Kindness with Words

 Moments of kindness are remembered often for many years, especially by the recipient.  A friend was telling me that after being "shunned" by her religious community due to a divorce, she was traumatized emotionally and spiritually.  She was able to find another, more welcoming and inclusive religious community.  One day, she felt a comforting hand on her shoulder, and turned to see another person she knew from her church.  This person had also left the judgmental church setting and was enjoying the freedom of a church that was loving and accepting of all members. He told her he was very happy to see her in this open setting and was looking forward to being co-members of the caring and loving congregation. My friend felt vindicated and loved for herself.  She will remember this special moment for many years. 

"The tongue has no bones, but is strong enough to break a heart.  So be careful with your words."  Still Moments

Please take the time to make positive memories for the individuals you encounter in your day-to-day life. Heal a heart rather than break it.  You will benefit more than the receiver while you send out your ripples of love and acceptance!

Please check out my Art Gallery, art for sale, vinyl prints, and my Book, "The Dying Teach Us How to Live" at illuminangels,com.   Patricia M Acker

Appreciating What We Have

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         Appreciating What We Have

I searched for peace over most of my life.  I discovered that I already had what I was looking for.  It wasn't in money, relationships or health.  It was in the ability to take one day at a time and finding the blessings that are sometimes hidden in everyday life.  

"Some folks love what they know and others know what they love."  Hallmark movie.

Looking deeper into our lives helps us to get out of our comfort zone to find what we love about ourselves and our lives.  If we love ourselves and others, we can also love the many opportunities available to us in adversity, failures and successes.  

"May your life be as you wish it. May you wish it as it is."   Kathleen Wright 

True success in life is in appreciating what we have and utilizing every opportunity presented to us.  All of us experience heartache, sadness and joy.  It is up to us to determine our own destiny.  We are the leaders of our life choices.  We can become the best we can be by facing life head on and putting one foot forward every day that we are given on this earth.  We have endless possibilities! 

Check out my artwork, prints, books, e books and audio books on my new website:  illuminangels.com 

Words are Powerful!

 "The tongue has no bones, but is strong enough to break a heart. So be careful with your words."  

                     by Still Moments 

It is known about the physical pain of suffering, childbirth, illness, burns, terminal diseases, etc. What is difficult to evaluate is the hidden pain and hurt from words. As with everything we do, we have choices.  If we learn to think first, we can make sure that our words have a positive effect because of our love of others. It does not mean that we can't share constructive criticism if the purpose is to help each other to be better individuals. 

If we can remember how words hurt us, we can begin to walk in the shoes of others and anticipate how they might feel when we speak. Words spoken in anger can't be retracted in the memory of those around us.  

What is also remembered are words of kindness, forgiveness, acceptance, and compassion. Our hearts are tender and all of us need love and respect from our families, friends, co-workers, fellow church members, neighbors and even those we disagree with. 

It is easy to lose control and lash out at others.  It takes effort to think of a way to express our feelings without cussing, using fists, knives or guns. We can use words to compromise with respect and dignity for all involved.  Bullying is not confined to children. We can recognize the power of our words to either hurt and criticize or to respect the life and dignity of others.  

Physical and emotional pain are a part of all of our lives. We can send out our words to heal each other and smooth out the life paths of ourselves and others. We treat others the way we want to be treated.  

Please check out my books and artwork on my new website:  illuminangels.com 

                                                                                     Friends

    "Remember you don't need a certain number of friends.  Just a number of friends you can count on."         Hippie Peace Freaks

         

     As we travel through life, there are many moments ranging from happiness to agony.  When we                 experience the physical isolation of Covid restrictions, illness, or fear, life becomes more difficult             because we have lost our connections to our family, friends, and co-workers. We are restricted from            touching, hugging, visiting in person, and interactions in group settings.  

     This is the time that friends who remain active in our lives fill these voids and remind us that we are          still alive and we are able to continue our relationships. It is different but still very real and                         comforting.  When my mother died, it was family and friends who provided solace, listening, and             caring with calls, visits, and greeting cards. Having friends who may also be family members, fellow          church members, neighbors or card players, can make a huge difference in the grieving process. 

      Thank you to all of the special people in my life who made themselves available during this personal          crisis. I found out that there are many people that I can count on!   

      Please check out my new website for my books, artwork and prints,  illuminangels.com. 

        

 I hope everyone had peaceful and happy holidays.  It was difficult for me this year because my mother died, very peacefully, in late December.  It was expected but it is always significant when it is a parent.  

I discovered that the most important part of the holidays is the people in our lives.  The gifts, the hectic schedules, the shopping trips, planning get-togethers, wrapping and trip planning are the icing on the cake and not essential for the spirit of the special days of holidays. The loss of someone special hopefully makes us more protective and appreciative of the significant people in our lives.  

My lifetime wish for you is in a quote.

"Don't wish me happiness.  I don't expect to be happy all the time.... Wish me courage and strength and a sense of humor.  I will need them all."    Anne Morrow Lindbergh

Life is what we make of it.  We can choose to be kind and happy or angry and sad. Anger is the absense of love. Love has endless capacity and inclusiveness. I hope that we can walk in other's shoes and develop a respect for those who have different viewpoints. Loves gives us the ability to find win/win solutions as we collaborate and interact with each other.  

Life is too short to waste it on anxiety, stress, and animosity. Keep your glass half-full and celebrate life.

Please check out my new website with my art and my books. illuminangels.com

 'Merry Christmas!

"Maybe this is the year you get everything you want! Or maybe this is the year to appreciate everything you have."  Teresa de Grosbois 

The last years have been very difficult with the pandemic, wars, world wide weather disasters with floods, fires, eruptions, earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, and financial issues.  We can't change what has happened but we can appreciate what we do have.  We can find much to celebrate when we look around and find our family and friends, neighbors and our communities reaching out to each other with love and peace. 

The two goals that have the greatest impact:  Love God, and love others as we love ourselves.  Everyone is suffering in some way.  The care and concern of others can make our own burdens easier.  

"Humble means recognizing that we are not on earth to see how important we can become, but to see how much difference we can make in the lives of others."  Gordon B Hinkley                                                       

I wish you humble and meaningful holidays filled with the wonder of loving and sharing our lives with others. 

Please check out my artwork and books on my website illuminangels.com                                                                                          

      After We Are Thankful

"Oh, Heavenly Father,

We Thank Thee for food and remember the Hungry.

We thank Thee for health and remember the sick.

We thank Thee for friends and remember the friendless.

We thank Thee for freedom and remember the enslaved.

May these remembrances stir us to service.

That thy gifts to us may be used for others. 

Amen"

Dear Abby column

I hope that we remember there are many ways to share love for the holidays and the rest of the year.  We can reach out to the hopeless, homeless, friendless, those who are disabled or sick, and anyone we observe who are sad or lonely. It takes time and effort to meet these needs that are not able to be purchased. It is the type of gifting that melts the heart and makes us feel that we are making a difference.  I hope that you have "melt the heart" holidays.  Physical gifts are forgotten but gifts of the heart are remembered and cherished.  

Please check out my website, illuminangels.com for inspiration.  There you will find original artwork, and books, and framed and unframed vinyl prints.