Share These Gifts

“Peace is the beauty of life. 

It is sunshine. 

It is the smile of a child, 

the love of a mother, 

the joy of a father, 

the togetherness of a family. 

It is the advancement of man, 

the victory of a just cause, 

the triumph of truth.”

~ Menachem Begin

Great Art is Inspired by Love

“I love that Monet, Picasso, Van Gogh,

and Jesus all said…

that Love is really the driving principle

of the creative art. In fact, 

they would say that great art

is always inspired by Love.”

~ Erwin McManus 

Elvis Can’t Help Falling in Love

Bon voyage aboard the famous Smith Family Cruise Boat for an exclusive trek up the Wailua River, known as “the only navigable River” in all Hawaii. Our captain boldly proclaims the river’s pure mountain waters pour down from Mt. Wai’ale’ale, well-known as one of the wettest spots in the world. “Pay attention,” he continues, “to the lush lands along the river where the sacred capital of ancient Kauai became home of the island’s ali’i; the birthplace of royalty.” Four generations of Smiths stay committed to the daily tradition of endless love, chanting song, and native dance sharing Kauai’s rich heritage along the way. Hula dancers move to the strings of guitar and ukulele in rhythm-filled emotion. Hypnotic hip swaying and intricate arm movements transcend the trance-induced travelers serenading all into their world. Our two-mile journey upstream is filled with anticipation as the boat navigates around ambitious kayak enthusiasts and canoe outriggers en route to the Secret Falls near the next bend. For us, the destination is more astounding. Finally we dock in a private landing where we make our way on a winding footpath through a serene rainforest filled with exotic plants, towering trees, and tropical flowers native to the island. At the end of the trail the mystery unfolds. In plain sight Nature astounds all who gaze in wonder and awe. A geological act of God was born millions of years ago. And that wonder is Fern Grotto. A natural cave, formed from lava, is an amphitheater completely covered in ferns that are growing UPSIDE DOWN from the roof of the grotto. Truly! At one time, prior to Hurricane Iniki, wedding ceremonies were actually held within the grotto. This location was featured in the movie, “Blue Hawaii”, starring Elvis Presley, making it one of the most romantic and unique wedding sites in the world. Our host proclaims one final word with a smile, “The Hawaiian blessing is Hoi Hou Ke Aloha; Let us fall in love all over again.”

Missing My Father 

Missing my father who was the first person to believe that my dreams could come true. He taught me how to have faith in God and to believe in the power of His love. Dad encouraged me to follow my heart, showed me how to be kind to others, and inspired me to never lose hope. I love you, Dad, and celebrate the anniversary of your first year in Heaven. 

Just Keep Watering 

“We’ve got this gift of love,

but love is like a precious plant. 

You can’t just accept it

and leave it in the cupboard 

or just think it’s going to get on

by itself. You’ve got to keep

watering it. You’ve got to

really look after it and nurture it.”

~ John Lennon

The Open Arms of Love

“Just imagine becoming the wayyou used to be

as a very young child,

before you understood

the meaning of any word,

before opinions took over your mind. 

The real you is loving,

joyful, and free. 

The real you is just like a flower,

just like the wind,

just like the ocean,

just like the sun.”
~ Miguel Angel Ruiz

The Second Invitational~”The Love 😻 / Hate 😼 Blogger Challenge”!!

All things bright and beautiful….I received my second invitation to the L/H Challenge by the enthusiastic author of  http://awanderingstoryteller.wordpress.com who is not only quite personable, but has interesting stories to share. It’s worth your time.
These are ten (10) things that I love: 😻
I love perusing through antique shops.

I love the smell of old hard cover books.

I love heirloom cameo brooches.

I love hand-painted Quimper porridge bowls form France.

I love taking time to catch up on long distance relationships.

I love to giggle and laugh with my husband in the kitchen.

I love to break open the sand dollar to release the five white doves inside.

I love the symbolism of the fleur-de-lis: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

I love to hear the chiming of a grandfather clock.

I love that homemade potato soup is one of my comfort foods.

These are ten (10) things that I hate: 😼
I hate dull scissors when I’m in a hurry.

I hate to get a broken nail right after a manicure.

I hate it when I tear a contact lens.

I hate to see people with too much carry-on luggage. Check it!!

I hate to see underpaid and unappreciated employees.

I hate it when parents leave an atrocious mess from their kids in a restaurant and then expect the waitress to clean it up.

I hate it when people think it’s okay for their dog to poop in other people’s yards.

I hate the sound of a bird hitting the window.

I hate to parallel park my car.

I hate to see road rage.

Now that the two lists are complete, I submit to you the ten (10) nominees for the next round of “The Love 😻 / Hate 😼 Blogger Challenge”:

http://eatdrinkseeaus.com
Ralph
Charlene
http://pamobieta.wordpress.com
http://kitchenspells.wordpress.com
http://deadcatcomesback.wordpress.com
http://enaamshealthandhappiness.com
http://hungrycookie.net
Magdalena
http://eloisesedibles.com
Congratulations and enjoy the challenge!

Gail