OLW – friends update

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One of my goals with my OLW which is Connect is connecting more regularly with friends. So I am a big believer in what energy you put out there, it will come back. And I really believe that what I am about tell you is because I put the energy out to connect to friends.

Two weeks ago, I was working on my blog and I have a program that automatically scans comments to determine if they are spam. If so, they put them in a separate area. It also allows me to approve comments. So I was going through a list of comments that needed to be approved and came across one that I wasn’t sure about. The first name rang a bell but when I clicked through they used a graphic rather than a photo as their avatar (pardon if too technical). So I don’t take chances, I deleted it.  A few days later, I received a comment with details of my childhood that just blew me away.

My father was in the service and I lived on the base for a short time before he retired. Where I grew up, I went to school with kids from the base and made great friends. The only problem is they usually have to leave at some point. This friend of mine was lucky, her date put it off somehow longer than most but right as were into high school she told me they had to move. I was sad. We tried to keep in touch and then as most people we lost touch. She contacted my mom when I was in college and then we talked again then we lost touch.

When a memory of her would occur, I would get online and start searching. I knew a few things to help but to no avail. Well, she found me…she found me. I believe in this energy and I know in my heart, that it was meant to happen because I put that energy out and for whatever reason she found my blog.

We have started a slow catch up but I intend on not letting her slip away again.

So that is my update for now thanks for allowing me to share this with you.

Belinda

One Little Word (OLW): My Album – January prompts

binderSo I mentioned before I am participating in Ali Edward’s One Little Word class. So I chose to use the same 8×11 binder I used last year since I have space. It also saved me the time of pick one and creating the spine label.

page1I removed last years while I photograph this so it doesn’t get in the way. So each month, we receive a video, a PDF, sometimes digital files and prompts to help us keep our word visible throughout the year. January’s prompt is unique in that we have to really define our word and explore our intentions for the year. On my first page I used some fun foam stickers to spell out my word and then I printed my blog post and cut it to fit a 6×12 sheet of patterned paper. I had left over page protectors in various sizes from last year so I used them.

page2I think my color scheme for this year is black with yellow, aqua and pink.  I like the combination. They are vibrant and make me smile. Besides I have a ton of products those colors. I used a Project Life card I downloaded off the internet with a pink star sticker for the next page.

page2b

I cut down a 9 pocket page to 6 for more interest. She provided 3×4 journaling cards for us to define the word, find a quotation and a few others. I printed them out then cut the titles out and stuck them to another card for added dimension. I found some craft letter stickers to spell out my word again and attached them to a Heidi Swapp’s Dreamy Project Life edition card which happens to coordinate nicely with my color scheme.

page3I used a few photos one of healthy food and the other of some of the books I plan on reading this year to help me with one of my goals. I  really love how cutting this page protector down gives a fun tactile experience to the album.

page4The right page lists my intentions for the word.  I typed it out because I simply couldn’t fit it all on one sheet. I used a wooden arrow and washi tape to embellish this page. Simple things. The purpose of this class is not really so much a fancy album but the process of living with a word for a year and exploring what it brings to your life. So it alleviates the pressure to make it “too pretty”.

page5The last prompt page I used my favorite butterfly washi tape to decorate. I will be sure to share what I do for February so stay tuned in my friends.

Have a blessed day!

Belinda

OLW: Connecting with Family

Lately I have been watching how all the electronics and outside things are taking away from genuine family time. Sometimes I fear we all don’t know what else to do.  So one of my plans for 2015 is to connect (my One Little Word for 2015)with my family. I would like to move to towards the place when we can all reduce the distractions so that we can just sit with each other and find a way to be truly content.

I want to start by trying to schedule things that will do just that; then maybe eventually it will become more natural for us.  I recently found out about National Readathon day which is this Saturday, January 24th. It is a fundraiser for the National Book Foundation but instead of the sole focus of it as a fundraiser, in our home, I’m going to take it as an opportunity for us to reconnect with each other through reading. It’s supposed to be a reading session for three hours from 12 – 3pm when groups we just sit with your books and read. But since the boys are very young I know that’s not possible. So I have decided to break it into 3 one-hour sessions of reading.

I told Leao about it because I want him of course to be there too and he is very happy to join us. I told the boys to think about the books that they want so they can read anything they want but that no devices will be available (only e-reader if that is the choice of medium)  only books.

Now I know it’s not connecting via talking but it’s connecting through the love of literature in doing the same thing together with no distractions from the outside world. It’s a step. Besides I love an excuse to get some reading fit into my day. It’s also an opportunity to discuss literacy problems in this country.

Below I included the banner, link and a little more information about this fundraiser. NATIONAL BOOK FOUNDATION INC

National Readathon Day (NRD) is a nation-wide marathon reading session on Saturday, January 24 from Noon – 4pm (in respective time zones)
– You can share your love of books and support programs that promote reading by pledging to read and fundraising for the National Book Foundation
– It’s like a walk-a-thon charity drive, but we’re turning pages instead of walking laps.

Hope you can find some tiime to check it out and grab a book on Saturday!

Belinda

One Little Word (OLW) : Connecting to all Beings

display images to learn more about A Path Appears on PBS

So I’ve mentioned the word that I chose for 2015 was connect. One of the things that I want to bring into my life more fully this year is to connect with my fellow beings here and abroad.

I’ve always felt I have had a blessed life. I have a loving family, good health and a home. But sadness fills me when I get a glimpse of the struggle of many in poverty. I get angry and go through a gamut of emotions and then I don’t act. This year, I want to take the step and take action.

The logical side of me wants to approach this connection first through in depth education so that I can act wisely. I’ve gathered some books on different aspects of need and struggle over time. Now I must push myself further to learn and then act. So my plan is to begin reading them one by one to educate myself so that I can connect fully as one with all beings through service and advocacy. For I believe connecting includes extending myself and helping not just observing. And when I say that it doesn’t mean that I know that we are all beings and that some of us suffer daily. It means that I feel what they feel through true compassion and want for them with all my heart, the things I want for me which is love, peace, shelter, food, respect and opportunity.

One of the books that I’m reading has an amazing husband-and-wife team (Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn) and they have a couple of books published. I only have one of them right now which is called, “Half the Sky” but I just recently found out that they have a three-part movie that’s coming out on PBS on January 26, Feb 2nd and Feb 9th. The name of it is A Path Appears and it is based on the book by Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn. Click here to watch the trailer.

I ask of you my friend to take a few minutes to watch the trailer with a box of tissue and decide if you want to watch that show on the 26 because I understand that feeling of hopelessness that there so much need and struggle and wonder where to begin. Asking how little old me can make a difference. But, the inaction is the problem. Actions big or small makes a difference. Collectively we all can make a difference. No more putting it off. So I begin this journey of connection this year filled with hope and optimism that my actions make a difference. Will you join me?

Belinda

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