Shine on

I've been quiet on social media for months for so many reasons.  In the past, for me, social media has been a way to bless lives. I watch what people post to send gifts, or send messages to brighten someones day. For many reasons I felt like I needed to keep quiet. I didn't want to be part of the negativity or have to battle through someones negative post so i stayed quiet. I wasn't paying attention to the fact that I wasn't shining. Through my lack of sharing I missed some valuable shining moments where I could help someone along the way.

 It seems like we judge our lives according to what others post. Maybe we think that the picture shared make things look all too perfect. I've had this conversation with Kiersten. We've talked about how sometimes the angle the camera is held makes all of the difference but if we were to turn the camera in the opposite direction it might show a mess, or something quite opposite of what we just posted online. 

I've noticed that people judge and get caught up with things that really don't matter. Comments can be misread or misunderstood. Think before you post. Is it kind, does it build the other person up? Hopefully we can all learn a little something and think about our comments. Let's build each other up. We all have gifts that can help someone else. I hope we can unite together and show strength in numbers. Make kindness a movement and flood the world with amazing acts of kindness. Let's make others feel good and know they have someone who truly cares. Kindness is always the best! 

 If I don't share light, who will? How can I be part of a movement if I am quiet and don't share my light? It's easy to get discouraged and to do the all too familiar dance with the adversary. He has been working on me and tricking me into thinking that being quiet is better than shining. I've had thoughts in my mind that I wonder who wants to hear from me again, or I bet everyone is sick of hearing about what you did to make a difference. Satan is real! He wants there to be contention and negativity and to misrepresent our own purpose. He wants us to be jealous. He wants us to compare ourselves to others. He wants us to have self doubt and not see the positive affect that we might have on someone through social media. But if I don't push through and share light, where would glimpses of hope be for someone who is having a bad day or someone who needs a friend? What each one of us does, matters! Sharing goodness is needed! My hopes are that we can all be a little kinder, and share our light a little brighter. Let's flood social media, with one goal in mind to help someone else feel light or happiness and shine on!

HSA Handicapped Scuba Association

I learned something new this week. Did you know that there is a handicapped scuba program? I didn't either. We went diving in Maui this week and had the privilege to dive with a gentleman named Michael who was in a wheelchair. I had no idea that there was a program designed for this. It is called the HSA handicapped scuba program. (You can read about it below, and here is the website.... www.hsascuba.com)

 I later noticed on the side of the dive boat that there was a picture so you would know that they are HSA certified. 

I spoke to him to let him know I thought he was amazing. His mom was named Jana and she told me about the program and how she was really afraid of water but wanted to learn to do this with her son. They go diving at least once a year. 
I was really impressed with watching him and how this program allowed him to see the awesome world in the water. 

Here's Michael diving.....

 Here are some pics of some of the fish we saw on our dive

 Here's some fun pics of Troy, Karlee and me...

 Here is the information from the HSA website. Enjoy!

The Handicapped Scuba Association (HSA) had its genesis in 1975 at University of California-Irvine (UCI) as a research program looking at self-image changes for scuba diving students 'with disabilities' learning together with students 'without disabilities'. Participants were required to perform all physical performance standards for Scuba certification, even if they had to do them differently. The results were amazing! Everyone, with and without disabilities, grew in ways we could not measure and went on to more full and exciting lives.

• Participant Larry Thompson, paraplegic, became an avid and skilled Scuba Diver earning his certification as a NAUI Assistant Scuba Diving Instructor.
• Participant Adolf Flores, paraplegic, said "when I did what my Doctors said I couldn't do (Scuba Dive) I knew I could go to College", something he thought he couldn't do. He earned his BA Degree in Counselling.
• Participant Jim Gatacre, paralyzed right arm, founded the Handicapped Scuba Association (HSA) 5 years after graduating from UCI. The HSA is now the world's leading authority on recreational diving for people with disabilities.
  

The Handicapped Scuba Association, HSA (USA with an H), was named in the parking lot of US Divers Corporation on June 22nd 1981 when Gatacre received the first equipment donation for the new organization. The donation was authorized by John Cronin, President and co-founder of the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI), and marks the founding date of HSA.
In 1986 the Handicapped Scuba Association became an independent diver training and certifying agency. Our prestigious diver education programs for people with disabilities, Dive Buddy Course (DBC) and Instructor Training Course (ITC) are internationally recognized and unequalled by any other programs in the industry. These programs were developed in conjunction with two major certifying agencies, Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) and the National Association of Underwater Instructors (NAUI). Our specially trained members form a worldwide network of over 5000 HSA Instructors and Dive Buddies located in 45 countries.
In 1984 the Handicapped Scuba Association conducted their first accessible international dive trip to the island of Bonaire off the coast of Venezuela. A group of intrepid divers with disabilities, and support divers, headed into the unknown not certain if the resort, dive boat or island facilities were accessible. The resort was very receptive to our needs and made adjustments to help increase accessibility. The dive boat was, by chance, accessible and the island businesses did whatever it took to get us into their establishments. It was a total adventure! And it set the theme for HSA Travel, which continued to far flung places such as Fiji and Papua New Guinea. Everywhere we went the people reached out to us, helping to make our trips not only exciting but also warm and friendly. Today divers with disabilities travel to these places, and many more, thanks to the HSA pioneers who dared to face the unknown!

Always be a Lego

Just a few weeks ago, social media got the best of me. A friend thought they were being funny and sarcastic and wrote a post about me. It wasn't meant to offend or bully, but it did. I felt judged, and lied about. I talked to my friend that wrote the post. This person didn't realize that others were not viewing it with the same eyes as it was intended. I had many people reach out to me that were concerned about my feelings. It was read by many and it was not taken as a joke, or something that was just funny. As humans we try to find acceptance while tearing others down. Words can be misread and misunderstood so easily. Social media is an interesting thing. Fake news is so real and such a big part of society today. There is a lot of bullying from behind a monitor, rude comments, judging, perspective taken out of context and the list goes on and on. 

We should all be a Lego. A Lego is a building block. The name Lego has a special meaning, "play well". On the Lego website it states that a Lego brick is the most important product because it is the foundation. The Lego brick is unique and offers unlimited building possibilities. Did you know the Lego is 82 years old? Are you wondering how you can be like a Lego? Build others up! Always make your Social Media experience something that is building others up. Be a foundation by being loyal and strong and supportive. Be unique. Be You. It's okay to just be yourself. I promise that when you are being kind and supportive others will naturally be drawn to you. 

If you want to stand out in this world, start to focus on building others up. I have a cute friend named Pam that always writes positive and kind things online. I was explaining one of her posts to my friend Linda. Linda had not met Pam in person but knew of her because they had many mutual friends. Linda would always read the comments that Pam would write. She said "Oh, is Pam the one who always writes kind things?"  How would it be if someone recognized you because of your kind words? This made a huge impact on me. I have tried really hard to be kind in everything I post and to be just like Pam. Moral of the story is to always be a Lego. Be the foundation that is unique. You have unlimited building possibilities. You are the uplifting force that makes someone's day.

 

Sportmanship learned from an 11 Year old

On February 11th there was a tumbling competition that our gym hosted. I had the honor of announcing the awards to all of the athletes. The hardest part of my day was pronouncing the names of each individual athlete correctly. There were all ages of competitors from 3 to18. There was a group of 11 year old girls that stood out to me. I started announcing their awards and they were all jumping and laughing and saying good job to each other. One of the athletes in the group cheered and congratulated everyone, and rallied the whole group to be excited for each other. This little girl received a 2nd place ribbon. When her friend received a 1st place ribbon, she was beyond excited for her. When the athletes saluted I had the audience give an extra round of applause for this group with amazing sportsmanship. When they walked off of the podium, the little girl hugged the 1st place winner. I told her she was my favorite athlete. I talked about her a few times during the day and later that night. Our coach found this picture of her, posted on her gyms Facebook site, and asked me if this was the girl. I was so excited that it was the right person. I found her Mom on Instagram and sent her a message to let her know that she was raising an amazing young lady. I keep thinking about how she was happy for others. What a great example she was to so many that day. 

 We've heard the call to Love One Another a million times already, but somehow we still need that reminder everyday. Life isn't easy for anyone, there are countless ways it can knock a person down. If we lift one another back up, we can make this world a kinder, better place. Today we may be the one who is standing strong and doing the heavy lifting. Tomorrow, we may be the one who needs the lift. I am thankful for the example of an 11 year old girl that was beyond excited for everyone. I am thankful I was able to witness her love for everyone. I hope we can all be a little more like her and lift each other up. Be happy for other people because it's true that we rise by lifting others. 

Find your purpose

Lately I have noticed that when someone posts about making a difference that people make comments about how it appears that the individual is bragging or trying to get recognition.  I love hearing about what you do to make a difference. There is opposition in all things, however, I have let those voices get in my head lately. We all have purpose and we all have a purpose. I have been focusing on sharing my purpose. I am pushing those voices out of my mind so I can push forward. 

 
For my birthday this year I wrote letters again. I have been thinking about this a lot and at first I wondered how I was going to be able to write 47 letters. It wasn't as hard as I thought it was going to be. I could have written more. I might make it a tradition but I am getting older after all. Some of the letters I wrote were to the same people as last year and some were to different people. I so enjoyed reflecting on each individual and letting them know the things I admired about them. I hand wrote each letter and my hand was hurting, it took me  a few weeks, but it was so rewarding. I didn't write this blog post to get recognition or to brag. I wrote it because it is part of my purpose. Once you find your purpose, you need to share it. Find what makes you happy and share it with the world. I love acts of kindness, some are random and some are thought out and direct. 

 
 For my birthday one of my friends sent me a message that said she was doing an act of kindness in my honor. I had texts, and calls and Facebook messages all weekend. Kindness is free and it can make every person feel important. When you have an idea or thought to do something, send a text, write a letter, smile, hold the door for someone. You can do so many things that don't cost anything. 
The true way to be happy is to do something to add to others' happiness.