So, to encourage some feedback from all of you (I'm getting a little lonely on my end~), I would like to know:
Who inspires you?
Come on~ don't be shy! Just list whomever INSPIRES you in some fashion or another ... someone who just makes your heart feel Happy inside when you think of them or their Life or their Story encourages or uplifts you in some way. Maybe it is someone who you really feel has contributed something good to the world in some way.
(Oh!~, and fyi, you can post at the bottom 'anonymously' if you so wish, but it'll still be fun for me and others to see your name in black & white)
Well, since this is my blog, I guess I'll go first ... :)
Hmm?!
I really have quite a long list of names of people who Inspire me ... if I had to start listing them, I am sure it would reach the thousands upon thousands.
Who & what comes instantly to my mind and heart is our Luke who participated in the 2nd Grade Living Wax Museum recently, and he chose to be Reggie White.
(Yah, I agree Luke~ ... he had a Story worth telling and you did a fine job of doing that!)
So, in answer to my own question of Who inspires me?, I will start with my Number One, and that being Jesus Christ, because for me, personally, He and His Life and His Story tops the cake as far as Who inspires me the most in my Life.
Secondly, in the spirit of Oprah Winfrey's 25 year 'retirement' next week from her television show, I will list her as someone who Inspires me in a big way ... the Story of her Life.
And so ~ in Honor and Thanksgiving of Her and the Love she has brought & shared with the whole world, but particularly to me, in some fashion or another (I actually went to Chicago to her show in 1998 ~ all thanks to Mark for finally getting me those tickets!!), I would like to speak of what she has taught me personally over the years, as I essentially grew up with her.
I was, after all, only 12 years old when I started watching her show and learning from her about Life.
All the lessons that I learned from either watching her over the years unfold her Story or by listening to someone she had on her show or a book or author she recommended ... on and on I could go.
Her gifts to me, personally, have simply been priceless and too many to list here. And, the great thing is, I know many, many people feel the same as I do.
Oprah just simply Inspires me ... the person that she is and the person she has so graciously and openly shared with the whole world.
Her Story. Her Life. All of it inspires me.
Her Story of coming up and out of a broken home; to surviving the sexual abuse of a relative; to losing her own baby at the tender age of 14; to fighting food addiction, weight issues, health problems, lawsuits ...
What I most love about her, though, is her willingness to just be herself with others and to not be afraid to be real. She is so willing to show people her heart. She is so willing to be open and honest and vulnerable and transparent with people. She is teachable. She just lays her heart right out there for the whole world to see. And yes ~ I've watched people trample all over it throughout the years and have also watched her endure the criticism and heartache, yet she just kept pushing forward and pressing on through it all with grace and dignity.
I like to call that perseverance.
We've seen her cry with people, laugh loud and big when people are overcome by joy and happiness in their own lives (and this is mostly due to her own generosity & thoughtfulness). We've watched her grace people with many, many gifts of material items and much more. She loves to give back. Pay it forward.
Love.
It is these kind of people that Inspire me.
I would love to share this you tube video with you that was sent to me in an e-mail from a friend. This person, Carrie Underwood -- well ... let me just say that she, too, also inspires me in a big, big way ... Her Story.
This recording is definitely something worth watching is all I got to say!
To enjoy the full video and music, you will need to hit the "Pause" button on my music player at the bottom of the page, first -- and then hit the "Play" button on the video.
{And for an extra special bonus ;) I am giving you some additional 'hints' of others to add to the list of inspirational people ... like who is also in the video with her, plus the lady that he is married to and even the audience members who give her a standing ovation!}
Enjoy!~
Now, if you follow the famous television show called American Idol like I have, then I think you will also agree with me that Carrie ... this simple farm girl from Oklahoma! ... is simply inspirational, too.
And for 'dedication' sake in my blog-posting-style of mine, I would like to dedicate this one to someone much more dear to my heart than Oprah or Carrie or Vince or Amy, and that being my very own husband, Mark, because today he turns 41! And, quite honestly, I feel pretty lucky that he came into the world, as I know many of you reading also do.
But, most importantly, Mark Inspires me more so than any other human being on earth ... my Husband and the Father of our kids.
Because, he, too, like all of them ... just simply loves, loves, loves ... {and if you have the pleasure of knowing my guy well - like I do, then I know many of you will be nodding your head in agreement as you read this ~ adults & many kids alike!}
Mark does Pay It Forward. He serves and gives and teaches and continues to remain true and humble to his most important calling on His Life. And that makes me, his Wife, feel very Happy inside, today, and every day, but especially on today ... his Birthday.
So here's a shout out to you, my hubby, Mark ...
Enjoy Today ... your Birthday! :) We hope you love all of the 'stuff' the kids wanted to get you ... like your big chocolate chip cookie "cake" and your Happy Birthday balloon, the donuts for breakfast, the gifts & cards, seeing the new Pirates of the Caribbean movie on the big screen ... but above all else, we know what you truly treasure & love & adore -- and that is time spent with us! So thank you for all you do and who you are. Love ya' ~
As I end this blog post, I "dare" or ha! -- shall I say "challenge" someone to go next ... or shall I say 'first' ?! in answering my question ... to add to my already started list of favorites as you can already see~
After all, ... if you know me, Lori, well enough by now from my blog or otherwise, you will know that I am definitely keeping track 'somewhere' of my Favorite's List of the Most Inspirational People! ... there is a recorded version somewhere, but it is definitely on real live paper & using a pen, instead of a key stroke!
{Yes ... you guessed it! Probably in a journal of some kind, somewhere ... you know how I love those things!}
So, here goes ... the 'survey' is now on :)) ... on your mark, get set, go ~
Who inspires YOU?
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| Happy 41st Birthday! Thank you! We love you! |
