From Slave Camp To Freedom - Page 32 of 36 - Carla's journey and what it took to make it happen

Monday Pick Me Up – Learn to Fly

In mythology, the Phoenix is a sacred bird with beautiful red and golden feathers. This bird, at the end of its life, will build a nest of twigs, lay on the nest then ignite. The bird and the nest destroyed in a fierce fire.

Get out a hankie! I found this great story about coming back by Matt Forck, CSP, JLW, www.thesafetysoul.org

As always please join in the conversation by posting your comments.

Shared By Carla

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January 17, 1987 began as a busy Saturday for the O’Leary family, or at least that is how Susan O’Leary describes it in her inspiring book entitled, Overwhelming Odds. Susan’s husband, Denny, a successful attorney in St. Louis, was at work preparing for a Monday court hearing. She was leaving the house with their oldest daughter, Cadey, taking her to music lessons. Jim, age 17, was still sleeping. As was Amy, 11. John was nine and Susan seven, they were both awake somewhere in the house.

Laura, the youngest, a toddler of eighteen months, would be going with Susan and Cadey. A quick run through the house by Susan told everyone that they were leaving and that they would return in an hour. Susan found John in the basement, he had built a fire in the fireplace and was standing there watching the flames when she found him. That concerned her, and she told John so. “You are not to get near that fireplace unless dad or I are with you. Do you understand?” John nodded his agreement. Susan reminded him where everyone was, and that she and the two girls would be back in an hour. Then, she left.

Continue reading “Monday Pick Me Up – Learn to Fly”

Terrific Tuesday Teleclass – Patience, Where Did Mine Go?

This Terrific Tuesday Teleclass was based on a terrible experience I had over the previous week. Where I was impatient with myself and not allowing enough time to do something properly. The result was not pretty…

Listen in and discover how you can become even more patient with yourself.

TTT – Patience, Where Did Mine Go?

As always you are invited to join in the conversation by posting your comments and questions.

Monday Pick Me Up – Growing Good Corn

Here is today’s Monday Pick Me Up

As always please join in the conversation by posting your comments.
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There once was a farmer who grew award-winning corn. Each year he entered his corn in the state fair where it won a blue ribbon.

One year a newspaper reporter interviewed him and learned something interesting about how he grew it. The reporter discovered that the farmer shared his seed corn with his neighbors.

“How can you afford to share your best seed corn with your neighbors when they are entering corn in competition with yours each year?” the reporter asked.

“Why sir,” said the farmer, “didn’t you know? The wind picks up pollen from the ripening corn and swirls it from field to field. If my neighbors grow inferior corn, cross-pollination will steadily degrade the quality of my corn. If I am to grow good corn, I must help my neighbors grow good corn.”

He is very much aware of the connectedness of life. His corn cannot improve unless his neighbor’s corn also improves.

So it is with our lives. Those who choose to live in peace must help their neighbors to live in peace. Those who choose to live well must help others to live well, for the value of a life is measured by the lives it touches. And those who choose to be happy must help others to find happiness, for the welfare of each is bound up with the welfare of all.

The lesson for each of us is this: if we are to grow good corn, we must help our neighbors grow good corn.

Terrific Tuesday Telelclass – Persistence, What is It Anyway?

Have you ever wondered why you see so many rags to riches stories but almost no middle class to riches? I am on a five year journey that is almost finished and I am all about the story from middle class to riches. Come on in and listen to what it takes to make it in today’s world.

Click here to listen in to the Terrific Tuesday Teleclass

As always, would love to have you join in a conversation
and add your comments and questions.

Monday Pick Me Up – Wooden Bowls

A frail old man lived with his son, his daughter-in-law, and his four-year-old grandson. His eyes were blurry, his hands trembled, and his step faltered.

The family would eat together nightly at the dinner table. But the elderly grandfather’s shaky hands and failing sight made eating rather difficult. Peas rolled off his spoon, drooping to the floor. When he grasped his glass of milk, it often spilled clumsily at the tablecloth.

With this happening almost every night, the son and daughter-in-law became irritated with the mess.

“We must do something about grandfather,” said the son.

“I’ve had enough of his milk spilling, noisy eating and food on the floor,” the daughter-in-law agreed.

So the couple set a small table at the corner.

There, grandfather ate alone while the rest of the family enjoyed their dinner at the dinner table. Since grandfather had broken a dish or two, his food was served in wooden bowls. Sometimes when the family glanced in grandfather’s direction, he had a tear in his eye as he ate alone. Still, the only words the couple had for him were sharp admonitions when he dropped a fork or spilled food. The four-year-old watched it all in silence.

One evening, before supper, the father noticed his son playing with wood scraps on the floor. He asked the child sweetly: “What are you making?” Just as sweetly, the boy replied, “Oh, I’m making a little bowl for you and mama to eat your food from when I grow up.” The four-year-old smiled and went back to work.

These words so struck the parents that they were speechless. Then tears streamed down their cheeks. Though no words were spoken, both knew what must be done. That evening, the husband took grandfather’s hand and gently led him back to the family table.

For the remainder of his days, grandfather ate every meal with the family. And for some reason, neither husband nor wife seemed to care any longer when a fork was dropped, milk was spilled or the table cloth was soiled.