Category: Thoughts and Suggestions

Unconditional Love

The Many Degrees Of Love

Part 3 of 4

This is a tough one because what is unconditional love? Well, to me it means to love someone no matter what. Can you truly love someone no matter what? Can you love someone and not love what they do? I believe so.

When you remember we are all connected to one another through our humanity, you can love the person without liking what they do. The easiest people to love unconditionally are my children. I can say without any doubt in my mind that I will love and protect them no matter what. I will do whatever it takes to help them grow and become the person they want to be.

That’s another part of it. Letting them be what they want to be. If you haven’t heard by now, I love basketball. I had the privilege of working with Rick Majerus at the University of Utah for two years, and it is there I learned to coach. I love to coach, so naturally when my children were little, I coached their Jr. Jazz teams.

One day during a game my daughter Erin was playing in, I realized she didn’t really love the game. How did I know this? She waved to her father in the stands while running down the floor to get back on defense. I knew right then that she wasn’t really playing for herself. She was playing for me. After the game, I asked her if she liked playing. “Not really,” she said. “Then you don’t have to play anymore,” was my reply. For the rest of the year she was the team manager. It worked out wonderfully because no one could say my daughter got more playing time than anyone else’s.

Erin is an artist and a very good one at that. I’m glad I was able to let her be who she wanted to be, not who I wanted her to be. I see so many parents living their missed chances through their children. I believe that is wrong. Each person has free will to choose how they live their life, even your children.

Just because someone makes different decisions about their life doesn’t mean they are not loveable. I have seen people forgive others for some heinous crimes against themselves or their family. I’m not sure I could and I hope I never have to find out.

How do you get to that kind of place in your heart? How do you get past the anger, the smell, the bad breath, the inconsideration that some have for and show to others. I’m not sure because I am still trying. One thing I do know is that when I remember they are human, it helps me. When I remember they are loved, they are valuable, they are needed in this time and space; it helps me connect to the core of their humanness.

Today and every day, I challenge you to connect on a human level with those around you. Especially the ones that might be a little harder because of the package they arrive in. Start at home with your angry teen or your lost brother. Love them. Love the human being in them. Love their core.

How do you create world peace? You start with you.

Let me know how it changes things for you.

Thank you for listening one more time.

Have a superb day,

The Many Degrees of Love

Part 2 of 4

There is a time for everything. As I was thinking about what to write today, I wasn’t sure. Now I know. If you have met my husband and I, you know we are very much in love and have the kind of relationship most people only dream of. We are best friends, partners, lovers; a team making the pull through life easier. We have been married over 12 years, and I have loved every minute of it. There is never a moment when I wish things were different. I am so glad I have him in my life.

One thing you may not know is we have both been married before. In fact, we have both been married twice before. This is our third marriage each. The odds of finding a lasting fulfilling relationship after a second divorce are less than 20%. I’m sure you know that ½ of marriages end in divorce. There isn’t as much of a negative context for one divorce. However, you add in two and a child from each marriage and the situation gets stickier.

I have been carrying that “sticky guilt” with me for some time. I just started with a new coach, and I filled out a pre-coaching survey with her. When I came to the question about things I have accomplished that I’m proud of, I put “Having the courage to get divorced a second time so I could find Laurence.” It stunned me at first. Then peace rolled over me and I felt blessed because I truly am.

When Laurence and I were first married, people told us we were lucky. I would nod and say, “Yes, we are.” Then I got fed up and started telling people, “No, we’re not. We designed this life. I figured out what I needed and wanted and would NOT settle for less.” We knew blending four children and four ex-spouses would not be easy. We knew it would be challenging. We also knew it would be worth it. We believed we could create the dream we had in our hearts and our minds, and we did.

I don’t know what kind of a relationship you find yourself in, but if it is not the one you want or desire. FIX IT. I don’t know what that means for you. I don’t know what your future holds. If you don’t change, it won’t change. To get something new you must become someone new. If you decide to make changes, your life will be different. You decide how different.

There is a time for everything. Maybe it’s time to get mad and make some changes. Life is too short to be lived in fear, pain, confusion, or despair. You hold the keys to your future. Maybe it is time to close the door on the past and open a new one on your future.

There is support for whatever lies ahead for you, but you must take the first steps on your own.

Sometimes loving means letting go.

To your prosperity and future, I lift a glass and say, ”You are loved. You are valuable. You are needed in this time and space. It is time to start living the life you were meant to live. Step into your power and live life on God’s terms which just might be saying it’s time to separate.”

Enjoy your day,

The Many Degrees of Love

Part 2 of 4

There is a time for everything. As I was thinking about what to write today, I wasn’t sure. Now I know. If you have met my husband and I, you know we are very much in love and have the kind of relationship most people only dream of. We are best friends, partners, lovers; a team making the pull through life easier. We have been married over 12 years, and I have loved every minute of it. There is never a moment when I wish things were different. I am so glad I have him in my life.

One thing you may not know is we have both been married before. In fact, we have both been married twice before. This is our third marriage each. The odds of finding a lasting fulfilling relationship after a second divorce are less than 20%. I’m sure you know that ½ of marriages end in divorce. There isn’t as much of a negative context for one divorce. However, you add in two and a child from each marriage and the situation gets stickier.

I have been carrying that “sticky guilt” with me for some time. I just started with a new coach, and I filled out a pre-coaching survey with her. When I came to the question about things I have accomplished that I’m proud of, I put “Having the courage to get divorced a second time so I could find Laurence.” It stunned me at first. Then peace rolled over me and I felt blessed because I truly am.

When Laurence and I were first married, people told us we were lucky. I would nod and say, “Yes, we are.” Then I got fed up and started telling people, “No, we’re not. We designed this life. I figured out what I needed and wanted and would NOT settle for less.” We knew blending four children and four ex-spouses would not be easy. We knew it would be challenging. We also knew it would be worth it. We believed we could create the dream we had in our hearts and our minds, and we did.

I don’t know what kind of a relationship you find yourself in, but if it is not the one you want or desire. FIX IT. I don’t know what that means for you. I don’t know what your future holds. If you don’t change, it won’t change. To get something new you must become someone new. If you decide to make changes, your life will be different. You decide how different.

There is a time for everything. Maybe it’s time to get mad and make some changes. Life is too short to be lived in fear, pain, confusion, or despair. You hold the keys to your future. Maybe it is time to close the door on the past and open a new one on your future.

There is support for whatever lies ahead for you, but you must take the first steps on your own.

Sometimes loving means letting go.

To your prosperity and future, I lift a glass and say, ”You are loved. You are valuable. You are needed in this time and space. It is time to start living the life you were meant to live. Step into your power and live life on God’s terms which just might be saying it’s time to separate.”

Enjoy your day,

When you have a humungous goal or dream, you have to start now and stick to it. Everyday take a step. Hummingbird steps count also. How do you do that? Last week I told you about “now” bites. Remember? That is how.

My goal for this year is to exercise five times a week. When I became a professional speaker, my lifestyle changed. I spend much of my day in the office making calls or working on the computer. When I was a teacher, I taught Physical Education and coached basketball. I was very active. I made the decision to focus on my speaking career and let the exercise go.

I have now developed some habits that are helping me with the professional speaking. I have learned a great deal, and I feel more comfortable in getting back to some of my old habits like exercising. I just completed the month of January with six workouts per week.

I was able to do it by asking myself these questions.

1. What do I want by next year?
2. What action steps do I need to take to get there?
3. What do I need to do right now?

I decided I wanted to get rid of 25 pounds of fat, have more endurance, and be able to lift weights again. I was a body builder in my twenties and loved the way it felt to push myself that hard. I also spent 8 hours a day in the gym. I know I don’t want to be what I was then because I don’t want to spend that much time exercising. I am walking on the treadmill three times a week and lifting weights the other three.

It felt horrible when I started because all I could think about was what I use to do. I reminded myself that everyone must start where they are and right now because of my past decisions, I found myself out of shape and weak.

In one month I have been able to increase the incline and speed on the treadmill. I now walk for 45 minutes at 7.5-8.5% incline and a 4.0 mph pace. I have gone from curling 10 lbs. dumbbells to 20 lbs. I now bench press 25 lbs. dumbbells. I’m not even close to what I use to do, but it feels great to be making progress. I have also decreased my body fat by 2.4 pounds.

Every morning I had to make a decision about what I wanted. I always get what I want I just have to remind myself what I really want some mornings. Do I want to stay in bed or get up and create the person I want to see in the mirror? The decision is all mine.

The action steps I took are:

1. I work out a minimum of five times a week first thing in the morning when I get up. I perform activities that increase my cardiovascular endurance, strength, and flexibility.
2. I made the decision every morning to get up and exercise.
3. I weigh myself once a month and keep track of how many calories I burn and how much weight I lift.

I let the action become a habit. The habit takes care of my goal. I don’t worry about what I’m eating or how much I have to lift for that day I just get up and start working out. If I lay in bed thinking about what I have to do or how much I have to lift, I don’t want to get up.

I break each step into “now” bites. Right now, I need to get up. Right now, I need to get my exercise cloths on. Right now, I need to get my water. If I’m on the treadmill I take a book to read. Right now, I need to go down stairs and start my workout. Once I’ve started the rest is easy.

Just to recap:

1. Decide what you want.
2. Decide what action you need to take.
3. Focus on what you need to do right now.

Time passes use it to make your world a better place by doing what you love and need to do.

Have an off the charts day,

Do you want to make changes in your life? Is there something you wish was different? Start small. It’s the little things that add up to the big things.

The number one New Year’s resolution is to lose weight and be healthier. People start off all empowered to start their new healthy way of living. They cut out all junk food and eat salad three times a day. They get up an hour earlier so they can exercise. “This time it’s going to be different,” they say. “This time I will make it stick. I will get back to the size I was in high school.”

When you make big drastic changes, it’s very difficult to sustain. It is such a shock to your system that you give up before too long. If you want to change, start small. Remember you didn’t gain 50 pounds overnight, and you won’t lose it in a month and be healthy.

When faced with a big daunting goal, break it into “now” bites. Now bites are things you can do right now to make a difference. Now is all the time you have. Right now you can make the best decision for your future. Right now you can do what it takes to make the change that is needed. Right now you can choose to eat healthy. Right now you can choose to get up and exercise. Right now, you can do it.

You can plan and decide but you still have to make the decision again when the time comes. What are your dreams? What are your goals? Is it to make more sales? If so, then you have to make your sales calls. Right now you have to pick up the phone and make a call.

There are two types of habits: habits you do and habits you don’t do. Take some time right now to think about your habits. They are what have gotten you where you are right now. Are you where you want to be? No? Then you need to change some habits. You must replace old habits with new habits. What do you need to stop doing right now? What do you need to start doing? Pick just one new habit to implement and start doing it right now.

Every time you bump up against your old habit replace it with your new one. If you catch yourself in the middle of your old habit, STOP and immediately start the new one. Don’t beat yourself up mentally just perform your new habit and be proud of yourself for making the change.

Celebrate your wins. Every time you perform your new habit do something special. It doesn’t have to be big. It can be a fist pump or the Snoopy dance. It can be some quite time doing what you love to do. Reward yourself for taking the action needed to change your life right now.

Make the decision, take the action, and celebrate. That is how you make big changes. You break them down into “now” bites. Ask yourself, “Am I doing all I can right now to make the difference in my life I want to make?” If you are, celebrate. If you’re not, do it. Take the action you know you need to take one moment at a time. If you do this, you will be creating the future you want.

The future is something you create with your “now“ bites. You can do this. I know you can. I have faith in you and your ability to change the world one moment at a time. I believe in you now; it is time for you to believe in you.

Have a fantastic day,

Are you a dreamer or an achiever? Well, I hope you’re both. You need to dream before you can achieve. It’s just that some people get stuck in the dreamer stage. It happens; I understand. There are many parking spaces on this road called life. Have you been in one for a while now? Is it time to move on? Remember the first step to change is awareness. What have you become aware of lately that you feel you need to change? Would you like some help with that? Wonderful! I don’t have all the answers, but I do have some. I’d love to be of service.

Step One: Start with a dream. Get emotional about it. See this new life through your own eyes. Imagine the sounds you would hear while living every day. What kind of food would you eat? Do you have fresh flowers on the table? What do they smell like? Are you on the beach? Feel the sea breeze and smell the salty air. Get as many senses into your dream as you can. Make it real, live it in your mind, make it colorful and vibrant, put music to it. Every day live this dream for a few moments. I live mine in the morning. It reminds me of why I’m doing what I’m doing.

Step Two: Have you tried to make this dream a reality before? If so, what stopped you? If not, what other dreams have passed you by and what stopped you then? If you know what has stopped you in the past, you can make a plan to overcome it this time. Take a few moments and set up some ideas on how you will overcome the obstacles that are coming your way. Trust me they are on the way. I don’t know why people say it is so easy. IT’S NOT! It will take work. You will have to push through fear. You are going to blow your comfort zone apart. If you want something new, you have to be willing to do new things. Make a plan for what you’re going to do to keep moving forward. It increases your chances of taking action but you still have to implement the plan when adversity comes along.

Step Three: Follow someone who has gone before. When you ask someone for advice, you save yourself time and effort. The key is asking the right people. You must ask of those that have created what you want to create. Everyone has advice to give, and they truly want to help. If they haven’t walked the path, they can’t be your guide. They’re just guessing like you are. You can guess and “what if” yourself all day long; you need someone who can tell you how it really is.

Step Four: Take your first step. Then another, and another, and another, and another. You get the point. Everyday keep stepping. Everyday take action. Everyday counts. When I was a personal trainer, I found that the clients who came to the gym six or seven days a week did much better long term than the ones that came only three. Why? Because they created the habit of working out. If you only do something part of the time, it becomes very easy to stop full time. When you move forward every day, you build momentum and you are more likely to run right through pitfalls as they pop up. Remember, humming bird steps count too. It doesn’t matter how small the step it matters that you have the courage to take that step.

Step Five: Keep your eye on your dream. Keep it close to you. Let it pull you into the future you are creating every day with your decisions and actions. Use it as fuel to keep your fire burning. Get emotional about what you want and why you want it. Emotion is energy in motion so use it. When you get scared, ask yourself. “What am I focused on?” Is it your dream or the obstacles? My guess is it’s the problems. Refocus on your dreams and move forward again.

Step Six: Celebrate your wins and be grateful for the many blessings you have. It feels so good to have a grateful and glad heart. Take time to see how far you’ve come and give thanks. We do the Snoopy dance here. It’s free and burns calories. Pick something you enjoy and make sure you celebrate your wins. Celebrate the fact that you are one step closer. Now is all the time you have so, right now take action and celebrate the fact that you did. When you feel like lying in bed and sucking your thumb, get up and take action then celebrate and give thanks for what you have accomplished.

Step Seven: Repeat and ask for help if you find yourself off track. Small adjustments are easier than big ones so make them when you realize you need to. Don’t wait until it becomes a stronger habit. Make the correct habit from the start so you don’t have to change it. Measure, monitor, and adjust and keep moving forward. You got this. I know you do. So many have already gone before, you’re not alone. There are people on the path you just have to find them. Keep your chin up and your eyes focus on what you want and you will make it.

Maybe step seven has a bunch of little steps in there, but you understand. You can have anything you want; you just have to remember what it is you truly want and move toward it– sometimes on your belly.

Drill Sargent Young was right. Learning how to low crawl can save your life.

Take action and enjoy the journey.

Have a very successful week, and I’ll talk with you soon,

Are you a dreamer or an achiever? Well, I hope you’re both. You need to dream before you can achieve. It’s just that some people get stuck in the dreamer stage. It happens; I understand. There are many parking spaces on this road called life. Have you been in one for a while now? Is it time to move on? Remember the first step to change is awareness. What have you become aware of lately that you feel you need to change? Would you like some help with that? Wonderful! I don’t have all the answers, but I do have some. I’d love to be of service.

Step One: Start with a dream. Get emotional about it. See this new life through your own eyes. Imagine the sounds you would hear while living every day. What kind of food would you eat? Do you have fresh flowers on the table? What do they smell like? Are you on the beach? Feel the sea breeze and smell the salty air. Get as many senses into your dream as you can. Make it real, live it in your mind, make it colorful and vibrant, put music to it. Every day live this dream for a few moments. I live mine in the morning. It reminds me of why I’m doing what I’m doing.

Step Two: Have you tried to make this dream a reality before? If so, what stopped you? If not, what other dreams have passed you by and what stopped you then? If you know what has stopped you in the past, you can make a plan to overcome it this time. Take a few moments and set up some ideas on how you will overcome the obstacles that are coming your way. Trust me they are on the way. I don’t know why people say it is so easy. IT’S NOT! It will take work. You will have to push through fear. You are going to blow your comfort zone apart. If you want something new, you have to be willing to do new things. Make a plan for what you’re going to do to keep moving forward. It increases your chances of taking action but you still have to implement the plan when adversity comes along.

Step Three: Follow someone who has gone before. When you ask someone for advice, you save yourself time and effort. The key is asking the right people. You must ask of those that have created what you want to create. Everyone has advice to give, and they truly want to help. If they haven’t walked the path, they can’t be your guide. They’re just guessing like you are. You can guess and “what if” yourself all day long; you need someone who can tell you how it really is.

Step Four: Take your first step. Then another, and another, and another, and another. You get the point. Everyday keep stepping. Everyday take action. Everyday counts. When I was a personal trainer, I found that the clients who came to the gym six or seven days a week did much better long term than the ones that came only three. Why? Because they created the habit of working out. If you only do something part of the time, it becomes very easy to stop full time. When you move forward every day, you build momentum and you are more likely to run right through pitfalls as they pop up. Remember, humming bird steps count too. It doesn’t matter how small the step it matters that you have the courage to take that step.

Step Five: Keep your eye on your dream. Keep it close to you. Let it pull you into the future you are creating every day with your decisions and actions. Use it as fuel to keep your fire burning. Get emotional about what you want and why you want it. Emotion is energy in motion so use it. When you get scared, ask yourself. “What am I focused on?” Is it your dream or the obstacles? My guess is it’s the problems. Refocus on your dreams and move forward again.

Step Six: Celebrate your wins and be grateful for the many blessings you have. It feels so good to have a grateful and glad heart. Take time to see how far you’ve come and give thanks. We do the Snoopy dance here. It’s free and burns calories. Pick something you enjoy and make sure you celebrate your wins. Celebrate the fact that you are one step closer. Now is all the time you have so, right now take action and celebrate the fact that you did. When you feel like lying in bed and sucking your thumb, get up and take action then celebrate and give thanks for what you have accomplished.

Step Seven: Repeat and ask for help if you find yourself off track. Small adjustments are easier than big ones so make them when you realize you need to. Don’t wait until it becomes a stronger habit. Make the correct habit from the start so you don’t have to change it. Measure, monitor, and adjust and keep moving forward. You got this. I know you do. So many have already gone before, you’re not alone. There are people on the path you just have to find them. Keep your chin up and your eyes focus on what you want and you will make it.

Maybe step seven has a bunch of little steps in there, but you understand. You can have anything you want; you just have to remember what it is you truly want and move toward it– sometimes on your belly.

Drill Sargent Young was right. Learning how to low crawl can save your life.

Take action and enjoy the journey.

Have a very successful week, and I’ll talk with you soon,

Red Yellow Green

I had the privilege of training an incredible group of young ladies on New Year’s Eve day. I love my chosen career. I get to travel and meet outstanding, talented people. This group was no exception. When I asked them if they wanted to change, every one of them raised their hands and said, “Yes!” We spent the next two hours going over the steps to make change permanent and easier in their lives.

With the New Year here and most people making New Year’s resolutions, I thought it might be a good time to share the steps with you as well. First off, don’t wait even a minute to make a change when you see the need. The longer you wait the harder it gets to take action and develop a good habit.

There are different kinds of habits. Habits you are doing and habits you are not doing; habits that get you closer to your dreams, and habits that pull you off track. You need to be aware of where you are going and the behaviors that will get you there. No more autopilot. Think about where you are and the next step you need to take.

Too many people just travel through their lives never living. They live the same day over and over again. The future is not something you enter; it is something you create with your choices and actions. You need to stop doing the nonproductive habits. (Red) Pay attention to your triggers that keep you stuck. (Yellow) Create a plan to get you were you want to go and take action. (Green) Measure, monitor, and adjust along the way to make sure you are on trajectory to reach your destination.

You must consciously be aware of what you are doing every moment of every day. You need to live in the now while taking actions and making decisions to put you in the best possible place for the future you want. Success is when planning and practice meet opportunity. You always get what you want; the problem is remembering what you really want. Make a decision about what you are doing and what you are eating. Don’t just act from habit.

My book, Bully Proofing You, starts with a quote by Victor Frankl it reads “Between stimulus and response, there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lie our growth and our freedom.” That space is what I am talking about. The problem most people face is they don’t know about the space. They just react to a stimulus without thought. They let their habits run them and highjack their dreams and future.

My hope for you is to start using the space to create your life. Stop performing tasks the same way unless you have tried others and know your way really is the best. Find your triggers and be aware when they happen so you can counteract them. Make a list of the habits you need to get you where you want to be and take action.

Red Yellow Green that’s what it’s all about.

Have an transformational day and every day,

Yes, I did it. I didn’t think it was possible, but now that I have accomplished what I set out to do, I realize it really wasn’t that hard. I took it one step at a time. I told myself right now I have to write this newsletter so it can go out Tuesday morning.

You see last year one of my mentors Jeff Magee told me to write a newsletter, and he challenged me to do it every week. This newsletter is my 52nd one. I never missed a week. It feels really good to be able to say I did it.

There were times when I had no idea what to say, so I created a habit of writing. I play some music that is perfect for the creative stage. I light a good smelling candle. I get my hot beverage to sip. I sit down at my desk. I ask the Lord to help me reach people that need help and support. Then I start writing.

You have seen the results of this effort over the past year show up every Tuesday in your email. I’m so glad that I have been able to accomplish what I set out to do. I feel the need to share a secret with you.

When I started this endeavor last January, I was scared. I was so scared I cried sometimes. It would take me about an hour just to type the first word. Now it takes about five to ten minutes depending on if I make coffee or just hot tea. The point is, it got easier. Now I almost enjoy it. I still feel fear from time to time but it is smoother. I can push through with ease.

It was so hard for me to write my book. The sheer terror I felt every time I sat down at my computer almost stopped me. All the voices of people making fun of me, telling me I was stupid, saying that I would never make it would sound off in my head when I tried to start. The system I learned from Gerry Robert helped me quite those voices so I could pull my message out of my head and put it on paper allowing me to share it with more people. I didn’t have a system for the newsletters so I had to develop one. That was part of the problem as well.

I am really good at following orders and directions, but creating the orders is more difficult. In the beginning, it was a lot of trial and error getting my system down. Now that I have my system, it helps me overcome my fear. I don’t know if the fear will ever be totally gone I just know it gets easier every time I face it.

Your comments help as well. It is always nice to hear how my message has touched you. Your questions help me know what to write about so keep them coming. We have another year to get through because I am making the same commitment for 2015 I made for 2014. Yes, I just got scared again, but if I did it once, I can do it again.

If you missed any of the newsletters and would like to read them, you can go to my websites. The letters that have to do with bullying are on www.bullyproofingyou.com on the blog page. The ones that have to do with relationships are found at www.jeanieciscometh.com also on the blog page. Some are posted on both sites. Feel free to leave a comment or contact me through the site. I believe it is now fixed. For most of the year the comments were going out into the clouds (That’s funny. Cloud, get it?), and I never received them.

I want to thank you for being such a big part of this past year, and I look forward to another exciting one. Thank you in advance for your input.

Have a wonderful day and a happy new year.

I love the calm of the early morning before anyone wakes up and the house is quite. Last night it snowed. For some reason I have not spent the time to figure out yet, when it snows a peace lays over me and I feel love. As I write this, I’m listening to George Winston’s December. I love his piano solos. I came in contact with his music in college. I could listen to it all day. In fact, I do many days. It also calms my spirit.

I know that many people feel rushed this time of year. They feel pressure to get the perfect gift, to attend parties, to have everything go as planned. I had a friend tell me the other day, “Relax, nothing is in control.” I use to be so in control of everything; my emotions, my house, what I ate. That is part of the reason I enjoyed the military so much. There was a place for everything and everything in its place.

Awhile back, two friends stopped by to see me when I was stuck at home because of a blood clot in my leg. They had never been to my home so I was showing them around. When I showed them the pantry, they were shocked. My cans of food were all lined up with the labels facing out. My house was GI as they say. BOY have I changed.

When my daughter, Erin, was young we use to fight because she would move things and not put them back. It drove me crazy. Then one day she brought home a poem.

“FINGERPRINTS”

Sometimes you get discouraged,
because I am so small
And leave my little fingerprints
On furniture and walls.
But everyday I’m growing
And soon will be so tall
That all these little fingerprints
Will be difficult to recall.
So here’s a little handprint
That you can put away
So you will know how my fingers looked
On this special day.

Author: Unknown
Read more at https://www.scrapbook.com/poems/doc/5772.html#C6jP78jlfUXC5Ckw.99

This poem changed my life. That was when I started becoming the person I am now. I made some major changes. It has not always been easy but it has always been worth it. I can now sit and write my newsletter in the calm even though my home is a mess. I haven’t dusted for some time or swept the floors and I am at peace because spending time with each other is more important.

Last night we stayed up until 2:30 am watching movies because Max wanted to spend more time with us. All because of another poem that changed my life. You can find it here https://www.cathye.com/momjustfortoday.htm

Now you know why I can sit and be calm; because, I choose too. Because I have decided life and living is more important than a clean house. Because God is in the calm. He is there waiting for us to just slow down and connect with Him. Life is meant to be lived. You need to enjoy each moment. Find your calm and live there. When you find you are slipping out, find ways to get it back. It really is a better way to live. I know I’ve done it.

Take care and live in peace.

Have a blessed Christmas and remember you are loved. You are valuable. You are needed in this time and space.

Merry Christmas.