Recently, I read a book by H. Jackson Brown Jr. entitled, "Live and Learn and Pass it On." In the book, people, ages 5 to 95 share what they have discovered about life, love, and other good stuff. Some of the thoughts are a bit humorous, but somehow we can get the message. I've personally discovered throughout my years that if we really listen, we can learn so much.
Episode 192: I've Learned... →
Recently, I read a book by H. Jackson Brown Jr. entitled, "Live and Learn and Pass it On." In the book, people ages 5 to 95 share what they have discovered about life, love, and other good stuff. Some of the thoughts are a bit humorous, but somehow we can get the message. I've personally discovered throughout my years that if we really listen, we can learn so much.
Episode 191: Always Have a Dream →
The world watched the passing of the torch for the Olympic Games. Whether one has the dream of carrying that torch or winning a gold medal, we all have some dreams and goals in our lives. Recently, I read an article by a noted doctor stating that everyone has dreams. What is your dream of dreams? The following thoughts by Amanda Bradley have blessed the lives of many people. I have often used it when closing a speech or at the end of a seminar or workshop. I would like to share it with all my special readers of this column.
Episode 190: Jerry's Positive Attitude →
Of all the Warm Thoughts columns I have ever written, perhaps the ones pertaining to "thoughts on attitude" have received the most favorable comments from my readers. Recently I read about Jerry who had a very positive attitude. It inspired me so much and it may have a positive effect on any summertime blues that may be coming our way in this season of the year.
Episode 189: An Attitude Worth Catching →
It is always a joy to receive thoughts from faithful readers of this Warm Thoughts column. They share with me thoughts so precious that I feel the need to share with others. A faithful reader from Florida who has lived a long life and has a contagious attitude worth catching, sent me thoughts by Charles Swindoll on attitude. "The longer I live, the more I realized the impact of attitude on life. Attitude to me, is more important than the facts, it is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, 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 every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on this one string we have and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it. And so it is with you. We are in charge of our attitudes."
Episode 156: Make a Difference →
A recent warm thoughts column provided information about "Make a Difference Day," which is October 26th. It is a day when everyone is encouraged to make a difference in their community and world by making it a day of caring. An annual national day of helping others. Across the nation, about one million Americans will help others on this Make a Difference Day. Can one person make a difference? We are aware that there have been many difference makers in history.
Episode 155: Cultivating a Positive Attitude →
It is very interesting to know that in a recent survey that was taken, 75% of the people believe that a positive mental attitude can snap one out of depression. Throughout the ages, great men have shared with us some very good words of wisdom and positive thoughts. And so this week, I have selected some of those thoughts for this column.
Episode 135: Thoughts on Love →
When I visit in the homes of family and friends, I will notice a sampler on the wall. These samplers often have words of wisdom, and on the little home on the prairie, I too, have a sampler hanging on the wall in the room where I serve guests a cup of Christmas tea.
Episode 86: Time is a Treasure →
March. Is it really here already? Where does the time go? March is a month during which the season of spring is welcomed after the long winter. Recently I read some thoughts on time and what a precious gift, time is. Time is a treasure. Each day is precious with 24 hours to use as I choose, and to spend at my own discretion. Time is life's greatest asset, a generous gift from the Creator, yet not one hour may be stored for the future. And our affluent society, no one can beg, borrow or buy an additional day. Even the most fabulous fortune cannot purchase the fleeting moments, or call them back once they are gone. Time waits for no one. It travels swiftly and in silence linked with the rising and setting sun. Like a vapor, it is here one moment, and gone the next. Days disappearing so quickly that we sometimes stand in utter amazement and ask, "Where has the time gone?" If challenges have been met with courage, tasks accomplished to the best of our ability, and warm meaningful relationships made along the way, then we may say with certainty that this day has been lived to the fullest.
Episode 85: Springtime Blizzards →
Is spring really in March? As I turn the calendar my thoughts turned to the potential life that must be under the blanket of snow. We seem to need to have winter to appreciate spring and see life make it's appearance again. I love all the seasons of the year, and the beauty of the snow too. And even blizzards can be invigorating. I arrived home in time for the TGIF Blizzard, and was shut in my home as the north wind blew. It was another snow day last Friday and no school for many students. It brought back memories for me of being snowed in, and not able to attend school in that one room country schoolhouse when I was a young student. It was a time for family togetherness in that warm kitchen. It was the era of no TV and video, but we had our games and read and told stories around that round kitchen table. The warmth of the old kitchen range and the aroma of homemade goodies permeated the room, and gave me warm feelings of family contentment. A memory I will always cherish. I do believe every story I've ever read about the 1888 Blizzard, and the many heroic stories of our pioneers. My own life experiences have convinced me that these stories are truth and not fiction. Some days I think I may be one of the last pioneers to weather the winter storms and blizzards that are challenging, but those spring blizzards can be even more unexpected and challenging.
Episode 84: Love is a Quilt →
During heart month, we have had some very cold days and nights. It feels so good to be warmed with the quilt that loving hands have made. There are many dedicated women throughout our country who spend many hours making quilts in their homes in churches. These quilts are made for world relief, the homeless, and the needy. Quilts made with love really make wonderful gifts for that newborn baby, that child who loves to nestle in bed at night with the quilt all around. And that young student, first going off to college. That quilt for a young married couple can also be a very special gift of love. The past week I read about a pastor's mother who lived alone, and had a fall at the foot of her bed. She fractured her hip, and was unable to move and could not reach her phone. Two days later, she was found, but it was too late. She had gone to God's warm, loving care. Her elbows were scraped, and somehow she managed to cocoon herself with a warm quilt that had brought memories of her childhood. Loving hands had made that quilt. Love is a quilt, a quilt is love.
Episode 83: Let George Do It →
In the last warm thoughts column, I shared thoughts on the celebration of Presidents Day. Perhaps the first celebration of Presidents Day was in 1782. George Washington's Birthday was first celebrated in that year. The observance took the place of the birthday celebrations of the various sovereigns of Great Britain, which had been customary during colonial times. Services were held at Washington's home in Mount Vernon and at the Washington Monument in the National Capital. Since George Washington was our first president, he was often called the "Father of our Country." I often thought that perhaps, that was the reason the expression, "Let George do it," still is heard at times of confusion and distress. In front of the Federal Building in New York's financial district, stands on bronze statue of Washington. The world has moved on in a dizzying pace since his time. But the figure has not moved in inch.
Episode 82: Violets & Saint Valentine →
We welcome the month of February. It begins with National Freedom Day, on February 1 and Groundhog Day on February 2. It is the month for Valentine's Day, the month when our attention is focused on love, and gifts of love are presented to those for whom we have warm and loving feelings. It is the month we celebrate Presidents Day, and have many warm and patriotic thoughts for our beloved country. I recently read thoughts about the story of Saint Valentine. Perhaps it is best understood from the poem Helen Steiner Rice wrote that describes what the real meaning of this special signifies.
Episode 81: What is Love? →
When you read this Warm Thoughts column, it will be February, and January has come and gone. Where has the month gone so fast? It has been a month of London Fog flinging, a Crystal Veil over the Heartland! A real Winter Wonderland. February is heart month...the month of Groundhog, Valentine's Day, Presidents Day...Did I forget something? February is also the month when many warm thoughts on love come to mind. And his book, "How to Love," Arthur H Rauner, Jr states, "It is a selfish world." He defines love as not emotions or feelings, but the willingness to sacrifice for another. When we are selfish and look only to support our own causes, we cannot truly love. It is many moons ago that a blind friend of mine read the poem, "What is Love." As her fingers touched each line of Braille, my hearts thoughts followed each word. The author is unknown, and I would like to share these warm thoughts on love with you.
Episode 80: Forgiving Others →
In last week's column, it was mentioned that January 21st is National Hugging Day. I also read about Thank You Day being in January. And the last week in January has long been known as International Forgiveness Week. The other morning I was listening on the radio, and heard it say that a noted doctor stated that, "70% of the people would be released from hospitals in 24, hours, if they knew they were forgiven." A French philosopher once said that, "To know all is to forgive all." Among my heroes of faith are many missionary friends whose forgiving heart has taken them to their former captors. That is the story of St. Patrick who went back to Ireland as a Christian missionary to take the love of Christ. A well known missionary and author of many books, worked among the people who killed her husband, and other missionaries. There are many heroes of faith, who live a life of daily forgiveness. Forgiveness is the mark of maturity. Life is too short to hold a grudge. Harry E. Fosdick once said, "Hating people is like burning down your home to get rid of a rat." The inability to forgive and forget, is what makes one sick. As we have many warm thoughts on forgiveness during International Forgiveness Week, may we remember, there is a little remedy to ease the life we live and make each day, a happier one - it is the word, forgive.
Episode 79: Warm Thoughts by the Fireside →
The home fires may be burning in your home, as we together listen on the radio and watch TV, about the travel challenges many are facing throughout the country. Upon my return from travel to Seattle during the holiday season I was welcomed with 20 degree below zero weather. However, my heart was warmed as I listened to the phone messages and read the many cards, letters and precious thoughts, which I received. You all really made my day! Among the thoughts sent to me was a letter from my friend Dr. Green in Vermillion, South Dakota. She included thoughts from an unknown author, which I feel are so warm and precious - indeed to be shared with you, dear readers of this warm thoughts column.
Episode 69: International Day of Peace →
Remembering 911. America, a day in September, we cannot forget. The month of September will always bring thoughts about 911. On that day, each year, we commemorate the courage so many individuals exhibited when in unimaginable horror, we watched the collapse of the World Trade Center, a burning Pentagon and a smoke filled black hole in the Pennsylvania field. It was on that dreadful day 10 years ago that I was inspired to write these thoughts.
Episode 65: Intentional Counting →
Some time ago, a dear friend and great grandma who has faced many emotional challenges in her life, shared some thoughts about counting. This dear friend regularly reads this Warm Thoughts column and wanted to share the thoughts of an unknown author, with all you, dear readers out there, somewhere. We live in an age where we have many choices and changes.
Some time ago, I heard someone state that, "Pain is inevitable, but misery and being miserable is a choice." In the school of learning and hard knocks, the following thoughts may warm our hearts, and perhaps motivate us in our own countdown.
Episode 61: Adventures in Attitudes →
Many years ago I attended a seminar on Adventures in Attitudes, which at that time, made me very aware of the dynamics of positive and negative attitudes and their results.
A positive attitude, can be your choice and mine.To change your attitude is to change your life.
Dr Viktor Frankle writes, "The last of the human freedoms, is to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances." James Allen, long ago wrote the wonderful little book titled, "As a Man Thinketh," where he compared the mind to a garden, pointing out that the garden will always bring forth what is planted there. "If no useful seeds are put into it," he wrote, "then an abundance of useless weed seeds will fall therein, and will continue to produce their kind. So may a man tend to the garden of his mind weeding out all the wrong, useless, and impure thoughts and cultivating toward perfection, the flowers and fruits of right, useful, and pure thoughts. By pursuing this process, a man sooner or later discovers that he is the master gardener of his soul, the director of his life. He also reveals within himself. The laws of thoughts, how the thought forces, and mind elements operate in the shaping of his character,
circumstances, and destiny."
Episode 52: Reflection in the Mountains →
It is springtime, and the Rockies. After the wintry April of South Dakota, it was a spring retreat for me to fly to the mountains of Colorado. It is always a joy to go see family in Colorado and celebrate special family events. Going to the mountains provides special moments for reflection and meditation. It was many years ago that I reflected on Psalm, 121, a favorite psalm for many and at that time, I penned these lines, which I will share with you.