Saturday, May 24, 2008

Living with Enthusiasm


"God's people should be the happiest people on earth," says Joel Osteen in the last chapter of the book. I usually don't post until Monday. Even though the reading is not due until then, I'm so excited about a video that Frank put together that I decided to post ahead of time. We picked quotes that we try to live by and put them on photos that we have taken on our various trips. We used Enya's music for a background and assembled our video. I'm all about living MY BEST LIFE NOW with all the enthusiasm I can muster. I believe in looking at life as a breeze instead of a battle. That is not to say the hard things don't happen in life. I've had two daughters in ICU in the past so I have been through challenging times, but I refuse to let things get me down. I wake up in the morning with a smile on my face, and just today I made up a little poem: "Life is easy, light and breezy." This doesn't mean that I am naive or frivolous; it just means that I've made a choice to be happy. I have so enjoyed reading this book with you and your comments throughout the discussion. Thank you very much for your participation. Some of you were able to get on the blog quite a bit, and some of you didn't have the time or the desire. Whatever your part was, I want you to know I appreciate you all. Without you, Frank and I wouldn't have put together this blog or examined the book so closely. It has been a blessing to us. I hope you have been blessed in some way too. Whether you have read the book or not, feel free to make comments this week about enthusiam.

We would like to share our video with you. Click here! All of the photos are photos we have taken over the years! God Bless!

4 comments:

Patty said...

The dictionary defines enthusiasm as excitement or passion, but its original meaning is "supernatural inspiration or possession by God." It comes from two Greek words, en Theos meaning "God within." Now wonder we can be enthusiastic and have the power of positivism in our lives. "I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made: Your works are wonderful. I know that full well." (Psalms 139:14) How powerful is that! It's fantastic!

Patty said...

One of the quotes on the video that we posted is "None are so old as those who have outlived enthusiasm" by Henry David Thoreau. Personally, I want to live enthusiastically until the day my physical being becomes a spirit. Joel says, "Living your best life now is living with enthusiasm and being excited about the life God has given you." This Memorial Day I am excited that I have so much to anticipate. My daughter Teresa and granddaughter Jessica are coming, and summer vacation is just beginning. I also am enthused about the precious memories I have of the wonderful people who have been in my life like my precious Grandmother who left her physical body in 2004. Her spirit is with me daily guiding me. She was such an influence on me that I can still hear her voice sometimes and I can always feel her love. This Memorial Day I hope that all of us will celebrate the precious people in our lives. Those who are with us still in the physical sense as well as those who are with us in spirit.

Patty said...

I'm enthused about my marriage. I'm deeply in love with my husband. I enjoy being around him. We found a poem and made it our vows on our wedding day.

"To you my love, I vow..
Be my strength,
And I will be the same for you.
Like a mirror, I will reflect
The love you so freely give.
Like infinite circles
That ripple forth in water
Pierced by stone,
I will radiate the happiness
You bring to my soul.
In times of darkness
I will cling to the memories of our unity and provide you with inner visions of this same bond to be your faith...
In times of sorrow, I will be your comfort and divide your grief by sharing it...
In times of joy, I will rejoice in our love and encompass you with every tenderness...
Together or apart, I will cherish everything about you
With my whole heart.
Be my strength, and I will be the same for you."

I wish I had written that because it describes perfectly what Frank and I have tried to be for each other in our almost eleven years of marriage. We've been each other's strength, reflected love to each other, divided our sorrows by sharing them, and have rejoiced in our love. We've even shared our spiritual journeys, even though we each have our own unique path. I am so grateful for Frank. He is so supportive of everything I do, and I support him wholeheartedly as well. What a connection! I thank God every day for an wonderful life and for giving me such a wonderful companion to share the journey.

Patty said...

Ralph Waldo Emerson said, "Enthusiasm is one of the most powerful engines for success. When you do a thing, do it with all your might. Stamp it with your personality. Be active, enthusiastic and faithful, and you will accomplish your object."