Johnny Tan

As children we appreciate being reminded days ahead if not weeks before that tomorrow is Mother’s Day. Many of us look forward to this day with great anticipation as it gives us the opportunity to express our love and our gratitude to our moms – with a special gift from the heart. However, for some of us, this reminder may not be as thrilling because it reminded us of the bruises and scars we had experienced as a child years ago.

Regardless of which group you fall in, you may not realize this, we all have several moms in our life. The first mom is obviously our birth mom, and the others are women who have already contributed or will soon be richly contributing to our well being as our mentors and counselors. They are the ones that are always available and are always happy to help us with the things we needed the most, and with the one thing we don’t always know yet we need.

In my weekly radio program (From My Mama’s Kitchen Talk Radio) this past Tuesday morning, I kicked off our month long Mother’s Day Celebration theme. Although I say it is a month long, in actuality it is going to be three months long. Yes, that is correct – three months long!

The reason being, when I did a query last month looking for some interesting mother’s day stories I did not realize I was going to get so many heartfelt, soul moving stories to choose from. After much internal debate I decided to pick the thirteen very best heart warming stories that simply had to be told.

I divided these wonderful tales into three categories to discuss over the next three months. The themes are: for May – Motherly Love from a Mom’s perspective; for June – The Experience of Motherly Love from a Child’s perspective; and for July – Mother and Child sharing their Motherly Love experiences.

From stories about “Operation Babylift” – the largest humanitarian initiative our United States government ever undertook in foreign adoptions, to delivering Hope as a surrogate mom, a son’s tribute to his single mom who raised him by herself, a daughter’s Emmy award winning songs expressing her mother’s love, and moms who finally came to terms and realized that “hey I am now a mom, and I need to be more…” will all be covered in the next three months.

Reflecting on these great stories, I realize that none would have taken place if not for “Motherly Love” in our varied lives. As an adopted child from birth, having had the opportunity to be mothered by eight other incredible women over the years, I have to confess that perhaps I am spoiled by the love and attention I have received from my nine moms. They all had a part in moulding my soul and guiding my heart.

Earlier this year, just days after celebrating her 92nd birthday, my Progressive and Spiritual mom, Elsa Mae Stevens, peacefully passed on. Although I was not present during her final hours, I was glad we were able to share some happy memories together a week earlier on her last birthday.

Elsa Mae, who I have known for 23 years, has never forgotten to make that one call every year. She is the only mom who calls me right after midnight on my birthday to wish me “a happy birthday.”

In her many words of wisdom she imparted to me, one will always be part of my very being.

According to her, “In a real-life situation, happiness is always felt by the heart rather than thought of by the mind. Although we can choose to be happy, we still need to feel happy. When we approach everything in life with a heartfelt passion, we are putting the human factor into the equation. By just doing this, the energy of humanness will take over and create a synergy of respect, love, and understanding.”

Elsa Mae taught me to live life by balancing the right amount of heart and mind in everything I do. She said “Although bruises and scars may remind us where we have been, they certainly do not dictate our future.”

She continued by saying “it is always pleasing when we do something good for ourselves, however that good deed dies with us. On the other hand, when we do something good for someone else, it not only feels good to ourselves, it lives on as a legacy in the memory of those who’s hearts we touched.”

On this mother’s day – Elsa Mae Stevens, your legacy lives on!

I love you and may God’s eternal light shine ever so bright upon you in heaven.

To read more recipes for living – please click here to purchase From My Mama’s Kitchen-“food for the soul, recipes for living” book, and help us make a positive difference in our preferred charities.

Johnny Tan created From My Mama’s Kitchen™ concept to honor his 9 incredible moms who changed his life, and to honor moms everywhere by bringing “motherly love” to the global center stage by recognizing the significant roles mothers play in making a positive difference in our daily lives.
Our weekly From My Mama’s Kitchen Talk Radio Show (FMMK Talk Radio) on Blog Talk Radio also serves as a resource center for mothers everywhere by bringing inspirational, spiritual and motivational stories from our special guests of ordinary moms doing extraordinary things. All shows are archived. Please click here to listen at your leisure.
Thank you for helping us spread this wonderful unconditional gift “Motherly Love” to everyone you know!

Listen to FMMK Talk Radio Show

Tags: 9 incredible moms, author and talk show host Johnny Tan, Blog Talk Radio, Celebrating Motherly Love, Elsa Mae Stevens, FMMK Talk Radio Show, Food For The Soul, From My Mama's Kitchen, gift of unconditional love, Global Center Stage, Motherly Love, Motivational Stories, Operation babylift, Preferred Charities, Recipes For Living, Resource Center for Mothers, surrogate mom, This Mother's Mother's Day
Posted in 9 Moms, FMMK Talk Radio Commentary, Family and Parenting, Food For The Soul, From My Mama's Kitchen, Mother's Day Special Series, Motivational, Recipes For Living, Self Help and Inspirational, Women Empowerment | No Comments »

With Valentine’s Day coming up this weekend, I reminded of an article my Italian foster mom Carol, shared with me a few years back. I really don’t know who wrote it but the meaning reaches deep into the very essence of what it is really all about to make the right choice in our personal lives.

I would like to share this wonderful article, titled “Is it a Choice or a Chance?” with you and hope that you will get out of it as much as I did when I first read it several years ago.

Is it a Choice or a Chance? – author unknown

When you meet the right person to love, you are at the right place at the
right time.
That is a chance.

When you meet someone you are attracted to, that is not a choice.
That is a chance.

Being caught up in the moment (and there are many couples who
get together like this) is not a choice.
That is also a chance.

The difference is what happens afterward.
When will you take that infatuation, that crushes, that mind-blowing
attraction, to the next level?

This is when sanity kicks in; you sit down and contemplate on
whether you want to make this into a concrete relationship or just a fling.

If you decide to love a person, even with his/her faults, that is not a chance.
That is a choice.

When you choose to be with a person, no matter what, that is a choice.

Although you know there are many people out there who are more attractive, 
smarter, and richer than your mate is, and yet you decide to love your mate just the same, that is a choice.

Infatuations, crushes, and attractions come to us by chance.
However, true love that lasts is truly a choice, a choice that we make.

Regarding soul mates, there is a beautiful movie quote, which I believe is so
true: “Fate brings you together, but it’s still up to you to make it happen.”

I believe soul mates do exist, that there is truly someone created for everyone.
However, it is still up to us to make the choice if we are going to do something
about it or not.

We may meet our soul mate by chance, but loving and staying with our
soul mate is still a choice we have to make.

Our challenge in this world is not finding someone perfect to love, 
but rather to learn how to love an imperfect person perfectly!

…have Hope, have Faith, and most importantly – have the greatest of all – have Love.

To read more recipes for living – please click here to purchase From My Mama’s Kitchen-“food for the soul, recipes for living” book, and help us to make a positive difference in our preferred charities.

Johnny Tan created From My Mama’s Kitchen™ concept to honor his 9 incredible moms who changed his life, and to honor moms everywhere by bringing “motherly love” to the global center stage by recognizing the significant roles mothers play in making a positive difference in our daily lives.
Our weekly From My Mama’s Kitchen Talk Radio Show (FMMK Talk Radio) on Blog Talk Radio also serves as a resource center for mothers everywhere by bringing inspirational, spiritual and motivational stories from our special guests of ordinary moms doing extraordinary things. All shows are archived. Please click here to listen at your leisure.
Thank you for helping us spread this wonderful unconditional gift “Motherly Love” to everyone you know!

Tags: 9 incredible moms, author and talk show host Johnny Tan, Blog Talk Radio, FMMK Talk Radio Show, Food For The Soul, From My Mama's Kitchen, gift of unconditional love, Global Center Stage, have faith, have love, is it a choice or a chance, Motherly Love, Motivational Stories, My Italian Foster Mom, Preferred Charities, Recipes For Living, Resource Center for Mothers, Valentine's Day
Posted in 9 Moms, Family and Parenting, Food For The Soul, From My Mama's Kitchen, From My Mama's Kitchen Book, Motivational, Recipes For Living, Self Help and Inspirational, Valentine's Day, Women Empowerment | No Comments »

A New Year to start off a New Decade… very exciting! Although I am looking forward to all the possible opportunities it has to offer, I believe in order for me to truly prepare myself for it, I need to reflect back on last year, and recap all the pluses and minuses, and all the hits and misses in all areas of my life.

My Malaysian mom Nyah, always told me that the day we stop learning is the day we give up on living. This recipe for living is one I always remember on my birthday because it has been a natural occurrence for me to go through a process of rebirth every year, filled with a renewed right spirit, ideas, and enthusiasm.

Every year since ninth grade, on the eve of my birthday, I spend some quiet time in personal reflection on how I have lived my life for the last 12 months. From a simple review of the year’s various hits and misses, to contemplating life-changing experiences, I eventually learned to identify potential opportunities on not only how to live my life, but how to live my life with passion in the upcoming year, by adjusting my thought process and my behavior tendencies.

I also use this same process at the beginning of each year to evaluate past accomplishments before planning for the current year. My Texan Earthly mom Terese, told me a while back about being lucky and being wise. She said, “Luck is the intersection of faith and destiny. The stronger our faith is, the luckier we are. The positive energy we radiate into the universe will always attract like positive energy back to us.”

According to my Progressive and Spiritual mom Elsa Mae, what we give out is what we receive in return. As we are the author of our thoughts, and if we are to receive and be showered with good things and favors in life, we need to be having those positive thoughts throughout our daily lives.

My Italian foster mom Carol, added, “Wisdom, on the other hand, is what we experience when we combine knowledge, understanding, and compassion.”

Over the years whether it is pure chance or divine guidance, I am grateful I have experienced significant increases in both luck and wisdom in all areas of my life by keeping my mind focused on having faith and meditating on enlightenment.

As for 2009, I am thankful to have more pluses than minuses, and more hits than misses. I have certainly learned a great deal from all the minuses and misses while at the same time enjoyed all the pluses and hits.

In a nutshell: Regardless what transpired in the past, there are always lessons to be learned. If we are to ensure ourselves a successful 2010, we need to lead from within, that is – “Respect the past because it will always be a classroom for lessons learned. Be prepared for the future because it is our destiny, and Always live in the now because every moment is a memorable experience.”

To read more recipes for living – please click here to purchase From My Mama’s Kitchen-“food for the soul, recipes for living” book, and help us to make a positive difference in our preferred charities.

Johnny Tan created From My Mama’s Kitchen™ concept to honor his 9 incredible moms who changed his life, and to honor moms everywhere by bringing “motherly love” to the global center stage by recognizing the significant roles mothers play in making a positive difference in our daily lives.
Our weekly From My Mama’s Kitchen Talk Radio Show (FMMK Talk Radio) on Blog Talk Radio also serves as a resource center for mothers everywhere by bringing inspirational, spiritual and motivational stories from our special guests of ordinary moms doing extraordinary things. All shows are archived. Please click here to listen at your leisure.
Thank you for helping us spread this wonderful unconditional gift “Motherly Love” to everyone you know!

Tags: 2010 A New Year, 9 incredible moms, A New Me, A New You, author and talk show host Johnny Tan, Blog Talk Radio, Classroom for lessons learned, FMMK Talk Radio Show, Food For The Soul, From My Mama's Kitchen, gift of unconditional love, Global Center Stage, Hits and Misses, live in the now, memorable experience, Motherly Love, Motivational Stories, My Italian Foster Mom, My Malaysian Mom, My Spiritual Mom, My Texan Earthly Mom, Pluses and Minuses, Preferred Charities, Recipes For Living, Resource Center for Mothers, your destiny
Posted in 9 Moms, Family and Parenting, Food For The Soul, From My Mama's Kitchen, From My Mama's Kitchen Book, Motivational, New Year, Recipes For Living, Self Help and Inspirational, Women Empowerment | No Comments »

A friend once asked me to explain the difference between hearing and listening. I told her the difference is that when we listen to someone we are engaging ourselves to truly learn what he or she is trying to relate to us, rather than just hearing words coming out of someone’s mouth and hearing what we want to hear instead.

In today’s world of multitasking, we are all guilty of doing too many things at the same time just because we can, or perhaps just because we are multitalented. In order to truly build a good and everlasting habit of being a good listener, which adds value into any communication, we will need to practice something my Progressive and Spiritual mom Elsa Mae, used to tell me a long time ago. “When we listen to someone, listen to learn, and do not listen in anticipation to reply.”

In other words, when we listen to learn, we are listening and learning about what we can do to meet their needs, whereas when we are just hearing, we are simply waiting for the opportunity to pawn off our needs on them. We are caught up in the, if I were you, I would do … syndrome.

Guess what, we will always be who we are, and they will always be who they are. Each of us is different from the perspective of our own individualism—our very own upper and lower limits. Each of us is governed by our own strengths and weaknesses, and by our comfort zone.

We all operate at our best when we are in our comfort zone, so it is important to study that person’s needs before we can truly give our best input. In order for us to do this, we must make sure we give them our undivided attention. We need to be respectful, and be considerate of the person’s style of conveying his or her message to us.

Our actions and demeanor speak volumes to this. Someone can easily tell if we are just trying to pacify them, or if we are genuinely trying to help by effectively listening to them. A good rule of thumb to follow is—are we being selfish, or are we adding value to our communication? If we intend to add value, then we will give our input with love and tactfulness because we are saying things to benefit them and not us.

In a Nutshell—The art of being a good listener is nothing more than being genuine, sincere, and giving undivided attention to the person who is talking to us.

To read more recipes for living – please click here to purchase From My Mama’s Kitchen-“food for the soul, recipes for living” book, and help us to make a positive difference in our preferred charities.

Johnny Tan created From My Mama’s Kitchen™ concept to honor his 9 incredible moms who changed his life, and to honor moms everywhere by bringing “motherly love” to the global center stage by recognizing the significant roles mothers play in making a positive difference in our daily lives.
Our weekly From My Mama’s Kitchen Talk Radio Show (FMMK Talk Radio) on Blog Talk Radio also serves as a resource center for mothers everywhere by bringing inspirational, spiritual and motivational stories from our special guests of ordinary moms doing extraordinary things. All shows are archived. Please click here to listen at your leisure.
Thank you for helping us spread this wonderful unconditional gift “Motherly Love” to everyone you know!

Tags: 9 incredible moms, author and talk show host Johnny Tan, Blog Talk Radio, FMMK Talk Radio Show, Food For The Soul, From My Mama's Kitchen, Global Center Stage, listen to learn, Motherly Love, Motivational Stories, multitalented, multitasking, personal comfort zone, Preferred Charities, Progressive and Spiritual mom Elsa Mae, Recipes For Living, Resource Center for Mothers, The Art of being a good listener, Upper and Lower Limits
Posted in 9 Moms, Family and Parenting, Food For The Soul, From My Mama's Kitchen, From My Mama's Kitchen Book, Motivational, Recipes For Living, Self Help and Inspirational, Women Empowerment | No Comments »

During this upcoming holiday season some of us will be meeting new people for the first time and some of us will not necessary be looking forward to meeting the people whom we already knew, but am glad that we will only be in their company once a year.

Regardless whatever situation you are in, have you ever considered that someone’s brilliant one-liner may tickle you more than your funny bone, because it may ignite a tiny spark in your heart? If this is true about you, then you are one of the few people who can truly appreciate and realize that having fun and being funny can lead you to living a very healthy and romantic life.

My mom Cajun mom Ginger, believes that humor is essential in our daily lives because it brings balance and a sense of humility to us when we come face-to-face with challenging situations or demanding people. She says, “With humor we can always look and find the lighter side of things to be positive, regardless of whatever we encounter.”

The choices we make, whether to be serious or to have a touch of humor in anything we do, speak loudly to others about our personality and who we are. How we are perceived by others is how we would be rated by them verbally or nonverbally as to our credibility, trustworthiness, and sense of responsibility.

Although the accuracy of this kind of assessment done by others on us can be questionable; however, if we think about it, we do the same thing. Perhaps not as elaborate or thorough as others might see us, but at the very least we do have an impression of others as to how they view life.

To read more recipes for living – please click here to purchase From My Mama’s Kitchen-“food for the soul, recipes for living” book, and help us make a positive difference in our preferred charities.

Johnny Tan created From My Mama’s Kitchen™ concept to honor his 9 incredible moms who changed his life, and to honor moms everywhere by bringing “motherly love” to the global center stage by recognizing the significant roles mothers play in making a positive difference in our daily lives.
Our weekly From My Mama’s Kitchen Talk Radio Show (FMMK Talk Radio) on Blog Talk Radio also serves as a resource center for mothers everywhere by bringing inspirational, spiritual and motivational stories from our special guests of ordinary moms doing extraordinary things. All shows are archived. Please click here to listen at your leisure.
Thank you for helping us spread this wonderful unconditional gift of “Motherly Love” to everyone you know!

Tags: 9 incrdible moms, author and talk show host Johnny Tan, Blog Talk Radio, FMMK Talk Radio Show, Food For The Soul, From My Mama's Kitchen, gift of unconditional love, Global Center Stage, Having Humor in Everything We Do, healthy and romantic life, holiday season, humor in your heart, ignite a tiny spark, Motherly Love, Motivational Stories, my Cajun Mom, Preferred Charities, Recipes For Living, Resource Center for Mothers
Posted in 9 Moms, Family and Parenting, Food For The Soul, From My Mama's Kitchen, From My Mama's Kitchen Book, Motivational, Recipes For Living, Self Help and Inspirational, Women Empowerment | No Comments »

Holiday seasons is a time for celebration and joy, however, it can also be fairly challenging when we are confronted with memories of yesteryear when we reminisced events, situation, and people in our past.

Sometimes things may not work out as planned because the timing is off. If we have given our best, then we have to release it to the universe to be sorted out.

According to my Malaysian mom Nyah, “Life and situations have a way of working themselves out eventually through a universal order. If we believe in faith and live our lives with full expectancy, then we can trust that all things will work out for our greatest good.”

Over the years I know this to be true, because whenever I did just that I was rewarded greatly for not fearing the fear of letting go and not being in control.

A friend once told me that she has the ability to talk herself out of just about anything due to her tremendous amount of control over her mind. This is good; however, if not used or exercised correctly it can bring about the opposite effect of what this gift is intended for.

If we use it to run away from our fears then we are not utilizing it for the right reason, because we are actually giving into our weaknesses. My mom Nyah, said it best. “As easily as we can talk ourselves out of something, we can talk ourselves in to something.”

It is the essence of the power of positive thinking; talking ourselves into confronting and overcoming our fears that strengthen our overall being, which in turn moves us to the next level of personal excellence.

My late Southern Belle mom Eleanora, believed that perseverance and patience would always lead us to overcoming personal self-inflicted anxiety. According to her, you should never be afraid to change your mind. It actually shows maturity, intelligence, and character to admit mistakes rather than to stand firm on an ill-informed decision.

Whenever I had doubts about certain issues I was dealing with that required a leap of faith I always reminded myself of what my late Ballroom Instructor mom Betty, said to me over the years, quoting from her favorite movie line from the movie Strictly Ballroom, “A life lived in fear is a life half lived.”

She said that when we learn to empower ourselves to change the way we look at things, we are actually learning to know our inner self. When we realize that the power in us is greater than the one outside, then we are ready to change our situation. When positive changes come from the inside out, we have then attained the right positive vision.

In a Nutshell—The key to overcoming fear is to have the right positive vision that has been within us all along.

To read more recipes for living – please click here to purchase From My Mama’s Kitchen-“food for the soul, recipes for living” book, and help us to make a positive difference in our preferred charities.

Johnny Tan created From My Mama’s Kitchen™ concept to honor his 9 incredible moms who changed his life, and to honor moms everywhere by bringing “motherly love” to the global center stage by recognizing the significant roles mothers play in making a positive difference in our daily lives.
Our weekly From My Mama’s Kitchen Talk Radio Show (FMMK Talk Radio) on Blog Talk Radio also serves as a resource center for mothers everywhere by bringing inspirational, spiritual and motivational stories from our special guests of ordinary moms doing extraordinary things. All shows are archived. Please click here to listen at your leisure.
Thank you for helping us spread this wonderful unconditional gift “Motherly Love” to everyone you know!

Tags: a life lived in fear, FMMK Talk Radio, Food For The Soul, From My Mama's Kitchen, Global Center Stage, is a life half lived, Johnny Tan, Motherly Love, Motivational Stories, my Ballroom Instructor Mom, my Southern Belle Mom, Overcoming Fear, personal excellence, power of positive thinking, Preferred Charities, Recipes For Living, Resource Center for Mothers, Strictly Ballroom, Weekly Recipes For Living
Posted in 9 Moms, Family and Parenting, Food For The Soul, From My Mama's Kitchen, From My Mama's Kitchen Book, Motivational, Recipes For Living, Self Help and Inspirational, Women Empowerment | No Comments »

Sometimes in our busy lives we tend to forget to focus on the present moment. Our minds tend to drift ahead of us, thinking far off into the future with the, what ifs. At other times we are caught up with reminiscing events of the past. If it is a good reflection then we always wish we could replay it over again and again, but if it is a bad memory—we tend to be weighed down with disappointments.

If we are not careful we may miss the opportunity of enjoying today. To ensure that this does not happen we need to be present in the present moment. We cannot change what happened yesterday, and we can only dream about tomorrow. However, we can certainly affect today by being conscious of our present thoughts.

I am always reminded of what my Texan Earthly mom Terese, told me. “Yesterday is gone, and tomorrow may never come. One thing for sure is that we have today, and what we do with it will determine how we will be remembered tomorrow.”

To read more recipes for living – please click here to purchase From My Mama’s Kitchen-“food for the soul, recipes for living” book, and help us to make a positive difference in our preferred charities.

Johnny Tan created From My Mama’s Kitchen™ concept to honor his 9 incredible moms who changed his life, and to honor moms everywhere by bringing “motherly love” to the global center stage by recognizing the significant roles mothers play in making a positive difference in our daily lives.
Our weekly From My Mama’s Kitchen Talk Radio Show (FMMK Talk Radio) on Blog Talk Radio also serves as a resource center for mothers everywhere by bringing inspirational, spiritual and motivational stories from our special guests of ordinary moms doing extraordinary things. All shows are archived. Please click here to listen at your leisure.
Thank you for helping us spread this wonderful unconditional gift “Motherly Love” to everyone you know!

Tags: 9 incredible moms, author Johnny Tan, Blog Talk Radio, FMMK Talk Radio, Food For The Soul, From My Mama's Kitchen, Motherly Love, Recipes For Living, Texan Earthly Mom, Weekly Recipes For Living
Posted in 9 Moms, Family and Parenting, Food For The Soul, From My Mama's Kitchen, From My Mama's Kitchen Book, Motivational, Recipes For Living, Self Help and Inspirational, Women Empowerment | No Comments »

Some of us already realize this, and others will experience it for the first time: The kitchen will be the most important room in the house in the coming weeks.

Regardless of whether it is a modern-day designer’s kitchen or just one of the so-called “timeless” efficiency kitchens, it is time for it to claim center stage, as it will serve as the hub for the transformational loving energy that will bind families and friends alike during this holiday season.

Known as the heart and soul of any home, the kitchen is the place that will serve as a wonderful backdrop where you will always find an abundance of joy and laughter from family and friends reminiscing and sharing meaningful communication, from knowledge gained to lessons learned.

As you already know, you do not have to know how to cook to be drawn into the kitchen as your five senses will eventually draw you straight toward it once the mouth-watering aromas start to fill the air.

My late Southern Belle mom, Eleanora, once eloquently described to me that being in the kitchen is like being a mother; it is about creating something special. It requires patience, a happy attitude, and a touch of love. It is the perfect blending of all these ingredients that ultimately produces a signature dish.

Since we now live in a global village, with the lifestyle to match, where families can only get together during special occasions, the holiday seasons have become more meaningful than ever. Although there are many of us who are fortunate to have a family to spend the holidays with, there are those of us who are less fortunate due to various reasons. We are the ones that, over the years, are able to find home from within our own hearts. Then, there are those among us who are fortunate to have the opportunity to experience the family holiday spirit thanks to the generosity of our friends.

Whatever the situation may be for you, if we can all take a moment to be mindful, perhaps we can truly experience the true holiday spirit as it is meant to be experienced.

For mothers — They cannot wait to have the family back home together to break bread with.

For children — Believe it or not, your mom will always be more excited to see you than you are to see her.

For singles — For those who are fortunate to have the generosity of a friend’s invitation to be with their family, be very thankful for the love you are receiving.

For those who will be by themselves — Always remember that you are never alone. Home is where the heart is, and be very thankful that you have made it this far. Happiness and glee are always generated and experienced from within.

For the families who will be celebrating this holiday season together with their loved ones — I would like to share with you what my Cajun mom, Ginger, told me a long time ago: “The natural life can always be funny and humorous. The most ordinary events usually end up being the sweetest memories. Being present during the small moments will always make us appreciate the happiness when it happens.”

For the families and individuals who have graciously opened their hearts and homes, and to those who are contemplating doing so — I would like to share with you what my German mom, Dianne, told me a few years back: “Every once in a while, a situation may occur that requires us to radiate our energy of positive goodwill, compassion, and love for others. Until we try to put ourselves beyond our comfort zone, we will not realize we have what it takes to make a difference in that person’s life and in ours.”

For those of us who will be spending this holiday season by ourselves — I would like to share with you what my Malaysian mom, Nyah, told me just before I left home to come to the United States: “Since childhood, you have been and will continue to be exposed to all kinds of experiences. Some experiences, good or bad, will stay with you for the rest of your life. However, it is how you manage them that will ultimately determine your idea of success and happiness, or failure and sadness, in your life. Always remember you are never alone, and although food may fill your tummy and the camaraderie of friends gives you a sense of belonging, it is the loving energy you generate from within you that will nourish your mind, body, and soul. This spiritual grounding is what will ultimately touch the heart and move the soul of others.”

Finally, here is my wish to everyone during this holiday season:

Health — makes all things possible.

Wealth — makes all things work.

Love — makes all things beautiful.

May you have all three.

To read more recipes for living – please click here to purchase From My Mama’s Kitchen-“food for the soul, recipes for living” book, and help us make a positive difference in our preferred charities.

Johnny Tan created From My Mama’s Kitchen™ concept to honor his 9 incredible moms who changed his life, and to honor moms everywhere by bringing “motherly love” to the global center stage by recognizing the significant roles mothers play in making a positive difference in our daily lives.
Our weekly From My Mama’s Kitchen Talk Radio Show (FMMK Talk Radio) on Blog Talk Radio also serves as a resource center for mothers everywhere by bringing inspirational, spiritual and motivational stories from our special guests of ordinary moms doing extraordinary things. All shows are archived. Please click here to listen at your leisure.
Thank you for helping us spread this wonderful unconditional gift of “Motherly Love” to everyone you know!

<!– /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:”Cambria Math”; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:roman; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-1610611985 1107304683 0 0 159 0;} @font-face {font-family:Calibri; panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:swiss; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-1610611985 1073750139 0 0 159 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-unhide:no; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:”"; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:”Calibri”,”sans-serif”; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:”Times New Roman”; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} .MsoChpDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; mso-default-props:yes; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:”Times New Roman”; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} –> FGBJ22WTN5XD

Tags: 9 incrdible moms, a celebration of the heart, a gift from the soul, author and talk show host Johnny Tan, Blog Talk Radio, Cajun Mom, designer's kitchen, effenciency kitchens, family holiday spirit, FMMK Talk Radio Show, Food For The Soul, From My Mama's Kitchen, german mom, gift of unconditional love, Global Center Stage, happiness and glee, Home for the holidays, Malaysian Mom, Motherly Love, Motivational Stories, Preferred Charities, Progressive and Spiritual mom, Recipes For Living, Resource Center for Mothers, southern belle mom, spiritual grounding
Posted in 9 Moms, Family and Parenting, Food For The Soul, From My Mama's Kitchen, From My Mama's Kitchen Book, Motivational, Recipes For Living, Self Help and Inspirational, Women Empowerment | No Comments »

Some of us may not realize this, but we are actually living in a closed system—that is, we cannot create order without creating disorder elsewhere. Living too much to the right or to the left of life’s spectrum will eventually result in an unbalanced and unhealthy lifestyle.

My Progressive and Spiritual mom Elsa Mae, told me that in order to keep a balanced approach toward everything in our life we must use our brain and our heart. This allows us to be simultaneously elegant and goofy, silly and serious, and loving and critical. The trick is to allow ourselves to move naturally and freely throughout the entire spectrum of all possibilities.

To read more recipes for living – please click here to purchase From My Mama’s Kitchen-“food for the soul, recipes for living” book, and help us make a positive difference in our preferred charities.

Johnny Tan created From My Mama’s Kitchen™ concept to honor his 9 incredible moms who changed his life, and to honor moms everywhere by bringing “motherly love” to the global center stage by recognizing the significant roles mothers play in making a positive difference in our daily lives.
Our weekly From My Mama’s Kitchen Talk Radio Show (FMMK Talk Radio) on Blog Talk Radio also serves as a resource center for mothers everywhere by bringing inspirational, spiritual and motivational stories from our special guests of ordinary moms doing extraordinary things. All shows are archived. Please click here to listen at your leisure.
Thank you for helping us spread this wonderful unconditional gift of “Motherly Love” to everyone you know!

Tags: 9 incredible moms, author Johnny Tan, Blog Talk Radio, Elsa Mae, FMMK Talk Radio, Food For The Soul, From My Mama's Kitchen, living in a closed system, Motherly Love, Progressive and Spiritual mom, Recipes For Living, weekl recipes for living
Posted in 9 Moms, Family and Parenting, Food For The Soul, From My Mama's Kitchen, From My Mama's Kitchen Book, Motivational, Recipes For Living, Self Help and Inspirational, Women Empowerment | No Comments »

I remember my mom Progressive and Spiritual mom Elsa Mae, telling me years ago that when reading a fortune cookie you should always read to learn, and not read to rebuff. She went on to explain that our mood or present circumstance has a lot to do with our final take on the fortune we receive. It is true that the cookies are factory made, and the fortune messages are generated by a computer and put into the cookies by machines; however, we receive our cookies by random selection, which means there is a touch of the unknown involved that could be a little mystifying.

Ordinary folks like us, just wonder if sometimes the fortune we receive is truly meant to be a reflection of the past, a snapshot of the present, or perhaps a preview of the future. Regardless of which one it is, one thing for sure is that it is meant to be a pick-me-up, perhaps thought-provoking, and a fun after-meal conversation piece.

I can only speak for myself when I say this—regardless of how I am feeling at any given moment I can always use a little good news to brighten and enhance my day. I once received a fortune cookie that read, “Genius does what it must, and Talent does what it can.”

This phrase reminded me of what my mom Malaysian mom Nyah, told me when I first started working. She said, “In every one of us there is a seed of greatness. This seed of greatness holds the key to our successes. The Genius in us helps us to identify our goals, dreams, and desires, and the Talent in us helps us to accomplish them with a heartfelt passion.”

However, just because we have this seed of greatness, does not guarantee us greatness and success. It is what we do with it that will ultimately determine our success. This means that we can all live a perfect life if we choose to, and if we apply ourselves by using the knowledge that we learn from within, and from the lessons we learn along our lives’ journeys, we can certainly achieve our desired success.

To read more recipes for living – please click here to purchase From My Mama’s Kitchen-“food for the soul, recipes for living” book, and help us to make a positive difference in our preferred charities.

Thank you and have a wonderful week.

Johnny

Johnny Tan created From My Mama’s Kitchen™ concept to honor his 9 incredible moms who changed his life, and to honor moms everywhere by bringing “motherly love” to the global center stage by recognizing the significant roles mothers play in making a positive difference in our daily lives.
Our weekly From My Mama’s Kitchen Talk Radio Show (FMMK Talk Radio) on Blog Talk Radio also serves as a resource center for mothers everywhere by bringing inspirational, spiritual and motivational stories from our special guests of ordinary moms doing extraordinary things. All shows are archived. Please click here to listen at your leisure.
Thank you for helping us spread this wonderful unconditional gift “Motherly Love” to everyone you know!

Tags: 9 incredible moms, Elsa Mae Stevens, FMMK Talk Radio Show, Food For The Soul, Foutune Cookies, From My Mama's Kitchen, Genius does what it must, gift of Motherly Love, heartfelt passion, Johnny Tan, life's journey, Malaysian mom Nyah, Progressive and Spiritual mom, Recipes For Living, Talent does what it can, Weekly Recipes For Living
Posted in 9 Moms, Family and Parenting, Food For The Soul, From My Mama's Kitchen Book, Motivational, Recipes For Living, Self Help and Inspirational, Uncategorized, Women Empowerment | No Comments »