Giving and receiving. Giving your time, giving gifts, giving love, giving, giving,giving ....... Sharing. Sometimes when you just listen to your heart and give without expecting anything in return you wil be the one receiving the most.

My diamond for today is gratitude. It is the most awesome feeling to be rewarded with gratitude. Gratitude so far beyond anything you've ever expected. Gratitude that overflows with every deed.

For some people receiving is like a drug and at some point they think it is how it is suppose to be. You can just collect and collect and collect without ever saying thank you. They are like thiefs in the night. They are stealing the diamonds that are suppose to put a smile on the givers face.

My smile, I must say is going around my face at the moment. Giving helped me to realise what gratitude is. It helped me to look into my own heart and think about my own life. Am I thankful for everything I've received in my life ?? Did I show enough gratitude ?? How did I say thank you ??

My lesson for today is very simple. Show your gratitude. Say thank you. Give when you are suppose to give. When you receive accept it with grace.

Sometimes by just accepting everything you receive with gratitude you will help other's to see a diamond. a Diamond that is almost lost in this world of ours. Gratitude.

Diamonds. In my mind I see this picture of beautiful shiny rocks. Some of them big and some of them small. I find myself shocked at the beauty. The different colours, the opportunities locked up inside of every one.

We - ourselves are diamonds. I find myself reading 1John 4 v 17 - .......as He is, so are we in this world. Do you have any idea of who you are ?? Just like a diamond there is some potential locked up in each one of us. We need to be teachable. We need to open our hearts and lives to the truth. The truth locked up in God's word. Don't be a fool. Don't be influenced by the fake world out there. Search for God.

Did you know that you, as a representative of God on this earth, are the one who has been chosen to let God's dream for this earth come alive. Without us - There is no dream. God's dream - to fill the earth with His glory.

Are you making a difference ? Are you representing Him on this earth ?

Suddenly I find myself hearing all the excuses. I don't have time, I don't have any money, I am too busy, I don't live in the city, I am very shy, I am too fat, I don't know where to start..... Need I say more. I've been there. Excuses. Excuses.

Now for the truth. You don't need to be any one. You don't need to be rich, you don't need to be beautiful - all you need to be is the person God intended for you to be when He created you. Reach out to someone. Love unconditionally. Be patient. Share whatever knowledge you have. Give a hug. Carry a bag. Listen to someone elses story without telling yours. Look at people in the Spirit. Don't be fooled by the flesh. Continually renew your way of thinking to serve God's purpose. I can go on and on. The moral of this story is - IN A FEW MINUTES, WITHOUT ANYTHING, YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE BY JUST BEING YOURSELF.

Being yourself, however is not as easy as it sounds. See God created each one of us differently. Each one of us has our own skills. That one thing that makes us unique. He also gave us the ability to make our own decisions. Why would I remind you of that ?? Because in there lies the key to unlocking the truth about ourselves.

You see we have to choose to walk our lives in light. We can also choose to walk our way in darkness. Light equals with God. Darkness equals without God. Although all of us has been created to His image and likeness not all of us has unlocked the truth of exactly what that means for us.

I don't want to be cruel, I don't want to offend you but I must ask you. Have you made the choice. Have you decided to accept God and walk in the light. Have you opened yourself up for God's way. Have you made yourself available to Him no matter what the cost. Have you taken the time to become the diamond He created you to be ??

I'm freezing. The weather turned cold today and I didn't plan on it. In the mood for hot chocolate and marsmallows.

I am spending my days with friends in the most awesome coffee shop. It is spacious and the music is very relaxing. As they say - Good coffee and great friends make the perfect blend. It is so true.

I think my diamond for the day would have to be my friends - old ones and the new ones I'm making every day. When I was running the gift and coffee shop I had a lot of fun. We as friends created awesome memories. When I left there I thought that it would be the end of all that memories. I was wrong. It was the beginning of a whole new road for me. I still don't know where it is leading but the road I am on is very interesting. Every time I think I am going to stay at home for the day - a friend calls. It seems that our friendships are as important to them as they are to me. I am so grateful.

When you google, friend,  there are thousands of positive and uplifting messages about friendship. There are poems and prayers and songs about friends. Friends found and friends lost.

For me, who never had any girly friends, I think the friends is much more of a blessing than they realise. All of them has a special place in my heart. Age, looks, job description and money doesn't even matter. We accept each other just as we are.

To all of you who are out there today, afraid and alone - open your heart. Say yes to that friends inviting you for coffee. Eat some cake with them and tell silly jokes. Give your time.

Let me just be clear. Friends can hurt you very deeply. They can pretend to be some one they are not, they can betray your trust, they can be cruel and  they can talk about you behind your back. Please !!! Remember - There are no guarantees but in the end the rewards are more.

Learn to love unconditionally, learn to trust, be patient, be kind, be the God kind, be a true friend and see how the loneliness in your heart dissapeares bit by bit. How by being a good friend good friends will come to you.

With lots of love - Too all my friends.

Today is just one of those days. You know - one of those days where you are at the point of either breaking something or where you just want to cry. It is one of those days where you feel totally out of control. Your emotions is going crazy. The most difficult thing in all of this is searching for a diamond. It is like searching for a beautiful flower in the midst of a very big storm. The wind is blowing, it is cold and wet.

Let's see. Maybe my diamond for today is the one thing driving me out of my home today - my mother in law. I think the storm in my body is making me crazy. My mother in law ??

She is visiting for a few weeks now and I am so frustrated. It feels like my life has come to a  complete stand still. I have so many things I want to do but when I try doing something I feel guilty for not spending the time with her. She is not a bad person and I do love her but I need my space. I need to do the things I need to do.

How can she be my diamond ?? Okay, let's face it - I'm desperate. Maybe I'm faking it, maybe I'm not. Go figure - I'm trying to get away from her but feeling guilty because I'm doing what I'm doing - thus I'm still thinking about her even when I'm not with her. Very confusing if you ask me...... and stupid.

All I can say is this - keep on looking. Sometimes you will find your diamond - even in a storm - and it might just be the one thing you least expected it to be.

I think the thing is - and we must realise it sooner or later - life is not all about what I want and what I need. Take the time and look beyond your own feelings and desires and see everyday as an opportunity to do something for someone else. Do something for the one person that drives you nuts. Just love him or her.