Celebrate Love, Celebrate Us

One week until the "BIG DAY!" What day is that? Valentine's Day of course! While I am not anti-St. Valentine, I am beginning to wonder what the point is. I can remember waiting and anticipating what pleasantries my beaux was going to shower me with on this glorious of days. I can also remember how I felt on the Valentine's Days when I had no one, nothing and no where to go. And again I wonder what is the point.

This year and every year for the rest of my life I have a Valentine but does it really take that one day for him to show me that he loves me or how much. And what about the people who don't have anyone. Should this day really be the reminder they need of how "nobody cares?" What about all the days before and all the days after Valentine's Day?

I recently saw a commercial for a jewelry store with a slogan that said "Celebrate Us" and felt inspired. Celebrate Us. I like it. I don't, however, see it only as meaning to celebrate a couple, but to celebrate all. Celebrate life. Celebrate love. Celebrate people. Celebrate each other. Then i got to thinking… When or how did Valentine's Day get so complicated? When did it become a day use to validate love? Remember being in elementary school and just buying a box of candy with a card attached that said "you're neat-o." Remember when giant bears, flowers, huge boxes of candy and champagne (or sparkling cider), etc. didn't matter. Everyone, I mean EVERYONE, got a piece of candy with small card letting them know that they too are truly special. What happened to that?

Don't get me wrong, I still enjoy getting a present for Valentine's or any day for that matter. But again, what about others like single mothers or widows/ widowers or the lonely neighbor. Who do they have to remind them of how truly awesome they are? That person could be you!

This Valentine's Day, I challenge you to reach out to someone who may not have anyone else. It doesn't have to be anything big. Maybe that two dollar box of cards to pass out to your co-workers. Some homemade cookies for a neighbor or friend. Some flowers for an elderly stranger in a local nursing home. Or just a simple phone call. It doesn't take much to show someone else that they are loved. After all, don't we all deserve to know.

Oh yeah! And don't forget to spread love the other 364 days in the year!

From me to you Happy Valentine's Day. God loves you, so love and take care of yourself and others. 

With Love,

JC

Pondering Time

That was right on TIME! I'm running late! Sooner. Later. Wrong TIMING. Perfect TIMING. Right place at the right TIME. Its about TIME! Everything seems to depend on time! The time it take to create a life and the exact time that one ends… The difference between catching an elevator or making a light…. Moment of time being somewhere or doing something when you meet your one true love…Anything and everything… Its all about time!

But why is time so important? I believe in God. I also believe that He has a plan. Because of His plans everything happens in due time. Although we are not perfect, He thinks that we are always just right to be in the positions we are in every single day, at every moment. He gives us time seek him. Time to spend with our loved ones.  Time to grow. Time to gain experience. Time to make mistakes. Time to learn from those mistakes. Time to bring darkness to light. Time to struggle and time to be successful.

I ask you, how do you spend your time? What do you do with it? Are you using it to fulfill every dream or fantasy? Are you a procrastinator? Do you use time to make others happy? Are you taking the time to take care of yourself (that's important too)? Do you spend time becoming successful? Are you having fun with your time? Do you share your time with someone special? Are you being productive? Or do you spend your time simply going through the motions? Think about it.

Time is a great gift because it is one you can never get back. So take the time to do something nice for yourself and others. Spend time with your family and friends, let them know you love them. Treat others kind and think twice when you're in a tough situation. Use your time to do something great and make yourself better. After all, when time runs out, I'd hate for you to say you wasted it.

JC

Who Are Those People?!

They steal your clothes and eat all your food, but you love them. They teach you bad habits and talk too much, yet, you still love them. They get in your way and Lord knows they work on your nerves, and still, they are the first ones you call when it all goes down! Who are "they?" FAMILY!

If you're like me, your family is the epitome of dysfunction! Just kidding, but no, really! Everyone has a dancing uncle, a crazy cousin, bratty sibling and parents - well lets just say they are different from what you remember when you were little. Now they just seem all open and stuff (can we say T.M.I.)! Either way, crazy or not. We love them.

I believe we are all created with a special purpose - each one different, of course. And I believe that we were created in our family so that those people would help us become who we are destined to be. Maybe your sister steals your clothes so that you can learn to share. Maybe your auntie is loud so that you can learn to tune nonsense-talking people out. When you're older and your parents tell you way too much, maybe its so that we can see how cool they really are. And the best is when a baby is born because they teach you how to love one another more and give outside of yourself. We all have a role.

I know sometimes the chips don't fall so nicely. Just say a prayer and remember what doesn't kill you,  can be learned from in order to make you a stronger and better person - for you and someone else. Don't let someone else's mistake destroy you.

At the end of the day, no matter what, family is still family. They are the ones you learn from, lean on, cry to, tell all your secrets, hopes and dreams, laugh and pray with. Since you're a part of the family that means your role is to teach good things, be a strong shoulder, always carry Kleenex, listen well, encourage, tell a joke and say a prayer. 

I don't know about your family, but mine if full of crazy people! But they are good people and I love them. I'm almost certain you feel the same about yours so treat them well. 

Take care of yourselves and one another.

JC

Let It Go! Leave It Behind

Its a new year! Happy 2011! New Years resolutions are live and in full effect. But hey! Since we're starting new things and cleaning up our lives in the new year, lets talk about things we need to let go and leave in the past. What kind of things? You know, that bad habit we keep saying we're going to kick or that jerk of a boyfriend/ girlfriend we keep saying we're going to kick to the curb! A new year is here and I say LET IT GO!!!!

No matter how slow the process may seem, the only direction we should be moving is forward. Sometimes the journey we're taking could be made a lot easier if we let go of the baggage we've been holding onto. Sometimes that means forgiveness. We all have experienced that one "friend" that keeps hurting us and we keep forgiving. Well let me tell you, you can forgive, but that doesn't mean you have to keep toting them on down the road. Let them go and leave that baggage behind! That doesn't mean that you don't care. It simply means you no longer care to keep hurting yourself.

ENABLERS!!! Listen Up! Ever feel like you are constantly bailing someone out? Is it draining every ounce of your energy? Are you tired? LET IT GO! Don't get me wrong, it is great to help others, and you should.  However, always being the bail out, in the long run, can do more harm than help. Learn to say NO!

Want to stop smoking, cussing, drinking, etc.? Like Nike says JUST DO IT! I'm not saying it will be easy, but it will definitely be worth it.  Not sure where to start? How about removing yourself from people/ situations that promote those bad habits? Sometimes in order to reach a goal, you have to do something different. Instead of breaking when the smokers break, go alone and stay inside. Instead of going to happy hour, head to the gym or the park. Instead of calling that person that hurts you, delete their number. See where I'm headed?

Finally, are you one of those people who gets down on yourself based on past experiences? I'm telling you now, drop that baggage and don't even dare to look for it later! Its a new year! Today and everyday after is the first day of the rest of your life! So what if you didn't get things didn't pan out the way you thought they would! So what if that person walked away! So What! Its never to late to get a fresh start and you are the perfect candidate for one!

New Year = New Start. I challenge you to think about all the things that you want out of life and all the things that are a hinderance to your goals. Then say a prayer asking God to remove the things that He would not have for you. Sometimes, even if it hurts a little, the best thing to do is Let Go!

I pray for a happy and prosperous year for all of you. One filled with good health, lots of love and many blessings.

JC

The Great Resolve

Ever wonder why year after year we make the same resolutions (or different ones) then at the end of year find out we didn't stick to them or realize after the first month we've lost our way? You know, the resolutions that go "I'm going to lose weight," "I'm going to eat better," "I'm going to stop procrastinating." Yeah those! Well wonder no more. I'm going to tell you why they don't work and then explain how you can resolve to do something great and actually stick to it!

One reason why, often times, we fail at keeping our resolutions is because we set ones that are unattainable. The second reason is that we stop there. We set a goal but don't set a plan on how we are going to reach that goal. Third, and probably the biggest reason, is that we don't follow through - mainly because  we get distracted. 

Here is the biggest, most common example I can think of… Resolution: "I'm going to lose 30lbs by February." Let's be real! While not impossible, for most of us, it is unattainable - especially if you want to do it in a way that is still healthy. Then we drop the ball. How do you plan of losing all of this weight? Are you going to the gym, walk during lunch hour, change the what you eat? HOW? Finally, we're distracted. Instead of going to the gym after work, we get talked into Happy Hour with our pals, or we have tons of other stuff to do. Thus, we fail. Resolution UNRESOLVED! It doesn't have to be this way! 

Here are a few suggestions that may help you in all that you are trying to accomplish in the New Year! First, set a big goal. What are you ultimately trying to achieve? And make sure that it is realistic for you. Then set little goals - maybe a monthly goal, followed by weekly ones. Next you MUST COMMIT! Sacrifices will have to be made. Some things will require scheduling. To-do lists are always helpful. Remember there are always going to be distractions, peer pressure and other events of life. While it is ok to be flexible, you should still remain focused on achieving your goals. Another way to help you stay on task is to involve family and friends when possible. Don't be afraid to ask for help or encouragement. For me, personally, when I really want to get something done, I post it on Twitter and Facebook. Even if no one cares, I still feel a certain sense of accountably for doing what I said I would. Finally, believe in you! Other people may doubt you. Don't let them get you down, use that as motivation.

Setting goals  is one thing, but achieving them is another. And how rewarding is it once you've reached the mountain top! Remember, you can do anything that you set your mind to. Believe in yourself. I believe in you! Say a prayer and off you go! Happy Goal Setting!

JC

Tis The Season

Right now our power is out due to the storm last night. In my house it is cold and it is dark. My baby's hands are cold, the food in the refrigerator is spoiling and I can't turn on the stove to make a hot meal. This is only a glimpse of what some people out there are going through everyday. The electricians will come, fix the power line and my lights will be on in a few hours but what about those who aren't so fortunate?

We've all heard he phrase, "It is much better to give than receive."But I'm sure we all love to receive things too! Thats one of the fun parts about the holiday season - the hustle of shopping, the anticipation of Christmas day, and finally knowing that a someone else has thought of you when you open that present. Again, what about those who aren't so fortunate? 

For me, it always warms my heart when I can give something that puts a smile on another person's face. And sometimes, that feeling is even better than when I receive something myself. This Christmas I'm asking for others to, if they are able, help make someone else's Christmas a little brighter.

If you aren't quite sure how or where to get started, here are a few ideas:

Your local mall may be hosting and Angel Tree where you can pick a name of a child or a family and purchase gifts for them.You can try seeing if your bank provides stockings that you can fill and bring back. Similar to the Angel Tree, your church or the Salvation Army may have persons that need help during this time. And finally, one of my personal favorites, the United Way website. There you can find lots of opportunities for community service, providing meals for the homeless and even sponsoring families. The great thing about United Way is that they provide this information year-round. 

The holidays are a time to be with family, friends and loved ones. It is also a great time to help those you may not even know. I'm sure it will put a smile on there face and warmth in your hearts. Let's lend a hand this holiday and every season thereafter. 

And guess what... Upon finishing up this entry, my lights came back on! BEAUTIFUL!

JC

Thankful

As you all know Thanksgiving has just passed. Now everyone is busy with all the hustle and bustle of Christmas Shopping, meeting deadlines, preparing for family and wrapping up 2010. We're thinking about all the things we want  for Christmas and contemplating what may be our New Years Resolutions. In the midst of it all, I have had some time to reflect and you know what… I'm still truly thankful!

I have been blessed with a lot of things. I get to wake up every morning and start all over. I have my health. I have my family. I have been given an assignment from God that He obviously trusts me to handle (being a wife and a mom). I get to communicate with the world. AND I can make a difference in it!

The thing that gets me is that people (and I'm guilty of this too) use that one day, Thanksgiving, to really analyze what they are thankful for. Then the day is done and back to our normal routines and leftovers. I'm not saying that we're not thankful any other day. I am saying, however, that maybe we should take the time everyday to count our blessings. 

Everyone has a different situation, but we should all keep in mind that someone out there in the world is always going to have it worse and someone is going to always have it better. The blessing in that is that we can help those who have it worse and we can strive for what is better. 

Someone once told me that a thankful heart keeps depression at bay!  How awesome is that! So I want you to do me a favor. Think about all the things you complained about from the time you woke up this morning, stumped your toe and walked into that wall… Now… Count your blessings. Name them one by one, you can even write them down… Now smile!

I'm thankful for a ton of things and then some! And Im thankful for you! 

JC