Deep meditation

It's a story of the Italian poet Dante Alighieri, who was deeply immersed in meditation during a church service, and he failed to kneel at the appropriate moment.

His enemies hurried to the bishop and demanded that Dante be punished for his sacrilege.

Dante defended himself by saying...

"If those who accuse me had had their eyes and minds on God, as I had, they too would have failed to notice events around them, and they most certainly would not have noticed what I was doing."

End of story.

How about you?

Are your eyes and mind on God?

You see, we're in the age of distraction.

There more things now that gets our attention and it's harder to stay focused.

With technology, we now have email, Internet, chat, mobile phones, facebook, etc.

All these compete for your attention and eats up some of your time.

The time that you should be spending on activities that will help you grow spiritually.

Memorizing scriptures can take only 5 to 10 minutes of your time.

But what you'll gain spiritually is immeasurable.

Marinating your mind with God's Word and His promises is the fastest way to be closer to God.

God is ALWAYS looking forward to talk to you with all your attention is on Him.

So don't let the busyness of this world control your life.

Instead, let your life be controlled by the scriptures you've memorized.

Bible Reading

It was 1983. I and my two cousins were about to get baptized. As the custom, we were fasting for 3 days. We were challenged by the pastor to read the entire Bible before the baptism. Even though I read small chapters every day, I never ventured to read the entire Bible.

So we started to read the Bible. Frequently we discuss the chapters we are reading and we take stock of the books to be red to complete the task at hand. Some books were very interesting. Some parts were very boring. Still, we continued reading the Bible. It was a summer vacation time. So we were able to read the Bible during the day and night.

A few weeks later, I abandoned the task. But, my cousins completed it. During those days we look at the total page number and the number of pages I left. Very often I reviewed how many pages I read and how many pages left to complete the reading. Later I divided my reading plan into two. New Testament and Old Testament. First I completed New Testament and then I pursed the Old Testament.

My satisfaction came when I closed the book on the last page.

Throughout my teens, whatever I read, I always checked the page number/chapter I read and compared it to the total number of pages.  Anxious to be done with the task - whether reading for pleasure or for homework. I gauged my progress by how close I was to the end. My satisfaction came when I closed the book on the last page.

Thirty years later, enthralled with a good story, I never look at the page number. I enjoy the story. The end is no longer a sigh of relieve. It's a sad moment when I have to leave the world in the pages and return to the real one. I savor every moment of the life I am taken to between the pages.

It was those same teenage years when I longed for the time to fly so I could be on my own - to live the life I wanted. I didn't savor the pages as they turned.

Today, my final page is hopefully not too close. I want to savor the story of my life pages have to offer. I've learned to enjoy the story. Carefully reading each pages and loved the new information and twist it brings.

What I did yesterday teaching me. I turn the page of tomorrow. What new mysteries it reveal? What excitement will unfold?

I no longer rush through life; I enjoy the read.

Story of King Amaziah

Amaziah was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-nine years. His mother’s name was Jehoaddan; she was from Jerusalem.  He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, but not wholeheartedly.   After the kingdom was firmly in his control, he executed the officials who had murdered his father the king.   Yet he did not put their children to death, but acted in accordance with what is written in the Law, in the Book of Moses, where the LORD commanded: “Parents shall not be put to death for their children, nor children be put to death for their parents; each will die for their own sin.”

Amaziah called the people of Judah together and assigned them according to their families to commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds for all Judah and Benjamin. He then mustered those twenty years old or more and found that there were three hundred thousand men fit for military service, able to handle the spear and shield.  He also hired a hundred thousand fighting men from Israel for a hundred talents of silver.

But a man of God came to him and said, “Your Majesty, these troops from Israel must not march with you, for the LORD is not with Israel—not with any of the people of Ephraim.  Even if you go and fight courageously in battle, God will overthrow you before the enemy, for God has the power to help or to overthrow.”

Amaziah asked the man of God, “But what about the hundred talents I paid for these Israelite troops?”

The man of God replied, “The LORD can give you much more than that.”

So Amaziah dismissed the troops who had come to him from Ephraim and sent them home. They were furious with Judah and left for home in a great rage.

Amaziah then marshaled his strength and led his army to the Valley of Salt, where he killed ten thousand men of Seir.  The army of Judah also captured ten thousand men alive, took them to the top of a cliff and threw them down so that all were dashed to pieces.

Meanwhile the troops that Amaziah had sent back and had not allowed to take part in the war raided towns belonging to Judah from Samaria to Beth Horon. They killed three thousand people and carried off great quantities of plunder.

When Amaziah returned from slaughtering the Edomites, he brought back the gods of the people of Seir. He set them up as his own gods, bowed down to them and burned sacrifices to them.  The anger of the LORD burned against Amaziah, and he sent a prophet to him, who said, “Why do you consult this people’s gods, which could not save their own people from your hand?”

While he was still speaking, the king said to him, “Have we appointed you an adviser to the king? Stop! Why be struck down?”

So the prophet stopped but said, “I know that God has determined to destroy you, because you have done this and have not listened to my counsel.”

After Amaziah king of Judah consulted his advisers, he sent this challenge to Jehoash son of Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu, king of Israel: “Come, let us face each other in battle.”

But Jehoash king of Israel replied to Amaziah king of Judah: “A thistle in Lebanon sent a message to a cedar in Lebanon, ‘Give your daughter to my son in marriage.’ Then a wild beast in Lebanon came along and trampled the thistle underfoot.  You say to yourself that you have defeated Edom, and now you are arrogant and proud. But stay at home! Why ask for trouble and cause your own downfall and that of Judah also?”

Amaziah, however, would not listen, for God so worked that he might deliver them into the hands of Jehoash, because they sought the gods of Edom.  So Jehoash king of Israel attacked. He and Amaziah king of Judah faced each other at Beth Shemesh in Judah.  Judah was routed by Israel, and every man fled to his home.  Jehoash king of Israel captured Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Joash, the son of Ahaziah, at Beth Shemesh. Then Jehoash brought him to Jerusalem and broke down the wall of Jerusalem from the Ephraim Gate to the Corner Gate—a section about four hundred cubits long.  He took all the gold and silver and all the articles found in the temple of God that had been in the care of Obed-Edom, together with the palace treasures and the hostages, and returned to Samaria.

The Man With The One Track Mind

Eddie Arcaro dreamed of becoming the world's greatest jockey but after watching him ride a horse for five minutes, reality reflected a harsh contradiction. He was awkward and clumsy, and in his early years in the saddle he couldn't do one thing right. He was left behind at the post, he got trapped in traffic jams, he got bumped and boxed in. In his first 100 races he never even came close to winning. Still, he got right back on and tried again.

Even as a schoolboy, Arcaro had set his own track in life. Because he was only a little over five feet tall and weighed barely 80 pounds, the other students shunned him. So he played hooky instead, hanging out at the local race track where a trainer let him gallop the horses. His father reluctantly agreed to let him pursue a career as a jockey, even though he knew it was a long shot. The trainer had told him so. "Send him back to school," he said. "He'll never be a rider."

No one was betting on little Eddie Arcaro, no one that is except Arcaro. He was determined not just to ride, but to become the world's greatest jockey. But first someone would have to give him a chance. He pleaded and persisted until he finally got to ride in a real race. Before it was over, he'd lost his whip and his cap and had almost fallen off the saddle. By the time he finished the race, the other horses were on their way back to the stables. He'd come in dead last.

After that, Arcaro went from track to track, looking for any opportunity to ride. Finally, an owner who felt pity took him in and gave him his next chance. One hundred trophy-less races later, he was still giving him a chance. The trainers saw something in this unlucky jockey, something they couldn't define. Perhaps it was potential, perhaps it was resilience, perhaps it was sheer obstinacy, but no one was willing to send him home. And Arcaro was certainly not going to quit.

There were long years when he was broke, homesick, and almost without friends. There were also many brushes with death and several broken bones. Every time his delicate 63 inch body was trammeled by hoofs he would get patched up and return to the saddle.

Then it happened. Arcaro began to win...and win...and win...Now, instead of leaving a path of destruction, he was leaving a path of devastated opponents. In thirty years of riding, he won 4,779 races, becoming the only jockey in history to win the Kentucky Derby five times. By the time he retired in 1962 he was a millionaire and a legend in his own lifetime.

From the moment he walked out of school and onto a track, Eddie Arcaro had his mind on a finish line. And although the race took thirty years, he never quit until that line was crossed.

Cynthia Kersey

Cynthia Kersey is the author of Unstoppable and Unstoppable Women
Copyright 1998 by Cynthia Kersey
Visit Cynthia's web site at: www.unstoppable.net

Building faith

The other day my 4-year old son and I were sitting in the couch and watching TV his favorite cartoon show.

For some reason I was reminded of the scriptures that talks about Child-like faith.

My curiosity leads me to ask my unsuspecting boy..."Son, if we build our own house, how many swimming pools do you wanna have?"

Without hesitation, he said "Dad, I want 3 swimming pools. One for you, one for mom and one for me."

Interesting answer huh?

If you ask an adult the same question you'll probably hear...

"What are you talking about? You can't even afford to have a bath tub."

Funny but true.

Children are like fearless creature. They trust so much their parents that all things will work together.

Adults on the other hand have fears, reservations, and with very little faith.

No wonder why Christ wants us to have a child like faith to enter the kingdom of heavens.

And Jesus is offering us is a bargain.

He's only asking for a mustard size faith to move a mountain size problem.

Isn't that a great deal?

So how do we increase our faith?

Romans 10:17 says..."faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God."

Fact is, there's no other way to increase our faith but by continuously memorizing and meditating God's Word.

Once we have Bible verses in our memory, it's much easier for us to meditate on it wherever we go.

Scripture memorization is not just an activity but a lifestyle. Make it part of your life and your life will never be the same again.

What's Important

I talk to people all the time who want to invest and earn money. There's nothing wrong with that, in fact it's a wonderful pursuit to reach your financial goals and give your family as many options as possible in how they live their lives. But I frequently encounter individuals who haven't thought beyond "I want to earn a lot of money." Money itself isn't a goal; it just gives you the opportunity to choose. 

In order to really understand yourself as an investor, you must understand what is truly important for you. For me - it's family. The first time I traveled to Croatia was in 1979; I was 7 years old. I saw firsthand where my parents lived as children and got a taste for how they grew up. My mom's home was in a small village in the mountains. Her parents were farmers and their entire home was just one room, maybe 20' x 20' in size. There was no running water or electricity. 

I remember first thing in the morning, we would walk the donkey with a big water jug on its back to a stream four miles away. We would fill it up and head another four miles back to the house. That was our water supply for the day. The life they lived was very hard compared to what I knew, yet they did what they had to do without complaint. My parents were surrounded by unconditional love - something they passed on to me - and they always had a roof over their heads and something to eat. They were always happy as children and never knew about all the luxuries and excess in the Western World. My mom had to walk miles to school, as a child, trying to imagine that was very hard. That summer, we celebrated my brother Mike's, 6th birthday. I remember my Grandma putting on a pot of boiling water on the wood stove while my Grandpa went out to the chicken coup to find his biggest chicken. That was the first time I ever saw a chicken run with its head cut off! This was his prized possession and the best gift he had to give us all to celebrate my brother's birthday. We had a wonderful family feast. 

The trip really taught me to appreciate how easy my life is and that you really don't need a lot of 'stuff' to be content. I think back on the experience and the life I lead today. I help people reach their dreams of financial freedom and peace. Not so they can be the richest person in the cemetery, but so they can choose how they and their families live. That is what is important and it's why I do what I do - to help them accomplish those goals through well thought out financial plans and advice. While I was writing my new book, Set for Life: Financial Peace of Mind Made Easy, I once again had the opportunity to visit Croatia and much has changed, but the people haven't. Their dreams are just as strong as is their love of life. It's proof to me that happiness is still found in the simplest pleasures, and true peace has little to do with the amount in your bank account.

John Svalina

John is Vice President and Portfolio Manager for TD Waterhouse Private Client Services in Sudbury, Ontario, Canada. He has just released his latest book: Set for Life: Financial Peace of Mind Made Easy

Bob Proctor Shares His Secrets

If I had to pick one thing that allowed me to go from pumping gas in a service station to spending 50 years founding, formulating and being chairman of a number of companies that operate globally in over 100 different countries I would have to attribute it to the coaching I received from the six great coaches and mentors in my life. I want to share with you the lessons I learned from them because I believe you will benefit greatly by them.

Focus on all the Reasons You Can Get What You Want

Ray Stanford entered my life when I was working in the fire hall in Toronto at age 26, exactly 50 years ago. I was earning $4,000 and I owed $6,000 and it never even entered my mind that I could get out of debt. He encouraged me to take an honest look at the results I was getting. He said "Bob, you keep talking about not having a formal education and using it as an excuse for getting poor results." He then said, "Those are only reasons why you're not getting what you want. Set those aside and start to focus on all the reasons you can get what you what." Then he gave me Napoleon Hill's book, Think and Grow Rich.

He said, "Bob, if you will make the commitment to do exactly what this book says and exactly what I suggest, I'll help you change your life." I didn't really believe I could, but I believed he believed I could. And it was his belief in me that inspired me to begin to study. One year later, I was earning $175,000 a year and, from there, I took it to over a million a year. I didn't know what was happening to me, but I was beginning to realize a lot of the things that I had been thinking weren't true. I thought some people were lucky but others weren't. I was to find out that you and I have exactly the same potential.

Study, Study, Study

I then got a hold of Earl Nightingale's condensed narration of the Napoleon Hill book, Think And Grow Rich on a record. I began listening to that record every day. It was listening to Earl's voice and the information he was sharing that caused me to want to go to work with him. I moved my Family from Toronto to Chicago and joined the Nightingale-Conant Corporation. It was only after I got there that I realized I had a double win. I wasn't only going to work with Earl Nightingale - I would also work with Lloyd Conant. Earl and Lloyd became my 2 coaches. I loved working for them and I got an education that you couldn't buy. They literally originated the self help business in recorded fashion that we know today. In time, the Nightingale-Conant Corporation became the largest distributer of self help programs in the world, and I was working there with the people that originated it. Earl Nightingale taught me how to study. He said, "Don't just read the book, study i t. Attempt to understand the idea the author is attempting to communicate in each paragraph. To do that you might need to study that paragraph for a month."

Take the Lid Off Your Mind and Let it Soar

Lloyd Conant taught me to take the lid off my mind and let it soar. He said, "Bob, nothing is big or small, except our thinking makes it so. No one alive knows what we're capable of doing. Go after something big. Even if you miss, it can be exhilarating."

Know You Have a Magnificent Mind

It was there that I was introduced to Val Van De Wall. Val and I became great friends and he shared one idea with me that literally changed my life. It was a diagram of the mind. He explained we think in pictures but no one has ever seen the mind so when we think of it, we become confused. There is no order in the mind. A doctor friend of his came up with the original drawing. I refer to it as the Stick Person and I've shared it with people all over the world. If I were to be coaching you, I'd teach it to you.

Val introduced me to his coach, Dr. Harry Roder. Harry knew more about the mind than anyone I'd ever met. I'd spent countless hours with him and I began to understand exactly how the mind functions. In fact, Dr. John Mike from Florida said I taught him more about the mind in 1 year than he had learned in 4 years of medical school and 5 years of psychiatric training. I found that interesting because I had merely taught him what Dr. Roder had taught me.

These 5 men helped me answer a huge question . how and why did my life change? Without any formal education, without any business experience, in less than 5 years, I built a company that operated in 7 cities and 3 different countries and I really didn't understand how I had done it. They taught me what I had changed and how I had accomplished what I had accomplished. It was this magnificent knowledge that triggered the enormous desire in me to teach this information to as many people as I could. But I had one big problem . I was quiet and shy.

Believe You Can Do What You Believe Others Can Accomplish

I was afraid to stand up and ask a question let alone stand up and teach. It was at that point in the late sixties at the Hyatt Hotel in Chicago that a man named Bill Gove walked out on a stage and literally captivated an audience of 500 people. Merely by sharing information with them, he had that audience in the palm of his hand. I stood there thinking, "If only I could do that, then I could teach what I've learned." But the thought of it scared the daylights out of me.

At that point, I flashed back in my mind to a recording of Earl Nightingale's that I had listened to a thousand times. He said, "Now right here we come to a rather strange fact. We tend to minimize the things we can do, the goals we can accomplish, and for some equally strange reason we think other people can accomplish things that we cannot. I want you to understand that that is not true. You have deep reservoirs of talent and ability within you that you can bring to the surface and achieve all that you desire."

If you had asked me if I'd understood it, I probably would've said, "Of course!" But here I was watching Bill Gove do something I thought I couldn't. It was at that point that I started hearing the recording in my head and I realized if Bill can do it, I can do it. I switched my thinking to, "If I could do that, I could help people all over the world change their life." And it suddenly dawned on me that we are capable of doing anything. I'm not going to just do that, I'm going to get the man on the stage, Bill Gove, to teach me. and he did. Today I'm able to do what he did and get on the stage and share this valuable information. Bill Gove and I remained friends for over 35 years until he passed away a few years ago.

Pass It Along

All of these men are gone but their legacy lives on, through me and all of the other people they helped. That's how my life changed. These people taught me to earn millions of dollars and invest it back into a business that has helped millions of people. These lessons have allowed me to help people who were in financial trouble become prosperous and companies that were struggling grow into viable organizations. Any way a person can be helped, I've seen it happen because the answers are within us. And, because of what these great men taught me, I was able to pass it along.
Bob Proctor

If you would like to get more information on Bob Proctor's coaching, or facilitator programs send him an email to: bobproctor@bobproctor.com

My Father Is the Engineer

I heard a story about a train traveling through the night in a very violent rainstorm.

The lightning flashes were almost blinding, the rain hitting the windows was deafening and the strong gust winds rocked the train from side to side.

When the lightening flashed and lighted up the darkness, the passengers could see the rising water along the tracks.

This created terror in the minds of the passengers.

Several passengers noted that through all the noise, lightening and wind, one of the passengers, a little girl, seemed to be at perfect peace.

The adult passengers couldn't figure out why the little girl was so calm during all this excitement.

Finally, one passenger asked her, "How is that you can be so calm when all the rest of us are so worried about what might or could happen?"

The little passenger smiled and said, "My father is the engineer."

End of story.

That's the beauty of knowing that our God is in control everything.

Like the little girl in our story, she's at peace and calm despite people around her are panicking because her father is in control.

Trouble is,...the world is full of sins that feeds our mind unconsciously or subconsciously.

That's why we should be more active and aggressive in meditating God's Word whenever and wherever.

Born to Lose

I recently read a powerful story of Norman Peale from Christianity Today.

The story goes like this...

Once walking through the twisted little streets of Kowloon in Hong Kong, I came upon a tattoo studio.

In the window were displayed samples of the tattoos available. 

On the chest or arms you could have tattooed an anchor or flag or mermaid or whatever.

But what struck me with force was the three words that could be tattooed on one's flesh, Born to lose.

I entered the shop in astonishment and, pointing to those words, asked the Chinese tattoo artist, "Does anyone really have that terrible phrase, Born to lose, tattooed on his body?"

He replied, "Yes, sometimes."

"But," I said, "I just can't believe that anyone in his right mind would do that."

The Chinese man simply tapped his forehead and said in broken English, "Before tattoo on body, tattoo on mind."

Simply stated, if your mind is corrupted with fears, doubts, anger, bitterness and all the negativity in this world...your actions will also be corrupted.

Winning Is Not the Only Thing, but Kindness Is Everything.

Nobody loves motivational quotes more than I do. But be very careful because every once in a while you'll find a quote that might sound good but isn't true. And if you believe that quote, it might actually do some harm.

Let me tell you a story...

It was the most important Little League game of Eric's life. He was 11 years old and his team, the Pirates, were playing the Giants in the championship game.

It was the bottom of the sixth inning and the Pirates were ahead 2-1. But the Giants had the bases loaded with two outs and their best hitter was at bat.

He hit an easy fly ball to Bobby, the Pirate's right fielder. Bobby circled under the ball as everyone held their breath. The ball fell into his glove and then bounced out. Bobby scrambled for the ball, but by the time he decided where to throw it, two Giants had scored.

Final score:
Giants 3
Pirates 2

It would be "wait until next year" for the Pirates.

As the Pirates moped off the field, something totally unexpected happened. Their manager started yelling and screaming at Bobby.

"You lost the game for us. You cost us the championship!"

Crying, Bobby ran off the field and vanished into the woods.

After the game, Eric went to meet his parents in the parking lot, but his dad wasn't there. His mom said he had something to do. On the drive home, a dejected Eric saw something that startled him.

Way in the distance, Eric saw his dad walking Bobby home. His dad had his arm around the kid who probably felt like he didn't have a friend in the world.

Eric never forgot the kindness his dad showed that evening.

As the years passed, whenever Bobby saw Eric's dad, he always greeted him warmly and enthusiastically because he never forgot, either.

So whenever I hear stories like this one, I think of this quote:

"Winning is not the only thing, it's everything."

This quote makes my blood boil because the manager in the story actually believed it. He believed that winning a Little League game was "everything" and that the feelings of a fragile 11 year old boy were "nothing."

The truth of the matter is that winning is not the only thing. Winning is not everything.

Real winners don't necessarily hit home runs or make spectacular catches. Real winners know how to be kind. Eric's dad was a winner.
 

 

Here's a quote that is true and will make you a winner if you believe it:

"Winning is not the only thing, but kindness is everything."

Rob Gilbert
From Bits & Pieces

Better to Ask than Assume

The late Bill Love used to tell the story of a psychiatrist, engineer, and doctor who got lost in the Canadian woods. Stumbling on a trapper's cabin but getting no response at the door, they went inside for shelter and waited for his return.

In the corner, on a crude platform at waist-high level, was a wood-burning stove. It quickly became not only the focus of interest for their half-frozen bodies but the center of their conversation as well.

The psychiatrist explained the stove's unusual position as evidence of psychological problems brought on by isolation. The engineer, on the other hand, saw it as an ingenious form of forced-air heating. The physician surmised the poor fellow had arthritis and found it too painful to bend over to fuel his stove.

When the trapper finally arrived, they could not resist asking about the stove whose warmth had saved them. "Simple," he said. "My stove pipe was too short."

I wasn't along for that hunting trip, but I've been where those guys were that day. I've tried to read someone's mind. I've seen motives that weren't there. I've walked into situations, caught a snippet of what was happening, and made a fool of myself by some badly chosen response. Or I've used a perfectly innocent slip of the tongue as my 
excuse to take offense. I can be a real jerk at times!

On occasion, the victim has been a stranger. At other times, it was a friend from church or colleague at work. Most often, it has been my wife or child.

Communication is a wonderful thing - when it happens. But there are so many barriers. Each of us brings baggage to every situation. Words can be vague or carry very different nuances for people from different backgrounds. Then there are the prejudices and blind spots all of us have.

Lots of confusion could be eliminated and far more progress made this week by following this simple rule: When something isn't clear, ask. Don't assume. Don't guess. Don't mind-read. Trying swallowing your pride and saying, "I'm not sure I understand. Do you mind explaining that to me?"

This simple strategy could save you embarrassment, time, and money. More important still, it might save one of your life's most important relationships.

Rubel Shelly

Rubel Shelly is a Preacher and Professor of Religion and Philosophy located in Rochester Hills, Michigan. In addition to church and academic responsibilities, he has worked actively with such community projects as Habitat for Humanity, American Red Cross, From Nashville With Love, Metro (Nashville) Public Schools, Faith Family Medical Clinic, and Operation Andrew Ministries. 

Mistakes are Opportunities

This is a story about a famous research scientist who had made several very important medical breakthroughs. He was being interviewed by a newspaper reporter who asked him why he thought he was able to be so much more creative than the average person. What set him so far apart from others?

He responded that, in his opinion, it all came from an experience with his mother that occurred when he was about two years old. He had been trying to remove a bottle of milk from the refrigerator when he lost his grip on the slippery bottle and it fell, spilling its contents all over the kitchen floor—a veritable sea of milk!

When his mother came into the kitchen, instead of yelling at him, giving him a lecture, or punishing him, she said, "Robert, what a great and wonderful mess you have made! I have rarely seen such a huge puddle of milk. Well, the damage has already been done. Would you like to get down and play in the milk for a few minutes before we clean it up?"

Indeed, he did. After a few minutes, his mother said, "You know, Robert, whenever you make a mess like this, eventually you have to clean it up and restore everything to its proper order. So, how would you like to do that? We could use a sponge, a towel, or a mop. Which do you prefer?" He chose the sponge and together they cleaned up the spilled milk.

His mother then said, "You know, what we have here is a failed experiment in how to effectively carry a big milk bottle with two tiny hands. Let's go out in the back yard and fill the bottle with water and see if you can discover a way to carry it without dropping it." The little boy learned that if he grasped the bottle at the top near the lip with both hands, he could carry it without dropping it. What a wonderful lesson!

This renowned scientist then remarked that it was at that moment that he knew he didn't need to be afraid to make mistakes. Instead, he learned that mistakes were just opportunities for learning something new, which is, after all, what scientific experiments are all about. Even if the experiment "doesn't work," we usually learn something valuable from it.

Marvelous Answer

Marvelous Answer

Marvelous Answer

Story Re-written, Panchatantra Story

Story re-written

Once upon a time, there was a software engineer who used to develop programs on his Pentium machine, sitting under a tree on the banks of a river. He used to earn his bread by selling those programs in the Sunday market.

One day, while he was working, his machine tumbled off the table and fell in the river.

Encouraged by the Panchatantra story of his childhood (the woodcutter and the axe), he started praying to the River Goddess.

The River Goddess wanted to test him and so appeared only after one month of rigorous prayers. The engineer told her that he had lost his computer in the river.

As usual, the Goddess wanted to test his honesty.

She showed him a match box and asked, "Is this your computer?" Disappointed by the Goddess' lack of computer awareness, the engineer replied, "No."

She next showed him a pocket-sized calculator and asked if that was his.

Annoyed, the engineer said "No, not at all!!"

Finally, she came up with his own Pentium machine and asked if it was his.

The engineer, left with no option, sighed and said "Yes."

The River Goddess was happy with his honesty.

She was about to give him all three items, but before she could make the offer, the engineer asked her, "Don't you know that you're supposed to show me some better computers before bringing up my own?"

The River Goddess, angered at this, replied, "I know that, you stupid donkey!

The first two things I showed you were the Trillennium and the Billennium, the latest computers from IBM!".

So saying, she disappeared with the Pentium!!

Moral: If you're not up-to-date with technology trends, it's better keep your mouth shut and let people think you're a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt.

A Lesson Learnt From My Six Year Old

On Saturday mornings, my family and I stay in bed just a little bit longer. My two boys crawl into bed with my husband and I and we usually watch music videos all together cuddled up in bed.

A song came on called "If this was your last day" which I found intriguing and thought it posed an interesting question too, so I turned to my husband and asked him what he would do if it was his last day.

He thought for a while and then said that he would probably lie in bed all day just as we were doing right now, surrounded by all his favorite people, just savoring the time together.

I turned to my eight year old and asked him what he would do and he said that he would go to Canada's Wonderland and go on all the rides.

I then focused my attention on my six year old and posed the same question. He looked at me intently and asked "Is this my last day to live?", I said "yup".

He then answered the question quite matter of factly and said "I would go to the hospital".

Of course my husband and I thought his answer was genuinely funny, smart and pure (we are biased of course). However, I have been thinking about it for a few days now and I realize that my six year old has it all figured out.
He naturally thinks outside of the box, he does not accept a situation and assume a scenario just because it is posed to him.

In his mind, there was no reason why it should be his last day and he was going to find a way to ensure that it was not.

In a flash of a second, he realized that he has the capacity to ensure that it wouldn't be his last day and not only that, but he was going to take the requisite responsibility and the necessary action to ensure that it wasn't.

My son taught me that if you want to live then find a way to do it, don't give up, don't settle and don't just accept things for what they seem to be.

Don't assume and accept a situation just because it is presented to you as such. Rather make that situation your own, take responsibility for it and then decide to change it, my six year old did.

Now I know that I am his mother, but is this not the smartest six year old kid in the entire world?

Nicolle Kopping-Pavars
Nicolle Kopping-Pavars is a collaborative lawyer dedicated to using inspiration and motivation while guiding families through difficult transitions.

Intelligent Beggar - How to Behave Like a Fool

Mullah Nasrudin (the central figure in almost all tales of the Sufi tradition) had already become a sort of attraction at the main market in the town.

Whenever he went there to beg, people would show him a large coin and a small one: Nasrudin always chose the small one.

A generous man who was tired of seeing everyone laugh at Nasrudin, explained to him:

“When people offer you two coins, choose the larger one. Then you will have more money, and people will not think you a fool.”

“You are surely right”, replied Nasrudin.
 

“But if I always chose the larger coin, people would stop offering me money, in order to prove that I am a greater fool than they are.
 

“And then I would no longer receive enough for my food.
 

“There is nothing wrong with appearing to be a fool, if what you are doing is in fact intelligent.”
 

Story of Fruit Custom and Religion

In the desert, fruit was scarce. God called one of his prophets and said: - Each person may only eat one fruit a day.

The custom was obeyed for many generations, and the ecology of the place was preserved. Since the remaining fruit supplied seeds, other trees appeared. Soon, the entire region was turned into fertile soil, which was the envy of other towns.

But the people continued to eat one fruit a day – they remained faithful to what the ancient prophet of their forefathers had told them. However they never allowed the inhabitants of other villages to take advantage of the abundant harvest with which they were rewarded each year.

The result was that fruit rotted on the ground.

God called a new prophet and said:

- Let them eat as much fruit as they like. And ask them to share the abundance with their neighbors.

The prophet came to the town with the new message. But he was stoned – for by now the custom was ingrained in the hearts and minds of each of the inhabitants.

With time, the younger villagers began to question the barbaric old custom.

But, since the tradition of the elders was unbending, they decided to abandon the religion. Thus, they could eat as much fruit as they wished, and give the rest to those in need of food.

The only people who remained faithful to the local church, were those who considered themselves saints. But in truth they were unable to see how the world changes, and recognize how one must change with it.

Boiled Frog

Several experiment shows that a frog placed in a container along with water from its pond, it will remain alive while you heat the water.  The frog does not react to the gradual increase of temperature and only dies when the water boils.

On the other hand, if a frog is thrown into that same container when the water is already boiling, it will immediately jump out.  It will be a little singed, but alive!

Sometimes we can be like the boiled frogs.  We do not notice the change of temperature (Changes of environment)

We think everything is good, or that whatever is evil will pass, it’s just a matter of time.

We are about to die, but we are floating, stable and apathetic as the water warms up every minute.

We are dying, fat and happy, without having noticed the changes around us.

Push

"How are you feeling?" asked my friendly neurosurgeon Dr. Alex Gol as I lay in my hospital bed in the rehab hospital at 3:30 P.M. after a torturous day in therapy. I could not yet utter a single word after sustaining a severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) at the age of 19. So I nodded as if to say, "OK." Dr. Gol then calmly replied, "That's nice," and quickly left the room with a smile.

As he was leaving I thought to myself, "Dr. Gol...so nice...so calm...so peaceful." I tried to reposition myself in my bed as the door closed behind him in order to get more comfortable, but something was not "right" in the hospital hallway as I heard a great commotion coming from there. (True, I could not yet speak; however, nothing was wrong with my hearing and there was plenty of screaming coming from the hall.) I wondered, "What was the problem?"

I soon found out the cause of the chaos: it was sweet, serene and calm Dr. Gol who was causing it.

As soon as he left my room he erupted: "WHO'S THE NURSE TAKING CARE OF MIKE? WHAT'S HE DOING IN BED SO EARLY? HE'S A 19 YEAR OLD VICTIM OF TBI, NOT A 95 YEAR OLD STROKE VICTIM! GET HIM OUT OF THAT BED, AND I DON'T WANT HIM BACK IN BED UNTIL HE GOES TO SLEEP!"

The nurses had never seen Dr. Gol act like that. In fact, they had never heard him raise his voice. They quickly got me out of bed and put me in my wheelchair until 9 P.M.

I was miserable. I wanted to get back into my comfortable bed - well, it was not so comfortable but it was much less uncomfortable than my wheelchair or any kind of chair, for that matter.

As I said, after therapy was over at 3 P.M. I wanted to get straight back in bed; however, throughout the following weeks and months the nurses did not want to face "the wrath of Dr. Gol." Therefore, after therapy I remained in my wheelchair in my room until I went to sleep. Being in the wheelchair for so long was agonizing!

I hated Dr. Gol after that eventful day when he asked me that seemingly simple question while I was trying to relax in bed. However, years later I loved him as I realized Dr. Gol was only doing what was in my best interest.

When I returned to college after being out for so long, my professors, after learning what had happened to me and realizing that I could no longer read as quickly as before I was hurt, were more than happy to say, "Mike, it's ok. Just read what you can and we'll test you on that material." However, one professor did not say that. Dr. Sheldon Ekland-Olson, a sociology professor, said, "Mike, I understand you have difficulty reading. I've had many students with many visual problems. For those students, I refer them to "Recording for the Blind." They have access to many textbooks on cassettes. Here's the phone number..."

I "hated" that statement as I wanted to take the "easy way out." (My feelings of "hate" were very similar to those I had for Dr. Gol on that eventful afternoon in the hospital.) However, I have since learned that the "easy way" is quite often the "wrong way."

Sometimes everyone needs a "push." Even I, recently, had to be reminded to push myself as I had gotten "lazy" at the gym. However, a "stranger" reminded me to use my right hand. Even though it was difficult, I thanked him for the reminder.

I have learned that the difficult things in life are often the sweet things in life. One cannot experience "beauty" without experiencing "bitterness." Remember, "push" yourself to "get through the thorns of the rose bush, to experience the beautiful flower of the rose."

Every time I think of some difficult thing in life, I close my eyes, see Dr. Gol, and smile.

Michael Segal

Shot in the head during a robbery, Michael Jordan Segal defied all odds by first surviving and then returning to college. He then earned two degrees with honors, married his high school sweetheart, Sharon, and became a father to their daughter Shawn. Mike is a social worker at Memorial Hermann Hospital in Houston and an author (currently he has two book projects he's working on: an autobiography and an anthology of his short stories). He also is a popular inspirational speaker sharing his recipe for recovery, happiness, and success. Please visit his site at: www.InspirationByMike.com

Story of Encouragement

Many years ago a young lady who was attending a seminar shared an interesting story with me. 

 

 

Apparently she and two or three of her girlfriends went and tried out for a place in a stage play. She got the starring role while her girlfriends were not even picked for the supporting cast. Opening night she said she was really excited but afterwards became very disappointed when her girlfriends never came out and supported her. She was explaining the situation to an elderly friend of her fathers named Hap. He wrote her a letter and she gave me a copy with her permission to share it with others. Read it carefully and think.

Dear Ann,

Once upon a time there was a fellow by the name of Al Capp who wrote a comic strip called "L'll Abner." Many years ago he had some characters in his strip who lived in a town near Dogpatch. They were the town bums, the never do wells, the failures whose whole aim in life was to pass judgement on others. Their criticism and ridicule became so vehement that in time the rest of the people in the town became acutely conscious of it. "The boys down at the stable," as they were called because that's where they spent most of their time, soon set the social standards of the town. Nobody could do anything without their sanction.

Because they lived within the structure of their crummy little world, they would laugh and point their fingers at anyone and everyone who tried to be better than they were. As a result the people feared the ridicule of the boys down at the stable so much that they stopped trying. Soon everybody became bums and the town died.

In every social structure, Ann, whether it be family, town, county or state, there are "The boys down at the stable." They are the jealous ones. They are too scared to try something different. They show their ignorance by laughing at those who do. Learn to recognize them Ann, for what they are. Don't let them hurt you. It takes a certain amount of toughness to succeed. One has to rise above those who would tear you down so that they can laugh and say, "I told you so!"

There are too many of us who love you and want you to make it. I could put myself at the top of the list. You aren't going to fall flat on your face as they would have you. You are going to do a superb job. Remember this show is only a small step in the direction of greater things you will do, many of which are beyond your wildest dreams. All you have to do is want to. One of the things I like about you best is that you always give it hell for try.

The show will be a success because of you and others like you who try. There are only winners in the cast. The losers are gathered down at the stable laughing and hoping for your failure. If we could dig down deep inside them, I'm sure we'd find they want to win also, but are too scared to try, and they attempt to cover up their own failures as human beings by laughing at others. In a sense I'm sorry for them. Their guilt must make them very unhappy people.

Much love,

Hap

Everyone Needs a "Me File"

During a dinner with friends I mentioned an e-mail I'd received from a 13-year-old thanking me for the way my commentaries had influenced his life. I was clearly proud of the note, and Sally Kinnamon said I should save this and other affirming mementos and put them in a "Me File."


At first I thought she was being sarcastic, but she assured me she was quite serious. Sally came upon the idea while training in-home nurses who often work in isolated conditions with little or no affirmative feedback.


She gave each nurse an empty folder labeled "Me" and instructed them to put every form of grateful or complimentary feedback into the file, including cards, notes, letters, and positive performance reviews. She said that this folder should be taken out and read whenever any of them felt unappreciated or questioned the value of their work.


Sally acknowledged that most of the nurses were initially reluctant, fearing it was too self-indulgent, egotistical, or just plain silly, but she explained that it's not a bragging file to show others how good we are. Rather, it's a private collection evidencing the large and small triumphs that give us psychic gratification and reconnect us with the best reasons we do what we do. Eventually, she said, most of the nurses came to use and draw great comfort and encouragement from their "Me Files."


What a terrific idea! You ought to start a "Me File" for yourself and put in it anything that validates what you do at work or home.


The next step, of course, is to be sure you're spending time doing the kinds of things that will fill your "Me File."


Michael Josephson
www.charactercounts.org

A True Test of Leadership

Sometimes the sign of a true leader is the ability to let others lead.
One snowy winter day I decided it would be fun to take our two daughters cross-country skiing. It was a beautiful day filled with sunshine and the glisten of white snowflakes that beckoned us to get out of the house and enjoy the day. We piled in the car with our gear and headed to a wonderful winter playground complete with snow tubing, downhill skiing and cross-country skiing.

The cross-country ski trails had been groomed to make the experience more enjoyable for the novice skier. I was relieved since my girls were new to cross-country skiing and a bit sceptical of how plodding along on two skinny skis could possibly be fun when they were watching the other kids race down the slippery hills seated on a snow tube. I insisted that once they got the knack of cross-country skiing, they would enjoy gliding through the woods looking for critters and listening for their calls. They were sceptical but agreed to the challenge.

With a map in hand, skinny skis on our feet and poles on our wrists we set our skis on the narrow path and headed out on a trail, one skier behind the other. The girls caught on quickly and we were gliding along when we came to a fork in the path. Should we take the well-travelled, popular trail or the path less travelled? Of course, the children picked the path less travelled and we headed toward adventure. 

Soon enough we came to another fork in the road that wasn't indicated on our map. Which way to go? We veered to the left which took us around a large frozen lake. The girls were getting tired. I was getting nervous. The map was no longer of use.

As cold seeped into our bones, worry crept into our hearts. We were lost and the sun was setting. Where was the path that led us back to the warm, cozy lodge? I watched as the girls grew despondent and lingered back on the trail. Words of encouragement fell on cold, deaf ears.
Another fork in the road, which way to go?

My youngest daughter wanted a chance to lead. She had been trailing behind in the third position and was tired of it. I acquiesced.

Within seconds of taking the number one position on the path, I saw her head rise, her shoulders broaden and her gait liven. She was leading us now and she literally and figuratively rose to the challenge, soon she was motivating us with her energy and determination to set this right. When we came to yet another fork in the path, my oldest wanted to lead the pack. Again, I acquiesced and witnessed the same determination appear in body and spirit when she was the leader. Suddenly, she was using all of her senses to look for clues to find the lodge and determined to get us back as quickly as possible. The transformation in spirit was palpable.

Sure enough, we heard a car in the distance and followed the sound to find a curvy road. We soon unbuckled our skis, hoisted them on our shoulders and began to sing Girl Scout songs to lift our spirits. Within 10 minutes of hiking we saw the lodge before us and let out a whelp of excitement. We had done it. We had found the lodge before frost-bite and darkness set in.

As parents we like to think that we have all of the answers. It's our job to lead, to guide, to encourage. On this day, I learned that allowing others to lead is the only true path to leadership. When placed in a leadership role, others will rise to the challenge when given the chance to do so. We only need to get out of the way.

Toni Schutta

Toni Schutta is a Parent Coach and Licensed Psychologist with 17 years experience helping parents find solutions that work. Her most recent project includes a series of audios that solve the top 10 parenting challenges.

Love Story

Remember the Love

These last few days have been for me, a dark night of the soul. Every belief I held, every truth I thought I knew and every answer I had, have all been shattered.


And even though I was surrounded by people, I felt alone, abandoned and afraid.

And yet, through all of it, I also felt higher, as though someone or something were carrying me, lifting me, loving me.

And so this time instead of running from the pain, despair and confusion, I embraced it and what happened surprised me. The pain, despair and confusion became my doorway to freedom. All sorts of insights and inspirations flooded into my consciousness. It was as though I had access to a different time and place and was able to see with new eyes.

I have been searching for the truth all of my life in so many places. I thought there was only one truth and that I came here to find that truth and that if I went to enough seminars and took enough courses and read enough books and did enough affirmations that somehow I would find it.

Enough, enough, enough already! It was never enough. I was never enough. And now I have found myself in this place and I realized that...

No one can tell you what your truth is or how to get there. They can only soften the path a little. But if you are awake and alive, there will come a time when you will have to examine your own heart.

During this time, I thought often of Mother Teresa and what a powerful woman she was, yet without the arrogance that one often finds in powerful people. She was able to command large amounts of money from everywhere and yet she was so humble. She didn't need to be the best at anything, she just needed to BE. Simple and profound. She touched countless lives and changed the world one person at a time.

I have an act of kindness section on one of my websites and for the last 7 years have been putting acts of kindness suggestions on one of my daily pages. This morning as I was thinking of Mother Teresa again, I sat down to my computer and these words flowed from my fingertips and onto the screen.

Whatever you do today, remember ONE thing.

That in the end, all that really matters is the Love!

Did you seek it?


Did you find it?

But most importantly - DID YOU GIVE IT?

Remember the LOVE!

And then I knew that was the truth I was looking for. Remember the LOVE. Often in our quest for bigger and better things, we forget why we came here in the first place. When my father died and I was sitting on his doorstep outside waiting for the limo to arrive to take me to his funeral, this was never more apparent. There stood his beautiful house and car in silence. He would never walk up those stairs and open that door again or sit behind that wheel. But I could feel his presence. He was much bigger than all of those things. His love was there forever. It didn't die with him. The only thing we take with us when we leave this place is the love and it doesn't matter if we die with a slim body and a fat bank account. All that matters is the love.

In remembering this, I came to know my truth. Perhaps we don't come here to learn, perhaps we come here to teach. And the secret to success is in the love. Then I recalled a story I heard about a woman who hated her job and was living a joyless life of struggle.

Her heart was closed in pain, anger and resentment. She was working as a cleaning lady. One day the old woman she worked for put on some music on the stereo. It was music that she and her late husband used to dance to. She was missing her mate terribly and longing for the gentle touch of another soul. The old woman asked the cleaning lady if she would dance with her. The cleaning lady was a bit taken aback at first but agreed to do so. And then something miraculous happened.

In opening her arms to the old woman, she also opened her heart and the tears and the love began to flow. She let the love in and in that precious moment that love lifted her spirit and transformed her life. Right after this incident the cleaning lady's business started to take off, she got so many calls she had to hire a huge staff to accommodate everyone and her company grew by leaps and bounds.The struggle disappeared and everything that she had been trying to make happen came to her effortlessly, once her heart had been opened.

In remembering this story, I knew that I had found my truth. The secret to success and the secret to life is in the love. Once I knew that, I knew everything.

Veronica Hay

Veronica Hay is an inspirational writer. She provides inspirational support and resources to help you live a richer life.