Thursday, May 03, 2012
I was there to witness this! Frailty after 40 is killer!
Compare a smokers lungs to healthy lungs.
What happens to you when you have heart disease?
See and hear the animation from Dr. Oz.
Stress is addressed with an easy minute by minute fix.
Do you have blood sugar issues. Diabetes is costing us our future!
What are you and I going to do about it ???
Taking responsibility for our health will help our economy!!!
And the best benefit is that we can improve the quality of our lives and our families' joys.
Please let's get off our duffs and do something, not just talk about it.
Candidly, KandidKate.
Sunday, April 22, 2012
Educational Family Road Trip Tips
How to plan an educational road trip for the family
Inspire your children with images. What’s on your coffee table? Do you have magazines about National Parks, Ranger Rick or National Geographic? What’s on your walls? Do you have pictures of Yosemite or the Grand Canyon? What’s in your wallet? It may not be capital, but you have dreams to lead your family on adventures.
Where on earth can you do this? Imagine taking four kids (or a family of four) to stand in four states at the same time, and take a snapshot of this! “How is that possible?” the children will think. Leave this concept open for anticipation!
My dad and mom knew how to intrigue their four children. Sometimes they would add a couple cousins and collies into a ‘56 Chevy for two weeks every summer and drive us cross country, into Mexico and up to Canada to explore and feel the geography and geology of this planet. They took us back in time by talking about with inhabitants who came before us. This pioneering spirit gets passed down through generations if the experiences are filled with pleasurable memories, even if there are mishaps.
Imagine going over the Continental Divide? The kids will keep asking, “What is a continental divide?” You don’t necessarily need the answers to your questions; you just need questions to raise curiosity. Sometimes the terms you use in your children’s youth will resonate when they graduate from college. Their sense of appreciation for knowledge and experiences will be heightened because they had first hand or hands on knowledge from your road trips. Trust that such excursions will be your legacy. You will be providing your children with something that can never be taken away from them.
So let’s get on the road here and pack your trunk with tools you may need to help you on your way:
1st, get a map! Map the trip out, but be prepared for anything! Spontaneity and the unexpected will occur, guaranteed, but such events teach children to go with the flow and adapt to situations. Literally map out as much as you can. You will need the distance between destinations to be reasonable for the comfort of your children based upon their age. Children need to move! Being cramped in a car for too long will make for cranky-moods and potential illnesses. Fresh air and room to run every couple hours may take you longer to get to your destinations, but it helps you smell the roses along the way. If you have friends along the way, this is a good time to visit them as a weigh-station. Calling them in advance to let them know your plans and to see if they are available when you will be passing through ensures your welcome arrival and departure.
2nd, know your budget for gas, food and accommodations. Do the math on your miles per gallon and allow for a weighted car. If you are on a tight budget, friends along the way may be a place you can spend the night. See if camping is more your style, but have funds for a motel incase of inclement weather. Treat yourselves to restaurants that have historical significance. Ask the locals for suggestions. Also, let your children pick out some of their favorite snacks to pack. Prepare some cold recipes in advance like fried chicken, potato salad, coleslaw, deviled eggs, and veggie-dips and trays. A cooler of food that you do not have to cook will save you time and lots of money along the way. Picnics serve three purposes: They save you money, time and help the kids get ants out of their pants.
3rd, prepare for the unexpected. Many road trips are riffed with mechanical trouble that could be costly, like a broken fan belt. Have enough money in an account to cover at least $888 in repairs! If you are travelling on a Sunday or holiday like Thanksgiving or Christmas, be prepared to spend money for a hotel room until the auto repair shops open the next day. If snafus happen, make the best of them. Have and auto club like membership to tow your car and even provide discounts on hotels.
4th, make each experience educational. Include your children in the planning and measuring pros and cons and figuring mitigations plans to adapt to situations. For example, a family of four plans a trip to see nine California Missions in nine days.
Even though they did not have a GPS in their car, the parent got Google map directions to help them go from mission to mission to mission. One of those sets led them on a goose chase! They ended up in a newly constructed community with the same name as the mission. So that mission was scratched from the trip. They found a place to picnic where they could feed a block of geese. Just as well, later they learn the mission they were looking for was so run down it no longer open to the public. Google and GPS are not guarantees to getting where you want to be; this in itself is an important lesson to learn.
5th, have portable DVD players for kids now a days. In the old days, we could have kids easily entertained by singing songs, counting hay trucks or cows. Children today, have a need from much more stimulation. Also they can feel deprived when the ride along at night and see many cars with built in video devices. Imagine what Father Serra and his group of horse back wagon riding missionaries would think if they saw El Real Camino (101 HWY) full of cars and glow and speed or traffic jams through Santa Barbara or Encino, CA just a tiny 200 years later. Take kids back in time to imagine what it must have been like to travel this way without cell phones but just a bell to ring to hear where the path leads. Children begin to appreciate what they have. Still, if modern technology is what we need today, designate a portion of the time to look out the window to see the country side. Find DVDs about your destinations, to reinforce your educational goals.
6th, research features along the road, or prior to your trip. You may find Wi-Fi spots or have a Smart Phone with you to search on the web while you are on the road. You may have specialized knowledge yourself. Be the tour guide, for your children. If you know where the San Andreas Fault is exposed, point it out to your children and have a conversation about how land is formed from Plate-tectonics. Imagine that all we see use to be covered with sea water. It is highly recommended that you study a little to explain what your children may ask about. And, if you don’t have the answer, show them how to research it!
7th, plan a looped tour. See different terrain and scenic spots on the return route home. This may be a chance of a life time. You may never pass this way again. So, you want to get the maximum out of your educational excursion. If you live in the desert and your children have never seen the ocean, you owe it to your children to not be deprived of experiencing what this earth has to offer. If you live in the green belt, your children deserve to view the browns and golden hues of the western states. The climb over the Rocky Mountains is worth it no matter which side of that range you live! Take a northern route there and a southern route on your return. If your destinations are north or south from where you start, veer to east on your tour and bend a bit to the west on your way back. Perhaps you can follow a historical path of Indians or a group of people. Imagine what it would have been like to be pioneers! Appreciate the paths that have been paved for us because of trail blazers like John C. Fremont, John Muir or explores like Lewis and Clark. Chart your own expedition and make it part of your own family’s heritage.
8th, be flexible. Nothing can spoil a family trip faster than if you feel you must get to every destination on a strict schedule. This is not a school field trip. The goal is for you and your children to retain historical memories for your family to reminisce about many years from now, and to enhance what and how your children learn throughout their schooling and life. Stress and painful memories can easily be block or forgotten or even regurgitate a bad sensation when memories are triggered years later. Remember that, like life, the trip is not necessarily about the destination as much as what we learn a long the journey.
9th, document your trip, especially those that depict the historical, cultural and scientific aspects of the knowledge you gained along the way. Take pictures; make some Slide-shows and videos; write an e-book; create a scrap book; draft a map of your path for others to follow.
So, whether your destination is the Four Corners Monument in the western desert or around the girth earth, your trip will set a tone for future generations in your family to appreciate how far mankind has come and where we are headed.
Inspire your children with images. What’s on your coffee table? Do you have magazines about National Parks, Ranger Rick or National Geographic? What’s on your walls? Do you have pictures of Yosemite or the Grand Canyon? What’s in your wallet? It may not be capital, but you have dreams to lead your family on adventures.
Where on earth can you do this? Imagine taking four kids (or a family of four) to stand in four states at the same time, and take a snapshot of this! “How is that possible?” the children will think. Leave this concept open for anticipation!
My dad and mom knew how to intrigue their four children. Sometimes they would add a couple cousins and collies into a ‘56 Chevy for two weeks every summer and drive us cross country, into Mexico and up to Canada to explore and feel the geography and geology of this planet. They took us back in time by talking about with inhabitants who came before us. This pioneering spirit gets passed down through generations if the experiences are filled with pleasurable memories, even if there are mishaps.
Imagine going over the Continental Divide? The kids will keep asking, “What is a continental divide?” You don’t necessarily need the answers to your questions; you just need questions to raise curiosity. Sometimes the terms you use in your children’s youth will resonate when they graduate from college. Their sense of appreciation for knowledge and experiences will be heightened because they had first hand or hands on knowledge from your road trips. Trust that such excursions will be your legacy. You will be providing your children with something that can never be taken away from them.
So let’s get on the road here and pack your trunk with tools you may need to help you on your way:
1st, get a map! Map the trip out, but be prepared for anything! Spontaneity and the unexpected will occur, guaranteed, but such events teach children to go with the flow and adapt to situations. Literally map out as much as you can. You will need the distance between destinations to be reasonable for the comfort of your children based upon their age. Children need to move! Being cramped in a car for too long will make for cranky-moods and potential illnesses. Fresh air and room to run every couple hours may take you longer to get to your destinations, but it helps you smell the roses along the way. If you have friends along the way, this is a good time to visit them as a weigh-station. Calling them in advance to let them know your plans and to see if they are available when you will be passing through ensures your welcome arrival and departure.
2nd, know your budget for gas, food and accommodations. Do the math on your miles per gallon and allow for a weighted car. If you are on a tight budget, friends along the way may be a place you can spend the night. See if camping is more your style, but have funds for a motel incase of inclement weather. Treat yourselves to restaurants that have historical significance. Ask the locals for suggestions. Also, let your children pick out some of their favorite snacks to pack. Prepare some cold recipes in advance like fried chicken, potato salad, coleslaw, deviled eggs, and veggie-dips and trays. A cooler of food that you do not have to cook will save you time and lots of money along the way. Picnics serve three purposes: They save you money, time and help the kids get ants out of their pants.
3rd, prepare for the unexpected. Many road trips are riffed with mechanical trouble that could be costly, like a broken fan belt. Have enough money in an account to cover at least $888 in repairs! If you are travelling on a Sunday or holiday like Thanksgiving or Christmas, be prepared to spend money for a hotel room until the auto repair shops open the next day. If snafus happen, make the best of them. Have and auto club like membership to tow your car and even provide discounts on hotels.
4th, make each experience educational. Include your children in the planning and measuring pros and cons and figuring mitigations plans to adapt to situations. For example, a family of four plans a trip to see nine California Missions in nine days.
Even though they did not have a GPS in their car, the parent got Google map directions to help them go from mission to mission to mission. One of those sets led them on a goose chase! They ended up in a newly constructed community with the same name as the mission. So that mission was scratched from the trip. They found a place to picnic where they could feed a block of geese. Just as well, later they learn the mission they were looking for was so run down it no longer open to the public. Google and GPS are not guarantees to getting where you want to be; this in itself is an important lesson to learn.
5th, have portable DVD players for kids now a days. In the old days, we could have kids easily entertained by singing songs, counting hay trucks or cows. Children today, have a need from much more stimulation. Also they can feel deprived when the ride along at night and see many cars with built in video devices. Imagine what Father Serra and his group of horse back wagon riding missionaries would think if they saw El Real Camino (101 HWY) full of cars and glow and speed or traffic jams through Santa Barbara or Encino, CA just a tiny 200 years later. Take kids back in time to imagine what it must have been like to travel this way without cell phones but just a bell to ring to hear where the path leads. Children begin to appreciate what they have. Still, if modern technology is what we need today, designate a portion of the time to look out the window to see the country side. Find DVDs about your destinations, to reinforce your educational goals.
6th, research features along the road, or prior to your trip. You may find Wi-Fi spots or have a Smart Phone with you to search on the web while you are on the road. You may have specialized knowledge yourself. Be the tour guide, for your children. If you know where the San Andreas Fault is exposed, point it out to your children and have a conversation about how land is formed from Plate-tectonics. Imagine that all we see use to be covered with sea water. It is highly recommended that you study a little to explain what your children may ask about. And, if you don’t have the answer, show them how to research it!
7th, plan a looped tour. See different terrain and scenic spots on the return route home. This may be a chance of a life time. You may never pass this way again. So, you want to get the maximum out of your educational excursion. If you live in the desert and your children have never seen the ocean, you owe it to your children to not be deprived of experiencing what this earth has to offer. If you live in the green belt, your children deserve to view the browns and golden hues of the western states. The climb over the Rocky Mountains is worth it no matter which side of that range you live! Take a northern route there and a southern route on your return. If your destinations are north or south from where you start, veer to east on your tour and bend a bit to the west on your way back. Perhaps you can follow a historical path of Indians or a group of people. Imagine what it would have been like to be pioneers! Appreciate the paths that have been paved for us because of trail blazers like John C. Fremont, John Muir or explores like Lewis and Clark. Chart your own expedition and make it part of your own family’s heritage.
8th, be flexible. Nothing can spoil a family trip faster than if you feel you must get to every destination on a strict schedule. This is not a school field trip. The goal is for you and your children to retain historical memories for your family to reminisce about many years from now, and to enhance what and how your children learn throughout their schooling and life. Stress and painful memories can easily be block or forgotten or even regurgitate a bad sensation when memories are triggered years later. Remember that, like life, the trip is not necessarily about the destination as much as what we learn a long the journey.
9th, document your trip, especially those that depict the historical, cultural and scientific aspects of the knowledge you gained along the way. Take pictures; make some Slide-shows and videos; write an e-book; create a scrap book; draft a map of your path for others to follow.
So, whether your destination is the Four Corners Monument in the western desert or around the girth earth, your trip will set a tone for future generations in your family to appreciate how far mankind has come and where we are headed.
Sunday, April 08, 2012
Networking at Churches
This is written in response to going to a church for help in finding employment:
Like most churches: They are only good for prayer. They do not help people get gainfully employed. Their real and main interest is in converting people (and getting their 10%.) I don't want to read the book of mormon (or the bible as mine is marked up plenty and rolled edges from much use), and it keeps getting pushed on me. I want to be accepted for who I am ( a good child of God, created by Him, not man[period]). Conversion rhymes in my mind with Coercion. God accepts us for who we are; why can't humans do the same.
You know me: I do not like dogma! I actually despise it. Humans make rule books to control the masses, and keep us in lowly places. The few at the top like it that way.
I do not believe or see mormans/catholics/baptists etc. being of any networking help to me. I already approached the two Chiropractor (priests) from that church (long before you took me to that church.) They know I need a job to pay for chiropractic, and they know I do Usana. Still, they told me a relative of theirs sells Usana so they can't help me. People with affiliations can come from anywhere. So I will keep seeking the Kingdom of God in all, not a specific ethnicity.
What~ever, I see wards (churches) as a closed shops; they only help their own, and I am not one of them.
Word: Ward is a word that has uncomfortable connotations for me.
Ward is to anguish as Mental Ward is to Locked up
Ward : control :: Prison Ward : serving a sentence
Ward : pain :: Maternity Ward : intense labor
None of these seem appealing to me. Relief comes when I am out of a ward.
I will network toward a job but not at the cost of conversion. I feel similarly about any religion including Scientology. I have had a couple netwroking leads from them; but they can't do much for employing me either as their work force has people volunteer 10 to 12 hours per day for years before employing them (at a low wage) and then their entire life is about Scientology.
My interests are broader. I have dreams. At least Scientology offers courses with practical steps on how to make dreams come true.
I am sure all religious people mean well and are very nice; but in talking with the ladies at churches, they really are not much help other than prayer. God will do the rest. Even one of their own is struggling as a part-time teacher; no one there has stepped up to the plate to help her get a fulltime contract, and her husband is out of work too. It's about hunkering down until the economic winds get blowing again.
Or, it's about us setting our own sails and making our own wind, and getting people to see our vision of possibilities to get on board our ships to reach a similar destination. Helping others reach their paradise on earth is finding our peace on earth until it's time to go to heaven.
I like to think of it as Capital One's Motto: What's in your wallet? We have to value what's in us, before we can offer others something valuable. I am valuing gardening right now as a volunteer. But if it doesn't pay off with real money (a job/career) soon, I may have to abandon that ship, and settle for something else like a summer job with Orange County Office of Education. Then, I am letting the winds steer me instead of staying on course. But, we do what we have to based upon ability and availability.
As long as we do our best, God cannot expect more, nor should we of ourselves. I am doing my best. And, ' trying to rest in what God has instore for me.
Happy Easter/Passover Everyone.
Like most churches: They are only good for prayer. They do not help people get gainfully employed. Their real and main interest is in converting people (and getting their 10%.) I don't want to read the book of mormon (or the bible as mine is marked up plenty and rolled edges from much use), and it keeps getting pushed on me. I want to be accepted for who I am ( a good child of God, created by Him, not man[period]). Conversion rhymes in my mind with Coercion. God accepts us for who we are; why can't humans do the same.
You know me: I do not like dogma! I actually despise it. Humans make rule books to control the masses, and keep us in lowly places. The few at the top like it that way.
I do not believe or see mormans/catholics/baptists etc. being of any networking help to me. I already approached the two Chiropractor (priests) from that church (long before you took me to that church.) They know I need a job to pay for chiropractic, and they know I do Usana. Still, they told me a relative of theirs sells Usana so they can't help me. People with affiliations can come from anywhere. So I will keep seeking the Kingdom of God in all, not a specific ethnicity.
What~ever, I see wards (churches) as a closed shops; they only help their own, and I am not one of them.
Word: Ward is a word that has uncomfortable connotations for me.
Ward is to anguish as Mental Ward is to Locked up
Ward : control :: Prison Ward : serving a sentence
Ward : pain :: Maternity Ward : intense labor
None of these seem appealing to me. Relief comes when I am out of a ward.
I will network toward a job but not at the cost of conversion. I feel similarly about any religion including Scientology. I have had a couple netwroking leads from them; but they can't do much for employing me either as their work force has people volunteer 10 to 12 hours per day for years before employing them (at a low wage) and then their entire life is about Scientology.
My interests are broader. I have dreams. At least Scientology offers courses with practical steps on how to make dreams come true.
I am sure all religious people mean well and are very nice; but in talking with the ladies at churches, they really are not much help other than prayer. God will do the rest. Even one of their own is struggling as a part-time teacher; no one there has stepped up to the plate to help her get a fulltime contract, and her husband is out of work too. It's about hunkering down until the economic winds get blowing again.
Or, it's about us setting our own sails and making our own wind, and getting people to see our vision of possibilities to get on board our ships to reach a similar destination. Helping others reach their paradise on earth is finding our peace on earth until it's time to go to heaven.
I like to think of it as Capital One's Motto: What's in your wallet? We have to value what's in us, before we can offer others something valuable. I am valuing gardening right now as a volunteer. But if it doesn't pay off with real money (a job/career) soon, I may have to abandon that ship, and settle for something else like a summer job with Orange County Office of Education. Then, I am letting the winds steer me instead of staying on course. But, we do what we have to based upon ability and availability.
As long as we do our best, God cannot expect more, nor should we of ourselves. I am doing my best. And, ' trying to rest in what God has instore for me.
Happy Easter/Passover Everyone.
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Thursday, November 24, 2011
"It's not the glow you feel when snow appears;
it's not the Christmas card you've sent for years;
'not the joyful sound when sleigh bells ring;
nor the merry songs, children sing.
That little gift you send on Christmas day,
Will not bring back the friend you've turned away.
So may I suggest the 'Secret of Christmas'?
It's not the things you do at Christmas time,
but the Christmas things you do all year through."
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Book Review: My Journey, Stepping into the Sunshine
My Journey Stepping into the Sunshine is written by Kaoru Shinmon, a guy from ....Venice.. ..California..... His journey is now a book of hope. He was born in ....Hawaii.... and came here to follow his heart and pursue his dream to write screenplays. His journey, as is our, is to find positive purpose in our daily life. This book is filled with inspirational stories to help people give thanks, stop worrying and start living. There are charming memories of Kaoru's from his quaint encounters with famous people who he reminds us are human too. He also sings for several unsung heroes and heroines that are like "angels" who should not be taken for granted. When the sun comes up in the morning, he gives reason for us to say "Good morning." He has learned from key people in his life that "there are no accidents in life…." If your life has been turned upside down, or this economy made a turn for the worse in your path, this book will help you get back your "mojo" (magnetic quality).
If I were to sum up Kaoru in one word it would be Namaste. According to Wikipedia, "Namaste is a common spoken greeting or salutation originating from India It is a customary greeting when individuals meet, and a salutation upon their parting." In Yoga Journal, Aadil Palkhivala's states: "The gesture Namaste represents the belief that there is a Divine spark within each of us that is located in the heart chakra. The gesture is an acknowledgment of the soul in one by the soul in another. "Nama" means bow, "as" means I, and "te" means you. Therefore, Namaste literally means "bow me you" or "I bow to you." There is no doubt that Stepping into the Sunshine is a salute to all of those who know or want to know more about its author, Kaoru Shinmon whose name has a special meaning discovered within the book on his journey.
I commend Kaoru for what he does for humanity in his daily walk. He is just like anyone of us. Even he will tell you that it has been a challenge to change his self. He learned what he had to do: "Remove yourself, become what you aspire to be." He has had to steer clear of toxic relationships. And he has learned "When you see a person, see them as a human being in need…." How do you feel or respond when someone ask you "How are you?" in passing. Do you know if they really want to know? In most cases they don't want to know. Not so with Kaoru. He makes a point of saying, "How is your day going?" And, he will look into your eyes or leave droplets of words to let you know he cares about your soul and wants to know the answer, truly.
If you want to see what I am talking about go to http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/54514
I can attest to Kaoru's sincerity based solely upon his writings and recognition of hard times. See, I am one of the 20 to 25% of the population that has been downsized. I am a teacher of 16 years, who was derailed from massive state budget cuts. I did not worry about giving up tenure. I never had trouble getting a teaching job before and am successful getting the toughest of students motivated. So in part of my journey to adapt, I became adept with social media in 2008-2009. I became friends with Kaoru Shinmon on a few sites. We are both authors. His words have always been uplifting! When I teach I have very little time for pleasure reading. But the Internet gives us ability to read snippets with a purpose, to get to know people or subjects. The subject I like most is "getting to know people." I particularly wanted to get to know the person who has the ability to make people smile over many miles around the world. So, it is an honor to read and review this book about "Kaoru, My Journey Stepping into the Sunshine" and leading the way for others to do the same.
It is Kaoru's benign vulnerability and honesty that lends to clarity in his life, and he wants us to have the same peace in our human condition by Stepping into the Sunshine. He shows us how in this state we can be "synchronized" with "everything in life having its place and time." This truth is found in the bible. In the book of Ecclesiastes, Chapter 3, God's word states, "There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven." So for what it may be worth Kaoru acknowledges that "For many of us life has changed with the time…leaving many people depressed and without hope." This book helps us not despair.
With regards to our despair, we must keep our wits about us when all around us many may be losing theirs. Kaoru shares the calm and clarity he has witnessed of people who learned from Buddhism. It is certain, "If we destroy something around us, we destroy ourselves…." The stories in this book prove that you can protect the light that is in you and bring light out of others. Some stories illustrate that one has to have wisdom when to walk away from or let go of those who cast darkness on people.
If you need hope now, go to http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/54514
Stepping into the Sunshine means not allowing others to destroy you! "Do not let someone else's bad day become yours." "Don't let fear stop you from doing what you soul dreams of doing." The cliché from Nike is not over-rated, 'Just Do It.' Kaoru sheds light into this book from Richard Collier, "…Turn your dream into a reality by changing your mind-set…Remove from your life what keeps you from being who you want to be." Stepping into the Sunshine includes lessons from Dr. Deepak Chopra, "…Don't fear problems; seek solutions." And, if you want to take one of the biggest lessons from this book, "DISCOVER THE MEANING OF RANDOM EVENTS…." It actually reminded me of the Celestine Prophecy coming true in Kaoru's life and how it can be true for us too.
You can get this as an e-book at this link: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/54514
Stepping into the Sunshine will help you see that "…if you are truly happy, other people won't be able to bring you down by their judgments…." It is your "courage" that will make you able to change (under go "metamorphosis"). If you get help before you are ready like a caterpillar being cut out of the cocoon too soon, you won't be able to survive and fly. But on the other hand, don't be afraid to ask for help; don't let "pride and ego" get in the way of succeeding. Here's a key point, "…learn about life from living…." Find a mentor who knows what it takes to reach the ring! Kaoru is a positive role model to me and many other people to be positive to others and make people smile.
When you ease through this book, Stepping into the Sunshine, Kaoru has "prayers" to help you through heavy times in the day of a life. He brightens your journey with simplicity that he has learned on the road in his life. There are tips and techniques in this book from gratitude to thinking of new ways to achieve, to paying attention, to breathing, contributing to society, to letting go so that things can "flow", to meeting people in your field, to encouraging yourself when in self-doubt. Let your words have enough "power" to magnify your "convictions" and ignite you to take action. Be patient with yourself: Kaoru reminds us that "It takes time to live up to your potential and find your purpose." When you are in a slump, "walk" into the sunshine; "read" something that brings sunshine into your day especially when it is cloudy; "listen" to music that makes you take steps into the direction of your desires.
Here's the deal with dreams and dream-makers, as Mariah Carey sings, "…Don't let anyone take yours away." Kaoru believes whole-heartedly, "Nobody has the right to tell someone to give up on their dream…." When the fruits of our labor are not yet visible, he encourages us to trust "that the seeds we have planted are germinating beneath the surface and will soon sprout with new opportunities." And lastly, the messages in this book are demonstrative of the lives Kaoru Shinmon has touched, and that you, too, can positively touch the lives of others daily when you "step into the sunshine."
I highly recommend this book because it made me "smile," a lot even in these hard economic times. This book is about what really makes life rich. It'll put you in the right frame of mind and bring a smile to you too.
You can get it now by going to http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/54514
Contact Kaoru here on Mypace, Facebook or his website
http://steppingintosunshine.blogspot.com/
Book Review written by Kathleen Herriott, California Certificated Teacher, author, and public speaker.
Friday, March 25, 2011
A Tribute to My Dad's Legacy
The moment my dad fell in love with my mom, we became the luckiest people on the planet. He set an example of what characteristics make a good husband, father and life-long friend. His love for family is beyond measure. He gave us experiences that can never be taken away:
From the planning and hosting of huge parties, camping-excursions, and many other enriching projects, he modeled valuable work-ethics: He taught us how to be successful in life.
He taught us that “life is not about how many breaths we take, but about how many moments take our breath away.” An example of a breath taking moment is the vista of Yosemite. It is my favorite because he and mom went up the face of Half Dome together. He taught us bravery and perseverance when we hiked up trails to triumph when we reached the top. He gave us a snap-shot of geography when all four of us stood in the corner of four states. He intrigued us by driving over the Continental Divide and under the Wawona Tree. Because of our dad, we are fortunate to have witnessed the power of geysers and to have seen the majesty of the Grand Tetons. When I was a teen, we gained new found respect for God’s grace and Grizzlies when one moseyed under and around my hammock while I was sleeping!
Here is a man who feared God; my dad feared that he would not survive his first of three neck surgeries; he prayed with all his might to be able to hold his first grand-baby. God blessed him with 29 more years to lift up 11 grandchildren: My daughter who is the first (oldest), all her cousins, as well as his two great-grandchildren, who are my grandchildren.
Nearly every “morning” he sang the sweetest song to all of us that he had learned from his kindergarten teacher, "Good Morning to you; good morning to you. We're all in our places with sun-shiney faces. Good moring to you!" We sing it to his great-grand children; they will likely sing it to his great-great grandchildren. (This song is significant because kindergarten is where he and mom met.)
They were not “ships passing in the night;” they are soul-mates for life! This is his legacy: Love, with all that we have, through the last second of our lives. (He and mom were blessed, perhaps the luckiest couple on earth, to have been able to kissed on his last breath.)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
