Browsing Brings Blessings for a Blog

DREAM, PLAY, GIVE, SMILE, CHERISH -- truly words to live by. This wall mural got my attention while shopping at the At Home Store. This is the way I really want to live! Embracing this one life with as much gusto as I can.

DREAM like there are no impossibilities. Nothing is impossible with God -- so we shouldn't insult Him with small thinking -- BIG THINKING brings Him BIG PLEASURE! “Let the Lord be magnified who has PLEASURE in the prosperity of His servants.” (Psalms 35:27)

PLAY like there are no winners. My son is a marathon runner -- readying up for the Boston Marathon in April..again. He doesn't run to win. He competes against himself -- to finish. He is the winner of every race he runs. And I intend to be the winner of my race! I will finish my course AND my God-given assignment. I will be the single winner of my RACE! "And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us," (Hebrews 12:1)

GIVE like you have plenty. Generosity is about a heart for giving -- and when we have that heart -- there will always be more than enough to share. Give time. Give intentional focus to that one who needs your undivided attention. How about being such irrational givers that we start to round up when the cashier says "Would you like to donate to whatever charity they're representing?" "Give and it shall be given, pressed down, shaken together and running over" (Luke 6:38)

SMILE till your face hurts. I want my outside to reflect the inner joy and delight I have on the inside. There's just something about a "smiler" that lets us know -- something or SOMEONE lives big in them. I love Nat King Cole's "SMILE" lyrics: "Smile though your heart is aching. Smile even though it's breaking. When there are clouds in the sky, you'll get by if you smile through your fear and sorrow, smile and maybe tomorrow, you'll see the sun come shining through for you. Light up your face with gladness, hide every trace of sadness. Although a tear may be ever so near. That's the time you must keep on trying. Smile, what's the use of crying? You'll find that life is still worthwhile, if you just smile." "A cheerful heart is good medicine," (Proverbs 17:22)

And, CHERISH you and your friends and family everyday. It takes a lot to say "I cherish ME", but isn't that what Jesus meant when He said "Love your neighbor as you love yourself"? I really do cherish my friends -- THAT'S YOU -- and my family. My greatest joys and the things that money just can't buy are those people that God has given me. "Because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love which you cherish towards all God's people," (Colossians 1:4)

I'm going to keep my eyes WIDE OPEN for the "God" moments like I saw in this sign. They sure make me want to dream more, play more, give more, smile more and cherish more -- on purpose!

What Difference Does a Hamburger Make?

My oncology nurse friend is all about bringing sunshine into the world. What a joy it must be for her patients who face a riveting cancer diagnosis. Her bright light intersects their darkness with hope. In addition to her nursing job, she is also a volunteer at a charitable organization that is truly a "back-up resource" for families who have a loved one dealing with cancer, and if that's not enough.....she goes to hospice facilities to cheer up the families and their loved ones. I couldn't resist sharing the following story with you. It touched me so much.

Jodi was headed to a hospice facility to visit a patient there. As she approached the facility, a 93-year-old man was sitting on the porch. She greeted him with “How are you doing today?” He responded, "Good -- and I'm working on the pretty!" She remarked that he was a delight and just had to sit down and visit with him a while. They carried on a long conversation and he mentioned “I’d love a hamburger.” She didn’t hesitate to say: “I’ll be right back” and went to get that burger for him. There wasn't a question about whether it was good for him or not -- she knew her attention to him WAS good for him. She came back with the hamburger and a strawberry shake. The dear man had a chair pulled up right next to him for Jodi to sit by him. Jodi said he ate every bite and drank all the shake. She spent over two hours with him. Jodi was beaming as she told me this story. The dear man passed away a few days later.

What makes someone go the extra mile to bring a ray of sunshine into someone's life? Especially when that someone is close to leaving this world anyway. What difference does it make? Here's the difference: Jodi was serving a sweet man that was getting ready to leave this world. I told her she was his midwife -- giving him a sweet, comfortable and beautiful time as he was transitioning to "going home". But, more than the sacrifice of her time for this sweet man, this was about Jodi. She was so grateful for those two hours.

Helping others makes us see what we have.....and makes us even more grateful for it. Helping others makes us happy. There is so much joy in giving. She was grateful. When we help others, it makes us see what we have and makes us more thankful for it. Jodi's acts of kindness are seed planting times. She is already enjoying the harvest of her acts as she experiences such overflowing joy and happiness. “Give….and it shall be given back to you!” Luke 6:38

What difference does it make? Maybe our solution to complacency, boredom, loneliness and sadness is to find some-one or some-place where we can make a difference in someone's life today. It just might be the last act of kindness they will receive, but it will be an act of kindness that will change us FOREVER.

Taking Advantage of a Captive Audience

Long overdue for a nail pick-me-up (aka manicure), I head to my local nail salon. It’s Tuesday so not the usual crowd. Great – I’ll be in and out in a jiffy! An adorable Vietnamese girl, who by the way, speaks English very well, greets me and invites me to sit at her booth. Her name is June. "Like the month”, she says. I reply, “I’m Donna, not like Madonna!”

Initially, I go into a zone of thinking internally, but not for long. I start getting those nudges again. I’m learning to yield to those nudges, more often than not. June is my captive audience and what do I have to lose? I find out she’s 20-years-old, lives here with her uncle and aunt and their two young boys (who, by the way, annoy her sometimes, but she loves them anyway). Here for four years, she misses her family in Vietnam. I ease up on the questions as we are taken with Dr. Oz interviewing a former pharmacist on a TV screen behind her. The pharmacist incorrectly filled a prescription for a 3-year-old girl that took her life. He served time in prison though it was a combination of mistakes made by others in the medical industry. The child’s father was on the show and apologized for what the pharmacist had gone through. He says: "God helped me forgive."

June and I are touched by this story. I know I need to go in for more: “So, June, what are your dreams?” June replies: "I go to college two days a week to become a pharmacist." No wonder she is taken with Dr. Oz’s interview. "But, I don't want to stop there. I want to become a doctor, but it's going to take so long!" Now, I step up my game to being “Mama Donna”, rather than “Madonna” to her. We talk about God’s love and plans for her -- that if she’d let Him be a part of her life, He'll help her. I say, “Play the movie in your mind. Six or eight years will go by whether or not you continue on with your dreams. The movie is playing. See yourself graduating and serving in a clinic or hospital and making a really good income. Or, see the movie where you stop your studies and at the end of six or eight years, see yourself wishing you had stayed with it and regretting your decision.” She says, “I’m not quitting!”

Then I go in for the jugular. “June, do you believe in God?"
June: “I’m Buddhist”.
Donna: “I understand that Buddha was a very good man.”
June: “Yes, he taught when we do good, we receive good."
Donna: “That’s what I believe too! Jesus said, 'You reap what you sow!' The beautiful part about God is that He loved us all so much that He gave His Son to us and He died for us, but the best part that’s different from Buddha is He didn’t stay dead. He’s alive and He lives in our hearts when we invite Him in.”

June finishes my nails and starts to stand up. I ask her “Can I pray for you?” Wide-eyed, she says, “Here? Now?” I say, “Yes”. She sits down and I hold her hands and pray: “Heavenly Father. Oh, how much you love June. She’s your daughter and she has big dreams. I pray that she is given the will power to finish strong in whatever she pursues, and I pray that she wants to pursue You with all her heart and come to know you and your Son in a real and personal way. In Christ Jesus' name, I pray. Amen! I love you, June!”
June: I love you too! Will you come back?"
Donna: I will be back. What days are you here?
June: Everyday except Monday and Wednesday. when I go to school.

Going to the nail salon has always been about me settling in for a nice, relaxing, it’s-all-about-me experience. I tune out the manicurist mostly because of a language barrier. But, this day, I sensed I was on a mission. I like to think that I’ll see June again on this side of heaven and I’ll water the seeds I planted a little more. I pray that someone else will come along and water the seeds, too, and God will make them grow.

The Apostle Paul wrote: “I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor. For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building.” (1 Corinthians 3:6-9)
Dear God, please help sweet June grow in You! Amen!

The Gathering Place

My Tulsa walking buddy and I were going to walk around the subdivision where we walked for years previous to my move to Texas. But the brilliant idea came to, instead, walk at Tulsa’s new “Gathering Place”. We were taking on the new 70-acre, $465 million-to-build, world-class park we had heard about. We were pleasantly surprised that because it was a school day and a little cloudy with rain in the forecast that there were no crowds and we enjoyed every minute of our time there.

The "Gathering Place” began with the George Kaiser Family Foundation and an extraordinary dream to transform nearly 100 acres of Tulsa’s waterfront along the Arkansas River into an interactive, teaching and play environment. After years of planning, generous donations, input from the community and construction and building, Tulsa's dream became reality.

To try to explain in words the beauty and uniqueness of the park is impossible. You have to see it to believe it. By the way, the park is free. No charge. I was amazed. The landscaping and the water features are breathtaking and many decades-old trees were preserved. The trees removed during construction were recycled into play features and furniture in Adventure Playground. Those trees will continue to live on in the Park, with a new story to be told!. We felt like kids because we were told that anything we wanted to climb, ride, or slide down, we could. That was probably because there were few kids there that morning and because they probably wouldn’t appreciate “big girls” taking over their equipment. Imagination can run rampant on the big ship, the giant pelican slides, the climbing towers, zip line, playhouses, the skate and bike parks, the boating area (paddle boats and canoes), and ropes courses. I braved the ropes course with a long, winding slide at the end and heard a volunteer ask my friend “Do you think she realizes that she could slide pretty fast in there?” “Thanks, God for the info!”, I thought because I used my athletic shoes to slow me down or I would have flown out of there on my bottom, which would have been okay because of the spongy flooring all around.

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Tulsa businessman and billionaire, George Kaiser, made his money in business but has made his mark in Tulsa by his philanthropic endeavors and projects for many years. His countless contributions to Tulsa are extraordinary. George is the son of German refugees who fled Nazi Germany and settled in Tulsa. George eventually took over the family’s oil business. He said that his family’s gratitude for Tulsa taking them in as immigrants with open arms reinforced the obligation he had for helping others.

George has a special heart for children and the mission of the George Kaiser Foundation is to give every child an equal opportunity. His greatest satisfaction is making a difference in someone’s life who really didn’t have a chance as he had. George is known for his compassion and care for humanity. Now his biggest dream of all has unfolded. When asked what his greatest sense of pride is when he sees the kids coming to the park, he said, “It will be the kids and the shrieks of excitement about seeing something that they never thought they would be able to see. We hear kids say "I’ll never be able to go to Disneyland, and now I don’t have to. It’s right here" That gives me the greatest pleasure. For generations to come, people of all ages, from all walks of life and all parts of the city will come to the Gathering Place, hopefully realizing it was built just for them.”

“I had the advantage of both genetics and upbringing. As I looked around at those who did not have these advantages, it became clear to me that I had a moral obligation to direct my resources to help repair that inequity.” —George B. Kaiser

Why am I giving such a tribute to George Kaiser and other contributors for this outstanding one-of-a-kind park that will appeal to children of all ages for generations to come? It’s not George Kaiser, his wealth, his dream or the park. It is the spirit of generosity and thanksgiving that has guided their hearts to give back because they were so grateful for what they had been given. I applaud this man’s heart to give back, but it isn’t about wealth for any of us. I recall the story in the Bible of the widow’s mite – she gave what she had to give. Entering into this month of Thanksgiving, I am taken with this story because it took me to a place of showing gratitude for what I have by giving back and giving out of what I have. I am inspired. I want my legacy to also read “She gave of what she had to give.” How about you?
Check out Gathering Place at https://www.gatheringplace.org/

Be a REFLECTION of What You'd Like to Be

REFLECTION: an image that is seen in a mirror or on a shiny surface; something that shows the effect, existence, or character of something or someone.

I love how God gives us "thumbs up" on decisions we make. I typed up this blog early yesterday morning before I left for an event so it would be ready to POST this morning at 6 am. Imagine my delight, when a lady at the event said, "Donna, in my thoughts about you I saw you outdoors in nature and you came to a stream and you looked in the stream and saw your REFLECTION,....etc. Her words encouraged me beyond that word, but she confirmed the post I had written for you today. God is so faithful to me AND you!

I love this photo, and quote. "Be a REFLECTION of what you'd like to receive. If you want love, give love. If you want truth, be truthful. What you give out, will always return. REFLECTION is also like a boomerang -- when we give love, it will come back to us. If we give joy, we'll receive back joy. If we give forgiveness, we will be forgiven.

It's the Laws of Reciprocity -- God's laws of sowing and reaping. Those laws aren't new at all. It started with the greatest of all GIVERS when Jesus said, "Give...and it shall be given" Luke 6:38. Simply put, reciprocity is the notion of mutual exchange or fair return. It’s the basis of many business interactions where a fair exchange of goods and services is made between parties.

On the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus gave us the Laws of Reciprocity in the purest form -- for example "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy." Matthew 5:7

We've heard the words: "Serve....and you shall be served." "Love....and you shall be loved." "Be a friend.....and you shall have friends." Just makes good sense -- especially when it's been tested and proven by successful leaders! Our dear friend, Zig Ziglar, said, "You can have everything in life you want, if you will just help other people get what they want." Smart and truly successful people get this. It's NOT giving TO GET. Typically, in those times that we give -- we do so with absolutely no expectation or desire to receive back.....but with God's Laws of Reciprocity -- there is ALWAYS a give back. Those laws just can't help themselves. We do receive back in so many ways. If our heart stays fixed on giving, serving and loving -- the REFLECTION and the ACTION will be to RECEIVE.

Christmas is All About Giving AND Receiving

These photos capture a day of Christmas "love" like none other! I met Susie Jennings in October. Susie is the Founder and President of Operation Care. Susie stepped out in faith and obedience to God when she resigned from her nurse supervisory position at Baylor University Medical Center, Dallas in 2011 to become a full time missionary to those in need.

She desired to serve God and her community after the tragic death of her husband when she asked God "What do you want me to do for you?" Then she said, "Don't ask God that question, because He will tell you." At that time, Susie didn't like homeless people, but that's where God took her -- right to where most of the homeless live in Dallas. Her first mission was to buy blankets for them. She rallied her friends to help her in November, 1993. The homeless called her, “The Blanket Lady.” That beginning was the start of Operation Care which now ministers to homeless and impoverished families here and in nations around the world. Her spunk, energy and obvious love for God's "misfits" inspired me so much, and it ignited my desire to join others from my church, and my family, to be a part of Susie's annual Christmas "Happy Birthday Jesus" celebration at the Dallas Convention Center. We were able to be the hands and feet of Jesus to the homeless and impoverished in the Dallas area. It was eye-opening, heart wrenching and inspiring beyond adequate words to share.

When I woke up Saturday morning in my cozy, warm and comfy bed, I thought about the precious souls I would meet at the event. I had seen the homeless sleeping under bridges or staying in shelters and while volunteering at the Food Pantry and Catholic Charities in Tulsa when I lived there. We also had served and ministered at the Salvation Army and John 3:16 Mission. But, reality set in for me on Saturday when we witnessed thousands and thousands of homeless people, bearing their earthly possessions in a cart, standing in line (some since the night before) to receive blankets, sleeping bags, coats, be fed a hearty meal, get haircuts, receive eye glasses, be seen by a medical team, have their feet washed and given new shoes, and best of all to be prayed with and to receive Jesus into their hearts. 

One of our dear friends, Jody Weersing,lovingly served as she washed their feed and gave them new shoes. My daughter, Staci Wallace and grandson, Payton Wallace, were on the music team lifting up praises to God while the people ate their meal; Larry Wallace was on the coat distribution team, Denise Gerrich served on the Veterans' team, serving those who faithfully served us and our country, and I served first at registration where I saw thousands upon thousands standing in line just to get in the door, then I moved to the greeter station when they came through the "heaven-on-earth" doors for them where they were high-5'd, hugged and celebrated with singing and welcomes. Finally, I stood at the entry to the meal line where I could hug them more and wish them Merry Christmas. My heart was full.

Unless you can see it with your own eyes, it is unimaginable – mostly, because we are people of so much “plenty”. It’s easy to remark, “What a shame”, and go on our way. But, God shows up with His people and organizations that go the distance in making a difference.

This Christmas season beckons us to have hearts of giving – pitching in a little cash into the Salvation Army kettle, donating coats from our overstocked closets, buying a gift for an Angel Tree child, or volunteering at an organization that does so much for the underprivileged on a daily basis. We can do something. While the recipients experience so much love, GIVERS of that love and compassion are sincerely on the RECEIVING end of so many blessings -- way beyond what we give.

1) Our eyes our opened to the blessings we have, and to the "little things" we take for granted and we become more thankful.
2) Our hearts of compassion are opened.

3) The dissatisfied and grumpy attitudes that we have dwindle to softness and appreciation.
4) Blinders fall off our eyes and we see the needs of others far greater than our own needs.

5) We start to re-evaluate spending senseless dollars on gifts for family and friends that we know will be tossed in a corner within just a few minutes or hours of having received them.
6) We start to desire to help support volunteers do what they do.

7) We have unmistakable and contagious joy because we gave.
8) We start to realize WHY we are here on this earth.

God demonstrated how to give when He gave His only Son to us. That's what Christmas is all about. The Reason for this Season. Could it possibly be that God has been waiting on us to live with PURPOSE -- making a difference in the lives of others? Mother Teresa said, "What we are doing is just a drop in the ocean. But if that drop was not in the ocean, I think the ocean would be less because of that missing drop,"

"For God so loved the world that He GAVE......." John 3:16
"GIVE and it shall be given you, pressed down, shaken together and running over....." Luke 6:38

Ya' Just Can't Outgive God!

Day 2 of our Garage Sale meant "Discount City"! LOL! Karen and I always loved the final day of our A-1 Estate Sale business. It meant 50%-75% off and lots of freebies, along with MANY satisfied and happy customers! Our last Garage Sale day was no exception.

A couple was just walking their dog out in the street and I beckoned them to the sale. First they nodded "No", but the man couldn't resist my pleading, as well as my oohing and aahing over their dog which I remarked "His little face looks like a dachshund", and the man's reply was "He IS a dachshund -- a long haired dachshund!" Who knew? He came to look and sure enough he saw this scale and said, "OH, my mom hates her digital scale. She'll like this one so much more (it was the old style). I snapped this photo as they were leaving. I couldn't resist because I could just imagine folks saying "Look at that guy. They're going for a walk with their dog AND their scale. He probably walks a block, then puts the scale down and weighs to see if he lost any weight yet!" LOL!

Another couple came by and saw all the reading glasses we had for sale. My sweetheart and I had many. When we first needed help with our reading, we'd buy a pair, use them a while and misplace them, so we'd buy another pair, and then we'd need to up the strength of the glasses and buy more pairs, and before long, we had loads of reading glasses. Who knew that years later a couple would stop by our garage sale who donates reading glasses to their Brazil missions for those with reading/seeing needs. What a blessing to be able to give them to this couple. Freebies!

Another lady saw Karen's decorative plate sets for sale and when Karen heard her say "Oh I remember my mom's collection of plates. I'd love to do that, too." Of course, Karen gave her the best ever deal for them all.

There was plenty at the end of the sale for a family in need to decorate their home with lots of household and decorative items remaining. What a blessing for them AND us!

Oftentimes, the things we do with intentional purposes end up with a greater purpose. That's what we've witnessed many times over the years. The greatest part....we can never outgive God. Somehow God always "one ups" us. One beautiful Native American woman came to the sale and as she heard our "God bless yous" and our overall enthusiasm and joy, she commented, "There's something about this place. God is here. I feel it." Best. Gift. EVER. We just think we're giving out of the love we have for others. Then, along comes God and shakes us up with a warm embrace that says...."I am loving through you. You are being my hands extended. You are my ambassadors......even at a Garage Sale that you thought was YOUR idea to get rid of stuff. Nope. It was MY idea to bless people through you." How's that for "giving and it shall be given"? How's that for helping to make God even more famous through our little efforts?

Love is GIVING and RECEIVING

Day 26 in the Month of Love -- Love is GIVING and RECEIVING

It's like a boomerang -- when we give love, it will come back to us. If we give joy, we'll receive back joy. Like today's photo of the little bird and his reflection, we should be a reflection of what we want to receive. If we want love, we give love. If we want truth, we need to be truthful. What we give out will come back to us. It's the Laws of Reciprocity. That's what social psychologists call it when someone does something nice for us, and, we have a deep rooted urge to do something nice for them in return. As a matter of fact, we may even reciprocate with a gesture far more generous than their original good deed.

That LAW isn't new at all. It started with the greatest of all GIVERS when Jesus said, "Give......and it shall be given!"

We've heard the words: "Serve....and you shall be served." "Love....and you shall be loved." "Be a friend.....and you shall have friends." Just makes good sense -- especially when it's been tested and proven by successful leaders! Robert Kiyowsoki (Rich Dad, Poor Dad) said, "Change your focus from making money to serving people. Serving more people, makes the money come in."

Zig Ziglar, a dear friend of ours, said, "You can have everything in life you want, if you will just help other people get what they want." Smart and truly successful people get this. Most times we give..... with absolutely no expectation or desire to receive back.....but it's just those laws....God's Laws of Reciprocity.....YOU WILL RECEIVE, when your heart's attitude is to GIVE, SERVE and LOVE!

#LiveToLove #LiveToGive

Blessed to be a Blessing

Thanksgiving Week is here and I'm so thankful! My family are on their way to me! I'm ready for them! I've got the Treasure Hunt ready to go for my big 8-year birthday boy. Most of my baking and cooking is done, and all that goes with 11 of us in my not-so-big house. Only 3 or 4 times a year, do I think about "back when" I had a big house that had plenty of beds and bedrooms for all of us. But it's okay -- I've got the blow-up and fold-up mattresses ready to go -- and soon the "camping indoors" at Nana's will begin. But, there is just no way to complain or wish for the "good ole' days"!!! Our trip to Mexico last month, certainly put an exclamation point on that! Witnessing the numbers of people there that have such a meager existence -- they live in one room (if you could even call it a room), have no running water, and no adequate roof or walls in what they call "home". Having that "visual" certainly causes me to capitalize THANKSGIVING! We are blessed.

And, BLESSED, is the operative word -- not, "lucky" or "fortunate" or "deserved" or "privileged". We ARE BLESSED! And we are blessed -- to be a BLESSING!. We can't just simply say "THANK YOU", and go on our way. We MUST do something about those blessings. In fact, we're held accountable for them. Luke 12:48 says ".......when someone has been given much, much will be required in return; and when someone has been entrusted with much, even more will be required." There is responsibility that comes with blessings. Actually, it becomes a cycle of blessings, because we see in Proverbs 11:25, "The one who blesses others is abundantly blessed; those who help others are helped." It's that "give and it shall be given", law of reciprocity....that just keeps on giving.

So, this Thanksgiving week, while we're in an attitude of gratitude, let's remember that we are blessed to bless; gifted to give; forgiven to forgive; loved to love.

Of All the Blessings -- the Ones I Love the Most Call Me Mom and Nana

Just getting ready to board my flight home to Tulsa. Thanks be to God for a beautiful cruise, lots of memories made with great friends and family, awesome excitement about the future of helping more and more people be blessed.

And of all the blessings I have -- the ones I love the most call me "Mom" and "Nana". I was so blessed and honored in so many ways on this trip. I really think my son heard from his dad -- especially when he & Shawntel blessed me with an amazing spa treatment, then when we went into Cozumel, they bought me perfume,

and the big finale was when my sweet son bought me a beautiful amethyst stone ring -- I felt like a queen. Of all the things we did wrong in raising our kids -- we did the right things by teaching then to dream, believe, be the best they can be, serve God with all their hearts and never quit -- YES -- we must have done something right!

Living a life of purpose and destiny creates so many opportunities for blessings along the way. We don't give to receive -- but God sure does keep up with His Word -- "Give and it shall be given you -- pressed down, shaken down and running over...." How can I say enough thanks for all He has given me? I know! I'll continue to GIVE BACK -- in praise, thanksgiving, service, adoration, and being available at a moment's notice to be His ambassador!