Echoes of Kind Words...

 

A little boy said to his father, "Let's play darts. I'll throw the darts and you say, `Wonderful!'"

Here is a boy who was not afraid to ask for the encouragement he needs.  Maybe we all have something to learn from him!

Inspirational author and educator, Fr. Brian Cavanaugh, relates a story about the devastating effects of discouragement. Dante Gabriel Rossetti, the famous 19th Century poet and artist, was once approached by an elderly man who asked him to look at a few of his sketches and drawings.

The gentleman wanted to know if the artist thought they were of any value.

As gently as possible, Rossetti told the man that the sketches were of no value and showed little talent. He apologized for the harsh assessment but said that he believed he should be honest.

The visitor was disappointed but asked the artist if he could take a look at just a few more, which were all done by a young art student. Rossetti looked over the second batch of sketches and immediately became enthusiastic over the talent they revealed. "These," he
said, "oh, these are good." He went on to say that the young student shows much promise and should be given every help and encouragement, as he may have a great future if he will study and work hard.

The old man was deeply moved. Rossetti asked, "Who is this fine, young artist? Your son?"

"No," replied the visitor sadly. "It is I - forty years ago. If only I had heard your praise then. For you see, I became discouraged and gave up too soon."

Mother Teresa wisely said, "Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless." Sometimes it may be enough to just say, "Wonderful!"

 

Your Life Support

~ Steve Goodier

 

"Instead of giving myself reasons why I can't,

I give myself reasons why I can!"

~unknown

 

 

 

 

 

      Have a great week!!! AND Be sure to tell someone "WONDERFUL"!!!

AROUND THE WORLD

                                                               

This is not PPF

~ LOL ~

I don't know how to read instructions

and had already put this blog together

when it was pointed out to me

by a friend what the rules were. 

Too late and too much work later..... 

So I am posting my Around the World

but not participating in PPF this week. 

 I will be looking at others though!!!

 

 

(This is a picture of the picture I took

as I have lost the negitive and this one is poster size.

The orginal was taken with an old Pentex 35mm

and the copy with my Kodak Z740 digital camera.)

 

The picture I choose for Around the World,

I took on a trip in England. 

It really covers a good part of the world

because on this night in a British Pub

I took this picture of a Scottish gentleman, an Irishman,

two Englishmen, and an American. 

The Scottish gentleman is the man on the left side of the picture

and he sang me an Irish Ballad. 

He smiled and ask, "How often do you think that a Scottish man

sings an Irish Ballad to an American woman in a British Pub?" 

It is a night I will never forget. 

Which brings me to my Around the World

and that is no matter where you go

Around the World you meet the nicest people. 

I have not traveled a lot but I have been to England,

Greece and to the Bahama's (outside the USA)

and all three trips I met the nicest people. 

In England, the owner of the Bread and Breakfast

we stayed in took me shopping to the local little shops

and introduced me to her friends. 

In Greece, the owner of the hotel we stayed in

went into his wine cellar and gave me a bottle

of his grandfather's wine to bring home

(that was not ask for ~ it came out of the blue)

(I still have it and that was in 2000)

and in the Islands just one of the nice things that happened

was the cab driver pulled over and picked three flowers

for my Mom and Sister and I to put in our hair. 

 I don't think that nice people are unique

to any part of the world ~ I think they cover it!!!

 

CHANGE

 

 

For nothing is fixed, forever and forever and forever,

it is not fixed; the earth is always shifting,

the light is always changing,

the sea does not cease to grind down rock.

Generations do not cease to be born,

and we are responsible to them

because we are the only witnesses they have.

The sea rises, the light fails, lovers cling to each other,

and children cling to us.

The moment we cease to hold each other,

the sea engulfs us and the light goes out.

~James Baldwin

 

Change always comes bearing gifts. 

~Price Pritchett

 

 

 

 

PICTURE PERFECT FRIDAY ~ CONTRAST

No thinking this week for Linda on PPF.

I knew right away

that my contrast would be....

Age

The contrast between youth and old age...

Age is opportunity no less,
Than youth itself, though in another dress,
And as the evening twilight fades away,
The sky is filled with stars, invisible by day.
~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

 

My picture is one of a lovely lady in her 90's

that was very dear to me ~ she is no longer living.

She gave so much to this world. 

So much beautiful music as

she was a very good pianist and an outstanding woman! 

At that age or this I would be proud to be half the person she was.

We are so blessed with the people that touch our lives

 

Life would be infinitely happier

if we could only be born at the age of eighty

and gradually approach eighteen. 

 ~Mark Twain

 

because

 

If youth but knew,

And old age only could.

~Henri Estienne

 

The aging process has you

firmly in its grasp

if you never get the urge

to throw a snowball. 

~Doug Larson

 

 

 

Grow old with me! 

The best is yet to be. 

 ~Robert Browning

 

 

 

      HAVE A WONDERFUL WEEKEND!!! HUG SOMEONE YOU CARE ABOUT AND KEEP YOUR BOTH WARM!!!

Picture Perfect Friday ~ A Song Title

 

Another Picture Perfect Friday

(Someone needs to write a song about that!)

and what a fun one it is!  A great twist on the theme. 

Thank you, Heather!  You always come up with surprises for us! 

I think you could go with this one for a month of Fridays

and still come up with new and exciting things. 

Just thought of so many.....  LOL ~ and they are

still some going through my head.  Just the Beatles alone

and you could come up with so many. 

But I choose one close to my heart

and that is my grandaughter and my son for she is diffinitely.....

 

"Daddy's Little Girl"

 

If her daddy is around, she is always near him.  

This picture was taken one day when I was baby-sitting

so daddy could do some yard work and he only came in

for a minute to catch some news on the tv ~ leaving his

shoes at the door so as not to track up the floor.  It only

took Arianna a minute to get close (I think she thought if

she sat on his feet he couldn't leave).

 

I know, I know, just one picture,

but I wanted to show you whenever Daddy is around

Arianna has to be touching or near!

 

 

THANK YOU FOR STOPPING BY

AND MAY EACH AND EVERYONE

 HAVE A WONDERFUL WEEKEND

 

 

 

 

Big Oatmeal Raisin Chews

Description:
These big, soft, chewy cookies are lightly spiced and just delicious.

Ingredients:
2 1/4 cups old-fashioned oats (do not use instant or quick oats)
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ground allspice
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup (packed) dark brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups raisins


Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter 3 large (16x14-inch) nonstick baking sheets.

Mix first 6 ingredients in medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter and both sugars in large bowl until well blended, about 1 minute. Add eggs and vanilla; beat until well blended, about 1 minute. On low speed, beat in dry ingredients just until blended (do not over beat). Stir in raisins.

Drop batter by 1/4 cupfuls onto prepared sheets, spacing evenly apart and forming 6 mounds per sheet. Bake until cookies are pale golden brown, about 15 minutes. Cool cookies on sheets for 5 minutes. Using metal spatula, transfer cookies to racks and cool completely. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Store in airtight container at room temperature.)

Quiet Moments...

 

 

In quiet moments when you think about it,

 you recognize what is critically important

in life and what isn't.

Be wise and don't let good things

crowd out those that are essential.

~Richard G. Scott

 

 

 

 

Every time I have some moment on a seashore,

 or in the mountains,

or sometimes in a quiet forest,

 I think this is why the environment has to be preserved.

~Bill Bradley

 

 

 

“When was the last time you spent a quiet moment just doing nothing - just sitting and looking at the sea, or watching the wind blowing the tree limbs, or waves rippling on a pond, a flickering candle or children playing in the park?” ~Ralph Marston

Wishing everyone

 a wonderful week

filled with some

quiet moments!

Picture Perfect Friday ~ Reflections

 

Reflecting back on my life ~ it is like the Beatles' song ~

there are places in my life...  Yes, and people..... 

Many wonderful people and places. 

My son and his wife were married in July of 2000

on the Island of Santarini in Greece. 

It was a wonderful trip.  It was a wonderful time for me

involving people I love so much!  I loved it! 

And as I reflect back over my life,

it is a time I remember as one of my happiest!

This is a picture of my daughter I took while we were on the island. 

It was made with a Sony FD83 Digital Camera.

(Clicking on picture will bring up full size picture)

 

Reflect upon your present blessings -

of which every man has many -

not on your past misfortunes,

of which all men have some. 

~ Charles Dickens

 

 

Most true happiness comes from one's inner life,

from the disposition of the mind and soul.

Admittedly, a good inner life is difficult to achieve,

especially in these trying times.

It takes reflection and contemplation and self-discipline.

~ William L Shirer

 

New Beginnings

 

"In life, the seasons come and seasons go,
Each with its own special beauty,
Each with a new challenge.

Warm summer nights and cool fall days,
These soon move to soft winter snows.
Love is in the air…life beginning anew,
Bringing new challenges…new beginnings!"

from "New Beginnings"

by ~ Cindy Pannill

 

 

 

"Live this day as if it will be your last.

Remember that you will only find "tomorrow" on the calendars of fools.

Forget yesterday's defeats and ignore the problems of tomorrow.

This is it. Doomsday.  All you have.  Make it the best day of your year.

The saddest words you can ever utter are,

"If I had my life to live over again."

Take the baton, now.  Run with it!  This is your day!

Beginning today, treat everyone you meet, friend or foe,

loved one or stranger, as if they were going to be dead at midnight.

Extend to each person, no matter how trivial the contact,

all the care and kindness and understanding and love

that you can muster,

and do it with no thought of any reward. 

Your life will not be the same again."

~ Og Mandino

 

"The beginning of love is to let those we love

be perfectly themselves, and not to twist them to fit our own image.

Otherwise we love only the reflection of ourselves we find in them."

~ Thomas Merton

 

 

 Wishes to each one of

 you, that this new beginning

will be your best one yet!