Thats just who you are:

Yesterday Denise and I had to run a few errands. We stopped and filled up with gas, hey what’s up, gas price up 13 cents in two days. I thought the price per barrel had drifted back down over the past few weeks. Anyways, second stop Costco, with a family of five we buy in bulk.

Last stop was the grocery store for some misc. items. As we entered the check outline Denise looked down and saw an envelope, she bent over picked it up and noticed it was filled with a large number of bills; a $50.00 was on top. Without hesitation she asked the clerk who was just here, he replied a lady with a red coat. Denise showed him the envelope and he reached for it as did two other store employees’ that over heard the brief conversation. They insisted they would” take care of it”.

At this point Denise declined the offer and immediately sprinted out the front door with one employee following closely behind. She spotted the lady with the red coat, of course she had parked in the last spot from the store, makes me wonder if that was some help from above. Had she parked closer, most likely she would have driven away before Denise was able to reach her.

Driving home we chatted about what had just occurred. She has tremendous instincts and believes and follows them. She said the three store employees were just too anxious to relieve her of the envelope with the cash. She said at that moment, she knew she would find the rightful owner and insure she got her cash back. Not to say the employees wouldn’t have, they did seem more interested in the cash than finding the red coated lady. We have no idea how much cash was in the envelope, doesn’t really matter. Denise estimated the ladies age in the mid 70’s. Most likely the cash was her monthly social security or retirement pension.

I looked at her, felt the thrill of gratitude, smiled and said “that’s just who you are”.



Jim

Being grateful comes from a life choice and a life event

Last week was a only 7 days just like any other week of the year. Saturday we went to friends home for a pot luck dinner... Great food awesome people...it was enjoyable and the air was filled with excitement. We all share a passion in a networking home based business, so you can imagine the different personalities and the fun we have. We have not seen each other in a few months being busy with family, life, business, and preparing for the holidays. Shared stories of life experiences, and future goals and plans are often the topic of conversation. A refreshing change from the media. On our drive home we discussed how we have been blessed with such great friends and a business we love. Gratitude puts you in a mind frame of peaceful bliss and appreciation. Arriving home spending a few minutes with family Jim watches some television and I am off mediate a few minutes in gratitude to GOD for HIS love and all my blessings.
Favorite time to wake up for me is around 5:30 am. I enjoy starting my day with readings from the Bible and also encouraging books. On this morning as I was getting up my cell phone rang, it was one of my sons. This is Sunday morning at 5:30 ish AM... he must be just getting ready to go to sleep !!! it still Saturday night for him !!! Answering the phone, as soon as he said Mom, I knew was something not right. He had been at a birthday party which continued and carried over to the casino. He was walking out to his vehicle as he approached his vehicle two women who had also been leaving said "Hey you dropped something" he turned to look around then he felt a man behind him with something cold and hard pressed against his head. Saying do not turn around, do not move he reached in his pocket took his money and fled in a waiting car. After contacting security and making a report. He was on his way home and he called. At that moment all emotions were on over drive he was venting , calm for what just happened. He was now at his home and was going to go to bed. Repeating and truly feeling Thankful to God he was not harmed, I was grateful, yet I could not shake the mixed emotions I was having... How violated, angry, fearful, and yet grateful it was not worse. This is normally a time for me to reflect and anticipate my day. Filled with Glory to God and encouraging words of wisdom from authors such as Dani Johnson, Wayne Dyer, Tony Robbins to name a few. So it hits me that when times are going great I consider it a Blessings and I am in appreciation. When times are not going great I ask for strength, guidance and wisdom from the lesson. When something happens to us personally we all deal with it in our own way. Yet when something happens to someone we love, and when that someone is your child who came through you... well it is as I am sure most would agree feelings of anything but "GODLY" towards the offender. Does not matter that they are full grown adults!!! I began to pray for the person who robbed my son at gun point... yet it was not a honest heart felt thought. I then thought what is happening here, what is the greater GOoD here? He was not hurt, and the $1,000.00 although it is a lot of money can be replaced. I was grateful and knew it was a blessing he was unharmed.
The morning continued on ... Family gets up, I tell his sisters about what happened. after the natural questions they both say "Thank GOD he was not hurt." We had plans to go and spend the day with Jim's parents, this would be our Christmas supper. They are 90 and 84, the drive is almost 2 hours listening to Dani Johnson on CD still the thoughts creep in. We spend time talking with parents about they days gone by, seeing the excitiment and pride of sharing time with thier number one son, yet the thoughts kept coming to me about the early phone call. Like a nagging little thought that will not leave. Taking away from this days purpose... I take note of it yet it still naggs...
During supper my son calls me saying He is fine, he is over it nothing can be done about it, he was not hurt so he is just letting it go It is what it is, he then went on to say he does remember paying for drinks and pulling out his money, not being aware of his surroundings. The casino is not a place of high morals or ethics not assuming the guilt, or being judgmental, yet not being of victim mind set. He has heard of others who have been robbed there before.
This brought me to realize that when bad things happen, that is just what they are bad things. Yet reliving it over and over in our minds robs us over and over... I am truly grateful for GODS love and all of HIS Blessings in my life... Now when I share this story with anyone it will be for the benefit of beware, and if something feels wrong LISTEN to your intuition... and always be in Gratitude. Being grateful comes from a life choice and a life event...