Let There Be Light In The Wake Of Darkness

LET THERE BE LIGHT IN THE WAKE OF DARKNESS

It has been over a year since I published a blog post… oh, how time flies, how days get busy and nights can seem endless, how a year can be such a memorable blur.

I have missed many things that I used to do, but the one thing I have missed the most is writing. Remembering when I first started my blog several years ago, literally writing and publishing a post every single day without fail for over a year... seems like forever ago. I sit now and wonder where the flood of words came from, how they could escape into countless paragraphs every day for that long? But they did… and I loved every moment of it. It was and still is a therapeutic, serendipitous muse.

Windstorms of words were being poured out onto a screen long before my “Training Tuesday” videos and Live Broadcasts on Facebook 3 days a week.  However, as time goes by changes must be made and with that change, those daily blog posts morphed into something more impactful reaching more and more people… but I still missed writing.

Funny… how in that one paragraph the evolution of how it all began is evident, how each phase of my brand formed in a very real and raw way. The entire time, all I was hoping was that someone that read it could make use of what was shared.

Now, here I sit propped up in bed with the Piano Magic Pandora station playing in the background feeling inspired to write again, not knowing if I even possess the ability to be as consistent as I once was but not even caring. Feeling the need, a gravitational pull to do this tonight was like rebirthing something much loved that has been buried for a while.

Do what you love and love what you do, don't bury things that should stay alive.

GOD IS WITH US IN TIMES OF STRUGGLE

God works in mysterious ways. I prayed this morning for God to give me a sense of purpose again, to give back my joy after getting news that left me feeling a little depleted. It’s never fun feeling hard work and dedication that you put into something fails you in the end. I asked God to show me what to do, what direction I needed to travel in to get myself out of this funk into a place where I could find peace and purpose in the situation.

And here I sit, writing and realizing as I reflect how far that I have come… but more so how much I’ve come through. Morphing from who I once was, to who I am now. Going from feeling hopeless to being hope-filled, from setting goals to achieving them, and being reminded that what often feels like failure is almost always preparation for something bigger. Hard work and dedication has NEVER failed me, and neither has God.

God won’t fail you if you trust in Him. Make Him your source for wisdom like I do in times like this and you will find peace in every situation good or bad.

Wisdom is only obtained through trials and adversity, and true peace is only found through the Spirit of God. No matter the situation we must know it has purpose… that in and of itself is enough reason to pray through it. Nothing great comes with ease and everything that comes easy quickly fades.

ALL GOOD THINGS COME TO AN END

And with that, these are my final words today.

Life WILL present challenge, disappointment, and confusion. There will be times where you want to scream WHY GOD, WHY? What we must understand is that how long we surf in the wake is our decision and it also determines how quickly we will find peace and move forward.  

Know you have that power within you and use it.

XOXO

Shells

What I Didn't Think Would Happen... Did

Today is my 43rd birthday... and just as I typically do each year on this day, I am reflecting on the past year of life. Today however, I am reflecting from a hospital room watching my youngest little angel peer at a television screen from her hospital bed; bandage-wrapped head.

I chuckle in reflection, as the last 3 birthday's have been kind of crappy, and at the time it was happening, that fact seemed so significant. I was so sad and upset that I did not have a special birthday celebration planned for me as I see others have had through the numerous daily social media posts, that have become part of our daily routine.

Now, as I sit here watching and wondering what is going on with my daughter after she collapsed into what seems to have been a seizure yesterday, all of this seems so silly and meaningless.

It's a birthday... a day to signify that I made it another year... so insignificant compared to this little life I am staring at.

Her life is a struggle every day. A struggle to communicate what her mind is thinking, a struggle to get through day after day, a struggle to "fit in" and be accepted as a "typical" human being when she is not typical. Yet she does it with a big smile and a sweet disposition.

My Daughter Brie, has Down syndrome, and what an inspiration she is.

This little angel has changed so many views for me... she is a constant reminder that life is not that hard to get through unless you MAKE it hard. You can choose to smile, and keep going or you can choose to be resentful and give up. On the days that I get upset and frustrated by the things that surround me and the obstacles that I face... her smile is always there to remind me not to sweat the small stuff.

Yesterday was a scary day. She collapsed, stopped breathing and was not responsive for what seemed to be an eternity, although it was about 20 seconds. I panicked, and in that moment as I stared at her pale face and blue lips, I realized how precious life truly is in a way that I never wanted to experience.

What I didn't think would ever happen, did.

I saw a  precious little life flash faintly in front of me. I thank God that it was only for mere seconds, and not for eternity.

In those seconds as I watched my lifeless daughter, I was numb. My eyes frantically scanned the scene for my 14 year-old daughter and my 8 year old son; who is also her best friend.  Frightened with what was happening, I watched them completely fall apart. The fear in my son's face as he screamed in terror, is something that my mind will never erase. It was the worst few moments of my life thus far, yet it taught me the most significant lesson I have ever learned.

We must never take life for granted. We must celebrate every single day, NOT just once a year, and that celebration should simply consist of thankfulness for the life we have, even if it's not the one we want. We breathe, therefore we live.

My mom was there with us and stayed calm in the craziness, holding and hugging Brie as she came out of the episode that had occurred before our eyes. Mom was my rock, as she always has been as I dialed 911, fingers trembling, mentally praying and hoping that all would be okay.

I am happy to say that today, my little angel seems to be okay. Although her head is bandaged as her brainwaves are being observed to be sure that this seizure was a one time episode, I am blessed with a resilient little girl who is still trying to smile through yet another day in her life.

I am thanking God for life, not just mine but for hers. So quickly life can be taken.

As I tucked my son into bed at home last night, while my mother was with Brie at the hospital, he asked me if he could talk to me about why he got so scared. His voice trembled and he choked up as these words escaped his mouth...

"Mom, I was so scared when Brie stopped breathing because she is the only person who is always there for me when I am sad or upset. She always hugs me and kisses me when I cry and she plays with me when nobody else will. It's like she knows exactly how I feel all the time. If she wasn't here, I wouldn't have her to make me smile."

Tears rolled down my face in complete understanding of what he meant, as I hugged him tight and assured him that his little sister was going to be okay.

She has touched so many with her precious little life.

So what did I learn?

It is not the birthday celebration that matters, it is what actually happened in the year of life you are celebrating. It is about what you went through that changed you, formed you, and grew you as a person, mind, body and spirit. Those are the things that truly matter and hold the most significance. We are to celebrate that which we overcome, the days that we never give up, and the ability to smile even when we don't understand it all.

Today, I am blessed. My 43rd birthday is beautiful. It is a day, just like every other day to celebrate the wonderful joys that I have and have had in the past; I sit now watching one of them get through another day, now, resting peacefully despite what surrounds her.

Sure, it's nice to feel loved and celebrated on your "special" day, however I realize even more now that celebrating and loving life itself is so much more significant than a nice dinner and birthday cake. Perhaps that is what God was trying to show me through this.

So... I encourage you today, to celebrate your life WITHOUT cake.


Until next time....PURSUE WHAT YOU HOPE FOR; LEAVE BEHIND WHAT YOU WISH TO FORGET.... 

                          xoxo, Shells

mother-author-speaker-mentor

WWW.SHELLEYGIARD.COM

Spread love & positive inspiration daily

If you were touched by this post, touch someone else by sharing it. Positive inspiration is contagious. 

Follow me on Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/ShelleyD.Giard/

https://www.facebook.com/theSGiardgroup/

Follow me on Twitter

https://twitter.com/shelleygiard

Instagram: ShelleyGiard

    

IF YOU LIKE MY BLOGS, YOU WILL LOVE MY BOOK

To purchase a signed copy 

click here www.ineedthehappyending.com

To read reviews and purchase my book on Amazon

                                              

                                            click here: http://amzn.to/1oki1qR 

             

Your Soul Will Come Alive When You Go After Your Dreams

Tonight is my typical blog night. I missed posting last Monday because it was my first night "Going Live" on FB  and I had to prepare. It was pretty cool, a new learning curve and pretty successful. It's a hard decision to make these days, with all the ways to reach people, exactly which ones to use. So... I do what I feel most people with some sort of influence do... I use them all. Some people like to read, others would rather watch, and I want to reach them all.

I am not really sure with all that is roaming around in my head tonight what to share, but I prayed about it and simply asked God to give me some words that someone needs to hear. When I have drawn blanks before and asked that of Him, some of my best stuff has been delivered, so let's see what comes out of this. I will just tell a story of something that happened today and let it flow. It touched me and perhaps it will touch you too.

Pain is a funny thing, we often hide it inside as to not call attention to ourselves or our troubles, yet in my life, I have witnessed many times that letting it out and sharing a painful moment touches lives, helps us connect, and lets us inside one another's hearts. In all that, change often happens, positive change, life-changing change It's cool, and has a lot of impact; at least on me.

Some of you know that I am in the planning stages of my life long dream... building a massive mentoring community called The S. Giard Group, whose goal is nothing more than to impact the lives of everyone involved and to change the way people look at personal and professional growth.

Our mission is to help EVERYONE involved, no matter how much or how little to manifest what ALL of us have inside. To rid ourselves of the things that hold us back.

This goal is something that has been in my head for a long time, about 11 years, actually. For the past 7, I have been mapping out how I would build it and run it. For the past two I have been piecing it together and now I am filling the pipelines. It is the most influential endeavor I have ever attempted.

I am excited and thrilled that I am now in the stage of adding mentors... finding the very people that will help me run this and make it a reality. With that being said, I have been interviewing people over the past several months and it has been a great process.

Today, I met with a lady that I was introduced to by one of my newest mentors, Ken, who is on the leadership and accountability team. The three of us met for coffee and she and I began to get acquainted. It came time for me to present my company and all that I have planned for it to this new contact. After I presented the whole concept and all that we were about, she was wowed. She shared personally with me a little bit about her son and as she did, she became very emotional coming to tears and said "If my son would have had something like this to plug into, his life would have been very different. This is really great Shelley and I would love to be part of this!"

I knew, in that moment, that I wanted her on my team.

You see, there is something to be said about a genuine soul, one that is not afraid to share, not afraid to cry. One that has been through their own experiences and KNOWS the value of having something, someone to plug into. A soul that KNOWS what self improvement and self discovery can do for your life. It was an awesome moment and I am looking forward to welcoming someone with a business degree as well as a masters in the Psychology field on the team.

Things are coming together. It is exciting, and no matter how long it takes to build this dream, I will push on despite the people who may think I am a crazy, far-fetched dreamer. They are right, I am. I am likely as FAR-FETCHED as they come. But, so were Walt Disney, Hans Christian Anderson, Dr, Seuss, Colonel Sanders and Ray Croc, just to name a few. They went for YEARS being broke to go after their dreams. They were relentless on the emotional roller coaster it is to go after a dream. However all of them, ALL of them reached their goal, fulfilled their dreams, changed lives and lived to see it happen.

For those who gave up... we can't say that. We don't know what may have happened if they had stuck it out just a little while longer. They died defeated, and likely worn out by the cruelty of a life without dreams and goals. A life that most people lead...

Is that the life you lead?

I am ALWAYS preaching on dreaming big and going after them and I will preach this till the day I die. If you are going to follow me, get used to it, or politely say good bye and know that I wish you lots of success and happiness.

As my tag line goes, "I am the girl that will tell you that you CAN when everyone else says you can't."

If you need that, I am here to plug into. I am here for you to share with others who need an outlet.

Today... I was moved by a tearful moment when someone felt that my company could have changed her son's life, THAT was so encouraging and it's little moments like that from a complete stranger that keep me going sometimes. That's two in the past several days... God knew I needed that encouragement and delivered it right on time.

I hope that somehow, these words stirred something inside of you. KNOW that I believe in you and want to help you in any way that I can. Reach out, anytime to the email below and I will help you find your voice and your way.

Email: TheSGiardGroupTeam@Gmail.com
Subject Line: Blog Reader

Be AWESOME, Dream BIG and don't let anything stop you.

"The past is the inspiration to the story, the days ahead are the painting... remember that you hold the brush to create it. Now go make it a masterpiece." ©ShelleyGiard

Until next time....

PURSUE WHAT YOU HOPE FOR; LEAVE BEHIND WHAT YOU WISH TO FORGET.... 

xoxo

Shells

WWW.THESGIARDGROUP.COM

I HOPE THAT YOU WILL:

SHARE THIS POST

Follow me on Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/ShelleyD.Giard/

https://www.facebook.com/theSGiardgroup/

Follow me on Twitter

https://twitter.com/shelleygiard

Instagram: ShelleyGiard

     

     

 IF YOU LIKE MY BLOGS, YOU WILL LOVE MY BOOK

To purchase a signed copy 

click here>> www.ineedthehappyending.com

To read reviews and purchase my book on Amazon

                                              

                                            click here>>> http://amzn.to/1oki1qR 

             

An Uncertain Destiny... A Purposeful Prayer

Tonight, before I sat to write, I had the opportunity to create a peaceful candlelit atmosphere around me. This is something that I have not been able to do in a long time. I am thankful for this sense of peace in such an unsettled time in my life. There are a lot of things in limbo right now; many big changes ahead and quite frankly I am putting FULL FAITH in God right now because that is the only thing I feel I have on my side; it's enough.

I certainly did not see myself here at this point in life. 41 years old seems an age when things should be settled and content. I pictured it very different than it is... but life has a way of surprising you; mine more often than not. Three steps forward... two steps back; are the way things go while others seem to run marathons around me. Life is not always what it seems... "theirs" isn't either and I must keep that in my mind and sight.

THE REALITY
It is hard, I must admit to scroll through social media, seeing photos and posts of anniversaries, engagements, weddings and traditional families with a mom, dad, and kids doing things that families do in the summertime. Attending backyard cookouts, going on vacations... the togetherness, the commitment that I've never really had; at least not in the way it was meant to be... a married, committed couple raising a family together. I have 4 beautiful children who I feel have missed out on that beauty and although I give them all I can, I will share with you tonight that there are many moments when I can't help but feel their voids.

THE PAIN
As a parent, you want to give your kiddos everything they need, so it pains me when I simply can't. My daughters have never been to a daddy/daughter dance nor can I offer my son dude time fishing or playing ball. This is something that so many women take for granted and rarely realize how lucky they are. I look at photos and read posts and think "What did I do wrong? What did I miss?" I know my kids will be okay, but I must teach them what "family" is supposed to look like. I need to teach my daughters how to be a good wife and my son how to be a good husband; it's a challenge when you are flying solo.

What I have to constantly swallow is that my choices led me here; that is the hard lesson I am supposed to share tonight. It is what God put on my heart as I prayed for a blog topic. It's a harsh reality that our choices DO matter and we will always have to live with them. Although it is hard to admit our mistakes, when we do, we open ourselves up to forgiveness of ourselves... forgiveness of others and are able to move on the best we know how.

THE POINT
There are two messages that I want to get across in this post, one is, know that your life is exactly where it is supposed to be right now... even if it is uncertain, even if it sucks... even if it makes no sense at all. Clarity will come if you keep your eyes open and your heart warm. The second is to say PLEASE appreciate your partner or spouse for all that they do. So many people on the outside looking in wish they had what you do. When you take someone worth while for granted there is an injustice to their hearts and their future once the relationship falls apart... and trust me, it will. This kind of pain runs deep and scars you to the core.

THE PEACE
For a faithful person like myself... God has removed many of my pains of the past, however once in a while I still feel voids and sadness, so tonight I will pray that once again He takes these feelings away. I am not alone... and neither are you. Even in the lonely times we have someone looking after our hearts, our lives and our future. When you can put trust in that, these moments will only be mere moments; not a lifetime, and the blessings will rise to the top.

Be thankful, be thoughtful and realize all that you are blessed with and know that you will continue to be blessed if your faith continues to grow.

Until next time... be faithful

xoxo

Shells

WWW.THESGIARDGROUP.COM

I HOPE THAT YOU WILL:

SHARE THIS POST

Follow me on Facebook

www.facebook.com/ShelleyD.Giard

www.facebook.com/theSGiardgroup

Follow me on Twitter

https://twitter.com/shelleygiard

WWW.SHELLEYGIARD.COM

  

        IF YOU LIKE MY BLOGS, YOU WILL LOVE MY BOOK

To purchase a signed copy 

         click here>> www.ineedthehappyending.com

              

         to read reviews and purchase it on Amazon

                                              

                                                      

                                                  click here>>> http://amzn.to/1oki1qR 

             

Not Always Rainbows...

I have missed writing for two weeks, that's 4 blog posts that I now owe you and typically when this happens, it is because I am busy with work. Now, although I HAVE been very busy with home/career stuff this was not the reason I failed to blog this time; nope... this time I did not blog because I was struggling with some personal issues and had to take a mental break to sort through some things in my head. Unfortunately, it took me longer than normal to sort and I realize that maybe I should have blogged; blogging helps me sort...it's like therapy for me. I suppose I don't always have to be the one that is super strong... I suppose I too can emotionally crack from time to time and still be a person who others look up to, admire and consult; after all, I am human and imperfect just like everyone else, so perhaps it is not so odd or strange to feel his way.

So as I was saying... I had some mental "poo" to deal with and although it's not completely sorted yet, I have come to terms that drastic changes are going on in my life right now and what I am feeling are simply the growing pains of it all. Just this week I was on a business trip and as I was sitting in my hotel room alone one night thinking in a quiet solitude of nothingness, I vividly remembered where my life was just 5 short years ago. I felt like everything was crumbling around me and all I had to rely on was my faith and my Mom; I could not have recovered without her strength and help, but trusting in my faith is what got me through. I decided this week in that very moment curled up in that comfy hotel room bed, that all I had to do was repeat the process I did 5 years ago.

So many wonderful things are happening; so many growth spurts, so I was a fool to think that everything and everyone including me could remain untouched and unaffected by the changes happening in my life. This is a new stage, new leaves are turning and because I am feeling more growth than ever before, I was starting to feel pretty lonely. People around me, many whom are the closest to me are not understanding or supporting my decisions because they are used to me the way I have been so these changes are uncomfortable, even when it is logical and what's best for me and my family. Many people are complacent, they have settled for "what is" instead of going after "what can be"... that one trait has always made me different. I always find ways to improve, to figure out what issues I have and how to deal with them better. We ALL have issues and ailments, but I have never settled into such a comfort that I wanted to stay where I was; it's just not how I am wired. I simply have to accept that not everyone is like that. I explore the most into who I am and what my fullest potential is, so it is often hard to understand why others don't.

I am learning a lot more about myself lately, I know that I am molting into new skin and it's not quite comfortable yet, not even for me... but I also know I am meant for what's ahead so I will trust in my faith once again and PUSH forward into the direction I am being led. I must accept that some will follow and some will run the other way. As I reach my fullest potential, I will lose those who were merely there for a moment, who were there only to serve a purpose or teach me a valuable lesson. There are two kinds of people in our lives... the ones who matter and the rest. Learn who really matters in life; the ones that stand by you no matter what, the ones who love and support you no matter how crazy you are; the ones that know you are too valuable to let go... hold onto them.

As I end tonight's blog, I will say this...

I am happy, because I chose to be. I go through things that tear me down, make me want to quit, become complacent and accept less than I deserve....but I refuse to let ANY of that happen. Failure is not an option... for when you give up you will never experience what your life was meant to be and never realize what you are truly capable of. Along the way, you will only lose what was intended to be temporary. When you keep going, what you are left with is your destiny.

xoxo

Shells

I HOPE THAT YOU WILL:

SHARE THIS POST

Follow me on Facebook

www.facebook.com/ShelleyD.Giard

Follow me on Twitter

https://twitter.com/shelleygiard

To purchase a signed copy of my book click here

www.ineedthehappyending.com

or to by it on Amazon

                                                       http://amzn.to/1oki1qR 

A Purpose, A Place, And a Promise... An Easter Message

What a week! It was probably one of the busiest I have had this year; which left me with no time at all to blog. Although frustrated, I have decided to stop beating myself up when this happens... it drives me nuts to miss my weekly posts, but I am human just like the rest and realize that sometimes my busy schedule simply keeps me from obligations that I have. Blogging is one of the few obligations that I can put on the sideline; while there are others I cannot. So.. my week was overbooked but low and behold, I managed to survive. Unfortunately, my plans for Easter Sunday were squashed when my two youngest woke not feeling well, however I managed to get to church this morning for a positive Easter message and soaked in every word. I was happy as I was filled with the glory of His grace this morning and I suddenly recalled my very special Thursday night.

About a month ago I was asked to come speak on April 17th to a women's hope ministry church in the heart of east Tampa (the "not so great" side of town) by a beautiful female pastor whom I had met and who had read my book. I was honored and humbled that Pastor Alecia wanted me to share my story with this group of deserving women, so I happily accepted. However the last few weeks have been smothered with sickness,  business meetings, travel and bookings, so I had not found the time to properly prepare for this event. Being that I am typically better speaking off the cuff, I did not worry too much, but as Thursday quickly approached right in the middle of yet another busy week, I hoped that I would be able to find the right words being as tired as I was.

After a very long day of doing makeup and wardrobe for a promo shoot for the Tampa Bay Bucs, I changed clothing in the bathroom at One Buc Place and made my way to my speaking engagement across town. As I drove into this part of town I could not help but notice the signs of a poverty stricken, less fortunate culture. Payday advance places,  fast food restaurants and low income retail stores everywhere I looked. I pulled into the parking lot of the strip plaza where this "church" was located and suddenly had a feeling it was going to be a powerful and rewarding night.  I quietly prayed in my car asking God to put the words He wanted me to speak to this group of African American women into my heart and I got out of my car. I was lovingly greeted by Pastor Alecia in the parking lot and we walked upstairs to the suite where she runs her ministry.

I was welcomed by a few smiling women as I walked into a modest room with bare walls, a small raised platform, a lucite podium, about 30 folding chairs and two speakers in the corners of the room. The night was opened up in prayer by a middle-aged lady who spoke with such feeling... it was a long prayer; heartfelt, and her repetitious "Thank you God's" and "Thank you Jesus's" filled the room with emotion. After the prayer was closed, a young lady, timid and meek got up to read a bible verse about judging others and shared what  this verse meant to her. As she left the podium a strong, tall lady from across the room made her way up to the podium and began to share how her week was struggling with a terrible cold while working two jobs every day. She continued to share her struggles for the week but quickly spoke of how much better this was compared to her life on the streets, and for that she was thankful. Chills ran down my arms as she shared her testimony, and a tear rolled down my face as I realized she had been homeless.

The next person to come up was a young lady who was about 7 months pregnant. As she held the microphone, she started tapping her foot on the floor and gently slapped her hand on her leg for a beat and began to sing... no fancy sound system, just raw vocals and meaningful words. The words to the songs were so simple, but as they left her mouth and I looked around the room at the mere dozen woman in attendance I was completely moved with the spirit in this small room. The lyrics to the last song she sang were nothing more than  "Thank you, Thank you, Thank you Lord" sung over and over again, but as everyone sang the last round of thank you's.. she added "for the food that I eat, for the air in my lungs, for the shoes on my feet, for the clothes on my back, for the roof over my head..." I was moved to tears as she named things that are taken for granted every single day. By the end of the song I needed a tissue and the pastor finally approached the podium. She praised God and his presence in this room and invited these women to share what they felt they needed to before the "special guest speaker" started.  The lady who had opened with prayer stood up and shared her past of drug addiction and how it was a daily struggle, how this ministry was her saving grace and how she is so happy to have this "family". A young 14 year old stood up and shared her struggles with self esteem and self worth and asked everyone to pray for her... my tears began to fall. This was so raw, so real, and so appropriate as I too was going to get up and be raw and real with my own testimony.

Pastor Alecia then gave me an incredibly humbling introduction of how she met me and as she called me "their sister" I stood, wiped my tears away, and approached the podium. (of course with  my loud voice no microphone was needed.) As the words began to leave my lips, I shared how moving this was in comparison to my large church, how amazing I thought it was how they conducted the evening and how awesome it was that they shared their stories of struggle. I then shared my journey with them. During the hour and a half that they had given me to speak, the words poured out of my heart and as I looked around the room, they were completely engulfed hanging onto every word. I felt so amazing... I felt just like I did when I spoke to inner city schools last year and I decided that THIS is where God wants me to be; it is where I can make the most impact and my heart was filled with gratitude. These are the people that need hope the most... the forgotten, the broken, the ones that most people would turn their backs on. THIS is where I am meant to be.

When I was done, they took up an offering and had a very special gift giving moment where a chosen person  brings a gift each week to give to a person that inspired or touched them... the person who brought the gift gave ME the "gift of love". I was so touched. More than half of the women came up to me and thanked me, hugged me and said I gave them hope. The 14 year old girl that had shared her struggles came up to me and began to cry, I held her in my arms as we sat down for the pastor close the night in prayer. After the prayer Pastor Alecia walked up to me and handed me the envelope filled with the offering they had just received and said they wanted me to have it. Tears once again filled my eyes... as I looked around at these women, this barren room, I did not want to take this money, however they insisted I keep it the moment I asked them to put it back into the ministry.

I have never felt the kind of  love that I felt as I left that night. They all waved goodbye in the parking lot as I drove away; it was truly amazing and more powerful that I could have ever imagined. When I got home, I opened my "gift of love" to find a beautiful bracelet and card. Although reluctant, I then opened the offering envelope to find $115 in it. I could not believe it, a room of 12 women who are barely making it collectively gave $115 of offering to me. I immediately put the money back in the envelope tucked it in my purse and decided it would only be used to give to others...  I did not need this money. Every time I wear the bracelet it will remind me of the blessings that I have and how 12 amazing women gave so selflessly to me.




The next day as I was on my way to another photo shoot, I stopped at a gas station to fill my tank with gas. The man  in front of me handed the clerk $1.19 for gas...  I thought to myself, that won't even cover a gallon of gas." I paid for my gas and quickly walked out to my car, opened the envelope and pulled out a twenty dollar bill. I ran over to the the other side of the gas station and handed that man the $20. I told him to put more gas in his car. He stared at me, puzzled for a moment and then began to explain that he had been out of work... I said, "no explanation needed, just take it." I walked back to my car, pumped my gas and drove away feeling warm and fuzzy inside.

Although my Easter did not go as planned and my week was utterly exhausting, I am truly and incredibly blessed. Although my mind may be mush, my heart is full and I look forward to a great week ahead. As your week begins, I hope that you find something to make you smile, I encourage you to count your blessings and take nothing for granted. God's Promise is to be there no matter what.

For God so loved the world that He gave His only son so that whoever believe in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life... 

I am thankful for the storms in my life... for they brought me back to You. I am thankful for the blessings in my life... for they confirm that you're always there. Today I celebrate Your life and the life You breathe into me... Thank you Lord for loving me no matter what. AMEN

HAPPY EASTER !!!!

xoxo

Shells

FEEL FREE TO:

SHARE THIS POST

Follow me on Facebook

www.facebook.com/ShelleyD.Giard

Follow me on Twitter

https://twitter.com/shelleygiard

To purchase my book click here
www.ineedthehappyending.com 

Just Being There....

Yesterday was a really great day, I started it off by making breakfast for my family, even though I could not eat what I made for them due to to my annoying gluten and dairy allergies. I sure do love the smell of maple syrup and bacon, I mean, who doesn't adore that yummy aroma? What I loved most were the smiles that lit up their faces and the "mmmmmm" sounds that my daughter Abrielle kept making with every single bite; pancakes are her favorite and as she licked the syrup from her fingers I knew I had done something good. Shortly after breakfast I loaded up the kiddos and we headed off to church for another positive encounter. 

The message was absolutely wonderful yesterday; it always seems to hit the spot and truly keeps my mind in the right place each and every week. It's better than therapy and TRUST ME! I am sure that I could use some at times. 

On the drive home, I asked my son what he had learned in class and he said "I learned that God loves everyone, even when you are bad or if you mess up." I smiled, because THAT is the message we should be learning, the one that we should be sharing, it is the message that I wished I had learned as a child instead of "If you do wrong you will go to hell." That is harsh and unforgiving even for an adult to swallow.

If I had learned back then what I have learned today, I would not have been lost for so many years thinking I was not good enough to be forgiven and probably would have forgiven others more easily myself instead of carrying grudges and ill feeling around. I would have also understood that just because you are faithful does not mean you will be exempt to pain and suffering and with that, many things that happened throughout my life would have made more sense to me. 

It is truly comforting knowing that my children will grow up realizing that we are loved for our imperfections... that it is okay, normal and acceptable to screw up as long as we ask for forgiveness; it confirmed that I am doing something else good for my kids.

We spent the afternoon and early evening at a friend's for a kid-friendly Super Bowl party celebrating football, although I was having fun playing with the kids, not really caring at all about the game. I must admit that it is not always easy to get me into the "playful mommy" mode. I really have to switch that button on, but for some reason yesterday it was really easy and I am still trying to figure out what made it different. When we got home, I gave them baths, tucked them in and read them a bedtime story as I usually do. As an added bonus, I decided to sing one of their favorite bedtime songs; John Denver's "Sunshine on my Shoulders" which is a song my daddy used to sing to me when I was a little girl. As I sang, I sat and held Abrielle rocking her back and forth and she giggled and hugged me the entire time then applauded me in the end with a smile from ear to ear. It was a truly awesome moment. Upon completing the song, my son told me that I should "go to a big place and sing for real because I was that good." It was the perfect end to a perfect day and it had NOTHING to do with football. 

We get so wrapped up in all the craziness of life sometimes, that we have a hard time just being there... but after the day I had yesterday, I am going to make a conscious effort to pull away more often and just be there, because it made me as happy as it made them. I hope you will do the same.

Have an awesome week! 

xoxo

Shells

FEEL FREE TO:

SHARE THIS POST

Follow me on Facebook

www.facebook.com/ShelleyD.Giard

Follow me on Twitter

https://twitter.com/shelleygiard

Purchase my book

https://www.tatepublishing.com/bookstore/book.php?w=978-1-62563-858-8

www.ineedthehappyending.com