 Photo by Yuri Manei on Pexels The goal is to wake up each morning feeling overwhelmingly thankful for the kind of life you have created for yourself. ~ Unknown I heard a story recently about a gentleman who saved his money to buy a ticket going to a new country. It was to be a very exciting journey for him. As money was an issue though, he only brought crackers and cheese with him to consume for all his meals. Day after day, he passed by the beautiful dining room enthralled by all the people enjoying their wonderful meals. He was drawn in by the delicious scents of delectable dishes he smelled. Sadly, as he could not partake, it was very difficult for him feeling very left out day after day. When the boat docked, an employee of the dining room inquired why he had not come any days to eat the food? The server mentioned they had a place with his name on it each day, and everyone was wondering if there had been something about the food that was not to his liking. The gentleman quickly explained with a bit of embarrasssment that he had not purchased a ticket that included food. The server stated to the gentleman's GREAT surprise: "Sir, the ticket you bought included everything. All food was included." Wow! That story really resonated with me. I thought of how we all can be like that poor man with the crackers and cheese some days. There is so much available to us in life, yet we feel somehow unworthy, or we do not pursue action steps to work towards our best lives. We choose to settle, when we were meant to soar. You my friend are worthy of more in all aspects of life and here are some tips to get you there.  Photo by Helena Lopes on Pexels Know your worthYou are absolutely INCREDIBLE! Do you even know how amazing you are? In this whole wide world of ours, there is NO ONE exactly like you! You are an original masterpiece created by God for a specific purpose. Noone has your exact circle of influence, or unique skill set and the world needs you. Shine your light my friend, the world is blessed to have you in it.  Photo by Marcus Aurelius on Pexels Realize you are NEVER too old to changeWhen you look at how your life is going, and you notice areas needing improvement, know that you are never too old to change. There is no room for thinking like, "I am who am I, or that is just the way things will always be for me." I will have to call you out on that, because you are worthy of more. I am in my fifties and have had several health issues come my way recently. Thankfully they are manageable but these new diagnoses have lit a fire under me. As a result I am going to the gym faithfully, eating healthier, taking good supplements and medication and I am determined to turn my physical health around. I met with a trainer as well to get a strength training program going this summer. It was exciting, but I was also nervous. He was so encouraging and commended me for taking charge of my health. It felt very empowering. He also pointed out a vibrant and incredibly fit 92 year old who was working out right beside me. What an inspiration she was! I thought, If she can do it, I sure can!  Photo by Belle Co on Pexels Always strive to be your best selfWhat brings you joy? What inspires you? What fills your cup? Go after those things. Go after them with gusto. Schedule them into your daytimer with enthusiasm and look at them as appointments for YOU that cannot be missed. You cannot pour from an empty cup and when you are feeling full, inspired and built up in your spirit, your corner of the world benefits so much.  Understand that a wonderful life is God's plan for youIn John 10:10 it says: I have come that they may have life and have it to the full! God wants to be your friend and have a relationship with you. He has BIG plans for you and He desires for you to have a full and happy life. He literally has a buffet of blessings waiting for you. It is true. No table scraps on the menu for you my friends. If you are interested in having a relationship with God or would like to continue the conversation, please feel free to reach out. I would love to chat further with you. Well friends, I hope this gave you something to think about. Don't settle for a mediocre life. There is so much more for you than crackers and cheese in all aspects of your life and I so want you to realize that. Until next time, Dana John 10:10 ~ I have come that they may have life and have it to the full! Little Lesson Learned: Changing our lives takes courage and time, but you can do it. You deserve the best life ever!
Tags: made for more, goal setting, live your best life, God's will
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 I just got back from the beautiful Bruce Peninsula. We were up at my brother’s gorgeous cottage, nestled right by the water. It was so delightful to wake up to the sounds of nature and soak up all the peace and serenity this incredible property offered. It truly filled my soul. There are lots of attractions to take in in that area. We had enjoyed The Grotto, The Halfway Log Dump and the Tobermory boat tour last year, so we were on a quest to see what new adventures this area had to offer. When the suggestion of exploring some local caves came up, I was quite intrigued as it sounded like something certainly interesting and new to try. I figured we would at the very least get some great pictures in these caves to share on social media. So, to my family’s surprise I enthusiastically stated “I’m in!” It had rained the night before, but I truly thought nothing of it. I understood we were going to be inside the caves anyway, so it wouldn’t really matter. Would it? Well here is where the story gets REAL interesting! Yes, there were caves to explore, but to access them you had to navigate some of the most treacherous, rocky, uncleared terrain known to man. Top that off with the fact that it had rained, and it was also incredibly slippery in so many spots. I was clearly UNPREPARED! Ironically, I had worn a shirt that said "It's a good day to read a book." Trust me, I was so wishing I had chose that option. This was NOT what I or my family had anticipated. We were already knee deep in the hoopla when we came to the realization that conquering these cave trails would be no easy feat. At first I decided I would bow out and wait in a cave and let the others go ahead. I am telling ya, I was terrified. The others were not having it. They had an "all for one and one for all and no man (or woman) would be left behind mentality" on this ordeal and I loved them for it. Through this experience, my husband teased me about the great blog material I was gathering and he was absolutely right. You know me by now, and as always, I figured there’s GOT to be a life lesson in this that goes beyond doing your research first before going on any cave adventures! Here is what I gleaned from my ordeal on the slippery slopes of the cave exploration that you and I can apply to our daily lives. Life is unpredictable The rugged path. Photo: Little Lessons Learned by Dana Just like the way the cave adventure unfolded, life is very unpredictable. We may have our ideas of how things will be, yet many unexpected turns, twists and obstacles can come our way. In these stressful times we could choose to bail out in fear like I wanted to or press on in faith with courage. I encourage you to choose option B. Press on my friend. YOU CAN DO IT! Others are there for you  Phil helping me, step by step. Photo: Little Lessons Learned by Dana I could not have completed this hike without my family and especially my husband Phil. He stayed behind and held my hand, leading the way step by step and encouraging me all the way. I was so thankful for his strength, patience and compassion towards me on this very unique and memorable day. We are all in this together Find your people. Photo: Little Lessons Learned by Dana Life is a roller coaster ride at times, but it is meant to be shared. We were all going through this dangerous hike together and we were truly there for each other. At one point we got lost on the trail, but together we figured it out. We all had a mutual goal of completing the trail and getting back to the safety of the nearby parking lot. We knew we would truly have a story to tell, so we were committed to seeing it through. Life is like that too. Look around you. Many people are going through the same struggles as you and they can be a wonderful source of comfort and strength for you as you go through tough times as well. They truly understand as they have navigated the rugged trail ahead of you and they will support you with open arms. Take good advice Others help you along the way, Photo: Little Lessons Learned by Dana My kids and our friend Rick were further ahead. They made the difficult decisions of which paths to take and would call out with great wisdom paths to avoid and the slippery spots and pitfalls of the precarious path. Those that have walked the treacherous paths ahead of you, have great advice to share. It may be what to do or perhaps what NOT to do, but their insights are so extremely valuable to those who are not experienced in this type of trial. Listen to them. They have great advice to share. When life is hard, there is still beauty My husband Phil and I. Photo: Little Lessons Learned by Dana As scary as the path was, it was impossible to disregard the beauty all around us. There were gorgeous forests, beautiful skies, spacious caves and incredible rocky landscapes. As nervous as I was, I often stopped to take pictures as I KNEW this was a journey I never wanted to forget. These photos would be a lasting reminder of a very noteworthy day. Despite being WAY out of my comfort zone, there were lots of smiles and memorable moments amongst the stress we dealt with. No trial lasts forever WE DID IT! Photo: Little Lessons Learned by Dana I was never so glad when my kids called out and said “I see the parking lot!” It was like water in the desert. We did it! We had overcome! It reminded me that we should never lose faith when going through tough times because they are temporary. With a positive attitude, courage, and good people by your side, your test can become your testimony in the end. So my cave story has a happy ending after all. I was proud of myself and all that was learned on a deeper level that day. Until next time, Dana Psalms 32:8 ~ I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you. Little Lesson Learned: Don't let the fear of a new experience, overshadow the thrill of completing something amazing. Copyright: © 2024, littlelessonslearnedbydana
Tags: summer vacation, overcoming fear, new adventures, Bruce pennisula, family fun, personal growth, believe in yourself, taking risks Photo by Travis Wyatt on Unsplash "Simplicity is about subtracting the obvious and adding the meaningful." ~ John Maeda Summertime absolutely rocks! Don't you agree? The weather is so amazing and it feels just wonderful to have some time off from work. Our family has had some great getaways so far and we are so grateful for the special family time. This time of year also makes me reminisce and recall some great vacations of the past. For many years we enjoyed vacationing with my parents. They are great sports and so much fun. I miss those days so much! My mom passed away and I miss her so much. There is not a day that goes by that I don't think of her and talk about her. For this reason I am extra grateful for the special memories we created as a family on our fun vacations together. When I close my eyes, it takes me back. Here's mom in her favourite spot in our cabin.  Mom in our cabin. Photo by Little Lessons Learned by Dana We loved visiting the Great Smoky Mountains together in Tennessee. From the exciting attractions to the breathtaking views, and mountain scenery, we really felt as it we had been whisked away to a whole, new world. This incredibly beautiful landscape filled with wide-open spaces, friendly kin folk and nature in all its glory was a welcome change from the busyness of life we were used to at home in Canada. Our cozy cabin, nestled high in the mountains, although equipped with all the amenities you could ask for, also provided us with something much more we all needed: the opportunity to relax in a serene environment, reconnect and just enjoy the simple things. As I awoke to the picturesque view of the mountains each morning, I felt overwhelmed by God's prescence and incredible handiwork. I felt the Bible verse come to life of "Be still and know that I am God." What a creator we serve and I was in constant awe of his creativity. One morning as I was taking it all in, I couldn't help but burst out Amazing Grace and I had to raise my hands to the heavens in a display of worship as a response to the awesome splendor I was witnessing. Nature so easily can be something we take for granted, yet it is wonderful to take the time to actually appreciate it.  Photo by Little Lessons Learned by Dana The residents of the area were so warm and freindly. They made you feel like family or lifelong friends. My family and I remarked about how easy it would be to settle down here because the atmosphere was so welcoming. This was especially evident when we attended church there on Sunday. We went to a church called the Wears Valley United Methodist Church and from the moment we entered, we felt completely at home. With a congregation under one hundred, their motto was "smalll enough to care, large enough to serve." The church had so many great community activities coming up like a Fall Fair, and a back to school potluck, we all wished we would be able to stay a little longer just to get to know the wonderful people a bit more. That is the way they made us feel, so "welcome as the flowers in May" as my Gramma Sudds used to say. There seemed to be a slower pace, simpler way of life that was evident there that we so admired. It was almost in some ways that we had gone back in time a bit. Sometimes we can so caught up with “keeping up with the Joneses” that we forget what really matters.  Photo by Tim Wildsmith on Unsplash I loved how there were Bibles everywhere around our cabin, scripture plaques in several restaurants, many gospel music shows to take in, and even t- shirts that said “Jesus Is Lord” on sale at the local Walmart. Now there’s something that you don’t see every day where we come from, that's for sure. This area in many aspects was very unapologetically Christian and is was very refreshing. While attending Dollywood in the middle of the country music shows the performers broke out into “Just Over In The Glory Land,” and “His Eye Is On The Sparrow,” with passionate gusto. A remark was made by one of the performers that he was so happy that not only are they allowed to perform gospel songs at Dollywood, but it is actually strongly encouraged. Even at the local Olive Garden restaurant, the waitress explained that they changed their policy of first coming to the table with a bottle of wine to sample, as this protocol did not go over well there in the "Bible Belt" and was actually offensive to many who did not drink. From a society that has gone so far the opposite way regarding Christianity, it was very interesting to observe these scenarios to say the least. We watched lots of Waltons and Andy Griffith reruns at the cabin and I could not help but giggle at the irony of it all! I actually felt that I was living on Waltons mountain with the mountains all around us! Also like the Walton family, who lived with several generations under one roof, we had my parents with us too. Three generations together enjoyed a wonderful time of laughs, bonding and making precious memories we will always cherish. Yes our cabin had TV and Wifi, but that was not our priority. The precious time together was what we most enjoyed and treasured.  Photo by Kampus Production Taking time for what really matters is most important. Faith, friends, family, and making memories is so crucial for all of us. It has been said that “life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated.” Why do we do that? I am sure we don’t mean to most of the time, yet somehow it still unfortunately happens. I encourage you to get off the fast track and enjoy the slower pace every once in a while. Work and responsibilities will always be there, but opportunities to enjoy the simple things in life may not be. There is a quote on my Facebook page that says “Take vacations. Go to as many places as you can. You can always make money but you can’t always make memories.” Life can get so busy and time goes by so quickly. Let’s not forget to enjoy ourselves along the way! It doesn't have to be an expensive vacation, just time set aside with loved ones in a location of your choice and the memories will follow. Take the time. You won't regret it and these times are what some of your most special memories are made of. P.S. Miss you Mom! Thanks for all the great memories! Until next time, Dana Psalms 121: 1-2 I lift up to my eyes to the mountains - where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the maker of Heaven and earth. Little Lesson Learned: Enjoying the simple things in life is such an absolute pleasure. Copyright: © 2024, littlelessonslearnedbydana 2nd edition, first edition, 2015 The Simple Life
Tags: simple things, family time, vacations, simpler times, Christian values |
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