Positive Kismet | Motivational And Inspirational Posts - The power of positive attitude

Change: Growing Up & Flying The Coop

noreply@blogger.com (eof777) — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 03:59:00 +0000

“The day the child realizes that all adults are imperfect, he becomes an adolescent; the day he forgives them, he becomes an adult; the day he forgives himself, he becomes wise.” Alden Nowlan

Change: Growing Up & Flying The Coop

Soon, by the end of the summer, my babies will pack their bags and head for college; entering a new phase of their lives. It seems like only last week when they were little tykes in diapers, maneuvering their way around our home, learning about the world and curious about all in it. Before we knew it, they were in pre-school, then kindergarten, followed by 11 years of rigorous academic training, culminating in their HS diploma which they received in June. Change, as we all know it, is inevitable, yet, as I stood in awe at graduation, I couldn’t believe that this day had finally arrived. I had to pinch myself to recognize that, like every other parent there, our little ones had crossed a bridge; they were growing up and flying the coop. This week, we have The Prompt: A moment you realized your child was growing up via MamaKat’s Writers Workshop.

As I looked around at the graduating class, there were the kids I knew from way back when I was heavily involved, with many of their moms, in the PTSA. There were kids who were my wards during our brief foray into the Girls Scouts. There were kids I chaperoned on school trips or picnics. The shy mousy girls had blossomed into teenage divas, and the tow headed little boys were now tall and confident Adonis’ with big dreams in their hearts. My two have grown and join their classmates eager to explore the world and learn new things. Where, oh where did the time go? I say this in awe of the speed with which Mother Time propels us forward to meet new days, make changes great and small, and add our lot to the whole; destined or not. How has it been for you?
PS*** Stacey of Survey Junkie Blog has generously added me as a Guest Host for this week's Follow Me Back Tuesday Blog Hop. Please join in and spread the love! Many Thanks Stacey! :-) More on blog hop and link-up below :-)

“In this day and age, some turn 18 and think they're a man or a woman and that's it, but that's just not true. You have to establish your manhood or your womanhood with actions.” Orlando McGuire

Change: Growing Up & Flying The Coop

I realized my babies were growing up when they found summer internships and commuted daily into the city on the train, ready to work hard like the adults who routinely travel this route. Even though they were not being paid, they took their internships very seriously and learned as much about the jobs as they did about the neighborhoods where the jobs were located. They ate lunch at work, made a few acquaintances and got to explore NYC; the city that never sleeps. It brought back memories of my young days alone in the city, when I had flown my parental coop and moved to the USA for college and the prospects of a new life; it is a time of both anxiety and joy, of wistfulness and surrender to the change process.

Now, as my twins get ready to head off to college, I am acutely aware that, once more, major change is upon us; just like the day they were born, seizing our hearts and holding us willing captives, it will continue to do so for many, many more years. Naturally, our prayer is that they and their peers will thrive and grow into responsible, God driven adults eager to share their gifts with the world. It is our prayer for every young adult; once a twinkle in their parents’ eyes ... After all, change is nature’s way of keeping us fresh and productive. What memories do you hold about you or your child flying the coop? How did you cope? Do share ;-)

It’s everyone’s favorite day of the week again, Tuesday..

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This post was inspired by a prompt from MamaKat's WritersWorkshop: A moment you realized your child was growing

PHOTO CREDITS/ATTRIBUTIONS: All Photographs: Graduation Hat Toss, Graduation, via Wikipedia

Until Next Time…

Ask. Believe. Receive.

Mirth and Motivation

Positive Kismet

Life at 18: Dreaming of Adventures…

noreply@blogger.com (eof777) — Sat, 21 May 2011 08:03:00 +0000

“Dreams are illustrations... from the book your soul is writing about you.” Marsha Norman

Life at 18: Dreaming of Adventures…Into the Unknown

Do you remember the dreams of your teenage years? How do they compare to the present? When I was a teenager, young and starry eyed, I had a vivid imagination with enough energy and curiosity to move two trucks filled with stuff. Like every teenager out there, we imagined we were invincible and would conquer the world with a wink and word. I looked forward to when I could explore the world and follow through on the many adventures I had dreamt about. My friends believed the same thing... We turned 18, finished one small phase of our lives and headed in many directions; some great and some not so bad. What was your dream?

This week, one of Mamakat's Writer's Workshop prompt asks what our big dream was at 18. For me, I wanted to see the world, to master the unknown and become an accomplished author. My initial outlet was creative; I wrote poetry and prose, watched movies and musicals; placing myself front and center in a world of actors, dancers and writers. I wanted to understand the universe in a way my Catholic upbringing did not teach me. I wanted to visit exotic realms and universes in ways my exploration of yoga did.

Life at 18: Dreaming of Adventures… The Traveler

One thing I always imagined doing at 18 and found easy to do was travel... and so over the years I traveled a lot; parts of Europe, Africa, Asia, North America and I got to understand what interests me and what bores me to tears. I found a love for other cultures which helped me a lot on my travels and I got to learn about the history of places, the cuisine, and take lots of pictures. What I did not anticipate was my move to the USA and how that would re-write my dreams.

“You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.” C.S. Lewis

Life at 18: Dreaming of Adventures… Models on Catwalk

Another dream I cherished as a teenager was to be connected to fashion; the fashion world in some way. I had always loved designers and their creative expression through clothes, shoes, handbags and accessories. I read all the magazines, designer stories and developed a keen sense of who designed what and when the season showed a line. For a while, I worked in retail at a high end store and learned a lot about fabric, fit, and customer service, plus, I loved being surrounded by gorgeous things. I did some modeling in New York but never fully pursued it. My love for fashion has stayed with me.

Life at 18: Dreaming of Adventures… A Nun's Dream

As funny as it may seem to some, one of my earliest dreams was to become a Nun. I loved my Catholic school and fell in love with the Nuns austere life of devotion and service. I loved Bible stories and always asked the nuns questions about the mystery of life and God's mighty hand in our lives. I didn't always agree with the teachings, but I wanted to learn more. The Nuns were happy and approached my dad. My dad refused to approve the nun's request on my behalf as he wanted me to marry and raise a family. So my dreams of becoming a nun were replaced with dreams of Prince Charming on the proverbial horse; in real life some PCs showed up on donkeys but that story is for another day.

When I look back on my life and those days, I find that the spirit of my dreams for adventure and success remain true. Have I accomplished those dreams? Some yes and nay to others but the key is to keep our dreams alive. They become unrealized dreams when we bury them away. Though I am no longer 18, I still have dreams and every day, in some small way, my dreams come true. How about you? How are you managing your dreams?
I would love to hear from you. Please leave me a comment/question. Thank You!

The Prompts: What was your big dream for yourself when you were 18 and had graduated from high school?

This post was inspired by a prompt from MamaKat's Writers Workshop: What was your big dream for yourself when you were 18 and had graduated from High School.

PHOTO CREDITS: Photograph of Nun's Dream by Karl Briullov, Into the Unknown, CatwalkModels, The Traveler -El Viaxeru d'Urculo via Wikipedia

Until Next Time…
Ask. Believe. Receive.
© Elizabeth Obih-Frank
Mirth and Motivation
Positive Kismet

Memories: Happy Mother's Day!

noreply@blogger.com (eof777) — Sun, 08 May 2011 04:56:00 +0000

"A Woman's guess is much more accurate than a Man's certainty." Rudyard Kipling

Memories: Happy Mother's Day!

Being a mom is a huge responsibility and a role that one can never retire from. No matter our age or accomplishments, we are still little kids to our moms and we view our children through the same lens. Each Mother's Day, I find myself not only reminded of the gift of life and the many ways my mother and all the women who played that role in my life nurtured me, but I am also reminded of my father's death during the early month of May; several years ago... It is, perhaps, the universe's way of helping me appreciate my parents and their investment in my life. So, Happy Mother’s Day to my Mom and to all moms!

ღ˚ •。* ♥ ˚ ˚✰˚ ˛★* 。 ღ˛° 。* °♥ ˚ • ★ *˚ .ღ 。*˛˚ღ •˚ ˚… May your day be sprinkledღ。* ˛˚ ♥ 。✰˚* ˚ ★ღ ˚ 。✰ •* ˚ ♥ with Love ˚ღ。* ˛˚ ♥ 。✰˚* ˚ ★ღ ˚ 。✰ •* ˚ ♥ Happy Mother’s Day! ˚ ✰* ★ ღ。* ˛˚ ♥ 。✰˚* ˚ ★ღ ˚ 。✰ •* ˚ ♥˚. ★ *˛ ˚♥* ✰。˚ ˚ღ。* ˛˚ ♥ 。✰˚* ˚ ★ღ ˚ 。✰ •* ˚ ♥

I love the picture above because it reminds me of how moms manage with several children in their arms and at their feet. My mom had five children so that fits the picture too. We were close in age and spent time playing games, terrorizing each other or indulging in childhood pranks; our Mom played judge and jury... My dad worked long hours and was not up for the he said/she said stories, so Mom meted out her brand of justice and joy. It's an interesting fact because some of my childhood friends would hear the refrain "wait till your dad gets home" while we heard, "wait till I get to you" - quite funny! Through it all, we had many memories of my Mom in her gardens planting new seeds, in her chicken coop tending to her hens or otherwise entering all kinds of singing contests. :-)

So on this day, sprinkle the air with memories of your mom and show some love. Even if yours are tinged with sad stories, remember that your life is a celebration and it did start with Mom. Plus, in truth, most if not all of us had many moms who saw to our care when we were growing up. If you recall the role of grandmas, special aunts, teachers and other female mentors who encouraged us, you'd remember to appreciate the greater meaning of this day. Happy Mother's Day!

This post was inspired by Mamakat's Writers Workshop prompt on a special memory we have of our Mothers.
PHOTO CREDITS: Photograph of Mother as Charity via Wikipedia

Until Next Time…
Ask. Believe. Receive. ©
Elizabeth Obih-Frank
Mirth and Motivation
Positive Kismet

Beauty: The Joys of Spring

noreply@blogger.com (eof777) — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 10:04:00 +0000

"I love spring anywhere, but if I could choose I would always greet it in a garden." Ruth Stout

Beauty: The Joys of Spring - Red blooms

Beauty: The Joys of Spring - Pink bleeding hearts

Beauty: The Joys of Spring - White blooms

Beauty: The Joys of Spring - Squirrel

Spring is one of my favorite seasons of the year. After months of freezing cold, mounds of snow, gray weather and hibernation, one can feel the earth stir as the warm air and sunny days prod us all; slowly, birds and blossoms find their way back to my side of the earth.

Last winter was particularly brutal, as we had many snowstorms, and blankets of white covered everything for miles and days. To dig ourselves up and out of the lull of winter has not been easy, however, the early blooms of spring and the chirping songs of friendly birds have helped.

"Every spring is the only spring - a perpetual astonishment." Ellis Peterson


Beauty: The Joys of Spring - Red & Yellow Tulips

Beauty: The Joys of Spring - Ducks on the Hudson

Beauty: The Joys of Spring - Magnolia blooms

Beauty: The Joys of Spring - Daffodils

Spring by Lord Alfred Tennyson
Now fades the last long streak of snow,
Now burgeons every maze of quick
About the flowering squares, and thick
By ashen roots the violets blow.

Now rings the woodland loud and long,
The distance takes a lovelier hue,
And drowned in yonder living blue
The lark becomes a sightless song... Contd below

When I read Mamakat’s Photo Story Prompt: Take a walk through your neighborhood this week and share some pictures of what Spring looks like where you live, I sighed deeply. Spring's blossoms have been generously abundant this year so I am happy to share. Above and below, I have added photographs of the flora and fauna, the blooms and lifeforms in my garden and my neighborhood. I have also shared a beautiful poem Spring by Lord Alfred Tennyson for your enjoyment. Come, walk with me... May your Spring be as colorful. More colorful blooms below...

"Spring unlocks the flowers to paint the laughing soil." Bishop Reginald Heber

Beauty: The Joys of Spring - Forsythia

Beauty: The Joys of Spring - Pink Willow

Beauty: The Joys of Spring - White Blooms

Beauty: The Joys of Spring - Green Hellebore

Now dance the lights on lawn and lea,
The flocks are whiter down the vale,
And milkier every milky sail,
On winding stream or distant sea;

Where now the seamew pipes, or dives
In yonder greening gleam, and fly
The happy birds, that change their sky
To build and brood, that live their lives - Lord Tennyson

The first warm day of Spring was followed by a thunderstorm and as it poured, heavy rains everywhere, I stood by my kitchen window, grateful for the changing season. The rains wash the earth, soaking and preparing the seedlings hidden beneath the ground to spread the wings and send their shoots heavenwards.

The gray squirrels have started leaving their sacred place of winter rest, seeking food; a hidden acorn here, a stolen nut there ... and stretching weary bones in excitement... just like the rest of us.

All through the long winter, I dream of my garden. On the first day of spring, I dig my fingers deep into the soft earth. I can feel its energy, and my spirits soar. Helen Hayes

Beauty: The Joys of Spring - Daffodils


Beauty: The Joys of Spring - White Bleeding Hearts

Beauty: The Joys of Spring - Blue Vinca

Beauty: The Joys of Spring - Red Foliage & Buds

From land to land; and in my breast
Spring wakens too: and my regret
Become an April violet,
And buds and blossoms like the rest. Lord Tennyson

I can't help but wax poetic but if you've ever spent a long, dark, cold winter, longing fr spring, and it arrives at your doorstep with abundant blooms, and sunny days... you'll understand because you'll be smiling too. I hope you enjoyed my offerings. What fine things have you discovered this Spring? Do share

This post was inspired by MamaKat’s Writer’s Workshop on a Photo Story on Spring photos, a Daily Post prompt on Spring and another MamaKat post I wrote for my WP blog on Spring.

✿♡✿Happy Wedding Blossoms to Prince William & Kate Middleton on their special day today. May they enjoy many happy & colorful years and springs together.✿♡✿ ***

PHOTO CREDITS/ATTRIBUTIONS: Photo of spring blossoms and more, from my personal collection.

Until Next Time…
Ask. Believe. Receive.
© Elizabeth Obih-Frank
Mirth and Motivation
Positive Kismet

On Life: Letting Go of The Bag & Baggage...

noreply@blogger.com (eof777) — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 09:12:00 +0000

“Simplicity is making the journey of this life with just baggage enough.” Charles Dudley Warner

Model with Huge shoulder bag

I've always loved bags, in all shapes and sizes, and at different periods in my life, the size of my bag determined the weight of my burdens. In my college days, my big satchel book bag symbolized my courses and all the work that came with them. By the time my children came along, only a huge tote for diapers and kiddie things would do, and that carried over into my work life as I added travel totes with wheels and computer/projector holders to the mix. In recent months, I've been inclined to reconsider my attachment to the handbag; a carrying sac that is known by dozens of names.

Do you always carry a handbag? Have you tried not carrying one? Mamakat's Writer's Workshop offered a question that got me thinking about our handbags: What do the contents of your handbag/purse "say" about you?

My typical bag had my wallet, change purse, makeup, candy, letters, books, ipod, hair ornaments and whatever else crossed my path. This would of course vary when I added work, a special outing, or child related travel to my baggage. One thing that always stood out was that the bigger the bag, the greater the stuff tossed in it. With each additional item, we added more of our history and worries to our bags; our clutch slowly becoming a crutch that we used to clubber ourselves and others. Why carry so much? I believe that we could all benefit and gain some freedom from our baggage by de-cluttering our bag/baggage lives. What do you think?

Don't Let Me Hit You With My PocketBook - By Jennifer Hudson
More Music? Check out the Monday's Music Moves Me BlogHop

At one point in my life, I could count at least three work related bags that followed me everywhere; of course, the endless attention one had to pay to each bag to ensure its departure and arrival was hilarious. Each bag I owned had a history; a price, location, and the emotional tie that prompted the purchase. Sometimes, I wondered why women always seemed burdened with these cumbersome, albeit gorgeous, pieces of shoulder and hand held jewelry. Whenever I observed men in motion, especially during my work travel days, I would marvel at their effortless way of entering and exiting a plane without looking for this bag or that, and I imagined what it would feel like to move around without a handbag.

“The things you want are always possible; it is just that the way to get them is not always apparent. The only real obstacle in your path to a fulfilling life is you, and that can be a considerable obstacle because you carry the baggage of insecurities and past experience.” Les Brown

Vintage Bag

So this year, I started to make a concerted effort to carry less; to simplify my movement. The first day I went out without a bag, I felt naked, like something crucial was missing. I took my wallet and car keys and left the rest at home. Oddly, as the day progressed, I missed it less and enjoyed the freedom I felt of not having an extra piece of baggage on me.

Gradually, I have come to recognize that the habit of carrying handbags can have a way of becoming a crutch; a way to hide our insecurities. We fill them them with all of our stuff, and schlep them from place to place, wondering why we feel so burdened. We take extras things we don't need "just in case," rather than free ourselves to meet the day and the many opportunities a bag-less outing can bring on the street of life. I still carry bags when absolutely necessary but, preferably, I travel lightly with my wallet and keys. I highly recommend practicing this simple zen approach to stuff, as we will find that our movement is not constrained, and we are less inclined to buy yet another pack of gum we rarely chew... Have you tried it? Do share.

This post was prompted by Mamakat's Writers Workshop question: What do the contents of your handbag/purse "say" about you?
What are your thoughts? What does a handbag/pocketbook mean to you?
I would love to hear from you. Please leave me a comment/question. Thank You!

✿♡✿Join Our informal Blog Hop✿♡✿
MeetUp Monday-Sunday, 4/12-4/26, Two Weeks Long Blog Hop for Blog Posts

MeetUp Monday-Sunday Two Weeks Long Facebook fan page & Networked Blogs Blog Hop

STEPS/RULES: The rules are simple.
♥Add your post to Linky #1,
♥add you fan page/networked blog (if you have one) to Linky #2,
♥leave me a comment or question especially if we haven’t already met,
♥Click on the links above your post & visit as many fellow blogger posts as you wish,
♥comment/like their post, and/or fan their Facebook page/networked blog,
♥Let them know you’re from our Weekly MeetUp Blog Hop ~ they will return the love
♥and spread the word.
✿♡✿Thank you All!✿♡✿

PHOTO CREDITS/ATTRIBUTIONS: Photo of Model with shoulder bag, special vintage bag, via Wikipedia,

Until Next Time…
Ask. Believe. Receive.
© Elizabeth Obih-Frank
Mirth and Motivation
Positive Kismet

A Poem: And Ten Things About Hope…

noreply@blogger.com (eof777) — Sat, 26 Mar 2011 07:02:00 +0000

“Hope is not the conviction that something will turn out well but the certainty that something makes sense, regardless of how it turns out” Vaclav Havel

Hope: A Sunrise...

Goddess of Hope...

When I received the prompt for Mamakat’s Writers Workshop, I was pleased to read one on Hope. Given the global turmoil, political upheavals and ongoing battles around the world, we could all use some Hope in our lives. Actually, without hope we are in deep trouble for it keeps us believing that all things come to those who trust and believe in positive outcomes. Don't forget today is Earth Hour Day and it starts at 8:30pm worldwide.

For this assignment, I have written both a short poem and ten things I see that remind me of hope. Hope is a magical word because it reminds us of the possibility of change in expected outcomes. Sometimes, when we try new things or go to a new place, we hope that all will turn out well. We hope that people will welcome us and treat us with love and respect, and we even hope for a decent meal. And when it works out, we are happy...

Since life is full of unexpected events; surprises both pleasant and otherwise, a hopeful heart is a good thing to have. Our ego tells us we decide, we create, we manifest, and that is true up to a point and then our trust, faith and hope must kick in to accomplish the rest. My hope is that we maintain a spirit of humility and hopefulness in all things... and that we remain open to receive the grace of hope when it shows up.
The Prompt:
2.) April is national poetry month… Write a poem about hope.
When I think of Hope, I see ten things that affirm my trust in a higher power;
✿♡✿A Welcoming Sunrise.
✿♡✿A Stunning Sunset.
✿♡✿A Bird’s Nest.
✿♡✿Clear Clean Water.
✿♡✿The Warmth of Smiling Strangers. More on the Ten Things I see and the Poem "Guided by Hope" Below...

Before I continue, this is the last week of the vacation offer so do sign up and win a fully paid vacation in an exotic locale. The Blog Hops continue. Link up if you choose. After the following wonderful announcement for a fabulous vacation from JustLuxe, and our casual blog hops, I'll share more of my 10 things on Hope... ✿♡✿Read the rest below, after the fantastic vacation offer & blog hops!

Win Trips of a Lifetime

Win Trips of a Lifetime

Focus your Hope on a lovely time away by following the link above left and registering to win one of several exotic luxury vacations. Sponsored by my friends at JustLuxe, sign up once and every month, you get entered to win. It's free and fun.
Also Join Our Two✿♡✿Informal Easy Blog Hops✿♡✿ Below:

"Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow." Albert Einstein

Hope: Brightly Hued Bluebirds

Hope: A Double Rainbow...

Hope is a blessed gift that all of us can use in good and difficult times. The more we connect with a spirit of hopefulness, the more the universe blesses us with surprises and gifts. When I think of Hope I See Ten Things...contd
✿♡✿An Array of Yellow Daffodils.
✿♡✿The Cool Calm Ocean.
✿♡✿The Magic of a Double Rainbow.
✿♡✿Brightly hued Blue Birds.
✿♡✿A Picturesque Walking Path.

Guided by Hope… by eliz obih-frank
When I trust that spirit will guide my every step; certain calm pervades the space…
I do not need to fret or fuss nor burn a bridge or curse the race
When Hope comes calling, answer the door, she will not tarry anymore
If you feel down, don’t wear a crown of thorns and poison berries…
Pick up your wares, let go of fears, and find a way to make merry
For Hope sees through our pleas and pains and seeks new ways to ease the strain
And Hope seeks out the meek and maimed and pumps goodwill through every vein…
Thus Hope assures the weak and tame and brings them closer to that place
Of light, of life, of peace, of pride, and guides all to their destiny…

What are your thoughts? What does Hope mean to you?

I would love to hear from you. Please leave me a comment/question. Thank You!

Join our new Blog Hop this week. As always, the rules (check below) are simple; ✿♡✿Again add a post that made you happy!✿♡✿
MeetUp Monday-Sunday Two Weeks Long Blog Hop for Blog Posts

MeetUp Monday-Sunday Two Weeks Long Facebook & NetworkedBlogs Blog Hop

STEPS/RULES: The rules are simple.
♥Add your post to Linky #1,
♥add you fan page/networked blog (if you have one) to Linky #2,
♥leave me a comment or question especially if we haven’t already met,
♥Click on the links above your post & visit as many fellow blogger posts as you wish,
♥comment/like their post, and/or fan their Facebook page/networked blog,
♥Let them know you’re from our Weekly MeetUp Blog Hop ~ they will return the love
♥and spread the word.
✿♡✿Thank you All!✿♡✿

PHOTO CREDITS/ATTRIBUTIONS: Photo of Sunrise via Wikipedia, Spes of Hope via Wikipedia, Mountain Bluebird via Wikipedia, Double Rainbow via Wikipedia

Until Next Time…
Ask. Believe. Receive.
© Elizabeth Obih-Frank
Mirth and Motivation
Positive Kismet

Spring: Ten Sprightly Steps to Take This Season

noreply@blogger.com (eof777) — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 09:59:00 +0000

“Expect to have hope rekindled. Expect your prayers to be answered in wondrous ways. The dry seasons in life do not last. The spring rains will come again.” Sarah Ban Breathnach

Allegory of Spring - Image via Wikipedia

I love Spring and everything about that particular season. It is about renewal, rebirth, color and casualness. Every time I think about Spring, I feel a spring in my step and my mood is infinitely lighter. Who doesn't like spring? Only a rare bird would see the blossoms and smell the fresh air and turn its nose up at that time of the year... Well, enough with the poetry.

When I read the prompt from MamaKat's Writers Workshop that got me singing the spring swan song, I wanted to write about the obvious; fashion and stuff. But as I thought about it, I decided it would be sprightly (don't you love that word?) to use a different approach with the question: The prompt was to - Share 10 "Must Haves" this Spring! Here are Ten Sprightly Steps/Must Haves to take us into Spring.

Colorful Spring Blooms...

✿♡✿Sprightly Step 1: One notable change we see from winter to spring is color; flowers, clothing and lifeforms come alive. First on our list is to get some of those wonderful spring flowers in a vase for your home, a few sprigs to wear in your hair, or a potted flowering plant for your terrace.
✿♡✿Sprightly Step 2: Key to enjoying the shift in temperatures is the change in our wardrobes. The colors for spring are always lighter and brighter than winter. So wake up the fashionista in you and dig out or buy some good colorful, lightweight clothes. Here are fabulous spring-wear tips and trends from: StyleList, Glamour and InStyle.
✿♡✿Sprightly Step 3: Nothing beats having good fresh foods during the spring season. The local farmers markets start to stir and an array of delicious fruits and vegetable can be purchased and prepared. For recipes and to feast your eyes on exquisite foods, do visit my Blogger friend Roz's scrumptious food blog Bellavita-Bellasblog. She will satisfy your senses and your stomach. Thank you Roz!
✿♡✿Sprightly Step 4: Get some fresh air by getting out your gardening tools and start planting those beds of seedlings you nursed over the winter. The air is fresh and the blooms are blossoming, so add some mulch, remove the weeds, cut a few blooms for your home and walk... Inhale!
✿♡✿Sprightly Step 5: I would be remiss if I didn't add travel. The great thing about traveling in the springtime is that the masses are still home preparing for their big summertime trips. Take a trip in the spring and enjoy the cherry blossoms in Japan or an easy breeze on the beach at any of the locations below. Travel, especially if you win it, is always fun.

So after the following wonderful announcement for a fabulous vacation from JustLuxe, and our casual blog hops, I'll share more of my 10 things to have this spring season... ✿♡✿Read the rest below, after the fantastic vacation offer & blog hops!

Win Trips of a Lifetime

Win Trips of a Lifetime

Put a spring in your step by following the link above left and registering to win one of several exotic luxury vacations. Sponsored by my friends at JustLuxe, sign up once and every month, you get entered to win. It's free and fun.
Also Join Our Two✿♡✿Informal Easy Blog Hops✿♡✿ Below:

Cherry Blossoms/Sakura in Japan

✿♡✿Sprightly Step 6: Exercise in the spring comes in many forms; we can do more outdoor things like walking, running, hiking, gardening or we can do indoor exercises like spring cleaning and moving/packing away winter items. Add something new to your winter exercise routine... and drink lots of fluids.
✿♡✿Sprightly Step 7: The company we keep determines our overall well-being and joie de vivre. Gather with good friends and family and go out and do some fun spring things together. Better yet, get some food items from the market and gather for some spring foods -- potluck, of course. Keep good company.

✿♡✿Sprightly Step 8: After the cabin fever of this brutal winter, we all need a lift and an inspiring book or two will help our mood and feed our brain cells. An inspiring and moving book to read if you don't have one in mind is: “Peace From Broken Pieces: How to Get Through What You're Going Through” by Iyanla Vanzant. Another inspiring book is Poke The Box by Seth Godin (Ebook here). Yet another is Enchantment by Guy Kawasaki. What do you recommend?

✿♡✿Sprightly Step 9: When our excitement over the changing season bubbles over, we tend to do more than necessary, and it's easy to get carried away by all the fun outdoorsy things we can now do. So, don't forget to take some time to rest. Rest will rejuvenate us.
✿♡✿Sprightly Step 10: As we go into spring and get moving around preparing for the summer and all its glory, lets offer the universe and all in it our gratitude. Gratitude is a great attitude to take into Spring. Enjoy the ten sprightly steps and leave me an upbeat comment for the upcoming spring! :-)

Foods for the seasons...

STEPS/RULES for the Easy BLOG HOPS: The rules are simple.

♥Add your post (A post you enjoyed writing) to Linky #1,
♥add you fan page/networked blog (if you have one) to Linky #2,
♥leave me a comment or question especially if we haven’t already met,
♥Click on the links above your post & visit as many fellow blogger posts as you wish,
♥comment/like their post, and/or fan their Facebook page/networked blog,
♥Let them know you’re from our Mega Blog Hop ~ they will return the love
♥and spread the word. :-)
✿♡✿Thank you All!✿♡✿

Easy Week Long Posts Blog Hop 3/14-3/28

get the InLinkz code

Easy Week Long Social Media Blog Hop 3/14-3/28

get the InLinkz code

Don't let the winter doldrums damper your steps to a lovely spring. As the weather warms up, get back to enjoying the outdoors and all the things that spring brings to our door... Oh and don't forget to do a bit of spring cleaning; our homes could use the fresh air and scent of clean rooms and dusted closets. What are your thoughts? A sprightly Spring awaits you!

I would love to hear from you. Please leave me a comment/question. Thank You!

PHOTO CREDITS/ATTRIBUTIONS: Photograph of Allegory of Spring via Wikipedia
Colorful Spring Flowers by Anita Martinz via Flickr & Wikipedia
Cherry Blossoms/Sakura at Imperial Palace, Japan via Wikipedia
Foods for the seasons via Wikipedia

Until Next Time…
Ask. Believe. Receive.
© Elizabeth Obih-Frank
Mirth and Motivation
Positive Kismet

Inspiration: Ten Lessons Learned On the Path...

noreply@blogger.com (eof777) — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 09:44:00 +0000

“Remember today, for it is the beginning of always. Today marks the start of a brave new future filled with all your dreams can hold. Think truly to the future and make those dreams come true.” Anon

Inspired Woman by William Adolphe Bouguereau in 1898

For many years, I believed that the only way I could get inspired to write or do any creative work was by listening to specific types of music, in a specific spot, thinking specific thoughts. Of course, when all my props were not lined up like baby ducklings in a row, I would beg off the creative activity and do something else. As time went by, I realized that if I didn't take the time to get creative, to find inspiration even in the mundane, I'd never get my creative projects completed. I needed what Tony Robbins calls "massive action."

But, the mind is a powerful instrument and we can make all the excuses we want in the world and justify them with facts and more facts. However, in recent months, I have felt a shift, call it an affirmation that when we put our mind to the grindstone and do the work, inspiration will find us. With effort, sooner or later, she will come calling because the work must get done and whatever we resist persists.

So when I received MamaKat's Writer's Workshop prompts this week, I choose - (1.) Lesson learned! Here are some of the 10 lessons I learned on finding and staying inspired:

Lesson 1: Inspiration happens all the time and we can be inspired by the most mundane to the most sublime thing; if we pay attention.
Lesson 2: While it is often encouraged to set a schedule for creative work, you can choose to follow a thought, a word, or an image whenever it occurs and use it as an inspiring guide; pause.
Lesson 3: When you walk into a familiar place next time, decide to pay close attention and see the space/place as if with new eyes; you will be nicely surprised; observe.
Lesson 4: When driving for an errand, choose to try another approach to your familiar one; play a new radio station, park in a different location and walk back, take another route and look around; listen.

After my JustLuxe and Blog Hop invitations below, I will share the rest of the ten (10) lessons I learned about finding our inspiration and how to use it to help us maintain and refocus on our creative goals.

✿♡✿Read the rest below, after the fantastic vacation offer & blog hops!

Win Trips of a Lifetime

Win Trips of a Lifetime

Find some inspiration by following the link above left and registering to win one of several exotic luxury vacations. Sponsored by my friends at JustLuxe, sign up once and every month, you get entered to win. It's free and fun.
Also Join The Two✿♡✿ Easy Week-Long Posts & Social Media Blog Hops✿♡✿ Below:

Lesson 5: We all talk about the muse but sometimes automatic, on-the-spot writing, painting or other creative endeavor can offer some wondrous gifts; act.

Lesson 6: Walking offers us a chance to clear our head but many of us carry music; try turning the sound off for a while and then pay close attention to the music when it's back on; change.
Lesson 7: At times, frustration sets in during a creative endeavor and as a deadline or other plans creep in, our tension rises. Stop, breathe deeply, step away and do something else for a few minutes and then come back and finish the task at hand; breathe.
Lesson 8: If no ideas surface and no images appear, ask your heart for a word to offer the project and then use that word as a prompt to guide your effort; ask.
Lesson 9: Start each day with a prayer or an intention asking for inspiration and clarity; meditate/reflect for a while and then go for it; pray/reflect.
Lesson 10: If 1-9 don't help, put the project to bed, get some rest, read, take time out, enjoy the company of others and then come back to your work with a new affirmation: All answers are within me. I can do this task with ease... Then Go to it! :-)
What other approaches help you find and maintain your inspiration? Do share!

STEPS/RULES for the Easy BLOG HOPS: The rules are simple.

Easy Week Long Posts Blog Hop 2/28-3/6

Easy Week Long Social Media Blog Hop 2/20]8-3/6

Don't be afraid to seize every moment to seek the grace and inspiration you can find in it. Unless we take a chance and try a new way of doing things and follow our promptings whenever they come, we will keep hoping for our muse to deliver inspirational moments on a platter... sometimes it does and at other times it doesn't. Keep your eyes, ears and heart attuned to your inner guide. She will show up. What are your thoughts? An inspiration awaits you!

I would love to hear from you. Please leave me a comment/question. Thank You!

PHOTO CREDITS: Photograph of an Inspired Woman - Inspiration by William Adolphe Bouguereau via Wikipedia

Until Next Time…
Ask. Believe. Receive.
© Elizabeth Obih-Frank
Mirth and Motivation
Positive Kismet

Simple Tips For Creating Balance In Our Lives

noreply@blogger.com (eof777) — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 09:58:00 +0000

"To achieve greatness, two things are needed: a plan and not quite enough time." Leonard Bernstein

Balancing Acts - Work, Life, Self...

I like the quote by Leonard Bernstein above because it reminds me again that waiting for enough time to do anything meaningful is ... well, a waste of time. The busiest, most accomplished people manage their time by setting up a schedule, prioritizing and honoring their plan; they make time. To create/find balance in our lives, we must make a concerted effort to make time. This week, I have chosen prompt#2.) Finding the balance. How do you manage? from MamaKat's Writer's Workshop.

Something I've learned from experience is that when I create a realistic schedule for myself, I am less inclined to feel rushed or stressed than when I just take on projects and let events happen to me. Recently, I took on a challenging project that required constant review and responses. Soon I was consumed by the time demands and had to re-evaluate the schedule I had set up and tweak it again. I realized that not only did the project need re-evaluation; I needed to go back to my original intentions for the project.

Creating a work/life balance remains a constant concern for most people. Before we create a plan to make our lives less hectic and more balanced, it is important to ask ourselves three fundamental questions: Intention - What do I want to accomplish with my life now? Purpose - Why does it matter? and Plan - What must I do to achieve my plan? ✿♡✿Read the rest below, after the fantastic vacation offer & blog hops!

Win Trips of a Lifetime

Win Trips of a Lifetime

Balance includes, following the link above left and registering to win one of several exotic luxury vacations. Sponsored by my friends at JustLuxe, sign up once and every month, you get entered to win. It's free and fun.
Also Join The Two✿♡✿MEGA WEEK-LONG BLOG POSTS & SOCIAL MEDIA BLOG HOPS✿♡✿ Below:

✿♡✿Intention
Sometimes, we look at other people and their lifestyles, and wish we could have same, but the reality is that our lives are different, and each individual is here or called for different goals. If we stop to think back to our childhood days and the things that gave us much joy or, at least, some joy, we can begin to map out a plan that is both realistic and beneficial to our lives. We must look at our current circumstances and ask ourselves the question: What do I want to accomplish with my life now?

Another important thing to consider once we ask the question is to consider how we use our time; to take a look at our personal clock. When are we most alert? Are you a morning person or a nocturnal soul? When do you do your best work and can you create a schedule that fits your personal inner clock? Is this feasible in your work environment? How can you find ways to maximize your effectiveness during your alert time? All of these questions require we spend some time observing and evaluating what we do at certain times and when we are at our most productive.

✿♡✿Purpose
There is something to be said for the European midday nap-time because it gives everyone a chance to regroup and refresh the mind. When we make time to rest and regroup, we are able to look at our day and separate the important things from the minutiae. We get to ask again - Why does this event/project/assignment matter? Meditation; both seated and walking forms can give us another way to refresh our minds during the day. Prayer is another way we calm our mind and refocus our intentions. Exercise helps rejuvenate our bodies and our spirits and is recommended too.

✿♡✿Plan
When my kids were younger, we created a schedule for them that included nap-time, mealtime and outside activities. The schedule allowed pockets of time when I could have Me Time to focus on myself and the things I needed to do for work. It varied from day to day but always included prayer/meditation time so I could regroup and rest. Regardless of the goals we have, it is important to create a schedule or a daily plan of activities and then to include some time for reflection in our daily schedule of activities. Why? Our creative, intuitive side is enhanced when we give ourselves time to regroup and resolve or find solutions to issues.

Every day, I am reminded that the need for balance begins in our hearts and mind, flows through our actions and then flows back to the survival impulse within. I find that making the time to be quiet and reflect on what remains to be completed ahead of me, allows me to adjust my schedule if needed and then focus on the things that truly matter.

What do you do to create balance in your life Do leave me a comment and share a tip or two. Thank you!

STEPS/RULES for the BLOG HOPS: The rules are simple.

MEGA WEEK LONG BLOG POSTS BLOG HOP 2/20-2/27

MEGA WEEK LONG SOCIAL MEDIA BLOG HOP 2/20-2/27

PHOTO CREDITS: Photograph of a Model Balancing Act via Wikipedia

Until Next Time…
Ask. Believe. Receive.
© Elizabeth Obih-Frank
Mirth and Motivation
Positive Kismet

Breaking The Rules: Not What You Think

noreply@blogger.com (eof777) — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 09:35:00 +0000

"Sometimes you have to break the rules around you to keep the rules within you" -Martha Beck

Grand Prismatic Spring; Hot Springs Yellowstone National Park.

Breaking The Rules: Not What You Think
The prompt I selected this week for MamaKat's Writer's Workshop, {5. Read the following quote and respond: "Sometimes you have to break the rules around you to keep the rules within you" } comes from a quote in an article, 20 Questions That Could Change Your Life, by Martha Beck, a contributing editor for O Magazine. It is #17 and the rest of it is below.

17. Where should I break the rules?
If everyone kept all the rules, we'd still be practicing cherished traditions like child marriage, slavery, and public hangings. The way humans become humane is by assessing from the heart, rather than the rule book, where the justice of a situation lies. Sometimes you have to break the rules around you to keep the rules within you.

I think it becomes pretty clear when we look at the 20 questions that Martha's point is that we must step forward and honor the spring flowing from our hearts - our heart's calling. To keep the rules within us, we must act; regardless of the socio-cultural mores that hold us back. Many of us grew up in cultures that had very specified roles for men and women. These roles were often followed by rules of conduct, lines each member was not allowed to cross, expectations for each gender, and penalties for those who dared speak truth to their own power.

These codified rules meant that many of us, men and women, I dare say more women, never dared to meet our inner diva; to claim our fullest power because we were always being guided by restrictions masquerading as propriety. When I was a little girl, I wanted to be a doctor; to heal people of their pain and suffering. While I was not exactly discouraged, there was no big rush to support that dream. The dream that seemed to be encouraged was that of teacher, or historian; perfectly legitimate fields but not what I imagined.

Now don't get me wrong, but I wasn't speaking of traditional medicine either. The word healer had deeper meaning to me as a child and I knew it had more to do with healing inner pain than physical wounds. As I matured, I learned to honor what was expected of me but soon found myself turning more and more to paths of healing; be it through words, music or other non-traditional methods. Yet, anther ancient voice would always intervene... "Seek the professions, go mainstream, be mainstream and then ... hold back."

Win Trips of a Lifetime

Win Trips of a Lifetime

Many of us settle for a safe path to our destiny when a greater calling is truly attached to our name. We don't want to upset others, to look foolish, to live beyond some prefabricated dream set up for us by others, and then we wonder why we live lives of quiet desperation. Who ever told us we could not, should not dream? Who taught us that the path to our destiny is only in a particular form that they envisioned for us?

We are truly the masters of our destiny, and until we step forward and break the chain of - I Can't - within our spirit, we will remain tied to crusty rules created by others for us. Who have you loved and left because society or family said they weren't "one of us" or "good" enough? What dream have you set aside because others believed you were not good enough?

Until we break the chains of oppression within; the rules around us, we will be left with a lifetime of never knowing what the guide within us really needs or what our inner promptings can really accomplish. Follow the cues within your heart. We are made by a greater force than we could ever imagine. What I know for sure is that as we believe and push through our fears and claim our greater, authentic destiny, the universe, God, Creator, call it what you may, will rally to support us.

Go for the dream, break the inner bondage and the outer rules. Time waits for no one. Some Food for Thought: What rules are you fighting? What rule has your heart been prompting you to break for a long time? Like a camera, focused on its subject, the heart never lies. What are your thoughts? A Happy Valentine's Day awaits you!

I would love to hear from you. Please leave me a comment. Thank You!

PHOTO CREDITS: Photograph of a Grand Prismatic Spring via Wikipedia

Until Next Time…
Ask. Believe. Receive.
© Elizabeth Obih-Frank
Mirth and Motivation
Positive Kismet

Laughter: The Best Elixir...

noreply@blogger.com (eof777) — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 11:25:00 +0000

“Try as much as possible to be wholly alive, with all your might, and when you laugh, laugh like hell and when you get angry, get good and angry. Try to be alive. ..” William Saroyan

The Hatters' Stages of Laughter via Wikipedia

A dose of rib tickling laughter never fails to shift our mood and warm our blood. We can't say enough about how laughter is a natural life prolonging elixir; particularly a good and hearty laugh. I admire comedians. They spend a lifetime entertaining the rest of us with their wry observations of human behavior in what we typically call - a joke. I love jokes and my friends and family send them to me quite often... I get every kind of joke you can imagine; salty, silly, outrageous and sweet. Some you just can't publish. Others make you wonder; how did they come up with that?

As you might have guessed, this week's prompt from MamaKat's Writing Workshop includes a question on laughter. 3.) Describe the last thing that made you laugh really hard. Since I get a lot of jokes by email from my family and closest friends, I knew where to go for a recent reference point. I sifted through the laugh-out-loud material I have in my collection and I selected three that had me in stitches; a story, a poem and a card or report of sorts... you'll see. I got them from friends and family and, fortunately, I have found out the origins of two of the jokes. The card format came by email so If you know the origin, let me know as I'll gladly give the right attribution.

Win Trips of a Lifetime

First off, here is an awesome luxury vacation contest of a lifetime for you! It's the chance to enter and win a luxury trip sponsored by my friends at JustLuxe. Sign up once and every month, you get entered to win. It's free and fun. Plus, you might get to take that special someone on a journey to an exotic locale. Follow the link above left and register to win one of several exotic luxury trips. :-) Bon voyage!
More on a Belly full of Laughter Below

The Lady was a B*&@#^&! via email from a friend

The Teacher and The Whale - By Pedro Bloch via Wikipedia
A little girl was talking to her teacher about whales.
The teacher said it was physically impossible for a whale to swallow a human
because even though it was a very large mammal its throat was very small.
The little girl stated that Jonah was swallowed by a whale.
Irritated, the teacher reiterated that a whale could not swallow a human; it was
physically impossible.
The little girl said, 'When I get to heaven I will ask Jonah'.
The teacher asked, 'What if Jonah went to hell?'
The little girl replied, 'Then you ask him'.

Lewis Carroll – The Voice of The Lobster via Wikipedia
Tis the voice of the Lobster: I heard him declare
'You have baked me too brown, I must sugar my hair.'
As a duck with its eyelids, so he with his nose
Trims his belt and his buttons, and turns out his toes.
When the sands are all dry, he is gay as a lark,
And will talk in contemptuous tones of the Shark:
But, when the tide rises and sharks are around,
His voice has a timid and tremulous sound.'

'I passed by his garden, and marked, with one eye,
How the Owl and the Panther were sharing a pie:
The Panther took pie-crust, and gravy, and meat,
While the Owl had the dish as its share of the treat.
When the pie was all finished, the Owl, as a boon,
Was kindly permitted to pocket the spoon:
While the Panther received knife and fork with a growl,
And concluded the banquet by eating the owl.

I find that the jokes I tell tend to be situational; in immediate response to a comment or behavior. I have tremendous respect for those who can tell jokes in a story format as that is so much fun. Anyhow, I hope you enjoyed the three humorous pieces I shared. If you'd like to share some of yours, I'll gladly join in for a good round of chest pounding laughter. :-) Where do you find your jokes? Do you have a quick joke that always gets you laughing? Do Leave me a comment. Thank you!

PHOTO CREDITS: The Hatters' Laughter via Wikipedia

Until Next Time…
Ask. Believe. Receive. ©
Elizabeth Obih-Frank
Mirth and Motivation
Positive Kismet

Grandma: That Special Brand of Love…

noreply@blogger.com (eof777) — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 10:32:00 +0000

I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel". -Maya Angelou

Special folk are like Rare flowers flora by E. Guinther

In life, there are always people who make us feel extra special; people who applaud us wholeheartedly and treat us with dignity and respect. I call them angels of light. If you are fortunate to come across such a soul, in your lifetime, honor the gift and thank them with all your heart.

One of MamaKat's Writing Workshop prompts for this week is the Maya Angelou quote above and when I saw it, #4, I was thrilled because I knew that this would be a way to share part of my paternal Grandma's story and spread some of her light and love...

Win Trips of a Lifetime

Win Trips of a Lifetime

Before I continue, I'd love to share a wonderful vacation contest with you. It's the chance to win a trip of a lifetime and every month, you get entered to win. It's free and fun. Plus, you might get to take that special someone on a journey to an exotic locale. Follow the link above left and register to win one several exotic luxury trips. :-) Bon voyage!
More on Grandma Below

My paternal grandmother was such a blessed soul. She had spent all her life in the village where my father grew up and she worked extra hard; farming and trading livestock and crops every day of her life until she went blind from glaucoma in her late 70s. She made sure that her last child, my dad, went to school and got an education, as the missionaries assured her that he would be able to provide for her, in her old age, if he got an education.

Years later, my dad was able to honor his mother's dreams of providing for the larger household and she fussed over us, her grandchildren, with great pride and joy. What I remember best about Dada, as we called her affectionately, was the tender way she held my hand when I spoke to her and her warm smile always assuring me that my ideas were valid and that everything would be alright.

Dada was small and feisty but she had a heart of gold. Perhaps my optimism was inherited from her as I don't recall her bemoaning a bad day or terrible weather for more than a minute... then off she would go to share a hug, tell a funny story or simply pass on much needed advise to a member of our extended family.

She passed away when I was in High School and because I was abroad, I couldn't go to her funeral. I didn't get a chance to say a proper goodbye and that made me sad. I miss her warm smile, her wisdom, her sense of humor but above all, I miss how she made me feel. Is there someone in your life who has helped you and made you feel special? Have you had a chance to thank them? Do share.

Some Food for Thought: What memories do you hold of that special someone in your life? Does someone see you in the same light? I would love to hear from you: Please leave me a comment. Thank You!

PHOTO CREDITS: Photograph of a flower of Capparaceae by Eric Guinther via Wikipedia

Until Next Time…
Ask. Believe. Receive. ©
Elizabeth Obih-Frank
Mirth and Motivation
Positive Kismet

Snowy Days: Pictures to Remember...

noreply@blogger.com (eof777) — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 13:15:00 +0000

“Hold fast to dreams, For if dreams die, Life is a broken-winged bird that cannot fly, Hold fast to dreams, For if dreams go, Life is a barren field, Frozen with snow” Langston Hughes

What kind of weather conditions have you been dealing with? The last couple of weeks have been consumed by stories, observations and all the typical fare that comes with things-we-do-on-snowy days. Here on the east coast, and in 49 states, we had some serious snow fall that brought everything to a standstill. I generally don't mind the winter even though a heavy snowfall can put a wrench in our plans for the day.

When I read MamaKat's Writing Workshop prompt for this week and saw #2, I was delighted because I do have a bunch of photos I shot recently. They are all snowy days shots and I do hope you like them. As the weather got crazier, I even painted some pictures in lollipop shades... More Below

This Week's Prompts
1.) Something unique you love about your significant other.
2.) A photo journal entry...show us what winter looks like in your town.
3.) It has been said that kids these days are pushed into too many extra-curricular activities and are not given the freedom to play and be bored and to use their imaginations. Is this true?
4.) 10 Reasons Why I Could Never Be Friends With...(fill in the blank)
5.) How has social media changed you?

Did you ever consider what it would look like if snow wasn't white but another color? Here are a few of my zany choices... What colors would you paint the world to make a snowy day a tad less dreary?

I couldn't believe how heavy the snow was at times... Even though the second snow storm was not considered a blizzard, it dumped several inches everywhere and made walking down the street quite treacherous.

The final shot below was taken in Brooklyn, a few days after the first snow storm. I thought it would be wonderful to show how a NYC street looks in the aftermath of a snow storm... a few days later. What are your memories of snow?

What do you think of the poem below? Does it speak to you in a way that you see the images? Do share. Thank you!

Snow by William Allingham

O English mother, in the ruddy glow
Hugging your baby closer when outside
You see the silent, soft, and cruel snow
Falling again, and think what ills betide
Unshelter'd creatures,--your sad thoughts may go
Where War and Winter now, two spectre-wolves,
Hunt in the freezing vapour that involves
Those Asian peaks of ice and gulfs below.
Does this young Soldier heed the snow that fills
His mouth and open eyes? or mind, in truth,
To-night, his mother's parting syllables?
Ha! is't a red coat?--Merely blood. Keep ruth
For others; this is but an Afghan youth
Shot by the stranger on his native hills.

Photo Credit: From my personal collection

Until Next Time…
Ask. Believe. Receive. ©
Elizabeth Obih-Frank

Think: You're Already A Blogging Star...

noreply@blogger.com (eof777) — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 10:45:00 +0000

"Everyone is a genius at least once a year; a real genius has his original ideas closer together." Georg C. Lichtenberg

Blog Away - You're a Star Babe

Wouldn't it be fantastic, if we could have a team of genius directors feeding us ideas and visuals to help us on our way to blogging stardom? Today, I came across an impressive group of creative talent and want to share their special behind the scenes project/work with you. The creative minds behind The Directors Bureau and their tdbspecialprojects site include an admirable list of Hollywood film directors; M Blash, Andy Bruntel, Sam Brown, Todd Cole, Sofia Coppola, Roman Coppola, Patrick Daughters, Nash Edgerton, Romain Gavras, Mike Maguire, Melodie McDaniel, Geoff McFetridge,Aaron Rose, Shynola

What do they do? Aside from the work they do publicly and professionally, they run tdbspecialprojects as a laboratory or genius warehouse where imaginative ideas and projects percolate, and where potential clients can brainstorm with them on developing visual concepts for a brand launch or re-launch.

I was particularly fascinated by their work because, as a blogger, there are times when I run dry of ideas and have to reach out to other sources for rejuvenation. Of the wonderful, stimulating projects I checked out on the tdbspecialprojects site, three struck me as quite smart and entertaining: more below... :-)

Idea-Generator

The idea generator led me down the road to writing this blog post. It's a gadget with words that line up in three segments to give you creative prompts. It could be quite the gadget especially if the ideas generated also produce images to complement them... I love visuals combined with words. Wouldn't it be great to flip a switch and the next great blog topic comes leaping at you ... Hm mm, wishful thinking but not entirely :-)

HWOOD from TDBSpecialProjects on Vimeo.

Be-A-Star

This innovative way of adding your name digitally to a Hollywood blvd star is quite ingenius and funny. The vimeo above gives you the full picture.

Think Bubble is a Fun idea...

Think-Bubble

The think bubble creates huge word images captured in a bubble and displaced in key locations. It could be used in other ways that would make writing special words in the sky so much more fascinating. Of course, getting airspace permission could prove sticky but having a bubble positioned above a landmark with something smart written would be memorable, no?

Check them out and let me know what your enjoyed most on the tdbspecialprojects site. How do you generate ideas for your blog? Do you blog frequently and are there times when you wonder where the next idea will come from? I do... Do share your thoughts.

Food for Thought: Where do you get ideas for your blog? Would you blog frequently if you had a ton more ideas to share? ... I would love to hear from you. Please leave me a comment. Thank You!

PHOTO CREDITS: Star, Think Bubble and Idea Generator via tdbspecialprojects

Until Next Time…
Ask. Believe. Receive. ©
Elizabeth Obih-Frank

Mirth and Motivation

Positive Kismet

2010 - 2011: Look Back and Then Look Forward...

noreply@blogger.com (eof777) — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 10:09:00 +0000

“No one ever regarded the First of January with indifference. It is that from which all date their time, and count upon what is left. It is the nativity of our common Adam.” Charles Lamb

Mourning Doves by John James Audubon

The new writing assignment from MamaKat's Writing Workshop is a helpful way to review the year that just ended and re-focus on the year ahead. 2010 was a year that many would like to forget and that, perhaps, a smaller number will consider an abundant year. 2011 still holds its mystery and message. As we journey through it, we will learn more. What we must do is maintain a positive spirit and attitude.

In 2010, unemployment continued to soar in the USA, many lost homes and health-care, the earthquakes in various locations created havoc and devastation, Madoff went to jail for massive embezzlement, we lost some very talented souls, and yet, through it all, we hoped for a better day, month, year.
In the context of the assignment below, I chose question #1. I would have to say that 2010 was a challenging year. The word for 2010 - Challenging! Read more on my 2011 thoughts below...

This Week’s Prompts:
1.) Choose a word that encompasses 2010 and describe why. What word will you choose as your theme for 2011?
2.) If the way you spent your New Year's Eve is any indication of how the rest of the year will go, how would you say your future is looking right about now?
3.) Drunk.
4.) What happened in 2010 that you'd rather not repeat?
5.) Read and Respond: "If you want to make your dreams come true, the first thing you have to do is wake up." ~J.M. Power

In terms of 2011, I would hesitate to choose words that are narrow or that limit the endless possibilities that this year holds for all of us. When I thought of this assignment, I was tempted to think of words that would be the easy opposite of challenging ... However, I am going with the word "flourishing!"

I believe that we all have the potential to flourish this year and that our limitations, imagined and real, will be lifted so we can soar like birds into the glorious rays of sun. I've always liked my motto; ask, believe, receive, because it encompasses all the necessary ways we can bring divine grace and good fortune our way.
May you flourish in 2011 and may your days be beautiful and bright!

Some Food for Thought: What do you envision for your 2011? How do you plan to accomplish your goals? I would love to hear from you: Please leave me a comment. Thank You!

PHOTO CREDITS: Mourning Dove John James Audubon Wikipedia

Until Next Time…
Ask. Believe. Receive. ©
Elizabeth Obih-Frank
Mirth and Motivation
Positive Kismet

Happy New Year: I Wish You an Abundant Year and More...

noreply@blogger.com (eof777) — Sat, 01 Jan 2011 05:30:00 +0000

"Ring out the old, ring in the new, Ring, happy bells, across the snow: The year is going, let him go; Ring out the false, ring in the true." ~Alfred, Lord Tennyson

Happy New Year: May 2011 be bright with flowers blooming and more...

I'm not quite sure which is easier; endings or beginnings? Either way, we are on the cusp of a New Year and I can't help but reminisce about the year that's ending and the new one waiting in the wings.

2010 was a year full of promises and harsh surprises. The economy took a dive and many learned to figure out ways to manage. Family mattered. The President delivered on a number of promises. Seats were lost and won. The weather dipped and sprung with extremes in temperatures... we all made new friends and for some, new enemies... life goes on. Peace and Love in 2011. Happy New Year!

For 2011, I wish you and yours:

♥ Health

♥ Happiness

♥ Hope

♥ Abundance

♥ Grace

♥ Peace & Love

♥ Wisdom

♥ Friendship

♥ Goodwill

♥ Success

♥Adventure

♥ Divine Protection

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Some Food for Thought: What are your wishes for the New Year? What impact will you make on your life and on others in your community?

I would love to hear from you: Please leave me a comment. Thank You!

Until Next Time…
Ask. Believe. Receive. ©
Elizabeth Obih-Frank

Mirth and Motivation

Positive Kismet

Happy Holidays: Peace & Love to All...

noreply@blogger.com (eof777) — Sat, 25 Dec 2010 03:40:00 +0000

"Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love!" Hamilton Wright Mabie

"Sending Best Wishes for the Holidays to You and Yours!"

RIP Teena Marie (March 5, 1956 – December 26, 2010): Below She sings Fire & Desire with Rick James Also linked here: FIRE & DESIRE
She will be sorely missed. A gifted singer from the great days of R&B with the best...

A Thought ...

Dear Santa,

My wish for the coming year is more goodwill and abundance in the world and less misery and scarcity!

Please don't mix these two up like you did last year!

...

Merry Christmas!

Happy Holidays!

Buone vacanze!

Joyeuses Fêtes!

ハッピーバカンス！

节日快乐！

أعيادا سعيدة!

С праздником!
С Рождеством Христовым!

تعطیلات مبارک!

हैप्पी छुट्टियाँ!

¡Felices Fiestas!

גליקלעך האָלידייַס!

Շնորհավոր Տոն!

Boas festas!

Happy Holidays everyone and thank you for your visits and comments!

Thanks for all the wonderful support...

Until Next Time…

Elizabeth Obih-Frank

Mirth and Motivation

Positive Kismet

To Whom It May Concern: You are Beautiful

noreply@blogger.com (eof777) — Mon, 20 Dec 2010 04:59:00 +0000

"Accept your own beauty. You are beautiful no matter what your mind tells you. That is a fact. If you are aware of your own beauty and accept your own beauty, the opinion of others doesn't affect you at all." don Miguel Ruiz

The gardens at Omega in Rhinebeck, NY

We live in a world where external beauty is often placed on a pedestal while inner beauty, truth and morality are not as appreciated. Today, I invite you to consider yourself beautiful for all the special ways you honor those around you and for all the things you do to keep your life vibrant. Do you think you are not beautiful? Why? Who has interrupted your ability to express who you truly are? You are beautiful...

BEAUTY by Charles Baudelaire
I AM as lovely as a dream in stone,
And this my heart where each finds death in turn,
Inspires the poet with a love as lone
As clay eternal and as taciturn.

Swan-white of heart, a sphinx no mortal knows,
My throne is in the heaven's azure deep;
I hate all movements that disturb my pose,
I smile not ever, neither do I weep.

Before my monumental attitudes,
That breathe a soul into the plastic arts,
My poets pray in austere studious moods,

For I, to fold enchantment round their hearts,
Have pools of light where beauty flames and dies,
The placid mirrors of my luminous eyes.

We can't afford to enter the New Year with this mentality of being less than the perfect child of God we truly are... Below I have added a few more notes and poems to jug our memories and remind us why we are cherished and beautiful regardless of what others think or say...

We all fall short somewhere and somehow, but beauty is an inner state and we must choose to see our own richness. As don Miguel suggests, we must not let the opinion of others affect or taint our belief in ourselves. Yes, we are all bombarded by the messages and the expectations are incredibly, ridiculously narrow... but don't let that define you. You are beautiful. Use your awareness to see how this message is true in your life: This I know for sure… beauty is in the eye of the beholder, behold yours now...

Grounds of Champlain College, Vermont

She Walks In Beauty by Lord Byron
She walks in beauty, like the night
Of cloudless climes and starry skies;
And all that's best of dark and bright
Meet in her aspect and her eyes:
Thus mellowed to that tender light
Which heaven to gaudy day denies.

One shade the more, one ray the less,
Had half impaired the nameless grace
Which waves in every raven tress,
Or softly lightens o'er her face;
Where thoughts serenely sweet express
How pure, how dear their dwelling place.

And on that cheek, and o'er that brow,
So soft, so calm, yet eloquent,
The smiles that win, the tints that glow,
But tell of days in goodness spent,
A mind at peace with all below,
A heart whose love is innocent!

A Thing of Beauty by John Keats from Endymion, 1818
A thing of beauty is a joy for ever:
Its loveliness increases; it will never
Pass into nothingness; but still will keep
A bower quiet for us, and a sleep
Full of sweet dreams, and health, and quiet breathing.
Therefore, on every morrow, are we wreathing
A flowery band to bind us to the earth,
Spite of despondence, of the inhuman dearth
Of noble natures, of the gloomy days,
Of all the unhealthy and o'er-darkn'd ways
Made for our searching: yes, in spite of all,
Some shape of beauty moves away the pall
From our dark spirits. Such the sun, the moon,
Trees old and young, sprouting a shady boon
For simple sheep; and such are daffodils
With the green world they live in; and clear rills
That for themselves a cooling covert make
'Gainst the hot season; the mid-forest brake,
Rich with a sprinkling of fair musk-rose blooms:
And such too is the grandeur of the dooms
We have imagined for the mighty dead;
An endless fountain of immortal drink,
Pouring unto us from the heaven's brink.

What does beauty mean to you? Where did you first hear/learn that you are/you are not beautiful? Do Share. Happy Holidays!

Elizabeth Obih-Frank believes in positive kismet/fate and writes two bi-weekly blogs; Mirth and Motivation and Positive Kismet where she shares motivational, goodwill pieces and more. She is a mom to twins, a master trainer/educator, program developer & director, writer, healer, motivational speaker, real estate broker, and social media fan. She loves a good laugh, good food and great travel opportunities.

PHOTO CREDITS
Photographs from my personal collection

Until Next Time…
Ask. Believe. Receive. ©
Elizabeth Obih-Frank

In Photos: Seven Reasons Summer Season is a Favorite…

noreply@blogger.com (eof777) — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 03:09:00 +0000

"A perfect summer day is when the sun is shining, the breeze is blowing, the birds are singing, and the lawn mower is broken." - James Dent

FLOWERS


Highline Park Flowers...

GOOD MOOD FOOD

Chocolate chip cherry vanilla ice cream

Summer always seems to breeze in quickly and fade away before we have time to properly bid it adieu. When I saw Red Riter's prompt, I was amused and then thought, why not? We write about Autumn in fall and winter in December and on... Why not mix it up and revisit a season we love and reminisce a bit.

What do we like about summer? What do you look forward to doing in the summer? Walk with me down memory lane... Yes, I know we are about to embark on a few long months of winter weather here on the East coast. Even as some of us escape to Florida or a sunny island or two, most of us will stay behind and brave the dropping temperatures... brrr. Before we go traipsing into the sunset of a summer day, let's remember: Do bundle up; it's still cold season!

For this week's Tell The Truth Thursday prompt, Red Riter offers a great question:
What was/is your most favorite season?

Don't get me wrong, I do love winter wear but there are more things I love about the summer time... First off, it Shifts my Mood, puts a smile on my face and puts a spring in my step. Then there is the Weather, Food, Fruits, Flowers, Outdoors, and Travel.... Join me below for some more photographic reminders of good ole summer time... Think chocolate cherry vanilla ice cream!

On another wonderful note, Alysha of SupermomAlysha blog has graciously chosen Positive Kismet as the super blogger of the week for her Friend Finding Fridays blog hop. Yippee and Thank You! Alysha randomly selects a blogger from the previous week's blog hopper list and features them on her blog hop.
By now, you should know that blog hops are the non-secret, number one way to build connections, comments and a following on the blogger platform. Join the fun, add your blog to her page, follow as many other bloggers as you wish; almost all return the favor... Don't forget to leave a comment as Google doesn't notify any of us when a new follower joins our blog. :-)

WEATHER and THE OUTDOORS

Sunny relaxing weather

FRUITS

Fresh fruits...

TRAVEL

Hakone, Japan in Summer

Asakusa Kannon temple in Tokyo, Japan

Friendly deer at Nara Park, Japan

Aha, the joy of summer days... I'm so grateful for the seasons as there is always something new and different to look forward to again, right? What do you look forward to? What are you missing? or do you feel as Anton Chekhov said that "People don't notice whether it's winter or summer when they're happy." ;-)
Happy Holidays!

Elizabeth Obih-Frank believes in positive kismet/fate and writes two bi-weekly blogs; Mirth and Motivation and Positive Kismet where she shares motivational, goodwill pieces and more. She is a mom to twins, a master trainer/educator, former real estate program director, writer, healer, motivational speaker and social media fan. She loves a good laugh, good food and an occasional jaunt to somewhere around the world.

PHOTO CREDITS
Chocolate Cherry Vanilla Ice cream via CravingChronicles
Fresh Fruits - Peaches via ars.usda
Other photographs from my personal collection

Until Next Time…
Ask. Believe. Receive. ©
Elizabeth Obih-Frank

Phenomenal Quotes to Take into the New Year

noreply@blogger.com (eof777) — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 04:59:00 +0000

♥♥♥“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that frightens us most. We ask ourselves, ‘Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and famous?’ Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that people won’t feel insecure around you.
We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in all of us. And when we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” Attributed to Nelson Mandela's Inaugural Speech and via Marianne Williamson

Quotes are like bright sunflowers, adding color and wit to our day

What's your favorite quote, and why?
I regularly add quotes from all over the planet to both of my blogs, here and here, and I enjoy finding new ones to add and learn from. I do love quotes because they express, succinctly, much wisdom about the human condition. When I recently re-read the blog prompt above from Wordpress' Plinky, I thought it would be impossible to find one quote that tops them all; even one quote that embodies all the powerful wisdom that I find in quotes.

I started sifting through my blogs and added several below. I added the quote above because it has always resonated powerfully with me and encapsulates every thought, word of wisdom, and encouraging advice we can share with each other... What do you think of that long quote above? There are more...

I must confess that I do have favorite authors/poets/mystics that I reference more often than others. People like Kahlil Gibran, Rumi, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Martin Luther King Jr, Eleanor Roosevelt, and a handful of others. But I am hard-pressed to say, this one or that one tops them all. Below, I have added several that I love. Add yours to the list and start the year with some wise words... The New Year awaits.

As I mulled over the exercise today, I decided to offer you several of my favorites and to, at least, start with a beautiful speech/quote/body of wisdom that has always encouraged me to live with purpose and grace; see a few of my favorites below for your enjoyment. Please add yours in a comment

♥♥♥“The teacher who is indeed wise does not bid you to enter the house of his wisdom but rather leads you to the threshold of your mind.” Kahlil Gibran
“It is wrong to think that love comes from long companionship and persevering courtship. Love is the offspring of spiritual affinity and unless that affinity is created in a moment, it will not be created for years or even generations” Kahlil Gibran
“When you love you should not say, “God is in my heart,” but rather, “I am in the heart of God.” And think not you can direct the course of love, for love, if it finds you worthy, directs your course.” Kahlil Gibran♥♥♥

♥♥♥“In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.” Martin Luther King, Jr
"You don't have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step." Martin Luther King, Jr♥♥♥

♥♥♥“This is love: to fly toward a secret sky, to cause a hundred veils to fall each moment, first to let go of life, finally, to take a step without feet.” Jalal Ad-Din Rumi
“The roads are different; the goal is one. When people reach the goal, all quarrels or disputes that flared along the road are resolved … There all hearts sing in unison.” Rumi♥♥♥

♥♥♥"To leave the world a better place... to know even one life has breathed easier because you lived. this is to have succeeded." Ralph Waldo Emerson
“Your own mind is a sacred enclosure into which nothing harmful can enter except by your permission.” Ralph Waldo Emerson
“Every great and commanding moment in the annals of the world is the triumph of some enthusiasm.” Ralph Waldo Emerson♥♥♥

♥♥♥“One single grateful thought towards heaven, is the most perfect prayer.” Minna von Barnhelm
“There is a terrible hunger for love. We all experience that in our lives – the pain, the loneliness. We must have the courage to recognize it…” Mother Teresa
“Many of the problems that arise in life are due to our having said ‘yes’ in situations where we should have said ‘no.’ Life is like a game of cards. No matter what cards we are dealt, we should use them to try to win the game.” Amma♥♥♥

♥♥♥"Humility is not thinking less of yourself; it is thinking of yourself less." Rick Warren
“No person is your friend who demands your silence, or denies your right to grow.” Alice Walker
You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You must do the thing which you think you cannot do.” Eleanor Roosevelt♥♥♥

♥♥♥“The only way to reach the mountain peaks of life is to forget about self and help other people reach greater heights.” Zig Ziglar
“Everything can be taken from a man but … the last of the human freedoms – to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.” Viktor E. Frankl
“Education is what remains after one has forgotten what one has learned in school.” Albert Einstein♥♥♥

♥♥♥”Men, their rights, and nothing more; women, their rights, and nothing less.” Susan B. Anthony
"If you think you're too small to have an impact, try going to bed with a mosquito." Anita Roddick OBE
"There are two ways of spreading light: to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it." Edith Wharton♥♥♥

♥♥♥“Whatever is at the center of our life will be the source of our security, guidance, wisdom, and power.” Stephen Covey
“To attract attractive people, you must be attractive. To attract powerful people, you must be powerful. To attract committed people, you must be committed. Instead of going to work on them, you go to work on yourself. If you become, you can attract.” Jim Rohn
"Succession plan. Mentor, mentor, mentor. Encourage and cultivate the next generation of leaders." Tom Peters♥♥♥

♥♥♥“Creative ideas do not spring from groups. They spring from individuals. The divine spark leaps from the finger of God to the finger of Adam.” A. Whitney Griswold
"Tell a person they are brave and you help them become so." Thomas Carlyle
"Success is a journey, not a destination. It requires constant effort, vigilance and re-evaluation." Mark Twain♥♥♥

Do you like quotes and have a favorite? What quotes come to mind for you... Do you use them regularly in your communications? Do share!
Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!

PHOTO CREDITS:
Picture of Sunflowers via ars.usda
Post it notes via SuperStickies

Until Next Time…
Ask. Believe. Receive. ©
Elizabeth Obih-Frank

Be Bold As Love...

noreply@blogger.com (eof777) — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 11:43:00 +0000

“All good fortune is a gift of the gods, and you don't win the favor of the ancient gods by being good, but by being bold.” Anita Brookner

Elephant driver bathing with his owner

This week, we have single words as prompts for our Writer’s Workshop exercise. I love the idea of running wild with a single word and finding an organic way to make meaning of that word. What does the word mean to you? What images come to mind? What ideas are prompted when you think of this word?

The word I chose from the list is BOLD. I like the idea of "bold" especially as we wrap up a rather strenuous year. I want 2011 to be my year of embracing the bolder me; going for the gold, maximizing my potential, and enjoying the abundance that comes from acting with faith and boldness. What are you planning to do in 2011? What word would you like to take with you into the New Year?

This Week’s Prompts:
This week I want you to write a post inspired entirely by one of these words:
1.) Simple.
2.) Angst.
3.) Excruciating.
4.) Enchanted.
5.) Bold.

As I mulled over the word, I was reminded that we act boldly when we are in love or when we are defending loved ones. Right? How many times have you spoken up, acted fiercely when your loved ones were being challenged? We go to bat for them because love is bold and often fearless. We take great chances for love when we connect with another soul and it takes patience and boldness to keep up with our children during their growing years.

So why, for some of us, doesn’t this boldness translate into other areas of our lives? We need to be bold as love in other areas of life especially when it comes to personal growth. No? How are you planning to go bold in 2011? I offer more thoughts and music on the subject below…

Another thought that occurred to me as I considered the word - BOLD - is that we all come into this world with gifts, talents and skills, and many of us allow criticism and fear to get in the way of our ability to express our gifts. Imagine, if you stood tall and confident about your gifts and worked at being the best you can at those skills? What would change? Us? Others? What matters is that we embrace our blessings and follow through by practicing them, sharing them, and growing them. If we take one step forward, also known as acting with faith, the universe will rally to support us …

“Originality implies being bold enough to go beyond accepted norms.” Anthony Storr

BOLD AS LOVE by Jimi Hendrix

BOLD AS LOVE Lyrics
Artist (Band): Jimi Hendrix
Anger! He smiles
Towering in shiny metallic purple armor
Queen jealousy envy waits behind him
Her fiery green gown sneers at the grassy ground

Blue are the life-giving waters taken for granted
They quietly understand
Once happy turquoise armies lay opposite ready
But wonder why the fight is on

But they all bold as love
Yeah
They all bold as love
Yeah
They all bold as love
Just ask the axis

My red is so confident he flashes trophies of war
And ribbons of euphoria
Orange is young full of daring
But very unsteady for the first go 'round

My yellow in this case is not so mellow
In fact I’m trying to say it's frightened like me
And all these emotions of mine keep holding me from uh
Giving my life to a rainbow like you

But I’m uh yeah I’m bold as love
Yeah yea-ah
Well I’m bold, bold as love
Hear me talking girl
I'm bold as love
Just ask the axis
He knows everything

Yeah, yeah, yeah

Jimi Hendrix was a genius guitarist and even years after his untimely death, his music and magic on the guitar continue to thrill music enthusiasts around the world. He definitely embraced his talents boldly. He touches on this subject of boldness and love and I suggest reading the lyrics to see how they speak to you. Enjoy the lyrics and music. Happy Holidays!

COPYRIGHT DISCLAIMER FOR VIDEOS***
Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for “fair use” for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use.

PHOTO/LYRICS CREDITS:
Picture of Mahout & Elephant underwater by Cesare Naldi via NatGeo
Lyrics via Sing365.com

Until Next Time…
Ask. Believe. Receive. ©
Elizabeth Obih-Frank

Each Day is a Gift...

noreply@blogger.com (eof777) — Tue, 07 Dec 2010 03:22:00 +0000

"Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. And today? Today is a gift. That's why we call it the present." ~Babatunde Olatunji

Kids at play by K. Weller

Gift: a notable capacity, talent, or endowment; something voluntarily transferred by one person to another without compensation; the act, right, or power of giving. Merriam Webster Dictionary

Every day of the week, except weekends, I get Joel Osteen’s “Today’s Word with Joel & Victoria.” Each message helps me start my day with a hopeful spirit and work at focusing on the good; not always an easy task in these challenging days. Today, I got a message bearing the title of my post and it definitely got me thinking… Each day we have life is a gift. How are we spending our day? What are we focused on? Are we treating the day like the gift it is? Are we putting off today what we hope to do tomorrow?

We go through our daily routines focused on the chores ahead, sometimes, mindlessly moving from one event to another with not much thought on the here and now. Our eyes and minds fixed on the future; the what-ifs of our wishes, desires and plans. We pay short shrift to the present as we barrel ahead with visions about what the future offers. We ignore the fact that what we do today affects what happens tomorrow… sometimes I am guilty of this too.

Sometimes, in our future focus, we ignore the needs of loved ones, forget friends birthdays, push an argument or quarrel that needs to be addressed and forgiven under the table in hopes that it will go away… or return to be addressed another day. We sit with the pain of ancient hurts and postpone, again and again, an opportunity to seize the moment and heal the wounds. Tempus Fugit. When someone in your life has hurt you deeply, remember the pain and don’t inflict such pain on others. I share because I remember the death of a childhood friend. More below…

“Teach us to number our days that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” ~ Psalm 90:12

The memory is no longer fresh but the facts remain the same… I had a friend in middle school; we’ll call her Jane and I had lots of fun playing and laughing with her. We played at recess and shared a love for story telling; the more bombastic the story, the better. We occasionally had spats about trivia, a game one won that the other lost, a story gone awry, and the interference of other friends. You know -- the usual stuff.

One day we had one of our spats and she said something very hurtful about me to our mutual friends. When I found out, I confronted her, words were exchanged and more hurtful things were said. We vowed to never be friends again! It was all quite silly but at the time we didn’t know better. At different points in the school term, friends intimated that we should make up. We were reluctant to do so even as we quietly agreed the fight was silly, but neither of us made the first move.

A few weeks before the school term ended, Jane went to visit her family for a relative’s wedding and on her way back to school, there was a terrible car accident and she was killed. News spread rather quickly, and soon other friends were rushing over to tell me she was dead. It was devastating news for me and I was filled with regret that I never had a chance to mend fences with her and continue our friendship. She was young, smart and vibrant and had her life ahead of her. We never imagined this would happen to Jane and yet it did… We all mourned and shared our sorrow of never saying goodbye or telling Jane how much we cared.

When I read today’s message, I was reminded again how valuable each day is for each of us, and how we must seize each moment and treat it with great care. Tempus Fugit. As we rush around, gathering stuff for the holidays, and making plans for the new year, let us take a moment to be grateful for the here and now…. Each day is a gift!

Today’s Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for the gift of today. I choose to focus on the blessing of each moment instead of allowing the little things to steal my joy. Keep me close to You always as I submit every area of my heart and mind to You.

In Jesus’ Name. Amen. — Joel & Victoria Osteen

What thoughts do you have on the subject of cherishing each day as a gift? Do you have a sad memory that has inspired you to live fully in the present? Do Share.

***Sad News: Rest in Peace – Elizabeth Edwards


R.I.P Elizabeth Edwards 1949-2010

On a very sad note, Elizabeth Edwards lost her battle with breast cancer today. She was the brilliant, energetic, estranged wife of former presidential candidate and North Carolina senator, John Edwards. She was with her beloved family when she died and is survived by John and three children; Cate, Emma and Jack.

Recently, Elizabeth had written a message on her Facebook page; sadly, now viewed as a farewell note:
“You all know that I have been sustained throughout my life by three saving graces – my family, my friends, and a faith in the power of resilience and hope,” she wrote. “These graces have carried me through difficult times and they have brought more joy to the good times than I ever could have imagined.”

Her family released a statement today saying:
“Today we have lost the comfort of Elizabeth’s presence but she remains the heart of this family,” her family said in a statement. “We love her and will never know anyone more inspiring or full of life. On behalf of Elizabeth we want to express our gratitude to the thousands of kindred spirits who moved and inspired her along the way. Your support and prayers touched our entire family.”
May her entire family find comfort in the wonderful memories they shared… She will be missed by many. My deepest sympathies to her loved ones.

PHOTO/LYRICS CREDITS:
Picture of Kids at play by Keith Weller via ARS. USDA

Picture of Elizabeth Edwards by Scott Olson via Getty Images

Autumn Photos: Falling in Love with Fall Again…

noreply@blogger.com (eof777) — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 03:52:00 +0000

"Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn leaves." John Muir

Halsey Pond in the Fall

Autumn Brook by Olegas Kurasovas

Autumn is such a wonderful time of the year. Isn't it? It welcomes what I like to call the 2nd half of the four seasons that most of us enjoy around the world. I never tire of watching the foliage change colors in the fall and, on any given day, you can look around you and see nature perfectly coordinating and combining shades of gold, red, browns, orange, yellow and variations on those shades and, of course, the evergreens.

A few other things that make fall so precious is the harvest, the abundance of fall foods, and the many holidays that fall during this time of year; Halloween, Thanksgiving and Hanukkah. There is a beautiful park in my village, Halsey Park, and it has such wonderful life forms and changing leaf colors that you can't help but want to visit it again and again for a walk and to reflect on the beauty of nature. As Yoko Ono said in a wonderful quote "...Autumn passes and one remembers one's reverence..."

For this week's prompt, MamaKat has given us a selection of excellent questions to answer and while I am tempted to ramble on about each one, I will stick with autumn as it's the perfect theme for this time of the year... that is before the snow blows in and covers everything with its soft, blanket of white.

The Prompts:

1.) Have you ever had a fight with a long time best friend and never made up? Do you think about her from time to time and think about contacting her? What would you say? What if it didn't work out? What if it did?
2.) The perfect fall photo...share a picture that defines fall for you in your neck of the woods.
3.) CONTROVERSY! Are the new security measures performed by the TSA really that bad? Take a stance!
4.) What inspires you to write?
5.) "If you could relive any moment in your life, what moment would you choose? Write about it."

Naturally, I chose #2 and must admit that I couldn't help but add a few more than the requisite one picture. As I sifted through both my personal collection and the gorgeous photographs I gleaned from National Geographic, I had to share a few more with you... See the rest of my photos below and do share what you love visually about fall.

"Youth is like spring, an over praised season more remarkable for biting winds than genial breezes. Autumn is the mellower season, and what we lose in flowers we more than gain in fruits." Samuel Butler

Overlord-l'Assaut in France

Floating Leaves and Needles by Sam Abell

You can't enjoy a weekend fall day without adding a few words of wisdom from a good book left on the kitchen shelf or on your living room coffee table. There are so many odes written in honor of autumn/fall that when I did a quick Google search, I came up with ...1,420,000! Yes, even I was impressed. Can you imagine hundreds of years of joyous proclamations about the bounty of fall? Not so surprising then, right?

Since there were so many to pick from, I have shared a few poems in honor of the season below for your enjoyment. In a few weeks, old man winter will seize the day and keep us spellbound with freezing, frosty cold weather and some inches of snow.

For now, at least in New York, we are still enjoying the remnants of fall as the colorful leaves bid us good bye and get swept away by huge trucks with gigantic metal teeth. Do you have a favorite Autumn poem or saying you'd like to share? Please let me know when you leave a comment below.

Equinox Flowers by Danuta Lacka

A bit of color in Caen

Autumn Days by Will Carleton

Yellow, mellow, ripened days,
Sheltered in a golden coating;
O'er the dreamy, listless haze,
White and dainty cloudlets floating;
Winking at the blushing trees,
And the sombre, furrowed fallow;
Smiling at the airy ease,
Of the southward flying swallow
Sweet and smiling are thy ways,
Beauteous, golden Autumn days.

October's Party by George Cooper
October gave a party;
The leaves by hundreds came -
The Chestnuts, Oaks, and Maples,
And leaves of every name.
The Sunshine spread a carpet,
And everything was grand,
Miss Weather led the dancing,
Professor Wind the band.

Natagiri Pass Path by Michael Yamashita

Parc De La Nation, Paris

Autumn Leaves by Johnny Mercer
Les Feuilles Mortes with lyrics by poet Jacques Prevért.
The falling leaves drift by the window
The autumn leaves of red and gold
I see your lips, the summer kisses
The sun-burned hands I used to hold
Since you went away the days grow long
And soon I'll hear old winter's song
But I miss you most of all my darling
When autumn leaves start to fall.

What do you do to celebrate the shifting seasons? What is fall like in your part of the world? Do you have a favorite time of the year? Do Share. Thank you!

PHOTO CREDITS:
Halsey Pond in the Fall via my collection
Overlord-l'Assaut in France via my collection
A bit of color in Caen via my collection
Parc De La Nation, Paris via my collection
Autumn Brook by Olegas Kurasovas via National Geographic
Floating Leaves and Needles by Sam Abell via National Geographic
Equinox Flowers by Danuta Lacka via National Geographic
Natagiri Pass Path by Michael Yamashita via National Geographic

Until Next Time…
Ask. Believe. Receive. ©
Elizabeth Obih-Frank

Go With The Flow...

noreply@blogger.com (eof777) — Mon, 29 Nov 2010 05:48:00 +0000

"All things change, nothing is extinguished. There is nothing in the whole world which is permanent. Everything flows onward; all things are brought into being with a changing nature; the ages themselves glide by in constant movement." Ovid

Go With The Flow
During this holiday season, it is imperative that we go with the flow and not allow daily annoyances or disappointments to pull us down. Stuff happens and we will be better off by learning from them and moving on.

I added my blog badge above to remind us to nurture our minds, bodies, spirits and our hearts as we go about our daily routine and complete our chores... What is the point of running ourselves ragged when we can stop, stretch, and release the stress? Take a walk, pray, meditate, listen to music or even take a drive into the countryside; all can do wonders for our health...

My dear web designer, Kim, owner of MyCraftyMom spent an enormous amount of time rebuilding this blog and rearranging my blog hops badges, creating a new design template for much you see/don't see... I am very grateful to her for the effort and would gladly endorse her for a blog-lift project you might have. Thank you so much Kim... You rock!

Why 'Go With the Flow' as my theme for this post? By some minor error, I lost most of the badges today (all of Tues-Sun) and realized that the best approach is ... to go with the flow. My decision got me thinking about how important it is for us to maintain perspective as we go through our day, week, month and the coming year... How will you choose to respond to frustrating situations? Can you find other solutions? You do get to choose...

Below, I have added the video and lyrics to the song... Go With The Flow by Queens Of the Stone Age... Enjoy it and know you are doing just great; wherever you are!

I've been thinking about events that occur that can be stressful or throw us off balance; especially during this demanding time of the year and I'd love to remind us all to breathe. The best approach is to take a deep breath and gain some perspective. Can you redo the project? Is this the end of the world? Will you be more careful next time? Then let it go. GO WITH THE FLOW!

Go With The Flow Lyrics
Artist(Band):Queens Of the Stone Age

She said "I'll throw myself away,
They're just photos after all"
I can't make you hang around.
I can't wash you off my skin.
Outside the frame, is what we're leaving out
You won't remember anyway
I can go with the flow
Don't say it doesn't matter (with the flow) matter anymore
I can go with the flow (I can go)
Do you believe it in your head?
It's so safe to play along
Little soldiers in a row
Falling in and out of love
Something sweet to throw away.
I want something good to die for
To make it beautiful to live.
I want a new mistake, lose is more than hesitate.
Do you believe it in your head?
I can go with the flow
Don't say it doesn't matter (with the flow) matter anymore
I can go with the flow (I can go)
Do you believe it in your head? X3

What do you do to release stress during the holiday season? How are you planning to go with the flow? Do Share.

Elizabeth Obih-Frank believes in positive kismet/fate and writes two bi-weekly blogs; Mirth and Motivation and Positive Kismet where she shares motivational, goodwill pieces and more. She is a mom to twins, a master trainer/educator, former real estate program director, writer, healer, motivational speaker and social media fan. She loves a good laugh, good food and an occasional jaunt to somewhere around the world.

COPYRIGHT DISCLAIMER FOR VIDEOS***
Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for “fair use” for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use.

PHOTO/LYRICS CREDITS:
Lyrics from Sing365

Until Next Time…
Ask. Believe. Receive. ©
Elizabeth Obih-Frank

Happy Thanksgiving: 10 Things We are Thankful for…

noreply@blogger.com (eof777) — Thu, 25 Nov 2010 20:44:00 +0000

“One single grateful thought raised to heaven is the most perfect prayer.” G.E. Lessing

This week’s prompt from Mamakat's Writer's Workshop is all about … Thanksgiving! The five topics give something for everyone and are to the point. Of the five selections listed below, I picked #1 because I liked the idea of it. I have teenagers/young adults so their views are somewhat different from what an adult might choose to be thankful for… Since this is a busy day for everyone, I’ll make this short and sweet…

It's Thanksgiving time and the show will go on!

1.) Interview your kids...what do they think Thanksgiving is for? What are they thankful for? etc.
2.) Share a photo of what Thanksgiving looks like in your neck of the woods.
3.) Write a poem about the things you are thankful for.
4.) Describe a memorable Thanksgiving.
5.) Forget Thanksgiving, write about that time you fell down.

I interviewed the teens in my household and their answers were quite interesting; typical teen stuff but priceless. Read the rest below...

What is Thanksgiving all about? I was directed to Wikipedia...
According to the blurb on Wikipedia, “Thanksgiving Day is a harvest festival celebrated primarily in the United States and Canada. Traditionally, it has been a time to give thanks for a bountiful harvest. While it may have been religious in origin, Thanksgiving is now primarily identified as a secular holiday. It is sometimes casually referred to as Turkey Day.”

My teens directed me back to the Wiki piece on Thanksgiving; their response was more like, “Mom, who in America doesn’t know the historical, traditional, commercial interpretations of this Thanksgiving Holiday?” Okay… great!

What are you Thankful for?
Our Family
Our Cat
School friends
Taking baths
A good night's rest
A roof over our heads
A good meal; a feast not a famine
Internet access
Kindness shown to us and to others
Upcoming Birthday and Hanukkah gifts; video games, books, etc, etc

For more thanksgiving goodwill, check out Oprah Winfrey’s A World of Gratitude and add a thoughtful comment to the growing snowflakes from around the world. Read this informative article on Thanksgiving 2010 Myths and Facts via National Geographic, and you may also watch a short movie from Simple Truths: May You Be Blessed

Take time to enjoy the day and nurture body, mind and soul… What are your children thankful for? Do share!

Happy Thanksgiving and Happy Holiday Season!

PHOTO CREDITS:
Loi Krathong Festival by Romain Cintract/Aurora Photos via National Geographic

Until Next Time…
Ask. Believe. Receive. ©
Elizabeth Obih-Frank