Og invents wheel and other small wonders...

I had the most fantastic experience at the Sandy Costco today!!!! Just wait until you hear this amazing story...and I promise it will make YOUR day too!!!

For those that are wondering, Og Invents Wheel... is a line from my children's book, "What are YOU Thinking?", found on the inventor's page.

A very nice young mother named Amanda picked up my book and told me she is always trying to teach her kids to be positive. She said some of her children come by it more naturally than the others.

She told me about her six-year-old son who takes God at his word, "Ask and ye shall receive..., and "With God, nothing is impossible...."

This summer they took a family vacation to Monterrey Bay, CA. They went to the Aquarium. He fell in love with the sharks. When they went to purchase a souvenir in the gift shop, he found a plush toy that looked like a hammerhead shark, and he wanted it more than anything else in the store. His mother realized that he didn't have enough money for the purchase, so she tried to direct him to another item to take home as a memory of their vacation. He said, "No. I want a hammerhead shark. I said a prayer. I'll get one." She and her husband thought, "Well....Ok, whatever..." and they left Monterrey Bay without a souvenir for her six-year-old son.

They were travelling back to Utah, and stopped at a rest stop in the middle of the desert. No one else was around. They climbed out of the car and what does her six-year-old find on the sidewalk? You guessed it! A plush toy. Not any old plush toy, but a hammerhead shark! It looked like new. Someone must have been inspired to leave it behind... or Dad was inspired to stop at that rest stop. Either way... WOW!

It makes me wonder how often we limit ourselves. How often we refuse blessings God wants to shower upon us, if only we had a little more faith. God gave us a wonderful mind. He wants us to use our free agency to think the thoughts that will bring us closer to him, that will increase our faith, that will help us see the good in others, and most importantly, recognize His hand in our life.

Happy Thinking!!!!

Adventures at the SLC Costco

Saturday was a great day. I spent eight hours at the SLC Costco. I sold about fifty books, and met wonderful people. There are so many different cultures represented the closer you get into the heart of Salt Lake City. Most in the world wouldn't know it, but SLC is a colorful melting pot filled with different cultures, races and religions. I enjoyed feeling unified in purpose with so many people as we discussed the hopes and dreams we have for our children, and that they will know how to reach their full potential.

My feet were very tired at the end of the day, but my mood was happy. I really enjoy what I am busy doing these days!

Today I begin to document my adventures as I travel through the Utah Costcos promoting my new children's book, What are YOU Thinking?. I have been invited by the regional buyer in Seattle to do book signings Monday through Saturday each day in September, and I am loving every minute of it.

I have met some of the most fantastic people. The message of the book, that children can understand how powerful their thoughts are, and that they can learn to develop positive "thinking habits" in their youth, is striking a chord with many.

I met a nice woman today who told me that when she needs to put a child in time-out, she has them sit down at a designated place in her home, where she has "happy" pictures. Pictures of good memories with their siblings and happy events. She has them look through all the pictures and then tell Mommy what they love and like about the brother they were just fighting with. I think it is a terrific way to deal with an emotional situation. Don't feed the anger...just redirect it. Change the images in the mind, and you change the emotions.

I have been busy with book promotion for almost 6 weeks now, and one Saturday I had a melt down. Nobody was listening to Mom or doing their chores. I thought angrily, "I've been sooo busy, can't you just help a 'bit'???? After everyone scattered like roaches in light after I exploded.... and the dust settled, I was still banging pots and pans in the kitchen sink and my seven year old tapped me on the arm and said, "What are you thinking? It's a choice, and you are choosing to be mad and it makes me sad." My heart changed in an instant and I swooped him up and hugged him and agreed that mom chose to be angry...but she was deciding to be happy now.

I'm excited about this journey! May we all learn to watch our thoughts and our actions, and make the world a better place one baby step at a time.