"As a man thinketh in his heart so is he..." (Proverbs 23:7).

Many of us are accustomed to going through life without concern for our thinking. We mistakenly assume that life happens to us and that we have little control over our circumstances. Yet, the Bible tells us that " as a man thinketh in his heart, so is he ..."   How much more then are we capable of simply by focusing our thoughts in the direction we want to go?

Cultivate the habit of believing in yourself and your ability to achieve the seemingly impossible, today. Cast away doubt and fear that you may reach your potential and bring your dreams and goals to pass.

Today I am grateful for the robin that sings outside my window exhorting me to wake up and live another day. I am grateful for the sun as it peaks from behind the clouds, for lilacs about to bloom and for butterflies that float from flower to flower.


I am grateful for the gently flowing of woodland streams, for ferns that adorn the forest floor and moss that is soft and cool beneath my feet. I am grateful for the white trillium, big purple violets ad dogwood that bring beauty to the world. I am grateful for flowers, for grass and for leaves.


I am grateful for family that brings me great joy, for neighbors who are eager to lend a helping hand and for strangers that share a willing smile.


And, I am grateful for you, dear reader, as you stop to share my day. May you cast away fear and doubt and cultivate the habit of believing in yourself today, as you go forward in the direction of your dreams.

We tend to get what we expect. Norman Vincent Peale

The simple truth that our expectations set the stage for what we receive may seem too simple, too easy or too fundamental for us to believe. Many of us have been raised to think that we are but mere puppets in the game of life and that life happens to us. That simply isn't true. Our attitude towards life, the expectation with which we greet the day and our belief in something outside of ourselves makes things happen.

Greet the day with joy and expectation today that your life may be filled with abundance and peace of mind. Cultivate your dreams today that you may reach above a mundane existence and overcome obstacles in your way.

So often we greet the day with an attitude of defeat and fear, never giving thought to the power within us all to overcome and to live joyous lives. I challenge you today to lift up your thoughts, refine your dreams and expect the best to come your way.

Today, I am grateful for the generosity of others, for warm smiles and light hearts. I am grateful for helping hands that reach out to the lives of others. I am grateful for Norma Vincent Peale who has touched my heart with his wise words first in The Power of Positive Thinking and now The Amazing Results of Positive Thinking. 


I am grateful for the mighty Universe filled with beauty from the tiny flower to the vastness of space. I am grateful for sunny days, for starry skies and for summer. I am grateful for water that flows in tiny streams and mighty rivers and brings life to the earth.


I am grateful to meet the day with hope and expectation of all good things that shall come to pass, for family that shares my life and neighbors who amaze me with their generosity. I am grateful for babies that bring new life into the homes of proud parents, for pets that comfort the sad or lonely and for music that soothes the soul.


And, I am grateful for you, dear reader, as you stop to share my day. May you meet the day with expectation of the good things to come as you go forward in the direction of your dreams.

Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant.~Robert Louis Stevenson

So often we become so focused on the harvest that we forget that sowing the right seeds is necessary to get the results we desire. Think of your life as garden today and consider the seeds you must sow to cultivate a thing of beauty.

Just as the gardener must choose his seeds wisely and plant them in fertile soil -- we must choose our thoughts and dreams wisely and nurture them as they grow.

Today, I am grateful for the singing birds, the flash of yellow finches and the robin perched high above the earth singing his welcome to the day. I am grateful for the promise of sun today that has yet to appear amidst the silent gray clouds. I am grateful for a reprieve from late spring rains that has enveloped our world for far too long.


I am grateful for herbs, for flowers and vegetables I have yet to plant. I am grateful for my garden that lies in wait of sunny days, for my climbing rose that grows beneath the clouds waiting to burst forth with the sun. I am grateful for the mighty forest that provides a home to creatures large and small.


I am grateful for the vast oceans of the world, for mountains that stand proud and tall and rainforests teeming with life. I am grateful for wild flowers, for butterflies and bees.


I am grateful for my family and my children who always make me proud.


And, I am grateful for you, dear reader, as you stop to share my day. May you concentrate on sowing the seeds of a bright tomorrow as you go forward in the direction of your dreams.

The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams. John Updike

Too often, we let the world around us convince us that our dreams are unrealistic or that we cannot attain them and give up before we have even tried. Guard against the influence of those who lack your vision. Cultivate belief in the beauty of your dreams, today, as you work to meet your goals. Always remember that it is your belief and faith in your dreams that brings them to pass.

Today, I am grateful for the promise of a returning sun, for the red-breasted grossbeak that adorns my feeder and for raindrops that slow to a light mist.


I am grateful for ears that hear, a heart that beats and lungs that breathe. I am grateful for fingers to type, for a clear sound mind and a sense of humor.

I am grateful for the ability to dream and for the knowledge that I hold the power to make my dreams come true. I am grateful for clarity of thought that I may direct my energies in the direction I wish to go. I am grateful for opportunities to share my skills with others, for hands that are eager to offer help when it is needed, and for a heart that see the good in the world.


I am grateful for laughter as it rings out, sending positive waves into the world, for smiles that brighten a damp, dreary day, and for moments of silence that brings peace to the soul.


I am grateful for family and friends who I hold dear, for pets who share my life and for wild animals that find shelter from the storm. I am grateful for teachers who honor the value of children, for parents who strive to improve their lives and for the unborn who will one day inherit the world.


And, I am grateful for you, dear reader, as you stop to share my day. May you always believe in your ability to reach your goals as you go forward in the direction of your dreams.

Dream Quotes to Live By
Find out what great minds like Thoreau, Harriet Tubman
and Eleanor Roosevelt have to say about the value of your
dreams.

Avoid problems, and you'll never be the one who overcame them. Richard Bach

As humans, we often accept obstacles in our way as a reason to quit or as sign that our dreams and goals are not meant to be. Instead of finding a way around them, we give up, giving them the power to control our success and direction in life.

Cultivate the habit of viewing obstacles as challenges to overcome and work diligently to reach your goals and dreams, despite the obstacles in your way.

Today, I am grateful to Richard Bach whose work is filled with inspiration and universal truths. I am grateful for eyes to read, a heart to understand and the courage to overcome obstacles. I am grateful for encouraging words, giving hearts and opportunities I have yet to see.


I am grateful for new opportunities that have come my way, for the ability to meet them with grace and confidence and for a future filled with light. I am grateful for rainy days that precede the sun, for nights that bring us rest and for sunsets in all their glory.


I am grateful for air to breathe, food to eat and time to play. I am grateful for work that motivates me, for an outpouring of words that touch the lives of others and for coffee.


I am grateful for a circle of people I call friends, for family bonds and for children everywhere. I am grateful for the elderly who share their experience with the world, for the young who meet life with exuberance and for Baby Boomers who still strive to find their way in the world.


And, I am grateful for you, dear reader, as you stop to share my day. May you cultivate the art of overcoming obstacles as you go forward in the direction of your dreams.

~More inspirational words from Richard Bach~

Inspirational Richard Bach Quotes
A Forerunner of the Secret
 If you are a product of the seventies, you probably remember "Jonathan Livingston Seagull" and "Illusions" by Richard Bach. Their truths ring as true today as they did over 30 years ago.

I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. John 10:10

Many people assume the Law of Attraction is nothing more that new age thinking that has no real basis. Some question whether the principles are Biblical in nature and shy away out of fear or uncertainty. From my point of view, the incredible power of the human mind is evidence of the divine hand of God in creating the vast Universe. Read more about what the Bible has to say about how your thinking and your faith affects the world around you~

Does the Bible Support the Law of Attraction?

Many view the Law of Attraction and the teachings of the Bible as opposing views, but with close inspection they may be more similar than you think. Inspirational Bible verses to get you on track for receiving blessings.

 

Today, I am grateful for the vast Universe in all its beauty, for clouds filled with rain that replenish the earth and for birds that sing happily from treetops.

 

I am grateful for the fragrance of newly mowed lawns, for the tiny white violets and for daffodils. I am grateful for leaves unfurling, lilacs that will soon bloom and for the soft green grass beneath bare feet.

 

I am grateful for  Family and friends that fill my life, for those I have yet to meet and those who have touched my life long ago that made me who I am.

And, I am grateful for you, dear reader, as you stop to share my day. May your life be filled with abundance as you go forward in the direction of your dreams.

The ability to be in the present moment is a major component of mental wellness. Abraham Maslow

According to Deepak Chopra in Quantum Healing, bliss is a state where healing takes place. It is an old Ayurveda  term that refers to a state of being where awareness is heightened and self knowledge is attained.

This always seemed a bit out of reach for me--until I read that to understand bliss, one must be present in the moment. I'll admit it, I've read that a few times and self-righteously scoffed at those who spend their lives dwelling in the past or romantically dreaming of a future that they are unwilling to work towards. I thought I lived in the moment.

I was wrong. You see, I confused living in the present with living in the moment. Many of us "live in the present" and have mastered the art of releasing the past. What we haven't done well is learn to live in the moment. We blame it on our face-paced lives, our many commitments and our quest to reach our goals and dreams. We are bound to the modern concept that the prize lies at the end that the first person to get there wins. It doesn't.

I decided to give this new concept a try and make a concentrated effort to "live the moment". I consciously brought my thoughts back to the moment as soon as they strayed. It was harder than I expected. Not because controlling your thoughts is difficult, but because it goes against everything we have been taught.

I was surprised to learn how much of my day is spent ignoring the moment and looking either forward or backward in time. Instead of enjoying breakfast, I found myself reviewing the things I needed to do as soon as it was done. While writing an article, my mind wandered to the next one I would write. When I took the dog out, I found myself hurrying him so I could be on to the next task on my list. Instead of enjoying the moments of my day, I was rushing through them--cruising onward to the next and the next as though I would suddenly find some magical prize.

This morning, when the dog and I ventured out for a morning walk, I resisted the urge to rush on to the next task in my day. I listened to the robins sing and felt the gentle spring breeze against my face. I watched the return of the hummingbird as he arrived at dawn sipping nectar from my feeder in silent bliss. The goldfinch flashed his brilliant yellow as the sun's rays painted the horizon and I heard the quiet rustle of the wind.

Cultivate the habit of living "in the moment" as you strive to reach your dreams, never letting the vision of the future overpower the joy of the moment.

Today, I am grateful for an amazing Universe that provides for all our needs, for the mighty God who brought it into being and for the blessings I have received.


I am grateful to live amidst nature--for country roads, meandering brooks and creatures large and small. I am grateful green grass, unfolding leaves and brilliant blue skies. 


I am grateful for the goodness of people and their desire to help one another along the way. I am grateful for family and friends that make my life rich, for pets that bring added warmth and for gardens that just now begin to grow.


And, I am grateful for you, dear reader, as you stop to share my day. May the moments of your day be filled with bliss as you learn to live in the moment while creating the path to the direction of your dreams.

“A man is but the product of his thoughts what he thinks, he becomes.” Gandhi

So often in life, we become so caught up in people and things that lead us astray that we forget that our lives become what we think about. Instead of focusing on our goals and dreams, we let the troubles of the world dictate what we shall think, feel and believe. Before we know it, our lives have changed and we are mystified as to how it happened.

Guard your thoughts carefully today and develop the habit of focusing on that which is uplifting and leads in the direction of your dreams.

Today, I am grateful for the chorus of birds, the flush of new growth in my garden and  soft white clouds that make way for the sun. I am grateful for buzzing bees, for flitting moths and for the first blooms of spring.


I am grateful for the changing of seasons that melt slowly one into another, for new leaves that emerge in green-gold to adorn bare trees, and for tiny ferns that begin to unfold. I am grateful for babbling brooks that flow swiftly in early spring and settle into placid pools by midsummer. I am grateful for inspiration that comes with spring and lifts the soul.


I am grateful for family who brings me great joy, for children who challenge my thinking and make me proud,  and for brothers and sisters who made me who I am. I am grateful for a husband that supports my efforts as writer and listens to my grumbling when the words fail to flow. I am grateful for parents who have gone before me, but not without leaving their mark on the world. I feel them both in all that I do.


I am grateful for those who commit their lives to improving the lives of others, for those who lend a helping hand and for those who give a willing smile.


And, I am grateful for you, dear reader, as you stop to share my day. May you focus your thoughts on all that is good and positive in the world as you go forward in the direction of your dreams.

“Faith is like electricity. You can't see it, but you can see the light.”

CC-By 2.0 Generic VictorianMutant

So often in life we spend our time believing in only what we can see and we lose faith in that which we cannot see. Yet, it is that which we cannot see that often holds the greatest power. Get into the habit of seeing with more than your eyes, today and build faith that all will unfold as it should.

Let the power of God, or the Universe, or whatever you envision the source of your life force to be, guide you today as you work towards your goals and dreams.

My daughter takes the leap of faith, today, as she is Baptized--yet I am concerned that the money for college won't be there for her to pursue her first choice of schools. How short-sighted we human beings can be. (If you would like to help her reach her dreams, you can donate toward her college costs on the top right hand side of this blog.)

Today, I am grateful for family that surrounds her and supports her in her decisions, for a bright sunny day to celebrate her faith and for faith that all will unfold as it should.


I am grateful for the generous hearts of others, for the kindness of strangers and the beauty of this world. I am grateful for sunshine, for gentle breezes and clouds that float aimlessly across the sky. I am grateful for renewed energy, for a clear sound mind and for health.


And, I am grateful for you, dear reader, as you stop and share my day. May you have faith in that which you cannot see today, as you go forward in the direction of your dreams.