tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-234516822024-03-13T02:53:50.467+02:00Aunt Laya<b>Transforming Tough into Triumph!!!</b>
Grab what makes you comfortable and curl up with the advice, blessings, musings, photos, quotes, and links that are presented to inspire, motivate, encourage, strengthen you.Laya http://www.blogger.com/profile/03865087965752964138noreply@blogger.comBlogger186125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23451682.post-23997592251176249222016-02-19T07:59:00.002+02:002016-02-19T08:02:26.088+02:00Perfect Gift for Your Toddlers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjysTujHxbCbjg-yRYMAunRj0YJuNWG3ey-tAgSYzXLD_1JxKpJE39k4wb2KBeMzm6wgbNF2Fj89yVHocjjqYKKJNmg5T22FVgndVEUZovl_jud49EFF2H5eaQW8KNiAH8dtjdI/s320/I+Love+You+So+Much.jpg" width="226" /></div>
<span style="color: #3f3f3f; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: justify;">Share the love!</span><br />
<br style="color: #3f3f3f; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: justify;" />
<span style="color: #3f3f3f; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: justify;">Here's my newest book!! </span><span style="color: #3f3f3f; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: justify;">This sweet picture book brings comfort and gently, joyfully builds bonds. Everyone loves to hear how much they are loved. Toddler, parent, and grandparent tested, this book guarantees smiles.</span><br />
<br style="color: #3f3f3f; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: justify;" />
<span style="color: #3f3f3f; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: justify;">Follow Frog and Duck throughout their day from the morning sunshine to sweet dreams.</span><br />
<br style="color: #3f3f3f; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: justify;" />
<span style="color: #3f3f3f; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: justify;">I invite you to help bring this book to print by heading over to </span><a href="https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/i-love-you-so-much-children-s-picture-book/x/2584412#/story" target="_blank">Indiegogo</a><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #3f3f3f; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> to join in the campaign. Get a copy of this book for the little ones in your life and something for yourself too by choosing the perks and rewards that you love.</span></span><br />
<br style="color: #3f3f3f; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: justify;" />
<span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #3f3f3f; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">I appreciate your help in sharing this special book with people in your circle who would love to have a snuggle and a smile with the little ones in their lives. <a href="https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/i-love-you-so-much-children-s-picture-book/x/2584412#/story" target="_blank">Click the here now and watch the video</a> to see a sample of </span></span><em style="color: #3f3f3f; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; position: relative; text-align: justify;">I Love You So Much.</em><br />
<em style="color: #3f3f3f; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; position: relative; text-align: justify;"><br /></em>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #3f3f3f; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Thank you for your support!</span></div>
Laya http://www.blogger.com/profile/03865087965752964138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23451682.post-62280522217293655012012-11-20T10:02:00.004+02:002012-11-20T10:02:54.599+02:00technical stuff<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">If you just signed up to be on the mailing list for NurturingWomen.com and wound up here, so sorry. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.nurturingwomen.com/"><span style="font-size: large;">www.NurturingWomen.com</span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">is waiting for you at this link.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Best blessings!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Laya</span></div>
Laya http://www.blogger.com/profile/03865087965752964138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23451682.post-26621486250167610832011-11-07T18:38:00.002+02:002011-11-07T18:38:28.279+02:00Have you seen my website lately?I've been putting a lot of energy into leveling up my website.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.auntlaya.com/">www.auntlaya.com</a><br />
<br />
Lots of blog posts there, fun videos, and resources.<br />
<br />
There is still a lot to read here with many posts to explore.<br />
<br />
I'll keep posting here, but do come by the website for more from me.<br />
<br />
Love,<br />
Aunt LayaLaya http://www.blogger.com/profile/03865087965752964138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23451682.post-22549912936264245412011-10-10T11:36:00.001+02:002011-10-10T11:43:18.199+02:00Why is this happening to me?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://mrg.bz/RhMevE" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://mrg.bz/RhMevE" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Even
the hard things in life are gifts to help us grow and shape us. </b></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><br /></b></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>I heard
something wonderful, a golden nugget: </b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Instead of asking "Why is this
happening to me?" </b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Ask: "Why is this happening <span style="font-style: italic;">for</span> me?" </b></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><br /></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Yes, everything will be a benefit in the end. If you don't see that now, it's not the end!</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><br /></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Love,</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Aunt Laya</b></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">with gratitude to morguefile.com and cohdra for the wonderful photo</span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span>Laya http://www.blogger.com/profile/03865087965752964138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23451682.post-89118491117125133122011-05-26T15:29:00.000+03:002011-05-26T15:29:29.742+03:00New Blog!Hi everyone!<br />
<br />
I just started a new blog and I'd like to invite you to come on over for a visit. It's all about running a home and creating a home of peace and beauty. From the kitchen to the garden I'll share my good finds with you. It may take a while but I don't believe in keeping my recipes secret, I'll share all.<br />
<br />
Here's the new blog address:<br />
http://pearlsforhome.blogspot.com/<br />
<br />
I'll keep posting here about your inner environment, your heart and thoughts will still find inspiration here.<br />
<br />
See you there!<br />
Love,<br />
Aunt LayaLaya http://www.blogger.com/profile/03865087965752964138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23451682.post-8793055862225904632011-04-06T14:04:00.000+03:002011-04-06T14:04:02.437+03:00Joy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mrg.bz/nfQbXI" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="255" src="http://mrg.bz/nfQbXI" width="320" /></a></div><h6 class="uiStreamMessage" data-ft="{"type":"msg"}" style="background-color: white; color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-weight: normal; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span class="messageBody"> "And the way to sing the song of joy <br />
is by seeking the good in all people, <br />
especially in our selves. <br />
Each good point is one more note in the song of life." </span></span></h6><h6 class="uiStreamMessage" data-ft="{"type":"msg"}" style="background-color: white; color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-weight: normal; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span class="messageBody">~Rebbe Nachman of Breslov</span></span></h6><h6 class="uiStreamMessage" data-ft="{"type":"msg"}" style="background-color: white; color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-weight: normal; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span class="messageBody"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Thank you to morguefile.com and <a href="http://www.scottliddell.net/">Scott Liddell</a> for the perfectly amazing photo</span> </span></span></h6>Laya http://www.blogger.com/profile/03865087965752964138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23451682.post-44774943127523109792011-04-06T13:49:00.000+03:002011-04-06T13:49:50.498+03:00Connect with me on FacebookDid you know that we can connect with Facebook? I send out inspiring notes and quotes and I'll usually let you know when there's a new blog. You can find my Facebook page by clicking here: <a href="http://bit.ly/auntlaya">http://bit.ly/auntlaya</a> then click the "like" button.<br />
<br />
Love,<br />
Aunt Laya<br />
<br />
<br />
<h1><br />
</h1>Laya http://www.blogger.com/profile/03865087965752964138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23451682.post-49586085554554227892011-04-03T11:03:00.000+03:002011-04-03T11:03:54.601+03:00Sexually Active--choices, (not just for teens)<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQjxAx4VdKJL1SjuRckv16AA4v6DHPpb_oxUfGu92mgLv3inLSZjfwfyRjTci8tElOokiqxhlJ3QBhMZbeytSwz_5jDmA0Rj_YmHzevaJC40PaPUxYr_Uql1VO56mJasElWV5d-w/s1600/two.jpg" style="color: #99aadd; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5590775875362244594" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQjxAx4VdKJL1SjuRckv16AA4v6DHPpb_oxUfGu92mgLv3inLSZjfwfyRjTci8tElOokiqxhlJ3QBhMZbeytSwz_5jDmA0Rj_YmHzevaJC40PaPUxYr_Uql1VO56mJasElWV5d-w/s400/two.jpg" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 0px; height: 400px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 5px; width: 269px;" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is a <a href="http://postsecret.com/">PostSecret</a> postcard from Sunday, April 3, 2011</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div class="flipit" style="line-height: 1.6em; margin-bottom: 0.75em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">How many people wish they could go back in time and tell themselves something? Lots of people would do things differently if they could go back in time, while others have no regrets since their past choices got them to where they are today. </span></div><div class="flipit" style="line-height: 1.6em; margin-bottom: 0.75em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Here's the piece that some people don't get (yet): You may not get to go back in time to change things, but</span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> just because the past is what it is, does not mean you are stuck in that past </span></b><i><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">right now.</span></b></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> You have the power of choice to create the you of </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">right now. </span></i></div><div class="flipit" style="line-height: 1.6em; margin-bottom: 0.75em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #a64d79;">You can change your mind. </span></b></span></div><div class="flipit" style="line-height: 1.6em; margin-bottom: 0.75em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #a64d79;">You can change your attitude.</span></b></span></div><div class="flipit" style="line-height: 1.6em; margin-bottom: 0.75em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #a64d79;">You can change your clothes.</span></b></span></div><div class="flipit" style="line-height: 1.6em; margin-bottom: 0.75em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #a64d79;">You can change your goals.</span></b></span></div><div class="flipit" style="line-height: 1.6em; margin-bottom: 0.75em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #a64d79;"><i>You may redefine what is important to you in any moment.</i></span></b></span></div><div class="flipit" style="line-height: 1.6em; margin-bottom: 0.75em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">You are a living, breathing being and your opportunity to blossom into the best you is fresh with each breath. Ready? Set? Be true to you! (Even if it means surprising people. Even if it means surprising yourself.) </span></div><div class="flipit" style="line-height: 1.6em; margin-bottom: 0.75em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Change means stepping out of what is familiar. That's OK, you are not alone. You can change and change again. Experiment with saying "no" when you mean "no" and see what happens inside over time.</span></div><div class="flipit" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 1.6em; margin-bottom: 0.75em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">I practice what I preach and this week I deepened my commitment to pay attention to the way I speak (or hopefully don't speak: <a href="http://auntlaya.blogspot.com/search?q=gossip">no gossip</a>). </div><div class="flipit" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 1.6em; margin-bottom: 0.75em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">There is true power in self restraint (that serves you in positive ways).</span></b></div><div class="flipit" style="line-height: 1.6em; margin-bottom: 0.75em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Pick some thing in your life that you wish you could change. Be true and honest because no one else is in on this. Then take the risk of doing something simple, especially if it's hard for you to think of doing. Take heart. You CAN do this. </span></div><div class="flipit" style="line-height: 1.6em; margin-bottom: 0.75em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Love,</span></div><div class="flipit" style="line-height: 1.6em; margin-bottom: 0.75em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Aunt Laya</span></div>Laya http://www.blogger.com/profile/03865087965752964138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23451682.post-72017824748579594202011-03-24T18:57:00.000+02:002011-03-24T18:57:09.451+02:00Love and Belonging <link href="file://localhost/Users/Laya%201/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/msoclip/0/clip_filelist.xml" rel="File-List"></link> <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <o:AllowPNG/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--> <link href="file://localhost/Users/Laya%201/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/msoclip/0/clip_themedata.xml" rel="themeData"></link> <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves/> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:DoNotPromoteQF/> <w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:LidThemeAsian>JA</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/> <w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/> <w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/> <w:OverrideTableStyleHps/> <w:UseFELayout/> </w:Compatibility> <m:mathPr> <m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/> <m:brkBin m:val="before"/> <m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/> <m:smallFrac m:val="off"/> <m:dispDef/> <m:lMargin m:val="0"/> <m:rMargin m:val="0"/> <m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/> <m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/> <m:intLim m:val="subSup"/> <m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: purple; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">“You are imperfect, </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: purple; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">and you are wired for struggle, </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: purple; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">but you are worthy of love and belonging.” <span> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div style="color: purple; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"> </div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">~Brene Brown</span></span> <o:p></o:p></div><!--EndFragment--> <br />
Laya http://www.blogger.com/profile/03865087965752964138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23451682.post-78026667639699981252011-03-08T14:04:00.001+02:002011-03-08T14:10:33.108+02:00Humor<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #b45f06;">Are you smiling enough?</span> </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mrg.bz/BEcKh4" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://mrg.bz/BEcKh4" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #b45f06; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">One of my favorite quotes is <i><span style="color: #990000;">"You see what you look for."</span></i> </span></div><div style="color: #b45f06; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">So, what is it that you would like more of in <i>your</i> life?? </span></div><div style="color: #b45f06;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> Here are a few jokes I found and wanted to share. Please post a (clean) joke you like (even if you think it's an old one we've all heard before!!) in the comments section below. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #b45f06; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<div style="color: #073763; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;">Super Granny</span></span></span></b></div><div style="color: #073763; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"> </span></span></span></div><div style="color: #073763; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;">An elderly lady did her shopping and, upon returning to her car, found four males in the act of leaving with her car. She dropped her shopping bags and drew her handgun, proceeding to scream at them at the top of her voice, "I have a gun and I know how to use it!<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><br />
<br />
Get out of the car you dirty rotten scoundrels!"<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><br />
<br />
The four men didn't wait for a second invitation but got out and ran like mad, whereupon the lady, somewhat shaken, proceeded to load her shopping bags into the back of the car and got into the driver's seat.<br />
<br />
She was so shaken that she could not get her key into the ignition. She tried and tried and then it dawned on her why. A few minutes later she found her own car parked four or five spaces farther down. She loaded her bags into her car and drove to the police station.<br />
<br />
The sergeant to whom she told the story nearly tore himself in two with laughter and pointed to the other end of the counter, where four pale white males were reporting a car jacking by a mad elderly woman described as white, less than 5' tall, glasses, and curly white hair carrying a large handgun.<br />
<br />
No charges were filed.<br />
(True story!) </span></span></span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-family: Times; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #111111; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">(found at http://www.cleanjoke.com/humor/Super-Granny.html)</span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #4d4198; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS','Comic Sans','Brush Script',Zapfino,'Marker Felt',cursive; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><h2 style="color: #2f285e; font-weight: bold; padding-left: 30px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">Area 51</span></h2><div style="margin-left: 30px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">You've heard of the Air Force's ultra-high-security, super-secret base in Nevada, known simply as "Area 51?"</span></div><div style="margin-left: 30px; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-left: 30px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"> Well, late one afternoon, the Air Force folks out at Area 51 were surprised to see a Cessna landing at their "secret" base. They immediately impounded the aircraft and hauled the pilot into an interrogation room.</span></div><div style="margin-left: 30px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"> The pilot's story was that he took off from Vegas, got lost, and spotted the Base just as he was about to run out of fuel. The Air Force started a full FBI background check on the pilot and held him overnight during the investigation.</span></div><div style="margin-left: 30px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"> By the next day, they were finally convinced that the pilot really was lost and wasn't a spy. They gassed up his airplane, gave him a terrifying "you-did-not-see-a-base" briefing, complete with threats of spending the rest of his life in prison, told him Vegas was that-a-way on such-and-such a heading, and sent him on his way.</span></div><div style="margin-left: 30px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"> The next day, to the total disbelief of the Air Force, the same Cessna showed up again. Once again, the MP's surrounded the plane... only this time there were two people in the plane.</span></div><div style="margin-left: 30px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">The same pilot jumped out and said, "Do anything you want to me, but my wife is in the plane and you have to tell her where I was last night!" </span></div><div style="margin-left: 30px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">(found at http://www.jokesclean.com/Flying/)</span></div><div style="margin-left: 30px; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-left: 30px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #663366; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold;">Cheap Therapy <br />
<br />
Joan went to a psychiatrist. "Doc," she said, "I've got big troubles. Every time I get into bed, I think there's somebody under it. Am I going crazy?"<br />
"Just put yourself in my hands for one year," said the shrink, "Come to me three times a week, and I'll cure your fears."<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><br />
"How much do you charge?"<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><br />
"A hundred dollars per visit."<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><br />
"I'll sleep on it," said Joan. six months later the doctor met Joan on the street.<br />
"Why didn't you ever come to see me again?" asked the psychiatrist.<br />
<br />
"For a hundred bucks a visit? No way! Instead, I went on one of those 'Dude Ranch' vacations, and an old cowboy cured me for the price of a bottle of whiskey."<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><br />
<br />
"Is that so! How?"<br />
"He told me to cut the legs off the bed!<br />
Ain't nobody under there now!!!"</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #663366; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold;">(found at http://www.danggoodjokes.com/cheap-therapy/) </span></span><br />
</div></span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mrg.bz/n9VLUR" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://mrg.bz/n9VLUR" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #4d4198; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS','Comic Sans','Brush Script',Zapfino,'Marker Felt',cursive; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"></span></span><br />
<div style="color: #134f5c; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Keep smiling. I hope you'll share a joke in the comments below...</span></div><div style="color: #134f5c; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #134f5c; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Love,</span></div><div style="color: #134f5c; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Aunt Laya</span></div><div style="color: #073763; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 13px;"><span style="background-color: blue;"></span></span></span></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #4d4198; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS','Comic Sans','Brush Script',Zapfino,'Marker Felt',cursive; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><div style="margin-left: 30px; text-align: left;">Thank you to morguefile.com, <a href="http://morguefile.com/creative/pietervleu">pietervleu</a> and <a href="http://morguefile.com/creative/gracey">gracey</a> for the happy photos!</div></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #4d4198; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS','Comic Sans','Brush Script',Zapfino,'Marker Felt',cursive; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #4d4198; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS','Comic Sans','Brush Script',Zapfino,'Marker Felt',cursive; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"></span></span></div></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #4d4198; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS','Comic Sans','Brush Script',Zapfino,'Marker Felt',cursive; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"></span></span></div>Laya http://www.blogger.com/profile/03865087965752964138noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23451682.post-49188724588864895762011-03-03T20:05:00.000+02:002011-03-03T20:05:33.027+02:00Dream on<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoQJPqhdPreXfoUQsAI0u7yTLRHSRL8Ur1q3MoadQfVVXOBhRpb0dskk5pL-WEfMOdaWmdTBaFFHS1DhL2t4sZoh2ai1UgfG4J976JsYBLNfWPCZhM0l5uPHWskGe-3letnr5X/s1600/PhotoFunia-billboard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoQJPqhdPreXfoUQsAI0u7yTLRHSRL8Ur1q3MoadQfVVXOBhRpb0dskk5pL-WEfMOdaWmdTBaFFHS1DhL2t4sZoh2ai1UgfG4J976JsYBLNfWPCZhM0l5uPHWskGe-3letnr5X/s320/PhotoFunia-billboard.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">What are your dreams? Are you moving in the direction of your dreams?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I knew a guy who loved Rock 'n Roll. He was in a band that was popular in the clubs on Sunset Strip in Los Angeles. His band recorded an album. Then they filmed a music video that closed Sunset Boulevard for the night. I asked him if that was his dream come true. He said yes.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">His band never went any further. Outside of the locals that knew about it, no one's even heard of the band. Does that mean he never "made it"? He had <i>that</i> dream come true. As he grew as a person, new ideas about how he wanted to build his life became important. He has gone on to touch lives in a meaningful way. He's "made it." Only it just looks different than he expected.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Someone shared something about prayer that I thought was pretty wonderful. When you ask God for something there are three possible answers: "Yes", "Not yet", and "I have something better for you!" </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">When things don't work out as you originally hoped, planned, and prayed, never lose heart! It could just be that there is more that needs to ripen, and it could be that there's really something better for you.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Keep taking the steps to create what you want in life. Even little steps that feel too easy are great! They move you forward. Lots of little, easy-shmeasy steps add up. One, and then another. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It starts in your thoughts and heart, you dream, then you take action. You can do this!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Love,</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Aunt Laya</span>Laya http://www.blogger.com/profile/03865087965752964138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23451682.post-29078191089750399782011-03-03T19:26:00.001+02:002011-03-03T19:28:59.258+02:00Caterpillar Soup<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mrg.bz/HiXnVx" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://mrg.bz/HiXnVx" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This is not a recipe!!! </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Well, it’s not a recipe for something to eat.</span><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We all know that caterpillars turn into butterflies, right? We know they spin a cocoon and then, some time later out pops a butterfly. But what’s happening inside the cocoon? </span><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #134f5c;">Once the caterpillar is snug in his cocoon, his entire body breaks down. It becomes a kind of a glob of liquidy “soup” that would not look like anything to us, much less a butterfly. Then, when all looks lost, a few cells, called </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #134f5c;">imaginal cells</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #134f5c;"> spark the process that will turn that soup into a butterfly. The process has begun and the butterfly is formed!</span></span><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #351c75;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It can be just like that for us humans in a way too. Sometimes it feels like life is breaking down all around you and things seem like they are all a mess. That is when you can remember that you are simply in your caterpillar soup! </span></span><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Trust that the down times will not last, things will shift. Let the “imaginal cells” of your mind spark the visions of the good this world has for you (even if you can’t seem to find it right now).</span></span><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Love,<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">Aunt Laya</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mrg.bz/fugzJ2" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="250" src="http://mrg.bz/fugzJ2" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">With gratitude to morguefile.com and users xandert and jusben for the really great photos!</span></div>Laya http://www.blogger.com/profile/03865087965752964138noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23451682.post-33990135642252921632011-01-07T11:15:00.000+02:002011-01-07T11:15:47.579+02:00What you can do about Bullies<!--StartFragment--> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mrg.bz/ea1jHk" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://mrg.bz/ea1jHk" width="400" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Bullying</b> is one of the terrible, difficult things about life. That's why you don't see any adults wishing they could go back in time to when they were teenagers when bullying is the worst. But bullying is not limited to young adults; anyone can experience the terror of a bully. The first thing to know is that "This too shall pass". That may not help so much in the moment it's happening, but this situation <i>will</i> change.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Understand that you do not have to continue to endure terrible suffering from a bully. Life will always have its challenges. Life, with all it’s good and hard parts will never be the fairytale fantasy, and that said, you can change suffering by changing </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">yourself on the inside</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> and/or </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">changing your environment on the outside</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">. Here is what I have to offer, but if you cannot do this on your own, please, please, ask for help. It’s OK to ask for help. </span><span class="uistorymessage"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">♥</span></span><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The next thing to know is that people who bully or do mean things are people who are in pain. Nobody who feels good about him or her self could be cruel. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">No matter what they say, they can't feel good hurting others; it's a </span><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">counterfeit</span></i></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> attempt at trying to feel better about themselves.</span> You know that “you can’t be taller by stepping on someone else.” Bullies havn’t figured that out.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">A friend of mine went to her high school reunion and a woman came running up to her to hug her. My friend backed away and said, "Why are you so happy to see me? You were the meanest bully and you were so cruel to me!" The other woman said, "I wanted to see you so I could apologize. I was being abused at home and I took it out on you. I'm so sorry." Can you imagine? After 20 years!!<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Here are a few of the basic tips for dealing with bullies:<o:p></o:p></div><ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;">Avoid the bully if you can<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;">Ignore the bully <o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;">Stand tall in who you are (Thank God you're not her!)<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;">Be sure that if there is a dangerous behavior that you ask for help until you get the help you need<o:p></o:p></li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Here are some tools you can experiment with, any one of them could bring you the change you want or try them all:</span><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;">One wonderful and comforting thing to do is to picture yourself in bubble of light, what ever color brings you comfort. See all the angels that are around you at your service to comfort and protect and heal you. There is a place within you—the truest essence of who you are—that no one, I mean NO one, can touch, no matter what. The essence of you is always protected and pure. The essence of you holds its value no matter what else happens. You are filled, surrounded and protected by love in every moment, whether you are aware of it or not. You can plug into the awareness and receive the comfort any time you want.</span><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #351c75;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">An inner process that is very powerful is to “return what isn’t yours.” If you go to a store and they sold you something that you didn’t want or is broken, you can return it to the store. If you get a gift that you don’t like, you can give it away or toss it in the trash. Think of the mean things people say as spam, put it into the spam box and </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #351c75;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“Delete forever.”</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #351c75;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Here’s one way you can do that:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #351c75;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Imagine that you could go into your heart where all the hurts are stored. (Cruelty, insults, mean looks, even abuse, anything that ever hurt you!)<o:p></o:p></span></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #351c75;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Imagine what those hurts look like.<o:p></o:p></span></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #351c75;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now imagine that you give all those hurts back to the people to gave them to you in the first place! It’s their problem to deal with it, not yours. Take your time with this one. Give them back in your mind’s eye and in your heart’s feelings until your heart is clear and clean.</span></span><o:p></o:p></li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394;">Another very gentle yet powerful action you can take is to pray! Talk with God and ask for the bullying to stop. Ask for help so that you can respond in a strong and good way. (Stay awake to the different forms for the way that help can arrive.) Ask for an outcome that includes peace inside and out. Be as detailed as you can about the outcome you want and the feelings you want to feel. Then know that there are wonderful possibilities that exist to get you there that you haven’t even thought of.</span></span><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">This next idea may be the hardest thing of all that I am suggesting but it is also very powerful! Here’s where I’ve written about it in detail (I’m already writing a book here!)<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://auntlaya.blogspot.com/2008/01/when-people-make-you-mad-and-frustrated.html">http://auntlaya.blogspot.com/2008/01/when-people-make-you-mad-and-frustrated.html</a> <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">If any of this is helpful, here are some more things from my heart to yours.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://auntlaya.blogspot.com/search?q=blessing">http://auntlaya.blogspot.com/search?q=blessing</a><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Now, there is one more thing I want to share with you. Every difficult experience comes with a lesson and a gift. I can’t say what it is for sure though helping you grow stronger in your own compassion is something a lot of people get out of these kinds of situations. You may not recognize the gift in this for years, but it’s there for sure. Everything that you experience is preparation for the life you will build for yourself in your future. You can probably understand that to some degree if you look at your life from when you were younger. Being awake to the gifts and lessons make all of life even more meaningful. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Hang in there. You’re not alone.</b><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Love,</span><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Aunt Laya </span><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">P.S. Dear Bullies who read this: You can ask for help too! All the tools above are available for your growth, too. You can do this!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt;">Thank you to Morguefile.com and Matthew Hull for the great photo.<br />
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<o:p></o:p></span></div><!--EndFragment-->Laya http://www.blogger.com/profile/03865087965752964138noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23451682.post-68517201289963379982010-12-24T07:52:00.001+02:002010-12-24T11:35:33.252+02:00It's there even if you can't see it<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_5WAl45zM_bk/TP9Vo8tRyII/AAAAAAAAAQY/Kwa-popNFZo/s1600/100_1735.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_5WAl45zM_bk/TP9Vo8tRyII/AAAAAAAAAQY/Kwa-popNFZo/s320/100_1735.JPG" width="320" /></a></div> <span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;">An interesting thing happened one morning when I was picking figs for breakfast... </span><br />
<div style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">This summer I spent many mornings eating breakfast at my fig tree. Divine! The interesting thing about a fig tree, is that the figs don't all ripen at once. New fruits come out each day as the older fruits are ripening. When eating straight from the tree, the trick is to find them ripe enough, but not too ripe. </span></div><div style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">One morning I saw the perfect fig. I knew it would be a taste of Heaven. I moved in close between the branches and leaves. As I got closer, it just disappeared! How could it be? I moved out again and saw it. So I knew that when I moved in closer, something blocked my view as it seemed to disappear. What a metaphor for our goals and dreams in life.</span></div><div style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">You may know clearly what your goals and dreams are. You may be taking action in the direction of your goals and dreams. Then, as you think you are moving closer, all signs of actualizing it seem to disappear.</span></div><div style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i><b><span style="font-size: small;">Take heart! </span></b></i></div><div style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #741b47; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Just because you don't see your goal as close as you thought you were to it, does not mean your heart's desire is not there. </span></div><div style="color: #741b47; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #741b47; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Try changing your perspective, move about (<u>in thoughts or actions or both</u>).</i> You'll see it, maybe closer than you thought!</span></div><div style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Love,</span></div><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;">Aunt Laya </span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Photo by me one morning at breakfast. :-) </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">With gratitude to the Creator of figs, cameras, and all of life! </span></div>Laya http://www.blogger.com/profile/03865087965752964138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23451682.post-4839899322437790572010-11-21T07:34:00.000+02:002010-11-21T07:34:22.856+02:00Are you smiling yet??I<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> was feeling pretty crabby the other day. I know very well that I have choices about my mood. I know that if we change our perception of something, or our actions, we can transform our lives. So there I was, doing the dishes and feeling crabby but knowing I didn't have to stay that way. I was talking to my daughter and suggested that we start dancing. She thought I was nuts. Not the first time I've been accused of </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">that</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">. When my husband got home, well, he married me, so we danced around the house for a minute. Just long enough to crack ourselves up and get back to life. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The next morning we were talking and I said something that cracked him up and after decades, I remembered a song from a movie from when I was a kid. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">People, there are times when you need to grieve the hard stuff. There are times when you need to take action toward your dreams. And there are times--probably most all the time--when the attitude of gratitude will lift you up. You need to keep a sense of humor no matter what is happening. So, here's a little reminder that helped me the other day and I hope it will bring a smile to your face. The smile will bring you up. Maybe not literally like in this clip, but in your heart where it really matters most.</span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><object height="385" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/TTerKLeQBWk?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/TTerKLeQBWk?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object></div><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Love,</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Aunt Laya</span>Laya http://www.blogger.com/profile/03865087965752964138noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23451682.post-34579873811427442482010-11-16T08:33:00.001+02:002010-12-07T07:24:38.903+02:00Best Teen Gifts for Guys and Girls<div style="text-align: center;">Holiday Season Already??</div><br />
Wow, it's that time of year again--the gift giving season. You always want to give and get gifts you'll like but it's not always so simple. I found this <a href="http://www.radicalparenting.com/2010/11/13/best-gifts-for-teenagers-2010-gift-ideas-for-teen-girls-and-boys/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+RadicalParenting+%28Radical+Parenting%29">great list</a> that was put together over at Radical Parenting so here's a link for you. It's a great and varied list. I'm not sure why <i>my</i> book isn't on the list, I guess they just assumed that people must have it already. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 16px;">J </span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 16px;"></span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_736585208">Just in case you don't have "the book", here's a link.</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_736585208">http://tinyurl.com/5j6zow</a></span><a href="http://tinyurl.com/5j6zow"> </a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Wingdings;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_736585205"><br />
</a></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://tinyurl.com/5j6zow" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpTaW9AwaVKA6Tf7vs8r4RJWQPYRDkF4eG5f1ReRVt6d3xNqpFiKvJ5039-YniRouWl5mMTb4LQYjRYv3ye7PXQ1dXoo3w7WWHehr_ixLc4y1KHW2RJ_tztD_rMYozihQQNMIK/s200/9780972322973.jpg" width="133" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">If you can't afford to buy this book and you want to read it, please <a href="mailto:auntlaya@auntlaya.com"><span id="goog_736585214"></span>email me<span id="goog_736585215"></span></a> and I will email you back with a link to download the book. Please don't be bashful. I'd rather you read it than not! <3 <3 <3</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Wingdings;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;">And here's <a href="http://www.radicalparenting.com/2010/11/13/best-gifts-for-teenagers-2010-gift-ideas-for-teen-girls-and-boys/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+RadicalParenting+%28Radical+Parenting%29">a link to the great gift ideas for teens from the Radical Parenting</a>. If you haven't been to their site before, look around; there is lots to read there too.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Wingdings;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;">Love,</div><div style="text-align: left;">Aunt Laya</div>Laya http://www.blogger.com/profile/03865087965752964138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23451682.post-31973940452447281792010-10-11T09:04:00.000+02:002010-10-11T09:04:09.294+02:00Quote for the hard times<div style="background-color: white; color: #20124d; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mrg.bz/FkdXx5" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="http://mrg.bz/FkdXx5" width="320" /></a><b><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></b></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #b45f06; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">If you're going through hell, </span></b></div><div style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><i style="background-color: white; color: #274e13;">keep going.</i> </span></b></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">~Winston Churchill</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mrg.bz/FkdXx5" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Thanks to Katy who I met on Facebook for the great quote!</span></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Thanks to Imelenchon and morguefile.com for the photo. </span> </span></div>Laya http://www.blogger.com/profile/03865087965752964138noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23451682.post-45154832520641951002010-08-24T01:02:00.000+03:002010-08-24T01:02:48.877+03:00You Are Not a FlyI know the sound isn't that great, I'm still learning about movie making. :-) <br />
<br />
<object height="306" width="500"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/3pXAeXbwHfA?fs=1&hl=en_US&color1=0x402061&color2=0x9461ca"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/3pXAeXbwHfA?fs=1&hl=en_US&color1=0x402061&color2=0x9461ca" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="500" height="306"></embed></object><br />
<br />
Love,<br />
Aunt LayaLaya http://www.blogger.com/profile/03865087965752964138noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23451682.post-755258921071464302010-08-12T00:30:00.003+03:002010-08-25T20:47:39.349+03:00The Secret to Staying Positive<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAwSXJvGzyN-YmOkWEaPM3t5VoljoiFy3IGm6_9YRc7kESjTxSljZ2KSMayCxjQCQbI53hcxO4OsHLtXvjpLWFGgrbrY8Z9vfR8y7b0VnjX0bQgDAr3HusO9LKXVd0o6oaJHVD/s1600/Photo+22.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAwSXJvGzyN-YmOkWEaPM3t5VoljoiFy3IGm6_9YRc7kESjTxSljZ2KSMayCxjQCQbI53hcxO4OsHLtXvjpLWFGgrbrY8Z9vfR8y7b0VnjX0bQgDAr3HusO9LKXVd0o6oaJHVD/s320/Photo+22.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Write your questions, then post them where you'll see them!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Your brain is a brilliant resource! The trick is to engage your brain in a way that will give you the results you want! Like if you want to be happy you have to give your brain the right direction.<b> </b><br />
<br />
<b>When you ask yourself a question, your mind will search for an answer.</b> It's human nature. So if you flub up and then say (Heaven forbid!!) to yourself, "Why am I such an !d!0t?" Your mind will rush to answer that question--confirming and strengthening an idea that's not so good. But wait! This principle works for the good too! Ask yourself, "What small thing can I do to move in the direction of my dreams?" and your mind will give you some answers. Good news, right? <span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Now we just have to figure out the best questions to ask so that we get the answers that will build us in ways that are positive. </span>Here are some ideas that come to mind, and as always, I'd love to hear your ideas (leave a comment and help others who read this post).<br />
<ul style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><li>What can I do that will support my health?</li>
<li>Who do I love?/Who loves me? (Try this as you're going to sleep and think of the names of people who love you/who you love starting with A all the way to Z)</li>
<li>What is my intuition telling me about ______?</li>
<li>Who do I need to forgive? (Then, do the forgiving, or at least "pretend" to forgive to start your own inner healing.)</li>
<li>What am I grateful for?</li>
</ul>Here are the questions I have posted on my fridge:<br />
<ul style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><li>How can I transform & elevate the meaning that I am giving to this action?</li>
<li>How can i do what I'm about to do in an elevated way?</li>
<li>Who will this benefit? (these questions are from a podcast by R. Zelig Pliskin)</li>
<li>What am I living for?</li>
<li>How am I going to get there? (these questions are from R. Noach Weinberg)</li>
</ul>For a long time I just had some questions on a sticky note, but in a moment of inspiration, I got out some craft supplies and had some fun making a bright, bold paper so I'll ask myself these questions more often and with strong intention.<br />
<br />
So, <b><i>what are the questions you ask yourself</i></b>, or your kids, or your spouse, or employees, or...?<br />
<br />
Love,<br />
Aunt LayaLaya http://www.blogger.com/profile/03865087965752964138noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23451682.post-77934659880998856032010-08-09T00:03:00.000+03:002010-08-09T00:03:41.372+03:00ProstitutionThe very word conjures up such a variety of thoughts and emotions. I used to think that any woman who would get involved as a prostitute must either have been terribly abused or a drug addict. Only I have another understanding that I feel must be shared with you, dear readers. <div><br />
</div><div>Perhaps you know that there is a slave trade that is alive and well in the world today. And a huge portion of that slave trade, called "trafficking," consists of girls who are kidnapped--misled and stolen. This is a grievous pain for all of humanity. I want to encourage you to become aware of this problem for a number of reasons.</div><div><br />
</div><div>Here is a place to begin to understand the issue: <a href="http://www.thea21campaign.org/">http://www.thea21campaign.org</a> Watch the videos and explore the site to find ways you can make a difference.</div><div><br />
</div><div>I believe that every simple, heartfelt prayer makes a difference. Perhaps you'll share this post and open awareness of this issue to your circle of people, your "tribe." Perhaps you'll shop here: <a href="http://www.nightlightinternational.com/">http://www.nightlightinternational.com</a> where jewelry is made by women who have been rescued.</div><div><br />
</div><div>Above all, if you happen to pass by a red light district, if you happen to see prostitutes on a street corner, do not judge her. Say a prayer for her well being and her rescue. It is hard to conceive of the millions who are battered slaves, but if you can bless the one, maybe participate in her well being through <a href="http://www.thea21campaign.org/">A21</a>, we will make a difference.</div><div><br />
</div><div>Like the snowflake that alone weigh nothing but when they are all together can break the branch of a tree, we can stand together for what is righteous and just. </div><div><br />
</div><div>Please tweet this and share in any way you can. We really can make a difference.</div><div><br />
</div><div>Love,</div><div>Aunt Laya</div>Laya http://www.blogger.com/profile/03865087965752964138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23451682.post-35748951465954935712010-06-22T19:39:00.001+03:002010-06-22T19:42:00.295+03:00How to Deal with Suffering in Life, Part 1<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; color: #555555; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19px;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mrg.bz/3u4hKk" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://mrg.bz/3u4hKk" width="400" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: navy; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: navy; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="color: navy;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Dear Aunt Laya,</span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="color: navy;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">…reading your words brought much needed comfort to my heart and soul. Thank You.</span> <span style="font-size: 10pt;">I have one question: Why does a person have to suffer so much in this life?</span><span style="font-size: 10pt;">…I have had to deal with so much suffering, ...so much. Why? </span><span style="font-size: 10pt;">I stay happy. I live in joy. I give unconditionally to others. I do my very best each and every day. Yet awful things still happen. Hoping you can send some much needed light into this question for me.</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="color: navy;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><br />
Many blessings for all you are doing to help others,</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="color: #010101; font-size: 10pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: navy;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;">~><~><~><~><~><~><~><~><~><~><~><~</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Dearest Reader,</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
Thank you so much for writing me, it means the world to me to know that the words from my heart have touched you in a way that brings you comfort.</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
The question you ask, “Why does a person have to suffer so much in this life?” has been asked for millennium. Before I even begin to share my simple understanding, know that there is no one answer, and I could never answer this deep question fully. My hope is that maybe some piece of my answer will bring some portion of peace and hope to help us get through the harder trials in life.</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
So, to touch into this most difficult question begins the simplest answer, the least satisfying of all (that no man or woman will ever fully grasp): There is a bigger picture and we cannot know from our limited human perspective what that is!</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
Each of us is a soul, created for a Divine mission and purpose. We do not have access to the “whole picture” of the soul, its journey, or why she is here in this earthly experience. From a broader, Heavenly perspective, there is purpose and meaning to each and every breath we take. We think we can understand some of it, but then, we have the hardest of times, loss, change, or upheaval and it can feel like life is crashing in on us.</span></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"><b>An oyster is a small shellfish. One grain of sand enters the shell. We know how annoying a small pebble that slipped into our shoe can feel; now imagine that this delicate fish is subjected to sharp pain against its small, tender flesh. The nature of an oyster is such that when it feels that rough grain of sand, it secretes a substance to coat the offending source of pain. It coats and coats and coats until the surface is smooth: a pearl is created. From pain and hurt, is created a beautiful gem: the pearl.</b></span></span></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"><b><br />
This life, though full of pleasures and delights to be sure, is also full of pains and disappointments. We live in illusion of what we think life “should” be, then we are disillusioned and disappointed as we see that life does not fit our perspective.</b></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"><b><br />
Yet, everything, </b></span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"><b>every</b></span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"><b>thing that we experience has meaning and purpose. Every life experience holds rich gifts for us to cash in on if we stay awake and aware, or conscious, to what we are experiencing. Each trial or pain comes with a gift of its own—an insight, deeper compassion or understanding or wisdom, and it is our job to find the pearl and treasure it.</b></span></span></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><b>It is at this point that our personal power comes in. We may not be able to control what happens around us, and most likely we cannot for much that goes on in and around our lives. We may, however, control the</b></span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><b> way in which we see things and the actions and reactions we choose as a response.</b></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><b><br />
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This is what builds us, and this is how we build ourselves.</b></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><br />
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Over the coming weeks, (and in this ezine and blog) I’ll be writing more about this. In the meantime, keep shining!</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><br />
Love,</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: 'Monotype Corsiva'; font-size: 12pt;"></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Aunt Laya</span></span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">With gratitude to kconnors and Morguefile.com for the beautiful photo</span></span></span></div></div>Laya http://www.blogger.com/profile/03865087965752964138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23451682.post-89437451725314157842010-05-27T23:24:00.000+03:002010-05-27T23:24:49.775+03:00Staying connected<i><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Welcome</span></i> to all the mom's from <a href="http://parentingretreat.com/laya">Ellen's Online Parenting Retreat</a>. If you're here to sign up for my e-newsletter please just <a href="http://eepurl.com/vYph%20%20">click here</a> and I'll be happy to stay in touch with you! And if you're a regular and you didn't know about the e-newsletter (or ezine), it would be great to connect with you that way too!<br />
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<b><span style="color: #351c75;">Quote for the day</span>:</b><br />
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;">"The greatest problem of communication </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;">is the illusion that it has been accomplished."</div><div style="text-align: right;">~George Bernard Shaw</div><div style="text-align: left;">Love,</div><div style="text-align: left;">Aunt Laya</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div>Laya http://www.blogger.com/profile/03865087965752964138noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23451682.post-42916560968555974102010-05-13T19:14:00.001+03:002010-05-13T19:16:14.056+03:00Online Parenting Retreat for Moms<div style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; font-size: small;">I'm really excited to share that later this month I'm presenting at an online event for moms. And you can attend any or all of the workshops for free, or, you can sign up and receive a whole bunch of bonuses, recordings of every single workshop (and transcripts if reading is easier) and chances to to win spa products!</span></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://www.e-junkie.com/ecom/gb.php?ii=701369&c=ib&aff=118021&cl=1144" target="ejejcsingle">Click here to view more details</a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><span style="font-size: small;">Not only am I presenting one of the workshops, I plan on attending, the list of speakers and topics is awesome! I'd love to hear from you if you will be at my workshop (not all the presenters are up on the website yet, so if you don't see me, don't worry). <b><span style="color: #351c75;"> </span></b></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: #351c75;">My workshop will be Thursday night, May 27 at 11 PM EST</span></b>. </span></div><span style="font-size: small;">But you don't have to leave home to connect. It's all online. Please be sure to write down the information about my workshop and make sure you "translate" the time into your correct time zone so you can be there with me live!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">Here's my workshop info:</span><br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin: 0.1pt 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><i>“Transforming Tough Times into Triumph“</i></b></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin: 0.1pt 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><i>~Real tools you can use right now~</i></b></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin: 0.1pt 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Your Host: Laya Saul, author of the award winning, inspirational book, </b></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin: 0.1pt 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>“You Don’t Have to Learn Everything the Hard Way” </b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin: 0.1pt 0in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>“If mama ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy.”</i> Everyone has challenges in life but just because things feel hard now doesn’t mean you are stuck. “Aunt” Laya will show you how to get unstuck and move into healing, comfort, and joy. This workshop is not theory; it is practical information and useful tools you can start using right now! </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin: 0.1pt 0in;"><br />
</div><ul style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-top: 0in;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.1pt; margin-top: 0.1pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">Learn the two keys to the power of transformation </span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.1pt; margin-top: 0.1pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">Easy to use tools to shift from bummed to brilliant </span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.1pt; margin-top: 0.1pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">Simple “how to” to use mind, body, and emotions to lift your spirits</span></li>
</ul><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://www.e-junkie.com/ecom/gb.php?ii=701369&c=ib&aff=118021&cl=1144" target="ejejcsingle">Click here to view more details</a></span></div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I hope to "see" you there!</span></div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Love,</span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Aunt Laya</span></span>Laya http://www.blogger.com/profile/03865087965752964138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23451682.post-65641876377794154162010-05-09T15:47:00.000+03:002010-05-09T15:47:04.278+03:00Life on Fire<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mrg.bz/SLNkWn" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://mrg.bz/SLNkWn" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Did you see the movie Avatar? </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Remember the scene where the main character, Jake Sully, goes from his paralyzed, wheelchair-bound body, into a healthy, strong Navi body and walks for the first time? Remember the overwhelming joy he showed as he moved his legs, stood up, stumbled, walked and then ran? </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">What if we felt that kind of joy every single morning when we wake up? Like, "Whoa, look at this body I'm in... I can see, I can smell, I can move, I can taste..." Even as we stumble about, a flood of gratitude and delight every morning at another day--the miracle of life--the gift of life--the gift of more time. Even when facing trials and tribulations, it's a gift to be able to take the challenge.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;">Living up to your potential is not about "accomplishing". Being the best you is not about being perfect. Success in life is not measured by what you produce. Think about the people you love the most in your life. You don't love them based on how much money they make, how much they weigh, what grades they got in school or if they even went to school!</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;">What are the qualities of the people you love the most? Are they kind? Generous? Gentle? Strong? What if you let yourself take an inventory of the positive qualities <i>you</i> have? What if, when you wake up each morning, you allow yourself to see what is right and good in your life? Then, even just a little bit at a time, beyond pain, beyond fear, and beyond doubt, let those gifts lift you. </span></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;">Experiment with this simple yet powerful mental shift and let me know how it goes.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;">Love,</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;">Laya</span></span><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;">Thanks to <a href="http://claranatoli.blogspot.com/">Clarita</a> via Morguefile.com</span></span></div>Laya http://www.blogger.com/profile/03865087965752964138noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23451682.post-35804714660464626192010-04-07T19:21:00.001+03:002010-04-07T19:23:26.318+03:00When the Past Haunts You<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;">Someone asked this question, we all have to deal with the past so here's my response...</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Q: </div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Why does the past always have to come back and make you suffer in the present? Is the past always going to be coming back to you? Does your past always haunt you for the rest of your life? Will your past ever stay in the past?</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">A: </div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Sweet Girl,</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">These are such big questions. There are several layers to all of this. </div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">First of all, <i><b>all</b></i> of life has purpose and meaning. Sometimes we get the wrong idea that we’re supposed to live happily ever after. We <i>are</i> supposed to enjoy the gift of life, but it’s not like in the movies—like you solve one challenge and then you’re free to have fun. We do get fun, but we’ll always have the next test too. It’s just part of what makes up this crazy and wonderful life. We’re supposed to grow, and the tests we come up against actually shape us to be better and better. <b><i>The issue is the way we meet the tests.</i></b> But then, you knew this, right? ☺ </div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">There are different ways the past comes into the present. If it is through the memory of past events, you can change your thinking to leave the past in the past. There are different ways to do this—it could be that time heals it or it could be that you learn how to release memories that don’t serve you.</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">If you find that the past is repeating, then you have a whole other challenge to find out what is going on: what do you need to learn? Here’s a little example: let’s say someone puts a raw egg on the table and it rolls off, falls on the floor, and then breaks. If she keeps putting another egg in the same place, it will always roll off. She has to learn that she either needs to put the egg in something that won’t roll, or put the egg somewhere else. Lessons will keep repeating until <i><b>we</b></i> change. <i><b>We have to change the way we react to things.</b></i></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The thing about bad memories of the past is that you can actually change the way you relate to them. You can send the images that haunt you in your mind’s eye away when they come up, or you can take the you that is in that memory and make that younger part of you safe right now. Do not under estimate the <b>power of imagination</b>. </div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Be gentle with yourself and be sure you are surrounding yourself with kindness and strong boundaries. This too shall pass as you grow in life experience. We all fall on our faces and then we just have to get up one more time. I know you’ll rise! Big, big hugs!</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Love,</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Aunt Laya</div>Laya http://www.blogger.com/profile/03865087965752964138noreply@blogger.com6