#29 of 30 Things to Stop Doing to Yourself

29. Stop focusing on what you don’t want to happen. – Focus on what you do want to happen.  Positive thinking is at the forefront of every great success story.  If you awake every morning with the thought that something wonderful will happen in your life today, and you pay close attention, you’ll often find that you’re right. Everyday I wake up it is a wonderful day when I get to see the faces of my children.  My heart breaks for the families in Connecticut that will never get to see their children's faces again except in a picture. Sometimes in life we forget what is most wonderful and important to us. We get so focused on the materialistic things in life we forget to be thankful for everything we take for granted.

How many times have you done the "woes me" because you think there is something missing in your life... owning your own home, lots of money, a better job, a partner, a new car, etc... the list is endless. I know I am guilty of the "woes me" and I need to take a step back and look at what is most important to me and pay closer attention to the things I do have...

I have the ability to see my children's smiling faces.

I have the ability to hold them when they are broken and wipe away their tears.

I have the ability to laugh at their jokes.

I have the ability to share in their joys.

I have the ability to grieve with them in their sorrows.

I have the ability to love them with every ounce of my being.

I have the ability to be there when they need me.

What I don't have is the ability to give them everything I think they want: To buy them materialistic things; a house or a car, fancy vacations, sometimes I can't even afford to buy them food for the table, but we get by and make it work. And you know what?  They understand and love me anyway! And when my 13 year old son makes a comment that he wishes someone would take back all the gifts they bought him for Christmas and all he really wants is for them to realize he just wants them to spend time with him it breaks my heart. The tragedy that struck on Friday makes me realize how precious life and time really is, we never know when it will end.

It's not the material things in life that make us happy it is the love, support and strength we pull from our children, family and friends that make us rich not the money or the things you have. Never let a day go by that you don't let the wonderful things in life "your children,  family and friends" know how much you love and appreciate them. Thank you to each and everyone of you for being a part of my life and making my life wonderful each and everyday... I Love You!!!

Accept what cannot be changed ~ Reach out to God… Then face the world again, firm and courageous. Then all your troubles will fade from your memory, like floods that are past and remembered no more. Others have no happiness at all; they live and die with bitter hearts. ~ Job 11:13, 15-16; 21:25

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