01Dec 2015 by CJ

3 Realities of Christmas Gifts

Generosity & Kindness, Youth
December 2nd - 23 more days until Christmas. By now a slight panic has begun amongst the everyday chaos we already bare. Anxiety over how many gifts we need to buy, what and where we’re going to buy and how in the world we’re going to afford to pay for it all. Buying for a child is pretty easy, but for an adult it can be a daunting task. At some point you reach an age where all the “christmas gifts” you want you typically buy for yourself throughout the year. That leaves very few options for gift givers come December. For years I’ve felt that if giving gifts is all that stressful, then why do we keep on doing it? And so I’ve come up with three important things…
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30Nov 2015 by CJ

Do you know the value of life?

Generosity & Kindness
Though posted on the last day of November, I assume most of you will be reading this post on Tuesday, December 1st – the start of the official countdown to Christmas. It seems once again that time has escaped me as 2015 comes to a close. With every year I grow older I find some experiences, which occurred years ago, feel more like days or weeks to me – still vibrant and alive in my heart and my mind. And yet as I look back, half a lifetime has occurred – some good and some bad – but all part of the fibers that comprise the person I am today. Few of us realize (myself included) that time is a luxury – something we somewhat selfishly assume we’ll always have…
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20Nov 2015 by CJ

Having a nice house doesn’t equal happiness

Generosity & Kindness, Life & Living
Whenever I’m feeling a little down in the dumps, there’s a gentleman at work who’s quick to point out, “You live in a nice house – what do you have to be unhappy about?” I’m always amused by such statements. I’m not really sure how a house, a car or any material possession can ever be a predicator for happiness. And yet Americans spend more time than they probably should convincing themselves that such “things” will bring them elation. Let me be the first to tell you – they won’t. That momentary gratification fades over time, a short time to be exact. What you’re left with is still that emptiness inside – that longing to belong to something; to be unconditionally loved by someone; to be deemed important enough that…
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13Nov 2015 by CJ

Thanksgiving – unlock the fullness of life

Generosity & Kindness, Life & Living
“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. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow.” Melody Beattie When my wife and I purchased our New Jersey home back in 2002, we looked forward to hosting many memorable holiday celebrations – one being Thanksgiving. We both love the fall season – the sights, sounds and foods you only seem to dine on one day out of the entire year! We enjoy preparing the menu and the details, cooking together days before and creating a warm and…
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08Oct 2015 by CJ

Caregivers are angels here on earth

Generosity & Kindness, Love & Relationships
One of the greatest challenges my family faced when Alzheimer’s disease began preventing my grandfather from caring for himself, was figuring out who would take care of him. While my grandmother was still alive, she was frail herself and unable to meet the physical demands of caring for him. And while I know she loved him, it was difficult for her to accept the demands this new role of “caregiver” presented to her. My family experimented with several home health aides – unsatisfied with many of the early arrivals. Being a caregiver is not easy and requires much more than simply being able to handle the everyday logistics - eating, dressing, bathing. It’s about treating the person you’re caring for with dignity, respect, compassion, patience, humor and above all love.…
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