Today, when I awoke, I suddenly realized that this is the best day of my
life, ever.

There were times when I wondered if I would make it to today; but I did!

And because I did I'm going to celebrate!
Today, I'm going to celebrate what an unbelievable life I have had so far: the accomplishments, the many blessings, and, yes, even the hardships because they have served to make me stronger.

I will go through this day with my head held high and a happy heart. I will marvel at God's seemingly simple gifts: the morning dew, the sun, the clouds, the trees,
the flowers, the birds.

Today, none of these miraculous creations will escape my notice Today, I will share my excitement for life with other people.

I'll make someone smile.

I'll go out of my way to perform an unexpected act of kindness for someone I don't even know Today, I'll give a sincere compliment to someone who seems down.. I'll tell a child how special he is, and I'll tell someone I love just how deeply I care for them and how much they mean to me.

Today is the day I quit worrying about what I don't have and start being more
grateful for all the wonderful things God has already given me. I'll remember that to worry is just a waste of time because my faith in God and his Divine Plan ensures everything will be just fine.

And tonight, before I go to bed, I'll go outside and raise my eyes to the heavens. I will stand in awe at the beauty of the stars and the moon, and I will praise God for these magnificent treasures.

As the day ends and I lay my head down on my pillow, I will thank the Almighty for the best day of my life. And I will sleep the sleep of a contented child, excited with with expectation because I know tomorrow is going to be the best day of my life, ever!

Right now it feels like circumstances are trying to submerge my spirit. I hope it will be stubborn like a beach ball. Have you ever tried to push a beach ball down under the water? It tries to pop up. It fights being submerged.

I had to smile when I read my horoscope today. Even the stars are aligned to remind me that even if at first it is just an illusion, the key is to do all you can to stay positive.

Dear Judy,
Here is your horoscope
for Wednesday, July 26:

Make like the fabulous Hollywood stars of yesteryear: Put on your best duds and think, 'The show must go on!' In the process of pretending to have high spirits a funny thing will happen -- you'll actually feel better.

I was accused once that if I went into a room and saw it filled with manure I would probably plow through it looking for a pony. Right now I see the room filled with manure but I am determined to find a shovel and look for that pony.

I wish you a day where you find a silver lining without first having to endure any storms. Have a wonderful Wednesday!

Every day more money is printed for Monopoly than the US Treasury .

It is impossible to lick your elbow.

The first novel ever written on a typewriter: Tom Sawyer

If a statue in the park of a person on a horse has both front legs in the air, the person died in battle. If the horse has one front leg in the air the person died as a result of wounds received in battle. If the horse has all four legs on the ground, the person died of natural causes.

Q. If you were to spell out numbers, how far would you have to go until
you would find the letter "A"?
A. One thousand

Hmm, I wonder how many people that read this will now try to lick their elbow?!?

Today I received a wonderful present wrapped in a white business envelope topped with a yellow change of address label. It was a newsy letter from Ruby Smith. We had gone to High School together.

It was fantastic to learn that she reads my blog. She reminded me of posts I had forgotten. It made me smile as she said she read things that made her think of times gone by. Some posts made her feel happy. Some were reminders that others face the same challenges she so courageously faces.

Ruby, your timing couldn't have been any better. Hmm, you are like your name, a treasured gem. I will write you a personal note soon and update you with my current contact information.

I wanted to share my excitement on my blog today as a reminder that sometimes when people take their time to reach out and say hello, that the gesture may make a huge difference in someone's day.

Thank you Ruby. I am smiling from the inside out thinking happily that my ramblings were read and enjoyed by you. I appreciate that you shared what is happening in your world. Awesome!

Crazy day, I seem to be suffering from severe nonlinear waterfowl issues. Try as I might I just don't seem be be able to get my ducks in a row.

If re-runs are good enough for television network executives, then this posting is worth another look.

The Mayonnaise Jar and 2 Cups of Coffee

When things in your lives seem almost too much to handle, when 24 hours in a day are not enough, remember the mayonnaise jar and the 2 cups of coffee.

A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, he wordlessly picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.

The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with a unanimous "yes."

The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed.

"Now," said the professor as the laughter subsided, "I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things--your family, your children, your health, your friends and your favorite passions--and if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full.

The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house and your car.

The sand is everything else--the small stuff. "If you put the sand into the jar first," he continued, "there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff you will never have room for the things that are important to you.

"Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your spouse out to dinner. Play another 18. There will always be time to clean the house and fix the disposal. Take care of the golf balls first--the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand."

One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the coffee represented. The professor smiled. "I'm glad you asked.

It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend."

Are you a glass half full or half empty person? I've decided, from my perspective, it all depends on what's in the glass.

Yesterday, negative feelings & frustration filled me up and made me unrecognizable even to myself. It isn't easy to cast them aside, but I have a strong resolve to do just that.

A glass half full with even the worst poison can be diluted when the right antidote is added. This brand new day and my many blessings are my focus today and hopefully my antidote to the frustration and negative feelings of yesterday.

Today I have had to deal with an "unexpected" less than a Judy upbeat "somewhere over the rainbow" attitude. I've felt possessed with negative thoughts, anger and frustration.

I know I am blessed and have much to be thankful for including the beautiful postcard picture day Mother Nature served today. Hopefully, tomorrow I will be fine and my spirit will bounce back without the need for an exorcism. I don't want to end up starring in a frightful comic someday.

I am always surprised when people don't take just a little extra effort to be nice. One of my pet peeves are the people who push their shopping carts out to their car but then leave the cart near their car instead of taking a few extra moments to roll it over to the spot set-up to park carts.

I know there may be an exception when it is pouring down rain and the speed to get out of the precipitation and away from the lightning may take precedence.

I am not saying people need to push the cart all the way back to the store. I just think leaving them where you unload them may be convenient for you but inconvenient for others.

Carts get caught in a breeze or the tires aren't turned to prevent them from rolling and crash, someone's car gets dinged. You are driving through the parking lot and think you have found a spot only to find a cart blocking your way.

Just a moment of courtesy can make all the difference and as a bonus the extra walking can help you become more fit.

10. Decorating the house (boarding up windows)
9. Dragging out boxes that haven't been used since last season (camping
gear, flashlights)
8. Last minute shopping in crowded stores
7. Regular TV shows pre-empted for "specials"
6. Family coming to stay with you or you going to visit them
5. Family and friends from out-of-state calling
4. Buying food you don't normally buy ... and in large quantities
3. Days off from work
2. Candles

And... the number one reason Hurricane Season is like Christmas ...

1. At some point you know you're going to have a tree in your house!

The best kind of friend is the kind you can sit on a porch and swing with, never say a word, and then walk away feeling like it was the best conversation you've ever had.

It's true that we don't know what we've got until we lose it, but it's also true that we don't know what we've been missing until it arrives.

Giving someone all your love is never an assurance that they'll love you back! Don't expect love in return; just wait for it to grow in their heart but if it doesn't, be content it grew in yours. It takes only a minute to get a crush on someone, an hour to like someone, and a day to love someone, but it takes a lifetime to forget someone.

Don't go for looks; they can deceive. Don't go for wealth; even that fades away. Go for someone who makes you smile because it takes only a smile to make a dark day seem bright. Find the one that makes your heart smile.

May you have enough happiness to make you sweet, enough trials to make you strong, enough sorrow to keep you human, enough hope to make you happy.

Always put yourself in others' shoes. If you feel that it hurts you, it probably hurts the other person, too.

The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the most of everything that comes along their way.

Happiness lies for those who cry, those who hurt, those who have searched, and those who have tried, for only they can appreciate the importance of people who have touched their lives.

In today's world it seems that everything is "disposable." If something doesn't work great you get rid of it. Many items are even created to be disposable: diapers,paper cups, cameras, and toothbrushes to name just a few. If you start to have trouble in your marriage, divorce has become the common solution. Simply dispose of the relationship. If an item gets old and starts to show wear and tear we dispose of it.

People however are not disposable. No matter how much age, wear or tear people are not disposable. Maybe all their parts don't function properly and they aren't able to perform in the manner they once could. Maybe they have limited mobility. Nevertheless people are not disposable.

We all age - if we are blessed. We need to think in terms of positive solutions when the people in our lives are no longer able to care for themselves. We need to respect them and treat them with the same dignity we would want given to us.

Over the years, I have told my friends that I want to find a large home that will have lots of rooms so my friends will have a place to live and share responsibilities when our bodies and minds start to slow down and need repair. It would be a large, welcoming environment that would have space for our sons and daughters and grandchildren to come and visit. I envision a brightly colored place with lots of windows to bring in the light and a yard for enjoying being outside.

It is a dream that I will work to make a reality. In the meantime, I am learning that caring for a man of 85 years requires great patience (not necessarily my strong suit) and the willingness to adapt my lifestyle. It is evident that this current arrangement is only temporary. Whether the solution is to have this gentleman live with his son and wife long term or to find a retirement, long term care home for him the ultimate goal is to make sure he is safe and respect his desire for a positive quality of life.

In many parts of the globe, seniors are revered. The Elders of the tribe have the power and are respected for their wisdom. In the United States it seems that as men and women grow older they become invisible. The only place I know that there is a plethora of elderly gentlemen in power is in Congress and the Supreme Court. Hmm, I wonder what vitamins they take to have the wisdom and energy to run a country when most people past 80 are considered ready to be put out to pasture.

People are not disposable. To all those wonderful, kind hearted people who have devoted their life to helping the aged; to all those amazing, caring people who have sacrificed to take care of their aunts, mom and family; to all that have made providing assisted living a priority - I send my deepest respect and admiration.

Sometimes all the reasons, good reasons, why you can't do something or accept a particular responsibility evaporate when the choice is to either leave someone in harms way or find a way to, as Larry the Cable Guy says, "Git Er'Done."