GOOD MORNING!!! (Yes, Ditto, I am shouting again!!) I usually don't blog… I read everyone else's, take my own mental notes, and occasionally offer a word of encouragement or empathy. But, my friend, Caffeine, might change that.  (Oh, you poor souls…)  I just want to give you all a little challenge this morning, or just remind you of something you all already know.

 ****JUST DO TODAY!****

Yippee!!  My font went BACK to smaller!  See, Ditto- I can be quiet!                                                                                         

Don't dwell on what happened yesterday and don't worry and anticipate what will happen tomorrow.  Just focus on right now.  Find the good stuff in what you do TODAY… no matter how mundane it may seem!  Choose to see that glass as half FULL and not half empty. So you did nothing but get the trash taken out today?  Hey!  You got the trash out of the house!  All you did was do some laundry?  Hey!  You've got some fresh clean clothes!  FIND the positive.  It's there underneath all the junk we bury our souls in.  POSITIVE MENTAL ATTITUDE!! Toward OURSELVES and toward our SURROUNDINGS.  Last week at Vacation Bible School, we made Self-Esteem boxes.  (I planned this as a take-off of Therese Borchard's self-esteem "file" that maybe someone has seen online.) Anyway, I thought it such a valuable exercise that I ordered extra boxes and not only did 120 bible schoolers do it, 25 adults did it. One of those teachers is to take it to school to do with 150 middle schoolers in the fall.  OK, enough babble… here's what you do:  

1. Get a box or a file.  (if you WANT to, decorate it– draw on it, make it an all-about me collage… whatever… so long as it reflects things that make you feel good about yourself.

2.  In this box or file, you are to collect things that make you feel good about yourself or build your self-esteem!  These items can be pictures, letters, cards, whatever you like as long as they elicit POSITIVE energy and feelings about YOU!!  

3.  You may want to ask people in your support system to help you start collecting things, by asking them to write you a little note about what your good qualities are, or why they are your friend, etc.  THAT is the most difficult part… asking for help!!  But, it is worth the effort.  YOU are worth the effort!!

4.  Pull the box/file out when you are feeling blue and go through it. See if that doesn't put a smile back on your face or at least lift your spirits just a bit!

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OK, sorry to go "teacher" on you… but my friend, Caffeine, made me do it!  I watched this activity impact the lives of MANY children last week and THAT was a note for my OWN self-esteem box.  We had a 14 year old boy in a nearby community kill himself about 2 months ago.  How unfair that life seemed SO bad to him that he would want an ending.  How unfair that any of YOU reading this might feel that bad.  I hope that SOMEONE out there will take the time to do this little exercise, which may seem in itself, so silly.  I assure you that it is not!  (And, if you're a cynic and think I sound like a spazzy little cheerleader, please keep your comments to yourself.  I'm just trying to offer up some help to anyone who might need it!!)

Peace and hugs to you today. We ALL deserve that!!

RQ 

P.S.  And for any of you out there who are Christians- your very first slip of paper that goes in your file/box, should read in big bold letters, "GOD LOVES ME– ALL THE TIME!!"