Chapter 2, Page 29, Book 16

Life is short and we have never too much time for gladdening the hearts of those who are travelling the dark journey with us. Oh be swift to love, make haste to be kind. 

Henri Frederic Ariel

February 29th - make someone happy and you will be happy too...

Laughter lifts us over high ridges and lights up dark valleys in a way that makes life so much easier.  It is a priceless gem, a gift of release and healing direct from Heaven.

Alan Cohen

Lent is often a quiet somber time for reflection and prayer but don't forget,  even though it's Lent, you still have to live the rest of your life.  It doesn't mean you need to quit smiling, or that we can't enjoy being with friends and family, or listening to the first robin sing. 

Though we travel the world over to find the beautiful, we must carry it with us or we find it not.

Author Unknown

As long as we live, you and I are always going to be heading somewhere, and we should be enjoying ourselves on the way. Don't forget to smile at people, to pray for others, to appreciate others, and tell them just how much they mean to you.

Don't forget to smile because Easter is coming!

There’s joy in the journey as we walk alongside each other.

Chapter 2, Page 28, Book 16

Happiness is not a state to arrive at, rather, a manner of traveling. 

Samuel Johnson

February 28th - navigating the potholes

Stop worrying about the potholes in the road and enjoy the journey.

 Barbara Hoffman

After a winter of potholes, ice and snow hidden curbs many of our cars have an invisible problem. When we drive down the road there might be a certain drift to the side on a straight section, or stepping on the brake causes the car to veer off center. When we examine the tires we find that they are wearing unevenly, leaving us with the possibility of poor traction and even tire failure. These are all common indications that something is not right, even though there is no obvious visible problem with the car. What has happened is that the car’s wheels are out of alignment. In reality, under a number of circumstances these invisible defects render the car dangerous to drive, so we take our cars into our friendly mechanic and have the wheels realigned.

Lost hope or broken dreams, are like painful potholes on the bumpy road of life.

Author Unknown

 Just like our car wheels, our hearts can get out of alignment and every aspect of our lives is thrown out of kilter. Daily living is full of bumps and potholes that cause us unseen injury and result in our hearts becoming self centered. Thankfully, we have a regularly scheduled heart realignment, the season of Lent.

Like a car that has a wheel alignment problem, the bumps and bruises of daily living cause us to look to ourselves and realign our thoughts. If we focus on ourselves, our hearts become misaligned, because we align our hearts to that which is most important to us. Like driving a car with seriously misaligned wheels is dangerous, a misaligned heart is a critical threat to our spiritual health and eternal well being. Lent is the time that we are reminded of our need to take our focus off ourselves and return to God as the center of our lives, for he is our true and everlasting treasure. 

This Sunday we reach the half way point in our journey to Easter.  Halfway there !  It’s a good time to get that alignment.

When life's road has pot holes and speed bumps...it makes you a better driver

Chapter 2, Page 27, Book 16

The difference between stumbling blocks and stepping stones is how you use them 

Author Unknown

February 27th - difficulties are overcome with love

Trials and tribulations are stepping stones, not stumbling blocks

We all know what it’s like to have our daily routines disrupted by the expected.  Things like coffee spilled on our shirt just as we’re walking into the office, coming down with the flu and having to stay home, a refrigerator that breaks down. In the end, things work out, but you could have done without the lost time and the added frustration!

Life's up and downs provide windows of opportunity to determine your values and goals. Think of using all obstacles as stepping stones to build the life you want. 

Marsha Sinetar

Lent is a journey, a pilgrimage, which in turn reminds us that no matter where we start from, our daily challenge is to overcome obstacles in our path a get to the intended destination. 

Difficulties are stepping stones to success. 

Author Unknown

Life will have its obstacles, but you can make it through.  It's the joy and journey of clearing those obstacles that makes life rich, and helps people feel truly accomplished.  If you don't see the obstacle or believe it's a hindrance, you'll never reach your goals, blaming everything and everyone but the person responsible.

Life is filled with challenges, mistakes are made, hearts have been broken by cherished love, filling our hearts with grief and our eyes with pain. Make your life an up hill journey, forgive but you'll never forget, live and never regret, be inspired by GOD and his undying love, never-ending grace and mercy.

 Coleen Brissett

Be patient, The harder the obstacle, the more time it will take to overcome.

To conquer the challenges of Life, we need Love, Faith and Hope but the greatest weapon of all is LOVE.

 Terry Mark 

Chapter 2, Page 26, Book 16

Say 'yes’ to life! ‘Yes' to wonder, to joy, to despair.

‘Yes' to pain, ‘yes' to what you don't understand. 

Try ‘yes.' Try ‘always.'Try ‘possible.’ Try ‘hopeful.

Try 'I will.' And try 'I can.’

Leo Buscaglia

February 26th - try with a little extra Umph!

Every accomplishment starts with the decision to try.    

Author Unknown

The difference between try and triumph is the Umph.

A large part of life has to do with overcoming obstacles. Some obstacles require simply trying, while others demand more UMPH!   The more you try, the more you will triumph!  To succeed at most anything requires trying harder and doing more than you think you can

God doesn't require us to succeed; he only requires that you try.     

 Mother Teresa

Triumph is just umph added to try.  Triumphs without difficulties are empty. Indeed; it is difficulties that make the triumph. It is no feat to travel the smooth road. 

How do you turn attempts and trys into success and triumph? Add some UMPH to your life. Stop being so quick to throw in the towel, instead get off the ground, dust yourself off, and add some extra UMPH this time.

Don't just settle on trying, be triumphant. 

There are those who travel and those who are going somewhere. They are different and yet they are the same. The success has this over his rivals: He knows where he is going. 

Mark Caine

Chapter 2, Page 25, Book 16

The road of life can only reveal itself as it is traveled; each turn in the road reveals a surprise. Man's future is hidden. 

Author Unknown

February 25th - hide and seek

You cannot escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today.

Abraham Lincoln

Lent is not about escape. It is about picking up your particular cross, the burdens in your life, and walking with Jesus. It is a journey that does not take us away from the difficulties we, and our fellow sojourners face in this world, but deeper into them, knowing we are not alone.

Life is most enjoyable and meaningful when you are present in every moment. Living in the past or future, as we often do, only serves to drain your spirit. The past, whether successful or full of failures, is done and over with. You can't change it. Worrying about the future is also a burden. No matter how much you plan, life is uncertain and the future is unknown. It makes no sense to spend your time worrying about something you truly can't control.

 

I think it would be a good Lenten practice to live in the present moment where we can be conscious of the steps we take on our journey to Easter.  Lent reminds us that we must be focused, that we must make choices, that we really can't go through life on automatic pilot.  As the old saying goes, the past is gone, and the future has not yet come to pass.  This present moment is all we have.

  Reducing worry and stress is just a happy side effect of living in the moment, though; it’s not the point. The point of living in the moment is that the present moment is where reality is, where God is.

There is no other acceptable time then the present moment.

Present moment living, getting in touch with your now, is at the heart of effective living. When you think about it, there really is no other moment you can live. Now is all there is, and the future is just another present moment to live when it arrives.

Wayne Dyer

Chapter 2, Page 24, Book 16

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I --
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

Robert Frost

February 24th - Life at the Crossroads

Stand at the crossroads, and look,
   and ask for the ancient paths,
where the good way lies; and walk in it,
   and find rest for your souls.
But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’ 

Jeremiah 9:16

A crossroads is about change. Choices must be made not just when things are not working out as we had planned, but also during positive moments when we must choose to continue the course or veer off into something new. At some time in our life we have or will have to choose which path in life we want to take.  It’s good to look both ways before you make the decision, before you cross the road.  Considering where the road you decide upon might lead you.  

The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.

Proverbs 16:9

Some roads are going to lead to poverty and despair.  Others might take you to abundance and joy!  We can take the road of love and forgiveness , or we can go down the winding road of contempt and anger. 

It’s our choice.  We are the only ones that can decide which road we want to travel.

I hope you are going my way ...

Travel can be one of the most rewarding forms of introspection.

Lawrence Durrell

Chapter 2, Page 23, Book 16

Food for the body is not enough. There must be food for the soul.

Dorothy Day

February 23rd - food for the journey

Please, thank you and sorry form the basis of a good recipe for Lent.

Please reminds us of the value and dignity of every human person.  It also reminds us of God's loving attitude to us in bestowing life and all the gifts He has given to us.  It reinforces in us that each person is made in the same image and likeness and that we have no superior position in God's eyes over another person.

Thank you reminds us that we stand before God always in an attitude of gratitude.  Unfortunately, so many times we can take God's gifts, especially those of other people, for granted and not appreciate what they are in our lives as well as the difference they make.  Often, it is when they are no longer present to us that we better appreciate them.

Sorry is an essential part of any relationship and especially our relationship with God. We need to free ourselves by saying, I'm sorry, to God and to others.

Your mind will always believe everything you tell it. Feed it faith.  Feed it truth.  Feed it with love.

Feed your dreams and starve your fears.

Chapter 2, Page 22, Book 16

Wherever you go, go with all your heart. 

Confucius

February 22nd - traveling the pathway of  faith

Faith makes things possible, not easy. 

Author Unknown

Life is made up of routine activities and relationships for the most part, and it gets harder and harder to stay enthusiastic when that is what consumes most of our days.  Our enthusiasms are what give us meaning and purpose in life.  

A recurring difficulty on our journey of life is becoming so focused on what we need at the moment that we forget what we already have. 

When you make a leap of faith you can accomplish almost anything you set out to do.

Your courageous leap of faith can lead you into uncharted territory, enabling you to build a new, more adventurous life.

How easy it can be to get bogged down with our obligations! When we rush through our days and lives, we fail to notice the simple beauty of living.  It's challenging to avoid giving in to the temptation to rush, particularly if you have acclimated to a world of split second communication, cell phones, email and overflowing agendas. Yet the sense of continuous accomplishment you lose when you slow down will quickly be replaced by feelings of magnificent contentment. 

By slowing down, we give ourselves the gift of time. We have time to indulge our curiosity, to enjoy the moment, to appreciate worldly wonders, to sit and think, to connect with others, and to explore our inner landscapes more fully. 

Take full account of the excellencies which you possess, and in gratitude remember how you would hanker after them, if you had them not.

Marcus Aurelius

Chapter 2, Page 21, Book 16

Time is a companion that goes with us on a journey. It reminds us to cherish each moment, because it will never come again. What we leave behind is not as important as how we have lived.

Author Unknown

February 21st - focus on the heart

During Lent, we should focus on relationships, not on reputation.  When we sincerely seek the good of others, reputation will follow, for good or ill. As one wise man said, My reputation is the responsibility of others.

It is a season to do something. For others. And for God. It is a time to focus the heart.

As we journey through Lent, we need to set aside time for reflection, seeing the joy we have in our lives, knowing that we have so much to offer, so much to give to others, whether they live next door, down the street or oceans away.

We need to realize life is about relationships, good ones that fulfill us and give us purpose, and teach us to treat each other and everyone we meet with dignity and respect since that is the way we want to be treated.

When we connect to others, we find our Lent filled with uplifting possibilities, and we can look forward to true Easter joy

Love one another.  It’s as easy and simple as that.

Chapter 2, Page 20, Book 16

Life is a journey up a spiral staircase; as we grow older we cover the ground covered we have covered before, only higher up; as we look down the winding stair below us we measure our progress by the number of places where we were but no longer are. The journey is both repetitious and progressive; we go both round and upward. 

William Butler Yeats

February 20th - round and round

You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.

Martin Luther King, Jr.

There are days that I seem to be going round and round and not getting anywhere, but the truth is that I have made progress.  Just like climbing that staircase. One step at a time.  

Challenges can add riches to the journey of life.  At some point we all face challenges and even discouragement. You may be facing them at this very moment, whether they're related to money, health, children, lovers, family or careers. It's all part of life.

When we take one step toward God, God takes seven steps toward us.

Proverb

Challenges can enrich rather than paralyze you. When you see obstacles as milestones, they both measure your progress and increase your strength. Each challenge, successfully overcome, brings you closer your goals and potential.

Remember, with every challenge passed, you're a little stronger, a little wiser and a whole lot more experienced. The journey through Lent will take place one step at a time and one day at a time.

Know that God’s grace is with us, every step we take.


I am no longer afraid of becoming lost, because the journey back always reveals something new. 

Billy Joel

Chapter 2, Page 19, Book 16

The journey between what you once were and who you are now becoming is where the dance of life really takes place.

Barbara De Angelis

February 19th - toe tappin' time

Life is a dance, you learn as you go. Sometimes you lead and sometimes you follow. Don’t worry that you don’t know, you learn as you go.

Thinking of our life journey as a dance, is a delightful way to live.  Life is like a dance, sometimes we know the steps and sometimes we make them up. We need to be aware that our relationship to life is always changing. We are always dancing with life. Sometimes we follow the music and sometimes we make up our own tune. Sometimes we get our toes stepped on and sometimes we step on others toes. Sometimes we slow dance and sometimes we fast dance. There are even times when we sit out for a dance or two. 

Life is a dance between making it happen and letting it happen

Arianna Huffington

The good thing about life, and dancing, is we can always step back in when we are ready, we can dance any dance we choose and it doesn’t matter if we know the steps or not, we can make them up as we go. Each of us can choose the dance we want. We move in and we move out. We breathe in and we breathe out. We are discovering new positions through the dance and although we practice again and again, each performance on stage is never exactly the same.

Life is a dance … live it gracefully 

Chapter 2, Page 18, Book 16

We are not human beings on a spiritual journey. We are spiritual beings on a human journey. 

Pierre Teilhard de Chardin

February 18th

We all carry a burden around with us. We all face challenges and temptation in life, and we may be tempted to stray from the right path. We are only human.   Lent provides us with an opportunity to reflect on those things which hold us back in our lives and to evaluate how we should move forward.

As we walk the path of Lent let us reflect on what choices we must make to achieve life and prosperity and not death and doom. 

Do what you love – and excitement will follow.

When you follow what you love in life, challenges can be tough because the stakes are high. You set your whole heart on reaching your goal and you want, so badly, to succeed! It’s not always easy. But, doing what you love means that, each morning, you awaken with passion and excitement at your core.

It means you’re finding hidden strengths you didn’t know you possessed. And, you’re equipped to get over obstacles and disappointments with grace.

Most of all, it means no regrets. No matter what, you’re living an exciting life, doing what you were born to do.

Life provides losses and heartbreak for all of us — but the greatest tragedy is to have the experience and miss the meaning.

Robin Roberts

Chapter 2, Page 17, Book 16

Peace is a journey of a thousand miles and it must be taken one step at a time. 

Lyndon B. Johnson

February 17th - finding peace in Lent

Peace of mind is not the absence of conflict from life, but the ability to cope with it.

Author Unknown

I think we’d all like to have peace in our hearts and peace with one another.  Inner peace is a choice. Peace is available to us all of the time, even when life seems to be out of our control. It may not feel like it, but beyond chaos is serenity, if we only accept it.

We can make the decision to stop allowing ourselves to get upset, aggravated and frustrated. There will always be homes to clean, items on the to do list, obligations to fulfill, inboxes to clear, and schedules to make. In the midst of all that, there will always be peace and joy available to us if we simply notice.  It’s our choice.

Some people see more in a walk around the block than others see in a trip around the world

Author Unknown

Chapter 2, Page 16, Book 16

WHAT IS LIFE?
Life is an Adventure ... Dare it
Life is a Beauty ... Praise it
Life is a Challenge ... Meet it
Life is a Duty ... Perform it
Life is a Love ... Enjoy it
Life is a Tragedy ... Face it
Life is a Struggle ... Fight it
Life is a Promise ... Fulfill it
Life is a Game ... Play it
Life is a Gift ... Accept it
Life is a Journey ... Complete it
Life is a Mystery ... Unfold it
Life is a Goal ... Achieve it
Life is an Opportunity ... Take it
Life is a Puzzle ... Solve it
Life is a Song ... Sing it
Life is a Sorrow ... Overcome it
Life is a Spirit ... Realize it 

Anonymous

February 16th - Getting Faith Fit

Faith makes things possible, not easy. 

Author Unknown

Lent is a journey of conversion, a time that shows us we are utterly dependent on God's grace.  Lent is about discipleship; it is spring training for the soul.

The season of Lent is much like spring training in baseball. This is a time given to us to prepare ourselves.  We need to hone our skills to succeed.

Faith is what makes life bearable, with all its tragedies and ambiguities and sudden, startling joys.

Madeleine L’Engle

Faith serves  as a tool to manage uncertainty and adversity, and as a source of comfort in difficult situations.  You can possess faith, but you must put it to use. A muscle that is not used gets weak and shrivels up. If you don't use your faith, then it's no different than not having any.

In order to keep our faith growing and in good shape, we need to exercise our faith muscles.The Lord allows us to go through times of difficulty in order to break us down in our faith so that we may place even more faith in Him. This process is what creates our faith to grow and causes us to mature in our spiritual walk

Faith can move mountains, but don’t be surprised if God hands you a shovel. 

Author Unknown

Chapter 2, Page 15, Book 16

The journey to happiness involves finding the courage to go down into ourselves and take responsibility for what's there: all of it. 

Richard Rohr

February 15th -  on the road to happiness

You are responsible for your life, and your ultimate success depends on the choices you make. 

Denis Waitley

We have in our hands the power of choosing what we want in life.  Every choice has a consequence. By not choosing, that itself is a choice

When you blame others for what you’re going through, you deny responsibility and perpetuate the problem.  Stop giving your power away and start taking responsibility for your life.  Blaming is just another sorry excuse, and making excuses is the first step towards failure; you and only you are responsible for your life choices and decisions.

Happiness is not a feeling, it’s a choice.  Nothing can make you happy.  You are the only one who can make you happy.  Happiness doesn’t come from circumstances; it’s a choice you make,  a choice to focus on what you have, not on what you lack.

I, not events, have the power to make me happy or unhappy today. I can choose which it shall be. Yesterday is dead, tomorrow hasn't arrived yet. I have just one day, today, and I'm going to be happy in it.

Groucho Marx

There is a lot of JOY to be found in the journey

Chapter 2, Page 14, Book 16

The heart is the place where Love finds a home.

February 14th  - be my Valentine

Love puts the fun in together, the sad in apart, and the joy in a heart. 

Author Unknown

Our sights are set on love each Valentine's Day. We recognize it, we cherish it, and we celebrate it. We shower our beloveds with gifts of flowers, jewelry, or candy.  It seems to me that we all can use this special day on the calendar to show love for each other.  And, it doesn’t have to be romantic to bring cheer to someone’s heart.  Just a simple gesture that says, I remember you today,  matters .   The bottom line is people just want to know you are thinking about them. 

Love every moment,

Laugh every day,

 Live beyond words

Valentines Day is all about love and that’s something we can celebrate every day. It is a day that we celebrate our love for one another, and God's love for us. I really believe that we should focus on the loving and the lovely every day of the year.  

I said a Valentine prayer for you
and asked the Lord above
to fill your heart and bless your soul
With the precious gift of love.

I asked Him for sincere love
The kind that's meant to stay
Just like the generous love
You give to those you touch each day.

I prayed for love from family
And from every cherished friend
Then I asked the Lord to give you
His love that knows no end.

Happy Valentines Day!

Chapter 2, Page 13, Book 16

We are at our very best, and we are happiest, when we are fully engaged in work we enjoy on the journey toward the goal we've established for ourselves. It gives meaning to our time off and comfort to our sleep. It makes everything else in life so wonderful, so worthwhile. 

Earl Nightingale

February 13th- Tips for the journey

Before every meaningful moment there is a time of preparation, a time of longing. Lent is the forty days that we set aside to enter into the wilderness of our souls and find that place of quiet, openness and emptiness. 

Tips for making the Lenten Journey more meaningful

 Slow Down 

Set aside 10 minutes a day for silent prayer or meditation. It will revitalize your body and your spirit.

 Read a good book 

 You could choose a spiritual how to book or or one that you find inspiring

Be kind 

Go out of your way to do something nice for someone else every day.

Get involved 

Attend a Lenten lecture or spiritual program.

Volunteer

 Whether it's cleaning the church or helping with the food drive, it will give you a chance to help others.

Pray

Especially for people you don't like and for people who don't like you.

Tune out 

Turn off the television and spend quality time talking with family members or friends.

Clean out closets 

Donate gently used items 

This season of Lent is an opportunity to travel on a journey within ourselves to strengthen the bonds relationships with both God and our fellow travelers.  

You know more of a road by having traveled it than by all the conjectures and descriptions in the world. 

William Hazlitt

Chapter 2, Page 12, Book 16

Simplicity is making the journey of this life with just baggage enough. 

Charles Dudley Warner

February 12th - travel light

If you wish to travel far and fast, travel light. Take off all your envies, jealousies, unforgiveness, selfishness and fears.

Glenn Clark

When we go on a journey we are tempted to bring all kinds of stuff. But after a while we realize that most of it is unnecessary baggage. Someone once said, We all come from somewhere, and we brought a little baggage with us when we came. What does baggage mean here? Things from your past? Maybe a few skeletons in your closet? Maybe you have a huge chip on your shoulder? Usually they are things you want to get rid of or forget.

When we unburden ourselves and think of others , we can be refreshed. It is best to travel light.

We have a long journey ahead. But because the Lord is on the journey with us, it doesn’t seem that long. He is right there with us giving us strength, courage and perseverance to keep walking.

Were not our hearts burning within us as he spoke to us on the way and opened the scriptures to us? 

Luke 24:32