10May 2012 by CJ

Who lifts you up when you need support along the journey

Love & Relationships
In this crazy world of ours, who lifts you up? Undoubtedly, much of the life we live is based on our individual interpretations. From artwork to relationships, everyone interprets things differently which helps to create a world of uniqueness. When I first heard the song “Lift Me Up” by The Afters, I had no idea that their pop-rock sound and the underlying meaning was deeply rooted in Christianity. But after doing a little research I discovered they were a Contemporary Christian group, and the person they referenced in the song was in fact God. What’s funny about all this is how I was thinking of someone completely different when I first heard the lyrics. That got me to thinking that while our belief in a higher power may be important,…
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19Apr 2012 by CJ

Doing nothing is sometimes the break you need in life

Life & Living, Love & Relationships
Lori Deschene of the wonderfully inspirational website “Tiny Buddha” recently provided her readers with the following message about doing nothing. “We are more than we produce. Even if we feel we have a lot to do, sometimes doing nothing is the healthiest choice of all. We owe it to ourselves to be patient with ourselves. Even if we feel we should be doing more, we’re doing the best we can. We can only grow from right where we stand, but first we have to accept it.” It’s strange how somewhere along the line we’ve been conditioned to believe that taking some time to recharge and gather our thoughts is a bad thing – that it’s nothing more than a waste of time. I’ll admit I’m an offender. At any given…
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02Feb 2012 by CJ

The homosexual community deserves better than ignorant stereotypes

Love & Relationships
The homosexual community deserves better than what I heard on the radio this morning. I never listen to morning talk radio programs on popular FM stations all across the country. Truthfully, I find most of the on-air personalities obnoxious and the conversation so primitive that I’d rather drive in silence than have to subject myself to listening to their diarrhea of the mouth. But listeners can’t get enough apparently, as advertisers continue to pour millions of dollars into advertising on these highly listened to programs. I don’t get it really. Today, while switching a CD in my car (yes a CD, you remember those) I was caught off guard. My car is set up that as soon as you remove a playing CD from the stereo unit, the radio automatically…
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17Jan 2012 by CJ

Friendships lasting over 50 years must be doing something right

Life & Living, Love & Relationships, Youth
Every relationship evolves - riding up and down on an endless roller coaster through life. For friendships however, the bonds that once united you don't always keep you together. Elisabeth Foley once said, "The most beautiful discovery true friends make is that they can grow separately without growing apart." Elisabeth Foley As many of us grow and mature, so do the relationships we once had. Our lives take us in different directions with new interests and discoveries - never diminishing the time we once spent together, but certainly changing the dynamics. But that doesn't happen to everyone I'm happy to say. My mother-in-law and her friend Mary have known each other since they were teenagers. It's a friendship that's lasted over 50 years, surviving times of struggle and times of joy.…
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04Dec 2011 by CJ

Finding your way home on Christmas Day is a feeling too many share

Generosity & Kindness, Life & Living, Love & Relationships
Home on Christmas Day. That means so many different things to different people. Throughout the month of December, constant reminders of the holidays captivate our senses. We marvel at the sight of twinkling lights intertwined on festive decorations, salivate at the smell of freshly baked gingerbread men lined like toy soldiers on cookie sheets, and hum along to the sound of holiday tunes joyfully playing in the background. For me, the sounds of the season have always been my favorite. As a young child, I remember listening to songs about a magical snowman with a corncob pipe and a button nose, and wondering if it really was fun to ride in a one horse open sleigh. But as an adult, I find myself drawn to musical themes which many times…
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