MINDFUL MOMENTS

This morning I went to church and prayed on bended knees for strength because I'm tiered of being a failure in society's eyes. Usually I drive to work but today I took the bus and after work I didn't have a way to get home so my co-worker Judy offered me a ride. Judy is a strong Christian woman who never seems to be doubtful or insecure but today she opened up about her pain and struggles. She told me that recently she was really feeling sorrowful and just as she was ready to burst out crying somebody approached her and said, "Be happy and joyful because you are loved by God." Judy said that those simple words of hope kept her smiling all day and she felt that God was watching over her. We both agreed that life is easier to cope with when we have faith and trust in the LORD almighty. Since I wanted to walk the rest of the way home, Judy dropped me off on the Tart trail which is perfect for bicycling and walking. There are trees and streams all around and...

The American Red Cross staff in the town I live in has invited me time and time again to help out with the fire disaster team. There's nothing more fulfilling then helping others, especially with the prevention of fires. This past Thursday I spent most of the day helping install smoke alarms in people's homes and informing them of ways to prevent fires in their homes. It was my training day and I had the wonderful guidance of a staff member named Maya. Things were running smoothly until we got locked out of the SUV. I had pressed the lock button as I walked out of the SUV, the engine was still running and Maya closed the door with the engine still running not realizing I had pressed the lock button. We were stranded on somebody's driveway with all of our belongings in the SUV. Fortunately another staff member was in a separate vehicle. Since we had to wait over an hour for somebody to come and open the door, we all decided to go get something to eat.       ...

Ever lose something and think you'd never find it again? Materialistic things can be replaced  but some items we own are dear to our heart. For me it's a savings bond my mother gave me years ago as a graduation present. She told me to hold onto it and cash it when I needed money. Well now I need some money. The bills are piling up and I don't have a very good income. Something told me to go to the bank in early August to cash that savings bond but I procrastinated and put my focus on my job and other projects. Then there was a five day trip to Canada which was my mini summer vacation. When I returned home from Canada I couldn't remember where I put that savings bond. I spent hours looking for it, I prayed and prayed that I would find it. I was in tears. My inner voice told me that I would find it. "Have Faith" kept repeating in my head. My miracle happened yesterday evening. It was a rainy and stormy day. The rain just wouldn't stop and shortly after...

A Beef Burger: We humans aren't perfect. I make mistakes all the time. When I make up my mind to be a vegetarian, I stick to it for several months but than I end up eating a piece of salmon or meatball and I feel guilty afterwards. My motivation is declining and that's bad. I really blew my vegetarian diet on Sunday and I'm feeling very guilty. I've been eating veggie burgers all summer long but on Sunday there were $1.00 beef cheeseburgers on a pretzel bun at a market close to where I live. For five minutes I stood in front of the counter contemplating          should I or I shouldn't I get that $1.00 cheeseburger. Well....I got the cheeseburger and ate half of it on the waterfront next to a market called "Leland Mercantile." Did it taste good? Not really. Lesson to be learned: When we have a few moments to make a decision we have to think about the final result. Just because the cheeseburger was only a $1.00 didn't give me the right to blo...

Sometimes you really get what you wish for. On Sunday's I take care of my mother who has Alzheimers. We had a frustrating morning and by early afternoon I wanted to take her and her friend Arch to the beach so that we could all have a change of scenery. As much as I wanted to take them to the beach, I dreaded driving there. "I wish someone could drive us there," I thought to myself. Seconds later there was a knock on the door. It was Arch's son Chip. He came to visit his father and wanted to take him on a drive. My mother and I were welcome to come. Ten minutes later we were in Chip's car heading to Leland, otherwise known as Fishtown. The sun was shining and the one lane country road to Leland had a hint of changing leaves on the trees. We passed by cow and turkey farms and finally landed in Leland. Tourists flock to this picturesque town nestled between Lake Leelanau and Lake Michigan. It's a walking around town with a lovely harbor and a fishing vill...