The Power of Gratitude

The Secret of Dreamers and Doers

I've had a wonderfully relaxing Saturday. I worked a little on Angel & the Enemy this morning. I'm close to wrapping it up - with Julie's expert help. I like it so much better now! It's up to 71,000 words - quite a bit longer than the ebook version I released last year. For those who've read it, there's more interaction between Elijah and Angelina and you'll learn all about what happened to Bonnie's husband and find some satisfying resolution there.

After writing a bit, I got my hair cut and went shopping for plants and seeds for the garden. My copy of "The Secret" also arrived in the mail. You've got to get a copy of this! I'd like to buy it in bulk and give it to friends and family.  I watched it this afternoon before taking the little kids outside to plant some beans, tomatoes, sunflowers and zucchini.  If you want to know how to get what you really want out of life, this DVD holds "the secret!" It's masterfully done and explains and illustrates principles I've been learning for the last 2-3 years in a succinct, entertaining format.

Greg was catering a wedding reception tonight and had our 3 older children with him, helping him serve. So I had sole possession of the remote control. Whenever this happens, I rent a movie. Today's choice was Dreamer. I watched it after dinner while the kids played. Great movie! Moreover, it fit perfectly with the theme of "The Secret." Watch them both, then decide what you want out of life. Put the principles to work and get ready for miracles to occur!  I know "the secret" works, because I've used it. Now, it's time to dust it off and go for something big!

My Theory on Clutter

Recently, I've formulated a theory on clutter that says "to the degree to which your home is cluttered, your life is cluttered... the state of your outward environment is merely a physical manifestation of your inner state." Get hold of one, and you get hold of the other. Pick up one end of the stick and the other lifts as well. Like I say, it's just a theory, but see if you agree with me. I can think of two people I know who have homes where there is not a single room or space that is cluttered or chaotic... my sister and my mother-in-law. I'm not saying they may not have a messy cabinet somewhere, but overall one could enter any room of their homes and find it orderly and clean ... at almost any moment. I've never been to either of their homes when a room was closed off as "off limits" because it was such a mess they'd be embarrassed for me to see it.

On the other hand, come to my house, and I will not let you see the heaping mound of clean laundry stacked in my bedroom or the piles of papers and junk spilling from my dresser. And up until this past weekend there is no way on earth I would allow you to enter our younger children's room - even if you could get past the stacks of toys and clothes strewn all over the floor. While I'm sealing off that room, I'd shut my sixteen-year-old's door as well. The rest of the house is within the realms of decency - given you don't enter on a Sunday evening after Greg and I have napped and the kids have run free.

While part of my house is presentable, there are spots that I wouldn't want anyone to see. However, my sister and mother-in-law have no such locations within their homes. Moreover, if you knew them as people, you'd see that their entire lives are like that - calm, consistent and balanced. Consistency - that's a character trait I've struggled with my entire life. The fact that most of the chaos in my home stems from children or their mounds of clothing, one can easily follow the dots to see that the inconsistency in the appearance of my home stems from my inconsistency as a parent - inconsistency in making them help around the house specifically.

Do you see where I'm going? It occurred to me recently while working on some affirmations that if I could calmly gain control of my household, I might be able to remedy my own inner struggles with consistency. Last week, I devised this statement - one I read every morning, evening and throughout the day as I think of it: "I choose to easily and peacefully establish a harmonious home that is clean and organized throughout." Notice it has none of the phrases I'd typically use in the past such as "pigsty" or "filthy mess." It's stated positively and initiated with the phrase "I choose." The first thing I had to realize is that the state of my home is my choice. I choose it to be as it is. It's not my children. It's me. I choose how my environment will be. If it's chaos, then I'm choosing that. If it's orderly, I'm choosing that.

I also intentionally put in the words "easy," "peaceful," and "harmonious" because normally trying to get my house clean is anything but easy, peaceful or harmonious. Not two weeks ago, I told Greg that I wouldn't clean our younger children's room again even if he gave me a $100. However, once I started reading my statement, I knew that's where I had to start. The interesting thing is it didn't seem so overwhelming or distasteful anymore. I just kept picturing my clean and organized home and it gave me the ability to stay positive. 

I began the task on Friday so that the younger children would be in school. It went fine until they came home and decided to "help." Then they started their usual, "don't throw that away!" and "He's not helping!" My first instinct was to get irritable, but then I remembered my statement... peaceful, harmonious, and easy. While I do recall making one scolding correction when enough was enough of their arguing, overall the experience was intensely more peaceful, harmonious and easy than it's ever been before. What's more, it's been nearly a week and the room is still in the state I left it.

I still have mounds of clothes to sort through and put away in both my room and my daughter's, but we'll get there... one step at a time and without the need to scream about pigsties or rats' nests. :)

So... tell me... what do you think of my theory?

Horse Update/Phrasing Your Affirmations

    Well, the palomino isn't broken... never has been. The primary reason I'd like to own my own horse instead of just enjoying the ones out in our field is because I want my own to ride, so this particular horse isn't my solution - unless I'm willing to hire a trainer - which would add about $1,500 to the price.  In asking opinions of a couple friends who are heavily into horses and training them, I learned a few things. First, I need to look for a horse that's already broken, second a gelding is generally less temperamental than a mare and makes a better riding horse. A friend at church actually has a 2-year-old gelding cutting horse that's perfectly trained for the same price they were asking for the palomino. I told him I'd stop by and look at it. Maybe I can arrange to do that this week. It will all depend on the timing of things as I've got taxes to catch up and college expenses to cover, and those things have to take priority over my dream of owning my own horse. Whether it's my friend's horse or another, I'm sure I'll be led to the right one at the right time for me. In the meantime, I'm enjoying my visits with my favorite palomino and visualizing myself riding over our property. :)

I read an interesting thing the other day about how to phrase your affirmations so that your subconscious mind believes them. The last thing you want your subconscious to do when you set a goal is to say, "yeah, right... no way that's gonna happen!" It said to start the statement with "I choose..." For example, instead of saying, "I have my own gentle riding horse and enjoy the thrill of riding him safely around our property" I should say "I choose to have my own gentle riding horse and often enjoy the thrill of riding him safely around our property." See the difference? I can choose anything... I have the ability to choose. My subconscious isn't going to balk at that like it might the other. It's not going to say... "that's a lie." Belief is critical. If your affirmation is introducing doubt, you've got a serious problem. So by putting "I choose" at the beginning, you completely eliminate doubt.

My Horse Update

I spoke with the horse breeders when they came to care for the horses today. The one I'm interested in is a registered palomino quarter horse. She's 3 years old and is expecting. Her foal is due in about a month. And the good news is he is willing to sell her. His asking price is $2,000.  I was just thrilled that he's willing to part with her! And with her expecting, it gives me a few months to round up the cash. As for the price, I have a friend in NH who's a whiz with horses and I'm going to talk it over with her and see what she thinks. She's supposed to give me a call back later today. Will keep you posted...

Love At First Sight

Breeders board equines in our field. Periodically, they switch them and it’s always fun to go out to meet the new arrivals. Today was such a gorgeous afternoon that my camera and I took a stroll. Little did I know that during today’s outing, I’d fall in love.

There were four females and one male in the field. The moment I stepped inside the fence, the most gentle creature came to greet me. She is the exact color and markings as a pony I had as a child. My pony could be ornery and excitable, but this horse came right to me, nuzzled up to greet me, and encouraged me to pet her for the longest time. Usually the horses are a bit skittish at first, but not this beauty. We built such instant rapport that whenever one of the other females came near for me to show her a little attention too, my friend nudged her away with a toss of her head. She even let me put my arms around her neck and give her a hug. 

Okay, call me weird, but one of my favorite smells in the world is the sweet scent of a horse. If freedom had an aroma, it would be horsehair. Get a whiff of it and you’re galloping through an open field with the wind in your hair, not a care in the world. Gives me a feeling of kinship with my 4th great grandmother, Dicey Langston, the bold and reckless rider and American patriot.

With my arms around this gentle horse's neck and one whiff of her liberating scent, she had me. I’ve decided to ask if she’s for sale. I think she might be expecting… or soon will be with the cohabitating male nearby. However, maybe… just maybe… I can find a way to acquire her as my own because I am completely and hopelessly smitten.

Humility+Faith+Action=Miracles

It's a gorgeous day outside and before I head out to enjoy it, I thought I'd post a Happy Easter message to my readers. I hope you'll be able to spend some quality time with family and friends this weekend. For those in the U.S. the 17th is the last day to turn in your Federal income taxes. 

At this time of year, I think of the account in Matthew 17:24-27 where a tax collector came to Peter and asked him if his Master paid tribute (or taxes). Peter answered "yes." When Peter went into the house Jesus told him to go to the sea and "cast a hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take and give unto them for me and thee."

From this story, we learn that the Lord provides for those who follow Him. We might have to do a little work. Peter did have to go to the sea, cast in a hook and fish. Peter also had to humble himself to believe that on the first try he'd find the exact fish that had a coin in its mouth. Peter was an experienced fisherman. I'm sure he knew more about fishing than an ordinary carpenter would. But Jesus was no ordinary carpenter! I'm also sure Peter had found very few coins resting in the mouths of his catch. He could easily have told Jesus that this was a ridiculous notion and refused to follow instructions.

But Peter humbled himself. He had faith in Jesus, and did his part. Once that was done, the Lord took care of the rest. Likewise, the Lord will provide for us if we humble ourselves, have faith in Him, and do our best. It's a simple formula I refer to repeatedly:

Humility + Faith + Inspired Action = Miraculous Results

This week, I've tried to put this principle to work on a revised site design for www.BelieversAtWork.com . Whereas the site used to only provide information on cultivating faith, now it helps you put that faith into action by giving you the tools to deliver your message to the online world. I'm counting on it bringing you miraculous results! :)

If you have a business, product or service that you'd like to let others know about, now's the time to visit www.BelieversAtWork.com . You may list your business at no charge in our searchable directory.

In addition to our library of ebooks and audio, we also have a practical suite of tools for getting your message out to the online world. There's everything from advertising options for you on our popular IdeaMarketers.com (which receives over 1.3 million page views/month) to a handy newsletter builder with access to 59,000+ articles so you can stay in contact with your clients and prospects.

To get started, go to http://www.BelieversAtWork.com and select the "Join Us" link at the top of the page.

Stop by - at least cast in your hook. Get your fre~e listing. Take action toward your dreams! :)

What ''I'm Too Busy'' Really Means

One vacation taken and 3 books read to completion, now I'm back to work and going strong. It always does me good to take a break. This week I've prepared and given a teleclass on "Insider Secrets to Self-Publishing," finished programming and launched www.ReadyToPublish.com yesterday, and today I totally reprogrammed www.BelieversAtWork.com . It's now a system for helping people discover their God-given mission and then enabling them to spread their message to the online world. If you've got a business to promote, stop by the site, and click on Join Us to list your business for free in the member directory.

On a reader-author discussion list I'm on, one of my fellow authors mentioned that a visitor to her book signing table claimed she didn't have time to read fiction. That's a common phrase in today's vocabulary, "I don't have time" for this or that. Personally, I don't buy this excuse. I think when we say we don't have time, we're really saying it's not a priority for us or that we can't justify it.

I think we have time to do whatever we really want to do... we make time for what's important to us.  Bottom line, this woman my colleague met doesn't "want" to read fiction. That's either because she either doesn't enjoy reading or has never read good fiction. Or she could be one of those "Martha" people who feels guilty for relaxing - who doesn't realize that in order to be productive in life, you have to take the necessary downtime to rejuvenate.

Without relaxation time, we become like rats on a wheel... spinning, spinning, spinning... but going nowhere. Fiction is how I relax. Once I escape for a spell with a book or two, I can get back to work and am 100% more productive and efficient than I would have been without the break.

Since I've gotten back from my vacation, I've accomplished more in 3 days than I normally would get done in a couple weeks. Anyway, there's my secret to accomplishing more in less time. Reading fiction is a big part of it.

Trip to Utah / Big 18/ Interview

My husband and I just got back from a quick trip to Utah to visit with his parents and attend our church's General Conference. It was a fun and relaxing trip, and it was one of the few times in the last 20 years that Greg's been able to spend with his parents, brother and sister all together. Greg's family's great and I'm truly blessed to have them for in-laws. His mom has an extensive library of books so I read Kerry Blair's "The Heart Has Its Reasons" and Betsy Brannon Green's "Hearts In Hiding." Since I wasn't quite finished with "Hearts in Hiding" I bought my own copy along with another of hers that my friends and mother-in-law recommended, "Until Proven Guilty."  All the books are very entertaining. Both Kerry and Betsy have a fun sense of humor, which I thoroughly enjoy.

One highlight of my trip, besides attending General Conference and hearing President Gordon B. Hinckley speak, was visiting with my best-selling author friend (and editor) Julie Coulter Bellon on Monday. She, my friend Cathy and I went to lunch at Olive Garden. Julie's little three-year-old sat there so good the whole time, poor little guy, having to sit and listen to a bunch of women rattling on about books for nearly 3 hours!

Our oldest daughter turned 18 yesterday. If you asked me if that makes me feel old, the answer would be a resounding YES! I still remember her being eight months old in our apartment in Nashville and our daily routine. We'd shop in the morning and come home and play in her little box of toys in the living room, then we'd put them away and she'd take a nap while I either cleaned the apartment or did a little bit of data entry work that I had back then. Greg worked retail at the time so he was gone a lot. Laurel was my little buddy and my world revolved around her. It's hard to believe she's all grown up now!

Before I went out of town, Aneeta Sundararaj of HowToTellAGreatStory.com conducted an interview with me. If you'd care to read it, it's in her ezine called Blow Your Own Trumpet.