The Daffodil Principle

I've seen this before in emails and various areas, but it bears repeating!

Several times my daughter had telephoned to say, "Mother, you must

come to see the daffodils before they are over." I wanted to go, but it

was a two-hour drive from Laguna to Lake Arrowhead . "I will come next

Tuesday", I promised a little reluctantly on her third call.

Next Tuesday dawned cold and rainy. Still, I had promised, and reluctantly

I drove there. When I finally walked into Carolyn's house, I was welcomed

by the joyful sounds of happy children. I delightedly hugged and greeted

my grandchildren.

"Forget the daffodils, Carolyn! The road is invisible in these clouds and

fog, and there is nothing in the world except you and these children that

I want to see badly enough to drive another inch!"

My daughter smiled calmly and said, "We drive in this all the time, Mother."

"Well, you won't get me back on the road until it clears, and then I'm

heading for home!" I assured her.

"But first we're going to see the daffodils. It's just a few blocks,"

Carolyn said. "I'll drive. I'm used to this."

"Carolyn," I said sternly, "Please turn around."

"It's all right, Mother, I promise. You will never forgive yourself if you

miss this experience."

After about twenty minutes, we turned onto a small gravel road and I saw a

small church. On the far side of the church, I saw a hand lettered sign

with an arrow that read, " Daffodil Garden ." We got out of the car, each

took a child's hand, and I followed Carolyn down the path. Then, as we

turned a corner, I looked up and gasped. Before me lay the most glorious

sight.

It looked as though someone had taken a great vat of gold and poured it

over the mountain peak and its surrounding slopes. The flowers were

planted in majestic, swirling patterns, great ribbons and swaths of deep

orange, creamy white, lemon yellow, salmon pink, and saffron and butter yellow. Each different-colored variety was planted in large groups so that it swirled and flowed like its own river with its own unique hue. There were five acres of flowers.

"Who did this?" I asked Carolyn.

"Just one woman," Carolyn answered. "She lives on the property.

That's her home."

Carolyn pointed to a well-kept A-frame house, small and modestly

sitting in the midst of all that glory. We walked up to the house.

On the patio, we saw a poster. "Answers to the Questions I Know You Are Asking", was the headline.

The first answer was a simple one. " 50,000 bulbs," it read.

The second answer was, "One at a time, by one woman. Two hands, two feet, and one brain."

The third answer was, "Began in 1958."

For me, that moment was a life-changing experience. I thought of this

woman whom I had never met, who, more than forty years before, had begun, one bulb at a time, to bring her vision of beauty and joy to an obscure mountaintop.

Planting one bulb at a time, year after year, this unknown woman had forever changed the world in which she lived One day at a time, she had created something of extraordinary magnificence, beauty, and inspiration.

The principle her daffodil garden taught is one of the greatest principles of celebration.

That is, learning to move toward our goals and desires one step at a

time--often just one baby-step at a time--and learning to love the doing,

learning to use the accumulation of time. When we multiply tiny pieces of

time with small increments of daily effort, we too will find we can

accomplish magnificent things. We can change the world …

"It makes me sad in a way," I admitted to Carolyn. "What might I have

accomplished if I had thought of a wonderful goal thirty-five or forty

years ago and had worked away at it 'one bulb at a time' through all those years? Just think what I might have been able to achieve!"

My daughter summed up the message of the day in her usual direct way.

"Start tomorrow," she said.

She was right.

It's so pointless to think of the lost hours of yesterdays.

The way to make learning a lesson of celebration instead of a cause for

regret is to only ask, "How can I put this to use today?"

Use the Daffodil Principle. Stop waiting.....

 

Until your car or home is paid off

Until you get a new car or home

Until your kids leave the house

Until you go back to school

Until you finish school

Until you clean the house

Until you organize the garage

Until you clean off your desk

Until you lose 10 lbs.

Until you gain 10 lbs.

Until you get married

Until you get a divorce

Until you have kids

Until the kids go to school

Until you retire

Until summer

Until spring

Until winter

Until fall

Until you die...

There is no better time than right now to be happy. Happiness is a journey, not a destination. So work like you don't need money.

Love like you've never been hurt, and dance like no one's watching.

If you want to brighten someone's day, pass this on to someone special.

I just did!

Wishing you a beautiful, daffodil day!

Don't be afraid that your life will end, be afraid that it will never begin.

Need an Energy Boost?

Need a boost to your positive energy levels?  Watch this guy once a day and see how easy it is to smile.  Start your day with him and his energy can spark all kinds of creativity!  Enjoy!

Total Remodel!

Hey everyone!  I am totally transforming my blog.  Yes, again. (For me it's almost like rearranging furniture and ladies, I KNOW you know what I'm talking about!).  This time the transformation will include a coaching feel.  I LOVE coaching - business, leadership, individuals, etc.  We're still in the process of creating a specific business website, and in addition, I wanted to redesign my blog to give it an attached feel to my website. 

I've even changed the blog title:  Thriving in Solid Air.  The concept comes from a great book, "TheWar of Art" by Steven Pressfield.  Pressfield tells of a visualization he had about an eagle picking him up and flying.  He asked the eagle, "Hey, what am I supposed to be learning from this?  A voice answered (silently): You're supposed to learn that things that you think are nothing, as weightless as air, are actually powerful substantial forces, as real and as solid as earth."

Blogging can be full of little moments that many may think are weightless. However. All those moments and details and concepts that we share in the blog world add up to be a substantial force - potentially powerful for personal transformation.  It can also be as simple as reading blogs as a part of balance and personal space.  I am excited about this design transformation and I hope you will visit often! 

When Your Hut Is Burning...

I received this in an email today and just HAD to share it. My hut's on fire right now and this little illustration is just what I needed!

The only survivor of a shipwreck was washed up on a small, uninhabited island. He prayed feverishly for God to rescue him. Every day he scanned the horizon for help, but none seemed forthcoming.

Exhausted, he eventually managed to build a little hut out of driftwood to protect himself from the elements, and to store his few possessions.

One day, after scavenging for food, he arrived home to find his little hut in flames, with smoke rolling up to the sky. He felt the worst had happened, and everything was lost. He was stunned with disbelief, grief, and anger. He cried out, 'God! How could you do this to me?'

Early the next day, he was awakened by the sound of a ship approaching the island! It had come to rescue him! 'How did you know I was here?' asked the weary man of his rescuers. 'We saw your smoke signal,' they replied.

The Moral of This Story: It's easy to get discouraged when things are going bad, but we shouldn't lose heart, because God is at work in our lives, even in the midst of our pain and suffering.

Remember that the next time your little hut seems to be burning to the ground. ((It just may be a smoke signal that summons the Grace of God!))

P.S. You may want to consider passing this on, because you never know who feels as if their hut is on fire today..

Patient Endurance

When I went out to do my morning devotional on the swing, I looked up and saw I had a visitor.

I thought of how this little guy must have taken an hour or two at least to get that high on the swing - my head high. It reminded me that it's ok to take my time. That making those moments in the morning so special since it's just me and God and nature.

Then I started reading - in Revelation. Yeah, I know. But it's an awesome book. In Chapter 3 vs 10 it says, "Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from teh hour of trial that is going to come upon the whole world to test those who live on the earth." Endure patiently. Makes me think of another verse, Philippians 3:13-14: "Brethern, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."

Thanks for the confirmation! I just love when God talks to me plainly when I need to hear from Him. And this message was certainly it. I hope it's something you can cling to as well!

I'm Honored! A blog award!

My friend, Lynn, has just honored me with my FIRST blog award. This'll be fun.

The rules...

1. Thank the person who gave you the award... THANK YOU LYNN!

and...

2. List seven (7) things about yourself that people don't know.

Wow, that may be hard. If you've read my blog for any length of time you know a lot already. But let me see...it HAS been awhile since I've blogged.

1. I am officially a professional life coach. This is a career change for me in the past year. I have a marketing background, but life coaching really allows for transformation in people's lives. I finally feel I'm who God created me to be :-).

2. I have a secret vice of watching Days of Our Lives. It's that nice little escape from not only my reality - but a lot of the world's reality. Seriously, that period when Marlena was a demon, and how many times can people come back from the dead? The baby switches, and uncovered secrets played out over WEEKS, all the twists & turns and dramatic pauses. But I think what I like the most - the hairstyles. I really wish I could do some those styles myself. Maybe I should work in a personal hairstylist to my future goals.

3. I have no interest in watching any of the Twilight movies or read the books. Now, that statement may knock me out of or never allow me in some social circles. Oh well. Now, Harry Potter or Star Wars - right on! Wonder if it's because it's directed specifically to women (chick-flick), which I just stay away from.

4. Just like Lynn, I'm a band geek. Yep, that's me. I taught myself to read and play music long ago, still have my instruments, and even taught marching band/flag corps for awhile. In fact, a couple of my former students are talking about doing a "reunion." I hestitated to say "old" students, because that would make me old too. Not happening.

5. I don't like the word geek anymore. Do you know what the original definition of "geek" is? Check here for the full version. How did it get so distorted?

6. I talk to myself a lot. That's why having pets ar a good thing. It's an excuse to talk outloud as often as I want. Lately though, I just feel like I talk to the Holy Spirit or whatever angel is on duty for the day.

7. I'm going on another mission trip - to Romania this time. I would have tried to do both Romania and Philippines, but the dates are the same time. I'll be going to Tinca, Romania, a gypsy village to simply be the hands and feet of Jesus. We're doing a 5-day VBS, prayer walk, relationship-building with families and older people who need some basic supplies. Plus, I think there's "football" involved. Wonder if I'm coordinated enough to kick a soccer ball?

So that's seven. And I would love to pass along the honor to: Mrs. 4444, Chris, and The Prairie Maid! Check them out along with Lynn

Recall

I got this in an email from my aunt today and loved it. I hadn't seen it before. If you have, enjoy it again :-).


RECALL NOTICE:

The Maker of all human beings (GOD) is recalling all units manufactured, regardless of make or year, due to a serious defect in the primary and central component of the heart.
This is due to a malfunction in the original prototype units code named Adam and Eve, resulting in the reproduction of the same defect in all subsequent units. This defect has been technically termed "Sub-sequential Internal Non-Morality," or more commonly known as S.I.N., as it is primarily expressed.

Some of the symptoms include:
1. Loss of direction
2. Foul vocal emissions
3. Amnesia of origin
4. Lack of peace and joy
5. Selfish or violent behavior
6. Depression or confusion in the mental component
7. Fearfulness
8. Idolatry
9. Rebellion

The Manufacturer, who is neither liable nor at fault for this defect, is providing factory-authorized repair and service free of charge to correct this defect.

The Repair Technician, JESUS, has most generously offered to bear the entire burden of the staggering cost of these repairs. There is no additional fee required.

The number to call for repair in all areas is: P-R-A-Y-E-R.
Once connected, please upload your burden of SIN through the REPENTANCE procedure. Next, download ATONEMENT from the Repair Technician, Jesus, into the heart component.

No matter how big or small the SIN defect is, Jesus will replace it with:
1. Love
2. Joy
3. Peace
4. Patience
5. Kindness
6. Goodness
7. Faithfulness
8. Gentleness
9. Self control

Please see the operating manual, the B.I.B.L.E. (Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth) for further details on the use of these fixes.
WARNING: Continuing to operate the human being unit without correction voids any manufacturer warranties, exposing the unit to dangers and problems too numerous to list and will result in the human unit being permanently impounded. For free emergency service, call on Jesus.

DANGER: The human being units not responding to this recall action will have to be scrapped in the furnace. The SIN defect will not be permitted to enter Heaven so as to prevent contamination of that facility. Thank you for your attention!

- GOD

P.S. Please assist where possible by notifying others of this important recall notice, and you may contact the Father any time by 'Knee mail'!

Because He Lives!

Oh Yeah, The View!

I showed you what my retreat looked like in my previous post, but I forgot to show off the view! This is where I start my days. Just me & God. And the robin that likes to perch on the fencepost and "talk" to me. And the hummingbirds chasing each other overhead. And the rabbits that scurry along the fenceline.

My Retreat!

I blogged in April about my yard transformations. Well, my retreat unveil is here!

The old ...

The new!

Now all I have left to do is clean-up and finish the new swing seat cover :-). Always a project waiting to be done.

A Glutton

The hummingbirds have been back since Derby weekend. Their regular time of year to come home. And the babies have all hatched and grown too...there's at least seven little motors flying around the feeders. They're so used to me just being out there they'll fly right up to my face to let me know their juice is low (or even my office window if I'm not outside). So I stood out around the feeder to get a decent picture of one of my "little men." The hummingbirds go through more sugar in a summer than I personally go through in a whole year. It's ridiculous, but they LOVE it! And they have a "squatter" that refuses to leave the bar...

This little bee keeps his head stuck in the holes to get all the juice he can. He hops from hole to hole, and the hummingbirds just hop over top of him to another hole. The only time he steps away from "the bar" is when a wasp wants in on the goods. He actually flew right up beside me as if I was the bouncer to get the wasp out of the way. So I've affectionately named him "glutton."

It's not like I don't have plenty of flowers around for him to get nectar from. How do you get bee to do what he's supposed to do naturally? Guess he fits in around here with the cat who doesn't kill mice. Maybe he's thinking "work smarter, not harder." Seems to be working well for him.