Hoc est verum et nihili nisi verum

A Friend's Greeting

2005-03-10T16:19:00.000+08:00

I'd like to be the sort of friend that
you have been to me;
I'd like to be the help that
you've been always glad to be;

I'd like to mean as much to you
each minute of the day
As you have meant, old friend of mine,
to me along the way.

I'd like to do the big things and
the splendid things for you,
To brush the gray from out your skies
and leave them only blue;

I'd like to say the kindly things that
I so oft have heard,
And feel that I could rouse your soul
the way that mine you've stirred.

I'd like to give you back the joy
that you have given me,
Yet that were wishing you a need
I hope will never be;

I'd like to make you feel as rich as I,
who travel on
Undaunted in the darkest hours with you to
lean upon.

I'm wishing at this time that I
could but repay
A portion of the gladness that
you've strewn along my way;

And could I have one wish this year,
this only would it be:
I'd like to be the sort of friend
that you have been to me.

If I Knew

2005-03-10T16:17:00.000+08:00

If I knew how to write a song
I’d write one everyday
It would say that I’m in love with you
And why I feel this way

It would have to say you’re pretty
And as rare as a desert rose
It would say you’re a looker
From your head down to your toes

You are funny, dainty, fragile
And as feminine as can be
You’re smart charming lovely
And everything to me

You’re my comfort when I’m lonely
You’re my peace when I need rest
Of all the women I’ve known
I must rate you the best.

You’re the orchard in the jungle,
you’re the better half of me
You’re all of this and so much more,
you mean the world to me

Still so much is left unsaid,
It would take me far to long
I know how much I love you,
If only I could write a song.

A Friend Most True

2005-03-08T14:50:00.000+08:00

I need to know if you’re my true friend,
will you be by my side until the end?
Can I tell you my secrets deep,
and trust them in your heart you’ll keep?
We are neither of us without our flaws,
can you accept mine as I will yours?
I’ll be a shoulder to cry on when you’re blue,
will you be there for me when I need you?
No matter how busy I will make time for you,
if you are busy will you make time for me too?
I will take your hand and comfort your tears,
will you hold me and soothe my fears?
I will give you joy and many warm smiles,
can we share that even across many miles?
I will not forget what’s important to you,
will you remember what’s important to me too?
With you my most favourite things I’ll share,
If only I know do you truly care?
If you can accept me as I do you,
then I will know you are a friend most true.

Good Times/ Bad Times

2005-03-08T13:03:00.000+08:00

Many broken pieces
Shattered, now apart
What can I do to mend it?
To mend by broken heart?

I walk along the beach
Leaving footprints cold and bare
How can I enjoy the sunset,
When there’s no one here to share?

There used to be a pair,
Of footprints next to mine.
But they washed away with waves
And the shifting sands of time.

All I can do now,
Is remember how things were.
The good times, not the bad times,
Which caused my heart to stir.

To live to die,
What does it matter?
While I am in this state.
I didn’t know how much I loved,
Until it was too late.

For my Best Friend

2005-03-08T13:02:00.000+08:00

This is for you, my best friend,
the one person i can tell my soul too
Who can relate to me like no other
Who I can laugh with to no extents,
Who I can cry too when times are tough,
Who can help me with the problems of my life.

Never have you turned your back on me
Or told me I wasnt good enough
Or let me down

I don't think you know what that means to me
You have went through so much pain and you still have time
For me.
And I love you for listening even when inside YOU are dying
And I look up too you because you are strong,
and caring
and beautiful.
Even though you don't think you are.

And I hope you know that I am always here
To listen to you laugh and cry and help
In all the ways that i can
And I will try to be at least half the friend you are
To me.

I hope you know I would not be the person I am today, with out you.
My best friend.

Are you my Friend?

2005-03-08T13:01:00.000+08:00

Will you be there when I'm down,
And catch me when I fall?
Will you hold me when I need
To feel the warmth of your touch?

Will you laugh when I laugh,
And cry when I cry?
Will you let me rant and rave,
When I need to let off steam?

Will you discuss those painful things,
That you'd rather not think about?
Like the times we've hurt each other,
And promised would never do so again?

Will you say the right thing,
When all I've heard is the wrong?
And tell me soothing words,
That make the pain I feel subside?

Will you understand me when I say,
"I can't see you now, go away"?
Will you come back when I call,
As if nothing happened at all?

If you'll do these things for me,
And keep smiling all the way.
If you'll be with me through the bad times,
As well as the good.

Then truly you are my friend,
My pal, my mate and my confidante.
And that means so much to me.
I thank you dearly, for being there,
You, My Friend.

You Are My Best Friend

2005-03-08T13:00:00.000+08:00

You are my best friend through thick and thin. When
You reach for my hand you touch my heart. You are
The bestest friend that i can have.

You are there for me when i need you the most. You
Cheer me up when i am down. If i am about to cry u
Make me smile. You are my bestest friend and i can
Not lie.

You listen to me and give me advice, advice that comes
Straight from the bottom of your precious heart. You are
My best friend in the whole wide world and i couldn't ask
God for a little bit more.

We are going to grow older, and things will change but our
Friendship will forever still remain. I'll make new friends but
That won't change because you will always be my best friend.

I'd like to mean as much to you as you mean to me. I'd like to
Be some help to you as you have been to me. I'd like to know
That as we grow old our lives will change but that our

Friendship will still remain.

Me and you will never be apart maybe in distance but never in
Heart for our friendship is way to strong to let it go off
just like
That.

All i can say is that you are my best friend and i swear to God
That i don't want it to change. I may move to a different state but
That doesn't mean that our friendship will end, because you will
Always be my best friend. No matter what life has destined for us
I know that our friendship will never die.

A Best Friend

2005-03-08T12:57:00.000+08:00

As I stand here with you,
I can surely see.
You being in my life,
is the best thing that's happen to me.
You've been there for me
through good times and bad,
And all the time I spent with you
was the best I've ever had.

You held me
when I was feeling so low,
And comforted me
when I had no place to go.
You kept me safe
from all my fears,
And your hand wiped away
all of my tears.

I am so lucky
to have a caring best friend,
That will be there for me
until the very end.

My BestFriend

2005-03-08T12:56:00.000+08:00

You've been there for me through the good times and bad
I know I can count on you to be there when I'm sad
Life without you just wouldn't be right
I wouldn't be able to get through each day and night

When I've had a bad day
I know that you're only a call away
When life takes that crazy turn
You are always there to help me learn

We've had so many good times together
I know we'll be best friends forever
No matter where we are
I know we'll never be too far

You're my idol, my sister, my friend
We'll be together till the end
Even when we're old and gray
You'll be here still, to help me get on my way

A Best Friend

2005-03-08T12:52:00.000+08:00

A BEST FRIEND-Makes a lunch trade with you even if he doesn't love peanut butter and jelly.

A BEST FRIEND-Notices you standing alone by the fence and invites you to play hockey with the rest of the class.

A BEST FRIEND-Chooses you to go camping with him each summer.

A BEST FRIEND-Puts chalk in the teacher's eraser so you're not the only
one who has to stay after school.

A BEST FRIEND-Smiles and offers a firm handshake when you make the
high school baseball team and he doesn't.

A BEST FRIEND-Makes you feel just a little bit better every time you talk to him.

A BEST FRIEND-Calls you when he moves into his new dorm room.

A BEST FRIEND-Calls you for no reason at all.

A BEST FRIEND-Mentions you each week when he kneels before his
Maker.

A BEST FRIEND-Never reveals the secret you told him the night you slept
over his house when you were in third grade.

A BEST FRIEND-Remembers who your favorite baseball player is.

A BEST FRIEND-Makes you get out of bed earlier and give your best to
each day.

A BEST FRIEND-Is someone I thank God for everyday.

You are Mine

2005-03-08T05:01:00.000+08:00

You are mine, my best friend,
The one I can confide in, until the end.
The one who has seen every tear,
Whose hands boldly hold all of my fears.

You are mine, my other half that makes me complete,
Who never lets me feel like I am going through defeat.
You're the one who has always been there,
To show me how much that you truely care.

You are mine, my happiness in me,
Who's opened my eyes and really made me see.
Your compassion and love has shone through the clouds,
Leaving me with no more fears or doubts.

You are mine, an angel for me,
Whose smile is sent to make me happy.
The one who always has faith in your heart,
To make sure that I don't fall apart.

You are mine, without any question,
Giving me lots of hugs and affection.
You are mine, my best friend,
Whom I will always love until the very end!

I Will be Here (Lyrics)

2005-03-03T16:37:00.000+08:00

Tomorrow mornin' if you wake up
And the sun does not appear
I...I will be here

If in the dark we lose sight of love
Hold my hand and have no fear
'Cause I...I will be here

I will be here...
When you feel like bein' quiet
When you need to speak your mind
I will listen
And I will be here
When the laughter turns to cryin'
Through the winnin' and losin' and tryin'
We'll be together
'Cause I will be here

Tomorrow mornin' if you wake up
And the future is unclear
I...I'll be here

Just as sure as seasons are made for change
Our lifetimes are made for years
I...I will be here

I will be here....
You can cry on my shoulder
When the mirror tells us we're older
I will hold you

And I will be here
To watch you grow in beauty
And tell you all the things you are to me
I will be here

I will be true
To the promise I have made
To you and to the
One who gave you to me

I...I will be here

And just as sure as seasons are made for change
Our lifetimes are made for years
'Cause I...
I will be here....
We'll be together

'Cause I will be here

Magnificent Obsession by Steven Curtis Chapman (My Favorite Christian Song)

2005-03-03T16:30:00.000+08:00

[Lyrics]

Lord, You know how much
I want to know so much
In the way of answers and explanations
I have cried and prayed
And still I seem to stay
In the middle of life's complications
All this pursuing leaves me feeling like I'm chasing down the wind
But now it's brought me back to You
And I can see again

This is everything I want
This is everything I need
I want this to be my one consuming passion
Everything my heart desires
Lord, I want it all to be for You, Jesus
Be my magnificent obsession

So capture my heart again
Take me to depths I've never been
Into the riches of Your grace and Your mercy
Return me to the cross
And let me be completely lost
In the wonder of the love
That You've shown me
Cut through these chains that tie me down to so many lesser things
Let all my dreams fall to the ground
Until this one remains

You are everything I want
And You are everything I need
Lord, You are all my heart desires
You are everything to me

You are everything I want
You are everything I need
I want You to be my one consuming passion
Everything my heart desires
Lord, I want it all to be for You
I want it all to be for You

Happy Birthday Bestfriend!!

2005-03-01T13:30:00.000+08:00

Happy Birthday to my best friend on March 3, wish you all the best!!! i'm always here...

THE WORLD NEEDS MEN

2005-02-23T14:10:00.000+08:00

WHO CANNOT BE BOUGHT;

WHOSE WORDS IS THEIR BOND;

WHO PUT CHARACTER ABOVE WEALTH;

WHO POSSESS OPINION AND WILL'

WHO ARE LARGER THAT THEIR VOCATION;

WHO DO NOT HESITATE TO TAKE CHANCES;

WHO WILL NOT LOSE THEIR INDIVIDUALITY IN A CROWD;

WHO WILL BE AS HONEST IN A SMALL THINGS AS IN GREAT THINGS;

WHO WILL MAKE NO COMPROMISE WITH WRONG;

WHO WILL NOT SAY THEY DO IT "BECAUSE EVERYBODY ELSE DOES IT"

WHO ARE TRUE TO THEIR FRIENDS IN ADVERSITY AS WELL IN PROSPERITY;

WHO DO NOT BELIEVE THAT SHREWDNESS, CUNNING AND HARDHEADEDNESS ARE THE BEST QUALITIES FOR WINNING SUCCESS;

WHO ARE NOT ASHAMED OR AFRAID TO STAND FOR THE TRUTH WHEN IT IS UNPOPULAR ALTHOUGH ALL THE REST OF THE WORLD SAY YES;

WHOSE AMBITION ARE NOT CONFINED TO THEIR SELFISH DESIRES..........

Friendship versus Love

2005-02-20T10:59:00.000+08:00

by: Nathan Stutte,

Source Unknown

Friendship is a quiet walk in the park with the one you trust

Love is when you feel like you are the only two around

Friendship is when they gaze into your eyes and you know they care

Love is when they gaze into your eyes and it warms your heart

Friendship is being close even when you are far apart

Love is when you can still feel their hand on your heart when they are not near

Friendship is hoping that they experience the very best

Love is when you bring them the very best

Friendship occupies your mind

Love occupies your soul

Friendship is knowing that you will always try to be there when in need

Love is when you will give up everything to be at their side

Friendship is a warm smile in the winter

Love is a warming touch that sends a pulse through your heart

Love is a beautiful smile to which nothing compares

A tender laugh, which opens your heart

A single touch that melts away your fears

A smell that reminds you of the tenderness of heaven

A voice that reminds you of the innocence of youth

Friendship can survive without love

Love cannot live without friendship

Winner vs Loser

2005-02-19T11:09:00.000+08:00

The Winner is always part of the answer;
The Loser is always part of the problem.

The Winner is always has a program;
The Loser always has an excuse.

The Winner says,"Let me do it for you;
The Loser says;" That is not my job."

The Winner sees an answer for every problem;
The Loser sees a problem for every answer.

The Winner says," It may be difficult but it is possible";
The Loser says,"It may be possible but it is too difficult."

When a Winner makes a mistake, he says," I was wrong";
When a Loser makes a mistake, he says," It wasn't my fault."

A Winner makes commitments;
A Loser makes promises.

Winners have dreams;
Loser have schemes.

Winners say," I must do something";
Losers say,"Something must be done."

Winners are a part of the team;
Losers are apart from the team.

Winners see the gain;
Losers see the pain.

Winners see possibilities;
Losers see problems.

Winners believe in win/win; Losers believe for them to win someone has to lose.

Winners see the potential;
Losers see the past.

Winners are like a thermostat;
Losers are like thermometers.

Winners choose what they say;
Losers say what they choose.

Winners use hard arguments but soft words;
Losers use soft arguments but hard words.

Winners stand firm on values but compromise on petty things;
Losers stand firm on petty things but compromise on values.

Winners follow the philosophy of empathy: "Don't do to others what you
would, not want them to do to you";
Losers follow the philosophy, "Do it to others before they do it to you."

Winners make it happen;
Losers let it happen.

Strength and Courage

2005-02-19T11:07:00.000+08:00

It takes strength to fit in.
It takes courage to stand out.

It takes strength to feel a friend's pain.
It takes courage to feel your own pain.

It takes strength to hide your own pains.
It takes courage to show them.

It takes strength to endure abuse.
It takes courage to stop it.

It takes strength to stand alone.
It takes courage to lean on another.

It takes strength to love.
It takes courage to be loved.

It takes strength to survive.
It takes courage to live.

Thoughts

2005-02-16T15:51:00.000+08:00

Integrity

It is not what we eat but what we digest that makes us strong; not what we gain but what we save that make us rich; not what we read but what we remember that makes us learned; and not what we profess but what we practice that gives us Integrity.- Anonymous

Success

Success is getting what you want;happiness is wanting what you get.- Anonymous

Power

Being powerful is like being a lady.If you have to tell people you are,you aren't.- Margaret Thatcher

Enthusiasm

Enthusiasm - is a reason gone mad toachieve a definite, rational objective.

Enthusiasm is inflamed by opposition,but never converted; it is the leapinglightning that blasts obstacles from its path.

Enthusiasm is the X-ray of the soul,that penetrates and reveals the invisible.

Enthusiasm is a contagion that laughsat quarantine and inoculates all who comein contact with it.

Enthusiasm is the vibrant thrill in yourvoice that sways the wills of others intoharmony with your own.

Enthusiasm is the "philosopher's stone"that transmutes dull tasks into delightful deeds.

Enthusiasm is a magnet that drawskindred souls and with irresistible forceand electrifies them with the magnatismof its own resolve.- Unknown

Effort and rest

Can you stop the Earth from spinning? Can you stop the progression of the seasons? As preposterous as it may sound, many people try, at least with their own lives.

The Earth spins, and we have day and night. A time for effort, and a time for rest. The slightly tilted Earth orbits the sun, and we have the seasons of the year. A time for planting, for growing, for harvesting, and for rest.

The cycle of effort and rest is deeply ingrained in the world around us, and in us as well. A good night's sleep makes for a good day's work. And a day full of effort, makes for a good night's sleep. Get too far off in either direction -- work with no rest, or rest with no work -- and your efforts become useless.

You cannot avoid the need for balance any more than you can stop the Earth from spinning. Work hard, rest well, and enjoy the optimum performance that comes from a well balanced life.-- Ralph Marston

The 5 Keys to Interpersonal Success by Joseph Sommerville, PhD

2005-02-15T15:51:00.001+08:00

In survey after survey, interpersonal communication skills are consistently ranked at or near the top of a list of skills necessary for career success. People who possess these skills enjoy a richer personal life, better relationships at work and more productive interactions with those around them. Teams with members who excel at these skills are more productive and more cohesive. No one is born with these *people skills.* They are the result of attention and practice.

Here are five guaranteed ways to hone your people skills.

1. Recognize differences in people and be ready to adapt. Because we think of ourselves at operating within a norm, we tend to see people who act and communicate differently from us as deviating from the norm. As a result, we believe that one communication style (ours) should fit all. Overcome this limiting mindset by recognizing differences in preferences and motivations among people.

If it's all about communicating you say, why do we need all the distinctions? You don't use a rolling pin to chop vegetables and you don't use a chef's knife to roll out bread dough, even though it's all cooking. You have to choose the right tool for the right job.

For example, a fundamental principle of adult learning theory is that we have different preferences for acquiring knowledge. Depending on those preferences, we'll be more effective in communicating our message when we learn whether to emphasize visual, verbal or tactile approaches.

People also have different motivations. Anne may be motivated by the promise of a salary increase while David strives for peer recognition. Discovering and applying the right motivation will help you get the cooperation you need from others.

2. Learn to listen well. When people compliment someone on being a great communicator, they often mean that the person is a good listener. Although most of us will have had at least one, if not several courses on reading, writing and speaking during our years of formal education, have you ever taken a listening course? We spend more time listening than in any other communication activity. In fact, given how much time we spend listening, it's neglect is surprising.

A major problem with listening occurs when we approach an interaction with different goals. I may be listening to gather information and solve a problem while my partner wants me to listen so that I empathize with his or her feelings. If I'm focused on generating solutions when my partner is looking for support, I'll be perceived to be *not listening* or unsympathetic to my partner's point of view.

Sometimes, what you see as a simple yes or no question designed to elicit information will be interpreted as a criticism of the other person. Don't become frustrated when your question is met with more information than you expected. It's probably designed to establish a context for the answer and explain the behavior that your partner thought you criticized.

To improve your listening skills, you'll need to develop genuine interest in your partner. Demonstrate your interest by seizing opportunities to ask questions. Search for common ground and be open to the possibility that you'll learn something new. There is a wise old saying that we were born with two ears but only one mouth so we could listen twice as much as we talk.

3. Realize that communication is more than just the words we use. We take communication for granted because we do it so frequently, but it's actually a complex process. While we are all wired with the same hardware (brain), the software (interpretive framework) varies tremendously among individuals. This means that given the same input (behaviors or words), we will reach different conclusions based on how we process that data. There are three aspects involved: 1) What you mean to say, 2) How you code this thought into language that gets verbalized and 3) How people interpret what you say. Consequently, there is often a tremendous difference between what you say and what someone hears.

Meant: *I know this is a big project, so I should chip in and pull my weight.* Said: *I'd like to offer my help on the project.* Heard: *You're not doing this right, so I'd better become involved.*

Meant: *I'm very busy with all the projects I've been assigned.* Said: *I'll get to your task as soon as I can.* Heard: *Your task isn't as important to me as the other things I'm doing.*
Be sensitive to the non-verbal clues of your partner and explain statements that seem puzzling or critical.

4. Learn to manage conflict rather than avoid it. We often think of conflict as something to be avoided at all costs. However, conflict is a natural part of human interaction. Sometimes, in an effort to avoid conflict, important information isn't communicated. Avoidance is only one strategy among many. When an issue is very important to someone else, but of little consequence to you, consider accommodating the person.

Managed properly, conflict can actually be beneficial. For example, conflict provides a method to weed out faulty assumptions and premises. Make a clear distinction between a conflict with a person and that person's ideas. Show respect for the person even when you disagree with the ideas. Learn to manage conflict with the appropriate strategy rather than simply to avoid it.
5. Be known for positive rather than negative interactions. This doesn't mean you have to be an optimist on steroids. An over-the-top optimist never recognizes a problem exists. A pessimist never realizes a solution exists. When you consistently maintain a positive frame of mind, you'll become known as a problem-solver rather than a complainer. People avoid complainers. They seek out problem-solvers.

A great way to demonstrate a positive outlook is in your language. When someone thanks you, do you ever respond with the phrase *No problem* or *Not a problem* ? If so, you are marking the interaction by two negative words. Turn those negatives into positives by responding *I'm glad to help* or *It was my pleasure.*

Developing excellent interpersonal skills requires recognition of differences, listening, an awareness of the different aspects of communication, strategies for managing conflict and an optimistic outlook. People who choose to improve their interpersonal skills can do so.

Remember, an individual's interpersonal style is not just *who he or she is.* It is who he or she chooses to be.

Inspirational Quotes

2005-02-15T15:51:00.000+08:00

Attitude

There are two kinds of people in the world: those who make excuses and those who get results. An excuse person will find any excuse for why a job was not done, and a results person will find any reason why it can be done. Be a creator, not a reactor. -- Alan Cohen, A Deep Breath Of Life
You can't have a better tomorrow if you are thinking about yesterday all the time. -- Charles F. Kettering

Cherish your visions; cherish your ideals; cherish the music that stirs in your heart, the beauty that forms in your mind, the loveliness that drapes your purest thoughts, for out of them will grow delightful conditions, all heavenly environment; of these if you but remain true to them, your world will at last be built.." -- James Allen, 1864-1912, British-born American Essayist, Author of "As a Man Thinketh"

The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn. -- Alvin Toffler

What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us. -- Ralph Waldo Emerson

The Pessimist complains about the wind, the Optimist expects it to change and the REALIST adjusts his sails. (author unknown)

A great many people think they are thinking when they are merely rearranging their prejudices. -- William James

In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: It goes on. -- Robert Frost
Confidence

No one can make you feel inferior without your consent. -- Eleanor Roosevelt

Courage

The hardest challenge is to be yourself in a world where everyone is trying to make you be somebody else. -- E. E. Cummings

Many of our fears are tissue-paper-thin, and a single courageous step would carry us clear through them. -- Brendan Francis

Empowerment

Begin doing what you want to do now. We have only this moment, sparkling like a star in our hand -- and melting like a snowflake. -- Marie Beyon Ray

My dad always used to say, "If you're falling off a cliff, you may as well try to fly. You have nothing to lose." -- Captain John Sheridan, Babylon 5

Things turn out the best for the people who make the best of the way things turn out. -- John Wooden

You cannot be lonely if you like the person you're alone with. -- Wayne Dyer

When we blame, we give away our power. -- Greg Anderson

Maturity is the ability to express one's own feelings and convictions balanced with consideration for the thoughts and feelings of others. -- Hrand Saxenian

Friendship

It is the first law of friendship that it has to be cultivated. The second is to be indulgent when the first law is neglected. -- Voltaire

A new friend is like new wine; when it has aged you will drink it with pleasure. -- Ecclesiastes 9:10

Love

Talk not of wasted affection; affection never was wasted.-- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

There are countless ways to express love. Be creative! -- Inneractions by Stephen C. Paul and Gary Max Collins.

Miracles

There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle. -- Albert Einstein

Persistence

Your persistence is your measure of faith in yourself. Author Unknown

"There are some people who live in a dream world, and there are some who face reality; and then there are those who turn one into the other. -- Douglas Everett, American Hockey Player
Success

If you want to be successful, it's just this simple: Know what you're doing. Love what you're doing. And believe in what you're doing. -- Will Rogers

When you reach for the stars, you may not get one, but you won't come up with a hand full of mud, either." -- Leo Burnett

The future is simply infinite possibility waiting to happen. What it waits on is human imagination to crystallize its possibility. -- Leland Kaiser

The first step toward success is taken when you refuse to be a captive of the environment in which you first find yourself. -- Mark Caine

The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams. -- Eleanor Roosevelt

The people that get on in this world are the people that get up and look for the circumstances that they want; and if they can't find them, they make them. -- George Bernard Shaw

Life is a series of experiences, each one of which makes us bigger, even though sometimes it is hard to realize this. - Henry Ford

The best way to predict the future is to create it! -- Jason Kaufmann

Everything you do can be done better from a place of relaxation. -- Inneractions by Stephen C. Paul and Gary Max Collins.

Remove the rock from your shoe rather than learn to limp comfortably. -- Inneractions by Stephen C. Paul and Gary Max Collins.

The point of life is not to be married or single - it is to be. We are human beings, or humans being. It does not matter so much what lifestyle we choose - it's what we make of the opportunities to grow, that counts. -- Alan Cohen, Rising in Love

Values

It's not hard to make decisions when you know what your values are. -- Roy Disney

To speak ill of others is a dishonest way of praising ourselves ... let us be above such transparent egotism. -- Will Durant

Laws of Success

2005-02-14T16:15:00.000+08:00

Do you want something ? -- Will you pay the price ?

The great sin -- Gossip.
The great crippler -- Fear.
The greatest mistake -- Giving up.
The most satisfying experience -- Doing your duty first.
The best action -- Keep the mind clear and judgement good.
The greatest blessing -- Good health.
The biggest fool - The man who lies to himself.
The great gamble -- Substituting hope for facts.
The most certain thing in life -- Change.
The greatest joy -- Being needed.
The cleverest man -- The one who does what he thinks is right.
The most potent force -- Positive thinking.
The greatest opportunity -- The next one.
The greatest thought -- God.
The greatest victory -- Victory over self.
The best play -- Successful work.
The greatest handicap -- Egotism.
The most expensive indulgence -- Hate.
The most dangerous man -- The liar
The most ridiculous trait -- False pride.
The greatest loss -- Loss of self confidence.
The greatest need -- Common sense.

By Jack Yianitsas, Laws Of Success

The Truth About Failure

2005-02-14T14:11:00.000+08:00

Failure doesn't mean you are a failure...it does mean you haven't succeeded yet

Failure doesn't mean you have accomplished nothing...it does mean you have learned something

Failure doesn't mean you have been a fool...it does mean you had a lot of faith

Failure doesn't mean you have been disgraced...it does mean you were willing to try

Failure doesn't mean you don't have it...it does mean you have to do something in a different way

Failure doesn't mean you are inferior...it does mean you are not perfect

Failure doesn't mean you've wasted your life...it does mean you've got a reason to start a fresh

Failure doesn't mean you should give up...it does mean you should try harder

Failure doesn't mean you'll never make it...it does mean it will take a little longer

7 Family Habits

2005-02-14T10:23:00.000+08:00

Stephen Covey husband, father, grandfather and author of the number-one best-seller The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, shares secrets to building a strong, close family

HABIT 1: BE PROACTIVE

It is so easy to be reactive! You get caught Lip in the moment. You say things you dot* mean. You do things you later regret. And you think, "If only I had stopped to think about it, I never would have reacted that way!"

Family life would be a whole lot better if (people acted according to their values instead of reacting to the emotion or circumstance of the moment It's possible to develop a habit of learning to pause and give wiser responses. Proactively is the ability to act rather than react.
I have a friend who makes a powerful proactive choice every day. When she comes home from work, she sits in her car in the driveway and pauses. She takes a minute to think about the members of her family and what they are doing inside the house She considers what kind of feeling she wants to help create when she goes, inside. She says to herself, "my family is the most enjoyable, the most pleasant, the most important part of my life. I'm going to go into my home and feel and communicate my love for them."

Just think of the difference this makes in her family. And another friend told me this story, which shows Habit 1 in action:

While my wife was out of the room, my three-year-old son Brenton emptied a one-and-a-half-gallon jug of water from the fridge-most of it onto the kitchen floor. My wife's initial reaction had been to yell at him. Instead, she stopped herself and said patiently, "Brenton, what were you trying to do?"

"I was trying to be a helping man, Mom," he replied proudly.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"I washed the dishes for you."

Sure enough, there on the kitchen table were all the dishes he had washed with the water from the jug.

"Well, honey, why did you use the water from the fridge?"

"I couldn't reach the water from the sink."

"Oh!" my wife said. Then she looked around. "Well, what do you think you could do next time that would make less of a mess?"

He thought about it for a minute. Then his face lit up. "I could do it in the bathroom!"

"The dishes might break in the bathroom," she replied. "But how about this? What if you came and got me and I helped you move a chair in front of the kitchen sink so you could do the work there?"

"Good idea!" he exclaimed.

As my wife was telling me what had happened, I realized how important it was that she had been able to catch herself between stimulus and response. She had made a proactive choice.
One useful way to communicate the idea of proactivity is through an analogy I call the "emotional bank account." This account is like a financial one in that you can make "deposits"-things that build trust in the relationship-or "withdrawals" - things that decrease the level of trust. The balance in the account determines how well you can communicate and solve problems with another person.

One of the great benefits of being proactive is that you can choose to make deposits instead of withdrawals. No matter what the situation, there are always things you can choose to do that will make relationships better.

Little kindnesses go a long way toward building relationships of trust and unconditional love. just think about the impact in your own family of saying "thank you," "please" or "you go first." Or performing unexpected acts of service such as phoning to see if there's anything you can pick up at the store on your way home. Twelve hugs a day-that's what people need. Hugs can be physical, verbal, visual or environmental. And each one is a deposit in the emotional bank account.

You would be hard pressed to come up with a deposit that has more impact than making and keeping promises. just think about it! How much excitement, anticipation and hope is created by a promise?

Our daughter Cynthia shared this memory:

When I was twelve, Dad promised to take me with him on a business trip to San Francisco. I was so excited! After Dad's meetings, we planned to go to Chinatown for dinner, see a movie, take a ride on a trolley car, then go back to our hotel room for hot fudge sundaes from room service. I was dying with anticipation.

The day finally arrived. The hours dragged by as I waited at the hotel. Finally, at 6:30 p.m., Dad returned with a dear friend and influential business acquaintance. My heart sank as this man said, "I'm so delighted to have you here, Stephen. Tonight, Lois and I would like to take you to the wharf for a seafood dinner, and then you must see the view from our house." I could see my hopes and plans going down the drain.

I will never forget the feeling I had when Dad said, "Gosh, Bill, I'd love to, but this is a special time with my daughter. We've already got it planned to the minute."
We did absolutely everything we had planned. I don't think any young girl ever loved her father as much as I loved mine that night.

HABIT 2: BEGIN WITH THE END IN MIND

With Habit 2, you create a clear, compelling vision of what your family is-and where you want to go together. The most profound, significant and far-reaching application of Habit 2 is the family mission statement. This is a combined, unified expression from all family members of what it is your family really wants to do and be-and the principles you choose to govern your family life.
When children are young, they generally love to be included in the process of creating a mission statement. They love helping to create something that gives them this sense of family identity.
Our daughter Catherine, who's now grown and has children of her own, said:
Before my husband and I were married, we talked about what we wanted our home to be like, especially when we had children. It was out of these discussions that we wrote our family mission statement.

We have three children now, and although our mission statement has remained fundamentally the same, it has changed a little with each child. After we had two children, we had more perspective, and we were able to realize better how we wanted to raise our kids together-how we wanted them to be upstanding citizens in the community and so on.

The children have added things to our mission statement as well. Our oldest is six. She wants to make sure we tell lots of jokes in our family, so we have added that in for her.

Every New Year's Eve we work on our mission statement and write out our goals for the coming year. Our kids are very excited about the whole process. We post our mission statement and the children refer to it often. They say, "Mom, you're not supposed to raise your voice. Remember-'happy, cheerful tones in our home."' It's a big reminder.

Here's how to create a mission statement in your family.

Step One: Explore what your family is all about. Call a family meeting to introduce the idea and start the process. Keep it short: Ten fun minutes a week over a period of several weeks will be much more effective than one or two long, philosophical discussions.

Be explicit with the idea that you want the mission statement to serve as a unifying and motivating influence for everyone in the family. Ask questions such as: What things are truly important to us as a family? What are our family's highest priority goals? What kind of relationships do we want to have with each other? What are our responsibilities as family members?

Step Two: Write your family mission statement. The process of writing crystallizes your thoughts and distills learning and insights into words. It also reinforces learning and makes the expression visible and available to everyone in the family.

Whatever you come up with at first will be a rough draft. Family members will need to work with it until everyone comes to an agreement: "This is our mission. We believe it. We buy into it. We are ready to commit to live it."

It doesn't have to be some magnificent verbal expression. It may be a word, a page, a document, even a song or a drawing. The only real criterion is that it represents everyone in the family and inspires you and brings you together.

Step Three: Stay on track. A mission statement is meant to be the constitution of your family life, the foundational document that will unify and hold your family together for decades-even generations-to come.

One father told me:

For our blended family, having a mission statement has been tremendously helpful. It gives us some common values and a common focus on where we're going. It reads: "Our family mission: To always be kind, respectful and supportive of each other, to be honest and open with each other, to keep a spiritual feeling in the home, to love each other unconditionally, to be responsible to live a happy, healthy and fulfilling life, to make this house a place we want to come home to."

We put the statement in a beautiful frame and hung it over the fireplace, and every week we have somebody share what one of those words or sentences means to him or her. It only takes two or three minutes, but it makes the mission statement come alive. We're also setting goals around the mission statement, making it a central part of our lives.

HABIT 3: PUT FIRST THINGS FIRST

There's no way we can be successful in our families if we don't prioritize them in our lives. And this is what Habit 3 is about.

There is probably no single structure that will help you to prioritize more than a weekly family night. On a typical night in our own family over the years, we would review our calendar of upcoming events, hold a council to discuss issues and problems, have a talent recital so the kids could show us how they were coming along with their music or dance lessons, do a short lesson and a family activity and serve refreshments. In this way, we'd accomplish what we've come to feel are the four main ingredients of a successful family night: planning, problem-solving, teaching and fun.

The second absolutely foundational family structure is the one-on-one bonding time. These one-on-ones are where most of the real work of the family is done. This is where the most significant sharing, the most profound teaching, the deepest bonding takes place.
A mother of five sons said:

The other day, I took My 22-year-old son out to lunch. As we ate together, we talked about his life, including his classes at school, his plans for the future, and so on.

We had a wonderful time just being together. As I thought about it later, 1 realized this is something that didn't just happen. I started this one on-one tradition when the boys were in elementary school, and it's really made a difference. I don't think I could have this kind of time with my son now if we hadn’t started doing it when he was younger.

HABIT 4 THINK "WIN-WIN"

As we move toward our destination as a family, we're sometimes thrown off track by external forces. But the force that does the greatest damage is the climate created within the family by negative emotions-competition, criticism, blaming, anger.
The key to handling these challenges is to cultivate a family culture of mutual respect, understanding and creative cooperation. This is the essence of Habits 4, 5 and 6.
One father told this story:

Our two boys were very competitive and squabbled frequently. Finally, I confronted the older boy about it. He abruptly announced, "The thing you don't get is that I can't stand my brother." 1 was shocked by the intensity of his feelings.

Then I asked the older boy to tell his brother what he'd told me. The younger boy was hurt by the cutting words. Blinking back tears, he looked down and quietly said, "Why?"
His brother was quick with his answer: "Because you're always saying things that make me mad. I just don't want to be around you."

The younger brother sighed. "I do that because every time we play a game you always win."
"Sure I do," the older boy quickly replied. "I'm better than you."
With that, the little boy could hardly speak. But he said, "Yeah, but every time you win, I lose. So I say things to bug you. I just cant stand to lose all the time."

These tearful words reached the heart of the older brother. The tone of his words softened as he said, "I'm sorry. But will you please just stop saying and doing the stupid things that make me so mad at you?"

"OK," the younger boy replied. "And will you stop feeling that you always have to win?"

I know I'll never forget my young son’s words. Losing all the time, or even most of the time, can make any of us say and do stupid things that bug others and even ourselves.

No one likes to "lose" _especially in close family relationships. So win-win is the only solid foundation for effective family interaction. It's the only pattern of thinking and interacting that builds long-term relationships of trust and unconditional love. And all it takes to change the situation is for one person to think win-win.

Thinking win-win means you have this spirit of win-win in all family interactions. You always want what's best for everyone involved.

Of course, there will be times when you'll have to say no to children. This doesn’t feel like a win to them. But if you cultivate the spirit of win-win whenever you can, children will better understand and accept those decisions that sometimes seem to them to be win-lose. There are several ways to achieve this.

* Let them win in the little things. In our family, if children want to go outside, get their clothes dirty or leave a cardboard fort in the house for weeks, we generally let them do it. We try to distinguish between matters of principle and matters of preference, and only take a stand on things that really count.

* Talk with them about the big things. That way they'll know you have their welfare in mind. Try to involve them in the problem and work out the solution together.

*Take steps to offset the competition focus. Recently, 1 went to watch our granddaughter play in an important soccer match, which ultimately ended in a tie. Her team was demoralized, and the coach was deeply disappointed also.

So I began to say enthusiastically, "Great game, kids! You had five goals-to try your best, to have fun, to work together as a team, to learn and to win. You accomplished four and a half of those goals. That's ninety Percent! Congratulations!"

You could just see their eyes brighten up. And it wasn't long until players, coach and parents were celebrating the four and a half goals these kids had achieved.

HABIT 5: SEEK FIRST TO UNDERSTAND ... THEN TO BE UNDERSTOOD

There's simply no way to have rich, rewarding family relationships without real understanding. Most mistakes with our family members are not the result of bad intent. It's just that we don't understand. We don't see clearly into each other's hearts.

Really listening to get inside another person's mind and heart is called "empathic" listening. It enables you to see as someone else sees-and it also helps family members feel safe in sharing, gets to the real issues and helps people connect with their own unique gifts.

Suppose that for several days, your teenage daughter has seemed unhappy. One night, while you're washing dishes together, she finally begins to open up: "Our family rule that I cant date until I'm older is embarrassing me to death. All my friends are dating. I feel like I'm out of it."

An empathic response would attempt to reflect back what your daughter feels and says, so that she would feel that you really understand. For example: "You kind of feel torn up inside. You understand the rule, but you feel embarrassed when you have to say no to dates. Is that what you mean?"

She might say yes and go on deeper into her feelings. Or she may say, "Well, not exactly. What I really mean is..." \When you give an understanding response, you make it safe for her to open up. You make it comfortable for her to air the problem so that together you can search for solutions. And you build the relationship.

There are other expressions of empathy besides summarizing and reflecting. Sometimes total silence may be empathic; sometimes a nod or a single word is empathic. Empathy is a very flexible, sincere and humble process.

But there's more to Habit 5. It doesn't mean seek only to understand. It simply means that you listen and understand first. This is the key to .being understood and influencing others. When you are open to their influence, you'll almost always have greater influence with them.

One woman shared this:

My husband and I did not see eye to eye on spending. He wanted to buy things I felt were unnecessary and expensive. 1 couldn't explain to him the pain I felt as our debt mounted.
Final I decided to find a different way to express myself and influence the situation. I realized that my husband sometimes just didn't see the connection between his spending decisions and their consequences. So when he said, "lt. would really be nice to have (something)," I'd say, "You know, it would. Let's see what would happen if we bought that." I would take out the budget and say, "Now if we spend this, we won't have money to do that."

When he truly saw the consequences of spending decisions, he often came to the conclusion him self that we were better off not buying the item in question. I also discovered that with some of the purchases he wanted to make, the benefits really did outweigh the drawbacks.

When people know they will have an opportunity to be fully heard, they can relax. They don't have to become over-reactive, because they know that their time to be understood will come. This dissipates negative energy and helps people develop internal patience and self-control.

This is one of the great strengths of Habit 5. Remember, the key is in the sequence: First you seek to understand another person's point of view; then you share your own. It's not just what to do. It's also why and when.

HABIT 6: SYNERGIZE

Synergy is the magic that happens when one plus one equals three-or more. It comes out of the spirit of mutual respect and understanding you've created and produces a brand-new way to solve a problem.

A friend recently told me a story that captures the essence of Habit 6:

After one week of practice, my son wanted to quit the high school basketball team. I was very disappointed. I worried that if he quit basketball he would just keep quitting things. My son didn't want to hear me at all. I was so upset I walked away.

Over the next two days, I wondered just what had made him want to quit. Finally, I decided to talk to him again. [Habit 5: seeking to understand.] At first he didn't even want to discuss it, so I asked him about other things. After some time, he began to tear up and he said,
"Dad, I know you think you understand me, but you don't. No one knows how rotten I feel."
I replied, "Pretty tough, huh?" [Habit 5: empathic listening.]

He then literally poured his heart out. He expressed his pain at constantly being compared to his brothers and said he felt I favored them, He also told me about the insecurities he felt- not only in basketball, but in all areas of his life. And he said he felt that he and I had somehow lost touch with each other.

His words really humbled me. I had the feeling that what he said about the comparisons with his brothers was true. I acknowledged my sorrow to him [Habit 1: proactivity, and-with much emotion--I apologized.

But I also told him that I still thought he would benefit from being on the team. He listened patiently, but he would not budge from his decision. Finally, I asked him if he liked basketball. He said he loved it, but he disliked all the pressure associated with playing for the school team. He said that instead, he would really like to play for the church team-but that team's coach had just moved away.

I found myself feeling good about what he was saying. I was still a little disappointed that he wouldn't be on the school team, but I was glad that he still wanted to play [Habits 4 and 5: win-win thinking and effort to understand].

At that point, almost by magic, a new idea came into both of our minds at the same time. In unison we said, "I/You could coach the church team!" [Habit 6: synergy and a new alternative solution]. The weeks I spent as the coach of that team were among the happiest of my athletic experiences. And they provided some of my most memorable experiences as a father.
This father and son seemed locked in a win-lose situation. But then the father made an important shift. He sought to really understand his son. Together they came up with a better way-an entirely new solution that was a true win for both.

The key to synergy is to celebrate the difference. It's not enough to simply tolerate differences in the family. To have the kind of creative magic we're talking about, you must be able to say sincerely, "The fact that we see things differently is a strength-not a weakness-in our relationship."

Synergy also helps you to create a culture in which you can successfully deal with any challenge you might face. The culture created by Habits 4, 5 and 6 is like an immune system. It protects your family so that when mistakes are made, or when you get blindsided by some physical, financial or social challenge, you don't get knocked out. You can deal with whatever life throws at you and use it to make the family stronger.

HABIT 7: SHARPEN THE SAW

If done properly, consistently and in a balanced way, Habit 7 will cultivate all of the other six habits and keep them strong and vibrant. How? Simply by using them in renewing activities-especially, family traditions. That's what we mean by "sharpening the saw."
Traditions give family members a sense of belonging, of being understood, of being supported, of being committed to something that's greater than self. And the family renews the emotional energy of a tradition every time they revisit it.

Think of all the opportunities for fulfilling traditions:

0 Family dinners. You may have only one good meal together each week, but if it is meaningful and fun, the family table can become more of an altar than an eating counter.

0 Family vacations. Planning for a vacation, anticipating it and thinking about it-as well as laughing about the fun times and the dumb times we had on past vacations-are enormously rewarding to our family.

*Extended and intergenerational family activities. Aunts, uncles, grandparents, cousins and other extended family members can have a tremendous positive influence. Broaden almost any activity, such as Sunday dinner, to include them.

*Worshipping together. Research shows that shared worship is one of the characteristics of healthy, happy families. It can create context, unity and mutual understanding- much in the same way that a family mission statement does.

*Serving together. This tradition can be tremendously renewing. Can you imagine anything more bonding, more unifying, more energizing than working together to accomplish something that is really meaningful and worthwhile?

*Working together. There are many ways to create the tradition of working together, at home or in a parent's place of business-and many benefits of doing it. Our daughter Catherine remembered:

One tradition we had in our family was the "ten-minute program." That meant that everyone would work really hard for ten minutes to clean up the house. We all knew that if we had eighteen hands working, it would go a lot faster than two.

We also had "work parties." We'd work really hard for three or four hours to get something done, but we'd have food and laugh and talk as we worked. We'd also do something fun after, like go to a movie. Everyone expected they'd have to work. It was just part of life. But it was so much better with these little treats.

As your family works together on Habit 7 and all the other habits, remember: Like a new pair of glasses or a new, more accurate map-the 7 Habits framework can help you to see and communicate more clearly, and will help you to arrive where you, as a family, want to go.
Stephen R. Covey, co-chairman of Franklin Covey Company, is an internationally respected leadership authority family expert, teacher and organizational consultant. He and his wife Sandra and their family live in Utah.

11 Lessons

2005-02-14T10:13:00.000+08:00

1. It hurts to love someone and not be loved in return,But what is more painful is to love someone and never find the courage to let that person know how you feel.

2. A sad thing in life is when you meet someone who means a lot to you,only to find out in the end that it was never meant to be and you just have to let go.

3. The best kind of friend is the kind you can sit on a porch swing with,never say a word,and then walk away feeling like it was the best conversation you've ever had.

4. It's true that we don't know what we've got until we lose it,but it's also true that we don't know what we've been missing until it arrives.

5. It takes only a minute to get a crush on someone,an hour to like someone,and a day to love someone-but it takes a lifetime to forget someone.

6. Don't go for looks; they can deceive.Don't go for wealth; even that fades away.Go for someone who makes you smile because it takes only a smile to make a dark day seem bright.

7. Dream what you want to dream;go where you want to go; be what you want to be,because you have only one life and one chance to do all the things you want to do.

8. Always put yourself in the other's shoes.If you feel that it hurts you, it probably hurts the person too.

9. A careless word may kindle strife;a cruel word may wreck a life;a timely word may level stress;a loving word may heal and bless.10. The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everythingthey just make the most of everything that comes along their way.

11. Love begins with a smile, grows with a kiss, ends with a tear.

Portrait of a Friend

2005-02-14T10:10:00.000+08:00

I can't give solutions to all of life's problems,doubts, or fears.But I can listen to you, and together we can seekanswers.

I can't change your past with all it's heartache andpain, nor the future with it's untold stories.But I can be there now when you need me to care.

I can't keep your feet from stumbling. I can only offer my hand that you may grasp it and notfall.

Your joys, triumphs, successes, and happinesses arenot mine;Yet I can share in your laughter and joy.

Your decisions in life are not mine to make, nor tojudge;I can only support you, encourage you, and help youwhen you ask.

I can't give you boundaries which I have determinedfor you,But I can give you the room to change, room to grow,room to be yourself.

I can't keep your heart from breaking and hurting,But I can cry with you and help you pick up the piecesand put them back in place.

I can't tell you who you are.I can only love you and be your friend.

Friend and Acquaintance

2005-02-14T10:06:00.000+08:00

There is a difference between being an acquaintance and being a friend. An acquaintance is someone whose name you know, who you see every now and then, who you probably have something in common with and who you feel comfortable around.

It's a person that you can invite to your home and share things with. But they are people who you don't share your life with, whose actions sometimes you don't understand because you don't know enough about them.

On the other hand, a friend is someone you love. Not that you are "in love" with them, but you care about them and you think about them when they are not there. The people you are reminded of when you see something they might like, and you know this because you know them so well. They are the people whose pictures you have and whose faces are in your head regardless.

Friends are the people you feel safe around because you know they care about you. They call just to see how you are doing, because a friend doesn't need an excuse. They tell you the truth, the first time, and you do the same. You know that if you have a problem, they are there to listen.

Friends are the people who won't laugh at you or hurt you, and if they do hurt you they try hard to make it up to you. They are the people you love, regardless of whether you realize it.
Friends are the people you cried with when you got rejected from colleges and during the last song at the prom and at graduation. They are the people that when you hug them, you don't think about how long to hug and who's going to be the first one to let go.

Maybe they are the people that hold the rings at your wedding, or maybe they are the people who give you away at your wedding, or maybe they are the people you marry. Maybe they are the people who cry at your wedding because they are happy or because they are proud.
They are the people who stop you from making mistakes and help you when you do. They are are the people whose hand you can hold, or you can hug or give them a kiss and not have it be awkward because they understand the things you do and they love you for them.

They stick with you and stand by you. They hold your hand. They watch you live and you watch them live and you learn from them. Your life is not the same without them.

A Scorpion Moment

2005-02-14T10:03:00.000+08:00

There was this Hindu who saw a scorpion floundering around in the water. He decided to save it by stretching out his finger, but the scorpion stung him. The man still tried to get the scorpion out of the water, but the scorpion stung him again. A man nearby told him to stop saving the scorpion that kept stinging him. But the Hindu said: "It is the nature of the scorpion to sting. It is my nature to love. Why should I give up my nature to love just because it is the nature of the scorpion to sting?"

Don't give up loving.
Don't give up your goodness.
Even if people around you sting

Our Time in History

2005-02-12T14:06:00.000+08:00

A Columbine High School student wrote:

The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings, but shorter tempers; wider freeways, but narrower viewpoints.

We spend more, but have less; we buy more, but enjoy it less.

We have bigger houses and smaller families; more conveniences, but less time.

We have more degrees, but less sense; more knowledge, but less judgment; more experts, but less solutions; more medicine, but less wellness.

We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values.

We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often.

We've learned how to make a living, but not a life.

We've added years to life, not life to years.

We've been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet the new neighbor.

We've conquered outer space, but not inner space.

We've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul.

We've split the atom, but not our prejudice.

We have higher incomes, but lower morals.

We've become long on quantity, but short on quality.

These are the times of tall men, and short character; steep profits, and shallow relationships.

These are the times of world peace, but domestic warfare; more leisure, but less fun; more kinds of food, but less nutrition.

These are days of two incomes, but more divorce; of fancier houses, but broken homes.

It is a time when there is much in the show window and nothing in the stockroom.

I Am Thankful For ...

2005-02-12T14:04:00.000+08:00

The mess to clean after a party because it means I have been surrounded by friends.

The taxes I pay because it means that I have income.

The clothes that fit a little too snug because it means I have enough to eat.

My shadow who watches me work because it means that I am out in the sunshine.

The lawn that needs mowing, windows that need cleaning and gutters that need fixing because it means I have a home.

All the complaining I hear about our government because it means we have freedom of speech.

The spot that I find at the far end of the parking lot because it means I am capable of walking.

My huge heating bill because it means that I am warm.

The lady behind me in church who sings off key because it means that I can hear.

2005-02-12T14:01:00.000+08:00

Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.

Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.

When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.

Eat with gusto and enthusiasm.

If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it.

Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face to be pure ecstasy.

Be loyal.

Run, romp and play daily.

When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and nuzzle them gently.

Avoid biting when a simple growl will do.

When you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body.

No matter how often you're scolded, don't buy into the guilt thing and pout...run right back and make friends.

When it's in your best interest, practice obedience.

Take naps and stretch before rising.

Never pretend to be something you're not.

Thrive on attention and let people touch you.

On hot days, drink lots of water and lay under a shady tree.

Take a Moment to Reflect

2005-02-12T14:00:00.000+08:00

Maybe God wants us to meet a few wrong people before meeting the right one so that when we finally meet the right person, we will know how to be grateful for that gift.

When the door of happiness closes, another opens, but often times we look so long at the closed door that we don't see the one which has been opened for us.

The best kind of friend is the kind you can sit on a porch and swing with, never say a word, and then walk away feeling like it was the best conversation you've ever had.

It's true that we don't know what we've got until we lose it, but it's also true that we don't know what we've been missing until it arrives.

Giving someone all your love is never an assurance that they'll love you back! Don't expect love in return; just wait for it to grow in their heart but if it doesn't, be content it grew in yours.

It takes only a minute to get a crush on someone, an hour to like someone, and a day to love someone, but it takes a lifetime to forget someone.

Don't go for looks; they can deceive. Don't go for wealth; even that fades away. Go for someone who makes you smile because it takes only a smile to make a dark day seem bright.

Find the one that makes your heart smile. There are moments in life when you miss someone so much that you just want to pick them from your dreams and hug them for real!

Dream what you want to dream; go where you want to go; be what you want to be, because you have only one life and one chance to do all the things you want to do.

May you have enough happiness to make you sweet, enough trials to make you strong, enough sorrow to keep you human, enough hope to make you happy.

Always put yourself in others' shoes. If you feel that it hurts you, it probably hurts the other person, too.

The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the most of everything that comes along their way.

Happiness lies for those who cry, those who hurt, those who have searched, and those who have tried, for only they can appreciate the importance of people who have touched their lives.

Love begins with a smile, grows with a kiss and ends with a tear.

The brightest future will always be based on a forgotten past, you can't go on well in life until you let go of your past failures and heartaches.

When you were born, you were crying and everyone around you was smiling. Live your life so that when you die, you're the one who is smiling and everyone around you is crying.

SATAN'S SCHEME

2005-02-12T13:58:00.000+08:00

Satan called a worldwide convention. In his opening address to his evil angels, he said, "We can't keep the Christians from going to church. We can't keep them from reading their Bibles and knowing the truth. We can't even keep them from forming an intimate, abiding relationship experience in Christ. Once they gain that connection with Jesus, our power over them is broken.
So let them go to their churches; let them have their conservative lifestyles, but steal their time, so they can't gain that relationship with Jesus Christ.

This is what I want you to do, angels. Distract them from gaining hold of their Savior and maintaining that vital connection throughout their day!"

"How shall we do this?" shouted his angels.

"Keep them busy in the nonessentials of life and invent innumerable schemes to occupy their minds," he answered. Tempt them to spend, spend, spend, and borrow, borrow, borrow.

Persuade the wives to go to work for long hours and the husbands to work 6-7 days each week, 10-12 hours a day, so they can afford their empty lifestyles. Keep them from spending time with their children. As their family fragments, soon, their home will offer no escape from the pressures of work!"

Over-stimulate their minds so that they cannot hear that still, small voice. Entice them to play the radio or cassette player whenever they drive. To keep the TV, VCR, CD's and their PC's going constantly in their home and see to it that every store and restaurant in the world plays non-biblical music constantly. This will jam their minds and break that union with Christ."

"Fill the coffee tables with magazines and newspapers. Pound their minds with the news 24 hours a day. Invade their driving moments with billboards.

Flood their mailboxes with junk mail, mail order catalogs, sweepstakes, and every kind of newsletter and promotional offering free products, services and false hopes.

Keep skinny, beautiful models on the magazines so the husbands will believe that external beauty is what's important, and they'll become dissatisfied with their wives. That will fragment those families quickly!"

"Even in their recreation, let them be excessive. Have them return from their recreation exhausted, disquieted and unprepared for the coming week.

Don't let them go out in nature to reflect on God's wonders. Send them to amusement parks, sporting events, concerts and movies instead. Keep them busy, busy, busy!

And when they meet for spiritual fellowship, involve them in gossip and small talk so that they leave with troubled consciences and unsettled emotions." Go ahead, let them be involved in soul winning; but crowd their lives with so many good causes they have no time to seek power from Jesus.

Soon they will be working in their own strength, sacrificing their health and family for the good of the cause. It will work! It will work!"

It was quite a convention. The evil angels went eagerly to their assignments causing Christians everywhere to get more busy and more rushed, going here and there.

I guess the question is: Has the devil been successful at his scheme? You be the judge! Does "busy" mean:

B-eing

U-nder

S-atan's

Y-oke?

Lots of Wisdom

2005-02-12T13:57:00.000+08:00

Give God what's right, not what's left!

A lot of kneeling will keep you in good standing.

We're too blessed to be depressed!

DON'T put a question mark where God put a period.

Eternity: Smoking or Non-Smoking?

God grades on The Cross, not on a the curve.

Prayer -- Don't give God instructions - simply report for duty!

God doesn't want shares of your life, He wants controlling interest!

Don't wait for six strong men to take you to church.

We don't change the message, the MESSAGE CHANGES US!

When God ordains, He SUSTAINS!

WARNING: Exposure to the SON will prevent burning!

Most people want to serve God -- but only in an advisory capacity.

Exercise daily -- walk with the Lord!

Coincidence is when God chooses to remain anonymous.

Wisdom has two parts: 1) Having a lot to say. 2) Not saying it.

Never give the devil a ride! He always wants to drive!

Watch your step carefully! Everyone else does!

A clean conscience makes a soft pillow.

Kindness is difficult to give away because it keeps coming back.

He who angers you controls you!

God doesn't call the qualified, He qualifies the called!

Worry is the darkroom in which "negatives" are developed!

Forbidden fruit creates many jams.

Be ye fishers of men, you catch them -- He will clean them.

Deciding not to choose is still making a choice.

If God is your co-pilot it's time to swap seats!

20 Words to the Wise

2005-02-12T13:54:00.000+08:00

God wants spiritual fruit, not religious nuts.

Dear God: I have a problem. Sometimes, it's me.

Growing old is inevitable, growing up is optional.

There is no key to happiness. The door is always open.

Silence is often misinterpreted, but never misquoted.

Do the math. Count your blessings.

Faith is the ability to not panic.

Laugh every day, it's like inner jogging.

If we worry, we probably didn't pray. If we pray, we probably don't worry.

As a child of God, prayer is kind of like calling home every day.

Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be bent out of shape.

The most important things in our homes are the people.

When we get tangled up in our problems, be still. God wants us to be still so He can untangle the knots for us.

A grudge is a heavy thing to carry.

He who dies with the most toys is still dead. And who knows where he has gone?

We do not remember days, but moments. Life moves too fast, so enjoy your precious moments.

Nothing is real to you until we experience it, otherwise it's just hearsay.

It's all right to sit on our pity pot every now and again. Just be sure to flush when you are done.

Surviving and living our life successfully requires courage. The goals and dreams we seek require courage and risk-taking. Learn from the turtle -- it only makes progress when it sticks out its neck.

Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are.

Twelve Good Rules

2005-02-12T13:52:00.000+08:00

1. If you open it, close it.

2. If you turn it on, turn it off.

3. If you unlock it, lock it.

4. If you break it, repair it.

5. If you can't fix it, call someone who can.

6. If you borrow it, return it.

7. If you use it, take care of it.

8. If you make a mess, clean it up.

9. If you move it, put it back.

10. If you don't know how to operate it, leave it alone.

11. If it belongs to someone else and you want to use it, get permission.

12. If it doesn't concern you, mind your own business.

2005-02-12T13:45:00.000+08:00

The greatest pain in life is not to die, but to be ignored.

To lose the person you love so much to another who doesn't care at all.
To have someone you care so about so much throw a party...and not tell you about it.
When your favorite person on earth neglects to invite you to his graduation.
To have people think that you don't care.

The greatest pain in life, is not to die, but to be forgotten.

To be left in the dust after another's great achievement.
To never get a call from a friend, just saying "hi".
When you show someone your innermost thoughts and they laugh in your face.
For friends to always be too busy to console you when you need someone to lift your spirits.
When it seems like the only person who cares about you, is you.

Life is full of pain, but does it ever get better?

Will people ever care about each other, and make time for those who are in need?
Each of us has a part to play in this great show we call life.
Each of us has a duty to mankind to tell our friends we love them.
If you do not care about your friends you will not be pusinshed.
You will simply be ignored...forgotten...as you have done to others.

Friends for Life

2005-02-12T13:42:00.000+08:00

In kindergarten your idea of a good friend was the person who let you have the red crayon when all that was left was the ugly black one.

In first grade your idea of a good friend was the person who went to the bathroom with you and held your hand as you walked through the scary halls.

In second grade your idea of a good friend was the person who helped you stand up to the class bully.

In third grade your idea of a good friend was the person who shared their lunch with you when you forgot yours on the bus.

In fourth grade your idea of a good friend was the person who was willing to switch square dancing partners in gym so you wouldn't have to be stuck do-si-do-ing with Nasty Nicky or Smelly Susan.

In fifth grade your idea of a friend was the person who saved a seat on the back of the bus for you.

In sixth grade your idea of a friend was the person who went up to Nicky or Susan, your new crush, and asked them to dance with you, so that if they said no you wouldn't have to be embarrassed.

In seventh grade your idea of a friend was the person who let you copy the social studies homework from the night before that you had.

In eighth grade your idea of a good friend was the person who helped you pack up your stuffed animals and old baseball cards so that your room would be a "high schooler's" room, but didn't laugh at you when you finished and broke out into tears.

In ninth grade your idea of a good friend was the person who went to that "cool" party thrown by a senior so you wouldn't wind up being the only freshman there.

In tenth grade your idea of a good friend was the person who changed their schedule so you would have someone to sit with at lunch.

In eleventh grade your idea of a good friend was the person who gave you rides in their new car, convinced your parents that you shouldn't be grounded, consoled you when you broke up with Nick [or Glenn] or Susan, and found you a date to the prom.

In twelfth grade your idea of a good friend was the person who helped you pick out a college/university, assured you that you would get into that college/university, helped you deal with your parents who were having a hard time adjusting to the idea of letting you go...

At graduation your idea of a good friend was the person who was crying on the inside but managed the biggest smile one could give as they congratulated you.

The summer after twelfth grade your idea of a good friend was the person who helped you clean up the bottles from that party, helped you sneak out of the house when you just couldn't deal with your parents, assured you that now that you and Nick or you and Susan were back together, you could make it through anything, helped you pack up for university and just silently hugged you as you looked through blurry eyes at 18 years of memories you were leaving behind, and finally on those last days of childhood, went out of their way to give you reassurance that you would make it in college as well as you had these past 18 years, and most importantly sent you off to college knowing you were loved.

Now, your idea of a good friend is still the person who gives you the better of the two choices, holds your hand when you're scared, helps you fight off those who try to take advantage of you, thinks of you at times when you are not there, reminds you of what you have forgotten, helps you put the past behind you but understands when you need to hold on to it a little longer, stays with you so that you have confidence, goes out of their way to make time for you, helps you clear up your mistakes, helps you deal with pressure from others, smiles for you when they are sad, helps you become a better person, and most importantly loves you!

Thank you for being a friend. No matter where we go or who we become, never forget who helped us get there.

Sharon Ogden, Kentucky

Another Bill of Rights

2005-02-12T13:40:00.000+08:00

You have the right to be you - the way you are.The way you want to be.

You have the right to grow, to change, to become, to strive. To reach for any goal.To be limited only by your degree of talent and amount of effort.

You have the right to privacy - in marriage, family, or any relationship or groupThe right to keep a part of your life secret, no matter how trivial or important, merely because you want it to be that way.

You have the right to be alone part of the each day, each week and each year to spend time with and on yourself.

You have the right to be loved and to love, to be accepted, cared for, adored, and you have the right to fulfill that privilege.

You have the right to ask questions of anyone at anytime in any matter that effects your life, so long as it is your business to do so, and to be listened to and taken seriously.

You have the right to self-respect and to do everything you need to do to increase your self-esteem, so long as you hurt no one in doing so.

You have the right to be happy, to find something in the world that is meaningful and rewarding to you and that gives you a sense of completeness.

You have the right to be trusted and to trust and to be taken at your word.If you are wrong, you have the right to be given a chance to make it good if possible.

You have the right to change your mind.

You have the right to be free as long as you act responsibly and are mindful of the rights of others and of those obligations that you entered into freely.

You have the right to win, to succeed, to compete, to make plans. To see those plans fulfilled.To become the best you can possibly become.

You have a right to boundaries and limit, a right to be intentional, a right to choice.

Inspiration For The Day

2005-02-12T13:37:00.000+08:00

People are often unreasonable, illogical,and self-centered;
forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, People may accuse
you of selfish, ulterior motives;
Be kind anyway.

If you are successful, you will win some
false friends and some true enemies;
Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and frank,
people may cheat you;
Be honest and frank anyway.

What you spend years building,
someone could destroy overnight;
Build anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness,
there may be jealousy;
Be happy anyway.

The good you do today,
people will often forget tomorrow;
Do good anyway.

Give the world the best you have,
and it may never be enough;
Give the world the best you've got anyway.

You see, in the final analysis,
it is between you and God;
It was never between you and them anyway.

Mother Theresa

This is my Prayer

2005-02-12T12:28:00.000+08:00

Dear Lord, I thank You for this day. I thank You for my being able to see and to hear this morning. I'm blessed because You are a forgiving God and an understanding God. You have done so much for me and You keep on blessing me. Forgive me this day for everything I have done, said or thought that was not pleasing to you. I ask now for Your forgiveness.

Please keep me safe from all danger and harm. Help me to start this day with a new attitude and plenty of gratitude. Let me make the best of each and every day to clear my mind so that I can hear from You.

Please broaden my mind that I can accept all things.

Let me not whine and whimper over things I have no control over. Let me continue to see sin through God's eyes and acknowledge it as evil. And when I sin, let me repent, and confess with my mouth my wrongdoing, and receive the forgiveness of God.

And when this world closes in on me, let me remember Jesus' example -to slip away and find a quiet place to pray. It's the best response when I'm pushed beyond my limits. I know that when I can't pray, You listen to my heart. Continue to use me to do Your will.

Continue to bless me that I may be a blessing to others. Keep me strong that I may help the weak. Keep me uplifted that I may have words of encouragement for others. I pray for those that are lost and can't find their way. I pray for those that are misjudged and misunderstood. I pray for those who don't know You intimately. I pray for those that don't believe. But I thank you that I believe.

I believe that God changes people and God changes things. I pray for all my sisters and brothers. For each and every family member in their households. I pray for peace, love and joy in their homes that they are out of debt and all their needs are met.

I pray that every eye that reads this knows there is no problem, circumstance, or situation greater than God. Every battle is in Your hands for You to fight. I pray that these words be received into the hearts of every eye that sees them and every mouth that confesses them willingly.

This is my prayer.In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Submitted by Ruby Dannhaus

The Innocence Of A Child

2005-02-12T12:24:00.000+08:00

We were the only family with children in the restaurant. I sat Erik in a high chair and noticed everyone was quietly eating and talking. Suddenly, Erik squealed with glee and said, "Hi there." He pounded his fat baby hands on the highchair tray. His eyes were wide with excitement and his mouth was bared in a toothless grin. He wriggled and giggled with glee.

I looked around and saw the source of his merriment. It was a man with a tattered rag of a coat, dirty, greasy and worn. His pants were baggy with a zipper at half-mast and his toes poked out of would-be shoes. His shirt was dirty and his hair was uncombed and unwashed. His whiskers were too short to be called a beard and his nose was so varicose it looked like a road map. We were too far from him to smell, but I was sure he smelled. His hands waved and flapped on loose wrists. "Hi there, baby; hi there, big boy. I see ya, buster," the man said to Erik.

My husband and I exchanged looks, "What do we do?" Erik continued to laugh and answer, "Hi, hi there." Everyone in the restaurant noticed and looked at us and then at the man. The old geezer was creating a nuisance with my beautiful baby.

Our meal came and the man began shouting from across the room, "Do ya know patty cake? Do you know peek-a-boo? Hey, look, he knows peek-a-boo." Nobody thought the old man was cute. He was obviously drunk. My husband and I were embarrassed. We ate in silence, all except for Erik, who was running through his repertoire for the admiring skid-row bum, who in turn, reciprocated with his cute comments.

We finally got through the meal and headed for the door. My husband went to pay the check and told me to meet him in the parking lot. The old man sat poised between me and the door. "Lord, just let me out of here before he speaks to me or Erik," I prayed. As I drew closer to the man, I turned my back trying to sidestep him and avoid any air he might be breathing. As I did, Erik leaned over my arm, reaching with both arms in a baby's "pick-me-up" position. Before I could stop him,Erik had propelled himself from my arms to the man's. Suddenly a very old smelly man and a very young baby consummated their love relationship. Erik in an act of total trust, love, and submission laid his tiny head upon the man's ragged shoulder.

The man's eyes closed, and I saw tears hover beneath his lashes. His aged hands full of grime, pain, and hard labor-gently, so gently, cradled my baby's bottom and stroked his back. No two beings have ever loved so deeply for so short a time. I stood awestruck. The old man rocked and cradled Erik in his arms for a moment, and then his eyes opened and set squarely on mine. He said in a firm commanding voice, "You take care of this baby." Somehow I managed, "I will," from a throat that contained a stone. He pried Erik from his chest-unwillingly, longingly, as though he were in pain. I received my baby, and the man said, "God bless you, ma'am, you've given me my Christmas gift."

With Erik in my arms, I ran for the car. My husband was wondering why I was crying and holding Erik so tightly, and why I was saying, "My God, my God, forgive me." I had just witnessed Christ's love shown through the innocence of a tiny child who saw no sin, who made no judgment; a child who saw a soul, and a mother who saw a suit of clothes. I was a Christian who was blind, holding a child who was not. I felt it was God asking "Are you willing to share your son for a moment?"when He shared His for all eternity. The ragged old man, unwittingly, had reminded me, "To enter the Kingdom of God, we must become as little children."

Author Unknown

My HI5 account

2005-02-11T11:30:00.000+08:00

http://www.hi5.com/i?l=8UGH3TI

A Lesson in Life

2005-01-27T13:49:00.000+08:00

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, if they be events, illnesses or relationships, life would be like a smoothly paved, straight, flat road to nowhere.

If someone hurts you, betrays you , or breaks you heart, forgive them. For they have helped you learn about trust and the importance of being cautious to who 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 opening your heart and eyes to things you would have never seen or felt without them.

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. 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.

Appreciating Our Past

2005-01-27T13:48:00.000+08:00

It is easy to be negative about past mistakes and unhappiness. But it is much more healing to look at ourselves and our past in the light of experience, acceptance, and growth.
Our past is a series of lessons that advance us to higher levels of living and loving. The relationships we entered, stayed in, or ended taught us necessary lessons.
Some of us have emerged from the most painful circumstances with strong insights about who we are and what we want. Our mistakes? Necessary. Our frustrations, failures, and sometimes stumbling attempts at growth and progress? Necessary too. Each step of the way, we learned. We went through exactly the experiences we need to, to become who we are today. Each step of the way, we progressed. Is our past a mistake? No. The only mistake we can make is mistaking that for the truth.
Today, God, help me let go of negative thoughts I may be harboring about my past circumstances or relationships. I can accept, with gratitude, all that has brought me to today.

Allow Your Own Inner Light to Guide You

2005-01-27T13:45:00.000+08:00

There comes a time when you must stand alone.
You must feel confident enough within yourself to follow your own dreams.
You must be willing to make sacrifices.
You must be capable of changing and rearranging your priorities so that your final goal can be achieved.
Sometimes, familiarity and comfort need to be challenged.
There are times when you must take a few extra chances and create your own realities.
Be strong enough to at least try to make your life better.
Be confident enough that you won't settle for a compromise just to get by.
Appreciate yourself by allowing yourself the opportunities to grow, develop, and find your true sense of purpose in this life.
Don't stand in someone else's shadow when it's your sunlight that should lead the way.

Work hard at what you like to do and try to overcome all obstacles
Laugh at your mistakes and praise yourself for learning from them
Pick some flowers and appreciate the beauty of nature
Say hello to strangers and enjoy the people you know
Don't be afraid to show your emotions laughing and crying make you feel better
Love your friends and family with your entire being they are the most important part of your life
Feel the calmness on a quiet sunny day
Find a rainbow and live your world of dreams always remember life is better than it seems

BE THANKFUL

Be thankful that you don't already have everything you desire.

If you did, what would there be to look forward to?

Be thankful when you don't know something, for it gives you the opportunity to learn.

Be thankful for the difficult times. During those times you grow.

Be thankful for your limitations, because they give you opportunities for improvement.

Be thankful for your mistakes. They will teach you valuable lessons.

Be thankful when you're tired and weary, because it means you've made a difference
.
It's easy to be thankful for the good things.

A life of rich fulfillment comes to those who are also thankful for the setbacks.

Find a way to be thankful for your troubles, and they can become your blessings.

2005-01-27T13:44:00.000+08:00

I've learned that we don't have to change friends if we understand that friends change.

I've learned that no matter how good a friend is, they're going to hurt you every once in a while and you must forgive them for that.

I've learned that true friendship continues to grow, even over the longest distance. The same goes for true love.

I've learned that you can do something in an instant that will give you heartache for life.

I've learned that it's taking me a long time to become the person I want to be.

I've learned that you should always leave loved ones with loving words. It may be the last time you see them.

I've learned that you can keep going long after you can't.

I've learned that we are responsible for what we do, no matter how we feel.

I've learned that either you control your attitude or it controls you.

I've learned that regardless of how hot and steamy a relationship is at first, the passion fades and there had better be something else to take its place.

I've learned that heroes are the people who do what has to be done when it needs to be done, regardless of the consequences.

I've learned that money is a lousy way of keeping score.

I've learned that my best friend and I can do anything or nothing and have the best time.

I've learned that sometimes the people you expect to kick you when you're down, will be the ones to help you get back up.

I've learned that sometimes when I'm angry I have the right to be angry, but that doesn't give me the right to be cruel.

I've learned that just because someone doesn't love you the way you want them to doesn't mean they don't love you with all they have.

I've learned that maturity has more to do with what types of experiences you've had and what you've learned from them, and less to do with how many years you have lived.

I've learned that it isn't always enough to be forgiven by others. Sometimes you have to learn to forgive yourself.

I've learned that no matter how bad your heart is broken the world doesn't stop for your grief.

I've learned that our background and circumstances may have influenced who we are, but we are responsible for who we become.

I've learned that just because two people argue, it doesn't mean they don't love each other And just because they don't argue, it doesn't mean they do love each other.

I've learned that you shouldn't be so eager to find out a secret. It could change your life forever.

I've learned that two people can look at the same thing and see something totally different.

I've learned that your life can be changed in a matter of hours by people who don't even know you.

I've learned that even when you think you have no more to give, when a friend cries out to you you will find the strength to help.

I've learned that credentials on the wall do not make you a decent human being.

I've learned that the people you care about most in life are sometimes taken from you too soon

A Best Friend

2005-01-27T13:43:00.000+08:00

A best friend is always there,

whether you need advice,

or a pep talk, or even a shoulder to cry on.

A best friend listens with his heart and is always honest with you,

even though the truth may not be what you want to hear.

A best friend knows all your secrets, understands your fears shares your dreams.

A best friend never stops believing in you even if you give up on yourself.

you are that kind of friend to me.

And no matter what happens, you always will be.

You are my best friend.... my forever friend.

Simple vs Real

2005-01-27T13:38:00.000+08:00

Anyone can stand by you when you are right, but a Friend will stand by you even when you are wrong...

A simple friend identifies himself when he calls. A real friend doesn't have to.

A simple friend opens a conversation with a full news bulletin on his life.

A real friend says, "What's new with you?"

A simple friend thinks the problems you whine about are recent.

A real friend says, "You've been whining about the same thing for 14 years. Get off your duff and do something about it."

A simple friend has never seen you cry. A real friend has shoulders soggy from your tears.

A simple friend doesn't know your parents' first names. A real friend has their phone numbers in his address book.

A simple friend hates it when you call after he has gone to bed. A real friend asks you why you took so long to call.

A simple friend seeks to talk with you about your problems. A real friend seeks to help you with your problems.

A simple friend, when visiting, acts like a guest. A real friend opens your refrigerator and helps himself.

A simple friend thinks the friendship is over when you have an argument.

A real friend knows that it's not a friendship until after you've had a fight

.
A simple friend expects you to always be there for them. A real friend expects to always be there for you!

The Friend Who Just Stands By

2005-01-27T03:00:00.000+08:00

B.Y. Williams

When trouble comes your soul to try,

You love the friend who just "stands by."

Perhaps there's nothing he can do--

The thing is strictly up to you;

For there are troubles all your own,

And paths the soul must tread alone;

Times when love cannot smooth the road

Nor friendship lift the heavy load,

But just to know you have a friend

Who will "stand by" until the end,

Whose sympathy through all endures,

Whose warm handclasp is always yours--

It helps, someway, to pull you through,

Although there's nothing he can do.

And so with fervent heart you cry,"

God bless the friend who just 'stands by'"!

A Lost Friendship by Licia

2005-01-26T14:52:00.000+08:00

I had to let a good friend go, even though I never thought so.
A lasting friendship I thought we made,
Now all our memories just start to fade.
I took for granted a friendship that was given to me,
Now I look back and regret what I now can see.
I never trusted the friendship we had,
Now I must go on alone and sad.
How much I cared she'll never know,
It's my fault for having to let go.
There's nothing else to say or do,
She's given up...and I must too.

Can See the Pain

2005-01-26T13:46:00.000+08:00

by Nikki

I still see your face in my dreams
It hurts and it doesn't help at all
I still want you in my life as crazy as that seemsI
want you to catch me when I fall
I still remember the first time we met
There was something so different about you
Your friendship was something I wanted to get
That smile when you said hi to me was so new
Out of no where you called me on the phone
I wanted to sit there and talk to you forever
You were so new, so crazy and unknown
I just knew that our friendship would never sever
Two years and we are barely holding it together
What happened to the way this all used to be
I never wanted you out of my like ever
I sat there for a long time pretending not to see
We decided to go out and make it all all right
It didn't work out of course we knew it couldn't
We couldn't even really stand each others sight
It shouldn't end this way but it did and I shouldn't
I miss you and everything you were to me
Ten years from now we will look back on it all
We will be older and finally be able to see
That love will stand the test of time and never fall

Best Friend

2005-01-26T11:01:00.000+08:00

You've been there for me through the good times and bad
I know I can count on you to be there when I'm sad
Life without you just wouldn't be right
I wouldn't be able to get through each day and night
When I've had a bad dayI know that you're only a call away
When life takes that crazy turn
You are always there to help me learn
We've had so many good times together
I know we'll be best friends forever
No matter where we areI know we'll never be too far
You're my idol, my brother my friend
We'll be together till the end
Even when we're old and gray
You'll be here still, to help me get on my way

Do your homework-step by step

2005-01-26T10:45:00.000+08:00

1. Sit in a straight, comfortable chair in a well-lighted place with plenty of freshly sharpened pencils.
2. Read over the assignment carefully, to make certain you understand it.
3. Walk down to the vending machines and buy some coffee to help you concentrate.
4. Stop off at another floor, on the way back and visit with your friend from class. If your friend hasn't started the paper yet either, you can both walk to McDonalds and buy a hamburger to help you concentrate. If your friend shows you his paper, typed, double-spaced, and bound in one of those irritating see-through plastic folders, drop him.
5. When you get back to your room, sit in a straight, comfortable chair in a clean, well-lighted place with plenty of freshly sharpened pencils.
6. Read over the assignment again to make absolutely certain you understand it.
7. You know, you haven't written to that kid you met at camp since fourth grade. You'd better write that letter now and get it out of the way so you can concentrate.
8. Go look at your teeth in the bathroom mirror.
9. Listen to one side of your favorite tape and that's it-- I mean it! As soon as it's over you are going to start that paper.
10. Listen to the other side.
11. Rearrange all of your CDs into alphabetical order.
12. Phone your friend on the other floor and ask if he's started writing yet. Exchange derogatory remarks about your teacher, the course, the university, and the world at large.
13. Sit in a straight, comfortable chair in a clean, well-lighted place with plenty of freshly sharpened pencils.
14. Read over the assignment again; roll the words across your tongue; savor its special flavor.
15. Check the newspaper listings to make sure you aren't missing something truly worthwhile on TV. NOTE: When you have a paper due in less than 12 hours, anything on TV from Masterpiece Theater to Sgt. Preston of the Yukon, is truly worthwhile.
16. Catch the last hour of Soul Brother of Kung Fu on channel 26.
17. Phone your friend on the third floor to see if he was watching. Discuss the finer points of the plot.
18. Go look at your tongue in the bathroom mirror.
19. Look through your roommate's book of pictures from home. Ask who everyone is.
20. Sit down and do some serious thinking about your plans for the future.
21. Open your door and check to see if there are any mysterious, trench-coated strangers lurking in the hall.
22. Sit in a straight, comfortable chair in a clean, well-lighted place with plenty of freshly sharpened pencils.
23. Read over the assignment one more time, just for the heck of it.
24. Scoot your chair across the room to the window and watch the sunrise.
25. Lie face down on the floor and scream at the top of your lungs.
26. Leap up and write the paper.
27. Type the paper.
28. Complain to everyone that you didn't get any sleep because you had to write the paper.

Hoc est verum et nihili nisi verum

A Friend's Greeting

If I Knew

A Friend Most True

Good Times/ Bad Times

For my Best Friend

Are you my Friend?

You Are My Best Friend

A Best Friend

My BestFriend

A Best Friend

You are Mine

I Will be Here (Lyrics)

Magnificent Obsession by Steven Curtis Chapman (My Favorite Christian Song)

Happy Birthday Bestfriend!!

THE WORLD NEEDS MEN

Friendship versus Love

Winner vs Loser

Strength and Courage

Thoughts

The 5 Keys to Interpersonal Success by Joseph Sommerville, PhD

Inspirational Quotes

Laws of Success

Top 7 Questions to Ask as You Start Each Day Purposefully

The Truth About Failure

7 Family Habits

11 Lessons

Portrait of a Friend

Friend and Acquaintance

A Scorpion Moment

Our Time in History

I Am Thankful For ...

Take a Moment to Reflect

SATAN'S SCHEME

Lots of Wisdom

20 Words to the Wise

Twelve Good Rules

Friends for Life

Another Bill of Rights

Inspiration For The Day

This is my Prayer

The Innocence Of A Child

My HI5 account

A Lesson in Life

Appreciating Our Past

Allow Your Own Inner Light to Guide You

A Best Friend

Simple vs Real

The Friend Who Just Stands By

A Lost Friendship by Licia

Can See the Pain

Best Friend

Do your homework-step by step