spilledcookies
United States
Keep On Running
“Perseverance is not a long race; it is many short races one after another.” – Walter Elliott
In a day and age where we choose to rush around getting so many things done every day, it’s good to stop and remember that perseverance means that you keep on going, despite hardship, despite distractions and obstacles, we keep moving forward one step at a time.
Some days, like today, it is a great help to remember that all it takes is that one step right after the other.
-Cherry Coley (c)
Related articles
- Perserverance. (tricia9lynne.wordpress.com)
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Change 03/05/13
“Change does not roll in on the wheels of inevitability, but comes through continuous struggle. And so we must straighten our backs and work for our freedom, a man cannot ride you unless your back is bent.” – Martin Luther King
“Never believe that a few caring people cannot change the world, for indeed that is all who ever have.” – Margaret Mead
Change is the one thing in this world that is certain. Change comes into every life, into every circumstance, and makes it’s way into every situation. Change simply…is.
How well we live our lives is directly related to how well we handle change, whether we live proactively and in a positive state of mind, ready for whatever life might throw our direction, or whether we live reactively and wind up being controlled by our on emotional responses to things that happen. There is a choice to be made and we make those choices each day.
What will we do? What if? Don’t dwell on all the worries, live today, enjoy the moment, focus on what is right in front of you right now. If you’re talking to someone, put down the phone, concentrate and hear the person in front of you.
So many times we forget to slow down and just “be present.” I know I learn to appreciate the people and things I have when I take the time to enjoy and focus solely on what I am doing. It’s important, you will never have another moment like this one, change is coming.
Cherry Coley (c)
Quote Jan 29, 2013
“There is little to be learned by doing nothing. When you conceive an idea in which you fervently believe, go after that idea – especially if people you respect believe it’s a good one. Hang in there and I’ll SEE YOU AT THE TOP!” - Zig Ziglar
Take a moment today to be thankful for the blessing in your life. Be thankful for your job, your family and friends, the roof over your head, the ability to read, and learn. There are so many things we take for granted each day. Look around you today and be thankful.
I am thankful for you. No one can ever take your place, you are unique, one of a kind. Only you have the ability to do the things you do the way you do them. Only you know all the people in your life that you can touch with a simple act of kindness. You can make a difference.
Cherry Coley (c)
Spilled Cookies – New Look Coming Soon!
Time changes everything. I have been on a soul-searching path for several years now, last year was a time of grief and rebuilding and that is an ongoing process. Rewriting your life and changing direction takes time, courage, lots of study, self-evaluation and learning to humble oneself to be open to change itself.
I will be working to change SpilledCookies to go in a new direction as my life is changing as well. This blog has been a great way to gain insight and self-confidence, to share points of view, to trade ideas and I have enjoyed writing here.
I am not saying goodbye, but instead saying there are better days ahead! While I have shared some personal stories here, a lot of my posts are my point of view about different subjects, the new site will hold more of each, plus a new adventure/outreach I will be starting soon. I hope you will enjoy the new SpilledCookies even more.
Cherry Coley (c)
My philosophy for Spilled Cookies still holds true:
Doctor Doctor!
Today I am thankful for doctors. I spent a lot of time in hospitals with my mom over the years. She was a 3 time cancer survivor and had other health problems that came about due to the lingering effects of the chemotherapy she had to endure.
I am thankful for the care and kindness of the nurses that would come in and check on us, and the doctor taking the time to explain the parts of the treatment that we didn’t understand. I am also thankful for the Chaplains who would take the time to come by and visit with mom when we couldn’t be there.
In some of the hospitals the rooms were made where you could stay overnight if you wanted which was really nice. I am thankful that both my parents had good attitudes while they were in the hospital which also helps.
I had to have cesarean sections with both of my daughters. I am thankful for the skill and care of the nurses and doctors that made sure that we were all healthy and well cared for.
I don’t really like to be in hospitals because they bring back so many memories, but I am thankful that we have hospitals and that they are available when we need them. I am thankful for all the men and women who work tirelessly, under paid and many time underappreciated to give us that good care that is needed.
I do not have the stomach or the temperament to be a doctor or a nurse, but I am thankful there are people that do. When was the last time you stopped to think about your doctor and nurse as people, with homes and loved ones of their own? I know there have been times when I called after hours and my doctor took the time to call me back to answer my questions. That was time taken away from his family. Take a moment today to send your doctor a thank you note, or a card of encouragement, you will make their day and remind them that what they do really does make a difference.
Cherry Coley (c)
Fa La La La La…La La..La Laaaa
Today I am thankful for music. Music is a feast for the senses, especially with modern technology. It’s quite a treat to be able to turn on your favorite tunes at will, sing along if you want and feel the rhythm of the music.
Music is a language all by its self. Often when I am feeling blue I will turn on some music to either cheer me up from my blue mood, or some soft music to go with the mood. Music can be used to wake us up and get us moving, to entertain us while stuck in traffic, to keep us company while on a road trip, to remind us of events and people in our lives.
We have music to celebrate holidays, birthdays, and music for parties, and to celebrate just being able to get up and dance. We have soothing music to sleep by, and lullaby’s to sing to our children. We have love songs to say the things we feel when we can’t find the words, and sad songs for the same reason.
Music helps us to express ourselves when we don’t really know what to say. There have been times when I felt sad about circumstances in my life and listened to music because the words to the songs were describing exactly how I felt at the moment.
I can remember when I was very young, my dad singing me the anthems for the Navy, Air force, Army and Marines when I wasn’t feeling well and he was trying to cheer me up. He had a song book with the music to many songs from the old South and war times. He would go through the book picking out songs here and there and singing them to me while I lay beside him listening.
I remember the soft melodies of Christmas like “Silent Night”, “Holy Night” and “What Child is This”, being played in the house at Christmas time while mom made peanut brittle and chocolate fudge.
I remember hearing the chimes from the church bells ringing early on Sunday mornings. One of the most haunting sounds came from an Irishman that lived several blocks over in our neighborhood, he would play 2-3 songs on the bagpipes every now and then at sunset. My dad said his son died in the war and the man would play when he was missing him.
I am thankful for the variety of music that is available and the ease we have to find it now. I am thankful for the magnificent songwriters out there that put the music together, and then share their creation for others to enjoy. I am thankful for Steve Jobs who created the ability to “put a thousand songs in your pocket.”
I am not sure what a world without music would be like, but I don’t want to find out. Music is such an important part of life that the impact of losing it would be devastating.
Cherry Coley ©
Listen, I Can See You!
Oh to see a rose, to smell the fragrance, touch the soft petals, look at the rich color. What a beautiful reminder of what our senses are for.
Today I am thankful for the senses. What a gift to have each of them. I am thankful for the sight I do have, although it wouldn’t be near as good without my contacts or glasses. I am thankful for the options we have to improve our sight as well.
I am thankful for the ability to see, hear, taste, touch, and speak. In the last few years my mom had a terrible time with her eyes and ears. Her eyes would close involuntarily which made it challenging for her to read, cook, walk and too dangerous for her to drive. She also had Meniere’s disease which affects balance and hearing. She had many side effects and illnesses caused by large doses of the chemotherapy she had years previously.
In listening to her try to deal with these frustrations, I came to appreciate when there were good days much more as well as be grateful for my own senses and the ability to help.
Nothing in life should be taken for granted, though it is human nature to do just that. We take for granted things that we have always had or that have always been there, only noticing how much they meant to us if something happens and they are damaged or lost.
Take a moment to appreciate the gift of your senses, even if you don’t have all of them, be thankful for what you have and put them to good use while taking good care of them.
Cherry Coley (c)
Sweet Dreams!
sleeping kitties
Today I am thankful for sleep. Sleep is something we all need and crave more of at times. There’s nothing that can take the place of a soft pillow and a warm blanket after a long day.
I love the luxury of a pillow top mattress and that there are so many types of mattresses to choose from. We really are spoiled with all the choices of pillows, comforters, and sheets available. We take our rest and sleep very seriously.
I am thankful to be able to rest and recharge, to close my eyes and drift away to another place where possibilities are endless and flying is possible without an airplane. I am thankful to have a place to sleep safely at night.
Sleep is truly a gift so our bodies have a chance to rest, recuperate and make a fresh start. We do the majority of our growing and healing in our sleep.
I have often envied the cat and his ability to sleep most the day and night. Then again, even though I enjoy sleeping I wouldn’t want to spend all my time dreaming, there’s a lot of living still to do.
Cherry Coley ©
Be Accountable!
Today I am thankful for accountability. Accountability plays a big part in our lives. It’s a wonderful thing to have people who are accountable for their own choices and actions in life. Those are the people who are not the one’s causing drama, pointing fingers, blaming others, and whining constantly because things aren’t the way they planned.
Being an accountable person means taking responsibility for your choices, decisions, actions, thoughts, and words among other things. We need more people who hold themselves accountable and live up to a higher standard.
I am thankful to finally realize what being accountable means and to be able to study and grow as a person. Life is so much more than having a positive attitude, or spouting a bunch of inspirational quotes. Becoming accountable is taking responsibility for yourself and your life and it’s a journey that changes and grows over time.
Life is much for enjoyable and fulfilling when you are in charge of your own decisions and own up to your own mistakes.
Cherry Coley ©
Related articles
- Accountability (highvoltagehealth.com)
- Self-Accountability as a Top Skill in Life (sophienovak.com)
Honored and Remembered
Today I am thankful for our Veteran’s. I am sad that there is a need for veterans, but we live in an imperfect world and I’m thankful for those willing to serve. There are many veteran’s in our family, my uncles on both sides of the family were veteran’s serving in World War II.
My dad was a Navy man and often reflected back on his life in the Navy. He was just a teenager when he went to war. At the age of 14 he spent much of his time on ships, being trained and learning to survive in a time of World War.
I don’t think any of us can truly imagine what it means to live a military life unless you’ve been there and done that. I know from the stories he told and the things he had to do that it would take far more strength both inside and out than I have experienced.
I have never felt the longing, the distance from being far away from home in a hostile place. I have never been away from my family for an extended time, much less for months or a year. I have never been to a place where they didn’t speak English and they hated Americans. I have never had to remember holidays or hold on to good memories while in the battlefield.
I have the greatest respect for the heroes that serve in the military. They are heroes each and every one of them. They stand in the gap and protect our freedoms that many abuse and we all take for granted in some ways. They have that inner something that gives them a loyalty, a resolve to stand firm, a determination to see things through no matter what, and a need to protect what is ours.
Today I am thankful for our Veterans, all of them, those that have served those that would serve and those in service. You are AMAZING!!
Cherry Coley ©
Related articles
- Thankful Heart: Day 11 – Veterans (ourcrowdedheart.wordpress.com)
- Veterans Day ‘Honor & Thanks’ 2012 Tribute at VetFriends.com – Honoring All U.S. Veteran & Military Heroes on Veterans Day and All Year Long (prweb.com)
