Living on the next leveL

Abandon

noreply@blogger.com (Don'tGiveUp) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 15:43:00 +0000

Steve Lyons will be remembered as the player who dropped his pants.

He could be remembered as an outstanding infielder ... as the player who played every position for the Chicago White Sox ... as the guy who always dove into first base ... as a favorite of the fans who high fived the guy who caught the foul ball in the bleachers. He could be remembered as an above-average player who made it with an average ability.

But he won't. He'll be remembered as the player who dropped his pants on July 16, 1990.

The White Sox were playing the Tigers in Detroit. Lyons bunted and raced down the first-base line. He knew it was going to be tight, so he dove at the bag. Safe! The Tiger's pitcher disagreed. He and the umpire got into a shouting match, and Lyons stepped in to voice his opinion.

Absorbed in the game and the debate, Lyons felt dirt trickling down the inside of his pants. Without missing a beat he dropped his britches, wiped away the dirt, and ... uh oh ...twenty thousand jaws hit the bleachers' floor.

And, as you can imagine, the jokes began. Women behind the White Sox dugout waved dollar bills when he came onto the field. "No one," wrote one columnist, "had ever dropped his drawers on the field. Not Wally Moon. Not Blue Moon Odom. Not even Heinie Manush." Within twenty-four hours of the "exposure," he received more exposure than he'd gotten his entire career; seven live television and approximately twenty radio interviews.

"We've got this pitcher, Melido Perex, who earlier this month pitched a no-hitter," Lyons stated, "and I'll guarantee you he didn't do two live television shots afterwards. I pull my pants down, and I do seven. Something's pretty skewed toward the zany in this game."

Fortunately, for Steve, he was wearing sliding pants under his baseball pants. Otherwise the game would be rated "R" instead of "PG-13."

Now, I don't know Steve Lyons. I'm not a White Sox fan. Nor am I normally appreciative of men who drop their pants in public. But I think Steve Lyons deserves a salute.

I think anybody who dives into first base deserves a salute. How many guys do you see roaring down the baseline of life more concerned about getting a job done than they are about saving their necks? How often do you see people diving headfirst into anything?

Too seldom, right? But when we do ... when we see a gutsy human throwing caution to the wind and taking a few risks ... ah, now that's a person worthy of a pat on the ... back.

So here's to all the Steve Lyons in the world.

via web...

The Blind Men and the Elephant

noreply@blogger.com (Don'tGiveUp) — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 14:51:00 +0000

There is an analogy to how differently we each understand or experience God in a classic story about three blind men and the elephant. As each of the three blind men are trying to understand exactly what the elephant is like, but experiencing different parts of the same thing.

The first blind man is feeling all over the leg of the elephant and says to the others, "It is like a strong tree." But, the second is holding the trunk, explaining, "It is like an ever changing vine."

Still, the third blind man is running his hands across the large body of the elephant, exclaiming, "No, it is endless, like a wide mountain."

As They Saw His Angel Face

noreply@blogger.com (Don'tGiveUp) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 14:34:00 +0000

They were both there the first time he cried. It was a joyful sound. The sound of life beginning and they waited so long to hear it. Mom and Dad were proud of him as they saw his angel face.

But today he lay there in the dirt face down crying one more time..."Mom, Dad...help me!" They were not nearby to hear his final cry.

He grew to be a young man full of hope and pride. He had dreams and plans for the future. In fact, waiting for him back home was the girl of his dreams. They met at school and just like fairy tales and romance stories this love affair was the kind that was meant to be.

The last time they saw each other they made promises of faithfulness. They talked about the wedding and a dozen or more children of their own. He said "I love you more than anything in this world." She cried and with tears running softly down her face she said, " I will wait for you and while we are apart my heart will skip every other beat until your return."

Mom and Dad stood by watching and dreaming of grandchildren to come and how they would spend the holidays together as one big family.

They said goodbye and after long "I don't want to let you go" hugs, they waved one last time as the plane lifted off the run way and headed away from home.

On the drive back there was silence as each of them remembered the first times, the good times, and the challenges of the past.

"Honey, it seems like just yesterday that he took his first steps," said Dad.

"I can remember holding him in my arms and thanking God for this miracle in my life," said Mom.

"Mom," said the young bride to be, "I know that feeling, too."

Months pass by and letters exchanged by the dozens. His time away is coming to an end. He'll be home again soon.

They gather at the airport once more to greet him. This should have been the joyful return of their son, her fiance.

The plane lands and makes it's final turn. The propellers stop with a sputtering sound. The passenger door opens as the steps are put in place. But this is not for him. The rear baggage door is unlatched and a small truck rolls underneath to gather it's contents.

"There, that must him." Dad whispers quietly. Mom bursts into tears. His fiance bows her head and cries openly into her hands.

He is home just like he promised. She was faithful and true. They didn't hear his last cry. He died face down on foreign soil.

You see he and tens of thousands of other men and women returned home that way so that you could be with your family and friends this weekend sharing laughter, good food and the freedom that only America can offer.

War should never be. But as it has had it's place in our history, young men and women gave their lives for the things that you and I take for granted everyday. Count your freedoms and they will equal one for every life lost.

Know that as Mom and Dad stood by the casket and looked at their son one last time, Mom and Dad were proud of him as they saw his angel face.

God Bless them all and God Bless America!

by: Bob Perks, Source Unknown

Fear of Transformation

noreply@blogger.com (Don'tGiveUp) — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 14:54:00 +0000

Sometimes I feel that my life is a series of trapeze swings. I'm either hanging on to a trapeze bar swinging along or, for a few moments in my life, I'm hurtling across space in between trapeze bars.

Most of the time, I spend my life hanging on for dear life to my trapeze-bar-of-the-moment. It carries me along a certain steady rate of swing and I have the feeling that I'm in control of my life. I know most of the right questions and even some of the right answers. But once in a while, as I'm merrily (or not so merrily) swinging along, I look ahead of me into the distance, and what do I see? I see another trapeze bar swinging toward me. It's empty, and I know, in that place that knows, that this new trapeze bar has my name on it. It is my next step, my growth, my aliveness going to get me. In my heart-of-hearts I know that for me to grow, I must release my grip on the present, well known bar to move to the new one.

Each time it happens to me, I hope (no, I pray) that I won't have to grab the new one. But in my knowing place I know that I must totally release my grasp on my old bar, and for some moment in time hurtle across space before I can grab onto the new bar. Each time I am filled with terror. It doesn't matter that in all my previous hurtles across the void of unknowing, I have always made it. Each time I am afraid I will miss, that I will be crushed on the unseen rocks in the bottomless chasm between the bars. But I do it anyway. Perhaps this is the essence of what the mystics call the faith experience. No guarantees, no net, no insurance policy, but you do it anyway because somehow, to keep hanging onto that old bar is no longer on the list of alternatives. And so for an eternity that can last a microsecond or a thousand lifetimes, I soar across the dark void of "the past is gone, the future is not yet here." It's called transition. I have come to believe that it is the only place that real change occurs. I mean real change, not the pseudo-change that only lasts until the next time my old buttons get punched.

I have noticed that, in our culture, this transition zone is looked upon as a "no-thing", a no-place between places. Sure the old trapeze-bar was real, and that new one coming towards me, I hope that's real too. But the void in between? That's just a scary, confusing, disorienting "nowhere" that must be gotten through as fast as unconsciously as possible. What a waste! I have a sneaking suspicion that the transition zone is the only real thing, and the bars are illusions we dream up to avoid, where the real change, the real growth occurs for us. Whether or not my hunch is true, it remains that the transition zones in our lives are incredibly rich places. They should be honored, even savored. Yes, with all the pain and fear and feelings of being out-of-control that can (but not necessarily) accompany transitions, they are still the most alive, most growth-filled, passionate, expansive moments in our lives.
And so, transformation of fear may have nothing to do with making fear go away, but rather with giving ourselves permission to "hang- out" in the transition between trapeze bars. Transforming our need to grab that new bar, any bar, is allowing ourselves to dwell in the only place where change really happens. It can be terrifying. It can also be enlightening, in the true sense of the word. Hurtling through the void, we just may learn how to fly.

Story - Flowers on the Bus

noreply@blogger.com (Don'tGiveUp) — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 16:33:00 +0000

We were a very motley crowd of people who took the bus every day that summer 33 years ago. During the early morning ride from the suburb, we sat drowsily with our collars up to our ears, a cheerless and taciturn bunch.

One of the passengers was a small grey man who took the bus to the centre for senior citizens every morning. He walked with a stoop and a sad look on his face when he, with some difficulty, boarded the bus and sat down alone behind the driver. No one ever paid very much attention to him.

Then one July morning he said good morning to the driver and smiled short-sightedly down through the bus before he sat down. The driver nodded guardedly. The rest of us were silent.

The next day, the old man boarded the bus energetically, smiled and said in a loud voice: "And a very good morning to you all!" Some of us looked up, amazed, and murmured "Good morning," in reply.
The following weeks we were more alert. Our friend was now dressed in a nice old suit and a wide out-of-date tie. The thin hair had been carefully combed. He said good morning to us every day and we gradually began to nod and talk to each other.

One morning he had a bunch of wild flowers in his hand. They were already dangling a little because of the heat. The driver turned around smilingly and asked: "Have you got yourself a girlfriend, Charlie?" We never got to know if his name really was "Charlie", but he nodded shyly and said yes.

The other passengers whistled and clapped at him. Charlie bowed and waved the flowers before he sat down on his seat.

Every morning after that Charlie always brought a flower. Some of the regular passengers began bringing him flowers for his bouquet, gently nudged him and said shyly: "Here." Everyone smiled. The men started to jest about it, talk to each other, and share the newspaper.

The summer went by, and autumn was closing in, when one morning Charlie wasn't waiting at his usual stop. When he wasn't there the next day and the day after that, we started wondering if he was sick or -- hopefully -- on holiday somewhere.

When we came nearer to the centre for senior citizens, one of the passengers asked the driver to wait. We all held our breaths when she went to the door.

Yes, the staff said, they knew who we were talking about. The elderly gentleman was fine, but he hadn't been coming to the centre that week. One of his very close friends had died at the weekend. They expected him back on Monday. How silent we were the rest of the way to work.

The next Monday Charlie was waiting at the stop, stooping a bit more, a little bit more grey, and without a tie. He seemed to have shrinked again. Inside the bus was a silence akin to that in a church. Even though no one had talked about it, all those of us, who he had made such an impression on that summer, sat with our eyes filled with tears and a bunch of wild flowers in our hands.

Believers in Small Graces

noreply@blogger.com (Don'tGiveUp) — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 11:17:00 +0000

There are those who search God in the quiet places -- no churches, no public displays of piety, no dramatic or flamboyant rituals.

They may be found standing in humble awe before a sunset, or weeping quietly at the beauty of a Bach concerto, or filled with an overflowing of pure love at the sight of an infant in the arms of its mother.

You may meet them visiting the elderly, comforting the lonely, feeding the hungry, and caring for the sick.

The greatest among them may give away what they own in the name of compassion and goodness, while never once uttering the word “God” out loud. Or they may do no more than offer a smile or a hand to someone in need, or quietly bow their heads at a moment of beauty that passes through their lives, and say a simple prayer of gratitude to the spirit that has created us all.

They are the lovers of the quiet God, the believers in the small graces of ordinary life.

Theirs is not the grand way, the way of the mystic or the preacher or the zealot or the saint. Some would say that theirs is not a way at all. All they know for certain is that life has beauty and a joy that transcends all the darkness that surrounds us, that something ineffable lives beyond the ordinary affairs of the day, and that without this mystery our lives would not be worth living.

I honor those who search for the quiet God, who seek the spirit in the small moments of our everyday life. It is a celebration of the ordinary, a reminder that when all else is stripped away, a life lived with love is enough.

--Kent Nerbern
source via web

Building a Creative Temple

noreply@blogger.com (Don'tGiveUp) — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 15:47:00 +0000

Whenever you set out to build a creative temple, whatever it may be, you must face the fact that there is a tension at the heart of the universe between good and evil. Hinduism refers to this as a struggle between illusion and reality. Platonic philosophy used to refer to it as a tension between body and soul. Zoroastrianism, a religion of old, used to refer to it as a tension between the god of light and the god of darkness. Traditional Judaism and Christianity refer to it as a tension between God and Satan. Whatever you call it, there is a struggle in the universe between good and evil.

Now not only is that struggle structured out somewhere in the external forces of the universe, it’s structured in our own lives. Psychologists have tried to grapple with it in their way, and so they say various things. Sigmund Freud used to say that this tension is a tension between what he called the id and the superego. Some of us feel that it’s a tension between God and man. And in every one of us this morning, there’s a war going on. It’s a civil war. I don’t care who you are, I don’t care where you live, there is a civil war going on in your life. And every time you set out to be good, there’s something pulling on you, telling you to be evil. It’s going on in your life. Every time you set out to love, something keeps pulling on you, trying to get you to hate. Every time you set out to be kind and say nice things about people, something is pulling on you to be jealous and envious and to spread evil gossip about them. There’s a civil war going on. There is a schizophrenia, as the psychologists or the psychiatrists would call it, going on within all of us. And there are times that all of us know somehow that there is a Mr. Hyde and a Dr. Jekyll in us. [...] There’s a tension at the heart of human nature. And whenever we set out to dream our dreams and to build our temples, we must be honest enough to recognize it.
In the final analysis, God does not judge us by the separate incidents or the separate mistakes that we make, but by the total bent of our lives. In the final analysis, God knows that his children are weak and they are frail. In the final analysis, what God requires is that your heart is right. Salvation isn’t reaching the destination of absolute morality, but it’s being in the process and on the right road.

And the question I want to raise this morning with you: is your heart right? If your heart isn’t right, fix it up today. Get somebody to be able to say about you, "He may not have reached the highest height, he may not have realized all of his dreams, but he tried." Isn’t that a wonderful thing for somebody to say about you? "He tried to be a good man. He tried to be a just man. He tried to be an honest man. His heart was in the right place." And I can hear a voice saying, crying out through the eternities, "I accept you. You are a recipient of my grace because it was in your heart. And it is so well that it was within thine heart."

I don’t know this morning about you, but I can make a testimony. You don’t need to go out this morning saying that Martin Luther King is a saint. Oh, no. I want you to know this morning that I’m a sinner like all of God’s children. But I want to be a good man. And I want to hear a voice saying to me one day, "I take you in and I bless you, because you try. It is well that it was within thine heart."

--Martin Luther King. Jr.

Before You Know What Kindness Really Is

noreply@blogger.com (Don'tGiveUp) — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 06:26:00 +0000

Before you know what kindness really is
you must lose things,
feel the future dissolve in a moment
like salt in a weakened broth.
What you held in your hand,
what you counted and carefully saved,
all this must go so you know
how desolate the landscape can be
between the regions of kindness.
How you ride and ride
thinking the bus will never stop,
the passengers eating maize and chicken
will stare out the window forever.

Before you learn the tender gravity of kindness,
you must travel where the Indian in a white poncho
lies dead by the side of the road.
You must see how this could be you,
how he too was someone
who journeyed through the night with plans
and the simple breath that kept him alive.

Before you know kindness as the deepest thing inside,
you must know sorrow as the other deepest thing.
You must wake up with sorrow.
You must speak to it till your voice
catches the thread of all sorrows
and you see the size of the cloth.

Then it is only kindness that makes sense anymore,
only kindness that ties your shoes
and sends you out into the day to mail letters and
purchase bread,
only kindness that raises its head
from the crowd of the world to say
it is I you have been looking for,
and then goes with you every where
like a shadow or a friend.

--Naomi Shihab Nye, from The Words Under the Words
source via web

Oh, What a Busy Day

noreply@blogger.com (Don'tGiveUp) — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 14:11:00 +0000

Once upon a time a very strong woodcutter ask for a job in a timber merchant, and he got it. The paid was really good and so were the work conditions. For that reason, the woodcutter was determined to do his best.

His boss gave him an axe and showed him the area where he was supposed to work.

The first day, the woodcutter brought 18 trees

"Congratulations," the boss said. "Go on that way!"

Very motivated for the boss’ words, the woodcutter try harder the next day, but he only could bring 15 trees. The third day he try even harder, but he only could bring 10 trees.Day after day he was bringing less and less trees.

"I must be losing my strength", the woodcutter thought. He went to the boss and apologized, saying that he could not understand what was going on.

"When was the last time you sharpened your axe?" the boss asked.

"Sharpen? I had no time to sharpen my axe. I have been very busy trying to cut trees..."
by: Stephen Covey, 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

Children Are Like Kites

noreply@blogger.com (Don'tGiveUp) — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 08:19:00 +0000

You spend years trying to get them off the ground.

You run with them until you are both breathless. They crash ... they hit the roof ... you patch, comfort and assure them that someday they will fly.

Finally, they are airborne.

They need more string, and you keep letting it out.

They tug, and with each twist of the twine, there is sadness that goes with joy.

The kite becomes more distant, and you know it won't be long before that beautiful creature will snap the lifeline that binds you together and will soar as meant to soar ... free and alone.

Only then do you know that you have done your job.

The parable of Dog And Cat

noreply@blogger.com (Don'tGiveUp) — Sun, 16 Oct 2011 10:25:00 +0000

I just realized that while children are dogs -- loyal and affectionate -- teenagers are cats. It's so easy to be a dog owner. You feed it, train it, boss it around. It puts its head on your knee and gazes at you as if you were a Rembrandt painting. It bounds indoors with enthusiasm when you call it.

Then around age 13, your adoring little puppy turns into a big old cat. When you tell it to come inside, it looks amazed, as if wondering who died and made you emperor. Instead of dogging your doorsteps, it disappears. You won't see it again until it gets hungry -- then it pauses on its sprint through the kitchen long enough to turn its nose up at whatever you're serving. When you reach out to ruffle its head, in that old affectionate gesture, it twists away from you, then gives you a blank stare, as if trying to remember where it has seen you before.

You, not realizing that the dog is now a cat, think something must be desperately wrong with it. It seems so antisocial, so distant, sort of depressed. It won't go on family outings.

Since you're the one who raised it, taught it to fetch and stay and sit on command, you assume that you did something wrong. Flooded with guilt and fear, you redouble your efforts to make your pet behave.

Only now you're dealing with a cat, so everything that worked before now produces the opposite of the desired result. Call it, and it runs away. Tell it to sit, and it jumps on the counter. The more you go toward it, wringing your hands, the more it moves away.

Instead of continuing to act like a dog owner, you can learn to behave like a cat owner. Put a dish of food near the door, and let it come to you. But remember that a cat needs your help and your affection too. Sit still, and it will come, seeking that warm, comforting lap it has not entirely forgotten. Be there to open the door for it.

One day your grown-up child will walk into the kitchen, give you a big kiss and say, "You've been on your feet all day. Let me get those dishes for you."

Then you'll realize your cat is a dog again.

F-A-M-I-L-Y Means

noreply@blogger.com (Don'tGiveUp) — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 14:49:00 +0000

I bumped into a stranger as he passed by,
"Oh, excuse me Please" was my reply.
He said, "Please excuse me too; Wasn't even watching for you."
We were very polite, this stranger and I.
We went on our way and we said good-bye.
But at home a different story is told,
How we treat our loved ones, young and old.

Later that day, cooking the evening meal,
My daughter stood beside me very still.
When I turned, I nearly knocked her down.
"Move out of the way," I said with a frown.
She walked away, her little heart was broken.
I didn't realize how harshly I'd spoken.

While I lay awake in bed,
God's still small voice came to me and said,
"While dealing with a stranger, common courtesy you use,
But the children you love, you seem to abuse.
Look on the kitchen floor,
You'll find some flowers there by the door.
Those are the flowers she brought for you.
She picked them herself: pink, yellow and blue.
She stood quietly not to spoil the surprise,
and you never saw the tears in her eyes."
By this time, I felt very small,
and now my tears began to fall.
I quietly went and knelt by her bed;
"Wake up, little girl, wake up," I said.
"Are these the flowers you picked for me?"
She smiled, "I found 'em, out by the tree.
I picked 'em because they're pretty like you.
I knew you'd like 'em, especially the blue."
I said, "Daughter, I'm sorry for the way I acted today;
I shouldn't have yelled at you that way."
She said, "Oh, Mom, that's okay. I love you anyway."
I said, "Daughter, I love you too,
and I do like the flowers, especially the blue."

Are you aware that:

If we die tomorrow, the company that we are working for could easily replace us in a matter of days. But the family we left behind will feel the loss for the rest of their lives. And come to think of it, we pour ourselves more into work than to our family - an unwise investment indeed.

So what is behind the story?

You know what is the full word of family?

FAMILY=(F)ather (A)nd (M)other, (I) (L)ove (Y)ou!

Fill life with love and bravery and we shall live a life uncommon.

This Child of Mine

noreply@blogger.com (Don'tGiveUp) — Sun, 04 Sep 2011 14:32:00 +0000

"I'll lend you for a little while
A child of mine," God said,
"For you to have the while he lives,
And mourn for when he's dead.

It may be six or seven years
Or twenty-two or three;
But will you 'till I call him back
Take care of him for me?

He'll bring his charms to gladden you
And, should his stay be brief,
You'll have his lovely memories
As a solace for your grief.

I cannot promise he will stay,
Since all from earth return;
But there are lessons taught below
I want this child to learn.

I've looked the whole world over
In search for teachers true;
And from the throngs that crowd life's land,
I have chosen you.

Now, will you give him all your love
Nor think the labor vain?
Nor hate me when I come to take
This lent child back again?"

I fancied that I heard them say:
"Dear Lord, Thy will be done.
For all the joys Thy child will bring
The risk of grief we'll run.

We'll shower him with tenderness,
We'll love him while we may.
And for the happiness we've known
Forever grateful stay.

But should Thy angel call for him
Much sooner than we've planned,
We'll brave the bitter grief that comes
And try to understand."

The Littlest Firefighter

noreply@blogger.com (Don'tGiveUp) — Sat, 23 Jul 2011 05:34:00 +0000

The 26-year-old mother stared down at her son who was dying of terminal leukemia. Although her heart was filled with sadness, she also had a strong feeling of determination. Like any parent she wanted her son to grow up and fulfill all his dreams. Now that was no longer possible. The leukemia would see to that. But, she still wanted her son's dreams to come true. She took her son's hand and asked, "Billy, did you ever think about what you wanted to be once you grew up? Did you ever dream and wish what you would do with your life? "

"Mommy, I always wanted to be a fireman when I grew up."

Mom smiled back and said, "Let's see if we can make your wish come true. "

Later that day she went to her local fire department in Phoenix, Arizona, where she met Fireman Bob, who had a heart as big as Phoenix. She explained her son's final wish and asked if it might be possible to give her six year old son a ride around the block on a fire engine. Fireman Bob said, "Look, we can do better than that. If you'll have your son ready at seven o'clock Wednesday morning, we'll make him an honorary fireman for the whole day. He can come down to the fire station, eat with us, go out on all the fire calls, the whole nine yards! And if you'll give us his sizes, we'll get a real fire uniform for him, with a real fire hat- not a toy one, but one with the emblem of the Phoenix Fire Department on it, a yellow slicker like we wear and rubber boots. They're all manufactured right here in Phoenix, so we can get them fast."

Three days later Fireman Bob picked up Billy, dressed him in his fire uniform and escorted him from his hospital bed to the waiting hook and ladder truck. Billy got to sit on the back of the truck and help steer it back to the fire station. He was in heaven. There were three fire calls in Phoenix that day and Billy got to go out on all three calls. He rode in the different fire engines, the paramedic's van, and even the fire chief's car. He was also videotaped for the local news program.

Having his dream come true, with all the love and attention that was lavished upon him, so deeply touched Billy that he lived three months longer than any doctor thought possible. One night all of his vital signs began to drop dramatically and the head nurse, who believed in the hospice concept that no one should die alone, began to call the family members to the hospital. Then she remembered the day Billy had spent as a fireman, so she called the Fire Chief and asked if it would be possible to send a fireman in uniform to the hospital to be with Billy as he made his transition.

The chief replied, "We can do better than that. We'll be there in five minutes. Will you please do me a favor? When you hear the sirens screaming and see the lights flashing, will you announce over the PA system that there is not a fire? It's just the fire department coming to see one of its finest members one more time. And will you open the window to his room?

About five minutes later a hook and ladder truck arrived at the hospital, extended its ladder up to Billy's third floor open window and 5 firefighters climbed up the ladder into Billy's room. With his mother's permission, they hugged him and held him and told him how much they loved him. With his dying breath, Billy looked up at the fire chief and said, "Chief, am I really a fireman now?" "Yes, Billy, you are a fireman now," the chief said.

With those words, Billy smiled and closed his eyes one last time. He passed away later that evening.

The Search For Happiness

noreply@blogger.com (Don'tGiveUp) — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 13:50:00 +0000

Happiness is like a beautiful butterfly
The more you chase it away, it soars high
But leave it alone, and sit down at peace
It will settle near, and then grasp it with ease

Happiness is like a delightful rainbow
With a spectrum of hues, it does glow
It adds the shades of colour to a day long
And fills Life with tinges of rhyme and song

Happiness is like a candle bright
Its flame brightens the shadowy night
Its radiance spreads the rays of cheer
Its sparkle ends the darkness of fear

Happiness is in moments, big and small
Happiness comes from within above all
In a word, a thought, a deed, or a smile
Happiness makes living feel worthwhile

Copyright © 2008 Nandita Shailesh Shanbhag

Captivating Nightlife with Some Fantastic Bars, Clubs, and Events

noreply@blogger.com (Don'tGiveUp) — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 03:45:00 +0000

Wine, Dine and Party! America is the store house of the nightclubs, discotheques, pubs and bars, which all together represents an entertaining nightlife. If you are looking for New York clubs that are trendy and brand new, it’s possible to do so with a good drink service directory. A local New York drink services directory will list the bars and clubs by categories that are easy to follow, so you can find exactly what you are looking for. There are so many local New York Bars and Night Clubs to enjoy that it would be impossible to visit them all during one trip to the Big Apple, even if you only have one drink in each bar.

Los Angeles Nightclubs are glowing gems in a city stuffed with "pretty" people. These night clubs can be easily identified by the long lines of folks anticipating the opportunity to get inside. Some are seeking the opportunity to rub elbows with famous people on the inside whilst others are merely looking to sneak a peak at how the other half part. If these nightclubs aren't hopping enough on any given night, it's usually little hassle to consider a few clubs in Los Angeles. In this manner you are definite to uncover the happening place for your night time ventures.

While looking for the perfect local Miami clubs to drink and dance your vacation away, you’ll want to leave some time and money to visit a few places that you weren’t planning on, as well. You will always find some Miami bars that draw you in, just because they look cute from the outside or because you got a recommendation from one of the locals. A directory of local Miami drink services can help find the clubs and bars that you just can’t miss, and your curiosity can help you figure out the rest. Miami Night Club Ratings is your one-stop-shop for Miami events, nightlife, restaurants, hotels, shopping's and more.

Many visitors spend hundreds, even thousands of dollars only to get sleighed of the true Night Life because they didn't do the research and end up at the wrong places. Even some adamant ones that spent the time and did the research end up at the right place but on the wrong night because they lack the insider information.

How To Recognize A Negative Attitude

noreply@blogger.com (Don'tGiveUp) — Sat, 21 May 2011 03:43:00 +0000

How you feel and how you react is in direct relation to how you think. Some people let random circumstances predict their day.

For example, they go to make coffee and find there is none left. They start the day by sarcastically thinking, "Oh great, this going to be a good day". Then, for the remainder of the day, they allow minor inconveniences, unexplained challenges, or other less than ideal events to reinforce their original negative thought.

You can recognize their negative attitude just by listening to how they talk.

If you allow your mind to dwell on unhappy situations, you can expect your day to unfold in the same manner.

Look forward to your day and don't let negative thoughts control it. Change how you interpret or react to life's events, and you actually change your attitude from a negative one to a positive one.

If you run out of coffee, change your thought to: "if this is the worse thing that could happen to me today the rest of my day will be great."

If you continually think negative thoughts then you are setting yourself up to allow only negative events to be your companion for the rest of the day. When something good does occur, you won't even recognize it.

Written by Catherine Pulsifer

Do You Think Positive Or Negative Thoughts?

noreply@blogger.com (Don'tGiveUp) — Sat, 07 May 2011 04:00:00 +0000

What do you think about the very first thing in the morning?

Your thoughts during the first half-hour of the morning will greatly influence the entire day. You may not realize this, but it is nevertheless a fact.

If you set out with worry and depression, and bitterness of soul toward fate or man, you are giving the key note to a day of discord and misfortunes.

If you think peace, hope, and happiness, you are sounding a note of harmony and success. The result may not be felt at once, but it will not fail to make itself evident eventually.

Control your morning thoughts. You can do it.

The first moment on waking, no matter what your mood, say to yourself:

"I will get all the comfort and pleasure possible out of this day, and I will do something to add to the measure of the world's happiness or well-being. I will control myself when tempted to be irritable or unhappy, I will look for the bright side of every event."

Once you say these things over to yourself in a calm, earnest way, you will begin to feel more cheerful. The worries and troubles of the coming day will seem less colossal.

Then say:

"I shall be given help to meet anything that comes today. Everything will be for the best. I shall succeed in whatever I undertake. I cannot fail."

Do not let it discourage you if the moment you leave your room you encounter a trouble or a disaster. This usually happens. When we make any boasts, spiritually or physically, we are put to the test. The occult forces about us are not unlike human beings.
When a schoolboy boasts of his strength, and says he can "lick any boy in school," he generally gets a chance to prove it. When we declare we are brave enough to overcome any fate, we find our strength put to the test at once.

But that is all right.

Prove your words to be true. Regard the troubles and cares you encounter as the "punching bags" of fate, given you to develop your spiritual muscle. Go at them with courage and keep to your morning resolve.

By and by the troubles will lessen, and you will find yourself master of circumstances.

--- Ella Wilcox Wheeler

Encouragement, Hope, Apprecation and Thankfulness

noreply@blogger.com (Don'tGiveUp) — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 07:22:00 +0000

The Best Gifts Ever That Money Can't Buy!

To yourself: The gifts of daily self-examination, self-discipline, self-respect, originality, a balanced diet, regular exercise, and regular mental and spiritual nourishment.

To your brothers and sisters: The gifts of love, help, understanding and emotional support.

To your children: The gifts of education, shelter, guidance, love, understanding, patience, sympathy, time, and good example.

To your parents: The gifts of thoughtfulness, love, appreciation, and thankful heart.

To your helpers: The gifts of kindness, appreciation, motivation, and reward.
To your spouse: The gifts of appreciation, support, affection, faithfulness, love, patience, understanding, and time. To your friends: The gifts of encouragement, communication, help, and your presence in times of storms.

To strangers: The gifts of a smile, open-mindedness, kind words, and deeds.

To your colleagues: The gifts of sense of humor, open-mindedness, tactfulness, encouragement, sincerity, cooperation, and support.

To your boss: The gifts of humbleness, humility, loyalty, honesty, respect, quality service and creativeness.

To the broken-hearted: The gifts of undivided attention, emotional support and encouragement.

To the lowly ones: The gifts of helping hands and loving heart.

To your enemies: The gifts of forgiveness, humility, reconciliation, service, and a smile.

To the prisoners: The gifts of clothes, foods, medicines, and evangelization.

To your country: The gifts of loyalty, support, compliance to the laws of the land, and submission to the authority. To the Almighty God: The gifts of daily communication, appreciation, diligent application on His wise counsels and finally, the gifts of sharing His words to all nations of the world.

Apply and give these gifts to yourself and to somebody else, so you can make this world a little better and peaceful place to live!

--- Copyright © 2007 Moises P. Reconalla
All rights reserved worldwide.

The Birth of a Dream

noreply@blogger.com (Don'tGiveUp) — Sun, 13 Feb 2011 03:50:00 +0000

"Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve."

Would you agree with the statement that a dream is born from an idea-a simple idea conceived in the mind?

Back in the 19th century two brothers had an idea which eventually became their passionate and consuming dream. Their relentless pursuit of that dream was rewarded with an accomplishment that changed world travel.

On Friday December 17, 1903 at 10:35 AM, the Wright brothers (Wilbur and Orville) achieved their dream. They flew "the world's first power-driven, heavier-than-air machine in which man made free, controlled, and sustained flight." This memorable feat took place at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina on a cold windy morning.
The dream started with an idea that was planted in their minds by a toy given to them by their father. In the words of the boys, "Late in the autumn of 1878, our father came into the house one evening with some object partly concealed in his hands, and before we could see what it was, he tossed it into the air. Instead of falling to the floor, as we expected, it flew across the room till it struck the ceiling, where it fluttered awhile, and finally sank to the floor." This simple toy made of bamboo, cork and stretched rubber bands, fascinated the Wright brothers and sparked their lifelong interest in human flight.

The Wright brothers were great thinkers. They enjoyed learning new things. Initially, they recycled broken parts, built a printing press and opened their own printing office. Their interest moved to bicycles and in 1893, they opened the Wright Cycle Company where they sold and repaired bicycles. But Wilbur (the older brother) had his mind set on something more exciting. He decided to seriously pursue flying.

The brothers spent many hours researching, testing their machines and making improvements after unsuccessful attempts at human flight. What started out as a hobby soon became a passion. With determination and patience they realized their dream in 1903.

The next time you hear or see an airplane or travel on one, remember where it all started. A simply idea conceived in the minds of two young men who did not finish high school. Believe it or not, they did not have a University degree in Aeronautical Engineering, Mathematics, Physics or any other subject. They were not scientists in the true sense of the word. In fact, many of their peers who did not witness their accomplishment, had trouble believing that two bicycle mechanics from Dayton, Ohio did what they claimed.

What idea or ideas are YOU working on? Have you said you can't do this or that because you are not a scientist? Have you limited yourself by saying you are not smart enough? Or have you joined the majority in saying that everything has already been invented or discovered?
Since the introduction of the first generation of personal computers in 1981, we are able to do many things more efficiently. With a super computer between your ears and the personal computer at your finger tips, your dream can be achieved. First, give birth to that dream with an idea. A simply idea that ANYONE of us can conceive!

Comfort Zone

noreply@blogger.com (Don'tGiveUp) — Sun, 13 Feb 2011 03:38:00 +0000

I use to have a Comfort Zone
Where I knew I couldn't fail
The same four walls of busy work
Were really more like jail.

I longed so much to do the things
I'd never done before,
But I stayed inside my Comfort Zone
And paced the same old floor

I said it didn't matter,
That I wasn't doing much
I said I didn't care for things
Like diamonds, furs and such
I claimed to be so busy
With the things inside my zone,
But ddep inside I longed for
Something special of my own.

I couldn't let my life go by,
Just watching others win.
I held my breath and stepped outside
And let the change begin.

I took a step and with new strength
I'd never felt before,
I kissed my Comfort Zone "goodbye"
And closed and locked the door.

If you are in a Comfort Zone,
Afraid to venture out,
Remember that all winners were
At one time filled with doubt.

A step or two and words of praise,
Can make your dreams come true.
Greet your future with a smile,
Success is there for you!

Dreams

noreply@blogger.com (Don'tGiveUp) — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 15:10:00 +0000

When we were young, we had dreams and expectations. We imagine things, we keep thinking about what we want to be, what we want to do, what makes us proud and happy and what will we become.

We grew up, and things seemed like having its own way. We accept our success or failures and we move on. The rapid change, the need to do the urgent things, the works, the pressures and the failures, all kill part of our visions.

Things have changed, but they cannot really take away the dreams. We still have to dream on, to visualize our desires, our wants, our vision of our future, even when we are considered too old for such things.

Cornel Sanders started his business when he was sixty, and started the whole successful KFC business. The main thing is not the age - whether being too old, or too young, but it is the desire to dream on, and the courage to realize it.

Vivid visualization, taking it to sleep, thinking constantly about it, talking about it, planning it, adding all the spices to our dreams will make us a bit closer to the realization of our dreams.

Entrepreneurship starts with a dream, a simple wish of tiny restaurant operation, or a huge business of real-estate development, or a modest training center for English education, or just any other self-employed money earning fun.

The ability to dream on is one of the fine quality of human race that other species do not possess. So dream on, and put a deadline: make it a giant dream, a tiny one, an old everlasting one, a newfound one, a hobby related one, a change of life one, a religious one, a stupid one, a stroke-of-genius one, or just whatever...... just continue to dream on........ Then, Just Go and Do It!

source via web

Grow Great by Dreams

noreply@blogger.com (Don'tGiveUp) — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 04:11:00 +0000

The question was once asked of a highly successful businessman: "How have you done so much in your lifetime?"

He replied, "I have dreamed. I have turned my mind loose to imagine what I wanted to do. Then I have gone to bed and thought about my dreams. In the night I dreamt about my dreams. And when I awoke in the morning, I saw the way to make my dreams real. While other people were saying, 'You can't do that, it isn't possible,' I was well on my way to achieving what I wanted." As Woodrow Wilson, 28th President of the U.S., said: "We grow great by dreams. All big men are dreamers."

They see things in the soft haze of a spring day, or in the red fire on a long winter's evening. Some of us let these great dreams die, but others nourish and protect them; nourish them through bad days until they bring them to the sunshine and light which comes always to those who sincerely hope that their dreams will come true."

So please, don't let anyone steal your dreams, or try to tell you they are too impossible.

"Sing your song, dream your dreams, hope your hope and pray your prayer."

Protection and Comfort With a Rain Guards, and Wind Deflectors

noreply@blogger.com (Don'tGiveUp) — Thu, 27 Jan 2011 16:24:00 +0000

The car accessories help in revamping not only the exterior of the cars, but also enriching the interiors of the cars. Even the basic of the car parts like the floor mats and the seat covers can be purchased in the numerous colors that can be matched with the colors of the cars. There are hundreds of car accessories designed for the drivers and the car owners of the vehicles. These auto accessories serve the various purposes, which range from protection, to enhancing the appeals, to augmenting the performance of the cars.

Wind deflectors, also known as car rain guards, can be applied to the front of the hood, sunroof and side windows. The wind deflector will prevent too much wind from flowing into the vehicle when the windows are open. When a wind deflector or rain guard is installed on a window, the deflector keeps out rain while the window is rolled down during a storm. This allows for fresh air to circulate inside the car which reduces the need for air conditioning and increases gas mileage. Wind deflectors are designed to fit specific makes and models, so the buyer should take the time to make sure the part being purchased is right for their vehicle. Car dealerships also sell deflectors for the vehicles they sell. While parts at a dealer are often priced higher than at an auto parts store, many buyers prefer purchasing parts approved by the car's manufacturer.

Still you will also find that additional options can be available over the internet. You might even find that purchasing via online can get you much better deals, discounts and freebies. Of course, as with everything else, you need to be patient enough and check out many different websites that has many different offers. Do you want to reduce sunlight glare and wind noise? Then equipping your car with a side window weather deflector would just do the job of keeping sleet, rain, and snow out of your car.

The Ass and the Mule

noreply@blogger.com (Don'tGiveUp) — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 04:21:00 +0000

A Muleteer set forth on a journey, driving before him an Ass and a Mule, both well laden. The Ass, as long as he traveled along the plain, carried his load with ease, but when he began to ascend the steep path of the mountain, felt his load to be more than he could bear. He entreated his companion to relieve him of a small portion, that he might carry home the rest; but the Mule paid no attention to the request. The Ass shortly afterwards fell down dead under his burden. Not knowing what else to do in so wild a region, the Muleteer placed upon the Mule the load carried by the Ass in addition to his own, and at the top of all placed the hide of the Ass, after he had skinned him. The Mule, groaning beneath his heavy burden, said to himself: "I am treated according to my deserts. If I had only been willing to assist the Ass a little in his need, I should not now be bearing, together with his burden, himself as well."