MAY YOU ALWAYS FEEL LOVED

MAY YOU ALWAYS FEEL LOVED

May you find serenity and tranquility in a world you may not always
understand.

May the pain you have known and the conflict you have experienced give
you the strength to walk through life facing each new situation with
optimism and courage.

Always know that there are those whose love and understanding will
always be there, even when you feel most alone.

May you discover enough goodness in others to believe in a world of
peace.

May a kind word, a reassuring touch, a warm smile be yours every day of
your life, and may you give these gifts as well as receive them.

Remember the sunshine when the storm seems unending.

Teach love to those who know hate, and let that love embrace you as you
go into the world.

May the teaching of those you admire become part of you, so that you may
call upon them.

Remember, those whose lives you have touched and who have touched yours
are always a part of you, even if the encounters were less than you
would have wished.

May you not become too concerned with material matters, but instead
place immeasurable value on the goodness in your heart.

Find time in each day to see the beauty and love in the world around
you.

Realize that each person has limitless abilities, but each of us is
different in our own way.

What you may feel you lack in one regard may be more than compensated
for in another.

What you feel you lack in the present may become one of your strengths
in the future.

May you see your future as one filled with promise and possibility.

Learn to view everything as a worthwhile experience.

May you find enough inner strength to determine your own worth by
yourself, and not be dependent on an other’s judgments of your
accomplishments.

May you always feel loved.

– Author Unknown

IF TOMORROW STARTS WITHOUT ME

IF TOMORROW STARTS WITHOUT ME

If tomorrow starts without me,
And I’m not there to see,
If the sun should rise and find your eyes
All filled with tears for me;

I wish so much you wouldn’t cry
The way you did today,
While thinking of the many things,
We didn’t get to say.

I know how much you love me,
As much as I love you,
And each time that you think of me,
I know you’ll miss me too;

But when tomorrow starts without me,
Please try to understand,
That an angel came and called my name,
And took me by the hand,

And said my place was ready,
In heaven far above,
And that I’d have to leave behind
All those I dearly love.

But as I turned to walk away,
A tear fell from my eye,
For all my life, I’d always thought,
I didn’t want to die.

I had so much to live for,
So much left yet to do,
It seemed almost impossible,
That I was leaving you.

I thought of all the yesterdays,
The good ones and the bad,
I thought of all that we shared,
And all the fun we had.

If I could relive yesterday,
Just even for a while,
I’d say good-bye and kiss you
And maybe see you smile.

But then I fully realized,
That this could never be,
For emptiness and memories,
Would take the place of me.

And when I thought of worldly things,
I might miss some tomorrow,
I thought of you, and when I did,
My heart was filled with sorrow.

But when I walked through heaven’s gates,
I felt so much at home.
When God looked down and smiled at me,
From His great golden throne,

He said, “This is eternity,
And all I’ve promised you.”
Today your life on earth is past,
But here life starts anew.

I promise no tomorrow,
But today will always last,
And since each day is the same way,
There’s no longing for the past.

So when tomorrow starts without me,
Don’t think we’re far apart,
For every time you think of me,
I’m right here, in your heart “

– Author Unknown

THE THREE THINGS IN LIFE

THE THREE THINGS IN LIFE

Three things in life that, once gone, never come back -
1. Time
2. Words
3. Opportunity

Three things in life that may never be lost -
1. Peace
2. Hope
3. Honesty

Three things in life that are most valuable -
1. Love
2. Self-confidence
3. Friends

Three things in life that are never certain -
1. Dreams
2. Success
3. Fortune

Three things in life that are most appreciated -
1. Generosity
2. Humor
3. Forgiveness

Three things that make a person -
1. Hard work
2. Sincerity
3. Commitment

Three things in life that can destroy a person -
1. Alcohol / Drugs
2. Pride
3. Anger

Three things that are truly constant -
Father – Son – Holy Ghost

– Author Unknown

SUCCESS

SUCCESS

An American businessman was at the pier of a small coastal Mexican
village when a small boat with just one fisherman docked. Inside the
small boat were several large yellow fin tuna. The American
complimented the Mexican on the quality of his fish and asked how long
it took to catch them. The mexican replied only a little while. The
American then asked why didn’t he stay out longer and catch more fish?

The Mexican said he had enough to support his family’s immediate needs.
The American then asked, but what do you do with the rest of your time?
The Mexican fisherman said, “I sleep late, fish a little, play with my
children, take siesta with my wife, Maria, stroll into the village each
evening where I sip wine and play guitar with my amigos, I have a full
and busy life, senor.

The American scoffed, “I am a Harvard MBA and could help you. You
should spend more time fishing and with the proceeds buy a bigger boat,
with the proceeds from the bigger boat you could buy several boats,
eventually you would have a fleet of fishing boats. Instead of selling
your catch to a middleman you would sell directly to the processor,
eventually opening your own cannery. You would control the product,
processing and distribution. You would need to leave this small coastal
fishing village and move to Mexico City, then LA and eventually NYC
where you will run your expanding enterprise.”

The Mexican fisherman asked, “But senor, how long will this all take?”
To which the American replied, “15-20 years.”

“But what then, senor?”

The American laughed and said that’s the best part. “When the time is
right you would announce an IPO and sell your company stock to the
public ad become very rich, you would make millions.”

“Millions, senor? Then what?”

The American said, “Then you would retire. Move to a small coastal
fishing village where you would sleep late, fish a little, play with
your kids, take siesta with your wife, stroll to the village in the
evenings where you could sip wine and play your guitar with your
amigos.”

– Author Unknown

REMEMBER

REMEMBER

* Remember that your presence is a present to the world.
* Remember that you are a unique and unrepeatable creation.
* Remember that your life can be what you want it to be.
* Remember to take the days just one at a time.
* Remember to count your blessings, not your troubles.
* Remember that you’ll make it through whatever comes along.
* Remember that most of the answers you need are within you.
* Remember those dreams waiting to be realized.
* Remember that decisions are too important to leave to chance.
* Remember to always reach for the best that is within you.
* Remember that nothing wastes more energy than worry
* Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful
stroke of luck.
* Remember that the longer you carry a grudge, the heavier it gets.
* Remember not to take things too seriously.
* Remember to laugh.
* Remember that a little love goes a long way.
* Remember that a lot goes forever.
* Remember that happiness is more often found in giving than getting.
* Remember that life’s treasures are people, not things.

May God bless your day with peace, joy and love.

– Author Unknown

THE CARPENTER

THE CARPENTER

An elderly carpenter was ready to retire. He told his
employer-contractor of his plans to leave the house-building business
and live a more leisurely life with his wife enjoying his extended
family. He would miss the paycheck, but he needed to retire. They could
get by. The contractor was sorry to see his good worker go and asked if
he could build just one more house as a personal favor. The carpenter
said yes, but in time it was easy to see that his heart was not in his
work. He resorted to shoddy workmanship and used inferior materials. It
was an unfortunate way to end his career.

When the carpenter finished his work and the builder came to inspect the
house, the contractor handed the front-door key to the carpenter. “This
is your house,” he said, “my gift to you.”

What a shock! What a shame! If he had only known he was building his own
house, he would have done it all so differently. Now he had to live in
the home he had built none too well.

So it is with us. We build our lives in a distracted way, reacting
rather than acting, willing to put up less than the best. At important
points we do not give the job our best effort.

Then with a shock we look at the situation we have created and find that
we are now living in the house we have built. If we had realized, we
would have done it differently.

Think of yourself as the carpenter. Think about your house. Each day you
hammer a nail, place a board, or erect a wall. Build wisely. It is the
only life you will ever build. Even if you live it for only one day
more, that day deserves to be lived graciously and with dignity.

Your life today is the result of your attitudes and choices in the past.
Your life tomorrow will be the result of your attitudes and the choices
you make today.

For More Information Contact: The Real Building Manual written and
inspired by The Master Carpenter of Life!

– Author Unknown

THE LESSON OF THE COFFEE BEAN

THE LESSON OF THE COFFEE BEAN

A daughter complained to her father about how hard things were for her.
“As soon as I solve one problem,” she said, “another one comes up. I’m
tired of struggling.”

Her father, a chef, took her to the kitchen where he filled three pots
with water and placed each on a high fire. Soon the pots came to a boil.
In one he placed carrots, in the second, eggs, and in the last, ground
coffee beans. He let them sit and boil, without saying a word.

The daughter impatiently waited, wondering what he was doing. After a
while, he went over and turned off the burners. He fished out the
carrots and placed them in a bowl. He pulled the eggs out and placed
them a bowl. He poured the coffee into a bowl. Turning to her he asked,
“Darling, what do you see?”

“Carrots, eggs, and coffee,” she replied.

He brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and
noted that they were soft. He then asked her to take an egg and break
it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard-boiled egg.
Finally, he asked her to sip the coffee. She smiled, as she tasted its
rich flavor.

She asked, “What does it mean, Father?” He explained that each of them
had faced the same adversity — boiling water — but each reacted
differently. The carrot went in strong, hard, and unrelenting, but after
being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak.

The egg was fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid
interior, but after sitting through the boiling water, its inside
hardened.

The ground coffee beans were unique, however. By being in the boiling
water, they changed the water.

He asked his daughter, “When adversity knocks on your door, which are
you?”

– Author Unknown

KEYS FOR LIVING

KEYS FOR LIVING

1. The best way to get even is to forget…

2. Feed your faith and your doubts will starve to death…

3. God wants spiritual fruit, not religious nuts…

4. Some folks wear their halos much too tightly…

5. Some marriages are made in heaven, but they ALL have to be maintained
on earth…

6. Unless you can create the WHOLE universe in 5 days, then perhaps
giving “advice” to God isn’t such a good idea!

7. Sorrow looks back, worry looks around, and faith looks up…

8. Standing in the middle of the road is dangerous. You will get knocked
down by the traffic from both ways.

9. Words are windows to the heart.

10. A skeptic is a person who, when he sees the handwriting on the wall,
claims it’s a forgery.

11. It isn’t difficult to make a mountain out of a molehill just add a
little dirt.

12. A successful marriage isn’t finding the right person-it’s being the
right person.

13. The mighty oak tree was once a little nut that held its ground.

14. Too many people offer God prayers, with claw marks all over them.

15. The tongue must be heavy indeed, because so few people can hold it.

16. To forgive is to set the prisoner free, and then discover the
prisoner was you.

17. You have to wonder about humans, they think God is dead and Elvis is
alive!

18. It’s all right to sit on your pity pot every now and again. Just be
sure to flush when you are done.

19. You’ll notice that a turtle only makes progress when it sticks out
its neck…

20. If the grass is greener on the other side of the fence, you can bet
the water bill is higher.

And last but not least — God gave the angels Wings, and He gave humans
CHOCOLATE.

“The shortest distance between a problem and a solution is the distance
between your knees and the floor.

The one who kneels to the Lord can stand up to anything.”

You are richer today if you have laughed, given or forgiven.

– Author Unknown

PARABLE OF THE PENCIL

PARABLE OF THE PENCIL

The Pencil Maker took the pencil aside, just before putting him into the
box. There are 5 things you need to know, he told the pencil, before I
send you out into the world. Always remember them and never forget, and
you will become the best pencil you can be.

One: You will be able to do many great things, but only if you allow
yourself to be held in Someone’s hand.

Two: You will experience a painful sharpening from time to time, but
you’ll need it to become a better pencil.

Three: You will be able to correct mistakes you will make.

Four: The most important part of you will always be what’s inside.

And Five: On every surface you are used on, you must leave your mark. No
matter what the condition, you must continue to write.

The pencil understood and promised to remember, and went into the box
with purpose in its heart.

Now replacing the place of the pencil with you; always remember them and
never forget, and you will become the best person you can be.

One: You will be able to do many great things, but only if you allow
yourself to be held in God’s hand. And allow other human beings to
access you for the many gifts you possess.

Two: You will experience a painful sharpening from time to time, by
going through various problems, but you’ll need it to become a stronger
person.

Three: You will be able to correct mistakes you might make or grow
through them.

Four: The most important part of you will always be what’s on the
inside.

And Five: On every surface you walk, you must leave your mark. No matter
what the situation, you must continue to serve God in everything.

By understanding and remembering, let us proceed with our life on this
earth having a meaningful purpose in our heart and a relationship with
God daily.

– Author Unknown

GOOD ADVICE TO LIVE BY

GOOD ADVICE TO LIVE BY

If you want your dreams to come true, don’t oversleep.

The smallest good deed is better than the grandest intention.

Of all the things you wear, your expression is the most important.

The best vitamin for making friends….B1.

The 10 commandments are not multiple choice.

The happiness of your life depends on the quality of your thoughts.

Minds are like parachutes…they function only when open.

Ideas won’t work unless YOU do.

One thing you can’t recycle is wasted time.

One who lacks the courage to start has already finished.

The heaviest thing to carry is a grudge.

Don’t learn safety rules by accident.

We lie the loudest when we lie to ourselves.

Jumping to conclusions can be bad exercise.

A turtle makes progress when it sticks it’s head out.

One thing you can give and still keep…is your word.

A friend walks in when everyone else walks out.

AND FINALLY…

The pursuit of happiness is the chase of a lifetime!!!

– Author Unknown