The holidays have always been one of my favorite times of the year. As a child, there was so much to look forward to. We got a week or two off from school, there were parties and family gatherings and of course, presents. But as an adult, I learned that not all children are blessed with the idyllic holiday memories that I have. Some children dread the long cold days at home, with not enough…
I love this blog because I feel at home whenever I read an entry. It is a welcome addition to my daily incoming messages, tucked between my inspirational quotes. Those messages all are a perfect fit to how I have come to see only the good always. I have come to believe that we are born into the world to experience only joy, to celebrate while we are here. I…
I would like to wish all of the readers in the United States a Happy Thanksgiving and all of the readers who are not celebrating the holiday an extra happy Thursday! As the name implies, Thanksgiving is a day to give thanks for all of the good in your life. This can be good people, good fortune, good health and all of the other blessings that we tend to take for granted in our…
I used to be shy. I used to let life pass me by. In my heart, I wanted to change. It was just a matter of convincing my mind to do the same. You see, I’ve learned that it isn’t what life does to you It’s what you do with it that matters. All the complaining and whining won’t do you any good It’ll only make you feel worse and make people not want to…
Esther is a Salonist, Teacher and gospel Musician. She lives in Nairobi with her lovely daughter. Can you bear what Esther went through? Admittedly, it requires God’s grace and power to endure all this and remain standing and hopeful. I interacted with Esther, and this is what she had to say, Esther, how was your life as you grew up? My life as a single parent child and later an orphan*** Yes,…
With Thanksgiving approaching here in the States, this seemed appropriate, and I think that it really applies globally as we all realize that we have a great deal to be thankful for each day as long as we are willing to look for our blessings. Growing up, my entire family lived within about 30 miles of my home, so Thanksgiving was a full house until late in the evening. My husband’s family was also,…
I am reminded more and more that many of life’s most difficult moments can hold more than just a single lesson. The day that we buried my mother was one of the most difficult days of my life. She was elderly, and I knew in my subconscious that our days together were numbered, but I never expected the end to come so quickly. Her death was due to accidental carbon monoxide poisoning, so thankfully she…
My father’s battle with cancer lasted for many years. And I understand that in some ways, as a family, we were very fortunate in that regard. We were blessed to have him with us for about a decade after he was diagnosed. But the truth of the matter is that he spent most of those last ten years suffering and fighting just to stay alive. At one point, he endured an entire year of…
It seems that anytime you are facing a difficult life experience, someone always feels the need to remind you to search for the silver lining. Most of the time, this rather philosophical tidbit of information is accompanied by a sympathetic yet understanding smile and a pat on the back. As do most recipients of this rather tired cliché, I normally try to muster a smile of thanks and then move on. The words…
There are times when it is very easy to become livid at another person who has hurt someone whom we care about. But I am beginning to learn that sometimes, the acts which appear to be very cruel are actually some of life’s greatest gifts disguised as life’s hardest blows. It might take some time to discover how to get the extravagant wrapping off of the gift, but in time the true value is…