When  things in your life seem almost too much to handle,  when 24  hours in a day is not enough; remember the mayonnaise jar.

A professor stood before his philosophy  class and  had some items in front of him.  When the class began, wordlessly, he  picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and start to fill it with  golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was. The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and  poured it into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with an unanimous  ‘yes.’  The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the  table and poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed.

‘Now,’ said the  professor, as the laughter subsided, ‘I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life.. The golf balls are the important things - God,  family, children, health, friends, and favourite passions, things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full. The pebbles are the things that matter like your job, house, and car. The sand is everything else — the small stuff.  ‘If you put the sand into the jar  first,’ he continued, ‘there is no room for the pebbles or the golf  balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy  on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that  are important to you.

So… Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children.  Take time to laugh and connect with other. Take your partner out to dinner and tell them you love them. There will always be time to clean the house and fix the dripping tap, burnt out light bulb or messy garage. ‘Take care of the golf balls first — The things that really  matter.  Set your priorities. The rest is just sand..’

standing on my Soapbox, JB

Once again…PTPA ( Parent tested parent approved)gives us a look at the newest, coolest, hippest, neatest products out there in our baby, toddler, mom world…check it out and be impressed as I am always am….

standing on my Soapbox, JB

Have you ever had a desire to help a child in need? I am sure that many of you have daily, in your own house with the a toy dropped in the toilet, juice spilled or shoes put on backwards. HOW- Helping Orphans Worldwide would like to invite you to share in an amazing adventure and help a child in need!  You can become part of an amazing team of people who are changing the lives of orphaned children and truly make a difference!

HOW is making two trips to Vietnam this Summer and needs volunteers to join us. Here is an opportunity for you to become involved in something that will radically change a child’s life and your life for the better.

This summer HOW and our volunteers will work directly with children on educational programs including art, dance and playtime.  Volunteers will hold and feed young children and babies providing the human contact they desperately need, while personally delivering food, medication, hygiene supplies and educational tools.  Participate in community projects, road building and even cooking with the locals!

Dates for the upcoming trips:
May 28th - June 8th
June 11th - June 22nd

You can check out a short youtube video for more information about our work and current projects:  www.youtube.com/helpinghow, visit their website www.helpinghow.com or contact the co-ordinators directly:
hillary@helpinghow.com
daria@helpinghow.com

You can make a difference and have a great time doing so. I personally know both the coordinators of this amazing organization and everything they do is from their own personal desire to help… they do not receive funding, it all comes from donations and people like us… the ones that care.

standing on my Soapbox, JB