Never stop reaching

It is only when a seed grows that it can produce more seeds. It is only when you express joy and abundance in your own life that you can help others to know joy and abundance in their lives.

To make yourself miserable for the sake of helping others will serve no useful purpose at all. The best way to be of service to others is from a position of strength and fulfillment rather than from a position of weakness and despair.

The goals and dreams and desires that are so undeniably your own are yours for a reason. They are showing you, and at the same time compelling you, to make the most of your life.

It is not selfish to be your very best. What's truly selfish is to let your enormous potential go unrealized.

What have you always wanted to know, always wanted to have, always wanted to do, and always wanted to be? It is never too late to honestly answer that question, and to answer it with all the colorful detail and passion that it deserves.

For in the answer to that question is your own truly beautiful and unique gift to life. Never stop reaching for the best you can imagine; for when you fulfill your highest possibilities, you raise the whole world up with you.

Where there is a purpose

When there is a reason, there is a way. Where there is a purpose, there is a path.

You are capable of reaching higher and higher levels of achievement. The reason you have not yet reached some of them is because you have not yet had a compelling enough reason to do so.

When thinking of what you can do, stop thinking only in terms of what you have done. Think in terms of what you desire, what you can imagine, and what you can dream.

Think in terms of your purpose. Connect your awareness to whatever drives you, and it will drive you far indeed.

Purpose will find a way around the most stubborn obstacles. Purpose will bring the most meaningful and valuable possibilities into reality.

Follow the purpose that is truly you. And effectiveness, enthusiasm, achievement, joy and fulfillment will all flow into your life.

DEAR LORD,

I thank You for this day, I thank You for my being able to see and to hear this morning. I'm blessed because You are a forgiving God and an understanding God. You have done so much for me and You keep on blessing me. Forgive me this day for everything I have done, said or thought that was not pleasing to you.

I ask now for Your forgiveness. Please keep me safe from all danger and harm. Help me to start this day with a new attitude and plenty of gratitude. Let me make the best of each and every day to clear my mind so that I can hear from You. Please broaden my mind that I can accept all things. Let me not whine and whimper over things I have no control over.
And give me the best response when I'm pushed beyond my limits.

I know that when I can't pray, You listen to my heart. Continue to use me to do Your will. Continue to bless me that I may be a blessing to others. Keep me strong that I may help the weak... Keep me uplifted that I may have words of encouragement for others. I pray for those that are lost and can't find their way. I pray for those that are misjudged and misunderstood. I pray for those who don't know You intimately. I pray for those that will delete this without sharing it with others I pray for those that don't believe.

But I thank You that I believe that God changes people and God changes things. I thank you Lord that You are real and not just an 'it' or thing, I hope others come to know Your great Person hood. I pray for all my sisters and brothers. For each and every family member in their households. I pray for peace, love and joy in their homes; that they are out of debt and all their needs are met. I pray that every eye that reads this knows there is no problem, circumstance, or situation greater than God. Every battle is in Your hands for You to fight. I pray that these words be received into the hearts of every eye that sees it in Jesus' name. Amen!

ACTUALLY DO

The results you achieve are not based on what you plan to do or what you say you'll do. Your results come from what you actually do.

The rationalizations and excuses you make will not add any value or quality to your life. Your actions are what truly make a difference.

To get where you wish to go requires more than just talking about it. To get where you wish to go requires focused, sustained effort.

And the great thing is, you're perfectly capable of making whatever effort is necessary. You must simply choose to actually do it.

No one can reach real fulfillment on your behalf. The life you experience is the life you create for yourself.

There are so many possibilities to choose from, and so many opportunities to make life great through the actions you take. Now is the moment to actually do it.

-- Ralph Marston
The Daily Motivator
Copyright ©2008 Ralph S. Marston, Jr. All rights reserved.

Ten Ways to Say “I LOVE YOU”

• Listen without interrupting. (Prov18)
• Speak without accusing. ( James 1:19)
• Give without sparing. (Prov21:26)
• Pray without ceasing. (Colossians 1:9)
• Answer without arguing. (Prov17:1)
• Share without pretending. (Ephesians 4:15)
• Enjoy without complaint. (Philippians 2:14)
• Trust without wavering. (Corinthians 13:7)
• Forgive without punishing. (Colossians 3:13)
• Promise without forgetting. ( Prov13:12)

Choosing to be a TOP PERFORMER

Our success in life is determined by the choices we make. You are going to be making choices that will determine your success as you learn to manage yourself and others. To be effective in making proper choices, you must understand the difference between reacting and responding.

Let’s say you go to the doctor, who gives you a prescription and tells you to come back the next day. When you go back, if he looks worried and tells you he needs to change the prescription because your body is reacting to the medicine, you’re probably going to be concerned. On the other hand, if he tells you your body is responding to the medicine, you’re going to smile because you know you’re on your way to recovery. So, to react is negative and to respond is positive – the choice is yours! It’s a fact that you can’t tailor-make the situations in life, but you can tailor the attitudes to fit those situations before they arise.
There are some things that are simply not going to change. If you were born white, you’re going to stay white. If you were born black, you’re gong to stay black. I don’t care how much thought you give it, you’re not going to add a single cubit to your height. You’re not going to change when you were born, where you were born, how you were born, or to whom you were born. However, you can choose how you will respond to all of life’s circumstances. All of life is a series of choices. Realize that every choice we make, whether it is good or bad, has consequences! You can choose to get drunk tonight, but when you do, you have chosen to feel miserable tomorrow. You can choose to eat properly today, and when you do, you have chosen to be healthier. All the circumstances in your life will not be positive. You must choose to respond to both the positive and negative.
As a leader in your organization others can tell a lot about you by how you respond, or react, to the little nuisances that crop up in your day as well as the big obstacles that come along. Lead in such a way that causes others to make wise choices and benefit from those choices.

SCHOOL LIFE

• Students who think they do well in arts actually do better in science.
• Teachers enjoy spending their time at the faculty room rather than in classrooms. The students agree.
• Students write on their desks more than they write on their notebook.
• We produce good lawyers out of late comer students; they have all the reasons.
• 75% of our brain is composed of water.
• Teacher's pet get the higher grades but earn less than what they thought.
  

Rules from God

1. Wake Up !! Decide to have a good day. "Today is the day the Lord hath made; let us rejoice and be glad in it" Psalms 118:24

2. Dress Up !!

The best way to dress up is to put on a smile. A smile is an inexpensive way to improve your looks. "The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at outward appearance; but the Lord looks at the heart." I Samuel 16:7

3. Shut Up!!

Say nice things and learn to listen. God gave us two ears and one mouth, so He must have meant for us to do twice as much listening as talking. "He who guards his lips guards his soul." Proverbs 13:3

4. Stand Up!!...

For what you believe in. Stand for something or you will fall for anything.. "Let us not be weary in doing good; for at the proper time, we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good..." Galatians 6:9-10

5. Look Up !!...

To the Lord.

"I can do everything through Christ who strengthens me." Phil ippians 4:13

6. Reach Up !!... For something higher. "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not unto your own understanding. In all your ways, acknowled ge Him, And He will direct your path."

Proverbs 3:5-6

7. Lift Up !!... Your Prayers.

"Do not worry about anything; instead PRAY ABOUT EVERYTHING."

Philippians 4:6

YOU CAN CHANGE THE WORLD

Friends, I am Marc and I belong to the generation people call YOUTH. And just like the other members of my set, I am discovering with eyes filled with wonder these things called life. I delight in its rhythm, I swing at its dances, I laugh at it funny stokes and marvel at its fast-paced technology. But there's another vision of youth I encounter. There's youth huddling in a corner moaning and pleading for drugs; there's youth clinging to a foreign breast, clutching at a foreigner's arm for price, peddling oneself for a decent meal. There's youth setting barricades of protest for tuition fee increases; imperialistic and multinational exploitation for violation of social rights.

There's youth challenging daring in its commitments, as yellow confetti, yellow arm and head bands color the place, a symbolism of Youth's vibrancy and exuberance. There's youth in communal silence, evoking in heartfelt silence, in prayers, its dreams, its fear and its aspirations. And there's youth solemnly voicing its solid, headstrong conviction of its love for nations with affection overflowing with power.

Fellow Filipinos such is the picture of generation we call YOUTH. Admittedly, one sees in youth a criss-cross of personalities. There are those who view life as a lovely rainbow. There are those who seek life at the end of the rainbow. There are those who sees only the flag, but there are also others who freeze flag's colors and touch its stars, its blue offer of peace, its valiant passion of red. Yet in spite these extreme differences one recognizes in youth its potent asset. Youth power. And youth power is power-power to activate, power to decide, power to revolutionize. Power to change the world.

Can the youth promote peace? Can the youth be contributory to appease hunger? Can the youth lift its hands to reach the destitute, the oppressed, the drugs of society? Will the youth be models of values people of all nations want to achieve? Can the youth in a capsule of thought really change the world?

To all these questions, the youth asks back. Will there be hearts committed to help youth change the world? Will there be hands to clasp youth's hands to reach other hands? Will there be voices to support youth's fervent hopes? Will there be men who would guide youth towards a righteous decision?

For like the moth attracted to the lamp fire, the youth has its energy, its vigor, its attraction to life's fire. But the fire shall uphold, shall dignify, not crush. Not tempt. Not burn youth. Life's fire shall create, build, and mold. It should not destroy, not deform.

Friends, fellow Filipinos, the Youth's light and fire are the elders.

Give the youth elders who practice integrity, loyalty and incorruptibility and the youth will respond in two-fold. Present youth elders who value real love of country, concern for economy without touch of self-interest and you will get a full blooded youth committed to its nation's needs over alert to its nations problems. Hand the youth elders with a conscience and you receive a youth who respects too, his dignity, his manhood, his rights.

For the youth means generation to generation struggling together, aspiring together, achieving together. The youth means hoping that if today does not succeed the tomorrow of the next generation will be there-ready to pursue, to continue Youth's goals. Let all imbibe the youth's charism, positivism and love for life. Let all put into their hearts the youth's sense innocence, fair play, courage and heroism.

Then and only then will the youth acclaim with pride, "We are the youth. We can change the world."

THE AWAKENING by: Sonny Carroll

There comes a time in your life when you finally get it...

When in the midst of all your fears and insanity you stop dead in your tracks and somewhere the voice inside your head cries out - ENOUGH!

Enough fighting and crying, or struggling to hold on. And, like a child quieting down after a blind tantrum, your sobs begin to subside, you shudder once or twice, you blink back your tears and through a mantle of wet lashes you begin to look at the world from a new perspective. This is your awakening.

You realize that it is time to stop hoping and waiting for something, or someone, to change or for happiness, safety and security to come galloping over the next horizon. You come to terms with the fact that there aren’t always fairytale endings (or beginnings for that matter) and that any guarantee of "happily ever after" must begin with you. Then a sense of serenity is born of acceptance.

So you begin making your way through the “reality of today” rather than holding out for the “promise of tomorrow.” You realize that much of who you are, and the way you navigate through life is, in great part, a result of all the social conditioning you’ve received over the course of a lifetime. And you begin to sift through all the nonsense you were taught about:

* how you should look and how much you should weigh

* what you should wear and where you should shop

* where you should live or what type of car your should drive

* who you should sleep with and how you should behave

* who you should marry and why you should stay

* the importance of having children or what you owe your family

Slowly you begin to open up to new worlds and different points of view. And you begin reassessing and redefining who you are and what you really believe in. And you begin to discard the doctrines you have outgrown, or should never have practiced to begin with.

You accept the fact that you are not perfect and that not everyone will love, appreciate or approve of who or what you are... and that’s OK... they are entitled to their own views and opinions. And, you come to terms with the fact that you will never be a size 5 or a “perfect 10” Or a perfect human being for that matter. So you stop trying to compete with the image inside your head or agonizing over how you compare. And you take a long look at yourself in the mirror and you make a promise to give yourself the same unconditional love and support you give so freely to others. Then a sense of confidence is born of self-approval.

And, you stop maneuvering through life merely as a “consumer” hungry for your next fix, a new dress, another pair of shoes or looks of approval and admiration from family, friends or even strangers who pass by. Then you discover that “it is truly in giving that we receive and that the joy and abundance you seek grows out of the giving. And you recognize the importance of “creating” & “contributing” rather than “obtaining” & “accumulating.”

And you give thanks for the simple things you’ve been blessed with; things that millions of people upon the face of the earth can only dream about a full refrigerator, clean running water, a soft warm bed and the freedom to pursue your own dreams.

And then you begin to love and to care for yourself. You stop engaging in self-destructive behaviors including participating in dysfunctional relationships. You begin eating a balanced diet, drinking more water and exercising. And because you’ve learned that fatigue drains the spirit and creates doubt and fear, you give yourself permission to rest. And just as food is fuel for the body, laughter is fuel for the spirit and so you make it a point to create time for play.

Then you learn about love and relationships, how to love, how much to give in love, when to stop giving and when to walk away. And you allow only the hands of a lover who truly loves and respects you to glorify you with his touch. You learn that people don’t always say what they mean or mean what they say, intentionally or unintentionally and that not everyone will always come through and interestingly enough, it’s not always about you. So, you stop lashing out and pointing fingers or looking to place blame for the things that were done to you or weren’t done for you. And you learn to keep your Ego in check and to acknowledge and redirect the destructive emotions it spawns; anger, jealousy and resentment.

You learn how to say I was wrong and to forgive people for their own human frailties. You learn to build bridges instead of walls and about the healing power of love as it is expressed through a kind word, a warm smile or a friendly gesture. And, at the same time, you eliminate any relationships that are hurtful or fail to uplift and edify you. You stop working so hard at smoothing things over and setting your needs aside. You learn that feelings of entitlement are perfectly OK and that it is your right to want or expect certain things. And you learn the importance of communicating your needs with confidence and grace. You learn that the only cross to bear is the one you choose to carry and that eventually martyrs are burned at the stake. Then you learn to distinguish between guilt, and responsibility and the importance of setting boundaries and learning to say NO. You learn that you don’t know all the answers, it’s not your job to save the world and that sometimes you just need to Let Go.

Moreover, you learn to look at people as they really are and not as you would want them to be, and you are careful not to project your neediness or insecurities onto a relationship. You learn that you will not be, more beautiful, more intelligent, more lovable or important because of the man on your arm or the child that bears your name. You learn that just as people grow and change, so it is with love and relationships and that that not everyone can always love you the way you would want them to. So you stop appraising your worth by the measure of love you are given. And suddenly you realize that it’s wrong to demand that someone live their life or sacrifice their dreams just to serve your needs, ease your insecurities, or meet “your” standards and expectations. You learn that the only love worth giving and receiving is the love that is given freely without conditions or limitations. And you learn what it means to love. So you stop trying to control people, situations and outcomes. You learn that “alone” does not mean “lonely” and you begin to discover the joy of spending time “with yourself” and “on yourself.” Then you discover the greatest and most fulfilling love you will ever know. Self Love. And so, it comes to pass that through understanding your heart heals; and now all new things are possible.

Moving along, you begin to avoid Toxic people and conversations. And you stop wasting time and energy rehashing your situation with family and friends. You learn that talk doesn’t change things and that unrequited wishes can only serve to keep you trapped in the past. So, you stop lamenting over what could or should have been and you make a decision to leave the past behind. Then you begin to invest your time and energy to affect positive change. You take a personal inventory of all your strengths and weaknesses and the areas you need to improve in order to move ahead. You set your goals and map out a plan of action to see things through.

You learn that life isn’t always fair and you don’t always get what you think you deserve and you stop personalizing every loss or disappointment. You learn to accept that sometimes bad things happen to good people and that these things are not an act of God... but merely a random act of fate.

And you stop looking for guarantees because you’ve learned that the only thing you can really count on is the unexpected and that whatever happens, you’ll learn to deal with it. And you learn that the only thing you must truly fear is the great robber baron of all time FEAR itself. So you learn to step right into and through your fears because to give into fear is to give away the right to live life on your terms. You learn that much of life truly is a self-fulfilling prophesy and you learn to go after what you want and not to squander your life living under a cloud of indecision or feelings of impending doom.

Then, YOU LEARN ABOUT MONEY... the personal power and independence it brings and the options it creates. And you recognize the necessity to create your own personal wealth. Slowly, you begin to take responsibility for yourself by yourself and you make yourself a promise to never betray yourself and to never ever settle for less than your heart’s desire. Then a sense of power is born of self-reliance. And you live with honor and integrity because you know that these principles are not the outdated ideals of a by-gone era but the mortar that holds together the foundation upon which you must build your life. And you make it a point to keep smiling, to keep trusting and to stay open to every wonderful opportunity and exciting possibility. Then you hang a wind chime outside your window to remind yourself what beauty there is in Simplicity.

Finally, with courage in your heart and with God by your side you take a stand, you FAKE a deep breath and you begin to design the life you want to live as best as you can.

A word about the Power of Prayer: In some of my darkest, most painful and frightening hours, I have prayed not for the answers to my prayers or for material things but for my “God” to help me find the strength, confidence and courage to persevere; to face each day and to do what I must do.

Remember this: “You are an expression of the almighty. The spirit of God resides within you and moves through you. Open your heart, speak to that spirit and it will heal and empower you.” My “God” has never failed me.