Start With Yourself

Start With Yourself   When I was young and free and my imagination had no limits, I dreamed of changing the world. As I grew older and wiser, I discovered the world would not change, so I shortened my sights somewhat and decided to change only my country. But, it too, seemed immovable. As I grew into my twilight years, in one last desperate attempt, I settled for changing only my family, those closest to me, but alas, they would have none of it.  And now as I lie on my deathbed, I suddenly realize: If I had only changed my self first, then by example I would have changed my family. From their inspiration and encouragement, I would then have been able to better my country and, who knows, I may have even changed the world.  (The above words are said to be written on the tomb of an Anglican Bishop in the crypts of Westminster Abbey in London, England.)

What Binds You?

Better not mind the thing that depresses you for it makes you weak.
There are lots of things you can give your mind into.
Don't get stuck with what ruins but with what binds.

The Perspective of Life

One day a father of a very wealthy family took his son on a trip to the country with the firm purpose of showing his son how poor people live. They spent a couple of days and nights on the farm of what would be considered a very poor family. On their return from their trip, the father asked his son, 

"How was the trip?"

"It was great, Dad".

"Did you see how poor people live?" the father asked.

"Oh yeah" said the son.

"So, tell me, what did you learn from the trip?" asked the father. 

The son answered: "I saw that we have one dog and they had four.

We have a pool that reaches to the middle of our garden and they have a creek that has no end.

We have imported lanterns in our garden and they have the stars at night.

Our patio reaches to the front yard and they have the whole horizon.

We have a small piece of land to live on and they have fields that go beyond our sight.

We have servants who serve us, but they serve others.

We buy our food, but they grow theirs.

We have walls around our property to protect us, they have friends to protect them."

The boy's father was speechless.

Then his son added, "Thanks, Dad, for showing me how poor we are."

Isn't perspective a wonderful thing? Makes you wonder what would happen if we all gave thanks for everything we have, instead of worrying about what we don't have. Appreciate every single thing you have!

"The evil you do, remains with you. The good you do, comes back to you!"

A woman baked bread for members of her family and an extra one for a hungry passerby. 

  

She kept the extra bread on the Window-sill, for whosoever would take it away. 

  

Every day, a hunch-back came and took away the bread. Instead of expressing gratitude, 

  

He muttered the following words as he went his way: 

  

"The evil you do remains with you: The good you do, comes back to you!" 

  

This went on, day after day. Every day, the hunch-back came, picked up the bread and uttered the words: "The evil you do, remains with you: The good you do, comes back to you!" 

  

The woman felt irritated. "Not a word of gratitude," she said to herself... 

  

"Everyday this hunch-back utters this jingle! What does he mean? 

  

"One day, out of desperation, she decided to do away with him. "I shall get rid of this hunch-back," she said. And what did she do? She added poison to the bread she prepared for him! As she was about to place it on the window sill, her hands trembled. "What is this I am doing?" she said. 

  

Immediately she threw the bread into the fire, prepared another one and kept it on the window-sill. 

  

As usual, the hunch-back came, picked up the bread and muttered the words: 

  

"The evil you do, remains with you: The good you do, comes back to you!" 

  

The hunch-back proceeded on his way, blissfully unaware of the war raging in the mind of the woman. Everyday, as the woman placed the bread on the window-sill, she offered a prayer for her son who had gone to a distant place to seek his fortune. For many months, she had no news of him.. She prayed for his safe return. 

  

That evening, there was a knock on the door. As she opened it, she was surprised to find her son standing in the doorway.. He had grown thin and lean. His garments were tattered and torn. He was hungry, starved and weak. As he saw his mother, he said, "Mom, it's a miracle I'm here. While I was but a mile away, I was so hungry that I collapsed. I would have died, but just then an old hunch-back passed by. I begged of him for a small part of his food, and he was kind enough to give me a whole bread. "As he gave it to me, he said, "This is what I eat everyday: today, I shall give it to you, for your need is greater than mine!" 

  

"As the mother heard those words, her face turned pale and red. She leaned against the door for support. She remembered the poisoned bread that she had made that morning. Had she not burnt it in the fire, it would have been eaten by her own son, and he would have lost his life! 

  

It was then that she realized the significance of the words: "The evil you do remains with you: The good you do, comes back to you!" 

  

Do good and don't ever stop doing good, even if it’s not appreciated.

Forgiveness = Love

In the Lord's prayer, LOVE is not mentioned.
Instead, FORGIVE is used.
Perhaps because to FORGIVE
is the highest expression of LOVE.

No Fear

Obstacles don't frighten a heart that has a firm faith 

because it knows too well that God's love 

does not abandon those who puts his trust in Him.

Getting Along With People

10 Suggestions for getting along better with people.

1. Guard your tongue.  Say less than you think.
2. Make promises sparingly. But keep them faithfully.
3. Never let an opportunity pass by to say a kind word.
4. Be interested in others, their pursuits, work, and family.
5. Be cheerful.  Don't dwell on minor aches and small disappointments.
6. Keep an open mind. Discuss but don't argue.
7. Discourage gossip.  It is destructive.  Never talk bad against anyone behind his back.
8. Be careful of other's feelings.
9. Pay no attention to ill-natured remarks about you. Live in such a way that nobody will believe them.
10. Don't be anxious about getting credit.  Just do your best and be patient.

Being Complete

Loving God is self giving.

The more you love HIm, the more you lose a part of yourself.

Yet you do not become less of who you are.

You end up being complete.

Happy People

Happy people are those who continuously evaluate and improve themselves. 
Unhappy people are those who continuously evaluate others.

Sometimes...

Sometimes God allows moments of darkness, agitation, and bitterness so that we may know what we are.  Conscious of our own nothingness, we may throw ourselves back to Him with total trust. 

Blessed and Thankful

I am blessed and thankful

that I have another day to live;

that I can make things right this time no matter the situation before;

that I can share the simple blessing of making someone smile;

that I can express how much my family and friends mean to me one more time. 

What a beautiful day this is!

The Weight of the Cross

Our Lord sometimes make you feel the weight of the cross. 

This weight may seem unbearable but 

you carry it because in His love and mercy, 

the Lord helps you and gives you strength.

Only by grace

It is only by God's grace that we can endure and persevere through any test.
For when we are at our weakest, God's strength is at its best.

I Need You

Lord, I need you.
Carry me when I am weak.
Hold me when I am tired.
Love me when I do not care anymore.
When I am lonely and afraid,
cover me with your protective hands.
Lord, I place my trust in You.

Ask and Give Thanks

Ask God to give you the right direction, the right words, and the right spirit.

If you fail, do not be dismayed. If you succeed, do not be proud.

But in all things, give thanks to God who richly supplies you with great gifts and talents.

Today...

Today, I will begin with a smile.

I will look at the bright side of life.

I will be productive and will do my best.

I will bring joy to others.

I will be thankful of God's gifts.

I will be a blessing to others...today.

Wisdom

Wisdom is often times acquired 

when we stumble, not when we succeed. 

Our failures leave us wiser than our triumphs.

Growing up

The day the child realizes that all adults are imperfect, he becomes an adolescent.

The day he forgives them, he becomes an adult.

The day he forgives himself, he becomes wise.

Be Cheerful!

Cheerfulness oils the machinery of life.

Age may wrinkle one's face, 

but lack of happiness and enthusiasm to live life

to the fullest will wrinkle one's soul.

Keep the enthusiasm and stay young in heart and spirit.

Stay cheerful!

The Biggest and Most Lasting Difference

Don't ever let yourself get so busy that you miss 

those little but important extras in your life...

the beauty of a new day;

the smile of a friend;

the serenity of a quiet moment alone.

For it is often life's smallest pleasures and gentlest joys 

that make the biggest and most lasting difference.

The Mysterious Door

There are times we treat life like a mysterious door. 
It does not open no matter how hard we push it.
We never notice that a huge sign is posted there that reads PULL!
The same is true with life.
We struggle, We push. We push harder till we're tired, hurt, bruised, and wounded.
We forget there's a better way...SURRENDER. LET GO. LET GOD.

Building a Better World

God said, "Build a better world."
I said, "How? The world is so messed up there's noting I can do."
God said, "Just build a better you and influence others."

First Stirrings

The first stirrings of God in a person are like seeds that will soon blossom into flowers of charity towards others.  
He will judge as mighty all deeds done with great love for Him, no matter how small.
He will see in our hearts the love behind our actions.

Like a Tree

Leaves fall from dryness, from rain, wind and other forces of nature.

But trees remain firm and resilient, standing best as they could.

Like trees, we are battered by the tests of time but by the grace of God,

we continue to stand and remain determined, 

waiting for new leaves of hope to grow.

Let us stand like a tree. Let us root ourselves in the grace of God.

A Healing Prayer

Lord, enlighten what is dark in me;

strengthen what is weak in me;

mend what is broken in me;

bind what is bruised in me;

heal what is sick in me;

straighten what is crooked in me;

revive whatever peace and love have died in me.

Look

Look back and thank God for what you are today.
Look forward to how God can use you tomorrow.
Look around and see that you are richly blessed... and a blessing to others.

Seeing with loving eyes...

To those who see with loving eyes, life is beautiful.
To those who speak with a tender voice, life is peaceful.
To those who help with gentle hands, life is full.

Having A Child's Heart

1. A four-year-old child, whose next door neighbor was an elderly gentleman, who had recently lost his wife. Upon seeing the man cry, the little boy went into the old gentleman's yard, climbed onto his lap, and just sat there.

 When his mother asked him what he had said to the neighbor, the little boy just said, 'Nothing, I just Helped him cry.'

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2. Teacher Debbie Moon's first graders were discussing a picture of a family. One little boy in the picture had a different hair color than the other members. One of her students suggested that he was adopted. A little girl said, 'I know all about Adoption, I was adopted..'

'What does it mean to be adopted?', asked another child.

'It means', said the girl, 'that you grew in your mommy's heart instead of her tummy!'

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3. On my way home one day, I stopped to watch a Little League baseball game that was being played in a park near my home. As I sat down behind the bench on the first- base line, I asked one of the boys what the score was 'We're behind 14 to nothing,' he answered With a smile.

'Really,' I said. 'I have to say you don't look very discouraged.'

'Discouraged?', the boy asked with a Puzzled look on his face...

'Why should we be discouraged? We haven't Been up to bat yet.'

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4. Whenever I'm disappointed with my spot in life, I stop and think about little Jamie Scott.

Jamie was trying out for a part in the school play. His mother told me that he'd set his heart on being in it, though she feared he would not be chosen.

On the day the parts were awarded, I went with her to collect him after school. Jamie rushed up to her, eyes shining with pride and excitement. 'Guess what, Mom,' he shouted, and then said those words that will remain a lesson to me....'I've been chosen to clap and cheer.'

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5. An eye witness account from New York City, on a cold day in December, some years ago: A little boy, about 10-years-old, was standing before a shoe store on the roadway, barefooted, peering through the window, and shivering With cold.

A lady approached the young boy and said, 'My, but you're in such deep thought staring in that window!'

'I was asking God to give me a pair of shoes, ‘was the boy's reply.

The lady took him by the hand, went into the store, and asked the clerk to get half a dozen pairs of socks for the boy. She then asked if he could give her a basin of water and a towel. He quickly brought them to her.

She took the little fellow to the back part of the store and, removing her gloves, knelt down, washed his little feet, and dried them with the towel.

By this time, the clerk had returned with the socks. Placing a pair upon the boy's feet, she purchased him a pair of shoes.

She tied up the remaining pairs of socks and gave them to him. She patted him on the head and said, 'No doubt, you will be more comfortable now.'

As she turned to go, the astonished kid caught her by the hand, and looking up into her face, with tears in his eyes, asked her.

'Are you God's wife?'

Being kind...

Being kind is much more important than being right.  Sometimes what a person needs is not a brilliant mind that speaks, but a patient heart that listens.

The Call To True Charity

We are called to true charity, i.e.; treating others not as they deserve but as God wishes to treat us all - with love and mercy.  If we are honest, we know that we judge others a lot, with little evidence and even less compassion.  We bring down our neighbor to make us feel good about ourselves.  But if we wish to grow, it is not our neighbor with whom we must compare ourselves. We must aspire to become Christ-like.

God's Time For Revival

God's time for revival is the very darkest hour when everything seems hopeless.  It is always the Lord's way to go to the very worst cases to manifest His glory.

The Touch of the Master's Hand

The Touch of the Master's Hand by Myra Brooks Welch is a great way to remind yourself and others of God's forgiveness - and His restoring touch.

'Twas battered and scarred, and the auctioneer
Thought it scarcely worth his while
To waste much time on the old violin,
But held it up with a smile.

"What am I bidden, good folks?" he cried,
"Who'll start the bidding for me?"
"A dollar, a dollar"; then, "Two! Only two?
Two dollars, and who'll make it three?

Three dollars, once; three dollars twice;
Going for three" But no,
From the room, far back, a gray-haired man
Came forward and picked up the bow;

Then, wiping the dust from the old violin,
And tightening the loose strings,
He played a melody pure and sweet
As a caroling angel sings.


The music ceased, and the auctioneer,
With a voice that was quiet and low,
Said, "What am I bid for the old violin?"
And he held it up with the bow.

"A thousand dollars, and who'll make it two?
Two thousand! And who'll make it three?
Three thousand, once; three thousand, twice,
And going, and gone," said he.

The people cheered, but some of them cried,
"We do not quite understand
What changed its worth." Swift came the reply:
"The touch of a master's hand."

The Memory Bank

A 92-year-old, petite, well-poised and proud man, who is fully dressed each morning by eight o'clock, with his hair fashionably combed and shaved perfectly, even though he is legally blind, moved to a nursing home today.

His wife of 70 years recently passed away, making the move necessary. After many hours of waiting patiently in the lobby of the nursing home, he smiled sweetly when told his room was ready.

As he maneuvered his walker to the elevator, I provided a visual description of his tiny room, including the eyelet sheets that had been hung on his window.

"I love it,"  he stated with the enthusiasm of an eight-year-old having just been presented with a new puppy.

"Mr. Jones, you haven't seen the room; just wait."

“That doesn't have anything to do with it," he replied.

"Happiness is something you decide on ahead of time. Whether I like my room or not doesn't depend on how the furniture is arranged.  It's how I arrange my mind. I already decided to love it."

"It's a decision I make every morning when I wake up. I have a choice; I can spend the day in bed recounting the difficulty I have with the parts of my body that no longer work, or get out of bed and be thankful for the ones that do. Each day is a gift, and as long as my eyes open, I'll focus on the new day and all the happy memories I've stored away. Just for this time in my life."

Old age is like a bank account. You withdraw from what you've put in.

So, my advice to you would be to deposit a lot of happiness in the bank  account of memories.

Thank you for your part in filling my Memory Bank.

 I am still depositing.

 Remember the five simple rules to be happy:

 1. Free your heart from hatred.

 2. Free your mind from worries..

 3. Live simply.

 4. Give more.

 5. Expect less.

- author unknown

Character and success emerge from one’s heart

                                          The Secret Lies Within 

A man was selling balloons at a fair in a tribal village. He had balloons of different colors. To attract the attention of people, he would release a gas-filled balloon into the air. When children saw the balloon go up, they would jump with joy and rushed to buy one.

The Balloon man was busy in attracting his little customers, when he felt someone pulling his kurta (traditional dress worn in India). He turned around and saw a little dark tribal boy asking him, "If you release a black balloon, would that also fly high?"

For a moment the balloon man was taken aback – why is this little boy asking such a question? His eyes fell on the dark skin of the body, and in a flicker of moment, the balloon man realized the matter!

With lot of affection, he moved his hand on the head of the little boy and replied gently, "Son, it is not the color of the balloon, it is what’s inside it that makes it go up!"

Character and success emerge from one’s heart

True Greatness

True Greatness lies in Humility, Obedience, and Faithfulness.

True Love is to constantly swallow your pride and be a servant to others.

It Is OK To Be Wrong?

It is actually ok to be wrong.

Can you accept that you can be wrong?

Finding Happiness

Life can be complicated, 

but happiness is really simple....

It's All About Courage

This is a true story of courage. John Steven Akhwari of Tanzania inspires us. 

The event happened at the Mexico Olympics in 1968.

Closed. Open.

When one door closes, another door opens.

But we often look so long and regretfully 

at the closed door

that we fail to see the door that has opened.

By Golly, You Can

When someone tells you that you can't do something

Don't doubt yourself

Instead, stretch yourself!

You have to stick your neck out and go for your best.

Use all your will power and positive attitude.

Never, never give up!

In the end, you will succeed and prove them wrong.

Nothing is impossible if your heart is willing and you have a positive attitude.

You can make your world, our world a better place.

By golly, YOU can.

Lighted Candles

Good people are like lighted candles.

The darker the night, the brighter they shine.

Let nothing overwhelm your light.

Endure the burning as you share your light.

One-liners To Improve Relationships

Here are some wonderful one-liners to guide us and help us improve our relationships.


1.  Kind words make good echoes.
2.  The best things in life aren't things.
3.  The tongue weighs practically nothing but few can hold it.
4.  We stand tallest when we stoop to help others.
5.  The best way to have the last word is to apologize.
6.  Setbacks pave the way for comebacks.
7.  If the truth sets us free, lies bind us and make us prisoners.

How Much Do You Trust?

Trust is a very important factor in all relationships: marital, family, friendship, or business. When trust is broken, the relationship is strained or ended. A lack of trust leads to suspicion. Suspicion leads to anger. Anger causes enmity and enmity can lead to separation.


A female telephone operator received a phone call one day. She answered, "Public Utilities Board."  There was silence.  She repeated, "PUB." There was still no answer.  When she was about to cut off the line, she heard a lady's voice.  "Oh, so this is PUB. Sorry I got the number from my husband's pocket but I do not know whose number it is.


Without mutual trust, just imagine what will happen to the couple if the telephone operator answered with just 'hello' instead of 'PUB'.

Why Walk When You Can Fly?

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

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


The king summoned healers and sorcerers from all the land to tend to the
falcon, but no one could make the bird fly. He presented the task to the
member of his court, but the next day, the king saw through the palace
window that the bird had still not moved from its perch.

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



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

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

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



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



So let us learn to destroy the branch of fear which we cling to and free
ourselves to the glory of flight!

Memory Bank Account

A 92-year-old, petite, well-poised and proud man, who is fully dressed each morning by eight o'clock, with his hair fashionably combed and shaved perfectly, even though he is legally blind, moved to a nursing home today.

His wife of 70 years recently passed away, making the move necessary. After many hours of waiting patiently in the lobby of the nursing home, he smiled sweetly when told his room was ready.

As he maneuvered his walker to the elevator, I provided a visual description of his tiny room, including the eyelet sheets that had been hung on his window.

I love it,' he stated with the enthusiasm of an eight-year-old having just been presented with a new puppy.

Mr. Jones, you haven't seen the room; just wait.'

‘That doesn't have anything to do with it,' he replied.

 Happiness is something you decide on ahead of time.

 Whether I like my room or not doesn't depend on how the furniture is arranged . It's how I arrange my mind. I already decided to love it.

 'It's a decision I make every morning when I wake up. I have a choice;

 I can spend the day in bed recounting the difficulty I have with the parts of my body that no longer work, or get out of bed and be thankful for the ones that do.

 Each day is a gift, and as long as my eyes open, I'll focus on the new day and all the happy memories I've stored away.. Just for this time in my life.

Old age is like a bank account. You withdraw from what you've put in.

So, my advice to you would be to deposit a lot of happiness in the bank  account of memories!

Remember the five simple rules to be happy: 

1. Free your heart from hatred.

2. Free your mind from worries..

3. Live simply.

4. Give more.

5. Expect less.

You may or may not pass this on. The decision is yours. But what you just read is so positive and so true, so I guess it would do more good if more people got to read it.