Chapter 3, Page 31, Book 16

The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes.

 Marcel Proust

March 31st- Perspective

The reality of life is that your perceptions -- right or wrong -- influence everything else you do. When you get a proper perspective of your perceptions, you may be surprised how many other things fall into place. 

Roger Birkman

Sometimes it’s easy to become stale, bored, jaded or shortsighted in how we see our lives, our relationships, our physical bodies, our jobs, the home in which we live, the community in which we live, the country in which we live and even the car we drive. When we start taking these things for granted because we are so near to them, we fail to see the precious role they play in the big picture of our daily lives. 

 I’ve found that a simple shift in my daily routine can open up a whole new perspective.  Resolutions to problems and innovative ideas can come my way by simply changing the order of my morning ritual.  With each small conscious change I make today I can open a new window in my mind. Then I can look at the same situation  with new eyes.

A 'fresh pair of eyes' brings a new perspective to a situation when we may believe that we have exhausted all the option.  With new eyes I can see possibilities that were not there before.  Vistas open up where the view was blocked.  

Every day may not be good, but there is good in every day if we take the time to look.

Seeing with new eyes means seeing beneath the surface of things, and cherishing the heart of it all. 

Remember: 

What is true by lamplight is not always true by sunlight. 

Joseph Joubert

Chapter 3, Page 30, Book 16

If you can keep your wits about you while all others are losing theirs, and blaming you. The world will be yours and everything in it, what's more, you'll be a man, my son.

 Rudyard Kipling

March 30th - no strings attached

Life is ours for the taking !

Life is ours , free for the taking and what we do with it is our choice.  Something nobody can take away from you is the way you choose to respond to what others say and do to you.  The last of your freedoms is to choose your attitude in any given circumstance.  Choose to be happy and positive.  It is not always easy to find happiness in ourselves, but it is always impossible to find it elsewhere.  Regardless of the situation we face, our attitude is our choice.  So smile as you walk away and move on from negative people and their actions.

Life is not the way it’s supposed to be. It’s the way it is. The way you cope with it is what makes the difference.

Virginia Satir

The measure of your life will not be in what you accumulate, but in what you give away.  And 99 percent of the time you get what you put in, so give freely.  Charity can be in the form of a smile, lending an ear or a helping hand.  There are many acts of kindness that don’t cost a cent.  Remember, the ultimate goal of all goals is to be happy.  If you make others happy, you will be happy too !

The miracle of your existence calls for celebration every day. 

Oprah Winfrey

Life is yours for the taking; it's up to you to celebrate it for all it's worth.

How sweet it is !

Chapter 3, Page 29, Book 16

Easter 2015

Other things may change us, but we start and end with family. 

Anthony Brandt

March 29th - Family 

The happiest moments of my life have been the few which I have passed at home in the bosom of my family. 

Thomas Jefferson

Astronomers and physicists tell us that we are made of stardust. Fragments from the formation of the universe have found their way into each of us. We are connected to the farthest star and to the person sitting next to us by these infinitesimal particles of cosmic debris. They remind us that all people and all creatures are part of one family.

Being part of a family can be wonderful, but it can also be miserable, sometimes at the same time. Some family gatherings are tense. Other times those family gatherings are so great we will never forget them. In all of those experiences we are reminded that, even if we find it uncomfortable, we are connected.

Life is too short to argue and fight with the past. Count your blessings, value your love ones, and move on with your head held high.You can choose to let yesterday's problems define you and confine you, or you can choose to move on and leave them behind you.

Holidays are special times for our family to gather together.  Our family Easter celebration is coming up April 2nd.  A few of them joined me for church on Easter, but our meal together and our annual Easter Egg hunt will be on Saturday.

I think it is important to make our family time together the very best it can be. I have my own special childhood memories and it’s important that our children and grandchildren have good memories of their own too.

It’s not a time to squabble.  Life is too short!  Make it the best it can be!

So much of what is best in us is bound up in our love of family, that it remains the measure of our stability because it measures our sense of loyalty. All other pacts of love or fear derive from it and are modeled upon it. 

Daniel Long

Chapter 3, Page 28, Book 16

Our Gang - A few of my grandchildren after church on Easter Sunday!

There are two ways to spread happiness; either be the light who shines it or be the mirror who reflects it.

Edith Wharton

March 28th - Shine

Arise! Shine! The day is come and Light has won.

There are lights that flood a room and reveals that which is hidden. There are lights that shine as a fixed reminder of eternal truths. There is another kind of light, however. It is the search light of compassion and concern. It is the light that moves out into the darkness to seek the lost.

Let your light so shine among men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in Heaven.

Matt. 5:16 

 Light removes darkness. Reveals danger. Shows a path. The light will expose that which is not truth!  We have the power to brighten another person's day through a simple act of kindness or generosity.

As we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.

Marianne Williamson

Grey clouds can come in and out of our lives at any time. Our outlook with how we deal with these clouds will affect our attitude on life and our overall happiness.  Any honest and sincere shining of your light encourages others to shine too.Whether we are aware of it or not, our actions affect more lives than our own. 

What sunshine is to flowers, smiles are to humanity. These are but trifles, to be sure; but, scattered along life's pathway, the good they do is inconceivable. 

Joseph Addison

Chapter 3, Page 27, Book 16

All I Need to Know about Life I learned from the Easter Bunny!

Don't put all your eggs in one basket.

Walk softly and carry a big carrot.

Everyone needs a friend who is all ears.

There's no such thing as too much candy.

All work and no play can make you a basket case.

Everyone is entitled to a bad hare day.

Let happy thoughts multiply like rabbits.

Keep your paws off other people's jellybeans.

Good things come in small sugarcoated packages.

The grass is greener in someone else's basket.

An Easter bonnet can tame even the wildest hare.

To show your true colors you have to come out of the shell.

The best things in life are still sweet and gooey.

Author Unknown

Sunday, March 27th - He is risen! Alleluia!

Happy Easter! Some bunny loves you.

On this Easter Sunday of 2016 I want to thank you all for following along with me on the journey to new life and the resurrection of our Lord and Savior.

This is not the end of the road and there will be plenty of new thoughts to share with you as I continue on in my journey of life, love and happiness.  

You all know how much my faith, family and friends mean to me and I hope to share a little bit of that each day to come. We have Spring, Summer and Fall yet to celebrate on the pages of this book I call 16.  

How sweet it is !

Wishing you all a very Happy Easter.  Remember to share this time to reflect on life, love, family and all of your blessings.

Much love to you all !

Chapter 3, Page 26, Book 16

Every day's a perfect gift of time for us to use. Hours waiting to be filled in any way we choose. Each morning brings a quiet hope that rises with the sun. Each evening brings the sweet content that comes with work well done. 

Author Unknown

This is Holy Saturday, the day the world waits on the great event. There can be no Easter Sunday without Holy Saturday. There can be no growth without the waiting for God to come.


Growth is the only evidence of life.

Henry John Newman

That's what life teaches us. When we feel the pain of loss or sickness, we have to wait 'til we heal.

Jesus lies in the tomb: today we await His resurrection in quiet expectation of His victory over death.

Holy Saturday is the day, which connects Good Friday, the commemoration of the Cross, with the day of His Resurrection. 

O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? 

1 Corinthians 15:55 

Chapter 3, Page 25, Book 13

It's Good Friday. Good because 2000 years ago the events of today prove that we matter to God.

Author Unknown

Friday, March  25th - It’s a good Friday!

Despite, indeed because of, its sadness, Good Friday is truly good. Good Friday is ‘good’ because as terrible as that day was, it had to happen for us to receive the joy of Easter.

By all accounts, this day was a grief stricken day for the Lord Jesus. But He endured the agony not because it was a pleasant experience for Him, but because it was good for those He came to save.

And this is love. This is good.

Good Friday is not your usual T.G.I.F. but  it may be most adequate response we can offer after all.

Good often disguises itself as pain, or disappointment or loss. And we just try to fast forward through all those parts so we can get to what we think will be the good parts, the easy parts, the planned out parts, however we define good.

Maybe on Good Friday, we can learn to see good in all its disguises.

On this Good Friday may we never forget the true meaning of Easter.  For when He was on the cross, I was on His mind.

Author Unknown

Chapter 3, Page 24, Book 16

Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul.

 John Muir

Thursday, March 24th - we stand at the edge of some new discovery. Will you draw near?

Holy Thursday which is also known as Maundy Thursday commemorates the Last Supper when Jesus shared the Passover meal with his disciples, his friends, on the night before he was crucified.

The name Maundy Thursday is derived from the Latin word mandatum meaning commandment. The primary commandment of Jesus’ message is found in the story of the Last Supper when Jesus humbles himself to wash the feet of his apostles prior to the traditional Passover meal. He then commands them to Love one another as I have loved you. At his meal, Jesus poured wine and broke bread, commanding his followers to do this in remembrance of me.

It’s a time to remember the importance of our friends and how good it is to share a meal and  break bread together. I love the simple truth in the idea that we are the most happy when we are sitting down to eat with others, both new and old friends. 

Companionship can fill the heart the way warm stew can satisfy your belly. Eating a meal with others allows you to slow down, while nurturing your relationships.  The breaking of bread can be a fulfilling experience, especially when done among people you love and trust.

The disciples were to do what they had probably done many times before: share bread and wine. Now, they were to do it in remembrance of the fact that Jesus gave his body and blood on behalf of others so that we could have a new relationship with God.

I encourage everyone to take a little more time, break bread with friends, and grow closer in relationship with Christ.

A loaf of bread, the Walrus said, is what we chiefly need.

Lewis Carroll

Chapter 3, Page 23, Book 16

To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty; to find the best in others; to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded. 

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Wednesday, March 23rd - Today is known as Spy Wednesday because on this day Judas made a bargain with the high priest to betray Jesus for 30 silver pieces.

One of you will betray me. ‘You’ is his closest, dearest followers and friends. They are like family to him. They are perplexed. Family and friends don't betray each other. Except, they do. That is the way of the world, people betraying each other. And not only have you and I been betrayed even by those we love, but if truth be told, you and I have betrayed them. 

Betrayal leaves us at a fork in the road. We can choose to act in ways that either favor or impede personal growth: we can become stuck in a bad moment forever or we can put it behind us for good. We decide our path.

 Remember the phrase, do unto others as you would have them do unto you.  Never forget it! Whether you’ve been betrayed or not, don’t resort to betraying another. If you’re unhappy in your relationship, simply move on. But do not knowingly deceive or mislead to satisfy your ego. Revenge only traps you in a cycle of recurring action.

A painstaking experience, betrayal is felt by all in time. But whether we remain trapped in the emotions of betrayal or we break through its barriers becomes our choice. 

There is always a lesson of a lifetime to learn in every betrayal.    

 Edmond Mbiaka

The final step in overcoming the pain of betrayal is that of forgiveness. When we forgive someone, we are really giving ourselves a gift. Especially when people intentionally inflict pain on us, our withholding of forgiveness hurts us more than it does them. To forgive someone is to give up our right to vengeance. We acknowledge that their act was wrong, we might be more careful in trusting them with certain issues, but we do not attempt to get back at them. 

Betrayal is a robbing of security through a breaking of trust. We can overcome the heartache it causes by giving our pain to God. We call the betrayal for what it is, reconsider our personal boundaries, and recognize that only God is truly trustworthy. We tell Him our pain and allow Him to handle those who would hurt us. 

One of the hardest lessons in life is letting go. Whether it’s guilt, anger, love, loss or betrayal. Change is never easy. We fight to hold on and we fight to let go.

Author Unknown

Chapter 3, Page 22, Book 16

The cross. Can you turn any direction without seeing one? Engraved on a ring or suspended on a chain? The cross is the universal symbol of Christianity.

An odd choice, don’t you think? It’s strange that a tool of torture embodies a movement of hope. Its design couldn’t be simpler. One beam horizontal, the other vertical. One reaches out, like God’s love. The other reaches up, as does God’s holiness. One represents the width of his love; the other the height of his holiness. The cross is the intersection. The cross is where God forgave his children without lowering his standards.

God put our sin on his Son and punished it there. Your sins have been placed on Jesus. Jesus receives the blow. And since Christ is between you and God, you don’t. The sin is punished, but you are safe—safe in the shadow of the cross!

Max Lucado

Tuesday March 22nd - refresh, refocus and renew

I will make you a light to the nations,
that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.

Isaiah 49:6)
Today we continue our waiting and preparation as we approach Good Friday. Just as you did yesterday reserve some time to 'Be still and know that He is God’ - Psalm 46:10

When the cross is embraced it becomes a sign of love and of total self giving. To carry it behind Christ means to be united with Him in offering the greatest proof of love.

We adore You, O Christ, and we bless You, because by Your holy cross You have redeemed the world.

The cross is also a place of victory and love, of God’s faithfulness and our deliverance. There’s a lot to celebrate at the foot of the cross. There is a place and time for quiet, somber reflection at the foot of the cross.  But one of the glories of the human person is that we can have more than one feeling at a time. We can even have opposite feelings going on at almost the same moment!

During this Holy Week, when Jesus gave his life for love, let us truly love one another.

Chapter 3, Page 21, Book 16

The Lord is our salvation

And our strength in every fight

Our redeemer and protector

Our eternal guiding light 

He has promised to sustain us

He is our refuge from all harms

And underneath this refuge 

Are the everlasting arms

Helen Steiner Rice 

Monday - March 21st - Planning Day

Faith and Reality United

For quite awhile now I’ve been on the journey of Lent moving toward Easter day.  If you’ve been following along you know it’s not been an easy journey for me.  This final week of Lent is often called Holy Week and it has many lessons for all of us.  It’s the breath and life of all I believe.  

Holy Week is the last week of Lent, the week immediately preceding Easter or Resurrection Sunday.  Monday in Holy Week offers a pause, a chance to recollect from the drama of Palm Sunday before plunging into the sacred events to come.  Even though Monday can be the most hectic day of the week, don’t forget to carve out some quiet time for yourself today.  

Life is a journey. Everything in it is a process. It has a beginning, a middle, and an end. All aspects of life are always developing. On our own journey through life, we may meet people who make our journey more difficult. 

Life is motion. Without movement, advancement, and progression, there is no life. In other words, as long as you and I are alive, we are always going to be going somewhere. 

If you have not been enjoying the journey of your life, it is time to start. If you have been enjoying your life, then thank God and look for ways to enjoy it even more.

Wait for the Lord with courage;
be stouthearted, and wait for the Lord.

Psalm 27:14

Chapter 3, Page 20, Book 16

Hosanna to the son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.

Matthew 21:9

The Palm Sunday Journey

Palm Sunday is also known as Passion Sunday in recognition of the beginning of Holy Week and Jesus' final agonizing journey to His crucifixion. 

The road was well known, but this journey was unique.  

We remember the triumphal entry of our Lord Jesus Christ into the city of Jerusalem. A journey to fulfil destiny.  This week begins with palms and ends with lilies.  

New beginnings come from endings and our journey of faith never ends.  Life leads us to places we never thought possible. It leads us in directions we never thought we would have to travel. Part of our journey is full of expectations and hopes and dreams ... and it’s fun to follow them.

There are times ... along the way ... when our dreams are shattered, and some of the hopes we have never come to fruition.

The ashes on our forehead as we began the 40 days of Lent were a sign of our mortality, that we are pilgrims, that life, the time we have here, is precious and we must use it well. The use of ashes, made by burning palm crosses from the previous Palm Sunday, is very symbolic.

This week we go From Palms to Passion. That is the path that our Lord takes to victory. Now we draw near Jerusalem, Holy Week, with palms in our hands. 

The Journey begins in Triumph.  Palm branches are widely recognized symbol of peace and victory, hence their preferred use on Palm Sunday.  The palms come to represent the glory of Christ.

The Passion of our Lord is where Jesus’ suffering for our sins and his strong desire for our salvation come together. And that is why we come together on this day and praise him with our palms.

Chapter 3, Page 12, Book 16

It is better to light candles
than to curse the darkness.
It is better to plant seeds
than to accuse the earth.
The world needs all of our power
and love and energy,
and each of us has something that we can give.
The trick is to find it and use it,
to find it and give it away.
So there will always be more.
We can be lights for each other,
and through each other's illumination
we will see the way.
Each of us is a seed,
a silent promise,
and it is always spring.

Merle Shain

March 12th  - lighting the way

I will love the light for it shows me the way, yet I will endure the darkness because it shows me the stars. 

Og Mandino

On one hand we’ve had some dark days here this week as one of my DIL’s mother has been hospitalized and is on a respirator with tests still be done to determine the outcome.  On the other hand I’ve had the care of their two children while they’ve spent hours and hours at the hospital waiting for some good news.   The children are a joy!

I’m not sure how much longer this will go on, but meanwhile I’m getting little to no computer time.  2 little ones leave me little  extra time.  I’ve not had time to comment much at all the last few days whether or not there will be a post done for tomorrow is unknown right now.  I’ll be back in full swing when the crisis is over.

Please keep my youngest son, his wife and her mother in your prayers at this very difficult time.

Chapter 3, Page 11, Book 16

If I had my life to live over, I'd pick more daisies.
I'd try to make more mistakes next time.
I would be sillier than I have been this trip.
I would relax, I would limber up.

I know very few things I would take seriously.
I would take more trips, travel lighter.
I would be crazier. I would be less hygienic. 
I would take more chances.

I would climb more mountains, swim more rivers, and watch more sunsets.
I would eat more ice cream and less beets.
I would have more actual troubles and fewer imaginary ones.
You see, I am one of those people who live practically and sensibly and sanely, hour after hour, day after day.

Oh, I have had my mad moments, And if I had it to do over again,
I'd have more of them.
Just moments, one after another, instead of living so many minutes ahead.
I have been one of those people who never go anywhere
Without a thermometer, a hot water bottle, a gargle, a raincoat, and road map.

If I had my life to live over,
I would start barefooted earlier in the spring
and stay that way later in the fall.
I would ride more merry go rounds, and swing more.

I would do more water and sun fun things.
I'd turn more somersaults, and roll in the grass, and go barefoot all over.
If I had my life to live over.
I'd spend more time at fun places.

I'd try to be more in touch with God and those I love.
I'd pray aloud more and not care what people think or expect of me.
I'd give more to me, and take more of you.
I'd just be me more and more....
Yes, I'd pick more daisies next time. 

Author Unknown

March 11th - slow down and watch and share your daisies

Priceless Time

Earl Nightingale

    If we don’t get what we want out of this life, it is seldom because we are not given enough time for it; we have more than enough time. As with most everything else, it’s what we choose to do with it that makes all the difference.

I don’t live with any regrets, but the the poem above always reminds me of things I should be doing now and for the rest of my life.  For years I adopted the outlook that I should bloom where I am planted, but more and more I’m thinking I should Live Life in Full Bloom !  There’s no need to wait. Life is short but life is also very sweet and it's not over yet.

Chapter 3, Page 10, Book 16

It's not where we stand but in what direction we are moving.

Johann von Goethe

March 10th- Know how to get there before you start on your trip.

If we simply take the time to look up from wherever we are and take the time to look around we can see God’s amazing beauty all around us.  Focusing on what really matters in life makes a huge difference.

We do not know what the future holds. We hold a vague map with some inkling of direction but how it all unfolds is unknown. We can accept that change itself is not the difficulty; rather, we acknowledge that how we approach change makes all the difference. 

I’ve learned to  accept that some changes are final and some changes we have made will be what makes the rest of our lives and I've accepted that there is no going back.

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.

Reinhold Niebuhr

Chapter 3, Page 9, Book 16

Remember These Words


Don't let go of hope.
Hope gives you the strength to keep
going when you feel like giving up.

Don't ever quit believing in yourself.
As long as you believe you can,
you will have a reason for trying.

Don't let anyone hold your
happiness in their hands;
hold it in yours, so it will always
be within you reach.

Don't measure success or failure by
material wealth, but by how you feel;
our feelings determine the richness
of our lives.

Don't let bad moments overcome you;
be patient, and they will pass.

Don't hesitate to reach out for help;
we all need it from time to time.

Don't run away from love but towards
love, because it is our deepest joy.

Don't wait for what you want to come to
you; go after it with all that you are,
knowing that life will meet you halfway.

Don't feel like you've lost when plans
and dreams fall short of your hopes.
Anytime you learn something new about
yourself or about life, you have progressed.

Don't do anything that takes away from
your self respect; feeling good about
yourself is essential to feeling good
about life.

Don't ever forget how to laugh or be
too proud to cry.
It is by doing both that we live
life to its fullest.

Anonymous

March 9th-  hope for the journey

It's amazing how tiny hints of green can completely change your attitude after a winter of snow, ice and cold. People are ready for spring, a season that can signify new beginnings.

Spring brings hope and warmth to our worn hearts and frozen fingertips. 

Officially Spring isn’t here yet, but it will be soon.  We’ve been blessed with a few spring like days and I must say I’m enjoying them.  I don’t know how long this nice weather will last, but I’m not even going to think about it.

Hope is eternal!

Chapter 3, Page 8, Book 16

There are only two roads that lead to something like human happiness. They are marked by the words: love and achievement. In order to be happy oneself it is necessary to make at least one other person happy. The secret of human happiness is not in self-seeking but in self-forgetting. 

Theodor Reik

March 8th - the journey continues, we are nearly there

I love road trips, though my expectations are always unrealistic. When the children were young, their father and I enjoyed the scattered conversations and joking that went on inside our van. We were usually pulling our pop up camper to the next of the many state parks we visited.  That camper slept 8, but we slept 9 in it as at that time the children were little and you could sleep 3 of them to a bed.

We fantasized aloud about what we might find at our destination, and, deep in our hearts, we considered how wonderful our lives would be once we finally arrived. Real joy was always just ahead and over the next hill, never in the immediate moment.

We need to remember though, that we live and love in the moment and not when we reach our destination.  Just like our road trips were packed full of fun and laughter that will never be forgotten. 

They’d ask, are we there yet?  The best answer I had for them then, and for all of us now as we approach the end of Lent is that, We are near. Sit back and enjoy the ride.

People take different roads seeking fulfillment and happiness. Just because they're not on your road doesn't mean they've gotten lost. 

H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

Chapter 3, Page 7, Book 16

And make straight paths for your feet…

  Hebrews 12:13 

March 7th -  Line up your life. Get things straight. 

The road of life twists and turns and no two directions are ever the same. Yet our lessons come from the journey, not the destination.

Don Williams, Jr.

I am sure you have noticed that straight lines are easier to travel than those with winding turns and curving direction. If you are traveling somewhere on a trip, it is nice when it is a straight road to follow. It is great when it is a direct route or when you can hop on the freeway and basically get to your destination in a straight shot.

All of our snow melted over the weekend and we're supposed to see some 50's and 60's this week.  

You cannot be lost on a road that is straight. 

Proverb

When we keep the lines in our life straight, we start showing love for others. We don't stagnate. We make progress in our spiritual lives. 

Straight Lines Keep us Focused. Straight lines go to a point. When we have a point to follow, it keeps us focused because we have an end point. We have a goal.  Straight lines  are level. They aren't bent, twisted, or cockeyed. 

To get to heaven, turn right and keep straight. 

Author Unknown

Chapter 3, Page 6, Book 16

Wondrous is the strength of cheerfulness, and its power of endurance -- the cheerful man will do more in the same time, will do it ;better, will preserve it longer, than the sad or sullen. 

Thomas Carlyle

March 6th - endurance

Few people know how to take a walk. The qualifications are endurance, plain clothes, old shoes, an eye for nature, good humor, vast curiosity, good speech, good silence and nothing too much. 

Ralph Waldo Emerson

I found it very interesting that humor and cheerfulness were paired with quotes about endurance.  But it is true.  Cheerfulness is an enduring trait.

A friendly look, a kindly smile, one good act, and life’s worthwhile. 

Author Unknown

Have you ever waited for a day with such expectancy that you could hardly contain your joy? We endure the waiting time, knowing what is to come will overshadow anything that came before.

This kind of longing also shows up in our spiritual lives. During the season of Lent we wait for what we know is coming but is not here yet.

Endurance is not just the ability to bear a hard thing, but to turn it into glory. 

William Barclay

Chapter 3, Page 5, Book 16

Determination gives you the resolve to keep going in spite of the roadblocks that lay before you.

Denis Waitley

March 5th - spiritual roadblocks

A moment of patience can prevent a great disaster.

Determination is quite simply digging in, working hard and overcoming obstacles bit by bit and having patience just enough to get on and try to get where you want to go.

Today’s Patience 

William Arthur Ward

Today’s patience can transform yesterday’s discouragements into tomorrow’s discoveries. Today’s purposes can turn yesterday’s defeats into tomorrow’s determination

Patience leads us to suffer in silence, to cope with tiredness, other people's bad temper, and other injustices, uncomplainingly. 

Lent is a good time to reflect on the obstacles in our lives, the roadblocks of life that keep us from being the best that we can be.

Never quit. You are stronger than you think you are. No amount of road blocks are strong enough to stop you from achieving your goals.

Author Unknown