time to be grateful

Dear God,

I know that I haven't been as grateful lately, as I should. Please forgive me.

Thank you for my health.

Thank you for the ability to change careers.

Thank you for the love of friends and family.

Thank you for the wisdom to walk away from all the drama in my life.

Thank you for loving me, unconditionally.

Thank you for Cha Cha who endlessly sits on my lap, purring.

Thank you for letting me see that I have a good life, despite all the obstacles.

I love you,

L

Dear God 8/20/12

Dear God,

Thank you God for making me who I am.

Help me to let go of other people's expectations. I need to allow myself to just be who I am, not conform to the needs of others.

Thank you God for helping me to see that I AM ENOUGH.

Thank you God for helping me to look into the heart of another, before judging them from what I see on the outside. I am often surprised.

Thank you God for helping me to not take things so personally.....

Thank you God for making me a better person by allowing others to just be who THEY ARE.

Thank you for another day of healthy living!

Lisa

Dear Mr. Tattoo

Dear Mr. Tattoo,

Thank you for emailing me on Match.com.

Thank you for sharing your life with me, your home with me, your children.

Thank you for your tender compliments, your sweet caresses, your loving kindnesses.

I am grateful God brought you into my life. For however long this connection lasts, I just wanted you to know that I needed you.

Thank you.

Lisa

Dear God 7/31/12

Dear God,

Thank you for my health.

I found out today that a woman I work with has cancer.

I take my health for granted.

Thank you God for all the things my body can do... I can use my limbs, my arms, legs, fingers, toes... I can bend and squat and jump and run.... I am blessed.

My body is whole, not cut up from cancer.

I am lucky.

For that I am grateful.

Thank you God!

Your humble servant,

Lisa

Dear God 7/29/12

Dear God,

Thank you for all that you have given me.

Thank you for the home that I have been able to keep.

Thank you for the job that I get to go to each day, making me able to pay my bills.

Thank you for the love of my parents.

Thank you for the love of my friends.

Thank you God for my kitty cats that purr and calm me.

Thank you for the two feet I have that carry me around Maui.

Thank you for the hands I have that allow me to work, cook, and type.

Thank you for my sense of humor that helps me make light of the tough situations.

Thank you God, for today. Today is like no other.

Thank you, Thank you, THANK YOU!

Your Daughter,

Lisa

Gratitude takes EFFORT

What are you thankful for today, and why?

I am struggling today to find something to be thankful for....I am emotionally exhausted from this week, and I just want to take a nap. Unfortunately I have five more hours here at work.....

So here goes.

I am grateful for living on Maui, across the street from the ocean.

I am grateful for two of my men friends who I shared dinner with last night.

I am grateful that I am only tired, and that a nap will cure that.

I am grateful for going to physical therapy this week, my back is feeling MUCH better.

I am grateful that the Olympics are on, it motivates me to be better at my workouts. (what workouts?)

I am grateful that I am off of work at 2 o' clock, and don't have ANYTHING PLANNED FOR A SATURDAY NIGHT....whew....

I am grateful that I recognize this bad mood I am in is only because I am OVER TIRED....

I am grateful my garden is so pretty, and that when I sit in it, I feel calm


These are the things I am thinking about today to be grateful for....

Anyone else?

Gratitude...what is it all about today?

I find when I am grateful, I don't make such big deals out of the little things.

I find when I am grateful, I can look at life with rose colored glasses.

I find when I am grateful, I like others more, and I like myself more.

I find when I am grateful, the glass is half full, and I am never thirsty.

I find when I am grateful, others seem nicer to me.

I find when I am grateful, life overall feels better.

What about YOU!?

Sometimes

Sometimes, just sometimes...

I love being single.

Thank you God for not letting me marry, just to be "married".

God has saved me from a bullet, many a time.

Today I am grateful I am single.

That's all I've got....

What about YOU?

Being grateful is not easy

Being grateful takes effort.

Some days, it takes putting your ego aside, and thinking of the big picture....

I must focus on the good, and let go of the things that annoy me.

Trust me, this is no easy feat.

I like it when I allow life to unfold, and not force it....

But then I must remember to let go of the reigns, and let God have control.

Whew... I am a work in progress....

One day at a time....

Be Content....

Be content with what you have; rejoice in the way things are. When you realize there is nothing lacking, the whole world belongs to you.

Lao Tzu

What are you grateful for today?

My Gratitude List for Today:


Grateful for my girlfriends that keep me sane.


Grateful for my health, and that my bladder infection seems to be gone....


Grateful my Mom and Dad are still alive.


Grateful that I live in a lovely place.


Grateful for my job. 


Grateful that I am single. (don't laugh, today it is true)


Grateful for my kitty cats that love me and purr LOUDLY....


Grateful that I am an American woman with freedoms that aren't shared by other women across the globe.


Grateful for clean water, healthy food.


Grateful there is no war around me....

That's what I am grateful for today...

What about you?

Response from Mom 7/19/12

Are you sure you're not in the cooking sherry? 

I thank you for saying the nice words.

Sometimes it wasn't easy, but do your best. Sometimes you are right and sometimes you're not right.

Lots of love,

Mom

Dear Mom 7/19/12

Dear Mom,

For years and years and I did not appreciate you.

As a grown woman, I see the wisdom of your ways.

Thank you for being the strong, independent woman that you are. Thank you for being kind to others when I couldn't figure out why you did it.

Thank you for guiding me with your relentless discipline.

I am a better person because of you.

Now that I am older, wiser and more sure of who I am, I can grasp that raising children is tough. I don't know how you did it!  I don't want you to ever think you did anything wrong. You were the best Mom you could be. Thank you for always being there for me!!!.....

I just want you to know that I love you, I admire you and I miss you like crazy!

Love,

Lisa

Dear God 7/18/12

Dear God,

I lay here, feeling really sick. Sore throat, fever, body aches and bladder infection. I know I can't complain because I will get well.

I thank you for my overall good health, God.

I don't have a debilitating disease. I can move my arms and legs. Thank you for my arms and legs. I can move my neck. Thank you for my neck. I can see. Thank you for my eyes.

Some days I take for granted my health. Thank you God for my healthy body.

This will pass.

This will pass.

I want to be grateful for all that I have.

Today and always,
Love,
Your Daughter

Dear God 7/16/12

Dear God,

Thank you for second chances.

Thank you for third chances.

Thank you for all the chances you have bestowed on me.... I am learning that it is not over, until it is over.

Thank you for giving me patience, and the ability to laugh at myself and my expectations.

You must be laughing at me up there in heaven.

Love,

Your Humbled Daughter

Coleen 3/9/2012

Coleen is a friend of mine who was going through a really rough patch. She was depressed, lethargic, and isolating from her friends. Her mood was up and down, I never knew what to expect when I talked to her. I decided to write her a letter and tell her how wonderful she is!

March 9, 2012

Dear Coleen,

Thank you so much for taking me to breakfast on Friday morning. Spending time with you is always so wonderful! You are a truly great friend and I appreciate you in my life.

I have seen you grow so much these last couple of years. You are such a shining light, a beautiful example of what sobriety is all about. You work a strong program and it is evident in all that you do.

You are such a lovely, intelligent woman, so beautiful, so kind, so graceful, and so fucking HILARIOUS. I adore you.

You give of yourself freely, a lesson that I need to learn from you. I see you doing so many wonderful things for people, wanting nothing in return. You are inspirational to me.

You look so great these days, your weigh loss in a HUGE achievement. Please know, that I mean what I say, you look GREAT!  27 pounds is such a big deal!!! Don’t discount that. Cherish your sweet self! Please know that it takes time for our body to adjust to such an accomplishment. I lost 50 pounds ten years ago, and it took me over a year. It was rough going through the plateau. What I have learned is that I must LOVE my body, just as it is…cellulite and all. It is painful to see the imperfections, but my body is my oldest friend, the only one I can really rely on for the rest of my life. I have to get my head around that. I think you look fabulous, and that is THAT!!!

You are worthy of greatness…you are perfect just the way you are Coleen.  I  LOVE YOU SO MUCH! No matter what the tapes in your head tell you, just know this: there are so many people that cherish you and love you so much. I can name a dozen off the top of my head…. YOU are a precious gift to all of us!

Thanks again for breakfast, and for sharing your time with me. I appreciate it…

Most of all, thank you for being my friend!

 Love,

Lisa

Michael Fish 2/10/2012

This letter I wrote to one of my best friend Kim's, finance' Michael. Kim had been married for 16 years, and one day, her husband asked her for a divorce. Kim was in a state of shock, cried and mourned the loss of her husband of 16 years. After about three months, she decided she was finished crying. She got on Match.com to start dating again. She dated about two or three guys, and decided she needed help with her Match bio, and she asked me to re-write it for her. I did, and at the end of the bio, it stated, "just give me a wink." About two weeks later, she got a wink from a man who was fed up with online dating. He saw the invitation to "just give me a wink" and he winked. Three weeks later they were engaged, and in less than a year they were married. Kim had found a jewel in Michael that matched the person that she was. I fell in love with Michael, watching his extreme devotion to my friend Kim. He walks the walk, not just talks the talk.

Here is my letter to Michael.

Michael,

I want to take a moment to thank you for entering into my dearest friend Kim’s life.

I have witnessed your love affair from the inception of the first email on Match.com, the engagement, and soon, the wedding.

From the first moment you and Kim met, there was magic. Your sweetness and kindness are unusual. At first, I was skeptical, wondering if it would last. I believe in not mere words, but in continuous actions. Your actions has proven that you are indeed an amazingly kind, loving and generous man. You have met your match, because Kim is also kind, loving and generous.

You are both lucky to have found each other!

LUCK? Could it be luck…if so, what is luck?  I believe luck is preparation meeting opportunity.

I believe you and Kim had been preparing for each other your entire lifetime. You both prepared by living an authentic, joyful, loving, caring and generous life. Both your hearts seek only the good for others. You both are spiritual, driven to make the world a better place. You both are dedicated to your family and friends. You both help others less fortunate. You both are humble, putting others first. You make a magnificent couple, sharing the same dreams, goals and desires.

You both prepared for the life you have now…

You both were waiting for the chance to meet. Circumstances in life needed to occur for both of you to appreciate what each other had to offer.

Michael you took the opportunity and gave Kim a wink. You seized the opportunity, when in fact you were almost ready to give up. In the sea of potential love partners, you saw the opportunity to contact her and you did.

LUCK: Preparation meets Opportunity.

I believe God intervened. I believe that the Divine matched you.

I believe that LOVE of this nature is once in a lifetime. You are eternal soul mates.

I am thrilled and ecstatic that you walked into Kim’s life, also walking into all of our lives. Speaking as one of Kim’s friends, I am proud to know you, welcoming you into our little Maui family of friends. You are the best thing that ever happened to Kim.

Thank you for loving Kim and helping her to find her true north in the love she shares with you. I have never seen her glow more than when she speaks of YOU!

May the love you share only strengthen and deepen, and may you have an incredible life together!

All My Love,

Lisa