For Friday, March 21st, 2014

ON THE BRIGHT SIDE

FRIDAY, MARCH 21ST, 2014

92 DAYS UNTIL SUMMER!!!

Sunrise:7:30 am

Sunset: 7:41 pm

Life is a Special Occasion!

Hallmark

Don't put up a stink about today. Today, March 21st, is Fragrance Day. It is a great smelling day.   It celebrates all wonderful smelling things in this world, especially perfumes. There is hardly anyone in the world who would not appreciate or like fragrance.   Fragrance Day celebrates the aromas of all the things we come across. Scent is the strongest sense tied to memory, which means fragrances can have a powerful affect on your emotions. Vanilla may  remind you of childhood sweets while the sweet smell of jasmine evokes images of steamy summers spent near winding creeks or on wooden lake docks.

So take a moment today and enjoy all the scents around you.

If you can't see the Bright Side, polish the dull side

THOUGHT FOR TODAY

Who will tell whether one happy moment of love or the joy of breathing or walking on a bright morning and smelling the fresh air, is not worth all the suffering and effort which life implies.  

Erich Fromm

 I love the fragrance of my good cup of coffee brewing every morning, and with Spring now officially here,  we’ll be enjoying the fragrance of good sweet smelling fresh air.  I’ll be glad when it gets warm enough here to open up the windows and let some fresh air in here.  The house has been closed up all winter due to the weather, but very soon now we’ll be able to let that stale old air out and let the fresh air in.

 When you think about it any time you spray a cleaning product or air freshener in your home, , you’re releasing a slew of chemicals. Those chemicals, many which have been linked to health problems, accumulate first in your air and then settle down into your household dust. Anytime you walk through a room, that dust gets stirred up into the air once again, where you breathe it in.  Yuck!  Of course regular dusting and vacuuming keep the indoor pollutants down, but for me, anyway, there’s nothing quite like some good old fresh air.  

As I was thinking about Lent and springtime I did a little google search and this is what I found:

 I realized that many of the things I like to do in the springtime are similar to the kinds of things you and I can and should do during Lent as we prepare for Easter. In the springtime, I like to OPEN UP. I put these screens in my windows so I can open up my windows and let fresh spring air fill my home.

For Lent, a great thing to do is OPEN UP our Bibles and read them more. When we read our Bibles, God speaks a fresh word to us and fills our hearts with His presence.

In the springtime, I like to CLEAR OUT, especially the clutter in my closets. I go through my closets and take out the things I don’t really need: heavy coats, old shoes,  things that will just be in the way.

For Lent, it is good to CLEAR OUT the things in our lives that we don’t really need, things that get in the way of following Jesus. For example, maybe you watch TV or play video games a lot. Why not put them away for a while and use that extra time to pray.

In the springtime, I always need to SWEEP UP. I try to find and clean up all the dirt in my home that has been hiding all winter, like under my rugs, dirt that no one else sees, but dirt that I know is there.

For Lent, it is good to ask ourselves, Have I made any mistakes or messes that I need to clean up? Do I need to apologize to someone for something I said or did? Do I need to ask God to forgive me?

In the springtime, I love to PLANT. I plant seeds in my garden pots and water them as I wait and watch them grow into something beautiful.

For Lent, it is good for us to PLANT different kind of seeds. We can plant seeds of love in the hearts of others when we are kind, or helpful, 

I remember an on old song that said OPEN up your hearts and let the sunshine in!  Good advice today I’m thinking.

I hope you all have a fantastic Friday everyone!

COUNTING MY GIFTS

Blessed be the Lord for the beauty of summer and spring, for the air, the water, the verdure, and the song of birds.

Carl von Linnaeus

I have counted at least 3 things every day that I'm thankful for this past year and have now reached 1500 gifts.  On my way to 2000.  I'm not stopping, but will continue on counting.  There is always, always something to be thankful for.

1505. for a warmer day and the chance to let some fresh air in

1506.  for the opportunity to do some spring cleaning, both inside my heart and inside my house

1507.  for our plants, that are starting to bud

Enter into His courts with thanksgiving — and in His presence is fullness of Joy!

PRAYER FOR OUR TROOPS

 

Please pray for God's protection of

our troops and HIS wisdom for their

commanders.

 

Lord, hold our troops in

your loving hands.

Protect them as they protect us.

Bless them and their families for the

selfless acts they perform for us

in our time of need. I ask this in the

name of Jesus, our Lord and Savior.

AND bless our Police Officers, Firefighters

and Paramedics and EMT's

GOD BLESS YOU !

Smell is a potent wizard that transports us across thousands of miles and all the years we have lived. 

Helen Keller

A little smile, a word of cheer, 

A bit of love from someone dear…

 

Love,

ma