You Have to Fail...........................

....................To Win. Strange, I know. But the truth sometimes is. If you never fail, if you never stumble, if you never lose, then how do you ever learn the power of winning? Okay fine, we all want that undefeated season, and I'm right along with you on that. But let's talk life, not football, baseball, or whatever. Let's talk L I F E. Failing is just part of your existence, sorry, but it is. And because it is, you should learn valuable lessons from it. Lessons of what is important, lessons of working harder, lessons of what is truly so life enhancing that you need to accomplish it. Did the failure really matter that much in the scheme of your life? If so, then nose to the grindstone baby. If it didn't, then wave good-bye and head to the next mountain. Failing builds truth and character. Failing also builds confidence......yes, yes it does. Because when you get up, shake the dust off of your face that landed squarely in the dirt, clear your mind and go at it again, then you learn that you CAN try again and again and however many again's it takes. We are all winners. It just takes some of us longer in certain areas than others. But at the same time we are all failures. And the truth of the matter is, our character comes out more when we fail. Do we build on that failure, do we blame someone else, do we turn our backs and walk away. Whatever you fail, and you do and you will, then you get to decide your reaction. So the crux of the matter is this. No one wins every hand that is dealt. Everyone has and will fail multiple times. But at the end of the day, month, year, your life.......did you take those failures that were important to you and turn them into successes? Or did you walk away and leave a piece of your talent, strength and will lying on the ground?

Acceptance and Resistance

Been thinking of these two words for a couple of day. We accept and resist things every minute of every day. In our own tiny worlds we accept what we think is good and resist what we think is bad. But here's the deal. I wonder if we really know which is which. Maybe, sometimes, yes. But I truly feel like we accept things sometimes because they are easy, thus appearing good and we resist other things because they are hard and seem bad. At times these actions are no- brainers.....they are not even decisions. But at times I think we overlook good that is buried beneath bad so we reject it because of unwillingness to make the effort to dig deep, or being afraid of failure or because we 'can't see the forest for the trees'. I also feel the opposite is true. We accept a life that is okay, mediocre, but easy, when actually if we resisted it and took on bigger challenges, gave greater effort, saw that goal line that might be farther away, we would in the end, actually be resisting bad and accepting good. Am I advocating 24 hour days of work and no play? Absolutely not. Am I saying that we are all failures if we aren't bosses, CEO's or presidents? Nope. What I am saying is that life throws us challenges every day. And everyday we have to make decisions on acceptance and resistance. So in the end, we are the artists of our landscape of life. Here is my question of the day. Are you an engine or a caboose? Think about it. The Little Engines that Could huff and puff and put forth amazing effort while the cabooses, merely follow the track. Accept or Resist. Your choice.

Actions vs Words

We've all heard the old sayings....."Actions speak louder than words." "Stick and stones.......". But really? I'm not totally in agreement. Words are so powerful. Don't get me wrong. I believe our actions SPEAK volumes. But I also believe..."The tongue is a might sword." Words can tear down or build up. Words can shatter hearts. Words can bring laughter or tears. Words are said and then, they are OUT THERE!! You can't suck them back in. You can't magically make them disappear. They are like tiny particles that float or spring or fire out of your mouth and then take on a life of their own. Everyday you build a 'word' quilt. And in this very modern age we build them in many ways. Email, texts, FB, Twitter. We have an abundance of ways to hurt or heal. I wonder if you realize you are knitting, crocheting or quilting your quilt the minute you awaken and start communicating? Think on this. You have a responsibility to be aware of not only what you say, but how you say it. Some of us are more sharp tongued than others......cough cough.....and we have the biggest challenge. Some of us are soft spoken and probably the slowest to build our quilts. So while I think your daily actions are important, and show your character, I also think your words paint pictures of who you really are. I hope today your word quilt is one of encouragement and laughter and love and responsibility. I hope it's comfortable for others. I hope that you realize just how powerful you are and use that power in ways to build up. Words are mighty and everlasting. Please understand this.......and tonight, when you go to bed you are comfortable under the quilt you've sewn today.

Common Sense...............

There are two types of common sense. There are those people who just seem to be able to 'do' things well. They instinctively know how to fix things, build things, figure out the easiest or most expedient way to get things done. I, unfortunately, am not one of those. Take me off my front porch and you better say turn right or left....not north or south. I can take something apart, but put it back together requires a call to someone with way more common sense than I have. So admittedly, I'm not the person you reach out to when you want help doing a chore that requires innate knowledge. Okay now that that's out of the way, let's visit about the 'other' common sense. It's common sense to treat people with dignity and respect. You are no better than they, and in fact, I'm pretty sure I come across many souls every day who are better people than I am. It is common sense to realize that although a day may seem long and tiresome, life is short, live it well. It is common sense to know that your body is a gift, a machine that with age.....cough cough.....is going to need some extra TLC and what you do in your younger years will come back to either pat you on the back, or bite you on the derriere. It is common sense to know that giving to someone else gives YOU more. It is common sense to know that people talk....deal with it. It is common sense to know that no life is perfect, no grass is greener, no one is without problems and NO WAY can you foresee what goes on behind your neighbor's closed doors, so throw that envy away. It is common sense to know that we are a universe of diverse societies and cultures and what you believe to be the 'be all/end all'......just may not be. Respect differences, as much as you expect to be respected. It is common sense to know that an active mind is a sharper mind, but also that peace and quiet grow gardens of maturity and wisdom. And lastly it is common sense to know that you are not a mistake, you were put on this earth for a purpose. Find that purpose. And give it back in spades to the One who made you. Find yourself on your knees both physically and mentally as much as you can. You, my friend, are not the Master of the Universe. But you ARE someone's everything, you ARE loved by Someone so powerful and great and abundant that your mind can't conceive His enormity . Don't squander the life you've been given. Give thanks and then give back. Common sense........you have it. Live it daily.

Bonds.............

This morning I woke up thinking about Bonds....NOT savings bonds, or treasury bonds...but daily bonds we all have in our lives. We are bonded as a human race. We are bonded with community and family and friends and jobs and commitments. Some of these bonds are held by velvet ropes that are soft and enjoyable and good and make us prosper deep inside of ourselves. Some of these bonds not so much. Some we are tethered to with chains that drag us down and make each life step heavy with effort. I think that from time to time we all need to examine our bonds and what effects they have on us. Stop and take a look behind you. Do you see a deep hard heavy trail that has been made by those heavy bonds, those ropes that tie you to things and people that make you miserable? Do you see scars around your ankles where you have been forced to pull on these weights that have burdened you to the point of making each day miserable? I hope if you do, then you find someway to break those chains, heal those scars and when you again take the time to look back there are no deep scars, there are no heavy trails in the paths you've walked. Instead I hope your bonds are light and soft and healing not hurtful. I hope you've surrounded yourself with people and habits and hobbies that prosper you and don't mire you in quicksand. The fact is that no one goes through life without bonds....both good and bad. But the fact also is that you are the pilot of your life, and with Grace and Faith, you can break deadly chains. You can turn your face upward to the clear amazingly beautiful cloudless sky. Enjoy the ties that bind you to what strengthens you. And have the courage to break the bonds that scar and hurt and destroy. You are strong enough to do it. You have only to ask for help. I hope your week begins with velvet bonds and joy. Happy Monday Guys and Dolls.

Time....Times Three

We are three dimensional when it comes to time. We, as humans, live in the present, recollect the past, and look toward the future. This set of circumstances can be both blessings and curses. How sad it would be to lose wonderful memories of the past or not to be able to anticipate exciting things to come. But also how sad to miss out on the present because we dwell on past mistakes and worry about the future. I think sometimes the rooms of our minds are cluttered with too much regret and worry, much like a hoarder only leaves a trail in a house,we only leave a tiny space to enjoy today. And with this overabundance of thoughts, we struggle to walk through our present. We are too busy finding the trail through the mass of mistakes and worry. We have no open space to just be. So today, I hope you clear the clutter. Literally throw it away. It may return, in fact it most probably will, but just today, have a clear, clean, wide open space of the present. Enjoy this day. You can never erase past mistakes, nor change the future by worry. Today, be an open sky, a pasture of swaying grass, a mountaintop of thankfulness. Enjoy this Sunday. It's your day.

Hurdles................

We all have them. They are those personal weaknesses, that keep us from living a truly joyous life. They are obstacles in our paths. They are boulders just around the corner. They are hidden deep within us and sometimes so invisible, we don't even realize they are there without true scrutiny. They are embedded in our personalities and souls. So at this point are you shaking your headed and thinking 'huh'? Stop for a few seconds and see if you recognize your own very personal hurdle. I know mine. I know when it rears it's ugly head and steals the brightness of my day. I know it is a constant battle. Maybe you think you don't have one, but you do. We are all human with our frailness of spirit. None of us are perfect in our emotional lives. NONE OF US! And here's the thing. If you don't know what yours is, then how can you fight it? If it isn't glaringly apparent, then friends, you have to delve very deep into you inner self and study, for I assure you that you have a hurdle. It took years for me to understand mine and then years of faith and prayer and working to overcome that big nasty emotional ride that would without warning suck the air out of my day. It is life. It is your leap to overcome whatever is in your path. It can't be blamed on your family or your friends or your past, but it can and will steal your future if you don't do some soul searching and recognize that you are human and that you do have a hurdle. Yes, today, I'm vague. Today, I may not make much sense to some of you, but I'm betting that some of you are already saying...yep, I get it. I have worked for years to straighten this fragile spot. And I recognize the fact that I will have to continue every day of my life to get over my hurdle. I hope you take this entire blog and when you have a quiet moment do some soul searching. It may take minutes, days or years, but you need to arm yourself for this battle. I promise you it is a hard fought thing, but when you know what you're facing, then you recognize the fight. Ignorance is not always bliss. Knowledge is power. Live your life with courage. Face whatever it there to be faced and then stand strong. Life is worth it....precious beyond belief.