My Daily Smile

Life is short - begin every day with a smile!

“Stepping Stones” (turning failures into success)

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“Develop success from failures. Discouragement and failure are two of the surest stepping stones to success.”
 -–Dale Carnegie

Most every day we come into contact with people who seem to have it all; people who live charmed lives with everything they could ever need or want handed to them on a silver platter.

But truth be told, folks who were “born with silver spoons in their mouths” are actually few and far-between.  [Read more…]

Learn from the past but live in the present – always with an eye towards the future

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“The past is a place of reference, not a place of residence; the past is a place of learning, not a place of living.”
 -–Roy T. Bennett

As humans, well all make mistakes and suffer great loss on occasion. It’s just a part of life.

It’s easy to fall into the trap of dwelling on the bad times and forgetting that tomorrow will begin with the dawning of a new day.  [Read more…]

Why we Americans celebrate Independence Day

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July 4 is a very special day here in the United States of America…

By itself, July 4 would be just another date on the calendar. Just another hot, sticky summer day with folks doing whatever they do on any other hot, sticky summer day.

But July 4 is special because it’s the day we Americans celebrate our nation’s independence from an oppressive king and the freedoms we all enjoy today because of it.

[Read more…]

“Duty, Honor, Country”

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“This will remain the land of the free so long as it is the home of the brave.“
 -–Elmer Davis

I’ve often heard it said that freedom isn’t free, and that’s so very true.

Since the day our great nation was founded every generation has produced thousands of patriots who were ready and willing to risk their own lives to protect the freedoms we enjoy as Americans from the tyrants who would  endeavor to take them away.

Virtually every cemetery and graveyard in this country holds the remains of men and women who answered the call of duty and came home draped in the flag they fought so hard to protect.

On Memorial Day we come together as a nation to remember and honor all the brave souls who selflessly sacrificed their own futures so the rest of us could enjoy ours in freedom and peace.

[Read more…]

Watch a 10 year old Sierra Hull demonstrate her mandolin skills

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Image credit: Sierra Hull

Living (and loving) Life

A while back I featured this video of mandolin prodigy Sierra Hull performing at the ripe old age 11 on the “Grand Ole Opry” with Allison Krauss & Union Station.

As you might expect, that video was quite well received by most everyone that saw it.

Well, I managed to find another awesome video of a young Sierra teaming up with another of her musical idols, the one and only Sam Bush.

[Read more…]