The Crying Years

     Are you a cryer? I am definitely a cryer. Always have been. And many time I cried not because I was sad but because I felt the weight of the joy I was about to experience or the responsibility I knew God had laid upon me. I cry when I am sad or happy, when I watch a movie like Charlote's Web, when I hear a particular song that my grandmother used to sing, when I see a mom being so strong as she births her baby. And like this morning listening to my morning playlist, you know those favorite songs that motivate you, that remind you of special times, that you fell in love to. Well anyway, I was listening to the list of songs and thinking what will I create today, how will I live up to the potential God has planted in me still waiting to birth, and the songs are touching me somewhere deep inside.

     Then one of my all time favorite songs begins to play. Whitney Houston singing Chaka Khan's "I'm Every Woman". I have been listening to, dancing to, blasting it while cleaning my house and celebrating being a woman with this song for a long time. But this morning I notice the version I downloaded from iTunes has the original video with it. So I sat and watched beautiful Whitney sing along with Chaka and Valerie Simpson and TLC, and lots of Beautiful Black Women and I started to cry. Of course I was dancing and then I was crying, thinking about all my hopes and dreams, thinking about how beautiful Whitney's voice was, thinking about if I was crying because of stress, or hormones, or the tests that God allows you to experience so you can grow, about why some people have to leave us too soon.

     And I cried and cried all the while with my arms up in the air dancing. And I realized that crying is good, a cleansing for the soul, a release. I remembered how it allowed me to surrender and relax as I struggled with my Vaginal Birth After Cesarean with Tyler in May 1989 and how after crying for 40 minutes, Tyler came out with 3 pushes in10 minutes! Crying is a cleansing and an opportunity to open and make room in your heart for more growth, more love, more dreams to become reality. I used to think all my crying was a sign of weakness but now I know I am stronger because I allow myself to feel, to free my soul, and let my dreams  fly like a bird and become my reality. I love that I am a cryer. Hope and dreams are about to happen!

Can You See the Stars?

Hello,
I have not written for a few days, but I am inspired by my friend Susan to continue this journey as she reminded me that sometimes on the road to our breakthroughs we might have breakdowns. Hey! I knew that. LOL. Sooooo........ I had my breakdown and now I want to share something that I heard this morning on a motivational call with Teresa. She shared this quote, " when it gets dark enough you can see the stars". I just love that. It immediately made think of the scripture at Isaiah  40:26 that says "Raise your eyes high up and see. Who has created these things? It is the one who is bringing  forth the army of them even by name. Due to the abundance of dynamic energy, he also being vigorous in power, not one of them is missing."

1.) Today I am so happy and grateful for my friend Susan and new friend Teresa and for the inspiring call this morning. I am so happy and grateful for my husband going out with me last night and being willing to continue this journey with me. I am so happy and grateful for this yet another beautiful day. Thank you.
2.) I am excited about going to my water aerobics class.
3.) I am passionate about having the opportunity that I can share my passion with some new women tomorrow and that I may have the opportunity to use my skills to help some women who could not afford my services.
4.) I am expecting a supernatural miracle today to come into my life. I am expecting everything to go smoothly. I am expecting all that is meant for me to do to be accomplished easily, effortlessly, efficiently and prosperously.

Morning vs Night

Hello and Goodnight, :)
This morning when I woke up I was grateful for my 5, no 6 senses that allow me to see, feel, hear, taste, smell and sense from my heart but especially see all the beauty there is in this world. But now that it is evening I am grateful for being able to taste the most delicious pesto I made from basil grown in my garden.
1.)  I am grateful for my sense of sight so that I could enjoy my garden and see how beautiful my tomatoes and basil are doing.
2.) I am excited about the fact that I lost 4 lbs this week as of my last weigh-in last night at WW.
3.) I am passionate about building my businesses from a new perspective and that I have a new member on my team.
4.) I am expecting to a miracle tomorrow that will allow me a space to have a meeting in the WPB area. Thank you.
Every day I am pushing through new challenges and obstacles in pursuit of my why and clearing away the dark clouds that are distorting my view. I am grateful for the choice that I have before me and I know that God will give me the strength to reach my goals. And So It Is.

Mondays: To Start Anew

1.) I am grateful for the necessities of life, a warm bed, a roof over my head, hot & cold running water, morning's first cup of coffee.
2.) I am excited about future employment opportunities and finally getting help for my back.
3.) I am passionate about being honest and my true authentic self.
4.) I am expecting to succeed at all I have set before me this day.

Have a wonderful day and week!

Sunday, Full of Hope

1.) I am grateful for my sister Jill that is always there for me when I need her. She listens and always gives me good, sane advice. I especially love her because she makes me laugh like no one else.
2.) I am excited about the possibilities of the new day.
3.) I am passionate about getting healthy and being able to start swimming again.
4.) I am expecting to have a great day and sign up a new customer today in my green business.

Today is the New Day!

1.) I am grateful for having time to talk with my  DH this morning about things that matter to us both and that he is going to get back with his rowing club (North Palm Beach Rowing Club) and start rowing again.
2.) I am excited about getting my hair done in a few minutes.
3.) I am passionate about friends in my life that think I am special. I love you all too!
4.) I am expecting to have a great day today and share something with someone that could change their life and a great date with my DH tonight.

One Day At A Time

Welcome to my Grateful-Thoughts Blog Page. Each day I will share my thoughts about a few things that I am currently experiencing and about what I am grateful for. I am going to use a few statements to help me get started that were given to me by my friend and WPN Sister, Susan, someone I am grateful to have in my life because she always helps me to see things from a different perspective and appreciates me and sees my gifts when I don't seem to have a clear vision for myself. I realized yesterday that she was the one giving me a gift. A gift to go back and find who I really am and what I am passionate about and why I matter when she suggested I write out my feelings using these statements as a starting point.

Why is this important to me and make me want to share it with whomever might read this? Well have you ever been knocked for a loop? You know, like things are going well, you are focused and motivated and living your passion and all of a sudden something happens to knock you off your course? You begin to doubt yourself and your purpose. You get start feeling sick, like a constant headache that won't go away. Or you are just tired all the time when you had so much energy before.You feel like you have to justify what you are doing and why. Well this happened to me and it took me several months to begin to come back to myself, my passion , my purpose. So here it goes. Today............

1.) I am so happy and grateful for the blue sky full of big puffy white clouds looking like Wyle Coyote floating across the sky with a devilish smile of a mischeivious child. Remember when you were small and could just lie back on the grass and stare at the clouds floating across the sky for hours? I will remember and be grateful for blue skies with clouds today.
2.) I am excited about writing a blog and sharing my thoughts that someone going through a similar situation might possibly read and be encouraged.
3.) I am passionate about becoming someone that God will use to help others. Today I am committed to helping one woman becoming a mom for the first time to have a blissful and joyful birthing experience.
4.) I am expecting miracles to happen today for me and for you. God has a purpose for me and I willingly and humbly accept the challenges and opportunities that cross my path. I will learn from my mistakes and grow into the leader that he wants me to be.

"Faith is the assured expectation of things hoped for, the evident demonstration of realities though not beheld." Hebrews 11:1. 
Thank you for joining me here today. Remember your dreams matter.
 Val
"Lose your dreams and you will lose your mind." Ruby Tuesday, Mick Jagger, The Rolling Stones