#TuesdayTreasures with Me!

Good Morning Friends,

It's been a while since I've shared something I treasure but this past weekend we had SNOW!

Some of you may think I'm nuts for treasuring snow but, it's a real rarity in SW Louisiana. Only comes around about every 10 years or so. Therefore, we treasure it when we can (although I REALLY would NOT want to have it every year...well, maybe that would be OK as long as it's only a day or two and not weeks or months at a time LOL!).

Anyway....here are a couple of photos for you to enjoy....

  

If you followed my West Coast Vacation this past summer, you would have seen a lot of photos and memories from that wonderful trip. Well, while getting items together for my grandson in WA's Christmas gift, I finally bought a dry erase board and put magnets from the places I've been over the last couple of years.

Once I hung this up, I realized I'm missing one from Cherokee, NC but as soon as I find it, I will add it to my collection. 

Oh and one more thing I treasure....CHRISTMAS...and this year I decided to decorate my room....

Notice the "It ain't over till the last cowboy leaves" plaque - that was a gift from the sweet 99 year old lady I lived with at the Silver Spur Guest Ranch. Below is the last picture I took with her....

There are so many ways for us to remember and treasure the people, places and things in our lives. 

Let's take some extra time this holiday season and remember to do so. In fact, that might be a good New Year's resolution....To take time and reflect on the things we treasure.

Something to think about.

Inspirational with an Edge! ™

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

Until next time, take care and God Bless.
PamT

#ThursdayThoughts Random Ramblings on Spiritual Growth

Good Morning Friends!

I pray your week is going exceptionally well and that you are blessed in every area of your life. I've been pondering lately about faith vs fear, surrender vs struggle, and trusting vs trying.

Regardless of our religious orientation, upbringing or belief, we all deal with issues that cause us to doubt our faith. We say we believe, we say we trust, and there's no doubt we do, but...

What are we believing and in what or whom do we trust?

We say we trust God, yet we worry over every little thing instead of surrendering it all to Him and trusting His divine wisdom, divine love and divine timing.

We say we believe in His promises, yet, because of the voices around and in us, we constantly switch from belief to doubt.

We say we have faith, yet we fear so many things.... death, poverty, illness.

Is it any wonder out lives are a mess?!?

I came across this meme and thought it fit perfectly with today's message...

But how do we do this? How do we tap into the power within us and rise above our situations and struggles?

Transformation on any level begins in the mind. The bible says we should not conform to the world but be transformed by the renewing of our minds. (Romans 12:2) Of course this means we should meditate on God's promises outlined in the Bible, yet so many of us focus on just the opposite!

I've said this before and I'll say it until it resonates strongly within me and with everyone who reads my blog: As a man thinks in his heart, therefore he IS. (Prov. 23:7)

We should strive to turn every negative, fearful, doubtful thought into its exact opposite.

Instead of focusing on our sickness, ponder His promise of healing. Instead of ruminating on our lack, meditate on His promises of provision and prosperity.

If you know me, you know I love learning new spiritual practices that enable me to do just this. One of the things I've found that truly resonates with me is the book, The Power of I Am by Joel Osteen and many other books by spiritual teachers: Marianne Williamson, Wayne Dyer, and Louise Hay are just a few.

Another is the teachings of Abraham through Esther Hicks. She/they talk about releasing resistance to our good.

Isn't that what faith is all about? Surrendering, releasing, trusting?

Surrender our thoughts for God's. Release all fears and doubts to the Holy Spirit and the Angels for healing and purifying. Let go of our ideas of how and when He should answer our prayers and let Him guide us, every moment of every day in each situation!

Trust that He always has our best interests and highest good in mind.

Always.

After all, Jesus said He came so that we would have life and have it in abundance.

Why do we insist on thinking the opposite of His word?

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

I hope you gained even a tiny bit of spiritual growth from my random ramblings 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

#TuesdayTreasures Freedom

Good Morning Friends,

My scheduled guest couldn't be here so I'm winging it today.

Yesterday marked the 16th anniversary of 9/11 and I'm sure you've seen posts all over encouraging us to never forget and to honor those lives lost in the attacks.

All good advice.

However, I'm going to encourage you to remember the outpouring of love and the way most of our country turned back to God. The same kind of generosity of spirit that has poured out in the last few weeks due to hurricanes and fires and earthquakes.

As a spiritual seeker, I am continually amazed at the books and songs and reminders which assure us As we THINK, we ARE.

If we keep focusing on the bad, we'll perpetuate more and more bad.

However if we focus on the inherent good in mankind, the greatness of our country, the beauty of our planet, the abundance of our universe, the absolute love and benevolence of God....you get my drift... we will see more and more evidence of those things in our lives (goodness, greatness, beauty, abundance, benevolence).

What's all this have to do with freedom, you ask.

Because in this one thing, we have more freedom and more power than we imagine: the freedom to choose what we think about!

So remember and honor, say a prayer, then turn your focus to what's * true *honest *pure *lovely *of good report *virtuous and *praise worthy knowing this is what will help heal America.

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

*Philippians 4:8

#ThursdayThoughts on Harvey

As I sit here wondering what to write about, my thoughts are a jumbled mess. Last week I talked about Higher Love and mentioned a "storm" in the Gulf.

Well that 'storm' turned out to be a real bitch of a storm. A monster who has stolen life and property from millions...yes, MILLIONS!

In case you don't know, I LOVE the water....lakes, beaches, creeks, bayous, waterfalls.
While on my West Coast Vacation, I saw rivers so furious it would take a truly foolish person to try and navigate them.

(Kings River - Kings Canyon National Park)

Of course there were some who tried and they cause not only injury to themselves but put others in danger.

I saw placid lakes and pure beauty in waterfalls.

Narada Falls Mt. Rainier Ntl. Park

                                                                     Crater Lake, Crater Lake National Park

But we have to remember to respect what we love and not turn our back on the power of water. The power of nature.

A friend of mine lived in Rockport, TX. She has nothing to go back to.

Other friends and family have lost everything but their lives. I'm eternally grateful.

We hear so many horror stories and yet see so much beauty in neighbors helping neighbors regardless of race, color or creed.

But, what can we do?

We must be wise as serpents yet gentle as doves. We must pray and research the "relief" organizations. Be smart about going to help out and protect ourselves from illness and injury.

Do what you can with what you've got and expect God's blessings on your efforts.

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

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

Until next time, take care and God bless.
PamT

#ThursdayThoughts on Change....

Good Morning from Santa Fe, New Mexico!

If you've visited often you know I've embarked on a 2 month trek across the US to make a loop up the West Coast, around the Midwest and back down to Louisiana. Saturday I'll be spotlighting some highlights from our trip so be sure and drop by.

Meanwhile, let's talk a little about change.....

Some people thrive on change. Others hate it. Many, like me understand change is a part of life and just learn to go with the flow.

Not all change is -or appears - good: death of loved ones or loss of job or health. Though these are some of the worst types of changes we can go through, life goes on and so must we.

Other changes are good! New job, new relationship, new home, new (fill in the blank). We love these types of changes although many begin with a not-so-good one.

Then there are changes that surprise and please and hopefully open new doors for us. These are the types of changes I absolutely LOVE. One such change is with my novel The Inheritance (published 2007 from The Wild Rose Press). We all know the story of how TWRP evolved to White Rose Publishing and then Pelican Book Group - these were all good changes. Now there's one even better!

PBG is re-issuing The Inheritance sometime later this year. The book has been edited, updated, revised and has a brand new cover! Don't 'cha just LOVE it? I do! It's still the same story, only better and hopefully this change will turn out to be good for everyone involved and will garner new readers.

On the heels of this news and my receiving the galley which I'm currently working to get back to the editor so we can get an actual release date....anyway, my lovely cover artist and friend, Delia Latham of Heaven's Touch Designs surprised me with a brand new cover for my Tempered Series bundle (boxed set)..... I can't wait to replace the current one with this!

These two changes started me thinking....Even though we're told not to, many people judge a book by it's cover therefore, a not-so-good cover can make or break a book. My novel, Circles of Fate has gotten great reviews yet the sales reflect poorly. So, Delia and I put our heads together and came up with a brand new cover for it too!

I love how Delia depicted the main characters in this romantic saga so well! Hopefully, this fresh, new and exciting cover will be more attractive to readers. It is certainly eye-catching.

These are all good changes, but even good changes have drawbacks....in these instances, lot's of work replacing the old covers with new in all publishing venues AND in all marketing materials. Hopefully our hard work will pay off and readers will reap the benefits as well, by being entertained, their faith strengthened by the triumph of these characters.

Moral of this post: Whether expected, unexpected, good or not....life continually changes and evolves. So must we.

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

#ThursdayThoughts Random Ramblings on Excellence

Good Morning Friends!

It's been so long since I share my thoughts with you I'm not even sure where to begin, LOL!

My mind has been in a whirlwind the last few weeks. Along with my normal routine of work, I'm editing a book that is very intense in nature and extensive in work.

This brings me to my topic of today: Excellence

Most of us are taught the value in striving for excellence in all areas of our lives. In school, we're encouraged to do our best and get the best grades. In work, we strive to be the best employee, do the best job and move up the ladder. As authors we're up against a lot of competition so it's driven into us to write a great novel, use an experienced and efficient editor.

Excellence, excellence, excellence in everything!

But what about our prayer life and faith walk?

The Bible exhorts us to walk in integrity, which is another way of saying excellence.

Don't you know there are times when I know I'm not doing that? Oh, I don't mean I'm lying or stealing or cheating, but I know in my spirit that my thoughts are not as pure as they can be and/or my heart is not focused on the good things of God, but the not-so-good things of the world. I'm not looking at (or for) the best in people, but dwelling on the worst.

The law of attraction states that what you focus on, you attract into your life. EX: if I'm focusing on something negative in my life or in someone else's personality, I'll attract more of that to me.

The Bible teaches us that as a man thinks therefore he is and that life and death are in the power of the tongue.

You can almost bet your bottom dollar if we're thinking negative thoughts, negative words are spewing out of our mouth!

So what can I/You/We do about this?

Philippians 4:8 tells us, "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things."

I've found that when I recognize my heart, mind and/or mouth are not in alignment with what God says about my or someone else's life, I have the power to change that simply by thinking and speaking excellent thoughts and words! I ask God, Jesus and the angels to help me shift my perspective so I can focus on the good in that person or situation.

Try it, it works!

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

PS: Monday is Memorial Day, please take a moment to THANK a soldier and pray for those who have died defending our nation.

I 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!

#ThursdayThoughts Random Ramblings on the Weather....

Good Morning!

I pray you all survived the storms that have passed through lately. We had a cold front come through on Sat/Sun and another yesterday. With that, lots and lots of rain...thunder, lightning, the works.

Now I'm not a fan of cold weather at all, especially in May for crying out loud!

However, we haven't had enough 'winter' to cool the Gulf waters which means hurricane season could be a doozy.

So as much as we may not like freezing in May, (okay not freezing by normal standards but anything below 70 is freezing to me LOL!) I'm hoping/praying/believing this is God's way of putting a hedge of protection around us to prevent a terrible hurricane season.

But what do I know?

I'm not even sure this front is enough to cool the Gulf waters!

Isn't that what faith is all about though? Believing in something you don't know and evidence of things unseen?

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

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

Until next time, take care, God Bless and here's a couple of bright sunny pics to warm your soul....

#TuesdayTreasures People, Places & Things

Good Morning,

When I first started this feature I thought, wow...between me and my guests, we'll never run out of things we treasure to share. But as I sit here this morning, so many thoughts run through my head....

Am I treasuring the right things?

Am I wasting my treasures (gifts and talents)....my life perhaps, doing what I have to do instead of what I love and want to do?

Are these items I treasure really worth anything to anyone else?

You may wonder where these thoughts come from. Or, maybe, you have them yourself from time to time.

We all have things in our lives we treasure....mementos from our children, parents, grandparents and friends. Things like.....

This vase my son made a flower arrangement in when he was just a boy that I now use as a pencil holder....


And this mug my daughter gave me for mothers day that talks about how I'm like a good bra...Supportive, Makes me (her) look good, never leaves me (her) hanging and is always close to my (her) heart LOL!

And then there's this flower arrangement from my mom's funeral and her heart necklace I wear when I need to feel her presence more acutely....

                            

And we all know how I treasure Bandera, TX and the Silver Spur Guest Ranch LOL! 

I have dozens of other things, memories really that I treasure, as I'm sure you have. 

Last week we buried my brother-in-law. This week we'll bury my cousin. Therefore, my thoughts today are whether or not I'm actually showing and telling the people I treasure how much they mean to me.

I hope you'll take a moment today and tell  the people you treasure how much they mean to you. Can't tell them? Send them thoughts of love, peace, joy and happiness. You'll be surprised at the effect you thoughts about them will have on your, and their, day.

Meanwhile, I'd love to hear about some things you treasure so leave a comment!

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

PS: This year's Eggcerpt Exchange is starting Feb 28th - April 16 so watch for some great blurbs and excerpts!

#SaturdaySpotlight is on Mark Wayne Allen and his new book, Introspection!

Good Morning!

It's a COLD one up here at Kincaid Lake. The park host had to turn the water off yesterday...someone backed into something...anyway, hopefully they'll have it up and running soon today. Fortunately we got here early enough to fill up the water tank, so we'll be OK until it's back on.

Anyway, today's guest, Mark Wayne Allen has shared Treasures, Thoughts and Spotlights with us before but today, he's telling us about his brand new release, Introspection!

What would life be like if anyone could be removed from history?

This is a question that Melvin Travis is forced to deal with. He hates all of humanity with good reason. He has virtually no past and he sees no hope for the future.

A rational person would wonder how an entire book could be coherently filled with a story about such a character. Well, I have to tell you, it wasn't easy. Melvin's dark outlook on life was something that I continually had to tinker with to pull him through this novel.

The background of the book is trying to stop dark forces who have hatched reverse time technology. This could revert anyone to a young child or eliminate their conception altogether with unimaginable, horrendous, results. Anguish quickly sets into Melvin as you can imagine with explosive results.

As a writer, I loved the thrill of Melvin's character. It was an amazing ride! Originally, I had a very different structure in mind, but it seemed like each time I said, "Melvin, turn left," he'd say, "No, let's go right."

The background scenes make the story. Tom, Melvin's friend that pulls him into this mess, leaves him unexpectedly but Melvin continues on. With a surprising ending that shocked even me, "Introspection" is an interesting tale about a hero with few redeeming qualities.

Mark Wayne Allen was born in Merryvillle, Louisiana where he now resides, but has lived in many states. Due to life tragedies, he is a quadriplegic.

A love of books inspired him to write down his own stories, which, over the years, has evolved to include all categories. From poetry to short stories to novels, his knowledge of the craft grew over time, and so did his love for it.

He wrote two short stories and several poems that were published in a short-lived e-zine called Dementia. In 2013, he published the science fiction book Star Siege which was written during his years at Louisiana State University. Since then, he has placed in several contests since and even had a first place poem. He writes regularly for The Voice Of Southwest Louisiana Magazine.

Having lived in the North, South, East, and West has given him the opportunity to talk with a diverse group of people as well as an appreciation for different cultures. Currently, he lives with his wife of many years, Kelley, and is an active part of the community. You can keep up with Mark through his Website,Facebook and Twitter. 

Introspection can be purchased at Amazon in Print and for Kindle.

Hope you enjoyed today's spotlight and that you'll drop by next week for Tuesday Treasures, Thursday Thoughts and another edition of Saturday Spotlight.

Until next time, good luck and God Bless.

PamT

#TuesdayTreasures Guest Post by Mark Wayne Allen

Good Morning Friends,

It is always a pleasure to bring to you a fellow Bayou Writers Group member and our guest today, Mark Wayne Allen is no stranger to our blog. He's shared treasures and thoughts with us before and we've spotlighted his book. With this in mind, I'll turn the blog over to him.

Welcome back Mark!

Life is not living

I'm an author, yes, but I've lived an unusual life.

Those that know me, well, also know what it is to live a life. You may think that is a redundant statement, but from my point of view, "live", and, "life", are not synonymous. Let's take the terms one at a time, shall we?

By the dictionary:

Life means the state or condition of anything having the capacity to grow, reproduce, functional ability, and continual change until death.

If we take this definition at face value, it seems to encompass everything an entity needs to merit cognitive existence, but now let's define the other term.

By the dictionary:

Live means to be alive.

 Now, those are congruent terms having no real substance. My friends, I've died many deaths, through heart stoppages and being what "The Experts" term as brain dead. Those experts said I would never survive even 12-hours. They've also said that if I did survive that I'd be a mental vegetable the rest of my life.

You don't realize what you have until it's ripped away. I'm telling, you I don't think it's humanly possible to fathom everything that's right about anyone's world until everything they know and think understand has been whisked away.

I was up walking and talking 4-months after my first accident. After the second, I would never walk again. I had to re-learn to breathe, eat, and drink. My definitions of "life", and "live", are drastically different from the norm. I have lived normal only in my youth, but I won't say that I've been through the worst, even with my life tragedies.

If you ever want to see the other side, tour any major rehabilitation center. Don't stop at the rooms. There are intensive care units all over the place. Lives are changes daily due to horrible tragedies. With all due respect to the dictionary, my definitions are below:

Life is when the heart is pumping blood and there is brain activity.

Living is the state when a person shows cognition and can have some positive emotional responses from activities with others.

Simply put, I treasure living.

Wow, Mark, you sure have a way with words. Treasuring life and living is something we all need to do!

Mark Wayne Allen was born in Merryvillle, Louisiana where he now resides, but has lived in many states. Due to life tragedies, he is a quadriplegic.

A love of books inspired him to write down his own stories, which, over the years, has evolved to include all categories. From poetry to short stories to novels, his knowledge of the craft grew over time, and so did his love for it.

He wrote two short stories and several poems that were published in a short-lived e-zine called Dementia. In 2013, he published the science fiction book Star Siege which was written during his years at Louisiana State University. Since then, he has placed in several contests since and even had a first place poem. He writes regularly for The Voice Of Southwest Louisiana Magazine.

Having lived in the North, South, East, and West has given him the opportunity to talk with a diverse group of people as well as an appreciation for different cultures. Currently, he lives with his wife of many years, Kelley, and is an active part of the community. You can keep up with Mark through his Website,Facebook and Twitter.

Mark's book, 3 Lifetimes in 1 is available through Amazon in Paperback, on Kindle and now on Audible!

I hope you enjoyed today's treasure as much as I did and I hope you'll stop by each week for Tuesday Treasures, Thursday Thoughts and Saturday Spotlight.

Until next time, take care and God Bless.

PamT

#ThursdayThoughts Guest post by Mark Wayne Allen

Good Morning Friends,

Today's guest needs no introduction. Mark has been here before so we welcome him back to share some thoughts with us....

Privacy Rights

The right of anyone to their own sense of privacy over their lives has been a matter of great debate in our legal system for a long time. Wait! Don't get your hackles up yet. This is not an article about laws, but a viewpoint of privacy for everyone.

I'll give you an example. I'm a quadriplegic and have been so for nearly 35-years. When I was initially injured, my parents, whom I was living with at the time, had some critical decisions to make. A major one was how to give me a normal life and free me from my limitations as much as possible.

Something that quickly became a major issue was privacy. I had to have someone clean my entire body, dress me, get me up, feed me, and everything that constitutes living except for breathe, sometimes that too. Yeah, times were rough for me then as they are for thousands of quadriplegics worldwide.

Anyway, I think all human beings have a right to privacy. The courts have repeatedly upheld an individuals privacy rights although the U. S. Constitution does not mandate it. I think it's been deemed by the courts as a human beings innate right, except in extreme cases, such as revealing sources of information in a murder trial, etc.

How did my parents give me privacy you ask? Well, they gave me time to myself when I asked and they each took on part of my life, like a tag team in wrestling, and they held my thoughts and actions private (that they would do on my behalf).

When you see someone in a chair next time, especially a quadriplegic, think about how they maintain their privacy. What honed skills they must they possess at managing their lives...  How could you help them? Think about how much you value your own privacy. I think you'll have a new appreciation what it means to you and others.

-Mark Wayne Allen

Thanks, Mark....that's definitely something to think about!

Mark Wayne Allen was born in Merryvillle, Louisiana where he now resides, but has lived in many states. Due to life tragedies, he is a quadriplegic.

A love of books inspired him to write down his own stories, which, over the years, has evolved to include all categories. From poetry to short stories to novels, his knowledge of the craft grew over time, and so did his love for it.

He wrote two short stories and several poems that were published in a short-lived e-zine called Dementia. In 2013, he published the science fiction book Star Siege which was written during his years at Louisiana State University. Since then, he has placed in several contests since and even had a first place poem. He writes regularly for The Voice Of Southwest Louisiana Magazine.

Having lived in the North, South, East, and West has given him the opportunity to talk with a diverse group of people as well as an appreciation for different cultures. Currently, he lives with his wife of many years, Kelley, and is an active part of the community. You can keep up with Mark through his Website,Facebook and Twitter.

Mark's brand new book, 3 Lifetimes in 1 is available through Amazon in Paperback and on Kindle!

Hope you enjoyed today's thoughts. Check back each week for Tuesday Treasures, Thursday Thoughts, and Saturday Spotlight.

Until next time...take care and God Bless.

PamT

#ThursdayThoughts: Letter Writing~A Lost Art?

Good Morning Friends,

With today's technology, email, text messaging, face-time, Skype, etc many wonder if the art of old fashioned letter writing is lost.

For me it isn't.

In 2010 when I initially started working at the Silver Spur Guest Ranch in Bandera, Texas, I met a lovely couple from New Zealand who were our guests there for a few days.

They and I struck up a friendship and over the years have written to each other at least every few months.

Last month I received a letter telling me they were coming back to the states and would be flying into Houston...she wondered if I were close enough to visit.

My response....Yes, Yes, Yes!

And yesterday it happened...after 6 years of letter writing I drove 300 miles round trip for a 3 hour visit.

Some folks may feel that's a bit much, especially since we've kept in touch through letters, but for me/us it was worth every mile and minute.

Here's a picture of the three of us together.....

So if you ever get a chance to be a pen pal and exchange letters with someone, do so and when the opportunity arrives to have a face-to-face visit, no distance is too great.

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

Hope you enjoyed today's thoughts! Drop by every week for Tuesday Treasures, Thursday Thoughts and Saturday Spotlight.

Until next time...take care and God bless.
PamT

#TuesdayTreasures: Talents and Gifts

Good Morning Friends,

We've been told that we all have been given gifts and talents by God and encouraged to develop them. We are also told that our gifts will make room for us and bring us before great men. And naturally we are exhorted to give all glory for our gifts to God, from whom these come.

What does this mean?

We all know talented people. Folks who have a gift of some sort. Many times these are obvious...the gift of communication, a talent of artistry of some sort....Dancing, Choreography, Painting, Carpentry, Writing, Interior Design/Decorating.

Many times the gift is not so obvious but should still be cultivated for the overall good of mankind. For instance the gift of communication can become a career in Motivational Speaking, Life Coach, Teacher, etc.

I've always said writing is my gift/talent given to me by God because, unlike a lot of authors, I don't recall wanting to be a writer when I grew up. My only desire was to be a wife and mother. Acknowledging this gift from Him, I do my best to use it to glorify God and serve others.

I know several who do that also....

My brother in law creates beautiful crosses out of stone.

                                 

My son is a gifted choreographer whose routines regularly produce championships and he'll be the first to tell you his gift is from God because he has never had an ounce of formal training.

My granddaughter is a talented dancer and artist.

                    

 

My cousin has a natural ability to design and decorate homes.

These are people in my family but I bet if you look around, you'll find some in your circle of friends and family members who are multi-talented.

When you're looking around at others, take a deep inspection of the gifts and talents you have. Once you discover them, ask God how to use those to serve Him and others. You might be surprised at what He shows you.

One thing for certain though, always treasure the gift/talent you see in yourself and in others!

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

#ThursdayThoughts: Fishing

Good Morning Friends!

In Matthew (4:19) Jesus told Peter and his brother Andrew to follow Him and He would make them 'fishers of men.'

We know these two were (what we'd term today) commercial fishermen. That is, they fished for a living.

But on this particular day they'd toiled all night and caught nothing and were just rolling up their nets when Jesus came along and asked them to take him out in the water so He could teach the huge crowd clamoring about Him on shore. After His sermon, He instructed the two gentlemen to cast their nets, and they hauled in so many fish, their nets nearly broke!

Since man figured out how to catch, clean and cook, fishing has been both a necessity and for several years now, a sport.

I love to fish...there is just something about being on the water, with a pole or rod and reel, pulling in those delicious Bass and White Perch. Even Bream fishing can be fun.

Last weekend I had the opportunity to visit Toledo Bend Lake again and do a lot of fishing. The weather was beautiful, the water at times choppy, mostly smooth and calm.

Unfortunately the fish weren't really in the biting mood.

Still we had a blast and proved once again the old adage..... A bad day of fishing beats the best day of work!

If you've never enjoyed this pastime, give it a try. It may not be your 'thing' but then again, you might just find a brand new hobby.

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

#TuesdayTreasures: Undercover Boss

Good Morning Friends,

When I first saw an advertisement for the show Undercover Boss years ago, I thought... Another stupid reality show.

UGH

I am fed up with "reality" TV and the ignorance most portray. I mean, seriously, who really cares what some washed up celebrity or rich brat of washed up celebrity's life is like?

IMHO, too much pettiness, bullshit and drama....3 things I try to avoid LOL!

Anyway, this series has been going strong for 7 seasons now and, as a huge fan of Super Soul Sunday, I discovered it on the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN) and let me tell you, I am hooked!

To see some of the country's top CEO's go undercover to get an honest feel of what goes on in their company is sometimes funny, sometimes heartbreaking but always ends with these executive officers getting a taste of what the "working class" really do for them.

The gifts this brings to both parties is awesome.

I've always said when I win the lottery I want to be an Angel Investor. Until that time I'll live vicariously through and learn from the Undercover Bosses of the world.

So if you're in the mood for a "feel good cry" watch Undercover Boss...I'm confident you'll enjoy it too.

And if you're a CEO of a corporation out there, stage your own version of Undercover Boss. Get to know your employees on the ground level, learn their stories, the hardship many endure and the joy they bring to your company. Who knows, you may come out of the experience much richer for doing so.

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

#ThursdayThoughts: Special Guest Post by Colleen Coble @colleencoble

Good Morning Friends,

You might be wondering at the change of photo on my header here, on Face Book and my website. No real reason....just in the mood for something different.

Also, if you haven't heard yet, I am ever so happy to inform you that my novella, Keri's Christmas Wish is finished and has been submitted to a publisher!

I'll keep you posted on the details.

Meanwhile, please welcome Colleen Coble back to our blog with something she thinks about....

Forgiveness is a real hot button for me. I’ve seen so many lives changed when a person chooses to forgive the unforgiveable. But there’s one area I feel is harder than any other—forgiving yourself.

We all mess up and fall short of the goal we set for ourselves. Sometimes that failure can hurt other people even more than it hurts us, and we wrestle with letting go of the shame we take on in those moments. Forgiving ourselves is crucial if we want to move past our failures and reach our full potential. How do you do that? This is what works for me:

1.       Identify the fact that you have shame about something.

You can’t deal with something if you keep it buried.

2.       Remind yourself that everyone fails.

As a Christian, I look at examples in the Bible of people who failed but were still forgiven and used of God. David is a prime example.

3.       Take responsibility for your actions.

Too much of the time we make excuses for ourselves. You can never get past the way you feel if you don’t face the facts. You disappointed or hurt something. That’s a fact.

4.       If you can make amends, do so.

Apologize or do anything else that comes to mind to show genuine remorse.

5.       Talk it out with a friend.

There’s something about sharing your burden that makes it lighten. Another perspective helps us see things more clearly.

6.    Actually forgive yourself.

When that shame rises up, speak aloud to yourself and say, “That’s over and God has forgiven me. I forgive myself as well.” After a while you actually start to believe it.

In Mermaid Moon Mallory was still dealing with shame from something she’d done ten years earlier. Ten years is a long time to carry that weight around, but some people carry it all their lives. You don’t have to!

Best-selling author Colleen Coble’s novels have won or finaled in awards ranging from the Best Books of Indiana, the ACFW Carol Award, the Romance Writers of America RITA, the Holt Medallion, the Daphne du Maurier, National Readers’ Choice and the Booksellers Best.

She has more than three million books in print and writes romantic mysteries because she loves to see justice prevail. Coble is CEO of American Christian Fiction Writers. She lives with her husband, Dave, in Indiana.

To keep up with Colleen Coble, visit www.colleencoble.com, become a fan on Facebook (colleencoblebooks) or follow her on Twitter (@colleencoble).

Mermaid Moon can be purchased at Amazon.

You are so right, Colleen! Forgiveness is definitely Something to think about!

Hope you all enjoyed today's post. Check back each week for Tuesday Treasures, Thursday Thoughts and Saturday Spotlight!

Until later....take care and God Bless.

PamT
"Inspirational with an Edge!" ™