"Positively Inspired!"

 

"We love, because God loved us first." (1 John 4:19)

This is such a wonderful time of the year, with the beauty of nature and the Easter holiday with its special church services, Easter baskets filled with colorful eggs and chocolate bunnies, and special traditional meals shared with loved ones. 

Some people celebrate the holiday in non-traditional ways, like celebrating on another day of the weekend, or having a meal at a fast food restaurant, etc. ( It's okay to just celebrate it your way! We can be creative!)

All of these special things help to make us feel positively inspired. They can keep us from being in a rut.

To be inspired generally means to create a positive feeling.

We don't have to wait to be positively inspired because we can feel positive every day of our lives! During challenging times, it's good to have things that inspire us.

Here are some things that have helped inspire me be happy and positive-

~Walking, taking pictures, etc. in nature. (Once while on a walk, Greg and I came upon a woman who was painting a picture of the beautiful scenery.)

~Being with happy, positive people

~Watching funny shows, DVD's, etc.

~Planning and doing special nearby trips. You don't have to go abroad or across the country to have a wonderful time. There are so many nice things to do in our own back yards!

~Doing things often that I enjoy, like writing, crafts, etc. (What do you really enjoy doing?)

Beautiful music can be inspiring. I especially like these two songs- 

~"Hero" by Mariah Carey- ..."Look inside you and be strong, And you'll finally see the truth, That a hero lies in you."

~"Unstoppable" by Sia- ..."I'm unstoppable today..." -I first heard this heartfelt song on the Dr. Bob Martin radio show.

(These two talented women, who write songs, as well as sing, overcame adversity to share their great talents with the world.)

Here are some inspiring thoughts from other people-

~"Today is another chance to get better." -Unknown

~"Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined." -Henry David Thoreau

~"All dreams are within reach. All you have to do is keep moving toward them." -Viola Davis

~"Prayer is powerful." -Julie Green

~"If you have zest and enthusiasm, you attract zest and enthusiasm. Life does give back in kind." -Norman Vincent Peale (His wonderful book is "Enthusiasm Makes the Difference.")

Here are a couple of inspirational people and their websites-

~ www.Intuition-Physician.com (Dr. Laura Koniver, who has a background of abuse, helps others overcome various illnesses with natural healing techniques, etc.)

~ https://ct.liveyourtruth.com (Carol Tuttle, who had a rough childhood, helps others dress better, look more beautiful, and live better lives.)

"Easter is a day rooted in faith, in gratitude, and in the quiet reminder of what matters most." -Good Ranchers

~Positive thought: "If you are feeling good, it is because you are thinking good thoughts." -Rhonda Byrne, "The Secret"

~Thanks for visiting! Until around Saturday, May 2, 2026, Becky

Words of Wisdom

Welcome!

"A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver."
-Proverbs 25:11

I've been thinking very philosophically the past few days, probably because of the time of year, winter.

I have some positive quotes, words of wisdom, to share with you to help uplift your days, to maybe help you get on the right track:

-"A cloudy day is no match for a sunny disposition."
-William Author Ward
(We can make our own sunshine, no matter what the weather! There are countless ways to do that. A few are: meditate, smile, say positive things to yourself, do random acts of kindness, be thankful, read positive quotes, watch positive videos like on YouTube, etc.)

"Worrying is like walking around with an umbrella waiting for it to rain."
-"Natural Life"

-"Some days there won't be a song in your heart. Sing anyway."
-Austin Emory
(I have read that singing can make a person feel better, even if you "can't carry a tune in a bucket!")

-"I will not let anyone walk through my mind with dirty feet."
-Mahatma Gandhi

-"Whoever is trying to bring you down is already below you."
-Justin Chase Mullins

-"You cannot spend the majority of your time in the presence of negative people and expect to life a positive life."
-Justin Chase Mullins
(I love Justin's wise quotes because they are so empowering. Justin is a gifted psychic from East Tennessee.)

-"If anyone has offended me, I try to raise my soul so high that the offense cannot reach it."
-Rene Descartes

-"There are two types of people-those who come into a room and say, 'Well, here I am,' and those who come in and say, 'Ah, there you are.'"
-Frederick L. Collins
(I've found that those people who seem to be the most liked and are most popular are the ones who would say, "Ah, there you are," because we all like to feel that we are important.)

-"Don't be mean when you've had a bad day. Be nice and your day will get better."
-Terri Guillemets
(Terri is a quote anthologist who has collected quotes since her early teens.)

"Change your thoughts and you change your world."
-Norman Vincent Peale
(All of his words and quotes are so uplifting.)

-"The wisest men follow their own direction."
-Euripides
(I like this quote because it's telling us to follow our own hearts, to stand for our principles, to even be free spirits.)

-"Life is not happening to you. Life is responding to you."
-Author Unknown
(So, let's send out the positive!)

-"There are exactly as many special occasions in life as we choose to celebrate."
-Robert Brault
(We don't need to wait for birthdays or holidays to have a ball often!)

Cute animal-related quotes:

-"Wag more. Bark less."
-Author Unknown

-"Scratch less, purr more."
-Author Unknown
(These last two quotes would be neat to post on the bathroom mirror as a fun reminder!)

Positive thought: "In the depth of winter I finally learned that there was in me an invincible summer."-Albert Camus (Did you realize that it's less than a month until spring!)
Thanks for visiting! Until Sunday, February 28, 2016, Becky

Christmas Magic

Welcome!

And, welcome Winter!

On this blog post, in words and pictures, I'd like to share with you some of  the magic of Christmas.

"Christmas waves a magic wand over the world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful."
-Norman Vincent Peale

"I'm dreaming of a white Christmas, just like the ones I used to know..."
-Irving Berlin

"O Christmas Tree"
-Traditional German Christmas song

"Tradition: sit with husband in a room lit only by tree lights, and remember that our blessings outnumber the lights."
-Betsy Canas

"A candle is a lovely thing;

It makes no noise at all,

But softly gives itself away."

-Eva Logue

"The stockings were hung by the chimney with care..."

From "The Night Before Christmas" by Clement Clarke Moore

"I stopped believing in Santa Claus when I was six.  Mother took me to a department store, and he asked me for my autograph."
-Shirley Temple

"Gifts of time and love are surely the best ingredients of a truly merry Christmas."
-Peg Bracken

-"The worse gift is a fruitcake.  There is only one fruitcake in the entire world, and people keep sending it to each other."
-Johnny Carson

"Christmas means fellowship, feasting, giving and receiving, a time of good cheer, home."
-W. J. Ronald Tucker

"A three-year-old gave this reaction to her Christmas dinner, 'I don't like the turkey, but I like the bread he ate.'"
-Author Unknown

Lest we forget, this is what Christmas is all about-

"Love was born at Christmas.

Star and angels gave the sign."

-Christina Rossetti

"And they went with haste, and found Mary, Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger."
-Luke 2:16

And, even more magic in our part of the world-

Bell Buckle, Tennessee, All Dressed Up for Christmas

A Unique Marriage Proposal, Right Before Christmas (What a Great Gift!)

And, finally, I must give the Christmas "creativity award" to these guys (Bob Matlock and a co-worker) at our nearby convenience center, for they certainly have the right idea, to use what you have, and to create beauty out of the less than beautiful, for that is the essence of positive thinking, a sort of "when-life-gives-you-lemons,-make-lemonade" mentality...

 or "Bloom where you are planted."

Mitzi

Kallie

"Meo-wy Christ-mouse!"

-wrapcandy.com

Positive thought: May your Christmas be filled with magic!

Thanks for visiting!  Until next Sunday, Becky

Here are our pictures on iStock:
http://www.istockphoto.com/portfolio/rebecca-arnott#10f6e9a3

Inspiration During Winter

Welcome!

During the dark, cold months of winter, it's nice to be inspired by something positive.

Today, I've decided to share with you some of my favorite photographs and quotes for some inspiration, not only for the winter, but also for the whole new year!

"It's during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light."
-Aristotle Onassis

"Change your thoughts and you change your world."
-Norman Vincent Peale

"The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched-they must be felt with the heart."
-Helen Keller

"The fact that I can plant a seed and it becomes a flower, share a bit of knowledge and it becomes another's, smile at someone and receive a smile in return, are to me continual spiritual exercises."
-Leo Buscaglia

"Cherish your visions and your dreams as they are the children of your soul, the blueprints of your ultimate achievements."
-Napoleon Hill

"We can change our lives.  We can do, have, and be exactly what we wish."
-Tony Robbins

"Clouds come floating into my life, no longer to carry rain or usher storm, but to add color to my sunset sky."
-Rabindranath Tagore

Final positive thought: "What we achieve inwardly will change outer reality."-Plutarch
Thanks for visiting!  Until next Sunday, Becky