He's Back!

Jaken was leery about the Man in Red at first. He sat on his lap but would not lean into him or even look at him. When the sucker was produced, he became more of a fan. Caleb was happy to sit on Santa's lap (my dad) and share his one-item list. Santa spoke with many accents, I lost track at six! It proves he is real because he knows so many languages.

Everyday Appreciation

We spent another week-end at a cabin in Bear Lake with my family, and I read a thought- provoking book by Richard Carlson entitled: DON'T SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF, and I really liked this thought...Everyday, Tell at Least One Person Something You Like, Admire or Appreciate about Them.

How often do you remember to tell people how much you like, admire, or appreciate them? For many people, it's not often enough. In fact, when I ask people how often they receive heartfelt compliments from others, I hear answers like "I can't remember the last time I received a compliment." "Hardly ever, " and "I never receive them."

There are several reasons why we don't vocally let others know about our positive feelings toward them. I've heard excuses like, "They don't need to hear me say that--they already know," and "I do admire her, but I'm too embarrassed to say anything." But when you ask the would-be recipient if he or she enjoys being given genuine compliments and positive feed-back, the answer nine times out of ten is, "I love it." Whether your reason for not giving compliments on a regular basis is not knowing what to say, embarrassment, feeling that other people should know their strengths and don't need to be told, it's time for a change.

Telling someone something that you like, admire, or appreciate about them is a "random act of kindness." It takes almost no effort and it pays enormous dividends. Many people spend their entire lifetimes wishing that other people would acknowledge them. They feel this especially about their parents, spouses, children, and friends. But even compliments from strangers feel good if they are genuine. Letting someone know how you feel about them also feels good for the person offering the compliment. It's a gesture of loving kindness. It means that your thoughts are geared toward what's right with someone. And when your thoughts are geared in a positive direction, your feelings are peaceful.