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Volume 18, # 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . December, 2002 |
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Volume 18, # 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . December, 2002 |
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A Happy Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Charles M. Schwab
Lead the life that will make you kindly and friendly to everyone about you, and you will be surprised what a happy life you will live."
Bedrock of Community . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
M. Scott Peck, A World Waiting To Be Born, p. 284"Community requires its members to honestly and openly speak their minds, to risk intimacy, to confess what is appropriate, to make the hidden known when doing so is helpful.…
The bedrock of community is commitment, a willingness for people to ‘hang in there’ together when the going gets rough."
Give Life Meaning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . John Gardner
"People can achieve meaning in their lives only if they have made commitments beyond the self—religious commitments, commitments to loved ones, to one’s fellow humans, to excellence, to some conception of an ethical order—you give life meaning through your commitments."
Affirmations of Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mary L Kupferle,
Daily Word, May ‘90
"Begin now to support yourself anew with affirmations of life: ‘I nourish myself with acceptance of the reality that I am happy, whole, and well. I have all the faith I need to find newness of vitality and energy. I am strong and whole, stable and free, as God created me to be. I believe in myself as a growing child of God with the capacity to enjoy life. I see myself loved and valued, peaceful and patient.’"
Advent’s Vision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rev. Alfred McBride, O. Praem.,
THE PRIEST, Oct. `87, p. 26"Each year, God asks us to shed one more coat of awareness, one more dream state and come alive to the vision of God’s plan for each of us and the world-at-large.
The older we get, the harder this is to do. As children we had a sense of wonder. Our eyes were wide open and drinking in the fascinating gifts we beheld.…Our thirsty souls could not have enough of the wonders of creation.
Then, somehow, we grew too old to dream. We tired of the abundance of the world, or at least grew weary of keeping up with the feast of life, and stepped away from the banquet of life."
A Scottish Blessing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Anonymous
"If there is righteousness in the heart
there will be beauty in the character,If there is beauty in the character
there will be harmony in the home,If there is harmony in the home
there will be harmony in the nation,If there is harmony in the nation
there will be peace in the world."
Joy of Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Joshua Liebman
"The primary joy of life is the acceptance, approval, sense of appreciation and companionship of our human comrades. Many people do not understand that the need for fellowship is really as deep as the need for food, and so they go throughout life accepting many substitutes for genuine, warm, simple relatedness."
About Obstacles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . T
OP PERFORMANCE, Vol. 1, # 2, p. 10"You might occasionally feel that some people are standing in the way and deliberately slowing your progress, but in reality the biggest person standing in your way is you. Others can stop you temporarily—you are the only one who can do it permanently."
Self-Image of Worth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . William Walton,
CEO, Holiday Inn"Every man and woman alive is gifted by God in some special way. People who have a self-image of worth are going to see value in what they do. This is the attitude that motivates them to be and to do their best. It’s a drive that comes from within people."
We Learn Wisdom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Samuel Smiles
"We learn wisdom from failure much more than from success. We often discover what will do by finding out what will not do, and probably one who never made a mistake never made a discovery."
Dream—Reach . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Anonymous
"Always dream and reach higher than you know you can reach.
Don’t bother just to be better than your contemporaries and predecessors;
Try to be better than yourself."
Deep Reservoirs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Earl Nightingale,
INISGHT, Jan. ‘87, p. 20"There exists in each of us deep reservoirs of ability, even genius, that we habitually fail to use. It often takes knowledge, care and time to bring that ability to the surface."
Fundamental to Holiness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Nancy Brown, SC,
HUMAN DEVELOPMENT, Fall ‘86, p. 5"St. Catherine of Siena states that self-knowledge and appreciation of oneself is fundamental to holiness. Creation spirituality also reminds us that we need to begin our spiritual journey by recognizing that we are originally blessed, created in the image and likeness of God. We are limited human beings but created by a loving Creator who made us good."
An Advent Examination . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Edward Hays,
A Pilgrim’s Almanac, p. 196
"Advent is the perfect time to clear and prepare the Way. Advent is a winter training camp for those who desire peace. By reflection and prayer, by reading and meditation, we can make our hearts a place where a blessing of peace would desire to abide and where the birth of the Prince of Peace might take place.
Daily we can make an Advent examination. Are there any feelings of discrimination toward race, sex, or religion? Is there a lingering resentment, an unforgiven injury living in our hearts? Do we look down upon others of lesser social standing or educational achievement? Are we generous with the gifts that have been given to us, seeing ourselves as their stewards and not their owners? Are we reverent of others, their ideas and needs, and of creation? These and other questions become Advent lights by which we may search the deep, dark corners of our hearts."
Minds are Changed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Will Rogers
"People’s minds are changed through observation and not through argument."
Ordinary Qualities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Feltham,
INSIGHT, # 51, p. 24"The greatest results in life are usually attained by simple means and the exercise of ordinary qualities. These may for the most part be summed up: common sense and perseverance."
Christmas Wisdom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . William Arthur Ward
"Christmas is more than a time of music, merriment and mirth;
it is a season of meditation, mangers and miracles.
Christmas is more than a time of carols, cards and candy;
it is a season of dedication and decision."
The Rabbi and the Soapmaker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Anonymous
A rabbi and a soapmaker were walking together. The soapmaker said, "What good is religion? Look at all the trouble and misery of the world! Still there, even after years—thousands of years—of teaching about goodness and truth and peace; still there, after all the prayers and sermons and teachings; if religion is supposed to be good and true, why can this be?"
The rabbi said nothing, deep in thought. they continued walking until the rabbi noticed children playing. Then the rabbi said, "Look at those children. You say that soap makes children clean, but see the dirt on those children? Of what good is soap? With all the soap in the world, over all these years, the children are filthy. I wonder how effective soap is, after all?"
The soapmaker was quick to protest, "But, Rabbi, soap cannot do any good unless it is used often."
"Exactly!" replied the rabbi.
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