Happy Independence Day, everyone! Believe it or not, America has been a country for 237 years! Just think of all the people who have made this place their home, all the sacrifices that have been made to preserve our nation for future generations, all the joyful and painful experiences that have made us the people we are today. This is a very special day for us to remember the importance of our American heritage and to celebrate the gifts and blessings we have received over the years.
Oftentimes what immediately comes to mind on this day is the gift of freedom so graciously given to us by our forefathers with the composition of the U.S. Constitution. Over the years the list of rights and liberties has grown, granting American citizens even more freedom.
But as wonderful as freedom is, it is of a very delicate nature. Our freedom can be abused, bring harm to others, and sometimes even harm to our country. I came across this quote by Peter Marshall that I feel is an excellent reminder to us all of what the true purpose of freedom is: "May we think of freedom, not as the right to do as we please, but as the opportunity to do what is right."
In other words, having freedom does not mean we can do everything with abandonment, it simply means we can do everything with discretion. A quick Dictionary.com search reveals that not only are abandonment and discretion synonyms for freedom, but one of the key definitions of freedom is "the power to determine action without restraint".
I think that people too often think of freedom as a right instead of an opportunity. As wonderful as it is to have certain rights, the terminology "right" can become almost possessive and negative. People then tend to think only of themselves and their needs, rather then what would be best for those they are in relationship with. If we started to think of our freedom as Americans as an opportunity to do good, just think of what we could accomplish!
As we celebrate all that our country has accomplished, let us also look to the future and the ways in which we can use our freedom to do what is right.
Hello fellow pinners!
I am pleased to announce that Inspiration Today posts can now be pinned on Pinterest! It is my hope to start using images with all of my posts, and now simply by hovering the mouse over the image, you can click and take the link to the Pinterest site and pin away! I'd love to bring more readers in and I think this will be just the ticket to spread the inspiration! Please pin images from my posts and help me draw more readers to my blog!
Thank you for your continued support!
Inspired,
Emelie
Everyone's heard the phrase "Curiosity killed the cat." But I'd like to introduce a new phrase: "Curiosity kills the flat." In other words, curiosity is what draws away from the mundane, boring things in life and leads us to new discoveries. Now I'm not saying that there isn't a place for tedium in this world. Many of the duties we must perform on a daily basis for our own health and well-being can be rather dull, but vital. For instance, I find the task of brushing my teeth to be unexciting, but I do it anyway to maintain my oral health.
What I'm talking about is the way in which curiosity brings us out of the ruts we so often travel, and leads us towards new and exciting things. Those of us who have cared for young children know what I mean. Children have such a beautiful way of asking questions and submitting themselves to the essence of their curiosity. I often watch a family friend's little girl while they run some errands. I am always amused by her strong desire to learn things. She asks constantly, "What's that?" or "Why?", questions that sometimes puzzle me as I try to come up with a reasonable answer, all because of her matter of perspective.
Today I invite you, too, to be curious and long to discover. Take a break from the tedium of everyday life and come across new and exciting things. Learn and grow, and see the world from a different perspective. Curiosity is meant to lead you to something truly amazing.
Hello everyone!
I can't believe that it will be a year ago next Thursday, May 30, since I got the inspiration to start this blog. In one year we have impacted so many lives with nearly 500 pageviews, 30 posts, and visitors from around the world! (Check out some more of our stats on the Christmas post! ) I thank God for giving me the gifts necessary to make this blog a success! And I thank all of you for being so faithful in the process!
Help me celebrate Inspiration Today by commenting on this post with the name of your favorite post this year and how it inspired you. Also, share ideas for the year ahead! Is there something special you'd like me to reflect on? Is there something you'd like to see added to Inspiration Today? Ideas so far include adding images of landscapes and simple living, writing lots more book and movie reviews, and improving the use of Livebits!
Thanks for all of your support! Blessings to you all!
Inspired,
Emelie
I recently came across this quote by Khalil Gibran: "When you are joyous, look deep into your heart and you shall find it is only that which has given you sorrow that is giving you joy. When you are sorrowful look again in your heart, and you shall see that in truth you are weeping for that which has been your delight." Joy is such a challenging feeling to embody, partly because much of what makes us sorrowful brings us joy, and much of what makes us joyful brings us sorrow.
How many times have you heard a confused child ask his weeping mother at a special occasion, "Why are you crying?", only to hear her respond, "These aren't sad tears, but rather, tears of joy"? And what a gift and a joy children are. But do they bring us pain and sorrow, sometimes even disappointment? I always think of those parents that have a child with a severe illness or disability. As much happiness as it has given them to see their child grow and develop, they still experience the grief of having to constantly maintain their child's health and well-being. Another example of this would be the young love we all experienced as teenagers. As much joy as it brings us to be in relationship with someone, it can often be complicated, causing more trouble than the relationship is probably worth.
What I invite you to think of today is, not finding sorrow in your joy, but rather how you can find joy in times of trial and great difficulty. Instead of looking at the pain it is causing you, choose instead to be grateful for the support you are receiving from friends and family, the gifts that satisfy your bodily needs, and most importantly, God's presence and peace in the midst of it all. I challenge you to embrace your sorrows, for "in truth you are weeping for that which has been your delight."
As a child, I remember sitting in the car on the way home from dance class, watching the rain drops slide across my window. I imagined that the large drops were the momma fish and the small drops were the little baby fish. I marveled at how the momma fish would swallow the baby fish up, magically transforming into the big papa fish. I would watch this same transaction take place numerous times, never tiring of such a silly imagining. Yet in the eyes of a child, the simplest things bring the most joy.
About a year ago, I received a letter from a mentor of mine. To this day, I treasure his final statement: "Don't forget to play in the mud every once in a while." When I first read it, I didn't quite understand what he was getting at. Play in the mud? Isn't that something little kids do? Kids that don't have to worry about the grown-up things like school and work and money and relationships? But then it dawned on me. He didn't mean play in the mud in the literal sense. What he wanted was for me to recall what it was like to be a child, to enjoy the simple things in life. He wanted me to see fish in the form of raindrops, shapes in the form of clouds, life through the eyes of a child.
Today I would like to invite you to be young at heart. Do something that reminds you of your childhood, whether it be playing a game or recalling a silly imagining. See the world through the eyes of a child: take in all those vibrant colors and rich smells and funny feelings. Laugh like a child, show off your toothy grin. Call up mom and dad and tell them how much you love them. Read your favorite fairy tale. Watch one of those old cartoons that used to play on TV. Color or paint a picture with all the colors of the rainbow. Cuddle with a furry friend. Wear footie pajamas and drink hot cocoa. Have a tea party with your dollies. Go crazy! Do what a child would do, and enjoy the simple joys of life.
"May your love of life be the enchantment that turns insignificant things into joys."
Excerpt from "I Wish For You" by Lance Wubbels
Today I'm going to try something a little bit different. Instead of me sharing with you my take upon the world, I want you to take some time to think for yourself and practice all those lovely skills your high school English teacher taught you only a few years ago( 'cause you're only 22 right now, correct?). You'll need a few things before you begin, though:
Supplies: a cup of chamomile tea or decaf coffee, a pair of your coziest pajamas, a soft blanket, a pen or pencil, and a notepad. (Sadly, the warm attire is required due to the extreme weather conditions outside my window right now. If you happen to be one of the lucky few that gets to live in California or Florida, make adjustments accordingly.)
Directions:
Step 1: Write today's lovely question (What makes you YOU?) at the top of your page. If you are of the female gender and wish to decorate your paper with glitter, stickers, and the like, please do so. If you are a man, feel free to do the same, but perhaps it would be advisable to do so privately.
Step 2: Ask yourself, how would the ones I love best describe me? And why is it that they would describe me as such? (Keep in mind that the purpose of this exercise is to look at the positive impact you have made in other people's lives. Do not allow yourself to even entertain negativity.)
Step 3: Make a list of your accomplishments and gifts, things you can be proud of. Then, give yourself a pat on the back for being such an awesome person.
Step 4: Free write! Answer today's question in your own words. Do not be intimidated by blank space on your page! Take a deep breath and write as much or as little as you want to.
Step 5: If you so desire, write a comment on this post sharing your experince with this exercise. We'd love to hear how it went for you! To leave a comment simply click # Comments and type what you wish to say in the text box provided. If you do not have a Google account, select that you will be commenting anonymously, but please sign your name at the end of your comment!
Best of luck! Remember to be positive and praiseful of yourself!
Goodness! How the months have flown by! I can't believe that it's been nearly three months since I last posted anything. Hopefully I can get back on board with things once summer arrives.
Last evening I enjoyed seeing a performance of the Celtic Women for the very first time. There is something so empowering about their music, between the richness and purity of their voices, to the words they sing, to the energy and joy so plain on their faces. Throughout the concert, they would twirl and dance about the stage as if they were little fairies, and I couldn't help but wonder, had they been given wings, if they wouldn't just start flying above the crowd. Ever since the last notes of their music died away, I haven't been able to shake this feeling of being alive; almost as if I, too, could fly. I wish I could just bottle this feeling and then drink it in again on a day that is less than wonderful. There are just too few days in this life where a person feels this way.
This past summer, my family and I were playing a game kind of like twenty questions, only you had to guess which answer belonged to each player. One of the questions that came up was, "On average, how many good days do you have in a year?" I thought about 25, another thought maybe 40, and yet another guessed it to be about 30. But my brother, who is the energetic and fun-loving member of the family, estimated about 333. We all laughed at how our numbers stacked up, but man, what a thought! To be truly happy and at peace for 95% of the year! I really admire and respect my brother for being able to think like that.
But how to capture these good feelings? How can we create these feelings on a really bad day? I like to refer to this quote by St. Augustine: "If we live good lives, the times are also good. As we are, such are the times." Maybe one finds the most happiness in being who they are. My brother can certainly attest to that. Every day he spends time doing the things he loves and being with the people he loves. Those of us who are quick to get swamped with our work and daily lives, often ignore our body's desire for doing something enjoyable that we have always loved to do. I think part of why I enjoyed last evening's concert so much is because listening to music with good, heartfelt messages is something that brings me joy and puts me at peace.
Try creating some of those good feelings today by setting aside some time to do what you love to do, whatever that may be. And once you're in that happy place, I will be waiting with a pair of wings, made just for you, so you can fly.
As I was looking for some inspiration for my next post, I came across a quote by Robert Kennedy that I think states very well how I feel about the world right now: "There are those who look at things the way they are, and ask why... I dream of things that never were, and ask why not?" When I look at the world today, and all the pain and hatred and suffering there is, I find myself often asking that very question: why? In December, after the tragedy in New Town, Conneticut, I found myself asking over and over again: why? When I saw a homeless man sitting inside Target today trying to warm up, I continued to ask: why?
But you know, it's always been easier to see the clouds rather than the sunshine hiding behind them. And of course, nothing is impossible if you set your mind to it. Perhaps what Kennedy is trying to say is, instead of asking why things are the way they are, we can dream up ways to make positive changes and trust and believe in ourselves to make them happen. Why are there people that are cold and hungry in this world? Why not offer to buy them a hot drink? Why is there so much war and violence? Why not send warm blankets and encouraging letters overseas to the soldiers trying to bring an end to it?
There are so many ways we can turn our dreams of peace and harmony into a reality. But we have to have enough confidence in ourselves and in each other to make it happen. My challenge for you today is to stop asking why, and dream of the why nots.
