Start the New Year fresh by forgiving. – Author Unknown
Forgiveness does not change the past, but it does enlarge the future. — Paul Boese Without forgiveness, life is governed by an endless cycle of resentment and retaliation. — Roberto Assagioli He that cannot forgive others breaks the bridge over which he must pass himself; for every man has need to be forgiven. — Author unknown Anger makes you smaller, while forgiveness forces you to grow beyond what you were. — Cherie Carter-Scott Forgiveness is almost a selfish act because of its immense benefits to the one who forgives. — Lawana Blackwell The one attitude, which gives rise to hope amidst misunderstanding and ill will, is a forgiving spirit. Where forgiveness becomes the atmosphere, there hope and healing are possible. — C. Neil Strait Forgiveness is the key that unlocks the door of resentment and the handcuffs of hate. It is a power that breaks the chains of bitterness and the shackles of selfishness. — Author unknown Love’s power does not make fussy historians. Love prefers to tuck the loose ends of past rights and wrongs in the bosom of forgiveness—and pushes us into a new start. — Lewis B. Smedes Not to forgive is to be imprisoned by the past, by old grievances that do not permit life to proceed with new business. Not to forgive is to yield oneself to another’s control... to be locked into a sequence of act and response, of outrage and revenge, tit for tat, escalating always. The present is endlessly overwhelmed and devoured by the past. Forgiveness frees the forgiver. It extracts the forgiver from someone else’s nightmare. —Lance Morrow Resentment is like drinking poison and then hoping it will kill your enemies. — Nelson Mandela Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that. — Martin Luther King, Jr People have to forgive. We don’t have to like them, we don’t have to be friends with them, we don’t have to send them hearts in text messages, but we have to forgive them, to overlook, to forget. Because if we don’t, we are tying rocks to our feet, too much for our wings to carry! — C. Joybell C. Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. — Apostle Paul
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Quote of the day:
“The proper function of man is to live, not to exist. I shall not waste my days in trying to prolong them. I shall use my time.” — Jack London Think about it: One of the central questions that people everywhere have struggled with for millennia is the mystery of what gives life meaning. Everyone wants to be happy and feel fulfilled, but how can we tell what true happiness and fulfillment is and where it comes from? The ancient Greeks believed that the source of happiness was internal and could be cultivated by living a worthwhile life. They called this eudemonia, which Aristotle described as taking part in activities that draw on our talents and challenge our abilities, acting in ways that benefit others, and guiding our lives by principles and virtues. It isn't enough to simply possess an ability or talent—eudemonia requires it to be put into action with kind deeds. Living an honest and principled life dedicated to helping others sounds good, but it’s not always easy. Our imperfect human nature often gets in the way. Still, the more we learn to put the well-being of others at the center of our thoughts and actions, the more meaning and purpose our lives will have. I hope the post I have shared with you this year have inspired you, and will contribute to making your life both meaningful and worthwhile. The Gospel of John doesn't tell the story of Jesus’ birth, but it tells us the prequel—the story that precedes what we are told in the birth narratives. This Gospel takes us back to the beginning, before our world existed, and tells us something about our Savior that was true well in advance of His earthly birth in Bethlehem two millennia ago. Understanding this part of the story is what brings clarity to who Jesus was, why He came, and what He accomplished.
The story begins like this: “In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God. God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him.” This Gospel begins by telling us that before anything was created, the Word existed, was with God, and was God. John looks back beyond the beginning of the creation of the universe, before time existed, and tells us that the Word was preexistent. The opening line of this Gospel repeats the first words of the Bible in Genesis: “In the beginning…” This expresses that the Word existed before creation and is eternal, that there was never a time when the Word was not. The Word was not part of what was created, meaning that the Word is greater than all things that were created. We’re told that “the Word was with God,” and then it’s repeated a second time, “He existed in the beginning with God.” The emphasis here is that the Word exists in intimate relationship with God. That oneness is expressed in the phrase “and the Word was God.” Everything that can be said about God can also be said about the Word. This is what we celebrate at Christmas—that the Word, who existed with God before creation, who lived in face-to-face fellowship with His Father, who participated in the creation of all things, who is self-existent, and who is God the Son, was born as a human being and lived among humanity. All that Jesus did during His time on earth—the words He spoke, the parables He told, His interaction with people, His confrontations with the religious leaders of the day, the miracles He performed—all of it revealed His Father’s love, care, and concern for humanity. It is through the Incarnate Word, Jesus, that we gain a deeper understanding of God, as well as of His desire to reconcile humanity to Himself. At Christmas, we celebrate that God entered our world for the purpose of making it possible for us to live with Him eternally. The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us! What a wonderful thing to celebrate. A compilation of praises from our hearts to Yours, Jesus
You are the Spirit of Christmas. You are the Christmas lights that bring warmth and brightness to my heart. The Christmas baubles remind me of the sparkling glow You bring, which adds fullness and variety to my life. The glittering, shimmering Christmas tinsel that surrounds and envelops the tree reminds me of the way Your wonderful care and many blessings surround me! The gifts in the Christmas stocking that excite me and give me something to look forward to remind me of the way my future with You is worth anticipating. I can’t wait to spend Christmas with You. You’re the Christmas star in my heart, the Christmas cheer in my smile, the Christmas spirit in my actions. You’re the reason to be jolly, the meaning for every moment of love, fun, pleasure, and happiness. You are in the Christmas music that cheers me and puts me in the mood for giving. You are in the Christmas miracles, all those special things that happen throughout Christmas, that remind me that You love me. You are the embodiment of all that is wonderful in Christmas. You are the beauty of Christmas. You are Christmas and I love You! Christmastime makes us think of angels, so we want to thank You for Your angels—the powerful angels who show us how to let Your Spirit flow through us; the gentle angels who comfort us; the guardian angels who protect us from harm; the fairy angels who sit on our shoulders and whisper words of love into our ears; the praise angels and messenger angels. Each one—great or small, powerful or gentle—is a touch of Your love to us, a sample of Your care. Thank You, Jesus, that You’re not just a piece of tinsel adorning our lives—sparkling and showy, but basically valueless. Though You’re beautiful in all Your majesty and pleasing to us, You’re the most important thing in our lives. The striking scarlet of the poinsettias reminds us of Your love, Jesus—Your love that is so strong, so pure, so powerful, so perfect! Your love is never dull, lifeless, marred, or pale! Help us to never be ashamed of our love for You, but to represent You to others as clearly, brightly, and powerfully as we can. When we think about the baubles and pretty decorations that hang on the Christmas trees, we’re reminded of all Your blessings—so many, we can hardly count them. You send us special tokens of love each day that bring joy and delight to our hearts. We’re thankful for each gift You bless us with—seen or unseen, big or small, understood or not. We praise You for adorning the trees of our lives with the baubles of Your blessings in the way You know is best. You treat each of us as individuals. Each of us is like a special snowflake to You. None of us are exactly alike. You've formed us each uniquely, and we praise You for it. We know we’re not perfect, but knowing that we are each unique and that You love us for who we are, helps us each to feel special to You and secure in Your love. Thank You. Angels, Love and Joy at Christmas Quotes
"Good news from heaven the angels bring; glad tidings to the earth they sing: To us this day a child is given, to crown us with the joy of heaven.” – Martin Luther "The earth has grown old with its burden of care but at Christmas it always is young. The heart of the jewel burns lustrous and fair and its soul full of music breaks the air when the song of angels is sung.” – Phillips Brooks "A song was heard at Christmas to wake the midnight sky: A savior's birth, and peace on earth and praise to God on high. The angels sang at Christmas with all the hosts above, and still we sing to the newborn King--His glory and his love.” – Timothy Dudley-Smith “Late on a sleepy, star-spangled night, those angels peeled back the sky just like you would tear open a sparkling Christmas present. Then, with light and joy pouring out of heaven like water through a broken dam, they began to shout and sing the message that baby Jesus had been born. The world had a savior! The angels called it 'Good News,' and it was.” – Larry Libby “When the song of the angel is stilled, when the star in the sky is gone when the kings and princes are home. When the shepherds are back with their flock the work of Christmas begins: To find the lost, to heal the broken, to feed the hungry, to release the prisoner, to rebuild the nations, to bring peace among brothers and sisters, to make music in the heart.” - Howard Thurman "Love came down at Christmas. Love all lovely, love divine. Love was born at Christmas. Stars and angels gave the sign.” - Christina Rossetti “And the angel said unto them, 'Fear not: for behold, I bring unto you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the City of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. ... That's what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown.” – Linus Van Pelt, quoting from A Charlie Brown Christmas TV special. “So here comes Gabriel again, and what he says is 'Good tidings of great joy ... for all people." ...That's why the shepherds are first: they represent all the nameless, all the working stiffs, the great wheeling population of the whole world.” - Walter Wangerin Jr. “The simple shepherds heard the voice of an angel and found their lamb; the wise men saw the light of a star and found their wisdom.” – Fulton J. Sheen “Off to one side sits a group of shepherds. They sit silently on the floor, perhaps perplexed, perhaps in awe, no doubt in amazement. Their night watch had been interrupted by an explosion of light from heaven and a symphony of angels. God goes to those who have time to hear him -- and so on this cloudless night he went to simple shepherds.” - Max Lucado "'Gloria, Gloria!," they cry, for their song embraces all that the Lord has begun this day: Glory to God in the highest of heavens! And peace to the people with whom he is pleased! And who are these people? With whom does the good Lord choose to take his pleasure? The shepherds, the plain and nameless -- whose every name the Lord knows well--you and me.” - Walter Wangerin Jr. If you want to make your dreams come true, the first thing you have to do is wake up. —J.M. Power
Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars. —Les Brown Success isn’t a result of spontaneous combustion. You must set yourself on fire. —Arnold H. Glasow Life’s problems wouldn’t be called “hurdles” if there wasn’t a way to get over them. —Author Unknown Though no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending. —Author Unknown The best angle from which to approach any problem is the try-angle. —Author Unknown Don’t live down to expectations. Go out there and do something remarkable. —Wendy Wasserstein Things turn out best for the people who make the best out of the way things turn out. —Art Linkletter What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us. —Ralph Waldo Emerson It is not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves. —Edmund Hillary God gives us dreams a size too big so that we can grow into them. —Author Unknown Nature decrees that we do not exceed the speed of light. All other impossibilities are optional. —Robert Brault Dreams are free, so free your dreams. —Astrid Alauda In response to those who say to stop dreaming and face reality, I say keep dreaming and make reality. —Kristian Kan Don’t let anyone steal your dream. It’s your dream, not theirs. —Dan Zadra If one dream should fall and break into a thousand pieces, never be afraid to pick one of those pieces up and begin again. —Flavia Weedn The world needs dreamers and the world needs doers. But above all, the world needs dreamers who do. —Sarah Ban Breathnach Giving is the master key to success, in all applications of human life.—Bryant McGill
For it is in giving that we receive. —Francis of Assisi To get the full value of joy you must have someone to divide it with.—Mark Twain The wise man does not lay up his own treasures. The more he gives to others, the more he has for his own.—Lao Tzu No one is useless in this world who lightens the burdens of another.—Charles Dickens Nothing else in all life is such a maker of joy and cheer as the privilege of doing good.—James Russell Miller The best things to do with the best things in life is to give them away.—Dorothy Day We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give. —Winston S. Churchill When we give cheerfully and accept gratefully, everyone is blessed. —Maya Angelou Joy multiplies when it is shared among friends, but grief diminishes with every division. That is life.—R.A. Salvatore Those who are happiest are those who do the most for others.—Booker T. Washington You can give without loving, but you cannot love without giving. —Amy Wilson-Carmichael
We should give as we would receive, cheerfully, quickly, and without hesitation; for there is no grace in a benefit that sticks to the fingers. —Seneca The manner of giving is worth more than the gift.—Pierre Corneille, Le Menteur To give and then not feel that one has given is the very best of all ways of giving. —Max Beerbohm Happiness doesn’t result from what we get, but from what we give. —Ben Carson Success is not getting the most you can, but giving the best you can. —Author Unknown The value of a man resides in what he gives and not in what he is capable of receiving. —Albert Einstein He who obtains has little. He who scatters has much. — Lao-Tzu You can’t have a perfect day without doing something for someone who’ll never be able to repay you. —John Wooden You can have everything in life that you want if you will just help enough other people get what they want. —Zig Ziglar What I spent, I had. What I kept, I lost. What I gave, I have. --Author Unknown Quote of the day:
"May the spirit of Christmas bring you peace, The gladness of Christmas give you hope, The warmth of Christmas grant you love.” ~Author Unknown Think about it: A few Christmases ago, as I was standing in the doorway of a department store, enjoying a lovely Nativity scene in a store window, a mother and her little girl came hurrying by. Catching a glimpse of the beautiful scene, the child grabbed her mother’s hand and exclaimed, “Mama! Mama! Please let me stop for a minute and look at Jesus!” But her mother replied wearily that they weren't even half through with their shopping list and didn't have time to stop. Then she walked on, dragging her disappointed daughter behind her. The child’s words rang in my heart for a long time after that. “Please let me stop for a minute and look at Jesus.” I thought of all the minutes speeding by me that busy Christmas in the mad rush of life that is accelerated at the height of the shopping season. How many minutes had I spent shopping and buying presents and preparing decorations and food in the great wind-up to Christmas, and how many had I spent with the One whose birth and life is the true meaning of this festive season? Why don’t we stop and enjoy—really enjoy—what Christmas means? Let’s cut down our task lists. Let’s enjoy the beauty. There are so many wonderful things about Christmas and so many beautiful things to see. It would be a shame to miss it all, wrapping this and wrapping that, rushing for this last thing and that, cooking and preparing so much for a feast, cluttering our Christmas with so many unnecessary things. And if we don’t stop to enjoy anything of life until after Christmas, the fury with which we proceed will send us reeling into the New Year sighing, “I just survived Christmas!” Jesus came to bless our lives. That is why we have Christmas. He said He came to bring us life, and that we might have it more abundantly. Peace and life in all their fullness need not elude us. They are ours to enjoy this Christmas if we’ll give Jesus a chance in our lives and a place in our hearts. May we all take a minute with Jesus. The true presence of Christmas is found with Him. May the celebration of His birth touch our hearts in a new way this year. May we learn more about the gifts He gave so long ago on Christmas. May we be a part of Christmas itself by being more like Him. May we stop and look at Jesus. There is no greater joy nor greater reward than to make a fundamental difference in someone’s life.—Sister Mary Rose McGeady
It is one of the most beautiful compensations of life, that no man can sincerely try to help another without helping himself.—Ralph Waldo Emerson I am the spirit of Christmastime, when all should gladness be. I am the light that you see shining upon each Christmas tree! I am the thought that brings each gift from ones we hold so dear. I am the good that permeates the world with Christmas cheer! I am the joy that brightens homes and guides our thoughts above. All heaven and earth rejoice in Me, for I am known as Love! —Lebaron Sharp Jesus was God’s gift to the world, not just for Christmas, but for every single day—your whole life through—and even beyond for all eternity, and for every need that you will ever have.—Maria Fontaine Take a lesson from God in gift giving: His gift didn’t show us how powerful He was, how rich He was, or what good taste He had. His gift simply showed us that He loved us more than anything else in the world, and that He was willing to do whatever it took to make our lives wonderful.—Maria Fontaine |
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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