Thursday's Thought for the Day....

"Do the best you can until you know better.  

Then when you know better, do better."

~ Maya Angelou

This is my absolute favorite quote from Maya Angelou.  I heard Oprah Winfrey discuss it many years ago when she was upset about how she had handled a situation, finding great fault with herself.  She shared that this counsel from Maya brought her through that and gave her peace.

This phrase has often helped me to put many experiences in my life into their proper perspective.  
I try to do the best I can, each day, with the knowledge and experience I have at the time.
And when I learn more, either from experience or from others, then I work hard to do better.

I suspect most people are trying to do the same thing.

Wednesday's Wisdom....

There have been few posts from me on "Wednesday's Wisdom" as of late.  Mostly because I have not been feeling at all wise these past few weeks.

I did have a thought this morning I wanted to write about, but then I saw a post on Facebook from daughter #2, saying that Maya Angelou had passed away. I clicked on the article, (myfox8.com, with info c/o CNN) and there at the bottom of the piece, they had shared her last "tweet":

Maya Angelou ‏@DrMayaAngelou  May 23

Listen to yourself and in that quietude you might hear the voice of God.

(taken from her Twitter account)


Oh, I just love that.  
I so heartily agree with her. 
Such wisdom! 

And I've decided to be quiet today.  And listen for the voice of God.  Which, based on my experience, will provide me with the wisdom I need today.

Tip for a Tuesday....

Ready....set....grill!

Outdoor grill ready to go for the season?  

I like to get ours clean and in shape for the start of the grilling season by giving the grills a good scrub.  

This morning I soaked them in the hottest water the tap put out, with a good amount of dish detergent.  Since my sink isn't large enough to accommodate all of the grills in one go, I turned them after twenty minutes or so of lying in their bath.  Lots of scrubbing with the scouring side of the sponge and they are, as they say, "good to go"!

Easy Peasy!

Burger, anyone?

Friday Fotos....

Let us remember....

Thursday's Thought for the Day....

Walking with Dog

I include as one of my best friends

The furry lover at the end of this leash

Who accepts me and my actions

With no strings attached

His eyes always show just what

He thinks is going on in my heart

He feels the vibrations of my anxiety

Travel the length of his leash

His gait tells me to slow down

To absorb all the looks and smells

Of the beauty that may pass us by

So I absorb all I can as he takes me for a walk

~ Gary E. McCormick

gratitude prayers

Prayers, Poems, and Prose for Everyday Thankfulness

by June Cotner

Bentley, Dudley, and visitor Barney, on this morning's walk

Tip for a Tuesday....

I highly recommend the National Memorial Day Concert - A Night to Remember

"The National Memorial Day Concert, broadcast from the West Lawn of the U.S. Capital, airs at 8 p.m. ET the Sunday before Memorial Day (on PBS).  The award winning event, co-hosted by acclaimed actors Gary Sinise and Joe Mantegna, continues its two-decades-long tradition of honoring the service and sacrifice of all our men and women in uniform, and their families."

You can visit this website for more information:

http://www.pbs.org/national-memorial-day-concert/home/

After all, isn't this what Memorial Day is supposed to be about?

Honoring and remembering all who have served.

Thursday's Thought for the Day....

"Caption:NEW YORK, NY - MAY 15: A quote from Virgil fills a wall of the museum prior to the dedication ceremony at the National September 11 Memorial Museum May 15, 2014 in New York City. The museum spans seven stories, mostly underground, and contains artifacts from the attack on the World Trade Center Towers on September 11, 2001 that include the 80 ft high tridents, the so-called 'Ground Zero Cross,' the destroyed remains of Company 21's New York Fire Department Engine as well as smaller items such as letter that fell from a hijacked plane and posters of missing loved ones projected onto the wall of the museum. The museum will open to the public on May 21. (Photo by John Munson-Pool/Getty Images)"

I watched the opening ceremony for the National September 11 Memorial Museum this morning.  It was incredibly moving and brought back many memories of that tragic day, and the weeks and months that followed. 

My thoughts and prayers today are for those who died as a result of the attacks on our country, as well as for all the families and friends who, like the Englishman, lost people so dear to them. 

We will never forget.

Tip for a Tuesday....

Films I highly recommend....

The acting is phenomenal.  The story lines are both sweet and sad.
Enjoyed them thoroughly!

I DO NOT recommend....

The Englishman and I did not read any reviews of this film before ordering.  Given the stellar cast, we thought it would be wonderful.

It was not.

The dialogue is awful - the scenes are disjointed and do not flow.

The biggest injustice?  I believe this true story is one worth telling.  Sadly and clearly, George Clooney lacks the talent to tell it.

Just my opinion.

Thursday's Thought for the Day....

"Mother is a verb. 

It’s something you do. Not just who you are."

Cheryl Lacey Donovan
Wishing an early Happy Mother's Day to all Mothers and to the women who "mother" others.May God bless us - one and all!!

Wednesday's Wisdom.....

Time takes time....

Oh, it most certainly does, especially when it comes to grief.

I am learning, once again, that life stages and emotions can not be rushed.  One has to go through each moment.  Trying to go around, rather than pass through, the process merely slows it down and holds me like quick sand.

I'm also remembering that grief can be exhausting - that I need to be more gentle with myself on those days in which I feel as though nothing has been accomplished.

Because much is accomplished - if only the fact that I have passed through another day and am one step closer to finding peace again - to remembering with a smile rather than a tear.

Thursday's Thought for the Day....

Taken from Pinterest.