I now understand, because I have lived it, that nothing and no one stays the same forever and above all…things must end sometime.

The human existence defined in the experience of a fragile mortality.

50… a threshold to cross. 50 reminds me to look upon the difficulties, disappointments, fears, and failures I’ve experienced as important life lessons, which have prepared me to cross the threshold. Some things in life just have to be learned the hard way and the only way to get through them is to GO through them. 50 also reminds me of the achievements and joys that were made possible because I chose to GO through the challenges and to face my fears.

While my loved ones may object to me going gray, I challenge them to see the youthful spirit that truly is me.

As I cross the threshold I embrace my gray hairs as a reminder of my journey, as well as a challenge to bring forth my spirit for others to see. Crossing the threshold I leave behind thoughts and ideas that no longer apply to the person I have become; bitter sweet relationships have come and gone left behind to blow in the winds of time. It also means practicing peace and serenity in my every day actions. It’s time to take a detour from the highway and enjoy an undiscovered dirt road.

Daisy Says: Courageously living with intention.

Tenacious, I thought this would be a great word to ponder on. What is Tenacity?

Merriam-Webster’s dictionary defines it as: persistent in maintaining, adhering to, or seeking something valued or desired.

“When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on.” – Franklin Roosevelt

Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent can’t take the place of tenacity;Truly the world has many unsuccessful people with talent. Education will not will not take the place of tenacity; as of this post, there are more educated people out on the streets without jobs than ever before — the U.S. government states that the unemployment is at 9.1% (I suppose they have not stepped out of their comfy offices and taken a walk through the major cities of America… if they took some real numbers to include those that do not report into the system and the women that opted to become care providers, I’d say that the unemployment rate would be closer to 12%).

ah! alas, this is about Persistence and determination which combined are omnipotent.

You can accomplish what you want perhaps not in one swift act of achievement — but you can do it gradually, day by day if you want to do it, if you work to do it, possibly over a long period of time.

Which would you prefer? Committed and Tenacious or Detached and Indifferent.

Truth be told, it is hard to achieve ANYTHING if you are not 100% committed to its accomplishment.

Yet the answer and the choice is in your hands. Indeed, you DO hold the key to achieving your goals. It’s in the Want and in the Work (pursuit, for those that find the word “work” offensive).

The pursuit will take you through the experience which in turn will become your journey. Have you put your dreams on paper? When you write your dreams down they begin to take shape, I have found myself erasing and redoing my dreams. What I have found more magical is that when I go back to my dream journal on several occasions I’ve had to expand my dream because as I had journeyed my dream expanded too!

The writing process helps turn your dreams into goals which you can schedule and track. The power of commitment is awesome. If you can dream it, you can think it… and yes… you can Will it to life!

Daisy Says: Take a deep breath and keep on holding!

Jabez called on the God saying, “Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain.” So God granted him what he requested. ~ I Chronicles 4:10

Daisy Says: Never underestimate the healing power of prayer.

Sometimes, entrepreneurs become paralyzed with decisions in regards to which direction they want to move forward with. It can get quite complex trying to put it all together: should they have partnerships; what price do they set for their services; how do they set up their websites… should it include multiple business? You get the idea.

It is through my fathers wisdom that I have learned that, break through in life comes with much love and perseverance. Putting one foot in front of the other, rolling up your sleeve. (… a little sweating might be a good thing too!)

As Edison says, “Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration.”

Daisy Says: Love and Perseverance will get you to your destination.

With now 3 generations that compete in the market place ranging from age 16 to 70, it just seems that everyone is pecking at each other instead of genuinely working with each other. Our wholesome values …have they disappeared with our great grandparents? God, Family and Country.

Did it ever occur to you? Divided we fall.

Tear a country apart and screw with the psyche of its peoples foundation.

Break them from their Faith – (Take God away from the pledge of allegiance, away from the currency;

Take their kids from their homes and send them out at age 18 because they are adults (who said you can’t keep your kids at home til their good and ready to fend for themselves? teach them to be Family and Unite? No! its not economically sound! Separate the family and now you have more economic contribution! Another tax paying bundle!;

…and finally tear at the country that nourishes you, …that’s right, keep fighting with each other about what you think you are entitled to… Opportunity no longer seems to be enough.

He grew up in a time,
When a third-grade education,
Was all the school you needed,
To work the family farm.
He’d take time off on Sunday,
Him and all his family,
warm a pew,
And give thanks to the Lord.

There was no gray, only black and white.
Didn’t need no-one to tell him,
What was wrong or right.
‘Cause he had God, Family, and Country.

He set aside his plow,
In early 1940,
Said goodbye to his small town,
And put on the Army green.
Hard Times on the front lines,
Writin’ letters on wet paper,
Not one word about the awful things he’d seen.

His was a generation,
That answered without question.
They knew they had to win,
‘Cause they were fightin’ for…
God, Family, and Country.

On the coffee table,
Sits the family Bible,
Where just last year he added,
A little boy to the family tree.

There’s the folded flag they gave us,
On the day he left us.
But the thing that I remember most,
Is the way that he…

Believed…

In God, Family, and Country

(lyrics by Craig Morgan)

What do you believe in?

Daisy Says: When a group of people share the same beliefs they can rise to any challenge.