Open UP!

There has been a most wonderous and interesting theme I must accept about my past few years. It is the motto I've seen in front of my old church, the Methodist Church; "Open minds, Open hearts and Open doors". When I first saw that they had adopted that moto, I scoffed. But today, I am not writing in criticism, I am writing in inspiration. This is the motto of a lifetime!
It is the theme of my journey in recent years. I needed my mind opened. It opened my heart. It has opened my door.
Every human being shares this - change is hard! Changing our mindset is difficult. I don't care if you are rich or poor, conservative or liberal, gay or straight, white or black, Christian or Bhuddist - change is hard. We are a product of our experiences. We latch onto what we believe to be true because.... because.... because.... While the world is full of shades of gray, it is much easier to look for black and white.. right and wrong... no in between.
The world is not one way or the other...it is somewhere in the middle. Open your mind and it will open your heart and THAT opens doors. The doors that open are full of JOY. Cross over to that place. Open up - enjoy - let freedom in.

The garden of the Thankful

Each day stop a moment and count 10 people or things you are thankful to have in your life. If you mostly count material things, try again.

With every passing day I grow more convinced that true joy - joyful people - are most grateful for relationships. They treasure them - nurture them - seek them out - welcome them. Joyful people tend relationships in the same way gardeners tend their gardens. They prune, they fertilize, they water and they weed. And they celebrate every bud, every stage of growth with cultivation as rewarding as the anticipated harvest.

They expect the best but know it doesn't just drop from the sky. Relationships can be tender things. They need care. And the greater the care, the greater the joy.

If you are grateful for things, let them be things that build relationships. Count them and be thankful every day!