Photo by: Corbis, Mike Kemp/Rubberball

Do you ever wish you could freeze time? Let’s discuss the importance of preserving memories, as you may go out to eat with your family this week, or to a special event. What are you doing with your family and friends this week? Will you take your cell phones with you? What was life like before cell phones? You know there is a cost to popularity or fitting in. I heard someone the other day say, “who doesn’t have a cell phone now?”

You know we all used to do some pretty stupid things when we were young. Some of you may have wore bell bottom pants in the past. I wore them myself sometimes. I am not talking little, but big bell bottoms. Oh, they were ugly. Why did I wear them? They were popular. Why did so many of you buy pet rocks in the past. You know the rock you could name, pet it, and give it pet rock food and talk to it every day. It was stupid. People did it to be popular.

Are you more concerned about being popular than standing up for who you are uniquely made to be? Have a passion for the world and your family, but popularity gets in the way? Why do we long to be popular?

Why do we buy a Happy Meal? We want that toy. Then, we are happy. Although 15 minutes later the toy usually breaks. Then, what do you have to do? You have to go back to McDonalds and get another Happy Meal to be happy again. It changes our whole way of thinking from a young child ourselves. We learn to look for things to make us happy. We as adults have toys too, but they are more expensive. Most of the time, we are looking for toys thoughout life to make us continually happy. When that wears out, I will buy another toy, and then when that wears out, then I will buy another toy. Sadly we even take it into our relationships sometimes, treating people like play things or toys. When they do not make us happy, we will get another play thing or adopt another family.

Some of us are so protective of our possessions that we forget what is important. Possessions is not what it is all about. As long as you look for happiness you will never find it. Instead look for times to give to others, then you find happiness. There are many different ways to give back in life. Many of us become consumed with possessions that we consumerism and having the latest things.

What about the old things in life? What about the value of time together compared to the value of the latest cell phone? What is worth more to you? Now don’t get me wrong, I am not saying things are not nice. I have lots of things. However it is amazing how we live in a society that pushes for us to have things, to pamper ourselves. It is amazing that no matter how many things you may have, you can still feel empty.

We here at The Original Time Capsule company value time. Time with your family, friends, elders, youth, co-workers, etc. Leadership and happiness is about going out and helping others. That is more valuable than the latest gizmo that says you are a popular leader in your pack. We either sacrifice our family to our passions, or we sacrifice our passions to our family. What are you willing to give up in order to spend more time with your family and make a difference in the world? Stop protecting your phone, and start protecting your family. Protect them by preserving memories with them. You never know what each day brings.

There is a point to all of this. Spend more time with your family. I am tired of going out to eat and seeing the whole family on their own cell phones, instead of spending the time together discussing their day at work or school. How do you bond with your family, if you are doing it with friends on your cell phone instead? How do you bond and learn to de-stress by talking things out with your family, when you are instead trying to play the latest game on your phone?

I was challenged this weekend and now I pass this challenge on to you. Turn off the TV for one night. Do fun things like they did in the past without a TV. To learn more ideas of things you can do, stay tuned in for out next blog. Ha Ha (“tune in”) Pun intended.

A time capsule is all about preserving time. Many times we want to freeze time. Many times we don’t know what we have until it is gone. Don’t wait until it is too late to bond with your children. Make your own Family Time Capsule today with our “Any Occasion” DIY Time Capsule.

Let us know that you too have learned the importance of preserving memories. What would you put in your time capsule to show how you spent your family time together? Comment below.

Making Milestone Moments Count,

– Marcie

The post Importance of Preserving Memories appeared first on Time Capsule | Personalized Gifts.

A Continuation of Milestone Moment: The Secret to Preserving Memories (How I Met My Wife). Read the previous blogs in the category called: Meeting the Love of your Life.

My time with my nieces is precious!  I never seem to have enough.  When I am with them, the time flies by and it is over too soon.  This time was a little different though.  I was actually spending 9 days with them, so it seemed like it went slower.  On Sunday morning, they were all getting ready for church, and I decided to check my email.  It had been several days and I really wanted to know if FaithfulGodChaser had sent me an email.  To be honest, I really didn’t expect it.  In my mind, I was thinking about all the reasons that I had given her not to email me.  You see, I had told the truth about my life. . . I told her about being divorced and expected that a “good girl” like her would not be interested in even a friendship with someone like me.  I was shocked when I opened my email . . . There it was.

I had butterflies in my stomach as I opened it up.  What would it say?  Would she be kind?  Would she tell me to go away?  I began to read her email.  I didn’t even realize until later that I was biting my bottom lip with anticipation.  After reading a paragraph, I looked to see if this was a short or a long email . . . To my pleasant surprise, it was huge!  It took me about 30 minutes to finish reading the email.  As I was closing it down, my youngest niece, Sydni, (Spelled, S-Y-D-N-I-With a dot!  You do not forget her dot, or she will not be happy with you!) asked me what I was doing.  I told her that I was reading an email from a girl I just met online.  Even at the age of 4, she understood what this meant and she made sure the whole house knew!  Uncle Mark has a girlfriend! Uncle Mark has a girlfriend!

While my relationship with the girl I now knew as Marcie was far from being a “real relationship” the taunts from the children in the house went on all day.  “Mark and Marcie, sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G!”  We all know the song.  We have all sung it at one point in our lives.  I must admit, it is a little different when you are a grown man, hearing these childhood taunts.  It had been 6 or 7 years since I had been in any kind of relationship, and it felt good to know that this was even a possibility.

It took me a couple of days to find the time to email her back.  I stayed up late on the last night that I was there in order to send a response.  I needed to think without all the tormenting from my favorite girls in the world.  I carefully answered her questions and posed a few of my own.  This girl seemed to have a lot of things in common with me.  She was not interested in a romantic relationship, and frankly, neither was I.  This was my first attempt after being divorced.  There was still a lot of hurt there.  While emailing with her was fun, it also brought up a lot of hurt and pain.

I drove home in quiet reflection of the email I had received while there.  I thought about who this person is and what she had said.  I knew in my heart that we would be good friends.  I knew that God had brought her into my life for a reason.  I knew that my life would never be the same just because we had talked.  But I didn’t know how true those thoughts really were . . .

It would be interesting to journal about my anxiety levels (as they were very high at this point in our relationship), and watch them fall as I got to know my future wife better. Now that is a journal that would be helpful to read to my future child, to explain what it is like meeting “the one” you will marry eventually. What a fun journal to save in a time capsule. Let’s face it, it can be scary meeting someone we do not know, let alone someone online. Here is a helpful website to help you write your first (milestone moment) email back to that special someone, like I did. Check out these tips at http://www.match.com/magazine/article/8753/Send-A-Standout-Email/.

Have fun getting to know each other. Remember it is important to be friends first. Start your life story of how you met with a journal like this at https://www.etsy.com/listing/130915450/memories-from-the-day-we-met-5-x-7?ref=market. Save this journal in your Wedding Time Capsule, to open up years later (like at your 25th Anniversary) to read again, and cry or laugh together as you reminisce. Save your emails you write back and forth together, as you get to know each other, then read them years later after you get married. What a milestone moment that day will be for you both, as you reminisce and reflect on what life was like the year you first met or emailed each other.

Where did you first meet your spouse? Comment below. We love to hear your stories too.

Making Milestone Moments Count,

www.timecapsule.com

The post Keep your Personal Journals & Save your Emails – Priceless Moments appeared first on Time Capsule | Personalized Gifts.

Learn how to show love to others on Valentine’s Day. Be the best at what matters most in whatever you do daily….Love. Love is what matters most in our daily life walk with our spouse, child, job, social time with friends, etc. We are all surprised when we receive letters in the mail, let alone a love letter from someone who deeply cares about us.

We here at The Original Time Capsule Company want to write our customers a love letter and say thank you with this blog of helpful ideas, on how you too can share love with others around you every day. Many milestone moments come from special days of showing or giving love to others whether through acts of service, friendship, laughter, support, acceptance, etc.

Valentine’s day is advertised as a day to sell candy, flowers, gifts, etc. We, at The Original Time Capsule company do not want you to forget that love, the main ingredient associated with Valentine’s day, needs to be the focus in everything we do, every day, not just on this holiday. Currently this world is so consumed with social media, working faster, harder, their status, and whether or not someone gave them a “Like.” This Valentine’s Day, we want you to slow down and push the “Love” button with friends and family.

Not everyone has that special someone to celebrate with on Valentine’s day, but everyone can love someone or something else on this day. Many times, we forget what it means to be loved, and need helpful tips or ideas of how to show that to someone else. Valentine’s Day can be helpful for that, especially for the guys who do not like this holiday.

For the Spouses – Show Love:

Do your best at showing love to your spouse. Not everyone is created equal. We each have different ways of showing love. Do your best at what matters most this holiday, and spend time and show love with someone or something you care about. See this helpful list of ideas of how to love your special someone on February 14. See these ideas at http://www.familylife.com/articles/topics/holidays/featured/valentines-day/25-valentines-day-ideas-for-couples#.Uvf35E2YaM8. It is never too late to get your decorative Wedding Time Capsule and fill it with old mementos from your wedding day, to open years later on a special anniversary date or a Valentine’s Day years from now. What a great way to show love and reminisce about what your love and life looked like the year you were married. Get this decorative and unique Wedding Time Capsule for a great Valentine’s gift at http://www.timecapsule.com/product/weddingtimecapsule/.

For the Family – Show Love:

Do your best, at what matters most – Spending time and showing love to your family and children. Many times children are listening, even when we do not think they are listening. I remember pressing my ear against my parent’s door, listening in on conversations secretly. Make sure your children hear the most important message of all this holiday…I Love You with these unique activities at http://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/1028393/unique-things-to-do-with-your-kids-this-valentines-day

For the Job – Show Love:

Do your best, at showing love in your job. Others, who may be looking up to you, or looking to move you up the ladder watch and notice your acts of love toward your job and others around you. It is in our best interest to show love at our jobs daily to others, which in turn gives love back to ourselves. It is easier to be around others when you show love to them, even when you do not feel like it. Here are some other great ideas of how to show your co-workers love. http://www.reporter-times.com/entertainment/parade/living/want-your-coworkers-to-love-you-try-these-tips/article_3c128fb7-bc16-5458-b6f0-6b4f60108dcf.html

For the Friends – Show Love:

Do you best, at what matters most when you are single on Valentine’s Day – Spending time with friends. It is vital to continue to give to yourself, so that you can continue to give love to others around you daily. So go spend time with yourself or friends and love on them with the helpful ideas from http://www.yourtango.com/2014206743/single-valentines-day-ideas-youll-love

Instead of making excuses why not to have Valentine’s Day, make excused to do your best and show love everyday with your spouse, family, job, friends, and yourself. Pay it forward – Love.

Instead:
– Make the excuse to spend much needed time with your hubby.
– Make the excuse to eat chocolate with friends and family
– Make the excuse to relax and enjoy a hobby away from your kids
– Make the excuse to slow dance in your living room, write a love letter, or record a video to say I love you to your spouse, friends, children, co-worker and thank them for all they have done and how they have shown you love.

Please leave a comment below on what you did for this Valentine’s week to push the “Love” button on someone else, and how you plan to show “Love” every day. We, “Like” that, as Facebook would say, but where is the “Love” it button when we need it.

Valentine’s Day – Do your best…

For more great ideas, check out our other blogs. They are sure to inspire you. If you are getting married this Valentine’s day, do not forget to get the unforgettable gift of the Wedding Time Capsule to help create lasting memories. Get it at www.timecapsule.com. Have family and friends fill out the “Message to the Future” letters included in the Wedding Time Capsule. Give your ideas, to the happy couple, of what you did to keep your marriage alive on Valentine’s day.

Making Milestone Moments Count,

– Marcie
The Original Time Capsule Co.
www.timecapsule.com

The post How to Show Love to Others on Valentine’s Day – Do Your Best appeared first on Time Capsule | Personalized Gifts.

Someday I will…Your someday starts today…accomplishing your goals.

We have all said it, “Someday I will ____________.” Fill in the blank. As we grow up or meet different people, it is interesting the different goals that life’s path gives us. Sadly, many of us get caught up in this microwave, instant world of daily grind, and we rarely have time to do the things that we wish we could do “someday.” My Somedays… Someday I will complete a scrapbook.

Someday I will learn to ride a horse.

Someday I will eat dinner at a table.

Someday I will buy a new car.

We all want to know how to accomplish your dream goals. We here at The Original Time Capsule company, are very purpose driven. There are many great books out there discussing this topic, like “The One Thing” by Gary Keller, but we want you to capture your goals in a time capsule. Then we want you to set a goal date to open the time capsule, and see how much you have accomplished 25 years later.

What a way to congratulate yourself from where you have come in the past. You can also celebrate, as you look at those meaningful gifts from inspiring people you met throughout your life, to help motivate you to work toward those goals, like a certificate you earned at a job, your promotional letter, a plaque, degree, ect (all of which you keep in your time capsule) and display proudly in your home or work office.

Keep your daytimer planner and goals/tasks book for one year of work or life, to tell you 25 years from now when you open your time capsule, what all you did and what life was like then. When you open that time capsule, you will realize that you achieved your “someday,” that day.

“A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step.” — Lao Tzu

Now there is a fortune cookie message to keep in your time capsule. Read more about this topic: Achieve Your Dreams: 6 Steps to Accomplish Your Goals and Resolutions By Susan M. Heathfield at: http://humanresources.about.com/od/strategicplanning1/a/goal_setting.htm

May all your dreams come true “today” not “someday!”

Making Milestone Moments Count,

www.timecapsule.com

The post Accomplish Your Dream Goals appeared first on Time Capsule | Personalized Gifts.