In this June issue- and who can believe we at the half way point to the year already! - here's what we'll cover;

* Ulcers - who needs 'em?
* A Rainy day from a kids perspective
* Starbucks- want one?
* Two top picks for reading this Summer

Yes, I know it sounds crazy but ulcers really do us a service if we ‘listen’ to our bodies.

Last week I called a dear friend only to hear something not quite right in her voice. She certainly didn’t sound like her old cheery self. I asked what’s wrong, and that opened the flood gates. She told me how her boss was making not only her, but several other colleagues lives miserable. This had been apparently going on for two years or more. Not to let anyone think poorly of her, she bit the bullet and went to work everyday anyway. The situation only worsened. Finally, real physical ailments developed. She felt crushed emotionally and physically.

In truth she had sold her soul. She said she couldn’t go on. “Good”, I said “that ulcer caught your attention, now what do you plan to do?” So we had a little talk. I helped her see that going on leave was not quitting. It was standing up for herself. Her closest colleague had put in her papers for leave the day before. Imagine that ?! I said she could create a loud statement to the powers that be, that if the two best gals find they must leave to stay sane, something is out of balance. I also helped her see that the consequences her boss had created were a direct result of his prior actions- not hers. In a nutshell; don’t own what is not yours.

Has this ever happened to you or to someone you know? Encourage them to stop worrying about what others may think ; encourage them instead to take a pro-active move for themselves. Left unchecked ulcers are just the start of a host of physical problems – who needs that? Love what you do, and do what you love. Simple recipe, isn’t it?

A wise man once said that ‘one person doesn’t make a team- yet one person can most definitely break a team’. Something to remember.
I called her today- she’s back to her old happy self, feeling like a ton has been lifted off her shoulders. A happy ending from something that started with an ulcer!

A good friend of mine, Blaine in Edmonton, sent this to me the other day. It has been on the web for a while, but still good to read again ... enjoy ~


A little girl had been shopping with her Mom in Target. She must
have been 6 years old, this beautiful red haired, freckle faced image
of innocence. It was pouring outside. The kind of rain that gushes
over the top of rain gutters, so much in a hurry to hit the earth it has no time to flow down the spout. We all stood there under the awning and just inside the door of the Target.

We waited, some patiently, others irritated because nature messed
up their hurried day. I am always mesmerized by rainfall. I got lost
in the sound and sight of the heavens washing away the dirt and dust of the world. Memories of running, splashing so carefree as a child came pouring in as a welcome reprieve from the worries of my day.

The little voice was so sweet as it broke the hypnotic trance we
were all caught in "Mom let's run through the rain," she said.

What?" Mom asked.
Lets run through the rain!" She repeated.

No, honey. We'll wait until it slows down a bit," Mom replied.
This young child waited about another minute and repeated: "Mom,
let's run through the rain,"
We'll get soaked if we do," Mom said.


No, we won't, Mom. That's not what you said this morning," the
young girl said as she tugged at her Mom's arm.
This morning? When did I say we could run through the rain and
not get wet?
Don't you remember? When you were talking to Daddy about his
cancer, you said, 'If God can get us through this, he can get us through anything!"

The entire crowd stopped dead silent. I swear you couldn't hear
anything but the rain. We all stood silently. No one came or left
in the next few minutes.
Mom paused and thought for a moment about what she would say. Now some would laugh it off and scold her for being silly. Some might even ignore what was said. But this was a moment of affirmation in a young child's life. A time when innocent trust can be nurtured so that it will bloom into faith.

Honey, you are absolutely right. Let's run through the rain. If
GOD let's us get wet, well maybe we just needed washing," Mom said.


Then off they ran. We all stood watching, smiling and laughing as
they darted past the cars and yes, through the puddles. They held
their shopping bags over their heads just in case. They got soaked. But they were followed by a few who screamed and laughed like children all the way to their cars.

And yes, I did. I ran. I got wet. I needed washing.


Circumstances or people can take away your material possessions,
they can take away your money, and they can take away your health. But no one can ever take away your precious memories...So, don't forget to make time and take the opportunities to make memories everyday.
To everything there is a season and a time to every purpose under
heaven.

I HOPE YOU STILL TAKE THE TIME TO RUN THROUGH THE RAIN.

Don't know about you , but I love to grab a great book and head out to my sun deck to enjoy it on sunny days in Summer. So, if you have a title of a wonderful, enriching book with a message ~ please e-mail me with the title & author, and why it spoke to you.

I'll pass it on to our readers for next month- AND I'll send you a Starbucks Gift Card! as a thank you.
cathy@coachingwithcathy.com

You have to include your full name
& your complete snail mail address
so I can mail the Starbucks Gift Card to you.

Because I haven't figured out how to send them in an E-mail :)
This offer good to the first 7 replies only ~ hurry !