Nikki Rosen's Blog, page 13

Thankful Thursday - Sister

"Death ends a life, not a relationship." Mitch Albom
My older sister died on the weekend. It happened fast and unexpected. But now that a few days have gone by, I've had time to reflect...to remember how she influenced my life in ways that will always be part of me. 
I'm grateful for all the people who step into my world...some for a really brief time, others who stay years. Every encounter changes me. Makes me move in the world differently...with more compassion, and forgiveness. 
There is a definite emptiness but there's also gratitude. I'm grateful for 

-my sister's life....the memories that are a part of me now, especially her goofiness and infectious laughter.
-love of friends and family.
-my faith....it's what pushes me forward with a joy and peace and hope that nothing else can. I don't know what tomorrow brings, but I know Who brings tomorrow and that's pretty good for me. 

The link is to a blog post I wrote January 1, 2010 after my sister and I had really bonded. She loved it. http://cultofdeception.blogspot.ca/search?q=sister


 Happy Thursday, Guys!!!!
      

Thankful Thursday - Surrender

“If you surrender to the wind, you can ride it." Toni Morrison. 
I was a fighter. Still am. But I've learned the key to winning sometimes is to let go....surrender. And not just to surrender to anything or anyone but to surrender my will for His. 

I love nature. I love hiking in the hills or sitting down by the lake. There I've learned to listen...to hear His voice. He is the whisper in the wind, the voice in my heart. His whisper has became my hope. That hope has became my anchor. Grateful for... 
-the translation of my book into Russian is done. It humbles me how He's using the little bits of my life to give others hope. 
-running a group today...to give back...to give hope. 
-asked to ghostwrite someone's book. Won't happen for a couple of months but she believes in me and in my ability to tell her story. 
-mostly for Him and grateful for life and purpose and joy and peace....

Happy Thursday, Guys.....

Thankful Thursday - Grateful

"Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend." Melody Beattie

Last night my oldest crawled into bed with me and we talked about things on her heart, and things on mine. We talked about parts of the day that made us smile. I fell asleep feeling grateful for my family and for life that has turned out incredibly peaceful and happy. 

Gratitude...I breath in it everyday.....all b/c of Him. He loved me enough to reach into the dark, and guide me inch by inch into the light. 
Gratitude...I think it's a way of living...of being in the world and so today I'm thankful for....

-Life itself. The ups and downs. The good times and even the tough.
-Family - it's what I craved...a loving, supportive, fun family, and I got it!!!
-Friends - the ones that are there listening to my rants, laughing with me until late into the night, encouraging me to follow my passion. They're a soft place to land every time.
-Freedom - I know what it's like to be trapped, held, caught and I know what it's like to feel free. Perhaps to feel grateful, I had to experience the one to really know the other. Freedom is the best feeling ever.
-My Faith. it's my starting point...every day....a new beginning....Him in my corner....believing in me...running with me....always there...loving, whispering hope.

Happy Thursday, Guys!
 

Thankful Thursday - A Smile

Every time you smile at someone, it's an action of love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thing. Peace begins with a smile."  Mother Teresa


It's funny how a  simple smile can change everything. I can be in the most awful mood and then bump into someone on the street who flashes a smile at me, and all that awfulness melts. And the neat thing, a smile means the same thing in every language. For me, a smile is kindness and hope and some days I need both. Grateful for....
-today b/c it's a new day and anything and everything can happen. -spring b/c everything is coming back to life...the snow's melting, flowers are starting to push up, birds that haven't been around are returning and people everywhere are smiling. Yep...spring is great.-working together with a group of amazing women to take back a community centre that once was a place of hope to many. The people running it now changed it. Made it into a place where no one wants to go. We're fighting to turn it back around.-mostly grateful for my faith. It's the one thing that never changes and which makes me smile everyday. 
Happy Thursday, Guys. 

Thankful Thursday -

"Don't give up, don't give in. Others have been where you've been and just around the corner is a smile. You need to remember that summer follows winter and life can be renewed." Ray Watson

Sometimes it's hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Sometimes it seems that the yuck stuff will last forever and nothing will ever change. 

When I look out my window and see all the dried up flowers, grass and trees, it's hard to believe that soon they'll become full of colour and brilliance again. But they do....like clockwork....every spring as the snow melts, the brown drab plants revive and come back to life.I am in awe how that happens year after year after year.

Don't give up is my motto. Never give in b/c springtime always comes after winter....the pain lifts and life is renewed. It's the way it is. So never ever give in b/c things always change for the better. Grateful for.....

-the seasons that teach me more than any book could...to wait...to trust...to know that after every winter comes summer. 

Happy Thursday, Guys.

Thankful Thursday Waiting

“One time, when I was very little, I climbed a tree and ate these green, sour apples. My stomach swelled and became hard like a drum, it hurt a lot. Mother said that if I'd just waited for the apples to ripen, I wouldn't have become sick. So now, whenever I really want something, I try to remember what she said about the apples.”  Khaled Hosseini

Waiting....it's hard to do. I don't like waiting. I want things to happen right away. I don't want to wait. Once something's in my head I want to just do it, move forward, get on with the thing. 

But I've learned that's not how things work. If I don't do the wait step, things rarely work out the way they're meant. There's no shortcut. No fast track. It's like baking a cake...if you skip a step, the cake doesn't taste as good. Grateful for.....

-someone was given a copy of one of my books. She was inspired and is now giving them as gifts to others. Very humbled by that. 
-off today to meetup with some incredible women to share hope and be inspired. Grateful for the opportunity to give back. 
-someone tweeted that she received my book in prison and it gave her hope. Very cool. 
-Mostly am grateful that He does turn everything around for good. At one time I didn't see that. I was angry at Him for allowing things to happen, but now I know He waited until I was ready. 

Happy Thursday, Guys!!!

 

Thankful Thursday

“In life as in dance: Grace glides on blistered feet” Alice Abrams
Some days all we got is grace. Pure, simple grace. Grace that goes the extra mile. Grace that whispers don't give up, just hold on, tomorrow is another day. 
Grace is something outside of myself. It's a gift that holds me up when I can't anymore. Grace refuses to let me sink. Grateful for.... 
-Those moments of grace which trump my feeble efforts and keeps me in the game running strong. -People who are vessels of grace....their kindness, gentleness, compassion a steady reminder I'm never alone and things will work out okay. -Grace is a gift...not only being on the receiving side but also being able to give it back to someone in need. Grace is gift of giving and receiving. -Mostly, His grace that is a constant, something tangible that holds us up when we got nothing. I have felt His grace upteen gazillion times and am incredibly grateful for that. 
Happy Thursday, Guys. 

Thankful Thursday - Resilient

"Storms make the oak grow deeper roots."George Herbert
I love trees. I love the power I feel from them, especially the big ones, the strong, the solid, those that have been around for a gazillion years. 

They've endured strong winds, heavy rain and frigid winters. Some of them have the neatest gnarled trunks with knots and bumps that to me are a clear indication they weathered the storms and survived. 

This past year I've been photographing trees that are home to a variety of birds, owls, and small animals. The trees with their strength and resilience have become a safe shelter, a place of security for others. Trees are a definite reminder to me, that storms happen, but they do pass and if we weather them, we become strong, steady and able to give hope and security to others. Grateful for...

-Nature with all it's perfection and imperfection b/c it shows me how to live and move and be. When I'm outside, in the quiet, in the calm, I feel this incredibly peace and I have a gut feeling that whatever is happening in my life, good or bad, everything will work out alright. And not to be afraid.
-Opportunities to give hope through workshops and mentoring and writing. Giving back not only helps others but makes me stronger. Love that.
-And mostly for the touch of His gentleness that's a constant, a daily thing and which reminds me I am partnered with the One who works everything out amazing, even when it seems not so amazing in the beginning. He's got plans and purposes and me, I just got to hold on and trust. 

Happy Thursday, Guys.  
 

Thankful Thursday- Alive in Me.

All those gone before are alive inside us.” Jane Yolen

They live in my mind, in my heart, in my soul...the people who once stepped into my life ...some for a brief time, others for years. In big ways or small, they left imprints of themselves on my heart. Some were kind, positive, others unkind, even brutal but I've never forgotten the life lessons they left with me. Some of those lessons I only discovered long after they left. Grateful for....

-every experience, good and bad. Never thought I'd say I'm grateful for the bad people, the unkind, the liars, the mean spirited but they are the ones who taught me the real power in forgiveness. 
-the wounded, the broken, the street dwellers, the ones who talk to themselves, and are quirky and odd. They taught me compassion.
-the old, the worn, the tired, survivors of war and life - they taught me to live each moment and relish it and to follow my dreams, not to wait until it's too late. 
-the dreamers, the ones with passion who want to change the world, they remind me we are all here for a purpose and to live that purpose and push past obstacles. 
-and mostly the One who takes up the most space inside me. He didn't just come into my world for a bit, but is on the road with me for the whole trek...right up 'till the end. Everyday He whispers in my ears, it's gonna be another awesome day. And He empowers me to be kind, and to live with strength, courage, hope and love. It still boggles my mind how He does that...but He does. 

Happy Thursday, Guys.

Thankful Thursday - Fear vs Faith

"Don't let fear stop you from trying new things. Believe in yourself. Do what you love. And most importantly, be kind to others." Stacy London

Rules I try to live by. Rules that empower me to live strong.

Someone once told me the opposite of fear is faith. They told me to picture a negative and positive magnet and then try to bring the two together. It's impossible, b/c they repel each other. They said no one can walk in fear and faith at the same time b/c they're like a negative and positive.You got to choose one. 

I choose faith. Faith moves me forward. Faith makes me brave and teaches me to be kind. Grateful for......

-faith that makes me stand tall and strong. I used to be a coward afraid to do anything, afraid to speak up for myself. Faith made the difference. Faith made me strong. -faith that showed me how to love even people who hurt me. I used to want them to suffer and hurt the same way they hurt me. Faith changed that. It helped me forgive and let go. -faith that helped me love me, and believe in myself. Sometimes I think this is too easy and too good. Now I think of it like turning on a light switch....one touch and light dispels darkness.  -faith that's an incredible gift that really does keep on giving.  Happy Thursday, Guys.