Shine Today

I tell everyone this in one way or another, mainly by focusing on what is good in the midst of trial and by keeping a journal of things that are good. And i tell them why, because if you always focus on what is wrong, eventually this will be the filter you use for life. The opposite is more powerful-- Focusing on what is good allows you to see more good, it becomes your filter, which allows you to see even more good. And you can never see too much good. Most of my life i have chosen to see good--from rescuing ladybugs to the beauty of the night sky. It is through this filter that i am able to focus more on the good than ever before. Being one who cries at everything, it is critical that i choose joy, every day. But...there are still days that challenge that. Days when things get overwhelming and its difficult to see what is good. Especially if there are lots of emotions going on or im not feeling well. It becomes easy to focus on what is wrong instead of what is right. And if im n

I have an opinion about a lot of things, just like anyone else. I have an opinion about life, death, Jesus, my home, math, love, politics, immunizations, abortion, parenting, love, TV, tattoos, hairstyles, people, third-world countries, the homeless, facebook...you get the point. Over the years my opinion has changed as i learn more, some have completely changed, others maybe only a little. And i have learned that if you really want to know how i feel about the above, and so much more, you should come over to my house or invite me to yours, or hey, we can even meet for coffee or tea. Because to really know how i feel (or anyone else for that matter) cannot be expressed nor understood through ANY form of social media let alone commenting on someone else’s opinion.  One more thing, if we all put this into practice, maybe we would understand how human we all are, how kind we all can be, and stop debating over every.tiny.detail. But thats just my opinion...

Back in junior high, I had my best friend approach me at my locker. She handed me her razor blade that she was going to use to slit her wrist. She stopped because she heard my voice tell her not to. About 25 years ago, a young lady came to my door with her wrists slit, fortunately not deep enough to end her life, but it was still attempted. Throughout my years, I have heard stories of people taking their life. I also had two of my kids commit suicide, although not biological, it still hurts to know they were in so much pain that they didn't believe there was any other way. I wasn't there for them when they did it. Two other kids spoke of suicide often, one even needed to go to the hospital because he couldn't shake his feelings, he was desperate. Awhile back, I witnessed a man so desperate, he climbed onto an overpass and was going to jump. I saw him holding on. Then, I saw him jump. I later leaned that he actually was jumping to a police officer who was able to help him

How are you? I’m good, how are you? I’m fine. How are you? My 17 year old daughter ran away. How are you? My friends’ 15 year old daughter is pregnant. How are you? I’m doing OK. How are you? I'm not really sure. How are you? Eh, I’m alright. How are you? My husband was just diagnosed with cancer. And life moves on, like the answers were just left there. We ask this question all the time, more often than not, the response is “I’m good” or “I’m fine.” Lately I’ve noticed some people are sharing more, but in those responses, there’s hardly ever time to get past the response. Does that make sense? I just mean, we ask the question, how are you, but rarely do we listen to the answer. And even when we get more than the robot response of I’m good, we may say I’m sorry, but then we move past it...because life doesn’t pause and must keep going. But are we really saying something else? Are we saying “hey, i really want to know how you are, but I don’t have time fo