Life Lessons from a Farmer Part 2

First and foremost, one of my gratitude’s for the day includes being healthy and able to sit on our deck looking out across miles of hilly land and the Flatirons getting ready to write my thoughts for this week. When asked about where I get my ideas I can honestly say they’re not always planned.  However, they are always from watching what’s going on around me personally, with those I love and care about, and topics I’m passionate about.  Ray, when you read these, you can get somewhat of an idea of “what’s going on in Nancy’s life and what she’s thinking about.”  (Thanks for that question/observation.)

The question I left you with last week was, “What lessons, from the farmers, can you take and apply to your own life?  What is the ‘soil’ that you are basing your life on?”  If you truly want to make a change in your life, if you truly want to move forward in a positive way, you will make time to examine your life. You will embrace this time of reflection versus a sigh and thinking it’s just one more thing to do, and you don’t have the time.

The exciting part of this examination is there IS much to celebrate despite how desperate and out of control some of you are feeling right now.  To make your learning have even more of an impact WRITE IT DOWN.  Successful farmers have records of what brand of seed was used, the mitigation tactics used, and what the final yield was for the year.  What you assume will be time consuming is in actuality a time saver.  Writing down your findings reveals patterns, it helps remember the little things, and many “ah ha” moments come when rereading.

In talking with my cousin, John, a few weeks ago, he made the comment that it would be nice if we could learn life’s lessons sooner than later.  That reminded me of a conversation I had had with my dad years ago where he was insistent I learn things about religion that he felt I needed to know now and not wait until I was older as he had done. My response, at the time, was that I would process things on my own time and in my own way.

The conversation with my cousin revolved around the analogy of farmers creating a nourishing soil, planting seeds, and timing. Think back and recall situations where a parent, a teacher, a coach, a friend tried to tell you something, and you rejected the idea.  Why? Was it something that didn’t fit in your personal needs, desires, and ambitions at that time?  Was the advice/suggestion coming from someone you respected, who had prior similar experiences, someone who walked their talk, was a mentor and coach to others, but you just weren’t ready to hear the message?  Or was the suggestion coming from someone you didn’t respect, they weren’t coming from a place of experience other than age or title?  What was the timing?  Were you young, vulnerable to all messages both positive and negative, and not in a position to apply much of anything to your small world? Maybe you weren’t in a position to question or defy anything especially if the words were coming from your parents.  Were you in your 20’s just learning about yourself and about life?  What road blocks have you encountered, what successes have you experienced.  As you can see, so many elements make up who you are and the “soil” where you are planting your seeds.

 

Some soils are void of any nutrients; some are too acidic or too basic and can’t bring the seed to full growth which may cause the difference in the harvest.  Without looking at the base or the soil, however, the farmer may assume it’s the seed type and plants something different creating a slight change.  Sometimes that may be true, and there may be a little more growth but not a lot.  Does the successful farmer then “settle” for the little bit?  Absolutely not!  They can look around and see abundance in the fields around them.  They are aware that they too could have abundance but something else needed to change. Successful farmers will NOT settle.  

What to do then?  The farmer is forced to look at the soil itself.  They will test, examine in detail, ask for advice/support, get other opinions about what to do from people who are skilled in a particular area, and they’ll read from what the experts are saying.  Their time and energy is focused and consumed with finding a solution to the problem. They will do whatever it takes to get answers. The goal is for abundance and a fruitful harvest. 

What about us as individuals?  Have you made excuses, pointed the finger, rationalized why a certain part of your life isn’t growing in a full, healthy, satisfying, and loving way? Like the farmer, it’s time to look at your “soil.”  What are the positive and negatives of how you were raised?  Did you have a nurturing environment?  Did you feel safe, loved, mentored, and guided in all areas of your life?  Did you feel supported by your parents for who you were as an individual?  Or were you raised in an environment of conditional love?  You experienced few, if any, of the positive characteristics previously listed.  You didn’t feel valued no matter how hard you tried no matter what you did. Even now, you are always looking for validation elsewhere yet never feeling that what you do is enough.  (Of course, there is also everything in between and some combinations of both.)  How often have you tried to move ahead in your life only to be met with a challenge, a “rainstorm/flood,” or even a feeling of depression and hopelessness?  Have you “changed fields” thinking that the next “field” was going to be better and that was the answer to your problems? After a period of time, however, you probably realize there are problems on that field too. Some of the problems are now different but yes, some of the same old problems continue to raise their ugly heads.

What’s the common denominator?  YOU.  Nothing is going to change in your life if you don’t focus on and address what nutrients you are putting into your “soil.”  At some point in your life, you either make the decision to do something different or nothing will ever change.  It’s deeper than just changing the type of seed you’re planting. At some point, you look around and see how others are happy in their relationships, you look around and people are moving forward in their jobs, you look around and see people who are financially setting themselves up for a positive future in retirement, you look around and see people who seem to have a “quiet” strength in who they are as an individual.  You’re feed up with watching your life go by, watching others have what you want to have knowing you deserve to have all the dreams and desires you want in your life. 

Is it now time for you to change your “soil?” so you can experience an abundant harvest in your life? The time may be now if you’re fed up with only pulling weeds instead of reaping the rewards of a bountiful harvest. 

Weeds are toxic, they hamper growth, they take over and choke out the good plants, they seem to be everywhere, and they can even grow during a drought or where nothing else can survive. My question to you then is who and what are the “weeds” in your life?  Who are the people in your life who only complain, gossip, put you down, have nothing positive to say about anyone or anything?  Who are the people who want you to fail so they can feel “superior,” or they may even try to “set you up” for failure?  Who are the people in your life who build themselves up by telling you all they know with the subtle, or not so subtle, message that you are inferior and couldn’t possibly know all they know? The know-it-all.  Who are the people in your life who still see you as a young teenager and not the educated, experienced young woman/man who has much to bring to the table?  Who are the people that have no clue how to listen?  They only know how to talk about themselves, their problems, and will interrupt others to tell a story about themselves.  I’m sure you can think of more examples, but these are a few to get you started.  Who or what are your “weeds?”

Next week we will look at a positive and supportive way for you to build up your “soil” so that you can plant seeds that will flourish.  Between now and next week, I challenge you to identify the type of “soil” you are working with and what weeds are a part of your life. Be as specific and detailed as possible.  Yes, some of those weeds may be a family member, even a spouse, or a boss.  That’s ok.  You’re not judging.  You are only gathering your own data in order to analyze what YOU need to do to move forward.

Here’s to a healthy mindset, and a daily dose of gratitude and abundance.

  

Life Lessons From Our Farmers

Good morning.  I hope you are having an awesome day filled with awareness and gratitude about all that is good in your life.  A belated Happy Father’s Day for those of you who are biological fathers, step dads, dads with adopted kids, and those of you who are a father figure for many people in your life. YOU are important!

I have been doing a lot of thinking about all the life lessons we can learn from our farmers. Think about it.  Farmers understand the importance of building and establishing a strong, fertile soil for their crops.  That soil is tilled, watered, weeds are not tolerated and are pulled, and there is a regular need to feed the soil with good nutrients.  Their success or failure is based on the attention and care they have given to the soil. This is a never ending process, year after year, not just a onetime event, and they must always be adapting to change.

After preparation of the soil, the next step is to plant the seeds. It looks easy enough, at least to the untrained eye.  First of all, which seeds will be planted on which field and at what time?  Corn grown in Iowa and Illinois, for example, is different than the corn grown in SW Kansas.  Crops need and grow their best in the environment that is the best for that crop, and each crop has its own gestation period.  There are some constants from one area to the next, but many adaptations and adjustments need to be made depending on the circumstances and the environment.  Crops are often times rotated from one field to another. After one crop has been harvested, it’s time to plant another crop.  (This is a beginning.)

I will stop here to give my disclaimer.  I am NOT a farmer.  I hear and observe from my daughter-in-law, Michelle, where the farm has been a part of her entire life, and also my son-in-law, Garet, who is an agronomist.  His job, for 10+ years, has been to support farmers to get the most out of their fields and have the highest quality and quantity product to sell. I don’t have all the details nor do I profess to understand some of what they do.  I may not have all the specifics correct, and I may incorrectly use some terms, however, I think I do at least understand the basics.  So, please bear with me as I feel there is a strong message we can take from the lives of our farmers.

Timing.  We all have observed farmers in the fields planting during the spring and harvesting in the fall.  Which part of the month they actually begin and end depends on many factors especially the weather and also where they’re located.  There is a different timing for different crops. Of course there is a difference between when the calendar says it’s time to plant and when planting actually occurs.  Sometimes everything’s right on schedule.  And then you have those times when the weather doesn’t cooperate and the planting is delayed.  Frustration, anxiety, stress, and a feeling of not being in control of something so vitally important to one’s livelihood are all a part of a farmer’s life.  Something else is in control, and it isn’t the farmer. But have you also noticed that despite the setbacks, a crop gets in the ground and a successful farmer will continue on?  Adjustments are made, and they move on.  Successful farmers don’t give up and quit when things get tough.  They go to Plan A, and sometimes to Plan B, C, and D.  They do whatever it takes to get the job done. They are focused on the outcome NOT the immediate challenge and/or set back. 

Once the fields are planted then it’s time to wait.  (Ah, now we’re in the middle.)  That doesn’t mean sitting back and doing nothing, however.  In the case of the Midwest with all the rain this year, Michelle’s farm, in Illinois, has had to plant FIVE times as the rain washed away the seed. Garet’s area, SW Kansas and Oklahoma, are coming out of a drought and their ground is “loving” all the moisture.  Now is the time to pay attention to the amount of water needed, now is the time to pay attention to the weeds that could choke out the crop, now is the time to pay attention to the areas of the field that may need to be reseeded, and now is the time to pay attention to the bugs and pests that may be affecting the growth of the plant. It’s an observation time and a time to be vigilant.

Obviously, then the last step of this process is the harvest.  The combines are out in the fields late at night gathering in the “fruits” of all the hard work.  Piles of hay are being stacked, grain is being stored in the bins, and products are being shipped. Nobody is “clocking out” after eight hours. There are no cutting corners just to get the job done.  They work until the job is done and done right.  Many communities have their Fall Harvest Festivals celebrating the abundance and the hard work of that season. Even with the harvest complete, the work isn’t yet done.  The fields need to be replenished with nutrients, straw is baled, and planning for the next season will begin soon.  It’s an evaluation time.  Did the type of seed used give the best yield?  Were there insects, weeds etc. that could have mitigated earlier or was the timing accurate?  What are the changes and improvements we want to make for next year’s crop?  (An ending to a season.)

For this week, I hope you can reflect on your “soil” as this is the basis of everything that follows.  We all come from different backgrounds, different life situations, different experiences, different memories of growing up etc.  Without any judgment, our experiences are just that – they are ours.  If the goal is to “Be the Best YOU, you can be,” then what have you been doing to create that “fertile soil” so your life can support many abundant harvests?  Pick out the good from your background that you want to duplicate not only in your life but in the lives of those around you whether it’s a spouse, a partner, children, grandchildren, friends etc.  Are you focusing on getting better and improving yourself on a regular basis? Are you reading books, magazines that contribute to learning, growing, and expanding your thinking?  Do you listen to inspiring CD’s, music, lectures, and motivational speakers?  Do you surround yourself with people you love, admire, trust, can laugh with, and you feel supported?  Do you surround yourself with people you can learn from, people who have experiences that you can learn from, people who are learning and growing themselves, and most of all people who walk their talk day in and day out in every area of their lives?  Are you putting good nutrients into your body (“soil”) so that you can have abundance in your life? What are you doing to contribute to a healthy basis for your life?

As with all successful farmers, they focus on the environment and the soil where they want to plant their seeds. It’s the basis for what they can do in the future, yet each year is new and different because of various factors. They must be flexible and adapt to new/different ideas, new/different situations, and they must be willing to do whatever it takes to get the best results.  Isn’t that the same for our lives?  Each year we’re older, we’ve had many new/different experiences, we’ve learned new/different things, some things didn’t work because of the timing, and other things now work because of the timing.

I will continue with this analogy next week.  For this week, I wish you time to read and re-read this blog.  What lessons from the farmers can you take and apply to your own life?  What is the “soil” that you are basing your life on? 

Here’s to a healthy mindset, and a daily dose of gratitude and abundance.        

More Beginnings - Middles - Ends

I’m curious as to whether or not you “took stock” on where you are in various parts of your life…beginning, middle, or end.  I decided I’m right in the middle in many areas.  The middle is where we actually spend most of our lives, but are we actually living in the moment or are we just enduring?  What were your discoveries?

This past week we put 2400 miles on the car between driving to our daughter’s, home for less than 24 hours, and then off to Ames, Iowa. Words that personify these past eight days are: family, memories, family, fun, memories, playing, family, and laughter.  Many beginnings and many endings.

Due to a T-ball schedule that had Bria, 5 ½, having three games her first week (there are only a total of 8 games), Jon and I decided we needed to go there versus the kids coming here while Elsa was in DC.  Forgetting the routine of you wonderful mothers who are used to packing the diaper bag, making sure all the drinks and snacks are also packed, getting dinner ahead of time, and making sure the uniform, glove, bat etc. are all in the car, I salute you.  Yes, I use to do that too but was definitely out of practice that first day.  I will say I managed to get better the second time around.  It’s all about mindset, right?  T ball is Bria’s first experience with a team sport.  Watching her excited to bat, running the bases, skipping back to the dugout when she had rounded the bases, and waving to us in the stands was priceless.  First experience was a good one!! Zane wanted to be a part of the scene in the dugout with all the other players so keeping him entertained and not frustrated was another challenge.  I couldn’t blame him though…big sister was having all the fun. His turn will come just not yet. This is Garet’s busiest season, but he did make it to her games…PRIORITIES!  We spent the four days playing outside, using the bubble gun which spews out a huge spray of bubbles at one time, playing in the sprinkler, going to the zoo, cuddle time before naps and at bed time, stories, getting their very first library cards, the kids helping make the breakfast eggs or making applesauce, Poppa finding money in their ears, playing hide ‘n seek, and also hide ‘n seek finding the stuffed animals…PRICELESS.  Then there were the calls for Nana at 2:00 am and Zane just needing to be rocked to go back to sleep, or Bria coming into our room because of a nightmare, needing to come up with fun things to think about instead and then sleeping with her until she feel back asleep…PRICELESS. 

Driving back to Boulder, Jon and I reflected on how we really weren’t tired and made another conscious commitment to our healthy eating and regular exercise.  We want a lot more of these times in our future and with all the grand kids.  My baking counter is lined with pictures of all the grand kids.  Each one makes me smile and reflect back to the time of the picture and the uniqueness of each of the kids.  Yes, I’m in the middle of being a grandparent, yet things are always changing, and it’s FUN!

The next part of our 2400 miles was to Ames, Iowa for a memorial celebration.  Uncle John, my dad’s older brother, was 89 and passed away in February.  My four cousins were coming to celebrate his life.  Along with my four siblings and four cousins, we were all getting together for the celebration.  It was an unbelievable time catching up, hearing how they’re doing with their loss, celebrating with many stories and reflections, and capturing moments to talk one-on-one.  My dad passed away 5 ½ years ago, so there was definitely some understanding of what they are going through.  The difference is we still have my mom and their mother died many years ago.  Their journey is to now figure out how they stay together without their dad orchestrating the events.  I hadn’t thought about that before.  It’s not only an end but now also a beginning. 

We had a special surprise being able to go through our grandparents’ home.  The people currently living there invited us all in for a tour.  WOW!  MEMORIES!  As we walked through, we each had separate experiences, however, so many common times as well.  There were obviously changes but that didn’t stop our reflections.  We all remembered the house being bigger than it was, we all found the CT letters on the chimney (my grandfather’s name was Clark Tilden), and remembered the last time in 1974 when we were all there to celebrate our grandparents’ 50^th wedding anniversary.  One of my special times with my grandmother was her letting me play in her flour bin.  Now I have my own flour bin in my kitchen.  And yes, there are times the grand kids play in my flour bin. The house triggered so many memories.  The thoughts, the feelings, the times shared. It triggered pictures in our minds, it triggered the love of family, and it triggered the experiences we all have carried with us so many years later. 

Throughout the rest of the summer, we have more beginnings and endings.  The end of this month we are moving everything out of Mom’s home in Florida as she has now sold the house she and Dad built 16 years ago.  She has her home in Wichita where she now resides; however, will no longer travel to Florida for a few months out of every year.  It’s time, she’s ready, and yet it’s also an ending.

Beginnings?  There are several.  Jason will move into the new facility being built for football at Missouri Baptist University.  The first building designated for coaches’ offices, meeting space, locker rooms and showers!  The first ever football field is now completed and will be used as their practice field for this fall and later will be their primary practice and game field.  They will also have their inaugural season in their conference this fall, as last year’s schedule was not with their conference. Another beginning - Bria starts kindergarten this fall. It’s not only a beginning for her but a beginning for her parents – the first child starting school.  These are all milestones and are firsts. The end of August, Jon turns 70 the beginning of a new decade.  Though he doesn’t look his age nor does he act like he’s 70, it will bring new experiences and understandings. 

Many of you experienced the ending of high school for your child with the new beginning of college this fall.  Children received a degree and are now ready to start their careers for the first time.  Several of you are new grandparents.  Several of you are watching your child move from elementary to middle school or middle school to high school, there have been weddings, new positions in the current job or a new job altogether.  I know many of you are also supporting a parent that is in a health care facility or have even lost a parent recently.  There are always new beginnings and new endings.  What I wish for you is to recognize these as part of our life’s journey yet, there is a lot of the time where we’re in the middle.  Memories are being created all the time whether it's the beginning the end, or the middle.

 I wish you a week of reflection. 

Beginning - Middle - End

“Everything we undertake in life has a beginning and an end.  Typically, we are excited at the beginning of an opportunity, a relationship, or a venture; we’re also happy when we can celebrate our achievement and have the satisfaction of a fulfilled desire.  However, between the beginning and the end, every situation has a middle – and the middle is where we most often face our greatest challenges. 

We must learn to develop the determination necessary to overcome the difficult circumstances we encounter in the middle.”  Are you someone who finishes what you begin?  Or are you someone who comes up with excuses, points fingers, or rationalizes why you are quitting?   

(March 9^th entry from The Power of Being Thankful.)

I hadn’t thought about this until I read the idea of beginnings, middles, and ends.  But, isn’t this true?  It doesn’t matter what the beginning is.  It could be beginning a new nutritional focus, an exercise routine, playing a sport, starting a new job, the beginning of another school year, etc. etc., we are “all in,” and excited about the new challenge.  Gym memberships are a great testimonial for people excited after the first of the year with a new desire to get in shape.  Check in with attendance records at the end of January and there’s at least a 25% drop-off.  We’re no longer as focused, as committed, as energized because now it’s hard work, now it’s getting boring, and we want the excitement and newness back.  Our tendency is to move on to something else and have that feeling again.  Our instant gratification mentality begins to raise its ugly head.  There’s the old saying, “The grass is greener on the other side.”  However, the other part of that saying is, “But the other side also needs mowing.”

Isn’t this life’s journey?  I contend that if we’re always challenging ourselves, learning something new, using our creativity to enhance a project or a relationship then how could we be bored or feel a lack of  energy?  The middle doesn’t have to be where we feel we get stuck.  It doesn’t have to be where we are looking around at all the things we wish were different.  The middle doesn’t have to be where we always find ourselves skipping to “the next best thing, the next best project, the next best relationship, or the next best job etc.”  It’s back to mindset once again.  Are we living in the present?  Are we enjoying the job we’ve had for 20 years or the spouse we’ve been married to for 20 years?  It’s so easy to get caught up in the instant gratification thinking, or comparing ourselves to others who we think have it better than we do. Unless we, individually, are willing to make changes in ourselves first, unless we’re willing to learn and grow with the times, and unless we’re willing to look inward then things won’t change no matter which side of the fence we’re on.

I would encourage you to take time this week to give yourself a report card on all the projects you’re involved with, where are you with your various relationships, with your job, with your finances?  What about your health and wellness?  Each area of our life has that beginning, middle, and end so where are you?  If you’re in the middle of something is it a time when you’re still learning and growing or are you finding yourself stagnant?  Recognizing that you’re in the middle, and you’re not moving forward take this opportunity to shake things up and either end something or change things up making it new again.

I look forward to your thoughts on this and your reflection on where you are in all areas of your life.

I am using this week’s blog to reflect on all the abundance and blessings I have had over the past few weeks.  The definition of reflection is “the careful thought about one’s own beliefs, behavior and actions.”  Since I last posted a blog, Jon and I have spent 6 days in Barbados for a friend’s destination wedding, we were home for two days, and then traveled to Grand Lake to a house we rented for four days with the kids and grandkids.  In all of that, we celebrated Memorial Day, Teagan’s 3^rd birthday, and Jason and Michelle’s 9^th anniversary. To say the least, there were many blessings with much abundance, daily gratitude, and also personal reflection time.

The beginning of May, I was making my “to do” list of all that needed to get done before we left for Barbados.  I found that I needed to remind myself of the messages I wrote in recent blogs.  One, I had to let go of some things, and I had to remember that this is just a period of time that made the daily routine much harder and sometimes impossible.  What that meant, for me, was I first had to let go of the fact I just couldn’t get my blogs written.  That was more difficult than I realized it would be.  I felt guilty and irresponsible.  OK, I did let go of that – finally.  Second, there was a span of about 2 weeks where we were not able to work out.  Once again, more difficult than I thought it would be.  It’s amazing how quickly my body protested when I did finally get back into our workouts.  I tried to rationalize some of this by telling myself that I was carrying around 30+ pound weights MANY times a day in the form of a one, two, three, and sometimes a 5 ½ year old, climbing stairs with these weights, rolling around on the floor, and running after a certain two year old escape artist and an “I want to do everything the big kids do” one year old.  You will NOT hear me complaining about that form of exercise as it was THE best!  Now I’m even more confident that Jon and I are regularly focusing on being healthy so that we can participate and enjoy this time with the grand kids at all ages. 

Barbados was an incredible time!  Two days of travel and four days on the island, which is smaller than Lake Tahoe, gave us a chance to totally relax, celebrate the wedding of special friends, and meet people from all around the world.   The white sandy beaches, incredible sunsets, warm 87 degree temperatures but with the ocean breeze making it very comfortable, and then witnessing Robyn and Gerald being married on 5-15-2015, we felt blessed.  The Bajan people were so friendly where ever we went, we met a women’s golf coach from Northern Florida and her husband who had been an athletic trainer, an incredible young couple from England who we’re now corresponding with by email, and another couple where he had grown hops as a farmer until his retirement.  The 20 of us there for the wedding made a stronger connection throughout our days between evening dinners, a Bajan cooking class, lounging on the beach, a fabulous time dancing which included a conga line led by the bride which several of the Bajan wait staff joined in too, and of course the wedding itself with the reception under a tent on the beach.  I found myself feeling so grateful for our “play account” that we set up years ago from the book, Secrets of the Millionaire Mind, which I’ve referred to in the past.  We were able to totally enjoy this vacation without worrying about paying for it when we got back. Yes, it does make a difference in the financial stress level category.  (By the way, the same was true for our time in Grand Lake and renting the house!)

After 87 degrees and clear blue skies, we came home to rain and cold with two days to get all the groceries for the Grand Lake trip.  Thanks to friends, we were able to borrow car seats and pack ‘n plays for the kids and with everyone pitching in to pack the cars, we were off to the mountains.  Unfortunately, Amanda and the kids were unable to come up as they had all been sick – next time!  The mountains were beautiful and the animals loved the rain!  So we were able to see moose and elk thanks to the eagle eyes of Michelle and Garet pointing out the animals long before these eyes could see anything.  Watching the excitement of the grand kids - PRICELESS!  Once again, it was being in the moment and taking it all in! We were thankful for the brief blue skies just in time for a couple beautiful hikes, smores by the fire, listening to the river close by, and a chance for everyone to spend time together.  PRICELESS! 

Though I didn’t post anything on Memorial Day about honoring our vets, it also made me reflect on not just the importance of the day, but the importance of continually honoring our service men and women past and present each and every day.  I did have to let go of not posting on Facebook or writing a blog and only saying my own prayers of gratitude.  Hmmm…having to do a lot of letting go lately.  In my self-reflection time, I was reminded that I am a planner, I work well with a schedule, I like to have things done ahead of time, and I don’t handle things very well if my “to do” list doesn’t get completed. But I also realized that I’m getting much better at prioritizing what’s truly important.

Consciously reminding myself  to be present is becoming much easier.  I don’t want to miss anything.  Watching Teagan and Nyelle giggling as they jumped to catch the bubbles from the bubble gun, watching Bria and Teagan eating together at the little table, watching two-year-old Zane call one-year-old Nyelle “baby” and try to tickle her are all special memories!  These past few weeks gave me the chance to remind myself that blessings and abundance are all around us.  Too often we don’t take the time in our busy schedules to just sit and have a time to reflect.  It would have been easy to get caught up in all the things to do for the Grand Lake trip and not enjoy Barbados.  It would have been easy to get caught up in the bad weather and wishing things were different, weather wise, in Grand Lake.  It takes a conscious effort for all of us, to put things in perspective.  What will we remember five, ten years from now?  It definitely won’t be the fact that I missed a couple weeks of my blogs.  I will remember all the weeks that I did write.  I will also remember the sandy beaches of Barbados and the look of excitement in my grandchildren’s eyes when they saw the moose. 

I wish you a week of taking time to reflect on all the blessings and abundance you have in your life!