RICHES OF THE HEART FOR LIFE

Bottled drinking water - “Iron rusts from disuse; water loses its purity from stagnation ... even so does inaction sap the vigour of the mind.”

A funny story is told about a young woman who confided to her new lover, "My father is gone and my mother is in very poor health. It looks as if she will die soon and I will inherit all her money. We should get married; after all I'm going to be a millionaire! " Two weeks later the man became her stepfather.

I have heard it said that from the time an infant first struggles to get her toes into her mouth, life is a continual struggle to make both ends meet. Those who are working one or more jobs and feel as if they are barely getting by can relate.

But I also know that the pursuit of money, as an end in itself, is an empty endeavor. Happy are those who seek riches which cannot be counted in a bank or measured on a scale. For they will never know real poverty.

I believe writer Rudyard Kipling got it right when he admonished students at McGill University to never waste their time fighting for money. He said that some day they will meet someone who cares little for money and will not take it, even if offered. At that time, they will discover how poor they really are!

Yet how very wealthy are those who seek riches of the heart. They will always have more than enough of all that brings true happiness.

From Lifesupport.

Lifesigns Life Quotes

BACK TO BASICS IN LIFE

2008 China Olympics solar shaking mascot toy - “I think that if you shake the tree, you ought to be around when the fruit falls to pick it up”

One man said of his marriage, "I very distinctly remember my wedding day. As we unloaded the moving van into our little house, I said, 'Darling, this is your and my little world.'"

"And I suppose," wondered his friend, "that you've lived happily ever after?"

"We've been fighting for the world's championship ever since," he said.

That must have been the same couple who seemed to always be in conflict, but had a habit of calling a truce at bedtime. Every evening they knelt together and asked for strength to fight one more round....

They often wondered why they remained together. One night, while kneeling, she said to him, "Why don't we just ask God to strike one of us dead tonight, then this marriage would have peace at last...and I could go live with my sister."

All relationships experience conflict. Marriages, friendships, parents and children. But too many unfortunate souls, like this couple, seem to be unable to resolve their differences. Their relationship dries up, becomes brittle and breaks apart like a old and valuable photograph left in the hot sun. A union that once seemed a work of art eventually resembles a discolored and crumbling canvass. Finding and restoring those pieces to anything attractive can be a near-impossible task.

And the amazing realization is this: the incidents that finally destroy a relationship are usually small and insignificant! Momentous decisions and huge obstacles generally don't pull people apart. Most people in committed relationships can stand united when disaster strikes. It is the little problems, the insignificant stressors, that do the most damage when allowed to fester.

Do you know what issue causes the greatest number of conflicts in households? According to a "USA Today" report, people argue most often about which TV show to watch! Would any couple or family have believed that the selection of television programs would become the major cause of their unhappiness?

They forgot what is important! They forgot that relationships are built of such things as love, respect, consideration, kindness, and understanding. They forgot all those compelling and wonderful reasons that brought them together in the first place. Instead, they let minor inconveniences become major issues. In short, they forgot the basics. And they are paying a high price for their forgetfulness.

For healthy and satisfying relationships, it's vital to remember the basics:

Remember that the people of your life are more valuable than the things. That is basic.

Remember that there's a difference between inconveniences and hardships. That is basic.

Remember that the "little things," if left unattended, can hurt a relationship as much as the big ones. That, too, is basic.

And remember that love between individuals -- friends or family -- is the most precious possession we humans can hope to attain. Above all, other people should be cherished.

It's basic -- all of it. But it's the stuff of happy lives.

From Lifesupport.

Lifesigns Life Quotes

EVERYTHING CAN BE DIFFERENT FOR LIFE

Wholesome rice menu for lunch - “If you are planning for a year, sow rice; if you are planning for a decade, plant trees; if you are planning for a lifetime, educate people”

"Arizona Highways" magazine once reported a funny sign spotted at the Road Runner Market in Quartzsite, Arizona. A sign on the counter read:

"Your patience is appreciated. New electronic cash register. Same old ladies."

Apparently, the business machines were changing faster than the clerks! Which isn't to say that people can't change. They can. In fact, our greatest hope is birthed from knowing that we CAN change. We don't have to remain the same. Things can be different than they are.

Nobody can change your life. It is something only you can do. New and beautiful things await those who believe that things can be different.

I've known relationships to dramatically improve once the couple learned this simple axiom: "You can't change your partner; but your partner can change." We change because we want to and because we believe we can. There is great hope in that.

The unhappiest people change the least. They are not convinced they can start over! They often believe that they cannot truly be different and must continue leading unhappy lives forever. They should learn from snakes....

Snakes know about shedding the past and putting on something new. Old ways, old habits, old ideas and old attitudes don't fit forever. Once outgrown, we can shed them and grow into a new skin. (Ever thought you'd be learning a life lesson from a snake?)

Everything will be different when you are different. It begins with two indispensable ingredients - desire and belief. Those who WANT to shed the old skin and who BELIEVE they can, will make needed changes. And they will be happy.

From Lifesupport.

Lifesigns Life Quotes

LAPTOP BUYING GUIDE FOR LIFE

Most people prefer to buy laptops or notebook computers than their desktop counterparts. This is mainly due to the added mobility and portability that a laptop computer has to offer over a desktop computer. Another determining factor is the increasing affordability of popular laptop brands.

With hundreds if not thousands of models of top pc laptop brands to choose from, there is no denying that it is a daunting task to pick one that is the right match for your specific requirements. Luckily for us here is a fantastic laptop buying guide that highlights the lowdowns involved when we want to buy laptops. For those who are curious about mac laptops there is a great section on pc vs mac laptops too!

BEAUTY SECRET FOR LIFE

Fresh chickens on sale - “If you have made mistakes, there is always another chance for you. You may have a fresh start any moment you choose, for this thing we call 'failure' is not the falling down, but the staying down.”

Comic Phyllis Diller quipped that she once entered a beauty contest. "I not only came in last," she said, "I was hit in the mouth by Miss Congenial­ity. "

Ed Feinhandler believes he is the world's ug­liest man! But others disagree because, the fact is, Ed has dis­covered a universal "beauty secret."

He has won 15 "Ugly Man" competitions. According to the Daily Sparks Tribune (Sparks, Nevada USA), Ed drives a minivan with "Mr. Ugly" personalized license plates. Good looks were never important to him. But helping people always has been, and the thousands of dollars he has raised over the years from "Ugly Man" competitions has been donated to charity. In his spare time, Ed coaches youth sports, teaches tennis to un­derprivileged children and delivers Christmas
bas­kets to the elderly. That's the beauty of it!

To know Ed is to know a beautiful man whose real attractiveness comes from within. His secret is that beauty has little to do with physical looks, and much to do with the heart.

You, too, probably know some exquisitely beautiful people. They are kind and generous. They are happy and contented. And if you look closely inside your own heart, you may discover more beauty there than you imagined possible. As Ed Feinhandler teaches us, beauty has more to do with love than looks.

From Lifesupport.

Lifesigns Life Quotes

YOUR GREATEST TREASURE FOR LIFE

An empty stage - “If life is just a stage, then we are all running around ad-libbing, with absolutely no clue what the plot is. Maybe that's why we don't know whether it's a comedy or tragedy.”

Many people complain that their memory is not what it used to be. But memory can be a powerful tool for spiritual and emotional rejuvenation!

I once attended an conference at a retreat center in the Rocky Mountains. We were given a long break one afternoon to relax and rejuvenate our spirits. Many of the attendees decided to play golf and asked if I wanted to come along.

Golf does not rejuvenate my spirit. I've LOST more religion on the golf course than I can remember! I feel a bit like Bob Hope who said that if you watch a sport, it's fun; if you play a sport, it's recreation; and if you work at a sport, it's golf." I decided to do something more relaxing, so I went for a walk.

A little way down a secluded, dirt road, I spotted horses in a corral. I carefully approached, so as not to frighten them. Then I inhaled as deeply as I could. With the smell of the horses and the corral came a flood of memories.

I visited my grandparents' guest ranch every summer as a child. When I was a teenager, I worked on the ranch. Some of my happiest memories growing up were around horses and horse smells.

Inhaling horse smells, I recalled hot afternoons of pulling saddles and blankets off perspiring horses then brushing down their backs. The pungent smell of horse sweat filled my mind.

I recalled the soft touch of a horse's nose sniffing my hand for sugar, and the warmth of a horse's neck as I put my arms around it and hugged it close.

Manure smells brought back memories of hours spent in corrals saddling, bridling and working with horses. Again, I inhaled deeply.

I recalled rising before dawn and riding in the crisp, early morning air searching along hills and valleys for horses let out the previous evening to range free of fences.

I remembered afternoon naps under a ponderosa pine tree, my hat pulled down over my face, listening to the sounds of buzzing flies and swishing horse tails.

As I breathed in the smells, my mind enjoyed ancient memories of day long horseback rides, valley vistas of soft, green grass...brown later in the summer, pristine mountains and clear, shallow mountain creeks running beside horse trails carved in red earth.

I remembered, too, how it felt to be young with my whole life ahead. I felt again the sense of adventure and excitement of those heady, teen years. Not that I'd ever want to go back and relive them -- but maybe visit occasionally in my mind. I remembered ... and felt renewed.

Later in the day we shared how we spent our afternoon. Many people in our group boasted of golf scores. Some talked about walking or hiking. When it was my turn, I said that I had an extraordinary time. "I smelled the horses."

What do you find yourself remembering? Do you often recall times that you would rather forget? Or do you dwell on those memories that bring you joy and inner peace? When you think of the past, is it with regret or with pleasure? What do you remember most: painful times or happy occasions?

Your thoughts can sap your emotions or they can flood your mind with strength-giving energy. Your good memories can rejuvenate your spirit with new life. They can be a solace during difficult times and a source of joy anytime you choose to visit.

Some memories are best forgotten; others may need time to heal. But good memories are like a treasure nobody can steal.

Keep them close. Visit them often. Enjoy.

From Lifesupport.

Lifesigns Life Quotes

THE GREATEST SUCCESS OF ALL IN LIFE

Plain window curtain - “When twilight drops her curtain down and pins it with a star, remember that you have a friend though she may wander far.”

"Skipper, a special message just came in for you from the admiral," the sailor said to his captain as he saluted. "I have it right here."

"Read it to me," the captain ordered.

The sailor read, "You are without a doubt, the most conceited, self-absorbed, EGO-MANIAC ever to command a ship in the United States Navy."

The skipper responded, "Have that communication decoded at once!"

For some people, it's all about them. For others, it's all about you. Like author Leil Lowndes says, "There are two kinds of people in this life. Those who walk into a room and say, 'Well, here I am.' And those who walk in and say, 'Ahh, there you are.'"

Which are you? Are you more focused on getting your own needs met, or on easing the burdens of others? Are you mostly trying to make yourself happy, or are you interested in the happiness of those around you?

Albert Einstein reminded us that "life isn't worth living, unless it is lived for someone else." And toward the end of his life, he removed the portraits of two scientists -- Isaac Newton and James Maxwell -- from his wall. He replaced them with portraits of Mahatma Gandhi and Albert Schweitzer. Einstein explained that it was time to replace the image of success with the image of service.

Maybe the greatest success of all is when we realize that it's not all about us. And maybe the greatest happiness to be found is when we share the happiness of others.

From Lifesupport.

Lifesigns Life Quotes

WHAT WILL YOU BECOME IN LIFE?

China leek roots - “Love is the essence of human experience and emotion. It is at the root of all and everything we, as humans, do. Without love, what do we have to live for?”

"Is it true," a young boy asked his mother, "that we are made of dust?"

"Yes," she said.

"And is it true that we go back to dust again when we die?" he continued.

"Yes, dear."

"Well, Mommy, when I looked under my bed I saw someone who was coming or going, but I don't know which."

I'm afraid to look under MY bed....

There are times that we feel as if we don't know whether we are coming or going. But this little boy doesn't have to worry about people coming and going underneath his bed.

But did you know that all things are coming and going in a different way? Even people are constantly reshaped, remolded and re-created! Not from dust bunnies, but from life itself. Let me explain.

The Rocky Mountains in which I live are reshaped every year. Wind, water and ice erode them away about three inches every 1,000 years. That isn't much, but they are being re-formed all the time. A 10,000 foot peak will vanish every 40 million years! In fact, today's Rocky Mountains are the third version of earlier mountains that rose out of volcanic turbulence and eroded through the passage of time.

We may not see much of a difference in ourselves from day to day, but we, too, are shaped and reshaped. Everything that happens to us, the good and the bad, leaves its mark. Actually, we are not even the people we were yesterday!

But unlike mountains, we have a hand in our re-creation. Harsh experiences can erode and destroy, or we can use them to call forth beautiful inner qualities. Illness can actually create within us an attitude of compassion for others who suffer. Loss can help build strong bonds with others who care. Suffering of all kinds can be used to strengthen our faith.

Even good times can leave us different than they found us. We can use joy to hone a sense of humor and pleasant memories to cultivate a heart of gratitude. Everything shapes us. You and I are being re-created every minute of every day.

We are quite literally in the process of "becoming." The possibilities are exciting and wonderful. In a short time from now, you will be a different person than you are today.

The important question is: What will you become? Something extraordinary can happen when that question is answered seriously. What will you become? Your very life depends on your answer!

From Lifesupport.

Lifesigns Life Quotes

DRIVING AWAY THE SHADOWS IN LIFE

Black desktop computer casing - “A black cat crossing your path signifies that the animal is going somewhere.”

When Abraham Lincoln was shot at Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C. on April 14, 1865, he was carrying two pairs of spectacles and a lens polisher, a pocketknife, a watch fob, a linen handkerchief, and a brown leather wallet containing a five-dollar Confederate note and several newspaper clippings on the Lincoln presidency.

Why did he keep the newspaper clippings? Some of them extol his achievements as president of the United States. In one, Henry Ward Beecher is quoted in a speech as saying, "Abraham Lincoln may be a great deal less testy and wilful (sic) than Andrew Jackson, but in the long race, I do not know that he will be equal to him." The reporter then writes, "The storm of applause that followed this seemed as if it would never cease."

Why would he carry such a clipping? If we know anything about Lincoln, we know that humility was one of his most attractive virtues. I can't imagine that he read from the article during political discussions or entertained dinner guests with its keen insight.

I do not know the answer to these questions. But I am aware that Abraham Lincoln suffered from bouts of serious depression. Could it be that in those "dark nights of the soul," when despair settled over his mind like a cold and heavy snow, that he could reach into his pocket and find hope? Could it be that these words reminded him of what he had dedicated his life to, the good he had tried to do and the lives he had affected?

Francis of Assisi once said, "A single sunbeam is enough to drive away many shadows." We are all collectors of sunbeams. We may have saved away letters and mementoes that warm our hearts and encourage us when we need a lift.

And we can all be radiators of sunbeams, too. A letter, card or note of sincere appreciation can drive away dark shadows like nothing else.

Will you be giver of the light?

From Lifesupport.

Lifesigns Life Quotes

LIVING LONG ... OR LIVING WELL FOR LIFE?

Chinese preserved sausages - “If most of us are ashamed of shabby clothes and shoddy furniture, let us be more ashamed of shabby ideas and shoddy philosophies... It would be a sad situation if the wrapper were better than the meat wrapped inside it.”

A tough, old cowboy was asked by his grandson how to live a long life.

"The secret of living a long life is to sprinkle a little gunpowder on your oatmeal every morning," the grizzled man replied.

The grandson did this religiously and he lived to the age of 93. When he died, he left 14 children, 28 grandchildren, 35 great grandchildren and a fifteen foot hole in the wall of the crematorium.

He definitely went out with a bang.

Personally, I would rather remember somebody for how beautifully she lived than how spectacularly she died. And I would prefer she leave a hole in my heart than in the crematorium.

Besides, it has never been about how long we may live, but always about how well we are living today.

Dave Dravecky, pitcher for the San Francisco Giants baseball team, learned a lesson about what it means to live well.

Dave was enjoying an outstanding career until the day he was diagnosed with a soft tissue cancer in his left arm. His professional baseball career was over. After various treatments failed to stop the cancer, doctors advised Dave to have his arm amputated.

Some people may feel that a diagnosis of cancer, the loss of a career and the amputation of an arm may as well be a death sentence. Of course, many survivors know better. Dave, too, learned that his life was far from over.

When his little daughter Tiffany first saw her father after surgery, she went straight to him and hugged him long and hard. Then she smiled and announced that she was happy his left arm was gone. She explained that over the last few weeks, the arm had caused her father so much pain that he hadn't been able to hug her. With the arm out of the way, they would be close again.

Dave Dravecky will never be the baseball star he had hoped to become. He lost his arm and will always wonder if cancer will return. Maybe he will live a long life, and maybe not. But regardless of how long he lives, what matters is how well he lives.

He only has to hug Tiffany to remember.

From Lifesupport.

Lifesigns Life Quotes

CELEBRATING YOU IN LIFE

Desktop computer terminal - “A computer makes it possible to do, in half an hour, tasks which were completely unnecessary to do before”

An old story tells of an unhappy and discontented stonecutter. One day he came upon a merchant and was awe-struck by all of the marvelous goods the man had for sale. "I wish I were a merchant," said the stonecutter and, quite amazingly, his wish was granted.

Not long afterward he saw a parade pass his little shop. Spying a prince dressed in splendor such as he had never before seen, he said, "I wish I were a prince." And he became one.

But it wasn't too many days later that he stepped outside and felt the discomfort of the hot summer sun beating down upon his head. "Even a prince cannot stay cool in the sun," he said. "I wish I were the sun." This wish, too, was granted.

He was happy being the sun until, one day, a cloud came between him and the earth. "That cloud overshadows me," he said. "I wish I were a cloud."

Again, his wish was granted and he was happy until he came to a mountain that he could not rise above. "This mountain is greater than I," he said. "I wish I were a mountain."

As a tall and mighty mountain he looked down upon the affairs of humans and felt that he was finally happy. But one day a stonecutter climbed up his side and chipped away at rock and there was nothing he could do about it. "That little man is more powerful than I," the mountain said. "I wish I were a stonecutter. "

So the circle was completed and now the stonecutter knew that he would always be happy just being himself. He would never dress like a prince, shine like the sun nor rise as tall as a mountain, but he was happy to be who he was.

A sure way to unhappiness is to compare yourself to others. Like someone aptly said, "The grass may be greener on the other side of the fence, but it still has to be mowed." You are who you are and that is to be celebrated.

From Lifesupport.

Lifesigns Life Quotes

COURAGE OF CONVICTION FOR LIFE

Colorful stall decoration - “Your purpose is to make your audience see what you saw, hear what you heard, feel what you felt. Relevant detail, couched in concrete, colorful language, is the best way to recreate the incident as it happened and to picture it for the audience.”

Rollo May so accurately asserts that the op­posite of courage in our society is not coward­ice, but conformity. It takes guts to break from the herd.

Sen. John Tyler was a man who built his life around the courage of his convictions. Conse­quently, people trusted him enough to elect him President of the United States.

An example of his ability to do what he believed was right, in spite of its unpopularity, occurred once when he was caught up in a critical Senate vote. His vote was the deciding vote and the pressure from his colleagues was tremendous. His name was called and Tyler voted his con­science. He voted against the pressure. Feeling the weight of his vote, he visibly slumped in his seat.

At that moment there was only shocked and unbelieving silence in the great hall. Tyler then arose and walked out, as one writer puts it, "in the proud company of his own self-respect. "

He knew that exercising the courage to make those difficult decisions is part of building a life that matters.

From Lifesupport.

Lifesigns Life Quotes

VACATION HOTELS HUNTING

Just the other day my aunt and her family took the train for a trip to London from Liverpool. Day trips to London is a regular activity for them to go shopping and sight seeing. But those day trips are quite hectic as they need to move quickly between stops as time is very limited.
I told her now she can find cheap and comfy London Hotels via EasyToBook.com for a leisurely paced shopping spree. That way, she and her family can take their sweet time savoring all the sights and sounds that London has to offer. She later told me that she even used EasyToBook.com to find Sydney Hotels and Port Douglas Hotels for her vacation in Australia later this year. Just glad I could help out! I am still waiting for some vacation photos from her though.

THE ABC'S OF HANDLING MISTAKES IN LIFE

White EeePC setup - “It isn't a matter of black is beautiful as much as it is white is not all that's beautiful”

A grizzled old sea captain was often spotted by his crew opening a small, locked box on the bridge, peeking inside at its contents and shutting the lid before anyone might glimpse inside. The crew's curiosity grew and, on the day he retired, they rushed to the bridge, cut the lock and looked inside the box. There they found a sheet of paper that read, "Left - port. Right - starboard."

Are you afraid to make a mistake? Some people feel as if no one is ever paying attention until they make a mistake! If you goofed in a big way recently, maybe you need to hear about Roy Riegels.

The story is told about Roy and the 1929 Rose Bowl championship football game between Georgia Tech and the University of California. Shortly before halftime, a man named Roy Riegels made a huge mistake. He got the ball for California and somehow became confused and started running in the wrong direction! One of his teammates outdistanced him and tackled him after he had run 65 yards, just before he would have scored for the opposing team. Of course, Georgia Tech gained a distinct advantage through the error.

The men filed off the field and went into the dressing room. All but Riegels sat down on the benches and on the floor. He wrapped his blanket around his shoulders, sat in a corner, put his face in his hands and wept.

Coach Nibbs Price struggled with what to do with Roy. He finally looked at the team and said simply, "Men, the same team that played the first half will start the second."

All the players except Roy trotted out to the field. He didn't budge. Though the coach looked back and called to him again, he remained huddled in the corner. Coach Price went to him and said,

"Roy, didn't you hear me?"

"Coach," he said, "I can't do it. I've ruined you; I've ruined the school; I've ruined myself. I couldn't face that crowd in the stadium to save my life."

But Coach Price put his hand on Riegels' shoulder and said, "Roy, get up and go on back; the game is only half over."

Roy Riegels went back and those Tech men will tell you that they have never seen a man play football as well as Roy Riegels played that second half.

The next time you make a mistake, it might be good to remember the ABC method of handling mistakes.

A -- Acknowledge your error and accept responsibility for it. Don't try to fix the blame on other people or circumstances. When you fix the blame, you never fix the problem.

B -- Be gentle with yourself. The game is only half over. This is not the first mistake you ever made, nor will it be the last. You are still a good and caring person. Besides, later you may laugh at the blunder, so try to lighten up a bit now.

C -- Correct it and move on. Correcting mistakes may also mean to make amends, if necessary. "Those who are wise don't consider it a blessing to make no mistakes," says Wang Yang-Ming. "They believe instead that the great virtue is the ability to correct mistakes and to continually reinvent oneself."

Now, go make your mistakes. And though some may be no less than spectacular, if you practice the ABC method, you'll live to laugh about many of them.

From Lifesupport.

Lifesigns Life Quotes

ALL STRESSED UP IN LIFE AND NO PLACE TO BLOW

Drilling a hole in the ceiling - “Two-minute attitude drill: To everyone: You can trust me. I'm committed to excellence. I care about you as a person. EVERY DAY: Do good. Do your best. Treat others as you would be treated. FOR TODAY: Nothing negative will escape my lips.”

All stressed up and no place to blow. Does that sometimes sound like you?

It is rarely the big crises of life that cause us destructive worry. Rather, those persistent small concerns do the most long-term damage to our spirits, minds and bodies.

According to Bernard Asbell and Karen Wynn in the book WHAT THEY KNOW ABOUT YOU (Random House, 1991) here are the top ten reasons middle-aged people worry:

1. Concern about weight
2. Health of a family member
3. Rising prices
4. House maintenance
5. Too much to do
6. Misplacing or losing things
7. Outside or yard maintenance
8. Property, investments, and taxes
9. Crime
10. Physical appearance

How many times do you find yourself on this list? Yet, none of these is a huge problem. It's true.you don't get ulcers from what you eat -- you get them from what's eating you!

I asked a woman who was facing some truly large problems, "Can you just get through today?" I felt there was no other course of action for her than to concentrate on managing only the concerns of the present. Anything more seemed overwhelming.

She said, "I always take just one day at a time. And sometimes I take one hour at a time. And sometimes it's one minute!"

If worry and anxiety are getting the best of you, first take steps to manage the problem, fix the problem or get rid of the problem. Then, you need only look ahead to the end of the day. Can you get through this day? This hour? If so, that may be enough.

It was the Buddha who said, "The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, not to worry about the future, or not to anticipate troubles, but to live the present moment wisely and earnestly." And Jesus said, "Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself."

It's about learning to live one day at a time. And it's great advice... particularly when you are all stressed up and no place to blow.

From Lifesupport.

Lifesigns Life Quotes

FINER THAN WEALTH IN LIFE

Tea cups and saucers - “A thousand cups of wine do not suffice when true friends meet, but half a sentence is too much when there is no meeting of minds.”

I love the story about an angel who suddenly appears at a faculty meeting and tells the dean of the college that, in return for his unselfish and exemplary behavior, he will be given his choice of infinite wealth, wisdom or beauty. Without hesitating, the dean selects infinite wisdom.

"Done!" says the angel, and disappears in a cloud of smoke and a bolt of lightning.

Now, all heads turn toward the dean, who sits surrounded by a faint halo of light. At length, one of his colleagues whispers, "Say something wise."

The dean looks at them and says, "I should have taken the money."

Though wealth is highly regarded in our world, I rather suspect this fictitious academic made the better choice. Wisdom, like many other virtues, is usually more difficult to obtain and can be far more satisfying.

I've heard it said that when our hearts are empty, we collect "things." On the other hand, when our hearts are full, we tend to lose interest in most of the "stuff" of life. The "things of the heart" become all important. Things like love and joy and peace. Or wisdom. Or hope. Or faith.

And the wonderful truth is that these gifts are given freely to any who will take them! None of us has to live without love. There really is joy to be found in this life. And we can know peace - now.

Fra Giovanni gave us these immortal words in 1513:

"No heaven can come to us unless our hearts find rest in today. Take heaven! No peace lies in the future that is not hidden in his present moment. Take peace! The gloom of this world is but a shadow. Behind it, yet within reach, is joy. There is a radiance and glory in the darkness, could we but see, and to see we have only to look. I beseech you to look. Life is so generous a giver...."

You have already been offered things even finer than infinite wealth. Will you grasp them and make them yours - today?

From Lifesupport.

Lifesigns Life Quotes

THE SYMPTOMS OF INNER PEACE FOR LIFE

Cracked egg shells - “It may be hard for an egg to turn into a bird: it would be a jolly sight harder for it to learn to fly while remaining an egg. We are like eggs at present. And you cannot go on indefinitely being just an ordinary, decent egg. We must be hatched or go bad.”

Be on the lookout for symptoms of inner peace. The hearts of a great many have already been expose to inner peace and it is possible that people everywhere could come down with it in epidemic proportions. This could pose a serious threat to what has, up to now, been a fairly stable condition of conflict in the world.

Some signs and symptoms of inner peace:

* A tendency to think and act spontaneously rather than on fears based on past experiences.

* An unmistakable ability to enjoy each moment.

* A loss of interest in judging other people.

* A loss of interest in judging self.

* A loss of interest in interpreting the actions of others.

* A loss of interest in conflict.

* A loss of the ability to worry. (This is a very serious symptom.)

* Frequent, overwhelming episodes of appreciation.

* Contented feelings of connectedness with others and nature.

* Frequent attacks of smiling.

* An increasing tendency to let things happen rather than make them happen.

* An increased susceptibility to the love extended by others as well as the uncontrollable urge to extend it.

WARNING: If you have some or all of the above symptoms, please be advised that your condition of inner peace may be so far advanced as to not be curable. If you are exposed to anyone exhibiting any of these symptoms, remain exposed only at your own risk.

by Saskia Davis

From Lifesupport.

Lifesigns Life Quotes

COLLECTIBLES AND MEMORABILIA PRESENTS

Ever since discovering the wonderful shopping site that is ShopWiki, that is my first stop whenever I need to do some online shopping. Just the other day when I was wondering on what to get for my sister's birthday, I came across some fantastic collectibles and memorabilia while browsing through ShopWiki. As tempted as I was to get some collectible dolls or music boxes I knew that my sister has grown out of fascination with those (then again, maybe not!).I decided to find something more suitable for the occasion like collectible thimbles and rare books (my sis is an avid reader after all). Then I remembered my sister was very much into feng shui so my final choice for her birthday present came from the collectible rocks and minerals section. Talk about a major turn around from the norm: getting a piece of rock for a present! Not just any rock, but an exotic natural crystal which oozes with good luck all over too (that maybe just me talking there).
All in all, my sis was quite surprised and pleased (luckily) when I gave her the special birthday present.

A LIVING MESSAGE FOR LIFE

Work desk at the bank - “Leadership is a word and a concept that has been more argued than almost any other I know. I am not one of the desk-pounding types that likes to stick out his jaw and look like he is bossing the show. I would far rather get behind and, recognizing the frailties and the requirements of human nature, would rather try to persuade a man to go along, because once I have persuaded him, he will stick. If I scare him, he will stay just as long as he is scared, and then he is gone.”

Vincent Van Gogh was not always an art­ist. In fact, he wanted to be a church pastor and was even sent to the Belgian mining community of Borinage in 1879. He discovered that the miners there endured deplorable working conditions and poverty-level wages. Their families were mal­nour­ished and struggled simply to survive. He felt con­cerned that the small stipend he received from the church allowed him a moderate life style, which, in contrast to the poor, seemed unfair.

One cold February evening, while he watched the miners trudging home, he spotted an old man staggering toward him across the fields, wrapped in a burlap sack for warmth. Van Gogh immediately laid his own clothing out on the bed, set aside enough for one change, and determined to give the rest away. He gave the old man a suit of clothes and he gave his overcoat to a pregnant woman whose husband had been killed in a min­ing accident. He lived on starvation rations and spent his stipend on food for the miners. When children in one family contracted typhoid fever, though fever­ish himself, he packed up his bed and took it to them.

A prosperous family in the community of­fered him free room and board. But Van Gogh de­clined the offer, stating that it was the final temp­ta­tion he must reject if he was to faithfully serve his community of poor miners. He believed that if he wanted them to trust him, he must become one of them. And if they were to learn of the love of God through him, he must love them enough to share with them.

He was acutely aware of a wide chasm, which can separate words and actions. He knew that people's lives often speak louder and clearer than their words. Maybe it was that same knowl­edge that led Francis of Assisi to frequently re­mind his monks, "Wherever you go, preach. Use words if necessary."

Today, others will be "listening" carefully to your ac­tions.

From Lifesupport.

Lifesigns Life Quotes

CHOOSING COURAGE; FINDING PEACE FOR LIFE

Shopping basket filled with groceries - “Amazing, isn't it, how some see the basket half empty and others see it half full? Some see life hopeless, some hopeful. Even when things are less than perfect, if you can think of the good, the beautiful, the hopeful, you'll be more than sustained,”

"Do you know what my son James dreamed about last night?" a friend asked me. Her son was a bright child of about ten. "He dreamed about YOU," she went on.

"James told me this morning that he dreamed he was being chased by King Kong. Then he met you. I wondered if you rescued him from the beast and James said no. He told me that you hid with him in the bushes while the Boy Scouts beat back King Kong with sticks.'"

You have to appreciate the Boy Scouts!

Are you courageous? For most people, courage has little to do with fighting imaginary monsters in nighttime sleep. It has more to do with fighting those monsters of real life that keep us up at night. Real courage is always found in everyday living. In fact, it is the one ingredient that, when present in a life, will ultimately bring peace.

Babe Didrikson Zaharias, the great athlete, died of cancer. Her husband stood at her bedside weeping shortly before she passed on. Babe said to him, "Now, Honey, don't take on so. While I've been in the hospital, I have learned one thing. A moment of happiness is a lifetime, and I have had a lot of happiness. I have had a lot of it."

Babe found courage to meet two of life's universal monsters -- fear of death and fear of the unknown. She chose to remember all the good that life had so generously heaped on her rather than the fact that she would die soon. She decided to meet those monsters equipped with gratitude and a smile.

Babe chose courage. But what she actually found was peace.

You may be stronger than you think! Your real-life monsters can keep you awake at night, or you can allow them to awaken strength and power within you. It's a matter of choosing courage -- and finding peace.

From Lifesupport.

Lifesigns Life Quotes

DO YOU HAVE AN ANCHOR FOR LIFE?

White tropical parrot - “Much talking is the cause of danger. Silence is the means of avoiding misfortune. The talkative parrot is shut up in a cage. Other birds, without speech, fly freely about.”

Though I have never seen it, I'm told that the Niagara River has a couple of interesting signs upstream of the famous falls. There is one by the side of the river visible to daredevil boaters that reads, "Do you have an anchor?" Then just downstream is a second sign that says, "Do you know how to use it?"

"Do you have an anchor?" I have found that a solid anchor is indispensable to one who intends to live life fully. To have an anchor is to be centered and well grounded. It is to have a vital spiritual
base.

"Do you know how to use it?" For no amount of faith is enough if it is not used.

We all come to what has been described as the "Red Sea place" in our lives. That is the place where there is no way back and no way around. We have to go through.

You know the places I mean ... we find ourselves up against a critical loss, an irreversible setback or a course of action that cannot be changed. There is no way back and no way around. We have to go through.

Even a small ship can venture into deep waters and weather major storms if it has an anchor. But it is likely to be tossed about and even capsized if the anchor is not used.

What will you do when you get to the next "Red Sea place" in your life? Do you have an anchor? Do you know how to use it?

From Lifesupport.

Lifesigns Life Quotes

LETTING YOURSELF GROW IN LIFE

Massive jack fruit - “Wishing to be friends is quick work, but friendship is a slow-ripening fruit.”

Did you know that the gestation period for an elephant is 22 months? And then, she will give birth to a bundle of joy that weighs 150-250 pounds. If you're pregnant and sick of feeling like an elephant, at you aren't one.

Growth takes time. That is true of humans as well as elephants. I attended a parent-teacher conference for my second-grade son. We sat in the children's chairs. They were about two feet tall and certainly not made for adults. Those chairs were designed for little people. Growth is a slow process, but as we grow up, we outgrow the little chairs.

We grow physically and we grow in other ways, too. We grow in our roles and relationships. I occasionally asked my adolescent kids, "How do you think you're doing raising your parents?" I understood I would become a better parent as I grew into that role.

Sometimes growth in parenting involves the understanding that we don't know as much as we thought we did. Before my wife and I had children we taught parenting classes. We knew all of the fundamentals of raising happy and well-behaved children. Now, after raising my own children, I am sometimes asked about parenting issues. This often occurs when I am teaching a class on a different topic. My response these days is to turn to the group and ask, "Does anyone here have any suggestions? "

As I've grown older, I have come to see more clearly just how much more I need to grow. I realize that simple answers do not fit every situation ...or every child. I am throwing out the easy answers and learning to assess every parenting issue individually. I try to learn from my failures, to trust my instincts and to respond more often from my best self.

I have come a long way, but have a long way yet to grow. And that is true of every area of my life.

If you're not yet the person you want to be, can you be patient as you grow? It takes the elephant 22 months to give birth. Even the mightiest tree begins as a frail seed.

Be patient. You can go through life or you can grow through life.

From Lifesupport.

Lifesigns Life Quotes

YOUR VALUABLE FRIENDS FOR LIFE

Food menu for lunch - “There are three types of friends: those like food, without which you can't live; those like medicine, which you need occasionally; and those like an illness, which you never want.”

I heard a story about an older woman who stood in line at the Post Office. She struck up a conversation with a young man next to her. He noticed that she had no packages to mail, and asked why she was standing in line. She said that she just needed a few stamps.

"Ma'am, you must be tired standing here. Did you know there's a stamp machine over there in the corner?" He pointed to the machine built into the wall.

"Why yes, thank you," the lady replied, "but I'll just wait here a little while longer. I'm getting close to the window."

The customer became insistent.

"But it would be so much easier for you to avoid this long line and buy your stamps from the machine."

The woman patted him on the arm and answered, "Oh, I know. But that old machine would never ask me how my grandchildren are doing."

She had a need greater than the need for postage stamps -- a need to feel connected to other people. And it was a need that could not be met by a stamp machine.

When Harry Truman was thrust into the U.S. presidency at the death of Franklin Roosevelt, a colleague and friend -- Congressman Sam Rayburn of Bonham, Texas -- gave Truman some fatherly advice.

Rayburn said, "Harry, from here on out, you're going to have lots of people around you. They'll try to put a wall around you and cut you off from any ideas but theirs. They'll tell you what a great man you are, Harry. But you and I both know you ain't." Friends can say those things to each other.

Later, when Sam Rayburn discovered that he was seriously ill, he told his friends in Congress that he was going home to Bonham for medical tests. "But there are excellent doctors and medical facilities in Washington D.C." some of them argued. "Why would you want to go to Bonham?"

"Because," the congressman replied, "Bonham is a place where people know it when you're sick, and where they care when you die."

Rayburn had a need greater than good medical assistance. He needed friends. Someone to ask how his grandchildren were doing. Someone to sit by him and stop by his home. Someone to care. A few close friends meant more than the best medical facilities in the world.

Who is such a friend to you? That person is more valuable than your greatest possession.

Have you said ... thanks?

From Lifesupport.

Lifesigns Life Quotes