Spiritual Growth

I believe we have the opportunity to grow spiritually everday. Any ordinary experience can be a spiritual experience if you make it so.

I was blessed by having my two grandchildren for a couple of days on their spring break. AJ is nine and Mackenzie is twelve. I knew it would require a lot of entertainment. Doesn't everyone want to have fun on break?

Here's where the spirituality comes in. Patience has always been a struggle for me. Knowing this I prepared myself in advance by reminding myself to stay in the present moment as much as I could.

They got new rollerblades for their birthdays this spring. They couldn't wait to try them out. So we found an empty parking lot and spent a lot of time going in circles and practicing how to stop. It was fun because I was patient! They were on their own after three practices. Mac was so proud!

I bought them paint-by-number kits thinking this will keep them quiet. Only to open the kits and find the colors of the paints needed to be constantly combined to create new colors. Again I practiced my patience!

AJ has studied the Ididarod at school for the past two months. We found a farm in the country where huskies are boarded, breeded and trained for this race. I'm not into dogs. But I took them to the farm anyway. The trip was pure joy. I can say I'm into huskies now!

They left for home yesterday and my house is a mess, the dishes are in the sink and the refrigerator is empty. But my heart is happy, they are overjoyed and the memories are priceless.

Never Put Your Dreams On Hold

"One of the final challenges for human beings is to get old with
as much nerve and gumption as possible." --A. Judson Ryerson

I am writing new book and I wanted to give you a peek at it:

How many times have you said, someday:

Are there things you have always dreamed of doing but put off
for sometime in the future. Are there destinations of travel you
have dreamed about but have never taken the trip? Have you
told yourself, "When I have more time, money, or when the kids
are older I will _________?

I want you to write down 100 things you want to be, see and do
in your lifetime. Yes one hundred things. If you want to buy your
first convertible write it down. If youwant to go to Paris write that
down as well. Have you camped under the stars or attended an
opera? What new things would you like to experience? To get
you started read the following list. How many times have you
said, someday:

I'm going to take a photography class.

I'm going to the Grand Canyon.

I'm going to write a book.

I'm going to take the kids to a major league ball game.

I'm going to take the kids to Disneyland?

I'm going to learn to rock climb.

I'm going to New York to attend a broadway show.

Why do you continue to fail to do something you really want to do?
Any answer you can come up with is most likely an excuse.

Is there a concert you want to see? If you haven't previously seen
"The Beatles" in concert it's too late but you still have time to see
Paul McCartney. If you haven't seen Lance Armstrong in a Tour de
France 2005 is your last chance.

Oprah Winfrey is a household name. Do you want to visit her show.
Buy a ticket. Don't wait until she retires.

You can still start that new business, take a cruise ship to Alaska,
buy new dancing shoes, or learn to play a musical instrument.

It's too late to see Peter Sampros play tennis. If you've never seen
Wayne Gretsky play hockey, you never will. If you've never seen
Mohamad Ali "float like a butterfly and sting like a bee" it's no
longer an option.

There is still time to see Sting in concert. You will always have the
opportuity to volunteer for The Red Cross. You can fly to Scotland
to play golf at St. Andrews.

If you've never seen Ray Charles sing you can only listen to a
recording. You can't see Dale Earnhart at a Nascar race. But you
can still see Junior. You can't see Larry Bird play basketball
during a Celtics game or Magic Johnson play for the Los Angeles
Lakers. Never again can you see Payne Steward swing a golf club.

But you can see Tiger Woods play golf. It's not to late to see The
Rolling Stones. There's time to go to the Tetons in Jackson Hole,
Wyoming or head off to Africa on a safari of a life time.

You think you're too busy. You have too much work to do. You
have too much debt. The kids are too old or not old enough.
These are excuses. It's your choice. You only have one life to
live. This is it! One life! Do it, you won't regret it.

Flying By The Seat Of My Soul

Flying By The Seat Of My Soul