What Is Family?

What is family? Was I asking myself this question because of the eminent holiday season, a time in which so many of us find ourselves gathered together with our family members? And for some it can be a time in which it is “for better or for worst”. For many of us it is not TV’s Cosby family, the typical Hallmark family or even the Blue Bloods’, Regan family. This fictional cop family clearly demonstrates what their family is all about. Each show ends with the family having dinner together on a Sunday at the home of the patriarch.  This act of praying and breaking bread together is a reminder of what family is all about.

Too often we get caught up in what was said and not said, or what we think should have been done or not done by a family member. We lose sleep over it… we stop talking to one another and can’t even remember the last time we uttered a civil word to each other... because of what? over what? And now the holidays are here and just because it is Thanksgiving or Christmas we are all of a sudden suppose to be this big happy family? Well, as anyone who has ever experienced a ‘dust up’ over the holidays knows, that the “suppose” to be, holiday family doesn’t work.

What does work is supporting each other, listening to each other, sharing with genuine truth and honesty, not having the fear of being judged; knowing that in a spirit of love you can be told that you were wrong. Each one of us who is a part of a family unit knows the areas in which we need to work on to strengthen our family and ourselves. May we strive to pray and break bread together and always have the ability to cry together and to laugh together like only a family can do. Not just as ‘Seen On TV’, but also in the real world.

Trish

To Families everywhere have a Wonderful Christmas!
And may it be filled with Love, Joy and Peace
Throughout the New Year!

Trish Nicholas Photography @ www.wix.com/TrishN/Trish-Nicholas-Photography

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In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'" Acts 20:35 NIV

http://feedingamerica.org/

http://www.toppsinc.org/

http://www.rescue.org/

http://www.stjude.org/

A Gift of Rebirth, Renewal and Hope

Gift – Something given, something that you give as a present, the act of giving something to somebody.

My December Blog posting has always been somewhat of a challenge for me, since December is such a special month. It is a time for giving something and receiving something that is given. The greatest gift that we have ever received gives us the power to have rebirth, renewal and hope. This month is a buzz with new energy, strength and enthusiasm because of a single gift that was given many years ago.

I celebrate this gift throughout the year and take the time at Christmas to remember the gift that was given and received by me and many others. It is a beautiful gift that can not be torn, or ripped or lost or stolen. So as we think about “getting” ready for Christmas, shopping for presents, time away from work and merriment with family and friends, consider the gift that was given. The Bethlehem story is more than a Christmas story it is about receiving a gift.

Trish

St. Luke 2:10-11 And the angel said unto them, fear not for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people, For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

The greatest Christmas gift of all
Was never placed beneath a tree,
But lay within a manger
Beneath a star, for all to see. Unknown

May you have a wonderful Christmas with your family and friends and a blessed New Year!

* Photo: Winter Street by LJN
Trish Nicholas Photography @ www.wix.com/TrishN/Trish-Nicholas-Photography To Purchase Photos Courtesty of Redbubble @ http://www.redbubble.com/people/tmeian
Please feel free to contact me with any inquiries regarding commercial use of my photographs.

http://www.harmonyproject.org/

http://www.salvationarmyusa.org/

http://joiningforces.uso.org/

http://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/

Stand Still

One day in late August I was outside puttering around in my garden, before I knew it my puttering around turned into working up a serious sweat. It seemed that at the very moment that I needed to cool off an ocean breeze came out of nowhere.  I stopped what I was doing stretched out my arms, tilted my head back and embraced the cool breeze… if you stand still you will feel the breeze.

For many of us our calendar of scheduled activities and events run our lives and dictates how we spend our time and with whom we spend it with.  Well I am here to advocate that we sometimes stand still and feel the breeze whether it is individually or together. Start off by penciling in your or our feel the breeze time.  And for all of those married people please don’t write down the usual dinner out or movie night… boring! Instead think about writing down something new and different this time.  When you open yourself up to trying something new you will find it to be interesting, exciting and very memorable.  Ok, for singles put down what ever it is that you say to yourself that you don’t have time to do or what you would like to do if you had more time to do it… make a commitment to yourself and set aside some time to do it.

Trust me I am not trying to tell you how to run your life. I am simply suggesting that you try something that works and which I have discovered will only enrich your life. So if you stand still you will feel the cool breeze.

Trish

Every day, take some time for yourself. Love yourself. Honor yourself. Give priority to your physical, mental and emotional wellness. – Unknown

Life is a beautiful song that God is teaching us to play. – From Our Daily Bread November 26, 2011


Have a blessed Thanksgiving with family and friends!

http://www.philabundance.org/

Trish Photo: Courtesy of LJN Archives

Photos by Trish: @

www.wix.com/TrishN/Trish-Nicholas-Photography

Photos for Purchase Courtesy of Redbubble @ 

http://www.redbubble.com/people/tmeian

Also please feel free to contact me with any inquiries regarding commercial use of my photographs.

My Photography Journey @

http://hubpages.com/hub/A-Photographers-Journey

Reach For the Stars- And Follow Your Dreams

I woke up a few Saturdays ago to an overcast sky followed by rain all day.   A perfect day to be lazy, which in our home on a September Saturday meant watching football games or catching up on reading, that particular day I choose catching up on some reading.  I looked at the various magazines displayed on my end tables in the living room made a selection and settled into a comfortable chair.  I am sure that you can surmise that I had selected a woman’s magazine.  I have been reading this particular woman’s magazine for quite some time and the one thing that has been consistent with this publication is that it continually inspires women to reach for the stars and follow their dreams.  One article in particular just seemed to stay with me; it was the story about I had a simple idea that ended up becoming a viable successful business with the strong inner confidence and strength displayed by the women along with the support from her family members and friends to follow her dream.

As women we all have dreams and for whatever the reason may be we find ourselves putting our dreams on a shelve labeled one day, not now.   And trust me that is ok, but what is not ok is to leave those dreams on that shelf and be satisfied with simply talking about once I had dreamed of doing this. I believe that we are all capable of second acts; we simply need to believe in ourselves and surround ourselves with people we can trust to tell us the truth and to ask us the tuff questions that we wouldn’t ask ourselves.

If you are truly interested in reaching for the stars and following your dreams, whether it be now, tomorrow, or a year from now don’t give up on your dreams. Read those stories about other women who have followed their dreams… their stories are out there. I know that I have been inspired by their stories and I am on the path to following my dreams.

Trish

Enjoy every minute of your second act it will be quite an exciting dance!

*A woman named Holly Robinson Peete with a very special organization:
http://www.hollyrod.org/
Read about her story.

*October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month*
Please remember to schedule your Mammogram!

Keep your heart with all diligence… Ponder the path of your feet. –Proverbs 4:23, 26

*Photo: Dream Window by LJN

Trish Nicholas Photography @
www.wix.com/TrishN/Trish-Nicholas-Photography

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*Also please feel free to contact me with any enquiries regarding commercial use of my photographs.


Follow my Photography Journey @ http://hubpages.com/hub/A-Photographers-Journey
Seventh Installment coming soon!

A New Blog

A few weekends ago when my girlfriend and her husband were visiting with us I had one of those “light bulb” moments. The guys were engaged in guy talk and we were, of course, having some girl talk and catching up with one another. My light bulb moment occurred when my girl friend was telling me about a ministry, (mercyministries.org), that their church was sponsoring. That’s when it hit me, I said to myself ‘that’s it’ a Blog dedicated to .orgs! Since I have been a .org junkie for quite some time this was a perfect idea for me to pursue. I have been keeping a list of .orgs and from time to time I have included various organizations in my Blog postings. Starting a new Blog dedicated to bringing awareness to others about organizations that were helping people in need would definitely satisfy my inner desire to let people know about these organizations.

The debut of my new Blog dedicated to .orgs will be coming soon. I will start by introducing to you Mercy Ministries. I am thankful for my light bulb moment that God has given to me. I pray that this .org Blog will inspire others to give, to write, to pray and to do something. We are living in difficult times and there are many people in need and the time to act is now.

Trish

ABOUT MERCY MINISTRIES
Since 1983, Mercy Ministries of America has provided hope and healing to generations of desperate young women who are seeking freedom from life-controlling issues such as: physical and sexual abuse including sex trafficking, eating disorders, self harm, drug and alcohol addictions, depression and unplanned pregnancy.

Please logon to Mercy Ministries for the full organization profile:
Mercy Ministries:
http://www.mercyministries.org/


Also check out the Mercy Ministries YouTube Video:
http://youtu.be/MboCd4teXQk

Mercy Minister Founder Nancy Alcorn's Blog:
http://www.nancyalcorn.com/

To those of you, who can give, then give
To those of you who can pray, then pray
To those of you, who can write, then write.
But please do something!

Mercy Ministry Photo: Photographer Unknown

All Other Photos: Courtesy of Family Archives

Trish Nicholas Photography @ www.wix.com/TrishN/Trish-Nicholas-Photography
Also please feel free to contact me with any inquiries regarding commercial use of my photographs.


To Purchase Photographs: Courtesy of Redbubble @ http://www.redbubble.com/people/tmeian

My sixth installment about my Photography Journey on HubPages @ http://phototljn7.hubpages.com/hub/Photography-Blog

Burnt Bagel… Really!

I usually start my morning off with a cup of regular java, no sugar, cream or milk and a nice bagel. The other morning that “nice” bagel turned out to be a burnt bagel thanks to our finicky toaster, which I keep saying that I am going to get rid of. I had taken my attention from toasting my bagel and began opening up the mail that I had just brought in from the mailbox, when I heard the bagel pop up, I knew that my nice morning bagel had turned into something less than desirable to put into my mouth.

After getting mad at the toaster and myself, I began scraping the burnt pieces of the bagel into the drain so that the bagel could become somewhat eatable. As I looked at the scraped bagel on the plate my mind flashed to the news story about the Somalia famine, the images of the Somalia people suffering began to flood through my mind. There were men, woman, infants, children and the elderly starving to death, no food, no water, nothing, leaving their war torn homes and struggling to make their way to a place where they could get food and be safe… I said to myself a burnt bagel Trish… really!

Hopefully after reading this you will remember that there is someone in the world who is starving and would certainly take that burnt piece of toast or bagel with or without the burnt pieces being scraped off. Yes, it would have been very easy for me to have tossed my burnt bagel into the trash and toasted another one, but in my house growing up we were taught that we did not waste our food, so I knew that I would be eating this bagel.

If you are not into scraping off the burnt pieces of your toast or bagel and eating it like I ended up doing, don’t throw it away toss it into a zip-lock bag, scrape the burnt pieces off later and then turn that bread into bread crumbs… Win! Win!

Trish

You can help the people in Somalia
For a list of charitable organizations click on the MSNBC nightly news link:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/43841708/ns/nightly_news/

Somalian refugees disembark a bus in the registration area of the IFO refugee camp which makes up part of the giant Dadaab refugee settlement, July 23. The refugee camp at Dadaab, located close to the Kenyan border with Somalia, was originally designed in the early 1990s to accommodate 90,000 people but the UN estimates over 4 times as many reside there. (Oli Scarff / Getty Images)

A severely malnourished Somali child receives Oral Rehydration Salts [O.R.S.] at Mogadishu's Banadir hospital, on July 28. (Mustafa Abdi / AFP - Getty Images)

Farhiya (centre) holds her 7-year-old sister Suladan by the hand as they follow their mother and brothers at the reception center of the Dolo Ado refugee camp near the Ethiopia-Somalia border on July 19. Refugees are being housed at the transit center while a new camp is being set up by the Ethiopian goverment and international aid organizations. Thousands of Somalis have fled in recent months to neighbouring Ethiopia and Kenya in search of food and water, with many dying along the way. (Roberto Schmidt / AFP - Getty Images)

Children drink water from the same place as cattle at Liboi, Kenya, on July 27. UNICEF says it is trying to vaccinate more than 300,000 children in Kenya in an emergency program designed to prevent an outbreak of disease as refugees stream into northern Kenya from famine-hit Somalia. (Schalk van Zuydam / AP)

"WATCH: Iman On Somalia's 'Heartbreaking' Famine:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/07/31/_n_911190.html


The Global Enrichment Foundation.com:
http://globalenrichmentfoundation.com/



Save The Children:
http://www.flickr.com//photos/savethechildrenaustralia/sets/72157627050884977/show/


Proverbs 27:7 “A person who is full refuses honey, but even bitter food tastes sweet to the hungry.” (NLT)



Proverbs 31:8-9 “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.” (NIV)

To those of you, who can give, then give
To those of you who can pray, then pray
To those of you, who can write, then write about Somalia's Famine
But please do something!

Trish

TLJ Nicholas Photography With A Personal View: I am So Proud of You

TLJ Nicholas Photography With A Personal View: I am So Proud of You: "A few weeks ago I watched the series premier of a new TV show, which I might add I thoroughly enjoyed watching. The next morning I found my..."

I am So Proud of You

A few weeks ago I watched the series premier of a new TV show, which I might add I thoroughly enjoyed watching. The next morning I found myself thinking about that show, especially the interaction between the mother and daughter, which we know at times can be challenging for both parties. The battle back and forth between the mother and daughter ended when the daughter demonstrated to her mother how really proud she was of her.

Let me state here that I am not a trained professional in mother and daughter relationships, but I am a daughter and a mother of two daughters. Drawing from my own experiences I noted that when I saw the daughter express her approval of her mother’s accomplishments, it was the first time the daughter saw her mother other than that of “mom” there was a true understanding of her mother as the person, the woman, who she really was. This particular scene reminded me of the very moment when my oldest daughter told me how proud she was of me… wow! I can recall that day as if it happened yesterday. This is a special recognition for both a mother and a daughter, it is a time when the battling back and forth ends and a new richer mother daughter relationship begins.

Do you have a special I am so proud of you moment mom that you would like to share? If you do I would love to hear about it!

Being a mother is learning about strengths you didn't know you had, and dealing with fears you didn't know existed. ~Linda Wooten

We're daughter and mother
not so long ago.
We give and take
and take and give
along times endless row.

Love is passed
And love received
to be passed on again:
A precious heirloom
Twice, twice blessed,
a spiritual cardigan.


I'll put it on
And treasure it,
The me I have received,
And when the roles
Reverse again,
I'll have what I most need.


So may our love
go on and on,
A hundred thousand years;


Mothers and daughters,
Daughters and mothers,
through joys and other tears.
- Anonymous

Thanks, Mom, for being a Christian,
and showing me how to be;
I’ll follow your example
for all eternity.
By Joanna Fuchs

The best conversations with mothers always take place in silence, when only the heart speaks. ~Carrie Latet

Nothing is more sacred or powerful than the bond of a mother and daughter. Mothers and daughters go through thick and thin together and are an inseparable duo that makes life worth living for the other. - By: Wayne Hemrick

“And still it’s from her that you learned that whatever she has chosen to become, you’ll still feel proud of her simply because she has the key to your heart forever.” - Author: unknown

All Photos: Courtesy of Family Archives

Trish Nicholas Photography @ www.wix.com/TrishN/Trish-Nicholas-Photography

Trish Nicholas Photography Photos For Purchase Courtesy of Redbubble:  http://www.redbubble.com/people/tmeian

My Photography Journey @ http://hubpages.com/hub/A-Photographers-Journey

My love to all Mother's and Daughters!

"Mama exhorted her children at every opportunity to 'jump at de sun.' We might not land on the sun, but at least we would get off the ground." - Zora Neale Hurston

God gave us Seashells

As my husband and I were leisurely strolling on the beach I began picking up every beautiful and uniquely shaped seashell that caught my eye, one of my favorite beach things to do since childhood, so much so that my grown children would bring me back seashells from their trips to the beach.

For me seashells remind me that I am apart of an awesome creation and play an important role in it. I believe the enjoyment of it all is discovering who you are and how your presence on this earth makes a difference.

There are many things happening in our world today some things that are good and some things that are not so good, it is up to us to choose which part we want to play in it. We can covet our own little world and each day remain on the side line of life or we can choose to make a difference.

About a year ago NBC nightly news incorporated a segment into their broadcast called, you guessed it “Making a Difference.” The segment became so popular that the network decided to stick with it, instantly it became a hit. I believe that many of us want to do good things for our families and for other people and once in awhile we enjoy hearing a good news story.

I know that whatever our economic situation may be we can find a way to be a vital part of this creation because we have been beautifully created and we are uniquely different… God gave us Seashells.

Trish

You can “Make a Difference”…


http://www.servicenation.org/


http://woundedwarriorproject.org/


http://www.soles4souls.org/


http://www.kidsdonations.org/


http://www.locksoflove.org/



Let us not grow weary while doing good. – Galatians 6:9

Do all the good you can, in all the ways you can, for all the people you can, while you can. - Our Daily Bread 6/6/11

*Congratulations to all of the high school and college graduates!

*Photo: Beach Seashells- Photographer Unknown

Photos by Trish @ www.wix.com/TrishN/Trish-Nicholas-Photography


Photos for Purchase Courtesy of Redbubble: http://www.redbubble.com/people/tmeian


Follow my Photography Journey on HubPages: http://hubpages.com/hub/A-Photographers-Journey