Sunday, April 27, 2008

Glorious roses

My sweet baby granddaughter's profile


The Lord bless you and keep you:
The Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you:
The Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace.
462426

nostalgia



So bittersweet to bid Janet and Morey and Lisa goodbye. All those years of friendship that keep on growing.
I'm so blessed.

I wish you all grace and friends that love you.

Saturday, April 26, 2008

My sweet granddogs, Chamois & Murphy




A good reminder

It's been a week of sharing our love for each other and remembering our stories.
I'm so blessed with my framily.

Mary P. sent this to me, let me share it with each of you.

Saint Theresa's Prayer


May today there be peace within.
May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be.
May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith.
May you use those gifts that you have received, and pass on the love that has been given to you.
May you be content knowing you are a child of God.
Let this presence settle into your bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing,
dance, praise and love.
It is there for each and every one of us.

Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Thank you, Sherry, for this beautiful book


Growing Wings: a view from inside the cocoon

this contains the art and words of Kristen Jongen

It describes in gorgeous visuals and colorful text, a traumatic time in her life, but how she emerged as an artful butterfly.

Monday, April 14, 2008

Karen Salmansohn - A juicy lesson


From: "Karen Salmansohn"
Subject: A Juicy Happiness Lesson...
To: adeakers2002@yahoo.com
Date: Sun, 13 Apr 2008 10:05:42 -0400 (EDT)


A Juicy Happiness Lesson...

Have you taken a look at some of those newfangled juice names: Get Smart Juice, Passion Power, Energy Hound, Hocus Focus, B-Relaxed, D-Stress.

So many juices promising so many benefits!

But nobody makes Compassion Cocktail or Niceness Nectar! Nobody makes a juice which makes you nicer or more considerate, offers up the potential for building up a bigger, warmer heart!

I know what you’re thinking: Maybe the manufacturers just can’t make it!

But, I’m betting if there were money to be made in Compassion Cocktail or Niceness Nectar, companies would find a way to make that juice.

Besides, are you really sure any of those other juices (like Passion Power and Hocus Focus) work anyway?

And yet you buy them, just for the hope they will help.

I am betting companies would never even bother to put in the research to create a Compassion Cocktail or a Niceness Nectar, because they have a corporate sense that niceness, compassion and consideration are just not valued enough in this world to sell to the masses!

Which kind of explains much of the mess our world is in globabally. And why people are so unhappy personally.

Kindness, compassion and consideration are key TRUE HAPPINESS DETERMINATORS, right on up there with having high self esteem and sharing intimate connections with others. Which makes sense, because the kinder you are in life, the more you raise your self esteem and the more you increase your connections with others.

Plus, here are some other quickie quirky facts on the perks of kindness...

A University of Michigan reported nice is healthier. Older Americans who provide support to others, either through volunteer work or simply by being a good friend and neighbor, had a 60 percent lower rate of premature death than their unhelpful peers.

A University of Toronto reported that nice is luckier in love. People who are low key and congenial have one half the divorce rate of the general population.

Malcolm Gladwell in his book Blink reported that nice spends less time in court. Doctors who had never been sued spoke to their patients for an average of three minutes longer than physicians who had been sued twice or more.

And according to positive psychology professor and author Martin Seligman, the biggest feelings of happiness come from leading “a meaningful life," using personal strengths to be of kindly, altruistic service.

In an experiment called "Philanthropy versus Fun," Seligman divided his psychology students so some engaged in pleasurable activities (going to the movies, eating yummy ice cream) and the others did philanthropic activities (volunteering at a soup kitchen, reading to the blind).

Guess what?

The happiness afterglow of the fun was nada compared to the lasting happiness of doing altruistic acts.

Meaning?

Doing good for others will also make you feel good—and, according to Seligman, your highest level of feel-good.

Your Assignment: Today be aware of doing small kindnesses to others. Give an extra smile, sweet gesture, warm compliment, generous favor. Also, ask your self what loving deed can you do? How can you help those in greater need? Consider getting involved with a charity where you can make an ongoing contribution.

Please feel free to forward this newsletter to your friends/family. Also, feel free to re-visit my site behappydammit to re-check-out my books offering other tips on how to live your happiest life...

Wednesday, April 2, 2008

Heart fabric


This must have been created just for me!
Ah - the possibilities.
I found it by accident at equilter, one of my favorite places to buy fabric.

Puppy puppy puppy


5 more days till road trip with this precious cargo