Lessons from a Lemonade Stand

While Kayne running for President in 2020 might be making headlines this morning, I hope people paying it forward get some kudos. The link below is just that. What a cool kid!  We should all take a page out of his book and do something good(and fun)!

http://www.krmg.com/news/news/national/boy-sets-lemonade-stand-raise-money-officer-battli/nnTKx/

Second Chances

We talk a lot about making good choices. After all, prevention is a lot simpler than damage control. But what happens if you didn't? There are consequences for every action, however small, but some choices can alter your life (and others) forever. Sometimes we screw up and there is no going back, so we can only go forward. It may be a rough and lonely road, but there is always hope. Check out what this organization is doing to help those that have paid for their actions and are working on a second chance. 

She helps inmates be 'better people'
http://www.cnn.com/2015/08/20/us/cnn-heroes-carroll/index.html

Sent from my iPhone

24 hours...starting now!

We can blame parents only so much. Sooner or later, each person has to take accountability for their own actions.  We think about and make choices every day, some good, some bad. We hopefully learn from the bad, not repeat the same mistakes and try to avoid catastrophic ones. Whether you call it consequences, reaping what you sow or just plain karma, your choices usually come back to you. I read this article this morning and wondered where did these criminals lives went so wrong that they hurt when someone calls upon them in need. We see and hear horrible things everyday that we become immune. But we can't, we cannot as a community, nor as a country stop feeling. We are not going to change the world overnight, but I implore each of us to do this one thing: 
If you have the opportunity or even have to make an opportunity, help someone in need in the next 24 hrs. However small or great. It won't change past wrongs, but can be in honor of them. So today I pledge to help someone in need and as a honor to this veteran in the news story posted below. So I hope you join me to pass it on and post it. 

93-year-old Tuskegee Airman robbed, carjacked
http://www.cnn.com/2015/08/19/us/missouri-tuskegee-airman-robbed-carjacked/index.html

Red, White and Blue

If you have ever visited Mount Rushmore, than you probably also got a quick history refresher course on the USA. It is also a tug on your patriotic heart strings of what our forefathers went through and what our military do every day.  I wonder if George Washington and the gang would be proud of the Americans of today? Did we reap the riches and let it go to the wind?  Or how about Abraham Lincoln, whom strived tirelessly to make our country united? Sure they had their flaws just like everyone else, but they had a goal and a drive to make and keep this land great. A pride that is unshakeable. Have we as Americans lost that patriotism? Have we lost the United in our country?  I have a terrible habit of sometimes thinking that one person can't make a difference, but that thinking is poison and horribly wrong. We have to keep pushing forward, keep making a difference for the better, however small. America is an amazing country, but it's up to each of us to come together and make it great.  

Our reliance is in the love of liberty which God has planted in our bosoms. Our defense is in the preservation of the spirit which prizes liberty as the heritage of all men, in all lands, everywhere.
--September 11, 1858 Speech at Edwardsville, Illinois

Abraham Lincoln 

What Were We Thinking?

Having just visited a few National Parks, I can empathize with the desire to get that perfect wilderness picture. However, when you visit a park that is prone to large wildlife, they usually give you the talk about staying a certain amount of feet away, etc.  Inside, I'm thinking yada, yada that is for other people. That is when I need to do my reality check and realize there are rules and regulations for a reason. Wildlife is wild and may not want to put their paw around you for a selfie.  My advice to myself was to stop and think. Is it really worth getting injured? I'm on their turf and I have a zoom lens, not to mention the visitor centers sells awesome pics and postcards.  Respect others, respect nature and respect yourself. 

Check out this from Fox News: 

http://insider.foxnews.com/2015/07/23/bison-attacks-woman-posing-selfie-yellowstone-national-park

Turn lemons into lemonade

I came across a touching story that you can check out on the link below. It's a glowing reminder that repaying mean and hurtful words with kindness goes a lot further than lashing out. Although our first instinct is to lash out when we hurt, stop and think how we can turn something that was meant to hurt into something that can help. 

Volunteers give elderly man home makeover after teens' cruel comments 
http://on.today.com/1Nm49oZ 

BTS Already?

It's that time of year! Check out the link below for some helpful tips to remind our little ones to make good choices for a healthier school year. 

Avoid the 'back-to-school plague'

http://www.cnn.com/2013/08/15/health/avoid-school-germs/index.html

Fast Food Or Food Fast

A great article to remind us that making small choices in what we put into our bodies can really add up. What you put into your body as well as your mind makes a difference. Check out this article about a few quick tips for healthy lunch eating on the go. 

https://www.google.com/url?rct=j&sa=t&url=http://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/life/living-well/2015/08/10/dietitian-pack-healthy-lunch/31417535/&ct=ga&cd=CAEYASoTMjA3NjI4MTI3ODUxNDcyMzE5MzIaN2UwZDBlOWI0ZGQxOWRiNzpjb206ZW46VVM&usg=AFQjCNHJBYBTVC7XoDpWlfXWDbOiqyYeEg

The One Race

The other day I read again the famous and eloquent speech from Martin Luther King Jr., "I Have A Dream" and I wondered what he would do in our society today? You just turn on the news and see the turmoil, killings and strife that leads the headlines on a daily basis and wonder when does it end? What are we doing? We can blame this or that, wish or wait on government and just keep on complaining. But is any of this really going to bring us together? Why are we wasting time with violence, insults and anger at each other when it can only make it worse? It is not going to change overnight, but as you see in history, it can change for the better, but not through violence. Look at the amazing things that our country can do when we come together, overcoming what seems like insurmountable odds. Be the change, be the good you want to see. It sounds like a cliche, but we can achieve a lot more from coming together and finding a common ground than tearing each other down. Sometimes easier said than done, but let's just stop and think before we act. We are all equal, so why can't we unite? Regardless of personal beliefs, can we all not see the good in a couple of quotes from the Bible?: "Love One Another" as well as "We Are All Created Equal"?
Here are some more wise words from a great leader, check out the link below and remember that we are one race, the human race. 

https://youtu.be/HRIF4_WzU1w

Stand Up And Vote

If you watched the Republican debate last night, then you probably heard quite a few promises and statements that you may or may not agree with. However, regardless of your political party or views, one thing that many of the politicians stated is something that we should take to heart: that we need to stand united. This country has fought hard to make us the United States and as citizens we have to do our part. We can blame others and even the government, but are we taking any of the responsibility?  Are we doing what we can to stand united, stop the division and build up others?  Can we stop and give each other a kind word, a helping hand or even just a sincere smile?  Each of us are gloriously unique and equal as part of the human race. Let's work together to repair our country and be proud to be an American. After all, there is no I in USA, but there is us. 

http://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/cnsnewscom-staff/ben-carson-our-skin-does-not-make-us-who-we-are-our-brain-doesI 

Girl Power!

Check out this link and see what this center is doing to instill confidence and wisdom in young girls. What a great camp!  A great reminder that middle school can be such a turbulent time for kids and extra guidance in a positive environment can go a long way. 

http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/hinsdale/news/ct-dhd-girls-crown-tl-0813-20150805-story.html

Future Leaders

Another great story about doing good and making a positive difference. We share enough bad in the world, let's share more good!

Check out the link below 

http://m.ksbw.com/news/monterey-county-naacp-holds-youth-summit/34487320

Do You Know Where Your Children Are?

It is surprising in this day and age how children are free to roam alone. We were at a National Park the other day and encountered not one, but two separate kids walking alone. We actually seeked out a ranger since one child was only about five years old. Accidents happen everyday and as a mother, I know how easy it is to lose sight for one second;  that is all it takes. It is a full time job to keep up with them and it is not a job we "clock out" from when we want. So think about the choices you make and take strides to protect those most precious. 

Save A Deer

At the risk of tooting our own horn, I would like to share a story of a good deed that we encountered over the weekend. To make a longer story short, we encountered a deer that had fallen off a cliff to the river and apparently been attempting to get back up to no avail. The deer was obviously exhausted, scared, and cold from falling in the river.  Amazingly, the deer only had minor scrapes and no apparent injuries. Some kind hearted boaters alerted us to the situation, but couldn't get any closer to inland. We went to the deer off the rocks and carried him to our boat. Although shaken, the deer was okay and we delivered him farther inland into the forest and he went along his merry way. That small decision was by far the highlight of our trip to the river. It is always an amazing feeling to do good. So, if you have a choice, choose good, plant a seed , and watch it grow.