Put a little kindness in the world

Lyric Kinard at http://lyrickinard.blogspot.co.nz/2012/03/kindness-chronicles_04.html   has written a great blog about being kind.  What can we do to be kind in the world?  She has listed listed some wonderful ideas and challenged us to make an effort to be kind.  So here is some of the kind things I have done these past couple of weeks....

• Told a lady at the supermarket she looked beautiful (this one always embarrasses my kids)
• Made smoothies for breakfast for everyone
• Told a child her hair looked lovely
• Phoned a friend have troubles
• Prayed for a friend in need
• Popped in and saw a friend whose dad is sick
• Did a chore normally assigned to one of my kids
• Sat and listened to a teenager
• Defended a person who was being put down
• Gave away produce from my garden (this one was kind to me too....does this count?)

What have you done kind this month.  Join us on our quest for kindness

Funnies



......May be this is next on the phone when you call the tax department.

.......Make someones day and be grateful.

.....Have a day with a child they will make you feel young again. 

.......Be a kid today!

.......And rememebr what it was like when you were a kid.

My daughter leaves this week to university.  She is going to be 6 hours away by car and I am going to miss her so much.  I just hope that I have taught her enough and given her enough skills so she can survive. 

It is a funny feeling to let a child leave the nest.  So much time is invested in this amazing person  My life has been so much part of hers for 18 years  and now within 1 day she will be more independent and not in my life each day.  Part of me is celebrating her Independence and part of me wants to go back to when she was 2 and I was the centre of her world.  Life is like that though.  Life moves on whether I want to too or even if I am ready too.  It sometimes seems to to go so fast and other times slower that I think it can be possible. 

What do I want her to do?

• Eat well
• Wash your clothes
• Clean up after yourself so you don't get swamped down.
• Love
• Laugh
• Have fun
• Look after yourself first so you can give to others
• Be nice
• Serve others
• Work hard
• Go to church

If I could tell her anything I would say

• Be kind and thoughtful
• Be patient
• Have good integrity
• Remember you are a child of God
• Remember God is always there for you and he loves you
• Be proud of your name and wear it well
• Always stand up for what you believe in
• Be careful and give trust away when it has been earned
• Enjoy being you

In reality I will probably just tell her that I love her and hope all those lessons I have taught her in the last 18 years will already be cemented in her heart.  I need to trust that she already knows these things and will do herself proud.  Boy this is such a hard thing to do but I know I will survive.  I have done it once already and I made it to the next day in one piece.

Joy is..........



.......butterfly wings



.....Beautiful kittens

...... New born babies

.........Being sisters

.........Going to church

........Being in nature

........Finding new doorways

......Seeing things from a different angle



........Having friends

Managing a home with a positive spirit

Do you have days where it feels everything is just collapsing around you?  Days where everything coming at you is negative, draining and filled with frustration. The moans, complaints,  constant listening,  and always having to be on board at your best.  If you do you are not alone. 

This picture seems like me sometimes at home trying to stay on top of things and not to get dragged down by others.

One thing I have learnt though is that........



Having a positive outlook even when things seem to beat down on you is imperative.  How can we as mum/women remain positive and have good emotional health amongst all this battering and to be able to follow your dreams.



Taking a sleep always feels like a good option :)  but unfortunately the problem is still there when you wake up.  sigh......

I have found some things that work well

• Take time out daily.  Even if it is only listening to a piece of music you love or reading a chapter of a book.  I have had to become very creative to get my reading time (as I am a book worm)  I have book on the toilet that I read 2 pages of when I use the loo.  It takes me a while to get through a book but at least I can get a little bit of time to read.
• Remember that you are the manager of the house.  Would you let your staff treat you like dirt?   I certainly wouldn't.  It doesn't matter whether it is a child or an adult in your home protect yourself.  Be direct though IE I don't like it when you talk to me like that can you please stop.  If you chose not to I will have your phone..... I will walk out the room......I will put you in time out ..... We are not punching bags but human being that need respect
• If I get a complaint for any child about a job they have been given I give them another one.  They learn fast!
• If I feel negative I read some inspiring quotes or I read a motivational book. 
• Phone someone.  A problem shared is a problem halved.
• Get out of the house on your own once a week.  I know this can be had a certain times of life but I know it can be achieved.  One thing that worked for me when I had very young children was to swap babysitting with another mum.  This meant we both got out once a week. I found I had to schedule time so I became a priority
• Take time to seek to understand before you try to be understood.   (This is one of Steven Covey's principles.) Just by understanding people your attitude can shift.
• Plan successes in your life.....don't plan to fail. Make small goals and stick to them
• Learn what drains you.  My biggest drain in being disorganised.  The more organised I am the more positive I am.  Work out what is your biggest drain in your life and make a change.
• Serve others.  I can be much more positive when I help others.
• Learn to say no to unimportant things.  Just focus on what gives true happiness and true fulfilment



What do you do to stay positive?



Inspiration Saturday

The girl who silenced the world for 5 mins

This clip is a number of years old but still is so relevant for all of us today.

Most of us can't change the whole world but we can make a difference to the community we live in. 

 What are WE going to do to make our part of the world a better place?  

What are WE going to do to clean up our community?

What are We going to do for our starving children of country?



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQmz6Rbpnu0&feature=related

Be inspired!

Severn Cullis-Suzuki is now 32 years old and a environmental activist and speaker.  She is still fighting for our world.

Inspiration

I am constantly amazed by other peoples stories and lives.  They just blow me away with their courage and bravery.

Hilary Weeks a amazing singer and songwriter has written this beautiful piece of music to capture the heartbreak of our stories and the miricle of rising above them.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xyX-I-um5Kk&feature=relmfu

I am a survivior of an amazing story that I have chosen to rise above.  I am a survivor

of moderate to severe depression.

It could have knocked me back,  I could have taken my life,  I could have left all that I hold dear.  But I didn't I chose to press forward and to hold onto faith.  This song was written for me and for many others. 

Enjoy!!!

Goals

How does one reach goals? especially challenging ones.  I find this a very hard question to answer especially when I don't know where to start.  I would really love to make a go of making a business from my art work but I don't know where to begin. 

I sat down to figure out what things were stopping me from trying to achieve this goal and finding out where to start.  The biggest reason was I could find was fear.  Fear of failure,  fear of not being able to do it,  fear of not having enough time to meet my goals, fear of inadequate skills and fear of rejection.

Fear is a really hard thing to overcome.  As a child the fear of a monster under the bed can be almost debilitating.  Fear is our bodies way of showing caution for a new experience.  But when fear takes over it can be very hard to let go of that fear and work though it.  I still have not worked through a fear of being locked in dark spaces or pinned down  after my brother locked me in a cupboard as a young child. I still irrationally cannot cope when someone sits on me and can't move or when I play hide and seek and the cupboard door I am in closes tight and I can't get out.  Starting a quilt business is a bit like this fear for me, quite irrational but understandable. 

In what ways can I overcome this fear?  I spent some time thinking about other fears I have had and how I have overcomed them.  I use to be scared of the dark and being home on my own and night but I seemed to have worked through these ones.  So I wrote a list of what I did to get rid of these fears.

• I didn't dwell on the fear
• I wrote down my fears
• I tried to experience the fear with someone else supporting me
• I made myself do the thing I feared so I gave myself an opportunity to try to overcome the fear
• I talked about it with a friend and my hubby
• I celebrated the successes. 
• I shared my success with my friend and hubby
• I kept challenging myself until I could regularly go into the dark on my own.
• I kept my imagination from running overtime.

Now that I have written this list I can see that I can use these same skills to work on my fear of failure.  This list helps me to know how to attack the fear and make a go of a business. 

I was surprised to see how well this list idea worked.  Now I wonder what other things I can help myself with.?

New years

I have spent the last couple of days reflecting on the past year and looking ahead to the new one.  2011 was a year of many challenges and ups and downs. I have finished the year exhausted form looking after and supporting people though many difficulties and I have survived another year with teenagers :)  (7 down and 12 to go...one disadvantage of having a large family)  I have spent a few days taking time out and just resting so I can get some energy back again and I am glad to say that I am starting to feel a little more like myself again. 



I love the ending and beginning of things.  I love to look back on what has been but I really enjoy the setting of new goals and having the excitement of new experiences. This year has been no exception.

I want to

• Get fit.  I really want to feel healthier and to have more energy I'm even thinking about running a half marathon.  But we will wait and see
• Progress more with my art work
• Have better relationships with my family
• Have a weekly date with my husband
• Extend my education through reading



I may not get everything done but it is really nice to plan and prepare for the year ahead.  What goals are you making?  How are you going to spend the next 366 days?

Christmas

This week has been lovely after a few weeks of hectic running around.  I am finally catching up on a little sleep and feeling a little more normal (if I ever am normal  he he)   I love the week leading up to Christmas.  The secret rustles,  giggling and 'hide and seek'  with gifts.  I love the genuine love of people and care. I wish this could carry on all year.  I love also the little secrets we do as a family for others.  It gives us lovely warn fuzzies and excitement for the recipients of our secrets. 



With all the commercialism of Christmas is is so easy to get caught up in the trims and trappings.  How can we remember the true reason for Christmas?   How can we get back to simplicity and celebrating the birth of Christ and spend quality time as a family?  Here are some things that work for us

• K.I.S.S Keep it simple sister.  Is is really necessary to make 20 ginger bread houses for gifts? 
• Serve others.  For our 12 days of Christmas this year we have done acts of service for each other in our home.  I.E  1st day one act,  2nd day 2 acts etc.  It has been really fun and has brought a lovely feel into our house
• Visit with neighbours
• Visits with elderly and those with no family
• Bake and drop off secretly on door steps
• Decorate letter boxes in your neighbour hood.  Maybe even tape lollipops to the boxes too.
• Play traditional Christmas music
• Have all you meals together
• Make a handmade gift. 
• Go to church on Christmas day (or as near to Christmas day as possible)
• Read or act out the Christmas story
• Sing carols
• Go carolling (lots of fun)
• Read Christmas books as a family
• Have a Christmas concert
• Go to a community carols night
• Drive around your neighbourhood looking at Christmas lights
• Sit and listen to a child or friend or family member.
• Serve as a local soup kitchen
• Wrap a couple of presents up and drop them in to a homeless shelter or woman's refuge
• Watch a Christmas movie together.  The Nativity From the Church of Jesus Christ of latterday saints is beautiful. ( lds.org )

Get your thinking caps on and think about how you can get more meaning in your Christmas. 

Merry Christmas to you all.  Have a wonderful season and day





Love Catherine xxxxx

Time flies

I am sitting here contemplating where this year has gone.  It seems only yesterday that it was last Christmas and it is here again.  The last 2 weeks have gone by in a blur too.  We have had so much happening, a few dramas and very little blogging.

 I spent last week at school camp.  It was fantastic and I had a blast but it meant very little time doing anything to do with art. The kids were amazing and we had a lot of fun.  I did an art group on one of the days.  I had the kids make a bridge they could stand on out of newspaper and string.  It was a great activity and they did very well.  Most of them got the bridges to work. 

I left a long list of things to do at home while I was away as I had 25 people to dinner on Sunday. When I got home I had a wonderful surprise to find it was mostly completed. They had worked so hard.  I felt so supported and loved.  It was such a relief to know that I had only minor stuff to prepare for Sunday night.  The evening was wonderful.  We had a beautiful meal, shared gifts,  sang carols and spent sometime sharing the wonderful things that had happened to each of us during the year.  I was touched to hear some of the children's expressions of gratitude.  Simple and profound....I am grateful for family,  my friends,  that I have a mum who loves me and that I achieved my highest grades this year.  It was a really special family moment that I wish I had recorded in someway. 

My Beautiful Treasures



They all grow up so fast and these moments seem to melt away into far distance memories.  I found this song by Taylor swift on YouTube about this.  It bought many tears to my eyes as I lose a child to University next year and have another one only home from university for a short time until she finds work. When my children where small it felt like they would never grow out of nappies now it feels like the time has just disappeared into a puff of smoke. I hope you enjoy it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=ZDbFxAtNNnU

I am trying to value every moment more so this means sometimes that I have to re prioritise my life to make sure I give value to these important moments in my life.  My art will always still be a huge part of my life but for the past 2 weeks it has had to take a back seat to my family and there special and precious moments. 

Coping with stress

No matter what I do at this time of the year I always seem to have stress.  In the Southern hemisphere Christmas falls at the same time as the summer holidays and end of year breakups.  I seem to spend so much time trying to balance my time and keep sane.  I feel really sorry for my children because of all the extra pressure and needing to be in so many places in short spaces of time. This is how I sometimes look on Christmas day and it really isn't worth it if we are to tired to enjoy the day.

I have come up with a few ways to cope in this busy season that work for me.  Not everything that I do will work for you but I hope there might be a couple of things that  may help

•  I try to keep fourth term extra curricular things down to a bare minimum.
• I write daily to do lists that I don't keep to strictly but use as a guideline each day so that as I get nearer Christmas I don't collapse under the strain
• I start shopping in June when I start seeing things on sale and I tuck them into the cupboard.  This helps the budget too.
• I take time everyday to smell the roses.  I may take a walk or look at the cloud or read a book.  Just something small to gain peace in my heart.
• I try to keep order in my home.  I sometimes have to rely on the children a bit more but it is worth it for the extra visual peace.
• I don't do everything.  I chose to say yea to some things and no to others.  I base my decisions on the goals and values my family is aiming towards
• I prioritise people first and jobs second
• I try to spend an little time each day with each of my children and my husband.  Relationships always come first
• I keep the lines of communication open in my home so I can see when things are getting too much for people.
• I keep a well used calendar which everyone in the house can add things too
• I expect help from everyone who is available.  If everyone does their bit the load is easier.
• K.I.S.S  Keep It Simple Sister.  I don't need to make ginger bread houses for everyone or elaborately decorate the house
• Remember to keep simple traditions with lots of meaning not traditions that take a lot of preparations and give very little in return
• Serve others it always keep life in perspective.
• Keep food simple but yummy.  A roast is always easy to prepare but is always delicious.

When I follow these things I find the stress decreases a little and really begin to enjoy the season.  I hope there could be something here that helps you.

Catherine xxx

I am sorry for the lack of posts over the last few weeks.  I have had a lot of family issues going on and a lot going on in my personal life.  I am hoping to be back on board next week after things are start to settle down. Hopefully by then I will be starting to see the light again.  Until then have a lovely weekend full of joy and love.  I found this beautiful quote last night (unfortunately with no author so I can't give credit where it is due) it was so inspirational for me.

Joy is the sacred quality that

laughs at the inability of outward

circumstances to affect us.

Inspiration Saturday

Breakfast at McDonald's
This is beautiful true story

....I am a mother of three and have recently completed my college degree.  The last class I had to take was Sociology.
The teacher was absolutely inspiring with the qualities that I wish every human being had been graced with.  Her last project of the term was called, 'Smile.'  The class was asked to go out and smile at three people and document their reactions.

I am a very friendly person and always smile at everyone and say hello anyway. So, I thought this would be a piece of cake.Soon after we were assigned the project, my husband, youngest son, and I went out to McDonald's one crisp March morning.
It was just our way of sharing special playtime with our son.
We were standing in line, waiting to be served, when all of a sudden everyone around us began to back away, even my husband did..
I did not move an inch.... An overwhelming feeling of panic welled up inside of me as I turned to see why they had moved.
As I turned around I smelled a horrible 'dirty body' smell, and there standing behind me were two poor homeless men.

As I looked down at the short gentleman, close to me, he was 'smiling'  His beautiful sky blue eyes were full of God's Light as he searched for acceptance.  He said, 'Good day' as he counted
The few coins he had been clutching... The second man fumbled with his hands as he stood behind his friend. I realized the second man was mentally challenged and the blue-eyed gentleman was his salvation.   I held my tears as I stood there with them.

The young lady at the counter asked him what they wanted.
He said, 'Coffee is all Miss' because that was all they could afford.. (If they wanted to sit in the restaurant and warm up, they had to buy something. He just wanted to be warm).
Then I really felt it - The compulsion was so great I almost reached out and embraced the little man with the blue eyes.  That is when I noticed all eyes in the restaurant were set on me, judging  my every action.  I smiled and asked the young lady behind the counter to give Me two more breakfast meals on a separate tray.
I then walked around the corner to the table that the men had chosen as a resting spot. I put the tray on the table and laid my hand on the blue-eyed gentleman's cold hand.  He looked up at me, with tears in his eyes, and said, 'Thank you.'   I leaned over, began to pat his hand and said, 'I did not do this for you.... God is here working through me to give you hope.'

I started to cry as I walked away to join my husband and son.. When I sat down my husband smiled at me and said, 'That is why God gave you to me, Honey, to give me hope...'  We held hands for a moment and at that time, we knew that only because of the Grace that we had been given were we able to give. 

That day showed me the pure Light of God's Sweet love.

I turned in 'my project' and the instructor read it. 
Then she looked up atme and said, 'Can I share this?
I slowly nodded as she got the attention of the class..
She began to read and that is when I knew that we as human beings and being part of God share this need to heal people and to be healed. In my own way I had touched the people at McDonald's, my son, the instructor,and every soul that shared the classroom on the last night I spent as a college student.

I returned to college, on the last evening of class, with this story in hand. 

I graduated with one of the biggest lessons I would ever learn:
UNCONDITIONAL ACCEPTANCE.

Blessings

Sorry for my gap in blogging last week.  It was one of those weeks I don't want to repeat for a while.  I am laughing because I don't want to cry :)  and it is also easier to try to see the goodness in the week rather than the negative. 



Between the doctors visits,  family cirsis's, vet visits and sadnesses of last week I found love of families,  support of friends,  the power of prayer,  blessings of safety and a huge amount of patience I didn't know I had.  I love it when through challenges so much growth happens and a positive attitude reigns supreme. 

This blog today is one of thanks for spring flowers blossoming and rain falling to give us water in our water tanks.  Thanks for families who love no matter what and for the gift of friendship.  Thanks for the power to stand through the strong winds and to gain greater roots to with stand the winds ahead. Thanks for the understanding to have faith in people even when their actions could dictate to me to think other wise. 



What can you be thankful for today?  write a list in your gratitude journal.  How many thnings can you find.

Lifes musings

I lost a friend this week to cancer.  My 6th friend in 7 years.  She was only 53 a a dear woman. My husband also lost a friend of the family this week to cancer and I have just found out a lady I worked with at Paycentre has only days left to live.  I don't know if it is because I am getting older or cancer is more common but so many people I know seem to have been touched by this disease.

Life is so fragile it is here and then gone.  Like a leaf blowing in the breeze floating away.  My friend had lived 53 full and good years.  Full of love, service and work.  She was kind and generous to those she met and loved people before anything else. She was only diagnosed 5 weeks ago and she quietly slipped away with her husband by her side.  It was sudden and unexpected she was given a good chance of recovery.  It was like she was here and then just gone.

How often do we take life for granted?  How often do we take other's lives for granted? Do we value each moment enough?  I don't think we really fully appreciate a lot of what we have until we lose it.  I learnt many years ago to value our family members,  while we have them, after losing a auntie from multiple sclerosis.   I missed her so much.  I was so grateful that my parents took the time to visit her regularly and gave me the opportunity to get to know her.  It taught me so much about love, living now and valuing what we have when we have it.  It is hard to measure the value in that.  Many times I am tempted to protect my own children from death and pain but I have realized it is important for them to learn that death and pain are an important part of life.  My children have gone to many funerals and had many opportunities to help those in pain.  they have grown from it.  They have gained so much empathy and sympathy for others and have such a good understanding of feelings of others. 

Each day is precious and valuable,  it is a chance to love, learn and grow. 

Make a pledge today to treasure and value what you have. 

Inspiration Saturday

This wonderful story has really helped me see my life in a different way.  I hope you love it as much as me

One Grocery Store's Most Important Employee....Boy With Down Syndrome

• --by Barbara Glanz I always leave my telephone number and e-mail address with audiences, encouraging them to call me if they have questions or want to share a success story they experienced by adding a personal signature to their work. About a month after I had spoken to the supermarket folks I received a call from a front-line customer contact person, a nineteen-year-old baggerThe caller, who proudly informed me that he was a Down syndrome youngster, told me his story. "Barbara, I liked what you talked about!" Johnny said excitedly, "but I didn't think I could do anything special for our customers... After all, I'm just a bagger. He decided that every night when he came home from work, he would find a thought for the day. "If I can't find a saying I like," Johnny said proudly, "I think one up!" With the help of his dad, he copied and cut out each quote of the day. "When I finished bagging someone's groceries, I put my thought for the day in their bag and say, 'Thanks for shopping with us.'"

  A month later the store manager called me. He told me... "When I was making my rounds, I found the line at Johnny's checkout was three times longer than anyone else's! It went all the way down the frozen food isle. I was concerned, so I announced 'Get more cashiers out here; get more lanes open!' all the while trying to get these people to change lanes. But no one would move. They all said, "No, it's okay - we want to be in Johnny's lane - we want his 'Thought for the Day.'"

  Johnny's spirit of service transformed that store. The manager later called and told me how each of his departments was coming up with their own personal touch and all because of one young man with Down syndrome who decided he could make a difference!
  http://kleerstreem.posterous.com/one-grocery-stores-most-important-employeeboy

I have chosen to find at least one person at the supermarket each week and to tell them they look beautiful.  My children have started to copy me too.  I can make a difference in this one small way.

How can you make a difference today!!

Literature and movie review

A well loved poem of mine is the lady of Shalott written by Alfred Lord Tennyson.  This poem is set in Camelot at the time of King Arthur.  It is the story of a woman who has been cursed and so she must constantly weave a magic web without looking directly out at the world. The only way she can look out at the world is by viewing the world through a mirror. 

The full poem is found here  http://charon.sfsu.edu/tennyson/tennlady.html

lady of shalottI Am Half-Sick of Shadows," Said the Lady of Shalott" by John William Waterhouse

  
Tennyson magically tells the story though exquisite poetry. He masterfullyy describes the scene in which she lives and creates a beautiful picture of her tragic life.  Her home is on an island in a river which flows toward Camelot. One day Sir Lancelot rides past in all his glory, the lady of shalott turns to see him more clearly and doing so the curse comes upon her as the mirror cracks from side to side.

lady of shalott" by John William Waterhouse

She leaves her home, finds a boat upon which she writes her name, and floats down the river to Camelot. Just before she arrives at the palace she dies.  Lancelot sees her and comments on how lovely she was.

This poem has also been put to music by Loreena McKennitt.  It is a beautiful rendition of this poem.  To view this piece of music go to You tube or your local music store.  It is stunning!! Enjoy