Category Teaching

Eye for an Eye – Wise Words Wednesday

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Eye for an Eye – Wise Words Wednesday

Eye for an Eye

 

During Monday’s opening segment on The Talk, Aisha Tyler took a moment to speak to America. She said, “We are just a talk show here. We don’t have all the answers,” and then shared this quote from Mahatma Ghandi. After hearing those words, IAisha Tyler.png thought, “Aisha, you might not have all the answers, but you are off to a darn good start.”

I can’t begin to understand what it is like to live in fear everyday, as  African Americans and police officers do. I can’t begin to understand how people think that killing others is the solution to any problem. I can’t begin to understand how people feel so little love for one another that they do not value the life, liberty, or happiness of others.

What I do understand is that we are all created in God’s image and we are all called to love and honor one another. Stop poking out the proverbial eyes of those that we should love, and live in a world that sees the beauty and value of each individual.

By: Melanie A. Peters

 

 

Mama Catches Happiness

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Mama Catches Happiness

Mamas Catch.jpg

After I caught this crappie at Truman Lake, my husband told my kids, “Now Mama is happy.”

I made them take my picture. I was proud of my catch and I wanted my kids to see my pride.

Heavy storms with lots of thunder and lightening blew through two of the three nights we were at the lake. The storm fronts seemed to have scared off the fish because we only caught about 15 fish the entire trip. My contributions to the fishing came in the form of this and one other fish caught, keeping the boys from falling in the water, and having minnows ready to bait my daughter’s hook. I just happened to catch this guy during one of the quieter moments of our excursion. I fished with my youngest son on my lap so he could “catch” one too, but he couldn’t stand the wait so we never snagged one for him.

Fishing with my kids is stressful and scary for me. I am afraid of water.

Water has frightened me since I was a teenager. As a camp counselor, I had to rescue two girls after they tipped over their canoe in a deep and restricted part of the camp lake. A year later I had to provide first aid to a man who sustained a head injury at a local water slide when he flipped off the mat (on which he was supposed to remain seated). People who are not afraid of water get hurt. I am afraid of water.

On our fishing trip, safety precautions were my number one concern. Appropriately fitting life jackets, secured seats, swimming lesson reminders, and safety whistles were all in place.  The waters were calm and my always zen husband sat confidently as he drove the boat. I clutched my youngest son for dear life. Continue reading “Mama Catches Happiness” →

Dog on Vacation

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Dog on Vacation

Dog on Vacation

Last week we decided to take an impromptu vacation to Truman Lake in Warsaw, Missouri. We have visited this lake in the past, but this would be our first trip with all three kids and the dog.

Taking the kids was not the shocking part of our planning. Taking the dog tested my husband’s bounds of comfort on many levels. He is not a fan of dogs in cars. He is not a fan of dogs licking faces or hands or legs or any other body part. He is adamantly against dogs in the house. Living up to the July Intentergy Positivity Challenge he gave in and allowed us to borrow a travel kennel from friends and bring our fur-baby along.

Bandit was the picture of puppy grace on the trip. He rode happily and quietly in the kids’ laps on the drive to and from the lake. Quickly did his business in the grass and took a nap in the kennel while we stopped to eat. Never once did the dog ask, “How much longer?”  or complain about what food we chose to eat. Not once did Bandit whine about one of the kids touching him or looking at him or breathing the same air he did. Never did we have to deal with him throwing a fit because he was hot, hungry, or tired. Continue reading “Dog on Vacation” →

Tune into Peace – Wise Words Wednesday

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Tune into Peace – Wise Words Wednesday

A Channel of Peace.png

Most people only think of television or the radio when it comes to channels. Way before tv took over our mindscape, channels meant a way to guide or divert things like water or attention.

“Prayer of St. Francis” has long been one of my favorite church hymns but lately it has had a much more powerful meaning. There seems to be so much hurt and hatred in our world caused by the sensitivity we have created amongst ourselves. We need to redirect our emotions and energy toward creating peace.

No two people were made the same. (Thank goodness!) We need to embrace the things that make us different and let go of the things that we believe divide us. This isn’t about race, gender, or religion. It’s about love.

Too many believe that they cannot love or be loved by certain groups. Those kinds of ideas must be derailed and their love and thoughts must be channeled by means of peace.

Please continue to direct your energy and intents to ending unrest and hurt. Bring unity and coexistence to daily routines. Tune out the ideas that only violence and revenge can end the disparities. Let peace be the channel by which we find love for everyone and let injuries find healing through our actions and words.

By: Melanie A. Peters

Hit and Run – Wise Words Wednesday

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Hit and Run – Wise Words Wednesday

Hit and Run

No sane person I know likes to get hit. Most people I know run away when they get hit. Life throws a lot of punches our way but we have to keep moving.

 

Burst Your Own Bubble – July Positivity Challenge

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Burst Your Own Bubble – July Positivity Challenge

 

Burst Your Own Bubble.png

“Do one thing everyday that scares you.” – Eleanor Roosevelt

Intentergy’s July Positivity Challenge is to burst your own bubbles of insecurity or fear. Send those inhibitions flying. Burst the barriers that hold you back from being happy with yourself or your life.

Here are a few things to try:

png 1 Get your bubbles in a row

  • Make a list of the things that hold you back from participating in social or professional functions or that leave you frustrated with yourself
  • Identify what events or things cause the greatest anxiety for you
  • Create a picture or chart of the stressors that rule your thoughts or constantly hang in the back of your mind

png 1 Be a Bubble Brain

  • Have a willingness to change your mind. When you are ready to stop dedicating your brain power to those fears, your brain will become too slippery for those thoughts to hold on; they will wash themselves away.
  • Address the things you listed or drew when you were getting your bubbles in a row. Short of death, what can you do to get past those big, bad bubbles?
  • Devise a plan that will help you get past those insecurities. Start with the little worries or hang ups and work your way to dispelling the bigger hindrances harbored in your heart. For example, start with your fear of trying new foods before your fear of flying. Order something new from the menu of your favorite restaurant before you tackle your fear of air planes by sky diving.
  • Ask for help. There are many resources out there. Friends, family, counselors, good books, websites (like http://www.intentergy.com), and health care professionals are ready and waiting to blow away those bubbly barriers with you.

png 1 Let the wind carry it all away

  • Once you have turned away an inhibition, let it go. Forgive yourself for the fear or reservations. You are always a work in progress. You will never forget the growth you experienced getting past that problem, but you can forget to let it have power over you again.
  • When those bubbly burdens pop back up, breeze right on past them. Remember you popped that bubble. It can’t trap you anymore.

png 1 Be a Bubble-Busting Bad Ass

  • Keep that list of fears and inhibitions handy. After the first problem is popped, move on to the next. Only you can stop yourself. They are just bubbles after all.
  • Facing your fears makes you tougher. Once you have busted that first bubble, go for the second. The sky is the limit.
  • Yes, some bubbles are going to be harder to wreak havoc on than others, but you’ve got this. You are a Bubble-Busting Bad Ass.

After you have kissed any bubble of doubt good-bye, you can expect to feel or see:

png 1 A Victory Dance

  • After breaking past those bad feelings, bust a move! Give yourself time and energy to feel good about what you have accomplished. My favorite victory dance takes form in the eating a Hershey’s chocolate bar. 🙂

png 1 Bubbles can come back

  • The bubbles will be back. Remember, you busted past that bad boy. It isn’t your barrier anymore. You are a Bubble-Busting Bad Ass.

png 1 New bubbles may pop up

  • When a new fear or insecurity flies at you, take aim at what you need to do to get past it. You have conquered other fears and doubts, the new ones are no different. Do not let them hold you back or cage you in. Forgive yourself when you feel like your fears have won. You are always a work in progress. Just keep poppin’ away.

Put your energy into blowing away the insecurities that float your direction. When it comes to shooting down those shortcomings, put positivity into your intent and your nervousness and worries can’t help but to simply dissolve away.

By: Melanie A. Peters

 

Don’t Go Anywhere

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Don’t Go Anywhere

Don't go anywhere.JPG

My kids really like stay-at-home days. I LOVE stay-at-home days! It is so nice to be able to enjoy the comfort of our home and not rush to go anywhere.

There is something so healthy about lazy days. Relaxing on your couch or porch. Eating straight out of the pantry. Being surrounded by the familiar sounds of the air conditioner running or the creaks of floor boards or the hum of the fridge running stimulates your inner peace. When you can be completely at ease, your body can rebuild and replenish itself from the grind of constantly being on the run.

It isn’t always easy to find a full day to stay in, but find a morning or an afternoon where you can just be at home. Make time to soak up the simplicity of just being in your space and be grateful for all you have. Keep your car in park and station yourself in a seat or space that allows complete stillness.

The benefits of making quiet time resound in all you do. Allowing your mind and body some down time will make your busy time much more effective.

Not a quiet time kind of person? Play a board game with your family or work in your flower beds. Organize some drawers or rearrange your furniture. Freshen up your space with creativity or movement. You might find a new layout for your living room or a simpler way to sort your socks. All of these are ways to make your life better.

Keep your energy at home and your intents on gratitude and relaxation. Positive things will come from keeping yourself in park and will make revving up your engine a little easier next time.

By: Melanie A. Peters

 

 

 

I Made It Myself!

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I Made It Myself!

I made it myself watercolor

Recently my amazing friend Sonya hosted a painting party for a group of our friends from school. She created a simple, landscape watercolor scene and then guided us through the steps of painting our own landscape.

Because the painting was a watercolor the lines were not finite and bled into one another. For some of us the lack of clear delineation between background and foreground and water and land was disturbing. Sonya assured us that the watercolor was really a “loose landscape,” to which we came up with some interesting interpretations.

It was a very cool experience.

We ate and drank and talked and painted. We took photos and shared our thoughts on the process. We celebrated the differences in each artist’s work and surprisingly the emotions we each felt were as diverse as the results of our work.

Some found the experience to be fun and relaxing, while others found it nerve-racking and stressful, they were just there for conversation and painted to be a part of the experience. I am pretty sure a few came just to see if they could test Sonya’s patience. ( Seriously, who puts orange in a cool toned sky line?) 😉 In the end we were all excited to be finished with our paintings because it meant, while we worked together, Continue reading “I Made It Myself!” →

Pretty Ugly Words – Wise Words Wendesday

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Pretty Ugly Words – Wise Words Wednesday

Pretty Ugly Words

“Hey, those ugly words don’t match that pretty face,” I said to my daughter after she spoke meanly to her brother.

Her unkind treatment of her brother led me to be less than kind to her. Was this the parenting solution for a future Mom of the Year?

Probably not.

I stopped myself before adding another harsh comment and hugged both my kiddos and told them I loved them and it hurt me to see them being mean to one another. But do I do this every time they fight? No. I am human.

Too often I find myself thinking hurtful or vengeful thoughts when someone acts in a way that I don’t appreciate. This is not the answer. If I want my heart and face to be that of someone who is “pretty,” I need to work on a kinder thought process.

I think a lot of us could use a reminder of what it is to be “pretty.” Pretty kind. Pretty generous. Pretty compassionate. Pretty flexible. Pretty patient. Pretty reliable. Pretty fair.

Give your intent a pretty purpose and the energy you generate will be a beautiful thing.

By: Melanie A. Peters

Throwing Rocks at the Sky – at least you’re throwin’

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Throwing Rocks at the Sky – at least you’re throwin’

During his Sunday homily, our priest told a story about a young man from Montana who would throw rocks at the sky when he was angry at God.

“It might have seemed pointless or foolish,” said Father Louis, “but at least he was keeping the lines of communication open with his heavenly father.”

There is a lot to be said for throwing rocks at the sky. As Father explained, at least the young man knew God loved him enough to take the complaints with the thanksgivings and friendly words.

We should keep this idea in mind when we are struggling in our relationships with anyone, God, parents, siblings, friends, co-workers, spouses, children, anyone. We need to find ways to communicate our feelings to the best of our abilities.

Don’t throw rocks. (Remember the parable about throwing the first stone.)

We need to find body language and words to accurately demonstrate that we know and value the person enough to bring our problems or concerns to them. Even when we don’t necessarily think it will do a lot of good (like trying to land a rock in the sky), resolution or healing can come from talking out your troubles. At least you’re throwin’.

When it comes to your faith, knowing that you can talk to God, no matter what, keeps you close to Him. That closeness ensures the security you feel in your faith and God’s readiness to accept all you have to say. (Try to throw a few thank yous and praises in there with the rocky times.) At least you’re throwin’.

If your energy goes into throwing a few words of kindness, concern, frustration, or need towards those you care about, your intent will resound with greater positivity and result in communications that can reach past your horizons.

By: Melanie A. Peters