MOTIVATIONAL SITE (STORIES/QUOTES.): 2007

Thursday, December 27, 2007

BRIAN TRACY.

"The greatest gift that you can give to others is the gift of unconditional love and acceptance."
Brian Tracy

TAKE CHANCE.

"The guy who takes a chance, who walks the line between the known and unknown, who is unafraid of failure, will succeed."
- Gordon Parks .

To Die . . .

"To die is nothing; but it is terrible not to live."

Victor Hugo

Being Strong

The harder the knocks you go through in life,
the more you learn and put them to use in the future!

Do not be discouraged by setbacks and failures...! They make you strong.

Monday, December 24, 2007

Pursue

~~~~~~~

Some pursue happiness,

others create it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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 any mistakes you might 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 in life, but you'll need it to become a stronger person.
Three: You will be able to correct any mistakes you might make.
Four: The most important part of you will always be what's on the inside.
And Five: On every surface you walk through, you must leave your mark. No matter what the situation, you must continue to do your duties.Allow this parable on the pencil to encourage you to know that you are a special person and only you can fulfill the purpose to which you were born to accomplish.Never allow yourself to get discouraged and think that your life is insignificant and cannot make a change.

PURE SILVER

As she watched the silversmith, he held a piece of silver over the fire and let it heat up. He explained that in refining silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle of the fire where the flames were hottest as to burn away all the impurities.

The woman thought about God holding us in such a hot spot; then she thought again about the verse that says: "He sits as a refiner and purifier of silver." She asked the silversmith if it was true that he had to sit there in front of the fire the whole time the silver was being refined.

The man answered that yes, he not only had to sit there holding the silver, but he had to keep his eyes on the silver the entire time it was in the fire. If the silver was left a moment too long in the flames, it would be destroyed

The woman was silent for a moment Then she asked the silversmith, "How do you know when the silver is fully refined?"

He smiled at her and answered, "Oh, that's easy -- when I see my image in it."

If today you are feeling the heat of the fire, remember that God has his eye on you and will keep watching you until He sees His image in you.

We all need to know that God is watching over us.

Whatever we are going through, we'll be a better person in the end.

Be encouraged my friend.

In this Moment .

There is no guarantee of what will happen tomorrow. That's what makes now so vitally important.

For now you can live and act and think and speak and work and love and learn and play. Now is here and you have it to use, so put into now the fullness of life.

What is your most treasured dream? Now is when you can bring it to life.

What means more to you than anything else? Now is your moment to fill with that meaning.

Let all the goodness you've ever known touch you in this moment. And use the positive power of your creativity to build even more new value.

Now is what you have, now is where you are, and now is everything you need. Now is when you can make life great.

~~unknown

INSPIRING QUOTES.

"Your perception goes a long way in determining what your life is like. Is the glass half empty or is the glass half full."
-Russ Stiffler

"Keep your dreams alive. Understand to achieve anything requires faith and belief in yourself, vision, hard work, determination, and dedication. Remember all things are possible for those who believe."
-Gail Devers

"We must remember that one determined person can make a significant difference, and that a small group of determined people can change the course of history."
-Sonia Johnson

"The surest way not to fail is to determine to succeed."
-Richard B. Sheridan

"The difference between the impossible and the possible lies in a person's determination."
-Tommy Lasorda

"There is no chance, no destiny, no fate, that can hinder or control the firm resolve of a determined soul."
-Ella Wheeler Wilcox

Sunday, December 23, 2007

THE TWO FISHERMEN.

Two men went fishing. One was an experienced fisherman, the other wasn't. Every time the experienced fisherman caught a big fish, he put it in his ice chest to keep it fresh. Whenever the inexperienced fisherman caught a big fish, he threw it back. The experienced fisherman watched this go on all day and finally got tired of seeing the man waste good fish. "Why do you keep throwing back all the big fish you catch?" he asked.

The inexperienced fisherman replied, "I only have a small frying pan."

Sometimes, like that fisherman, we throwback the big plans, big dreams, big jobs, big opportunities that God gives us. Our faith is too small.

We laugh at that fisherman who didn't figure out that all he needed was a bigger frying pan, yet how ready are we to increase the size of our faith?

Whether it's a problem or a possibility, God will never give you anything bigger than you can handle. That means we can confidently walk into anything God brings our way.

REMEMBER:Stop telling God you've got big problems.
Tell your problems you've got a BIG GOD!

QUOTE II

Life isn't about how to survive the storm,

but how to Dance in the rain.

~~unknown

QUOTE.

The unfortunate thing about this world,

Is that good habits are so much easier to give up than bad ones.

~~Somerset Maugham

THE TWO BIRDS.

There was once a lonely girl who longed desperately for love. One day while she was walking in the woods she found two starving song birds. She took them home and put them in a small glided cage. She nurtured them with love and the birds grew strong. Every morning they greeted her with a marvellous song. The girl felt great love for the birds. She wanted their singing to last forever.

One day the girl left the door to the cage open. The larger and stronger of the two birds flew from the cage. The girl watched anxiously as he circled high above her. She was so frightened that he would fly away and she would never see him again that as he flew close, she grasped at him wildly. She caught him in her fist. She clutched him tightly within her hand. Her heart gladened at her sucess in capturing him. Suddenly she felt the bird go limp. She opened her hand stared in horror at the dead bird. Her desperate clutching love had killed him.

She noticed the other bird teteering on the edge of the cage. She could feel his great need for freedom. His need to soar into the clear, blue sky. She lifted him from the cage and tossed him softly into the air. The bird circled once, twice, three times.

The girl watched delighted at the bird's enjoyment. Her heart was no longer concerned with her loss. She wanted the bird to be happy. Suddenly the bird flew closer and landed softly on her shoulder. It sang the sweetest melody, she had ever heard.

The fastest way to lose love is to hold on too tight, the best way to keep love is to give it -- WINGS!

Take a closer look at Yourself.

Many people put themselves down, by pointing out

Their inability's, inadequacies and weaknesses.

They underestimate their capabilities, competence

And potential.

Does this ring true with you? Take a closer look at

Yourself and tune into what you say and do. Vow to

Never underestimate yourself or limit what

You can achieve. You have huge amounts of

Talent and skill, screaming to be seen

And heard.

Instead of thinking in terms of what you "can't " do. Think

In terms of what you "can" do. This will let

Your talents shine!

Remember, you have the ability. You're perfectly

Adequate. You possess limitless potential, because

You're you.

~~unknown

THE POWER OF WORDS.

There once was a wise sage who wandered the countryside. One day, as he passed near a village, he was approached by a woman who told him of a sick child nearby. She beseeched him to help this child.

So the sage came to the village, and a crowd gathered around him, for such a man was a rare sight. One woman brought the sick child to him, and he said a prayer over her.

"Do you really think your prayer will help her, when medicine has failed?" yelled a man from the crowd.

"You know nothing of such things! You are a stupid fool!" said the sage to the man.

The man became very angry with these words and his face grew hot and red. He was about to say something, or perhaps strike out, when the sage walked over to him and said: "If one word has such power as to make you so angry and hot, may not another have the power to heal?"

And thus, the sage healed two people that day.

DONT QUIT.

When things go wrong as they sometimes will

When the road you're trudging seems all uphill,

When the funds are low and the debts are high

You want to smile but just sigh

When care is pressing you down a bit

Rest if you must but don't quit

Life is queer with its twists and turns

As everyone of us sometimes learns

And many a fellow turns about

When he might have won had he stuck it out

Don't give up though, the pace seems slow

You may succeed with another blow

Often the goal is nearer than

It seems to a faint and faltering man

Often the struggler has given up

When he might have captured the victor's cup

And he learned too late when the night came down

How close he was to the golden crown

Success is failure turned inside out

The silver tint of the clouds of doubt

And you never can tell how close you are

It may be near when it seems so far

So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit

It's when things seem worst that you mustn't quit.

HOPE.

Replace your worry with hope.

And fulfill your hope with action.

Send positive thoughts to your most troubling situation.

Soon you'll find yourself starting to act on those thoughts.

Instead of worrying about the worst that could happen,

Allow yourself to hope for the best that can happen.

In your mind, make the most positive outcome real.

Hope for the best, with passion, conviction and faith.

For when you do, you'll begin to see real,

Workable ways to get there.

There is no situation so desperate that it cannot be turned around.

Always, there is a place and a purpose for hope.

Hope for the best, and let that hope push you forward.

With hope in your heart, you're well on your way.

~~unknown

Sail, Don't Drift.

I find the greatest thing in this world not so much where we stand,
as in what direction we are moving.

To reach the port... we must sail sometimes with the wind,
and sometimes against it.

But we sail, and not drift, nor live at anchor.

Flaws Within Us.

Each of us has our own unique flaws.
It's these flaws we have, that makes life so very interesting and rewarding.
It binds our lives together.

Instead of looking for flaws;
we have to accept people for what they are and look for the good in them.

THE TWO BROTHERS.

Two brothers worked together on the family farm. One was married and had a large family. The other was single. At the day's end, the brothers shared everything equally, produce and profit.

Then one day the single brother said to himself, "It's not right that we should share equally the produce and
the profit. I'm alone and my needs are simple." So each night he took a sack of grain from his bin and crept
across the field between their houses, dumping it into his brother's bin.

Meanwhile, the married brother said to himself, "Its not right that we should share the produce and the profit
equally.

After all, I'm married and I have my wife and my children to look after me in years to come. My brother
has no one, and no one to take care of his future." So each night, he took a sack of grain and dumped it into
his single brother's bin.

Both men were puzzled for years because their supply of grain never dwindled. Then one dark night the two brothers bumped into each other. Slowly it dawned on them what was happening.

They dropped their sacks and embraced one another.

SUCCESS.

Success is what happens when you set out to make the world a better place, and when you keep going long enough to bring it about. Failure is what happens when you're convinced that the whole world is against you, and you persist in making that belief into a reality.

Success is what happens when you look for ways to create new value, and then enthusiastically follow those possibilities. Failure is what happens when you think the world owes you something and you expect to live off the value created by others.

Success is what happens when you open your mind to new ideas while keeping yourself grounded by proven virtues. Failure is what happens when you think you know it all and when you consider civilized behavior a waste of time.

Success is what happens when you find a way to take positive, effective action, no matter what obstacles may stand in your way. Failure is what happens when you become better at making excuses than at getting results.

Success is the consequence of certain specific thoughts, attitudes and efforts, and failure results from other thoughts, attitudes and efforts. Every moment is leading you to some very real, very specific results. And every moment, with the thoughts, attitudes and actions you choose, you can determine just what those results will be -- success or failure.

Friday, December 21, 2007

QUOTE :: LOVE

"Love is not only something you feel. It is something you do."

David Wilkerson

Life Is Short!

A lecturer, when explaining stress management to an audience, raised a glass of water and asked, "How heavy is this glass of water?"

Answers from 20g to 500g. The lecturer replied, "The absolute weight doesn't matter. It depends on how long you try to hold it."

"If I hold it for a minute, that's not a problem. If I hold it for an hour, I'll have an ache in my right arm. If I hold it for a day, you'll have to call an ambulance. "In each case, it's the same weight, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes."

He continued, "And that's the way it is with stress management. If we carry our burdens all the time, sooner or later, as the burden becomes increasingly heavy, we won't be able to carry on."

"As with the glass of water, you have to put it down for a while and rest before holding it again. When we're refreshed, we can carry on with the burden."

"So, before you return home tonight, put the burden of work down. Don't carry it home. You can pick it up tomorrow. Whatever burdens you're carrying now, let them down for a moment if you can. Relax; pick them up later, after you've rested. Life is short. Enjoy it!"

~~unknown

Friday, December 14, 2007

LIFE IS ....

Life is as fleeting as a rainbow, a flash of lighting, a star at dawn. Knowing this, how can you quarrel?

PURPOSE.

"The only true happiness comes from squandering ourselves for a PURPOSE."

William Cowper

Answer One Question,

In life, answer to only one question matters!
Have you chosen a course that leads to a destination which matters most to you?

THE CACTUS STORY.

A cactus stood all alone in the desert, wondering why it was stuck in the middle of nowhere. "I do nothing but stand here all day," it sighed. "What use am I? I'm the ugliest plant in the desert. My spines are thick and prickly, my leaves are rubbery and tough, my skin is thick and bumpy. I can't offer shade or juicy fruit to any passing traveler. I don't see that I'm any use at all." All it did was stand in the sun day after day, growing taller and fatter. Its spines grew longer and its leaves tougher, and it swelled here and there until it was lumpy and lopsided all over. It truly was strange- looking. "I wish I could do something useful," it sighed.

By day hawks circled high overhead. "What can I do with my life?" the cactus called. Whether they heard or not, the hawks sailed away. At night the moon floated into the sky and cast its pale glow on the desert floor. "What good can I do with my life?" the cactus called. The moon only stared coldly as it mounted its course.
A lizard crawled by, leaving a little trail in the sand with its tail. "What worthy deed can I do?" the cactus called. "You?" the lizard laughed, pausing a moment. "Worthy deed? Why, you can't do anything! The hawks circle way overhead, tracing delicate patterns for us all to admire. The moon hangs high like a lantern at night, so we can see our ways home to our loved ones. Even I, the lowly lizard, have something to do. I decorate the sands with these beautiful brushstrokes as I pull my tail along. Buy you? You do nothing but get uglier every day."
And so it went on, year after year. At last the cactus grew old, and it knew its time was short. "Oh, Lord," it cried out, "I've wondered so long, and I've tried so hard. Forgive me if I've failed to find something worthy to do. I fear that now it's too late." But just then the cactus felt a strange stirring and unfolding, and it knew a surge of joy that erased all despair. At its very tip, like a sudden crown, a glorious flower suddenly opened in bloom.

Never had the desert known such a blossom. Its fragrance perfumed the air far and wide and brought happiness to all passing by. The butterflies paused to admire its beauty, and that night even the moon smiled when it rose to find such a treasure.
The cactus heard a voice. You have waited long," the Lord said. "The heart that seeks to do good reflects My glory, and will always bring something worthwhile to the world, something in which all can rejoice - even if for only a moment."

TWO FROGS.

Once a big fat frog and a lively little frog were hopping along togetherwhen they had the misfortune of jumping into a pail of fresh milk. They swam for hours and hours hoping to get out somehow; but the sides of the pail were steep and slippery and death seemed to be certain.

When the big frog was exhausted he lost courage. There seemed no hope ofrescue. "Why keep struggling against the inevitable? I cannot swim anylonger." He moaned.
"Keep on! Keep on!" urged the little frog, who was stillcircling the pail. So they went on for a while. But the big frog decided itwas no use.
"Little brother, We may as well give up" he gasped. "I am going to quit struggling."Now only the little frog was left.
He thought to himself. "Well, to give upis to be dead, so I will keep swimming."

Two more hours passed and the tinylegs of the determined little frog were almost paralysed with exhaustion. It seemed as if he could not keep moving for another minute. But he thought ofhis dead friend, and repeated,
"To give up is to be meat for someone'stable, so I'll keep paddling on until I die – if death is to come – but I will not cease trying – while there is life, there is hope."

Intoxicated with determination, the little frog kept on swimming around andaround the pail, chopping the milk into white waves. After a while, just as he felt completely numb and thought he was about to drown, he suddenly feltsomething solid under him.

To his astonishment, he saw that he was restingon a lump of butter which he had churned by constant paddling! And so the successful little frog leaped out of the milk pail to freedom.

Oprah Winfrey .

"What I know for sure is that what you give comes back to you."

Oprah Winfrey

DESIRE.

If the things you desire are only for yourself, then what you accomplish will be empty and unfulfilling. Desire turned inward is nothing but greed, and will bring you nothing worth having. The greediest people are not those who desire too much. The greediest people are those who desire too little, who desire only for their own narrow, limited concerns.

The more outwardly your desires are focused, the more fulfilling will the fruits of those desires be. What you desire for the world beyond you, for all of life itself, will bring the most lasting, fulfilling rewards.

The person who solves his own small problems will receive some real value from his efforts. Yet when that person can make the same innovation available to others, the value that can be created is virtually unlimited.

Desire can be a powerful force, so be sure to point it in a positive direction. The more your desire is focused beyond your own concerns, the further it will take you and your world.

"Do Something..."

Do Something,
If It Works,
Do More Of It
If It Doesn't,
Do Something Else.

WAKE UP.

When you hear 'Repent for your past,' realize it's a great religious distraction from waking up. Wake up! That's what repent means. Not 'weep for your sins.' Wake up! Stop all the crying. Understand! Wake up!

An Attitude Choice.

"Circumstances occur that could easily crush us. They may originate on the job or at home or even during the weekend when we are relaxing. Unexpectedly, they come. Immediately we have a choice to make. . .an attitude choice. We can hand the circumstances to God and ask Him to take control or we can roll up our mental sleeves and slug it out. Joy awaits our decision."

~~Charles Swindoll

Nothing good is ever lost.

People and situations will change, things will come and go in and out of your life. Yet nothing good is ever lost. The love you know stays with you always, even when the person you love is no longer with you. The good things you do stay with you always, even when time has erased all physical evidence of them.

When you live in fear of losing something, then you never really have or experience it. When you avoid attempting anything because you fear failure, then failure is exactly what you get.

No good effort is ever wasted, for even if it fails to produce any outer value, the inner value is always there. Even when what you do is not recognized or reciprocated or appreciated, still you have had the priceless blessing of doing it.

If you constantly seek the validation of others, you will often be disappointed. Yet when you live, and love and act in each moment with the best that you have to give, the real value you create can never be diminished

JAMES ALLEN.

"You are today where your thoughts have brought you; you will be tomorrow where your thoughts take you."

James Allen

ACT TODAY,

We grow old filled with regrets -
for things not done;
for words not said;
for love not shown;
for dreams not completed.

Life is short. Act today.
Do all that makes you happy. Now.

Albert Einstein.

"From the standpoint of daily life, however, there is one thing we do know: That we are here for the sake of others... for the countless unknown souls with whose fate we are connected by a bond of sympathy. Many times a day, I realize how much my outer and inner life is built upon the labors of people, both living and dead, and how earnestly I must exert myself in order to give in return as much as I have received."

- Albert Einstein

(German-born Theoretical Physicist)

Where You Take Life.

Over the same sea, on the same winds;
A ship sails in one direction, another in opposite.
It is not the wind that decides which direction the ship goes;
Its the sails; how they are tied and how they are maneuvered.

Similarly, it is not fate that decides where your life is going;
It is all about how you take life and where you take it to.

The great thing in the World....

"The great thing in the world is not so much where we stand, as in what direction we are moving."

Oliver Wendell Holmes

Can You Sleep While the Wind Blows?

Years ago, a farmer owned land along the Atlantic seacoast.

He constantly advertised for hired hands. Most people were

Reluctant to work on farms along the Atlantic. They dreaded the

Awful storms that raged across the Atlantic, wreaking havoc on the buildings and crops.

As the farmer interviewed applicants for the job, he received

A steady stream of refusals.

Finally, a short, thin man, well past middle age, approached

The farmer. "Are you a good farm hand?" the farmer asked him.

"Well, I can sleep when the wind blows," answered the little man.

Although puzzled by this answer, the farmer, desperate for help,

Hired him. The little man worked well around the farm, busy from

Dawn to dusk, and the farmer felt satisfied with the man's work.

Then one night the wind howled loudly in from offshore.

Jumping out of bed, the farmer grabbed a lantern and rushed

Next door to the hired hand's sleeping quarters. He shook the

Little man and yelled, "Get up! A storm is coming!

Tie things down before they blow away!"

The little man rolled over in bed and said firmly, "No

Sir. I told you, I can sleep when the wind blows."

Enraged by the response, the farmer was tempted to fire him on

The spot. Instead, he hurried outside to prepare for the storm.

To his amazement, he discovered that all of the haystacks had

Been covered with tarpaulins. The cows were in the barn, the chickens

Were in the coops, and the doors were barred.

The shutters were tightly secured. Everything was tied down.

Nothing could blow away. The farmer then understood what his

Hired hand meant, so he returned to his bed to also sleep while

The wind blew.

MORAL OF THE STORY.

When you're prepared, spiritually, mentally, and physically,

You have nothing to fear. Can you sleep when the

Wind blows through your life?

The hired hand in the story was able to sleep because he

Had secured the farm against the storm.

We secure ourselves against the storms of life by

Grounding ourselves in the Word of God.

We don't need to understand, we just need to hold

His hand to have peace in the middle of storms.

The best years of your life....

"The best years of your life are the ones in which you decide your problems are your own. You don't blame them on your mother, the ecology, or the President. You realize that you control your own destiny."

Albert Ellis

Life is an Experience

The triumphs will be sweet and the regrets will sting. Take it all in, whatever it may be, and move on steadily ahead.

Whatever experience life may bring your way, find in it something to value. Take that value and make the most of it as you apply it in a positive, purposeful direction.

Concern yourself not with what is wrong, but with how you can make it better. Take pleasure not in what you have, but in what it can enable you to do.

Let go of the envy, the anger and despair. Hold on to the love, the joy and the hope.

In each ending, find the new beginning that is surely there. In each setback find the will to go forward, and use each success to create value that goes far beyond yourself.

Appreciate every moment, whatever that moment may bring. And from those moments will come a remarkable life.

You Can't Do Everything...

Every day you're bombarded with an ever-increasing

Number of opportunities, yet you don't seem to have

Enough time to get things done. If that isn't enough,

You believe you're not working quickly enough to

Keep up with the nonstop flow of information streaming out

Of your computer. Worse yet, you feel as if you'll be lift

In the dust if you don't keep up.

The truth is, there will never be enough time to get

Everything done, so, don't kill yourself trying.

You can face overwhelming challenges, yet still make

Each day purposeful, by keeping in mind a clear

Intention of what you want to do. Resolve to stay

Focused on accomplishing important tasks. Be willing to

Say "No" when your asked to add responsibilities

That are not in harmony with your aspirations.

Life is not meant to be a struggle but a balanced and

Joyful journey

QUOTES FROM THOMAS JEFFERSON.

Honesty is the first chapter in the book of wisdom.

It is neither wealth nor splendor; but tranquility and occupation which give you happiness.

Walking is the best possible exercise. Habituate yourself to walk very fast.

I hope our wisdom will grow with our power, and teach us, that the less we use our power the greater it will be.

Nothing gives one person so much advantage over another as to remain always cool and unruffled under all circumstances.

Determine never to be idle. No person will have occasion to complain of the want of time who never loses any. It is wonderful how much may be done if we are always doing.

Burdens Of Life.

We worry about our family, we worry about money or the lack of it.
We worry about work, about where we live, about all sorts of things.

These are all burdens - the things we pick up along life's path and lug them around the obstacles and over the crevasses that life will bring; only to find that, at the destination they are useless and we can't take them with us.

Acres of Diamonds.

One of the most interesting Americans who lived in the 19th century was a man by the name of Russell Herman Conwell. He was born in 1843 and lived until 1925. He was a lawyer for about fifteen years until he became a clergyman.

One day, a young man went to him and told him he wanted a college education but couldn't swing it financially. Dr. Conwell decided, at that moment, what his aim in life was, besides being a man of cloth - that is. He decided to build a university for unfortunate, but deserving, students. He did have a challenge, however. He would need a few million dollars to build the university. For Dr. Conwell, and anyone with real purpose in life, nothing could stand in the way of his goal.

Several years before this incident, Dr. Conwell was tremendously intrigued by a true story - with its ageless moral. The story was about a farmer who lived in Africa and through a visitor became tremendously excited about looking for diamonds. Diamonds were already discovered in abundance on the African continent and this farmer got so excited about the idea of millions of dollars worth of diamonds that he sold his farm to head out to the diamond line. He wandered all over the continent, as the years slipped by, constantly searching for diamonds, wealth, which he never found. Eventually he went completely broke and threw himself into a river and drowned.

Meanwhile, the new owner of his farm picked up an unusual looking rock about the size of a country egg and put it on his mantle as a sort of curiosity. A visitor stopped by and in viewing the rock practically went into terminal convulsions. He told the new owner of the farm that the funny looking rock on his mantle was about the biggest diamond that had ever been found. The new owner of the farm said, "Heck, the whole farm is covered with them" -
and sure enough it was.

The farm turned out to be the Kimberly Diamond Mine...the richest the world has ever known. The original farmer was literally standing on "Acres of Diamonds" until he sold his farm.

Dr. Conwell learned from the story of the farmer and continued to teach it's moral. Each of us is right in the middle of our own "Acre of Diamonds", if only we would realize it and develop the ground we are standing on before charging off in search of greener pastures. Dr. Conwell told this story many times and attracted enormous audiences. He told the story long enough to have raised the money to start the college for underprivileged deserving students. In fact, he raised nearly six million dollars and the university he founded, Temple University in Philadelphia, has at least ten degree-granting colleges and six other schools.

When Doctor Russell H. Conwell talked about each of us being right on our own "Acre of Diamonds", he meant it. This story does not get old...it will be true forever...

Opportunity does not just come along - it is there all the time - we just have to see it.

Sunday, December 2, 2007

Glad and Sad .

A young man was traveling in a far country. It was getting late in the day, and he knew that he needed to stop to rest. However, he was thirsty and needed to find water before he slept.

He met a white haired old man sitting on a rock by the side of the road. The young man asked him if he knew of a place where he could find water to drink. The old man said that if the young man stayed on the path he would come to a small stream. However, it would be after dark before he would reach the stream. The old man told the traveler that he could safely drink there. The old man further said that if he would pick up a handful of pebbles from the stream bed, the young man would be both glad and sad. The young man thanked the old man and continued on his journey.

Sure enough, even though it was quite dark, the young traveler found the stream. He took a drink. The young man thought it silly to pick up pebbles, but just for curiosity he picked up a handful and put them in his pocket. He then found a place to sleep a short distance away from the stream.

When he woke up, the young man remembered the pebbles. He shoved his hand into his pocket and brought them out. As he looked at them in amazement, the young man simultaneously felt great sorrow and great happiness for there in his hand lay beautiful, sparkling jewels. Quickly he rushed back to the stream to get more. He frantically searched through many hands full of ordinary pebbles, but the opportunity was gone. As he looked at the beautiful jewels, the young traveler felt so sad that he did not pick up many more At the same time he was happy that he had at least picked up those that he had.

So it is with us. If we are wise, we will listen to and follow wise counsel. In life, we can't go back. We need to find joy in good choices and experience sorrow for opportunities lost.

Saturday, December 1, 2007

QUOTES .

-Some people complain that there are thorns on roses, while others praise
thorns for having roses among them.

-A person's true character is revealed by what he does when no one is watching.

-Although the tongue weighs very little, very few people are able to hold it.

-Falling down doesn't make you a failure, but staying down does.

-Don't be afraid of pressure. Remember that pressure is what turns a lump of coal into a diamond.

-Even a woodpecker owes his success to the fact that he uses his head.

-The poorest of all men is not the man without a cent but the man without a dream.

-The only preparation for tomorrow is the right use of today.

-People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care.

-Temper is what gets most of us into trouble. Pride is what keeps us there.

-The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is that little "extra".

-The heart is happiest when it beats for others.

-One thing you can learn by watching the clock is that it passes time by keeping its hands busy.

Thursday, December 27, 2007

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Sunday, December 2, 2007

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Saturday, December 1, 2007

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