Less Is More

Well I don't know about you, but after this year, with it's ups and downs, I thought that I may want to contemplate what I want to do for myself in the New Year. Then this morning I received Cheryl Richardson's newsletter addressing just that. The newsletter is always a wonderful one to read, and I wanted to share a snippet with you today... you can go online and register for the full copy at Cheryl Richardson.com

1. Less is so much more. The less I do things like spend money, over work, eat, fret, try to change the unchangeable, or take care of others who need to learn to take care of themselves, the better I feel. Life Lesson: When in doubt, do less.

2. Add the right kind of "more" to life. The more I laugh, connect deeply with others, get inspired, fill my mind with good thoughts, move my body, or balance work with rest, the more my life reflects my values and the happier I feel. Life Lesson: Know your "right kind of more" and add some of it to your life every day.

Healing Thoughts

I received this email from Daily Word today... if you enjoy it, you may like to sign up for their daily inspirations too Daily Word Click Here so many days I have opened their email to find exactly what I needed for inspiration, to uplift or to pass on to others....


Healing Energy
I am at peace in the healing energy of God.
I give myself the gift of peace today to restore my body, mind and spirit to perfect health and wholeness. I begin by taking a slow, deep breath; then another. I commune with God and release all that would call my attention elsewhere. God is the very life that is within me, the healing energy that flows throughout my being.
Quietly, in the silence, I am one with wholeness, with love, with pure life. I am centered and content, open to the constant stream of life energy that heals and restores me. Peace is never more than a few centering breaths away. With my mind at peace, I experience the healing energy of God.
Peace, peace, to the far and the near, says the Lord; and I will heal them.--Isaiah 57:19

How to celebrate Christmas

We received this in an email... don't know the author, but some of the sentiments are lovely...


How to celebrate Christ's Birthday - From Christ


Dear children,

It has come to my attention that many of you are upset that
folks are taking My name out of the season. Maybe you've
forgotten that I wasn't actually born during this time of the
year and that it was some of your predecessors who decided to
celebrate My birthday on what was actually a time of pagan
festival. Although I do appreciate being remembered anytime.

How I personally feel about this celebration can probably be
most easily understood by those of you who have been blessed
with children of your own. I don't care what you call the day.
If you want to celebrate My birth just, GET ALONG AND LOVE ONE
ANOTHER. Now, having said that let Me go on.

If it bothers you that the town in which you live doesn't allow
a scene depicting My birth, then just get rid of a couple of
Santa's and snowmen and put in a small Nativity scene on your
own front lawn. If all My followers did that there wouldn't be
any need for such a scene on the town square because there would
be many of them all around town.
Stop worrying about the fact that people are calling the tree a
holiday tree, instead of a Christmas tree. It was I who made all
trees. You can and may remember Me anytime you see any tree.
Decorate a grape vine if you wish: I actually spoke of that one
in a teaching explaining who I am in relation to you & what each
of our tasks were. If you have forgotten that one, look up John
15: 1 - 8.

If you want to give Me a present in remembrance of My birth here
is my wish list. Choose something from it:

1. Instead of writing protest letters objecting to the way My
birthday is being celebrated, write letters of love and hope to
soldiers away from home. They are terribly afraid and lonely
this time of year. I know, they tell Me all the time.

2. Visit someone in a nursing home. You don't have to know them
personally. They just need to know that someone cares about
them.

3. Instead of writing the President complaining about the
wording on the cards his staff sent out this year, why don't you
write and tell him that you'll be praying for him and his family.
Then follow up. It will be nice hearing from you again.

4. Instead of giving your children a lot of gifts you can't
afford and they don't need, spend time with them. Tell them the
story of My birth, and why I came to live with you down here.
Hold them in your arms and remind them that I love them.

5. Pick someone who has hurt you in the past and forgive him or
her.

6. Did you know that someone in your town will attempt to take
their own life this season because they feel so alone and
hopeless? Since you don't know who that person is, try giving
everyone you meet a warm smile it could make the difference.
Also, you might consider supporting the local Hot-Line: they
talk with people like that every day.

7. Instead of nit picking about what the retailer in your town
calls The holiday, be patient with the people who work there.
Give them a warm smile and a kind word. Even if they aren't
allowed to wish you a "Merry Christmas" that doesn't keep you
from wishing them one. Then stop shopping there on the Sabbath.
If the store didn't make so much money on that day they'd close
and let their employees spend the day at home with their
families.

8. If you really want to make a difference, support a
missionary, especially one who takes My love & Good News to
those who have never heard My name. You may already know someone
like that.

9. Here's a good one. There are individuals & whole families in
your Town who not only will have no "Christmas" tree, but
neither will they have any presents to give or receive. If you
don't know them (and I suspect you don't) buy some food & a few
gifts & give them to the Marines, the Salvation Army or some
other charity which believes in Me & they will Make the delivery
for you.

10. Finally if you want to make a statement about your belief in
and loyalty to Me, then behave like a Christian. Don't do things
in secret that you wouldn't do in My presence. Let people know
by your actions that you are one of mine.

P.S ~ Don't forget; I am God and can take care of Myself. Just
love Me & do what I have told you to do. I'll take care of all
the rest. Check out the list above & get to work; time is short.
I'll help you, but the ball is now in your court. And do have a
most blessed Christmas with all those whom you love and
remember...I LOVE YOU.

A Hawaiian Christmas wish to You

We want to wish you and yours every happiness...

Do Re Me

Flash Mob... 200 dancers at Central Station in Belgium, perform to The Sound of Music. I love the way dancers simply turn up, dance then leave.
The Sound of Music in Belgium

Pilot Light Foundation Micro Finance

We received this email today, if you are passionate about micro finance and would like to help out read on...

I am pleased to announce that the Pilot Light Foundation, in partnership with the Sudan Self Help Foundation, is supporting a Micro-Credit Project in Juba, Southern Sudan. I hope you will take a moment to visit the website (link is below) to learn about this exciting new project and will also consider making a donation. Micro-credit loans empower people to improve the quality of their own lives and to sustain that quality of life without further aid. Over 2,000,000 refugees from Darfur are currently living in Southern Sudan in extreme poverty conditions.

Thank you , in advance, for your time!Pilot Light Foundation click here

Four Things To Learn

Four Things to Learn

I have four things to learn in life:
to think clearly without hurry or confusion;
to love everybody sincerely;
to act in everything with the highest motives;
to trust in God unhesitatingly.
Albert Schweitzer

Lucky Albert, I think I have a lot more than four things to learn, what about you?

Do You Have a Secret Place?

From Val's Art Diary.com

In case you are chased by a bear

Drop Bear at Frangipani House

Bear Warning
=============

Due to the frequency of human-bear encounters, the Fish and Wildlife Department is advising hikers, hunters, fishermen, and any persons that use the out of doors in a recreational or work related function to take extra precautions while in the field.

We advise the outdoorsman to wear little noisy bells on clothing so as to give advanced warning to any bears that might be close by so you don't take them by surprise.

We also advise anyone using the out of doors to carry "Pepper Spray" with them in case of an encounter with a bear, also spray yourself with human urine prior to leaving, to put them off.

Outdoorsmen should also be on the watch for fresh bear activity, and be able to tell the difference between black bear faeces, grizzly bear faeces and drop bear faeces.

Drop bear faeces have small seeds in it, hair, brains, and it smells like eucalyptus.

Black bear faeces are smaller and contains berries and squirrel fur. Grizzly bear faeces have bells in it and smell like pepper.



Additionally, if you find yourself being pursued by a bear, you must be able to identify the bear to determine how much danger you are in.

To do this, we suggest you climb a tree. If the bear chases you
up the tree, it's a black bear.

If the bear knocks the tree down, it's a grizzly bear.

If the bear drops down on you from the tree, it's a drop bear.
It will eat your brains, slowly.

11.11.

Lest We Forget...
In Remembrance of my 2 great Uncles, who rest in peace in France.

Argentine Tango on a rock...

Our dance teacher in Port Macquarie is always telling us that you should be able to dance in a very small space... We were delighted to receive an email from Moti Buchboot and Gabrielle Stein showing a video on utube, doing just that...

Dance Argentine Tango to improve mental health

Tango is one of our passions in life. It has come to the attention of mental health professionals all over the world, and is now being used to help in the treatment of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease, as well as to assist in Couples Counselling.

The following excerpt from an article by Luis Andres Henao was recently published on Reuters ...

BUENOS AIRES, Aug 31 (Reuters Life!) - On the fourth floor of Buenos Aires' largest psychiatric hospital, patients dance the tango with doctors and nurses.

A few months ago some were too shy to talk and others could barely keep their balance when they walked. Today, they embrace their partners cheek-to-cheek, gliding and pausing across the floor to the mournful chords of a traditional accordion.

Doctors as far afield as Italy and Australia are using Argentina's world famous tango to treat problems ranging from Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease to phobias and marital breakdowns.

"Treatment is not just about therapy and drugs, it's about giving them a nice time to enjoy themselves," said Trinidad Cocha, a psychologist who teaches a weekly tango therapy class at the Borda Hospital in Buenos Aires.

"They relax and all the labels disappear. We're not doctors, nurses, musicians or patients. We're just tango dancers," she said as couples danced across the hospital's makeshift dancehall.


TIGHT EMBRACE

Researchers at the University of Washington School of Medicine found the when patients with Parkinson's took tango lessons their balance improved.

Its intricate steps helped to improve the memory of Alzheimer's patients in Britain. In Italy the trust needed for the tango's tight embrace and its backward walk are used in couple's counseling.

"With tango, you have the advantage of having many different styles of dancing to fit each specific patient," said Martin Sotelano, chairman of the Wales-based International Association of Tango Therapy.

"You focus on the embrace and the communication for couples counseling; the eight basic steps of tango for Alzheimer's; and the tango walk, that requires so much grace and rigidity, can help a patient with Parkinson's."

Read the full article here... Reuters ...

Argentine Tango in Port Macquarie

Baby Pelicans

As we sat watching some pelican's in the river at Port Macquarie last night, my mum asked, "Why don't you ever see baby pelicans? You see ducks with their babies, and all sorts of animals with their babies, but I've never seen a baby pelican."

Well that made us all stop and think, I know-I know the cogs are a bit rusty - and none of us had ever seen a baby pelican either, so of course this morning I Googled the answer, which I found at Sea Bird Rescue

Photography fun site...

Just stumbled across a really interesting website on photography...

I've been playing there for ages, click on one of the photos... then click outside the photo to move around the page...

Matthew Mahon

Argentine Tango Link

"It takes an athlete to dance, but an artist to be a dancer"

Here's a lovely Argentine Tango link of Natacha Poberaj & Jesús Velazquez on UTube that a friend just emailed us... click here

maybe if I keep practising...

Contemporary Frangipani

Did you know that if you take a picture of a frangipani such as the one below... then open accessories, then open paint, then open your picture, then save it as a 16 color bitmap, that you end up with a frangipani that looks like this one above?



That's what I learned when learning about favicons... the things that you come across while learning through Google!

Looking in a new way...

Today I have a challenge for you, I want you to focus on good things that are happening all around you, and write them down. Little things such as... my husband made me a cup of tea and brought it into bed for me. Or... the rain makes these little drops on the bamboo in the pot in my garden, and if I look closely, then I can see our house reflected in the water.

What water dragon?

What water dragon?

Yesterday I started a photography course. Gee it was fun, yesterday's class started on the fundamentals of looking after your camera, and information on apertures and lenses and tripods. But then at the end of the class we went walking in the bush, and started to get down to the good stuff... taking pictures.

"Here you are, take one of the water dragon" Russell said... 'what water dragon?" I thought, as much as I looked I couldn't see it. In the end I had to ask him to point it out to me. And sure enough there it was at the end of an old log. It made me realise that our photography class is going to be so much more than learning about photography, in addition to all the new technical info, I can already see that it's about learning to look in a new way.



Russell's Garden Above... forget the stair master walk up and down here a few times a day!

Creating Your Life

After working in Welfare for a while, it really came home to me how we can either stay stuck in a situation or decide to make a change and go for what we want in life. Watching other people stuck in certain areas, made me question, what areas in my life I needed to move in. It was quite a gift working in Welfare, as it has totally changed my outlook on life. It made me realise that all of us... no matter how bad a situation may look, can dig deep into our inner well of creativity and better our lives.

One way to start is to start searching the internet for newsletters and articles on how to live your life effectively. I regularly receive an email newsletter from the Pacific Institute, and this morning's newsletter is a fantastic one, you may wish to add their newsletter to your list... www.The Pacific Institute.com


Winner's Circle Network with Lou Tice - 11/3/09 - "Creating Your Own Reality"



Do you believe that you create your own reality? Or do you believe that reality is something "out there" over which you have no control?



As adults, we generate our experiences in life. While we can't control everything that happens to us, we can control how we respond. We can take responsibility for the results we experience in life. And when we do this, we grow enormously.



Television newsperson Dan Rather once said that John Kennedy became a true leader when he stood before the American people and said that the Bay of Pigs was an atrocity that never should have happened, and then took full responsibility for it. He was transformed from a promising young politician into a great leader.



The same is true for you and me. If we take responsibility for our lives - our reality - then we are in power. If we avoid it, then we have lost that power.



Who is responsible for the quality of your life? If you say someone else, you are trapped unless, or until, circumstances change. If you say, "I am," you give yourself the power to change things, if you choose to do so.



You see, the power to change resides where it has always resided - inside you. Take charge of your life, and you give yourself direction and purpose that has probably been missing. Will you be taking risks? Yes, you will, and you will probably make some mistakes. But show me a person who has never made a mistake, and I'll show you someone who hasn't lived.



Life is yours to be lived. Live it fully!



Lou Tice

The Pacific Institute

The Pacific Institute

Found Art - Trees with Clothes

On a recent trip to Sydney my husband and I were delighted to find that Kings Cross had been wrapped in knitting... well some of the park anyway. It was so fantastic to see many trees with brightly coloured knitting around them. Even the Police station had knitting on the rails and police colours specifically designed for the trees outside.



What I loved about this found art project, was the delight on peoples faces as they walked into the park for the first time. The artwork truly lifted the spirit of the whole area. Another thing I noticed was that even though it was a really cold day, the park bench that had a knitted cover, was left empty.


Here's a bit of the background of the project from UTube...


For more on this public art project go to: iheartkx.wordpress.com

Mosaic Latte

I love mosaics, and one day I'll get around to doing some more, in the meantime, I satisfy my inner mosaic artist by looking at other peoples talents... I found a great blog that has some fantastic mosaics pictured, the cafe latte mosaic was one that I drooled over...

Kim Grant Mosaics - click here

Dance Me To The End of Love

Have you ever seen Leonard Cohen singing Dance me to the end of love?
If not... click on the link below...

http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid16406059001?bclid=1811167215&bctid=5240880001

Reiki Principles with Waterlily Photo

Just for today... starts the Reiki Creed -
Just for today, don't worry,

Seems so easy doesn't it? To decide that just for today I will be a certain way.

I will let go of certain ways of being, and try a new way...

Perhaps the Reiki Creed instead of Don't worry, should read, Trust life...

What do you think? Are you a worrier or do you trust life?

Reiki Link - click here

Samoa

Our thoughts and prayers are with the lovely people of Samoa as they journey through this time of crisis.

We have been to Samoa a few times now, the people are so beautiful and so friendly and welcoming. A few years back our plane struggled to land in Samoa, the pilots had the choice between attempting a landing in the sea or crashing into the mountain at the back of the runway. So upon hearing this, the Samoan people went to church to pray for our plane to land safely. Which after many long hours of trying to get a wheel to lock down, we did. I think largely due to their prayers, for as soon as we landed the wheel collapsed and the plane blocked the runway for over a week.

Now it's our turn to pray for them. Know that we are thinking of you all.

Eight Gifts

Eight Gifts

Below are eight gifts that don't cost a cent to give.

1) THE GIFT OF LISTENING...
But you must REALLY listen. No interrupting, no daydreaming, no planning your response. Just listening.

2) THE GIFT OF AFFECTION...
Be generous with appropriate hugs, kisses, pats on the back and handholds. Let these small actions demonstrate the love you have for family and friends.

3) THE GIFT OF LAUGHTER...
Funny pictures. Share articles, funny stories and funny greetings. Your gift will say, "I love to laugh with you."

4) THE GIFT OF A WRITTEN NOTE...
It can be a simple "Thanks for the help" note or a full sonnet. A brief, handwritten note may be remembered for a lifetime, and may even change a life.

5) THE GIFT OF A COMPLIMENT...
A simple and sincere, "You look great in red," "You did a super job" or "That was a wonderful meal" can make someone's day.

6) THE GIFT OF A FAVOR...
Every day, go out of your way to do something kind.
Helping elderly cross the road can be nice.

7) THE GIFT OF SOLITUDE...
There are times when we want nothing better than to be left alone. Be sensitive to those times and give the gift of solitude to others.

8) THE GIFT OF A CHEERFUL DISPOSITION...
The easiest way to feel good is to extend a kind word to someone, really it's not that hard to say, Hello or Thank You.


~Author Unknown~

www.frangipanihouse.com.au

Mothers Day

I'm glad you visited here today...
These flowers are for you.


"Sing out loud in the car even, or especially, if it embarrasses your children". ~Marilyn Penland

Life Is Good

Have you ever noticed that every so often, life seems to give you a little message? Whether it's a signboard you may happen to read while driving that relates to something in your life, or a song on the radio that is an answer to a question you have rolling around in your head... or someone may say something you overhear... well this week, my little message came while I was worrying about someone I love and care about. As I was busily worrying, I looked up and read on an old cardboard TV carton, "Life Is Good". It was like a little message from the universe to remind me that I wasn't helping my loved one by worrying. It stopped my worrying in it's tracks and in it's place I thought of how blessed they really are. Life is indeed Good. It all depends on how you look at it.

Once Upon a Time

Once upon a time... think back to the things that you have been told about yourself... Chances are that people have said good things to you about yourself as well as bad things. The problem is when others tell us things about us we can fall into the trap of believing them.

It's like they have planted a seed in us, that we then take on, water well and it grows into a self fullfilling prophecy. Think back to the things that you have been told that were good about yourself? What about that thing you were told, that wasn't? What have you watered? What have you seen come to fruition?

Today start taking charge of what thoughts you decide to give time to. Take charge of the words you tell others. Sometimes it can be helpful to plant some seeds and then water them... over the time as you watch your seeds germinate and grow, think of the thoughts you are germinating, as you water your seeds and watch them grow bigger and bigger, think of the thoughts you are giving time to, and watch them grow and grow.

So what seeds did you decide to plant in your garden? Are you wanting sweet peas, but instead are seeing weeds? Thoughts can be chosen, just as we choose our seeds for our garden. So if you want sweet peas to show up... don't plant weed seeds.

Lest We Forget

Memories

of a grandfather that I never knew

each Anzac day they come...

I cry for you as I watch the services

for the grandfather I never knew

you died for us

injured

fatally

in a land far away.

New Guinea

Was were you were shot

In my soldier father's arms

you died

on his birthday.

The pain lingered down the years

and is still here today.

I wish I had met you...

maybe one day.

Lest we forget.

In memory of my Grandfather Oswald Barlin

Seize The Silliness

Watching Boston Legal yesterday, I heard James Spader's character say; "seize the silliness"... what a great idea, lets 'seize it'. How will we seize the silliness? Maybe by being less uptight at present... maybe play with ideas... dream more.... play... blow bubbles... tell silly jokes... dress up... buy a gnome and put it in someone's garden... paint pictures on your garbage bin... put flowers in your pool...

Did you know that once upon a time silly meant blessed? Yes in the 11th century the word silly meant blessed. So seize the silliness... who knows you may feel the blessing... heaven knows it doesn't help our psyches focussing on all the worry, doom and gloom on our TV's these days.

By the way, Heaven is for sale and it is in Ingleside and costs 8.5 million... just in case you are interested.

Happy Easter

Thoughts for Easter...
Don't put all your eggs in one basket.
Everyone needs a friend who is all ears.
There's no such thing as too much candy.
All work and no play can make you a basket case.
A cute tail attracts a lot of attention.
Everyone is entitled to a bad hare day.
Let happy thoughts multiply like rabbits.
Some body parts should be floppy.
Keep your paws off of other people's jelly beans.
Good things come in small, sugar coated packages.
The grass is always greener in someone else's basket.
To show your true colors, you have to come out of the shell.
The best things in life are still sweet and gooey.
May the joy of the season fill your heart.

Happy Easter!

The Emoto Peace Project

Some time ago watching 'What the Bleep' I saw some fascinating images of frozen water crystals that had been 'programmed' with words and then photographed. I've recently found the water crystal creator's website... Masaru-Emoto.net and then was delighted to find a project Masaru has created for children to help with world peace.

There is an easy to read book for children (really for all of us) at... Emoto Project.org See what happens when you think lovely things compared to negative things... See what happens to water when a photo of a dolphin is placed on it, or when prayers are said over it.

When you consider how much water we are all made up of, you may want to stop and consider your next thought after you see Masaru's work.

People come into your life for a reason...

I received the following in an email this morning...

People come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime.
When you know which one it is, you will know what to do for that person..
When someone is in your life for a REASON, it is usually to meet a need you have expressed.
They have come to assist you through a difficulty, to provide you with guidance and support,
To aid you physically, emotionally or spiritually.
They may seem like a godsend and they are.
They are there for the reason you need them to be.
Then, without any wrongdoing on your part or at an inconvenient time,
This person will say or do something to bring the relationship to an end.
Sometimes they die. Sometimes they walk away.
Sometimes they act up and force you to take a stand.
What we must realize is that our need has been met, our desire fulfilled, their work is done.
The prayer you sent up has been answered and now it is time to move on.

www.frangipanihouse.com.au

Can we do it? Yes we can!!

What a great day to be witnessing today... a new President and such hope for the future. What a speaker and how inspiring. Listening to the broadcast this morning I was reminded of how we all need to work together to make a difference. It's not the leaders responsibility alone but together we can make a great world, one step at a time.

Sailing into The New Year

How's your new year coming along? Does it seem like forever since the New Year came in? Did you make any resolutions? I decided I'd walk every day... so far that resolution is not going so well... and to experience sailing... which I have done so once so far... we are even contemplating buying a yacht and my goodness there are so many choices out there, that we are getting quite confused. We thought of a catamaran, the mono hull people tell us not to. The catamaran people tell us 'go for it'. Have you noticed that there are so many choices these days in every area you look - goodness just check out the choices in the milk section of the supermarket... no wonder it takes so long to shop these days. Whatever the choices you make this year, we hope they are great ones for you and yours.