One Day At A Time

"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." 
- Sanskrit Proverb

I used to wear a bracelet that said on it, "One Day At A Time." It was given to me by my very best friend in the whole world at a very difficult time in my life. It helped me through that time as it reminded me constantly that it was ok to just take one day at a time. I could not focus on how I would do anything tomorrow let alone next week or next month. When it was given to me I was told by my friend that I could wear it and use it for as long as I needed it and then I was to give it away. I was told to find somebody who was having a rough time who would need the constant reminder to just take it "one day at a time." It took me a long time before I was ready to give it away. I knew though, that once I gave it away I could always get another one from my friend if I needed it. I have given several bracelets away. One went to a lady on an airplane who's father was dying of brain cancer. One went to the mother who's grown child was fighting a battle with leukemia. One went to a dear friend who lost her child. I have also needed additional bracelets on several occasions! It is a cycle of giving and receiving. It is much like the cycles of life. There are cycles when we get to give, and cycles when we must receive. Both are necessary along our spiritual path of growth.

It has been several years since I received that first bracelet. I currently do not have one. I gave mine away about a year ago and I'm grateful that I have not felt the need to have a new one. I was thinking, just today, how grateful I am that I am not living in a crisis-mode right now. I learned to cope very well; I learned to live that way for quite some time and I'm grateful that I don't have to do that now. It's hard to live, worrying and wondering how everything is going to work out and yet not having the strength to even look beyond each moment to plan anything. Although it was a difficult time, it was also a time of growth. I learned to just have faith in my Heavenly Father and to trust Him in ways I never thought I'd need to. To trust that things were in His hands and that somehow everything would just work out fine. These were not an easy lessons to learn. I am, however, so very grateful to have been taught them. I was asked to climb a mountain that I did not even think should've been there. And at the top, I found that the pain, the heartache, the anguish and all that I went through was really all for my good! 

If you are now living in crisis-mode, my best advice is just hang in there and take "one day at a time." Trust that this is God's plan. Trust that He is in charge. Trust that everything will work out just fine. The climb is hard. Some days climbing is not even an option. I know! Your strength alone is not sufficient. Turn to the Lord. Submit to His will. HIS strength IS sufficient! Not every day can be the best day ever but every day can give you lessons to learn and growth can take place. Every day can bring us closer to who we are supposed to be. Every day can be evidence to us that God loves us. 

I feel like, for right now, I get to live ~ rather than in crisis-mode ~ in enjoyment-mode! It's not to say that everything in my life right now is perfect. But I am not where I was several years ago in crisis-mode. And it's not to say that I don't think I'll ever be in crisis-mode again! But I have learned that there is reprieve, there is downtime, there are tender mercies given.

I found myself thinking how wonderful it is to be in enjoyment-mode and to not have to live one day a time. And then I realized that I should still live one day at a time! I should enjoy every moment as it comes. I should relish in the happiness that my children bring to me at every stage of their life. Each day brings wonderful, wonderful things and if I'm not paying attention and I'm thinking about what tomorrow or next week or next month will bring, I can very easily lose the joy that today holds for me. 

It seems that we either spend our days worrying about how things are going to work out or wishing and waiting for things to be better or looking forward to the exciting things that are going to be happening or planning to do something wonderful and on and on and on. And all the while we're missing out on today. Right now. 

Today, right now, is all we really have. And enjoying the moment, right now, can be life-changing! I'm not saying don't plan, don't set goals, don't have an idea of what's going to happen. . . But don't lose sight of what today can bring for you and the many joys and the great happiness that's right here, right now!

Our life has many seasons and they will come and they will go, but in every season ~ whether in crisis-mode or enjoyment-mode ~ always look for the hand of God in your life. He is there ~ every step of the way. 

An Object Lesson:

This past weekend, I had the opportunity to go up to Red Rock's Amphitheater with a couple who had been married for one day. Not even a full 24 hours! It was so fun to photograph them and capture the love and happiness they shared. Even though they were so incredibly tired from the previous day's festivities!

We drove around to a few different places, taking some pictures and enjoying the visit. I knew that at some point I wanted to get onto the stage. There's some really cool spots there with cool textures and colors that I could see with my mind's eye as the perfect spots for some pictures of this awesome duo. I knew that if we parked at the top of the amphitheater, we would have to walk all the way down to the stage. It wasn't the walking down that felt so daunting to me. It was the return back up! So I decided to go to bottom parking lot so that we wouldn't have to traverse so many stairs. I was quite dismayed when I realized that my memory had failed me as we stood at the bottom of a very long and steep set of stairs up to the stage area! My companions began to climb without hesitation. It was easy for them. Of course it was ~ they're young and in love! I was reluctant, but began to climb. As I climbed, I kept looking at how far ahead of me they were. I kept watching the athletes that were there RUNNING up the stairs like it was no big deal at all! I kept looking at how far I still had to climb. I kept having to stop to catch my breath and rest my legs. Finally, after stopping for the third time, a thought came to me. "Stop looking at how far you have to go! Stop comparing yourself to others! Just take one step at a time. Focus on the next step and climb." So that's what I did! And I made it to the top without having to stop again! I was out of breath and tired, but I made it!

You can then imagine my disappointment when my friend said to me that we wouldn't be able to get onto the stage! It was closed because it was being set up for an event. However, determined to make the best of it and to not have climbed those miserable stairs in vain, I looked around and found a few great spots to do some pics!

Once back at the bottom, I took a moment to take a couple pictures of the object of my lesson. Once home and seated comfortably in front of my computer, I found a quote that would fit nicely and went to work designing.

I love how this little experience is really a wonderful lesson in life. How often do we set out to do something and then get overwhelmed with the difficulty of the tasks required. We look around and get feeling down on ourselves because everyone else is so much faster, stronger, better than us. We focus on how far away the goal is and get frustrated that we aren't making progress faster. It is in these moments that we need to pause and remind ourselves to "stop looking at how far you have to go! Stop comparing yourself to others! Just take one step at a time. Focus on the next step and climb."

We may find times when we are not able to do exactly what we thought we we going to do at first. Being flexible is a key element to being happy and to being successful! I will return to the amphitheater another day. I will climb the stairs again. I will take the pictures I want to take! And I will be stronger for the journey!

Happy climbing, my friends!!

Random Ponderings

Whenever I think about this blog I think how I wish I had more people following it. Then I think that maybe if I would write more often I would probably have more followers! I wonder if my content isn't funny enough. Isn't down-to-earth enough. Isn't good enough. But then I hear my mentor tell me that it isn't any of my business what others think!

Sometimes I wonder if it is vain to think that I could actually write something that others would want to read. And even more than just read but actually get something worthwhile out of! Oops, there I go again though worrying about what others are thinking. However, it does have to have a certain amount of importance as I consider just what to write about. I mean, who wants to hear about what time I woke up and a moment by moment run down of my day! I'd probably lose the few followers I do have if I were to do that!

I have a confession though. It is that I LOVE to write! I LOVE to share what I'm learning in this great adventure we call life. I feel like there are some really awesome things that I get to experience and I want to share it with everyone I know (and perhaps with a bunch of people that I don't know)! I believe that no experience that I have is for me alone. It is most definitely for my growth and learning, but I believe that I then have a responsibility to share what I have learned. Plus, it has been said that if you really want to understand something you should teach it. Each day is a new day to learn and be shown the wonders of God. Each day is a gift. Open it and experience it to its fullest. Make of this adventure all that it is meant to be!

Recently a Facebook friend posted this: "Tell me what you want, what you really, really want...in LIFE!" My answer is simple, but it is also very complicated. My answer is, "to help my family and serve others." What I really have to figure out is HOW do I accomplish this? I have been given talents, as we all have been, to help me accomplish this goal. My life-long quest has been to learn how I am to use my talents in the way that God wants me to. I know through experience that as I use my talents in the way I'm suppose to, others are blessed and I am filled with much joy and satisfaction. I FEEL God's approval. There just really isn't a better feeling than that!

What do you really, really want?!

Another Blog!

I just wanted to let anyone following me here know that I now have ANOTHER blog! It is http://www.tomorrowspicture.blogspot.com/

Please visit, take a look around and give me your thoughts. I would greatly appreciate it!