2016

Chalk Art Festival - 2016
All we need is love ... (and lights)

It's a foggy New Year's Eve in my little corner of the world. The Christmas lights in my neighborhood have all been taken down and turned off. Well, almost all of them. I have a wreath by my front door that still shines light into the night and a little Christmas tree too. It's the last of the lights on our street.

Our tree is still up and it might stay up for another month ...

Our son, is at boot camp and he missed all the holidays. It seems selfish of me to take it all down before he gets to see it ... after all, his choice to serve our country makes all our choices possible. Seems logical to me to prolong Christmas for his sake.

Enough chat about the lights and fog.

What's really on my mind are the past 365 days ... It's been an amazing year. Full of challenges, heartache, disappointment, excitement, surprises and beyond. I think it's safe to say that all years are like that. Full of growing moments. This year has been extra loaded with them.

I am thankful for them all - they have helped me learn, grow and become.

Thank you 2016 - You have taught me much. I'm ready to continue moving forward into another 365 days of ... (what seems to be the foggy unknown). Pressing forward with love ...

Cheers to the last day of 2016.

Light

Image via Pinterest
Light: “Something that illuminates.”

Light signifies hope and new beginnings and a way forward.
I've always loved light fixtures, light bulbs, sunshine, light paint colors and well lit spaces.

All of us have the ability to illuminate - we share light each time we share a smile, a word of encouragement, a kind deed. It's not difficult and the ripple affect is endless.

Have you ever wondered where the ultimate source of light illuminates from? I have.
And I know that the source of all that is good and light comes from our Loving Heavenly Father. His ways are always filled with light, love, peace and hope. Nothing dark originates from Him.

I am thankful for all the beautiful ways His love and light have been poured upon me this year by those who bask in His light and so graciously share it.

Shine on.

Together, we light up the world.

Step forward or step back ...

I love this quote ... So true! At any given moment we have two options!

The first is to step forward into growth. This is usually not the first action taken ... as growth requires change on our part.

The second option is easier because you just step back into safety - which is usually a place of no change and of habit.

Today - STEP forward - choose the growth path.

You got this!

What's your weakness?

The other night, my daughter and my husband were talking about heroes and their weaknesses.
After talking about Batman, Superman and beyond, there was a pause and my daughter looked at my husband and asked:

"Dad, what's your weakness?"

His reply (no pause): "Lemons and your Mother."

My heart melted. 

Cheers to the little moments in life that linger with us - like the taste of lemons!

How can I be more happy?

Earlier this week, I received a text message from a young friend of mine - she is in her teenage years and was asking me how she could fill her mind with good and be more happy.

I think this is a common question for everyone alive! How can I be more happy? How can I live with a more positive outlook?

There are volumes of books on this subject and endless Experts who claim to have the answers.

I believe the quest to find the answer will vary from person to person as our journeys are not all the same and the challenges we face are just as diversified.

Here are a few things that I have discovered that have helped me fill my mind and life with happiness - 

1. Pray. Never underestimate the power of prayer. If you have never said a prayer before - I encourage you to try it. Say it in your heart or say it out loud. Offer a prayer to our loving Heavenly Father who loves you beyond our greatest imaginings. Ask to feel His love for you. Pause and feel the overwhelming love that will fill your heart and mind.

2. Look for the joy in your life! It is there. Even on the darkest days, there is joy. Go outside and feel grateful for this beautiful world we live in. Give thanks for the sun, the sky, the air we breathe and the ground we walk on. Gratitude opens the heart and the mind to receive the good things around us.

3. Keep a happiness journal. I love to write. It is a great source of therapy and joy for me. I use 3x5 cards often! In fact I have piles of them in my kitchen drawer. I love to doodle on them and jot down happy moments! I call it my 3x5 moments!

4. Color. Call. Catch up! Coloring is a major stress release. It causes our brains to be creative and releases pent up stress. Try it! Grab the crayons and color. Calling a friend is another way to be happy. Just hearing another's voice can break you out of your doom and gloom funk! Catch up with a loved one is another great way to fill your mind with goodness. Reach outside of yourself and feel the joy. These above mentioned actions require us to look outside of our self. This is good. When we want to be more happy - the answer is to lift another person!

5. Dump the negatives. I can't stress this enough. Life is too short and wonderful to spend it surrounded with negative energy. Be the happy force and don't participate in the negative stuff that pulls you down. Walk away. Turn it off. Hold your light high. Make it a goal to always be the one who shares the positive energy in the room. Always.

6. Read the Scriptures! They are there for us and our day. They will give you strength and fill you with added insight and inspiration to press forward.

Filling the mind with goodness takes effort and work - but all great things do!
You got this ...  LIVE a life you LOVE while becoming the best you possible.

Turn on your happy light - see the joy around you!
Help others see the joy as well.

Hold your light high.

A bit of your heart? Or a piece of your mind?

So true ... our days are happier when we give people a bit of our heart rather than a piece of our mind.

It's not always easy. We have these things called - emotions and feelings. They surface and when anger, frustration, jealousy, resentment, and other negative energy abounds (inside of us - we want to give others a piece of our mind!) We want to be heard, understood, right, validated and so on...

What good does that really do?

It just feels better to be kind. Kindness and love always win.

Today, I received a very sweet email from my son (who is on a mission for our church) and I have not seen him for about a year. He has another year to go on his mission before he will come home.

I was touched by his kind words and the love he shared. The bit of his heart he shared with me - caused my heart to smile and it made me cry! I am thankful for his kindness.

He caused a kindness ripple affect - made me want to turn around and be kind to everyone around me. Amazing how that works!

What are you sharing today? 

A bit of your heart or a piece of  your mind?
Warning: Our actions have an affect on those around us.

Choose to share the good stuff. You won't be sorry. And a heart will smile :)