"The Dragon King" - Book Review

I recently read a wonderful children's book called "The Dragon King" by Vivian Slade.

In "The Dragon King", Ethan is crowned king at a very young age after the sudden death of his father. Though Ethan is very sad over the loss of his father he still has his mother, Queen Sarah, to console him. Sarah spends time every day with her young son teaching him all the values that are needed to prepare a young king for any future battles. Over the years Queen Sarah makes sure that Ethan understands that all kings will, at some point in their lives, have to rise up and fight against great demons to protect their kingdom.

As expected one day out of the clear blue a huge and dreadful fire breathing dragon appears in the sky. This fear spreading monger terrorizes all of the people in Ethan's kingdom with his fiery breath leaving nothing but charred remains in his wake. Ethan summons his knights and they set out to conquer the beast. Sadly only a very few return with horrific stories of this cunning and frightening monster.

Finally the time arrives when Ethan realizes that he can no longer let the chaos continue. He decides that only he is the one who can take on and fight the dragon. Ethan gathers up his courage and sets out to save his kingdom from this ferocious enemy. Recalling the words of his mother, Ethan knows that all just and honorable kings are faithful, courageous and wise. Armored with these values Ethan knows that he must also use his imagination when fighting a beast. He must know in his heart and soul that he can defeat this monster.

This sweet and loving story has a bit of a twist to it as you approach it's ending and I don't want to give away any surprises. I wanted to share this story with you because I sincerely enjoyed it. While it was written for children I believe it can be read by anyone of any age. No matter the battle we all need to know that we all are kings of our own lives. We all must practice faith, courage and wisdom every day. And along with these three valuable traits we also must use our imagination. We must know that when we imagine ourselves defeating our demons--and make our imaginations come alive--we can will ourselves to win any struggle that life puts in front of us.

My review and promotion of this book is two fold. Of course I loved the story. But I also wanted to point out that the author, Vivian Slade, has promised that over the next three years she will give away 1,000,000 copies of the book to help children around the world. Vivian wants kids to truly understand that with faith, courage, wisdom and imagination they can dramatically change their lives. But to reach this goal your help is necessary! You can help the author by making a direct donation to their cause. Or you can purchase the Kindle and audio version of the book

Please consider this worthy cause!

More to come soon!

"The God Box"

I just finished reading a lovely book called 'The God Box' by Mary Lou Quinlan.

I connected with this author on a number levels. I lost my mom several months ago but at times it's still feels as fresh as if she only passed yesterday. I have many fond memories of my mother and I miss her every single day. But reading this book reminded me that my mother truly lives on through me. My mom, like the author's mother, was a devout Catholic and throughout her lifetime she constantly shared her faith with all of us.

I can easily recall the countless times she would offer to pray for a friend or loved one who might be struggling with one of life's difficulties. My mom's practice of praying for others was very similar to Mary Lou Quinlan's mom, Mary Finlayson. The only difference between my mom and Mary was that Mary wrote down all of her petitions to God on tiny bits of scrap paper. After writing her prayers she folded each piece of paper up until it was very small and stuck it in her God Box. Once Mary tucked each little prayer in her God Box she believed the issue was no longer something to worry about. Her prayer was with God and the worry was His to handle. What a wonderful practice of letting go and letting God handle your worries!

The night before her mother's funeral Mary Lou, her brother, Jack and her father were exhausted and trying to hold themselves together. Everything in the house reminded them of their loving mother and wife. Suddenly they remembered the God Box but realized that even after all these years they had no idea where Mary kept it. Determined to find this box they went on a search throughout the house. Finally Mary Lou discovers not only one God Box but ten of them stuffed full of prayers that her mother had written down over a 20 year span.

The book shares how Mary not only prayed for her family, but also friends and even strangers. She prayed for help with simple life decisions like what kind of flooring to choose as well as overwhelming life scenarios such as loved ones dealing with infertility and her own battle with cancer.

In The God Box, Mary Lou Quinlan shares with her readers the emotional journey that unfolds as she discovers the varied wishes and concerns of her mother over the years. You learn about her family from the early days to the present and many of their struggles and happy times in between. This sweet and loving tribute will warm your heart. You will laugh. You will cry. And it's likely that you will finish the book with a desire to create your own God Box.

I highly recommend this darling book...it's a quick and highly inspirational read!

More to come soon...until then,

"Superman's Cape"

I just finished reading a book called "Superman's Cape" by Brian Spangler.

This book touched me emotionally on many levels. Sara, a widow, is struggling to cope with her husband's unexpected death. It's bad enough that she has to face such a painful loss. But the fact that her husband was murdered in a robbery that was witnessed by her two young sons was, at times, too much for me to take.

I'm a mom and happily married. I can't image how hard it would be to move on with my life if something happened to my husband. Multiply that fear a thousand times and imagine my children watching him die? I could hardly let myself go there. But the book was so good, I couldn't put it down.

Sadly for Sara, life marches on. She is dealing with this deep loss, going broke and in a panic trying to figure out how to help her young son, Jonnie, who tried to save his dying father with his 'Superman's Cape'.

Overwhelmed with worry over Jonnie regression, Sara's older son, twelve year old Kyle, has a breakdown. Crying over the loss of their former life he runs out of their home and ends up getting lost in the Croatan National Forest, located behind their home. Kyle isn't familiar with the woods or any of the wildlife that it sustains. Wearing my 'mom hat' for nearly 18 years now this subject matter scared the daylights out of me! And to add to this horror a hurricane is fast approaching.

Meanwhile, a local TV station reports on this tragic story and chooses to send out two novice field reporters. It just so happens one of these reporters, weatherman Jacob Hanson, has a 'gift' and can see things before they happen. He reluctantly gets involved in the family's search for Kyle.

This story kept me on my toes from beginning to end. As I said, being a wife and mother put a perspective on the story that was heartbreaking, but the author has a way of keeping your interest. No matter how sad or scary it was I couldn't put the book down. I simply 'had' to find out what the outcome was for this grief-stricken family!

If you are like me and enjoy stories that feature a touch of the paranormal then I highly recommend this book. It was a page-turner and a quick read. I look forward to having a chance to read any future writings by Brian Spangler.

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More to come soon...until then,

"Too Far Under"

I recently finished reading a very interesting mystery called
"Too Far Under" by Lynn Osterkamp.

If you're like me and you are intrigued by anything paranormal then you are sure to enjoy this book.

Grief therapist, Cleo Simms, is extremely reluctant to get involved with the children of Mirabel Townes, a wealthy heiress who unexpectedly drowns in her hot tub. Mirabel's death has been ruled as accidental by the police her daughters, Lacey and Angelica, have strong opinions otherwise.

While Cleo is a grief therapist she also has an unusual ability to talk to the dead. A surfer dude spirit named Tyler who visits Cleo quite often in her dreams and, through vague conversations, pressures her to help these desperate girls. Along with this supernatural ability Cleo also helps others contact their deceased loved ones through her 'Contact Project'. The Townes' girls are bound and determined to find a way to contact their deceased mother and they continually hound Cleo to help them.

Family drama is laced throughout the story not only for the family members of Mirabel, but for Cleo as well. Cleo's grandmother suffers from Alzheimer's and gets the sad news that the nursing home where her grandmother lives will be sold. Cleo is desperate to find a new and suitable place for her grandmother to live. Being that my mom suffered from Alzheimer's I felt deep empathy for what Cleo was going through.

Every character in the story adds to the drama and throughout the book I could not figure out 'who did it'! The author had me guessing until the end. I have a fascination with other people's abilities to communicate with the dead. This genre coupled with Cleo's personal drama of helping her ailing grandmother kept my interest throughout the story.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was a simple and quick read which is suitable for a busy mom like me. Next I plan to read Lynn Osterkamp's other book in this series!

More fun to come! Until then,

Author's Bio can be found here:

Book Review of "Post Secret"

Postsecret: Extraordinary Confessions from Ordinary Lives by Frank Warren

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Loved it! Thought it was so interesting to hear other peoples secrets. Some were funny. Some were sad. Some made you think. Lots of emotions were brought to the surface by reading this. It's a fun book.


View all my reviews

"You Should Only Have To Get Rich Once" by Russell E. Holcombe

I just finished reading a book called "You Should Only Have to Get Rich Once" by author Russell E. Holcombe. As a Certified Financial Planner, Russell Holcombe's goal is to help wealthy clients better understand how to manage their money and to stay wealthy.

I'll be candid with you, when it comes to talking about investing I get very confused. My husband and I have a few small accounts but nothing that amounts to putting us into the 'wealthy' category. I certainly hope that someday we'll be in a much higher tax bracket, but for now I'll settle for where we are.

Regardless, I began reading this book feeling a bit nervous that I might get lost or overwhelmed with discussions about financial matters and the "how to's" about investing. But I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed this book.

For starters  let me say that I try very hard to live my life honestly. I'm not only honest with others, but I'm also honest and true to myself. I try to make decisions that take me in the direction that "I" want to go and not the direction that I am expected to go. I have my own home based business and believe me when I tell you that I didn't have many cheerleaders rooting for me when I made the decision to forge my own path.  Everyone seemed to be a 'Doubting Thomas' and their words of encouragement were few. But I'm an entrepreneur and I think differently. I wanted (and still want) different things for my family. I want to run my life the way I see fit. I don't want to live out my days according to what others' opinions may be.

That kind of honesty coupled with a conservative mentality toward money puts me in the right frame of mind to appreciate Mr. Holcombe's advice and teachings. And let me add that, like me, my husband is a sole proprietor and even more conservative with money than I am.

As a financial professional Mr. Holcombe has seen many wealthy persons that have fallen for the "traps of the financial factory". Sadly many of these people have lost a good portion of their wealth when it really wasn't necessary. While the author began writing this book many years ago, he was still writing it during the economic disaster of 2008. He believes that some of the wealth that was lost in that downturn was simply due to over-investing.

He explains that if you only focus on making a profit then that's where your trouble lies. Unfortunately, "Profit can be an addictive narcotic. Everyone wants it. People will do anything to get a hit of it in their portfolio."

He wants people to change the way they think about money. In his opinion when a wealthy person reaches a certain level of wealth he or she needs to stop over-investing. Now understand, he doesn't say to stop investing, just stop over-investing. There is a difference and in my opinion it makes complete sense. His comparison is that of running a race. You've run the race and you've reached the finish line. Common sense says that's the point when you stop running. Right? But what would you think if you saw someone running a race yet once they've passed the finish line they continue to run? Most people would consider that person as crazy!

So how do you figure out when to stop over-investing? The author explains that one needs to find their "Point of Independence" (POI) which he defines as:

"Your Point of Independence is the intersection in the road where the money you need to do whatever you want to do in life is funded without your labor."

Wow! That sounds like a wonderful intersection! It's a very interesting concept and the book shares a variety of stories of people who figured out their own personal POI, who were wise and stayed in control of their money. And it also shares stories about some wealthy people who weren't so wise. It really has helped to change the way I think about my money and what I hope my money will do for me someday.

As I stated earlier, my husband and I have a long way to go to reach the level of income where we should begin this line of thinking. But there's nothing wrong with preparing, right? And it's a great feeling to know that you shouldn't fall for or believe everything your financial advisor tells you. Prior to reading this book my husband and I had a meeting with our financial advisor. My husband is much more outspoken than I and he was feeling frustration with what our advisor was trying to tell us. We left the meeting feeling uneasy and disagreeing with the numbers and comparisons our advisor was sharing with us.

Magically a few days later this book appeared in my mail box. How about that! Talk about the universe trying to send us a message!

So I've learned that just as my entrepreneurial mind set told me I must forge my own path I also have to do the same from a financial perspective. Be your own pioneer and figure out what suits your life best. Be honest with yourself and figure out what you want your money to do for you. There is no need to jump on every bandwagon that comes along and agree with every one else's opinion of how you should handle your wealth.

I highly recommend this book!

***And one final note: The author was kind enough to send me a second copy of his book to use as a give away to one of my followers. Immediately after this post goes live I'll be sharing the link on Twitter and my Facebook Page. I'll continue to promote this contest over the next several days. The tenth person to contact me will be the winner. You can contact me via Direct Message on Twitter, message me on Facebook or comment on my blog. It's very simple! Good luck!***

Self Publishing a Book

  
   Self publishing a book is something I've looked into in the past. A friend of mine wrote a cute holiday story for children and about 10 years ago we collaborated our talents. Our plan was that she was in charge of the writing and I was going to do the illustrating. We spent months researching the idea of submitting her story to well known book publishers. Worried that the story would get overlooked or worse...rejected...we thought perhaps self publishing was the way to go. But through our research we learned that it was pretty costly and back then we had to order tons of books ahead of time. We didn't have the money to invest in a large number of books. And even if we did have the money we feared we might have hundreds of books left on our hands if they didn't sell.

   Those facets of self publishing a book were enough for us to make our decision. But another other issue with self publishing is that you have to do all the marketing yourself. As I said, this all took place more than 10 years ago and our children were all so much younger than they are now. There was no way I would have had the time or energy to go out and work at selling a book.

    The mother of another very close friend of mine self published a book and I know she spends quite a bit of time out of town. She travels to various book stores across the country and many times she leaves her book signings only having sold a few books. It's not an easy gig.

   However, time has marched on and my kids are older and much more independent. Every once in a while I think of that darling story...especially now that the holiday season is upon us. Maybe I'll have to get in touch with my author-friend and start talking again about this business idea. Who knows?? The new year is closing in on us...my business will slow down after the holidays have passed...I might just have some time to devote to a new business. That might be interesting!

   Okay...gotta put a stop to my day-dreaming and get moving. Our high school boys football team is making it's way to the state playoffs and I will be spending the evening with my family cheering them on!

   More fun to come...until then,

"The Beautiful Home"

  
   A few months ago my daughter and I went to our local flea market and bought a very old book called 'Mother, Home and Heaven'.

   This book was published back in 1883 and it's filled with poems, stories, prayers and more. It sits on the side table in our living room and every so often I pick it up and I always find something inspirational inside the brittle and yellowing pages.

   This morning I picked this book up and decided that I was going to randomly go with the first selection I saw in the book and then hopefully I'd be able to blog about it. This is a scan of the first selection I found:

   I found this selection of writing simply amazing. While it was written more than a century ago by Oliver Wendell Holmes the point of the writing is still so fitting in our world today.

   More fun to share soon...until then,

 

'Song of Renewal' by Emily Sue Harvey

I just finished reading a wonderful book called 'Song of Renewal' by Emily Sue Harvey.

It's a story of love, hope, faith and finding one's own personal truth after tradgedy.

While I thoroughly enjoyed the story and all of the characters, I am moved even moreso that this book came to me at this pivotal point in my life. Several of the themes that run throughout this book parallel my life in so many ways! It kind of freaks me out and I can't help but wonder if perhaps God had this book land in my hands at this most perfect time. I'm sure it came to me for a reason.

As many of my readers know my mom passed away early last December. In the story a 16 year old boy, Troy, is killed in a car accident. His girlfriend Angel is in the car with him, but she survives this terrible accident. Angel suffers horrible injuries and is comatose for several months. Once she comes out of her coma Angel not only has physical healing to do but she also has to grieve the loss of Troy. On top of coping with this awful loss Angel has to accept the fact that her life is going to be so incredibly different in many ways. At one point Angel says that she feels as if the accident and Troy's death are almost 'like a dream'. She doesn't really 'feel' anything for awhile. Then finally Angel notices that when she recalls what happened she's starts to feel kind of sick...she calls it 'really bad homesickness.' I completely understood what she meant. I am at this exact same point in my grief. When Angel made this comment her doctor responsed, "You're still protected by the shock. The feeling--homesickness--means your emotions are beginning to reemerge."

Good Lord! That describes me exactly! I feel sad now, but at first I didn't feel much of anything, I was simply numb. I knew that it was my mind was trying to process everything I have been through. But at the same time I couldn't help but wonder if maybe something was wrong with me. Then finally I realized that I'm not only processing and greiving what I've gone through over the past few months, but I need to grieve what I've been dealing with over the past few years. Unless you watched a loved one decline due to Azlheimer's then you can't imagine how painful it can be. My mother's demise was a terrible gut wrenching life experience. However I was so wrapped up in caring for her that I never took time to grieve what was really going on. So I think my mind is making me take time to feel that pain now. I've learned that it's going to take a long time before I can heal.

Then the other parallel to my life relates to Garrison's career choices and the subsequent struggles. Garrison, Angel's father, is a successful graphic artist, but he isn't truly fulfilled because he gave up his dream of being a a professional artist to make money.

OMG!

ME! ME! ME!

I have a successful home based business for which I'm very grateful. My business makes enough money to pay our bills and take care of our family. However, lately I fear that the passion I used to have for my work might be dimishing for me. All I ever think or worry about is money, money, money. And I hate that! And I believe the unhappiness I'm feeling is because I'm not creating for me...I'm not painting my vision. I'm painting name signs and wall plaques and step stools and growth charts. I'm drawing house portraits on a fairly regular basis. And I'm grateful...please know I am very grateful! But what saddens me is that every single doggone item I create is what someone else wants. Everything I create is another person's vision. Not mine. I simply want to take a break...chill out...relax...listen to whatever music inspires me at the moment and paint whatever I'm in the mood for. I want to paint what's in my mind not what someone else envisions.

BUT!!! The second that thought enters my mind I automatically retort, "Oh no! I can't do that because then I won't be making the money we need! I need to make money!"

So...just like Garrison I've given up my dream all for the sake of the almighty dollar. At one point in the book there is a quote by Henry David Thoreau:

"Most men lead lives of quiet despration and go to the grave with the song still in them."

In the book Garrison eventually finds his song. I want to find my song again. I need to find my song again.

And thanks to this book I've realized what I need. I pray for guidance to find my true path. I pray to find my own fabulous song...my own glorious music...my own personal lyrics.

And I've also learned that I need to let myself grieve and heal. I've finally given myself permission to cry not only because my mom is gone. But also because it really stunk to watch my loving, beautiful, strong, independent and highly intelligent mother literally lose her mind. I sat and watched her revert back to a small child who couldn't grasp the concept of handling money...she didn't understand the importance of a daily routine...she didn't know the importance of healthy eating...I could go on and on. 

While this story begins on a tradgic note as things progress you see how faith and hope hold the family together. Even though Garrison and Liza have their own issues to deal with they, along with Aunt Charlcy and Penny, rally around Angel while in a coma. As she slowly comes to consciousness they are constantly by her side.  Even when grief takes over and Angel becomes depressed they stick by her. They help her to realize that even though the future is always uncertain with great hope and faith all will be okay.

I'm so grateful that this book came to me. I can't help but believe that it was given to me for a reason. I have several pages dog-eared and I plan to go back and reread and absorb even more of the lessons that were presented throughout this beautiful story!

I hope I've piqued your interest. It was a wonderful read and it touched me emotionally on many levels. I'm sure in some way you'll find your own commonalities with the characters in Song of Renewal! 

More on the way...until then,



'The Shack'

I started reading 'The Shack' by William P. Young a few days ago. I'm a bit late in the game and I'm sure many of you have already read it. But my life's been so crazy the last few years and having time to relax and read is, at times, nearly impossible.

But so far I like this book and I 'get' it.

Here's a quote that I bookmarked so I could share it...

"Honey, there's no easy answer that will take your pain away. Believe me, if I had one, I'd use it now. I have no magic wand to wave over you and make it all better. Life takes a bit of time and a lot of relationship."

I'm sure everyone on this planet has wished for...at least once in his or her life...magic powers or a magic wand that would quickly take their pain away.

I have a few more things to share from this book, but not enough time today...busy, busy, busy!

More on the way...until then,

A wonderful little book about prayer...

I want...I need...to share this lovely little book about prayer...

'This Little Prayer of Mine' by Anthony DeStefano.

"With engaging rhymes and beautiful illustrations, This Little Prayer of Mine assures children that God is always near--watching, listening and eager to respond to their requests."



Yes, this is a book for children but I quickly learned this morning that it will surely help adults, too. It certainly helped me!

As my readers know I've had a few life altering and eventful months...taking care of my ailing mother has been overwhelming to say the least. But also in early March my sister-in-law passed away very suddenly and her death ripped a huge hole in my entire family's life. We are all still reeling from the shock and worrying like crazy about my brother and his young son.

Another issue for me...along with so many others...is this economy! We all know many businesses have been in the dumper for quite some time. My business has definitely slowed and I know that many of my readers are small business owners and can certainly relate.

Then along with all of these aforementioned life issues I have 3 kids with very busy schedules. My youngest son is playing Little League and my teenagers...my daughter and oldest son...are on the middle school and high school track teams. My calendar is completely filled for the month of April and we're only into the first week! Some days I feel like I'm in the middle of a nightmare!

So the last few days and weeks I have felt very overwhelmed and confused about my life. I've been in that self-pitying 'why me' mode for some time now and I know I need to get my act together and snap out of it. But when I try to take a moment to sit in the silence there is so much going on in my head that it's a struggle to let go of the craziness running through my mind.

Then finally this morning I made it a priority to start pulling myself back together. I decided that I would pick up this darling book and work at getting the positivity back in my life. To get the process moving I put the t.v. on mute, sat down in my comfy chair and read this gem of a book in the beautiful silence. Within a few minutes I felt my attitude starting to shift. My energy changed and started flowing in a direction I so desperately needed. I loved the whole book but this is my favorite line...it is so fitting for my recent state of mind...

"Whenever I feel all mixed up, unsure of what to do, please show me what the right path is and help me follow you."

My eyes immediately filled with tears. That is exactly how I've felt lately...'all mixed up and not sure what to make of the madness in my life'!

There are so many other parts of the book that apply to my life even now as a full blown adult!

Using a sweet and rhythmic style, Anthony DeStefano relays his message in a way that children will understand. He parallels his little prayer to everyday situations that are relatable to children as well as adults. His delicate manner of writing will help any child to see that he or she can call on God anytime they may need His love. He also includes the importance of offering sincere thanks for all the blessings life has to offer.

This adorable book is sweet and not 'preachy' in any sense of the word. The illustrations are gorgeous...the colors are fabulous...the message is perfect for children and grown-ups alike! What else can you ask for?!?!

I teach CCD and this coming Sunday is my last class for the year. I am having a small party for my kids and I plan to read this book to them. Every week it's my mission to do my best to plant tiny seeds of faith into the minds of these children. I'm confident this book will help me to end the year on a loving and appropriate note.

Please click this link...it will take you to Anthonly DeStefano's web page where you can read more and see a variety of other well know people who also endorse this lovely book:

http://www.anthonydestefano.com/landing/blogs/Jan2010.htm

Or if you just want to buy it now click this link...it will take you to Amazon where you can purchase the book immediately:

http://www.amazon.com/This-Little-Prayer-Anthony-DeStefano/dp/0307458040/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1264516732&sr=8-1

It absolutely darling and I'm confident you'll fall in love with it just like I did!

More cute and fun stuff on the way...until then,

Still learning...

The first part of my day wasn't so great. An issue has come up and it's something that I just have to learn to deal with and accept. I not going to delve into the story of what happened...regurgitating the issue isn't worth the stress that will be brought back into my day.

But I will share a lesson I learned and it's one I hope I never forget...

All morning my stomach was in knots. I stewed and stewed and stewed about this issue. I was very bothered and most of my morning and the early part of my afternoon was pretty crappy. Every so often my inner self would say, "Jane, there's nothing you can do. Just pray that you get through this issue with grace." But then a few minutes later I'd be stewing and angry again.

Then out of the blue I got an email from a man who has written and published a few books. His first two books were written for adults but recently he wrote a book for children. His problem is he isn't sure how to market a children's book. He asked if I'd be willing to blog about it for him.

Now, mind you he's a total stranger and I've never met him. But after doing a bit of research my instincts were pointing to the positive position of my internal compass. I looked over his website and felt comfortable offering to help him. I responded and things are in the works so I will be blogging about his new children's book soon.

Regardless of all of this here's my lesson for today...

Most of the day I was so miserable and crotchety and moody and didn't want to talk to anyone. My stomach was in knots and I wanted to cry and scream. But something amazing happened...once I started helping this guy...this total stranger...all my cares went out the window!

I was so wrapped up in thinking of ways to help him I forgot about my troubles. I felt excited and happy because I love to help people figure out ways to promote and network online...it's something I've been doing for almost 10 years and I enjoy it.

After I was done emailing him I left to pick my kids up at school. Then we came home and I wondered around the house a bit trying to remember what I was doing before I left. I almost laughed at myself! I easily forgot about my troubles simply by lending a helping hand.

I'm amazed that all it took to perk me up was to help someone in need.

So my lesson is this...

...if you find yourself having a bad day, hosting a huge pity party, worrying, stressing, wanting to scream and cry try to remember how simple it is to get past the anger you feel. All you have to do is help someone. And it doesn't even have to be anything grand! Something as simple as agreeing to blog about a product helped change my mood dramatically!

Then I had another thought...I couldn't help but think that maybe this guy was God's answer to my prayer. I guess I'll never know for sure, but that's what I'm choosing to believe. I said a prayer and God sent me someone who needed help. I helped this man but in the end he helped me.

Amazing! I feel so much better!

I hope you get something out of this story and maybe use it in your life someday!

More interesting stuff on the way soon...until then,

Decluttering and Cleaning

I haven't taken time yet to read about The Happiness Project but I hope to have a chance sometime soon.

But one thing I picked up on as I skimmed the website was dealing with decluttering and cleaning. This is a big issue with me. I've never been the neatest or tidiest person, but the past year or so I've really tried making it a point to get rid of clutter. Now that my kids are getting older and into their teen years I have to admit that it's a bit easier to keep up with. Long gone are the tiny little Lego pieces scattered about the house. And the tiny little Barbie brushes and shoes are now sitting in a toy box unnoticed for a few years. Now we deal with big toys...XBox controllers, Ipods, Cd's and their cases, etc. These things are bigger and don't kill your feet if you happen to accidentally step on one.

But getting back to the subject at hand...getting rid of clutter is very freeing. And cleaning gives me a similar feeling. After I finish cleaning a room I sit there and look around and wonder why I don't do it more often. I feel very accomplished and good about myself.

Here's an excerpt from my favorite book 'The Alchemist' by Paulo Coelho that deals with cleaning:

"You didn't have to do any cleaning," he [the crystal merchant] said. "The Koran requires me to feed a hungry person."

"Well then, why did you let me do it?" the boy asked.

"Because the crystal was dirty. And you and I both needed to cleanse our minds of negative thoughts."

When I read that it made so much sense. Very often I'll procrastinate and let the cleaning or decluttering go for a while. I notice that when I sit around looking at all that needs to be done, I get very down on myself. I feel like a loser and wonder why I can't keep up with it.

When I read that excerpt from 'The Alchemist' a few months ago I appreciated the message and haven't forgotten it. I hope I can take this thought and carry it into this new year and make it a regular habit to declutter and do my best to keep our house neater and cleaner. I know, in turn, I'll feel better about myself. Although it's definitely going to be a struggle with 'my new normal'...taking care of my mom...I'll do the best I can.

Okay...I have to be on my way, but I'm sure I'll have more to share soon...until then,

The Alchemist...a fantastic read!

"The Alchemist" is a wonderful book by Paulo Coehlo. Taking the subtitle from the front of the book here's what it's about...

'The Alchemist is a Fable About Following Your Dream'

If you enjoy books with a spiritual theme...books that help you grow...books that help you figure out your purpose in the world...or if you are on any kind of spiritual journey at all...then you must read this book!!!

It's fabulous, fantastic and everything good! I can honestly say that it's got to be my favorite book of all time. I am reading it again for the second time. Since I know how it ends as I read it this time I'm trying like crazy to pay attention to the smallest details so I don't miss anything. Here are a couple excerpts that I read last night over and over again trying to get them deeply implanted in my head so I NEVER, NEVER, NEVER forget the words...

The first excerpt:

"The boy didn't know what a person's "Personal Legend" was.
[The old man said] "It's what you have always wanted to accomplish. Everyone, when they are young, knows what their Personal Legend is."


The second excerpt:

"...there is one great truth on this planet: whoever you are, or whatever it is that you do, when you really want something, it's because that desire originated in the soul of the universe. It's your mission on earth."

OMG!!! I just read and reread those words over and over.

I discovered my love of creating when I was a kid. Then in high school I realized that my 'dream' was simple...I wanted to create my own artwork and sell it. That's what I wanted. I just wanted to somehow build my own business and sell the things I created when I grew up. The only problem...I didn't have a clue how I'd do it...there was no such thing as the Internet back then so it wasn't as if I had that idea in my head. All I knew was that I wanted to create and sell...it's that simple.

When I finally 'grew up' (I was about 35 yrs old...snickering...yes it took me awhile) I decided to start my own business selling my artwork online. I can honestly say that, although it wasn't easy, so many opportunities opened up for me *immediately* and all along the way. I honestly felt as if some spiritual force was guiding me. And I STILL feel this spiritual guidance to this day.

So perhaps I discovered what my Personal Legend was long ago. It just took me years and years to finally listen to what the universe was trying to tell me.

I'll end on that note, but this book is so good so I'll probably have lots more to share as I continue to read it again.

I'll post my findings soon...until then,