Don’t Quit!

I found this poem and chose to memorize the first verse of it when I was a teenager. It spoke to me then but even more-so now. Life isn’t supposed to be easy. We are here to learn who we are and whose we are and to help others on their journeys. As hard as it gets, we keep moving, learning and appreciating the good — and there’s lots of good. Enjoy!

Don’t Quit

When things go wrong, as they sometimes will, 

When the road you’re trudging seems all uphill, 

When the funds are low and the debts are high, 

And you want to smile, but you have to sigh, 

When care is pressing you down a bit,

Rest, if you must, but don’t you quit.

Life is queer with its twists and turns,

As every one of us sometimes learns,

And many a failure turns about,

When he might have won had he stuck it out; 

Don’t give up though the pace seems slow- 

You may succeed with another blow.

Often the goal is nearer than,

It seems to a faint and faltering man,

Often the struggler has given up,

When he might have captured the victor’s cup,

And he learned too late when the night slipped down, 

How close he was to the golden crown.

Success is failure turned inside out-

The silver tint of the clouds of doubt,

And you never can tell how close you are,

It may be near when it seems so far,

So stick to the fight when you’re hardest hit-

It’s when things seem worst that you must not quit.

Edgar Albert Guest

The Satisfied Life

I see them walk by with empty eyes, frowns on their faces, hurried steps. They are focused on their needs and wants, because it is in these that they hope to find happiness and satisfaction.....

I watched a portion of Home Makeover last night. It featured a family of seven living in a house that was crumbling around them. They used paper plates to eat on because their kitchen cabinets could not hold the weight of regular plates. The support joists under their home were crumbling from termite damage. There was one bedroom between five kids with two bunk beds. They had one closet between them.

Regardless of these things, the parents were infectious! They were the epitome of joy aiming to make their own home a happy one; teaching their children the happiness of family. They had very little, yet they laughed at their problems and wore a smile in the worst of situations. Really, they made the best of it! Then in their spare time they helped people with marriage problems. Wow!

The strange irony of life is that satisfaction does not always come from receiving. It is in choosing to be content, by helping others out; in loving and laughing and being thankful. The one with the most toys doesn't actually win because there will always come bigger and better toys. It's a never ending cycle.

It may just be a smile, a hug, a cup of water, a gift of time or money, but it could mean everything to someone, and that will make both of you happy.

Thank you for visiting!

On Money and Happiness

We are such a privileged people. Seriously--who wouldn’t want to live in this century?  We have so much that previous generations never had. Public airplanes, vehicles, computers, TV, radio, cell phones, natural gas, electricity, indoor toilets, mega grocery chains, and much more that we don't even think about because it is so commonplace to us. Never mind that some of this technology is only 20 or 30 years old. I sometimes wonder if all that hasn’t clouded our minds and kept us so busy thinking about things that have no true meaning or lasting value. They are but temporary pleasures that mean nothing in the reality of eternity.

There are enough resources in this world for all of us to be comfortably wealthy...ALL of us. Yet, it’s all owned by a handful of families. That’s the reality of the world.  

Experience shows us that there’s always going to be violence and injustice. There will always be someone bigger with more authority. The more we have, the more we want. It is never enough and yet we willfully overlook the fact that money can sprout wings and fly-- suddenly.  Money is no guarantee of anything and it certainly doesn’t guarantee happiness.  

The truth is, contentment is hard to find on any level. We’re not satisfied with money (ask the rich), we’re not satisfied without money (ask the poor). We’re not happy with the way things are run in our lives, in our economy, in our world. We want authority whether it is in government, in church, in our homes. We have so much, and yet we’re not happy.

Why does happiness elude us? An ancient King said it this way:

“Then I realized that it is good and proper for a man to eat and drink, and to find satisfaction in his toilsome labor under the sun during the few days of life God has given him—for this is his lot. Moreover, when God gives any man wealth and possessions, and enables him to enjoy them, to accept his lot and be happy in his work—this is a gift of God. He seldom reflects on the days of his life, because God keeps him occupied with gladness of heart."

I found that last verse interesting. How many of you know people that live in the past. All they do is relive their youth; their glory days. However, someone that has the ability to enjoy his days doesn’t dwell on the past. He is content with his life today. That certainly is a gift, whether rich or poor!

I came across this little video a while ago and it just tickled my funny bone. I really, really, really encourage you to check it out! Enjoy!

Everything's Amazing and Nobody's Happy

Thank you all for visiting! Come back soon!

What's Love Got To Do With It?

What's Love Got to do With it? 

It's so easy to get caught up with life in general. People go about their days impacting others and often don't realize how they've affected someone else. I wonder, how often have I left someone devastated, hurt, happy, grateful, regretful, etc. Could I have reacted differently, or could I have been more understanding? Often we wonder why people behave the way they do or why they say the things they say and there's usually always a reason, we just don't often know what it is. 

I needed a reminder today. I have to remember it every day. One word...

Love

Whenever possible, always love, no matter what the circumstance is. It's truly all about love!!!


Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.

Random Acts

Today’s world has changed so much, and it's easy to let that get us down. Things are difficult and many have lost their jobs along with their sense of independence and self-esteem. Many people are fighting for their lives, as cancer or some other disease takes their bodies.

There is so much suffering in the world; dictatorial regimes, poverty, hunger, abuse, crime. It's all so overwhelming. You want to help, but how? How can we affect change where we live and then worldwide? 

I believe the best place to start is in your own backyard and move out from there. It's the random act of kindness that changes the world. If we could just "think a little more of others, and a little less of ourselves," we'd be on a journey of a lifetime.

I'm reminded of a song I used to sing:

Let me be a little kinder,
Let me be a little blinder
to the faults of those around me.
Let me praise a little more!
Let me be when I am weary
just a little bit more cheery,
Think a little more of others
and a little less of me.

Let me be a little braver
when temptation bids me waver
Let me try a little harder
to be all that I should be.
Let me be a little meeker
with a brother that is weaker.
Let me think more of my neighbour
and a little less of me.

There are more verses, but you get the drift.

Random acts of kindness can be done anywhere at anytime whenever opportunity presents itself. I love my friends and family and will always be kind to them and look for ways to bless them, but what of those that have no one, or who are down or dying? Who do they have if not me and you?

So this is my challenge to anyone reading this post. In spite of your own circumstances, can you take a moment to bless someone with a random act of kindness?

Here are 10 ideas to get you going:

Leave flowers at someone's doorstep with a little card explaining what or Who your inspiration is.

Pay a poor local teen to mow an elderly neighbour's yard.

Tape a loonie to a pay phone.

Write letters to people in a senior's home...or visit them, talk with them, read to them.

Buy a homeless person lunch or coffee.

Plug someone's parking meter.

Smile at everyone..make them laugh if you can.

Compliment a stranger and wish them a good day.

Be nice to that annoying phone solicitor, and wish them a good day. They're just doing a poor-paying job.

Stop to help someone.

Need more ideas? Here's a link to some great stories!

http://www.peopleandpossibilities.com/33kindnessstories2.html

Have a wonderful day!!

Builders For Eternity

A couple of years ago I made up 8 X 8 scrapbook albums for my Mom and Mother-in-law for Christmas. The albums consisted of two pages of each of their grandchildren (and greats). The first was a baby photo, and the second was a current photo. Each page had pertinent information to each child, such as date of birth, names, meaning of names and when possible, interests or talents of each child. The first page in each album had Psalm 23 written on it, and the last page had the poem below written out:

Isn't it strange that Princes and Kings
and Clowns that caper in sawdust rings,
and common people like you and me,
are builders for eternity?

Each is given a bag of tools,
a shapeless mass, and a book of rules,
and each must be e'er life is flown,
a stumbling block, or a stepping stone.
                                                          By: R.L. Sharpe

Ever since then, I often find myself reciting this poem in my head. Somehow it speaks to me. I don't believe we are destined for death. Our destinies are to live eternally. Death, although very much a part of this physical world, is not the end. 

This existence we call life is more like a learning time, or a building time, if you like. The nice thing is, we are not alone. We were given things to use on our journey through life and into eternity. We are given a shapeless mass I call free-will, and then we are left to exercise it. Isn't free-will kind of shapeless? We decide what we do with it...it has no shape until we shape it, yet how we shape it reflects the type of person we are or will eventually become.

We've also been given a book of rules. This book guides us on our way. It tells us what the truth is and what is right and wrong. It tells us how to shape our free-will and how to make it through this learning time and into eternity. This book is the Bible. Without it, we wander aimlessly.

We are also given tools. I like to think of these as our abilities or giftings. How we use these tools also reflects our accomplishments in this life. Whether for good, or for bad, whether to help or to hurt.

Yes, this poem really makes me think a lot about the life I'm building here on earth and into eternity. I thought it made an appropriate last page for the albums since it suggests that there is something eternal about us. This life is really not the last page of our existence. Our lives are just the beginning, a learning phase leading to the prospect of eternity.

I guess that's really all I have to say today.

I love this poem my son Tony wrote. It spoke to me of his understanding for those that are lost and forgotten. So much raw emotion is felt when reading this short poem. I was amazed at his clarity as he was just a teenager at the time.

True Feelings

She sits in a hall
Staring at the wall
Expressionless.

Her friends all wearing blues and greens,
She is all black, from hair to jeans,
Worthless.

As her friends all talk about,
She's the one who seems to stand out,
Emotionless.

As her friends all laugh and cheer,
Forming on her face, a tear,
Friendless.

Thanks for stopping by and remember to...

Build with purpose!

Happy Thoughts

Who we are is usually an expression of what we believe and how we behave. But what if we don’t know who we are? What if we’re not sure where we’re going in this life? Then we have a dilemma.

A wise man once said, “As a man thinks, so is he.” This suggests that we are “what” we think.

Do we ever stop to listen to what we think? Our minds are filled with conflicting thoughts, e.g. reassurance, correction, encouragement, as well as discouraging thoughts like; "you’re too fat, ugly, stupid.”  We all experience negative thoughts. The important thing is…which thoughts will we believe and live by? 

Stuff happens, you know? It’s how we react to the stuff in our lives that determines our level of happiness. There is a time and place for everything and it all has a purpose. If even to build character, it’s a worthwhile end. Many refer to the unwanted events in our lives as stepping stones or stumbling blocks. Hopefully we learn to keep walking.

Everything in our being wants to react. We want to lash out, put people in their place, stop what’s happening or make sure it’s going to happen our way, but there’s only so much we control in this life. It’s better to act than react. Regardless of how we think or feel about the situation. It’s better to try to do the right thing; to support, encourage and help. You only have one chance at a response, let's make it a good one.

We have to change our mindsets and act effectively to bring about the right result. It helps to remember that everyone has down days, but it does not mean we’re stupid, thoughtless or whatever else we dish up to ourselves. We have a responsibility towards ourselves and each other to think responsibly and truthfully. We all need to be loved and accepted, and so we need to love and accept others.

We reap what we sow…so plant good thoughts in your mind, and reap a happier healthier mind!