The Swing Set

Mr. Jones wanted to build his son a swing set. He slaved away each evening and grew tired and irritable causing concern for his wife.

“You’re working so hard,” she said. “Wasn’t our neighbor, Mr. Williams, a carpenter when he was young? Couldn’t you ask him for help?”

“But Mr. Williams has done enough work in his life. I wouldn’t want to bother him.”

So Mr. Jones kept working, until finally the swing set was finished, and he set it up in the backyard. A few days later, Mr. Jones went outside and found Mr. Williams gazing at the swing set.

“Hi, Mr. Williams. How do you like the new swing set?”

“Oh, it’s wonderful. I built something like that for my son many years ago.” His eyes looked sad, and Mr. Jones remembered that Mr. Williams’ son had moved far away for a job.

“I wish you had told me you were building it,” Mr. Williams said. “Your son is a good boy. I would have loved to help you do something nice for him.”

They chatted for another minute, and Mr. Jones went inside, realizing for the first time that Mr. Williams was lonely.

Reflections

This story tells us we shouldn’t be afraid to ask for help. Many would appreciate the opportunity to help if only they were given that option. An act of kindness is a joy to both the giver and the receiver.

So why is it so difficult to ask for help?

Probably we don’t want to be seen as a burden, out of control or incompetent.

Asking for help also makes us vulnerable to criticism and unwelcome advice. What if Mr Jones hadn’t asked for help because he thought that Mr Williams would criticize his swing set design and try to change it because of his knowledge of carpentry?

On the other hand it can be just as difficult to offer help for much the same reasons.

We don’t want anyone to feel that they are a burden, out of control or incompetent. Assuming Mr Williams knew Mr Jones was having trouble building the swing set he may have been hesitant to offer help because he didn’t want to seem interfering.

What a dilemma!

When someone asks for help only give it if you truly can. Recognize the courage it took them to ask. Never agree to do something that will cause you to feel resentful and put upon. Help them find alternatives instead. Saying “no” will also encourage them to ask again if they need help with something else. They know you will say no if you can’t and if you do say yes, they won’t feel they’re a burden.

On the other hand, never be afraid to ask for help when you need it. You never know how reaching out will affect the other person unless you reach out. If they can truly help your burdens will be relieved. If you feel more burdened and resentful it could be they are not helping at all, but trying to manipulate and control you.

Being able to give and receive help is a gift to the giver and the receiver. I think The Swing Set story tells us that asking for help or offering someone help is definitely worth the risk because of the potential rewards giving and receiving help is capable of giving.

Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

INSPIRATION

'To get something you never had, you have to do something you never did'

When God takes something from your grasp; He's not punishing you, but merely opening your hands to receive something better.

Concentrate on this sentence..... 'The will of God will never take you where the Grace of God will not protect you.' Something good will happen to you today.

Whatever your cross, whatever your pain, there will always be sunshine, after the rain.... Perhaps you may stumble, perhaps even fall; But God's always ready, to answer your call.... He knows every heartache, sees every tear, a word from His lips, can calm every fear... Your sorrows may linger, throughout the night, But suddenly vanish, by dawn's early light... The Savior is waiting, somewhere above, to give you His grace, and send you His love. May God fill your day with blessings!!

Do you ever get tired of doing what’s right? I think we all do. Sometimes it seems easier to do the wrong thing than the right thing.

When we’re discouraged, we become ineffective. When we’re discouraged, we work against our own faith.

When I’m discouraged, I’m saying, “It can’t be done.” That’s the exact opposite of saying, “I know God can do it because he said ….”

Ask yourself these questions:

How do I handle failure?

When things don’t go my way, do I get grumpy?

When things don’t go my way, do I get frustrated?

When things don’t go my way, do I start complaining?

Do I finish what I start?

How would I rate on persistence?

If you’re discouraged, don’t give up without a fight. Nothing worthwhile ever happens without endurance and energy.

When an artist starts to create a sculpture, he has to keep chipping away. He doesn’t hit the chisel with the hammer once, and suddenly all the excess stone falls away revealing a beautiful masterpiece. He keeps hitting it and hitting it, chipping away at the stone.

And that’s true of life, too: Nothing really worthwhile ever comes easy in life. You keep hitting it and going after it, and little-by-little your life becomes a masterpiece of God’s grace.

The fact is, great people are really just ordinary people with an extraordinary amount of determination. Great people don’t know how to quit like me.

Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

Is God Playing Games?

How often have we heard someone ask: “Why is God playing cruel games with us?” It is perhaps a question that comes to mind when one fails to find a satisfactory explanation of the inexplicable. But the question itself is not a satisfactory approach to understanding.

We can give explanations, but explanations need not be answers. You are looking at death as the opposite of life. So, our encounter with death is conditioned by our definition of death as being opposed to life. Look at it another way: Death is one more expression of life. Life scientists declare that death is the most critical defining feature of life. All and only living things die. When you die, you are making the ultimate undeniable assertion that you have been alive.

The most comfortable place for you is to be in your mother’s womb. After birth, many times you search for that same comfort. That is why in Hindu temples, the sanctum sanctorum is called garbhagudi – representing a mother’s womb. At the time of delivery, the body of the mother pushes the child out. When it is pushed out, every child goes through what is called birth trauma, experiencing a form of death.

Tagore asks, “Is it death or is it life?” What do we experience? Birth, exit from the womb where life originated and was sustained for about nine months and into the world outside – is a form of death that leads to life although in different environments. Similarly, death – exit from the world – could be a door to some other form of life or life at yet another plane.

Don’t we cast off worn-out clothes in order to wear new ones? Why get so attached to physical phenomena? During the great dotcom bust of the post-millennium years, a lot of people went through depression all over the world. What really happened. Nothing more than the fact that what had been hyped skyhigh was brought down to earth.

The same thing had happened in Bangalore real estate. It happens cyclically in stock markets across the globe. You build the bubble and, when the bubble breaks, you feel depressed. Those who know that the rise is artificial make all the profit while gullible believers in the longevity of the bubble lose everything.

The value we attach to objects of speculation like stocks, shares, land and commodities is purely psychological; they are illusory or insubstantial. Likewise, all sorrows are chiefly created by the mind. You invest 10 million rupees on a piece of land expecting to make a profit of 10 million, but the profit is only notional in the sense that it is based on your expectation that the value of your purchase will double within the time frame of your expectation. If your expectations are defeated, you start suffering. It’s all in your mind, isn’t it?

Therefore, the trauma that you feel at events like accident or death is also mainly psychological, and so death is something you can overcome through spiritual discipline.

Discourse: Swami Sukhabodhananda



Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

Conversation between I and I AM about your parents

I: Sons are supposed to be mama’s boys while daughters are papa’s darlings. How true is that?
I AM: Contrary to the general opinion, girls have a special relationship with their mothers while boys do with their fathers. Both the parents have a great responsibility. When you solve your own issues, your children’s issues automatically get resolved.
I: Is there any gender bias here?
I AM: Yes, when fathers resolve their issues, the sons’ issues get resolved while when mothers resolve their issues, the daughters benefit.
I: Mothers are supposed to be the most unconditional in giving their love. How important is a mother-child relationship?
I AM: Your relationship with your mother is a reflection of your emotional health, your emotional quotient. It tells you how well you can handle your emotions. It also reflects your love for the self. So if you think that your mother does not love you, it means that you do not love yourself.
I: My mother has been very loving and nurturing. Does it mean that I love myself unconditionally?
I AM: Take a good look at your relationship with your mother. Is it 100% perfect? Don’t you find any faults in her? Doesn’t she find any fault in you? None of you love yourselves unconditionally, so no mother-child relationship is completely unconditional.
I: As I have grown older, my relationship with my mother has improved. Is it because of maturity?
I AM: As you grow older, you evolve and mature. You accept yourself a little more. You love yourself a little more. This gets reflected in your relationship with your mother. As you grow comfortable with yourself, you become comfortable with your mother.
I: What about fathers? What is our relationship with them?
I AM: Most girls think of their dads as their universe while most boys perceive them to be a threat.
I: Why threat?
I AM: Because they wish to have the power that they see and admire in their dads. Every boy thinks that his father is a superman, a hero; his ideal. Now if this hero tells the son that he is not behaving properly, he is not strong enough, smart enough etc or shows his disappointment in some way, this boy cringes inside. He tells himself that he can never match his dad. He can never be a hero. He can never please him. So, the father is perceived as a threat.
I: What do our dads reflect back to us?
I AM: For all children their fathers are the symbol of their inner power. They signify inner authority. If you do not have a good relationship with your father, it means that you feel powerless inside you. On the other hand if you share a healthy relationship with your dad, it means you are blessed by an inner power.
I: What about people who lose their parents?
I AM: If you lose your mother, it reflects a deep rooted issue of self love and nurturing. If you lose your father, then it is a deep seated issue of powerlessness that needs to be addressed in this lifetime. Such people choose this external lack of support in order to experience their own intrinsic worth. They turn inwards for love and nurturing.
I: This means that every external circumstance and every relationship that we have tells us something about ourselves.
I AM: That is right. This is a perfect system for ‘knowing’ yourself! Please be aware of your significant relationships and you will learn a lot about yourself.
I: What about our siblings? What role do they play?
I AM: Your siblings reflect the support system that you feel within yourself. If you feel a lack of inner support, you will have a troubled relationship with your sibling.
I: Sometimes we have good relationship with one sibling but a conflict with another. What would that signify?
I AM: The one that you have conflict with carries the same energy structure as you. However, since your siblings come from the same parents, the root of your inner lack of support comes from a lack of self nurturing and powerlessness.
I: What role do our friends play in our growth?
I AM: They play a smaller part as compared to your other significant relationships. They make sure that you are continuously growing and evolving. They do this by acting in a manner that you appreciate or that irritates you.
I: What is your message for today?
I AM: Look at everyone and everything as a reflection of YOU. Learn about yourself. Grow and evolve.

Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

Taken from Spiritual Parenting

Inner Child What Does It Need

Many people pursue wealth out of an unconscious need to provide security for their inner child. The child in us does need to have some sense of financial security, but only on a rather basic level. The child needs to know that it’s going to have a safe, comfortable home, enough good food to eat, some comfortable, attractive clothes to wear, and the opportunity to learn and grow and create. That’s all the child needs in terms of financial security. Beyond that, the child needs love, companionship, appropriate boundaries, emotional support, freedom of expression, and fun.


Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

Quiz Of Life Thanks Everybody for sharing

You don't actually have to take the quiz. Just read straight through, and you'll get the point, an awesome one. .....

Take this quiz:
1. Name the five wealthiest people in the world.
2. Name the last five Heisman trophy winners.
3. Name the last five winners of the Miss America contest.
4. Name ten people who have won the Nobel or Pulitzer Prize.
5. Name the last half dozen Academy Award winners for best actor actress.
6. Name the last decade's worth of World Series winners.
How did you do?

The point is, none of us remember the headliners of yesterday. These are no second-rate achievers. They are the best in their fields.
But the applause dies. Awards tarnish. Achievements are forgotten. Accolades and certificates are buried with their owners.


Here's another quiz. See how you do on this one:
1. List a few teachers who aided your journey through school.
2. Name three friends who have helped you through a difficult time.
3. Name five people who have taught you something worthwhile.
4. Think of a few people who have made you feel, appreciated and special.
5. Think of five people you enjoy spending time with.
6. Name half a dozen heroes whose stories have inspired you. Easier?


The lesson: The people who make a difference in your life are not the ones with the most credentials, the most money, or the most awards. They are the ones that care.
Pass this on to those people who have made a difference in your life. Thanks For Believing In Life and Me......

Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

The Mouse and the African Leopard

A mouse steals food from under the nose of a leopard at the Santago Rare Leopard Project in Hertfordshire. Instead of pouncing on the mouse, the 12-year-old African leopard, called Sheena, simply watched as it fed on scraps of meat thrown into its enclosure.

At one stage she tried to nudge the mouse away with her nose, but the mouse carried on eating regardless.
The extraordinary scene was captured by Casey Gutteridge, a photography student.

The 19-year-old, from Potters Bar, Herts, who was photographing the leopard for a course project, was astounded by the mouse's behaviour.

"I have no idea where the mouse came from - he just appeared in the enclosure after the keeper had dropped in the meat for the leopard.

"He didn't take any notice of the leopard, just went straight over to the meat and started feeding himself. But the leopard was pretty surprised - she bent down and sniffed the mouse and flinched a bit like she was scared.

"In the meantime the mouse just carried on eating like nothing had happened.

"It was amazing, even the keeper who had thrown the meat into the enclosure was shocked - he said he'd never seen anything like it before."

Jackie James, owner of the Leopard Project, said: "It was so funny to see - Sheena batted the mouse a couple of times to try to get it away from her food.
"But the determined little thing took no notice and just carried on."
Sheena was brought in to the Leopard Project from a UK zoo when she was just four months old.

~~What if we could be like the mouse and have no fear? We could accomplish anything.~~

Photos: CASEY GUTTERIDGE / SOLENT




Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

Does excellence comes to all ?????

Three people were laying bricks and a passerby asked them what they were doing. The first one replied, "Don't you see I am making a living?" The second one said, "Don't you see I am laying bricks?" The third one said, "I am building a beautiful monument." Three people doing the same thing gave totally different replies. The question is : did they have different attitudes? And would their attitude affect their performance? The answer is a clear yes.

Excellence comes when the performer takes pride in doing his best. Every job is a self-portrait of the person who does it, regardless of what the job is, whether washing cars, sweeping the floor or painting a house.

Do it right the first time, every time. The best insurance for tomorrow is a job well done today.

Michelangelo was working on a statue for several days and he was taking a long time to retouch every small detail which seemed rather insignificant to a bystander. When asked why he did it, Michelangelo replied, "Trifles make perfection and perfection is no trifle."

One cannot compromise on quality and service. It is said that Ray Kroc, founder of McDonald's, found a fly during one of his visits at a franchise. Two weeks later the franchisee lost his franchise. Ray Kroc said, "You should work for pride and accomplishment. I was brought up to understand that reward will come later."

The feeling of a job well done is a reward in itself. It is better to do small things well than do many things poorly.

Most people forget how fast you did a job, but they remember how well it was done

Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

Who is superior God or a Teacher ?????

King Akbar once asked his courtiers "Give me one instance where I am superior than God", all kept their heads down, and could not answer, Ultimately the wise Birbal raised his hand and answered " Your Honor, you can take God out of your Kingdom, but God cannod do that, As the whole universe is his " all looked upon Birbal as a wise Guru, Teacher and a respected personality in those days.

If God and the teacher (guru) are standing together, who does the student salute first? According to Indian culture, the answer is the teacher, because without his direction and help, the student could not have met God.

A mentor or a teacher is a person whose hindsight can become your foresight. Look for someone who can accept you as a mentee or a student. Choose your mentor carefully. A good one will guide and give direction; a bad one will misguide. Show respect. Be an interested student. Teachers like interested students.

The best teachers will not give you something to drink, they will make you thirsty. They will put you on a path to seek answers.

There is a story about a king in ancient times who wanted to honor a person that made the greatest contri¬bution to society. All kinds of people came, including doctors and entrepreneurs, and they all presented their case for receiving the honor. The king wasn't impressed. Finally an elderly person with a glow on his face walked in and said he was a teacher. The king came down from his throne and bowed to honor the teacher. It is the teacher who makes the highest contribution in shaping the future of society

Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

THERE IS NOTHING LIKE FREE LUNCH --- AND Never a INSTANT GRATIFICATION in life.........

We think short term, not long term. That is limited vision. We are living in an age of instant gratification. There is a pill for everything, from waking you up to putting you to sleep. People want to take a pill to get rid of their problems. When people want to be instant millionaires, they take shortcuts and compromise on their integrity.

The desire to make a million overnight has made the lottery a flourishing business.
Remember that instant gratification never thinks of consequences, only of momentary pleasures.
Today's generation defines the ideal diet as one that will take off five pounds for good intentions. These are people who don't want any more birthdays but want all the presents.

People make substitutes where they ought not to. For example, in relationships, they trade money and gifts for affection and time. Some people find it easier to buy things for their children and spouse to compensate for their absence.

When we don't have our priorities right, we waste time, not realizing that time wasted is life wasted. Prioritizing requires discipline to do what needs to be done rather than going by our moods and fancies. Too much emphasis is placed on success and failure rather than doing one's best.
How do you cope with defeat and problems?

Your response to this question says a lot about your character. One of the keys to solving this mystery to success is understanding. Some people have their mind set on money, power, fame or possessions. We have to understand our priorities.
Success does not come by reading or memorizing the principles that lead to success, but by understanding and applying them.


No Free Lunch
There is a story about a king who called his advisers and asked them to write down the wisdom of the ages so that he could pass it on to future generations. After a lot of work, the advisers came up with several volumes of wisdom and presented them to the king. The king called his advisers and said that it was too long, people would not read it. They had to condense it. The advisers went back to work and came back with one volume. The king said the same thing. They came back again with one chapter and then one page, and the king said the same thing still until they came up with one sentence that satisfied the king. He said that if there was one piece of wisdom that he wanted to pass on to future generations, it is this one sentence: "There is no free lunch."

In every organization or society, there are freeloaders. They are people who want to get a benefit without paying for it. They are looking for freebies. By and large, sometime or the other, most of us have been guilty of being a freeloader. This is typically seen in associations and organizations. Most members are inactive. They want and get the full benefit of the effort of the active ones.
The Easier Way May Actually Be the
Tougher Way

Once there was a lark singing in the forest. The lark stopped him and asked, "What do you have in the box and where are you going?" The farmer replied that he had worms and that he was going to the market to trade them for some feathers. The lark said, "I have many feathers. I will pluck one and give it to you and that will save me looking for worms." The farmer gave the worms to the lark and the lark plucked a feather and gave it in return. The next day the same thing happened and the day after and on and on until a day came that the lark had no more feathers. Now it couldn't fly and hunt for worms. It started looking ugly and stopped singing and very soon it died.

The moral is quite clear what the lark thought was an easy way to get food turned out to be the tougher way after all.

Isn't the same thing true in our lives? Many times we look for the easier way, which really ends up being the tougher way.

Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

CRITICS -- ARE THERE EVERYWHERE AT EVERY PATH YOU TREAD....BE CAREFUL

Critics

Once upon a time there was a painter who had just completed his course under disciplehood of a great painter. This young artist decided to assess his skills of skills so he decided to give his best strokes on the canvass. He took 3 days and painted beautiful scenery.

Suddenly an idea flashed in his mind and he decided to display it on a busy street-square of that small town he was resident of. He wanted people's opinion about his caliber and painting skills..


He put his creation at a busy street-crossing. And just down below a board which read-"Gentlemen, I have painted this piece. Since I'm new to this profession I might have committed some mistakes in my strokes etc. Please put a cross wherever you see a mistake."


While he came back in the evening to collect his painting he was completely shattered to see that whole canvass was filled with Xs (crosses) and some people had even written their comments on the painting.


Disheartened and broken completely he ran to his masters place and burst into tears. Sobbing and crying inconsolably he told his master about what happened and showed the pathetic state of his creation which was filled with marks everywhere. Such was the state that colors were not visible, only things one could see were crosses and correction remarks.

This young artist was breathing heavily and master heard him saying "I'm useless and if this is what I have learnt to paint I'm not worth becoming a painter. People have rejected me completely.. I feel like dying"


Master smiled and suggested "My Son, I will prove that you are a great artist and have learnt a flawless painting."

Young disciple couldn't believe it and said "I have lost faith in me and I don't think I am good enough.. don't make false hopes.."

"Do as I say without questioning it.. It WILL work." Master interrupted him.

"Just paint exactly similar painting once again for me and give it to me. Will you do that for your master?.." Master instructed.

Young artist reluctantly agreed and two days later early morning he presented a replica of his earlier painting to his master. Master took that gracefully and smiled.



"Come with me." master said.



They reached the same street-square early morning and displayed the same painting exactly at the same place. Now master took out another board which read -"Gentlemen, I have painted this piece. Since I'm new to this profession I might have committed some mistakes in my strokes etc. I have put a box with colors and brushes just below. Please do a favor. If you see a mistake, kindly pick up the brush and correct it."


Master and disciple walked back home.

They both visited the place same evening. Young painter was surprised to see that actually there was not a single correction done so far. But master wasn't satisfied as yet and he told his disciple "May be one day was too little a time for people to come up with ideas and take out time out of their busy schedules to correct it so let us keep it here for one more day. Tomorrow is Sunday, so we can expect some corrections coming in."

Next day again they visited and found painting remained untouched..

They say the painting was kept there for a month for no correction came in!



Moral of the Story: It is easier to criticize, but difficult to improve

If you want to help people improve their behaviour it is worth investing your effort in learning how help people change their behaviours, attitudes and skills.


Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

Story Of Kaliya The Snake

Krishna overcomes Kaliya the dreaded, multi-hooded snake in the River Yamuna and begins to dance on its several hoods. When the heels of Krishna strike the hoods, some break off and then get replaced by new ones. All the while Krishna keeps playing his sweet flute.

Snake Kaliya with its numerous hoods symbolises the numerous desires we have. When one desire gets fulfilled, another arises, like the new hoods of Kaliya. The hoods keep breaking and forming, but Krishna is unperturbed. He keeps playing His flute, denoting the power of discrimination, of wisdom, of the focus on the bliss of Self. The wife of Kaliya prays to Krishna to spare her husband’s life and it is this desire that leads to recreation of the hoods.

Kaliya questions Krishna: “O Lord! You are the Creator. You have created venomous snakes like me; you have also created gods who drink nectar. What is my fault in this? I am poisonous because nature has made me so.” The Srimad Bhagvatamsays that on hearing this, Krishna falls silent. Krishna replies: “Alright, I shall not kill you, but please leave this place. You are causing distress to many. My nature is to shower bliss and your acts are an obstruction to that.” Krishna spares Kaliya’s life. He does not kill him or snatch his venom from him, but asks him to go to another place, where perhaps he would learn to use venom only when absolutely necessary, in self-defence.

In the same way, i do not ask you to eliminate desire, anger, greed and delusion that trouble you, but to change their course. Let this yearning be turned to attain God, to obtain inner peace, to yearn for silence and solitude or if you wish to enter public life, yearn for the welfare of the people. The orientation of your yearning, when changed, can lead you to God.

The yearning for kama will get sublimated to attainment of Rama. In this manner, your wisdom will be put to good use. The same applies for anger. For how long will you try to suppress it? Just rechannelise it in a different direction. If greed overpowers you, then channelise it towards greed for doing more japa, more meditation, more acts of benevolence and acquiring more divine knowledge. The same goes for other attachments and passions.

Your real Self, the Atman, is bliss personified. If there is sorrow, worry or fear, it is due to lack of discrimination. Keep awakening your power of discrimination. As you grow in discrimination, you will also grow in dispassion and gain the shat-sampatti, the six spiritual wealth of shama or mind control, dama or sense control, titiksha or forbearance, samadhan or freedom from doubt, shraddha or faith and Ishwar-pranidhan or concentration of mind on God.

Then the yearning for moksha or liberation will automatically arise. Moksha means liberation from all sorrows forever and attainment of Supreme Bliss.

Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

People are the custodians of the world's wealth; if you want them to hand some over to you, you have to be nice to people! -Wilde

CHILDREN LEARN WHAT THEY LIVE

If a child lives with criticism, he learns to condemn.

If a child lives with praise, he learns to appreciate.

If a child lives with hostility, he learns tonight.

If a child lives with tolerance, he learns to be patient.

If a child lives with ridicule, he learns to be shy.

If a child lives with encouragement, he learns confidence.

If a child lives with shame, he learns to feel guilty.

If a child lives with approval, he learns to like himself.

If a child lives with fairness, he learns justice.

If a child lives with security, he learns to have faith.

If a child lives with acceptance and friendship,

he learns to find love in the world.

Perfecting the Journey

Many of you may have heard the story of the man who approached a fisherman and begged a fish. The old man said to this beggar, "Instead of giving you a fish and feeding you for one meal, I would be willing to teach you how to fish and therefore, allowing you to feed yourself for life." Share with me this "Truth" as Kirael calls it, in how this old fable really took place.

Kirael: Along a great river a huge tree had fallen into the rushing waters. So large was this tree that a man could easily walk onto it and fish for his meal. It came to pass that one day a great sage had chosen this space to collect his ration of food for the day.


After a long period of time, he finally caught a fair sized fish and placed it carefully on the log beside him. A passing man, his wife and two children saw this and the man approached him, asking for the fish to feed his hungry family. The old sage happily offered to teach the man how to catch his own fish, but was quickly rebuked. For the young man informed the sage that he was not interested in learning a craft, but he simply wanted to eat.


The old sage stood fast in his resolution and sent the man on his way. He soon after caught another mid-sized fish. The young man hurried back onto the log and again asked the sage to relinquish just one of the fish, for now the sage had more than enough.

The old man, now perplexed, began to wonder if it would not make sense to give this young man a fish, for, in fact, he did have more than enough. As he contemplated this dilemma, a great light appeared at the end of the fallen tree.


The light spoke to him in such calm and beauty, that the older man was immediately convinced, that he was in the presence of a great and wondrous teacher, who had come to share a gift for all humankind.

The light spoke, "Old sage, allow me to express a thought, that if followed, will change your life for all time to come. First, take from your pocket the sharpening file you carry with you, and as we speak, sharpen the hook you have tied to your line. Sharpen this hook like no other in the world. Make it so sharp that when the fish takes it into its mouth it will feel no pain. Then when you are ready, pray with me the following. 'I call on the Creator to help me search out the oldest fish in the river that is ready to leave this dimension, and guide it to my line. For I have sharpened my hook so well, that it will feel no pain, and together we will fulfill our journey.' With this, the sage cast his newly sharpened hook into the water and within seconds he pulled unto the log a great fish.

Before he could begin to celebrate, the light spoke again. 'If one were to look on the shore, he might find string of lighter weight. Thereby, allowing the sharpened hook to fly further into the depths of the water, allowing for greater chance for an older and larger fish to cooperate in this journey. Following this advice, the old sage was again rewarded by the landing of a fish of such size, he had never seen. Thinking this was as good as it might get, the sage was again brought to focus by this great light. And this time, it was suggested that each time he threw his line into the water, as he released the line, he let his wrist extend to the fullest, thereby, allowing the flow of the hook to reach dominion never reached before.

Soon, the accumulation of fish was so vast that even the sage had become proud. He again, became aware of the young man, thinking that surely he would be begging for food again. However, as he focused his attention on him, to his surprise, the young man was now skillfully sharpening his own hook.


The moral, my friends, is do not try to teach another man something he must know on some level. Instead, go about sharpening your own hook. For perfecting the art you know, will enhance humankind. Become so clear on your journey, that as opposed to being the teacher, you remain the consummate learner. For in so doing, all those around you, will want to share this learning and will watch as you perfect this journey you call "life".









Concentrate solely on sharpening your own hook so well, that those needing light on their path, will enter your light, in that they may follow a leader, as opposed to one who speaks with a loud voice and little knowledge.

Become Internally Driven, Not Externally Driven

One day, if someone gets up on the right side of the bed and calls me and says, "You are the greatest person on earth. You are doing a great job and I want you to know I am honored to call you a friend," I know he is sincere. How does it make me feel? Great. But the next day, he gets up on the wrong side of the bed, picks up the phone and says, "You rascal, you cheat, you crook! You are the biggest fraud in town." How does it make me feel? Terrible.

So the first day when he says "you are the greatest guy," I feel great and the next day when he says "you rascal," I feel terrible. Who is controlling my life? Obviously, he is. Is that the way I want to go through life? Not at all.

That is being externally driven.\I want to be internally driven. When he calls me and says I am the greatest guy, it is good to hear those words. But even if he doesn't say those words, in my own estimation, I am still a good human being. And the next day when he rips me apart, he can't really, because in my own estimation, I am still a good human being. When people make statements like, "You make me angry," the focus of control is external. But if I say I am angry or I choose to be angry, the focus of control is internal.

No one can make you feel inferior without your permission.

--Eleanor Roosevelt

There is a story about an ancient Indian sage who was called ugly names by a passerby. The sage listened unperturbed till the man ran out of words. He asked the man, "If an offering is not accepted, who does it belong to?" The man replied, "It belongs to the person who offered it." The sage said, "I refuse to accept your offering," and walked away, leaving the man dazed. The sage was internally driven.

So long as we blame outside sources, our miseries will continue and we will feel helpless. Unless we accept responsibility for our feelings and behavior, we cannot change. The first step is to ask:

• Why did I get upset?

• Why am I angry?

• Why am I depressed?

Then we start getting the clues to overcome them.

Happiness is a result of positive self-esteem. If you ask people what makes them happy, you will get all kinds of answer. Most of them would include material things but that is not really true.

Happiness comes from being and not having. One can have everything in life and yet not be happy. The reverse is also true.

Happiness is internal. Happiness is like a butterfly. You run after it, it keeps flying away. If you stand still, it comes and sits on your shoulder.

Develop a Mindset That Brings Happiness

Bitterness is a sign of emotional failure. It paralyzes our capacity to do good. Set your own standards. Be honest to yourself. Compete against yourself. Do the following:

• Look for the positive in every person and in every situation.

• Resolve to be happy.

• Set your own standards judiciously.

• Develop an immunity to negative criticism.

• Learn to find pleasure in every little thing.

• Remember all times are not the same. Ups and downs are part of life.

• Make the best of every situation.

• Keep yourself constructively occupied.

• Help others less fortunate than yourself.

• Learn to get over things. Don't brood.

• Forgive yourself and others. Don't hold guilt or bear grudges.

Drinking makes a person lose his inhibitions and give exhibitions.

Drinking makes a person lose his inhibitions and give exhibitions.

One reason that I don't drink is that I want to know when I am having a good time.


In my travels, I have noticed that in some countries drinking has become a national pastime. If you don't drink, they look at you as if there is something wrong. Their motto is: "It doesn't matter how bad your English is, as long as your Scotch is good." If a banker asked them what their liquid assets are, they would bring two bottles of Scotch.

Drinking and smoking are glamorized today. It all starts with the first time. If you ask people why they consume alcohol or take drugs, they will give you a host of reasons, such as: to celebrate; to have fun; to forget problems; to relax; to experiment; to impress (it is cool to drink); to be fashionable; to mingle; for business purposes.

People want to conform to peer pressure. I am amazed at the way peer pressure compels with phrases such as: "Aren't you my friend?"; "One for the road"; "One for my health."

The following poem from an unknown author explains the dilemma of a social drinker well

I've drunk to your

Health in taverns,

I've drunk to your

Health in my home,

I've drunk to your

Health so damn

many times,

That I've almost

ruined my own!

Drinking and driving cost lives. ,* the Hospital Association reports that half of all hospital admissions are alcohol-related and according to the National Safety Council's 1999 Accident Facts Edition, a person is injured in an alcohol-related crash every 60 seconds.

Give More Than You Get

Give More Than You Get

It is easy to succeed today. We have no competition. If you want to get ahead in life, go the extra mile. There is no competition on the extra mile. Are you willing to do a little more than you get paid for ? How many people you know are willing to do a little bit more than what they get paid for? Hardly any. Most people don't want to do what they get paid for and there is a second category of people who only want to do what they can get by with. They fulfill their quota just to keep their jobs. There is a small fraction who are willing to do a little bit more than what they get paid for. Why do they do more? If you fall into the last category, then where is your competition?

The advantages of doing more than you get paid for are :¬

• You make yourself more valuable, regardless of what you do and where you work.

• It gives you more confidence.

• People start looking at you as a leader.

• Others start trusting you.

• Superiors start respecting you.

• It breeds loyalty from both your subordinates and your superiors.

• It generates cooperation.

If you work for a man for heaven's sake work for him.

These people are always wanted everywhere regardless of age, experience or academic qualifications: hard¬working people who can work without supervision; people who are punctual and considerate; people who listen carefully and carry out instructions accurately; people who tell the truth; people who don't sulk when called upon to pitch in at the time of an emergency; people who are result rather than task oriented; people who are cheerful and courteous.

Always think in terms of giving value added whether to customers, friends, your spouse, parents or children. Whenever you do anything, ask yourself, "How can I add value to what I am doing?" or "How can I give added value to others?"

The key to success can be summed up in four words: "and then some more." Winners do what they are supposed to and then some more. Winners do their duty and then some more. Winners are courteous and generous and then some more. Winners can be counted on and then some more. Winners put in 100% and then some more.

Ability without dependability, responsibility and flexibility is a liability.

Why are some highly intelligent people, with impressive academic qualifications living failures, or at best practicing mediocrity? Because they become experts at why things won't work and build a reserve of negative energy. They don't want to do what they get paid for or they only want to do what they can get by with. No wonder they are living failures. When we give or do more than what we get paid for, we eliminate our competition. In fact, we become the competition. This attitude is much more important than intelligence or a degree.

Work, Work, Work

If your dream is a big dream, and if you want your life to work on the high level that you say you do, there’s no way around doing the work it takes to get you there. -Joyce Chapman

Big shots are only little shots who keep shooting. -Christopher Morley Pls RT #quotes

Motivate Yourself...

An Old  headmaster  taught me. Normally when you are only 15 years of age you do not remember most of the things that are preached by your teachers. But, this particular story is one such lesson that I will never forget. Every time I drift off course, I get reminded of this story.

It was a normal Monday morning at an assembly, and he was addressing the students on important things in life and about committing ourselves to what is important to us. This is how the story went:

An old man lived in a certain part of London, and he would wake up every morning and go to the subway. He would get the train right to Central London, and then sit at the street corner and beg. He would do this every single day of his life. He sat at the same street corner and begged for almost 20 years.

His house was filthy, and a stench came out of the house and it smelled horribly. The neighbors could not stand the smell anymore, so they summoned the police officers to clear the place. The officers knocked down the door and cleaned the house. There were small bags of money all over the house that he had collected over the years.

The police counted the money, and they soon realized that the old man was a millionaire. They waited outside his house in anticipation to share the good news with him. When he arrived home that evening, he was met by one the officers who told him that there was no need for him to beg any more as he was a rich man now, a millionaire.

He said nothing at all; he went into his house and locked the door. The next morning he woke up as usual, went to the subway, got into the train, and sat at the street corner and continued to beg.

Obviously, this old man had no great plans, dreams or anything significant for his life. We learn nothing from this story other than staying focused on the things we enjoy doing, commitment.

We should remain true to our course; which may mean committing yourselves to things that people around you would normally disapprove. Let nothing distract us from being happy, let nothing else determine our fate, but ourselves.

What makes us happy is what matters in the end, not what we acquire.

Work banishes those three great evils: boredom, vice, and poverty. -Voltaire #quotes #inspiration

LIFE IS AN ECHO

A little boy got angry with his mother and shouted at her, "I hate you, I hate you." Because of fear of reprimand, he ran out of the house. He went up to the valley and shouted, "I hate you, I hate you," and back came the echo, "I hate you, I hate you." This was the first time in his life he had heard an echo. He got scared, went to his mother for protection and said there was a bad boy in the valley who shouted "I hate you, I hate you." The mother understood and she asked her son to go back and shout, "I love you, I love you." The little boy went and shouted, "I love you, I love you," and back came the echo. That taught the little boy a lesson that our life is like an echo: We get back what we give.

Benjamin Franklin said, "When you are good to others, you are best to yourself."

To read More Notes like this visit http://www.facebook.com/pages/What-Is-Life/397694881290?ref=mf

or  http://spiritually-true.blogspot.com/ 

Consideration.

One day, a ten-year-old boy went to an ice¬ cream shop, sat at a table and asked the waitress, "How much is an ice-cream cone?" She said, "seventy-five cents." The boy started counting the coins he had in his hand. Then he asked how much a small cup of ice-cream was.

The waitress impatiently replied, "sixty¬ five cents." The boy said, "I will have the small ice-cream cup." He had his ice-cream, paid the bill and left. When the waitress came to pick up the empty plate, she was touched. Underneath were ten one-cent coins as tip.

The little boy had consideration for the waitress before he ordered his ice-crearn. He showed sensitivity and caring. He thought of others before himself.

To read More Notes like this visit http://www.facebook.com/pages/What-Is-Life/397694881290?ref=mf

or  http://spiritually-true.blogspot.com/ 

To grow and know what one is growing towards--that is the source of all strength & confidence in life. -James Baillie

Where are we heading ?

To read More Notes like this visit http://www.facebook.com/pages/What-Is-Life/397694881290?ref=mf

or  http://spiritually-true.blogspot.com/ 

The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings, but shorter tempers; wider freeways, but narrower viewpoints; we spend more, but have less; we buy more but enjoy it less.

We have bigger houses and smaller families; more conveniences, but less time; we have more degrees, but less sense; more knowledge, but less judgement; more experts, but more problems; more medicine, but less wellness.

We drink too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry too quickly, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom.

We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often. We've learned how to make a living, but not a life; We've added years to life, not life to years.

We've been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet the new neighbor. We've conquered outer space, but not inner space; We've done larger things, but not better things.

We've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul; we've split the atom, but not our prejudice. We write more, but learn less; we plan more, but accomplish less.

We've learned to rush, but not to wait; we have higher incomes, but, lower morals.

We build more computers to hold more information to produce more copies than ever, but have less communication; We've become long on quantity, but short on quality.

These are the days of two incomes, but more divorce; of fancier houses, but broken homes.

These are the days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throw away morality, one night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill. Where are we heading ....?

If we die tomorrow, the company that we are working for could easily replace us in a matter of days. But the family we left behind will feel the loss for the rest of their lives.

And come to think of it, we pour ourselves more into work than to our family an unwise investment indeed.

So what is the morale of the story????

Don't work too hard... and you know what's the full word of family?

FAMILY = (F)ATHER (A)ND (M)OTHER, (I) (L)OVE (Y)OU

Bad Temper

To read More Notes like this visit http://www.facebook.com/pages/What-Is-Life/397694881290?ref=mf

or  http://spiritually-true.blogspot.com/ 

There once was a little boy who had a bad temper. His father gave him a bag of nails and told him that every time he lost his temper, he must hammer a nail into the back of the fence.

The first day, the boy had driven 37 nails into the fence. Over the next few weeks, as he learned to control his anger, the number of nails hammered daily gradually dwindled down. He discovered it was easier to hold his temper than to drive those nails into the fence.

Finally the day came when the boy didn't lose his temper at all. He told his father about it and the father suggested that the boy now pull out one nail for each day that he was able to hold his temper. The days passed and the boy was finally able to tell his father that all the nails were gone.

The father took his son by the hand and led him to the fence. He said, "You have done well, my son, but look at the holes in the fence. The fence will never be the same. When you say things in anger, they leave a

scar just like this one. You can put a knife in a man and draw it out. It won't matter how many times you say I'm sorry the wound is still there. A verbal wound is as bad as a physical one."

The Island of Feelings

To read More Notes like this visit http://www.facebook.com/pages/What-Is-Life/397694881290?ref=mf

or  http://spiritually-true.blogspot.com/ 

Once upon a time, there was an island where all the feelings lived: Happiness, Sadness, Knowledge and all of the others, including Love...

One day, it was announced to the feelings that the island would sink, so all repaired their boats and left.

Love was the only one who stayed.

Love wanted to persevere until the last possible moment.

When the island was almost sinking, Love decided to ask for help.

Richness was passing by Love in a great boat.

Love said: "Richness, can you take me with you?"

Richness answered: "No, I can't. There is a lot of gold and silver in my boat. There is no place here for you."

Love decided to ask Vanity, who was also passing by in a beautiful vessel: "Vanity, please help me!"'

"I can't help you, Love. You are all wet and might damage my boat," Vanity answered.

Sadness was close by, so Love asked for help: "Sadness, let me go with you."

"Oh...Love, I am so sad that I need to be by myself!"

Happiness passed by Love too, but she was so happy that she did not even hear when Love called her! Suddenly, there was a voice: "Come Love, I will take you." It was an elder.

Love felt so blessed and overjoyed that he even forgot to ask the elder her name.


When they arrived at dry land, the elder went her own way.

Love realizing how much he owed the elder asked Knowledge, another elder:

"Who helped me?"

"It was Time," Knowledge answered.

"Time?" asked Love. "But why did Time help me?"

Knowledge smiled with deep wisdom and answered: "Because only Time is capable of understanding how great Love is."

The Stone Soup

To read More Notes like this visit http://www.facebook.com/pages/What-Is-Life/397694881290?ref=mf

or  http://spiritually-true.blogspot.com/ 

Many years ago three soldiers, hungry and weary of battle, came upon a small village. The villagers, suffering a meager harvest and the many years of war, quickly hid what little they had to eat and met the three at the village square, wringing their hands and bemoaning the lack of anything to eat.

The soldiers spoke quietly among themselves and the first soldier then turned to the village elders. "Your tired fields have left you nothing to share, so we will share what little we have: the secret of how to make soup from stones."

Naturally the villagers were intrigued and soon a fire was put to the town's greatest kettle as the soldiers dropped in three smooth stones.

"Now this will be a fine soup", said the second soldier; "but a pinch of salt and some parsley would make it wonderful!"

Up jumped a villager, crying "What luck! I've just remembered where some's been left!"

And off she ran, returning with an apronful of parsley and a turnip. As the kettle boiled on, the memory of the village improved: soon barley, carrots, beef and cream had found their way into the great pot, and a cask of wine was rolled into the square as all sat down to feast.

They ate and danced and sang well into the night, refreshed by the feast and their new-found friends. In the morning the three soldiers awoke to find the entire village standing before them.

At their feet lay a satchel of the village's best breads and cheese. "You have given us the greatest of gifts: the secret of how to make soup from stones", said an elder, "and we shall never forget."

The third soldier turned to the crowd, and said: "There is no secret, but this is certain: it is only by sharing that we may make a feast".

And off the soldiers wandered, down the road

Meaning of Life

To read More Notes like this visit http://www.facebook.com/pages/What-Is-Life/397694881290?ref=mf

or  http://spiritually-true.blogspot.com/ 

An eight-year-old boy approached an old man in front of a wishing well, looked up into his eyes, and asked:

"I understand you're a very wise man. I'd like to know the secret of life."

The old man looked down at the youngster and replied:

"I've thought a lot in my lifetime, and the secret can be summed up in four words .

The first is think. Think about the values you wish to live your life by.

The second is believe. Believe in yourself based on the thinking you've done about the values you're going to live your life by.

The third is dream. Dream about the things that can be, based on your belief in yourself and the values you're going to live by.

The last is dare. Dare to make your dreams become reality, based on your belief in yourself and your values. "

And with that, Walter E. Disney said to the little boy,

Think, Believe, Dream, and Dare.

Remember, no effort that we make to attain something beautiful is ever lost. -Helen Keller #quotes

MAY BE................................

Maybe. . .we were supposed to meet the wrong people before meeting the right one so that, when we finally meet the right person, we will know how to be grateful for that gift.

Maybe . . . when the door of happiness closes, another opens; but, often times, we look so long at the closed door that we don’t even see the new one which has been opened for us.

Maybe . . . it is true that we don’t know what we have until we lose it, but it is also true that we don’t know what we have been missing until it arrives.

Maybe . . . the happiest of people don’t necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the most of everything that comes along their way.

Maybe . . . the brightest future will always be based on a forgotten past; after all, you can’t go on successfully in life until you let go of your past mistakes, failures and heartaches.

Maybe . . . you should dream what you want to dream; go where you want to go, be what you want to be, because you have only one life and one chance to do all the things you dream of, and want to do.

Maybe . . . there are moments in life when you miss someone — a parent, a spouse, a friend, a child — so much that you just want to pick them from your dreams and hug them for real, so that once they are around you appreciate them more.

Maybe . . . the best kind of friend is the kind you can sit on a porch and swing with, never say a word, and then walk away feeling like it was the best conversation you’ve ever had.

Maybe . . you should always try to put yourself in others’ shoes. If you feel that something could hurt you, it probably will hurt the other person, too.

Maybe . . you should do something nice for someone every single day, even if it is simply to leave them alone.

Maybe . . . giving someone all your love is never an assurance that they will love you back. Don’t expect love in return; just wait for it to grow in their heart; but, if it doesn’t, be content that it grew in yours.

Maybe . . . happiness waits for all those who cry, all those who hurt, all those who have searched, and all those who have tried, for only they can appreciate the importance of all the people who have touched their lives.

Maybe . . . you shouldn’t go for looks; they can deceive; don’t go for wealth; even that fades away. Go for someone who makes you smile, because it takes only a smile to make a dark day seem bright. Find the one that makes your heart smile.

Maybe . . you should hope for enough happiness to make you sweet, enough trials to make you strong, enough sorrow to keep you human, and enough hope to make you happy

Maybe . . . you should try to live your life to the fullest because when you were born, you were crying and everyone around you was smiling but when you die, you can be the one who is smiling and everyone around you crying.

Quiz OF Life.....

You don't actually have to take the quiz. Just read straight through, and you'll get the point, an awesome one. .....


Take this quiz:
1. Name the five wealthiest people in the world.
2. Name the last five Heisman trophy winners.
3. Name the last five winners of the Miss America contest.
4. Name ten people who have won the Nobel or Pulitzer Prize.
5. Name the last half dozen Academy Award winners for best actor actress.
6. Name the last decade's worth of World Series winners.
How did you do?






The point is, none of us remember the headliners of yesterday. These are no second-rate achievers. They are the best in their fields.
But the applause dies. Awards tarnish. Achievements are forgotten. Accolades and certificates are buried with their owners.




Here's another quiz. See how you do on this one:
1. List a few teachers who aided your journey through school.
2. Name three friends who have helped you through a difficult time.
3. Name five people who have taught you something worthwhile.
4. Think of a few people who have made you feel, appreciated and special.
5. Think of five people you enjoy spending time with.
6. Name half a dozen heroes whose stories have inspired you. Easier?




The lesson: The people who make a difference in your life are not the ones with the most credentials, the most money, or the most awards. They are the ones that care.
Pass this on to those people who have made a difference in your life.




Get These stories straight on your wall
http://www.facebook.com/pages/What-Is-Life/397694881290?ref=mf

BUTTERFLY

A man found a cocoon of a butterfly. One day a small opening appeared. He sat and watched the butterfly for several hours as it struggled to force its body through that little hole. Then it seemed to stop making any progress. It appeared as if it had gotten as far as it could, and it could go no further.

So the man decided to help the butterfly. He took a pair of scissors and snipped off the remaining bit of the cocoon.

The butterfly then emerged easily. But it had a swollen body and small, shriveled wings.

The man continued to watch the butterfly because he expected that, at any moment, the wings would enlarge and expand to be able to support the body, which would contract in time.

Neither happened! In fact, the butterfly spent the rest of its life crawling around with a swollen body and shriveled wings. It never was able to fly.

What the man, in his kindness and haste, did not understand was that the restricting cocoon and the struggle required for the butterfly to get through the tiny opening were God's way of forcing fluid from the body of the butterfly into its wings so that it would be ready for flight once it achieved its freedom from the cocoon.

Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need in our lives. If God allowed us to go through our lives without any obstacles, it would cripple us.

We would not be as strong as what we could have been. We could never fly!

Two Roads We Can Walk

It has never been, and never will be easy work! But the road that is built in hope is more pleasant to the traveler than the road built in despair, even though they both lead to the same destination.

-Marion Zimmer Bradley

So long as men praise you, you can only be sure that you are not yet on your own true path but on someone else's. -Nietzsche (??)

POWER OF POSITIVE WORDS..

A group of frogs was travelling 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 unfortunate frogs they would never get out. The two frogs ignored the comments and tried to jump up out of the pit. The other frogs kept telling them to stop, that they were as good as dead.

Finally, one of the frogs took heed of what the other frogs were saying and simply give up. He fell down and died.

The other frog however continued to jump as hard as he could. Once again, the crowd of frogs yelled at him to stop the pain and just die. But to the surprise of one and all, he jumped even harder and finally did come out.

When he got out, the other frogs asked him, Why did you continue jumping? Didn't you hear us?

It was shocking for them to know that the frog was deaf and all the time he actually thought they were all encouraging him to get out. He did not want to disappoint them and therefore did not give up till the end.

It is sometimes hard to understand. An encouraging word can go such a long way. Anyone can speak words that tend to rob another of the spirit to continue in difficult times.

Big God, Big Ideas

Two men went fishing. One was an experienced fisherman the other wasn't. Every time the experienced fisherman caught a big fish he put it in his ice chest to keep it fresh. Whenever the inexperienced fisherman caught a big fish he threw it back. The experienced fisherman watched this go on all day and finally got tired of seeing the man waste good fish. "Why do you keep throwing back all the big fish you catch?" he asked.The inexperienced fisherman replied, "I only have a small frying pan."Sometimes, like that fisherman, we throwback the big plans, big dreams, big jobs, big opportunities that God gives us. Our faith is too small.

We laugh at that fisherman who didn't figure out that all he needed was a bigger frying pan, yet how ready are we to increase the size of our faith?Whether it's a problem or a possibility, God will never give you anything bigger than you can handle. That means we can confidently walk into anything God brings our way.

REMEMBER:

Don't Tell God you've got big problems. Tell your problems you've got a BIG GOD

Thank You for your Time - or I may not have any time to tell you "thanks in life time

Thank You for your Time


A young man learns what's most important in life  from the guy next door.
It had been some time since Jack had seen the old man.
College, girls, career, and life itself got in the way.. In fact, Jack moved clear across the country in pursuit
of his dreams.
There, in the rush of his busy life, Jack had little time to think about the past and often no time to spend
with his wife and son. He was working on his future, and nothing could stop him.
Over the phone, his mother told him, "Mr. Belser died last night. The funeral is Wednesday."

Memories flashed through his mind like an old newsreel as he sat quietly remembering his childhood days.
"Jack, did you hear me?"
"Oh, sorry, Mom. Yes, I heard you.
It's been so long since I thought of him.
I'm sorry, but I honestly thought he died years ago,"
Jack said.

"Well, he didn't forget you. Every time I saw him he'd ask how you were doing.
He'd reminisce about the many days you spent over 'his side of the fence' as he put it," Mom told him.
"I loved that old house he lived in," Jack said. "You know, Jack, after your father died, Mr.Belser stepped in to make sure you had a man's influence in your life," she said "He's the one who taught me carpentry," he said.
"I wouldn't be in this business if it weren't for him. He spent a lot of time teaching me things he thought were important...Mom, I'll be there for the funeral,"
Jack said.
As busy as he was, he kept his word. Jack caught the next flight to his hometown. Mr. Belser's funeral was
small and uneventful. He had no children of his own,and most of his relatives had passed away.
The night before he had to return home, Jack and his Mom stopped by to see the old house next door one more time.
Standing in the doorway, Jack paused for a moment. It was like crossing over into another dimension,
a leap through space and time The house was exactly as he remembered. Every step held memories.
Every picture, every piece of furniture..... Jack stopped suddenly..
"What's wrong, Jack?" his Mom asked.
"The box is gone," he said
"What box?" Mom asked.
"There was a small gold box that he kept locked
on top of his desk. I must have asked him a thousand times
what was inside. All he'd ever tell me was 'the thing
I value most,'" Jack said.

It was gone.. Everything about the house was exactly how Jack remembered it, except for the box..
He figured someone from the Belser family had taken it.

"Now I'll never know what was so valuable to him," Jack said.
"I better get some sleep. I have an early flight home, Mom."
It had been about two weeks since Mr. Belser died Returning home from work one day Jack discovered
a note in his mailbox.
"Signature required on a package.. No one at home.
Please stop by the main post office within the next three days," the note read.
Early the next day Jack retrieved the package.
The small box was old and looked like it had been mailed a hundred years ago.

The handwriting was difficult to read, but the return address caught his attention. "Mr. Harold Belser" it read.
Jack took the box out to his car and ripped open the package.
There inside was the gold box and an envelope. Jack's hands shook as he read the note inside.
"Upon my death, please forward this box and its contents to Jack Bennett. It's the thing I valued
most in my life."
A small key was taped to the letter.
His heart racing, as tears filling his eyes,
Jack carefully unlocked the box.
There inside he found a beautiful gold pocket watch.
Running his fingers slowly over the finely etched casing,
he unlatched the cover.. Inside he found these words engraved:
"Jack, Thanks for your time! -Harold Belser."
"The thing he valued most was...my time"

Jack held the watch for a few minutes, then called his office and cleared his appointments for the next two days. "Why?" Janet, his assistant asked.
"I need some time to spend with my son," he said. "Oh, by the way, Janet, thanks for your time!"

"Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take but by the moments that take our breath away,"
Think about this.
You may not realize it, but it's 100% true.

Why do we shout in ANGER ??

Why Do We Shout In Anger?

A saint asked his disciples, 'Why do we shout in anger? Why do people shout at each other when they are upset?'

Disciples thought for a while, one of them said, 'Because we lose our calm, we shout for that.'

'But, why to shout when the other person is just next to you?' asked the saint. 'Isn't it possible to speak to him or her with a soft voice? Why do you shout at a person when you're angry?'

Disciples gave some other answers but none satisfied the saint.

Finally he explained, 'When two people are angry at each other, their hearts distance a lot. To cover that distance they must shout to be able to hear each other. The angrier they are, the stronger they will have to shout to hear each other through that great distance.'

Then the saint asked, 'What happens when two people fall in love? They don't shout at each other but talk softly, why? Because their hearts are very close. The distance between them is very small...'

The saint continued, 'When they love each other even more, what happens? They do not speak, only whisper and they get even closer to each other in their love. Finally they even need not whisper, they only look at each other and that's all. That is how close two people are when they love each other.'

MORAL: When you argue do not let your hearts get distant, do not say words that distance each other more, else there will come a day when the distance is so great that you will not find the path to return

The Pretty Lady

The Pretty Lady

Once upon a time a big monk and a little monk were travelling together.

They came to the bank of a river and found the bridge was damaged. They

had to wade across the river. There was a pretty lady who was stuck at the

damaged bridge and couldn't cross the river.

The big monk offered to carry the pretty lady across the river on his  back.

The lady accepted. The little monk was shocked by the move of the big  monk."How can big disciple brother carry a lady when we are supposed to  avoid all intimacy with females?" thought the little monk. But he kept quiet.

The big monk carried the lady across the river and the small monk followed unhappily. When they crossed the river, the big monk let the lady down and they parted ways with her. All along the way for several miles, the little monk was very unhappy with the act of the big monk. He was making up all kinds of accusations about the big monk in his head. This got him madder and madder. But he still kept quiet. And the big monk had no inclination to explain his situation. Finally, at a rest point many hours later, the little monk could not stand it any further, he burst out angrily at the big monk. "How can you claim yourself a devout monk, when you seize the first opportunity to touch a female, especially when she is very pretty? All your teachings to me make you a big hypocrite."

The big monk looked surprised and said, "I had put down the pretty lady at the river bank many hours ago, how come you are still carrying her along?"

[This very old Chinese zen story reflects the thinking of many people today. We encounter many unpleasant things in our life, they irritate us and they make us angry. Sometimes, they cause us a lot of hurt, sometimes they cause us to be bitter or jealous. But like the little monk, we are not willing to let them go away. We keep on carrying the baggage of the "pretty lady" with us. We let them keep on coming back to hurt us, make us angry, make us bitter and cause us a lot of agony. Why? Simply because we are not willing to put down or let go of the baggage of the "pretty lady". We should let go of the pretty lady immediately after crossing the river,immediately after the unpleasant event is over. This will immediately remove all our agonies. There is no need to be further hurt by the unpleasant event after it is over. It is just that simple.]

The Frogs

The Frogs

A farmer came into town and asked the owner of a restaurant if he could

use a million frog legs. The restaurant owner was shocked and asked the man

where he could get so many frog legs! The farmer replied, "There is a

pond near my house that is full of frogs ---millions of them. They all croak

all night long and they are about to make me crazy!" So the restaurant Owner

and the farmer made an agreement that the farmer would deliver frogs to

the restaurant, five hundred at a time for the next several weeks.

The first week, the farmer returned to the restaurant looking rather

sheepish, with two scrawny little frogs.

The restaurant owner said, "Well... where are all the frogs?"

The farmer said, "I was mistaken. There were only these two frogs in the

pond. But they sure were making a lot of noise!"

[Next time you hear somebody criticizing or making fun of you, remember,

it's probably just a couple of noisy frogs. Also remember that problems

always seem bigger in the dark. Have you ever laid in your bed at night

worrying about things which seem almost overwhelming like a million

frogs croaking? Chances are pretty good that when the morning comes, and you

take closer look, you'll wonder what all the fuss was about.]

Gift from the Heart Always Appreciate Gifts........

According to legend, a young man while roaming the desert came across a spring of delicious crystal-clear water.

The water was so sweet he filled his leather canteen so he could bring some back to a tribal elder who had been his teacher. After a four-day journey he presented the water to the old man who took a deep drink, smiled warmly and thanked his student lavishly for the sweet water. The young man returned to his village with a happy heart.

Later, the teacher let another student taste the water. He spat it out, saying it was awful. It apparently had become stale because of the old leather container. The student challenged his teacher: "Master, the water was foul. Why did you pretend to like it?"

The teacher replied, "You only tasted the water, I tasted the gift.

The water was simply the container for an act of loving-kindness and nothing could be sweeter. Heartfelt gifts deserve the return gift of gratitude."

I think we understand this lesson best when we receive innocent gifts of love from young children. Whether it's a ceramic tray or a macaroni bracelet, the natural and proper response is appreciation and expressed thankfulness because we love the idea within the gift.

Gratitude doesn't always come naturally. Unfortunately, most children and many adults value only the thing given rather than the feeling embodied in it. We should remind ourselves and teach our children about the beauty and purity of feelings and expressions of gratitude. After all, gifts from the heart are really gifts of the heart the Heart............