daily post challenge | Carmela Snelbaker

Tag: daily post challenge

I’ll Be Brave

Posted at 9:47 AM by carmelasnelbaker

May 21st
Brave…… Spunky, Strong, Unafraid, Undaunted, Lionhearted, Herolike, Indomitable, Spirited, these are synonyms for the word BRAVE.

How does one become brave? Is it something that we actually contemplate and then act upon? This makes me think of my beautiful grandson Wyatt who was meeting the challenge of living with Mitochondrial Disease. He would often state before having to endure one of the many painful pokes or procedures required for that day “I’ll be brave”.

It is my belief that Bravery comes from within. It is also my Belief that we obtain it from Above. In my opinion as human beings we have limited abilities, knowledge and strength. When we rely on only what our human mind can plan for us we limit ourselves to small minded solutions.

By reaching outside of ourselves and inviting in Divine Solutions, Bravery will come forth from within.

This doesn’t mean we will function as the Incredible Hulk with a visible strength busting out of our clothing and a relentless hardhearted attitude. Boasting and singing our theme song and successes.

You may not know, but as we pray for Divine Support to fill our hearts and Guide us through difficult times, The Divine Spirit within your heart fills you with an endless wealth of Patience, Peace, Joy, Wisdom and Love.

True Bravery is not boastful and loudly visible it is more noticeable as a beautiful, quiet, gentle, nonthreatening calm, peace and comfort that we are able to function with through whatever daily life sends our way. A Brave person filled with the Divine Spirit is someone you want to draw near to, someone who you can tangibly feel their strength and wisdom. Someone you want to be with and get to know and share their secrets from within.

It does not mean though that we will be void of emotions. Even the toughest and bravest individuals even though they live with the assurance that they will have adequate courage to survive the challenges life sometimes deals us will experience sadness and tears from the life struggles we and others witness here on earth.

Pray for those in need, that they may be filled with the Strength and Peace for Above. Pray that the many humans struggling in “human survival mode” reach out for Divine Wisdom, open their hearts to “Be Brave” (as Wyatt so perfectly and simply said it.)

With Respect, Hope, Joy and Love, Carmela
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Posted in Meditative Writings | Tagged #blog4peace, B4Peace, be brave, beauty, bravery, Carmela Snelbaker, challenges, Child, Christianity, compassion, courage, daily post challenge, dignity, divine guidance, DPchallenge, family, God, grandchildren, gratitude, hope, hospice, inspiration, joy, kindness, love, Mental health, peace, positivity, Prayer, respect, spirit, Unconditional love, wisdom
Pensive Beauty and Recovery

Posted at 9:44 AM by carmelasnelbaker

May 19th
Imagine the beauty of a group of people working, living and interacting side by side totally absent of negative competition, supportive of each other and allowing each other to flourish in a peaceful environment. As beautiful as the thought of individuals blooming and flourishing next to one another in total Peace is, what would it take to actually make this happen?

If you ask one hundred people to explain beautiful you may get one hundred diverse answers. This has also been proven true when asking a group of individuals who witness an event to explain details of the incident. How can it be that two individual that experience a moment in time when asked to describe the moment in detail relay it as two completely different situations?

I am not sure there is one correct answer for this. Have you ever experienced a moment in time when you caught a scent in the air that triggered a memory?

In a moment in time the smell of a familiar fragrance can transport you back to a memory that you experienced in the past. Whether the memory is a fond memory or an unpleasant one “the memory” is written within your previous consciousness in a way that only you would be able to explain.

What may fill one person with good feeling may fill the person standing next to them with bad feelings. What may make one person flourish, may hinder the next person.

I want to believe though that Peace is attainable among human beings apart from total uniformity of thoughts, opinions and perceptions.

In diversity there is also beauty. The quote below helps to envision a thread of hope for changing ones past experiences for the better.

The most authentic thing about us is our capacity to create, to overcome, to endure, to transform, to love and to be greater than our suffering. ~Ben Okri~

I often laugh when I have a moment of forgetfulness. I joke that “every time something new enters my brain, something old must fall out.” In the case of traumatic memories or patterns of negative behaviors, it would be a blessing if we were able to easily make this happen.

I believe the true beginning of healing can not begin until we stop trying to live in survival mode….. believing that we are the only one that knows what we have to do to keep going. As long as we are in “survival mode” we are relying on our own learned behaviors that have been imprinted from our past situations. In doing this we are trapped in a vicious circle of our own demise.

When fear traps us into thinking that we are the only one that we can trust our journey is life will be very limited and lonely.

It is not until we honestly examine our hearts, our life situations and attempt to truly understand how our own actions play a role in every situation we encounter, only then will we be able to play a significant part in our own recovery and journey to experience true Joy and Peace.

We cannot do this on our own. As much as we want to believe that we are the only ones that can know what we need to do, we can not be more confused and wrong. Our view of events is distorted and we are reacting in a defensive manner.

Pray for your heart to be open to the true picture and pray for understanding and help feeling and accepting the Love and Wisdom of God. When you realize you do not have to be perfect to be Loved, that the person you are is the exact person who God made and He loves you exactly as you are, this is when you can except help from others, things will begin to change for the better and you will flourish.

If we feel insecure from within it is impossible to see and appreciate beauty.

When we know and experience unconditional Love from God it is impossible to not share this same Love with others.

I once heard someone say “a flower does not think of competing with the flower next to it, it only blooms.”

Pray for a world where people can live side by side and bloom and flourish in selfless Beauty and Peace as the flowers do.

With Respect, Hope, Joy and Love, Carmela

This post was written in response to the daily post: pensive
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Posted in Meditative Writings | Tagged beauty, Carmela Snelbaker, daily post challenge, daily prompt, diversity, Fear, flourish, gratitude, hope, inspiration, joy, kindness, love, Memories, Mental health, peace, Prayer, PTSD, resiliance, respect, survival, Unconditional love
Don’t Worry Be Happy :)

Posted at 9:41 PM by carmelasnelbaker

May 15th
I decided to share a blog post from 3 years ago. Today the Daily Post Challenge was the word Healthy.

I have always found great enjoyment in my pets whether small or large pets they put joy in my days. I found an article on the WebMD site that states 6 ways a pet can improve your health. I will include the link here so you can read the details. A healthier heart, stress soother, social magnets, Better mood/more meaning,benefits baby’s immune system, and social support for autism, is a quick rundown of the reasons.

I hope you enjoy my very short but fun movie of Hallie when she was a baby. She did a lot of traveling as a Therapy Lamb this is the reason she is wearing the diaper, I am sure we had just returned from our travels.

Hope this post gives you a smile If gave me a much needed one!
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Posted in Meditative Writings | Tagged animals, daily post challenge, DPchallenge, happy, healthy, joy, love, nature, pets, smile, webmd
Don’t Look Back

Posted at 2:13 PM by carmelasnelbaker

May 9th
No matter how Faithful we are and how much Hope fills our hearts there are always moments that just don’t feel right or make sense after navigating through any major life change.

When changes come about suddenly the events that are happening may seem chaotic, random and senseless. Our mind and body seem as though they are functioning in a fog. Both movements and thoughts feel robotic and mechanical.

As the Spirit in us continues to lead us forward, our body sometimes stumbles with unbalanced emotions.

As we maneuver through the confusion, a random or chance meeting or event in our day can set off that Whisper from God that lets you know that you are exactly where you are supposed to be and doing exactly what you should be doing.

Along with the realization that you are where God wants you to be comes with a renewed amazement of the majestic unfolding of event that can only be explained as Divine Guidance.

By keeping our focus on moving forward and hanging on to at least a thread of Hope miracles eventually begin to unfold. Sometimes it is difficult to put into words the awesome beauty of that “Whisper from God” moment but you will know it for sure when you experience it.

It is the most amazing peaceful moment. You know from the bottom of your heart that all is well and this is where you are supposed to be at that very moment in time. In this moment there is a complete level of understanding within your heart that comprehends the importance of all of the events in your life that lead up to this unspoken level of compassion.

It is as if your heart is communicating without words with an absolute non-threatening level of understanding. The total peace that surpasses all understanding. We are more alike than different. When we quiet our thoughts and attempt to communicate with our heart this is the point when heavenly love reaches earth.

Pray that as a world we focus on moving forward and learn to quiet our minds and communicate more with our hearts to allow Heavenly Love to reach earth.

With Respect, Joy, Peace and Love, Carmela

We may not always see eye to eye but we can walk hand in hand and promote peace
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Posted in Meditative Writings | Tagged #blog4peace, B4Peace, compassion, courage, daily post challenge, dignity, divine guidance, DPchallenge, God, gratitude, hope, inspiration, joy, kindness, peace, respect

Love is What We Are Born With Find your Inner Truth

Posted at 7:58 PM by carmelasnelbaker

Apr 27th

We are not held back by the Love that we didn’t receive in our past, but by the Love that we are not extending in the present. ~Marianne Williams~

Do you mask your emotions? Do you get up and go through your day living as a character in a play? Fulfilling obligations, taking care of responsibilities and making every attempt to live a reputable life? When you fall short of perfection and life’s unavoidable annoyances get in the way of your achieving your goals how do you respond? Are you truthful with others when you explain an unmet deadline? Are you honest with yourself, or angry, annoyed and stressed?

Individuals often allow their true identity to be masked in ways that may not be obvious to themselves or others. It is possible for an individual to be living and functioning as only a “character” of their true self. When you live each day attempting to survive at a superficial level, depending only on limited human wisdom, you may never reach your greatest potential.

It is not easy to search deep within oneself to uncover who we are and what has made us this way.

“Love is what we are born with. Fear is what we learn. The spiritual journey is the unlearning of fear and prejudices and the acceptance of love back in our hearts. Love is the essential reality and our purpose on earth. To be consciously aware of it, to experience love in ourselves and others, is the meaning of life. Meaning does not lie in things. Meaning lies in us.” ~ Marianne Williamson Quote

It is not until we surrender our hearts and minds to a power greater than ourselves that enables us to witness a level of wisdom and truth that surpasses all understanding.

Genuine inner truth is a Divine Whisper from God. A truth that envelops us in Divine Love and changes us forever.

The Unconditional Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self Control that you are both comforted by and you acquire from Divine Love, will fill your life and be impossible to keep to yourself.

There are many different explanations or interpretations of Divine Love. There are also many different levels of maturity or understanding. In our journey through life we will meet many people who will influence our lives in many different ways.

Each time we experience a whisper from God and share that experience with another individual it can provide an amazing chance for God to touch someone with “His Love” by reaching out through you.

“We are not held back by the Love we didn’t receive in the past, but by the Love we are not extending in the present.” ~ Marianne Williamson Quote

Invite Divine Love into your heart. Live your Life in His Love. Reach out to others and follow Divine Guidance. It is not until you experience Divine Love that you can truly share complete empathy, compassion and understanding with others and begin living in Love and not Fear.

With Respect, Joy, Peace, and Love. Carmela

Posted in Meditative Writings | Tagged #blog4peace, B4Peace, Carmela Snelbaker, Christian, compassion, confronting Fear, daily post challenge, Divine Love, emotions, Fear, God, Honesty, Inner Truth, inspiration, joy, kindness, Live in Love, Living in Love, love, Mask, peace, positivity, respect

Seeking Clarity Amongst the Fog

Posted at 3:08 PM by carmelasnelbaker

Apr 20th
There will be many times in a persons’ life when they will find themselves in a state of mental confusion or fog. Survivors will often be in a fog or mental daze for days after a catastrophe.

Tapping into a positive vein of emotions and strength after an emotional or physical crisis is not always easy.

Fear, sadness and devastation are very big hurdles to overcome. Attempting to take on the challenge alone can be overwhelming. Depending on the events that we find ourselves battling back from, accepting and trusting another human being with our fragile, vulnerable emotional state of confusion takes a tremendous amount of strength and trust. The alternative of keeping calm and carrying on as if nothing happened and everything is ok, leaves you dealing with very big problems with only weak human wisdom as your defense. Sort of like a very naïve citizen attempting to defend themselves in a courtroom against a relentless attorney. Even though it may be possible it also may leave you to living with angry resentful and negative feeling for years to come.

Trusting in Divine Guidance and choosing to Live in Love gives you a power that is super natural and greater than all understanding. God’s wisdom will provide you with safety, clarity, strength and a wealth of support around each and every corner! The beauty of God’s loving kindness will fill you with unexplainable levels of Peace, Love, Joy, Contentment, Wisdom, Understanding and Hope.

Please pray for those in need, so they may look to the heavens for truth and wisdom to begin living in Love and not fear. It is not until you are honest with yourself that your life will be open to a Divine Love and Protection that surpasses all understanding.

With Respect, Hope, Joy and Love, Carmela
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Posted in Meditative Writings | Tagged #blog4peace, Carmela Snelbaker, Christianity, clarity, courage, daily post challenge, DPchallenge, emotional health, Fog, God, gratitude, help, hope, inspiration, Jesus, joy, kindness, Life challenges, love, peace, positivity, respect, self help, wisdom
Turning a Meltdown into Songfest :)

Posted at 4:20 PM by carmelasnelbaker

Aug 9th
This post is written in response to the Daily Post challenge

Yesterday I wrote a post about a position I held years ago. Residential group homes have several individuals who need varied levels of support to assist them in leading an ordinary life in the community. The job responsibilities are usually similar to that of a mom, dad or legal guardian to a child or young adult. The abilities of the people living in the home can vary greatly. Some individuals may need assistance with physical mobility issues only and some may require supports with behavioral issues. I was taking care of a very active 6 foot man who generally had a very jovial and kind spirit. He however, had a diagnosis of explosive disorder and very short fuse when it came to hearing the word no. This seemed to trigger something inside that usually sent him running off with his pointer finger in the air making shooting sounds, pshhhhh, pshhhhh, pshhhhh. If his “traveling road show” happened to interfere with a housemate’s peace and quiet and they spoke up in a negative way things could quickly escalate into and out of control situation.

As a caregiver or parent when we are in charge of a group of individuals there are usually many times in a day when you use the word no. You don’t realize this until every time you say it someone gets agitated and rushes of saying “Why you, pshhhhh, pshhhh, pshhhhh”. The Behavior Plan was to react with positive redirection. I quickly found that using the fewest words worked well for me. Simply saying the name of an activity that he liked could redirect his thought. “Ghostbusters” and then proceed to putting the movie on worked. There were time however that this wouldn’t be interesting to him. If he asked for “orange juice” and we didn’t have it in the house “buy some at the store” worked well. “Put it on a list” or “dinner first” were also workable solutions.

There were times when his agitation would escalate to grabbing others, pinching and scratching and even grabbing in a choke hold manner. He was very capable of major property damage as well. Knocking over large TV sets breaking glass and tearing down curtains. After getting to know him well and building up a friendship and trust my favorite and most successful go to method of calming him down was to quickly position myself between him and the person or object he was going toward and taking his hands or wrists and holding them while looking him in the eyes and singing the song “He’s got the whole world in his hands”. He liked going to church. He loved singing this song, and he liked it when you placed his name into a verse. “He’s got _____ ______ in his hands”.

We should all put some thought into how often we respond with a quick no and think of possible ways that we can answer or respond without using it at all. Toddler years when they are exploring their surroundings are a perfect example. Although it is necessary to redirect them from harm at the end a day of many “NO’S” they often fall to the floor into a major meltdown kicking and screaming. Offering positive options instead of simply a NO can be much more enjoyable for parent/caregiver and child. Be sure to try it and pass it on to promote peace. 🙂

With respect, hope, joy and love, Carmela
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Posted in Meditative Writings | Tagged behavior, Carmela Snelbaker, Child, daily post challenge, daily prompt, joy, love, meltdown, parents, peace, possitive reinforcement, respect, toddler
My Dad’s Sense Of Humor

Posted at 4:08 PM by carmelasnelbaker

Aug 4th
As I was reading another bloggers recent post, I was reminded of a memory of my dad. Since this blog is an old scrapbook that I am sharing of his, I thought I would share a bit of his sense of humor here as well.

My dad was a very avid reader. From current news, political writings, science magazines, to novels. If he had idle time he was reading. As a father he loved to share his wisdom whenever he could. He also had a very funny sense of humor.

I moved back in to live with my dad when my dad was in his eighties. Living with my dad in his later years created many more memories to add to those from childhood. I am not sure why but, my dad often felt the need to comment on my outfits. He sometimes would tell me that my outfit looked nice. Other times he wouldn’t necessarily say that he didn’t like it, but rather leave me with a statement that would spark a thought. Sometimes I would be in the mood to chuckle about it, and other times I did not appreciate the humor 🙂 Later, I must admit, I would remember it and have to chuckle to myself.

One particular morning I was dressed to leave for work. As I came out the hall my dad was sitting on his recliner and stated, ” My God, is that what they are wearing these days? You look like you’re dressed for a Civil War re-enactment!” I was rushed that morning and not exactly welcoming his “what not to wear” opinions:) I continued on to work. As I went about my work day the memory of his comment did cause me to chuckle. Because I work with many elderly people I thought they would also get a chuckle from his comment. As I showed up to greet them, I started my own senior citizen poll on the subject…, “Do I look like I’m dressed for a Civil War re-enactment? ” No-one actually was brave enough to agree with him, although it certainly brought about some smiles and a lighthearted conversation.

I enjoyed, and still do enjoy memories of my dad’s silliness, and his ability to calmly make a one line remark that would bring about a smile and a chuckle.

With respect, hope, joy and love,

Carmela

This post was written for the daily prompt: back to the future. Write a story about a person or a thing that is out of place. Although I didn’t think I was out of place, my dad did 🙂
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Posted in Family Stories | Tagged children, civil war, dad, daily post challenge, emotions, families, family, gratitude, happy familiy, love, sense of humor

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