True Confession

 

My "MUSE" 

~~ Music ~~

What gets me going? What inspires me?

What makes me want to breathe deeper,

smile wider, even giggle a little,

then, laugh out loud . . . alone,

and break out into a smooth dance step…

with my broom,

All by myself

. . . in the kitchen?

It’s MUSIC!

Sweet and pure

Soul-stirring

Plain, simple

Spine tingling

Foot tapping, head bobbing

from side to side,

GOOD MUSIC!  <<<Click

© 2008 by Leona G. Shankle - All Rights Reserved 

What gets YOU going? What inspires YOU?

It’s Never Too Late to Laugh!

1^st… Remember …
They Walk Among Us!

While working at a pizza parlor I observed a man ordering a small pizza to go. He appeared to be alone and the cook asked him if he would like it cut into 4 pieces or 6.

 

He thought about it for some time before responding.

"Ummm, Just cut it ...

...into 4 pieces; I don't think I'm hungry enough to eat 6 pieces."

 

Yes, They Walk Among Us!

~~~~~~~~~~          ~~~~~~~~~~          ~~~~~~~~~~      

2^nd - Higher Education

A dog is so smart that his master decides to send him to college. Home for vacation, his master asks him how college is going.

"Well", says the dog, "I'm not doing too great in science and math, but I have made a lot of progress in foreign languages."

"Really!" says the master. "Say something in a foreign language."

The dog says, "Meow !"

~~~~~~~~~~          ~~~~~~~~~~          ~~~~~~~~~~      

#3 -Days of the Week

Without God, the days of our week are:

 Mournday

Tearsday
Wasteday
Thirstday

Fightday

Shatterday

and,

Sinday

So, allow Him to be with you every day!'

'Life is short, so forgive quickly.

Believe slowly ... Love truly.

Laugh uncontrollably…every chance you get

Never regret anything that makes you happy.

And, have a wonderfully blessed Sunday night!

~~~~~~~~~~          ~~~~~~~~~~          ~~~~~~~~~~      

Donkey Story: Re-Visited

Daughter, Jordyn, and I talked earlier today sharing our inspirational ideas with each other like we often do. I mentioned the “Donkey Story” and the Life Lesson to be learned from it. Jordyn was “HOOKED”! So, without further ado . . .

Jordyn, here is the “Donkey Story” aka The Donkey in The Well.

     ~  ~  ~  ~  ~       ~  ~  ~  ~  ~       ~  ~  ~  ~  ~

The Donkey Story

One day a farmer's donkey fell down into a well. The animal cried piteously for hours as the farmer tried to figure out what to do.

Finally, he decided the animal was old, and the well needed to be covered up anyway; it just wasn't worth it to retrieve the donkey.

He invited all his neighbors to come over and help him. They all grabbed a shovel and began to shovel dirt into the well. At first, the donkey realized what was happening and cried horribly. Then, to everyone's amazement he quieted down.                                         

A few shovel - loads later, the farmer finally looked down the well. He was astonished at what he saw. With each shovel of dirt that hit his back, the donkey was doing something amazing. He would shake it off and take a step up. As the farmer's neighbors continued to shovel dirt on top of the animal, he would shake it off and take a step up. 

Pretty soon, everyone was amazed as the donkey stepped up over the edge of the well and happily trotted off! 

Life is going to shovel dirt on you . . . all kinds of dirt. The trick to getting out of the well is to shake it off and take a step up. 

Each of our troubles is a steppingstone. We can get out of the deepest wells just by not stopping, never giving up! Shake it off and take a step up!

Life Lesson/Moral of the story: 

Whatever dirt life throws on you . . . Shake it off and take a step up!

Click Images to View Source

Weekend Inspiration

 Quote: "What you can become depends on what you overcome." 

~ Anthony Douglas Williams ~

"Just do it, grow through it." Quote ~ dellgirl

Happy Sunday evening everyone!

Release Negativity

 3 Simple Steps to Renew Etc.

Here are 3 Simple Steps to Take to Renew, Revitalize, and Release Negative Thoughts, Behaviors, and Patterns:

First, think about a particularly challenging situation in your life. This could be related to family issues, professional struggles, or even a habit you’d like to change. 

Second, write it down. 

Third, try this exercise to release the negative charge of this issue, struggle or habit: 

Evoke a positive thought that you’ve never had before about the person or the situation. Choose something positive and true about them. For example, let’s say your boss drives you completely crazy! See if you can find one positive quality about him or her. 

Attach a positive emotion to that quality and focus this emotion towards the person or situation. Let’s say you have a difficult relationship with someone in your family.

Think about one positive quality about this person. How does this positive quality make you feel? Send this positive feeling and energy to this family member.

Exhibit a behavior you wish to see in this person. This is your chance to be the role model to a family member, a boss, a friend or even your child.

If you can practice these 3 simple steps, your mindset about the situation or the person will change. This challenge will no longer define your life and your experience with this person or situation will begin to shift. 

What are your thoughts on this topic? Have you ever experienced a negative situation? Have you ever been in contact with a negative person or persons? How did you handle it? Let us know in the comments section. We’d love to have your feedback.

What Helps Keep Me Grounded

Sometimes I Need to Re-Focus

Photo © by ~dellgirl~

I’m on a roll, moving right along, getting things done then . . . BAMMM! 

Stuff goes south in the blink-of-an eye, like a speeding race car. Things go downhill like a snowball rolling down a snow covered hill.

Stop! Take a deep breath. It’s time to re-focus!  

Two of my favorite quotes that help when things go other than planned (or hoped for) come from the wonderful book, Who Moved My Cheese, by Spencer Johnson, M.D.

These two little quotes help me re-focus and get grounded again.

• Change Happens
• They keep moving the cheese
• Adapt To Change Quickly
• The quicker you let go of old cheese,
• The sooner you can enjoy new cheese

There you have it, my inspiration to re-focus and keep moving forward.

What are your thoughts? How do you re-focus after a setback? What inspires you? Tell us please, we’d love to hear all about it.


Click image to view source. I am NOT an affiliate. 

The Golden Time of Day

Time to call it a day!

Grab your favorite snack and your drink of choice. Let's get ready to wind it down for the night. Sit back, relax, and let your soul be soothed and satisfied by Maze featuring Frankie Beverly with this mesmerizing dose of deliciousness!

Click image to Listen and to view source

Good night blog friends,

Happy July 4th Everyone! 

Something To Think About

The Mosts

The most beautiful time of day is the . . .

 GOLDEN TIME OF DAY!!!

 The most destructive habit....................................................Worry 

The greatest Joy....................................................................Giving

The greatest loss......................................................Loss of self-respect

The most satisfying work................................................Helping others

The ugliest personality trait..................................................Selfishness

The most endangered species......................................Dedicated leaders

Our greatest natural resource.............................................Our youth

The greatest "shot in the arm".......................................Encouragement

The greatest problem to overcome...................................Fear

The most effective sleeping pill.............................,,,.........Peace of mind 

An evening sunset . . . Nature's Therapy at its finest!

The most crippling failure disease....................................Excuses 

The most powerful force in life...........................................Love

The most dangerous pariah..............................................A gossiper

The world's most incredible computer.............................The brain

The worst thing to be without.... .....................................Hope

The deadliest weapon......................................................The tongue

The two most power-filled words...................................."I Can"

The greatest asset.............................................................Faith

The most worthless emotion............................................Self-pity

The most beautiful attire...................................................SMILE!

The most prized possession............................................Integrity

The most powerful channel of communication........................Prayer

The most contagious spirit..............................................Enthusiasm

Everyone needs this list to live by..................................pass it along!!!

Winners Never Quit & Quitters Never Win: Wrong!

Winners DO Quit . . .

sometimes!

Life is Short, it's okay to quit...sometimes! 

A quitter is described as someone who habitually gives up easily, someone who lacks mental stamina. A quitter is deficient in resilience, resolve, or purpose. A quitter is a loser who doesn’t hang in when the going gets tough, someone who abandons the game before it is finished - - and doesn't return later to finish the game.

Quitters constantly procrastinate; they would rather talk about it, read about it, think about it and, talk about it some more, but they never seem to do anything. Quitters are glad when the day is over.

Quitting isn't always negative; it may be exactly what's needed in order to move forward. You will need to get over any guilt feelings that come with it though, especially if you have friends or family members who believe totally and completely in the “winners never quit” philosophy.

Many times it is not “quitting”, it is simply changing the direction of your advance. It is not quitting if we consciously choose to switch directions; when we replace one goal with a new one that's more in keeping with our purpose.

Quitting might sometimes be the worst option, but “once a quitter, is not always a quitter”. The harsh reality is that many things are worth quitting. There is nothing wrong with quitting a venture that should never have been started in the first place. Walking away from something that is bad for you is not quitting. You only have one shot at life, so make sure you take it with both hands and squeeze every little drop out of it you can.

Here are a few uplifting and enlightening facts to consider: Shortly after quitting whatever you're doing that is going nowhere, your blood pressure, pulse rate, and circulation will all return to normal; your headaches will diminish and the churning in your stomach will soon calm down. So go ahead, quit some things.

Rather than believe that “Quitters never win and winners never quit”, I learned from many successful people that . . .

Sometimes, "winners DO quit" when we need to change directions to reach our goal.

 What do you think? Can we quit something without being labeled a "loser or a quitter"? How much do you care what others think of your projects or endeavors? Let us hear from you, someone is waiting.

© 2009 by Leona G. Shankle

101 Things To Do Instead of . . .

Being Depressed, Stressed, or Alone

Doing Drugs or Drinking

Golden Time of Day - Sunset 

Watch a beautiful sunset ~ Watch a happy video ~ Smell a flower ~ Draw a picture ~ Take a bubble bath ~ Look at old photos ~ Listen to music ~ Create something new ~ Go to the zoo ~ Learn something new ~ Read a good book ~ Collect something, rocks, seashells, stamps ~ Learn the names of the stars and planets ~ Get together/ZOOM with friends ~ Play games ~ Enjoy a hobby ~ Play a sport ~ Smile ~ Make someone else smile ~

Jace smiling @ Herman Park

~Finish what you start ~ Solve a riddle ~ Jump rope ~ Gather seashells ~ Whistle a tune ~ Feed old bread crumbs to birds ~ Read a poem ~ Fly a kite ~ Do a favor ~ Surprise someone ~ Play catch ~ Join a club ~ Sing ~ Give a hug ~ Get a hug ~ Talk to friends ~ Wish on a star ~ Run through a sprinkler ~ Go camping ~ Do a jigsaw puzzle ~ Memorize a song ~ Help a friend in need ~ Build a sand castle ~ Find a home for a stray animal ~ Do good deeds ~ Have lemonade on a hot day ~ Blow bubbles ~ Dance ~ Exercise ~ Climb a tree ~ Run through a field of wild flowers ~ Volunteer ~ Tickle a baby's tummy ~ Play with your pet ~ Cheer someone up ~ Roll in the grass ~ Snuggle a stuffed animal ~ Swing on a swing ~ Eat ice cream ~ Walk barefoot in the sand ~ ~ Wade in the ocean ~

Jace wading in Galveston Bay

~Play with a little kid ~ Do Cartwheels ~ Go bird watching ~ Give a gift ~ Play some hoops ~ Kiss a parent ~ Learn how to juggle ~ Watch the clouds ~ Start a garden ~ Learn a language ~ Play an instrument ~ Go fishing ~ Make a gift ~ Hike ~ Set your goals ~ Phone a friend ~ Have a picnic ~ Think happy thoughts ~ Ride a bike ~ Write to friends ~ Do your best ~ Count your blessings ~ Make a poster ~ Make someone laugh ~ Improve your score ~ Listen to birds ~ Learn to cook ~ Skip rocks into a lake ~ Play in the park ~ Go swimming ~ Window shop online ~ Care for plants ~ Keep a promise ~ Trade cards ~ Do magic tricks ~ Make a model ~ Go Bowling ~ Keep a journal ~ 

~     ~     ~     ~     ~

 Photograph things you love ~ Do better than the last time ~ Brighten someone's day ~

What is your favorite thing to do instead of...?  

Things to do for Fun or Profit

Hobbies: 

Enjoy Your Hobby just for fun, or turn your hobby into a profitable business!

 

10 Categories of the Most Popular Hobbies  

Arts and Crafts – creating functional and decorative objects for purposes such as making candles, ceramic plates and executive toys, jewelry making, making porcelain figurines, glass sculpture, quilting

Collectibles - collecting art, paintings, antiques, beautiful dolls, memorabilia, scale model cars and trains, vintage wine, unique cars, stamps, old coins, plates

Outdoor Activities - gardening, photographing nature, bird watching, fishing, train and plane spotting, horse riding, biking, camping, diving, rafting, mountain climbing, treasure hunts, hiking

Culinary Activities - cooking, making fruit preserves, bread baking, baking and decorating cakes, making cookies, making dumplings and pasta, bar-b-queing meat

Dancing and Music - ballroom dancing, line dancing, hip hop dance, flamenco, belly dancing, tap dancing, karaoke singing, learning a musical instrument

Sports Activities - golf, martial arts, figure skating, skiing, sailing and rowing, gymnastics, darts and snooker, bowling

Indoor Activities - sewing, embroidery, knitting, quilting, painting and decorating, plumbing, reading and writing

Paper Crafts - making Paper-Mache crafts, origami folding paper crafts, making paper flowers, making paper lanterns, making boxes and folders, scrapbooking

Cultural Activities - theater, concerts, cinemas, eating out and dining, museums, festivals and fun, pub crawl

Travel - golf trips, fishing trips, Theatre breaks, city breaks, cruise packages, beach vacations, ski vacations

Photo of my "vacation in paradise" ... just a hop, skip, and jump down the road!

Many people, while enjoying their favorite hobby, have turned their hobby into a business and supplement their retirement income by writing books about their hobby or selling their products locally or on the internet. eBay is a good starting point.

For example, if you like to go golfing or on cruises you can write about your golf travels or the places you've visited during your cruise.    

You can also start your own classes to teach others the skills you learned from your favorite pastime. If you enjoy baking cakes or making fruit preserves, you can sell your products in your local markets.

This is a great way to earn additional retirement income while having fun.

Do you have a hobby? Did you have one as a kid? What is it? What is your favorite fun thing to do?

Thursday Thoughts

Nature's Therapy

In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks.  ~John Muir

“Nature is the art of God.” ~Dante Alghieri~

Nature's Therapy . . . according to and, 

© by ~dellgirl~

     Better than a doctor

     Sweeter than a 5 lb. bag of sugar

     Intoxicating without the hangover

     Inspiring when quietly observed 

     Cheaper than a bottle of Xanax

     Calms frazzled nerves

     Relieves anxiety without side effects

     More powerful than ANY medicine

Just relax, breathe deeply, and SMILE!

My Walk in Nature!

8 Quick Ways to Relieve Stress

Is It Possible to Relieve Stress? 

Yes! Before we go on, if your level of stress is serious, consult your physician. But, if you think you can take charge of your stress, here are a few things that can help.

1. Learn to have a sense of humor. Google “Funny Jokes” images

2. Take a walk in the fresh air (in your back yard or down the driveway works).

 3. Try dance, creative movement, or exercise for 15 minutes.

4. Eat Chocolate in moderation or open a candy bar and just smell it.

5. Relaxation and deep breathing exercises provide immediate relief.

6. Take a seven minute mini-vacation in your mind. Re-visit photos of fun family vacations...remember the good times!

7. Talk to friends, family, or a pastor/priest about your feelings.  

8. Aroma therapy works wonders.

Find your inner peace - - learn how to relieve your stress by finding what works best for you.

Let us know your favorite ways to de-stress in the comments section.

My Wish For You

Happy Mother's Day Friends!

I Wish You...

Happiness................. Deep down within

Serenity.................. With each sunrise

Success................... In each facet of your life

Friends................... Close and caring

Love....................... That never ends

Knowledge.................. Of the grace and love of God

Special memories........... Of all the yesterdays

A bright today............. With much to be thankful for

A path......................That leads to beautiful tomorrows

Dreams..................... That do their best to come true

And appreciation........... Of all the wonderful things about you!