ARE YOU BLOCKING YOUR BLESSINGS?

I am a very blessed person.  Not just occasionally.  Every day I am blessed.

I truly believe in asking and you shall receive.  I believe in tithing and giving as a Law of God.  Some call it a Law of the Universe.  Either way, it works.

I have put it to the test many, many times.  When I tithe and give I always have extra money left at the end of the month.  When I don’t tithe and give, I’m broke at the end of the month.  I believe that God rewards your faithfulness and He proves it to me daily.

Over 30 years ago I went home for lunch.  My friend Kathy was with me.  When I arrived home there was no electricity, no water, and no gas.  I immediately headed to the bank.   I knew I had paid all the household bills with my paycheck, which I received the first day of every month.  Nothing had been paid.  All the money was gone.  And our account was overdrawn.  I was overwhelmed and distraught.  Later in the evening my ex-husband told me he had taken all the money out of the bank because he needed it.  All I could think of was: where would I get the money to get my bills paid for the month.   It was another two weeks or so before I got paid again.  And that money would have to pay for the next month’s bills.  I thought my brain would explode.

In desperation, I called my mother and asked if I could borrow half of it.  I sent her checks to be deposited on the first of each month.  I would have rather had a needle poked in my eye than ask my mother for anything but in this case I had no choice.   I was still short the other half of what I needed.

The next morning my friend, Kathy, came to work and said, “here’s the money you need.  If you pay me back, great.  If you don’t, it will never affect our friendship.”   I couldn’t believe it.   I swore that day that I would never ever borrow money from a friend or family member again.  And I never have.

My life being married was always plagued with money problems.  I was the more responsible one with money.  My ex wasn’t.  It kept our financial life in turmoil.  We rarely had more than a few dollars in the bank and nothing in savings.

I tell you that because I never paid my friend back that money.   And true to her word, she never asked about it, never treated me differently.  She just treated me the same as always.  I always felt ashamed.  After I divorced and was in control of all the money I was able to save the money up. 

I thought about just mailing her the money with a note.   But I just couldn’t mail it.  She didn’t mail it to me.  She cashed a check and put that money in my hand.  I wanted to do the same when I repaid her.

Not too long ago I visited her for the first time in years.  I rehearsed many times how I was going to give the money to her and what I would say.  Nothing seemed to express all of my feelings adequately.  We were sitting at the table one morning and I told her there was something I wanted to tell her.  I told her there was no easy way to do it, so I just started in.

I told her that back in those days when I had no one and I mean no one to help me, she just stepped up and offered.   I told her that I had never ever had anyone do that for me.  I reminded her of what she had told me about paying it back and how she had been true to her word.  I told her that not a day went by that I didn’t think about it.  I told her how I thought about mailing it but wanted to give it back the way she had given it to me.   I told her how sorry I was that I had never paid it back through all the years.

She took the folded bills and laid them on the table.   And then she said this:  “I’m so sorry you ever lost a minute of sleep over this.  I have never ever even thought about it.”   We hugged and it was done.  The weight was lifted.  Tell me.   How many people do you know like this woman?   Me either. 

So what does this story have to do with God being faithful to His word?  Well, I had believed for a while that I had blessings being blocked because I had never taken care of this debt.  One week after paying off my debt to Kathy, I was given an opportunity which resulted in me receiving more money than the money I repaid her.  That same opportunity has continued for 6 weeks.   Every week and still continues.

I believe even when we falter, God will still increase our blessings when we make things right.   It might be repaying a debt, forgiving someone, repairing a broken relationship, making a change in our lives or keeping a promise we never have.   Only we know where we have falter.   When we make it right, the burden will leave.  

Take a little time and reflect on your life.   Are you blocking your blessings?   If you are, make things right and let God’s mercy and blessings cover you like Blue Bonnets cover a field in Texas in the spring.  You will experience a peace and calm that you can only imagine.

Try it.  You have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

Caryn Cannatella

Copyrighted 2016

NOT EVERYONE IS GOING TO LIKE YOU

NOT EVERYONE IS GOING TO LIKE YOU

This is a tough pill to swallow no matter your age.  I experienced it as a child, a young adult and even as a senior.  It was true as much in my personal life as it was in my business life.

For whatever reason, some people are just not going to like you.  They don’t want to be your friend.  They don’t want to hang out with you.  They don’t want to talk to you.  And chances are, they won’t even interact with you. 

It can be tough at times.   You meet someone and you admire something about them.  You might even think you have things in common.  You try to interact with them and they look through you like you aren’t there.  Others might tell you “she is so great!  You should get to know her.”  And you are thinking, “I have.  She completely ignored me on 4 (or 5 or 100) different occasions when I attempted to just talk to her.”

You know what you need to do?  Stop trying to please this person or even interact with them.  Not everyone is meant to be your friend or even in your life.

There are over a billion people on this planet.   Just because a few people are rude or plainly don’t want you in their life is just a blip on the screen.   Always go for quality over quantity.  There are plenty of people who will think you are the cat’s meow and better than a bag of chips!  These are the people you want in your life.

If someone acts like they are better than you, let them.   Really, who cares?  No one is worth your time who doesn’t make time for you.   Don’t waste your time calling people who don’t return your calls.  Don’t send messages to people who ignore yours.  Don’t try to hang out with people who make it very clear they aren’t interested.  Realize the truth and move on.  You can't miss a friendship you never had.

Surround yourself with people who not only like you but love you.   Find those who share common interests with you.   Cling to those who have proven their friendship.  You know the ones:  They can talk for hours about nothing.  You spend hours with them laughing.  If you need them at 2am, they are there for you just like you are there for them.

For all the others?  Let them go like water off a duck’s back.  Not everyone wants to be your friend.  Honor those who do and let the rest go.  When you can do that, you will have made peace and will be able to move on.  

It’s a feeling of freedom like no other.  Trust me on that!

copyrighted 2015

caryn cannatella

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DO YOU BELIEVE IN MIRACLES?

DO YOU BELIEVE IN MIRACLES?

I do!

For those who know me well, they know that I am a miracle believer.  This is especially true when I have lost something.  I am known for calling things back to me.  Yep, that's what I do.  I send the message out into the universe that I need whatever it is I am missing to be returned to me.  And I thank God for returning it to me.

It's weird how it works.  In fact, I don't really understand how it works.  I just know it does.  Yes, people laugh at me.  Some scowl or become sarcastic when I suggest they try it instead of getting mad.  It's such an easy way to relieve stress over something you have no control over.

I told my online friends about a situation that happened last Friday.  My son, Cody, and I cashed his paycheck at the bank.  Because he has no account, it is processed through my account, which necessitates both of us sending in our drivers licenses.  Normally, the first thing I do before counting the money is get the licenses and we put them back in our wallets.  This time Ashlie was with us, we were all talking and having fun so all I did was count that big fat envelope of money.

Later when I was putting his money away, I realized the licenses were not there.  The next morning I returned to the bank.  My regular teller told me that our licenses weren't in the box of others.  I was really upset.  This would necessitate both of us going down to the DPS, standing in line, waiting for hours, paying again, just to get our licenses.

And then something happened.  I got home from work yesterday and mixed in with all the junk mail was a very small envelope addressed to me.  My name was written just like it appears on my driver's license.  I opened that little white envelope and both of our licenses fell out.  Nothing else was inside.  The return address was nowhere near the bank and we hadn't left the car after leaving the bank.

Coincidence?  I don't believe in them.  Miracles?  I believe in with all my heart.  Although these occurrences no longer surprise me, I am still always in awe.  This isn't a rare thing.  It's a pattern.  And I'm so grateful to have these miracles in my life.   I know it isn't the kind of miracle like a blind man seeing or a man rising from the dead.  But it is a miracle.  And every time it happens, my faith is once again bolstered.

It always reminds me that miracles usually happen because someone listened to the voice of God and performed an act of kindness for another person.

Could you be someone's miracle today?  I bet you could.

copyrighted 2014

caryn cannatella

Skinny Fiber Sales:  www.caryncann.com

WHEREVER YOU GO, THERE YOU WILL BE

WHEREVER YOU GO, THERE YOU WILL BE

How many times have your seen others, or even yourself, decide that if you can just change your scenery, or location, that your life will somehow magically become different?

I know most of us have experienced it a time or two.  For some of us, it is a way of life.  We may say, “I know that change comes from within” but we really believe that it is that new man/woman, that new house, that new city, that new job that is really going to affect the change.

It doesn’t.  No matter where you go, who you are with, or what you are doing, the one constant is YOU.  If you are always looking for love, you will be looking for it wherever you go.  If you are always lonely, you will still be lonely in a group of people.  If you are wishing for a change in your life, you will still be wishing whether you live in the States or in Russia.  If you don’t have friends, chances are that wherever you live, you won’t have friends.

Why?  Because it truly is about YOU.  You are the common denominator.  You are the same wherever you are, wherever you run, wherever you hide.  If you want to see changes in your life, then the change you have to make first is YOU.   You don’t have to do an extreme makeover.  Start small. 

I see so many women who believe their worth is totally dependent on whether they have a man in their life.  The end result is that they are in a new relationship about every 4 months, cry and moan when it ends, and wonder why it never works out.  The person they really need to depend on for their worth is themselves.  No one can give you what it takes to feel worthy.  It comes from within and that is where the change has to happen.

If you are lonely and don’t have friends, pick one hobby and make an effort to attend a function once a week or every two weeks to be around others who enjoy the same hobby.  Smile.  Make the first move and introduce yourself.  With each step you take, your confidence will take root and bloom. 

To manifest a true change in your life, you have to start with yourself.  Other people may encourage you in changing but only you have the power to initiate it and see it through.

With each tiny movement forward, you will see the change more clearly.  If you choose not to change, then you will be where you are.  No matter where you go.  It really is true:  Wherever you go, there you will be.  Decide what you that will be.

copyrighted 2014

caryn cannatella

Skinny Fiber Sales:  www.caryncann.com

THE MAKING OF A MEMORY

THE MAKING OF A MEMORY

Here is a story from my overnight trip with my best friend, Marisela.

We stopped at a local restaurant in Navasota, TX to eat. Marisela had eaten there before and said the food was great. It wasn't fancy. The chairs were hand made. The floors were painted and chipped. There were two pictures painted on opposing walls that I would call true folk art. It was owned and run by a local family. There were about 5 people working there.

We hadn't eaten since last night so of course we ordered way too much food. One of our appetizers was jalapeno poppers. After about 45 minutes one of the guys came out and told us there was a mistake on the menu. They werent jalapeno poppers; they were jalapeno hush puppies. We said that was ok since I had ordered catfish. Then we giggled and said, "it's gonna be awhile before we eat." About 10 minutes later, the same guy comes out and says, "we aren't gonna charge you but we know you have waited a long time so here are the jalapeno hush puppies. We hope you like them."

There are 5 or 6 round crusty things on the plate with a sauce. Marisela says, "I don't think those are hush puppies." Or maybe I said it. What were these? We took a bite of them and they were deep fried slices of zucchini! We started laughing again. BUT! They were homemade and delicious.

At this point Marisela starts laughing and says "Oh, I remember something about this place. It took forever to get the food." What? You forgot that? lolol

Now, I have to tell you. We werent the only people in the restaurant waiting for food. I think there were at least 5 other people/parties. After we finished the zucchini, they bring out the other appetizer we had ordered. Well, if looks could have killed, we would have been roadkill!

hahaha That made us laugh again. People were glaring at us. I swear one old cowboy in sneakers actually changed his seat so he could sit and stare at us. I could just imagine this scene: "Yes Officer, I beat them both with those twisted french fries and I'd do it again!"

After about an hour we received our lunch. Catfish and Chicken tenders. And Onion Rings. Now let me tell you! Nothing and I mean nothing we ate was frozen.

Everything they served us was peeled, dipped, coated and deep fried back in the kitchen. I wish you could have all tasted it. In fact, we brought most of the main course home with us. We will be lucky if we get to eat any of it after our kids find the food.

Yes we were there over an hour longer than we planned to be but we weren't on a time clock. We were enjoying the local color of Navasota. It was a great time and a great meal that was cooked with love.

Like Henson Cargill sang over 40 years ago, sometimes you gotta stop and smell the roses. And if you happen to prick your finger with a sticker, find the humor in it and make a memory.

copyright 2014

caryn cannatella 

Skinny Fiber Sales:  www.caryncann.com

YOU GOTTA A FRIEND IN ME!

YOU GOTTA A FRIEND IN ME!

I love it when I have the opportunity to meet or just talk with one of my Skinny Fiber customers.  I want them to know that I'm a real person just like them on the same journey they are about to embark on or are already on. 

I'm not special.  But my Skinny Fiber customers (my family) make me feel that way.  I hope I make each of you feel special too.  This is a journey that we can all complete!  I'm here to motivate you, encourage you, listen to you and just be here when you need a friend.

I tell people that they can make money selling Skinny Fiber and you can.  I don't sell Skinny Fiber to make money.  I have a great job and doing well for myself.  Even when I go part-time next month, I’ll still be doing ok.  I sell Skinny Fiber because I use the product and I know it works.  I’m a believer in it because I see how it has changed my body and life.

I want all of you to know that it is a great product that will help you reach your goal of losing weight and getting healthy.  I want to give you hope that no matter your age or how big you are, YOU CAN LOSE WEIGHT AND GET HEALTHY.   My goal is to be the light for some of you who feel nothing will work for you.  Follow me, look at my journey.  And then KNOW.

SKINNY FIBER CAN WORK FOR YOU TOO.  If you have questions, or you just want to talk, send me a message.  Whether you buy or not, I'm still here for you.  Never give up hope.  It will bring  living back into your life.

If you want to check out Skinny Fiber or try it, click this link:  www.caryncann.com

copyrighted 2014

caryn cannatella

Skinny Fiber Sales:  www.caryncann.com

WHEN PEOPLE LEAVE YOUR LIFE

WHEN PEOPLE LEAVE YOUR LIFE

Today on my way in to work I started thinking about some people who chose to leave my life and the lives of my children.  The first couple of years after this happened, I admit it bothered me.  It made me sad.  I finally decided that all I could do was accept and respect their choice and move on.

While I was roaming around those memories, the song "He lifts me up" came on the radio.  I started thinking about how I have been lifted up during this past 15 years without them in my life.  I have been blessed with friends coming into my life who are like family.  Men and women.  Older and younger.  When I need them, they are always there for me.  I have a beautiful woman who is only 5 years older than me who calls me her daughter.  It makes my heart so full.  My children have always been the center of my life and they are even more so now as they grow into adults. 

I thought, it's true that I have lost those 3 people from my life.  But look what I have in return.  Brothers and sisters, a mother, friends who know the true meaning of friendship.  And I have a rock solid relationship with my kids. 

Sometimes we look at what we have lost rather than what we have gained.  My life is overflowing with blessings and love.  Don't waste a day thinking or mourning for something that was.  Spend your time thinking about what is.  Open your heart and life up to the possibilities of the blessings that can come to you when you stop trying to relive the past.  Move into the now and see what has come into your life that maybe, just maybe, you would have missed out on if others hadn't left your life.

And then take a big ole' breath and exhale while you say, "I am truly blessed".  Because you are.

copyrighted 2014

caryn cannatella

Skinny Fiber Sales:  www.caryncann.com

CHOICES

CHOICES

Choices.  We all make them.  Everyday.  Many times a day.

The choices we make form the journey to our destiny and determine the path for our day.  I admit I let traffic get to me.  I cannot stand drivers who whiz in and out of traffic, drive 100 miles an hour and honk and blink their lights at people going 75, those who pass on the shoulder or get in the wrong lane because they believe their time is more valuable than that of the other drivers. 

Mornings are especially stressful for me.  Especially when I have to cross 6-7 lanes of traffic.   It seems that if I put my blinker on one second before changing lanes, someone takes offense to it and speeds up to prevent me from moving over.  So here I am listening to Gospel music and yelling names at these people and thinking worse thoughts.  Singing about the wonders of God while yelling, “YOU IDIOT!”  Yes, I know it’s a contradiction!  This morning I reminded myself that I am making a choice to let all this upset me.  I can choose to just stay in a calm place and let them do their thing without it affecting me.

I have found this to be true in so many parts of my life.  I made a conscious decision a couple of months ago to stop letting things at home determine my mood.  (I admit sometimes I still fail at this!  Lol)  When a towel is left on the floor, or dishes in the sink, or the garbage isn’t taken out, I ask myself:  Will it take more time to make a fuss about it or just do it myself?”  It’s usually the latter.  I also ask myself, “If it starts an argument, will I even remember what it was about a year from now?  Or even a couple of weeks?”  The answer is always no.

Sometimes the way we approach things and the choice we make in handling a situation makes all the difference in the world in the outcome.  This morning a customer was parked in our drive in such a way I could hardly park my car.  What I wanted to do was pinch his little head off and yell at him.  I thought about it as I walked up the steps to the door.  When I got inside I said, “Could you do me a big favor?  When you park in the mornings, could you move back a little from where we park our cars to make it easier for us to get in?”  It’s only in the mornings I need this.”  Well, he was so apologetic.  Said of course he would.  My choice to be nice resulted in me getting the result I wanted without ruining either of our days.

We are always making choices that affect our lives.  I know most people tend to focus on the big choices of life.  I believe that it is the small, daily choices that truly determine how calm and peaceful our everyday lives are.    It’s a struggle for me.  I’m not there yet but I am working on it.  And what I find is that each time I make the right choice, in an instant, my day is always better.

Try it for yourself.  See what happens.  And feel free to share with me and my readers.  Make the choice to have a great day!

copyrighted 2014

caryn cannatella

Skinny Fiber Sales:  www.caryncann.com

NO MATTER WHAT SIZE, YOU ARE STILL BEAUTIFUL

NO MATTER WHAT SIZE, YOU ARE STILL BEAUTIFUL

I think many women struggle with this.  Especially those of us who are overweight.  We begin to see ourselves as only fat.  It’s a terrible feeling when you embrace the notion that all there is to you is fat.  And sadly, in our culture, fat often equates to ugly.

I have never believed I was beautiful.  Never in my life.  It has only been in the past 6 months that I can look at pictures of myself and say, “I’m cute.”    I still see the wrinkles.  I still see the jowls.  I still see the turkey gobbler under my chin.  I still see the abdomen that hangs down 6 inches and weighs over 25 pounds.  I still see my upper arms that are more the size of a thigh than an arm.

We all have beauty in our bodies and more importantly, in our hearts.  When I look in the mirror I see my beautiful blue eyes.  I remind myself how my daughter has always said she wished she had blue eyes like me.  And I’ve always said I wished I had brown eyes like hers.  When I look in a full length mirror I see strong powerful legs.  I believe that my legs are one of my best assets and when I put on a pair of black stockings, well, I just think they are lovely!  I keep my nails and toes polished so that my feet and hands are beautiful.  I’ve been blessed with good skin that needs very little attention. 

I am told I’m a good friend.  I have a good heart.  I’m a giving person.  I’m loyal.  So why don’t I think these things make me beautiful?  Why is it that if you are fat, somehow you just don’t or can’t see the beauty in yourself?  How come we can’t look at ourselves and see how lovely we are as a person?  What causes us to decides that we can’t be both fat and pretty?

I don’t know.  I wonder if I didn’t feel pretty so I became fat or I became fat and didn’t feel pretty.  I’m not sure it even matters which came first.  I know this though.  If you don’t like yourself and you feel you don’t have worth and that you aren’t worthy of anything, you will never feel beautiful.   It’s so hard to change that mindset.  

You really have to retrain your mind.  I guess it is no different than re-training your mind when you decide to eat healthy, start exercising, change your career, go to college or any other goal you set for yourself.  Until your mind believes it, neither will you.

I think I will ask my best friend to print this picture out and then hang it in my bedroom with other encouraging pictures.  Then every day I can see it and repeat it.  Until the day that my mind truly believes it.   Believing I’m beautiful is not that far down the path.  As long as I’m willing to take the walk.

What about you?  Are you ready to believe in your own beauty?  I am.  It’s time to let the struggle go and embrace my own beauty.

copyrighted 2014

caryn cannatella

Order Your Skinny Fiber:  www.caryncann.com

ARE ONLINE FRIENDS REAL?

ARE ONLINE FRIENDS REAL?

I remember back in 96 or 97, maybe 98 when I discovered AOL and the chat rooms.  That’s where I met my friend, Patty.  We both had little kids, she had two older kids.  Our marriages sucked and we weren’t very happy at the time.  Who on AOL was?  Lol

She says she stalked me until we became friends.  I’m glad she did.  Back in those days communication was by instant messaging.  She and I both typed over 100 wpm.  We would carry on two conversations at once:  mine to her and hers to me.  We laughed, loved, cried, and wondered where in the world would our lives take us.  The one thing we both had was a wicked sense of humor; we still do.  I often wondered if people you meet online could actually become real friends.  They can.

We used to kid that someday we were going to live together, which was funny because it didn’t look like we would ever even meet.  We talked about the house, sitting on the veranda, what we would wear, etc.  It was always the same story, same scene.  In about 2004 she came through Houston and that’s when we met for the first time.  We had a great time.   She ended up moving to Florida in 2012.  I decided to spend my vacation with her that year and the next.  We got along so great!  When I left both times she told me she left things of mine in my bedroom and on the table between our rockers.  She said it made her feel like I was still there.

In October 2013 she moved back to El Paso.  To her it just was no longer home.  She floundered for a few months trying to decide should she stay or should she go.  I told her she was welcome to move in with me.  She made a list of pros and cons for her various choices, called me a few days later and said, “Can I come to Houston in 2 weeks?”  And she did.  That was in March 2014.

A few weeks ago she found out her oldest son is much sicker than anyone realized.   The decision was made to move him back to El Paso after he said he wanted to go home.  Patty and her baby boy, Charlie, are completely re-arranging their lives to get her oldest moved, settled and stable.  Just like I have sung, “You are my sunshine” to Ashlie since she was a baby, I imagine Patty sings that to Charlie in her heart always.

I knew today was coming.  We have been counting the days down for the last 14 days.  Living life every day since then.  Sort of ignoring that she really was going to leave.  She didn’t even start packing until yesterday.  We had our little dinner party last night.  Marisela, Cody, Ashlie and Daniel, Nate (my mechanic, landscaper, and handy man who is finishing and completing the work all my contractors didn’t) and me.  This morning I woke her up to tell her good-bye.  She said, “the bed will be made, my flip flops will be by the bed, I left some clothes in the closet and my books are on the chest.  It will be like I’m still here.”  Just like in Florida.

These 6 months have gone by so quickly.  She has told me that living in Houston with me was what she needed.  She has become much healthier.  She’s been able to heal from the craziness she had to live in Florida (taking care of another family member).  One of the things I so appreciate is her relationship with Cody.  They have a lot in common and spent hours talking and discussing the books they read together.  She embraced Ashlie and they would hang out together even when I was gone.  I loved coming home from work and seeing her sitting in her chair in the driveway.  We often sat out there together and talked and laughed.  Always we laughed.

I loved having her in the house even if we hardly spoke that day.  We cohabitated well together.  Both of us are loners who enjoy interacting together.  She made us some delicious meals.  We listened to each other’s problems, sometimes we gave advice; sometimes we just stayed quiet.  We both had sad times these 6 months but many more good times.  I remember when we took her to Galveston for the day.  She, Marisela and I had a great time!  And out of the deal, Marisela and Patty each gained a new friend.

We have always said that we were like sisters.  Friends and sisters.  We have always used these two lines from this White Christmas song for us:

Sisters, sisters 
There were never such devoted sisters, 

Lord help the mister who comes between me and my sister 
And lord help the sister, who comes between me and my man

Hahaha  yep, that was our song!

I’m gonna miss you so much, Patty.  I am believing that you will be home in January.  If your life takes you down another path, you know that I will support you.  Just thinking about you leaving & being gone when I get home makes my eyes overflow with tears.  You aren’t just my friend; you are my family.

I love you, baby!  Hurry home!

copyrighted 2014

caryn cannatella

Order Skinny Fiber here:  www.caryncann.com