Gratitude

To go along with my earlier post of Wishing, here are the things I am already grateful to have!
LOVE:  I have a loving family of three.  My husband is a passionate, strong, and clever man.  My daughter is a loving, intuitive, and resourceful little spark-plug, they both love me to pieces and aren't afraid to show it.  My two dogs follow me around the house like little puppies, making sure to be under foot as much as possible, and our kitty has been with us since our family was just a new couple.
HEALTH:  Our health complaints are minimal.  We have great health insurance that takes care of our little problems, but we generally leave the doctor impressed at our vitality.  And we value our health, so we all try to make good choices with food and exercise.
HOME:  We have a mortgage on a good solid home, with a good sized yard.  We have heat and air conditioning, and good insulation to keep the energy in.  We even have an extra room with a mini hide-a-bed for visitors.
TIME:  is money and money is time.  My husband is part of a union and therefore is making enough money to keep us where we are, and I don't work outside the home.  Because of his work I have time to read, write, garden, sew, teach our daughter, and cook.  
There's so much more I'm grateful for:  Snow, Sun, Flowers, Birds, My Hens and their Eggs, Turbo-Tax(I just finished doing taxes, it's so much easier when the computer does all the paper shuffling), Good Coffee, Electricity, Clean Water, Books and other Stories, Trees, Chocolate, and everything else that makes me happy each day.
It's been wonderful focusing on the things I'm grateful for and it's been wonderful wishing for more.  It is surprisingly empowering, I really do feel like I'm attracting more goodness into my life.  Thanks Rhonda Byrne!

Wishing

I recently watched "The Secret" on Netflix, and I am inspired... especially since the very next day I was offered $150 to participate in an online focus group.  My husband was equally inspired, and has just been told that whatever he's been doing he needs to keep it up, because his coworkers are really liking his positive attitude.

One of the tenets of "The Secret" is to simply wish, to tell the universe what it is you want....it's the old standby, "Ask and You Shall Receive."
So Here We Go:
I believe that we all deserve financial security, and the ability to get what we work for.
I want that Financial Security, and I'm closer to having that than many people
but I want MORE than just that.  I want the financial freedom to do what I want when I want.

I want more time to sew, to garden, to read, and to just be with with my family.  
I want to drink coffee and read books by the window, without having to watch the neighbors houses.
I want the money to invest in people and projects that I believe will make the world better for everyone, I want to be a Philanthropist.
My husband has our wish up to $10,000,000 , so that we can donate 2 million to help those in need.
We want a home in the woods, I want a yurt or a log cabin.  We want a place where our daughter can grow up wild, but safe.  
We want to bring our extended family in, we want to give them homes and jobs, so we can stop worrying about them.  I want to set up my disabled mother with a private home, and private caregivers so that she can have the quality of life everyone deserves.  I want to give my mom a flower garden, and the confidence to walk in it.
Most of all, I want to do good in the world, while also having the resources to do good for my family.

Well, we could all wish for hours if given the chance, but let me just put this out there.  If you want to help me succeed, by all means let me know.  

I'm Back Online!!!

It's been about a week since my computer refused to turn on.  Today I picked up my early Christmas present, a new laptop.  It took the rest of the day to set up my recovery discs, and install my programs.  It's almost midnight but I'm finally back!  I've spent the last week using my Samsung "Moment" smart phone to keep up with Face-Book and email.  I can't say it's been rough, since there are plenty of people who live without computers and clothes dryers.  Oh, did I mention my dryer broke down the morning I was supposed to go spend money on my laptop.  Through the miracle of good credit, I was able to "afford" my very first, brand new, washer and dryer.  I was riding high when I drove to Best Buy with just enough money left to grab a good deal on my computer.  
This is the perfect moment to say, I am eternally grateful to my husband who has been working long weeks and long hours so that we can afford to live in comfort.  Just two years ago we were trying to stay warm in a 1975, 50 foot mobile home.  It was almost five years that our first home together was homeless.  We have worked hard, come a long way, and appreciate every square inch of our property.  Even if it is just a house, and things that keep breaking, it's ours.  
What does this have to do with 'Living Well, Responsibly'?  Well,  I did go for the high efficiency, more expensive washer and dryer.  I needed a good laptop so that I could  to network, research, and blog, in the comfort of my home with my lovely daughter. I never would have been able to do that without the good credit I earned from always paying my bills on time and keeping my credit card balance reasonable.  When you are responsible with what you have and work hard, you can have the freedom to make choices that lessen your negative impact and maximize your positive impact.