Spiritual Thoughts

T he New Year is a painting not yet painted, a path not yet stepped on; a wing not yet taken off! Things haven't happened as yet! Before the clock strikes twelve, remember you are blessed with the ability to reshape your life! ~ Mehmet Murat ildan B e renewed in the spirit of your minds, and put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true right-ness and holiness. ~ Ephesians 4:23-24

I hope that in this year to come, you make mistakes. Because if you are making mistakes, then you are making new things, trying new things, learning, living, pushing yourself, changing yourself, changing your world. ~ Neil Gaiman D o not conform yourselves to the standards of this world, BUT let God transform you inwardly by a complete change of your mind. Then you will be able to know the will of God - what is good and pleasing to Him and is perfect. ~ Romans 12:2 (GNB)

Friday Tale: Strength vs. Courage I t takes strength to be firm It takes courage to be gentle.        It takes strength to stand guard.        It takes courage to let down your guard.             It takes strength to conquer.              It takes courage to surrender.                    It takes strength to be certain.                    It takes courage to have doubt.                          It takes strength to fit in.      ...

T he best preparation for tomorrow... is doing your best today. ~ H. Jackson Brown, Jr. W alk in wisdom.... making best use of the time. ~ Colossians 4:5

C hristmas is forever, not for just one day, for loving, sharing, giving, are not to be put away like bells and lights and tinsel, in some box on the shelf. The good you do for others is good you do yourself. ~ Norman Wesley Brooks C omplete my joy by being of the same mind, sharing the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. ~ Colossians 3:14

M y idea of C hristmas, whether old fashioned or modern, is very simple: loving others ... all year round. ~ Bob Hope A nd above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. ~ Colossians 3:14

C hristmas is the spirit of giving without the thought of getting. It is happiness because we joy in people. It is forgetting self and finding time for others.  It is discarding the meaningless and stressing the true values - all year round. ~ Thomas S. Monson O ne gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give and only suffers want. Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered. ~ Proverbs 11:24-25

Friday Tale - Giving When It Counts... M any years ago, when I worked as a volunteer at a hospital, I got to know a little girl named Liz who was suffering from a rare and serious disease. Her only chance of recovery appeared to be a blood transfusion from her 5-year old brother, who had miraculously survived the same disease and had developed the antibodies needed to combat the illness. The doctor explained the situation to her little brother, and asked the little boy if he would be willing to give his blood to his sister.             I saw him hesitate for only a moment before taking a deep breath and saying, "Yes I'll do it if it will save her." As the transfusion progressed, he lay in bed next to his sister and smiled, as we all did, seeing the color returning to her cheek. Then his face grew pale and his smile faded.             He looked up at the doctor ...

W hen you give yourself, you receive more than you give. ~ Antonie de Saint Exupery A nd whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, he will by no means lose his reward. ~ Matthew 10:42

T o give and then not feel that one has given is the very best of all ways of giving. ~ Max Beerbohm E ach one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. ~ 2 Corinthians 9:7

T he fragrance always remains in the hand that gives the rose. ~ Heda Bejar T he point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, BUT whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. ~ 2 Corinthians 9:6

This is the miracle that happens  every time to those who really love:  the more they give, the more they possess.  ~ Rainer Maria Rilke For as the rain and the snow come down  from heaven and do not return there BUT water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout,  giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,  so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;  it shall not return to me empty, BUT it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and  shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.  ~  Isaiah 55:10-11

Friday Tale - I will... I hope is very positive, and yet I will is even more so.  I might gets you facing in the right direction, while I will takes you all the way there. I'd like to helps you set your goals, and I will makes them happen. I should is good at nagging, yet I will is the master of achievement.     The words you use influence the thoughts you think and the actions you take. And the words I will are two of the best you'll find when it comes to expressing, sealing and maintaining your commitment.   Though words alone will not make it happen, the most positive, confident words will indeed make a difference in what does happen. A constant attitude of I will will always outperform an attitude of I wish .      I will is clear and unambiguous. It puts the power of solid intention to work for you. At any given moment, you're filled with energy that can make things happ...

T rust the timing of everything. Just because it's not happening RIGHT NOW doesn't mean it never will. ~ Unknown F or still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end - it will not lie. If it seem slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay. ~ Habakkuk 2:3

L ive in such a way that you would not be ashamed to sell your parrot to the town gossip. ~ Will Rogers It is my eager expectation and hope  that I will not be at all ashamed, BUT that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or death. ~ Philippians 1:20

T here is no Wi-Fi in the forest BUT I promise you will find a better connection. ~ Unknown I call upon You, for You will answer me, God.  Listen closely to me and hear my prayer. God has done all this so that we will look for Him and reach out and find Him. He isn't far from any of us. ~ Psalm 17:6 and Acts 17:27

A cknowledging the good that you already have in your life is the foundation for all abundance. ~ Eckhart Tolle Those who seek the LORD will never lack any good thing. ~ Psalm 34:10

Friday Tale: Thankful 1.          The birds chirping early morning 2.           Waking up and seeing your spouse sleeping peacefully next to you 3.           Seeing the early morning sky 4.           The sunset over the horizon 5.           The first cup of tea 6.           The steaming hot coffee 7.           The delight on your parents’ face when you visit them 8.           Sharing jokes with your grandkids 9.           The family prayer time 10.     ...

I f you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change. ~ Dr. Wayne Dyer T each me Your way, O LORD, that I may walk in Your truth, unite my heart to revere Your name. ~ Psalm 86:11

T he truth of the matter is that you always know the right thing to do. The hard part is doing it. ~ Norman Schwarkzoph B ehold, You delight in truth in the inward being, and You teach me wisdom in the secret heart. ~ Psalm 51:6

U se the talents you've developed to create goodwill, to ease the burdens of those who are not as fortunate and to seek the truth humbly. ~ Laura Burroughs L ead me in Your truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; for You I wait all the day long. ~ Psalm 25:5