Ripple Effect

Ripple Effect

Have you ever thought about the impact you have on yourself, others or the universe?

Think about when you went fishing as a kid.

Did you ever skip rocks?

The better you threw, the more it skipped right?

What about the fish that was surfacing?

The bigger the fish, the larger the ripple would appear, right?

I woke up this morning with this thought on my head, 

I am writing this blog before I even get ready for the morning - before I lose my thought about it.

Our problems -

don't they also have a ripple effect?

If we keep them to ourselves and they eat at us - 

that ripple inside grows and grows.

If we share them with others, 

our own ripple lessens 
because we've shared the burden.

What if that person that you shared with is 

already dealing with their own ripple effect.

You drop your rock into the middle of their problems

they either carry the burden, 

or yours also weighs them down.

However - what if you create a ripple effect of....
kindness
understanding
positive influence
joyfulness

Basically create a positive
ripple effect.

Negativity can destroy you 
and those you encounter
 and those you hope to reach out to.

Thinking along these lines, I did a search about ripple affect and others....

What about Teachers? Ripple Effect - Teachers 

What about Parents? Ripple Effect - Parents 

What about Others? Ripple Effect - Everyone 

After looking up this theory of the Ripple Effect, 

I realize that it's not a new concept.  

It's quite a study: Happiness In the World - Rippling Effect

Ripple effect

A ripple effect is a situation in which ripples expand across the water when an object is dropped into it, an effect from an initial state can be followed outwards incrementally. Examples can be found in economics where an individual's reduction in spending reduces the incomes of others and their ability to spend.

Friends With History

Friends with History

Today I ran into a couple of friends and their family.

It had been awhile since we'd seen one another.

We all picked up where we'd left off.

It spoke to the soul - 

and the timing was...
perfect!!

This particular friendship 

is what I call 

"Friends with History"

We met many years ago while stationed in the military 
on Oahu, HI.

This friend and I were actually standing in line at a church luncheon 

and we started talking.

We found out that my first name is her middle name.

We found out that we were both from small towns 
only about 10 miles apart.

A common thread started being woven into our lives 
at that moment.

We have always found ways to chat - 

ways to laugh and cry together -

Ways to pray together for one another -

and we have always had a bond 

that hasn't been broken....

with distance

with time

with experiences.

Several times through the years,

this family and I have separated.

God always brought us back together -
always with perfect timing!

One lunch we shared many years ago, 

she told me that it was so great to have 

'a friend with history'

This is what that means to us:

We pick up where we left off - 

no matter the time or distance in between.

We know one another's stories - 

and enjoy our common threads.

We don't have to fret 
that we won't 'get' the other.

So, when you need someone

find a person who can share your history...

 who can share your fears and your tears...

who can share your life and your strife....

who can lift you up when you're down....

who can shed light in the darkness.........

and who will say;

'How can I pray for you my dear?'

Those kinds of friends

Are Diamonds!!

Dedicated to Jilli, Pete and their family

<3 <3 <3

Open the Garage Door!

Open the Garage Door!!

I know, you're seeing a picture of a garage door, 

and I am telling you to open it!

I imagine you are pretty confused at the moment.

Let me explain!

Last weekend, I attended a women's conference. 

It was the first year for this particular one - 

the usual ladies had retired from a 20 year run 

and they passed the gauntlet 

to the next generation 

to move forward.

It was both a lonely and fulfilling time. 

One story really stood out to me and 

I've been working through it ever since.

One speaker told a story that puts the garage door analogy 

more fully into the light.

Her friend's husband had lost his mother - and although they'd cleared out the house fairly easily, 

he avoided the garage at all costs 

and made excuses not to tackle that project.

Let me pause a moment and see if you saw what I did.  

How many people have a neat, everything in it's place garage?  

When you open the door, do you just groan 

and want to close it and walk away 

until you really have to deal with it?  

That's kind of what was described about this situation.

So, his wife thought of a great idea.  

She told her husband that why don't they go over to the house, 

open the garage door 

and close it right back up 

- you know, baby steps.

He agreed and they did that.  

Well, when the garage door was opened, 

and the light shined in on the boxes inside - 

it really wasn't as big a deal 

as he'd made it to be in his head. 

The boxes of his mother's things 

and probably some of his own 

weren't quite so bad to deal with.

So, after that, they got everything cleaned out 

in less than a day and the project was finished.  

Since then, anytime they as a couple or family 

had to face anything 

they said 'Open the Garage' - 

let's get it over with and deal with it!

Since last weekend - 

I've realized that many times 

I've avoided something because in my head - 

I'd made it much bigger than it needed to be.  

When I instead approached it head on - 

shed some light into the situation - 

it really wasn't all that bad after all.

I saw this diagram meme 

and it pretty much explains 

how we should should solve problems:

I noticed that 'avoidance' 

is not in there! 

Imagine that!

So, the next time you have to face a difficult situation, 

decision or person - 

Open the Garage Door!

Shed light into the situation 

and you'll get it taken care of 

in no time at all!!

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