Thursday, August 17, 2017

Gratitude Attitude


Sometimes the world seems so full of hate and chaos, 
and we can often feel helpless and fearful. 

But we have to focus.........
Focus on the beauty, the love, the wonder of life. 

We don't have to take on the problems of the world. 
It is too overwhelming. 
But we can take responsibility for ourselves. 



We can cultivate love, faith and forgiveness in our own lives.


We are all on the same path........
some have taken detours and some are on the straight and narrow, 
but we are all going in the same direction. 


Most of us, anyway :)


I am so grateful for every hardship and every obstacle
because it taught me to persevere and overcome.

I was very unloved as a child.
My Mother wanted to put me in a foster home,
but my Father wouldn't allow it.

When he was gone, I was neglected and abused.

I became emancipated at the age of 16 to escape
my unhappy home.

Ramblin' Man came from a similar situation
with his own Father.
Even though we were very young when we started
our own life, we were very, very old. 


But I learned to overcome my childhood through forgiveness and love.
My Mother finally overcame her alcoholism and became
loving and kind, late in life.

I learned a valuable lesson of how I wanted my own life to be,
 seeing how I didn't want to live it, through my childhood.

xoxo
Life can be a wonderful journey if we stay focused on what is
most important.

Love, faith and forgiveness.



Even when others are not so kind.

Oprah Winfrey has a wonderful quote:
"Forgiveness is giving up the hope
that the past could've been any different"



Every difficult lesson in life is another 
wonderful opportunity to rise above it. 

I am grateful for every lesson that I have learned, 
even the hard ones. 

I believe we can change the world if we change our own hearts. 
Life is a mirror - we must be careful what we reflect. 
Hate, anger, and chaos, or love, kindness and peace. 
We all get to choose. 

xoxo

Today I am linking with:
Thankful Thursday

Won't you join in?

xoxo

29 comments:

  1. Oh Karen. I am sort of shocked by this revelation of your unhappy childhood. I guess because whenever I have read your blog, the love for your mother and father resonated with me after losing my own mom & dad. You talked so much of visiting your parents down the road from you. I'm filled with awe that you took steps to protect yourself at such a young age and have been able to focus on the life you wanted. You seem such a gentle soul that it's sad to hear what you have gone through. I'm sure it all seems ages ago for you now. How blessed you have been since your teen years. I do think family torment like this can either make or break you, and that hard times make us stronger, tougher. How wonderful that you and Ramblin' Man were able to both turn your lives around for the better despite your unhappy upbringing. Hugs to you,
    Wendy

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  2. Sometimes it isn't the example you follow, but the example you know you don't want to follow. I do understand a few of your feelings. Thank you for posting this today!

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  3. Karen, I wish we knew each other as children. We could have shared one another burdens. I too am so grateful that God heals our hearts and though we may struggle with nightmares and rough days, we can know that we are loved by God and our families now. xo

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  4. Thank you for sharing your story, Karen. I appreciate your words very much. : )

    ~Sheri

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  5. Oh Karen...thank you so much for sharing. Reading your words can show the joy of the Lord! You have chosen to forgive and to let God be God!

    Thank you sweet lady...

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  6. Hi Karen, what a powerful message! It sure makes you think. I'm so sorry for the difficult childhood both you and your husband had but I'm thrilled to hear that you did get to experience the wonderful change in your mom. Through all the difficulties, it sounds like both you and your husband have been blessed.

    Note - it was my "brother and sister-in-law" that took care of my Dad LOL!! I just don't want Debbie thinking she's old haha!! Have a wonderful weekend!!!

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  7. So many wise words here, Karen, and I really love the quote by Oprah. In my life, right now, there is a lot tension and we need to practice forgiveness. None of this compares to your childhood experiences, and I send you a huge hug for sharing this with us, it must have been difficult to open yourself up in this way but I think you are helping many of us realize that the past doesn't shape us in its likeness. Your husband is a true survivor as well, and I think it's a great thing you found each other. I'm happy to hear your mother overcame her disease, I hope she is doing well.

    You are a remarkable soul, I wish I could actually sit down and talk with you--we are more alike than you know!

    Thank you again for a very powerful post that will touch many of your readers as it did me.

    Jane xxx

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  8. Dear Karen,
    thank you for sharing those thoughts and words , I really enjoyed!
    Wishing you a lovely and wonderful weekend, my sweet friend,
    sending Love and Hugs and Blessings, Claudia xoxo

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  9. I just don't want Debbie thinking she's old haha!! Have a wonderful weekend!!!


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  10. Hello, I am so happy that you found your Rambling Man so early in your life. You both needed each other. You are inspiration to all of us. Wonderful post and lovely images. I pray for peace in our world. Happy Friday, enjoy your weekend!

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  11. Such a poignant post Karen. Glad you found Rambling Man to make your life whole. Most of us have some sorrow in our lives and I do so agree that it is important to see the positive, to enjoy the beauty and share that with others. Wishing you a lovely weekend my friend. B x

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  12. Thinking of what you told us, it's even more remarkable how well you and your husband have succeeded in creating a loving and happy home for your children.
    Wishing you all a lovely weekend! Blessings and hugs! xx

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  13. Dear Karen ~ This was a heart touching post. I am so glad you have turned into the beautiful woman that you are, with a wonderful husband and a loving family of your own.

    Love & forgiveness are important ingredients in this life of ours.

    Love & hugs to you and RM ~ FlowerLady

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  14. Thanks for the words of encouragement and thoughts, very heartwarming to read. In the end all will be well with us and the world. Warm greetings.

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  15. Beautiful post! I think it is very important to take time each day to be thankful. Thought you may be interested in an app I created (totally free) that allows you to keep track of your thankful moments: http://bit.ly/2weqwOI

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  16. Karen, thank you for sharing this part of your life. Sometimes it seems others have perfect lives compared to ours. Compared to your suffering in childhood, I realize mine wasn't that drastic. But there was little time for love in my home when I was a child. My father left when I was 5, which brought feelings of abandonment. We rarely saw him through the years. Life leaves scars. It's how we get past our bad beginnings and live our lives so as not to repeat them that makes all the difference.

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  17. Dearest Karen,
    Yes, you are right when all of us start with our own lives in our own circle that makes a big difference already.
    For not taking on the problems of the world is true but how can you neglect other continents where your loved ones happen to live?!
    Not easy...
    As for letting go of bad things that happened to us, during our lifetime; yes it is best to find and replace negative feelings. Becoming more resilient! Not reacting but responding and standing tall all the while maintaining healthy habits and avoiding those that add fuel to the fire.
    The MSM is a paid group that does add fuel to the fire and we don't want to see it flare up all the time.
    Sending you hugs for a happy weekend,
    Mariette

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  18. Beautiful and lovely words...always so nice isiting your blog.
    Love from Titti

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  19. I am glad you are a magnificent survivor. The two of you coming together was a miracle and a beautiful thing. Bless you!

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  20. What is most important. Daily life always tells us it. Thanks for sharing.

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  21. Oh Karen what an amazing post, I am so sorry to hear about your childhood but so thankful that you were able to come through it and be a very loving person yourself. I feel so sad for all the people that have such great hate in their hearts, I can't imagine going through life that way. I do pray that God changes their hearts and help them to find love and peace in their life instead of all that hate. As always I have enjoyed your beautiful pictures to go with your post! Wishing you a wonderful weekend!

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  22. Oh Karen, I am so glad you and Ramblin Man finally found happiness together and went on to share your love with your children and your granchildren.
    Beautiful images and I wish you a wonderful weekend :)

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  23. Oh dear!! tears went down from my eyes.. hope you are happy now.. a big thigh hug for you.. XOXO

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  24. Tant d'amour et de bonté chez vous : c'est une belle leçon de vie.. Merci

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  25. I was very surprised to read about your unhappy childhood as I only remmeber posts about your mother when she was old and apparetly a lot nicer. I'm not the best at forgiving - but I know when to "let go" which is not as noble but prevents from holding gridges, which is I think the worst, both on a personal level and on a historical one.

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  26. i can relate to your childhood, my father was an abusive alcoholic..we never felt safe.. Yet I took care of him in his later years and as much as I hated doing it I loved the fact I stayed true to myself and took care of him because he was my father. I forgive easily if someone just says I'm sorry. But in today's world we seem to be too much about calling people name, blaming others and never reaching out towards the middle. A very nice post...

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  27. Daily life always tells us it. Thanks for sharing.


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  28. You have written so many wise words here Karen, thank you. Forgiveness is extremely difficult to achieve and can be very difficult, but it is so important to one's own peace and mental health. Focussing on the beauty and the positive, taking responsibility for myself, these are things I consciously try to do because I know it is the only way to find contentment, and yet it is so hard sometimes. You and Ramblin' Man are blessed in each other. xx

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Thank you for stopping by! Your comments are important to me and are very much appreciated. xx Karen

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