Songs On The Death Of The Children - Gustav Mahler

"Now the sun wants to rise as brightly"

Now the sun wants to rise as brightly
as if nothing terrible had happened during the night.
The misfortune had happened only to me,
but the sun shines equally on everyone.
You must not enfold the night in you.
You must sink it in eternal light.
A little star went out in my tent!
Greetings to the joyful light of the world.

"Now I see well, why with such dark flames"

Now I see well, why with such dark flames
in many glances you flash upon me
O Eyes : as if in one look
to draw all your strength together
I didn't realise, because a mist surrounded me
woven of tangled destinies
that your beam was already returning homewards to the place
from which all rays emanate.
You would tell me with your brightness :
We would gladly stay with you!
Now that is denied to us by Fate.
Look at us, soon we will be far away!
What are only eyes to you in these days,
in the coming night shall be your stars.

"When your mother"

When your mother
steps in through the door
and I turn my head
to see at her,
falling on her face
my gaze does not first fall,
but at the place
nearer the doorstep,
there, where your
dear little face would be,
when you with bright joy
step inside,
as you used to, my little daughter.
When your mother
steps in through the door
with the glowing candle,
it seems to me, always
you came in too,
hurrying behind her,
as you used to come into the room.
Oh you, of a father's cell,
ah, too soon
extinguished light!

"I often think : they have only just gone out"

I often think : they have only just gone out,
and now they will be coming back home.
The day is fine, don't be dismayed,
They have just gone for a long walk.
Yes indeed, they have just gone out,
and now they are making their way home.
Don't be dismayed, the day is fine,
they have simply made a journey to yonder heights.
They have just gone out ahead of us,
and will not be thinking of coming home.
We go to meet them on yonder heights
In the sunlight, The day is fine.

"In this weather!"

In this weather, in this windy storm,
I would never have sent the children out.
They have been carried off,
I wasn't able to warn them!
In this weather, in this gale,
I would never have let the children out.
I feared they sickened :
those thoughts are now in vain.
In this weather, in this storm,
I would never have let the children out,
I was anxious they might die the next day :
now anxiety is pointless.
In this weather, in this windy storm,
I would never have sent the children out.
They have been carried off,
I wasn't able to warn them!
In this weather, in this gale, in this windy storm,
they rest as if in their mother's house :
frightened by no storm,
sheltered by the Hand of God. ♥ 

~ Friedrich Ruckert, Songs on the Death of Children ~ 

Possibly Unending

I do not believe the meaning of life is a puzzle to be solved. Life is. I am. Anything might happen. And I believe I may invest my life with meaning. The uncertainty is a blessing in disguise. If we are absolutely certain about all things, I would spend my life in anxious misery, fearful of losing my way. But since everything and anything are always possible, the miraculous is always nearby and wonders shall never, never cease.
Only now have I finally realized that my life has been an unending field trip. ♥ 

~ Robert Fulghum ~ 

Deep Peace

Deep peace of the running wave to you
Deep peace of the flowing air to you
Deep peace of the quiet earth to you
Deep peace of the shining stars to you
Deep peace of the gentle night to you
Moon and the stars pour their healing light on you
Deep peace of Christ the light of the world to you
Deep peace of Christ t you. ♥ 

~ Libera, Deep Peace (Gaelic Blessing) ~ 

A Cord

"Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord."
Ezra 6:7-8, 12, 14-20
Lk 8:19-21

"My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it." Jesus is giving us two conditions for us to be called his relatives, thus belonging to the same family of God, first, is to hear the word of God, and second, is to do it. What better example can we think of but the example of his own mother! Mary is the model disciple who did not only listen to the word of God but live her life always in obedience to the will of the Father. If we are to belong to the same family of Jesus, we have to do the same. Openness and obedience to the Word will be the sign of our identity as part of the Christian family. That will be the tie that will always bind us together. ♥ 

Mirror Image

The line between good and evil, hope and despair, does not divide the world between "us" and "them." It runs down in the middle of everyone of us. I do not want to talk about what you understand about the world. I want to know what you will do about it. I do not want to know what you hope for. I want to know what you will work for. I do not want your sympathy for the needs of humanity. I want your muscle. As the wagon driver said when they come to a hard hill, ---- "Them that's going on with us, get out and push. Them that ain't, get out of the way!" ♥ 

~ Robert Fulghum ~

Marvelous Endeavor

"The Lord has done marvel for us."
Ezra 1:1-16
Lk 8:16-18

Let your light shine! In a society that is engulfed in the darkness of poverty, no progress, despair, hopelessness : could it be because people are hiding in the security of their own private rooms trying to consume all the lights for themselves? How many people will go out of their way to offer their expertise in building a community? How many of those in medical profession are willing to brave the mountains and seas to extend their services to the poor? How many people in the government will brace the darkness, fight for what is right and stand for truth? How many young people are willing to volunteer themselves to share their time and talents in doing things that would be of help to the community? If only all people will go out on roof tops and shine brightly, our world will really have a bright future. ♥ 

Sowers' Seed and Soil

"Come with joy into the presence of the Lord."
1Tim 6:13-16
Lk 8:4-15

A harvest hundredfold is like an experience of a fisherman getting a really big catch. The sower must be very happy of the outcome of his sowing. Such is the Word of God! The seed that is planted in our hearts has the capacity to bear fruit in abundance. . . . If the soil where the seeds are planted are producing a hundredfold, then people will lead good lives and our world will really be a paradise. But why are we not bearing much fruit? Look at the extreme poverty around us, or the violence, graft and corruption, or the disorder and killings and all other absences of love? Blame it to the seed? Or is there something wrong with the soil ? ♥ 

Respected

I never met a person. I don't care what his condition, in whom I could not see possibilities. I don't care how much a man may consider himself a failure, I believe in him, for he can change the thing that is wrong in his life any time he is ready and prepared to do it. Whenever he develops the desire, he can take away from his life the thing that is defeating it. The capacity for reformation and change lies within. ♥ 

~ Preston Bradley ~ 

OPAL

You are ice and fire,
The touch of you burns my hand like snow.
You are cold and flame.
You are crimson of amaryllis,
The silver of moon-touched magnolias.
When I am with you,
My heart is a frozen pond
Gleaming with agitated torches. ♥ 

~Amy Lowell, Opal ~ 

Joy and Gladness in Sorrow

♥ Our Lady of Sorrows ♥

"Save me, O Lord, in your kindness"
Ps 31:2-6, 15-16, 20
Heb 5:7-9
Lk 2:33-35

Mary's first encounter with the Emmanuel during the Annunciation brought her confusion, not being able to understand the possibility of her bearing the Messiah. Yet Mary put her trust in God. Later Mary will find herself at the foot of the cross of Jesus! What great sorrow can we think of but a mother gazing at the dead body of her son? Sorrow does not have the final word, but joy has it! What a great joy indeed that the sorrowing mother will be greeted by the triumph of Jesus' Resurrection. The mother who journeyed with her Son in sorrow will later be assumed into heaven in God's glory. This is our hope, that our sorrows will turn into joy and gladness. ♥ 

I HELD A JEWEL

I held a jewel in my fingers
And went to sleep
The day was warm, and winds were prosy
I said, "Twill keep"

I woke ---- chide my honest fingers,
The Gem was gone
And now, an Amethyst remembrance
Is all I own. ♥ 

~ Emily Dickinson, I Held A Jewel ~

DAFFODILS

I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils ----
Beside the lake, beneath the trees.
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Continuous as stars that shine
And twinkle on the milky way,
They stretched in never-ending line
Along the margin of a bay :
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads at a sprightly dance.

The waves beside them danced, but they
Out-did the sparkling leaves in glee ----
A poet could not be but gay,
In such a jocund company!
I gazed ---- and gazed ---- but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought :

For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude ----
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils. ♥ 

~ Daffodils, William Wordsworth ~ 

GYPSY

I asked a gypsy pal
To imitate an old image
And speak old wisdom.
She drew in her chin,
Made her neck and head
The top piece of a Nile obelisk
and said :
Snatch off the gag from the mouth, child,
And be free to keep silence.
Tell no man everything for no man listens,
Yet hold thy lips ready to speak. ♥ 

~ GYPSY, Carl Sandburg ~ 

A Beautiful Wish

♥ Agony and its Beauty ♥

Agony is a teacher. Agony is a source of merit. Agony is a strength that gives strength. See the mystical phenomena of a Butterfly, ---- it can create more flutters in your heart than any other flying insect but you may not understand it, and yet it is a symbolic of mans own existence. Man is like a caterpillar destined to be a butterfly. Man lives in a cocoon. His cocoon is full of Ego, Goals and Misery. Man keeps on building his cocoon with false materials, He does not realize that one day everything will disappear. The caterpillar needs to die to become a butterfly. In death, a caterpillar explodes into millions of colors. In living in this moment an ugly caterpillar becomes a beautiful butterfly. Therefore : Live this moment with so much intensity that every death of a moment gives rise to beautiful next moment. Live this moment in such ecstasy that you have no alternative other than getting out of your cocoon. Live this moment with so much love that you have no other option but to explode into butterfly. Just be in Love with everything you see, ---- be in Love with nature, ---- be in love with existence, and ---- Be in Love in your deep acceptance. Love alone can give you wings, ---- to carry on. Love alone is enough to make you a Butterfly. Be in Love, and My wish ---- You become a Butterfly.♥

Pride

♥ The Sin of Pride ♥
~ Proverbs 16:18 ~

No individual makes it to the top on his own. Yet the person whose heart is lifted in pride takes credit for what he or she does not deserve. One of the strange things about this malady is that those who are most infected with it recognize it least. Someone has said that pride comes in three fashions : Pride of Race, which deals with the feeling of genetic superiority, something we are born with or quickly acquire from our parents and peers. Pride of Face, simply deals with arrogance. Pride of Grace is the mistaken belief that you are more spiritual than others. Of one thing we are sure of, God hates pride ---- perhaps more than any other flaw of character, "Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall."♥

Confident

Let's face it, life is like series quotations . . . . sometimes, it makes you laugh, sometimes, it makes you cry, but most of the time, you don't get it, and yes, just as exactly like that, rolling up - side - down your eyes.♥

Walking In His Way

♥ He Knows the Way ♥

I instruct you in the way of wisdom and lead you along straight paths. When you walk, your steps will not be hampered ---- when you run, you will not stumble. (Proverbs 4:11-12) Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way ---- walk in it.” (Isaiah 30:21)

"What is God's will for me?" Every one asks that question at one point or another, especially during decision-making times. People try to be very conscious of God's will because they fear disappointing him and missing his blessings. I say . . . . God's will is for you to be so close to him that you are confident that he is always leading you. True, the way may sometimes seem confusing or obscure. But God knows the way ---- the best way ---- to take you. . . . . (You may find that you are already walking in it.)♥

Hands On Experience

Tell me and I'll forget. Show me, and I may not remember. Involve me, and I'll understand.♥ 
~ Benjamin Franklin ~

I hear and I forget, I see and I remember. I do and I understand.♥
~ Confucius ~

As they say, "Action speaks louder than words." Although learning from a show and tell, is exciting, still the best thing to learn of all comes from a, 'hands on experience.' Some one can say a thousand things, and chances are you'll forget them if their actions don't prove their words. On the other hand what someone does, you remember because those are actions, ---- actions are real, words are not always real ---- they could be lies.♥

Read Pause Reflect Learn Act

All spiritual growth comes from reading and reflection. 
By reading we learn what we did not know ---- 
By reflection we retain what we have learned.
~ Saint Isidore of Seville ~

Books contain thoughts. If these thoughts are clean, pure, uplifting, stimulating, and instructive in nature, we should pause upon them and suck all the life out of them. Read for five minutes ---- think for ten. "WHATEVER is worth doing is worth doing well." A clear, cheerful atmosphere of purity, that should be our guide. And then, when the thoughts of mind are strung up to action we should find nothing difficult of achievement. Read. Pause. Reflect. Learn. Act.♥

Indecisive

♥ Breaking the Bondage of Your Old Nature ♥
~ Romans 8:2 ~

Have you ever been torn between what you know is right and what you really want to do? "When I want to do good, I don't ---- and when I try not to do wrong, I do it anyway." Think it through and consider these : Pray. Spend some time and keep your relationship with the Lord warm and personal. If you're involved in a wrong relationship, break it off, once and for all. Don't even try to justify it, if it's black, ----it's black, if it's white, ---- it's white. Keep the right company, and Form the right habits. The chains of habits are too weak to be felt until they are too strong to be broken. Restore wrong habits with the right ones. But then, the real answer is ---- God is still in the business of breaking our bondage and setting us free through the power of His Spirit.♥

Triumph of the Cross

"Do not forget the works of the Lord!"
Nm 21:4-9
Phil 2:6-11
Jn 3:13-17

The Exaltation of the Cross. We celebrate the Triumph of the Cross. Sorrow and Glory : the two aspects of the cross ---- a sign of contradiction and the source of our salvation. At the same time it is the, most radical-ironic, the worst thing and the best thing that ever could have happened. Humanity rejected and put to death the very Savior sent by God to redeem us and bring us to communion with him. But in accepting that rejection and death, Jesus conquered death and won for us forgiveness and life. This is the glory , that has worked the greatest miracle of love out of the greatest tragedy! We raise up the cross so that we can look at it, so that we can clearly see what we have done by our sin, and what has been done to redeem us. We all have crosses in our lives ---- illness, problems at home or work, relationships, addictions, and weakness. We generally recoil at the thought of suffering and try to escape, often in unhealthy ways such as drinking, over-working, over-eating, or too much parties and TV. We are invited to seek and search deeper. Faith allows us to see the triumph of Christ in every cross we carry. 
Reflection from the Claretian : "The cross of Christ reverses every value ---- what we call failure is renamed success, and vice versa, what we call shame is renamed glory, and vice versa, what we call death is renamed the source of new life. It is the central icon or symbol of our Faith. Yet we use, it as an ornament! We hang it on a wall as a decoration, part of the interior decor of a room. But it is not part of anything : On contrary, it puts everything in question."♥

I Am Loved, I Am Love

♥ Good or Bad, God Loves You ♥
~ John 3:13-17 ~

Anecdote :

A father used to tell of the time he overheard one of his children admonishing the other, . . . . "You must be good or Father won't love you." Calling the boy to him, he said, "Son, that isn't really true." ---- 'But you won't love us if we are bad, will you?' the boy asked. "Yes, I will love you whether you are good or bad." The father explained. ---- "But there will be a difference in my love. When you are good I will love you with a love that makes my heart glad ---- and when you are not good, I will love you with a love that hurts me."♥

The Bond Of Friendship

We will be Friends Forever, Won't We?♥

“Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another : "What! You too? I thought I was the only one.” 
~ C.S. Lewis ~

“Don't walk behind me ---- I may not lead. Don't walk in front of me ---- I may not follow. Just walk beside me and be my friend.” 
~ Albert Camus ~

“When we honestly ask ourselves which person in our lives mean the most to us, we often find that it is those who, instead of giving advice, solutions, or cures, have chosen rather to share our pain and touch our wounds with a Warm and Tender Hand. The friend who can be silent with us in a moment of despair or confusion, who can stay with us in an hour of grief and bereavement, who can tolerate not knowing, not curing, not healing and face with us the reality of our powerlessness, that is a friend who cares.” 
~ Henri J.M. Nouwen ~

Great Explorer

♥ The Joy in Exploring Adventure ♥

One of the things we must develop is a capacity for exploration, a searching for meanings and connections. The search itself is crucial. If you are not asking the hard questions of life, if you are not carefully testing what others tell you, then you are not engaged with all the potential aspects of your own unique and wonderful life.♥

~ Sallirae Henderson ~

Love Builds, Knowledge Grows

"Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way."
1 Cor 8:1-7, 11-13
1 Jn 4:12
Lk 6:27-38

"Knowledge inflates but love up-builds." Actually, there is no conflict between knowledge and love. It is not as though knowledge is bad and love is good. They go together. We cannot love what we don't know. If we have knowledge without love, then it only serves to inflate our ego and make us proud. We are called to a most radical kind of love, a love which looks for the good of the other in every circumstances, even when the other is an enemy. We are called to love as God loves, not with merely human love. This is not possible for us, but God can make all things possible by acting his grace in us. We are called to seek out what is loving thing to do in all situations ---- how we can best serve God and neighbor. Sometimes it is good to do what a person asks us, but there are times when we should not do what a person asks. There are times we need to suffer the injustice of another, but there are times when we should not suffer the injustice inflicted on us by another. It requires prayer and careful listening to determine the loving thing to do or say in any given situation.
We want to be careful that we are motivated by the good of the other, and not seeking our own advantage. It is easy to use one another to fulfill a need in ourselves rather than doing what is good for the other. We may enable a person to remain in his / her weakness or sin because we need to feel "useful" or in control. We do well to examine our motives. We also need to know the moral truth involved in a situation. Too often we hear people say things like, "This just feel right to me." Trying to discern what is loving by relying on our feelings is a very dangerous way to live. Our feelings are not safe guides for what is truly loving in a given situation. We should seek knowledge of what is truth. If we want to do what is best for the other in a given situation, we need to know what is actually best, not merely what "feels" best for us, or what the other person says is best. We are asked to love as he loves. This involves a balance. We cannot be overly legalistic on the one hand, or too sentimental on the other hand. When we are legalistic, we act without compassion ---- when we are sentimental, we enable others to remain in their weakness. To act in love, we need to stay connected with the Lord, seeking his wisdom as each individual case arises. The Lord is ever faithful, and he will tell us how to truly love each person we encounter. Do I tell others my truth in love, do I think it is my responsibility to get them to change? How am I a stumbling block to others in their journey? Let's call and allow the Lord to work in us.♥

Life Is Now

Life is a goal, Achieve it. Every morning you are handed twenty four golden hours. They are one of the few things in this world that you get free of charge. If you had all the money in the world, you couldn't buy an extra hour. What will you do with this priceless treasure Remember, you must use it, as it is given only once. Once wasted you cannot get it back. Make everyday count. Create your own life and then go out and live it. Appreciate every moment and take from it everything that you possibly can, for you may never be able to experience it again. Live-Life-Love.♥ 

Life is a song ---- sing it.
Life is a game ---- play it.
Life is a challenge ---- meet it.
Life is a dream ---- realize it.
Life is a sacrifice ---- offer it.
Life is love ---- enjoy it.♥

~ Sai Baba ~

Life is an opportunity, benefit from it.
Life is beauty, admire it.
Life is bliss, taste it.
Life is a dream, realize it.
Life is a challenge, meet it.
Life is a duty, complete it.
Life is a game, play it.
Life is a promise, fulfill it.
Life is sorrow, overcome it.
Life is a song, sing it.
Life is a struggle, accept it.
Life is a tragedy, confront it.
Life is an adventure, dare it.
Life is luck, make it.
Life is too precious, do not destroy it.
Life is life, fight for it.♥

~ Mother Teresa ~

Forever Young

♥ Childlike Faith ♥
~ Luke 7:1-10 ~

"Adults tend to hold back on their joy for fear of being called immature. Children tend to accept and love people unconditionally. Adults tend to judge and reject others without getting to know them. Children tend to live and find happiness in the present moment. Adults tend to live in guilt about the past and worry about the future.

Don't be afraid to live as a child then. Don't be afraid to play with a dog, cuddle a cat, and swing on a swing. Don't be afraid to enjoy the moment, to love other people, and to find fun and joy everywhere. God gives us no greater happiness than living with the wisdom, love, and kindness of a child. God gives no greater key to the Kingdom of Heaven than living with the heart of a child." ~ Joe Mazzella ~

Have you ever thought of the life of a child? Why, the life of a child is perfect life of faith. The little child ---- which can that little child do? Why, that little child could not find its way to the street-end, and back again. It would be lost if you trusted it alone. That little child could not find the next meal. That little child could not furnish a shelter for its own head tonight. And yet has that little alarm about it? Not at all! How comes it that the child's life is the happy life it is? Because, instinctively and beautifully, it is a life of faith.♥

Part and Parcel

If someone hurts you, betrays you or breaks your heart, forgive them, for they have helped you learn about trust and the importance of being cautious to whom you open your heart to. If someone loves you, love them back unconditionally ---- not only because they love you, but because they are teaching you to love, and they are opening your heart and eyes to things you would have never seen or felt without them. Sometimes things happen to you and at the time they may seem horrible, painful and unfair, but in reflection you realize that without overcoming those obstacles you would have never realized your potential, strength, willpower or heart. Everything happens for a reason. Nothing happens by chance or by means of good or bad luck. Illness, injury, love, lost moments of true greatness and sheer stupidity all occur to test the limits of your soul. Without these small tests ---- whether they are events, illnesses or relationships ---- life would be like a smoothly paved, straight, flat road to nowhere. Safe and comfortable, but dull and utterly pointless. The people you meet who affect your life, and the successes and downfalls you experience, create who you are ---- even the bad experiences can be learned from. In fact, they are probably the most poignant and important ones.♥ 

I Am

"Listen to me, daughter ---- see and bend your ear."
1 Cor 7:25-31
Lk 6:23
Lk 6:20-26

In order to see what Jesus means, we have to begin by looking at the fundamental truths about who and what we are as creatures created by God to share all eternity with him in love and joy. We are made to love and be loved. We are made for eternal life. No amount of money or power could ever help us in the slightest way to attain eternal life with God. In that sense, we are totally poor and needy before God, because we are completely dependent on him to bring us to the fullness of life with him in heaven. So in this sense, if we are truly focused with God, which is our final end and purpose, then we will know the poverty, hunger and sorrow which Jesus speaks of. It is certainly not wrong or sinful to be rich, joyful, or well-thought of in this life. However, if these things become our goal, more important than seeking union with God and finding our life with him, then woe to us, because we have completely lost our way and risk ending in destruction. In this context, we can understand Paul's teaching Of course one who is married must be concerned for his/her spouse, and we must take care of our responsibilities in the world. We have heard it from certain people said : "His business is his whole life." or "Her children are her whole life." This was cautioned against us, the tendency to make a relationship, or a job into our sole priority in life, as if it were the most important thing. Indeed, our life on this earth is short, and is passing away soon enough. Only our life with God is lasting and eternal. Make every day count. Appreciate every moment and take from it everything that you possibly can, for you may never be able to experience it again. Talk to people you have never talked to before, and actually listen. Let yourself fall in love, break free and set your sights high. Hold your head up because you have every right to. Tell yourself you are a great individual and believe in yourself ---- for if you don't believe in yourself, no one else will believe in you, either. You can make of your life anything you wish. Create your own life and then go out and live it. Blessed are we if we take this to heart and live accordingly.♥ 

Cleansing Warmth

Blessed James Alberione : If work on the educated classes were to be neglected, we would create an abyss between knowledge and faith ---- it is the former that underpins the latter.♥

True Fiction

♥ Sometimes it really is, that, truth is stranger than fiction ---- isn't it? ♥ 

Do you know what's one mistake we always make? Believing that life's immutable, that once you get on a particular track you have to follow it to the end of the line. But it appears that fate has more imagination than we do. Just when you think you're in a situation you can't escape from, when you've reached the lowest depths of total desperation, everything changes as fast as a gust of wind, everything's overturned ---- from one second to the next you find you're living a new life.♥

~ Susanna Tamaro ~ 

Timing

♥ Lifes' Tragedy is not that it ends so soon, but, that we take so long to begin it. ♥

Trials never end, of course. Unhappiness and misfortune are bound to occur as long as people live, but there is a feeling now, that was not here before, and is not just on the surface of things, but penetrates all the way through : We've won it. It's going to get better now. You can sort of tell these things.♥

~ Robert M. Persig ~ 

Life's Experience

♥ When a little experience often disturbs a lot of belief . . . . ♥

If your primary focus is to get over your health problems or get past a relationship crisis so that you can return to your former life and old patterns ---- that is, get back to business as usual ---- you are not really living. The distinction is paradoxical and sometimes subtle. It's the difference between walking through your life on your way to somewhere, and walking as your life. Even if you believe that where you want to get is extremely important, that destination is secondary. Your immediate experience is what really matters. It is your life.♥

~ Richard Moss ~ 

Life's Little Instruction

♥ Life's Little Instruction ♥ 

*Take into account that great love and great achievements involve great risk. When you lose, don't lose the lesson. 
*Follow the three "R"s : 
Respect for self 
Respect for others 
Responsibility for all your actions. 
*Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck. 
*Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly. 
*Don't let a little dispute injure a great friendship. 
*When you realize you've made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it. 
*Spend some time alone every day. 
*Open your arms to change, but don't let go of your values. 
*Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer. 
*Live a good, honorable life. Then when you get older and think back, you'll be able to enjoy it a second time. 
*A loving atmosphere in your home is the foundation for your life.
*In disagreements with loved ones, deal only with the current situation. Don't bring up the past. 
*Share your knowledge. It's a way to achieve immortality. 
*Be gentle with the earth. 
*Once a year, go someplace you've never been before. 
*Remember that the best relationship is one in which your love for each other exceeds your need for each other. 
*Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to get it.
*Approach love and cooking with reckless abandon.♥ 


~ H. Jackson Brown ~ 

Day to Day

When there are days when you wish you were invisible. When You wish you could run and hide away from all the troubles in life. When You wish you could go back in time and change in the areas you've failed at. Remember that there are also days when you feel you're on top of the world. Remember the good days when you're having the bad ones, and don't ever forget that if you give up when the things get tough on those bad days, you'll never be able to experience the wonderful feelings that come with good days again.♥ 

Tolerance Is Not Love

"Lead me in your justice, Lord."
1 Cor 5:1-8
Jn 10:27
Lk 6:6-11

We have many wrong reasons for tolerating sin in others. One reason is that we tolerate sin ourselves. We don't confront somebody else because we don't want to be exposed in our own sin. We can also "bury our head in the sand" with regard to the sin of others out of human respect. What would the other think of us if we tolerate sin? Sometimes it is simply fear that moves us to tolerate sin. We may be fearful of the reaction of others. Or we might just be lazy, and not loving enough to move out of our comfortable ways or to bring the truth into our comfortable relationships. Because God loves us, he wants us to experience the mercy of healing power. When we are in need of healing and forgiveness, he calls us to "stretch our hands". When another person needs healing and repentance, the Lord inspires us to help the person in need to find him. Of course, we need to be prudent about how and when to speak to another. We do not want to fall into the legalistic, and critical judgement. Let us ask the Lord for the grace to live in sincerity and truth. But we should not pretend that the sin is not sin, because "tolerance" is not love.♥ 

Surrender

"The Lord takes delight in his people."
1 Cor 6:1-11
Jn 15:16
Lk 6:12-19

The daylight breaking on Jesus on the mountain is symbolic of what happens when we pray. We don't act on our own ---- God reveals a way to us. This is especially true when we are facing the "darkness" of injustice ---- when someone has wronged us. In those moments we need prayer because we don't feel like forgiving. We don't feel like reconciling. We don't feel like working things out. We simply feel like ignoring the person or seeking revenge and strict justice. It is very hard for us to think in a Christian way when we have been hurt. But Jesus can show us a way to deal with injustice without sinning, to deal with injustice in a divine way. When we open our hearts to him in prayer, he fills us with divine wisdom. In our journey to union with him, if we submit our wills to his, Jesus will remove the obstacles which interfere with his graces. Live - Life - Love.♥

Be Happy - Why Worry

♥ Worry ♥
"Peace I leave with you ---- my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid."

When I works, I works hard. When I rests, I hang loose. When I worries, I sleeps.
~ Lyndon Johnson, Former U.S. President ~

We worry an awful lot about things that we can neither control nor should greatly be concerned with. Instead of worrying, we can put our faith into practice, praying, ---- "God, please take control of my life." God is big enough and gracious enough to keep us from the tragic consequences of our own failures. He can redeem even our mistakes.♥

George Lyons : "Worry, is the interest paid by those who borrow trouble." 

I'm In Love

"Praise the Lord, my soul."
Is 35:4-7
Jas 2:1-5
Mt 4:23
Mt 7:31-37

Man's deafness was only physical, but there is a condition of "spiritual" deafness which is even worse. We know that Jesus healed people of all kinds of diseases and ailments during public ministry. "Jesus came to restore the hearts of his people and lead them to the promise of his new creation. Let us have faith and believe in his restorative powers as he renews our spirit." He wants to restore us, heals us, and lead us to freedom and joy of his eternal kingdom.
The worst kind of deafness is to be closed to the word of God, which is living and active. "Faith comes through hearing, and what is heard is the word of God." Merely hearing the word with our ears is not enough. We need to ponder the word, allowing it to penetrate deeply into our hearts, recalling the word during the day, practicing it, walking in it, and acting upon it until it becomes part of us.
We are given a very practical instruction on being open to the presence of God in each person. He reminds us of the dignity of each person and tells us not to be prejudiced, to show neither partiality nor favoritism. God created every one in love, 'I'm in Love', making each person in his own image and likeness. We should hear this truth as a word from God for us, ponder it deeply, and strive to put it into practice.
Peace of Mind. Aren't we all longing for some peace of mind? Let Go. Let go of everything that worries you, your past, your anxieties, surrender everything and be still, and you'll have peace. Peace to love, for compassion, for forgiveness and understanding, . . . . and joy.
We bring ourselves first to Jesus and allow him to heal and restore us. Then we bring all of those in our lives ---- our families, friends, co-workers, etc., and finally the whole world ---- to Jesus in prayer, begging for his healing touch.
Often it is not easy to embrace the truth that we are sinners, broken and in need of God's healing. Fear may be an obstacle to us ---- we may be afraid to acknowledge our weakness and our need for God. It can seem dangerous to be in a place of weakness. What will happen to us? What if someone take advantage of our weakness? "Fear not!" for God is with us. Since he is here to save and deliver us, we have no need to fear. Be Still.♥

SENSES

♥ To See is to Believe ♥
~ Luke 6: 36-42 ~

An eminent painter exhibited a painting representing a friar in full canonicals. Viewed at a distance, you think the friar is in a praying attitude. Hands clasped, eyes meek, the good man appears absorbed in devotion and adoration.
But take a nearer view, and he is really discovered to be squeezing a lemon into a punch bowl.

~ Anecdote ~ 

It is exactly what it is. What you see with your own eyes sometimes is not exactly what is happening , but, what you "think" is happening. Touch plays a far greater role than do the other senses ---- what has been touched is the true reality that leads to perception. On the other hand, believe half of what you see, and none on what you hear. But above all it's all about Trust, and Faith.♥

Quietness and Confidence

♥ Be Still ♥
Psalm 46:10

Do you find yourself so caught up in the rush of the 21st Century living that you can scarcely remember what day it Is? You jump out of bed, gulp down your coffee, hurry to work, then rush home and eat dinner in record time to make your evening appointment. Then it's off to bed so you can do the same things all over again the next day.
Be still ---- so you can hear His voice. Times of quietness are part of His natural laws. He has not promised to spare us from difficulty. We asked to be lifted about our cares, and He sends sorrows. We ask for light to see the path ahead, but clouds appear. We ask for peace and quiet that we may meditate, and everything around us swirls in confusion . . . . Sometimes He allows trials because He knows these things will drive us to Himself and teach us that when He gives peace, no one can make trouble.
When we are weak, He does not say be "strong" but be "STILL." . . . . "In quietness and confidence shall be your strength."♥

New Wine Skin

"The salvation of the just comes from the Lord."
1 Cor 4:1-5
Jn 8:12
Lk 5:33-39

The laws and rituals of the Old Testament had a very important purpose, which was to prepare God's people for his coming to them. Now that Jesus has come, he is ushering in a new stage in salvation history. The practices and ways of thinking which belonged to the old covenant are passing away, and he is bringing in a new covenant. This is an interior covenant of love, where God will put his own spirit and his own life into the hearts of his people. This new life is the "new wine" which must be poured into new "skins" ---- that is, new ways of thinking and acting, a new way of serving God. The Lord is calling us to be concerned first of all with the offering him true worship in the heart. We do that when we have the heart of love for him and for his people. Our words and actions will then come forth from our hearts and truly make known in the world the mysteries of God. If we are spending our time examining and passing judgement on the action of others, then we are living on the natural plane. We pray for the grace to put off our old ways of thinking and acting and put on the new life of Christ which he offers to us. Lord, make our hearts like new wine-skins, ready to receive the new life which you bring us!♥

Heart Storm

THE RAIN reminds me of . . . . rushing floods, the howling winds, laughter of the kids who swam through the dirty flood waters as though these were the finest thing they have ever seen, the hammering rains nurtured my sense of calm and capacity to dream. The day after the rain ---- storm, it always seemed like people were a little bit braver, a little bit stronger, a little bit more appreciative of family, of friends, of life. This is perhaps how I learned to dream. This is also perhaps the reason I developed a sense of calm. The world outside may be in complete disarray, but there is a place inside of me that no super typhoon can ever tear down. Typhoons come and go. Sometimes, they leave nothing. Sometimes, they leave us nothing. But through all these, with the beautiful sunny disposition of a rainbow, life goes on. Life Always Goes On.♥

Hold Still

♥ O Lord, help me to understand that You ain't going to let nothing come my way that You and me together can't handle. ♥

Hold on to what is good,
even if it's a handful of earth. 
Hold on to what you believe,
Even if it's a tree that stands by itself. 
Hold on to what you must do, 
Even if it's a long way from here. 
Hold on to your life, 
Even if it's easier to let go. 
Hold on to my hand, 
Even if I've gone away from you.♥

~ Indian Prayer ~

Rear View

♥ Looking Back ♥
~ Philippians 3:14 ~

Dwelling on the past mistakes and failures is like trying to drive by looking in the rear view mirror. You may be focused, but your field of vision is limited. You're apt to back over curbs or plow into objects you had no idea were there. Get rid of the rear view mirror in your life once and for all. Learned that when God forgives, He forgets. We need to learn the same lesson too. Forget the rear view mirror and focus on the road that lies ahead. Christ bear our sin so that we might be made righteous in the sight of God. Would God lie? Never! Then why not accept what He says about your life and get on with it?!♥

Say It Best

You say it best . . . . 

The smile on your face let's me know that you need me
There's a truth in your eyes saying you'll never leave me
The touch of your hand says you'll catch me if ever I fall
You say it best when you say nothing at all

All day long I can hear people talking out loud
But when you hold me near, you drown out the crowd
Try as they may they can never define
What's being said between your heart and mine.♥

. . . . when you say nothing at all, Ronan Keating

Conqueror

A path driven with purpose through his grace. Stop worrying, and start to appreciate your blessing and privileges. Bear in mind, every time you are called upon to meet temptation, it is your duty to obtain a victory through the grace of Christ ---- and when you endure temptation in the strength of Christ, you are a Conqueror.♥

Seeing Your Best

An eye for an eye? Paying back evil with more evil? Never! Do things in such a way that everyone can see you, are reputable. Although sometimes you cannot please everyone at all time. No matter who you are and what you do, ---- Do all you can to live in peace with everyone.♥

God Good Decision

"I will sing of your salvation."
Jer 1:17-19
Mt 5:10
Mk 6:17-19

St. John the Baptist, gave his life for the sake of truth. From a worldly perspective, the martyrdom of John is an ugly story. He dies at the word of a weak, lustful man who is motivated by human respect. He has a conscience ---- he knows that John is a holy man, and he is attracted to his words. However, because he is afraid to lose the respect of his guests, he grants the request and has John beheaded.
From a faith perspective, however, this is a great victory for John. We know that the martyrs are crowned with a special glory in heaven. John has stayed true to the end. He has entered through the "narrow gate" and is joined with the saints and angels in the eternal life which God gives to all who make the decision to walk in his way.
We have to be very conscious, very alert, to our own tendency to let what others may think influence our actions. This can greatly hinder our witness to Christ. We need the strength of the Holy Spirit to stand against the tide of opinion, especially from those closest to us, our friends and relatives.
We do well to consider that it is a real failure on our part to be true to our prophetic call if we remain silent when we should speak. We must use prudence in these matters, but if we feel that the Spirit is moving us to speak truth to another, me must not allow human respect, and fear of the other's response to keep us silent. The Lord empowers us to proclaim the truth in all circumstances. Let us put our trust in him and allow him to give us victory over our fears in this areas.♥

By Choice

Every normal person instinctively knows good from evil. Let us face up to this fact and not deceive ourselves by pretending that we cannot distinguish between right and wrong. Our individual success or failure in this life and in the life to come depends on whether or not we make up our minds to choose the good and eschew the evil.♥


You are the one who has to decide
Whether you'll do it or toss it aside,

You are the one who makes up your mind
Whether you'll lead or linger behind.

Whether you'll try for the goal that's afar
Or be contented to stay where you are.

Take it or leave. Here's something to do,
Just think it over. It's all up to you!

What do you wish? To be known as a shirk
Or known as someone who's willing to work,

Scorned for a loafer or praised by your chief
Rich or poor, beggar or thief?

Eager or earnest or dull through the day,
Honest or crooked? It's you who must say!

You must decide in the face of the test
Whether you'll shirk it or give your best.

~ Author Unknown To Me ~