Help us give dogs a New Leash On Life!

The New Leash on Life program is a pairing of homeless dogs with the most unlikely of trainers, Forsyth Correctional Institute Inmates.  How does this work?  An inmate is paired with a dog in need of socialization and rehabilitation, both then go through a 10 week program where the dogs are crate trained, taught the basic obedience with Professional Dog Trainers then when the dog graduates it goes to a great home with adoption.

Not just the Inmates go through a rigorous training program and qualification process, but the dogs that are chosen as well as the families that adopt.  Many dogs come into the system unable to be adopted, this program gets them to a point where they can find a forever home.  Some of the inmates say that the program has changed their lives, in the 10 week program they have learned responsibility, and discipline, something they will take with them outside of the Correctional system.
Want to help?  There are several different ways:

1.  Adopt a Dog!  New Leash On Life has a doggy class graduating the 7th of August, if you’ve thought about adopting take a look at the graduates you may fall in love with one.

2.  It costs money to run this program, any donation from a token “we believe in you” to a gift that puts a dog through the program, as a non profit your money goes not not just helping dogs in a need of a home but the inmates as well.

3.  Wear the New Leash on Life T-shirt – stop by and pick up yours.  Wear it proudly around town and answer questions about the program spreading the word.

4.  They are always in need of supplies, dog food, dog treats, training videos, books you name it.

5.  A little time goes a long way, help volunteer with the program or with the Humane Society to put up flyers, answer phones or just help out.

These dogs and their trainers are taught to love and trust, some come from backgrounds that have broken that part of them, help Forsyth Woman and Forsyth Family give these deserving dogs a NEW LEASH ON LIFE.
Visit www.anewleashonlifefcc.org

Move It AND Lose It Challenge – In The Beginning There Was The Decision!

Everyone at some point stands at the edge of a cliff in life, looking over the edge trying to decide what to do.  Many turn around and walk back, backtracking to what is safe, what is familiar, away from that edge.  For over 25 women though, they’ve held their breath and jumped off that edge, they’ve entered unknown territory.  We met some of them at our Girls Nite Out at Bermuda Run Country Club and the excitement was in the air.

Some heard about our Move It And Lose It Challenge from sitting at a car wash and picking up a magazine, other’s found out from our Personal Trainer, April Hartsook while others heard from our favorite way – word of mouth!  “I signed up for the challenge because my friend is signed up and I want to do this with her.”  These women will share this journey and most will become lifelong friends as a result!

How does it feel to stand on that edge?  Some have said, “exciting,” “scared,” “hopeful,” and we say COURAGEOUS…you decided THIS time you weren’t going to walk away from that edge, you were going to take that step into the unknown and put your heart into it!  You are going to Move It AND Lose It!  Congratulations ladies for accepting our challenge and letting our readers be inspired by women taking a chance and moving toward a better life!

We will chronicle their journey with personal trainer April Hartsook, share with you the inspiration, the healthy living tips, the great workouts to get these women moving and losing it!  Are you standing on the edge?  There’s still time to signup and join these women, why not Move It AND Lose It with them?  www. forsythwoman.com

What edge are you standing on?

Prayer Matters ~ 100th and Last Blog

I decided that 100 blog entries was enough for anyone to write and I wanted to end on something that really makes a difference in my life as a woman, mother, grandmother, wife, daughter, sister and friend.

Prayer matters, I do not really understand how it works, but I know it matters in my life and it matters in the world. Even those who do not believe in prayer or say they have never uttered a prayer ~ I believe that there is a prayer within them and when we are silent and pay attention, we will begin to recognize the prayer that is coming from the depths of our being.

What is your prayer this day?

While prayer at its best is very personal and involves ordinary words and thoughts, I have found written prayers to be of great encouragement to me. As I write my last blog, I leave you with some of my favorite written prayers.

*   *   *   *   *

The LORD bless you and keep you;
the LORD make his face shine on you and be gracious to you;
the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace.
Numbers 6:24-26, The Holy Bible

*    *    *    *    *

God bless the path on which you go
God bless the earth beneath your feet
God bless your destination
God be a smooth way before you
A guiding star above you
A keen eye behind you
This day, this night and forever.
God be with you whatever you pass
Jesus be with you whatever you climb
Spirit be with you wherever you stay.
(Celtic Blessing)

*    *    *    *   *

May you be blessed with the understanding of how much God delights in how he made you. You are one of his masterpieces. You are his song to be sung in a key of music that is unique to you, in a rhythm, a harmony, and an orchestration that God rejoices to sing inside of you. The music of heaven graces your life as others see and hear and touch God’s creation in you. (Adapted from: Blessing Your Spirit by Sylvia Gunter)

Wisdom From Around the World

EUROPE
He who attempts too much seldom succeeds (Netherlands)
In every woman there is a Queen. Speak to the Queen and the Queen will answer. (Norway)
The greatest love is a mother’s, then a dog’s, then a sweetheart’s. (Poland)
Fear less, hope more, eat less, chew more, whine less, berathe more, talk less, say more, hate less, love more, and all good things will be yours. (Sweden)
Those who wish to sing always find a song. (Sweden)
When a proud man hears another praised, he feels himself injured. (English)
There is no pillow so soft as a clear conscience (France)

NORTH AMERICA
After all is said and done, more is said than done. (United States)

SOUTH AMERICA
No woman can make a wise man out of a fool, but every woman can change a wise man into a fool. (Aregentina)

CARRIBEAN SEA
Listen to what they say of the others and you will know what they say about you. (Cuba)
A man with trousers that are too short should wear long suspenders. (Jamaica)

AFRICA
If you can walk you can dance. If you can talk you can sing. (Zimbabwe)

Do not look where you fell, but where you slipped. (African Proverb)
Only a fool tests the depth of the water with both feet. (Ghana)
The barking of a dog does not disturb the man on a camel (Egypt)
Words are like eggs: when they are hatched they have wings. (Madagascar)

MIDDLE EAST
Lower your voice and strengthen your argument (Lebanon)

ASIA
If you make a habit of buying things you do not need, you will soon be selling things you do. ( Philippines )
Never rely on the glory of the morning or the smiles of your mother-n-law (Japan)
A courtyard common to all will be swept by none. (Chinese Proverb)
A rumor goes in one ear and out many mouths. (Chinese Proverb)

SOUTHPACIFIC OCEAN
Turn your face to the sun and the shadows fall behind you. (New Zealand)

Pumpkin Soup, Pumpkin Candles & Pumpkin Spice Coffee!

What do you love about fall? What do you enjoy — only during the fall? Everyone loves the Christmas Season, but do not let the Fall Season sneak by before enjoying all that it offers. Below is a list of things to enjoy now:

1. Pumpkin Soup  

2. Pumpkin Spice Coffee   

3. Pumpkin Candles

4. Cool breezes, Colorful Trees & Falling Leaves

5. Pumpkin Ice Cream

6. Honeycrisp Apples

7. Fall Festivals      

8. NO BUGS!

9. Outdoor Fire Pit    (This past weekend my husband and I purchased an outdoor fire pit for our backyard. Honestly, this might be one of our best investments of the year.)

10. Great Hair!    (All of my frizzy haired sisters know what I am talking about. Fall is the beginning of the “good hair season!”)

Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower. 

~A Camus

I have left out something that will be obvious to many, but I just do not enjoy it. What do you enjoy during the fall? What would you add to the list? What do you think I purposely left off?

My 100th blog coming soon!

Today is the 97th blog entry I have written for Forsyth Woman Magazine.  I just can’t believe I will be writing blog 100 in three weeks!  What should this blog be about?  Should it really matter, should it be serious or silly, meaningful, reflective or should I give away something free!   Do you have any suggestions?

Historically speaking and based on website comments, hits, Face book comments and reshares, the following links are blogs that seemed to matter most to others:

The Great Silent Loss – Miscarriage

Pet Peeves

A Giant Hug from heaven (Easter)

A New Family Tradition (Christmas)

Wednesday Word Series

Hope
Priorities
Gratitude
Neighbors
Service
Breathe

The Perfect Wedding ~ NOT!

A Woman’s Stress Less List

Is A Tidy House Good Enough?

Do you have any suggestions for my 100th blog entry?

Are you dumber than a tree?

Did you know that leaves do not fall off; leaves are actually pushed off the tree by the tree! Have you noticed how quickly the leaves seem to be changing this year? Looking out my back door, it seems like I can see the leaves changing daily and yesterday I noticed the leaves are beginning to fall.

Many people think the wind makes dead leaves fall off the tree, but the truth is the tree makes the leaves fall. The tree actually knows what is best for it and even though the leaves have an important function most of the year, the tree knows when the leaves need to fall from the tree.

As you watch the leaves fall this year, perhaps we can all consider what needs to fall away from our lives. It might be ideas, expectations or things we do that do not contribute to our overall purpose in life. It might be bad habits or even people who keep us from living and experiencing life to its fullest.

Deciduous trees that fail to shove their leaves off, will actually die. Although we might not die physically, perhaps it is true that portions of our life might die as the result of things we should release or shove out of our lives.

Let the falling leaves encourage you to take an inventory your life this year. Maybe the falling leaves can encourage us to rid ourselves of certain things and welcome a season of quiet. Perhaps the falling leaves can remind us to prepare for the coming spring.

Don’t let anyone say, “You are dumber than a tree.”
(Wendee Goodman)

“Women Rock”

“Women Rock!” Yesterday a friend told me that her daughter came to this stunning realization as she considered the many hats women wear in this world. Are there some things that women can do better than men? (I am not bashing men ~ just celebrating women!)

Here are a few things that came to my mind:

• Women can multi-task better than most men can.
• It is often said that women are the heart of the home.
• Women look better in lipstick.
• Women tolerate pain better than men do.
• Women flirt better than men.
• Women can get things done with only a glance . . . know what I mean!
• Women are better shoppers and better bargain hunters.
• Only women can get pregnant.
• Women grow more hair as they age . . . oops; forget this one because the hair does not grow where we want it to grow! ?
• A woman’s body looks better in a dress.

So let us be fair, what do men do better?

• Men age better than women
• Men look better with gray hair
• While women are the heart of the home, men are the protector of the home.
• Men have the potential to earn more money than women do – which is totally unfair!
• Most men can get ready, for any event, faster than women can.
• Men look better than women with hair on their face. (ha ha ha)
• Men lose weight faster than women do.

A man’s got to do what a man’s got to do.

A woman must do what he can’t.

(R. Hansome)

Spent $91.00, saved $467.24!

Fall is a great time to purchase spring and summer clothing.  Does your man need a few polo shirts or colored t-shirts?  If so, this is the week to find incredible bargains.  Yesterday I purchased 25 shirts for my husband; I seriously doubt I will purchase another shirt for at least two years!  My husband wears polo shirts everyday, he wears them to work, church and everywhere else. 

Below is a little breakdown:

St. John Bay Polo Shirts

• $4.22 (Original price:  $25.00)
• $1.67 (Original price:  $25.00)

IZOD Shirts

• $7.45 (Original price:  $44.00)

In addition to the 80% off sale, I had an online coupon for another 15% off!  I found these bargains at J. C. Penny, but you will find incredible sales in most stores right now because stores are clearing out the spring/summer merchandise and making room for winter/Christmas items.  

Good luck and comment on our Facebook page or blog if you find any great bargains!

Buying something on sale is a very special feeling.  In fact, the less I pay for something, the more it is worth to me.  I have a dress that I paid so little for that I am afraid to wear it.  I could spill something on it, and then how would I replace it for that amount of money?

(Rita Rudner)

International Day of Peace is TODAY! What will you do?

Today is International Peace day established by a United Nations resolution in 1981 to coincide with the opening of the General Assembly. The first Peace Day was celebrated in September 1982.  . 

Where do you find peace?  In the sound of the falling rain today?  In holding a small child’s hand?  In the soft warm arms of the one you love?  Inside you heart when you sit still and listen to the quiet whisper of the universe?

Peace comes from within, then projects out in your random acts of kindness, your ease with forgiveness, your willingness to help.  The Peace you feel as you help others find their peace is why this day is so important.  Many feel they are just one tiny grain of sand on the beach, but when we all take the time to do something that celebrates peace our smaller actions build to a big wave that eventually will change the world.

The Day of Peace is also a ceasefire, where you can make a difference with a ceasefire in your life-what have you been fighting?  Take a day and let it go, find peace in accepting things for what they are on this day of ceasefire!

Take a moment and do one thing that makes yourself or someone else feel Peace.  Share something special, do something outside of yourself or simply sit still and both listen sharing the peace that comes with connecting.  Share Peace and Find peace.

The resolution says, “”Peace Day should be devoted to commemorating and strengthening the ideals of peace both within and among all nations and peoples…This day will serve as a reminder to all peoples that our organization, with all its limitations, is a living instrument in the service of peace and should serve all of us here within the organization as a constantly pealing bell reminding us that our permanent commitment, above all interests or differences of any kind, is to peace.”

What will you do today?