10 Rules For Good Days.....

1. TODAY I WILL NOT STRIKE BACK:

If someone is rude, if someone is impatient, if someone is unkind...
I will not respond in a like manner.

2. TODAY I WILL ASK GOD TO BLESS MY "ENEMY":

If I come across someone who treats me harshly or unfairly, I will quietly ask God to bless that individual. I understand the "enemy" could be a family member, neighbor, co-worker, or a stranger.


3. TODAY I WILL BE CAREFUL ABOUT WHAT I SAY:

I will carefully choose and guard my words being certain that I do not spread gossip.


4. TODAY I WILL GO THE EXTRA MILE:

I will find ways to help share the burden of another person.


5. TODAY I WILL FORGIVE:

I will forgive any hurts or injuries that come my way.


6. TODAY I WILL DO SOMETHING NICE FOR SOMEONE, BUT I WILL NOT DO IT SECRETLY:

I will reach out anonymously and bless the life of another.

7. TODAY I WILL TREAT OTHERS THE WAY I WISH TO BE TREATED:

I will practice the golden rule - "Do unto others as I would have them do unto me" - with everyone I encounter.


8. TODAY I WILL RAISE THE SPIRITS OF SOMEONE I DISCOURAGED:

My smile, my words, my expression of support, can make the difference to someone who is wrestling life.


9. TODAY I WILL NATURE MY BODY:

I will eat less; I will eat only healthy foods. I will thank God for my body.

10. TODAY I WILL GROW SPIRITUALLY:

I will spend a little more time in prayer today: I will begin reading something spiritual or inspirational today; I will find a quiet place (at some point during the day)!

- Author Unknown

Love Lets You Feel Complete

Love is the strongest an most fulfilling emotion possible

It lets you share your goals, your desires, your experiences
It lets you share your life with someone
It lets you be yourself with someone who will always support you
It lets you speak your innermost feelings to someone who understands you
It lets you feel tenderness and warmth - a wholeness that avoids loneliness
Love lets you feel complete

But in order to have a lasting love relationship you must make a strong commitment to each other and love and you must do and feel everything within your mind and body to make this commitment work.

You must be happy with yourself and you must understand yourself before you can expect someone else to be happy with you or to understand you.

You must be honest about yourself and each other at all times and not hold any feelings back.

You must accept each other the way you are and not try to change each other.

You must be free to grow as individuals yet share your life as one, but not live your life through each other.

You must follow your own principles and morals and not follow what societal roles tell you to do.

You must believe that men and women are equal and that neither person should be made to feel inferior in any way .

In order to have a lasting love relationship

You must be together always in your heart, but not necessarily always in your activities.

You must be proud of each other and love and not be ashamed to show your sensitive feelings.

You must treat every day spent with each other as special and not take each other or your love for granted.

You must spend time talking with each other every day and not be too busy with outside events that you are too tired for each other.

You must understand each other's moods and feelings and not hurt each other intentionally, but if your frustrations are taken out on each other you must both realize that it is not a personal attack.

You must be passionate with each other often and not get into boring patterns.

You must continue to have fun and excitement with each other and not be afraid to try new things.

You must always work at love and your love relationship and not forget how important this relationship is or what you would feel like without it.

Love is the strongest and most fulfilling emotion possible.

If you commit yourself to love, love can last forever if you want it to.......

And I do.


- Aakash

Inspiring Story - Smile

I am a mother of three (ages 14, 12, 3) and have recently completed my college degree.

The last class I had to take was! Sociology.

The teacher was absolutely inspiring with the qualities that I wish every human being had been graced with.

Her last project of the term was called "Smile."

The class was asked to go out and smile at three people and document their reactions.

I am a very friendly person and always smile at everyone and say hello anyway, so, I thought this would be a piece of cake, literally.

Soon! after we were assigned the project, my husband, youngest son, and I went out to McDonald's one crisp March morning.

It was just our way of sharing special playtime with our son.

We were standing in line, waiting to be served, when all of a sudden everyone around us began to back away, and then even my husband did.

I did not move an inch... an overwhelming feeling of panic welled up inside of me as I turned to see why they had moved.

As I turned around I smelled a horrible "dirty body" smell, and there standing behind me were two poor homeless men.

As I looked down at the short gentleman, close to me, he was "smiling". His beautiful sky blue eyes were full of God's Light as he searched for acceptance.

He said, "Good day" as he counted the few coins he had been clutching. The second man fumbled with his hands as he stood behind his friend. I realized the second man was mentally challenged and the blue-eyed gentleman was his salvation.

I held my tears as I stood there with them.

The young lady at the counter asked him what they wanted.

He said, "Coffee is all Miss" because that was all they could afford. (If they wanted to sit in the restaurant and warm up, they had to buy something. He just wanted to be warm).

Then I really felt it - the compulsion was so great I almost reached out and embraced the little man with the blue eyes.

That is when I noticed all eyes in the restaurant were set on me, judging my every action.

I smiled and asked the young lady behind the counter to give me two more breakfast meals on a separate tray.

I then walked around the corner to the table that the men had chosen as a resting spot. I put the tray on the table and laid my hand on the blue-eyed gentleman's cold hand.!

He looked up at me, with tears in his eyes, and said, "Thank you."

I leaned over, began to pat his hand and said, "I did not do this for you. God is here working through me to give you hope."

I started to cry as I walked away to join my husband and son. When I sat down my husband smiled at me and said, "That is why God gave you me, Honey, to give me hope."

We held hands for a moment and at that time, we knew that only because of the Grace that we had been given were we able to give.

We are not church goers, but we are believers.

That day showed me the pure Light of God's sweet love. I returned to college, on the last evening of class, with this story in hand.

I turned in "my project" and the instructor read it.

Then she looked up at me and said, "Can I share this?"

I slowly nodded as she got the attention of the class.

She began to read and that is when I knew that we as human beings and being part of God share this need to heal people and to be healed!. In my own way I had touched the people at McDonald's, my husband, son, instructor, and every soul that shared the classroom on the last night I spent as a college student.

I graduated with one of the biggest lessons I would ever learn:
UNCONDITIONAL ACCEPTANCE !.

Much love and compassion is sent to each and every person who may read this and learn how to LOVE PEOPLE AND USE THINGS - NOT LOVE THINGS AND USE PEOPLE.

Someone wrote:

Many people will walk in and out of your life, but only true friends will leave footprints in your heart.

To handle yourself, use your head.

To handle others, use your heart.

God Gives every bird it's food, but He does not throw it into its nest.

- Author Unknown

Relationships

Which Prime Minister would you want as a friend?

Two of the greatest prime ministers in the history of the British Empire were Benjamin Disraeli and William Gladstone. They served Queen Victoria--great men with different personalities and different approaches to life.

A much loved and respected aristocratic lady of the time was seated next to Benjamin Disraeli at a well-attended banquet. They engaged in a lengthy and lively conversation. A few weeks later the same lady was seated next to William Gladstone at yet another banquet. As the Prime Minister he, of course, was highly renowned and respected.

Some time later this woman was asked about the difference between the two men. She responded, "After spending an evening seated by Mr. Gladstone, I became convinced that he was the most brilliant, knowledgeable man in the British Empire. After being seated by Mr. Disraeli, I was convinced that I was the brightest person in the British Empire."

Chances are pretty good, as you reflect on that, you would say that you would naturally want to be a friend of Mr. Disraeli. The point I want to make is that it's not about you--it's about others. Again I repeat my favorite quote: You can have everything in life you want if you will just help enough other people get what they want.

Our relationships with others are extremely important. Dale Carnegie wrote a great book along those lines, and out of it came a lot of good, common-sense thoughts that make a difference. I'm not certain Carnegie said it, but some very wise person said that people don't really care how much you know until they know how much you care--about them.

The reality is that anybody can say virtually anything they want to say and work hard at impressing you. Unfortunately, many times that's all it is---they are trying to impress you with themselves so that perhaps you will seek a relationship with them and even do something for them. That truly is the height of hypocrisy. When people are genuinely interested in you, in short, when they truly care for and about you, their actions, their demeanor, their every step indicates they believe you are special and conveys that you are important to them.

Every person, regardless of who they are or even where they are, cherishes someone who genuinely cares for them, and when they discover that you are that person, they will want to be your friend, and in the process will listen to what you have to say as they watch what you do. Chances are excellent you will become, in a vague sense, perhaps, but nevertheless you will become a hero to them and a role model to follow.

Yes, relationships are extremely important. If we have an attitude of "What can I do for you" instead of "What can you do for me", chances are pretty good we will have a far more balanced, joyful life than those who take the opposite approach.

- By Zig Ziglar

Self Appraisal

A little boy went into a drug store, reached for a soda carton and pulled it over to the telephone. He climbed onto the carton so that he could reach the buttons on the phone and proceeded to punch in seven digits (phone numbers).

The store-owner observed and listened to the conversation:

Boy: "Lady, Can you give me the job of cutting your lawn?

Woman: (at the other end of the phone line): "I already have someone to cut my lawn."

Boy: "Lady, I will cut your lawn for half the price of the person who cuts your lawn now."

Woman: I'm very satisfied with the person who is presently cutting my lawn.

Boy: (with more perseverance) : "Lady, I'll even sweep your curb and your sidewalk, so on Sunday you will have the prettiest lawn in all of Palm beach , Florida."

Woman: No, thank you..


With a smile on his face, the little boy replaced the receiver. The store-owner, who was listening to all this, walked over to the boy.

Store Owner: "Son... I like your attitude; I like that positive spirit and would like to offer you a job."

Boy: "No thanks,

Store Owner: But you were really pleading for one.

Boy: No Sir, I was just checking my performance at the job I already have. I am the one who is working for that lady I was talking to!"

This is what we call "Self Appraisal"

Smart and clever boy!

- Author Unknown

Be Careful What You Plant!!!

An emperor in the Far East was growing old and knew it was time to choose his successor. Instead of choosing one of his assistants or his children, he decided something different. He called young people in the kingdom together one day. He said, "It is time for me to step down and choose the next emperor. I have decided to choose one of you."

The kids were shocked! Nevertheless, the emperor continued. "I am going to give each one of you a seed today. One very special seed. I want you to plant the seed, water it and come back here after one year from today with what you have grown from this one seed. I will then judge the plants that you bring, and the one I choose will be the next emperor!"

One boy named Ling was there that day and he, like the others, received a seed. He went home and excitedly told his mother the story. She helped him get a pot and planting soil, and he planted the seed and watered it carefully. Every day he would water it and watch to see if it had grown. After about three weeks, some of the other youths began to talk about their seeds and the plants that were beginning to grow.

Ling kept checking his seed, but nothing ever grew. 3 weeks, 4 weeks, 5 weeks went by. Still nothing. By now, others were talking about their plants but Ling did not have a plant, and he felt like a failure.

Six months went by, still nothing in Ling's pot. He just knew he had killed his seed. Everyone else had trees and tall plants, but he had nothing. Ling did not say anything to his friends, however. He just kept waiting for his seed to grow.

A year finally went by and all the youths of the kingdom brought their plants to the emperor for inspection. Ling told his mother that he was not going to take an empty pot. However,his mother advised to be honest to the King about what happened . Ling felt sick to his stomach, but he knew his mother was right. He took his empty pot to the palace. When Ling arrived, he was amazed at the variety of plants grown by the other youths. They were beautiful in all shapes and sizes. Ling put his empty pot on the floor and many of the other kinds laughed at him. A few felt sorry for him and just said, "Hey nice try."

When the emperor arrived, he surveyed the room and greeted the young people. Ling just tried to hide in the back. "What great plants, trees and flowers you have grown," said the emperor. "Today, one of you will be appointed the next emperor!" All of a sudden, the emperor spotted Ling at the back of the room with his empty pot. He ordered his guards to bring him to the front. Ling was terrified. "The emperor knows I'm a failure! Maybe he will have me killed!"

When Ling got to the front, the Emperor asked his name. "My name is Ling," he replied. All the kids were laughing and making fun of him.

The emperor asked everyone to quiet down. He looked at Ling, and then announced to the crowd, "Behold your new emperor! His name is Ling!"

Ling could not believe it. Ling could not even grow his seed. How could he be the new emperor? Then the emperor said, "One year ago today, I gave everyone here a seed. I told you to take the seed, plant it, water it, and bring it back to me today. But I gave you all boiled seeds, which would not grow. All of you, except Ling, have brought me trees and plants and flowers. When you found that the seed would not grow, you substituted another seed for the one I gave you. Ling was the only one with the courage and honesty to bring me a pot with my seed in it. Therefore, he is the one who will be the new emperor!"

If you plant honesty, you will reap trust.
If you plant goodness, you will reap friends.
If you plant humility, you will reap greatness.
If you plant perseverance, you will reap victory.
If you plant consideration, you will reap harmony.
If you plant hard work, you will reap success.
If you plant forgiveness, you will reap reconciliation.
If you plant openness, you will reap intimacy.
If you plant patience, you will reap improvements.
If you plant faith, you will reap miracles.
However, if you plant dishonesty, you will reap distrust.
If you plant selfishness, you will reap loneliness.
If you plant pride, you will reap destruction.
If you plant envy, you will reap trouble.
If you plant laziness, you will reap stagnation.
If you plant bitterness, you will reap isolation.
If you plant greed, you will reap loss.
If you plant gossip, you will reap enemies.
If you plant worries, you will reap wrinkles.
If you plant sin, you will reap guilt.

So be careful what you plant now, it will determine what you will reap tomorrow, the seeds you now scatter, Will make life worse or better, your life or the ones who will come after. Yes, someday, you will enjoy the fruits, or you will pay for the choices you plant today.

Touch a heart, leave a hope, stroke a faith and lend a hand.

Life begins with simple things.

The value of life lies not in the length of the days but how we make use of them.

- Author Unknown

The Importance of Dreaming Big

"Aim for the stars; that way the lowest thing you can hit is the moon."

We all have been given a gift of dreaming. Sometimes dreaming helps us to escape reality and create a vision of the future that we want. Every worthwhile goal always starts with the big dream. However, there is a huge difference between dreaming big and having big goals. Dreams are wonderful, but they are only a product of our imagination.

Until we take action and turn our dream into the goal, it will remain a beautiful castle build in the air. Goals, on the other hand, are achievable because they are always followed by an action.

One can't be effective without another. If you have a great vision, but fail to take action, it will remain just a dream. If you act without having a clear vision in mind, you are just wasting your time and effort. Only a combination of great Vision and thought out action will make a positive difference in your life.

I've always admired people, who were not afraid to turn their most daring dreams into reality, even if their goals seemed unrealistic to others. Those are people we read about in newspapers and motivational books. We look up to them, respect and admire them for their determination and willpower, but very rare we think that we are capable of doing same things.

It happens, because most of us underestimate the word "realistic". High goal doesn't automatically equal unachievable.

>> Why is it important to set BIG goals?

We all possess such qualities as self-discipline, determination, self-confidence, and creativity, but some people use them more than others.

If you go to the gym, but only lift weights that are easy and don't require any effort, your muscles will inevitably atrophy and you'll grow weaker. Similar, if you always underestimate your abilities, you are doomed to live your life way below your standards and never discover what you're truly capable of. Just as you need to strain your muscles to make them stronger, you have to challenge yourself by setting goals that is slightly out of your reach.

Only when you go beyond your current capacities, you can find out what you are capable of.

>> How to put an elephant in refrigerator?

A few days ago my niece has asked me a great riddle, "Do you know how to put an elephant in the refrigerator?"

I was struggling to come up with the answer for a couple of minutes, before she cried: "You should open the fridge, put the elephant inside and close the door!!"

That's it! It was so obvious! Why didn't I think about it myself?! Probably because I am a grown up and that's what grown ups do. When trying to find solution to a problem, we usually choose the longest, most complicated and time consuming way to do it. We work so hard, concentrating our mind on little details, estimating what can go wrong in the process, trying to predict problems that can arise in the process that we completely miss the "BIG PICTURE".

Your big goal is an elephant that you have to squeeze into a little door of reality.

How do you go about it?

You are absolutely correct! First you find an elephant (figure out what is it that you want to achieve) and then you open the door (transform your dream into a goal)!

>> Choose the elephant!

There are a lot of elephants in the jungles of your dreams. You need to know what your elephant looks like. Otherwise you might end up with a rhino or a crocodile.

That is why it is critical to decide exactly what you want to achieve. No one is going to give you an answer to this question. You must find an answer within.

When choosing your big goal you need to consider how it makes you feel. Does it give you inspiration? A little thrill? An excitement? In other words, does it feel right?

>> Open the door!

When you know what you want to achieve you can start working on figuring out HOW to do it.

First you need to come up with an action plan. But be flexible to change it. You don't have to have everything figured out to the little details. Just know where you're going and break your goal into smaller objectives, so you can monitor your progress.

Your plan is your route that shows you how to get to the destination point - your goal. But if there are some obstacles on your way, you can always choose another road that will lead you to exact same place. If you see only one road to your goal and refuse to make any adjustments in your plans, you'll most likely overlook other opportunities and have to deal with a lot more problems.

>> Don't be afraid to fail

"Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly."
~ Robert F. Kennedy

In our society word "failure" is opposed to the word "success". There's even such term as "fear of failure". In reality failure and success lie on the same side of the coin.

Our success greatly depends on the amount of attempts we make. If we increase the number of attempts we automatically increase the number of times we fail. But the more we fail, the more we learn, the better we become at what we are doing and the higher chances we have to succeed.

Don't be afraid to fail. Even if you set a big goal and fail, you'll learn something new and acquire valuable experience. If you succeed, you'll get all the benefits of your goal (popularity, respect of others, satisfaction, higher self-esteem, financial abundance, happy relationships and so on.) However, if you don't try, you'll acquire neither.

So why not go for a really big goal, if you have nothing to lose?

- Arina

Take the Hit

Take the responsibility. Take the hit. If you do that, you will have no need to blame others or continually find fault with them.

A guy I once knew used to constantly call me to complain about everybody and their brother. To listen to him, you would think that the entire world was against him and that he never made a mistake in his life.

From day one, nothing was ever his fault. Everyone else was to blame. In truth, he was his own biggest blind spot and sad to say, he eventually became a total loser because he never remedied his biggest problem - himself.

So when things go wrong, look at yourself first. Don’t instinctively blame others or the circumstances - or use them to cover your behind. Be the leader. Stand tall and take the hit.

If you accept the glory, be willing to accept the blame.


- By Donald Trump

Count Your Blessings, Not Your Problems.

A well-known speaker started off his seminar by holding up a QR.500 Note, he asked, "Who would like this QR.500 note?"

Hands started going up. He said, "I am going to give this QR.500/- to one of you but first, let me do this. He proceeded to crumple up the QR.500/-.

He then asked, "Who still wants it?"

Still the hands were up in the air.

Well, he replied, "What if I do this?"

And he dropped it on the ground and started to grind it into the floor with his shoe. He picked it up, now crumpled and dirty.

"Now, who still wants it?"

Still the hands went into the air. My friends, we have all learned a very valuable lesson.
No matter what I did to the money, you still wanted it because it did not decrease in value. It was still worth QR.500.

Many times in our lives, we are dropped, crumpled, and ground into the dirt by the decisions we make and the circumstances that come our way. We feel as though we are worthless.

But no matter what has happened or what will happen, you will never lose your value. Dirty or clean, crumpled or finely creased, you are still priceless to those who DO LOVE you. The worth of our lives comes not in what we do or who we know, but by WHO WE ARE.
You are special- Don 't EVER forget it."

If you do not pass this on, you may never know the lives it touches, the hurting hearts it speaks to, or the hope that it can bring.

Count your blessings, not your problems.

And remember:

amateurs built the ark;
professionals built the Titanic.

If God brings you to it - He will bring you through it.

- Author Unknown

Inspiring Story - Don't Give Up

One day I decided to quit...

I quit my job, my relationship, my spirituality...

I wanted to quit my life.

I went to the woods to have one last talk with God.

"God", I said. "Can you give me one good reason not to quit?"

His answer surprised me...

"Look around", He said. "Do you see the fern and the bamboo?"

"Yes", I replied.

"When I planted the fern and the bamboo seeds, I took very good care of them. I gave them light. I gave them water.

The fern quickly grew from the earth. Its brilliant green covered the floor. Yet nothing came from the bamboo seed.


But I did not quit on the bamboo. In the second year the Fern grew more vibrant and plentiful.

And again, nothing came from the bamboo seed. But I did not quit on the bamboo. He said.

"In year three there was still nothing from the bamboo seed. But I would not quit.

In year four, again, there was nothing from the bamboo see.

I would not quit." He said.

"Then in the fifth year a tiny sprout emerged from the earth.


Compared to the fern it was seemingly small and insignificant...But just 6 months later the bamboo rose to over 100 feet tall.

It had spent the five years growing roots. Those roots made it strong and gave it what it needed to survive.

I would not give any of my creations a challenge it could not handle."

He said to me. "Did you know, my child, that all this time you have been struggling, you have actually been growing roots?"


"I would not quit on the bamboo. I will never quit on you."

"Don't compare yourself to others." He said. "The bamboo had a different purpose than the fern. Yet they both make

the forest beautiful."

"Your time will come", God said to me. "You will rise high"

"How high should I rise?" I asked.

"How high will the bamboo rise?" He asked in return.

"As high as it can?" I questioned.

"Yes." He said, "Give me glory by rising as high as you can."

I left the forest and bring back this story.

I hope these words can help you see that God will never give up on you.

- Unknown

Lessons Of Life

I feared being alone
until I learned to like
myself.

I feared failure
until I realized that I only
fail when I don't try.

I feared success
until I realized
that I had to try
in order to be happy
with myself.

I feared people's opinions
until I learned that
people would have opinions
about me anyway.

I feared rejection
until I learned to
have faith in myself.

I feared pain
until I learned that
it's necessary
for growth.

I feared the truth
until I saw the
ugliness in lies.

I feared life
until I experienced
its beauty.

I feared death
until I realized that it's
not an end, but a beginning.

I feared my destiny,
until I realized that
I had the power to change
my life.

I feared hate
until I saw that it
was nothing more than
ignorance.

I feared love
until it touched my heart,
making the darkness fade
into endless sunny days.

I feared ridicule
until I learned how
to laugh at myself.

I feared growing old
until I realized that
I gained wisdom every day.

I feared the future
until I realized that
life just kept getting
better.

I feared the past
until I realized that
it could no longer hurt me.

I feared the dark
until I saw the beauty
of the starlight.

I feared the light
until I learned that the
truth would give me
strength.

- Unknown -

The Miracle Stitch

The day Oskar placed his grandmother's sapphire ring on Helga's finger, her mother's wedding trunk came down from the attic. As was the family custom, Helga would begin adding their names to the roster of brides and grooms embroidered on a silk petticoat in the trunk. From the time she was a little girl, she had dreamed of this special day and had practiced her exquisite stitch.

Just as Helga completed her own name and was threading the needle for Oskar's name, news came that the feared Gestapo had taken Oskar away. Even though Oskar had fiercely opposed the Third Reich, no one had believed such drastic action would be taken.

Inconsolable, Helga dropped her sewing with the unfinished names, and the gown was returned to the trunk in the attic. With it went the laughter and the joy of the young girl in love. As rumors of the death camps reached their city, everyone--- even Helga --- doubted that Oskar's name would ever be stitched upon the petticoat.

With each passing day, Helga retreated more deeply into her books, rarely speaking a word. But what could her family do? All their energies were devoted to surviving the war as the bombs one by one destroyed their city and then their home.

When the bombing ceased, the family gathered to sift through the rubble. Helga's mother spotted her wedding trunk, one of the few possessions that had survived the blast. When she pulled the contents from the battered trunk, the petticoat suddenly caught her eye. There was Oskar's name --- someone had stitched it beside her daughter's name! Everyone stared at the petticoat in disbelief, fearing the site of this would drive Helga deeper into despair. Instead, she knelt down beside the trunk and ran her fingers gingerly over Oskar's name.

From that day on, the joy came back into Helga's life, despite her family's warnings that after all these years it was doubtful that Oskar could have survived.

Liberation day came and went without any sign of Oskar, but Helga continued to watch and wait for him. Months later a lone Holocaust survivor hobbled into town. He stood before them, a skeleton of a man, beyond recognition to everyone but Helga. The smile was unmistakably Oskar's. Through the years the trunk has been pulled out again and again for the weddings of the children and grandchildren of this devoted couple. It is far more a reminder of their love---it is a symbol of hope.

No one ever discovered who stitched Oskar's name on the petticoat, but truly the faith and hope of that individual helped this couple's love to survive.

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Faith is the way of holding onto what we hope for, being certain of what we cannot see. (Hebrews 11:1)
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Shared by Joe Gatuslao
Bacolod City, Philippines

The Need For Planning

As in any journey, planning defines the course of travel. With planning, a traveler is better prepared as he/she encounters intersections and Ys in the road. In order for a traveler to be successful in their journey, he/she must also be prepared for the expected as well as the unexpected. One way to be prepared is by evaluating any possible considerations which serves to reduce apprehension thus instilling a higher confidence in success. People are more able to face diversities with confident when they know and expect a particular outcome. Success is born from a clear understanding of how to achieve and appreciate its’ benefits. It’s a known, while a mystery, that humans are born for success. God provides for it, equips for it and prompts the human spirit to achieve, when and if they are obedient and comply to His nature.


"You think you know the truth? Think again, one man's truth is another's folly."

It’s the rewards of life that makes it meaningful.

While many rewards of life hinge on doors of opportunity someone still has to swing them open. Granted, there is no one simple answer to all the problems of the world, there are only responses to questions. It is the anchor of mediocrity that deprives man of spirit while the soul cries out in desperation for freedom. Yes, the sad truth is, many people live lives of desperation that are dull, drab and uneventful. They incapable of truly waking up from their self-made destiny.

I once knew a man who died and they revived him. He said it was like waking up for the first time. His life experience changed in a heartbeat. Everything was new and fresh, and he saw life in an entirely new light. Because his perception was from another place, he was able to see and feel opportunity from his heart and revere the second chance afford him. Even colors became more vibrant, sounds were crisper and everywhere he turned he saw opportunity. His relationships were from his heart and truth became his viewpoint. Before where he saw only survival as a potential reward he now envisioned life as a glorious new experience. God had gotten his attention in a very distinctive way.

The search for truth is within man.

From the beginning, man has searched for truth. He/she first turned toward God and then to him/herself in the quandary of understanding and an answer to an unanswerable question. From the earliest recorded literature, there have been arguments, debates and dissertations on what constitutes the ingredients of success. Because success is a personal acquirement, one common factor is that a personal involvement of action must take place before success can result. Another common factor is motivation; nothing takes place without a driving force. Yet a third requirement is passion or desire, there must be a passion or desire for the goal for it to become a reality. This is where God’s “law of cause and effect” must be employed before one can progress toward any successful conclusion. Like it or nor, you must get up and act before any kind of success can happen.

Arise and chase a rainbow

Today you must lift your head and begin a new understanding. You have been bottle fed all of your life -- and now it's time to break away and stand on your own two feet. Truth has been kept from you but now it's time to be the person you were meant to be. Face life eye to eye and demand your rightful place. How strong are your desires and your willingness to sacrifice?

No matter how well prepared you may think you are, circumstance can change suddenly. All of your dreams and aspirations can be a thing of the past. Do not put off for tomorrow what you can do today. Because no one knows when the end will come, strive forward like the end is in the next minute. Be hard-working and watchful for only you can make your life meaningful. It is a truth that while success is written on the human heart, action is its force.

You must make the first move

The fact is, you must step off the curb to cross the street. You are standing on the curb now, aren’t you? The traffic is horrendous, frightening, seemingly endless and there it is, a break, a chance, should you take it, or stay on the curb?

There’s safely on the curb, you know because you have been standing there for a lifetime. How long will you continue to stand there, contemplating, wishing, desiring to be across the street? A few minutes, hours, days years, until death? The traffic will always be there and with each passing year, it will get worse. You stand there and with each passing day others join you as you stand on the curb? Look around at the fear, anxiety, sadness, it’s all there, lost dreams, false hopes . . . countless lives left unfilled. Countless dreams drifting away, countless beliefs washed down the drain and you, still stand and wait . . will the traffic ever stop? No, it will always be there. It will always be the barrier between you and your dreams. Your ambitions your real meaning.

Success is not far away

Over there, across the street, is wealth, love, satisfaction and the true essence of life. Over there is who you are. Yes, over there is TRUTH. But you have not been able to see it, because of the traffic. You are consumed about the traffic, you worry about it, you fret about it, it makes you sick and frail and unable to function. You make excuses, I can’t, I don’t know how, I just can’t take a chance. And you rot on the curb until one day, they come and get you. Life is over now, and what did you accomplish? Nothing, you were afraid to get off the curb. Now is your chance to get off the curb and excel as you were born to do.

You only need to believe

First you have to believe, in your self and your abilities. Second dream the insurmountable dream, and third commit your all to the dream. Find what you love most, and commit to it. Once you commit by stepping off the curb, then you have to go all the way. If you love life and it will respond in love.


- By Donald Yates

Special Mothers Day Poem

What Is a Mother

It takes a Mother's Love
to make a house a home,
A place to be remembered,
no matter where we roam.

It takes a Mother's Patience,
to bring a child up right,
And her Courage and her Cheerfulness
to make a dark day bright.

It takes a Mother's Thoughtfulness
to mend the heart's deep "hurts,"
And her Skill and her Endurance
to mend little socks and shirts.

It takes a Mother's Kindness
to forgive us when we err,
To sympathize in trouble
and bow her head in prayer.

It takes a Mother's Wisdom
to recognize our needs
And to give us reassurance
by her loving words and deeds.

It takes a Mother's Endless Faith,
her Confidence and Trust
To guide us through the pitfalls
of selfishness and lust.

And that is why in all this world
there could not be another
Who could fulfill God's purpose
as completely as a MOTHER!

- Helen Steiner Rice -

Mother's Love Goes Deep

"You don't love me!"
How many times have your kids laid that one on you?
And how many times have you, as a parent, resisted the urge to tell them how much?

Someday, when my children are old enough to understand the logic that motivates a mother, I'll tell them.

I loved you enough to insist you buy a bike with your own money that we could afford and you couldn't.

I loved you enough to be silent and let you discover your handpicked friend was a creep;

I loved you enough to make you return a Milky Way with a bite out of it to a drugstore and say, "I stole this."

I loved you enough to stand over you for two hours while you cleaned your bedroom, a job that would have taken me fifteen minutes.

I loved you enough to say, "Yes, you may go to Disney World on Mother's Day."

I loved you enough to let you see anger, disappointment, disgust and tears in my eyes.

I loved you enough not to make excuses for your lack of respect or you bad manners.

I loved you enough to admit that I was wrong and ask your forgiveness.

I loved you enough to ignore "what every other mother" did or said.

I loved you enough to let you stumble, fall, hurt and fail.

I loved you enough to let you assume the responsibility for your own actions, at 6, 10, and 16.

I loved you enough to figure you would lie about the party being chaperoned but forgave you for it after discovering I was right.

I loved you enough to shove you off my lap, let go of your hand, be mute to your pleas and insensitive to your demands...so that you had to stand alone.

I loved you enough to accept you for what you are,
not what I wanted you to be.

But most of all, I loved you enough to say no
when you hated me for it.

THAT WAS THE HARDEST PART OF ALL.

~~ Author Unknown

Determination

In 1883, a creative engineer named John Roebling was inspired by an idea to build a spectacular bridge connecting New York with the Long Island. However bridge building experts throughout the world thought that this was an impossible feat and told Roebling to forget the idea. It just could not be done. It was not practical. It had never been done before.

Roebling could not ignore the vision he had in his mind of this bridge. He thought about it all the time and he knew deep in his heart that it could be done. He just had to share the dream with someone else. After much discussion and persuasion he managed to convince his son Washington, an up and coming engineer, that the bridge in fact could be built.

Working together for the first time, the father and son developed concepts of how it could be accomplished and how the obstacles could be overcome. With great excitement and inspiration, and the headiness of a wild challenge before them, they hired their crew and began to build their dream bridge.

The project started well, but when it was only a few months underway a tragic accident on the site took the life of John Roebling. Washington was injured and left with a certain amount of brain damage, which resulted in him not being able to walk or talk or even move.


"We told them so."
"Crazy men and their crazy dreams."
"It`s foolish to chase wild visions."

Everyone had a negative comment to make and felt that the project should be scrapped since the Roeblings were the only ones who knew how the bridge could be built. In spite of his handicap Washington was never discouraged and still had a burning desire to complete the bridge and his mind was still as sharp as ever.

He tried to inspire and pass on his enthusiasm to some of his friends, but they were too daunted by the task. As he lay on his bed in his hospital room, with the sunlight streaming through the windows, a gentle breeze blew the flimsy white curtains apart and he was able to see the sky and the tops of the trees outside for just a moment.

It seemed that there was a message for him not to give up. Suddenly an idea hit him. All he could do was move one finger and he decided to make the best use of it. By moving this, he slowly developed a code of communication with his wife.

He touched his wife's arm with that finger, indicating to her that he wanted her to call the engineers again. Then he used the same method of tapping her arm to tell the engineers what to do. It seemed foolish but the project was under way again.

For 13 years Washington tapped out his instructions with his finger on his wife's arm, until the bridge was finally completed. Today the spectacular Brooklyn Bridge stands in all its glory as a tribute to the triumph of one man's indomitable spirit and his determination not to be defeated by circumstances. It is also a tribute to the engineers and their team work, and to their faith in a man who was considered mad by half the world. It stands too as a tangible monument to the love and devotion of his wife who for 13 long years patiently decoded the messages of her husband and told the engineers what to do.

Perhaps this is one of the best examples of a never-say-die attitude that overcomes a terrible physical handicap and achieves an impossible goal.

Often when we face obstacles in our day-to-day life, our hurdles seem very small in comparison to what many others have to face. The Brooklyn Bridge shows us that dreams that seem impossible can be realised with determination and persistence, no matter what the odds are.

Even the most distant dream can be realized with determination and persistence.

- Author Unknown

What I've Learned.............

I've learned that if someone says something unkind about me,
I must live so that no one will believe it.

I've learned that you can make some one's day
by simply sending them a little note.

I've learned that the greater a person's sense of guilt,
the greater his or her needs to cast blame on others.

I've learned that no matter what happens,
or how bad it seems today, life does go on,
and it will be better tomorrow.

I've learned that motel mattresses are better
on the side away from the phone.

I've learned that you can tell a lot about a man
by the way he handles these three things,
a rainy day, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights.

I've learned that regardless of your relationship
with your parents, you'll miss them when
they're gone from your life.

I've learned that making a "living"
is not the same thing as making a "life".

I've learned that life sometimes gives
you a second chance.

I've learned that you shouldn't go through life
with a catcher's mitt on both hands.
You need to be able to throw something back.

I've learned that if you pursue happiness,
it will elude you.
But if you focus on your family, the needs of others,
your work, meeting new people,
and doing the very best you can,
happiness will find you.

I've learned that whenever I decide something with kindness,
I usually make the right decision.

I've learned that even when I have pains,
I don't have to be one.

I've learned that every day you should reach out
and touch someone. People love human touches --
holding hands, a warm hug, or just a friendly pat on the back.

I've learned that I still have a lot to learn.

I've learned that you should pass this on
to someone you care about.
Sometimes they just need a little something
to make them smile.

- Author Unknown