Friday, October 20, 2006

"Taking Care of Yourself"....

Taking Care of Yourself:

An Unselfish Act

"If we don't take care of ourselves, we won't be capable of taking care of others. It's as simple as that. So why do we go on and on and give and give until we're emotionally and physically exhausted"?

by Beverly Smallwood, Ph.D.

I just read this quote today and Ohhhhhhhh does
this ever
hit home for me. !!!



A few months ago, I removed myself from the
Air Force Parents Support site that I had been a
member and moderator of for nearly 4 years.

This was a step in the direction of taking care of Deb.
It was such a difficult choice for me.    I am still working
on the taking care of me part.   :)
But I know the decision was a correct one for me. !!

Is there something you need to DO in order to take
better care of yourself ?



Wednesday, October 18, 2006

What Are the Best Decisions I Have Ever Made?



On October 17th, my online friend,






Actually, the question arose on at the site of an online



friend of his: Scott Young

What Are the Best Decisions I Have Ever Made?



So here is my list..... In the coming days I will
expound upon this list in greater detail.



THANK YOU Scott and Phil for encouraging me to
think about my life and encouraging me to take
a critical look at the decisions I have made.
WOW !!!!!!!!! Was this ever enlightening.
I'm sure my list will change or there will be more
add ons when I give it even more thought.




#1 - Choose my Mother and Father
#2 - Marry my first husband Mark
#3 - Quit my job with a lawyer to take personal care of his elderly Mother
#4 - Choose not to end my life in suicide
#5 - Purchase a MAC computer and get ONLINE - early 1994
#6 - Seek out a personal therapist/psychologist
#7 - Divorce my first husband Mark
#8 – Marry my current husband Michael
#9 – Take our son Kevin to Miss T for in home day care
#10 – Quit my assembly/shipping job to be a – Stay home Mom
#11 - Start painting again
#12 – Follow my intuition
#13 – Learn to have NO DOUBT
#14 - Start Blogging




Now.... would you ask yourself this same question. :)








Sunday, October 15, 2006

~What My Children Need To Know~

Children:


There is no particular order to this list.
Just know that ALL are things that
define me. Things that I have tried to live. :)

Love Mama


The Golden Rule
Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

You can not control another’s actions,
you can only control your re-action.


Everything in my life that has happened to me
had to happen in just the way it did, for me
to be the person I am today.
D. Estep



You must be the change you want to see in the world. “
Mahatma Gandhi
(1869 - 1948)

Have NO DOUBT”
Expressed to me by Mel when I told her
that I had doubts about sharing my
thoughts with others.
Melanie Smith – 2006
MAKE IT GREAT”
Phil Gerbyshak

How are your fears preventing your
forward progress” ?
Dr. Linda McGraw – My talk therapist - 1994

I always knew I was different,
but I did not always realize that different was GOOD”
D. Estep
This above all: to thine own self be true,
And it must follow, as the night the day,
Thou canst not then be false to any man.
Lord Polonius to his son Laertes
William Shakespeare – Hamlet Act 1 Scene 3




Sweet





Saturday, October 14, 2006

~Fortune Cookie~

 


                                          Cookie


Friday, October 13, 2006

Losing My Marbles ~ NOPE ~ I Give Them Away



For me, there was always something quite
magical about marbles.   Perhaps it
was the way colors seemed to be suspended
in time, within the marbles.    Or maybe, here
you were a kid playing with something glass
that could not hurt you.    Whatever my
attraction was, I have never lost it.

Long before any electronic game held the
attention of children, there were marbles.

Many times in my life I have said to myself…
“ahhhhhh I’m losing my marbles”.
Whatever the reason of the lament, I shook
it off and just kept going.

I had a thought about marbles that they
would make a wonderful gift, for any friend 
of who was going through a rough time.

Fancy marbles can be purchased at craft stores.
Simple plain old cats eye marbles can be picked 
up an any dollar store.

And some dollar stores and craft stores have
different shaped glass for sale.
I found glass sea shells at a local dollar store.
I collect tiny glass jars. Baby food jars are
perfect and my 10 year old is getting a kick 
out of eating baby food fruit to add to my 
collection. 

I spray paint the lid and add marbles to
 the jar. Sometimes I add a tiny ribbon bow
just around the neck of the jar.
With transparent tape I always add a tiny
 label to the underside that says From Deb
along with the date I give someone a jar.

Just this past week, a friend of mine found
out she has breast cancer. She stopped over 
one morning on her way to work.

I handed her the jar. Her response was….

“awwwwwwww marbles”.
I said to her….. “Take these with you to
work, set them on your desk, and anytime
 you ~feel~ like you are losing your marbles
 just glance right over here and you will see them. !!!


“You’re not losing them at ALL”
Both of our eyes welled with tears.

Simple marbles – STILL bringing joy. !!!



Marbles



A History of Marbles:
Marbles were originally made from clay or
marble, hence their name.
Marbles are often mentioned in Roman literature,
and there are many examples of marbles from ancient

Egypt.

They were commonly made of stone, metal, or glass until
the 18th century, when ceramic marbles become more common.
Ceramic marbles entered mass production in the 1870's,
starting inexpensive mass-production.


Glass marbles entered mass production in the early
20th century, when WWI cut off their importation
from Europe, causing American innovation to be applied
to the task, producing a mechanized method of glass
marble production which became the most common
system in the world. Glass marbles, too, became the most
popular variety, and have remained so to this day.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marbles






















































Thursday, October 12, 2006

"Soul Graffiti" Artist

Everyone has the potential to be a ~~~ Soul Graffiti Artist


A few weeks ago I was web surfing info for Nicole, (my daughter).
I came upon a book by Mira Kirshenbaum: Too Good to leave,
Too Bad to Stay. I ordered the book which was supposed to help
one make the decision about staying or leaving a relationship.



At the same time, I reserved 2 library books by Kirshenbaum,
as they looked pretty interesting.


The too good book arrived in the mail a couple of days ago,
AFTER Nicole had made the choice and ended her 3 year relationship.



After flipping through the book, both Nic and I agreed
that the book was still very worthwhile as it contained some good
info on relationships and communication within them. :)


I went to the library last night and picked up the 2 books that
I had reserved.
The one is Everything Happens for a Reason - finding the true
meaning of events in our lives.
It's not as IF this title was some revelation for me. LOL
I've believed it and it's been a part of my life for a VERY long time.
Yet, I am certain that the book contains some useful information
for me and it will be good to read.


This morning in looking at the back cover I spotted a web address
for Mira Kirshenbaum:



Upon going to the site - I surfed over to another site called:
Soul Graffiti



Sometime within the past 2 years upon sharing the drawing
I did of an Angel and Soldier with my dog's allergy vet
she said to me .............
"Ohhhhhhhh you're an artist".   


When I heard Dr Alice say that, I thought to myself....
'Monet, Van Gogh, and Renoir were artists" --- "I only paint".


This thought happened at nearly the speed of light....
but my outward response was..........


"Well, I guess you could say that".


That conversation STUCK and STUCK in my head.



Until finally I came to KNOW and UNDERSTAND......


"YES" !!!!!!!!!!!! "I am an artist" !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


I've thought about and tried to explain my reluctance
at calling myself an 'artist', I suppose it has much to do
with my previously underdeveloped self esteem.


Today, I am quite comfortable in calling myself...



"An artist". I know my ability to paint and draw and be
creative is a God given talent.


So........... here today I jump to the Soul Graffiti web site,
to see a description of Soul Graffiti.


Soul Graffiti (sol graf - fi – ti) V. the conscious act of
performing kindness to another soul, resulting in leaving
an everlasting imprint on another's life.


I read that definition and BAMMMMMM it hit me:"I am also a Soul Graffiti Artist" !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



Whooooooooooo who. I am on a cloud at this realization / revelation . :))))))))




Deb



Dr Joe Powers has this on his web site:



As Maya Angelou once wrote, "when we cast our bread upon the waters we can presume that someone downstream whose face we will never know will benefit from our action, as we who are downstream from another will profit from the grantor's gift." It is likewise my hope that through Soul Graffiti™ we can together lift our spiritual brushes to paint upon the lives of others with acts of kindness and compassion - ultimately bringing true permanence to our own lives and a beautiful mural upon the soul of humankind.






Joe Powers
Founder and Graffiti Artist







So.......... please do surf over to the site:
Soul Graffiti



http://www.soulgraffiti.com/












Wednesday, October 11, 2006

~ Up Words ~




Try one of these on ....  Today





Words2


Tuesday, October 10, 2006

Coming Un-glued is GOOD

We've all had moments where we feel like our shoulders are glued to our ear lobes. 

Most times we don't even 
realize this is going on. !!!



Many moons ago I came upona quick and easy relaxation tecnique.   I even taught my young children this and together we 'went to level'.


Hold the thought that your body is an elevator.   Your stress has you on an upper floor.


As soon as you recognize the stress take a breath and start thinking of bringing your elevator to a lower level.


Repeat the following to yourself...


#3  #3  #3
#2  #2  #2
#1  #1  #1



Deeper healthy level


Now take the elevator lower....
Breathe again.



Slowly count down from 10 - 1
feeling your body relax as you
~Go to level~



Do you feel it ?   :)))))


Your shoulders are UN-glued.


I've created a graphic that
you can save and print out
as a reminder for yourself.



My children were elementary
school age when we first started
doing this....  Over time and with
repetition....  I could just say...



'Go to level' and instantly they
calmed their bodies AND minds.



Relax5


I just came across a tiny card of this
that I had taped to the dash of my car.
Something I need for my OWN shoulders
and no doubt my now adult children's. 



Tuesday, October 3, 2006

~ UP Words ~




You've heard the saying....

"You are what you eat"

The same must be true about what you read....

"You are what you read"

I've created a new category
where I will be adding UP words.



Find one that ~speaks~ to you and
copy it down. Hold it as a thought....... :)



Words_1