Chapter 5, Page 31, Book 20

For every minute you remain angry, you give up sixty seconds of peace of mind.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

May 31st - anger is a waste of time

Don’t waste you time in anger, regrets, worries and grudges.  Life is to short to be unhappy.

Roy T. Bennett

This weekend the news has been filled with a lot of pain, frustrations and anger.  I’m agast at what has happened and am praying we can work through all this with peaceful resolution.  I’m reminded of the civil rights movement which happened during my life time.  I seriously thought we’d worked through all of this at that time.

I’ve always believed we are all equal.  Every race and color has a right to the same things. More than anything, I’ve see hateful people take advantage of the protests by rioting and luting.  I don’t think any of that was called for. But there is always going to be someone who sees something like that as a means to do evil things that will benefit themselves. 

Please join me in praying for a peaceful resolution to this crisis.  We’ve all been through enough with this virus, let alone have our cities torn apart by something that should never have happened.

A heart filled with anger has no room for love.

Jean Lunden

Chapter 5, Page 30, Book 20

Life is similar to a bus ride.

The journey begins when we board the bus.

We meet people along our way of which some are strangers, some

friends and some strangers yet to be friends.

There are stops and intervals and people board in

At times some of these people make their presence felt, leave an impact

through their grace and beauty on us fellow passengers while on other 

occasions they remain indifferent.

But then it is important for some people to make an exit, to get down 

and walk the paths they were destined to because if people always made

and entrance and never left with either for the better or worse, then we would feel suffocated and confused like those people on the bus, the purpose of the journey would use its essence and the journey altogether would neither be worthwhile nor smooth.

Chirag Tulsiani

May 30th - your presence is a present to the world.

We convince by our presence.

Walt Whitman

Sometimes we try to deal with problems and worries all by ourselves.  It is not an easy thing , nearly always an impossible task.  But with the help of someone it can become manageable. 

Our presence can be a great gift to someone.  It goes way beyond what we ever think.  Over  the years I’ve come to realize more and more that just being present for someone is what matters most.   On many occasions I didn’t have the words to say but I was willing to be present and just hold the light. 

When we hold the light we are making such a difference.  We may not feel the difference but others most certainly do.  Presence makes a big difference. There have been occasions I needed to be able to learn to be alongside people without being able to do anything but just be there for them.

Wherever you are - be all there.

Jim Elliot 

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Chapter 5, Page 29, Book 20

Live for the moments you can’t put into words.

Clo Mailen 

May 29th -  savor the moments 

You never know when a moment and a few sincere word can have an impact on a life. 

Zig Ziglar

In our daily routines of work, eat, rest, repeat, life can pass pretty quickly, it’s important to savor the moments that remind us we are alive.  

There have been some moments that have taken my breath away and other moments have left me with no words to describe them.

Those times are when I’ve been so overwhelmed by the moment I just have no words left.  I remember the feeling I had when I held my first child.  It was precious but I really couldn’t tell you how I felt.  There weren’t any my words in my vocabulary that could cover the feeling.

Yet the moments in our lives are all we’ve got.  Moment by moment, time goes by and we live our lives.  Don’t let them pass without savoring them for what they are.

The best moments seem to be the ones that are unplanned but seem to make the day perfect.  That’s what I like most about life.  No day is the same as the one before.  Surprises are always happening.

A good life is a collection of happy moments. Don’t let one day slip into the next.  No matter what your circumstances, or where you are in life, you can live a meaningful life on your own terms.  We can’t stop time but we can mold our perception of it. We can create more memories and meaning every moment of our days.We need to collect moments and not things.  

Savor the positive moments of your life. We all want our lives to feel like that they matter. 

Guard well your spare moments.  They are like uncut diamonds.  Discad them and their value will never be known, Improve them and they will become the brightest gems a useful  life.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Chapter 5, Page 28, Book 20

You must learn to master a new way to think before you can master a new way to be. 

Marianne Williamson

May 28th - do better

Do the best you can until you know better.  Then when you know better, do better.

Author unknown

Taking small steps can make a big difference especially in tough times, but there is no getting around the fact that making these steps is often uncomfortable. But we have to catch ourselves and remind ourselves that just because it isn’t easy doesn’t mean it isn’’t worth it.

It’s ok to be uncomfortable because that is where growth and healing begin.

In order to get some things in life, we often have to give something up.  In order to change for the better we have to take some action to change our situations for the better. 

It all comes down to what is worth suffering for right now.  Is the change you are wanting going to help you move toward the life you want.  If so then its a sign that it is time to step forward.  It’s probably worth enduring some extra pain and discomfort to get there; Nothing worth having ever comes easy. 

I’m staying my safe distance and wearing a mask here, because in the end, I want others that I’m around to stay safe and healthy.

We have to think about what we are willing to sacrifice in the short term in order to be happier in the long term.

It’s about becoming comfortable with discomfort.  Choosing to embrace discomfort not because you and to make your life complicated or difficult, but because there are some things that are worth suffering for. It’s about giving certain things up right now to get what you truly want in the weeks and months ahead.

If you want to reinvent your life and adapt to a new normal, you simply have to give up certain ideals, comforts. routines and so on to get what you ultimately want.

We each have the power to change our situations for the better, no matter what.  We are strong enough to let go and move forward. 

Good , better, best.  Never let it rest.  Till your good is better and your better is best.

St. Jerome

Chapter 5, Page 27, Book 20

Your life isn’t yours if you always care what someone else thinks .

Author Unknown

May 27th - be yourself

Love yourself first and everything else falls into line. You really have to love yourself to get anything done in this world. 

Lucille Ball 

When I was a child, I cared a lot about what other people thought, I wanted fit in with the crowd.  But as I’ve aged I’ve learned that it’s ok to be myself.  Although it’s easy to worry about being judged and seek approval from others and we like to please people.   But when you worry about what other think of you, you hold yourself back from being yourself and doing what you love.  

Life becomes easier once you learn to stop caring about what others think of you because nothing should have the power to hold you back in life. Nobody should take away your confidence and stop you from living out your dreams.  

I remember the days BC, before I had children.  People were always saying rude things about my inability to have chlldren.  They’d say what are you waiting for, you must not be doing it right.  Then after I had my large family they’d say When are you stopping.  It’s not good to have so many children, how can you support such a large family.  There is just no pleasing people.  The person you please has to be yourself.  

We wanted a large family and paid no attention to the advice of others or what they thought.  We did what we thought was best for us.  We left the number of children we had up to God.  And I cannot regret having any one of them. 

They are worth all the work and money spent.  They are my life.

We don’t need other people to tell us what we’re worth.  When you love yourself, it doesn’t matter what others say because you love yourself enough not to care or be hurt.  You are in control of your own opinions and beliefs and don’t have to accept other peoples.

It’s a waste of time trying to explain yourself.  Just be yourself and do what makes you happy  Those who mind don’t matter and those that matter won’t mind.

Define success on your own terms, achieve it by your own rules, and build a life you’re proud to live. 

Anne Sweeney

Chapter 5, Page 26, Book 20

When things do not go your way, remember that every challenge—every adversity — contains within it the seeds of opportunity and growth.

Roy T. Bennett

May 26th - growing pains

Nobody can learn for you.  Nobody can grow for you.  Nobody can seek for you.  Nobody can do for you what you must do for yourself.  Existantance doesn’t allow for substitutes.

Jorge Bucay

In this season of green and growing things, it’s good to remember we all need to grow.  Be it professionally or personally.  Getting stuck or staying still should not be an option.

Growing should be a priority.  It should  motivate you to be a better person.  We can’t live without having goals, objectives without overcoming challenges every day.  

Usually people stop learning and growing in their lives when everything is going terribly wrong.  No matter how bad things are going we never stop growing  Never stop learning..

Every day is a new opportunity to learn something you didn’t know.  Now is the time to mature and keep moving forward in order to become a better person.

One of the best things about life is that we never have to stop learning.  There are always new skills to learn and techniques to  master. When you look at the most successful people in the world, they understand this.   They  understand the fact they have to continuously learn to be successful.

For us to live life to the fullest, we must continually look for ways to improve.  If you are not looking to learn new things, here are some reasons why you might want to rethink your stately.  

You will be happier.  When we play sports, beating our personal records gives us a high like no other. Personal development is a way to guarantee us serenity from within.

Remember every interaction you have is a chance to learn something.  We all have tests and trials;  We all go through things in which we learn lessons from.  Lessons come with learning something new.  They offer a road map for how to deal with issues.

People grow through experience if they meet life honestly and courageously.  This is how character is built.

Eleanor Roosevelt 

 A PRAYER FOR MEMORIAL DAY

Crosswalk dot com

We thank you for the brave men and women who fought and continue to fight so courageously for our nation.  We ask for your blessing over them and their families.  We pray that you would be gracious and encircle them with your peace. We pray for your great favor and goodness to be evident in their lives.

Please be with all those that wear the uniform, who serve our communities and nation every day.  We ask that you provide your protection, that you would be their guiding force who leads the way and their rear guard who keeps them safe from behind  We ask that you would draw them to yourself amidst the dangers they face in a dark world, for you are the Truth, You are the Way, You are the Light.

Help them to walk wisely;  To stay covered in your armor.  Give them Godly decernment. Make them constantly aware of what lurks close by.  Help them to be men and women of prayer realizing that this is where their greatest help comes from.  Help them to stay united and strong, bold and resolute., determined and unwavering.

Bless their families.  Bless those they love.  Give them your great favor, this day and every day.

Thank you that in our Nation today, we are free to worship;  We are free to pray.  We are free to read your Word.  We are free to speak.  We are free to share.  For this we are truly grateful.  Give us increased awareness of the spiritual battle we are in .  Help us to stand strong in you and your purposes.

Thank you that as believers we can be assured, you will never leave us and are always with us.in this life and the next.

In Jesus Name we pray,

Amen

May God Bless America and all those who have sacrificed so greatly for our freedom and faithfully served our nation !

Chapter 5, Page 24, Book 20

We  sometimes have to accept that life is the way it is and there are certain things beyond us - which we just don’t understand.

James Borg

May 24th-  It is what it is 

Whether it is the best of times or worst of times, it is the only time we have.  

Art Buchwald

Accepting these present times is one of hardest things I’ve had to do in my life time.  There is not much I can do about it, but to make the best of what I can with what I’ve got.  

There is no doubt that without the love and support of my family, I probably would have given up.  They check in when they can at a safe distance , they shop for whatever I need and deliver it right to my door.  

So I’ve made peace with my present circumstances and decided not to fight it.  The upset wasn’t worth it.  Much better to be at peace than torn apart by what’s going on all around me.  I can’t help but abide by the rules and keep my distance so that they’ll be safe too.  No matter that I’d rather be holding my grand babes on my lap and cuddling up with them.

But it is what it is and I want them all to be safe and healthy, Another thing I’ve come to accept is that I wasn’t ever mean to live alone.  Although I’m an independent person and don’t want to be a burden to anyone else, this pandomenic has taught me that it is no fun to be by yourself all the time.  

Accept the fact that we can control certain things in our lives and that there are many things in life we can’t control.  Acceptance is just living with the reality and making the best of the situation.

Phillip Crone

Chapter 5, Page 23, Book 20

The way you speak to yourself matters 

Author Unknown 

May 23RD - words are important

Evidence is conclusive that your self talk has a direct bearing on your performance.

Zig Zigler

Self talk is the act of talking to yourself either aloud or mentally. These are the messages that you are telling yourself all day long. Self talk is  important in many ways.  It’s the script that we use to frame our lives.  If we constantantly give ourselves negative messages  then we begin to to develop automatic thoughts that take us from a particular incident to a negative emotional reaction;  on the other hand if we use positive self talk, we begin to view the world in a more positive manner. and feel better about  ourselves.  We can’t control what happens but we an control how we react to it.

The messages you tell yourself will either encourage and motivate you, or they will limit you because they are negative.

What you say to yourself is important as these messages determine whether you should keep trying or not.  They can help you succeed or they can hold you back.

When you believe something to be true in your heart you are more apt to believe in yourself and pursue positive things .  A great way to find positives in your live is to recognize the things the things you can be grateful for. It helps to improve your attitude which helps have give you more positive self talk.

When you focus on the good things that are happening in your life , you are helping yourself to focus on the goodness in your life. 

When you are constantly comparing yourself to others, it is easy to become negative.  Instead find gratitude in what you do rather than concentrating on what you don’t have..

We can always find others who are better off than you or worse than you.  What is important is to concentrate on yourself and being grateful for your own life.  

If we are negative with our words with others then we are likely to be negative about ourselves as well.  Having negative thoughts leads to negative self talk.  What comes out of your mouth can be positive or it can be negative, The Choice is up to you.  

If you can let the little things go and instead focus on the positive and use uplifting words, you will be much happier.Your relationships will improve.  Positivity breads positivity and and vice versa. Chose the positive.  Tell yourself you can do what needs to be done and can succeed at whatever you put your mind too.  If you don’t believe in yourself then who will? 

Don’t let fear hold you back from trying.  Tell you self you can keep trying if you do fail.  Look at it as on opportunity to learn a new way to go at the project and grow in your skills.

It’s up to each of us to replace the negative thoughts with the positive ones.  There is always a flip side to any situation. Tell yourself you are pleased with yourself because you are making efforts to improve that which you see needs improvement. Give yourself a mental pat on the back and feel good about what you are doing.

 Think positive when you are feeling negative.

Attitude is a choice.  Happiness is a choice.  Optimism is a choice.  Kindness is a choice.  Giving is a choice.  Respect is a choice.  Whatever choice you make makes you.  Choose wisely.

Roy T. Bennett

Chapter 5, Page 22, Book 20

Be thankful for all the trouble you don’t have.

Author Unknown

May 22ND - There is always something to be thankful for

Be thankful for your allotment in an imperfect world.  Though better circumstances can be imagined, far worse are nearer misses than you probably care to realize

Rachelle E. Goodrich

It’s true that focusing on what you have instead of what you don’t have, can make you a happier person.

Feeling grateful isn’t always easy but we need to remember things could always be worse.  We may not have perfect times to be living in but at least we have our health.

If you are having trouble finding something to be grateful for, just watch the news, and I’m sure you will get some ideas. Unfortunately we feel most grateful for things in life when we recognize how little others have.  When we see what others are going through we understand how much we truly do have to be thankful for.

Be Thankful for what you have; you’ll end up having more.  If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never never have enough.

Oprah Winfrey

Chapter 5, Page 21, Book 20

Rise above the storm and you will find the sunshine

Mario Fernandez

May 20th - the sun is still there 

Sometimes the greatest storms bring out the greatest beauty…Life can be a storm, but your hope is a rainbow and your friends and family are the gold.

Steve Marabol

On a stormy day it’s easy to forget that the sun is still shining behind all those clouds.  The same is true for problems we face in our lives.  It can look dark and gloomy when we look out into the future, but we have to remember that just behind this clouds, rain, lightning and thunder there is an abundance of sunshine and clear skies. 

It’s just a matter of rising above it so we can feel the sun sunshine and get inspired to keep soaring to new heights, where rain and storms can’t reach.

When the days seem to get us down or we're not feeling quite right, we need to seek out the sunshine.Take a moment to focus on something positive and uplifting.  

Rise above the storm and find the sunshine!  We need to be the Sunshine that peeks through the clouds, not only does it provide a little light to those around us but gives us hope . To be the sunshine in someone’s cloud.   Realize that happiness is something you create, not something you can only have when you reached your destination.

Positivity sparkles.  Keep positive and always smile !

When the storm has passed, put your energy into rebuilding 

your life, don’t waste time looking back.

Leon Brown