Prologue If you have begun to feel like these passing years have filled your mind with fear and doubt and anxiety and remorse and there is no room for joyful memories; it's a new day We're starting over... right here, in this room with the very things we have to work with, we are going to begin again. What do all these very big issues have to do with your home? Everything Your home is a reflection of how you see yourself It is a point of beginning where you do have control and you can determine the outcome. This is where the fun begins; this is the first step in a joyful journey to a thoughtful approach that will help you discover what feels good to you. We are throwing the traditional rules to the curb and using instinct and emotions to replace strict logic and old school rules. Pick up a pencil and pad and let's make some notes. This is about your feelings; try to prevent logic from overtaking your dreams. You will emerge as an accomplished player in the game of life

"Design is what you do when you want to express yourself..." if you had time, if you knew how, if you could; you would. But where to start? We all reach a time or place in our life when we look around and no longer feel comfortable in our space; a time when it begins to feel constricting, dark, cluttered or unharmonious. Most people do what they have always done before. You clean it up, move a few things around and maybe even paint; but it's still not perfect, just better than it was. What makes the difference between a house and a home? Design. A house may have all the same furniture, accessories and lighting, but it's not a home. Why? Because a home reflects the personalities and passions of the people who reside there. It feels warm and inviting when you step in the door; you recognize that you are in someone's private space, a refuge. And you instinctively feel the honor of being invited into their private space. And it is an honor. Why doesn't your home feel like that? How do they do that? They claim their space; they embrace it, love it and fill it with personal touches that are a reflection of who they are, what they feel, where they go and what matters to them. Walk through the door of any house and, if you are observant, you can tell who lives there and what's important to them by the placement of furniture, pictures and overall look and feel of the space. Look around your home. Does it reflect you? Can you 'feel' you inside the space? Is it a reflection of your life and loves? 'The 1 Minute Design Manager' is a quick reference guide that takes a minute or less for each pointer that will fill your mind with creative and positive ideas to 'take your space', claim it and own it proudly.

The Ohio Reformatory for Women was under siege. The state highway patrol had taken control of the facility. Every cottage was now manned by a state trooper. The entire campus remained under lockdown. She asked the trooper in charge of her dorm if she could make a call. "I don't see a line here; go ahead." She called her attorney and told him what had happened. He was not surprised that the guards had set them up, but he was shocked that she had access to that number and had created all of this chaos. He had not known such a number even existed. He smiled to himself; this is a big damn deal, he thought. He felt this latest sequence of events had only endangered her more; he called the media and gave them a heads up. In this kind of situation, the more public attention that is focused on the facility the more careful they would be. Within fifteen minutes, news choppers filled the air, several TV news trucks were parked at the front gate and newspaper reporters where everywhere.

'How to Create the Best of YOU in Your Home' combines the very best of 'fabulous and affordable' advice from the 'How to Make it Mine' book with the more personal touches found in the 'How to Find YOU in Your Home' book. This two book special offering is jam packed with ideas and practical directions on how to make any space YOUR space, easily, affordably and unimaginably YOU. This book is all about YOU and how to define your space to create harmony, balance and beauty using what you have where you have From the beginning college student to the decorator, this book offers something useful and effective in creating you in your own home. This two year anniversary celebration offer is dedicated to all the DIY creative genius's who routinely look at a spool and see a table; and can find perfect end tables in old wheels. Your reuse, recycle and rebuild attitude inspires the universe

'How to Find the Best...' is a three book special offering that combines 'Bridge Across Tomorrow; Surviving the Game of Life, ' 'Living the Dream' and 'Mundane to Magnificent ' 'Bridge Across Tomorrow' takes a close up and personal look at the best and the worst of life and the challenges and choices we are all faced with at some point. It provides insights, ideas and solutions to the good, the bad and the ugly in our society. This book runs the gauntlet from child abuse, bullying, domestic violence and loss to rebuilding the best of ourselves and regaining the things that matter. It speaks to children and adults, victims and perpetrators. Somehow, it helps us to delve down deep within and find the things we may have forgotten that make us better than we used to be. And then, shows us how to use them. 'Living the Dream, ' How does it happen that babies are born into our world filled with all the hope and promise the gift of life can bring including supreme innocence, and then fall into patterns of behavior that are guaranteed to be self destructive? Placed under the debilitating circumstance of being manipulated and controlled by someone who has fallen into a path of fear and perhaps even evil; we rarely achieve all that we brought with us in our life blueprint. We may be pretty or handsome, we may be strong in many other ways; but our growth and true potential has been limited by someone else's vision or lack of it. If so, the ideas offered in 'Living the Dream' may jog your memory to get back to the blueprint; to bolster the blueprint by remembering the truth And, 'Mundane to Magnificent ' We have all heard the axiom that the longest journey begins with the first step; I believe it is begins before that. I believe that when something matters to us a lot, we harbor a dream, so dare to dream. The dream fans a tiny flame, a pilot light that ignites hope. Hope springs to life when we begin to believe that there might be a way to accomplish the dream. Once we believe in the dream, we begin to realize that dream. "You can start with nothing. And out of nothing, and out of no way, a way will be made" - Michael Beckwith This is a three book special that helps us deal with all the good, the bad and the ugly in our day to day lives

'Bridge Across Tomorrow' takes a close up and personal look at the best and the worst of life and the challenges and choices we are all faced with at some point. It provides insights, ideas and solutions to the good, the bad and the ugly in our society. This book runs the gauntlet from child abuse, bullying, domestic violence and loss to rebuilding the best of ourselves and regaining the things that matter. It speaks to children and adults, victims and perpetrators. Somehow, it helps us to delve down deep within and find the things we may have forgotten that make us better than we used to be. And then, shows us how to use them.

The donkey dug his heels in and refused to move another step. The farmer, a country man who had been living off his land for many years, was frustrated and angry. The animal was refusing to move forward into the barn, fearing the strange sensation of his long ears brushing the top of the barn. He pushed and slapped the donkey's side with his straw hat, attempting to scare him forward. But the animal refused to budge another inch. The farmer had no time for such foolishness. A car was approaching the barn; likely another customer from his unattended vegetable stand out front. Drat this animal He silently pondered the situation; no wonder they called them mules The late model Mercedes came to a stop; a man who appeared to be in his mid 40's stepped out of the car, folding his suit jacket over his arm. "Hello, are you the owner of the fresh vegetable operation out front?" "If you're talking about that vegetable stand then yes, I am. I'm stuck here behind this darned animal. He's afraid to go into the barn because his ears keep clipping the top of the barn " The man, an engineer by trade, walked over to the donkey and stood looking at him quietly for a moment. "Do you have an idea as to how you can get him in?" "If I did, I wouldn't be standing here, now would I?" "Why don't we try digging a slight decline out under that doorway so his ears won't brush the top of the barn?" "Now ain't that just like a college preppie like yourself," the farmer muttered in disgust "It ain't his legs that are too long, it's his ears " And so it is with mankind; we build science fiction stories about time machines and create all kinds of complicated scenarios about time travel, many arriving at the conclusion that the people who believe in these stories are loons. We refuse to accept that there is a simple method available to every human being; one that we brought with us into our life fully equipped to use. Some may curiously examine the concept of time travel, but most simply do not believe it exists outside the big screen science fiction dramas. If it were possible and that simple, wouldn't everyone be doing it? Of course; they are.

Look up; stare at the sky above you. What do you see? In the light of day we see the sun, light fluffy clouds and dark ominous clouds, and storm fronts as they move across our horizon. As you stare at the sky do you believe that the stars are still there; that the moon and all that exists in our universe is still there, even though it may not be visible to you in the light of day? Most people accept this as truth. Why; because we have experienced seeing them in the darkness, and we remember... Drop your eyes to the horizon line now. Infinity seems to have an ending; a clearly defined line where it all seems to stop. Yet, if we 'go the distance' we learn that a new horizon line is established, and that the line we were sure existed from our previous vantage point was just an illusion. What is real? And what is the purpose of the path we walk; the life journey we have embarked upon? So many times this question has been asked. Mankind is still searching for the answer and usually become very determined when they suddenly feel they can find no purpose in their life.This creates a sense of hopelessness; the very idea that we have spent years and years aimlessly walking a path that leads nowhere would be a discouraging pursuit. It is likened to standing in the darkness; a moonless night where there is nothing visible; no hope at all. Yet, way down deep within us, a strong denial of this takes hold. We know it isn't so We search for the things we do know; the undeniable truths that we have kept as sacred to make sound judgments about important issues. It is undeniable that light dispels darkness. In the longest, darkest tunnel a single candles' flickering flame is all that is required to lead up through the tunnel and out of the darkness. And, mankind is drawn to the light naturally. We know, way down deep, that it is the way through whatever we are facing. It is an integral part of us from the first moment that we received that first breath of life. We do have a purpose with a very directed path and a plan to achieve our purpose. We did not arrive on our life journey, thrown by the winds of the universe to be held captive by our fears and inability to see ahead or successfully navigate the journey. Long before that first breath there was tremendous preparation for this journey. We were assisted by the wisdom of the wisest sages, guardians who agreed to walk with us and guides who agreed to assist us in reaching the pinnacle of success in this journey. We did not start this alone and we will not end it alone. ..". For Lo, I will be with you, even to the end." We knew this then; it gave us the courage to embark, and we still remember at some primal level, that we came with a plan and were endowed with all that we require to complete that plan successfully.

Three Parables is the culmination of the Parable Series. It began with 'Maybe I'll Count the Stars' released in December 2012, followed by 'Journey' and 'Living the Dream' both released in 2013. The parables provide an insight to what may have been our plan we embarked on the journey of life and then how to successfully navigate the path we have chosen.

How does it happen that babies are born into our world filled with all the hope and promise the gift of life can bring including supreme innocence, and then fall into patterns of behavior that are guaranteed to be self destructive? Placed under the debilitating circumstance of being manipulated and controlled by someone who has fallen into a path of fear and perhaps even evil; we rarely achieve all that we brought with us in our life blueprint. We may be pretty or handsome, we may be strong in many other ways; but our growth and true potential has been limited by someone else's vision or lack of it. If so, the ideas offered in 'Living the Dream' may jog your memory to get back to the blueprint; to bolster the blueprint by remembering the truth

... Remember that all that you discover is filtered through the lens of your own experiences. Every soul who embarks on their journey should be free to search for information as they will; but also should remain free to search not from the ideas and beliefs that others have provided to them in their life journey, but to search deep within themselves and find what is comfortable and real truth to their own soul. It is this that they should embrace as truth. At soul level, there is only truth; and to each, there exists their own truth that only they will recognize. It is a great disservice to lead others only to a path that you recognize as truth.

I am reminded of a great quote from my friend Og Mandino in his book, 'The greatest Miracle in the World' "Most humans, in varying degrees, are already dead. In one way or another they have lost their dreams, their ambitions, and their desire for a better life. They have surrendered their fight for self-esteem and they have compromised their great potential. They have settled for a life of mediocrity, days of despair and nights of tears..." Pay close attention to songs that won't go away from your mind, to what is happening or what you are thinking about when you hear them; pay attention to the little things that most people miss, and you will find that you have connected, even while you are awake, with those who are traveling on this journey with you; the guides who bring you gifts of enlightenment, security and protection, hope and unquestioning love. Life is an amazing journey if you are able to recognize your companions along the way

Richard was the darling of Dallas entrepreneurs as his new company rose to the heights of the tech industry. His beautiful young family was the toast of society; his life the American Dream, until it all came crashing down under the fraud of the banking industry and Wall Street. With his company in tatters and his home in foreclosure he found himself out on the streets, divorced and defiant. His journey takes him to the streets and finally to living with the mass of homeless people in Cleveland Ohio on a snowy Christmas morning. His gift to himself was the purchase of gun to end his life. Follow Richards remarkable journey back to a new dream as he pursues a new love who proves to be elusive and perfect to complete him.

Slowly, she took the blinders off, and then carefully removed the rose colored glasses. She blinked her eyes rapidly; the light was blinding She had started with a dream and lived a nightmare; she was creating a new one It would happen the moment she agreed to dream a new dream She heard a sight rustling and the whispered words, ever so gently blowing in the wind, "Remember you are simply moving to a lower vibration on the physical plane. This is your experience; remember to dream the good dream. We are only separated if you believe it to be so. Call on us and we will be there to counsel and guide you. " And so it came to pass... that the dream was showing severe signs of wear and tear as it drifted about her mind, tattered and torn from years of holding on. The weary hand finally released the last vestige of the tenuous hold that had once been so mighty. Like a feather it drifted into the wind and then, caught by a sudden breeze, it lifted, disappearing into the distant horizon. Expecting the gut wrenching pain she had endured with every failure, she was stunned to feel the lightheartedness that engulfed her. And then came the dawning realization that... Holding on had caused the pain