Have You Made Your List for 2007?

Good Morning: It's the last day of 2006. Have you made your list of what you want to do, see, and accomplish for 2007? If you haven't, take some time and write it down.

Don't just dream about your desires. Take an empty notebook, and write them out in detail. It does make a difference to do that. You can always add more specifics as you go along. But try to describe whatever it is you want with such detail that you "feel" it happen; see it happen. Begin to visualize. Use your God-given gift of imagination.

What is it that you dream of? Is it a new car? Wrap your hands around the steering wheel of that...car. See the color. Feel the interior. Feel the excitment of driving your ___ car.

Is it a new home? Feel yourself walking into the foyer of your beautiful ___ ( ranch, tudor, colonial,...) new home. See yourself entertaining next Christmas in your new living room enjoying yourself and loved ones with all the desired interior. Be specific.

Do you desire restored health in your body? Visualize a healthy, whole, restored ___. Visualize every cell within you surrounded with love and filled with joy and wholeness.

You fill in the blanks. But it's most important to feel it throughout your whole being. I know this very well.

Just imagine yourself attaining and becoming what you wish to have. In other words, as the old saying goes, "Hitch your wagon to a star." That star may be something quite out of reach as far as present circumstances indicate, but if we hitch our wagon to something in such a lofty position, our mind will begin to take wings. It will no longer be like a worm crawling in the dust for you are no worm. You are superb creation of God and you will rise and continue to rise.

So make your list, check it twice, and make sure all your desires in every minute detail are expressed. Keep your mind on only the good, and live in expectation. Live in joy and the undaunted expectation of prosperity. Remember that prosperity, from the old definitions, means wholeness in mind, body, and estate, or wholeness in your entire life. Know what you want, and then image those things upon the mind constantly. As a famous old writer once said:

"The imagining faculty is the creative faculty of the mind, the faculty that creates plans, methods, and ideas. Our imagination therefore must always be clear, lofty, wholesome, and constructive if we would create superior ideas and build for greater things. Follow the vision of the soul. Be true to your ideals no mater what may happen now. Then things will take a turn and the very things you wanted to happen will happen."

Wishing you a safe and wonderful New Year's evening and a very happy, blessed 2007,
Donna

Look at the Brightside

Can you imagine it's just one more day till a new year opens its arms to you? Wow, time went so fast. I hope you enter the New Year with a mind free of regrets. If there's something you didn't say to someone , don't hesitate, call them today. If there's something you didn't do and wished you had, either do it if you can, or put it behind you and make a list of new things to accomplish. Do so with anticipated excitement, and they will be done.

However, first, take a few minutes and ponder on all the "good" things you did do this last year. Write them down before the year is up. You'll probably astound yourself at all the good that you did do which will be a great encouragement to you. Only by writing those things down and reflecting will you have a reference as to what you want to do in the coming year.

Should there be something that you do regret saying or doing that's been going around in your head and there's nothing you can do to remedy it, learn to "forgive yourself." That may be one of the most important lessons to learn for your future. And, as Ruskin once said, "Let every dawn of morning be to you as the beginning of life." Great, isn't it?

George F. Butler of the N.Y. Globe, 100 years ago, wrote the following:

Look at the Brightside

Learn to look at the brightside, the good things in life. Do not let the shadow of discouragement and despondency fall on your path. Never doubt for a moment that everything will turn out for the best in the end. If you believe firmly in yourself, you will be given the strength to do some day what may now seem impossible. Your effort and success will be in accord with the amount of faith and hope you put to your work. Do not anticipate trouble. Cut out all anxiety and advance fearlessly and bravely. Take the road and it will lead you to the goal, though it may be strewn with difficulties. Don't fret and give up in despair if you don't "arrive" as soon as you would like to; all progress, of the best kind, is slow; but to him who works faithfully and in the right spirit will be given his reward. So hold up your head and look the world in the face; hold your ground and march bravely forward, over all the obstacles, and the world will make a way for you. "They can who think they can."

Have a great day & always "look on the brightside,"

Donna

Recipe for a Happy Life

I found this lovely old saying written in 1500 A.D. by Margaret of Navarre. Isn't it amazing how timeless words of wisdom are?

I wish you a great evening.

God bless you,
Donna

Recipe for a Happy Life

Three ounces are necessary: First of patience,
Then of repose and peace;
Of conscience, a pound entire is needful:
Of pastimes of all sorts, too, should be gathered
as much as the hand can hold;
Of pleasant memory and of hope three good drachma
there must be at least.
But they should moistened be,
With a liquor made from true pleasures which rejoice the heart.
Then of love's magic, add drops a few--
But use them sparingly, for they may bring a flame
Which naught but tears can drown.
Grind the whole and mix with merriment an ounce.
Yet, all this may not bring happiness,
Except you lift your voice
To Him who holds the gift of health.

May you have rich blessings, great happiness & good health in 2007,
Donna

Countdown to the New Year

Hope you are having a safe week. For the countdown to the New Year, I'm going to post some old sayings. I hope that they'll be of encouragement to you. I'll have a very special one for January 1st to start the New Year off on a positive note. Don't miss it. It will be worth printing out.

The scripture in Philippians 4:8 says, "Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever, is of good repute, if there is anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things."

In these days with all the negative news we hear on TV and radio, it's so important to keep good thoughts running through your mind. In the New Year, I'll be sharing some stories of some real people and how they "dwelled" on positive thoughts with amazing results that I believe you'll enjoy.

Wherever you are stay safe, laugh, and be happy. Share your love and heart with someone in need of a friend.

Till next time...
In joy and love
Donna

The Heart's Door

Open the door of your heart, my Friend,
Heedless to class or creed,
When you hear the cry of your brother's voice,
Or the sob of a child in need.

All the fadeless flowers that bloom
In the realms of song and art
Are yours, if you'll only give them room:
Open the door of your heart.

To the shining heavens that o'er you bend
You need no map or chart,
But only the love the Master gave:
Open the door of your heart. --E.E. Hale

The Road to Laughter Town

Did you have children around you during the holiday? I hope you did. Their laughter is infectious and with such abandonment. It is delightful! We had our adorable little granddaughters, age 3 and 5, around us on Christmas. And, as they opened presents, tearing apart the wrapping paper, their giggles and wide-eyed expressions of joy made us laugh and smile right along with them.

Children can teach us to laugh more often. Laughter is healthy. It keeps us young, and recent medical reports verify this.

If you've forgotten how to laugh or have forgotten how to look at life with joy, find some children to play with. Yes, play. Get on the floor with them and play a game. Do something silly and discover their delight in the world around you.

The Road to Laughter Town

Would ye learn the road to Laughter Town,
O ye who have lost their way?
Would ye have a young heart though your hair be gray?
Go learn from a little child each day,
Go serve his wants and play his play,
And catch the lilt of his laughter gay,
And follow his dancing feet as they stray;
For he knows the road to Laughter Town,
O ye who have lost their way. --Katherine D. Blake

May you find your way to Laughter Town.

Stay happy & healthy,
Donna

Six Days Till the New Year

There's only 6 days till we begin anew in 2007. Whatever you have met in 2006, "expect" good things for the New Year. "Feel" the joy that children felt in the expectation of Christmas. Look upon it as a great, big present waiting to be opened and filled with wonderful blessings for you. Can you feel that joy?

My friend, expect, receive, accept, and embrace it. And, with gratefulness gives thanks for new beginnings. May you have "So much love, so much life,--strong, healthy, rich, exulting,and abounding life." -- Ralph Waldo Trine

In blessings & joy,
Donna

Happy Holidays; "Merry Christmas!"

May you have a joyous day in the wonderment of all we are in being alive.

Whittier once said," I have no answer for myself or thee,
Save that I learned at my mother's knee;
All is of God that is or is to be,
And God is good."

Wishing you many blessings to you & yours.

With all our love,
Donna & family

A Thought for You

As you proceed with the day, may you do so with joy, love, and peace. As Tiny Tim in "A Christmas Carol" said,

"God Bless Us Everyone."

Donna

Reflections on "A Christmas Carol"

Just two days till Christmas. Millions of people are readying their homes for the big day and finishing up last minute shopping braving the traffic to find the last perfect gifts.

One of my personal favorite stories of the season is Dicken's Christmas Carol. The character Scrooge is a classic and has been portrayed time and again in movies from modern times with Michael Caine in the Muppet Christmas, Bill Murray in Scrooged, to the classical renditions more identified with the original story. So many wonderful movies about this odd, grouchy man who, after many years, finds himself. He finally finds the child within him, shares that wonderment with others, and literally begins a new life with a fresh outlook.

What a great lesson for us all. I suppose that's whay I love it so much. Scrooge doesn't regret when all his lessons have been learned. He goes on with such a simple, cheer joy of just being alive, begins to help those who are of need, and appreciates those around him.

We can all learn from this timeless story that life is precious and wonderful, and it's never to late to discover the child within you and start anew.

If you have the opportunity, watch one of the "Scrooge" movies or, better yet, read the original story to your family in the next couple of days. It really isn't that long, and it's one of those stories that holds your attention with it's great dialogue and delightful characters. After all, it's Dickens!

Stay safe as you travel or shop.

In love & joy,
Donna

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Share a Smile with Someone

You may have families and friends to share the holidays with, but perhaps you may not. If you are by yourself or far away from home, consider this a family spot to stop by and visit often, and know that, whoever you are, you are loved. I guess that's the Nana in me.

Not everyone's life is the perfect Norman Rockwell portrait. However, know that you're important and very special.

I have a suggestion. If you are by yourself, share yourself with someone this week, even if it's to give someone a smile. I bet that someone will smile back and in the scheme of things, it will make a difference in their life and yours.

God bless you.

In love & joy,
Donna (Nana)
emailto:nana827@gmail.com
(I'm having trouble putting direct links in the blog, so you may have to copy and paste)

Thought for the day:
"Expect every change to lead you to something better and it will. As your faith is, so shall it be."

Live Each Day Well

Hope you are having a great day. Yesterday I talked about staying in the NOW. So I thought I would share this saying that is as old as time and still applies to us all in the 21st century. Enjoy your day and stay safe.

In love and joy,
Donna

"Look to This Day"

For it is life, the very Life of Life.

In its brief course lie all the Vereties

and Realities of your existence;

The Bliss of Growth;

The Glory of Action;

The Splendor of Beauty;

For Yesterday is but a Dream,

And Tomorrow is only a Vision;

But Today well lived makes every

Yesterday a Dream of Happiness, and

Every Tomorrow a Vision of Hope.

Look well, therefore, to This Day!

--from the Sanscrit

You have a gift: "Unconditional Love!"

There is a great saying in a movie I recently watched, Unconditional Love:

"Never Regret; never forget; the gift from above, Unconditional Love."

Isn't that lovely? You are unconditionally loved, my friend, simply because you exist among mankind. You are meant to be here, to be loved, to love others, and to be successful and have prosperity-wholeness in your life. It is a gift for you. Choose to accept and embrace it.

Do you ever go over in your head what could have been, should have been, or "I could have done this or that but didn't." STOP looking in the rear view mirror of life by regretting! As in the saying above, "Never regret." It's counter-productive. If you do that, you're going to get stuck in the mud and stay there.

Stay in the NOW. Experience every moment that you are given. And, always "expect" the best. "Feel" expectation. There's that "feeling" again. It's what's inside your very being. It's what gets you excited about greeting the next day and embracing it instead of dredding it.

The SECRET of right thinking is found in always keeping the mind's eye stayed upon the greater and better things, and they will come. It's that ever ongoing, never failing, Law of Attraction. That's really another gift from above. It's up to you as to how you use it.

Unconditional love and the Law of Attraction: Know that you are special, needed, and a vital part of all that exists, and know that your thoughts and feelings can bring you a life filled with Joy & Prosperity!

Looking forward to posting a great poem that you can print out. You'll love it.

Till next blogpost,
Love & joy to you,
Donna

Thought for the day:
"Most of the shadows of life are caused by standing in your own sunshine."
Emerson

Want an easy way to send love & cheer into lives of others? Click Here. Send cards right from your computer like I do. It means so much to those you care about. They'll appreciate your thoughtfulness.

One Secret to Success

Yesterday I talked about "feeling:" The feeling of expectation.
I have a secret for you. One secret of success is to Feel Joy and Feel Prosperity-in other words-Live in it!

I love the word JOY. You say it and it makes you happy. It brings up good vibrations in the soul. It is a state of being. In contrast, being happy is a moment by moment experience. So the goal, my friend, is to "feel JOY." Learn to experience a true joy that is not moved by your circumstances.

Second, feel PROSPERITY! Now that's a word that is highly misconstrued. Most dictionaries refer to it as wealth or financial gain. However, when you look up prosperity scripturally or in very old dictionaries and study the original meaning, you find it means a whole lot more.

It doesn't only mean to be financially wealthy. It means to be whole and sound in your life spiritually, mentally, physically, and materially; the whole package. If the other parts are missing, you can have all the money in the world, but chances are, you still may not be happy and healthy and have real peace and joy within you.

So it's a simple secret: Think and feel. Think right thoughts-wholesome joy thoughts. Keep foremost in your mind the words expressed in the Bible whereby it says, "Ponder on those things that are just, upright, pure...," I'm not ever going to be preachy; however, I will bring up just what is. Keep your thoughts positive and good. That being said, there's the old saying, "What we think about most, we will attract." Proverbs 23:7 so states, " For what a man thinks within himself, so he is."

It's not hocus-pocus. It's the simple Law of Attraction. Your thoughts are an integral part of who you are, and they affect your circumstances.

So for today, release everything and "feel" joy and prosperity. Say the word "joy" often during the day. Put it into your heart as the day goes by. And, believe and trust that you are being taken care of-for every need and every desire. It takes practice so don't be impatient with yourself. Every change, every developed habit, takes 30 days to take affect. Have a great day!

Love, peace, and joy to you,
Donna

Thought for the day:
"The inner side of every cloud is bright and shining: I therefore turn my clouds about, and always wear them inside out, to show the lining." Ellen Thorneycroft Fowler

Life is Growth

I hope you like the template I've chosen. It's one of my favorite symbols.

My mother's father was born in a lighthouse off the coast of Norway. His mother had a big family in that lighthouse. My grandfather went off to work on a whaling ship at the young age of 12. With wonderful coincidence, my husband's family had lighthouse connections, too. His great-grandmother operated a lighthouse in Alaska. This wonderful symbol of light, hope, and faith is very dear to both of us and I hope that this "lighthouse" blog will bring a bit of light and hope into your daily life.

The last year has seen a lot of growth in our lives. We've overcomed obstacles and have had many challenges. Life has to have growth, though, even when you're a boomer and grandparents like my husband and I. There is one thing to always remember: never give up no matter how old you are. Keep a "feeling" of expectation for good in your very being every day.

Next time I'll talk about that "feeling" and how important it is to your outlook on life and your well-being, both mentally and physically.

Till next blogpost,
Love, joy, & prosperity to you always,
Donna

Thought for the day:

"Whatever with the past has gone, the best is yet to come."
Lucy Larcom

Welcome to "Live in Joy & Prosperity" Blog

I am so glad you stopped by. I am going to be sharing some wonderful sayings, uplifting articles, and tips for feeling good about yourself and your world. Bookmark this site and stop by often. I look forward to hearing from you.

God bless you,
Donna