“Before you put on a frown, make absolutely sure there are no smiles available.”

-Jim Beggs

Will you please be a trier along with me? Pretty please?

Thoughts are part of our lives. {Who knew?}

In an average day it is estimated that we have around 60,000 thoughts.

Have you ever wondered how many of these thoughts are happy thoughts?

It is known that happy people think more happy thoughts than unhappy people.

If we think happy thoughts... we create happy perceptions...

we create a beautiful aura of light around ourselves...

which leads us to happy events.

And so we create a exciting circle (where we become even happier).

Happy thoughts connect us with the light, confidence and courage to act...

to the power to believe.

To live our lives according to our hopes and dreams not somebody else´s.

Jealous, angry and fearful thoughts and feelings take us away from our own path...

our own purpose.

But a straight path doesn´t admit compromises.

This negative thoughts strip us of our power and ability to act effectively.

If we think fearful thoughts we become afraid and act defensively.

The route to a happier life is through changing this focus

from staring at your heart challenges and

tears to looking outward and becoming a blessing to another.

Which ALWAYS brings someone a smile and you too.

The Lord bless you and keep you.

The Lord make his face shine brightly upon you

and give you peace...and many happy thoughts too.

Image via: I heart this Words on thoughts: From one of my files.

I really don't know where this came from but read it and thought it good.

{What Peace Looks Like To Me}

I found this image in my phone from a couple of months ago.

No, I did not take my makeup off to go to sleep, so the eyeliner is a bit crazy...oh well.

We were trying that night to see who could stay awake the longest...I will say, she won {wink}.

I always lay my hair up on top of the pillow because it gets all

curly-wild at night and in my face when I wake.

My niece was having a night over and she looked to me when she woke, smiled and said...

"Kiki, you hair looks like one of those pencils

with the hair that you twirl and it gets all crazy!"

It did look like that! We giggled out-loud!

So, she did her hair the same and at 6:15AM we captured this picture with my phone.

She is delight and full of giggles, she speaks words of wisdom straight to one's soul as

if Yoda talking. I love that about her, she is wiser than her years. She has had to be.

She inspires to show the world to see that one should not take one-second for granted,

but breathe-in, breathe-out and enjoy so much this adventure called life.

She has taught me...

...how to give a hug and mean it genuine as a gift to warm another's soul.

...how to giggle {Literally, she had specific instructions to this, as in step # 1, 2, 3!}.

...how to whistle {I still can't whistle, but she says she can hear it...faintly. I smile!}.

She is such the consummate encourager.

She still teaches me to learn from life challenges and let hard things rest, or go

....and hold close to the heart moments perfect.

I realize I bring her peace and a solid place to just rest and find a gentle smile.

She is sunshine-amazing and imperfectly-perfect to me in every way.

She is not my daughter, but to this day she is my greatest blessing in this life.

And I love her.

I pray her life peaceful, beautiful, adventurous, protected and just amazing.

"The darkness hides the true size of fears and lies and regrets, Jesus explained.

The truth is they are more shadow than reality. So they seem bigger in the dark.

When the light shines into the place where they live inside you,

you start to see them for what they are."

-The Shack

One just has to have a bit of COURAGE to simply allow a bit

of light into those dark and real places of us

and gain this kind of amazing glow.

I mean seriously people, I desire to be a perfect woman. I just do. I still do.

But, have become real where light may have a chance to shine on it's own.

My motives changed in my heart and melted as I learned what selfless love is.

I desire to love selflessly with an open hand. I just do.

I tucked neatly in a work-in-progress box titled, no less {Darkness} that holds truth of

the human condition of me lay hidden. Gasp!

But, I had it tied neatly with red ribbons and a really pretty red bow!

I mean don't we all have one of those boxes tucked in the secret of our souls? Or is it just me?

So I set off on my merry way to be perfect and not human. To capture in me the perfect soul.

La, la, la... I am determined after all.

Ok , not so la la la...but more la la rrrrrrrrrrr, try hard and be perfect and graceful.

Who am I kidding? I mean seriously people!

I thought I could overcome all of me. Not be human kind of overcome.

Silly me, but determined {smile}.

What if we became at least willing to turn our face and allow

His shining this true light into all the dark areas to make our soul shine real.

To be used in the long run to help others shine too?

Just simply shine from the inside out.

Not because it is proven perfect, but a soul that glows His kind of real light because

He allows it to shine that becomes a gift to give selflessly.

I now see it possible.

So are you ready to smile and shine light?

Just simply shine. I hope you do too!

Sending you HAPPY in your soul and SHINE!

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God”

(Philippians 4:6, NASB)

I received this in email this morning and just thought it worth posting.

So many people today are living uptight, worried and anxious about the future, filled with frustration and concern. In the natural there may be good reason, but understand, living that way is not God’s best. God doesn’t want us to be filled with anxiety and frustration; He wants us to live in peace. You can find rest in Him knowing that no matter what is happening around you, God Almighty has His hand on you.

The next time you’re tempted to worry or be anxious about something, remember this verse. God invites us to come to Him. In fact, the Bible says He rewards those who diligently seek Him. But notice, we can’t just come to Him any old way. He wants us to come to Him with a heart of gratitude and thanksgiving. Begin by simply saying, “Father in heaven, thank You for the privilege to come before You. Thank You for hearing my prayers.” As you come to Him with an open and humble heart, He will hear you and fill you with His peace and joy to live free from anxiety all the days of your life!

A PRAYER FOR TODAY

Heavenly Father, today I choose to be anxious for nothing. I choose to set aside my worries and concerns. I thank You for Your faithfulness to meet every need in my life. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Make your moments worth living today and kiss the sky because it is good.

Image via: B. Devotional JVO