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CONSIDER THIS with Annette Petrick

Timely perspectives on life, love, friends, family, giving back, and giving thanks

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Inspiration

Entertainment Talent

Entertainment Talent
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Backstory – Entertainment Talent

Curious, I looked up the show business careers of several winners of America’s talent shows.  Not many stayed at the top, after being discovered.  Just having a good voice or being a good musician was not enough.  So what does assure the path to stardom?   Let’s take a look.

Consider This Show – Talent

Click to listen or follow below to read.

Talent –  #423

Who could have guessed that there was so much untapped entertainment talent out there in our country? 

When you watch early auditions on talent shows like American Idol, you have to wonder what some people were thinking when they decide to try out. How could they possibly believe that the screechy voice or the bellowing screams they emit qualify them as singers?  Who told them they sound good? Nasty friends?  Kind parents?  Wishful thinking?

But once the nincompoops are weeded out, oh my, what a field of talent.

Of course success will involve so much more than simply a good voice.  Will they have the stamina to keep up with the demands of stardom?  Will they have the right professional guidance to help them choose the right songs, the right auditions, the right looks and quotes and publicity?

Will they avoid the temptations that take so many fine artists down the road to destruction?

Will they manage to keep close, those who love them and treat people fairly? Do they really know what they are getting into when they decide to accept celebrity? Is it worth it?

We cheer them on and wish them well and watch them evolve right before our eyes.

Destined for stardom, tragedy . . . or both. 

[Show #423]

Filed Under: Advice and Encouragement, Love and Kindness Tagged With: Inspiration, life lessons, stardom, success, talent

Gifts from the Heart

collector
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It was the early 1800s and a young couple newly married had lots of love, but very little money. As they face their first Christmas together, he strokes her beautiful, waist length auburn hair and wonders how he can possibly afford a Christmas gift for her that is worthy of all the happiness she has brought him.

As she watches him dress for work, opening his pocket watch to check the time, she is filled with love and wants desperately to show it by getting him a gift for Christmas that he will treasure.

On Christmas eve, he arrives home and she is still hurrying about preparing a special dinner, a scarf covering her head and an apron protecting her dress.

He pulls her to the couch and hands her the gift he chose for her – a beautiful sterling silver hair ornament that he envisioned holding her lovely hair high on her head.  She presents her gift to him – a gold watch fob for the pocket watch that he treasures so.

He sheepishly admits he no longer has the watch.  He sold it to buy her hair clip. She slowly removes the scarf from her head, revealing short cropped hair. She cut and sold her flowing locks to buy the watch fob.

The physical gifts were now useless to each of them. But the love with which they were acquired will see them through, whatever lies ahead.

May your Christmas be merry and full of love.

[Show #466]

Filed Under: Advice and Encouragement, Love and Kindness Tagged With: gifts, Inspiration, life lessons, thoughtful

Spring: The Chance To Start Over

Spring chance to start over
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This is a guest post about one of our Consider This episodes written by my friend, Elizabeth Cottrell, as it originally appeared on her blog at Heartspoken.com. If you want to read the full transcript of the show, CLICK HERE.


 

“What a gift spring is!”

Thus begins Annette Petrick in one of her wonderful “Consider This” radio spots. She zeroed in on what is most precious and powerful about the season of Spring: it is a time for awakening, for new growth, for renewal.

“Springs seems to be God’s way of assuring us that we can all start over,” she suggests.

And my heart whispers, “Yes!”

Yes to all the possibilities of new ideas to explore, new connections to make, new lives to touch.

Use the audio player above to listen to this 90-second radio spot and then answer this question: What’s waiting for a new start in your life?


Happily Annette has created a collection of these wonderful shows on her Consider This CD – Vol. I : A Heartwarming Collection About Life and Love. We’ve made it available at Heartspoken, either from this page or among our “Gifts That Inspire.” 

The CD contains more than two dozen tracks with messages and lessons in short (less than two minutes long), easy-listening format. Track themes include Mothers, Friends, Coping with Life, Women, Spectrums of Love, Opportunity, and Lessons from Life. Whether you purchase the CD in its beautiful booklet case or in a deluxe boxed gift set, you’ll get the code to download a free 28-page bonus book with expanded writings on themes on the CD, photos, and the author’s personal story of life and love.

The CONSIDER THIS CD – VOL. 1 is the Perfect Gift:

  • to celebrate
  • to encourage
  • to comfort
  • to enjoy
  • to reward yourself
  • to show SOMEONE SPECIAL how much you care
Consider This CD
Consider This CD Vol. I

 0007 Consider This CD – Vol. I – $14.95 ($3.00 shipping for up to five.)

Call 540-436-3969 or email Elizabeth at e…@heartspoken.com if you need more than five)

CD in lovely booklet-style jacket and enclosed secret code to download free Bonus PDF Book

 

 

 

Consider This CD in gift box
Consider This CD Vol. I in Deluxe Boxed Gift Set

0008 Consider This CD – Vol. I in Deluxe Gift Box –  $16.95 ($3.00 shipping for up to five)

Call 540-436-3969 or email Elizabeth at e…@heartspoken.com if you need more than five)

CD and its jacket nestled inside a deluxe red gift box, ribbon tie, with a personalized gift card and enclosed secret code to download the free Bonus PDF Book

 

This wonderful CD is the perfect stocking stuffer, teacher gift and gift swap gift. Order today and order in quantity.

If you have any ordering issues, email Elizabeth at e…@heartspoken.com or call her at 540-436-3969. Ask about special quantity pricing.

Filed Under: Advice and Encouragement, Love and Kindness Tagged With: Inspiration, life lessons, nature

Decisions You Make

decisions you make
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Today, you will have decisions to make: whether to get up now or sleep another hour. . . what to have for breakfast. . . what to wear. . . whether to take that phone call as you’re ready to walk out the door or not.

Each of those decisions seem inconsequential. You may make them by rote without even really thinking about them. But the chain of those decisions becomes your life.

How well you live that life depends on the decisions you make. Some people are very good at making decisions, and their life thrives.  Others – not so much.

That’s when we hear the excuses about what went wrong: it was the economy. . . a bad start in life. . . not enough education. . . parents who did not care.

But the truth is . . . every one of us has the right – and obligation – to make good decisions to keep our lives running in the right direction. YOU have control, regardless of the economy or your schooling or your parents.

Making the right decision is not always easy.  You may not have immediate gratification.  It may take years to get where you want to be. You may have detours or false starts that need do-overs.

But It’s never too late to start making the right decisions. Something to think about.

[Show #451]

Filed Under: Advice and Encouragement, Love and Kindness Tagged With: Decisions, Inspiration, life lessons, lifestyle

Sharing Something of Value

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 The Chinese have a saying – “When someone shares with you something of value, you have an obligation to share it with others.” You could apply that to many things – knowledge, money, gratitude,  even smiles.

Imagine considering it an obligation to smile at someone else, every time someone smiles at you. The question is whether a smile is something of value. What do you think?

I remember hearing that a smile is an instant face lift. And indeed, a smiling face is so much more attractive than one with a frown drawn on it.

Watch attractive elderly women. They know the secret of the face-lifting smile.  You will rarely see them without a smile on their lips.  And you can’t help thinking how lovely they are.

What else do you receive of value that should be shared?

We Americans are generous with sharing our wealth; from donations to the Red Cross and Salvation Army, to funding of Wounded Warrior to individual help provided anonymously when we hear there is a need. To those who receive much, much is expected.

We seem to have learned the Chinese lesson well, although it never hurts to be reminded.

 

[Show #450]

Filed Under: Advice and Encouragement, Love and Kindness Tagged With: Inspiration, life lessons, lifestyle, smiles, values

Hearing God

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Hearing GodThe man whispered, “God, speak to me: and a meadowlark sang. But, the man did not hear.

So the man yelled, “God, speak to me” and the thunder rolled across the sky. But, the man did not listen.

The man looked around and said, “God, let me see you.” And a star shone brightly. But the man did not see.

And the man shouted, “God, show me a miracle.” And a baby was born. But, the man did not notice.

So, the man cried out in despair, “Touch me God, and let me know you are here.” Whereupon, God reached down and touched the man. But, the man brushed the butterfly away and walked on.

I found this to be a great reminder that God is always around us in the little and simple things that we take for granted… even in our electronic age.

So, I would like to add one more:
The man cried, “God, I need your help!” And an e-mail arrived reaching out with good news and encouragement. But, the man deleted it and continued crying.

That email that just lifted your heart with its loving sentiments – – Did it just occur out of the blue? Or was it the act of a power larger than we, a power that shows us miracles daily, if we just watch and listen and believe.

[#439]

Filed Under: Advice and Encouragement, Love and Kindness Tagged With: contemporary, God, Inspiration, religion

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