Here I am sitting at 308 East Dubuque St. in Webster City on the front porch of my childhood home. I saw alot of people and heard alot of things from these steps throughout the years. I had no idea the education this classroom was providing for me.
One of the lessons I was taught by the people who owned this house was how to be 'civil' towards other people. Now mind you my Dad was a Navy veteran who served in Korea and sailed the ocean blue. He had seen quite a bit. My Mom grew up in a German household and having an opinion and telling you what it was came fairly easy. But disrespecting someone was out of the question. If anything Mom would say 'we'll talk about it later when we get home.' Disrespecting my elders was simply out of the question...even if they were in the wrong.
So when it came time to how I acted in public and how I responded towards people that had already been addressed. You acted with a measure of civility...period. You represented your family, or your school, or your church, and yourself.
But from my front porch steps it looks to me that we seem to be living in the midst of an epidemic of rudeness and lack of civility.
A Colorado funeral director complains about impatient drivers darting in and out of funeral processions. Ugh! Of course that's when I take a step backwards in my own civility and call the guy a moron. Sorry
Have you been through an airport terminal lately? There is a story of a man who was angry at missing a flight connection and threw his suitcase at an eight-month pregnant airline employee. Or the woman who heard there were no more sandwiches on her flight and punched the flight attendant.
Hey have you tried lately driving through a construction zone to merge over to another lane? Really!! You see my turn signal flashing, the merge signs are posted....just let me over and ALL the traffic keeps moving. But kudos to you...you managed to pretended not to see me and forced me to stop. You won that round.
Character assassination and negative political advertisements are up. Have you ever heard Michael Savage on his radio program. He confesses and arrogantly tells you he's smarter than most people but in the same breath calls people names like Jr. Hi kids do. Ooooh that's got to hurt.
Remember when the phone would ring and the person would say, "Oh excuse me I need to take this call." The other day I saw a woman not on one cellphone but TWO at the same time and trying to pay for her gas blowing off not only the clerk but the people standing in line. I'm sure both calls were very important.
Hold the door open for people today and most will blow by without a thank you.
It's no wonder that many people are talking about the need for a return to being civil to one another. U.S. News and World Report talks about "The American Uncivil Wars." They conclude that "crude, rude, and obnoxious behavior has replaced good manners." Maybe we're seeing more bad behavior and lack of civility because more and more people live for themselves and do not feel they are morally accountable to anyone.
Maybe if there was a return to the age old principle of "love your neighbors as yourself" this would be a better world to live in. Hey it's a thought.
I like what Stephen Carter wrote in his book "Civility." He writes:
"There needs to be a signal of respect for our fellow citizens, marking them as full equals, both before the law and God. Rules of civility are thus also rules of morality; it is morally proper to treat our fellow citizens with respect, and morally improper not to. Our crisis of civility is part of a larger crisis of morality."
I believe being "civil" starts with each one of us. As parents, grandparents, teachers, doctors, coaches, teaching our kids about being 'civil'. It's our moral responsibility. And that includes being civil to one another as we travel this life.
Being civil starts with me...it starts with you. Be kind.
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
BIG BLOG BONANZA
BIG BLOG BONANZA
Here it is the BIG BLOG BONANZA trivia question presented by Lifeworks.
"With a history of over 4,000 years in China, it was the ancient Greeks that poetically called these the "golden eggs of the sun?" To what were the Greeks referring to?
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
BIG BLOG BONANZA
Here's this week's BIG BLOG BONANZA trivia question presented by Lifeworks. Submit your answer on Facebook where everyone can view your answer. The correct answer wins a McDonalds Gift Card.
"Who said it and where was the phrase 'All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy' used thousands of times?"
"Who said it and where was the phrase 'All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy' used thousands of times?"
Monday, March 19, 2012
Front Porch Views
Remember when houses that we're built came with a front porch? Usually front porches came with a couple of folding lawn chairs and if you upgraded you had rocking chairs. But that was it. No piped music, small refrigerator, fire-bowl, matching table and chairs, flat screen TV, electric awning, hot tub...just a couple of chairs.
People said you could sit on your front porch and watch the world go by. Well at least the neighbors would go by. You'd say "hi" to each other and maybe they'd walk up the sidewalk and visit for a bit. Conversation would be about local events, the high school football team, gardens, flowers, and just general gossip. People would drive by in their cars and honk and wave. If it was a quiet evening you listened to the birds singing, the neighborhood kids laughing and playing, and an occasional bark from a dog. Adults would sip from a cup of coffee and kids, well if you were lucky, some pop. Hey the front porch WAS the original NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH program.
That in a nutshell was life on the front porch. Except if you lived in northern Iowa. Then there were many months of the year it was just too cold and too much snow to sit on any porch. Maybe that's what drove up the value of the front porch. You really looked forward to being out on it when Spring arrived.
But then something tragic happened to the front porch. House developers thought it would be a good idea to move the porch to the back of the house and build a "privacy fence" around us. The privacy fence would offer seclusion from all other life forms. We could have our privacy! Thanks goodness no pressure to have to talk to anyone, get to know our neighbors, and watch the world. Did you know that if you go just 2 houses any direction from where you live there's a good chance you don't know your neighbors? That is sad.
And when did we start talking about the "office" in our home?? Really? (I'll save that for another time).
I hear people on average a couple of times a week asking what is going on in this world? Why are people they way they are? Why can't we get along? I'll tell you why. No front porch! We don't 'talk' to each other any more. We 'text', we 'e-mail', we 'Twitter' but we DON'T talk to each other. All the other is superficial. Useful...yes...but when we lose human contact folks, we're all in trouble.
People said you could sit on your front porch and watch the world go by. Well at least the neighbors would go by. You'd say "hi" to each other and maybe they'd walk up the sidewalk and visit for a bit. Conversation would be about local events, the high school football team, gardens, flowers, and just general gossip. People would drive by in their cars and honk and wave. If it was a quiet evening you listened to the birds singing, the neighborhood kids laughing and playing, and an occasional bark from a dog. Adults would sip from a cup of coffee and kids, well if you were lucky, some pop. Hey the front porch WAS the original NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH program.
That in a nutshell was life on the front porch. Except if you lived in northern Iowa. Then there were many months of the year it was just too cold and too much snow to sit on any porch. Maybe that's what drove up the value of the front porch. You really looked forward to being out on it when Spring arrived.
But then something tragic happened to the front porch. House developers thought it would be a good idea to move the porch to the back of the house and build a "privacy fence" around us. The privacy fence would offer seclusion from all other life forms. We could have our privacy! Thanks goodness no pressure to have to talk to anyone, get to know our neighbors, and watch the world. Did you know that if you go just 2 houses any direction from where you live there's a good chance you don't know your neighbors? That is sad.
And when did we start talking about the "office" in our home?? Really? (I'll save that for another time).
I hear people on average a couple of times a week asking what is going on in this world? Why are people they way they are? Why can't we get along? I'll tell you why. No front porch! We don't 'talk' to each other any more. We 'text', we 'e-mail', we 'Twitter' but we DON'T talk to each other. All the other is superficial. Useful...yes...but when we lose human contact folks, we're all in trouble.
One Minute Devotion from Guidepost
On our 20th wedding anniversary, my husband walked in the door with a dozen red roses. I went to the living room cabinet for a vase and saw several of our wedding gifts sitting on the shelf-china, crystal, silver-as though they were museum pieces. "We'll save them for a special occasion," I'd told Bob. But in 20 years, we'd hardly used them. Most of the time they sat waiting on that shelf. Well, if this isn't a special occasion, I thought, I don't know what is.
Reaching for that vase, I thought of other gifts I might have stowed away, waiting for just the right moment. Like my gift for music. I hadn't sung in the church choir in years; I always said I was too busy. But just like those wedding gifts, weren't God's gifts meant to be used and enjoyed?
That night we set the table with our best tablecloth, our silver flatware, and a cut-crystal vase filled with red roses. The kids especially enjoyed drinking sparkling juice from etched crystal goblets that they'd never before seen on our dinner table. We laughed as the four of us clinked our glasses together. "Let's do this more often," my daughter said.
"We will," I replied, as I made a mental note to go to choir practice that week. After all, if every day is a gift from God, then all of life is a special occasion.
Reaching for that vase, I thought of other gifts I might have stowed away, waiting for just the right moment. Like my gift for music. I hadn't sung in the church choir in years; I always said I was too busy. But just like those wedding gifts, weren't God's gifts meant to be used and enjoyed?
That night we set the table with our best tablecloth, our silver flatware, and a cut-crystal vase filled with red roses. The kids especially enjoyed drinking sparkling juice from etched crystal goblets that they'd never before seen on our dinner table. We laughed as the four of us clinked our glasses together. "Let's do this more often," my daughter said.
"We will," I replied, as I made a mental note to go to choir practice that week. After all, if every day is a gift from God, then all of life is a special occasion.
Thursday, March 8, 2012
BIG BLOG BONANZA
"Which city in the United States has the most churches?"
You can post your answer on my Facebook page.
Friday, March 2, 2012
"They Said It" Quotes to Live & Learn By
"The secret of making something work in our lives if first of all, the deep desire to make it work; then the faith and belief that it can work; then hold that clear definite vision in your consciousness and see it working out step by step, without one thought of doubt or disbelief."
---Eileen Caddy
"To be nobody but yourself - in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you like everybody else - means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight, and never stop fighting."
---E.E. Cummings
"A positive thinker does not refuse to recognize the negative, he refuses to dwell on it. Positive thinking is a form of thought which habitually looks for the best results from the worst conditions."
---Norman Vincent Peale
"We should say to each child; Do you know what you are?
You are a marvel. You are unique...
You may become a Shakespeare, a Michelangelo, a Beethoven.
You have the capacity for anything."
---Pablo Casals
One Minute Devotion from Guidepost
My eyes were locked on my computer screen, watching a stock that I was preparing to sell for a client. The stock's three-letter symbol was green, indicating that it was up for the day. Three clicks on the keyboard and the stock was sold. Amazing, I said to myself. Technology is truly amazing.
Thirteen years ago, when I started out as an investment adviser, we didn't rely on e-mail, much less the Internet. When I bought or sold a stock for a client, I had to write out a ticket, walk across the office and stamp it, and hand it to out trader, who entered it in a box that was the size of a microwave. Now, with my laptop, I could access billions of pieces of information and send emails to anyone in the world with just the click of a button.
As i sat at my desk, pondering the mysteries of the Internet, my eyes fell on a note I'd made for myself: Pray for Harrison at 1:00p.m. I'd promised my six-year old son that I'd pray for hi while he was taking his spelling test.
I closed my door and hit the compose button on my email. "Hey God," I typed, "Harrison's spelling test will start in a few minutes. I hope You can hang close to him and that he'll feel You near." I could imagine my words flying straight to God's ears faster than any email.
Funny thing, technology. As amusing as it is, it doesn't come close to the speed-of-light communication that's been available to humankind since time began.
Thirteen years ago, when I started out as an investment adviser, we didn't rely on e-mail, much less the Internet. When I bought or sold a stock for a client, I had to write out a ticket, walk across the office and stamp it, and hand it to out trader, who entered it in a box that was the size of a microwave. Now, with my laptop, I could access billions of pieces of information and send emails to anyone in the world with just the click of a button.
As i sat at my desk, pondering the mysteries of the Internet, my eyes fell on a note I'd made for myself: Pray for Harrison at 1:00p.m. I'd promised my six-year old son that I'd pray for hi while he was taking his spelling test.
I closed my door and hit the compose button on my email. "Hey God," I typed, "Harrison's spelling test will start in a few minutes. I hope You can hang close to him and that he'll feel You near." I could imagine my words flying straight to God's ears faster than any email.
Funny thing, technology. As amusing as it is, it doesn't come close to the speed-of-light communication that's been available to humankind since time began.
Monday, February 27, 2012
BIG BLOG BONANZA
Here it is and good luck with your knowledge of American history. "Abraham Lincoln was in all likelihood America's greatest president. But just how many times was this famous president buried?"
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Front Porch Views
Let me welcome you to a new series of stories and articles entitled "Front Porch Views". When I was a kid growing up in Webster City, Iowa I spent many days sitting on the steps of our front porch at 308 East Dubuque Street. It was from that front porch that I could see my world going by. At that time the world was pretty small and life simple. I dreamed about the year 2000 and would figure how old I would be when that year rolled around. Boy has my view from then to now changed. There was no thought of cable TV, cellphones, Internet, computers, etc. Gosh we had a black and white TV that took on a good day 10 minutes to warm up! And then you were limited to three channels to choose from.
Life was much less hectic and complicated. It was what we call today the "little things" that were "big things" then. And with "Front Porch Views" I hope to share with readers some personal memories of those "little things" and how they might help all of us keep life in perspective today. So read on and enjoy. Go back to your 'front porch' and remember those times that made you happy.
- - - - - - - - - - - -
A friend of mine who knows that I'm an adventure runner mentioned that "hey it's getting nice and about time for you to start running outside again this year." "Yep" I replied, "I need to go get my new shoes for this season." You see runners like me research our shoes. I'll buy magazines like Runner's World and Trailrunner to read their shoe reviews. They cover everything from comfort to stability, grip, color, are they shoes with zips laces or regular laces, what's the toebox like, are they built with GoreTex, and the list goes on and on. To say that runners are very particular about their shoes in an understatement. It's serious business in a silly sort of way.
It was then that I remembered sitting on my front porch as a kid. Each year when school was out for the summer Mom would buy my sister and I a pair of new tennis shoes. The anticipation was overwhelming. NEW TENNIS SHOES!! Let's see high tops or low tops? Duh only geeks wear high tops. Black, red or white? Red...red was cool. Keds or Converse? Hands down Converse...little kids wear Keds. Oh and the shoes were canvas...period. That's all there was. I think we went either to local shoe store on Main Street USA or maybe Montgomery Wards...whoever had the best deal. My mother probably spent less than $10 for both pairs together. But NEW TENNIS SHOE DAY was the coolest day of the year! I loved NEW TENNIS SHOE DAY. When you put on your new tennis shoes one of the first things you did was show your friends. Then you went to see just how fast you could run and how high you could jump. This was living and life just didn't get any better.
Well its time to go get my new specialized Trail Running Shoes for this season. My mother would have a fit if she knew that I will easily spend $100 or more for these shoes than $5 for the 1964 canvas Converse.
But one thing won't change. I'll still be the coolest kid on the block with my new shoes. I'll show them to family and friends. I'll lace them up and go see how fast I can run and how far I can jump. Hey a guy can dream...or with NEW TENNIS SHOES reminiscence. It really is a simple thing...shoes. Little did I know sitting on my front porch back then that shoes would still make me happy even today.
Life was much less hectic and complicated. It was what we call today the "little things" that were "big things" then. And with "Front Porch Views" I hope to share with readers some personal memories of those "little things" and how they might help all of us keep life in perspective today. So read on and enjoy. Go back to your 'front porch' and remember those times that made you happy.
- - - - - - - - - - - -
A friend of mine who knows that I'm an adventure runner mentioned that "hey it's getting nice and about time for you to start running outside again this year." "Yep" I replied, "I need to go get my new shoes for this season." You see runners like me research our shoes. I'll buy magazines like Runner's World and Trailrunner to read their shoe reviews. They cover everything from comfort to stability, grip, color, are they shoes with zips laces or regular laces, what's the toebox like, are they built with GoreTex, and the list goes on and on. To say that runners are very particular about their shoes in an understatement. It's serious business in a silly sort of way.
It was then that I remembered sitting on my front porch as a kid. Each year when school was out for the summer Mom would buy my sister and I a pair of new tennis shoes. The anticipation was overwhelming. NEW TENNIS SHOES!! Let's see high tops or low tops? Duh only geeks wear high tops. Black, red or white? Red...red was cool. Keds or Converse? Hands down Converse...little kids wear Keds. Oh and the shoes were canvas...period. That's all there was. I think we went either to local shoe store on Main Street USA or maybe Montgomery Wards...whoever had the best deal. My mother probably spent less than $10 for both pairs together. But NEW TENNIS SHOE DAY was the coolest day of the year! I loved NEW TENNIS SHOE DAY. When you put on your new tennis shoes one of the first things you did was show your friends. Then you went to see just how fast you could run and how high you could jump. This was living and life just didn't get any better.
Well its time to go get my new specialized Trail Running Shoes for this season. My mother would have a fit if she knew that I will easily spend $100 or more for these shoes than $5 for the 1964 canvas Converse.
But one thing won't change. I'll still be the coolest kid on the block with my new shoes. I'll show them to family and friends. I'll lace them up and go see how fast I can run and how far I can jump. Hey a guy can dream...or with NEW TENNIS SHOES reminiscence. It really is a simple thing...shoes. Little did I know sitting on my front porch back then that shoes would still make me happy even today.
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
One Minute Devotion from Guidepost
A man who was once the governor of a state told me that the thing that saved him when he was exhausted and filled with despair at the lies and machinations of man was kids.
"Whenever I got really dark and hopeless," he said, "I would go visit a classroom. The kids would just pop with energy and questions and opinions. By the end of my term, I was canceling meetings left and right, scheduling three school visits a day and stopping at every park and playground we passed.
"The very best times were when kids told me stories right out of their hearts. I'd be sitting in a tiny chair with my knees up, and they would tell me about their puppies or stake boards or grandmas, and it was like someone pouring hope into my head.
"I'll miss that more than anything, being with all those kids. If we say we'll take care of them and don't, then were just sinning and there's no worse sin than ignoring or mistreating a child. You know that and I know that. I walked away from being a governor more fired up about public service than before, but now I bend all my energies to fixing stuff for kids. Is there anything more crucial than that?"
"Whenever I got really dark and hopeless," he said, "I would go visit a classroom. The kids would just pop with energy and questions and opinions. By the end of my term, I was canceling meetings left and right, scheduling three school visits a day and stopping at every park and playground we passed.
"The very best times were when kids told me stories right out of their hearts. I'd be sitting in a tiny chair with my knees up, and they would tell me about their puppies or stake boards or grandmas, and it was like someone pouring hope into my head.
"I'll miss that more than anything, being with all those kids. If we say we'll take care of them and don't, then were just sinning and there's no worse sin than ignoring or mistreating a child. You know that and I know that. I walked away from being a governor more fired up about public service than before, but now I bend all my energies to fixing stuff for kids. Is there anything more crucial than that?"
"They Said It" Quotes to Live & Learn By
"When you were born, you cried and the world rejoiced. Live your life so that when you die, the world cries and you rejoice."
---Cherokee Expression
"There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as if everything is."
---Albert Einstein
"There is no such thing in any one's life as an unimportant day."
---Alexander Woollcott
"My life has been filled with terrible misfortune; most of which never happened."
---Montaigne
"Don't ask yourself what the world needs; ask yourself what makes you come alive. And then go and do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive."
---Harold Whitman
---Cherokee Expression
"There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as if everything is."
---Albert Einstein
"There is no such thing in any one's life as an unimportant day."
---Alexander Woollcott
"My life has been filled with terrible misfortune; most of which never happened."
---Montaigne
"Don't ask yourself what the world needs; ask yourself what makes you come alive. And then go and do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive."
---Harold Whitman
Uncommon Hero Extraordinary Courage
"Going Through Fire to Save A Woman"
Jodi Oakes was driving to see a friend after work, when she, tired and sleepy, blacked out behind the steering wheel. With her foot still pressed on the gas, her car drove full speed into a tree and caught fire.
While driving home down the same road, Michael Gay noticed a curious sight on the side of the road. He noticed a big fire in an empty field. He saw a tree burning and got curious. He turned his car around and drove closer to the tree. Then Michael saw a car on fire.
Michael heard screams and realized there was a woman in the burning car. Inside the car, Jodi was panicking and was trying but unable to unfasten her seatbelt. Michael ran up to the passenger door of the car but it was stuck and wouldn't open. Then he ran to the driver side door and this time squeezed himself through the window. The fire had burned Jodi's seatbelt. She reached out and grabbed Michael's hands and he was able to pull her through the flames. Her arms and hair were on fire setting fire to Michael's hands as well. Those flames Michael was able to put out.
An ambulance arrived and Jodi was flown to a local hospital. There the severity of her condition became apparent. Jodi had burns over 50% of her body. Despite her burns and injuries Jodi survived thanks to an uncommon hero who displayed extraordinary courage.
Michael doesn't consider himself a hero...just lucky to be at the right place at the right time.
Thursday, February 16, 2012
BIG BLOG BONANZA
Here is this week's BIG BLOG BONANZA trivia question. "Thousands of people pay their respects to General Sherman...no not that General Sherman but this one. Can you name this General Sherman?"
Congrats to John Creek for being Lifeworks latest winner of a McDonald's Gift Card. John knew that Gilligan's first name was 'Willie'.
Remember to be a winner you need to sign on as a Lifeworks blog follower. There's two ways to join and its easy!
Congrats to John Creek for being Lifeworks latest winner of a McDonald's Gift Card. John knew that Gilligan's first name was 'Willie'.
Remember to be a winner you need to sign on as a Lifeworks blog follower. There's two ways to join and its easy!
Monday, February 13, 2012
Uncommon Hero: Robert Cook
Sacrificing His Life to Save a Stranger
Robert Cook, a 22 year-old skydiving instructor, was on a plane with a 21 year-old Kimberley Dear. She was about to make her first skydive ever and Robert was her instructor.
But soon after the plane had taken off the engine failed. The airplane started plummeting towards the ground at a rapid speed.
Robert calmly told Kimberly to sit on his lap. He then hooked her harness up to his and embraced her to take the brunt of the impact onto himself. Robert stayed incredibly calm and composed and told Kimberly exactly what she needed to do and kept her calm as well.
He then turned his body so that he was underneath Kimberly. When the plane made impact with the ground, Robert's body softened the blow for her.
Robert died after hitting the ground. But thanks to his heroic actions Kimberly survived. He had given his own life to save someone who was a really a stranger to him.
Robert's father says selflessness was in his son's nature. "He would have sacrificed anything for anybody because that's just the way he was."
Uncommon strength and sacrifice for that of another.
Uncommon Heroes
Today I begin a new series I think you will really enjoy entitled "Uncommon Heroes".
I am always amazed at people who are called 'heroes' any more. Mainly its a tag given to sports figures. But trust me when I say that real heroes walk among us everyday. Usually they accomplish deeds that go with little fanfare.
The following article will set the tone for the people you are about to meet each week. Enjoy their stories and appreciate in some cases their sacrifice for others.
I am always amazed at people who are called 'heroes' any more. Mainly its a tag given to sports figures. But trust me when I say that real heroes walk among us everyday. Usually they accomplish deeds that go with little fanfare.
The following article will set the tone for the people you are about to meet each week. Enjoy their stories and appreciate in some cases their sacrifice for others.
"Uncommon heroes are like you and me.
We meet them at work, in the grocery store, on a busy street.
They come in all shapes and sizes, we only have to look around us.
Uncommon heroes have attitude.
They may be the stranger who rescues a teenager from a wrecked car,
or the next door neighbor fighting a battle of cancer,
or the lady who lives down the road, struggling to re-learn after a brain injury.
They have a ready smile in spite of their pain.
They never complain and always think positively.
They never give up and do not let others give up either.
They have great vision, no handicap, no obstacle can keep them from pursuing their dreams.
They care alot about people in their community.
They always say, "I know what you are going through."
They have an indomitable spirit and great strength.
They have an incredible faith and courage.
They take pleasure in performing small acts of kindness rather than in great intentions.
They look for the best and give the best they have.
They inspire us to carry on when things go wrong.
Uncommon heroes are people who touch our lives,
and leave footprints on our hearts that change our lives forever.
Sunday, February 12, 2012
"They Said It" Quotes to Live & Learn By
"Fear less, hope more, eat less, chew more, whine less, breathe more, talk less,
say more, hate less, love more, and good things will be yours."
---Swedish proverb
"If you think you're a winner you 'll win, If you dare to step out you'll succeed.
Believe in your heart, have a purpose to start, Aim to help fellow man in his need.
Thoughts of faith must replace every doubt,
Words of courage and you cannot fail.
If you stumble and fall, rise and stand ten feet tall,
You determine the course that you sail."
---Anonymous
"I suspect that the happiest people you know are the ones who work at being kind, helpful and reliable - and happiness sneaks into their lives while they are busy doing those things. It is a by-product, never a primary goal."
---Harold Kushner
"Risk! Risk anything! Care no more for the opinions of others, for those voices.
Do the hardest thing on earth for you. Act for yourself. Face the truth."
---Katherine Mansfield
say more, hate less, love more, and good things will be yours."
---Swedish proverb
"If you think you're a winner you 'll win, If you dare to step out you'll succeed.
Believe in your heart, have a purpose to start, Aim to help fellow man in his need.
Thoughts of faith must replace every doubt,
Words of courage and you cannot fail.
If you stumble and fall, rise and stand ten feet tall,
You determine the course that you sail."
---Anonymous
"I suspect that the happiest people you know are the ones who work at being kind, helpful and reliable - and happiness sneaks into their lives while they are busy doing those things. It is a by-product, never a primary goal."
---Harold Kushner
"Risk! Risk anything! Care no more for the opinions of others, for those voices.
Do the hardest thing on earth for you. Act for yourself. Face the truth."
---Katherine Mansfield
One Minute Devotion from Guidepost
My wife Sharon, and I were watching our first ballet, held onstage at our local high school. The white-clad dancers graced their way through a rainbow of spotlights, leaving us spellbound. At intermission, I sat listening to the adults around me rave about the performance. The most common comment was "I wish I had taken ballet lessons."
Meanwhile, a number of children left their seats and wandered down front. Inspired by the performance, they began spontaneously twirling, twisting, leaping, spinning - oblivious to the crowd that was watching in amusement.
I whispered to Sharon, "Children don't need lessons. We adults are always dreaming and wishing. Children just do it."
As I lay in bed that night, I thought about all the things I wish I had done in my life. I wanted to learn to ice-skate. I wanted to plant an orchard. I wanted to make a movie. I wanted to bind books. I wanted to visit a South Sea island.
I couldn't get these children off my mind. In the next few weeks, I decided to stop dreaming and so some things.
I planted a peach tree in the side yard. I checked out a video on the South sea islands. I borrowed a video camera and made a funny movie. I bound a book, in my own crazy, unorthodox way. Now, if I could just find some ice skates in size 13.
It's nice to have dreams, but perhaps some of our dreams are keeping us from doing the doable.
Meanwhile, a number of children left their seats and wandered down front. Inspired by the performance, they began spontaneously twirling, twisting, leaping, spinning - oblivious to the crowd that was watching in amusement.
I whispered to Sharon, "Children don't need lessons. We adults are always dreaming and wishing. Children just do it."
As I lay in bed that night, I thought about all the things I wish I had done in my life. I wanted to learn to ice-skate. I wanted to plant an orchard. I wanted to make a movie. I wanted to bind books. I wanted to visit a South Sea island.
I couldn't get these children off my mind. In the next few weeks, I decided to stop dreaming and so some things.
I planted a peach tree in the side yard. I checked out a video on the South sea islands. I borrowed a video camera and made a funny movie. I bound a book, in my own crazy, unorthodox way. Now, if I could just find some ice skates in size 13.
It's nice to have dreams, but perhaps some of our dreams are keeping us from doing the doable.
Thursday, February 2, 2012
"They Said It" Quotes to Live & Learn By
"We are all a little weird and life's a little weird, and when we find someone whose weirdness is compatible with ours, we join up with them and fall in mutual weirdness and call it love."
---Dr. Seuss
"Your time is limited, don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma, which is living the result of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of other's opinion drown out your own inner voice. And most importantly, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition, they somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary."
---Steve Jobs
"A good character is the best tombstone. Those loved by you and were helped by you will remember you when forget-me-nots have withered. Carve you name on hearts, not on marble."
---Charles Spurgeon
---Dr. Seuss
"Your time is limited, don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma, which is living the result of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of other's opinion drown out your own inner voice. And most importantly, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition, they somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary."
---Steve Jobs
"A good character is the best tombstone. Those loved by you and were helped by you will remember you when forget-me-nots have withered. Carve you name on hearts, not on marble."
---Charles Spurgeon
One Minute Devotion from Guidepost
It's All About the Attitude...Right?
But something was wrong. "We're not going to be happy at this table," the woman announced, not revealing why. She summoned the waitress and announced they had to move to a different table. The couple wriggled out and off, and the hostess approached again, leading an elderly woman with a cane and a smile, accompanied by a gray-haired man who nodded and smiled as they squeezed in. "What a nice table!" they exclaimed.
We started to chat. It turned out that the woman was in her 90's, her husband even older. They'd been at the museum and regaled me with observations about the exhibit they'd seen. As they laughed and chattered, I saw the younger couple giving the waitress a hard time.
It made me think of all the times I, too, come into a situation thinking "I'm not going to like this." I'm switching to "This will be great! It will be an adventure." It's a simple lesson, but one I never get tired of. It's all in your attitude, isn't it?
Monday, January 30, 2012
Big Blog Bonanza presented by Lifeworks: Week 3
BIG BLOG BONANZA
It's Week 3 of the Big Blog Bonanza presented by Lifeworks.
Congratulations to the first two winners who received a McDonalds Gift Card. They are: Pam Cameron Zuck of Tulsa, Oklahoma and Drew Heuertz of Largo, Florida.
Remember to become a winner you need to become a Lifeworks Blog follower. There are two easy ways to join either by email or by Goggle right on the blog site. Only blog followers can win. So sign up and join the fun.
Here is the question for Week 3: "In Gilligan's Island what was the first name of Gilligan?"
If A Dog Were Your Teacher
Who doesn't love a dog right? Growing up I had this cool dog named Trix. There really wasn't anything all that special about Trix. Just a good old dog who loved the family. Then for many years there was Twinkie. Yes, Twinkie. Twinkie loved chasing a tennis ball and playing. In general, a really silly but extremely loyal and loving dog. And now I have this little five pound hairball named Molly who has become my friend. We didn't start out that way...more of a standoff in the beginning...but now we're buddies.
So I got to thinking about dogs. Wonder if a dog were your teacher?
If a dog were your teacher
These are some of the lessons you might learn.
When loved ones come home, always run to greet them
Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride
Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face
to be pure ecstasy
When it's in your best interest
Practice obedience
Let others know when they have invaded your territory
Take naps and stretch before rising
Run Romp and Play daily
Thrive on attention and let people touch you
Avoid biting when a simple growl will do
On warm days stop to lie down on your back on the grass
On hot days drink lots of water and lay under a shade tree
When you're happy dance around and wag your whole body
No matter how often you're scolded
Don't buy into the guilt thing and pout
Run right back and make friends
Delight in the simple joy of a long walk
Eat with gusto and enthusiasm
Stop when you've had enough
Be loyal
Never pretend to be something you're not
If what you want lies buried
Dig until you find it
When someone is having a bad day
Be silent
...sit close by
...and nuzzle them gently.
So I got to thinking about dogs. Wonder if a dog were your teacher?
If a dog were your teacher
These are some of the lessons you might learn.
When loved ones come home, always run to greet them
Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride
Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face
to be pure ecstasy
When it's in your best interest
Practice obedience
Let others know when they have invaded your territory
Take naps and stretch before rising
Run Romp and Play daily
Thrive on attention and let people touch you
Avoid biting when a simple growl will do
On warm days stop to lie down on your back on the grass
On hot days drink lots of water and lay under a shade tree
When you're happy dance around and wag your whole body
No matter how often you're scolded
Don't buy into the guilt thing and pout
Run right back and make friends
Delight in the simple joy of a long walk
Eat with gusto and enthusiasm
Stop when you've had enough
Be loyal
Never pretend to be something you're not
If what you want lies buried
Dig until you find it
When someone is having a bad day
Be silent
...sit close by
...and nuzzle them gently.
Monday, January 16, 2012
BIG BLOG BONANZA
Welcome to the BIG BLOG BONANZA trivia contest presented by Lifeworks!. This is week #2. Be sure before you submit your answer you've signed on as a Lifeworks blog follower. Only blog followers can eligible to win.
Here is this week's trivia question: "What did Hyman Lipman do in 1858 that made life easier for students?"
Here is this week's trivia question: "What did Hyman Lipman do in 1858 that made life easier for students?"
BELIEVE IN YOURSELF
You begin to believe in yourself when you take the time to applaud yourself. Look back on your life and applaud your achievements.
Too often, we look at the lists we have created, the mound of work on one side of the desk that somehow is supposed to get to the other side of the desk and think, "will we ever get it all done?"
When we see our kids, we think, "Are they going to grow up OK?" We wonder if we will ever go on that trip, ever learn that skill or do whatever it is that we seem to question ourselves about.
That's the problem. We focus on all that hasn't gotten done, the dreams that we never really accomplished, and rarely - if ever - focus on the successes we have actually achieved. It is hard to believe in yourself if you only look at what you haven't achieved. Start a new tradition and habit - look at what you have achieved, what you have accomplished. More importantly, applaud yourself for what you did complete, the challenges you did overcome, and then really acknowledge all the steps that it took you to get there.
Sometimes we rush and move to the next project and we don't stop and acknowledge the steps that it took you to complete your task or accomplishment. It's ok to pause and appreciate. You did it!
Believe in yourself and build confidence. Look at these action tips and begin to implement them in either your personal life, career, or ideally both.
* Write down what you've accomplished.
* How did you accomplish your goal (s).
* Give yourself applause. You did it, no one else could do it the way you did.
* Say "I believe in my abilities to reach my goals."
* Hear yourself and accept your applause.
* You don't need anyone to tell you how great you are. You just told yourself how great you are!
Too often, we look at the lists we have created, the mound of work on one side of the desk that somehow is supposed to get to the other side of the desk and think, "will we ever get it all done?"
When we see our kids, we think, "Are they going to grow up OK?" We wonder if we will ever go on that trip, ever learn that skill or do whatever it is that we seem to question ourselves about.
That's the problem. We focus on all that hasn't gotten done, the dreams that we never really accomplished, and rarely - if ever - focus on the successes we have actually achieved. It is hard to believe in yourself if you only look at what you haven't achieved. Start a new tradition and habit - look at what you have achieved, what you have accomplished. More importantly, applaud yourself for what you did complete, the challenges you did overcome, and then really acknowledge all the steps that it took you to get there.
Sometimes we rush and move to the next project and we don't stop and acknowledge the steps that it took you to complete your task or accomplishment. It's ok to pause and appreciate. You did it!
Believe in yourself and build confidence. Look at these action tips and begin to implement them in either your personal life, career, or ideally both.
* Write down what you've accomplished.
* How did you accomplish your goal (s).
* Give yourself applause. You did it, no one else could do it the way you did.
* Say "I believe in my abilities to reach my goals."
* Hear yourself and accept your applause.
* You don't need anyone to tell you how great you are. You just told yourself how great you are!
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
BIG BLOG BONANZA
Here is the inaugural Big Blog Bonanza trivia question. Read the rules, become a Lifeworks blog follower and answer the following question:
"You know the actor Tommy Lee Jones right? Where did Jones go to college and who was his roommate?"
"You know the actor Tommy Lee Jones right? Where did Jones go to college and who was his roommate?"
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Big Blog Bonanza presented by Lifeworks
Welcome to the Big Blog Bonanza presented by Lifeworks!
Each week you will have the opportunity to win simply by answering a trivia question and being a Lifeworks blog follower. Only Lifeworks blog followers can play. Here's the opportunity to learn and win all at the same time.
Here are the Rules:
1. First sign up and become a Lifeworks blog follower. Only registered blog followers can win.
2. The first person to answer that week's "Tougher Than Nails" trivia question wins a $10 McDonald's gift card. (First correct answer and email time stamp will determine that week's winner.)
3. All previous winners will then be eligible by answering a "TOUGHER THAN EVER" trivia question for:
* The Monster Mid-Year Prize on June 29, 2012
* The Big Blog Grand Bonanza Prize on December 21, 2012
4. Multiple winners are allowed.
5. Weekly prize winners and the "Tougher Than Nails" trivia answer will be posted on Thursday evenings on my Facebook page. All decisions are final and made by Lifeworks.
6. Limit of one answer per person each week. Answers emailed to: rdcreek@cox.net
JOIN TODAY
LET THE FUN BEGIN!
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