authors & creators, typewriters & computers...this all means what?? & where do you lie???

“You can make anything by writing.” 
― C.S. Lewis

--yes it has been a hot minute...i know you have been waiting on the edge of your seat waiting to see what i will come up with next...or rather you thank your lucky stars that i have shut it for a few minutes...either way i am back at least for 2 more for 2013...& then who knows for 2014...we shall see what it brings...

...i have written probably not one but several posts about words, stories, pretty much all topics that cover or touch the concept of writing...maybe b/c i love to write if for no purpose than to fill the page & hoping that with all the words i use; one word or one phrase might touch you in a way that helps you to look at the world in a new light or even to bring you a little bit of me, or to provide you a break from life; hopefully at the end of each read, you smile, or you laugh (but most likely i'm sure you shake your head; thinkin where does she come up with this)...either way thank you for reading one, five or all...it makes my heart smile...now for the post (i know i am not done running my mouth or the keyboard)...

where am i going with all of this...you will be glad to know several places...lets first start with your story...i am a big fan of creating your own story; however i always say don't forget the author; what do i mean, God...let him be the author why?; because He already has one of the best stories written just for you...and He wants you to create it, make it come to life;  show the world all of you and what you can do...the key is you have to be willing to see what He has written for you...the outline is set for you; just fill in the rest; make your story, your adventure come to life; so when it comes to the end of the story, you can say thank you for the ride...

...we are the creators of our own story...now how you choose to convey your message is up to you...are  you a computer writer or a would you prefer a typewriter??...hold on a minute, i am going some where...

a typewriter -- remember back in the day when computers were not a household commodity; where you were even lucky if your school had them & computer class was a requirement so you learned how to type...(yes i was part of that era; for those that don't remember; thank God for google; go ahead and google typewriter)...with these typewriters; some were fancy enough that had the backspace key but most of the time you pulled out the white out; waited for it to dry and then went back over it; there was even the times when you might have to retype the same paper several times because there was no amount of white out to fix the hot mess your paper turned into...getting the picture...SO if you choose to create your story on a typewriter then you know that it might not look perfect and you are ok with it; you may have to redo (white out) or start all over; however it is not the end of the world; you learn and fix the 'mistake' and the next time you type it out; it looks that much better...you didn't stop; or give up; you pushed through the mess and made a better version...SO...can you handle creating your story via a typewriter??...

the computer -- when computers came around our lives became a little easier...households all over had 1 per house and i am sure even now some households have 1/person; most public facilities (schools, libraries, etc.) have computers for anyone that needs access to one...in fact most smart phones have the capabilities to function as a computer...so basically when you open up your computer, open up word, and start typing, you can instantly start creating your own story...and when you mess up, you hit delete and the mistake is gone (like i do a million times when writing a post) or you highlight the word and cut it out & the best part of all computers have a cut & paste option; you can move things around; insert where you think it fits best or just cut it out completely...SO...would you rather create your story via a computer??...

...so we get to be the creator of the story that God wrote for us; we get to be the main characters and see how it all plays out...& then you get to write or make the story come to life and share it via a computer or a typewriter; while a computer makes it easy for mistakes to be cut out & not even seen as if they never happened...(& not to mention we probably can share it and write it in half the time it takes to write with a typewriter)...A typewriter leaves the marks that make our story that much more interesting; that allow for us to see the marks that allowed us to get to the finish product...allow us to see where the mistakes led us...& the mistakes that may have looked like a hot mess for the moment & may have appeared that as if we might never finish a part of the story, but in the end it allowed us to make the greatest story ever, the story of US...which is not perfect; where one can witness all the mistakes & joys all blended into one; that is life, that is the story that God wanted us to create...

how will you write your story???

“you can, you should, and if you’re brave enough to start, you will.” 
― Stephen King, On Writing

...a moment of thanks...

“Let gratitude be the pillow upon which you kneel to say your nightly prayer. And let faith be the bridge you build to overcome evil and welcome good.” 
― Maya Angelou, Celebrations: Rituals of Peace and Prayer

...it comes without fail each year...we bake/cook, we travel, we kiss/hug, we laugh and tell stories, we watch football and we may even play games, & we eat and then when it's all said and done we eat again...& maybe eat again...

...as we go through the motions of thanksgiving this year; a moment hits us...not of what we can eat next or what deal we can score tomorrow...not of what we need to accomplish at work next week or what big plans we have for the weekend but a moment where are heart is content and filled with a feeling of gratitude...& maybe that gratitude is for a full and satisfied belly or the fact that we have a few days off...or maybe it's for that moment where you were greeted with a hug or a kiss, or you were able to catch up with some old friends or family whose faces you don't see ever so often...maybe it's because you are surrounded by those that you love and for that moment the gratitude is in being & nothing else...no matter the reason, the moment is there for us to look up, to pause from it all and say thank you God, for the blessings, for the moments that you placed in my life...especially this very moment you created right now...

my moment is now and my heart grateful...happy thanksgiving...

p.s happy birthday 8th birthday lucia...wishing you all of today & many more...my heart is forever thankful for YOU!!!










“Piglet noticed that even though he had a Very Small Heart, it could hold a rather large amount of Gratitude.” 
― A.A. Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh

do you realize at this very moment...

“Thank you for coming into my life and giving me joy, thank you for loving me and receiving my love in return. Thank you for the memories I will cherish forever... ” 

― Nicholas Sparks, Message in a Bottle

...it will never ever again be the same...in the very next moment life will be different...

to actually think about it; is SO bizarre ...however to actually live it is the greatest adventure of all times...so be thankful...be thankful that on this day you can place your hand over your heart and feel it beating and know that is your purpose to live, to be in someone's life for a brief second or a lifetime is a gift...to have others in your life who profoundly effect you is one of God's greatest gifts...

...my moments with so many people are what makes my story so great...i have been blessed with so many but recently two that have warmed my heart; made me stop and think how am I so blessed to have their moments to be a part of my story...

...moments like where I witness my best friend touch the lives of little kids with cancer...whose heart is already so big and now grows to become even bigger to allow all those little kids in and inspire her for her new purpose in the world...& when life hands her a rough day; & heaven is a little brighter for it has a new angel she continues to fight on for them...and by knowing her and her purpose my life is that much better & i am that much more grateful for my moments of knowing her...

...or another special person in my life who just by seeing her you know all of her moments will be lived to the fullest...each day as she gets up she knows her purpose...her purpose to touch those that are different by her smile, her patience...to bring energy to those around her where she allows you to think you can do the impossible...where her moments of life are bigger and brighter because she lives them all and she wants to take you and everyone along with her...

...so as I go to bed or wake up in the morning; I am thankful for all I did and I can do but I'm ever so much more thankful because I have the moment to witness other's purpose...to see them living in all their moments...to know that as I feel my heart beat; my purpose for that day is to be a part of their moment, my heart is thankful & I smile... :) :) :) 

...a week ago...a boy asked a girl to marry her & she said...

...YES!

“You know you're in love when you can't fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams.” 
(Dr. Seuss)

...the story begins...

...a little less than a year ago around New Years...3 friends went out to dinner; as they enjoyed each others company; a conversation arose about New Years resolutions, it was then determined that they would give each other two resolutions...as they passed out resolutions, one of the friends received the first of her two resolutions, it was that she was to go on 6 dates (1 every other month) in 2013...in the back of her mind, she was thinking there was no way this resolution would be completed; in fact a few days later post dinner, she openly admitted to her dear friend that, that resolution would never happen...& her friend, declared, "it is not even New Years and you already giving up..."  need less to say, the girl decided that she would actually do her resolutions and prove her friends that she was up for the challenge...

...well the girl thought, she knew enough people she could land 6 dates with ease...she didn't care what or with who, just so she could check it off her list and move on...well January came along & no dates, she often heard, "nope don't know anyone.." & then February came and it wasn't looking very promising for her...now this girl had been presented with the idea of on-line dating; however she was not a fan, she just couldn't wrap her head around it...but after many discussions with a many people, & another friend telling her to create her own fairy tale, she decided to join the world of on-line dating...she did one site that was simple & easy; & along the way she shared her experiences with family and friends...she was getting dates & in her mind, 6 dates were going to be breeze...

...at the same moment when she was recapping her dating sagas to 2 co-workers, they decided that the website she was using was good but they could find better...after a few hours of searching they were now urging the girl to join a new site...the girl was absolutely adamant that one site was enough, and it was enough maintenance...but they would not take no for an answer, so they asked her if they could sign her up; she agreed as long as she did not have to do any of the work...the 2 co-workers leaped at the opportunity and picked out a picture, wrote a profile , and scoped the scene...all she had to do was go on the dates...again after searching they found some interesting characters, they wrote emails & sent them out...

...much to the girls surprise, she received an email back from one of the co-workers picks...the emails started; back & forth they would go...& at the beginning the girl thought how soon could she meet this new person, so the sooner she could move on...but it continued and emails turned into long phone conversations; & the girl realized how much fun the boy was and how much it felt like she knew him forever...

...they went on their first date & just as the emailing & phone calls were natural so was the date...old acquaintances that lost touch that met up again and no time had passed...and she found herself intrigued...and wanting to know more about this person...and one date became two dates, and 2 hour conversation became a 6 hour conversation; and before she knew it, months passed, & she wasn't interested in getting 6 dates anymore but just dating this one guy; who had turned into this unexpected person in her life...

...so weeks turned into months, and they hung out and got to know each other even more; she found herself feeling a comfort and ease with him & he treated her like a queen, & the very thought of him made her smile; & before she knew it her heart fell for him & she was in love..she was in love with her best friend...she was in love with this man who started out as a resolution and a random pick, she was in love with him, she was in love with the person she laughed with and even allowed to see her cry, she was in love with all of him...and at random moments, she would think to herself, how could this be happening, especially so fast...but she knew it was greater power from above who put this person in her life, to challenge her to be a better her, to allow her to experience love, and to just be with...

...7 months later, a boy drove to rochester, picked up his girlfriend...allowed her to do her routine, then took her to dinner; & as they laughed and talked he had a plan...then a server showed up escorted them up to the "dessert bar" where she discovered a table set for 2, with champagne and dessert, flowers and a balloon, and a message in a bottle...then a boy stood in front of a girl and spoke his heart, got down on his knee, opened a box, and asked her to be his wife, his best friend, his love, to be with him forever and always...and she looked at this boy, this boy who had become more than she could ever imagine, he would become her future husband, he was her person, he was the one, he was her other half, the one she would be spending the rest of her life with, the one who picked her, the ohh so lucky one who got her, & she knew this was it, she knew he was her heart, he was her everything, and she said YES!

...in less than year b/c of my two best friends i took a chance, i stepped WAY out of my comfort zone and did something i would have never done; and because 2 friends decided to try a different route, I found my person...

...one of my favorite sayings is, ..."God doesn't give you what you want but rather what you need"...He gives you people who say take a chance & just live, He gives you friends to show you a whole new direction, He provides you with a person that gives you his heart only so you know that you can open your heart...

...so here is to the next chapter as the story continues...

because your mark inspired me...i am who i am...

“...the two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why...”(Mark Twain)...

...a child walks into the room and is greeted by a friendly smile, that welcomes them...she points to where the child should put their things, & tells the child in the nicest of voices, come join your friends and let's play...from that moment, the child learns to love education because a teacher took a moment and brought them into a world they love, a world of education...

...a teenager grabs a ball and shoots a lay up and misses; he tries again and to his dismay he misses again...the ball rolls away from him and he turns to walk away; and he hears a familiar voice, and the ball is back in his hands...the same voice says, "as long as you keep trying you can still become a better player..."  ...the teenager grabs the ball and misses the lay up again, and goes for the fourth attempt and nails it; he turns to look at the coach who took a moment to tell a kid don't quit...from that moment no challenge is too big for a teenager who learned that quitting was not an option from a coach who stopped and took the time...

...a young designer arrives at his first day of work with the vigor to start his new job, after several meetings and many interactions, the young designer sits to work on a project assigned to him...determined to show his boss and his new coworkers, what he learned and what he can do...his determination led to many hours of hard work...a few days later, he presented his idea, and the room was silent, he missed the mark; his boss as polite as possible delivered the blow and he needed to go back to the drawing board...the young designer left feeling defeated, for the last hours of the day he stared at his computer screen...a member from his team noticed his defeat as she was walking by his desk, and a few minutes later and email popped up on his screen...as he opened the email, a light bulb popped up and a quote; ...“Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.” (Thomas A. Edison) ...from that moment, a once defeated designer, remerged with a fiery soul & a passion to prove himself, all because someone took a moment to show that even those at the top of their game have all failed at some point...

 ...a brief second, a word or two...a thought, a belief & without even knowing it can lead to an inspired moment in time...& those that inspire, that left us believing for the next moment, or left us having faith that we can do anything, sometimes do not even realize the impact they have on us...& maybe that is it; we inspire without even knowing it; we leave our mark on this world and don't realize it is our mark, our moment to say i was here...but it SO was...

...so leave your mark, live to be inspired, live to inspire those that come in contact with you...live to live and see what happens, be that coach, or coworker, or teacher, be you & write your moment and see what the world thinks when you walk on by...

...& for all those that i am left in awe by your inspiration in my life, my heart thanks you...

***disclaimer --> i may have included this video, a hot minute ago, can't remember & i know all those that stalk this blog will remember so please forgive if so, if not enjoy, it is good (well i think so)!!!

...the power of words...

“Words are, of course, the most powerful drug used by mankind.”  (Rudyard Kipling)

...thank YOU...I'M sorry...i LOVE you...EXCUSE me...you ARE the best...i HATE you...please FORGIVE me...thank GOD, shut UP...PEACE...hug ME...thank YOU...STUPID...GOD bless YOU...stop...DUMBa**...YOU are BEAUTIFUL...you ROCK...

...and the list goes on & on...i could fill this page full of words, all with different meanings, some invoke feelings of hurt, of happiness, of sadness, of laughter, of anger, of excitement...words fill our lives, they allow us to communicate to those that we love, to our best friends, to those that we are at odds with, to those we want to hurt, to those we want to forgive or to be forgiven, to those we need to hold on to, & to those we need let go...

...WORDS allow us to speak what our heart needs to say...

...WORDS allow us to reach other people that are near us or far away...

...WORDS can be typed, spoken, or signed...

WORDS inspire...

WORDS help us believe...

WORDS change the way we think...

WORDS give us faith...

WORDS ask the question...

WORDS send LOVE...

WORDS are WORDS...

BUT put meaning to them & they become...

that much POWERFUL...

...so as you speak, remember the POWER of your WORDS...

...

dear you...

“the real lover is the man who can thrill you by kissing your forehead or smiling into your eyes or just staring into space.”  (Marilyn Monroe)

last year...

...on day 113 - 4.22.12, i wrote dear my future husband...on day169 - 6.17.12, i wrote dear my future person...on day 196 - 7.14.12 i wrote dear the one...on day 240 - 8.27.12 i wrote dear person who is spending the rest of your life...on day 263 - 9.19.12 i wrote dear my future other half...on day 291 - 10.17.12 i wrote dear you who picked me...on day 335 - 11.30.12 i wrote dear lucky one who gets me...on day 358 - 12.23.12 i wrote dear well this is it...

& today i write...

dear you,

...you will know all that i need without me saying anything...you will allow me to grow and fall and then when i do not want to get up, you will pick me up in a way i could never imagine...you will be there for me without actually being there...you will make me feel so special that i will feel like i am living a real life fairy tale, you will make me laugh & smile, you will be my biggest support and my biggest comfort, you will not just love me but you will love the extensions of me, you will embody the definition of what it means to love, you will show me how to love and show me a different way to live, you will smile at my quirks and embrace my craziness...you will do for me more than i can ever imagine...you will be a blessing from above...& you will be mine...

so as you hold me, and love me, know that YOU are the one, YOU are my heart...

with all my love to the moon & back,

me...

..."we have nothing to FEAR but FEAR itself..." (FDR)

“without FEAR there cannot be courage.” (Christopher Paolini)...

...there is this notion of FEAR that looms among us...that in a day we FEAR that we will royally screw up, that we will mess up at work, we will say the wrong thing, we will hurt those that we love, we will look the wrong way, that we will be in the wrong place at the wrong time, that we will miss a moment or several moments, & it will be too late to say what we need to say, or do what we need to do...there is this FEAR that sometimes holds us back from being, from living the life we want or we know is right...there is a FEAR that strangles us and we end up living in FEAR rather than living to live...

...so how do we deal with something that is so present in our life that to not think about FEAR is almost like breathing; it happens without us even realizing it...without even knowing, we breathe, without even thinking FEAR sets in...& then we are caught or held back...so do we deal or do we say f*@# it, and let it loom, let it feel like it might hold us back & then don't let it & live knowing that it didn't because guess what, FEAR doesn't really hold us back, we do...& then know that you took the leap, you put it all out there, you said what you needed to say, you did what you needed to do & you lived even with FEAR staring you in the face...

...FEAR only has meaning when we provide it purpose; otherwise it is just a word, with 4 letters...& that's it...

it is that time year again...school is back in session & guess who is reporting???

“The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires.”  (William Arthur Ward)

...ME!  i know, take a deep breath, sit down; i am going back to teaching; yes they let me be in charge of the minds of our youth, ohh yet again ;|...& i accepted...the new adventure has begun, you are now reading the blog of a high school, American Sign Language Teacher (i know it is CRAZY)...after being away from teaching, i realized how much i missed it, i LOVE education, it provides a whole new world of knowledge and when you are really interested in a topic it makes learning about it that much fun (& yes if you are wondering, i have always been a dork, i just mask it by my cool quirkyness)...

...this new adventure comes with some fun -- i get a new classroom, i am teaching a subject i LOVE to big kids; a population i also enjoy, i am in a great district, i am working with some great people, i get to learn and play & just live in this moment of teaching...

...this new adventure also comes with some "AHHHHH" moments -- i am in a new district, in a BIG new building, with BIG kids that sometimes can smell fear, i still have no idea what the year or even the first week of school will look like, i really don't know anyone & i am the new kid; but with the "AHHHH" moments i am still living in the moment that is teaching; of having an "AHHA" moment that will blow the "AHHH" moments out of the water...

...so with all the moments of the adventure; i guess i am just looking forward to what comes next...

schools back & so am i...

who says you can't go camping at 30...

...miss me...i know your life has completely halted b/c my lack of blogging...i have a goal to blog once a week from this point forward; lots of changes...don't worry i will give you an update ;)...now for the blog...

..."“The purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience.” (Eleanor Roosevelt)

well my latest adventure...volunteering at the antiochian village...kids from all over are dioceses attend church camp for 2 weeks during the summer...my little cousins go 4th session & i promised i would attend if they all 4 got in, well they did so...& let's just say i am not a camper; my idea of roughing it is like going to a motel 6 on the wrong side of town...basically you guessed it i am no annie oakley...but i signed up and off we went...

& it was one of thee best experiences in my life...i learned things about my faith i never knew...heard beautiful chants & hymns...served kids of all ages lots of fun food (hmmm, that might be up for debate; depending on who you ask), swung 40 feet in the air, rode a horse, prayed, laughed, sang, witnessed happiness all around & took it all in & it was just peace...

& i am glad i went on adventure to a place that inflicts so many with so much happiness; where friendships last a lifetime are created; in fact, i experienced this first hand & met some AHH-mazing people, a place where faith is planted and then continues to grow stronger and stronger; where if you stand long enough you can see God's hand in everything...& you just smile...

...until next year, maybe i'll be seeing you AV!

...because you touched our life...

...we will never be the same without you...

...because you touched our life, our hearts have a void that no one else can fill...

...because you touched our life, there is one less smile...

...because you touched our life, life does not want to go on...

...because you touched our life, our tears won't stop...

...because you touched our life, we were blessed by all that was you...

...because you touched our life, something is missing, cause you are not there...

...because you touched our life, nothing else matters now that you are no longer here...

...because you touched our life, we are grateful for the person that YOU are...

...eleanor roosevelt stated that so many people come into our lives...often quickly going but the ones that truly matter leave footprints on our hearts & we are never the same...

...a young man a few years back came into my family's life & did just so...I, like so many were blessed that this young man decided to stay and grow with us...he showed us his humor, his love of sports, his passion for cooking, his dedication & his hard work, his love for family and the love of his life...he was fun and energetic; his smile was magnetic & you knew he loved life...

...this young man grew to be a part of a family...a family that appreciated who he was and knew that because of his presence they were blessed...

...and one night this young man was taken from us...way too soon...no good-byes were uttered and those that he left behind were stunned...no more smiles, no more laughter, no more saying hi, no more hanging out, no more being with him...

 

...brian -- words cannot express how much my heart misses you; thank you for being the person in my life that touched it in such a profound way, more than i ever could express...thank you for being there for my brother & being his partner, his co-worker, & his friend...i feel so blessed that God placed you in my life, in our lives, you forever have a place in my heart...may your memory be eternal & will be missing you...

"as long as we can love each other, & remember the feeling of love we had, we can die without ever really going away...all the love you created is still there...all the memories are still there...you live on --in the hearts of everyone you have touched and nurtured while they were here..."  

(Tuesdays with Morrie)

no time that will ever be like this...

“I've always believed in savoring the moments. In the end, they are the only things we'll have.” 
(Anna Godbersen, The Luxe)...

...once upon a time, or a long long time ago...isn't that how all great stories start...stories about far off lands, or about a prince & princess, or how good reigns over evil...it can even be about a few best friends who just happen to be sisters...who decide to take a little trip to the deserts of arizona...where they leave their lives behind for a few days & go on adventures of the deep sea (or the backyard pool), and discover the cuisine of the south (or maybe its a little in& out burger, or a cookie dessert from oregano's)...where laughter can be heard for days & stories of new and old were shared between generations...

...isn't that how great stories began...where you take some amazing people & all you have is time...where you get to be without the distractions of life...where you get to write your own stories for a few days without complication and sub in fun & relaxation...where even if you tried to write it again the exact same way it could never be duplicated...for those moments of the adventure, the laughter, the fun, the being are written on your heart forever & all at the same time you find yourself smiling because it was one hell of a story...

...no moment will ever be this...& i am so thankful and so so blessed...AZ 2013

...to leave the mark that allows the world to remember you...

“The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why.”

(Mark Twain)

...is to inspire the world and the world is a little better place by having you in it...& 

...even though there are so many, 2 have earned their wings, and left footprints on our hearts forever...

...i move to grand rapids, almost 3 years ago...every city has its places that are unique to them...local joints that you can only enjoy while being in the city...i was introduced by my cousin to a place called marie catrib's; a quaint little restaurant that served delicious, fresh, savory food that stood for who the owner was, not only did she create a huge success she also created a place where people loved to visit...where she would greet them with a smile or even a hug & no matter who you were, you became family...you felt her love in her food & you saw her life in the flavors that came alive on your plate; but most importantly you knew her heart every time you walked in the door or ran into her...& i, like so many, were blessed to know this woman, marie catrib, & sadly she is no longer with us, she is feeding us from heaven, & the little restaurant that was her own, carries on through her sons, through those that believed in what she created...

...ever since i was a little girl, i have many people who have touched my life from my church...one lady in particular stands out...it is almost impossible to describe her charisma, her love for life...anna nicholas, had a way about her that made anyone stop and have a conversation with her...she was creative, artsy, appreciated the idea of life and what it could bring with each passing day...she loved her husband, and her boys were the apple of her eye...she was just her, and no matter what as soon as i saw her an instant smile popped on my face...so the moment when the news came through, that heaven earned a new angel, my heart stopped for it knew that i would not see that smile as i came into church...but it knows that each time, i see a piece of cool art or one of her grand kids that is her way of throwing a smile our way...

...each women, seconds to minutes to hours to days to years touched my life, touched others & on that day they made the sky a little brighter the world stopped for a moment, shed a tear, looked to the sky & said thank you God for all that was them...

...there they were being them & leaving their mark...& if for two seconds i leave what they left behind, then wow what a mark...

...so to marie & anna, thank you for touching my life in a bigger way than i ever could imagine, my heart thanks you & my life was blessed & the world was inspired...

...cheers to the sky!

at the end of this life...we take our last breath...

"...blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted..." (mt. 5:4)

...when we are born into this life; we come to realize that we are only blessed with so many moments...moments that define us, moments that take our breath away...moments that are indescribable...

...we also realize that there is no guarantee to how much actual time we get to spend with one person...that even if we look at the very moment we are in, right now, it just doesn't seem like enough time...

so as humans we look to make the most if it..try to live as if this was our last...take all that is and all who are around us and just hold on, take it all in so that those around us realize how important, how awesome they made our lives, how special we felt because they were in our life...how the simplest things from a smile to a conversation or the very fact; that their presence touched our hearts makes us a better version of us...

...so when we come to that point where we must say good-bye for a little while, where are heart feels as  if it will never be whole again, where life feels as if it may never return to our 'normal'...

...where that person, our heart, takes their last breath, we stop, life takes a moment, & we look to the sky & say thank you...thank you for being a blessing in our life & for the gift of God that is you...

...uncle dave -- you are one in a million...may your memory be eternal...

one drink for you & one for us, cheers to the sky!

...the shop local initiative...we should at least try...

don't you think??

...i sometimes get an itch or rather a thought or belief that becomes part of a passion for me...some say i become too passionate about certain things; often to the point of me being stubborn & not wanting to listen to the other side of the argument (what can i say, i'm a leo or something like that)...i digress...

...this however is becoming more the forefront of my new passion...local, small business whatever that encompasses for you or how you define it...i have tried to support the small guy, my brothers are the little guy, not corporate owned & i want people to support them; so in turn i like to support others in the same boat...

...recently i have felt a bigger push to buy more local, more small business...why?  why do this, well to be perfectly honest i feel as if small business is a major backbone to society...they create & provide jobs, they support our local economies, & they put money back where it needs to be...there is also something about buying/supporting your own backyard...am i on my soap box, am i putting too much into it??

...maybe, or just maybe i challenge myself to buy more local, to shop where i live, when it comes to the buying produce i go to the farmer's market, or when i want a cup of coffee i try the local shop around the corner & the list goes on...& this goes for not just shopping & buying in only my city, my state, but to support all the local efforts out there...i can do this & there will be times i step into the big corporate store but if i just try to be a little more proactive, then maybe i can change the way i think or the way the big guy does business...here goes nothin, here goes to buying & going local!!!

one day at a time...

"...for I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future...." (jer. 29:11)

...as we journey through life we discover how often are minds want to jump ahead to the next week, the next 5 months and even the next several years...we want to figure out how the decision we decide today will determine what tomorrow will look like...how if we choose one path instead of another what hand life will deal us next...

instead (& I'm a serious offender) of living for the future...take a deep breath & live for this day...live for this moment & just hope for the next...realize that if this all you got than you can't worry about what will come next...take life as you should one day at a time, one moment that is created just for you...to live, to love, to smile, to breathe, to work, to play, to pray, to learn, to listen, to forgive, to just be...

cause if this is it, that one day might as well be the best f*&^#* day of your life...


"therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself...each day has enough trouble of its own..." Mt. 6:34)

at certain points in life, we search...

“I think you travel to search and you come back home to find yourself there.” 
― Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie


we grow up, attend school & then we make a decision about what we want to be when we grow up...back & forth, what is the right path for us; what is our purpose among all the masses??...now most of us think we nailed it, we want to be a CEO, a lawyer, a teacher, a politician, a actor, a designer, the list goes on...we land our job & off we go; then all of sudden we wake up & we are scared to death that what we envisioned is not what we want but rather what we thought we wanted, & then we spiral down into questioning every decision we have ever made...we no longer think or trust what we have thought for so long...& we are stuck with the next question, what next??...for fear of making the same mistake or never finding what we will becomes daunting...& all of sudden we feel lost...

...& then we feel as if nothing else can become more unreliable, a moment of peace sets in...a moment of trust; almost as if God says do not worry, trust in me i will make your path straight...& for that moment no matter how long it may last we know that we will figure it out & that is long as put faith in that trust, we might find our purpose, or we might figure out just what we want to be when we grow up...that moment may not happen within the next minute, hour days, or months...but if we stop long enough it is there...

...so as you, as we are all trying to figure this thing called life out, & we are hurrying along in it; remember to stop...b/c you never know when your moment might fall in your lap...

"Accumulation of wealth is a popular defense against fear. Since we fear losing our jobs, health care, or retirement benefits, we amass possessions, thinking the more we have, the safer we are…

We engineer stock and investment levies, take cover behind the hedge of hedge funds. We trust annuities and pensions to the point that balance statements determine our mood levels. But then come the Katrina-level recessions and downturns, and the confusion begins all over again…

If there were no God, stuff-trusting would be the only appropriate response to an uncertain future. But there is a God. And this God does not want his children to trust money…

Scrooge didn’t create the world; God did.

Psalm 104 celebrates this lavish creation with twenty-three verses of itemized blessings: the heavens and the earth, the waters and streams and trees and birds and goats and wine and oil and bread and people and lions. God is the source of “innumerable teeming things, living things both small and great… These all wait for You, that You may give them their food in due season” (vv. 25, 27).

—Fearless

And he does. God is the great giver. The great provider. The fount of every blessing. Absolutely generous and utterly dependable. The resounding and recurring message of Scripture is clear: God owns it all. God shares it all. Trust him, not stuff!"

*a little something extra that may explain what my meaning*

*& for all of you that have missed me, hopefully this is my strong return*

gray skies are going to clear up...

“Hope
Smiles from the threshold of the year to come, 
Whispering 'it will be happier'...” 
― Alfred Tennyson

...you know those days where it is dark and gloomy and it feels like the sun is never going to shine (if you live in Michigan you know what I'm talking about, especially this winter ;)...every time you wake up the sun is not there to greet you but rather a gray sky...

...& many times in our life it feels as if the sun might never shine...that each day we will be greeted by another dark sky...& I don't know about you, but it feels like life is sticking it to you, all you want is for a moment for the sun to hit you in the face and give you light...to lift the load a little...& most days the gray skies linger or life keeps kicking you in the face but there are those days when God opens up the gray sky & lets the sun shine down...& says I have not forgotten about you and the gray skies are going to clear up...

...so the next time you are wondering when you will get a moment of reprieve, a moment of peace, a moment of happiness, a moment of sun...look up God just might be smiling down on you in the midst of all of it...

to be a part of the big picture & make a difference...

“the two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why.” 
(Mark Twain)

...last year i wrote about something that was seriously funny a.k.a. laughfest which gilda's club hosts to allow us to be reminded that those that are suffering from cancer need to not only treat the physical being but also the mental/emotional being...so as this event kicks off they come up with a record to try & break, rubber chicken throwing, most people doing the chicken dance & this year, the most people gathered together wearing a fake mustache...

...so am i writing to tell you that they broke this record & it was the most amazing thing ever??...nah, but they did break the record by quite a few hundred...but as i stood in the crowd watching all these people of all ages come together for this purpose of breaking a world record, i thought why show up, why come out in the cold & stand in line to put on a fake mustache...i know people stand behind the cause but it is also a feeling inside (most humans) where we want to be a part of the bigger picture...we want to leave our mark; so that we can say i was a part of that movement, that cause, that record...no matter how big or small, we all want to be remembered in some way shape or form...

...and for many that means helping the unfortunate, savings lives and becoming a doctor, entertaining people either through the stage, the big screen or a novel...& for some it is raising kids to make society a better place; or maybe you write a blog in hopes that someone will read it and for that moment you make your mark...however what we all must remember that no matter the record, the event, the movement, or the path our mark is left it is just left in way we sometimes don't see but it's there...

...so be a part of the record, be a part of the event, save a life, write a book, raise some kids...pick your path & make your mark...


as ghandi once put it, "be the change you wish to see in the world..." or rather leave the mark you want to leave...

your heart...

“There's nothing more inspiring than the complexity and beauty of the human heart.”  
(Cynthia Hand, Hallowed)

...according to webMD & sciencekids...your heart beats about 100,000 times everyday; that laughter is the best medicine for your heart because it causes it to pump more blood throughout your body...it is one of the most important organs in your body & it has  4 parts to it...and when you place your hand over your heart or your fingers to your neck or wrist you hear a beat...that is your heart letting you know you are alive but more importantly that...

...your heart is so much more it is the way we see things & hold on to what is important & just when we think our hearts cannot hold any more love; someone new comes into our life and our heart grows...it is the place where we hold memories...it is the being that writhes in pain when we or the ones we love hurt...it is forever a reminder of how amazing life is...it allows us to believe in the miracles, & know that by this organ, this thing in our body, our life would not exist; nor those that  surround us...our heart holds so much that once you open it up it can tell its own story...it bleeds with joy, with happiness, with sadness, with pain, with life, with sorrow, with any & all emotions...it is us...& to know our heart is to know us...

...so be thankful, feel blessed that you have a heart...be glad that when you feel it beat; you know its beating for a reason...