October's It's Possible

Autumn-God’s Gift
A time to Reflect on Our Talents & Our Purpose of Life


October-The Tranquil Month

"They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength..." (Isa. 40:31)
October is the month of colors--gold's, auburn, deep reds, bronze and burgundy.
Autumn...fall - October--a special month God schedules into our year so we can "wait upon the Lord." Summer is past. September and getting kids ready for school with the haunting realization of our own passing moments -- whether it's the first time our child is out of school--in college, working or married.
Yet, our strength is renewed when we know we've committed them to God and He is taking care of them.
It's possible, you know.
Fall--the rush of Thanksgiving or Christmas is not on us yet, nor the January of winter.
Yes, October is a month to catch our breath, spend time with our Lord in prayer and meditation--listen to Him as He skirts across the cells of our mind like a bronze leaf that floats gently to the ground and settles down for the winter's rain and snow. As the leaf becomes part of the earth and replenishes and nutrients in the soil, so does our Heavenly Father's voice become a part of our mind and heart to replenish the nutrients in our spirit and soul.
Each of us has autumn-breaks in our life. From the "Autumn-stage" when we're no longer a baby, but not quite school age...not a child, but not a 'grown-up'--too old for dolls yet not old enough to date; too old to play cars, but too young for a driver's license; too old for family outings, but not old enough to move out on our own; out of Medical School but not quite a Doctor; early retirement, (forced or not) but not old enough for social security; most friends gone on to their reward yet we're still passing the days in this earthly home. These "autumn" phases are when we have time to think, dream, meditate, contemplate, even vacillate, goal-set, actuate on...
"NEXT".
You have a word from our Lord--to let this colorful month of October be your time to wait upon the Lord--to renew your strength, to evaluate where you've come from, where you are and where you're going.
It strengthens you for each tomorrow as you pass through each of your "autumn" moments to live--really live--in His will.
Each of us has been placed here on this earth and given life for some grand purpose. Each of us was given a gift and a talent. It was put in us to develop and through it's development to bless humanity. That is the ordained purpose of our lives.
Your purpose can be accomplished by YOU.
It can be found in the "October" moments of life.
One of those moments for us was the day tires squealed on the street as our daughter darted out. Her crossing to the other side was for Eternity as she was hurled into the arms of Jesus...safe in his care forever.
I have a premonition that soars on silver wings. I know of your accomplishments and other wondrous things. I do not know beneath which sky nor where you'll challenge fate. I only know when we stop during the "October Moments" to listen to what Our Heavenly Father is saying...and with gratitude we can learn to say, "Thank You God for letting her pass through to Bless our life. Thank you our Heavenly Father for helping carrying us through each transition as we reflect during our autumn times. Let us learn to Bless others as we act on hearing your voice.
Made in the image of God, each of us are GREAT!
It's POSSIBLE!

Passing Thoughts

The Five most important words- I AM PROUD OF YOU.
The Four most important words- WHAT IS YOUR OPINION?
The Three most important words- IF YOU PLEASE
The Two most important words- THANK YOU.
The Least important word- I.

Writer of Life By Karen Peterson

Dr. Bonnie Libhart: Writer of Life
By Karen Peterson

Dr. Bonnie Libhart’s dramatic life history is intertwined with triumph and tragedy, joy and tears. She believes both extremes are essential to personal and spiritual growth; furthermore, she believes that when we experience trauma, we must reinvent ourselves to prepare for the next stage in our lives.

If the latter is true, Libhart has reinvented herself dozens of times over her lifetime. She says she found new strength and greater blessings with each evolution.

Besides being a nationally-renowned speaker on inspirational and motivational issues, the vivacious 70-year-old is an author with eight books under her literary belt. “I’ve been writing all my life,” she explained. “ As a young girl, I’d love to get new tablet and put words in those beautiful lines.”

The Arkansas native published her first book in 1974. From “Born Again Marriage” to “Building a Better you”, Libhart draws upon her own experiences to inform, inspire and entertain. “Born again Marriage” chronicles the drama of her near-divorce to Tony Libhart, and how the pair picked up the pieces, subsequently rebuilding on an even stronger foundation. They have not been married 50 years.

Perhaps her most emotional work is “Emily” a heart wrenching account of her daughter’s joyous life and sudden, premature death. Emily Dawn was walking near Jordan Lane and University Drive in Huntsville where she was hit by a car and killed in 1990. She was 30 Years Old.

Emily was a Russian interpreter who brought Bibles by the bundles to the former Solviet Union. Libhart was so proud of the work her daughter did for others and, more importantly, for God.

God also played a pivotal role in Libhart’s life. She became a born again Christian when her marriage was on the brink of divorce. She couldn’t imagine weathering her marital storms or surviving Emily’s death without His guidance. She credits God for enabling her to write books that illustrate how she and others have walked through dark, painful tunnels only to emerge stronger on the other, brighter side.

Today Libhart is working on two more books. “Invisible Lines”, is a true story set in her hometown of Paragould, Ark. German POWs were sent to provide labor on farms. Many young American men were serving overseas, leaving their families desperately shotr-handed.

Some of those POWs made their way to Libhart’s childhood farm, much to the dismay and disgust of townspeople. But the five-year old quickly learned the POWs were human beings with real families and feelings. She and her family reached out to them and they, in turn, responded with kindness and gratitude. Libhart learned early in to ignore lines surrounding nationalities, races, culture and social standings. “We need to love each other, be tolerant,” she said.

“Six Breaths to Healthy Wealthy and Wise”, is aimed at helping readers improve their situation in all three topics. “We have to breathe deeply,” Libhart explained. “That’s so important for developing the good health, wealth and wisdom we all desire.”

Libhart had clearly acquired all three. You can find out more about her books on her Web site, www.drbonnielibhart.com.

Why Don't Dreams Come True?

Chapter One

Sometimes, We Just Don't Like Ourselves

(The Case Of The Have-Nots!)

A. Poor Self-Image

1. At age 16, I ran away from home and married a basketball player. Four years later, I was divorced, with a child. I blamed the world got not being able to make my world perfect, but the problem was mine. (Like my friend, Norma Beasley, we were the 'Have-Nots". At age 12, when milking, the cow kicked her over. She lay in the mud and vowed, "I will not do this all my life". She thought about the people in her tiny rural town in Arkansas and pondered, "who is the richest person in town? My Daddy's lawyer! "I'm going to be a lawyer. Divorce, death, disaster, the Lawyer wins". she determined.) She is one who has the 'that something' What was it?

2. In Yonkers, NY I was making $85.00 per week, and it cost $55 per week too board my daughter. I eventually moved south and started working for Braniff Airways in Memphis. At night, I worked for Arthur Murray, where I met Tony. He adopted Deana, and had two other children;

3. I am what I think you think I am. That's the definition of self-image. When my life wasn't going well, I thought poorly of myself. When it changed, so did my self-image. So changing self-image is a matter of changing your "friends" if they have a tendency to put you down. Dee's Self Image Paul Meyer, Strong Self-Image.

B. Fear- Aversion to meeting challenges.

1. Story of stage fright while leading group in song.

2. Because I was forced to return to the stage, I overcame fear, which was essential to becoming a public speaker.

C. Negative attitudes

1. With no faith in self, there's no faith in abilities

2. People play unpleasant tapes of their past. But dwelling on the past embarrassments and failures is harmful

3. Self-Imposed Limitations-- Mountains in mind that must be removed.

D. Taught restraining principles

1. We're conditioned to avoid risk

2. We're conditioned to avoid being wrong

E. Afraid to start small

1. 85% of new jobs in the couontry are created by small businesses. There are 60,000 small businesses in the tiny-populated state of Arkansas

2. Everything signigicant starts small.

Analysis/Action:

Others: Paul Meyer- Success Motivation Institute

Norma Beasley- Safeco Land and Title Co.

Action: Summary/Personal Action Step:

Intro to my next blog

Like a malevolent red demon, the Indy 500-pace car can streaking straight toward me. My husband Tony and 50 fellow journalist crowded on a flimsy press stand in the pit area of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

"Hey, the pace car's lost control"

"It's going to hit..."

In Seconds, the open convertible carrying former astronaut John Glenn and three other racer officials careened off he track...

If there were a way your readers learn A Survival Secret--survival of the press box crash at the Indy 500 to struggle to hold onto there lives in an Arkansas tornado plus bankruptcy and death of a daughter you'd want to know about it wouldn't you.

You may. "A Survivor's Secret" is a story of wreckage and rebuilding a family that has endured many storms... Their search for happiness in power, prestige, and possessions fed it winds. Bonnie spent more time hours at her job as a TV talk show host while Tony devoted himself to his company. Finally where wasn't anything left for each other.

A Survivor's Secret is more- It's a handbook you can use to look at your own priorities. The unique Analysis-Action sections at the end of each chapter give you a chance to see where your own present goals and priorities are-and a chance to set new ones. "A Survivor's Secret" offers an exciting story of struggle and romance

Make it through the Hard Times: Christmas Paid for by Dec. 24

Make it Through the HARD TIMES…Christmas paid by December 25^th

Scene 52

How to have Christmas paid by December 25^th

If there were a way you could have the best Christmas ever and paid for by December 25, you’d want to know about it wouldn’t you?

You may! Here’s how!

DO things for people instead of BUYING things for them.

Our New Year’s Resolution (early) in this belt tightening economy was to do that. Christmas’ past I’ve dreaded January’s paying-the-piper! The gold, or overlapping orange circles. But we had ‘plastic surgery’ (cut up all credit cards but one (ID) American Express Gold); we’re free to be wondrously creative.

I asked my grown children what one tangible/intangible thing they would like to inherit (house excluded).

Here’s our sample list:

TANGIBLE: (Grown Children). (If the item won’t go under the tree, you could write, “This Note entitles you to…”):

* Blue Willow Dishes

* Silverware

* Stemware

* Lazy Susan

* Stereos

* Favorite Albums

* Certain Book Cases

* Linen table clothes

* Handmade quilts

* Ancestor pictures

* Patio furniture

* Paintings

* Candle holders/Centerpieces

* Tools-Look through your things-see what you can give NOW.

* Do the Christmas Cookies/Cooking for all! (Give me a Break!)

Put a Hand Written note into a beautifully wrapped box, place it on a hanky, (no ties), drawer pot-pourri, silk square, or certificates that you can make on your computer for each gift: HAVE FUN!!

INTANGIBLE: (Grown Children) (This note entitles you to…):

* Baby sitting

* Altering clothes

* Copying off family recipes (Exactly how to-not a ‘pinch of this and a dab of that’)

* (Quit writing personal stories about them unless I change the names, ages, sex and

dates. Ask! And give LOVE! HOPE and FAITH!

I was delighted and surprised to find it was DO-able and really rather simple. We had extra silver, dishes, stereo’s etc. (No, Dee, you can’t have my fur, YET!).

ELDERLY PARENTS AND FRIENDS: (This note entitles you to…):

* Come Visit Me

* Help me go through my memorabilia, ASK!

* Go through and clean closets/boxes with me. (It’s now or later)

* Help me pick out my glasses

* Listen to me without advising

* Bring the Grandchildren

* Don’t stay too long, and give LOVE

* Eat my food

* Take me out to eat

* Take me to Wal-Mart

GRANDCHILDREN: (This note entitles you to…):

* Three games of ‘Hide n Seek’

* One giggle time

* One game of miniature golf with us

* Game with 3 of their friends

* Ice-skating

* Take them to Chucky Cheese

* Take them to Birmingham Zoo

* ‘Read-a-story’ until YOU-little one gets tired (Be rested up for this one!) ASK! And

Give LOVE! FAITH and HOPE!

* Granddad’s flashlight

* Granddad’s hammer

* Granddad’s tools

* Teach them how to make two-tin-cans-and-a-string phone-talk with them on it

Give them positive messages, “Hello, favorite grandson. I heard you got a ‘smiley-

face’ on your work”.

* Write a Grandchildren’s newsletter (on you computer) or have it typed and copied

on wild copy paper. GO WILD! Be Innovative!

Tell the stories of the day they were born. Cute (not so cute) sayings they have said, great things they have done…(learned to tie their shoes 12 weeks younger than their Dad did, learned to ride their bike way before their Dad did-he was six and you were only five.) What you did as a child when you were their age, where you lived, what the house looked like you pets, your toys, and the type of games you played. Tell them stories about his Mom and Dad, funny things they did or said, (Like, “What did you do today?” “They told me not to tell!”)

THE FUTURE=TEEN AGERS, FAMILY AND FRIENDS: ASK! GIVE & LOVE

* The biggie: Ask Questions; LISTEN with your heart

* Let them use YOUR car for a special date

* Ask and go to their event. Listen between the lines

* Remove the big three from your vocabulary…”On my honor, I promise not to Criticize,

Condemn, or Complain for one week, month, year (?)” (Get real!) Let hair grow, come off,

change colors etc.

* Ask them for a favor-use their car for you special event

* Ask their opinion on your business dealings, Try it!

* Get them to go shopping with you-for YOUR clothes

* Take their advise with faith, hope and LOVE! (I haven’t figured out how to put this under the

tree. After all, you have some responsibility, TOO! As soon as you figure it out, please let me

know).

The next hardest ones; your own younger ones:

* Let them tell you or make a list and promise (Santa) can get only ONE of the items.

ASK! GIVE, LOVE, FAITH and HOPE!

(One year we couldn’t find out what one of ours wanted. It turns out they had told Santa at the mall, but never had told us. That child was not a happy-camper with that years gifts).

* (Please, I’d like your input with these. May I quote you?)

* Get new items at Garage/Estate sales all year. Put away for the holiday season. What’s

couldn’t care less when/if it’s something they want.

* Let them take toys to people who don’t have much or anything

* Help bake Christmas cookies. (It only takes twice as long).

* Let your work-a-holic-mind devise more satisfying ideas

Don’t forget the Animals. If you have a tree or bush nearby, pop and string popcorn and cranberries and decorate the bush. Watch the birdies love you for it. Maybe even a squirrel.

In this “Christmas paid by 12/25” project, if your gift is a favorite treasure, that’s even better. Isn’t that what a gift is.

(I asked for-TIME-my pictures to be put in photo carousal).

Yes, THIS year, we may find a new meaning to gifts-a gift of ourselves our Faith, Hope, and Love. The New International Version Bible says in I Cor. 13:13, “But the greatest of these is LOVE”. Love given-What goes around comes around.

It just might be the best year yet.

It’s POSSIBLE!

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Elvis Story

Date With the King
By: Dr. Bonnie Libhart
During the mid 1950s I was teaching at a dance studio in Memphis, Tenn. One day a couple in my class asked me if I’d go with them to the airport. “We’re picking up Elvis Presley, and we’re supposed to bring him a date for the evening.”

My heart fluttered. What girl in the entire world could say no? I wondered. And what if he turned out to really like me? My mind danced with the possibilities. Then I remembered: I already had a date with Tony, a Marine Corps student who’d taken many lessons from me. He was tall, good-looking, churchgoing: all the things on my list for the perfect husband. Things had started to get serious with us. “You know what,” I said, “actually, I can’t. I have a date tonight.”

They couldn’t believe I’d turned them down. But Elvis hadn’t chosen me, they had. Tony, on the other hand, chose me to be his wife. That date with Elvis was the best one I never had.

Fun with computers

Whoo-oo. Working with computers is not fun. I wonder when people will start being born with all the knologe needed.

Hi Everyone,

Check on my next posting. I will be posting Everything ELVIS.