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Month: June 2016

KEEP THE SPARKLE ALIVE

TODAY THE WORD is SPARKLERS. With the Fourth of July coming soon, it brought back memories of the excitement surrounding sparklers. With more safety restrictions, we don’t see sparklers like we had when, as a child, we celebrated The Big Fireworks holiday on the Fourth of July. We knew of no danger; we only knew we were going to have fun when the box of sparklers came out. I can see the box now and remember the anticipation of being given a sparkler (one for each child). When it was lit; it was ON! The sparkling an crackling brought smiles, laughter, oohs and aww, chatter, and lots of fun. We weren’t privy to any sizable fireworks and we would go to the stadium for the town’s big fireworks display; but we had SPARKLERS! We would write our names with the sparklers in the air. Once the sparkler went out; we anxiously awaited the next gift of glitz and sparkling light. This was such a great time with each other by doing the sparklers as a family. 
We would load up in the car, travel to the stadium and wait for it to get dark and then the fireworks would start. I remember us laying a blanket on the car’s hood, roof and trunk so that we could watch them. We never went into the stadium; we had too much fun in and on the car! Look at that one; see the bursts, wow was that one big; and Oh that was a loud boom! We compared each one with the brilliant colors and size. By the time for the finale, we were stoked all right! Then, it came with a constant barrage of color, shapes, sounds, and a lot of giggling, chatter, and some of our parent’s warnings to behave. All of this being so wonderful and we were taught about how this country was fought for, how independence was won, and how we were to appreciate this country. We were told of the sacrifices many had made for us to be a free country, live in harmony, and respect those who served our country. 
As I like to find out some interesting info on my topics, here is an article from 1993 on The Sparkling History Of A Fireworks Favorite.


The Sparkling History Of A Fireworks Favorite
July 4, 1993|By MARIA ATANASOV, Staff Writer
Sparkle, sparkle, shimmer, shimmer.
What would the Fourth of July be without the sparkler?
“Sparklers are the most commonly used and most legal firework throughout the country,“ says Bruce Zoldan, president of the Diamond Sparklers Co.
But just where did the sparkler come from? And when did it appear?
The first one was invented in Germany in the 1850s, says Dennis Manochio Sr., historian for the American Pyrotechnic Association (APA) in Chestertown, Md., and curator of the 4th of July Americana & Fireworks Museum in Saratoga, Calif.
The Germans dipped wire into iron and gunpowder paste to make their sparklers, called wunderkerzen, Manochio says. Sparklers today use aluminum powder burning at 2,000 degrees F.
German sparklers were brought to America around the turn of the century.
“(At the) Columbian Exposition in 1893, sparklers were the highlight of the event and given to children,“ Manochio says.
Other sparkler facts:
— Sparklers were first produced in America at the beginning of the 1900s with the creation and availability of aluminum powder, says John Conkling, APA executive director. Today, there are three American manufacturers.
— “As the Fourth of July became more colorful, sparklers were used by everyone,“ says Larry Callen, vice president of the former Acme Specialties Inc. “In the Southern states, like Florida, people used sparklers at Christmas and New Year`s (because) Christmas trees were not in vogue yet.“
— Today, more than 2 million sparklers are made in this country daily.
— The longest sparkler ever made was 12 feet long, crafted at the New Jersey Fireworks Manufacturing Co. Inc., Manochio says.

NOTE FROM BLOGGER: At several weddings I have attended, sparklers were used as the send off treat with sparklers lighting up the night. A grand spectacular close to a wonderful festivity. We also can be the sparkler in someone else’s life when we light ourselves up and cast a sparkle to others.


Now, for my deeper thought on this, our Country’s Fourth of July…..Our freedom, our freedom of speech, our freedom of religion, our belief in equality, our independence are our sparklers and we have to keep them lit in our minds as we never want them to burn out! The brilliance of our country needs to be bright as we enjoy all of the comforts we have had. God has blessed us and we have to do our part for our Sparklers to keep sparkling and lighting up the sky. Never, for one second take it for granted. Pray everyday for our country and for the world. The USA needs to shine brilliantly as a beacon of hope for the countries struggling. We don’t need arrogance; we need compassion. We don’t need to boast; we need kindness. We don’t need control’ we need love. Have a wonderful, fun Fourth of July next Monday and thank God for His Protection and Grace! Do a little sparkling yourself!



SAFETY NOTE: Fireworks should be treated with caution as burns can occur if misused. 

DAILY FEATURED BIBLE VERSE:

Matthew 4:16

The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up. 

(c) copyright 2012-2016 Arline Lott Miller. The material here copyrighted, use only by permission.

SIP A SIP BUT DON’T DRIP A DROP



SIP A SIP BUT DON’T DRIP A DROP.  This morning as I am sipping my coffee and relaxing my mind goes to the time we spend of that first sip, whether it be coffee or tea, smoothies or other beverages or simply sweet water; what do we think about? I have several friends who sip on their coffee while reading their devotional, the newspaper, watch the news or birds, or walk through their yards or gardens. We seem to be diversified with what activity or lack of activity we choose to associate with our morning beverage. This is one of our first wake up and get going alarms or calming signals we participate at the beginning of our day. What does this sipping accomplish? What if we drip a drop. Does that spoil our day or set our attitude for the entire day if an accident or an unexpected piece of news happens? This is what we will ponder. Grab your coffee or beverage of choice and let’s think about the positive and/or negative effects of how we start our day.

The first article excerpt is from Web MD and speaks of how beneficial Meditation can be:

Meditation Heals Body and Mind
Stressed out? Here’s how just 20 minutes a day spent meditating can improve health.
By Susan Kuchinskas
WebMD Magazine – Feature Reviewed by Patricia A. Farrell, PhD
WebMD Feature Archive
Often thought of as a hippy-dippy practice aimed at transcendence, meditation is coming into its own as a stress-reduction technique for even the most type-A kind of people.
In 2005, for instance, severe chest pains sent Michael Mitchell to the emergency room in fear of a heart attack. It turned out to be gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD. Nevertheless, after checking his heart, the doctor admitted him and chastised him for not coming in sooner. “That really shook me up. It was a wake-up call to have a look at my type A personality and workaholic lifestyle,” says the 44-year-old Simi Valley, Calif., statistician for the Veterans Health Administration.
Mitchell had shrugged off his high blood pressure, but now he kicked off a personal makeover. He read books on happiness, started psychotherapy, and got more exercise. And, despite a skeptical frame of mind, Mitchell turned to meditation on the recommendation of a trusted co-worker. Within a month, he felt more relaxed — and his blood pressure returned to normal.
Health benefits of meditation
Mitchell’s experience is borne out by studies showing that meditation not only lowers blood pressure but also can amp up your immune system — although the mechanism isn’t clear — while improving your ability to concentrate.
Blogger’s Note: Meditation can be many forms of relaxation. Time spent relaxing, praying, or as one of my favorite scriptures quotes, Be Still and Know that I am God. I think God may have been advising us to meditate in our own way. Time away from the stress filled world and the hyped media can be therapeutic for our bodies and certainly our mind. A side note: When you have ever gone fishing, and that time waiting for a fish to nibble our hook is the most relaxing time you can experience. A quiet walk through a forest or country road can open our creative minds, clear the fog, and/or allow us to make a solid decision on something vital in our lives.
As much as Meditation or Quiet Time to Sip a Sip, if we allow time to Drip a Drop or add stress to our lives; we can defeat our body’s good intentions and blast our immune system. Here is the second article from Web MD on Stress Symptoms:

Stress Symptoms
In this article
What Is Stress?
What Are the Symptoms of Stress?
What Are the Consequences of Long-Term Stress?
Help Is Available for Stress
Stress affects us all. You may notice symptoms of stress when disciplining your kids, during busy times at work, when managing your finances, or when coping with a challenging relationship. Stress is everywhere. And while a little stress is OK — some stress is actually beneficial — too much stress can wear you down and make you sick, both mentally and physically.
The first step to controlling stress is to know the symptoms of stress. But recognizing stress symptoms may be harder than you think. Most of us are so used to being stressed, we often don’t know we are stressed until we are at the breaking point.
What Is Stress?
Stress is the body’s reaction to harmful situations — whether they’re real or perceived. When you feel threatened, a chemical reaction occurs in your body that allows you to act in a way to prevent injury. This reaction is known as “fight-or-flight,” or the stress response. During stress response, your heart rate increases, breathing quickens, muscles tighten, and blood pressure rises. You’ve gotten ready to act. It is how you protect yourself.
Stress means different things to different people. What causes stress in one person may be of little concern to another. Some people are better able to handle stress than others. And, not all stress is bad. In small doses, stress can help you accomplish tasks and prevent you from getting hurt. For example, stress is what gets you to slam on the breaks to avoid hitting the car in front of you. That’s a good thing.
Our bodies are designed to handle small doses of stress. But, we are not equipped to handle long-term, chronic stress without ill consequences.
What Are the Symptoms of Stress?
Stress can affect all aspects of your life, including your emotions, behaviors, thinking ability, and physical health. No part of the body is immune. But, because people handle stress differently, symptoms of stress can vary. Symptoms can be vague and may be the same as those caused by medical conditions. So it is important to discuss them with your doctor. You may experience any of the following symptoms of stress.
Today, as one who loves her quiet time and who likes to have positive assertion in her life, I choose to SIP A SIP but DON’T DRIP A DROP. I want to take in as much of life as I am blessed to do and avoid the stains of negativity. LIVE LIFE; LOVE LIFE; and LIVE LOVE TO THE FULLEST BY SIPPING INSPIRATION ONE SIP AT A TIME.


(C) Copyright 2012-2016 Arline Miller with all rights and privileges reserved. Third party material sourced to origin location for reference.


TELL ME HOW IT HAPPENED AGAIN!



TELL ME HOW IT HAPPENED AGAIN! This morning I had a brief memory flash through my mind and somehow I felt it was a little sign to adjust my thinking. In this time in our lives, we are faced with so many perilous news stories and serious elections, world events, etc. until our heads are filled with too much seriousness. I thought of a story my Mother told me how she learned to swim. I am even smiling now so let’s go down memory lane for a few quick humorous stories to lighten our loads.
Swimming lesson 101:

  My Mother was born in 1924 so this goes way back when fancy swimming pools did not have cement bottoms but were ponds with dark bottoms and plant growth at the water’s edge. One way for the children to learn was the method I am not sure was the best was to toss the child into the water and the old saying, “Sink or Swim” came into play literally. My Mother and her sisters chose another method which you might never have heard was to tie a rope  to two martin gourds (dried out) and position the rope across the chest. The gourds floated and worked equivalently to today’s swimmies.
According to my Mom, she had been swimming all over the pond with her floating gourds confident she would not drown or go under with her protection. She was confident; she was swimming; she had it going on……Until…….one of her sisters reminded her she had lost her gourds a long way back. She turned around and there the gourds were several yards away and she almost panicked. She struggled to get back to her gourds with all of their protection. She grabbed them and put them under her arms and across her chest. She swam back to the edge of the pond and it became evident. She didn’t need them and had actually swam. She had many good laughs off of this event and so did we enjoy it when she told her swim story. The moral of this story is we may never know if gourds really keep a swimmer up or if it is the belief they do that gives one the courage to jump in and go for a swim.
Stuck in the mud:

This is a true lesson to learn but I can see my uncles and Mom as they had this crazy adventure with their Model A. Apparently, my uncles who were young boys would stay with Mom and Dad when they first married. I am not exactly sure of the year this happened but it was funny to me when I heard this story. Apparently, Mom and Dad had two of my Mom’s brothers probably in their teens and they had gone to visit family and were on their way home on a night after a good rain. With some misjudgment on how deep the hole was, Dad decided to drive through the mud hole which was decidedly deeper and muddier than expected and they got stuck. Since it was raining, Dad made the decision to walk to the house and get the mule to pull the car out. Everyone stayed behind and it was dark and if your family was like ours they told ghost stories which made everyone a little edgy. As the stories were being uttered, they heard some noise. Somehow, during the story telling they didn’t expect it to be Daddy bringing the mule and in the shadows of the night, they saw what they thought was a monster. A lot of yelling happened before they could clearly see it was the mule’s ears and head forming the monster. Dad was tired and didn’t see the humor and he proceeded to hook the mule up to the car and asked one of the boys to give it gas when it started moving. Well, my uncle gave it too much gas and mud came all over the people in the car. For some reason, my Dad got tickled about it and then when all of the passengers looked at each other; they laughed too at the muddy sight. The moral of this story is there are times when things are not meant to make sense and it is then we need to laugh with and at ourselves.

As a child who was raised with plenty of ghost and creature stories and who has turned out fairly normal but with a vivid imagination, I looked up how ghost stories originated. Click on the link to read the full article the excerpt comes from for a little ghost history.

Ghosts in the Ancient World
Definition
by Joshua J. Mark 
published on 30 October 2014 Roman Skull with Obol in Mouth (Falconaumanni)

To the people of the ancient world, there was no doubt that the soul of a human being survived bodily death. Whatever an individual’s personal views were on the subject, culturally they were brought up with the understanding that the dead lived on in another form that still required some kind of sustenance, in an afterlife that was largely dictated by several factors: the kind of life they had lived on earth, how their remains were disposed of at their death, and/or how they were remembered by the living. The details of the afterlife in different cultures varied, but the constants were that such a realm existed, that it was governed by immutable laws, and that the souls of the dead would remain there unless given license by the gods to return to the land of the living for some specific reason. These reasons could include improper funeral rites, lack of any kind of burial, death by drowning where the body was not recovered, murder in which the body was never found (and so never properly buried), or to resolve some unfinished business or provide a true account of the events surrounding their death, such as when one was murdered and needed one’s death avenged and the murderer brought to justice in order to rest in peace.

The appearance of ghosts of the departed, even those of loved ones, was rarely considered a welcome experience. The dead were supposed to remain in their own land and were not expected to cross back over to the world of the living. When such an event did occur, it was a sure sign that something was terribly wrong, and those who experienced a spiritual encounter were expected to take care of the problem in order for the ghost to return to its proper place. This understanding was so prevalent that ghost stories can be found, with very similar themes, in the ancient cultures of Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece, Rome, China, and India as well as regions of Mesoamerica and the Celtic lands of Ireland and Scotland. Ghosts are also depicted in the Bible in much the same way as they were in earlier Roman works. The following is by no means a comprehensive treatment of the subject. Many books have been written on the belief in ghosts in each of the cultures that are mentioned and the many that are not. The purpose of this article is merely to provide readers with the basic concepts of the afterlife and the belief in ghosts in the ancient world.

Blogger Notes: As I grew up, I had parents who appreciated humor and a good laugh. It taught me to enjoy life and not to get too serious about myself. To be able to laugh with friends and even laugh at myself has helped me get through difficult times. Find little things to see the humor and throw your head back and have a good belly laugh and if you don’t know what I mean by belly laugh; you are not laughing enough. LIVE LIFE; LOVE LIFE; AND LIVE LIFE TO THE FULLEST BY LOVING AND LAUGHING.

Proverbs 17:22 – A merry heart doeth good [like] a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.

(C) Copyright 2012-2016 Arline Miller with all rights and privileges reserved. Third party material sourced for origin credit and reference.



WRITING MY OWN BLOG HAS INSPIRED ME

 



TODAY I CELEBRATE WITH SIPPING CUPS OF INSPIRATION!

Check out HEALTHY BITES for great healthy recipes

I started the blog in November 2012 with no particular plan in mind but to try to write on a regular basis with some humorous, some serious, and some unique looks on life. With close to 800 posts, I can see one of the goals I set coming into reality. I watched the blog obtain the first 10K and felt like I was overly blessed. I couldn’t believe this small town girl could even talk that many people in reading something I had written, but they did. It moved to 25K, and then I thought it would take forever to get to 50K (see how I was getting spoiled by your patronage) and then it seemed to pick up momentum. Wow, I was fascinated how fast it seemed to rise to 75K and I started to think, “Is it possible to reach 100K and can it reach 150K? Really, an unknown writer working on my first book during most of this time to have people in 83 countries take their valuable time, yes your valuable time, to read something I found to be a good topic. 

Arline’s Little Quotes is a page on the blog with original quotes

Tonight as I watch the recent page views start to rise up, I now know we are going to make it to the 150K goal. What it feels like is incredible but this incredible goal is not why I am writing. I realize some people really make a good income blogging and/or writing but this is not how it has been for me.
I want to share the reason I write the blog with all of you celebrating this goal with me. All of my life, even in the darkest hours and yes, there have been plenty of those in my lifetime; I have had the knowledge of a Higher Power. I felt this was the reason I have found positivity a way of life. It makes me happy to smile; to share; to cheer someone to victory; to comfort; and to sometimes give a person a good kick in the rear to stop them from throwing a good pity party. When I felt weak; God gave me strength; when I need chastising God seemed very willing to set me down and teach me a lesson; and when I suffered loss, God taught me what I had.
We are all given talents and some of you who are regular readers have heard me say many times I wanted to write a book even when I was young. It took a while but my book is published and I have to say it seems like a dream even today. I am now writing the second book and getting very close to publishing it.  All in all, I have to say I come back to the blog for a wonderful reason. I celebrate here in my faith not trying to push it down anyone’s throat but maybe somehow, in some way, a heart will feel that urge to find out more about what God’s love can put into a person’s life and the wonderment of life happens. When I have someone send me a message a word or two or the blog post made them laugh or even cry; I smile. For all of you, I say my blog and I am happy to say has produced less than $50 in revenue. The reason I say happy is because the joy and the happiness this blog and all of your reaction and responses are PRICELESS!

To all of you, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. To God, I give you all of the praise and the glory this ole plain and simple girl can say…..I THANK YOU!

(C) Copyright 2012-2016 Arline Miller with all rights and privileges with permission.

DAD, CAN I BORROW YOUR TIME?

Greg Miller with his two sons, Cory (left) and Chris Miller (right)


TODAY THE WORD is FATHERHOOD. First, may I say Happy Father’s Day to all Dads out there and may every child step up and spend time with you. May you have the “spoils of the day” and have someone grill or cook something special for you. Today, I have thoughts on fatherhood and I wanted to see what the Free Dictionary described as fatherhood: fa·ther·hood  (fär-hd) n.

1. The state of being a father.
2. The qualities of a father.
3. Fathers considered as a group





I found a great article on 10 Tips for How to Be a Great Dad Daily (source parenting.com) http://www.parenting.com/parenting-advice/dad/10-tips-how-to-be-great-dad-daily

Being a dad is all about finding your own path to what makes you and your kids happy, and our list can help you find your way.

Despite more than 30 years of research on fathers, there’s no real consensus on what it takes to be a good one. Ask any number of scholars and academics in the field and they’ll give you a list of all-too-often impossible “must-haves” in order to be a good dad. At The Daily Dad, we’re pushing back against all that. Our mission is to encourage, promote and celebrate inspiring, engaged and involved dads everywhere. Our claim is that any man, of any marital status, employment status, custody status and whatever-other status can be a good father by just starting where they are.

We’ve come up with a list of 10 things that can aid in the process to becoming a more involved, loving and all-around hero dad that kids deserve. But again, there are no rules. You don’t have to do them all to be a good dad. There will be some that you identify with more than others, and that’s great. Being a dad is all about finding your own path to what makes you and your children the happiest. So read through the list, pick a few you want to implement, and have fun!

1. Be Your Own Kind of Dad

Being a dad means something different to everyone, even your kids. Sure, you should find out what they love about you and what they want from you, but what do you love about being a dad? What’s your favorite part? Is it taking the kids out for milkshakes? Is it teaching them to build stuff? Is it taking pictures of cool activities with the kids and then blogging about it?

And what kind of dad are you? The protector with a huge soft side for kid kisses? The hipster dad producing dubstep beats with your kid? The gadget geek taking your kid geocaching on the weekend? All the research shows that your own identity as a father—what being a dad means to you—is the major predictor of how involved you are with your kids. So own it—your own way. And whatever it is that makes you love being a dad, do that all the time with your kids. It’s extremely likely they will inherit their own father identity from you: boys will become it; girls will look for it. Long story short, if you “aren’t really into” being a dad, you’re doing it wrong. Change it up! Be your own kind of dad.

2. Use Social Media the Right Way

Almost everyone uses some form of social media. Not only should parents be keenly aware of their kids’ social media use for obvious safety reasons, but a parent can use social media to celebrate their kids, to give them a public compliment, to post a #tbt photo, or anything else along those lines. It’s like in the old days when dads would open up their wallet and show their coworkers and friends photos of their kids. Social media is the modern day wallet, and dads are starting to light it up. We’ve seen this in our #iDAD submissions: hundreds of dads taking photos of themselves with their kiddos to show off how great they think their kids are. When parents do this, their kid is left feeling like their parents care about them enough to let the whole world know.

3. Be Involved

Talk with your kids! This is overlooked by a lot of dads. Do you know your kids’ friends’ full names or where they live? Do you know what classes they’re taking and their teachers’ names? What are their favorite shows or video games? Even more importantly, when was the last time they felt down, rejected or excluded? Have they ever felt like there was no one they could talk to? If you establish early on that you’re always the person they can go to for help or just as a confidant, that pattern will continue. (Hint: research shows that this is especially important for your daughters, but you should show your sons that real men talk, too.)

Ask tons of questions. If you don’t know what to ask, we suggest using our top 100 things you should know about your kid, which is a list of 100 conversation starters. And when you blow through that 100, you can go back and ask them again because interests change with kids from week to week.

4. Remember Important Dates and Do Something Special

Okay, remembering what makes a certain date important is the first step, but it’s only the first step; don’t stop there! What takes it to the next level is to be the dad holding a flower for his daughter at her dance recital, a special gift just from dad on their birthday or a personal card for graduation. Don’t just let your partner do all the work and think signing your name on a card is enough. Do something special on a special day.

5. Take Your Kids Places

We’re not recommending you book a trip around the world, but we’re advocating taking your kids with you when you have to run to the grocery store, the hardware store, to visit someone in the hospital, etc. Kids learn when they’re in new environments, so expose them to new places and talk with them about what you’re doing. Kids love learning from their dads, so give them lessons throughout the day. A study of family leisure time showed that from the kids’ perspective, the best time with dad was spent doing normal things, like talking about things that mattered to them, playing video games together, eating dinner, listening to music, horseplaying and developing hobbies. No need for epic family vacations (because really, watching dad flip into cussing rages trying to set up a tent isn’t exactly quality time).

6. Be Honest with Your Kids

Kids won’t be honest with you if you’re not honest with them. When your kids ask you a question, answer it honestly—and with consideration and sensitivity for their ages. When they ask you why you’re doing something, tell them. (“I’m trying to get that toy you shoved down the toilet out so daddy can use the potty!”)

7. Take Time to Do Nothing with Your Kids

Okay, we know Tip 5 is to do stuff with your kids, but we’re also advocating being completely engaged with your kids when you’re doing nothing. It’s for the times when you’re not going to go out and do anything huge, but you can still maximize your time with your kids. If you’re watching a movie, really be engaged with your kids when you watch the movie. Talk with them about why a part was sad or why they found a part funny. Whatever time you do have with your kid, make it about them. Put away your phone, tablet, remote and computer screen, and make some eye contact, for heaven’s sake. Most surveys of father involvement include some question about spending time doing what your kid wants to do. So do that. Let them paint your nails or style your hair. Play dolls, climb trees, paint, do whatever it is they love, whether you hate it or not.

8. Cook with Your Kids

Unfortunately, life and all the accompanying responsibilities prevent us from having as much free time as we want to spend with the kids. To combat this unfortunate reality, dads ought to figure out what responsibilities they can do with their kids. Cooking is an opportunity for such companionship. Have you seen “Master Chef Jr.”? You may be grooming the next Gordon Ramsey! But remember to give your children tasks that are age appropriate. No, your 3-year-old can’t julienne vegetables and your 6-year-old is probably not capable of manning the grill. With that said, your kids really are able to participate in the kitchen with you in more ways than you might think.

9. Appropriately Use Punishment and Rewards

This is one is huge—the guideline of all guidelines, the essence of all discipline and parenthood…have we hyped it enough for you?

Here it is:

If you want your child to stop doing something, punish them.

If you want your child to start doing something, reward them.

Really, that’s it. That’s the key element that so many fathers miss. We think we’re supposed to be the “enforcer” or the “judge/jury/executioner,” and most kids think “dads mean business.” But if all you do is punish your children, they’ll only know what not to do and never learn what they can do.

10. Go on an Adventure this Summer

We created a treasure map for summer activities with your kids so you can print it out, put it on the fridge and embark on the summer treasure hunt of your lives. Spend this summer making memories with your kids doing things that are absolutely free of charge. Keep the map and any tokens from your adventure in a box for your kids’ keepsakes. Imagine how fun it will be for them to look back at the effort you put into planning a great summer with them!



My BLOG notes:

Fatherhood, or the state of being a father is a big responsibility. I was Daddy’s girl so my feelings are very strong on how a child is affected by his or her father. I am going to skip my personal story this morning as I have written many times on him and I want to cover a different story. I met my husband almost fifteen years ago and we had both been divorced for over 12 years. I met both of his teenage sons and I saw how much his sons meant to him. Divorce can produce distance with children but I saw them reaching out to each other and overriding feelings of a different life with Daddy. Throughout the visits, I joined in the laughter, games, pranks they played on their Dad and he would retaliate, many out and out for “blood” putt-putt golf games, and in general they made the most of the time with their Dad. Oh, the competition was there when we went bowling and it was “man to man” competition with Greg hanging in tough. I saw a lot of healing and a closeness grew stronger and stronger. As years have gone by and both sons have grown up and have families of their own; I see a proud man and father, who reminds me of his own sweet Dad, Pappy Miller, who was such a loving Father and Granddaddy. Greg has now six grandsons and he loves each and every one of them and he glows with pride on what a great job his sons are doing as Fathers. I look at this loving situation and I smile.

Now for my deeper thought…Life can present difficulties, and how we as humans react and work toward adapting to new surroundings is the key element. A family should stay together even if they are apart. A Father and Mother are important to children and all parents whether you can be a single family unit or if you are caught in having to be separate parents. Be together when it comes to your children and the children will have reason to celebrate all holidays. Live life, love life, and live life to the fullest by honoring your Father and Mother all the days of your life. Happy Father’s Day to all of you!


DAILY FEATURED BIBLE VERSE:

Proverbs 4:1-9 ESV 

Hear, O sons, a father’s instruction, and be attentive, that you may gain insight, for I give you good precepts; do not forsake my teaching. When I was a son with my father, tender, the only one in the sight of my mother, he taught me and said to me, “Let your heart hold fast my words; keep my commandments, and live. Get wisdom; get insight; do not forget, and do not turn away from the words of my mouth. 


(c) copyright 2014 Arline Lott Miller. The material here copyrighted, use only by permission.

WHY NOT DILLY-DALLY?

Photo courtesy of Dingle’s

TODAY THE WORDS are DILLY DALLY. Why dilly dally? Let’s get down to this subject and I feel like moving and that is the opposite from dilly dallying. According to the definition, dilly dally means: To waste time, especially in indecision; dawdle or vacillate. Oh, now, how many of us have been known to dilly dally in our lifetimes? Some of us are might dally dillies, since we don’t wait for anything and it might be wise for those of us who are guilty of quick decisions might profit from a little dilly dally but too much dilly dallying can be damaging to the progress of our lives. 
I don’t want to get too serious on this subject since I find dilly dally a phrase that makes me smile. Say it three times; dilly dally; dilly dally; dilly dally. I imagine you are smiling by the second or at least of the third word so to the real topic of the day. Even though the phrase means to waste time or not be able to make decisions, it caused a light spirit and we need some light spirited time in our life. 
When I was young, and when my daughter was young, and even now, with my daughter, our grandchildren, and my sister, I have a silly side; a “might be a little crazy” side, and a let my hair down side. I see so much seriousness going on the world and people have forgotten how to laugh at themselves and “poke harmless fun” at themselves or even others without having the media show up at your door. My brothers used to kid me a lot; some they were poking fun and some they were seeing if they could stir me up. I am smiling as I write; they were fun to be around. My sister and her daughter worked together when I had the decorating company and when I managed the car dealership and we worked so hard; we had so much fun doing it. Yes, there were many serious moments; there were so many times we were so tired we got silly. 

Now, for the deeper thought….When did people forget to have the Old Time Good Slap Your Knee Fun and Laughter? When did it have to offend someone when someone kidded another person and it didn’t matter what race you were as no one was “safe” from the kidding? We, as people, need to do a little dilly dallying, and let our hair down a little. Lighten up folks; life is too serious as it is; we can be responsible and yet let loose in good, harmless ways. I have a theory why God probably has a lot of laughs when He looks down and gets to see us being silly occasionally and says, “Those silly children of mine are at it again!” Smile and the world will either smile back at you or wonder what you are up to!




DAILY FEATURED BIBLE VERSE:
Proverbs 15:30

30 Smiling faces make you happy, and good news makes you feel better

(c) copyright 2012-2016 Arline Lott Miller. The material here copyrighted with all rights and privileges reserved. Third party material referenced to original source.

WHAT IS IN A DAY….A DAY LILY



WHAT IS IN A DAY……WHY A DAYLILY FOR SURE! My husband, Greg and I cut up and post Miller Garden Pictures but our “estate” is on a half acre but it is our home and we love to share the beauty of the flowers, plants, and butterflies. This year we didn’t have our hummingbirds or at least so far and they have been missed. What we missed in hummingbirds, we have made up in day lilies. I will not be able to post all of the day lilies we have but I wanted to share some photos and an excerpt from a flower in herself, Lynn Polk, who is an inspiration to all of us who are privy to receive her messages of love and hope. I saved her response when I posted some of our day lilies.

First a little background, my precious Mother 
when she was alive, found so much joy from her collection of day lilies and other plants in her little yard. She knew her day lilies by name and took pride when each one bloomed. She knew when to fertilize and when to cut them back. When it was time to thin the plants out, many of us stood by with anticipation of obtaining a few of her beauties. It was her giving of love when she shared her plants and she expected us to take as much pride and care as she had. We were asked to give updates on her babies. A lot of the photos you will see are from her yards and I can assure you Greg takes wonderful care as he feels Momma watches from her heavenly gardens. 
Here is the message Lynn responded after I posted Daring Dilemma:

This exceptional Day Lilly absolutely captures the essence of God’s beauty in creation and its name, “Daring Dilemma” captures our human sin condition from which the goodness of God’s Grace frees us from and transforms us into the perfected image of His Son and our Savior, Jesus Christ. Don’t you just love when the perfection of God’s nature calls to the depths of our souls to experience the transformation that only He can bring to our lives. This is an example of how human beings can experience the power of God through beauty of His creation without ever have read or heard the Word of God. The power of God’s Creation speaks of His existence. How awesome is that.
Lynn Polk Thinking about how a tiny seed goes through the process of transformation into a perfectly beautiful Day Lilly in the loving care of its Gardner as it is given the water and light of life. So, too, is our transformation from our Daring Dilemma unto Salvation and Sanctification process until the Day of Christ’s Return for us, His perfected Bride, when He takes us Home to Heaven our Eternal Reward. Wow! That’s OUR STORY, THE GOSPEL STORY told through the beauty of a flower.

Thanks Lynn for giving us another reason to love God’s beauty. I feel you have given us the deeper thought so I will post more of our beauties on loan from God and hope that all of us take time to enjoy each gift we receive whether it be in the form of a wonderful flower, an ocean with its wonders, a smile from a child, a laugh from an elderly person who still finds joy in life, a quiet moment in reverence for Our Creator, or a kiss from a loved one. We can find comfort in times of need and given thanks for all things in every day life.


(C) Copyright 2012-2016 Arline Miller with all rights and privileges reserved. Third party material referenced to original source. Permission required to use. 

ACQUISITION IS THE PERCEPTION OF THE RECEPTION

 
 
ACQUISITION IS THE PERCEPTION OF THE RECEPTION. This morning this thought came to my mind at about 5 am. Crazy, to be thinking this deeply at this hour. It is Saturday and why am I not sleeping. I thought I would share this thought as it seemed relevant to many things in our lives. Not only in material acquisition but I think you will see how it overlaps into all phases of our human existence.
“Saturday Morning Thought: Acquisition is the Perception of the Reception. When we bought the breakfast nook table (good as new) we were so excited to acquire it as it met our needs. My thought is the young couple’s perception who bought the one I had bought in 1984 was as excited to buy ours. This made me think when one acquires anything, it is the perception of getting whatever is received. We are older but most of us can remember when we acquired our “first” of anything and the thought of that reception of our “perception” of how great it felt.
Have a great day and get as much love as you can acquire and you will will realize it is not the bigness of the object but the big feeling you get inside when you perceive it to be a wonderful gift.” 
 
Let’s take the three words with their Google definition to put my thoughts into “perception”.
 
ACQUISTION 
noun: acquisition; plural noun: acquisitions
        1. an asset or object bought or obtained, typically by a library or museum
        2. the learning or developing of a skill, habit, or quality.“the acquisition of management skills”
PERCEPTION
noun: perception; plural noun: perceptions
  1. the ability to see, hear, or become aware of something through the senses.”the normal limits to human perception”
  2. the state of being or process of becoming aware of something through the senses.“the perception of pain
RECEPTION:
noun: reception; plural noun: receptions
  1. the action or process of receiving something sent, given, or inflicted.“the reception of impulses from other neurons”
  2. the way in which a person or group of people reacts to someone or something.
  3. the receiving of broadcast signals.
  4. the action of admitting someone to a place, group, or institution or the process of being admitted.
  1. an act of catching the ball. (FOOTBALL)
  2. a formal social occasion held to welcome someone or to celebrate a particular event.
  3. “a wedding reception”
In my summarization, whatever we acquire and receive in life, it depends on our perception and response. During our lifetime, we acquire and receive a lot of things, not necessarily material composition but also emotional acquisitions. We hear and receive good and bad news; good and bad information; good and bad relationships; good and bad financial states; and good and bad experiences in friendships, faith, love, and business. It is a process of receiving and acquiring life lessons and the outcome will depend on how we perceive these lessons. Let’s go to something I am involved at this time; healthy eating. I acquired Diabetes 2 a couple of years ago; I received the news I had to change my eating and lifestyle. Here is the kicker: I could have perceived this change in a couple of ways:
  1. I could have done the “whoa is me” and felt pity. Why me? I have dieted all my life.
  2. I could have decided to “not care” and continued to live as before in denial of all of the deadly consequences of my my decision not to change.
  3. I could have and did make a conscious decision to change in a positive way with a positive attitude.
Deeper thought: In life, we are also given the choice to live a good and healthy spiritual life. (Receive). Through thought, meditation, and prayer we acquire a desire to live in a positive way. (Acquire) and if we accept Our God to be our guide throughout with a great spiritual demeanor, we live significantly happier and peaceful. (It truly is how we Perceive) 
 
 

Featured Bible Verse:
“One Thing I Do Know, That Although I Was Blind Now I Can See (Jn. 9:25).
THE PHYSICAL EYE
“Every eye will see him” (Rev. 1:7).
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
(C) Copyright 2012-2016 Arline Miller with all rights reserved and to be used with permission. 3rd party references sourced to origination.
 

SUGAR ME THIS?

 SUGAR ME THIS? This morning I would like to walk down memory lane. I thought how much eating has changed since I was a lot younger and slimmer. Today’s world has changed a lot. After I explore the “sugary days” I will provide some healthy information on avoiding sugar in our healthy eating lifestyle but let’s remanence first. We live in a world of instant this and instant that. We are blessed to have great cake makers and for everyone in my hometown, your thoughts probably went to Holt’s Bakery, home of the sugar adventure land. However, I want to walk some of you back to a time when we made birthday cakes at home. I realize I still make some cakes but now, with time restraints this process has been replaced by the commercial bakeries.

The time I am talking about was when it was usually the only way we had the birthday celebration with cakes baked by Mom and we helped decorate the cakes with the edible sugar decorations as seen in the picture. I searched to find a picture of the ones I remember so well and this was close but not the same. I remember the candle holders with different colors and we had to be careful when we put the candles in them. I remember the precision we peeled and placed the letters HAPPY BIRTHDAY in the direction we felt was the best one. We took pride, we discussed, we had fun decorating the cake and building up the anticipation of the surprise; though hardly ever was it a surprise since we had grown to expect the party.

All of this is hopefully to jog your memory and then to bring you to the focus of this message…..eating the decorations. Talk about sugar fixes; we ate them like we were never going to get any more….ever! How sugary they were but we didn’t mind. We were into sugar thoughts and now I am diving into deeper thoughts…...Life is somewhat like the sugar thoughts. We have to go through a lot of tasks in life; we build up anticipation on upcoming events like birthdays, weddings, church events, family reunions and during this anticipation of how good life is going to taste, we take pride in how we place our decorations such as our home, our cars, our clothes, etc. Then, it happens! We have the celebrations of life; our spouses, our children, our families, and our friends. Those are the sugar thoughts of life. When we witness a sweet thought of life like graduations, birthdays, new jobs, new children and for the lucky ones, grandchildren. This is when we know we have reached the time of life’s party when you get to pull of the sugary decorations and enjoy the sweet taste of life!



To Stay on Our Healthy Lifestyle read the article below from the American Heart Association. My thoughts: Reduce the Added Sugar and Add the Natural Love and Sugar from Life!





How to Reduce Added Sugar in Your Diet

If you want to decrease your risk for heart disease, it may be important for you to reduce the added sugar in your diet. As you know about sugar and heart disease, while sugars are not harmful to the body, our bodies don’t need sugars to function properly. Added sugars — sugars that are not found naturally in foods — contribute additional calories with zero nutrients to food.
Depending on the foods you choose and the amount of physical activity you do each day, you may have calories left over for “extras” that can be used on treats like solid fats, added sugars and alcohol. These are discretionary calories, or calories to be spent at your discretion after you have met your daily calorie need.
The American Heart Association recommends limiting the amount of added sugars you consume to no more than half of your daily discretionary calorie allowance.
Finding added sugars in food
The first step to reducing added sugars in your diet is finding them. Unfortunately, you can’t tell easily by looking at the nutrition facts panel of a food if it contains added sugars. The line for “sugars” includes both added and natural sugars. Naturally occurring sugars are found in milk (lactose) and fruit (fructose). Any product that contains milk (such as yogurt, milk or cream) or fruit (fresh, dried) contains some natural sugars.
Reading the ingredient list on a processed food’s label can tell you if the product contains added sugars, just not the exact amount if the product also contains natural sugars.
Names for added sugars on labels include:
  • Brown sugar
  • Corn sweetener
  • Corn syrup
  • Fruit juice concentrates
  • High-fructose corn syrup
  • Honey
  • Invert sugar
  • Malt sugar
  • Molasses
  • Raw sugar
  • Sugar
  • Sugar molecules ending in “ose” (dextrose, fructose, glucose, lactose, maltose, sucrose)
  • Syrup
Furthermore, some products include terms related to sugars. Here are some common terms and their meanings:
  • Sugar-Free: Less than 0.5 g of sugar per serving.
  • Reduced Sugar or Less Sugar: At least 25 percent less sugars per serving compared to a standard serving size of the traditional variety.
  • No Added Sugars or Without Added Sugars: No sugars or sugar-containing ingredient such as juice or dry fruit is added during processing.
  • Low Sugar: Not defined or allowed as a claim on food labels.
Although you can’t isolate the calories per serving from added sugars with the information on a nutrition label, it may be helpful to calculate the calories per serving from total
Keep in mind that if the product has no fruit or milk products in the ingredients, all of the sugars in the food are from added sugars. If the product contains fruit or milk products, the total sugar per serving listed on the label will include added and naturally occurring sugars.
Tips for getting less added sugar
Use these simple tips to reduce sugar in your diet:
  • Remove sugar (white and brown), syrup, honey and molasses from the table — out of sight, out of mind!
  • Cut back on the amount of sugar added to things you eat or drink regularly like cereal, pancakes, coffee or tea. Try cutting the usual amount of sugar you add by half and wean down from there, or consider using an artificial sweetener.
  • Buy sugar-free or low-calorie beverages.
  • Buy fresh fruits or fruits canned in water or natural juice. Avoid fruit canned in syrup, especially heavy syrup.
  • Instead of adding sugar to cereal or oatmeal, add fresh fruit (try bananas, cherries or strawberries) or dried fruit (raisins, cranberries or apricots).
  • When baking cookies, brownies or cakes, cut the sugar called for in your recipe by one-third to one-half. Often you won’t notice the difference.
  • Instead of adding sugar in recipes, use extracts such as almond, vanilla, orange or lemon.
  • Enhance foods with spices instead of sugar; try ginger, allspice, cinnamon or nutmeg.
  • Substitute unsweetened applesauce for sugar in recipes (use equal amounts).
  • Try zero-calorie sweeteners such as aspartame, sucralose or saccharin in moderation.

Learn more ways to live heart-healthy on Go Red For Women.


DAILY FEATURED BIBLE VERSE:

Ecclesiastes 5:18 ESV / 50 helpful votes

Behold, what I have seen to be good and fitting is to eat and drink and find enjoyment in all the toil with which one toils under the sun the few days of his life that God has given him, for this is his lot.


(c) copyright 2012-2016 Arline Lott Miller. The material here copyrighted, use only by permission

WHERE DID MY ROSE COLORED GLASSES GO?

WHERE DID MY ROSE COLORED GLASSES GO? Once in a while I will have a topic come to me without outside influence. When talking to my daughter, the topic of people seeing life for what it really is. Even though we want to think the best of people, we have to have eyes wide open and minds in sync with reality. Years ago, I took off my rose colored glasses. I hope I will never need them again.  John Conlee wrote a beautiful song and I used to sing it a lot. I actually bought a pair of rose colored sunglasses at a time when this was a fashion trend (not that I was such a fashioniva). So many things were distorted in my life at this particular time in my life. One verse now comes to mind in a different context:

So I just keep on hopin’, believing

That maybe by counting the many times, I’ve tried

You’ll believe me when I say, I love you
And I’ll lay these rose colored glasses aside.

Here is an excerpt from an article I find helpful in our discussion:
Be positive but stay realistic

How do you think and feel about the past, the present and the future? Do you tend to see the good side and the opportunities or do you tend to focus on the problems and things that might go wrong? How realistic are you being? All of this matters for how happy and satisfied we are with our lives
WHY DO IT?
People who are optimistic tend to be happier, healthier and cope better when times are tough. So there are a lot of advantages to looking at the world through a positive lens and focusing on the things that are good. However, it’s possible to be unrealistically optimistic which isn’t a good thing. And it’s certainly not helpful to put a positive spin on everything or pretend that things are fine if they’re clearly not
Whether we are naturally an optimist or more of a pessimist, it’s impossible to know what the future holds. So perhaps the best of both worlds is to be a realistic optimist – someone who tends to maintain a positive outlook, but within the constraints of what they know about the world.

Whether we tend to be optimistic or pessimistic is part of our personality, and can be hard to change – but it is possible. We can become more conscious of our own patterns of thought and learn skills to help us be more flexible in our outlook.
Source: ACTION FOR HAPPINESS 
http://www.actionforhappiness.org/take-action/be-positive-but-stay-realistic
By thinking of those lines, I think of God singing this lyric to all of His Children who hesitate to believe how much God loves us and how many times He has tried to show us and most of us live with rose colored glasses on trusting in ourselves only and not giving God the credit for all of the good things in our lives. John Conlee didn’t have this idea in his mind but doesn’t it fit for any of us who refuse to take off the rose colored glasses of life which distort the truth and take us down paths we don’t need to go? I am thankful for pulling off those rose colored glasses and seeing, believing, and trusting in God’s truth. I can now see how many times GOD tried to show me how much He loves me and you.

Today, I dived into the deeper thought by the message itself, but I leave you with this thought. God’s love is deeper than any ocean, wider than any river, and higher than any mountain and is everlasting!

DAILY FEATURED BIBLE VERSE:
1 Peter 3:3-4                

Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear— but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious.

(c) copyright 2012-2016 Arline Lott Miller. The material here copyrighted, use only by permission. All third party reference is sourced to original post.

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