#TuesdayTreasures The sound of silence....

Good Morning Friends!

My scheduled guest had a new grand-baby and wasn't able to be here so I guess it's my turn. Much like last week's thoughts, it's been so long since I shared treasures with you I'm not even sure where to begin LOL!

This past weekend I went off the grid from late Thursday morning through Sunday afternoon and let me tell you, it was wonderful!

Which brings me to today's treasure: Silence

We live in a world full of noise...traffic, news (mostly bad), people, advertisements, and the list goes on and on..... So much that many people don't know how to enjoy the silence.

There are those who sleep with the television on, and those who turn it on the minute they wake up in the morning. For others it's a radio.

I'll admit I sometimes like to turn on a guided meditation which helps me to unwind and go to sleep with something positive to counteract the negativity of the day. But mostly, I love to lay in the silence and let it seep into my very soul, relax my body and mind and drift into dreamland.

There are many days I sit in silence for moments or even hours at a time, especially when I travel. This gives me the space to connect with my soul, to pray for others and to listen to the still small voice of God.

I've read many times in various books that if people would make a daily habit of listing 3 things they are grateful for, pray for 3 people they are in disagreement or at odds with and then sit still for 5 minutes, they'd have much more productive days and healthier lives!

There are numerous health benefits to meditation but most people feel they can't squeeze thirty minutes of silence into their day. The good news is you don't have to! Even 5 minute breaks are beneficial. It's not about the way you sit or where you are either. Just make a point to get quiet as often as you can.

So, how would one incorporate moments of silence into his/her day?

Start small!

Instead of drinking your morning coffee or tea on the run, get up fifteen minutes early and savor it in the quiet of early dawn.

Even if it means gazing at a picture immerse yourself in nature. Engage your senses and really get into this....imagine the scent of flowers, the beauty of a deep forest, the vastness of a mountain range or the quiet whisper of waves on the beach.

Listen to a CD of soft music, waves, birds or other soothing sounds while you sip your morning brew.

Set a timer for 3 or 5 minutes if you have to, take deep breaths and just let the thoughts flow from your mind. Repeat the mantra "silence" if you have to but take the time to just breathe and be. As you get into the habit of doing this, you'll find you crave the experience even more.

Keep a journal next to you. Not everyone is a writer, but you'll be amazed at the ideas that flow when the mind is quiet and the heart open.

Take mini breaks throughout the day and practice being silent. Go to the restroom if you have to, but get away from the madness of your duties, thoughts and fears as often as you can.

Here's a pretty picture for you to gaze upon in a few moments of silence while you're here.....

These are just a few ideas on how to incorporate silence into your day. Try it, I guarantee if you stick with the program for thirty days, you'll notice a huge difference in your life.

Something to think about!
"Inspirational with an Edge!" 

Hope you enjoyed today's post and that you'll join me each week for Tuesday Treasures, Thursday Thoughts and Saturday Spotlight.

Until next time, take care and God Bless.
PamT

#SaturdaySpotlight: One Touch A Woman's Journey to Wholeness by Melanie Purifoy!

Good Morning Friends,

You met Melanie on Tuesday when she shared something she treasures with us and again on Thursday when she shared some thoughts on invisible vs transparency, well today we're spotlighting Melanie's book, One Touch A Woman's Journey to Wholeness....

Melanie Purifoy was intrigued by her recurring thoughts of the woman in the Bible who touched the hem of Christ’s garment and was healed. Like this ailing woman, she knew what it felt like to search for answers for her own failing health. Melanie began to wonder what this woman of over 2000 years ago might have lived through and what her life’s journey may have been. The more she contemplated the possibilities, the less the two roads seemed different. The essence of her story is that we are all the same; our love, triumphs, hardships, and sufferings. Hence the story of Rebekah.

From her life in Bethany as a young girl to her fateful meeting with Jesus many years later, Rebekah’s tale follows an accurate timeline of the New Testament. The story explores the possibilities of how her life may have become enmeshed with others who are seeking the truth about this King of Kings born during their lifetime. Set in the 1st century, this historical fiction weaves very plausible lives into some very interesting, but vaguely described characters of the Bible.

Melanie draws from her own experience as a two-time cancer survivor. After being diagnosed with invasive cancer she began a one-day-at-a-time healing path to recovery. Her own miracle brought into focus that healing one’s mind, body, and spirit can only be attributed to God’s grace and her willingness to reach out for the gifts He bestowed upon her. 

One Touch is a result of Melanie’s compassionate insight into the lives of minor characters of the Bible.

Excerpt: 
Rebekah nodded, again forcing the tears back that had been so easy to fire up for many months now.  

“Where are you going?”

“To my grandmother’s house in Lystra.”

“Oh, my dear child, what has happened that you’re traveling all alone?”

Rebekah couldn’t overlook the differences in this young woman at first notice. She was a magnificent beauty of color placed in a backdrop of grey. Among the dusty and weary travelers she was refreshing and buoyant. Her voice was soothing and certain and Rebekah was immediately drawn to her. Unable to resist the comfort she offered, Rebekah told Lydia of the tragic incidents that led up to her being in the group of travelers. Rebekah was so entranced with the disclosure that she was finally able to release her emotions, and Lydia’s surprised look of credence went unnoticed.

“Does your grandmother know you’re coming?” Lydia asked.

“I don’t know for sure, but I don’t think so. Father gave me a letter to give to her.”

 “Well, you’ll travel with us from now on. It’s not safe for a young girl all alone,” Lydia replied.


Rebekah felt overwhelmed by the rush of emotion that coursed through her. Without realizing how much she had missed kindness and compassion, she responded to it instinctively, unable to stop the tears this time; they rolled down her cheeks leaving streaks in the dust that covered her face. “Thank you,” she managed to gasp, before sobs overtook her.

What people are saying about One Touch....

***** Rating on Amazon.com

Mary Charlotte-

“Her insight into the past also is a story that touches every family in one way or another today…”

Brooke Alvarado-

”This is by far one of the best books I've ever read! It's one of those books that you wish was longer because you just want to keep reading it!”

One Touch

A Woman’s Journey to Wholeness

Author: Melanie Purifoy

Genre: Biblical Fiction/Spiritual/Christian

 Format: Paperback

Released: July 10^th, 2015

Price: $13.00

https://www.facebook.com/onetouchthebook

Also available in Ebook on Kindle & at Smashwords!

Hope you enjoyed this week with Melanie as much as I did!

Check back every week for more Tuesday Treasures, Thursday Thoughts and Saturday Spotlight.

Until next time....take care, God Bless and Remember to Let love be the driving force by which you live, breath, move & act

Something to think about!

Inspirational With An Edge! ™

#ThursdayThoughts with Melanie Purifoy!

Good Morning Friends,

Tuesday I introduced you to my friend, Melanie Purifoy who shared her treasured relationships with us.

Today Melanie is sharing some thoughts on Invisible vs Transparency....

There is a great deal of talk from a political perspective of illegal immigrants, public assistance benefits, and financial aid recipients. We boldly socialize in small groups and discuss our version of how to clean up this mess of a country we live in. No, these are not my thoughts on a political platform. I want to discuss people. Human beings. The invisible population that gets overlooked with even a kind word or eye contact on a day-to-day basis because we are not comfortable people with differences among us. Maybe we are afraid.  Whatever our reasons, everyone deserves to be seen, to be touched by random kindness from the people that surround them.

Recently my youngest daughter went to work in a very nice bank building in the downtown area of Indianapolis. She is required to wear business attire and is all over the building during her work day. During her first week she saw the custodian working near the bank of elevators and smiled and said hello. He replied with “Hola” and a big smile. They found each other on breaks and began to exchange pleasantries in brief meetings. Brooke found out that Carlos, a native Guatemalan, spoke very little English and at best, Spanglish. She searched for a translation app on her iPhone so she could communicate with him more easily. And they began to take their breaks and teach each other their native language. It is a precious friendship. Just a few days ago Carlos texted Brooke while she was at my house visiting and after translating it from Spanish to English in her app, the message went something like this.

“I want you to know that you are my only American friend. No one else has tried to communicate with me and most do not even see me. I have become invisible in this country. Your friendship means a great deal to me and you are a very special young woman.” This brought tears to both our eyes at the feelings that were behind these words.

Life is precious and we never know who our next insight or lesson will come from. I do know this. I am committed to conquering my limited beliefs of others.   At times, as I forge through my discomfort, my compassion and understanding grows immensely for others.

So I would ask from you that the next time you find yourself in a room with someone you would instinctively avert your eyes from, reject that instinct. Look them in the eye. Smile. Say hello.


Wow..what a story!

Melanie's book, One Touch: A Woman's Journey to Wholeness is about such a person...sort of LOL!

We all know the Biblical story of the woman with the issue of blood, and had she not been so bold (really rare for the time of Jesus) she would be just another invisible person in that place and time. In fact, had she let fear rule her and not stepped forward, we may have never heard of her at all!

Melanie took this character and created a whole life out of that one short miraculous meeting... Read all about it in One Touch A Woman's Journey to Wholeness which can be found at Amazon (Kindle) and Smashwords.

Stay tuned for more on Melanie and her book on Saturday Spotlight!

Until later....take care, God Bless and remember....when you expect miracles, miracles happen!

Something to think about!

Inspirational With An Edge! ™

#ThursdayThoughts: Feng Shui

What? What? You ask...what in the world is she rambling about now?

LOL!

Hello and Good Morning....

Today I'm sharing a few thoughts on Feng Shui, which according to this website, is "based on the Taoist vision and understanding of nature, particularly on the idea that the land is alive and filled with Chi, or energy."

Now you may be thinking I've gone off the deep end here, especially since I am a Christian, but hear me out....

Recently we refurbished a bedroom for me to move into and when talking with my friend Jillian Lambert who is pretty much an expert in this art of decorating a home, she started telling me some things to help when arranging the furniture, etc.

Here's a basic diagram of what the different areas of your home/room represent....

image courtesy of SimonaRich.com

I find this whole concept fascinating. So I took Jillian's advice as much as possible to set up my room accordingly.

My chest of drawers is in the Wealth & Prosperity (money) section and contains several things that represent money/prosperity/abundance: A water fountain, money jar, prosperity books and a quote by Rumi that defines success...and of course angels.... 

In the "love and relationship" section is my entertainment center on top of which stands a picture of Jesus, a "mother" plaque my son made me years ago with a poem he wrote and a decorative plate about family along with wood art a dear friend gave me.I'll round out this area with pictures on the walls that represent love and relationships. 

And in the "wisdom" corner I have a rocking chair and small table with a lamp, my prayer journal, and books (go figure - right)  

 My bed is in the health area and book shelves in the fame portion. Once completely finished, my desk will be in the creativity area and hopefully it'll help me be more creative or at least more focused LOL!

Now do I believe having your room or house organized energetically is the end all to life's little problems and issues?

No.

But I do believe that decorating your room or house in a way that feels good is conducive to maintaining optimism and a positive outlook. 

And that can never be a bad thing.

JMHO of course but definitely ....

Something to think about!
"Inspirational with an Edge! ™

#ThursdayThoughts: Financial Freedom & Security

Good Morning Friends!

I believe today's topic is something we all think and dream about.... Financial Freedom and Security. This is why I'd like to introduce you to my brand new business venture, MyEcon. 

Yeah, as if I don't have enough to do, I take on something more LOL! But, Lacresha Hayes, the woman who introduced me to this wonderful opportunity, has shown me this might be the ONE thing that really catapults me into a place where financial freedom and security aren't just words or dreams, but actual reality.

myEcon, Inc. is a privately held, debt free company based in Gwinnett County, GA, a suburb of Atlanta. The company was founded by a small group of entrepreneurs in 2005. The company operates in the multi-billion dollar Direct Sales industry. The founders' vision is to empower people to attain Personal Financial Success. The company name myEcon, is short for "my Economy”; because the founders envision each individual taking care of their Personal Economy just as governments and corporations take care of theirs. myEcon empowers its Associates to attain financial success by helping Associates earn income through a web-based business system and by teaching them financial strategies. The company currently has over 50,000 independent marketing associates and is one of the fastest growing companies in America.

This company offers tremendous opportunities for financial growth, independence, freedom and security. 

There is a Cash Back Mall where you not only save on the items you buy anyway, but get cash back every time you shop! There is the Family Shield where you receive benefits such as Free & Discounted Legal Care, Identity Theft Solutions, Tax Preparation & Audit Assistance, Financial Education & Credit Counseling and LifeEvents™ Counseling. 

Not only that, you can Book Travel, purchase Active Wear, find Health & Wellness products, and so much more! 

Take a tour of MyEcon today and take advantage of the hundreds of $$ you can save and if you'd like to join up as a Marketing Director of your own MyEcon business and get started on your path to financial freedom & security, email me and let's talk.

Something to think about!
"Inspirational with an Edge! ™

Tuesday Treasure: Real Life Wellness Ranch

Hello Again and Welcome to this week's edition of Tuesday Treasure.

Today I am visiting with my friend, Jillian Lambert at her Real Life Wellness Ranch and folks, let me tell you something...If you need a place to get away from the noise and chatter of life and listen to your inner voice, this is the place to go!

Jillian has created this healing place on her 5 acres of land in Leander, TX (near Austin) in hopes of offering folks a place to "Disconnect from the "external voices" in life and Reconnect with the Real Voice...your inner voice. The voice that has your best interest at heart."

Equipped with an exercise deck, labrynth, and log cabin, there are also places to pitch a tent with individual yoga decks and an outdoor shower!

Find out more about this beautiful getaway spot by visiting Jillian's Website, watching her videos on YouTube or connecting with her on FaceBook & LinkedIn.

You can also read Jillian's book, Real Health, Real Life  (Kindle version) and get a copy of her Real Serenity Stretch video!

I certainly hope you'll check out Jillian's facility or contact her to speak or teach at your next health and wellness event!

Until next time.... Be Real & Be Blessed!

Thursday Thoughts: Abundance

When you hear that word, what do you think?

Yeah, me too...

When abundance is the topic of conversation, the majority of us immediately turn our thoughts to money.

But there is more than one way to be/feel/experience abundance.

How about Abundant Health, Abundant in Friends, Abundant Joy, Peace, Love and Blessings?

Abundance can be experienced in any number of ways if we're open to them. For instance, have you ever considered the abundance of nature or the ocean?

Now I have absolutely nothing against abundant wealth or money but let's enlarge our vision and think of the many ways we already abound  in Abundance!

Something to think about....

Pamela S Thibodeaux
"Inspirational with an Edge!"

New Year - New You

Good Morning Friends,

First I'd like to take a moment to apologize to my friend & fellow author Delia for misspelling her name on the Saturday Spotlight - it is LATHAM not Lantham - sorry Delia! Hope you enjoyed finding out about her new book despite my error.

With the dawn of every new year we make goals and resolutions to accomplish certain things in our life. One of the most popular is to take better care of ourselves.

As you all know I fell in love with the Silver Spur Guest Ranch when I attended The Wild Rose Press's "Saddle Up and Write" retreat April 29 - May 2, 2010 and returned there to work through the summer and fall last year.

Being in this lovely place with the wonderful staff has aided in healing of my grief in ways words can't describe and it is with this in mind I want to tell you about a new vision of ranch owner, Kay Walsmith.

A deeply spiritual woman, Kay desires to help every person find the best in themselves and their life, so with the help of folks of equal passion and desire, she is implementing Health & Wellness (Spiritual) retreats.

Beginning this month (Jan 21-23), there will be retreats held at different times throughout the year. These retreats will focus on rejuvenating the mind, body & spirit and each person will receive tips on continuing and maintaining their personal journey into wholeness.

Find out more about the dates/programs of these retreats by visiting the Silver Spur Guest Ranch Health and Wellness Retreat website.

Hope to see you there!