ANYWAY
People are often unreasonable, illogical and self centered;
Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives;
Be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies;
Succeed anyway.
If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you;
Be honest and frank anyway.
What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight;
Build anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous;
Be happy anyway.
The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow;
Do good anyway.
Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough;
Give the world the best you've got anyway.
You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and your God;
It was never between you and them anyway.
-Mother Teresa
THE FILE ROOM
In that place between wakefulness and dreams, I found myself in the room. There were no distinguishing features except for the one wall covered with small index-card files. They were like the ones in libraries that list titles by author or subject in alphabetical order. But these files, which stretched from floor to ceiling and seemed endless in either direction, had very different headings. As I drew near the wall of files, the first to catch my attention was one that read "Girls I Have Liked." I opened it and began flipping through the cards. I quickly shut it, shocked to realize that I recognized the names written on each one. And then without being told, I knew exactly where I was. This lifeless room with its small files was a catalog system for my life. Here were written the actions of my every moment, big and small, in a detail my memory couldn't match.
A sense of wonder and curiosity, coupled with horror, stirred within me as i began randomly opening files. Some brought joy and sweet memories; others a sense of shame and regret so intense that I would look over my shoulder to see if anyone were watching. A file named "Friends" was next to one marked "Friends I Have Betrayed."
The titles ranged from the mundane to the outright weird. "Books I have Read," "Lies I Have Told," "Comfort I Have Given," "Jokes I Have Laughed At." Some were almost hilarious in their exactness:"Things I've Yelled at My Brothers." Others I couldn't laugh at: "Things I Have Done in Anger,""Things I Have Muttered Under My Breath At My Parents." I never ceased to be surprised by the contents. Often there were many more cards than I expected. Sometimes fewer than I hoped.
The sheer volume of the life I had lived overwhelmed me. Could it be possible that I had the time in my 20 years to write each of these thousands or even millions of cards? But each card confirmed this truth. Each was written in my own handwriting. Each signed with my signature.
When I pulled out the file marked "Songs I Have Listened To," I realized the files grew to contain their contents. The cards were packed tightly and yet after two or three yards, I hadn't found the end of the file. I shut it, ashamed, not so much by the quality of music, but more by the vast amount of time I knew that file represented.
When I came to a file marked "Lustful Thoughts," I felt a chill run through my body. I pulled the file out only an inch, not willing to test its size, and drew out a card. I shuddered at its detailed content. I felt sick to think that such a moment had been recorded. An almost animal rage broke over me. One thought dominated my mind: "No one must ever see these cards! No one must ever see this room!"
"I have to destroy them!" In an insane frenzy I yanked the file out. Its size didn't matter now. I had to empty it and burn the cards. But as I took it at one end and began pounding it on the floor, I could not dislodge a single card. I became desperate and pulled out a card, only to find it as strong as steel when I tried to tear it.
Defeated and utterly helpless, I returned the file to its slot. Leaning on my forehead against the wall, I let out a long, self-pitying sigh. And then I saw it. The title bore "People I Have Shared the Gospel With." The handle was brighter than those around it, newer, almost unused. I pulled on its handles and a small box not more than three inches long fell into my hands. I could count the cards it contained on one hand.
And then the tears came. I began to weep. Sobs so deep that the hurt started in my stomach and shook through me. I fell on my knees and cried. I cried out of shame, from the overwhelming shame of it all. The rows of file shelves swirled in my tear filled eyes. No one must ever, ever know of this room. I must lock it up and hide the key.
But then I pushed away the tears, I saw Him.
No, please not Him. Not here. Oh, anyone but Jesus. I watched helplessly as He began to open the files and read the cards. I couldn't bear to watch His response. And in the moments I could bring myself to look at His face, I saw a sorrow deeper than my own. He seemed to intuitively go to the worst boxes. Why did He have to read every one?
Finally, He turned and looked at me from across the room. He looked at me with pity in His eyes. But this was a pity that didn't anger me. I dropped my head, covered my face with my hands and began to cry again. He walked over and put His arm around me. He could have said so many things. But He didn't say a word. He just cried with me. Then He got up and walked back to the wall of files. Starting at one end of the room, He took out a file and, one by one, began to sign His name over mine on each card."No!" I shouted rushing to Him. All I could find to saw was "No, no," as I pulled the card from Him. His name shouldn't be on these cards. But there it was written in red so rich, so dark, and so alive. The name of Jesus covered min. It was written in His blood.
He gently took the card back. He smiled a sad smile and began to sign the cards. I don't think I'll ever understand how He did it so quickly, but the next instant it seemed I heard Him close the last file and walk back to my side. He placed His hand on my shoulder and said, "it is finished." I stood up, and He led me out of the room. There was no lock on its door. There were still cards to be written.
If Jesus Came To Your House
If Jesus came to your house to spend a day or two
If He came unexpectedly, I wonder what you'd do
Oh, I know you'd give you nicest to such an honored guest.
And all the food you'd serve to Him would be your very best.
And you'd keep assuring Him you're glad to have Him there.
That serving Him in your own home is joy beyond compare.
But when you saw Him coming would you meet Him at the door?
With your arms outstretched in welcome to your Heavenly Visitor?
Or would you have to change your clothes before you let Him in?
Or hide some magazines and put the Bible where they'd been?
Would you turn off the radio and hope He hadn't heard
And wish you hadn't uttered the last loud hasty word?
Would you hide your worldly music and put some hymn books out?
Could you let Jesus walk right in, or would you rush about?
And I wonder if the Savior spent a day or two with you
Would you go right on doing the things you always do?
Would you keep right on saying the things you always say?
Would life for you continue as it does from day to day?
Would your family conversation keep up its usual pace?
Or would you find it hard each meal to say the table grace?
Would you sing the songs you always sing and read the books you read?
And let Him know the things on which your mind and spirit feed?
Would you take Jesus with you every place you planned to go?
Or would you maybe change your plans for just a day or so?
Would you be glad to have Him meet your very closest friends?
Or would you hope they'd stay away, until His visit ends?
Would you be glad to have Him stay forever on and on?
Or would you sigh with great relief, what He at last was gone?
It might be interesting to know the things that you would do.
If Jesus Christ in person, came to spend some time with you.
Fearless Heart Song by Katherine Nelson
Here are the lyrics below.
The war is raging all around me
I'm weary and battle-worn
The forces of the night surround me
Threatening to destroy
And the battlefield is strewn with broken lives
torn and tattered in the struggle to survive
but i will not be a casualty of this war i didn't start
I'll fight it with a fearless heart
The darkness bids me to surrender
My weakness begs me to retreat
The faith sustains it's true defenders,
With the promise of relief
And the battlefield is strewn with broken lives
torn and tattered in the struggle to survive
but i will not be a casualty of this war i didn't start
I'll fight it with a fearless heart
I will not lay my courage down
Until the enemy is bound
I will not die
And the battlefield is strewn with broken lives
torn and tattered in the struggle to survive
but i will not be a casualty of this war i didn't start
I'll fight it with a fearless heart
You Become What You Think
Live Your Religion
One good man-one man who does not put on his religion once a week with his Sunday coat, but wears it for his working dress, and lets the thought of God grow in him, until everything he says and does becomes religious-that man is worth a thousand sermons. He is a living gospel-he is the image of God. And men see his good works, and admire them in spite of themselves, and see that they are Godlike, and that God's grace is no dream, but that the Holy Spirit is still among men. They get a glimpse of God, and glorify their Father who is in heaven.
Footprints
One night a man had a dream. He dreamed he was walking along the beach with the Lord. Across the sky flashed scenes from his life. When the last scene of his life flashed before him, he looked back at the footprints in the sand. He noticed that at times of his life there was only one set of footprints. He also noticed that these were the lowest and saddest times in his life. This bothered him, and he asked the Lord, "You said that once I decided to follow You, You'd walk with me all the way. But during the most troublesome times in my life, there is only one set of footprints. Why, when I needed You most, did You leave me?" The Lord replied, "My son, I love you and would never leave you. During those times of trial and suffering, when you see only one set of footprints, it was then that i was carrying you."
A Living House
Imagine yourself (as) a house that God comes in to rebuild. At first, perhaps, you can understand what he is doing. He is getting the drains right and stopping the leaks in the roof; you knew those jobs needed to be done and so you are not surprised.
But soon He starts knocking you about in a way that hurts abominable, and does not seem to make sense. What on earth is He up to?
He is building a different house than you had planned; throwing out a new wing here, putting on an extra floor there, running up towers, and making courtyards.
You thought you were going to be a little cottage; but He is building a palace.
The Starfish
An old man was walking along the beach. In the distance he saw someone who seemed to be dancing along the waves. As he got closer, he saw a young man picking up starfish and tossing them back into the ocean. "What are you doing?" The old man asked.
"The sun is coming up and the tide is going out. If i don't throw them in they will die."
"But young man, there are miles and miles of beach with starfish all along it. You can't possibly make a difference."
The young man bent down, picked up a starfish and threw it back past the breaking waves. "It made a difference to that one."
The young man's actions represent something in each of us. We are all gifted with the ability to make a difference. Each of us can shape our own future, and each of us can help others reach their potential.
The Birdcage
There once was a man named George Thomas, a pastor in a small New England town. One Easter Sunday morning he came to church carrying a rusty, bent old bird cage, and set in on the pulpit. Several eyebrows were raised, and Pastor Thomas began to speak.
"I was walking through town yesterday when I saw a young boy coming towards me, swinging this bird cage. On the bottom of the cage were three little wild birds, shivering with cold and fright. I stopped the lad and asked, "What have you got there son?"
"Just some old birds," came the reply.
"What are you going to do with them?" I asked.
"Pull out their feathers to make 'em fight. I'm gonna have a real good time."
"But you'll get tired of these birds sooner or later-what will you do then?"
"Oh, I got some cats-they like birds. I'll give 'em to them."
The pastor was silent for a moment.
"How much do you want for those birds, son?"
"Huh? Why, you don't want these birds mister. They're just plain old dumb field birds. They don't sing-and they ain't even pretty!"
"How much?"
The boy sized up the pastor as if he were crazy, and said, "Ten dollars?"
The pastor reached in his pocket and took out a ten-dollar bill. He placed it in the boy's hand. In a flash, the boy was gone. The pastor picked up the cage and gently carried it to the end of the alley, where there was a tree and a grassy spot. Setting the cage down he opened the door, and by softly tapping the bars he persuaded the birds out, setting them free.
Then the pastor began to tell the second part of his story.
One day Satan and Jesus were having a conversation. Satan had just come from the Garden of Eden, and he was gloating and boasting.
"Yes sir, I just caught a world full of people down there. Set me a trap, used bait I knew they couldn't resist. Got em' all!"
"What are you going to do with them?" Jesus asked.
"Oh, I'm going to have fun! I'm gonna teach them how to marry and divorce each other, how to hate and abuse each other, how to invent guns and bombs and kill each other. I'm really gonna have fun!"
"And what will you do with them when you grow tired of that?"
"Oh, kill 'em. Damn 'em."
"How much for these people?" Jesus asked.
"Oh, you don't want these people. They ain't no good. Why, you take them, and they'll just hate you. They'll spit on you, and curse you, and kill you-you of all wouldn't want these people.
"How much?"
Satan looked at Jesus and answered, "All your tears and blood."
Jesus paid the price, picked up the cage, and opened the door.
12 Points to Perpetual Happiness
1. Understand that being happy is an emotional decision, just as anger, pride, and repentance are emotional decisions. Decide now that you will work at being happy more often. You are either the master of your destiny or a slave to your fate. Only you can choose how you'll react to a situation. Choose well.
2. Always associate with people who lift you up. There are people everywhere who will tell you how bad things are and how you'll never amount to anything. These people are really talking about themselves. You should find better company.
3. Meet everybody on friendly terms. Each new person could be your next best friend, or the person who will pull you out of a ditch in half an hour. Treat them as such.
4. You become what you think about and tell yourself all day. Safeguard your thoughts, and when you talk to yourself, say positive things.
5. Keep yourself too busy to mope around. Sitting around with I, Me, Mine and Myself (your four worst friends) and bemoaning your existence will get you nowhere. Keep your day full of people and projects and family and correspondence. Advance everyday in the direction of your goals.
6. Be involved in big projects to help you organize yourself, and your time. I'm continually amazed at how much more I can get done (in my spare time) when I work 75 hours a week than when I work 20.
7. Cultivate humor always, but cynicism never. Laughing at yourself and chuckling at the humor in your situation keeps you from taking yourself too seriously and wanting to strangle somebody. Picking on other people doesn't lift them up, and it doesn't help you up either.
8. Read 15 minutes' worth of inspirational material before noon every day. This not only lifts your spirit and marks the path before you but also gives you something good to talk about.
9. Memorize words of upbeat songs and inspirational quotes. Keep these on hand when you have nothing else to think about.
10. Opinions change-facts remain the same. Learn to separate opinion from fact, and don't get caught up in anybody's opinion, even your own. Especially, don't live your life based on what other people might think about you.
11. Don't worry about things you have no control over. Learn to solve problems quickly. Learn to anticipate, work through, or avoid the things (problems) you can't solve. Plan ahead, and don't forget to make a "Plan B."
12. Keep your faith in God and in the Big Picture. Even though you can't see all the curves in the road ahead, be confident that things will straighten themselves out (with your help) eventually. If you are doing your part you can have every expectation that God will do his part.
We may say that our work drives us and that we have no time to pray, hardly time to eat our breakfast. Let the breakfast go, and pray; get down upon your knees and pray until you are filled with the spirit of peace. It matters not whether you or I feel like praying; when the time comes to pray, pray. If we do not feel like it, we should pray until we do.
You will find that those who will wait till the Spirit bids them pray, will never pray much on this earth. My doctrine is, it is your duty to pray. If I could not master my mouth, I would my knees and make them bend until my mouth would speak. If the Devil says you cannot pray when you are angry, tell him it's none of his business, and pray until serenity is restored to the mind.
Let no person give up prayer because he has not the spirit of prayer, neither let any earthly circumstance hurry you while in the performance of this important duty.
The Back Fence
There was a little boy with a bad temper. His father gave him a bag of nails and told him that every time he lost his temper, to hammer a nail in the back fence.
By the end of the first day the boy had driven 37 nails into the fence.
Over time, the boy decided it was easier to hold his temper than to drive nails into fence posts.
Finally, a day came when the boy didn't lose his temper. When he told his father, he congratulated him, and told the boy to pull out one nail each day he didn't lose his temper. Weeks passed and one day the young boy told his father that all the nails were gone. The father took his son by the hand and led him to the fence.
"You have done well, my son, but look at the holes. The fence will never be the same. When you say things in anger, they leave scars just like these. A verbal wound is bad as a physical one."
Child of Light Song by Mindy Gledhill
Here are the lyrics....
Did you ever wonder who you are
Do you ever wonder as you stare into the stars
Where you began
And how you got this far..
From home?
Have you ever walked along the shore
Have you ever seen the waters dancing back and forth
Did you look inside
To see if there was more...
To life?
There's a dream taking wing
There's a voice that wants to sing
Even in the deepest, darkest night
The torch is raised to the sky
There are hands that hold it high
You were born to keep burning bright
You were made to fly
You were meant to shine
Child of Light
You will never ever stand alone
You were never called to bare the burden's on your own
And where there is fear
Love will take control
And lead you on
Cause there's a dream taking wing
Ten Rules for Being Human
by Cherie Carter-Scott
1. You will receive a body. You may like it or hate it, but it's yours to keep for the entire period.
2. You will learn lessons. You are enrolled in a full-time informal school called, "life."
3. There are no mistakes, only lessons. Growth is a process of trial, error, and experimentation. The "failed" experiments are as much a part of the process as the experiments that ultimately "work."
4. Lessons are repeated until they are learned. A lesson will be presented to you in various forms until you have learned it. When you have learned it, you can go on to the next lesson.
5. Learning lessons does not end. There's no part of life that doesn't contain its lessons. If you're alive, that means there are still lessons to be learned.
6. "There" is no better a place than "here." When your "there" has become a "here", you will simply obtain another "there" that will again look better than "here."
7. Other people are merely mirrors of you. You cannot love or hate something about another person unless it reflects to you something you love or hate about yourself.
8. What you make of your life is up to you. You have all the tools and resources you need. What you do with them is up to you. The choice is yours.
9. Your answers lie within you. The answers to life's questions lie within you. All you need to do is look, listen, and trust.
10. You will forget all this.
...the mess to clean up after a party
because it means I have been surrounded by friends.
...the taxes I pay
No Time to Pray?
We may say that our work drives us and that we have no time to pray, hardly time to eat our breakfast. Let the breakfast go, and pray; get down upon your knees and pray until you are filled with the spirit of peace. It matters not whether you or I feel like praying; when the time comes to pray, pray. If we do not feel like it, we should pray until we do.
You will find that those who will wait till the Spirit bids them pray, will never pray much on this earth. My doctrine is, it is your duty to pray. If I could not master my mouth, I would my knees and make them bend until my mouth would speak. If the Devil says you cannot pray when you are angry, tell him it's none of his business, and pray until serenity is restored to the mind.
Let no person give up prayer because he has not the spirit of prayer, neither let any earthly circumstance hurry you while in the performance of this important duty.
The Back Fence
There was a little boy with a bad temper. His father gave him a bag of nails and told him that every time he lost his temper, to hammer a nail in the back fence.
By the end of the first day the boy had driven 37 nails into the fence.
Over time, the boy decided it was easier to hold his temper than to drive nails into fence posts.
Finally, a day came when the boy didn't lose his temper. When he told his father, he congratulated him, and told the boy to pull out one nail each day he didn't lose his temper. Weeks passed and one day the young boy told his father that all the nails were gone. The father took his son by the hand and led him to the fence.
"You have done well, my son, but look at the holes. The fence will never be the same. When you say things in anger, they leave scars just like these. A verbal wound is bad as a physical one."
Child of Light Song by Mindy Gledhill
Here are the lyrics....
Did you ever wonder who you are
Do you ever wonder as you stare into the stars
Where you began
And how you got this far..
From home?
Have you ever walked along the shore
Have you ever seen the waters dancing back and forth
Did you look inside
To see if there was more...
To life?
There's a dream taking wing
There's a voice that wants to sing
Even in the deepest, darkest night
The torch is raised to the sky
There are hands that hold it high
You were born to keep burning bright
You were made to fly
You were meant to shine
Child of Light
You will never ever stand alone
You were never called to bare the burden's on your own
And where there is fear
Love will take control
And lead you on
Cause there's a dream taking wing
There's a voice that wants to sing
Even in the deepest, darkest night
The torch is raised to the sky
There are hands that hold it high
You were born to keep burning bright
You were made to fly
You were meant to shine
Child of Light
There's a dream taking wing
There's a voice that wants to sing
Even in the deepest, darkest night
The torch is raised to the sky
There are hands that hold it high
You were born to keep burning bright
You were made to fly
You were meant to shine
Child of Light
Just As I Am
This is a great video. It always makes me cry
Just As I Am
This is a great video. It always makes me cry
Ten Rules for Being Human
by Cherie Carter-Scott
1. You will receive a body. You may like it or hate it, but it's yours to keep for the entire period.
2. You will learn lessons. You are enrolled in a full-time informal school called, "life."
3. There are no mistakes, only lessons. Growth is a process of trial, error, and experimentation. The "failed" experiments are as much a part of the process as the experiments that ultimately "work."
4. Lessons are repeated until they are learned. A lesson will be presented to you in various forms until you have learned it. When you have learned it, you can go on to the next lesson.
5. Learning lessons does not end. There's no part of life that doesn't contain its lessons. If you're alive, that means there are still lessons to be learned.
6. "There" is no better a place than "here." When your "there" has become a "here", you will simply obtain another "there" that will again look better than "here."
7. Other people are merely mirrors of you. You cannot love or hate something about another person unless it reflects to you something you love or hate about yourself.
8. What you make of your life is up to you. You have all the tools and resources you need. What you do with them is up to you. The choice is yours.
9. Your answers lie within you. The answers to life's questions lie within you. All you need to do is look, listen, and trust.
10. You will forget all this.
| I am thankful for... | by Nancie J. Carmody |
...the mess to clean up after a party
because it means I have been surrounded by friends.
...the taxes I pay
- because it means that I'm employed.
- ...the clothes that fit a little too snug
- because it means I have enough to eat.
- ...my shadow who watches me work
- because it means I am out in the sunshine.
- ...the spot I find at the far end of the parking lot
- because it means I am capable of walking.
- ...all the complaining I hear about our government
- because it means we have freedom of speech.
- ...that lady behind me in church who sings off key
- because it means that I can hear.
- ...lawn that needs mowing, windows that need cleaning and gutters that need fixing
- because it means I have a home.
- ...my huge heating bill
- because it means that I am warm.
- ...weariness and aching muscles at the end of the day
- because it means that I have been productive.
- ...the alarm that goes off in the early morning hours
- because it means that I am alive.
- Good days,
- Great days, and
- Outstanding days.
Christ Has No Hands but Our Hands
Christ has no hands but our hands
To do His work today.
He has no feet but our feet
To lead men in his way.
He has no tongue but our tongue
To tell men how He died.
He has no help but our help
To lead men to His side.
What if our hands are busy
With other work than His?
What if our feet are walking
Where sin's allurement is?
What if our tongues are speaking
Of things His lips would spurn?
How can we hope to help him
Or hasten His return?
The Stonecutter
Long ago there lived a stonecutter who every morning took his tools to the mountainside where he cut and polished slabs of rock for wealthy homes. He was very good at his work, and he was happy. But one day, as he carried a finely polished block of stone of the house of a rich man, he saw many beautiful things that he never had seen before.
"Oh!" he cried. "I wish I were rich. I wish I might sleep in a bed as soft as down." Then he picked up his tools and started home, but the spirit of the mountain had heard his wish. Instead of the poor little hut he had left in the morning, there stood a wonderful palace full of beautiful furniture. The stonecutter slept that night on a bed as soft as down. When he awoke, he looked out his new window to enjoy the beautiful morning. As he stood there, a fine carriage rolled past drawn by snow-white horses. The prince's servants were running in front and behind the carriage and the prince was sitting inside with a golden canopy over his head. The stonecutter again was disappointed and discontented.
"Oh!" he said. "I wish I were a prince with a carriage and a golden canopy."
No sooner had he wished that it came to pass. He was a prince; he had servants dressed in purple and gold and he drove through the streets in his carriage. For a while he was happy, but one day he noticed that the sun was drying and wilting his grass and flowers even though he had watered those only hours before.
"The sun is mightier than I am. I wish to be the sun."
The spirit heard him and the stonecutter was changed to the sun.
He felt proud and mighty being so great and yellow in the sky. He burned the fields of rich and poor alike. But one day a cloud covered his face; again he was filled with discontent.
"The cloud is mightier than I. I would be the cloud." He cried.
So the mountain spirit changed him into a cloud and he lay content for a while between the sun and the earth. He caught the sunbeams and would not let them go. He sent rain to the earth and the flowers bloomed, but this was not enough. He began pouring down rain until the rivers overflowed and the crops were ruined. He washed away whole towns; but try as he would, the one thing he could not move was the mountain.
"The mountain is stronger than I. I will be the mountain."
At once the mountain spirit changed him into rock. For years he stood, proudly raising his head above the other cliffs, and he did not feel the sun or the rain. But one day he heard a sharp tap tapping and he saw a stonecutter working with his sharp tools, cutting into his side.
"Who can cut into me? I would be that man."
So once again, the man became a stonecutter. He lived in a hut and worked from morning to night. Yet he was happy for he had learned that a steady tap tapping moves mountains.
Beautiful to Him Song by Rachel Thibodeau
Sent to this earth
You were saved through the ages for this day and time
Child of great worth
Child of promise, daughter of the Divine
Pure and holy in a little, white dress
You were held in a circle and you were blessed
(Chorus)
And the Father looked down
And the angels surrounded that place
They knew the truth, all that you could do
And you will, too, if you have eyes to see
What heaven sees in you
Dressed in white once more
Making promises to follow in God’s way
So much lies in store
For the little girl who enters at the gate
Pure and holy in a little, white dress
You were led into the water and you were blessed
Repeat Chorus
Do you understand who you are
Part of the Father lives in you
If you continue on this path
Every promise God has given will come true
Heaven on earth
In the house of God, so much fills your heart and mind
Woman of great worth
Woman of promise, daughter of the Divine
Pure and holy in a long, white dress
You promise forever and you are blessed
And the Father looks down
And the angels surround that place
They know the truth, all that you can do
And you do, too, ‘cause you have eyes to see
What heaven sees in you
Will you have eyes to see
What heaven sees in you
Two Hands
Follow your dream.
Take one step at a time.
And don't settle for less,
Just continue the climb.
Follow your dream.
If you stumble don't stop.
And if you lose sight of your goal,
Press on to the top.
For only on top
Can we see the whole view-
Can we see what we've done
And what we can do-
Can we then have the vision
To see something new,
Press on,
And follow your dream.
1. Be clear on the principle involved.
2. Take a long look ahead.
3. Think objectively.
4. Learn from the experience, successes, and failures of others.
5. Counsel with others.
6. Pray for guidance.
7. Decide.
Then pray for a confirmation and help to carry your decision through.
I got up early one morning
and rushed right into the day;
I had so much to accomplish,
I didn't have time to pray.
Problems just tumbled about me,
and heavier came each task.
Why doesn't God help me? I wondered,
He answered, "You didn't ask."
I wanted to see joy and beauty,
but the day toiled on, gray and bleak.
I wondered why God didn't show me,
He said, "But you didn't seek."
I tried to come into God's presence,
I used all my keys at the lock.
God gently and lovingly chided,
"My child, you didn't knock."
I woke up early this morning,
and paused before entering the day.
I had so much to accomplish
That I had to take time to pray.
The Secret of Achievement
It took Michelangelo twelve years- one brush stroke at a time- to paint his Biblical scenes in the Sistine Chapel. It took Brahms twenty years - one note at a time - to compose is his First Symphony. It took Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay eighty days - one step at a time - to climb the 29,000 feet of Mount Everest.
Word by word, brush stroke by brush stroke, note by note, step by step, problem by problem, prayer by prayer - this is the secret of achievement.
Beautiful to Him Song by Rachel Thibodeau
So much noise
So much peace destroyed
I can hardly hear the voice
Leading me through the void
So much noise
The world's little lies
Destruction in diguise
Opportunities to compromise
To make me beautiful in their eyes
But I'm not going to buy
The world's little lies
Cause i define myself and find my beauty in
The light he gives
I'm refined by his divine intentions every day i live
It doesn't matter what the world believes
Or what they say that beauty means
It comes from within...
I wanna be beautiful to Him.
He's given me his trust
So i'll be strong enough
To run from a dangerous touch
I don't need THAT kind of "love"
I don't need that crutch
He's given me his trust.
Cause i define myself and find my beauty in
The light he gives
I'm refined by his divine intentions every day i live
It doesn't matter what the world believes
Or what they say that beauty means
It comes from within...
I wanna be beautiful to Him.
I know how to shine
My life's not really mine
It's not about a worldly climb
It's all about HIS design
So in his eyes...
I wanna shine.
Cause i define myself and find my beauty in
The light he gives
I'm refined by his divine intentions every day i live
It doesn't matter what the world believes
Or what they say that beauty means
It comes from within...
I wanna be beautiful to Him.
I want to live to have his peace
And feel the holiness he sees
It comes from within.....
I wanna be beautiful
To Him.
Jake was nine years old with tousled brown hair with blue eyes as bright as a heavenly angel. For as long as Jake could remember he had lived within the walls of a poor orphanage. He was just one of ten children supported by what meager contributions the orphan home could obtain in a continuous struggle seeking donations from townsfolk.
There was very little to eat, but at Christmas time there always seemed to be a little more than usual to eat, the orphanage seemed a little warmer, and it was time for a little holiday enjoyment. But more than this, there was the Christmas orange!
Christmas was the only time of year that such a rare treat was provided and it was treasured by each child like no other food admiring it, feeling it, prizing it and slowly enjoying each juicy section. Truly, it was the light of each orphan’s Christmas and their best gift of the season. How joyful would be the moment when Jake received his orange!
Unknown to him, Jake had somehow managed to track a small amount of mud on his shoes through the front door of the orphanage, muddying the new carpet. He hadn’t even noticed. Now it was too late and there was nothing he could do to avoid punishment. The punishment was swift and unrelenting. Jake would not be allowed his Christmas orange! It was the only gift he would receive from the harsh world he lived in, yet after a year of waiting for his Christmas orange, is was to be denied him.
Tearfully, Jake pleaded that he be forgiven and promised never to track mud into the orphanage again, but to no avail. He felt hopeless and totally rejected. Jake cried into his pillow all that night and spent Christmas Day feeling empty and alone. He felt that the other children didn’t want to be with a boy who had been punished with such a cruel punishment. Perhaps they feared he would ruin their only day of happiness. Maybe, he reasoned, the gulf between him and his friends existed because they feared he would ask for a little of their oranges. Jake spent the day upstairs, alone, in the unheated dormitory. Huddled under his only blanket, he read about a family marooned on an island. Jake wouldn’t mind spending the rest of his life on an isolated island, if he could only have a real family that cared about him.
Bedtime came, and worst of all, Jake couldn’t sleep. How could he say his prayers? How could there be a God in Heaven that would allow a little soul such as his, to suffer so much all by himself? Silently, he sobbed for the future of mankind that God might end the suffering in the world, both for himself and all others like him.
As he climbed back into bed from the cold, hard floor, a soft hand touched Jake’s shoulder, startling him momentarily and an object was silently placed in his hands. The giver disappeared into the darkness, leaving Jake with what, he did not immediately know!
Looking closely at it in the dim light, he saw that it looked like an orange! Not a regular orange, smooth and shiny, but a special orange, very special. Inside a patched together peal were the segments of nine other oranges, making one whole orange for Jake! The nine other children in the orphanage had each donated one segment of their own precious oranges to make a whole orange as a gift for Jake.
Sharing what we truly value is the true spirit of Christmas. Our Heavenly Father gave us His beloved Son. May we, like the children in the orphanage, find ways to share His love with others less blessed.
The Christmas Orange
Jake was nine years old with tousled brown hair with blue eyes as bright as a heavenly angel. For as long as Jake could remember he had lived within the walls of a poor orphanage. He was just one of ten children supported by what meager contributions the orphan home could obtain in a continuous struggle seeking donations from townsfolk.
There was very little to eat, but at Christmas time there always seemed to be a little more than usual to eat, the orphanage seemed a little warmer, and it was time for a little holiday enjoyment. But more than this, there was the Christmas orange!
Christmas was the only time of year that such a rare treat was provided and it was treasured by each child like no other food admiring it, feeling it, prizing it and slowly enjoying each juicy section. Truly, it was the light of each orphan’s Christmas and their best gift of the season. How joyful would be the moment when Jake received his orange!
Unknown to him, Jake had somehow managed to track a small amount of mud on his shoes through the front door of the orphanage, muddying the new carpet. He hadn’t even noticed. Now it was too late and there was nothing he could do to avoid punishment. The punishment was swift and unrelenting. Jake would not be allowed his Christmas orange! It was the only gift he would receive from the harsh world he lived in, yet after a year of waiting for his Christmas orange, is was to be denied him.
Tearfully, Jake pleaded that he be forgiven and promised never to track mud into the orphanage again, but to no avail. He felt hopeless and totally rejected. Jake cried into his pillow all that night and spent Christmas Day feeling empty and alone. He felt that the other children didn’t want to be with a boy who had been punished with such a cruel punishment. Perhaps they feared he would ruin their only day of happiness. Maybe, he reasoned, the gulf between him and his friends existed because they feared he would ask for a little of their oranges. Jake spent the day upstairs, alone, in the unheated dormitory. Huddled under his only blanket, he read about a family marooned on an island. Jake wouldn’t mind spending the rest of his life on an isolated island, if he could only have a real family that cared about him.
Bedtime came, and worst of all, Jake couldn’t sleep. How could he say his prayers? How could there be a God in Heaven that would allow a little soul such as his, to suffer so much all by himself? Silently, he sobbed for the future of mankind that God might end the suffering in the world, both for himself and all others like him.
As he climbed back into bed from the cold, hard floor, a soft hand touched Jake’s shoulder, startling him momentarily and an object was silently placed in his hands. The giver disappeared into the darkness, leaving Jake with what, he did not immediately know!
Looking closely at it in the dim light, he saw that it looked like an orange! Not a regular orange, smooth and shiny, but a special orange, very special. Inside a patched together peal were the segments of nine other oranges, making one whole orange for Jake! The nine other children in the orphanage had each donated one segment of their own precious oranges to make a whole orange as a gift for Jake.
Sharing what we truly value is the true spirit of Christmas. Our Heavenly Father gave us His beloved Son. May we, like the children in the orphanage, find ways to share His love with others less blessed.
What Heaven Sees in You Song by Doug Walker
Sent to this earth
You were saved through the ages for this day and time
Child of great worth
Child of promise, daughter of the Divine
Pure and holy in a little, white dress
You were held in a circle and you were blessed
(Chorus)
And the Father looked down
And the angels surrounded that place
They knew the truth, all that you could do
And you will, too, if you have eyes to see
What heaven sees in you
Dressed in white once more
Making promises to follow in God’s way
So much lies in store
For the little girl who enters at the gate
Pure and holy in a little, white dress
You were led into the water and you were blessed
Repeat Chorus
Do you understand who you are
Part of the Father lives in you
If you continue on this path
Every promise God has given will come true
Heaven on earth
In the house of God, so much fills your heart and mind
Woman of great worth
Woman of promise, daughter of the Divine
Pure and holy in a long, white dress
You promise forever and you are blessed
And the Father looks down
And the angels surround that place
They know the truth, all that you can do
And you do, too, ‘cause you have eyes to see
What heaven sees in you
Will you have eyes to see
What heaven sees in you
Live Like You Believe Song by Jenny Phillips
You have felt the warmth of the fire
You have seen a glimmer of light
Its something that you have been missing inside
Something that you have been longing to find
Hold on to the yearning
And wherever you are on your journey
Chorus
Live like you believe
Live like you know
It's one sure way
Your faith will grow
Listen to your heart
Search in your soul
And you'll find
The strength that you need
His light, the gift of His peace
When you live like you believe
There are things you'll have to let go
And you might feel, you're just hanging on
When you find yourself alone and afraid
Questioning all the choices you've made
Hold on the burning
He's leading you through the journey
Repeat Chorus
Hold on to the yearning
And wherever you are on the journey
Repeat Chorus
Two Hands
While walking in the sand one day
I tripped and fell and while I lay
Two hands reached out to lift me high,
One hand moist, the other hand dry.
One hand was tattered, worn, and abused.
The other hand soft, smooth, and unused.
I knew not which hand to take in mine,
To lift me up and guide me through time.
For one hand would lead me back home to God,
The other away from the iron rod.
Cautiously I picked the tattered, warn hand
It lifted me up and again I could stand.
I knew I'd picked the Lord's helping hand,
For Satan would've left me there in the sand.
I wondered why His hand was so worn and abused,
And then I remembered how much it was used.
The Pearl Necklace Story
The cheerful girl with bouncy golden curls was almost five. Waiting with her mother at the checkout stand, she saw them: a circle of glistening white pearls in a pink foil box.
"Oh please, Mommy. Can I have them? Please, Mommy, please!"
Quickly the mother checked the back of the little foil box and then looked back into the pleading blue eyes of her little girl's upturned face.
"A dollar ninety-five. That's almost $2.00. If you really want them, I'll think of some extra chores for you and in no time you can save enough money to buy them for yourself. Your birthday's only a week away and you might get another crisp dollar bill from Grandma."
As soon as Jenny got home, she emptied her penny bank and counted out 17 pennies. After dinner, she did more than her share of chores and she went to the neighbor and asked Mrs. McJames if she could pick dandelions for ten cents.
On her birthday, Grandma did give her another new dollar bill and at last she had enough money to buy the necklace.
Jenny loved her pearls. They made her feel dressed up and grown up. She wore them everywhere--Sunday school, kindergarten, even to bed. The only time she took them off was when she went swimming or had a bubble bath. Mother said if they got wet, they might turn her neck green.
Jenny had a very loving daddy and every night when she was ready for bed, he would stop whatever he was doing and come upstairs to read her a story. One night when he finished the story, he asked Jenny, "Do you love me?"
"Oh yes, Daddy. You know that I love you."
"Then give me your pearls."
"Oh, Daddy, not my pearls. But you can have Princess--the white horse from my collection. The one with the pink tail. Remember, Daddy? The one you gave me. She's my favorite."
"That's okay, Honey. Daddy loves you. Good night." And he brushed her cheek with a kiss.
About a week later, after the story time, Jenny's daddy asked again, "Do you love me?"
"Daddy, you know I love you."
"Then give me your pearls."
"Oh Daddy, not my pearls. But you can have my babydoll. The brand new one I got for my birthday. She is so beautiful and you can have the yellow blanket that matches her sleeper."
"That's okay. Sleep well. God bless you, little one. Daddy loves you." And as always, he brushed her cheek with a gentle kiss.
A few nights later when her daddy came in, Jenny was sitting on her bed with her legs crossed Indian-style. As he came close, he noticed her chin was trembling and one silent tear rolled down her cheek.
"What is it, Jenny? What's the matter?"
Jenny didn't say anything but lifted her little hand up to her daddy. And when she opened it, there was her little pearl necklace. With a little quiver,she finally said, "Here, Daddy. It's for you."
With tears gathering in his own eyes, Jenny's kind daddy reached out with one hand to take the dime-store necklace, and with the other hand he reached into his pocket and pulled out a blue velvet case with a strand of genuine pearls and gave them to Jenny.
He had them all the time. He was just waiting for her to give up the dime-store stuff so he could give her genuine treasure.
What are you hanging on to?
--- Author Unknown
Connect with God
Talk to God about your "pearls". Are you hanging onto some things in your life that are keeping you from getting the "genuine pearls" your Heavenly Father wants to give you? Are you living for this life or are you willing to give up everything now in order to get the Kindgdom of Heaven later? Do you realize the great value there is in Heaven...no more tears, complete fulfillment, anything you enjoy here on earth 100x better?
Heaven is not just about angels with harps sitting on clouds. It is about eternity...forever. Are you willing to settle for the temporary highs of today and give up the eternal highs of forever?
Ten Steps to a Joyful and Enthusiastic Life
First: Stop putting yourself down. There is a lot that is good in you. Empty your mind of thoughts of failure and start seeing yourself as a competent person.
Second: Eliminate self-pity. Think of what you have, instead of dwelling on what you may have lost.
Third: Quit thinking about yourself. Think of others. Go out and look for someone who needs the help you can give, and give it freely.
Fourth: Remember the words of Goethe: "He who has a firm will molds the world to himself." God gave humans something called will. Use it.
Fifth: Have a goal and set an achievable timetable to achieve it.
Sixth: Stop wasting your mental energy on the past, and start thinking about what to do now. Amazing things happen when you think constructively.
Seventh: Every morning and every evening say these words aloud: "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."
Eighth: Every day say three times: "This is the day the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it." (adapted from Psalms 118:24)
Nineth: Think and practice joy everyday.
Tenth: Get enthusiasm; think enthusiasm; live enthusiastically.
Press On!
Follow your dream.
Take one step at a time.
And don't settle for less,
Just continue the climb.
Follow your dream.
If you stumble don't stop.
And if you lose sight of your goal,
Press on to the top.
For only on top
Can we see the whole view-
Can we see what we've done
And what we can do-
Can we then have the vision
To see something new,
Press on,
And follow your dream.
Seven Steps in Making a Decision
1. Be clear on the principle involved.
2. Take a long look ahead.
3. Think objectively.
4. Learn from the experience, successes, and failures of others.
5. Counsel with others.
6. Pray for guidance.
7. Decide.
Then pray for a confirmation and help to carry your decision through.
The Road Is Rough
poem taken from Harold B. Lee's talk
The road is rough I said, dear Lord,
There's stones that hurt me so;
And he said, dear child I understand,
I walked it long ago...
But there is a cool green path I said,
Let me walk three for a time;
No child He gently answered me,
The green road does not climb.
My burden I said is far too great,
How can I bear it so?
My child said he, I remember it's weight,
I carried my cross you know.
But I said I wish there were friends
who would make my way their own,
Ah yes, he said, Gethsemene was hard to face alone.
So I walked that stoney path
Content at last to know,
That where my master had not gone,
I would not have to go...
Strangely then I did find friends,
My burdens grew less sore,
As I remembered long ago,
He had walked that way before.....
The Difference
I got up early one morning
and rushed right into the day;
I had so much to accomplish,
I didn't have time to pray.
Problems just tumbled about me,
and heavier came each task.
Why doesn't God help me? I wondered,
He answered, "You didn't ask."
I wanted to see joy and beauty,
but the day toiled on, gray and bleak.
I wondered why God didn't show me,
He said, "But you didn't seek."
I tried to come into God's presence,
I used all my keys at the lock.
God gently and lovingly chided,
"My child, you didn't knock."
I woke up early this morning,
and paused before entering the day.
I had so much to accomplish
That I had to take time to pray.
Whatever It Takes Song w/ lyrics
He's Been There Song
The Son of God, with His charity unfeigned,
Declared to men who mocked their Lord, forgiveness unrestrained.
His gentle words, spoken with authority,
Were doubted still by those who did not have the eyes to see.
He suffered grief and trembled beyond the watch of heaven,
Alone he drank the bitter cup, to save the souls of men.
Now even with demands of justice satisfied,
His boundless mercy reaches all who in His love abide.
Chorus:
He is with you always, watching over you; He knows all your pain.
Perfect people do not need a Savior; hope is not in vain.
He's been there. He is there.
At times I ask, in my own Gethsemane,
If my own prideful blindness would impede His love for me.
His sacrifice fills my heart with the belief
That though I've strayed, I'm not beyond His grasp of sweet relief.
Chorus & Bridge
When Christ shall come and in His mighty glory reign,
At last I'll see Him face to face -- this ransomed child to claim.
I know I will, after all is said and done,
Kneel at His feet; cry tears of joy -- the victory finally won.
He is with you always, watching over you; He knows all your pain.
Perfect people do not need a Savior; hope is not in vain.
Chorus
Im studying this book called the Kolob Theorem and it is so enlightening. I would suggest this book to anyone. It has a lot of insight and in depth descriptions of where things are. Here are a few notes and tid bits for today...
Heaven is a real place. Heaven or the Celestial Kingdom is seen as a real place which exists in time and space. It consists of gigantic stars, (Kolob plus others) at the center, each radiating with great energy and power. The center is surrounded by millions of sanctified worlds and planets, as well as new worlds in embryo. "All the spirit is matter," tangible matter, which is exceedingly "fine or pure" (D&C 131:7). While we are in mortality we cannot see spiritual matter, but if God touches our eyes we can. We reject the idea that Heaven is ethereal, cloud-like, unfathomable and unknowable; but it can be described with terms which are concrete, realistic and understandable. Things on earth are patterned after, or even descended from, heavenly originals, and we can understand heaven in part of studying this earth. God himself lives in a real place composed of actual materials on a crystal sphere-a great Urim and Thummim. The Celestrial Kingdom is located in the hub, or central region of the Milky Way Galaxy with God's throne. -The Kolob Theorem (a mormon's view of God's starry universe)
It Passes All My Understanding
I was sitting on a southbound plane,
I was buried in a magazine
When the man in the next seat over
Wanted to talk to me
He talked about the universe,
He talked about Saturn's rings
He said, "I might be an atheist,
Except for just one thing:
It passes all my understanding
How it all worked out just right
The distance that we live from the sun,
The stars that shine at night
We may prove that it was just an accident
But how did it begin?
It passes all my understanding"
I told him, "You are a scholar;
You know things that I don't know
But I believe a God in heaven
Made everything below
And I know we are his children;
I've known it since I was two
But when it comes to being struck with awe,
I'm just like you
It passes all my understanding,
All the beauty we have here
From the majesty of the canyons
To a tiny baby's ear
And even when I can't believe it,
He still believes in me
It passes all my understanding"
We watched the sun set through the clouds
In a tiny little airplane window
With people sleeping all around
And I thought of how we just expect this world to be
And when the flight attendant passed me by
I threw away my magazine
It passes all my understanding,
Tat the Lord knows both our names
And that He made this world for everyone
That was sitting on that plane
And in spite of all of man's distractions
He offers us His peace
That passes all my understanding
If You Bring Love
Joseph Campbell
At a certain moment in Nietzsche's life, the idea came to him of what he called 'the love of your fate.' Whatever your fate is, whatever the heck happens, you say, "This is what I need." It may look like a wreck, but go at it as though it were an opportunity, a challenge.
If you bring love to that moment - not discouragement - you will find the strength is there. Any disaster that you can survive is an improvement in your character, your stature, and your life. What a privilege! This is when the spontaneity of your own nature will have a chance to flow. Then, when looking back at your life, you will see that the moments which seemed to be great failures followed by wreckage were the incidents that shaped the life you have now. You’ll see that this is really true.
Nothing can happen to you that is not positive. Even though it looks and feels at the moment like a negative crisis, it is not.
In ancient Greece, Socrates was reputed to hold knowledge in high esteem. One day an acquaintance met the great philosopher and said, "Do you know what I just heard about your friend?"
"Hold on a minute," Socrates replied. "Before you talk to me about my friend, it might be good idea to take a moment and filter what you’re going to say. That’s why I call it the triple filter test. The first filter is Truth. Have you made absolutely sure that what you are about to tell me is true?"
"Well, no," the man said, "actually I just heard about it and…"
"All right," said Socrates. "So you don’t really know if it’s true or not. Now, let’s try the second filter, the filter of Goodness. Is what you are about to tell me about my friend something good?"
"Umm, no, on the contrary…"
"So," Socrates continued, "you want to tell me something bad about my friend, but you’re not certain it’s true. You may still pass the test though, because there’s one filter left—the filter of Usefulness. Is what you want to tell me about my friend going to be useful to me?"
"No, not really."
"Well," concluded Socrates, "if what you want to tell me is neither true, nor good, nor even useful, why tell it to me at all?"
Just up the road from my home is a field, with two horses in it. From a distance, each horse looks like any other horse.
But if you get a closer look you will notice something quite interesting...
One of the horses is blind.
His owner has chosen not to have him put down, but has made him a safe and comfortable barn to live in.
This alone is pretty amazing.
But if you stand nearby and listen, you will hear the sound of a bell. It is coming from a smaller horse in the field.
Attached to the horse's halter is a small, copper-colored bell. It lets the blind friend know where the other horse is, so he can follow.
As you stand and watch these two friends you'll see that the horse with the bell is always checking on the blind horse, and that the blind horse will listen for the bell and then slowly walk to where the other horse is, trusting he will not be led astray.
When the horse with the bell returns to the shelter of the barn each evening, he will stop occasionally to look back, making sure that the blind friend isn't too far behind to hear the bell.
Like the owners of these two horses, God does not throw us away just because we are not perfect. Or because we have problems or challenges.
He watches over us and even brings others into our lives to help us when we are in need.
Sometimes we are the blind horse, being guided by the little ringing bell of those who God places in our lives.
And at other times we are the guide horse, helping others to find their way.
A frail old man lived with his son, his daughter-in-law, and his four-year-old grandson. His eyes were blurry, his hands trembled, and his step faltered.
The family would eat together nightly at the dinner table. But the elderly grandfather's shaky hands and failing sight made eating rather difficult. Peas rolled off his spoon, drooping to the floor. When he grasped his glass of milk, it often spilled clumsily at the tablecloth.
With this happening almost every night, the son and daughter-in-law became irritated with the mess.
"We must do something about grandfather," said the son.
"I've had enough of his milk spilling, noisy eating and food on the floor," the daughter-in-law agreed.
So the couple set a small table at the corner.
There, grandfather ate alone while the rest of the family enjoyed their dinner at the dinner table. Since grandfather had broken a dish or two, his food was served in wooden bowls. Sometimes when the family glanced in grandfather's direction, he had a tear in his eye as he ate alone. Still, the only words the couple had for him were sharp admonitions when he dropped a fork or spilled food. The four-year-old watched it all in silence.
One evening, before supper, the father noticed his son playing with wood scraps on the floor. He asked the child sweetly: "What are you making?" Just as sweetly, the boy replied, "Oh, I'm making a little bowl for you and mama to eat your food from when I grow up." The four-year-old smiled and went back to work.
These words so struck the parents that they were speechless. Then tears streamed down their cheeks. Though no words were spoken, both knew what must be done. That evening, the husband took grandfather's hand and gently led him back to the family table.
For the remainder of his days, grandfather ate every meal with the family. And for some reason, neither husband nor wife seemed to care any longer when a fork was dropped, milk was spilled or the table cloth was soiled.
Before the young man began his studies, he wanted assurance from the Master.
"Can you teach me the goal of human life?"
"I cannot," replied the Master.
"Or at least its meaning?"
"I cannot."
"Can you indicate to me the nature of death and of life beyond the grave?"
"I cannot."
The young man walked away in scorn. The disciples were dismayed that their Master had been shown up in a poor light.
Said the Master soothingly, "Of what is it to comprehend life's nature and life's meaning if you have never tasted it? I'd rather you ate your pudding than speculated on it."
Related Quote:
"Be patient toward all that is unsolved in your heart and try to love the questions themselves... Do not now seek the answers, which cannot be given to you because you will not be able to live them. And the point is, to live everything. Live the questions now. Perhaps you will then gradually, without noticing it, live along some distant day into the answer." - Rainer Maria Rilke
Through the cold winter wasteland he trudged, leaning into the harsh wind which spitefully tried to force him back. He was covered from head to toe in layers of thick clothing, layers of protection against the harsh environment. On he fought, searching, searching. He was working so hard. This must be the way.
In the distance he saw what looked like steam rising out of the ground. It rose a few feet and then was quickly whipped away by the biting wind. He altered his course and turned towards the steam, gaining some blessed relief as he turned his chapped face out of the gale. As he got closer, he thought he could make out voices. Their tone was unfamiliar to him - musical, relaxed and warm - their melody enticed him closer. Finally he got close enough to peer through the mist.
There before him was a remarkable sight. In the midst of the frozen wasteland, cut into the ground was a large pool. Several people were in the pool, they seemed to be floating easily without any effort. As they saw him approach, a woman called out to him.
"Come in here. It is lovely and warm. You can just lie back and relax," said the woman.
"I can't. There are no steps." The man replied.
"Just jump in. It really is lovely in here. Come on. There's plenty of room for another." Another of the floaters joined in the persuasion.
"But what if I don't like it, how will I get out? The sides are too high to reach up to."
"Believe me, you won't want to get out. Come on. It is so good in here."
He stood for a moment, paralyzed with indecision. It looked so much like the answer, but how could it be this easy? Just jump in? Lie back and relax? It couldn't be that simple. It must be a trick. He could not trust them. There was no way out if he changed his mind. He blocked out their warm invitations and once more filled his mind with grim determination.
On he trudged. Hours passed and his shadow grew long. Then once again in the distance he saw another cloud of rising steam. Entering the mist, a similar sight greeted him once more.
"Come in here. You don't have to be cold any more," said one of the bathers in a gentle voice. All the faces in the pool turned to look at him. Warm smiles reached out to him but his eyes could not perceive them.
"How do I get in? I can't see any steps. You are a long way down." He asked once again.
"Just jump in. It is very deep. You will be quite safe."
"But what if I want to get out? What if I get tired and cannot stay afloat any longer?"
"This is not like normal water, we are kept afloat without any effort. I promise you, you really will not want to get out."
"But my clothes will get wet and their weight will drag me down."
"You can remove all those layers. You will not need their protection in here. It is always beautifully warm."
But he could not bring himself to do that. Those layers were his protection, accumulated over the years to keep out the bitter cold. How could he now discard them, just like that? How could he allow himself to be so exposed?
On he trudged. Darkness came and the temperature dropped still further. Snow began to fall and the wind drove it into his face. Walking blind he carried on.
Then suddenly he felt some warmth in the air and the ground disappeared beneath him. With a scream he fell and his fall was broken with a splash. Panic overcame him and he thrashed around desperately until his hands touched a wall and he clawed at the smooth surface, loudly cursing the futility of it.
Then suddenly he heard a soft voice beside him. '"Shhhh. It's OK. It's OK," said the voice in beautiful feminine tones. "Just relax. You will be OK." Then he felt her hands moving over his body, searching then loosening his winter clothing. Layer after layer was gently removed, her voice continuing to sooth his panic until eventually he could feel the wonderful warmth of the water directly against his skin. "It's OK," she said once more as she held him close in the dark. For the first time since he could remember, he fully relaxed and quickly drifted off into a much needed sleep in her arms.
He awoke to a wonderful new dawn. He gazed into the beautiful eyes of his rescuer and felt the wonderful warmth of the water around him. Then he heard footsteps above. A weary man dressed head to foot in winter furs peered over the edge of the pool.
"Come in here!" He quickly shouted to the man. "It is so wonderful in here!"
"But what if I don't like it? How will I get back out?" The man asked.
"Believe me. You really won't want to get out," he assured the man.
It had been some time since Jack had seen the old man. College, girls, career, and life itself got in the way. In fact, Jack moved clear across the country in pursuit of his dreams. There, in the rush of his busy life, Jack had little time to think about the past and often no time to spend with his wife and son. He was working on his future, and nothing could stop him.
Over the phone, his mother told him, "Mr. Belser died last night. The funeral is Wednesday."
Memories flashed through his mind like an old newsreel as he sat quietly remembering his childhood days.
"Jack, did you hear me?"
"Oh sorry, Mom. Yes, I heard you. It's been so long since I thought of him. I'm sorry, but I honestly thought he died years ago," Jack said.
"Well, he didn't forget you. Every time I saw him he'd ask how you were doing. He'd reminisce about the many days you spent over 'his side of the fence' as he put it," Mom told him.
"I loved that old house he lived in," Jack said.
"You know, Jack, after your father died, Mr. Belser stepped in to make sure you had a man's influence in your life," she said.
"He's the one who taught me carpentry," he said. "I wouldn't be in this business if it weren't for him. He spent a lot of time teaching me things he thought were important... Mom, I'll be there for the funeral," Jack said.
As busy as he was, he kept his word. Jack caught the next flight to his hometown. Mr. Belser's funeral was small and uneventful. He had no children of his own, and most of his relatives had passed away.
The night before he had to return home, Jack and his Mom stopped by to see the old house next door one more time.
Standing in the doorway, Jack paused for a moment. It was like crossing over into another dimension, a leap through space and time.
The house was exactly as he remembered. Every step held memories. Every picture, every piece of furniture... Jack stopped suddenly.
"What's wrong, Jack?" his Mom asked.
"The box is gone," he said.
"What box?" Mom asked.
"There was a small gold box that he kept locked on top of his desk. I must have asked him a thousand times what was inside. All he'd ever tell me was 'the thing I value most,'" Jack said.
It was gone. Everything about the house was exactly how Jack remembered it, except for the box. He figured someone from the Belser family had taken it.
"Now I'll never know what was so valuable to him," Jack said. "I better get some sleep. I have an early flight home, Mom."
It had been about two weeks since Mr. Belser died. Returning home from work one day Jack discovered a note in his mailbox. "Signature required on a package. No one at home. Please stop by the main post office within the next three days," the note read.
Early the next day Jack retrieved the package. The small box was old and looked like it had been mailed a hundred years ago. The handwriting was difficult to read, but the return address caught his attention.
"Mr. Harold Belser" it read.
Jack took the box out to his car and ripped open the package. There inside was the gold box and an envelope. Jack's hands shook as he read the note inside.
"Upon my death, please forward this box and its contents to Jack Bennett. It's the thing I valued most in my life." A small key was taped to the letter. His heart racing, as tears filling his eyes, Jack carefully unlocked the box. There inside he found a beautiful gold pocket watch.
Running his fingers slowly over the finely etched casing, he unlatched the cover. Inside he found these words engraved:
"Jack, Thanks for your time! -Harold Belser."
"The thing he valued most...was...my time."
Jack held the watch for a few minutes, then called his office and cleared his appointments for the next two days. "Why?" Janet, his assistant asked.
"I need some time to spend with my son," he said. "Oh, by the way, Janet... thanks for your time!"
There once was a farmer who grew award-winning corn. Each year he entered his corn in the state fair where it won a blue ribbon.
One year a newspaper reporter interviewed him and learned something interesting about how he grew it. The reporter discovered that the farmer shared his seed corn with his neighbors.
"How can you afford to share your best seed corn with your neighbors when they are entering corn in competition with yours each year?" the reporter asked.
"Why sir," said the farmer, "didn't you know? The wind picks up pollen from the ripening corn and swirls it from field to field. If my neighbors grow inferior corn, cross-pollination will steadily degrade the quality of my corn. If I am to grow good corn, I must help my neighbors grow good corn."
He is very much aware of the connectedness of life. His corn cannot improve unless his neighbor's corn also improves.
So it is with our lives. Those who choose to live in peace must help their neighbors to live in peace. Those who choose to live well must help others to live well, for the value of a life is measured by the lives it touches. And those who choose to be happy must help others to find happiness, for the welfare of each is bound up with the welfare of all.
The lesson for each of us is this: if we are to grow good corn, we must help our neighbors grow good corn.
It is possible to give away and become richer! It is also possible to hold on too tightly and lose everything. Yes, the liberal man shall be rich! By watering others, he waters himself.
- From the Bible,
Proverbs 11:24-25
During Thomas Jefferson's presidency he and a group of travelers were crossing a river that had overflowed its banks. Each man crossed on horseback fighting for his life. A lone traveler watched the group traverse the treacherous river and then asked President Jefferson to take him across. The president agreed without hesitation, the man climbed on, and the two made it safely to the other side of the river where somebody asked him: "Why did you select the President to ask this favor?" The man was shocked, admitting he had no idea it was the President of the United States who had carried him safely across. "All I know," he said, "is that on some of your faces was written the answer 'No' and on some of them was the answer 'Yes.' His was a 'Yes' face."
"The most significant decision I make each day is my choice of an attitude. When my attitudes are right there's no barrier too high, no valley too deep, no dream too extreme and no challenge too great." - Charles Swindoll
The Triple-Filter Test
Author Unknown
In ancient Greece, Socrates was reputed to hold knowledge in high esteem. One day an acquaintance met the great philosopher and said, "Do you know what I just heard about your friend?"
"Hold on a minute," Socrates replied. "Before you talk to me about my friend, it might be good idea to take a moment and filter what you’re going to say. That’s why I call it the triple filter test. The first filter is Truth. Have you made absolutely sure that what you are about to tell me is true?"
"Well, no," the man said, "actually I just heard about it and…"
"All right," said Socrates. "So you don’t really know if it’s true or not. Now, let’s try the second filter, the filter of Goodness. Is what you are about to tell me about my friend something good?"
"Umm, no, on the contrary…"
"So," Socrates continued, "you want to tell me something bad about my friend, but you’re not certain it’s true. You may still pass the test though, because there’s one filter left—the filter of Usefulness. Is what you want to tell me about my friend going to be useful to me?"
"No, not really."
"Well," concluded Socrates, "if what you want to tell me is neither true, nor good, nor even useful, why tell it to me at all?"
Two Horses
Author Unknown
Just up the road from my home is a field, with two horses in it. From a distance, each horse looks like any other horse.
But if you get a closer look you will notice something quite interesting...
One of the horses is blind.
His owner has chosen not to have him put down, but has made him a safe and comfortable barn to live in.
This alone is pretty amazing.
But if you stand nearby and listen, you will hear the sound of a bell. It is coming from a smaller horse in the field.
Attached to the horse's halter is a small, copper-colored bell. It lets the blind friend know where the other horse is, so he can follow.
As you stand and watch these two friends you'll see that the horse with the bell is always checking on the blind horse, and that the blind horse will listen for the bell and then slowly walk to where the other horse is, trusting he will not be led astray.
When the horse with the bell returns to the shelter of the barn each evening, he will stop occasionally to look back, making sure that the blind friend isn't too far behind to hear the bell.
Like the owners of these two horses, God does not throw us away just because we are not perfect. Or because we have problems or challenges.
He watches over us and even brings others into our lives to help us when we are in need.
Sometimes we are the blind horse, being guided by the little ringing bell of those who God places in our lives.
And at other times we are the guide horse, helping others to find their way.
Wooden Bowls
Author Unknown
A frail old man lived with his son, his daughter-in-law, and his four-year-old grandson. His eyes were blurry, his hands trembled, and his step faltered.
The family would eat together nightly at the dinner table. But the elderly grandfather's shaky hands and failing sight made eating rather difficult. Peas rolled off his spoon, drooping to the floor. When he grasped his glass of milk, it often spilled clumsily at the tablecloth.
With this happening almost every night, the son and daughter-in-law became irritated with the mess.
"We must do something about grandfather," said the son.
"I've had enough of his milk spilling, noisy eating and food on the floor," the daughter-in-law agreed.
So the couple set a small table at the corner.
There, grandfather ate alone while the rest of the family enjoyed their dinner at the dinner table. Since grandfather had broken a dish or two, his food was served in wooden bowls. Sometimes when the family glanced in grandfather's direction, he had a tear in his eye as he ate alone. Still, the only words the couple had for him were sharp admonitions when he dropped a fork or spilled food. The four-year-old watched it all in silence.
One evening, before supper, the father noticed his son playing with wood scraps on the floor. He asked the child sweetly: "What are you making?" Just as sweetly, the boy replied, "Oh, I'm making a little bowl for you and mama to eat your food from when I grow up." The four-year-old smiled and went back to work.
These words so struck the parents that they were speechless. Then tears streamed down their cheeks. Though no words were spoken, both knew what must be done. That evening, the husband took grandfather's hand and gently led him back to the family table.
For the remainder of his days, grandfather ate every meal with the family. And for some reason, neither husband nor wife seemed to care any longer when a fork was dropped, milk was spilled or the table cloth was soiled.
Tasting Life
Anthony De Mello
Before the young man began his studies, he wanted assurance from the Master.
"Can you teach me the goal of human life?"
"I cannot," replied the Master.
"Or at least its meaning?"
"I cannot."
"Can you indicate to me the nature of death and of life beyond the grave?"
"I cannot."
The young man walked away in scorn. The disciples were dismayed that their Master had been shown up in a poor light.
Said the Master soothingly, "Of what is it to comprehend life's nature and life's meaning if you have never tasted it? I'd rather you ate your pudding than speculated on it."
Related Quote:
"Be patient toward all that is unsolved in your heart and try to love the questions themselves... Do not now seek the answers, which cannot be given to you because you will not be able to live them. And the point is, to live everything. Live the questions now. Perhaps you will then gradually, without noticing it, live along some distant day into the answer." - Rainer Maria Rilke
Pools
Peter Hughes
Through the cold winter wasteland he trudged, leaning into the harsh wind which spitefully tried to force him back. He was covered from head to toe in layers of thick clothing, layers of protection against the harsh environment. On he fought, searching, searching. He was working so hard. This must be the way.
In the distance he saw what looked like steam rising out of the ground. It rose a few feet and then was quickly whipped away by the biting wind. He altered his course and turned towards the steam, gaining some blessed relief as he turned his chapped face out of the gale. As he got closer, he thought he could make out voices. Their tone was unfamiliar to him - musical, relaxed and warm - their melody enticed him closer. Finally he got close enough to peer through the mist.
There before him was a remarkable sight. In the midst of the frozen wasteland, cut into the ground was a large pool. Several people were in the pool, they seemed to be floating easily without any effort. As they saw him approach, a woman called out to him.
"Come in here. It is lovely and warm. You can just lie back and relax," said the woman.
"I can't. There are no steps." The man replied.
"Just jump in. It really is lovely in here. Come on. There's plenty of room for another." Another of the floaters joined in the persuasion.
"But what if I don't like it, how will I get out? The sides are too high to reach up to."
"Believe me, you won't want to get out. Come on. It is so good in here."
He stood for a moment, paralyzed with indecision. It looked so much like the answer, but how could it be this easy? Just jump in? Lie back and relax? It couldn't be that simple. It must be a trick. He could not trust them. There was no way out if he changed his mind. He blocked out their warm invitations and once more filled his mind with grim determination.
On he trudged. Hours passed and his shadow grew long. Then once again in the distance he saw another cloud of rising steam. Entering the mist, a similar sight greeted him once more.
"Come in here. You don't have to be cold any more," said one of the bathers in a gentle voice. All the faces in the pool turned to look at him. Warm smiles reached out to him but his eyes could not perceive them.
"How do I get in? I can't see any steps. You are a long way down." He asked once again.
"Just jump in. It is very deep. You will be quite safe."
"But what if I want to get out? What if I get tired and cannot stay afloat any longer?"
"This is not like normal water, we are kept afloat without any effort. I promise you, you really will not want to get out."
"But my clothes will get wet and their weight will drag me down."
"You can remove all those layers. You will not need their protection in here. It is always beautifully warm."
But he could not bring himself to do that. Those layers were his protection, accumulated over the years to keep out the bitter cold. How could he now discard them, just like that? How could he allow himself to be so exposed?
On he trudged. Darkness came and the temperature dropped still further. Snow began to fall and the wind drove it into his face. Walking blind he carried on.
Then suddenly he felt some warmth in the air and the ground disappeared beneath him. With a scream he fell and his fall was broken with a splash. Panic overcame him and he thrashed around desperately until his hands touched a wall and he clawed at the smooth surface, loudly cursing the futility of it.
Then suddenly he heard a soft voice beside him. '"Shhhh. It's OK. It's OK," said the voice in beautiful feminine tones. "Just relax. You will be OK." Then he felt her hands moving over his body, searching then loosening his winter clothing. Layer after layer was gently removed, her voice continuing to sooth his panic until eventually he could feel the wonderful warmth of the water directly against his skin. "It's OK," she said once more as she held him close in the dark. For the first time since he could remember, he fully relaxed and quickly drifted off into a much needed sleep in her arms.
He awoke to a wonderful new dawn. He gazed into the beautiful eyes of his rescuer and felt the wonderful warmth of the water around him. Then he heard footsteps above. A weary man dressed head to foot in winter furs peered over the edge of the pool.
"Come in here!" He quickly shouted to the man. "It is so wonderful in here!"
"But what if I don't like it? How will I get back out?" The man asked.
"Believe me. You really won't want to get out," he assured the man.
Thanks for Your Time
Author Unknown
It had been some time since Jack had seen the old man. College, girls, career, and life itself got in the way. In fact, Jack moved clear across the country in pursuit of his dreams. There, in the rush of his busy life, Jack had little time to think about the past and often no time to spend with his wife and son. He was working on his future, and nothing could stop him.
Over the phone, his mother told him, "Mr. Belser died last night. The funeral is Wednesday."
Memories flashed through his mind like an old newsreel as he sat quietly remembering his childhood days.
"Jack, did you hear me?"
"Oh sorry, Mom. Yes, I heard you. It's been so long since I thought of him. I'm sorry, but I honestly thought he died years ago," Jack said.
"Well, he didn't forget you. Every time I saw him he'd ask how you were doing. He'd reminisce about the many days you spent over 'his side of the fence' as he put it," Mom told him.
"I loved that old house he lived in," Jack said.
"You know, Jack, after your father died, Mr. Belser stepped in to make sure you had a man's influence in your life," she said.
"He's the one who taught me carpentry," he said. "I wouldn't be in this business if it weren't for him. He spent a lot of time teaching me things he thought were important... Mom, I'll be there for the funeral," Jack said.
As busy as he was, he kept his word. Jack caught the next flight to his hometown. Mr. Belser's funeral was small and uneventful. He had no children of his own, and most of his relatives had passed away.
The night before he had to return home, Jack and his Mom stopped by to see the old house next door one more time.
Standing in the doorway, Jack paused for a moment. It was like crossing over into another dimension, a leap through space and time.
The house was exactly as he remembered. Every step held memories. Every picture, every piece of furniture... Jack stopped suddenly.
"What's wrong, Jack?" his Mom asked.
"The box is gone," he said.
"What box?" Mom asked.
"There was a small gold box that he kept locked on top of his desk. I must have asked him a thousand times what was inside. All he'd ever tell me was 'the thing I value most,'" Jack said.
It was gone. Everything about the house was exactly how Jack remembered it, except for the box. He figured someone from the Belser family had taken it.
"Now I'll never know what was so valuable to him," Jack said. "I better get some sleep. I have an early flight home, Mom."
It had been about two weeks since Mr. Belser died. Returning home from work one day Jack discovered a note in his mailbox. "Signature required on a package. No one at home. Please stop by the main post office within the next three days," the note read.
Early the next day Jack retrieved the package. The small box was old and looked like it had been mailed a hundred years ago. The handwriting was difficult to read, but the return address caught his attention.
"Mr. Harold Belser" it read.
Jack took the box out to his car and ripped open the package. There inside was the gold box and an envelope. Jack's hands shook as he read the note inside.
"Upon my death, please forward this box and its contents to Jack Bennett. It's the thing I valued most in my life." A small key was taped to the letter. His heart racing, as tears filling his eyes, Jack carefully unlocked the box. There inside he found a beautiful gold pocket watch.
Running his fingers slowly over the finely etched casing, he unlatched the cover. Inside he found these words engraved:
"Jack, Thanks for your time! -Harold Belser."
"The thing he valued most...was...my time."
Jack held the watch for a few minutes, then called his office and cleared his appointments for the next two days. "Why?" Janet, his assistant asked.
"I need some time to spend with my son," he said. "Oh, by the way, Janet... thanks for your time!"
Growing Good Corn
Author Unknown
There once was a farmer who grew award-winning corn. Each year he entered his corn in the state fair where it won a blue ribbon.
One year a newspaper reporter interviewed him and learned something interesting about how he grew it. The reporter discovered that the farmer shared his seed corn with his neighbors.
"How can you afford to share your best seed corn with your neighbors when they are entering corn in competition with yours each year?" the reporter asked.
"Why sir," said the farmer, "didn't you know? The wind picks up pollen from the ripening corn and swirls it from field to field. If my neighbors grow inferior corn, cross-pollination will steadily degrade the quality of my corn. If I am to grow good corn, I must help my neighbors grow good corn."
He is very much aware of the connectedness of life. His corn cannot improve unless his neighbor's corn also improves.
So it is with our lives. Those who choose to live in peace must help their neighbors to live in peace. Those who choose to live well must help others to live well, for the value of a life is measured by the lives it touches. And those who choose to be happy must help others to find happiness, for the welfare of each is bound up with the welfare of all.
The lesson for each of us is this: if we are to grow good corn, we must help our neighbors grow good corn.
It is possible to give away and become richer! It is also possible to hold on too tightly and lose everything. Yes, the liberal man shall be rich! By watering others, he waters himself.
- From the Bible,
Proverbs 11:24-25
A 'Yes' Face
Charles Swindoll
During Thomas Jefferson's presidency he and a group of travelers were crossing a river that had overflowed its banks. Each man crossed on horseback fighting for his life. A lone traveler watched the group traverse the treacherous river and then asked President Jefferson to take him across. The president agreed without hesitation, the man climbed on, and the two made it safely to the other side of the river where somebody asked him: "Why did you select the President to ask this favor?" The man was shocked, admitting he had no idea it was the President of the United States who had carried him safely across. "All I know," he said, "is that on some of your faces was written the answer 'No' and on some of them was the answer 'Yes.' His was a 'Yes' face."
"The most significant decision I make each day is my choice of an attitude. When my attitudes are right there's no barrier too high, no valley too deep, no dream too extreme and no challenge too great." - Charles Swindoll
I Am His Daughter Song
Why I Believe | |||
Let It Begin Daily Inspirational Quotes January 1, 2012: Little things can mean a lot January 2, 2012: Actions speak louder than words. January 3, 2012: Lord, remind me how brief my time on earth will be. Remind me that my days are numbered, and that my life is fleeting away. -Psalm 119:19 January 4, 2012: If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all. January 5, 2012: Try to make someone happy each and every day. January 6, 2012: He does not simply intend for us to have what he has, but to be what he is. January 7. 2012: Every trial and experience you have passed through is necessary for your salvation. January 8, 2012: Don’t go to bed angry January 9, 2012: If you have to whisper it, better not say it. January 10, 2012: Will this be important 5 years from now? January 11, 2012: We are separated from God in order that we may voluntarily return to him. January 12, 2012: The more we want, the less we have. January 13, 2012: Anything worth having is worth working for. January 14, 2012: An hour in the morning is worth two in the evening January 15, 2012: He hath spoken unto you in a still small voice, but ye were past feeling, that ye could not feel his words; wherefore, he has spoken unto you like unto the voice of thunder. January 16, 2012: We are usually stronger than we think we are. January 17, 2012: Don’t judge people, love them. January 18, 2012: Well begun is half done. January 19, 2012: Be faithful and diligent in keeping the commandments of God, and I will encircle thee in the arms of my love. January 20, 2012: In difficult moments, visualize a favorite place. January 21, 2012: Life is like a coin. You can spend it anyway you wish but you can only spend it once. January 22, 2012: Don’t worry about what other people are thinking of you. January 23, 2012: Don’t talk about people behind their backs January 24, 2012: Read one verse from the Book of Mormon and pray for one minute every day. Then one verse will become two, then three, and then chapters. Make it a habit. January 25, 2012: What’s done is done. January 26, 2012: You make your own happiness January 27, 2012: Find your purpose January 28, 2012: “Lord, what wilt thou have me do?” January 29, 2012: Just begin January 30, 2012: Visualize good things happening to you. January 31, 2012: Be on time. February 1, 2012: Seek out the good in people. February 2, 2012: When we are taught in our heart and in our mind, this is the Holy Ghost. February 3, 2012: It is nice to be important, but it is more important to be nice. February 4, 2012: If you want to keep a secret keep it to yourself February 5, 2012: Look for ways to be more useful February 6, 2012: No matter how long or hard the search, if it brings us closer to Christ, it’s worth it. February 7, 2012: A watched pot never boils February 8, 2012: Allow yourself to feel rich without money. February 9, 2012: Rome was not built in a day February 10, 2012: The most important thing a parent can do for the children is to love the other parent. February 11, 2012: Single steps add up to a completed goal February 12, 2012: Our agency is preserved…by the fact that as we approach a given moment we do not know what our response will be. Meanwhile, God has foreseen what we will do and has taken our decision into account (in composite with all others), so that His purposes are not frustrated. February 13, 2012: Treat others like you want to be treated February 14, 2012: Don’t look at problems as stumbling blocks but as stepping-stones. February 15, 2012: More learning occurs outside the school than inside. February 16, 2012: Treat your children like you wanted your parents to treat you. February 17, 2012: Develop a one hundred watt smile. February 18, 2012: Pray as if everything depended on God and then work as if everything depended on you. February 19, 2012: If you make people smile, they are more likely to do business with you. February 20, 2012: Teach children how to behave at home and they will know how to everywhere else February 21, 2012: No one ever said it would be easy February 22, 2012: The amount of happiness you achieve is determined by how much effort you put into achieving it. February 23, 2012: Ask advice but use your own common sense. February 24, 2012: I am your creator. You were in my care even before you were born. February 25, 2012: This too shall pass. February 26, 2012: Initiative is doing the right thing without being told February 27, 2012: Be cheerful even if you don’t feel like it February 28, 2012: You have enough March 1, 2012: Envy accomplishes nothing. March 2, 2012: The nearer a person approaches the Lord, the greater the power will be manifest by the adversary to prevent the accomplishment of his purpose. March 3, 2012: Get organized March 4, 2012: Tact is making a point without making an enemy March 5, 2012: One cannot feel happiness all of the time March 6, 2012: Anything is possible March 7, 2012: Wherever you are right now has the potential to be paradise March 8, 2012: Nothing worth having can be purchased March 9, 2012: You can be happy if you want to be March 10, 2012: You’ll never know how strong you are until you get tested March 11, 2012: Learn to let go March 12, 2012: People can change, so give them the benefit of the doubt March 13, 2012: Obstacles can’t stop you. Problems can’t stop you. Most of all, other people can’t stop you. Only you can stop you. March 14, 2012: There’s no next time. It’s now or never March 15, 2012: We are not human beings having a spiritual experience. We are spiritual beings having a human experience. March 16, 2012: Do not do unto others what you would not have them do unto you. March 17, 2012: I am always doing things I can’t do. That is how I get to do them. –Pable Picasso March 18, 2012: Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. March 19, 2012: The man who moved a mountain was the one who began carrying away small stones. March 20, 2012: To be successful, you must decide exactly what you want to accomplish, then resolve to pay the price to get it. March 21, 2012: If the grass is greener on the other side, maybe that’s because you’re not taking good care of your grass. March 22, 2012: The one thing we can never get enough of is love. And the one thing we never give enough of is love. –Henry Miller March 23, 2012: If we all did the things we are capable of doing, we would literally astound ourselves. March 24, 2012: Behind every successful man there’s a lot of unsuccessful years. March 25, 2012: Try a little harder to be a little better. March 26, 2012: Life is fragile. Handle it with prayer. March 27, 2012: Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all. March 28, 2012: When your problems are bigger than you, remember that God is bigger than them. March 29, 2012: Volunteers don’t get paid, not because they are worthless, but because they are priceless. March 30, 2012: Nobody cares how much you know, until they know how much you care. March 31, 2012: Be who you are and say how you feel because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind. April 1, 2012: Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time. –Thomas Edison April 2, 2012: Put your future in good hands-your own. April 3, 2012: The great use of life is to spend it for something that will outlast it. April 4, 2012: Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on earth. April 5, 2012: There is nothing more precious in all this world than virtue…be clean. There is nothing more beautiful in this world than a beautiful girl who is clean in thought and word and deed. April 6, 2012: I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work. –Thomas Edison April 7, 2012: We ourselves feel that what we are doing is just a drop in the ocean. But the ocean would be less because of that missing drop. April 8, 2012: Practice makes perfect so be careful what you practice! April 9, 2012: Do not do what you would undo if caught. April 10, 2012: When life gets too hard to stand…kneel. April 11, 2012: It is my belief that the Lord has held many of you in reserve in the spirit world to come to earth at this particular time when temptations are the greatest and strength of character is most needed. April 12, 2012: Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier. April 13, 2012: What we do for ourselves dies with us. What we do for others remains and is immortal. April 14, 2012: Seven days without prayer makes one weak. April 15, 2012: It is by serving that we learn how to serve. April 16, 2012: Give your all for Christ; He gave His all for you! April 17, 2012: Every day do your best. God will do the rest. April 18, 2012: No one can do what you were sent here to do. April 19, 2012: Don’t be yourself. Be someone a little nicer April 20, 2012: Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle. April 21, 2012: Take the first step in faith. You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step. April 22, 2012: To the world you may be just one person, but to one person you may be the world. April 23, 2012: I am only one, but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something; and because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do something that I can do. April 24, 2012: Whenever you do a thing, act as if all the world were watching. April 25, 2012: If you want to lift yourself up, lift up someone else. April 26, 2012: Think about what the Savior did. Think about what you are doing. April 27, 2012: We all promised, remember? April 28, 2012: The hardest part is starting. Do a small simple easy task to get you started. Continue doing small easy steps, that is how you reach the top of the staircase; by taking one small step at a time. April 29, 2012: If I do my best, anything said against me wont amount to anything. April 30, 2012: Remember what is important in life and focus your time and energy into that. May 1, 2012: If you want to know how much you matter to God, look at Christ with His arms stretched out on the cross saying, "I love you this much, I would rather die than live without you." May 2, 2012: It's never too late to be what you might have been. May 3, 2012: One today is worth two tomorrows. May 4, 2012: This is the beginning of a new day. God has given me this day to use, as I will. I can waste it-or use it for good, but what I do today is important, because I am exchanging a day of my life for it! When tomorrow comes, this day will be gone forever, leaving in its place something that I have traded for it. I want it to be a gain and not a loss; good, and not evil; success, and not failure, in order that I shall not regret the price that I paid for it. -Dr. Hartsell Wilson May 5, 2012: Your faith will perform miracles, especially when you get your hands and feet involved. May 6, 2012: When a friend is in trouble, don't annoy him by asking if there is anything you can do. Think up something appropriate, and do it. -E.W. Howe May 7, 2012: What would be the use of eternity to a person who cannot use well one half hour? May 8, 2012: "Don't waste your time collecting other people's autographs, “George Bernard Shaw once wrote to a young lad who pushed a pencil in his hand. "Rather, devote it to making your own autograph worth collecting." May 9, 2012: I do the very best I know how; the very best I can; and I mean to keep doing so until the end. If the end brings me out all right, what is said against me won't amount to anything. -Abraham Lincoln May 10, 2012: It makes a difference to all eternity, whether we do right or wrong today. May 11, 2012: Make it a point to do something every day that you don't want to do. This is the golden rule for acquiring the habit of doing your duty without pain. May 12, 2012: You have powers you never dreamed of. You can do things you never thought you could do. There are no limitations in what you can do except the limitations to what you cannot do. Don't think you cannot. Think that you can. - Darwin P. Kingsley May 13, 2012: The secret to happiness is to count your blessings while others are adding up their troubles. May 14, 2012: We see things not as they are, but as WE are. - H.M. Tomlinson May 15, 2012: The only people you should try and get even with are the ones who've helped you out. May 16, 2012: You can either complain that the roses have thorns, or thank God that the thorns have roses! May 17, 2012: We are not human beings having a spiritual experience: we are spiritual beings having a human experience. -Tielhard de Chardin May 18, 2012: It is one thing to be tempted, and another thing to fall. - William Shakespeare May 19, 2012: Keep in mind the challenging fact that your aim is not to get ahead of others, but to surpass yourself; to begin today to be the person you want to be. May 20, 2012: A person's true character is revealed by what he does when no one is watching. May 21, 2012: The only way to have a friend is to be one. May 22, 2012: The heart is the happiest when it beats for others. May 23, 2012: When things go wrong, don't go wrong with them. May 24, 2012: With God all things are possible. May 25, 2012: You can accomplish more in one hour with God than one lifetime without Him. May 26, 2012: Those who deserve love the least need it the most. May 27, 2012: Our children are like mirrors- they reflect our attitudes in life. May 28, 2012: The art of being a good guest is knowing when to leave. May 29, 2012: Jesus is a friend who walks in when the world has walked out. May 30, 2012: The best way to get even is to forget. May 31, 2012: People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care. June 1, 2012: Every person in this world is a dream of God. June 2, 2012: There is only one most beautiful baby in the world-every mother has it! June 3, 2012: For you know who created you and there is only one of you. Never, in all seventy billion humans who have walked this planet since the beginning of time has there been anyone exactly like you. Never, until the end of time, will there be another such as you...From your father, in his moment of supreme love, flowed countless seeds of love, more than four hundred million in number. All of them, as they swam within your mother, gave up the ghost and died. All except one! You. You alone persevered within the loving warmth of your mother's body, searching for your other half, a single cell from your mother so small that more than two million would be necessary to fill an acorn shell. Yet, despite impossible odds, on that vast ocean of darkness and disaster, you persevered, found that infinitesimal cell, joined with it, and began a new life. Your Life. June 4, 2012: When you were born, you cried and the world rejoiced. Live your life in such a manner that when you die the world cries and you rejoice. -Indian Proverb June 5, 2012: Everyday is a judgment day. June 6, 2012: Today is the tomorrow we worried about yesterday. June 7, 2012: Be nice to people on your way up because you'll meet 'em on your way down. June 8, 2012: We chose not to follow Lucifer once: let us not go back on that decision now! June 9, 2012: Converse to please others-not yourself. June 10, 2012: By serving people, we leave them better than we found them. June 11, 2012: Everything we do affects someone else June 12, 2012: Satan laughs every time you sin June 13, 2012: Your spirit is the real you June 14, 2012: Trials test whether we are what we thought we were June 15, 2012: Anything that takes more time than God, is your God. June 16, 2012: When things go wrong, don't go wrong with them. June 17, 2012: Did you think to pray? June 18, 2012: Well begun is half done. June 19, 2012: During trying times, keep trying! June 20, 2012: Always do more then what is required of you. June 21, 2012: Suffering is in our blood. June 22, 2012: You are royalty. Uphold your family name. June 23, 2012: Be your own kind of beautiful June 24, 2012: Count your many blessings...name them one by one. June 25, 2012: When you teach your son, you teach your son's son. June 26, 2012: Do little things as though they were great because of the majesty of Jesus Christ who does them in us. June 27, 2012: Live like you believe June 28, 2012: I never said it would be easy, I only said it would be worth it June 29, 2012: Please all and you will please none. June 30, 2012: It is more blessed to give than to receive. July 1, 2012: All the water in the world, no matter how it tried; could never sink the smallest ship unless it got inside. All the evil in the world and every kind of sin, could never damn a human soul unless we let it in. -M. Russell Ballard July 2, 2012: It is so easy to be halfhearted, but this only produces half the growth, half the blessings, and just half a life, really, with more bud then blossom. July 3, 2012: You are a child of God. Start acting like one. July 4, 2012: “Liberty is the right to choose. Freedom is the result of the right choice.” July 5, 2012: My father is God. I want my father to be proud of me. I am royalty and must uphold my family name. July 6, 2012: It is difficult to be happy when things aren’t going right, but not impossible July 7, 2012: I am here on earth for just a little while. July 8, 2012: I wish we could all sense how often our little pebble of poor performance helps to start, or sustain, an avalanche. July 9, 2012: We should not complain about our own lives not being a rose garden when we remember who wore the crown of thorns. July 10, 2012: Let people know what you stand for and what you will not stand for. July 11, 2012: "All these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good." -D&C 122:7 July 12, 2012: Careless hurry may cause endless regret July 13, 2012: Our agency is preserved...by the fact that as we approach a given moment we do not know what our response will be. Meanwhile, God has foreseen what we will do and has taken our decision into account (in composite with all others), so that His purposes are not frustrated. July 14, 2012: As to the question asked-even by faithful Saints-such as, "If what is going to happen is 'all set,' why pray? “The answer is that God foresees, but He does not compromise our agency. All the outcomes are not, for our purposes, "all set." True, God foreseeing includes our prayers, our fasting, our faith, and the results that will thereby be achieved. But until our mortal actions occur and our decisions are made, things are not "all set." July 15, 2012: God's anger is kindled not because we have harmed him, but because we have harmed ourselves. July 16, 2012: Converse to please others-not yourself. July 17, 2012: You have not, because you ask not. July 18, 2012: It makes a difference to all eternity, whether we do right or wrong today. July 19, 2012: Pray as if everything depended on God and then work as if everything depended on you. July 20, 2011: We cannot make others do the right things. We can only show them by our example what "doing the right things" looks like. July 21, 2011: One today is worth two tomorrows. July 22, 2011: When a friend is in trouble, don't annoy them by asking if there is anything you can do. Think up something appropriate and do it. July 23, 2011: What would be the use of eternity to a person who cannot use well one half hour? July 24, 2011: Your faith will perform miracles, especially when you get your hands and feet involved. July 25, 2011: Live as Jesus would live. July 26, 2011: Anger is a brief madness, but it can do damage that lasts forever. July 27, 2011: Walk with me today. July 28, 2011: Trials test whether we are who we thought we were. July 29, 2011: Endure it well. July 30, 2011: Whom I love I also chasten. July 31, 2011: Compare what you deserve with what you have, and you’ll be happy. August 1, 2011: If you would like to serve God in eternity, serve God today by doing what he asks of you and requires of you. August 2, 2011: You always find time to do the things you really want to August 3, 2011: My Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up. August 4, 2011: God’s view is so different from ours that his will often surprises us. August 5, 2011: As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. August 6, 2011: Learn to live by the motto “Do it now.” August 7, 2011: Things will work out. If you keep trying and praying and working, things will work out. They always do. August 8, 2011: In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. August 9, 2011: Children are better observers than adults. August 10, 2011: In our Father’s eyes, we are literally worth everything. August 11, 2011: To ask, “Why does this have to happen to me?”…will lead you into blind alleys…Rather ask, “What am I to do? What am I to learn from this experience? What am I to change? Whom am I to help?” August 12, 2011: Treat people as if they were what they should be August 13, 2011: The peace of God passeth all understanding. August 14, 2011: Become better than you were. August 15, 2011: Lord, thy will be done. August 16, 2011: Fight for what you believe. August 17, 2011: I have come to know that the witness of the Spirit does not come by seeking after signs, It comes through fasting and prayer, through activity and testing and obedience. It comes through sustaining the servants of the Lord and following them. August 18, 2011: Kids need more hugs than they need things August 19, 2011: Everyone gets the same 24 hours in a day- the difference is how you use it August 20, 2011: Make it a point to do something every day that you don’t want to do. This is the golden rule for acquiring the habit of doing your duty without pain. August 21, 2011: It is one thing to be tempted, and another thing to fall. August 22, 2011: Look back and see how far you have come. August 23, 2011: The secret to happiness is to count your blessings while others are adding up their troubles. August 24, 2011: The only people you should try to get even with are the ones who’ve helped you out. August 25, 2011: Having the spirit with us is an every day, ever minute choice. August 26, 2011: You do not need an invitation to help others August 27, 2011: Spirituality is not acquired suddenly. It is the result of a succession of good choices. August 28, 2011: Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. August 29, 2011: Love is not spelled L-O-V-E, it is spelled T-I-M-E. August 30, 2011: “He is with you always, watching over you; He knows all your pain. Perfect people do not need a Savior; hope is not in vain. He's been there. He is there.” August 31, 2011: With their goodness, they destroyed a lot of wickedness. September 1, 2011: The type of person you are can influence whether or not other people choose eternal life. September 2, 2011: Set your standard of values and never compromise it! September 3, 2011: “Oh be wise, what can I say more?” September 4, 2011: Listen to your favorite music while paying bills September 5, 2011: “All these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good.” –D&C 122:7 September 6, 2011: Never put off till tomorrow what you can do today September 7, 2011: God’s anger is kindled not because we have harmed Him, but because we have harmed ourselves. September 8, 2011: Ironically, during the moments when in agony He was benefiting billions upon billions of mortals; He was attended by only a faithful few. September 9, 2011: When we rejoice in beautiful scenery, great art, and great music, it is but the flexing of instincts acquired in another place and another time. September 10, 2011: Even when we are wise enough to count our blessings, we usually do it without also weighing them. A numerical inventory, by itself, is not sufficient. Some blessings are of extraordinary size and significance. September 11, 2011: Nobody made a greater mistake than he who did nothing because he could only do a little. September 12, 2011: Ideas won’t work unless you do. September 13, 2011: If you want an easy job to seem hard, just keep putting off doing it. September 14, 2011: Don’t let life discourage you, everyone where he is had to begin where he was. September 15, 2011: Everything got started in Him and finds its purpose in Him. September 16, 2011: Prayer keeps a man from sin, and sin keeps a man from prayer. September 17, 2011: For the Lord seeth not as a man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance but the Lord looketh on the heart. September 18, 2011: Do not put question marks where the Lord puts periods. September 19, 2011: Evil must be present in order for us to resist temptation. September 20, 2011: Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile. September 21, 2011: Behold, I say unto you, wickedness never was happiness. –Alma 41:10 September 22, 2011: The best answer to anger is silence. September 23, 2011: Did you think to pray? September 24, 2011: Worry a little bit every day and in a lifetime you will lose a couple of years. If something is wrong, fix it if you can. But train yourself not to worry. Worry never fixes anything. September 25, 2011: When I do good, I feel good. When I do bad, I don’t feel good. September 26, 2011: When you look in the mirror do you see who he sees? September 27, 2011: Pessimist: one who complains about the noise when opportunity knocks. September 28, 2011: We came to this earth to learn something we once knew. September 29, 2011: The Lord does not cause accidents, but He uses accidents to teach lessons. September 30, 2011: Are you dressed spiritually to meet your Father in Heaven? October 1, 2011: Satan is more afraid of prayer than anything else. October 2, 2011: There is no man suddenly good or evil. The process is gradual. October 3, 2011: I am destroying my enemies when I make them my friends. October 4, 2011: Federal Law: Ten thousand books explaining the Ten Commandments. October 5, 2011: If ye love me, keep my commandments. October 6, 2011: Live so that all that know you will know Him. October 7, 2011: A minute of thought is worth more than an hour of talk. October 8, 2011: You can win more friends with your ears than with your mouth. October 9, 2011: What counts is not the number of hours you put in, but how much you put in the hours. October 10, 2011: Whoever gossips to you will be a gossip of you. October 11, 2011: Don’t be afraid of pressure. Remember that pressure is what turns a lump of coal into a diamond. October 12, 2011: God plus one is always a majority. October 13, 2011: The best way to be successful is to follow the advice you give to others. October 14, 2011: You cannot win if you do not begin. October 15, 2011: It’s the little things in life that determine the big things. October 16, 2011: In order to receive the direction from God you must be able to receive the correction from God. October 17, 2011: Forget yourself for others and others will not forget you! October 18, 2011: The best way to get the last word is to apologize. October 19, 2011: Be more concerned with what God thinks about you than what people think about you. October 20, 2011: The best way to forget your own problems is to help someone solve his. October 21, 2011: If a task is once begun, never leave it till its done. Be the labor great or small, do it well or not at all. October 22, 2011: Success in marriage is more than finding the right person. It’s becoming the right person. October 23, 2011: The best bridge between hope and despair is often a good night’s sleep. October 24, 2011: You should never let adversity get you down-except on your knees. October 25, 2011: If you don’t stand for something, you’ll fall for anything. October 26, 2011: Most men forget God all day and ask Him to remember them at night. October 27, 2011: The bridge you burn now may be the one you later have to cross. October 28, 2011: You become what you think October 29, 2011: Appreciate the many things that make your life so valuable. October 30, 2011: Don’t wait for the ideal time to begin something. October 31, 2011: Be yourself November 1, 2011: Be patient, patience can wait for anything. November 2, 2011: Trust can be destroyed faster than it can be built. November 3, 2011: We are sometimes taken into troubled waters not to drown, but to be cleansed. November 4, 2011: Understand the difference between being at work and working. November 5, 2011: All questions will eventually be answered November 6, 2011: Do not become what you cannot stand. November 7, 2011: Leave nothing for tomorrow that you can do today November 8, 2011: You can never go wrong keeping your mouth shut. November 9, 2011: Enjoy what you have; let the fool hunt for more. November 10, 2011: Visualize better days ahead. November 11, 2011: Solve problems instead of making them worse. November 12, 2011: Sometimes things that hurt, teach. November 13, 2011: It is loving and giving that make life worth living. November 14, 2011: Respond to rudeness with kindness. November 15, 2011: If you can pull your own weight, you can pull 5 percent more. November 16, 2011: Show your good manners by putting up pleasantly with bad ones. November 17, 2011: Remember where you came from. November 18, 2011: Listen with your eyes November 19, 2011: Chew everything 32 times November 20, 2011: Every day is a clean slate November 21, 2011: Lying is usually more difficult than telling the truth November 22, 2011: Scribble down your thoughts as you have them. November 23, 2011: Never let them see you sweat November 24, 2011: Listening to someone is sometimes all the help he needs November 25, 2011: You have two ears and one mouth; use them in the same proportion. November 26, 2011: If you know nothing, say nothing. November 27, 2011: Move forward, not backward. November 28, 2011: Don’t talk about being tired. November 29, 2011: Silence is the hardest argument to refute. November 30, 2011: Do not wait for a rainy day to fix your roof. December 1, 2011: The deed will praise itself. December 2, 2011: What can we do to guarantee that we will inherit eternal life?...Take the sacrament worthily every week. December 3, 2011: You cannot lose what you never had. December 4, 2011: Do it better the second time around. December 5, 2011: Your money is not your life. December 6, 2011: Never put off saying “I love you.” December 7, 2011: Simplify December 8, 2011: Pay attention. December 9, 2011: Make people feel welcome by having flowers leading to your house December 10, 2011: React with class December 11, 2011: Kindness is loving people more than they deserve. December 12, 2011: It takes a lot of courage to stick up for something you believe in. December 13, 2011: Sit up straight December 14, 2011: Dress for the job you want to have December 15, 2011: A good friendship makes both people better people December 16, 2011: Always keep your word December 17, 2011: It just takes one decision to change your life forever. December 18, 2011: You cannot express thanks too often December 19, 2011: Everybody thinks differently December 20, 2011: We cannot do everything at once, but we can do something at once. December 21, 2011: Let positive energy flow through you. December 22, 2011: Children learn more when learning is fun December 23, 2011: Timing is everything December 24, 2011: Try to waste as little of life as you can before you figure out what is really important. December 25, 2011: How can you and I really expect to glide naively through life as if to say, "Lord, give me experience, but not grief, not sorrow, not pain, not opposition, not betrayal, and certainly not to be forsaken. Keep from me, Lord, all those experiences which made Thee what Thou art! Then let me come and dwell with Thee and fully share Thy joy! December 26, 2011: When God brought before us His plan of Salvation, Jesus was there, volunteering meekly and humbly, "Here am I, send me." (Abraham 3:27) saying, "Father, thy will be done, and the glory be thine forever." (Moses 4:2). The Father, ever anxious that all be free to choose, even gave Lucifer opportunity to campaign. December 27, 2011: When you’re angry, take a thirty-minute walk. December 28, 2011: Setting a good example is the best tool a parent can have in raising children. December 29, 2011: If it was easy to be successful, then everyone would be December 30, 2011: When you say no, mean no December 31, 2011: We do not have to be perfect to live a spiritual life | |||
