A Thousand Reasons to Smile...

"When life gives you a hundred reasons to cry, show life that you have a thousand reasons to smile". ~unknown

I always choose the 🌞 yellow 🌞 balls or game pieces. I turned mine over after I picked it up the other day and was delighted to find it smiling at me!!!! Just look at how beautiful it is!!! Beat up by life and far from perfect, with a smile that's reflected on my face every time I look at it. 😉 We drove "home" (back to our little house here at Give Kids The World) last night after theme parking all day, and the neighborhood was full of other families fulfilling their dream trips....families who are here because one of their most precious treasures has fought or is fighting a life threatening illness. A whole village full of smiles that have been hard fought for. It makes me tear up to think about it...and smile all the way down to the deepest part of me....and then tear up again, thinking of & hoping for happier & healthier days ahead for those sweet faces. And hoping for the same for my own most precious treasures. Life is hard. It can beat you up like you never imagined. Everything in it, and every day is uncertain, whether you realize it or not. Always choose to smile & make the most of every little moment, every chance you get. It will make you beautiful in the ways that won't fade if you let it. ❤

Take the Time to Feed Your Soul...

Can't go to church today, but that doesn't mean I'm going to skip getting my worship on.... ;)

<3 5:01:89 plank with prayer
<3 Beachbody's 3 Week Yoga Retreat - Stretch, done to some Praise & Worship music
<3 A little quiet time in the Word/the Bible/the Good Book ;)

Was just what this introvert with extrovert tendencies needed!!! I love good times, excitement, adventures.... and I LOVE being with all of my people.....but that introvert in me DEF needs those times of quiet, peace & rest to recharge my body, and this heart of mine needs those times of worship and reflection with the One who made me. I spend time with Him daily....and I can tell ya, if you're only dependent on others to feed that part of you, and to do for yourself what YOUR mind, heart, body & soul needs....you're always going to come up lacking...and you were created for more than that. <3 Fitness in all areas works the same way!! :)

Jeremiah 29:13 "And you shall seek me, and find me, when you shall search for me with all your heart."

See that there?? The YOU part. Mmmm-hmmmmmm. He said it. I'm just rephrasing it. ;) YOU gotta take charge of you!!! Your health in ALL areas....HEART, mind, body & SOUL. <3 So, if you can't get yourself to church this morning.....here's your fitness challenge for the day:: GET YOUR WORSHIP ON ANYWAY!!! :P <3

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Far Better Things Ahead....

A few of my keys to surviving the storms of life &, getting through them well:: prayer, unshakeable faith, holding onto God's promises like a pit bull ;) , and a CONSTANT input of scripture & positivity.

This is one quote that I would pull up on the hardest of days. Choosing to believe that one day....I wouldn't have to read it while saying "I hope so" and "God....PLEASE". There are still hard days. Single mom life isn't for the weak of heart & spirit. But, now....this quote makes me smile. Better days & better things than what we've had & what we've left behind.... are pretty flippin' AWESOME!!!!! ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

 

Unity Day 2016

What better place to take a run selfie on #UnityDay2016 , wearing my orange that's part of it ;) , than at Friendship Fountain??? ;)

Join the movement. Take a stand. Be the change you wish to see. Because it matters, more than you might think.... Most people who know me automatically assume that I was the popular girl growing up. The cheerleader. The one who couldn't possibly understand things that I actually do....until I tell them bits & pieces of my life's story. Such as.....that in elementary school, I was the fat kid. The one who had more going on in her world than she knew how to deal with, so she fed all the hurts that....well, HURT. I was shy, insecure....bullied, teased, called names, laughed at, always the last one picked at PE, the one no one wanted on their team. The overweight, awkward, ugly duckling. By high school, I had lost the weight....but the self image that was down in the depths of the gutter....it stayed for a long, LONG time. I never was one to feel sorry for myself....I never acted out. But the damage done took me years to undo, and even then....I'm now THANKFUL for that part of my story. My kids don't understand when I say that, but I know for a fact that it's part of what has shaped something good in me. Because I went through it, God gave me eyes to see those hurts in others....and a heart that tends to zone in on the ones that don't quite fit in, the ones who are picked on, when I work with youth. Because of what I struggled with, I see things that a lot of other people don't. (Romans 8:28 !!!) I want those girls that stand out to me like glow sticks....who are picked on & called names, who feel like they don't fit in, who feel they're ugly or not pretty or perfect enough because they think they don't measure up to all the crap this world feeds to them and things that are said to them...to know they're AMAZING. To know they're BEAUTIFUL and SPECIAL, WORTHY, VALUED....and LOVED. <3 a="" about="" abuse.="" active="" adopt="" adults.="" adults="" affect="" also="" an="" and.....kids="" and="" are.="" are="" around="" as="" assume="" attempt="" back="" be="" bear="" because="" been="" being="" better.="" born="" both="" bubble="" buffer="" built="" bullied="" bully-ers="" bully....i="" bully="" bullying="" but="" can="" change::="" change="" coin="" comfort="" control="" cycle="" day="" deal="" dealt="" deny="" disagree="" do="" don="" each="" equally="" especially="" every="" everyone.="" everyone="" few="" find="" for="" from="" futures.="" going="" grow="" guarantee="" happen.="" happens.="" hard="" have="" healthy="" help="" hold="" how="" href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" hurtful="" hurting="" i="" if="" in="" insecurity="" instead="" instinct="" intentional="" intervene="" into="" involved="" is="" it="" just="" kids....and="" kids="" know="" lacks="" learn="" little="" live="" lives....or="" lot="" m="" makes="" mama="" man="" matters.="" maturity...and="" mentality="" might="" my="" need="" needed="" never="" not="" of="" often="" on="" one.="" one="" or="" out="" own="" parent="" part="" peer="" powerful....and="" pressure="" ranting="" re="" reach="" reaching="" rescue="" rest="" s="" see="" self-doubt="" self="" sides="" since="" society="" some="" someone="" something="" sometimes="" strong="" struggle="" stuff="" successful="" swoops="" t....ignore="" t...and="" t="" talking="" target="_blank" teach="" teaching....and="" teaching="" tell="" that.="" that="" the="" their="" them.="" them="" themselves.....it="" then="" they="" thing="" think="" this="" those="" to="" treat="" try="" turn="" up.="" up="" ve="" very="" vicious="" victim="" want="" way="" we="" well="" were="" what="" whatever="" when="" who="" why="" will="" with="" woman="" won="" would="" ya.....they="" you="" your="" yours="" yourself......get="" yourself....it="">

Fight for your Smile

Here I was....doin' my yoga, minding my own business, doin' my own thang, when I leaned into a stretch that had me looking over my shoulder, and....boom. That glare that I didn't know was there... ;) . Tried to steal my hard-earned peace & tranquility!!

Ok, so maybe not....but the pictorial symbolism rocks!! ;)And because it seems to be a theme, not only for me but for other people, too (namely, women of the people pleasing kind), there really is always that ONE person...usually more than one....that are going to be your Negative Nellies, your energy suckers, your voices of gloom and doom....and sometimes damnation based on wrong assumptions and judgements...in your life. And, I don't care who ya are....for most women, their words HURT. Their wrong assumptions hurt. Judgements from people who clearly don't really know your heart and/or motives and the reasons for them....they hurt. Because we've got all those women's emotions and feelings going on that are wired into us....

But, you know what hurts more?? Listening to those people....and letting them effect your thoughts, your decisions, your todays, your tomorrows....your own self worth and value. You gotta learn to give them a little smile, say "bless your heart"....and keep moving right along.

I mean, really. Fight for your smile, your peace, your tranquility, and your purpose that's based on the truths that YOU know.....or you might end up looking like....Grumpy Cat. And while HE'S kind of funny, the thing about the people version of him is that they're not so much, and their behavior is usually a reflection of the condition of their hearts....and the state of THEIR peace, tranquility...and how well they're living up to their purpose and potential.....or not. Think about it...and adjust your emotions and responses as needed. <3

Running in the Rain (video)