The Hand of God

I walked into a coffee house the other day
And saw a friend of mine
After chatting for a few minutes
He said…

I love your newsletters
Keep them coming
In fact I used one of your newsletters
To help support a conversation I had recently

I must say
I was surprised yet humbled…

Several years ago a close friend told me…

God is where your shadow falls…

Without realizing it…

We are always touching people…
Making an impression with
The things we say…
The things we do…

My Pop used to say…

Be careful…
People see you before they hear you
You only get one chance to make
A good first impression

I have always carried those words to heart

We happen to take so much of what we do
For granted…

Have you ever been feeling low….
And someone took the time to…
Just listen…
Possibly offer words of encouragement

Have you ever needed a helping hand…
And someone turns up and says…
How can I help you

Have you received a call
From an old friend or acquaintance…
Hey…How are you doing
I was just thinking of you
I wanted to touch base and
See how you are

Listening
Sharing
Giving of yourself
Service to others

This is the hand of God in motion
We are blessed…
To be able to bring it to others

Thank you Jay for the kind words…

Every Day is a Gift…..

Check out the link to our new book…

Beach Etiquette

Available on Amazon
https://beachetiquettebook.com/

A perfect gift for family and friends ….

Thank you for your referrals

In The Moment

I hope you had a nice holiday….

It seems like a lot of planning goes into
The Christmas celebrations and then…
In a blink of an eye
The holidays slip by…

Our family was able to get together a few times
During the holiday season

I found myself eating…
Way too much and thinking…

All the time I put toward healthy eating
Trying to maintain my weight all year
Just… went out the window

I hid my scale…

I think I will start dieting tomorrow…

Now it is back to reality…

2019 kicks off and I am excited about…
The possibilities

For the last 35+ years
I start each year
By going on a retreat

I approach each retreat with
No expectations…

However….I find Malvern has always been
A humbling experience

Our lives are so fast paced
We find ourselves running in 10 different directions
Constantly putting out fires

Our minds are racing…
We are thinking about….

What just happened and….
What are we going to do next…

What happens to the time in the middle of…
What just happened….and what to do next…

It is called…The Present

I think John Lennon said it best…

Life is what happens
While we are busy making other plans

While at Malvern
I pray to slow down…

Help me to appreciate
The moment

I force myself
To take time and
Look at the gifts
I have been blessed with

Then I ask myself…

Am I using these gifts
To the best of my ability…

That is always the toughest question to answer
We may beat ourselves up at times
But we make it easy to give ourselves a pass

However…
This is a very important question…

My life question…

What am I doing with the gifts I have been given…

Malvern gives me the time to reflect on…
What is my life’s purpose…

I pray for the grace…
To help me to be present
In every moment

And…

To use these gifts
To the best of my ability

We Have a Choice

An article caught my eye recently

A high school football coach

Suspended his entire team

After the school’s guidance counselor alerted him

Of an online bullying incident

Involving some of the players

The coach couldn’t be sure

Which players were responsible

Since the site allows users to

Remain anonymous

So…. he suspended all the players

At that point…

The coach outlined

A community outreach program

That would allow the student-athletes

To earn their jerseys back

The coach went on to say….

“Good character is more to be praised
Than outstanding talent…

Most talents are, to some extent, a gift…
Good character, by contrast, is not given to us.
We have to build it…piece-by-piece…

By thought…By choice…Courage… and Determination.”

This coach showed

Great leadership and character…

Handling this incident

I am thankful for the years I participated in sports

We had great coaches over the years

Who taught me great discipline and humility…

I have seen many individuals

Blessed with great talents

Come and go…

They were expecting…

Not accepting

Humility…is accepting these talents

As a gift…

Using them to make the people around you better

A good friend shared the below saying

After they read one of my newsletters

I think it ties in perfectly…

Thoughts become words

Words become actions

Actions become habits

Habits become character

Character is everything

Every Day is a Gift…..

Christmas is upon us…

We may have the perfect present to decorate the coffee table

Help your friends or love ones brush up on their Beach Etiquette…

Check out the link to my new book…

Beach Etiquette

Available on Amazon and selected stores in the area.

https://beachetiquettebook.com/

We find ways to save you money…

Thank you for your referrals

Blossomed

I received news the other day
That one of our aunts died…
Good ole Aunt Joe
She was one of my father’s sisters

I have a lot of fond memories of her
While we were growing up

She was a great lady
Always smiling…
A quick wit
Loved her family
Loved my dad

She would always say…

I was his baby sister
Until Boots came along

It got me thinking…

We shared so many memories with…
Our parents…Grandparents…
Aunts and Uncles
While we were growing up
But we knew so little about them

Thinking back
I remember all of us getting together…
Family holidays…Family parties
Trips to the shore

Everyone was….
Laughing…Teasing…Taunting each other
Just like all siblings do

You could feel the love they all had for each other

Yet…when they were on their own
They became very private

My sister Mo was speaking with our Dad
Several years before he passed away

She said…

I have known you my whole life
But I find I don’t even know you

Do you mind if I ask you some questions
About your life growing up

His response…

No real personal ones…

That answer stopped her in her tracks…
She hesitated to proceed

Today…Things are different
People are living their lives…
All over facebook…

I am eating dinner at….
I just went for a bike ride thru…
Can’t wait to go to…
The conversations go on and on…

I worked with my Pop
For 25 years
He was a great inspiration
And a mentor…

Yet I find…
I knew very little about
The influences
That made him the man
We all admired

Growing up
Living thru the depression
Fighting in World War II

Those issues
May that have silenced him
As it silenced others…

Those experiences
May have also drove him
As it drove others

Their whole generation
Came out of the depression
Came out of the war
With a vision to…

Never let that happen again

Working to establish a career
Wanting to provide for their family

Never let that happen again

With this attitude…
Many went on to
Exceed their expectations

Many did find the American Dream

The United States grew as a nation and…

Blossomed

May we all learn from the example they set

The Magic Bank Account

Recently, a friend reached out to me and sent the below message. Thank you, John, for thinking of me. I would like to share it with you…

George, This is you!

John

THE AUTHOR IS NOT KNOWN.   IT WAS FOUND IN THE BILLFOLD OF
COACH PAUL BEAR BRYANT, ALABAMA, AFTER HE DIED IN 1982.

The Magic Bank Account

Imagine that you had won the Following *PRIZE* in a contest:

Each morning your bank would deposit $86,400 In your private account
for your use…..
However, this prize has Rules:
The set of Rules:

1. Everything that you didn’t spend during each day would be taken away from
you.

2. You may not simply transfer money into some other account.

3. You may only spend It.

4. Each morning upon awakening, the bank opens your account with another
$86,400 for that Day.

5. The bank can end the game without warning; at any time, it can say,

Game Over!” It can close the account and you will not receive a new one.

What would you personally do?

You would buy anything and everything you wanted right?  Not only
for yourself, but for all the people you love and care for.  Even for
people you don’t know because you couldn’t possibly spend it all on
yourself, right?

You would try to spend every penny, and use it all, because you knew
it would be replenished in the morning, right?

ACTUALLY, This GAME is REAL…   Shocked ???
YES!

Each of us is already a winner of this *PRIZE*. We just can’t seem to see
it.

The PRIZE is *TIME*

1. Each morning we awaken to Receive 86,400 seconds as a gift of Life.

2. And when we go to sleep at night, any remaining time is not credited to us.

3. What we haven’t used up that day is forever lost.

4. Yesterday is forever gone.

5. Each morning the account is refilled, but the bank can dissolve your
account at any time WITHOUT WARNING…

SO, what will YOU do with your 86,400 seconds?

Those seconds are worth so much more than the same amount in dollars.
Think about it and remember to enjoy every second of your life, because
time races by so much quicker than you think.

So take care of yourself, be Happy, love deeply and enjoy life!

Here’s wishing you a wonderful and beautiful day…
Start spending….

“DON’T COMPLAIN ABOUT GROWING OLD!”

SOME PEOPLE DON’T GET THE PRIVILEGE!

 

Every Day is a Gift

It Is a Small World After All

I walked onto the beach the other day

After setting up my chair

I went over to one of the guys

I have met on the beach

Over the past couple of years

 

It was the 1^st time I have seen him

On the beach this year

 

I said…

It’s good to see you again

Are you ready for

Another great summer…

 

At that point

I felt a little embarrassed

I stopped and said…

 

I’m sorry…

But I forget your first name

I’m George Hutch

 

He just chuckled and said…

 

Just call me JC

That’s always easy to remember

 

We got into some small talk

And then he started talking about the beach…

 

The beach is already getting a little crowded…

I can’t believe it…

People are just plopping down

Sitting on top of each other…

 

Look at all the beach over there

 

And those people going into the water…

The life guards are 2 blocks away…

 

What are they thinking…

They are putting other people at risk…

 

I casually said…

I think you will like the book I just wrote…

 

You wrote a book…

What’s the title…

 

Beach Etiquette…

 

He turns to his wife…

 

Hey KC…

Come over here

 

Remember that book you just bought me…

 

Beach Etiquette

 

Here’s the guy who wrote it

 

I love that book

I was always thinking I should write a book about

Beach Etiquette

 

You did a good job

 

I was sitting drinking my coffee the other day

And I read a couple of chapters…

 

I found myself laughing

It’s pretty funny…

 

I love the art work

 

Wow…

How about that…

 

It is a small world after all…

 

In case you are interested

Check out our website…

 

https://beachetiquettebook.com/

 

Several people have told me

They bought a copy

And after reading it…

 

They went back and bought more copies

To give to their friends

 

I’ll take that as a compliment

 

I am glad people are enjoying the book

 

If you would like a few laughs

I invite you to read the book

Leave a review on Amazon…

 

The buzz is out there…

This is a grassroots campaign

 

We need your help to keep it going

 

We can all brush up on our Beach Etiquette

Heading to the Beach…

Hey…have you read my new book …Beach Etiquette?

If not, you should pick up a copy.

It’s great summer reading.

Designed to be the next bestselling coffee table book.

Below are some snippets of the reviews coming in:

• Wait to you read it and allow yourself to chuckle. This book has a
special place on my coffee table
• Such a fun, easy read filled with beautiful illustrations reminding each
one of us on how exciting it is to spend time at the beach,
• It is an amazing collection of what really goes on. It will make you
laugh, it will help you remember those days when you went through many
of the experiences in the book yourself. George did a great job.
• A must-have for any friend of the environment, beach bum, or sun-soaked
surfer
• Most enjoyable book for Beach Lovers
• I loved the illustrations! And the observations…
• Good book Great memories

This is a grassroots campaign and we need your help to spread the word…

If you have a friend who loves the beach…share this email…

We sold over 100 copies in the 1st 30 days. We are hoping we can count on you to hit our next goal of breaking 200 copies.

It makes a great birthday gift for friends / relatives or…

Just a kind gesture…..

I was thinking of you and knew you would enjoy this book…

Visit our website to see a sample of our illustrations and layout…

https://beachetiquettebook.com/

The book is now available on both Amazon and Barnes and Noble

https://www.amazon.com/Beach-Etiquette-George-Henry-Hutchinson/dp/1979773386

Thank you all and hope you enjoy our new book and have a great summer…

Every Day is a Gift

Thank you for your referrals

My First Read

This week I was asked by my grandson G V
To read Beach Etiquette to his first-grade class

Being my first reading…
I wasn’t shore how I would approach it
But I felt safe since I was around children

Their expectations would not be too high

I started out by asking
How many schools days were left…

They all shouted…
8 more days….

I then asked what is everyone’s’ plans for the summer…
Is anyone going to the shore…
Their hands started going up
I went thru every student
Where are you going
What will you be doing

For those heading to the shore
I asked them what they liked about the shore

I love going crabbing
I like running into the water
I like jumping the waves
Boogieboarding

They went on and on for a few minutes
Then the teacher finally says…
Ok…
Why don’t we let Mr Hutchinson read his book…

They were all excited…
I read 3 chapters…

Chapter 5…The Passing Lane
About running on the beach

Chapter 6…Having a catch
Reliving the days of playing ball on the beach

Chapter 8…Shake…Shake…Shake
About the hazards of being down wind
Of someone shaking their blanket

The kids loved it…
I received a standing ovation
G V came running up and hugged me
A little girl came running up and said
I want to hug you too…

It was so cute and…
An experience I will treasure

This book is written for anyone
Who likes or enjoys a day on the beach

To feel the sun
Listen to the waves
A feeling of serenity comes over you

I have many memories of
Growing up at the beach

I often stand there
I look around
I take a deep breath and
I am transported to a different time

I can still see people I was growing up with
We were hanging on the beach
Laughing… joking… doing silly stuff
Grabbing our surf boards and darting into the ocean
Playing run the bases or tackle football on the beach

Where did the time go…
I don’t know…
But the memories live on within me

No matter what beach you go to
With a little Beach Etiquette
We will preserve its beauty and pay it forward

Check out our new website…
We have been getting a lot of great reviews
On our new coffee table book

If you are looking for a fun read
Or a great gift for a friend

Click on the links below to order your copy or read our reviews
We would like to add your name to our growing list of reviews

https://beachetiquettebook.com/

Thank you for the kind words

Every Day is a Gift

A Little Spring in Your Step

Have you noticed the difference…
There’s a little more spring in your step

People are smiling again

They have shed their heavy coats
No more scarves and sweaters

The sun is shining
Temperatures have shot up to the 70s and 8os

Even hit 90 last week

The trees are blooming
Flowers are popping up out of the ground
Spring is finally here

After a long cold winter
Of running from house to car
People are out walking around

You are finally getting a chance
To meet the new neighbor
Who moved in down the street
During the winter

Wow…They seem like nice people

Enjoy these next few weeks of…

Open windows…

Sunshine and…

Fresh Air

Only 14 days till Memorial Day Weekend

But who’s counting

Did I Sign That

When I first meet people

They always ask…

So… what do you do…

 

We save companies money…

 

That normally gets a pretty positive response…

People like to save money…

 

Time for a quickie quiz…

 

How many of you have signed a contract…

Thought you got a good deal

And never looked at the paperwork again

 

Can I see a show of hands…

 

You…

Yea…. you over there

Is your hand up…

It looks like you wanted to put your hand up

 

Come on…

Admit it….we all have done it…

 

I believe that all of us are well intention-ed…

 

But… we just get busy

We are always putting out fires

 

The first thing we do with any new client

Is validate what are you currently paying

 

Are you paying the exact rate you actually signed for…

 

Believe it or not…

This is not always the case

 

I have clients tell me….

Yea… we signed a contract and they told me..

I was well below market prices

 

I am glad to hear that…

I hope you did get a great deal

But…

 

Do you mind if I see the contract…

And could we get a copy of your latest bill…

 

I can’t tell you how many times

We find that the client is being charged

More than what they had signed for

 

Note: there are times

That the state may approve an additional charge

Due to infrastructure upgrades

But this additional charge

Should be clearly noted on your bill

 

We always direct the client

To call the provider

And clarify…

Why are we paying this higher rate…

Our contract states we should be paying…

 

Guess what the response normally is…

 

Oh, we’re sorry

That was billed improperly

Let us correct that…

 

We can give you a credit

Or send you a refund

 

Our clients have received refunds for thousands of $$$

 

This is your money…

 

Don’t be afraid to ask for it back…

 

Always know what you are paying…

 

And if you are not sure

 

Give us a call

 

HBS leaves no stone unturned

In our search for savings

 

We find ways to save you money

 

 

Every Day is a Gift…

 

Thanks for the referrals