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I'm very excited because I have some very special house guests arriving tomorrow. Kate Fletcher and Gladys Maina are the amazing women who run Hekima Place. That's the incredible home for girl scholars in Kenya where I spent last Christmas.
You can get a glimpse of this amazing place and my African adventure here.
Meanwhile, I'm hoping to pick the hearts and minds of my magnificent people: What are the special touches you like to do for your house guests?
We're talking about that over in our social online community.
Please share and inspire me!
I received an interesting phone call from the folks at Tonic.com a few months ago. They're on a mission to what they call a home for all things good.
I guess they consider me and my brand of news one of those good things because they've asked me to be a part of what they do.
After a little testing, tinkering, and trying out we've come up with The Daily Tonic Minute. You can think of it as a mini-newscast of positively good things happening in the world.
I'm thrilled to do it. Starts today.
Not to worry. I'm not going anywhere. This is still home. In fact, you'll find a link to Tonic.com on the home page. So, feel to keep making this a daily destination. Think of it as your first stop as I give a road map of all things good here and elsewhere on the web.
And if you're just finding DarynKagan.com from Tonic, then Welcome! I'm thrilled to have you!
Feel free to click around the 13 different buckets that are full of inspiring news. Come over into our social online community where you can post your own stories, blogs, photos, and videos.
Sign up for our daily newsletter. That way you don't have to remember to get inspired. I'll come to you with links to the best stories of the day.
If Twitter works better for you you, then, please follow me here.
Where ever we meet, I'm so glad to be bringing the good and inspiring news to you.
I came across a song this week that immediately made my heart open up and say, "Yes, that's it! That's my life!"
It's called, "Uncommon."
Some of you might be saying, "Er, Daryn, you're a little late finding that treasure." After all, the song came out in January as the theme song for the book Uncommon written by Super Bowl winning coach Tony Dungy. Award-winning singer/songwriter Matthew wrote it. Greg Long and Kristy Starling perform it.
I came across it now thanks to my friends, Bob and Kristen Venberg. They've chosen an uncommon path for their family, pulling their two young kids out of school and traveling Europe for a year. They're sharing their journey with their people on a private blog. And on there was this song.
I can't share Bob and Kristen's blog with you, but I did find this video on YouTube. Take a listen.
What do you think? Did it move you, too? Can you see why I immediately thought, "Yes! That's what I'm doing—living an uncommon life and loving it!"
Please share your thoughts over in our social online community. And let me know of any other songs that you feel tell your story.
And for those of you who are really into Uncommon, here are the lyrics:
"UNCOMMON"
MATTHEW WEST
WHAT IF THERE'S SOMETHING BIGGER FOR ME OUT THERE
THAN THE COMFORT OF A LIFE ON THIS MIDDLE GROUND?
I'VE PLAYED IT SAFE BUT NOW I CAN'T HELP BUT WONDER
IF MAYBE I'VE BEEN MISSING OUT
'CAUSE I LOOK AROUND AND SEE A SEA OF PEOPLE
EVERYBODY'S MOVING IN THE SAME DIRECTION
AND I THINK IT'S TIME TO BREAK AWAY, BREAK AWAY
CHORUS
I WANNA FINALLY TAKE THE ROAD LESS TRAVELED
I WANNA RUN AWAY FROM ANYTHING TYPICAL
I WANT THE WORLD TO SEE THE LIFE I'M LIVIN'
AND CALL IT UNCOMMON
V2
WHAT IF THE RIGHT THING WAS HARDER THAN THE WRONG THING
BUT I DID IT ANYWAY?
STANDING STRONG EVEN WHEN NO ONE ELSE WAS WATCHING
WHAT IF I REALLY LIVED THAT WAY?
EVERY HEART HAS ITS DEFINING MOMENT
THIS IS MINE AND I'M NOT GONNA MISS IT
CHORUS 2
I'M WANNA FINALLY TAKE THE ROAD LESS TRAVELED
I WANNA RUN AWAY FROM ANYTHING TYPICAL
I WANT THE WORLD TO SEE THE LIFE I'M LIVIN'
AND CALL IT UNCOMMON
I DON'T CARE IF IT MAKES ME LOOK DIFFERENT
I'M NEVER LETTING GO OF MY CONVICTIONS
LET THE WORLD SEE THE LIFE I'M LIVIN'
AND CALL IT UNCOMMON
V3
WHAT IF I MADE IT TO THE END OF MY DAYS HERE
ONLY TO FIND THAT MY LEGACY IS NOWHERE TO BE FOUND
I DON'T WANNA WASTE ANOTHER SECOND
GIVE ME THE STRENGTH TO START RIGHT NOW
CHORUS
I hope everyone had a super 4th of July holiday!
It was wonderful around here. My former neighbors from Phoenix, Bruce and Teresa, came for a visit with their son, Brandon.
About the time I left Phoenix for Atlanta; they moved back to Bruce's native Australia. All these years later they've moved back to the States and came down for a visit over the holiday weekend.
What a perfect time, as I usually throw a "Go Somewhere Else For BBQ & Swim/Come To My House For Dessert & Fireworks" Party. See, there's a great view of Atlanta fireworks off my deck. And it's an super easy party to throw. By 8pm, everyone is full up of junk food and drink. They don't want a lot of food out on the table.
Not that I'm stingy in offering guests food, it's just that as I've often shared here, I'm rather cuisine challenged.
I already had "Happy Birthday America" cake ordered from local bakery, but wanted to step it up a notch for Bruce, Teresa, and Brandon. So off I went to my current #1 resources: Twitter and Facebook.
"What's your favorite dessert to serve on 4th of July?" I asked.
A ton of great suggestions came pouring in. Blueberry cobbler, Meringue with peach slices, Key Lime Pie, Ice Cream.
Ashley Reynolds of WYMT-TV in Hazard, KY sent the one that caught my eye.
"Strawberries, sour cream, and brown sugar! My fave!" she posted.
Sounded intriguing. But my kitchen insecurity kicked in. Had to know the exact recipe.
"Sounds great," I posted back. "What's the recipe."
"Er, no actual recipe," Ashley must've been laughing her head off. "It's just strawberries, bowl of sour cream, and another of brown sugar. Let your guest dip away."
Had to laugh myself. Laughed my way all the way to the market. This is a "recipe" that is just my speed. Picked up a bunch of strawberries, carton of sour cream and the brown sugar.
It was really delicious and a huge hit with all the guests. Even I couldn't ruin that one.
So next time you are dessert challenged, feel free to try it out. Just remember to tell folks where you got the "receipe."
Btw…you can follow me on Twitter here.
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