*I Wish You Happiness*

There are moments in life when you miss someone so much that you just want to pick them from your dreams and hug them. Dream what you want to dream, go where you want to go, be what you want to be, because you have only one life and one chance to do all the things you want to do.

May you have enough happiness to make you sweet, enough trials to make you strong, enough sorrow to keep you human, enough hope to make you happy. Always put yourself in others' shoes. If you feel that it hurts you, it probably hurts the other person, too. The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the most of everything that comes along their way.

Happiness lies for those who cry, those who hurt, those who have searched, and those who tried, for only they can appreciate the importance of people who have touched their lives. Love begins with a smile, grows with a kiss and ends with a tear. The brightest future will always be based on a forgotten past, you can't go on well in life until you let go of your past failures and heartaches. When you were born, you were crying and everyone around you was smiling. Live your life so that when you die, you're the one who is smiling and everyone around you is crying.

Recipe for Happiness

1. Take a 10-30 minute walk every day. And while you walk, smile. It is the Ultimate anti-depressant.
2. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day. Talk to God about what is going on in your life. Buy a lock if you have to.


3. When you wake up in the morning complete the following statement, 'Mypurpose is to __________ today. I am thankful for______________'.


4. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants.


5. Drink green tea and plenty of water. Eat blueberries, wild Alaskan salmon, broccoli, almonds & walnuts.


6. Try to make at least three people smile each day.


7. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip, energy vampires, issues of the past, negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.


8. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a college kid with a maxed out charge card.


9. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.


10. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.


11. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.


12. You are not so important that you have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.


13. Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present.


14. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.


15. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.


16. Frame every so-called disaster with these words: 'In five years, will this matter?'


17. Forgive everyone for everything.


18. What other people think of you is none of your business.


19. GOD heals everything - but you have to ask Him.


20. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.


21. Your job won't take care of you when you are in need. Your friends, following God’s directionswill. Stay in touch!!!


22. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.


23. Each night before you go to bed complete the following statements: I am Thankful for __________. Today I accomplished _________.


24. Remember that you are too blessed to be stressed.


25. When you are feeling down, start listing your many blessings. You'll be smiling before you know it.

Amazing!

I cry every time I watch this. Susan Boyle from Britain's Got Talent. Amazing!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxPZh4AnWyk

Reminisce

I'm not sure if work is draining me or if it's the weather lately, but I've been a bit drained the past couple of weeks. If only I could take a vacation and regroup, I think it would help right now. But alas, Mike is unemployed at the present time due to the wonderful economy and therefore, I must continue to work, as do so many others who'd rather be enjoying some free time.

I'm starting an exercise routine and hopefully this will help to rejuvenate and get me out of the funk I've been in. :) And, it sure would be nice to feel better about myself if I could lose a few extra lbs. that I've been carrying since my li'l boy was born.

Tomorrow I will post a new altered creation I've made for the Mind Wide Open April challenge. :) http://mind-wideopen.blogspot.com/

Have a great day everyone! And now I must get back to work.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

May you always have work for your hands to do. May your pockets hold always a coin or two. May the sun shine bright on your windowpane. May the rainbow be certain to follow each rain. May the hand of a friend always be near you. And may God fill your heart with gladness to cheer you. ~ Irish Blessing

A Strange Match Up

It was not your usual Friday night football game. In November 2008, Grapevine Faith Christian School, a 9-time state championship team, was playing Gainesville State School, a maximum security correctional facility for boys 12 to 19.

At Gainesville, the boys who are juniors and seniors in the facility have to earn the right to play football. Their ability to play is based on the fact that they have served half their sentence, they have no behavioral incidents and they have good grades. They have no cheerleaders and zero fans sit in the stands each game.

“We discovered when we were reassigned to a new district, that our week 10 game was Gainesville State School. Immediately, we looked at this as a ministry opportunity as soon as we saw it,” said Coach Kris Hogan, athletic director for Grapevine Faith Christian School.

Grapevine Faith has a reputation in the community for winning numerous state championships in the last four years. They have a big following and lots of parental involvement. Kris decided to send an email to all of the parents in the school.

“I told them that we had was an opportunity. I wanted to send a message to these Gainesville kids that they are just as important and valuable as any other kid on planet earth. We wanted to show them that Jesus loves them and we loved them,” Coach Hogan said. “And I wanted to affirm their good choices for them having earned the right to play football.”

It would be the first time the two teams played each other. Gainesville State played other high school football teams in other districts, but no one ever cheered for them. So Coach Hogan asked the Grapevine parents to sit on the opposing side so the Gainesville team would have fans.

“In the case of the Gainesville kids, some don’t even know their parents,” Coach Hogan said. “And if they did, they couldn’t come because technically they are incarcerated. These kids have never had anyone cheer for them.”

Coach Hogan printed off a roster.

“We cheered for them by name,” he said. “We divided our cheerleaders in half and formed a 40-yard ‘spirit’ line. We treated them like it was their home game.”

Normally, people look at the Gainesville kids as criminals. This time, the Gainesville kids saw love, and were filled with gratitude.

“They had no idea what to do. They sprinted through the spirit line and were pumped up. They acted like they just played in the Super Bowl because people were loving on them,” Coach Hogan said. Even though Faith beat Gainesville 33-14, the Gainesville kids were so happy that after the game they gave their head coach, Mark Williams, a sideline squirt of Gatorade, just as if he had won the state championship.

After the game, each boy was escorted back to their bus under the watch of 12 uniformed police officers. Each were handed a bag for the ride home: a burger, some fries, a soda, some candy, a Bible and an encouraging letter from a Faith player. The Gainesville coach grabbed Coach Hogan by the shoulders.

“You’ll never know what your people did for these kids tonight. You’ll never, ever know,” he said.

*~Friendship~*

True friendship comes when silence between two people is comfortable. ~ Dave Tyson Gentry

Your friend is the man who knows all about you, and still likes you. ~ Elbert Hubbard

Being unwanted, unloved, uncared for, forgotten by everybody, I think that is a much greater hunger, a much greater poverty than the person who has nothing to eat...We must find each other. ~ Mother Teresa

Moonlight Suns This Silent Night
Close your eyes don't mind the night

As you sleep come watch the light

Dance silently to those unheard songs

Welcome to where your heart belongs

Moonlight suns this silent night

Sing your heart 'til goes it light

Lie down the grass and watch the stars

I'm right here,

I'm never far

Gentle breeze they kiss your cheek

Rest now you tired and weak

Breathe in deep let go that smile

Tomorrow go another mile