WHO IS LANDING YOUR PLANE IN LIFE?

Artificial decorative trees on display - “There is...an artificial aristocracy founded on wealth and birth, without either virtue or talents.... The artificial aristocracy is a mischievous ingredient in government, and provisions should be made to prevent its ascendancy.”

I heard a funny story: A small plane with an instructor and student on board hit the runway and bounced repeatedly until it came to a stop. The instructor turned to the student and said, "That was a terrible landing you just made."

"Me?" replied the student. "I thought you were landing!"

That story may not be true, but it is true to life. Do you know who is landing your plane? Let me explain.

Who is landing your plane when it comes to values?

Bill McCartney coached the University of Colorado football team for several years. He shocked the sports world when he resigned at the apex of his career. They were more stunned by his reason for stepping away. The reason he gave for quitting was that he wanted to spend time with his wife and with religious pursuits. He showed the world who was landing his plane.

Sports writers struggled to understand. "What man gives up such power and prestige?" they asked. And there was a certain amount of power and prestige. Because of McCartney's leadership, the team achieved national prominence. The college and professional football world knew the name Bill McCartney.

"Put another way," writers also asked, "what man walks out on a $350,000-per-year contract with 10 years remaining so that he can spend time with his wife and his God?"

Writers used words like "radical" and "out of his head." They didn't get it. But Bill McCartney, in deciding to turn his back on a promising career, showed us that money does not have to drive major decisions, and we can choose to honor those things that matter.

Do you need to take charge? Maybe it's time to land your own plane.

From Lifesupport.

Lifesigns Life Quotes

THE WAY WE SEE IT FOR LIFE

Genuine crocodile hide on display - “Among Life's precious jewels, Genuine and rare, The one that we call friendship Has worth beyond compare.”

The eye doctor instructed her patient to read a chart on the wall. He looked at it and read, "A, B, F, N, L and G."

The doctor turned the light back on and wrote in her notebook.

"How'd I do, Doc?" the patient wondered.

She replied, "Let's put it this way -- they're numbers."

"But Doc," he argued, "this is the way I see it!"

Much of our happiness or unhappiness is a result of our perception. "This is the way I see it," we say, at least to ourselves.

A problem can be a challenge that energizes me to action or an obstacle that stops further progress. "This is the way I see it."

A new situation can be fearful or fun. "This is the way I see it."

A busy day can be cause for gladness that life is full and useful, or it can be a reason for me to complain. "This is the way I see it."

An unexpected intrusion can be a source of irritation that my agenda was interrupted, or it can quite possibly be the most important thing I encounter that day. "This is the way I see it."

An error can be the beginning of a new learning or an occasion to berate myself. "This is the way I see it."

Holidays can be times of anxiety and stress or times to seek solitude and contentment. "This is the way I see it."

It's not always about what is happening to me -- it's about the way I see it.

Marcel Proust observed that "the real voyage of discovery lies not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes." It's the way we see it.

From Lifesupport.

Lifesigns Life Quotes

PUSHERS AND PULLERS IN LIFE

Inflatable children's playground - “The world is a playground, and life is pushing my swing.”

One woman tells of a time her dog disappeared. After searching diligently, she placed a "lost dog" ad in the local newspaper.

The following morning her phone rang and a weak, cracking voice began, "I'm calling about your dog." Then the caller coughed and cleared her voice a few times. She explained that she wasn't feeling well and that, in fact, she had not felt well since her husband's death three years ago. She went on to relate that her parents, too, had passed away since then and her sister was diagnosed with a fatal ailment. Even her friends, she continued, were not doing well, and she gave details of their various maladies and described the funerals of several of them.

After 30 minutes of listening, sympathizing and even trying offers of help, the dog owner steered the conversation back to the original subject. "About the dog," she began.

"Oh," the caller replied, "I don't have him. I just thought I'd call to cheer you up."

Maybe her technique needed refining, but her intentions were right on. And though "cheering up" may not be exactly what we require, we certainly need encouragement -- pulling up -- at times. A heartfelt word of encouragement will quench a spirit parched by affliction as surely as a cup of cool water will refresh a dry and thirsty throat.

The need for sincere encouragement is basic among human beings. The Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., displays the personal effects found on President Abraham Lincoln the night he was shot. They include a small handkerchief embroidered "A. Lincoln," a pen knife, a spectacle case repaired with cotton string, a Confederate five-dollar bill, and a worn-out newspaper clipping extolling his accomplishments as president. The article begins, "Abe Lincoln is one of the greatest statesmen of all time...."

Why would one of the most highly regarded leaders of American history carry around such a document? Did he not know his own worth? The answer is found in the fact that Lincoln was not as popular during his lifetime as he became after death. His leadership was under constant fire, he was frequently an object of ridicule in the press, and bitter critics dissected his every decision. He needed something to remind himself that, though battered by the disappointments of life and scorned by those he sought to lead, there were still also others who valued his contribution. There were still those, perhaps not as vocal, who believed in him. He, too, needed encouragement.

Do you need encouragement? There are those who will rally to your side. Educator Booker T. Washington observed, "There are two ways of exerting one's strength; one is pushing down, the other is pulling up." There are people ready to pull you up when others are pushing down. We need those people in our lives; those who exert their strength by pulling us up.

I believe these people can be found everywhere. I believe that we can all become "pullers," lifting one another from dark pits of discouragement to the light of hope. And when that happens, the world will never be the same.

From Lifesupport.

Lifesigns Life Quotes

STICK TO IT FOR LIFE

Building construction rooftop - “Frisbeetarianism is the belief that when you die, your soul goes up on the roof and gets stuck.”

According to William S. Banowsky, the story of one of America's greatest leaders is actu­ally a story of repeated failures and dogged per­sis­tence:

In 1831 he failed in business.

In 1832 he was defeated for the state legislature.

In 1833 he failed again in business.

In 1834 he was elected to the state legislature.

In 1835 his sweetheart died.

In 1836 he had a nervous breakdown.

In 1838 he was defeated for Speaker.

In 1840 he was defeated for Elector.

In 1843 he was defeated for Congress.

In 1846 he was elected for one term to Congress.

In 1848 he was defeated again for Congress.

In 1855 he was defeated for the Senate.

In 1856 he was defeated for Vice President.

In 1858 he was defeated again for the Senate.

In 1860 he, finally, was elected President of the United States. And these are just a few of the rough spots in the life of Abraham Lincoln.

Someone said, "Failure is the line of least persistence." My mother called it "stick-to-it- iv-ness." It generally boils down to a healthy combination of faith and hard work, and it usually means success.

Are you feeling discour­aged? Per­haps you just need to give it one more try.

From Lifesupport.

Lifesigns Life Quotes

ADDRESS PLAQUES IN LIFE

The year end holidays are almost here - which, apart from the house-cleaning and shopping, means relatives from all over the country dropping by for a visit.

While I enjoy hosting house guests and whatnot, I dread getting phone calls in the middle of the day asking me directions. This is especially the case when I'm busy trying to get the house ready. The last time this happened, my famous clay pot spaghetti meatballs got burnt and we had to settle for takeouts instead.

I must admit though, that this is somewhat my fault as I hadn't gotten around to replacing my address plaque. The address sign outside my house has long discolored and is now barely legible. Hence the perennial problem of house guests squinting their eyes to make out the home address plaques in my neighborhood to locate my house.

I finally went downtown last weekend to the hardware store to check out their wall address plaques, but nothing seemed to have caught my eye. Their selection of address plaques and numbers was really nothing to shout about.

After getting back home empty handed, I decided to hit the internet to look for address signs. I was really impressed with the wide range of address plaques they have over at JUSTADDRESSPLAQUES.COM. I've already narrowed down my options to a few whitehall address plaques that they carry. Now all I have to do is to do a quick stock take in my storeroom to make sure that I don't have any address plaques hidden somewhere before checkout.

EVERYTHING COUNTS IN LIFE

Fresh bamboo in a pale - “The taller the bamboo grows, the lower it bends.”

African-American poet Countee Cullen spent the summer of his eighth year in Baltimore, Maryland. Shortly after he arrived he noticed a little white boy staring at him. Countee smiled, but the little boy did not smile back. Instead, he stuck out his tongue and called him a "nigger."

Cullen later wrote a poem that included his recollection of the summer when he was eight. In it, he says this:

"I saw the whole of Baltimore
from May until September.
Of everything that happened there
that's all I can remember."

As years wore on, the little white child most likely forgot the episode. He was never aware of the pain he inflicted on a little eight-year-old boy. But the truth is...everything counts. Everything. Everything we do and everything we say. Everything helps or hurts; everything adds to or takes away from someone else.

Educator and writer Leo Buscaglia put it like this: "The majority of us lead quiet, unheralded lives as we pass through this world. There will most likely be no ticker tape parades for us, no monuments created in our honor. But that does not lessen our possible impact, for there are scores of people waiting for someone just like us to come along; people who will appreciate our compassion, our encouragement, who will need our unique talents. Someone who will live a happier life merely because we took the time to share what we had to give. Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around. It's overwhelming to consider the continuous opportunities there are to make our love felt."

It's overwhelming to consider what might happen when we truly believe that...everything counts.

From Lifesupport.

Lifesigns Life Quotes

A CURE FOR LONELINESS IN LIFE

Tiger the cat napping lazily on the wooden bench - “Any man who reads too much and uses his own brain too little falls into lazy habits of thinking”

People do strange things! I heard of a man who occasionally swallowed coins -- enough to make him sick! Which, as it turns out, was the whole idea. When asked why he made himself sick swallowing coins, he replied that he enjoyed the affection and attention the staff showed him in the hospital!

He was lonely. Many of us are lonely. When asked, "What is life's heaviest burden?" one lonely old man answered, "To have nothing to carry."

A cure for loneliness is to carry the burden of another. Get involved with their problems. Visit others who are also lonely. Listen to someone else's troubles. Find people who need you and do some­thing for them. Carrying another's burden will lighten the load of your loneliness.

I know a woman who gave each person in her family a golden angel lapel pin one Christmas. "Wear it on your collar or shoulder," she said, "to remind you that your guardian angel is always looking over your shoulder."

Her brother noticed his pin had a broken wing. He held up his damaged angel and quipped, "It figures. My guardian angel is missing a wing. She can't even take care of herself!"

Two years later he died of cancer. As I thought of the pain his family must be feel­ing, I was struck with how his broken angel is like each of us. We each hurt. We all experience loss. At times we are lonely. Like that angel, we are each broken in some way, even if our damage is interior and in­visible to others.

But we're each like his broken angel in an­other way, too. As it has been so beautifully said, "We are all like angels with just one wing. We can only fly by embracing each other." You see, we will heal best by hanging on to one another. And we will overcome lone­liness best by putting an arm around someone else and going it with them.

This family embraced each other. And as they carried one another's burdens, their own loads were lightened. It's a solution for loneliness -- and a formula for happiness.

From Lifesupport.

Lifesigns Life Quotes

HOW THIRSTY ARE YOU IN LIFE?

House of horror display at expo - “You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience by which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, 'I lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.”

A man had an operation, and the doctor, by mistake, left a sponge in him. A friend asked him if he had any pain because of it. "No," said the man, "but I sure do get thirsty."

It's true that the people who get thirsty - not for water or beverages - but thirsty to pursue a dream or achieve a goal, are the ones who will eventually succeed. Thirst, or desire, is paramount. Napoleon Hill has said, "Desire is the starting point of all achievement, not a hope, not a wish, but a keen pulsating desire which transcends everything."

Alan C. Elliott writes in his book A DAILY DOSE OF THE AMERICAN DREAM: Stories of Success, Triumph, And Inspiration (Rutledge Hill Press) that educator Benjamin Bloom reported the results of a five-year study that was undertaken to discover what made some people extraordinarily successful. The study consisted of detailed research into the lives of 120 of the nation's top artists, athletes, and scholars.

Bloom was surprised to find that natural abilities played only a small part in the development of those individuals. As children, they were often mediocre musicians, athletes or students, but Bloom found that they possessed a powerful drive to succeed. They practiced the piano hours every day, rose well before school every morning to swim, or spent hours alone working on science projects.

Parental support was also a key factor. The parents of the successful young people helped out, exposing their children to great ideas and influential persons. Many sacrificed to ensure that their offspring received good training. But in the end, it was their children's thirst to do well that made the difference.

How thirsty are you? Your success in any field you choose may hinge on your answer to that simple question.

From Lifesupport.

Lifesigns Life Quotes

DIRECT TV LIFE ENTERTAINMENT

Have you guys seen the latest Inception sneak preview? I'm totally stoked! They are in the midst of filming though and it wont be out until sometime next year. Argh.

I've always dreaded the in between droughts, where there aren't any good movies showing in the cinemas. It's just a bit harder to part with my dough for a movie that's half decent just to pass time. Well, I guess it doesn't help that the H1N1 bug is still floating about. What's one to do during the weekends? I think I just found my ideal solution: Direct TV!

Thank goodness for Satellite Directv! I wasn't sure whether to continue my cable subscription or to sign up for DirectTV at first, but I finally decided to go for Direct TV Satellite after all the service interruptions I encountered with my cable.

I always prefer to customize my channel selections and Direct Satellite TV enables me to do just that! Another good reason to choose Direct TV is that I get more savings over my monthly entertainment budget due to their fantastic affordable prices. Now I have most of my entertainment needs covered right in my living room thanks to DirectTV!

WHEN WORDS STING IN LIFE

Fresh gourd for sale - “I doubt if a single individual could be found from the whole of mankind free from some form of insanity. The only difference is one of degree. A man who sees a gourd and takes it for his wife is called insane because this happens to very few people.”

A funny story tells of a hostess making final arrangements for an elaborate reception. "Nora," she said to her veteran servant, "for the first half-hour I want you to stand at the drawing room door and call the guests' names as they arrive."

Nora's face lit up. "Thank you, ma'am," she replied. "I've been wanting to do that to some of your friends for the last twenty years."

Maybe we can relate, but either manners or fear of losing a job kept us from saying what we felt at the time. Often better to do as Napoleon Hill suggests: "If you must slander someone, don't speak it - but write it - write it in the sand, near the waters edge!"

Criticism is not to be confused with evaluation. We would do well to have our performance evaluated from time to time. None of us is beyond improvement. But hurtful and self-serving criticism, often spoken out of anger or vindictiveness, creates irreparable damage in a relationship. From time to time, we each feel its sting.

Phillips Brooks, over a century ago, used to pray for the grace to both rise above criticisms as well as to resist firing them back. "Oh, God," he prayed, "give the strength to live another day. Keep me from losing faith in people. Keep me sweet and sound, in spite of occasional ingratitude and meanness. Above all, keep me from giving little stings, and minding them."

A good antidote when words sting.

From Lifesupport.

Lifesigns Life Quotes

ATTRACTING PEOPLE TO YOU FOR LIFE

Vending home made soya milk and cooling chinese tea - “Change is inevitable - except from a vending machine.”

In West Virginia folklore there is a story of a country doctor who was called out to a holler late one night to assist a woman about to give birth. By the time the doctor arrived at the farmhouse, things had progressed to a point where the doctor asked the husband to help him by holding a gas lantern up high in order to illuminate the makeshift delivery room.

Before long, the courageous mother delivered a healthy baby boy. As the father lowered the lantern, the doctor barked an order to keep the lantern aloft: "We're not done yet." Shortly, a second child appeared on the scene, a healthy baby girl. Shaken by the unexpected arrival of twins, the father heard the doctor say once again, "We can't stop now. It looks as if it's going to be triplets." To which the stunned father, still holding the lantern high, replied, "Do you think it's the light that's attracting them?"

Light has a quality of attraction. I recently left my office door open late one afternoon in our mountain home and, at dusk, the light from within attracted -- a hummingbird! (Coaxing a hummingbird out of the house is a little like pushing a rope. Mostly, whatever you do doesn't work.)

You, too, have a light that attracts...an inner light. Not visible to the naked eye, but apparent just the same. We speak of a "twinkle" in the eye or a "flicker" of warmth in the heart. Some people shine with a light of kindness. Others emit a light of hope. There are those who glow with enthusiasm and still others who radiate love.

Almost all creatures are drawn to light, including humans. Do you want to attract people to you? Positive and life-affirming inner qualities can attract people like a warm fire on a cold night. What will draw other people to you best cannot be purchased in any department store. They will respond to that which radiates from within.

You may not always see it, but your light is shining through. And it's one of your most attractive qualities!

From Lifesupport.

Lifesigns Life Quotes

LIFE TICKETING NEEDS

We all feel good whenever we manage to buy something which is high in demand but at a fraction of the stated retail price. That is especially true when it comes to purchasing huge event premium tickets like the highly acclaimed Country Music Awards Tickets or the Boston Opera House Tickets if they suit your fancy.

Generally these tickets are hard to come by and dealing with the dreaded ticket touters will get you parting with much more of your hard earned cash. Do not fret however as now you can save yourself from all that hassle and get fantastic deals on premium tickets via ACheapSeat.com.

They have got all your ticketing needs covered from sports like the Red Sox Baseball Tickets to mega concerts like the Kiss Concert Tickets and theater like the Beacon Theatre Tickets. One of the best reason of dealing with ACheapSeat.com is that you will be paying less for your tickets! I am a cheapskate myself and any opportunity to give more bang to my buck is always welcomed!

ARE WE REALLY THAT DIFFERENT FROM ONE ANOTHER?

The crowd at the public dental clinic - “The human brain starts working the moment you are born and never stops until you stand up to speak in public”

I enjoy a story about baseball great Joe Garagiola. He once stepped to the plate when his turn came to bat. Before assuming his stance, however, fervent Roman Catholic Joe took his bat and made the sign of the cross in the dirt in front of home plate. Catcher Yogi Berra, also a devout Catholic, walked over and erased Garagiola's cross. Turning to the astonished batter, Berra smiled and said, "Lets let God watch this inning."

And I suspect that God, who does not root for one team only, smiled.

I likewise enjoy the story about an old Quaker who stood during the church meeting and told his fellow Friends about a young man who was not a Quaker and who lived an undisciplined life. This young man invited a pious Quaker friend to go sailing one day. A sudden storm came up and the wild young man was drowned. Having made his point, the old Quaker sat down.

Silence returned to the meeting until the old man once again arose. This time he said, "Friends, for the honor of the truth, I think I ought to add that the Quaker also drowned."

And I suspect that the heart of God, who does not arbitrarily sink ships, was filled with sadness for both losses.

It is true that the sun shines on all of us - good and bad alike. The rain falls on each of us, regardless of religious affiliation. And I wonder, are we really very different from one another?

From Lifesupport.

Lifesigns Life Quotes

THE PUSH YOU NEED FOR LIFE

Black notebook workstation computer - “Coaches who can outline plays on a black board are a dime a dozen. The ones who win get inside their player and motivate.”

Author and speaker Tony Robbins teaches that we are each motivated both by pain and by pleasure. We can change behaviors and attitudes as we utilize the pain and pleasure principles.

Here is how it works: One of the most successful American football coaches was Vince Lombardi. But he was not an easy coach to play for. One player, Henry Jordan, chuckled about Lombardi, "He treats us all the same -- like dogs." He went on to say, "I play for the love of the game, the love of the money and the fear of Lombardi."

When he plays for the love of the game and the love of the money, he is motivated by pleasure. He thinks of the enjoyment he will get when he is on the field and his financial success as a professional player. He may even think of the personal recognition he receives as a professional player and the feelings of self-respect he experiences as he continues to succeed. The pleasure of these thoughts motivates him to play well.

When he thinks of Lombardi's ire if he does less than his best, he is motivated by pain. Fear is emotional pain -- as real as any physical pain. He may think also of the pain of losing his position to another player or even of the embarrassment of a fumbled ball. All of these "pain thoughts" help him to rise to his best level of performance. We will go to great lengths to avoid pain, in whatever form we find it.

What do you need motivation to do? Is it something related to your job or school? Or something personal, such as a physical or emotional change? Or do you need more encouragement to develop a certain personality trait or to pursue a goal you have neglected far too long?

Utilize the principles of pain and pleasure. Think of the pain you will eventually feel (or even feel now!) as you fail to follow your heart's lead. Be creative. Then think of the pleasure you will experience as you do or become whatever it is you want for yourself. Let these thoughts serve as the impetus to move out into the exciting new directions you have plotted for yourself.

Pain and pleasure are part of our daily lives. Use these feelings and you will find the push you need to give birth to your beautiful dreams!

From Lifesupport.

Lifesigns Life Quotes

THE TRUST FACTOR FOR LIFE

Plastic food containers - “Life does not accommodate you, it shatters you. It is meant to, and it couldn't do it better. Every seed destroys its container or else there would be no fruition.”

Are you aware of the TRUST FACTOR? The higher your trust factor is - your ability to trust other people and to be trusted yourself - the higher will be your level of life satisfaction. Let me explain.

We have been forced to become less trusting than just a few decades ago. Something that happened in Oklahoma in 1950 probably could not happen today.

In 1950 a man calling himself F. Barn Morrison went to Wetumka, Oklahoma, and persuaded local residents to put up the money to bring a circus to town. They did not know Morrison, but trusted his word. Merchants bought plenty of food, beverages, and souvenirs in preparation for the crowds of people who were bound to attend. And Morrison sold advance tickets. The townspeople were ecstatic at the thought of a circus in their very own town! Children could hardly sleep at night.

Unfortunately, ecstasy turned into misery when Mr. Morrison slipped quietly away with all the money. There would be no circus. The townspeople were simple victims of misplaced trust.

The trust factor teaches us that every time our ability to trust is lowered, our happiness and life satisfaction levels are lowered, too.

The story has a happy ending, however. Someone came up with the idea of holding a four-day celebration anyway. And why not? They had all the food and goodies. Calendars were cleared and, besides, everyone's heart was set on having a good time.

They called their party The Sucker Festival. In a display of good-natured fun, people celebrated the fact that they'd been suckered big time!

I understand that The Sucker Festival, or Sucker Day, has been held most every year since. The Wetumka folk even tried for a number of years to contact the so-called Mr. Morrison so they could invite him to the festival - but he was nowhere to be found.

Modern society chips away at trust. We teach our kids in school about "stranger danger." We feverishly guard our identities against theft. People we don't know we cast under clouds of suspicion.

Yet trust is a vital part of successful living. I enjoy Elsa Einstein's simple statement of confidence in her husband Albert. "No, I don't understand my husband's theory of relativity," she said, "but I know my husband, and I know he can be trusted."

The trust factor also teaches that the happiest and most successful people share two traits: they are trustworthy and they have the ability to trust others.

First, they can be trusted. They have confidence in themselves and are known to be honest and dependable.

Second, they can also name one or more friends or family members they trust completely. They can be vulnerable and "real" with these people.

Factor trust into your life if you want to be truly happy.

From Lifesupport.

Lifesigns Life Quotes

LIFE IN FOCUS

Sliding side door van - “Sometimes it's important to work for that pot of gold. But other times it's essential to take time off and to make sure that your most important decision in the day simply consists of choosing which color to slide down on the rainbow.”

In reading a mortality chart, I discovered something truly amazing. A great number of people die each year from a disease I had never heard of! Of course, there was the predictable number who died of heart attacks, cancer, stroke, accidents and the like, but at the bottom of the chart was one that surprised me. It was called "miscellaneous." Appar­ently, a large number of people die of "miscellane­ous" every year!

I think I understand why. I suffer from "mis­cel­­laneous" when I go in too many directions at once. When I am scattered, the disease begins to take over. Soon my self-esteem is affected and I feel as if I'm doing nothing important. Flitting here and there, I have no overriding pur­pose and I feel as if my life is spinning out of con­trol. It must be a terrible way to die!

However, I believe there is a cure for the disease. It's called "focus." A focused person is one who knows what is important and follows the path. She may have many interests, but one calling. A fo­cused person hears one voice more clearly than the others...and follows. Some call it pursuing a mis­sion. Some call it knowing your purpose. Others call it being centered. Whatever it is called, a fo­cused life can be meaningful and happy.

Not every path should be followed, and not every goal should become a life's calling. But a truly worthy focus can raise a life from mediocrity and save it from a slow death by miscellaneous.

Are you in focus?

From Lifesupport.

Lifesigns Life Quotes

SAVING GOLD IN LIFE

Times are hard and many of us are looking at ways to save money. Although some may argue that the economy is finally showing signs of recovery, one cannot be too certain. It's always good to save up some gold for a rainy day.

You see, I don't mind living the frugal life and re-purposing stuff around the house, but that wont pay bills for when I'm old. I've been looking at buffing up my Individual Retirement Account of late.

As a matter of fact, I had a chat with my neighbor about it yesterday about how to put gold in an IRA. I was a bit skeptical at first. The whole idea of how can I own gold in my IRA is alien to me, to say the least.

But my neighbor was going on and on about gold IRA transfer that I knew I just had to find out for myself what this hoo haa is about. I hit the internet and did some research on my own. Apparently, the concept of putting gold in an IRA isn't new and there are a number of firms specializing as precious metal asset managers.

SPIRITUAL MEDICATION IN LIFE

Sale banners hanging on supermarket building - “If you're still hanging onto a dead dream of yesterday, laying flowers on its grave by the hour, you cannot be planting the seeds for a new dream to grow today”

Demographic experts are tell us that there is a general spiritual awakening among people of various faiths. Some are returning to "organized" religions. Others are seeking spiritual answers along other paths. However it is done, people are realizing the importance of a healthy spiritual dimension to their lives.

One man tells about a time when his wife suffered from a headache. She took medication and lay down, but nothing seemed to help.

Her six-year-old daughter was concerned about her Mommy's health, so the ailing woman asked her if she would like to pray for her. Little Leia said that she would. Leia put her hand on her mother's head and prayed the only prayer she knew: "Lord, thank you for this food..."

I imagine that the words she uses are not important. In fact, I don't know if any words are really adequate to express our deepest spiritual desires. Moreover, what seems most crucial is not so much how "good" we are at praying, but that we simply pause regularly to nurture the soul. Prayer is a dose of spiritual medication that, taken daily, enhances all of life.

Leonardo da Vinci spent countless hours ruminating upon things of the spirit as he worked on his famous canvas of the Last Supper. He spent so much time meditating in the cloister that some of the monks in that little church became concerned. They remonstrated with the artist about his wasting precious time and money. "Why do you spend so much time with us in prayer when you have come here to work?" they wondered.

Leonardo answered, "When I pause the longest, I make the most telling strokes with my brush."

You may not feel that you are much good at prayer, but how good are you without it?

From Lifesupport.

Lifesigns Life Quotes

LIVE IT FOR LIFE!

Terap fruits for sale - “Kind hearts are the gardens, Kind thoughts are the roots, Kind words are the flowers, Kind deeds are the fruits, Take care of your garden And keep out the weeds, Fill it with sunshine Kind words and kind deeds”

Editor, diplomat and poet James Russell Lowell had a wonderful attitude. One day, when passing a building in the outskirts of Boston, he noticed an identifying inscription: "Home for Incurable Children." To a friend he remarked, "They'll get me in there some day."

If he means that he'll never be cured of an overriding enthusiasm for living, then I also hope they'll get me into a place like that some day. I never want to outgrow my zeal for life. I never want to become so jaded as to take living for granted.

Whoever compiled this list knew how to live with enthusiasm! Here's all the advice you'll need to live well and with zeal.

Life is beauty; appreciate it.
Life is a dream; realize it.
Life is a challenge; meet it.
Life is a duty; complete it.
Life is a game; play it.
Life is a sorrow; feel it.
Life is a song; sing it.
Life is a struggle; accept it.
Life is an adventure; risk it.
Life is luck; make it.
Life is a puzzle; solve it.
Life is opportunity; take it.
Life is a song; sing it.
Life is a mission; fulfill it.
Life is life; live it!

From Lifesupport.

Lifesigns Life Quotes