Happy Memorial Day and Thank You to all Veterans!!!

It is the

VETERAN,

not the preacher,

who has given us freedom of religion.



It is

the VETERAN,

not the reporter,

who has given us freedom of the press.



It is

the VETERAN,

not the poet,

who has given us freedom of speech.



It is

the VETERAN,

not the campus organizer,

who has given us freedom to assemble.



It is

the VETERAN,

not the lawyer,

who has given us the right to a fair trial.



It is

the VETERAN,

not the politician,

Who has given us the right to vote.

It is the

VETERAN who

salutes the Flag,


It is

the

VETERAN

who serves

under the Flag,



ETERNAL REST GRANT THEM O LORD,
AND LET PERPETUAL LIGHT SHINE UPON THEM.

We all have Two Choices!!

A True Story


Jerry was the kind of guy you love to hate. He was always in a good mood and always had something positive to say.

When someone would ask him how he was doing, he would reply, "If I were any better, I would
be twins!"


He was a unique manager because he had several waiters who had followed him around from restaurant to
restaurant. The reason the waiters followed Jerry was because of his attitude.


He was a natural motivator.

If an employee was having a bad day, Jerry was there telling the employee
how to look on the positive side of the situation.

Seeing this style really made me curious, so one day I went up to Jerry and asked him, "I don't get it!

You can't be a positive person all of the time. How do you do it?"

Jerry replied, "Each morning I wake up and say to myself, Jerry, you
have two choices today. You can choose to be in a good mood or you can
choose to be in a bad mood.' I choose to be in a good mood.

Each time something bad happens, I can choose to be a victim or I can choose to
learn from it. I choose to learn from it. Every time someone comes to
me complaining, I can choose to accept their complaining or I can point
out the positive side of life. I choose the positive side of life."


"Yeah, right, it's not that easy," I protested.

"Yes it is," Jerry said. "Life is all about choices. When you cut away
all the junk, every situation is a choice. You choose how you react to
situations. You choose how people will affect your mood. You choose to
be in a good mood or bad mood.

The bottom line: It's your choice how you live life."

I reflected on what Jerry said. Soon thereafter, I left the restaurant
industry to start my own business.

We lost touch, but often thought about him when I made a choice about
life instead of reacting to it.

Several years later, I heard that Jerry did something you are never
supposed to do in a restaurant business: he left the back door open one
morning and was held up at gunpoint by three armed robbers.

While trying to open the safe, his hand, shaking from nervousness, slipped off
the combination. The robbers panicked and shot him. Luckily, Jerry was
found relatively quickly and rushed to the local trauma center.

After 18 hours of surgery and weeks of intensive care, Jerry was released from
the hospital with fragments of the bullets still in his body.

I saw Jerry about six months after the accident. When I asked him how
he was, he replied, "If I were any better, I'd be twins. Wanna see my
scars?"

I declined to see his wounds, but did ask him what had gone
through his mind as the robbery took place. "The first thing that went
through my mind was that I should have locked the back door," Jerry replied.

"Then, as I lay on the floor, I remembered that I had two choices: I
could choose to live, or I could choose to die.

I chose to live.

"Weren't you scared? Did you lose consciousness?" I asked.

Jerry continued, "The paramedics were great. They kept telling me I was
going to be fine. But when they wheeled me into the emergency room and
I saw the expressions on the faces of the doctors and nurses, I got
really scared. In their eyes,

I read, 'He's a dead man. " I knew I needed to take action."

"What did you do?" I asked.

"Well, there was a big, burly nurse shouting questions at me," said Jerry.

"She asked if I was allergic to anything. 'Yes,' I replied.

The doctors and nurses stopped working as they waited for my reply.

I took a deep breath and yelled, 'Bullets!'

Over their laughter, I told them,

'I am choosing to live. Operate on me as if I am alive, not dead."

Jerry lived thanks to the skill of his doctors, but also because of his
amazing attitude.

I learned from him that every day we have the choice
to live fully.

Attitude, after all, is everything.

You have 2 choices now:

1. Delete this,

or

2. Forward it to people you care about.


I Hope you will choose No. 2 !!!

Stay Strong

What do you Value Most?

By E. R. Haas, CEO...


"A man/woman should conceive of a legitimate purpose in his heart, and set out to accomplish it.

He should make this purpose the centralizing point of his thoughts. It may take the form of a spiritual ideal, or it may be a worldly object, according to his nature at the time being; but whichever it is, he should steadily focus his thought forces upon the object which he has set before him. He should make this purpose his supreme duty, and should devote himself to its attainment, not allowing his thoughts to wander away into ephemeral fancies, longings, and imaginings.

This is the royal road to self-control and true concentration of thought. Even if he fails again and again to accomplish his purpose (as he necessarily must until weakness is overcome), the strength of character gained will be the measure of his true success, and this will form a new starting point for future power and triumph." ~ James Allen

Study Today's Quote carefully. It offers profound insight.

What's YOUR Purpose?

Allen says, and I quote, "A man/woman should conceive of a legitimate purpose in his heart, and set out to accomplish it. He should make this purpose the centralizing point of his thoughts."

This is an undeniable truth.

Fast forward from Allen's life back in the 1800's to now. This week, we are going to raise the bar a bit, and take on four of the most important questions of your life.

Today, please take an hour or so to find some quite time.

Think, meditate, pray. Ask your HEART to tell your HEAD to just shut up!

Listen to your inner-voice.

Listen hard.

Reflect on this single question:

What Do I VALUE Most?

_________________________________________

What's MOST Important to me?

This may well be the most important hour you will spend—ever.

With a clear head, and what's important to you vividly in mind, ask yourself these four questions. These questions not only define your LIFE, but how you will LIVE.

Four Life-empowering Questions:

WHO am I?

_______________________________

WHY am I here?

____________________________

WHAT will I DO with the ONLY life I have to LIVE?

________________________________________

HOW in the world can I make this HAPPEN?

________________________________________


Time Horizon: Now to Eternity

The Bottom Line...

Living your purpose, on purpose, is not just a catch-phrase.

It is a mandate.

It's why Kent, I and the entire Team TQ are here...

To help you live your life with passion and purpose... to help you better use your God-given TALENTS... to help you turn your talents into powerful SKILLS... and to use those skills to achieve your greatest GOALS and aspirations.

-- E.R. Haas, CEO 

http://www.thinktq.com/



P.S. If you want to achieve greater success, you might want to read what I have to say. It may help you with issues you are now facing. Continue this week's commentary.

"A man is not old until his regrets take the place of his dreams."
-- Proverb

Quite a sobering and very accurate proverb indeed.
As we age and raise a family, many of our childhood and young adult dreams slowly distance themselves from our realities.

Financial, work, and family pressures take hold and responsibilities can often replace your dreams, goals, and aspirations.

This can happen in the blink of an eye. And that can make you feel pretty old.

However, it does not have to be so! 

In fact, one of life's greatest challenges and rewards is to be able to balance your lifestyle to include both the responsibilities as well as holding onto your dreams and goals.

Now some of our dreams may indeed be beyond our rational achievements. I do not foresee myself becoming an astronaut in my spare time for example.

But that does not mean you do not have achievable dreams to accomplish and the ability to make those dreams reality.

There are 24 hours in a day and how we choose to spend them is totally in our control.

If you want to to run a marathon it is very easy to say, "I just do not have the time to train with my job, the kids' activities etc.
 
No one will challenge that excuse because it is a tried and true solid one.

However, it is exactly that - an excuse.

If you want it badly enough you will find the time to make it a reality!

Nothing can stop you if you set your mind to it, stop making excuses, and do not waver from the goal!

But you have to want it -  you have to sacrifice a little bit of your daily routine to go and get it.

You have the power to do ANYTHING you choose.

Refuse to listen to others who, for their own reasons, want to talk you out of whatever it is you are doing to improve yourself.

You decide today what you want your life to be and then set the goals needed to get there! 

And then go out and do it!

It is never too late for that!

There should never be any REGRETS because as long as you are still breathing, you CAN achieve your dreams.

Regret suggests you missed the boat in opportunity. However, the game ain't over t it's over.

Never Quit...never surrender.... and never take your eye off of the prize.
Stay Strong and Stay "Young"!!!

If you don't believe in Miracles borne of Courage -Read This...

Courage fuels teen’s miracle in beating cancer odds

By Jessica Heslam
Thursday, April 29, 2010
http://www.bostonherald.com

Photo by Ted Fitzgerald

A 14-year-old girl - turned away from four hospitals in a desperate bid for lifesaving cancer treatment - found a miracle waiting in a Brigham and Women’s operating room, where doctors removed a deadly tumor and used groundbreaking technology to grow a new trachea from her own cells.



But Brianna Ranzino’s newfound hope stems not from modern medicine, the Boston medical team says, but from something that came from the heart of the heroic teen.



“Her courage fueled the whole thing,” said Dr. David Sugarbaker, chief of thoracic surgery at the Brigham.



Recovering in her hospital room, where doctors say her odds of living a full, normal life are strong, the New Jersey teenager said yesterday that she can’t wait to go back to riding horses, playing with her dogs, having sleepovers and eating spicy foods.



“I just wanted to live to be an adult and stuff, and have kids,” Brianna told the Herald in an exclusive interview as she rested alongside her teddy bear and stuffed monkey.



Just three years ago, doctors discovered a malignant growth on Brianna’s trachea, or airway. But two failed surgeries to remove the cancerous tumor left her malnourished and with a gaping hole between her esophagus and her trachea.



“She wasn’t able to eat or drink without getting it into her lungs,” said her mother, Lisa Ranzino.



Two hospitals in Philadelphia, one in Maryland and one in Boston all deemed the growth inoperable.



Enter Dr. Sugarbaker, chief of thoracic surgery at the Brigham. “Everybody said, ‘Sorry, nothing we can do.’ We really saw the Brigham as her last stop,” Sugarbaker said.



Brigham researcher Dr. Charles Vacanti decided to replace Brianna’s damaged trachea with a new one - engineered from her own tissue and nourished inside her abdomen.



Doctors took cartilage cells from one of Brianna’s ribs, grew them in an incubator, seeded them into polymer fibers and then shaped the polymer fibers around a tube shaped like the windpipe - which was then incubated inside her abdomen for eight weeks.



During the 14 hour surgery to remove the tumor March 18, the surgeons discovered that the tissue-engineered trachea wasn’t formed enough. Luckily the tumor was only the size of a quarter, smaller than the surgeons expected, and they were able to remove it as well as a large portion of her esophagus and trachea. They replaced her esophagus by pulling her stomach up under her breast bone and connecting it into her left neck.



Brianna spent 3 weeks in intensive care and is now recovering in a hospital room adorned with photos. A few days ago, she even ate some Fritos.



“This child never gave up hope,” Lisa Ranzino said. “She just kept telling me, ‘It’s going to be OK mom, stop worrying.’ She really had enough confidence to know that somebody out there was going to do this for her.”



“Here was a little girl that had been told over and over and over again, ‘You’re going to die. There’s nothing anybody can do,”’ Dr. Sugarbaker said. “This little girl came in with more courage than I’ve witnessed in my 20 years of practice.”



Added Dr. Raphael Bueno, associate chief of thoracic surgery: “She can eat. She can breathe. Those are two things she couldn’t do before effectively. She can live, hopefully, her full natural life.”



Article URL: http://www.bostonherald.com/news/regional/view.bg?articleid=1250978

How to Pray

Prayer is essential to spiritual growth — it is how we build and nurture a deep, meaningful relationship with God.

So how, then, can we know our Father more fully, and pray more effectively?


How to Pray

Jesus gave us simple instructions on prayer:

“Ask and it will be given to you;

seek and you will find;

knock and the door will be opened to you.

For everyone who asks receives;

he who seeks finds;

and to him who knocks, the door will be opened”

(Matthew 7:7-8).

There is no such thing as “unanswered prayer,” if only we will ask, seek, and knock.


Set aside a specific time each day to meet with God in prayer. God is always open to you and wants to hear your prayer even more than you want to pray it.

So pray, and keep praying with urgency.

Let nothing stop you.

Meet with Him today.

Visit http://www.godissues.org/ for more information on how to Pray Effectively...

Guiding Force~~~ Edward J. Flaherty 1923 -1998

My Dad, the late Sgt.Edward J. Flaherty, would have turned 87 this coming week.  There is not a day that goes by where I do not miss him and think of him, and speak to him.

I especially wish he could have been around to see my children grow up as I know they would have loved him as much as I did.

My Dad was a Great man and my very best friend.  He was ALWAYS there for me and having married and being in the midst of raising a family since he has passed, my respect and admiration for what he and my mom pulled off has only grown exponentially!  I do not know how they did it on their salaries, their income and all the financial pressures they faced at that time!

I thank God every day that he was my father and would give most anything to be able to take him out to dinner, on trips, or have him and my Mom stay with our family - and just impart on him the gratitude and love that I was probably not very good at expressing when I had that chance.

I know he knew I loved him but there were so many juvenile decisions that I regret making that probably hurt him -- despite my intentions to the contrary.  But such are life's lessons and why we must learn from them.

I KNOW I will see him again and that he already knows, guides, protects, and sees my children, and that one day we will ALL be together again.

That is the very core and basis of my Faith in the after-life and in Heaven.

For those of you who are fortunate enough to still have those close to you actually with you on this earth - take advantage of that reality and let them know how you feel about them! 

Share time with them.

Celebrate their presence - because it is so very fleeting!!

Happy Birthday, Dad!   I love you and miss you!

Stay Strong up there!! 

Preparation for Battle!! What are you doing to be READY?

We see it in all the time in classic Warrior-type movies!

The beleaguered warrior preparing for battle!!  Mentally, physically he/she takes the necessary steps to prepare themselves for a life or death fight!!!

Whether we like to admit it or not -- LIFE, too, IS A CONSTANT BATTLE!!

And the victor is usually the warrior who prepares themselves to take on the constant battle on a daily basis.

Unlike the fierce warriors we see above, we do not usually don masks and carry weapons to our battles, but we too have to take precautions PRIOR to entering the battlefield of our daily existence if we hold any chance of emerging victorious on any given day!

What do you do on a daily basis to prepare yourself for the onslaught of negativity, fear, anxiety, and worry that seems to lie in waiting the second we awaken from our slumber???

What "armor" do you put on before you roll out of bed and take on all comers  -all of those issues that seek to harm you, weaken you, and conquer your very spirit?

If you are not currently doing some routine, I can honestly tell you that you are risking your life every single day - in the figurative sense generally!

We MUST prepare and plan for the day ahead the second we are aware of consciousness!

Do not let those feet hit the floor without taking some very simple steps to insure your strength and safety -- and in order to be sure you can handle and overcome all obstacles that are sure to present themselves before you!!

How do I prepare??  It is pretty simple actually and there is no right or wrong way to prepare!

I begin my battle by first giving thanks to God for all he has given me and my family. I thank Him for the safekeeping and health of my family and friends - as well as the gift of love and kindness that we all experience every day.

I then begin praying to the Holy Spirit for guidance and strength to take on my day. I literally ask Him to "decide for me" in any situation and pray that I will hear His voice over the din of the minutiae and challenges I am sure to face that day.

I ask Jesus to fill my soul with the Holy Spirit's love, strength and power and ask that I be provided all I need to stay on the right path - the path already chosen for me (and you). I pray that I will recognize signs and hear/see what He wants me to see.

I then pray for friends and family in need of strength, healing, love and support and I ask Jesus to provide all of them with strength and faith to get through their own personal struggles and battles.

I pray to my Dad and my little sister, Tracy, and my niece Fallon as well.

This does not take long - but it DOES put me on the right track as my feet hit the floor and I am on toward my day!

It does not matter WHAT you do to prepare for battle -- All that matters is that you DO SOMETHING to prepare for battle every single day.

I try to start my preparation right before I go to sleep as well --praying that the Holy Spirit use the time and my dreams for His purpose and to give me a peaceful and rejuvenating rest.

Whether night or day, I place my life, my decisions, my actions in the hands of the Holy Spirit!  I surrender that fact that He knows better for me than I do and I have Faith he will lead me down the right path!

Take the time today to plan out your battles tomorrow morning - recite a favorite passage, pray to whomever you pray, visualize the day you WANT to have based on your plans, etc.

Do whatever works for you -- but DO IT every day and you will be amazed at how differently your day will pass!

Stay Strong and take on the Day!

An oldie but goodie.... Enjoy!!

"I will persist until I succeed!


In the Orient, young bulls are tested for the fight arena in a certain manner. Each is brought to the ring and allowed to attack a picador who pricks them with a lance.


The "Bravery" of each bull is then rated with care according to the number of times he demonstrates his willingness to charge in spite of the sting of the blade.


Henceforth will I recognize that each day I am tested BY LIFE in a like manner.

If I persist, if I continue to try, If I continue to charge forward, I will succeed!!!


I will persist until I succeed!!


I was not delivered unto this world in defeat, nor does failure course in my veins. I am not a sheep waiting to be prodded by my shepherd!


I am a LION and I refuse to walk, talk, to sleep with the sheep.

I will hear not those who weep and complain for their disease is contagious.


Let them join the sheep!


The slaughterhouse of failure is not MY destiny!!


I will persist until I succeed!!

The prizes of life are at the END of each journey, not near the beginning!

And it is not given to me to know how many steps are necessary in order to reach my Goal!


Failure I may encounter at the 1000th step, yet success hides behind the next bend in the road. Never will I know how close it lies until I turn the corner.

ALWAYS will I take another step. If that step is to no avail, I will take another, and yet another.

In truth, one step at a time is not too difficult!


I will be liken to the rain drop which washes away the mountain; the ant who devours a tiger; the star which brightens the earth; the slave who builds a pyramid. I will build my castle one brick at a time for I know that small attempts, repeated, will complete any undertaking.


I will persist until I succeed!


I will try and try and try again! Each obstacle I will consider a mere detour to my goal and a challenge to my profession.

I will persist and develop my skills as the mariner develops his, by learning to ride out the wrath of each storm.


Henceforth, I will learn and apply another secret of those who excel. When each day is ended, not regarding whether it has been a success or failure, I will attempt to achieve one more sale.

When my thoughts beckon my tired body homeward I will resist the temptation to depart.

I will try again.

Never will I allow any day to end in failure! Thus I will plant the seed of tomorrow"s success and gain an insurmountable advantage over those who cease their efforts at a prescribed time.

When others cease their struggle, then mine will begin and my harvest will be full.


Nor WILL I ALLOW YESTERDAY'S SUCCESS TO LULL ME INTO TODAY'S COMPLACENCY for this is the great foundation of failure.

I will forget the happenings of the day that is gone, whether they were good or bad, and GREET THE NEW SUN WITH CONFIDENCE THAT THIS WILL BE THE GREATEST DAY OF MY LIFE!!


So long as there is a breath in me, that long will I persist.

For now I know one of the GREATEST principles of Success:

If I persist long enough I will WIN.


I will persist.


I will Win!!"

...Og Mandino - "The Greatest Salesman in the World" - 1968

You who want peace can find it only by COMPLETE forgiveness

It was just a bad dream......

I am not sure if there is a word or phrase to describe this event or situation but there ought to be.

Do you know that feeling of utter relief, joy and peace the exact moment you awake from a nightmare?

 That wave of "oh thank God it was only a nightmare/dream?"

It is a wonderful feeling indeed.

Except the only problem is that in order to reach that tremendous feeling of relief and happiness we must first endure the nightmare and the accompanying feelings of pain,fear and terror at times

Isn't that a lot like life?

Think about it.  We go through a lot of pain and suffering in this life. Some people experience the equivalent of nightmares daily and endure it continually.  Others have these struggles and terror in pockets.

Well, I am convinced that just as we awake from nightmares and realize it was not real, so too must we realize that our daily worries and fears are also just illusions and are not real.

Sure, they do occur and happen to us daily, but we have to recognize that they are not fatal, they can only impact  us if we let them run roughshod over our thoughts and feelings.

We control exactly what we want to focus on in our minds. We have that power.

So like a bouncer at a nightclub, check the thoughts credentials before you allow them into your daily life!

If they are fearful, anxious, negative thoughts that seek entry, refuse them passage!

Take control of your mind and consciously decide what you want to do, be, feel, act - then do not waver from that which you choose.

VISUALIZE every morning, evening, and in between exactly what it is you want from your life, the person you want to be - empowered, strong, confident, compassionate, peaceful, etc - and it will come to you.

PRAY for knowledge, peace, guidance, and direction. Ask the Holy Spirit to decide for you! Say it aloud to Him "decide for me".  There is no better guide or sherpa on this journey through life and enlightenment. Use Him every minute!

SHRUG off setbacks, fears, worries by recognizing them for the illusions they are and not allowing them residence in your thoughts  and mind. Fight them off, and take action where needed to address any problems.

We will all be ok - none of what we fear or waste a lifetime worrying about truly matters.

Love and kindness is all that we need seek daily and all that matters in the end.

Realize this and you will be able to handle life's curveballs much easier!

Now wake up from that dream and get on with your life with eyes wide open and the peace and strength that comes from knowing who has your back in this life and beyond!

Stay Strong!

Get a Move on!!

Another great message from Joel Osteen... ""Your Best Life Now.".....

"In the Bible, we read about a man in Jerusalem who had been crippled for thirty-eight years. He spent every single day of his life lying on a mat by the pool of Bethesda, hoping for a miracle.  This man had a deep-seated, lingering disorder.

I think many people today have lingering disorders. Their maladies may not be only physical; they may be emotional, but they are deep-seated, lingering disorders nonetheless.

They could stem from being unwilling to forgive, holding onto past resentments, blaming the past for their behavior, or other emotional wounds.

Just like the man lying by the pool, some people sit back year after year, waiting for a miracle to happen, waiting for some big event to come along and make everything better.

One day Jesus saw the man lying there in need. It was obvious that he was crippled, but Jesus asked the man what seemed a strange question:

"Do you want to be made well?"

I believe God is asking a similar question of us today. "Do you want to be well or do you want to continue lying around feeling sorry for yourself?"

Jesus asked the man a straightforward question but the man's response was interesting.  He began listing all of his excuses. "I'm all alone. I don't have anyone to help me. Other people have let me down. Other people always seem to get ahead of me. I don't have a chance in life."

Is it any wonder that he remained in that condition for 38 years?

I love the way Jesus answered him. He didn't even respond to his sad story. He didn't say, "Yes friend. I agree with you. You have had a tough time. Let me commiserate with you."

No, Jesus instead looked at him and said, in effect:

"If you are serious about getting well, if you are serious about getting your life in order, if you really want to get out of this mess, here is what you must do: 

"Get up off the ground, take up your bed, and be on your way."

When the man did what Jesus told him to do, he was miraculously healed.

That is a message for all of us today!!

If you are serious about being well, if you really want to be made physically and emotionally whole, you must GET UP AND GET MOVING WITH YOUR LIFE! 

No more lying around feeling sorry for yourself.

You must stop going back to "file number 2" all the time.

Stop making excuses. Stop blaming other people or circumstances that disappointed you.

Instead, START FORGIVING THE PEOPLE THAT HURT YOU.

Today can be a major turning point in your life, a time of new beginnings.  Don't waste another minute trying to figure out why evil things have happened to you or your loved ones.

Refuse to live with a Victim mentality any longer.

You might be saying, " I just don't understand why this is happening to me. I don't understand why I got sick. Why did my loved one die? Why was I raised in such an abusive environment?"

You may never know this answer while here on earth. But do not use that as an excuse to wallow in self-pity.

Leave it alone, get up, move on with your life.

Many of the "why" questions will remain a conundrum, but trust in God, and accept the fact that there will be some unanswered questions for now.

Keep in mind that just because you don't know the answer doesn't mean that one does not exist.  You simply have not discovered it yet.

In the meantime you must muster enough FAITH to say:

 "God, I do not understand it, but I trust you and I am not going to spend all my time trying to figure out why certain things have happened. I am going to trust You to make something good of it.  You are a good God and I know you have my best interests at heart.  You promised that all things will work together for my good."

That is Faith and that is the attitude that God honors.

You and I must learn that even if people may have mistreated you, or someone may have walked out on you, or maybe you prayed fervently, yet God did not appear to answer your prayer the way you had anticipated, that is over and done.

You cannot change the past. There is nothing you can do about it now.

But you must make a decision.

Are you going to sit around a pool for 38 years, or are you going to get up and and get moving with your life?

God is asking you -

 "Do you really want to get well?"

Stay Strong!!!

Do Not Go Back There!!!

 Regarding painful experiences in our lives. There is this to ponder:

"Think of it like this: every person has two main files in his or memory system.

The first is filled with al the good things that have happened to ous. It is full of our victories and accomplishments, all of the things that have brought us joy and happiness through the years.

The second file is just the opposite. It is filled with the pains and hurts of the past, all of the negative things that have happened to us. It is full of our defeats and failures, things that brought us sadness and sorrow.

Throughout life, we can choose which file we will access. Some people repeatedly return to file number two and constantly relive the painful things that have happened to them.  They are always thinking about the times somebody did them wrong, the times they were hurt or suffered awful pain.

They practically wear out file number two.

They are so preoccupied with the negative experiences in their past that they never get around to file number one.

They hardly think of the good things that have happened to them.

If you want to be free, if you want to overcome self-pity, throw away the key to file number two.

Do not go back there anymore. 

Keep your mind focused on the good things God has done in your life!

When the pains of the past beckon your attention, don't go back there!

Instead remind yourself,  No thanks! I am going to focus on things that are of good report, things that are going to build me up, not tear me down, things that encourage me and fill me with peace and happiness, not things that attempt to steal my hope and drain my spirit."

---- Your Best Life Now
        by Joel Osteen


Stay Strong and Keep on Believing!!

Gods in Chrysalis

Looking for reminders and a renewed focus on Strength, on Purpose, on the Right Attitude needed to succeed in anything you endeavor to take on?   Well - you are in luck today! 

Print out this wonderful piece of inspiration and do what I do - Read it - recite it - speak it audibly every morning and whenever confronted with challenges!  It is amazing the Power this has to put us on the proper path and to remain focused and strong!!!

Gods in Chrysalis


"Whenever you go out of the doors, draw the chin in, carry the crown of the head high and fill the lungs to the utmost; drink in the sunshine; greet your friends with a smile and put soul into every handclasp.


Do not fear being misunderstood and do not waste a minute thinking about your enemies.


Try to fix firmly in your mind that you would like to do and then without veering off direction, you will move straight to the goal.


Keep your mind on the great and splendid things you would like to do and then as the days go gliding by, you will find yourself unconsciously seizing upon the opportunity that are required for the fulfillement of your desire, just as the coral insect takes from the running tide the element it needs.


Picture in your mind the able, earnest, useful person you desire to be, and the thought you hold is hourly transforming you into that particular individual.

Thought is supreme.

Preserve a right mental attitude - the attitude of courage, frankness and good cheer.


To think rightly is to create.


All things come through desire and every sincere prayer is answered.


We become like that on which our hearts are fixed.


Carry your chin in and the crown of your head high.


We are gods in Chrysalis."


- Elbert Hubbard.

Rainy Day? I only see Sunshine ahead!!!

It is an old cliche and it is pervasive in our society - even celebrated in songs with lyrics such as "Rainy days and Mondays always get me down."

The Rainy Day Blues!

It is nasty and wet in downtown Manhattan today and a perfect excuse to be grumpy, tired, and depressed indeed.  No one will question it -- no one will deny you that right to be down on a day such as this!

What better reason to pull a George Constanza and go the opposite!!!????

Think about it -- what better way to become joyous, happy and uplifted than going the opposite of the crowd of lemmings following the depression chamber expectations?

And the best part?

YOU control it!  You, who feel hopeless, helpless, directionless, and powerless can CONTROL this aspect of your life!!

And the side effect is even more rewarding -- you will lift others! 

As a result of your conscious and STRONG decision to Master your own Emotions, You will lead others (not all at first but some) out of the doldrums and enlighten them to the point where they are feeling better about the day!!

This is an amazing gift every single person on earth possesses and can exercise at will -- -and so few do it!

Be the ONE who does today! 

You know why?   Because THEY NEED IT from you!  Your family, friends, spouse, children, co-workers, even complete strangers WILL be positively impacted by YOU!!! 

That is a pretty amazing Gift - directly from God!

Take advantage of this rainy day and spread the Joy!!  It starts with one smile and one decision to go against the grain!!!

Stay Strong!!!

Repeat Post -- But Worth the Repeat in my mind.. Hope you do too..

A Life Lesson to be Learned - and Learned NOW!


Other people may be there to help us, teach us, guide us along our path, but the lesson to be learned is always ours.”


My father passed away almost 12 years ago after a brave and courageous struggle with Cancer.



During that challenging time, and during his battle to stay here with us, he taught us who watched and assisted him in his fight a very, very valuable lesson!



Besides showing us a lesson in courage, tenacity, and a "Never Quit" attitude, it was a seemingly normal comment that set me thinking!



My father was a Great man - a great Dad and an even better friend and confidant!



There is not a day that passes where I do not wish he was still here with us to see our kids, and do the "Grandfather" things I know he and the kids would love to be doing together!



However, during his illness he was blown away by the outpouring of love, respect, kindness and the amazing show of caring that person after person brought to him as he weakened and drew closer to his next "Journey".



I remember asking him "Dad, why are you so surprised by all of this? You have many friends that obviously love and care for you".



His response was what stunned me and brings me to my point and lesson today.



He lifted his head and said to me "Son, I had no idea that all of these people cared about me so much".



75 years on this earth - involved and immersed in relationships the entire time - and he had zero idea that so many people cared for him and loved him!!!



That was an "eye-opener" for me indeed!



How could that occur?



The lesson I learned from my Dad and his illness is three-fold and I hope I can impart it on you while you all are healthy, have the whole future ahead of you, and can still enjoy your life!



It is as follows:



1. Life is Short! I know what you just uttered - "Duh- No kidding - it is on every book and cliche-ridden pillowcase in America!" -- But it is IMPORTANT to grasp it and not pass it off!



Life is Short and if you do NOT take advantage of the TIME we have at our disposal - the "Blessing of Time" we have and take for granted every single day -- unless we believe and appreciate this fact we are all destined to end up in the same spot -- Wishing for more time when we realize it is finally limited! and that is not a fun spot!



2. People Do Not Say what they Feel --- We can go our whole lives in a relationship of any kind and NEVER really let the person we care about KNOW that we care about them - or how great we think they are - or how much we appreciate them in our lives - or how great we think they are!! This is a Crime and something we can Change TODAY!



Pick someone in your life and pen them a short note - all it has to say is "Thank you" for being in my life - thanks for the love and friendship - and that you BELIEVE in that person!



Why Not? Trust me -- that person NEEDS to hear it - YOU need to let them know! It is a Win -Win! I Guarantee that you will feel like a Million Bucks (or Euros) afterward!!



There is nothing sadder or more idiotic than losing the chance to tell the people in your life that your LIFE is a BETTER place for them being in it with you!!



3. UNDERSTAND that people love and care for you even if they DO NOT SAY it! Do not end up on your death bed astonished at the fact that you had a Major impact on people's lives like my Dad did -- only when it is too late to enjoy it!



Refer to point #2 above -- Do Not Wait for the people in our lives to tell us how they feel - most will not -- but UNDERSTAND that you are loved and cared for even when you do not feel it!



Enjoy your Day! Go pick up the pen, write to that person (the more the better) and shoot off that letter today!! Trust me - there is nothing better than to give that to someone - unexpectedly - and it will stay with them their entire life!



When you have done it - place a "comment" on this site and I would love to hear your feedback on how it made you feel!



It sure beats a bunch of flowers or a cheesecake!



Miss you Dad - and Thanks -as always - for the Lesson!!



Stay Strong!!

"Life is Pain, Princess. Anyone who tells you differently is selling you something."

"Life is Pain, Highness. Anyone who tells you differently is selling you something."

--- Dred Pirate Roberts (aka Wesley) in The Princess Bride.

Ain't that the Truth??

Quite a sobering concept indeed and it holds much truth when you step back and review the implications of such a statement being true.

All of us experience pain, despair, hopelessness, fear, anxiety, sadness, melancholy at some points in our lives.

Some have a boat load of it and when you hear their stories all you can think is "Holy cow - how does that person go on with their lives?"  "How do they get up in the morning?" "How do they seem so happy and Strong?"

Others have pieces of it and it only hits them once in a while, and it is not pervasive.  It is equally painful however and when it does hit, it challenges every fiber of their being.

Kind of scary when you think about it - no?

Do you want the good news??

Once we understand and know that life will throw these obstacles, hurdles, and roadblocks at us we are able to expect it and prepare our defenses!

Once we know that we will experience pain and despair and challenges at some point on this earth, and accept that it is inevitable, we are able to combat it and discard the issues more effectively!

Life is designed -apparently -- for us to GROW and DEVELOP and to struggle through difficult issues in order to reach the main purpose of this life on earth -- to experience JOY, Bring others LOVE and to support one another as Brothers and Sisters!

U2, the prolific and enduring rock band, has a song called "One" and it is an amazing piece of work. It envelops the message that I believe embodies the VERY REASON and Function we exist on this planet as we do today:

One love



One blood


One life


You got to do what you should


One life


With each other


Sisters and my


Brothers


One life


But we're not the same


We get to


Carry each other


Carry each other

Accept that we will hit bumps in the road but ALWAYS know that nothing is final and you can ALWAYS work through it!

Seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit in times of need, despair, uncertainty, pain and anxiety!  He will lead you where you need to go!  He will decide for you if you allow Him to do so and ASK Him to lead you!

He knows who you are and the path you need to follow -- and will not let you down!  But you NEED to turn it all over to Him and have the Faith and Trust that He will take care of you!

When faced with fear or stress - embrace it as a challenge that you WILL overcome, that was placed there to make you STRONGER - to make you GROW and better understand life.

We cannot possibly know what our true function is here with perfect certainty -- but I truly believe it is solely to LOVE, SUPPORT, and ASSIST each other as life gets bumpy and rough!!

That is my game plan - the Holy Spirit is my quarterback this game and when he tells me to run a button hook, or a flag pattern, or to simply block for others, that I will do for Him who knows the Plan!

Do not let fear overwhelm you - do not let anxiety cascade all over your thoughts to the point of immobilization!!!

Take on all challenges, struggles, and problems with STRENGTH and the complete and total BELIEF that God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit will guide you through anything.

You may not see HOW this is supposed to play out -- or why this pain you are currently experiencing is necessary - but you MUST accept it and FIGHT through it.

You are Needed!

You are Loved!

You are one of our Brothers and Sisters!

You WILL GET THROUGH this a stronger and better person!

So strap on the pads, the helmet and get the play from the Quarterback -- and know that this game does not last forever!!!  Nor does pain, or fear or sadness if we allow the Holy Spirit to take over!!!

Stay Strong!!

Five minutes in the green can boost self esteem

Five minutes in the green can boost self esteem


Sat, May 1 2010

LONDON (Reuters) - Just five minutes of exercise a day in the great outdoors can improve mental health, according to a study released on Saturday, and policymakers should encourage more people to spend time in parks and gardens.



Researchers from the University of Essex found that as little as five minutes of a "green activity" such as walking, gardening, cycling or farming can boost mood and self esteem.



"We believe that there would be a large potential benefit to individuals, society and to the costs of the health service if all groups of people were to self-medicate more with green exercise," Barton said in a statement about the study, which was published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology.



Many studies have shown that outdoor exercise can reduce the risk of mental illness and improve a sense of well-being, but Jules Pretty and Jo Barton, who led this study, said that until now no one knew how much time needed to be spent on green exercise for the benefits to show.



Barton and Pretty looked at data from 1,252 people of different ages, genders and mental health status taken from 10 existing studies in Britain.



They analyzed activities such as walking, gardening, cycling, fishing, boating, horse-riding and farming.



They found that the greatest health changes occurred in the young and the mentally ill, although people of all ages and social groups benefited. The largest positive effect on self-esteem came from a five-minute dose of "green exercise."



All natural environments were beneficial, including parks in towns or cities, they said, but green areas with water appeared to have a more positive effect.



(Reporting by Kate Kelland, editing by Paul Casciato)

Fortune Cookie Advice of the Day!!