Peace In The Home, Always

Please see my new article in The Times of Israel called, “Peace In The Home, Always.”

If the husband and wife—with Hashem’s help as the third partner—create a peaceful, loving, caring, and harmonious home then they can have the likes of Shabbat all week long.

I realized why we say the blessing for the food before we eat and bless G-d for the land after we eat: before we eat, we don’t know how it will taste or whether it will sit well with us in our stomachs, but we imagine when we are hungry that all the good-looking food and drink will be great and so we bless G-d based on the perception of the coming food. However, after we eat, we make the blessing for the source of the food (the land, the food chain, and over wives for preparing it) for the sake of Shalom Bayit, because whether the meal was so good or not so good, we say thanks to Hashem and to our wives, because that contributes to Shabbat and peace in the home, always!

(Source Photo: Pixabay)

We Are All Disabled

Please see my new article in The Times of Israel called “We Are All Disabled.”

And what happens to us after creation? Life happens, and people suffer from the happenstance and the often harsh “nurture” of this world. Whether from disease, accidents, or hurt inflicted on us from others — intentional or not — we all have “disabilities” and as difficult as it is to live with it, there is no shame in it!

Disabilities are an opportunity, however painful and humiliating for us to learn and grow and for others to be able to demonstrate love, compassion, and kindness to us…There is no running or hiding from disability, it is part of our mortal world. But from the scars and suffering of life, we must create healing. From disability, it is our job to turn it into ability, capability, and mobility!

(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Remember To Always Be Kind

Nice sign on the electrical pole, reminding us to always:

Be 💗 Kind

What kind?

The kind that has compassion on others, cares and love them, and does what’s right. 

That’s really the only kind worth being! 😉

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Go Ahead and Waste My Time

Thought this was a funny magnet:

Feel Free to Waste My Valuable Time

When you go to help desk, customer service representative, your boss, a friend or even family member, and they give you that sigh or that look that you are immensely bothersome. 

If only people had more compassion and respect for others and more of a true customer service and servant-leader mentality. 

Otherwise all you get is that ol’ grumpy face and contemptuous attitude and you just want to crawl under a big heavy rock and never come out.  😉

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Appreciate Who You Have In Your Life

Thought this was a brilliant depiction of appreciating the invaluable people in our lives.

You don’t know what you have until you don’t have it anymore. 

Often, people become lazy in their relationships or they stop appreciating what/who they have–we end up taking them for granted, not paying them our loving attention or worse mistreating them.

But one day, those people won’t necessarily be there for us anymore. 

That’s when our eyes are opened to what we’ve done, but then it’s too late to go back and undo the mistakes we made. 

One good friend told me that marriage is not like Hollywood; it’s not all loving all the time:

“There are good days and bad, but it’s better to have 5 even really bad days a month with your partner than 30 bad days a month by yourself, alone.”

Don’t wait until it’s too late to love and care for your spouse, children, grandchildren, etc. 

Eventually, the clock runs out and regret won’t bring anyone back. 

(Source Photo: Millionaire Tutor via Facebook)

The Beauty of Women

Great artistic depiction of the beauty of women. 
Simple yet elegant. 
Mysterious yet familiar. 
Intense yet tender and caring. 
Thoughtful yet expressive. 
Dark yet full of light. 
Natural yet sensual. 
Fantasy yet reality. 
A best friend, a partner, a lover.
Together a home.  😉
(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

A Birdhouse For Every Bird

It feels like there are almost more choices here for a birdhouse then variations in dwellings you can buy.

Even if it just a little paint; sometimes that can make all the difference. 

Frankly, it’s not even that important how big or small, just as long as you have a decent roof over your head. 

In our crazy world, we can have a birdhouse for every bird, but still we don’t have homes for every person. 

Homelessness and poverty, whatever your race, color, or identity is still a big problem. 

Birds live in birdhouses, but many people still live on the streets.  😉

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Swingers Swinging!

He and She. 

Swinging on the swing.

Arms around the other. 

There’s love between these two. 

It’s fun to swing together. 

Caring and sharing. 

Two is always better than one! 😉

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Take Me To Your Leader

Is there a leader in the house?

Anyone, anyone a leader here…

I need to find a leader.

Someone who I can look up to.

Who feels deeply, compassionately, and honestly cares about others. 

With faith and integrity, and who does the right thing, regardless. 

They inspire, rarely tire, and seek to make us all more than we otherwise are. 

Imbued with discerning insight and an ageless wisdom. 

Carrying forth a great vision, and a path and passion to get us there. 

They bring unity, and stand alongside each and every one of us. 

Never an autocrat, a bureaucrat, or a stinkin’ rat. 

Just someone who is a genuine leader.  😉

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)