It Fall Ya' All!   

Every year around this time I am deeply reminded of how life is about change.   Growing up in the heartland of America, fall always was the signal for showing gratitude for the harvest from our abundant farmlands. They called our part of the world the "Wheat Capital of the World" for all the wheat that was grown in our part of the world.   The sea of golden waving wheat crops was a testament to a good summer with enough rain and sunny days and our home gardens would be overflowing with mouth-watering and nutritious homegrown goodness.  Homegrown tomatoes and cucumber can get this girl's mouth-watering anytime.

As I have grown older,  I have begun to include in our fall celebration the honoring of my ancestors and all other ancestors for all they have done in their lifetimes, so that we may live the life that we are fortunate enough to live today.    Each child that is born is standing on the shoulders of a...

How many times have you said something out loud and then later wished that you could take back what you had just said?   There have been times in the past that I have come to the realization that "I really didn't mean what I said." Have you ever had that happen to you?

One of my practices today is to watch the thoughts that cross my mind.  It has been a surprising discovery for me to come to understand that many of the thoughts that have crossed my mind are not mine.   They are thoughts that I have inherited from the situation that I was spending time in or from the environment that I was raised in.

This realization that I am not my thoughts and that I actually get to choose what thoughts I allow in my life has given me such relief and a new sense of freedom.   "Ah, I'm not my thoughts, and I get to choose if I want to act from what I am thinking or not."   A whole new world of possibilities has opened up for me.   

Have you ever had the...

Who knew that spending time in prayer and meditation is like sending flowers to heaven?

I certainly had not considered this joyful viewpoint of prayer and meditation growing up.   I always thought of prayer as asking for things I  or others needed help with. Then making sure I said thank you.

  Never did I consider that the time that I spent in communion with God/Creator as such a beautiful way to send flowers to heaven.  It has been said that praying is talking to God/Source and meditation is listening to God/Source.

Most people I know like to be listened to and heard when they speak.    In my experience, God loves when we take the time to pray and listen in quiet meditation for the answers.  I like to imagine that I am delivering a beautiful bouquet of flowers to God each time I sit in prayer and meditation.   It brings me joy and helps me feel more connected. 

What about you?  Have you sent any special delivery flowers to heaven...

Autumn is the time of year that I love to watch the leaves race down the driveway like a group of excited children running to see a new attraction. I feel grateful to live in a part of the world where we get to enjoy four seasons. Each season holds its own unique gifts. Years ago, during the busy fall preparations for the holidays, I found myself becoming frazzled and cranky.

I was not feeling the true holiday spirit, and my acting job did not fool my family one bit.  In my heart, I knew it was time for me to make some changes and turn this picture around.

I have so much for which to be grateful; however, I had gotten out of the daily practice. One of the most powerful things I have discovered that I can do for myself is beginning my day listing three things for which I am grateful at the beginning of my day. 

The simple yet powerful step of acknowledging what I am grateful can help to shift me from being a cranky mom into a grateful mom who is a much happier...