God Gives Us Heart Warmers

When I say "heart warmer", I am thinking of those people who God puts in our lives to make us happy, to make us believe in ourselves more and to give us a heart glow like nobody else can.

It's not every day that we receive a heart warmer. Usually it is a rare occurrence. A sibling, a parent, a child, a grandchild. Someone that makes our heart beat with more purpose. Someone that makes us laugh without trying. Someone that brings tears of joy to our eyes without even knowing. Those people are precious....and they are rare.

When you receive a heart warmer, embrace them. They are a gift...a true gift from our loving Father. He knows we need people here whose hugs are monumental and whose kisses are sweeter than chocolate to our souls. Those are the people who God indwells in order to physically meet our needs of love.

I was always told that if we have made at least five good friends in our lifetimes, we have been blessed. And they don't all necessarily stay through the course of our lives. Some are only around for a few years. Some last longer. But those who are heart warmers live inside of us all of the days we fulfill on this earth. They are cherished. They are precious.

Some of my heart warmers were loved ones who passed away.  They changed me in profound ways and still linger with me through each day that I spend here on earth without them. Luckily I have more heart warmers that are with me, living on this earth, their hearts beating in unison with mine. They are my children. And my grandchild. The most precious things God has ever given me.

Some of my heart warmers have only been with me a short while.  But still they live inside of me.  I have experienced authors who have been heart warmers.  Their words have etched marks upon my soul.  I am grateful for them.  I am also grateful for the friends I have met over the years...all heart warmers of one degree or another.  That's the wonderful thing about heart warmers.  They all change us in some way for the better.  We don't even have to know them personally, or for very long.  We only have to internalize their words, their emotion, their caring, their love.

I consider myself fortunate for all the heart warmers I have known. Through the years I have been blessed. And I wish to be a heart warmer for others. Those who feel the words that I write in their souls and spirits; those who can empathize with what I express. I challenge you to take notice of your heart warmers. God, in His wisdom, knows exactly the kind of hugs, kisses and encouragement we need to keep our hearts beating with His love. He loves us. Our heart warmers love us. We love each other. And that's what it's all about at the end of the day. Love. And truly loving. And being grateful....for love.... and for our heart warmers, His gift to us.

We Are Like Snowflakes

We are like snowflakes.  Each of us is unique.  None of us is exactly the same.  Like snowflakes, we can be very similar yet we each still have our own unique properties.

It is so important to cultivate our uniqueness....to be grateful of our differences.  Can you imagine how boring the world would be if we were all the same?  Our differences are a reason for celebration and learning and growth.  Without them, there would be no exploration, no causes to work toward, no understanding to gain.

The thing we must be wary of is the fear of our differences.  That fear has the potential to turn the beauty of our differences to ugliness.  That fear whispers that we are not acceptable unless we are alike.  The fear of unacceptance and misunderstanding is what we need to truly be afraid of because it not only robs us of our individuality, it robs us of our compassion and our destiny in life.

We each have a unique destiny;   a reason why we are here.  If we were all the same, we would not have a destiny, a soul-searching aspect for being alive.  It is freeing to know that we are all unique like the snow the falls softly in the winter.  Each snowflake is different, yet they all fall in peace and unity just outside our windows.  They don't wonder or worry about being different. They just are.

My wish is for us to be more like snowflakes.  At peace.  In unity.  Not comparing ourselves to each other.  Think of the beautiful snowfalls of destiny our combined efforts could accomplish! If we were not divided against ourselves, how much stronger we would be as a whole!  As the saying goes, a whole is greater than the sum of its parts!

Seeing The Big In The Small

There are many things that make life worth living. One of those things is seeing the big in the small.

When you look at a tree, do you only see a tree? Or do you see a living being, a life-giving gift? A beautiful creation of colors in various shades and hues?

I am convinced that when you see the big in the small, or the extraordinary in the ordinary, you will experience life in much richer ways.

For example, when you see a cat, what do you see? Something with color that meows? Maybe a bit more...something soft and fluffy? Something that makes cute noises and likes to cuddle? Perhaps a companion? A friend?

The more you see in what is considered normal, the more interest and experience and depth open up. Even for something inanimate. Like a sink. Most of us go to the sink and turn on the water. We don't think much about the process. But if you stop and ponder upon sinks and water and all of the pipes that combine to bring us our much needed resource, our awakening opens. How the water is pumped through all of those pipes and brought to us and then heated for our use...is quite amazing! The technology of it all and the cleanup in the water facilities afterward to enable the water to continue to be used is lengthy and somewhat complicated. It is designed by human ingenuity! The engineers who have come up with the process and educated people as to how to build everything to exact specifications is nothing short of amazing! And we have this resource to use every minute of every day if we wish!

So much of life is this way; seemingly simple but so much more to the story. Some of us have more conveniences and blessings than others. Many times those with less are so very appreciative for the little they have! They are able to see the big in the small.

What a gift for us to be able to cultivate this concept in our lives. To see the big in the small. To appreciate the untold or unnoticed portions of life. The cultivation of this concept makes us richer right where we stand! Without owning anything more! Just to simply behold more understanding of the story around you! Try to begin noticing the big in the small today and watch the amazing ways in which it will broaden your outlook! It will definitely bring more blessings into your life!

Weeds

I am looking outside at my yard.  It is not manicured to perfection like the other yards in my neighborhood.  Little yellow dots are sprinkled around in my grass.  Dandelions!  (Gasp!)  The dreaded word of the suburban community!

I must admit I never got really bent out of shape over dandelions.  I suspect it's because I have always been side tracked by multi-tasking other things and being consumed by the demands of life in general.  If I have taken the time to cut the grass, I have always reasoned that I'm doing okay.  It may also have just a tiny bit to do with the fact that I'm allergic to dandelions.  When they are in bloom and I go outside, I sneeze and wheeze and my eyes puff up.  (Good reason not to manicure my lawn, is it not?)

Recently, I've been thinking about weeds.  They are so common and they actually have many excellent reasons for being alive.  Of course, that depends on your outlook.  But I choose to remain positive!  Therefore, when I look at a dandelion I see many wonderful things.  For one, I know they make great tea and wine, although I have never made any!  They also make good salads, I hear.  Never tried that either, though.  Dandelions are colorful and quite cute in their own right.  I have decided they are here for a reason.  And prevalent for a reason.

Just as the "weeds" in our lives;  people we don't get along with, irritating situations that occur and annoying botherances that we must deal with day to day, dandelions teach us how to be happy among the weeds.  As significant as their annoyance can be, they, along with the "weeds" of life can be great teachers for us.  We can be eternally irritated or complacently peaceful with the weeds surrounding us-the choice is up to us.  What a wonderful thing it is to learn to be happy among the weeds!  So what if there's a field of dandelions next door?  Things could definitely be much worse.  I admit, if my yard was manicured to perfection, the dandelions would bother me a lot more.  But that would just give me more practice at acceptance and peaceful contemplation!  A changed, more positive, "internal outlook" makes every aspect of life better and brighter!

Therefore, I have come to the conclusion that weeds are quite useful.  (No, that is not an excuse to ignore my lawn!)  They help us to grow by being prevalent in our lives; they teach us patience and stamina!  Maybe that's why they're here in such high concentrations-to point us toward paths of happiness and peace.  Sometimes a little altered perspectives can go a long way!  And all of us could use more time to enjoy the important things in life rather than spending our excess time fighting weeds!

Next time you take a look out the window and have a nagging desire to begin grumbling, think about the positives.  You may just find yourself spraying the dandelions less and enjoying them a bit more!  Who knows?  Anything is possible!

Better Days Will Come

This blog is being written as a tribute to a family member that just suddenly passed away.   He was the victim of a deadly addiction that ended up taking his life.  It is hard to accept the death of a loved one, especially when it seems premature.  The questions of why run through our minds.  But when it comes down to fate, our days are numbered.  Life is fleeting.  We must enjoy it as much as possible while we are here.

We all have days of sadness and unrest. Days that we wish would never happen. Days of a death in the family or a sudden accident. Unfortunately, these days will come whether we want them to or not. It is just the way of the world.

Fortunately, these days don't last forever. Sometimes their effects do and it takes us months or even years to work through the lasting impressions they have on us.

It is important to remember that it will pass. Sadness and suffering won't continue without end. Sometimes it's hard to remember this when we are in the midst of turmoil and agony. But every cloud does eventually have a silver lining.

We must attempt to keep a positive attitude as much as possible during these excruciating moments. For most times these moments shape us into better people if we allow them to.

Life doesn't always make sense but if we keep the proper perspective, we will come out victorious.  Joy always comes like a sunrise on the horizon and hope always resurfaces to anchor our souls.

Make Some Time To Have A Crazy Night

Make some time in your schedule to have a crazy night. Crazy nights are good every once in a while; nights when convention is thrown out the window and responsible fun is the focus! These are nights that make you feel like you're truly living. When the boredom of life threatens to strike, go out at midnight to get ice cream and then sit in a park listening to owls and nighttime wildlife. Or wake your kids up late and take them with you to swim in the rain in the summer. Make some crazy nights happen where there is no routine, where the world does not revolve around the human time schedule.

You can make crazy days, too. When you wake up, make a spontaneous decision to go on a road trip. Or to go take nature pictures. Or go to a park or a favorite spot. When you break out of the routine, that's when great memories happen.

Many of those nights I go out with my kids to get a smoothie. Then we stop at a park together and talk, taking in the breathtaking beauty of the moonlit trees, water and scenery. There are usually other people out too, enjoying life at that late time. Some ride their bikes or skateboard through the areas with street lights and others walk their dogs. Some laugh and goof around and others enjoy a moment of peace in the moonlight.

Many times we have spotted beautiful wildlife at night. Coyotes, foxes and deer are some that we have had the pleasure of watching. It is very surreal to see animals roaming about their natural habitat free from fear of man. It brings to mind a mystical perspective of what goes on when the sun sets. It is freeing and inspiring.

I have many fond memories of my crazy nights with family and friends. Those are the times that I remember most: the unconventional moments, the surprises, the fun.

Crazy nights will set you free and give you a renewed mindset. Make some happen for you and your loved ones! You will create cherished memories that will last a lifetime!