"Study Like a Dog" Monday's Warm Cocoa 7.27.2026

 

“Harry Pupper knows my routines and watches everything I do.” 

Study Like a Dog

Harry Pupper has been part of our family for twelve years now. He’s like me in at least one way. He’s getting a little “long in the tooth. We’ve lived together for a long time.

I say together because he’s with me inside and outside. We walk together, play together and often work together. 

Over the years I’ve noticed that he seemingly has an internal calendar and clock. I noticed this because he anticipates almost every move I make. He knows the day and time I go to regular-appointments and is often curious when my movements vary from what he knows is usual for me.

The other day when my “normal” routine changed and Harry Pupper was with me, I noticed a quizzical look envelope his face. And, for the first time I began to understand the depth at which he center’s his attention and interest on studying me.

It is this intense desire to study the people who are important to dogs that caused “Frederick the Great” to describe his Italian Greyhounds in the mid-1700s, particularly one named Biche, as: "The only, absolute and best friend a man has in this selfish world, the only one that will not betray or deny him." Over the ensuing years this statement has been shortened and modernized to describe dogs as “Man’s Best Friend.” And, there is another common saying, a bumper sticker, I thought of as I pondered Harry Pupper’s study habits.

Now I’m wondering if I am the person my dog thinks I am!  And, I can see my need to study and fully incorporate the “Harry Pupper Method” of friendship. Here are a few of Harry’s traits.

Harry is always sensitive to what his closest friends are feeling. When they’re happy, he shares their joy. When they’re sad he is there, offering his support and love. He also shares his love in other ways.

Harry watches out for his loved ones. He alerts us to potential dangers. He never hesitates to warn of potential danger and is wary of people he doesn’t know. At the same time, he always remembers people he knows are important to us.

Harry demonstrates his understanding of true worth. He is completely loyal, giving and doesn’t hide is affection. He also knows the value of home.

Harry pays attention to his home. He’s sure to walk the yard every day to make sure things are as they should be. His heart is where his home is.

His heart is completely true. He observes his loved ones, knows their habits, their likes and their schedule. He even reminds us of when it is time to do the things he knows are important to us.

Harry Pupper reminds me to be the person he thinks I am and how to study like a dog! 

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I’m Lynn Butterfield, Real Estate & Lifestyle Expert and Television Host for American Dream TV. I’ve helped hundreds of Buyers and Sellers, as an Associate Broker with Coldwell Banker, to discover where and how they want to live and work; to achieve what I call Realesation™. That’s why I bring you American Dream TV, Monday’s Warm Cocoa and Home by Design Magazine to stir your heart and mind. Contact me so I can join you along your own unique path of discovery.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1e5_jupxN3vxL53bCgPiPgpA5D6-OFEbZ/view?usp=sharing

"Confused," Monday's Warm Cocoa 7.20.2026

"What Happened? Did you lose your car?” 

Confused

It was early on a Tuesday morning. By the time I parked my car at the airport the sun was beginning to filter through the clouds, so silver glistened around the gray-puffs floating above. I noticed because I had stopped to complete a personal airport parking lot ritual.

My ritual is simple. Before I walk far from where I’ve parked, I stop and shoot a quick photo of the sign marking the location. That way I don’t have to worry about remembering where my car sits. After all, it seems as if I always arrive late at night, after working a full day.

My return flight touched down the next day, just before nine p.m. I wasn’t worried about finding my car, because I had the photo and I’d made a couple of mental notes to confirm my memory the day before. So, I walked right to the spot without concern. Until anxiety gripped my soul.

My car was not where I left it! Confused, I pulled my phone from my pocket and looked at the location photo. E8! No car! And, it was not only my car. The entire parking section exhibited only asphalt! More than one-hundred cars had disappeared! Had a magician befuddled me?

If so, then that same magician had confused others as well. A single man and one equally dazed couple stood not far away talking to an airport parking lot attendant. I sidled up while listening to their exchange.

“Your cars have been moved,” the attendant said.

The couple asked, “where are they?”

“Let me make a call,” the attendant responded before reporting, “they’re between E3 and E5. They tried to put the cars in the same order as their original location.”

Then, we the beleaguered travelers, began trudging together toward the promised location. The lone man found his car first. The couple found their car next. Mine was not yet found!

“We’re not going to leave you out here alone,” the couple exclaimed.

So, we walked the dark rows together until I spotted my car parked at seemingly the greatest distance possible.

“I’ve got it,” I cried. “Thank you for staying to help!”

They smiled. Our shared confusion had created a bond, so we exchanged contact information before parting. 

“Leaving the airport now.” I messaged before driving home.

When I walked into our house my wife was waiting.

“What happened? Did you lose your car?”

A second wave of surprise pummeled me!

“Why do you ask?”

“You’re much longer than I expected!”

“As a matter of fact,” I wearily grinned, while watching her confusion about how my car could have been moved without my knowledge!

And in the end? My confusion and exhaustion had been overwhelmed by kind and giving strangers.

_______________________________________________

I’m Lynn Butterfield, Real Estate & Lifestyle Expert and Television Host for American Dream TV. I’ve helped hundreds of Buyers and Sellers, as an Associate Broker with Coldwell Banker, to discover where and how they want to live and work; to achieve what I call Realesation™. That’s why I bring you American Dream TV, Monday’s Warm Cocoa and Home by Design Magazine to stir your heart and mind. Contact me so I can join you along your own unique path of discovery.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1e5_jupxN3vxL53bCgPiPgpA5D6-OFEbZ/view?usp=sharing

"Ambition" Monday's Warm Cocoa 7.13.2026

 

“He’s not just dreaming. He’s pursuing his ambition.” – Liam’s Grandmother 

Ambition

“What a difference between this year’s summer camp and last year’s,” Andrew Bart said excitedly over the phone. “You remember the horrible experience he had last year?”

I did remember Liam’s previous years’ experience. It was heart breaking.

“But this is different! This week he came to me saying he was dreaming of going back to computer camp. When I told my mother about his dreaming she responded with something unexpected.”

“Andrew, he’s not just dreaming,” she taught. “He’s pursuing his ambition!”

Andrew took a pensive pause before speaking again. “Isn’t it sad that so many of us loose our ability to recognize life’s small, simple, most important and transformative experiences? I’m so glad that my mother has maintained her ability to do so!”

Maintaining one’s ability to continually identify small and essential happiness-building moments isn’t singularly important as a parent. It’s also indispensable for individual life-long happiness and growth.

The aging process often dampens one’s ability to recognize the core significance of exploration. Which creates a strong desire to achieve something of significance. Maybe it’s because the acquisition of life experience conveys a lot of what could be called perceived-failure; an experience, outcome, or missed expectation that someone interprets as a failure, instead of dream-creating-exploration. This misconception often causes a person to no longer believe in themself. That’s what happened to Liam last summer.

Yet this summer, Liam Bart has offered you and me a window into how we might recapture and grow our own dreams into ambition. His is the perfect example of dreaming to acquire happiness. Because a person’s acquisition of ambition always starts with a dream.

Dreams get introduced to our minds through the trying-on of new ideas and activities. And, Liam’s computer camp has introduced him to many ideas to test. He’s learned to write computer code and has even written his own program. In the coming days he’ll be learning about creating and growing his own YouTube channel. These are all ideas that were unknown to him just a short time ago. Now they’re accelerating his happiness, prompting action and inspiring change.

Allow Liam’s process of happiness re-discovery open a door to being ten-year-old-like again. Introduce yourself to new ideas and activities. Allow them to well-up inside you so they can inspire new dreams; things you’ve never thought of before. And then, when you awaken, perhaps you’ll find you’ve discovered new ambition, as well as excitement once thought only to reside in the young.

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I’m Lynn Butterfield, Real Estate & Lifestyle Expert and Television Host for American Dream TV. I’ve helped hundreds of Buyers and Sellers, as an Associate Broker with Coldwell Banker, to discover where and how they want to live and work; to achieve what I call Realesation™. That’s why I bring you American Dream TV, Monday’s Warm Cocoa and Home by Design Magazine to stir your heart and mind. Contact me so I can join you along your own unique path of discovery.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1e5_jupxN3vxL53bCgPiPgpA5D6-OFEbZ/view?usp=sharing

"Aha," Monday's Warm Cocoa 7.6.2026

"The goal is to say, can something beautiful grow out of this suffering?" – Robert Puff 

Aha

I’ve always taken pride in my work ethic, going back to my early days, as someone who was never the largest or most talented member of the youth sports teams on which I participated. I just played sports unremarkably. Until, I had a very particular aha moment.

One night a large, athletically gifted guy, came back to one of our practice sessions a few years after he had left the team. He thought he could simply show up again, years later, and instantly reclaim his position at the top of the roster. It didn’t happen!

At the end of his first, and only, practice back he came to me and asked, “what’s your name?”

I rehearsed my name to him, knowing that we had played together years prior, to which he responded Incredulously, “You’re Lynn Butterfield?”

That moment was my sudden realization. My instantly gained understanding, and a triumphant discovery. My hard work and discipline to the sport had transformed me from someone who was completely unmemorable to him into a player that had, over time, surpassed him. A person who had relied on his innate talent alone. My willingness and dedication to use and exercise my comparatively modest gifts had turned a lack of superior talent into good. From that moment I knew I could most often work and will my way to success.

Don’t get me wrong, I have continually discovered personal limits. For example, I never developed enough talent to play any sport as a professional athlete. There are physical factors precluding that. Yet, this discovery that anyone could turn modest personal gifts toward a creating a better, brighter future has benefited me ever since. 

This principle can also be beneficially appled toward life’s continually offered challenges. Robert Puff artfully says, “the goal is to say, can something beautiful grow out of this suffering?"

We each have the ability to learn from our suffering and every faced challenge while applying our meger gifts and exercising them for our good and inspiration. Everything we confront can become a continual source of aha moments to be used for our own good!

If you’re not netting you all you want in your life ask: Am I working to become the person that, others who knew you before you transformed your trials into good, won’t recognize in a couple of short years? 

 Sometimes that means starting new habits. Sometimes it means stopping old habits, while giving yourself the gift of time to grow spiritually, physically, relationally, mentally and financially.

Witness the person you’ll become!

_______________________________________________

I’m Lynn Butterfield, Real Estate & Lifestyle Expert and Television Host for American Dream TV. I’ve helped hundreds of Buyers and Sellers, as an Associate Broker with Coldwell Banker, to discover where and how they want to live and work; to achieve what I call Realesation™. That’s why I bring you American Dream TV, Monday’s Warm Cocoa and Home by Design Magazine to stir your heart and mind. Contact me so I can join you along your own unique path of discovery.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1e5_jupxN3vxL53bCgPiPgpA5D6-OFEbZ/view?usp=sharing

"Open Avenues," Monday's Warm Cocoa 6.29.2026

 

"The person you want to be is on the other side of what you don't want to face." - Chelom Leavitt 

Open Avenues

James and Crystal Hofferber were looking to create goodness on the other side of what they didn’t want to face. They never dreamt of the unlikely event that took their adult daughter’s life. Their loss was unthinkable. It was also unthinkable that the goodness of their daughter could also parish.

“Parish the thought,” Crystal said to James as they unlocked the door to their daughter’s now empty home and crossed its threshold. They were there to face something else they didn’t want to face. The examination of their daughter’s belongings. At first the reality of the task at hand seemed to hit them in the face as if the ice cold slap of reality. It was overwhelming.

But, as they looked at the nice furniture and other possessions remaining in the home, the feeling of being overwhelmed soon began to fade.

“James,” Crystal said, “I think most of this furniture is new or barely used! We could donate it to others in need. We certainly don’t need it!”

James had been listening to Crystal with his head bowed in reverence to the moment. The pair have been married for fifty-nine years and their trust in eachother is deep and unwaivering. As soon as his wife had finished her sentence, James did what he charistically does. He pulled his pen out of his pocket and began write. He made a list of everything. When they were prepared to gift their daughter’s possessions, toward the continuation of her intrinsic goodness, he pulled his phone out of his pocket so he could make some calls.

He called the local garden club first, to give them the hundreds of still potted plants to its membership. They came with trucks and many hands to harvest the plants, to continue planting beauty. Then he made another call to Open Avenues.

Open Avenues has been creating opportunities for people with disabilities since 1975. They  help individuals build skills, find employment, and live with purpose. If you’re ever having a bad day just go to the Open Avenues warehouse and interact with the people they serve. You’ll be inspired immediately and walk away happy. And, when the truck from Open Avenues pulled into the driveway to remove the furniture, their people brought their happiness and goodness with them.

“I found this jewelry in one of these drawers,” one of the men said while loading the truck. “What should I do with it?”

His innocence and innate kindness was the perfect personification of the person James and Crystal had become on other side of the tragedy they didn’t want to face. The loss of their daughter.

_______________________________________________

I’m Lynn Butterfield, Real Estate & Lifestyle Expert and Television Host for American Dream TV. I’ve helped hundreds of Buyers and Sellers, as an Associate Broker with Coldwell Banker, to discover where and how they want to live and work; to achieve what I call Realesation™. That’s why I bring you American Dream TV, Monday’s Warm Cocoa and Home by Design Magazine to stir your heart and mind. Contact me so I can join you along your own unique path of discovery.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1e5_jupxN3vxL53bCgPiPgpA5D6-OFEbZ/view?usp=sharing

"For Our Benefit" Monday's Warm Cocoa 6.22.2026

 

“It will turn out to be for our benefit in the end. Thank you for ministering to us.” 

For Our Benefit

“We just suspended the treatment. My wife had an adverse reaction to one of the infusions. They’ve been able to stabilize her now. The reaction as so severe that the doctor stopped everything after stabilization. They are preparing a new plan forward. It will be at least one week now before they begin the first full treatment now,” he typed while watching a bevy of nurses and one doctor attending to his wife.

His message was sent to his minister who was anxiously awaiting news of his parishioners first chemotherapy session following her surgery. He had asked the husband to let him know how the initial treatment went earlier that morning by texting a quick note. Not long after receiving the minister’s request the wife’s infusion began.

What began in an uneventful manner was short-lived. The intervenes drip from the bag, holding the first treatment drug, delivered only seven drops before the patient’s skin turned a hot red and pain flashed through her body.

This life-threatening reaction caused the attending nurses to spring into action and call the oncologist in to the fight for the patient’s life. It was intense and the faces of all, except for the patient’s, were grim. Her face turned from red to ashen as administered counter measures began to take hold. That’s when her husband sent his note to their minister, who responded quickly.

“Oh no I’m so sorry. That’s awful. I’m grateful they could stabilize her. That’s all a lot to deal with. I feel so bad for you guys,” the pastor responded within seconds.

“It will turn out to be for our benefit in the end. Thank you for ministering to us,” the husband touched back, just before the pastor answered again.

“I love that perspective and agree. I’ve been praying and am sure that God and his angels will watch over her. No doubt that’s happening for her,” the pastor padded back as reassurance.

We all seek reassurance during such difficulties. And, in this instance the greatest reassurance, received by an ailing wife’s husband, came as a result of a deeper understanding and source. 

“Life has taught me that everything a person experiences in life can and will be turned to a person’s good if they will allow it to,” he explained before continuing. “The essence of life is the ongoing pursuit of meaning, connection, and self-awareness. It isn’t a single, fixed destination but an active instruction: finding purpose through contribution, cultivating empathy in relationships, and embracing the simple, everyday moments of living.”

It is those everyday moments of living that are for our benefit. Watch for attending benefits with unwavering anticipation and everything will turn out to be for your good in the end.

_______________________________________________

I’m Lynn Butterfield, Real Estate & Lifestyle Expert and Television Host for American Dream TV. I’ve helped hundreds of Buyers and Sellers, as an Associate Broker with Coldwell Banker, to discover where and how they want to live and work; to achieve what I call Realesation™. That’s why I bring you American Dream TV, Monday’s Warm Cocoa and Home by Design Magazine to stir your heart and mind. Contact me so I can join you along your own unique path of discovery.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1e5_jupxN3vxL53bCgPiPgpA5D6-OFEbZ/view?usp=sharing

"Love Language," Monday's Warm Cocoa 6.15.2026

 

“Cooking is my love language.” – Laurel Shepherd

Love Language

She didn’t usually accept an offer from a friend to bring a meal in. That’s because Susan wasn’t used to accepting simple offers of kindness. But, for some reason she decided she needed to change. She needed to begin to accept such offers of kindness.

“I’ve decided to begin to let people help me if they offer,” Susan said to herself in the seconds that passed, while staring at the screen-bound words. Luckily, she had the time to process the request, along with her determination to change. It wasn’t as if it was a verbal conversation. That was good, because there wasn’t any uncomfortable “dead air” hanging between them, as a result of the short delay in response. That made everything much easier for Susan to pause, take a big breath and then move her fingers in response.

“That would be kind of you,” she typed, while thinking. “I can’t believe I’m actually doing this; leaving my comfort zone thing!”

Laurel responded swiftly. “Wonderful! What day will work best for you?”

“Thursday will be better for us,” Susan typed back.

“Sounds good! Is there anything you’d especially like to have?”

“Surprise me!”

Thursday arrived, on schedule, three days later. Susan felt anticipation as a result. After all, this was a new thing for her. “I’m the one who usually delivers dinner to others,” She said right out loud. But, I need to let people do good for me as well.” 

That good was announced that afternoon, when Laurel sent a new note announcing that her husband and a couple of their children would be stopping by at about six in the evening to deliver a warm meal. And, at almost that exact time Susan’s ring noticed their arrival.

This advent of dinner took more than just two sets of hands to carry the eye- pleasing food into the house. It took all three sets of hands to carry in containers of warm chicken & rice curry with fresh-baked sour dough bread. And, the smell wafting from the carrying hands was heavenly!

“We’ll let you enjoy this food before it gets cold,” Nathan, Laurel’s husband said with a divine smile before the trio left the house.

The taste of the food was just as marvelous as the smell and Nathan’s smile. It was also just as satisfying for her to feel contentment as a result of her decision to accept the kindness offered. So, she sent a note to Laurel thanking her for an exquisite dinner.

“Cooking is my love language,” Laurel responded, most likely with a twinkle in her eye, knowing that her friend was now, certainly sharing and communicating in Laurel’s preferred vernacular.

 _______________________________________________

I’m Lynn Butterfield, Real Estate & Lifestyle Expert and Television Host for American Dream TV. I’ve helped hundreds of Buyers and Sellers, as an Associate Broker with Coldwell Banker, to discover where and how they want to live and work; to achieve what I call Realesation™. That’s why I bring you American Dream TV, Monday’s Warm Cocoa and Home by Design Magazine to stir your heart and mind. Contact me so I can join you along your own unique path of discovery.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1e5_jupxN3vxL53bCgPiPgpA5D6-OFEbZ/view?usp=sharing

Happy Trials, Monday's Warm Cocoa 6.8.2026

“Even the dog had surgery?” – Garry Williamson

Happy Trials

Garry Williamson was talking with his neighbor across the fence, chatting about the health challenges she and her family were coping with. A heap, seemingly more than their share, appeared in her household quickly and unexpectedly.

“Two weeks ago everything seemed to be normal for us. And now, boy have we been hit!,” she said.

Perhaps the most unexpected and perplexing aspect of their troubles was that every member of the household was beeing affected. The wife was diagnosed with cancer. She had just returned home after having surgery to remove a cancerous growth. Her husband had surgery the same week to repair a damaged knee. And now, Garry chuckled playfully, while talking with her, about the family dog, who was sitting near.

“Even the dog had surgery?,” Garry asked when he saw the cone around the family pet’s neck. “I’m sorry you guys are struggling. But, I’m sure you’ll get through it, even though you don’t deserve it.”

Garry’s most surprised look splashed across his face when his neighbor responded with, “I think we deserve it. Why not us?,” she said before continuing with, “it will turn out to be to our benefit.”

“Really?”

That’s when she calmly and gladly answered Garry’s surprise. “Well,” she said, “we’ve noticed over our years together that when things get hard for us we experience a lot of unanticipated progress. Good things have always come to us as a result. Things we could never have foreseen.”

The look on Garry’s face changed from surprise to thoughtful consideration immediately. He cogitated on her words in his usual, analytical manner. He wasn’t quite sure how to respond in the moment, so he simply looked at her thoughtfully, mulling her wisdom in his heart and mind quietly for a few moments.

“I still wouldn’t say you deserve it,” he said with a smile. “But, you know we’d do anything we can for you guys. Please don’t hesitate to call on us. Theressa keeps asking if I know how you are and if you need anything.

“That’s so kind of you,” she said with a grateful smile. “We love our neighborhood and having you as our neighbors. We couldn’t have chosen a better place to live!”

The eyes of the two neighbors met and stuck together for a couple of seconds. It was a moment of silent exchange and connection at a deeper, more intimate level, just before Garry made one more, parting quip.

“I’ve got to get to work,” he said. “Happy Trials!”

_______________________________________________

I’m Lynn Butterfield, Real Estate & Lifestyle Expert and Television Host for American Dream TV. I’ve helped hundreds of Buyers and Sellers, as an Associate Broker with Coldwell Banker, to discover where and how they want to live and work; to achieve what I call Realesation™. That’s why I bring you American Dream TV, Both Sides of the Fence, About the Dish, Monday’s Warm Cocoa and Home by Design Magazine to stir your heart and mind. Contact me so I can join you along your own unique path of discovery.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1e5_jupxN3vxL53bCgPiPgpA5D6-OFEbZ/view?usp=sharing

"Lost my Head," Monday's Warm Cocoa 6.1.2026

 

“I’ve fallen in love or imagine that I have; went to a party and lost my head. Bought a horse which I don’t need at all.”-  Leo Tolstoy, Diary entry, January 25, 1851

Lost my Head

“I’m going to destroy them,” she said as if she were a coffee pot left to percolate for too long. “I’ve lost all faith in the company I work for. They aren’t the company they used to be!”

Her harangue, as if scalding coffee was more than burning, it sucked the air out of the space between us, even though I was not a party to her bristling animosity. And, while the harsh feelings she flung on the wings of words were harrowing, what frightened me most was their likeness of my own hallucinate moments in times past. Reflections that began to strobe in my memory almost immediately.

“Be careful,” I counseled. “You likely don’t have the whole story. It’s very easy to revel in your own imaginations.” I continued, while remembering a once read diary entry of Leo Tolstoy.

“I’ve fallen in love or imagine that I have; went to a party and lost my head. Bought a horse which I don’t need at all,” he wrote.

There is at least one interesting difference between walking boldly into your hoped-for future as compared to riding a horse you don’t need. The difference is that a horse has a mind of its own and will often act independently at a time when its rider is ill prepared for the horse’s sudden deviation. Such is the risk of losing your head and unintentionally purchasing an unneeded horse. After all, haven’t we all allowed our thoughts, rooted in anger to give us an enjoyable ride at one time or another?

The combination of living in rooted anger, based on a past that can’t be changed, while staying focused on fading memories soon produces traits of hallucination. It is a mixture settling a trade with certain betrayal. The human imagination is a powerful tool that can be used for good or ill. When used for ill its owner is trading a potentially bright future for a trap. The deception is being stuck in an unalterable past; not in the present and destructive of a once hoped-for future. It is riding a horse using its own mind at its own pleasure. A pleasure not of your own design. Each of us has a continual opportunity to get off the horse to create a dreamt of pleasurable future. 

Dismount. Remove the saddle. Unfasten the reigns from the head of the horse. Let it go!

Go now! Bring me that horizon!

_______________________________________________

I’m Lynn Butterfield, Real Estate & Lifestyle Expert and Television Host for American Dream TV. I’ve helped hundreds of Buyers and Sellers, as an Associate Broker with Coldwell Banker, to discover where and how they want to live and work; to achieve what I call Realesation™. That’s why I bring you American Dream TV, Both Sides of the Fence, About the Dish, Monday’s Warm Cocoa and Home by Design Magazine to stir your heart and mind. Contact me so I can join you along your own unique path of discovery.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1y9-nBLFT0Iuc-H0r3i7UPgNPSI2TLzeY/view?usp=drive_link

"Small, Loving Things," Monday's Warm Cocoa 5.25.2026

"We cannot all do great things but we can do small things with great love.” – Mother Teresa

Small, Loving Things 

“I’m willing to help you in any way you need,” Katherine said, while standing in the hallway of her friend’s home. “I can do laundry, clean the bathrooms, or even walk your dog.” Her desire to help her ailing friend was genuine and stood out when compared to the artificial intelligence centered dialog swirling around us.

Robert Reffkin, CEO of Compass recently emphasized the importance of such trust when he said, “In a world where AI agents will bring inaccurate and fake information, like fake offers and fake renderings, human validation will continue to be important. Trust will matter even more than before.”

Makes sense doesn’t it? Yet, in today’s tech centered life, it also strikes some as inconvenient. After all, today’s immediate influencer-endorsed-posted-living all around us isn’t always genuine. So perhaps it’s time for you and I to take a more holistic approach to what we might call “personal interior design.”

Using a holistic approach doesn’t suggest an abandonment of technology. Just a shift in focus. For example, when ATMs were first introduced in banking, forecasters predicted they’d make humans less relevant. But, that hasn’t followed! The machines have made it possible for bankers to focus on other, important tasks, such as deepening personal relationships with clients.

Deepening personal relationships holistically requires a combination of science, psychology, spirituality and intentional design for personal transformation. Bring what you want forward in your life by becoming aware of unwanted patterns and outdated identities you’re living with, removing them and designing new patterns of self-worth. Instead of an exclusive focus on function and aesthetics, aim to deepen your awareness of how you can refine and reposition the personal traits you value most.

Consider the value of being present, spending face-to-face time with members of your family, or being there in person with a friend who has an illness. This doesn’t always mean kicking technology to the curb. A quick phone call to an ailing friend, when between meetings, to let them know you’re thinking of them allows you to give yourself, even when you can’t be there in person. Use positive forms of disruption in such simple, loving ways.

In order to disrupt old personal patterns with new ones, you first need to know what’s working for you now and what to let go of. It’s a continuous process, not a one-time activity, just like walking your neighbor’s dog. Keep cultivating the relationships you want and you’ll soon see them deepen in profound and unexpected ways. And, when you get discouraged remember a simple statement made by Mother Teresa.

She said, “We cannot all do great things but we can do small things with great love.”

_______________________________________________

I’m Lynn Butterfield, Real Estate & Lifestyle Expert and Television Host for American Dream TV. I’ve helped hundreds of Buyers and Sellers, as an Associate Broker with Coldwell Banker, to discover where and how they want to live and work; to achieve what I call Realesation™. That’s why I bring you American Dream TV, Both Sides of the Fence, About the Dish, Monday’s Warm Cocoa and Home by Design Magazine to stir your heart and mind. Contact me so I can join you along your own unique path of discovery.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1y9-nBLFT0Iuc-H0r3i7UPgNPSI2TLzeY/view?usp=drive_link

"Compound Interest" Monday's Warm Cocoa 5.18.2026

 

“Good and evil both increase at compound interest. That is why the little decisions you and I make every day are of such infinite importance. The smallest good act today is the capture of a strategic point from which, a few months later, you may be able to go on to victories you never dreamed of.” — C. S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

Compound Interest 

There was someone at the door. It was Roxanne, the home owner’s neighbor. Three people were in the home up until that time. One was a caregiver. The other two? Those two were normally healthy and strong. Well, for their age. They were older now and it just so happened that both of them were recovering from major surgeries this week. 

When Roxanne’s expected arrival occurred, she was gratefully welcomed; arms and hands laden as she whisked through the door. From the time she had called, until her arrival, she had been out collecting dinner items for the home’s trio of occupants. Now she glided into the kitchen, where she deposited an artisan loaf of bread and a hearty soup, which caused comforting smells and pleasant smiles to drift throughout the kitchen.

“I’ll be back, not tonight though,” Roxanne said before she dashed off to enjoy a dinner out with other friends from the neighborhood. “Our friends have gathered some gift and delivery cards and I’ll bring them by on another day.”

“It’s so kind of her,” the sole man of the house said. “Isn’t it nice that to have someone show kindness without an assignment?” He was also thinking of his friend Phil who had helped him earlier in the week.

Phil Grimm is a Chief Financial Officer by profession. Yet, he took time to help and shelter his friend just four days earlier. He’d picked him up at the airport, prior to his friend’s scheduled surgery and took him home so he could rest the night before going to the hospital. The next morning, he drove his buddy to the hospital, checked him in and supportively sat with him for the day until his release. Upon which, the two friends drove back to Phil’s residence together so they could rest for the evening and night, before Phil helped the next day as well.

The next morning, the now hobbled patient relied on Phil to help him into the car and take him to the airport, so he could return to his own home, three quarters of the way across America. And, while sitting on the plane he couldn’t help but ponder C. S. Lewis’ observation in his book Mere Christianity, as it seemed a fitting tribute to his financial expert friend.

“Good and evil both increase at compound interest. That is why the little decisions you and I make every day are of such infinite importance. The smallest good act today is the capture of a strategic point from which, a few months later, you may be able to go on to victories you never dreamed of.”

_______________________________________________

I’m Lynn Butterfield, Real Estate & Lifestyle Expert and Television Host for American Dream TV. I’ve helped hundreds of Buyers and Sellers, as an Associate Broker with Coldwell Banker, to discover where and how they want to live and work; to achieve what I call Realesation™. That’s why I bring you American Dream TV, Both Sides of the Fence, About the Dish, Monday’s Warm Cocoa and Home by Design Magazine to stir your heart and mind. Contact me so I can join you along your own unique path of discovery.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1y9-nBLFT0Iuc-H0r3i7UPgNPSI2TLzeY/view?usp=drive_link

"Blinded by Change," Monday's Warm Cocoa 5.11.2026

"When I couldn’t see the house, I was confused.”

Blinded by Change

I sent a message to my friend Gary late in the afternoon, the day before our meeting. He confirmed he’d be there to meet Tony and me the next morning. I really wanted to introduce them to each other because they’re both such great people!  We were to meet at Gary’s house.

I took a leisurely drive to Gary’s house in the morning, with plenty of drive time for an early arrival. You know how traffic can be so unpredictable. That planning allowed me to turn on Gary’s street a few minutes early and unruffled. When I couldn’t see the house, I became confused! 

Have you ever had a feeling of complete disarticulation; that feeling of being lost, even though you knew where you were? That’s how I felt when I couldn’t locate Gary’s familiar house.

I looked at numbers on surrounding houses. When I couldn’t see the number, I was looking for I went to the closest intersection to check the name on street sign. Right street! I turned around, drove slowly and looked carefully. I still didn’t locate Gary’s house. I was puzzled!

It was a puzzle worth solving, so I turned around again and Identified known landmarks. This approach helped and worked. It worked because this time I was able to see past the bevy of trucks hiding Gary’s house.

Disaster cleanup workers were beyond those trucks on the roof, in the yard and inside Gary’s newly charred home. I walked past the workers, after parking, into the open front door. Luckily Gary and Connie weren’t there! I was worried and spent the next few minutes talking with the workers in an effort to find out what had happened.

The house had caught fire earlier that very morning! I called Gary to find him well and at his son’s house. Luckily, his house is not a total loss, but it’ll be a while before it’s repaired. I don’t know when that will be, just like I didn’t know a fire would precede my visit.

This whole experience started turning the wheels of my mind. Why wasn’t I able to see a house I had frequented? What was that unsettling, yet familiar feeling of disarticulation?

When the familiar is instantly recognizable, you and I begin to feel lost and confused. Even though the surrounding world hosts landmarks we still have an unsettled feeling. When such change happens, it’s important to find refuge in arms of loved ones.

Our world is changing rapidly. When you’re blinded by such change, fill your heart with trusted and restorative love.

_______________________________________________

I’m Lynn Butterfield, Real Estate & Lifestyle Expert and Television Host for American Dream TV. I’ve helped hundreds of Buyers and Sellers, as an Associate Broker with Coldwell Banker, to discover where and how they want to live and work; to achieve what I call Realesation™. That’s why I bring you American Dream TV, Both Sides of the Fence, About the Dish, Monday’s Warm Cocoa and Home by Design Magazine to stir your heart and mind. Contact me so I can join you along your own unique path of discovery.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1o0GY09KRBaL4mhziZ4PV3Om-vBBy7t4f/view?usp=sharing

"Binding Glue" Monday's Warm Cocoa 5.4.2026

“I’m in Denver, on my way to mom,” Ron Green.

Binding Glue

“I’m in Denver, on my way to mom,” Ron’s voice updated over the phone last Sunday.

It was a call I’d been anxious to receive. It was not a happy anxiousness. It was more of an underlying anticipation of loss. Ron’s call was confirmation that the loss was imminent. We were losing the binding glue holding our shared book of life together. I’ve heard the term “book of life” for the entire time I’ve been on earth. But until now, I’ve never considered the binding of life’s book. 

We live in a time where many of us read our books through a mechanical device. I happen to be one of those, as almost all of my reading is done viewing my Kindle. Yet, I happen to be old enough to also have lots of books carefully resting on the shelves of my home-library. Those physical books have a binding holding their pages in place through expertly applied glue or stitching. Without that binding the pages would no longer be cohesive. Binding glue interconnects all of the pages in the book.

Bebe Green, Ron’s mother, has been the binding glue of our shared book of life. She has been the glue interconnecting us, several generations now. She has been our common dominator, our constant connector. Ron’s call would have normally come from Bebe. It’s not that I don’t talk with Ron regularly. I do. Yet, this particular call caused me to immediately miss a cherished voice. It was my first glimpse of noticeable receding binding glue.

To catch a glimpse of something is different than feeling and accounting for its full impact! Receding glue is the same. At first you can see that a binding’s glue has become a little discolored. Then you notice it has become a little brittle. That’s when you know you have to handle the effected book more carefully, gently. When the binding glue of your book of life begins to recede, the same pattern happens in sequence, causing the individual pages to become less tightly bound than they once were.

Today, all of our book-of-life-pages are still in place. They’re tightly bound, even though they’re spread. We’re scattered across America and beyond while the binding glue’s strength is gathering us from where the wind has blown us. And, by the end of the coming week those pages will be tightly bound for the last time.

We’ll be gathered together to honor our binding glue. We’ll be arm in arm. We’ll be watering each other’s shoulders with shared tears. We’ll be bidding our mother, grandmother, godmother, cherished friend and binding glue a fond farewell.

But, we are not bidding farewell to the great book of life! More books are being written and Bebe Green has shown us what it means and how to be binding glue. And, that is her greatest tribute and exactly what she had worked a lifetime to accomplish!

_______________________________________________

I’m Lynn Butterfield, Real Estate & Lifestyle Expert and Television Host for American Dream TV. I’ve helped hundreds of Buyers and Sellers, as an Associate Broker with Coldwell Banker, to discover where and how they want to live and work; to achieve what I call Realesation™. That’s why I bring you American Dream TV, Both Sides of the Fence, About the Dish, Monday’s Warm Cocoa and Home by Design Magazine to stir your heart and mind. Contact me so I can join you along your own unique path of discovery.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1o0GY09KRBaL4mhziZ4PV3Om-vBBy7t4f/view?usp=sharing

"Savored Moments" Monday's Warm Cocoa 4.27.2026

“You won’t believe it when you see what my daughter just did! I’ll send you a photo,” 

– K. Johnson

Savored Moments

“You won’t believe it when you see what my daughter just did! I’ll send you a photo,” she said excitedly.

Such an excited announcement could mean at least a couple of things. It could mean I was going to hear from a distraught mother. Yet, when I heard a laughter bouncing off my eardrum I knew she was taking it all in stride. That merriment of motherhood also ushered in a second possible meaning of the phone-based pronouncement.

It was the acknowledgement that yes, there was a huge mess made by an active toddler and it was okay, even laughable. Our conversation and mirth demonstrated the importance of focusing on happiness providing personal virtues. 

The concept of virtue ethics was pioneered by Aristotle. His work focused on exploring how to live a good and happy life by emphasizing "being" over "doing," while focusing on what a virtuous person would do, rather than relying on strict rules or consequences. The laughing mother on the phone call was modeling her possession of personal virtue by savoring her daughter’s handiwork.

Aristotle posited that happiness is achieved through "activity of the soul in accordance with virtue". Virtues are character traits most often identified as attributes like courage, justice, patience and generosity. They’re developed through practice and habit. And, while not as well studied in the concepts of virtue as many others, the virtue of “savor” could well be added to the list.

When the promised photos of the talked-about toddler arrived on my phone I could see a lot of savoring in the images. I could also hear the sounds of savored happiness from her mother on the phone.

“I don’t think I have ever savored Nutella in this way,” I said as I studied the chocolaty smear covering the girl’s face, hair, hands and arms. Hers was a not a simple tasting. Her savoring was a method of becoming one with the spread, as well as with the color of the kitchen cabinets, while complementing the lighter-colored tile flooring. The child’s happiness also flattered the savored contentment of her mother.

Nothing destroys happiness and contentment faster than falling prey to a reliance on strict rules or consequences in such moments; as offered by a daughter dancing while covered in Nutella. When something like savoring smeared Nutella happens we are all offered a choice and a chance. The choice is between happiness and discontent.

Choose the virtue of savored moments and happiness when the offer presents itself.

_______________________________________________

I’m Lynn Butterfield, Real Estate & Lifestyle Expert and Television Host for American Dream TV. I’ve helped hundreds of Buyers and Sellers, as an Associate Broker with Coldwell Banker, to discover where and how they want to live and work; to achieve what I call Realesation™. That’s why I bring you American Dream TV, Both Sides of the Fence, About the Dish, Monday’s Warm Cocoa and Home by Design Magazine to stir your heart and mind. Contact me so I can join you along your own unique path of discovery.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1o0GY09KRBaL4mhziZ4PV3Om-vBBy7t4f/view?usp=sharing

"Enchanted" Monday's Warm Cocoa 4.20.2026

“It is urgent to live enchanted.”— Valter hugo mãe

Enchanted

“Jim and I both find a lot of things about this house to be very appealing,” Rhonda said before making a quick, yet very significant side-note. “This is the one telling us it is our place!”

There was a time, in the past, when I would have not used a yellow highlighter on the memory cells in my brain to emphasize that little side-note. But, that would have been a very long time ago. Ever since I was with my Uncle Jerry as we stood near the back of his flat-bed farm truck talking. As his dog waved his tongue at us from atop it’s worn wood plank flooring. I was filled with wonder at the bond between my uncle and his hovering, attentive dog.

“How did you know this dog would be a good one,” I asked as any expectant mentee would.

Jerry’s answer was rapid and definite, “I simply walk among the dogs, in the local animal shelter, until I find the one who knows me. When one recognizes me, we go home together.”

That was my first experience with enchanted living. And, its impact deeply imprinted, lasting for more than fifty years!  So-much-so that watching for its manifestation has become an established philosophy of living and followed methodology over subsequent years. Of this, one of my friends said, “It is a way for me a make a life!”

That is exactly what Jim and Rhonda Kaschmitter were planning to do as they began to plan for life after they retired from their professional lives. They wanted to make a life. I didn’t know them prior to this. We lived in completely different places and I first met them in Uncle Jerry fashion, crossing paths as they were out looking for the “place that knew them.”

Of course, there were times when they were unsure. But, they were not alone on their journey. During one of their trips, to the place that knew them, while searching for their new home, they brought some friends with them. Those friends arrived as skeptics of enchanted living and left as staunch supporters.

“We’ve seen how you light up when you’re here and know this is where you should be,” Jim and Rhonda’s friends said on the day of their departure back to their home in another state.

It took Rhonda and Jim many more trips and days of looking for the neighborhood and home that knew them. In fact, it took them two years before Rhonda said, “Jim and I both find a lot of things about this house to be very appealing,” before making that quick, yet very significant side-note. “This is the one telling us it is our place!”

_______________________________________________

I’m Lynn Butterfield, Real Estate & Lifestyle Expert and Television Host for American Dream TV. I’ve helped hundreds of Buyers and Sellers, as an Associate Broker with Coldwell Banker, to discover where and how they want to live and work; to achieve what I call Realesation™. That’s why I bring you American Dream TV, Both Sides of the Fence, About the Dish, Monday’s Warm Cocoa and Home by Design Magazine to stir your heart and mind. Contact me so I can join you along your own unique path of discovery.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1o0GY09KRBaL4mhziZ4PV3Om-vBBy7t4f/view?usp=sharing 

"Are We Having Fun Yet? Monday's Warm Cocoa 4.13.2026

“What are you looking forward to this year?” – Ali Al Jabry

Are We Having Fun Yet?

He is getting old now! I can tell by the little things he does. Or, the little things he doesn’t do. Yet, there is still one message Harry Pupper sends me constantly, a never diminishing query. It was the same question my friend, Ali Al Jabry, asked me while eating morning croissants together last Monday.

“What are you looking forward to this year?” Ali said, with mirth exploding out of his dark eyes.

The question caught me by surprise. I stammered, knowing that Ali lives an adventurous lifestyle with his wife. They work hard, but always seem to fit sight-seeing and new experiences in their heavy travel schedule.

For example, early this year he and his wife were on a sales trip to Europe. They had never been to Portugal before, so they arranged to tack a few days to their trip to explore Portuguese food, culture and beaches. Perhaps Ali’s penchant for travel is the result of growing up in several global locations and attending the American High School in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. I’m not sure. But, I do know that his question caused me to mull his ask over and over again for the entire day. Right up to the time I got home, where Harry Pupper was faithfully awaiting my return.

Harry was more animated than usual when I got home. So much so that I wondered where he had gotten a little extra pep in his step. His insistence for attention soon caused me to wonder what it was he really wanted. And, over time his doggedness spoke loudly enough for me to get the message!

“I’ve been looking forward to playing ball all day,” Harry said, by wagging his stubby tail rapidly, bouncing from side to side, dodging my slow attempts to ruffle the fur on his head and finally launching his entire body off the ground to ping his feet off my legs, before landing those same feet right back where they started.

“Oh,” I finally said. “You want to play ball! How was Ali able to get you to ask what I was looking forward to this year, again?”

Was this a coincident? I think not! Ali and Harry Pupper were unquestionably scheming together. Both intuitively knew that I had misplaced the simple capacity of looking forward to life’s never-ending offer of adventure, variety, joy and fun. It was revelation that caused me to look down, into those bright puppy eyes, filled with hope, before saying, “Okay, okay Harry. Let’s play ball. Neither you nor I should ever be too old to look forward to and have a little fun!”

_______________________________________________

I’m Lynn Butterfield, Real Estate & Lifestyle Expert and Television Host for American Dream TV. I’ve helped hundreds of Buyers and Sellers, as an Associate Broker with Coldwell Banker, to discover where and how they want to live and work; to achieve what I call Realesation™. That’s why I bring you American Dream TV, Both Sides of the Fence, About the Dish, Monday’s Warm Cocoa and Home by Design Magazine to stir your heart and mind. Contact me so I can join you along your own unique path of discovery.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1o0GY09KRBaL4mhziZ4PV3Om-vBBy7t4f/view?usp=sharing

"Start Here!" Monday's Warm Cocoa 4.6.2026

“Do you think we should wait because of the positive growth here?”

– Karen Maloney

Start Here!

Karen looked a little apprehensive, as if questioning her feelings, yet she knew her question was an important one to ask, “do you think we should wait because of the positive growth here?”

“Well, the answer to that is a clear yah-no,” I quickly answered, knowing the question she was asking was based on numerous unspoken questions she was in the process of sorting through with Carl, her husband.

“I love it when answers are so clear,” She said as, mirth sparkled in her eyes.

I knew that wasn’t the answer she wanted to hear when I spoke it. I also knew she and Carl loved living in their home, overlooking a picturesque lake with shores laced with towering deciduous trees and ancient, stacked stone cliffs. I also knew of other desires they craved.

They’re both entrepreneurs in the early stages of growing their companies and brands. The financial worries of starting one business, let alone two businesses at the same time can be daunting. They were feeling the pressures associated with the path they had chosen to follow and wanted to find some peace of mind.

The thing to know about following a path is this: You’re always starting where you are, even when you can see others on the same trail, who often began their journey at a location differing from your own.

“You have to start where you are,” I quickly said as a follow-up statement, the moment I saw a furrow of concern ripple across Karen’s eyebrow. “I can’t tell you exactly what to do, because I don’t know what’s most important to you yet.”

The word, yet, allowed the muscles in Karen’s face to relax as she said, “we just need good information so we can make the right decisions.”

The good information Karen and Carl need must be based on more than simply starting where they are. They also need to know where they want to end up! At the same time, there are lots of twists, turns and obstacle to navigate in between the here and there. But, having a clear understanding of where they’re starting is essential.

I circled back to where we started, “do I think you should wait because of the positive growth here? No. I think you should wait until you understand exactly where you are, without worrying about everything else right now.”

Here is one more question I suggested they should begin with, “Can I sleep at night, when the wind blows?” Start here!

_______________________________________________

I’m Lynn Butterfield, Real Estate & Lifestyle Expert and Television Host for American Dream TV. I’ve helped hundreds of Buyers and Sellers, as an Associate Broker with Coldwell Banker, to discover where and how they want to live and work; to achieve what I call Realesation™. That’s why I bring you American Dream TV, Both Sides of the Fence, About the Dish, Monday’s Warm Cocoa and Home by Design Magazine to stir your heart and mind. Contact me so I can join you along your own unique path of discovery.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xZQuYPScTjjNNeNY96xXOVc4azkWay8v/view?usp=sharing

"Search-Me" Monday's Warm Cocoa 3.20.2026

"Real experiences in real life gives me a lot of hope.”

– Arthur C. Brooks

Search-Me!

“If you’re only watching national politicians, the activist class, or lightning-rod podcasters or influencers, the answer is no — you don’t see any progress,” Arthur C. Brooks words boomed inside of me as my friend was speaking.

She was feeling bleak, as if the entire world was spiraling out of control. It seemed to her as if there was nothing but disagreement and chaos all around. She is not alone. Many others are experiencing the same disillusionment. Arthur calls this “a crisis of meaning” and such feelings can be characterized as common in today’s world. Luckily, there are also some common steps you and I can take to overcome such angst.

The first step is to, well, take steps. Starting your day with an early morning walk surrounded by nature will charge your soul and help you to begin with strength.

I was about to say, don’t take your phone with you, but I take my phone with me so I can shoot photos of what takes my breath away. I’ve found that if I run these photos as a slide show during the day, they act as an anchor to keep me connected with beauty.

Second, stay swathed in beauty daily. There is beauty all around us. It is so ubiquitous it can become invisible. Practice seeing it.

My friend James Griffin makes sure he doesn’t see natural beauty alone. He invites friends to walk with him a 6:00 a.m., at least one day each week. It allows him to take four steps, toward finding meaning, at once.

Spending time with friends and family is the third step everyone can take. Walking with friends to start each day is a great way to build individual relationships. It’s the perfect time to share hopes, dreams and ideas. James also uses it as a way to learn how he can help others through his work.

“My ‘walks and talks’ help me to learn about the personal struggles my friends and clients are facing. It causes the wheels to turn in my head, to wonder how I can use my business to help in ways I never would have thought of on my own. It builds my faith in the future,” James says. 

Maintaining a focusing on helping others through work is the fourth step and James unexpectedly discovered that it naturally provided the fifth step, nurturing faith, toward profound meaning, in his search. 

“Search” is a useful descriptor, because these steps are not necessarily all-inclusive. “Search-me,” is a common phrase, sometimes used in reply to a question asked. It’s a reply used when someone doesn’t know the answer. So, use these five steps, adapt them, subtract them, or add to them, as you search inside yourself to find hope and meaning.

Search-me!

_______________________________________________

I’m Lynn Butterfield, Real Estate & Lifestyle Expert and Television Host for American Dream TV. I’ve helped hundreds of Buyers and Sellers, as an Associate Broker with Coldwell Banker, to discover where and how they want to live and work; to achieve what I call Realesation™. That’s why I bring you American Dream TV, Both Sides of the Fence, About the Dish, Monday’s Warm Cocoa and Home by Design Magazine to stir your heart and mind. Contact me so I can join you along your own unique path of discovery.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xZQuYPScTjjNNeNY96xXOVc4azkWay8v/view?usp=sharing

Using the Power of Three, Monday's Warm Cocoa 3.23.2026

“You can use three very power forces in the universe!” – Tim Stone

Using the Power of Three

Tim Stone began his story with a statement. “I built a wood-fired pizza oven for my home!”

Of course, Tim was excited to use his new accoutrement. So, he carefully built a fire inside the oven using flavor enhancing oak, to give his food that extra taste he was craving. Then he lit the fire and turned his efforts to gathering the ingredients to craft his pizza. That shift in effort didn’t last long!

Seconds after he turned away from his oven, a fire began ravaging his house! That unwelcome fire fully engulfed his attention as he tried everything he could do to stop the fire’s advance. Nothing helped! He and his wife barely escaped with this lives.

He said, “I must have done something wrong when I built that fateful wood-burning pizza oven!”

His home was a total loss! His life was in shambles! Well, not complete shambles, in hindsight. 

“While this fire was devastating,” Tim continued, “it led me to discover reticular activation.”

You know what that is through personal experience. For example, you buy a new car and think you’ve found something unique and special, right up to the time you drive it off, taking it out on the open road. That’s when your eyes are fully open to all cars, just like the one you bought! Your purchase triggered the reticular activating system, meaning your perception changed and you begin to pay attention to other things. In this case, cars aligned with your new focus.

Tim’s focus shifted as a result of that fire. He began to use three of the most powerful forces in the universe to build a new home, right where his now destroyed home once stood. Tim is sharing them with you.

Imagination. “Imagine, with feeling, who you want to be and what you want to accomplish,” Tim teaches. He imagined the new home he wanted by creating detailed plans with a list of comprehensive materials. Then, he employed the next powerful universal force.

Decision. “Make a determined decision exactly what you want and don’t stop until you achieve or become it,” Tim says. A firm decision is very important in this process, because unforeseen barriers will begin to appear as you progress. Such barriers can be discouraging to those without determination! And, gratefully, you’ll find your own determination as you progress forward.

Gratitude. “Enter into and stay in a consistent state of gratitude for everything in your life. Good and bad,” Tim counsels.

When you use these three forces in combination, three new things happen. You begin to attract new thoughts and ideas in alignment with your decided imagination. Your perception changes and you begin to pay attention to people and opportunities aligned with your new focus. Finally, synchronicity and coincidence begin to align with your imagination, decision and gratitude! “Things” simply begin “showing up” in your life!

Those things certainly showed up in Tim’s life. I know that for sure. Because I’ve seen the new beautiful house he created!

_______________________________________________

I’m Lynn Butterfield, Real Estate & Lifestyle Expert and Television Host for American Dream TV. I’ve helped hundreds of Buyers and Sellers, as an Associate Broker with Coldwell Banker, to discover where and how they want to live and work; to achieve what I call Realesation™. That’s why I bring you American Dream TV, Both Sides of the Fence, About the Dish, Monday’s Warm Cocoa and Home by Design Magazine to stir your heart and mind. Contact me so I can join you along your own unique path of discovery.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xZQuYPScTjjNNeNY96xXOVc4azkWay8v/view?usp=sharing

"1964" Monday's Warm Cocoa 3.16.2026

“Gary and Connie Shellhammer were married on October 18, 1964.”

1964

Spring was in the air and Gary Shellhammer was in the driveway as I pulled in. He was moving slowly. The years have begun to impact the way he moves these days. Yet, those years have not dimmed his smile or his ability to love.

If anyone questions the depth of his love they simply need to think of the number 1964. That was the year he married Connie; on October 18th in Lakeview, Ohio. And, that same community celebrated Gary and Connie’s fiftieth anniversary in 2014, the way they always do, in small-town Logan County style. Where such events are most often community-wide invitations rather than private affairs. This anniversary-open-house was no different. The people of Lakeview love Gary and Connie because of the way they’ve loved everyone in that town for just shy of the sixty-two years, since they’ve called it home.

As soon as I pulled into Gary’s driveway and exited my car Gary’s eyes lit up. I was expected and he greeted me warmly before saying, “I’ll just be a minute. I’ll go in and get Connie.” That being said, Gary walked nattily into the house.

Gary came out of the house, holding Connie’s hand, not long afterward. His hand gently caressed hers as he guided her toward me slowly. Connie isn’t as steady on her feet as she was when she first met Gary while attending college. That doesn’t matter to Gary. Anyone can tell that by spending a moment or two observing his gentle, attentive doting.

Gary’s compassion was on full display as he reached for the car door, opened it and then spoke softly to Connie. “Take care now. Let me help you get settled. I’m going to reach across you to get your seatbelt. There! I’ve got you clicked in.”

Once Gary’s seatbelt was also tight and clicked we were on our way. We stopped and started several times while together. Gary’s consideration to Connie never changed. She was quiet. He attended to her.

“The steepness of this hill worries Connie,” Gary whispered in my ear, as we stood looking out over a landscape of rock, trees and rolling hills.

I didn’t hear Connie speak those words. Gary didn’t need to hear them audibly. Somehow, he could read everything her eyes were expressing. He answered her directly with a squeeze of her hand. That squeeze said, “I hear you. I understand. I’m here with you. I’m watching over you.”

I watched this sacrosanct interaction an entire morning; until I dropped them back at their home. Gary got out of the car first. Then, he helped Connie, just as he does every time. He moves slowly; the years heavily impacting his travel. Yet, those years have not dimmed his smile, or weakened his love. He spoke marriage vows with Connie sixty-two years ago and since then, Gary’s every movement corroborates, “I took your hand in 1964 and I’ll never let go.” 

_______________________________________________

I’m Lynn Butterfield, Real Estate & Lifestyle Expert and Television Host for American Dream TV. I’ve helped hundreds of Buyers and Sellers, as an Associate Broker with Coldwell Banker, to discover where and how they want to live and work; to achieve what I call Realesation™. That’s why I bring you American Dream TV, Both Sides of the Fence, About the Dish, Monday’s Warm Cocoa and Home by Design Magazine to stir your heart and mind. Contact me so I can join you along your own unique path of discovery.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xZQuYPScTjjNNeNY96xXOVc4azkWay8v/view?usp=sharing