WORK IS NOT ALL OF LIFE - NEITHER IS LIFE JUST WORK

Have been part of the work force before. Loved my job, my boss, my colleagues and friends. Gave work my best shot but never was it in any way above my choice job in the home. My family... my children received the best of me heart and soul and spiritually. I got them covered with prayers and that was and still is the best thing that I ever did and still do.. for them. Sacrifice must have been on the menu too but honestly it never seemed like one. It never is. It's just something you do from the heart naturally. Ask any mother and she will tell you the same. I love my family this big!!

Why am writing this now is to say to someone..... that work is good. We need it. But truthfully it does not need you. Because if you can't do the job, it will find somebody else who can and will.

So...

Work with your very best but do not let life pass you by stuck at your desk. Work is not all of life. Neither is life just work. There's more out there in this big wide magnificent world... there's more you can do with who you are... there are people waiting to be part of your time -- of you (your family is one)... and most of all God didn't say that life should be spent exhausting yourself over one thing alone. He intended you to enjoy life to the fullest (there is a verse in the bible about that). And that means.....

..... savor life's wondrous potential for beauty and good, bask in the glory of nature, connect with good hearts and souls ready to welcome you into their midst, and treasure the moments which your family alone can give you akin to a delicious taste of heaven on earth.... and grow as you should but not only with charts, statistics, reports, data, etc. Grow as God intended you to grow --- a delight to His heart.

So why don't you?

Bless you all! :-)

(Photo courtesy of a good online friend; sent to me today)

TODAY IS SPECIAL. THERE'S NOTHING LIKE IT.

I like those lines.... no, I love those lines. The now moment. This moment sitting here at the computer typing out these words... this moment is special. Not for any reason but simply because.

Thoughts are special .. one gives birth to it but it takes on a life of its own .. moves from one person to another .. transforms itself as more or less is added or removed from it. It becomes someone else's thoughts until again it is time to move on to the next ownership and experience. Thoughts are timeless.... immortal.

The heart is special. When one looks at his day with his mind.... he will see nothing there but ordinary mundane stuff. But try to look at your day with the eyes of your heart... and you will see awesome - magnificence - beauty - miracles ... things beyond your imagination. The heart sees worthy things from the hands of God.

Life is special. You don't live because you deserve to live. There is nothing we can put into life that would make life worthy. Not by our efforts. It comes from something much bigger than you and me, bigger than life itself. Life is a GIFT. And the Giver has decided to bless us with it because he loves us this BIG!

Make every day, hour, minute, moment in your small temporary life so SPECIAL.

Live SPECIAL with all of who you are.

LIFE IS WHAT HAPPENS TO YOU WHILE YOU'RE MAKING OTHER PLANS

That line in the blog title was taken from the movie, 'Mr. Holland's Opus'. I loved this movie and have seen this 2 or 3 times already and probably will be seeing it again... and again. And again.

It's true, you know, just when you get into deep plans in pursuit of a dream or goal the rest of your life unfolds. If you think that life is only about that journey to a dream, it's not. Life is also this....

-----when you wake up in the morning, drag your body off the bed, head off to the kitchen to make yourself a hot cup of coffee. Then you probably will be looking for the morning paper to keep tabs on what's happening to the world outside. Wifey comes in and tells you that son goofed up in class yesterday and his teacher wants to talk with Mom and Dad. You both then agree to meet with the teacher later in the afternoon. But you notice that you are running late and have to get dressed for work. At this point, your eldest daughter comes bouncing into the room flashing a piece of paper and gushing over it. It's the university in New York saying that her application was approved and that she could start the semester coming up in September. Already?!! Your wife looking like time just stood still is shocked. You understand because both of you weren't expecting it to be this soon. But you wrench yourself from the moment and rush through your morning as a dozen meetings await you at the office. You simply say 'Later' and head out to the car.

Life is what happens to you day after day after day. Sometimes it has nothing to do with your dreams at all. Sometimes it's just the ordinary mundane events in a day or time spent with family, friends, and people. Sometimes it's simply sitting by the shore looking out to a beautiful sunset. Sometimes it's just being you in the moment playing with your dogs. Things which many of us consider a waste of time.

That is life. That is what happens to you while you are making plans for the future.. working hard to build your dream house.. planning your next masterpiece.. building your career.. planning something.

So what's my point?

Simple. Live life with open arms embracing everything that's in it. Not focusing only on those things which you think is worthwhile or perceive it to be. Life is more than that. It is all of that! Life is the whole tapestry of you. Savor the passage of time as it ticks off in hours, days, weeks, months, years. Sing out every note in your life symphony. Dance to the beating of your own drum and not somebody else's. Reflect on the wonders of creation - try to understand the heart of your God. And importantly, have a grateful heart for the miracle that is -- you!
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Have a blessed weekend coming up ahead, folks! Make it count.