I perhaps owe having become a painter to flowers. ~Claude Monet

Somedays we just need friends and a few flowers...

28th November

Gails Butterfly Bookmark

I was at a teenager's concert recently helping to chaperone some of the young people there. During a break in the music, one of the young women running the concert very bravely spoke to the very young audience on her brush with suicide. It is a topic no one wants to know about, yet so many people of all ages, are faced with it and a growing number of teenagers in particular. The young woman went on to say that at the last minute, she thought of her family, and how irrevocably her families life would be changed by this one action.

Luckily she was able to call for help. How insightful she was to have realised what an impact her loss would have meant to those who loved her. How blessed her family is to still have her. How lucky those teenagers were to hear her story. The message touched a tender cord in my husband's heart and my heart. That part in our heart will always be touched when someone tells of their story.

Unfortunately for our family, this wasn't the case. On the 28th November 2000, our family lost a beautiful woman; a sister, a mother, a wife, and daughter to suicide. On that day our family changed forever. As Dr Phil says, "Suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem". If you are thinking of suicide, call someone now for help - you are so important to this world, and to your family - it just doesn't seem that way right now. Never give up. If you have lost someone to suicide, my heart goes out to you - I send you my love.

If you would like a copy of the bookmark, right click on the picture then click on save as.

What a day.

What a day...
The sun is glistening on the water,
the ducks are pecking at the grass,
the dogs are relaxing in the sun,
the flowers are blooming.
A dolphin just swam lazily up the river
that runs past the front of our house.

Here's a flower from my garden...
enjoy.

Unique Bubbles

As I was talking to my friend Wendy yesterday, I started to draw bubbles - doodling as I talked. We had been discussing ways to make money using the skills she already had. I encouraged Wendy to draw her own bubbles and to write one of the skills she has in each. It started to become clear how unique Wendy's talents were. Then it came home to me that each of us has these unique combination of talents that no one else has. That probably seems as if it goes without saying, but have you ever sat down and actually broken down your skills. If you were to work out your own unique combination you might be surprised at just how many skills you possess, I know Wendy and I were.

Draw a bubble on a page now. Think of one of your skills, and write it in the bubble. Now draw another bubble and write one more of your skills in it. If organisation is one of your skills, as is Wendy's - what makes up the combination that is organisation - break organisation down into parts again. You may use a filing system, or you may organise your home well. How? Think of each skill that you normally perform, break it down and then write it in one of your bubbles. Try putting in some of the qualitites you possess that you show to the world too... like love, fun, patience, faith, kindness.

Bubbles of Uniqueness - there has never been nor will there ever be another person who is unique as you in this world, and there never will be again.

If you would like to have a session to discuss what your special skills are and different ways to share them with the world book a session at Frangipani House...
http://www.frangipanihouse.com.au/counselling.html

Prayer of Protection

An angel in the post office

I received this in an email. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.



This is one of the kindest things I've ever experienced. I have no way to know who sent it, but there is a kind soul working in the dead letter office of the US postal service.

Our 14 year old dog, Abbey, died last month. The day after she died, my 4 year old daughter Meredith was crying and talking about how much she missed Abbey. She asked if we could write a letter to God so that when Abbey got to heaven, God would recognize her. I told her that I thought we could so she dictated these words:

Dear God,
Will you please take care of my dog? She died yesterday and is with you in heaven. I miss her very much. I am happy that you let me have her as my dog even though she got sick. I hope you will play with her. She likes to play with balls and to swim. I am sending a picture of her so when you see her you will know that she is my dog. I really miss her.
Love, Meredith.

We put the letter in an envelope with a picture of Abbey and Meredith and addressed it to God/Heaven. We put our return address on it. Then Meredith pasted several stamps on the front of the envelope because she said it would take lots of stamps to get the letter all the way to heaven. That afternoon she dropped it into the letter box at the post office.A few days later, she asked if God had gotten the letter yet. I told her that I thought He had.

Yesterday, there was a package wrapped in gold paper on our front porch addressed,"To Meredith" in an unfamiliar hand. Meredith opened it. Inside was a book by Mr. Rogers called,"When a Pet Dies." Taped to the inside front cover was the letter we had written to God in its opened envelope. On the opposite page was the picture of Abbey & Meredith and this note:

Dear Meredith,
Abbey arrived safely in heaven. Having the picture was a big help. I recognized Abbey right away.Abbey isn't sick anymore. Her spirit is here with me just like it stays in your heart. Abbey loved being your dog. Since we don't need our bodies in heaven, I don't have any pockets to keep your picture in, so I am sending it back to you in this little book for you to keep and have something to remember Abbey by.

Thank you for the beautiful letter and thank your mother for helping you write it and sending it to me. What a wonderful mother you have. I picked her especially for you. I send my blessings every day and remember that I love you very much.

By the way, I am wherever there is love.
Love, God