Every season is one of becoming, but not always one of blooming. Be gracious with your ever-evolving self.—B. Oakman
Be aware of what season you are in and give yourself the grace to be there.—Kristen Dalton Unease, anxiety, tension, stress, worry—all forms of fear—are caused by toomuch future, and not enough presence. Guilt, regret, resentment, grievances, sadness, bitterness, and all forms of nonforgiveness are caused by too much past, and not enough presence.—Eckhart Tolle To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.—Ecclesiastes The blessedness of waiting is lost on those who cannot wait, and the fulfillment of promise is never theirs. They want quick answers to the deepest questions of life and miss the value of those times of anxious waiting, seeking with patient uncertainties until the answers come. They lose the moment when the answers are revealed in dazzling clarity.—Dietrich Bonhoeffer All the trees are losing their leaves, and not one of them is worried.—Donald Miller When the winds of change blow, remember… sometimes what appears dead is simply preparing for a new season.—Jane Lee Logan The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance.—Alan W. Watts I don’t know what lies around the bend, but I’m going to believe that the best does.—Anne of Green Gables Embrace the current season of your life.—Gabrielle Blair
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Quote of the day:
"To live a life of gratitude is to open our eyes to the countless ways in which we are supported by the world around us. Such a life provides less space for our suffering because our attention is more balanced.” -- Gregg Krech Think about it: A story is told about a blind boy, who sat on the steps of a building with a hat at his feet. He held up a sign that said, “I am blind, please help.” There were only a few coins in the hat. A man was walking by. He took a few coins from his pocket and dropped them into the hat. He then took the sign, turned it around, and wrote some words. He put the sign back so that everyone who walked by would see the new words. Soon the hat began to fill up. A lot more people were giving money to the blind boy. That afternoon the man who had changed the sign came to see how things were. The boy recognized his footsteps and asked, “Were you the one who changed my sign this morning? What did you write?” The man said, “I wrote what you said, but in a different way. I wrote, ‘Today is a beautiful day, but I cannot see it.’” Both signs told people that the boy was blind, but the first sign simply said the boy was blind. The second sign told people that they were very fortunate that they were not blind, and generated gratitude for sight—something we often take for granted—and compassion for the boy who could not see. Should we be surprised that the second sign was more effective? Such is the power of gratitude. Let’s think differently and more positively. By Natalie Brook, adapted
You've probably heard some of these familiar sayings: The world is your oyster. There are no limits. The word impossible is not in my vocabulary. Never give up. If you can dream it, you can do it. The best way to know the future is to invent it. Success is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration. Those might be pretty good points, but I end up thinking, Yeah, right. I believe I have much to offer the world, and I should be able to take advantage of the many opportunities around me to serve, give back, find fulfillment, and chart a path that will make my loved ones proud of me. So why is it that sometimes my “reality” doesn't work out that way? Sometimes I feel small, forgotten, lost, or as if I’m drifting almost aimlessly. I know I've been blessed and have knowledge, understanding, faith, and valuable talents. But sometimes I just can’t put it all together to somehow make those gifts work for me. The longer I feel this way, the worse it becomes, until eventually I start to wonder if I’ll ever find that path to a better life, a deeper relationship, a healthier lifestyle. When I feel stuck or unsure or dissatisfied with where I am today, it can be confusing or frustrating to try to “fix it” or even to know where to start. Then I came to a conclusion that was helpful for me: This is my life, and it is what I make it. My realization was that no one can live my life for me; I have to take responsibility for my decisions. I made a list of some of the obstacles that weigh me down and keep me stuck:
It takes courage to take responsibility for your life. It takes courage to change and to make different choices. It takes courage to take risks. It takes courage to live life in sync with our highest aspirations, rather than succumb to mediocrity. It takes courage to go deeper and grow into the people we want to be, rather than hide behind excuses or blame others. It takes courage to live the truth and be the truest expression of who we are. It takes courage to stay the course and weather the storms that will come once we’ve made a change. After we muster up the courage to acknowledge what needs to change, the next step is to take action. Today is all we have, and the action we take today is creating our life, our legacy. So this is the challenge: 1. Take responsibility. 2. Recognize the obstacles. 3. Have courage. 4. Take action. When we take a good look at our life choices, face whatever has been stopping us, and ask God for the courage to take action, we can rest assured that things will work out in the end. The number one benefit of information technology is that it empowers people to do what they want to do. It lets people be creative. It lets people be productive. It lets people learn things they didn't think they could learn before, and so in a sense it is all about potential.—Steve Ballmer
Technology gives us power, but it does not and cannot tell us how to use that power. Thanks to technology, we can instantly communicate across the world, but it still doesn't help us know what to say.—Jonathan Sacks Technology is just a tool. In terms of getting the kids working together and motivating them, the teacher is the most important.—Bill Gates We are the children of a technological age. We have found streamlined ways of doing much of our routine work. Printing is no longer the only way of reproducing books. Reading them, however, has not changed.—Lawrence Clark Powell Technological society has succeeded in multiplying the opportunities for pleasure, but it has great difficulty in generating joy.—Pope Paul VI You affect the world by what you browse.—Tim Berners-Lee If we continue to develop our technology without wisdom or prudence, our servant may prove to be our executioner.—Omar N. Bradley Technology is nothing. What’s important is that you have a faith in people, that they’re basically good and smart, and if you give them tools, they’ll do wonderful things with them.—Steve Jobs Quote of the day:
“Seldom can a heart be lonely If it seeks a lonelier still, Self-forgetting, seeking only Emptier cups of love to fill!” -- Frances Ridley Havergal Think about it: The story is told about a big-city policeman investigating a case. He made a phone call, but even before he finished dialing, he somehow knew he had made a mistake. He let it ring, though. The phone rang once, twice—then someone picked it up. “You’ve got the wrong number!” a husky male voice snapped before the line went dead. Mystified, the policeman dialed again. “I said you got the wrong number!” the voice growled. Once more the phone clicked down. The policeman asked himself, How could he possibly know I had the wrong number? A cop is trained to be curious—and concerned. So he dialed a third time. “Hey, c’mon,” the voice said. “Is this you again?” “Yeah, it’s me. I was wondering how you knew I had the wrong number before I even said anything.” “You figure it out!” The phone slammed down. The policeman sat there for a while, thinking. Then he called the man back. “Did you figure it out yet?” the man asked. “The only thing I can think of is nobody ever calls you.” “You got it!” The phone went dead for the fourth time. Chuckling, the officer dialed the man back. “What do you want now?” asked the man. “I thought I’d call—just to say hello,” the policeman smiled into the phone. “Hello? Why?” “Well, if nobody ever calls you, I thought maybe I should.” We live in a world of lonely people (many of them, ironically, surrounded by other lonely people). Sometimes, that loneliness expresses itself in gruffness and an apparent attempt to push people away. In reality, there’s an aching desire to know that someone truly cares, that someone loves them unconditionally, and that someone is willing to listen. Let’s keep our eyes and ears open, and find what we can do to pass on some unconditional love. By Gabriel García
Not long ago, when we checked our credit card statement after buying an airline ticket, we discovered that the airline had charged us twice. We contacted the airline in the hope of correcting the error right away to avoid the charge and interest that it would incur. After three futile and time-consuming phone calls to the company’s call center, we felt irritated and helpless. Then we called our bank and were advised to block the credit card until we could find a solution. It turned out to be too hasty a decision. After searching the airline’s website, my wife found detailed instructions on how to proceed in the event of an overcharge. We sent an email with the necessary details, and within a few days, we received a gracious reply notifying us that the money would be reimbursed to our account. In the meantime, we had to deal with the consequences of having blocked our card. First, we had to deactivate our old card and then activate a new card. We also had to fill out, scan, and email pages of forms and make two trips to the bank. All these wasted hours could have been avoided if we had not been so hasty. Our attempts to speed up the process ended up making things much more complicated. There are times when we try to push our way through a problem instead of giving God time to work or waiting for things to run their natural course. When we feel inclined to rush into a situation, it is a good idea to take time in communion with God. Instead of intervening on our own, we can pray for a solution to the problem and seek heaven’s guidance on how to proceed. The Bible calls us to work in the Spirit rather than in our own natural strength. To take off running to win the 100-meter dash is fine for athletes like Usain Bolt, the Jamaican sprinter; but even he has to watch his step, because he lost the opportunity to defend his 100-meter world sprint title in 2011 due to jumping the gun. My conclusion is to go slower, give God time to work, let things flow, and act with deliberation. The next time I am tempted to rush off on an impulse, I plan to wait instead for God’s leading. History books tell us that during the Feast of Lupercalia—an event that is said to be the origin of the modern celebration known as Valentine’s Day—it was the custom for Roman youths to cast lots for a girl to bestow gifts on and court the following year. Today such a random way of selecting a sweetheart has been abandoned. Instead, on February 14th, lovers in many countries give cards and gifts to express their love to the ones they have romantic feelings for. Here are some quotes for those cards.
“There is only one happiness in life: to love and be loved.” – George Sand, Author “Your flaws are perfect for the heart that’s meant to love you.” – Trent Shelton, Football Player “Lovers don’t finally meet somewhere. They’re in each other all along.” – Rumi, Poet “A flower cannot blossom without sunshine, and man cannot live without love.” – Max Muller, Philologist “You know you’re in love when you can’t fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams.” – Dr. Seuss, Author “The art of love…is largely the art of persistence.” – Albert Ellis, Psychologist “A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person.” – Mignon McLaughlin, Journalist “Love doesn’t make the world go round. Love is what makes the ride worthwhile.” – Franklin P. Jones, Engineer “Grow old with me! The best is yet to be.” – Robert Browning, Poet “The Eskimos had fifty-two names for snow because it was important to them: there ought to be as many for love.” – Margaret Atwood, Author “It is astonishing how little one feels alone when one loves.” – John Bulwer, Physician “Love is the greatest refreshment in life.” – Pablo Picasso, Artist “Where there is love, there is life.” – Mahatma Ghandi, Civil Rights Leader “There are never enough I Love You’s.” – Lenny Bruce, Comedian “All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn’t hurt.” – Charles M. Schulz, Cartoonist “I love being married. It’s so great to find one special person you want to annoy for the rest of your life.” – Rita Rudner, Comedian “To love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance.” – Oscar Wilde, Playwright “True love comes quietly, without banners or flashing lights. If you hear bells, get your ears checked.” – Erich Segal, Author “Love is what you’ve been through with somebody.” – James Thurber, Cartoonist “What the world really needs is more love and less paperwork.” – Pearl Bailey, Actress “Love is like an hourglass, with the heart filling up as the brain empties.” – Jules Renard, Author “This fire that we call Loving is too strong for human minds. But just right for human souls.” – Aberjhani, Historian “Each time you love, love as deeply as if it were forever.” – Audre Lorde, Civil Rights Activist “Love is when the desire to be desired takes you so badly that you feel you could die of it.” – Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Painter “Love is something eternal; the aspect may change, but not the essence.” – Vincent van Gogh, Artist “A true lover always feels in debt to the one he loves.” – Ralph W. Sockman, Pastor “Gravitation is not responsible for people falling in love.” – Albert Einstein, Physicist “Loving is not just looking at each other, it’s looking in the same direction.” – Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, Poet “Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage.” – Lao Tzu, Philosopher “Love is composed of a single soul inhabiting two bodies.” – Aristotle, Philosopher “When love is not madness, it is not love.” – Pedro Calderon de la Barca, Playwright “Nobody has ever measured, even poets, how much a heart can hold.” – Zelda Fitzgerald, Author “If you remember me, then I don’t care if everyone else forgets.” – Haruki Murakami, Author “Love is being stupid together.” – Paul Valery, Poet “Love is a condition in which the happiness of another person is essential to your own.” – Robert Heinlein, Author Quote of the day:
“Change your life. Change your world.” – Author Unknown Think about it: “The Man Who Planted Trees,” by Jean Giono, is the allegorical tale of Elzéard Bouffier, a humble shepherd who single-handedly transformed a barren region of southern France by planting nuts as he watched his sheep graze on a different hillside each day. In the story, that one shepherd’s decades of work resulted in the entire area being reforested, which brought back the wildlife, retained the springs, and improved the soil for farming. Eventually, more people moved to the once nearly deserted region, and it became alive and prosperous. The story tells us that Elzéard embarked on his mission after his only son and wife passed away. Many people would have retreated into their sorrow, or simply brushed off the idea as crazy, impossible, or not their responsibility. But he put his inspired idea into action and slowly but surely changed his part of the world. He had a clear goal and a simple plan. He probably didn’t set out to change his world on such a grand scale, but good things have a way of growing when we rise to the challenge. The two World Wars didn’t hinder his work, nor did other seemingly insuperable difficulties and setbacks. When he realized his sheep were nibbling on the saplings, he switched to beekeeping. When the 10,000 maples he’d planted died one year, he switched to beeches the following year, with more success. Great things are often the result of patient plodding. His task wasn’t especially difficult, but he stuck with it day after day for decades, working in partnership with God, doing what he could and trusting God to do the rest. What seemingly crazy impossible idea do you have? With God’s help, it may not be as crazy or impossible as you think. Go ahead. Change your life. Change your world. By Chalsey Dooley
I think one of the main things that makes me want to be as close to Jesus as I can is the personalized touches of His love that He gives. He does special things in each of our lives—sometimes we notice, many times we don’t, and other times we notice but don’t peg the credit right. It must be sad for Him, but Jesus loves us too much to give up. On and on throughout our life, He just keeps showing us and saying those three wonderful words: I love you! As a teen struggling with a myriad of powerful emotions and intense loneliness, I needed to feel that love in a tangible form. One day, I saw by the side of the road the cutest, most adorable miniature pansy. The blossom was no bigger than my fingernail, and the stem only as long as my finger. I picked it and held it carefully all the way home, where I placed it in a paper cup on my bedside table. A week passed, and it was still cheery and bright, as good as new. I was happy. Then the most curious thing occurred—a “never before, never since” event, in my experience. From the pansy’s tiny stem, roots began growing, which soon extended longer and stronger. I planted it in a flowerpot and saw it grow into a plant with many other blossoms. I was amazed, but also reassured that my Creator—the one who made my pansy grow from nothing—was with me, molding me through the ups and downs, and bringing blossoms of joy my way. As the days, months, years—and yes, decades—have passed, I've learned to better know and love Jesus through countless special touches and displays of His love. Many of these would seem totally insignificant when compared to all the change and miracles that are needed in the entire world—but they've made a world of difference to me. He’s proven to me that I matter to Him, and in return, He has won my love forever. As the apostle John wrote, “We love Him because He first loved us.” One of the most tragic things I know about human nature is that all of us tend to put off living. We are all dreaming of some magical rose garden over the horizon instead of enjoying the roses that are blooming outside our windows today. --Dale Carnegie
The only limits to the possibilities in your life tomorrow are the “buts” you use today. --Les Brown Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. --Albert Einstein What is not started today is never finished tomorrow. --Johann Wolfgang von Goethe Today is a most unusual day, because we have never lived it before; we will never live it again; it is the only day we have. --William A. Ward Build today, then, strong and sure, with a firm and ample base; and ascending and secure shall tomorrow find its place. --Henry Wadsworth Longfellow You had better live your best and act your best and think your best today; for today is the sure preparation for tomorrow and all the other tomorrows that follow. --Harriet Martineau I, not events, have the power to make me happy or unhappy today. I can choose which it shall be. Yesterday is dead, tomorrow hasn't arrived yet. I have just one day, today, and I’m going to be happy in it. --Groucho Marx Never let yesterday use up too much of today.--Will Rogers I am not afraid of tomorrow, for I have seen yesterday and I love today! --William Allen White The best preparation for tomorrow is doing your best today. --H. Jackson Brown, Jr. Light tomorrow with today! --Elizabeth Barrett Browning |
AuthorThe goal of the blog is to provide interesting, motivational, soul feeding material. All to help remind us that God loves us all and wants a personal relationship with each of us and will take care of us in times of trouble. I aspire to be a force for good by providing you with positive input. I encourage you to share the blog with others. Archives
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