Putting All Your Eggs In God's Basket!

Hope and A Quote for Today
September 30, 2010

Faith is putting all your eggs in God's basket, then counting your blessings before they hatch. ~Ramona C. Carroll

I Believe in a Ray of Hope and I Believe in You and Me!

Have a faith filled day of Belief and Blessings.

For more encouragement, read about how I put this hope and a quote for today into action, 23 years ago, and learn how my life changed forever in December 1987

May you always strive to put hope, passion and gratitude in God's Basket and live in awe!

Love Flourishes in a Happy Heart!

"We love to the degree we're happy. While we are unhappy and attending to our fears, we are not loving. The self is always crying out for acceptance. When we deny it that acceptance, things get hairy. Our attention gets sucked into a void inside ourselves, leaving nothing left to give to another." ~Jennifer Hautman

How true it is...

When I am happy, my heart overflows with love..

I think of how much more loving I am after I have received a warm note of appreciation.

I think of how much more loving I am when I am well rested.

I think of how loving I am when I have taken a break and strolled around a reflecting pool of water.

I am much more likely to greet that stranger with a smile, take time to encourage my teenager, or give my husband a hug.

When I am crying for acceptance, I begin to draw within..

I think of how unloving I am when I have been criticized.

I think of how unloving I am when I am hungry.

I think of how unloving I am when I am struggling with an assignment and feeling inadequate.

I am much less likely to make eye contact with the office intern, listen to the complaints of a colleague or volunteer for another project.

If this is true for me, I am sure it is true for many of you. It is also true for our husbands, our children and our colleagues.

If you want to be happy and be able to share love, begin by nourishing yourself. Begin with a full cup, so you will have much to share.

I Believe in a Ray of Hope and I believe your cup will be constantly replenished....

Start loving yourself today!

Somewhere, Over the Rainbow, There is Peace!

Enjoy the scenery and song...and reflect on the wonderful world we live in. May there be peace in our homes, in our communities, and in our global markets. Let peace begin with you and me. Let's begin by reaching out, shaking hands and connecting our hearts.

May our collective dreams, hopes and wishes for a brighter tomorrow, begin with simple gestures of kindness today. Happy International Peace Day! Sleep well!

Law of Attraction: Begins with Loving Yourself and Letting Go!

Reading today's Daily OM, I am reminded of my obligations, not only to others, but to myself. My list is long...where am I on this list?

All too often, we put the needs of others, before our own, and forget obligations we have to our own well being. Over time, as we continually say yes when we are tempted to say no, we begin to erode our self worth and self confidence while building walls of resentment, between ourselves and those we love and that spells disaster for all! When I pause to listen, I AM REMINDED, We can not help anyone, if we are drained and exhausted!

Barbara De Angelis, gives us MORE food for thought while saying, “If you aren't good at loving yourself, you will have a difficult time loving anyone, since you'll resent the time and energy you give another person that you aren't even giving to yourself.”

When was the last time you made time for yourself? When was the last time you said no, and said yes to that nice walk in the sunshine? When was the last time you said no, and slept in or stayed up late to read that juicy novel that took you to unknown places? When was the last time, you took time to reflect, to relax and to relish your accomplishments.

I know I have a hard time, ending the day and letting go. I hear the small voice inside saying, "Just one more chore, one more note, one more call, then... I will slip into the warm bubble bath... That's my promise and obligation to me!

What can you do today to demonstrate your love and appreciation of yourself? When will we put ourselves on our to do list? If you are feeling burnt out, finding it difficult to get up and begin again, I encourage you to rest, slow down and say no more often! When we pause to love and appreciate ourselves, the universe responds with a resounding YES!

Perhaps, tomorrow, I will begin with me at the top of my to-do list... Maybe that would make it easier to Let go and Let God? What do you think?

Surrounded by Love, Hope, Gratitude and Laughter!

It was a fun filled weekend of family and friends.

A unexpected visit by grandpa and grandma, led to a unexpected visit by my oldest and his soon to be bride.

After a full day of activities, I had everyone pose for pictures, only to find that my memory card was out of my camera and I couldn't load pictures from my internal memory without a cord that I could not find.....



Needless, to say, no one was too happy when I said we'd have to start over. Being used to my antics, they made the most of it and hammed it up all over again.



How lucky I am!! Surrounded by love, hope, gratitude and laughter. What could be better?

Love Bombing, Let it Begin with You and Me!

I have always loved the Prayer of Saint Francis of Assisi. Quoting from this prayer, I am called to action. "Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love; and where there is sadness, joy."

In this blog, I am sharing a link and youtube video to get you going on the road to making a big difference with directed acts of kindness. You will learn about a very, very easy and fun way to put this wonderful prayer into action. As Nate says, it starts with us! Nate comes up with wonderful unique ideas each week to bring joy, smiles and delight to unsuspecting souls.

If you have 15 minutes to spare, you can make someone's day very, very special.
Join us in bombing the world with love! Find out how you can be part of the next love bomb, by clicking the change the world logo below and then let the songs begin!





Have fun, be happy and bring joy!

If Mama Ain't Transitioning, Ain't Nobody Transitioning!

My friend, Dr. Carie Rothenbacher, and I presented this lively workshop at a Transition Conference in Pennsylvania this summer and were pleased to see a wide variety of Mamas in attendance! Those in the audience were not only Mamas, but Papas, Educators, Administrators and Rehabilitation Specialists. They were all looking for answers for youth in transition and were craving a bit of fun.

They all wanted to hear the story behind the playful title and Carie and I were happy to tell them all about why it is essential that Mama transition, if she expects her teen to take the next step forward!

If you want to learn more about this workshop or want to get the "Mama" in your life started on her own transition, contact me at 703 371-5682 or email me at Doreen@BelieveinaRayofHope.com

I look forward to hearing from you!

Grand Parent's Day: Still Fishing for Dreams!

As a dreamer, water lover, and daughter of an avid fisherman, I could not pass up on the opportunity to share this story. I have been thinking of my dad alot today, as it is Grandparent's Day and my dad has been Grand in so many ways! He took me fishing as a little girl, took my children fishing and still has me fishing for my dreams!

It is my hope that my own dad, who has always loved fishing, the ocean and adventure, will see himself in this story and know how much we all appreciate him and the wisdom he has shared. My dad started early in pursuing his dreams.

He left home early, joined the marines early, saw the world early, married and had children early. Growing up, I listened to his stories of adventure and was in awe. I definitely wanted to follow in his footsteps but my courage was not as great. In fact, you might call me timid! In other words, I was SCARED!

My journeys began after college. I married late, had a family late, and found my voice late. As a result, I live with a sense of urgency, today. Being a late blooming flower, I am more committed than ever to live the remainder of my life pursuing my dreams, my passion and my purpose.

Far too often, parents put their dreams on hold, waiting for the "right" time and place to reconnect with their passions and dreams. For far too many, the right time and place never arrives and this breaks my heart. I grieve not only for the person who has stopped pursuing his dream, but for his children. It is my firm belief that children learn by following our actions, not our words. If you are not in action, pursuing your dreams, what are you teaching your children?

Following in my father's footsteps, I hope to give voice to unspoken dreams. I hope to inspire you to find your voice, to connect to your dreams and to call you to action. You see I want company on my journey!

Read Steve Wozniak's story then come back for a call to action!

Angler's amazing feat: 1,000 species of fish and counting

Wozniak exercised his passion and drive to not only accomplish his dream but to inspire others. While I do not know if Wozniak has a wife or children, I do know that his actions have inspired me. When we follow our hearts, others hear the joy and want to join the fun!

Imagine his joy, his energy and enthusiasm for life. While my dream is far from Steve's dream, I, too, have passion, energy and a calling and so do YOU. If I can do it, so can YOU. Let's get going!

Are you still counting the days or relishing the moments?

What can you do today to make your heart sing?

How can you begin to fish for your dreams?

How can you put Grand in your day?

How can you inspire action in your children?

Ministry offers respite for special "MAMAs"

The church is in Georgia and yet its message beckons to me like a lighthouse! It is not next door. In fact, it is several states away, yet the light it sheds is bright and provides a beacon of hope for SPECIAL MAMAs EVERYWHERE!

As I reflect on my day and the conversations I have had, I am reminded that "Parenting a teen with special needs is not a sprint, it is a marathon." The road is long and we get so tired. As special Mamas, we need a break, we need a place to breathe, we need time to reflect. Yet, where can we turn? Is there a place nearby that provides a place to rest and lay down our weary souls?

Read more about the special ministry in Georgia and let me know if you know of a similar place? If there is not a place nearby, please read through the questions and begin to ponder!

Ministry offers respite for special needs families

What can we do to ensure that parents and caregivers have a place to let go, to breathe and to reflect?

Where can a parent safely place their children while they take a moment to relax, refresh and reenergize?

What can we do to create an atmosphere of inclusion and acceptance for both the parent and the s child/teen with unique challenges?

What can we do to ensure that time away from the family is enjoyable for the child/teen with special needs?

How can we make this unique child/teen feel appreciated?

How can we help this Mama to continue to put one foot in front of the other in search of a brighter tomorrow for herself and her child?

Remember, you are never alone. Someone feels like you. Let's find her and begin to breathe easily.