Will you be the sunshine today or a cloud?

The great Thanksgiving holiday is in the rear view mirror.

And the grind of returning to work is upon us.

Did you spend more money than you should have?

Anrticipation of an upcoming event is usually greater than the event itself.

Whatever.

So, Monday is here.

Let me repeat.

Will you be the sunshine or a cloud?

Sometimes you have to fake it.

(This is one of those times!)

(Confucius)

This is a difficult issue for all of us!

Of course, the pain we feel depends on the closeness of the relationship.

One thing we can never take back are the words we speak.

As a child I remember, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me!”

That’s a nice little rhyme, but not always true!

Words are powerful.

They can HURT or HEAL.

Be careful. The words you use will determine the course of your life!

(Mark Twain)

Mark Twain reminds us that we should strive to to be proud of ourselves.

Even if we are going through a tough time, we can improve our situation.

It may take time to turn things around.

The best way to begin that process is to have a DAILY victory.

Identify something you will accomplish, even if it’s minor, that results in progress.

The accumulation of DAILY victories will turn things in your favor.

If not today, when?

It’s true.

How often do you turn to God just to give thanks?

I think the honest answer is seldom.

I guess that’s just human nature to take the good times for granted.

So, we have created a holiday called Thanksgiving.

That’s nice but not nearly enough.

In order to put your relationship with God in proper balance, why not offer prayers of thanks?

52,000 flights carrying well wishers to a distant Thanksgiving celebration yesterday!

WHAT’S ALL THE FUSS?

Shame on us!

If you live in America, EVERY DAY is Thanksgiving!

America is the noble experiment!

Can people of different ethnicities, customs, languages, religions come together and build a mighty nation?

HELL YES!!!!

Always be THANKFUL every day!

One of the best pieces of advice I ever learned regarding child raising was, “No always means no.”

If you begin at about 18 months to two years, it sticks.

When you tell a child “no,” you cannot change your mind and so you must use it sparingly.

It may begin with something simple like telling him not to touch something hot. Simply say “no” and move him away from the danger.

You must be consistent and it takes energy and determination on the parent’s side.

During the grade school years, it may be a “no” to an activity, an online game or even a friend.

Always explain the why of the no and suggest a substitute.

By the time high school comes around, your child will have grown up with the fact that when mom or dad say “no” they mean it and there is no use contesting.

Use the word wisely. Sometimes you have to pretend not to see or to know an objectionable activity or friend so that your child learns to make good judgements on their own.

Growning up making good decisions with confidence is a very important gift you give your child and it takes a lifetime of work but your gift in return is a responsible young adult you can be proud of.

We don’t have children that young anymore.

And we don’t have grandchildren that young anymore.

But, we do have great grandchildren that young.

These are the GRATITUDE YEARS of our lives.

We are all familiar with the saying, “Count Your Blessings!”

Well, have you counted your blessings?

When you are done counting, you will be very GRATEFUL!

If not today, when?

(Thoreau)

Before you get out your bow and arrow, is the target realistic?

And as today’s title says, you must be willing and able to put out the necessary effort.

Do you dream of something you want or want to become?

Remember, this life is not a rehearsal.

Are you on the right track?

You only have a limited number of arrows. Use them wisely!

If not today, when!

ROOTS

This is the most crucial period for parents.

This is because you want your children to be able to fly as an adult.

During the very young stage, your children must know they are loved.

If they are convinced that they are loved, they will be more receptive to your teachings.

What system of values should they be taught?

Don’t be a hypocrite. You must practice what you preach!

You must also build their self-confidence so they can avoid bad influences.

WINGS

When your children go out into the world, they must know you have their back!

You must be available to them as they face new challenges.

You’ve got to be a good listener.

If you don’t have time for them and their problems, you will lose the rapport you once had!