Look Up

I rarely put myself first and am realizing how unhealthy that can be. My conditioning taught me to be a people pleasing caretaker. I have always put everyone else first and it has hurt me severely. It's not that I wanted to be last, I just couldn't figure out how to put myself first without hurting someone else. Someone wins, someone loses. Me? Or them? Conditioning taught me to self-sacrifice.

What a terrible dilemma! Either I put myself first and feel selfish for hurting others, or I put everyone else first and I suffer. That is a no win situation. 

I'm learning. 

Being able to put yourself first is important in life. You are the most important person in your life. Without you, you have no life. Putting yourself first can be empowering and liberating. It is also how you get ahead. Putting yourself first is good, unless done at the cost of others. Then you are acting out of ego. You are saying "I am better than, more important than." You are creating hurt.

If done correctly, everyone benefits.

So...

what is the correct way?

I think I may have figured it out!

Each one of us must put ourselves first in order to thrive and survive.

Putting yourself first means you must cast off others. Use them as stepping stones. Use them to build a wall so you can find your rightful place at the top. Right?

Wrong.

Try looking at it as a race. Place yoursef first. 

Then...

grab the hands of those around you. Walk shoulder to shoulder, together, in the lead. If you get to a point where you feel the energy or need to surge ahead? Don't drop hands, pull them along! Set an example. Lead the way. Share the empowered feeling of being first. It will pay off if you stumble or tire. By that time, the bond between hands will be strong and it will be you who will be carried along until you have regained strength.

We all must work together in order to win the race.

The Human Race.

Look up. What do you see? Vastness. Eternity.

Does it make you feel small?

I'm sure it does if you stand alone.

Stand together.

Walk together.

Run if you have to.

Just don't let go.

If you feel yourself slipping?

I got you babe.

I am taking this moment in time to recognize that I have never put myself first. I am also realizing that I need to start. In doing so, I vow to hang on to the hands of all those I love, leaving no one behind and adding the hands that reach out to me. In putting myself first I will grow in self-esteem, in empowerment and in self. I will set an example and pass the feeling on through all the hands I hold.

Look!

     Look at this adorable post office! What a lovely little piece of history. It is currently open for business but is at risk of closure.

     You, my friends, can help save this post office with the simple and affordable act of sending a postcard. How easy is that? Rather than tell you all the details here on my blog, let me guide you to the owner's page.

     Jane Davies is a fellow blogger and wonderful artist. Check out her post HERE. You can read about the post office, how you can help, and how being one of the first 200 to join in would make you the proud recipient of an art postcard. Oh, and make sure to check the bottom of her post for an adorable video of chickens chillin' at the office. Perhaps they should rename Rupert "Quaint City".  

     ♡Love

Kids Ask The Cutest Questions

Kids ask the cutest questions and I adore them for it! Here is a conversation with my 3rd born son from last week.

C-man (with a rather inquisitive look on his face): "Mommy?"
Me: "Yes honey."
C-man: "Is there really such a thing as stink lines?"
Me: "Stink lines?"
C-man: "Yeah. You know. The lines that come off of someone who is really smelly."
Me: "Oh." trying desperately hard not to laugh "No honey. No such thing."

This particular son of mine is quite the sensitive soul and does not care to be laughed at. I remained stoic until he left the room at which time I ran directly to his father....

"OMG!!!! You'll never believe what C just asked me!!! OMG!!! He is so stinkin' cute!!!!"

I tend to be quite visual. A big part of the reason I found the question so funny is due to the fact that I instantly imagined him walking around this whole time looking for 'stink lines' on people to see if they truly exist. I honestly don't believe I ever thought 'stink lines' were a 'real' thing. Then again, I wasn't obsessed with Garfield cartoons either.

In honor of C-man, I would like to introduce you to Candy!

If ever there were a creature worthy of stink lines, it would be Candy. She's an old beagle that lives in our neighborhood. We became acquainted with her through numerous yard escapes. The first time she showed up at our door she stunk to high heaven! You could hardly get near her as she was covered in something with an unGodly smell. We called the vet on her rabies tag. They tracked down the owners. Several years later and many more visits, (we have since exchanged info. w/the owners as they always call us when she disappears and we now know where to return her), she shows up as if visiting old friends, always stinking.  It's as if she stops and rolls in all the local dog piles on her way over.

Darling Daughter walking Candy on one of her visits.  We had to wait for the owners to return home to return her.

Candy, you are such an absolute sweetheart but that scent you wear does not do you justice!

Beautiful You

You know how you wake up every morning,

go out into the world and share your sunshine?

How you throw compliments that make others blush with pride?

How you lend a hand when you see someone in need?

How you build the confidence of your children with love and praise?

How you see the beauty in everyone you meet?

How you appreciate the gift of friendship and let your friends feel your appreciation?

How you love and accept every flaw in Mother Nature not as a flaw but as perfectly imperfect?

Will you do me a favor this morning?

Before you head out the door,

will you look in the mirror

and start there?

Throw yourself compliments and watch yourself blush.

Do you see need in your eyes? Fill that need.

Give yourself the love and praise you deserve and the confidence will follow.

Look at the beauty that is looking back at you.

Appreciate yourself as the best friend you could have.

Love and accept every perfect imperfection you were blessed with.

Start with beautiful you.

Take Note

UM/UIM

Uninsured Motorist/Under Insured Motorist

Insurance

BUY IT!!!!

I am asking each of you to check your automobile insurance.

Because I care.

Check for uninsured and under insured motorist insurance.

You can get a million dollars of coverage for next to nothing.

My friend has it. It's saving her house.

I was gone the last few days.

I was hours away helping a friend.

She is in her mid thirties.

She has a four year old and a one year old.

Three weeks ago she was in a bad car accident.

She was driving home from work (second shift).

She was t-boned.

The accident happened in front of a hospital

less than a mile from her home where her children lay sleeping

and her husband sat waiting.

They had to use Jaws-of-Life to extract her from her totaled car.

Her pelvis was crushed.

She was rushed to a bigger hospital where they screwed her pelvis together.

She is lucky.

She has family and friends helping to care for her and her children.

Grueling physical therapy, lots of pain meds.

Sent home with instructions.

DO NOTHING

She will need to use a walker for two months.

Crutches for another two.

She can't take care of her girls.

She can't work.

The Driver

A twenty year old kid.

High on drugs.

Blacked out.

He had a warrant and a past record.

Part of his record. Battery. Drugs.

He had NO INSURANCE.

It's the law to carry insurance here.

He obviously has no regard for law.

My friend has under insured/uninsured motorist insurance.

Coverage up to one million dollars.

She is spreading the word.

She asked me to spread the word.

Healing will take time.

Reimbursement will take time.

Her family is helping her financially.

Without her insurance, she would lose everything monetarily.

The insurance will sue the kid.

You can't squeeze blood from a turnip.

Please. 

Check your insurance.

Consider uninsured/under insured motorist insurance.

I checked. I had the minimum.

I am upping mine to the max.

I had fun with her girls.

I was glad to help her.

It was sad to see her suffering,

watch her frustration with being helpless to her children's needs.

She's lucky. 

Her life was spared.

She's getting stronger every day.

For Shannon's sake,

check your insurance.

Spread the word.

This was the moon at sunrise a few days ago driving to my friend's house.

Why?

I followed an internet link this morning.

It shows a photo shoot of Lady Gaga with no makeup.

The real woman.

The real beauty.

Natural.

Free from the mask.

Damned if the comments aren't crude, rude, nasty, judgmental.

Downright MEAN!!!!!

What is wrong with people?

She bares all.

She is gutsy.

She is daring.

She is famous, powerful, smart, strong, dare I say beautiful????

I actually prefer to see the real her.

I'm not a big fan of the performer

but I have gained a whole new respect for the woman.

Why is it that people have to be so mean?

Why do people feel the need to voice their negativity?

Why do people choose to be so hurtful?

It is like a bully mentality, this whole internet thing.

The comment sections disgust me.

Everyone hides behind a screen and throws the ugliness around.

I wonder.

For all those judging.

What do they think of themselves?

How is their career going?

How much money do they have in the bank?

What do they see in their own mirror?

I love, love, LOVE au natural.

I love people for who they are.

The raw them. The real them.

I love that my husband doesn't like makeup.

I still feel uncomfortable leaving the house without a touch of a mask.

"Why?" I ask myself.

Now I know.

It is this crazy media driven world which judges on masks.

Who has the best mask?

Me? I would rather live in a world where everyone took off their masks.

Accepted themselves. Loved themselves.

Mainstream Media

Stop the bullying. The judgment.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

No one is perfect.

We all judge at times.

Myself included.

We can all work on it.

Be aware of the words that cross our lips.

Be aware of the impact our words have on others.

Tonight I am attending a presentation.

I am thrilled to have the opportunity to attend locally.

Here's the scoop.

"A one-hour presentation on Rachel's Challenge. Rachel Scott was the first student killed in the Columbine tragedy. This dynamic presentation will challenge each of us to become proactive parents/community members to help support our kids to embrace and respect individual differences, appreciate the value and worth of all people, stand up for others that are being mistreated, know "who" they are and recognize their worth, and to reach out and help others."

For more info.

What an important message.

(total random side note but somewhat related. yes. more of my rambling cranial purge. shortly after seeing the article on Lady Gaga, I saw a whole article on anti-aging tricks and tips. what does that really mean? we're all going to do it whether we like it or not. anti makes it sound like we're against it. wouldn't it be great if we could embrace it? every line, every wrinkle and grey hair represents time, stories, experience, lessons. how about 'aging gracefully' instead.)

I feel extremely grateful for the online communities I have encountered.

My blog connections.

The online classes I have taken.

My CM sisterhood.

Such an amazing and supportive crowd.

I am in love with the positivity, the love, the generosity.

It's out there. I know it is. I see it and feel it every day.

Perhaps it's not the norm. Perhaps it's not everywhere.

But the love is there.

Please keep this in mind as you go about your day.

Pass a little love around today.

Make a ripple.

If we all join in, we'll be making waves.

ripples

Thank you.

All of you.

For being here.

For reading.

For your love, positivity and support.

I love you.

Have a beautiful day.

Nourishment

I went to a little Amish style country store yesterday.

I was out of almond meal.

Waking kids in shifts so early in the morning makes for weary eaters.

Making breakfast cakes with almond and blueberry tempts their palette

and nourishes their bodies.

I also made homemade soup from a smoked turkey leg.

It turned out better than imagined.

Soup nourishes body and heart.

(the following definitions from my trusty Merriam Webster Dictionary© 1994)

nourish (vb): to promote the growth or development of

nourishing (adj.): giving nourishment

nourishment (n):the action or process of nourishing

The words themselves sound satisfying and fulfilling.

Some associated words might be love, care, wholesome, nurture.

All positive.

When we think of nourishment we most often think of food.

But what about other forms of nourishment?

What do you feed your heart?

Your soul?

In order to thrive we need proper nourishment.

The same goes for all parts of our "selves"

Do you nourish your creativity? your dreams?

Do you nourish your relationships?

What area in your life is suffering?

Perhaps you simply need to tend to it with proper nourishment.

Feed your hopes, dreams and desires.

Promote their growth.

Nourish them.

With love,

Lynn