11Jul 2012 by CJ

Hard times are made easier when we’re reminded we’re not alone

Love & Relationships
Hard times fall upon everyone – no one is exempt. But the journey through the storm is always made easier when you’re reminded that you’re not alone. Today I wasn’t feeling particularly cheerful - plagued by worries beyond my control. Some days I just can’t snap myself out of this feeling of despair as the hard times seems to insurmountable. But then I retrieved the mail. There, addressed to me, was an envelope filled with smiley face stickers of all colors and sizes – one simply stating “Thinking of You.” I don’t know many people who wouldn’t smile at the sight. Inside was a greeting card from a very dear family friend which read, “Just want you to know I’m thinking about you…and how happy I am that you’re my…
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30May 2012 by CJ

R.I.P. Donna Summer and Robin Gibb – you will be missed

Life & Living, Love & Relationships
The world of music lost two greats recently: Donna Summer and Robin Gibb. Two incredibly talented icons of the 1970’s and beyond – each taken much too early in life. What I find most disheartening is there are still some who have no idea of their passing. With the myriad of ways we all gain information about what’s happening around the block or around the world, it seems impossible that such unexpected news somehow missed members of society. The same can’t be said for the passing of Whitney Houston earlier this year and Michael Jackson several years ago. No, their deaths made for sensational headlines, even months after they were finally laid to rest. But not so for Summer and Gibb. There was no mystery surrounding their demise; no juicy…
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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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