For Merri McDonald very good coffee is just part of a very good day. Merri knows two powerful things: how to make the best espressos and bring smiles to weary faces. Hard working, committed, and willing to give up her own resources to believe in her dream—Merri opened the Garden Espresso and Gift store. Situated on a pristine spot along scenic Highway 101, Merri greets every traveler with a smile, encouragement, and the best coffee around. Even if the day isn’t perfect, Merri delivers a perfect beverage in a heavenly spot. Like a good friend, coffee can warm the inside and help things begin the feel a bit better. And when it’s brewed by Merri, it also comes with a smile, a heart of love, and God’s blessings.
Sometimes dreams are about being healthy. Perhaps your dream is a better diet and more exercise. When you’re young it isn’t as much a concern perhaps. But your body keeps score and one day you may lose—and I don’t mean lose weight. The top diseases that shorten our lives are mostly preventable.
So maybe as the final weeks of this year wind down, you may want to take a walk and talk to yourself about your dream for a healthier you. Eat well, build an exercise program, and see how far you can go towards your healthy dream. Chances are you’ll soon have more energy and be feeling your best. And having your health and strength will be the perfect fuel for those amazing dreams you want to make a reality.
Sometimes the best dreams are those we give to someone else. Conward Farris has a lifetime of giving away dreams. As an educator and elementary principal, Conward dedicated his life to serving others. His passion was children and helping them discover the joy of reading. Throughout his career, Conward would spend hours after school helping struggling students. For those students, it made all the difference in their future. Having a strong foundation they went on to junior and senior high school and made their way into their careers.
Conward's personal dream was to have a reading clinic using his tried and true reading strategies. He knew the connection between reading and life long learning. He hasn't had a chance to open that clinic yet--but we are hoping he will write a book with his successful strategy. Sharing his insights is just one more way of giving his dream to others.
Thousands of students' lives intersected with Conward Farris. The stories vary, but each student knew an honorable, kind, thoughtful, and genuinely helpful man. He gave each one a chance for their own dream. Giving dreams to others is one of the most amazing gifts there could be. Don't you agree?
It’s one thing to make plans; it’s another to make them happen. Pick a project that you hope to see completed. Number the steps. Get a calendar and give those steps a timeline. Now the project has gone from a dream to a goal. Goals are dreams with an action plan—and they are far more likely to see fruition.
Tommy wanted to build a small forest retreat. From his first rough sketches to scale drawings to hauling heavy pails of concrete to the site—he’s been working his dream. Very soon his dream will be a reality. So don’t delay—make those plans, number the steps, give yourself a timeline, and see it happen.
Sometimes we choose where we want to live; sometimes we don't have the choice. Yet we always have the choice to live well wherever we are. A life well-lived means that no matter where you may be, your time in that place makes a difference to those around you.
Some day you may move--and then you want to look back and know that you left it better than before. That's the beginning of a legacy. And that's the best way to live while living right where you are.
RSS Feed