Light, Love, Hope

Our weekends are usually packed full of activities.  We like it that way!  Usually we all pile in the Suburban with a trailer full of horses behind us as we set out in search of the perfect trail to ride on with our four legged companions.  The past few weekends we have gone in search of Halloween and Fall type activities.

We LOVE this time of year.

We share the majority of our adventures on Facebook with our friends.  It is more fun to share when the action is happening right that minute, too.  What happens after the fact is that people become green with envy.  This has happened on several occasions where remarks have been made about us never being home and how we’re always on the go.  Our 11 year old daughter is normally always with us on these adventures, and while the green eyed monster rears it’s ugly head, what a lot of people don’t take into account is that we are making memories with our baby girl!  We want her to look back with great fondness on her childhood days as she recalls all of the fun activities we all did together.  The pictures I share aren’t to provoke feelings of jealousy inside of others.  Instead, the pictures are my way of preserving the moment with my family.  Once that moment is gone, all we have are the memories and the pictures left behind.  I want them to look back fondly and remember the fun we had.

The thing that gets me is that those that are now green with envy were once with me at a time in my life when I had very little.  They saw me struggle, and now when I’m in a better place, they are not happy for me.  That hurts that they seem to have preferred me when I was struggling, hurting, and lacking.  Yet the moment things improve in my life, they are filled with envy and are unable to be happy for me.

I mustn’t dwell on this, though.  Instead, I must brush this off and go on living my life.  My brilliant, wonderful, beautiful, God filled, lovely life.  It hasn’t always been easy, but I thank God that He was with me through every valley and every hill I had to climb.  He has always been faithful and true, and He will remain that way forever.

A plaque hangs on the wall in the little quint shop we found on the corner with the words:  “Live Laugh Love.”  I pause for a moment and think, “Indeed!”

If you really think about it, they sum it right up.  What are you to do in life?  Well, for starters … LIVE … live it to the fullest!  Wake up in the morning determined to have a great day.  When your eyes open, take time right that minute to thank God for the gift of another day.  Thank Him for all of the blessings you have in your life. If something is troubling you from the day before, give it to Him.  As best you can, offer it up to Him to work out.  Try to leave it with Him as it is better in His hands than wracking your brain all hours of the day trying to figure out how to fix a situation.  God will gladly handle that task for you.  Just focus today on living … completely, without regrets, no looking back.  Feel alive inside as you surround yourself with people that you adore, doing things that you absolutely love with all of your heart.

Laugh.  Oh yes, laugh wildly, uncontrollably at times even.  Laugh so hard that your cheeks hurt and your stomach feels like it has had the greatest workout ever.  Laughter is wonderful for your well being. For me, I try to be as silly as I possibly can and laugh as much as possible!  I know what it is like to have situations that have threatened to steal my joy, so I make more of an effort now to laugh and enjoy life.  I dance around in the kitchen with my daughter.  She laughs at the wicked dance moves I invent, and that makes me want to dance more crazily so she’ll laugh even harder.  I make up crazy names for my animals as I just cannot simply call them the name we gave them when they were first brought home.  This makes my children laugh, and I smile knowing that I have been a bright spot in their day when I call our adorable teacup Yorkie “teeta-in-the-whole-world” or “dahding.”  Need a translation?  Well, it started off as, “Isn’t she the sweetest little girl in the whole world?”  Now “sweetest” was shortened to “teeta” … don’t ask me why, but in my craziness, it was shortened.  What is her real name, you might ask?  Baby.  Yep, that’s right.  Baby!  AND yet, 99% of the time we’re calling her “teeta-in-the-whole-world” or “dahding” … which, of course, means “darling!”  Let’s not even talk about the times we call her “Teeta-Louise.”   What?  We just added a middle name to go with it.  🙂  Are you laughing?  GOOD!!

Moving on …

Love.  That is the most important of all.  LOVE completely, without holding back, with ALL of your heart, soul, mind, and your entire being!  Love!  Without hesitation.  Without building walls.  Without hiding behind insecurities.  LOVE with all that you are!  Some one out there needs the love that you have to offer.  Give it to them!  Whether it’s your parents that need to hear you say that you love them, or your children that need to see your love on display for them in your actions, or your spouse that craves special one-on-one time snuggling together as you have pillow talk … whatever it takes for the other party to feel the love, to receive it, to welcome it, to take your love and return it ten fold!  Love with all of your might every single second of the day.

Now go out into the world and brighten someone else’s day today with the way you’re living, laughing, and loving!