Chapter 3, Page 31, Book 15

Dust If You Must 
Author Unknown  

Dust if you must, but wouldn't it be better,
To paint a picture or write a letter,
Bake a cake or plant a seed,
Ponder the difference between want and need?

Dust if you must, but there's not much time,
With rivers to swim and mountains to climb,
Music to hear and books to read,
Friends to cherish and life to lead.

Dust if you must, but the world's out there
With the sun in your eyes, the wind in your hair,
A flutter of snow, a shower of rain.
This day will not come 'round again.

Dust if you must, but bear in mind,
Old age will come and it's not always kind.
And when you go and go you must,
You, yourself, will make more dust.

March 31st - loving home

Everyday happiness means getting up in the morning,
and you can't wait to finish your breakfast.
You can't wait to do your exercises.
You can't wait to put on your clothes.
You can't wait to get out--
and you can't wait to come home, because the soup is hot.

George Burns

As a mom I’ve always felt that it is our responsibility to create a safe , loving home environment where all members feel valued and loved.  But there is no denying that creating a peaceful home takes work

I grew up in a house that had to be picture perfect.  You could eat off the floors they were so clean.  My mom, God bless her soul, was Mrs. Clean.   I vowed that when I had my own home, I’d never live like that and I never had.  

A house is not a home without a family and friends to share it 

I want people to feel comfortable and loved when they come to my home.  That means I don’t care if things get messy.  I do try keep the dust bunnies to a minimum and dust when needed, but I focus on the comfort of those that visit here.   A home is not merely a building but requires inhabitants and a friendly atmosphere.

When I was searching out a bit of my Hungarian ancestry, I found this beautiful blessing.  A good one for all of us I think.

Where there is Faith,
There is Love.
Where there is Love,
There is Peace.
Where there is Peace,
There is God.
Where there is God,

There is no need.

Hungarian House Blessing

A house is not a home.  A house is a house, and it may be lovely to look at and fine to visit, but a house, by itself, is not a home.  You can 'feel at home' or 'not feel at home' in a house. 

A house is not a home unless love lives there.

Every house where love abides 

And friendship is a guest, 

Is surely home, and home, sweet home 

For there the heart can rest. 

Henry van Dyke

Chapter 3, Page 30, Book 15

One's destination is never a place,
but a new way of seeing things.

Henry Miller

March 30th - love sees differently

A man in love mistakes a pimple for a dimple. 

Japanese Proverb

When we look at any thing through the eyes of love, it takes on a whole new appearance.  Love changes how we see life.    To experience the generous love of another changes things: it changes people, it changes relationships, it changes perspective….and it can change the world.

 It's pretty amazing, when you think about it, what love does to our perspectives. We can become totally different people when we're in love.  We are happier, more sane,  and nicer because we're seeing everything through a more positive lens. Love makes us see the world differently. 

When you're in love, you see the world differently. There's a glow to everything, a sparkling happiness that makes even the most unfortunate of situations seem bearable.   People in love usually take it slow. They look around and do what they can do take in every moment. 

Fall in love with your life and I guarantee you it will love you back! 

It’s a troublesome world. All the people who’re in it
are troubled with troubles almost every minute.
You ought to be thankful, a whole heaping lot,
for the places and people you’re lucky you’re not.

Dr. Seuss

Chapter 3, Page 29, Book 15

I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear.

 Martin Luther King, Jr. 

March 29th - loving choices

All my life I have had a choice of hate and love. I chose love and I am here.

A.R. Rahman

I learned a long time ago that hate will kill our spirits and steal away our souls.  I believe that hate in the heart is where injustices begin. I believe that if hate is allowed to fester it can grow like a wild fire. I believe nothing good comes out of hate.

I often have to remind myself that I do have a choice in everything I do and say. It’s not what happens to us, but how we react that matters. I’ve chosen to love instead of hate. Not always easy but certainly not impossible.  Because with love all things are possible.

 I've found that we live our best lives, we are at our most successful, not simply because we're smarter than everyone else, or because we hustle harder. The key to success, the key to happiness, is opening your mind and your heart to love. Spending your time doing things you love and with people you love.

No matter what, we always have the power to choose hope over despair, engagement over apathy, kindness over indifference, enthusiasm over lethargy, love over hate. This is our true freedom. Whatever life may throw at us, we have the freedom and ability to choose our attitude. And I believe it is in those moments of choice that we manifest our destiny.

Cory Booker

If you love you do your best, and doing your best is something you can always do. Doing your best simply requires that which you are capable of, no more.  If you understand love you know you can love people even if they do not love you. 

It breaks my heart to see how much hate still exists in the world.  When you hate those who hate you, you are doing the same wrong to them they are doing to you.  If it is our choice to love or not, we should choose to love every moment of our life. That means we should love even if we are not loved, even if we are hated.

I try to keep the word hate out of my vocabulary.  Just like worry and anger, life is to short for me to have room for anything I hate.  Hate takes up too much room in the heart. It doesn’t leave room for the good. Love makes room for something more.

Love doesn’t expect or demand it’s own way. Love makes room for imperfection. Love wakes the dead heart and makes it come alive.  Love accepts. Love sets free and doesn’t hold back. Love isn’t jealous or unkind. Love doesn’t seek revenge. Love forgives. Love doesn’t deny or take away. Love doesn’t leave room for hate.

I choose love because I believe love is the answer.

When you choose love over hate, faith over despair and acceptance over intolerance, you are doing your part to change the world. 

Author Unknown

Chapter 3, Page 28, Book 15

March 27th -  Love blossoms

The most precious gift we can offer anyone
is our attention.
When mindfulness embraces those we love,
they will bloom like flowers

 Thich Nhat Hanh

Our words, thoughts, attitudes, and actions are all seeds that we sow, and seeds produce harvest. Sow mercy; reap mercy. Sow judgment; reap judgment. Sow kindness; reap kindness. 

Where the mind goes, the man follows. In other words, positive thoughts are precursors to a positive life. On the other hand, anxious thoughts and negative expectations set us up for miserable lives.   You can choose your own thoughts and should do so carefully, since thoughts have a lot of power in your life. 

Don't let negative thoughts lead you into an unhappy life; choose positive thoughts that will strengthen and encourage you and others to have a life of joy, and peace.

Remember: 

In God’s garden of love, you are His forget me not.

Chapter 3, Page 27, Book 15

Your heart knows

Listen to your heart when it asks you to act with kindness. Your heart knows what truly fulfills you.

Listen to your heart when it suggests that you be patient. Your heart knows how real and lasting value is created.

Listen to your heart when it calls you to live this moment with joy. Your heart knows what makes you the most effective.

Listen to your heart when it urges you to see profound beauty in the most ordinary things. Your heart knows where your real strength comes from.

Listen to your heart when it reminds you to feel hopeful. Your heart knows about possibilities that your mind has not yet considered.

Whether you’re up or you’re down, whether you’re confident or unsure, listen to your heart. For your heart knows why you’re here.

Ralph Marston

March 27th - My heart knows what I need to do. 

The heart has its reasons of which reason knows nothing.

 Blaise Pascal

I have always chased my heart’s desires and followed the calling of my soul, first and foremost. Your heart knows the answers because your heart holds on to the truth of who you are. 

Without following your heart, you may do things the right way only to find later that you’ve chosen the wrong things to do in the first place. Many people trust their mind more than their heart. But somehow your heart knows what is right, while your mind often just rationalizes things to meet your or other people’s expectations. 

Only the heart knows how to find what is precious 

The Heart can see further than the eyes. It can see the truth behind appearances. It knows what you should do in each and every situation you find yourself in.  There is no reason not to follow your heart! Only fear keeps us from doing that.  

Your heart is more than your body's most important organ, it's also the essence of your spiritual and emotional being.  While the mind is the content of who you are, your heart is your essence, your very being.

When the Heart Speaks…Listen

Chapter 3, Page 26, Book 15

Our sense of wonder is a blessing from God, given so that we would be continually amazed at His beauty and creation.

Ravi Zacharias

March 26th - the wonder of love

Ultimately the love can become so big
that we can love the whole of creation
instead of
‘I love this but I don’t like that.’

 George Harrison

Never lose your sense of wonder

Look at everything always as though you were seeing it either for the first or last time: Thus is your time on earth filled with glory.

Betty Smith, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn

Some junior high school students were studying the Seven Wonders of the World. At the end of the lesson, the students were asked to list what they considered to be the Seven Wonders of the World. Though there was some disagreement, the following received the most votes:

1. Egypt’s Great Pyramids
2. The Taj Mahal in India
3. The Grand Canyon in Arizona
4. The Panama Canal
5. The Empire State Building
6. St. Peter’s Basilica
7. China’s Great Wall

While gathering the votes, the teacher noted that one student, a quiet girl, hadn’t turned in her paper yet. So she asked the girl if she was having trouble with her list. The quiet girl replied, Yes, a little. I couldn’t quite make up my mind because there were so many.

 The teacher said, Well, tell us what you have, and maybe we can help.

The girl hesitated, then read, I think the Seven Wonders of the World are:
1. to touch…
2. to taste…
3. to see…
4. to hear

She hesitated a little, and then added…
5. to feel…
6. to laugh…
7. and to love.

The room was so quiet, you could have heard a pin drop.

May this story serve as a gentle reminder to all of us that the things we overlook as simple and ordinary are often the most wonderful – and we don’t have to travel anywhere special to experience them.

The pictures today are just a few I've collected over the years of some of the wonderful sights I've seen.  Right now the weather is still chilly and there are no leaves on the trees as of yet, but Spring is definitely here.

Enjoy your gifts!

Chapter 3, Page 25, Book 15

A hug delights and warms and charms,
that must be why God gave us arms.

Author Unknown

March 25th - loving arms

I read a story that was about the very bashful young man who was hesitant about demonstrating his affection for his sweetheart. 

Oh, but that I were an octopus, he said one night, that I might wrap all eight arms around you. His impatient sweetheart replied, 

Don't worry about having eight arms. Just make better use of the two arms you already have.

 That is what we must do in doing in our daily life,  making the best use of what we have.

If you don’t do all you can with this day, the time will come when you’ll desperately wish you had. So go ahead and grab the opportunity while it’s here. Your best possibilities are well within reach. Touch them, work for them, live them, and transform them into reality.

Ralph Marston

Chapter 3, Page 24, Book 15

Once upon a time, there was an island where all the feelings lived: Happiness, Sadness, and all of the others including Love.

One day it was announced to the feelings that the island would sink, so all repaired their boats and left. Love was the only one who stayed. Love wanted to persevere until the last possible moment. When the island was almost sinking, Love decided to ask for help.

Richness was passing by Love in a grand boat. Love said, Richness, can you take me with you?  Richness answered, No, I can't. There is a lot of gold and silver in my boat. There is no place here for you.

Love decided to ask Vanity who was also passing by in a beautiful vessel, Vanity, please help me! I can't help you Love. You are all wet and might damage my boat, Vanity answered.

Sadness was close by so Love asked for help, Sadness, let me go with you.  Oh, Love, I am so sad that I need to be by myself!

Happiness passed by Love too, but she was so happy that she did not even hear when Love called her!

Suddenly, there was a voice, Come Love, I will take you. It was an elder. Love felt so blessed and overjoyed that he even forgot to ask the elder her name.

When they arrived at dry land, the elder went her own way. Love, realizing how much he owed the elder asked Knowledge, another elder, Who helped me?

It was Time, Knowledge answered.

Time? asked Love. But why did Time help me?

Knowledge smiled with deep wisdom and answered,

Because only Time is capable of understanding how great Love is.

Author Unknown

March 24th - Time to love

The important message is that when we are prosperous, we overlook love. When we feel important, we forget love. Even in happiness and sorrow we forget love. Only with time do we realize the importance of love. Why wait that long? Why not make love a part of our lives always.

THE CLOCK OF LIFE

THE CLOCK OF LIFE IS WOUND BUT ONCE..!
AND NO ONE HAS THE POWER...
TO TELL JUST WHEN THE HANDS WILL STOP...
WHAT DAY OR WHAT HOUR...
NOW IS THE ONLY TIME YOU HAVE...
SO LIVE IT AS YOU WILL...
DON'T WAIT UNTIL TOMORROW...
THE HANDS MAY THEN BE STILL……!

Life is not a matter of of counting the years...It is a matter of making the years count

Sooner or later we all discover that the important moments in life are not the advertised ones, not the birthdays, the graduations, the weddings, not the great goals achieved. The real milestones are less prepossessing. They come to the door of memory.

Susan B. Anthony

Chapter 3, Page 23, Book 15

Good Advice

Give people more than they expect and do it cheerfully. 

 Marry a man/woman you love to talk to. As you get older, their conversational skills will be as important as any other. 

Don't believe all you hear, spend all you have or sleep all you want. 

 When you say, I love you, mean it. 

 When you say, I'm sorry, look the person in the eye. 

Believe in love at first sight. 

Never laugh at anyone's dreams. People who don't have dreams don't have much. 

Love deeply and passionately. You might get hurt but it's the only way to live life completely. 

 In disagreements, fight fairly. No name calling. 

 Don't judge people by their relatives. 

Talk slowly but think quickly. 

 When someone asks you a question you don't want to answer, smile and ask, Why do you want to know?

Remember that great love and great achievements involve great risk. 

Say ’bless you' when you hear someone sneeze. 

When you lose, don't lose the lesson. 

 Remember the three R's: Respect for self; Respect for others; and responsibility for all your actions. 

 Don't let a little dispute injure a great friendship. 

When you realize you've made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it. 

Smile when picking up the phone. The caller will hear it in your voice. 

Spend some time alone.

Author Unknown 

March 23rd - Love advice

Love isn't a state of perfect caring.  It is an active noun
like struggle.  To love someone is to strive to accept that person
exactly the way he or she is, right here and now.

Fred Rogers

There is so much advice about love out there that it is sometimes confusing to know just what part of it you should believe or what is best to ignore.

When it comes to love, I don’t think you can go wrong.  Love tends to lead you to make the best decisions no matter what it is that you are doing.

The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched - they must be felt with the heart.

Helen Keller

I think that the greatest gift I can offer every person in my life as well as myself is living from my heart each day.  Taking the moments as they come.

The heart is our center and reflects how we feel, who we are and our ultimate health. If we take care of our hearts, we take care of our whole being -- physically and emotionally. 

Sometimes the heart sees what is invisible to the eye.

H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

To live from the heart means to live listening to what makes us feel good, vitalized, energized, balanced, rejuvenated and healthy, both physically and emotionally. It means surrounding ourselves with people who nourish our souls, build us up, and make us want to be the best we can be.

Wherever you go, go with all your heart.

Confucius

Life is meant to be lived with an open and warm heart. 

A flower cannot blossom without sunshine, and man cannot live without love.

Max Muller

Chapter 3, Page 22, Book 15

I love spring anywhere, but if I could choose I would always greet it in a garden.

 Ruth Stout

March 22nd-loving kindness

He who sows courtesy reaps friendship, and he who plants kindness gathers love. 

St. Basil

At this time of year Spring buds are preparing to blossom and fill the landscape with beautiful colors. After being in hibernation for most of the winter, my mind, body, and soul are so ready for some new vitality and energy. The longer hours of day light warm me, and I’m slowly but surely feeling renewed.

Just as each blossom opens to the light of day and warmth of the sun, I find that I too am renewed with strength, and a new sense of purpose. Spring is a definitely a time to celebrate the presence of God’s light in the world.

After this long cold winter, I'm looking forward to this spring with joy and enthusiasm and I live and love in gratitude for the loving kindness of God for us all this time of year.

Since love grows within you, so beauty grows. For love is the beauty of the soul.

Chapter 3, Page 21, Book 15

The year's at the spring
And day's at the morn;
Morning's at seven;
The hillside's dew-pearled;
The lark's on the wing;
The snail's on the thorn;
God's in His heaven -
All's right with the world!

Robert Browning

March 21st - loving Spring

I will greet this day with love in my heart.

And how will I do this?  Henceforth will I look on all things with love and
I will be born again.  I will love the sun for it warms my bones; yet I will
love the rain for it cleanses my spirit.  I will love the light for it shows me
the way; yet I will love the darkness for it shows me the stars.  I will
welcome happiness for it enlarges my heart; yet I will endure sadness
for it opens my soul.  I will acknowledge rewards for they are my due;
yet I will welcome obstacles for they are my challenge.

Og Mandino

Even though we officially welcomed Spring yesterday, I’ve found that the first day of spring isn’t always on the calendar.  

My challenge is this...

The first day of spring is one thing, and the first spring day is another.  The difference between them is sometimes as great as a month.

 Henry Van Dyke, Fisherman's Luck

Spring is here, but it doesn't feel like it.  The furnace is still running to keep the house warm.  The snow is gone for now though and the tulip tops have pushed up through the soil.  There are no leaves on the trees, but buds are appearing.  

I found this story  about a bird named Chanticleer who thought his crowing brought the sun up each morning? Day after day he got up at dawn and crowed. Sure enough, the sun did rise! It was only logical to him that he was responsible for this sequence. One day, though, he became preoccupied with some personal problems and forgot to crow. Sure enough, the sun rose anyway! How silly we are when we puff ourselves up. We elevate ourselves much more surely through simple humility. Our joy should not be found in being better than others, but in being the best we can be.

You can't let one bad moment spoil a bunch of good ones.

Dale Earnhardt

It is always important to believe in ourselves and in what we have to offer and give. It’s not arrogant or presumptuous to believe in yourself.  If you believe that what you are doing is the best that you can with what you’ve got, then be content.

You're blessed when you're content with just who you are—no more, no less. That's the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can't be bought

Matthew 5:5 (MSG)

Chapter 3, Page 20, Book 15

Not Live in Vain

Emily Dickinson

If I can stop one heart from breaking
I shall not live in vain,
If I can ease one life the aching
or cool one pain or help one fainting robin unto its nest again,
I shall not live in vain

March 20th - Purpose and love

They say
a person needs just three things
to be truly happy in this world:
someone to love,
something to do,
and something to hope for.

Tom Bodett

I think that truer words were never said than the quote above.  Where would we be with out love, a purpose in life and hope.

There are days as I get older that I don’t think there is much purpose to my life, but I know that since I’m still here, there is a job I still must do.  Over the years I’ve had many people and things to love and I know for a fact my life wouldn’t be the same with out love.

The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away. 

 Pablo Picasso

Hope is something that breathes life into my days.  For me to be without hope, is to cease to live. 

We must not allow the clock and the calendar to blind us to the fact that each moment of life is a miracle and mystery. 

H. G. Wells

Remember time waits for no one. The choices you make and the actions you take, today, determine your tomorrows.

Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence.

 Helen Keller