Chapter 2, Page 29, Book 19

Anything is possible if your’ve got enough nerve 

J.K Rowling

February 29th  - take a leap of faith

Don’t fear failure so much that you refuse to try new things.  the saddest summary of life contains three descriptions: Could have, Might have, and should have.

Author Unknown

Most of us are scared of diving into the unknown, of uncertainty.  We are scared that things can go wrong, that things will be uncomfortable and that things might not go as expected.  

But taking a leap of faith and throwing yourself into the unknown can be very rewarding.  It means that you fully surrender to all expectations that you and and others have had of yourselves.  it means you allow yourself to start anew and feel completely free.  

Life is too short and far too precious to waste time going through the safe motions that can distract us from what will really bring us joy. It can be big, or it can be small, or it can be somewhere in the middle. It doesn’t matter.  What matters is that you take a chance and  try.

Taking a leap of faith becomes easier every time you do it. Pay attention to what makes you feel good rather than looking around at what everyone else is doing. 

We may not have life figured out but once we realized the we always have a choice, things change.  We remember  we can do anything we put our minds too.  Change is scary but regret is even harder.

Life sometimes feels very long, and sometimes a day feels like seconds. It’s the day spent in joy and happiness that give us the strength o see through another day. 

The span of life is too short to be trifled away in unconcerning and unprofitable matters.

Mary Astell

Chapter 2, Page 28, Book 20

Try as you will, you cannot annihilate that eternal relic of the human heart, love.

Victor Hugo

February 28 - love never dies

What we have once enjoyed we can never lose.  All that we love deeply becomes a part of us.

Helen Keller

Love and life are intertwined.  Where you find life you will find love. Love gives life its meaning. and without it there isn’t much life. It’s important to fill you life with love and love what’s in your life.  There isn’t much that love can’t conquer Try loving more, not less and you’ll find the biggest problems and most dreadful mappenings can’t overtake the the power of love and all that it can provide.

It’s refreshing to know that love is more powerful than hate, or anger or any other negative emotion.

The way to love anything is to realize it may be lost

Gilbert K. Chesterson

Chapter 2, Page 27, Book 20

Life won’t sparkle unless you do.

Author Unknown

February 27th - sparkle and shine

People are like stained glass windows, they sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when darkness sets in their true beauty is revealed only if there is light from within.

Eliabeth Kugler-Ross

There is nothing like positivity to make us sparkle and shine.  And for me a positive attitude starts with an attitude of gratitude.When I think of all the things I’m grateful for I can’t help but be happy.  I’ve learned that if I  make someone happy then I’ll be happy.  Sharing some smiles is one of the best ways I can do that.  And  little kindness doesn’t hurt either.  

When we allow ourselves to show love, we are more likely to have some extra sparkle wherever we go. Spread happiness and leave your Sparkle.

Leave a little sparkle wherever you go

Anonymous

Chapter 2, Page 26, Book 20

February 26th -lent begins

Lent is more that just giving up.  It is giving UP…developing a great love towards God and others.  Lent can be a Feast and a Fast.

Fast from worry, feast on trusting God

Fast from complaining , feast on appreciation.

Fast from negatives, feast on affirmatives

Fast from hostility, feast on tenderness

Fat from unrelenting pressures, feast on unceasing prayer

Fast from judging others, feast on Christ dwelling in them

Fast from fear  of illness, feast on the healing power of God

Fast from words that pollute, feast on speech that purifies.

Fast from discontent, feast on gratitude.

Fast from anger, feast on patience

Fast from personal anxiety, feast on the fullness of truth

Fast from pessimism, feast on optimism

Fast from bitterness , Feast on forgiveness

Fast from Self concern feast on compassion for others

Fast from discouragement, feast on hope

Fast from suspicion, feast on truth

Fast from lethargy and apathy, feast on enthusiasm

Fast from facts that depress, feast on truths that uplift

Fast from gossip, feast on purposeful silence.

Fast from problems that overwhelm, feast on promises that inspire.

Fast from apparent darkness, feast on the reality of light.

I’m convinced that if Lent moves us to give up something or fasting, to  feasting on good habits, doing something good, the transformation will be amazing.

Chapter 2, Page 25, Book 20

Life is like a camera.  Focus on what’s important. Capture the good times. And if things don’t work out, just take another shot.

Author Unknown

February 25th -let the good times roll

Life is to be enjoyed, not just endured.

Gordon Hinckley.  

I’ve always thought that the good times are the ones that get us through the bad ones. Tough times in life give us opportunities to really appreciate the good times we have.  There are limits in life.  There’s a flip side.  Simply put bad times mean good times are coming. If you know this in your heart, you can get through anything.  Nothing in life lasts forever.  It will change.  Time is the vision that helps you hold on for the ride.

Bad things happen and it’s okay to see them for what they are. In doing so we free ourselves for the joy that is yet to come.  Nothing worthwhile, worth having or worth doing is easy.  There are no shortcuts The sooner we accept this and adapt to the fact, the easier we’ll find it to keep going through the tough times,  to put in the hard miles and take the difficult path.We can choose to enjoy life or to suffer the pain it gives you.  

We cannot control what happens around us, All we can do is control our reactions to it.and how we let things affect us.  We need to count on ourselves first and foremost.  If you cannot rely on on yourself in tough times, you will look to other people or things to provide a crutch or support, which is how we end up in toxic relationships with unhealthy dependencies and habits.  

Always remember this too shall pass.  Good times won’t last forever, neither will the bad times.  Change is one constant on earth.  Nothing lasts forever. 

Good times are a reminder and a reward for dealing with the difficult and challenging time we all go through.  The trick is to celebrate the good times in advance of the difficult times.Laugh and have fun as much as you can. Always remember, good times await you after the difficult times.

James A. Murphy III 

Chapter 2, Page 24, Book 20

Every day is a new beginning.  Take a deep breath and start again.

Author Unknown

February 24th - start again, get rid of yesterday

Take a deep breath, pick yourself up , dust yourself off, and start all over again.

Frank Sinatra

Each day we are given a gift; the opportunity to start again, to make today better than if was yesterday.  No matter what is happening in your life, no matter if you have a hundred reasons to cry.  choose to remember that you also have a thousand reasons to smile.

Sometimes we start a day with the previous day still in our minds. We think about the mistakes we made, how things went wrong and how bad we felt about it.  It’s no wonder it becomes difficult to focus on the current day.  So it’s important to leave the past behind.  Always start your new day fresh without thinking of yesterday.  Think of it as closing a door, and then starting your new day fresh.

Yesterday is gone.  It no longer has any power over you unless you let it.You have to choose to restart.  Choose to shake off  yesterday and make room for today. We have to remind ourselves that what was is not what is and believe in the power of today— twenty-four hours of new.

Finish each day and be done with it.  You have done what you could.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Chapter 2, Page 23, Book 20

Every sunrise give you a new beginning and a new ending.  Let this morning be a new beginning to a better relationship and a new ending to the bad memories.  It’s an opportunity to enjoy life, breath freely, think and love.  Be grateful for this beautiful day.

Author Unknown

February 23rd - It’ll look better in the morning

Get outside.  Watch the sunrise.  Watch the sunset. How does it make you feel?  Does it make you feel big or tiny.  Because there is something good about feeling both.

Any Grant

After a good nights sleep things always look better in the morning.  A sunrise puts our troubles in perspective.  no matter how dark your life seems , a sunrise is waiting .It hints at the possibilities that exists for us if we should reach out and take them.  It reminds us that time is moving ever forward and that change is a constant in life.

A sunrise is one of the most spectacular things we can ever witness  It’s beauty is a powerful force. and one capable of imparting its warmth on the most hardened of souls.  It inspires, it energizes, it renews, it gives hope. Each and every day we are blessed on this Earth begins with one.  Sometimes it is hidden from view but is always there nonetheless 

We’re to have one of the best days we’ve had in a long time.  Warmer and sunny.  It renews and refreshes me just to see the sunrise today. It’s bursting with promises of a better day!

What I know for sure is that every sunrise is like a new page , a chance to right ourselves and receive each day in all it’s glory.  Each day s a wonder.

Oprah Winfrey

Chapter 2, Page 22, Book 20

For small creatures such as we are the vastness is bearable only through love .

Carl Sagan

February 22nd - going together hand in hand

Remember we all stumble, everyone of us. That’s why it’s a comfort to go hand in hand.  

Emily Kimbrough

The universe is quite vast and earth itself is very large. In the grand scheme of things we are but tiny blips in time and space.  Being surrounded by such a vastness is easier to deal with when we love and are loved in return

We must meet the challenge rather wish it were not before us.

William J. Brennan Jr.

Wishing for problems to go away does nothing but create more problems.  Taking steps to meet your challenges is the hardest step but because you have faced your problems together, you can step up and then through the tough times in life.

Holding hands is a promise to one another that, just for a moment, that you don't have to face the world alone.

Author Unknown

Chapter 2, Page 21, Book 20

You can only fail when you stop trying.

Albert Einstein

February 21st -Dare to love.

Don’t feel failure but rather fear not trying.

Roy T. Bennett

It is better to try and fail, than to have never tried at all. How can you know what you’re capable of if you don’t try.  We would amaze ourselves if we strive for more in life, we all have the capababilites within us to achieve anything.

Nothing and no one is perfect and it’s always hardest in the beginning.  You can’t have change if you just sit around doing nothing.  You can only grow stronger by learning and growing.  We have to get up and do the work everyday.

Believe in yourself, you have it with in you to do what ever you want to do. Focus on what you want to do and eventually you will get there.  Dream big dreams be ambitious and aim high in life.  It’s never too late to be the person you want to be.

Don’t be afraid to try something new. Anytime we try and fail, we learning something that can benefit us in the future if we don’t give up.  It’s important to remember that failing at something does not make a person a failure.  We have to try great things before we can develop the potential inside of each of us.

Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly.

Robert F. Kennedy

Chapter 2, Page 20, Book 20

Stay kind, it makes you beautiful

Najwa Zebian

February 20th -Beauty is in the eye of the beholder 

True beauty is knowing who you are, what you want and never apologizing for it.

Pink

Beauty is a beauty does is an old proverb That means beauty is worthless unless it comes with a kind, generous soul  Whether someone is actually beautiful should  be judged by their actions not their appearance.  That what beautiful people do is beautiful.  

You can  look  beautiful but not have an beauty in your soul.  Beauty in the soul comes from the heart. Beauty as we know is in the eye of the beholder. The way we think and act reflects our beauty just as surely as the way we style ourselves.  Our words are as important as our wardrobes. Our facial axpression is as much a part of our looks as our facial features. Being at ease and putting others at ease counts equally with prettiness.  Gracefullness and fastidious grooming can add up to glamor. 

If you describe the behavior of someone in a position of high social standing as gracious you mean that they behave in a polite and considerate way. Gracious people are kind and their behaviors characterized by tact.  Graciousess may be superfisicoal but sometimes what is on the surface is good enough.  A gracious person is a graceful person, someone who attempts not to hurt others with clumsy words or thoughtless deeds.  To live in grace is to walk lightly and leave the world blessed by your presence.

We often forget our facial expressions  matter.  When going out and about I try to smile at people including strangers .  Many frowns have been turned upside down when they see a smile  and it’s always nice to make people feel better. It’s our inner beauty that counts.

There is nothing more beautiful than someone who goes out of their way to make life beautiful for others.

Mandy Hale 

Chapter 2, Page 19, Book 20

Don’t wait for other people to be friendly, show them how.

Steve Maraboli

February 19th - be a friend

It’s not what we have in life, but who we have in our life that matters.

Author Unknown

Friendliness is  a down to earth approach that is welcoming and positive.  Being friendly feels confident and happy, with a positive take on another person.  Moving forward toward the world instead of backing away from it.  And it it encourages others to be less guarded and reactive with you.  

Often we just give a smile or handshake or a nod and that’s plenty Maybe it’s offering a few minutes to talk or a hug or a goodnight kiss.  It could even be an extra touch of warmth in an email.

It’s startling to see how friendliness is being crowded our of our most important relationships by busyness or weariness from working too hard.  But bits of friendliness sprinkled here and there can be absolutely transformational in any relationship.  We often forget about  being friendly with those closest to us.  It makes a difference.

If you think some people are acting cold, be the one with a warm hug. Don’t wait.

The only way to have a friend is to be one.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Chapter 2, Page 18, Book 20

Where there is great love, there are always miracles.

Willa Cather

February 18th- life is a miracle

There are only two ways to live your life. One is a though nothing is a miracle.  The other is a though everything is a miracle.

Albert Einstein

It’s fun to think the love and miracles are connected, but the power of love is well documented and it only makes sense that it would be able to spur on great things that would otherwise seem impossible.

When you start recognizing the miracles all around us then you can start to discover that love that is behind them.  We can also look to create miracles in our own life by increasing the amount of love we’re feeling.

Create your own miracles; do what you think you cannot do.

Roy T. Bennett

Chapter 2, Page 17, Book 20

Patriotism is a thing of the heart.  A man is a patriot if his heat beats true to his country.

Charles Edward Jefferson

February 17th- President’s Day

I like to see a man proud of the place in which he lives.  I like to see a man live so that his place is proud of him.

Abraham Lincoln.

I am glad to be an Ameerican.  My heart beats red white and blue.  As far as I’m concerned we have so much more than other countries have to offer.  I am thankful to be here where I was born and raised and wouldn’t want to move to another place.  

Like any kind of love,patriotism is complicated.  On first glance it may seem a sentiment, a feeling of which many are familiar — a surge of pride in what an exceptional country we are.  Sentiment is nice, but it’s not patriotic.  It is simply pride.  Nice, but not enabling as patriotism.  Love is not just a feeling, but something one does. It is not just something felt, it is expressed. and is all about duty and service. 

Ask  not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country.

John F. Kennedy.  

I believe in a country that strives to work together for the good of all.  A country of the people, by the people for the people. Love of country is about duty and service. 

If we love our country, we should also love our country men.

Ronald Reagan

Chapter 2, Page 16, Book 20

One word frees us of all the weight and pain in life.  That word is love.

Sophocles 

February 16th-  make your words matter

The heart has its reasons which reason knows not.

Blaise Pascal

We fail to say the right words, because we choose to say the wrong word, because we fail to think about the right words.

There is an old saying that says actions speak louder than words.  There is nothing that will speak more deeply than simple acts of service.  Some people will say they love you but never do anything to help each other.  Helping each other is an expression of love.  Giving someone you’re precious time and attentention is one of the best ways we can show love.

The three most powerful words in any language are I love you.  When we truly love someone we need to be loving in words and actions every day.  It’s not always what you say, but how we say it.

Well done is better than well said.

Benjamin Franklin