A Sign of the Times

My home is a special place. It provides us safety, peace and comfort. My husband refers to it as his sanctuary. My boys refer to it as their crib and I just call it home. It's warm and inviting and it's open to our friends and family 24 hours a day. 

In my kitchen I have signs to show my character. Signs to show what you should do each and every day.
Some send subliminal messages to others, as to what I think is important, to live a positive and productive life. I strongly think everyone should SMILE each day and always tell the special people in your life just how much you LOVE them.

I have many conversations with my boys about the word BELIEVE. At the ripe old age of 13, they still want to believe in Santa. We believe in God, we believe that the good guy always wins. We believe there are more good people than bad. I believe my boys are the best kids in the world and I remind them each day to believe in themselves. If you believe you can do it, you will achieve it.

Our home is a place where you can BE YOURSELF, at all times. Our home is a place where you can kick off your shoes. Curl up in a chair next to the fireplace. Spill a drink without getting yelled at. Hang by the pool in the tiniest bikini or swim with all your clothes on. It's a place where you can voice your opinions about politics, religion, sports, school politics, the neighbors barking dog, gun control or any other topic without being criticized because you don't think the way we do. 

This sign greets my boys every morning while they get ready for school and each night when they get ready for bed. This is one of the top 10 lessons in life - Never, Never, Never Give Up. No matter what, try your best, ask for help if you need to, but NEVER GIVE UP. I do hope they pay attention to it.

                            

When I enter the main part of my home this sign hits me right between the eyes and reminds me to COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS each and every day. There are times when I'm down, days when things don't go just right, tired and not feeling good or I feel overwhelmed with life's challenges. When I see this, it reminds me of all I  have been blessed with. As long as we have family who loves us unconditionally, we can count our blessings.

High School homework can be overwhelming for my boys. Frustration sets in and some days tears flow and discouragement takes over. I have a tendency to get worked up when I see my children arguing and getting a bit cheeky with each other. My husband can get a bit agitated with the challenge of business in this economy, so this sign says it all. We all refer to this on a daily basis. My mother taught me many years ago to "Take a deep breath, count to 10 and take one thing at a time." So that's what we do when all else fails. We take a deep breath, count to 10, and continue to KEEP CALM and CARRY ON!