Safekeeping

"Do not look forward to the changes and chances of this life in fear; rather look at them with full hope that, as they arise, God, whose you are, will deliver you out of them.

He is your keeper.

He has kept you hitherto.

Do you but hold fast to His dear hand, and He will lead you safely through all things; and, when you cannot stand, He will bear you in His arms.

Do not look forward to what may happen tomorrow. 

Our Father will either shield you from suffering,  or He will give you strength to bear it."

- St Francis De Sales

If we believe this and take it as truth - or better yet, even if we are skeptical and not all the way there yet but willing to give it a try - how can any one of us have an ounce of fear, worry, anxiety or a lack of Peace about anything in our lives?

It is akin to a "Guarantee". 

If you were "guaranteed" that in the end of all our struggles, troubles, and daily strifes that it would all be ok and everything would work out for the best, would that change what you think of and spend your time thinking about?

Would that make a difference in how you wake up or go to bed, in your peace, your joy, or your attitude? Or how you approach problems and deal with setbacks, live your life, and interact with people?

How great and easier would life be with this type of guarantee??

What would your mind and thoughts consist of when all the worry, uncertainty and fear vanish in an instant?

Well, that guarantee exists today.

It is not in writing in a contract anywhere and we really don't have a "Trip Advisor" review site to check it's legitimacy.

However, it does exist and it is real and all we need do is take that Leap of Faith and BELIEVE it for it to take hold!

Seems worth a shot.

Afterall, what do we have to lose by taking that Leap?

Stay Strong!!

The Switch

Life does not consist mainly,or even largely, of facts or happenings.

It consist mainly of the storm of thoughts that is forever flowing through one's head."

- Mark Twain

If Mr. Twain is indeed correct in his assertion above, what powerful and valuable information this should be to all of us.

If we try to control what life throws our way, or lament and worry about it, we are surely setting ourselves up for failure and disappointment! 

We really have zero control of any of the circumstances, trials, and tribulations that we field from life's twist and turns on a daily basis.

The best we can do is prepare for them, be ready for them, and accept their inevitability - for they will come to all of us!

The true key is our response to them!

Our mind is the central switching station that is in charge of directing these thoughts that pull into the station.

If we have prepared our mind well, these thoughts will be directed properly to the right track and we will deal with them with a positive attitude,  focusing on the solution and always keeping proper perception on the real issue.

However,  if we fall asleep at the switch and these benign thoughts are allowed into the wrong area, the floodgates will open and before long we will be at their mercy, at their control, and we can be overcome with anxiety and negativity.

We must avoid the latter at all costs!

Be vigilant and when you are feeling fearful, anxious, depressed or negative at any point, know that you have fallen asleep at the switch!

These feelings - these negative emotions - are the critical alarm system and need to be rectified once we feel any of these creeping into us!

Constantly beat back the negative thoughts by replacing them with a solution,  with an action plan, with a realization that nothing is ever as bad as it initially seems!

Remember you are never alone in your battles and you WILL come out of any storm safe and stronger for having been blessed with the opportunity to endure it!

Stay Strong!

[Stay Strong] Storms...

And there arose a great storm
> (Mark 4:37).
>
> Some of the storms of life come suddenly: a great sorrow, a bitter disappointment, a crushing defeat. Some come slowly. They appear upon the ragged edges of the horizon no larger than a man's hand, but, trouble that seems so insignificant spreads until it covers the sky and overwhelms us.
>
> Yet it is in the storm that God equips us for service. When God wants an oak He plants it on the moor where the storms will shake it and the rains will beat down upon it, and it is in the midnight battle with elements that the oak wins its rugged fibre and becomes the king of the forest.
>
> When God wants to make a man He puts him into some storm.
>
> The history of manhood is always rough and rugged.

No man is made until he has been out into the surge of the storm and found the sublime fulfillment of the prayer:
>
> "O God, take me, break me, make me."
>
> This too shall pass....

Do not Quit!

Do not Despair!

Do not Lose Faith!

The dawn is near and the seas will grow calm and peaceful. 

Just hold on through this temporary storm!

Stay Strong!

Strength and Choice

"Weak men are the slaves of what happens.

Strong men are masters of what happens.

Weak men are victims of their environment.

Strong men are victors in any environment.

Strong men may not change the circumstances, but they will use them, compel them to serve, and bend them to their purposes.

They may not be able to change the direction of the wind, but somehow they will coerce the wind to fill their sails while they drive the tiller over to keep their course."

-  George Craig Stewart

We all have this choice and amazing opportunity on a minute by minute basis!

We cannot always dictate our circumstances, but as sure as the day is long we all have immense and irrevocable power to make the choice of surrender, passivity, or STRENGTH as our response!

So many of us are in the very midst of a tempest - a tempest of worry,  anxiety,  fear, despair, hopelessness, and a loss of Faith!

At times it seems the waves may overcome our ships and that very moment is when we can exercise the only real power or control we have over anything in our lives - the choice to quit, surrender or to persevere,  forge ahead with faith and sense of purpose and strength of will and soul!!

Make the choice for strength, the choice for Hope and for Faith that everything will work out and be ok!

Because guess what - IT ALWAYS DOES!!

Ask for help - ask for guidance - ask for the renewal of your faith and always know that you are NEVER alone or isolated in your battles, your challenges and trials! 

If you can take this leap of faith and BELIEVE in this - I can assure you that your life will take on new meaning,  new purpose, and new vigor!

It will change in the very second you consciously CHOOSE to accept Strength over weakness.

Choose Strength!   You may think you don't have it in you - but YOU DO - we ALL do and we need only to make up our minds and summon it - RIGHT THIS MINUTE!!!

Stay Strong!!

Banish our worst enemies - Not only today but this very moment!!

The more we really shine the spotlight on the true source of what drains our energy, what holds us back from our full potential, what robs us of our joy, our happiness, and our peace, the sillier and more fired up I get!

As we have discussed at length, we need to keep persistent vigilance and focus on the two largest bandits and inhibitors of our very happiness and fulfillment - Fear and Worry!!

Regardless of our responsibilities, current situation, station in life, daily challenges, goals, or state of mind, Fear and Worry don't ever take a vacation and are continually vying for our attention - and control of our thoughts!

These two ugly cousins persistently creep into our heads at every turn and if we are not aware of their mission and their pervasive attacks - and are not prepared to stand stronf and do battle with them - we can unwittingly let them run and ruin our lives!

Most people know and may have read Dale Carnegie's amazing book "How to Win Friends and Influence People", but Mr. Carnegie also wrote a terrific book called "How to Stop Worrying and Start Living."

To summarize his overall point and his sure-fire formula for eliminating worry in our lives for good:

Step One -

Analyze the situation that is causing your worry - fearlessly and honestly - and figure out what is the WORST that could possibly happen as a result of this failure!

Step Two

After figuring out the worst that could possibly happen, reconcile yourself to accepting it if necessary!  

Chances are that once we reconcile ourselves to accepting the very worst that could happen to us in the worrisome situation,  we will immediately relax and feel a sense of Peace and Control.

Step Three

From the time of acceptance,  calmy devote your time and energy to trying to improve upon the worst which you have already accepted mentally.

Worry, more than anything else, prohibits us from thinking clearly.  It has us jumping all over the place and alllows fear to creep in to our heads!

Once we eliminate that worry and accept the very worst that could happen we can focus calmly and clearly on a solution!

Try this formula with any worry that you may have on your plate today and see what happens yourself!

Stay Strong!

[Stay Strong] Choices! What are yours?

"The really positive people wake up each morning deciding to love the world, even as they are fully conscious of their own and other people's sufferings"
> --- Mark Van Valkenburg
>
>
> "Bill Genovese is one of those, who despite his own troubles, chose a courageous and constructive life.
>
> As a teen. He coped with the devastating and senseless murder of his older sister. In 1964, 28 year old Kitty Genovese was sexually assaulted and repeatedly stabbed by a man in her Queens, NY neighborhood. While she was being brutally attacked neighbors, who heard the screams but either did not understand the gravity of the situation or did not want to get involved, did nothing.
>
> Bill Genovese struggled with his anger. Two years later he joined the Army and went to Vietnam. There both his legs were destroyed by an explosion and had to be amputated.
>
> He was 19 years old.
>
> Bill had a choice to make at that point and he could have understandably given into his anger and resentment and despair. Who would have faulted him given all he had experienced in his 19 short years on this earth?
>
> Bill determined "not to sit on the sidelines of life".
>
> He chose to love and live and forgive!
>
> "He is grateful for the Blessings God gave him like meeting and marrying his wife Dale, a nurse, having three children, a home, a job, his Faith and eventually grandchildren."
>
> He chose to love.
>
> How different from Bill's are your circumstances today? Your challenges? Your struggles? Your first thoughts as you awake to take on the day?
>
> We have a choice - and not just daily- hour to hour - minute to minute - to change our minds and CHOOSE happiness - CHOOSE joy - CHOOSE peace, CHOOSE to love and live and help and forgive!
>
> No formal applications are needed - just accept it in your heart and minds and it will set you (us) on a path to joy and peace!
>
> Stay Strong - and take time today to really reflect and remember all of your blessings as they often become buried in our perceived daily struggles!!
>
> "I thank my stars every day of my life that I learned it is not money that makes you happy, but rather what kind of life you live. Real richness comes not from dollars, but with "sense".
> - Eartha Kitt
>
> (Story partially adapted from the Christopher News Letter)

Promise Yourself today.....

10. To be too large for worry, too noble for anger,  too strong for fear, and too happy to permit trouble.

9. To give so much time to the improvement of yourself that you have no time to criticize others.

8. To wear a cheerful countenance at all times and GIVE EVERY LIVING CREATURE YOU MEET A SMILE.

7. To FORGET THE MISTAKES of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future.

6. To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as you are about your own.

5. To think only the BEST, to work only for the BEST, and to expect only the BEST.

4. To look at the sunny side of everything and make your optimism come true.

3. To make all your friends feel that there is something in them.

2. To talk Health, Happiness,  and Prosperity to every person you meet.

1. To be so STRONG that nothing can disturb your peace of mind.

  - Optimist International

Stay Strong!!