Monday, November 29, 2004

Love

One of my passions is reading. I am a voracious reader and can devour anything from literature to science fiction. Literature, true stories and mysteries are my favorite. But one book that is my all time favorite is the most popular book of all, the “Bible”. It never ceases to fascinate me, right from the Old Testament to the New Testament. Each tells a story, one more fascinating than the other.

And of all the stories and sayings in the Bible, the following verse is the one most dear to my heart.

1 Corinthians 13: 4-8
“Love is patient and kind; it is not jealous or conceited or proud; love is not ill mannered or selfish or irritable; love does not keep a record of wrongs; love is not happy with evil, but is happy with the truth. Love never gives up; and its faith, hope, and patience never fail. Love is eternal.”

Friday, November 26, 2004

I've Learned...

That the best classroom in the world is at the feet of an elderly person.
That when you’re in love, it shows.
That just one person saying to me, “You have made my day!” makes my day.
That having a child fall asleep in your arms is one of the most peaceful feelings in the world.
That being kind is more important than being right.
That you should never say no to a gift from a child.
That I can always pray for someone when I don’t have the strength to help him in some other way.
That no matter how serious your life requires you to be, everyone needs a friend to act goofy with.
That sometimes all a person needs is a hand to hold and a heart to understand.
That simple walks with my father around the block on summer nights when I was a child did wonders for me as an adult.
That life is like a roll of toilet paper. The closer it gets to the end, the faster it goes.
That we should be glad God doesn’t give us everything we ask for.
That money doesn’t buy class.
That it’s those small daily happenings that make life so spectacular.
That under everyone’s hard shell is someone who wants to be appreciated and loved.
That the Lord didn’t do it all in one day. What makes me think I can?
That to ignore the facts does not change the facts.
That when you plan to get even with someone, you are only letting that person continue to hurt you.
That love, not time, heals all wounds.
That the easiest way for me to grow as a person is to surround myself with people smarter than I am.
That everyone you meet deserves to be greeted with a smile.
That there’s nothing sweeter than sleeping with your babies and feeling their breath on your cheeks.
That no one is perfect until you fall in love with them.
That life is tough, but I’m tougher.
That opportunities are never lost; someone will take the ones you miss.
That when you harbour bitterness, happiness will dock elsewhere.
That I wish I could have told my dad that I love him one more time before he passed away.
That one should keep his words both soft and tender, because tommorrow he may have to eat them.
That a smile is an inexpensive way to improve your looks.
That I can’t choose how I feel, but I can choose what I do about it.
That when your newly born grandchild holds your little finger in his little fist, that you’re hooked for life.
That everyone wants to live on top of the mountain, but all the happiness and growth occurs while you’re climbing it.
That it is best to give advice in only two circumstances; when it is requested and when it is a life threatening situation.
That the less time I have to work with, the more things I get done.

By Andy Rooney.

Monday, November 22, 2004

Anger

A man came out of his home to admire his new truck. To his puzzlement, his three-year-old son was happily hammering dents into the shiny paint. The man ran to his son, knocked him away, hammered the little boy’s hands into a pulp as punishment. When the father calmed down, he rushed his son to the hospital. Although the doctor tried desperately to save the crushed bones,
he finally had to amputate the fingers from both the boy’s hands.

When the boy woke up from the surgery and saw his bandaged stubs, he innocently said, "Daddy, I’m sorry about your truck." Then he asked, "but when are my fingers going to grow back?"

The father went home and committed suicide.

Think about this story the next time you see someone spill milk at a table or hear a baby crying. Think first before you lose your patience with someone you love. Trucks can be repaired. Broken bones and hurt feelings often can’t. Too often we fail to recognize the difference between the person and the performance. People make mistakes. We are allowed to make mistakes. But the actions we take while in a rage will haunt us forever. Pause and ponder. Think before you act. Be patient. Understand and love.

"When angry, count ten before you speak; if very angry, a hundred." -Thomas Jefferson

Monday, November 15, 2004

An interview with God

I dreamed I had an interview with GOD.

"So, you would like to interview Me?" GOD asked.

"If you have the time," I said.

God smiled.
"My time is eternity…
…what questions do you have in mind for me?"

"What surprises you most about humankind?"

God answered…
"That they get bored with childhood, they rush to grow up,
and then long to be children again.”
“That they lose their health to make money,
and then lose their money to restore their health."
“That by thinking anxiously about the future, they forget the present,
such, that they live in neither the present nor the future. “
“That they live as if they will never die,
and die as though they had never lived..."

God's hands took mine and we were silent for awhile.

And then I asked,
"As a parent, what are some of life's lessons you want your children to learn?"

"To learn, that they cannot make anyone love them.
All they can do is let themselves be loved.
To learn that it is not good to compare themselves to others.”

“To learn to forgive, by practicing forgiveness.
To learn that it only takes a few seconds to open profound wounds in those they love,
and it can take many years to heal them.
To learn that a rich person is not one who has the most,
but is one who needs the least.”

“To learn that there are people who love them dearly
but simply do not yet know how to express or show their feelings.”
“To learn that two people can look at the same thing
and see it differently.”

“To learn that it is not enough that they forgive one another,
but they must also forgive themselves."

“Thank you for your time,” I said humbly.
“Is there anything else you’d like your children to know?”

GOD smiled and said…
“Just know that I am here.”

“Always.”

Sunday, November 14, 2004

When words hurt

After a man had verbally attacked Buddha, he responded,
"Son, if someone declined to accept a present, to whom would it belong?"
The man answered, "To him who offered it."
"And so," said Buddha, "I decline to accept your abuse."

The world is full of people who establish their worth by degrading others. They have pockets and purses full of put-downs - and they will hand them out to anyone.
Refuse to accept their insults, even when hurled under the guise of love. By ignoring them, you will reduce tension, strengthen your relationships and increase your joy.

For Faith the size of a mustard seed

My Heart is filled with song,
my God, at your goodness
and to dance on my toes for you comes easy.
A little leap (If I could manage it)
and I'm sure I could fly into dizzying heights
and swirling rhapsody -
Touching the very stars scattered,
yet, only at thy feet...

Mighty God, Controller of all things,
You make us a people of destiny
Destined to adore at thy feet,
and be dissolved into thy presence for Eternity...

Dare we only leap in faith to You...

Tuesday, November 09, 2004

A Prayer

If I ascend up into heaven, Thou art there...
If I take the wings of the morning,
And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;
Even there would Thy hand lead me,
And Thy right hand would hold me.

Friday, November 05, 2004

7 DONT'S AFTER MEALS

* Don't smoke- Experiments from experts prove that smoking a cigarette after meal is comparable to smoking 10 cigarettes (chances of cancer is higher).

* Don't eat fruits immediately - Eating fruits immediately after meals will cause stomach to be bloated with air. Therefore take fruit 1-2 hr after meal or 1hr before meal.

* Don't drink tea - Because tea leaves contain a high content of acid.This substance will cause the Protein content in the food we consume to be hardened thus difficult to digest.

* Don't loosen your belt - Loosening the belt after a meal will easily cause the intestine to be twisted & blocked.

* Don't bathe - Bathing causes an increase of blood flow to the hands, legs & body, thus decreasing the amount of blood around the stomach.This weakens the digestive system.

* Don't walk about - Walking causes the digestive system to be unable to absorb the nutrition from the food we intake.

* Don't sleep immediately - The food we intake will not be abe to digest properly. Thus will lead to gastric & infection in our intestine.

Tuesday, November 02, 2004

'Leisure' By William Henry Davies.

What is this life if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.

No time to stand beneath the boughs
And stare as long as sheep or cows.

No time to see, when woods we pass,
Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass.

No time to see, in broad daylight,
Streams full of stars, like skies at night.

No time to turn at Beauty's glance,
And watch her feet, how they can dance.

No time to wait till her mouth can
Enrich that smile her eyes began.

A poor life this if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.

Monday, November 01, 2004

Faith

I asked God for strength, that I might achieve.
I was made weak, that I might learn humbly to obey…

I asked for health, that I might do great things.
I was given Infirmity, that I might do better things…

I asked for riches, that I might be happy.
I was given Poverty, that I might be wise…

I asked for Power, that I might have the praise of men.
I was given weakness, that I might feel the need of God…

I asked for all things, that I might enjoy Life.
I was given Life, that I might enjoy all things…

I got nothing I asked for –
but everything I had hoped for.
Almost despite myself, my unspoken prayers were answered.
I am, among men, most richly blessed !