Daily Ramblings – Bonus Content – A Soldier’s Christmas

Tags

Christmas, Gratitude, Holidays, Sacrifice, Separation, Service, Serving Abroad, Soldiers, Thanks

Too all my brothers and sisters serving during the holidays:

A Soldier’s Christmas

Submitted By: Happytoscrapitall

The Night Before Christmas

T’was the night before Christmas, he lived all alone in a one bedroom house, made of plaster and stone.

I had come down the chimney with presents to give, and to see just who in this home did live.

I looked all about, a strange sight I did see: no tinsel, no presents, not even a tree.

No stocking by the mantle, just boots filled with sand; on the wall hung pictures of far distant lands.

With medals and badges, awards of all kinds, a sober thought came through my mind.

For this house was different, it was dark and dreary. I found the home of a soldier, at once I could see clearly.

The soldier lay sleeping; silent, alone, curled up on the floor, in this one bedroom home. Not how I pictured a US soldier.

Was this the hero of whom I’d just read, curled up on a poncho, the floor for a bed?

I realized the families that I saw this night, owed their lives to these soldiers who were willing to fight.

Soon ’round the world, the children would play and grownups would celebrate a bright Christmas Day.

They all enjoyed freedom, each month of the year, because of the soldiers like the one lying here.

I couldn’t help wonder how many lay alone on a cold Christmas Eve in a land far from home.

The very thought brought a tear to my eye; I dropped to my knees and started to cry.

The soldier awakened and I heard a rough voice, “Santa, don’t cry. This life is my choice.

I fight for freedom, I don’t ask for more; my life is my God, my country, my corps.”

The soldier rolled over and drifted to sleep; I couldn’t control it, I continued to weep.

I kept watch for hours, so silent and still, and we both shivered from the cold night’s chill.

I didn’t want to leave on that cold, dark night, this guardian of honor, so willing to fight.

Then the soldier rolled over, with a voice soft and pure, whispered, “Carry on Santa, it’s Christmas Day, all is secure.”

One look at my watch and I knew he was right, “Merry Christmas my friend, and to all a good night.”

Author: A peace keeping soldier stationed overseas

Scrapbook.com I do not know who the original author of this is, but wanted to cite the website I found it on. If you, or someone knows who the original author is, please reply in the comments, I will edit this and replace it with the original copyright owner. I had to share this. It warms my heart every time I read it.

Daily Ramblings – Thankful Thursday – Life

Tags

Adventure, Blessing, Grateful, Gratitude, Life, Thankful, Thanks, wonderful

Every day, I like to wake up and remind myself to be grateful of the simple things.

Miranda Kerr

The life you live is a blessing. I am grateful for every moment I am here, to live, to love, to laugh, to learn. Each experience we have builds on the next and the next and the next.

Looking back there are plenty of examples when life was tough. I wouldn’t trade any of them away. All these experiences got me to where I am today. I am grateful for every hurt, every betrayal, every lapse in health, every disappointment, and every failure. They all contribute to my life.

As time passes by,  the bad things fade and the good things remain. Things always get better. That’s the nature of life.

Enjoy the beauty of simple things and simple moments. A warm cup of coffee while you look at the snow outside your window. A shared moment with a loved one knowing exactly what each other is thinking. A good meal with family and friends. Laughing so hard you can’t breathe. Enjoying a book with a cup of tea and spending your day in pajamas. I could go on and on.

 

You have your own memories and moments that bless your life. Be grateful for every moment you have been alive. Life’s adventure continues for all of us.

Until next time…

Dave

Daily Ramblings – Thankful Thursday – Gratitude Journaling Changes Your Brain

Tags

Gratitude, Gratitude Journal, Gratitude Journaling Study, journal, Thankful, Thanks, Writing Prompts

Did you know you can stimulate a part of your brain when you write about the things you are grateful for? Read the article below, if you’d like to read about a study that explains how we can become more altruistic by being grateful for what we have.

How can you start a gratitude journaling practice? It’s simple. Start today with writing down three things you are grateful for in the morning when you first wake up and a few minutes before you go to bed at night. If you don’t know what to write about, here are some gratitude journaling prompts:

Your significant other

• Your pet
• Your family
• Your friends
• Your talents
• Your experiences
• A book you just read
• A song you just heard
• A technology device you enjoy
• God
• A religious tome
• Your dreams and inner experiences
• Your friends

When I do my journaling, I tend to hit on many areas that I am grateful for because the more I write about in my gratitude journal the stronger the feeling of gratitude grows. When you achieve a state of mind that knows you have all you need, you are more giving, more motivated to contribute, more willing to give of your time. Imagine waking up one day and realizing how great your life is, right now. It is a great place to be, which is why I start my day with my gratitude journal without fail. I like tackling my day feeling good myself and my life. It is a great place to be.

What can I use for my gratitude journal?

That’s the easy part. You can use anything. If you are digitally minded, you can use Evernote, Microsoft One Note, Google Docs, Microsoft Word, or any number of paper journals or digital journaling apps. I try to stay in the digital realm because my penmanship is so bad I cannot read my own writing. I also like having my journal available anywhere I go.

Do you journal? If not, why not? My gratitude journaling takes about 5 minutes in the morning and 5 minutes in the evening. If all of these benefits are available, why not take a chance and start your own gratitude journaling practice?

If you do journal, share what you use for your journal. I’m curious about how many people in my readership actually have a gratitude journal and gain the same benefits I do.

As a reminder, the article is linked below. It’s a short read, but will show you how the people in this study benefited neurologically from this simple, but powerful addition to their day.

Have a great Thursday!

Until next time…

Dave

 

Reference

Barlow, J. (2019). Writing a daily diary can literally change your brain. Retrieved from: https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2018/01/writing-a-daily-diary-can-literally-change-your-brain/

Daily Ramblings – Thankful Thursday – My Folks

Tags

Blessed, Dad, Glad, Grateful, Gratitude, Happy, Mom, Thankful, Thanks

Today, I wanted to express my gratitude for the decisions I made leading up to this moment. Had I not made the decisions I did, I would not have been in a position to retire early so I could return home and help out my parents.

It is nice to be home with Mom and Dad during their senior years. My Dad is 80. My Mom will be 76 on September 10th. All of us do our own thing at home. My Mom likes to sit on our deck and enjoy nature while she reads or plays Facebook games. My Dad has always been a reader and enjoys his books or a nap in his rocker. I enjoy my writing, reading, and learning while Dad sits in his chair. I typically spend most of my morning and early afternoon in the living room with Dad, while he reads or naps.

Mom likes to get out and about to run errands, while I sit with Dad. This arrangement works out pretty good. Daily, we have dinner as a family. Dad likes to watch his news while we eat and Mom likes to hear the weather report. When people come over to hang out with the family, we all gravitate to the deck. Many people comment how relaxing our home is. How calm it is. It truly is a sanctuary from the hustle and bustle present in most people’s lives.

I am grateful for this. How many people are in a position to be with their parents in their senior years? How many people get to know their parents as peers? I am truly blessed.

Today, take some time to make a call or write a letter to your folks. If your folks have passed, write them a letter. They will get it. If you are connected with your parents on Facebook, see if you can connect on Facebook messenger and have a quick video call. You’ll be glad you did.

Thanks Mom and Dad for having me, raising me, and teaching me. Thanks for all of the sacrifices you made to make my life better than yours was. Thanks for always being there. Thanks for the birthday cards, birthday presents, and Christmas presents when I was serving abroad. Thanks for the calls on my birthday. I love you both.

Have a great Thursday, everyone.

Until next time…

Dave

Daily Ramblings – Thankful Thursday – Pets

Tags

Companionship, family, Goldie, Grateful, Gratitude, Love, pets, Thanks, Weezer

Image by Sven Lachmann from Pixabay

As always, thank you to all my new followers this week! It’s always nice to get an email notifying me of a new follower. I appreciate it. It is nice to know that people are reading my content and enjoying it. Thank you very much.

Today, I want to express thanks for the pets that have blessed my life. My family lost two pets in the last month. Goldie was our golden retriever that had to be put down a week ago. The day we made the call, poor Goldie had upwards of 9 seizures. Weezer, my sister’s dog had to be put down a few weeks prior for a brain tumor. The memories of both dogs will be with me and my family forever. Dogs provide so much love to a family. They are good companions, funny, and love to hang out with you. It was not uncommon for Goldie to be in the same room with us, wherever we were. Because Mom, Dad, and I all have different places we like to be, Goldie would always position herself so she was in the middle of us. She had four places she liked. The first was the hallway outside my Mom’s, Dad’s, and my rooms. When we are all on our computers, you could turn around and see Goldie in the hallway, ever vigilant. When Dad and I watch television, Goldie is there watching the shows with us. When my Mom is out on our deck in the morning, Goldie is out there. We’ll miss you Goldie and Weezer. When the family is congregating in our living room in the morning, Goldie was there.

Whether you are a dog lover, cat lover, have birds, or a goldfish, pets are a great addition to any home. Yeah, they are a pain at times, but the love they give makes any home a warm one. They are companions that do not judge. They are just there to keep you company, get a petting, a treat, and are the best listeners in the world.

If you have a pet you’d like to highlight, comment with a picture of your fur baby. They are a treasure that add so much to our lives.

Me and Weezer at my Sister’s House

Goldie in one of her favorite places in our home—the living room floor

Until next time…

Dave

Daily Ramblings – Thankful Thursday

Tags

Appreciative, Fulfilled, Grateful, Gratitude, Happy, Thankful, Thanks

Today’s Thankful Thursday starts with a big thank you to all of you who have followed me this week. I really appreciate it. It’s nice to see a new follower in my Inbox. I hope all of you continue to enjoy my writings. For those of you who are new, here is my weekly schedule for postings:

• Motivation Monday
• Ted Talk Tuesday
• Wisdom Wednesday
• Thankful Thursday
• Funny Friday
• Spiritual Saturday

I am also grateful for my wife. She is a daily inspiration to me. She recently went to a bodybuilding competition in Las Vegas and placed 2nd and 5th in two different categories. I am so proud of her and all the hard work she put into this. The dieting, the brutal exercise routines her coach put her through, and all the rest. Way to go dear!

I am also grateful for the opportunity I have to be with my parents in their senior years. Few people can do this. My ability to retire early allowed me to be home and help and enjoy my Mom and Dad before they leave this Earth. It is a real privilege to do this.

When I look at my life, there are so many things to be thankful for. I seek new things that I am grateful for every day. When you sit back and look at your life, it is a great thing to see the good in it, to see the things that bring you joy and make you feel warm inside.

I hope all of you have a great Thursday! One more day to the weekend!!

Until next time…

Dave

Daily Ramblings – Thankful Thursday – The Joy of Video Gaming

Tags

Alien: Isolation, First-person Shooters, Grateful, Metro Trilogy, Survival Horror, Thanks, Video Games, Xbox

Image by Marko Deichmann from Pixabay 

Today, my inner child is coming out. I am thankful for my XBOX and all the game developers out there who create terrific video games. Recently I beat Metro Exodus, the third game in the Metro Trilogy. It has a great story, awesome graphics, and really sucks you in. The entire trilogy was awesome. If you have not played Metro 2033, Metro Last Light, and Metro Exodus, you are missing out. It is a tremendous story, filled with characters you’ll enjoy interacting with.

I just started playing Alien: Isolation. Wow! What a scary game! In this game, you are Ripley’s daughter. You get the opportunity to travel to a ship nearby which holds the final flight recorder of your Mom’s ship. I won’t spoil this for you. You just have to play it to experience it. It is a really creepy game so far. If you have not seen the movie Alien, you may want to watch it. This game was built to add on to the story in the original film.

The trailer above will give you an idea about what I’m talking about. It’s a great game so far.

Here’s to video gaming!

Until next time…

Dave

 

Daily Ramblings – Thankful Thursday

Tags

Aesop, Appreciation, Conversations, followers, Gratitude, Learning, Reading, Thankful, Thanks

“Gratitude is the sign of noble souls.”—Aesop

Thank you for following Daily Ramblings. I am honored, humbled, and blessed by all of you. I hope your week is going well.

This week has been terrific, so far. We had friends over yesterday. It was nice to catch up and hang out over coffee in our living room, watching the rain on the first day of Spring. Have I mentioned how much I enjoy snow and rain? It is so comforting to hear the rain pitter patter on the window and roof as I enjoy a warm cup of coffee and my new slippers.

On Saturday we are heading to Flint to hang out with another family friend. He enjoys Thai food, so we always meet with him at his favorite restaurant and hang out for a few hours catching up and enjoying our conversation with a great Thai meal. They have the best homemade ice cream.

I really enjoy reading. I put my kindle through is paces. I enjoy reading multiple books at once and strive to continue this throughout the year. I find reading to be informative, relaxing, and joyful. When I read, I am transported to a new world, learn new things, and revisit past battlegrounds and places.

I also enjoy reading because I can see how an author uses the language to describe scenes, dialogue between characters, and move these characters through their plot. I learned last week that an author should read books within their genre. This allows them to see how their fellow authors put together stories and learn about the various ways they build their fantasy worlds, crime stories, or outer space adventures.

I enjoy learning and grateful for the many resources that are available today. Websites like Hillsdale.edu, Coursera.com, and others provide access to schools like Harvard, Yale, and the University of Michigan. It is a terrific, free resource that is beneficial. I also enjoy a website called Codecademy, which I am using to learn HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Thank God for these programming sites so guys like me can pursue my 3^rd career.

I’m also thankful for some folks that interacted with me this week. I really enjoy comments on my postings and interacting with others in the blogosphere. I look for new blogger sites and comment on Sundays. It is a lot of fun to read the posts of people worldwide.

Well, that’s all I got today folks. Thank you to all my new followers this week. I appreciate your patronage.

Until next time…

Dave

Daily Ramblings – Thankful Thursday – Contentment

Tags

Content, Contentment, Grateful, satisfaction, Satisfied, Thankful, Thanks

When was the last time you looked at your life and said, “I’m satisfied?”

It is so easy to complain about our lives or compare it with the lives of others. Complaining focuses us on the lack in our lives—some deficiency that needs filled—something we need or some place we need to go. If only we had this or that we would finally be happy.

We all need ambition and need to survive, but endless worry and concern about what is missing in our lives is unhealthy. Instead, we should look for the things we are thankful for—the things that satisfy. When you combine ambition with the thought “I have enough”, life takes on a whole new meaning.

 

Earlier in life I found myself in a predicament. Disappointment and discontent overtook my life. I wanted more. I didn’t like my job; I didn’t like my living conditions, and I didn’t enjoy being single. I contemplated my life for a few days. Then the answer came. The answer was gratitude.

Gratitude gave me the opportunity to appreciate my job, my home, my life. It gave me the opportunity to be thankful for the little things. Little things like a sunny day, a warm breeze, a cup of coffee with a good book. When you can appreciate what you have, life is more satisfying. You can still have goals. You can still have aspirations. You can still have a desire for things you want. Your desire, however, changes. It evolves to a desire disconnected from feelings of discontent, jealousy, or unfairness. Your desire to achieve is more about the challenge, not what you will receive at the end of the race. Do you see the difference?

We could always live in a better place, drive a better car, have a better job, or lose weight. Set goals and aspire to these things. Do not let your current lot in life prevent your happiness. Look for things in your life that make you happy. Happiness is not out there, it is inside of you. It is so much easier to accomplish goals from a place that is happy rather than sad and deprived. When you have enough, anything that comes into your life is a bonus.

As always, thank you for following Daily Ramblings. We’ve added 24 followers over the last month. I appreciate your patronage. Don’t be a stranger. If you like something I’ve written or disagree with a posting, I’m all ears. Comment below.

Until next time…

Dave

 

Daily Ramblings – Thankful Thursday – Journals and Rituals

Tags

Grateful, Gratitude, habits, journaling, Journals, Learning, Reading, rituals, Thanks, Writing

A big thank you to all the new followers this week. I finally hit my 500-follower goal and now I am off to hit 1000. I appreciate all my readers and hope you find my daily inputs to your day fruitful and interesting. Today, I’ll be revisiting an important aspect of my day—gratitude journaling.

I work with three journals currently. One is my daily journal where I do a daily mind dump of all my thoughts first thing in the morning. Second is my dream journal, which I write in as soon as I awake. Finally, I add to my gratitude and affirmations journal.

My gratitude journal starts with my daily affirmations. As you all know, I am working monthly to build my character in the same way Benjamin Franklin did during his day. Each month I add one more character trait and these in turn are part of my daily affirmations. Following this I write about all the things I am grateful for.

My gratitude extends to my family and friends, my learning, my pets, and the many aspects of my life. I like taking the time to consider all the great things I have in my life, along with the wondrous experiences I am grateful for. This morning journaling sets a terrific tone for the rest of my day.

Over time you would think that this exercise would get boring, trivial, or lose its meaning. Surprisingly, it does not. It took me a while to build the habit but performing the act daily has made this a well-earned ritual I perform religiously.

Speaking of rituals, I tend to keep like habits with like habits. I do most of my writing in the morning in and around my journaling. Next, I move to reading. After my daily reading is completed, I move to my learning habits, running through the online courses I am enrolled in, my coding exercises, and the YouTube lectures I am working through. Then I do my religious studies, getting in a meditation session and reading my religious discourses for the month. Exercise comes later in the day after my first meal, which is around 4 PM. I eat late because I do intermittent fasting daily. My schedule is from 12 midnight to 4 PM daily. The only thing I consume is water, coffee, tea, or a pre-workout drink. Some say drinking the pre-workout during the fasting period breaks the fast, but I don’t care. It is healthy and is a great start to my day.

These daily rituals formed all by themselves. Over time it just made sense to move through my daily habits in an organized fashion so I could stay within certain contexts that would provide more efficiency to my day. Rituals are the best description for this behavior because they literally guide each action, within the confines of the context they fall under.

Well, folks that’s it for today. I hope all of you have a terrific Thursday.

Until next time…

Dave