"A faithful friend is a sturdy shelter; he who finds one finds a treasure. A faithful friend is beyond price, no sum can balance his worth. A faithful friend is a life-saving remedy…"
A LOVE STORY
One day, I woke early in the morning to watch the sunrise. Ah the beauty of God's creation is beyond description. As I watched, I praised God for His beautiful work. As I sat there, I felt the Lord's presence with me.
He asked me, "Do you love me?"
I answered, "Of course, God! You are my Lord and Saviour!"
Then He asked, "If you were physically handicapped, would you still love me?"
I was perplexed. I looked down upon my arms, legs and the rest of my body and wondered how many things I wouldn't; be able to do, the things that I took for granted.
And I answered, "It would be tough Lord, but I would still love You."
Then the Lord said, "If you were blind, would you still love my creation?" How could I love something without being able to see it? Then I thought of all the blind people in the world and how many of them still loved God and His creation.
So I answered, "Its hard to think of it, but I would still love you."
The Lord then asked me, "If you were deaf, would you still listen to my word?" How could I listen to anything being deaf?
Then I understood. Listening to God's Word is not merely using our ears, but our hearts.
I answered, "It would be tough, but I would still listen to Your word."
The Lord then asked, "If you were mute, would you still praise My Name?"
How could I praise without a voice? Then it occurred to me: God wants us to sing from our very heart and soul. It never matters what we sound like. And praising God is not always with a song, but when we are persecuted, we give God praise with our words of thanks.
So I answered, "Though I could not physically sing, I would still praise Your Name."
And the Lord asked, "Do you really love Me?"
With courage and a strong conviction, I answered boldly, "Yes Lord! I love You because You are the one and true God!"
I thought I had answered well, but God asked, "THEN WHY DO YOU SIN?"
I answered, "Because I am only human. I am not perfect."
"THEN WHY IN TIMES OF PEACE DO YOU STRAY THE FURTHEST? WHY ONLY IN TIMES OF TROUBLE DO YOU PRAY THE EARNEST?"
No answers. Only tears.
The Lord continued: "Why only sing at fellowships and retreats? Why seek Me only in times of worship? Why ask things so selfishly? Why ask things so unfaithfully?"
The tears continued to roll down my cheeks.
"Why are you ashamed of Me? Why are you not spreading the good news? Why in times of persecution, you cry to others when I offer My shoulder to cry on? Why make excuses when I give you opportunities to serve in My Name?"
I tried to answer, but there was no answer to give.
"You are blessed with life. I made you not to throw this gift away. I have blessed you with talents to serve Me, but you continue to turn away. I have revealed My Word to you, but you do not gain in knowledge. I have spoken to you but your ears were closed. I have shown My blessings to you, but your eyes were turned away. I have sent you servants, but you sat idly by as they were pushed away. I have heard your prayers and I have answered them all."
DO YOU TRULY LOVE ME ?"
I could not answer. How could I? I was embarrassed beyond belief. I had no excuse. What could I say to this? My heart had cried out and the tears had flowed, I said, Please forgive me Lord. I am unworthy to be Your child."
The Lord answered, " That is My Grace, My child."
I asked, " Then why do you continue to forgive me? Why do You love me so?"
The Lord answered, "Because you are My creation. You are my child. I will never abandon you. When you cry, I will have compassion and cry with you. When you shout with joy, I will laugh with you. When you are down, I will encourage you. When you fall, I will raise you up. When you are tired, I will carry you. I will be with you till the end of days, and I will love you forever."
Never had I cried so hard before. How could I have been so cold? How could I have hurt God as I had done?
I asked God, "How much do You love me?"
The Lord stretched out His arms, and I saw His nail-pierced hands. I bowed down at the feet of Christ, my Saviour. And for the first time, I truly prayed.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Monday, March 22, 2010
Becoming A Better Person
What happens to a man is less significant than what happens within him.
- Louis L. Mann
There are times when a man should be content with what he has but never with what he is.
- William George Jordan
Your thoughts are the architects of your destiny.
- David O. McKay
When a man finds no peace within himself, it is useless to seek it elsewhere.
- L. A. Rouchefolicauld
The most important of life's battles is the one we fight daily in the silent chambers of the soul.
- David O. McKay
One cannot think crooked and walk straight.
- Anonymous
There is nothing as remarkable as learning how to think better.
- Anonymous
The soul is covered with the color of its leisure thoughts.
- Anonymous
What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.girl doing laundry
- Anonymous
Are you fit company for the person you wish to become?
- Anonymous
Sow a thought, and you reap an act;
Sow an act, and you reap a habit;
Sow a habit, and you reap a character;
Sow a character, and you reap a destiny.
- Charles Reade
If you don't learn from your mistakes, there's no sense making them.
- Anonymous
Look within, for within is the wellspring of virtue, which will not cease flowing, if you cease not from digging.
- Marcus Aurelius
That first peak is the best place to pause and look back, to see if you took the easiest route, to learn the lessons from the first climb. And it is the best place to examine the terrain ahead, to change your plans and goals, to take a deep breath and begin climbing again.
- By Michael Johnson
- Louis L. Mann
There are times when a man should be content with what he has but never with what he is.
- William George Jordan
Your thoughts are the architects of your destiny.
- David O. McKay
When a man finds no peace within himself, it is useless to seek it elsewhere.
- L. A. Rouchefolicauld
The most important of life's battles is the one we fight daily in the silent chambers of the soul.
- David O. McKay
One cannot think crooked and walk straight.
- Anonymous
There is nothing as remarkable as learning how to think better.
- Anonymous
The soul is covered with the color of its leisure thoughts.
- Anonymous
What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.girl doing laundry
- Anonymous
Are you fit company for the person you wish to become?
- Anonymous
Sow a thought, and you reap an act;
Sow an act, and you reap a habit;
Sow a habit, and you reap a character;
Sow a character, and you reap a destiny.
- Charles Reade
If you don't learn from your mistakes, there's no sense making them.
- Anonymous
Look within, for within is the wellspring of virtue, which will not cease flowing, if you cease not from digging.
- Marcus Aurelius
That first peak is the best place to pause and look back, to see if you took the easiest route, to learn the lessons from the first climb. And it is the best place to examine the terrain ahead, to change your plans and goals, to take a deep breath and begin climbing again.
- By Michael Johnson
Overcoming Life Challenges
Defeat is not the worst of failures. Not to have tried is the true failure.
-George Edward Woodberry
Dream no small dreams for they have no power to move the hearts of men.
-Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
There is nothing to fear but fear itself.
-Franklin D. Roosevelt
In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.
- Albert Einstein
The true measure of a man is not how he behaves in moments of comfort and convenience but how he stands at times of controversy and challenges.
- Martin Luther King Jr.
It's not whether you get knocked down. It's whether you get up again.
-Vince Lombardi
Difficulties are meant to rouse, not discourage. The human spirit is to grow strong by conflict.
-William Ellery Channing
Challenges are what make life interesting; overcoming them is what makes life meaningful.
-Joshua J. Marine
Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds.
- Albert Einstein
Accept challenges, so that you may feel the exhilaration of victory.
-George S. Patton
All misfortune is but a stepping stone to fortune.
-Henry David Thoreau
Fractures well cured make us more strong.
-Ralph Waldo Emerson
A gentleman can withstand hardships; it is only the small man who, when submitted to them, is swept off his feet.
-Confucius
The gem cannot be polished without friction, nor man be perfected without trials.
-Danish Proverb
Problems are only opportunities in work clothes.
-Henry J. Kaise
What is defeat? Nothing but education; nothing but the first steps to something better.
-Proverb
It is the surmounting of difficulties that make heroes.
-Louis Kossuth
History has demonstrated that the most notable winners usually encountered heartbreaking obstacles before they triumphed. They won because they refused to become discouraged by their defeats.
-B. C. Forbes
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
Press on. Obstacles are seldom the same size tomorrow as they are today.
-Robert H. Schuller
Obstacles can't stop you. Problems can't stop you. Most of all other people can't stop you. Only you can stop you
-Jeffrey Gitomer
Obstacles don't have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don't turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it.
-Michael Jordan
It may sound strange, but many champions are made champions by setbacks.
-Bob Richards
Troubles are often the tools by which God fashions us for better things.
-Henry Ward Beecher
Victory is always possible for the person who refuses to stop fighting.
-Napoleon Hill
Show me someone who has done something worthwhile, and I'll show you someone who has overcome adversity.
-Lou Holtz
Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will.
-Mahatma Gandhi
The beauty of the soul shines out when a man bears with composure one heavy mischance after another, not because he does not feel them, but because he is a man of high and heroic temper.
-Aristotle
Kites rise highest against the wind-not with it.
-Sir Winston Churchill
I would never have amounted to anything were it not for adversity. I was forced to come up the hard way.
-J. C. Penney
If you're going through hell, keep going.
-Sir Winston Churchill
We shall draw from the heart of suffering itself the means of inspiration and survival.
-Sir Winston Churchill
You become a champion by fighting one more round. When things are tough, you fight one more round.
-James J. Corbett
You don't develop courage by being happy in your relationships everyday. You develop it by surviving difficult times and challenging adversity.
-Barbara De Angelis
You may not realize it when it happens, but a kick in the teeth may be the best thing in the world for you.
-Walt Disney
The greater the difficulty, the more glory in surmounting it. Skillful pilots gain their reputation from storms and tempests.
-Epictetus
The greatest glory in living lies not in never failing, but in rising every time we fail.
-Nelson Mandela
Determination gives you the resolve to keep going in spite of the roadblocks that lay before you.
-Denis Waitley
Don't give up at half time. Concentrate on winning the second half.
-Paul "Bear" Bryant
Every person who wins in any undertaking must be willing to cut all sources of retreat. Only by doing so can one be sure of maintaining that state of mind known as a burning desire to win - ssential to success.
-Napoleon Hill
Every worthwhile accomplishment, big or little, has its stages of drudgery and triumph; a beginning, a struggle and a victory
-Gandhi
Let us not be content to wait and see what will happen, but give us the determination to make the right things happen.
-Peter Marshall
Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all.
-Dale Carnegie
If your determination is fixed, I do not counsel you to despair. Few things are impossible to diligence and skill. Great works are performed not by strength, but perseverance.
-Samuel Johnson
It is common sense to take a method and try it. If it fails, admit it frankly and try another. But above all, try something.
-Franklin D Roosevelt
It was courage, faith, endurance and a dogged determination to surmount all obstacles that built this bridge.
-John J. Watson
It’s a very funny thing about life; if you refuse to accept anything but the best, you very often get it.
-William Somerset Maugham
Those who wish to sing, always find a song.
-Swedish Proverb
To him who is determined it remains only to act.
Italian Proverb
Tough times never last, but tough people do.
-Dr. Robert Schuller
The difference between the impossible and the possible lies in a person's determination.
-Tommy Lasorda
-George Edward Woodberry
Dream no small dreams for they have no power to move the hearts of men.
-Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
There is nothing to fear but fear itself.
-Franklin D. Roosevelt
In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.
- Albert Einstein
The true measure of a man is not how he behaves in moments of comfort and convenience but how he stands at times of controversy and challenges.
- Martin Luther King Jr.
It's not whether you get knocked down. It's whether you get up again.
-Vince Lombardi
Difficulties are meant to rouse, not discourage. The human spirit is to grow strong by conflict.
-William Ellery Channing
Challenges are what make life interesting; overcoming them is what makes life meaningful.
-Joshua J. Marine
Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds.
- Albert Einstein
Accept challenges, so that you may feel the exhilaration of victory.
-George S. Patton
All misfortune is but a stepping stone to fortune.
-Henry David Thoreau
Fractures well cured make us more strong.
-Ralph Waldo Emerson
A gentleman can withstand hardships; it is only the small man who, when submitted to them, is swept off his feet.
-Confucius
The gem cannot be polished without friction, nor man be perfected without trials.
-Danish Proverb
Problems are only opportunities in work clothes.
-Henry J. Kaise
What is defeat? Nothing but education; nothing but the first steps to something better.
-Proverb
It is the surmounting of difficulties that make heroes.
-Louis Kossuth
History has demonstrated that the most notable winners usually encountered heartbreaking obstacles before they triumphed. They won because they refused to become discouraged by their defeats.
-B. C. Forbes
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
Press on. Obstacles are seldom the same size tomorrow as they are today.
-Robert H. Schuller
Obstacles can't stop you. Problems can't stop you. Most of all other people can't stop you. Only you can stop you
-Jeffrey Gitomer
Obstacles don't have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don't turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it.
-Michael Jordan
It may sound strange, but many champions are made champions by setbacks.
-Bob Richards
Troubles are often the tools by which God fashions us for better things.
-Henry Ward Beecher
Victory is always possible for the person who refuses to stop fighting.
-Napoleon Hill
Show me someone who has done something worthwhile, and I'll show you someone who has overcome adversity.
-Lou Holtz
Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will.
-Mahatma Gandhi
The beauty of the soul shines out when a man bears with composure one heavy mischance after another, not because he does not feel them, but because he is a man of high and heroic temper.
-Aristotle
Kites rise highest against the wind-not with it.
-Sir Winston Churchill
I would never have amounted to anything were it not for adversity. I was forced to come up the hard way.
-J. C. Penney
If you're going through hell, keep going.
-Sir Winston Churchill
We shall draw from the heart of suffering itself the means of inspiration and survival.
-Sir Winston Churchill
You become a champion by fighting one more round. When things are tough, you fight one more round.
-James J. Corbett
You don't develop courage by being happy in your relationships everyday. You develop it by surviving difficult times and challenging adversity.
-Barbara De Angelis
You may not realize it when it happens, but a kick in the teeth may be the best thing in the world for you.
-Walt Disney
The greater the difficulty, the more glory in surmounting it. Skillful pilots gain their reputation from storms and tempests.
-Epictetus
The greatest glory in living lies not in never failing, but in rising every time we fail.
-Nelson Mandela
Determination gives you the resolve to keep going in spite of the roadblocks that lay before you.
-Denis Waitley
Don't give up at half time. Concentrate on winning the second half.
-Paul "Bear" Bryant
Every person who wins in any undertaking must be willing to cut all sources of retreat. Only by doing so can one be sure of maintaining that state of mind known as a burning desire to win - ssential to success.
-Napoleon Hill
Every worthwhile accomplishment, big or little, has its stages of drudgery and triumph; a beginning, a struggle and a victory
-Gandhi
Let us not be content to wait and see what will happen, but give us the determination to make the right things happen.
-Peter Marshall
Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all.
-Dale Carnegie
If your determination is fixed, I do not counsel you to despair. Few things are impossible to diligence and skill. Great works are performed not by strength, but perseverance.
-Samuel Johnson
It is common sense to take a method and try it. If it fails, admit it frankly and try another. But above all, try something.
-Franklin D Roosevelt
It was courage, faith, endurance and a dogged determination to surmount all obstacles that built this bridge.
-John J. Watson
It’s a very funny thing about life; if you refuse to accept anything but the best, you very often get it.
-William Somerset Maugham
Those who wish to sing, always find a song.
-Swedish Proverb
To him who is determined it remains only to act.
Italian Proverb
Tough times never last, but tough people do.
-Dr. Robert Schuller
The difference between the impossible and the possible lies in a person's determination.
-Tommy Lasorda
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
LOVE: Where Success Begins
You may climb the ladder to success, but what keeps you from sliding right back down once you arrive? There is a powerful force that cannot be held captive by our thoughts, emotions, fears, or outside limitations; the one thing that builds a firm foundation that time and circumstance cannot erode. Without it, you are subject to great failings and a meager existence; with it, you experience unlimited possibility and unstoppable freedom. What is this force? Its name is LOVE!
The absolute best definition of love I have ever found is this, "Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails" (1 Corinthians 13:4-8).
If you are thinking that's a pretty tall order, you would be right! But when God issues an order to love, He provides us with the means to do it; that means it is through his Son, Jesus Christ. When I accepted Jesus as my Savior, I learned He would help me love Him and others by expressing His love through me. I certainly can't do it on my own! No one can!
You are God's workmanship!
Once you make yourself available to love God and His ways, you have to learn to love yourself. Not with a self-centered or conceited type of love, but with a genuine love for who God created you to be. He made you and loves you; now you have an obligation to appreciate His handiwork!
Loving God and yourself provides a firm foundation that prepares you to love others and to achieve greatness. Love includes self discipline, taking personal responsibility for your life, and realizing you have a part to play in your success. Operating from the basis of love insulates you from selfish greed, immoral decisions, and the poison of unforgiveness.
One of the saddest things to observe is a person's rise to success and power followed by a tremendous fall. Often this is because the person's talent took him or her higher than the depth of their character could support. When a person has a shallow character, they do not have the firm foundation they need to stay at the top.
How should I show love to others?
I've established several habits that I use to show love for others in my personal and business life. By these principles I show respect, focus on people's strengths, and treat them like I would like to be treated.
·Noticing: Rather than rushing by, slow down and acknowledge the person near you, even if it's with a nod and a smile.
·Listening: Make a point to truly listen, not just talk. People will tell you amazing things if you take the time to listen.
·Asking questions: Ask questions that show you are listening and attentive; that what they are expressing is valuable to you.
·Discovering their interests: Become acquainted with what interests a person. I've actually ended up hiring people after I took the time to learn their interests.
The benefits of love
#1 - For our benefit: God is more interested in our personal growth and character development than He is in our ease and comfort. That's why we are called to love even those who have hurt or betrayed us. Not with a sloppy indulgent love, but with a love that believes for redemption and restoration to a healthier state of being.
God even promises to reward us for showing love through our actions: "But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be the sons of the Most High"( Luke 6:35).
#2 - For others' benefit: When we show love for someone when they don't deserve our love or forgiveness, we plant a powerful seed. I've had numerous people become curious about my faith when they either experienced or observed my love in action. I was able to share about my Savior and the great sacrifice He paid for my own salvation and for theirs.
It is God's will that you love yourself and others by allowing His love to pour through you. In the end, love is simply part of your service to others. Love is not always returned, therefore be satisfied that you have been obedient and leave any rewards for that obedience to God.
As you climb your ladder of success in your personal and business life, take with you the one sure thing that is necessary to stay there…the one force that is more powerful than any other in the world; the source of unlimited possibility and unstoppable freedom. That force is LOVE!
The absolute best definition of love I have ever found is this, "Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails" (1 Corinthians 13:4-8).
If you are thinking that's a pretty tall order, you would be right! But when God issues an order to love, He provides us with the means to do it; that means it is through his Son, Jesus Christ. When I accepted Jesus as my Savior, I learned He would help me love Him and others by expressing His love through me. I certainly can't do it on my own! No one can!
You are God's workmanship!
Once you make yourself available to love God and His ways, you have to learn to love yourself. Not with a self-centered or conceited type of love, but with a genuine love for who God created you to be. He made you and loves you; now you have an obligation to appreciate His handiwork!
Loving God and yourself provides a firm foundation that prepares you to love others and to achieve greatness. Love includes self discipline, taking personal responsibility for your life, and realizing you have a part to play in your success. Operating from the basis of love insulates you from selfish greed, immoral decisions, and the poison of unforgiveness.
One of the saddest things to observe is a person's rise to success and power followed by a tremendous fall. Often this is because the person's talent took him or her higher than the depth of their character could support. When a person has a shallow character, they do not have the firm foundation they need to stay at the top.
How should I show love to others?
I've established several habits that I use to show love for others in my personal and business life. By these principles I show respect, focus on people's strengths, and treat them like I would like to be treated.
·Noticing: Rather than rushing by, slow down and acknowledge the person near you, even if it's with a nod and a smile.
·Listening: Make a point to truly listen, not just talk. People will tell you amazing things if you take the time to listen.
·Asking questions: Ask questions that show you are listening and attentive; that what they are expressing is valuable to you.
·Discovering their interests: Become acquainted with what interests a person. I've actually ended up hiring people after I took the time to learn their interests.
The benefits of love
#1 - For our benefit: God is more interested in our personal growth and character development than He is in our ease and comfort. That's why we are called to love even those who have hurt or betrayed us. Not with a sloppy indulgent love, but with a love that believes for redemption and restoration to a healthier state of being.
God even promises to reward us for showing love through our actions: "But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be the sons of the Most High"( Luke 6:35).
#2 - For others' benefit: When we show love for someone when they don't deserve our love or forgiveness, we plant a powerful seed. I've had numerous people become curious about my faith when they either experienced or observed my love in action. I was able to share about my Savior and the great sacrifice He paid for my own salvation and for theirs.
It is God's will that you love yourself and others by allowing His love to pour through you. In the end, love is simply part of your service to others. Love is not always returned, therefore be satisfied that you have been obedient and leave any rewards for that obedience to God.
As you climb your ladder of success in your personal and business life, take with you the one sure thing that is necessary to stay there…the one force that is more powerful than any other in the world; the source of unlimited possibility and unstoppable freedom. That force is LOVE!
Man cannot live without love. He remains a being that is incomprehensible for himself, his life is senseless, if love is not revealed to him, if he does not encounter love, if he does not experience it and make it his own, if he does not participate intimately in it.
-Pope John Paul II
just4real
Email:just4real_ng@yahoo.com
+2348053418607
"When u discover ur mission,u'll feel its demand.It 'll fill u wit enthusiasm and a burning desire to get to work on it".
Monday, March 8, 2010
WHAT DIRECTION ARE YOU GOING IN LIFE?
Are you going in the direction you had planned, or are you moving away from what you don't want in life? Make sure you know the difference by setting goals and sticking to them.
Today’s topic is “what direction are you going” – is it in the direction of where you wish to go due to a predetermined thought process? Or, are you just going in the direction away from what you don’t want in life? There’s a huge difference, pick the wrong choice and you are doomed to a life of mediocrity. If you say to yourself “I just want out of this crazy job!” every day, instead of actively working on a plan to make a different path for yourself, you are focusing on the wrong thing completely.
I know we all get off track now and again, but many people I speak with aren’t really focused in any specific direction most of the time. Why is that? Either they don’t have well-defined goals, or they become too caught up in the “minutia” of daily life, the problems, and the setbacks, and lose their focus. First, you must have specific goals that you want to either accomplish in the short term, or long term (hopefully both!). If you don’t have written goals, what path are you following to get where you want to go? This is so critical, if you don’t have a list of written goals I want you to stop reading this right now and go take 20 minutes to make one. Don’t worry, I’ll wait…
Ok, glad you got that accomplished! Ok, so now that you’re focused on what you want in life, you don’t have to worry at all about the other stuff, right? Well, not exactly. When things don’t work out the way we planned due to some unexpected result or event, we have the power to either acknowledge the situation and move on, or dwell on “why this crap always happens to me”. Say I’m working on a way to get myself a promotion at work, and things are looking pretty good. I have suggested some ways to save the company money, and even implemented some plan that will accomplish it with little overhead. The boss is happy, I’m looking good. Then the plan has a setback, unexpectedly, when it looks like it may cost more to implement than I planned. Do I give up? Of course not, I’m so close I can taste it. This is just a bump in the road, and I will just put my mind to work and figure out a way to do it for less.
You see we all have problems and setbacks, but how you deal with them is the difference between success and failure in life. If you have a direction that you know in your heart is what you want, nothing can stop you except you! Dealing with the little things is a piece of cake, right? You have to get to a point where they are all “little things”, because you are so focused on what you want that nothing even slows you down from reaching your goals. Don’t ever avoid problems, become a super-hero of problem solving! After you get good at facing and solving problems, your success is that much closer since you will have so much more time and energy to focus on your goals rather than on problems. That way you will spend the majority of your time chasing dreams, rather than running away from problems!
Today’s topic is “what direction are you going” – is it in the direction of where you wish to go due to a predetermined thought process? Or, are you just going in the direction away from what you don’t want in life? There’s a huge difference, pick the wrong choice and you are doomed to a life of mediocrity. If you say to yourself “I just want out of this crazy job!” every day, instead of actively working on a plan to make a different path for yourself, you are focusing on the wrong thing completely.
I know we all get off track now and again, but many people I speak with aren’t really focused in any specific direction most of the time. Why is that? Either they don’t have well-defined goals, or they become too caught up in the “minutia” of daily life, the problems, and the setbacks, and lose their focus. First, you must have specific goals that you want to either accomplish in the short term, or long term (hopefully both!). If you don’t have written goals, what path are you following to get where you want to go? This is so critical, if you don’t have a list of written goals I want you to stop reading this right now and go take 20 minutes to make one. Don’t worry, I’ll wait…
Ok, glad you got that accomplished! Ok, so now that you’re focused on what you want in life, you don’t have to worry at all about the other stuff, right? Well, not exactly. When things don’t work out the way we planned due to some unexpected result or event, we have the power to either acknowledge the situation and move on, or dwell on “why this crap always happens to me”. Say I’m working on a way to get myself a promotion at work, and things are looking pretty good. I have suggested some ways to save the company money, and even implemented some plan that will accomplish it with little overhead. The boss is happy, I’m looking good. Then the plan has a setback, unexpectedly, when it looks like it may cost more to implement than I planned. Do I give up? Of course not, I’m so close I can taste it. This is just a bump in the road, and I will just put my mind to work and figure out a way to do it for less.
You see we all have problems and setbacks, but how you deal with them is the difference between success and failure in life. If you have a direction that you know in your heart is what you want, nothing can stop you except you! Dealing with the little things is a piece of cake, right? You have to get to a point where they are all “little things”, because you are so focused on what you want that nothing even slows you down from reaching your goals. Don’t ever avoid problems, become a super-hero of problem solving! After you get good at facing and solving problems, your success is that much closer since you will have so much more time and energy to focus on your goals rather than on problems. That way you will spend the majority of your time chasing dreams, rather than running away from problems!
There is little difference in people, but that little difference makes a big difference. The little difference is attitude. The big difference is whether it is positive or negative." W. Clement Stoned
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Imagine What May Have Taken Place On That Day
He placed one scoop of clay upon another until a form lay lifeless on the ground. All of the Garden's inhabitants paused to witness the event. Hawks hovered. Giraffes stretched. Trees bowed. Butterflies paused on petals and watched. "You will love me, nature," God said. "I made you that way. You will obey me, universe. For you were designed to do so. You will reflect my glory, skies, for that is how you were created. But this one will be like me. This one will be able to choose." All were silent as the Creator reached into himself and removed something yet unseen. A seed. "it's called 'choice.' The seed of choice." Creation stood in silence and gazed upon the lifeless form. An angel spoke, "But what if he …" "What if he chooses not to love?" the Creator finished. "Come, I will show you." Unbound by today, God and the angel walked into the realm of tomorrow. "There, see the fruit of the seed of choice, both the sweet and the bitter." The angel gasped at what he saw. Spontaneous love. Voluntary devotion. Chosen tenderness. Never had he seen anything like these. He felt the love of the Adams. He heard the joy of Eve and her daughters. He saw the food and the burdens shared. He absorbed the kindness and marveled at the warmth. "Heaven has never seen such beauty, my Lord. Truly, this is your greatest creation." "Ah, but you've only seen the sweet. Now witness the bitter." A stench enveloped the pair. The angel turned in horror and proclaimed, "What is it?" The Creator spoke only one word: "Selfishness." The angel stood speechless as they passed through centuries of repugnance. Never had he seen such filth. Rotten hearts. Ruptured promises. Forgotten loyalties. Children of the creation wandering blindly in lonely labyrinths. "This is the result of choice? the angel asked. "Yes." "They will forget you?" "Yes." "They will reject you?" "Yes." They will never come back? "Some will. Most won't." "What will it take to make them listen?" The Creator walked on in time, further and further into the future, until he stood by a tree. A tree that would be fashioned into a cradle. Even then he could smell the hay that would surround him. With another step into the future, he paused before another tree. It stood alone, a stubborn ruler on a bald hill. The trunk was thick, and the wood was strong. Soon it would be cut. Soon it would be trimmed. Soon it would be mounted on the stony brow of another hill. And soon he would be hung on it. He felt the wood rub against a back he did not yet wear. "Will you go down there?" the angel asked. "I will." "Is there no other way?" "There is not." "Wouldn't it be easier to not plant the seed? Wouldn't it be easier to not give the choice?" "It would," the Creator spoke slowly. "But to remove the choice is to remove the love." He look around the hill and foresaw a scene. Three figures hung on three crosses. Arms spread. Heads fallen forward. They moaned with the wind. Men clad in soldier's garb sat on the ground near the trio. They played games in the dirt and laughed. Men clad in religion stood off to one side. They smiled. Arrogant, cocky. They had protected God, they thought by killing this false one. Women clad in sorrow huddled at the foot of the hill. Speechless. Faces tear streaked. Eyes downward. One put her arm around another and tried to lead her away. She wouldn't leave. "I will stay," she said softly, "I will stay." All heaven stood to fight. All nature rose to rescue. All eternity poised to protect. But the Creator gave no command. "It must be done…," he said, and withdrew. But as he stepped in time, he heard the cry that he would someday scream: "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" He wrenched at tomorrow's agony. The angel spoke again. "I would be less painful…" The Creator interrupted softly. "But it wouldn't be love." They stepped into the Garden again. The Maker looked earnestly at the clay creation. A monsoon of love swelled up within him. He had died for the creation before he had made him. God's form bent over the sculptured face and breathed. Dust stirred on the lips of the new one. The chest rose, cracking the red mud. The cheeks fleshened. A finger moved. And an eye opened. But more incredible than the moving of the flesh was the stirring of the spirit. Those who could see the unseen gasped. Perhaps it was the wind who said it first. Perhaps what the star saw that moment is what has made it blink ever since. Maybe it was left to an angel to whisper it: "It looks like … it appears to so much like … it is him!" The angel wasn't speaking of the face, the features, or the body. He was looking inside - at the soul. "It's eternal!" gasped another. Within the man, God has placed a divine seed. A seed of his self. The God of might had created earth's mightiest. The Creator had created, not a creature, but another creator. And the One who had chosen to love had created one who could love in return. Now it's our choice. |
Share Your Time
A man came home from work late again, tired and irritated, to find his 5 year old son waiting for him at the door. "Daddy, may I ask you a question?"
"Yeah, sure, what is it?" replied the man.
"Daddy, how much money do you make an hour?
"That's none of your business! What makes you ask such a thing?" the man said angrily.
"I just want to know. Please tell me, how much do you make an hour?" pleaded the little boy.
"If you must know, I make $20.00 an hour."
"Oh," the little boy replied, head bowed. Looking up, he said, "Daddy, may I borrow $10.00 please?"
The father was furious. "If the only reason you wanted to know how much money I make is just so you can borrow some to buy a silly toy or some other nonsense, then you march yourself straight to your room and go to bed. Think about why you're being so selfish. I work long, hard hours everyday and don't have time for such childish games."
The little boy quietly went to his room and shut the door. The man sat down and started to get even madder about the little boy's questioning. How dare him ask such questions only to get some money.
After an hour or so, the man had calmed down, and started to think he may have been a little hard on his son. Maybe there was something he really needed to buy with that $10.00, and he really didn't ask for money very often. The man went to the door of the little boy's room and opened the door. "Are you asleep son?" he asked.
"No daddy, I'm awake," replied the boy.
"I've been thinking, maybe I was too hard on you earlier," said the man. "It's been a long day and I took my aggravation out on you. Here's that $10.00 you asked for."
The little boy sat straight up, beaming. "Oh, thank you daddy!" he yelled. Then, reaching under his pillow, he pulled out some more crumpled up bills. The man, seeing that the boy already had money, started to get angry again. The little boy slowly counted out his money, then looked up at the man.
"Why did you want more money if you already had some?" the father grumbled.
"Because I didn't have enough, but now I do," the little boy replied.
"Daddy, I have $20.00 now. Can I buy an hour of your time?"
Share some time with those who need you.
They need our time more then we will ever know.
They need our time more then we will ever know.
THE BRIDGE BUILDER
An old man, going a lone highway,
Came, at the evening, cold and gray,
To a chasm, vast, and deep, and wide,
Through which was flowing a sullen tide.
The old man crossed in the twilight dim;
The sullen stream had no fears for him;
But he turned, when safe on the other side,
And built a bridge to span the tide.
"Old man," said a fellow pilgrim, near,
"You are wasting strength with building here;
Your journey will end with the ending day;
You never again must pass this way;
You have crossed the chasm, deep and wide-
Why build you a bridge at the eventide?"
The builder lifted his old gray head:
"Good friend, in the path I have come," he said,
"There followeth after me today,
A youth, whose feet must pass this way.
This chasm, that has been naught to me,
To that fair-haired youth may a pitfall be.
He, too, must cross in the twilight dim;
Good friend, I am building the bridge for him."
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)