My Top 5 Things I Wouldn't Want To Be Without

I recently watched a video or two on YouTube with the subject heading of Five Things I couldn't Live Without. I'm not into designer bags or trendy fashion accessories but there are somethings in my life that I would never want to be without. Here they are!

1. A Great Friend and Family Support System I love my family and friends and without them I would be nothing. No we don't always get along and sometimes we even hurt each other but we know someone always has our back.
2. An Automobile Yeah, this is something we take for granted at times but when we don't have one, we feel trapped and isolated. Mine is a 98 Dodge Caravan. It is a rust bucket and is about to turnover 200,000 miles but it still starts every morning.
3. A Roof Over My Head and Food In Our Bellies Another of the things we take for granted, but there are too many people without these luxuries. During this time of year, I speak of Winter, I have a warm place to lay my head and shelter for my children. We have food. Yes' I complain about the rent and the price of food, but it is truly a small price to pay.
4. My Babies Okay, I'm getting sappy, I know. My kids are my life and without them I would be lost. It is a lot of work raising kids but I, like many of you, wouldn't trade it for anything. They are 100% worth every effort.
5. My Faith In God Faith has gotten me through the most horrible times in my life. Without God in my life things would have fallen apart long ago. This is one thing that my mother gave me at a very young age and to this day I thank her. It is what made her a strong woman and He continues to do the same for me. 

This is an unconventional Top 5 but these things are what make my life easier and worth living. Take stock of your Top 5 Things That You Would Not Want To Be Without today!

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!

Coffee Chat: Winter Has Arrived!

I wanted to pause this morning, while sipping my coffee, to reflect on the storm that brought the area 8 to 14 inches of snow and then beat a path out of town. Tis the season for the Midwest, and much of the nation, to receive this cool blanket of beauty, fun, cold, and fear.

It is beautiful when all is said and done. The freshly falling snow against a beautiful blue skied morning is an awe inspiring scene. I love seeing the branches of the pine trees heavy with a pillow of sparkling whiteness. Ice cycles gleam in the sunlight.

Children, even a few adults, look with wonder at the snow imagining the creatures they could create in its depths. Sleds come out in full force to the slippery slopes as our rosy cheeked young ones shriek with laughter while gliding at high velocity towards the bottom of the hill. Snowmen and women are popping up all over the country side. Or perhaps the little ones dream lazily out the window of the impending holiday season.

Make no mistake, the snow is beautiful but also cold and treacherous. Be vigilant in watching for signs of hypothermia in our overenthusiastic youth and even some adults for they may not realize how cold they really are. Watch for slippery surfaces which can be dangerous for everyone. Be careful not to overdo it while shoveling what seems like an endless sidewalk or driveway. Stay away from waterways that may not be completely frozen over. Emergency room visits, while sometimes necessary, are no ones favorite activity. Make sure that before these big snow storms, you have emergency kits in your cars with blankets, water, flares, food, flashlights, and extra pairs of dry clothes. Perhaps throw in a shovel and salt/kitty litter. Always make sure that your phone is charged and that people know where you are traveling. Slow down and drive safely! Also, before the storm begins, make sure you are well stocked on food at home and any necessary medications. Remember to check on the elderly and be generous to the homeless for they are exceptionally vulnerable.

At the end of a cold snowy day, come into the warmth of your home and heat up your body with a cup of Homemade Cocoa and a warm blanket. Enjoy the season and be safe!