When you look at this -- what do you see? The majority of us see a black dot. You find in life what you look for! What are you focusing on this year? Will you be focusing on the black dot in the center of the blank page which represents our challenges , negativities, disappointments and difficulties -- or will you focus on the vast white space around the dot where you find opportunities, friendships and blessings? The possibilities here are endless. Our lives are lik

A father and his two young sons were fishing in a very large lake, when suddenly a terrible storm came up and capsized their boat. They feared for their lives, struggled to upright the boat, and finally were able to climb back in it. As they rowed back to the shoreline, the man saw his wife running toward the boat. Sobbing she said, "During that terrible storm, lightning struck our house and burned it to the ground. Everything we have worked for for thirt y-years has gone

We met one another as strangers eating breakfast at the counter of our favorite country cookin' restaurant. Two elderly men and a younger fellow exchanged stories and memories of our adventures, quickly forming a friendship. We are all set in our ways, have many quirks and idiosyncrasies which usually result in everyone laughing. Talk about diversity! One of us was in 'Special Forces' and two of us weren't . One of us still uses a flip phone and drinks his warm coffee th

An elderly gentleman's wife had been in a memory care facility for over 4 years. Not a day went by that he did not go visit her, even though she never recognized him or ever knew why he came . One day after all these years, he just couldn't stand it anymore, and he got down on his knees, looked into her eyes and said, "Honey do you know who I am?" She paused, looked up at him and replied, "I don't know who you are, but I can tell that you are someone who loves me very m

Intelligence without ambition is like a bird without wings. -Salvator Dali What is your New Year's Resolution? Sometimes we all need a little inspiration to remind us to reach for the stars. Or at least try to reach the top shelf in the pantry without using a step stool. Whether your goal is to become the world's best pickleball player or to invent a self-stirring coffee mug, pursue it with the enthusiasm of a mosquito at a nudist colony. Ambition doesn't just happen. Y

What   are   your   big   plans for 2026? Take a moment to reflect on this ancient wisdom: If you want to know your past, look into your present condition. If you want to know your future, look into your present actions. YOUR PAST Don’t linger too long in the glow of past victories. Praises for our past triumphs are like feathers to a dead bird. They may have felt uplifting, but they hold no real power in our current lives. While we are products of our past, we need not be pr

We give gifts at Christmas to symbolizes the ultimate Gift God gave us in Jesus Christ, His Son! We could never even begin to match the Gift God gave us! May we all celebrate the birth of Jesus aaaaaaaaand spread the hope He brought to the worAaaald. I wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and Happy Holiday Season ! Click the link below for one of my Christmas favorites. I hope it blesses you! Jennifer Nettles "O Holy Night" Subscribe New Blogs   Previous Blogs More

A friend of mine shared this story with me: "When I dwas in elementary school, we did a Secret Santa in my class room. All the kids drew a name and then we exchanged presents the last day before Christmas break. My parents went out and bought me a nice new toy to give to the child whose name I had drawn. Mama wrapped it up and the kid that received it, loved the present. The present I received was from a boy in my class that I didn't really know. It looked like it had been

One of my inspirational heroes is Bob Goff, author of Love Does -- an excellent must-read book! According to Bob, giving is not just a moral obligation but a pathway to a more joyful, connected, and purposeful life. Not just at Christmas, but all year long! Giving at Christmas does include a certain 'magic' that normal giving may or may not include. We give gifts at Christmas to symbolizes the ultimate Gift God gave us in Jesus Christ, His Son! But how could we even beg

An old man was trying to teach his grandson about life's lessons: "A fight is going on inside me," he said to the boy. "It is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves. One is evil – he is anger, envy, greed, arrogance, false pride, and ego. The other is love, joy, peace, hope, humility, kindness, and compassion. The same fight is going on inside of you – and inside every other person. " The grandson thought about it for a minute and then ask his grandfather "Which wo

We live in a day when everything is an acronym. FOMO  -- Fear-of-Missing-Out has become a familiar term . So. . . . . is curiosity a good thing or a bad thing? Curiosity, the desire to learn, is also known as "intellectual overexcitability". When you’re genuinely curious, you assume that other people may have information that you don’t have, or may see things that you may miss. Curiosity is a positive and beneficial trait that can improve relationships, and overall

As Thanksgiving approaches, our hearts are filled with gratitude. However, this sense of thankfulness should be an important part of our daily lives -- not just reserved for Thanksgiving. As my mentor Zig Ziglar used to say: We should all have an 'attitude of gratitude.' Thanksgiving is a condition of the heart and the more thankful you are about the things in your lives, the more things you have been thankful for! I'm so thankful for two of my greatest treasures —my w

We all go through the storms of life. We never purposely choose to go through our trials. They bring pain, confusion, and questions that we’d prefer not to face. But trials are often the pathways to God’s richest blessings .   When you are going through the next storm -- and we all will -- remember: I t takes both rain and sunshine to make a rainbow. Remember. . . God may be trying to teach you something or lead you in another direction. Look for the blessings beyond the st

Are you trying to escape a situation, a relationship or a job in your life? Make sure your decision isn't a ' Knee-Jerk Reaction' to the situation. Life's a wild ride, full of twists and turns that may leave us looking for an escape. Be careful where you're escaping to !     Are you sure you're making progress in the right direction? Everything may look rosy on your side of the tunnel. But ' so far, so good' doesn't exactly work here! So, what do you do? I got a coupl

Someone once said: You’re not a leader until you have produced a leader . True leaders don’t create followers. They create more leaders. What are the 3-rules of leadership ? 1. LEAD BY EXAMPLE 2 . LEAD BY EXAMPLE 3 . LEAD BY EXAMPLE Values are important. Albert Schweitzer once said: " Example is not the main  thing in influencing others. It  is the only thing. " The best leaders pay more attention to the principle than the crowd's opinions. Remember the old illustrati

This morning, as I was heading to work, I ended up behind a car with a sticker taped to the rear window: "Don't Honk, Learning to drive a stick-shift." Upon reading that, I immediately felt more understanding. I remained patient through the slow gear changes and jerky starts. Honestly, for someone still learning they were doing pretty good! But then a thought occurred to me: Would I have been just as patient if I had not seen that sign ? Probably not. And that thought st

To this guy -- this is Normal. What IS Normal? The only normal people are the ones you don't know very well . . . And the more you get to know them, the more you find out they're just as crazy as you are ! The myth of normal is that we assume the conditions of society are healthy just because we are used to them. Someone once asked me: "Do you worry about what people think of you?" Shocked, I responded " . . . . What they think of me??" Like I always say:  Normal for me

When helping the poor or those in need it is essential to remember: The act of giving and helping others should stem from genuine...

KNOWLEDGE IS KNOWING STUFF . . . . . . wisdom is knowing what to do with it -- the "why" and "how" that comes from experience and...

Friends come in and out of our life, but some hang around for the long-haul. Regarding the 'long-haul' -- take a look at the picture...