The Running Stream

2008-10-09T05:18:00.000-07:00

Now Is The Time
[Hafiz]

Now is the time to know
That all that you do is sacred.

Now is the time to understand
That all your ideas of right and wrong
Were just a child's training wheels
To be laid aside
When you finally live
With veracity
And love.

Now is the time for the world to know
That every thought and action is sacred.
This is the time for you to compute the impossibility
That there is anything
But Grace.

Now is the season to know
That everything you do
Is sacred.

Hafiz was a Persian mystic and poet.
He was born sometime between the years
1310 and 1337 in Shiraz, at the foot
of the Zagros Mountains
in southwest Iran.

2008-09-11T20:27:00.000-07:00

The Touch Of The Master's Hand
Myra Brooks Welch

It was battered and scarred,
And the auctioneer thought it
Hardly worth his while
To waste his time on the old violin,
But he held it up with a smile.
"What am I bid, good people", he cried,
"Who starts the bidding for me?"
"One dollar, one dollar, Do I hear two?"
"Two dollars, who makes it three?"
"Three dollars once, three dollars twice,
Going for three". . . but no!

From the room far back a gray-haired man
Came forward and picked up the bow;
Then wiping the dust from the old violin,
And tightening up the strings,
He played a melody, pure and sweet,
As sweet as an angel sings.
The music ceased and the auctioneer
With a voice that was quiet and low,
Said "What now am I bid for this old violin?"
As he held it aloft with its bow.
"One thousand, one thousand, Do I hear two?"
"Two thousand, Who makes it three?"
"Three thousand once, three thousand twice,
Going and gone", said he.

The people cheered, but some of them cried,
"We do not quite understand.
What changed its worth?"
Swift came the reply: "The touch of the Master's hand."
And many a man with life out of tune,
And battered and scarred with sin,
Is auctioned cheap to the thoughtless crowd
Much like the old violin.
A "mess of pottage," a glass of wine,
A game and he travels on,
He's going once, and going twice -He's going - and almost gone!
But the MASTER comes, and the foolish crowd,
Never can quite understand,
The worth of a soul, and the change that's wrought
By the touch of the MASTER'S hand.

2008-09-08T13:54:00.000-07:00

Quotations

"Patience and perseverance have a magical effect
before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish."
[John Quincy Adams ]

"Great works are performed not by strength
but by perseverance."
[Samuel Johnson]

"Most people give up just
when they're about to achieve success.
They quit on the one yard line.
They give up at the last minute of the game,
one foot from a winning touchdown."
[H. Ross Perot]

"The difference between perseverance and obstinacy
is that one often comes from a strong will,
and the other from a strong won't."
[Henry Ward Beecher]

"If you wish success in life,
make perseverance your bosom friend,
experience your wise counselor,
caution your elder brother
and hope your guardian genius."
[Joseph Addison]

"A jug fills drop by drop."
[Buddha]

"How do you do get some many visitors to the site?,
I am asked. I reply, by persevering, by not giving up,
by sticking to it!"
[Catherine Pulsifer]

"Life is not easy for any of us.
We must have perseverance
and above all confidence in ourselves.
We must believe that we are gifted
for something and that this thing must be attained."
[Marie Curie]

"{Perseverance is not a long race;
it is many short races one after another."
[Walter Elliott]

2008-09-08T13:51:00.000-07:00

Perseverance

When all the world is looming dark
And things seem not so clear,
When shadows seem to hover 'round Lord,
may I persevere.

When it seems everything's been tried
And there's no way to go,
Just let me keep remembering
Sometimes the journey's slow.

I may just need to stop and rest
Along the path I trod,
A time to try to understand
And have my talk with God.

As I gain new strength to carry on
Without a doubt or fear,
Somehow I know things will be right,
And so, I persevere.

[Anne Stortz]

2008-09-08T13:44:00.000-07:00

GOING TOO FAST
Live your life like the wind.
Speed up when necessary,
And know when to slow down.
Slow down when life pushes so hard and fast,
You cannot consume anymore air.
Slow down when you can't see
Where you're going
Or where you're coming from.

Take time to stop and realize
What you have right in front of you
When you cannot find what you're looking for.
When you cannot find what you want in someone else,
Look inside of yourself.

Don't sweat the small things,
And make the best of the big things.
Cherish the experiences you've had,
And use the lessons you've learned.
Our lives are rubber bands,
Bending and stretching to fit
Even the most awkward situations.
You can adapt to anything,
Regardless of its size or shape.
You just have to realize and use
What you have in your own hands.

[ Author Unknown]

START OVER

If you've started out in pursuit of your goal
And you've really tried with your heart and your soul,
but somehow things got out of control
---START OVER.

When you've tried your best to do what you should
And you thought this time that you surely would,
But once again, you didn't do good
---START OVER.

When you've worked so hard to follow a dieters way
And you fought to win a victory each day.
But one more time you went astray
---START OVER.

When you've tried so hard to yourself to be true
And do the things that you know you should do,
But once again you failed to come through
---START OVER.

When the road to success seemed much too long
And each temptation was oh so strong
And once again you gave in to wrong
---START OVER.

When you've told your friends what you planned to do
And trusted them to help you through
But soon discovered it's up to you
---START OVER.

When you know you must be physically fit,
But your hope seems gone and you're stuck in a pit
That's not the time for you to quit
---START OVER.

When the week seems long and successes few
And at weigh-in time you're feeling blue,
Remember tomorrow is just for you
---START OVER.

To start again means a victory's been won
And starting over again means a race well run
And starting over again proves it can be done
So don't just sit there
---START OVER

[ Author Unknown]

2008-07-24T11:33:00.000-07:00

TROUBLES

Lord, sometimes you have to:
--- break, so You can rebuild
--- wound, so You can heal
--- let me walk in darkness,
so that I can see Your light
--- let me be confused,
so I seek Your truth
--- let me feel emptiness
so You can fill me
--- let me feel lonely, so I can
see what a friend You are
--- let me learn the hard things,
so I can be a gentle teacher
--- let me be void of feelings,
so I must walk by faith
--- take away my future plans,
to teach me to live one day at a time
--- show me the futility of life,
so I will see that everything is loss
compared to the surpassing value
of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.
[Sue Knepp]

2008-07-24T11:09:00.000-07:00

In his book The Decline and Fall of
the Roman Empire Edward Gibbon
discussed five reasons for the fall
of that empire:

1. The rapid increase of divorce;
the undermining of the dignity
and sanctity of the home, which
is the basis of human society.

2. Higher and higher taxes and
the spending of public monies
for free bread and circuses
for the people

3. The mad craze for pleasure,
sports becoming every year
more exciting and more brutal.

4. The building of gigantic armaments,
when the real enemy was within -
the decadence of people.

5. The decay of religion - faith fading
into mere formalism; losing touch
with life and becoming impotent to
guide the people.

2008-07-02T17:34:00.000-07:00

A Man's Thanksgiving

God of commonsense, I give Thee thanks for the heavy blows of pain that drive me back from perilous ways into harmony with the laws of my being; for stinging whips of hunger and cold that urge to bitter strivings and glorious achievement; For steepness and roughness of the way and staunch virtues gained by climbing over jagged rocks of hardship and stumbling through dark and pathless sloughs of discouragement; for the acid blight of failure that has burned out of me all thought of easy victory and toughened my sinews for fiercer battles and greater triumphs; for mistakes I have made, and the priceless lessons I have learned from them; for disillusion and disappointment that have cleared my vision and spurred my desire; for strong appetites and passions and the power they give when under the pressure and control; for my imperfections that give me the keen delight of striving toward perfection.

God of common of good and human brotherhood, I give Thee thanks for siren songs of temptation that lure and entangle and the understanding of other men they reveal; for the weaknesses and failings of my neighbors and the joy of lending a helping hand; for my own shortcomings, sorrows and loneliness, that give me a deeper sympathy for others; for ingratitude and misunderstanding and the gladness of service without other reward than self-expression. [Arthur W. Newcomb]

2008-06-07T07:12:00.000-07:00

THE ROADS OF HAPPINESS

The roads of happiness are not
The selfish roads of pleasure seeking,
Where cheeks are flushed with haste and hut
And none has time to kindly speaking.
But they're the roads where lovers stray,
Where wives and husbands walk together
Whenever it is pleasant weather.

The roads to happiness are trod
By simple folks and tender-hearted,
By gentle folks that worship God
And want to live their days unparted.
There kindly people stop and talk,
Regardless of the chase for money,
There, arm in arm, the grown-ups walk
And every eye you see is sunny.

The roads of happiness are lined,
Not with the friends of royal splendor,
But with the loyal friends and kind
That do the gentle deeds and tender.
There fame has never brought unrest
Nor glory set men's heart to aching;
There unabandoned is life's best
For selfish love and money making.

The roads of happiness are those
That do not lead to pomp and glory
But wind among the joys and woes
That make the humble toiler's story.
The roads that oft we use to tread
In early days when first we mated,
When hearts were light and cheeks were red,
And days were not with burdens frightened.
[Edgar A. Guest]

2008-06-07T05:53:00.000-07:00

LITTLE ROADS TO HAPPINESS

The little roads to happiness,
they are not hard to find;
They do not lead to great success -
but to a quiet mind.
They do not lead to mighty power,
nor to substantial wealth.
They bring one to a book, a flower,
a song of cheer and health.
The little roads to happiness are free
to everyone.
They lead one to the wind's caress,
to kiss of friendly sun.
These little roads are shining white,
for all the world to see;
Their sign-boards, pointing left and right,
are love and sympathy.
The little roads of happiness have this
most charming way;
No matter how they may digress throughout
the busy day;
No matter where they twist and wind
through fields of rich delight,
They're always of the self same mind to
lead us home at night.
[Wilhelmina Stitch]

2008-06-07T05:44:00.000-07:00

GOD GIVE ME JOY

God give me joy in the common things:
In the dawn that lures, the eve that sings.

In the new grass sparkling after rain,
In the late wind's wild and weird refrain:

In the springtime's spacious field of gold,
In the precious light of winter doled.

God give me joy in the love of friends,
In their dear home talk as summer ends;

In the songs of children, unrestrained;
In the sober wisdom age has gained.

God give me joy in the tasks that press,
In the memories that burn and bless;

In the thought that life has love to spend,
In the faith that God's at journey's end.

God give me hope for each day that springs,
God give me joy in the common things!
[Thomas Curtis Clark]

2008-06-07T05:36:00.000-07:00

SUNSHINE AND MUSIC

A laugh is just like sunshine.
It freshens all the day,
It tips the peak of life with light,
And drives the clouds away.
The soul grows glad that hears it
And feels its courage strong.
A laugh is just like sunshine
For cheering folks along.

A laugh is just like music.
It lingers in the heart,
And where its melody is heard
The ills of life depart;
And happy thoughts come crowding
Its joyful notes to greet:
A laugh is just like music
For making living sweet.

2008-05-16T18:46:00.000-07:00

MY TRIUMPH

Others shall sing the song,
Others shall right the wrong, -
Finish what I begin,
And all I fail to win.

What matter, I or they?
Mine or another's day,
So the right word be said,
And life the sweeter made?

Ring, bells unreared steeples,
The joy of unborn peoples!
Sound, trumpets far-off blown,
Your triumph is my own!
[John Greenleaf Whittier]

2008-05-16T18:41:00.000-07:00

WORSHIP

It is good to give thanks unto
the Lord, and to sing praises
unto thy name,
O Most High: to show forth thy
loving-kindness in the morning, and thy
faithfulness every night.
Upon an instrument of ten strings, and
upon the psaltery, upon the harp with
a solemn sound.
For thou, Lord, hast made me glad through
thy work;
I will triumph in the works of thy hands.
O lord, how great are thy works!
and thy thoughts are very deep.
[Psalms 92:1-5]

2008-05-16T18:32:00.000-07:00

GIVE ME HARD TASKS

Give me hard tasks,
With strength that shall not fail;
Conflict, with courage that shall never die!
Better the hill-path, climbing toward the sky,
Than languid air and smooth
Sword of the vale!

Better to dare the wild wrath of the gale
Than with furled sails in port forever lie!
Give me hard tasks,'
With strength that shall not fail;
Conflict with courage that shall never die!

Not for a light load fitting shoulders fail,
Not for an unearned victory I sigh;
Strong is the struggle that wins triumph high,
Not without loss the hero shall prevail;
Give me hard tasks,
With strength that shall not fail!

2008-05-16T18:25:00.000-07:00

Sacrifice

The keynote of life's harmony is sacrifice.
Not twice or thrice
Of will, or time, or pleasure-giving treat,
But many times
that life's chord may be sweet.

Who sacrifices most
Drinks deepest life's rich strain,
counting no cost,
But giving self on every side,
Daily and hourly sanctified,
But in the giving
Living
Is but the straining of the strings,
The growth of harmony's pure wings.
Life is the tuning time, complete
Alone when every chord is sweet
Through sacrifice. No untried string
Can music bring
True living
Is learning all about the giving.

I am just a young man

2008-05-16T18:14:00.000-07:00

Scores say this: "I am just a young man."
In other words, what thousands of men
today would like to be! A potentiality with
his face to the East! A lifetime stretching ahead!
The Book of Life with clean pages to be written
on as he may elect! "Just a young man" in a time
like this: in a land like this: in a world like this!
Then he deprecates himself! In a land of opportunity
where every chance beckons and every road invites!
A road straight and clear, and the high peaks of
achievement beyond - and oh! so few on them!
To carve out of life what one wills! How many men
there are who would gladly give all they possess
to have that once more!
[Edward W. Fox]

2008-03-19T18:09:00.000-07:00

FAITH

Faith looks across the storm -
It does not doubt
Or stop to look at clouds
And things without.

Faith does not question why
When all his ways
Are hard to understand,
But trusts and prays.

It seeks the greatest gift
And asks not sight;
It does not need to see -
He is its light.

Above the tempest's roar
It hears his voice;
And, with its hands in his,
Faith can rejoice.

It fears no cloud, or wind
That it can bring;
Faith looks across the storm
And still can sing.

2008-03-02T12:23:00.000-08:00

CHOOSE BOTH

There are many ways to be happy:
We may either diminish our wants
or augment our means - either will do -
the result is the same; and it is for each man
to decide for himself, and do that which happens
to be the easiest.

If you are idle or sick or poor, however
hard it may be to diminish your wants,
it will be harder to augment your means.

But if you are wise, you will do both
at the same time, young or old,
rich or poor, sick or well; and if you are
very wise do both in such a way to augment
the general happiness of society.
[Benjamin Franklin]

2008-02-25T18:45:00.001-08:00

IDEALS

Some men deem
Gold their god, and some esteem
Honor is the chief content
That to man in life is lent;
And some others do contend,
Quite none like to a friend;
Others hold there is no wealth
Compared to a perfect health;
Some men's mind in quiet stands
When he is lord of many lands:
But I did sigh, and sail all this
Was but a shade of perfect bliss;
And in my thoughts I did approve
Naught so sweet as is true love.
[Robert Greene]

2008-02-25T18:34:00.000-08:00

TRUE WEALTH

How should we measure our worth in the eyes of the world?

By the size of our bank accounts, the quantity of things we own,

the magnitude of our fame? Or should we base it on an entirely

different and less tangible set of assets - like the number of friends

and loved ones we can count on, the amount of gratitude we feel for

our blessings, or the abundance of opportunities for happiness we're

given everyday.

True wealth is not by what you accumulate, but what you give away.

When you invest your life in the pursuit of what's really important -

relationships, goals, inner happiness - your rewards go far beyond

anything you can deposit in the bank. Best of all, these kind of riches

are infinite and can never be taken away. They are stored up in the treasure chest of your heart

2007-12-01T16:49:00.000-08:00

HAPPINESS

Success is often judged by whether you get
what you want. Happiness is different.
That depends on wanting what you get

Happiness comes not from having much
to live on but having much to live for.

Happiness is not a matter of good fortune
or worldly possessions. It is a mental attitude.
It comes from appreciating what we have.
It's so simple - yet so hard for the human
mind to comprehend.

No matter what your situation, things
could be worse. Count your blessings
and enjoy a little happiness while you may.

Happiness is like a butterfly. The more you
chase it, the more it will elude you. But
if you turn your attention to other things,
it comes and softly sits on your shoulder.

The happy man is he who is cheerful with
moderate means; the unhappy he who is
discontent in the midst of plenty.

2007-12-01T16:33:00.000-08:00

WHERE IS HAPPINESS?

Not in UNBELIEF - Voltaire was an infidel
of the most pronounced type. He writes,
"I wish I had never been born."

Not in PLEASURE - Lord Byron lived in
a life of pleasure, if any one did. He wrote,
"The worm, the canker, and the grief are
mind alone."

Not in MONEY - Jay Gould, the American
millionaire, had plenty of that. When dying,
he said, " I suppose I am the most miserable
man on earth."

Not in POSITION and FAME - Lord
Beaconsfield enjoyed more than his share
of both. He wrote, "Youth is a mistake, manhood
a struggle, old age a regret."

Not in MILITARY GLORY - Alexander the Great
conquered the known world in his day. Having done
so, he wept in his tent, because, he said, "There is
no more world to conquer."

Happiness is good health and bad memory.

2007-11-20T20:06:00.000-08:00

TO BE RESPONSIBLE

To be responsible is a choice and the ability to make choices
can be life-transforming. We need to dare, to try always
and always make a choice. Making choices requires taking
risks and confronting our fears.

With its decision we make, we should always be convinced
that we are doing our best we can under the circumstances -
best for ourselves, best for our family, best for our loved ones
and best for the whole society in general.

2007-11-20T19:57:00.000-08:00

INTELLIGENT LIVING

It can mean using our time wisely.
It can mean using our resources judiciously.
It can mean looking for better opportunities
to live well.
It can mean careful examination of our
choices and priorities.

2007-11-20T19:51:00.000-08:00

OPEN MY EYES

Open my eyes that I may see
The deepest needs of people;
Move my hands that they may feed the hungry;
Touch my heart that it may bring warmth to the despairing;
Teach me generosity that welcomes strangers;
Let me share my possessions to clothe the naked;
Give me the care that strengthens the sick;
Make me share in the quest to set the prisoner free.
In sharing our anxieties and our love.
[Vamos Caminando}

2007-11-19T12:51:00.000-08:00

PERSONAL CHALLENGE

I accept my own responsibility:
To replace darkness with light,
To replace hatred with love,
To replace suspicion with trust,
To replace lies and hypocrisy with honesty,
To replace abuse with kindness,
To replace frustration with patience,
To replace fear with understanding,
To replace bias, prejudice and discrimination
with tolerance,
To replace ignorance with knowledge,
To replace indifference with concern,
And to replace apathy with action.

I believe that all men are entitled to
equal opportunities to live, to grow
and to flourish as human beings
With dignity and respect.

I acknowledge that it is important
To live and work for peace as
to die for peace.

As a member of the family of mankind
Now living on this planet earth
I thus commit myself
And challenge my children
And their children,
With God's help do as well.
[Lou Torok]

2007-11-19T12:19:00.000-08:00

HOPE OF A HAPPY ENDING

"You may commit mistakes in the beginning
or in the middle, but never in the ending.
The ending should always be glorious."

The same is true with life.
The ending is what really counts.
We may stumble along the way
but the ending should always be
glorious - no matter how difficult
it is.

2007-11-17T16:08:00.001-08:00

IN WHAT ARE YOU TRUSTING?

In what are you trusting?
Trust in yourself
and you are doomed to disappointment.
Trust in your friends and they will die
and leave you.
Trust in money and you may have it
taken from you.
Trust in reputation
and some slanderous tongue may blast it.
But TRUST IN GOD
and you will never be confounded
in time or eternity.

Trust the past to the mercy of God,
the present of His love, and
the future of His providence.
(Augustine)

2007-11-17T16:03:00.000-08:00

TRUST

It takes a lot of courage
To put things in God's hands -
To give ourselves completely,
Our lives, our hopes, our plans;
To follow where He leads us
And make His will our own -
But all it takes is foolishness
To go the way alone!

When you have nothing left but God,
Then you become aware that
God is enough .
(Rayden)

2007-11-12T11:43:00.000-08:00

MAKE A CHOICE

You can choose to love, rather than hate.
You can choose to smile, rather than frown.
You can choose to build, rather than destroy.
You can choose to persevere, rather than quit.

You can choose to praise, rather than gossip.
You can choose to heal, rather than wound.
You can choose to give, rather than take.
You can choose to act, rather than delay.

You can choose to pray, rather than despair.
You can choose to forgive, rather than keep resentment.

2007-11-08T13:33:00.000-08:00

ONE BIG DIFFERENCE

One song can spark a moment.
One flower can wake the dream.
One tree can start a forest.
One bird can herald spring.
One smile begins a friendship.
One hand clasp lifts a soul.
One star can guide a ship at sea.
One word can frame the goal.
One vote can change a nation.
One sunbeam lights a room.
One candle wipes out darkness.
One laugh can conquer gloom.
One step must start each journey.
One word must start each prayer.
One hope will raise our spirits.
One touch can show you care.
One voice can speak with wisdom.
One heart can know what is true.
One life can make a difference.
You see, it is up to you.
(Unknown)

2007-11-08T13:26:00.000-08:00

BE THANKFUL

Be thankful that you don't have everything you desire;
If you did, what would there be to look forward to?

Be thankful when you don't know something,
For it gives you the opportunity to learn.

Be thankful for the difficult times.
During those times, you grow.

Be thankful for your limitations,
Because they give you opportunities for improvement.

Be thankful for each new challenge,
Because it will build your strength and character.

Be thankful for your mistakes;
They will teach you valuable lessons.

Be thankful when you're tired and weary
Because it means you have made a difference.

It is easy to be thankful for the good things.
A life of rich fulfilment comes to those
Who are thankful for the setbacks.

2007-11-08T13:19:00.000-08:00

MAKE A DIFFERENCE

To be poor is not shameful;
It is to be poor and to have
No high aspirations that is shameful.

To hold a lowly position is not dreadful;
It is to hold a lowly position and
Not to improve your ability that is
Dreadful.

Getting old is not lamentable;
It is to die without anyone knowing you
that is really sad.
(Chinese Proverb)

2007-11-08T13:17:00.000-08:00

I SOUGHT

I sought my soul
But my soul I could not see.
I sought my God
But my God eluded me.
I sought my brother
And I found all three.

2007-11-08T13:10:00.000-08:00

God's Sovereignty

I do believe that God's sovereignty works wonders among the poorest of the poor. The dignity of every poor person is the disguise sovereignty of God. Anywhere we go, we always have the poor people with us and we take them for granted, because our prejudice dictates us to do the contrary and hinder our intention from doing something good. The presence of people around us can sometimes cause us to be sympathetic and feel the sense of apathy. However, we limit our actions simply because prejudice will rule our sentiments and instead of doing good, will make us callous and disheartened. The sovereignty of God shines among the poorest of the poor because heaven has always witnessed their cry and plead that people may open their hearts in sympathy and love. Yet, we cannot help but yield to the life of convenience and we never want to let go of the things that hold us away from supreme mystery of God's sovereignty. His ways are indeed mysterious. We may never have the capacity to fathom the deep message of what salvation is all about.

2007-11-06T19:20:00.000-08:00

We Live to survive

There is no such a thing as an accident or a coincidence.

I do believe that there are reasons why we exist today.

Some of us may be happy being in the good

position or in the best convenience, while others may be experiencing hardships. Still, we cannot imagine why some people are indeed lucky while many of us are trying to cope up with life. There must be a mover to the whole repertoire of this existence. We may be diverse in our experiences but the whole scenario leads us all to our own personal maturity and spiritual growth. Some people become complacent because their situation never gave them the chance to pursue their dreams; however, a numerous number of people would just remain where they are because of hopelessness and cowardice, afraid to take the risks. Very few people become persistent no matter what consequences await them; they continue their journey even though the journey is never that easy. In the end, we come to realize that life is a matter of taking risks and being persistent. Otherwise, there will never be a reward to anyone who never attempt to look at what really life is all about. The way we live our life will eventually become the kind of person we will be. Even if some people never really succeeded, but when they really attempt hard is already a success in itself because they have found who they really are as they continue to traverse life with the intention to pursue their dreams. They may never know that they have formed their own characters and physical maturity.

2007-10-31T13:24:00.000-07:00

GOLDEN RULES FOR LIVING

1. If you open it, close it.
2. If you turn it on, turn it off.
3. If you unlock it, lock it up.
4. If you break it, admit it.
5. If you can't fix it, call in someone who can.
6. If you borrow it, return it.
7. If you value it, take care of it.
8. If you make a mess, clean it up.
9. If you move it, put it back.
10. If it belongs to someone else, get permission
to use it.
11. If you don't know how to operate it, leave it
alone.
12. If it's none of your business, don't ask questions.

2007-10-31T13:15:00.000-07:00

GOODNESS

People are unreasonable, illogical and self-centered,
Love them anyway.
If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish
ulterior motives. Do good anyway.
If you are successful, you will win false friends and
true enemies. Succeed anyway.
Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable.
Be honest and frank anyway.
The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow.
Do good anyway.
The biggest people with the biggest ideas can be shot
down by small people with the smalllest minds.
Think big anyway.
People favor underdogs but follow only top dogs.
Fight for some underdogs anyway.
When you spend years building may be destroyed
overnight. Build anyway.
Give the world the best you have and you'll be get
kicked in the teeth. Give the world the best you've
got anyway. (Gary C. Griessner)

2007-10-30T05:24:00.000-07:00

COMPASSION

Compassion is a feeling deep within ourselves - a "quivering of the heart"-
and it is also a way of acting - being affected by the suffering of others and
moving on their own behalf

The spiritual practice of compassion is likened to opening the heart.
First, allow yourself to feel the suffering in the world, including your own.
Don't turn away from pain, move toward it with caring.
Go into situations where people are hurting.
Identify with your neighbors in their distress. Then expand
the circle of your compassion to include other creatures, nature and
inanimate world.

The practice of compassion increases our capacity to care. It is a very good
exercise for your heart muscle.

Compassion allows us to bear witness to that suffering, whether it is in
ourselves or others, without fear.

2007-10-29T19:49:00.000-07:00

HOPE

Hope is a positive and potent spiritual practice with
the power to pull us through difficult times. It is
described with light metaphors - a ray, a beam,
a glimmer of hope; the break in the clouds; the light
at the end of the tunnel. It is often discovered in
unexpected places.

Hope can be learned and practice. Certain attitudes
support it. One is patience, an ability to tolerate delays,
a willingness to let events unfold in their own time.
Another is courage, an attitude of confidence even
when facing the unknown. And third is persistence,
the determination to keep going no matter what happens.

Hope is the basic ingredient of optimism, a tendency to
dwell on the best possibilities. It is a frequent companion
of another spiritual practice - enthusiasm.

Never despair. Never!
It is forbidden to give up hope.

Hope is the scaffolding of our existence. Hope is
a reassertion of our belief in the meaning of human life.

2007-10-27T19:07:00.000-07:00

ANGER

Anger in its time and place
May assume a kind of grace.
It must have some reason in it,
And not last beyond a minute.
If to further lengths it go,
It does into malice grow.
'Tis the difference that we see
'Twixt the serpent and the bee.
If the latter you provoke,
It inflicts a hasty stroke,
Puts you into some little pain,
But it never stings again.
Close in tufted bush or brake
Lurks the poison-swelled snake
Nursing up his cherished wrath;
In the purlieus of his path,
In the cold, or in the warm,
Mean him good, or mean him harm,
Wheresoever fate may bring you,
The vile snake will always sting you.
(Charles & Mary Lamb)

2007-10-27T18:58:00.000-07:00

For Everything There is a Season

For everything there is a season,
and a time for every purpose
under the heaven:

A time to be born, a time to die;
A time to plant, and a time to pluck up
that which is planted;
A time to kill, and a time to heal;
A time to break down, a time to build up;
A time to weep, a time to laugh;
A time to mourn, and a time to dance;
A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather
stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to
refrain from embracing;
A time to get, and a time to lose;
A time to keep, and a time to cast away;
A time to rend, and a time to sew;
A time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
A time to love, and a time to hate;
A time of war, and a time of peace.
(Ecclesiates)

2007-10-26T07:47:00.000-07:00

RAISING OUR STANDARDS

Raising standards often has something to do with
changing one's attitudes. Life has taught us that
there are situations and circumstances we cannot
control.

There are people who would not be persuaded
to change. But there is something we can control
and change, that is the way we respond to certain
situations or persons

2007-10-26T07:42:00.000-07:00

SELF

If there is light in the soul
there will be beauty in the person.

If there is beauty in the person
there will be harmony in the home.

If there is harmony in the home
there will be order in the nation.

If there is order in the nation
there will be peace in the world.

2007-10-25T14:16:00.000-07:00

ATTENTION

Blessed is God who gives us attention as a tool for discovery and caring.

Attention is known as mindfulness, concentration, recollection. We must
stay alert, otherwise, miss a critical elements of spiritual life - moments of grace,
opportunities for gratitude, evidence of our connections to others,
signs of the presence of the Spirit. Attention leads us to awareness.
Train yourself to notice details.

To be awake is to be alert.

The quality of one's life depends on the quality of attention.

Just remember that those things that get attention flourish.

Attention is a necessary ingredient for a meaningful marriage
and for work that matters.

Paying attention enriches your understanding of a relationship,
an event, or the natural world.

Spiritual literacy relies upon the practice of attention.

Once we pay attention to details, what we knew to be real
takes on greater meaning and depth.

2007-10-25T14:02:00.000-07:00

BEAUTY

Beauty is both a path you travel and what surrounds you on the path.
In the splendor of the Creation, we see its outer forms.
In morality and benevolence, we recognize its inner expression.

Beauty is everywhere just waiting for you to notice it.
Make your actions reflections of the beauty all around you.

Beauty is startling, stimulating and soothing.
Its cultivation produces pleasure.

Never lose an opportunity of seeing anything that is beautiful
for beauty is God's handwriting.

Beauty saves. Beauty heals. Beauty motivates. Beauty unites.
Beauty returns us to our origins, and here lies the ultimate act
of saving, of healing, of overcoming dualism. Beauty allows us
to forget the pain and dwell on the joy.

It is the beauty within us that makes it possible for us
to recognize the beauty around us.

A beautiful person is one whose inner brilliance permeates his
or her entire being.

2007-10-20T18:59:00.000-07:00

CENTERING PRAYER

Centering Prayer is for those who want more - infinitely more.
It is for those who dare to believe that they are made to be
intimate with God. It is for those who truly love themselves,
love themselves enough to put first thing s first: to give God
his time, to give themselves this time in God, so that they can
give to others quality time that is love and creative.

There are three kinds of contemplation:
Direct, which penetrates immediately into the depths of reality.
Oblique, which reaches the Divine through the contemplation of
creation within which God hides and through which God can reveal
Godself. And finally, there is Circular, which circles around the object
and see it from many different angles, gradually being drawn into
the fullness of its reality.

On this life's journey, we are all buffeted by many cares and concerns.
Days get very full. Prayer can so easily get squeezed out.

We need to be motivated to keep coming back, even when God seems
remarkable by absence.

2007-10-20T11:51:00.000-07:00

LESSONS OF LIFE

I feared being alone
Until I learned to like myself.

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

I feared success until I realized
That I has to try in order
To be happy with myself.

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

I feared rejection
Until I learned to
Have faith in myself.

I feared pain
Until I learned that
It's necessary for growth.

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

I feared life
Until I experienced its beauty.

I feared my destiny
Until I realized that
I have the power to change my life.

I feared hate
Until I saw that
It was nothing more than ignorance.

I feared love
Until it touched my heart
Making the darkness fade
into endless sunny days.

I feared ridicule
Until I learned
How to laugh at myself.

I feared growing old
Until I realized that
I gained wisdom everyday.

I feared the future
Until I realized that
Life just kept getting better.

I feared the past
Until I realized that
It could not longer hurt me.

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

I feared the light
Until I learned that
The turn would give me strength.

I feared change
Until I saw that
Even the most beautiful butterfly
Had to undergo a metamorphosis
before it could fly.

2007-10-20T11:22:00.000-07:00

NO FEAR

We must get over our fear of people
who are smarter, more talented, or
more experienced than we are and
learn from them.

In order to make decisions that
you will not regret, you must talk
to competent people.

You need counsellors to challenge you
so that you can grow.

If you want the bullet to go higher
you must adjust the sights of your gun.

Only those who are willing to be stretched
beyond the ordinary toward the extraordinary,
achieve their dreams.

You can't wait for things to happen to you.
You must make things happen for you.

2007-10-20T11:15:00.000-07:00

THE LORD'S MIRACLES

The Lord's miracles do not descend in a puff of smoke
with a drumroll. No, instead He fulfills his commitment
by using his people to further His plan.

Without a plan, there is no target to aim for.

Planners take careful aim and are rewarded
by piercing the heart of the quarry. They strike
the bullseye because they keep their eyes on
the prize and plan diligently.

Faith is believing that we will succeed.
We need to act on our plan.

2007-10-19T05:12:00.000-07:00

ANGER

Anger is our natural protective armor.
It serves us well. It tell the rest of the
world that a boundary has been violated.
Our society would have us swallow it,
and many of us do. Those who do, die of
diseases like cancer, heart attack, strokes
and more.

Anger does not simply go away if we deny
it. It finds a place to reside, either in our
behavior or in our bodies, or both.
The longer we cap it off, and seal it from
the outside world, the more it festers
and grows within.

2007-10-19T05:05:00.000-07:00

TEMPTATION

Lately, I was near the beehives, and some of the bees flew onto my face.
I wanted to raise my hand, and brush them off. "No," said the peasant
to me, "do not be afraid, and do not touch them. They will not sting you
at all, if you touch them they will bite you." I trusted him; not one bit me.
Trust me, do not fear these temptations. Do not touch them, they will not
hurt you. Pass on and do not occupy yourself with them.
(St Francis de Sales)

2007-10-18T20:13:00.000-07:00

I WISH I KNEW

Happiness keeps you sweet.
Trials make you strong.
Sorrows keep you human.
Failure keeps you humble.
Success makes you eager.
And Praying keeps you going.

2007-10-18T20:05:00.000-07:00

LIFE

Life is a door, Open it.
Life is a bridge, Cross it.
Life is a duty, Do it.
Life is great, Experience it.
Life is sweet, Ahh, Savor it.

2007-10-18T09:50:00.000-07:00

YOU PRAYED FOR ME

You did not know my need,
Or that my heart was sore indeed,
Or that I had a fear I could not quell.
You sensed that with me all was not
quite well.

And so - you prayed for me.

My path had seemed so black,
and yet I know there was no
turning back,
Then in my loneliness I felt God near,
And down the long dark road
a light showed clear.

Because - you prayed for me.

And as your prayer, like incense
sweet did soar,
God did in love, on me, a blessing pour,

The day - your prayed for me.

2007-10-18T09:43:00.000-07:00

INFLUENCE

Give a smile to someone passing;
Thereby make his morning glad.
It may greet you in the evening
When your own heart may be sad.

Do a deed of simple kindness,
Though its end you may not see.
It may reach, like widening ripples,
Down a long eternity.
(Joseph Norris)

2007-10-18T09:36:00.000-07:00

YOU

It isn't the money you are making,
It isn't the clothes you wear;
It isn't the skill of your good right hand
That makes folks really care.
But it's the smile on your face
And the light of your eyes,
And the burdens that you bear;
It's how do you live, and neighbor,
It's how do you work and play,
And it's how do you say,
"Good Morning!"
To the people along the way;
And it's how do you face your troubles
Whenever the skies are gray.
(Byrne)

2007-10-18T09:27:00.000-07:00

LOVE

To love very much is to love inadequately;
We love - that is all! Love can be modified
without being nullified. Love is a short
word but it contains everything. Love
means the body, the soul, the life,
the entire being. We feel love as
we feel the warmth of our blood,
we breathe love as we breathe
the air, we hold it in ourselves
as we hold our thoughts.
Nothing more exists for us.
Love is not a word; it is wordless
state indicated by four letters...
(Guy De Maupassant)

2007-10-18T09:16:00.000-07:00

PROFIT AND LOSS

I counted dollars while
God counted crosses;
I counted gains while
He counted losses!
I counted my worth
by the things gained
in store.
But He sized me up
by the scars that I bore;
I coveted honors and sought
for degrees; He wept as
He counted the hours on my knees.
And I never knew till one day
by a grave How vain are the things
that we spend life we save.
I did not yet know until Jim went above
that riches is he who is rich in God's love!

2007-10-18T09:03:00.000-07:00

FRIENDS

Friends are like the sturdy oaks that rustle in the breeze

when summer suns are gone ... Like the boughs of spicy

evergreens pressed against our lives to shelter from

the wintry blast ... Friends are like low blooming flowers

that break at spring to light our path ... Like the perfumed

roses dropping petals of happiness around our door ...

Friends are like green mosses clinging close to running brooks

... Like the flowing streams spreading their moisture along

the fields and asking no reward or pay ... Friends are like

the shady nooks giving sweet release at evening's hush ...

Like the broad expanse of softest green and copper bronze

to delight the eye ... Friends are like the gentle whisperings

of a love divine ... Forgiving and forgetting without a tinge

of blame. (Bertha Keiningham)

2007-10-18T08:36:00.000-07:00

FAITH

Faith is not merely praying
Upon your knees at night.
Faith is not merely straying
Through darkness to the light.

Faith is not merely waiting
For glory that may be
Faith is not merely hating
The sinful ecstacy.

Faith is the brave endeavor,
The splendid enterprise
The strength to serve,
Whatever conditions may arise.
(S E Kiser)

2007-10-18T08:22:00.000-07:00

GIFTS THAT ENDURE

The Gifts of Praise - appropriate mention -
right in front of the other fellow - of
superior qualities or of jobs or deeds well done.

The Gifts of Consideration - putting yourself
in the other fellow's shoes, thus proving your
genuine understanding of his side of the case.

The Gifts of Gratitude -never forgetting to say
"Thank You" - and never failing to mean it.

The Gift of Inspiration - plant seeds of courage
and action in the other fellow's heart. Help him
to strive for greater accomplishment and lasting
satisfaction.

2007-10-17T11:50:00.000-07:00

THE HAPPY MAN

If you observe a really happy man you will find him building a boat,
writing a symphony, educating his son, growing double dahlias in his
garden, or looking for a dinosaur eggs in the Gobi desert. He will not
be searching for happiness as if it were a collar button that has rolled
under the radiator. He will not be striving for it as if it were a goal in
itself, nor will he be seeking for it among the nebulous wastes
of metaphysics.

To find happiness we must seek for it in a focus outside ourselves.
[W. Beran Wolfe]

2007-10-17T11:44:00.000-07:00

LAST NIGHT

Last night my little boy confessed to me
some childish wrong;
And kneeling at my knee
He prayed with tears:
"Dear God, make me a man,
Like Daddy - wise and strong;
I know you can."

Then while he slept
I knelt beside his bed,
Confessed my sins,
And prayed with a low-bowed head:
"O God, make me a child,
Like my child here -
Pure, guileless,
Trusting Thee with faith sincere."

2007-10-17T11:33:00.000-07:00

A MOMENT IN THE MORNING

A moment in the morning ere the cares
of the day begin.
Ere the heart's wide door is open for
the world to enter in.Oh then alone with Jesus,
in silence of the morn.
In heavenly sweet communion let your
happy day be born;
In the quietude that blesses with
a prelude of repose.
Let your soul be soothed and softened as
the dew revives the rose.

2007-10-17T07:01:00.000-07:00

HOUSE AND HOME

Anyone can build an altar, it requires God
to provide the flame.
Anyone can build a house; we need the Lord
for the creation of a home.
A house is an agglomeration of brick and
stones, with an assorted collection of
manufactured goods; a home is the abiding-place
of ardent affection, of fervent hope, of genial trust.

There is many a homeless man who lives in
a richly furnished house. There is many
a fifteen-pound house in a crowded street
which is an illuminated and beautiful home.

The sumptuously furnished house may only
be an exquisitely sculptured tomb;
the scantily furnished house may be
the very hearthstone of the Eternal God.
[John Henry Jowett]

2007-10-17T05:49:00.000-07:00

PRAYER

To talk with God
No breath is lost
Talk on!

To walk with God
No strength is lost
Walk on!

To wait on God
No time is lost
Wait on!

2007-10-17T05:45:00.000-07:00

MONEY CAN BUY

A bed, but not sleep,
Books, but not brains,
Food, but not appetite,
Finery, but not beauty,
A house, but not a home,
Medicine, but not health,
Luxuries, but not culture,
Amusement, but not happiness,
Companions, but not friends,
Flattery, but not respect.

2007-10-16T13:18:00.000-07:00

ENCOURAGEMENT

Encouragement is a gift, but rarely given.
It is valuable. It gives so much meaning
to the recipient.

It's free. Encouraging someone requires
absolutely no cash outlay. It costs time,
creativity and thoughtfulness.

It will last a lifetime. A little word can
make a big difference, and the results
can be life-changing.

Don't be stingy with encouragement.
Give it very often.

2007-10-16T07:38:00.000-07:00

WHAT MAKES A HOME

A man can build a mansion
Anywhere this world about,
A man can build a palace
richly furnish it throughout.

A man can build a mansion
Or a tiny cottage fair,
But it's not the hollowed place
called "Home"
'Til mother's dwelling there.

A man can build a mansion
With a high and spacious dome,
But no man in this world can build
That precious thing called, "Home."

A man can build a mansion
Carting treasures o'er the foam,
Yes, a man can build the building
But a woman makes it "Home."