Monday Musings with Rachelle

I love a good inspirational thought, especially with all that’s going on in life. It’s a good chance to sit back and reflect on what’s really and truly important.

Failure really isn’t terrible if you can say to yourself, “Hey, I know I’m gonna be successful at what I want to do someday.” Failure doesn’t become a big hangup then because it’s only temporary.

–Jerry Della Femina

Man, this guy must’ve read my mind or pulled it from a writer’s creed or something. 🙂 Isn’t that what every writer says to themselves after they receive their 50th or 100th or 250th rejection? Honestly, this is what I said to myself on my path to becoming a published author and I continue to keep plodding away and learning from every “failure” that comes my way.

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Monday Musings with Rachelle

It’s time once again for a great inspirational quote that will make you think, especially this time of year. Spring is a time of renewal, so let this inspiring thought sink in for a minute.

One must always maintain one’s connection to the past and yet ceaselessly pull away from it. To remain in touch with the past requires a love of memory. To remain in touch with the past requires a constant imaginative effort.

–GASTON BACHELARD

I’ve learned that I don’t have to make the same mistakes I did when I was younger–that I can reinvent myself. The past is my reflection in the lake, but one stone can change that reflection.

What have you learned from your past?

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Monday Musings with Rachelle

Failing is really hard to do, but after reading this inspirational quote, I’ve decided that there are worse things than failing.

It is hard to fail, but it is worse never to have tried to succeed.

–Theodore Roosevelt

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Monday Musings with Rachelle

Today’s quote was brought to you by author Rebecca Belliston and it’s one of my favorites too! Read her quote and her thoughts about it below:

Those who bring sunshine to the lives of others cannot keep it from themselves. – James Matthew Barrie

I love this quote!!!

I don’t know a single person who enjoys being grumpy or depressed. Maybe there are some, but for the rest of us, I believe this quote is the key to true happiness.

The more self-absorbed I am in my own projects and problems, the more miserable I am. Many times I won’t even know why I’m grumpy and I’ll blame it on a specific thing irking me. But really, the problem is that I’m focused inward, not outward. When I flip it around and serve others—whether my kids, my friends, or even people I don’t know—those minutes convert to pure sunshine in my life. I smile more—even through the hard times—and find that the problems which had previously dominated my thoughts are usually frivolous and inconsequential.

As I’ve watched and studied genuinely happy people, I’ve decided this quote is the key. So if you’re needing a little sunshine today, go give some to someone else.

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Monday Musings with Rachelle

This story is such an inspirational thought and reminder for each one us. Happy Monday!

The cheerful little girl with bouncy golden curls was almost five. Waiting with her mother at the checkout stand, she saw them, a circle of glistening white pearls in a pink foil box..

“Oh mommy please, Mommy. Can I have them? Please, Mommy, please?”

Quickly the mother checked the back of the little foil box and then looked back into the pleading blue eyes of her little girl’s upturned face.

“A dollar ninety-five. That’s almost $2.00. If you really want them, I’ll think of some extra chores for you and in no time you can save enough money to buy them for yourself.. Your birthday’s only a week away and you might get another crisp dollar bill from Grandma.”

As soon as Jenny got home, she emptied her penny bank and counted out 17 pennies. After dinner, she did more than her share of chores and she went to the neighbor and asked Mrs. McJames if she could pick dandelions for ten cents. On her birthday, Grandma did give her another new dollar bill and at last she had enough money to buy the necklace.

Jenny loved her pearls. They made her feel dressed up and grown up. She wore them everywhere, Sunday school, kindergarten, even to bed. The only time she took them off was when she went swimming or had a bubble bath. Mother said if they got wet, they might turn her neck green.

Jenny had a very loving daddy and every night when she was ready for bed, he would stop whatever he was doing and come upstairs to read her a story. One night as he finished the story, he asked Jenny, “Do you love me?”

“Oh yes, daddy. You know that I love you.”

“Then give me your pearls.”

“Oh, daddy, not my pearls. But you can have Princess, the white horse from my collection, the one with the pink tail. Remember, daddy? The one you gave me. She’s my very favorite.”

“That’s okay, Honey, daddy loves you. Good night.” And he brushed her cheek with a kiss.

About a week later, after the story time, Jenny’s daddy asked again, “Do you love me?”

“Daddy, you know I love you.”

“Then give me your pearls.”

“Oh Daddy, not my pearls. But you can have my baby doll. The brand new one I got for my birthday. She is beautiful and you can have the yellow blanket that matches her sleeper.”

“That’s okay. Sleep well. God bless you, little one.. Daddy loves you.”

And as always, he brushed her cheek with a gentle kiss.

A few nights later when her daddy came in, Jenny was sitting on her bed with her legs crossed Indian style.

As he came close, he noticed her chin was trembling and one silent tear rolled down her cheek.

“What is it, Jenny? What’s the matter?”

Jenny didn’t say anything but lifted her little hand up to her daddy. And when she opened it, there was her little pearl necklace. With a little quiver, she finally said, “Here daddy , this is for you.”

With tears gathering in his own eyes, Jenny’s daddy reached out with one hand to take the dime store necklace, and with the other hand he reached into his pocket and pulled out a blue velvet case with a strand of genuine pearls and gave them to Jenny …

He had them all the time. He was just waiting for her to give up the dime-store stuff so he could give her the genuine treasure. So it is, with our Heavenly Father. He is waiting for us to give up the cheap things in our lives so that he can give us beautiful treasures.

God will never take away something without giving you something better in its place.

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Monday Musings with Rachelle

Here is an inspirational thought for your week. It really gave me something to think about. Which one do you feed?

The other is Good. It is joy, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith.”
   
The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather:  “Which wolf wins?”

The old Cherokee simply replied, “The one you feed.”

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