Success

Success is speaking words of praise,
In cheering other people's ways,
In doing just the best you can,
With every task and every plan,

It's silence when your speech would hurt,
Politeness when your neighbor's curt,
It's deafness when the scandal flows,
And sympathy with others' woes,

It's loyalty when duty calls,
It's courage when disaster falls,
It's patience when the hours are long,
It's found in laughter and in song,

It's in the silent time of prayer,
In happiness and in despair,
In all of life and nothing less,
We find the thing we call success..

~ Author Unknown ~
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TODAYâS INSPIRATIONAL QUOTE:

"I expect to pass through this world but once. Any good therefore that I can do, or any kindness or abilities that I can show to any fellow creature, let me do it now. Let me not defer it or neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again."

~ William Penn

Scars

Some years ago, on a hot summer day in south Florida, a little boy decided to go for a swim in the old swimming hole behind his house. In a hurry to dive into the cool water, he ran out the back door, leaving behind shoes, socks and shirt as he went. He flew into the water, not realizing that as he swam toward the middle of the lake, an alligator was swimming toward the shore.

His mother, in the house and looking out the window, saw the two as they got closer and closer together. In utter fear, she ran toward the water, yelling to her son as loudly as she could. Hearing her voice, the little boy became alarmed and made a U-turn to swim to his mother. It was too late. Just as he reached her, the alligator reached him. From the dock, the mother grabbed her little boy by the arms just as the alligator snatched his legs. That began an incredible tug-of-war between the two. The alligator was much stronger than the mother, but the mother was much too passionate to let go.

A farmer happened to drive by, heard her screams, raced from his truck, took aim and shot the alligator. Remarkably, after weeks and weeks in the hospital, the little boy survived. His legs were extremely scarred by the vicious attack of the animal. And, on his arms, were deep scratches where his mother's fingernails dug into his flesh in her effort to hang on to the son she loved.

The newspaper reporter who interviewed the boy after the trauma asked if he would show him his scars. The boy lifted his pant legs. And then, with obvious pride, he said to the reporter, "But look at my arms. I have great scars on my arms, too. I have them because my Mom wouldn't let go."
You and I can identify with that little boy. We have scars, too. No, not from an alligator, but the scars of a painful past. Some of those scars are unsightly and have caused us deep regret. But some wounds, my friend, are because God has refused to let go. In the midst of your struggle, He's been there holding on to you. The Scripture teaches that God loves you. You are a child of God. He wants to protect you and provide for you in every way.

But sometimes we foolishly wade into dangerous situations, not knowing what lies ahead. The swimming hole of life is filled with peril - and we forget that the enemy is waiting to attack. That's when the tug-of-war begins - and if you have the scars of His love on your arms be very, very grateful. He did not, and will not, ever let you go.
~ Author Unknown ~

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TODAYâS INSPIRATIONAL QUOTE:

"Joy increases as you give it, and diminishes as you try to keep it for yourself. In giving it, you will accumulate a deposit of joy greater than you ever believed possible."

Give a Kind Word

Do you know a heart that hungers
For a word of love and cheer?
There are many such about us;
It may be that one is near.

Look around you, if you find it
Speak the word that's needed so,
And your own heart may be strengthened
By the help that you bestow.

Never think kind words are wasted,
Bread on waters cast are they.
And it may be we shall find them
Coming back to us, some day.

Coming back when sorely needed,
In a time of sore distress,
So, my friend, let's give them freely;
Gift and giver God will bless.
~ Author Unknown~
TODAYâS INSPIRATIONAL QUOTE:

"You cannot expect to achieve new goals or move beyond your present circumstances unless you change."

~ Les Brown

In the Mood

Do you ever avoid what must be done because you're just not in the mood? How many opportunities and possibilities are never fulfilled because you were not in the mood when it was time for action?

Whose mood is it, anyway? It's yours, and you have the option of adjusting your mood to serve your purposes. There are times when the best things in life will not wait until your mood happens to be right. There are times when it is in your best interest to put yourself in the mood for what must be done.

If you're not in the mood to do some particular task, there's a quick and easy way to put yourself in the mood. Simply visualize, clearly, richly and in full detail, how great it will feel to already have the job done.

The more you don't feel like doing it, the more you will want to have it done. Focus intensely on the benefits of having it done and that will put you in the mood to go ahead and get it done.
Your feelings have a powerful influence on you. So focus them in a positive, productive direction and let them push you forward.
--Ralph Marston ~
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TODAYâS INSPIRATIONAL QUOTE:

"My goal in life is to be as good of a person my dog already thinks I am."

~ Author Unknown

Judge Gently

Pray, don't find fault with the man that limps
Or stumbles along the road.
Unless you have worn the shoes he wears
Or struggled beneath his load.

There may be tacks in his shoes that hurt
Though hidden away from view.
Or the burden he bears placed on your back
Might cause you to stumble too.

Donât sneer at the man who's down today
Unless you have felt the blow
That caused his fall or felt the shame
That only the fallen know.

You may be strong but still the blows
That was his if dealt to you
In the selfsame way, at the selfsame time
Might cause you to stagger too.

Don't be too harsh with the man that sins
Or pelt him with word or stone
Unless you are sure - yea, doubly sure -
That you have no sins of your own.

For you know, perhaps,
If the tempter's voice should whisper as soft to you
As it did to him when he went astray
It might cause you to falter too.

~ Author Unknown ~
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TODAYâS INSPIRATIONAL QUOTE:

"The only thing that will stop you from fufilling your dreams is you."

~ Tom Bradley

We Are So Blessed

If you woke up this morning with more health than illness, you are more blessed than the million who will not survive the week.

If you have never experienced the danger of battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture or the pains of starvation, you are ahead of 500 million people around the world.

If you can express your beliefs without fear of harassment, arrest, torture, or death, you are more blessed that almost three billion people in the world.

If you have food in your refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof over your head and a place to sleep, you are richer than 75% of this world.

If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a dish someplace, you are among the top 8% of the worlds wealthy.

If your parents are still married and alive, you are very, very rare.

If you hold up your head with a smile on your face and are truly thankful, you are blessed because the majority can, but most do not.

If you own just one Bible, you are abundantly blessed. 1/3 of the world does not have access to even one.
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TODAYâS INSPIRATIONAL QUOTE:

"Don't dwell on what went wrong. Instead, focus on what to do next. Spend your energies on moving forward toward finding the answer."

~ Denis Waitley

Life is Beauty

Life is beauty, admire it.
Life is bliss, taste it.
Life is a dream, realize it.
Life is a challenge, meet it.
Life is a duty, complete it.
Life is a game, play it.
Life is a promise, fulfill it.
Life is sorrow, overcome it.
Life is a song, sing it.
Life is a struggle, accept it.
Life is a tragedy, confront it.
Life is an adventure, dare it.
Life is luck, make it.
Life is too precious, do not destroy it.
Life is life, fight for it.
~ Mother Teresa ~
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TODAYâS INSPIRATIONAL QUOTE:

"Man's reach should exceed his grasp, or what's a heaven for?"

~ Robert Browning