See it Through

When you're up against a trouble, meet it squarely, face to face;

Lift your chin and set your shoulders, plant your feet and take a brace.

Lift your chin and set your shoulders,

plant your feet and take a brace.

When it's vain to try to dodge it,

do the best you can do;

You may fail, but you may conquer,

See it through!

Black may be the clouds about you,

and you future may seem grim,

but don't let your nerve desert you;

Keep yourself in fighting trim.

If the worst is bound to happen,

Spite of all that you can do,

Running from it will not save you,

See it through!

Even hope may seem but futile;

When with troubles you're beset,

But remember you are facing

Just what other men have met.

You may fail, but fall still fighting;

Don't give up, whate'er you do:

Eyes front, head high to the finish,

See it through!

By Edgar Guest

My First Day as a President by Max Lucado

Best I can guess from looking online, there are twelve steps from the door of the oval office to its desk. I've never been there. Doubt that I ever will. But if ever bequeathed the tittle "President of the United States" I have an idea how I would handle my first day in office.

I would, freshly sworn in as commander of the free world, enter the office, ask my secretary, Chief of Staff, Vice President, Wife, and anyone else who wants to come in, to wait. Give me a few minutes, please. I'd close the door, take the dozen steps across the room, stand for just a second behind the desk, and hit my knees.

With hands folded, head bowed, and heart open I would confess, "God, I don't know how I got here. I don't know how this happened. I don't know what the voters were thinking...but I know this, if you don't take over, we're sunk."

At that point I would present my prayer requests.
- heal the hurts of the land
- stop the violence in this land
- show us how to love each other
- give us a second chance at caring for babies, hungry people, and mountain streams

On and on I'd go. The secretary would buzz, but I'd tell her to wait. The Russian President would call, but we'd put him on hold. My VP would remind me that the parade awaits outside...but hold on, I'm not done yet.

Then, once the prayer was finished, once I'd confessed every fear and claimed every promise, I would rise to shaky legs and send out a decree. On Presidential stationary with Presidential pen I would write: "By virtue of this office, I declare tonight to be "Let's try it again night." I would ask, compel, invite, request, cajole, and recruit every person who has a kitchen table to invite someone dinner. Cook your best chicken or enchilada or chicken enchilada and, for one night, no arguing. Words like Democrat, Republican, Liberal, and Conservative are not allowed and, if used, will prompt and outpouring of mashed potato gravy the lap of the person who says them. For one meal, for one night, we will listen to each other story before we tell our own. We will try to understand how we got angry, so ticked off, so blasted mad, and, before the serving of the pie and the ice cream, we will ask, "Can't we try again?

And, I would suggest that we do what I did - bow our heads and ask for help.

I know. Presidents don't do those things or make such decrees. Then again, maybe they should.

Max Lucado, September 2016

Expand Your Vision of Possibilities

Imagine for a moment that you have been given this one day to live - there are no yesterdays or tomorrows. If that were true, how would you experience this day differently? What would you choose to think. see, and do?

Today truly is when life's drama will unfold. We can learn from the past and plan for tomorrow, but we can't live in the past or future. The present moment is where we will experience life. This day is filled with tremendous possibilities for growth and achievement.

We can choose to dwell on yesterday's hurtful memories, or we can see through the eyes of a child - with newness, joy, and the thrill of adventure.

Pause today. Experience deeply all the sights and sounds around you. Allow yourself to feel each emotion that this day brings. Take a moment to relax and let your imagination flow without limitation. Allow the possibilities of this day to become clear in your mind.

Then walk through this day in keen awareness, mindful of the miracles and possibilities it offers. Today we can build new dreams and discover solutions to unsolved problems. There will be chances to see, hear, touch, taste, feel, laugh, and love that we've never had before.

Dale Carnegie (1888-1955) wisely said. "We all have possibilities we don't know about. We can do things we don't dream we can do."

Inside each person there are possibilities he or she has not discovered. When we rush through the day without observing our thoughts, we overlook those possibilities. Living with intentional awareness will strengthen and broaden our vision of possibilities.

This moment can de a new beginning. There will be thrilling possibilities to see if you will stop, look and listen your mind and heart. To your success"

by Steve Brunkhorst

The Law of the Garbage Truck

One day I hopped in a taxi and we took off for the airport. We were driving in the right lane when suddenly a black car jumped out of a parking space right in front of us.

My taxi driver slammed on his brakes, skidded, and missed the other car by just inches!

The driver of the other car whipped his head around and started yelling at us!

My taxi driver just smiled and waved at the guy. And I mean, really friendly. So I asked, "Why did you just do that? This guy almost ruined your car and sent us to the hospital!"

This is when my taxi driver taught me what I now call, "The Law of the Garbage Truck."

He explained that many people are like garbage trucks. They run around full of garbage (frustration, anger, and disappointment, etc.). As their garbage piles up, they need a place to dump it and sometimes they will dump it on you.

Don't take it personally. Just smile, wave, wish them well, and move on. Don't take their garbage and spread it to other people at work, at home, or on the streets.

The bottom line is that successful people do not let garbage trucks take over their day. Life is too short to wake up in the morning with regrets, so...love the people who treat you right & pray for the ones who don't. Life is ten percent what you make it and ninety percent how you take it!

Have a blessed, garbage free day.

Author Unknown

The Falcon & The Branch

Once there was a king who received a gift of two magnificent falcons. They were peregrine falcons, the most beautiful birds he had ever seen. He gave the precious birds to his head falconer to be trained.

Months passed, and one day the head falconer informed the king that though one of the falcons was flying majestically, soaring high in the sky, the other bird had not moved from its branch since the day it had arrived.

The king summoned healers and sorcerers from all the land to tend to the falcon, but no one could make the bird fly.

He presented the task to the members of his court, but the next day, the king saw through the palace window that the bird had still not moved from its perch.

Having tried everything else, the king thought to himself, "Maybe I need someone familiar with the countryside to understand the nature of this problem." So he cried out to his court, "Go and get me a farmer".

In the morning, the king was thrilled to see the falcon soaring high above the palace gardens. He said to his court, "Bring me the doer of this miracle".

Th court quickly located the farmer, who came and stood before the king. The king asked him, "How did you make the falcon fly?

With his head bowed, the farmer said to the king, "It was very easy, your highness. I simply cut the branch where the bird was sitting."

We are all made to fly - to realize our incredible potential as human beings. But at times we sit in  our branches, clinging to the things that are familiar to us. The possibilities are endless, but for most of us, they remain undiscovered. We conform to the familiar. So for most part, our lives are mediocre instead of exciting, thrilling and fulfilling.

Let us learn to destroy the branch of fear we cling to and free ourselves to the glory of flight.

Author Unknown

The Cockroach Theory for Self Development

At a restaurant, a cockroach suddenly flew from somewhere and sat on a lady.

She started screaming out of fear.

With a panic stricken face and trembling voice, she started jumping, with both her hands desperately trying to get rid of the cockroach.

Her reaction was contagious, as everyone in her group also got panicky.

The lady finally managed to push the cockroach away but...it lands on another lady in the group.

Now, it was the turn of the other lady in the group to continue the drama.

The waiter rushed forward to their rescue. In the relay of throwing, the cockroach next fell upon the waiter.

The waiter stood firm, composed himself and observed the behavior of the cockroach on his shirt. When he was confident enough, he grabbed it with his fingers and threw it out of the restaurant.

Sipping my coffee and watching the amusement, the antenna of my mind picked up a few thoughts and started wondering, was the cockroach responsible for their histrionic behavior?

If so, then why was the waiter was not disturbed? He handled it near to perfection, without any chaos.

It is not the cockroach, but the inability of those people to handle the disturbance caused by the cockroach, that disturbed the ladies.

I realized that, it is not the shouting of my father or my boss or my wife that disturbs me, but it's my inability to handle the disturbances caused by their shouting that disturbs me.

It's not the traffic jams on the road that disturbs me, but my inability to handle the disturbance caused by the traffic jam that disturbs me.

More than a problem, it's my reaction to the problem that creates chaos in mi life.

by Sundar Pichai

Be a Good One

Pablo Picasso, the great Spanish painter and sculptor, once said this about his ability: " My mother said to me, if you become a soldier, you'll be a general; if you became a monk, you'll end up as Pope. Instead, I became a painter and wound up as Picasso, "No lack of confidence here!

But he would have agreed with Abraham Lincoln. "Whatever you are", said Lincoln, "be a good one." He demonstrated the wisdom of that advice with his own life. And in this present age, which often seems to be contented with mediocrity, his words summon a yearning for improvement and growth.

I think it helps to remember that excellence is not a place at which we arrive so much as a way of travelling. To do and be our best is a habit among those who hear and understand Lincoln's admonition.

Viennese-born composer Frederick Loewe, whom we remember from his musical scores that include - My Fair Lady, Gigi and Camelot, was not always famous. He studied piano with the great masters od Europe and achieved huge success as a musician and composer in his early years. But when he immigrated to the United States, he failed as a piano virtuoso. For a while he tried other types of work including prospection for gold and boxing. But he never gave up his dream and continued to play piano and write music.

During those years, he could not always afford to make payments on his piano. One day, bent over the keyboard, he heard nothing but the music that he played with such rare inspiration. When he finished and looked up, he was startled to find that he had an audience - three moving men who were seated on the floor.

They said nothing and made no movement toward the piano. Instead, they dug into their pockets, pooled together enough money for the payment, placed it on the piano and walked out, empty handed. Moved by the beauty of music, these men recognized excellence and responded to it.

Whatever you are, be a good one. If what you do is worth doing, if you believe that who you are is of value, then you can't afford to be content with mediocrity. When you choose the path of excellence through this life, you will bring to it your best and receive the best it can offer in return. And you will know what is to be satisfied.

By Steve Goodier

The Weight of Stress

A psychologist walked around a room while teaching stress management to an audience. As she raised a glass of water, everyone expected they'd asked the "half empty or half full" question.

Instead, with a smile on her face she inquired: "How heavy is this glass of water?"

Answers called out from 8oz. to 20oz.

She replied. "The absolute weight doesn't matter. It depends on how long I hold it. Is I hold it for a minutes it's not a problem. If I hold it for an hour, I'll have ache in my arm. If I hold it for a day, my arm will fell numb and paralyzed. In each case, the weight of the glass doesn't change, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes"

She continued, "The stresses and worries in life are like that glass of water. Think about then for a while and nothing happens. Think about them a bit longer and they begin to hurt. And if you think about them all day long, you will be paralyzed - incapable of doing anything."

It's important to remember to let go of your stresses. As early in the evening as you can, put all your burdens down. Don't carry them through the evening and into the night.

Remember to put the glass down.

Author Unknown

Anger, Envy & Insults

Near Tokyo lived a great Samurai, now old, who decided to teach Zen Buddhism to young people.

One afternoon, a warrior - known for his complete lack of scruples - arrived there. The young and inpatient warrior had never lost a fight. Hearing of the Samurai's reputation, he had come to defeat him, and increase his fame.

All the students were against the idea, but the old man accepted the challenge.

All gathered on the town square, and the young man started insulting the old master. He threw a few rocks in his direction, spat in his face, shouted every insult under the sun - he even insulted his ancestors.

For hours he did everything to provoke him, but the old man remained impassive. At the end of the afternoon, by now felling exhausted and humiliated, the impetuous warrior left.

Disappointed by the fact that the master had received son many insults and provocations, the student asked: "How could you bear such indignity? Why didn't you use you sword, even knowing you might lose the fight, instead of displaying your cowardice in front of us all?"

"If someone comes to you with a gift, and you do no accept it, who does the gift belong to?" asked the old Samurai.

"He who tried to deliver it" - replied one of the disciples.

"The same goes for envy, anger and insult" - said the master. "When they are not accepted, they continue to belong to the one who carried them".

I Am The New Year

I am the New Year.

I am an unspoiled page in your book of time.

I am your next change at the art of living.

I am you opportunity to practice what you have learned about life during the past twelve months.

All that you sought and didn't find is hidden in me, waiting for you to search it out with more determination.

All the good that you tried for and didn't achieved is  mine to grant it when you have fewer conflicting desires.

All that you ever dreamed but didn't dare to do, all that you hoped but did not will, all the faith that you claimed but did not have...

these slumber lightly, waiting to be awakened by the touch of a strong purpose.

I am the opportunity to renew your alliance to Him to said, 

"behold, I make all things new."

I am the New Year.

From Truth Book

Life Is Meant To Be Lived

Life is to be lived. No excuses. No reservations. No holding back.

An enchanting story about violinist Fritz Kreisler tells how he once came across a beautiful instrument he wanted to acquire. When he finally raises the money for the violin, he returned to buy it and learned that it had already been sold to a collector.

 

He went to the new owner's home in order to try to persuade him to sell the violin. But the collector said it was one of his prized possessions and he could not let it go. The disappointed Kreisler turned to leave, but then asked a favor. "May I play the instrument once more before it is consigned to silence?"

 

Permission was granted and the great musician began to play. The violin sang out a quality of music so beautiful that the collector himself could only listen in wonderment." I have no right to keep that to myself", he said after the musician finished. "The violin is yours, Mr. Kreisler. Take it into world, and let people hear it".

 

William Arthur Ward said, "If you believe in prayer, pray; if you believe in serving, serve; if you believe in giving, give. For you and I are exquisite violins - our music is meant to be heard".

 

I want to live my life that way - to take into the world and live it fully. I'd rather burn out than rust out. I'd rather be used up than die not having done whatever I could...wherever I would.

 

I'm not talking about wearing ourselves out on over-activity. Happiness is never found in excessive busyness. But it is found in investing our lives in others. Saying yes when asked for a hand. Volunteering some time for a worthwhile organization. Spending an hour with a lonely relative.

 

In the end, I know that my happiness will not have been about by my ability or my inability. It will have been about my availability. My life meant to be lived.

 

By Steve Goodier

 

 

 

Fear Vs Respect

A long time ago a very cruel king named Virat Singh was ruling the city of Vijay Nagar. All citizens were fearful because of his cruelty.

Virat has a dog named Jack, which he used to love more than anything. One fateful morning Jack died. King Virat organized the last rituals for the dog. The entire city came to the cremation ground.

Virat was very happy to see that people love him so much and he felt he is the most popular king in the world. After a few days Virat died, but no one came to his funeral.

Respect is something you have to earn: you cannot force others to respect you. There is a thin line between fear and respect, every one of us should understand it and do the necessary "corrections" in our personalities.

By: Manoj Sharma, India

The Master's Hand

Wishing to encourage her young son's on the piano, a mother took the small boy to a Paderewski concert. After they were seated, the mother spotted a friend in the audience and walked down the aisle to greet her. Seizing the opportunity to explore the wonders of the concert hall, the little boy rose and eventually explored his way through a door marked "NO ADMITTANCE".

When the house lights dimmed and the concert was about to begin, the mother returned to her seat and discovered that her son was missing. Suddenly, the curtains parted and spotlights focused on the impressive Steinway on stage. In horror, the mother saw her little boy sitting at the keyboard, innocently picking out "Twinkle, Twinkle Little  Star". At that moment, the great piano master made his entrance, quickly moved to the piano, and whispered in the boy's ear, "Don't quit, keep playing".

Then leaning over, Paderewski reached down with his left hand and began filling in a bass part. Soon his right arm reached around to the other side of the child and he added a running obligatio. Together, the old master and the young novice transformed a frightening situation into a wonderfully creative experience. The audience was mesmerized.

That's the way it is with God. What we can accomplish on our own is hardly noteworthy. We try our best, but the results aren't exactly graceful flowing music. But with the hand of the Master, our life's work truly can be beautiful. Next time you set out to accomplish great feats, listen carefully. You can hear the voice of the Master, whispering in you ear, "Don't quit, keep playing". Feel His loving arms around you. Know that His strong hands are playing the concerto of your life.

 

Author Unknown

 

 

 

The Law of Giving and Receiving

by Fred Bauer

When I was a kid living up in Ohio, I made extra money picking strawberries for a man who had a small farm on the edge of the town. He sold his produce from a little roadside stand.

Because I was paid by the quart, I figured the faster  I picked, the more I will make. But the farmer informed me that there was another requirement.

"Don't just fill your boxed to the edge. Fill them till they run over and won't hold anymore" he said.

"I've always operated on the principle  that if I charge a fair price and give my customers a little extra, they will come back again" and they did.

What I learned is that we reap what we sow...in every facet of our lives. Give the  minimum, expect to receive the minimum. Give lavishly, extravagantly, and be rewarded in kind. No that that should be our motivation. But the law that says you can't out give the Lord is immutable. Jesus confirmed it when he preached, "Give and it will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over will be put into your lap. For the measure you give will be the measure you get back".  (Luke 6:38)

It applies to strawberries - and the fruit of the spirit as well.

The Obstacle In Our Path

In ancient times, a King had a boulder placed on a roadway. Then he hid himself and watched to see if anyone would remove the huge rock. Some of the king's wealthiest merchants and courtiers came by and simply walked around it. Many loudly blamed the King for not keeping the roads clear, but non did anything about getting the stone out of the way.

 

Then a peasant came along carrying a load of vegetables. Upon approaching the boulder, the peasant laid down his burden and tried to move the stone to the side of the road. After much pushing and straining, he finally succeeded. After the peasant picked up his load of vegetables, he noticed a purse lying in the road where the boulder had been. The purse contained many gold coins and a note from the King indicating that the gold was for the person who removed the boulder from the roadway.

 

The peasant learned what many of us never understand! Every obstacle presents an opportunity to improve our condition.

 

 

 

The Crisis by Albert Einstein

Do not pretend that things will change if we keep doing the same thing. The crisis is the best blessing that can happen to people and countries, because the crisis brings progress. Creativity is born from anguish as the day is born from the dark night. It is in the crisis where is born the inventiveness, discoveries and great strategies. 

Who overcomes crisis overcomes himself without been overtaken. Who attributes the crisis to its failures and hardships, violent their own talent and respects more problems than solutions. The real crisis, it is the crisis of the incompetence. The disadvantage of the individuals and countries is the indolence to find exists and solutions.

Without crisis there are no challenges, without challenges the life is a routine, a slow agony. Without crisis there are not merits. Is in the crisis where the best thing of each one flourishes.

To speak about crisis it to promote it, and to be quiet in the crisis is to exalt the conformism. Instead of this, let's work hard. Let's finish at once with only threatening crisis, which is the tragedy of not wanting to fight to overcome it.


Albert Einstein

Overcoming Tragedy

It is very sad what has happened in my city this week. From a terrorist attack, a bomb threat in a store to the death of a little boy in one of the most secure places of Florida. The truth is that the world is becoming less secure.

We can feel the sadness of the people wherever we go. We all have been hurt somehow. And now we have the difficult task to explain to our children why this happened. We have cried, and we have prayed together.

But let me see the light that shines in the middle of darkness. We have seen the support, the solidary of the entire world. It is amazing  that a human being who lives far away in another continent has felt the same sadness that we have experienced here in my city. The entire world has made us fell that we are one family on this planet.

That's what human being are made of. We are the same spices created by the same God to make good, not harm. Love, kindness and compassion are in our genes. We were created with those gifts. Those are the values that we need to preserve to move forward and overcome the tragedy.

Although we know that not all mankind thinks the same way, there are some people who live in total darkness, only love can put an end to hatred. Because only love can break down large walls, restore, build, promote and heal.

Today, I will like to inspire you to love more, more, and more.

"Love cannot be killed or destroyed"

 Lin Manuel Miranda

When the time reaches you

For a long time I suffered from neck pain. I am one of those person that have high tolerance to pain. Until I get the day that I could not tolerate anymore. So I finally decided to go the doctor. When I went to the doctor, they did some x-rays and asked me to come back next day.

When I went back next day, they took me a to a difference room. It was a quiet white room with comfortable chairs. My x-rays were in a large screen and I said to myself "something is wrong".
The wear in the bones was visible. The passage of time reached me.

The first thing that came to my mind was my loves ones. And while they were explaining my treatment, they said that I need adjustments beside other therapies.

ADJUSTMENT, this word sound very loud in my mind. Immediately I knew that I need adjustments in my life. Control stress, sleep more, eat better, laugh more,worry less and spend more time with my family.

To those that the time also reached you, don't be afraid. It is just a change of path in our life journey.
It is a time for adjustments, a time to be grateful for every second of life.

In this new direction that mi life is going, I am sure that I am not alone. My God and my family are with me wherever I go. Life might be tough but I have got a God that is tougher.

You are unique

A King went to his garden and discovered that its trees, shrubs and flowers were dying.

The Oak told him that he was dying because it could not be as high as the pine.

 

Turning to the Pine tree, found it fallen because it could not give grapes as the Vine.

The Vine was dying because it could not bloom like the Rose.

 

And the Rose was crying for not been strong and solid like the Oak.

 

Then the king found another plant, a blooming Carnation. The king asked: How is it that you grow so healthy in the middle of this faded and shaded garden?

 

The flower answered: Because I always knew that when you planted me you wanted carnations. In that moment I said to myself: I will try to be the most beautiful carnation of this garden and here I am.

 

 Sometimes that happens to us. We live withering lives: in our proper dissatisfactions, in our absurd comparisons with the others. If I was, if I had, if life was...always bringing together an uncertain future, instead of a concrete present. Not wanting to see that happiness is our decision.

 

We will be able to bloom the day that we accept that this is what we are, that God created us unique and unrepeatable.

 

Choose today to be happy with what you are and remember that you are unique.

Unknown author

 

Sleep when the wind blows

Some years ago a landowner was a looking for employees to work on his lawn located along the cost of South Atlantic. He offered the job to many people, but he received many rejections because his lawn was located in an area where horrible storms passed and destroyed the region.

Finally, a little man come closer to the landowner.
- Are you a good farmer? the landowner asked him.
- Very well, I can sleep when the wind blows, the little man answered.
Quite confused with the response, the landowner, desperate for help hired him.

The little man took care of the entire field.Staying busy from dawn to dusk. The landowner was satisfied with his work.

One night, the wind blew noisily.The landowner jumped out of the bed, grabbed a lamp and ran up to the employee house. He shouted Him: Get up! A storm is coming! The little man turned around in the bed and told him: No sir, I already told you, that I can sleep when the wing blows.

Infuriated by the response, the landowner was tempted to fire him. But instead he hurried to go out and prepare the land for the storm. For his astonishment all hay piles had been covered with canvases firmly tied to the soil, the cows were protected in the barn, the chickens in the coop, the windows properly closed and secured. Everything was tied.

The landowner then understood what his employee had meant him. And his returned to its bed also to sleep when the wind was blowing.

When you are spiritually, mentally & physically prepared you don't have nothing to be afraid.