Deb_Inside

~ Merry Christmas ~

I was glancing through a book this morning and came to this quote.....

‘Christmas is more than a date on a calendar,
it’s a state of heart’.
The Guideposts Christmas Treasury - 1972


You know that time, come the end of December, when everyone
nearly runs themselves ragged.  The true meaning and ~JOY~ of
the season sometimes gets  lost in the hustle and bustle. 

Join me and ~*CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS*~ everyday. 

I'm not talking about leaving up the holiday decorations, or
passing out gifts ....   JUST hold the ~SPIRIT~ in your heart.

Show love and kindness, even to the most unloveable. 

Try and live these words ................

“I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year.”
Ebenezer Scrooge -
 Charles Dickens's 1843 novel - A Christmas Carol.




 
          Christmas Eve ~ Grammy and Pa's House - 2008

 

 

~ Watch Your Thoughts ~

I have my friend Drew to thank for the inspiration for this piece.   
Drew sent out this message on his Facebook page this morning....

Is going to have one of "those" weeks and is in need of prayers and smiles!

My comment response to Drew .....

I will gladly send prayers and smiles, but ~YOU~ must put out some
positive vibes and not attempt to define your entire week
on Monday before you have even LIVED IT. ;)

He replied.....

Yes Ma'am...

Drew..... Bless your heart for the MANY years we've known one another. 
It's a darn good thing you will be trying to take this advice.  
Spoken like a BIG SIS...   Huh  ?

~ LOVE YA ~  !!!!!

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/

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

"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

Friends We Don't Know YET ~ They Are Out There

This past week I had an email from Charles Hamel complimenting my site,
and inviting me to check out his blog. 

Admittedly my antennae did a little wiggle as my very first thought was....
"Yeah.... right".   Spam, and lottery winning email has done this to me.  lol
Thank goodness, I dismissed the little buggers and moved out to check
out Charles blog. 

I said to Charles in one of my very first comments that it was like finding
a long lost Bro.   

As I do with all new blogs I land at, I went in the archives and read some
of his first blog entries.    I then jumped over to his 'About' page.
I've copied off that page to share about him with you.....

About Charles Hamel

I am a baby boomer, hippy, born in the 60’s, who spent 10 years of my life in the United States Navy as a Field Combat Hospital Corpsman and served during Operation Desert Storm/Desert Shield. I do not regret my time in the military, for if it wasn’t for that time, I probably would have never became a World Traveler. I have received a lot of world knowledge having spent time in Korea, Philippines, Hawaii, Guam and my favorite Japan. I am a Husband, a Father, a Chef, a Vegetarian and a Environmentalist. A spiritual being on a journey of self discovery and awakening. I am a writer, a computer nerd, a musician, a meditation practicing, music aficionado. I am a Blogger, entrepreneur, non-follower, always marching to the beat of my own drum, intuitive, easy going, technology geek.

My personal growth journey began in the early 80’s, where I devoured books on Christianity, Wicca, Hinduism, Buddhism, Hare Krishna, Astral Projection, Dreams, Meditation, Enochian, Majik. Books By Tony Robbins, Napoleon Hill, Andrew Carnegie, Dalai Lama, Dan Millman, Carlos Castaneda, Foundation for Inner Peace and many many others. I have met with shinto priests, Wiccan Priests, Catholic Priests, Pastors, Vaishnava’s, Shamans, Psychics, and quite a few people who were just plain nuts.

Since that time, I feel with the studying I have accomplished, the traveling I have done, the people I have met on my travels, the experience I have obtained has shaped me into a Life Knowledge filled, passionate person with a true desire to help others along there own personal journey’s.

     My purpose in life, I feel is to:

     Leave a small footprint on Mother Earth, to live consciously,
     to be a good father, to exude love and compassion, to be a
     great listener, to help others on their journey’s, to be a good
     husband, and to live like everyday is my last.

But don't just take my word on it, get there and
read around for yourself....

~Thanks again Charles for reaching out ~ Namaste`   

Charles Hamel ~ On The Path 
http://charleshamel.com/ 

Spread The Love Now ! ~ Group Writing Project

Hey, That Rings A Bell

I believe that compassion is an inherent human quality tied to our

heart strings.   The pull of those heart strings rings a bell of sorts within

a human.   The pull of the heart string reverberates through our being and

triggers our consciousness into an emotional reaction.    

Bells are everywhere and they are certainly prominent at Christmas time.

The Salvation Army rings bells to inspire passers by to place donations of cash

inside red kettles.   In my ignorance, I assumed The Salvation Army was only

an American organization.   I’ve now learned it’s origin was in England in 1865 and

today The Salvation Army has offices in 131 countries.   

The movie, It’s a Wonderful Life is an exceptional movie showing the compassion

and caring of a community.    In the final scene, George Bailey is holding his young

daughter beside their Christmas tree……  A tiny bell on the tree magically rings by itself.

The daughter says….  “Teacher says, every time a bell rings, an Angel gets his wings.”

It's a Wonderful Life is a 1946 American film produced and directed by Frank Capra and based on the short story "The Greatest Gift" written by Philip Van Doren Stern.

The film takes place in the fictional town of Bedford Falls shortly after World War II and stars James Stewart as George Bailey, a man whose attempted suicide on Christmas Eve gains the attention of his guardian angel, Clarence Odbody (Henry Travers) who is sent to help him in his hour of need. Most of the film is told through flashbacks spanning George's entire life and narrated by Franklin and Joseph, unseen Angels who are preparing Clarence for his mission to save George. Through these flashbacks we see all the people whose lives have been touched by George and the difference he has made to the community in which he lives. (Wikipedia)

In by gone days, church bells were rung for many occasions.   One reason for the ringing of church bells was to spread the news of the recent death.    One of my very favorite quotations is from John Donne a Jacobean metaphysical poet.   
In 1624 he wrote Devotions Upon Emergent Occasions.

Meditation 17 - (In modern word usage)

“No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main; if a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less, as well as if a promontory were, as well as if a manor of thy friends or of thine own were; any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind; and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.”

His words speak to me of how we are all intrinsically tied to one another through our humanity. 

We are asked to have compassion for this person and their passing, whether or not we knew them.

In ending, let me tell you exactly how I know that compassion is inherent human quality.   

Step back in time with me to my ‘other life’.    ‘My other life’ are the words I use to describe my

first marriage.   The year was 1983 and my husband Mark and I had been married for 5 years and we lived in a town less than 10 miles from his Nonna (Grandmother) and his Aunt Edna.   

Auntie Edna was a single lady who had never married.   Edna lived with Nonna and worked a full time job.

Nonna was a quiet, shy sort of woman of Northern Italian decent.   At this time in 1983 Nonna was 82 years old.

She had been in exceptional good health, not an ache or pain to speak about.   
Then in a matter of only a few weeks, she was not herself.   The clinical diagnosis was dementia.    Her mind was slipping away.

Edna was only a few years away from retirement, but quitting her job early to
take care of her Mother would have been a great hardship upon her life.   

In May of 1983 Mark and I had one child, Nicole, she was 15 months old.

I suggested to Mark that we move in with his Grandmother and Aunt.   
I was working a part time job and my hours could be adjusted to be with Nonna as
not to leave her alone.    I realized the ramifications of such a move, and was willing to do this to help out his family.   He at first was not.   I then convinced him that it was
in the best interest of his family.   

Sadly, within a matter of only a few weeks of our moving in with them, Nonna’s mind deteriorated so that not even a house full could not have cared for her, unless we
were trained nurses.   She would sleep only in increments of a couple of hours.   
She attempted to leave the house and it was also apparent she had no conception
of who we were.   Nonna was moved to a nursing home.   
Within a matter of months, she passed on.

The point of relating this story to you is something that happened during the
short time we were there.

Auntie had come home from work, we had dinner and had settled Nonna into bed.

Nicole was happily playing with her toys on the floor of the living room.   I was in the kitchen

area cleaning up.   I had a view into the living room.   
Auntie Edna was sitting on the couch.  I glanced towards her and could see her hands to her face in quiet tears.  Then the weight of the world  burst forth and it was full blown sobs.    Before I could advance towards Auntie, Nicole jumped up and RAN over to her Great Aunt.   
She laid her tiny head down in Auntie’s lap and was  patting both of her legs.   
I was stunned.    Here was this child, barely in this world one year and

three months and she was compassionately comforting her 59 year old Great Auntie.

After Nonna’s passing and for many years to come, we fondly remembered that moment. 

At 15 months old, the only explanation is that Nicole arrived with this ability, as do we all.

Compassion is a necessary component within our humanity.    

I look forward to seeing how others ‘Spread the Love NOW!’ through their blog writings.   

Thank you, Wade, Kenton and Albert.   

Three cheers for thee Three Monks. !!!

 

Jessi ~ An Amazing Young Woman

Jessi's Mom -  Jessi  -   Kendra - Taken this past summer



This is a post asking for your HELP.   

Help to bring some cheer to a military family this holiday season.

The gal who wrote this message is Darlene.   An online friend,

I've known for several years.    These messages are from a

web site we are on together.   

Darlene and her friend Jessi live in Nouth Carolina. 

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

Jessi is a 18 year old girl who was born with brittle bones disease.

(Brittle Bone Disease - Osteogenesis Imperfecta)

She has spent her life in a wheelchair and has to live very cautiously.
With as much caution as possible she still manages to break bones in her body.
Her wheelchair hitting something or running over a bump breaks bones.
She is a tiny thing.... If she could walk she wouldn't be 3 feet tall.
She is beautiful young lady with a bit of a fiery disposition.
She loves to paint and make friends.

A lot of people her age are afraid of her and making friends
is hard to do and she has every intention of keeping her friends
or in other words, making an acquaintance isn't what she strives
for and making you her friend is.

Jessi is presently writing medical history.....
She wasn't supposed to live this long and she surpassed her prognosis
many years ago. She is deformed because her skeletal system stopped
growing when she was little but her organs didn't.
It brings about another medical problem for her....
Her organs are all pushed together trying to fit in her tiny body.
If she gets a cold it's dangerous for her because her heart and lungs
are smooshed and it makes them work harder.


=======================================

My daughter Kendra met Jessi at school....
Jessi, in her wheelchair was being bullied and she attempted
to run her bullies down with her chair.... My daughter does
not like a bully and her dislike is even stronger when the
bullies select the defenseless to pick on. My daughter got
involved and she ran the bullies off and brought Jessi into
our lives as well as the lives of her other friends.
My daughter and Jessi will graduate this year from a small school...
They both plan on going to college...
My Kendra wants to be a veterinarian and Jessi wants to be
a counselor on her disease.

UPDATE - Nov 4th

She just returned from John Hopkins in Maryland and her surgeries

have been scheduled...

She will have surgery on December 3rd and be placed in suspended traction

until her next surgery on December 17th. She hopes to be home

in North Carolina for Christmas.

The risks of her surgery are high and she is 18 now.....

She was asked to sign a DNR (Do not resuscitate) form. It was

explained to her that if they tried to resuscitate her excessively that

it would kill her and with a heavy heart she signed the form.

We are being optimistic especially for her benefit.

I sense she will do fine with the surgeries, though. Please keep Jessi

and her family in your thoughts and prayers.

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

UPDATE Nov 14th

Jessi's surgery is going to hinder Christmas for her family. I am asking for

your prayers and if you could send a care package for the family

that would be wonderful too.
I told Sheri, Jessi's mom, I would work on Christmas for everyone and

she should worry about the surgery.

If you are able to make or buy just one gift and send it for Christmas

it would help... Or even a gift card, Cheyanne and Jessi love books

and a gift card to waldenbooks or Barnes and Noble would be gold to them.

Cheyanne is Jessi's baby sister, she is 12.
Jessi wants to be home for Christmas but it likely won't happen...

Christmas will be waiting for her when she does get back home....

Emotions are beginning to show their head around here we are

crying one minute and laughing another minute. We are praying

and looking for hope... Other times we are just numb...

This family really needs the power of love and support that
only strangers can give....

Cody M.  age  19
Jessi  B. age 18
Cheyanne M.  age  12
Sheri M.  mom

Matt M.   step father

Matt is serving in the Navy and will be here for Jessi's surgeries.
She will have her surgeries at John Hopkins Hospital in Maryland.

Sheri, Jessi's Mom sent these words.....

"Life is about to change as we know it. Jessica and our family will

be embarking on a new chapter of our lives in a few weeks. Jessica is

scheduled for her first of two spinal surgeries on Dec. 3rd, and then on

Dec 17th for the final fusion.

We are hoping this will change Jessica's life for the better,

either way we are winners!!

WOW.... what an amazing young woman Jessi is. !!!!

Please keep Jessi and her family in your prayers.
I'll be posting updates on my site here of her progress.

I KNOW this is a whole lot to ask, but if everyone of my

friends who reads this message sent the family a couple

of dollars or even $5 or whatever you can  ....

what a difference it would make in their lives. 

I would rather not post their mailing address

directly on the web, but if you would please email

me --  I'll gladly send it your way.

AFMomDeb@aol.com

Remember what Alvin from  the Chipmunks says...

"It's a GIVING - GIVING - GIVING time"

THANK YOU and GOD BLESS

Photo collage of Jessi and friends

http://img78.imageshack.us/img78/4778/jessi224rh7.jpg

~ A Gift That Keeps On Giving ~

The big season of gift giving is upon us.   So many people
scramble around for just that perfect gift.   Only every now and
then will that gift be remembered. 

The words and music to the Christmas song
Little Drummer Boy was composed by Katherine K. Davis,
Henry Onorati and Harry Simeone in 1958.

“Little Baby, pa rum pum pum pum
I am a poor boy too, pa rum pum pum pum
I have no gift to bring, pa rum pum pum pum
That's fit to give the King, pa rum pum pum pum,
rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum, “

“Shall I play for you, pa rum pum pum pum,
On my drum? “

The Little Drummer Boy did not realize right away
that he did indeed have a gift.   

You have gifts all wrapped up inside of you.

Those gifts are ….  Your Words.

   

For your family members or close special friends

pick up a blank journal and in the first few pages

write out some shared memories, or some reasons

why these people are so important to you.

Drop in a special photo……..

Make certain you date the book.   All through the year

you can mail them items to add to the book.

If you think a blank journal is going to break the

bank, think again.   You can pick up wonderful

little journals at the dollar store.   Of course you can

go to the other end and do a leather bound one too.

This will truly be the gift that keeps on giving. 

 

May you feel the love !

Dear Friends,

This graphic represents how I hold ~you~ each day.

 

May you feel the love !

Namaste`
Deb

~Live~ And Let Their Light Shine

Over time the life moments that we build with that person become

committed to both of our memories.    If we are apart from them for

a time, when we see them again, we can go back and visit the past.

Through our shared conversations we recall our lives together.

 

Thoughts of summer days, past holidays, vacation travel,

or even mundane everyday activities are exchanged.   That person

has their memories and you share the same memory,

even though your memory of the time spent together

might differ slightly.

When families or friends gather together, not only do we share

what is going on now, we share future plans and happily re-visit

past times.

 

In the death of someone you love there is no more hearing

them speak.    Gone is the ability to reminisce and travel in thought

together.   A part of you dies.    It’s like a piece of your heart has been

chipped off and actually withers away.

For a time, a part of you just wants to be done with this living and

join them.   Your passed over loved one or friend is in spirit standing

behind you ready to kick your ass and say LIVE !!!

IF you could hear them speak these would be their words to you …..

“Not only do you hold MY memories,

you also hold ~ MY SPIRIT ~ in your heart.   

Get out in this world

and honor me and LIVE in my name."   

Today, May 24, 2007

I am not just sitting here at my computer
trying to conjure up some sappy, blog post.   

I am explaining my life to you. !

 

My very dear friend Cindy died in July of 2001.   

Although I had faced the death of loved ones prior to Cindy’s passing,

it was Cindy’s death that prompted me to live my life with HER

in my heart and to LIVE my life in her name. 

In this way, the love never really dies, it’s only changed and

in a different form.

Death has touched me  deeply in the past several years…..

My father in law – Mario, Aunt Edna, Aunt Mary, Great Gram Smith,

Mr & Mrs O, Larry, Military kids, Lance, Danny, Michael, Dustin,

Luke and many more military.  My neighbor Bill & his dtr Becky,

Mr. Ferritto, Cousin Carmie, an online friend Suzie and Greta,
Amber's Mom Jane.

They are all in my heart and  one day when

I cross over I will be engulfed and showered in their

love as they welcome me *home*.

I know you have your own dear and loved ones now crossed over.

~ Live ~ and let their light shine with yours.

                  ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

*Dedicated to my friend Antoinette*

Her dear Hubby Larry passed November 10, 2006

Antoinette and I spent the day together yesterday.

It was the time shared with 'Ann' yesterday that brought

this post to life today.

I LOVE you Antoinette.

   

Photo From All Saint's Cemetery 5/23/07

Angel watching over the babies

"My Final Blog Post" - Not really - It's a tagged exercise

I’ve been tagged by * Damian - Be The Change * to answer the
challenge set by The Urban Monk and his Blog Apocalypse –
you can find Damian's answer here.

The 'Blog Apocalypse' mission

"The blogosphere is ending. No more blogs. Blog apocalypse.
The internet is still working, the world is fine.
But you can’t write anymore.
Write your last post. Make it a good one. What is the reason you blog? What is
the last gem of knowledge you want to leave?
What do you want to be remembered for?
Who are you? What is the meaning of life?
Haha…well not exactly but you get the point.
Pour your heart into it."

Albert - The Urban Monk will also donate money to charity for each article -

There will be a whole lot of linking LOVE from this and ALSO Albert's donation

and giving back.   WOW !!!!!!!!!

”She had to find it out for herself”

Nearly everyone has seen the movie,

The Wizard Of Oz.    Perhaps not just one time,

but many many times.
 

There are deep life messages

that could be gleaned from this movie.   

For me, the greatest one is the line….

”She had to find it out for herself”

   

INSIDE, Dorothy always had the ability to return to Kansas.

As you journey on in this world, you must

first know that you always hold the ability.

When you live life true to yourself, that is when you

too will return to your OWN Kansas.

Dorothy: Oh - will you help me? Can you help me?

Glinda:  You don't need to be helped any longer.

You've always had the power to go back to Kansas.

Dorothy: I have?

Scarecrow:  Then why didn't you tell her before?

Glinda:  Because she wouldn't have believed me.

She had to learn it for herself.

Tin Man:  What have you learned, Dorothy?

Dorothy:  Well, I - I think that it - that it wasn't enough

just to want to see Uncle Henry and Auntie Em. And that it's
that - if I ever go looking for my heart's desire again,

I won't look any further than my own backyard,
because if it isn't there, I never really lost it to begin with.

Is that right?

Glinda:  That's all it is !

Scarecrow:  But that's so easy!  I should have

thought of it for you.

Tin Man:  I should have felt it in my heart.

Glinda:  No. She had to find it out for herself.

Now those magic slippers will take you home in two seconds.

Dorothy:  Oh Toto, too?

Glinda:  Toto, too.

~ Welcome to my ~Deb~utante ~

~ Welcome to my ~Deb~utante ~

Debutante, technically what does that mean…….

A debutante (or deb) (French word for "female beginner") is
a young lady from an aristocratic or upper class family
who has reached the age of maturity, and as a new adult,
is introduced to society at a formal presentation known
as her "debut" or "coming out."

The KEY words are debut or coming out.    Not much of
the rest applies to me, other then Deb and female.   

When I started this blog back in February of 2005, I had

to come up with a name.    I choose Deb_Inside because
I felt as IF I was sharing my insides to the world.   

I have been sharing only a part of my Insides.  There has been

a part of me that I have kept in the shadows.   

I'm happily married to Michael, the man of

my dreams.   I mean that literally,  there are times when I am

certain I dreamed him into my life.   

Thank you Michael for sharing this lifetime journey.   

I know honey, there have been times when THIS

journey seems like QUITE A TRIP.   LOL

May you always know my ~heart is with your heart~.

But what has then been in the shadows ?

Where do I start…….  I hold beliefs that are considered

a bit left of center in our society.    I embrace many things

paranormal.    I LOVE that word para--normal.

If I could easily redo my name I would choose paranormal

as my middle name.    Heck…… you get a RAISED eyebrow

look when you talk with some folks about paranormal,

so why not have it as part of your name.   LOL

God – Jesus Christ – Holy Spirit

Angels

ADC - After Death Communication

Paranormal

Clairaudience - (hearing)

Clairsentience (feeling-touch)

Clairvoyance (seeing)

Coincidence

Elves-Faries-Trolls-Little People

Gratitude

Empathic connections

Healers

Affirmations

Meditation

Indigo Children/adults

Intuition

Law of Attraction - Manifesting

Native American - wisdom, quotes, beliefs, etc

Near-death & Out of Body Experiences

Palmistry/Astrology/Tarot/Numerology

Past Life or Reincarnation

Psychic Experiences

Releasing attachments / psychic cords

Shamanism

Soul Mate

Spirit Guides

Soul Group

Saints

These are some but there could be oh

so many more.

There was a time within the past few weeks that I had

considered starting a second blog.    That blog would

be more open and more ME.    Then the thought came

to me, IF I were to do that, I would divide myself.

In this lifetime we need to keep it all together and that

would have been harmful or not productive for my ~spirit~.

The best thing I can do here is to ~invite~ you along
on this INSIDE and more open life journey.   

If what I write about resonates with you or to you,

please DO join in. 

If what I write about is distasteful or objectionable,

and you choose to leave  –
I wish you all the very best.  !!!

Blogging will be looked back in times to come as

an interesting phenomenon. 

When I first started reading blogs, the attraction

for me was to – BE inside another person’s brain

as they shared their world. 

How fascinating to read the thoughts of a complete

stranger.   

If a blogger is being less then open, as I have been,

then there is a degree of dishonesty.   YUCK. 

The best thing is to read someone’s words and say…

“Ohhhhhhhh YEAH …. Ohhhhhh YEAH… ME TOO”

I have linked around from blog to blog and come upon

some of the most incredible people. !!!!   

Bloggers invite and encourage the input of their readers.

It is in the sharing of one another back and forth that we

come to know we are ~kindred spirits~.

To Slade.... for the inspiration to blog WIDE open.

I was sharing to my newest online friend, Damian

that I had planned on making this coming out post….

and his response to me was, the phrase…

'Hiding your Light under a Bushel comes to mind’

So here’s to no more … hiding…………. *

Losing My Marbles ~ NOPE ~ I Give Them Away

For me, there was always something quite

magical about marbles.   Perhaps it

was the way colors seemed to be suspended

in time, within the marbles.    Or maybe, here

you were a kid playing with something glass

that could not hurt you.    Whatever my

attraction was, I have never lost it.

Long before any electronic game held the

attention of children, there were marbles.

Many times in my life I have said to myself…

“ahhhhhh I’m losing my marbles”.

Whatever the reason of the lament, I shook

it off and just kept going.

I had a thought about marbles that they

would make a wonderful gift, for any friend

of who was going through a rough time.

Fancy marbles can be purchased at craft stores.

Simple plain old cats eye marbles can be picked

up an any dollar store.

And some dollar stores and craft stores have

different shaped glass for sale.

I found glass sea shells at a local dollar store.

I collect tiny glass jars. Baby food jars are

perfect and my 10 year old is getting a kick

out of eating baby food fruit to add to my

collection.

I spray paint the lid and add marbles to

the jar. Sometimes I add a tiny ribbon bow

just around the neck of the jar.

With transparent tape I always add a tiny

label to the underside that says From Deb

along with the date I give someone a jar.

Just this past week, a friend of mine found

out she has breast cancer. She stopped over

one morning on her way to work.

I handed her the jar. Her response was….

“awwwwwwww marbles”.

I said to her….. “Take these with you to

work, set them on your desk, and anytime

you ~feel~ like you are losing your marbles

just glance right over here and you will see them. !!!

“You’re not losing them at ALL”

Both of our eyes welled with tears.

Simple marbles – STILL bringing joy. !!!

A History of Marbles:

Marbles were originally made from clay or
marble, hence their name.

Marbles are often mentioned in Roman literature,
and there are many examples of marbles from ancient

Egypt.


They were commonly made of stone, metal, or glass until
the 18th century, when ceramic marbles become more common.

Ceramic marbles entered mass production in the 1870's,
starting inexpensive mass-production.

Glass marbles entered mass production in the early
20th century, when WWI cut off their importation
from Europe, causing American innovation to be applied
to the task, producing a mechanized method of glass
marble production which became the most common
system in the world. Glass marbles, too, became the most
popular variety, and have remained so to this day.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marbles

Pay It Forward

I was at a dollar store the other day, my favorite place to shop for
weird and strange items.   :)

With all my great buys in hand I went to check out.   The cashier was
a pretty young woman with blond hair.   She had on a beautiful salmon
colored sweater.    I commented on what a lovely color that was for her.
She went on to tell me that she had found the sweater for $2 on
a season clearance rack.    She then said, it's so hard to keep my
clothes nice with a 2 year old.
As we chatted some more, she told me her daughter's name is Natalie.
I then felt very compelled to ask her when Natalie's birthday was....
She reponded it was February 21.   
February 21 was my best friend Cindy's birthday.    Cindy passed away
in 2001 after a long battle with leukemia, she was 42.

My eyes just filled with tears and I explained to the cashier that Feb 21 had
been my friend's birthday.    I told her of Cindy's 3 children and how we were
childhood friends.    This young woman stepped from behind the counter
and gave me a HUG.   As I was walking away, I said, 'I won't forget your Natalie
as she has a very special birthday.'
I certainly won't forget that special young woman, this act of  kindness on her part will stay with me for a very long time.

The best we can do when we are shown a kindness and it really can't be
repaid to the person who did something for us, is to 'Pay it Forward'.

Has some act of kindness been showen to you ???

http://www.payitforwardfoundation.org/

Fading Toward Enlightenment

One day I was web surfing and came across some
wonderful photographs.   I emailed the photographer,
Wayne Wir, to compliment him on his photos.

Wayne now has the following book available.   I look forward
to getting my copy.   Please check out the link below to his site.

Fading Toward Enlightenment ~ Life between The Ego and the Ethereal

I am not enlightened, and yet, I am no longer normal.
The journey that I have taken, you too can take.

Fading Toward Enlightenment is the story of my quest to find Inner Peace.

It is a story about Hope and Beauty and Luck and Love.

It is about Destiny.

The Spiritual Journey is a true Hero's Journey. The Seeker must
leave behind the solid world of family, friends and peers.
They must cross mysterious and forbidding lands only to face
loneliness, alienation and the darkness of their very Soul.
It is a difficult voyage, one which few ever complete.
Yet for the persistent and the determined, the Grail itself is the reward:
Lasting Inner Peace.

The door stands open before you. The terrain has been mapped.
The Path through the darkness is now well lit.
Ahead, your Future awaits.

If I could make it, so can you.

That which follows, is a True Story…

(check out the web link below for further reading)

http://fadingtowardenlightenment.com/

bookcrossing

Set your books free into the world. 

The web site, Bookcrossing was 'launched' April 17, 2001

The word, bookcrossing was added to the Concise Oxford English Dictionary in August of 2004.
bookcrossing (n.) The practice of leaving a book in a public place to be picked up and read by others, who then do likewise.

What you do is go to the web site, add your self as a member
(it's free and anonymous) From the site you register a book to be released
into the wild.  It will be assigned a bookcrossing ID#.   
You label the inside of the book with it's ID#.
Then you leave your books to be picked up, read and passed along.

Bookcrossings has printable labels and also labels available for order.

I just came across this bookcrossing site this morning and I will have to say
that the concept of parting with any of my books is quite alien to me.
In fact I have a very hard time even lending out a book.
If there is something I think should be read by a friend, I'll go on Amazon
and pick them up a used one of the book.  OR suggest they go there and
get it.

Yet the idea of this really interests me.   Enough so that I've registered on
the bookcrossing site.   

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

From the Bookcrossing site:
You'll release everything someday
Members: 334,696
Books Registered 1,792,427
Good Karma: Priceless

  www.bookcrossing.org