I'm sitting here in a nice warm home with a view of newly fallen snow thinking about how much Beliefnet has become a part of my life.

I have met many friends, some of whom I've become very close to....how grateful I am for this.

Even for those who don't celebrate Christmas, I find this time of the year so peaceful (although do not like the freezing, snowy weather here in New England! :O) )

How fortunate and blessed for those of you who can feel the warmth and beauty of this time of the year.

D

I know I mentioned ths before, but I swear that as soon as fall rolls around, there are SO MANY people who suffer from depression that have a slip..I mean a big slip.

It's tough knowing that the winter is approaching and the holidays, which can bring on a lot of stress for many of us, plus just the change of seasons - losing so much daily sunlight.

My prayers and blessings go out to each and everyone of us.....D 

FOR THOSE WHO SUFFER FROM DEPRESSION, ARE BIPOLAR OR HAVE BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH PTSD, WINTER CAN BE A VERY HARD TIME FOR US.

PRAYER IS THE ONLY WAY FOR ME TO KEEP GOING.  IF I ALLOW MYSELF TO STAY IN BED TOO LATE IN THE MORNING, NOT GO TO MY JOB, OR ISOLATE IN ANY WAY, MY DISEASE BRINGS ME DOWN FURTHER AND FURTHER.

"GOD, GRANT ME THE SERENITY TO ACCEPT THE THINGS I CANNOT CHANGE, THE COURAGE TO CHANGE THE THINGS I CAN, AND THE WISDOM TO KNOW THE DIFFERENCE."

FOR THOSE WHO READ THIS, PLEASE KNOW THAT YOU ARE NOT ALONE.  IT IS OCTOBER AND ALREADY I FEEL THE EFFECTS OF THE CHANGE IN SEASON.  WE ARE NOT ALONE........D    

NOT BECAUSE I AM ADMINSTRATOR OF THE ABOVE GROUP, BUT BECAUSE OF THE LOVE, UNDERSTANDING, PRAYERS AND EMPATHY I HAVE WATCHED AND READ FROM THE MEMBERS, I MUST TELL YOU ALL HOW GRATEFUL I AM TO HAVE ALL OF YOU IN MY LIFE, NOT ONLY AS FRIENDS, BUT AS PEOPLE I NEVER WOULD HAVE EVER GOTTEN TO KNOW IN MY LIFE IF IT WEREN'T FOR BNET. 

THANK YOU, MY DEAR FRIENDS.  I DON'T HAVE TO NAME NAMES HERE; YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE.

BLESSINGS D  

TO ALL AND EVERYONE WHO PRAYED, WROTE, SENT CARDS DURING MY HUSBAND, FRANK'S, GRAVE ILLNESS, I WANT TO THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART.

IT IS DURING TIMES SUCH AS THESE THAT WE TRULY REALIZE HOW PRECIOUS LIFE IS; ONE DAY AT A TIME.

LOVE DENISE

I WANT TO EXTEND TO ALL THE MEMBERS OF MY GROUP "BEING OKAY IN YOUR OWN SKIN" AND THE MANY, MANY OTHER FRIENDS HERE HOW GRATEFUL I FEEL TONIGHT.

YOU HAVE BEEN SO SUPPORTIVE, PRAYERFUL AND ENCOURAGING THIS PAST WEEK DURING MY HUSBAND'S GRAVE ILLNESS, AND YES, FOR ME ALSO.

GOD WILL BLESS EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU IN HIS OWN WAY AND IN HIS TIME; THAT IS ONE THING I CAN BE SURE OF.

LOVE D

I was invited to a barbecue at a good frend's house.  As I drove there, I had this gut feeling (which I get when I know something's amiss).  

As it turns out, a lot of the people there were old high school friends.  It was horrific.  All they could talk about were the material things in their lives, and I left there, after a very short stay, with a feeling of sadness for them.

Why?  Because they don't know what it's like to be happy WITHOUT all the earthly possessions they have.  I'm grateful today that even though I don't have what I'd like, I have everything a woman could dream of - a beautiful combination of ME and my GOD.    

This is my first time creating a glob but know that God is giving me that little "nudge" to do so!

I need to say out loud how grateful I am just for this day, this very moment.  A great person once told me "Wherever You Go, There You Are."  I've never forgotten that.  So simplistic a statement, but how many of us can really say "I know where I'm headed all the time."

I would say probably nobody, but imagine if you could just by saying "I am living in this one moment so that I can appreciate the fact that this could be the last."

"Dear Lord, help us to appreciate each and every day, each and every hour, each and every minute."

Denise (D) 

ACTUALLY, THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE MY SWEATS AND A COMFY SHIRT WHEN I'M GETTING READY FOR BED!  WHAT BETTER WAY TO FEEL THE SOFTNESS OF THAT MATERIAL ON YOUR SKIN? 

IT'S SOOOOOOOOO  COMFY!    D