Stormy Tuesday...Anyway...

Today is Tuesday. Today is stormy. Today is all about "Anyway..."

I stumbled on to one of my friends' facebook status and this is what it said:
Words to live by: If u r honest, people may cheat u. Be honest anyway. If u find happiness, people may be jealous. Be happy anyway. The good u do today may be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway. Give the world the best you have and it may never be enough. Give your best anyway. For you see, it is between u and God. It was never between u and them anyway. (attributed to Mother Teresa, based on Dr. Kent M. Keith...borrowed from my friend, Kristie...)

1. This version was found written on the wall in Mother Teresa's home for children in Calcutta:

People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered. Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. Be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies.
Succeed anyway.
If you are honest and sincere people may deceive you. Be honest and sincere anyway.
What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight. Create anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous. Be happy anyway.
The good you do today, will often be forgotten. Do good anyway.
Give the best you have, and it will never be enough. Give your best anyway.
In the final analysis, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway.

-this version is credited to Mother Teresa (*) The verses above was reportedly written on the wall of Mother Teresa's home for children in Calcutta, India, and are widely attributed to her. And some sources say that the words were written on the wall in Mother Teresa's own room. However, these words are based on a composition originally by Kent Keith, but much of the second half has been re-written in a more spiritual way.

2. Here is the Original Version:
The Paradoxical Commandments by Dr. Kent M. Keith:
People are illogical, unreasonable, and self-centered.Love them anyway.
If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives.Do good anyway.
If you are successful, you win false friends and true enemies.Succeed anyway.
The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow.Do good anyway.
Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable.Be honest and frank anyway.
The biggest men and women with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest men and women with the smallest minds.Think big anyway.
People favor underdogs but follow only top dogs.Fight for a few underdogs anyway.
What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight.Build anyway.
People really need help but may attack you if you do help them.Help people anyway.
Give the world the best you have and you'll get kicked in the teeth.Give the world the best you have anyway.

© 1968, 2001 Kent M. Keith"The Paradoxical Commandments" were written by Kent M. Keith in 1968 as part of a booklet for student leaders.

This was perfect for today. I needed this to remind me of who I am...
What I am all about...Honesty, Integrity, Goodness.

Thank you, God. Thank you, Mother Teresa. Thank you, Dr. Keith. Thank you, Sweet Kristie.

Merci Beaucoup xoxo

Tuesday Tip of the Day...Natural Beauties

Tip of the Day:

When someone says, "Oh, you don't have to get me anything. Especially flowers. They're too expensive and they'll just die in a day anyway!" Don't believe them. Flowers will always put a smile on someone's face. Especially if they came from someone you care about. Flowers are God's natural wonders of beauty. From a small seed, beauty erupts at the right time and will display such amazing + vibrant colours and shapes.

For longer lasting flowers, just take care of your flowers when you receive them. Cut bottom stems at an angle. Remove some of the leaves from the flower bunch. Put them in water, add flower medicine (or crushed tylenol). Remember to keep your flowers away from air conditioners or heat registers. Change the water everyday and cut the ends off on an angle.

Now, go ahead and surround yourself with these natural beauties and enjoy every moment!

oui, oui!
jo xoxo

a shining example to the human race...Merci Beaucoup Mondays

VIRGIN MARY and baby Jesus at the Courtyard of St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, L'Erable, Illinois
photo by labour of love

For many Christians, especially the Roman Catholics, Eastern Catholic Churches, Eastern Orthodoxy, Oriental Orthodoxy and parts of the Anglican Communion and Continuing Anglicanism, today is The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary~August 15 . (information from Loyola Press here and Wikipedia over here .)

Mary, the mother of Jesus, who was born without sin, was taken, body and soul, into the glory of heaven on this day. Because of Mary's role in God's plan of salvation, she does not suffer from the effects of sin, which are death and decay. Mary is the first to receive the fullness of the redemption that her son has won for all of humanity. The Church, therefore, recognizes Mary as the sign of the salvation promised to all.

Mary's faith enabled her to recognize the work of God in her people's history and in her own life. Her openness to God allowed God to work through her so that salvation might come to all. Mary is a model and symbol of the Church. May we be like Mary, open and cooperative in God's plan of salvation.

A Catholic Theologian, Ludwig Ott, viewed Mary as having completed her life as a shining example to the human race, with the perspective that the gift of assumption is offered to the whole human race. (information from Wikipedia here )

Merci Beaucoup, Sweet, Blessed Virgin Mary for having faith in God and happily accepting God's plan. I pray that I can continue to have Faith and continue to do God's will, just as you had.

until next time
bonne nuit,

jo;) xoxo

Hello August!

This summer surely is going by so fast! Maybe because the munchkins and I are absolutely busy every single day. Not one day goes by where we aren't doing something or going somewhere. I guess that's good in a way. It keeps us hopping. But it prevents me from updating my social media outlets big time...July went by like a flash. I do have photos to prove it but I just haven't had the chance to upload them. Soon...I know I sound like a broken record, but I promise myself that I will post soon.

Last month we went on a mini-vacation to Michigan, with my very creative sis, Mary Ann (whom we lovingly call Reya). We stayed at my sis' good friend's, Joanne's sweet B&B and went to another of my sis' good friend, Angela's BBQ&Pool Party. It was beautiful. Their homes were absolutely divine!!! A much needed getaway! Sooooooo very, very, very...Hoooooooooooooot but very beautiful! Joanne and Angela surely made us feel so welcomed. Thank you so very much ladies for sharing your homes, your weekend + your hearts with us. The munchkins and I loved every minute!!! I met some wonderful + Creative Soules...so much inspiration going on...(again, I took some great pics of our trip...and will post soon...)

We also had the chance to visit the Sketchbook Project when it came to Chi-Town. We met so many wonderful artists that I can't wait to share some great photos of their work and photos of the artists themselves! We met this mother-daughter duo from Indiana. Ann + Kelly . They are the sweetest duo ever!!!! Their journals were so beautiful and inspirational. Please check Kelly's post to see more of their fabulous visit to Chi-Town over here... (I will hopefully post my pics soon of these amazing women and our visits)

I hope you are all enjoying these dog days of summer and having a blast with your loved ones. In the meantime, please enjoy the above desktop calendars for August (sweet french vanilla angel cuppies & lazy summer days=sunflower) (and sorry about my late July photos~delicious blueberry puffs w/ blueberry lemon tea~yum!)

until next time... au revoir...

xoxo jo