No Matter What -- God's Got This School Year

In spite of the face masks, rules of hygiene, social distancing, on-line or in-person school – I’m asking God for His favor on this year with so many blessings and great accomplishments for our children AND even for you moms and dads. What a breath of fresh air it has been to see such optimism on my FB feed lately of photos of kids going back to school.

Those precious children make me smile with great hope for the beginners, the teenagers and college ones in their dorm rooms. Wide-eyed wonder and excitement about a new year of meeting new friends and having great adventures. No doubt, there will be certain challenges along the way, but I choose to believe it will open their minds to all the possibilities and rewards of being a winner and an overcomer.

I loved my dear friend’s comment to me that of all the concerns she had, her kids are so optimistic, contented and settled into their dorm or school already. Now, she’s optimistic, contented and grateful to God and expecting to be an overcoming mom! I’ve seen many optimistic parents making bold confessions of faith for their kiddos. I’m praying that the first of this school year reveals tremendous resolve and determination because of how last year’s school-year ended – with resolve and determination of you stay-at-home parents who CONQUERED! I loved one mom’s prayer: “My prayer tonight as my boy takes his first steps into high school -- above everything -- that being a Christ-follower is at the top of his desires."

That’s the attitude we should all have for our children and grandchildren. Of all the knowledge they acquire, all the common sense experiences that they will learn from -- the single most important achievement is to be devoted followers of Christ in their friendships, in the decisions they make and their problem-solving with God’s wisdom leading the way.

Luke 2:52 mentions four areas Jesus grew in as a young boy: “And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and with people.” Our Lord grew wiser and He physically grew. His relationship with His Heavenly Father continuously grew and was strengthened. Jesus even gained favor with people who saw Him day to day. I love the simple sentence that precedes this: “His mother kept all these things in her heart.” We never see Mary worried and anxious. She pondered about her son, but she didn’t allow her heart to become rattled. And neither should we.

May we all strive to be like Mary, turning our anxious thoughts into treasured prayers, kept safe and held fast by our loving Father — the One who knows our hearts and loves our children even more than we do. When a concern pops up in our mind, we carry that concern to God. When we start to fear for our child’s future, we petition the One who knows what the future holds.

Heavenly Father, I pray for all these precious children that are starting a new school year. Protect them, encourage them and fill them with strong minds to learn and grow. Help them to be a great friend and to have great friends. I pray moms and dads can turn their concerns and worries into prayers, knowing You are in control. Please help them to treasure each moment with their children as they grow in wisdom and stature and favor with others and You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Philippians 4:6-7, “Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving; let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses every thought, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”

Staying Positive in a Negative World

In our Nextdoor app, one of my neighbors posted this: “Happy Heart. With all the turmoil in the world, a wonderful thing happened yesterday. As my husband and I were pulling into our drive, a man in a red truck pointed to our neighbor's house and asked if she were home. He had found her purse in the basket corral at Walmart and was personally returning it to her. He was a fireman named Robert. He went out of his way to drive it all the way to her house with everything intact. There are beautiful people in this world and we need to remember this. What a terrific thing for someone to do. This could’ve ended in a totally different way with much inconvenience. We appreciate people like you, Robert! Stay safe!!”

Aw! A story worthy of sharing because it was refreshing considering the Nextdoor app is often used by cranky folks who are "ticked" about something or someone.

It was so uplifting to be with gals from my church on Monday night after being apart for so many months. The little whining we did was only because we couldn't hug each other -- especially for us huggers.

Being on purpose to stay in a positive frame of mind is as simple as looking for the good everywhere – like that fireman helping a neighbor. Here’s a few of the ways I keep myself energized by focusing on the blessings in my life on a daily basis:

1. I protect myself from negative news. While I want to keep up with current events, sometimes a headline is sufficient to grasp new developments. I limit the time I spend with mainstream media. Truthfully, if that’s where we get our daily “feeding” from instead of God’s Word, then we can only blame ourselves if we’re discouraged.

2. I control the number of negative people in my life. Other than when I am encouraging someone who is going through real challenges, I carefully select how much time I spend with those who are intent on just being negative. My frame of mind and my attitude is dependent on what I allow into my mind.

3. I listen to uplifting Christian music and be transported to a place of joy, peace, and thanksgiving.

4. I practice gratitude. Appreciating life and its many blessings puts me in a good mood. That gratitude makes me want to encourage others – calling or messaging them with an encouraging word. And, random acts of kindness goes a long way in turning a negative world into a positive one.

5. I pray randomly all day: "Thank you, God, for that green light. Thank you, God, for that parking space." And whether it's in traffic or a line at the store, I call on His name as a reminder to have a little conversation with THE ONE who isn't surprised by the delays. No doubt, it's a part of His Master Plan.

There's blessings and beauty everywhere. It's possible to stay positive in a negative world when we look for it.

"And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise." Philippians 4:8

We've Got Comeback Power

Don’t look or listen now because another catastrophe, another day of record coronavirus reports, another lost life, another angry mob, another negative report is coming from the news-media world. It’s true. What a year this has been and we’re not even halfway through it yet!

I was amused when I looked at some of my New Year’s 2020 blogs – all hopeful with great expectation, God-is-in-Control, “It’s-gonna-be-the-best-year-EVER!” I must say, this one has surprised us all – in so many ways! You know the details so I won’t remind you.

But, I’m still as optimistic with the great expectations as I was at the front side of this year, because what I said then, is still true now. God IS still in control and we can still believe this can be the best year of our lives. Maybe we've had a setback -- but that's when God orchestrates a set-up for the greatest comeback ever. It's like the trajectory of an arrow that can only be shot by pulling it backwards. And maybe difficulties during this season feel just like that. But we remember -- when life drags us back, we're just getting on the launch pad toward something even greater. The greater the setback -- the greater the comeback. I mean, seriously, think about Jesus' death on the cross. It was a setback, unlike anything the disciples could have imagined. It was over for them and they hid in fear. But joy came in the morning when the greatest comeback ever took place. Jesus rose from the dead and we were the winners right along with Him. He lives to give us His comeback power!

Romans 6:10-11. "The Spirit of God, Who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, He will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you."

Listen to Danny Gokey's new song, "Comeback". I love this rendition and the photos that accompany it:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MfWDDlh-8pw

"This is your time, your moment
The fire, the fight, you're golden
You've come so far, keep going
Oh here comes the comeback.

Now, get ready for your rocket to fire on all cylinders. Your greatest comeback might just be at the coundown now:
5-4-3-2-1 COMEBACK!

Things Are Looking Up With Optimism and Hope

We are known as an optimistic family. We reinforced optimism in our children with “You are champions. You can do anything if you set your heart and mind to it. With God all things are possible." We purposely speak “God is good -- all the time” regardless of sunshine or rain, joy or sorrow, win or defeat.

Now, I have a greater, healthier sense of respect for the concept of hope even more than optimism. To be optimistic about our lives will serve us well, mentally and physically. But when we’re holding onto the last strand of the rope in our circumstances and when we need a powerful shot of an energy drink to keep us holding a little longer, there is no substitute for hope. So here, let me offer you an energy drink from the Springs of Living Water found in God’s Word: “We know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them” (Romans 8:28).

Looking back at my own life -- every defeat, every pain, every disappointment, resulted in eventual good. Now I know God is actively working to bring good out of whatever happens in our lives. So we grab hold of hope and that truth again: “We know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them” (Romans 8:28). That scripture isn’t saying that every event in our life will be good. But it does say that when we put our whole life together, every piece of it works together for good. It’s like making a cake. We may not like the taste of each ingredient -- but when it’s all put together, we can’t keep our hands off of it. God wants to bake an amazingly tasty cake with our lives, and He wants to use even the distasteful and bitter ingredients to do it.

God also doesn’t say that everything works together like we want it to or every story will have a happy ending. The reality is not every business decision will make us a million dollars. Not every couple that gets married will live happily ever after. Not every child will become a star athlete. Instead, the verse reminds us that we can have absolute confidence that our Master Chef and Designer causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God. (BTW, this promise is for “those who love God,” not for those who don't.)

Hope is the absolute confidence that every part of our lives will ultimately make sense. From our vantage point, life looks like a mess at times. But God’s view is the finished cake -- so tasty, so good. We can’t even imagine the good that God has in store for our future. Our future is in God’s hands — and there’s no better place for it to be.

I Stand Corrected and Humbled!

My friend commented on my “Mountain Top” blog yesterday: “I grew up around and raised our children in the mountains of Washington and Oregon. Winter, Spring or Summer, we would enjoy the beauty and majesty of God’s creations. It was not necessarily the scaling the mountain, as we did much of that, or skiing down, it was the incredible untouched beauty that God surrounded our lives. It never hesitated to overwhelm us and remind us of our blessings.” I recall her words AFTER my annual mammogram appointment.

I’m heading to my appointment and I’m NOT looking for the beauty and blessings around me. I am overindulged in the drama – the squeeze, twist, and press that awaits me. I’m not recognizing “the incredible untouched beauty that surrounds my life” as my friend put it so well. Besides that, I am remembering the nearly one hour wait three months ago because this clinic had a new system. I could wait no longer so I rescheduled. That negativity is also in my mind. Are you kidding me? This is Ms. Positivity and Optimism talking and I’m in a pathetic mindset!

I walk into the clinic and, blow me away, a kind woman welcomes me immediately to her desk. She updates my info online and within five minutes she is taking me back to the dressing room to put on the lovely, open-in-the-front gown. This photo is of the lockers for our carry-on paraphernalia. I don't choose the Mother Teresa or Helen Keller one, as you might think. I choose the Dolly Parton locker (how perfect for the mountain top, and in my case, this molehill, experience).

Right away, I notice a gal reading a People magazine, waiting for her name to be called. Two women, one in a gown and another in her street clothes, are in non-stop conversation. That chatting is annoying me because I can’t concentrate as I'm trying to read my daily Bible plan on my phone. (Oh me!) A technician calls the magazine-reading gal’s name, and subsequently, the gal with her buddy. She looks back at her friend and says: “Come, go with me” and the technician says “She can’t go with you to the mammography room.” Now, I’m sitting in a state of shame that I, the “Peace Zone” girl, have allowed myself to be lowered to the level of a cynical, selfish and ungrateful, Bible-toting Christian. I am mortified. I get past my angst, my little worries and concerns and get into who I am and Whose I am. It's not about me. It's about being an ambassador for Him.

I speak to the “buddy” sitting across from me: “I’m so glad that you are here for your friend.” She tells me that her friend and her doctor “found something of concern and today is going to be at least a two-hour appointment”. Not a "routine" appointment and immediately, I do what I do best when I am outside of me and become Him in “voice, hands and feet” mode. I speak in my more fluent language of compassion and God’s love and explain that in scripture we hear why “two are better than one”. Before long, her friend opens the door and signals her back and I see the “buddy system” in full “go” mode. I recalled editing a book last month by a now cancer-free young woman, and this scenario was the start of her two-year cancer journey. I say a little quiet prayer for the journey of this gal – that she will partner up with God as her travel companion as this young author did.

My name is called by a lovely technician. My nervous chatter starts: “Sooo, is it new technology and just a little picture taken today?” The tech, smiling and knowing what my skittish remark meant, responds: “A little more than a picture but less painful than since you had your last mammogram a year ago! There is a curve added….see!” She points to the mammogram x-ray machine. Within 5 minutes, the whole procedure is over and I hear birds singing and thunderous applause ensued. She was right! It was so much better than before. A sigh of great relief! I could breathe! Before I leave, I turn and see this quote printed on the wall behind me. “Enjoy the little things for one day you may look back and realize they were the BIG things!”

Indeed, it is the little things we must appreciate – in sunshine and rain – in calm and in storm. The little things of opting for gratitude instead of worry and concern. The little things God uses to give us another illustrated sermon that opens our eyes to others and when we can seize the opportunity to make a difference in their day. Each person I met this morning woke me up to God’s goodness and mercy that is there to follow us in every way. Yes, I need a do-over on the start of my day. Every day I realize that God is still working on me! How loving and patient He must be!

By the way, that new system that they were working on that “inconvenienced” me three months prior…..already sent me the results of my mammogram:
“Dear Donna, Thank you for your recent visit to our center on 4/3/2019. We are happy to report that the results of your screening mammogram are as follows: No evidence of breast cancer or other significant abnormality.”

Thank you, God, for your loving kindness. Thank you, for loving me enough to correct me and to help me be Your correctable servant. “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.” (Psalm 51:10)

What's Your Name?

The words on this gal’s shirt captured my attention at my grandson’s baseball game: "Sarcasm -- just one more service I offer". And indeed that's what she offered. I couldn’t believe my eyes that she’d wear a shirt like that and neither could I believe the sarcasm that she had. It was evident that she wore that shirt with pride. I thought to myself, why would she want to call herself that or would want to speak of herself in that way? How about a t-shirt that said “Encourager” or “Cheerleader” or “Proud Mom” or even “Free Hugs”?

Then, I thought about a precious little child that I saw wearing a t-shirt with the words "I'm a little monster." Sure, that child might be a little mischievous, but by no means does that merit being called a monster. Whoever gave her that shirt, is labeling her "a monster"! What are they thinking?

Then I thought about the inspiring words of our close and dear friend, Zig Ziglar, who led the way in optimism, speaking on-purpose words that would build up others, and who wrote the best-selling books, “Born to Win”, “See You at the Top”, “Staying Up, Up, Up in a Negative Word”, “Raising Positive Kids in a Negative World” and so many more “what you say, is what you get kind-of-books”. Obviously, that baseball mom and the one who put a “monster” t-shirt on their child never read any of those books because they were speaking the complete opposite of positivity. Zig said these words in his talks and books:

“There is power in words. What you say is what you get.”
“The greatest source of happiness is to be grateful at all times.”
“You can get everything in life you want if you will just help enough other people get what they want.”
“Your attitude, not your aptitude, will determine your altitude.”
“You were born to win, but to be a winner, you must plan to win, prepare to win, and expect to win.”

Our family gleaned so much from Zig's mentorship and leadership style. We raised our two children on his faith-filled, action-filled words. But, even more to the point is the Bible which says "As a man thinks in his heart, so is he." (Proverbs 23:7) And, talk about name-calling, how do you like the names that God calls us? Blessed, beloved, friend, child of God, chosen one, righteous one, princess, beautiful, blameless, light of the world, holy, royal priesthood, redeemed. So, as children of Almighty God and made in His image, shouldn't we be calling ourselves, and those around us, names that build up and encourage?

Our reality may just be what we're calling to ourselves. If we want and desire a life of joy, contentment, peace, and love, doesn't it make sense that we do our best to promote it in every way possible? If we want our children to be confident, feeling loved and embraced, shouldn't we be calling them champions? World Changers! History Makers! Brilliant! Smart! Precious!

See You at the Top!

A few days ago I was inspired when I saw my daughter’s Instagram post: “Intensely grateful for the role this man (Zig Ziglar) played in my life for so many years. Next to my father, his words, encouragement and life shaped my perspective like no other. I give thanks that he was able to call a blessing upon my son, Payton, who seems to carry a similar ability to inspire us daily with his unique and ever-positive perspective! We’ll see you “over the top”, Pops!” (Daily, Payton posts on Instagram a life message. For example, “Worship gets you through the tough parts of life because it shifts your focus from the problem to the problem solver.”)

I loved that. Often we look in the rear view mirror and think about the mistakes we’ve made and we do a lot of “would-a, should-a, could-a” talking. That does us little good, if any at all. But, how incredibly beneficial it is for us to reminisce about those good people and good situations that molded us and gave us sure footing that stays with us today – in our attitudes, our decision-making, and our overall outlook on life. We know that there were those who left footprints in the sand for us to follow.

Zig was such a vital part of our family's lives for so many years. My children literally "cut their teeth" on Zig's philosophies and the belief that "we were born to win". ("Born to Win" was one of his inspiring books.) His motto "You can have anything you WANT in life if you will help enough other people get what they WANT. His trainings and principles for success in business and life -- and his friendship with our family, sincerely impacted the people we are today -- optimistic, relentless work ethics and audacious determination to succeed at whatever we put our hands and hearts to.

I was thinking about what Zig meant when he said “See You at the Top” (one of his best-selling books). Zig made it to the top in business, family life….and ultimately – in heaven. I figure that he and my husband are conspiring daily and interceding for all of us to continue to live passionately with determination to live our lives with gusto and as role models for others to follow. Here’s some of Zig’s philosophies that help us make sure that we get to the top of our game and our life if we live them. We know we’re at the top when:

• You know that success doesn’t make you and failure doesn’t break you.
• You are filled with faith, hope and love; and live without anger, greed, guilt, envy or thoughts of revenge.
• You are mature enough to delay gratification and shift your focus from your rights to your responsibilities.
• You know that failure to stand for what is morally right is the prelude to being the victim of what is criminally wrong.
• You are secure in who you are, so you are at peace with God and in fellowship with man.
• You have made friends of your adversaries, and have gained the love and respect of those who know you best.
• You understand that others can give you pleasure, but genuine happiness comes when you do things for others.
• You are pleasant to the grouch, courteous to the rude and generous to the needy.
• You love the unlovable, give hope to the hopeless, friendship to the friendless and encouragement to the discouraged.
• You can look back in forgiveness, forward in hope, down in compassion and up with gratitude.
• You know that "he who would be the greatest among you must become the servant of all."
• You recognize, confess, develop and use your God-given physical, mental and spiritual abilities to the glory of God and for the benefit of mankind.
• You stand in front of the Creator of the universe and He says to you, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant."

Looking forward to seeing my sweetheart, Zig and YOU at the TOP!

It is Well

I woke with fresh optimism about what this day would hold for me. Is it because we have a new president and because we hope and pray that he will make positive, healthy, morally, and Biblically sound decisions that will unify and protect our country, turn our hearts to God, and “make us great again”? We can sure “hope and pray”, can't we? Actually, “hoping and praying” is the basis for what we should be doing, regardless of our party affiliations and where we are aligning ourselves during our new president’s administration.

I’ll admit, several times I teared up with hope as I watched our 45th President of the U.S. place his hand on the Bible and pledge and vow BEFORE GOD, to do the right things.

One of my favorite moments of the inauguration was Rev. Franklin Graham’s words when he went to the podium to give a benediction prayer, but preceded the prayer with these words: "Mr. President, in the Bible, rain is a sign of God's blessings. And it started to rain, Mr. President, when you came to the platform, And it's my prayer that God will bless you, your family, your administration, and may He bless America."

Quite frankly, I’m so glad this whole election process is behind us for a while. It's quite typical for there to be negativity -- their side didn't win. But, I'm done with the voices of gloom, despair and hate coming from the naysayers. It’s time for us to regroup and reinstate ourselves as believers in God who sits on HIS throne and He has not turned over His authority to a man. He reigns in heaven and earth and the election and inauguration doesn’t change that. There is no (D) or (R) beside God’s name. He is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He is The Great I AM!

Today it is well with my soul – not because of our new 45th president. It is well with my soul because “I know Him whom I have believed, and I am persuaded that He is able to guard that which I have committed unto Him...” 2 Timothy 1:12

Here’s how we can support our new president…..straight from God’s proclamation: “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14

So that’s what I’ll commit to today as a proud American citizen. We have daily choices of rising and shining OR rising and glooming. I’d rather lean into the brighter side of life by being kind-hearted and optimistic any day than being a part of any group that is dark, hateful and mean.

I started this post by saying “It is well. I woke this morning with optimism for what this day will hold for me.” I meant that. I have a choice each day to gravitate to what I desire to see in my day.
So, I'm encouraging you to have a godly attitude towards our new president. I'm encouraging you to pray for him with the heartfelt desire that God will make him into a great president rather than for you to stand on the sidelines, rooting for his fall. If we really care about America and are people of prayer, that should be our mind-set.

Lastly, we should have GREAT expectations. Could it be that President Trump has way more going for him than we realize? Could it be that many Americans had solid reasons to vote for him and that he could get a lot done for the good of our nation? Could it be that, despite his very rough edges and non-presidential tweets, God is already working in his heart? I’m optimistic enough in our good, good Father that He is already working in the crevices and corners of his heart, and in the meantime, I'll be praying for clouds that hold a lot of rain. Daily I plan on praying "Let it rain, Lord. Let it rain! Let it rain blessings and more blessings on Your people."

Always Something To Be Thankful For

Day 332 of Photo Inspirations -- Always Something To Be Thankful For
Thanksgiving Day is past, yet the turkey leftovers and a few extra pounds are still with us.  The best of what remains is still the sweet atmosphere of gratitude.  I'm so grateful for the time with my family and especially grateful to celebrate another Thanksgiving with Mom (Granny/Great Granny) -- thus my photo inspirations of this special time.  Note those two silly guys picking her up for a fun photo.  She's always been such a good sport, but precious of all -- was having family prayertime with her.  It binds us together in such sweet tenderness.  I'm so grateful for our family's heritage.  It was Dad & Mom that gave us an example to follow -- through the tough times, they stood strong -- through the joyful times, they showed us how to celebrate life.

Without a doubt, our upbringing plays a big role on the attitude we have -- where there's a spirit of grumbling and complaining, we gravitate to grumbling and complaining.  But where there's optimism and trust in God, even in tough times, we're prone to seeing life from the standpoint of gratitude.  Mom and Dad gave us the example of trusting God in the midst of trials.  But wherever we came from, and what atmosphere we were raised in, it's possible to BECOME grateful -- even if it's not our natural "bent".   But it does take discipline. It's like learning to dance or play a musical instrument or any habit that is formed -- it takes practice and doing it over and over again. The reality is that a grateful heart will make way for EVERYTHING we encounter, to find the good in it, and, best of all, it opens the door for blessings. We just have to replace complaints and fault finding, with praise and thanksgiving. Finding the good in situations, in people, in life's daily challenges.....is possible.  It's there. Here's a great example of turning the negative to positive to thankgiving.

I AM THANKFUL
...for the mess to clean after a party, because
it means I have been surrounded by friends.
...for.the taxes I pay, because it means that I'm employed.
...for the clothes that fit a little too snug,
because it means I have enough to eat.
...for my shadow who watches me work,
because it means I am out in the sunshine.
...for a lawn that needs mowing, windows that
need cleaning and gutters that need fixing,
because it means I have a home.
...for the spot I find at the far end of the parking lot,
because it means I am capable of walking.
...for my huge heating bill because it means I am warm.
...for all the complaining I hear about our government,
because it means we have freedom of speech.
...for the lady behind me in church who
sings off key, because it means that I can hear.
...for the piles of laundry and ironing,
because it means my loved ones are nearby.
...for the alarm that goes off in the early morning
hours, because it means that I'm alive.
...for weariness and aching muscles at the end of
the day, because it means I have been productive.

Yes, I am thankful.....and I purpose to live in that thankfulness.....daily.  How about you?

Life is Good

Day 207 of Photo Inspirations -- Life is Good.
I had a layover at Chicago's Midway Airport on my flight home yesterday.  Heading to my connecting flight, I saw this "Celebrate Life" Store and was drawn in by the optimism.  Everything in the store had a positive phrase on it -- t-shirts, hats, stuffed animals, purses, apparel.....like these photos:
"Rise & Shine -- Life is Good", "Life is a Positive Good State"
"Life is Good.  Go Deep", "Game on", "Start me up.  Life is Good"

Of course that optimism drew me in like a magnet.  Next door, there was a "news" store that was full of customers browsing celebrity magazines to get the latest scoop about their "ups and downs" lives. Others were looking at world and political news with controversial issues.

Whew!  Take me back to the "Celebrate Life" Store where everywhere you turn it's about celebrating the good in life. It was optimism at its finest.

When I got home, I wanted to find out more about the "Life is Good" store and products so I checked out their website. My eyes were drawn to this:  "10% of net proceeds are donated to kids in need". The Life is Good Kids Foundation partners with leading childcare organizations to positively impact the quality of care delivered to the most vulnerable children.  Not only are they sending out a positive message and changing attitudes, but they're also taking it all to another level of helping those in need. I loved their explanation:

LIFE IS NOT PERFECT. LIFE IS NOT EASY. LIFE IS GOOD.
"We see it when we believe it.  Each one of us has a choice: to focus our energy on obstacles or opportunities. To fixate on our problems, or focus on solutions.  We can harp on what’s wrong with the world  (see most news media), or we can cultivate what’s right with the world. What we focus on grows.   That’s why the Life is Good community shares one simple, unifying mission: to spread the power of optimism. Optimism is not irrational cheerfulness or “blind” positivity. It’s a pragmatic strategy for approaching life. Optimism empowers us to explore the world with open arms and an eye toward solutions, progress, and growth. It also makes life a lot more fun."

I loved the story behind the founders of Life is Good.  Bert & John Jacobs launched Jacobs Gallery in 1989 when they were 24 & 21, with $200 they borrowed from another brother. John and Bert loved art and designing, and selling t-shirts seemed like a good first step toward making a living from it.  By 1994 they barely broke even and they were supplementing their income with substitute-teaching jobs, working on designs in school art departments after hours. They were down to $78 when John came up with their mascot, a stick figure named Jake, who embodies optimism, and then they hit on the slogan “Life Is Good.” Those shirts sold so well in the streets that they decided to try wholesale, which took off. According to Inc Magazine, their 2014 revenue was $100 million plus.  Now their merchandise is online, is in approximately 4,500 retail stores in the U.S. and in 30 countries.  They found a niche market and REBRANDED themselves with optimism that our world needs so much.

I like to think that the positive message of LIFE IS GOOD has exponentially grown because it was good. It is what is needed in spreading good words, good messages and good deeds throughout our world.  Yes, I was inspired and I agree with these brothers......LIFE IS GOOD!  Doesn't it make you want to REBRAND yourself with a positive, life-giving message as well?  Maybe that's the missing piece we need to propel us to success and prosperity!