Life, It Does Have It's Moments!

Which kind of Christmas Spirit do you have?

2009-12-03T09:41:00.000-08:00

There are many different types of people so Christmas is celebrated many different ways for different reasons. What do you love most about Christmas? What puts a smile on your face and warmth and love in your heart the most?

Click on the link below to take a fun quiz, "Which kind of Christmas Spirit do you have?". Just answer a few questions and rate the priority for each of your answers. You also get to predict what you think your results will be.

http://www.selectsmart.com/FREE/select.php?client=christmas

I just took this very quiz! My results are posted below they did not turn out as I predicted. LOL

It is fun to compare what you think about yourself with the results from your answers...Go ahead

give it a try...just for fun and get into the Christmas Spirit!

Your Which kind of Christmas Spirit do you have? Results:

''My #1'' equals your best match. Default order is alphabetical, Mariana determined the order.
URL: http://selectsmart.com/FREE/select.php?client=christmas
Link: Which kind of Christmas Spirit do you have?


	My #1 is:	Childish : “Santa will come! And if the boring adults don’t believe, stick your tongue to them!" Books, etc.
	My #2 is:	Familiar : “Family reunited, old people distant physically, but not in heart, together again. This is happiness!" Books, etc.
	My #3 is:	Miraculous : “Once in a year, people decide to just love those around them, and to actually try to work together. No matter my religion (or lack of), can’t I just be happy because of that?" Books, etc.
	My #4 is:	Materialist : “Gifts! Gifts! Gifts!" Books, etc.
	My #5 is:	Religious : “Materialist and pagan references may undermine the true spirit of Christmas, but none of this will change the fact that this is time to rejoice! It’s Christ birthday!" Books, etc.
	My #6 is:	Alienated : “Christmas? What Christmas?" Books, etc.
	My #7 is:	Grimch : “Christmas? Desperate parents warring each other in overcrowded malls to get the latest super mercantile trinket for their shouting kids. Humpft!" Books, etc.

The Thanksgiving Moment

2009-11-20T14:03:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving is one of Life's great moments!

Family travels from all over going home for the holiday to spend all day cooking then join everyone at the table to eat the fine feast created with love! My favorite thing is (and most hate this part) when we all take turns saying what we are thankful for this year!

then after the meal everyone gathers in the biggest room in the place with the most comfortable seats to relax, unbutton the top botton on your pants and watch some FOOTBALL!

Many memories are made and I am thankful for them all!

Everyone have a wonderful holiday moment!

The Time For Thanks!

2009-11-13T07:56:00.000-08:00

Here we are again at Holiday time! So fast this year has gone by! Christmas right around the corner and everyone is so, so busy! However, the holiday we will celebrate in just a couple weeks is my personal favorite! THANKSGIVING!

Thanksgiving is the perfect time to really reflect on the current year of your life and remember all of the moments that make life oh so good! All the laughter, smiles, hugs and loving times you have had! No place for the hurt, pain, problems or tears right now! Everything is set aside to enjoy the good things! I love it!

To many times we are bogged down by so many negative things. It is especially nice to concentrate on what makes us happy, what we are truly thankful for. In the midst of real life everyday struggles we lose sight of what it is that keeps us going. Why we get up in the morning and all the times we have gone to bed with a smile on are faces!

I am so thankful for every one of those little moments this year. When I stop an think about it... so many things flood my mind...a smile comes across my face along with a feeling of joy and peacefulness!

If only we could do that everyday as opposed to only one holiday a year, just imagine how our lives might be affected! The spread of happiness would be overwhelming! Ok, I let my imagination run away a bit there...hahaha but you get the idea...right? Happiness is contagious the same as sadness...

So if we were to bring happiness into work with us every morning that would spread to every person we see, over every phone call to the person on the other end...in turn would be spread to the next person they spoke to and so on and so on.

Yes, just a small impact that may not last forever. But! It is in the little things we find the most important things sometimes! So why not give it a shot? Be in the positive just to see what happens.

Start your list of what you are thankful for today. Add a new thing everyday between now and Thanksgiving. It will make your day a little brighter every time you stop to think of something that puts a smile on your face and you may spread a little happiness to the person next to as well!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

~Robert Brault Quotes:

2009-11-05T14:30:00.000-08:00

“Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.”

“I value the friend who for me finds time on his calendar, but I cherish the friend who for me
does not consult his calendar.”

“Looking back you realize that a very special person passed briefly through your life- and it was you. It is not too late to find that person again.”

“Count no day lost in which you waited your turn, took only your share and sought advantage over no one.”

“Today I bent the truth to be kind, and I have no regret, for I am far surer of what is kind than I am of what is true.”

“What do you really need?”

2009-02-12T09:56:00.000-08:00

“Happiness, the sheer joy of being alive, is within our reach. All we need is an attitude of gratitude,” writes M.J. Ryan in her book Attitudes of Gratitude: How to Give and Receive Joy Every Day of Your Life. I’ve found that cultivating an attitude of gratitude is one of the most important things I can do for myself. A way to discover this attitude of gratitude is to ask myself, “What do I really need?” Often, the answer to that question helps me put my priorities into place and remember what’s really important in life. So today, I ask you, “What do you really need?”

Keep enjoying the little things! ♥

2008-12-15T09:25:00.001-08:00

Positive Lessons

Everyone you meet today has something to teach you.
When you feel yourself getting angry,
frustrated or impatient with the behavior of others,
ask yourself this question.

What is this person helping me to learn?
Even those who treat you badly
can teach you valuable lessons in patience,
compassion, forgiveness and other important virtues.
Letting yourself become annoyed or frustrated with others
adds no value whatsoever to your life,
or to anyone else for that matter.
So take a different approach.

Challenge yourself to learn
from those difficult people and difficult situations.

When an aggressive driver cuts you off,
when a slow sales clerk keeps you waiting,
when a telemarketer interrupts your evening,
look for something to learn from the experience.

Redirect the energy of the situation
so that something positive comes of it.

Look for a way to grow.

Respond to each encounter in a way that will
add value to your life and to your world.

You'll find that such an approach
can quickly make an enormous positive difference.

Ralph Marston

2008-12-15T09:12:00.000-08:00

A Flower
by E. Raymond Rock

Have you ever considered the flower?.

It doesn't live long, but while it does, it displays itself so beautifully. It doesn't concern itself with tomorrow, or yesterday; only this one precious moment is important as it unfolds its petals. It positions itself so that it doesn't crowd the other flowers; they all find their place in the field, quietly growing in silence and peace.

A flower requires rain, but doesn't hoard the rain it receives; the rain is allowed to fall equally on all the flowers of the field. It trusts that enough rain will come, and if it doesn't, the flower rests it's fate with all the other flowers.

A flower feels neither hate nor love of its neighbors, only peaceful coexistence, as if the flower is not important enough to even cast judgments such as love or hate. It sees itself as not very significant in the grand scope of things, and perhaps this is why it is so beautiful. It's exuberance is that of an innocent child in the universe, full of hope and trust, unaware even of itself, yet knowing somehow that it can never die...

The fields will always be arrayed

with beautiful flowers.

I won't live long, either, considering how fast a lifetime speeds by . . . and I notice the flowers more often now. Who knows, perhaps the time I have left on this earth will be counted in months rather than years . . . and I only wish that I could display myself as beautifully as a flower with what time I have left. Too much of my time has been spent saving up the rain, which I no longer need.

My goals in life have been superficial.

The simple, beautiful thing that a flower does so naturally, growing toward the light, I should have done, but I grew toward other things that caught my eye. I wasn't still enough to notice flowers back then; all I could see was myself. I had so many chances to display myself beautifully, but instead I surrendered to my fears, and greedily pushed others aside as I climbed over them to get the best spot in the field...

But with the time I have left, I will forgo the mindless pursuits of my youth and study the lowly, exalted flower. I will discover its secret, and I will learn to grow toward the light as it does. I will find out how to display myself beautifully so that whomever I encounter, they will go away feeling better than before...

I will dedicate myself to truth,
no longer greedy or fearful,
or thinking that I am special.

I will trust that the rain will fall,
and that the light will help me grow.

And I will reach beyond my small self that keeps me so ugly and out of step with the vast meadow of life, a vast field of constant renewal that I am beginning to see with new eyes.

I will no longer hate the other flowers;
how could I now?

This morning, I walked through my garden as usual, but the sunlight on the flowers was different,

so extraordinarily brilliant. And suddenly, I realized that the sun was falling on me too...
All I had to do was accept its warmth,
and accept all things that may come along.

And trust

Inspirational Movies

2008-12-04T12:57:00.000-08:00

Inspirational Movies

Filled with warmth, humor and encouragement, each tells a priceless story interwoven with beautiful photography and artwork. Each is truly a treasure. Give a gift that will be remembered for a lifetime.

The Power of 10%

Reminding us all that small things really do matter, this inspirational DVD will motivate you to unleash YOUR Power of 10%.

Leadership Lessons

Reminding us all that each of us is a leader to someone, this inspirational DVD will motivate you to become the best leader you can be.

Welcome The Rain

Inspiring us to see beyond life's storms, this beautifully powerful movie is a companion piece to the Welcome The Rain Welcome The Rain! book. Recognizing life's challenges while reminding us that only we can choose our attitudes, this movie motivates us to

Walk the Talk

WALK the TALK will inspire readers to reflect on their personal and professional behaviors and commit to living important and universally accepted values – at work and in their personal lives. A must-read for everyone!

The Richest Man in Town

The Richest Man in Town is a true story that captures the important things in life in an unforgettable way. It is beautifully written and will make you laugh, make you cry, but most importantly, will make you reflect on what life is about.

Great Quotes from Great Leaders

This extraordinary book will be a source of inspiration and knowledge for many years to come. It is a beautiful coffee table edition with 160 pages, 75 wonderful photographs and over 400 great quotations from leaders in all walks of life. It’s guaranteed to be treasured.

Finding Joy

In a word – Breathtaking! In Finding Joy, Mac Anderson has compiled an amazing collection of inspiring photographs and meaningful quotes into a gorgeous gift book. Some of the most beautiful things in life are also the most simplistic. Such is the wisdom found in this book, simple yet powerful.

Change is Good...YOU GO FIRST!

Deciding to make changes is the easy part. Getting your people on board is much more difficult. Mac Anderson and Tom Feltenstein, have teamed up to write an unforgettable book on inspiring change in your organization. It’s a must read for every manager in your company.

Finish Strong

The words Finish Strong instantly and clearly communicate a performance goal. In this breathtaking gift book, you will share in the triumphs a variety of individuals who all shared a common value – the desire to overcome their obstacle and ultimately Finish Strong.

The Simple Truths of Appreciation

Barbara Glanz has created an instant classic that takes you on a journey through 10 key principles of appreciation. If your looking for a great gift to recognize someone special or to simply say "Thank You", then this is the perfect gift.

Teamwork

Inspired by the Ultimate Team. This beautifully designed gift book written by Blue Angel pilot, Scott Beare and award-winning designer Michael McMillan will “knock your socks off.”

The Power of Attitude

It will help you manage your energy levels, keep your soul alive, take new paths, reduce stress, attack your fears, and hang on when the storms blow through.

To a Child, Love is Time

This book offers inspirational insights on what parenting is all about. It's a little book with a powerful message. It will make you rethink life's priorities.

Because Our Children Are Watching

A short inspirational movie, produced by The WALK THE TALK Company, that’s sure to make you think, stir your soul, grab your heart and not let go!

Thankful today and everyday....

2008-12-01T09:51:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving is always a time to evaluate and reflect on your life and determine all that you are thankful for. Most say: family, friends, health, home, etc. Which makes for a wonderful day of uplifted spirits and happy hearts all around the thanksgiving dinner table and lighthearted fun during the after feast football game and nap. Then comes time to clean everything up... lol and all the thankful fun has now turned into, "well, that lazy @#%$", " I have to do everything around here!" What better reason could one have for suggesting that we be thankful everyday instead of only once a year? ;0) Yes... Thankful everyday for waking up, seeing your children and family (young and old), thankful for the food you eat and that you are healthy everyday . Finding joy and fun in life and family all year long. Why wait until Thanksgiving and Christmas for those wonderful moments? We can have them daily if we will only consider what we have and not take it for granted. The saying "you don't know what you have til it's gone" could not be more true! Too many times we fly so fast through our lives looking for the next "thing" we forget what we just got and have had for so many years. People get neglected, mistreated and plain forgotten. S-l-o-w... d-o-w-n... let that next thing wait while you truly see the smile on a loved ones face and wind blow their hair, the rain fall on their face. Their laugh at one of the families favorite TV shows, while playing their favorite game and even how you come to the rescue when they are down about something. All things hold value in this life. I hope to never lose sight of that.

10 keys to bring more inspiration into your life

2008-11-19T09:59:00.000-08:00

Have you ever asked yourself what is inspiration?

When the word inspiration is broken down into it's component parts, it simply means "in - spirit".

When you are living "in - spirit" You feel excited about yourself and your life. You have a special connection with all parts of your mind and body.

The question is how can we connect to our spirit at all times to take that actions that make all things possible ?

Below are ten keys to opening your doors to your inspiration.

1. The first key to inspiration is enjoyment. It would take a spiritual master to get inspired about doing the dishes. So find something that really excites you. It can be anything that you really enjoy.

2. The second key is love. When you are actively pouring love into what you are doing, this will guarantee that you are opening yourself to experiencing more inspiration.

3. The third key is to trust yourself. Listen to that little voice inside yourself and know that this comes from heart. This is called intuition.

4. The fourth key is to follow what your intuition tells you. The more you listen to it, the stronger your intuition will become. If you don't pay attention, that little voice gets fainter and fainter until you can no longer hear it.

5. The fifth key is to keep telling yourself "I can". These are some of the most powerful words that you can ever use. When you say this to yourself often enough, you build abridge between yourself and your inspiration.

6. The sixth key is not to listen to anyone that says "no you can't". They might think that they may not be able to, and try to project this negative belief onto you, but remember to keep telling yourself that, "I can! "

7. The seventh key is to believe in yourself. When you are backed by a strong belief in yourself and your dreams, nothing is impossible.

8. The eighth key is to avoid negativity. Ask yourself, do you really need to read the newspaper or watch the news on TV everyday ? Nothing kills inspiration quicker than being surrounded by bad news.

9. The ninth key is acceptance. Accept that on some days you feel much more inspired than on others. This is normal, nobody can be completely inspired every minute of the day.

10. The tenth key is possibly the most important of all. Take action every day, no matter how small a step it seems. Action is the fuel to the fires of inspiration. Make it a daily practise to keep your fire burning. The taking of actions, no matter how small, will fill you with inspiration for taking the next step.

Be Thankful on a Daily Basis

2008-11-11T10:23:00.000-08:00

Recent scientific research has begun to indicate that positive emotions, such as gratitude and love, strengthen and enhance the immune system, enabling the body to resist disease and recover more quickly from illness, through the release of endorphins into the bloodstream. Endorphins are the body’s natural painkillers. Among other effects, they stimulate dilation of the blood vessels, which leads to a relaxed heart. What this means is that the more we experience a sense of gratitude, we literally bathe ourselves in good hormones and feel happier and more content with our lives. Like most great spiritual truths, gratitude is stunningly simple. This is not to say it’s necessarily easy to practice. All kinds of distractions and negative attitudes from our upbringings may get in the way. But all you really have to do to receive gratitude’s gifts is make a commitment to be thankful on a daily basis, and the world will be suddenly transformed into a beautiful wonderland in which you are invited to play.

Be glad of life...

2008-10-20T11:37:00.000-07:00

A simple but good message! ;0)

Helen Keller, an extraordinary woman, there is so much we can all learn from her. Her quotes are eye opening and touching! If you are not familiar with her story, it is well worth the read and may change the way you think about things. ♥

A good movie! ;0)

2008-10-14T14:12:00.000-07:00

After the day I have had, I am so ready to kick back and watch a good movie! I know it's not a tranquil, soul moving experience, although some movies can be just that. I absolutely love a good movie! I get caught up in the story so much I can forget all the stress of the day (the week if it is really good) for a whole two hours! Funny how a movie can bring out different emotions in us. We laugh until we cry. Cry like we are truly feeling the pain, get angry and even talk to the screen as if they can actually hear us and heed out warnings or advice. We can almost live a different life while we are watching. Be inspired or bring out emotions sometimes we did not even know we had. Some make us think and re-think. Some challenge us, our belief systems, our morals, right and wrong. Some show us what it is like to be in another persons shoes and teach us lessons and others are simply to entertain us. To smile and laugh, have a great time. Today I would like to live a funny adventure, so Indiana Jones it is! Many lives await us... and we can live any we choose! For at least two hours! ;0)

Rainy Days...

2008-10-07T11:17:00.000-07:00

It's been raining here for two days now, no storms, just beautiful rain. Most people dislike rainy days. I on the other hand love them! I love to walk outside, stand there with my arms outstretched looking up to the darkened sky, while the cool drops of water soak through to my skin. There is such a feeling of freedom and "aah" that comes over me as if being cleansed somehow by the natural water falling to the earth. In touch with the child inside me having fun and laughing in the rain without a care in this world. It is truly such a spectacular moment in time that, if I could, I would capture it so it could last forever! So the next time it starts to rain and you find yourself feeling the "rainy day blues", try going outside to find the child in yourself and turn what could have been a dreary day into a spectacular one!

Until next time... Keep Smiling ;0)

~Zos♥

Small Wonders

2008-10-01T08:23:00.000-07:00

This morning when the kids and I were leaving the house, off to school and work, there was a little bit of a nip in the air with a slight northeast wind. I could not help but stop and think how much I love this time of year. Even though we were running late (as always) it was wonderful to feel the cool air on my face watching them smiling and talking away as we went to the car. Then we always listen to the radio sometimes sing along and chat along the way until I have to drop them off. We have our little routine every morning of what we say to each other and not one day passes where we forget it. These small precious moments hold a very special place in my heart I hope to never forget. Children have a tendency to grow up on us and the chance to relive such moments are gone forever. Enjoy the day and hang on to the small wonders that come your way.

~Zos♥

The Touch

2008-09-26T14:38:00.000-07:00

Today I felt the touch of a person I love very much! I had not felt that touch in a very long time. It is amazing how another human touch can feel so perfect, comfortable and welcomed like wrapping yourself in your favorite thick bathrobe and settling down in your favorite chair. I just wanted to stay there forever and never let go! It is hard to put into words just how tranquil and special it truly felt. Moments such as these are to be treasured and appreciated. Just another one of Life's gifts to be thankful for.

~Zos♥

9/25/08 4:34 pm

2008-09-25T14:25:00.000-07:00

Even the smallest of things can bring peace...like the brief moments that I feel happy and content being a single mom. The quiet times when you really feel like everything is going to be alright are worth so much! Happiness truly does come from within.

Getting Started....

2008-09-24T14:12:00.000-07:00

Life really does have it's moments. The one's you never want to see end. The one's that bring you such happiness and joy. Peacefulness and calm. I will be writing about those moments. There are many things in this life to be thankful for. The first thing that comes to mind are my children of course and being able to just relax and feel the wind on my face. It brings such peace to my spirit. The little things touch me the most. Each day I am going try to make time to stop and take in all that God has made around me, revel in the wonder of it and let the stress of the day melt away!

~Zos♥