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The Family First
Newsletter
Promoting family unity one issue at a time
Vol. 11 Issue 1 - Week of January 7, 2008
ISSN: 1527-6201
©2008 - Joyce Pierce --All Rights Reserved
In this issue:
Goal Achievement as Easy as Breathing
Top 10
Reasons to Journal
Staying Connected
Green Bean Bundles
Good morning!
It is a brand new
year. What are you going to do with it?
What kind of resolutions have you made for the year?
Losing weight? Getting out of debt?
Quitting that job you hate? Ben Franklin
says, "The definition of insanity is doing the same
thing over and over and expecting different
results." This year it's time to
make some changes so you CAN expect different
results.
I'm including an
article on journaling this week. A few weeks
ago doctors advised that my mother had "failure to
thrive" and is going through the last stage of her
life. It has been difficult watching her die,
and many times I have thought it would have just
been easier if I had gotten a call from the nursing
home saying she passed away suddenly. However,
I realize that we've both been given a wonderful
gift, and that's the opportunity to say whatever
needs to be said. I thought I had done that a
week ago, but last night I started writing about my
mother in my journal and surprised myself at the
things that came out. I think what I will do
is share some of those thoughts with her when
I visit today.
Please share this
newsletter with someone who may need to read it
today!
Joyce Moseley Pierce
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Goal Achievement as Easy as Breathing
by Leslie Householder
It's that time of year again... are you ready for a fresh start? Ready for prosperity? Did you know that the part of your mind that sets a goal, and the part of your mind that controls the outcome are not the same parts? Most people who are enthusiastic about making a significant life change work really hard to discipline themselves into new habits. That's not a bad thing... but it's really HARD! There's a better way. Your mind does a lot of things for you that you never have to think about. For example, how much discipline have you needed to keep your heart beating? How hard has it been to remember to breathe? These tasks are handled automatically by your subconscious mind. Pat yourself on the back... you are successful, thanks to your subconscious mind! What if achieving a big goal for greater prosperity this year could be handled just as naturally? People who have learned the secret just sort of smile inside when they hear someone congratulate them on their success... because it actually seems silly to receive congratulations on accomplishments that the person had very little to do with on a conscious level. Imagine someone telling you, 'Wow, you are so good at keeping your heart beating... you are amazing. You are such an example to me that you can breathe so naturally! If I could just breathe half as well as you, I'd be thrilled.' The fact is, everyone is ALREADY achieving results via their subconscious mind... they just don't realize it. The fact is, your subconscious mind is helping you at all times to accomplish the images you've handed it previously. The problem is that most of us don't know that THAT's what we've been doing, and so our life has felt a little bit out of control. That can change. All you need to know is: How do you hand images of your CHOICE over to your subconscious mind? If you could set a goal with your conscious mind, and then let your sub-conscious mind do all the work, achieving the success you seek would be as natural as breathing in and out. How does this work? Setting an effective goal properly is like placing an online order. You do your part, and then you can relax, knowing it is just a matter of time, and the thing or event you desire will be yours. Read more on how to know if you'll reach the goal.
Leslie is a wife and mother of 7 children. She is the two-time best-selling author of "The Jackrabbit Factor: Why You Can," "Hidden Treasures: Heaven's Astonishing Help with your Money Matters," and founder of PrinciplesofProsperity.com
Leslie Householder may be contacted at http://www.principlesofprosperity.com
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Top 10 Reasons to Journal
by: Joyce Moseley Pierce
I have been a faithful journal keeper since about 1980. I started out in 1978 by
writing my thoughts in a steno notebook. As I learned how to put more expression
in my thoughts, I moved on to a spiral notebook. I've tried journals with lined
paper and lined loose leaf paper to put in my own three-ring notebooks, but
because I am much faster at typing than writing, I now keep my journal on the
computer. In years past I have typed the pages and printed them out, but in
2002, I typed my thoughts and just saved them on a CD. It takes up a lot less
room and also allows me to have a password to protect my thoughts. In
2007, consider using a blog as your journal. I use
Yahoo 360 for my personal blog and give access to family and
friends. If you want to connect with new people,
consider www.myspace.com
or www.blogspot.com
for recording your thoughts.
It doesn't really matter how you record your thoughts. The important thing is
that you do record them. For me, once I record my feelings and events, I can lay
them aside and move on.
Reasons for keeping a journal:
1. Record your own thoughts. Write about the things that touch your heart. Write
about your activities. Write about your frustrations; your heartaches. It
helps you see how you've spent your time.
2. Write about what your kids and grandkids do. My daughters have come to me and
asked things about their own children. For instance, "Do you remember the word
Chris used to say for 'french fries'?" Record those tender moments with them
that touched your heart.
3. Relieve stress. When you're angry or confused, just let the words flow and
get it all out of your
system. It will help you both physically and mentally.
4. Help in analyzing situations. If you can write honestly, you'll find that you
lose yourself in your
writing. You may find additional meaning to the things you say or do.
5. Record facts. This is helpful if you ever need to go back and remember
something important. You may even find it helpful if you have to prove something
to someone. The other day I was trying to remember the name of a hotel in Dallas
where we had stayed. When all else failed, I got my journal out, looked up
the date we were there, and found it. "I'm here at the Harvey Hotel in
Dallas on LBJ Freeway and Coit." When I shared this with my friend, she said,
"Did you happen to write the phone number?"
6. Record events. Sometimes it seems that we don't always remember things the
way they really happened. Not only do I forget the details, but sometimes my
husband, or other family members just remember them in different ways. We may
discuss it for awhile and try to figure out the "truth," but in the end, my
journal is the final word because it is the only record!
7. Record feelings. On one of our recent wedding
anniversaries. I shared my journal entry for another special anniversary several years ago. Some of the activities of that day that had been
forgotten were brought back to the present and it touched both of our hearts.
It's so easy to forget those good feelings when you're going
through trials, so if you have a reference that can help you
remember, it can keep you focused.
8. Set an example for your children. Teach them early to
record their thoughts and activities through pictures and
writing. I have a five year old granddaughter who gets
up every morning and writes. Her level of reading is
limited, but she's going through a wonderful exercise that
will prepare her when she's ready to start recording.
9. Explore your talents. Let your feelings flow without critiquing the way you
write them. Just pour out your heart and you'll be amazed at how your writing
abilities will increase. They say people who read are much better
spellers. I also believe that journaling will help
improve your ability to write and communicate in general.
10. For posterity. Leave a record for your children, and don't sugar-coat it.
Let them know how you felt about being a parent, what was important to you, what
things have special meaning in your life. Show them how you dealt
with the trials in your life. If you failed at
something, let them know what you learned from that
experience.
There are many advantages and reasons for keeping a journal. If you're not
currently writing about your life, consider starting right now. It's the
beginning of a new year, and in some cases the beginning of a new life.
Write about it now, while it's fresh, and you will find that it will give you,
and your posterity, a better insight on who you are.
Copyright 2008. Joyce is a freelance writer and owner of
Emerson Publications. She's a contributing author to the Chicken Soup for
the Soul series. Visit
www.emersonpublications.com for
information that is pertinent to today's families.
Don't leave your loved ones guessing ... tell them All They'll
Need to Know.
www.emersonpublications.com
Staying Connected
by Joyce Moseley Pierce
Our family has been spread out for most of my adult
life. I grew up in Independence, Missouri, but after having three
children of my own there, we packed up and moved away from our family. In
some ways it was the best thing we could have done because it helped us cut
those apron strings a bit, but in other ways, it was a definite loss.
We lost out on time with those we loved - parents and siblings. We missed
out on watching the nieces and nephews grow up.
During that time, there was no such thing as email.
My grandparents wrote letters faithfully and it was always so exciting to get
the latest installment from them. They told us what they were doing,
and always asked about the children and what they were doing. Way back
then, when it cost less to make phone calls on Sunday evenings, we would talk on
the phone. It was always good to hear from them, no matter what method of
communication was used, but it was never the same as actually getting to see
them.
It doesn't have to be like that anymore. With the
internet, the options are as broad as your imagination. Thank goodness Al
Gore invented the internet!
1. When my daughter was in college, the best we
could do was write letters and take advantage of a voice mail system I had at
work. We could leave messages for each other any time 24/7 with a
toll-free number. That really helped us stay connected, but now we have
cell phones with family minutes and can talk for hours with no long distance
charges. We also use IM and email for those quick notes, or when we feel
like rambling. Because we're in different time zones, one isn't always
awake when the other one wants or needs to talk. Works great.
2. Invest in a webcam. My other daughter
lives just a couple of miles away. She has two children while the distant
daughter has three. It's expensive for entire families to fly to visit
each other and I can't remember the last time we were all together.
Unfortunately, this means that those five cousins don't get to spend any time
together. Recently, when my 5 year old granddaughter was here, we dialed
up her 6 year-old cousin over the internet, and using the webcam, the two of
them got to play. At first things were a big shaky, but once they got the
hang of it, they were having a ball. There didn't seem to be any distance
between them at all. They talked awhile, and then they colored for each
other. They held their pictures up for the other to see. They brought out
toys to show each other. They danced and jumped and acted silly.
That first call lasted for two hours, but now they feel like they know each
other and the other calls aren't quite so long. I love seeing them
interact with each other, and the next time they are together in the same room,
it won't be so awkward. I'd much rather have them staring at each other
through the webcam than staring at a television!
3. Consider a family website where you all have
access and can post events going on in your family. This can be a great
way to keep up with everyone. When all members of the family have access,
they can each post and comment. It's not only an easy and quick way to
update your information, but as time goes by, you've created a history of your
family.
4. Blogging is another way to keep in touch with
not only family members but friends. I've started emailing my Christmas
letter to those who are online, and I get quite a few in return that way.
In a couple of traditional cards I received, people simply wrote, "check out our
blog at www.xxxx.blogspot.com to see
what's going on with us on a daily basis". One of my friends went
through treatment for breast cancer last year and her blog was entitled, "Pat
Gets it Off Her Chest". You'd have to know Pat to understand her sense of
humor. Instead of her having to send an email every time she had something
to share, she posted to her blog. It was a great way for all of her
friends to know what was going on.
5. It's still great to get a phone call and talk
until you're ready to hang up, but there's really nothing that can replace a
letter. My grandparents have been gone since 1986 but I kept most of the
letters they send me during the 70's. On our last move, I found them in
different boxes as I unpacked. I took them out of the envelopes and
arranged them in chronological order. I slipped them into page protectors
and put them in a 3-ring binder. Occasionally, when I'm really missing
them, I pull out that binder and read them. I can hear Grandpa's voice so
clearly in those pages. He jokingly warns the kids to watch our for
Indians on the way to school in Oklahoma. He warns them about avalanches
in Colorado. He describes my grandmother's condition as she deals with
declining health. He always says he misses and loves us. Just
holding those pages in my hands makes me smile and brings him back to me, if
just for a moment.
It doesn't matter what method you use to stay in touch.
The key is to just do it. Don't use the distance to make excuses for not
knowing each other better when there are so many opportunities available to you
to keep your family connected.
Joyce is a freelance writer and owner of
Emerson Publications. She's a contributing author to the Chicken Soup for
the Soul series. Visit
www.emersonpublications.com for
information that is pertinent to today's families.
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Green Bean Bundles
L. ClementsMy friend brought this dish to a Christmas party this year and
these little bundles were absolutely delicious. Worth the effort.
4 cans whole (long) green beans, drained
(I use fresh whole green beans that I have simmered in salty water for
about 15 minutes.)
Thin bacon strips
1 c. brown sugar
1 stick of butter or margarine
1 tsp. Garlic salt
3 Tbsp. soy sauce
Make a sauce of the sugar, melted margarine, garlic salt and soy sauce.
(Don’t cook the sauce – just heat over low heat until all ingredients are
mixed together.) Make bundles of about 8 green beans, wrap thin bacon strips
around bundles. Secure with toothpicks. Place bundles in 9 x
13-inch casserole dish. Pour sauce over beans. Refrigerate overnight.
Bake at 350° for 30 to 45 minutes. Serves 6 to 8.
Very yummy as a side dish to ham. Enjoy!!!
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