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 Posted: Sat Dec 21, 2019 7:48 am
Advent Calendar – December 9th, 2019
Your good deeds could change the world
“Every Sunday morning I take a light jog around a park near my home. There’s a lake located in one corner of the park. Each time I jog by this lake, I see the same elderly woman sitting at the water’s edge with a small metal cage sitting beside her.
This past Sunday my curiosity got the best of me, so I stopped jogging and walked over to her. As I got closer, I realized that the metal cage was in fact a small trap. There were three turtles, unharmed, slowly walking around the base of the trap. She had a fourth turtle in her lap that she was carefully scrubbing with a spongy brush.
‘Hello,’ I said. ‘I see you here every Sunday morning. If you don’t mind my nosiness, I’d love to know what you’re doing with these turtles.’
She smiled. ‘I’m cleaning off their shells,” she replied. “Anything on a turtle’s shell, like algae or scum, reduces the turtle’s ability to absorb heat and impedes its ability to swim. It can also corrode and weaken the shell over time.’
‘Wow! That’s really nice of you!’ I exclaimed.
She went on: ‘I spend a couple of hours each Sunday morning, relaxing by this lake and helping these little guys out. It’s my own strange way of making a difference.’
‘But don’t most freshwater turtles live their whole lives with algae and scum hanging from their shells?’ I asked.
‘Yep, sadly, they do,’ she replied.
I scratched my head. ‘Well then, don’t you think your time could be better spent? I mean, I think your efforts are kind and all, but there are fresh water turtles living in lakes all around the world. And 99% of these turtles don’t have kind people like you to help them clean off their shells. So, no offense… but how exactly are your localized efforts here truly making a difference?’
The woman giggled aloud. She then looked down at the turtle in her lap, scrubbed off the last piece of algae from its shell, and said, ‘Sweetie, if this little guy could talk, he’d tell you I just made all the difference in the world.'”
https://thoughtcatalog.com/january-nelson/2018/09/motivational-stories/
“Quality is not an act, it is a habit.” - Aristotle
“Success isn't always about greatness. It's about consistency. Consistent hard work leads to success. Greatness will come.” - Dwayne Johnson
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Posted: Sat Dec 21, 2019 7:49 am
Advent Calendar – December 10th, 2019 Remember Your Greatness “Before you were born, And were still too tiny for The human eye to see, You won the race for life From among 250 million competitors. And yet, How fast you have forgotten Your strength, When your very existence Is proof of your greatness. You were born a winner, A warrior, One who defied the odds By surviving the most gruesome Battle of them all. And now that you are a giant, Why do you even doubt victory Against smaller numbers, And wider margins? The only walls that exist, Are those you have placed in your mind. And whatever obstacles you conceive, Exist only because you have forgotten What you have already Achieved. Poetry by Suzy Kassem” - Suzy Kassem, Rise Up and Salute the Sun: The Writings of Suzy Kassem https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/tag/winning“Who you are tomorrow begins with what you do today.” - Tim Fargo “If you want to find the real competition, just look in the mirror. After awhile you'll see your rivals scrambling for second place.” - Criss Jami, Killosophy
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Posted: Sat Dec 21, 2019 7:50 am
Advent Calendar – December 11th, 2019
Never give up on your dreams
“Once, there was an older man, who was broke, living in a tiny house and owned a beat up car. He was living off of $99 social security checks. At 65 years of age, he decide things had to change. So he thought about what he had to offer. His friends raved about his chicken recipe. He decided that this was his best shot at making a change.
He left Kentucky and traveled to different states to try to sell his recipe. He told restaurant owners that he had a mouthwatering chicken recipe. He offered the recipe to them for free, just asking for a small percentage on the items sold. Sounds like a good deal, right?
Unfortunately, not to most of the restaurants. He heard NO over 1000 times. Even after all of those rejections, he didn’t give up. He believed his chicken recipe was something special. He got rejected 1009 times before he heard his first yes.
With that one success Colonel Hartland Sanders changed the way Americans eat chicken. Kentucky Fried Chicken, popularly known as KFC, was born.
Remember, never give up and always believe in yourself in spite of rejection.”
https://thoughtcatalog.com/january-nelson/2018/09/motivational-stories/
“I believe that God has put gifts and talents and ability on the inside of every one of us. When you develop that and you believe in yourself and you believe that you're a person of influence and a person of purpose, I believe you can rise up out of any situation.” - Joel Osteen
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Posted: Sat Dec 21, 2019 7:58 am
Advent Calendar – December 12th, 2019
Focus on the good things in life
“Two friends were walking through the desert. At one stage in their journey, they had an argument and one friend slapped the other one in the face.
The one who got slapped was hurt, but without saying anything he wrote in the sand, ‘Today my best friend slapped me in the face.’
They kept on walking until they found an oasis, where they decided to have a wash. The one who had been slapped got stuck in a mire and started drowning, but his friend saved him. After he had recovered from his shock, he wrote on a stone, ‘Today my best friend saved my life.’
The friend who slapped and saved his best friend asked him, ‘After I hurt you, you wrote in the sand and now, you write in stone, why?’
The other friend replied, ‘When someone hurts us we should write it down in sand where winds of forgiveness can erase it away. But, when someone does something good for us, we must engrave it in stone where no wind can ever erase it.'”
https://thoughtcatalog.com/january-nelson/2018/09/motivational-stories/
“We must develop and maintain the capacity to forgive. He who is devoid of the power to forgive is devoid of the power to love. There is some good in the worst of us and some evil in the best of us. When we discover this, we are less prone to hate our enemies.”
- Martin Luther King, Jr.
“Let us forgive each other - only then will we live in peace.” - Leo Nikolaevich Tolstoy
“True forgiveness is when you can say, “Thank you for that experience.” - Oprah Winfrey
“A broken friendship that is mended through forgiveness can be even stronger than it once was.” - Stephen Richards
“Forgiveness is a gift you give yourself.” - Tony Robbins
“Forgiveness is the fragrance that the violet sheds on the heel that has crushed it.”
- Mark Twain
“To err is human, to forgive, divine.” - Alexander Pope
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Posted: Sat Dec 21, 2019 8:00 am
Advent Calendar – December 13th, 2019
Stop stressing so much
“Once upon a time a psychology professor walked around on a stage while teaching stress management principles to an auditorium filled with students. As she raised a glass of water, everyone expected they’d be asked the typical ‘glass half empty or glass half full’ question. Instead, with a smile on her face, the professor asked, ‘How heavy is this glass of water I’m holding?’
Students shouted out answers ranging from eight ounces to a couple pounds.
She replied, ‘From my perspective, the absolute weight of this glass doesn’t matter. It all depends on how long I hold it. If I hold it for a minute or two, it’s fairly light. If I hold it for an hour straight, its weight might make my arm ache a little. If I hold it for a day straight, my arm will likely cramp up and feel completely numb and paralyzed, forcing me to drop the glass to the floor. In each case, the weight of the glass doesn’t change, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it feels to me.’
As the class shook their heads in agreement, she continued, ‘Your stresses and worries in life are very much like this glass of water. Think about them for a while and nothing happens. Think about them a bit longer and you begin to ache a little. Think about them all day long, and you will feel completely numb and paralyzed – incapable of doing anything else until you drop them.'”
https://thoughtcatalog.com/january-nelson/2018/09/motivational-stories/
“One of the best pieces of advice I ever got was from a horse master. He told me to go slow to go fast. I think that applies to everything in life. We live as though there aren't enough hours in the day but if we do each thing calmly and carefully we will get it done quicker and with much less stress.” - Viggo Mortensen
“It's not the load that breaks you down, it's the way you carry it.” - Lou Holtz
“Find ecstasy in life; the mere sense of living is joy enough.” - Emily Dickinson
“The greatest weapon against stress is our ability to choose one thought over another.” - William James
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Posted: Sat Dec 21, 2019 8:02 am
Advent Calendar – December 14th, 2019
Thomas Edison and a Note
One day the young Thomas Edison came home and handed a paper to his mother from his school. He told her, “My teacher gave this paper to me and told me to give it only to you.”
His mother’s eyes were tearful as she read the letter out loud to her son. “ Your son is a genius. This school is too small for him and doesn’t have good teachers for training him. Please teach him yourself.”
After many years, Edison’s mother died and he was renowned as one of the greatest inventors of the century. One day he was going through his old family things. Suddenly, he noticed a folded paper in the corner of a drawer. He took it and opened it up.
On the paper was written: “Your son is addled. We won’t let him come to school any more.”
Thomas Edison cried for hours and then he wrote in his diary: “Thomas Alva Edison was an addled child that, by a hero mother, became the genius of the century.”
https://alltimeshortstories.com/inspirational-thomas-edison-and-a-note/
“Winning isn't about finishing in first place. It isn't about beating the others. It is about overcoming yourself. Overcoming your body, your limitations, and your fears. Winning means surpassing yourself and turning your dreams into reality.” - Kilian Jornet, Córrer o Morir
"There's a way to do it better - find it. [AND] The value of an idea lies in the using of it." – Thomas Alva Edison
"Anything that won't sell, I don't want to invent. Its sale is proof of utility, and utility is success." – Thomas Alva Edison
“If we did all the things we are capable of, we would literally astound ourselves. [AND] Your worth consists in what you are and not in what you have.” - Thomas Alva Edison
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Posted: Sat Dec 21, 2019 8:03 am
Advent Calendar – December 15th, 2019
How Do You Want To Be Remembered?
More than a decade ago, a man was reading his morning newspaper. To his surprise and horror, he read his name in the obituary column. The news papers had mistakenly reported the death of the wrong person for sure. He was shocked to read news headline about his death. When he regained his composure, He read it to find out what people had said about him.
The obituary included sentences like, “Dynamite King Dies.” and “He was the merchant of death.”. The man was the inventor of dynamite and when he read the words “merchant of death,” he asked himself a question,
“Is this how I am going to be remembered?” he asked himself. He decided that this was not the way he wanted to be remembered and he decided to change.
From that day on, he started working toward world peace. His name was Alfred Nobel and he is remembered today by the great Nobel Prize, the greatest of all the prizes.
The Nobel Prize has been honoring men and women from all corners of the globe for outstanding achievements in physics, chemistry, medicine, literature, and for work in peace since 1901. The foundations for the prize were laid in 1895 when Alfred Nobel wrote his last will, leaving much of his wealth to the establishment of the Nobel Prize.
Moral : It is never too late to start over.
https://alltimeshortstories.com/how-do-you-want-to-be-remembered/
“Think of a new day and think of a new purpose. Think of a new reason out of the reasons of yesterday. Think of the distinctive step that is worth taking to continue the footprints of yesterday. Each day comes with its own ideas. Each day comes with its own troubles. Each day comes with its own possibles and impossibles. What makes each day good or bad is not just our thoughts but, the steps we take which is influenced by our thoughts to obtain what is good or bad. Think of a new day; think of a distinctive footprint” - Ernest Agyemang Yeboah
“A Sunrise is God's way of saying, "Let's start again.” - Todd Stocker, Refined: Turning Pain Into Purpose
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Posted: Sat Dec 21, 2019 8:04 am
Advent Calendar – December 16th, 2019
The Purpose of Life
Once upon a time, there lived a wise man. He was the head of the local administration of a small village. Everyone respected him and his views and opinions were well regarded. Many people came to him seeking for advice.
His son, however, was very lazy and wasted his time sleeping and spending time with his friends. No amount of advice or threat made any difference to him. He wouldn’t change at all.
The years passed, and with time faded the youth of the wise man. As he grew older, he began to worry about his son’s future. He recognized the need to give something to his son so that he can take care of himself and his family to be.
One day, he called his son to his room and said-“My son, you are no more a kid now. You must learn to take responsibilities and understand life.”
“I want you to find the real purpose of your life and when you find it remember it always and you will lead a life full of happiness and joy.”
Then he handed his son a bag. When the son opened the bag, he was surprised to see 4 pair of clothes, one for each season. There also were some raw food, grains, lentils, little money and a map. His father continued-“I want you to go find a treasure. I have drawn a map of the place where the treasure is hidden, you need to go and find it.”
The son loved this idea. The next day, he eagerly set out on a journey to find the treasure. He had to travel really far across borders, forests, plateaus and mountains.
Days turned into weeks and weeks turned into months. Along the way, he met a lot of people. He was helped by some with food and by some with shelter. He also came across robbers who tried to rob him.
Slowly the season changed and so did the landscapes along with it. When the weather was unpleasant, he halted for the day and continued his journey when the weather cleared.
Finally, after a long year, he reached his destination. It was a cliff. The map showed the treasure being placed below the cliff under the tree. Upon spotting the tree, he began to dig the ground. He searched and searched- around it, under it, on it- but found nothing. He spent two days looking and digging for the treasure. By the third day, he was so exhausted that he decided to leave.
Disappointed over his father’s lie, he headed back to his home. On his way back, he experienced the same changing landscapes and seasons. This time, however, he halted to enjoy the blooming flowers in spring and the dancing birds in monsoon. He stayed in places only to watch the sun set in paradise or to enjoy pleasant summer evenings.
Since, the supplies he carried were over by then, he learned to hunt and make arrangement for his meals. He also learned how to sew his clothes and shelter himself. He was now able to determine the hour of the day by the position of the sun and plan his journey accordingly. He also learned how to protect himself from wild animals.
He met the same people who had helped him earlier. This time he stayed a few days with them and helped them in some or the other way to repay them. He realized how nice they were to an ordinary passerby who had nothing to offer to them in return.
When he reached home, he realized it had been two years since he left the place. He walked straight into his father’s room. “Father”, – He said
The father immediately jumped to his feet and hugged his son.
“So how was your journey my son, did you find the treasure” he asked.
“The journey was fascinating father. But forgive me for I wasn’t able to find the treasure. Maybe somebody took it before I reached.” He surprised himself by what he just said. He wasn’t angry at his father. Instead, he was asking for forgiveness.
“There wasn’t’ any treasure in the very first place my son”-father answered smiling.
“But why did you send me to find it then”, he asked.
“I will surely tell you why, but first you tell me, how was your journey to the place? Did you enjoy it?”
“Of course not father! I had no time. I was worried someone else would find the treasure before I did. I was in a hurry to reach the cliff.” He continued-“but I did enjoy the journey on my way back home. I made many friends and witnessed miracles every day. I learned so many different skills and the art of survival. There was so much I learnt that it made me forget the pain of not finding the treasure.”
The father said to him- “Exactly my son. I want you to lead your life with a goal. But if you remain too focused on the goal, then you will miss out the real treasures of life. The truth is, life has no goal at all, other than to just experience it and grow with it every single day.”
Moral: It is when we set out in life without trying to associate any meaning or greater purpose to it that we find the treasure of true joy in each moment.
https://alltimeshortstories.com/purpose-of-life/
“The purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience” – Eleanor Roosevelt
“The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well.”
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
“The purpose of life is to contribute in some way to making things better.”
- Robert F. Kennedy
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Posted: Sat Dec 21, 2019 8:07 am
Advent Calendar – December 17th, 2019
A bundle of Nativity nerves
"Three years ago, our neighbors decided to host a live Nativity. They spread fresh straw in their barn, mounted a star in the rafters and built a makeshift cradle in the manger. We got a call: Could we loan them a lamb? We said we’d love to help, but in December lambs are pretty much full-grown sheep. They are not handled, either, so they are somewhat wild full-grown sheep. We were afraid that when the children started doing what children do, the sheep might change their peaceful Nativity into a rollicking rodeo.
No problem, our neighbors said. It’ll all be just fine.
We did have one ewe that had been at the fair, so she’d had a halter on at least once in her life. Our grandson, Jordan, knew how to lead a sheep and agreed to be her shepherd. We prayed for the best.
On the day of the event, my husband, Jerry, went to the corral to catch the ewe, who was not pleased about it. Finally, the halter was secure, the sheep loaded in the pickup and headed for the neighbors’ barn, and Jerry and I had our fingers firmly crossed.
As he handed the rope to Jordan, Jerry reminded him to keep her head up and keep a short rope. As an afterthought, he suggested that if the sheep began to baa, Jordan might put his hand gently over her mouth. Meanwhile, in the Nativity, the wise men and women gazed with wonder and awe at the shining star in heaven as the young Mary and Joseph entered the stable with the pretend babe and laid him in the manger. Jerry and I wondered if a pretend sheep might have been a good idea, too, but it was a little late for that.
As the violins began playing “Silent Night,” Jordan led the sheep into the stable. Miraculously, as if sensing the solemnity of the occasion, she quietly walked up to the manger and looked in. We held our breath, but she never made a sound.
She didn’t so much as move a muscle during the entire narration for both performances. At the end, all the children hurried up to pet and hug her. Some had never seen a sheep. Our ewe just stood there, calm and respectful, as the children adored her.
When Jerry unloaded her into the corral, she returned to her old self. The moment the gate was down, she leaped from the truck, bounded down the chute and rocketed over to her sheep friends, baaing all the way. Maybe she was eager to tell them about the miracle of the Christmas story, but she’d given us a little miracle of her own that day!"
- Barbara Buchanan, Tremonton, Utah.
https://www.rd.com/true-stories/inspiring/christmas-miracles/
“Aviation is proof that given the will, we have the capacity to achieve the impossible." - Edward Vernon Rickenbacker
“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” - Eleanor Roosevelt
“See the invisible, believe the incredible, achieve the impossible.” -Joel Brown
“Dream as big as you can dream, and anything is possible.” - Michael Phelps
“The difference between the impossible and the possible lies in a person’s determination” - Tommy Lasorda
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Posted: Sat Dec 21, 2019 8:14 am
Advent Calendar – December 18th, 2019
Eight Gifts that Do Not Cost A Cent
"#1: THE GIFT OF LISTENING…
But you must REALLY listen.
No interrupting, no daydreaming,
no planning your response.
Just listening.
#2: THE GIFT OF AFFECTION…
Be generous with appropriate hugs,
kisses, pats on the back, and handholds.
Let these small actions demonstrate the
love you have for family and friends.
#3: THE GIFT OF LAUGHTER…
Clip cartoons.
Share articles and funny stories.
Your gift will say, “I love to laugh with you.”
#4: THE GIFT OF A WRITTEN NOTE…
It can be a simple
“Thanks for the help” note or a full sonnet.
A brief, handwritten note may be remembered
for a lifetime, and may even change a life.
#5: THE GIFT OF A COMPLIMENT…
A simple and sincere,
You look great in red,” “You did a super job,”
or “That was a wonderful meal”
can make someone’s day.
#6: THE GIFT OF A FAVOR…
Every day, go out of your way
to do something kind.
#7: THE GIFT OF SOLITUDE…
There are times when we want nothing better
than to be left alone.
Be sensitive to those times and give
the gift of solitude to others.
#8: THE GIFT OF A CHEERFUL DISPOSITION…
The easiest way to feel good is
to extend a kind word to someone.
Really, it’s not that hard to say,
Hello or Thank You."
- Katherine Quinn
“Life is not easy for any of us. But what of that? We must have perseverance and, above all, confidence in ourselves. We must believe that we are gifted for something, and that this thing, at whatever cost, must be attained” - Marie Curie
“Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.” - Harriet Tubman
“With everything that has happened to you, you can either feel sorry for yourself or treat what has happened as a gift. Everything is either an opportunity to grow or an obstacle to keep you from growing. You get to choose.” - Dr. Wayne W Dyer
“Strength does not come from winning. Your struggles develop your strengths. When you go through hardships and decide not to surrender, that is strength.” - Arnold Schwarzenegger
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Posted: Sat Dec 21, 2019 8:24 am
Advent Calendar – December 19th, 2019
On Santa's Team
“My grandma taught me everything about Christmas. I was just a kid. I remember tearing across town on my bike to visit her on the day my big sister dropped the bomb: "There is no Santa Claus," jeered my sister. "Even dummies know that!"
My grandma was not the gushy kind, never had been. I fled to her that day because I knew she would be straight with me. I knew Grandma always told the truth, and I knew that the truth always went down a whole lot easier when swallowed with one of her world-famous cinnamon buns.
Grandma was home, and the buns were still warm. Between bites, I told her everything. She was ready for me.
"No Santa Claus!" she snorted. "Ridiculous! Don't believe it. That rumor has been going around for years, and it makes me mad, plain mad. Now, put on your coat, and let's go."
"Go? Go where, Grandma?" I asked. I hadn't even finished my second cinnamon bun.
"Where" turned out to be Kerby's General Store, the one store in town that had a little bit of just about everything. As we walked through its doors, Grandma handed me ten dollars. That was a bundle in those days.
"Take this money," she said, "and buy something for someone who needs it. I'll wait for you in the car." Then she turned and walked out of Kerby's.
I was only eight years old. I'd often gone shopping with my mother, but never had I shopped for anything all by myself. The store seemed big and crowded, full of people scrambling to finish their Christmas shopping. For a few moments I just stood there, confused, clutching that ten-dollar bill, wondering what to buy, and who on earth to buy it for. I thought of everybody I knew: my family, my friends, my neighbors, the kids at school, the people who went to my church.
I was just about thought out, when I suddenly thought of Bobbie Decker. He was a kid with bad breath and messy hair, and he sat right behind me in Mrs. Pollock's grade-two class. Bobbie Decker didn't have a coat. I knew that because he never went out for recess during the winter. His mother always wrote a note, telling the teacher that he had a cough; but all we kids knew that Bobbie Decker didn't have a cough, and he didn't have a coat.
I fingered the ten-dollar bill with growing excitement. I would buy Bobbie Decker a coat. I settled on a red corduroy one that had a hood to it. It looked real warm, and he would like that. I didn't see a price tag, but ten dollars ought to buy anything. I put the coat and my ten-dollar bill on the counter and pushed them toward the lady behind it.
She looked at the coat, the money, and me. "Is this a Christmas present for someone?" she asked kindly. "Yes," I replied shyly. "It's ... for Bobbie. He's in my class, and he doesn't have a coat." The nice lady smiled at me. I didn't get any change, but she put the coat in a bag and wished me a Merry Christmas.
That evening, Grandma helped me wrap the coat in Christmas paper and ribbons, and write, "To Bobbie, From Santa Claus" on it ... Grandma said that Santa always insisted on secrecy.
Then she drove me over to Bobbie Decker's house, explaining as we went that I was now and forever officially one of Santa's helpers. Grandma parked down the street from Bobbie's house, and she and I crept noiselessly and hid in the bushes by his front walk.
Suddenly, Grandma gave me a nudge. "All right, Santa Claus," she whispered, "get going."
I took a deep breath, dashed for his front door, threw the present down on his step, pounded his doorbell twice and flew back to the safety of the bushes and Grandma. Together we waited breathlessly in the darkness for the front door to open. Finally it did, and there stood Bobbie. He looked down, looked around, picked up his present, took it inside and closed the door.
Forty years haven't dimmed the thrill of those moments spent shivering, beside my grandma, in Bobbie Decker's bushes. That night, I realized that those awful rumors about Santa Claus were just what Grandma said they were: Ridiculous!
Santa was alive and well ... AND WE WERE ON HIS TEAM!”
- Author Unknown
https://www.weboflove.org/i/christmas-stories/santas-team
“Do things for people not because of who they are or what they do in return, but because of who you are.” – Harold S. Kushner
“Sometimes it takes only one act of kindness and caring to change a person’s life.” – Jackie Chan
“Carry out a random act of kindness, with no expectation of reward, safe in the knowledge that one day someone might do the same for you.” – Princess Diana
“Love and kindness are never wasted. They always make a difference. They bless the one who receives them, and they bless you, the giver.” – Barbara De Angelis
“Remember there’s no such thing as a small act of kindness. Every act creates a ripple with no logical end.” – Scott Adams
“Unexpected kindness is the most powerful, least costly, and most underrated agent of human change.” – Bob Kerrey
“Wherever there is a human being, there is an opportunity for a kindness.” – Lucius Annaeus Seneca
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Posted: Sat Dec 21, 2019 8:28 am
Advent Calendar – December 20th, 2019
Even though you’re damaged, you still have value
“A popular speaker started off a seminar by holding up a $20 bill. A crowd of 200 had gathered to hear him speak. He asked, ‘Who would like this $20 bill?’
200 hands went up.
He said, ‘I am going to give this $20 to one of you but first, let me do this.’ He crumpled the bill up.
He then asked, ‘Who still wants it?’
All 200 hands were still raised.
‘Well,’ he replied, ‘What if I do this?’ Then he dropped the bill on the ground and stomped on it with his shoes.
He picked it up, and showed it to the crowd. The bill was all crumpled and dirty.
‘Now who still wants it?’
All the hands still went up.
‘My friends, I have just showed you a very important lesson. No matter what I did to the money, you still wanted it because it did not decrease in value. It was still worth $20. Many times in our lives, life crumples us and grinds us into the dirt. We make bad decisions or deal with poor circumstances. We feel worthless. But no matter what has happened or what will happen, you will never lose your value. You are special – Don’t ever forget it!’
https://thoughtcatalog.com/january-nelson/2018/09/motivational-stories/
“What if you simply devoted this year to loving yourself more?” – Unknown
“Encourage yourself, believe in yourself, and love yourself. Never doubt who you are.” – Stephanie Lahart
“You were born an original work of art. Stay original always. Originals cost more than imitations.” – Suzy Kassem
“Fall in love with taking care of yourself. Mind. Body. Spirit.” – Unknown
“Self-care is never a selfish act — it is simply good stewardship of the only gift I have, the gift I was put on earth to offer to others.” – Parker Palmer
“Have unshakable faith in yourself to become everything you want to be.” – April Williams
“Love yourself enough to set boundaries. Your time and energy are precious. You get to choose how you use it. You teach people how to treat you by deciding what you will and won’t accept.” – Anna Taylor
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Posted: Sat Dec 21, 2019 8:33 am
Advent Calendar – December 21st, 2019
The Seasons of Life
There was a man who had four sons. He wanted his sons to learn to not judge things too quickly. So he sent them each on a quest, in turn, to go and look at a pear tree that was a great distance away.
The first son went in the winter, the second in the spring, the third in summer, and the youngest son in the fall.
When they had all gone and come back, he called them together to describe what they had seen.
The first son said that the tree was ugly, bent, and twisted.
The second son said no – it was covered with green buds and full of promise.
The third son disagreed, he said it was laden with blossoms that smelled so sweet and looked so beautiful, it was the most graceful thing he had ever seen.
The last son disagreed with all of them; he said it was ripe and drooping with fruit, full of life and fulfilment.
The man then explained to his sons that they were all right, because they had each seen but one season in the tree’s life.
He told them that you cannot judge a tree, or a person, by only one season, and that the essence of who they are – and the pleasure, joy, and love that come from that life – can only be measured at the end, when all the seasons are up.
If you give up when it’s winter, you will miss the promise of your spring, the beauty of your summer, fulfilment of your fall.
Don’t judge a life by one difficult season. Don’t let the pain of one season destroy the joy of all the rest.
https://livelifehappy.com/live-life-happy-stories/
“The saddest summary of a life contains three descriptions: could have, might have, and should have.” - Louis E. Boone
“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the things you did.” - Mark Twain
“One way to get the most out of life is to look upon it as an adventure.” - William Feather
“Life has no limitations, except the ones you make.” - Les Brown
“You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.” - Joe Lewis
"Dream as if you'll live forever, live as if you'll die today." - James Dean
“Enjoy the little things in life, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.” - Robert Breault
"If you want to be happy, set a goal that commands your thoughts, liberates your energy, and inspires your hopes." - Andrew Carnegie
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Posted: Sat Dec 21, 2019 8:35 am
Advent Calendar – December 22nd, 2019
Building Your House
An elderly carpenter was ready to retire. He told his employer-contractor of his plans to leave the house-building business to live a more leisurely life with his wife and enjoy his extended family. He would miss the paycheck each week, but he wanted to retire. They could get by.
The contractor was sorry to see his good worker go & asked if he could build just one more house as a personal favor. The carpenter said yes, but over time it was easy to see that his heart was not in his work. He resorted to shoddy workmanship and used inferior materials. It was an unfortunate way to end a dedicated career.
When the carpenter finished his work, his employer came to inspect the house. Then he handed the front-door key to the carpenter and said, “This is your house… my gift to you.”
The carpenter was shocked!
What a shame! If he had only known he was building his own house, he would have done it all so differently.
So it is with us. We build our lives, a day at a time, often putting less than our best into the building. Then, with a shock, we realize we have to live in the house we have built. If we could do it over, we would do it much differently.
But, you cannot go back. You are the carpenter, and every day you hammer a nail, place a board, or erect a wall. Someone once said, “Life is a do-it-yourself project.” Your attitude, and the choices you make today, help build the “house” you will live in tomorrow. Therefore, Build wisely!
https://livelifehappy.com/live-life-happy-stories/
“Never whine, never complain, never try to justify yourself.” - Robert Greene
“If opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door.” - Milton Berle
“If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude.” - Maya Angelou
“Keep your thoughts positive because your thoughts become your words. Keep your words positive because your words become your behavior. Keep your behavior positive because your behavior becomes your habits. Keep your habits positive because your habits become your values. Keep your values positive because your values become your destiny.” - Mahatma Gandhi
“I am not a product of my circumstances. I am a product of my decisions.” - Stephen Covey
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Posted: Sat Dec 21, 2019 8:37 am
Advent Calendar – December 23rd, 2019
The Elephant Rope (Belief)
A gentleman was walking through an elephant camp, and he spotted that the elephants weren’t being kept in cages or held by the use of chains.
All that was holding them back from escaping the camp, was a small piece of rope tied to one of their legs.
As the man gazed upon the elephants, he was completely confused as to why the elephants didn’t just use their strength to break the rope and escape the camp. They could easily have done so, but instead, they didn’t try to at all.
Curious and wanting to know the answer, he asked a trainer nearby why the elephants were just standing there and never tried to escape.
The trainer replied;
“When they are very young and much smaller we use the same size rope to tie them and, at that age, it’s enough to hold them. As they grow up, they are conditioned to believe they cannot break away. They believe the rope can still hold them, so they never try to break free.”
The only reason that the elephants weren’t breaking free and escaping from the camp was that over time they adopted the belief that it just wasn’t possible.
Moral of the story:
No matter how much the world tries to hold you back, always continue with the belief that what you want to achieve is possible. Believing you can become successful is the most important step in actually achieving it.
https://wealthygorilla.com/10-most-inspirational-short-stories/
“Be brave to stand for what you believe in even if you stand alone.”
― Roy T. Bennett, The Light in the Heart
“Live the Life of Your Dreams
When you start living the life of your dreams, there will always be obstacles, doubters, mistakes and setbacks along the way. But with hard work, perseverance and self-belief there is no limit to what you can achieve.”
― Roy T. Bennett, The Light in the Heart
“Be sure you put your feet in the right place, then stand firm.”
― Abraham Lincoln
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