Quotes

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SEEDS INTO THE WIND: One Thousand Days of Timeless Wisdom

Order NOW for Christmas presents!! 
  

NEW! From the author of Twisted By The Wind. SEEDS INTO THE WIND is a collection of over one thousand inspirational, motivational, witty and sometimes humorous quotations selected from “Here’s Your Pearl of the Day® from Tom Hays”, a daily “thought starter” email sent to subscribers and featured on selected websites for over fourteen years. The book features quotations from famous and infamous thinkers throughout history to the present day. Readers are encouraged to. each day. choose a random number between one and one thousand, look up that numbered quotation in the book and see what "Pearl of Wisdom" fate brings them that day.

List Price: $12.95   https://www.amazon.com/dp/0692262466 

5.5" x 8.5" (13.97 x 21.59 cm) 
Black & White on White paper
160 pages

Postwood Press
ISBN-13: 978-0692262467 (Custom)
ISBN-10: 0692262466
BISAC: Philosophy / Ethics & Moral Philosophy   

Minister vs. Preacher

From the book Twisted by the Wind by Tom Hays

I don't know where this “ministry” will eventually lead.  I only know that I have a calling, and I have to follow … wherever it leads.  Presently, I feel it is to provide enlightenment and encouragement to others around me; to somehow have a positive influence on their daily life, to open doors of understanding, and compassion.

It is not important to me what your particular religious or spiritual beliefs are, nor do I want to make you believe mine.  The important thing is we both have them, and there are probably many more similarities than differences.  I happen to feel that a superior power, known by many names, including God, resides within us and can be called upon at any time. 

To me, being a good or "Christian" person is not so much about "talking the talk" as it is about "walking the walk".  It is a way to live life, some variation of the golden rule, wherein we live in such a way that we treat others the way they would like to be treated ... and to not let them change us when they don't do the same for us.

My prayer is to be able to find ways to live a better life, with more kindness, more compassion, more understanding, more fulfillment and more smiles.  I ask the Great Spirit for those things, for me, and for you.

- Reverend Tom -

Living the Nashville Dream

(from the book Twisted by the Wind by Tom Hays)

Cody walked onstage and surveyed the huge, cheering crowd, soaking in the excitement and energy radiated by thousands of adoring fans, the flashing effects lighting, the fog, and fireworks spewing from the pillars behind him. The warm-up band had been good … but the huge audience had evidently come to see him, Cody, the star attraction.

“Cody! Cody! Cody!” Their chant filled the huge auditorium to the rafters.

He threw his right arm up in the air with his guitar pick in-hand in a gesturing salute to the crowd, and the cheers grew even louder, more demanding!

Turning his head slightly to the right, he gave a shallow nod to the keyboard player, and his band began the set. The crowd was still screaming over the first, familiar bars of the first song.

He stepped to the mike, sang the first line, and the crowd noise swelled again. It was one of his signature songs, one he had written himself, one of many that had placed him on the top of the charts over and over again. At the chorus, everyone in the audience sang the hook with him. They knew it as well as he did.

Women in the front rows charged the foot of the stage, trying to get closer, reaching for a touch of his pant leg, tossing flowers along with notes, phone numbers, and undergarments onto the stage.

Cody smiled broadly, his pearl-white teeth gleaming in the spotlights. The crowd grew more frenzied and their sing-along turned to cheering at the top of their lungs, louder and louder, a constant high-pitched roar!

The loud buzzer on the timer over his head brought him to now. He suddenly realized the French fries were done. He lifted them from the cooker and dumped them into the draining tray. He salted them liberally and scooped them into small, red cardboard sleeves and placed the packages one by one onto the serving rack.

His dream had brought him to Nashville for his big break nearly five years earlier.

Looking through the small opening over the rack holding the cooked fries, out to the serving counter and beyond to those waiting in line, he saw a collection of other wannabe dreamers on both sides of the counter, all playing the lottery in some form or other.

Some, like him, playing the “Nashville Lottery” and hoping for a chance at fame.

Others, perhaps with an equal chance, simply purchased their lottery tickets at the quick mart, hoping for the big hand of chance to point to them and say, “You!”

Cody’s dream had followed him from Oklahoma all the way to Nashville. It was as real as any dream had ever been. He had lived it over and over … but after five years it was still just a dream. And it was still no closer to reality than it ever was.

He dumped more frozen fries into the cooker and hit the button to start the timer again. As the white fries sizzled in the oil, Cody slipped slowly back into his dream.

The crowd was still roaring as he began the second song. Cody tipped his cowboy hat and gave them a thumbs up.

There are people all over the world who wished they could be in Nashville, living the dream. Cody had made it.

Others, like Ben, knew about dreaming, but they knew about waking up too. Ben wanted to live in the best reality he could imagine.

“Bless the Poor Starving Cats”

From the book TWISTED BY THE WIND

Ben had been giving Albert, his Cat, the new food that the vet recommended.

Albert didn't seem to care much for it, and Ben understood that because he was on a geriatric diet himself.

So, Ben finally just sat Albert down and told him about India, and all the cats over there that have gone through earthquakes and hurricanes and famine and they are living in squalor out on the streets.... millions of cats limping around, ragged, with nothing to eat.

And Ben explained to Albert because of that, because of all those poor starving cats in India, he should realize how truly fortunate he is, and should not waste one bit of this food he is so truly blessed to receive.

Albert's eating a little more of it now, but Ben’s still not sure he likes it.

Help Your Friends Keep Their Mind Working!

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Bananagrams is simple to play for one, two, three or more players. It is a little like Scrabble, except each player builds his or her own words, laid out like a crossword puzzle, that he or she can change as they go along to use all of their letters. Building words increases vocabulary and improves memory, and it is FUN! We play nearly every evening before dinner. Some pistachio nuts, a glass of wine, and Bananagrams. It's a hoot!

An inexpensive gift that will last and last. Buy for all your family and friends. Fun for all ages. Order now, because this is this year's "hot ticket" gift idea. Just click on Bananagrams. You will be glad you did, and so will your friends.

Peace,

Tom Hays

Not For Babies Only

by Susan Hays

TREAT YOURSELF LIKE A BABY

As I turned on the water to draw my bath, I glanced at the shelf by the tub lined with bottles of bath oils and lotions, reflecting various colors of the sky, the earth and flowering desert plants. Many of those bottles were given to me by friends at a birthday party who said, "Be kind to yourself, take a warm, long bath, relax, luxuriate and treat yourself like a baby." Hmmm...

I began by dipping my elbow into the bath water to check the temperature. As I slowly stepped into the water, the warmth of it engulfed my leg, and my foot felt the security of the smooth mat on the bottom. I lowered myself into the tub and cradled my neck in a soft pillow and breathed in the rising steam scented by a mild eucalyptus oil. Closing my eyes, covered by a cool eye mask, I consciously relaxed every muscle in my body. I listened to my deliberate, steady breathing, felt my heart beat ever so slowly and I fell peacefully asleep.

Upon awakening I ran a hot shower and washed my hair, massaging my scalp with the hardness of my fingernails and the softness of my fingertips, making thick lather. Using one of my scented soaps and loufa, I washed my body, the roughness of the loufa scrubbing away dead skin, the faint lavender scent of the soap making me feel lusciously clean.

Stepping out of the bath, I wrapped myself in a large, soft towel, heated by the towel warmer. As I poured the cool moisturizing lotion into my hands to warm it and smoothed it over my body, I luxuriated in the silky feel it was giving my skin, and it reminded me of the obvious joy a baby feels when rubbed with baby lotion after a warm bath.

Babies are touched, caressed, massaged, nurtured for a reason. It gives them a feeling of security, love and acceptance. The human touch is so immensely important, not only to babies, but to all of us.

Even if we don't have the time or resources to indulge in professional massages, manicures, shampoos, or aromatherapy treatments, there's nothing to keep us from pampering ourselves and recalling those same feelings a baby feels.

As I dry my hair and dress, I think how I feel nurtured, loved, safe and relaxed, and it makes me recall those same feelings as when I was growing up. And I'm the one who made me feel this way. Pamper yourself -- treat yourself like a baby!

Warmest regards,
Susan Hays

I Need How Much To Retire?

by Tom Hays

I've flunked "Retirement 101" four times. Maybe I just wasn't paying attention. Maybe I have a low boredom threshold. I have plenty of hobbies and I enjoy all of them. But maybe when I am trying "retirement" I have too much time to think about what "might" occur in my future instead of what "is" going on at the moment.

I think about my father, mother and all my other ancestors who lived to very ripe old ages. I can see the financial world changing every minute, the cost of living increasing and the cost of medical care spiraling onward and upward. With only a "comfortable" sized nest egg, it is enough to scare anyone to an early grave!

Point is, I'm just not sure how much is enough. In a perfect world, my wife and I would spend our last dollar on the day we passed on. But, no one can tell me when that will be, or what our cost of living will be between now and then. And, heaven forbid, one of those illnesses comes along later in life that creates huge medical expenses and long-term care costs.

I may have enough. Several times in the past I have thought I did. But each time I eventually realize I have no idea how much of a nest egg will be enough to sleep comfortably every night. (I'm sure Bill Gates does not have this problem.)

So, I go back to work, and I feel better physically and mentally. Besides, making money is fun. I enjoy the game!

Give me your thoughts.

Welcome To Your New Life!

You are invited to join countless others who are coming together in Platinum Pearls®.com . . . . sharing ways to enjoy the rest of their lives, becoming more satisfied, more secure through self discovery and self actualization. The secrets are there, to be discovered and utilized. Shared, they will become a positive force for an entire generation.

Who are you??? There’s a new person born every eight seconds. One of them may well be you! We’ll help you nurture and educate that new person you are becoming. Ahead is a different road, and it will take you where you want to go only if you use the right map. Stop and ask directions.

Not for babies only! While we deal primarily with life factors and life styles of those persons born during the so-called “baby boom” years of 1946 to 1964, the fact is, a lot of people on both sides of those years face those same challenges and opportunities too, and we welcome your participation in Platinum Pearls® programs and membership benefits.

We can all enjoy a longer and happier mature life if we resist becoming “old”. We’d love to have you join the organized resistance!

Please add your thoughts, ideas, methods and experiences. We are all in this together!

Plein Air, Painting the American Landscape - Alaska Episodes

One of the most fun aspects of searching out and providing content for the Platinum Pearls® web pages is the opportunity to recommend sources that I personally know to be good.

In the case of this DVD, I have worked with two of the three featured artists, Matt Smith and Kenn Backhaus. Both have taught at the artistically prestigious Scottsdale Artists School.

I studied with each of them there, both in the studio and in the desert surround. I can heartily recommend the experience and their instructional abilities.

The first three episodes of Plein Air, Painting the American Landscape feature artists Matt Smith, Jean LeGassick, and Kenn Backhaus as they paint in Alaska. The trio paints Mt. McKinley on a rare, glorious September afternoon complete with a visit from a blonde grizzly.

Next our three artists tackle the Tongass Rain Forest, renowned for towering old growth cedar, hanging moss and incessant rainfall, proving that it takes tenacity, good gear, and considerable know-how to paint in a rain forest.

The last stop is beautiful Resurrection Bay, gateway to Kenai Fjords National Park. With the towering Chugach Mountains as a backdrop, the artists paint in a derelict boatyard.

Historical perspective is provided through the Plein Air paintings created by George Brown while climbing Mt. McKinley as a member of the 1974 Bradford Washburn Mt. McKinley Expedition, and an introduction to Alaskan Plein Air artists and adventurers Eustace Ziegler, Ted Lambert and iconoclastic painter Sidney Laurence whose paintings from the early 1900s have come to epitomize the Alaskan landscape. I can enthusiastically recommend this DVD Plein Air, Painting the American Landscape - Alaska Episodes.

Please visit the Visual Arts pages at http://www.platinumpearls.com/ for more information about painting, photography or your favorite creative outlet.

Join us on a Platinum Pearls® Adventure - Discovery Retreat or Workshop!

Designed to both "get away from things" and "get into things", the workshops, adventures and retreats presented or recommended by Platinum Pearls® represent a wide range of topics, settings and experiences. For example, our "Discovery Weekend" is designed as two extremely laid-back days in a very small group, everyone learning, everyone teaching, personally accompanied by Tom Hays, the founder of Platinum Pearls®, where the important thing is fun, relaxation and expanded awareness of life's possibilities. Four sites have been selected for the coming year.

"Spirit of the Stones" in the Sedona, Arizona area and the Hopi Indian Reservation features small, four day group retreats that offer an intense setting for personal shifts. Available energies are magnified within the shared focus. You have opportunities for learning from each other's experiences, for integrating the experiences with your dreams, meditation insights and feelings that come up over the course of the four days. You are encouraged to develop awareness practices to carry back into the rest of your life.

"Painting Word Pictures" focuses on writing creatively. Strong sensory images make your writing or lyrics sparkle! Learn how to paint pictures with your words by tapping into an endless well of creative imagery. The purpose of this workshop is to help you find the wellspring of “sensory memory” inside you, to learn to turn it on at will, and to help you direct that flow of creative energy into stronger, more effective writing … writing filled with images that allow your words to say more, connect better emotionally with the readers or listeners. Whatever your writing goals, you will come away from this workshop with new tools to work with, a new way of approaching the creative process.

You are encouraged to browse each of the many featured workshops at http://www.platinumpearls.com/, find one that fits you, and then dive into the pool! The rest of your life just started. Make the best of it.

Life. . . it’s a tide pool and you are an oyster.

The waters of change come sweeping over the shifting sands of life.

If you can imagine, you can see the crystalline sandy particles rolling past in the movement of the waves as they come in and then move out, come in and move out, these "waves of change", bringing with them more sand to our lives, more debris, more "things" to deal with.

And in your imagination you look closer, and you see that the sand grains gleam and sparkle through the water when the sunlight catches them. And you suddenly realize that, even the worst of them, the ugliest, sharpest of them all, with some honing and polishing can become things of beauty, things made better because you've seen them in a different light, things that offer you something that will enhance and perhaps even fulfill your life… jewels to cherish, instead of problems to be put up with.

So you learn to scoop them up and look them over, savor them and find the opportunities to polish them, take off the rough edges, work them into fine gems to add to your collection. Life gives you the sand. You must make the pearls.

Look at life's changes in a different light, explore for the beauty, the opportunities to improve the circumstances that the waves of change have brought you.

With so many changes occurring in life, there are also so many chances to change. You can choose to see more sand to deal with, or you can see the chance to make pearls. You can do it. You can be a "pearl builder".

Get more lifestyle enhancement information at http://www.platinumpearls.com/.