Merry Christmas

And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. Luke 2

Giving Thanks

How do you teach a child to practice the habit of gratitude? Certainly one way would be to lead by example. Experts suggest that our actions speak louder than our words. 

Here are some great tips from an expert Mom.

  Rejoice evermore.

 Pray without ceasing.

 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18

Happiness is Children Having Fun

   Is there any greater joy for a parent than watching their children laughing? Do you enjoy a moment of gratitude when you see the light in their eyes?

Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.

As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth.

Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate.

Learning to do well

Wash yourselves, be clean, take away the evil of your devices from my eyes: cease to do perversely,

 Learn to do well: seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge for the fatherless, defend the widow.

Happy Halloween!

Being Humble

Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.

Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:

Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.

But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.

To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen
1 Peter 5  5-11

Summer Fun

Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment.

Happy Thoughts

How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world. -- Anne Frank

Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.  Philippians 4: 6-8

His Majesty

The Universe declares your majesty!

On Happiness

Do you ever wonder How to Be Happy? What is the secret of real, lasting happiness? To some degree - We are about as happy as we decide to be.

Grant me, even me, my dearest Lord, to know Thee, and love Thee, and rejoice in Thee. And, if I cannot do these perfectly in this life, let me at least advance to higher degrees every day, till I can come to do them in perfection. Let the knowledge of Thee increase in me here, that it may be full hereafter. Let the love of Thee grow every day more and more here, that it may be perfect hereafter; that my joy may be great in itself, and full in Thee. I know, O God, that Thou art a God of truth, O make good Thy gracious promises to me, that my joy may be full. Amen.


Lord of all Power and Might, who art the Author and Giver of all good things; graft in our hearts the love of thy name, increase in us true religion, nourish us with all goodness, and of thy great mercy keep us in the same; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

Almighty God, who alone canst order the unruly wills and affections of sinful men; grant unto thy people that they may love the thing which thou commandest, and desire that which thou dost promise; that so, among the sundry and manifold changes of the world, our hearts may surely there be fixed, where true joys are to be found; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

The soul changed into beauty the little things we gave to it. It would even seem, the more we think of it, that the soul has no other reason for existence, and that all its activity is consumed in amassing, at the depths of us, a treasure of indescribable beauty.

Enlighten, O our Lord and God, the movements of our meditations to hear and understand the sweet listenings to Thy life-giving and divine commands; and grant unto us through Thy grace and mercy to gather from them the assurance of love, and hope, and salvation suitable to soul and body, and we shall sing to Thee everlasting glory without ceasing and always, O Lord of all. Amen.

A Morning Prayer

Almighty God, who fillest all things with Thy presence, we meekly beseech thee, of thy great love, to keep us near unto thee this day; grant that in all our ways and doings we may remember that thou seest us, and may always have grace to know and perceive what things thou wouldst have us to do, and strength to fulfil the same; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

O God, Who hast prepared for them that love Thee such good things as pass man’s understanding; pour into our hearts such love towards Thee, that we, loving Thee above all things, may obtain Thy promises, which exceed all that we can desire; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

O Lord, from Whom all good things do come; grant to us, Thy humble servants, that by Thy holy inspiration we may think those things that be good, and by Thy merciful guiding may perform the same, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Advice from a Legendary Millionaire

Selfish wealth stood surprised, amazed, almost indignant, at the announcement that Andrew Carnegie, instead of resting in Olympian luxury on the millions he had earned, and going to the grave with his gold tightly clutched in his stiffening fingers, proposes to expend the bulk of his riches, during his lifetime, for the benefit of his fellowmen. Great financiers, who, if they lived to be as old as Methuselah, could not use a tithe of their vast fortunes on their own ordinary maintenance, protest against Mr. Carnegie’s plan of action, and declare that he ought to go on accumulating to the last. Others mildly suggest that his charity will be wasted on unworthy objects, and others frankly avow that they doubt the sincerity of his intentions. Altogether it may be said that Mr. Carnegie has stirred the very heart of Mammon as it has not been stirred since the Savior told the rich man to sell what he had and give to the poor.

When asked how to build wealth - Mr Carnegie suggests saving early and often! Here's what he had to say: "There is one sure mark of the future millionaire; his revenues always exceed his expenditures. He begins to save early, almost as soon as he begins to earn. I should say to young men, no matter how little it may be possible to save, save that little. Invest it securely, not necessarily in bonds, but in anything which you have good reason to believe will be profitable; but no gambling with it, remember. A rare chance will soon present itself for investment. The little you have saved will prove the basis for an amount of credit utterly surprising to you. Capitalists trust the saving young man: For, every hundred dollars you can produce as the result of hard-won savings, Midas, in search of a partner, will lend or credit a thousand; for every thousand, fifty thousand. It is not capital that your seniors require, it is the man who has proved that he has the business habits which create capital. So it is the first hundred dollars saved that tells.”

The accumulation of millions is usually the result of enterprise and judgment, and some exceptional ability or organization. It does not come from savings, in the ordinary sense of the word. Men who, in old age, strive only to increase their already too great hoards, are usually slaves of the habit of hoarding, formed in their youth. At first they own the money they have made and saved. Later in life the money owns them, and they cannot help themselves, so overpowering is the force of habit, either for good or evil. It is the abuse of the civilized saving instinct, and not its use, that produces this class of men. No one needs to be afraid of falling a victim to this abuse of the habit, if he always bears in mind that whatever surplus wealth may come to him is to be regarded as a sacred trust, which he is bound to administer for the good of his fellows. The man should always be master. He should keep money in the position of a useful servant; he must never let it be his master and make a miser of him. A man’s first duty is to acquire a competence and be independent, then to do something for his needy neighbors who are less favored than himself.”

Mr. Carnegie has always lived up to this doctrine. He has made philanthropy a factor of existence. Already he has endowed over ninety libraries in different cities of the United States, having spent about $4,500,000 in this manner alone. He believes that a man can learn the science of true life and success in good books. In Scotland, where many of the residents of a poor hamlet have been benefited by his generosity, he is called “the good angel.” Whenever he visits any of these places, he is a greater man than the King of Great Britain.

While thus endowing the city where his fortune was made, he has not forgotten other places endeared to him by association or by interest. To the Allegheny Free Library he has given $375,000; to the Braddock Free Library, $250,000; to the Johnstown Free Library, $50,000, and to the Fairfield (Iowa) Library, $40,000. To his native land he has been scarcely less generous. To the Edinburgh Free Library he has given $250,000, and to his native town of Dunfermline, $90,000. Other Scottish towns to the number of ten have received helpful donations of amounts not quite so large.

“I should like you to say some other important things for the young man to learn and benefit by.”

“The first thing that a man should learn to do is to save his money. By saving his money he promotes thrift,—the most valued of all habits. Thrift is the great fortune-maker. It draws the line between the savage and the civilized man. Thrift not only develops the fortune, but it develops, also, the man’s character.”

Pray for a Pure Heart

O God Almighty, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Thine only begotten Son, give me a body unstained, a pure heart, a watchful mind, and an upright understanding, and the presence of Thy Holy Spirit, that I may obtain and ever hold fast to an unshaken faith in Thy Truth, through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord; through whom be glory to Thee in the Holy Ghost, forever and ever. Amen.

O God, the Father of our Saviour Jesus Christ, whose name is great, whose nature is blissful, whose goodness is inexhaustible, God and Ruler of all things, who art blessed forever; before whom stand thousands and thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand, the hosts of holy angels and archangels; sanctify, O Lord, our souls and bodies and spirits, search our consciences, and cast out of us every evil thought, every base desire, all envy and pride, all wrath and anger, and all that is contrary to Thy holy will. And grant us, O Lord, Lover of men, with a pure heart and contrite soul, to call upon Thee, our holy God and Father who art in heaven. Amen.

Grant me, even me, my dearest Lord, to know Thee, and love Thee, and rejoice in Thee. And, if I cannot do these perfectly in this life, let me at least advance to higher degrees every day, till I can come to do them in perfection. Let the knowledge of Thee increase in me here, that it may be full hereafter. Let the love of Thee grow every day more and more here, that it may be perfect hereafter; that my joy may be great in itself, and full in Thee. I know, O God, that Thou art a God of truth, O make good Thy gracious promises to me, that my joy may be full. Amen

Love

If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.
And if I have prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.

And if I shall dole out all my goods in food, and if I deliver up my body that I may be burned, but have not love, I profit nothing.

Love has long patience, is kind; love is not emulous [of others]; love is not insolent and rash, is not puffed up,
does not behave in an unseemly manner, does not seek what is its own, is not quickly provoked, does not impute evil,
does not rejoice at iniquity but rejoices with the truth,
bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

1 Corinthians 13: 1-7

Blessed

And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying,

Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.

Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.

Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.

Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

You Get to Choose

On our way to the local store we talked about his classes for next year. He met with one of his teachers today to start the process of selecting classes for next year. As we pulled into the parking lot I told him - "This is your life - you get to make the choices." Our job as parents is merely to teach, love, and gently guide our children. To expose them to solid , healthy values. To teach by example. To listen and love.

A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold.

The rich and poor meet together: the Lord is the maker of them all.

A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished.

By humility and the fear of the Lord are riches, and honour, and life.

Thorns and snares are in the way of the froward: he that doth keep his soul shall be far from them.

Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.

He that soweth iniquity shall reap vanity: and the rod of his anger shall fail.

He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed; for he giveth of his bread to the poor.

Cast out the scorner, and contention shall go out; yea, strife and reproach shall cease.

He that loveth pureness of heart, for the grace of his lips the king shall be his friend.

The eyes of the Lord preserve knowledge, and he overthroweth the words of the transgressor.
Proverbs 22:1-12

Please take a moment to read this great little story from Jack Canfield -

When Sarah was just a small child, she was very curious and had a strong will. With a big world to explore, she got into everything—from pulling out the linens in the closet to feel how the various materials rubbed against her skin, to tugging up the flowers in the garden to find out how deep the roots went. Sarah was definitely a handful of energy as she plunged headfirst into whatever she had decided to do.

Rather than asking Sarah why she did the things she did, her parents felt that discipline would set her straight. So, with stern voices they would chastise her, rather than seek to understand her:
Don’t touch that!

Stay out of there!

Don’t do that!

You should be ashamed of yourself, Sarah!

To avoid being reprimanded, Sarah quickly learned how to do the things that her parents wanted her to do, rather than those that she wanted for herself. As she grew older, this way of living—operating to satisfy others at her own expense—became the norm and she forgot the simple joys of making up her own mind about what she wanted to do and how she wanted to do it.
Does this story sound familiar to you?

Can you relate with the way Sarah began to live her parent’s vision for her life—or rather was limited by their lack of vision—instead of deciding what she wanted from life and who she truly wanted to be? Her early childhood programming got in the way of discovering what she really wanted in life.

My book The Success Principles: How to Get from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be asks the child in all of us an important question: Do you know what you want from your life?

Deciding What You Want
The subtitle of my book is “How to Get from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be.” The implication, of course, is that to find success, you not only have to know where you are now, but you also need to know where you want to end up. You need to be able to imagine what that place—your place of success, that place you want to be in life—feels like, sounds like, smells like, tastes like. You need to clarify your destination so you will be sure to know it when you arrive.
Clarifying exactly what you want in life is no easy task. As it guides you to a more refined sense of self-awareness, The Success Principles™ offers a wealth of wonderful suggestions to help you on your journey. Here is a sampling of ways to help you decide what you want from your life.

Stop Settling for “I Don’t Care, I Don’t Know, and It Doesn’t Matter to Me.”
It doesn’t matter how small the decision, to begin reclaiming your right to decide what you want, have a preference. Yours is just as important as anybody else’s so speak up, voice yourself.

30-30-30
If you are having a hard time figuring out the one thing you want from your life, why not choose thirty? That’s right. On a piece of paper, write down a list of 30 things you want to do, 30 things you want to have, and 30 things you want be before you die. Sometimes when the pressure to find just one thing is removed, the floodgates open and you discover that there are a multitude of things that you want to do with and in your successful life.

Make an “I want” List
For 10-15 minutes have a friend record your answers to the simple question, “What do you want?” During the allotted time, have your friend ask you the question over and over again. If you’re like most people, your list will range from the very material things to matters of the heart and the true revelations of who you are and what you want from your most true self. Go ahead, start asking: What do you want? What do you want? I want! I want!

Don’t Worry, The Money Will Come
Is worrying about making a living keeping you from deciding upon what you want in life? Are you afraid that you won’t be able to survive if you follow your bliss? Make a list of 20 things you absolutely love to do. Then, try and imagine ways you can make a living doing these things. For example, if you love books, you could be a writer, a librarian, a clerk in a bookstore, a teacher, a desktop publisher, and on and on. Don’t worry—you can do it. You only have to believe, trust, and act.

Dream Big
When you are deciding what you want from your life, there is no reason to think small. Take a risk and dream big, shoot for the stars. This is your opportunity to write the script to your life—you are the star, not a bit player. Have the courage to write the role of a lifetime and, imagine this, yours will be the name shining on the marquee for all to see. Dream big because amazing things can and do happen to people just like you each and every day!

Share Your Vision—It Will Help You See
When you share your vision of success with trusted others, family and close friends, you will gain the support of your loved ones. In addition, each time you verbalize your goals, you are affirming to yourself and the universe that you know what you want in life, where you want to go, and that you are deserving of the successes you will find when you arrive.

Don’t delay. Decide what you want and begin transforming your life starting today!

credits: Jack Canfield, America's #1 Success Coach, is founder of the billion-dollar book brand Chicken Soup for the Soul®and a leading authority on Peak Performance and Life Success. If you're ready to jump-start your life, make more money, and have more fun and joy in all that you do, get FREE success tips from Jack Canfield now at: www.FreeSuccessStrategies.com

Praise

Teach me thy way, O Lord; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name.

 I will praise thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart: and I will glorify thy name for evermore.

 For great is thy mercy toward me: and thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest hell.
Psalm 86:11-13

A Good Attitude

Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice.

Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.

Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
Philippians 4: 4-8

Dare to Love Someone

People are basically good. I hope our son will adopt that notion and learn to trust and then, someday to love an honest girl with solid values. Why do we so often find it easy to develop a lack of trust in the masses after a painful experience leaves us hurting? Surely not all girls will break his young, inexperienced heart.


"Give me your hand
I'll understand
We're off to slumberland."

Isabelle hummed it softly and trembled as she felt Amory's hand close over hers.

"Isabelle," he whispered. "You know I'm mad about you. You do give a darn about me."

"Yes."

"How much do you care—do you like any one better?"

"No." He could scarcely hear her, although he bent so near that he felt her breath against his cheek.

"Isabelle, I'm going back to college for six long months, and why shouldn't we—if I could only just have one thing to remember you by—"

"Close the door...." Her voice had just stirred so that he half wondered whether she had spoken at all. As he swung the door softly shut, the music seemed quivering just outside.

"Moonlight is bright,
Kiss me good night."

"When the eyes say one thing, and the tongue another, a practiced man relies on the language of the first." Ralph Waldo Emerson

Thanks for the blessings

At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.

Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in thy sight.

Thank You for the simple blessings we so often overlook... good food. Family and friends... a warm, decent place to lay our head on a cold Winter's night...

I will sing unto the Lord, because he hath dealt bountifully with me.

New Habits

Yesterday we ate a variety of unhealthy junk - burgers and fries, sugar laden soft drinks, and pizza to end the day.

Note to self - quit feeding the little ones a diet of sugar and processed take out crap!! Encourage - or even trick them - to enjoy a healthy variety of fresh, natural foods. Cook healthy meals at home and waste less money on convenient take-out junk. ( I still plan to enjoy our monthly pizza night! ) Maybe we'll spend less time in the big box store food aisles. and buy some healthy choices for less online.

 Shop Amazon Grocery - Up to 20% Off Healthy Foods & Beverages