My Secret Dream (you might not believe it)

More than two decades ago I spotted a jackrabbit, and it led me to do quite a few crazy things. I saw it; and it caused me to spend grocery money on odd items (like more than a hundred seminars and countless success programs). It caused me to stay up late and go for days without stopping for a decent meal. Then, after seven years of chasing it, it was mine.

What do you suppose could cause me to behave this way? A mansion? A Mercedez? A giant diamond ring?

Believe it or not, it was simply the privilege of having time to put my house in order. Housekeeping. The joy of homemaking. Mothering. Wifering. Keeping my family running smoothly without concerns about money. That's what drove me.

Ever since I was a little girl, I looked forward to all of it. But nothing of the picture I painted in my mind had anything to do with bills piling up. So when my husband and I became parents and found ourselves consumed with worry over money issues, I knew that even though I had achieved the wife and mother part, I hadn't completely achieved my dream until I could let go of money concerns and clean my house and read to my kids and take life at a pace that was peaceful. Even when my husband's work paid really well, I couldn't stop worrying about long-term financial security.

So like I said, after seven years of chasing that rabbit, the ability to slow down and put my house in order was mine. But I didn't stop to enjoy it like I thought I would have... because the minute I caught that rabbit, my heart changed.

Suddenly I felt consumed with passion for helping others experience the breakthrough we had enjoyed. So the orderly home once again had to wait. I saw images of other mothers who were seeking the same thing as I had wanted all those years, and I saw myself in a unique position to bring what we had learned to people of all backgrounds in a new and unique way.

Essentially, I spotted another rabbit.

This new rabbit caused me to to spend money on odd items (like more than $100,000 in more advanced seminars and business development programs). It caused me to stay up late and go for days without stopping for a decent meal. It made me bend over a computer for thousands of hours to tearfully learn web development and write books and articles. It caused me to talk to people who intimidated me and cancel social commitments that weren't going to help me obtain it. It caused me to lose sleep, and even after a long days of chasing it, it still made me lay awake at night.

I learned once again that on the way to accomplishing anything good of significance, it is common for things to first get messier. As Price Pritchett described in his book You2 (You Squared), in the middle of a life-saving surgery it would appear that there has been a murder in the room.

So it was with me as I worked to create something that would help me help others have financial peace of mind. Trevan was more free to help me raise all these kids, and after so many years of laundry piling up while I worked at the computer, and after so many years of spills waiting for days to be cleaned up, and living in rooms where you couldn't even see the floor, you have no idea how much joy I get out of slowing down, enjoying my kids, and cleaning my house!

It is living the dream to spend an hour or two at bedtime reading with my kids. It's living the dream to stay caught up on laundry. It is a PRIVELEDGE to vacuum the floor, or to discuss with my fifteen year-old his French Revolution assignment. It's a JOY to organize the pantry, and go through the kids' drawers to pull out the articles of clothing that don't fit anymore. It's a dream come true to fold the towels and put them on the shelf before they're needed again! I LOVE to load the dishwasher and see the counters wiped clean!

On occasion we've had hired help. It's nice to have a clean house without lifting a finger. But I've discovered that there's something I get - psychic income of sorts - when I'm the one personally responsible for the home being orderly. Maybe it's because I went for so long not having time to do it even when I wanted to.

Maybe I'll do it enough that I'll eventually get it out of my system and hire help again so that my time can be spent on more meaningful contributions. But for now, I'm living my dream and loving it.

So you see, it doesn't matter what your dream is... it's yours to pursue and enjoy and it doesn't have to be anything that impresses anyone else. I'd also like to point out that sometimes one rabbit leads to other rabbits that help you make a greater contribution and bring you greater joy than if you only stopped to enjoy the first one, and no others.

Anyway, even now we're still very busy, and some of the day-to-day responsibilities fall behind (including housekeeping) when we're gathering new rabbits as they come along, but it's interesting to me to remember that the dream of being free to enjoy homemaking was the fuel that was originally responsible for the creation of The Jackrabbit Factor, Hidden Treasures, and everything else we provide at ThoughtsAlive.com.

It's sort of ironic, if you think about it. With that in mind, I can't wait to hear YOUR story when you describe what happens to you as you chase your rabbits, and then what happens after you ultimately catch them. Maybe we should start a new thread on the forums called, "A funny thing happened on the way to my dream..."

One thing is certain: I have had to overcome a LOT of challenges and I've learned a lot of lessons along the way. The most significant lessons learned have been carefully documented and placed in the Family Time & Money Freedom Home Study Course, because Trevan and I vowed that if we ever figured out how to get out of the mess we were in, we'd make it a priority to share what we learned, so that other families wouldn't have to suffer as long as we did.

For example, something important I learned is that the feeling of financial security does not necessarily come from a big pile of money in the bank. Financial security is simply knowing that you are capable of handling whatever comes your way when it comes... and that is something you can have here and now, even before you earn another penny. (I encourage you to just join the 12-week FTMF program so I can really help you learn how it works!)

Having that financial peace of mind then literally prepares you to receive more than you would have received if you had remained in a stressful, worried state of mind. That's just the way it works. Having the right mindset puts you on a thought-frequency to discover solutions to the problems you face. The solution to every problem is only an idea away... and so the money you need in any given moment is closer than most people ever imagine. It all begins with gaining a heightened awareness of the laws of success as introduced in the Jackrabbit Factor Ecourse.

So your dream might not be to clean your own house and read to your kids at night without the nagging thought that you should be doing something to produce income. But whatever it may be, it is possible - or you wouldn't have conceived it in the first place. Do the nutsy things that it leads you to do.

It will pay off... when the time is right, it will pay off... by law it must! And then don't be suprised if you can't help but feel driven to bring others along with you. It's a great adventure and well worth the effort.

Prosperity Perspective: Who Pushed the Apple?

Two brothers sit beneath a tree after a long journey. One is a quantum physicist, the other a theologian. They are both hungry, and soon the wind blows and the tree sheds an armful of fruit.

The physicist says, "How remarkable it is that my thoughts can cause the wind to blow so that the tree would drop these apples."

The theologian says, "How wonderful it is that God heard my prayer and blessed us with these apples!"

The scientist replies, "Well, the apples dropped because of natural law."

The theologian responds, "Ah, but the apples dropped when they did because God heard and answered my prayer."

After bantering back and forth for quite some time, the two brothers parted ways and were brothers no more... and the Great Unseen Force of the Universe, (with all the names it bears) was sad... and preserved the rest of the apples on the tree for creatures bearing softer, purer hearts.

The Law of Attraction is an amazing phenomenon, and it has stirred up quite a controversy between people who want to know how it works in connection with their belief in God, and those who prefer to explore how it works from completely secular sources.

Let me just level the playing field here, so that brothers don't have to part:

Truth Fits. Period.

If something is true, it will not contradict something else that is true. In the case of the falling apples, both explanations fit the experience, so each man may adhere to his own belief without necessarily squelching the other. Nor is either one of them required to adopt the other man's point of view.

They both have apples and should both be grateful. End of argument.

It reminds me of a story I heard of several blind men who were brought to an elephant, having had no previous experience with one. They each described the elephant, and each had something very different to say. One man after reaching forward and feeling the animal's side said, "An elephant is like a wall." Another man holding the elephant's leg said, "No, this is not like a wall at all, an elephant is like a pillar!" Another blind man who had grasped its tail exclaimed, "No, an elephant is like a rope!" One holding a tusk described it as a spear and the one holding its nose described it as a tree branch.

The men continued in a heated argument, each one absolutely certain that he was right and the others had to be wrong, until a wise man was able to explain that they were all right because the elephant did, in fact, have all of the features described.

Life is like the elephant. There are scientific ways to look at life and there are spiritual ways to look at the same life. We understand life best when we consider ALL possible aspects and see how they can fit together.

I've had readers tell me how grateful they are that they have found a place to learn about the law of attraction from a perspective that includes God. Other readers wish I'd do it more, while some wish I'd do it less.

With that in mind, imagine if we were on a field trip to the zoo and the elephant keeper was going to tell us about the elephant. Should we be offended if he neglects to call our attention to the abdomen? Should be be bent out of shape if he talks too much of its head and nose? If he says something about the insides of the elephant, (parts we can't immediately see or prove) should we reject his whole presentation simply because he included something that required some faith to accept?

No, I think we'd just enjoy the presentation and graciously take the parts that provided answers to our own individual questions, leaving the rest without fuss or fanfare.

You'll find people who teach the law of attraction in spiritual terms, and you'll find others who describe it in more scientific terms. Both offer valuable insight that can help all of us improve the quality of our lives.

If religious or spiritual terms offend you, then simply substitute them with terms that fit your frame of reference. Call it Source Energy or Power or the Universe... or whatever keeps you from rejecting good information.

If the lack of spiritual or religious terms makes you nervous, then when you read material from those who use other terms, simply make appropriate substitutions as YOU go along and continue studying material that helps YOU gather all useful information about how life works.

If you think about it, we're all in this together, trying to build a happy life for our families, and we can really learn from one another by building on common ground. In this study of the law of attraction, there is plenty of common ground to build upon.

Personally, I don't see any contradiction. Together, both explanations have helped me understand life better. I believe God created the Universe and uses natural laws to deliver the goods.

It would be absurd to think that when an apple breaks from a tree, God needs to rush over and push it down... fortunately, the law of gravity is already in place.

So I thank God for the goods. Others may thank the laws. In my opinion, both God and natural laws played a part, so I have no argument with the scientist.

When we live in harmony with the law of attraction, the "goods" of His creation will naturally find their way to us. By law they will, and we can depend on it. God understands all of the laws perfectly, and provides counsel in holy writings that supports the more secular descriptions of the phenomenon. I also believe he inspires scientists to discover truth about his creation to help us all improve our quality of life. Again, truth fits.

Quantum physics (and the commentaries in layman's terms) have helped me understand how my thoughts can literally shape my circumstances. Theology has helped me understand who I am and why I'm here on this planet in the first place, and has kept me grounded so that I can use what I've learned as wisely as possible.

The purpose of my business is to help families achieve prosperity through teaching the 7 Laws and how they work... laws that work whether or not a person believes they exist, and whether or not they believe in God.

Gravity pulls an apple to the ground whether or not you believe in the law, and whether or not you believe that a God created it.

When we understand and consciously live in harmony with the laws to build wealth, the prosperity comes just as dependably as the apple falling to the ground when it breaks from the tree.

That the results are dependable does not void the existence of God, nor does giving Him thanks for the resulting prosperity nullify the existence of the laws that delivered it.

For more on this topic, read Hidden Treasures: Heaven's Astonishing Help with Your Money Matters available in Paperback, Audio CDs, or Ebook. A condensed version is also included in the complete and newly updated 60-day Jackrabbit Factor Ecourse (best value!)

To find a mentor who can help take your understanding to the next level from a point of view that YOU can relate with, visit our Mentor Directory.

A Peek Inside the Life of an FTMF Honors Graduate

Ever wonder what's going on inside the FTMF Alumni Forum? We've decided to give you a sneak peek at one of the threads in hopes it will help you make the decision to join us there! We want you to experience the progress that other graduates have experienced, and if this can add to your motivation, then that's what I'm copying it here for:

"Thanks for asking about my final, Tammy. The experience was, of course, amazing, humbling, inspiring, and I think at times unbelievable.

"I struggled with my goal and after submitting it had some back and forth with Leslie in which she sensed my hesitation (she's so intuitive) with my goal because I thought it was.....how do I put this....a pipe dream. :) But in the spirit of Jackrabbit, and being believing, I wrote it up. Well we decided that maybe I should go for a goal I thought would be more within MY power and not the Powers That Be, because lets face it. His time line is always an unknown. So I wrote up a second goal and did not completely disregard the first. I started concentrating on both with more emphasis on the second.

"The first goal was to sell my spec. house, find a buyer for my current house, and find a building lot for my family that was EXACTLY what we were looking for (the list is long). My second goal was to construct the first 15 pages of my web site by a certain date. As you can see two totally different goals. I started working on my web site quite diligently and a funny thing happened; the first goal started falling into place, only better than I could have imagined.

"We miraculously found a building lot that we had never seen before in a subdivision we have driven through COUNTLESS times. It even has trees and some other things we thought were an impossibility. WOW! it was not even for sale. My husband just knocked on the owner's door and started wheeling and dealing. It was amazing. I still have not sold my spec, but a truly amazing thing has happened there. Because the house has not sold we had an opportunity to show it to some land developers and investors who LOVED what we did. They then contracted with my husband to design and build as one of three exclusive builders in a new development! Did not see that coming! We were just trying to expose the house to people to get it sold. There was a dollar amount I wanted to make on our spec home that I listed in my goal. Well, sadly it has taken so long to sell it we have whittled away at all that profit in interest payments. BUT, with this new business opportunity we will far surpass that expected profit. And, I think I may have a buyer for my current home.

"Things are happening almost everyday. When I ordered this course the first of November it was simply to learn more and keep my spirits up. I had no idea what I would learn would bring so much.

"Well, I feel like I am tootin my own horn here. Congratulations to all!

"One thing I would like to hear from all of us having success (and maybe we need a new thread) is this: Is anyone else feeling uncomfortable, aside from elation of course, with their new success? Last night I started to panic that we were actually getting what we wanted and were we ready for it. I do get relief from the home study course where Leslie states this is normal, but I would like to hear from others. Don't get me wrong. I feel so grateful and ready, just an unexpected nervousness as well. I probably just need to get to bed earlier :)"

Start your journey today... or if you're already in the course, don't give up until you've attained Honors Graduate status!

Prosperity Ideal: Unifying the Family

Tonight was our weekly family night, an evening set aside to spend time with the kids and improve our family relationships through activities and instruction. However, more often than we'd like, it's actually the only family argument to open and close with prayer (as songwriter Michael Mclean once lamented). Nevertheless, we persist. We trust that the habit alone serves as an adhesive to help our kids feel like they belong to something important as they grow and prepare to face the world on their own.

Tonight was contentious, probably because of me. Honestly, I didn't feel like "playing." I was in an emotional slump and my head ached (a Law of Rhythm thing). But because it has long been established as a weekly tradition, my kids began asking me what we were going to be doing that evening. Trying to brush the topic aside until I could rest my headache away, my answer was simply, "I just don't know yet."

My 12 year-old begged me to take them to the park for dodge ball... a family favorite. My 15 year-old had too much homework so we compromised and played some in the back yard with him first. Then he was back to the books and the rest of us headed off to the park for some more serious battles.

I loosened up, forgot my headache. Eventually I got off the swingset with the baby and began playing dodge ball, too. Holding the baby helped... the family was gentle when tossing it in my direction, and I won at least one of the rounds. There was still the usual sibling-to-sibling bickerings, but I believe everyone had plenty of fun.

Finally it was time to go home. We gathered to the van and Trevan (my husband) realized that the keys had been locked inside. Nathan suggested we call Jacob to drive them over. But our other set of keys had already disappeared months ago and since we never needed the second set, we had never troubled ourselves with finding or replacing it. Besides, Jacob isn't old enough to drive.

Trevan suggested we say a prayer. We huddled together and he asked God to allow the door to somehow be unlocked so that we wouldn't have to walk the mile home. Then he said, "But if not, help us to enjoy the walk."

The front passenger window was cracked about 2 1/2 inches. First we tried to see if any of the kids' arms were skinny enough and long enough to reach the door lock. No good.

In the front window laying in front of a couple books, we spotted a mechanic's wire claw thing (about two feet long, used for grabbing little things that get dropped inside an engine). I asked Trevan where the keys were and he said they were in the passenger cup holder in the center console. I asked if he thought that wire grabber would be long enough to reach them but it looked pretty short compared to how far we'd have to reach.

It was the only remotely possible option at that point, so we got to work trying to obtain that claw. None of us could reach it through the window crack. Kayli suggested we use one of the badminton rackets that we had brought with us. We first tried to use it to pull the lock up (to no avail). Then we tried to use it to bring the claw closer, but there was a big "Jane Eyre" book on the dash and in the way.

The window opening was about 2.5 inches wide at the top, but only about 1.5 inches at the front bottom - the closest opening to the front dash where the claw rested. Trevan pulled the window down to give me an additional 1/2 inch or so, and though I couldn't reach the claw, I realized I could reach the dash mat. So I grabbed it and pulled it toward me until the claw was within reach.

Next we had to use the claw to reach the keys. But no matter who tried, the closest we could get to the cup holder with that claw was at best 4 inches. We were SO CLOSE! How can we get that close, have so much success getting this far only to have our efforts fail now? There had to be a way.

Trevan discovered that if a person could be elevated, their arm could get into that window opening better and reach a little farther. But there wasn't anything to stand on except the wheel, two feet to the right of where we needed to be. Long story short, we got those keys. After quite a few attempts, we found the perfect combination:

After Trevan and then Nathan tried, I took my turn standing on the wheel, leaning 45 degrees onto Trevan to the left. Nathan supported me from behind so I wouldn't fall backwards off of Trevan. Trevan also pulled the window down enough for me to get my forearm in, and then miraculously my elbow passed through. I was able to reach in far enough to use the grabber to get the keys and bring them out. For a moment there I felt as if my arm might break before having the chance to carefully bring it back out, being in all the way in like that, two feet off the ground leaning at that precarious angle.

Gratefully it all worked out. After a round of "high-fives" we paused to give thanks, and tried to help the kids see that everything we needed had been there all along... we just had to ask, and then get to work finding the right combination. Every failure along the way led us to think of the next idea, one after the other until we found the solution. One thing that we did NOT do, was fret and fuss, moan and complain. We've learned that solutions are best (and sometimes ONLY) discovered by a person who is at peace.

I believe all of life's challenges can be approached and conquered in the same way: Ask for what you want, be prepared to accept "no" for an answer, (be at peace here and now) and then get to work finding the way to make the desired results a reality.

The solution WAS there all along, but only became apparent after a series of frustrating attempts. If we had given up at any point along the way, we would not have discovered it. Not until we had exhausted all possibilities would we have finally tightened our shoelaces and started home on foot... but in any case, our family night was a success because we were unified, if only for 20 or 30 minutes, for a common purpose. It felt great! Coming together like that to solve a problem as a family turned out to be ten times more gratifying than the best game of dodgeball could ever be.

Read more about prosperity principles in action at our Forums!