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WISDOM

"Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise." -- Benjamin Franklin

"A man should never be ashamed to own that he has been in the wrong, which is but saying that he is wiser today than he was yesterday." -- Alexander Pope

"Learn the wisdom of compromise, for it is better to bend a little than to break." - Jane Wells

"To make no mistakes is not in the power of man; but from their errors and mistakes the wise and good learn wisdom for the future." -- Plutarch

:angel:Knowledge Is Growth
 
"Remember, if you ever need a helping hand, it's at the end of
your arm. As you get older, remember you have another hand:
the first is to help yourself, the second is to help others."

-- Audrey Hepburn
 
Today I want to talk about a topic that brings a smile to my face: happiness. For most people, happiness is the Holy Grail in life.

However, countless people who achieve great financial success find themselves very unhappy. When all is said and done, money and material things don’t bring you true happiness. And just as the Holy Grail was said to possess miraculous powers, so does happiness. It brings with it a mysterious ability to lift your spirit and brighten your life. So, with happiness as our platform today, I offer you the following food for thought.

Take your happiness temperature on occasion. Since there is no actual medical tool for that evaluation, I offer you a question to help you see where you fall on the happiness scale. On a scale from 1 to 10, with 1 being the least and 10 being the most, how happy would you say you currently are? Give this some serious thought and be brave enough to be honest. Of course, this is an unscientific method and this number can change from minute to minute.



Still, it is a self-report that will provide you with some important feedback about your general state of your happiness. If you don’t score high on the happiness scale, why not make today the day you begin moving up that scale by actively and mindfully seeking a happier life?


Wishing You Great Health,
Dr. John H. Sklare


Source:Lifescript.com


:angel:
 
[FONT=verdana, helvetica, sans-serif]Today's Quote
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Keep going after your many hopes and dreams...although sometimes they may seem out of reach...

By Susie

[/FONT][/FONT][FONT=verdana, helvetica, sans-serif][FONT=VERDANA, ARIAL, SANS-SERIF]Don't wait for your ship to come in. Row out to meet it..!

By Beliefnet.com

:angel:Knowledge Is Growth~~~

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"Life isn't about finding yourself...Life is about creating yourself..!"

George Bernard Shaw
 
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"Never look down on someone, unless you are helping them up"

I'm not sure where I got this quote from.. But it has stayed with me for years :)
 
Never mistake knowledge for wisdom. One helps you make a living, the other helps you make a life.

[FONT=VERDANA, ARIAL, SANS-SERIF]-Sandra Carey[/FONT]
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Today's Quote
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[FONT=VERDANA, ARIAL, SANS-SERIF]"Happiness makes up in height for what it lacks in length..!"[/FONT]

[FONT=VERDANA, ARIAL, SANS-SERIF][FONT=VERDANA, ARIAL, SANS-SERIF]-Robert Frost[/FONT]

:angel:[/FONT]Knowledge Is Growth
 
"There is more treasure in books than in all the pirate’s loot on Treasure Island... and best of all, you can enjoy these riches every day of your life." -- Walt Disney


:angel:Knowledge Is Growth
 
Take Action, Take Heart

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"Happiness resides not in possessions and not in gold, the feeling of happiness dwells in the soul." - Democritus (460?-370? BC)

Focus on the chase, the process, the journey—not the end result! At the end of the day, happiness is not about the big house, the money, or the material goods. The thrill is in the satisfaction of pushing our envelope and working hard. Happiness lives in the meaning and purpose we find in our lives. Melt into the process. Enjoy the ride. Happiness guaranteed!


Find Something to Celebrate Every Day
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"There are two ways to live: you can live as if nothing is a miracle; you can live as if everything is a miracle." - Albert Einstein

Celebrate a creative idea, your brilliance, your authentic style, your family, and/or your clean closets! Celebrate anything and everything that brightens your heart. If you find one thing to celebrate every day, your mind will soon automatically search for things to celebrate. Imagine that... your mind on automatic pilot, searching for happy things to celebrate.

Give Yourself Credit

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"The truest greatness lies in being kind, the truest wisdom in a happy mind." - Ella Wheeler Wilcox

Rather than focusing on what you haven't achieved (and believe me, we all could create quite the list), why not focus on what you have accomplished and give yourself credit where credit is due? No holds barred. No thoughts that negate your triumphs or happy moments.

Color Yourself Happy

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"Spring is when you feel like whistling even with a shoe full of slush." - Doug Larson

On our deepest levels, these glorious spring colors remind us of sunshine, spring fields and happiness. Don't underestimate the power and importance of your physical environment - your home, your office and your car – anywhere you live. Paint it happy!

Shake Your Booty

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"Movement is a medicine for creating change in a person's physical, emotional, and mental states." - Carol Welch

Exercise stimulates the brain to release endorphins and increases the production of the neurotransmitter serotonin, the body's natural mood elevator! Walk, dance, run, jump up and down, twirl in circles... move any way you can and feel happy.

Clear Space for Happiness

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"Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after." - Henry David Thoreau

Get those unpleasant, little, pesky tasks done, now! Go on, I said now! They are sapping your energy and weighing you down. They are hanging over your head. Free yourself of this mental clutter, and clear space for happiness!

Release Physical Tension

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"We should consider every day lost on which we have not danced at least once. And we should call every truth false, which was not accompanied by at least one laugh." - Friedrich Nietzsche

Stress, upset, and negative feelings can register in the body as tight shoulders, stomach cramps, stiff neck, or a headache. Some recommended ways to release this physical tension are to laugh, chant or sing, breathe deeply, get a massage, or sit in a sauna or steam room. It's important to take care of your body...

Creative Acts of Kindness

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"The best way to cheer yourself up is to try to cheer somebody else up." - Mark Twain

Want to create an upward happiness spiral that not only affects you, but in turn expands and spirals out there (woo hoo!) enhancing the world-wide happiness quotient? Do something nice for someone else! It's that simple. Plant one seed of happiness – just one - and it has the potential to grow and spread. Watch happiness ripple out...

Strengthen Your Gratitude Muscle

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"Wake at dawn with a winged heart and give thanks for another day of loving." - Kahlil Gibran

We can be collectors of injustices – perpetually feeling slighted, empty, and unhappy because of all the injustices (both real and imagined) that have fallen upon us. Or, we can count our blessings, feel joyful and happy, and cultivate gratitude. Every night before you go to bed, jot down at least 5 things that you are grateful for. You may be grateful for the obvious – food, shelter, clothing, a job, or some more subtle things, like smiles from strangers, a ripe piece of fruit, or the bus arriving just as you get to the stop. As you strengthen your gratitude muscle, you'll find that your life is filled with more blessings than you realized.

Source: Beliefnet.com

:angel:Knowledge Is Growth
 
Life is a lot like a natural landscape created by Mother Nature. The landscape around you is a kaleidoscope of activity and a menagerie of plant and animal life. It has grass, weeds, dirt, beautiful flowers, plush shrubbery, animals, microorganisms and much more. One of the things I find so interesting about the landscape around me is that it contains both plush greenery and inhospitable dirt. It’s quite a beautiful dichotomy! What intrigues me most is that life and beauty exists in both of these extremes.

With that as our foundation, here’s my thought for today.
Just as the landscape around you changes with each step you take, so does your life with each day you live. Some days you’ll walk by brightly colored, fragrant flowers; other days you’ll march down drab and dusty dirt roads.

That’s just the way life is – we each get our share of both agony and ecstasy in this world. Regardless of what each day brings you, your life experience is primarily based on where you focus your attention. If you can find the flower that exists in each day, even on those trying days, you can make every day bloom. Even though some days are very tough, every day has a rose in it! I encourage you to find each day’s rose and make every day bloom!


Wishing You Great Health,
Dr. John H. Sklare

:angel:Knowledge Is Growth~~~
 
[FONT=&quot]10 Steps to Bring Order to Your Life [/FONT]
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1. Live By Your Values [/FONT]
 [FONT=&quot]Begin each day by stating out loud, the one or two values that you try to live by. It can be a few more, but not many. Don’t worry if you are not always successful, these are the really big ideas that you hope guide everything you do.[/FONT]
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2. Have a Physical Practice [/FONT]
 [FONT=&quot]Make a regular practice of doing something physical which makes you feel more capable of living in light of those values. It may be working out to build strength or endurance. And it might be a long hot bath which relaxes you.[/FONT]
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3. Recognize Possibility [/FONT]
 [FONT=&quot]Try and find one small thing that reminds you of the fact that new possibilities are always around the corner.[/FONT]
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4. Identify What Isn't Working [/FONT]
 [FONT=&quot]Allow yourself to identify what isn’t working in your life; what’s broken, while also holding on to the awareness that they are not the only things in your life. You might try identifying two things that are actually working for each thing that you identify as not.[/FONT]
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5. Sharing Is Caring [/FONT]
 [FONT=&quot]Find time to talk about this stuff with someone about whom you care – someone with whom you can share your questions and even your answers.[/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
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6. Remember You Are Not Alone [/FONT]
 [FONT=&quot]Remember that you are not alone. Identify those who either already are, or could become, your partners in navigating through life. They may be family or friends, it might even be God. It could even be someone no longer physically with you, whose presence in your life is still very real.[/FONT]
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7. Eat Well [/FONT]
 [FONT=&quot]Take time, at least once a week, to eat a really good meal – one that makes you feel special, and worthy of the success you most deeply desire. Try and share the meal with friends and make sure that you each share one thing you accomplished during the week.[/FONT]
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8. Express Gratitude [/FONT]
Whether in private, to another individual, or in a group, express gratitude for what you already have, before each day ends. It can be a relationship, an experience, or even a thing.

9. Keep Your Head Up
Think about where you see evidence of things going well for others in the world, and reflect on how their success can bring you joy, and how it might inspire you to be more successful.

10. Think Good Thoughts
Before closing your eyes at the end of the day, focus on one hope that you have for tomorrow. If you can hope it, you can work toward it. And if you can work toward it, even if it never happens, it’s amazing how many good things will.


Source: Beliefnet.com
 
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[/FONT][FONT=verdana,arial,sans-serif]A LIFE THAT COUNTS
by Dr. John C. Maxwell[/FONT][FONT=verdana,arial,sans-serif]
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Ben Franklin once wrote, "I would rather have it said 'he lived usefully' than 'he died rich.'" More than just words, it was the way Franklin lived his life. One example of his useful nature was the invention of the Franklin stove. Instead of patenting it and keeping it to himself, Ben Franklin decided to share his invention with the world.

According to Dr. John C. Van Horne, Library Company of Philadelphia: "Franklin's philanthropy was of a collective nature. His sense of benevolence came by aiding his fellow human beings and by doing good to society. In fact, in one sense, Franklin's philanthropy, his sense of benevolence, was his religion. Doing good to mankind was, in his understanding, divine.” Even his position as a printer fit this philosophical bent. He did not hoard his ideas, but shared them, and everyone benefited. He had an "abundance mentality."

Instead of seeing the world in terms of how much money he could make, Franklin saw the world in terms of how many people he could help. To Benjamin Franklin, being useful was its own reward.

As I age, I gain perspective on the illusion of wealth and status as forms of fulfillment. I don't want my life to be measured by dollars and cents, or the number of books I've authored. Rather, I want to be remembered by the lives that I've touched. I want live a life that counts. With each day that passes, I feel a greater sense of urgency to make sure my time and energy are invested in developing leaders.

A Life That Counts Is Determined By:
1. The Relationships That I Form
Relationships help us to define who we are and what we can become. In my own life, I can see how relationships have shaped my character, values, and interest. I consider relationships to be my greatest treasures in life and an immense source of joy.

Source: From The Masters

:angel:Knowledge Is Growth
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The Holy Alphabet--THIS IS BEAUTIFUL!


Whoever came up with this one must have had some Divine guidance!

A lthough things are not perfect
B ecause of trial or pain
C ontinue in thanksgiving
D o not begin to blame
E ven when the times are hard
F ierce winds are bound to blow
G od is forever able
H old on to what you know
I magine life without His love
J oy would cease to be
K eep thanking Him for all the things
L ove imparts to thee
M ove out of "Camp Complaining"
N o weapon that is known
O n earth can yield the power
P raise can do alone
Q uit looking at the future
R edeem the time at hand
S tart every day with worship
T o "thank" is a command
U ntil we see Him coming
V ictorious in the sky
W e'll run the race with gratitude
X alting God most high
Y es, there'll be good times and yes some will be bad, but...
Z ion waits in glory....where none are ever sad!

And God Bless

"I AM Too blessed to be stressed!" The shortest distance between a problem and a solution is the distance between your knees and the floor. The one who kneels to the Lord can stand up to anything. Love and peace be with you forever, Amen.


PS: GOD LOVES YOU....PASS THE WORD ON TO MORE FRIENDS AND ASK THEM TO CONTINUE TELLING OTHERS THAT GOD LOVES THEM TOO. JUST THINK OF HOW MANY PEOPLE THAT COULD BE REACHED OUT TO AND BLESSED WITH THESE WORDS.

:angel:
 
The Blue Sweater

A girl gave away her favorite sweater and years later found it on a young boy in Africa. Was it a coincidence--or something more?

BY: Jacqueline Novogratz



It all started with the blue sweater, the one my uncle Ed gave me. He was like Santa to me, even in the middle of July. Of soft blue wool, with stripes on the sleeves and an African motif across the front—two zebras walking in front of a snowcapped mountain—the sweater made me dream of places far away. I hadn’t heard of Mount Kilimanjaro, nor did I have any idea that Africa would one day find a prominent place in my heart. Still, I loved that sweater and wore it often and everywhere. I wrote my name on the tag to ensure that it would be mine forever.


In our neighborhood in Virginia in the 1970s, new clothing was a once- or twice-a-year event. We would shop in September for school and at Christmastime and then make do for the year. As the eldest of seven children, at least I didn’t have to wear many hand-me-downs, and I liked choosing my own clothes; still, I loved that blue sweater. I wore it for years—right through middle school and into my freshman year in high school—though it started to fit me differently then, hugging adolescent curves I fought mightily to ignore.


But then my high school nemesis (who would burn down the school in our senior year by throwing a Molotov cocktail into the principal’s office) ruined everything. At our school, the cool kids and athletes hung out in “Jock Hall,” the area right outside the gym. During football season, the cheerleaders would decorate the hall with crepe paper streamers while the guys strutted around like peacocks in green and gold jerseys. Only a freshman, I was breathless just to be admitted to the scene. One Friday afternoon, the captain of the team had asked me on a date right there in the middle of the hall. The very air seemed to crackle with expectation. And there was that mean kid, standing right beside me, talking to boys from the junior varsity football team about the first ski trip of the winter. He stared at my sweater, and I gave him the coldest look I could muster. “We don’t have to go anywhere to ski,” he yelled, pointing at my chest. “We can do it on Mount Novogratz.”


The other boys joined him in laughter. I died a thousand deaths. That afternoon, I marched home and announced to my mother that the vile sweater had to go. How could she have let me walk out of the house looking so mortifyingly bad? Despite my high drama, she drove me to the Goodwill in our Ford station wagon with the wood panels on the sides. Ceremoniously, we disposed of the sweater; I was glad never to have to see it again and tried hard to forget it.


Fast-forward to early 1987. Twenty-five years old, I was jogging up and down the hilly streets of Kigali, Rwanda. I’d come to the country to help establish a microfinance institution for poor women. With my Walkman playing Joe Cocker singing “With a Little Help from My Friends,” I felt as if I were in a music video. On the road, women walked with bunches of yellow bananas on their heads, their hips swaying in time with the song’s rhythm. Even the tall cypress trees at the roadsides seemed to shimmy. I was in a dream on a sunny, big-sky Kigali afternoon, far away from home.


From out of nowhere, a young boy walked toward me, wearing the sweater—my sweater, the beloved but abandoned blue one. He was perhaps 10 years old, skinny, with a shaved head and huge eyes, not more than 4 feet tall. The sweater hung so low it hid his shorts, covering toothpick legs and knobby knees. Only his fingertips poked out of baggy sleeves. Still, there was no doubt: This was my sweater....


Continued next page...:angel:
 
The Blue Sweater - Continued from page 1

Excitedly, I ran over to the child, who looked up at me, obviously terrified. I didn’t speak a word of Kinyarwanda, nor did he speak French, the language on which I relied in Rwanda. As the boy stood frozen, I kept pointing to the sweater, trying not to become too agitated. I grabbed him by the shoulders and turned down the collar: Sure enough, my name was written on the tag of my sweater that had traveled thousands of miles for more than a decade.

The blue sweater had made a complex journey, from Alexandria, Virginia, to Kigali, the capital of Rwanda. It may have gone first to a little girl in the United States, then back to the Goodwill once more before traveling across the ocean, most likely to Mombasa, on the coast of Kenya, one of Africa’s most active ports. It would have arrived after being fumigated and packed into 100-pound bales along with other pieces of cast-off clothing, everything from T-shirts sold at bars at the Jersey shore to overcoats to evening gowns. The bales would have been sold to secondhand clothing distributors, who would allow retailers to discard the useless pieces and buy what they thought they could sell. Over time, many of those secondhand clothing traders would move into the middle class.


The story of the blue sweater has always reminded me of how we are all connected. Our actions—and inaction—touch people we may never know and never meet across the globe. The story of the blue sweater is also my personal story: Seeing my sweater on that child renewed my sense of purpose in Africa. At that point in my own journey, my worldview was shifting. I’d begun my career as an international banker, discovering the power of capital, of markets, and of politics, as well as how the poor are so often excluded from all three. I wanted to understand better what stands between poverty and wealth.


It had been a long and winding road getting to Rwanda in the first place—an unimagined outcome of choices made, sometimes with a sense of purpose, at times with reason, and sometimes simply by choosing the less traveled paths.


:angel:Knowledge Is Growth...Keep helping to Heal The World~~~
 
I pray for all of us, oppressor and friend, that together we may succeed in building a better world through human understanding and love, and that in doing so we may reduce the pain and suffering of all sentient beings.​

The Dalai Lama​


:angel:Knowledge Is Growth​
 
Doing the Work of Our Calling

That it may please thee to inspire us, in our several callings, to do the work which thou givest us to do with singleness of heart as thy servants, and for the common good, we beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.


Source: Book of Common Prayer 1979


:angel:
 
CREATING A POSITIVE ATTITUDE TO ACHIEVE POSITIVE RESULTS
by Mark Victor Hansen


Your attitude determines the state of world you live in. It is the foundation for every success and every failure you have had and will have. Your attitude will make you or break you.

Attitude creates the way you feel about people and situations. Your actions are a result of your attitude, which, in turn, creates a reaction from others. So, basically, what you think ... you get. It is your attitude toward others and the Universe that determines the resultant attitude toward you. Incorporate a positive, joyful attitude and you’ll have positive, joyful results. Put out a bad, negative attitude and you’ve failed before you begin.

I know it sounds simple, but the truth is….it IS simple!

WHERE DO NEGATIVE ATTITUDES COME FROM IN THE FIRST PLACE?

:angel:Knowledge Is Growth​
 
Sometimes in life, you find a special friend;

Someone who changes your life just by being part of it.

Someone who makes you laugh until you can't stop;

Someone who makes you believe that there really is good in the world.

Someone who convinces you that there really is an unlocked door just waiting for you to open it.

This is Forever Friendship.

This is the sacred RED ROSE.


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You MUST pass this rose on to at least 5 people within the hour of receiving this rose. After you do, make a wish.

If you have passed it on, your wish will come true and love will come your way shortly.

If not your life will stay the same as it has always been.


Just be nice & pass it on....May we all be loved so much.

Friend if I don't get this back I can take a hint!

Send this to 8 people or more and if this is sent back to you then you know that you are a true friend...



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