Over the last few days I've been blogging about this book, "Start Where You Are, a Journal for Self-Exploration."



The quote today is:

I'm a great believer in luck & I find the harder I work, the more I have of it. - Thomas Jefferson

The exercise asks us to list things that I have to work for in one column and how to get them without luck in the second.

Luck is very interesting to me.  As a Pagan person I believe that what we send out returns to us.  So if you're a douche, you'll get douche in return.  Some go a step further and say that it will return times three or that karma will get you.  I'm not one that necessarily goes that deep into it.

Here is what I believe.

If you are a grumpy negative person who complains all the time, generally speaking people are not going to want to be around you, or help you. You'll have fewer friends, fewer pathways for relationship building and therefore be a lonelier person.  On the other hand, if you're a happy positive person, who tries to do nice things for other, helps people when you can and are over all just a pretty good Joe, people will return that to you in kind.

There are natural laws that cannot be changed.  If I have three dollars in my pocket, being nice to the guy next door isn't going to make my 3 dollar turn into 6 dollars.   But, if I am nice to the guy next door, he might offer to cut my grass, or help me get to the store, or maybe trade some of my hen eggs for a bag of flour.  These possibilities wouldn't be there if he thought I was a mean person.  That doesn't mean that I'm a door mat either.  I have people in my life that I will call the Takers.  The Takers always show up with life is good with their hand out.  They want you to give to this cause or that cause.  They always want something.  When you take care of yourself instead of donating to their cause, you're a vile evil human.  They run you down.  That is what Takers do.  Takers are not concerned with your well being.  They do not care if they hurt you, or those you care about in order to get what they want out of life.  This is where the giver has to step back and say, no more.  Know that what you have you have worked for, it wasn't given to you by others,  your sweat and indeed luck helped you be where you are today.

Remember, givers need to set limits because takers rarely do.  - Irma Kurtz


Don't forget to tweet daily for additional entries in the giveaway.

Today there wasn't much time for photo taking today.  Hubby and I needed to clean out the pole barn.  Our barn was full of stuff that we've always just stored away thinking we'd use them eventually.  Sorry for this blurry picture.  But this is what it looked like before.

Photo Credit - Renee Sosanna Olson

We we pulled out a truck load of stuff from the barn, as well as doing our other regular chores.  It was literally a truckload.

Photo Credit - Renee Sosanna Olson

Yes, that's FOUR doors and and a wading pool.  LOL  Under all that stuff is also 2 lawnmowers!

Photo Credit - Renee Sosanna Olson

Here's the finished product.  We worked our tushes off today.  It looks wonderful.  We were able to move extra stuff out of my studio today, which is already in the barn in the picture above!!  Soo excited.  Now I have room for four shelves that will allow me to place my green-ware, bisque-ware and my ready to fire pottery all in one neat organized area.

After we finished cleaning up, vacuuming and getting the room all set I decided to go ahead and throw a few pots.  A few friends have requested that I make an urn for them.  I've only been throwing for six months so I'm just learning the shapes that I need to make for these pots.  I ended up with one below.  I've got a lot of work to do.  But I'm determined.

Photo Credit - Renee Sosanna Olson

After finishing the pots I had a nice hot bath.  I am beat.  Now I'm updating my blog and watching The Daily Show with the hubby.  I think I have been over-productive this stay-cation.