he was dead. It was a small pile of stones that contained a necklace and childhood keepsakes. They happily took the pile apart.

"They brought me to life again," Lomong says.

 

Thanks to a Tully-wide fundraising effort spearheaded by Eileen Baldassarre, more than $13,000 has been collected to send Rob and Barb Rogers to Beijing, along with Jim Paccia - Tully High's track coach - and his wife, Cheryl. Rob Rogers got in the Olympic spirit almost immediately after watching Lopez make the team, ordering an Olympic flag and banner on the Internet for $68. The banner is on the front door, the flag flying in the front yard.
His foster son, Lopez Lomong, a Lost Boy no longer, will soon be surrounded by the best runners in the world. He will race hard, and whatever happens, he will be powered by gratitude, and unencumbered by fear.

"This is payback for the people who helped me through my childhood," Lomong says.
"Now I am running for America. I'm an American citizen and I can go out and compete.
I'm so thankful."

Former 'Lost Boy' leads U.S. team as

Beijing welcomes the world to China

 

(Photo - Pretty/Getty)

Lopez Lomong, one of the Lost Boys of Sudan,
leads Team USA into Beijing's national stadium.

 

----------------------------------------------------------

http://lopezlomong.org/

 

Lopez Lomong's web site

" When we were in Africa, we didn't know what was there for us as kids--we just ran.
God was planning all of this stuff for me, and I didn't know.
Now I'm using running to get the word out about how horrible things
were back in Sudan during the war. Sometimes these things are not on CNN,
so if I put out the word, I hope people can get the information.
Right now, similar terrible things are going on in Darfur; people are
running out of Darfur, and I put myself in their shoes."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Save Darfur

www.savedarfur.org

The Save Darfur Coalition's mission is to raise public awareness about
the ongoing genocide in Darfur and to mobilize a unified response
to the atrocities that threaten the lives of two million people in the Darfur region.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Olympic Spirit


http://www.olympicspirit.org

Inspire the Youth of the World

'Our vision and purpose is clear -
To be an icon of Olympic values and ideals, to inspire and motivate
the youth of the world to be the best they can be'

Mark R. Dzenick
Chairman - Olympic Spirit Group

'Thank you for everything. I have no complaint whatsoever.'

My dear friend Patricia, from Spiritual Journey of a Lightworker,
wrote a post yesterday....

You Had It All The Time

Patricia shares about a book she is reading,
I Had It All the Time written by Alan Cohen....

In Patricia's words....

'What it took me years to realize and what this book says is, 'I had it all the time.'

'I spent years running here and there, reading this book, watching that video on self-improvement. According to Alan Cohen's book, I didn't have to do any of that searching. I already had it; I just didn't know it. All I had to do is remember who I really am.'

Patricia's post started me thinking about the many online articles I have read by Alan Cohen.    Cohen has an easy, endearing style to his writing.

THANK YOU Patricia AND Alan !!!  I have no complaint whatsoever.


I found this article of his to share..........

Thank You
for Everything

by Alan Cohen

The story is told about a woman Zen master named Sono who taught one very simple method of enlightenment. She advised everyone who came to her to adopt an affirmation to be said many times a day, under all conditions. The affirmation was, 'Thank you for everything. I have no complaint whatsoever.'

Many people from all arenas of life came to Sono for healing. Some were in physical pain; others were emotionally distraught; others had financial troubles; some were seeking soul liberation. No matter what their distress or what question they asked her, her response was the same: 'Thank you for everything. I have no complaint whatsoever.' Some people went away disappointed; others grew angry; others tried to argue with her. Yet some people took her suggestion to heart and began to practice it. Tradition tells that everyone who practiced Sono?s mantra found peace and healing. 'Thank you for everything. I have no complaint whatsoever.'

My friend Lisa, an attractive woman in her late 30?s, came to one of my seminars after I had not seen her for a number of years. She informed the group that a year earlier she had been diagnosed with a brain disorder that required immediate surgery. The surgery was done, a steel plate was inserted in her head, and her doctor keeps her under close observation. Lisa reported that now she lives from day to day. Privately I told Lisa that I was sorry she had gone through this whole ordeal. "Oh, don?t be sorry," she told me emphatically. "I?m not sorry at all. This was one of the best things that has ever happened to me. It really got me to appreciate my life and relationships. I married a wonderful guy and we are thinking about having children. I wouldn?t trade the experience if I could.' 'Thank you for everything. I have no complaint whatsoever.'

Can you imagine what your life would be like if you simply dropped your complaints? It's a radical proposal, since most of us have been trained to question, analyze, and criticize everything we see. But then we end up questioning, analyzing, and criticizing ourselves. Then we miss out on joy, the only true measure of success.

The ecstatic mystic poet Hafiz proclaimed, 'All a sane man can ever think about is giving love.'  One evening I received a phone call from my friend Cliff, a Jewish guy from Brooklyn who discovered A Course in Miracles and became a world-class love exuder. Cliff just went around finding good and beauty in everyone he met. On the phone, Cliff told me, 'I just called to tell you how much I love and appreciate you.'

'Well, thank you Cliff,' I answered, delighted. 'I really appreciate that . . . What prompted you to call me at this moment?'

'My knee was hurting me, and I knew that the only way I could feel better would be to give more love. So I began to think of the people in my life who I care about, and you came to mind.'    'Thank you for everything. I have no complaint whatsoever.'

As we approach the holiday of Thanksgiving, many of us will be getting together with our families. Perhaps family issues may come to the fore and we might be tempted to fall into a pattern of rehashing old resentments and arguments. Wouldn?t it be fabulous if, as we sat with our relatives, we held in mind, 'Thank you for everything. I have no complaint whatsoever.' Imagine what this Thanksgiving would be like if we decided that no matter how much mom complained about dad; how much dad bugged us about getting a real job; or how unspiritual our ex is, we chose to be an unstoppable appreciation machine and found the good in our loved ones. Indeed this would be a triumphant Thanksgiving to remember!

Yes, I know, there is a voice inside you objecting, 'But if I did not complain, people would walk all over me and selfish opportunists would genetically manipulate my food and terrorists would keep crashing airplanes into buildings and . . ., . . ., and. . . . Got it. Now if you went to Sono, her response would be,'Thank you for everything. I have no complaint whatsoever.'

 I am simply suggesting that we practice the mantra for an entire Thanksgiving day. And then maybe one day a week. Then we might start to feel so good and our lives will become so effective that we want to turn every day into Thanksgiving.

In my book Handle with Prayer I state that the highest form of prayer is gratitude. Instead of asking God for stuff, start thanking God for stuff, and you will find that God has already given you everything you could want or need, including the adventure of discovering more riches every day.

Life is a big treasure hunt. Eventually we grow weary of seeking treasures outside ourselves, and we begin to look within. There we discover that the gold we sought, we already are. The beauty we overlooked because we were focusing on what was missing, still lives and awaits us like an anxious lover. As T.S. Eliot nobly noted, 'The end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time.'

Thank you for everything. I have no complaint whatsoever.
Have a great Thanksgiving.

*Water* ~ Magical Connectivity

 

Photographs I took yesterday in my yard.

Don't miss the tiny fly having a sip of water
in the second picture.   

 

Yesterday, after an overnight rain, I started thinking about water.

Water is a thing that absolutely connects each and

everyone of us.  :)   

There can be a magic to it if we hold ourselves mindful
each time we come in contact with water. 

Please know that I will say a prayer of blessing for YOU,
when I am in touch with water.   Would you do the same ?  :)



http://tinyurl.com/Shower-Praying 

xo xo
Debs-E

Illusions ~ The Adventures Of A Reluctant Messiah - Quote 3

Richard Bach, author of Jonathan Livingston Seagull  came out in 1977 with
Illusions ~ The Adventures Of A Reluctant Messiah.

Snipped the following from an Amazon.com editorial...

"Richard Bach takes to the air to discover the ageless truths that give our souls wings: that people don't need airplanes to soar...that even the darkest clouds have meaning once we lift ourselves above them... and that messiahs can be found in the unlikeliest places--like hay fields, one-traffic-light midwestern towns, and most of all, deep within ourselves."

The 192 page paper back edition opens with this line...

"There was a Master come unto the earth, born in the holy land of Indiana,
raised in the mystical hills east of Fort Wayne...."

What I am planning on doing is blogging, in no particular order,
a few quotes every now and then from the book ....

'Your only obligation in any lifetime is to be true to yourself.

  Being true to anyone else, or anything else is not

only impossible, but the mark of a false messiah.'

Lining The Streets of Your Future

Would you drive down a road if you knew a truck

just dumped a load of these ?

HARDLY !!!

When you hold a negative thought,

you are lining the streets of your future. 

Thoughts are ~ things ~ just be aware of yours.

 

A Masterpiece

This was the sunrise this morning in my town. 



In every sunrise, I always marvel in gratitude

knowing that I will never ever see the same one again.

Everyday it's a 'one of a kind' masterpiece. !

Just like you and just like me....  A masterpiece. !!!

We May Never Pass This Way (Again)

Life, so they say, is but a game and we let it slip away.

Love, like the Autumn sun, should be dyin' but it's only just begun.

Like the twilight in the road up ahead, they don't see just where we're goin'.

And all the secrets in the Universe, whisper in our ears

And all the years will come and go, take us up, always up.

We may never pass this way again. 

We may never pass this way again.

We may never pass this way again.

Dreams, so they say, are for the fools and they let 'em drift away.

Peace, like the silent dove, should be flyin' but it's only just begun.

Like Columbus in the olden days, we must gather all our courage.

Sail our ships out on the open sea. Cast away our fears

And all the years will come and go, and take us up, always up.

We may never pass this way again. 

We may never pass this way again.

We may never pass this way again.

So, I wanna laugh while the laughin' is easy. I wanna cry if it makes it worthwhile.

We may never pass this way again, that's why I want it with you.

'Cause, you make me feel like I'm more than a friend. 

Like I'm the journey and you're the journey's end.

We may never pass this way again, that's why I want it with you, baby.

We may never pass this way again. We may never pass this way again.

We may never pass this way again. We may never pass this way again. 

Albums : Diamond Girl -1973

(Lyrics : James Seals / Music : James Seals, Dash Crofts, 1973)

He Said This - and - Why I do What I do

"I, Robert   _____, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support
and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies,
foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance
to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the
President of the United States and the orders of the
officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the
Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God."

I have no idea at all when Robert said these words, but I do know when the 24 year old
took his last breath on this Earth.   
That was on July 15, 2007 while on duty in Baghdad, Iraq. 

I also know the month and year he took his first breath........March of 1983.

Since March 24th of this year I have signed every guestbook of our Fallen
Heroes on the day they passed.   To date, I have met 1631 of America's finest
men and women.    Hmmmmmmmm I did say met.    Might sound kind of strange
since they are all dead.    Before I actually add my message, I read through the
previous posts.    Sometimes I will even go on the net and try and find out more
about the person.     I can actually ~feel~ them with me.     They reach out and
I hear a THANK YOU.     They know exactly what it will mean to their family and
friends to know ... They are not forgotten.   


My nearly 12 year old Kevin asked me the other day........

'Mommy, why do you do this when it makes you cry' ?

His question came in response to seeing me tear up over an email I read.
That email was from Robert's sister....    This is what she wrote me....


'How beautiful, I am Rob's
sister and this has given me
so much reason to hold my
head up and know my brother
is at peace. This words have
meant more to me than you
will ever know. God Bless
you and thank you from the
bottom of my heart. The
world needs more people like
you.'

I tried my best to explain to my son what my tears were about.   I think
my explanation fell a bit short for his young mind to grasp.

Having had my Air Force son Vince, and his wife, Dana... my Air Force
daughter in law both serve over in Iraq, I know we could have lost either
of them over there. 

My keeping up daily with my blog - Remember The Fallen, and
signing the guestbooks, has taken time away from my personal blog here.....
But I hope sharing the words of his sister, one year after his death
helps shed some light on why I do what I do.


I thank you my dear readers for understanding WHY I am not
posting here as often as I used to.    :)


Here is a link to Robert’s guestbook   Legacy Site


This is a copy of the message I post..................

 

Holding you all in my thoughts and prayers.

 

 

The Wind on The

Downs

 

“I like to think of you as brown and tall,

As strong and living as you used to be,

In khaki tunic, Sam Brown belt and all,

And standing there and laughing down at me.

Because they tell me, dear, that you are dead,

Because I can no longer see your face,

You have not died, it is not true, instead

You seek adventure in some other place.

That you are round about me, I believe;

I hear you laughing as you used to do,

Yet loving all the things I think of you;

And knowing you are happy, should I grieve?

You follow and are watchful where I go.”

 

(Written by Marian Allen during World War l )

 

Two lines that I wish you to keep near your heart…….

 

“You seek adventure in some other place.

That you are round about me, I believe”

 

 

I did not know Robert, but I am remembering

his service. He is my hero. !

 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

 

The Other Side

 

i'm over on the other side

where life and death softly divide.

left my skin and bones behind

now i'm over on the other side.

 

can you feel me there with you?

my breath is gone but i'm not through.

loved you then and i still do

from over on the other side.

 

i can fly. really fly.

below the earth ... all through the sky.

tell em all i did not die.

i'm just over on the other side.

 

it's good here on the other side.

the sweetest songs...the bluest skies.

thank you for the tears you cried

but it's good here on the other side.

 

i can fly. really fly. below the earth...all through the sky.

tell em all i did not die.

i'm just over on the other side

 

the world is smaller than a needle's eye.

where life and death softly divide.

when you leave your skin and bones behind

i'll be waiting on the other side.

 

i can fly. really fly. below the earth ... all through the sky.

go tell em all i did not die.

i'm just over on the other side.

 

Song lyrics by Don Conoscenti

C Desert Muse/SESAC

www.donconoscenti.com

(Used with permission)

 

“I hope it brings great comfort to any and all.

Peace on you. DonCon” 4-2008

 

 

The Other Side –

(To hear the song)

http://tinyurl.com/3o8gol

 

 

 

Sincerely,

 

Deb Estep ~

Ohio

Proud Air Force Mom SSgt Vince – Lackland AFB

Proud Air Force MIL SrA Dana – Randolph AFB

 

Remembering The Fallen – Blog

http://tinyurl.com/3z8p55

 

 

Angel and soldier drawing I have shared here.

http://tinyurl.com/6gey8b

 

Tone

Stop right now, and grab a post it note, or an index card
Or some piece of paper. On that paper write the word – tone

 

Okay….. you read that line and thought… ‘I’ll do it later’.

No……. please DO IT NOW.    Smile

Have you ever walked around a grocery store and you keep meeting the same person in every isle ? This happened to me last week as my son and I were out shopping. I would turn the corner and there was this family of 4.
A father, mother and 2 girls. I would guess the children’s ages to have been  about 12 and 10.  The family might not have stayed with me over these several days since I kept running into them in the isles
had it not been for the negative, hostile and derogatory tones in which the parents were speaking to one another.....and now they haunt me.

If I had the ability to secretly video tape this family those adults might
be shocked at seeing and hearing themselves in the manner in which
they behaved.

Tone is the use of pitch in language to distinguish lexical or
grammatical meaning— that is, to distinguish or inflect words.

~ Be Aware of your tone ~

As a parent, I have used the one word reminder – tone – many times
over to my children. 

It’s really quite amazing, but we would never think of speaking to a
stranger in just quite the ‘tone’ that we flip off to those nearest
and dearest to us.

So…….. please go now and post the word tone someplace around
your home as a reminder for yourself.

'The Forests Will Echo With Laughter'

 

"And it's whispered that soon

if we all call the tune

then the piper will lead us to reason.

And a new day will dawn

for those who stand long,

and the forests will echo with laughter."

Led Zeppelin ~ Stairway to Heaven

(photo - Enchanted Forest Path)

A Message Today ~ From Nature

Today as I walked out to watch Kevin get on the bus,
I glanced down at my flowerbed.   With our location in
Northern Ohio Spring arrives later than most places.

My hyacinths just popped through the soil not all that long ago.
They have yet to open in full bloom, but this is a picture of one
of them that I snapped this morning.....

As the hyacinth popped up and grew, it uplifted that which
was around it.    It almost looks like it's holding the leaves.

It was just a beautiful lesson that I wanted to share.

Hyacinth's
Check out this link to see some in full bloom.   
I think I'll post another picture after this little one
opens up and blooms. 

"Bless Everyone You Meet"

Yesterday I was listening to an audio book by Gary Zukov,
Soul Stories.

Gary was talking about a presentation he had heard.
The person giving the talk was a Hawaiian Kahuna.

The Kahuna was saying that you should 'bless everyone you meet'.
'You can not bless and judge a person at the same time'.

The Kahuna went on to say.....  IF you think you can't find
at least one thing nice to think about a person..... send them
a blessing saying  ........

"Thank you for this person, they are feeding
the plants when they exhale"

"Bless Everyone You Meet"

 Photo taken May 23, 2007 - Tinker's Creek Park Bedford Ohio

Thursdays Tag

Deb over at Gitten it Out of My Head... has

TAGGED ME....   

I'm breaking the rules and not tagging
anyone else...   hee hee.... but here's
my response......

Four Films I'd Watch Again:

• The Wizard of Oz - (my all time fav movie)
• The Polar Express
• Indigo
• A Christmas Carol -(with George C. Scott)

Four Places I've Lived:

• Cleveland, OH
• Bedford, OH
• Maple Heights, OH
• Reminderville, OH

Four TV Shows I Watch:

• The Weather Channel
• HGTV
• NASCAR Racing - ('Boogity, Boogity, Boogity' Darrell Waltrip )
• That's Life - Local AM TV

Four Things To Eat:

• Seafood
• Seafood
• Did I mention seafood  ;)
• DanDee Cheese Twists

Four Places I'd Rather Be:

• By the ocean
• A cabin in the woods
• Visiting an art museum
• Any park

Hey play along in the comments...........

Remembering Our Fallen U.S. Military Heroes

Remembering Our Fallen U.S. Military Heroes

I've created a new blog ---

Remembering The Fallen

Military Times has an amazing site - - - Honor the Fallen - - -
Honoring those who fought and died in
Operations Iraqi freedom and Enduring Freedom.   There is a search area
on the database at the Military Times site.    I'm gathering the names
and information and listing it day by day on this site.

I wanted a place where on that day, I could remember ALL who
have given their all.  My heartfelt prayers for the family and friends of these heroes.

In Memory of ALL U.S. Military Heroes

Please Help Support Former Army Captain Sargent Binkley

Sargent is the son of Jane Ellen and Ed Binkley.   I know Jane Ellen
from a Post Traumatic Stress Disorder web site of which we are both
members.   

Being the Mom of a United States Air Force Staff Sergent, I know very
well that this could be my son Vincent in this picture.   

I've pulled some info about Sargent from his web site.   Please read this
or go to this web site and read more.
Sarge Binkley needs OUR HELP !!!!!

There are addresses listed at the site help out in a letter writing
effort and also phone numbers to call.   

If this were my Vinny, I would be pleading for your support....
and you know what, once you are a military Mom, they ALL FEEL like
my kids....    SO I AM PLEADING !!!!!!!!

If you can't find the time, or don't wish to write a letter, prayers are most
welcome, not only for this young man, but for all who live with the horror
of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. 

THANK YOU SARGE for your service and I pledge to support you !!!!

 

http://supportsarge.org

 

 

 

Sargent & his Mom Jane Ellen

 

.

Under California's strict mandatory minimum sentencing laws, US Army Captain Sargent Binkley is facing at least 12 years in state prison. If you know Sargent and/or are opposed to mandatory minimum sentencing, please read the following. You can help.

Update 3/18 Sargent's Santa Clara court date has been postponed until mid-July, with the San Mateo court date likely to change as well. This delay gives us more time to push the county DAs to take a settlement. Your letters and phone calls are helping - keep them coming!

Sargent Binkley committed two robberies in 2006. These crimes were desperate attempts to obtain the painkillers he became addicted to after sustaining injuries while serving abroad. These injuries were repeatedly misdiagnosed and mistreated by the military medical system, resulting in Sargent’s downward spiral of addiction. He harmed no-one, took no money, and turned himself in. Under California’s minimum sentencing law, no judge can commute his sentence to one more in proportion to his crime. Sargent has been in jail for over a year and a half and faces final sentencing soon in Santa Clara County.

We support the elimination of California's excessive mandatory minimum sentencing laws, which give the power usually reserved to judges over to District Attorneys. But changing the law takes time that Sargent Binkley doesn't have. Public pressure is the only thing that may cause the respective District Attorneys to reconsider; please help us in this fight by writing a letter or making a phone call as soon as you can. Two minutes of your time can help persuade District Attorneys Deborah Medved and Steve Wagstaffe to apply a more equitable and appropriate sentence, and obtain justice for Sargent Binkley.

About Sargent

Sargent Binkley was born and raised in Los Altos, California. He attended Los Altos High School, where he excelled in school while playing on the football and rugby teams and becoming an Eagle Scout. Binkley’s goal as a teenager was to work hard enough to enroll at the US Military Academy in West Point, NY. He succeeded, and matriculated there in 1993. After graduation in 1997 he entered the US Army, completing the airborne jump course and the notoriously difficult Ranger training.

Sargent was sent to Bosnia after his graduation, where he served as a peacekeeper by guarding the mass graves of genocide victims. From there he was sent to Central America, where he participated in drug interdiction operations. At one point he was ordered to open fire on a truck that contained a civilian teenage boy, an act that haunts him to this day. While on duty in Honduras, he fractured his pelvis and dislocated a hip. This injury was consistently misdiagnosed by Army physicians over the next several years, resulting in chronic pain and an addiction to prescription painkillers.

Sargent was honorably discharged out of the Army in 2002 and returned to civilian life. He worked for a time until his chronic pain and addiction destroyed his ability to be productive. He moved back home with his parents, who paid for a diagnosis by a private sports physician. The private doctor used a high-resolution MRI and found tears in the cartilage of his left hip, injuries that the military medical system had been unable to find. Surgery finally fixed the problem. After this his prescriptions from the VA were discontinued but his addiction remained, compounded by a psychiatric diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Sargent held up two Walgreens pharmacies in 2006 – one in Mountain View on the twentieth of January, the second in San Carlos on the third of March. He used an unloaded gun, harmed no one, and left only with bags full of painkillers. Shortly after the second robbery he turned himself in. After a year and a half in custody, he is working his way through a drug rehabilitation program as he awaits trial.

administrator – September 8, 2007  –  7:58pm

Medical Appt - Update

HI Family and Friends,

After a very thorough appointment with the cardiologist, he

does not think there is anything seriously wrong.

 

He did schedule a stress test and echocardiogram on April 29.

(That will be done there in his office)

(echocardiogram is a test that uses sound waves to create a moving picture of the heart.

The picture is much more detailed than x-ray image and involves no radiation exposure.)

 

He went over my medical history, listened to my heart ALL over my

front and back.   Had me sit to listen, had me lay down to listen.   Listened to

the pulse in my neck, and feet and in the tummy area.   

He is running the tests just to be certain.   

As he was leaving he said......... 'Well, I'll see you when you schedule those

appointments, and I'm glad there was nothing seriously wrong'. 

SO............  GREAT NEWS...

Thanks everyone for your prayers and keep saying just

a few until I have the final word.   :))))))))

Love

Deb

Split Second Change of Emotion

Kevin is our youngest child.   He will be 12 this summer.
He arrived as an old soul.    Not even minutes old in his
Daddy's arms, he was quiet as a mouse and literally
studying the features on his Dad's face. 
I commented to Michael right away about how intently
he was looking at Michael's features, in a slow deliberate
motion.

I usually say that NOTHING this child does surprises me.
But......... I was surprised last week.     Did I just say surprised,
a better word would be SHOCKED.   

It was Thursday of last week and I had walked in Kevin's
room to put some clothes away.   As I turned to walk out
of the room, I noticed he had written on his wall.....

I SUCKED AIR !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!    Michael just painted Kevin's room
about 6 months ago. 

In a SPLIT SECOND.....   I went from SHOCK....  to Awwwwwwww



I went downstairs, grabbed my camera and paper towels
and cleaning solution.   Castrol Super Clean - dissolves
grease on contact AND a little elbow grease and the
message was gone from his wall.....
But not from my heart.   

It's every parent's dream to be a 'hero' to your child. 
 
Kevin and I had a conversation about the 'artwork'.
I told him although the message was quite special to me,
it was NOT appropriate to express himself  in
such a way on the wall of his bedroom, but I would prefer
he used paper, which he has all over the place because he
is quite artistic.    

What a balance it all is being a parent. !!!    

Try A Little Kindness

Last week I had to place a call to a medical insurance
claim office.   This was the medical carrier that we had for
last years health insurance and was calling about a claim
for Kevin's knee injury of last year. 

Ohhhhhhh how I really dreaded this call. !!!
More often than not, the customer service person is not
all that pleasant just hurrying you along for the next call.

When you dial in, naturally it's an automated computer
until you put in enough information and then hopefully
you get to a human being.

So I had entered some info, and was looking around in a
daze when I thought I heard another automated voice.
The voice sounded so sweet and nice I thought I still had
the machine.....

Then I heard a .....'Hello, are you there,  how can I help you' ?

From the VERY moment that Vanessa came on the line,
she was amazing.   After taking care of what I needed to,
I thanked her profusely for her great style and manner on the phone.
We chatted for a second and here she was located in the major city
not all that far from me.   Sometimes, a person can be quite far
away.   

After hanging up, I decided almost immediately to phone back
and ask for her supervisor to relay what a pleasant experience my
call in had been.   I got a gal on the line and explained that I wanted
to talk to a supervisor of the call center.    She hesitated for a second,
and I said.........'Ohhhhhh this is a GOOD call'.     And then I said to her
you know what, how about you give me the mailing information instead
and I will write the supervisor a letter.    I just felt a letter would be more
appropriate to express my thanks on the superior customer service.

I composed a letter right away, and  went to print it out on white paper.
For Christmas, my daughter Kerri had given me some beautiful  and colorful
stationary.    I grabbed that and thought...... What the heck, it's not so
professional looking, but it SURE IS FUN. !!!
I mailed the letter out that afternoon.

The very next day I had a call from Vanessa.   She was floored that I
took the time to write a letter on her behalf.    She said that morning,
her supervisor approached her desk and said.....
"I have something to share with you"..........

Vanessa said at first she thought to herself......
"Ohhhhhh no, what could this be".   

The supervisor handed her the original letter, and then said, 
"That is yours to keep, I've made a copy of it for your files."

Vanessa said to me....  "Mrs Estep, you have no idea how you
have MADE MY DAY....... no, make that my whole week, or make
that for a long time to come.    Anytime I am feeling down, I am going
to pull out this beautiful letter and remember your kindness."

Awwwwwwww I was in tears. !!!!     The picture above is a piece of that
FUN paper that I scanned in and made smaller.    I just added the word
smile in there so it would not look blank.   LOL
Just picture that paper full size 81/2 x 11 and turned the other way,
and you get the idea. 

It's amazing how easy it is to uplift another human being.   All it takes
is just a little time, and effort.   But honestly, the goodness came right back
to me when Vanessa took the time to personally call me and thank me
for writing the letter that I did.

Medical -

To my dear friends........

A part of me just hates sharing medical news about myself,
BUT....... IF ANY one of you had medical stuff going on, I would
want to know. !!!!      So...... with that in mind, I am sharing.

If you could say a few prayers.   ;)

XO XO
Deb   

Yesterday I had attempted to donate blood at a local Red Cross drive. 

I've been a donor since I was 17 and have never been turned away before.   

BUT........ the nurse detected an irregular heartbeat.   

She did it twice and called another person over to

confirm it.    They said my pulse was 66 and I had 16 irregular

beats in a minute.   You can donate if the number is 10 in a minutes time.

They did the finger prick to test for iron and my iron is good. 

It could be caffeine or even the meds I take for an

under active thyroid.   I am hopeful that it's these EASY type things.   
Trying to take this in stride without getting too stressed about it.

I had an appointment with my family doc today............

I am home and wearing a heart monitor for the next 24 hours.   

The family doctor did about 5 EKG's.    Sometimes it would show irregular

and sometimes not.    Her first instinct was to call an ambulance and have

me transported to the hospital.    She then consulted with an internist who said.....

IF you send her to the hospital I would just sit there all weekend.   Since I was

not experiencing any chest pains, it was the internist recommendation to run

the monitor.

 

On Monday I am to return the monitor to the doctors's office and after

reading it, further determination will be made about what to do.

Apparently my blood pressure was pretty low too.   The internist said,

if we were to put her on meds, she might just pass out.   

They took about 3 vials of blood too.   Guess I would know by now IF I had

a heart attack from the blood work.

I am just way tired from being fussed with and I was at the office

about 3 hours.

Military Angel Of Protection - Angel Rubber Stamp

Last year I offered my Angel of Protection drawing
to a rubber stamp designer Pamela.
(She's from Ohio too)

She tweaked the image just a bit,
but you can still tell it's my design.

I am really thrilled about this, as it
will mean more exposure for the angel
and soldier. I am not making any sort of
profit on this, that was not my intent.
Pamela is sending me a stamp sheet.

Please share this info with anyone you know
who is a rubber stamper who might be
interested.

This is NOT only a holiday stamp, it can be used
all through the year. 

The Red Rubber sheet, Untrimmed, Unmounted.
There is lots of info on the web about mounting stamps
and Pamela has info on her site too.


Angel Stamp Set - Pamela's site
http://tinyurl.com/28kubq


Link to My Drawing
http://tinyurl.com/mxc9o


From Pamela's web site:
Firecracker Designs By Pamela

This wonderful angel was inspired by a sketch sent to me by
Air Force Mom Deb! I loved her idea so much, I turned it into
this stamp plate, versatile enough for military cards at any
time of the year!! Or use the Christmas trees in 3 sizes as accents
on your Christmas Cards too!! Thanks again,
Deb for such a great Angel image to work with!

 

After reading several heart breaking emails from/about
military families, and the constant sacrifices they make for our country,
and because I grew up an Army Brat...I've decided to LEAVE
the price of this set at 20% off permanently.
It's my small way of saying THANK YOU.

Red Rubber sheet, Untrimmed, Unmounted, 4.5 x 5.25


Link to gallery of Stamped Angel pictures


Pamela's Blog

http://www.pamelasgallery.com/

Categories at Pamela's blog

• Card Art
• Contests
• Greetings
• News
• Other Art
• Product Testing
• Projects
• Sale Info
• Scrap Art
• Sketches
• Stamp List
• Tips
• Tutorials

 

The Seven Whispers: A Spiritual Practice for Times Like These

The Seven Whispers: A Spiritual Practice for Times Like These

by Christina Baldwin 

    

"If every day the Divine is attempting to communicate its larger wisdom, then one of the most important things we can do is find a way to listen to spirit.

Reciting these seven whispers is a very simple practice.
It doesn’t require physical training or stamina.
We don’t have to travel to exotic and holy sites.
We don’t even have to get out of bed.
This is the practice — recite and see what happens.
Call and see what responds.
Notice how help comes."

 

The Seven Whispers

 

Maintain peace of mind

Move at the pace of guidance

Practice certainty of purpose

Surrender to Surprise

Ask for what you need and offer what you can

Love the folks in front of you

Return to the world

I had the above words saved in a document on my computer.   
Today I went to Amazon and ordered the book.     The description
says the book follows the above Whispers in full chapters.

What a simple, yet very powerful message.

Illusions ~ The Adventures Of A Reluctant Messiah - Quote 2

Richard Bach, author of Jonathan Livingston Seagull  came out in 1977 with
Illusions ~ The Adventures Of A Reluctant Messiah.

Snipped the following from an Amazon.com editorial...

"Richard Bach takes to the air to discover the ageless truths that give our souls wings: that people don't need airplanes to soar...that even the darkest clouds have meaning once we lift ourselves above them... and that messiahs can be found in the unlikeliest places--like hay fields, one-traffic-light midwestern towns, and most of all, deep within ourselves."

The 192 page paper back edition opens with this line...

"There was a Master come unto the earth, born in the holy land of Indiana,
raised in the mystical hills east of Fort Wayne...."

What I am planning on doing is blogging, in no particular order,
a few quotes every now and then from the book ....

'Imagine the universe beautiful and just and perfect,

the handbook said to me once. 

Then be sure of one thing: 

the....       Is has imagined it quite a bit better than you have."

Stephen Hopson - Amazing Person !

First off........    Jump over to YouTube and watch this
2 minute video of Stephen.   :)      

YEAH........... go NOW and then come back.    

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AuqlVivegXg



Stephen J. Hopson ~ 'Turn Adversity Into A University

 

Stephen, deaf since birth, has gone where no deaf man had ever gone before. 

Stephen the pilot made aviation history on February 24, 2006 when
the FAA gave Hopson an instrument rating.
His instrument rating requires that he flies with a qualified copilot
to handle the radios for him.

 

Hopson left a very successful Wall Street career to follow his inner
voice and passion of becoming an inspirational speaker and author. 

 

He has a successful and interactive blog site named: Adversity University.
http://www.adversityuniversityblog.com/

 

I met Stephen at Phil - MAKE IT GREAT - Gerbyshak's blog.
Stephen had written a guest post about the value of sending snail mail
Thank you notes.  I am a HUGE fan of snail mail myself and in ending the
comment, I asked him for his mailing address.   It turned out we live in
the very same county in Ohio.   What a pleasant shock.

 

To explain Stephen, I've grabbed a little bit from his own web site.
I believe you can FEEL his enthusiasm and ZEST from his own words.

 

Stephen's life example encourages me everyday to be thankful and
grateful for my own hearing.  His living beyond what might hold someone
else back, is just pure inspiration. !!!

 

(from his web site)

 

Imagine with Stephen. . .

 

Let’s go on a little trip, if you will.
Open the stairwell to your imagination for a moment.

 

Imagine…think in your mind what it would be like in your life to

never heard a sound…any sound. You’re completely deaf and have

been since birth. You’ve never heard a baby’s cry, a bird chirp, an

airplane’s roar or worst yet, your mother’s reassuring words of comfort in

a time of pain, need or sorrow. You are in effect, virtually alone

in a world of your own.

 

Now go deeper in your imagination. If you’ve never heard a sound,

that also means you’ve never heard a word articulated. Think about

that for a second. If you’ve never heard a word articulated, how would

you know or better yet, how would you even learn how to

pronounce a word…any word?

 

How would you distinguish between similar sounding words that were

spelled the same or slightly different? For example, “The solider decided

to desert his dessert in the desert”; “They were too close to the door to

close it”; “Upon seeing a tear in the painting, I shed a tear.”

 

Sounds impossible, doesn’t it? Do you think a totally deaf person

could do it? Do you think you could master the language if

you were deaf yourself?

 

Stephen Hopson was born completely deaf. He’s never in his life

heard a grunt, a groan or a peep. Yet he not only mastered the English

language and become an accomplished professional speaker but he’s

also been a successful Wall Street stockbroker and recently made
aviation history by becoming the first deaf person ever to earn an instrument
rating, a rating that actually requires hearing – something so-called experts

considered would never happen in a million years. Stephen proved them wrong.

 

If Stephen can master the spoken language and achieve the impossible,

what’s stopping you from achieving your goals? Goals that don’t require

nearly the work, the effort, the time and the discouragement that he’s encountered?

 

ANYTHING’S POSSIBLE. You just have to set your goals and they must be high.

Donald Trump thinks in multiple BILLIONS not just enough to pay

next month’s rent. You have to develop a plan, muster your resources and

then most importantly, take action.

 

Stephen is not here to tell you what to do. As a motivational speaker

and author, he shows you, no better than that, he gives you a roadmap…

that will not only get you started in demolishing the obstacles that you are

holding back but help you accomplish your dreams, your goals and your aspirations.

 

But wait, there’s more…much more. The question isn’t whether the

content of his speeches works. There’s no question that it does.

He’s living proof. The real question is, Are you going to work what he

shares with you from the platform?

 

When you hire Stephen as keynote/meeting speaker, your audience
will not only overcome the demons, obstacles, and stumbling blocks
that are holding them back from achieving their goals, they will also be
inspired and motivated to take action. They will begin to maximize the

God-given talents they’ve been blessed with and start capitalizing on the
wonderful and abundant rewards that are lying in wait for them to claim!

http://www.sjhopson.com/

 

 

Stephen has entered a video contest that is taking place at the

BeTheNextBestSellingAuthor.com website.

 

Stephen chose his video on his most life changing moment. 

 

For this contest, they are picking 3 winners.
Two will be chosen outright and a 3rd will be from
the most views on YouTube.   

I believe that Stephen's entry will be chosen outright,
but just in case..........   The most viewed would help too. 

 

ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW and
it counts as a view.  Stephen's video is 2 minutes long.

 

Most Life Changing Moment That Led to a Dream Coming True

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AuqlVivegXg

What Are YOU Reading ?

My UK blogging friend, CQ “tagged” me to do a “meme”.

Here are the rules of the game …  (except I'm breaking # 5 and not tagging anyone else) 

But.... you are more than welcome to pick this up and run it at your site. 

1. Pick up the nearest book (of at least 123 pages).
2. Open the book to page 123.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the next three sentences.
5. Tag five people.

My closest book with the required pages is .......

Unlock Your Intuition - How to Accurately And Reliably
Access Your Most Valuable Resource

By Andrea Hess

Is all information coming from my Higher Self, and is the information
100% in alignment with Truth?"

These are always the questions to start with should you receive confusing
or conflicting information.

If you are disconnected from your Higher Self, repeat the process outlined
in Chapter Two to re-establish the connection.

 

I'm thrilled that this book was the closest to my computer !!!
Her writing style is quite welcoming and uncomplicated. 

Andrea has an amazing web site and blog.

http://www.empoweredsoul.com/blog/

xo xo

Deb

A Man Dying Shares HOW TO LIVE ~ AMAZING

This morning, my dear friend Carey sent me a link to this video....
~ THANK YOU - THANK YOU Carey ~

In her words.......

"Very humbling"


I say - absolutely AMAZING. !!!!!!!!!!!

From the Carnegie Mellon Web site, I snagged the following description:

"Carnegie Mellon Professor Randy Pausch, who is dying from pancreatic cancer, gave his last lecture at the university Sept. 18, 2007, before a packed McConomy Auditorium. In his moving talk, "Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams," Pausch talked about his lessons learned and gave advice to students on how to achieve their own career and personal goals."

This is a comment a viewer left on the YouTube site after viewing Randy....
I could not have said it better, that is way I am quoting this viewer....

"Have you ever met someone who's eyes sparkled? When they smiled their entire faces lit up and a twinkle appears in their eyes. I have always believed people like that are Angels. Beings that walk amongst us, blending in and living life among us. Randy is an Angel. He is that special being that walks among us. And I truly believe this, when he is gone, there will be a twinkle in his kids eyes that his wife will see and this will be her realization that he is still with them."

The link below will take you to an 11 minute video.  On my site here, I
have popped in the longer 70 some minute version.    I know that not everyone
has 70 minutes to sit and watch, but PLEASE consider bookmarking this
and come back to the long version later on.

Link to Video of Randy reprising his 'Last Lecture' on the Oprah show.

Randy's September 2007 - Last Lecture - Longer Version.

 

This link will take you to a PDF  transcript of the lecture.   
http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~pausch/Randy/pauschlastlecturetranscript.pdf

Randy Pausch's Web Site
http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~pausch/

Absolutely AMAZING. !!!!!!!!!!!

The Garden Of Life

'To know someone here or there with
whom you can feel there is understanding
in spite of distances or thoughts expressed,
that can make life a garden.'
Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe
(1749-1832)


'Just remember, every now and then an ass
might wander into your garden.
That's ok too..... just take it in stride'
(Deb Estep)

A Gem From My 11 Year Old Kevin

Kevin has the day off today due to teacher's meetings
and he just turned to me and said.......

"Mom, you have to pay taxes when you work, right?"

I said..........  "Yes"

Then he said...............

"You and Dad will be paying my taxes, right?"

I said....................

"NO"....  "When you work they take the taxes out of your pay"

He said...........

"Ohhhhhhhhhhh"

My Valentine's Flower

Okay......... I hear ya,  "What is that Deb?"

It might not look like much of a flower to you, but it's a dried rose petal.

On a family web site today, I posted this Valentine's picture,
Wishing the family a ~Happy Valentine's Day~

After the message I wrote this.....

Michael and I don't really DO Valentine's day, so this is as close to flowers as I will see today.............    LOL    LOL   

xo xo
Deb

After writing that message I was sitting at my desk reading
a book I had picked up in the free-be section of our public library.   It's called The Power of Positive Students.   Yesterday I had a parent conference with both of Kevin's teachers.   I had started reading the book late last year and had not finished it.   Ever since returning from the holiday break, Kevin's attitude about school has just taken a huge nose dive...  "I don't care" is what I hear way too often from him.    As I was reading and turned the page, there was the pressed rose petal.    I ABOUT GASPED !!!!!!!! 

I then heard..........'So, you thought that was was the closest thing to a flower you were going to see....  THE UNIVERSE had other plans'.   

WELL, indeed it DID.  The paperback book was published in 1985 so there is no telling how long ago that was dropped in this book.

My Grandmother, was known for saving roses in this way, my Dad does it too and SO DO I.    I only use one specific large book when I want to save roses, so I know it was not something I did and forgot about it.   

The neat thing was the page that the rose came from talked about how important a parent's positive input is to the over all process of creating a positive student.   Overall, I would say I am quite positive, but I do believe this is a NUDGE telling me I can do more. 

What a blessing this rose has been to me today.......

Come to think of it, maybe this is another of those signs of what comes around goes around.    If you are a regular reader you recall me saying that I bumped into my neighbor a day after my birthday and we found out that we both shared a birthday on February 5th.    Nora told me that February 13th would have been her husband's birthday.   Yesterday I stopped at the store and picked her up a single yellow rose.   Her daughter answered the door and I explained the story of seeing her Mom on 2-6 and this rose was just a little something for her Mom to remember her Dad. 

So......... I gave a rose and got a rose.    ~* I LOVE IT *~

Happy Valentine's Day to all !!!   

Love
Deb

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thanks to a comment by Debbie, on the Power Of Positive
Thinking... POPT -   I created online and ordered this
wristband today (2-15) for Kevin. 
The little engine that could....   I think I can, I know I can,
I can, I can, I can .... has always been a mantra for my kids.
So know I have incorporated Debbie's idea and this into
a visual reminder for Kevin.     It was under $8 with shipping.
HEY..........  I am feeling VERY positive that this will be a
huge help.  :)

Blessing Shared ~ #1

A few days ago I had written a post,  May You Be Blessed.

I was speaking about Kate, who started a Blessing Movement. 

On Saturday, Kevin had a Saturday detention.   Kev is in 5th grade and  unfortunately he got into some trouble at school.   He left gym class without the teacher's permission and he also kicked a classmate in the ankle.   He tells me that he barely touched her foot.   There was another kid who saw this, but 'did not want to get involved' in telling what he saw.   As I discussed with Kevin, the rules of school are that you keep your hands and feet to yourself, so he broke the rules there and also leaving the classroom was breaking the rules.   The assistant principal called me, and Kevin was going to have a 2 hour after school detention.   This was the 2nd time he had gotten in trouble, and I asked the Mr H. IF there was stiffer consequence.    That turned into a 4 hour Saturday detention where the students are to have work, or reading material as they sit quietly in the class.   From 8am until 12.    Hopefully he will be more inclined to follow the rules.

On Saturday morning, I was thinking, I wonder who has the nearly thankless job of sitting in a classroom for 4 hours with these kids.    I then said a prayer blessing that person.

At 8, I walked Kevin into the classroom to sign him in and leave an ER contact number.   I also quietly explained to the teacher, Mrs A.,  that due to a medical condition, he might not be able to make the 4 hours with only one bathroom break.    I am guessing that Mrs A. is maybe in her very early 30's.    She had a very caring and serene way about her.   Her eyes really spoke with me.   I thanked her and left.   

After getting home, I got to thinking this would be a good time to pass out my first 'Bless You' card.    http://www.bettertobless.com/BlessingCards.pdf    This link will take you to a PDF printable page of Bless You cards.    I did write out the web link on the backside of the card, because it did not print out so clearly.      I wrote a short note to the teacher explaining how I had said a prayer for her even before I met her, and thanking her for what she does.

At noon, when I went to pick up Kevin, I handed her the note and card in an envelope.    Explaining that it was a note I wrote her today.   I then went down a hall to look for a friend I had seen earlier.   I saw Mrs A as we were walking out the door, she said to me......  'Thank you so very much for the beautiful note'.   She went on to say .... "Kevin drew me a picture today".

On the way home, we discussed his time in the detention.   Of course he does not know that the Saturday detention was more Mom's idea than the assistant principal, but that's okay for now.   He also told me he was the only one to give Mrs A a picture, and he drew her a flower. 

Kevin is a good and caring kid.   His actions today showed that.   :)

I have a little hesitation sharing entries under my Grow a Kindness Garden category, because it's NOT meant to be...  look at what I am doing, it's meant to be .... see what I am doing and please join me. !    I am grateful to Kate for starting the Bless You movement.   

Can you imagine how a stranger's day could be changed by passing out these Bless You cards to them ?    IF you do follow me on this path, I hope you will check back and let me know.... and might I add.............   


BLESS  YOU ~ Dear Reader


 

Why He Blogs ? - (He sure has some 'HOODSPA')

Slade Roberson of Shift Your Spirits shares ......
Why He Blogs.   

OKAY..... so after a Google check I found out it was ......Chutzpah

Please..... take just a moment to laugh WITH ME.  Hoodspa.
I have a hard enough time spelling English, let alone the Jewish
language. !   LOL - LOL  A couple of more giggles there.

     one for Debbie's Mom and me ~ wink 

Chutzpah (balls) is exactly what Slade has in order to
share the reason he blogs is because Ascended
Masters told him to.    And he also adds this.....
" I blog in service to Ascended Master Mother Mary."

You just have to read Slade's site for yourself to embrace
his open and very authentic writing style.   He shares what he is
and what he does....... and encourages ALL to walk this path of
enlightenment right along side of him.

This post is a must read into the world of Slade.   Like opening up
a clock to see where that tick tick is coming from. !!!!

Why He Blogs................

http://sladeroberson.com/writing/why-i-blog-big-mission-for-an-ugly-little-word.html

Love Is All There Is ~ Dedicated to Vitor

Vitor over at Fractal Forest made a post in January.  ~Peace~

Inspired by his message and also his fractal art - Peace, I've
created this painting today.


As I shared to Vitor in a comment.   It's been over 32 years since
high school art class that I've done anything close to abstract art.   

I have had black paper for sometime, but had yet
to do any paintings with it.  Today I created this acrylic painting.
Usually I would not post 2 messages in the same day, but
I just had to share this and thank Vitor on my site for the
inspiration.

To the connectivity and love we all share….

Love Is All There Is