Thought for Week #15 of 2013 :)

I want to inspire people.  I want others to look at me and say because you inspired me... my dreams came true.  

What would happen if everyone in the world worked towards inspiring someone else.  And when I mean inspiring, I mean helping someone meet their true gifts and potential.  What a wonderful world we would live in if everyone helped someone else.

Audrey Hepburn said, "As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands, one for helping yourself and the other for helping others."

That really gives me something to think about.... There are so many ways to help others!

April is Autism Awareness Month.  During the last few weeks, I have had the pleasure of helping with the Autism Run/Walk in Creston.  It is this coming Saturday, April 20th, beginning at the YMCA.  I am so blessed to be working alongside parents who have given up everything to provide a safe and positive experience for their children and to continue to raise community awareness.  Statistics now say that 1 in 88 children are diagnosed with Autism.  As I have helped with the upcoming walk/run, I have learned many things about Autism.  I always knew the definition of Autism, the signs and symptoms,  but I never really took the time to understand all of the complex feelings, emotions, struggles and joys that comes with it.  Individuals diagnosed with Autism usually have problems with development in social interaction, language and behavior.  This makes it very difficult to communicate with others, understanding social norms, and the ability to feel like they belong.  Most are just trying to find their place in a world that doesn't understand them.  Someone said, "Autism is not the end of the world, but the beginning of a new one."  I have learned so much, and to the parents that I have had the pleasure of helping, I am amazed by your patience.  I want you to know that you have inspired me.  Your  strength, dedication, love and hope for the future has reminded me that we are each perfectly made for the lives that God has chosen for us.

Everyone has struggles, everyone has joys, hopes and dreams.  I am so thankful for the life I have been given.  Not because it has been easy, but because it has made me strong.  Hope shines brightest in our darkest moments.  This reminded me of a message from God on Facebook.  It said, God wants you to know that, "hope never leaves."  It went on to say, "Sometimes you can't see it or feel it.  Sometime hope seems far away. Often the difficulties that you face make it seem as if hope has abandoned you.  But hope never leaves.   It is always right there for you to embrace."  I have read that message many time during the last week.  I really like the meaning and will continue to hold on to hope, even during the days that I want to give up.  I will remember that hope never leaves.

................................................................

HMMM - I have sat here and pondered what to write about this week.  I have written, deleted and have started writing again. What I have realized is,  that I have a lot to say and yet, nothing I have written seems very important.  I started out talking about my week, my love, my family, my friends and I just deleted most of what I had already accomplished on this week's blog.  All the paragraphs that I had worked so hard to write didn't have enough meaning.  I could continue to talk about how much I love my husband, my family and my friends, but I really think I would be repeating myself and all that rambling doesn't seem very important tonight.

What I really can't stop thinking about  is being of assistance to others, loving our neighbors, and how important that is.  I think about the bombing in Boston today, the people injured, the lives lost, and the people in our country that do not feel safe and secure.  I think about the hate in this world, the deceit and the lies.  Why must we live in a world so full of greed, hate and anger?  It makes me sad to see the world through these eyes, and yet I think about how God sees His world.  It reminds me again, that we need Jesus in our lives, in our world.  We need to start letting love rule our hearts instead of hate.  We need to allow Him in our homes, our schools and our lives.  What a much better world we would live in if we loved others as much as we loved ourselves.

This brings me to my thought for the week.  There is nothing better then helping others - If you are looking for something worthwhile to do this week, Anne Frank said it best, "no one has ever become poor by giving."  Now is the time to pay it forward.  I believe it is time to look at my 2013 pay it forward list and do something nice for someone else.   Please take a step, help someone else, and provide to them a little love, and possibly a little inspiration.

Have a great week - Love, Melissa