Coffee Chat: What Inspires You?

Basically, there are three things that inspire me or motivate me. God, my family, and nature are the forces that inspire me to take a step forward in life and to make life worth every breath. These are probably average, but for me they all have a different way of inspiring me.

God, first and foremost, inspires me to want to be a better person. He inspires me to want to give to others of myself, my resources, and my heart. He inspires me to live in service to others.This isn't about what religion I am, although that has huge impact on my life. It is about wanting to please Him, wanting to be closer to Him, and wanting to walk with Him.

My family are also a huge contributor to the inspiration and motivation factor. I want to do whatever I can for them and would be nothing without them. Though my siblings and I, there are six of us, may argue from time to time, I know they are always there for me. Having lost both of my parents who were the stability that made us close and taught us what it means to be a family, I am so glad to have brothers and sisters that I can count on. This being said, my motivation to make sure that they can count on me is very important. There will inevitably be hard times in which I will be present for support, love, encouragement, and just a listening ear. 

My children are a very large factor in my inspiration and motivation. Teaching children to be the best people they can be, to love God and hold Him close, and to learn to be there for each other is so important these days. There are so many bad things going on in the world and I want them to know that not only do they have me but they have each other to lean on. From the youngest to the oldest they should know that their support to each other will be one of the most important and dear things they will need to get through life. Never forget your family.

 There may be a lot of bad things going on in the world but there are magnificent things all around us. Beauty, peace, diversity, power, harmony, melody, and inspiration are all around us on a daily basis if we look outside of the "rat race", look to nature. Fantastic views of life and renewal of life fill the senses. I love nature, from the worst part of it to the best. There is beauty in even the most horrifying looking storm. Unfortunately, their can be destruction and loss of life which always pains me. It hurts my heart to see any living being suffer, including our planet. Those that have no respect for the beautiful world around us and it's diversity more than likely have little respect for anything. Those that hurt animals for sport or just plain entertainment likely have no respect for life in general. Nature inspires me to want to protect it and revel in it and to pass it on with respect to the next generation so that they may be inspired by it to. Pollution, deforestation, littering, and the destruction or killing of the wildlife hurts us all. Just because it isn't standing in front of you or you can't see it does not mean that it isn't happening. We all have a responsibility to be proactive in protecting and securing our future and I am not talking about money. Money has little use when you can't breath, eat, drink, and live.

What inspires you? Take time to think of the inspirations in your life and what they mean to you. Rediscover yourself and the meaning of the people and things around you.

Coffee Chat: The "Girly" Corner!

YAY! I finally have a room to call my own!! Isn't it sad that I am nearly 46 years old and this is the first time I have had my own room? Ever! Yes, it is a small accomplishment, but look how long it took me. 

So now that I have my own room I have added some somewhat "Girly" aspects to it. 

This one you have seen. It was a gift from my boyfriend for Valentines Day.

This was a DIY project to cover up and unsightly bulletin board.

This is yet another DIY project that is displayed over my bed to add a pop of color.

I finally have a space to display things that a 9 year old is not allowed to touch! Girly things!!

A place for collectibles, keepsakes, and even some live growing plants.

I have a place for my accessories, a shelf for my grandmother's antique musical jewelry case, and  a place for the keepsake heart necklace that is dedicated to my mother who passed away in 2012. I really miss her.

There seems to be a slight Parisian theme going on here.

And finally, I have a calm peaceful place to work or browse the net for fascinating blogs or information!

Everyone deserves their own space. If you get the chance, make your own space today. Make a place that you can go to relax filled with things that you love that make you happy. I can't believe how much of a difference it has made in my attitude and how much I actually like being at home. See what you can do with your own space in your home!

Before and After: Back to my desk!!

Here we go again! I can't seem to find my desk under all the clutter and madness that is covering it. I know you can relate when I tell you that when it looks like this, I can't concentrate on anything.

My desk is the first place that clutter attacks. Coupons, bills, junk mail, my son's school papers, you name it, it gets dumped here. For me, clutter equals chaos and chaos means a lack of productivity which is not acceptable. It isn't acceptable to the bills that may be missed, the paper my son needs signed, or the blog that needs to be written. I admit it, I need a better system but for now, until one is found, priority is just finding my desk again!

Hey, look what I found! It's my desk. Thank goodness, now I can actually get something done!!

Make Someone Smile?

I think few of us think of the benefits of smiling at others. Have you ever thought about what it does for the other person? For yourself?

After having a really hard day, like yesterday for me, smiling can have enormous benefits on your mood. I know you have heard the phrase "Fake it till you make it". Believe it or not, faking a smile can lead you to an actual genuine smile and a complete mood change. Take it as an affirmation. It's like saying to yourself that though you may not be in the mood, you will make yourself happy. After all, happiness comes from within, not from others. Even if you are just combing your hair in the mirror or putting on makeup, when you are finished, smile at the completed face you see. It is your beautiful, unique, self in that reflection and that person is someone to be celebrated.

The power of a smile is not only for yourself mind you. A smile can make someone's day. Someone, who like you, may not be having the best of day. It is infectious, that smile of yours. It may give them that boost to pass on that smile to others in a continuous cycle that may even come back to you. Even a person that is feeling grouchy as Oscar from Sesame Street will, at times, crack a smile when given one.

Have you ever noticed how much happier and better about yourself you feel when you can make others smile. It doesn't take a scientific study to show you how much your day can improve by improving someone else's. Yes, it's that "warm and fuzzy" feeling. But it really can have a huge impact.

With all the truly sad things happening in the world, you could be the deciding factor. Do you want to be happy and take the rest of the world with you? Give the world your best. Give the world your smile!

When All Seems Lost

We all have days when all seems lost, when we feel lost. The world seems like a cold cruel place sometimes. The most important thing to remember is problems are temporary. This feeling will pass and there are people who love and care even during the roughest times. Life may seem like it is working against you. Sometimes the outcomes we want aren't always the best outcomes for us and there is another plan at work.

Hold on! Don't be afraid to reach out. Don't be afraid to pray or to ask others to pray for you. More often than not, they will. Don't be afraid to cry no matter what gender you are and don't let anyone tell you not to. Crying is a healthy release of emotion.

You can get through this and you are not alone!

www.crisistextline.org 

Coffee Chat: Recovering From Time Away From Home (Before and After)

Everyone goes through this. You have one or two days where you can't spend much time at home. All you have time to do is to get ready in the morning or drop things on the way in to get ready for bed. Or you may even have a couple of days where you just want time off from cleaning.
My past two days have been spent with my kids running around a neighboring town, getting things done, shopping, and just spending time together. So of course my house is a disaster. I am a believer that the kids come first and the house comes second. But now I am home and it is time to recover the house from the messy monster. So, here is the Before:

Embarrassing!
For not being home much, it certainly added up fast. Fortunately, it didn't take take long to restore my house to a respectable amount of cleanliness. Check out the After:

Ahh, yes, now this is more like it. Back to normal. It always feels good to have my home clean. Now I can relax!!

The Most Beautiful Dragon In The World!

I love watching my son's mind at work. What most people would think of as a ripped plastic bag, he finds beauty and purpose in. Cultivating creativity is so easy when you look at it through the eyes of a child. Don't ever force a child to conform to what society thinks art should look like. Stifling what they create in their minds is a horrible mistake. He makes paper into things that have no meaning to the average person but to him it is a whole new world. It flies and so does his imagination.

What does this look like to you?

To me it is the most beautiful dragon in the world! 

The art of a child comes from a place of purity of soul and innocence that seems to be lost later in life. Cherish this time and encourage the ability to use the imagination to it's fullest potential.

Allow them to open their minds to possibilities.

Display it proudly!

Encourage them to explain what they see in their art.  Show your children how beautiful you think their mind is. If they believe that you believe in them, they can reach for their dreams with more confidence and be ready to take on the world!

Turkey Vegetable Soup In The Crock-Pot!

 

      I absolutely love veggies! The Crock-Pot is also my favorite way to cook. Nothing better than throwing some ingredients into it, letting the smell fill your home, and having a nice hot meal at the end of a long day.  On the menu today is a Turkey Vegetable Soup. Keep in mind that all of the ingredients in this recipe can be switched up for either another meat or another vegetable. I switch it up often and very rarely make it the same way twice. This is a variation. Give it a shot!

Turkey Vegetable Soup

     1 lb of Ground Turkey

     1 1/2 cup of pre-sliced Onions and Bell Peppers

     1/2 package of Frozen Green Beans

     1/2 package of Frozen Cut Carrots

     2 cubes of minced Frozen Oregano

     2 cubes of minced Frozen Cilantro 

     16 ounce can of Stewed Tomatoes

     1/2 teaspoon of Garlic Salt

     1/2 teaspoon of Mrs Dash

     3/4 cup of Water

     Salt and Pepper to taste

     Turn the Crock-Pot on high. Put in thawed and lightly cooked Ground Turkey , Onions and Peppers, Oregano cubes, and Cilantro cubes. Let cook for three hours. At this point your home smells incredibly good. Now, here comes the veggies! Add Green Beans, Carrots, Tomatoes, Garlic Salt, and Mrs Dash (Find Mrs Dash at Amazon). Cook for an hour. Add 3/4 cup of water. Let cook for two hours. Salt and Pepper to taste. Enjoy!

     Pretty simple, huh?!?