Thought of the Day - 8/15/09

What the world really needs is more love and less paperwork.
~~ Pearl Bailey ~~

Family Minute #55

Are you a thermostat or thermometer?

A thermostat sets the temperature, a thermometer reflects the temperature. Too many parents are thermometers... they reflect their child's mood. If David is nice, they are nice. But if David is nasty... well, you get the picture. Effective parents should be thermostats... setting the climate of the household by how they react, or don't react, to their child's behavior. They choose to be joyful when their child is hurtful. They choose to be calm when their child is out of control. And they choose to love, when their child is unlovable.

Remember your family first.

Thought of the Day - 8/14/09

Everyone is in such a hurry these days. People haven't found meaning in their lives, so they're running all the time looking for it. They think the next car, the next house, the next job. Then they find those things are empty, too, and they keep running.

Once you start running, it is hard to slow yourself down.

Thought of the Day - 8/13/09

There is no experience like having children. There is no substitute for it. If you want the experience of having complete responsibility for another human being, and to learn how to love and bond in the deepest way, then you should have children.

Thought of the Day - 8/12/09

The fact is, there is no foundation, no secure ground, upon which people may stand today if it isn't the family. If you don't have the support and love and caring and concern you get from a family, you don't have much at all. Love is so supremely important.
~~ Morrie from Tuesdays with Morrie, Mitch Albom ~~

Find Your Fragrance

Thought of the Day - 8/11/09

Without love, we are birds with broken wings.

Thought of the Day - 8/10/09

So many people walk around with a meaningless life. They seem half-asleep, even when they're busy doing things they think are important. This is because they're chasing the wrong things. The way you get meaning into your life is to devote yourself to loving others, devote yourself to your community around you, and devote yourself to creating something that gives you purpose and meaning.
~~ Morrie from Tuesdays with Morrie, Mitch Albom ~~

Memorial to My Mother

Tomorrow is my mother's funeral and burial. I was asked today to speak at her service. Below is my memorial to my mother.

Be strong. Be intelligent. Smile.

Know that beauty has everything to do with how you feel about yourself and nothing to do with looks or other people's opinions.

Never do anything just because everyone else is if you believe it's wrong.

Always be true to yourself.

Stand up for what you believe in.

Expect the best from life and that's what you'll get.

Learn from your mistakes and failures.

Believe in magic and wish on stars.

Love and trust and be compassionate.

Make faces. Play in mud puddles. Take bubble baths.

Turn off all the lights and watch lightening storms.

Dance, laugh, cry, and sing when you want to.

Read everything you can get your hands on.

Stand up for what is right especially if you stand alone.

Don't allow yourself or people around you to tolerate prejudices of any kind.

Don't be afraid to try something new.

Do something daring at least once a week.

Run through snow drifts.

Spin in circles and roll down hills.

Pet puppies, hold kittens, and talk to/cuddle babies.

Take afternoon naps. Stay up to watch the sunrise.

Never apologize for being a woman or for being yourself.

Never forget that I love you more than any other person in the world, no matter how far apart we are you will always be my daughter.

Her last words to me were, "I've always loved you. I love you forever and always."

Thank you, Mom, for everything you taught me, for loving me no matter what I did.

I love you, Mom.

Thought of the Day - 8/9/09

Don't assume that it's too late to get involved.