FOLLOW YOUR STARS FOR LIFE

Visiting the audio video promotion booth - “Plenty of men can do good work for a spurt and with immediate promotion in mind, but for promotion you want a man in whom good work has become a habit.”

"Learn to say no," said Charles Spurgeon. "It will be of more use to you than to be able to read Latin."

One educator used to say that no society can last long unless it has a quorum of "unpurchasable people." These are people of principle who cannot be bought; people who have learned to say no. I believe that these so-called unpurchasable people are the truly contented and fulfilled souls around us.

In Whitney Seymour's book MAKING A DIFFERENCE (New York: William Morrow and Co., Inc., 1984), Arthur McArthur, General Douglas McArthur's father, told his son of such an unpurchasable man. This man was a Union general in charge of the occupied territory surrounding New Orleans toward the end of the American Civil War. He was pressed by local plantation owners to permit them to haul their cotton to the wharves in order for it to be sold for shipment to England. The general controlled all the wagons and horses, and his orders from high command in Washington were clear. He was not to let the cotton crop get to market.

Then one day, when Colonel Arthur MacArthur was visiting the general, two Southern ladies were ushered into the general's office, a "grande dame" and a beautiful young companion. The older lady came right to the point. She said that the landowners needed the temporary use of transport facilities to move their cotton. The North did not wish to force England into the war, she argued, and was allowing some merchant ships to slip through the blockade. Therefore, the Union would not be opposed to the sale of cotton for English textile mills. To show her gratitude she handed over $250,000 in gold certificates. "And if you need other inducements, this young lady will supply them," she added. They departed, leaving behind a distressed general holding the beautiful young woman's address.

The general immediately ordered MacArthur to dispatch this message to Washington: "TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I have just been offered two hundred and fifty thousand dollars and the most beautiful woman I have ever seen to betray my trust. I am depositing the money with the Treasury of the United States, and request immediate relief from this command. They are getting close to my price."

Many others may have fallen for the seductive offer. And though his decision was no doubt difficult to make, how much harder might his life have eventually become had he chosen wrong? Saying yes to contentment and peace often begins with saying no. For ultimately happy lives are guided by unwavering principles, such as honesty, trust and love. Those who keep sight of their principles and use them as a guide in all their decision-making will eventually arrive at a place of lasting peace.

"Ideals are like stars; you will not succeed in touching them with your hands," says Carl Schurz. "But like the (seafarers) on the desert of waters, you choose them as your guides, and following them you will reach your destiny."

From Lifesupport.

Lifesigns Life Quotes

DIRECTTV LIFE EXPERIENCE

My cousin has been pestering me to watch How I Met Your Mother for months now. I'm a huge Neil Patrick Harris fan, but I just can't bring myself to watch what they pass off as sitcoms these days after Seinfield ended its run sometime back.

That was about a month ago. Now I look forward to catching HIMYM every week without fail. And thanks to my cousin, I'm equally hooked on the Family Guy, American Dad, Flash Forward, Dexter and oh, Mad Men!

While it's great to do a marathon of the tv shows when they become available on DVD, nothing beats catching each episode as they air. This is where Direct TV comes in.

My current Direct Sat TV subscription is due for renewal a couple of months from now so I've been shopping around for Direct TV Packages online. I've found a few that fit the bill, but I was holding out for a better offer until I finally chanced upon their latest offer: over 150 digital channels for $29.99 per month! I took the dive there and then and I love my Direct Sat TV more ever since. I am looking forward to head back home after work each day and spend some quality time with my Direct TV.

A LAUGHING MATTER FOR LIFE

Life size Ironman promotional display statue - “The difference between school and life? In school, you're taught a lesson and then given a test. In life, you're given a test that teaches you a lesson.”

According to psychologist William James, we do not laugh because we are happy. But rather, we are happy because we laugh. The happiest people alive are those who know how to laugh often and well.

In his book A TOUCH OF WONDER, Arthur Gordon tells of a friend of his who knew about laughter. Though deaf and almost blind, he went right on working, laughing and making the most of his life.

One Christmas season Arthur and his friend entered a crowded drugstore. On the back of the door was a mirror, visible when the door was closed. As they turned to leave, Arthur's friend saw his reflection in the mirror. He thought the door must be open and that the figure he dimly viewed before him was a customer attempting to enter the store. He stepped aside and, naturally, so did the image. He moved forward again and once more met himself. Again he retreated.

By now an uneasy hush had fallen on the spectators. No one quite knew what to do or say. But on his third advance the man realized that he was facing a mirror. "Why," he cried, "it's only me!" He made a grand bow. "Good to see you, old boy! Merry Christmas!" The whole store exploded in delighted laughter.

And why not? Here was a man who knew how to laugh at himself! He accepted his problems and limitations with a grace and humor that was contagious.

We're given the power of laughter, not only to laugh AT things, but to laugh things OFF. We'll always know difficulties and we will never be without our share of troubles, but the happy person learns how to laugh most of them off. And that's the reason they're happy -- it's a laughing matter!

From Lifesupport.

Lifesigns Life Quotes

GOOD FRIENDS ARE GOOD MEDICINE FOR LIFE

Scenic beach view of mini gazebo platform - “I read and walked for miles at night along the beach, writing bad blank verse and searching endlessly for someone wonderful who would step out of the darkness and change my life. It never crossed my mind that that person could be me.”

Our news is constantly filled with the reality of death and dying. And each of us, if we live long enough, experiences the loss of persons we loved.

Children ages eight through ten were asked what they thought about death, and these are some of their answers:

"When you die, God takes care of you like your mother did when you were alive – only God doesn't yell at you all the time." (Beth, 9)

"When you die, they bury you in the ground and your soul goes to heaven, but your body can't go to heaven because it's too crowded up there already." (Jimmy, 8)

"Only the good people go to heaven. The other people go where it's hot all the time like in Florida." (Judy, 9)

"Maybe I'll die someday, but I hope I don't die on my birthday because it's no fun to celebrate your birthday if you're dead." (Jon, 9)

"I'm not afraid to die because I'm a Boy Scout." (Kevin, 10)

"Doctors help you so you won't die until you pay their bills." (Stephanie, 9)

I've observed that the loss of a loved one can be one of the most difficult things we humans can face. And one of our greatest needs as we experience such a loss is for simple, human comfort. I've known friends of sick and dying people to sit by a bedside or in a hospital room for hours, even days, at a time. I've sometimes heard them offer words of prayer. I've seen food in homes of people who are dying overflow from kitchen to dining room – food brought by comforting friends from church and concerned neighbors. And I've observed friends to just listen…for as long as it takes. Caring friends are indispensable in times of trouble.

When U.S. Congressman Sam Rayburn (1882-1961) discovered that he was ill, he announced to the House of Representatives he was going home to Texas for medical tests. Some wondered why he did not stay in Washington where there were excellent medical facilities. His answer was a beautiful tribute to friendship: "Bonham is a place where people know it when you're sick, and where they care when you die."

No one wants to go through difficult times alone. So Rayburn traded the best of medical technology for the closeness of loving friends. He knew that good friends are good medicine. Often the best.

From Lifesupport.

Lifesigns Life Quotes

SO YOU MADE A MISTAKE IN LIFE?

Lucky twirly mini bamboo plants - “Love is like an earthquake-unpredictable, a little scary, but when the hard part is over you realize how lucky you truly are.”

The obituary editor of a city newspaper was not one who would admit his mistakes easily. One day, he got a phone call from an irate subscriber who complained that her name just appeared in the obituary column. "Really?" was the calm reply. "Where are you calling from?"

There is no shame in making mistakes. They are an important and necessary part of learning.

A young man came in for an interview with his manager. "Tell me," the young man asked her, "how did you become so successful?"

"Two words," she said.

"And what are they?"

"Right decisions."

He asked, "How did you make right decisions?"

"One word -- experience."

"And how did you get experience?"

"Two words," she said.

"And what are they?"

"Wrong decisions."

In order to profit from our mistakes, we have to get out and make some. And so long as we keep making different ones each time, we're learning and growing!

Are you feeling badly about a mistake you recently made? Then decide what you will do differently next time, make amends if necessary, forgive yourself and move on.

Are you afraid of taking a necessary risk for fear of making a mistake? Remember, even poor choices can be marvelous opportunities for learning. For it is through those wrong decisions that we will learn to make right decisions.

So make those mistakes. Make them boldly! In the end, they will make you better. And if you make enough, you'll become the best you can be!

From Lifesupport.

Lifesigns Life Quotes

TROUBLE BOX IN LIFE

Comfortable leather chair in office cubicle - “You can't deny laughter; when it comes, it plops down in your favorite chair and stays as long as it wants.”

They call it a "trouble box." It is a brightly colored, egg-sized box found among natives of Guatemala. Inside are placed six tiny dolls. Families often keep one inside their homes. When trou­ble be­falls a family member, the disturbed person takes out one of the tiny dolls and talks the problem over with it. Then the doll is set aside and the prob­lem forgot­ten.

If another difficulty comes up that same day, another doll is selected to "listen." Each doll is then set aside to mull over the situation. Finally, at the end of every day, the dolls are gathered and re­placed in the box, ready for tomorrow.

The idea sounds intriguing! One doll for one problem. And it makes psychological sense. Many of our troubles cannot be acted upon immediately and just become a source of destructive worry. But if we can sufficiently talk through a problem and then, if no action is required, set it aside, we can go about the business of living unencumbered.

The formula is simple: a) talk through the problem, either with a caring friend or by yourself; b) if it requires action, do what must be done; and c) if no action is called for, then set it aside and fo­cus your energies in more productive areas. Talk. Act. Move on.

Remember, worry is not the same as healthy concern. Worry is like a rocking chair -- it gives you something to do, but gets you nowhere. Decide to worry less, and you may find yourself living more!

From Lifesupport.

Lifesigns Life Quotes

WHO OWNS THE BACKYARD FOR LIFE?

Roadside vendor waiting for potential customers - “Consult not your fears but your hopes and your dreams. Think not about your frustrations, but about your unfulfilled potential. Concern yourself not with what you tried and failed in, but with what it is still possible for you to do.”

Vicki Huffman, in PLUS LIVING (Harold Shaw Publishers, 1989), tells about a man who loved to hunt and bought two pedigreed setters that he trained to be fine bird dogs. He kept them in a large, fenced pen in his backyard.

One morning he observed a little bulldog trotting down the alley behind his home. It saw the two dogs and squeezed under the fence. The man thought he should perhaps lock up the setters so they wouldn't hurt the little dog, but changed his mind. Maybe they would "teach that bulldog a lesson," he reasoned.

As he predicted, fur began to fly, and all of it was bulldog fur. The feisty intruder soon had enough and squeezed back under the fence to get away.

To the man's surprise, the visitor returned again the next morning. He crawled under the fence and once again took on the tag-team of setters. And like the day before, he soon quit and squeezed out of the pen.

The incident was repeated the following day, with the same results.

The man left early the next morning on a business trip and returned after several weeks. He asked his wife what finally became of the bulldog.

"You won't believe it," she replied. "At the same time every day that little dog came to the backyard and fought with our setters. He never missed a day! It has come to the point now that when our setters simply hear him snorting down the alley, they start whining and run down into the basement. Then the little bulldog struts around our backyard as if he owns it."

How do you manage those problems you encounter daily? I don't mean that we must fight with them, but do you persistently take them on until you persevere?

Dale Carnegie made this observation: "Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all." In the end, it's the persistent bulldog that will own the backyard.

From Lifesupport.

Lifesigns Life Quotes

SAME HERE FOR LIFE!

Preserved crocodile in a glass container - “Let yourself be open and life will be easier. A spoon of salt in a glass of water makes the water undrinkable. A spoon of salt in a lake is almost unnoticed.”

One man was annoyed at his sentimental wife's constant sniffling as she watched a touching movie on the television. "For goodness' sake," he scolded, "why is it you cry about the imaginary woes of people you've never met?"

"For the same reason you yell and scream when a man you don't know scores a goal," she said.

That reason, of course, is that they identify with the person or the event. The word "identify" originally comes from the Latin root "idem," which means "same." When we identify with someone, we feel the same sadness or ecstasy the other feels and we understand another's plight.

There is no substitute for an ability to identify with others. One woman wrote me a letter about how she acquired this valuable trait. She said this:

"I was a registered nurse for quite a few years. I always thought of myself as an empathetic person, somebody who was able to reach out and understand what someone else was going through. Then I became a patient when I was diagnosed with M.S. and realized I never really knew the true meaning of the word "empathy." Unfortunately, it sometimes has to be learned and not taught.

"I found out just how much even a smile means to someone who is sick and so scared about what is happening in their life. [Because of M.S.], I found out how much it means to have someone take a few minutes and be friendly and just talk.... I hate the disease, but it has taught me so much!"

This woman had worked compassionately and professionally for years, but now there is a whole new dimension in her dealing with patients. She identifies with them. She knows how they must feel and responds differently. And she has become a better nurse (and person) because of it.

You may never treat hospital patients, but is there anyone in your life who would not benefit from your ability to identify with their pleasures and pains, their wild dreams and dashed hopes?

The ability to identify with others is a trait that, with practice, can be learned. Employers and employees are valued more highly when they possess it. Family and friends create more intimate relationships when those bonds are built around an ability to truly identify with one another.

Lord Chesterfield said, "You must look into people, as well as at them." It is a rare friend who has cultivated the ability to clearly see inside others and, thereby, identify with them. But it is a necessary part of an effective and happy life.

From Lifesupport.

Lifesigns Life Quotes

HOW TO HAVE A LIFE OF JOY

Fresh pineapple fruits for sale - “Self-respect is the fruit of discipline; the sense of dignity grows with the ability to say no to oneself.”

Do you know how to have a life of joy?

A businessman on his deathbed called his friend and said, "Bill, I want you to promise me that when I die you will have my remains cremated." "And what," his friend asked, "do you want me to do with your ashes?" The businessman said, "Just put them in an envelope and mail them to the Internal Revenue Service and write on the envelope, `NOW YOU HAVE EVERYTHING!'"

Paying taxes is not usually a joy. But GIVING can be joyful. We pay the taxes because we have to. But when we CHOOSE to give time or money, then giving can add to our overall happiness.

Mother Teresa teaches us an important lesson about happiness. She was one of those people who emanated joy. Born in 1910 in Eastern Europe, she felt called as a teenager to move to Calcutta, India. Some months later she saw a sight that completely revolutionized her life.

Shortly after moving to Calcutta she spotted a homeless, dying woman lying in the gutter, being eaten by rats. After seeing that, compassion compelled her to beg an abandoned Hindu temple from the government and convert it into a crude, make-shift hospital for the dying. "Nobody should die alone" she would later say. Mother Teresa went on to establish homes for the destitute dying in numerous cities. But in spite of devoting her life to people in such dire straits, she radiated joy and happiness.

This incredible woman was once interviewed by Malcolm Muggeridge from the BBC News. He asked her an unusual question: "Mother Teresa, the thing I noticed about you and the hundreds of sisters who now form your team is that you all look so happy. Is that a put-on?"

Here was a woman who had none of the things we like to think of as bringing happiness: a home, a family, prosperity… Rather, she lived in near-poverty and spent her time wiping dirt and various body fluids from half-dead cancer and leprosy victims…and appeared to be blissfully happy. "Is that a put-on" she was asked?

She replied, "Oh no, not at all. Nothing makes you happier than when you really reach out in mercy to someone who is badly hurt."

She would agree that happiness does not come from acquiring, but is a by-product of giving: time, money, love. Do you want a life of joy? Start with a lifestyle of giving!

From Lifesupport.

Lifesigns Life Quotes

CYCLING FOR LIFE

I know many will agree if I say that more often than not we simply cannot allocate time to do some exercises in our daily routine. One of my colleague at work proved that he can incorporate exercise into his daily routine by cycling to work. That's around 20KM daily and he gets to save the environment by reducing his carbon footprints. I think this trend will be popular in the future.


I went browsing for cycling equipment on shopwiki and learned quite a lot about the activity. I found out about functional and practical bike shoes that will greatly improve your cycling experience. You can also find various types of bicycles on shopwiki like mountain bikes, comfort bikes as well as bikes for kids which will come in handy for a family outing. For me, I prefer the hybrid over the comfort bikes due to its design and aesthetic appeal.

If I did not come across bike shorts on shopwiki, I would have just slap on any wearable and presentable pair of shorts that I got lying around for my cycling attire. Now I know that baggy bike shorts are designed with special liners that help to absorb sweat and keep you more comfortable. Thanks shopwiki!

YOUR SUPPORT SYSTEM FOR LIFE

Food stalls at the bazaar - “A man who strains himself on the stage is bound, if he is any good, to strain all the people sitting in the stalls.”

Have you noticed how help is often avail­able just when you need it? A few years ago, a California artist carved a unique Christmas gift for his parents in Connecticut. It was a four-foot-tall statue of a hitchhiker, with thumb extended. (The perfect gift for the discriminating homeowner...) His gift was unusual, but his method of shipping the statue to his folks was even stranger. He sim­ply set it beside the road and let it "hitch" its way across the continent. Around the statue's neck he hung a sign bearing his parents' New England ad­dress, and across its chest was printed the word "Connecticut" in large letters. Several weeks and some 2,500 miles later, unknown hands delivered the gift to the wood­carver's parents in time for Christmas.

I find it heartening to remember that there are always those willing to help. And it's true regardless of the circumstance. There is someone willing to extend a hand, lend an ear or share a heart. Whether you need temporary assistance or your life has experienced a meltdown, there is someone who wants to help.

In every important way, you are never really alone. You have a life "support system" consisting of people you may have never met! And it's one of your greatest resources.

From Lifesupport.

Lifesigns Life Quotes

HUG THAT MONSTER FOR LIFE

Lovely teddy bear on display - “Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any one thing.”

One couple spent a holiday driving in the mountains. "Every time you race around one of those narrow curves," exclaimed the wife, "I just get terrified."

"Then do what I do," suggested her husband. "Close your eyes!" We are all afraid at times, but closing our eyes is not always a helpful way through fear. Better to open your eyes and face those fears head-on.

In 1972 David Miln Smith had such an opportunity. Smith, an adventurer, author and professional speaker, decided to spend a night alone in St. Michael's Cave on the island of Gibraltar as a test of courage. In his book HUG THE MONSTER (Kansas City: Andrews and McMeel, 1996), he tells of hearing strange sounds all around him as he lay there in the pitch-black, damp, deserted cave. Most frightening was the fact that he came to believe he was not alone!

Fear became panic and he was afraid he was losing his mind. Then suddenly, as he was approaching his psychological breaking point, Smith thought to himself, "Whatever the monster looks like, I will hug it." That simple, almost silly thought brought great relief to his restless mind. He soon fell into a deep and peaceful sleep until morning. He learned that embracing his fear, literally or figuratively, allowed him to subdue it.

We each have our nights of fear. We each encounter monsters of some sort. We may fear spiders or insects, heights or crowds, abandonment or loneliness, the future or death. And most of us are occasionally visited by shadows of these monsters in the dark of night.

The next time you're afraid, try "hugging the monster." Face that fear head-on, whatever it is, and embrace it. You may be surprised at how quickly it slips away and at how confident you begin to feel. Like that beautiful spirit Eleanor Roosevelt said, "You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you stop to look fear in the face."

Do you have a monster to hug?

From Lifesupport.

Lifesigns Life Quotes

LOSING THE DEAD PART FOR LIFE

Best compass directions - “Why are we so full of restraint? Why do we not give in all directions? Is it fear of losing ourselves? Until we do lose ourselves there is no hope of finding ourselves.”

I am discovering that many people want, above all else, to live life fully. But sometimes the past prohibits our living and enjoying life to the ut­most in the present.

A schoolteacher entered his room a few minutes early and noticed a mealworm labori­ously crawling along the floor. It had somehow been in­jured. The back part of the worm was dead and dried up, but still attached to the front, living part by just a thin thread.

As the teacher studied the strange sight of a poor worm pulling its dead half across the floor, a little girl ran in and noticed it there. Pick­ing it up, she said, "Oh, Oscar, when are you going to lose that dead part so you can really live?"

What a marvelous question for all of us! When are we going to lose that dead part so we can really live? When are we going to let go of past pain so we can live fully? When are we go­ing to drop the baggage of needless guilt so we can expe­rience life? When are we going to let go of that past resentment so we can know peace?

Have you been dragging something that is dead and gone around with you? Are you ready to "lose that dead part so you can really live"?

From Lifesupport.

Lifesigns Life Quotes

GETTING UP WHEN YOU'RE FEELING DOWN IN LIFE

Gamezone amusement activity booth - “Writing a book is an adventure. To begin with, it is a toy and an amusement; then it becomes a mistress, and then it becomes a master, and then a tyrant. The last phase is that just as you are about to be reconciled to your servitude, you kill the monster, and fling him out to the public.”

Do you ever feel blah? Ever wish you had a permanent "picker-upper"? If so, this may be for you.

In the 1920s, if you were looking for a little pick-me-up with your mid-afternoon snack, you might have reached for a cold, refreshing glass of 7-Up. Well, it wasn't called 7-Up back then, it was called "Bib-Label Lithiated Lemon-Lime Soda." (Say THAT three times fast!) Inventor C.L.Grigg's original recipe included the antidepressant lithium until the 1940s as a "picker-upper" (www.cadburyschweppes.com) That's also probably why the original Coca-Cola formula included the stimulant cocaine.

Today, people not suffering from serious depression understand that they usually don't need mood-altering drugs to cope with daily life. But most folks struggle with bouts of mild depression, despondency or "the blahs" from time to time. How do you pick yourself up when you're feeling down, without the aid of Bib-Label Lithiated Lemon-Lime Soda?

Of course, talking about the reasons you're down, making needed changes, watching your diet, getting enough exercise and sleep, developing a positive mental outlook and utilizing spiritual resources are all important pieces of our emotional puzzles. But one important strategy for feeling better (and one that's least used) is helping others in need.

* Visit a shut-in neighbor.
* Write a letter.
* Call a friend who has been struggling.
* Volunteer at church, synagogue or the local food pantry.
* Rake someone's leaves.
* Bake homemade bread for a new neighbor.
* Wash your spouse's car.
* Volunteer to baby-sit for a young mother.
* Plan an unexpected act of kindness.
* Give a gift for no reason at all.

The needs are abundant, and those who put aside some regular time to do something kind for others will often forget they were feeling low. It seems that extending a hand to others likewise lifts us up!

Corrie Ten Boom beautifully said, "The measure of a life, after all, is not its duration, but its donation." And if you've been feeling low, the best time to donate a piece of yourself is now!

From Lifesupport.

Lifesigns Life Quotes

THE MEANING OF SUCCESS FOR LIFE

Detailed miniature house model - “A house is a home when it shelters the body and comforts the soul.”

One man began a speech to his fellow college alumni with the statement, "Some of you are successes, and some of you are failures --

only God knows which are which!" There are many kinds of successes, many kinds of winners; and which is which may not at first be apparent.

Esther Kim is a true champion with a heartwarming story. She competed against her childhood friend, Kay Poe, in the U.S. Olympic Trials for her sport -- Taekwondo. Esther lost the match, but she went on to win all her other fights, which still qualified her for the finals.

Her friend, Kay, also won her successive matches. But in her last fight before the finals, disaster struck. Kay dislocated her knee and went down in great pain. Her knee was reset as she lay in agony on the mat. All the while, her friend Esther encouraged her from the sidelines to finish the fight. Courageously, Kay finally stood up and, on one good leg, concluded the match for a win.

The only contestants now remaining were Kay Poe, with an injured leg, and her friend, Esther Kim. One woman would be chosen from these trials for the Olympic team. "I looked at her with one good leg against me with two good legs," Esther Kim recalled, "and I said, 'It's not fair!'"

On the spot, Esther made a hard decision. She forfeited the match to her friend Kay, whose leg was sure to be fully healed for the 2000 Olympic Games. For her part, Kay bought Esther a ticket to Sydney, Australia, so she might watch and cheer from the stands.

"This was our dream, going to the Olympics," Esther said. "It's so hard! I have cried about it." But Esther discovered something important. "I gave her my dream," she said, "but for the first time ever, I feel like a champ." Esther Kim won a victory far greater than one fought on the mats. She won a victory of the spirit, which qualifies her as a true champion.

As Kay Poe's father remarked, "The champions aren't always the ones who have all the medals." No, sometimes they are cheering from the sidelines. For success and winning is often about victories won in the hidden recesses of the heart. And any of us who will fight and win such a victory will know the meaning of the word "success."

From Lifesupport.

Lifesigns Life Quotes

LOVE LIFE

Gift hampers on display - “Take advantage of every opportunity to practice your communication skills so that when important occasions arise, you will have the gift, the style, the sharpness, the clarity, and the emotions to affect other people.”

A man had just taken his annual physical exam and was waiting for the doctor's initial report. After a few minutes the doctor came in with his charts in hand and said, "There's no reason why you can't live a completely normal life as long as you don't try to enjoy it."

One of the great keys to successful living is to ignore the doctor's recommendation and enjoy life as much as possible. Living is difficult. Learn to enjoy it. Decide to be happy. Dr. Norman Vincent Peale used to tell about a time when Branch Rickey, former general manager of the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Brooklyn Dodgers, was managing the St. Louis Browns baseball team. The Browns happened to be playing against the Detroit Tigers and the immortal Ty Cobb came to bat with two outs and the bases empty in the last inning of a tie game. Cobb drew a base on balls. Once at first, Cobb took a risky lead. His daring, his pure desire to make the most of the moment, rattled the pitcher. The pick-off throw was wild and Cobb dashed. He made a defiant turn at second, forcing another wild throw, slid 10 feet into third and watched as the dazed third baseman muffed the catch. Cobb sprang to his feet and sped for home. By sheer adventure and skill he made what amounted to a home run out of a base on balls!

Unfortunately, the Browns lost as a result. But, Branch was thrilled. He had the privilege of witnessing Ty Cobb's irrepressible love of the game, that quality of zest that set him apart from most other players. Branch commented, "If a player really loves this game, it'll love him back."

So it is with all of life. If we really love life, it will love us back. If we learn to enjoy it, even when it is difficult, we will live well. Henry Van Dyke said, "Be glad of life because it gives you the chance to love and to work and to play and to look at the stars."

Be glad. Enjoy! Love life...and it will love you back.

From Lifesupport.

Lifesigns Life Quotes

JUST A DIME IN LIFE

Maggi product promotion display gazeebo - “Wisdom is not a product of schooling but of the lifelong attempt to acquire it”

Can one dime make a difference? Here is a woman who turned a dime into millions of dollars.

Her name was Martha Berry. This clever woman founded the Berry School in Rome, Georgia. She scraped together funds from every source possible. One day she approached Henry Ford, of Ford automobile fame, and asked for a contribution. Patronizingly, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a dime.

Rather than be insulted or discouraged by the "gift," Miss Berry bought a package of seed peanuts with it. The seeds were planted and tended, and they eventually yielded a large crop, which she later sold.

Again she called on Mr. Ford. "Here's the dime you gave me last year," she said, handing him a coin. Then she told him of the return she had realized from his token investment.

Ford was so impressed that, in the years to come, he gave millions of dollars to the school.

Can one dime make a difference? Yes, if we invest it well.

How about one hour of your time? Can it make a difference? Or how about the life of one person? Can a life like yours or mine really make a difference? The answer to each of these questions is the same: Yes, if we invest it well.

Now...how are your investments doing?

From Lifesupport.

Lifesigns Life Quotes

THE RICHEST PERSON IN THE WORLD

Black optical mouse - “A human being is part of a whole, called by us the Universe, a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings, as something separated from the rest a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circles of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty.”

I will always remember Stella. Elderly, blind and living alone, one might think she should have spun long tales of hardship and misery. And I sup­pose she could have told such stories, but she made little room in her life for self-pity. She might have mentioned the deaths of friends and family, including her husband; the glaucoma that finally claimed her eyesight; the small pension on which she was forced to subsist and the arthritis that kept her home­bound in a little trailer house. And nobody could blame her had she de­spaired that she had grown so dependent on others.

She never did lament about all her hard­ships, either past or present. But I fre­quently recall her enumerating her good fortune. Speaking of her son, she often said: "My Jimmy came to see me today. He's so good to me!" Of her friends, she often commented: "I've been talking on the phone all morning. I'm so thankful I have such good friends." Then, with a broad smile and a slap on her knee, she would invariably ex­claim, "I'm the richest person in the world!"

And maybe she was! She had love. She found it in her friends, her family and her faith. She had everything she needed for a happy and fulfilled life. And what's more, she knew it.

Stella spoke of her upcoming 90th birthday. "All my family will be here," she smiled. Then slapping her knee, she exclaimed, "You know, I'm the richest person in the world!"

But she barely made that birthday celebra­tion herself. Several days prior she was laid in a hospital bed and slipped into a coma. Her family was told she would die shortly. I felt sad that she would not expe­rience her long-awaited celebration.

However, a strange thing happened. On the day of her birthday, she opened her eyes and greeted the smiling faces of family and friends sur­rounding her bed. She sat up and enjoyed birthday cake while someone read cards. They told her they loved her and they said, "Good-bye." At one point, she looked at me with that familiar twin­kle in her eye, smiled and whispered, "I'm the rich­est person in the world!"

Stella went to sleep that night and slipped peacefully away. I have often wondered if she felt sorry for those who have everything but happiness. After all, they could be just as wealthy and happy as she, if they only realized that the greatest of all riches is love.

Thanks to Stella, I have now decided to be­come the richest person in the world! And I think I can!

From Lifesupport.

Lifesigns Life Quotes