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Tag Archives: Love

The Weight of All That Love . .

08 Saturday Apr 2017

Posted by Cheryl Ries in Blessings, Christianity, Easter, Faith, God, Redemption, Resurrection, Sacrifice

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Easter, Jesus Christ, Love, Redemption, Resurrection, Sacrifice

I just saw a really timely movie for this season of Easter. It’s called, “A Case For Christ”, based on a book written by the former atheist, Lee Strobel. I won’t give the plot of the movie away, although the book has been available over many years now and is probably familiar to many of you. It’s basically an accounting of what the title suggests, an investigative reporter’s discovery and evidentiary investigation into the truth about Jesus Christ. Based on leads, evidence and by following the story wherever it takes him, Mr. Strobel endeavors to discover a way to disprove and discredit what is revealed in the New Testament Gospels once and for all! But suffice it to say, it doesn’t go as planned! As a believer, this story of Strobel’s probing investigation is a great reminder of God’s omniscience and the amazing gift of love He gave the world through the birth, life, and crucifixion of Jesus.  

When I was younger and attending church routinely by habit, I understood and processed the events of the life and death of Jesus upon that cross to a limited extent. But it has only been through a process of spiritual growth and a great desire to draw nearer in relationship to Jesus by choice, that I have come to truly appreciate the overwhelming sacrifice that He made! It was something which was often softened and sanitized for the sake of us believers. We knew He went to the cross, but we couldn’t truly grasp what He actually physically endured until recent years when the reality of it all was more truthfully and graphically depicted on movie screens through films such as “The Passion of The Christ” and in this one, by way of explanation. To understand the physical impact of scourging and crucifixion upon human flesh is to realize the tremendous and undeniable sacrifice Christ chose to make for us all! When we really allow ourselves to contemplate that horrific physical suffering which was necessary as a blood atonement for the redemption of sin for all time from all beings, it is truly beyond our scope of thought. Pause and contemplate that unimaginable sacrifice, it will probably make your soft heart ache for the sake of such love!  

And that physical suffering is a great part of the proof which finally converted a reticent and stubborn atheist in Strobel. He had surely grown up hearing a sanitized version of the crucifixion as a child before he chose to avidly deny God’s existence in adulthood. But in its actual detail, beyond horrific to imagine, the physical reality of the crucifixion is the telltale evidence of not only the absolute truth of Jesus’ resurrection but also of God’s infinite love. It is only a Divine being which could possibly overcome death endured upon the cross! For those who still choose to deny it, it is not compelling enough to sway their hearts hardened by disbelief and denial, but for hearts willing to ponder such an unselfish act of love, it is undeniable and indisputable! For believers, who need no additional evidence of the proof of His existence, their faith is enough because God’s love is all they ever needed as proof! Once you know His love within, there is no need to be further convinced of His existence. You know because you know! That love lives within you, changing your heart and life forever! It doesn’t make you perfect, or better than others, it just makes you different from who you were before!

Easter is the day we remember that infinite, defining and amazing gift of God’s love! The day when Christ willingly subjected Himself to ridicule, betrayal, torture, false accusations and ultimately, death upon the cross, is the most meaningful day for believers! It’s proof that God so loved the world, that He was willing to spare us all the relentless condemnation of our sinful nature, of an eternity, spent apart from Him. By sacrificing His one and only beloved Son for our sake, as the Gospels and history recount, God remedied for all time the constant need for us to endeavor to atone for our sin through blood sacrifices. We ourselves could never be good enough to bridge that sinful chasm which separates us from God, we’re always sinful by nature. So Jesus bore the brunt of all our sin for all time, the truly innocent and pure lamb, the blood sacrifice slaughtered for the sake of all of us so that we would no longer be separated from our Father! Jesus is the bridge over the chasm! And my heart aches from the weight of all that love, when I contemplate such a sacrifice for my sake and what it means for my eternity!  

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Home On Sunday . .

02 Sunday Apr 2017

Posted by Cheryl Ries in Blessings, Celebration, Christianity, Commitment, Family, Friendliness, God, Joy, Love

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Church, Home, Love, Spirit-Led

Being missed is a truly special sensation to experience! Last week, I was traveling out-of-state so I missed going to church. I go to the same service at the church of which I am a member every week here in my city unless I am ill or traveling. Otherwise, I am there, in my normal pew every week a few minutes before the service begins. I sit in front of a lovely couple, and behind a row of senior citizens who all live in the same adult community. All around me are familiar and friendly faces, also in their usual seats. It’s a community, our church. We know one another, even if not readily by name so far; we greet one another and keep track of one another. We smile, we hug, we wave, we check in, we weep, we comfort, we console, we encourage, we pray, and we take notice of absences and new attendees. So when entering church today, there were avid greetings and “glad to see you”s. It felt good to be missed last week, to have people who not only noticed my absence but also who welcomed me back!   

A few years ago I was prompted to find a church home. I had wandered about looking for a place in which I could feel welcomed and where I could grow spiritually and deepen my relationship with the Lord. So I decided one Sunday to attend this church as a visitor but never looked elsewhere after that first time! From that first day, I was warmly greeted and people took a genuine interest in me. And so it has been ever since! Every week I am there provides me with what I would appraise as the best moments of my week! I walk through the doors and my spirit is elevated with joy! The Holy Spirit dwells in that building, in all the souls which frequent that church and in the ministry staff which leads us all. It’s an amazing place!

I cannot say if that is the same experience everyone who is a member or visitor has. It is mine, perhaps mine alone, although I sincerely doubt it! I am sure many others must have felt that amazing connection and bonds which develop within the walls of our sanctuary and on the premises.  And those same connecting bonds are also found in other locations where members unite in ministry or just for fun. It’s not just the building, it’s something which lives there within the buildings! It’s a spirit, an in-dwelling, a community with a calling from the Lord. It’s God’s love pouring out in worship, prayer, song, gatherings of all sorts, and through relationships forged often over the entire lifespan of the church!  

All my life I’ve either gone to churches of the same denomination or of other Christian denominations, looking for what I discovered on that fateful Sunday. In all those years prior, I never felt the same sense of what I’ve discovered at this church! I never knew that I had been missing the depth of experience which I’ve found there! I discovered Spirit-led people involved in something meaningful, with purpose and with love. There is love, there is compassion, there are relationships built on God’s love and committed to sharing it with others! When anyone is hurting, there are others who enfold them with love and take a share of the burden. When someone needs counsel, there are people trained to help advise and guide. When prayer is needed, there are hundreds of prayer warriors who lift those souls and prayers to the Lord. When the community needs support, there are plentiful hands to help, to give, to provide and to offer. The Spirit leads and by Christ’s example, it is done. This church is so special I decided to become a member within the first year, taking classes and making the commitment before the congregation later that year!  

Finding such a great home on Sunday has also encouraged me to stretch beyond what I absorb only on Sundays! I attend Bible study and seek out other events whenever possible during the week. It’s a great place to connect, and those connections benefit not only church members but all those in the neighboring community and in distant locations partaking of our ministry outreach! And so this morning, I received such warmth and love, especially after having been gone just one week. It’s wonderful to be missed, to be meaningful in the lives of others and to meld into a large community which truly feels like an extended family! I encourage everyone who frequents church to seek a church home which is so welcoming and actually befits the embodiment of that word “home”! Home is a special place. It is where a heart finds solace, comfort, acceptance and companionship. Home is where love flows. My church home draws me each week because I look forward to worshipping the Lord and being with my loved ones! Each week, I am welcomed home!   

 

Motherhood . .

08 Sunday May 2016

Posted by Cheryl Ries in Blessings, Celebration, Family, Maturity

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Blessings, Love, Mother's Day

A mother’s love, guidance, compassion and caring heart are truly treasures to those who depend on them for life, safety, instruction, modeling and survival. Her role is to bring life to the world, to carry within her the next generation, and to nurture that life in body and soul for as long as she is able. Those who commit to such a role with a fullness of heart are truly not only life-givers but life-sustainers as well! 2c104891ddeb2d0f8011888887d0c190

 

 

purposefully and with awareness. It might be taken on by others by choice or out of necessity, but life itself cannot be sustained without women who participate in the reproductive plans God made of first enlisting the female body, heart, and soul. A mother’s role is to be held in high regard and esteemed, for her place in God’s majestic plan requires unselfishness and sacrifice on her part and willful participation in something much greater than herself. Her impact in the world is enduring and necessary for generations to thrive and prosper. Without the participation of women, life ceases! And the Bible is full of Scripture which serves to remind us of how invaluable women are to creation itself!

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God bless mothers today and everyday for they bring each generation to life! God bless our dear moms today, for doing what they must when they must and for the love they’ve shared along the way! God bless my mom for doing her best and for loving each of us unconditionally, taking on the role of a mother as God surely designed it for His purposes and plans, with sacrifice and commitment instilled within her heart! A mother’s love echoes for generations in the living, breathing, and loving souls who walk this earth!

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Good Friday Reminders . .

25 Friday Mar 2016

Posted by Cheryl Ries in Blessings, Choices, Christianity, Faithfulness, God, Gratitude, Hope, Inspiration, Peace

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Eternity, Faith, Hope, Love

This morning, I had made a plan to drive to another part of town with my mom to have breakfast and do some shopping. It seemed a great plan for our Good Friday in preparation for Resurrection/Easter Sunday this weekend. We started out fairly early and ran into a delay on the highway. It wasn’t long before we saw the reason why all the lanes of the freeway were back up. Five or six vehicles had apparently collided in some sort of debacle, which had sent them turning, spinning and careening in all directions. One had penetrated the wire fence separating the freeway lanes and granite-covered sloped shoulder from the traffic lanes up to the access road running alongside, another had smashed into the median and turned toward oncoming traffic. The granite from the shoulder had been flung all over the lanes, and the emergency vehicles were still not on site. Obviously, we had just missed the mayhem occurring, and the ensuing chaos of ambulances, tow trucks, police cars and cleanup crews. We proceeded through the mess with caution, along with the other three lanes of traffic, winnowing into two to bypass the strewn-about cars and the people who drove them. It was frightening to witness the scene, surely something shocking and potentially fatal had occurred. It shook us up as we passed cautiously, and it seemed such an auspicious start to the day. I could only say prayers for the people who were awaiting help there on the freeway this Good Friday morning.   12809794_786221654844305_6885769805558789252_n

And as we made our way to breakfast, we felt contemplative and still a bit unnerved for having witnessed such a mess for all those people involved in that traffic accident. We wondered how all the occupants of those vehicles were and if they had made it through the catastrophic start to their day. On such a beautiful and celebratory morning as this, it surely seemed a tragic start for those drivers and passengers in the five or six vehicles involved. And it reminded us of how fortunate we were today, having just made our way to our destination safely and soundly.  It reminded us to be grateful again for our lives and for the moments we have.  All blessings for sure! I had already seen sad news before leaving the house in regards to those still missing in Brussels, Belgium after the terrorist bombing there two days ago. I had learned that the two missing siblings, who were on their way home to New York, had been killed. I couldn’t help but feel sad hearing about the loss of two such young victims with all their lives ahead, and for the fact that so many around the world had hoped and prayed for them to be found alive. I know they probably died instantly, as I heard they were right near the bomb as it detonated.   10569033_1032352880152144_4730757488208241423_n

And I realize today has epitomized Good Friday, even with the trauma, danger, loss and sadness for some. Just like that day, even though Jesus was crucified in horrible and excruciating fashion, we know He conquered death and the grave!  Even in spite of the chaos and mayhem of this world, the goodness, love, mercy and faithful promises of God are with us always! We needn’t fear death, or whatever comes to our flesh, for His promises have stood the test of time. Prophesied and fulfilled that fateful day over two thousand years ago, Jesus willingly going to his death upon that cross is our constant source of peace, an assurance of God’s abiding love and a way to live with joy in spite of the world we’re now in! All the battles, heartaches, pains and torments we face are fleeting and can never take us from God! For as Jesus overcame this world, the wages of sin and death itself, so will we! All these things which can impact us while we live in the flesh are passing, our eternity is what matters! The ultimate blessing in this life is knowing that God so loved the world, that He gave His one and only begotten Son so that whosoever believeth will not perish but have eternal life! John 3:16       Signature02

A Spectrum of Blessings . .

23 Wednesday Mar 2016

Posted by Cheryl Ries in Blessings, Choices, Gratitude, Life, Wisdom

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Blessings, Gratitude, Love, Respect

I’ve read online the stories of at least four Americans missing in yesterday’s horrific terrorist bombing in Brussels. Two are an American married couple living in Brussels, who had taken her mother to the airport after a visit for her return flight to the USA and the other two a brother and sister who were returning to the United States from a trip abroad. No one in their families has heard from any of them since the bombing at the airport. I pray that by now they’ve been located and that their families know they are safe. It must be hell to all those involved to wait upon identification processes and release of information, especially for those whose relatives were visiting Belgium. And it must be utter chaos there, for the responders and those who witnessed the mayhem. I pray that all those who were lost have been located and/or identified. I pray for the families and friends of all those who perished, and all those who were injured to be surrounded by God’s healing grace, mercy and love. Just a trip to the airport (or subway) proved to be devastatingly life-altering for so many people.   8166bd303f49b37059e810ff885e33cc

We have to start viewing our lives through a spectrum of blessings, and not just because of horrible acts like this but every single day! To be alive and to have life, to be surrounded by comfort, to be rich with the love of the dear souls who fill our hearts, to have our health and well-being . . these are all true blessings for which we should be grateful anew each and every single day! All it takes is just one reminder to see how quickly life can instantaneously change . . a tremendous loss, an unexpected tragedy or a simple fateful choice can alter everything. Being consciously aware and grateful for our lives as they currently are is truly a way to give not only our own lives more value but also to give the lives of others that same worth.  appreciation-quotes-sayings-love-life-jack-kerouac1

None of us will manage to get out of this life unscathed! It’s a fact that we will suffer, be damaged and feel pain, whether physical, emotional or both! But in our living this life, we can choose to control our reactions and responses! We can look at things as blessings, feel gratitude and be thankful for everything which fills our lives and our hearts. We can choose to not let life pass us by filled with remorse, negativity or with any other emotion our reactions to things evoke! Life is precious, we know this within us. It is merely a matter to choose to be cognizant of that fact each moment of every day so that we don’t grow complacent, feel regret or miss opportunities to appreciate what or who is already around us or near us. Complacency is forgetting some thing’s or someone’s importance! Regrets are the nagging reminders of our complacency. And opportunities are often much more valuable and rare than they may seem. Life is precious. Live your life knowing, understanding and believing that with all your heart! Love your life and love the lives of others too.   Signature02

With Confidence, I . .

25 Friday Sep 2015

Posted by Cheryl Ries in Attitude, Character, Confidence, Contentment, God, Humility, Peace

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God, Love, Self-Acceptance, Self-Confidence

With confidence I, with confidence, confidence . . what does it mean to be confident? It means that we’re content, at peace and accepting of ourselves. Why are we so inclined? Well we aren’t always so inclined. It takes an effort to be confident in today’s world. We often care too much what others think, or weigh too heavily their opinions, their decisions and their ways against our own. We often think too hard on the popularity or popular consensus as to the value we then give ourselves. If we’re not a certain size, age, body type, hair type, gender, height, weight, we might feel insecure; or maybe we’re influenced by status symbols such as the type of car we own, the size of the house we have, the job we hold or the friends with whom we party. All of that is icing on our cake in life; but our value is in none of it!
 
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We find our acceptance, which brings us our sense of self-confidence, from within. It is rooted in something intrinsically more valuable than the fleeting things of this world. No other person, place, thing or outside device can render or should render to us our sense of value, confidence or self-acceptance. Confident people walk into any room thinking enough of themselves to measure equitably their worth against any other person in that room. But confident people do not deem themselves or any other person as having more or less value! Confidence is a reflection of an inner, intrinsic and known value so unimaginably unassuming, that it is often a quality or trait by which the person possessing it is unaware! It just is. And we just are . . confident. Confidence is not like makeup slapped on anew each day or hair gel applied each new morning; it is the steadfast value and sense of worth someone holds deep within themselves, which I believe comes from our Creator and His seed of self-love inwardly planted which continually feeds the soul. It nurtures the person from within, allowing them to externally reflect to others that inherent value. There is no arrogance, no neediness, no shame, no condemnation, no insecurity, no self-debasing, no bullying and no bashing of others coming from within; as there is no need to do any of that! There is just a steady flow of self-acceptance, which feeds their heart and mind with self-respect and self-discipline; in turn, that self-loving and self-confident acceptance allows for that same measure to be given to others in turn!
 
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Confidence in ourselves makes us more accepting, loving, caring, tolerant and respectful of others. We don’t see or view others in any sort of competitive or threatening manner because we’re content in our own lives and skin by way of our confidence; born in our knowledge and awareness of Whom we were made! Through God, our confidence is found and maintained! Because of God’s love within us and His promises to us, we are faithfully able to confidently face whatever we must anew each day!
 
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The Soul’s Learning and Purpose . .

26 Wednesday Aug 2015

Posted by Cheryl Ries in Choices, God, Growing, Humility, Love

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Caring, Compassion, Love

Want to make a real difference in this life, in the world? Want to know a purpose and a reason for your being? It’s so simple, it’s extraordinarily so! The ultimate way to make a difference and to change the world is to live in it as a force of love, compassion and as a blessing to others. Do good. Let your heart overflow even in spite of personal pain, loss, sorrow, longing, want and need. Take whatever has happened to you and turn it into a means by which you are able to not only recognize the pain and suffering in others; but to minister to them because of it! If you have been a victim, don’t relish that role to the point that it solely about you; but take it as a way of helping others through their similar fates. If you have suffered loss and grieved internally, endeavor to find those who are similarly conflicted!  Heart

Our real purpose here isn’t probably going to be some big deal we’ve managed to artfully negotiate at our jobs or a status to which we successfully ascend. Our purpose is to use who we are in total, what we have endured and whatever it is we’ve learned to help heal, to care and attend to others in need, with love. The world at present is a full-blown example that we haven’t successfully grown beyond ourselves to this point. There are people doing good, loving others, giving and caring; but not to the point where we all feel compelled to do that in the long run. Selfishness is our desire to always first be the victim, to always feel our need as a priority and to always take care of ourselves. Only when we truly learn to reach outside that small perimeter of understanding will we fully learn the lessons of why we were created and so purposefully placed here among so many others with different mindsets, beliefs and situations.  dl-mood-family

Developing a heart full of love is our purpose, finding others with whom we can share our heart is our aim. Love is the directive which compels us in that pursuit. As it states so perfectly in the Gospel of Matthew 22: 37 – 39, 37 Jesus replied: ” ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’  Growing up into adulthood is the soul’s learning how to put others and their needs above our own; and love is the will within us to do exactly that! God’s love lighting us up is what brings the rest of the world hope.

Some Will Never Grasp . .

02 Thursday Jul 2015

Posted by Cheryl Ries in Choices, Contentment, God, Hope, Joy, Peace, Positivity, Uncategorized

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Faith, God, Hope, Love

Some will never grasp how much beauty and joy there is in life. They’ve made up their minds that because they don’t live in a bigger house or have all they want or make more money or realize all their dreams or . . well, they just find endless ways or one reason to write all their life off as failed, terrible, rejected, horrible, miserable or worthless. No matter the beauty around them, the love of others, the gift of one more day or the bounty of life’s miracles played out each second, they’ve decided to view all of life as negative. Perhaps they’ve endured tremendous things which took their joy. But in letting their joy lapse every day since, they’ve given their power over to others or to situations or to circumstances which negate their contentment, joy and peace of mind for the rest of their life! If I tried to convince them that there were blessings all around them, joy in precious moments, gifts of time and breath, or a bounty of life they’ve chosen to waste, they simply would not believe me easily or readily. They’ve made up their mind, this life sucks!    96022541

Unfortunately, they would miss seeing the examples of others whom I have witnessed. Perhaps they have not taken notice of those souls, pressed with possible peril or up against unbelievable odds themselves, who are determined to be joyful in spite! Possibly they refuse to notice for themselves the very nature of life’s daily persistence; how it pulls us into each new moment we’re given whether we like it or not! How I pray daily that every soul could experience such a sense and awareness of life’s preciousness and meaning; as well as the very worth of each person, every creature, each bounty of abundance or the infinite blessings in every single day. Unfortunately, some people have made up their minds that this life wasn’t bountiful enough. Sadly, they’ve chosen to believe nothing is a real blessing, not even their own beating heart. Tragically, they don’t respect or value their own infinite worth, much less believing that about others. All of their life is lumped into the negative overall mindset they have created for themselves or experienced. Maybe it takes God’s hands and His will upon our lives to realize our own failings in that regard; for that would be my explanation as to why I see everything as I do. It would be my response as to why I refuse to give into life’s overwhelming negativity and the daily chaos which threatens my peace of mind and my positive spirit.  I am not sure even then that some souls will ever understand the true value, meaning and purpose for their lives, if they refuse to let God be a part of theirs. I only know that without an understanding as to what love truly is, from Whom it comes, people feel dejected, adrift and lost more often than not. Life becomes increasingly meaningless when there is nothing of meaning to enrich it. God is my tether in calms seas and storms! He gives my life its meaning! 306528_10150979705179939_409182314_n

Without sensing a purpose greater than themselves for being, life itself must seem tragic, cruel, hopeless, fatiguing or brutal at times. God gives my life such infinite sense of worth, purpose, hope and love; like a big safety net around my soul, He gives me beauty for my chaos, a will to not cave in and a hopeful desire in His promises to faithfully expect what awaits me beyond this breaking world. Some may think me foolish for believing as I do; but if they believe THIS is all there is to life, only the chaos and madness of this world, I would believe them the fools! Comparing and contrasting the mayhem, failings and futility of humanity to the promises of God is always going to leave humanity lacking. And so we have a glaring perspective on what is happening in the world right now. Humanity is failing more and more the further it extricates itself from God! Souls are perishing in the futile void created by human will without hope, faith and an understanding of their value in life or God’s will for their lives. A life with God is not going to be trouble-free or seem idyllic. In fact, there will be challenges as a believer which often can make things seem harder! But His love, promises and the hope which He instills offsets the challenges, difficulties, trials and failures; washing over the faithful, restoring and renewing their souls and spirits. How sad for those who miss the chance to have contentment, joy and peace of mind in this life as well; in knowing God and His love!  Signature02

The Heart Decides . .

11 Monday May 2015

Posted by Cheryl Ries in Attitude, Celebration, Choices, Gratitude, Joy, Positivity

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Appreciation, Gratitude, Love

A calendar may designate a date, but the heart decides how often, why and when we’ll celebrate each one of our blessings! The heart needn’t stick to the calendar when it comes to showing our gratitude for all of our “gifts” past and present; or in honoring others who’ve brought such joy, love and pleasure to our lives.   DSC00166

A birthday, an anniversary, a remembrance, or a day set aside for special consideration are on the calendar usually once a year; but every day in between can be an equally important reminder of why we consider those earmarked days so significant! It’s the love and gratitude which fills our hearts and minds that dictates the meaning and significance of something or someone, not just a date set aside. And it only takes a change of circumstance to teach us the real meaning of a date on a calendar after all.

I only really learned to honor Father’s Day when the actual day set aside for that no longer applied to me in the same regard; when I could no longer have my day of celebration with him or give him gifts, the calendar day no longer meant a thing to me without him physically present. In fact the holiday caused me some pain for the loss of him for several years after his passing, watching others celebrate with their dads in ways I could no longer with mine. Now Father’s Day for me is every day I can spend time remembering him, it’s not just one day a year in which I am grateful or filled with memories or a sense of loss.   birthday-flowers-greetings

The human heart decides the meaning of our days, not a calendar. That is just a physical tool which serves to remind us of the meaning we already understand and appreciate from within. May all those people and reasons for which we find a day worthy of celebration know first how much gratitude and love we have for them every day, not just that one we’ve earmarked so conveniently or blatantly upon the annual calendar!  Signature02

The World is Never “Hopeless” . .

12 Thursday Mar 2015

Posted by Cheryl Ries in Attitude, Beauty, Character, Choices, Compassion, Discipline, Gentleness, Goodness

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Compassion, Kindess, Love

The world around us can never be “hopeless” as long as there is even just one soul acting with love and compassion towards the rest. Imagine if and when we all just decide to be loving, compassionate and respectful regardless what we experience or see nearby? Imagine if we all just kept our composure when confronted by anger or hostility; if we remained calm when goaded and pushed to our limits? Surely it is hard to imagine doing when we are facing what we perceive as ignorance, rudeness or contemptible behavior; but our reactions are up to us! We can keep the peace, carry on and give up the need to join in the fray and the melee when we witness bad behavior and ill-will in others. Good prevails over all the rest of the ugliness because the seeds of love, compassion and kindness we plant are always more enduring than the unwanted weed-seeds of evil, hate, animosity and derision.      477f19970845716de019ab225ffd4a56

 

It’s so easy to see the actions of a few in our life’s garden and think they represent the hearts of many. They may even grow to the point of seemingly overshadowing or choking out the rest of what was first seeded there. But how it is seeded is how it then grows! A seed for one thing will not grow to be another thing entirely. With just enough time, energy, effort and nurturing, you can make any garden reflect what it was meant to. 

 

The many hearts of the loving, good, gentle, compassionate and kind, acting and behaving that way, shouldn’t and won’t be rendered silent in lieu of the few. Those hearts, filled with love, kindness, goodness and compassion, should always insist and persist in sowing those seeds abundantly into life . . after all, a rose is always a rose regardless what grows up around it! And with more roses and other such desirable words, actions and behaviors seeded, nurtured and grown to fruition – how could life’s garden be anything but more beautiful and hopeful?!   Signature02

 

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Cheryl Ries-Author & Model

Cheryl Ries-Author & Model

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