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Light, Love, Hope

Light in the Darkness Surrounded by Love with Hope for those in need.

Shirley

About Shirley

https://lightlovehope.com

Shirley is the proud mother of two beautiful young ladies. She enjoys spending time with them on their ranch in the deep South with their three paint horses. Always looking for an adventure, she looks forward to hikes in the mountains chasing waterfalls, or scouring the coast for beautiful lighthouses! Shirley writes to encourage others and often times shares things that motivate and inspire her. She believes in living life to the fullest because no one is promised the gift of another day. Join her as we honor our bodies, minds, hearts, souls, and our Almighty Creator, God above!

Posts by Shirley :

Strangers

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Yesterday I ran into someone from my past.  It should have been a wonderful reunion, and yet, it was awkward.  It saddened me greatly to think of what could have been, what should have been, and yet what currently … is.

What hurts is that this person has been kept from us the majority of her life.  The individual that I speak of is my sister’s daughter.  My niece.  If you’ve visited with us before, you know that we lost my sister 13 years ago to suicide.  She took her own life two weeks after having her daughter.  We were devastated by my sister’s passing.  Then we were further devastated when her only child was taken from us.  We were not allowed access to her because my sister’s husband decided that his parents should be the caregivers of their daughter.  We were only allowed a few short weekends with her, and she was taken from us again.  This broke our hearts completely.  Then after several more years passed, they wanted to allow us into this little girl’s life once more.  We did everything we could to be there for this little girl, and yet again, she was taken from us.  I don’t know if they felt threatened or what exactly went through their minds at that point for them to take her away from us again.  That is exactly what they did, though.  This time, however, I did not react the same way that I had in years past.  I did not chase after them, nor did I beg for them to allow us to see my sister’s daughter.  I prayed, I cried, I fell on my face before Jesus, and yet it still did not change the situation we were all in.  I had to deal with not only losing my sister but her daughter as well.  That is the sad reality of the situation.  Although my niece is still here on this earth, we are not allowed access to her … so we have lost her, too.

A year or so ago, my daughter found my niece on Facebook.  We all sent a friend request, and much to our surprise, it was accepted.  However, if I would send her a message or write on her wall, it would be ignored so I finally stopped trying.  She would only respond to my oldest daughter, then she stopped with that as well.

Yesterday we were in the store when she came over to my daughter and slapped her on her arm.  My daughter turned around and was excited to see her … yet there was this awkwardness that lingered.  My daughter quickly came down the aisle saying, “Look who I found …” and upon seeing her, my eyes lit up and a smile spread wide across my lips as I said, “Hey there, darling … ” only to be greeted with steel cold eyes and not a single expression on this little girl’s face.  None.  I stood cemented in my place as the reality slammed into me.  I … don’t … know … her … anymore.  We’re strangers.

My daughter tried to say a few words, and I tried once more asking if she was there alone or with someone.  Her response was still cold as ice as she said, “I’m here with the old man.”  She meant the grandfather that had instigated her isolation from our family.  I just stood there again, only this time, feeling my heart almost leaving my chest the same as it did on occasions in the past when she was slipping from me.  The reality is, she’s already gone.  She is a stranger to me now … and although I have tried to be involved in her life all of those years – 13 years of trying – the harsh reality is that I’m NOT a part of her life … and probably never will be.

It’s sad thinking of how it COULD be … how it SHOULD be … how it WOULD be if only my sister had reached out to someone, anyone that hot July day and let us help her through what she was feeling.  I imagine that our lives would be so much different … if only …

It breaks my heart … and yet all I can do is turn to God once more for comfort and for Him to restore peace.

And … He will.

Light Love Hope Giveaway Winners

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We recently held a giveaway in honor and celebration of our one year blog anniversary.  We were giving away five copies of Jim Brickman’s Greatest Hits CD.  Jim’s music has blessed my heart and soul through the years, and we hope the winners will enjoy his music as much as we do.

Before I announce the winner, I would like to express my sincere thanks and appreciation to Gregory C. Johnson, the man behind all of the technical aspects here at Light Love Hope AND our writer for the We Care Wednesdays series.  Greg has been a close friend of the family for 17 years (at the time of this writing).  His love and friendship for my entire family has been an ever present force that has seen us through some very trying times in our lives.  Greg has been through a whole lot in his life, and yet he still puts others first.  He never hesitates to give of himself and do things to brighten someone else’s day.  If there was only ONE face to put with the random acts of kindness, HIS should be the one that you’d find if you looked that phrase up on the internet.

Greg has provided Light Love Hope as an outlet for me, and I use it as my form of therapy at times writing out the words that are in my heart and soul.  Our family has struggled after the loss of my sister to suicide 13 years ago.  I used to write poetry and found a great deal of enjoyment in that, yet I lost my desire to write at all after losing my sister and best friend on that hot July day.  Greg has provided this site to encourage me to write again and to help heal my broken heart by reaching out to others that may be in need to share Light, Love, and Hope with them.

As if all of that wasn’t enough, Greg has gone above and beyond again by purchasing the Jim Brickman CDs for our giveaway.  Greg is the one that introduced me to Jim Brickman’s beautiful piano music years ago, and he provides tickets to see Jim in concert every December.  This has become a family tradition, and we have been blessed to spend the past few “On A Cold Winter’s Night” concert tours with Greg when he has visited with our family around the holidays.  We are looking forward to doing this again at the beginning of December with him as part of our family.

~drum roll, please~

THE WINNERS ARE:

Aimee Ramos Fauci

Alli Rutherford Smith

Rose Powlel

Theresa (no last name provided)

Shirley Cumbie Wood

CONGRATULATIONS, LADIES!!!

It is with great joy and excitement that we celebrate with you all.  Email notifications have been sent to our lucky winners, and they will be receiving their Jim Brickman CDs shortly!

Thank you to everyone that entered!   We will have more opportunities to come to enter future giveaways.  We are so happy to have you as part of Light Love Hope’s family of readers.

Thank you to Gregory C. Johnson for gifting the CDs for our giveaway and for all that he does for me, personally, my family, and Light Love Hope!

Blessings to you all,

Shirley

Hold

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Hold me now. Wrap your loving arms around me, and just … hold me. Tight. Hold me … close.

Let me inhale the sweet scent of your skin as I lay my head on your chest. I can hear your heart beating … beating for me.

Do you remember days gone by when we would get swept up in each other and the only thing that mattered was you and I in that moment? Together.

The demands of life can be so overwhelming at times, yet shelter from the storms of life, and peace and comfort are still found in the depths of each other’s arms.

My heart skips a beat every time you rush to me, get down on one knee, and slide your strong arms around my waist as you embrace me with your love. I cradle your head as I run my fingers through your hair and hold you close to me.

Moments spent with you standing by the water’s edge, exchanging soft kisses as the rain began to sprinkle down from Heaven … We pause for a moment, my hand upon your chest, your arms still wrapped around me. There in your arms … I know I am home.

Date Nights1
This post was inspired by the Five Minute Friday prompt word of: Hold. Join us for the #fmfparty on twitter and link up your blog post here.

The Best Things In Life

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The best things in life do not cost a single thing.  I realize that money is needed to pay bills so that you have a house to live in, electricity in your home, food on the table, etc.  They are necessities that we often times take for granted.  We are so blessed in this life and have more than we truly need in material things.  But, what about heart things?  Those moments that take our breath away?

To me, some of the best things in life are cuddling on the couch watching a movie with your love, holding hands, and feeling their arms wrapped securely around you.  I also love cuddling with my children as we take turns reading pages in a book, or our snuggle time right before bed.  The quiet moments we share together are so precious to me.  The whispers before they drift off to sleep after I’ve tucked them in for the night.  How they ask me to give them a mini facial as they prepare for dreamland, and I watch as all of the worries of their day melt away.

How about calls from your parents just to say that they are thinking of you and they love you?  I treasure those.  They just want to check on you and let you know that they care.  Or, like my dad just did out of the blue – he sent me a beautiful bouquet of flowers to my work.  I did not expect it at all, and yet he did something so sweet that just melted my heart completely.  I love my parents, and my dad is one heck of a man!  There should be more men in the world like him.

And then there’s time spent with my best friend … my horse, Sugar.  There’s nothing like grooming her and getting her all ready to ride, and then when I lift myself up in the stir ups and sit on top of this beautiful horse, I feel more alive than I have in a very long time.  Feeling every single movement as she slowly walks along, feeling as if we are one – my partner and I.

I especially love getting together with old friends and laughing until we cry or leaving with our faces hurting from all the laughing and smiling that we’ve done.  And the hugging and praying together, holding hands and clinging to each other as words are lifted up to our Heavenly Father on one of our friend’s behalf as we did this past weekend … there are no words to describe how that feels joining together in prayer.   For when two or more are gathered in HIs name …

These, sweet people of the universe, are some of the best things in life.  Nothing compares to them or could even come close!

Take time to appreciate the people in your life and make time for them.  You don’t have to spend a lot of money, but be intentional with your time.  Give the gift of your time to others.  Something magical will happen.  You will be touching someone’s heart completely, and at the same time, your heart will be blessed also!

God has given us this beautiful, amazing life … some times there will be rough spots along the way, but He is there through every single one of them walking right beside you, and even carrying you when needed.

Love this life that you’ve been given.  It is yours.  No one can live it like you can.  God has called you to live, to love, to show care and compassion for others around you.    Treasure and cherish the people that are in your lives.  They may not always be there.  We never know when God will call one of us home.

1-Anniversary

Our One Year Anniversary

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Today is a very special day for Light Love Hope as we celebrate our one year anniversary.  We are so glad you are here with us to celebrate!  As part of our celebration, we have a giveaway going where you could have your very own Jim Brickman cd.  If you do not know who Jim Brickman is, allow me to enlighten you.  Jim Brickman plays beautiful music on his piano.  He travels with a few of his friends to cities to perform music that will soothe you and relax you.  His music is also perfect for a romantic night out with that special someone, or if you’re staying in, just put his cd in and turn the lights down low for a romantic candlelight dinner.  My personal favorite, though, is to turn on Jim Brickman’s cd and take a nice, long bubble bath.  There is just something about relaxing in the tub with the lights off and just the flickering of the candlelight as Jim’s music floats through the air surrounding and embracing you.

With that said, the entry form is at the end of this post so please enter our giveaway, if you haven’t already!   Five lucky winners will be selected!

What has this past year been like for us?  Well, it has been a wonderful release.  Writing is a form of therapy for me.  If I cannot find the words to speak, I can always seem to get them to flow right through my fingertips and onto the screen almost effortlessly.  Some of my thoughts may entertain, others may educate.  One thing that is for sure is that I will always be honest and open with my readers.  I share my story in an effort to help others so that they know they truly are NOT alone.  Nothing is worse than walking around in this world of seven billion people and feeling as if you’re alone without a single person that can relate to what you’re going through in life.  You are not alone any more, dear hearts.

We have tried to share inspirational stories and to offer encouragement to our readers.  We have shared about our families, and we have shared our struggles growing up.  Each of our writers have dug deep within their heart and soul and poured out the most beautiful pieces that I have been so proud to display on this website.  I applaud each and every one of our writers for pouring themselves out in their words; words that are straight from their heart and the core of their being.  I thank them for being transparent and vulnerable, yet caring enough to give of themselves in this way.  If our stories touch one person’s life, it will all be worth it.

If you are not familiar with all of our writers, please visit our page dedicated to the amazing Encouragement Team by clicking here.

With that said, thank you, again, from the very bottom of our hearts for sharing a year with us here at Light Love Hope!   Today as we celebrate our one year anniversary, we celebrate YOU, our readers!

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The Weekend of A Lifetime

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Wow! That is all I can say about this past weekend. I finally got to meet and hug my best friends of 17 years in person!

The internet can be a very valuable tool. It contains a wealth of information to educate us. It can be used to bring people together as it did with these precious ladies that I had the pleasure of spending time with this weekend. If used wisely, beautiful things can come from the internet. Our friendship is one that I will forever be grateful for and will treasure for all time. It is hard to believe that with a bond as strong as ours that it came from the internet … having never met face-to-face before now. But, that is the beauty in it. We shared our inner most thoughts and feelings all of these years with each other, and I cherish that!

There will be more to this story, but for now, just know that we shared a LOT of laughter, and yes some tears as well. These ladies are precious to me!

This weekend was exactly what my heart and soul needed.

And I thank God for the weekend of a lifetime!

Friends For A Lifetime

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Today I am going to skip my usual participation in the Five Minute Friday linkup.  What’s that, you might ask, if you’re just joining us?  Well, a prompt word is provided to get the writer’s juices flowing, and everyone is encouraged to write for five whole minutes without worrying about getting it just right.  However, today of all days, that is not necessary as I know EXACTLY what I would like to write about, and it will be perfect … because of the subject!

Friends For A Lifetime!

That’s right!

Seventeen years ago, I ventured onto a website that would change my life forever.  I had seen the television network on my satellite and had started watching it.  One day an advertisement was on for the Lifetime Lounge.  I thought, “What in the world …”  Curiosity got the best of me, and so it wasn’t long before I was going to my computer to enter that website to find out exactly what this place was all about.  Little did I realize at the time that my entire life would be changed by going into that website that very day.

At first I was shy and just sat back to read the exchanges.  When I felt brave enough, I jumped in with the conversation.  Feeling as if I never quite fit in when I was in school, I was not even sure anyone would respond to my posts in there.  I was easily ignored and looked over in real life, so I did not expect it to be any different in a “virtual world.”  Much to my surprise, though, not only did people respond, but at one point I seemed to be one of the most popular people in there.  I was surprised when later one of the ladies told me that she was feeling so good about herself because I ~the popular one in her eyes~ acknowledged her, too.  Wow.  We were both feeling this in our personal lives – ignored, overlooked, of little value and worth, unpopular, neglected, and unloved~ and here, in our virtual world, we mattered!  A lot!  We were accepted, we were loved, we were valued!

We started having deep conversations about some really important matters in our lives.   Over time, we began to share more about our lives, our struggles, and before you know it, we took our conversations from a very public forum into private emails to share the depths of our hearts and minds with each other.

The day I ventured into that virtual world changed my life forever … in the absolute most positive way!  Little did I know that by clicking on this website I would make friends for a lifetime IN the Lifetime Lounge, no less.  🙂  It’s true, though.  It happened.  We are forever cemented to each other after all that we shared!

Although the website was primarily for women, there were a few brave men that ventured into the site as well out of curiosity.  They saw the craziness of these womenfolk and decided to stay.

Oh the conversations were serious, but there was also some very silly times in there as well.  It was the MOST FUN, too!!!

We laughed … we cried … we bonded.  We became sisters and brothers of the heart.  Nothing is stronger than the bond you have with individuals that have come alongside of you through the good, bad, and ugly times in your lives.  That is exactly what happened, too, and 17 years later, these wonderful people are still by my side.

We have seen each other through some of the hardest things to have to endure in life.  From my divorce, to life as a now-single-mom and all the struggles that went with it, to my sister’s suicide and the horrible aftermath that survivors face, to my parent’s both being diagnosed with different types of cancers, to their treatment and recovery, to my remarrying, to my ruptured ectopic pregnancy that almost claimed my life, to the infertility issues and treatments I endured to conceive after losing one of my tubes, to the absolute best celebration this side of Heaven when my miracle baby was finally placed into my arms for the first time, to watching my babies grow up in pictures on the screen, to the struggles of having a teenage driver in the house, to being bullied on the job, to my grandmother’s two year struggle to stay alive and ultimately to her taking her final breath, to getting thrown from a horse and recovering from fractures, and from yet another broken heart … these precious people have been by my side the ENTIRE time encouraging me, supporting me, loving me, inspiring me, holding me up on many occasions when I felt as if I could not go on … they lifted me up and carried me right along with God.  Picture God cradling me in His arms as He is carrying me with many extra hands holding me right alongside of Him as these angels here on earth helped me through each and every hardship I have had to face in the past 17 years.

We have shared some good times in there.  Please know it was not all bad.  Not at all.  And I supported them as well, although I do not feel it right to share the struggles they have faced.  It is not my place, but I will speak freely about those of my own.

Today … ah, today, I will be traveling to meet these precious ladies that have been my lifeline through the years.  Yes, we are meeting for the very first time in 17 years of friendship.  These friends for a lifetime have no idea what they are in for today when we see each other face-to-face for the very first time.  Lots of hugs, lots of tears, and lots of laughter … that is what is in store this weekend.

And I thank God for my friends for a lifetime!

 

Where Were You The Day The World Stopped Turning

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Today is September 11, 2014.  Where were you the day the world stopped turning round?  Do you remember where you were on that day when we, as a Nation, were attacked?  I do.

I worked at a construction company, at the time, in the front office.  We had been working on a bid for a highway letting that was due by noon that day.  We hurried up and got all of our final numbers, entered them into the bid sheet, and sealed the envelop.  I rushed to my car to take the bid to the appropriate building in another town by the deadline, as this was before the world of electronic submissions.

As I got comfortable in my car and turned the radio up to listen to tunes on the drive, the regular program was interrupted with chaos and confusion as the voice came over the radio telling of one building up in smoke … and shortly thereafter, the other.  The twin towers were hit.  It was a terrorist attack.

I remember the shock I felt as the waves crashed into me of disbelief, horror, and fear.

My foot immediately came off of the accelerator as who could possibly think to press it when you’re having trouble just breathing in that moment you are hearing that the world, as you knew it, was coming to an end.  Was this, in fact, the end of the world?  Was this the beginning of the end that they talk about in the bible?

I managed to force myself to breathe in as I reached for my cell phone.  I called out to someone – anyone – to see if this was just a bad dream or if I caught the tail end of something horrible on the radio that wasn’t really truly happening.  No, it was no nightmare.  There was no waking up from this.  It was really happening.

I cannot begin to imagine the feelings that swept over the entire nation as they learned of this horrible attack.  So many lives were lost that day.  It was something that never should have happened, yet it did.  It left so many lives destroyed, so much devastation behind, and people every where asking WHY this had to happen.  Families were torn apart.  Lives were lost, blood was shed, and the entire nation mourned.

Even what seems like “all these years later” … we still remember.  This is something we will never, ever forget as lives every where were altered and changed that day.

Will you join us in prayer for our nation?  For the families that lost loved ones that day?  For the precious children … the husbands, wives, brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, friends, coworkers … all of the precious lives cut too short, gone too soon?

Pray for our nation.

Pray.

We will NEVER forget.

Whisper

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The day has drawn to a close with the sun setting and the moon hanging high in the sky watching our every move.  We’ve danced under that very moon tonight, laughing, twirling with our heads thrown back, and enjoying the moment.  As we made our way inside, you, yawning and stretching, and me following right behind, you crawl into bed awaiting me to come shortly thereafter to tuck you in.  Snug as a bug in a rug.  My little lady bug.

I stroke your hair and kiss your cheek softly as I whisper, “I love you,” in your ear.  Those three small words … who knew they could have such feelings and emotions behind them … but a mother knows.  From the moment I found out I was pregnant with you, I was in love … every fiber of my being was so in love with you, dear child of mine.  And today, there are so many feelings and emotions behind those three little words.  They are so tiny, and yet so powerful, just like you.

And I sit with you a moment longer, soaking in all of your beauty and wonder … this little child of mine.

Just as I whisper my words of love to you, God does also to each and every one of us.  It’s the sweet whispers of the wind blowing through our hair, the sunlight caressing our skin, the birds singing their melody for all the world to hear … God’s hands are in all things, and He is whispering from His lips to our hearts His love for us all.  Do you hear Him calling to you?

I love you to the moon & stars!

This post was inspired by the Five Minute Friday prompt word of:  Whisper.   Feel free to add your thoughts in the comments (which we love, by the way), or link up your own blog post at Kate’s virtual house! 

Time Waits For No One

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You have probably heard the saying, “Time Waits For No One.”  It’s true.  Time keeps marching on whether we want it to or not.

Looking back through the years, it seemed like time was dragging by in my childhood days.  Once I became an adult, though, time started to go by faster and faster – too fast for my liking!   It seemed like I wouldn’t ever get through school and finally graduate, but after graduation, weeks quickly turned into months, then years, and now I look around and wonder where did the past 25 years go?

When I had my babies and was awake in the wee morning hours trying to comfort my little one with a severe case of colic, I didn’t think the hands on the clock were moving at all.  Time seemed to crawl as this sleep deprived mama just wanted to lay her head down, but no rest was to be found until the right combination of gas relief drops and formula were used to combat the colic (along with riding my baby around in the middle of the night as nothing seemed to soothe her unless she was in the moving vehicle).  Now, my little baby is all grown up and is a Senior in high school talking about going off to college.   This leaves me wondering where has the time gone?  It seems like I blinked my eyes, and she’s all grown up!

I wish I could grasp the hands of time and make them go slowly now … instead of the days racing by.  My youngest daughter will soon be celebrating her 10th birthday.  Oh my!   It seemed like only yesterday I was cradling my little miracle baby in my arms for the first time with tears of joy streaming down my face as her little fingers wrapped around my index finger.  Now, she’s walking around in her cowboy boots and Western hat jumping on the back of her horse to ride off into the sunset (okay, maybe not that dramatic, but you get the idea).   She has always been a strong willed I-can-do-it-myself type of girl.  Now is no different as I watch her gain the respect and control of her very large horse as she leads her around.

Time waits for no one!  No one I tell you!

And then there is the other saying, “Time heals all wounds.”  Is this really true?  Has time really healed the wound, or is the wound still there but covered by other things to mask the pain we’re feeling?  Has time allowed healing to occur since it has put some distance in between the initial shock of the moment and the present day where we’ve been allowed to deal with the issue?  It’s something to think about.

But time marches on.  Whether we like it or not.  That is why it is so important to capture every memory-making-moment possible.  Take advantage of the time you do have with your family and friends.  Not a single person is guaranteed the gift of another day.  We never know when our time will be up, and when God will call us home to be with Him.  I pray that He allows me to be here for many, many, many more years with my daughters, but this is not promised to any one.  Make the most of the time you have been given.  Right here, right now, this very moment.  Reach out while you still have time and let someone know that you care, that you love them, you’re thinking of them, and you’re thankful for the times you’ve shared with them.

Time waits for no one.  Stop wasting time and get out there and do something for and with someone near and dear to your heart … so that when your time is up, you will leave a beautiful legacy behind.

 

Unplug!

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We have now said goodbye to August and hello to September!  With a new month comes a new challenge.  On this Take Action Tuesday, we would like to challenge you to simply unplug.  Yes, that’s right.  In this world filled with all kinds of technology, gadgets, and devices, we are issuing a challenge to unplug!  Turn off those devices.  Don’t just put them on vibrate as they will still be a distraction for you when you’re with friends and family.  Turn it OFF … or better yet, leave it at home!  Now, I know that right there will send some of you into shock at the mere thought of leaving your precious smart phones at … ~gasps of horror~  home!   It CAN be done, and you WILL live to tell about it.  I PROMISE!

Think about how it used to be in ancient history when dinosaurs walked the face of the earth (smile, that one was for my daughter who thinks I’m as old as dirt at times).  There was no such thing as a smart phone back then.  You had no other choice but to play in your cave or entertain yourselves outside being one with nature.

Technology has advanced so much through the years that we have every kind of device you can think of.  There’s the desk top computer, the lap top, the iPad, Nook Color, iPhones, i-Pad minis, i-Pods, etc., etc., etc.  Who needs ALL of those things?!  We certainly think we do, but the world continued to spin around all those years we went without those devices, too!   We were forced to actually be creative and use our imaginations back then when we would play Cowboys and Indians.

How many times have you been in the presence of someone and felt completely alone or ignored by them because they had their cell phones out?  I have been guilty of checking the phone when I hear the “ding” or that special tone that goes off indicating a new text message, email, or Facebook message.  I was really bad about it at one point, but I have since learned to do exactly what I’m asking each of my readers to do – I learned to unplug, to leave that phone at home, or to leave it on the seat of my car as I went off trail riding!  Yes, it’s possible to live without being glued to our smart phones!  I am proof!

One major disadvantage that came along with the smart phones is easy access.  Everyone has such easy access to you that they end up getting mad when they are unable to reach you.  This happens when employers give a smart phone to their employees expecting them to be able to reach the employee at all times – even after hours!   They are expected to keep up with emails and respond immediately, even if that means taking time away from their families.  Sad, but true.  I can understand if you’re on call at your job, but for an employer to say that you don’t work a simple 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. job and that you’re supposed to be readily available at any given hour of the day or night?  That’s ridiculous!   People need and deserve time off and time spent with family without the burden of constantly having to carry their work phones with them.  That is asking a bit much, in my opinion!  People are allowed some down time and vacation time with their families!  Whatever happened to Family First?!

What about friends that have gotten mad when they’ve sent text messages that have seemingly gone ignored when you’ve chosen to put your phone away?  That has just recently happened to my daughter.  She put her phone away this weekend when we were together, and while it was a delight for me to have my daughter’s undivided attention, her friend soon took issue with it and accused my daughter of ignoring her.   A series of heated text messages followed from this person to my daughter, too, which was truly uncalled for!   So for this, I might add letting people know of your intend to unplug so they don’t get mad, or (in the case of some of my friends), concerned and worried when they don’t hear from you on a regular basis as they are used to doing.  (Now, though, my friends know that if they haven’t heard from me, it’s probably because I’m on the back of my horse trail riding some where or out back grooming them.)

With that said, consider accepting our challenge so that you are able to enjoy life simply and peacefully without carrying that smart phone or any other device around that connects you to the world wide web or allows others instant access to you all of the time.  You and your family deserve some time just for yourselves without the outside interruptions that dings, buzzes, and beeps bring.

Pull yourself away from your devices long enough to give the person you’re with your undivided attention.  Something beautiful will happen.  You will actually connect on a deeper level with the person that you’re seated next to, and you will get to know them better by having uninterrupted conversations with them.  They will feel important and close to you!  Relationships will improve!  And opportunities for memory-making-moments will be introduced.

So, give it a try.  Let those you know and love in on what you’re doing, and challenge them to do the same!

Here’s to everyone that wishes to unplug even if it’s just every once in a while.

 

Labor Day 2014

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Do you realize that Labor Day is not just a holiday that indicates the end of Summer?  It also isn’t an excuse to go to the lake or grill out (although it is perfectly all right if you do!).  There is significance behind this holiday.

Labor Day is celebrated on the first Monday in September every year.  Our celebrations are actually due to the American Labor Movement and in dedication to the social and economic achievements of workers every where.  It is an annual tribute to the strength, prosperity, and well being of our country.

Everyone likes a good sale, too, and Labor Day is actually one of the biggest holidays!  It ranks right up there next to the Black Friday Christmas sales in the retail world.

Also, are you prepared to put all of the white away?  You know there’s a “rule” that we can’t possibly wear white after Labor Day.  What are your thoughts on that?  Do you dare to wear white after Labor Day, or do you swear by that “rule?”   I have a pair of white sandals that I am NOT ready to put away, so I will be one of those that others stare at in disbelief as they mouth things like, “What is she thinking?!  There’s no white after Labor Day!”  I guess I’m a bit of a rebel.

So, how are YOU spending Labor Day 2014?  If you’re in retail, you’re probably working while others are out shopping for deals.  If you are lucky enough to have this holiday off, make the most of it.  Enjoy every single minute of it.  Whether you’re working or playing this Labor Day, be responsible, safe, and have FUN!

Get out there and make those memories!

 

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