{video} Somewhere over the rainbow...

Somewhere Over the Rainbow
The Wizard of Oz — MOVIECLIPS.com

{words} be present.

"The real happiness of life is to enjoy the present, without any anxious dependence upon the future."

~Lucius Annaeus Seneca

Have you noticed that this year is absolutely flying by? How is it already August?! 

I have to constantly remind myself to stop. Take a breath. Smell the roses. 

Savor all of the blessings that surround me. 

We are not promised a tomorrow. Do not depend on it to happen.

Take the time each day to tell your loved ones that you love them, read that book that's been sitting patiently on the shelf, put on your pretty apron and cook that amazingly decadent meal, bake that dessert... 

Enjoy your world today and do not fret about what the future may or may not hold. 

Live each day with the respect it deserves and things will unfold as they should.

{words} sing. always sing.

"You can muffle the drum, and you can loosen the strings of the lyre- 

but who shall command the skylark not to sing?"

~Kahlil Gibran

Please, please, please...never allow someone to tell you not so sing. 

You were made to sing, to be vibrant, to share your passions with this world.

Do not ever allow someone to tell you not to do just this.

Or to tell you that you are not good enough. It's simply not true.

{sunday morning praise} Lord, I need you!

"select your thoughts..."

James Taylor
Eat Pray Love at MOVIECLIPS.com

{words} the ability to choose.

"It is the ability to choose which makes us human."

 ~Madeleine L'Engle

We choose our whole lives. Really.

I do believe in fate and I do believe in destiny but I also believe it's the choices we make that determine the outcome. We decide between getting out of bed or staying and sleeping the day away. We decide if it's a day to be productive or to relax and take it easy. We even decide whether or not to live. I mean truly live.

We choose to be happy. Or sad. Or angry... we get to choose it all.

I hope that you woke up today and decided to be happy. 

To be productive. Go ahead~ mark a few things off of that ever growing To Do list!

To forgive (even though you may never really forget.)

I hope you choose to smile at a stranger. 

To tell yourself that today will be a good day.

{lesson} Make it better.