Happy World Gratitude Day!

Today is World Gratitude Day. Today is an opportunity for everyone to stop, celebrate and show your gratitude and expressions of Thanksgiving. Today reminds me of a special project I did last year, What Keeps You Grounded? that made me stop and focus on things regardless of how great or small, that I had to take the time to be grateful for. Even with something as simple as breathing, I am eternally grateful for the chance to get up and make a contribution for the good of man and womankind!

Make this a great and awesome day everyone!

We Fall Down, But We Get Up!

Remembering 9/11

A Day We Cannot Forget

A Time We Rose From the Ashes!

Happy Labor Day!

You will eat the fruit of your labor;
blessings and prosperity will be yours.
- Psalm 128:2

Labor Day occurs on the first Monday in September. Each year, this holiday gives us the opportunity to pay tribute and honor the contributions workers made to the strength, well-being and prosperity of the United States of America. Let us take pride in doing an outstanding job, no matter what that job may be, in a manner that is pleasing in God’s eyes and a testament to your character and dignity.

Happy Labor Day everyone! Peace & Blessings to you and your family on this day and every day throughout the year!

They will not labor in vain, nor will they bear children doomed to misfortune; for they will be a people blessed by the LORD, they and their descendants with them.
- Isaiah 65:23

The G Series

When walking or working out, an athlete friend of mine recommended that I drink Gatorade to quench my thirst and to avoid cramping that sometimes come from exercising. Gatorade developed the G Series, a drink designed to rehydrate, replenish and refuel, for athletes and high performance activities. Gatorade works in three stages:

1. Prime
2. Perform
3. Recover

This drink contains electrolytes and carbs. It is tagged “The Thirst Quencher!” Indeed while walking, working out in my Zumba class or when I need an energy boost due to dehydration, I whip out my favorite flavor of Gatorade and drink away.

The good folks at Gatorade probably did not intend for their “G Series” to have any spiritual significance to it, but metaphorically speaking it gave me a special message. My personal “G Series” is my God Series. When I get spiritually thirsty, I have to rely on the Living Water to quench my parched spirit. I am reminded of this verse from John 4:14:

“But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.”

The parts of my G Series are (1) Gratitude, (2) Giving and (3) Glorifying God. I learned throughout my years of continued spiritual growth that whenever I want to quench my spiritual thirst, I go for my “G Series” bottle to satisfy my thirst.

Inspirational Quote by Mahatma Gandhi

"Learn as if you were going to live forever. Live as if you were going to die tomorrow."

- Mahatma Gandhi

Brutal Senselessness That Traumatized Many

It never ceases to amaze me that in the thick of our daily trials and tribulations, there is always some horrific event that shatters our world and communities. In the interim of trauma, suffering and healing, how we approach and embrace life is forever changed.

What happened in Aurora, Colorado two nights ago during the premier of “The Dark Knight Rises,” cannot be justified one iota! A 24-year-old man went on a shooting rampage, declaring that he was the character “The Joker” portrayed in the movie. There were innocent people bringing their families to see a movie for goodness sakes and many who would never walk out of that theater again.

I listened to some doctors on TV, who are giving the shooter (and I am intentionally not mentioning his name) a label for his behavior! What? I think this is a problem! When people do horrific and evil things like this, they are “EVIL.” Yes, I do believe that some things we deal with in life can make us snap and behave in an inappropriate, depressing or dehumanizing manner at some point. However, sometimes I also feel that when people are given labels describing certain patterns of their behavior, this gives them the green light to act the way they do or to be as brutal and insulting to others, all due to that “label” an expert gives to them.

Let us pray (and yes I did say PRAY) for God to grant strength and peace to every victim, directly and indirectly targeted and affected by this mass murderer. The bullets that sprayed from the assault weapon this guy brought into the theater did not care whether the victim was a Democrat or Republican, Christian or Agnostic, Anglo-Saxon or Biracial, rich or poor, young or old.

It seems rather obvious, that the damage this assassin inflicted on so many innocent lives was premeditated, because he also had his apartment methodically booby-trapped to wipe out law enforcement and possibly other residents in his apartment building. Evil will always be prevalent, but that does not make it acceptable to shatter thousands of lives and livelihoods regardless of where, when or why!

Happy Birthday America!

The sheer poetry of who we are and what our country represents is of historical proportions. Commemorate this day remembering our past, celebrating our present and building a healthy, prosperous future. Happy 4^th of July!

"America the Beautiful"

Written by Katharine Lee Bates,

Melody by Samuel Ward

O beautiful for spacious skies, 

For amber waves of grain, 

For purple mountain majesties 

Above the fruited plain! 

America! America! 

God shed his grace on thee 

And crown thy good with brotherhood 

From sea to shining sea! 

O beautiful for pilgrim feet 

Whose stern impassioned stress

A thoroughfare of freedom beat 

Across the wilderness! 

America! America! 

God mend thine every flaw, 

Confirm thy soul in self-control, 

Thy liberty in law! 

O beautiful for heroes proved 

In liberating strife. 

Who more than self their country loved

And mercy more than life! 

America! America! 

May God thy gold refine 

Till all success be nobleness 

And every gain divine! 

O beautiful for patriot dream 

That sees beyond the years 

Thine alabaster cities gleam 

Undimmed by human tears! 

America! America! 

God shed his grace on thee 

And crown thy good with brotherhood 

From sea to shining sea! 

O beautiful for halcyon skies, 

For amber waves of grain, 

For purple mountain majesties 

Above the enameled plain! 

America! America! 

God shed his grace on thee 

Till souls wax fair as earth and air 

And music-hearted sea! 

O beautiful for pilgrims feet, 

Whose stem impassioned stress 

A thoroughfare for freedom beat 

Across the wilderness! 

America! America! 

God shed his grace on thee 

Till paths be wrought through 

wilds of thought 

By pilgrim foot and knee! 

O beautiful for glory-tale 

Of liberating strife 

When once and twice, 

for man's avail 

Men lavished precious life! 

America! America! 

God shed his grace on thee 

Till selfish gain no longer stain 

The banner of the free! 

O beautiful for patriot dream 

That sees beyond the years 

Thine alabaster cities gleam 

Undimmed by human tears! 

America! America! 

God shed his grace on thee 

Till nobler men keep once again 

Thy whiter jubilee!