Gratitude Circles

Building gratitude in our lives is not something we do overnight but something that we work on over time. Being thankful isn’t something we can just do occasionally because it would be like driving on a tire that had huge holes in it. November is the month of being thankful. It’s interesting to see so many discuss what they are thankful about for over the next thirty days when this is followed by a wave of what they want. Silly but many don’t realize that be thankful also allows us to get more out of life. Thankfulness is not only a key element to happiness but gratitude is the vehicle that drives us from our past to our future with #easeandgrace. Gratitude is something we should focus on so much more than we do, especially when things aren't going well. Being grateful for our past not only creates contentment in our lives but also fills our happiness bank to move forward. Our past creates who we are and allows us to move forward with knowledge that makes us wiser in our journey. I am thankful for my past the good and the bad. Often the bad became more of a reference or catalyst for positive change than the good or easy. If we salute and show grace when looking back at where we have been then as we move forward with new goals, aspirations and dreams not only are they sweeter upon achievement but they are more visible in our lives thus creating a a circle of gratitude. A gratitude circle enables us to move through life: through the good and bad knowing who we are, where we are going (even in the darkest moments) and to react to the adverse with a sense of well being. All we do starts to become a smooth motion of ease and grace. The more we thank our past for shaping us, the less we need to "try" to be gracious. Gratitude becomes the very core of who we are;

moral fibers of being thankful are woven so strongly in our being that they can ultimately create scaffolding for immense growth in our future. We actually become gracious, thankful humans instead of just going through the motions. We become the very essence of grace and begin to spread this to those around us. The gratitude circle isn’t an instant happy or a sudden acknowledgement of a recent gift. Building a gratitude circle, that is solid and that builds momentum rolling easily through life is the cumulative of hard knocks, gratitude, positive reactions and repeating. Every time we repeat this we make our circle smoother and its circumference and movement becomes “more”. More of what we want need and desire. You see loves if you want more in life, you must acknowledge with a grateful heart not only the amazing but the potholes in life as well. Find a golden nugget even in the low points and attach a lesson or positive to your wheel even from these moments. A child’s fable tells of three pigs that each build a house entirely of a given material. None of these withstand the wolf’s persistence when he shows up at their door. Had they opened their minds to gratitude for what they had, shared their resources and reacted differently sharing what they each had with joyous hearts their homes most certainly would have withstood any storm so much better (even if significant damages had been done). Build your core with all of your resources. Use the good, the bad, the amazing and the events that knock the wind out of you to create a circle of gratitude that cannot be stopped once it is set in motion. There will be speed bumps that slow your wheel down but build graciousness so solid that you can’t be derailed from your dreams! I challenge each of you to acknowledge and show gratitude not for just the good but for the difficult paths you have walked in life that created the person you are today. What journeys have added the most reinforcement to your circle of gratitude? Copyright 2018 Micheline Edwards #coachandafarm #girldropyourcape #simplebalance #momtofive #ridiculouslyamazinglife

Let Your Vibrant Self Shine

Life is too short buy the lipstick. We’ve all heard this common cliché but of course, referring to shoes. I am certainly not opposed to a great pair of new shoes by any means. I have spent most of my life as a get the basics gal, because we had a lot of little feet to cover. I have to admit I actually am not only in favor of buying the shoes but quite enjoy the spring that a blingy new pair of soles adds to my step. This time I was buying lipstick so we are moving our way from our feet, past our hearts and up into our head space where our lips reside. The color of my lips always makes them disappear; like God couldn’t decide so he said, “hey neutral works”! During the summer months I actually get quite tan, this makes my lips vanish and dry too. This is an odd combo of my heritage and a lot of farm/ yard work. One summer I had a snippy soccer mom once mention to me how dark my skin was followed by “I wish I had all that extra time to sunbath”. My thoughts on her remark are another blog entirely, one which might need censoring. Anyone who knows me well is aware of the painful issue I have with chickens and squirrels interrupting my thoughts. Let’s just pretend her comment was an “Oh no! She did not just say that to me” and get back to lipstick and tans. I am going to fast forward to this summer. Thirty years of marriage, darker skin & I have dry lips that now do not even appear to be on my face because they blend in. We are getting ready for a beach vacation to celebrate our life together thus far. Seriously, I did not want to look back at photos and think “oh shit I really should have packed my lips”! My friends are raving about the new lip stains and how they stay on “like forevvvvver”. What better time to try staining my face…. Uh, Um lips. I do my research (ask everyone who has great lips). I bite the bullet and spring for a painfully expensive “lip set”. This pricey lip set consists of: a color … I figured my lips would be permanently this color for all eternity, a great gloss that you reapply every 10 minutes and a “oops stick” that I guess erases your lips if they betray you. I’ve never used the “oops stick” my lips are brutally honest; so bluntly so that even the “oops stick” probably couldn’t erase the truth bombs I’ve dropped. Remember the chickens & squirrels? They often prompt me. I have an unnatural ability to notice everything and usually point these things out. I buy the lip set and am ready to take on life and snarky soccer moms. I have my new lips (in 3 tiny tubes)… I am set for the summer and beyond. My lips are now leading my way in life. In all honesty I love this stuff; every woman should have some. I love it so much that I decided I needed another set…minus the “oops stick” I still haven’t found a use for that (Maybe I’ll give it to my soccer mom friend this summer). I don’t usually splurge on these sorts of things as we have a large family, I work from home most days. I convince myself how long the last one lasted and how great it was. Yup I’m justified! I go to get my pout some new color. I am not as tan as I was at my last purchase, so I am reluctant to pick out a shade as bright as I got last summer

. Mind you I’ve been wearing that shade up to this morning. I was clearly sporting my summer shit/shade when I walked in to buy the new stuff. Here is where the fail came into play. The chickens and squirrels said go bright, go crazy, be fun and bold. My old mom self said what if my lips scare off my family or what if my friends are like “what the hell was she thinking” or some soccer mom says “Wow I wish my lips looked like, Harley’s bar & grill come and get it beer sign”. That was all the reasoning I needed to pick out a nice blush rose color; very tame, very soft, no statement here, very real. I take it home. I put lip color on every day (almost) just to justify my business on top and pj’s on the bottom life style and look damn good doing it. This is where my lesson comes. I always try to have some sort of a moral to my blogs. If you are going to buy the lip stain and I mean lip stain not just cheap lipstick (like double to quadruple the investment is needed here) make sure you can actually see the flipping color!!!! This lesson applies to everything in life. Go bold or go home. If you are going to make an investment in yourself do it right. Grab the bright, sparkling, vibrant choice. Effort is wasted if you go in half invested or play it safe all the time. Millions of people around the world are right now praying for one more opportunity to have no regrets wishing they had bought a lip stain that was lasting and bright and made a difference. They wish they had chosen the color that really “showed up” for the party. Don’t be left having to spend resources revisiting things you’ve already done because you didn’t do it right the first time. Choose the bright lip stain; I am going back this week to get a life threateningly awesome color that will scare the crap out of squirrels and chickens alike (I need fewer of their distractions). Buy the great shoes; not just the ok ones. You will wear the great things more often and feel better doing it. Nobody wants to show up in the dress everyone else has on. You do yourself & the world no favors by showing up small. Seize the moment and for God’s sake make your vibrant, “what makes you” color(s) shine brightly! You can wish you had or be glad you did! © Micheline Edwards 2018

Holy Water

It is Tuesday of Holy week as I sit here enjoying my coffee I am gazing out the window at the spring rain falling down. My thoughts are of my grandmother and parents telling me during my childhood that much of Holy week is rainy and that it always rains or is overcast on Good Friday as the world mourns and cleanses itself for the coming of Easter. It does seem that way. In fact many of the Easters I remember were overcast or had showers very early that made way for beautiful sunlight to follow. I remember the sunrise the morning after my confirmation well. It was cold and drizzly as we made it home from Mass that Saturday night. I woke up in the same room with the same morning light that always came in through my bedroom windows. That morning it was very focused across the bed where I was still laying (barely awake). I squinted but felt the need to stare into and absorb this light. Most people who know me well know that bright lights in the morning and I are not a match. It was a blindingly pure white light, extraordinarily bright yet very comforting. I remember laying there in bed with all kinds of thoughts in my head and an extreme moment of peace rushed over me before I got up to get ready for the day. I don’t think I’ve ever mentioned this very private or odd moment to anyone till now. As we enter Holy week we are beckoned as Christians to observe and fall into a moment in our lives of respect, mourning and even humble gratitude for our Lord. It would totally make sense that the weather might reflect this somber time during the year. This morning I decided to look into the matter. According to what I found online most sources claim that rain always falling on Good Friday is a myth. Some sources site that it is springtime; it’s supposed to rain. However, I did find even more sources that explained this legend as a reflection of the intense faith that we have. One psychologically based source reported that they felt that it rained no more or no less during Holy week or on Good Friday. This source thought that our minds and our intense belief only allow us to remember the rain because it is part of our sadness this week. I couldn’t find a source that confirmed nor denied, with any verifiable facts if the rain legend was true or not. As for me & my family I firmly believe that there is always rain during this week every year. As far back as I can remember it always seems to rain or be very overcast during at least a small part of Good Friday. So as I sit here this morning with the spring rain falling during Holy week, I contemplate the reason for the rain. Not that I always question the weather, however we do live in Missouri so it is plausible to at least pass judgement on the weather at any given time. No, I sit here with my coffee watching the rain cleanse & rejuvenate the world, allowing it to be a peaceful but somber and thought provoking time of reflection much like that moment of sunlight after my confirmation many, many years ago. Is the rain a sign from the heavens to His people? Maybe if you believe. Micheline Edwards©2018