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Spiritual but NOT Religious

Posted on by serenitisparkles

 

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A religion is an organized collection of beliefs, cultural systems, and world views that relate humanity to an order of existence.  When you are part of a religious group, you are a part of a group of people with collective practices and beliefs.  But how can one be spiritual, but not religious?

Religion is a faith based organization that has been used interchangeably with the words faith, belief system, and set of duties.  Spirituality is still undefined, but the overall perception of the word, is a process of re-formation which aims to recover the original shape of man, the image of God.”  So how do they differ?

I believe that people who are religious feel as if they know and understand their God.  Religious followers are in constant practice of following the guidelines set by their Holy Scriptures.  On the other hand, people who are spiritual have yet to know the image of God, and therefore are in constant pursuit of understanding the meaning of life and the higher purpose.  Spiritual people don’t have one collective scripture, and they don’t have any specific belief system.  Spirituality is defined solely by the individual who is spiritual.

Though religious people may be spiritual, people that are spiritual but not religious will have a different view on finding God.  They will not look to their ministry or structure of a religion for divine advice, rather they will search within themselves and nature to define what feels right about their actions and existence.

God exists in both types of people, but one has more of a perception of their God.  I believe that everyone has a right to their own personal belief system.  If what feels right to someone is to be spiritual yet practice no religion, then that is what is right for them.  The one thing I do know about this world, is that we all come from different places and we all have to listen to what is moral within us.  Religion can be very powerful and Spirituality can be as well.  The one thing they have in common is that they are both trying to get closer to God

The Opportunity of Life

Posted on by serenitisparkles

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I often look back at the life I have lived and wonder why I was not yet taken from this world.  I was not one to stay on the safe side and there were plenty of opportunities in my past where death could have become me.  But, for some reason, I am able to sit here and type these words.  I have witnessed loved ones pass away, however, I continue to grow and live on.  I’m sure everyone has witnessed a story, much like there own, where the outcome for the other person was death.  Car accidents, illness, and violence are things that can happen to all of us.  Some of us are still here, and others not.  So why am I still here?  Why do I get the chance to feel one more day?  I realize that the answer is very simple.

LIFE HAS GIVEN ME AN OPPORTUNITY.  Everyday that I am breathing I have the opportunity to play a part and create my story.  I have the ability to experience the most beautiful moments that life has to offer.  I have the opportunity to chase a dream, to love someone, to fear something, and most of all, to inspire someone.

So why do so many people live under the dark cloud of negativity? Why do so many never take chances and wait on death?  It is as if some people know the end is coming and make the decision to stop living because it’s over anyway.

But it’s not over.  As long as you are here on this remarkable planet, living in this incredible moment, you should have hope.  Life gives us the opportunity that so many have lost.  We have the opportunity to enhance who we are and what mark we will leave on this world.  Life is the most important opportunity in our existence, for without it, we can no longer experience.

Being witness to so many young people, my peers, who have passed on, makes me appreciate my moment that much more.  There was once a friend that I went to school with.  We were born on the same day, the same year, at the same hospital.  We grew up and went to the same school.  He is gone and I am here.  I can’t answer why, all I can do is become the best ME that I can be.

My message for everyone who has the ability to read these words, is, never stop LIVING.  Never believe that it is over for you, because as long as you can breathe you can change and thrive.  If there is ever a moment you feel as if the world is to heavy to bare, remember that if tomorrow comes and time passes, things will balance once again.  If you feel depressed about your life, realize there is someone who never got another chance.  Understand that there are people who are now faint memories, but you are here and real.  Life is our greatest possibility, so don’t be afraid to ROLL THE DICE.

Generation Overstimulation

Posted on by serenitisparkles

 

overstimulation.jpegJust as I grab my computer because I came upon a thought that moved me, I realized I cannot stop thinking.  Have you ever wondered how it was when computers were not in existence and the internet was something of the imagination?  Did you ever stop and think that there was once a time when people sat still and took in the moment?  What that must’ve been like.  To be disconnected and at peace with one thought and one focus.  Imagine not thinking about the Facebook status updates, or the need to take a picture and share it.  Imagine not having every show and movie that you love at the click of your finger.  How could we all have survived without those video and computer games and apps?  The question is not HOW we survived, but what was in like LIVING IN THAT MOMENT.

When I think of technology I don’t simply think of the computer screen I glare at or the newest iPhone.  I also tend to think of the not so obvious but vital advancements.  Had technology not been there, my glasses and contacts would not be a part of my daily life, which in return would mean that I couldn’t be watching my life in 20/20 vision.  I think about my mother who was able to fight cancer because of the treatments and advancements.  I also think about my grandparents who are in their eighties and able to live life as healthy active human beings.

Let’s break it down even further so that we can see this point of view clearly.  Is technology the cause of our overstimulation or is it something even more enticing?   With technology came the internet and with the internet came SOCIAL MEDIA.  Social media would in turn be the most addictive and overzealous happening of our generation.  Social media would be the one source that we as people would become consumed.  Social media, whether we are updating our status, showing off a new picture, blogging our opinions, or sharing videos about our lives, has become an accessory to who we are.

Like every addiction, there is a point where we should learn how to live without it, or it will become us.  Social media should be a piece of technology with which we have access, just maybe not so much.  On one hand, it allows us to share memories with people we may never get to see again, it allows us to be a part of the lives of the people we love most, even when we can’t share the same space.  But on the other hand, it takes from us, the most precious thing we have.  Time is what we are given.  It may be a small amount or a hundred years.  That we aren’t sure of.  As I type these words, I am living in this moment with time on my side.  Because I know this, I have not much more to say.  I will leave you with this; Playing with my daughter for 30 minutes and watching her become a brilliant person, or continuing to write, connected to this world wide web……  Goodbye EVERYONE!

Time is our most valuable resource…

Posted on by serenitisparkles

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If I lose a dollar, I can replace it with another, but, If I lose an hour of time, I will NEVER get that hour back.  My father once said to me, “I’ll sleep when I die.”  This was a man who woke up every morning at sunrise and didn’t go to sleep until 1 or 2 in the morning.  He couldn’t have been more right.  Today, that same man is asleep forever, may he rest in peace.

Watching so closely the full cycle of life, from my daughter being born to my father’s untimely death,  has taught me a crucial lesson.  Time is my most valuable resource.  Every moment of each day is an opportunity.  It can be an opportunity to share time with a loved one, an opportunity to write, an opportunity to take a chance, and the most beautiful fact is that every moment is an OPPORTUNITY.

Many of us live in the past, or look to the future.  How many of us actually live in the NOW?  Since my father’s passing I try to ALWAYS live in the present.  I am constantly asking myself, am I happy with my moment right now.  If I am not, then I quickly adjust myself to think positively and change course.  I do not know many things, but what I am definite of is that this is my moment.  My life span could last another 50 years, or 50 seconds, but what I choose to do with my moment is vital to my quality of life.

When we fail to look around us and bask in our present, we fail to see the beauty of living.  Life is a gift.  No matter how many times we fall short, we are alive.  We have something that is so precious.  We have something that for all of us, will run out.  So when you wake up in the morning, appreciate and utilize the time you are given because it will be gone before you know it.

The Lady Bug and Destiny’s Window

Posted on by serenitisparkles

 

 

The Lady Bug and Destinys Window.jpgInspiration is an acquired energy brought about by the visualization of hope.  I look for inspiration in every move I make.  Inspiration, I’m sure for many of us, is a necessary component of our existence on this planet.  Because of that I am here to tell you the story about “The Lady Bug and Destiny’s Window”.

As the world spins faster everyday and distraction is all around us, I still try to take moments of silence where I take in and observe the world around me.  Today, I watched a Lady Bug.

Trapped inside of my room was a lady bug crawling up and down my wall.  The Lady Bug caught my attention because it was going up, down, left, right and making circles on the wall next to my window.  It was so close, just inches away from a very small opening in my screen.  As it went back and forth, I started to imagine human kind.  Many of us everyday are searching for that window opening so that we can be where we are destined to be, but we fail to find it.  Some of us, stop looking as time goes on and we keep hitting dead ends.  But, some of us, like the lady bug, keep trying.  We go this way in life and then switch directions, we take chances that we never would before, searching for that opening.  Like the lady bug, we know it’s there, maybe we even feel close to it, but we too keep bumping into the wall.

So I continued to visualize people moving as this lady bug moved, and then there it was.  The lady bug, after hundreds of attempts to find it, got out of the window.  It was truly blind faith and just passion for it’s purpose that kept the lady bug going.  We can all learn from this moment through Destiny’s window.  The opening is there, but if we stop, if we get discouraged, we will not find it.  However, if we keep searching and follow our instinct and our passion, we are sure to get there soon enough.  Never give up and let the Lady Bug and Destiny’s Window inspire you daily to keep going.

Dad Your Death Saved My LIFE

Posted on by serenitisparkles

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Dear Dad,

You left me 12 years ago when your battle with Liver Cancer ended. The funny part is that, though I miss you, I feel you never missed a moment. I’ve always wondered when I would write you this letter, and as life went on and I gained more wisdom, I know that NOW is that moment. Our connection was deeper than life, it was more than love, if you could imagine. It was something out of storybooks. Like when you would tell me to close my eyes and think of myself in a field with butterflies while the sun shined down upon me, or how you would not let a day go by without telling me you were proud of me, you were preparing me. Something in you told you that life was not promised and that same something allowed you to live your life as if you were dying. You cherished moments, you held on tight, and you listened to the sound of your children’s voice. You never took it for granted. You were the strongest person I knew and even when the doctors told you that you had two months to live, you told me you would be OK. As I watched the illness take hold of your life, and I watched you LIVE like you were dying, it killed me. To watch you play with your one year old daughter, as you nodded out due to the heavy doses of chemotherapy, I was heartbroken. Yet you still gave it everything you had.

You went to baseball games bundled up and on the sidelines because you were too weak to coach, or you would do grocery shopping and cut coupons because it was all you could do, you inspired me. I held onto you, knowing the hugs would soon end, and it destroyed me. And the day you died, I died, and then, I was reborn. Your death saved my life. I no longer took anything for granted and time was so important. A conversation would become an experience, and a hug from me to my daughter would last my lifetime. I learned what this life was. It was an opportunity to love and to give of yourself so that people would be inspired. Every moment that I was scared or alone, I knew what you would say, I felt your hug and it made everything OK. I am strong because you were fearless. You stared death in the face and smiled. You were strong in your death, how could I be weak in my life? I cannot thank you enough for your courage and your message. These bodies that we have, are temporary, but the energy we leave behind can last beyond time. Your death saved my life, it became my strength, and most of all it gave me the courage that I will one day need, to face MY final moment. Because of you, I live a life full of butterflies and sunshine. I leave a trail of inspiration in hopes that I can help others live. Be thankful for each breath, and remember that there are many that can’t breathe anymore.

IN LOVING MEMORY OF ROBERT LOUIS GARNDER, I KNOW YOU ARE SMILING FROM HEAVEN.

The Way a Boss Should Care; Welcome to Buenos Dias Cafe.

Posted on by serenitisparkles

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As an employee in the hospitality industry for over 10 years, with experience from coast to coast, I thought I’d seen it all.  That is, until I met Ken & Jeannette of Buenos Dias Cafe in downtown Atlanta.  My years of working in this industry had taught me a lot about people, but more specifically it taught me about an ever growing trend of high employment turnovers and mismanagement.   Too often, employers are so focused on their bottom line and the revolving door of the this industry that they forget that everyone has a story.  A dishwasher may be the low man on the totem pole but their worth is still the same as any other.  Their struggle and work ethic could even be greater than any other employee.  But how would you know, if you never chose to care.  Employers in this industry have become so out of touch with their employees because they are inundated with young people figuring out their lives, still new to the job market, and applications piling up.  They tend to treat employees like they are a dime a dozen and easily replaceable.  Yet, even if that were true, when a person gives a year of their life to a company, don’t you believe thats worth something.    I have been punished in the past for choosing my daughters well being over my job.  I often felt trapped between my job and my most important responsibilities.  Most of my employers have, in a nice way said, figure it out or we’ll find another.   But the day I walked into Buenos Dias Cafe and met Ken and Jeannette, this opinion that I’ve had would change forever.  All most of us want is appreciation.  As a single mother with little to no childcare, I was searching for an opportunity.  I had all the experience to run every aspect of a restaurant but very few employers in the industry that would work with my schedule.  I brought my daughter with me to the interview, nervous because my past experience was that she was considered a “burden” to my prospective employers and I wasn’t at all prepared for their reaction.   Not only did they welcome me and my daughter with open arms as well as feed her while I interviewed, they were excited to use my skills WHEN I was available to work.   They told me not to work when she was not in school as it would be hard to find affordable childcare.   They reassured me that she came first and that they wanted to build WITH me.  I was amazed.  After working there for about a week, I realized I wasn’t the only one they cared about like this.  Ken and Jeanette have a staff of 75% college students with which they accommodate all of their school schedules.  They stay on top of their staff, not so much with work related stuff,  but making sure they got to class on time or ate before they left.  They allow their students to do 2 hour shifts in between classes so they can earn money while in school.  They hired a dishwasher who was living in a shelter who deserved a chance.  Everyday that he comes in, Ken asks him if he wants a cup of coffee and Jeannette makes sure he has food to take with him when he leaves.  It’s less about the bottom line and more about taking care of the people that show up for them everyday.  They are the true testament to what the corporate world is missing.  They have an 80% customer retention and everyone that enters feels at home.   As a result they are growing and expanding while others around them are closing their doors.  If more employers cared like Ken and Jeannette, this world and the people in it would live a better quality of life.  Come see for yourself and support the good in the world.  Buenos Dias Cafe, Located at 30 Decatur St SE, Atlanta, GA 30303.

Sereniti Sparkles

Posted on by serenitisparkles

 

I always felt like death was a part of me and that is why life had so much meaning.  They say it is morbid to think about death everyday, but I have found it to be necessary.

When we are young, death doesn’t seem to cross our mind.  Sure, we may have seen loved ones pass, but for us as the youthful, we still feel untouchable.

However, when you wake up, thinking that this could be the last day of your life, you enter it with a purpose.

If this was the last day of your life, think of what you would accomplish and how much energy you would give it.  When you looked at the people who mattered, you look at them with your eyes wide open.

After someone passes, there are many people left behind, wishing they had had that conversation.  Wishing they had left them with an “I love you”, rather than “see you later”.  Your hugs would be tighter, your words more potent, and your heart would be focused on what was most important to YOU.

As I get older and take in all of my past experiences, I start each day with a moment of thanks and think to myself, what if it were my last?

Therefore, the purpose of my life is to leave a mark, or as I like to call it a SPARKLE.  Be like the brightest star and leave the impact of beauty that can inspire even the darkest of souls.

A True Love Story

Posted on by serenitisparkles

 

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It was never just Ma. Where there was Ma, Pa was always close by. You don’t realize the power of love, until you live through it with time. For every kiss goodnight, the heart grows fonder. Memories are shared, moments created. I can honestly say that in my 33 years on this earth, I’ve never seen a love story quite like Ma and Pa.

There was once a little girl named Nancy Lee, and a boy named Ken Wright and fate brought them together. Their union brought many people into this world, but also a lesson of true love.

You can’t fake, TRUE love because it’s never the same.

Ma and Pa had that kind of magic. As I grew from childhood to adulthood, I remember very key facts about their relationship.

1. Ma was the boss, or else Pa let her think so, but when it meant something to Pa, Ma followed his lead.
2. Ma nurtured Pa throughout life by making sure he was always ok, and Pa effortlessly gave Ma the attention she yearned for. (Ma was his Queen, in the truest sense of the word, and he was her king.)
3. I don’t think I ever saw them let a day go by without saying I love you.
4. Pa enjoyed Ma’s crazy, or as I like to call it, Sparkle.
5. And when it was important to one, it was important to the other.

This list seems short and simple, but time is the true test.

From the moment I knew Ma and Pa, I knew that they were my grandparents, their home was my home, their love was always with me.  It wasn’t just me that was a part of Ma and Pa’s legacy.  Any beautiful soul that entered their home, broken or unbroken, was welcomed as part of the family and we ALL called them, Ma and Pa.

The most amazing part about it all was they did it together.

I remember going to their consignment shop and while Ma and I worked the front, Pa was always in the back bringing some piece of furniture back to life.

Sleepovers at their house were most likely an event with kids and friends stopping by. And every night like clockwork, Pa would walk over to Ma and kiss her forehead to say “I love you baby”.

Recently, Pa became ill and started to descend from this earth. Ma had to face the idea of life without Pa for the first time in over 60 years. As she sat by his hospice bed and sang him their song, tears flowed. He could barely speak but she could still feel his energy. He held on, always reassuring her that he was ok.

That kind of magic leaves a footprint on your soul. It reaffirms that love is the most powerful feeling of all, and to watch it grow is even more powerful. So thank you, Ma and Pa for teaching many generations HOW TO LOVE.

 

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I’m loving memory of my Pa, may his soul always stay close to Nancy Lee ❤️

For The LOVE Of Colors

Posted on by serenitisparkles

For the Love of Colors…

Picture yourself in a world shaded in black and white.  Who would really want to live there?  There would be no blue sky, no breathtaking sunset, and no true picture of what beauty really is.  We would never experience the boldest red or the calmest green.  And then there are the shades of brown to beige that we seem to have the biggest problem with.  I may be a light mix of pink and beige and you may be a mix of mocha and chocolate, but I bet we both can appreciate the various colors of the sunset in our evening’s sky.  So why should we question the beauty within one another?  We are born to love, that, we can agree on.  Our babies born into this world bring nothing but our creator’s love.  Yes, they should learn from us, but most importantly we should learn from them.  They have the gift of viewing every color and every spirit as beautiful and full of hope.

Hate and Prejudice was founded by people with a lower understanding of life and love.  Yet, many of us will follow suit as if we know no better.  Experience is what will fill the void between each color of human.  Experiencing that they are innately like you.  Understanding that their tears fall like yours, and that their pain is human pain.  In this day and age we are smarter, more informed, as well as more affected.  We should be breaking the ignorance with facts and bare human decency.  Treat others as you would want to be treated.  Its very simple and taught to you before you could speak.  Take a moment and watch the children of this world, and be inspired.