Thankful For The Real Meaning of Peace

This is an inspiring story that has been shared so many times.  And you never tire of reading it because it makes you realize that it is true.  I pray that you find your peace.  And if you do, continue to be grateful and thankful.

 

Peace Cranes

The Real Meaning of Peace

There once was a king who offered a prize to the artist who would paint the best picture of peace.  Many artists tried.  The king looked at all the pictures.  But there were only two that he really liked, and he had to choose between them.

One picture was of a calm lake.  The lake was a perfect mirror for peaceful towering mountains all around it.  Overhead was a blue sky with fluffy white clouds.  All who saw this picture thought that it was a picture of peace. 

The other picture had mountains, too.  But these were rugged and bare.  Above was an angry sky, from which rain fell and in which lightning played.  Down the side of the mountain tumbled a foaming waterfall.  This did not look peaceful at all.

But when the king looked closely, he saw behind the waterfall a tiny bush growing in a crack in the rock.  In the bush a mother bird had built her nest.  There, in the midst of the rush of angry water, sat the mother bird on her nest -- in perfect peace.

Which picture do you think won the prize?  The king chose the second picture. Do you know why?

"Because," explained the king, "peace does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble, or hard work. Peace means to be in the midst of all those things and still be calm in your heart. That is the real meaning of peace."

Author: Unknown

Peace Symbols

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Peace be with you.

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New Years are New Beginnings

I haven't been able to sit down long enough to be quiet so I could write on my blog.  After my last entry, days have been filled with shopping, family get togethers, preparing breakfast, lunch and dinner menus, packing, tugging along suitcases, enjoying Taiwan, preparing my song for my grand aunt's 8oth birthday celebration and more.  Gasp...yes it was that hectic and busy!

The house is quieter now and so is my mind.  I breathe inwardly-- a deep breath that makes me introspect on my experiences the past week.  I love the stillness for here I could stop doing and just be.  And it gives me an inner peace.

Tonight I just bask in this space of gratitude.  In this place, I smile with joy for now I see that new years are new beginnings.  And I am so excited because I see how I have been growing and healing and most especially, how I am loving myself more.  I could feel my hormones in eager anticipation for my life to unfold beautifully right before my eyes.  Plans are laid out.  Wonderful dreams and hopes visualized daily.  Who could not help but be excited?

I am ready.

I am open and available for abundance to manifest in all aspects of my life.

I am choosing joy each day.

I am grateful.

I am excited!

Happy New Year to you my dear friend and reader.  May you continue to choose the path to that which brings you meaning and joy and love.

Blessings!

Michelle Simtoco

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Happy and Thankful that Christmas Time is Here

I love the Christmas season because it brings me to a really feeling good place.  A place of love and hope and peace.  There were many Christmas moments when I was sad and blue but the Christmas spirit seemed to soothe me in ways that I could never even begin to describe.

Anyway, tonight I was on the search mode!  The kids will be having their Christmas party in school this coming Friday.  And we decided to do a front act -- a dance number--right before the Christmas play would begin.  So I found myself browsing through youtube looking for some dance steps so our choreography session would progress faster.  And lo and behold, I came upon this cute video of a Liturgical Dance performed by Steps of Faith at the 2008 Nativity Ballet. This dance is to Michael W. Smith's Christmas Classic "Christmastime". Learn more about Steps of Faith at their website: http://www.steps-of-faith.com/

I enjoyed this so much and the music is so wonderful.  The kids are just so adorable too.  I am thankful that this brought me to a really feeling good place all over again.  And feeling good makes me connect with Christmas.  And I find that to be a beautiful experience.

Okay, so I tried some of these ballet steps..will see if these moves can be modified to fit our dance.  After this, I will have to go back and look for more dance steps.

So happy and thankful that Christmas time is here!

Michelle Simtoco

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To Be Happy Adopt the Attitude of Gratitude

If you want to be happy, be grateful!

Adopt the attitude of gratitude!

Play a game with yourself. From the time the sun rises or when the alarm rings to wake you up, say aloud what you are grateful for. Do you find that difficult to do? Don't worry. Start simply. You don't have to use complicated gratitude speeches or superfluous words.

When you wake up and your beautiful eyes blink wide open, say it. "Oh I'm glad I can open my eyes!" There that wasn't so difficult right? Next step. When you sit up on your bed and rub the sleep from your eyes, say it. "Oh I can move my hands! Wow!" Now you are off to a great start. So you walk and comb your hair and sit on the throne to dispel food from last night's heavy dinner, notice it. You could actually do these things! Without effort...without even thinking about it or calling the army to help you! See...this is just the beginning of this gratitude attitude.

I drive my car everyday to work and everyday, when I slid into the driver's seat, I close my eyes and say thank you that I can comfortably drive myself to work. I thank my family for giving me this car. If it's traffic on the road, I thank the traffic so I could have more time to sing my favorite songs on the radio or listen to an audio teaching or talk with a friend on the cellphone (of course, using the ear phone for safety!)

But I must be honest with you too that there are days when my mind is preoccupied and I catch myself already forgetting to be grateful; and have launched literally hundreds of complaints and what have you's that brings me to a dark and miserable place. Frustration sets in and I want to scream and be really, really cranky! And does it help? It does help to air out the frustration but when I get into that MOOD, it is awful. I feel awful! So what do I do? I can't --not out of the blue anyway-- say the things that I am grateful about. It feels really like a "faky thing" you know. So I do something that makes me feel a bit better instead. Even a teeny weeny bit. I go out in the garden and just stare at the trees. Or I go to the classroom and be with the kids. And hey, when I feel a bit better then I start saying my gratitude aloud. This will bring you happiness and joy.

And so it goes. Now give me a smile. I would like to tell you that I am grateful you took the time to read this post. Hugs....

101 Things to be Grateful For: This is a list I compiled to help us remember some of the things we can be grateful for.

Michelle Simtoco

 

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