I started reading the book "The Purpose Driven Life" about 45 days ago. This book is written by Rick Warren. It is one of the best books I have ever read and It has changed my life. It is a really good book and I am out there trying to get people to read it and acknowledge the difference it makes in your life. I had been waiting to read it since it first came out but I kept putting it off. It took my approximately 40 days to complete it and that is because he ( Rick Warren) wants you to sign a covenant with him stating that you will take that time to realize your life and path that God has chosen for you. I made the promise and the commitment and I took it to heart. I missed one day in reading that book and the very next day I read two chapters to make up for it. It does take you, going by his directions, approximately 40 days to complete. I started it around the time I wrote the article 40 days and 40 nights. 40 being represented in the bible and a significant number that God has used. I took the time to read this book every morning when I awoke, one chapter a day until I completed it. It has a lot of spiritual information and a lot of information period. I really loved it and I suggest everyone read it. I don't want to part with my book but I plan to buy at least three more for friends and family and have them pass it on. It is encouraging and enlightening. There are many things one will learn by reading what he has written and I feel it was totally God inspired.

What is one of the greatest gifts you can give to family and friends? I believe it is their relationship with God and the understanding of His words. Jesus paid a great price and having a relationship with God through Christ is an essential part of our being. It is the reason we exist. I also want to mention a movie I watched recently, I had seen it before but I watched it again not long ago. The movie is titled, 'Pay It Forward'. That is a good example of kindness and love. We tell people who are dear to us, hopefully on a regular occasion how much we care and how much they mean to us. Do you ever go out of your way to help anyone else in need? What and how do you do that? I started thinking how a lot of times people only help and reach out to their immediate friends and family, sometimes we may get encouraged to help a stranger if you hear of a tragedy or devastating experience they have been put in, but do you ever just help because it is a humanely thing to do? Do you ever just offer a hand when it is inconvenient?

I think about all the times I said no when I could have said yes simply because I didn't make the time or thought I can do it next time. I set down and made another commitment last night. I plan to stick it out also. I have been inspired with 40 as a number in whole. I am going to commit to telling everyone I know that I love them, at least one person a day. I am going to tell them why they mean so much to me and why they make a difference in my life. I actually started last night and it started with my dearest friend, Cristi. I told her that she was my best friend and that I simply loved her. I then proceeded to help out a neighbor in need, I asked my ex husband if he needed to talk, going through a rough time, I wrote 4 of my neighbors letters, not long letters just small tokens of appreciation. I told my son how much I had missed him while he was gone and how much I loved him. I called Jon. I told him I loved him and why. I then went to bed and awoke to many thanks for my thoughtfulness. I called another friend of mine Teresa, and asked how it was going, knowing she has been through a hard time lately. I told her I was here. My sister called. I talked to her told her I was just glad she called, I wanted to see how she was, told her I loved her. I talked to my mom twice both times I told her I loved her. I watched my neighbors little girl while she got things in order to move, she came over, we talked, she said thank you for always being there.

I honestly am not the type of person who needs to hear thank you or I am sorry. I have never expected that, but always appreciated it when it did happen. I make a point in letting people know daily how I feel about them even thought I may not mention it often. This 40 day commitment has been a part of my life for a long time I guess. I am just more aware of it now. I would also like to take one day out of every week and do something for a stranger. Even if it just to say hello. There is a homeless man that I met that I think of often. Something that makes me feel very good is, that when he sees me coming he begins to smile. I see in him a look. It is a look of hope, because most usually when he sees me he knows this is one day I am going to be able to eat. I try to always give homeless people money or something. Even if I see them over and over.

One day while I was out with one of my friend's son, we saw a homeless man and I said, hand me my purse, and he did, after I gave him a little bit of money and it wasn't much, just a few dollars, the son turned to me and said, "you know he probably does have money and he is just bumming to get more". What a horrible thing to come out of a child's mouth. I was in shock really. I mean even though he was a kid, it just made me cringe. I have heard the same thing come out of adult's mouths too. Or "maybe they are just gonna buy drugs or alcohol with it", or "why can't they just go get a job". Well there can be many reasons as to why someone becomes homeless, and I will tell everyone this, there was a time in my life where I had no where to go. I was given help by strangers and I was aloud to live in a hotel for about a month. I had no food, no money, no car, and those people at that motel gave me food and a place to stay. They checked on me and they made sure I was comfortable. I had no one in my life at that point in time that I felt like cared, if they did why was I in that situation? I got through that time with faith and God giving me a direct line to strangers who cared enough to say we are here for you. And thanks to God, He got me out of that. I could have easily been that homeless person you see. I do feel sorry for them and I do not know why or how it ended up that way for them. I would love to sit down and figure it out though. I would love to help them more.

You know sometimes by you just saying, I feel for you and your situation, you are giving them the courage to continue on. People can lose everything and everyone in a split second. You don't know their circumstances and NOBODY has the right to judge these people. I am sure they judge themselves enough as it is. I ask for help for them, because they have no one but you. You can not go out here and save the world. I realized that a long time ago, but you can save someone a moment of sadness just by being a human and feeling for them, say a prayer for those in that situation and give what you can, not just money but a gift of the heart. My heart goes out to everyone in that situation.

My day has not ended yet, I took my friend and her daughter to lunch, I will go take a drive and visit my grandpa who is a veteran today is Memorial Day. I will talk to him and tell him how much I care. I know he gets lonely and sometimes he just needs someone to listen and I love hearing his stories. What a legacy he has passed down with his own stories of life. I will tell him I appreciate that. I will come home and play with my son and be there when the phone rings, for whatever, a talk, a question, if someone needs something I will be there, because I am not here to take something for me but to give back to everyone whom has blessed my life by being a apart of it. I will also go to bed knowing I did the best I could today to help someone who needed it. I will also close my eyes knowing I told someone I care. Doesn't everyone deserve to know what a difference they make in your life? Doesn't everyone deserve to know that somebody out there really cares? I do care, I always have, I always will. Thank God I am open enough to see and believe in this world and in you. God Bless You On Memorial Day..

God Bless Each and everyone of you. To all veterans and those whom have passed Thank you for your many gifts and God be with you and your families. Thank you God, for my many, many blessings and thank you Jesus for the greatest sacrifice of all...

I love you Bub!

Vaughn Pascal