Chapter 11, Page 30, Book 16

♥ ¸¸.•*¨*•♫♪ It’s the Most Wonderful Season of All♥ ¸¸.•*

There is no medicine like hope, no incentive so great, and no tonic so powerful as expectationof something better tomorrow. 

Orison Swett Marden

Our world is going through massive change on every level. Our trust and faith in the future has been severely shaken. Material wealth has proved to be a false God. There is no longer a certainty of a job and many institutions that we may have trusted such as government, business, banks and churches seem to  have failed many of us. We are now living in a world that is increasingly hard for people to comprehend and predict and people of all ages are finding it hard to see hope in their lives.

Life changes every single day, and so can we.  That’s the truth, yet oftentimes we feel hopelessly stuck against our will.   Because the changes we seek breed uncertainty, and life can be hard to navigate when we’re uncertain about things.  That is when we need hope.

Be a Beacon of Hope for the World

We all need hope...When things don’t feel like they are going our way…When things around us just don’t make sense…when we wonder when the pain is going to end…we all need hope.

Sometimes pain ends when one person is kind to another or when we express gratitude, share loving words,  or help someone out. Hope, after all, is the richest gift we can give. It may come in the form of a few dollars, or an easy smile or perhaps a gentle nod. But, however small, it is the greatest gift we can give.

We must not ever underestimate the importance of hope within our lives. Hope is what makes what seems impossible possible. Without hope life becomes meaningless and we will lose our dignity and our quality of life.

A smile is nature's best antidote for discouragement.
It brings rest to the weary,
Sunshine to those who are frowning,
And hope to those who are hopeless and defeated.
A smile is so valuable that it can't be bought,
Begged, borrowed, or taken away against your will.
You have to be willing to give a smile away
Before it can do anyone else any good.
So if someone is too tired or grumpy to flash you a smile,
Let him have one of yours anyway.
Nobody needs a smile as much
As the person who has none to give.

Dale Carnegie

♥ ¸¸.•*¨*•♫♪ It’s the Most Wonderful Season of All♥ ¸¸.•*¨*•♫♪ 

Chapter 11, Page 29, Book 16

♥ ¸¸.•*¨*•♫♪ It’s the Most Wonderful Season of All♥ ¸¸.•*¨*•♫♪ 

The Weary World Rejoices In Hope !

This is a season of hope and of longing, of joyful expectation and of peaceful preparation.

It is a time of getting ready for the celebration of Christmas

The traditional Christmas tree is a very ancient custom which exalts the value of life, as in winter the evergreen becomes a sign of undying life. The tree is decorated and Christmas gifts are placed under it.

The beginning of Advent is a time for the hanging of the green, decorating  with evergreen wreaths, boughs, or trees that help to symbolize  new and everlasting life

The message of the Christmas tree,  is that life is 'ever green' if one gives: not so much material things, but of oneself: in friendship and sincere affection, and fraternal help and forgiveness, in shared time together.

Advent is about hope that human existence has meaning and possibility beyond our present experiences, a hope that the limits of our lives are not nearly as narrow as we experience them to be. It is not that we have possibility in ourselves, but that God is a God of new things and so all things are possible

The circle of our Advent wreath reminds us of God Himself, eternal and endlessly merciful. It is evergreen reminding us of the hope of eternal life. Candles light the winter night's and are a sign of hope for the future light of spring and new life.

Hope begins in the dark, the stubborn hope that if you just show up and try to do the right thing, the dawn will come. 

Anne Lamott

The season of Advent awakens the hope at the heart of humanity, a hope frequently obscured by the monotony and disappointment of daily life. We long for a better world: a world in which generosity triumphs over selfishness, a world in which integrity drives out corruption, in which peace safeguards heart and home. 

Wishing you all the joyful hope of Advent! 

As long as there is one upright man, as long as there is one compassionate woman, the contagion may spread and the scene is not desolate. Hope is the one thing left to us in a bad time. 

 E.B. White

♥ ¸¸.•*¨*•♫♪ It’s the Most Wonderful Season of All♥ ¸¸.•*

Chapter 11, Page 28, Book 16

♥ ¸¸.•*¨*•♫♪ It’s the Most Wonderful Season of All♥ ¸¸.•*¨*•♫♪ 

Have hope and Prepare 

Happy Advent! It’s that time of year to begin to prepare for  Christmas. I believe that Christmas is not just a memory but a reality.

The time between Thanksgiving and Christmas is special. The lights are up, trees are decorated, and everyone is busy getting ready. Anticipation is in the air.

Hope is like the sun, which, as we journey toward it, casts the shadow of our burden behind us. 

Samuel Smiles

Advent Week One:  Hope

The marvelous thing about Advent is that we can find joy in the journey as well as in the destination. Who doesn’t need more hope in their life these days?  Hope is what helps us step out and believe in what we cannot see. Hope is God’s grace to accept that there is a certain amount of mystery to our faith and to still be confident that God can work in our lives. 

This is not a blind hope, and it’s not all an impossible mystery that we will never understand. In the midst of all the mysteries of our faith, we can still believe because of what we do understand: that God’s Son came to us on Christmas in order to save us from our sins and fill us with his Holy Spirit.

So for the next four weeks, let’s set our hearts on preparing. And let’s do it filled with confidence and hope.

We might have been so stuck in discouragement that we are no longer attentive to signs of hope, to graces being offered us, to any light at all.  Sometimes genuine healing and reconciliation in our families, our communities and in our world need serious preparation.  We prepare by letting light into places of darkness.  We can let Advent come alive by spending time saying that our relationships are more important than our differing ideas.

Bright star leads through the night.

Fragile, flickering candle persists against the darkness.

First sunbeam, rising over the the mountaintop, shines with warmth and light.

Hope leads. Hope persists. Hope shines.

♥ ¸¸.•*¨*•♫♪ It’s the Most Wonderful Season of All♥ ¸¸.•*¨*•♫♪ 

Chapter 11, Page 27, Book 16

Once again, my dear people,

Merry Christmas is here,

With holly and mistletoe

And its good will and cheer!

With its joys and its heartaches,

With its laughter and song,

It comes as a reminder

That time marches along.

Gertrude Tooley Buckingham

♥ ¸¸.•*¨*•♫♪ It’s the Most Wonderful Season of All♥ ¸¸.•*¨*•♫♪ 

Thanksgiving is over and as always time keeps marching on.  We are now entering in to what I call THE MOST WONDERFUL SEASON OF ALL.  All the busyness of days of preparation for Christmas and then the Christmas Season its self are just WONDERFUL.

It’s the season of Hope, Joy, Love and Peace!

It is Christmas in the heart that puts Christmas in the air. 

W.T. Ellis

Each week leading up to Christmas I’ll be writing about each one of these topics:  Hope, Joy, Love and Peace.  They will make for some interesting subjects I’m sure.  

I hope you’ll join me on the path to Christmas in the days ahead.  We are told to remember the true meaning of Christmas.  But amidst the hectic pace of holiday preparations, that’s much more easily said than done.

The pictures are from last years black Friday celebration here at my house when we gathered to decorate gingerbread houses.

Our hearts grow tender with childhood memories and love of kindred, and we are better throughout the year for having, in spirit, become a child again at Christmas time. 

Laura Ingalls Wilder

♥ ¸¸.•*¨*•♫♪ It’s the Most Wonderful Season of All♥ ¸¸.•*¨*•♫♪ 

Chapter 11, Page 25, Book 16

Just a note to say, I was off line for a day so that two of my sons could do a little update to my computer, so I thought I'd better check in here.  I've been having a great visit with these two and their families.

I rarely miss a daily post and I felt a little off kilter not doing so but hopefully, it's all for the best.  Eventually all the updating they did will make sense.

Till I get everything worked out I may post sporadically for a while.

Happy Day After Thanksgiving!

Chapter 11, Page 23, Book 11

November 23rd - I’m thankful for traditions that bind us together

Traditions are group efforts to keep the unexpected from happening. 

Mignon McLaughlin

The holidays are filled with ritual, tradition and expectation.  Simply put we hold onto holiday traditions because they add meaning to our celebrations, and help bond us to those we love.  they provide stability, a sense of family history, and feelings of roots. 

Our family traditions have changed a little but not a lot.  We still have the tradition Turkey and Pumpkin pie.  But as my family has grown so large they’ve all taken over the holidays with each taking a turn to host the family dinner.  My house is too small to hold them all anymore.  Each one of them also have their own traditions, but a lot of the old ones remain.

Traditions are important, because they are built in family time and time spent together is important. Especially in families with young children. Kids need a lot of time so the family traditions become especially important.  They build strong relationships between generations

Traditions are worth preserving. It's easy to let go when you are busy, but they are worth it,  they bring us closer together and the memories of those traditions are often what hold relationships together.

Remember a happy peaceful time in your past…Rest there.  Each moment has a richness that takes a life time to savor.

Chapter 11, Page 22, Book 16

The best of the old stories spoke to the listener because they spoke not just to the ears but to the heart as well. 

Jane Yolen

22nd - I am thankful for story of faith told in the Bible

The Bible give us a list of human stories on both sides of the ledger. One list of human stories is used examples -- do what these people did. Another list of human stories is used as warnings -- don't do what these people did. So if your story ever gets in one of these books, make sure they use it as an example, not a warning. 

Jim Rohn

I have learned a lot from the stories of long ago.  When every you need an answer, they can be found.  The words written yesterday are for today too.  

This is about real life lessons that can be applied to your life in an instant.  Here are just a few:

To Serve Is To Be Great

Whoever wants to be great must become a servant.

Here is the secret to great leadership. Leadership is not about rulership. It is about serving others. And in giving to others you will never lack for any good thing in your life..

There Is A Cure For Worry

Look at the birds, free and unfettered, not tied down to a job description, careless in the care of God. And you count far more to him than birds.  Instead of looking at the fashions, walk out into the fields and look at the wildflowers. They never primp or shop, but have you ever seen color and design quite like it?  If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers, most of which are never even seen, don’t you think he’ll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you.

Love Conquers All
Teacher, which command in God’s Law is the most important? Jesus said, Love the Lord your God with all your passion and prayer and intelligence. This is the most important, the first on any list. But there is a second to set alongside it: Love others as well as you love yourself.

Nothing Is Impossible If You Have Faith

The simple truth is that if you had a mere kernel of faith, a poppy seed, say, you would tell this mountain, ‘Move!’ and it would move. There is nothing you wouldn’t be able to tackle.

Faith is a small word, but a powerful one at that. Faith is trust in a greater one than yourself, trust in the abilities that have been placed within you, and trust that with every step forward you will find your way towards your dreams and your goals.

If you don't know the trees you may be lost in the forest, but if you don't know the stories you may be lost in life. 

Anonymous

Chapter 11, Page 21, Book 16

Gratitude is the music of the heart, when its chords are swept by the breeze of kindness. 

Author Unknown

21st - I am thankful for the song the birds sing each morning

Some days there won't be a song in your heart.  Sing anyway. 

Emory Austin

We can learn a lot from the birds about living in the present moment.   Every day is a new day to them. Every day comes with a sense of joy. Their songs are loud, they come with a tune.  The birds sing and greet each other with cheer. They flock together to connect and get ready for the day ahead.  Their existence is simple, it’s virtually a way of living in the now. The simple existence of being alive, of being able to wake up in the morning and treat each day as new.

¸¸.•*¨*•Let’s all sing like the birdies sing. Tweet, tweet tweet, tweet tweet  

 Let's all sing like the birdies sing,¸¸.•*¨*•Sweet, sweet sweet, sweet sweet. 

It never ceases to amaze me as to how such a small being can produce such melodious sounds. You only get one shot at life, and you don’t have a whole lot of control over what happens to you in it. Take advantage of the choices that you do have.

I choose to be amazed!

Life is a song.  Love is the music.  

Author Unknown

Chapter 11, Page 20, Book 16

Feelings aroused by the touch of someone's hand, the sound of music, the smell of a flower, a beautiful sunset, a work of art, love, laughter, hope and faith - all work on both the unconscious and the conscious aspects of the self, and they have physiological consequences as well. 

Bernie Siegel

November 20th - I am thankful for the touch of kindness in my life

Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see.

Mark Twain

We all tend to flourish when treated with kindness, and this becomes even more true as we age. With less time ahead of us than behind us, the need for a less complicated, kinder life replaces the need for those external signs of success like the big house; the new car, etc. that were so important to us in earlier years. 

They that sow kindness gather love

Showing kindness doesn’t cost anything or even take much time. It does not require elaborate preparation. Kindness can be as simple as a warm smile; a touch; or a word of encouragement.

Remember: Being kind to others is a way of being good to yourself.

True Kindness is a kind act done not for looks not for any other reason than the act itself.  It brings a renewed faith in human nature, a sense of the sheer goodness which human beings are often capable of, which sometimes might seem difficult to see amidst the chaos and conflict of everyday life.

No love, no friendship can cross the path of our destiny without leaving some mark on it forever.

 François Mauriac. 

Chapter 11, Page 19, Book 16

The purpose of art is washing the dust of daily life off our souls.

 Pablo Picasso

November 19th - I am thankful for art in all is various forms

Be true to yourself, help others, make each day your masterpiece, make friendship a fine art, drink deeply from good books - especially the Bible, build a shelter against a rainy day, give thanks for your blessings and pray for guidance every day. 

John Wooden

Trying to define art is a waste of time, but the fun is in the trying.   There is the art making of objects, images, music, etc. that are beautiful or that express feelings, the activity of painting, drawing, and making sculpture.

Art can also be an activity through which people express particular ideas, art is found in drama and the theater. Art is shown as a skill or special ability: the art of conversation.

Art affirms all that is best in man — hope, faith, love, beauty, prayer…What he dreams of and what he hopes for. What is art? Like a declaration of love: the consciousness of our dependence on each other. A confession. An unconscious act that none the less reflects the true meaning of life—love and sacrifice.

Andrei Tarkovsk

What is art to one person is not necessarily art to another.

Art is anything of the ‘ordinary’ that provokes the imagination to come alive.

Kameron Bayne

It’s the ordinary that is all around us.  It’s the simple things, the route you take to work every day, the colors of autumn leaves, or giggles from children crossing the street.  Such things are easy to dimiss as mundane, but the truth is they are new and subtly different every single time.  They are the raw ingredients for what we call art.

Each of us is an artist of our days; the greater our integrity and awareness, the more original and creative our time will become.

John O’Donohue

Chapter 11, Page 18, Book 16

Caring about others, running the risk of feeling, and leaving an impact on people, brings happiness.

Harold Kushner

November 18th -  I am thankful for all the People in my life 

Be grateful to people who make us happy. They are the gardeners who make our souls blossom. 

 Marcel Prous

 Life is all about the people who impact us and the people whom we impact.  It’s people who’ve made my life what it is. 

I am grateful for friends and family who’ve stuck by me through the years and who’ve supported my unique approach to life and my eccentric habits and ideologies.  As I’ve gotten older, I’ve come to understand and appreciate the importance of these tried and true relationships.

The holiday season generally brings us closer to people. Sometimes that closeness reminds us how much we love each other. Sometimes it reminds us that we drive each other crazy, as family often does.

At the heart of it, Thanksgiving in particular calls us to see people with the deepest appreciation for the gifts they’ve given us. Some gifts are more immediately obvious than others, the type that come with praise, affection, and genuine esteem.

I am thankful I have experienced the weight of loving someone too much, so I know my heart is capable of such a feat.

I am thankful I have watched family members leave when they needed to leave. I am thankful they’ve come back home.

I can smile because I have the most amazing people in my life and everyday they make my life full of amazement and I'm thankful for all the unforgettable moments

You Are Known

It’s not who you know – it’s how you are known by those who know you

Gene Autry

Chapter 11, Page 17, Book 16

Gratitude takes nothing for granted, is never unresponsive, is constantly awakening to new wonder, and to praise of the goodness of God. 

Thomas Merton

17th -  I am thankful for the knowledge to know, there is always more to learn

Learning is ongoing. Open your eyes and heart.

I do learn something new every day of my life.  Even though I’ve lived a lot of years and have had an unknown amount of experiences that have taught me a lot about life…learning is on going.  

I’ve learned untold lessons in life but that doesn’t mean I remember all of them.  Sometimes the lesson has to repeated again and again before it sinks in.

One thing I know for sure is that the more I take time to be thankful and express my gratitude, the more I have to be thankful for.  A spirit of gratitude opens our eyes to a world of wonder we so often take for granted.   I am thankful my life is a beautiful mess and a lesson every day, and that this is enough reason to keep on keeping on, and more than enough reason to continue being thankful. 

Always think on the bright side--no matter what life brings
to your day.  You'll gain a treasure within your soul
that no worry or hardship can ever take away.

Isaac Purcell

There is a lot of power in gratitude.  It gets our eyes off ourselves, and helps us to focus back on God.  It reminds us we're not in control, but that we serve a Mighty God who is. 

Gratitude helps us to recognize that we have so much to be thankful for, even all of the little things, which often we may forget to thank Him for, but they really are the biggest, most important things in this life. It takes our attention off of our problems and helps us instead to reflect on, to remember, the goodness of His many blessings.

A heart of gratitude leaves no room for complaining. For it is impossible to be truly thankful and filled with negativity and ungratefulness at the same time.

The good news is that gratitude is for everyone because we all have things to be thankful for at any time and in any place. 

Remember:   If the sun is shining, and we want to receive its light, we must open our eyes.

Nine tenths of wisdom is appreciation. Go find somebody's hand and squeeze it... while there is still time. 

Dale Tauten

Chapter 11, Page 16, Book 16

Somebody said that it couldn't be done,

But he with a chuckle replied
That maybe it couldn't, but he would be one
Who wouldn't say so till he'd tried.
So he buckled right in with the trace of a grin
On his face. If he worried he hid it.
He started to sing as he tackled the thing
That couldn't be done, and he did it. 

Edgar A. Guest

16th - I am thankful for my body which was uniquely and wonderfully made

If my mind can conceive it, if my heart can believe it, I know I can achieve it because I am somebody! 

Jesse Jackson 

There are times we forget that we are somebody.  Somebody that cares and loves and makes a little difference in every day. What ever we do reflects on to others the kind of person we are. 

Most of us think that there’s nothing amazing about me. Nothing wonderful. I’m just average. I’m just ordinary. No, the fact is there is nothing at all ordinary about you! You have a fingerprint that nobody else has. There will never be another you. 

If you compare yourself to someone else, you'll always be second best. We get in trouble when we compare ourselves to others, always finding someone who is younger, taller, thinner, more athletic, more graceful and the list goes on.

Remember:  You are an original. When God made you, He threw away the mold. 

Always be a first rate version of yourself, instead of a second rate version of somebody else. 

Judy Garland 

   Everybody can be the somebody that makes a difference in the lives of others.  You don't need to make a grand gesture. Sometimes it's the little things that make the biggest difference in someone's day. Maybe even someone's life.

I wondered why somebody didn't do something. Then I realized, I am somebody. 

Author Unknown 

Chapter 11, Page 15, Book 16

Sing a song of seasons!
Something bright in all!
Flowers in the Summer,
Fires in the Fall.

Robert Louis Stevenson 

November 15th - I am thankful for a season that reminds me to be thankful!

I love Thanksgiving because it's a holiday that is centered around food and family, two things that are of utmost importance to me.

 Marcus Samuelsson

The month of November means that the Holiday Season begins.  It’s a most wonderful time of the year.  

It’s a time for family gatherings. Cooking and baking the traditional foods like turkey, stuffing and pumpkin pies.  There will be gifts to buy and give in the days ahead.  Theres a warm feeling in the air that isn’t usually there.  The colder weather gives us ample time to sit and talk and just relish the time we get to spend together.  

 The holiday season tends to make people joyful and nostalgic.  We step out of busy lives and spend time with our families, loved ones, friends. We come together at parties, and dinners.

It’s sad to say but too many people turn a potentially joyful time of year into a train wreck by becoming too wedded to expectations and losing sight of what is important.  What is important is the human connection, family, friends, sharing, self reflection, slowing down, shorter days, and a world draped in lights and even hope. 

This is a season to remember to not to get lost in the fantasies and expectations, but take solace in gratitude for some of your realities instead. 

Choices

Some people sit, some people try;
Some people laugh, some people cry;
Some people will, some people won't;
Some people do, some people don't.

Some people believe, and develop a plan;
Some people doubt, never think that they can;
Some people face hurdles and give it their best;
Some people back down when faced with a test.

Some people complain of their miserable lot;
Some people are thankful for all that they've got;
And when it’s all over, when it comes to an end;
Some people lose out, and some people win.

We all have a choice, we all have a say;
We are spectators in life, or we get in and play;
Whichever we choose, how we handle life’s game;
The choices are ours, no one else is to blame.

Author Unknown

Chapter 11, Page 14, Book 16

Gratitude is looking on the brighter side of the life, even if it means hurting your eyes. 

Ellen DeGeneres

November 14th - I’m thankful for the sight to see the brighter side of life

Of all the senses, sight must be the most delightful. 

Helen Keller

When you look on the bright side of life you try to see something good in a bad situation.  Every day may not be a good one but there is something good in every day if we take the time to look.

Your attitude is like a box of crayons that color your world. Constantly color your picture gray, and your picture will always be bleak. Try adding some bright colors to the picture by including humor, and your picture begins to lighten up. 

Allen Klein 

 Life is what you make it.  You can look for, and see, the dark side of life or choose to look on the bright side of things. It's your life, and your choice.

Someone once reminded me, that the average pencil is seven inches long, and the eraser is only a quarter of an inch long - just in case you thought optimism was dead.

When I open my eyes to a brighter view of life and the opportunity to see the best in myself and in others. I am free to embrace life with optimism and JOY.

Look on the bright side, at least it can only get better.

Author Unknown