Every Day Blessings

Hi Everyone.  Today is not about decor crazy or new summer flowers or a new yummy recipe but about a very special story.

If you have a few minutes sit down and read this lovely story and think about this teacher's words and then go out and enjoy or notice something small, simple and cherish this moment in your life.





source





Lisa Beamer on Good Morning America - If you remember,   

she's the wife of Todd Beamer who said 'Let's Roll!' and 
helped take down the plane over Pennsylvania that was 
heading for Washington, DC back on 9/11. 
  
She said it's the little things that she misses most about 
Todd, such as hearing the garage door open as he came 
home, and her children running to meet him. 
  
Lisa recalled this story: "I had a very special teacher in 
high school many years ago whose husband died suddenly 
of a heart attack. About a week after his death, she shared 
some of her insight with a classroom of students. As the 
late afternoon sunlight came streaming in through the 
classroom windows and the class was nearly over, she 
moved a few things a side on the edge of her desk and   
sat down there. 
  
With a gentle look of reflection on her face, she paused 
and said, 'Class is over, I would like to share with all of you, 
a thought that is unrelated to class, but which I feel is very 
important. Each of us is put here on earth to learn, share, 
love, appreciate and give of ourselves. None of us knows 
when this fantastic experience will end. 
It can be taken away at any moment. 
  
Perhaps this is God's way of telling us that we must make 
the most out of every single day. Her eyes, beginning to 
water, she went on, 'So I would like you all to make me 
a promise. From now on, on your way to school, or on 
your way home, find something beautiful to notice. 
  
It doesn't have to be something you see, it could be a 
scent, perhaps of freshly baked bread wafting out of 
someone's house, or it could be the sound of the breeze 
slightly rustling the leaves in the trees, or the way the 
morning light catches one autumn leaf as it falls gently 
to the ground. Please look for these things, and cherish 
them. For, although it may sound trite to some, these 
things are the "stuff" of life. The little things we are put 
here on earth to enjoy. The things we often take for 
granted. 
  
The class was completely quiet. We all picked up our 
books and filed out of the room silently. That afternoon, 
I noticed more things on my way home from school than 
I had that whole semester. Every once in a while, I think 
of that teacher and remember what an impression she 
made on all of us, and I try to appreciate all of those 
things that sometimes we all overlook. 
  
Take notice of something special you see on your lunch 
hour today. Go barefoot. Or walk on the beach at sunset. 
Stop off on the way home tonight to get a double dip ice 
cream cone. For as we get older, it is not the things we 
did that we often regret, but the things we didn't do. 
  
If you like this, please pass it on to a friend, 
or quietly reflect on this for yourself. 
"Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, 
but by the moments that take our breath away." 
  
HAVE A GREAT DAY! 

The nicest place to be is in someone's thoughts. 
The safest place to be is in someone's prayers, 
and the very best place to be is.... 
right here in the moment.


I enjoy each and every one of your sweet visits and comments to my blog.   May you find a simple little "stuff of life" today to make you smile.

Have a great rest of the week.  Enjoy the beautiful week end to come.  Join me back here on Saturday for a new blogger for you to get to know in Spotlight.
Kris
:)






 

59 comments

  1. This is so true! I have some very dear friends who lost their son in a house fire on Sunday. He was only 22...his life was way too short and they are devastated. Every moment should be treasured and enjoyed because we may not have another one. Thank you for a great post! Have a wonderful day my sweet friend!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh Benita how tragic for your friends loss of their son. This is exactly why we need to treasure each day and find the best in the day for it could be our last. Have a wonderful day today and hope you find just a little something today to make you smile.
      Kris :)

      Delete
  2. This is such a great post, Kris, and a meaningful reminder!!
    Mary Alice

    ReplyDelete
  3. Beautiful reminder! Have a wonderful day xox

    ReplyDelete
  4. I remember her! I bought her book that she wrote after her husband's death. I was a young mom myself (my son was just 4 months old on 9/11). So, I could resonate with the mom's that were grieving the loss of their husbands in their prime of life. I was so moved by their bravery and how they managed to tell their stories to the world afterwards. That is a good reminder to be aware of just living in the moment. We get so caught up in what our calendars say and "to do" lists that we miss all the little stuff.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Kelly,
      I think you and I get this even more with being married to guys that run into danger and not away from it to help others. So no matter what is going on with life around us we really need to take a minute or two and just enjoy a smile or moment sometimes. Have a great day today and I hope you find something little in your day to make you smile.
      Kris

      Delete
  5. Thanks for reminding me to notice the small things and to remind my daughter too!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Beautiful.....I will take time to notice the small thing today......
    ~Des

    ReplyDelete
  7. this was just SO beautiful! thank you kris....i will stop today and find beauty no matter how crazy my day might be..and i will think of you! ;)

    ReplyDelete
  8. Love this!! Its just so easy to get caught up with the hectic every day minutiae. Great reminder to appreciate the little things.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Thanks for starting my day off with an attitude of appreciation for all the little things in life. I have learned the hard way the last six months how much those little things mean. And it is the little things we remember - his cologne, his laugh, the smell of his clothes, etc. but thankfully my thoughts have seem to have switched from the sad moments to remembering the good times.

    Have a great weekend and again, thanks for the reminder.

    Judy

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh Judy love your comment today it touched my heart. So happy you are moving through your sadness of such great loss and you are coming to a place to enjoy the happy little things in life. Time never makes the pain of loss go away but it has a way of making it more tolerable and letting happiness come back in. So happy to see your comment today. Hugs,
      Kris

      Delete
  10. Thank you for your beautiful post...............so very simple, but so profound. We all need this reminder everyday.......to take advantage of each moment to the full and to notice the beautiful things around us. Our world needs this so very much!!! Hope you are doing and feeling so much better Kris....I love your blog and check every day. Have a wonderful Memorial Day and thank you again for this wonderful reminder!! Blessings, Linda

    ReplyDelete
  11. So lovely, Kris...I try hard to live life this way, and not to get too caught up the the busyness of life. Thank you for this wonderful reminder...I'm headed out to play in the garden...

    ReplyDelete
  12. A perfect message--I needed it at this very stressful time of year!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yeah Kirby. Glad this was a great reminder today. I hope you find something today that will make you smile. Have a great day.
      Kris

      Delete
  13. A very emotional read for me Kris, thank you for posting it. For just as Lisa has discovered and appreciates it's always the joy of the little things, I understand I feel the same way. Nothing will bring my son back but a flower, a scent, a food taste, a thought of time spent together, the laughter ... Oh the laughter I miss most. Give up on taking anything for granted, flood your heart with love for it just may be in time what lights your day.
    xoxo

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. So true Vera. I know time does not have a way of lessing the loss but it does have a way for you and others with profound loss to find bits of happiness again and to be able to remember a smell, touch, laughter that brings good feelings again to your heart. That is the beauty of time passing. I know you have thought about Chris a lot with all the reno going on and to talk to his friend and remember good memories of him is the best gift in these days of chaos in your reno projects. I know it is a mess and living in reno projects are the worse but it also has brought you a beautiful gift of having Chris's good friend near you to remember wonderful times about Chris and to feel his presence in the projects around you. That is the beauty of the chaos around you right now.
      Hugs,
      Kris

      Delete
    2. Kris, what a beautiful message! It's the little things in life that we should all embrace and those big things too! Little things, big things, what blessings! We must live life to it's fullest and live from the heart!
      Great post, loved it so much.
      Nancy

      Delete
  14. I remember Lisa Beamer well. I often think about her still to this day. Such a horrific thing for her to go through. I try to live in the moment as much as possible. It really is nice to appreciate all the little things. Thanks for the reminder. :)

    ReplyDelete
  15. Kris,
    What a lovely message. Your kindness featuring me on your blog was so sweet of you! I will always be grateful.
    I remember 911 well. Todd and Lisa lived about 10 miles from us in NJ. Our area was hit hard because so many worked in the city. Wishing you a beautiful day!
    Kathleen

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. What a horrible day none of us will forget. Being married to a fireman I know how tragic this was to lose so many wonderful first responders that run towards danger to help others. Thanks for your comment. Hope you find something today that will make your heart sing.
      Kris

      Delete
  16. Thank you for sharing that. I lost a dear sweet friend on Monday. The Lord called her home after a terrible fight with cancer. She was 45 years old and left behind a husband and three children. We take so many things for granted. I can't even begin to know what they are feeling right now. I am so thankful she is no longer in pain but so sadden at the loss.
    Kim

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Kim,
      I am so sorry for your loss. It does put life into perspective when a sudden loss like your's happens. I am so sorry.
      Kris

      Delete
  17. What a wonderful post Kris. This is so true. Our every day lives are filled with beauty, if only we choose to see it. I spent too many years working like mad and racing through my days. When I lost my father to brain cancer in 1999 I made a decision to slow my life down to a pace that lets me be more present in the moment. Some days do get away from me still, but I do try to live my life enjoying the view from the slow lane.

    ReplyDelete
  18. A wonderful story and a wonderful reminder, Kris, thank you for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Kris, thank you so much - I think we all get caught up in life we forget the little things that are so important. I really enjoyed this post and it made me realize how important little things are and should not be taken for granted.
    Have a wonderful weekend
    Hugs
    Mary

    ReplyDelete
  20. That is so beautiful:) I'm teary eyed:/ Such a wonderful message. Thank you.
    ~Debra xxx
    capersofthevintagevixensblogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  21. You know, Kris, this is how I try to live my life. My blog:

    Consider It All Joy
    Finding joy in the everyday things of life

    Reminds me each and every day to look for joy in the smallest of things.
    Today, seeing the tears well up in my son's eyes as he read some of the comments about his hair on yesterday's post, was a moment of joy I will never forget. It's the smallest details that make my heart sing!

    Have a beautiful day, Cindy

    ReplyDelete
  22. Thank you for sharing these words.
    My best firend lost her husband on 27th December, he died suddenly of heart attack leaving her with three little children including one disabled. She also said that what she regrets most were all the little things they wouldn't be able to share and she told me to cherish every single moment with the ones I love because it can be taken away from us any moment.
    Have a great day and cherish all the little things in life:-)

    ReplyDelete
  23. What a wonderful post, Kris.
    You bless me.
    Debbie
    xo

    ReplyDelete
  24. This is a lovely story. It reminds me to realize how little things are important.
    Hugs
    Alessandra

    ReplyDelete
  25. Beautiful post Kris which such an important message. Unfortunately sometimes it takes something bad to happen to remind us to make the most of every moment. One day a couple of years back I was on the way to work on the bus when the driver got a call to say his wife had passed away suddenly and unexpedly since he kissed her goodbye that morning. It was the most heartbreaking thing I have ever witnessed. I swore that day I would try every day never to take my husband for granted or the life we have. Every day as he leaves the house, I kiss him goodbye and tell him I love and pray we will be reunited at the end of the day.

    ReplyDelete
  26. Such a beautiful and true post. The older I get , the more these words ring true. Life is so short and we need to cherish every moment. Thanks for the reminder Kris!

    ReplyDelete
  27. Hi Kris, Beautiful post and wonderful message for us all. Life it too short to let the special little things go unnoticed. I have buried most of my family and I know how quickly life can be over. Since those difficult days, I have lived each day as if they could be the last. My hubby consults and travels and we always pray before every trip and I pray again when he returns.
    Thank you for sharing your heart. Wishing you a wonderful holiday weekend.
    Hugs and Blessings, CM

    ReplyDelete
  28. What a beautiful post, Kris. So often we get so caught up in the little day-to-day dramas of everyday life that we forget to enjoy the sweet and simple things. That being said I think I need to go get an ice cream cone! Blessings to you- you always fill my soul with a brightness when I visit here. xo Diana

    ReplyDelete
  29. As you know I had a perferiated gall bladder, since I've been home I have never felt so relaxed, everyday is wonderful to me! All the drama in this life just doesn't matter!

    Rondell

    ReplyDelete
  30. Such a beautiful post Kris. The older I get the more things I'm thankful for and your post today is one of them!
    sending hugs...

    ReplyDelete
  31. ahhh, Kris...what a special post...thank you for blessing me with it tonight.
    One of the things I enjoyed today...a small thing, I guess, was having an unexpected Mexican lunch on a rainy day, with my sweet Mr. Sweet. :)
    I hope your weekend is going to be blessed and fun.
    xoxo

    ReplyDelete
  32. I re-awoke this way after my surgery and the struggle I faced after it. Now I really experience the joy of the day and everything it holds. This is a very nice post, and we must always remind ourselves to enjoy life, appreciate it since we do not know when it might end. The older I get I feel the simple pleasures are truly what makes up happy and faith in our Lord.

    ReplyDelete
  33. Oh... It's the small things.
    Almost 3 yrs ago, both the Mr and I were hospitalized 2 weeks apart .... this really shook us up. Real eye opener. We were/ are relatively young(ish) :) and live a healthy, active lifestyle. Still... there we were. After that we vowed to appreciate the little things and take like's joy one moment at a time. Living and enjoying life and all it's blessings and joys!
    Breathe!! Smile!! Laugh!! Luv!! Be!!
    Thanks for this very important post Kris!
    Hugs, Gee

    ReplyDelete
  34. Beautiful post...brought tears to my eyes. Have a great weekend!

    ReplyDelete
  35. Kris thank you so much for sharing such a wonderful story and a great reminder to all. Enjoying the small stuff is what has helped me get through the real tough times in my life. I thrill at the site of the color of a lovely flower, or the smell of fresh cut grass after a rain. Even the running of 8 little feet upstairs, but most of all my faith that brings me truth and a very simple kind of love. As I go to decorate the graves of my loved ones this day I will take this special message with me, especially when I visit my little grand daughter's grave I will not be sad because of her short time on this earth but because I got to hold and love her many times before she passed and I know she is with my many loved ones and out Father in Heaven. You really touched a tender note in my heart today. Have a lovely weekend and do something nice for yourself. Big hugs, Jo

    ReplyDelete
  36. This is so touching and a fantastic reminder to us all. I try to do this often but will do it more often after reading. I have to say every day at some point I look at my pups and am so grateful for them. I love when John comes home and seeing them get excited. Thanks for the reminder. Have a super weekend

    Cindy

    ReplyDelete
  37. Thank you for sharing this, it is beautiful! Hugs,

    ReplyDelete
  38. Beautiful story to end the week and start the weekend. Thank you so much for sharing it with us Kris! The first blessing on this beautiful sunny Friday morning is You and your lovely blog Kris. I always enjoy coming over for a visit with my morning cup of java! Have a wonderful weekend.

    ReplyDelete
  39. Powerful words indeed. A good reminder to not let the cares and troubles of each day dominate b

    ReplyDelete
  40. Hi Kris
    Beautiful words!!! Its hard to Not cry when reading them. I lost my Mom, my Dad, my Godmother and good friend all within a few years of each other. I think its only because of all that loss that I do notice and appreciate every single thing every single day. Just looking out the window at the birds and the trees to me is magic. I know you have touched many hearts today with your beautiful post. Enjoy this gorgeous day and have a great holiday weekend
    deezie

    ReplyDelete
  41. This morning our favorite waitress told us tomorrow at noon the doctors and her family have agreed to stop the machine that has been breathing for her mother, who is in a coma. Every breath I take seems so sweet today. Thank you for this reminder to live for today.

    ReplyDelete
  42. Hello Kris, thank you for for this beautiful post! It is so true about life! It's the simple things that matter! Enjoy the weekend!

    ReplyDelete
  43. So wonderfully said and brought me to tears. I have believed this for my life and friends have always told me I am the most observant person they know, pointing out birds, caterpillars, odd shaped clouds, scents, etc. My husband had the same belief and I think it was one of the things that had drawn us together. Miss that sharing. I work on a campus and I see students always with cell phones in their hands, never looking around them, never noticing life and beauty. I sometimes want to holler and start pointing--"Look at that wisteria! Look at the birds eating worms! Look at the clouds! Smell the floral fragrances!" They miss so much.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for sharing this beautiful and inspiring message about living for and enjoying the day, Rose. We need to take off the blinders as we walk through this life.

      Delete
  44. Hi Kris..
    I really appreciated your lovely post.. I tried to comment on it before but it came up error. I thought I'd try again. I do remember Todd and Lisa. I'm so glad they're story still lives on. What remarkable people and what you shared was so touching. I'm trying to change from thinking of things in terms of getting there to being very present in the moment and this was such a sweet reminder..Thank you. I enjoy your blog so much.

    Hugs,
    Tamara

    ReplyDelete
  45. This is really nice post works well and easy to configure...thanks for all info.
    Blue Carpet Tiles

    ReplyDelete

sponsor