"You don't need to know HOW the universe is going to rearrange itself." Joe Vitale

Many of us face the temptation to use our intellect to figure out how the Universe (or God) will bring our intentions to pass. According to the law of abundance, it doesn't matter whether we understand the process or not. We don't need to worry ourselves with how things will fall together or how the Universe will rearrange itself to bring our desires to pass. 

For those of us accustomed to doing everything on our own, this concept can be a difficult hurdle to scale. I know. I struggle with it too. Yesterday, I set my intention for financial abundance. Although I didn't post the specifics of that here, I did set specific goals privately. If you are following along with me, take the time to refine you goals and write them down in specific terms today. Think of it as drawing a roadmap to your future and always remember that if you don't know where you are going you will end up somewhere else.

I intend to let the Universe work to bring my desires to pass, as I go about my normal routine and hope that you will too.

Today, I am grateful that I can set my own schedule, that I go to bed and rise when I choose, and that I have the freedom to choose when and where I work. I am grateful for the freedom to choose what I will write, for the insight to recognize good opportunities and the wisdom to choose wisely.

I am ever-grateful for the wonderous Universe that fills me with awe, for the ever-changing clouds that travel across my sky and for tiny leaves as they unfurl in spring. I am grateful for the sounds and scents of nature, for the inquisitiveness of squirrels as they venture near my garden chair and for timid deer that venture from the woods.

I am grateful for family and friends who I would be lost without, for strangers I have yet to meet and for all those who have crossed my path and helped make me the person I am today. 

And, I am grateful for you, dear reader, as you stop and share my day. May your journey be light and your day be bright as you learn to let the Universe work its magic on its own. 

The energy of the mind is the essence of life. Aristotle

By Dream Designs via www.freedigitalphotos.net

Welcome to Experiment #3 from Pam grout's book E-Squared.  You can read about experiments #1 and #2 - as well as my results - in my prior posts. In fact, I encourage you to do so before continuing with this post. Go ahead, we'll wait for you.

Today's experiment is a little different from those we've seen so far. This experiment is meant to illustrate the powerful force of our thoughts.  Grout instructs us to create makeshift dowsing rods from coat hangers (at least they sound and look like dowsing rods to me) and watch as the rods react to our thoughts.

I haven't tried this yet, but I intend to as soon as I finish my daily blog posts and writing assignments. According to Grout, the rods will swing outward in response to positive thoughts and positive energy and swing inward with negative thoughts or memories. I'm already thinking of practical applications of this little gadget.

Check back later to find out how it works out for me! 

We only “experience” things that jibe with our very limited perception. ~ Pam Grout

Okay, folks, I'm ready to start Experiment #2 from E-Squared. If you haven't done so already, take a moment to read my two previous posts about Experiment #1. You'll want to read this one first as it sets the stage for the others. Once you've done that, check out this post and pay close attention to how I almost missed my sign and the lengths "The Universe" (I prefer to think of it as God) went to to make sure I got the message.

Today's experiment involves a little manifesting. It's more specific than the first. Although I must admit that this one has more to do with what we see than with actually manifesting anything - at least, that's how I see it. But that doesn't devalue it, as my results from experiment #1 clearly illustrated how easy it is to only see what you want to see.

Grout instructs us to choose a color of an automobile and set the intention to see it in the next 24 hours. She further asks us to make a note of how many times we see it. Now, that would be easy if you lived in an urban area, but I don't. I live in a little town of under 500. To compound the issue, I work from home and have no intentions of going out today - in fact, my spouse is using the car today and I couldn't if I wanted to.

I chose a purple car. Here's my rationale. Purple cars aren't that popular. The chances of a purple car driving through my town just as I look out the window are probably pretty slim. But, if I had chosen a blue or green car it would have been too easy.

I can't wait to see how this experiment works out!

PS Before you ask, the photo above of the purple car does not count in my tally for the day, as I actively sought out this picture,

“You will not break loose until you realize that you yourself forge the chains that bind you.” Pam Grout - E-Squared

Well folks, my 48 hours are up and I promised you I would give you an update on how Experiment #1 from E-Squared worked out. You can read the details about this experiment in yesterday's post located HERE.  Go ahead and read it now, if you haven't already. We'll wait for you.

I don't mind admitting that up until about an hour ago I was sweating bullets and wondering how on earth I was going to break the news to you that it didn't work. What would I say? How could I possibly come back to you and tell you it was all a hype? How could I save face without lying? I'd be lying if I didn't say I thought about deleting yesterday's post and pretending it never happened, but that was all before my experience tonight.

I've had my ears and eyes wide open since I gave "The Universe" the little ultimatum. I mean really, I figured I owed it to myself to give it my best shot. But nothing was happening - at least not anything BIG like I had expected.  One thing did happen yesterday, but I wasn't satisfied. It wasn't big enough. It was a coincidence. It wasn't the answer.

Let me explain. I am currently working a book about my mother's life in rural Maine in the early to mid 1900s. I've asked everyone if they have pictures of the area where she was raised. I've posted on Facebook and in several groups. No one had pictures.

• Yesterday, I ran into someone who typically doesn't go out of his way to share information. He suddenly told me he had pictures that he would let me copy. I was excited about this but figured I'd asked before and this wasn't really that big a deal. It wasn't my answer.
• Last night, a cousin who I've had very little contact with over the years, added me to a group conversation on Facebook. A few family pictures were shared. I was delighted but didn't count that as big enough to be my answer either. After all, she was my cousin.
• Today, I heard from someone who gave me the name and number of someone who is still alive and well who lived in the same little village with my mother. He is ready and willing to share what stories he remembers. Nope. Not enough to satisfy me. It wasn't my answer.
• Tonight, at about 8 p.m. - a full hour before my deadline - I was suddenly inspired to start a family group on Facebook to share family pictures and stories. I invited 5 or 6 members ad didn't really expect others to join. Within minutes, there were 27 members in the group and several began posting old family pictures right away.

I was so excited and happy that it took me a while to realize that The Universe had been busy answering my request for two days, but I was too blind (or skeptical) to see it.

I'll be posting about Experiment #2 tomorrow. If you don't have the book, yet, I encourage you to get it and follow along with me. Please feel free to share your experiences with Experiment #1 in the comments! We'd all love to hear how it works for you!

You cannot plough a field by turning it over in your mind. Author Unknown

So often, we spend so much time thinking about what we are going to do that we never accomplish the things we want in life. Somehow, we think that everything will fall in place -- if only we wait for the right time. But the right time never comes, because we have not prepared the field for our dreams to grow.

The gardener doesn't wait until the conditions are perfect for growing and then plant a seed. The gardener knows he must prepare the soil and isn't afraid to get his hands dirty to do it. Be like the gardener, today, and begin preparing the soil for your dreams to flourish and grow.

Consider your dreams today and go about the business of making them come true. Continually turning them over in your mind will not bring them to pass. It takes action. Act.

Today, I am grateful for the new fallen snow that envelopes the world, for the sound of birds as they seek shelter, for excited dogs who prance in the snow and for children who scurry to find last year's mittens. 

I am grateful for the big white flakes that swirl and dance in the wind, for snow-laden trees who bow down to its beauty and the glorious preview of another winter to come. 

I am grateful for the excitement in the air, for a cozy warm home and for my office window that allows me to watch the gentle storm. I am grateful for hot coffee and the gentle chickadee that stops by for a bite to eat. I am grateful for changing of seasons as it tells me life will go on as it should. 

I am grateful for family, for friends and for pets that enrich our lives. I am grateful for days off that refuel the soul, for abundant work that allows me to meet my family's needs and for the ability to recognize new opportunities when they come may way. 

And, I am grateful for you, dear reader, as you stop to share my day. May your day be filled with joy 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.

“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.

In order to succeed, your desire for success should be greater than your fear of failure. Bill Cosby

So often in life, we let our fear get in the way of success. The thought of failure becomes so overwhelming that we avoid the very things that may bring us the most success. Often that fear is unfounded and out of proportion to the actual risks. The imagined failure we may experience  becomes magnified fooling us into thinking that if we fail to meet our goals all is lost. Don't listen to the deceitful voice of fear. Strive to quiet its voice, today, as you go forward to reach your goals.

Today, I am grateful for soft spring air, for the nearness of spring and for the tiny hummingbird as he makes his way north. I am grateful for eyes that see, ears that hear and hands that touch. I am grateful for the vision of a glorious tomorrow, for the enjoyment of the day and the memories of my yesterdays.


I am grateful for quiet moments in my garden, for shrieks of joy as children play and laughter that soothes the soul. 


I am grateful for the vastness of the Universe, the power of God and moments of pure joy. 


And, I am grateful for you, dear reader, as you stop to share my day. May you quiet the voice of fear today, as you go forward in the direction of your dreams.

“Make sure you visualize what you really want, not what someone else wants for you.”~ Gerry Gillies

Sometimes, visualizing what you want in life gets clouded by what other people want or what other people think you should do. Although it is a good practice to take advantage of the opinions of those you trust, guard against the tendency to accept those opinions as your own without careful consideration.

There are many paths in life and it is up to each of us to choose our own way, to aim for our dreams and to visualize our future.

Develop a vision of where you want to go, today, and hold that vision in your mind.

Today, I am grateful for a day of rest that allows me to gather my thoughts and refine my goals. I am grateful for my children who both have a strong vision of who they are and where they want to go. I am grateful for family that I can count on, for friends who lend a helping hand and for coffee.


I am grateful to stay inside on an icy day, for the knowledge that spring will come eventually and for gentle birds that feed eagerly at my feeder.


I am grateful for good books, soft music and inspiring photography that add new dimensions to my life. I am grateful for those who challenge my thinking, for great thinkers who have gone before me and the vastness of the Universe.


And, I am grateful for you, dear reader, as you stop to share my day. May you visualize what you really want as you go forward in the direction of your dreams.

"Successful people are always looking for opportunities to help others. Unsuccessful people are always asking, 'What's in it for me?'" ~Brian Tracy~

The butterfly brings beauty and inspiration without worries of what he will get in return. As long as his basic needs are met, he is more than happy to share his beauty and grace with the world.  How much more are we than the butterfly, and yet, we scan the horizon to see what's in it for us before we embark on a new journey. Sometimes, its not about us and our needs--sometimes its about others and what we give to the world.

One of the principles of the Law of Attraction states that we must give to receive--but giving must be done with a willing heart. Giving out of a sense of obligation or duty is not that the same. Put you emotions and your heart behind helping others achieve their goals as you work to achieve yours.

The Bible tells us in Luke 6:38

Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.

Yet, many of us have become accustomed to looking first toward the benefit we will receive. Not because we are selfish--not because we don't care about our fellow man--but because we have been raised to believe that the world is full of lack and giving to others means we will go without.

The Universe is overflowing with abundance. God tells us this. The Law of Attraction tells us this. When then do we take it upon ourselves to believe otherwise?

For today, look first to the benefit you can bring to others and strive to give of yourself or your resources that you may lighten the load of another or touch their lives in a positive way.

Today, I am grateful for the opportunity to touch your life with my simple words, for the hope that inside of you something will stir and your actions will send out a ripple of goodness across the mighty universe. I am grateful for hearts that wish to share and love and help their fellow man.


I am grateful for the insight that comes from looking within, for the vision of a bright future and for the breathe of life that surges within.


I am grateful for the bright spring sun, for puffy white clouds and the brisk wind that dries the earth and prepares it for another season. I am grateful for smoke that curls above the housetop telling me the inhabitants are cozy and warm, for the glint of sunshine as it catches the remnants of snow and for the robin that hops lazily in the sun.


I am grateful for family as they go forth into the world and touch the lives of others today.


And, I am grateful for you, dear reader, as you stop to share my day. May you find opportunities to positively influence the lives of others today, as you go forward in the direction of your dreams.

Life is just a blank slate, what matters most is what you write on it. Christine Frankland

I've known people who have spent their entire lives waiting for  their lives to happen--peering over the horizon waiting for their proverbial ship to come in. Typically, these people spend their lives being disappointed and never realize that they are the directors of their own lives.

Begin writing your own life today and stop waiting for some magical moment when the slate will suddenly be filled and the direction of your life will become clear. This is you life. You are the director and you have the power to produce your heart's desires.

Today, I am grateful for clothes to wear, air to breathe and the knowledge that soon I will run barefoot across fresh green grass. I am grateful my children have grown into responsible young people who have the ability to go forth and create their world.


I am grateful for the beauty of nature as it unfolds into yet another spring, for the pockets of snow that melt slowly and add moisture to the earth and for cars that provide transportation to the places we need to go.


I am grateful for buds that spring open with fully formed leaves, for seeds that contain the makings of new plants and babies who enter the world filling it with love and warmth.


And, I am grateful for you, dear reader, as you stop to share my day. May you begin writing your life today as you go forward in the direction of your dreams.

Most of the shadows of this life are caused by our standing in our own sunshine. Ralph Waldo Emerson

So often in life we look at opportunities, but instead of seeing all they have to offer, we concentrate on what might go wrong. We become so concerned that there may be inherent pitfalls that we cast a shadow over our dreams.

Develop the habit of letting the sun shine without constantly looking for what may go wrong. Seize opportunities when they come and know that the sunshine will always outweigh the shadows.

Today, I am grateful for the ability to see opportunities for what they are, for the courage to look past the possible shadows that may come and the faith that everything will work out as it should.


I am grateful for music, for fine art and watermelons. I am grateful for the roaring stream filled with fresh spring runoff, growing green things that emerge under the cover of the night and for laughter that fill the soul.


I am grateful for family and friends who bring joy to my life, for the beautiful blue jay that swoops in to gather food, and for paperclips.


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

The secret of success in life is for a man to be ready for his opportunity when it comes. Earl of Beaconsfield

By: Saffrodite

 

 

 

 

 

 

There is an old saying that opportunity never knocks twice. Although its not really true--life is filled with opportunities--it is worth bearing in mind, today. Being ready for opportunities and recognizing them when they come along is the key to your success.

Many of us become accustomed to thinking of opportunities as big block buster events that hold the power to alter our entire future and are disappointed when they don't materialize. But opportunity doesn't work that way. Sometimes, opportunity comes in the guise of your fellowman, sometimes a moment of inspiration and at other times a light-hearted adventure that inspires you to more.

Think of opportunity as crack in the door that allows you to move forward without resistance or that meadering side road that holds answers along the way. Richard Bach once said, "Don't turn away from possible futures until you are sure you have nothing to learn from them." It's the same with opportunity. What seems like a little gain now, may prove to make monumental changes in the direction of your goals and dreams.

Be ready for opportunity, no matter how small, and seize it when the time is ripe.

Today, I am grateful for the many opportunities in my life to grow and learn from others, for the insight to see opportunities as they appear and the courage to follow them down the meandering path toward the future.


I am grateful for a clear sound mind to approach my day, for the incentive to work hard for what I want and the courage to take risks along the way. I am grateful for abundant work, for unbridled energy to complete my tasks and for the skill to go further with my craft.


I am grateful for insight to choose my path well, for the comfort that comes from a job well done and for new opportunities I have yet to realize.


I am grateful for family that supports my work, who provide encouragement when times are difficult and who never complain when my work occupies my time. I am grateful for their faith in me and my ability to reach my dreams.


I am grateful for people and places that serve as my inspiration, for this glorious home we call the Earth and for the magnificent Universe that holds us all.


And, I am grateful for you, dear reader, as you stop to share my day. May you find and seize new opportunities as you go forward in the direction of your dreams.

"Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid." — Albert Einstein

I can't claim the credit for finding today's quote, as it came from my incredible teenage daughter who never ceases to amaze me with her grasp of things that lie just beyond the surface.

Consider the comparisons you make today as you measure your success in striving to reach your goals. Judging yourself against the achievement of others or against what you think you should have achieved is no different than judging the fish by his ability to climb a tree.

Cultivate the habit of working to reach your goals and dreams, knowing that you will get there in your own way and in your own time--for inside you lies the genius to accomplish great things.

Today, I am grateful for Orion that sparkles in the night, for the moon that sends its glow back upon the earth and for night skies that fill me with awe. 

I am grateful for the warm, peach sky that announces the arrival of dawn. I am grateful for clear black skies that melt slowing into blue. I am grateful for the swollen buds that adorn the trees waiting for the right moment to burst forth into green-gold leaves.

I am grateful for the call of the crow, its swift and silent flight and for its eagerness to start the day. I am grateful for treetops that catch the morning light, for hills that come alive with the touch of the sun and for rolling mounds of snow not yet melted into the earth.


I am grateful for family that brings inspiration when I least expect it, warmth when I need it most and laughter.


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

"Do not wait for your ship to come in - swim out to it." Author Unknown

Many of us live our lives with the underlying belief that "someday my ship will come in", mistakenly believing that something from the outside world must happen before we find success and happiness in life. We wait and watch for that perfect opportunity to land in our lap, never realizing that we allow opportunities to sail past because we are unwilling or unmotivated to swim out to meet the ship.

Cultivate the desire and motivation to strive to reach those opportunities that may seem a bit out of reach. Resolve to take action to make your dreams and goals come true and let go of your old beliefs that keep you stationary, waiting for your fictional ship to come in.

Today, I am grateful for the bright spring sun that promises to melt the snow, for soft-blue skies and the gently wavering pine. I am grateful for spring birds that flit and dart oblivious to the snow-covered world below, responding only to the knowledge that spring will return. I am grateful for squirrels that chatter and scurry singing the praise of the coming of spring.


I am grateful for gardeners who hold a vision of green and growing things in their hearts, for the tiny hummingbird as he wings his way north and for houseplants that begin their burst of new growth. 


I am grateful for words to express the desires of my heart, for dreams that lead me where I need to go and for the vision of bright tomorrows. I am grateful for health and happiness and the comforts of a secure home, for homemade bread and steaming coffee.


I am grateful for family that molds my world, for memories that will last a lifetime and for dreams that lead into the future. I am grateful for friends who share their thoughts, for acquaintances that inspire me and for neighbors who are always near.


And, I am grateful for you, dear reader, as you stop to share my day. May you cast aside thoughts that opportunities must come to you and cultivate the courage to swim out to meet them as you go forward in the direction of your dreams.

“Be the change you want to see in the world.” Gandhi

So often in life we spend our time waiting for someone or something to change that we may find happiness in our life--never realizing that the change must come from inside.

Many of us are guilty of thinking in terms of "if only".
~If only I had more money, I'd be happy.
~If only others appreciated me more, I'd be happy.
~If only I'd catch a break I could reach my goals.

Don't sit back and wait for change--be the change and you will soon find yourself nearing your goals.

Today, I am grateful for color that adds depth and dimension to the world, for music that soothes the soul and the sense of smell that allows me to breathe in spring or inhale the scent of fresh baked bread.


I am grateful for the brave robin that returns each year in spite of the snow, for frogs that stir beneath the soil in preparation of spring and for shoots of grass that work their way through the pavement.


I am grateful for friends who make me laugh, books that make me cry and family that makes me feel safe.


And, I am grateful for you, dear reader, as you stop to share my day. May your be the change you want to see in the world as you go forward in the direction of your dreams.