Archive for the ‘Inspirational’ Category

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Happy New Year

Monday, January 3rd, 2011

A friend sent me this beautiful story that appeared in the San Francisco Chronicle about a female humpback whale who had become entangled in a spider web of crab traps and lines. She was weighted down by hundreds of pounds of traps that caused her to struggle to stay afloat. She also had hundreds of yards of line rope wrapped around her body, her tail, her torso, and a line tugging in her mouth. A fisherman spotted her just east of the Farallon Islands (just outside the Golden Gate) and radioed an environmental group for help. Within a few hours, the rescue team arrived and determined that she was so bad off, the only way to save her was to dive in and untangle her. They worked for hours with curved knives and eventually freed her. When she was free, the divers say she swam in what seemed like joyous circles. She then came back to each and every diver, one at a time, and nudged them, pushed them gently around as she was thanking them. Some said it was the most incredibly beautiful experience of their lives. The guy who cut the rope out of her mouth said her eyes were following him the whole time, and he will never be the same.

May you, and all those you love, be so blessed and fortunate to be surrounded by people who will help you get untangled from the things that are binding you. And, may you always know the joy of giving support to those who are hurting and being grateful to those who help you in your own struggles.

Mom-Stuff.com wishes all of you a Happy New Year!

Many blessings to you and your family!

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A Christmas Tale for Mom’s

Tuesday, December 21st, 2010



‘Twas The Night Before Christmas…Mom Style

‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the abode
Only one creature was stirring & she was cleaning the commode.
The children were finally sleeping, all snug in their beds,
while visions of X-Box & Barbie flipped through their heads.

Yes, and dad was snoring in front of the TV,
with a half constructed bicycle propped on his knee.
So only the mom heard the reindeer hooves clatter,
which made her sigh, “Now what is the matter?”

With toilet bowl brush still clutched in her hand,
She descended the stairs, and saw the old man.
He was covered with ashes & soot, which fell with a shrug,
“Oh great,” muttered the mom, “Now I have to clean the rug.” (more…)

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A Different Perspective on the Holidays

Tuesday, November 30th, 2010

Check out the following guest blog from http://girlfriendology.com on how three years in West Africa taught Cezarina Trone a little lesson for the holidays, that we can all benefit from.

This is my first holiday season back in Ohio after having spent three years in Niger, West Africa.  When I think of re-centering for the holidays, I smile and go back to that inner feeling of what I hold most precious in my heart: my latest realization that life has become a sacred dance of finding balance, well being and joy in each moment.

I never chose West Africa, but it chose me long before I knew it. What a paradox!

I was asked to go to Niger and teach in an international community for two years.  After extending one more year, I knew I was the one receiving the true teaching and the classroom of my life had been the desert wilderness itself, not the gated communities meant to separate the expats from the others.  Among the poorest people on earth, I stumbled upon some priceless life lessons and unveiled great abundance of joy.

Here are nine life lessons I have taken from my West African life journey that want to share with you today:

Cezarina Africa friend

1.   Slow down and enjoy each moment with new awareness of life as a precious gift. (more…)

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Children Learn From Watching and Listening

Tuesday, November 30th, 2010

Our Children learn their greatest lessons from watching and listen to us every minute of every day. What are you teaching the children who are watching you?

YOU ARE YOUR CHILD’S GREATEST TEACHER

It’s the holidays! Kick off your shoes and relax. This fabulous moment in time brings so many wonderful gifts, the most precious being the time to teach your children all that you can about life. We tend to disregard that we are our youngster’s greatest teachers. In our pursuit of the finest education we pay private schools large amounts of money to educate our children, forgetting that the most significant lessons they will ever learn are from watching and listening to us.

Teaching your children to think critically and make their own decisions is one of the most valuable gifts you will give them. Thinking critically protects them from peer pressure and empowers them to explore all options when problems arise. Ask your pre-teen what she knows about drugs while taking a walk on the beach together. Discuss with her how making an impulsive decision like driving drunk can impact her life forever.

Talk to your 3 year old about his feelings while having a picnic in the garden. Ask him when he feels sad, happy, and  frustrated. Acknowledge his feelings and talk about how the way we behave impacts others, thereby teaching him empathy and increasing his EQ. Role play with your children ways of protecting themselves if tempted by strangers.

Chat to your 9 year old daughter about the physical changes she’s experiencing while enjoying an ice-cream in the park. Empower your children with life saving skills if they get into trouble in water, such as don’t panic, turn around and swim to the edge of the pool.

Seize the opportunities that life presents to not only teach your children interesting facts, while travelling, but morals and values as well, thereby enriching their life. HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

By Claire Marketos at http://www.inspiredparenting.co.za

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Teach Children Gratitude

Monday, November 22nd, 2010

If you could teach your children a skill that might help them be happier as adults, live longer, and reach goals better, wouldn’t you jump at the chance?  What if there was evidence that this same skill also improved kids’ attitudes towards school and family?  What is this amazing skill? Simply, gratitude.

There is an increasingly large amount of research showing that a grateful attitude can affect many different facets of your life.  Dr. Robert Emmons, at the University of California, Davis, has recognized and published information about the benefits of gratitude for over a decade.  Grateful people tend to be more optimistic, energetic, and empathetic.  There is even evidence that gratitude can improve your physical well-being, helping your cardiovascular and respiratory systems.

How can you help your kids become grateful people?  The possibilities are endless. Here’s a few ideas: (more…)

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Give Gratitude to All of Our American Veterans

Thursday, November 11th, 2010

Today is a very special day brought about after the ending of WWI. It is also celebrated as Armistice Day or Remembrance Day in other parts of the world, falling on November 11, the anniversary of the signing of the Armistice that ended World War I. (Major hostilities of World War I were formally ended at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918 with the German signing of the Armistice.)

The U.S. President Woodrow Wilson first proclaimed an Armistice Day for November 11, 1919. In proclaiming the holiday, he said …

“To us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with lots of pride in the heroism of those who died in the country’s service and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of the nations.”

To our friends throughout the world this is a Remembrance of the cost of freedom to us all. We recognize each person’s love of their country and on this day, as Americans we acknowledge and remember the courage and commitment it takes to be free and to remain free. (more…)

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How Moms Can Create Big Changes

Thursday, November 4th, 2010

The power of moms. You have to read this article and find out for yourself  the power of moms. I found this article in About Working Moms one of my Linkedin groups. It was shared by Carolyn Parrs.

Bubble, Bubble, Toil and Trouble: How Moms Create Their Own Tipping Point For Change, by Mary Clare Hunt

Click on the title and read the whole article. If you have kids or grandkids you will be very impressed by the actions these moms took. They put child safety about money. I am so proud of them for taking a stand against promoting dangerous ingredients in a children’s product. Thieir story is inspirational.

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Give Thanks Month

Wednesday, November 3rd, 2010

As the mood of our country is so affected by the economy I decided I need to lift my spirits. So the month of November I am declaring as my “Give Thanks Month” When we focus on our assets we are feeding ourselves with positive attitude, the attitude of gratitude. Each day this month I am going to post at least one thing I am grateful for.

I want this Thanksgiving season to be filled with more gratitude. There is so much to be grateful for, no matter who we are or what circumstances we are experiencing. Life is constantly filled with both problems and successes. We cannot control this but we can choose what we dwell on.

When we choose to look at life from a perspective of gratitude, we feed the positive rather that the negative. What we focus on the most is what we create more of in our lives. So l am going to make the effort to be grateful. How about you? Will you join me? Let’s focus on what is good about our life and have a happier Thanks giving. I will be posting on Facebook if you want to add your thoughts to mine. http://www.facebook.com/dianne.mom.stuff

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What Are You Thankful For?

Tuesday, October 19th, 2010

This sweet note came today in 5 Minutes for Mom Newsletter.  I did not know that Canada celebrates Thanksgiving in Oct. This got me thinking how great it would be to collect notes from Moms about what they are grateful for. Are you in?  Add your comments or links to your post about it. I think it would be great for all of us to think about what we are grateful for and share it with each other.

Since I became a mother almost six years ago, the question “For What Are You Most Thankful?” has never required a moment’s hesitation.

I am most thankful for my daughters.

My blessings — Julia and Sophia — make me more thankful than I could ever have imagined being.

Today on another Thanksgiving (here in Canada), I cannot stop thanking God for my precious girls.

I spent a quiet and profoundly simple day with them today. We started the morning with snuggles on the couch. We walked to the park, picnicked, baked pie, made Thanksgiving dinner, read stories, and said Thanks to God while we snuggled in bed again at the end of it all.

I am so thankful for my girls and thankful for the beautiful day we had together.

5 Minutes For Mom Author (please let me know the author if you know who wrote this)

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Redefining Beauty

Monday, October 11th, 2010

The 10 Day Challenge

 Today on Studio 5, I heard about an awesome beauty challenge.

The purpose of the 10 Day challenge is to offer one exercise each day that will encourage participants to address the way they view themselves and help them develop a greater love and appreciation for who they are as individuals. The exercises presented in the challenge are designed to shift our focus away from the messages of the world and into a place from within; a place where we are completely conscious of what true beauty is. As we continue to practice and develop these types of exercises that focus on discovering beauty from within, we can feel at peace with ourselves and appreciate the blessed gift that our bodies are.

“We want to emphasize outer beauty does matter,” Dr. Valentine said, “but we get way too carried away with it, at the expense of developing our inner strength and sense of worth.”

It’s a message women are connecting with. (more…)

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