Great Idea!!!!

I know that my regular readers will love this.  And I trust you will all give it a try.  Leave a comment over at Tammy's to let her know you stopped by.

A Quest

 

carrots, eggs, or coffee

You will never look at a cup of coffee the same way again. A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and >how things were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up She was tired of fighting and struggling.  It seemed as one problem was solved, a new one arose. Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire Soon the pots came to boil. In the first she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs, and in the last she placed ground coffee beans. She let them sit and boil; without saying a word. > In about twenty minutes she turned off the burners. She fished the >carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and >placed them in a bowl. Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl.  Turning to >her daughter, she asked, "Tell me what you see." "Carrots, eggs, and coffee," she replied. > Her mother brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they were soft. The mother then asked the daughter to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard boiled egg. > Finally, the mother asked the daughter to sip the coffee. The daughter smiled as she tasted its rich aroma The daughter then asked, "What does it mean, mother?" > Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity: boiling water. Each reacted differently. The carrot went in strong, hard, and unrelenting. However, after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak. The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior, but after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened. The ground coffee beans were unique, however.  After they were in the boiling water, they had changed the water. > "Which are you?" she asked her daughter. "When adversity knocks on >your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee >bean? > Think of this: Which am I? Am I the carrot that seems strong, but with pain and adversity do I wilt and become soft and lose my strength? > Am I the egg that starts with a malleable heart, but changes with >the heat? Did I have a fluid spirit, but after a death, a breakup, a >financial hardship or some other trial, have I become hardened and >stiff?  Does my shell look the same, but on the inside am I bitter and >tough with a stiff spirit and hardened heart? > Or am I like the coffee bean? The bean actually changes the hot >water, the very circumstance that brings the pain. When the water gets hot, it releases the fragrance and flavor. If you are like the bean, when things are at their worst, you get better and change the situation around you.  When the hour is the darkest and trials are their greatest, do you elevate yourself to another level? How do you handle adversity? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean? > May you have enough happiness to make you sweet, enough trials to make you strong, enough sorrow to keep you human and enough hope to make you happy. The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of >everything; they just make the most of everything that comes along their way. The brightest future will always be based on a forgotten past; you can't go forward in life until you let go of your past failures and heartaches. When you were born, you were crying and everyone around you was >smiling. > Live your life so at the end, you're the one who is smiling and everyone around you is crying. > May we all be COFFEE

quote by Henry David Thoreau

"If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put the foundations under them. "

got in an email, you probably have also. don't know who wrote but it is a great lesson

One day, when I was a freshman in high school, I saw a kid from my class was walking home from school.  His name was Kyle.  It looked like he was carrying all of his books. I thought to myself, "Why would anyone bring home all his books on a Friday?  He must really be a nerd."  I had quite a weekend planned (parties and a football game with my friends tomorrow afternoon), so I shrugged my shoulders and went on.  As I was walking, I saw a bunch of kids running toward him.   They ran at him, knocking all his books out of his arms and  tripping him so he landed in the dirt.  His glasses went flying, and I saw them land in the grass about ten feet from him.

He looked up and I saw this terrible sadness in his eyes
My heart went out to him. So, I jogged over to him and as he crawled around looking for his glasses, I saw a tear in his eye. 

As I handed him his glasses, I said, "Those guys are jerks. "
They really should get lives.

" He looked at me and said, "Hey thanks!"  There was a big smile on his face.  It was one of those smiles that showed real gratitude.  I helped him pick up his books, and asked him where he lived.  As it turned out, he lived near me, so I asked him why I had never seen him  before. He said he had gone to private school before now. 
I would have never hung out with a private school kid before.
We talked all the way home, and I carried some of his books. He turned out to be a pretty cool kid. I asked him if he wanted to play a little football with my friends.We hung out all weekend and the more I got to know Kyle, the more I liked him, and my friends thought the same of him.  Monday morning came, and there was Kyle with the huge stack of books again. I stopped him and said, "Boy, you are gonna really build some serious muscles with this pile of books everyday!"  He just laughed and handed me half the books.  Over the next four years, Kyle and I became best friends.
When we were seniors, we began to think about college.
Kyle decided on Georgetown, and I was going to Duke. I knew that we would always be  friends, that the miles would never be a problem.

He was going to be a doctor, and I was going for business on a football scholarship.

Kyle was valedictorian of our class.

I teased him all the time about being a nerd.

He had to prepare a speech for graduation.

I was so glad it wasn't me having to get up there and speak

Graduation day, I saw Kyle.

He looked great.

He was one of those guys that really found himself during high school.

He filled out and actually looked good in glasses.

He had more dates than I had and all the girls loved him.

Boy, sometimes I was jealous.
!
Today was one of those days.

I could see that he was nervous about his speech.

So, I smacked him on the back and said, "Hey, big guy, you'll be great!"

He looked at me with one of those looks (the really grateful one) and smiled.

" Thanks," he said.

As he started his speech, he cleared his throat, and began

"Graduation is a time to thank those who helped you make it through those tough years.

Your parents, your teachers, your siblings, maybe a coach...but mostly your friends...

I am here to tell all of you that being a
friend to someone is the best gift you can give them.

I am going to tell you a story."

I just looked at my friend with disbelief as he told the story of the first day we met.

He had planned to kill himself over the weekend.

He talked of how he had cleaned out his locker so his Mom wouldn't have to do it later and was carrying his stuff home.

He looked hard at me and gave me a little smile.

"Thankfully, I was saved.

My friend saved me from doing the unspeakable."

I heard the gasp go through the crowd as this handsome, popular boy told us all about his weakest moment.

I saw his Mom and dad looking at me and smiling that same grateful smile.

Not until that moment did I realize it's depth.

Never underestimate the power of your actions.

With one small gesture you can change a person's life.

For better or for worse.

God puts us all in each other's lives to impact one another in some way.

Look for God in others.

Got this in an email. Don't know who wrote it.

F A M I L Y

I ran into a stranger as he passed by,
"Oh excuse me please" was my reply.


He said, "Please excuse me too;
I wasn't watching for you."


We were very polite, this stranger and I.
We went on our way and we said goodbye.


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 son stood beside me very still.


When I turned, I nearly knocked him down.
"Move out of the way," I said with a frown.


He walked away, his little heart 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 family you love, you seem to abuse.


Go and look on the kitchen floor,
You'll find some flowers there by the door.


Those are the flowers he brought for you.
He picked them himself: pink, yellow and blue.


He stood very quietly not to spoil the surprise,
you never saw the tears that filled his little eyes."


By this time, I felt very small,
And now my tears began to fall.


I quietly went and knelt by his bed;
"Wake up, little one, wake up," I said.


"Are these the flowers you picked for me?"
He 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, "Son, I'm very sorry for the way I acted today;
I shouldn't have yelled at you that way

He said, "Oh, Mom, that's okay.
I love you anyway."


I said, "Son, I love you too,
and I do like the flowers, especially the blue."


FAMILY
Are you aware that if we died 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 into our own family,
an unwise investment indeed,
don't you think?
So what is behind the story?


Do you know what the word FAMILY means?
FAMILY = (F)ATHER (A)ND (M)OTHER (I) (L)OVE (Y)OU

from Daily Quado 10-25-06

Fear appears to be a tangible force, but it is not; it is the lack of light.  And within this lack of light, there is cold and darkness.  And cold and darkness feel like active forces, but they are not; they are the lack of presence, not a presence itself.  Do not treat fear as if it is an active force which can hurt you.  Treat it for what it is:  the lack of love and light.

 

www.Quado.com

another "I don't know who said it"

 

Love yourself as your love ones love you. Life is meaningless unless you can love, be happy and bring your happiness to others.

from the "Discovery" newletter 10-22-06

......a miracle happened when you took your very first breath.  You came into this world because the world needed you to complete itself and you needed the world to express yourself in.  In that Holy Moment of your first inhale of air, the angels sang, the harps played and the heavens rejoiced.  You are so very special.  There is no one else just like you.  Can you see how unique that makes you ? 

Want to share Discovery with a friend ?

PLS Send Discovery Newsletter

quote by Elbert Hubbard

“We are weaving character every day, and the way to weave the best character is to be kind and to be useful. Think right, act right; it is what we think and do that makes us who we are.” 

 

copied. don't know who the author is

"Keep Your Fork"

There was a young woman who had been diagnosed with a terminal illness and had been given three months to live. So as she was getting her things "in order," she contacted her pastor and had him come to her house to discuss certain aspects of her final wishes. She told him which songs she wanted sung at the service, what scriptures she would like read, and what outfit she wanted to be buried in.

Everything was in order and the pastor was preparing to leave when the young woman suddenly remembered something very important to her. "There's one more thing," she said excitedly.

"What's that?" came the pastor's reply.

"This is very important," the young woman continued. "I want to be buried with a fork in my right hand."

The pastor stood looking at the young woman, not knowing quite what to say.

"That surprises you, doesn't it?" the young woman asked.

"Well, to be honest, I'm puzzled by the request," said the pastor.

The young woman explained. "My grandmother once told me this story, and from there on out, I have always done so. I have also, always tried to pass along its message to those I love and those who are in need of encouragement.

'In all my years of attending church socials and potluck dinners, I always remember that when the dishes of the main course were being cleared, someone would inevitably lean over and say, 'Keep your fork'. It was my favorite part because I knew that something better was coming ... like velvety chocolate cake or deep-dish apple pie. Something wonderful, and with substance!' So, I just want people to see me there in that casket with a fork in my hand and I want them to wonder "What's with the fork?". Then I want you to tell them: "Keep your fork .. the best is yet to come." The pastor's eyes welled up with tears of joy as he hugged the young woman good-bye.

He knew this would be one of the last times he would see her before her death. But he also knew that the young woman had a better grasp of heaven than he did. She had a better grasp of what heaven would be like than many people twice her age, with twice as much experience and knowledge. She KNEW that something better was coming.

At the funeral people were walking by the young woman's casket and they saw the pretty dress she was wearing and the fork placed in her right hand. Over and over, the pastor heard the question "What's with the fork?" And over and over he smiled.

During his message, the pastor told the people of the conversation he had with the young woman shortly before she died. He also told them about the fork and about what it symbolized to her.

The pastor told the people how he could not stop thinking about the fork and told them that they probably would not be able to stop thinking about it either.

He was right.

So the next time you reach down for your fork, let it remind you ever so gently, that the best is yet to come.

Friends are a very rare jewel, indeed. They make you smile and encourage you to succeed. They lend an ear, they share a word of praise, and they always want to open their hearts to us.

Show your friends how much you care. For you never know when it may be their time to "Keep your fork." Cherish the time you have, and the memories you share, being friends with someone is not an opportunity but a sweet responsibility.

So, remember, "keep your fork".

 

from Daily Quado 10-19-06

Today is the day for faith.  Today is the day to trust that inner feeling, even though outward circumstances may not seem aligned with it.  Today is the day to know what you know and end your doubting about whether it is true.

www.quado.com

question

Which is correct to say, "The yolk of the egg are white," or "The yolk of the egg is white?"

quote by ~ Mitch Albom

"all endings are also beginnings. We just don’t know it at the time. "

don't know who said it

           Affirmation of the Day

"Losses are easier to bear when I also see new choices springing from them."

 

daily quado 10-17-06 paragraph from newsletter

Clean out the cobwebs.  Clear out the old and make way for the new.  Release your old emotional constructs and allow entire new ways of being, thinking and feeling to enter your life.  Today is the day to drop the chains of fear and doubt and walk free.

www.Quado.com

don't know who said this either

See the larger picture. Remember that the way that you choose to live is not the only way to live. Widen your perspective by exploring other modes of being through research, travel, and discussion.

Immerse Yourself in Life

Today is a day with endless opportunities.  The opportunities and possibilities sparkle all around you.  Today, reach out and grab some of them.  Engage deeply in life.  Allow yourself to immerse yourself in life.  Do not hold it at arm's length.  Get out and do.  Be active.  Engage.  Make mistakes.  Learn.  Grow.  Change.  Evolve.  Develop.  Let the learning begin, through action and active choice.  Let the learning continue, through more action, overcoming fears to experiment, daring to do.

 

Today, be an active force in your own life.  Today, take each so-called problem and turn it into an opportunity to experiment, to try a new way of approaching something, to be creative in finding a solution for it.  Today, be your own best guide and resource, following your own instincts, seeking knowledge from outside, yes, but never going against what feels right to you, inside, in your center of truth.

 

Today, trust yourself to know what is right for you, what is good for you.  So many of the problems you have in life were put there through lack of trust in your instincts.  So many of the mistakes were the same, simply doing what someone else told you to do or running against that internal truth by taking the safe path.  Amazing, is it not, that apparent safety is not always the safest thing to do at all.  The safest thing you can do is follow that feeling inside, even when it tells you to do something you have previously feared doing.  But now your core, your centers says it is time to stand up and be counted, to step out and do something original and daring, to be braver than you haveever been before.  This is the moment.

 

......from Daily Quado 10-15-06 newsletter

www.Quado.com

Today is the day by Ralph Marston

Today Is The Day

 Is there something special you've been meaning to do? Today is the day to get started.

Is there something you know that needs to be said? Today is your chance to effectively and compellingly express it.

Is there someone you've been thinking of getting in touch with? This is the moment when you can go ahead and reach out.

Formulating the best of intentions is a great way to start. Yet for those intentions to have any value, they must be acted upon.

Today is the day to put your magnificent and meaningful intentions into action. Today is the magical space in which possibilities can indeed become real.

Today is here and ready to be lived. Give your best to today, and its value will always stay with you.

-- Ralph Marston

don't know who said.

"Stop the habit of wishful thinking

and start the habit of thoughtful wishes"

quote by Dale Carnegie

“One of the most tragic things I know about human nature is that all of us tend to put off living. We are all dreaming of some magical rose garden over the horizon--instead of enjoying the roses that are blooming outside our windows today.”

author unknown

You must have a destination, a goal and a plan. You are special. You can be anything you want too. Your family loves you, your friends, spouse and the world loves you. Now it is your turn to love yourself. May you find the faith, hope, courage, strength to be happy, and love life.

author unknown

Lord Sometimes...

 

...You allow Breakage's,

so You can Rebuild;

 

...You allow Wounds,

so You can Heal;

 

...You allow me to Walk in Darkness,

so that I see Your Light;

 

...You allow me to be Perplexed,

so I seek Your Truth;

 

...You allow me to be Empty,

so You can Fill Me;

 

...You allow me to be Lonely,

so I can see what a Friend - You are;

 

...You allow me to Learn hard Things,

so I can be a gentle Teacher;

 

...You allow me to be void of Feelings,

so I learn to walk by Faith;

 

...You take away my future Plans,

to Teach me to Live one Day at a Time;

 

...You allow me to suffer Pain,

so I may be Sympathetic to the Hurts of Others;

 

...You allow me to see the Futility of Life,

so I will see Everything is Loss,

Compared to the Excellency of Knowing Your Son, Jesus.

 

- Author Unknown

 

copied from Discovery Newsletter

10 Ways To Feel Good About Your Life
By Kathy Gates

Feeling good about your life involves just 2 parts.
Really! One is to learn to think about yourself in
healthy ways. This is a learned skill, ladies and
gentlemen, not something that a lucky few were born
with. The second involves "making things happen".
Seeing yourself being successful - at anything! -
builds the blocks of contentment.

Use these 10 ideas to help you feel good about your
life, starting today.

1. Never stop questioning. Every time you feel
frustrated with a task, ask yourself, "How does this
task fit in with my ultimate goals?" "How can I do
this better, faster, easier, simpler, and even more
fun?"

2. Don't give up on life. Be interested and curious
about yourself and about others. Don't assume that's
"just the way it is". Look for the choices behind your
results.

3. Accept your weakness. Don't deceive yourself by
thinking you're the only one with difficulties in their
life. Everybody has them (yes, everybody!). Instead
of spending your time and energy trying to
"overcome" your weakness, make friends with it and
make it work for you. Where would NYPost
Columnist Liz Smith be without her "weakness" for
gossip?

4. Don't stop learning. The brain is a muscle just
like any other, and it will stagnate if you let it. Make
it your rule to learn something new every day. Then
USE what you learn to make your life better.

5. Expect nothing; expect the best. Paradox? No. It
just means that you don't want to miss out on what's
wonderful in your life right now, while you spend all
your time peeking around the next corner.

6. Don't lie to yourself.. Telling lies to yourself is
the most harmful form of disrespect. Write out ways
in which you are untruthful to yourself, and how to
correct it. "I will no longer pretend that overspending
my budget is ok".

7. Nurture what you want to grow. Many many
people are (figuratively) wondering where the roses
are in their life, yet they spend all their time planting
and nourishing weeds. You reap what you sow.
That's just the way it is.

8. Don't live in the past. Let go of things that are
draining you. There's nothing in the past that you can
change or correct -- that can only be done in the
present. Use Today. Today, change what you need to
change, and move on to feeling good about your life.

9. Swim with the current. Don't waste your time
complaining about what you can't control (weather,
other people, economy). Concentrate on what you
CAN control, like who you hug, what you read, how
much you laugh, where you go, what you do, what
you think about.

10. Stand like a Rock. You know what's right for
you --be willing to stand up for what's right for you.

Professional Life Coach Kathy Gates is the author of
several e-books and e-courses designed to help people
live happier, healthier, easier lives. Sign up for her
ezine, "Make It Happen" at www.reallifecoach.com

quote by Bernadette Devlin

“To gain that which is worth having, it may be necessary to lose everything else.’

quote by Armand Hammer

“I just want to leave the world a little better than I found it, and that's my goal in life.”

don't know who said this either

Some people come into our lives and quickly go. Others stay awhile, leave footprints on our hearts and we are never, ever the same...because the mind forgets but the heart always remembers

don't know who said it

We shape our lives

Not by what we carry with us

But by what we leave behind!

 

quote by Helen Keller

“When we do the best that we can, we never know what miracle is wrought in our life, or in the life of another.”

from an email

Hi Everyone,

 Short and very sweet.

 There are more than twenty angels in this world. Ten are
peacefully sleeping on clouds.

 

Nine are playing.

 

And one is reading their email at this moment.

 

.......don't forget this   :-)