WHAT IS MOST IMPORTANT FOR LIFE

Mix jelly tea drink - “Love is strange and mysterious.. Just like Jelly beans..”

Author Erynn Miller said: "It takes a lot of understanding, time and
trust to gain a close friendship with someone. As I approach a time in
my life of complete uncertainty, my friends are my most precious
asset."

I had a friend who felt that way. I sat next to Hal's "death-bed" and
thought about the fact that I had known him for over twenty years. Hal
knew he was dying and that these next few days would be his last. I
held his hand.

We spent time reminiscing about his long and fruitful career as a
church pastor. We talked about old friends. We chatted about his
family. And I listened as he offered a piece of sage wisdom to someone
he believed represented a "younger generation."

Hal seemed to carefully consider what he was about to say next. Then
he squeezed my hand, gazed intently into my eyes and whispered, just
loud enough for me to hear, "Nothing is more important than
relationships. "

I knew that this utterance somehow mattered a great deal to him. He
seemed to consider a lifetime of experiences - personal, professional,
spiritual and family - and this one simple observation surfaced above
the rest: "Nothing is more important than relationships. "

"Don't get too caught up in your career," he said. "And don't use
people just to get what you want, then throw them away. No project, no
program, no task - NOTHING - is more important than your friends and
family." I never knew Hal that well, but I wondered if he were talking
as much to himself as to me.

Remember," he repeated, "that in the end, only your relationships will
matter. Tend them well."

Writer Og Mandino put it this way: "Beginning today," he said, "treat
everyone you meet as if he or she were going to be dead by midnight.
Extend to them all the care, kindness and understanding you can
muster, and do so with no thought of any reward. Your life will never
be the same again."

At the end of a long life, my friend Hal would have agreed.

From Lifesupport

Lifesigns Life Quotes

WHAT GREATNESS IS ALL ABOUT IN LIFE

Infoblast product promotion booth - “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.”

A school music teacher received this essay from an eight-year-old
student concerning Johann Sebastian Bach: "He was a GREAT composer. He
had 20 children and had an old spinster in the attic to practice on."

Actually, I don't know the exact number of children he had, but it
seems to be quite a few. And I don't know what he kept in the
attic ... or what he practiced on. But the student was absolutely
right
about one thing: Bach was a GREAT composer.

Not all of us can be great at what we do. I try to do some things the
very best I can. But that means I cannot give much attention to some
of the less important tasks.

But what about just being good at WHO WE ARE? Good human beings? Even
being GREAT at who we are?

Author James Michener learned something about greatness on a stormy
night in the South Pacific. His plane was trying desperately to land
on the Tontouta airstrip but could not do so. After several attempts
in the dark of night, his knuckles were white with fear. When they
finally landed safely, Michener went out and walked the length of the
airstrip, looking at the dim outlines of the mountains they had so
narrowly missed. He wrote this:

"And as I stood there in the darkness I caught a glimpse of the
remaining years of my life and I swore an oath when peace came, if I
survived, I would live the rest of my years as if I were a great man.
I did not presume to think that I would be a great man. I have never
thought in those terms, but I could conduct myself as if I were. I
would adhere to my basic principles. I would bear public testimony to
what I believed. I would be a better man. I would help others. I would
truly believe and act as if all men were my brothers. And I would
strive to make whatever world in which I found myself a better place.
In the darkness a magnificent peace settled over me, for I saw that I
could actually attain each of those objectives, and I never looked
back."

Michener says that the very next day he started to draft the book
TALES OF THE SOUTH PACIFIC.* And if it can ever be said that he
became a great man, I suspect it was only because he decided to be a
better man than he was before.

Greatness may never have been your goal. But you and I can be a little
better today than we were yesterday. We can help others a bit more
today than yesterday. We can act more deliberately as if all people
are our sisters and brothers. We can leave the world a better place
tomorrow than we found it today.

And if that is the way to greatness, then we all can head that
direction. One step at a time ... beginning today.

From Lifesupport

Lifesigns Life Quotes

GOOD PEOPLE FOR LIFE

Papercraft gas station - “I love to think of nature as an unlimited broadcasting station, through which God speaks to us every hour, if we will only tune in.”

A doctor said to his patient, "You have a slight heart condition, but
I wouldn't worry about it."

"Really, Doc?" the patient replied. "Well, if you had a slight heart
condition, I wouldn't worry about it either."

We can sometimes get the impression that most of the world is more or
less out for themselves and that people care little about the plight
of others. But I choose to believe differently. I believe that a lot
of people are basically concerned about others, even if they don't always know how to express it. That is perhaps why a certain story, clipped years ago and filed away, has remained one of my favorites to this day.

A trucker relates that he was traveling through rural North Carolina
on I-95 when a brown sedan merged onto the highway. It weaved back and
forth between lanes, causing the driver of the truck to shift into a
lower gear. At first he thought the driver was drunk, but when he came
closer, the trucker saw an old man shaking uncontrollably behind the
wheel. He noticed a Citizen's Band aerial whipping to and fro as the
car jerked between lanes, so he called on the radio: "You in the brown
Chevy, if you can hear me, pull over. Pull off the road!"

Amazingly, he did! The trucker pulled up behind the car and climbed
from his cab. The elderly man staggered from his auto and fell into
the trucker's arms. He poured out a story of months of fear and pain
that accompanied the illness of his only daughter.

Now he was returning from the hospital where it was decided that she
would cease any further treatment. In the hospital he remained "strong" and stoic for his daughter, but out on the road he fell
apart.

The two men talked for the good part of an hour. The father eventually
decided to share his pain with his daughter and said he felt good
enough to drive home. The men embraced and the trucker followed him
for 50 miles. As they drove along, the two talked together on the
radio.

The older man finally acknowledged that his exit was ahead and thanked
his new friend again for the help. The trucker asked if he could make
it home all right and, suddenly, a third voice broke in on the
conversation: "Breaker 19, don't worry, good buddy. Go your way. I'll
see him home!" Glancing in his mirror, he saw a livestock truck move into the exit lane behind the brown sedan.

I think there are good people the world over. People who will gladly
give that caring touch, a needed warm embrace or a patient and
listening ear. They are like angels who lift us to our feet when our
wings have trouble remembering how to fly.

Look around. You're sure to see one. And look in the mirror. You might
spot one there, too.

From Lifesupport

Lifesigns Life Quotes

PUTTING IT OUT THERE IN LIFE

Rows of seats - “A teacher who can arouse a feeling for one single good action, for one single good poem, accomplishes more than he who fills our memory with rows and rows of natural objects, classified with name and form”

We used to play spin the bottle when I was a kid," says comedy writer
Gene Perret. "A girl would spin the bottle, and if the bottle pointed
to you when it stopped, the girl could either kiss you or give you a
nickel. By the time I was 14, I owned my own home."

Gotta admire persistence. Because rejection is hard to take.
Especially when it comes from someone you know. Or, come to think
about it, someone you don't know.

And we all want to be appreciated. We like being valued for what we do
and who we are.

American football coach Bum Phillips lives in a world where one can
become a hero or a heel in an amazingly short time. One mediocre
season and a coach, even a good one, can be out of a job. Like
Phillips once said, "There's only two kinds of coaches -- them that's
been fired and them that's about to be fired." Sounds like they might
want to make friends with rejection.

Few things hold people back more than the fear of rejection. They
don't ask for what they need because the answer may be no. They don't
ask their boss for a raise or for more time off. They don't ask for
help. They are afraid to be the first to say "I love you" (what if
they don't hear "I love you" back?). They don't ask for a better deal
or a lower interest rate. They don't submit that manuscript to a
publisher. In short, they don't let their wants and needs be known,
for fear of being turned away, turned down or turned out.

But the wonderful truth is this: If you can accept NO for an answer,
you can ask for anything. ANYTHING. When no is an acceptable and okay
answer to what you'd like, you can fearlessly ask for whatever you
need.

I love the expression, "I'm just putting it out there." Just put it
out there. Ask. And don't worry about the response. Nobody can say YES
if you never asked. Just put it out there and don't be afraid -- you
may be surprised at the answer you get. Sometimes people just need to
be asked. And if you don't get the response you want, are you any
worse off than before?

Hey -- I'm just putting it out there.

From Lifesupport

Lifesigns Life Quotes

FOR CLOSENESS: T-R-A-V-E-L FOR LIFE

Fried rice vermicelli with prawns - “It is easy to love the people far away. It is not always easy to love those close to us. It is easier to give a cup of rice to relieve hunger than to relieve the loneliness and pain of someone unloved in our own home. Bring love into your home for this is where our love for each other must start.”

For closeness: travel. No, I don't mean to go to take a road trip or
to fly away to some exotic place. But there are ways to go deeper into a relationship -- like traveling. And there are things we can do to help a relationship really go somewhere. Let me explain.

Inmate Mitchell King had a visitor -- his wife. King was serving a
six-year jail term in Auckland, New Zealand for armed robbery. But his wife didn't want to be away from him for that long. So they held
hands. She wanted them to always stick together - through it all. Hand in hand, forever joined. And they did stick together. She had rubbed her palms with Super Glue.

Their new-found closeness was short-lived. And their separation
painful. (I suggest we put the Super Glue idea on a short list of
"THINGS NOT TO DO" when we want to grow closer.)

But if you want a deeper connection with someone your care about, if
you want relationships that are more intimate, more meaningful and
longer-lasting, then try this simple technique. Just remember the word "TRAVEL."

T is for TRUST. If we're seeking a glue to cement us to another, then
trust is that bond. A relationship will go nowhere without it.

R is for RESPECT. Some people talk about how much they have always
respected their cherished friends and family at a funeral. But why
wait? People want to know that we hold them in high regard. It's about valuing others and letting them know you respect them.

A is for AFFECTION. Sometimes affection means love. Sometimes it means a touch. Or a hug. Always it means kindness.

V is for VULNERABILITY. Though we may feel afraid to let another too
close, no relationship will go anywhere without taking a risk. Like
entrepreneur Jim Rohn says, "The walls we build around us to keep out
the sadness also keep out the joy." And the love.

E is for EMOTIONAL INTIMACY. It about learning to be open. Learning to communicate freely. The quality of relationships we make are largely determined by how openly we communicate.

L is for LAUGHTER. Victor Borge got it right when he said, "Laughter
is the shortest distance between two people." It's also the most
enjoyable.

So for a relationship that can really go somewhere, just remember the
word "TRAVEL." Then enjoy the trip.

From Lifesupport

Lifesigns Life Quotes

EIGHT GIFTS THAT DON'T COST A CENT IN LIFE

Groceries shopping at the frozen food section - “In a sense, words are encyclopedias of ignorance because they freeze perceptions at one moment in history and then insist we continue to use these frozen perceptions when we should be doing better.”

This simple checklist can help measure how you are nurturing your
relationships. The author of these thoughts is unknown, but deeply
appreciated.

The Gift of Listening
But you must really listen. Don't interrupt, don't daydream, don't
plan your response. Just listen.

The Gift of Affection
Be generous with appropriate hugs, kisses, pats on the back and
handholds. Let these small actions demonstrate the love you have for
family and friends.

The Gift of Laughter
Clip cartoons. Share articles and funny stories. Your gift will say,
"I love to laugh with you."

The Gift of Solitude
There are times when we want nothing better than to be left alone.
Be sensitive to those times and give the gift of solitude to others.

The Gift of a Favor
Every day, go out of your way to do something kind.

The Gift of a Written Note
It can be a simple "Thanks for the help" note or a full sonnet. A
brief, handwritten note may be remembered for a lifetime.

The Gift of a Compliment
A simple and sincere, "You look great in red," "You did a super
job," or "That was a wonderful meal" can make someone's day.

The Gift of a Cheerful Disposition
The easiest way to feel good is to extend a kind word to someone.

These are eight important ways we can contribute toward whole and
healthy relationships. They cost nothing, yet they may well be the
most valuable gifts we can ever offer another.

From Lifesupport

Lifesigns Life Quotes

ENJOYING WHAT YOU DO IN LIFE

Crispy butter chicken rice - “The key to everything is patience. You get the chicken by hatching the egg, not by smashing it.”

Plato said that work should be play. Some airline employees are
taking him seriously. After landing, one flight attendant announced,
"Thank you for flying Delta Business Express. We hope you enjoyed
giving us the business as much as we enjoyed taking you for a ride."
(I like the honest approach.)

As a plane touched down and was slowing to a stop in Washington, a
lone voice came over the loudspeaker: "Whoa, big fella. WHOA!" (Who
says you can't have fun with your job?)

One pilot made this weather announcement: "Weather at our
destination is 50 degrees with some broken clouds, but they'll try
to have them fixed before we arrive."

"As you exit the plane," a flight attendant said, "please make sure
to gather all of your belongings. Anything left behind will be
distributed evenly among the flight attendants. Please do not leave
children or spouses."

And passengers reported that they heard this from the crew just as
they began to exit: "Last one off the plane must clean it."

To enjoy your work more, I think it helps to put some play in what
you do. And if you don't like your work, can you find something to
do you enjoy more?

Authors Doug Hall and David Wecker tell the story of Ken Davis, a
man who found a simple way to enjoy his work (MAKING THE COURAGE
CONNECTION; Fireside Books, 1997). Ken just couldn't find his
occupational niche. He worked at a variety of jobs and disliked them
all. While Ken was working as a door salesman, he noticed that at
least half of his customers had malfunctioning doorbells. And
suddenly, Ken's life career became clear. He opened his own doorbell
repair service.

Ken's wife laughed when she first heard his idea. When she realized
he was serious, she cried. Whoever heard of making a living
repairing doorbells? But Ken is making a comfortable living at his
unique job, and he's happier than he's ever been. Ken didn't enjoy
what he was doing, so he is now doing what he enjoys.

"The biggest mistake that you can make is to believe that you are
working for somebody else," Earl Nightingale asserts. "Job security
is gone. The driving force of a career must come from the
individual. Remember, jobs are owned by the company; you own your
career!"

It's true that, no matter where you work, you actually work for
yourself. After all, it's your life. And with a little creativity
and imagination, maybe your work can seem less like drudgery and
more like play. Wouldn't you really rather have it that way?

From Lifesupport

Lifesigns Life Quotes

DOING SOMETHING GREAT IN LIFE

Toy train decoration - “Do not train a child to learn by force or harshness; but direct them to it by what amuses their minds, so that you may be better able to discover with accuracy the peculiar bent of the genius of each.”

When was the last time you were challenged to do something really...
well... great?

President Abraham Lincoln helped me to understand that there is a
bit of greatness within all of us. It is said that he often slipped
out of the White House on Wednesday evenings to listen to the
sermons of Dr. Phineas Gurley at New York Avenue Presbyterian
Church.

He generally pre­ferred to come and go unnoticed, so when Dr.
Gur­ley knew the president was coming, he left his study door open.
On one of those occasions, the president quietly entered through a
side door of the church, took his seat in the minister's study,
located just off the sanctuary, and propped the door open just wide
enough to hear the preacher.

During the walk home one Wednesday even­ing, an aide asked Mr.
Lincoln his appraisal of the sermon. The president thoughtfully
replied, "The content was excellent... he delivered with
elo­quence... he had put work into the message.."

"Then you thought it was an excellent ser­mon?" questioned the aide.

"No," Lincoln answered.

"But you said that the content was excel­lent, it was delivered with
eloquence and it showed much work," the aide pressed.

"That's true," Lincoln said. "But Dr. Gur­ley forgot the most
important ingredient. He forgot to ask us to do something great."

There is nothing wrong with average lives and average
accomplishments. Most of the good of the world is built on the
accumulated efforts of everyday people. But, as Lincoln seemed to
know, a life should strive for some greatness.

Are you part of a relationship that, if given more effort, could be
outstanding? Or do you volun­teer for an organization which is truly
doing something excellent? Have you joined a cause that is
attempting something great? Or have you ever said to yourself
concerning a beautiful dream, "I could never do that," while knowing
that if you were to attempt it and succeed, you just might
ac­com­plish something significant?

If Abraham Lincoln is right, then every life should strive to reach
a little further today than it did yesterday, for there is some
greatness in each of us.

From Lifesupport

Lifesigns Life Quotes

RACKING SPICES IN LIFE

Last week I went to visit my cousin as he has just moved in to his new house. To be honest, I thought long and hard about the ideal house warming gift for the occasion but came out blank. So I went to visit him empty handed. As he was showing me around the new house, something caught my eye in the kitchen. My cousin likes to cook during his free time and he stocks quite a bit of spices in his kitchen. The thing that caught my eye was the wooden old rickety spice rack he was using to store his spices. Then it dawned on me that I should get him a few spice racks for his kitchen.

When I reached home, the first thing that I did was to search online for suitable kitchen spice racks as my cousin's house warming gifts. I was slightly astounded by the various shapes and sizes that modern spice racks come in. Well after much consideration, I have decided upon an elegant yet functional wall spice rack. That way, my cousin can have more table top space available during his cooking process.