Skip Navigation.

Growing

July 29th, 2007

Growing hurts sometimes;


saying goodbye to friends,


to things you’ve known and done


to things you wanted to do.


 


Growing heals sometimes


the shattered dreams and hopes


of a life you once knew


leading you to a new knowledge of yourself.


 


Growing is fun sometimes


meeting new friends


learning new things


making changes that feel good and moving on.


 


Growing is necessary always.


Without change there is stagnation


death instead of life.


To choose to live is to choose to grow.


 


 


 


 


Copyright 2002

Fran is a Career Counsellor, Workshop Developer and Facilitator and e-zine Editor.  You can sign up for her ezine  at get_free_info_here_@getresponse.com or check out her website for more information  www.franwatson.ca


 

How to Personalize a Photo Album

July 25th, 2007

Need creative ideas for personalizing your photo albums? If you want the look of a scrapbook without all of the time and expense, try embellishing your photo albums with one of these easy tips.

My husband and I recently returned from celebrating our tenth anniversary in Hawaii. We took lots of pictures and I wanted to throw something together quickly and easily to show all of our pictures to friends and relatives. I didn’t have time to create a scrapbook for our trip.

I went through all of our trip mementos and trimmed down the information I wanted to keep, just like I would do when preparing a scrapbook. Instead of going ahead and creating a scrapbook, I decided to place our vacation memories in a photo album.

After collecting all my photos and mementos, I arranged all the photos in chronological order. I then tucked the mementos in between the pictures, placing them with the photos I wanted to display them with.

My mother-in-law had given me some cute Hawaiian scrapbooking embellishments for Christmas last year, in anticipation for our trip, so I arranged them in the first photo sleeve in the photo album (see photo). I then placed the photos in the photo album, arranging the mementos in their own photo sleeves alongside the photos.

The photo album turned out great, and received lots of compliments! It is the perfect combination of photo album and scrapbook. Here are some more tips to get you started:

* When going through your mementos, just cut out the most important things you want to keep, like parts of a tour brochure. We went on a sunset dinner cruise and I cut out of the brochure the name of the cruise ship and the menu we were served. I also saved brochures that described tours we took. These descriptions go along great with the photos you take of the places you visit.

* Ticket stubs fit into the photo sleeves well and are a great photo accent.

* I used scrapbook stickers to label the front of my photo album (see photo). I bought a photo album from Target that already had a palm tree on the front! I just added the name of the album and the date.

There are many ways you can embellish your photo album. Anything you can tuck into a photo sleeve will really accentuate your pictures.

These albums aren’t just for vacations. They would also be great for preserving holiday, baby, or school memories. Use your imagination and you can create a photo keepsake in only a couple of hours!

Photos of example photo album:
http://www.crafty-moms.com/scrapbooking/photo-album.shtml

Rachel Paxton is a freelance writer and mom of four. For scrapbooking, card making, gift-giving ideas, and more family memory-making activities, visit http://www.crafty-moms.com

Scrapbooking Yourself as an Individual, Homemaker, Worker, and More

July 22nd, 2007

From age 25 onwards, our grand adventure has just unfolded as we embrace adulthood.

Here’s where you experienced first-hand the lessons of life and be prodded along to grow up in the face of challenges.

By scrapbooking about yourself as an adult, you’ll have scrapbook pages reminding you on how far you’ve come and the important aspects of your life.

Not only will your scrapbooks offer clarifying thoughts on where your goals are, you’ll also become more certain of yourself as an individual.

Then as you flip through these scrapbooks about you, you’ll fondly recall once again the journey you’ve traveled. And these scrapbooks could well offer invaluable insights and lessons to be learned by your grandchildren. “Wow, Granny Thelma led such a colorful life and she’s one gutsy woman!”

For firm ideas on how to scrapbook about yourself, continue reading on the various themes you can put your fingers on.

Unique Being

“Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, vision cleared, ambition inspired, and success achieved.”
- Helen Keller

Scrapbooking about your character is a delightful theme to work on as you wrap yourself up in the project. Here’s where you don on your thinking cap and investigate into the depths of your own character.

The knowledge that there’ll never be anyone exactly like you will give you the added oomph to scrapbook about yourself.

Dwell on the positive traits you see in yourself. These pages could well serve as lessons for your future generations, as important traits they could model after you.

  • Are courage, enthusiasm, personal growth, fun-loving, determination among your best traits? What other positive qualities you carry within you? List down all your best qualities.

  • Put down all your outstanding traits on a single or double-spread scrapbook page. Alternatively, you can go in-depth and dedicate a page to each of your best qualities,highlighting occasions or events when you’ve exhibited the particular quality.

  • What qualities do you admire most in others? Scrapbook about these traits as well. Pull in a photo or two of the people who consistently show the traits you admire.

  • What traits do you believe will make a great character? Scrapbook about the values and principles that you’ve adopted and believe will guide you and your future generations in their lives.

  • What are your priorities in life and how do your priorities affect you as a person?

    Homemaker

    “The most important work you and I will ever do will be within the wall of our own homes.”
    - Harold B. Lee

    This theme will open up your eyes to the importance of having a capable homemaker to ensue an orderly and well-run household.

    If you are a homemaker, you need to see for yourself the value in what you’re doing on scrapbook pages. Remember, you’re a marvel for pouring love and efforts into transforming a house into a home that radiates security, warmth and comfort to all those who’s living in there.

  • What do you do to keep your house in such a well-maintained condition? Scrapbook about the ways and methods you poured yourself into making your house a success.

  • How do you manage to cleverly schedule your daily routine in such a smooth manner, even when it’s peppered with hundred and one errands to run?

  • Describe your daily crazy schedule in fine details, flavored with meal preparations, household chores, family activities, and peppered with occasional hiccups here and there.

  • What books, websites or perhaps mentors who have given you inspirations and ideas on maintaining a well-run home?

  • How about scrapbooking about the ideal home you’ll like to create? What about your latest home-decorating project?

  • Remember the home parties you so lovingly and painstakingly put together for your kids on top of being a wonderful homemaker? Put these down too.

    Working Woman

    “Work is the meat of life, pleasure the dessert.”
    - Bertie Charles Forbes

    A part of your self-confidence as a person stems from how well you’re doing in your job. For some of you, your work may well form a very fulfilling part of your life.

    When this happens, what do you do? You scrapbook about your work!

  • What aspects of your job do you find most challenging? What do you appreciate about your current job? Your likes and dislikes of your job duties.

  • Your choice of a job also speaks of your talents and interests, so go into the fine details of your current job. Empower yourself by scrapbooking about the important projects or long-term goals you have for your work.

  • Did you hold different jobs through the years? Scrapbook on the job duties you’ve handled at each job. List down your wages and benefit packages. What do you like best about each job? What have you learned at each job?

  • Scrapbook about the employers, colleagues or people who influenced the way you worked. Did someone teach you something valuable about work excellence or how to become a more efficient worker?

  • Any pleasant and memorable memories with your colleagues or the people you’ve met at work?

  • What do you hope to accomplish in your job? What’s your definition of work success and have you achieved the job success you’re seeking for? Scrapbook about these too.

    Reinventor

    “In the pursuit to better ourselves we are sure to encounter failure. Going on after each failure is how character is built.” - Allan L. Barr

    This is an interesting theme to explore and scrapbook about. You’re unlikely to be stagnant and will undergo the continual motion of change.

    Are you a person who believes in personal self-growth? Do you constantly seek out opportunities to reinvent your life and better yourself as a person?

    Then have a ball scrapbooking on these ideas!

  • What steps had you taken or are taking to reinvent yourself?

  • What aspects of your life do you most wish to change or reinvent? Describe the times in your life where you’ve experienced the greatest growth.

  • Describe the toughest thing you’ve ever done, and would you have done it any differently now?

  • What failures have you gone through in life? What’s the good things you’ve learned from your failures? Usually, failures offer you opportunities for growth.

  • How about the missed opportunities in your life. What other options did you take up instead? Would you have grabbed the missed opportunities on hindsight?

  • What are the best pieces of self-improvement advice you’ve receive from others?

  • Describe your ideal self. What are the qualities that your ideal self possesses? How would she behave and act?

    Dreamer

    “Hold fast to dreams for if dreams die, life is a broken winged bird that cannot fly.”
    - Langston Hughes

    Do you still have dreams? Or are your dreams long-buried somewhere because you don’t believe in having dreams anymore?

    Or are you too caught up with life to think about your dreams?

    I remember someone once mentioned that if we don’t know what our dreams are, then how do we know we’ve reached them when we did? Isn’t that an awakening statement?

    Like they said, we’ll only pass by this life only once, so let’s dig out your long forgotten dreams and make a leap for them.

    Here’s some ideas to help you along in scrapping about your dreams.

  • Make a list of the top 10 goals you’ll like to accomplish this year. How about the top 20 dreams you’ll like to see fulfilled in your lifetime? Somehow, seeing these goals on scrapbook pages clarifies them in your mind.

  • What are the sights that you most desire to see? Countries that you most want to travel to? China? Russia? Exotic Asia?

  • What hobbies or crafts you’ve been longing to learn or pick up? Professional photography? Card-making? Playing piano?

  • Any keep fit or weigh loss goals to work towards your dream figure? Toning up your flabby arms? Finally having a flat tummy?

  • What’s your dream house like? Where will it be located? Who’ll be living in the house with you? A white two-storey terrace house facing the beautiful, blue sea?

  • Any dreams of going back to school? What courses have you been thinking of taking up to upgrade yourself? A master degree? Learning to write effective sales copy?

  • What acts of generosity will you perform when you’re rich with money? $100,000 to your favorite charity? An all-inclusive trip to the Anguilla beaches for your whole family?

  • If you’ve failed in making your dreams come true in the past, why do you think you’ve failed then? What steps could you take to overcome these obstacles?

    My Favorites

    One ought every day at least to hear a little song, read a good poem, see a fine picture, and, if it were possible, to speak a few reasonable words.

    - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

    This theme is inspired by the song, “My Favorites Things” from the classic movie, “The Sound of Music”.

    You’ll have unique and different tastes and styles from the rest of the population. Occasionally, you’ll have the good fortune to find someone who shares similar favorite things.

    This is an absolutely fun theme to scrapbook about and yet it says so loudly of what you are.

  • Make a list of your top 25 favorite things in your life.

  • Favorite colors, movies, music, books, food, desserts, ice-cream, brand of apparel, hair shampoo, body lotion, restaurants, hangouts, quotes, poems, sayings, persons, authors, composers, bands, musicals, shoes, bags, etc. This list is practically endless.

  • Another method to help you narrow down is probably to think about what things you couldn’t live without! ;-)

    Alright, hope that these themes have ignited your imagination for more themes to scrapbook about yourself.

    Happy scrapping!

    About the Author:

    Fion Lim is the creator of Everything-About-Scrapbooking.com - Here’s your how-to-guide to learning about scrapbooking. Find ideas for scrapbooking pages, tips, inspirations, articles and resources to quotes, poems and fonts right here.

    Feel free to use the this article provided it is published in its entirety, with the resource box and a “live” clickable link to: http://www.everything-about-scrapbooking.com

  • Jewelry Appraisals and The Victims of Loss

    July 19th, 2007

    This is one of those “Damned if you do and Damned if you don’t” situations, so I guess no matter what happens, people are not going to win – including me.

    So I had better start by telling you what I mean by being the ‘Victim of Loss’.

    We have all been the victim of loss at some time or another and it doesn’t have to be a crime. Hurricane Katrina is just the latest (extreme) example because of two reasons.

    The first: We all put things off until it’s too late.
    The second: Because we think we are indestructible and it won’t happen to us.

    If you had read the blurb on our Jewelry Appraisal website, you will have remembered where I mentioned being ‘The Victim of Loss’ and how we all tend to put it off until it’s too late. It is something I am *VERY* passionate about as I have seen first hand just how much it can effect everyone - nobody is immune.

    And that reminds us of the Hurricane disaster.
    These poor people in the Gulf States have become victims of loss on a HUGE scale.

    # They have lost their Homes….

    # They have lost their jobs - income - places to work….

    # They have lost family members - pets - friends….

    Okay so houses can be rebuilt – homes are what you carry inside you. It’s a feeling.
    Jobs – income – will be replaced. Places to work and the memories - they are gone.
    Family – Friends and even pets (which are often the greatest friend and often treated as family) will be mourned and missed and longed for.

    And the people of the Gulf States – Americans – Guests – they have become ‘Victims of Loss’ too, yet we shouldn’t forget some of the small personal things in life they can’t replace. Personal things which mean more than Houses and Cars and Jobs even.

    # Family Photographs….

    # Birth and Wedding Certificates….

    # Treasured Jewelry….

    *Just think about that for a moment.*

    # Family Photographs….

    # Birth and Wedding Certificates….

    # Treasured Jewelry….

    Everything’s gone.

    They have become the worst cases of ‘Victims of Loss’ we can possibly imagine, and we all should do something to help.
    But how? (I can almost hear you thinking).

    So what can we do? We are so far away. We are too small to make a difference.

    But please think about this for a moment longer. Think how lucky you are.
    Try to imagine what they must be going through - right now - while you’re eating your Breakfast - while you’re in work - Having a Night out with your family or friends.

    Hard, isn’t it?

    The first thing we can all do is donate, so please use the charity you feel happy with. That helps relieve the pain today.
    But we need to do more - for tomorrow - for everyone else.

    So what I’m suggesting is a two step method. The first gets cash into the hands of the people who need it - The second (I hope) prevents YOUR family and friends from suffering in the same way by being prepared - By NOT becoming the ‘Victim of Loss’ in the future.

    We might be able to generate just a little extra than if we just dropped five bucks in a collection tin somewhere.

    That brings me back to the “Damned if you do and Damned if you don’t” situation mentioned at the top of this article.

    We don’t – under any circumstances – want this to sound like a ‘Pitch’ to get more business. That’s not what we are saying. If ANYBODY just shrugged their shoulders and muttered “Nothin’ we can do…” then they are ‘Damned if they don’t’. If they use whatever means they have to help – They are ‘Damned if they do…’ That’s when people get caught in that ‘Damned’ expression.

    SO THE IMPORTANT PART IS YOUR CONTRIBUTION - and I don’t mean money either. This is a TWO part study remember?

    We are asking you – urging you - to tell your workmates, your family, your friends how they can prevent, in part, becoming the ‘Victim of Loss’ by getting their family photos scanned and copied. Get their Special documents (Wedding and Birth Certificates) scanned and copied. Get their Jewelry Appraisals done right now - before it’s too late.

    You see, even some of the victims down in New Orleans had personal Jewelry. Heck some of them may even of had an up-to-date Appraisal Certificate locked in their bedroom drawer.

    Guess where that piece of paper is now?

    It’s gone, along with the jewelry, photographs and personal possessions. The gold and silver and diamonds are lost in the mud. That physical appraisal is not worth the paper it WAS written on.

    That’s why I often stress the benefits of doing your appraisal ONLINE!

    No matter what happens (and it’s already happened to many) your treasured details are safely locked in a database somewhere, which you can access 24/7 from anywhere in the world.

    In short - you will be able to replace your personal Jewelry exactly!

    # No guesswork (I think it was 14ct).

    # No second best (I’m sure it was a Diamond - but maybe not?)

    # No short measure (my wife’s chain was longer than that).

    So our message is this….

    Do it Now before it’s too late….
    Tell a friend - tell your neighbor and be thankful you still have one.

    Your small recommendation to others, is for the future. Spread the word - Pass it on - And don’t become the ‘Victim of Loss’.

    regards and please watch the road. David Foard F.G.A.A. Fellow of the Gemological Association of Australia and former member of JATVC - The Valuers Council (retired).

    P.S. If you are really serious about getting a Valuation Appraisal done quickly and easily with minimum effort…. then go to the Valuation Appraisal Centre to discover just how easy it is to value your own jewelry and reproduce a Certificate on your own Printer at home or work (The address is listed below) and follow the advice given there. Couldn’t be any easier.

    P.P.S.
    If you administer a website or publish an ezine, please feel free to use this article as long as you leave all links in place, do not modify the content and include our resource box as listed below. Although it’s not compulsory just send me an email at gemmo1@online-jewelry-appraisals.com and let me know if and where you used it. If you need other great content - complimentary of course - then drop me a line at the email address given - ’cause I’ve got Gallons of the stuff….

    David Foard has spent over 30 years in the Antique Jewelry Trade as a qualified gemologist and member of the Valuers Council. Get a FREE 10 part ‘Hands-on’ practical eCourse on How to Value your Jewelry at Home or Work by going to ==> http://www.online-jewelry-appraisals.com and grab a
    fistfull of Hints - Tips and Secrets.

    gemmo1@online-jewelry-appraisals.com

    Perfect Love: An Invitation - Poem

    July 7th, 2007

    PERFECT LOVE

    When that which is perfect is come
    Then that which is in part
    Shall be done away with
    The fullness of love
    Once it is found
    Overwhelms and increasingly abounds
    Bringing indescribable joy
    Pleasures full of glory
    As God above
    Rewrites your love story

    Filled to overflowing
    With innumerable blessings
    Immeasurable expressions
    A love that cannot be contained
    Certainly such a feeling
    None can adequately explain
    Neither can intellects disdain.
    Such a love
    Which surpasses knowledge
    And is full of surprises
    With the power of the resurrection
    It continually and mightily arises
    Suddenly showing itself
    Like the Spirit from above
    Moving gently like a dove
    Then appearing as unquenchable fire
    Filling with uncontrollable desire

    Such a feeling arises
    When I’m with you
    I need not to think
    I know what to do
    My heart is gripped
    My soul fully employed
    My faculties glued
    My senses awakened
    My world enlarged
    My energy charged
    Carefree as the wind
    Riding the waves of my emotions
    Tranquil as a peaceful river
    Joyous as a flowing fountain
    Ready at a moments notice
    To scale any mountain
    To cross any sea
    To be with the love of my life
    Through whom I see

    Through you I see clearer
    Through you I hear more
    Through you I feel deeper
    I’m gripped to the core

    Spreading my wings like an eagle
    Fearlessly bold
    Able to roar like a lion
    And shed tears young or old
    Childlike in faith
    Not holding back
    Standing steadfast and strong
    When under attack
    Throwing caution to the wind
    Eliminating excessive reasoning or spin
    Realizing you are my breathe of life
    And beside you I always win!

    Happily ready
    To get rid of the old
    And make room for the new
    For heaven above
    Has shined brightly upon you!
    Countless synchronicities
    Have already occurred
    Surprising my soul
    Enlarging me beyond measure
    Captivated entirely by you
    My priceless dear treasure

    You make me inwardly whole
    To me none can compare
    With the glory I see in you
    For this reason I declare
    My heart is for you
    Whatever I must do
    To prove myself to
    That you I may woo
    Satisfactorily without rue

    Though trials may come
    And tribulations arise
    All will be well
    When I look into your eyes.
    For such a love
    Truly I have never felt
    As I do for you
    You are more precious
    Than life itself
    My dream come true!

    Amazing love
    How can it be
    That God above
    Would so favor me
    Giving me such a prized opportunity
    To be a steward of your love
    To cherish every moment
    Treasure every experience
    Hold dear every tear
    Marvel in each new year
    Serve you in innumerable ways
    Bless you all my days
    Surprise you by what I write and say
    Love you each and every day

    Imperfect as I am
    The love within my heart
    Remains flawless and perfect
    For you my darling
    The agape of God
    Upon which no demon can trod
    No demoralizing occurrence defeat
    Joined together in such love
    We shall not be beat
    Nor ever repeat
    The sorrows of yesterday
    For a new day has dawned
    The Son is shining
    The hosts of heaven
    Going before us and aligning
    Our present and future
    For the best is yet to come
    As we yield
    To the inner workings of the Spirit
    Love’s perfection shall fully come
    To saturate every area of our lives
    To put an end to incessant strife
    Familial frustration and division
    Thwarted dreams and soulish screams
    For the best is yet to come
    As we lift high the banner of love
    And with it wholeheartedly run
    Manifesting His love in our own lives
    Then carrying it to the nations
    This perfect love
    Will rearrange all situations
    Bringing heaven to earth
    Giving new birth
    Divine design
    Dream fulfillment
    Causing every skeptic to be silenced
    And all to hear it!

    So arise my love
    Come away
    And draw nearer now
    Let perfect love show you how
    Trust your heart
    Feed your faith
    Starve your doubts and fears
    For this is your God given year
    A year of appointment
    A year of anointing
    A year of arising
    A year of destiny unfolding

    Perfect love is rushing toward thee
    In numerous ways
    Open your arms wide
    Lift up your eyes
    Trust in Christ within thee
    And do not despise
    What the God within
    Is capable of accomplishing
    Reorchestrating
    Repositioning
    Realigning
    Refining
    Reflourishing
    Rebuilding
    And renewing
    For perfect love and thy destiny
    Is simultaneously brewing
    Breaking forth
    Shaking thy world
    Both within and without
    For as it was with the children of Israel
    Enslaved in Egypt
    God is bringing you out
    Into a wealthy place
    Into a dwelling place
    Where your heart can take rest
    And you can arise
    To be your best!

    So get ready my love
    The God of heaven has spoken
    His word for you remains true
    And shall not be broken
    Perfect love is fearless
    It never fails
    And in comparison to it
    All else pales.

    This is your finest hour
    An hour of love, wisdom and power
    A season of suddenlies from heaven
    Full of remarkable blessings
    Countless lessons
    Insightful instruction
    But most of all
    Perfect love’s invitation.

    by Paul Davis - poet and prophet

    Paul Davis is author of Breakthrough for a Broken Heart a book telling us “How to overcome disappointments and blossom into your dreams!” He is a minister, life coach (relational & professional), dating expert, popular worldwide keynote speaker, creative consultant, humor being, adventurer, explorer, mediator, liberator and dream-maker.

    Paul’s compassion for people & passion to travel has taken him to over 50 countries of the world where he has had a tremendous impact. Paul has also brought revival to many in war-torn, impoverished and tsunami stricken regions of the earth. His nonprofit organization Dream-Maker Ministries is building dreams and breaking limitations.

    Paul’s Breakthrough Seminars inspire, revive, awaken, impregnate with purpose, impart the fire of desire, catapult people into a new level of self-awareness, facilitate destiny discovery and dream fulfillment.

    Paul can be contacted at: RevivingNations@yahoo.com - 407-967-7553 or 407-282-1745.

    For additional info:
    http://www.CreativeCommunications.TV

    http://www.BreakthroughSeminars.org
    http://www.DreamMakerMinistries.com

    On the Pleasures of Sowing

    July 4th, 2007

    Let me sow my seed, please do

    Though it’s not what I wish to do -

    It’s just that nature commanded so,

    “Here’s the seed, now go sow”.

    I tried to throw the seed to wind

    And I tried to sow it in water, too,

    But the seed just dried and sometimes

    It flushed wordlessly down the loo!

    I turned to nature and soflty said -

    You gave me seed but it made me bad,

    For I tried to sow as you said I should

    But the soils of the world think I’m crude.

    Nature mocked my gentle word

    “Don’t drop your seed where there is turd.

    Till the soil and sow it deep

    Don’t leave it far, to further creep”.

    I think I understood nature’s wish

    And found myself a deepnecked dish

    I took the plough and shoved it deep

    But the plough lost blood, I began to weep.

    Finally I saw a beautiful maid

    The plough rose high and music played

    I approached the maid with a song on my lip

    She turned and ran as I began to strip.

    Tell me, nature, why you gave the seed

    Couched in pleasure, man’s greatest greed,

    When soil feels soiled at the touch of seed -

    What’s the sower’s fault if soil feels no need?

    “Sowing seeds is a pleasurable act,

    But to sow the seed you need some tact,

    You don’t just strip when you see a maid,”

    Nature, laughingly, in reply then said,

    “You must see when the soil is ready

    And approach it gently, your step steady

    For the soil will not take just any seed

    No matter what you say, how hard you plead.”

    “The soil has preferences in sowers’ seeds

    And looks for one that will fulfill its needs.

    It needs a sower who’ll protect and share

    And bestow upon it much loving care.”

    “Have you understood what you need to do

    When to do and how to do –

    For, if you have you can sow your seed

    That will grow like you and spread your breed.”

    “It’s not man’s fault that his seed wants release

    And it’s not woman’s fault that she’s hard to please.

    That was how I planned it all -

    Like it or not, you’ve got to play ball.”

    “There’s more seed than soil can grow

    This is what you need to know

    Hold your seed like valuable treasure

    And waste it not for a moment’s pleasure.”

    “I gave you pleasure to direct my need

    To mate good soil with healthy seed -

    Without that gift most seed would waste

    And soil would age in greater haste.”

    Rajesh Kanoi (Jack) is a published writer, now living and working in China. Many of his short-stories, poems and articles have been published, including a book of short-stories, ‘Tales From China’ (Lipstick Publishing).

    http://www.writingup.com/blog/oneinabillion

    http://o3.indiatimes.com/kjack/

    Poetry Speaks to the Whole Family

    July 2nd, 2007

    From the moment the shiny new book arrived at my doorstep, I was excited to see what this incredible creation had in store for my son and for me. From the moment I cracked open the spine, I realized it delivers more than I had hoped it would.

    Poetry Speaks to Children is a collection of poems and is accompanied by an audio CD containing many poems from the book, with most being read by the author. Even the famed Robert Frost’s voice makes an appearance to read his well known “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening.” Each poem of the book with a matching track on the CD is marked with the track number, making listening to your favorites quite easy.

    The first thing I noticed about the book was the amazing illustrations by Judy Love, Wendy Rasmussen, and Paula Zinngrabe Wendland. These names may not mean much to most readers, but after viewing the images of imagination coming to life in full color on the pages of this book, it may give you pause enough to file these illustrators’ names to memory. Each illustration captures the feel and wonderment of the poems bound in Poetry Speaks to Children.

    The collection of poems, 95 in all, captures the diversity of humanity, cultures, and inner thoughts and feelings. The poetry isn’t just poetry; it is literature in its purest form. Poems from greats like Langston Hughes, Lewis Carroll, and Rudyard Kipling share space with historic playwrights such as William Shakespeare and epic novelists like J. R. R. Tolkien. The best part of this collection is that children can enjoy a rich education of literature, learning about the beauty of poetry and the written word while having fun!

    The recordings on the audio CD add to the timelessness of poetry. Some of the poems were recorded for the first time while creating the CD, thus resulting in crisp and beautiful poetic rhythms spoken by the author. Other tracks from the CD are from much older recordings, such as the Robert Frost reading. The varied sounds of the CD add to the feel of old and new merging together to make a classic for the younger generation.
    Although my son, a mere 2 years old, can’t read the words, he can enjoy the imaginative illustrations and the music of poetry when listening to the CD. It also allows parent and child to bond in a way a DVD or audio CD alone cannot.

    Poetry Speaks to Children is the best choice for a new addition to any avid reader’s collection of poetry. Better still, it is the perfect choice for introducing the beauty of poetry and the spoken word to anyone, of any culture, young and old. Within the pages of the shiny, wonderful book, poetry speaks to everyone in the family.

    Copyright (C) 2005, Rachael Towle.

    Rachael Towle is the owner of The Parent Station, a parenting resource and community. The Parent Station covers parenting and topics of safety, leisure, and even the metaphysical. For more information, visit www.theparentstation.com or email Rachael at admin@theparentstation.com

    Finding Scripts to Stage Your Own Puppet Shows

    June 16th, 2007

    The fun and creative rewards gained from helping children stage their own puppet
    shows are immeasurable. Too often, however, even after you’ve assembled your
    puppets, a puppet stage and a troupe of little actors, the missing ingredient is the
    script. While there are a few sources of scripts written specifically for the puppet
    theater, there’s a wealth of other resource materials to create your own puppet
    show scripts – some ready to perform, some easy to adapt.

    Since comedy is a great form of entertainment for children, one place to find source
    material for puppet shows is in existing comedy routines. Classic comedy routine
    scripts and pre-recorded comedy soundtracks are available in libraries, bookstores
    and throughout the Internet. The Web is full of comedy routines already in script
    form. The Creativity Institute website offers links to several of these classic
    collections, as part of our mission to help bring out the creative potential in
    children. Plus, we are constantly researching and updating these resources. Simply
    find something that suits your puppet theater cast in level of sophistication and in
    the number of parts, and you’re ready to go.

    Puppets are as versatile as your imagination. It doesn’t really matter what puppets
    you have, even when the puppets don’t match the parts in a script. This is especially
    true of animal puppets. Because they’re such a departure from human roles, they
    can easily be substituted for almost any role and even add an extra dimension to
    the show. Just tell the rabbit puppet that he’s Abbott or Costello and the duck
    puppet he’s one of the Marx Brothers, and watch the hilarity start to happen. You
    can even do simple wardrobe modifications on the puppets to both enhance the
    production and help the puppeteers get into character. (Example: Use double-stick
    tape to attach a piece of black yarn above a puppet mouth for a “Groucho”
    mustache.)

    The quickest way to start performing your puppet show is to use a pre-recorded
    script, such as an old radio show, comedy routine from TV or a movie. Saturday
    Night Live and Monty Python are full of great ones. Some classic old comedy
    routines, including The Three Stooges, The Marx Brothers and Abbot and Costello,
    can be a lot of fun for children to perform and delightful for “audience members.”
    The children don’t even have to read lines, but just pantomime along with the
    dialog.

    Additional sources of puppet script and performance materials include recorded
    songs, including children’s songs, novelty songs, musical duets and multiple-part
    numbers. Think of Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody,” “The 12 days of Christmas” and
    other holiday songs. The Muppet Show used to do wonderful things with these
    recordings. If the song is simple enough, such as “Old Mac Donald” with its
    multiple characters, you can let the children sing it themselves as they act out the
    different animal puppet parts.

    Of course, you can always write your own puppet theater scripts. Maybe there’s a
    real experience you or the children enjoyed that you want to relive. Or there could
    be a lesson you want to impart - about sharing, or getting along, or shaking the
    boredom of a rainy day. These themes can be turned into puppet show scripts that
    are as simple or as complex as you want, with as many characters as you feel like
    casting. If you don’t have enough puppets, get creative. Introduce a doll or two
    into the cast. You can even create an impromptu puppet out of a rubber glove and
    a marker or just a simple sock.

    The world of literature is another resource of dramatic material that can easily be
    adapted to simple puppet stage shows. Depending on the ages of the children, you
    can do the conversion for them or coach them in how to simplify and convert their
    favorite fable, fairy tale, nursery rhyme, children’s book, and even scenes from
    movies or TV shows. Simply write out the dialogue, and indicate which child does
    which puppet part, or let them read right from the books, using Post-Its to show
    who speaks where. Often printing out the text or copying the page with marking or
    color-coding where the parts change is all you need to do.

    As a sample of a non-script format story adapted for the puppet stage, we have a
    ready-to-perform script version of the Aesop’s Fable “The Lion and the Mouse” as a
    free download on our website, CreativityInstitute.com. It includes stage directions
    and requires only two puppets and an off-stage narrator.

    As we said earlier, puppets are as versatile as your imagination. They can sing,
    dance, fly through space and make an audience laugh or cry. Children often have
    their first experiences with role-play on the puppet stage. The puppet theater
    allows children to be in a valuable position to receive positive reinforcement from
    entertaining others and seeing their audiences react as they explore their character
    voices, antics, interpretations and ad-libs. Get your child in the act, and you’ll be amazed at the possibilities.

    The Creativity Institute is an online educational toy store and information resource
    dedicated to helping parents enhance creative development in children, from infant
    through school age. The store handpicks each educational toy based on its potential
    for bringing out creativity in children and includes such items as puppets and
    puppet theaters, toy musical instruments, art supplies and building blocks.

    Gwynn Torres and Sid Berger founded The Creativity Institute to help parents boost
    creativity in children. They are both former advertising creative directors who’ve raised
    five creative children between them. Visit their site at: http://www.creativityinstitute.com.

    A Place Inside Us That Never Dies

    June 10th, 2007

    The Wind in my Heart

    Wind, where is it?
    It comes, and it goes.
    It makes it’s way through the leaves of a tree,
    yet I am not able to see
    where the wind comes from, or where it will go.

    I like the way the wind makes the tree leaves sound.
    It is a peaceful tone much like a gentle rain
    on a cool summer night.
    There is a similar wind in my heart.

    It makes it’s way through my soul,
    and I am fresh again.
    It is the air I breathe,
    and the force that gives me life.

    Sam Oliver, author of, “Integrating the Feminine Spirit: Returning to the Womb of Creation”

    —————————————

    Life’s Process

    The leaf falls, the tadpole’s tail shrinks away,
    the hibernation begins, and new links come our way.
    The branch blossoms, the eggshell cracks,
    and we wonder why we wanted to go back.

    Life is filled with many transformations.
    There are slow times and times of acceleration.
    Much of our lives are filled with disorientation,
    then comes a clearing point of reorientation.

    To gain, we must first learn to give up
    and realize beginnings begin within us.
    We come to new beginnings at their endings.
    From the barrenness of fallow time, new life begins.

    It is out of formlessness we become a form
    and emptiness befriended brings forth a new born.
    A new theme in the music, a strange fragrance in a breeze,
    and a faint intimation that something is different indicates changes we need.

    Sam Oliver, author of, “A Life in Review”

    http://www.soulandspirit.org

    Various Poems - Inspiration, Nature, and More

    June 8th, 2007

    Snowfall
    Looking out on the field of purest white
    That our peaceful neighborhood has become,
    I feel wind and snowflakes so very light
    Gently touching my face in the night’s cold glum.

    Coming back in to warm my cold hands
    In front of the old fireplace,
    I look out at the winter wonderland
    Painted with a sparkling layer of icy lace.

    Carried on a steady eastern breeze,
    This is a snowstorm like no other;
    It lays a white blanket on the bare ground and trees,
    And makes for beautiful weather.

    Needing neither rhyme nor reason,
    Children will wake to see the white glow,
    Don coat and glove, and enjoy the season,
    Throwing snowballs and making angels in the snow!

    A robe of white has covered all that is ugly,
    Like the robes we’ll wear in God’s Paradise,
    When we join Him for a resplendent Eternity,
    Rejoicing on the unending day of our new lives!

    Of Dreams and Ambitions
    From the day a soul
    Is pulled from the Guff
    To inhabit its 70-year hull,
    Are its Dreams and Innocence not enough
    To succeed,
    And to heed
    God’s plan
    For man?

    Yet, do not the cares of the world
    Eventually depress the soul
    With their harsh conditions?
    Into the void our innocence is hurled,
    So our dreams we must hold on to,
    And begin to form into ambitions.

    In using our new-found experience,
    Do we not realize our ambitions,
    Formed from innocent dreams,
    And once again realize innocence?

    Lucid
    I. Stomping ground.
    Traversing the rural fringes
    Of urban reality,
    Haunting the spirits
    With lamps and curious minds.

    II. Marble city.
    I know when you were born and died,
    But I want to see beyond the moss
    On your gravestone.
    Who were you in life?

    III. Cathedral.
    I go back in time as I brush webs of dust
    From the stained glass window,
    Wondering what secrets this
    Old church buried with its dead.

    IV. Esoteric.
    As stained as memory,
    This old window yet reflects light
    Like the sermons once held
    In the holy hall.

    Owen Johnston lives and teaches Wado ryu Karate in Lake City, South Carolina. He enjoys reading, writing, training, and spending time with his fiance. The above poetry is excerpted from the author’s “Heaven on Earth”, a sample of which is available at Johnston Wado ryu Karate - Online Community.