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. 

 Holidays and Politics

It is a tough time with many of the polarized political views.  It is difficult to discuss intense feelings associated with politics such as mandates for Covid, taxes etc.  We all want to be together but it is stressful to enjoy each other unless these hot-button topics can be shelved until the end of the holidays.  How wonderful if we can enjoy the moment and truly love each other with open arms.  

"Today me will live in the moment. Unless it is unpleasant.  In which case me will eat a (Christmas?) cookie."  Cookie Monster, Muppet

"Next time you are discussing an important issue with someone, ask yourself,  'Is this a monologue or a dialogue? Personally, I'm only interested in the latter."  Reese Witherspoon, Actor

Anger and frustration is the absense of love.  It is not possible to love when angry! Make the most of this life and spend more time loving than hating.  The two greatest commandments:  Love God and love others as you love yourself.  I hope you love yourself alot!!! 

Happy Thanksgiving!! Thankful people are happy people.  We can find so much to celebrate if we look for the good in life!!

Check out my new website for an art gallery, sales of original artwork, vinyl prints, and framed vinyl prints. illuminangels.com  

 "The most wasted of days is one without laughter." E. E. Cummings 

It is hard to find something to laugh about when things are not going well in our lives. I remember when my daughter was about three years old.  I had a newborn in my arms, a two year old and a five year old.  I was feeling overwhelmed with the reponsibilities associated with four young children. I went to change the baby and when I came back, I found toilet paper all over my house, from one end to the other.  

I felt like crying as I didn't think I could handle one more disaster. I asked my three year old daughter why she chose to toilet-paper my home.  She looked up at me and said, "But mom, I just wanted to see how long it was!"  I couldn't help myself when I started laughing slowly at first but eventually I was feeling the tears and the shoulders shaking. It was not the answer I was expecting, for sure! My stress level was slowly declining as I shook with laughter. It is much better than crying, I decided.  

Life is too short to short-change a sense of humor.  My daughter is 48 years old now and that moment is still fresh in my mind because of finding the humor in life, on incident and one day at a time.  When you have the opportunity, try laughing instead of crying! 

Check out my original paintings, vinyl prints, original photos and my books at illuminangels.com.  My email is illuminangels@gmail.com.  

 "The day you stop running is the day you start moving forward."  Kierkegoald

Many of us are procrastinators.  It is much easier to ignore the the issue than to face and conquer it.  I know because I have been afraid of following my dream. It takes concentration and patience for me to tackle anything involving a computer!  

When I postpone something that appears to be overwhelming, I am constantly thinking about what I have been avoiding until my self-esteem plummets.  If I took the wasted energy I used to emotionally "run away", I could get the job done quickly and as efficiently as possible considering my lagging computer skills. 

I have been writing and illustrating my own books.  I have two completed books and one in process.  My home is filled with various artwork projects.  It is exciting and frustrating at the same time.  I have had to stop running and start facing my fears and inadequacies.  

Life is what we make it.  It is our life, our choices, our responsibility and we can choose to move forward. Wasting time blaming others for our situation takes away from our ability to control our own destiny.  

Take charge of your life and make a difference for others!  Be bold and lift up yourself and others with an attitude of graditude! 

Check out my new website!  illuminangels.com  I have original artwork, vinyl prints, framed vinyl prints, framed photographs and books for sale.  

 "Have patience with all the world, but first of all with yourself." Saint Francis de Sales

Covid has impacted the entire world.  It has caused deaths, heartache, financial difficulties, shortages of everything, physical and emotional interactions with others, caused isolation and lack of work.  It has changed our use of Zoom and the internet for work, school, training, social networking, virtual doctor visits and participation in activities.  

It has also taught us to depend on God, our neighbors, friends and co-workers to survive until this on-going crisis is contained or resolved.  It has created conflicts over treatments, masks, social distancing, social contacts, medical issues and hospital beds. It is easy to blame the current situation on political leaders and politics in general, world conflicts, media portrayals of information/misinformation.  

The bottom line is that the entire world has been impacted with an illness that can affect all ages, races, lifestyles and social groups. It has, in effect, slowed the world down and it grabbed our attention. We have been forced to be patient while waiting for this illness to abate so that the world can start over and regroup. Life as we know it will never be the same.  

Life is what we make of it.  Everyday we can choose to be content, find inner peace and hope for a better tomorrow. By finding the positives in a dismal situation, we can help ourselves to get through the worst and reach for the future. Families have had time together, good or bad, to survive.  

Look back on the last two years and I'm sure you can find something positive that has impacted you, your family and friends. We have to find peace within ourselves before we can offer it to others.  Send out a positive ripple in the ponds of life to become a source of strength for others. Find a way to serve others, and you find a purpose in your life.  

Remember to first have patience with yourself then offer the gift of patience to others.  We are all in this together!

Please check out my new website with my artwork, book and vinyl prints.  illuminangels.com

Wishing

"May your life be as you wish it.  May you wish it as it is. " A quote from Katherine Wright's yearbook. 

There is a considerable amount of wisdom in these words, especially today.  Sometimes we spend so much time wishing things were different, we waste our life on regret. 

Instead, we can look at what we have and appreciate what we do have.  Simple but mighty.  Life is too short to waste on regret.  We can live today and hope that the future, although very different, may in many ways be better than what we had before the virus.  

I am finding that my computer skills are increasing as I attempt to live my life as much as possible from home.  I am connecting with family and friends in unusual ways.  I have time to think about why I am here and what I hope to accomplish with my life.  I thought about all of the men and women who have lost their lives in the military service.  We must make their sacrifices worth something by living our lives fully in the moment.  

There are many heroes both in and out of the military.  People in the medical field such as doctors, nurses, chaplains, nurse aids, housekeeping staff, emergency medical staff, employees in gas stations, stores, pharmacists, cab drivers, nursing home workers, food bank and other volunteers, school teachers, flight attendants, pilots, bus drivers, etc.  The list is endless and the kindness of others silently takes away the fear and isolation. 

Remember to bring hope to others.  Pray for those who are ill or working many hours to keep us going.  Remember, a mask worn by us can protect others around us if we are carriers of the virus.  It may protect us, especially to remember not to touch our face unnecessarily.  

Life is a journey.  Let us help each other so that the journey is easier and safer.  

Check out my book, e book and audio book, "The Dying Teach Us How to Live" and my art gallery. 

Mother's Day Has Changed!

It was a mother's day of mixed blessings.  I went to visit my mother who is in a nursing home on hospice care and experiencing dementia. She probably had a stroke earlier last week and I wasn't sure if she would come out of the lethargy, extreme confusion and lack of appetite.  After three days, she was back to herself! Amazing for a ninety-four year old! 

I have been visiting with her through the efforts of the staff of the nursing facility who help her to Face Time family.  I also went on mother's day and saw her through the window.  She doesn't understand why I can't visit  in person or hug her.  At first she thought I was mad at her. It was so different since I have been her caregiver for almost fifteen years.  I am so grateful that mom is in a home with people who care about her.  She always says, "I am happy here.  They take good care of me."  It helps so much to know that she is comfortable, clean and has loving caregivers. 

I've found out that I can count my blessings and be thankful that I placed her in a safe place before the virus lock down.  The staff are trying very hard to protect their clients and themselves.  They are heroes in my estimation because they literally risk their lives every day and work long hours. 

I am thankful for my current health and pray for those who are ill.  I am happy my mother recognized me on mother's day.  I appreciate my family and friends who stay in touch and provide encouragement.  Some day this will be just a memory and our lives will return to "normal" for this time frame in the world.  I hope we remember the blessings also!  Remember your faith is a wonderful refuge and try to find ways to help others who are also having a difficult time.  We are all in this together!  I'm keeping all of you in my prayers! Enjoy the family and friends you can visit with!  Life is so precious and it has become more valuable in the pandemic. 

Values

"There is no security for anybody if there is insecurity for many."  Eleanor Roosevelt

Many historical plagues, pandemics, and high death rates has its beginnings in slums, poor sanitation, homelessness, lack of healthcare, joblessness, over crowded living conditions, poor nutrition, rampant crime and hopelessness.  When these conditions incubate diseases, the result is expansion of the victims including friends, neighbors, co-workers, family, church and education associates, and employers.

We may forget that our lives are intertwined among the United States, other countries and the world in general.  We are interdependent on each other in order to maintain our lives with safety, medical issues, jobs, economies, mental health and pandemics.

It makes sense that if all families had a home, proper sanitation and healthcare, adequate nutrition, access to education, job opportunities, and safety, the incidents of rapidly spreading diseases would be diminished. We are all in this together.  Individuals who own businesses need people to purchase services and items for sale.  People who need services and items need money for purchases. Without give and take, the economy can not function. Not only do all the human beings in the world share souls, they also share the same needs, wants and dreams.

"Our Lord doesn't look at the greatness of our actions or even the difficulty as at the love at which we do them." The greatness of a country lies in its treatment of the marginalized and dependent members of society. Yes, we are our "brother's keeper".  Our destinies could be different and we could have been the person born in poverty instead of in a position of opportunity.

Remember the seniors, handicapped, ill or isolated people in your life who may be having difficulty in this time of crisis.  I am greatly indebted to my friend and neighbor who buys my groceries. It may seem like a small gift but to the recipient, it has a major impact.  We can all "make a difference" in unique ways, no matter how small and insignificant it seems. Just do it with love!  Check out my book, ebook and audio book, "The Dying Teach Us How to Live", my art gallery and vinyl prints

Making A Life

"Don't be so busy making a living that you don't make a life."

Everything in life has something to teach us.  This virus has uprooted our lives, created illness, death, and isolated us from each other.  It has caused financial and physical hardship while creating distrust and fear in relationships. It may cause a world-wide recession. It is real-life horror. 

It has also forced us to look at life head-on. Why are we here? What is in our future? What do we believe about death? What do we fear about our own death? The virus has taken away our schools, work, companionship, activities, churches and the comfort of touch and hugs. 

It has caused us make new priorities in our lives. We are no longer able to go blindly through our routine schedules. Now we have the opportunity to slow down and "smell the roses."  We have time to physically and emotionally experience our families, children, neighbors and friends. We may have time to follow through with our unfinished projects or start on our dreams for a special project other than work.

People we love become more precious to us because we know that they may become ill and may die. "Life is not how many breaths you take but how many moments take your breath away." We can make moments to "take our breath away" with whatever time we have before we become ensnared again in our responsibilities. By taking advantage of this special time, we can become closer to important people in our lives, reach out to our neighbors who live alone, contact distant family and friends and find new meaning in life.

We can support and encourage the healthcare, emergency and safety workers on the front line. They need our prayers and thanks for putting themselves in danger for the needs of others. Death makes life meaningful and precious.  Without illness we would not appreciate health. Without death we would not appreciate life.

Check out my book,"The Dying Teach Us How to Live", my art gallery and vinyl prints

Be Yourself

"Jesus does not want masks.  He does not want projections of our superficial selves that bear no resemblance to who we really are.  When he calls us to follow after him, he does not want the person we wish we were or the person we pretend to be.  No, when he calls us, he wants the person he created, the person we are becoming in his love, our truest selves.  If we want to follow after him, we must strip ourselves of everything that is superficial, inauthentic, forced, or pretend.  We need to let go of all those partial and superficial selves.  They just get in the way." 
---from the book "Let go:  Sever Stumbling Blocks to Christian Discipleship by Casey Cole, OFM

This quote can make us think about the kind of person we try to project, placing the best foot forward, attempting to become what we are not, following rules to the exclusion of communicating and loving others, and missing out on the reason why we are here. The gift of who we are is the best gift of all because we are sharing ourselves.  We are all special and unique and we all have something to give that no other person can duplicate.  Remember that God loves you just the way you are and is assisting you in what you are becoming if you ask! 

Thank you for the loving kindness, smiles, encouragement, and prayers you offer everyday! Check out my book, ebook and audio book, "The Dying Teach Us How to Live", my art gallery and vinyl prints

Life is Precious

I recently attended a funeral for a friend from my church.  He was relatively young and was a life-long volunteer along with his wife and soulmate. He died suddenly, quietly and unexpectedly. Another man died quietly also. Their lives were completely different, although they shared the same name and faith. Their funerals reflected their lives and were notably contrasting. In one funeral the love flowed in the standing room only crowd. The other was muted and void of emotion among the sparse family and participants. 

We all have to choose what kind of life we live and to choose to make a positive difference in the lives of others. Sometimes our contributions are not known or appreciated until we die or maybe never!  We know! We can live and die peacefully or with regret and conflict.

Our attitude can make a huge difference! 

Attitude

The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of Attitude on life.  It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, that what other people think or say or do.  It is more important than appearance, giftedness, or skill.  It will make or break a company...a church...a home.  The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the Attitude we will embrace for that day.  We cannot change the inevitable.  The only this we can do is play the one string that we have, and that is our Attitude. I am convinced that life is 10 percent what happens to me and 90 percent how I react to it.  And so it is with you...we are in charge of our Attitude. 

Charles R. Swindoll

It is never too late to make a decisive Attitude change, starting now, today.  Life is too short to waste the time we have with our family, friends, neighbors and society. We can change the world with one attitude at a time!  

Check out my book, E book and audio book, "The Dying Teach Us How to Live", my art gallery and vinyl prints

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr

"There are some things so dear and so precious, some things so eternally true, that they are worth dying for.  And I submit to you if a man has not discovered something he will die for, he isn't fit to live."  Dr Martin Luther King, Jr.

Things that Dr. King died for include his view of the world. "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere."  He believed in love over hate.  

"The time is always right to do what is right."  He also asks, "Life's most persistent and urgent question is, "What are you doing for others?"  

One man has given his life to these beliefs.  We can learn much from a man willing to give his life for the needs of others.  He gave the ultimate gift, the gift of his life. His family had to continue on without him and experienced a huge loss with his death.  

What, if anything, do we care enough about to give up our lives? It is a mind-blowing examination of our value systems, our priorities and our love of others.  I am in awe of our role models and protectors.  

There are many of us who have had to face death.  Police, fire fighters, bystanders who see a crime and choose to actively save lives instead of hiding, military members, honest politicians, clergy, and anyone who puts their life on the line to save another human being.  

Are we willing to sacrifice our own lives?  Do we care enough about anything to give our lives for it?

Check out my book, e book and audio book, "The Dying Teach Us How to Live" and my art gallery.

How Can I Make a Difference in the World?

"You Want to Make a Difference in the World?  Live a Holy Life" 
by Mark Lucado,  A Gentle Thunder

Be faithful to your spouse.

Be the one in the office who refuses to cheat.

Be the neighbor who acts neighborly.

Be the employee who does the work and doesn't complain.

Pay your bills.

Do your part and enjoy life.

Don't speak one message and live another.

People are watching the way we act more than they are listening to what we say."

Remember we may be the only person that looks beyond what they see and hears what is being said. We can be the answer to a prayer of someone in need.  Money and toys do not compare to active listening, heartfelt hugs, and sharing the gift of your time, abilities, and prayers. Be PRESENT INSTEAD OF JUST GIVING A PRESENT.
Check out my book, E Book and Audio book "The Dying Teach Us How to Live and my art gallery

Counting Our Blessings

We are always happy to have a holiday in the United States.  Thanksgiving is a day off work for many and a chance to celebrate with families.  Sometimes we can get so caught up in cooking and planning that we forget the meaning of this special day.

Recently we had considerable damage in our community.  The tornado was devastating, quick and surprising. I remember the people who lost everything they had in the tornado.  What we heard from them was their happiness when loved ones and pets were safe.  They were grateful that no lives were lost. 

 A mass shooting also occurred during a local celebration. The senseless loss of lives was worse than the mass destruction of homes. Many more lives would have been lost except for the bravery and quick actions of police and bystanders.

Counting our blessings helps us to cope with unimaginable pain from losses that occur through no fault of our own.  If we take time each day to remember all of the kind and wonderful things that happen when tragedy strikes. Our community came together to help each other. Volunteers were working from the beginning and continue to assist friends, family and strangers. 

We have the option to bury ourselves in the destruction and senseless killing.  Instead, we can become stronger emotionally and spiritually by taking stock of the wonderful blessings that occur on a daily basis.  By counting our blessings, we can reconnect with the world and vow to be a blessing to someone else who is hurting.  We always have something to give, even if it is just an encouraging note, smile or hug.  We can share the blessings we have with others who are struggling. The act of giving is the sign of life and hope.  If we didn't have tragedy and death, we would not appreciate life and prosperity. 

Being thankful is the road to recovery.  God is always with us no matter what happens. 

Check out my book, "The Dying Teach Us How to Live" and my art gallery and vinyl prints