Category: Family

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Keeping faith, Update on Trish’s Cancer… Possible Good news.


03.365 (02.08.2009) Faith
03.365 (02.08.2009) Faith (Photo credit: hannahclark)

update: possibly it is not a tumor, ultrasounds don’t show conclusive. Waiting on Cat scan results. Keep your fingers Crossed and Prayers coming. BTW thanks to all the support from my Friends. Trish sends her thanks too. Well the next update wont be until monday. Then we should know for sure.

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Keeping the faith when all is great is easy; keeping the faith when all is falling apart is true faith.


Today I am trying to keep positive in mind and spirit, even facing the news that cancer has returned into my fiancé’s life. She had Thyroid Cancer about 10 years ago and a relapse about 7 years ago and now another relapse. They are not 100% sure so they are doing a biopsy today, though it’s more than likely cancer due to where the growth is located. I am asking all the bloggers out there and my followers to send positive thoughts and say prayers for Patricia Hamblin. I place her and the cancer into the hands of god and into the hands of those who can pray. God bless you all.

Keeping the faith when all is great is easy; keeping the faith when all is falling apart is true faith.

Raymond Barbier

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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It all could be gone within a tick of the clock.


65242 How easily we take those we love for granted, so quickly they can be taken away from us. We should cherish all our family and friends for no one knows when their last day may come. Leave no wrong undone, apologize and repent for the wrong you’ve done others and leave no love forgotten. Live each day as it may be your last and be sure to keep it where you will have no regretful things left behind when its time to go.Forgive those who have done you wrong so you do not carry any anger or hatred with you beyond the grave. Judge no one, but if you must judge them with great mercy for you will be judge in the same way in the end.

Life is way too short to carry grudges or hold on to the emotional scars of the past. Forgive and you shall be forgiven, love and you shall be loved and be compassionate and you will receive compassion. You get what you give in the end, it may not always seem so but it is true. I have found compassion from those I believed to be enemies and help from those who I thought didn’t care. Between all the negativity of this world you will receive that which you have given to others. Teach your children well, show them that mercy, kindness and compassion are greater than being popular or the biggest bully. Teach them to appreciate what they have both in possessions and in friendships. Too many times we run off the friends who would do anything for us because of something petty or a mistake made by one side or the other. Too many times families fall apart over differences of opinions and different view points. I find it quite sad when family members despise one another, families are supposed to love one another unconditionally.

Don’t take your family, friends or the day you are in for granted, it all could be gone within a tick of the clock.

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If big business would listen to economists and try to work out a way


$620 in 31 twenty-dollar bills.
Image via Wikipedia

It seems if a big business or a congressman / congresswoman commit crimes they get a slap on the wrist or a fine when if either you or I were to commit the same crimes we would wind up in jail or at least on probation. So many businesses are using unethical and underhanded ways to cause price hikes so they can get record high profits. Believe me they will go as far as breaking the law if not bending it to make their all mighty dollar. Especially the oil companies, they buy oil when its cheap and hold it till prices soar to sell it to make profit instead of using it to keep cost low. Its bad enough OPEC plays tricks to keep oil prices high and add the Oil companies both American and internationally owned joining in on the game. Seems there is little to no accountability in big business now days and that is one reason our economy is in such bad shape. We need big business for our economy to throve but if they keep raising prices then the major contributor to the American economy is going to dry up. That contributor is you and me A.K.A.  the consumer. If we can’t afford to buy luxury items or gas for travel we will just save our money and shop less. This will set off a domino effect of more rising prices and that will bring less consumer spending. The thing is the big businesses can afford to have fewer profits easier than the average person can afford the skyrocketing costs.

We need more regulation to make sure that big businesses can make profits at a reasonable rate and so they will do so ethically. Some argue regulation hurts the economy, well sure it hurts the CEO’s economy and the board members along with the share holders but they will pass that buck down to their hourly employees and some of it to the consumer. The problem is I am for less government control but I am also for the ethical practice of business. So which is the lesser evil government regulation or allowing big business to continue making soaring profits while causing skyrocketing prices.  If big business would listen to economists and try to work out a way to lower prices and still make a profit then there is no need for any type of government regulations. So the ball is in their court for now, but if they don’t get their act together soon consumers (the Voters) of America will get tired of it and demand the government to do something. Which has already started with such moments as occupy wall street.  I am no Economist nor do I claim to know the solution, but I do see the problem and feel it is something that must be dealt with soon or the economy will just get worse and might even go into another great depression. I am not anti big business but i am definitely anti bad business.

Well right or wrong that is my opinion

Raymond Barbier

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What our definition of happiness is may differ


008 I am who and what I am, full of faults and shortcomings that I have learned to accept. I am no stud or intellectual giant but I have finer points that few ever see or notice. My uniqueness is something I treasure and will never hide from others. I used to be so concerned about what others thought of me, but I have learned that what they think about me is less important than what I think about myself. I have leaned to love me for who and what I am. Take me for what I am or do not take me at all, for I am the sum of all my experiences though life and the person I have become within. I am an ever changing and growing person and I embrace the fact I can and will make many mistakes along this path of life I walk. By accepting myself as is I also have learned to accept others for who and what they are. Not one person can be perfect nor can they be accepted and/or liked by everyone. I learned one of the greatest gifts one can give and receive (besides Love) is forgiveness. For forgiveness is one of those things that usually return to you 7 fold down the line. Just like Jesus taught us, we must love and forgive freely and not be swayed by anger or envy. Selfishness is one of the biggest enemies of being happy and living a full life. Selfishness keeps us from loving and forgiving others, it keeps our focus on ourselves and not on the world in full. We may be individuals but we are also a part of a huge family called humanity. We must learn to love and accept ourselves before we learn to love and accept those around us. Love is something that starts as a seed within and grows outward and so is all the other emotions related to it. To love yourself is not to be selfish it is to be selfless, for loving yourself leads to loving others and is a required first step towards happiness. There is always going to be someone you have a hard time liking but this does not mean you can not love them is a general sense. There have been many who I have not liked so much in my life but I still loved them as a human being.  Hate the sin not the sinner and love the person but not their faults or actions.

I am who I am and you are who you are, We are two unique people with different views but both of us want the same thing and that is to live a happy life. What our definition of happiness is may differ but we both still long for and strive towards that same goal. I pray and hope you will find that happiness as much as I hope I find mine.

Not one person is alike, yet we all desire to be happy.

Raymond Barbier

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Beyond the trap of following the social ideals


newprofilepic  Low self-esteem seems to very common place in America now days, seems a good percentage of the population have little if no faith in themselves or their abilities. Some of this is created by the family environment during the early years of our social and personality development.  But it seems that he age of mass media has the greatest effect on our self image and in turn it affects our self-esteem. Being bombarded with unrealistic thin supermodel females and overly muscle-bound males would make any average man or woman feel inadequate or sub par. Too much focus has been on the physical and not enough on the actual mental and emotional side. What one looks like does not dictate who they are or what they can achieve in life. The truth is that what society considers beauty changes decade to decade. There was a time when a heavy-set woman with pale skin was considered  very sexy and tall thin men were the hot item on the market. Unfortunately we seem to always look to society to choose for us what is sexy or not. This creates a lot of self-image problems for the majority of us that are just average looking . Until either society gets real or we as individuals get beyond the trap of following the social ideals we are handed we will be dealing with a lot of low self-esteem.

The truth is each and every one of us have their own ideal of what we consider attractive and/or sexy.  Not all men like skinny model types or bombshells and not every woman wants a Weight lifter. In the end the physical beauty fades and only the personality and heart remains. So it seems we should be more concerned with what one is inside than what they look like on the outside. Though I believe we all are beautiful and that being sexy is more an attitude than a look. For god does not make ugly things, only mankind labels things as such. Is it possible that we judge others negatively in order to try to hide our own faults?

 

 

“If the grass looks greener on the other side of the fence it is only because you have not taken care of the lawn you have.”

Raymond Barbier

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we tend to forget about those we care about along the way


oldfamIn the hustle and bustle of our modern world we tend to forget about those we care about along the way. Have you called your mom, dad, siblings or old friends? Have you told your mate how much they mean to you and how much you love them today? Have you had any quality time with your children today? When is the last time you sat down at the kitchen table and had a family meal and converse with your family about what happened today? It is so easy to allow work, stress, TV time and the everyday routine get in the way of sharing your life and time with those you love.

 

Just some thoughts for today.

Raymond Barbier

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Change, acceptance and fear


003 Since the time we are born we sought out the approval of our family and peers, the path of life we choose to follow is heavily influenced by the opinions and attitudes of our family unit and our peers at school or work. Even though we are solitary beings in thought we tend to become attached to the ideals and values of those we are closest to. Of course we have our own personal spin on those values and ideas but the core of them were taken from the close circle of influence we have.  Good thing about human beings is they can change their core beliefs mid stream and change their direction if not their whole life path. Usually the older we get the less we look to others for approval and or acceptance and learn to be more independent in our views. Still the base core of the beliefs we had in our youth influences our lives. The dependence on the acceptance of a social group and or their approval can limit us from reaching our full potential . We wind up spending too much energy trying to make everyone around us happy as well as trying to gain their acceptance. A lot of us waste too much time trying to figure out why we are not accepted, liked or successful. We tend to believe  since we are not liked or accepted that we are either broken or something must be wrong with us. There is nothing wrong or broken within us, and usually we are more accepted and liked than we tend to perceive. Our fear and negative thoughts are blinding us to the truth that everyone is imperfect and that each one of us are both accepted and rejected by the world around us. Even the most popular people in society have those who dislike them and don’t accept them into their social groups.

I believe that we all must learn not to put so much time and energy into being accepted or liked and focus more on being the best person we can be. No matter what cards fate has dealt you in life you have the potential to be happy as well as the ability to change the things in your life that you don’t like.  Change of course is not an easy thing because the first thing you have to do is change your own mindset, you have to let go of the thoughts that make you believe your stuck or unable to progress beyond your current position in life. That is one of the hardest demons to wrestle with and usually it will not surrender easily. Once that is out of your way you just have to take the first step towards your new life. You will face obstacles and even have some set backs but you will make it to the destination if you keep determined. Self growth and self-improvement is a personal experience and there is no one out there other than yourself that can change the person you are or decide where your going in life. Others can only aid you or try to slow you down but that is all they are able to do. Don’t worry about acceptance and or social status, don’t make life too complicated and be true to yourself. Be who you are and shed the shackles of self-doubt and live for the moment as your true self.

 

 

 

 

The first step towards happiness is Self Acceptance.

Raymond Barbier

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The Family unit is the foundation to ones entire life


p10061  Slow down and enjoy the little moments that make life so wonderful, for life is too short to waste it rushing around blind to the beauty of this world. Stop putting your job and or career before your family, friends and your own life. Yes we all must work, but working is not the sole purpose or meaning to our existence. Having fun with friends and family as well as some alone time are all  important parts to our short life that we live. We started working so we can pay the bills and to provide a decent lifestyle for ourselves and our family, but if that work consumes all of our time it leaves both ourselves and our families lacking in quality time together. It seems it is rare for a family to sit down and eat at the kitchen table anymore, daddy is at work, mommy is juggling being a mother and a working woman as the children run to their electronic escapes from the world.

The family unit is slowly dissolving or morphing into something with little closeness and that is very dysfunctional. Luckily there are still some families that function quite well, but they are becoming far and few between in this modern world. The family unit is where children learn their life skills and develop their emotional blueprints to their adult selves. For one of the most important things in life is the family unit and we need to start focusing on its development.  Though it may be hard to balance time between work, family, friends and yourself but it is a crucial element in the development of children to have a good home life. It will take an effort from every person within the family to maintain a functional family, every one will have to sacrifice something in order to make time to be together. For those sacrifices they will gain family closeness and well as love and respect between the family members.

The Family unit is the foundation to ones entire life, for a strong foundation can create a sturdy infrastructure.

May Love, Faith, Hope and wisdom guide your every footstep.
Raymond Barbier

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Matthew Cudzilo R.I.P. 7/22/1942–09/24/2011


Times like these I remember the importance of each person that I have met as well as those I currently interact with. Times like these I remember to cherish each second of the day and both the good and bad the day may bring. Facing the fact we all are mortal and are only here for a very short moment in time makes one realize that a lot of things are not as important as one thinks and the things we take for granted are the most important of things to be thankful for.I learned a lot in life from Matt Cudzilo, I saw him more as a friend than a step father and a good Husband to my mother. He could be a tough adversary and then turn around and be your greatest advocate. He had a soul  of a warrior and a heart that was big as the moon. May his soul rest in peace and those he left behind learn to celebrate his life more so than mourn his death. I will always remember the fact how fortunate I was to have him as a part of my life.

Life is but a twinkle in the eye of time, so live each day to the fullest.
Raymond Barbier

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