Motivational Monday #6 (Memorial Day)

Happy Memorial Day! Today is the day we honor the men and women & their families who have served and are currently serving! "All gave some...some gave all." We salute you! I especially want to thank my husband for the 11 years of service he gave before he was medically retired. I'll never forget when we were pregnant with our second child and he came to the doctor's visit from work in his uniform and as we were leaving a lady walked up to him and shook his hand and thanked him. I broke down and cried. That moment touched me and my husband more than I can express.

Today's Motivational Monday is going to be a continuation of my blog on Friday night. I visited a church Saturday night and you won't believe what the Lord did for me!

We read from James 2:1-13. I was brought to tears when the sermon began and it was exactly what I have been dealing with and blogged about Friday night. That moment told me I was right where I was meant to be. Do we treat others the way God wants them treated? It has been breaking my heart lately to see how people treat one another. I've felt it first hand from people who are "close" to me. "There is no place so lonely as when you're in a crowd." Be Bold! Be part of the solution! The ground is truly level at the foot of the cross. It doesn't matter if you are rich or poor, black or white...at the foot of the cross we are all on the same level. Favoritism is a sin. They say don't judge a book by its cover, but by looking at someone can't you tell if they are lonely, sad, hurting? Learn to welcome people, spend time with people...your actions and how you treat others speaks volumes.

 

As Christians we should never single anyone out and always welcome them. Sometimes all it takes is being there for someone that turns their life around. He told us about a skinny boy named Brian Warner who was never really welcomed in his church and one day they went to a theme park and were told to pair up and no one paired up with him, he spent the whole day alone at the park. This boy is who we know as Marilyn Manson. If only people wouldn't have pushed him aside and made him feel welcome and loved he could have been different.

 

He also told about a church who was built in front of a college and they hoped to attract the college kids but they weren't very successful. One day a young student in tattered clothes, long hair and a beard came in and sat on the floor in the sanctuary for the service. No one welcomed him. They just stared at him during the service. At one point an 80 year old deacon who has been with the church forever, in his suit, stood up and walked towards the student. Everyone thought " oh he is mad at this kid, who can blame him, that isn't how u "do church". But they were all shocked to see that 80 year old man struggle to get to the floor to sit with the student so he didn't have to worship alone. The preacher then said "None of you will remember my sermon, but you will remember what you just saw." We should all be that kind of person.

 

How can I become what God wants me to be?

1. Become Intentional

2. Become Prayerful

3. Become Observant

4. Become Bold

 

You never know how much a kind word means to someone. Be the kind of friend Jesus would be. Be the kind of friend you would want. Think of how you would feel if the roles were reversed.

 

<3

Audrey

 

"The Masses are Asses." Unknown

Where to begin....? This has really been weighing on me lately. I can't just push it aside anymore. This post's title is a quote I found while looking for my own inspiration to what I have been feeling. It truly describes the 'masses' of people in general. The majority of people are 'asses.' There are few genuine and real people out there and it really makes me sad. It sometimes even hits close to home. What happened to people caring about other people?

I battled being bullied in high school because I was a good kid,who was in the band, National Honors Society, etc, and I was from a lower class family. But to me, I didn't care who picked on me...I was still happy with just being me. Today, bullying means something else than when I was in school, and that was only 7 years ago. Kids are committing suicide today because the bullying is so intense. Why do other kids feel the need to make another child feel so bad about themselves that they would rather die than endure it any longer? So what if someone doesn't come from money like you...so what if they wear glasses...so what, so what , so what! I worry now because my son is only 2 and he already needs glasses because he is far sighted and has a lazy eye. What if he is picked on because of something no one can control? As his mother I would be infuriated if someone made him feel like he is nothing because of that. I am already infuriated as it is that someone is bullying my cousin. She is a child of God and full of faith. She is beautiful inside and out and she doesn't see that because other kids make her feel like she is not "good enough." She is just like I was in school. A great student, quiet, nice to everyone, and from a lower income family. I get so angry that I want to whip on some little high school kids! I try to give her inspiration and advice to encourage her and keep her from falling into the trap other children fall into when bullied. But she still is struggling.

“No matter how big a nation is, it is no stronger than its weakest people, and as

long as you keep a person down, some part of you has to be down there to hold
him down, so it means you cannot soar as you might otherwise.”- Marian Anderson (U.S. contralto, 1897-1993)

"People who look down on other people don't end up being looked up to." Robert Half

"People in general are cruel to one another. The only way to have fun to them is to make fun of someone. I hate that. Why cant someone be different? Why can't someone be themselves without being made fun of? I hate society because of how they judge people." Unknown

That last quote definitely shares my sentiments. I couldn't have said it better. If you are a victim of bullying...don't be a victim anymore!! Nothing those bullies say about you is true and you know yourself better than them for you to believe them! They speak out of jealousy, envy, anger...you name it! They don't make you feel less about yourself with any truth to what they are saying...they do it because making you feel less than you are dulls the light within you and allows them to shine brighter and steal the attention. Take what they say with a grain of salt and know childhood is only temporary. If you can be strong and trust in what the Lord feels about you then you will make it to adulthood and be thankful you never let the bullies bring you down. "This too shall pass..."

"Treat everyone with politeness, even those who are rude to you- not because they are nice, but because you are." Unknown

Kill them with kindness....that's what I do! :)

To this day I still get left out of things because I am different. I am proud I am different! I have made my mistakes in life...but I am not a corrupt person...I don't intentionally hurt others...I genuinely care about people and put an effort into having a relationship with those I love. But I will not be an option any longer. I can love you from a distance. I have stressed myself to the max trying to prove myself to people and I can't do it any longer. I have people in my life that actually enjoy spending time with me and love having me in their lives. They know me...my personality, my hobbies..etc. I don't have to prove myself to them in order to feel their love. I have distanced myself from a lot of people so I could come to this conclusion and see who really cared to have me a part of their lives. I am glad I did because it has shown me so much.

"Some people have active imaginations, but they don't know me and they're wrong if they think they do." Yamilla Diaz.

I can also guarantee you, if you didn't hear it from my mouth, then it isn't true.

These days people are only concerned with who or what can benefit them. They use people to their advantage. They drain the life out of others and discard them afterwards. I can't even begin to explain how disappointed I am in the human race. I have found a few quotes that seem to suit the situation.

"A different world cannot be built by indifferent people." Unknown
"All charming people have something to conceal, usually their total dependence on the appreciation of others." Cyril Connolly
Frost
"People seem to enjoy things more when they know a lot of other people have been left out of the pleasure." Russell Baker
"There are two kinds of people in the world- those who divide everything and those who don't." Robert B.
"People have become inappropriate. People have pushed too far. People have climbed too many fences. I'm just tired of it." Gwenyth Paltrow
"I believe we shall come to care about people less and less. The more people one knows, the easier it becomes to replace them." Ambrose Bierce

I just don't get why people think life is a game. We are not guaranteed a tomorrow and if you were to die today would you be proud of your life? I don't care how successful you are in your career or how rich you are. Would you be proud of of your life if the only flashbacks you got to see were those of how you treated others?

Think about it.

<3

Audrey

Motivational Monday #5

Yes...I made it!! Better late than never right?? ;) So I survived my first day at my second job!! I have taken on a part time waitressing job. I have been in customer service all my life, but this is a first. It is definitly a challenge, but once I get the hang of things I think I will enjoy it. I am working with great people! Any tips for a first time waitress? Mull it over and in the mean time here is some motivation for your week!

"Courage and cheerfulness will not only carry you over the rough places in life, but will enable you to bring comfort and help to the weakhearted and will console you in the sad hours." William Oster

"What we say does not matter-only what God says to souls through us." Mother Theresa of Calcutta

"But there is suffering in life, and there are defeats. No one can avoid them. But it's better to lose some of the battles in the struggles for your dreams than to be defeated without ever knowing what you're fighting for." Paulo Coelho

"Everyday in every way I create my own reality. So what is it that I choose to create today?" Gabriella Goddard

"Limitations live only in our minds. But if we use our imaginations, our possibilities become limitless." Jamie Paolinetti

"The only real failure in life is the failure to try." Unknown

"We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars." Oscar Wilde

"You are not broken and you do not need to be fixed." Joshua Estrin

"Any fool can criticize, condemn, and complain, but it takes character and self control to be understanding and forgiving." Dale Carnegie

"All my life I have wanted to be somebody. I see now I should have been more specific." Lily Tomlin

"Always remember to slow down in life; live breathe, and learn; take a look around you whenever you have time and neve forget everything and every person that has the least place within your heart." Unknown

"And above all things, never think that you're not good enough yourself. A man should never think that. My belief is that in life people will take you at your own reckoning." Isaac Asimov

So as you can see, I have no specific topic for today. There is a lot of change going on around me and I know I am not the only one dealing with it. It's hard when so much is going on in our lives to remember that we are not alone and that we are good enough. And you may be having a rough day, but others around you may be as well and if you can just flash that smile it can brighten anyone's day and remind them of these little things as well.  I am going from working 2 days a week to 5, I am adjusting so bear with me. I plan to be more prepared next week. So although this blog is short and sweet, I hope the quotes were some what inspiring.

I got today's quotes from an app on my Iphone titled 55,000 Amazing Quotes. So if you have access to that app snatch it up! :) I do not represent Iphone or the app. Its just the phone I happen to have. ;)

<3

Audrey

Motivational Monday #4

Hello Readers! It is Monday yet again!! :) I am thankful to get another Monday under my belt. How about you? So I asked on my Facebook page if there were any areas that you may need some encouraging on and I got some great responses! So I have been hard at work getting together some great material to help you all in your struggles! Now don't skip to the section that applies to you. Read it all because there is some great material that can help you all. :)

The first topic I would like to talk about is job loss. This is something so many people are dealing with right now and in this economy it is a scary thing to be without a job. Un-employment only last so long and let's face it, its not like it's enough to cover every need. Whenever I complain about having to work my husband reminds me to be thankful that I have a job. So many people are applying for job after job with no luck. I can imagine how frustrating it is and how you worry about how you will pay for the bills once the well runs dry. I know it is easier said then done, but keep faith! The good Lord will always provide for you. “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?" Matthew 6:25; Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." Matthew 6:24; "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." Hebrews 13:5. Always fight your battles on your knees! Strengthen your faith in Him and keep it. He has never broken a promise. He will pull you out of this struggle, but in His time.
I also gathered some great quotes to keep you encouraged during this struggle.

-"The greater the obstacle, the more glory in overcoming it." Moliere
-"All misfortune is but a stepping stone to fortune." Henry David Thoreau
-"Although the world is full of suffering, it is also full of overcoming it." Helen Keller
-"Each difficult moment has the potential to open my eyes and my heart." Myla Kabat Zenn
-"We must embrace pain and burn it as fuel for the journey." Kenji Miyazawa
-"God brings men into deep waters, not to drown them, but to cleanse them." John Aughey
-"Nothing is permanent in this wicked world, not even our troubles." Charlie Chaplan

Here is a great website I found that has great tips for dealing with job loss: http://ellen-brown.com/blog/category/career-transition/

The second topic I want to talk about is about being overwhlemed with responsibility. This can apply to a stressful job, being a parent or caregiver, etc.  As a mom, I have learned I am no good to my kids if I am stressed and overwhelemed. I snap, I cry, I want to hide in my room!! hehe If you are a parent, you know what I mean. The same can apply to any situation where you get overwhlemed by the responsibility of it. You cannot constantly go, go, go without a breather. You have to make time for yourself. Don't tell me there is NO time for "me time". “Don’t say you don’t have enough time. You have exactly the same number of hours per day that were given to Helen Keller, Pasteur, Michaelangelo, Mother Teresea, Leonardo da Vinci, Thomas Jefferson, and Albert Einstein.” –Life’s Little Instruction Book. Now what?! I thought so. ;) There are simple things you can do to that don't take much time to refresh yourself. Put your duties aside at least an hour before bed and do something quiet and relaxing. Read a chapter each night in a book you have been meaning to read. Take a nice relaxing bubble bath. I also find that if I get up an hour before everyone else I can sit and enjoy my coffee in the silence and prepare myself to tackle the days activities. Doing these little things can help you be the best you can be for your job, children, family member, etc. Another thing to remember is you are appreciated. People are not always great at showing how much they appreciate you, but just look at what you bring to the table and how difficult it would be for others if you didnt do your part.

-"The price of greatness is responsibility." Sir Winston Churchhill
-"Happiness depends more on the inward disposition of mind than on outward curcumstances." Benjamin Franklin
-"When you pass that test of keeping a good attitude even when you don't like it, then you are sowing a seed for God to take you where He wants you to go." Joel Osteen

The last thing for today is relationships and how your attitude can affect them. From my own personal experiences I know that past relationships or circumstances set your attitude for future relationships. This may not be the case for all of you, but I am going out on a limb and saying i think you can relate.  I had to learn that my husband was a different person from the ones who have hurt me in the past. I could not hold what someone else had done to me over his head. And you may not think you are comparing them to a past experience, when deep down you really are. You are setting them up for failure and it's not fair to them. If you realize you have a great person in your life, but you have a negative attitude that keeps coming between your relationship, then its time for change. A change in your attitude. You have to let go of the past before you let it run your future. Your attitude is totally up to you! You control it.
Sometimes there is something missing. In order to let someone love you, then you have to love yourself first. I have said this to many people so many times and it goes in one ear and out the other. Today a page I follow on Facebook posted a picture with a message and I would like to share that message. The page is Lessons Learned In Life and this is what they shared:

 Stop thinking you need someone - get it out of your head. Just live your life, beautifully. Make yourself happy because you’re never promised that you’ll find someone who can do that for you. & even if you do find that person - you could loose them. Stop depending on anyone else in your life to determine your happiness and start looking in the mirror at the most important one. Just be patient, & in time you’ll come across someone that feels right - & without even knowing it you will have picked someone who compliments you, rather than trying to find someone who completes you.

Some of you may have that person you feel can complete you in your life but you are struggling to hold onto them. I was actually talking to a wise woman this past week about this very subject and she put it into words that explained it perfectly. She said you must first love yourself. If you don't know who you are, and are not happy with yourself, then how can you ever be happy with someone else?

-"Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned." Buddha
- “The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, the education, the money, than circumstances, than failure, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company... a church... a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice everyday regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past... we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it. And so it is with you... we are in charge of our Attitudes.” Charles Swindoll
-“Getting over a painful experience is much like crossing monkey bars. You have to let go at some point in order to move forward.” -C.S. Lewis
-“By changing nothing, nothing changes.” -Tony Robbins

I hope something I have said today sticks with some of you and encourages you in whatever situation you may be dealing with. I am sorry it took so long to get it up today, but my kids begged for me to read to them this morning and I didnt just want to throw anything into this blog. I hope it was worth the wait for you! I want to leave you with these last few quotes I came across this week that are pretty eye opening.

-"Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities no doubt crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day; begin it well and serenely and with too high a spirit to be cumbered with your old nonsense."Ralph Waldo Emerson

-“Someone was hurt before you, wronged before you, hungry before you, frightened before you, beaten before you, humiliated before you, raped before you… yet, someone survived… You can do anything you choose to do.” –Maya Angelou

-“Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes courage is the little voice at the end of the day that says I’ll try again tomorrow.” -Mary Anne Radmacher

<3
Audrey

Check out these cool kids...

Hey guys! I just wanted to randomly drop in and give you 2 links to check out! My 4 year old cousin Noah entered a poem titled "I See Trees" in a Kumon Poem Contest. His poem was chosen as a finalist! If he wins he gets to go to NY! He is so excited. He is already looking a his puzzle of the US to see how far NY is from FL! If you don't mind, please visit this link and vote for his poem! Help the lil cutie win! You have until the 18th to vote and you can vote once every 24 hours!

https://apps.facebook.com/kumonpoetrychallenge/contests/207833/voteable_entries/49044676

And the second lil cutie is my 5 year old Alivia! She is entered in a fan photo contest. All you have to do is visit the fb link and LIKE her photo. Then if you LIKE the Kangacoo Designs page (the one hosting the contest) and then comment on Alivia's photo that you are a new fan, that gets her a second vote! Her contest ends the 15th!

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150919329646259&set=a.10150919321616259.467865.355005206258&type=1


I also want to take this time to wish all you mommys a HAPPY MOTHERS DAY! Take this day for you. Spend it doing something for you. You deserve it!

<3

Audrey

my facebook page :https://www.facebook.com/pages/Oh-no-she-didnt/212208255556419

Just some mid-week inspiration...

we could all use a little.

So today has been one of those days for me. The kind where you are forced to evaluate some things. So, I decide to just post a collection of some quotes that lift my spirits or set me straight. Maybe some of them may just touch you in some way as well. Without further adieu...

“The doors we open and close each day decide the lives we live.” Flora Whittmore


“Life can either be accepted or changed. If it is not accepted, it must be changed. If it cannot be changed, then it must be accepted.”

“We cannot change our past. We can not change the fact that people act in a certain way. We can not change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude.” Charles Swindoll

“People are afraid of themselves, of their own reality; their feelings most of all. People talk about how great love is, but that's bullshit. Love hurts. Feelings are disturbing. People are taught that pain is evil and dangerous. How can they deal with love if they're afraid to feel? Pain is meant to wake us up. People try to hide their pain. But they're wrong. Pain is something to carry, like a radio. You feel your strength in the experience of pain. It's all in how you carry it. That's what matters. Pain is a feeling. Your feelings are a part of you. Your own reality. If you feel ashamed of them, and hide them, you're letting society destroy your reality. You should stand up for your right to feel your pain.” Jim Morrison

“There are two types of people in this world, good and bad. The good sleep better, but the bad seem to enjoy the waking hours much more.” Woody Allen

"People come into your life and people leave it... you just have to trust that life has a road mapped out for you.” Orlando Bloom

“Little by little one walks far” Peruvian Proverb

“If you make friends with yourself you will never be alone.” Maxwell Maltz

“Sometimes being a friend means mastering the art of timing. There is a time for silence. A time to let go and allow people to hurl themselves into their own destiny. And a time to prepare to pick up the pieces when it's all over.” Gloria Naylor

“A true friend never gets in your way unless you happen to be going down.” Arnold Glasgow

I'll stop there. I could go on for days with quotes, but then it would be a short lived blog wouldnt it?! I'll leave you with this...

" Remember the little things because one day...you will look back and realize the little things were actually big things."

<3

Audrey

Motivational Monday #3

"It has never been so bad that it couldn't be worse..." Anonymous

Good Morning readers! I hope this Monday is finding you well! So tell me, did you accept my challenge last week? Did you wake up every morning with a positive attitude? If yes, how has it worked out for you? I cant wait to hear!

I was having a hard time deciding on the quote to help me with my blog for today, until I read them over again for about the upteenth time! Then it hit me as to why I needed to use the opening quote. The infamous FML. Have you ever seen that abbreviation used before...or perhaps even used it yourself? It's short for, F*ck My Life. I cringe anytime I see that used by anyone. It has become a pet peeve of mine. Most of the time someone is using it for crazy reasons like failing a test, breaking up with someone, having to work...you get the idea. Small reasons. Not that any reason is good enough for you to just say, FML, like you could care less if you lived another day. When you are having a rough go of it, do you ever stop and look at your life? I mean, so what you have to take your car to the shop for the millionth time, atleast you have a car. So what you have a leak in your roof, atleast you have a roof over your head. And if you have had your heart broken, trust me, it's not a FML moment. I've been there, and at the time you feel like your world has come crashing down on you, but if you just hold on another day it gets better and you are a stronger person for it. It just teaches you what you really want and deserve in a relationship. Each moment, good or bad, was supposed to happen to shape who you are now and who you will become. My best friend loves to use FML, and if she was sitting in front of me when she used it I would punch her square in the nose! I tell her "Keep using that term and the Lord can take your life away!" I'm always scared for someone anytime they use FML. I may be crazy for feeling that way, but it's the truth. I don't like to watch the news because lately there is never anything good to report, but it definitly can keep you in check. Children go missing everyday it seems like...someone is murdered...someones home was burned down and they lost everything. Those things are far worse than what some of us get upset over. Now, when i was about 12, our house did burn down. I was sad because all my medals and trophies,as well as my sisters, were gone and we werent sure where we were going to live, but never once did I wish I was not alive. A life living, even if it's just with the clothes on my back, is better than no life at all. If I have a bad day now and then I look back at days I have had in my life and realize if I got through that day, then this day will be a breeze. I just ask that next time life seems too hard, you take a moment to breathe and face it with courage and say "This too shall pass." I want to leave you with two more quotes that I love and look to often.

“If there is one thing I have learned about life it is... it goes on.” Robert Frost

"Be miserable. Or motivate yourself. Whatever has to be done, it's always your choice." Wayne Dyer


<3

Audrey

Link to my facebook page : https://www.facebook.com/pages/Oh-no-she-didnt/212208255556419