Category Archives: poems

Gratitude For My Mother’s Teachings

Early today as I was considering topics for my posting, I found one of my mother’s poems that family always loved. A House Inside of Me, by Marian E. Blake. As we continue in this holiday weekend, I miss my mother who passed from this earth in 2007. To honor her life and all that she did for me, I play her poem for you. I am so grateful to my mother for the moral virtues she gave to me.

Actually, I previously included this poem in an earlier posting, but thought it was beautiful enough to include again today. In addition, I am also thinking about a February 7, 2019 posting called, “Our Gratitude Stream”, in which I thanked my mother for her teachings to me.

Enjoy my gratitude for my mother with me today. Thank you

#gratitudelite

A House Inside Of Me, poem by Marian E.Blake

I Am Grateful For My Spiritual Journey To Health And Wellness

I am nearing four and one-half years of health after multiple cancers and surgeries in 2017. I am grateful that I am still healthy, but never do I take my present health for granted. The source stimulating these postings is my joy with life, and my sincere appreciation and happiness to have time to “pay it forward” to others while here.

As many people do, I read and ask questions, and share with others to learn about healing and health and wellness. I can tell you from experience that there is a lot to learn and practice to maintain health. Sometimes I stray from my devotion to a healthier lifestyle, better eating, mindful practices with toxins and GMOs in our world, and Western and Eastern medical beliefs. But, when my CT scans and labs remind me that my body chemistry is changing, I jump back into better practices and pray.

People ask me what am I doing to stay so healthy? I tell them what I am learning, but many people do the same things I do, and much more, and, sadly, many people continue to die around me which makes me so sad, and gives me a feeling of survivor’s guilt. I want to do more to help others so I keep posting happy ideas, and peaceful thoughts. Also, I post joyful events like playing with your pets, and enjoyable moments with family and friends or beautiful trips deep into nature.

This month I am pulling all of my postings, videos, blogs, tweets, and Instagrams into more of a common “digital media” composite so that I may share what I believe and what I have learned thus far. If this is helpful to you, please let me know. If you would like more from me, please let me know.

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Grateful For Today As Tomorrow Is Not Promised

This is a special week for me as tomorrow is Veteran’s Day and my father was a WWII Marine, and it is also my mother’s death anniversary. My parents were remarkable people and I miss them very much.

In the video that follows, I repeat a poem my mother would frequently say to us, Tomorrow is Not Promised. Today I feel such gratitude for the parents I had.

As “Tomorrow Is Not Promised”, I encourage you to express your appreciation to your parent(s) today as well, as we never know what may happen tomorrow!

With deep gratitude, make the very best of today!

#gratitudelite

Gratitude For Life’s Lessons

An activity is suggested that compares two points in time in your life: a younger you compared to an older you. What would the older you tell the younger you? Using personal photographs practice this activity with the author and see what would be your own personal outcome?

This posting focuses on the journey to gratitude for life’s lessons. Five lessons learned on the journey to a State of Gratitude are discussed with examples from the author’s life. The Lessons include the following:

Lesson One: Love Your Family. Two poems are read: My Family, and You Carry My Genes by Marian Elsie Blake in the book, A House Inside of Me by Mary Blake Huer, available on Amazon.

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Gratitude for Seasons of Life

This posting reminds us to celebrate all seasons of life, but especially our elderly family members and neighbors as they may not be with us tomorrow. Personal stories highlight special moments between senior couples and also focus on the musical talents of many of our parents. Have gratitude for your older family members.

#gratitudelite

Gratitude for Mothers of Special Children

Mothers of special children are amazing. This posting focuses on one mother of an autistic child who was often disruptive to the family. The awesome mother would sing to her daughter to calm her and to try to teach her. When her daughter was good she would sing “You Are My Sunshine”. When her daughter was having a bad day, the mother would sing “One Day at a Time, Sweet Jesus”. This posting focuses on the lyrics from both songs and reminds us to have gratitude for the good as well as the bad times in life. Especially during the pandemic, the words to the songs offer lessons to us all.

#gratitudelite

A House Inside of Me

How do you acquire your moral values and beliefs? My mother was my teacher. Here is one of our favorite poems she would tell us, “A House Inside of Me”, poetry by Marian Elsie Blake available on Amazon.com (2013). I have deep gratitude for what my mother taught me.

A House Inside of Me (Poem)

#gratitudelite

Tomorrow Is Not Promised

My mother, Marian Elsie Blake, was a poet in addition to being the wife of a minister. I found 100 of her poems after she passed away and published them in a book, A House Inside of Me Poetry by Marian Elsie Blake (2013), available on Amazon.com. Marian was always so upbeat, optimistic, and positive about life. She inspired many people, as well as encouraged them during the worst of times (such as the death of a child), as well as the best of times. For today’s post, I selected one of her poems: Tomorrow Is Not Promised

Tomorrow is not promised us,

So let us take today.

And make the very best of it,

For once we pass this way.

Just speak a kindly word,

Or do a kindly deed.

And try to help and understand,

Some fellow creatures’s need.

Tomorrow is not promised us,

So let us take today.

And make the very best of it,

For once we pass this way.

© Marian E. Blake

As I continue to practice “being in a state of gratitude” I find her words provide instruction to us…

  • Make the very best of every day
  • Speak a kind word
  • Do a kind deed
  • Help meet another’s need
  • Make the very best of today

These five important directives seem to summarize appropriate “actions” for us today. What do you think?

This is #gratitudelite according to the categories I posted on February 28, 2021.

This Is Not Goodbye My Dear – Remembering More Than 500,000 Deaths (Audio Poetry)

The global pandemic has taken so many precious lives in the USA as well as around the globe. On February 22, 2021, I provided the text of one of my mother’s poems “This is Not Goodbye My Dear” as a moment of silence to remember each of those individuals as well as their families who have died. This poem is classified as #GratitudeLite according to a post on February 28, 2021 titled, Your Choice: Gratitude Zero, Gratitude Lite, or Gratitude Ultra.

My mother was a minister too and wrote many comforting poems for members in her churches. For other poems to honor and remember your loved ones, please see a reference to her poetry below. Peace be with you on this day and always, March 24, 2021.

Huer, M.B. (2013). This is Not Goodbye My Dear,  A House Inside of Me Poetry by Marian Elsie Blake. Huer LLC, pp. 104-105.

A House Inside of Me is available on Amazon.com

The entire book of poetry is now available for free on ahouseinsideofme.com

This Is Not Goodbye My Dear – Poem by Marian Elsie Blake

Our Gratitude Stream (Audio)

On February 7, 2021 I first posted a narrative on the source of my own gratitude stream based on my Mother’s teachings and parenting of me. This is a topic that is #gratitudeultra according to the categories I described in my posting on February 28, 2021 titled, “Your Choice: Gratitude Zero, Gratitude Lite, or Gratitude Ultra.

I read the posting to several individuals who did not read because of various disabling conditions and they seemed to value the messages for #gratitude from this audio version. Please enjoy listening to how gratitude is derived from your #moralvirtue, based on the teachings of values, beliefs, and ideals molding your own character as you move toward adulthood. Some of these values are taken directly from my mother’s poetry which was published in a book, A House Inside of Me Poetry by Marian Elsie Blake by Mary Blake Huer, available on Amazon.com.