And He shall direct your paths.

Proverbs 3:5-6  5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart,       And lean not on your own understanding;        6 In all your ways acknowledge Him,       And He shall direct your paths. Great Love Fellowship

The world is in us.

We  are not human beings having a spiritual experience.
We are human beings having  a spiritual experience.

We are not in this world.
The world is in us.

Monk sells his Ferrari

Instead of allowing unfair things that happen in your life to hold you back, it's time to rise up with a new attitude.

TODAY'S WORD from Joel and Victoria Are you ready for a new chapter in your life? In order to move forward into the blessing God has for you, you have to be willing to let go of the old. The things that are behind you are not nearly as important as what is out in front of you. It's time to get ready for the "new"! You may have had some unfair things happen, things that you don't understand; but let me tell you, you have come too far to stop now. Instead of allowing those things to hold you back, why don't you let go and take a step of faith into the new? It's time to get a new, bigger vision; it's time to get a new, fresher outlook; it's time to rise up with a new attitude! Instead of settling where you are, pick up and move forward. Have the attitude that says, "I may not understand it; it may not have been fair, but I am not getting stuck on this page. I know God has a new chapter for me—a chapter filled with blessings, favor and victory! A PRAYER FOR TODAY Father God, thank You for Your faithfulness in my life. Today, I choose to trust You with my past, present and future. Give me wisdom to discern the seasons of my life and teach me to embrace the new things You have in store for me. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

TIRED

----- Forwarded message -----
From: "Aubrey Hartman" <ahartman@cox.net>
Date: Thu, Jun 17, 2010 7:01 am
Subject: TIRED
To: "Ronald Hartman" <RTH232@aol.com>, "Tyler Moore" <tylermoore@yahoo.com>

TIRED  Robert A. Hall is the actor who plays the coroner on CSI if you watch that show.  This should be required reading for every man, woman and child in the United States of America.   "I'm 63 and I'm Tired" by Robert A. Hall     I'm 63.  Except for one semester in college when jobs were scarce and a six-month period when I was between jobs, but job-hunting every day, I've worked, hard, since I was 18. Despite some health challenges, I still put in 50-hour weeks, and haven't called in sick in seven or eight years. I make a good salary, but I didn't inherit my job or my income, and I worked to get where I am. Given the economy, there's no retirement in sight, and I'm tired. Very tired.     I'm tired of being told that I have to "spread the wealth" to people who don't have my work ethic. I'm tired of being told the government will take the money I earned, by force if necessary, and give it to people too lazy to earn it.     I'm tired of being told that I have to pay more taxes to "keep people in their homes."  Sure, if they lost their jobs or got sick, I'm willing to help. But if they bought McMansions at three times the price of our paid-off, $250,000 condo, on one-third of my salary, then let the left-wing Congress-critters who passed Fannie and Freddie and the Community Reinvestment Act that created the bubble help them with their own money.     I'm tired of being told how bad America is by left-wing millionaires like Michael Moore, George Soros and Hollywood Entertainers who live in luxury because of the opportunities America offers. In thirty years, if they get their way, the United States will have the economy of  Zimbabwe , the freedom of the press of  China , the crime and violence of  Mexico , the tolerance for Christian people of  Iran , and the freedom of speech of  Venezuela .   I'm tired of being told that Islam is a "Religion of Peace," when every day I can read dozens of stories of Muslim men killing their sisters, wives and daughters for their family "honor"; of Muslims rioting over some slight offense; of Muslims murdering Christian and Jews because they aren't "believers"; of Muslims burning schools for girls; of Muslims stoning teenage rape victims to death for "adultery"; of Muslims mutilating the genitals of little girls; all in the name of Allah, because the Qur'an and Shari'a law tells them to.     I'm tired of being told that "race doesn't matter" in the post-racial world of Obama, when it's all that matters in affirmative action jobs, lower college admission and graduation standards for minorities (harming them the most), government contract set-asides, tolerance for the ghetto culture of violence and fatherless children that hurts minorities more than anyone, and in the appointment of U.S. Senators from Illinois.     I think it's very cool that we have a black president and that a black child is doing her homework at the desk where Lincoln wrote the Emancipation Proclamation. I just wish the black president was Condi Rice, or someone who believes more in freedom and the individual and less arrogantly of an all-knowing government.     I'm tired of a news media that thinks Bush's fundraising and inaugural expenses were obscene, but that think Obama's, at triple the cost, were wonderful; that thinks Bush exercising daily was a waste of presidential time, but Obama exercising is a great example for the public to control weight and stress; that picked over every line of Bush's military records, but never demanded that Kerry release his; that slammed Palin, with two years as governor, for being too inexperienced for VP, but touted Obama with three years as senator as potentially the best president ever. Wonder why people are dropping their subscriptions or switching to Fox News?  Get a clue. I didn't vote for Bush in 2000, but the media and Kerry drove me to his camp in 2004.     I'm tired of being told that out of "tolerance for other cultures" we must let Saudi Arabia use our oil money to fund mosques and mandrassa Islamic schools to preach hate in America, while no American group is allowed to fund a church, synagogue or religious school in Saudi Arabia to teach love and tolerance.     I'm tired of being told I must lower my living standard to fight global warming, which no one is allowed to debate. My wife and I live in a two-bedroom apartment and carpool together five miles to our jobs. We also own a three-bedroom condo where our daughter and granddaughter live. Our carbon footprint is about 5% of Al Gore's, and if you're greener than Gore, you're green enough.     I'm tired of being told that drug addicts have a disease, and I must help support and treat them, and pay for the damage they do. Did a giant germ rush out of a dark alley, grab them, and stuff white powder up their noses while they tried to fight it off? I don't think Gay people choose to be Gay, but I damn sure think druggies chose to take drugs. And I'm tired of harassment from cool people treating me like a freak when I tell them I never tried marijuana.     I'm tired of illegal aliens being called "undocumented workers," especially the ones who aren't working, but are living on welfare or crime. What's next?  Calling drug dealers, "Undocumented Pharmacists"?  And, no, I'm not against Hispanics. Most of them are Catholic, and it's been a few hundred years since Catholics wanted to kill me for my religion.  I'm willing to fast track for citizenship any Hispanic person, who can speak English, doesn't have a criminal record and who is self-supporting without family on welfare, or who serves honorably for three years in our military.... Those are the citizens we need.     I'm tired of latte liberals and journalists, who would never wear the uniform of the Republic themselves, or let their entitlement-handicapped kids near a recruiting station, trashing our military. They and their kids can sit at home, never having to make split-second decisions under life and death circumstances, and bad mouth better people than themselves. Do bad things happen in war?  You bet. Do our troops sometimes misbehave?  Sure. Does this compare with the atrocities that were the policy of our enemies for the last fifty years and still are?  Not even close.  So here's the deal. I'll let myself be subjected to all the humiliation and abuse that was heaped on terrorists at Abu Ghraib or Gitmo, and the critics can let themselves be subject to captivity by the Muslims, who tortured and beheaded Daniel Pearl in Pakistan, or the Muslims who tortured and murdered Marine Lt. Col. William Higgins in Lebanon, or the Muslims who ran the blood-spattered Al Qaeda torture rooms our troops found in Iraq, or the Muslims who cut off the heads of schoolgirls in Indonesia, because the girls were Christian. Then we'll compare notes. British and American soldiers are the only troops in history that civilians came to for help and handouts, instead of hiding from in fear.     I'm tired of people telling me that their party has a corner on virtue and the other party has a corner on corruption. Read the papers; bums are bipartisan. And I'm tired of people telling me we need bipartisanship. I live in Illinois, where the "Illinois Combine" of Democrats has worked to loot the public for years. Not to mention the tax cheats in Obama's cabinet.     I'm tired of hearing wealthy athletes, entertainers and politicians of both parties talking about innocent mistakes, stupid mistakes or youthful mistakes, when we all know they think their only mistake was getting caught. I'm tired of people with a sense of entitlement, rich or poor.     Speaking of poor, I'm tired of hearing people with air-conditioned homes, color TVs and two cars called poor. The majority of Americans didn't have that in 1970, but we didn't know we were "poor." The poverty pimps have to keep changing the definition of poor to keep the dollars flowing.     I'm real tired of people who don't take responsibility for their lives and actions. I'm tired of hearing them blame the government, or discrimination or big-whatever for their problems.     Yes, I'm damn tired. But I'm also glad to be 63. Because, mostly, I'm not going to have to see the world these people are making. I'm just sorry for my granddaughter.     Robert A. Hall is a Marine Vietnam veteran who served five terms in the Massachusetts State Senate.

Develop the mind of equilibrium.

Your worst enemy cannot harm you as much as your own unguarded thoughts. Develop the mind of equilibrium. You will always be getting praise and blame, but do not let either affect the poise of the mind: follow the calmness, the absence of pride. - Sutta Nipata.

In your presence is fullness of joy

Psalm 16:11

11
You will show me the path of life;
        In Your presence is fullness of joy;

        At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Guard against your worst enemy, your unguarded thoughts

Your worst enemy cannot harm you as much as your own unguarded thoughts. Develop the mind of equilibrium. You will always be getting praise and blame, but do not let either affect the poise of the mind: follow the calmness, the absence of pride. - Sutta Nipata....

Bananes ( from Brother)

A professor at CCNY for a physiological psych class told his class about
bananas.  He said the expression "going bananas" is from the effects
of bananas on the brain..  Read on:
>>> 
This is interesting. 
After reading this, you'll never look at a banana in the same way
again. 
>>>
Bananas contain three natural sugars - sucrose, fructose and glucose
combined with fiber. A banana gives an instant, sustained and
substantial boost of energy. 
>>>
Research has proven that just two bananas provide enough energy for a
strenuous 90-minute workout. No wonder the banana is the number one
fruit with the world's leading athletes. 
>>>
But energy isn't the only way a banana can help us keep fit. It can
also help overcome or prevent a substantial number of illnesses and
conditions, making it a must to add to our daily diet. 
>>>
Depression: According to a recent survey undertaken by MIND amongst
people suffering from depression, many felt much better after eating a
banana. This is because bananas contain tryptophan, a type of protein
that the body converts into serotonin, known to make you relax, improve
your mood and generally make you feel happier. 
>>>
PMS: Forget the pills - eat a banana. The vitamin B6 it contains
regulates blood glucose levels, which can affect your mood. 
>>>
Anemia : High in iron, bananas can stimulate the production of
hemoglobin in the blood and so helps in cases of anemia. 
>>>
Blood Pressure: This unique tropical fruit is extremely high in
potassium yet low in salt, making it perfect to beat blood pressure. So
much so, the US Food and Drug Administration has just allowed the banana
industry to make official claims for the fruit's ability to reduce the
risk of blood pressure and stroke.
>>>
Brain Power: 200 students at a Twickenham (Middlesex) school ( England
) were helped through their exams this year by eating bananas at
breakfast, break, and lunch in a bid to boost their brain power.
Research has shown that the potassium-packed fruit can assist learning
by making pupils more alert. 
>>>
Constipation: High in fiber, including bananas in the diet can help
restore normal bowel action, helping to overcome the problem without
resorting to laxatives. 
>>>
Hangovers: One of the quickest ways of curing a hangover is to make a
banana milkshake, sweetened with honey. The banana calms the stomach
and, with the help of the honey, builds up depleted blood sugar levels,
while the milk soothes and re-hydrates your system. 
>>>
Heartburn: Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body, so if
you suffer from heartburn, try eating a banana for soothing relief.
>>>
Morning Sickness: Snacking on bananas between meals helps to keep
blood sugar levels up and avoid morning sickness.
 
Mosquito Bites: Before reaching for the insect bite cream, try rubbing
the affected area with the inside of a banana skin. Many people find it
amazingly successful at reducing swelling and irritation.
 
Nerves: Bananas are high in B vitamins that help calm the nervous
system.
 
Overweight and at work? Studies at the Institute of Psychology in
Austria found pressure at work leads to gorging on comfort food like
chocolate and chips. Looking at 5,000 hospital patients, researchers
found the most obese were more likely to be in high-pressure jobs. The
report concluded that, to avoid panic-induced food cravings, we need to
control our blood sugar levels by snacking on high carbohydrate foods
every two hours to keep levels steady.
 
Ulcers: The banana is used as the dietary food against intestinal
disorders because of its soft texture and smoothness. It is the only raw
fruit that can be eaten without distress in over-chronicler cases. It
also neutralizes over-acidity and reduces irritation by coating the
lining of the stomach.
 
Temperature control: Many other cultures see bananas as a "cooling"
fruit that can lower both the physical and emotional temperature of
expectant mothers. In Thailand , for example, pregnant women eat bananas
to ensure their baby is born with a cool temperature. 
>>>
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD): Bananas can help SAD sufferers
because they contain the natural mood enhancer tryptophan.
 
Smoking & Tobacco Use: Bananas can also help people trying to give up
smoking. The B6, B12 they contain, as well as the potassium and
magnesium found in them, help the body recover from the effects of
nicotine withdrawal.
 
Stress: Potassium is a vital mineral, which helps normalize the
heartbeat, sends oxygen to the brain and regulates your body's water
balance.. When we are stressed, our metabolic rate rises, thereby
reducing our potassium levels. These can be rebalanced with the help of
a high-potassium banana snack.
 
Strokes: According to research in The New England Journal of Medicine,
eating bananas as part of a regular diet can cut the risk of death by
strokes by as much as 40%!
 
Warts: Those keen on natural alternatives swear that if you want to
kill off a wart, take a piece of banana skin and place it on the wart,
with the yellow side out. Carefully hold the skin in place with a
plaster or surgical tape! 
>>>\
So, a banana really is a natural remedy for many ills. When you compare
it to an apple, it has four times the protein, twice the carbohydrate,
three times the phosphorus, five times the vitamin A and iron, and twice
the other vitamins and minerals. It is also rich in potassium and is one
of the best value foods around So maybe its time to change that
well-known phrase so that we say, "A banana a day keeps the doctor
away!" 
 

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Meditation means relaxed yet alert.

    "Meditation means: remain as relaxed as you are in deep sleep and yet alert. Keep awareness there; let thoughts disappear but awareness has to be retained. And this is not difficult: it is just that we have not tried it, that's all. It is like swimming: if you have not tried it, it looks very difficult; it looks very dangerous too. And you cannot believe how people can swim because you simply drown! But once you have tried a little bit it comes easily; it is very natural."         ~Osho 

witness of your mind process.

Meditation is nothing but a bridge between you and light. Then darkness is just a river, it goes flowing underneath the bridge; you can move to the world of light. And the essential core of meditation is very simple: it is to be a witness of your mind process, not to be identified with the mind processes -- thoughts, desires, imaginations, projections, dreams, memories and so on and so forth -- not to be identified with anything that passes in the mind but to remain aloof, watching, seeing it, knowing, tacitly knowing 'I am separate, I am not it. I am just a mirror reflecting it all but I don't become the reflection."         ~Osho 

Tyler Moore

Dropping thoughts...

    "Meditation means cleansing the mirror, dropping thoughts, letting thoughts disappear, attaining to moments when thinking ceases. And those are the most blissful moments in life. Once you have tasted a single moment of no-thought, you have taken a great leap into truth; then things will become more and more easy every day."         ~Osho 

Tyler Moore

Through running...Anything in which a meditative state arises. Meditation--and Nothing Else

"Compassion is a shadow of meditation; a meditative mind is a compassionate mind. So learn meditation and forget about compassion, otherwise you can become a do-gooder, and that is a dangerous thing. Just think about one thing -- how to cultivate a more silent mood... and that is possible through many things. Through dance it is possible, through music, through meditation, through running, through swimming it is possible -- anything that can take total possession of you, in which you are utterly lost, and out of which there arises that meditative state. Then you will see that out of that meditation suddenly you have become full of compassion. So my whole emphasis is on meditation and on nothing else."

         ~Osho 

You cannot turn back the clock, but you can rewind it

When he was well into his 80s and still going strong, someone asked him the secret of longevity. "You live between your ears," he replied. "You can't turn back the clock, but you can rewind it."

ART LINKLETTER Died today at age 97!

Meditation=state of no thought

"Meditation simply means a state of no-thought, awareness without the process of thought, just pure, mirror-like awareness, with no thoughts passing in the mind."          ~Osho

 

All things can be done in a meditative way.

"Remember always that the ultimate value is meditation, so anything you do, do meditatively; and all things can be done in a meditative way."

         ~Osho

Any total action meditation

Any action in which you can be total becomes meditation."         ~Osho 

Tyler Moore

Generous hearth, kind speech, life of compassion

Teach this triple truth to all: A generous heart, kind speech, and a life of service and compassion are the things which renew humanity. - B

Awareness

Awareness is that state of mind which takes in everything-the crows flying across the sky, the flowers on the trees, the people sitting in front, the colors they are wearing- being extensively aware, which needs watching, observing, taking in the shape of the leaf, the shape of the trunk, the shape of the head of another, what he is doing.    ~Jiddu Krishnamurti

Let your love flow outward through the universe...

Let your love flow outward through the universe, To its height, its depth, its broad extent, A limitless love, without hatred or enmity. Then as you stand or walk, Sit or lie down, As long as you are awake, Strive for this with a one-pointed mind; Your life will bring heaven to earth. - Sutta Nipata ...

Let your love flow outward through the universe...

Let your love flow outward through the universe, To its height, its depth, its broad extent, A limitless love, without hatred or enmity. Then as you stand or walk, Sit or lie down, As long as you are awake, Strive for this with a one-pointed mind; Your life will bring heaven to earth. - Sutta Nipata ...

We forget how much we have:

Sometimes we forget how lucky we are. One out of four people on the planet live without electricity in their homes. That's 1.6 Billion people.

To bring true happiness to one's family, to all, just control one's own mind.

To enjoy good health, to bring true happiness to one's family, to bring peace to all, one must first discipline and control one's own mind. If a man can control his mind he can find the way to Enlightenment, and all wisdom and virtue will naturally come to him.

B

Our life is the creation of our mind.

"What we are today comes from our thoughts of yesterday, and our present thoughts build our life of tomorrow: Our life is the creation of our mind."
   
         ~The B

Henry Ford

Nothing is particularly hard if you divide it into small jobs.

Henry Ford

You can't stop the waves

You can't stop the waves, but you can learn to surf.

Fortune Cookie. Pamela

A disciplined mind

"There is nothing so disobedient as an undisciplined mind, and there is nothing so obedient as a disciplined mind."
   
         ~The B

Be humble, gentle and patient, bearing with another in love.

I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 
Ephesians 4:1-2 
 

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HEBREW FOR DUMMIES: UNDERSTANDING MAN AND THE BIBLE BETTER.

HERE IS A POSSIBLE WAY TO BEGIN YOUR BOOK:

IN THE BEGINNING GOD CREATED THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH AND... MAN. 

AND MAN CREATED COMMUNICATION.

AS COMMUNICATION EVOLVED, MAN CREATED LANGUAGE.

AND THAT LANGUAGE WAS HEBREW, THE FOUNDATION FOR OUR LANGUAGE ON THE PLANET EARTH.

UNDERSTANDING HEBREW BETTER WILL HELP TO UNDERSTAND MAN BETTER AND WILL HELP TO UNDERSTAND THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH BETTER.

Democracy is the worst form of government except...

It has been said that democracy is the worst form of government except all the others that have been tried.

Winston Churchill

YOU GET MOORE BEES WITH HONEY

Cast your cares on the Lord

 ²² Cast your cares on the LORD 
      and he will sustain you;

Psalm 55:22 

The Greatest Way

The greatest achievement is selflessness. The greatest worth is self-mastery. The greatest quality is seeking to serve others. The greatest precept is continual awareness. The greatest medicine is the emptiness of everything. The greatest action is not conforming with the worlds ways. The greatest magic is transmuting the passions. The greatest generosity is non-attachment. The greatest goodness is a peaceful mind. The greatest patience is humility. The greatest effort is not concerned with results. The greatest meditation is a mind that lets go. The greatest wisdom is seeing through appearances. 

- Atisha ...

Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.

Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. 

James 4:8 

Greatest achievement, precept, medicine, goodness, patience, effort, meditation, wisdom is...

The greatest achievement is selflessness. The greatest worth is self-mastery. The greatest quality is seeking to serve others. The greatest precept is continual awareness. The greatest medicine is the emptiness of everything. The greatest action is not conforming with the worlds ways. The greatest magic is transmuting the passions. The greatest generosity is non-attachment. The greatest goodness is a peaceful mind. The greatest patience is humility. The greatest effort is not concerned with results. The greatest meditation is a mind that lets go. The greatest wisdom is seeing through appearances.

 - Atisha

The absolute nature is one.

Reality is all-encompassing: the absolute nature is one. Although we may feel separate from the original uncreated reality - whether we call it 'God,' 'peak experience,' or 'enlightened mind' - through awareness we can contact this essential part of ourselves.

 - Tarthang Tulku

It is only with total humility

It is only with total humility, and in absolute stillness of mind that we can know what indeed we are.

"The Tenth Man" by Wei Wu Wei

Live well laugh often love much

Harry Truman: I want a one armed economist

Harry Truman's economic wisdom applies today: 

 Please provide me a one-armed economist. That way I do not have to hear "on the other hand..."

God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God.

Did you know that God can use a single moment to transform your life for the better? 

God is always working, even when we have no idea what He's doing. He loves to bless us with His amazing, awe-inspiring goodness, even when we least expect it or when things don't seem to be going the right way. 

Romans 8:28 is a popular verse but never gets old. To me, it's one of the most encouraging verses in the entire Bible. "And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them" (NLT). 

I love the word "everything" in this verse. We tend to think of bad things and difficult seasons, but "everything" includes more. It includes the good things as well as the things that we are indifferent about. God takes all of those things and works them out for our good. 

He wants you to be the kind of person who thinks about His promises all the time, who believes the best, and who keeps hoping when others just give up. If you live this way, I believe you'll be amazed at how God works in your life. You'll experience His favor in what I call a "God-ordained moment." 

A God-ordained moment is an incredible, supernatural event that God's been setting up, working behind the scenes so that you can experience His goodness at just the right time.

These God-ordained moments don't come on our schedule, but when they come, all we can say is: "Wow!"

I will not be shaken.

Psalm 16:8 
 ⁸ I have set the LORD always before me. 
      Because he is at my right hand, 
      I will not be shaken.
 

We are molded by our thoughts...

We are formed and molded by our thoughts. Those whose minds are shaped by selfless thoughts give joy when they speak or act. Joy follows them like a shadow that never leaves them. - B

Choose every word with care

"Whatever words we utter should be chosen with care for people will hear them and be influenced by them for good or ill."  

 
         ~B

God will meet all your needs.

Philippians 4:19 
¹⁹… God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.

Freedom from fear

"When one has the feeling of dislike for evil, when one feels tranquil, one finds pleasure in listening to good teachings; when one has these feelings and appreciates them, one is free of fear."  

 
         ~B

The Cab Ride

The Cab Ride

I
arrived at the address and honked the horn.
After waiting a few minutes
I walked to the
door and knocked.. 'Just a minute', answered a
frail, elderly voice. I could hear something
being dragged across the floor.


After
a long pause, the door opened. A small woman in
her 90's stood before me. She was wearing a
print dress and a pillbox hat with a veil pinned
on it, like somebody out of a 1940's
movie.


By her side was a small nylon
suitcase. The apartment looked as if no one had
lived in it for years. All the furniture was
covered with sheets.


There were no
clocks on the walls, no knickknacks or utensils
on the counters. In the corner was a cardboard
box filled with photos and
glassware.


'Would you carry my bag
out to the car?' she said. I took the suitcase
to the cab, then returned to assist the
woman.


She took my arm and we walked
slowly toward the curb.


She kept
thanking me for my kindness. 'It's nothing', I
told her.. 'I just try to treat my passengers
the way I would want my mother
treated'.


'Oh, you're such a good
boy', she said. When we got in the cab, she gave
me an address and then asked, 'Could you drive
through downtown?'


'It's not the
shortest way,' I answered
quickly..


'Oh, I don't mind,' she
said. 'I'm in no hurry. I'm on my way to a
hospice'.


I looked in the rear-view
mirror. Her eyes were glistening. 'I don't have
any family left,' she continued in soft
voice.. 'The doctor says I don't have very
long.' I quietly reached over and shut off the
meter.


'What route would you like me
to take?' I asked.


For the next two
hours, we drove through the city. She showed me
the building where she had once worked as an
elevator
operator.


We drove through the
neighborhood where she and her husband had lived
when they were newlyweds She had me pull up in
front of a furniture warehouse that had once
been a ballroom where she had gone dancing as a
girl.


Sometimes she'd ask me to slow
in front of a particular building or corner and
would sit staring into the darkness, saying
nothing.


As the first hint of sun was
creasing the horizon, she suddenly said, 'I'm
tired. Let's go now'.


We drove in
silence to the address she had given me. It was
a low building, like a small convalescent home,
with a driveway that passed under a
portico.


Two orderlies came out to
the cab as soon as we pulled up. They were
solicitous and intent, watching her every move.
They must have been expecting her.


I
opened the trunk and took the small suitcase to
the door. The woman was already seated in a
wheelchair.


'How much do I owe you?'
she asked, reaching into her
purse.


'Nothing,' I
said


'You have to make a living,' she
answered.


'There are other
passengers,' I responded.


Almost
without thinking, I bent and gave her a hug. She
held onto me tightly.


'You gave an
old woman a little moment of joy,' she
said.
'Thank you.'


I squeezed her
hand, and they walked into the dim morning
light.. Behind me, a door shut. It was the sound
of the closing of a life..


I didn't
pick up any more passengers that shift. I drove
aimlessly lost in thought. For the rest of that
day, I could hardly talk. What if that woman had
gotten an angry driver, or one who was impatient
to end his shift?
What
if I had refused to take the run, or had honked
once, then driven away?


On a quick
review, I don't think that I have done anything
more important in my life.


We're
conditioned to think that our lives revolve
around great moments.


But great
moments often catch us unaware-beautifully
wrapped in what others may consider a small
one.


PEOPLE MAY NOT REMEMBER EXACTLY
WHAT YOU DID, OR WHAT YOU SAID ~BUT~THEY WILL
ALWAYS REMEMBER HOW YOU MADE THEM
FEEL.


You won't get any big surprise
in 10 days if you send this to ten people. But,
you might help make the world a little kinder
and more compassionate by sending.
it on and
reminding us that often it is the random acts of
kindness that most benefit all of
us.


Thank you, my
friend...


Life
may not be the party we hoped for, but while we
are here we might as well dance.

 

---

See the positive and make them bloom

People deal too much with the negative, with what is wrong. Why not try and see positive things, to just touch those things and make them bloom? 

 
         ~Thich Nhat Hanh 

Understand the person you want to love

We really have to understand the person we want to love. If our love is only a will to possess, it is not love. If we only think of ourselves, if we know only our own needs and ignore the needs of the other person, we cannot love. 

 
         ~Thich Nhat Hanh 

Our galaxy has 400 billion stars...there are 100 billion + galaxies

Backdrop: Our galaxy, the Milky Way is approximately 80 to 120 light years wide containing about 400 billion stars (our sun is but one such star); so that if we traveled in a space ship moving at 186,000 miles per second (the speed of light) approximately 100,000 Earth years would be required to cross from one side to another.

Further: The estimate of number of galaxies in the Milky Way universe (our universe) is debatable, however estimates are generally 100 billion with some as high as 500 billion.  Remember it takes 100,000 miles at light-speed to travel across our galaxy.  Then, there is that problem of traveling through space from one galaxy to another.  Our closest neighbor galaxy is about 2.4 million light years (thus 2.4 millions years at light-speed to arrive there). Indeed, that's a long trip for the kids to be entertained.

Are humans on the third planet (Earth) revolving around the sun the only intelligent (so to speak) life in the universe? 

Never underestimate the power of the smile

Never underestimate the power of the smile.

Xavier Diaz

Our smile is the root to peace work

If in our daily life we can smile, if we can be peaceful and happy, not only we, but everyone will profit from it. This is the most basic kind of peace work.

 
         ~Thich Nhat Hanh 

Our capacity for smiling can make peace

Smiling is very important. If we are not able to smile, then the world will not have peace. It is not by going out for a demonstration against nuclear missiles that we can bring about peace.It is with our capacity of smiling, breathing, and being peace that we can make peace.

 
         ~Thich Nhat Hanh 

Your smile can be the source of your joy.

Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy.

 
         ~Thich Nhat Hanh 

That day the Lord exalted Joshua...

"That day the LORD exalted Joshua in the sight of all Israel; and they revered him all the days of his life…"
(Joshua 4:14, NIV)

TODAY'S WORD from Joel and Victoria

I love the promise that God gave to Joshua. He said, "Joshua, today I will begin to make you great in the eyes of all the Israelites." He was saying, "Today, I'm going to start releasing more of My favor, My blessings, My increase." But notice, there was a set time God began to release favor in a new way.

Friend, God wants to do the same thing for you. He wants to release His blessings and favor in such a way that it makes you a great parent, a great spouse, a great leader, a great employee, a great friend, a great business person. He is saying to us what He said to Joshua, "This day I'm going to begin to make your name great. This day I'm going to begin to release My favor in a new way. I'm going to open doors that no man can shut." It is a set time of God's favor. Get ready! Make room in your thinking. Stay open to Him and keep an attitude of faith and expectancy because this day God wants to overwhelm you with His blessing and favor in every area of your life!

A PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father God, I bless You today. You alone are worthy of all glory and honor. Thank You for pouring out Your favor and blessing on me. I open my heart and mind to receive everything You have in store for me. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

 

The Secret of health for the body and the mind...

The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, worry about the future, or anticipate troubles, but to live in the present moment wisely and earnestly. 

- B

Live as children of light

 ⁸For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light 
  
 Ephesians 5:8

 
Our witness for Christ is a light in a dark world.  Remember, you may be the only light a co-worker sees today.    

All notions are figments of imagination...

All such notions as causation, succession, atoms, primary elements...are all figments of the imagination and manifestations of the mind. -B

Humility is no self...

Humility, metaphysically, implies the absence of any entity to be either 'proud' or 'humble'. 

      The Tenth Man" by Wei Wu Wei...

Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth.  

      Jesus

Thomas Jefferson

Thomas Jefferson, who lived to be 83 at a time when the life expectancy was 40, walked 4 miles everyday. He wrote that the purpose of walking was to "relax the mind."

Formula for Failure: Try to please everybody

I can't give you a surefire formula for success, but I can give you a formula for failure: try to please everybody all the time. Herbert Byard Swope, first recipient of the Pulitizer Prize.

Reality is an illusion

Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one.

Albert Einstein

3

Dear Lord,  I thank you for this day. I thank You for my being able to see and to hear this morning.. I'm blessed because You are a forgiving God and an understanding God. You have done so much for me and You keep on blessing me. Forgive me this day for everything I have done, said or thought that was not pleasing to you. I ask now for Your forgiveness. > > > Please keep me safe from all danger and harm. Help me to start this day with a new attitude and plenty of gratitude. Let me make the best of each day to clear my mind so that I can hear from You. > > Let me not whine and whimper over things I have no control over. Let me continue to see sin through God's eyes and acknowledge it as evil. And when I sin, let me repent, and confess with my mouth my wrongdoing, and receive the forgiveness of God. > > And when this world closes in on me, let me remember Jesus' example -- to slip away and find a quiet place to pray. It's the best response when I'm pushed beyond my limits. I know that when I can't pray, You listen to my heart. Continue to use me to do Your will. > > Continue to bless me that I may be a blessing to others.. Keep me strong that I may help the weak.. Keep me uplifted that I may have words of encouragement for others. I pray for those who are lost and can't find their way. I pray for those who are misjudged and misunderstood. I pray for those who don't know You intimately. I pray for those who will delete this without sharing it with others. I pray for those who don't believe. But I thank you that I believe. > > I believe that God changes people and God changes things. I pray for all my sisters and brothers. For every family member in their households. I pray for peace, love and joy in their homes that they are out of debt and all their needs are met. > > I pray that every eye that reads this knows there is no problem, circumstance, or situation greater than God. Every battle is in Your hands for You to fight.   I pray that these words be received into the hearts of every eye that sees them and every mouth that confesses them willingly.. > > This is my prayer. > In Jesus' Name, > > Amen.. > > Pass this message to 9 people except you and me   (You can send it to more than 9 people if you would like, I did). > > > Don't ignore and God will bless you.. Know that you are already blessed by the person who sent this to you... > > DON'T FORGET TO CHANGE THE NUMBER IN THE SUBJECT BOX > > > > > --- > > > > > > > > > >   > > > > > >  > >

“We set the sail; God makes the wind.”

Proverbs 16 
⁹ A man's heart plans his way, 
     But the LORD directs his steps. 
  
  
"We set the sail; God makes the wind."    Adrian Rogers