Mr. Sunshine Smiles

Happy Monday, folks!

Not sure about where you are in the world, but here in Lancaster, PA, we were able to experience some glorious and beautiful sunshine yesterday!

Thank you, Mother Nature.

FINALLY.

But I guess I should bite my tongue because later this week, I feel like I saw that the weather reports are showing those damn higher 40’s and lower 50’s.

I. WANT. THE. SUNSHINE.

Alright, let’s get down to business.

I won’t keep you long this week.

On Thursday, I inked my body.

That’s right.

Believe it.

Mr. Sunshine INKED his body.

It has been something that I’ve wanted to do since 2020, but with all of the life and world events of that year and 2021, it just kind of kept getting pushed back.

But Marissa finally got me to honker down and get it on the books…

…or in my case, the planner.

So, it happened.

HUGE thanks to Cory Fodor at Adorned Tattoos in Ephrata for taking my idea and making it a reality.

A beautiful establishment that was incredibly welcoming, especially for someone who has never gotten a tattoo before.

I mean…I definitely got nervous pee twice before lying down on the table.

The million dollar question…was it painful?!

I mean…I’m not going to say it was a walk in the park, but it wasn’t as painful as I thought it would be.

How would I describe it?

I mean…a hot prickly, ballpoint pen vibrating profusely on my skin.

I actually think having my back exposed for almost 1 hour was the worse because I’m always cold…and the air was definitely on.

But the zebra pillow I got to lay on was very nice…except for the feather that were making my nose itch–which I thought would make me sneeze–which would ruin everything Cory was trying to ink on me.

Will I get another one?

Possibly…maybe something Betty White related?

Thank you, Marissa for getting me to finally get the courage to make this happen.

And thank you, Cory for making it perfect.

So, in conclusion…

I did the thing. I have always worn the nickname of Mr. Sunshine proudly. And being has always–and will always be something I strive to embrace on the daily while encouraging others to do the same. The world is really shitty right now. I don’t see that changing anytime soon, but if I can continue to be kind and hope that others will follow in my footsteps to do the same, I’ll consider that a win to do the same, I’ll consider that a win for the world as we strive to keep love alive amongst humanity.

Sprinkle sunshine always,

JP!

Happy Monday and day after Easter, folks!

After what felt like Summer-like weather this past week for a few days, Mother Nature decided to once again give us the ugly entities of cold, rainy temperatures.

BOO.

Like double and triple BOO.

Let’s hope that sunshine and warm weather is right around the corner with those Spring flowers.

Eliminate and elevate.

The last 40 days have been a journey that I was both successful and not successful with—eliminating some elements of my life in order to elevate some elements of my life at the same time.

SUCCESSES:

-Not watching The Golden Girls.

-Not watching Encanto.

-Not eating any candy (minus the three or four M&M’s that were part of raw cookie dough I got from work). My coworkers can attest to how upset I was when I took those couple of bites. I also enjoyed ONE dark chocolate peanut butter egg the night before Easter.

-Not drinking any Dr. Pepper and soda.

-Starting each day with a positive affirmation.

FAILURES:

-Scrolling on social media after 10:30pm…definitely still did that. It can be a toxic habit!

-Reading at least three times a week. I did get a few pages in here and there, but definitely not as much as I wanted.

Just goes to show that wr all have successes and failures.

And we all could benefit from a little eliminating from our lives in order to elevate them.

Today’s post is a reminder of all 40 positive affirmations I used during this journey.

My hope is that you will continue to use them when you need them most or just want to get your day started with that extra jolt of positivity.

1. I am beautiful.

2. I am enough.

3. You can do anything.

4. You are loved.

5. You’re in the right place.

6. Today is going to be a great day.

7. I am unaffected by the judgment of others.

8. I breathe in confidence and exhale fear.

9. I trust in divine timing. The universe always has my back.

10. Love yourself.

11. Let your colors burst.

12. I can go the distance.

13. Trust your heart.

14. I am worthy.

15. I am fierce.

16. I am brave.

17. Anything is possible.

18. Don’t worry about things you can’t control.

19. We are who we are on the inside.

20. Be kind to all kinds.

21. I am me.

22. I am needed.

23. I am joyful.

24. I believe in me.

25. I am valuable.

26. I am passionate.

27. I am whole.

28. Be different.

29. Be unique.

30. I am here.

31. I am courageous.

32. My thoughts matter.

33. I am determined.

34. It is not selfish to do what is best for you.

35. Don’t limit yourself.

36. In a world where you can be anything, be kind.

37. Nothing is impossible; the word itself says I’m possible.

38. Everything is going to be alright.

39. I am resilient.

40. Baby, you’re a firework.

Take time to eliminate and elevate.

Sprinkle sunshine always,

JP!

Well, folks!

It appears to be that time again. The time when I get to wish you another good morning along with Monday well wishes too!

We are officially now celebrating the 11th day of April…CRAZY!

Remember last week how I said we would reconvene in regards to Mother Nature and her weather?

Well, all I have to say is…

Mmmbyeee.

Still waiting for those continuous days of sunshine and blue skies…

NOT harsh winds and coldness which is what was served up this week.

Well, at least in Lancaster, PA that was what was served up.

Anyhoo, I digress…are you surprised?

Let’s get down to business.

This week, I was asked a few different questions from different friends in my life that led me to writing a blog post about it.

Imagine that.

Are you OK?

How are you?

How are you doing mentally?

The National Alliance on Mental Health has published the below statistics on their website that gives just a little taste behind the curtain in regards to the mental struggles that we see as humans.

-1 in 5 U.S. adults experience mental illness each year.

-1 in 20 U.S. adults experience serious mental illness each year.

-1 in 6 U.S. youth aged 6-17 experience a mental health disorder each year.

-50% of all lifetime mental illness begins by age 14, and 75% by age 24.

-Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death among people aged 10-34.

While I want to write that these statistics are shocking, I can’t. I know that mental health is such a struggle for so many and it is something that will only get worse.

So…that leads me to ask you…

Are you OK?

How are you?

How are you doing mentally?

And to these questions, I give you this answer:

I am doing well, thank you. I get stressed out about things beyond my control at times—which is something that I’m constantly working on in regards to myself, but I know how to participate in activities that recharge me and also know how to listen to my body when I need rest–physically and mentally.

It will come as no surprise that I like to stay busy.

And I mean…BUSY.

Shocker, I know.

I love when that old fashioned planner of mine is filled in to max capacity.

I have a full-time job filling 40 hours per week, a part-time job that fills approximately 10-12 hours per week, hold the hats of Music Director and Church Council President at St. Paul Penryn, and also house manage/bartend at EPAC during shows.

This all gets bundled into trying to see a trainer twice a week (or hit up the gym), spend time with family on Tuesday evenings for dinner, and also make plans with friends.

Oh, and don’t forget those other “daily” chores of needing to clean the house, do wash, cook, and grocery shop.

Not to mention trying to organize finances, handling any unexpected entities that might come up, and balancing the negative news of the word that gets thrown into the shuffle on the daily too.

Is it time for a nap, yet?

Exhausting.

Am I right?

I know I’m not in the minority on this because I have a feeling many individuals…including you reading these very words have felt frazzled, disorganized, and on the brink of screaming at least once or twice in this past week alone.

Many people always get worried because I do a lot in my life; however, I will tell you that I’m a rare breed–an outlier or unique individual so to speak.

Being busy helps me thrive and there are things that I do in my busy life that also help me to recharge my mental health.

The house managing and bartending that I’m currently involving myself with at EPAC is a huge mental health rejuvenation for me because it allows me to have conversations with people of all shapes and sizes and to have that human-to-human interaction in person that I’m not able to always get from my full-time and part-time jobs.

Some people rejuvenate with traveling.

That is not my speed.

Give me some sand, water, and adult beverages at the beach and I’m good to go.

That is rejuvenating to me.

It could even be as simple as some hard seltzers and cornhole.

It could simply be a game night of competitive fun and laughs.

All of these are rejuvenating to me.

I rejuvenate with my watching of The Golden Girls (which I have been without for the last 34 days because of the Lent season). Only 7 more days to go!

TV is not always something that rejuvenates others, but it is for me. I especially find comfort and warm fuzzy feelings especially in the TV shows that I know line-for-line.

I rejuvenate when texting with friends.

I rejuvenate when having conversations over dinner about life with friends.

On the contrary, I can rejuvenate with friends over just a movie without speaking any words too.

I rejuvenate when spending time with family. So important.

I rejuvenate with reading before bed.

I rejuvenate when coloring between the lines.

I rejuvenate when washing dishes.

I rejuvenate when I get to nap.

I rejuvenate with playing music on the piano.

I rejuvenate when I simply get to lay in bed, put my phone on DND and do nothing. (It might be a rare happening, but it happens).

I don’t deny the fact that I get anxious about the happenings of the world or the stress of my jobs, but I assure each and every one of you that I am OK mentally.

On the flip side, I also want to re-iterate the fact that is OK to not be OK.

If you are feeling not OK, I urge you to reach out to a professional or someone you trust and love for help.

Find the support system that will help you to rejuvenate, love you unconditionally, and never judge.

Are you OK?

How are you?

How are you doing mentally?

Ask yourself these three questions this week.

Write down the answers.

And once you’ve done that for yourself, do it for the others in your life that you appreciate.

We are all in this together.

As the simple phrase goes…

“We rise by lifting others up.”

Sprinkle sunshine always,

JP!

Well, hello there once again!

It is time for yet another Monday of the calendar of 2022 as we go through this fourth month of April inching closer to the Easter holiday and what will hopefully mean some more sunshine and Spring-like weather.

As I sit here writing these words to you, I’m currently looking through a singular window watching the trees blow as Mother Nature’s wind harshly howls choruses of high-pitched whistles of sound.

Send the sunshine.

Please.

PRETTY PLEASE with a cherry on top?

We’ll reconvene next week to see how she does with that request.

Anyhoo, let us get on to the this week’s post.

Grab your blanket, umbrella, sun shades–basically any accessory possible for all weather types because you never know what you are going to get these days.

For the readers who are detail oriented, I’m sure you already saw the title of this week’s post.

And if you didn’t…well then, shame on you.

KIDDING!

You can either scroll up to read it now or scroll on to read it in the next 2 seconds.

Get I get a drum roll please?!

::DRUM ROLL::

This week’s post is about…wrinkles.

That’s right.

You read it right.

Wrinkles.

Since I love getting literal with the meaning of words, I looked up the official definition, which I have included below:

Noun

-A small furrow or crease in the skin, especially of the face, as from aging or frowning.

-A temporary slight ridge or furrow on a surface, due to contraction, folding, crushing, or the like.

So, why am I talking about wrinkles? How did this blog post come about?

Well, I am so glad that you asked.

Let’s take a stroll down memory lane…a flashback so to speak…to exactly one week ago…on Monday evening, March 28th around 6:30pm.

I had just finished an approximatr 9 hour day at my part-time job when, out of nowhere, I had a moment of panic when I randomly thought about all of the wrinkles on the shirts in my closet.

I walked to my closet, opened the door, and started pulling out shirt after shirt and lying it on my bed in panic as they kept piling up.

So. Many. Shirts.

So. Many. Wrinkles.

Call me crazy, I know.

I honestly had no idea what possessed me to have this random moment of panic, but it felt very real to me.

Also…secret side note…I’m not very good at ironing.

With that being said, I got out my mini ironing board and typed into the search bar of Google, “How To Iron A Shirt.”

Of course, there were about 1,564,670 videos that came up showing results ranging in length from 1 minute to 5 minutes.

Could ironing a shirt really be that difficult?

I started to watch a video and proceeded with trying to iron the first of what looked like 15 shirts on my bed.

I was not very successful and after only the second shirt, I gave up in a feeling of frustration and defeat as I moved the shirts off their hangers into the dryer where I placed them on the cycle entitled, “dewrinkle.”

So, why am I sharing this story with you?

I share this story with you because as we continue to live out our lives, there are very real moments that we as individuals experience that involve feelings of exhaustion, defeat, panic, and stress over what might seem like the simplest of entities.

But while I felt defeat in the moment after attempting to iron, I also had a moment of clarity.

To me, a shirt that is wrinkled resembles imperfections about ourselves and life that are beautiful pieces who make up who we are.

The perfectly pressed shirt (to me) resembles the societal expectation that everyone must be perfectly crisp and clean 100% of the time which is not a reality.

The shirts with wrinkles in my closet display my true colors as a human who works hard to get through life, tries to make the right choices, and does their best to stand on two feet amongst the constant battles in life that try to knock us down.

Let the wrinkles show.

Embrace the imperfections.

Open the closet door of non perfectly pressed shirts that display your genuine human realness to those around you.

Stop finding yourself in the tide of waters that flow full of society’s expectations.

Go AGAINST the current and embrace YOU.

Wrinkles and all.

Sprinkle sunshine always,

JP!

Happy Monday, folks!

Isn’t it crazy how we are already coming to the end of March?!

That means that April…and hopefully Spring-like weather is right around the corner.

Currently, I’m wrapped in two blankets with a sniffy nose trying to breathe through my nostrils.

Mother Nature’s wrath is very real.

And I’m going to need her to send us some sunshine.

Now.

Like.

Right.

Now.

Kthanks.

So…Mother Nature…this cold.

Stop. It.

And that’s the theme of this week’s blog post.

Stop. It.

Buckle up.

Here we go.

I’m sure we have all had a moment in our lives where we had to travel through a thick, dense fog.

Your eyes squint to see what is ahead, you hit the brakes to slow down your car, and you turn your lights to a level in hopes of trying to create a path ahead of you that can be navigated safely.

It can be intense and scary.

Fog can cause intimidation…

Fog can cause anxiety…

For can cause fear…

Fog can cause confusion…

Fog can cause us to second guess ourselves…

Fog can cause things to change in the matter of seconds.

I’ve been experiencing what feels like a lot of fog lately, but not the kind that Mother Nature presents to us.

And while it may not be the fog that dictionary.com defines as “a thick cloud of tiny water droplets suspended in the atmosphere at or near the earth’s surface which obscures or restricts visibility”–it is still a kind that can restrict the visibility.

It is still a kind that can cause the anxiety, the fear, the confusion, the second guessing.

The fog of negative self-talk.

STOP. IT.

The fog of feeling jealousy toward others.

STOP. IT.

The fog of comparing yourself to someone else in your life or that you see on social media.

STOP. IT.

The fog of thinking you are not enough.

STOP. IT.

The of thinking you are not beautiful enough.

STOP. IT.

The fog of thinking you are not rich enough.

STOP. IT.

The fog of thinking you are not popular enough.

STOP. IT.

The fog of thinking you need to fit society’s expectations and mold perfectly.

STOP. IT.

You ARE enough.

You ARE beautiful.

You ARE unique.

You ARE special.

You ARE perfect in your own way.

Don’t let the fog of life obscure or restrict your own visibility of how truly amazing you are.

Sprinkle sunshine always,

JP!

Happy Monday, folks!

Here we are celebrating third week of March and also coming off the celebration of the first day of Spring!

And before I write more for you to read this week, I need to first say that my thoughts and prayers continue to be with those in Ukraine as they continue to fight for their Country in hopes of uniting in peace. I honestly can’t even begin to imagine having to fear for my life and safety every day, every minute, every second. I will continue to hope and pray that peace will be found.

Please continue to send prayers and love to all the people of Ukraine.

As I continue to wake up each day and roll out of bed…literally…roll out of bed, I continue to struggle with the images that I continue to see on my news feed.

Mostly, the pictures that I see of innocent civilians getting bombarded by violence, crying, and screaming for safety.

It hits me hard.

I said it for several weeks, but I honestly can’t imagine walking into my home and cuddling up in my blankets living in a fear of not knowing what tomorrow will bring.

I don’t think anyone would deny that the world is currently in turmoil.

It is evident now–more than ever–that we need to reset and come back to feelings and stories of positive energy, kindness, good vibes, and love.

Humanity in the world among us is struggling, but it will never become any better if we don’t learn how to be HUMAN with each other.

How can YOU be more human in the coming days ahead?

Instead of leading with hate, lead with love.

Instead of asking the question, “How are you” to someone in your life, ask instead the question of “What is a way that I can support you in life right now?”

Share a smile with a stranger.

Strike up a conversation with a stranger at the grocery store.

Open the door for others.

Pay for the person behind you in the drive-thru.

Donate to your favorite charity.

Offer to carry grocery bags for someone to their car.

Share appreciation with the workers around you who keep things moving.

Show sensitivity and empathy when engaging in conversation.

Listen to others.

Let somebody through in traffic.

Keep the elderly company.

Say please and thank you.

Admit when you’re wrong.

Celebrate the wins of others.

Plant a tree or some other form of greenery.

Honestly, the possibilities are endless.

Our world is struggling.

Our world is falling.

And we need to be there to catch it.

Be human with each other, please.

It doesn’t take much, but it effects will last a lifetime.

Sprinkle sunshine always,

JP!

Well, hello there folks!

A very good Monday morning to you!

And welcome to official blog post #160!

But before I write more words, I need to first say that my thoughts and prayers continue to be with those in Ukraine as they continue to fight for their Country in hopes of uniting in peace. I honestly can’t even begin to imagine having to fear for my life and safety every day, every minute, every second. I will continue to hope and pray that peace will be found. Please continue to send prayers and love to all the people of Ukraine.

Well, time for this week’s words!

Cuddle up and get those eyes ready to read.

We are all a work in progress.

It’s the truth.

No one is perfect.

And I’m tired of the societal images trying to tell us that we need to be 100% every day, every minute, every second.

I call bullshit.

Because that ain’t realistic.

And it’s what gets us each in trouble because we forget how to be human, vulnerable, and honest with ourselves.

We forget to put ourselves first.

When was the last time you scrolled on social media and compared yourself to someone else’s pictures of perfection?

When was the last time you looked at yourself in the mirror and let the negative talk take over?

When was the last time you had thoughts of not being perfect enough?

If you’re like me, you’ve answered “yes” to all of these questions at some point in life.

It’s time to take charge.

It’s time to stop the negative talk.

It’s time to start being honest with ourselves.

It’s time to enjoy another cup of self-love.

What exactly is self-love?

The dictionary defines it as:

-(Noun)-regard for one’s own well-being and happiness (chiefly considered as a desirable rather than narcissistic characteristic).

And on this 14th day of the month, I share with you 14 ways to embrace self-love with yourself today, tomorrow, and all the days after.

1. Take a moment each night before bed to write in a gratitude journal about something you are grateful for.
2. Be of service to someone in the community and volunteer.
3. Snuggle up with a blanket.
4. Watch your favorite Disney movie.
5. Look at yourself in the mirror every morning and repeat the phrase, “I am enough.”
6. Hug yourself when you get out of bed.
7. Make yourself a hot fudge sundae or extra special sweet treat.
8. Smile.
9. Give someone a compliment.
10. Meditate and take deep breaths for 10-15 minutes each day.
11. Let go of comparison to others.
12. Dress up in your favorite outfit and put makeup on.
13. Turn your phone and email off for one hour each day.
14. Go for a walk, run, or do a workout with your favorite jams blasting in your ears.

And this is only just a little taste of practices that can help us embrace self-love.

Find your favorites and practice them daily.

Make it a ritual with yourself.

And share your rituals with those around you.

In a world that will continue to be draining, exhausting, and defeating at times, it is even more important than ever to be honest with ourselves, open our hearts, and be vulnerable with our souls as to what we need.

Don’t sell yourself short.

You are enough.

We could all use another cup of self-love.

Sprinkle sunshine always,

JP!

Well hey there, folks!

Happy Monday! Happy new week! Happy March 7th!

Isn’t it crazy how fast the time is going? Before we know, it’s going to be Easter, Summer, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and then 2023!

Like…wow.

Insane.

Anyhoo, I digress.

I’m currently sitting in my camping chair (since I no longer have a section at the moment), wrapped in a blanket with He’s Just Not That Into You playing in the background.

Sounds about right for Mr. Sunshine on a Sunday night, right?

Well, usually it is The Golden Girls, but since I gave them up for the next 40 days, I’ve started exploring some other options.

Soooo…basically that means pick the romantic comedy movie that resembles your life.

Mmmbyeee.

And as I sit here writing, I’m listening to the song “Undivided” on repeat.

It is a short little ballad, but one that packs quite the punch with its lyrics. It is sung by Country artists Tim McGraw and Tyler Hubbard.

It is a song that I haven’t listened to in quite some time, but with the current events happening in the world, I thought I would take another few listens.

And even though it has been a few months since it has played in my ears, I still get chills each time I listen.

Chills.

And those chills continue now as the song plays for what I think is the 15th time.

The lyrics are ones that continue to be extremely relevant to all that is happening in the world around us.

And after a week where we see more images of war in Ukraine and news about states across the United States discriminating against people who are gay or wanting to have abortions, it is a song that poses the question to each and every one of us:

When are we going to stop hating?

And anyone who knows me knows that I do not like the word hate. In fact, it is something that I wrote as one of my “fun facts” in the “About Mr. Sunshine” section of this very blog page. And, just in the off chance that you never read that section of this blog site, here it is:

“I don’t like the word “hate” and will often try to substitute with the phrase “dislike very much.” If you ever catch me saying the word “hate” in my writing or live conversation, please call me out and make me give you a dollar.”

But in all seriousness…

Are you able to answer the question that Tim and Tyler ask us in the song?

When are we going to start to see from someone else’s eyes?

When are we going to stop the hating?

When are we going to start making a difference and making the world a better place?

Every single day, when I wake up in the morning, I think about how I can work to make a difference in the world around me.

And every single day, when I read or hear about a story of violence, racism, hatred, or whatever type of darkness it might be, I become infuriated, deflated, and worrisome for the future.

But I also become even more passionate about making a difference in the world.

As I continue to live out my 34th year of life on this Earth, I continue to have the extreme conviction that God put me on this planet to make positive change while working to inspire others to do the same.

Could it be that something is brewing for the 2023 year after the rewarding Miles 4 Smiles endeavor that so many of you graciously journeyed with me for in 2021?

I am Mr. Sunshine. Hear me ROAR.

I don’t have the latest and greatest “stuff.”

I don’t live in the biggest house.

I don’t drive the fanciest car.

I don’t have a lot of money in the accounts.

I don’t find joy in spending money on all the “stuff.”

You can say that I’m someone who finds MORE with LESS.

I work hard each day with what I have to make positive change for others in this world that are struggling no matter what their story.

I work hard to try and inspire others to do the same through an energy that many of you have come to know as Mr. Sunshine.

How are you working to make positive change in this world?

How are you working to keep trails of undivided footprints for others to follow?

Are these questions that you have ever taken a few moments of your life to try and answer?

We all have the ability to make positive change in the world to lift others up.

Our world needs our light.

Our world world needs our kindness.

Our world needs our love.

Our world needs us all to make undivided footprints against hate, violence, racism, war, or whatever other type of darkness tries to engulf our lives and diminish the fire of passion that we have inside our souls.

Stop waiting.

Stop wondering “what if.”

Go and do.

Let’s make some undivided footprints together.

Sprinkle sunshine always,

JP!

Hi, folks!

It is time yet again for another Monday.

And this Monday just so happens to be the very last day of the second month of 2022!

Crazy!

Crazy!

CRAZY!

Time is just flying by way too fast to be honest.

And this week we celebrate Fat Tuesday and Ash Wednesday, which is usually the time of year where I give up something for 40 days.

I’ve done Facebook, Dr. Pepper, and soda in the past, but I want to try something different this year. It needs to be a challenge for me that causes a temptation.

What have you given up in the past? Basically, send me some suggestions.

Kthanks.

That isn’t even the theme of this week’s post, which means I better stop digressing and get on with it in these next paragraphs!

While I don’t often take naps anymore these days, I have to say that the events of this past week were so draining that I just had to lay vertical for a few hours to recharge.

And when I woke up in the bed of my childhood with the blankets cuddling me and the familiarity and comfort of the walls and stuffed animals and trophies on the wall shelves, I started to think about the many children over in Ukraine who are currently being forced out of their homes to find safety from the current attacks of war that are happening.

I thought about the familiarity and comfort I was experiencing and how it has been stripped right out from under so many in the matter of seconds.

I thought about the many people who don’t have the luxury of being cuddled in blankets of warmth to feel comfort from the dark depths of the outside world.

So, as I continue to see the heartbreaking images from Ukraine and the current climate happening over there, I’m immediately reminded of how thankful I am…and how thankful we all should be for the lives and comforts that we have.

Therefore, I felt the need to share this week with you some of the things that I’m extremely thankful for. And I hope that you will also share with both me and those around you some entities that you are thankful for.

1. I’m thankful for extremely loving family that has always been supportive.
2. I’m thankful for amazing friends that make every day wonderful.
3. I’m thankful for careers in both full-time and part-time capacities that help me to stay financially stable .
4. I’m thankful for a roof over my head.
5. I’m thankful for blankets that keep me warm and give me a sense of security. Think of me as an adult Linus.
6. I’m thankful for laughter that keeps me feeling like a child at heart.
7. I’m thankful for food on my table that gives me nourishment and strength.
8. I’m thankful for medicine that helps us be better when we are not feeling 100%.
9. I’m thankful for the people in fields of work that I count on constantly: restaurant workers, medical workers, trash workers, grocery store workers, theater performers, volunteers, teachers, custodians.
10. I’m thankful for a faith community that allows me to be myself and help spread the love of God to all through both music and word.

These are just a few of the things that I’m thankful for in life. Honestly, I could make a list of 100 things—I could write a book actually, but I also want to make sure that I’m not taking up too much of your time with the reading of these words…another thing I’m thankful for. YOU! For constantly coming back week after week to read!

I hope all of you take a few moments today, tomorrow, and all the days after to share with others what you are thankful for because we should not take anything for granted these days.

The images of Ukraine and the destruction that is currently happening isn’t the only entity that got me drained this last week.

The news of the “Don’t Say Gay” bill being passed by an overwhelming 69-47 vote in Florida provided anger and sadness in my heart.

If you need a quick explanation about what the bill is, here is a quick read:

https://news.yahoo.com/florida-don-t-gay-bill-145548923.html

I flashback to my days in high school when I was struggling with my sexuality. I came out to a few friends at first, but the fact that I was able to have that conversation freely was a huge weight off my shoulders. Knowing that children will not have the ability to talk about it makes me scared for the well-being of any individual that is struggling with their identity.

I was lucky enough to have the support of incredible family and friends, but I know not everyone is that lucky. I am a proud gay man and I am a proud gay man that will continue to display my true colors to the world around me.

And even in the year of 2022, there are still stares that happen, ignorant remarks that are shouted, and people who will always choose hate over love just because of the person we choose to have feelings for.

The personal lives of others’, especially their sexuality, should never be something that a government gets involved with and it is absurd and absolutely ridiculous that this is a news story headline that we are reading in 2022.

It is infuriating, to be honest.

But it won’t keep me from being loud and proud and fighting for what I believe in.

As the images from Ukraine continue to be displayed to us throughout the week, I hope all of you will take time to look in the mirror and share with yourself and others some things that you are thankful for.

And just in case you need to know how you can support the people of Ukraine, here is a quick link that will share some easy ways to donate and help.

https://www.npr.org/2022/02/25/1082992947/ukraine-support-help

Sprinkle sunshine always,

JP!

Well, everyone.

I say happy Monday and hi to you all once again!

Thank you so much for stopping by this week for yet another blog post of sunshine!

Well, hopefully it brings you some sunshine because the world could certainly use some of it.

Also, speaking of sunshine, it was really lacking on Saturday with the INSANE wind that was happening with Mother Nature’s wrath in the East Coast.

I hope all of you survived that because Mother Nature certainly has been throwing some crazy types of weather into everyone’s neighborhood and it looks like it is going to continue in the coming weeks.

Let’s just say that I’m ready for Spring…and Summer.

I’m ready for the smell of rain, morning dew, tulips, and sunshine.

Anyhoo, enough about the rain and dew.

Let’s get down to business.

I promise that this week’s message will be short and sweet.

Short like the nights when I’m trying to sleep and the alarm goes off 5 seconds after hitting the pillow and sweet like the cherry Tootsie Pop I’m enjoying right now that is taking 89 licks to get to the center.

By the way…how many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop?

I digress.

That is a question for another week.

Back to business.

Yesterday, at church, the reading during the service really spoke to me as something that we all need to embrace more:

“A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap; for the measure you give will be the measure you get back.”

Read. That. Again.

Specifically, the below line I’ve highlighted:

“The measure you give will be the measure you get back.”

As someone who tries to live out each day of his life embracing the entities of love and kindness, these are words that I find so important.

And ones that I hope all of you will think twice about embracing today, tomorrow, and all the days after.

And in case you need a few suggestions on how to embrace these words, here are five things I plan to execute this week to get the measure back that I give.

1. Send 1 text/or Facebook message a day to someone in my life sharing a positive quote to motivate them while also sharing a reason for why I appreciate them.
2. Help and support a coworker with any assistance they might need to take something off of their plate to relieve some stress.
3. During any walks where I’m out and about in the community, pick up trash and dispose of it properly.
4. Leave a thank you note or two for people in positions of work that are not recognized often enough and continue to show up every single day.
5. Count my change that I’ve been collecting (for I don’t even know how long) and pick a local charity to donate it to.

“The measure you give will be the measure you get back.”

Embrace this phrase, folks.

Our world needs it and the people in the communities around us need it.

And let me know how YOU plan to give the measure to get that measure back.

That’s all I’ve got.

Sprinkle sunshine always,

JP!