A Legacy of Character

Character is who we are when we believe no one is watching. It is the foundation of our personality, the facilitator for all of our decisions, and the basis for our reputations. How we act, think and feel in any situation is determined by our character.

There are Six Pillars of Character. They are: trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring and citizenship. Each of these represents traits that comprise a solid foundation of good character, and serve as a basis for developing a system of core values which determine an individual’s actions. By recognizing these traits as positive indicators of good character, we must also acknowledge that each of them has a negative counterpart. For example, if trustworthiness, honesty, reliability, loyalty and fairness exist, then so must dishonesty, betrayal and deceit. A good character is created by deliberately developing positive traits. Sadly, ignoring or denying the power of our influence and allowing our negative characteristics to be demonstrated can also develop a legacy of bad character.

Modeling Positive Values

Character and conduct of our children reflect the character and conduct of our nation/community. For example:

• Adults have the responsibility to model ethical values and promote the development of good character.
• A direct indicator of what our children will become is found in the way we live in our adult communities.
• Children need to be shown that there is no right way to do a wrong thing.

Life Rulers

At the present time we have almost no human sovereigns or rulers with absolute power. We do, however, allow some influences to take over our lives. I call them Life Rulers. They include:

Drugs * Alcohol * Selfishness * Ego-vanity * Jealousy * Resentment * Entitlement

And when that happens, those characteristics become our legacy. No matter how we try to deny or excuse them, if they rule our behavior, they rule us!

The choices we make and the values we hold are determined by our own understanding of what is right and wrong. Armed with that knowledge and the courage to do what is right, we can change, and leave imprints of character where there were none before.

"Courage is doing what you’re afraid to do. There can be no courage unless you’re scared."

Every day we are faced with challenges that put our character to the test. In our homes, and at our work, we face situations that can either bring out the best or the worst in us. Doing the right thing because it is the right thing to do requires effort, and has a cost. When we are disrespected, treated unfairly, cheated, betrayed or lied to, it is frequently easier to respond in kind. The more difficult response is an uncompromising commitment to our values and to rise above the situation with a moral and right response.  When we succeed, the message sent is that regardless of the cost or effort, character will prevail. Children emulate those they respect. So do employees. We earn their respect when we show them that our responses are not the right ones by accident – that we determine our responses ahead of time by aligning our actions with our values.

It is important to understand the source of influences in our lives and the following questions will help:

1. What good character traits do you feel  you inherited from people in your life?
2. What did they do to demonstrate those traits to you?
3. What negative character traits do you feel you  inherited? How were they demonstrated?
4. Which traits would you choose to keep? Which would you choose to change?
5. Which new character traits would you choose to develop?

The most important, and most difficult step, in creating a legacy of character is having the courage to change what we know is wrong, and take a stand for what we know is right. It takes time and hard work, but there is no substitute for the satisfaction it brings.

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Our Strength Is In Our Struggle And Our Power Is In Our Pain

Our Strength Is In Our Struggle And Our Power Is In Our Pain

Growth always causes us pain. Do you realize that our muscles will only grow as they tear? When we exercise our muscles, especially those we don’t normally use, we will most likely feel painful or uncomfortable in those muscles a day or two later. That’s because, in using those muscles, we have actually torn them. The tearing will cause us some pain, but our muscles will end up with a greater capacity for strength. Read the story about “The Rock”.

A man was sleeping at night in his cabin when suddenly his room filled with light, and God appeared. The Lord told the man he had work for him to do, and showed him a large rock in front of his cabin. The Lord explained that the man was to push against the rock with all his might. So, this the man did; day after day. For many years he toiled from sun up to sun down; his shoulders set squarely against the cold, massive surface of the unmoving rock, pushing with all his might.

Each night the man returned to his cabin sore and worn out, feeling that his whole day had been spent in vain. Since the man was showing signs of discouragement, the Enemy decided to enter the picture by placing thoughts into the man's weary mind:

"You have been pushing against that rock for a long time, and it hasn't budged. Why kill yourself over this? You are never going to move it." Thus, giving the man the impression that the task was impossible and that he was a failure. These thoughts discouraged and disheartened the man. "Why kill myself over this?" he thought. "I'll just put in my time giving just the minimum effort; and that will be good enough." And that is what he planned to do, until one day he decided to make it a matter of prayer and take his troubled thoughts to the Lord.

"Lord," he said, "I have labored long and hard in your service, putting all my strength to do that which you have asked. Yet, after all this time, I have not even budged that rock by half an inch. What is wrong? Why am I failing?"

The Lord responded compassionately, "My friend, when I asked you to serve me and you accepted, I told you that your task was to push against the rock with all your strength, which you have done. Never once did I mention to you that I expected you to move it. Your task was to push.  

And now you come to me with your strength spent, thinking that you have failed. But, is that really so? Look at yourself...Your arms are strong and muscled, your hands are callused from constant pressure, and your legs have become massive and hard.

Through opposition you have grown much, and your abilities now surpass that which you used to have. Yet you haven't moved the rock. But your calling was to be obedient and to push and to exercise your faith and trust in My wisdom. This you have done.

Now I, my friend, will now move the rock."

This principle also applies to our character. People with real strength of character are those who have overcome many hardships. The situations we struggle with and overcome can give us strength over a period of time.

We all know people who seem to have everything going well for them and everything they do has a silver lining. But often we don’t know how they reached that stage of success. Success is never instant, it is built over time. Mother Teresa influenced a lot of powerful people to help her relieve suffering in India. Where did she get that power? It came from years of struggling to help the poor. Her power came out of her pain.

We often look at people who are successful and we think, “They have not really been through much pain.” Unfortunately, we tend to look at the instant sample or the picture of their lives at that point in time. We notice their nice cars, their achievements, and their comfortable homes, but we don’t see the pain that actually got them their.

You are most likely struggling with real issues right now. But guess what! Your current struggles are going to strengthen you. Your strength is in your struggle and your power is in your pain. In fact, your current struggles are going to give you credibility when you overcome them and begin to share your story with others. If there had been no struggle, there would be no story. If there had been no pain, there would be no victory.

The principle applies to relationships and to business. Relationships that don’t go through struggles never get strengthened. Businesses that don’t go through struggles never get strengthened.

“The important thing about a problem is not its solution, but the strength we gain in finding the solution”

“There is no such thing as a problem without a gift for you in its hands. You seek problems because you need their gifts.” Richard Bach

“If we don't see a failure as a challenge to modify our approach, but rather as a problem with ourselves, as a personality defect, we will immediately feel overwhelmed.” Anthony Robbins

Look for the positives. No matter how painful a situation, understand that something positive can come out of it. Where does your strength and power come from? It comes from your pain. So what is it that is causing you pain right now? Remember, your struggles are going to strengthen you.

The Most Common Response To Life Crisis Are Denial, Resistance and Acceptance

The Most Common Response To Life Crisis Are Denial, Resistance and Acceptance

Each one of us faces troubles and crises in life that take different forms and different shapes. For an adult, crises could be facing bankruptcy,  loss of a friend, a death in the family or thinking about death, wondering about the nature of death. For a man, upset at where society is going, experience a desire to change the world for the better or looking into the mirror and you no longer recognize yourself, a crisis could be the loss of a job or desiring to quit a good job, unexplained depression or sadness when doing tasks that used to make you happy. To a teenager, a crisis might be a pimple on a first date, exploring new musical tastes or sudden desire to learn how to play an instrument. In these examples, time often reveals a latent humor in the crisis that we never realized when struggling to overcome it.

Three common responses to crises:

The first is denial. We tend to bury our heads in the sand and hope the problem will somehow mysteriously and painlessly disappear in a short period of time.

“Self-acceptance comes from meeting life's challenges vigorously. Don't numb yourself to your trials and difficulties, nor build mental walls to exclude pain from your life. You will find peace not by trying to escape your problems, but by confronting them courageously. You will find peace not in denial, but in victory.” J. Donald Walters

The second common response is resistance. This is when we fight what’s happening or fight ourselves in a ineffective effort to somehow regain something that is lost.

“The mind commands the body and it obeys. The mind orders itself and meets resistance. Resistance is thought transformed into feeling. Change the thought that creates the resistance, and there is no more resistance.”

The third response is acceptance. We may not necessarily like our situation, but we acknowledge it is real and we are willing to deal with the truth of what is going on around us no matter how harsh or how hard that problem might be.

“Understanding is the first step to acceptance, and only with acceptance can there be recovery.” Joanne Kathleen Rowling

“Self-acceptance comes from meeting life's challenges vigorously. Don't numb yourself to your trials and difficulties, nor build mental walls to exclude pain from your life. You will find peace not by trying to escape your problems, but by confronting them courageously. You will find peace not in denial, but in victory.” J. Donald Walters

“Acceptance of what has happened is the first step to overcoming the consequences of any misfortune.” William James

Denial and resistance generally prolong the pain and delay the resolution of a crisis. In contrast, acceptance of these crises opens the door for us to hope. According to Harrison Salisbury, ‘There is no short cut to life. To the end of our days, life is a lesson imperfectly learned.’ That means, we have to move out of denial and resistance and learn to accept and move on. For me, life is a continual process of change. I’ve learned to be honest, to accept not just my failures and shortcomings, but also my strengths.

It has been said that the pace at which we learn is in direct proportion to our determination to rise above uncertainty and go beyond the limitations. Part of learning is to become responsible for our own lives and actions. Whether you like it or not, you are ultimately accountable for your action and decisions, regardless of circumstances.

John Keats said, ‘Failure… is , in a sense, the highway to success, inasmuch s every discovery of what is false leads us to seek earnestly after what is true’. When you live in denial and resistance, you delay finding out what is actually true.

Challenge yourself:

Do not live in denial, do not keep resisting: learn to accept and move on. Make sure you are the kind of person who moves on to acceptance and therefore on to change.

The Weak Can Never Forgive. Forgiveness Is The Attitude Of The Strong.

The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attitude of the strong.

It takes strength and effort to forgive others. When people have ripped you off in any business deal or transaction, when your friends, family, love ones or people have hurt you, it takes strength to forgive them. Do you realize it also takes strength to forgive yourself? Refusing to forgive oneself and move on in life is an act of weakness. Sure, you can never forget things. You are not a computer that can erase its memory, but you must forgive.

“Strength of character means the ability to overcome resentment against others, to hide hurt feelings, and to forgive quickly.”

“Compassion, forgiveness, these are the real, ultimate sources of power for peace and success in life.” Tenzin Gyatso

 

You see, forgiveness is a bridge that every single of us has to cross. You can expend your energy and power blaming others for things that go wrong in your life, for your lack of success, or financial woes. Or you can choose to forgive others when they have wronged you. Forgiveness is your choice.

“True forgiveness is not an action after the fact, it is an attitude with which you enter each moment.” David Ridge

I don't know if I continue, even today, always liking myself. But what I learned to do many years ago was to forgive myself. It is very important for every human being to forgive herself or himself because if you live, you will make mistakes- it is expected. But once you do and you see the mistake, then you forgive yourself and say, 'well, if I'd known better I'd have done better,' that's all. So you say to people who you think you may have hurt, 'I'm sorry,' and then you say to yourself, 'I'm sorry.' If we all hold on to the mistake, we can't see our own glory in the mirror because we have the mistake between our faces and the mirror; we can't see what we're capable of being. You can ask forgiveness of others, but in the end the real forgiveness is in one's own self. I think that young men and women are so caught by the way they see themselves. Now mind you. When a larger society sees them as unattractive, as threats, as too black or too white or too poor or too fat or too thin or too sexual or too asexual, that's rough. But you can overcome that. The real difficulty is to overcome how you think about yourself. If we don't have that we never grow, we never learn, and sure we should never teach.

“A man must be big enough to admit his mistakes, smart enough to profit from them, and strong enough to correct them.” John C. Maxwell

Some scientists set out to capture rare species of monkey and bring it back alive and unharmed. To do this they devised a trap, a little jar with a narrow neck into which they placed a handful of nuts. The monkeys would smell the nuts and reach in to get them, but they could not withdraw their clenched fists. They were trapped, unable to escape and unwilling to let go. Sometimes human beings are just like those monkeys. We are unable to escape our past mistakes, fears and failures because we are unwilling to let go.

Have you been mistreated and vowed never to forget the abuse as long as you live? Whether you know it or not, you are harboring unforgiveness and that is sign of weakness. Don’t be a carrier of that disease.

Here are some tips on how to forgive:

Realize you have a file called Dirty Rotten Things People Have Done To Me. Burn the file by choosing to forgive.

Understand that forgiveness is something you will need from others and others will need from you for the rest of your life, so learn to be good at it.

Understand that the person who says ‘I will forgive, and I will choose to forget – to forget the pain, forget the anger and move on.’

Strength of character means the ability to overcome resentment against others, to hide hurt feelings, and to forgive quickly.

One of the secrets of a long and fruitful life is to forgive everybody everything before you go to bed

To love means loving the unlovable. To forgive means pardoning the unpardonable. Faith means believing the unbelievable. Hope means hoping when everything seems hopeless.

To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you.

Do everything. Love as much as you can. it may hurt but it helps us grow. Give all you have...you may be poor but you will be content. Always forgive....your heart can not afford not to. Teach what you know and learn what you don't. Stay open to all.

Before you speak, listen.

Before you write, think.

Before you spend, earn.

Before you invest, investigate.

Before you criticize, wait.

Before you pray, forgive.

Before you quit, try.

Before you retire, save.

Before you die, give.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9

What You Believe At Your Worst Moment Is What You Really Believe

What you believe at your worst moment is what you really believe.

When our lives are successful and we are doing well, then our beliefs appear as solid as bedrock. But when life derails us and wealth, family and reputation are stripped away, after our certainties fade too.

When a winning streak collapses, what do you believe then? Do you still believe the positive things that you once believed? You should, because at your worst moment beliefs are most powerful. In the depths of hopelessness it is the things we believe that really kick in and begin to make a difference.

In your worst moments, what do you believe about your life? What do you believe about your faith? What do you believe about yourself? When you marriage begins to fall apart, do you believe that you are still someone of fundamental value, who can be loved and who has the capacity to love? Do you still believe that you are someone worthy of friendship, even when supposed friends have abandoned you? What do you believe when people say negative things about you? Do you believe all the negative stuff or do you believe the positive? What you believe about yourself in your worst moment is what you really believe.

When we least expect it, life sets us a challenge to test our courage and willingness to change; at such a moment, there is no point in pretending that nothing has happened or in saying that we are not ready. The challenge will not wait. Life does not look back. A week is more than enough time for us to decide whether or not to accept our destiny.

Challenge yourself:

What do you believe about yourself today? Do you believe the good things? The good things in your life are set, they are great, they are amazing, and everybody knows them. Everything in life are recoverable. Your looses are recoverable. Your friends are recoverable. You marriage is recoverable.  Finances are recoverable. Don’t give in at the worst moment. You will miss the light at the end of the tunnel if you jump off the train halfway through.

“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” Martin Luther King, Jr.

“Don't be afraid to fail. Don't waste energy trying to cover up failure. Learn from your failures and go on to the next challenge. It's OK to fail. If you're not failing, you're not growing.”

The 7-Ups of Life

The 7-Ups of Life

1. Wake Up !!

Decide to have a good day. "Today is the day the Lord hath made,

let us rejoice and be glad in it." Psalms 118:24

 “Perseverance is a great element of success. If you only knock long enough and loud enough at the gate, you are sure to wake up somebody.” Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

“Determination is the wake-up call to the human will” Anthony Robbins

What makes life worth living is knowing that one day you'll wake up and find the person that makes you happier than anything in the whole world. So don't ever lose hope and give up, everything turns out okay and the good guy always wins.

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. "The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at outward appearance; but the Lord looks at the heart."I Samuel 16:7

PERFORM all acts with as much love as you would offer God. In Truth, you eat for the satisfaction of the I in you and dress up to please the self-same I . The husband loves his wife for the sake of the I. And who is this I that is persistently inherent in everyone? It is God Himself.

3. Shut Up!! 

Say nice things and learn to listen.  Listen to advice and accept instruction, and in the end you will be wise." (Proverbs 19:20) 

“If you shut up truth and bury it under the ground, it will but grow, and gather to itself such explosive power that the day it bursts through it will blow up everything in its way.” Emile Zola

4. Stand Up !!

For what you believe in. Stand for something or you will fall for anything. "Let us not be weary in doing good; for at the proper time, we will reap  a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good..." Galatians 6:9-10

“Stand up to your obstacles and do something about them. You will find that they haven't half the strength you think they have.” Norman Vincent Peale

“Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen.” Winston Churchill

Stand up to crises. Don't let them throw you! Fight to stay calm... even surmount the crisis completely and turn it into an opportunity. Refuse to renounce your self-image. No matter what happens, you must keep your good opinion of yourself. No matter what happens, you must hold your past successes in your imagination, ready for showing in the motion picture screen of your mind. No matter what happens, no matter what you lose, no matter what failures you must endure, you must keep faith in yourself. Then you can stand up to crises, with calm and courage, refusing to buckle; then you will not fall through the floor. You will be able to support yourself.

5. Look Up !!
To the Lord. "I can do everything through Christ who strengthens me". Philippians 4:13

“We had the sky up there, all speckled with stars, and we used to lay on our backs and look up at them, and discuss about whether they was made or only just happened.” Mark Twain

How does life become totally painful? By total retreat. Total non inspection becomes total pain. But existence is basically composed of a very few truths onto which have hung a great many artificialities and which man has adorned with enormous numbers of lies. And man is prisoner of his own shadows. Now one of the things you can do with man is to get him to look up and find out that he can look through the shadows and look at the shadows and find out what they are.

6. Reach Up !!

For something higher. ...keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God." Colossians 3:1

“I can't change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach up my destination.” Jimmy Dean

Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach up for the stars to change the world.

7. Lift Up !!
Your Prayers. "Do not worry about anything; instead PRAY ABOUT EVERYTHING." Philippians 4:6

“Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul. Psalm 143:8.”

“Cause me to hear thy loving kindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto thee. Psalms 143:8”

“Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the heavens.”

Things To Always Remember And One To Never Forget

20 Things To Always Remember And One To Never Forget 

 1. Your presence is a present to the world.

Somewhere there is someone that dreams of your smile, and finds in your presence that life is worthwhile, so when you are lonely remember it’s true, someone somewhere is thinking of you. You must love yourself before you love another. By accepting yourself and fully being what you are, your simple presence can make others happy.

2. You're unique and one of a kind.

“No matter what age you are, or what your circumstances might be, you are special, and you still have something unique to offer. Your life, because of who you are, has meaning.” Barbara De Angelis

 Don't let anyone tell you that you have to be a certain way. Be unique. Be what you feel.

3. Your life can be what you want it to be.

The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, the education, the money, than circumstances, than failure, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company... a church... a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice everyday regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past... we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it. And so it is with you... we are in charge of our Attitudes.

4. Take the days just one at a time.

One day at a time--this is enough. Do not look back and grieve over the past for it is gone; and do not be troubled about the future, for it has not yet come. Live in the present, and make it so beautiful it will be worth remembering.

5. Count your blessings, not your troubles.

Count your blessings. Once you realize how valuable you are and how much you have going for you, the smiles will return, the sun will break out, the music will play, and you will finally be able to move forward the life that God intended for you with grace, strength, courage, and confidence. May God give you...For every storm a rainbow, for every tear a smile, for every care a promise and a blessing in each trial. For every problem life sends, a faithful friend to share, for every sigh a sweet song and an answer for each prayer.

6. You'll make it through whatever comes along.

“When it comes to the future, there are three kinds of people: those who let it happen, those who make it happen, and those who wonder what happened.” John M. Richardson, Jr.

Live this day as if it will be your last. Remember that you will only find ''tomorrow'' on the calendars of fools. Forget yesterday's defeats and ignore the problems of tomorrow. This is it. Doomsday. All you have. Make it the best day of your year. The saddest words you can ever utter are, ''If I had my life to live over again. ''Take the baton, now. Run with it! This is your day! Beginning today, treats everyone you meet, friend or foe, loved one or stranger, as if they were going to be dead at midnight. Extend to each person, no matter how trivial the contact, all the care and kindness and understanding and love that you can muster, and do it with no thought of any reward. Your life will never be the same again.

7. Within you are so many answers.

“When you find peace within yourself, you become the kind of person who can live at peace with others.” Peace Pilgrim

Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.

8. Understand, have courage, be strong.

“To understand everything is to forgive everything” Buddha

“Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm.” Winston Churchill

“A man must be big enough to admit his mistakes, smart enough to profit from them, and strong enough to correct them.” John C. Maxwell

May you have enough happiness to make you sweet, enough trials to make you strong, enough sorrow to keep you human enough hope to make you happy.

9. Don't put limits on yourself.

“If you limit your choices only to what seems possible or reasonable, you disconnect yourself from what you truly want, and all that is left is compromise.” Robert Fritz

10. So many dreams are waiting to be realized.

Build this day on a foundation of pleasant thoughts. Never fret at any imperfections that you fear may impede your progress. Remind yourself, as often as necessary, that you are a creature of God and have the power to achieve any dream by lifting up your thoughts. You can fly when you decide that you can. Never consider yourself defeated again. Let the vision in your heart be in your life's blueprint. Smile!

11. Decisions are too important to leave to chance.

“Once you make a decision, the universe conspires to make it happen.” Ralph Waldo Emerson

It's not what's happening to you now or what has happened in your past that determines who you become. Rather, it's your decisions about what to focus on, what things mean to you, and what you're going to do about them that will determine your ultimate destiny.

12. Reach for your peak, your goal, and your prize.

“Peak performers develop powerful mental images of the behavior that will lead to the desired results. They see in their mind's eye the result they want, and the actions leading to it.” Charles Garfield

“The achievement of your goal is assured the moment you commit yourself to it.” Mack R. Douglas

Without ambition one starts nothing. Without work one finishes nothing. The prize will not be sent to you. You have to win it.

13. Nothing wastes more energy than worrying.

“There is only one way to happiness and that is to cease worrying about things which are beyond the power of our will.” Epictetus quotes

Life is short, don't waste time worrying about what people think of you Hold on to the ones that care, in the end they will be the only ones there.” You can't change the past, but you can ruin the present by worrying about the future.

14. The longer one carries a problem, the heavier it gets.

“The problem is not the problem; the problem is your attitude about the problem”

“Live life fully while you're here. Experience everything. Take care of yourself and your friends. Have fun, be crazy, be weird. Go out and screw up! You're going to anyway, so you might as well enjoy the process. Take the opportunity to learn from your mistakes: find the cause of your problem and eliminate it. Don't try to be perfect; just be an excellent example of being human.” Anthony Robbins

15. Live a life of serenity, not a life of regrets.

“God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.” Reinhold Niebuhr

“Live with intention. Walk to the edge. Listen hard. Practice wellness. Play with abandon. Laugh. Choose with no regret. Appreciate your friends. Continue to learn. Do what you love. Live as if this is all there is.” Mary Anne Radmacher

Prayer is not a way of making use of God; prayer is a way of offering ourselves to God in order that He should be able to make use of us. It may be that one of our great faults in prayer is that we talk too much and listen too little. When prayer is at its highest we wait in silence for God's voice to us; we linger in His presence for His peace and His power to flow over us and around us; we lean back in His everlasting arms and feel the serenity of perfect security in Him.

16. Remember that friendship is a wise investment.

“The finest kind of friendship is between people who expect a great deal of each other but never ask it” Sylvia Bremer

But what is the good of friendship if one cannot say exactly what one means? Anybody can say charming things and try to please and to flatter, but a true friend always says unpleasant things, and does not mind giving pain. Indeed, if he is a really true friend he prefers it, for he knows that then he is doing good.

17. Realize that it's never too late.

“You cannot do a kindness too soon, for you never know how soon it will be too late.” Ralph Waldo Emerson

The time for action is now. It's never too late to do something.

18. Do ordinary things in an extraordinary way.

“Success is doing ordinary things extraordinarily well.” Jim Rohn

When you are inspired by some great purpose, some extraordinary project, all your thoughts break their bonds: Your mind transcends limitations, your consciousness expands in every direction, and you find yourself in a new, great, and wonderful world. Dormant forces, faculties and talents become alive, and your discover yourself to be a greater person by far than you ever dreamed yourself to be.

19. Have health and hope and happiness.

“The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, worry about the future, or anticipate troubles, but to live in the present moment wisely and earnestly.” Buddha quotes

Never let go of hope. One day you will see that it all has finally come together. What you have always wished for has finally come to be. You will look back and laugh at what has passed and you will ask yourself... 'How did I get through all of that?

“There is only one happiness in this life, to love and be loved.” George Sand

I asked God for strength that I might achieve. I was made weak that I might learn humbly to obey. I asked for health that I might do greater things. I was given infirmity that I might do better things. I asked for riches that I might be happy. I was given poverty that I might be wise. I asked for power that I might have the praise of men. I was given weakness that I might feel the need of God. I asked for all things that I might enjoy life. I was given life that I might enjoy all things. I got nothing that I asked for, but everything I hoped for. Almost despite myself, my unspoken prayers were answered. I am, among all men, most richly blessed.

20. Take the time to wish upon a star.   

“Dreams do come true, if we only wish hard enough. You can have anything in life if you will sacrifice everything else for it.” James Matthew Barrie

“There is hope in dreams, imagination, and in the courage of those who wish to make those dreams a reality.”

AND DON’T EVER FORGET FOR EVEN ONE DAY HOW SPECIAL YOU ARE!

Do Not Quit

Don’t Quit

When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,
When the road you're trudging seems all uphill,
When the funds are low, and the debts are high,
And you want to smile, but you frown a bit,
Rest if you must, but don't you quit.

“Never quit. It is the easiest cop-out in the world. Set a goal and don't quit until you attain it. When you do attain it, set another goal, and don't quit until you reach it. Never quit.”

Life is strange with its twists and turns,
As everyone of us sometimes learns,
And many a failure turns about,
When he might have won had he stuck it out;
Don't give up though the pace seems slow,
You may succeed with another blow.

“Don't be afraid to fail. Don't waste energy trying to cover up failure. Learn from your failures and go on to the next challenge. It's OK to fail. If you're not failing, you're not growing.”

Success is failure turned inside out,
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt,
And you can never tell how close you are,
It may be near when it seems so far;
So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit,
It's when things seem worst
That you must not quit.

“Success seems to be connected with action. Successful people keep moving. They make mistakes, but they don't quit.” Conrad Hilton

This Is The Best Day Of My Life

This Is The Best Day Of My Life

Today, when I awoke, I suddenly realized that this is the best day of my life, ever! There were times when I wondered if I would make it to today; but I did! And because I did I'm going to celebrate!

Today, I'm going to celebrate what an unbelievable life I have had so far: the accomplishments, the many blessings, and, yes, even the hardships because they have served to make me stronger. I will go through this day with my head held high, and a happy heart.

I will marvel at God's seemingly simple gifts: the morning dew, the sun, the clouds, the trees, the flowers, and the birds. Today, none of these miraculous creations will escape my notice.

Today, I will share my excitement for life with other people. I'll make someone smile. I'll go out of my way to perform an unexpected act of kindness for someone I don't even know.

Today, I'll give a sincere compliment to someone who seems down. I'll tell a child how special he is, and I'll tell someone I love just how deeply I care for her and how much she means to me.

Today is the day I quit worrying about what I don't have and start being grateful for all the wonderful things God has already given me. I'll remember that to worry is just a waste of time because my faith in God and his Divine Plan ensures everything will be just fine.

And tonight, before I go to bed, I'll go outside and raise my eyes to the heavens. I will stand in awe at the beauty of the stars and the moon, and I will praise God for these magnificent treasures.

As the day ends and I lay my head down on my pillow, I will thank the Almighty for the best day of my life. And I will sleep the sleep of a contented child, excited with expectation because I know tomorrow is going to be the best day of my life, ever!

Good Morning Ladies & Gentlemen, God Bless You All......

Good Morning Ladies & Gentlemen, God Bless You All......  

I'm sharing this to see how
many actually read their e-mail.
Your response will be interesting.
Pay attention to what you read.
After you have finished reading it, you will know the reason it was
sent to you.

Here goes:

People come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime.
When you know which one it is, you will know what to do for that person..
When someone is in your life for a REASON, it is usually to meet a need you have expressed.
They have come to assist you through a difficulty, to provide you with guidance and support,
To aid you physically, emotionally or spiritually.
They may seem like a godsend and they are.
They are there for the reason you need them to be.
Then, without any wrongdoing on your part or at an inconvenient time, this person will say or do something to bring the relationship to an end.

Sometimes they die. Sometimes they walk away.
Sometimes they act up and force you to take a stand.
What we must realize is that our need has been met, our desire fulfilled, their work is done..
The prayer you sent up has been answered and now it is time to move on.

Some people come into your life for a SEASON, because your turn has come to share, grow or learn.
They bring you an experience of peace or make you laugh.
They may teach you something you have never done.
They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy.
Believe it, it is real. But only for a season.

LIFETIME relationships teach you lifetime lessons,
things you must build upon in order to have a solid emotional foundation.
Your job is to accept the lesson, love the person and put what you have learned to use in all other relationships and areas of your life.
It is said that love is blind but friendship is clairvoyant.

 

Thank you for being a part of my life,
whether you were a reason, a season or a lifetime.

Send this to every friend that you have on-line,  including the person who sent it to you.

0 Replies - you may need to work on your 'people skills'
2 Replies - you are nice but probably need to be more outgoing
4 Replies - you have picked your friends well!
6 Replies - you are downright popular
8 Replies or More - you are totally awesome
(and that's probably why you're on MY list)

I wonder what mine will be.

GUARDIAN ANGEL
Forward this message the same day you received it.
It may sound ridiculous, but it is right on time.
We believe that something is about to happen.
Angels exist, only sometimes they haven't got wings and we call them friends; you are one of them.
Something wonderful is about to happen to you and your friends..

Tomorrow somebody will address you and tell you something you have been waiting to hear.

Please do not break it.