Reasons to Volunteer

Some of the Best Reasons to Volunteer
Some of the best reasons to give are the ones you may not have considered — the ones that make it worth your while to go that extra step. People who have spent time volunteering for a cause report that they get back in satisfaction and joy more than they ever expend in inconvenience or effort — what you get back is immeasurable. You'll also receive these benefits:

• Volunteering makes you feel needed.
• Volunteering can lead to learning new skills.
• Volunteering can help you deal with some of your personal problems.
• Volunteering helps you meet new people and breaks down barriers of misunderstanding, mistrust and fear.
• Volunteering can create new contacts which may help your business or career.

It's What in the World You Can Do!
You might be thinking, "The little bit that I can do will never help much!" or "What in the world can I do?" If you've ever spent ten minutes reading a book to a child with autism, you know that even that small amount of compassion and attention can make a world of difference. No one person can solve the world's problems, but what little you do can make your little corner of the world — or one far away from yours a happier, healthier, safer place to live for those who need your help. Each of us can right a wrong, fill a plate, visit a shut-in, rescue a pet, deliver a meal, tend a public garden, mentor a child or whatever action inspires you.  Just jump in and volunteer!

What a Dog can teach you

Frenchy is walking with me again at the 3rd annual Mission Pink walk for Breast Cancer he even made  the cover of this years poster.

For Frenchy my Dog  every morning is Christmas morning. Every walk is the best walk, every meal is the best meal,  We can learn so much by observing the way our pets rejoice in life’s simplest moments. Dogs live in the moment. They don’t regret the past or worry about the future.

When we live in regret of the past or fear of the future we forfeit the potential joy of today.

Frenchy doesn't care about words. He recognizes  what’s really going on interaction.

I'm going to practice every day these things that Frenchy has taught us: waking up happy and enjoying the simple things exercise, discipline, and affection every day.

When dogs are bored, they develop issues ranging from anxiety to aggression. But when given a job and a way to contribute to the pack’s well-being, they turn around almost immediately.  As Humans we are no different. We are all called to a purpose.

I am so convicted by Frenchy. As I write this he is rolling on his back with a chew toy and loving life. If I can take a moment to count how blessed I am today I can celebrate as well. There is joy in the mundane events of life. Ask the Spirit of God to reveal that to you today.

What I have learned from Frenchy is to live in the moment. Don’t regret the past or worry about the future.

Don't hold grudges. Give Love Every day and be open to receive Love. Wake up every morning like it's Christmas morning! Be excited to exercise and happy when we are in the car going for a ride!

 I am just  going to take my spiritual mentor Frenchy for a walk and try to be as happy as I can today and every day.

Yogaliscous is Cooking

As fall sets in Mcallen Texas, my yogis and yoginis  do our weekly ritual yoga in the park followed by Farmers Market at Alambra. 

Farmers' Market in McAllen inside the Alhambra Restaurant, Bar, and Hookah Lounge, a market that you may have read about in The Monitor newspaper. I have been invited to come and cook on saturday mornings with Chef James Canter. You might have read about Canter's farm to table dinners.

Anyone that knows me knows that I love to cook and I especially love to cook healthy meals. I am active in Yoga Zumba Dance and MMA boot camp training, but do you know how hard it is to eat healthy and turn away the wonderful food South Texas has to offer after a vigorous work out. I have learned to get very creative making healthy meals and some not so healthy meals. South Texas is the only place you can go to a Yoga studio grand opening  be served Roast Beef and Chicken Mole sandwiches with wine.

Cooking is what makes us human. It’s by bringing food to fire that humans have evolved way beyond what would have been possible at the slow pace of natural selection.

As it happens, the yogis of the Vedas had a similar idea. As Douglas Brooks likes to remark, the word “yoga” is first used in the Rg Veda in the compound “Yogakshema“, which is to say that Yoga is Cooking. Yoga is the process by which we take the raw ingredients of ourselves and, by bringing the fire of our passions into the fire of our practice. You already have all of the raw ingredients you need, so just light the fire to begin cooking!

The Texas Food Revolution is the Texas Valley's hottest weekly food celebration. You'll find so much at farmers market. Get meats, vegetables and farm eggs grown and raised within a hundred mile radius, plus fresh-squeezed juices, olive-oil tamales, a daring market brunch, French pastries, healthy deserts and other scrumptious treats that support the local small farm and food economy.

Join me Every Saturday at 10am-1pm at the Market at Alhambra, 519 S. 17th, McAllen.