LOVE, WEALTH, OR SUCCESS?

A woman came out of her house and saw 3 old men with long white beards sitting in her front yard. She did not recognize them.

She said "I don't think I know you, but you must be hungry. Please come in and have something to eat."

"Is the man of the house home?", they asked.

"No", she said. "He's out."

"Then we cannot come in", they replied.

In the evening when her husband came home, she told him what had happened. "Go tell them I am home and invite them in!" The woman went out and invited the men in.

"We do not go into a House together," they replied. "Why is that?" she wanted to know. One of the old men explained: "His name is Wealth," he said pointing to one of his friends, and said pointing to another one, "He is Success, and I am Love." Then he added, "Now go in and discuss with your husband which one of us you want in your home."

The woman went in and told her husband what was said. Her husband was overjoyed. "How nice!!", he said. "Since that is the case, let us invite Wealth. Let him come and fill our home with wealth!" His wife disagreed. "My dear, why don't we invite Success?" Their daughter-in-law was listening from the other corner of the house. She jumped in with her own suggestion: "Would it not be better to invite Love? Our home will then be filled with love!" "Let us agree to our daughter-in-law's advice," said the husband to his wife. "Go out and invite Love to be our guest."

The woman went out and asked the 3 old men, "Which one of you is Love Please come in and be our guest." Love got up and started walking toward the house. The other 2 also got up and followed him.

Surprised, the lady asked Wealth and Success: "I only invited Love, Why are you coming in?" The old men replied together: "If you had invited Wealth or Success. The other two of us would've stayed out, but since you invited Love. Wherever He goes, we go with him.

Wherever there is Love,
there is also Wealth and Success!!!!!!"

--By Unknown

The Power of Words

A group of frogs were traveling through the woods, and two of them fell into a deep pit. All the other frogs gathered around the pit. When they saw how deep the pit was, they told the two frogs that they were as good as dead.

The two frogs ignored the comments and tried to jump up out of the pit with all of their might. The other frogs kept telling them to stop, that they were as good as dead. Finally, one of the frogs took heed to what the other frogs were saying and gave up. He fell down and died.

The other frog continued to jump as hard as he could. Once again, the crowd of frogs yelled at him to stop the pain and just die. He jumped even harder and finally made it out.

When he got out, the other frogs said, "Did you not hear us?" The frog explained to them that he was deaf. He thought they were encouraging him the entire time.

This story gives us thoughts to think about:
1. An encouraging word to someone who is down can encourage them to achieve their goal.
2. A destructive word to someone who is down can have negative effects. Be careful of what you say.

The quote below was sent to me by Master Mark Russell. His quote describes "words" very accurately:
"Words:
The Snow may look smooth and soft,
but the rocks underneath are sharp!"

One last point,
Are your words encouraging?

--by Author Unkown

Sometimes and Always

Sometimes occasionally goes by the rules but mostly does his own thing. He is more worried about being everyone's friend than doing his school work. He gets into trouble a lot but managed to charm his way through it. His parents have gone to school a lot to have parent teacher conferences.

Always is a boy who always goes by the book, never breaks the rules and is never in trouble. He always pleased his family and friends and never let them down. He is usually stressed out and gets headaches and stomach aches from stress.

Always became very ill one day and had to be rushed to the hospital. The doctors were baffled at what could be wrong with him. Many tests were run and in the end they were inconclusive. He was released and went home only to be stressed some more about missing school and possibly letting everyone down if he received a grade less than an A.

Now sometimes was doing poorly in school and he knew it. He decided that he would just do what he could to get by, he thought " Why should I stress out look what happened to Always."

Well Always was having the same thoughts " Why should I stress and make myself sick, sometimes gets by ok" and at that time he started missing school and just barely got passing grades.

Their parents decided to sit the boys down and talk to them and tell them that they just need to do their best and that is all that can be asked of them. They do not need to stress and get ill but also do not slack off and get failing grades.

Their parents just wanted them to know that whatever they did they would be proud of them as long as they did their best.

Finally, Sometimes spoke up and said " You mean even if we don't do well all the time that you will still love us and be proud of us ?? " The parents answered the question, "yes we will love you , ALWAYS !!!!"


The moral is,
do your best at whatever you do that is all that can be expected of you and you will turn out just fine your parents will love you no matter what.

--By Jackie Sagner

What Goes Around, Comes Around

His name was Fleming, and he was a poor Scottish farmer.

One day, while trying to make a living for his family, he heard a cry for help coming from a nearby bog. He dropped his tools and ran to the bog. There, mired to his waist in black muck, was a terrified boy, screaming and struggling to free himself. Farmer Fleming saved the lad from what could have been a slow and terrifying death.

The next day, a fancy carriage pulled up to the Scotsman's sparse surroundings. An elegantly dressed nobleman stepped out and introduced himself as the father of the boy Farmer Fleming had saved.

"I want to repay you," said the nobleman. "You saved my son's life."

"No, I can't accept payment for what I did," the Scottish farmer replied, waving off the offer.

At that moment, the farmer's own son came to the door of the family hovel. "Is that your son?" the nobleman asked.

"Yes," the farmer replied proudly.

"I'll make you a deal. Let me provide him with the level of education my own son will enjoy. If the lad is anything like his father, he'll no doubt grow to be a man we both will be proud of."

And that he did.

Farmer Fleming's son attended the very best schools and in time, he graduated from St. Mary's Hospital Medical School in London, and went on to become known throughout the world as the noted Sir Alexander Fleming, the discoverer of Penicillin.

Years afterward, the same nobleman's son who was saved from the bog was stricken with pneumonia. What saved his life this time?

Penicillin.

The name of the nobleman? Lord Randolph Churchill.

His son's name? Sir Winston Churchill.


Someone once said:
"What goes around comes around."
Work like you don't need the money.
Love like you've never been hurt.
Dance like nobody's watching.
Sing like nobody's listening.
Live like it's Heaven on Earth.

--by Author Unknown

Quotes on Faith

"It’s faith in something and enthusiasm for something that makes a life worth living."
Oliver Wendell Holmes

"Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase."
Martin Luther King Jr.

"My faith runs so very much faster than my reason that I can challenge the whole world and say, ’God is, was and ever shall be’."
Mahatma Gandhi

"Faith is a passionate intuition."
William Wordsworth

"Faith is a living, daring confidence in God's grace, so sure and certain that a man could stake his life on it a thousand times."
Martin Luther

"Faith is not belief. Belief is passive. Faith is active."
Edith Hamilton

"Treat the other man's faith gently; it is all he has to believe with. His mind was created for his own thoughts, not yours or mine."
Henry S. Haskins

"The moment we break faith with one another, the sea engulfs us and the light goes out."
James Baldwin

"Faith is a kind of knowing; it is different from hope. My faith is that life is purposeful; of that I'm sure. There is a God, there is intelligence, there is consciousness. And behind all of this, there is incredible compassion."
John Denver

"Hold faithfulness and sincerity as first principles."
Confucius

"Faith is different from proof; the latter is human, the former is a gift from God."
Blaise Pascal

"On a long journey of human life, faith is the best of companions; it is the best refreshment on the journey; and it is the greatest property."
Buddha

"Desire, ask, believe, receive."
Stella Terrill Mann

"Faith is to believe what you do not yet see; the reward for this faith is to see what you believe."
St. Augustine

"Faith is the daring of the soul to go farther than it can see."
William Newton Clarke

"Faith enables persons to be persons because it lets God be God."
Carter Lindberg

"Faith is more important to me than life itself because without it there would be no fullness of life."
Mother Teresa

"If you can't have faith in what is held up to you for faith, you must find things to believe in yourself, for a life without faith in something is too narrow a space to live."
George E. Woodberry

"The smallest seed of faith is better than the largest fruit of happiness."
Henry David Thoreau

"Every tomorrow has two handles. We can take hold of it with the handle of anxiety or the handle of faith."
Henry Beecher

"The essence of faith is being satisfied with all that God is for us in Jesus."
John Piper

"Faith has to do with things that are not seen, and hope with things that are not in hand."
Saint Thomas Acquinas

"A better world shall emerge based on faith and understanding."
Douglas MacArthur

Quotes of William Arthur Ward

The price of excellence is discipline. The cost of mediocrity is disappointment.
William Arthur Ward

God gave you a gift of 86,400 seconds today. Have you used one to say "thank you?
William Arthur Ward

Nothing limits achievement like small thinking; nothing expands possibilities like unleashed imagination.
William Arthur Ward

Blessed is he who has learned to admire but not envy, to follow but not imitate, to praise but not flatter, and to lead but not manipulate.
William Arthur Ward

Wise are those who learn that the bottom line doesn't always have to be their top priority.
William Arthur Ward

Friendship flourishes at the fountain of forgiveness.
William Arthur Ward

Opportunities are like sunrises - if you wait too long, you miss them.
William Arthur Ward

The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails.
William Arthur Ward

A true friend knows your weaknesses but shows you your strengths; feels your fears but fortifies your faith; sees your anxieties but frees your spirit; recognizes your disabilities but emphasizes your possibilities.
William Arthur Ward

When we seek to discover the best in others, we somehow bring out the best in ourselves.
William Arthur Ward

We can throw stones, complain about them, stumble on them, climb over them, or build with them.
William Arthur Ward

Adversity cause some men to break; others to break records.
William Arthur Ward

Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it.
William Arthur Ward

A cloudy day is no match for a sunny disposition.
William Arthur Ward

We can learn much from wise words, little from wisecracks, and less from wise guys.
William Arthur Ward

The greatest failure is the failure to try.
William Arthur Ward

Leadership is based on inspiration, not domination; on cooperation, not intimidation.
William Arthur Ward

We are more than what we do, much more than what we accomplish, far more than what we possess.
William Arthur Ward

A well-developed sense of humor is the pole that adds balance to your step as you walk the tightrope of life.
William Arthur Ward

Optimists enrich the present, enhance the future, challenge the improbable and attain the impossible.
William Arthur Ward

The mediocre teacher tells.
The good teacher explains.
The superior teacher demonstrates.
The great teacher inspires.
William Arthur Ward

Greatness is not found in possessions, power, position, or prestige. It is discovered in goodness, humility, service, and character.
William Arthur Ward

Wise are they who have learned these truths:
Trouble is temporary. Time is tonic. Tribulation is a test tube.
William Arthur Ward

It is wise to direct your anger towards problems - not people; to focus your energies on answers - not excuses.
William Arthur Ward

If you can imagine it, you can achieve it; if you can dream it, you can become it.
William Arthur Ward

Curiosity is the wick in the candle of learning.
William Arthur Ward

Flatter me, and I may not believe you.
Criticize me, and I may not like you.
Ignore me, and I may not forgive you.
Encourage me, and I will not forget you.
William Arthur Ward

Opportunities are like sunrises - if you wait too long, you miss them.
William Arthur Ward

To make mistakes is human; to stumble is commonplace; to be able to laugh at yourself is maturity.
William Arthur Ward

Four steps to achievement:
plan purposefully,
prepare prayerfully,
proceed positively,
pursue persistently.
William Arthur Ward

Teaching is more than imparting knowledge, it is inspiring change. Learning is more than absorbing facts, it is acquiring understanding.
William Arthur Ward

Forgiveness is a funny thing. It warms the heart and cools the sting.
William Arthur Ward

Quotes of Mother Teresa

There are no great things, only small things with great love.
Mother Teresa

Just show up and things and things will happen.
Mother Teresa

I know God will not give me anything I can't handle. I just wish He didn't trust me so much.
Mother Teresa

It's not how much we give but how much love we put into giving.
Mother Teresa

If you can't feed a hundred people, then feed just one.
Mother Teresa

Do not wait for leaders; do it alone, person to person.
Mother Teresa

The miracle is not that we do this work, but that we are happy to do it.
Mother Teresa

I am a little pencil in the hand of a writing God who is sending a love letter to the world.
Mother Teresa

Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless.
Mother Teresa

If you judge people, you have no time to love them.
Mother Teresa

Love begins by taking care of the closest ones-the ones at home.
Mother Teresa

Do not think that love, in order to be genuine, has to be extraordinary. What we need is to love without getting tired.
Mother Teresa

Unless a life is lived for others, it is not worthwhile.
Mother Teresa

I prefer you to make mistakes in kindness than work miracles in unkindness.
Mother Teresa

We shall never know all the good that a simple smile can do.
Mother Teresa

To keep a lamp burning we have to keep putting oil in it.
Mother Teresa

If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other.
Mother Teresa

Peace begins with a smile.
Mother Teresa

What I do you cannot do; but what you do, I cannot do. The needs are great, and none of us, including me, ever do great things. But we can all do small things, with great love, and together we can do something wonderful.
Mother Teresa

If you want to make peace, you don't talk to your friends. You talk to your enemies.
Mother Teresa

The biggest disease today is not leprosy or tuberculosis, but rather the feeling of being unwanted.
Mother Teresa

We have not come into the world to be numbered; we have been created for a purpose; for great things: to love and be loved.
Mother Teresa

IT WILL COME

When life's largest pressures leave you struck dumb,
Just search for an answer; the solution will come.

When a tragedy occurs leaving you feeling numb,
Just wait for your health; the strength will come.

When everyone relies on you and there is no way you can see,
Trust your mind to think with time; patience is the key.

When you have made it where others always flee,
Just wait to gather courage; soon you'll be where you want to be.

When it is nearing the end and you're in need,
Muster up your courage; endurance will lead.
IT WILL COME

~~by Nathan Watson

Truths For Living

The more generous we are,
the more joyous we become.

The more cooperative we are,
the more valuable we become.

The more enthusiastic we are,
the more productive we become.

The more serving we are,
the more prosperous we become.

The more outgoing we are,
the more helpful we become.

The more curious we are,
the more creative we become.

The more patient we are,
the more understanding we become.

The more persistent we are,
the more successful we become.

--By William Arthur Ward

Failure

Lord, are you trying to tell me something?
For...

Failure does not mean I'm a failure;
It does mean I have not yet succeeded.

Failure does not mean I have accomplished nothing;
It does mean I have learned something.

Failure does not mean I have been a fool;
It does mean I had enough faith to experiment.

Failure does not mean I have disgraced;
It does mean I have dared to try.

Failure does not mean I don't have it;
It does mean I have something to do in a different way.

Failure does not mean I am inferior;
It does mean I am not perfect.

Failure does not mean I have wasted my life;
It does mean that I have an excuse to start over.

Failure does not mean that I should give up;
It does mean that I should try harder.

Failure does not mean that I will never make it;
It does mean that I need more practice.

Failure does not mean that you have abandoned me;
It does mean that you must have a better idea

--By Unknown
Translator: Dessy Napitupulu

A Strong Woman vs Woman of Strength

A strong woman works out every day to keep her body in shape...
but a woman of strength kneels in prayer to keep her soul in shape...

A strong woman isn't afraid of anything...
but a woman of strength shows courage in the midst of her fear...

A strong woman won't let anyone get the best of her...
but a woman of strength gives the best of her to everyone...

A strong woman makes mistakes and avoids the same in the future...
a woman of strength realizes life's mistakes can also be God's blessings and capitalizes on them...

A strong woman walks sure footedly...
but a woman of strength knows God will catch her when she falls...

A strong woman wears the look of confidence on her face...
but a woman of strength wears grace...

A strong woman has faith that she is strong enough for the journey...
but a woman of strength has faith that it is in the journey that she will become strong...

--By Unknown

To Let Go

To let go does not mean to stop caring,
it means I can't do it for someone else.

To let go is not to cut myself off,
it's the realization that I can't control another.

To let go is not to enable,
but to allow learning from natural consequences.

To let go is to admit powerlessness,
which means the outcome is not in my hands.

To let go is not to try to change or blame another,
it's to make the most of myself.

To let go is not to care for,
but to care about.

To let go is not to fix,
but to be supportive.

To let go is not to judge,
but to allow another to be a human being.

To let go is not to be in the middle arranging all the outcomes,
but to allow others to affect their own destinies.

To let go is not to be protective,
it's to permit another to face reality.

To let go is not to criticize, or regulate anyone,
but to try to become what I dream I can do.

To let go is to fear less, and to love more.

--By Alison Peters

It Takes Courage

It takes courage
To refrain from gossip
When others delight in it,
To stand up for the absent person
Who is being abused.

It takes courage
To live honestly
Within your means,
And not dishonestly
On the means of others.

It takes courage
To be a REAL man or a TRUE woman,
To hold fast to your ideals
When it causes you
To be looked upon
As strange and peculiar.

It takes courage
To be talked about,
And remain silent,
When a word would justify you
In the eyes of others,
But which you dare not speak
Because it would injure another.

It takes courage
To refuse to do something
That is wrong
Although everyone else
May be doing it
With attitudes as carefree
As a summer song.

It takes courage
To live according
To your own convictions,
To deny yourself
What you cannot afford.
To love your neighbor
As yourself!

--By Unknown

What is success?

To laugh often and much;

To win the respect of intelligent people
and the affection of children;

To earn the appreciation of honest critics
and endure the betrayal of false friends;

To appreciate beauty;
To find the best in others;

To leave the world a bit better, whether by
a healthy child, a garden patch
or a redeemed social condition;

To know even one life has breathed
easier because you have lived;

This is to have succeeded.

--By Ralph Waldo Emerson

Attitude

The Longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness, or skill. It will make or break a company… a church… a home.

The remarkable thing is we have a choice everyday regarding the attitude we embrace for that day. We cannot change our past… we cannot change the fact that people act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one thing we have, and that is our attitude…

I am convinced that life is 10% of what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it.

And so it is with you… we are in charge of our ATTITUDES.

--By Charles Swindoll

Winners Are People Like You

Winners take chances Like everyone else, they fear failing, but they refuse to let fear control them.

Winners don't give up. When life gets rough, they hang in until the going gets better.

Winners are flexible. They realize there is more than one way and are willing to try others.

Winners know they are not perfect. They respect their weaknesses while making the most of their strengths.

Winners fall but they don't stay down. They stubbornly refuse to let a fall keep them from climbing.

Winners don't blame fate for their failures, nor luck for their successes.

Winners accept responsibility for their lives.

Winners are positive thinkers who see good in all things. From the ordinary, they make the extraordinary.

Winners believe in the path they have chosen even when it is hard, even when others can't see where they are going.

Winners are patient. They know a goal is only worthy as the effort that is required to achieve it.

Winners are people that believe in themselves. They make this world a better place to be.

--By Unknown

To Believe

To believe is to know that every day is a new beginning. It is to trust that miracles happen, and dreams really do come true.

To believe is to see angels dancing among the clouds, To know the wonder of a stardust sky and the wisdom of the man in the moon.

To believe is to know the value of a nurturing heart, The innocence of a child's eyes and the beauty of an aging hand, for it is through their teachings we learn to love.

To believe is to find the strength and courage that lies within us. When it is time to pick up the pieces and begin again.

To believe is to know we are not alone, That life is a gift and this is our time to cherish it. To believe is to know that wonderful surprises are just waiting to happen, And all our hopes and dreams are within reach.

If only we believe.

~~By Unknown

Self-Confidence

If you think you are beaten, you are;
If you think that you dare not, you don't;
If you'd like to win and you think you can't
It's almost certain that you won't.

If you think you'll lose, you've lost;
For out in the world you'll find
Success begins with a fellows will -
It's all in the state of mind.

If you think that you are out-classed, you are;
You've got to think high to rise;
You've got to be sure of yourself before
You can ever win a prize.

Life's battles don't always go
To the stronger or faster man;
But sooner or later, the man who wins
Is the man who thinks he can.

~~By Unknown

Peace Begins with Me

Peace begins with me
Starting over and breaking free.

Peace begins with me
Opening my eyes and beginning to see.

Peace begins with me
Curious about what I am going to be.

Peace begins with me
Knowing I no longer have to flee.

Peace begins with me
Having self dignity.

Peace begins with me
Taking on more responsibility.

Peace begins with me
Because peace is being happy.

And this is why peace begins with me!

~~By Richard D. Marco III

It Will Come

When life's largest pressures leave you struck dumb,
Just search for an answer; the solution will come.

When a tragedy occurs leaving you feeling numb,
Just wait for your health; the strength will come.

When everyone relies on you and there is no way you can see,
Trust your mind to think with time; patience is the key.

When you have made it where others always flee,
Just wait to gather courage; soon you'll be where you want to be.

When it is nearing the end and you're in need,
Muster up your courage; endurance will lead.
IT WILL COME

~~by Nathan Watson

Habit

I am your constant companion,
I am your greatest helper or heaviest burden.
I will push you onward or drag you down to failure.
I am completely at your command.
Half the things you do might just as well turn over to me
and I will be able to do them quickly and correctly.

I am easily managed -
you must merely be firm with me.
Show me exactly how you want something done
and after a few lessons, I will do it automatically.
I am the servant of all great people;
and alas, of all failures as well.
Those who are great,
I have made great.
Those who are failures,
I have made failures.

I am not a machine,
though I work with all the precision of a machine
plus the intelligence of a human.
You may run me for a profit or run me for ruin -
it makes no difference to me.

Take me,
train me,
be firm with me,
And I will place the world at your feet.
Be easy with me,
and I will destroy you.

WHO AM I?

I AM HABIT.

--Unknown

Promise Yourself

Promise yourself to be so strong that nothing can
disturb your peace of mind.

To talk health, happiness, and prosperity to
every person you meet.

To make all your friends feel like there is
something in them.

To look at the sunny side of everything and make your
optimism come true.

To think only of the best, to work only for the best,
and expect only the best.

To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others
as you are about your own.

To forget the mistakes of the past and press on the
greater achievements of the future.

To wear a cheerful countenance at all times and give
every living person you meet a smile.

To give so much time to the improvement of yourself
that you have no time to criticize others.

To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, and too
strong for fear, and to happy to permit the
presence of trouble.

~~The Optimist Creed
~~From The Optimist International

Take Time

Take time to think-
It is the source of all power.
Take time to read-
It is the fountain of wisdom.

Take time to play-
It is the source of perpetual youth.
Take time to be quiet-
It is the opportunity to seek God.

Take time to be aware-
It is the opportunity to help others.
Take time to love and be loved-
It is God’s greatest gift.

Take time to laugh-
It is the music of the soul.
Take time to be friendly-
It is the road to happiness.

Take time to dream-
It is what the future is made of.
Take time to pray-
It is the greatest power on earth.

Take time to give-
It is too short a day to be selfish.
Take time to work-
It is the price of success.

There is a time for everything. . .

--Unknown

Do Less

DO LESS THINKING,
and pay more attention to your heart.

DO LESS ACQUIRING,
and pay more attention to what you already have.

DO LESS COMPLAINING,
and pay more attention to giving.

DO LESS CONTROLLING,
and pay more attention to letting go.

DO LESS CRITICIZING,
and pay more attention to complementing.

DO LESS ARGUING,
and pay more attention to forgiveness.

DO LESS RUNNING AROUND,
and pay more attention to stillness.

DO LESS TALKING,
and pay more attention to silence.

~~By Unknown

The Will To Win

If you want a thing bad enough
To go out and fight for it,
Work day and night for it,
Give up your time and your peace and
your sleep for it

If only desire of it
Makes you quite mad enough
Never to tire of it,
Makes you hold all other things tawdry
and cheap for it

If life seems all empty and useless without it
And all that you scheme and you dream is about it,

If gladly you'll sweat for it,
Fret for it, Plan for it,
Lose all your terror of God or man for it,

If you'll simply go after that thing that you want.
With all your capacity,
Strength and sagacity,
Faith, hope and confidence, stern pertinacity,

If neither cold poverty, famished and gaunt,
Nor sickness nor pain
Of body or brain
Can turn you away from the thing that you want,

If dogged and grim you besiege and beset it,
You'll get it!

-- Berton Braley

Change Your World

You cannot change the world, but you can present the world with one improved person, yourself.

You can go to work on yourself to make yourself into the kind of person you admire and respect.

You can become a role model and set a standard for others.

You can control and discipline yourself to resist acting or speaking in a negative way toward anyone for any reason.

You can insist upon always doing things the loving way, rather than the hurtful way.

By doing these things each day, you can continue on your journey toward becoming an exceptional human being.

~~By Brian Tracy

The Challenge

Let others lead small lives,
but not you.
Let others argue over small things,
but not you.
Let others cry over small hurts,
but not you.
Let others leave their future
in someone else's hands,
but not you.

By Jim Rohn

Anyway

People are unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered.
Love them anyway!

If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives.
Do good anyway!

If you are successful, you will win false friends and true enemies.
Succeed anyway!

The good you do today, will be forgotten tomorrow.
Do good anyway!

Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable.
Be honest and frank anyway!

The biggest person with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest people with the smallest minds;
Think big anyway!

People favor underdogs, but follow only top dogs.
Fight for underdogs anyway!

What you spend years building up may be destroyed overnight.
Build anyway!

People really need help, but will attack you if you help them.
Help them anyway!

Give the world the best you have and it may kick you in the teeth.
Give the world the best you've got anyway!

~~By Unknown

Be Thankful

Be thankful that you don't already have everything you desire.
If you did, what would there be to look forward to?
Be thankful when you don't know something,
for it gives you the opportunity to learn.

Be thankful for the difficult times.
During those times you grow.
Be thankful for your limitations,
because they give you opportunities for improvement.
Be thankful for each new challenge,
because it will build your strength and character.

Be thankful for your mistakes. They will teach you valuable lessons.
Be thankful when you're tired and weary,
because it means you've made a difference.

It's easy to be thankful for the good things.
A life of rich fulfillment comes to those who
are also thankful for the setbacks.
Gratitude can turn a negative into a positive.
Find a way to be thankful for your troubles,
and they can become your blessings.

By Unknown

Awakening

Awakening, dawn's chorus
Welcoming,
The day new, untouched
Waiting to be filled....

And will we paint a rainbow
With all its promise
Or dull the canvas
Sadly seen?

Each day brings its own colours
To be chosen, mixed,
Pigments of joy,
Happy moments,
Smiles and laughter....

And which will you choose?
For 'Life' is choice,
We are all painters
In our own way,
All needing to create
Something of worth,
Of lasting beauty,
Marking our journey....

Footprints in the sand....

The sky today is azure,
The sun warm and golden
A filigree of light and shadow-play
Through the gently swaying trees.

I clean my brushes,
Choose my palette
Of vibrant, living colours,
And begin to fill
Today's blank canvas

By John McLeod

It Couldn't Be Done

Somebody said that it couldn't be done,
But he with a chuckle replied
That "maybe it couldn't," but he would be one
Who wouldn't say so till he'd tried.
So he buckled right in with the trace of a grin
On his face. If he worried he hid it.
He started to sing as he tackled the thing
That couldn't be done, and he did it.

Somebody scoffed: "Oh, you'll never do that;
At least no one ever has done it";
But he took off his coat and he took off his hat,
And the first thing we knew he'd begun it.
With a lift of his chin and a bit of a grin,
Without any doubting or quiddit,
He started to sing as he tackled the thing
That couldn't be done, and he did it.

There are thousands to tell you it cannot be done,
There are thousands to prophesy failure;
There are thousands to point out to you, one by one,
The dangers that wait to assail you.
But just buckle in with a bit of a grin,
Just take off your coat and go to it;
Just start to sing as you tackle the thing
That "cannot be done," and you'll do it.

By Edgar A. Guest

Steps to Happiness

Everybody Knows,
You can't be all things to all people.
You can't do all things at once.
You can't do all things equally well.
You can't do all things better than everyone else.
Your humanity is showing just like everyone else's.

So,
You have to find out who you are, and be that.
You have to decide what comes first, and do that.
You have to discover your strengths, and use them.
You have to learn not to compete with others, because no one else is in the contest of "being you".

Then,
You will have learned to accept your own uniqueness.
You will have learned to set priorities and make decisions.
You will have learned to live with your limitations.
You will have learned to give yourself the respect that is due.
And you'll be a most vital mortal.

Believe,
That you are a wonderful, unique person.
That you are a once-in all history event.
That it's more than a right, it's your duty, to be who you are.
That life is not a problem to solve, but a gift to cherish.
And you'll be able to stay one up on what used to get you down.

by Author Unknown

Do Not Forget To Hope

Do not forget to hope
Though Time spins fleeting on
There is a place for all
To view the promised dawn
When Life's full test have run
Like rivers to the sea
Do not forget to hope
And happy be.

Do not forget to hope
For even when one's life
Seems burdened down with care
And melancholy strife
Remember how the gulls
Soar beautiful and free…
Do not forget to hope
And happy be.

Do not forget to hope
Nor rise above the gloom
All colours, as they say,
Are needed on Life's Loom,
And 'dark before the dawn'
Is truth that all may see…
Do not forget to hope
And happy be.

Do not forget to hope
For hope is there for all
A strength to draw upon
As, healing from each fall,
We rise with clearer sight
And, wiser, can agree …
"Do not forget to hope…
And happy be!"

By John McLeod © 1982