Touching the wind ~ 10/28/13

"Thought is the wind, knowledge is the sail and mankind the vessel"

:o) August Hare

Every day we awake, different times mind you but we all start our day awakening from the prior days actions.  We rise and we start out anew, often with a pattern and habits long ago formed.

Are these patterns and habits helping or hurting your vessel as you pull out of port 

Do you feel refreshed or foggy from the rest you rise from?

Do you feel grateful or apathetic that you have to get on with your day?

Some of my best mornings come from awakening with out my alarm, without any plans or hurry involved just with three simple actions.

Action one ~  step out of the bed, feet on the floor and pray the simple yet profound prayer:

Thank you for it all, my chance at another day, my family and all that I am empowered with.

Thank you for it all.

Action two ~  Stretch those limbs out.  Watch our pet dog or cat and you will find one of the first  actions they do is to stretch.  Try it and start your day with more blood flowing.

Action three ~  Stay away from any and all negative self talk.  The day begins and what are your first thoughts.  Are they filled with joy?  Are they filled with anger or sadness?  

Thoughts become things and so your day will flow from these thoughts.

Just three simple actions steps. 

If thought is the wind should we not touch it once in awhile?

May your day be blessed and may your smiles be long held as you venture out.

Smiles sent : )

Victor V. Yakin

www.victoryakin.com

About Getting Well and Moving On

With the past, I have nothing to do;

nor with the future.  I live now.

~Ralph Waldo Emerson

I must say I love Emerson, he simplifies so well.  On Make ME Smile Online's Mission Statement his view on Success as he defines it fits well with my spirit.  It keeps me grounded sort of speak and allows me to focus on what truly matters.

What truly matters to me is feeling the awesome responsibility of being a parent. Of loving your children and no matter the fault that they have or the problem they may have created you still love them as you would water or oxygen.  That unconditional love that a parent has for their child is greater even than the love of a brother or sister.  They are you and you want nothing than the best.

What truly matters to me is helping another breathe a bit easier because you made a difference, you shared a kind word, some advice, a smile, a gentle touch even if your miles apart.

If fact Facebook has that power, last night a picture came aboard and so it is easy to embed right here in this post.  Ok so it didn't embed, tried it wouldn't I forgive Gather and its software. LOL

The picture reads:

FORGIVENESS is not something we do for OTHER PEOPLE

We do it for OURSELVES - to GET WELL and MOVE ON.

How very true.....  We do it for ourselves.  We all know that hate, bitterness, anger can resonate and bounce off walls stronger and harder than those of love, contentment, happiness.

Hey bad news travels faster and so does hate.

But when those walls are the walls of our spirit, our inner self then what destruction they can do for the inner lining of our true spirit and purpose in life.

Stop, forgive, move on and heal.

There is many of us who have pain in our life.

The pain of loss, a death in our family, or circle of friends it is loss and it hurts.

The pain of a separation, a partner who leave us, who wants to throw in the towel, maybe greener grass so they think, maybe just poor relationship skills, maybe just bad habits that keep derailing them and now it effects not just them but you.  And me....lol

The pain of being wronged, losing a job in a tough economy, losing money that we need to pay bills, to help our family.

All pain hurts and the sooner we find ourselves.  We find our center and we look slowly at our current footing we will feel that pain.

We all need to forgive.

Forgive not for them those who hurt us, but for us who needs to move on.  To stop looking back and look at the present footing we stand upon.

God is good!  God wants us to succeed.  Pain and hatred and suffering is a part of life for sure.  But so is forgiveness, love and implementation of a better plan.

We must forgive in order to start the healing process.

We must stand before we can walk.

We must walk before we can run.

We move on, we get better and we start the healing process as soon as we say so.

Say so today.

Say so now.

Forgive and move on!

We are children of God.  We are able to overcome anything.

History shows this time and time again, the strong in faith and love and hope will survive anything.

One prayer at a time.  One step at a time.  This moment in time is yours.  Take control of it.  Take hold of it.  Love always, live for today and Smile.  Laugh a little too.  But smile, look in that mirror that hangs on that wall... and smile and let that soul, that spirit that looks back at you know that not only can you move on, be happy, smile in the face of pain but you will and that will starts now.

That 'will' starts now.

May God Grant  You the Serenity to Accept the Things You Cannot Change... The Courage to Change the Things You Can and the Wisdom to Know the Difference.

May your day be bless and my you start the process of growth and love and joy.

As always smiles sent to you this day .... : )

10/15/11

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The Healing Touch of Nature

Healing rain is a real touch from God.

It could be physical healing or emotional or whatever.

~Michael W. Smith

The sound of rain on the window, or the deck roof.  The effect of this sound to me and most possibly is soothing and has a calming effect.

It rained here last night, sat on the porch, with a hot chocolate, a comfort beverage for me, and just listened.  Took the time to be still and listened to the chatter of rain drops hitting the roof.  So calming, so simple but yet so effective.

Some like the long soaking in a bath, add some candles and a glass of wine and you have quite and blissful alone time.

What do you do to escape?  To be still and quiet.

A hot tub on a cold winter night?

A walk across freshly fallen leaves outside in the yard or park?

To me the quiet reflection or inspection of ourselves is a must if not daily for 10 to 20 minutes then at the very least every other day.  To go beyond that and just let the world muscle you each and every day with out me time.  Well lets just say its not very effective for your state of being.

Prayer time can have some quiet time within it.  Giving thanks and just letting the mind listen and be still for a few minutes.  In praise and silent worship.

Some love candles, they love the scent and also the flicker as the air plays with the flame.

Man loves company - even if it is only that of a small burning candle.

~Georg C. Lichtenberg

It does that, even when your alone a flickering candle brings comfort.

The sound of rain, the comfort of a warm bath.

It soothes and comforts.

Allow yourself that time each day to be soothed.

You deserve it.  The little time alone that gives you peace and comfort.

Make the time each day and know that a smile has been sent out to you.

 

Smiles to you as always..... Smiles to you : )

A soothing video shared with you to help you relax even for just a moment.  Enjoy .....

 

 

10/14/11

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Trust and Faith with plenty of belief

A story from Corrie Ten Boom:

Often I have heard people say, "How good God is!

We prayed that it would not rain for our church picnic,

and look at the lovely weather!"

Yes, God is good when He sends good weather.

But God was also good when He allowed my

sister, Betsie, to starve to death before my eyes in

a German concentration camp.

I remember one occasion when I was very discouraged there.

Everything around us was dark, and there was darkness in my heart.

I remember telling Betsie that I thought God had forgotten us. "No,

Corrie," said Betsie, "He has not forgotten us. Remember His Word:

"For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His steadfast love toward those who fear Him."

Corrie concludes, "There is an ocean of God's love available - there

is plenty for everyone. May God grant you never to doubt that

victorious love - whatever the circumstances."

No matter what the circumstances.

Never Doubt.

God has not forgotten.

God's love is available there is an ocean of his love and plenty for everyone and yes there is enough for you.

No matter your problem, God and his word and his promise is there for all!

Yes your problems may feel overwhelming, they often do feel that way.

My prayer and wish is that your problems and circumstances never get as dark as those that Betsie and Corrie Ten Boom had those days in the concentration camp.

My prayer and wish is that you always take time to pray, to give thanks to live a life of gratitude.

A quote from E. M. Bounds:

When trust is perfect and there is no doubt,

prayer is simply the outstretched hand ready to receive.

Trust perfected is prayer perfected.

Trust looks to receive the thing asked for and gets it.

Trust is not a belief that God can bless or

that He will bless, but that He does bless, here and now.

Trust always operates in the present tense.

Hope looks toward the future.

Trust looks to the present.

Hope expects. Trust possesses.

Trust receives what prayer acquires.

So, what prayer needs, at all times,

is abiding and abundant trust.

He will bless you, your prayer and your door is about to open.

Never quit just before the dawn of a new day.  Some people have the impatience to quit just before the new door was about to open.  Don't let that happen to your answered prayer, or to your efforts to a better way.

It takes effort, answered prayer often comes with our free will to work towards a better way.  But God has the ability to place people in our path that makes those ways easier and he blesses us with all the tools needed.

Tools like Faith, His word, His promise, His love.

Never give up

Never give in

Never ever lose the gift of love and forgiveness.

Dream Big, Pray often, Love Forever, Laugh for no reason and always, always take time to smile!

As always smiles sent your way !  : )

10/03/11

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Aspirations and our faith in them, our view from below that reaches above

Far away there in the sunshine are my highest aspirations.

I may not reach them, but I can look up and see their beauty,

believe in them, and try to follow where they lead.

~Louisa May Alcott

It is far better to aspire, to dream, to strive for what we wish than to ignore our spirit, our love and passion that we all carry within.

 

That is simply what I believe that so many from past experiences of failure or hurt truly just give in.  They long passed that 'why bother' sign post and they are about to turn on the crowded street called bitterness.

A quiet street for many, as they just hang out and stew. LOL

But know I see beauty in what I aspire to do. So should you.

Have that vivid, clear, colorful and rich picture of what you aspire to.  Make it bright, make it loud, make it fun these aspirations that reach to the sky, and dance in the sunshine.

Sometimes the sunshine of our aspirations blinds us and maybe thats why Louisa mentions that she tries to follow her aspirations where they may lead.  But she always believes in them.  She always had faith.  Faith in her aspirations, her view of the beauty of them.

Yesterday I listened to a audio version of Charles Stanley daily audio message.  Click on this link and you can go to this message.

He talks about our view of faith and how we can fail during the stages of faith in our daily walk.

Worth the listen.

The world is full of struggles.  The news is full of gloom.  The darkest hour can be turned around by the brightest second of faith that lasts first for a minute, then two, then ten minutes, then more.

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for,

the evidence of things not seen.

Hebrew 11:1

Louisa in her quote above had hope, saw beauty, attached faith and even with some doubt ignored it and reached for her aspirations.

So should we.... so should you.

We have the evidence in our heart of what we long for.

Some long for love, for passion.

Some long for comfort, for rest for they are weary.

Some long for hope, for a better time, a kinder gentler time.

The search for all of these start from within.

Love and you shall be loved.

Comfort and comfort will return to you.

Hope, and you will search the sunshine for your aspirations and maybe just maybe you will not reach them, but oh how the beauty of them will warm your soul and spirit.

Believe in them your aspirations and always try to follow where they lead you.  Dream big ~ Laugh often ~ Love Always!

Smiles sent your way   :  )

09/28/11

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To inspire, to give, to share and to love

Sometimes we tend to be in despair

when the person we love leaves us,

but the truth is, it's not our loss, but theirs,

for they left the only person who wouldn't give up on them.

~ Melai

I write every day to inspire others.  My mission to have one life breathe easier because I lived.  To share in some thought, that may lead to tears, or laughter or just a quick little smile.  Maybe an ah-ha will be let out.  But to write to inspire another spirit is indeed my goal.  I hope I do right by you the reader.

Oh, I know that I try to.

I almost gave up writing the other day, almost wanted to take some time out and put the fingers to rest.  Maybe it was too painful to keep writing when I was hurting as bad as it has been at times.

Not physical pain, but pain from the heart when someone leaves.  My wife left on the 10th of Sept. Have not heard from her since 1pm that day when she got back to Michigan.

Each day I feel stronger, each day I miss 'her' less.  Sure I still miss her, I hear her laugh, still I feel her touch on that wedding day.  Almost a year ago.

But I know I did my best.  I didin't give up on her, didn't ask her to leave, nor did I beg her to stay.  Because when you beg your really giving up on you.

Watched a message the other day on the Internet, a Christian message and the message was clear.  It was like it spoke to me.

The message was that sometimes our God can allow things to be removed form our life so that we can grow.

God heals and with out a doubt removes pain, can remove sickness.  He wants us to be obedient to his word and his plan for us.

So perhaps God also wants us to choose our plan, our partner, our team better.  So we can make more of a difference for other lives.

This message touched me, so I share that with you.

Maybe you have lost someone, maybe just maybe you have been healed in the past from the pain of relationship lost.  Just perhaps you learned from the experience.

I may be BENT, but not BROKEN, everything happens for a REASON. Because if GOD brings you to it, HE will bring you through it.

~ Author Unknown

I write to inspire, but many times what I write inspires me.  I type with little or no research, it just flows from my fingers.  I pray before and pray after to give thanks.

I share this to give some thought, some smiles, some love.  I hope your visit again, I hope you share in the comments below.

May your direction be filled with smiles, with joy, with love and with a passion to make a difference in the life of others.

Smiles sent your way   :  )

09/24/11

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Feeling lonely? How living with gratitude and service can end those feelings

The interesting thing is why we're so desperate

for this anesthetic against loneliness.

~David Wallace Foster

In the book of Genesis in chapter 2 verse 18 God spoke these words:

The LORD God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him."

Perhaps times have changed, it seems more and more people tend to want to live alone.  The world has even changed to promote those who live alone.

Many families even because of work and school demands have the resemblance of single life.  They seldom get to send time together working opposite schedules they pass each other at the door.

So why is loneliness such a drag......

We were designed by God to live a life of service.  Service to each other and to share in our talents to perhaps make another persons life a bit easier.

Thats why some paint, draw, take pictures, write.  Others love to cook, bake, and share in life their skills in the kitchen.

People don't just go out to eat for simplicity they often do this to be connected in a public venue.

Some go out to drink, not just because they are thirsty, or want to numb their pain, but to become more social, relaxed among friends or even perfect strangers.

It is not desirable for man to be alone.

Oh it is ok.... not saying you can't live a productive life alone and single.  It just seems more enjoyable to live with a helper, a lover, or a partner.

Life is so short, you never know when the final buzzer will blow.

Unlike a sporting event there is not game clock we get to look up at.  Their is no two minute warning that says thats prepare for the end of our life.

It just ends one day.

So if you have that special someone cherish them.  Tell them you love them.  Share a funny story about the why.

And if your alone, don't despair.  God has a plan, a creation and a simple unexplainable way of putting love together.

Live your life of service.

Live your life with prayer.

Live your life with laughter.

You will never be alone with these things.  You'll never be alone.

May your day be blessed.

May your gratitude be over flowing!

Smiles sent your way   :  )

09/22/11

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Attention, awareness and above all effort to pray, smile and love

The really important kind of freedom involves attention,

and awareness, and discipline, and effort,

and being able truly to care about other people

and to sacrifice for them, over and over,

in myriad petty little unsexy ways, every day.

~ David Foster Wallace

Yes its a late night post, almost didn't take time out for you today. Almost took a break, a day off, and it bothered me.  I come to look forward to your comments, and I also take great pride in the fact that my words, inspiration may mean something to you.  May help your day, or night breathe a little easier.

Times are indeed hard on many of us, financial, health, family issues, friends bringing problems to our attention.  Employment issues, unemployment, sons and daughters at war.... The list can go on and on.

But we do care, we do have love in our hearts for others, sometimes more than even ourselves.

I stumbled upon this quote by David Foster Wallace.  A great master of letters, and words, an author of sort.  The quote above was taken from the 2005 Kenyon College commencement speech to that years graduation class.

His work and speech for that day prepares many of us for our daily grind to work and back.  Life in the checkout lane at our local grocery store, or life on the highways of life.

So much filled with humor and yes pain for existence.

Another quote I pull from his speech here:

It is unimaginably hard to do this,

to stay conscious and alive, day in and day out.

No, it is very hard, with the many problems this world has to offer to stay focused on joy, smiles, laughter but we must.

We must take the time, make the time to share love.

To share compassion.

To not have to understand everything that happens to us and its meaning (I can't figure out any of this stuff in my life lol), no we need to just BE.

Be confident!

Be happy!

Be prayerful (should be first)

Be content with life as it happens and make the most out of what we truly have to offer.

On a personal note, this moment in time that I tread through is like hard stuff for me.  I miss coming home to someone who really loves me, (I know my kids love me, but Xbox and Disney channel still rule....lol).  I miss that time on the porch listening to crickets or the wind.

Do I miss the person that hurt me, no, just the idea that someone was here and could care.

I will trudge on.... no ..... I will smile on, my heart is to much in love with life and hope and promise.

I will look up, not down.

I will breathe deep, not shallow.

I will not because I have to ..... but because I truly love that in life.

No doors to knock on .... you bet there will be not right away but God has a plan for me.

I know it, I sense.

I thank him in advance for his plans.  I look forward to them.

So tonight I write with only a few of the seconds in this day that remain.

We all get 86,400 more tomorrow.

I will find you there as well I pray.

Good night and smiles sent your way as always.

Smiles sent your way   :  )

09/21/11

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Gratitude and Love with acceptance

Even after all this time,

The sun never says to the earth,

"You owe me."

Look what happens with

A love like that.

It lights the whole sky.

~ Hafiz of Persia

Wishing you a grateful heart today.  Sending joy and everlasting prayer that when awoken your feet hit the floor with the love and passion for another day alive.  A gift from God.  My wish for today.

Gratitude is a word that when practiced will make your day brighter, more vivid in color and texture and filled with more love for what surrounds you.

True love never says you owe me.  True love accepts what is an tries perhaps to make it better but not through acts of anger or contempt.

What you focus on expands, and when you focus on

the goodness in your life, you create more of it.

Opportunities, relationships, even money flowed

my way when I learned to be grateful

no matter what happened in my life.

- Oprah Winfrey

Having true acceptance is a must when living with gratitude.  Trust that the world is one with you and that the good in your life is more than enough.

Its fine to dream, to seek more, to want but when we are grateful for what we have we no longer have to seek for that next thing.

It finds us.....

Speak well of your moment, your life, your health.

When we speak ill we tend to let it perpetuate in our life.  Like the movie 'Ground Hog Day' .  More of the same seems to get in our cycle over and over.

Live the Gratitude Attitude!

Be thankful for not only being alive this morning but for the things the world freely gives thats all around you.

 

The wind, the fresh air, the song of the birds, the love of your pets, the sun who never says "you owe me" it just shines freely and with no expectations.

May your smiles be that free for another and for yourself as well : )

Just a few thoughts today.

Smiles sent your way   :  )

09/20/11

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Finding Gratitude even when grief hits your life

You fall out of your mother's womb,

you crawl across open country under fire,

and drop into your grave.  

~Quentin Crisp

And this we should be grateful for?   The answer plain and simple, yes!

Perhaps Mr. Crisp left us with a very sarcastic view of our existence or perhaps he was a bit cynical.  Need to know more of when he used this and how it was meant.

But the quote does give much meaning to those who choose to crawl through life.  Those who crawl through life with little purpose, little meaning doing what they think life should be and not written goals.  Why would anyone choose to do that.  Ignorance?  Lack of focus on a much bigger picture?  Lack of faith?

No - life is meant to be lived with a passion in it.  We should never crawl or grovel over life.  We should be passionate and full of wonder of what will come out of the next step.

Life is meant for living, not just existence.

Hey I understand all to well that life does throw you a high fast ball and yes sometimes you will feel true grief maybe even frustration.

But the pain of life will leave lessons and you will at some point understand the message and lesson.  Life and its failures will leave clues that point to success.

We all can lift are head to the heavens and ask the question 'Why me Lord'

and we should but after we ask it, we should be quiet and still and listen for the answer.  It will come.....  We all have a purpose in life and even when life has given you that high fast ball, try to get out the way of it.

But......

If it does happen to hit and it may, understand that this too shall pass.

Turn to prayer for guidance.

Turn to gratitude for the many blessings that we all truly have.

Turn to laughter because you know understand that you 'should have ducked'

Love and laughter and smiles sent to you this day : )

09/15/11

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Your first steps of the morning

Follow the Yellow Brick Road..... A suggestion made to Dorothy and her crew during the movie the Wizard of OZ.  She did not get any other directive, not go through the mud, follow the yellow brick road.  She followed and found the wizard of OZ.  The movie ends happily.

Now if there really was a yellow brick road in life I would take it in a heartbeat and 2x on Sunday.  Just because it sounds like fun.

We do have a choice on which road we take the high road of happiness and joy. The road of making a difference to help someone, to assist with a smile, a kind word or maybe just the road of prayer and gratitude and some laughter along the way.

We have a choice.

We also can choose the opposite.  The road of hate, fear, revenge.  This road leads us to more of the same,  The road of anger, jealousy, envy can be a rocky and treacherous road indeed.

We make a choice each day.

Inspect and reflect on the choices you have made.  Don't live in the past, but understand that the past has taken you to the destination that you are today.

The decisions we make right not will change our course.

Choose love not hate.

Choose kindness not something less.

Choose to smile not moan and groan.

Choose to make a difference not wallow in the mud and do nothing.

It will make a hug difference in your next destination.

Positive energy give positive results.

A quote about energy and choice:

The longer I live, the more I am certain that the great difference between

the great and insignificant is energy - invincible determination -

a purpose once fixed and then death or victory.

~ Sir Thomas Fowell Buxton

Stay focused and stay determined to live with love and joy.

Prayer, Spoken Gratitude and Laughter on the first steps of your morning.

Watch the day come alive with your energy, try it and see for yourself!

May your day be blessed : )

Smiles sent your way   :  )

09/14/11

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Love, Gratitude and Action

If I only have the will to be grateful, I am so

— Seneca (8 BC-65 AD)

When we 'will' something to be so in anything with action, it is indeed so.

My your actions today bring the attitude of gratitude into your spirit and your daily walk.

May you first 'will' it to be so and it shall be. Smiles as always sent to thee.

Love perhaps on of the greatest gifts one person can receive from another.

Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous;

Love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly

it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take

into account a wrong suffered.

does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth;

bears all things, believes all things,

endures all things,

hopes all things,

Love never fails, But now faith, hope, love, abide these three;

but the greatest of these is love.

~ 1 Corinthians 13: 4-7, 13

Love, true unconditional love never fails.

You start each day with prayer, giving love and praise to God.

You then speak your gratitude for the love of what you have in your life.

You laugh with no fear that anything will impede on your love and gratitude and that all challenges have solutions.

You do these three things.

Love, speak gratitude from your lips and laugh.

Your onto something, I promise you.

Love with all your might what has been given to you.

Give thanks for what you have and don't focus one minute on what you don't have.

We all have plenty.  

Plenty of life, opportunity, and blessings from above.

We just need to act on these opportunities.  

Belief and action that we have all we need.  

Does that mean we don't strive for more?

Of course not, but when we set our goals, when we make our plan, when the results start to pour in and we re-evaluate our next steps and we have these things in our life, magic starts to happen.

We work on things out of love, not fear.

We share things based on how grateful we are and lack greed.

We make things happen because we believe and have no doubt.

Stay grateful today, speak it out to the world.

Love always, dream big and laugh freely.

Just a few thoughts today.

Smiles sent your way   :  )

09/13/11

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