Rebirth

Photo by Joshua Earle

What is spiritual adversity? I actually had to do a bit of research before I wrote this post. The word came up when I was looking for a quote for rebirth. Funny how looking for one thing leads you to another.

Have you ever been through something so difficult it rocks you to your core? I’m sure that while you are reading this you can think of more than one time in your life when you’ve been challenged. How did you get through it? If it is happening to you now, how are you coping?

When I went through spiritual adversity twenty years ago, I had very little tools. I relied upon myself. I didn’t want to bother other people. I kept my sadness to myself and isolated. Depression inched in and I felt as if I was down in a deep well.

Finally I knew I had to do something. I reached out for help and guess what, people helped me. They threw a rope down the well and pulled me out slowly. I started to see the light. The light was bright and shiny.

When I began my ascent, I was willing to talk to other people about how they had overcome adversity. They shared their own struggles, life lessons, and stories of renewal. They were a beacon of hope.

It became clear that people who relied on a power greater than themselves were the ones who were doing better in their struggles. If you prefer, you can go ahead and do it all by yourself. I tried that and it didn’t work. Heavenly power keeps me more centered, happier, and yes, healthier.

This spiritual adversity was the beginning of my new life. It gave me tools in my toolbox. I have used those tools many times since.

For I am the LORD your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.  Isiah 41:13

Special greetings to those celebrating Palm Sunday, Easter or Passover today. 

Thoughtful Thank You’s

The Best Things are Not Things
The Best Things are Not Things

“Piglet noticed that even though he had a Very Small Heart, it could hold a rather large amount of Gratitude.” A.A. Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh

Do you believe in the power of a thank you note? I do.

If it is anything that I love, it is a real thank you. It can be a “look you in the eye say thank you” kind of thing, but it’s much better with a pretty card and a heart felt note in your own handwriting.

In the business world, there’s much to be gained by a good thank you. No amount of text messaging or emailing can replace the real deal. A note or letter tells someone how much a working relationship means to you. It lets the recipient know you appreciate their time and effort to work together.

In personal matters, a graceful thank you will lift up and encompass someone in a hug. It sends a message of love and caring. It says you are appreciated and what you did means the world to me.

Yep, this made me feel good all these years later!
Yep, this made me feel good all these years later!

A couple of days ago I found a cache of forgotten thank you notes from a previous job. There they were, stashed in amongst a bunch of business letterhead in my closet. I took them down and sat in my recliner, ready to revisit beautiful memories. The card I have pictured above (top is the front, above is the inside) was from a mother of the bride. I helped her coordinate her daughter’s wedding. Here is what she said inside. “Dear Jo, Thanks so much for everything you did to make Stacey and Gene’s wedding so beautiful. I know all the hard work you did- you went above and beyond! You were wonderful to work with and I truly enjoyed working with you. All the best.”

Do I save these for a reason? You bet I do.

I have a box full of cards that people have sent me over the years. Cards thanking me for presents, for my time, for my energy, for ways I helped others. I read once long ago that it was a positive tool to save heartfelt cards. When you are feeling down, get out the box and go through it.

Simple Act of Gratitude
A Simple Act of Gratitude

I read a book a few years ago that really touched me. “A Simple Act of Gratitude” was written by John Kralik. He told his own story of a life filled with unhappiness. In a moment of clarity, he thought that if he became grateful for what he had instead of lamenting on what he didn’t have, it could be a game changer. He set a goal to write 365 thank you notes in one year. He achieved this milestone. Did it change his life? It sure did.

Writing thank you notes is a way to express gratitude for what we have in our life. It is a way to combat envy, greed, and ego. A humble expression of gratitude when sustained, can be the difference between a life of grumbling and complaints, or a life of infinite riches.

I hope you decide to pick up a pen and write some thank you notes. Go to your favorite stationary store, pick out some pretty cards and go for it. Or have picture cards made with your favorite photos and use those. Then get to town and write. By the way, thank you for that beautiful card you sent me. I love it!

One of my favorite cards!
One of my favorite cards! It was for Mother’s Day- still counts!
Extra Special
Extra Special
Sweet
Sweet
One of my favorites
One of my favorites
Beautiful
Beautiful
Humble
Humble
Unique
Unique

God Works

I have been thinking about God’s work lately. One of my former bosses, Dr. M, was a dentist. Often times, if I was leaving the office late, he would still be there, working on a set of dentures or something else. I would say “Dr. M., why are you still here?” And he would say “Someone has to do God’s work.”

Sadly, Dr. M. was still working into his early 90’s when he developed Alzheimer’s. I’ve often wondered why this would happen to a man so willing to work until the end. Maybe this was God’s way of letting him finally rest.

So God’s work has been in my head lately. Are we doing God’s work when my friends and I make 240 sandwiches for FOCUS Pittsburgh? Is it in the tubs of food we ask for and deliver to the local food pantry in our church’s town? Is it the work my son’s girlfriend Jess does for the Habitat for Humanity ReStore she manages?

Jani and I at Red Robin
Jani and I at Red Robin

Today I got a different answer. God works to bring people together. After a good fifteen year break, an old friend of mine, Jani, found me on Facebook. She said she was thinking about me and I showed up one morning. She sent me a friend request. I practically fell off my chair.

Year ago, when my kids were toddlers, I was a Tupperware manager. Yes, you heard correctly. And I was a good one! I had a company car and got my husband through nursing school by doing parties in the evenings. I recruited Jani and she was with me for a good while. She was a go-getter; she had a warm and sparkly personality.

When we both quit home parties, I’d bump into her every now and then. She said the last time we saw each other was at a restaurant and her daughter had just been born. That was a long time ago. I never forgot her. I’d think about her from time to time and wonder how she was.

We had lunch yesterday and caught up. Talking non stop, we reviewed kids, careers, marriage and life. She lifted me up. I’m sure this will not be the last time we have lunch together!

So this is how God works. It is not just through the good things we do. It is in the spectacular work that God will do for two people. It’s a miracle really, to connect again after all these years. To be brought together and see an old friend. I am in awe of it.

There is nothing unpremeditated, nothing neglected by God. His unsleeping eye beholds all things. Saint Basil

 

Moving in a New Direction

My original blog picture!
My original blog picture!

How do you know when it’s time to move on?

Well, I know. When I feel that restlessness, that movement deep within me that says it’s time to break out of my own comfort zone.

When I created the website for my business Katherine’s Daughter Events, I found a fabulous webmaster (thanks to my sister Mary!) who held my hand every step of the way. From the beginning of our friendship Susan encouraged me to not only create my own events website, but to move my blog where I would have more control over what I can do with it.

The time has come. We are moving this blog, Katherine’s Daughter, over to a self hosted site in the next few days where it will be easier for me to manage and hopefully, grow my readership beyond what it is right now.

What will happen to you? Absolutely nothing if you are already an email subscriber. You will not notice a thing and you should still receive all of my posts via your email. I applaud you, my faithful reader, for sticking with me and I look forward to having you along on this next phase of my blogging journey.

If you are jointly a WordPress follower and an email follower, you will have to re-subscribe if you still want to receive email updates. I will still show up in your WordPress reader. So we can still hang out together!

This is a brave new world for me and recently I heard the quote “Facing fear is the new black.” I love that. I believe in plowing ahead, stretching out of my comfort zone and taking new chances.

So here we go into the next new phase! I’ll keep you posted!

Love, Joanne 🙂

What Speaks of Love?

The Bonfire

“Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.” ― Mother Teresa

I was loading socks into Jim’s dresser drawer when I remembered a moment in time. It was a flashback to a conversation between Jim and our close friend John.

Jim had asked John what act of his wife’s spoke of love? John thought for a moment and said “The smell of dinner when I drive up my driveway! That spells LOVE to me!”, said John in his big, beautiful voice. I braced myself for what Jim would say. “A drawer full of socks, John. I love when I open my drawer and see it full of socks.”

Since then I have remembered what filling up that sock drawer means to Jim. It speaks of my love for him. It took me only a moment (and thirty years of marriage) to realize how much he appreciated it.

What does Jim do for me that I love? He builds great campfires. He sets up the logs in a nice, stacked fashion, utilizes newspaper strategically, and sometimes even gets creative with a few charcoal briquets just to get things going.

I once told Jim that his fires “flickered in all the right places.” He loved that and says it’s one of the nicest things I have ever said to him.

When I think about it, it’s really those little things that sometimes mean the most. I try and pay attention to what I do for the special people in my life- my kids, my mom, my grandson, my family, my friends. Thoughtful and kind acts are not necessarily about great or expensive gifts. Meaningful acts of loving kindness can be simple and sweet, inexpensive and lovely.

I like to take my mother a mason jar of flowers from my yard when I visit her. Or, I take her something special from the farmer’s market- those little zucchini, an eggplant or some fresh green beans. I know how much she likes those kinds of things.

This weekend, I hope someone does something special for you and vice versa. Have a great holiday!

Does someone you know do something especially kind for you? Or do you have a great memory of a parent or loved one from your past? Here’s your chance to share it with us and give us some good ideas!

Thank you!

Artwork by Rae 02-01-81 – 06-06-09

Every afternoon when I leave work, my boss says “Bye! Thank you!”

When I make dinner for my grandson Gavin, he says “Thank you Nana!”

My husband Jim loves to open his sock drawer and find it filled with clean socks. He says “Thank you!”

It sounds like such a little thing but really when you think about it, it’s not. How many times a day do you say “Thank you”? I try and say it all day. Honestly, I say it to strangers in the supermarket, customer service people on the phone, the receptionist at the dentist office. I bet those are people who don’t hear “Thank you” much.

Princess Willow

My favorite way to hear “Thank you!” is when Amy’s granddaughter, Willow, will say Grace before a meal. It was her third birthday last week and I was there to share in the special occasion.

When we sat down at the table, we all held hands. Amy asked Willow if she would say the prayer. Willow’s face lit up and she said “Thank you!” with a big smile. It was a joy filled moment!

Many of my dear friends say that gratitude is the way to live a more peaceful life. I agree. I try and be grateful every day and I want to share that feeling with others. By saying “Thank you”, I appreciate what others do for me and I keep gratitude front and center. It may be hard to believe, but saying it in a heartfelt way and with a smile can change someone’s bad day to good.

With Thanksgiving right around the corner, I’d like to start a world wide movement to say “Thank You” more. I’m going to start right now by saying “Thank You!” to all my blogger friends, email subscribers, Twitter and Facebook fans who read my stories on a regular basis. You have no idea how much your comments, “Likes”, private emails and personal comments (when I get to see you!) mean to me. I love writing stories and I appreciate all your heartfelt support.

I think “Thank you” can be a pathway to peace of mind and a happy heart. Give lots of “Thank you’s” away and just watch how it changes  your life!

Are you with me? Say “Thank you!” a whole bunch today!

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