Quote of the day:
Don’t look further for answers: be the solution. You were born with everything you need to know. Make a promise to stop getting in the way of the blessing that you are. Take a deep breath, remember to have fun, and begin. —Jonathan H. Ellerby Think about it: No one knows what the future holds. We’re quick to wish someone happiness and all the best at the beginning of a new year, but we actually have very little control over how things will play out. It’s good to plan ahead and lay solid foundations in our personal and professional lives, but we know from the start that the future will have unforeseen events and circumstances that we may not be able to avoid or change. Perhaps in addition to wishing others happiness, we could also wish them courage and faith to face whatever the future may hold. Whether you are about to start a New Year, a new career, or another event that’s a first for you, the posts on this blog are sure to encourage you that every day can be a fresh new beginning. Here’s to faith and courage, and a bright and happy future!
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Quote of the day:
I wish we could put up some of the Christmas spirit in jars and open a jar of it every month. — Harlan Miller Think about it: It was the mid-1930s; we were in the teeth of the Great Depression. My family lived in a neighborhood that might be called “transitional” today, but in that more direct time was simply poor. Those who had work—and not many did—tended to be laborers. I cannot recall any local man who did not have calluses on his hands. My father did have a job. One day I overheard him and my uncle talking about a family in the neighborhood who had no income—and no money. They also had no “relief,” which was the word in those days for welfare. What they did have was a house full of kids where the rent was always past due. My father and Uncle John talked, and then set off in opposite directions. Each went to see people in the neighborhood whom they thought might be able to contribute something to help this family. It was Christmas Eve. And before the day was out, they had gathered some toys and a little money, mostly in silver and copper, to help bring some kind of holiday to a family that had so little. I think you can guess what I learned that day, as I saw people who themselves did not have much find something to give to those who had even less. Quote of the day:
“Goodness is the only investment that never fails.”--Henry David Thoreau Think about it: British writer Bernard Hare tells the true story of an incident that changed his life, transforming him, as he described it, “from a selfish, potentially violent hedonist into a decent human being.” Back in 1982 when he was a student living in London, he was informed that his mother had been taken to the hospital and was unlikely to survive the night. He left immediately to make the journey up to the north of the country. The trip would require a change of trains, and he realized from the timetable that he would be twenty minutes too late for the connection. It was late evening and these were the last trains of the day. The chances of getting all the way to the hospital without resorting to hitchhiking or car theft were slim. He was in such a state of anxiety and distress that he did not welcome the gentle inquiries from the train conductor, who was trying to find out what was the matter with this obviously distraught young man. He discovered a little later, however, that the same conductor to whom he had responded so curtly radioed ahead and arranged for the connecting train to be delayed to give Bernard time to catch it. This unexpected act of kindness made it possible for him to be at his mother’s side when she died. When Bernard realized what the conductor had done, he sought him out on the train to offer his heartfelt thanks. The conductor replied, “Not a problem. If you feel the need to thank me, the next time you see someone in trouble, you help them out. That will pay me back amply. Tell them to pay you back the same way and soon the world will be a better place.” Bernard continued, “Even now, I can’t think of [my mother] without remembering the Good Conductor on that late-night train to Peterborough. … [I’ll] give you the same advice the Good Conductor gave me. Pass it down the line.” Quote of the day:
“Pain is the best instructor, but no one wants to go to his class.” -- Bruce Lee Think about it: Some years ago, I showed the old Disney movie Old Yeller to some of my young grandchildren. Old Yeller is a 1957 American family tragedy film directed by Robert Stevenson. It is about a boy who adopts a stray dog in post-Civil War Texas. At the end of the movie, the heroic and loyal pet contracts rabies, and posing a danger, has to be put down by his grieving owner. The grandkids didn’t like the sad ending, of course, but talking about it afterwards presented a perfect teachable moment to point out that not everything in life has a happy ending. Interestingly, while preparing this issue on the topic of overcoming adversity, I ran across this quote from the same movie: “Life’s like that sometimes... Now and then for no good reason a man can figure out, life will just haul off and knock him flat, slam him against the ground so hard it seems like all his insides is busted. But it’s not all like that. A lot of it is mighty fine, and you can’t afford to waste the good part frettin’ about the bad. That makes it all bad... “Sure, I know—sayin’ it’s one thing and feelin’ it’s another. But I’ll tell you a trick that’s sometimes a big help. When you start lookin’ around for something good to take the place of the bad, as a general rule you can find it.” We all face adversity of some sort at different times in life. Some troubles are more difficult to overcome than others are. Still, looking for the good in challenging circumstances can make a big difference. (By Christina Lane, from Motivated Magazine) Quote of the day:
“The strongest oak tree of the forest is not the one that is protected from the storm and hidden from the sun. It's the one that stands in the open where it is compelled to struggle for its existence against the winds and rains and the scorching sun.”—Napoleon Hill Think about it: Very few people ask for trouble. But maybe we should. I received an interesting note once from a friend who visited the Biosphere Two, a man-made living habitat in Arizona. During the tour, the guide explained that one oversight of the designers was their failure to create wind within the structure. No wind to blow the trees back and forth created a problem: The trees would grow to a certain height and then topple over from their own weight. Lack of wind resulted in the trees not having a deeply extended root system. My friend explained that this thought made him realize that without the winds of adversity we cannot grow and become the people we are designed to be without toppling over. I agree. You cannot raise champions on a feather bed. The percentage of people who overcome adversity to go to great heights is legendary. From time to time when the weather doesn’t suit us, all of us are inclined to say things like we wish we could make it rain or stop raining, the wind to blow more or less, that it would get cooler or warmer, etc. The biosphere clearly demonstrates to us that we are likely to “forget” some things, as the designers forgot to let the wind blow to give the trees those roots. Remembering this can help us to be grateful that God is in control of the bigger picture, and while we might not understand everything that happens to us, we can trust that the winds of life will make us stronger. (By Zig Ziglar adapted) Quote of the day:
“Joy is what happens to us when we allow ourselves to recognize how good things really are.” -- Marianne Williamson Think about it: Joy! We don’t hear that word used very much anymore. More and more people seem to get stuck in the doldrums of the daily drudge, and seeing people smile is rare these days. So what is joy, and where do we find it? Recently, I was stuck in the doldrums a little myself, and I was wondering how to regain my usual “joie de vivre.” I decided to do a bit of research. First, I looked up the definition of joy. One dictionary defines it as: 1. The emotion of happiness 2. To experience elation 3. Great pleasure or delight 4. A supreme feeling of happiness Then I found an article that suggested taking some time to think about what usually makes me happy, and to make a list of all the things that give me joy. All through the day, as I thought about those little things that cheer me up, I jotted them down on “My Joy List.” By the end of the day, as I reviewed my list, I felt genuinely happy and I was in a great mood. Just thinking about my list now, cheers me up again! I suggest you try it! Once you have your list drawn up, I heartily recommend that you share it with as many people as you can. After all, the world could use a little more joy! (By Christina Lane adapted from Motivated Magazine.) Quote of the day:
“Life becomes harder for us when we live for others, but it also becomes richer and happier.”--Albert Schweitzer Think about it: It is a simple fact that we cannot get by on our own. Take eating breakfast for example. Half asleep, or in a rush to get to work on time, it is easy to forget the people behind the scenes who make that breakfast possible. Whether it is the farmer who grew the grain for our bread, the engineer who made sure we have clean water for our tea, or the truck driver who delivered supplies to the shop: our connections with others are endless. If we think about it long enough, we will find that we are linked to just about every human being on the planet. The happiest people are those who acknowledge this interdependence, and who nurture warm and appreciative relationships with the people around them. Someone who is a genuine source of support and encouragement for the people around them is never short of friends and acquaintances. People who are not appreciated often feel ignored or disliked, and the sour taste of neglect or even disapproval can linger for days or even years. At the root of the strongest and most lasting relationships is a sincere wish for the well-being of the other person. Cultivating this thought sets in motion a chain of events in which we naturally learn to act with more warmth and kindness, and others, in turn, are more likely to respond positively towards us. I hope this is a helpful guide towards building positive relationships, which is one of the most direct and effective routes to a happy life. Quote of the day:
"Love is an act of endless forgiveness" -- Author unknown Think about it: I got my finger stuck to a paperclip with some super glue and no matter what I did I couldn’t separate my finger from the paperclip until I stopped and gently preyed the paperclip from my finger. It reminded me of this story of a father who introduced his children this way: "This is Pete. He's the clumsy one of the lot." "That's Kathy coming in with mud on her shoes. She's the sloppy one." "As always, Mike's last. He'll be late for his own funeral, I promise you." The dad did a thorough job of gluing his children to their faults and mistakes. People do it to us and we do it to those we love all the time. They remind us of our failures, our errors, our sins, and they won't let us live them down. There are people who try, sometimes desperately, to free themselves from their past who would love a chance to begin again. When we don't let people forget their past, when we don't forgive, we glue them to their mistakes and refuse to see them as more than something they have done. However, when we forgive, we gently pry the doer of the hurtful deed from the deed itself, and we say that the past is just that-past--over and done with. Are you glued to something in your past or are you gluing others to their past? Try gently prying it apart with forgiveness setting you and them free. Quote of the day:
“The longer we dwell on our misfortunes, the greater is their power to harm us.” — Voltaire Think about it: Many years ago, some of the most terrifying scenes on the big screen were when someone stepped into quicksand. No movie was complete until the hero had rescued some innocent soul from certain death in that awful ooze, or the villain’s final breath had gurgled to the surface. Like quicksand, problems sometimes threaten to suck us under. The harder we struggle, the deeper we sink. But things are rarely as bad as they seem. Laws of physics make it nearly impossible for a person to sink more than about waist deep in real-life quicksand. It may be difficult and take awhile to get unstuck, but the person won’t go all the way under. Likewise, those who have faith and a positive attitude can only sink so low or stay so long entangled in their problems. When we Google “how to escape from quicksand,” we will find a few pointers that, when put together, form a basic plan. Those points can also help us approach problems in life in a positive way. They go something like this: • Don’t panic. Panicking will only cause us to sink deeper. Try to relax. • Shed unnecessary weights. Major on the majors and don’t let less urgent things distract. • Ask for help. Don’t try to solve every problem alone. • Be patient. Slow, deliberate actions produce better results than frantic activity. • Rest periodically. Clearing our mind and thinking positively help put things in perspective. Next time you feel like you are sinking in quicksand remember these principles. Quote of the day:
“How important it is for us to recognize and celebrate our heroes and she-roes!” —Maya Angelou Think about it: My friend sent me this tribute to her husband and it got me thinking about heroes. It read, “My husband is one of those unsung, necessary-to-the-community workers who doesn’t get noticed until he’s not there. He’s a commercial/industrial Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) technician, serving hospitals, businesses, schools, etc. On this very hot, 95°-Fahrenheit day, his 63-year-old self is on a broiling rooftop with 1/2 gallon of homemade electrolyte rehydration drink I concocted yesterday. Last night he paid an emergency visit to a boiler room where he estimated the temperature at 135 degrees. He’s been doing this for close to 40 years, often for companies who failed to heed his advice and plan for system maintenance and replacement during cooler weather, which here is about 75% of the year. So if today, or any other day, you are working somewhere in air-conditioned comfort (and warm comfort in winter, when my husband works outside in raw and wet weather), please spare a kind thought for the unseen people who make it possible.” After reading this, you probably guessed it. The next few post are dedicated to heroes, both the famous and the unsung, everyday heroes that we so often take for granted, or fail to appreciate and recognize. There is always one thing that heroes have in common: They use their gifts, talents, and abilities to help others, and make the world a better place. That may put you into the hero category, too! So here’s to all heroes, both known and unknown, recognized and unrecognized! Thank you for making our lives better in some way. If you want to read more about unsung heroes go to http://radgiving.weebly.com/ and read the update and blog pages. |
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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