Thursday

In moments that we seem to be floating without family, friends or life preservers be reminded of these words; "Joy is the holy fire that keeps our purpose warm and our intelligence aglow." Given too us by Ms. Helen Keller.

INCLUSIVE LIFE www.inclusivelife.org

“Serving all without exception-Open-Affirming-Inclusive-Care-Services-Worship”

105 S. 49^th Street, Suite E

Omaha, NE 68132

(402) 575-7006

INCLUSIVE CARE-Pastoral Care, Funeral Ministers, Sacraments

INCLUSIVE SERVICES-Premarital Coaching, Life Coaching, Coaching for Couples

INCLUSIVE CEREMONIES [Text CEREMONY to 90210 for text info!]

Wedding Officiants, vow renewals, commitment ceremonies, and holy unions

INCLUSIVE WORSHIP-Lincoln, NE 1^st/3rd Sun. 12pm-1 Fellowship. 1pm-Worship

INCLUSIVE OUTREACH-Community service outreach and volunteerism

Wednesday Wisdom

These old words ring just as true today as when they were written. "To put the world in order, we must first put the nation in order; to put the nation in order, we must put the family in order; to put the family in order, we must cultivate our personal life; and to cultivate our personal life, we must first set our hearts right." –Confucius.

INCLUSIVE LIFE www.inclusivelife.org

“Serving all without exception-Open-Affirming-Inclusive-Care-Services-Worship”

105 S. 49^th Street, Suite E

Omaha, NE 68132

(402) 575-7006

INCLUSIVE CARE-Pastoral Care, Funeral Ministers, Sacraments

INCLUSIVE SERVICES-Premarital Coaching, Life Coaching, Coaching for Couples

INCLUSIVE CEREMONIES [Text CEREMONY to 90210 for text info!]

Wedding Officiants, vow renewals, commitment ceremonies, and holy unions

INCLUSIVE WORSHIP-Lincoln, NE 1^st/3rd Sun. 12pm-1 Fellowship. 1pm-Worship

INCLUSIVE OUTREACH-Community service outreach and volunteerism

While sitting on the bus one day, I took a book out and was about to read. But I was distracted by a young woman behind me who was speaking on her cell phone. She was talking to her brother. She wanted to know where he was, why he wasn't where he was supposed to be, why he had lied to their mother again and did he know that their mum had broken down in tears that morning because of him. I never looked around. I just stared at the book in my hand - and the ten pound note I'd been using as a bookmark. When she left the bus, I got off behind her. "Excuse me," I said. "Do me a favor, would you? Take this money and buy your mom a box of chocolates or flowers. And tell her thank you! And remind her that being a mother is the hardest but most important job in the world."

“A mother is a person who, seeing there are only four pieces of pie for five people, promptly announces she never did care for pie.” -Tenneva Jordan.

How many times in our lives have we had “mom” who said that? They sacrifice, loving and care before we know it happened. Express gratitude to your given or chosen mom today!

INCLUSIVE LIFE www.inclusivelife.org

“Serving all without exception-Open-Affirming-Inclusive-Care-Services-Worship”

105 S. 49^th Street, Suite E

Omaha, NE 68132

(402) 575-7006

INCLUSIVE CARE-Pastoral Care, Funeral Ministers, Sacraments

INCLUSIVE SERVICES-Premarital Coaching, Life Coaching, Coaching for Couples

INCLUSIVE CEREMONIES [Text CEREMONY to 90210 for text info!]

Wedding Officiants, vow renewals, commitment ceremonies, and holy unions

INCLUSIVE WORSHIP-Lincoln, NE 1^st/3rd Sun. 12pm-1 Fellowship. 1pm-Worship

INCLUSIVE OUTREACH-Community service outreach and volunteerism

Monday (Thank Goodness it's Monday)

TGIM (Thank Goodness it IS Monday!) We can get our week going now! Hope your weekend was a good one. A few random words to start the week with: Friendship. Endurance. Journey. May peace, thanks and joy be with us all.

INCLUSIVE LIFE www.inclusivelife.org

“Serving all without exception-Open-Affirming-Inclusive-Care-Services-Worship”

105 S. 49^th Street, Suite E

Omaha, NE 68132

(402) 575-7006

INCLUSIVE CARE-Pastoral Care, Funeral Ministers, Sacraments

INCLUSIVE SERVICES-Premarital Coaching, Life Coaching, Coaching for Couples

INCLUSIVE CEREMONIES [Text CEREMONY to 90210 for text info!]

Wedding Officiants, vow renewals, commitment ceremonies, and holy unions

INCLUSIVE WORSHIP-Lincoln, NE 1^st/3rd Sun. 12pm-1 Fellowship. 1pm-Worship

INCLUSIVE OUTREACH-Community service outreach and volunteerism

Sunday (A song with a message)

Johnny Cash wrote the song “Daddy Sang Bass” I was listening to it this morning and it took on a new meaning for me.

“I remember when I was a lad

Times were hard and things were bad

But there's a silver linin' behind ev'ry cloud

Just four people that 's all we were

Tryin' to make a livin' out of black-land dirt

But we'd get together in a family circle singin' loud

Daddy sang bass (mama sang tenor)

Me and little brother would join right in there

Singin' seems to help a troubled soul

One of these days and it won't be long

I'll rejoin them in a song…”

In the moment I listed to it this morning the immediate message I got was that despite what life presents, there is always a gift. That gift is family. There is always something for everyone to do within a family. And when life on earth is over, perhaps the gift, then, is that you have family to join. I reaffirm that “family” is made up of two groups of people; those whom are your given family and those who are your chosen family.

“A family is a unit composed not only of children but of men, women, an occasional animal, and the common cold.” -Ogden Nash

INCLUSIVE LIFE www.inclusivelife.org

“Serving all without exception-Open-Affirming-Inclusive-Care-Services-Worship”

105 S. 49^th Street, Suite E

Omaha, NE 68132

(402) 575-7006

INCLUSIVE CARE-Pastoral Care, Funeral Ministers, Sacraments

INCLUSIVE SERVICES-Premarital Coaching, Life Coaching, Coaching for Couples

INCLUSIVE CEREMONIES [Text CEREMONY to 90210 for text info!]

Wedding Officiants, vow renewals, commitment ceremonies, and holy unions

INCLUSIVE WORSHIP-Lincoln, NE 1^st/3rd Sun. 12pm-1 Fellowship. 1pm-Worship

INCLUSIVE OUTREACH-Community service outreach and volunteerism

PAYING YOURSELF! (Research suggests some are bankrupt!)

Accept everything about yourself--I mean everything, You are you and that is the beginning and the end--no apologies, no regrets. --Clark Moustakas

How well do you treat yourself? How do you “pay yourself?” Do you treat yourself as well as you treat your friends and/or your family? These questions are being asked in a new area of psychological research called self-compassion (how compassionate people view themselves.) It turns out that many of us find it easy to be supportive and understanding of others and often score surprisingly low on self-compassion tests, berating ones self for perceived failures like being overweight or not exercising enough.

Dr. Neff, an associate professor of human development at the University of Texas at Austin says “I found in my research that the biggest reason people aren’t more self-compassionate is that they are afraid they’ll become self-indulgent. They believe self-criticism is what keeps them in line. Most people have gotten it wrong because our culture says being hard on yourself is the way to be.”

The research suggests that giving ourselves a break and accepting our imperfections may be the first step toward better health. People who score high on tests of self-compassion have less depression and anxiety, and tend to be happier and more optimistic. Preliminary data suggest that self-compassion can even influence how much we eat and may help some people lose weight.

Imagine your reaction to a child struggling in school or eating too much junk food. Many parents would offer support, like tutoring or making an effort to find healthful foods the child will enjoy. But when adults find themselves in a similar situation — struggling at work, or overeating and gaining weight — many fall into a cycle of self-criticism and negativity. That leaves them feeling even less motivated to change.

“Self-compassion is really conducive to motivation,” Dr. Neff said. “The reason you don’t let your children eat five big tubs of ice cream is because you care about them. With self-compassion, if you care about yourself, you do what’s healthy for you rather than what’s harmful to you.”

Dr. Neff, whose book, “Self-Compassion: Stop Beating Yourself Up and Leave Insecurity Behind,” is being published next month by William Morrow, has developed a self-compassion scale: 26 statements meant to determine how often people are kind to themselves, and whether they recognize that ups and downs are simply part of life.

“The problem is that it’s hard to unlearn habits of a lifetime,” she said. “People have to actively and consciously develop the habit of self-compassion.”

You ARE beautiful. You ARE loved. You ARE worthy. JUST the way you are. (And you are NOT alone!)

INCLUSIVE LIFE www.inclusivelife.org

“Serving all without exception-Open-Affirming-Inclusive-Care-Services-Worship”

105 S. 49^th Street, Suite E

Omaha, NE 68132

(402) 575-7006

INCLUSIVE CARE-Pastoral Care, Funeral Ministers, Sacraments

INCLUSIVE SERVICES-Premarital Coaching, Life Coaching, Coaching for Couples

INCLUSIVE CEREMONIES [Text CEREMONY to 90210 for text info!]

Wedding Officiants, vow renewals, commitment ceremonies, and holy unions

INCLUSIVE WORSHIP-Lincoln, NE 1^st/3rd Sun. 12pm-1 Fellowship. 1pm-Worship

INCLUSIVE OUTREACH-Community service outreach and volunteerism

Happy (Snowy) Friday from Omaha!

We're born to do it. SMILE! It is one of the most basic, biologically uniform expressions of all humans.3-D ultrasound technology shows that developing babies appear to smile even in the womb. The mood-boosting power of a smile is unfathomable. Studies show that one smile can provide the same level of brain stimulation as up to 2,000 chocolate bars. SMILE: It can change the world!

INCLUSIVE LIFE www.inclusivelife.org

“Serving all without exception-Open-Affirming-Inclusive-Care-Services-Worship”

105 S. 49^th Street, Suite E

Omaha, NE 68132

(402) 575-7006

INCLUSIVE CARE-Pastoral Care, Funeral Ministers, Sacraments

INCLUSIVE SERVICES-Premarital Coaching, Life Coaching, Coaching for Couples

INCLUSIVE CEREMONIES [Text CEREMONY to 90210 for text info!]

Wedding Officiants, vow renewals, commitment ceremonies, and holy unions

INCLUSIVE WORSHIP-Lincoln, NE 1^st/3rd Sun. 12pm-1 Fellowship. 1pm-Worship

INCLUSIVE OUTREACH-Community service outreach and volunteerism

Thursday Challenge

Booker T. Washington shared “If you want to lift yourself up, lift up someone else.” Your challenge today is to give someone in your family, someone you work with, someone you know a meaningful-random word of encouragement. The return on THIS investment is sure to be huge!

INCLUSIVE LIFE www.inclusivelife.org

“Serving all without exception-Open-Affirming-Inclusive-Care-Services-Worship”

105 S. 49^th Street, Suite E

Omaha, NE 68132

(402) 575-7006

INCLUSIVE CARE-Pastoral Care, Funeral Ministers, Sacraments

INCLUSIVE SERVICES-Premarital Coaching, Life Coaching, Coaching for Couples

INCLUSIVE CEREMONIES [Text CEREMONY to 90210 for text info!]

Wedding Officiants, vow renewals, commitment ceremonies, and holy unions

INCLUSIVE WORSHIP-Lincoln, NE 1^st/3rd Sun. 12pm-1 Fellowship. 1pm-Worship

INCLUSIVE OUTREACH-Community service outreach and volunteerismv

Words for Wednesday

“Compassion is a piece of vocabulary that could change us if we truly let it sink into the standards by which we hold ourselves and others.” What would the world be if we used compassion as often as a computer? Practice the technology of compassion today!

INCLUSIVE LIFE www.inclusivelife.org

“Serving all without exception-Open-Affirming-Inclusive-Care-Services-Worship”

105 S. 49^th Street, Suite E

Omaha, NE 68132

(402) 575-7006

INCLUSIVE CARE-Pastoral Care, Funeral Ministers, Sacraments

INCLUSIVE SERVICES-Premarital Coaching, Life Coaching, Coaching for Couples

INCLUSIVE CEREMONIES [Text CEREMONY to 90210 for text info!]

Wedding Officiants, vow renewals, commitment ceremonies, and holy unions

INCLUSIVE WORSHIP-Lincoln, NE 1^st/3rd Sun. 12pm-1 Fellowship. 1pm-Worship

INCLUSIVE OUTREACH-Community service outreach and volunteerism

Tidbit for Tuesday

Dale Carnegie once wrote, “Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all.” How many have had moments, days or months that seemed full of hopelessness? The most important thing, is keeping the most important thing, the most important thing… What is your most important thing?

INCLUSIVE LIFE www.inclusivelife.org

“Serving all without exception-Open-Affirming-Inclusive-Care-Services-Worship”

105 S. 49^th Street, Suite E

Omaha, NE 68132

(402) 575-7006

INCLUSIVE CARE-Pastoral Care, Funeral Ministers, Sacraments

INCLUSIVE SERVICES-Premarital Coaching, Life Coaching, Coaching for Couples

INCLUSIVE CEREMONIES [Text CEREMONY to 90210 for text info!]

Wedding Officiants, vow renewals, commitment ceremonies, and holy unions

INCLUSIVE WORSHIP-Lincoln, NE 1^st/3rd Sun. 12pm-1 Fellowship. 1pm-Worship

INCLUSIVE OUTREACH-Community service outreach and volunteerism

TGIM (Thank Goodness It’s Monday!)

I hope that you enjoyed a wonderful weekend. Instead of dreading today, let’s celebrate it as a day that you GET to go back to work, school, life!

Start the day reflecting on how you can include kindness and compassion. Remind yourself to work at letting go of resentment, selfishness, grudges. (For your life at home, work, play, worship, hobby, and everywhere in between!)

INCLUSIVE LIFE www.inclusivelife.org

“Serving all without exception-Open-Affirming-Inclusive-Care-Services-Worship”

105 S. 49^th Street, Suite E

Omaha, NE 68132

(402) 575-7006

INCLUSIVE CARE-Pastoral Care, Funeral Ministers, Sacraments

INCLUSIVE SERVICES-Premarital Coaching, Life Coaching, Coaching for Couples

INCLUSIVE CEREMONIES [Text CEREMONY to 90210 for text info!]

Wedding Officiants, vow renewals, commitment ceremonies, and holy unions

INCLUSIVE WORSHIP-Lincoln, NE 1^st/3rd Sun. 12pm-1 Fellowship. 1pm-Worship

INCLUSIVE OUTREACH-Community service outreach and volunteerism

Sharing a Sunday Message...

Good morning my Sisters and Brothers with Brother's Keeper Ministries! How was your week?

I woke this morning and had many friends and family members on my mind. I know many people who are ill, had/having operations/procedures, have passed, and are going through difficult times. It is my thought, wish and prayer that you…

Find a smile or laughter when sadness shows up,

Remember to dance and sing when they ARE watching!,

Find a hug or touch to comfort when spirits sag,

Faith in your truths and beliefs to get through life,

Have passion to share you with the universe,

Have confidence that that you matter and belong,

You are BEAUTIFUL, LOVED & WORTHY - YOU ARE NOT ALONE!!!

INCLUSIVE LIFE www.inclusivelife.org

“Serving all without exception-Open-Affirming-Inclusive-Care-Services-Worship”

105 S. 49^th Street, Suite E

Omaha, NE 68132

(402) 575-7006

INCLUSIVE CARE-Pastoral Care, Funeral Ministers, Sacraments

INCLUSIVE SERVICES-Premarital Coaching, Life Coaching, Coaching for Couples

INCLUSIVE CEREMONIES [Text CEREMONY to 90210 for text info!]

Wedding Officiants, vow renewals, commitment ceremonies, and holy unions

INCLUSIVE WORSHIP-Lincoln, NE 1^st/3rd Sun. 12pm-1 Fellowship. 1pm-Worship

INCLUSIVE OUTREACH-Community service outreach and volunteerism