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Volume 26, # 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . December 2010 |
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![inspiration, motivation, Apple Seeds, [Apple]](AppleSeeds-1c.jpg)
![inspiration, motivation, Apple Seeds, [Apple]](AppleSeeds-2c.jpg)
Plant these "seeds" well and water often. Enjoy!
download as PDF
Life Top-Sacred . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sam Levenson
"I believe that each newborn child arrives on earth with a message to deliver to mankind. Clenched in his little fist is some particle of yet unresolved truth, some missing clue, which may solve the enigma of man’s destiny. He has a limited amount of time to fulfill his mission and he will never get a second chance, nor will we. He may be our last hope. He must be treated as top-sacred."
On Friendship . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cicero,
PositivePress.com"Friendship was given by nature to be an assistant to virtue, not a companion to vice."
Listening – Attending . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ernest Kurtz, The Spirituality of Imperfection, p. 94
"All ‘community’ begins in listening. ‘Spirituality,’ ‘wisdom,’ ‘that-which-all-seek’ is initially transmitted from one person to another by attending, one of (William) James favorite words, which means to be present in a hearing way, to listen to others in such a way that we are willing to surrender our own world view."
I Have a Joy! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . William Arthur Ward
"I have a purpose – growing;
I have a goal – glowing.I have a hobby – giving;
I have a song – living.I have a mission – reaching;
I have a love – teaching.I have a calling – caring;
I have a joy – sharing."
Life is an Advent Season . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CONNECTIONS, 11-28-93
"Life is a constant Advent season: we are continually waiting to become, to discover, to complete, to fulfill. Hope, struggle, fear, expectation and fulfillment are all part of our Advent experience.
The world is not as just, not as loving, not as whole as we know it can and should be. But the coming of Christ and his presence among us—as one of us —give us reason to live in hope: that light will shatter the darkness, that we can be liberated from our fears and prejudices, that we are never alone or abandoned.
May this Advent season be a time for bringing hope, transformation and fulfillment into the Advent of our lives."
First Believe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . St. Anselm
"I do not seek to understand that I may believe, but I believe that I may understand. For this too I believe, that unless I first believe, I shall not understand."
Distractions in Prayer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sr. Vilma Seelaus, OCD
"[St. Theresa of Avila’s] fourth point is a reminder that prayer is not for our comfort and delight, but for the honor and glory of God. In this prayer we do what we can to cut down the rambling of the intellect – but not suspend it or the mind."
Joy—Hope . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Fr. Brian Cavanaugh, TOR
"Be a sign of joy – proclaim a message of hope."
Sense of Urgency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Charles "Tremendous" Jones
"I believe the fires of greatness in our heart can be kept aglow only after we develop a sense of urgency and importance for what we are doing.…A sense of urgency is that feeling that lets you know yesterday is gone forever, tomorrow never comes. Today is in your hands. It lets you know that shirking today’s task will add to wasted yesterdays and postponing today’s work will add to tomorrow’s burden. The sense of urgency causes you to accomplish what today sets before you. Thank God for the sense of urgency that can change a dull, shabby existence into a sparkling life. Right now, ask God to give you a sense of urgency. Believe that He did, and then act accordingly."
Your Dreams . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Doug Ivester
"Never let your memories be greater than your dreams."
Modeling the Way . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kouses & Posner, The Leadership Challenge, p. 11
"Modeling the way…Being a role model means paying attention to what you believe is important. It means showing others through your behavior that you live your values.…Leaders act in ways that are consistent with their beliefs, they are persistent in pursuit of their visions, and they are always vigilant about the little things that make a big difference."
Give of Yourself . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Brian Tracy
"Don’t be reluctant to give of yourself generously, it’s the mark of caring and compassion and personal greatness."
Finish Every Day . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ralph Waldo Emerson
"Finish every day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities no doubt crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day; begin it well and serenely and with too high a spirit to be cumbered with your old nonsense. This day is all that is good and fair. It is too dear, with its hopes and invitations, to waste a moment on the yesterdays."
Ability to See . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Robert R. Brown
"Give me the ability to see good things in unexpected places and talents in unexpected people."
Be a Change Catalyst . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Steven R. Covey
"I am personally convinced that one person can be a change catalyst, a ‘transformer’ in any situation, any organization.…It requires vision, initiative, patience, respect, persistence, courage and faith to be a transforming leader."
This Country . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Theodore Roosevelt
"This country will not be a good place for any of us to live in unless we make it a good place for all of us to live in."
Attempt Daily . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Christopher News Notes, 6/12/1986
"Make some attempt daily to create something beautiful."
Courtesy is Kindness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . George D. Powers
"Knowledge, ability, experience is of little avail in reaching high success if courtesy is lacking. Courtesy is the one passport that will be accepted without question in every land, in every office, in every home, in every heart in the world. For nothing commends itself so well as kindness, and courtesy is kindness."
Malignancy of Ill Will . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dr. Norman Vincent Peale
Dr. Norman Vincent Peale relates about a physician who told him of a patient who had died of "grudgitis." The physician actually felt that the deceased passed away because of long-held hatred. "He did his body such damage that his resistance was lowered," the doctor explained, "so that when a physical malady attacked him he did not possess the stamina or renewing force to overcome it. He had undermined himself physically by the malignancy of ill will."
If you are under par, honestly ask yourself if you are harboring any ill will or resentment or grudges, and if so cast them out without delay. They do no harm to the person against whom you hold these feelings, but every day and every night of your life they are eating at you. Many people suffer poor health not because of what they eat but from what is eating them.
Christmas…a Living Reality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pope John Paul II
The late Pope John Paul II, in his Angelus message of December 19, 1999, explained that Christmas is not simply the remembrance of the Event that took place 2000 years ago when, according to the Gospel, the power of God took on the frailty of a baby. It is really about a living reality that is repeated every year in the heart of believers.
"The mystery of the Holy Night, which historically happened two thousand years ago, must be lived as a spiritual event in the ‘today’ of the Liturgy," the Pope clarified. "The Word who found a dwelling in Mary’s womb comes to knock on the heart of every person with singular intensity this Christmas."
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