I picked up several FREE packets of seeds from the #tillamookcountylibrary. I happen to inherit a garden when we bought our house, and a recent windstorm tore down some of our garden’s structure. Last year, I knew that I wanted to transform the garden, so nature helped me out a bit.
I am looking forward to transforming our garden with my mother’s help. I remember eating green juicy grapes from my grandmother’s garden and helping to peel the beans. My mother used to send me pictures of her delicious fruits and vegetables, including her big red strawberries.
Like many people around the world, healthy eating is a process. Our children look forward to planting seeds and wanted to start yesterday when they saw my collection. Cam is really excited about growing pumpkins. I want to be what I teach; therefore, growing a garden is the next logical step.
How are you living what you teach to your children
Looking for others to appreciate you, love you, and validate you often leads to disappointment. There are some who see greatness in you; however, you do not have to go looking for these people. Be the one who sees your true essence and step into those shoes. Our happiness, joy, satisfaction, and sustainability in all areas of health comes from the power of knowing who you are.
When a loved one addressed me as “nurse,” I knew that I was more than a nurse. Yes. I am grateful for my accomplishments, discipline, and perseverance. I do not want others to see my accomplishments, I want to them to see me and my potential, which is more than my education and degrees. What we have in ourselves was not planted by schools; we can allow education to grow and refine our skills.
Do not be distracted by your age, color, education, current financial status, residence (home & neighborhood), race, religion, sexuality, and others. Become consumed with your potential.
What are your answers to the questions below?
1. Why am I here? To embrace, nourish, and display the God within.
2. Who created me? God. Even if you do not believe in God, there is a greater power than us in this world. Some things happen—thoughts that come to fruition, lives saved, bodies healed–that we cannot explain. How do we explain the ocean staying in a defined space? How the mountains stay in place? How do the trees stand so tall without someone holding them in place? How can people say what you were thinking to yourself? How many times have asked for something or said something, and it happened?
3. What gifts lie in me that need embracing & nourishment? Early on in my nursing career, I knew that I was more than a nurse working in the hospital. “Just because I can do the work, does not mean that the work is for me.
4. Are my actions in alignment with who I am at the core or in someone else’s identity? Taking the time to breathe, relax, and do the things that matter most to me bring moments of inner peace. I am unwinding the unnecessary tension that I built up in proving that I am a good person and a mother.
5. How much time do I spend getting to know myself? In the past, I spent a lot of time running around trying to get everything done, that I often lost myself in the “doing.”
6. What do I want to accomplish while I am here? My purpose. We all have purpose. No life is a mistake. You are here because someone wanted you here.
Make this Life Great! We do not know how long we are here?
Today, I planned a different blog until my heart spoke to me. Like many others across the world, when I heard of Kobe Bryant and his 13-year old girl dying in a helicopter, I searched for meaning. From what I gather, his 13-year-old girl committed to continuing his legacy, the love of basketball, and Kolbe loved his girls and wanted to link purpose and passion with sports for his girls and children around the world. Over the years, we have lost so many influential people, and there is nothing like a tragedy that brings life into a closer focus.
The question that circled in my mind yesterday was “What is life really about?” Although I was not a consistent fan of Kobe Bryant, occasionally, I watched some of the games he played and often sat in awe of such great talent. I learned a lot about Kobe Bryant yesterday and the positive things he was doing (fatherhood, helping others to live out their dreams through his studio, books, and others) and the dreams he had, even for his 13-year old daughter.
We may not understand what God does. Though, I believe that in all experiences, there lie meaning and purpose. The meaning we give to experiences is different for everyone. Many times God used great figures to get our attention. What is God trying to tell us?
I believe that, for me,
Align my actions and thoughts with God’s will and to help our children do the same.
Live in the present; therefore, when our daughter and son came charging in our room, multiple times during Kobe Bryant tributes, I took the time to address their needs.
I thanked God for life and the family he gave me.
I prayed for the world, including Kobe Bryant’s family and the others who were on the helicopter.
Nothing that we produced on earth goes with us.
We are all accountable for what we do with the gifts and talents that God gave us.
I believe that God hears our prayers, and I continue to pray for continued compassion, love, and peace for everything and everyone.
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Do we waste time in a state of disappointment? How much energy are you using to try to change others?
One of the things our mother often told us is to do your part. You do what is in your heart to do-whether to give facts, hugs, praise, etc. Do not take it personal when people choose to still do what they want to do. Keep your heart in the right state that allows you to forgive, love, give compassion, and be willing to help when a hand is needed.
You may have heard the importance of not comparing yourself with others. Even I have mentioned how comparison can be unhealthy. The thought came to me today that God wants us to see the success of others so that we know that we have the same potential of being successful in our lives. We do not need to experience anger, bitterness, jealousy, and resentfulness. We can choose to look at what we have to offer and how unique our abilities are. God did not place potential, gifts, and talents in one person. We all have potential and divine abilities.
In other words, do not use the success of others as a distraction to your life work.
Although I feel like that keeping our hands to ourselves is a behavior backed by common sense, I could not help but have the conversation today with our children. Everybody has the right to experience unlimited freedom and joy without belittling or disempowering others. True happiness is not the result of making someone else feel like they are less than you.
On the way to school, we talked about the importance of using the word “stop”, and that it is okay to tell people that “this is my body.” Our body is our personal property, and we have every right to teach others how we want our personal body to be treated. Many children are learning that it is not okay to call people by demeaning names, get in the face of others, push, pull, and other behaviors and these actions are violations of our personal property. I tell Cam and Cayla that how they treat each other is the model for treating others. We must address, report, and deal with behaviors that do not align with basic human rights.
We must teach our children the importance of respecting others and regulating their behaviors. No child is too young to be taught the concept of respect. All hearts and minds know the right thing to do. If we do not teach our children, through consistent actions and words, how else will they learn how to control their behaviors?
