Reflect,Risk, Leave a Legacy

Sociologist Tony Campolo told about a study in which fifty people over the age of 90 were asked to reflect upon their lives. "If you had it to do over again," they were asked, "what would you do differently?" Though there were many answers, three responses dominated. Here they are:

First, many respondents answered, "I would reflect more." Do you ever feel that too much time is spent in "doing" and not enough spent thinking about what you are doing and why you are doing it?

Second, they said, "I would risk more." Do you think that important opportunities either have been or might be forfeited because of your fear to take a necessary risk?

Finally, they said, "I would do more things that would live on after I died." Do you feel that you are immersed in something bigger and more enduring than your own existence?

Reflect more.
Risk more.
Leave a legacy.

These are what our elders say they would do the second time around.
But why wait for a second time around?
Every new day is a second chance!

Reflect more today—it will reveal to you what is truly important.
Risk more today—take a chance on making that dream come alive.
Get involved with something which makes a difference in this world—
and a beautiful legacy is what you will leave behind.

 

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"Second Coming" Compliant-A Readiness Survey

There was a pastor who wrote about receiving a survey in the mail from the local electric company, reflecting the wide-spread concern about the Y2K computer problems.

Among the questions on the survey, it was the last question that stumped him: "Will your essential functions be affected?"

The pastor, after some consideration, wondered just what were the essential functions of the parish. He reflected that the church is primarily a community of charity and prayer, therefore, the parish could continue its essential functions quite well. He wrote, "We should be able to celebrate the sacraments, do works of charity, study the Scriptures and teach the faith, even if the computers shut down."

With further reflection the pastor mused, "We might not be able to fill in all those forms that come to us from the diocese and the government, which would be God’s form of justice. We might not be able to schedule so many events, which would give us all a needed Sabbath rest."

That power company survey made the pastor then wonder about the "Day of Judgment" readiness of the parish community. "What if we sent out a similar survey," he contemplated, "to determine if the people in the parish are ‘Second Coming’ compliant? What essential functions would we want them to consider?"

So the pastor started to write down some point to ponder:

• Have you fed the hungry lately?  


• Have you given drink to the thirsty?


• Are strangers welcomed in your community?


• What provisions have you made for clothing the naked and sheltering the homeless?


• Are your programs for visiting the sick and the imprisoned working well?


• Do you worship God in spirit and truth?


• Have you been building up each other with words of encouragement?


• Have you been reconciling enemies, making peace and comforting those who mourn?


• What have you done to reduce the violence in your community?


• What about reducing the violent rages within your own heart?


• In what ways have you hungered and thirsted for justice, and not sought vengeance?


• Have you preached the Good News lately—by your words or your deeds?


• Have you told people of God’s abundant love for them?


• Are your treasures stored up in heaven, or in a safety deposit box?

The pastor noted, "Most of us would have a harder time filling out the second survey than the first." He continued, "I’d also be willing to bet that it would be a lot more important to get compliant with the second readiness survey."

The pastor concluded, "One way or another, we will muddle through computer glitches. But if we don’t get compliant with the concerns of the Lord’s survey of readiness, we might not get through the ‘Day of Judgment’ unscathed. Now that’s a survey to take seriously."

 

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The Gift of Aspiration

If you can reach out, you can hold on.
If you can imagine, you can achieve.
If you just begin, you can continue.
Search within, and you'll find a reason
to believe.

If you can get involved, you can make
it happen.
If you can give, you will be rewarded
with the taking.
If you can climb, you can climb even higher.
Envision it: your success is in the making.

If you don't put limits on yourself,
you can always keep striving.
You might amaze yourself with what you
discover you can do.
If you want to reach out for happiness,
don't ever forget that…
You can go as far as your dreams
can take you.

 

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At the End of our Lives..By Mother Theresa

At the end of our lives we will not be judged by how many diplomas we have received, how much money we have made or how many great things we have done.

We will be judged by: I was hungry and you gave me to eat. I was naked and you clothed me. I was homeless and you took me in.

Hungry not only for bread—
but hungry for love.

Naked not only for clothing—
but naked of human dignity and respect.

Homeless not only for want of a room of bricks—
but homeless because of rejection.

This is Christ in distressing disguise.

 

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Rules from God..

1. Wake Up! Decide to make it a good day. "This is the day the Lord has made; let us be glad and rejoice in it" Psalms 118:24.

2. Dress Up! The best way to dress up is to put on a smile. A smile is an inexpensive way to improve your looks. "Not as man sees does God see, because man sees the appearance but the Lord looks in to the heart" I Samuel 16:7.

3. Listen Up! Say nice things and learn to listen. God gave us two ears and one mouth, so He must have meant for us to do twice as much listening as talking. "He who guards his mouth protects his life…" Proverbs 13:3.

4. Stand Up! For what you believe in. Stand for something or you will fall for anything. "Let us not grow tired of doing good, for in due time we shall reap our harvest, if we do not give up. So then, while we have the opportunity, let us do good to all…" Galatians 6:9-10.

5. Look Up! To the Lord. "I have the strength for everything through Him who empowers me" Philippians 4:13.

6. Reach Up! For something higher. "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and on your own intelligence rely not. In all your ways be mindful of Him, and He will make straight your paths" Proverbs 3:5-6.

7. Lift Up! Your Prayers. "Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition…make your requests known to God" Philippians 4:6.

 

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A man's prayer

Let me live, O Mighty Master, such a life as a men shall know. Tasting triumph and disaster, joy and not too much woe.

Let me run the gamut over, let me fight and love and laugh, and when I'm beneath the clover let this be my epitaph:

Here lies one who took his chances in the busy world of men; battled luck and circumstances fought and fell and fought again;

Won sometimes, but did no crowing, lost sometimes, but did not wail, took his beating, but kept going, never let his courage fail.

He was fallible and human, therefore loved and understood both his fellow man and woman, whether good or not so good;

Kept his spirit undiminished, never lay down on a friend, played the game until it was finished, lived a sportsman to the end…

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Give your Spouse Positive Re-inforcement

I once saw this advertisement: "Make sure you're part of a winning team." The way to be part of a winning team in marriage is to bring out the best in your spouse. Remember to keep your focus on your spouse's strengths and not his or her weaknesses. Remember to believe in the potential of your spouse. Believe that your spouse has untapped wisdom and goodness that both of you can reach. Remember to notice positive changes and to express your appreciation. Express appreciation and gratitude for positive words and actions, even if they are not totally what you would have wanted. By giving positive reinforcement to a movement in the right direction, you encourage your spouse to keep moving along the best path for both of you.

 

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The Parable of a child

There is a difference between education and experience. Education is what you get from reading the small print. Experience is what you get from not reading it!

But isn't it true that great learning comes from both education and experience? Let me tell you a parable:

A young school teacher had a dream that an angel appeared to him and said, "You will be given a child who will grow up to become a world leader. How will you prepare her so that she will realize her intelligence, grow in confidence, develop both her assertiveness and sensitivity, be open-minded, yet strong in character? In short, what kind of education will you provide that she can become one of the world's truly great leaders?"

The young teacher awoke in a cold sweat. It had never occurred to him before—any one of his present or future students could be the person described in his dream. Was he preparing them to rise to Any position to which they may aspire? He thought, ‘How might my teaching change if I knew that one of my students were this person?' He gradually began to formulate a plan in his mind.

This student would need experience as well as instruction. She would need to know how to solve problems of various kinds. She would need to grow in character as well as knowledge. She would need self-assurance as well as the ability to listen well and work with others. She would need to understand and appreciate the past, yet feel optimistic about the future. She would need to know the value of lifelong learning in order to keep a curious and active mind. She would need to grow in understanding of others and become a student of the spirit. She would need to set high standards for herself and learn self discipline, yet she would also need love and encouragement, that she might be filled with love and goodness.

His teaching changed. Every young person who walked through his classroom became, for him, a future world leader. He saw each one, not as they were, but as they could be. He expected the best from his students, yet tempered it with compassion. He taught each one as if the future of the world depended on his instruction.

After many years, a woman he knew rose to a position of world prominence. He realized that she must surely have been the girl described in his dream. Only she was not one of his students, but rather his daughter. For of all the various teachers in her life, her father was the best.

I've heard it said that "Children are living messages we send to a time and place we will never see." But this isn't simply a parable about an unnamed school teacher. It is a parable about you and me—whether or not we are parents or even teachers. And the story, our story, actually begins like this:

"You will be given a child who will grow up to become…." You finish the sentence. If not a world leader, then a superb father? An excellent teacher? A gifted healer? An innovative problem solver? An inspiring artist? A generous philanthropist?

Where and how you will encounter this child is a mystery. But believe that one child's future may depend upon influence only you can provide, and something remarkable will happen. For no young person will ever be ordinary to you again. And you will never be the same.

 

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Pearls of Wisdom

CONGRATULATIONS. So, now you have your diploma. Now you want me to be something like a North Star, to offer you some sort of guidance for walking in the right direction, the ‘Now what' path that you're coming up to. You really don't need me except to tell you that you have yourself. Look inside. If you find a time and place to think silently about the hesitant person you were when you first stepped on campus…, who you are at this moment, how you got here, and what you can become ‘out there,' you'll see that you've fashioned your own ‘true north' compass. You really don't need my tinkering around.

All through these past years, family and friends and faculty have doubted you; at times, you faltered and doubted yourself; then you heroically—yes, heroically—picked yourself with an ‘I'll show them' attitude. But, you never really had an ‘I'll show me' attitude.

Yeah, you persevered and have your diploma. All that says is what you did. Look at what it says about who you are and can become. Now, you see you're stuffed full of the information and skills, the grades and GPA, that you needed to get that sheepskin. Do you see, however, that you've stuffed yourself with the right stuff, with what it takes to use that stuff in the right way? If you don't see that and use it, the diploma is worth diddly-squat. Diploma and education are not necessarily synonymous terms. An education is more likely to help you avoid falling under the spell of temptation than is training. And, temptation is all around you.

Someone is always going to tell you that you're wrong, that it's too hard, that you can't do that, that it's impossible. You'll be tempted to believe that your critics are right. You'll be pressured to compromise yourself. You'll feel the demands imposed by others to become the person they want you to become. Conquer all that, as you learned to do…, use what you learned about yourself, and you'll find the courage to live.

And, it does take courage to truly live a life of being alive. The world, academic and non-academic alike, is full of people who have stopped listening to themselves, who have been frightened off-course, who have listened to others telling them what they ought to do, how they ought to behave, what they ought to think, what values they ought to possess, what they ought to say. Too many people have allowed themselves to become flatten, to lose their humanity, to relinquish their individuality, to sheepishly follow the crowd and bleat only that which is popular, to lose what someone called "the rapture of being alive."

You've seen it all around on campus and at your job. Now all you have to do is to use the stuff to stay the right course and not to be thrown off course by the obstacles, dangers, and pressures you'll face. If you accept less than who you are capable of being, if you take a job just to have money to have a good livelihood, if you seek only position and renown, if you stop listening to yourself, if you have no sense of significance or meaning or purpose, if you allow your vision to fade or let others take away your vision, then I warn you that you'll turn yourself into a slave and you'll be a very unhappy camper.

 

REMEMBER, your happiness, your true and deep happiness, comes from being alive, that is, in being alert and aware and involved. It really does not dwell in earning a living; it is found in the value of your inner self, not in the value of your car, house, and bank account. Find a place where you're happy, not just excited and satisfied and comfortable, and you'll find the waters that will extinguish the anguish, anxiety, and pain. All that with take daily courage and strength. You'll need to keep in shape, to develop workout programs for both you body and soul. That way you'll remain physically and spiritually fit. Trust me, living a significant life each day filled with meaning, purpose, and vision in your life isn't all that much of a newsworthy spectacle, but it is indeed a spectacular and powerful way to live a significant life.

Maybe these should be arriving pearls of wisdom
for incoming students—if they'd listen.

 

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Texas Woman Induced Labor for Dying Husband to Hold Baby

Savannah Aulger will never have snapshots with her father on her first birthday, on Christmas or at a school event.

The only picture she will ever have of them is the one as sweet as it is heartbreaking. Hooked up to an oxygen mask at the hospital, the man she would call dad cradled her in his arms for 45 minutes.

He sobbed. He smiled. And there was no doubt that he loved her.

"He would talk to my stomach when I was pregnant," Diane Aulger said of her husband. "He was so excited for her."

The next day, Mark Aulger slipped into a coma.

The Aulger family of The Colony, Texas, had a lot to rejoice about in the weeks before Savannah's Jan. 18 birth, which was induced two weeks early so her father could hold her.

A home movie on Christmas showed a pregnant Diane Aulger, 31, handing out gifts to the couple's four children, the oldest of whom is 15. Mark, 52, who had just received the news that he had beaten cancer, played the guitar, providing a soundtrack for the Christmas morning festivities.

On Jan. 3, life threw a curveball.

Mark Aulger was admitted to the hospital, unable to breathe.

Doctors told him that eight months of chemotherapy had ravaged his lungs and diagnosed him with pulmonary fibrosis. "We thought he could get on steroid treatment and oxygen and live for years," Diane Aulger said.

But on Jan. 16, Mark Aulger found out those treatments would be fruitless. He had one week left to live.

"He was awake and alert, himself. I really didn't believe the doctor [at first]," Diane Aulger said. "The next day his doctor came in and said: 'When are you going to have this baby?'"

On Jan. 18, in a larger-than-normal delivery room, Mark rested in his bed, a supportive presence for Diane as their baby girl entered the world.

"The day she was born his oxygen levels were really high," Aulger said. "He held her for 45 minutes. Him and I just cried that whole time."

As Diane was recovering, Mark tried holding his daughter again the next day, but was only able to last one minute. "He just couldn't take it," Diane Aulger said.

The devoted husband and father of five slipped into a coma. "If she cried, he would shake his head and moan. I put her on him when he was in the coma a few times and his hand would move toward her," Aulger said.

On January 23rd, with his family by his side, Mark Aulger died in his hospital bed.

"The kids go on as if dad is really still here," Diane Aulger said. "Mark was a very funny guy. My kids still tell jokes how they would when he was around. He would have been a wonderful daddy to Savannah."

 

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A Mother's Sacrifice: A VERY TOUCHING STORY!

My mom only had one eye. I hated her... she was such an embarrassment. My mom ran a small shop at a flea market. She collected little weeds and such to sell... anything for the money we needed she was such an embarrassment. There was this one day during elementary school.
I remember that it was field day, and my mom came. I was so embarrassed.
How could she do this to me? I threw her a hateful look and ran out. The next day at school..."Your mom only has one eye?!" and they taunted me.

I wished that my mom would just disappear from this world so I said to my mom, "Mom, why don't you have the other eye?! You're only going to make me a laughingstock. Why don't you just die?" My mom did not respond. I guess I felt a little bad, but at the same time, it felt good to think that I had said what I'd wanted to say all this time.

Maybe it was because my mom hadn't punished me, but I didn't think that I had hurt her feelings very badly.

That night...I woke up, and went to the kitchen to get a glass of water. My mom was crying there, so quietly, as if she was afraid that she might wake me. I took a look at her, and then turned away. Because of the thing I had said to her earlier, there was something pinching at me in the corner of my heart. Even so, I hated my mother who was crying out of her one eye. So I told myself that I would grow up and become successful, because I hated my one-eyed mom and our desperate poverty.

Then I studied really hard. I left my mother and came to Seoul and studied, and got accepted in the Seoul University with all the confidence I had. Then, I got married. I bought a house of my own. Then I had kids, too. Now I'm living happily as a successful man. I like it here because it's a place that doesn't remind me of my mom.

This happiness was getting bigger and bigger, when someone unexpected came to see me "What?! Who's this?!" ...It was my mother...Still with her one eye. It felt as if the whole sky was falling apart on me. My little girl ran away, scared of my mom's eye.

And I asked her, "Who are you? I don't know you!!!" as if I tried to make that real. I screamed at her "How dare you come to my house and scare my daughter! GET OUT OF HERE! NOW!!!" And to this, my mother quietly answered, "oh, I'm so sorry. I may have gotten the wrong address," and she disappeared. Thank good ness... she doesn't recognize me. I was quite relieved. I told myself that I wasn't going to care, or think about this for the rest of my life.

Then a wave of relief came upon me...one day, a letter regarding a school reunion came to my house. I lied to my wife saying that I was going on a business trip. After the reunion, I went down to the old shack, that I used to call a house...just out of curiosity there, I found my mother fallen on the cold ground. But I did not shed a single tear. She had a piece of paper in her hand.... it was a letter to me.

She wrote:
My son...
I think my life has been long enough now. And... I won't visit Seoul anymore... but would it be too much to ask if I wanted you to come visit me once in a while? I miss you so much. And I was so glad when I heard you were coming for the reunion. But I decided not to go to the school.... For you... I'm sorry that I only have one eye, and I was an embarrassment for you.

You see, when you were very little, you got into an accident, and lost your eye. As a mother, I couldn't stand watching you having to grow up with only one eye... so I gave you mine...I was so proud of my son that was seeing a whole new world for me, in my place, with that eye. I was never upset at you for anything you did. The couple times that you were angry with me. I thought to myself, 'it's because he loves me.' I miss the times when you were still young around me.

I miss you so much. I love you. You mean the world to me.
My world shattered!!!

Then I cried for the person who lived for me... My Mother

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A warrior's song

The sun kisses a mountain top
And glistens on its face of snow,
And slowly climbs into the sky above
And lights the valley below.

For each of us that this day awakes
A miracle takes place.
For once again we walk our earth
And own all upon its face.

And the past regrets and foolish fears
Of yesterday’s cloudy mind,
Are washed away by the light of day
And seem so far behind.

For each of us is reborn each day,
Our life renews again.
And with the help of God we will find
a cause
That makes us want to win.

For a man without a goal in life
Is a man already dead.
His mind wanders from place to place,
And he walks with feet of lead.

He has no reason to stretch his mind,
No spirit to stir his soul.
His name is not even in the book,
When destiny calls the roll.

Better to take the wine of life
And drink both deep and long—
Greet each day `cause you’re here to
stay,
And sing your warrior’s song.

For the battle of life is joined, and
You might fight long and true.
For in this strife, it’s the game of your
life
And the only loser is you.

Gird up your loins with courage
And answer the trumpets call,
And lose or win, you can say at the end,
This was the greatest of all!

 

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Letting Go !

To Let Go does not mean to stop caring,
it means I can't do it for someone else.

To Let Go is not to cut myself off,
it is the realization I can't control another.

To Let Go is not to enable,
but to allow learning from natural consequences.

To Let Go is to admit powerlessness,
which means the outcome is not in my hands.

To Let Go is not to try to change or blame another,
it is to make the most of myself.

To Let Go is not to care for,
but to care about.

To Let Go is not to fix,
but to be supportive.

To Let Go is not to judge,
but to allow another to be a human being.

To Let Go is not to be in the middle arranging all the outcomes,
but to allow others to affect their destinies.

To Let Go is not to be protective,
it is to permit another to face reality.

To Let Go is not to deny,
but to accept.

To Let Go is not to nag, scold, or argue,
but instead to search out my own shortcomings and correct them.

To Let Go is not to adjust everything to my desires,
but to take each day as it comes, and cherish myself in it.

To Let Go is not to criticize and regulate anybody,
but to try to become what I dream I can be.

To Let Go is not to regret the past,
but to grow and live for the future.

To Let Go is to fear less,
and love more.

 

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Leaving a Legacy: Principles to Live by

 

1. Life is best lived in service to others. This doesn’t mean that we do not strive for the best for ourselves. It does mean that in all things we serve other people, including our family, co-workers and friends.


2. Consider others’ interests as important as your own. Much of the world suffers simply because people consider only their own interests. People are looking out for number one, but the way to leave a legacy is to also look out for others.


3. Love your neighbor even if you don’t like him. It is interesting that Jesus told us to love others. But he never tells us to like them. Liking people has to do with emotions. Loving people has to do with actions. And what you will find is that when you love them and do good by them, you will more often than not begin to like them.


4. Maintain integrity at all costs. There are very few things you take to the grave with you. The number one thing is your reputation and good name. When people remember you, you want them to think, "She was the most honest person I knew. What integrity." There are always going to be temptations to cut corners and break your integrity. Do not do it. Do what is right all of the time, no matter what the cost.


5. You must risk in order to gain. In just about every area of life you must risk in order to gain the reward. In love, you must risk rejection in order to ask that person out for the first time. In investing you must place your capital at risk in the market in order to receive the prize of a growing bank account. When we risk, we gain. And when we gain, we have more to leave for others.


6. You reap what you sow. In fact, you always reap more than you sow—you plant a seed and reap a bushel. What you give you get. What you put into the ground then grows out of the ground.…It is one of the truest laws of the universe. Decide what you want out of life and then begin to sow it.


7. Hard work is never a waste. No one will say, "It is too bad he was such a good, hard worker." But if you aren’t they will surely say, "It’s too bad he was so lazy—he could have been so much more!" Hard work will leave a grand legacy. Give it your all on your trip around the earth. You will do a lot of good and leave a terrific legacy.


8. Don’t give up when you fail. Imagine what legacies would have never existed if someone had given up. How many thriving businesses would have been shut down if they quit at their first failure? Everyone fails. It is a fact of life. But those who succeed are those who do not give up when they fail. They keep going and build a successful life—and a legacy.


9. Don’t ever stop in your pursuit of a legacy. Many people have accomplished tremendous things later on in life. There is never a time to stop in your pursuit of a legacy. Sometimes older people will say, "I am 65. I’ll never change." That won’t build a great life! No, there is always time to do more and achieve more, to help more and serve more, to teach more and to learn more. Keep going and growing that legacy!

These are core principles to live by if you want to become the kind of person who leaves a lasting legacy.

 

 

 

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Keys to finding your Genius

Change Your Beliefs. It is up to you to do the work of changing your beliefs. And when you do you will be opening up new worlds—literally!…Feed your mind with information that will change your belief.…The truth is that you have an amazing mind with a capacity for learning that is beyond your comprehension. You must believe this. And when you do, you will be unlocking the potential of your mind!

Get the Right Knowledge. Words—if they are not true—are meaningless. I hear children say, "I read it in a book." But is it true? Just because someone says it or writes it, doesn't mean it is true. As learners, we want to get the right knowledge, not just information or opinions. It is our job to seek out information and knowledge and then test it and run it through our minds to see if it is true, and if it can be rightfully applied to our lives in order to make them better and help us succeed. We need to weigh and measure what we learn in order to gain the right knowledge. And when we do, we will be unlocking the potential of our mind!

Become Passionate about Learning. This will take some work, but the only way to do it is to begin learning about things that have an immediate impact in your life. When you learn about a new financial concept that helps you earn money or get out of debt, that will get you fired up. When you learn about a way to communicate that helps you sell more product, that will energize you. When you learn about how to interact with your family in a healthy way and your relationships get better, that will inspire you! Become passionate about learning. And when you do, you will be unlocking the potential of your mind!

Discipline Yourself Through the Hard Work of Study. Learning will take work. Until someone comes up with modules that can plug into your mind and give you instant access to knowledge, you are on your own, and that takes work. The process of learning is a long one. Yes, we can speed it up, but it is still a process of reading, listening, reviewing, repetition, applying the knowledge, experiencing the outcomes, readjusting, etc. Simply put, that takes time. Slowly but surely, when you discipline yourself, you gain knowledge and learn. And when you do, you will be unlocking the potential of your mind!

Learning is Possible, No Matter What Your Age. You are never too young or too old. Your mind was created to learn and has a huge capacity to do so. This week, make a commitment to unlock the potential of your mind!

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I want to die Living

When asked what he wanted to be remembered for when his life was over Leo Buscaglia. replied: "I want to be remembered as somebody who lived life fully and with passion. I’ve been asked to write my epitaph and I have always thought that the perfect one for my tombstone would be, ‘Here lies Leo who died living.’"

I want to die living. And I want to be remembered as one who lived with purpose, joy and verve. I want to spend my time learning what goes into a whole and happy life, then building that life the best I can.

Sociologist Tony Campolo told about a study in which fifty people over the age of ninety were asked to reflect upon their lives. "If you had it to do over again," they were asked, "what would you do differently?" There was a multiplicity of answers, but three responses dominated. Here they are.

1. I would reflect more. Do you ever feel that too much time is spent in "doing," and not enough spent thinking about what you are doing and why you are doing it?


2. I would risk more. Do you think that important opportunities either have been or might be forfeited because of your fear to take a necessary risk?


3. I would do more things that would live on after I died. Do you feel that you are immersed in something bigger and more enduring than your own existence?

Reflect more h Risk more h Leave a legacy.

These are what our elders say they would do differently the second time around.
But why wait for a second time around? Every new day is a second chance!

Reflect more today—
it will reveal to you what is truly important.

Risk more today—
take a chance on making that dream come alive.

Get involved with something that makes a difference in this world—
and a beautiful legacy is what you will leave behind.

 

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Believe in Yourself

Believe in yourself!

Believe you were made to do any task without calling for aid.

Believe, without growing too scornfully proud,
that you, as the greatest and least are endowed.

A mind to do thinking, two hands and two eyes
are all the equipment God gives to the wise.

Believe in yourself!

You are divinely designed and perfectly made
for the work of mankind.

The truth you must cling to through danger and pain;
the heights others have reached you can also attain.

Believe to the very last hour, for it is true.
That what ever you will, you've been gifted to do.

Believe in yourself and step out unafraid.

By misgivings and doubt be not easily swayed.

You've the right to succeed;
the precision of skill which betokens the great
you can earn if you will!

The wisdom of the ages is yours if you'll read.

But you've got to believe in yourself to succeed.

 

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The courage to Dare

The course of history has been changed by those willing to dare. And those daring enough to do. Life is an exciting adventure, but is also a struggle. Every great success has been achieved by those who are willing to dare, and every winner has scars.

Courage requires ambition, integrity, audacity, and the will to succeed.

Courage requires a drive to be different. It is escaping from old ideas and patterns and breaking the barriers of accepted ways of doing things. A systematic pursuit to plunge, to speculate, to inquire, to imagine, to doubt, to explore.

Courage requires a healthy impatience, unencumbered by standard procedures and undissipated by the bonds of custom and restraint. Eccentric experimentation and radical departure are the rule. The one who dares is willing to forge the unknown and place new ideas in confrontation with the old. It is a venturous gospel, the courage to dare. It takes a spirit which welcomes nonconformity, filled with zeal, an exuberance, and an ardor for the unexplored. And the travel is worthy of the travail.

Failure is not final or fatal, but not to make the attempt is the great failure. The one with courage is unafraid of making mistakes. He or she is willing to take the calculated risk and act on the belief in his or her own ideas.

There must be a willingness to pay the price, and the price is always pain and work along with an uncritical and unquestioning faith.

Courage takes the will, the fortitude, and the resolution of undisciplined enthusiasm. It develops from within and is rooted in a strong mental and moral fiber. It toughens the spirit and strips the fat of indecision. It requires the strength to endure the burden and rigors of the unknown and the heart to expand new horizons and extend new frontiers.

The courage to dare requires an abhorrence for everything that is dull, motionless and un-risking. There must be no tolerance for the rigidity and the timidity of attempting the bold and the new. History will deal kindly with the man who throws himself into the battle, takes the unconventional position, and gives his heart and spirit to the terror, the surprise, the fear, and the exhilaration of the unexplored. The courage to dare is both the genius and the secret of the ages.

 

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Constructive Thinking: Your Elevator to Success

# 9. Constructive Thinking: Your Elevator to Success—Dr. Seymour Epstein of the University of Massachusetts researched the thinking styles of highly successful people.…The most interesting survey result was the fact that superachievers think differently than average achievers.

Dr. Epstein found nine key differences:

1. Superachievers think in ways that make them less sensitive to disapproval and rejection. They brush off rejection faster.


2. They think in ways that facilitate effective action.


3. Their thoughts are more focused on the task at hand and they refuse to let their minds drift to unpleasant events of the past.
   If they cannot do anything about a negative situation, they do not worry about it and they move on with their lives.


4. They do not engage in superstitious thoughts.


5. The think that failures are an important source of learning and refuse to equate failure with low self-worth. Thinking constructively saves them from wasting time and suffering psychological pain.


6. They do not restrict their thinking by establishing rigid patterns. They do not divide others into "winners" and "losers," but accept people for who they are as individuals.


7. They think thoughts through without jumping to false conclusions. They are able to see their actions and the world in a healthy and realistic perspective. They are optimists, yet think realistically.


8. They welcome challenges with optimism and without fear. When they face difficulties, they find ways to look at the positive side of life.


9. They do not waste time in unproductive, esoteric, or catastrophic thoughts. They think constructively and they know that their level of thinking determines their level of success.

 

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Checking the Day

"I had a full day in my purse
When I arose, and now it's gone!
I wonder if I can rehearse
The squandered hours, one by one,
And count the minutes as I do
The pennies and the dimes I've spent.
I've had a day, once bright and new,
But, oh, for what few things it went!

There were twelve hours when I began,
Good hours worth sixty minutes each,
Yet some of them so swiftly ran
I had no time for thought or speech.
Eight of them to my task I gave,
Glad that it did not ask for mre.
Part of the day I tried to save,
But now I cannot say what for.

An hour I spent for idle chat,
Gossip and scandal I confess;
No better off am I for that,
Would I had talked a little less.
I watched steel workers bolt a beam,
What time that cost I don't recall.
How very short the minutes seem
When they are spent on trifles small.

Quite empty is my purse to-night
Which held at dawn a twelve-hour day,
For all of it has taken flight—
Part wisely spent, part thrown away.
I did my task and earned its gain,
But checking deeds with what they cost,
Two missing hours I can't explain,
They must be charges as lost."

 

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10 Common Traits that kill Happiness

When we look for things to bring us happiness we often look outside of ourselves, and we're often looking for things we can gain.

However, instead of looking for external gain, looking inward and giving up some of our self-defeating thought habits and behavioral patterns can bring us as much or more happiness than external gains. See what you think…

1. Give up internal criticism.
   We are often our own worst critic. Many times our self-criticism isn't a fair criticism, it's a negative thought pattern that we repeat to ourselves. These thought patterns are often ingrained in us at an early age, even before we learn to think and reason. If we're caught in this trap, we need to realize it's not our fault, and then instead of beating ourselves up, try a little inward kindness instead.


2. Give up external criticism.
   It makes sense if we're always looking for what's wrong that we'll find it. Doing so means we're finding things to be unhappy about. Isn't it better to look for the good, and in doing so, find things to be happy about instead?


3. Give up the fear of change.
   We grow comfortable in our circumstances, and often fear change will bring discomfort. But we don't live in a static world, change is ongoing, and it's often for the better. If we don't fear change, we can often direct how it affects us, thus making change more to our liking.


4. Give up the shadows of past sorrow.
   Most, if not all of us, have secret sorrows. A good many of us use them to rationalize why we shouldn't take new risks. For example, if we've had our heart broken by someone we loved, we might use that experience as a shield between us and others so no one can hurt us that much again. That also means we're hanging on to the pain instead of moving past it.


5. Give up trying to please everyone.
   When we try to please everyone we inevitably end up denying ourselves. Denying ourselves can be a good trait when it's for a greater good, but it can also turn us into doormats for everyone to walk on. Allowing ourselves to be repeatedly taken advantage of may please others, but it usually displeases us at some level.


6. Give up self-limiting beliefs.
   Many of us have old, out-dated beliefs about ourselves. Some date back to childhood and are only valid simply because we still believe them. Most of us are capable of far more than we realize. If our beliefs matched our potential we would likely amaze ourselves at what we could accomplish. Instead of saying things like I can't or I don't know how…ask, "How can I?" You may pleasantly surprise yourself at all you can do.


7. Give up blaming others for our circumstances or results.
   We have to own our life. Blaming others is to give away our power. Albert Ellis said it best, "The best years of your life are the ones in which you decide your problems are your own. You do not blame them on your mother, the ecology, or the president. You realize that you control your own destiny."


8. Give up the need to be right.
   When we force others to accept that we are right, it usually means putting them in the position of being wrong. No one likes that. Many times there is little or nothing to be gained from being right. Forcing our convictions on others often alienates them from us. Not all victories are worth the cost.


9. Give up the desire to control everything.
   It's often better to get along than to get our own way. When we insist on controlling everything we are silently saying to others that their desires, tastes, ideas, and intelligence are inferior to ours, or that they aren't as important as we are. As with insisting we are right, this can alienate others from us, causing unhappiness.


10. Give up comparing ourselves to others.
    Comparing our known reality to the perceived reality we have about someone else isn't a fair proposal. The only truly useful comparison we can make is to compare our self to our self. Are we making progress? Are we improving as human beings? Are we wiser than we were five years ago? Are we more understanding? Kinder? More skilled? We can't mark our decay or growth against others because other people are not static.

Any one of those thought habits or behavioral traits can dampen our happiness. Indulging in all of them is likely to result in a strong sense of unhappiness. All can be overcome if we choose.

The happiness we may gain comes at a price though…change. And remember, item three was about giving up the fear of change. That's why those who feel trapped by any of these behavioral traits often remain trapped by them.

 

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I'm So Close To You!!! (Very Touching Love Poem)

I'm so close to you,
But in my heart i never knew,
I seen you for a day or two,
You remember everything i say to you,
Love how you listen,
You got such a glow you glisten,
I accomplish my mission.
I love it when you love to be around,
You stand your ground.
Don't let nobody change you!
I'm so close to you, I will sustain you,
Through the heartbreak, if there is one,
I'm so close to you, let's see what us will become.
I want it to be love,
And us holding each other as the wind,
Blows through your hair,
A day like today, Where we are not aware,
Of what this will become,
Only excited because we are together,
Sharing this moment, like it's a romantic dinner,
My love for you will not get thinner!

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Heart, Mind, Body & Soul

Desire ensnares the heart;
Infatuation captivates the mind;
Passion inflames the body;
And Love, Love consumes the soul...

Hearts can break;
Minds do falter;
Bodies ultimately fail;
And Souls, Souls become trapped...

But if one nurtures the heart;
Stimulates the mind;
Worships the body;
And feeds, feeds the Soul...

Hearts can beat in unison;
Minds will think in kind;
Bodies move as one;
And our Souls, our Souls will be free...

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A chosen vessel

The Master was searching for a vessel to use,
On the shelf there were many which one would He choose?

"Take me, cried the gold one I'm shiny and bright,
I'm of great value and I do things just right.
My beauty and luster will outshine the rest,
And for someone like you, Master, gold would be the best!"

The Master passed on with no word at all,
He looked at a silver urn, narrow and tall,
"I'll serve you, dear Master, I'll pour out your wine,
And I'll be at your table whenever you dine,
My lines are so graceful, my carvings so true,
And my silver will always compliment you."

Unheeding the Master passed on to the brass,
It was wide mouthed and shallow, and polished like glass.
"Here! Here!" cried the vessel, I know I will do,
Place me on your table for all men to view."

"Look at me", called the goblet of crystal so clear,
"My transparency shows my contents so dear,
Though fragile I am,  I will serve you with pride,
And I'm sure I'll be happy in your home to abide."

The Master came next to a vessel of wood,
Polished and carved, it solidly stood.
"You may use me, dear Master", the wooden bowl said,
"But I'd rather you used me for fruit, not for bread!"

Then the Master looked down and saw a vessel of clay,
Empty and broken it helplessly lay.
No hope had the vessel that the master might choose,
To cleanse and make whole, to fill and to use.

Ah! This is the vessel I've been hoping to find,
I will mend and use it and make it all mine.
I need not the vessel with pride of itself,
Nor the one who is narrow to sit on the shelf.

Nor the one who is big mouthed and shallow and loud,
Nor one who displays his contents so proud.
Nor the one who thinks he can do all things just right,
But this plain earthy vessel filled with my power and might.

Then gently He lifted the vessel of clay...
Mended and cleansed it and filled it that day.
Spoke to it kindly "There's work you must do...
Just pour out to others as I pour into you."

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Letter to Jesus

My Precious Friend,

I am sending you this letter by way of one of My Disciples. I just wanted to let you know how much I Love and Care about you and how I Greatly Desire to become a meaningful part of your life.

This Morning when you awoke, I was already there with you in the Light of My Beautiful Sunshine that filled your room. I was hoping that you would say Good Morning to Me; you didn't. So, I thought maybe it was just a little too early in the day for you to notice Me.

Again, I tried to get your attention when you stepped out of your door. I Kissed your face with a Soft Gentle Breeze. I Breathed upon you My Fragrant Sweet Breath Scented with Flowers. Then I Sang you a Love Song through the Birds in the Trees. You just walked right past Me.

Later on in the day, I watched over you as you were talking with some of your friends. Oh! How I wished that you would talk to Me also. I waited and waited, but you just went along your way.

This afternoon I sent you a Refreshing Shower and Glistened to you from each Rain Drop. I even Shouted to you a time or two with Thunder trying to get you attention. Then, I painted you a Lovely Rainbow in the midst of My Fluffy White Clouds. I just knew you would see Me then, but you were unaware of My Presence.

This Evening to close you day, I sent you a Beautiful Sunset. After that, I Winked at you a thousand times through My Stars hoping that you would see Me and wink back. You never did.

Tonight, when you went to bed, I Spilled Moonlight upon your face to let you know that I was there with you. I was hoping that you would talk to Me a little while before you went to sleep. You never said a word. It Hurt Me Deeply, however I continued to watch over you all through the night thinking that maybe, just maybe, you would say hello to Me in the Morning.

Each and Every Day, I have Revealed Myself to you in many Strange and Wondrous Ways hoping that you would accept Me as your Shepherd. For I Am the Only One that can Supply you with all your needs. My Love for you is Deeper than the Deepest Ocean and Bigger than the Great Blue Sky. I have so very much to give to you also share with you. Please let Me hear from you soon.

YOUR LOVING FRIEND FOREVER,  Jesus

 

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Hello God

 
Hello God, I called tonight
To talk a little while
I need a friend who'll listen
To my anxiety and trial.

You see, I can't quite make it
Through a day just on my own...
I need your love to guide me
So I'll never feel alone.

I want to ask you please to keep
My family safe and sound
Come and fill their lives with confidence
For whatever fate they're bound.

Give me faith, dear God, to face
Each hour throughout the day
And not to worry over things
I can't change in any way.

I thank you God, for being home
And listening to my call
For giving me such good advice
When I stumble and fall.

Your number, God, is the only one
That answers every time
I never get a busy signal
Never had to pay a dime.

So thank you, God, for listening
To my troubles and my sorrow
Good night, God, I love You, too,
And I'll call again tomorrow!

 

 

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The Story of the Butterfly

A man found a cocoon of a butterfly.
One day a small opening appeared.
He sat and watched the butterfly for several hours
as it struggled to squeeze its body through the tiny hole.
Then it stopped, as if it couldn’t go further.


So the man decided to help the butterfly.
He took a pair of scissors and
snipped off the remaining bits of cocoon.
The butterfly emerged easily but
it had a swollen body and shriveled wings.

The man continued to watch it,
expecting that any minute the wings would enlarge
and expand enough to support the body,
Neither happened!
In fact the butterfly spent the rest of its life
crawling around.
It was never able to fly.

What the man in his kindness
and haste did not understand:
The restricting cocoon and the struggle
required by the butterfly to get through the opening
was a way of forcing the fluid from the body
into the wings so that it would be ready
for flight once that was achieved.

Sometimes struggles are exactly
what we need in our lives.
Going through life with no obstacles would cripple us.
We will not be as strong as we could have been
and we would never fly.

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What will you Do if...Don't give up hope

Appreciation and/or recognition can definitely motivate you to produce some good work but...

• What will you do if... all of your efforts go unnoticed?

• What will you do if... all of your thoughts about your forte go unacknowledged?

• What will you do if... all of your approaches go undetected?

• What will you do if... all of your fundamentals are higher standards than most people understand?

• What will you do if... all of your thoughts and ideas are a bit more advanced than your age?

You can convince me only if I will listen to you but what will you do if... I shut my eyes and ears or close my brain?

Judgment comes only after analysis. To analyze things the approach has to be detected, the effort has to be noticed and the thoughts have to be understood. It is not that you haven't worked hard but you are not able to display them.

It just might happen that one may draw him/herself to a total darkness out of despair because of a feeling of being unwanted. It is a like a disease which squeezes juice from life. Just like appreciation and recognition can do wonders, the opposite can kill one's spirit.

Man is a social animal, If society ignores you, what will you do? The man inside you turns out to an animal who will vent his feelings through aggression only.

Is there a better solution for this problem? Definitely! People just give up hope one step short of the most awaited moment.

Don't ever lose patience because hard work pays off in the form of confidence. Confidence is that quality which converts work into display. Of course opportunity plays a major role, but not the sole one.

Believe in yourself because luck favors those who believe in themselves. Make your presence felt and at the same time, don't forget to appreciate others efforts. Patience and perseverance are the two key factors which decide the fate of the fighter and that fighter is YOU!

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Letter from God

Hello from Heaven,
I am watching you.
With only a few pictures,
And memories to cherish,
You remember,
And I watch and marvel even as I write.

Of the man you have become,
Of the son I can no longer physically hold.
But by a stronger connection,
And through an unbreakable faith,
The son I am so proud,
The father in his son.

Completely by accident,
Completely by fate,
Your Mother and your Brothers,
With you still looking up,
All left to find your way, without my hand.
Completely alone, but completely watched.

I will always keep the porch light on.
For when that supper day arrives again,
We shall all feast and reconnect our souls,
Like it had been, like it shall be.
The ties are never broken,
Only frayed by the hand of the Master.

Hello from Heaven,
I'm closer than they think,
I will always keep my eyes on all of them,
But you I know, already feel my warmth.
My time was shorter than some others,
But time is not measured by light alone.

Hello from Heaven,
You know I am near,
Your heart and your drive always show it.
The son for which pride,
Could never be measured,
Continue to fight, continue to grow.

Your visits I always welcome,
I visit as often as you.
Through your life I live,
As you live from my life,
Ever connected, ever loved,
An incalculable love from Heaven.

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Are You A Quitter Or A Failure? Never Quit!

It's okay to fail. In fact, I highly recommend failing. A person can't fully appreciate the sweetness of success without first experiencing the bitter taste of failure. I would even say that if you haven't failed, you aren't really trying.

So what makes failing so appealing in our quest for success? The secret is to never quit. As long as you continue to strive toward your goal of success and refuse to quit, you haven't really failed. Instead, use these temporary setbacks as a means to gauge your progress. Quitting is easy. Rebounding from a failure can be difficult; but worth the effort.

In 1954 Elvis Presley performed on stage at the Hi Hat Club in Memphis. Eddie Bond, a local musician, listened to Presley play two songs and gave Elvis advice about his future as a singer. Bond told Presley to stick to driving a truck, "because you're never going to make it as a singer."

What would have happened if Elvis Presley quit playing music and took the recommendation of Eddie Bond? The music world would have been denied thirty number one hit records by a former truck driver who would earn the title; The King of Rock and Roll.

After receiving his first Social Security check, a 65-year-old Harland Sanders decided that retirement wasn't an option. Sanders had two things going for him; a secret fried chicken recipe and a fierce determination to succeed. He went door to door trying to sell his unique chicken recipe to restaurant owners. Sadly, there wasn't the interest Sanders had expected. In fact, the recipe was rejected over 1,000 times.

But this didn't deter Harland Sanders. On the 1,009th sales call Sanders found this first franchise partner. When Harland "Colonel" Sanders died at the age of 90 he was worth $3.5 million. What would have happened if Sanders had called it quits after sales call 10, or 100, or 1,000? The finger lickin' good taste of Kentucky Fried Chicken would have never been enjoyed by the hungry consumers of America.

The year was 1952. Florence Chadwick attempted to swim the 26 miles between Catalina Island and the California coastline. After swimming for about 15 hours a thick fog set in. Chadwick swam for another hour before asking to be pulled out of the water. What caused her to stop? Florence was unable to see the coastline due to the fog.

As she sat in the recovery boat, Chadwick found out she had quit swimming just one mile away from Catalina Island. Florence had stopped because she could no longer see her final destination. The truth is many people quite after losing sight of their goals.

Although she may have failed to complete her first attempt at swimming the 26-mile challenge, two months later Chadwick tried again. This time the result was different. Although a thick fog once again set in, Florence didn't quit. Instead of focusing on what she couldn't see, this time Florence kept a mental image of the shoreline in her mind while she swam. Yes, she may have failed to complete her initial swim challenge between Catalina Island and the California Coast, but her personal drive to try again helped to overcome that first failed attempt. Florence Chadwick's ultimate success and determination not to quit is what people will always remember.

Occasional failure helps to remind us that we are one step closer to reaching our goal. Elvis Presley, Harland Sanders and Florence all refused to quit. As the famous Vince Lombardi said, "Winners never quit and quitters never win." The key to success is to remember that failures are only temporary setbacks.

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Learn To Show Up,Ability is not enough!

Ability is nothing without availability.

Do you have a great idea resting majestically in your head?

A great song yet to be sung?

A great play/movie still unscripted?

A great knowledge/wisdom to better the world at large?

A great approach to world's power problems?

These are just great nothings and will remain so, until they become available.

You must learn to show up

Develop the ability called availability.

Be ready when it's convenient and when it's not.

Learn to be there when it matters most.

Take a prominent role in your family, team/group, and country.

Dare to ask that question even if it may seem stupid;

Get the attention of the people that matter.

Take the risk, the heavens will not fall.

At worst you will have to try again, but please, be available.

You can't win in a race where you are absent.

Always remember the saying, 'when the desirable is not available, the available becomes desirable.'

Are you available today to do great things in your life and better the life of others?

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Everyone Is Different,Because I am me.

Because I Am Me

Note: I wrote this for many reasons. There is a lot of bullying and a lot of judgment towards special needs and to everyone who is different. I hope you enjoy this. Really meaningful.

Why do you talk so different?

Because I am me, and this is who I am. I can't change that and wouldn't want to.

Why do you look so different?

Because I am me, and this is who I am. I can't change that and wouldn't want to. This is me and it doesn't make me any more different than you.

Why do you act so differently than everyone else?

Because I am me, and this is who I am. I can't change that and wouldn't want to. This is me and it doesn't make me any more different than you. It's okay to be different and just be myself.

Why do you wear the clothes that you do?

Because I am me, and this is who I am. I can't change that and wouldn't want to. This is me and doesn't make me any more different than you. It's okay to be different and just to be myself. I wouldn't change myself for anyone in the world.

Why do you not walk like everyone else?

Because I am me, and this is who I am. I can't change that and wouldn't want to. This is me and it doesn't make me any more different than you. It's okay to be different and just be myself. I wouldn't change myself for anyone in the world. I am my own person; this is who I was meant to be.

Why do you do things more slowly than others?

Because I am me, and this is who I am. I can't change that and wouldn't want to. This is me and it doesn't make me any more different than you. It's okay to be different and just be myself. I wouldn't change myself for anyone in the world. I am my own person; this is who I was meant to be. I do things as I am meant to do them, because this is me.

Why do you look so different from everybody else?

Because I am me, and this is who I am. I can't change that and wouldn't want to. This is me and it doesn't make me any more different than you. It's okay to be different and just be myself. I wouldn't change myself for anyone in the world. I am my own person; this is who I was meant to be. I do things as I am meant to do them, because this is me. I look so different because this is who I am and who I choose to be.

Why are you the person that you are?

Because I am me, and this is who I am. I can't change that and wouldn't want to. This is me and it doesn't make me any more different than you. It's okay to be different and just be myself. I wouldn't change myself for anyone in the world. I am my own person; this is who I was meant to be. I do things as I am meant to do them, because this is me. I look so different because this is who I am and who I choose to be. I am me, this is who I am. I am proud of who I am and will become, that's all that matters

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The Mystery In The Power Of Praise

Have you ever been in a state where it seemed that God had gone mute to your prayers? The state where even unbelievers had to use you as a reference point to ask God questions?

My name is Mrs. Wale, a promising young businesswoman.

In my early life, I served God so faithfully and was committed to doing his work. As I journeyed through my Christian life, so many suitors came asking my hand in marriage but none of them met my requirements for the kind of man I wanted.

After waiting for a while, Bro Wale showed up. He was very caring and lovely. We dated for a while and he finally proposed and within few months, we got married. It was a happy moment for me but little did I know that my happiness was just for seconds.

My faithful and God fearing Mr. Wale became a hand tool in the hands of the devil, after we waited on the Lord for two years to bless us with children. The situation worsened after we had the Dr. report that I had a tumor and I may not be able to conceive.

The report got our lovely home messed up. My husband became a source of mockery amongst friends. Before I knew it, my faithful husband ended up sleeping around with strange women and got me infected with HIV and AIDS and set me packing out of the house.

The bad moments he made me go through in life left bitterness in me against him and I placed curses on him.

"What am I going to do with my life and what am I living for?" was all I asked myself every night as I wet my pillows with tears.

Two weeks later, following my state of health, I decided to visit the Dr. for a checkup. At the end of his investigation, he came up to say I had been diagnosed with blood cancer and he advised I go home and put my house in order, for I may not survive 3 months of living.

It was at this point I knew that my end had come.

Like the prodigal son, I had to fall back to my master for forgiveness. I fasted and prayed for weeks believing God would make this change.

"But how can blood cancer, a tumor and HIV and AIDS disappear? Are all these not too much for me?" was all that puzzled my mind.

It was at that point when I decided to make plans to put my house in order, I heard a preacher on the radio. The preacher started by asking the question:

"Whose report are you to believe? Who says you can't fulfill your destiny? If you have tried all prayer doors and none seems to work or open for you, WHY NOT YOU TRY THE DOOR OF PRAISE?

For God is found in the harbinger of praises. Praise gets God committed into any situation. When you pray, God assigns his angels to answer. But when you praise him, God himself steps in. God is not through with you yet!"

When I heard these words, my heart melted and I knew immediately that God indeed is committed to restoring my lost glory. Instead of giving up, I immediately declared 7 days of dancing and praising God.

On that faithful night to complete the program, the spirit to call on MY FATHER came upon me. I praised him as never before. It was a night of completion and to be remembered.

I danced and praised him. It was the type of dancing that I had never done in my whole life. It was after such joyous dancing that the peace I had been longing for came like the cool morning dew

While still in my mood of celebration, like a dream, a man walked into my room and greeted me:

"Peace be unto you! Oh woman of praise.
Your day of celebration has finally come!"

"Who are you? And how did you get here?" I asked with my lips trembling.

With smile on his face he said, "Am he that has been sent to present to you, your packaged blessings. I had been around to present your answers to your prayer request, but was held back by evil spirits in your house."

"Spirits? Did you say spirits?" I asked him while trying to look around my house to see if I could see the evil spirits.

 

"Yes! Evil spirits", he responded.

Like I said earlier he continued...

"I had been here and was kept bound by evil spirits in your house. They are the spirits of unforgivingness and unbelief. The unforgivingness you have against your husband is after you. The unbelieving spirit came at that point when you switched to counting your illnesses, and that immediately reduced God's healing ability over you.

They both stopped me BUT when you praised and danced in the presence of God, God had to fulfill his words.

Congratulations!

For every year that you had counted a waste has been restored. Those that saw you as a source of mockery shall return to celebrate you. Congratulations, once more, for you had been made whole."

It was right there and then I knew my deliverance had started. It was a night to remember.

Two days later, I went back to that same Dr. that declared me a walking corpse. And after running several tests on me, he could not fine traces of Blood Cancer, the Tumor nor HIV and AIDS.

The mystery behind praise had turned my table around for Good. The Dr. and everyone immediately gave their lives to Christ for they had never seen this kind of miracle. "What a mystery!" was the exclamation of all as they celebrate with me. God is indeed faithful.

Moral Lessons:

• Never give up on yourself when God had not said so.

• The thickness of the night can never prevent the sun from rising for your light must shine forth.

• If you had tried other doors, never forget to try Praise, for God is committed to fulfilling all that concerns you.

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Deep Within You Stands A Warrior

Believe In Yourself

"Tough people dare when others doubt. Believe in yourself for the walls around you do not define the will within you. See everything that you face in life as a test; face it because your heart wants what's beyond it. Embrace your results and never give less than what you expect, and always remember in your own ways - You are powerful, you can do it, and you are a champion."
--- Kiplimo Chemirmir - Kenyan Warrior

Here is a little bit of wisdom from a young warrior who's humbled by life:In my tribe we believe that beneath our skin stands a warrior. Our ultimate belief is that there's a shield and spear that is grasped by the warrior within us, which must always hang in the walls our hearts. We can only use them to protect ourselves and never hurt anyone in any way at all; to fight bravely but only for peace and victory that builds our lives from poverty and all that weakens us.

We must hunt for our goals and never cry when we are wounded by failure or disappointments. To be brave and never forget to be wise with our strength because your greatest enemy is yourself, so the choices that you make in life make sure none of them will make you dig your own grave.

Never use that spear to beat or hurt yourself, nor use the shield to hide from your battles. Use it for its purpose and for what's right. Always fight a good fight when life brings you challenges, for sometimes life is a beast that must be tamed. And, if this beast bring troubles that are mightier than your strength, remember a wise warrior listens keenly to those who advise him, but he never lets anyone decide for him.

You are the maker of your own destiny, fighting is in your spirit, valor is in your heart, endurance is in your blood... and this is why you must always believe in yourself, for deep within you stands a warrior who cannot be defeated easily.

You were born to be a warrior and this you will always will be; this is your birthright, you mustn't deny it. So do not fail yourself because of fear nor what's standing before you; the fighter in you defines you.

So fight back. Strive for a better life, strive for peace, strive to become and never settle, for in life we are growing and so it should be all that we live for. All is possible if you don't run away but in believing in whom you are within to overcome and choosing to live the life you want.

In the tribe, I hail to become a warrior who's destined to be an elder. A boy must go through a gruesome right of passage; for me, it will take a book to write them all down, but the last day was the highlight of it.

I was fourteen years old when my time came. The last week of the gruesome month of December was when I had to face a lion to complete the passage.

I remember that day like it was one second ago, standing breathless with my spear, a dagger on my hip, a quiver with twenty tranquilizing arrows hanging tightly on my back.

My bow fell somewhere while stalking the lion. The lion turned back roaring and staring at me with those fiery eyes that pierce the soul of its prey. Even thunder has never made my heart stop like in that moment. Being there, it wasn't about courage; it was about destiny.

What made me stand there strong and ready to charge is who I was, told by my elders I have and I am inside.

I grew up being taught to believe in the warrior within more than anything or anyone in my life. It is hope, courage, strength and all that shapes a man to bring out his best, to rely on who I am within, that has always given me triumph no matter the circumstances.

That glorious day, the way the lion stared at me, it saw it too.

I could see a slice of fear on its face, which made me even braver than I felt within. I was only a young boy at that moment but I didn't feel like I was a boy or young, weak or anything, I felt the spirit of the warrior breathing with the will that says, "Today we will wear the soul of a lion and live with valor of the lion and roar through all the rest of our lives."

To this day defeat or failure never hurts because if I let them control me, I will be betraying the warriors path that I grew up following.

My friend when you are alive, just like the lion, you must never stop hunting.

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4 Steps To Turn Mistakes Around To Success

Over time, successful people have come to realise that mistakes are almost unavoidable, and the only people that do not make mistakes are people that have not tried anything meaningful. Making mistakes does not mean that you have totally failed or you have little or no idea about what you are doing. It simply means that you need to sit back and reflect on your past actions to correct every correctable and learn all the learnable.

I have taken my time to simplify four simple techniques you can use to turn your mistakes into winning bullets. They have worked for me, and I am sure they would work for you too.

STEP 1: Stop The Mistake By Pausing The Plan/Project/Investment

There is actually no joy and wisdom in committing the same mistake over and over again using the same strategies, ideas and techniques. After noticing that the methods you have been using are not working or rather would never work, STOP IT AND MOVE TO STEP 2.

Before you do this, you must admit the fact that you are making a mistake and you must not shift the blame on anyone, situations and unforeseen circumstances. You must be ready to take responsibility (the 1st step to failure is shifting blame that can be easily corrected by you).

STEP 2: Have A Rethink

Your plans are definitely great, your plans are destined to succeed, your plans are achievable, but there is something wrong somewhere that is not actually making your plans work out. That is what we are after.

Now you have to start asking yourself questions. What actually went wrong? What am I supposed to do that I have not done? What am I doing that I am not supposed to do? Why am I making this mistake over and over again? Are my techniques outdated or do not fit? Am I putting the required effort needed? Do I have adequate knowledge needed? Ask yourself this and many more questions as they come into your head. Note, don't neglect any question.

STEP 3: Go Back And Learn More

Now you have to go back to the drawing board and write down the solution to all the questions you asked yourself in step two. Ensure that you seek the right answers to these questions by gaining more knowledge. You need to go back to the books you read, the people that advised you, the observations you made, the plans you evaluated, because there is something that is still missing that you have not done. There is a particular step that you have not taken.

Now at this stage, you have to be cool, calm and collected. There is no need to rush so that you would not make the same mistake again. You need to look deep for loopholes and road bumps so they can be mended. When you are sure that you have gathered enough knowledge and information, move on to step four.

STEP 4: Apply The New Knowledge

This is the last and final stage. At this stage, you need to be very careful and vigilant. Your aim is to get a better and more improved result than what you have been getting previously. Implement the new knowledge into the plan and make sure you put all the effort required to ensure that you get a more improved result.

NOTE: You might not get the best result now, but I am sure that at this stage you will get an improved result. This can definitely lead you to the best result you can ever expect.

Remember, your mistakes are not meant to discourage you but rather to teach you new steps that should be used to achieve the best.

Keep winning.

Cheers to your next big success step in life!!!

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The Miracle Granted,Have No Doubt, God Is Good

The phone ID flashed, "Emergency Vet". "Oh no" I whispered. I could not lose Merlin now.

Ron and I had tried to have children for a long time with dismal results. We went through many procedures to have a child, but it was not to be. I threw myself into my work. Any maternal feelings I had were spent on Merlin.

I could not wait to get home from work each night. I wanted to pick up that warm bundle of loving fur and cuddle him. I wanted to sing "Rock-a-bye Merlin", like I did every night as he would put his paws around my neck.

Merlin was my comfort and solace especially at times when I wondered if God was listening. But last night something had changed. Not only did I sing "Rock-a-Bye Merlin", but I asked, "What will I do after you are gone?

Although Merlin was 19 years old, a senior in the age of a cat, he did not look or act that way. I did not want to accept the fact that he was nearing the end of his lifetime. My job at the law firm was so demanding and stressful that I couldn't imagine getting through the day without Merlin waiting to greet me at home.

I dialed the vet's number. I asked for my husband but he already left. Then I took a breath and asked the question that no one wants to ask, "Is my Merlin still alive?" The nurse said "yes."

Ron came home and said that Merlin had almost no red blood cells left. White blood cells were replacing them. Merlin would be needing expensive transfusions most likely on a monthly basis. We both knew Merlin was running out of time. I asked Ron to drive me to the vet so I could say goodbye to my little boy cat but he was beat tired and it was late. Ron said if Merlin was still alive the next morning then he would take me to the vet.

The next morning I called the vet. Merlin had survived the night.

After driving to the vet, I went into the examining room. The nurse brought Merlin and placed him on an examining table on his side. His eyes were tightly shut. I thought he died already. I carefully edged my hand to reach his body. His body felt warm, but when I spoke his name there was no response. No response to his name or that I was there and that I loved him. I was devastated.

In that examining room I felt helpless. I wondered how many people in an examining room felt as helpless as I did. I could not communicate with Merlin.

Feeling driven to prayer I yelled, "God this isn't good enough. I need to see my Merlin the way I remember him, I need a miracle and I need it now!"

In that moment, God granted a miracle. A switch was thrown. Merlin's favorite compliment entered my mind. I said, "Merlin, You are Beautiful and You are Gorgeous, do you hear me?"

One eye opened.

I said "Gotcha". I kept repeating those words over and over.

Merlin opened the other eye and, one limb at a time, got up. He was waiting for that phrase. He wanted to hear that he was beautiful and gorgeous again.

Then I experienced another miracle.

There was no sound in that examining room until Merlin started walking to me. From out of nowhere, or maybe from heaven, I clearly heard a song we sung in church often: "It Is Well With My Soul." I remembered thinking, "Yes, it is well with my Soul. I got to see my little boy cat one more time."

My anger dissipated. I no longer felt alone. I felt it was okay for me to let him go now.

Merlin walked to me. He put his face in mine, which he had never done before. He rubbed a circle around my face twice. Merlin said goodbye with his face and marked me for life.

Ron appeared shocked that Merlin was up and had walked to me. I said to Merlin, "Tell God you are a good boy and how much we love you" and then handed him back to the nurse.

That was all I could say to him before we left. He would be put down that day.

I belong to a church choir and the next time we sang, "It Is Well With My Soul," I could not sing. Tears of gratitude poured forth in memory of a miracle. You see for nineteen years God spoke to me through a special cat named "Merlin." On Merlin's last day, God proved he heard me when he granted a miracle. That miracle gave me time to say goodbye.

I am fine now. I know I am not alone and never was. Like the last line of "Taps": "God is Nigh." God is near.

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To Touch The Face Of God

An old man, probably some ninety plus years, sat feebly on the park bench. He didn't move, just sat with his head down staring at his hands. When I sat down beside him he didn't acknowledge my presence and the longer I sat, I wondered if he was ok.

Finally, not really wanting to disturb him but wanting to check on him at the same time, I asked him if he was ok. He raised his head and looked at me and smiled.

"Yes, I'm fine, thank you for asking", he said in a clear strong voice.

"I didn't mean to disturb you, sir, but you were just sitting here staring at your hands and I wanted to make sure you were ok", I explained to him.

"Have you ever looked at your hands", he asked. "I mean really looked at your hands?"

I slowly opened my hands and stared down at them. I turned them over, palms up and then palms down. No, I guess I had never really looked at my hands as I tried to figure out the point he was making.

Then he smiled and related this story:
Stop and think for a moment about the hands you have, how they have served you well throughout your years. These hands, though wrinkled, shriveled and weak have been the tools I have used all my life to reach out and grab and embrace life.

They braced and caught my fall when as a toddler, I crashed upon the floor. They put food in my mouth and clothes on my back.

As a child my mother taught me to fold them in prayer. They tied my shoes and pulled on my boots. They dried the tears of my children and caressed the love of my life. They held my rifle and wiped my tears when I went off to war.

They have been dirty, scraped and raw, swollen and bent.

They were uneasy and clumsy when I tried to hold my newborn son. Decorated with my wedding band, they showed the world that I was married and loved someone special.

They wrote the letters home and trembled and shook when I buried my parents and spouse and walked my daughter down the aisle. Yet, they were strong and sure when I dug my buddy out of a foxhole and lifted a plow off of my best friend's foot.

They have held children, consoled neighbors, and shook in fists of anger when I didn't understand. They have covered my face, combed my hair, and washed and cleansed the rest of my body.

They have been sticky and wet, bent and broken, dried and raw. And to this day, when not much of anything else of me works real well, these hands hold me up, lay me down, and again continue to fold in prayer.

These hands are the mark of where I've been and the ruggedness of my life.

But more importantly it will be these hands that God will reach out and take when he leads me home. And He won't care about where these hands have been or what they have done. What He will care about is to whom these hands belong and how much He loves these hands. And with these hands He will lift me to His side and there I will use these hands to touch the face of Christ.
No doubt I will never look at my hands the same again. I never saw the old man again after I left the park that day but I will never forget him and the words he spoke.

When my hands are hurt or sore or when I stroke the face of my children and wife, I think of the man in the park. I have a feeling he has been stroked and caressed and held by the hands of God.

I, too, want to touch the face of God and feel his hands upon my face. Thank you, Father God, for hands.

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Young Adults Readers Excerpt from Bill Gates' Book:

For high school and college graduates, here is a list of 11 things they did not learn in school. In his book, Bill Gates talks about how feel-good, politically correct teachings created a generation of kids with no concept of reality and how this concept set them up for failure in the real world. You may want to share this list with some you know.

RULE 1: Life is not fair; get used to it.

RULE 2: The world won't care about your self-esteem. The world will expect you to accomplish something BEFORE you feel good about yourself.

RULE 3: You will NOT make 40 thousand dollars a year right out of high school. You won't be a vice president with a car phone, until you earn both.

RULE 4: If you think your teacher is tough, wait till you get a boss. He doesn't have tenure.

RULE 5: Flipping burgers is not beneath your dignity. Your grandparents had a different word for burger flipping; they called it opportunity.

RULE 6: If you mess up, it's not your parents' fault, so don't whine about your mistakes, learn from them.

RULE 7: Before you were born, your parents weren't as boring as they are now. They got that way from paying your bills; cleaning your clothes and listening to you talk about how cool you are. So before you save the rain forest from the parasites of your parents' generation, try delousing the closet in your own room.

RULE 8: Your school may have done away with winners and losers, but life has not. In some schools they have abolished failing grades; they'll give you as many times as you want to get the right answer. This doesn't bear the slightest resemblance to ANYTHING in real life.

RULE 9: Life is not divided into semesters. You don't get summers off and very few employers are interested in helping you find yourself. Do that on your own time.

RULE 10: Television is NOT real life. In real life people actually have to leave the coffee shop and go to jobs.

RULE 11: Be nice to nerds. Chances are you'll end up working for one.

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Something to ponder if you don't know what to be thankful for.

"If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof overhead and a place to sleep ... you are richer than 75% of this world.

If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a dish someplace ... you are among the top 8% of the world's wealthy.

If you woke up this morning with more health than illness ... you are more blessed than the million who will not survive this week.

If you have never experienced the danger of battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture, or the pangs of starvation... you are ahead of 500 million people in the world.

If you can attend a church or synagogue meeting without fear of harassment, arrest, torture, or death ... you are more blessed than three billion people in the world.

If your parents are still alive and still married ... you are very rare, even in the United States.

If you hold up your head with a smile on your face and are truly thankful ... you are blessed because the majority can, but most do not.

If you can hold someone's hand, hug them or even touch them on the shoulder ... you are blessed because you can offer a healing touch.

If you can read this message, you just received a double blessing in that someone was thinking of you, and furthermore, you are more blessed than over two billion people in the world that cannot read at all.

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Life Throws a Brick at You

A young and successful executive was travelling down a neighborhood street, going a bit too fast in his new Jaguar. He was watching for kids darting out from between parked cars and slowed down when he thought he saw something. As his car passed, no children appeared, instead, a brick smashed into the Jag's side door. He slammed on the brakes and spun the Jag back to the spot from where the brick had been thrown.

He jumped out of the car, grabbed some kid and pushed him up against a parked car, shouting, "What was that all about and who are you? Just what the heck are you doing?" Building up a head of steam, he went on. "That's a new car and that brick you threw is gonna cost a lot of money. Why did you do it?"

"Please, mister, please, I'm sorry. I didn't know what else to do!" pleaded the youngster. "I threw the brick because no one else would stop."

Tears was dripping down the boy's chin as he pointed around the parked car. "It's my brother," he said. "He rolled off the curb and fell out of his wheelchair and I can't lift him up." Sobbing, the boy asked the executive, "Would you please help me get him back into his wheelchair? He's hurt and he's too heavy for me."

Moved beyond words, the driver tried to swallow the rapidly swelling lump in his throat. He lifted the young man back into the wheelchair and took out his handkerchief and wiped the scrapes and cuts, checking to see that everything was going to be okay.

"Thank you, sir. And God bless you," the grateful child said to him. The man then watched the little boy push his brother to the sidewalk toward their home. It was a long walk back to his Jaguar... a long, slow walk. He never did repair the side door. He kept the dent to remind him not to go through life so fast that someone has to throw a brick at you to get your attention.

Life whispers in your soul and speaks to your heart. Sometimes, when you don't have the time to listen... Life throws a brick at your head. It's your choice: Listen to the whispers of your soul or wait for the brick. Do you sometimes ignore loved ones because your life is too fast and busy leaving them to wonder whether you really love them?

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I am An African

I am an African

Not because I was born there

But because my heart beats with Africa's

 

I am an African

Not because my skin is black

...But because my mind is engaged by Africa

 

I am an African

Not because I live on its soil

But because my soul is at home in Africa

When Africa weeps for her children

My cheeks are stained with tears

When Africa honors her elders

My head is bowed in respect

When Africa mourns for her victims

My hands are joined in prayer

When Africa celebrates her triumphs

My feet are alive with dancing

 

I am an African

For her blue skies take my breath away

And my hope for her future is bright

I am an African

For her people greet me as family

And teach me the meaning of community

 

I am an African

For her wildness quenches my spirit

And brings me closer to the source of life

When the music of Africa beats in the wind

My blood pulses to its rhythm

and I become the essence of music

When the colors of Africa dazzle in the sun

My senses drink in its rainbow

And I become the palette of nature

When the stories of Africa echo round the fire

My feet walk in its pathways

And I become the footprints of history

 

I am an African

Because she is the cradle of our birth

And nurtures an ancient wisdom

I am an African

Because she lives in the world's shadow

And bursts with a radiant luminosity

I am an African

Because she is the land of tomorrow

And I recognize her gifts as sacred

  

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Am a Proud African

I am an African

Not because I was born there

But because my heart beats with Africa's

 

I am an African

Not because my skin is black

...But because my mind is engaged by Africa

 

I am an African

Not because I live on its soil

But because my soul is at home in Africa

When Africa weeps for her children

My cheeks are stained with tears

When Africa honors her elders

My head is bowed in respect

When Africa mourns for her victims

My hands are joined in prayer

When Africa celebrates her triumphs

My feet are alive with dancing

 

I am an African

For her blue skies take my breath away

And my hope for her future is bright

I am an African

For her people greet me as family

And teach me the meaning of community

 

I am an African

For her wildness quenches my spirit

And brings me closer to the source of life

When the music of Africa beats in the wind

My blood pulses to its rhythm

and I become the essence of music

When the colors of Africa dazzle in the sun

My senses drink in its rainbow

And I become the palette of nature

When the stories of Africa echo round the fire

My feet walk in its pathways

And I become the footprints of history

 

I am an African

Because she is the cradle of our birth

And nurtures an ancient wisdom

I am an African

Because she lives in the world's shadow

And bursts with a radiant luminosity

I am an African

Because she is the land of tomorrow

And I recognize her gifts as sacred

 

 

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