Think about about an activity or situation that makes you smile or laugh. Go out today and find something that makes smle, giggle or laugh. It will brighten your day.
A peek inside a virtual comedy showcase.
Humor at work - what is one job you wouldn't want?
What family
traditions are unique to your family? My brother likes to go out to dinner
every year for his birthday, and Father’s Day…to the same restaurant. We also
end up at that same restaurant for Mother’s Day, because my mom enjoys that
place too.
We enter the
restaurant, and my brother is greeted warmly like the 1980’s sitcom Cheers.
The waitress says, “Hey Norm.” Immediately a line from the Cheers theme song
pops in my head – Sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name,
and they’re always glad you came.
At our family
gatherings we have four generations represented, from toddlers to menopausal
and post-menopausal relatives. The best part of traditions with our family is
sharing stories and laughs. I’ve come to learn that the saying, Out of the
mouths of babes, is not restricted to the young.
My twenty-five-year-old
asked, “Ma, why did you only have two kids, why not three? We wanted a sister.”
“Well, you’re
not getting a sister at this point. You can have as many kids as you want.
After you finish paying those college loans, and helping me around the house,
tell me how many kids YOU want to have.”
Our afternoon was filled with laughter and promises to get together more often, not just for birthdays and holidays. A friend told me that her family gets together monthly for a game night. The location rotates among family members.
The best
part about family traditions is creating memories and leaving a legacy for the next
generation. While at the grocery store with my son last week, a pumpkin carving
kit sitting on a shelf caught his eye. He said, “Remember when we used to carve
pumpkins? It was so messy.”
My son was
right, pumpkin carving at our house, was a mess, but it’s a memory that stayed
with him. Perhaps when he has kids pumpkin carving will be a neat experience.
What advice
would you share about family traditions?
Did you know that September is Gospel Music Heritage Month?
You can celebrate by attending a concert or event, listening to gospel music,
or reading about gospel music. If you’re already a fan of gospel music, share a
couple of song titles that uplift you.
If you’ve never had an interest in gospel music, try something
different this month, step outside of your genre zone, and explore this style of
music. Below are a few gospel songs that I like.
There’s something about music that provides a feeling of hope, encouragement, and inspiration.
Is there a gospel event that you know of that is happening in the month of September? Share it here.
My computer
screen was filled with a gazillion emails from my inbox. I set aside time and
began to tackle some of them when an error message popped up that said, connection
lost. There wasn’t a total black out, but I was stalled in reading my
emails or doing anything else on my computer.
My temporary
moment of inconvenience gave me time to redirect my tasks. I pulled a
devotional from my bookshelf and began to re-read a few pages that were folded
down. A quote at the bottom of the page read, “Be happy in the moment, that’s
enough. Each moment is all we need.” -Mother Teresa
What do we
do when the storms of life are raging? A first reaction may be to panic, worry,
or feel overwhelmed. This is the time to put your hope in the Lord, no matter what
your circumstances. Don’t lose your connection. Remain anchored in your faith.
There are battles that we fight for our kids, our health, our finances, but we
push through. That’s faith.
There’s a
gospel song I’m reminded of with the following lyrics: There’s a storm out
over the ocean and it’s moving this way. If your souls not anchored in Jesus,
you will surely drift away. Keep the connection of your faith. It may not
seem like it when you’re going through a challenge, but storms do pass. Your
faith will help you push through it.
You may be familiar
with the acronym P.U.S.H., - Pray Until Something Happens, it’s one to keep in
the forefront of your mind. Prayer is one tool to keep in your toolbox of
faith. No need to navigate the sea of troubles alone. Keep in mind that prayer
does not only have to be used in times of struggle. You can send out prayers of
thanksgiving and gratitude for the things you have.
If you feel
like you’re alone and your connection to your faith has been lost, reconnect.
All is not lost, renew your faith today.
