WHEN DISASTER LOOMS IN LIFE

Cameraman at work - “There is only you and your camera. The limitations in your photography are in yourself, for what we see is what we are.”

It's said that we are regularly faced with magnificent opportunities brilliantly disguised as impossible situations. I once read of a quick-thinking salesperson who uncovered such an opportunity which seemed, at first, to be a disaster.

With the presses set to run three million copies of Theodore Roosevelt's 1912 convention speech, the publisher discovered that permission had not been obtained to use photos of Roosevelt and his running mate, Governor Hiram Johnson of California. Copyright law put the penalty for such oversights at one dollar per copy.

Spotting a hidden opportunity, the chairperson of the campaign committee dictated a telegram to the Chicago studio that had taken the pictures: "Planning to issue three million copies of Roosevelt speech with pictures of Roosevelt and Johnson on cover. Great publicity opportunity for photographers. What will you pay us to use your photographs?"

The reply came back: "Appreciate opportunity, but can only pay $250." The campaign committee not only obtained the permission they needed, but came out $250 ahead!

Was the oversight a disaster or an opportunity? The answer, of course, depended on how they approached the problem. Perhaps that is why the Chinese word for "crisis" is written using the characters for "danger" and "opportunity." With a cool head and a little imagination, the danger in a crisis may be turned into an unexpected opportunity.

What hopeless problem are you currently facing? And what might happen i f you approach it as a magnificent opportunity brilliantly disguised as an impossible situation?

From Lifesupport.

Lifesigns Life Quotes

COST SAVING WITH GENERIC MEDS

For as long as I can remember, I’ve always gone for the brand name drugs. Lulled into the belief that all things branded must be better, I would steer clear of generic medicine at all costs.

Much to my dismay, I’ve always been afflicted with acne and it has been an ongoing battle since my early teens. After trying almost everything under the sun – from home remedies to drug store cures, I almost gave up until the family doctor prescribed Retin-A for my problem.

At first, I didn’t mind spending the money making sure that Retin-A is perpetually restocked at home because it works. But times are bad, and all this talk of living frugally has got me to rethink my monthly expenditure.

My cousin (who by the way, is the epitome of all things thrifty) asked me to consider getting generic Retin-A as a means to cutting down costs. After doing some research online, I found out that the active ingredients of the generic Retin-A and the original are the same. I knew that I just had to try it for myself and I did.

The benefits in both are the same! Just think of the money I could have saved all those years ago! And the possibilities are endless; there’s generic Viagra, Cialis, Levitra, Xenical, Propecia – you name it.

Now if someone were to come up to me with a genric medicine vs. brandname dilemma, I know just what to tell them.

A WORK OF ART IN LIFE

Wild yam vegetables for sale - “Nobody succeeds beyond his or her wildest expectations unless he or she begins with some wild expectations.”

Edward Fischer writes in Notre Dame Magazine (February, 1983), that a leper (or, more correctly, a sufferer of Hansen's Disease) in Fiji followed the leading of his twisted hands. He became an internationally known artist. "My sickness I see as a gift of God leading me to my life's work," he said. "If it had not been for my sickness, none of these things would have happened."

As a young girl, Jessamyn West had tuberculosis. She was so sick that she was sent away to die. During that time she developed her skill as a writer and authored numerous novels in her lifetime.

That great author Flannery O'Connor suffered numerous ailments - lupus struck her at 25 and she walked only with the aid of crutches for the final fourteen years of her life. She noted, however, that this illness narrowed her activities in such a way that she had time for the real work of her life, which was writing.

Some people succeed in spite of handicaps. Others succeed because of them. The truth is, our problems help to make us what we are. Those who suffer often learn the value of compassion. Those who struggle often learn perseverance. And those who fall down often teach others how to rise again. Our troubles can shape us in ways a carefree existence cannot.

A story is told of an Eastern village that, through the centuries, was known for its exquisite pottery. Especially striking were its urns; high as tables, wide as chairs, they were admired around the globe for their strong form and delicate beauty.

Legend has it that when each urn was apparently finished, there was one final step. The artist broke it - and then put it back together with gold filigree.

An ordinary urn was then transformed into a priceless work of art. What seemed finished wasn't, until it was broken.

So it is with people! Broken by hardships, disappointments and tragedy, they can become disappointed and bitter. But when mended by a hand of infinite patience and love, the finished product will be a work of exquisite beauty and effectiveness; a life that could only reach its wholeness after it was broken.

If you feel broken remember that you are a work of art! And you may not actually be complete until the pieces are reassembled and bonded with a golden filigree of love.

From Lifesupport.

Lifesigns Life Quotes

RIP MICHAEL JACKSON

It is a sad day as Michael Jackson has passed away. Here is a news article from Telegraph.co.uk on Michael Jackson's death:

"Paramedics who responded to an emergency call to his home in Los Angeles said that he had stopped breathing by the time they arrived.

Sources at the UCLA Medical Centre said that the self-styled "King of Pop" did not come out of a coma and died.

Jackson's mother and other relatives had rushed to the singer's bedside at the hospital, while tearful fans gathered outside.

Earlier, the singer's father Joe said he had been told his son was "in a bad way". Other unnamed family members said that Jackson "was in really bad shape".

Jackson is widely credited with revolutionising pop music with albums including Bad and Thriller, but his career was tainted with allegations of child abuse.

He was due to perform a highly-anticipated 50-date "farewell" residency at the O2 Arena in Greenwich, south London, starting next month. Fears for his health emerged after he postponed the first dates.

Jackson lived as a virtual recluse following his 2005 acquittal on charges including child molestation and plotting to kidnap his young accuser. Despite his acquittal, the trial was a body blow from which the pop superstar struggled to recover.

Four years later, Jackson is still worshipped by fans and lauded by critics, for his infectious, dance pop music. The attention, however, paid to him in recent years has been less flattering, focusing on repeated cosmetic surgery - which he always denied - his baby-dangling antics and a decade of child abuse claims.

His friend, the performer Uri Geller, said last night there had been no indication that the singer was in such a frail condition.

"I'm absolutely devastated and shocked. I really have no words," he said. "He was a young and terribly fit man and he was getting ready for performances in England. He was just fine, the last I heard."

Matt Blank from the Michael Jackson World Network fan club said he was "a bit dumfounded and a bit shellshocked by it all".

He added: "I find it hard to believe this could be a reality.

"In the past, health issues of Michael Jackson have always been rumoured. I can only imagine this is down to the amount of stress he was under to come out and perform."

He added: "It's just unimaginable that Michael Jackson is no more, it's just unbelievable."

Brian Oxman, a Jackson family lawyer, told CNN he was told by the star's brother, Randy Jackson, that he had collapsed at his home in west Los Angeles.

A cardiologist at UCLA told showbiz website TMZ.com that Jackson died of cardiac arrest after failing to respond to attempts at resuscitation. It also said his sister LaToya ran into the hospital sobbing.

A spokesman for the hospital declined to comment.

Jackson last toured 12 years ago when he played 82 shows in 58 cities for the HIStory tour. He has spent time living outside the United States since his 2005 acquittal on child molestation charges.

AEG Live, which organised the O2 concerts, said Jackson had passed a lengthy physical exam in early 2009, before the London concerts were announced.

Born in 1958, Jackson made his musical debut with four of his older brothers in the Jackson Five before launching his solo career. As his life was complicated by his meteoric rise to fame, he also started undergoing a dramatic physical transformation.

In 1994, he married Lisa Marie Presley, the 26-year-old daughter of Elvis Presley. The couple separated two years later and Jackson later remarried Debbie Rowe, a 37-year-old nurse he met while undergoing plastic surgery in 1997. They had two children, Prince Michael and Paris Michael Katherine, before divorcing in 1999.

Jackson had custody of the two children and of a third, Prince Michael II, whose mother's name has never been made public. "

The original article can be found here.

RIP Michael Jackson, you will be missed.

Lifesigns Life Quotes

MOTIVATING OTHERS FOR LIFE

Miniature housing estate model plan - “Another good thing about being poor is that when you are seventy your children will not have declared you legally insane in order to gain control of your estate”

There was once a small boy who banged a drum all day and loved every moment of it. He would not be quiet, no matter what anyone else said or did. Various attempts were made to do something about the child.

One person told the boy that he would, if he continued to make so much noise, perforate his eardrums. This reasoning was too advanced for the child, who was neither a scientist nor a scholar.

A second person told him that drum beating was a sacred activity and should be carried out only on special occasions. The third person offered the neighbors plugs for their ears; a fourth gave the boy a book; a fifth gave the neighbors books that described a method of controlling anger through biofeedback; a sixth person gave the boy meditation exercises to make him placid and docile. None of these attempts worked.

Eventually, a wise person came along with an effective motivation. He looked at the situation, handed the child a hammer and chisel, and asked, "I wonder what is INSIDE the drum?"

No more problem.

Good leaders know how to motivate others. They pique their curiosity and tickle their sense of wonder. They teach them to dream and tempt them to do more than they ever thought possible. They challenge them to be a part of something great.

Pilot and author Antoine de Saint-Exupery said, "If you want to build a ship, don't drum up the men to gather wood, divide the work, and give orders. Instead, teach them to yearn for the vast and endless sea."

Do that and there will be no limit to the wondrous places they can travel.

From Lifesupport.

Lifesigns Life Quotes

THOSE ARE MY PRINCIPLES FOR LIFE

Promotional balloon flyer - “My definition [of a philosopher] is of a man up in a balloon, with his family and friends holding the ropes which confine him to earth and trying to haul him down.”

Comedian Groucho Marx quipped, "Those are my principles. If you don't like them, I have others."

You and I have principles. And we also have opinions. I have opinions about what I think is right or wrong or good or bad. But they're only opinions - I COULD be wrong! I won't try to build my life around my opinions, but I WILL endeavor to stand by my principles.

A 15-year-old boy learned a valuable lesson about life principles. He wrote a letter to "Dear Abby" about finding a woman's wallet that contained $127 as well as the woman's identification. He hopped onto his bicycle and peddled over to her house - about a mile away. He told her he found her wallet and she gave him a big hug. She also gave him twenty dollars.

That evening the boy told his parents about the event and his father said, "I don't think you should have accepted $20 for doing what you should have done. A person shouldn't be rewarded for being honest."

He pondered his father's statement and decided he would return the money. He biked to the lady's home and gave her back the twenty dollars. She didn't want to take it, but he told her she had to - that his father pointed out something to him that he had never realized before. Her eyes filled with tears as she said, "This is one for Ripley."

The boy's question to Abby? "Abby, who is Ripley?"

Is a life built around principles so unusual that Robert Ripley should mention it in his column "Believe It or Not"? When ideals such as honesty and a personal standard of always doing the right thing guide our every action and decision, we actually change. These great principles shape our lives and make us into persons of character. They build self esteem and teach confidence. That boy is fortunate to be raised by a wise father who had the wisdom to say, "Those are my principles."

Martin Luther King, Jr. put it well: "The time is always right to do what is right." Those were his principles. Decide to always do what is right - today and every day - and you will find yourself building a life that matters.

From Lifesupport.

Lifesigns Life Quotes

GREATER STRENGTHS FOR LIFE

Coconut husk flower pots - “Age is not all decay; it is the ripening, the swelling, of the fresh life within, that withers and bursts the husk.”

If you're like most of us, failure is not your best friend! But I like the attitude of one man. "I don't say I have strengths and weaknesses," he asserts. "I say I have strengths and lesser strengths." That's me! Lots of strengths...many of them "lesser strengths!"

One of my "lesser strengths" may be in the area of art. But the day my three-year-old asked me to draw a picture of a horse on his chalkboard, I agreed anyway. And it wasn't too bad.... Well, it wasn't very good, either. It reminded me a little of a mongrel dog with hooves, but as they say, I've seen worse. (My own drawings, of course.) However, I did feel better about the picture when his preschool friend stopped by to play, looked into his room and asked, "Who drew the horse?" I even felt a bit proud! So I gladly announced, "I did!"

There was a moment of silence as a look of confusion swept her face. Then she asked, "Did you draw it when you were a baby?"

Everyone's an art critic!

But I'm thankful to my son's friend for reminding me about my strengths. Sure, I'd starve as an artist, but I don't have to excel at art. I have other strengths. And I can marvel at good art while I pursue other activities.

John Wooden said, "Don't let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do." There's nothing wrong with a list of things you are not able to do. These are just your lesser strengths. The key is to choose your greater strengths well. What is important to you? What must you excel at? And what can you do well? Focus on these priorities and your lesser strengths won't matter much.

But don't ask me for a picture of a horse.

From Lifesupport.

Lifesigns Life Quotes

KEEPING THE PEACE FOR LIFE

Wind prop fan toy - “I can't change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination.”

You've seen it in the movies: a rugged cowboy draws his six-shooter from a holster on his hip and exclaims, "This is my peacekeeper." But it isn't true that firearms and violence keep the peace. True peacekeepers and peacemakers are not weapons, but people.

Do you remember the famous feud between the Hatfields and the McCoys? A squabble started between these families of Kentucky and West Virginia during the American Civil War. After the war, the feud was kept going by disputes over a $l.75 fiddle and a stray razorback hog.

According to Stan Mooneyham, "Dancing on The Strait & Narrow" (Harper & Row, 1989), by election day 1882 the situation deteriorated to the point that three McCoy brothers killed Ellison Hatfield because he had insulted them. "Devil Anse," head of the Hatfield clan, had the three McCoys rounded up and tied to bushes within sight of their family cabin; then he put fifty rifle bullets into them. After that it was a life for a life -- sometimes two or three -- and even women became just part of the body count. Hostilities didn't finally abate until the second decade of the twentieth century. The cost to the two families was immense. Almost thirty deaths were recorded in the most famous example of "sweet revenge" turned sour in U.S. history.

You can hardly call any of the weapons used peacekeepers or peacemakers. Widow-makers, perhaps. And orphan-makers. But not peacemakers. Weapons are not peacemakers -- people are.

It was Albert Einstein who said so well, "Peace cannot be kept by force. It can only be achieved by understanding." You and I are the only ones who will ever keep the peace. And make it.

Blessed are the peacemakers.

From Lifesupport.

Lifesigns Life Quotes

TAKE THE PLUNGE FOR LIFE

Nutritious vegetables for lunch - “Regularity in the hours of rising and retiring, perseverance in exercise, adaptation of dress to the variations of climate, simple and nutritious aliment, and temperance in all things are necessary branches of the regimen of health.”

"Watch me dive off the high board, Dad," my ten-year-old son called out. I looked up to the ten-foot-high diving board and waited as he stood at the edge, stooped over, arms extended. He had jumped off the high board many times before, but now his nerve seemed to falter as he contemplated streaking through the air headfirst.

The swimming pool was vacated, so he could take his time. "You can do it, Robby," I encouraged. But he couldn't. Not that evening. For 20 minutes he attempted to muster the courage to make the plunge, and he finally gave up when the pool closed for the night.

"I feel disappointed in myself," Robby said on the way home. "I feel terrible. I know I can do it, though. I know I can."

He persuaded me to take him swimming again the next evening. Like the night before, we happened to be the only swimmers. "I'm going to do it this time," he said emphatically. "Watch me!"

He climbed the ladder and walked to the end of the board as I watched. Again I encouraged him. Again he hesitated. As the previous night, his nerve failed. It seemed that he would never conquer his fear and leap.

The lifeguards on duty helped me cheer him on. "You can do it, Robby," we all exhorted. "Just do it! Don't think about it. Just do it!"

For 30 minutes we encouraged him. For 30 minutes he started and stopped, he leaned and straightened and fought the fear that held him back.

And then it happened. He extended his arms, bent over the edge and fell headfirst into the water! He emerged to the sounds of laughter and congratulations. He did it! He finally did it! And before he went home, he did it three more times.

Robby learned something about facing his fear that evening. But he learned something else, too. He learned that some things can't be done with less than full commitment. A chasm cannot be leaped in two small jumps and a dive cannot be made a little at a time. Sometimes you just have to do it.

Some things require no less than full commitment. What is requiring your full commitment? Will you take the plunge?

From Lifesupport.

Lifesigns Life Quotes

RAIN HARVESTING IN LIFE

Ideally every home should have rain barrels installed. That way water utility bills will be cheaper and natural rain water can be collected in rain water barrels and harnessed. The process of rain harvesting has been practiced since ancient civilizations and the fundamental mechanism for the process is still in use today. The 3 basic components that make up a generic rain harvesting system include the catchment area, the collection device and the conveyance system.The most widely used and readily available catchment areas are rooftop catchments. As for the collection device, a rain barrel is adequately suited for the job. Lastly the conveyance system to channel the rainwater collected on the rooftops to the rain water barrel can be constructed using rooftop gutters and down-pipes. One of the best places to find rain barrels for sale is SimplyRainBarrels.com.
They have the widest range of available rain barrel for sale like the Madison Rain Catcher in White and the Great American Rain Barrel. The designs of the rain water barrels are aesthetically pleasing and well suited for rain harvesting. Their prices are among the lowest in the market with additional discounts and free shipping offered on selected rain barrels. Backed by their Satisfaction Guarantee and 30 days No Hassle Return Guarantee, you can shop with a peace of mind at SimplyRainBarrels.com.

EVERYTHING ATTACHMENTS FOR GARDENING LIFE

Whether you are in the construction business or the farming sector, there is no escaping deploying heavy machinery to expedite the work processes. For those who have experience working with skid steer loaders you know first hand that having the right skid steer attachments is a major determining factor in meeting your work schedules. These attachments like the post hole digger are highly specialized garden equipment and thus they can be hard to come by.

If you are scouring the market high and low looking for zero turn mowers that suit your job requirements and budget, head on over to EverythingAttachments.com. True to their motto, they also have a wide selection of attachments for skidsteers, excavators and tractors. With over 60 years of business experience in the field, the company has been established since 1946. You can be sure of their reliability and competitive pricing for all their products like the skid steer attachments and garden equipment as they offer free UPS Ground shipping within their coverage area. And if you are concerned about product quality, do not fret as EverythingAttachments.com does not carry any China made products.

WISER THAN YOU KNOW FOR LIFE!

Batik design pattern pants - “If you don't design your own life plan, chances are you'll fall into someone else's plan. And guess what they have planned for you? Not much.”

In many areas you are knowledgeable. But do you know that you are wise, too? Perhaps far wiser than you realize.

Wisdom is more than knowledge. Wisdom is the product of lessons learned in the school of life. Wisdom can be hard won; for it is often birthed in the ashes of failure.

Theodore Levitt, of the Harvard Business School, said, "Experience comes from what we have done. Wisdom comes from what we have done badly." If that is true, I am wiser than I ever imagined!

One man tells of sitting next to a "wise" woman on a flight to Florida. He was preparing his notes for one of the parent-education seminars he conducted as an educational psychologist. Bessie, an older woman sitting next to him, explained that she was returning to Miami after having spent two weeks visiting her six children, 18 grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren in Boston.

Then she inquired what he did for a living. The man explained that he was a doctor psychologist specializing in children. He dreaded telling her this, as he fully expected her to question him for free professional advice during the three-hour flight. Instead, she sat back, picked up a magazine and said, "So doctor, if there's anything you want to know, just ask me."

Bessie's years of parenting and grand-parenting gave her what no professional degrees could -- wisdom. And though her comment may have been made in jest, she probably could have added much to the seminar.

Don't dismiss those mistakes and tough times you have suffered. Don't discount your many life experiences. You paid a high price for them. And if you learned well, they brought you something priceless --wisdom! For everything you have done -- EVERYTHING -- has given you experience. And if it did not all go as well as you'd hoped, then you also gained some wisdom. This wisdom, the progeny of your setbacks and difficulties, may be your most valuable asset!

Who will benefit from your wisdom today?

From Lifesupport.

Lifesigns Life Quotes

MAKING THE BEST OF YOU IN LIFE

Jom Heboh expo booth display - “Show class, have pride, and display character. If you do, winning takes care of itself.”

They say "make the best of a bad situation." But I believe the bad situation makes the best of you. Even the irritations of life can be useful. President Abraham Lincoln showed us how this is so.

One of his cabinet appointees, Edwin Stanton, frequently found flaws with the president and criticized him -- sometimes in public. Lincoln seemed to show excessive patience with him. The president was asked why he kept such a man in a high level position.

Lincoln characteristically responded with a story. He told about a time he was visiting with an old farmer. He noticed a big horsefly biting the flank of the farmer's horse. Lincoln said he reached over to brush the fly away. As he did so, the farmer stopped him and cautioned, "Don't do that, friend. That horsefly is the only thing keeping this old horse moving."

Even life's many irritations and problems have their place. They may cause us to change directions. Or prod us to greater achievement. Or keep us moving along when it's easier to go nowhere.

Are you simply making the best of a bad situation, or will it make the best of you?

From Lifesupport.

Lifesigns Life Quotes

LIFE IN MYRTLE BEACH RESORT

It is nice to be able to go on a family getaway to some place peaceful and close to the sea, to be able to lay your back on a white sandy beach and close your eyes and listen to the soothing natural sound of the waves. Grande Shores Myrtle Beach Resort offers a fantastic no frills getaway package for everyone for some much needed rest and relaxation down at Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
In addition to its pristine warm sandy beaches, Myrtle Beach also has great shopping malls, amusement parks like the Freestyle Music Park and 120 golf courses! It is no wonder that Myrtle Beach has been referred to as the "Golf Capital of the World". By staying at the Resort in Myrtle Beach, visitors can experience fine wine sampling down at La Belle Amie Vineyard and for the adventurous type, can participate in races at the Grand Prix Family Thrill Park.
The Oceanfront Hotel Myrtle Beach provides the best accommodations available at Myrtle Beach. Visitors can select to stay in three condominium types or six hotel types. The rates varies with each type so visitors can choose the right one to match their budget. All in all, Myrtle Beach is one of the best major coastal resort in United States and Myrtle Beach Resort provides the best accommodations available with a range of rates that will cater for your budget and make your stay in Myrtle Beach a nice experience which you will be coming back for more!

THE GADGET THAT GETS ME STARTED FOR LIFE

Inflatable playground for kids - “Writing is very much a playground; an artistic playground. It's the most fun thing I do.”

A funny story has it that, late one night, a party-goer decided it would be best to walk home. He found a shortcut through a poorly lit cemetery and, in the darkness, stumbled into an open grave.

He tried to climb out but the walls were too slippery. Again and again he fell back into the grave. Finally, in exhaustion, he settled in a corner to wait for sunlight.

A few minutes later another man cutting through the cemetery fell victim to the same grave. He, too, tried desperately to climb and claw his way out, and he was equally unsuccessful.

As he was about to give up in hopeless resignation, he heard a voice from the darkness of his pit: "You'll never get out of here."

He did!

He just needed the proper motivation. And in this case, a shot of fear did the trick. But when it comes to finding the motivation to accomplish most worthwhile things, his example is the exception.

I am learning that the best motivation, whether we want to accomplish a task, go back to school, start something new or kick a habit, usually comes from the inside. To be successful, we must want to do it. Others may certainly help to encourage or to "pump us up," but, in the end, we will usually succeed only if we have the desire.

Dorothy Heller illustrates this with an all-too-true poem:

I spent a fortune
On a trampoline,
A stationary bike
And a rowing machine
Complete with gadgets
To read my pulse,
And gadgets to prove
My progress results,
And others to show
The miles I've charted –
But they left off the gadget
To get me started!

Of course they left it off! The gadget to get us started lies within. And the best part is...since you already own it, you can use it anytime you want.

Today?

From Lifesupport.

Lifesigns Life Quotes

FINDING THE FUNNY SIDE OF LIFE

Innovation to inflating balloons for sale - “Innovation is the ability to see change as an opportunity - not a threat”

How are you at finding the funny side of life?

I grew up in the state of New Mexico, whose slogan is: "Land of Enchantment." In New Mexico we learned to live with dusty wind. Gusting dust storms bit into the skin, irritated eyes and sometimes even chipped paint off cars. Howling wind occasionally blew for several days straight.

Each Spring my mother complained about the dust. It seemed that a fine film covered every surface in the house, no matter how often we cleaned.

I appreciate the story of a newcomer to the Land of Enchantment who learned about dusty breezes. She was visiting an antique shop and the proprietor wiped down every item before showing it. The newcomer said, "Everything gets dusty here pretty quickly, doesn't it?"

"That's not dust, honey," the shop owner replied. "That's ENCHANTMENT."

Sometimes the only sense you can make of life is a sense of humor! Here was a person who took a negative and turned it into something humorous. That made the problem more palatable - easier to swallow. Finding the funny side can be especially important if your problem is one of those that, at least for now, can't be solved.

A Hong Kong shopping center manager faced such a problem when an escalator broke. He posted a sign to warn customers. He opted not to use the traditional "Out of Order" or "Do Not Use" warnings. Instead, his sign read, "This Escalator Is Temporarily a Stairway." He turned a minus into humor and made it a plus.

Frank A. Clark says, "I think the next best thing to solving a problem is finding some humor in it." That way, if you're stuck with the situation for a while, you always have a ready excuse to laugh.

From Lifesupport.

Lifesigns Life Quotes

IT BEGINS WITH A DREAM FOR LIFE

DIY makeshift notebook stand with a box - “We could learn a lot from crayons; some are sharp, some are pretty, some are dull, while others bright, some have weird names, but they all have learned to live together in the same box.”

The agricultural school dean was interviewing a freshman. "Why have you chosen this career?" he asked.

"I dream of making a million dollars in farming, like my father," replied the freshman.

The dean was impressed. "Your father made a million dollars in farming?"

"No," the student said. "But he always dreamed of it."

At least this student has a dream! In fact, anything truly worthy will be accomplished only after it is dreamed. The dream, big and beautiful, comes first. Then the effort begins.

It was put well: "When we are motivated by goals that have deep meaning, by dreams that need completion, by pure love that needs expressing, then we truly live." (Greg Anderson)

* Goals that have deep meaning... What are your goals? Are they worthy of your time and talent?

* Dreams that need completion... Are you dreaming big enough that your vision may take time to complete? Like newscaster Belva Davis reminds us, "Don't be afraid of the space between your dreams and reality. If you can dream, you can make it so."

* And pure love that needs expressing... Are your dreams and goals making you a better, more loving person?

When you're motivated by goals that have deep meaning, dreams that need completion and pure love that needs expressing, then you will know what it is to truly live. And, after all, isn't truly living what you really want?

From Lifesupport.

Lifesigns Life Quotes

DETOURS ARE TEMPORARY IN LIFE

Green hydro fuel promotion board - “There are those of us who are always about to live. We are waiting until things change, until there is more time, until we are less tired, until we get a promotion, until we settle down / until, until, until. It always seems as if there is some major event that must occur in our lives before we begin living.”

In Death Valley, California, there is a place known as Dante's View. From there you can look down to the lowest spot in the United States, a depression in the earth 200 feet below sea level called Bad Water. But you can also look up to the highest peak in the contiguous United States, Mt. Whitney, which rises to a height of 14,500 feet.

Our lives also bring us to such places - where we can either journey into the depths of despair and depression or rise to incredible heights - depending on the direction we head. Yet, the mountaintop may not be where we want to reside, either. In a letter to a suicidal person, Al Hillman shared some exquisite wisdom:

"Sheila," he wrote, "I know all too well the battle you are engaged in. You see, I spent many years in the deep, dark valleys of mental illness. Most (people) want to be on the mountaintop. I don't. I have climbed mountains up to 17,000 feet. Not a pleasant place to be. Bitterly cold, roaring winds, nothing grows there. Just snow, ice and rocks. Very uncomfortable. Even the view is dismal, for all one can see is clouds.

"I have also been in the deep, dark valleys where the walls are so steep that nothing grows; there is complete darkness and one is all alone. A terrifying place to be.

"I enjoy being in the valley (with) the green pastures and (where) the streams are gentle and calm…."

Naturally, there are often valid medical reasons for mood shifts and depression. And it may require all of our resources to climb back out of our private "Bad Water": support from the medical community, friends and family, as well as our spiritual resources. We are not alone.

But I also like the counsel of Abraham Lincoln, who was similarly afflicted. In a letter to a friend, he once wrote: "You cannot now believe that you will ever feel better. But this is not true. You are sure to be happy again. Knowing this, truly believing it, will make you less miserable now."

It is true that few of us seem to stay in that peaceful valley for long. But, as someone aptly said, "The truly happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery while on detour." Detours, after all, are temporary.

From Lifesupport.

Lifesigns Life Quotes

CUSTOMIZE DIRECT TV FOR LIFE

A lot of people end up paying more for Direct TV packages that they do not need. It is because most Satellite Directv service providers bundle up the least popular channels in their basic package offering in order to be able to charge higher monthly subscription fees. I know it is frustrating to pay for channels that are not essential because I have experienced it myself personally. I welcome any solution that will lower my monthly DirectTV subscription fees as a penny saved is a penny earned.

MyTVOptions will enable you to choose the Direct T V channels and packages that you want minus all the non essentials from your subscription thus saving you your hard earned money. You can pick several categories of Direct TV Satellite packages like HD, Sports, Movies, Local as well as International channels and rate them according to your specific needs and requirements. This in turn will generate a customized DirectTV recommendation based on your specified criteria and help you to avoid paying more for DirectTV channels that you do not need. This is a great way to lower your monthly subscription fees!

REGULAR MAINTENANCE FOR LIFE

Plastic soil trowels for sale - “A friendship can weather most things and thrive in thin soil; but it needs a little mulch of letters and phone calls and small, silly presents every so often - just to save it from drying out completely.”

A Kansas cyclone hit a farmhouse just before dawn one morning. It lifted the roof off, picked up the beds on which a farmer and his wife slept, and set them down gently in the next county.

The wife began to cry.

"Don't be scared, Mary," her husband comforted. "We're not hurt."

Mary continued to cry. "I'm not scared," she responded between sobs. "I'm happy … 'cause this is the first time in 14 years we've been out together."

I find that little things, such as too little time and attention, will hurt an intimate relationship (marriage, parent-child, or close friendships) more than anything else. We can usually get through the times of crisis; it's neglect that often destroys closeness and intimacy.

In his book The Romance Factor, Alan Loy McGinnis says the longer we postpone maintenance, the faster the rate of deterioration. He writes this: "I see that principle operating in families every day. Many couples who have come to my office with their marriages in shreds did not start fighting about unsolvable problems. Their marriages were not suffering from major malfunctions, but merely from a series of small deteriorations that a little adjusting and tightening could have corrected. But people had lost interest and had turned their attention to other things: children; careers; tennis; decorating their homes."

I don't know of anything of value that does not require time, attention and lots of maintenance! In one week's time I once worked on two plumbing problems at home, caulked bathroom tile, replaced a heating element on the dryer and another on the stove. At the same time my car needed two new tires, windshield wipers, a battery, new brakes and a starter motor.

But everything of value requires maintenance. And I am in trouble when my home or automobile receives more attention than my closest relationships. Even if a marriage is made in heaven, the maintenance must be done on earth.

Mother Teresa said, "The hunger for love is much more difficult to remove than the hunger for bread." Lack of regular maintenance will turn your valuable relationship from an ideal into an ordeal. But daily maintenance – spending enough time, listening and touching, laughing and caring – will keep you close. And isn't that what you're hungering for?

From Lifesupport.

Lifesigns Life Quotes

HOME SAFETY AND SECURITY

In this day and age you can never be too sure of your Home Security System. It was just a few months back that one of my colleague's home got broken into. Her whole family were sleeping during the ordeal and the thieves managed to get away with her blackberry smart phone, Lenovo laptop PC, $8000 worth of cash and her two cars: one brand new Toyota Hilux pickup truck and a Proton Wira sedan. Luckily no one was hurt but the incident caused much grief, emotional trauma and not to mention huge financial losses to her and her family. This ordeal could have been prevented with the right Security System for her home.

When it comes to getting the most reliable Security System for your home, ADT offers quality and service that you can be sure of. There are thousands of Home Security System solutions out there but ADT is one of the best in the market. They are backed by 130 years of experience since 1874 and they utilize the latest state of the art equipment and technology to monitor their Home Security System 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. ADT offers their Security System starting at $35.99 per month which is one of the cheapest in the market. That is a steal considering what you get in return: ensuring the safety and security for your family and home.

LOVE THE CHILDREN FOR LIFE

Prepacked home grown rice for sale - “The world has grown suspicious of anything that looks like a happily married life.”

Felice R. Prager writes in Reader's Digest (August, 1999) that the kids had been driving her nuts, asking her to buy them a talking bird, until she finally got them a parrot. They named him Wilbur and tried to teach him some words, but all he would say was, "Hello. Hello." Her oldest son Jeff worked with Wilbur, trying to get him to say, "Jeff is the greatest." Nothing.

Her husband tried. "Give this guy a raise," he repeated. Nothing.

Felice took a turn. "Clean your room." Still nothing.

Finally, Wilbur started talking. During dinner all they heard was: "He did it. No, he did it." And then, "Get out of my room!"

Hers is not the only house where those words are repeated like a childhood mantra! My heart goes out to parents. Like the father who lamented, "When I was a child, I never gave any thought to running away from home. But now that I am a parent, I think about it all the time!"

Some advice I heard several years ago has inspired me to constantly give my best to my children. The advice, surprisingly, came from someone who was not a parent at all, but rather a nun. It was offered by Mother Teresa shortly after she made a speech about her work with the sick and dying and her efforts to help orphans in India. Following her address, a member of the audience stood and asked, "You have done so much to make the world a better place. What can we do?" He clearly wanted to assist in her work.

Mother Teresa smiled and said simply, "Love your children."

The questioner looked perplexed and seemed about to speak again when Mother Teresa raised her hand. "There are other things you can do," she said, "but that is the best. Love your children. Love your children as much as you can. That is the best."

I can't help but believe that her advice, if followed by all parents and all adults in all places at all times, will transform our world in a generation. Just love the children - all the children. Love them as much as you can. That is best.

From Lifesupport.

Lifesigns Life Quotes