November 2005

Somewhere right now a miracle just happened.

If you could take the sting out of things that hurt you, would you?

If you had the power to cut large worries down to size, would you?

If you could make people who anger you, anger you less, would you?

Of course, of course, and you bet…right?

Okay then, roll up your emotional sleeves and get to work because this magic lies within each of us…within our realms of thought. It’s called Right Thinking and it could make all the difference in the world.

Somewhere right now, a miracle is happening.

I read an affirmation a few days ago that has stuck in my mind: “What you believe, you’ll receive; what you doubt, you’ll do without.” I started wondering, “Exactly how many things am I doing without?!” I guess that’s why the quote has stayed in my mind, because I’m afraid the answer to “How many?” might just reach digits that’d make me squirm.

In the new book, “Shortcut to a Miracle,” by Michael C. Rann and Elizabeth Rann Arrott, the authors talk about manifesting miracles in our own lives. They stress the importance of knowing that your miracle is coming - know it, expect it, and get ready for it! Fear, they say, is the biggest obstacle to making miracles happen. Somehow we always feel that we’re less deserving than others, more inadequate, unlucky, etc.

Yet this is exactly the negative-type of thinking that hurts us. Other common forms of negative thinking are:

• complaining
• blaming
• criticizing
• self-criticism
• envy

Each of these diminish our sense of self, lessen the positive powers in our life and allow the negative forces to run amok. When we kick out the negative thoughts, we make room for the positve thoughts to take their place. (They’re much, much better psyche guests, anyway!)

Are you in need of a miracle today? Then make it happen! Take the power that has been lying dormant inside of you, awaken it and make it start working for you.

Are you in need of a Health Miracle?

“The body is constantly renewing itself unless something interferes with the process, such as stress. If you can see yourself healthy and well, actively participating in life, even while you are flat on your back, your body will start responding to this image.” - Michael C. Rann and Elizabeth Rann Arrott

Somewhere right now, a miracle is about to happen.

I hope it’s yours!

Make each moment a miracle,
~Joi

“I have found in life that if you want a miracle you first need to do whatever it is you can do - if that’s to plant, then plant; if it is to read, then read; if it is to change, then change; if it is to study, then study; if it is to work, then work; whatever you have to do. And then you will be well on your way of doing the labor that works miracles. - Jim Rohn

Yessss, more reasons to shake our booty! A new study shows that Flamingo dancing is not only good for keeping your body in shape, it keeps your mind sharp as well.

Don’t know about you, but those are two things that interest me profoundly.

Make each shake count double,
~Joi

Technorati Tags: flamingo dancing, dancing, mental fitness

The phone call finally came a minute ago that I’d been waiting for. My mother’s okay and her only complaint was that she was out of Diet Coke.

As a Diet Dr. Pepper junkie, I can relate. The trick, mother of mine, is to never let the well run dry.

Joi

Two tornadoes tore through our area yesterday. One did significant damage to my hometown of Madisonville, Ky. The town we currently live in (Owensboro) was spared, but my heart goes all the way out to everyone who was hurt and everyone who lost their homes. This includes more people than you could even think about with dry eyes.

I haven’t been able to locate my mom, as the phone lines are down and travelling to the area was prohibited.

You just never know when something from out of the blue will blow in and turn your world upside down.

All the images on television are heartbreaking - all the rubble and destruction. One house that was destroyed actually had a plastic Santa Claus standing outside, unharmed. Can you even imagine that all your possessions are gone, your house wiped out and all you’re left with is a Santa Claus?

If I don’t post here for a day or two, please forgive me. I just want to find out something about my mother and wrap my head around what happened. You just never think the things you see on the news will ever move into your own hometown.

Make each prayer count double,
~Joi

Today has been shaping up to be a verrrry weird day. It’s had flying styrofoam, police chases, five tornado warnings, flash flood warnings, heavy footed nuns and Popeye, himself, walking in a storm. Who needs cable?

The weirdness starts as we’re zipping (as in 60 ish) down the bypass. A large sheet of styrofoam flies out from the back of a truck. It flies right back into the front of our Dodge - then, Splam! - it splits into a gazillion tiny pieces and looks like a snow storm. It was one of the coolest things I’ve ever seen. I just wish one of my daughters had caught in on camera. Unfortunately, though, when I’m driving, they tend to just hang on for life and look out for the flashing lights.

Okay, so then we drop off Brittany and Stephany and I head off to pick up Emily. There’s a van behind us that’s all up our freaking grill, then it zips out of line and speeds up past us….and I’m even going the speed limitish! As it tears past us, Steph and I glance over at the driver….a nun. A smiling nun. I wasn’t about to have my reputation compromised by Sister Speedy, so I later repassed her on the highway. She was still smiling, and my reputation was secured.

We pick up Em, who practically blows into the van like Dorothy. We then take her to her next destination while listening as the radio tells us that essentially a tornado could whip us all away at any time. The wind was so bad, a few times I told Steph to have her camera ready in case a tree or cow went flying by. Thanks be to God neither did. Just Popeye.

I kid you not, we saw Popeye hustling down the street - he’d ditched his sailor outfit, but he had the same face, same build, same scowl, same head and even a pipe.

As we were keeping an eye out for Olive Oyl, a police car went speeding past us - emphasis on past us. It’s always a relief when I’m not the one being pursued. I’m thinking it was the nun.

You know the really scary part? It’s not even lunch time yet!

Make each moment count double,
~Joi

I came across this passage in an old book about 6 months ago. I fell totally in love with the word behind the words, and thought it just might speak to you as well.

HOW TO WAKE UP SMILING
by J. Harvey Howells

“You forgot something,” said my six-year-old urgently as I bent to kiss him good night. He grabbed my hand. “You forgot to ask me what was the happiest thing that happened today.”

“I’m sorry. So I did.” I sat down on the edge of the bed.

At last came the whisper. “Catching that sand eel.” A contented sigh. “My first fish.” He snuggled into the pillow. ” ‘Night, Dad.”

When it started I do not know. Nor do I know how, but this prayerlike ritual has been my own private blessing since beyond memory.

There is a moment of complete loneliness that comes to everyone every day. When the last good night has been murmered and the head is on the pillow, the soul is utterly alone with its thoughts.

It is then that I ask myself, “What was the happiest thing that happened today?”

The waking hours may have been filled with stress and even distress; I have been in a highly competitive business all my life. But no matter what kind of day it has been, there is always a “happiest” thing.

Funnily enough, it’s rarely a big thing. Mostly it’s a fleeting loveliness. Waking to the honk of Canada geese on a crisp fall morning. An unexpected letter from a friend who doesn’t write often. A cool swim on a broiling day. Listening to “Seventy-six Trombones.” Camelias in the snow in an amazed New Orleans. My wife’s face when she makes me laugh.

There’s always something, and as a result I have never had a sleeping pill in my life. I doubt if my son will ever need one either - if he, too, remembers that happiness is not a goal dependent on some future event. It is with us every day if we make the conscious effort to recognize it.

Make each moment count double,
~Joi

“There are no miracles for those that have no faith in them.” - French Proverb

First of all, I want to thank a visitor to TMFC for telling me that, in Firefox, the website “has some problems.” I really, really appreciate him taking the time to tell me about something that I was totally ignorant of!

Some people get miffed when people point things out, but that seems weird. I’d be more bothered by people visiting the site, seeing that there was a problem and then going to their next cyber stop without letting me know.

TMFC, along with most of our sites, were created before Firefox crawled out of its hole and (apparently) look one way in ie6 and not at all that way in Firefox. Would it be asking too much for them to get on the same (web) page? Geez.

Does anyone have any idea how a web designer could approach a website to make it look the same in both??

Thanks, again!

Make each moment count double,
~Joi

These numbers are nothing if not alarming: Alzheimer’s disease is wiping out the memories of 4.5 million Americans, and 350,000 join their ranks each year.

Research has proven, however, that there are precautions we can take. A few of these precautions are things we should be doing anyway:

• Drink more fruit juice or vegetable juice. In a 10 year study at the University of South Florida, researchers found that men and women who drank juice at least 3 times a week had a 75% lower risk of dementia. 75%! It has to be juice, though, as eating fruits and vegetables didn’t affect the dementia risk one way or another. Buy the juice. Drink the juice.
• Exercise. Again, this is something we should be doing in the first place. But it turns out that exercise is as good for us neck up as it is neck down. Exercise sends blood to the brain, improving memory. So turn on the music, turn on the energy, and turn on the brain cells.
• Floss Daily. (Oops, they got me! I rarely remember to do this one.) Swedish and American researchers found that those who had gum disease had a much higher risk of Alzheimer’s. Bacteria from the mouth may cause chronic inflammation, which could impede blood flow to the brain. I bet I’ll never forget to floss again!

Simple steps. But they won’t do us any good if we don’t take them…even the flossing.

Make each moment count double,
~Joi