HOLIDAYS

April 24,2012

       Holidays, one after the other celebrated once a year, but why only once a year?  These are my thoughts and feelings why we should always celebrate, everyday is a gift from GOD! This is the day the LORD has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it. (PSA 118-24)  

        Christmas, shouldn't we love, give, be merry and celebrate Jesus birthday all year long?  Not just for that day?  The rest of the year are we loving and giving toward each other? Yes you say? Until someone crosses in front of you, or your loved one forgot to stop at the store to pick up bread, or your child has an accident, do we stay calm and loving or do we lose it and let the other person know how wrong they  are and how unfair it all is. I can only answer for myself and I know that no matter how hard I try I do lose it at times!

         Easter do we thank and praise GOD for sending his only son to save us?  We serve an AMAZING GOD and he should be thanked and praised everyday no matter what!!!  Again as hard as we try to do this we do fall short sometimes, But GOD loves us and he will not forsake us.

           Thanksgiving, now here's a wonderful holiday family, friends, good food we are very thankful for all that GOD has supplied for us, and we say so at the dinner table.  The rest of the year are we still thankful or do we complain about everything. Just saying...

             Mother's Day we should celebrate Mom everyday not just once a year, after all she gave us life! (Something she doesn't let you forget easily ).  Father's Day good old dad we love you all the time, not just on that day!

                I think that there is a holiday that everybody would like to celebrate all the time; New Year's Eve who wouldn't like to party all the time!!!!  JUST SAYING............BE BLESSED!

MUST SEE MOVIES!

April 19, 2012


               FACING THE GIANTS

            Produced in 2006 by Sherwood Baptist Church of Albany Georgia.

        I recently had the fortune to see this movie (thank you Bobbi).  It is an inspirational movie for the whole family it touched the life of many including mine!  I will not tell you anything about the plot, because I want you to see it and experience the full affect.  Everyday everyone of us faces some kind of giant in our life and we feel fear, but we have to fight back the fear with GOD's Word "For GOD did not give us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of sound mind. (2TIM 1-7)  When we face a giant we have to speak the Word to it and watch it became a speck of sand.  Let the peace of GOD enter our hearts!

          Praise GOD no matter what and keep the faith that under GOD's guidance nothing is impossible!

                     

                      The Lord is my Rock and my fortress and my deliver. (2SAM 22-2)

                      The Lord lives!  Blessed be my Rock!  Let GOD be exalted the Rock 

                      of my salvation. (2SAM 22-47)

          The other movie is Fireproof a must see for all couples.  We all know how hard it is to be in a relationship we as humans are not perfect.  Invite GOD into your relationship and he will guide you in all your steps!  BE BLESSED!!!

   

               

                           

CHILDREN ARE OUR FUTURE!

April 17, 2012

       Watching my grandson Mario practicing his Karate movements leads me to see the sweet innocence of youth so trusting and so eager to learn.  Their energy and capacity for learning and playing is unlimited.  They are not afraid to follow, so that someday they can be leaders!  Children are like bumble bees: they don't know that their wings are too small for them to fly: so they fly!

          Children have a zest for life don't take that away from them by subjecting them to sadness and limitations, keep a positive attitude  and always tell them that they can be anything they desire to be!  The world is open to them and there's nothing they can't accomplish in their lives if they put their mind and heart to it!

                My granddaughter a teenager!  I have watched Keila grow from a baby, to a toddler, to a little girl, and now to a beautiful young lady! I'm very proud of her and what she has accomplished so far.

                  Watching them grow up is a joy in my life that I wouldn't want to miss.  The memories are priceless, the joy is immeasurable!

            Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me.  (MAT 18-5)

                  

GOD SAID.......

April 16, 2012


                           Ask in faith and it will be giving to you.
                                All the treasure of the Universe.
                           I have stored for you my child.
                                In your heart you will find the
                                            ANSWER!

                           Knock in faith and it will be open to you.
                                 I have the key to the Universe.
                           Everything you need you already have.
                                 In your heart you will find the
                                             ANSWER!

                           Seek in faith and you shall find.
                                All the treasure I have promised you.
                           They are there for you: Love, Joy, Peace.
                                 In your heart you will find the
                                             ANSWER!

                           For that is where I live my child.
                                 I am with you always.
                           I will never forsake you!
                                 GOD is Truth, GOD is Love and...
                           In your heart you will always find the
                                            ANSWER!


    I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. (2 Tim 4-7)

    For indeed , the kingdom of GOD is within you. (Luk 17-21)
                               

                               

I KNOW THESE THINGS TO BE TRUE!

April 13, 2012

       GOD never gives us more than we can handle.  What HE gives us makes us stronger and wiser so that we can help the people that come into our life.  We all have a mission in this life, whether we fulfill that mission or not is up to us. 

        GOD always answers our prayers.  At times we don't think HE does because we don't get what we pray for or we don't get it right away, so we try to make it happen on our own, and we all know how that turns out to be.  Understand that sometimes we don't get what we pray for because we're not ready for it or GOD has something better for us.  We just have to wait HIS time is not our time!

                                      For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD,

                                      thoughts of peace and not of evil , to give you a future and a  

                                      hope.  (Jr 29-11)
                

          GOD always forgives our sins.  We accept HIM into our life and ask for forgiveness and we are forgiven.  Sometimes we find it hard to forgive ourselves, or forget the wrong that has been done to us, but if GOD is able to forgive us, how can we not forgive them!

                                      If we confess our sins, HE is faithful and just to forgive us our 

                                     sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 Jno 1-9)

             Faith moves mountains and all things became possible!!!  BE BLESSED!

                                      For assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed,
                                      you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it
                                      will move; and nothing will be impossible to you. (Mt 17-20)

AFFIRMATIONS

April 13, 2012


       Thoughts are powerful make them work for you not against you!

       Control your mind change your life!

       Put a clear picture of your desires in your mind and heart and go for it!
     
       Believing will show you the way. Trust will get you there.  Faith will open the door!

       As you think so you are!

       Give. Get. Repeat!

       Your dreams come with the power to make them come true!

       Reach for the sky and beyond don't let anything stop you!

       Love, prayer and laughter are GOD's gifts to us!

      Don't worry GOD'S got this.....and more!

      Your smile can make someone's day!

                              Ask and you'll receive

                              Seek and you'll shall find

                              Knock and it will be opened to you   ( Mat 7-7)
   

      Notice the acronym of this bible verse is ASK.  It all starts with our asking GOD for what is in our heart.  The next verse (Mat 7-8) says:" For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened."  BE BLESSED!

STARTING A BUSINESS

April 11, 2012

        As I said before I asked GOD for help.  I joined Al-Anon and I got the help that I needed, day by day I felt better about myself.  It was not a fast fix I had to work at it all the time and still do.  One day I was again sitting at my kitchen table (that's where I meet with GOD) and I asked HIM how do I support 4 child

and myself  the job I had was not enough this is the conversation that followed:

                              

                                       GOD: start your own business

                                       ME WHAT!!!

                                       GOD: you can do it

                                       ME: WHAT! HOW!

                                       GOD: you can figure it out

            Well I was very new at this talking to GOD thing and actually getting an answer, so if he said I could do it I had to trust and believe that I could it was not easy but I started to think what could I do!  An idea came to me (now I think it came from GOD) put an ad in the paper for domestic cleaning. I  put an ad in the paper for a month. the first few weeks nothing happened I was getting nervous!  On the last week that my ad was running I got my first call and from then on the calls and referrals started to come in!  My own business was born the money was excellent the schedule was flexible. I was home when my kids got home from school or if they were sick I could change my schedule around.  GOD IS GOOD AND FAITHFUL!  For 15 years the business grew and it allowed me to support my children and be there for them at the same time.  My kids are adults now so I dissolved that business and now I'm into other exciting things which I will talk about in my next blogs!  BE BLESSED!!!

                                       

                                       

WHAT TO DO........

April 10.2012

        Vacation over back home I had to face reality!  I was still very unsure how to take care of all of us.  This is when I first heard from God because even though I didn't know him personally and I didn't think he knew about me I still believe it in him.  I was sitting at my kitchen table and I asked for his help. He said before I can take of my kids I had to take care of myself wow what a revelation!!!  Living with an alcoholic for so many years had taken its toll on my life I was negative, I had lost my self confidence, and I didn't believe.  I am grateful that part of me still believed in GOD!!!  So sitting at my kitchen table I asked God for help and again he said "before you can take care of the kids you need to take care of yourself"!

         I wasn't sure how to take care of myself I didn't think I had the time or luxury to do that.  In the past someone had mentioned Al-Anon to me but I didn't want to go I didn't think I needed it thinking back now I wish I had gone sooner.  When I finally walked into one of their meetings I was nervous but somehow I knew I was in the right place. At first I was very quite but I listened and I learned even more when I finally really joined in the sharing.  Al-Anon taught me so much but the 3 most important things I learned was:

                         1) Let go and Let GOD

                         2)You can't change someone unless they want to change.

                         3)You can only change yourself

          Al-Anon was the road to my recovery because even though I was not an alcoholic my life was tremendously affected by it.  I also started to know God in a more personal way. I had a bible but I never read it, I didn't know how to read it I'm ashamed to say.  Slowly I started to teach myself how to read it and the comfort I found in those verses was very therapeutic......and so I started my walk with GOD!

          Al-Anon  1-888-4AL-ANON   (1-888-425-2666)

         

       

                          

GETTING AWAY FROM IT ALL!!!

April 10. 2012

      After the separation I felt sad and I was stressing about the future.  I needed to get away so I decided to take a month off and go visit my parents in Italy (imagine travel 7 hours on a plane with 4 children)  The kids were very excited and so was I.  The chance to show my kids were I came from, where I went to school, and where I played was priceless!  We started making plans, we took pictures for the passport, we got our tickets, we packed our suitcases and we were off on this great adventure!!!  We left in July of 1995, flying was an experience Stephanie and Jessica sat together Stephanie was very excited Jessica too but she was also very scared and almost broke her sister's hand when it was time for take off. The two young one Kellie and David sat with me. Kellie was feeling a combination of excitement and fright, David was too young to really understand he was almost 3 actually he turned 3 while we were there!

        We landed in Rome and from there we switched to a smaller plane and landed in Catania Sicily.  It took awhile for the kids to get used to the change.  The biggest change being that over there everything stops in the afternoon all stores are closed everybody comes home to a big lunch and then everybody relaxes.  Everything would come alive again around 5 or 6.  It was hard for my kids to understand, they liked to sleep late but when they were ready to go out everything was closed.  With all that my oldest  daughter Stephanie managed to get a boyfriend and made many new friends.  The kids did miss certain things from home like their friends and favorite foods that we couldn't get there.  They still remember the huge black roaches and the bats that used to come out at night.  My son was fascinated by skunks so we used to keep him occupied on long trips by telling him to look for skunks. We went to Taormina which is a comune and small town on the east coast of Sicily and we took many trips to the different beaches around,   and my kids met relatives from my side of the family.   It was a very memorable trip and we still talk about it!

                                                                 Modica  Sicily

                                                                   Taormina Sicily

ADDICTIONS

April 7, 2012

         Addictions, dysfunctional, depression, abuse we all know what these words mean.  For some it could be a matter of life or death, for some a matter of getting out from under the influence of what these actions could do to a person before it turns into a matter of life or death.  We know now that any kind of addiction is a disease, and we have clinics available for treatment of alcohol, drugs, gambling, food sex and so on......

          Addiction does not care if you are young or old, man or woman, or even if you are rich or poor. It strikes and destroys  anyone!  There is treatment for addictions but no cure, only you can fight it with the help of your Higher Power, fight to stay clean fight for your life!  There's no such thing as just one drink or just one fix because that one drink or that one fix will bring you back to the hell that your life was when you were feeding your addiction.

            I never knew about addiction until I found myself living with someone who was addicted and that addiction destroyed everything.  Yes, you have to know that an addiction destroys the addict and deeply effects family and friends!!!  I learned that his addiction was not my fault, and that we're all responsible for ourselves, we can't change or control someone's life, but we can change and control our own life yes we can!!! Help is out there find it and start changing and take control of your life.

              No one should live a life of abuse you're a child of GOD and words like "you're useless" You're stupid"  "you're ugly" "you're fat" are not true.  You were created in GOD's image and are a beautiful loving smart human being a child of GOD he loves you and holds you in the palm of his hand.  Our Heavenly Father will always take care of us!!!

STRENGTH....

April 7, 2012

       I can't say that I married young, I didn't I was 24.  I can't say I had children young, I didn't I was 25.  I can say that I was naive about real life.  I married a kind loving man with an addiction to alcohol.  I didn't know anything on that subject, I believed  that he could stop if he wanted to. As time went by I realized that I was wrong.  I didn't know where to get help, so life went on.  He tried to stop many times but he kept going back and each time he went back a piece of my heart would die until there was no more love and trust left.  17 years and 4 children later I realized that nothing was going to change so I made the decision to end the marriage.  

       Sometimes we try to hold on for what we think is the right reasons I thought it was better for my children to have two parents, I was also afraid to be alone and not strong enough to survive. I was wrong on both counts, because all of us were unhappy and suffering and yes I found that I was strong and I could indeed take care of us!  When I thought about it I was alone even when I was married.

        My children witnesses too many discords, pain and unhappiness between me and their father, and for this I am sorry!  That was 17 years ago and since then I've made my children my number 1 priority  I tried to make right the wrongs in our life.  They are all grown up now, but we're still very close, the bond of love between us is very strong and for that I'm very thankful.  I can't say it was easy but it was worth it!  I was there for my children every step of the way and still am, my rewards have been immeasurable my memories precious.  My children have been there for me and still are.  And for this I'm very grateful!  

FIRST LOVE!

APRIL 6,2012

     We all know that you never forget your first love. Its that awaking of your heart the special love that you discover and share with another person all the new feelings that you start to experience and the absolute knowledge that you can't live without this person!!!  I did experience this and it was wonderful I wanted it to last forever the holding hands, the sweet kisses, and the innocent belief that it will last forever.  I will never forget him and I still visit that part of my life in my heart where my first love forever lives, its a sweet peaceful visit it warm my heart. Go back think about your first love how does it make you feel, do you identify with these feelings? Does it still put a smile on your face?  When you hear your special song does your heart still skips a beat?  Well its great to go back there once in a while especially when I'm going through hard times, it reminds me of those care free days and of the love that I was sure I could never live without! 

FIRST KISS

April 4, 2012

     Once I had a very good understanding of the English language things got a little bit easier.  I was able to join in the fun with the other kids, Terry and I spend a lot of time together doing and enjoying what teenage girls like best (make up, clothes...). We discovered boys we had boyfriends I can still remember my first kiss I was so nervous but I like it!  Mike was his name I credit him with giving me my very first kiss!!! It was all a new experience Mike was a year older than me and very cute, he had blond hair blue eyes I can still picture us very clearly.  I'm sure that he had kissed other girls before me because he was not as nervous as I was. I wonder where he is now and if he ever thinks about that first kiss. The other great thing was that I could watch television and actually understand what they were saying.  I remember one show in particular that I really liked and rush home everyday to watch Dark Shadows does anyone remember it?  Tweety Bird was and still his my favorite cartoon how many of you agree with me that they don't make cartoons like that anymore?  We also discovered cigarettes I remember I used to hide them between my books until my mother found them.  I was doing very well in school and I graduated from eight grade with honors I received a big dictionary and many merits for accomplishing so much in 2 years.

WOW I UNDERSTAND!

                           WOW I UNDERSTAND!

  April 4, 2012

           Being 13 years old is hard enough, but being 13 years old and facing a whole new way of life was impossible (so I thought).  I wallowed in self pity and loneliness for a while.  As the days went by nothing much changed, I watched the other kids from afar I was afraid to join in.  Eventually I did make a friend in school, her name was Terry, and even though we didn't understand each other this gave me hope and a will power to learn the language.  The desire to learn became so strong that I learned the language in 9 months, let me say this it was not easy I was studying all the time but I was determined to learn!!!  I still remember the sense of accomplishment I felt when I realizes that I understood what everybody was saying!  My teachers were great I still remember their names, the kids were great too.  Terry was my best friend she was a great help and I don't know what I would have done without her, our friendship became very strong and we were closer then sisters. Sadly she went to be with God last year but I will always remember and love her and be very grateful for our friendship.

MOVING ON.........

                                  MOVING ON...........

March 31, 2012

   My suggestion to parents: any big change in your children life needs to be addressed and acknowledged!  The change that took place in my life changed everything. I didn't have anyone to guide me to help me make choices, I didn't know that I could be anything I wanted to be!  I was raised as Catholic and I did believe in GOD but I didn't have an intimate relationship with him because I didn't know that I could! I knew of GOD but I didn't think he knew about me!  Talk to your children tell them about our awesome GOD and how much he loves each and everyone of us and how he hold us in the palm of his hands! With GOD all things are possible(Mat 19-26) I know now about my awesome GOD and I gave him my life, but it took me years to come to this point in my life, if I knew then what I know now it would all have been different. I'm thankful that I have GOD in my life now and I praise and love him with all my heart!!!

LIFE CHANGING MOVE

                       LIFE CHANGING MOVE




 March 30 2012

My childhood was not ideal. I was born in Italy Sicily (Modica).  When I was 10 years old my dad decided to come to the United Stated to visit his mom, and decided to stay, for 3 years me my mom and my brother lived without my dad.  Three years later we were able to come and join him. I was 13 years old, didn't speak a word of English.  I didn't just feel like I was in a different country, I felt like I was in a different world.  Everyday tears of frustration and hurt would consume me.  The anger against my parents for moving me away from my home and family and my nonna was very strong.  My nonna was a big part of my life, and I didn't know how to fill that void. This effect my relationship with my parents.  My mom was very indifferent about my feelings, she was distant and had no clue of what I was going through! 

All my blogging will be inspirational.  I will talk about my life and life in general in a positive manner. I will touch on subjects like; faith, strength, hope, love, understanding....  I hope you will join me so that we can help each other and be an inspiration to others!