Add value to your day with this heart to heart

How can I add value to your day with this heart to heart post?

My passion is to connect with you and make a difference… add value to your day. I like to do this with words and pictures.

Here’s how:

Mesmerizing images to brighten your day
Encouraging, value-giving, peace-filled words
Funny pictures and/or quotes
Honest-from-the-heart posts, including stories to delight you
Shared joy in the journey

In the summer of 1986, two ships collided in the Black Sea, and hundreds of passengers died as they were hurled into the icy waters.

News of the disaster was further darkened when an investigation revealed the cause of the accident to be human stubbornness.

Each captain was aware of the other ship’s presence and each was too proud to be the first to yield.

Pride gets in the way of good intentions!

In your life journey, are you aware of those around you?

Watch out for the other hearts that are cruising along the sea of life,

and love the way you want to be loved.

~from Turning Points, by David Jeremiah

Wow! What a good illustration of our colossal responsibility to love, care for, and be there for others.

⇒ So, come along with me and see what value I have for you today. 🙂 ⇐

I’m a HEB! 😮 What’s that, you ask?

Leaves wearing their colorful fall jackets

Homemaker

I am a full-time homemaker and love it.

If you have seen my GET TO KNOW ME page, you know my husband is Rick. He works long, hard, very physical hours, getting up at 2 or 3 a.m. on weekdays and not getting home until 5:30-6:30 p.m.

Since he works so long and hard, I feel it’s my place to do almost everything else to keep our home/yard running smoothly. A daily schedule keeps me on track. 🙂

The early bird gets the worm… or, in this case, the coffee!

I get up early for exercise and QC (quiet time and coffee, which is quality control!). 😉

Bouncing on a rebounder, hanging like a bat on an inversion table, and stretching and planking make me feel strong and healthy daily.

Then it’s on to the coffee and Bible/devotion reading and prayer journaling.

After filling up on coffee and refreshing my spirit, I start out with “everyday tidying up,” you know, getting things in order. My day-specific jobs come next.

Order and routine are what make me tick, and I get a bunch accomplished this way.

I usually walk sometime during the day, but morning’s my favorite time to go. (Morning is my favorite time to do everything!)

Other than trying to keep my home/yard/life in order, I like being at home so I’m available to help neighbors, family, and friends in need. ♥

Me and Annie happily crunching through the leaves

Encourager

This is probably my favorite part of being a HEB. I get to try and add value to your day.

Don’t get me wrong, I love keeping an orderly home and blogging. But, you know what?

There are so many wonderful ways to encourage: invite someone over to my home and share stories, mail a “real” card through snail mail, send a “good morning text,” through this blog, be friendly to a stranger, or make a point to acknowledge everyone even if it’s just with a smile.

Life is hard, demanding, and sad sometimes.

We all appreciate someone who takes the time to see us, to hear us. Doesn’t that make us feel valued? Speaking of which, let me share a part of a devotion I read recently.

“Does anyone really listen anymore? Listening intently with one’s mouth firmly shut is an elusive grace.

Not being heard in relationships is equal to not being valued.

…the highest priority with each other should be the willingness to listen.”

~ from Turning Points

For me, not being valued is a biggie.

I had a somewhat rough childhood. My parents divorced before I turned 5, and I don’t really remember being held, cuddled, or made to feel secure and taken care of.

Also, at the tragically sensitive age of 13, I was crushed emotionally because my best friend could no longer hang out with me.

(Long story, maybe another time.)

I didn’t feel special or truly loved very often and because of it, I usually felt like a little mouse, unnoticed, and not worth anything.

So when people acknowledge me with a smile or are friendly, I don’t feel invisible. That feels good.

I want to share love and value with others because I know what it’s like to not feel those things.

Many years ago, before I became a believer, I came to this conclusion: What really matters is people and our relationships with them. This is so true, and I’m realizing it more all the time.

It’s basically the gospel when you add God into the mix: Love the Lord your God….and others (your neighbor) as yourself. 🙂 Luke 10:27 paraphrased

Trail Ridge Road, Rocky Mountain Nat’l Park, CO

Blogger

I don’t need to explain this one much because you are reading my blog! 🙂 Thanks!

I get so excited when I can spend hours at the computer crafting my posts with heartfelt, healing words and beauty-infused photos.

The very reason I blog is to encourage or bring value through those words and pictures; basically, to help you live out Philippians 4:8:

“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think about such things!”