Inspiration Shared By Lady Braids

Inspiration On 10/25/11

With everything that has happened to you, you can either feel
sorry for yourself or treat what has happened as a gift.

Everything is either an opportunity to grow or an obstacle to
keep you from growing.

You get to choose.

 -- Author Unknown

Inspiration On 10/24/11

Never look for righteousness in the other person, but never cease
to be righteous yourself.  We are always looking for justice, yet
the essence of the teaching of the Sermon on the Mount is - never
look for justice, but never cease to give it.

 -- Oswald Chambers 

 

Inspiration On 10/20/11

For a good part of my life I suffered from a disease. This disease
dampened my spirits, drained me of my energy, and robbed me of
my vitality. Sometimes it even made it hard to get out of bed in
the morning. It made every part of my life more difficult and
demanding. For a while too it looked like this disease would be
a weight I would have to carry for the rest of my life. This
disease was called, "And then I’ll be happy." 

I think I first caught it in middle school. During my younger
years I seemed to always enjoy the moment and relish each
day of my life. At some point during those middle school years,
however, I remember starting to look to the future more and
more and enjoying today less and less. At first I thought getting
into high school and being a teenager would make me happy. Then
the dream switched to being the high school football star. That
was followed by being on my own in college. Next came having a
great career and high paying job. Getting rich and having that
big house followed it. After that was the dream of raising a
family. Then there was retiring and finally enjoying my life.
Each dream postponed my happiness a little further down the
road. Finally I realized that if I kept going this way, I would
be dead before I was happy. 

That is when I came to see that it would be a lot better to be
happy now than to live with this disease. Life I knew would
always have fresh problems and frustrations, but I thought
it would be a lot better to meet them with a happy heart and
loving soul rather than waiting for life to be perfect.

These days I am in remission.  I still have occasional flare ups
of "And then I'll be happy," but I heal them by knowing that
I can choose love and joy every second of my life.

God loves us all so much and wants us to be happy today,
tomorrow, and forever. Let’s not let Him down. Let’s choose
love, share joy, and spread happiness with every moment we have.

 -- Joseph J Mazzella

Inspiration On 10/19/11

 

I believe above the storm the smallest prayer will still be heard.

I believe that Someone in the great somewhere hears every word.

Every time I hear a newborn baby cry, or touch a leaf or see the sky,

Then I know why . . .  I believe!

  -- Irvin Graham, Jimmy Shirl, Ervin M Drake & Al Stillman

 

Each day I am thankful for nights that turned into mornings,
friends that turned into family, dreams that turned into
reality and likes that turned into love.  I thank you, Jesus!

Inspiration On 10/12/11

Hawaiians have a powerful word for family: 'ohana. In 'ohana,
people matter. And they know it. As Lilo says in "Lilo and Stitch,"
'Ohana means family. Family means no one is left behind - or
forgotten." Families that value closeness work hard to keep
anyone from feeling left behind or forgotten. 

A reader in Hawaii once wrote to tell me that the CEO of
the state's largest banks was considering a run for 
governor. Since he was well-liked, he seemed to have a good
chance of winning. 

But, before filing papers, he changed his mind, stating that
he wanted to spend more time with his family. Not that
elected officials can't be family-oriented, but he reasoned
he needed more time at home than the job allowed.

Ronald A. Young, in the "Honolulu Advertiser," praised the
decision. "No matter what you accomplish in the business
world or the social world," he said, "if you fail 'ohana, then
you have not accomplished much. Failure or success does
not lie in the material wealth you provide them. It is
measured by what of yourself you give to them." 

 -- Steve Goodier 

Inspiration on 10/11/11

A person who has no legs can still achieve great heights; a person who has no hands
can still grasp an idea; a person who has no sight can still have great vision; and a
person who can't move can still lead. (Lyle Bert)

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weak-
nesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake,
I will delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties.
For when I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Corinthians 9-10)

May each of us look beyond our "limitations" and see what God can do through us!

 

 

Inspiration On 10/10/11

 

You're miserable and probably one of the rudest people
I've ever come across. 

When I approach you, you turn away and pretend that
I am not there, until you're ready. 

I have tried a thousand times to make you smile and
you have tried a thousand times not to. 

I have dreaded even having to deal with you. I even
tried coming at another time only to find you there
at all hours. 

The hard, staid, look on your face remains unchanged
no matter what day it is, what time it is or even what
season. 

A "Beautiful day!" gets a moan. 

"Hello, how are you today?" always returns "The same." 

I have given up on you, I have been angered by you, I
have even thought about complaining to the manager,
but didn't. 

Then one day I caught myself acting just like you and
realized that I must stop.

I finally resolved myself to the fact that you are who
you are and I cannot change that. 

You are a fact of my life and I must learn to deal with it. 

You made me. 

The one day that I permitted myself to return the
emptiness, rude behavior, terrible attitude and silent
treatment, you chose to say something. 

I approached the checkout and you said, "Are you Okay?"

I was stunned. I could actually feel my brow, my entire
face scrunch up apparently angry that you would ask. 

"Am I okay?" I said in disbelief. 

"Yes." you replied. "You are usually so upbeat and chipper." 

I stood in this dream-like state confused by what was going on. 

You looked at me and said, "I depend on you to lift my spirits
every time you come in. I work three jobs, my bills are piling
up, my kids need clothes for school, my husband left me and
three weeks later I found out I have cancer." 

I was speechless. 

"Now you come in with this attitude today," she said. 

I actually apologized. 

I never considered that you were much more than a clerk.
I never tried to understand that behind that face was
personal pain, life challenges and loss. 

Sure you should learn to separate work and life, but
sometimes life digs in, hurts, and you end up wearing it
like an ugly dress. Fits, but no one wants to see it. 

Knowing now how difficult your life is I will see you
through the eyes of love. 

Love is more than romantic. Love is compassionate. Love
is kind. Love is forgiving. Love is seeing beyond the pain.

 -- I Learned To Love You Today by Bob Perks

Inspiration On 10/6/11

Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life.
Don’t be trapped by dogma – which is living with the results of
other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of other’s opinions
drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the
courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow
already know what you truly want to become. Everything
else is secondary.

 -- Steve Jobs’ Stanford Commencement Address

Inspiration On 10/04/11

Humility is perfect quietness of heart. It is to expect nothing,
to wonder at nothing that is done to me, to feel nothing done
against me. It is to be at rest when nobody praises me and
when I am blamed or despised. It is to have a blessed home
in the Lord, where I can go in and shut the door, and kneel
to my Father in secret, and am at peace as in a deep sea of
calmness… when all around and above is trouble.

 -- Andrew Murray