Rae's Craft

"He is rich who is content with the least; for contentment is the wealth of nature." - Socrates Why do people travel great distances to see beautiful natural vistas for themselves? I think it is the calming effect the sights have on us. We feel serene, awed, and content. Nature is content, isn't it? A regal redwood isn't trying to be a dashing rose- the redwood. Ah, if we could only be content to be exactly what we are. For what we are deep inside is just as beautiful,

The Artist's World "I cannot help it that my painting do not sell. The time will come when people will see that they are worth more than the price of the paint." - Vincent van Gogh Having faith in yourself is imperative. Have you written a book, but you're having a devil of a time selling it? Send it to another publisher, even if you've already sent it to three dozen. Have you created a sculpture or piece of jewelry, but you can't find anyone to buy or market it? Keep cre

Fear Be Gone "Only when we are no longer afraid do we begin to live." - Dorothy Thompson I live along the west coast of Florida, and swimming in the Gulf is one of my favorite activities. A fear of sharks kept me from the water until I learned that from 1995 to 2005, there were ( on average) only six fatal shark attacks worldwide each year. So now I focus on my love of swimming, and I forget about the sharks. It's all mind over matter, and I don't want to let fear keep me

Talking Too Much "Blessed is the man who, having nothing to say, abstains from giving wordy evidence of the fact." - George Eliot Isn't silence refreshing sometimes? Many of us modern humans seem to need constant stimulation. Do you ever find yourself trying to listen to the news and catch up on your e-mails at the same time? One of the tasks is sure to suffer. Many of us feel a constant need to be busy, but it is the silent moments that we have time to really process all

Learning from Each Other "It is through generating stories of our own crisis and hope and telling them to one another that we light the path." - Rosemary Radford Reuther Telling our own stories is cathartic, but it also helps others. Sometimes the only way we can make it through the most difficult circumstances is by looking to the examples of others and gaining strength and courage from them. We must share and help each other, for most everyone will need to gain strength f

What Lies Within "What lies behind us and what lies before us are small matters compared to what lies within us." - Ralph Waldo Emerson Most creatures just go about their days addressing their immediate needs, but humans are different. We take in and process our surroundings, and we have magnificent imaginations that allow us to come up with creative solutions to any problems we come across. The nitty-gritty that lies deep within our souls gives us our unique essence. What

Beautiful Treasures "A thing of beauty is a joy forever." - John Keats Do you posses something that you hold on to simply because you treasure its beauty? I do. My grandmother died when my mother was just 11, so I never knew my grandmother. I do, however, know that she was a brilliant woman- a college math and physics professor. Her hobby was wood burning, and I have the wooden jewelry box on which she burned delicate flowers, winding leaves, and an intricate butterfly.

The Joy of a Good Laugh "The most wasted of all days is one without laughter." - e. e. cummings Why are we here? Generations of people have asked that question, and we all come to our own conclusions. I think the most obvious reason is to live and just enjoy the adventure. Why not take a moment each day to just smile, laugh, and relish life? It is a beautiful thing. I KNOW I WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO LAUGH TODAY, AND I WILL TAKE IT. #RaesCraft #RaesBlog #Readings #book

Red Rover, Red Rover "Youth is, after all, just a moment, but it is the moment, the spark that you always carry with you." - Raisa Gorbachev I can still remember the jiggly feeling in my stomach as I bounced to 1,000 on my new pogo-stick. I remember the first time Dad and I biked all the way to my cousin's farm-five miles! With amazing clarity, I can call to mind the act of twisting the nut on my clamp-on roller skates with my big metal skate key. And I remember how my fe

The Rules of Engagement "Don't walk in front of me, I may not follow; don't walk behind me, I may not lead; walk beside me, and be my friend." - Albert Camus I Think every marriage ceremony should include the above words. Neither person in a healthy relationship should be the leader, and neither person should be the follower- the two individuals should be equals. The should make decisions together-though not all the time, of course. It is healthy to have outlets that are a

Some Perspective "It's a recession when your neighbor loses his job: it's a depression when you lose yours." - Harry S. Truman The United States hasn't had a depression since before World War II. The last depression was from May 1937 to June 1938, when the gross domestic product (GDP) declined by 18.2 percent. During our latest recession, GDP has declined by 3.4 percent. Perspective helps right now, doesn't it? Losing our heads doesn't help, though of course we must act s

The Artist in All of Us "I am always doing that which I cannot do, in order that I may learn how to do it." - Pablo Picasso This is the attitude to have, isn't it? Instead of doing all the things we're good at over and over (just to make us feel good about ourselves), we should keep working at the things that do not come so naturally to us. We need to challenge ourselves. Think of the feeling of accomplishment that will follow once we prove to ourselves that we actually c

Life Is a Roller Coaster "As for the future: I'll go on believing there is one- maybe even a happy one... Whatever it may be one thing is for sure- this adventure is not over." - Lauren Bacall Life is, most definitely, an adventure. Sometimes the adventure feels like a nightmare, sometimes like a dream come true. It's the ups and downs that make life so interesting. During the sad or trying times, we need to keep the good times in mind a

Hear No Evil, See No Evil "My life has been happy because I have had wonderful friends and plenty of interesting work to do. I seldom think about my limitations, and they never make me sad. Perhaps there is just a touch of yearning at times, but it is vague, like a breeze among flowers. The wind passes, and the flowers are content." - Helen Keller Most of us cannot even fathom what life was like for Helen Keller. A childhood illness left her unable to see or hear, but thes

Follow Your Heart "A good heart is better than all the heads in the world." - Edward Bulwer-Lytton An idea that comes from out heads can lead us on a path of greed or corruption, but an idea that springs from our hearts will never do so. A " good " head signifies altruism and sacrifice. Good heads can go awry, but a good heart never will. TODAY I WILL HEED MY MIND AND MY HEART, BUT WHEN THEY ARE IN CONFLICT, MY HEART WILL ALWAYS WIN OUT. #RaesBlog #RaesCraft #writers #Readin

Consider Your Legacy "Let us endeavor so to live that when we come to die even the undertaker will be sorry." - Mark Twain When you think back over the history of the world, which individuals do you wish were still with us? Leaders such as Martin Luther King Jr. and Princess Diana, who gave selflessly for others; artists such as Michelangelo, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Audrey Hepburn, or Jimi Hendrix? Endeavor to emulate the qualities that such individuals had. Do you want t

Knowledge at Our Fingertips "When so rich a harvest is before us, why do we not gather it? All is in our hands if we will but use it." - Elizabeth Ann Seton The Internet immediately came to my mind when I read this quote. It amazes me every day. The possibilities are endless; it is possible to research any topic at any time. One day each week-instead of watching soap operas or another reality TV show- why don't we spend our time learning something new? TODAY, I PROMISE TO

Laugh 'Til Your Sides Ache "Trouble came knocking, but hearing laughter hurried away." - Benjamin Franklin When in our lives have we gotten into true, regrettable trouble? More often than not, it is during unhappy times, when we do not feel hopeful. Just as the drug dealer seeks out unhappy, vulnerable people, trouble often finds those who are already feeling a little lost. If we focus on the positive and work from there, we have hope, and we smile and laugh. Positive peo

I love Wet n Wild cosmetic line, especially the lipsticks. After putting on my makeup and it sets, my face is so oily it shines. I would have to keep napkins on hand so I could blot my shining areas of my face and I was so tired of doing that. So I was in my local drug store shopping and I came across this. This cost about $5.00 very affordable, looking good and not breaking the bank. After opening compack contianer, the lid where the powder is, lifts up and there's a so

"It's all a matter of keeping my eyes open." - Annie Dillard The world is an amazing place-it is just a matter of paying attention. During my outdoor water aerobics class today, I spotted a gorgeous blue heron. My eyes followed its flight until it landed on the roof behind me, and I watched as it made himself comfortable in the corner near the rainspout. I marveled at the magnificent creature and felt lucky to have had such a close-up view. TODAY, I WILL GET OUT THERE AND