Favorite Things Friday: Autumn Edition

I love fall, don't you? In fact, it's my favorite season, although spring seems to be the one I anticipate the most, since I can't wait for winter to end. But fall... ah! What's not to love about it?

Can you believe tomorrow is the first day of October? To celebrate, today's post is dedicated to just a few of the many things I love about this time of year. Read on!

1. They may be called the "Boys of Summer", and baseball may be played throughout the earlier part of the year, but the best part of baseball comes in October. It's too bad my Red Sox won't be playing in October this year.

2. Trick or treat! How can you not love all those little ghosts and goblins who show up at your door begging for treats? We usually average about one hundred little beggars at our door every Halloween!

3. Sweaters! And jackets! And boots! Oh my! One of the things I love most about fall is being able to put away all those tired old summer clothes and pull out all the things that keep me warm and toasty in cooler weather!

4. I love scarecrows and other fall decorations. If you're anything like me, when the weather starts to turn cooler, you start thinking about pulling out all those awesome fall decorations and really dressing the house up for the season!

5. And mums! They come in some of the most beautiful fall colors, don't they?

6. How about hayrides? I love them! Fall just wouldn't be the same without a wagon full of hay, filled with folks huddled together, trying to keep warm! Back when I was a kid, I used to have a hayride almost every autumn, thanks to my aunt and uncle who lived on a horse farm. What a great memory!

7. Football! Whether it's NFL, college, or high school, I love football.

8. Fallen leaves are a sure sign of autumn. I enjoy them a lot more now that we don't have a yard full of them, waiting to be raked and bagged! This is the only time of year I'm happy that we have only 2 or 3 small trees in our yard.

9. Caramel apples have to be my favorite fall treat! I could eat a dozen of them!

10. A bonfire is a sure sign of fall. And who can resist the woodsy smell as you roast marshmallows over a crackling fire.

11. Birthdays! Mine, my husband's, and my niece's all fall within 6 days of each other in the fall!

12. I love the start of the new television season in the fall! Finally - answers to all those cliff-hanger questions from the spring season finales!

13. And of course, fall simply wouldn't be fall without pumpkins!

What are your favorite things about autumn?

This post was revised and re-edited from my archives, originally published on October 1, 2009. 

All photos were found on Google Image Search. If one of these images belongs to you and you would like credit for it, please email me.

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Inspiration Thursday - Find Your Happy Place, Step Eight

I don't stay angry for long.

I've just always felt it's a waste of precious energy to be mad or carry a grudge for too long. For me, it just feels so much better to let it go.

So it doesn't surprise me in the least that Forgive everyone is step eight on my friend Galen Pearl's 10 Steps to Finding Your Happy Place (and Staying There).

Do you know that when you forgive someone, it does as much good for YOU as it does for the person you're forgiving? Maybe more.

It's like laying down a heavy load.

It's like relaxing your shoulders, letting out a deep sigh, and crawling under the cool covers of your bed for the sweet release of sleep after a long, hard journey.

Forgiveness changes things.

Forgiveness doesn't mean you condone the actions of another person. It doesn't mean you accept or like the thing he did that hurt you. It doesn't even mean that you want to be involved in a relationship with that person.

And it doesn't matter if that person has asked for your forgiveness. He doesn't have to be remorseful. In some instances, he may not even be aware that he hurt you.

All that matters is that you let go of bitterness and blame, and you lay down the burden of unforgiveness and anger. Not only will you benefit physically (because it will lower your blood pressure, ease stress, and just make you feel better in general), but your spirit will be lightened. Your heart will be glad. You will be happier.

Forgiveness changes things.

Let it change you.

Think about it. Who can YOU forgive today, to lighten your own heart, lessen your own burden, and make your own life happier? What are you waiting for?




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Legacy Wednesday - The Power of Words

Three years ago, Sara Frankl began writing an online blog where she openly spoke about a disease that kept her housebound, a dog that kept her company, and a faith that kept her choosing joy.

This past Saturday night, Sara stopped writing. But not before changing the world with her words.

Sara profoundly touched so many on her endless quest to choose joy. She showed us that the words of a stranger can be powerful and inspirational and life-changing.

Think about the power of words for a moment. And if you watch only one online video today, make it this one:

Sara, I'm so glad you're no longer in pain.

I am thrilled that you're now in a beautiful place with your Dad.

And I'm so very grateful that because of your words, I'm forever changed.

Thank you for the beautiful legacy of love and joy that you left for this world.

You will not be forgotten.

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One Thousand Gifts - Week Fourteen

Has this ever happened to you: 

Something happens, and on the surface it seems like a bad thing and you can't imagine what good could possibly come of it, but over the course of time it evolves and soon you come to see that the "bad thing" was actually a blessing in disguise?
Me, too. It's happened to me, too, more than once.

♥

I believe that's exactly what precious Ann Voskamp had in mind when she began counting One Thousand Gifts. She knew that not only do we receive the huge, obvious blessings God bestows on us from time to time, but we are also the beneficiaries of a lot of little gifts every day that might otherwise go unnoticed.
And that, my friends, is precisely why today I'm counting just a few of my blessings from the last week, like:
66. Family members who are always willing to pitch in and lend a helping hand, no matter what the project is;

67. Acceptance;
68. Second, third, and fourth chances... or as many as it takes to finally get it right;
69. Connection, even through a computer screen;
70. Sara's home-going.
What are YOU thankful for today? I'd love it if you'd count blessing with me!

"Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all the others." -- Marcus Tillius Cicero





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Saturday Links

It seems like all week long, I'm finding links I want to share with all of you, so I've decided to add a Saturday Links post. Check out the great posts below - they're guaranteed to uplift, inspire, and maybe even make you smile.

Stop Looking Back - 5 tips for being present now. 
Obvious To You. Amazing To Others - When everyone has good ideas, except you.
Nuts For Each Other - A feel-good story about baby squirrels.
5 Mistakes I Continue To Make In My Marriage - If you're married, you really should read this.
Did you read something really great this week? Wanna share? Post the link in a comment below!


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POTSC - Brave Heart, Lost Soul

Before I get too far into this post, I'm just going to admit it: I really don't like Mel Gibson.

It seems everything I've ever read or heard about him has been negative.

All those Anti-Semitic comments; Ethnic slurs against Latinos; Drunk-driving; Alleged homophobia; Use of the "N" word; Domestic violence and those crazy phone recordings to his ex-girlfriend.

Mr. Gibson has managed to keep himself in the public eye with his very unbecoming behavior.

Sadly, he's made a lot of movies that I used to enjoy. But when I heard those recordings... those awful things he said to a woman he once claimed to love, a woman who is the mother of his child... I swore I'd never watch another Mel Gibson movie as long as I live.

And I plan to hold true to that.

But does that mean I shouldn't extend forgiveness to this obviously lost, scared soul? Of course not.

I believe when Jesus told Peter that we should forgive up to 70 times (Matthew 18:21-22), He meant we should be willing to forgive everyone - even those who don't ask for forgiveness and those who don't seem to deserve it, no matter how many times they offend us.

Because, let's be honest, none of us deserve forgiveness. And yet our Heavenly Father is ready, willing, and able to forgive us, no matter what our sins.

Which of course means I should forgive Mel Gibson, whether I want to or not. Whether he asks for forgiveness or not. Whether he deserves it or not.

It's not my place to judge. It's not for me to decide if he - or anyone else - is worthy of forgiveness and grace.

It's simply my job to give it.

I'm joining People Of The Second Chance in its Never Beyond Poster Series. Learn more about it here.







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Inspiration Thursday - Find Your Happy Place, Step Seven

Do you consider yourself a compassion person?

It's week seven of my exploration of my friend Galen Pearl's 10 Steps to Finding Your Happy Place (and Staying There), and I love that Step 7 is so simple:

Practice compassion. 

Webster defines compassion as "sympathetic consciousness of others' distress together with a desire to alleviate it."

Simply put, that means that we recognize when others are sad, hurting, or lost, and we try to make it better.

You're thinking, okay, but how does practicing compassion make me happier?

That's a fair question.

Some studies have shown a direct link between the practice of compassion and certain physical benefits. Compassionate people seem to produce considerably more DHEA, a hormone produced by the adrenal glands that seems to have a lot of positive effects on the body, including slowing the aging process.

But more than the physical benefits, being compassionate seems to make people feel good about themselves. It makes us happy when we help others. Period.

The Buddhists are huge proponents of practicing compassion. Consider these words from the Dalai Lama:

"If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion."

Compassion should be practiced every day. We should give compassion without holding back. When we practice compassion, we are comforting and caring for others while we add to our own happiness.

That's a win-win!

So how will you do it? How will you practice compassion today?





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Intentional Tuesdays - Choose Joy

Every Tuesday here in this space, I write about living with intention.

It's something I strive to do every single day, but so often I am an epic failure. It's so easy to get caught up in the me-me-me of life and forget to focus on the big picture.

But occasionally someone comes along who really knows how to do it. Every once in a while, we're blessed to meet a person who truly demonstrates what it means to be intentional.

In a post last week, I introduced you to Sara, who for such a long time has been an inspiration and a motivation for me to choose joy and to live with intention.

Even though she's been house-bound due to illness for many years, Sara has been able daily to accomplish both of these feats.

I have always been utterly amazed at the intentional way in which she interacts with her friends, family, and readers of her blog.

So this week, I thought it appropriate that rather than blather on and on about living with intention, I'd point you in the direction of someone who really knows how to do it.

Check out this post from Sara, and let her share with you what it really means to Be Intentional.

I also suggest that while you're over there on her blog, you have a look around and spend a few minutes getting to know Sara. Trust me, you'll be glad you did.

And then tell me, in what way will YOU be intentional today?

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One Thousand Gifts - Week Thirteen

When bad things happen and sadness seems to rain down, finding the cloud with the silver lining can be a little tricky. 

In the face of overwhelming loss and grief, it's as though we're conditioned to not see anything beyond it. But the truth is, no matter what you're going through, the sun still rises every morning. It sets every evening. And in between, there are a thousand opportunities to be thankful... even if it's just a small gift.

Today I'm joining sweet Ann Voskamp and a thousand of her closest friends by counting blessings. Even though it wasn't the best week, there were many little blessings to be found. I'm so grateful this week for:

61. Good news, when the opposite was what I expected;

62. The feel of Autumn in the air;

63. The smell of brownies wafting through the house on a Sunday afternoon;

64. The fact that said brownies were made for me, not by me;

65. Forgiveness and reconciliation.

No matter what's on your plate today, no matter what you're dealing with, there's something you can be thankful for. Won't you join me in counting blessings? 

"Wake at dawn with a winged heart and give thanks for another day of loving." -- Kahlil Gibran


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This Weekend...

♥

That's what I'm doing this weekend.
What are YOU doing?


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A Legacy of Joy

Legacy.
I write a lot about legacy here on my blog, because it's important to me to know that when I'm gone from this world, I'll leave behind something meaningful for those I cared about.
I think a lot about legacy, always trying to figure out what mine will be. How will people remember me? Will they miss me? Will they say I made their lives better? What will my legacy be?
Over the last couple of days, I've come to realize something: I want to leave a legacy like Sara's.

Since I began blogging over 2 years ago, I've had many opportunities to interact with Sara: blog comments, tweets, Facebook messages, and email. I haven't been as close to her as many of my blogging friends are, but I still count her as a friend and I've most certainly been inspired by her.
You see, for many years Sara has been completely housebound due to illness. She's often been unable to have visitors if they were even the slightest bit ill. She couldn't leave the house to have her hair done, to see a movie, or to go to church. For years.
But in spite of that, Sara showed me and the world what it was like to choose joy. Even in the worst situations, Sara was able to find the silver lining. She never complained. 

When her father died suddenly a little more than a year ago and she wasn't able to attend his funeral because she couldn't leave the house, Sara wore a brave face and celebrated the fact that her dad was with Jesus.
And speaking of Jesus, the most amazing thing about Sara has always been her faith. A lot of people, if dealt the hand Sara was given, would be angry at God. They might even turn completely away from their faith. But not Sara. If anything, she seemed to draw closer to Him.
And now, very soon, Sara will be meeting Him face to face. Because as I write this, the hospice team has come into Sara's home and they are making her comfortable in her final days.
She isn't afraid. She isn't angry. She's choosing joy.

The outpouring of love and affection and sheer admiration for Sara over the last couple of days has been incredible. It's so evident that she's made this tremendous, unbelievable impact on so many people... even people, like myself, that she's never actually met face-to-face. Her joy is contagious and has been "caught" by so many people.
And that is her legacy.
So as we celebrate Sara home, I suddenly realize that if I could make an impact even a quarter of the size of her impact on this world, I would consider mine a life well lived.
If you don't know Sara, I highly suggest stopping by her blog and reading her incredible words of joy and hope. You won't be disappointed.



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Inspiration Thursday - Find Your Happy Place, Step Six

It's week six of talking about my friend Galen Pearl's 10 Steps to Finding Your Happy Place (and Staying There), and this is one I think a lot of us can identify with:

Judge not.

My goodness. We're all guilty of judging others, in one form or another. And sometimes, it's so subtle that we don't even realize we're doing it. We might not even be saying it out loud - maybe we're just thinking it:

"Oh, my. Look at all those tattoos."

"Does she really think that dress looks good on her?"

"Their kids are brats. They don't make them behave at all!"

It's so easy to be judgmental of people who are different... of people who are not like us.

Why is it that as a society, we tend to think different equals bad? Or less? Why can't it simple mean... different?

Take the tattoo thing. I'm not a fan, and I don't understand why anyone would cover his body with tattoos. But just because it's not for me doesn't mean there's anything wrong with it. It doesn't make a person bad. It just makes them different.

Who am I to judge, anyway?

I wouldn't want someone judging me for my messy hair or chewed nails, or the fact that I haven't vacuumed my house in 2 weeks. It's been a bad 2 weeks, and vacuuming has been way at the bottom of my priority list. You just don't know what the last two weeks have been like for me.

And that's exactly why I shouldn't judge others: I don't know their story.

Let's stop comparing ourselves to others. We're not better than anyone else, and no one else is better than we are. We're diverse. We're different. It's that simple.

I truly believe that when we let go of judgment... when we realize that God made us all different on purpose... we will be happier with ourselves and the world in which we live. Embrace your neighbor's differences and stop judging him, and you just might learn something... maybe even something about yourself.

So tell me: when do you noticing yourself judging other people, and what can you do today to break this bad habit?




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Intentional Tuesdays - On Purpose

One of my Life Goals is to be intentional in all things. But what does that mean?

Dictionary.com defines intentional as "done with intention or on purpose". It goes on to define intention as the "purpose or attitude toward the effect of one's actions or conduct."

As I think about those definitions, it's clear that being intentional simply means to have a purpose. If I want to be intentional, I have to have a goal, and I have to be working toward it.

Have you ever thought about the impact YOU have on this world? Probably not. Most of us are so caught up in our own little world, our own little lives, to really understand how our actions affect the world.

We're either too busy to consider that we might actually have an impact, or we feel so insignificant that we can't even imagine that we could make a difference.

But we can. And we do. Everyday.

So where do we start, if we want to be intentional?

First, you must realize that everything you do impacts something or someone. Your loved ones, your co-workers, the world itself. Once you realize your impact, you can really start to focus on being intentional and making a positive, far-reaching impact.

Here are just a few ideas I've compiled about how to be intentional in my life. You might find some of them will work in yours, too.

1. "Begin each day as if it were on purpose." That's a line from one of my all-time favorite movies, Hitch. Let's face it: today isn't an accident. God gave you this day because He expects you to do something with it. You're not gonna let Him down, are you?
2. Make things happen - don't just LET them happen. If you wait on someone or something else to determine the course of your life, one of two things will happen: you'll either end up on a course you don't like, or you'll just stagnate. Either way, that's not the life you want! 
3. Connect! Life is all about connecting with people. Cultivate relationships. Realize the gifts of friendship and love, and treasure them. Remember that when you're gone, all the things you had won't matter to anyone. But the legacy of love that you leave behind will last forever.
4. Focus on and work toward your goals. Dave Ramsey says, "If you aim at nothing, you'll hit it every time." You can't wander through life haphazardly and expect to make a difference; you have to have a purpose, an aim. Focus on it, and achieve it.
5. Remember the Butterfly Effect. "Can the flap of a butterfly’s wings in Brazil set off a tornado in Texas?" The same thing is true in YOUR life. The tiniest thing you do, even if it seems insignificant in the course of your day, could have a real impact on someone else. Just make sure it's a POSITIVE impact.

In order to stay focused on being intentional, I have a simple motto:  Everything I do has a purpose. If that's my goal, and I realize the impact of my purpose, I am being intentional.

Lastly, I would just remind you to "live your life on purpose". You're here for a reason, for a purpose. Discover that purpose and make it count.

In what ways do YOU live your life on purpose? How are YOU being intentional today?

This post was revised and re-edited from my archives, originally published July 19, 2010. 

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How Can I Pray For You Today?

I'm taking this week off from counting blessings to ask a favor of you. Will you please pray for me and my family? The specifics are not important - God knows what we need - but if you could just remember us in your prayers, it would be so very appreciated.

And in exchange, I'd love to pray for you today. Please leave your prayer request below, or if you'd rather message me privately, feel free to send an email.  

Thanks so much, friends. Have a great week!

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Twenty-One Years Ago and Ten Years Ago

For ten years, September 11 was a happy day in my family. It was my son's birthday, and we didn't just celebrate on the eleventh - we celebrated for an entire week.I guess that's just what you do when you have an only child!
But on his eleventh birthday, everything changed.

(all pictures found courtesy of Google Images - these are NOT my photos.)

The world changed that day, and it will never be the same. 

But even in the midst of terror and sorrow and loss, there's still light to be found. There's still good to be seen. There's still love to be given, smiles to be shared, and yes, even birthdays to be celebrated.

Today my son is twenty-one years old. It hasn't always been an easy job being his mom, but it's a job I wouldn't trade for anything in the world. 

(Now this one IS my picture. This is my son and his girlfriend!)

The Peace Corp. coined the phrase "the toughest job you'll ever love", but I think it's a better description of motherhood, and I'm guessing anyone who's been blessed to be a mom will agree.

So today, even though our hearts are still heavy with the loss of lives and innocence from 10 years ago, our family is celebrating the giving of life from 21 years ago, and the hope of a bright future in days and years to come.

Even if it's not your child's birthday today, why don't you hug him and tell him how much he's loved? It just seems like an especially good day for it, don't you think?

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Here's To You!

♥
Have a great weekend!




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The 5 Most Popular Death Bed Regrets

♥

Driving to work yesterday, I was listening to a morning radio show where the topic was the 5 most popular death bed regrets. 

The list was compiled by a woman who had worked for many years as a hospice nurse. Over the course of her career, she'd had lots of opportunities to hear what was on people's minds in their last days. 
The list consisted of the following:
5. I wish I'd allowed myself to be happier;
4. I wish I'd done a better job of staying in touch with friends;
3. I wish I'd had the courage to really express my feelings, rather than keep things bottled up;
2. I wish I hadn't worked so much;
and the number one death bed regret that this woman has heard over the years is:
1. I wish I'd had the courage to be true to myself.
It got me thinking about my own death bed regrets. If I found out today that I was dying, what would I be sorriest about? What would I wish I'd done differently?
I'd wish that I'd spent more time with my family, especially my nieces and nephews. I'd also wish that I'd been truer to my faith.
But the beauty of this lesson is that I'm not dying and today I can choose to make changes so that I never have to experience those death bed regrets.
What about YOU? If you were dying today, what would be your biggest regrets? And what can you change right now, so that you never have to wish you'd done something differently?
By the way, I found the nurse's blog. You can check her out here. 


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Inspiration Thursday - Find Your Happy Place, Step Five

As of this week, we're half-way through my friend Galen Pearl's 10 Steps to Finding Your Happy Place (and Staying There).  What do you think: is it making a difference in your life?

It sure is making a difference in mine. It's amazing, really, how such little things can make such a big difference in your happiness factor, if you just follow the steps.

Let's move on to the next step, shall we? I really like Step five:

Make haste to be kind.

Seems simple, doesn't it? Yet why does it seem that so many people have such a hard time being kind to others?

You know the kind of person I'm talking about. The stuck-up neighbor who never speaks to you. The competitive co-worker who can't wait to stab you in the back. The angry driver who cuts you off in traffic and then throws up a hand gesture as if somehow you were doing something wrong.

I've come to the conclusion that in this me-me-me world, people have forgotten how to be kind.They're too busy thinking of themselves. They're too worried about taking care of number one to give a second thought to how someone else might feel.

But it's really so easy to be kind, and it doesn't even have to take a lot of effort. When was the last time you held the door for someone when you both entered a building at the same time?

Have you ever let someone go ahead of you in line at the market because she had just a couple of items and you had an entire week's worth of groceries in your cart?

Did it ever occur to you when you're in line at the Starbuck's drive-thru, to pay for the order of the person in the car behind you?

You just never know when your little act of kindness could completely turn someone's day around.

But more than that, I firmly believe that being kind has a positive effect on YOU. It makes your heart smile. It gives you a sense of connection with the rest of the human race.

It can make you happy, even if only for a moment.

So today, as you go about your routine, make haste to be kind. Do it without a second thought. Do it and feel the positive impact it has on you.

How can YOU be kind today? 

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We've Got A Winner

I must admit, I love saying that!  :)

The winner of the My Memories Suite Digital Scrapbook Software is 
BabeOfBryan@***.com
Congrats! I will email you in regard to your prize!
Thanks to everyone who entered this giveaway! This is really excellent, easy-to-use software for beginners and expert scrapbookers alike. You can purchase the software and save $10 off the regular purchase price by using this coupon code:
STMMMS85589
Just copy and paste the code into the coupon/promo field during the checkout process. 
Have a great Hump Day!


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Intentional Tuesdays - Find Your Passion

Living with intention is easier when you're passionate.

Most of us aren't born with passion, but rather passion is born of the things that we love. 
So, what do you love? What really lights your fire? What gets you excited and motivates you?
Finding your true passion isn't always an easy task, but there are a few steps you can take to set yourself on the path to finding it, because finding - and living with - passion will change your life.

• Think about what brings you happiness. Is it cooking? Painting? Playing with children? Writing? What's the one thing that, whenever you do it, always puts a smile on your face?
• As a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up? Often, our true passion lies in those childhood dreams.
• And speaking of dreams, what do you daydream about? What occupies your thoughts? There is a lot of truth hidden in our dreams.
• What do you read about? Or watch on television? What are you seeking information about? On what subject are you hungry for knowledge?
• If you could do anything you wanted, if money wasn't an issue and you weren't afraid to fail, what would it be?
• What are your strengths? What are those traits that come effortlessly to you?

These are just a few of the questions you can ask yourself when you're trying to discover what you're passionate about in life. Think carefully about your answers, and about how they can lead you a more intentional, passionate life of purpose.

Have you found your passion? What are YOU passionate about?

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Happy Sunday To You

:)

I'll be offline today and tomorrow, celebrating the Labor Day holiday with my family. I hope you all will spend some quality time with your loved ones, too.

Oh, and by the way, don't forget to enter my giveaway for the My Memories Suite Digital Scrapbook Software! I'll be randomly selecting a winner later this week! Don't miss out on this great giveaway, valued at $39.97!

See you Tuesday!




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Product Review: My Memories Suite Scrapbook Software

Y'all, I should just warn you up front: I'm not a scrapbooker. 
So when My Memories contacted me about reviewing their My Memories Suite Digital Scrapbook Software, I have to admit that I wasn't terribly jazzed. 
But then I learned that this amazing software not only enables you to create really great scrapbook pages, but also photobooks, cards, calendars, posters and more. Now I was interested!
I downloaded the software program, which took only a few minutes. Then I nosed around, looking at all the fun scrapbooking templates and decided to get adventurous. Literally within 10 minutes, I had created a really awesome scrapbook page that is now framed and hanging in my office!
In other words, this scrapbook software is really simple to use, but it's got tons of options to create lots of cool things, so even an experienced scrapbooker will love it!
Take a peek at this short video to learn more about this product:

This great software is regularly priced at $33.97, which is an amazing price for everything it has to offer. But right now you can save $10 when you order and use coupon code STMMMS85589. Just copy and paste the code into the coupon/promo field during the checkout process!
And how about a GIVEAWAY, too?
One lucky reader will win her very own copy of My Memories Suite Digital Scrapbook Software, and entering to win is simple!
Just go to My Memories and have a look around at all the scrapbook kits, software, and other great products they have to offer. Then come back here and leave a comment for me, telling me all about your favorite product. 
It's that simple! Your comment is your entry for the giveaway! Get extra entries when you post, tweet, and Facebook about this giveaway. Leave a comment for each action!
Just make sure you enter the giveaway before midnight EST this Tuesday, September 6th. I'll randomly select a winner and announce it on my blog on Wednesday!
Don't miss out! Check it out today and enter to win!


The fine print: My Memories sent me this item for free in exchange for my review. All opinions expressed here are my own. Because I am an affiliate of My Memories, please know that I will receive a small monetary compensation on any purchase you make using the above coupon code. You are not obligated to use this code, but know that when you do, you are supporting my blog ministry and for that, I thank you.



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POTSC - May The Force Be With You

"Seriously? Are you kidding me?"

That's what I thought when I saw who was on the poster for this week's installment of the Never Beyond series at POTSC.

"Isn't there enough real evil in the world that we can focus on? Are we really going to talk about a fictional character?"
Now I must confess, I'm not a Star Wars fan and I don't know the first thing about Darth Vader. Apparently, though, he's a bad guy who did some terrible things, yet he found redemption because someone believed he was more than just evil.
Maybe the people around him were able to look deep into Vader and see that he was a troubled soul who just needed someone to believe in him.
Interesting.
This is interesting to me because I really do believe that the first step toward redemption and reformation is knowing that the people around you support you and believe that you can make a new start.
If the people around you are loving and encouraging, no matter what you've done in the past, isn't this exactly the kind of jump-start you would need to change your life and start over fresh?
That's why forgiveness is so important. Think about it. 
What if your forgiveness and grace is just what someone needs in order to turn their life around.
What if the mere act of you saying "I forgive you" gives someone the hope and encouragement he needed to make a new start.
What if just knowing that you love and support him is all it takes for him to realize he's never beyond forgiveness, and that empowers him to start making changes in his life?

"Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you."

-- Collosians 3:13

Think about the impact that your forgiveness and support could have on a person's life. Think about the difference you could make. 

And when you look at it that way, how can you say no?

Is there someone whose life you can change today, simply by offering your forgiveness?

I'm joining People Of The Second Chance in its Never Beyond Poster Series.

Learn more about it here.

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Inspiration Thursday - Find Your Happy Place, Step Four

Ever since I found my friend Galen Pearl's 10 Steps to Finding Your Happy Place (and Staying There), I've made a concentrated effort to apply them to my life.

A few weeks ago, I decided to start sharing them with you on Thursdays, and today we're at Step 4 on the list:
Feel your feelings.
I've thought about this Step quite a bit because I think there are a lot of us who don't feel our feelings. We hold our true feelings deep inside, hiding how we really feel about things, rather than just let ourselves feel them. 
Maybe we believe our feelings aren't justified. Or valid. 
Or maybe we've been told time and time again that we're too sensitive. That we take things too personally.
Perhaps we're afraid to really let ourselves feel our feelings because we think it will make us vulnerable or weak.
Maybe we're afraid that by really feeling, we will lose control.
So we try to "reel ourselves in" and manage our feelings, stifling ourselves and bottling things up.
That's not healthy, friends. Literally.
Emotions that are left unexpressed can actually lead to physical illness like chronic fatigue or depression. Feelings that are bottled up can manifest themselves in the form of overeating, addiction to alcohol or drugs, denial, and many other compulsive behaviors. 
Denying ourselves the basic act of expressing our feelings robs us of joy. It nips our happiness in the proverbial bud, so to speak.
So how do we do it? How do we allow ourselves to really feel our feelings? Here are just a few of my own thoughts:

1. Stop saying "it doesn't matter" and "it's okay". Because it does matter and it's not okay if something is hurting you. Denying it won't make it go away. Admit to yourself, if no one else, that you're hurt. Don't lie to yourself about it.
2. Crying is good. Don't want to cry in front of others? Fine, then do it in private. Just don't be afraid to shed a few tears. Crying is a great way to relieve pressure. Who hasn't felt better after a good cry?
3. Write down your emotions. Keep a diary or a journal. If you don't feel like you can be open about your feelings with the people in your life, at least allow yourself to "come clean" in a private journal.
4. Laugh. If you're happy, don't be afraid to laugh. Laugh loud and deep. Laughter is contagious - spread it around!
5. Be yourself. Realize that your emotions and the way you feel about things are what make you uniquely you. Don't be afraid of your feelings, whether they're positive or negative. They're YOU.

The bottom line really is simple: own your feelings. Don't be afraid of them. Don't bottle them up. Express them freely and realize that, good or bad, they're yours.

I really believe that we can never be truly happy when we start putting limitations on how we feel. We have to allow ourselves to express what's inside of us, and when we do that, we can begin to find happiness and joy in our lives.

Are you with me? Are you ready to really start feeling your feelings? What changes can you make today to get emotionally healthy?

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