Enjoying Everyday Wonders - The Power of Intent and Gratitude!

Seeing my smiling daughter and the Red Maple that has sprung up beneath the Azalea bush, my faith is renewed.  My heart swells with appreciation and I silently give thanks to God who always hears and responds to my heartfelt desires.  I am filled with gratitude and a sense of wonder!  Looking out, I see ample evidence of the biology of belief and the miracle of life.

Twenty plus years ago, I prayed for a blond, blue eyed daughter; fifteen years ago, God responded to my prayers and I brought this little beauty home from Latvia.  She has been a bright star in my life every day and a great reminder of the power of intent and belief.

For years I have marveled and appreciated the red leaves of fall and I have looked out my backyard window and seen primarily green and golden leaves.  Beauties of nature, but the landscape was missing the red leaves that I adored.  That is, until this Fall...

Last Mother's Day, my husband and youngest son, surprised me with a brand new Crape Myrtle.  Much to my surprise, its leaves are now turning a bright red!  Off to the left, my eye falls upon a Red Maple that has sprung up magically beneath an Azalea bush that was planted approximately 16 years ago.

My advice and expectation:

Enjoy your days and look for everyday wonders.  Focus on your blessings and share your gratitude.    When you share your joy, voice your intentions and express your heart felt desires, you can let them go and know that miracles will pop up, much like my Red Maple, my lovely daughter, Sandra, and my Daisies in the Fall.

My request:

I hope to hear about the everyday wonders in your life!  Please share!

You are Never Alone!

In facing pain, we often shrink within. We see smiling faces, hear laughing voices, and we want to run away and distance ourselves. I can remember a time of great pain in my own life and I remember feeling very much alone. To read my story, go to Believe in a Ray of Hope.

For now, I want to show you how to connect with your heart, your head, and your humanity while avoiding needless suffering. In the video below, Pema Chodron helps you to learn about a simple practice that can help you to transform your pain into compassion. She teaches a simple phrase, that shakes you out of complacency. As of consequence of implementing this practice, our energies are shifted, and we start thinking bigger which benefits not only ourselves but those who are special to us!



May we all open our hearts and minds and remember that "other people feel this." May we all be free of this pain and this sense of isolation! May we always remember to connect with our hearts, our minds, and our humanity. This is my hope.

What are your hopes?

Everything I Am, I Owe to My Mother and her Faith in Both of Us!

As a child, I was shy; I doubted my abilities, and in many ways I was an introvert. I hated leaving my mother's side. The first day of school always presented a host of wails and worries from me. I remember crying out in horror in kindergarten, and also in 1st and in 2nd grade as she left me in the care of a new teacher and classmates. My mother worked with me relentlessly, encouraged me to identify my strengths, and to find a friend. She applauded when I took a small step forward, and encouraged me to take another step forward, and yet another. She finally pushed me into the pool of life. Once, I was left to sink or swim, I decided to swim.

When God blessed me with a child with special needs, I decided to stand up, share and soar for both of us, following the example of my mother. I decided to step out of my comfort zone and take action myself. I heard long ago, most likely at my mother's knee, a bit of wisdom, that seems especially relevant. "Never expect anyone to do anything, that you would not be willing to do, yourself." Thus, if I wanted my son to speak up with confidence and respect for human dignity, I had to be willing to speak up myself with both confidence and respect for human dignity. In short, I was called upon to serve as a role model, before I pushed.

As my youngest approaches 18, and is transitioning to the age of majority, I am beginning to push. We all need encouragement and some, like me, need the extra push to soar. As I watched the movie, I looked into the eye of the eagle, and saw my mother. There must of been days when she doubted herself and me, but in the end, she decided that we were both able and worthy. She tapped into her faith in both of us, put God in the driver's seat and pushed. As a result, we both soared.

Enjoy the movie and let me hear from you! What do your children need from you?