After attending funerals, my mother used to say, "Give me my flowers while I live." I came to understand that she meant to treat her with love and kindness and respect while she could hear and see her flowers. The loved ones lying in the caskets could not see all the beautiful floral arrangements stretched across the front of the church or chapel.
All tagged life
Reece Gardner: Count your blessings
Life is a gift, so before we say an unkind word we need to think about those who can't speak; Before we complain about the taste of our food, we need to think about those who have nothing to eat; Before we complain about our companion, we need to think of someone who is crying out to God FOR a companion; Today, before we complain about life, we need to think about someone who went too early to Heaven; Before we complain about the distance we have to drive, we need to think of someone who has to walk that distance;
Reece Gardner: Take time to travel!
Three very special young ladies are traveling in Italy this week and I want to highlight some of their experiences. These ladies are my Daughter Jessica, my Grand Daughter Rachel, and a special friend, Carla Gray. They are all extremely busy in their everyday business and personal lives. Jessica holds a very important position with Natural Stone Services headquartered in Alpharetta, Ga., and she also is a leader in her church and community. Rachel is also a very busy young executive, and Carla stays on the move as well. So if you are planning to travel, don't let your busy schedule keep you from doing so.
Reece Gardner: How to age gracefully
Age is undoubtedly a subject that we hear a lot about, which is understandable since we all experience it. Today, I want to explore this topic with an emphasis on how we might age gracefully. Wisdom, resilience, and a well-rounded and mature perspective on life are often credited as the hard-earned rewards of aging. Looking and feeling good as we age requires a fine-tuned combination of aging gracefully and defying the very laws of time.
Reece Gardner: Grandmother's notebook of beautiful thoughts
Most of the news concerning Afghanistan consists of lies being presented as truths and fiction posing as fact. It is rather depressing. So let's look away from that for now and focus on the positive things in life, such as the Granddaughter telling about how her Grandmother used to carry an old notebook with her wherever she went. She would fill it with beautiful thoughts she gathered along the way.
Follow the 'Bees' so you won’t get stung
As this new school year opens, I would like to share a few thoughts with students. An academic year is like a journey. We begin with energy and enthusiasm. As the trip progresses, we are prone to whine, “Are we there yet?”
Reece Gardner: Life is fleeting, be kind!
Today I want to talk about LIFE and how fleeting it is here on Earth. We really have no guarantee of how long we will be here or what unknown circumstances might occur in our lives, or what unexpected challenges we might face.
Reece Gardner: Accentuate the positive, and eliminate the negative
When we hear every day about rioting in our cities, crime on the rise, strife in government, rising gas prices, Etc., it is sometimes difficult to be optimistic and enthusiastic about life. But that is when, to recall the words from an old Bing Crosby song, we need to "Accentuate the Positive, and Eliminate the Negative."
Reece Gardner: How happy do you want to be today?
How happy do you want to be today? You can make that decision. We all have so much to be happy about and thankful for, but we seem inclined to dwell on the perils of today, such as our current gas shortages, price increases, Covid-19, civil unrest, election irregularities, etc., to the point that we find ourselves longing for the "good old days." But just how "good" were those days?
Reece Gardner: The secret to growing old
Let's talk about age today. This year, 2021, the United Nations expects the number of people living past 100 to rise to approximately 573,000 worldwide, with the highest concentration in the U.S. and Japan, and with a significant number of those living well beyond the age of 100. In that category are people like Emma Morano, who died on April 15 at age 117.
Reece Gardner: We influence and are influenced by others
All of us are influenced by the actions of others, and that influence can be positive or negative. It was sad this week to see the tragic end of the life of a 13-year-old boy slain on the streets of Chicago at three o'clock in the morning while in the company of a 21-year-old criminal.
Reece Gardner: If it's to be, it's up to me
Let's get right to the essence of what I want to talk about today. We are all faced with ups and downs in our lives and sometimes we might forget that it isn't the situation we face that really matters, it is how we handle it.
Reece Gardner: Do you believe in Easter?
Edith Burns, a Christian who lived in San Antonio, Texas, had a habit of introducing herself in the following way: "Hello, my name is Edith Burns. Do you believe in Easter?" She would then explain the meaning of Easter. She was in declining health and was the patient of a doctor by the name of Will Phillips.
Reece Gardner: Count your blessings instead of sheep
All you have to do to find out if people are having problems in their lives is to read "Dear Abby." There you will find out about the trials and tribulations of life, and how people deal with them.
Reece Gardner: No regrets
My brother, Rick Gardner, passed away last week, and he will be greatly missed. He treasured his family and friends, and he was always ready to help any of us who might need his assistance. He lived for the moment, and I am sure he left this earth with very few regrets.