During this time of the year there seems to be an increase in phone calls and emails asking for donations for food, toys, gifts, or time. There are ads on TV and Red Kettle Bell Ringers on every street corner. It is easy to find a worthy cause to give too. These agencies put themselves out there and ask for help. They ask because they know that if they don't ask they will never receive!
A friend of mine decided to adopt a family for Christmas. She has a list of things they needed from furniture to toys. The family had nothing and needed basic things.
Now, my friend could have tried to find all of the things by herself and in fact she did have a number of items, but then an email came "I need your help!"
Within a matter of hours there were 20 - 30 people working on finding all the things on the list. Working angles and leads to find bunk beds and winter boats. Going to clothing stores, picking up groceries, and searching classified ads to make sure everything on the list was covered!
People on the original email sent it to others and all of a sudden new dolls and blankets were arriving. Children's Books and baby clothes came by the box load! All because one person asked for help!
During the holiday season it is always easy to find a way to give back, to answer the call of a friend asking for help. Maybe you have a need? Maybe you know of someone who has a need? What will you do? Will you try and take care of it all yourself, or will you ask?
If you never ask, you will never receive!
What is your need? What is your wish? What is your dream? Ask and you shall receive!
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Monday, November 29, 2010
A Wrought Life
Reality has set in. I am back to work, back to comfortable life, and back to just being.
As I have been reacquainting myself to my life after vacation the word tractable came to me today. It was my daily calendar ‘word of the day’. The word tractable means “easily handled, managed, or wrought”. I know what handled and managed were, but throwing in wrought seemed like a curve ball.
So I looked up the synonyms for wrought. The first one on the list was shaped, next fashioned, formed and created. Hum…so easily handled and managed to me don’t always mean formed or created in fact forming and creating is always harder to do then comfortably handling and managing things.
I reflected on the word and as I did it came to me that I really don’t want to have a life that is easily handled or managed! I really do want a life that is formed and created – In fact I do want a wrought life!
Since my vacation I have become acutely aware of how much time goes by that could be spent forming and creating. Maybe this is because my senses are still on high alert, but maybe it is also because I met kids in their 20’s traveling along, building schools in Africa in their free time or seeing the world for what they can do while in it NOT what the world can do for them!
There was a sense of wrought in them, a sense that they could create their future and form the outcomes of their lives. I knew they were special just by how they choose to create themselves. It fit perfectly with the saying ‘Life is not about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself’.
So today I pledge an even stronger oath to myself and those around me to have a wrought life. I pledge to shape my future to be more then easily handled and managed. To shape, create, form and fashion my life around my passions and opportunities!
Today is a new day, a day to move from comfort into wrought. A day dedicated to inspire and dream. A day dedicated to starting my future rather than wait for it.
May you all have a wrought life!
As I have been reacquainting myself to my life after vacation the word tractable came to me today. It was my daily calendar ‘word of the day’. The word tractable means “easily handled, managed, or wrought”. I know what handled and managed were, but throwing in wrought seemed like a curve ball.
So I looked up the synonyms for wrought. The first one on the list was shaped, next fashioned, formed and created. Hum…so easily handled and managed to me don’t always mean formed or created in fact forming and creating is always harder to do then comfortably handling and managing things.
I reflected on the word and as I did it came to me that I really don’t want to have a life that is easily handled or managed! I really do want a life that is formed and created – In fact I do want a wrought life!
Since my vacation I have become acutely aware of how much time goes by that could be spent forming and creating. Maybe this is because my senses are still on high alert, but maybe it is also because I met kids in their 20’s traveling along, building schools in Africa in their free time or seeing the world for what they can do while in it NOT what the world can do for them!
There was a sense of wrought in them, a sense that they could create their future and form the outcomes of their lives. I knew they were special just by how they choose to create themselves. It fit perfectly with the saying ‘Life is not about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself’.
So today I pledge an even stronger oath to myself and those around me to have a wrought life. I pledge to shape my future to be more then easily handled and managed. To shape, create, form and fashion my life around my passions and opportunities!
Today is a new day, a day to move from comfort into wrought. A day dedicated to inspire and dream. A day dedicated to starting my future rather than wait for it.
May you all have a wrought life!
Sunday, November 28, 2010
The Great White Bear Tour - Journal
If you would like to read about the Polar Bear Trip, please see Journal at http://www.mycoffeematters.com/tripjournals.html
To Find or Create?
It has been fun writing this blog as so many of you have given me ideas to write about. It isn't the ideas that excites me as much as having kindred spirits paying attention to people, places, signs, and the world around them.
Yesterday I got a picture of a saying, from my brother, that read:
I cannot count the times I have heard "I need to find myself" or "I need to leave to find myself" or "If only I could find myself"!
People spend so much time and money trying to find themselves it can get pretty crazy. Like they are lost or something. They spend so much time trying to 'find' themselves they forget to love, to create, to live.
If you want to find yourself, look in a mirror. You are right there and congratulations you have found yourself! Now, the fun part comes--creating!
What does creating yourself mean? It means to become the person you want to be. It means to live the life you dream about. It means to do the things that you imagine yourself doing. No excuses, no limits and no mirrors! Creating ourselves starts with understanding your goals and your passions and putting them to action!
You can wander around trying to find yourself, or you can look in the mirror and began to create the real you!
What is your creative plan for yourself? What do you dream about? What do you imagine yourself being? What does your heart say?
Life is about creating yourself. Every day, every interaction, every job, every thought, every dream, and every action. Begin again and Create! Create Yourself!
Yesterday I got a picture of a saying, from my brother, that read:
Life isn't about Finding yourself. Life is about Creating yourself!
I cannot count the times I have heard "I need to find myself" or "I need to leave to find myself" or "If only I could find myself"!
People spend so much time and money trying to find themselves it can get pretty crazy. Like they are lost or something. They spend so much time trying to 'find' themselves they forget to love, to create, to live.
If you want to find yourself, look in a mirror. You are right there and congratulations you have found yourself! Now, the fun part comes--creating!
What does creating yourself mean? It means to become the person you want to be. It means to live the life you dream about. It means to do the things that you imagine yourself doing. No excuses, no limits and no mirrors! Creating ourselves starts with understanding your goals and your passions and putting them to action!
You can wander around trying to find yourself, or you can look in the mirror and began to create the real you!
What is your creative plan for yourself? What do you dream about? What do you imagine yourself being? What does your heart say?
Life is about creating yourself. Every day, every interaction, every job, every thought, every dream, and every action. Begin again and Create! Create Yourself!
Saturday, November 27, 2010
A Great Horned Owl
So the Churchill Trip has really got my senses on high alert. I thought culverts covered with snow were bear holes driving home and every time I see a Charlie Brown tree I think I am in the Tundra.
Last night after dinner we were all sitting around chatting and someone noticed a big bird sitting on the neighbors roof. Now I have heard Owls around here, but never expected to see one 40 yards away, sitting on the neighbors roof.
It was a Great Horned Owl, so very big. It sat there for a while until, of course, we tried to take a picture and off it went. I guess they don't like their picture taken!
There is just so much to see if I just pay attention. If I can keep my senses aware and focused the world becomes alive. Blue Jays flying everywhere! An Owl on the Roof! Rabbit tracks and Sparrows. I love the fact that I see everything right now.
Become aware and watch for everything. You may surprise yourself on what you will see!
Last night after dinner we were all sitting around chatting and someone noticed a big bird sitting on the neighbors roof. Now I have heard Owls around here, but never expected to see one 40 yards away, sitting on the neighbors roof.
It was a Great Horned Owl, so very big. It sat there for a while until, of course, we tried to take a picture and off it went. I guess they don't like their picture taken!
There is just so much to see if I just pay attention. If I can keep my senses aware and focused the world becomes alive. Blue Jays flying everywhere! An Owl on the Roof! Rabbit tracks and Sparrows. I love the fact that I see everything right now.
Become aware and watch for everything. You may surprise yourself on what you will see!
Friday, November 26, 2010
Black Friday or Hope Friday?
After writing my blog this morning I turned on the TV. It is cleaning day and I wanted to watch a Christmas
Special. There were a number of them on, but I got so tired of the Black Friday ads I had to turn the TV off and try the radio. No difference...ads galore so now it is CD's, I know I will not get an ad there.
I started thinking about what Black Friday is all about and how many of these hours could be used to help.
I don't believe much in Black Friday as it shows the greed in many of us. What if Black Friday were a day to reach out to someone in need and give them Hope. What about Hope Friday?
Hope Friday - when everyone gets up at 3am and stands in line to give blood or waits for the doors to open at a food shelter to help serve or sleeps in front of the doors of an elderly home who has no one who cares. What if Black Friday was Hope Friday?
There are many that can't and don't have hope or even can see a spark of hope. Kids on the street or elderly in a home. Each waiting for someone to make a difference in their lives. Each hoping for a chance at happiness. For a day or a lifetime.
Hope Friday - now there is something to plan and get excited about!
Special. There were a number of them on, but I got so tired of the Black Friday ads I had to turn the TV off and try the radio. No difference...ads galore so now it is CD's, I know I will not get an ad there.
I started thinking about what Black Friday is all about and how many of these hours could be used to help.
I don't believe much in Black Friday as it shows the greed in many of us. What if Black Friday were a day to reach out to someone in need and give them Hope. What about Hope Friday?
Hope Friday - when everyone gets up at 3am and stands in line to give blood or waits for the doors to open at a food shelter to help serve or sleeps in front of the doors of an elderly home who has no one who cares. What if Black Friday was Hope Friday?
There are many that can't and don't have hope or even can see a spark of hope. Kids on the street or elderly in a home. Each waiting for someone to make a difference in their lives. Each hoping for a chance at happiness. For a day or a lifetime.
Hope Friday - now there is something to plan and get excited about!
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