Thought For The Day 05/18/12

HAPPINESS!

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If there were in the world today any large number of people who desired their own happiness more than they desired the unhappiness of others, we could have a paradise in a few years. 

Bertrand Russell

http://www.quotegarden.com/happiness.html

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Have you noticed how many people there are in the world that live their lives every day angry and hateful and vindictive? We encounter people like these every day. It may well be that we can reconcile behavior like this within the circle of those we are only casually acquainted with.  However, we see this behavior more and more in people who are not only more closely connected to us, but also in those who hold positions of authority and leadership in today’s world. They are often people who embrace the philosophy that the only good move is an aggressive one. They position themselves at a higher place on the totem pole. Perhaps they need this viewpoint to give them the clear line of sight they require to take aim at the rest of the world. Or perhaps they have been trampled on so much themselves as they lived that they have taken an oath to never allow themselves to be the low man, ever again! Either way, the problem with people like this is that they are never completely happy people nor will they ever be content with their lot in life! Many have lost spouses because they can never allow for the intimate bonding that a healthy and successful marriage requires. Many find themselves friendless and alone. But to what end? People like this know only a life of sadness and their loneliness translates into bitterness. And if there is anything that can be said of bitterness, it is as miserable an existence as any human being can know.

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As long as man has sought to express himself by the relating of a tale, either verbally or in writing, he has tried to impart the wisdom that is to be found in life lessons intended to impart a moral, ethical or spiritual imperative. Did you know that there is something called the “Seven Deadlies”? I am not referring to the seven deadly sins but rather, a list of common human behaviors capable of transforming our lives into a state of perpetual turmoil!

  • punishing
  • complaining
  • blaming
  • threatening
  • nagging
  • criticizing
  • bribing

Do you recognize yourself here? I know we all find ourselves experiencing these emotions on occasion. And even worse, we may find ourselves living these without even realizing it! They are all behaviors that come to us as learned experiences. We are all born with pureness. It is only once we live and become part of the lives (and emotions) of the adults in our world, that we learn these behaviors. And naturally, after years of hearing these “deadlies” tossed our way, we often become master manipulators, ourselves. The question is, can we rise above them and rid ourselves of this negative emotional baggage?

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None of us have a happiness tree in our backyard. Happiness does not come from our connection with others. Yes, others can enhance the happiness we feel, but it has to start in one place. It has to be found within our own hearts. God has given each of us the capacity to become a whole and complete and happy person. But He also requires that we try to form a spiritual bond with Him! He gives us everything we need to live and grow and thrive. But to accomplish this, we need to empty our hearts of actions and behaviors that hurt us spiritually. We need to ask His help with ridding our hearts of the “deadlies“! But, amazingly, once we do, we make room for all the wisdom and love God can give, and suddenly, we will discover the one thing that makes living worthwhile………..HAPPINESS!

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“Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you shall receive, and your JOY will be complete.”

(John 16:24 NIV)

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Copyright © 2012 “MandysPath”

Thought For The Day 05/17/12

Exposure Response Therapy

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The human race’s prospects of survival were considerably better when we were defenceless against tigers than they are today when we have become defenceless against ourselves. 

Arnold Toynbee

http://www.quotegarden.com/society.html

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Exposure Response Therapy or E.R.T., is the way that we treat many of the emotional disorders people suffer from. From Depression to Agoraphobia to Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, rather than avoiding the difficult issue you are plagued with, E.R.T. directs you turn to the issue, face it armed with all your resolve and address how it makes you feel. In doing this, you are banishing the power this disorder holds over you. Now I am no psychological expert, but anything that empowers us seems good, in my book. If more people looked to take charge of their lives and accepted responsibility for their mistakes, the world, in my humble estimation, would be a supremely better place for man to live.

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That is the gift that was given to us by God when he programmed us with the gene that gifted us with free will. Now from a perspective of faith, this gift presumes that our will and choices coexist with what it is we understand is God’s plan for man. But free will is always tempered with other components of the human psyche such as a code of ethics which holds us morally accountable for our actions and which, when combined with the checks and balances society has put in place by establishing laws, keeps our baser tendencies from seizing control. For the most part! You see, we continue to live in an era where we tend to see ourselves as being the center of the universe, at least from a philosophical perspective. Where our faith once served to temper those baser instincts we now see ourselves as the one controlling our moral compass. But what is the result? We have produced a generation of young people who lack discipline and who refuse to accept responsibility for their actions, each armed with an indifference to that which serves the greater good!

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The time seems to have come where we are approaching a huge crossroads in life.  Has the time come for mankind to return to a simpler time of human existence? Has the time come for mankind to return to a time of respect and concern for our neighbors? Has the time come for mankind to once again accept responsibility for the way we behave and the things we do? Do we want to continue in that downward spiral of indifference? Are we prepared to face God’s final word on human existence? Are we prepared to face the predictions given in the book of Revelations?

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6 He said to me: “It is done.   I am the Alpha and the Omega,   the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost   from the spring of the water of life. 7 Those who are victorious   will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children. 8 But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars —they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur.   This is the second death.”

Revelations 21:6-8 NIV

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Copyright © 2012 “MandysPath”

Thought For The Day 05/16/12

Reading It With New Eyes!

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Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other.  Truth shall spring out of the earth; and righteousness shall look down from heaven. 

Psalms 85:10-11

http://www.quotegarden.com/bible.html

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Even if you’ve never personally read the book I’m going to talk about today, you’ve heard of it! There have been somewhere between 2.5 billion and 6 billion copies of it sold through out the ages. It has been translated into 2,018 languages not counting audio translations for some languages with no written word. No, I’m not talking about the Harry Potter series which, by comparison, has sold a mere 400 million copies and has been translated into 67 languages! Even the works of Shakespeare, who is considered to be the master writer of the English language, has had his works translated into only about 50 languages! No indeed, the book I’m going to talk about is far more wonderful! It is as complete and perfect a tome as has ever been written!

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Contained within its pages are countless stories of love and hate, bravery and cowardice, good and bad. In fact, if it were written in the modern-day vernacular, it would, no doubt, be flying off the shelves faster than has the Harry Potter series, first released on June 30th, 1997. Yes, the Bible is a religious textbook of lessons about how to live our lives but, even more importantly, the sheer artistry of its content makes it a work of genius and a true literary masterpiece greater than any other ever written. Read between the lines for a moment.Think about the 1500 odd years it took so many different people to compose it’s chapters. It is an anthology, if you will, of many separate books. And yet, somehow, it manages to present itself as one cohesive tale, capable of evoking a myriad of emotions from the human heart! Yes, we laugh at the comedy contained within (remember the message we learned from Elisha never to tease a bald-headed man?) and cry at the tragic tales (think about Job and his trials at the hand of Satan). We learn lessons of morality from the wisdom of Solomon, and we hold hope for man’s future as given to us by people such as Daniel and Isaiah. We learn to sing joyous songs at the knee of David and Asaph. And we read of the heroic deeds of Gideon and Mordecai!

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I want to ask you all to alter your thinking today! Forget about the tedious way the Bible was introduced into your life when you were a child! I know that for me, the last thing in the world I wanted to do on a Sunday morning was to learn the names of the books of the Bible in Sunday School. I wanted to be in the sunshine and I wanted to play. But today is a new day and age. I have a more sophisticated palate for the literary word. So do you all, I am sure! So lets become a bit adventurous, shall we? Broaden your horizons a bit. Pick up the “Good Book” anew and open its cover and begin your adventure once more. But this time, read it for the pleasure it invokes. See its stories with a new set of eyes. You may discover a whole new appreciation and understanding for what we know it to really be…..God’s inerrant word!

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An intelligent heart acquires knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.        

Proverbs 18:15 ESV

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Copyright © 2012 “MandysPath”

Thought For The Day 05/15/12

Do We Try To Make It To Death Safely?

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Many great ideas have been lost because the people who had them could not stand being laughed at. 

Author Unknown

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 How many of you have experienced a day like the one I’m about to describe? Have you ever found  the simple act of rising from a chair to go to bed makes you want to raise your arms and cry “UNCLE”? How about a day when simply getting undressed becomes too much work that you find yourself falling into bed with clothes, shoes and even eyeglasses still on? That seems to be the norm lately for me rather than the exception to the rule and I found myself needing to sit back, collect my thoughts and dissect why I seem to be stuck in a phase where life and all of its components seems to be ganging up on me, each little piece a hired assassin whose mission it seems to be to put me 6 feet under? When did I become someone who would allow myself to be abused by fate? Is my faith not really that strong within me to allow me triumph over the landmines planted along my path?

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And then, suddenly, an amazing thing occurred to me! There are no mistakes in life. There is only the chance for life to teach us lessons on becoming a better and more spiritual human being. But, we accomplish none of this without daring to take a chance and make a stand! We are always afraid of something as we navigate life’s waters. Life is scary because to live it fully requires opening our heart, mind, body and soul to the scrutiny of others. And if there is one thing that scares the pants off most people, it is the potential for being rejected by others in life! But why? There are few certainties in life more profound than one important fact that exists for every single human being……. we will all die. It is an absolute that is affixed to us all from the moment we are born! And if that is the end of life’s journey for each and every one of us, why then do we not seize every opportunity that comes our way and embrace life to its fullest?

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I do not want my epitaph to read…..”She Lived A Safe Life!” I want my epitaph to read…..”She Seized Every Opportunity!” I want it to read…..”She Lived Life And Made  A Difference!” When I am old and bent and gray and frail, I want to be able to look in the mirror and see the sparkle in my eye, and look back at the years that have passed and I want to say, “WHAT A RIDE!”

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 ”Yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.”

James 4:14 ESV

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Copyright © 2012 “MandysPath”

Thought For The Day 05/14/12

Because You Loved Me!

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Landon John Hilliard

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Grandchildren are the dots that connect the lines from generation to generation. 

Lois Wyse

http://www.quotegarden.com/grandparents.html

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I am tired. So is my family, especially my daughter and son-in-law. We spent a harrowing night in the Emergency Room when Landon, my grandson, suffered a severe episode of Respiratory Distress Syndrome, which seems to be the current medically acceptable and politically correct moniker for what used to be known as Asthma. Now Landon’s mother had this as a child and watching him over the last 24 hours was every bit as heart wrenching as it was when I saw his mother go through the same thing 30 years ago. We were blessed that Sabrina outgrew the worst part of this disease as she passed from childhood into her teen years and we hope it is the same for our little guy. In the meantime, we must be ever vigilant and treat any slight symptom he might exhibit aggressively. And except for handing over the well-being of Landon to our Almighty Father that He might wrap his loving and protective embrace around him, even as we ask for the strength to see what we must do and then do it as we work diligently to keep him symptom free, I also began to think, in the quiet of the Emergency Room after Landon fell into an exhausted sleep, of the song whose words I share with you today. It was such a favorite of mine that I chose it as the song for my dance with my son the day he got married. And yet, as the music filled my head, I felt somehow comforted, as if I was being given a message that things would be OK for my little red-headed dynamo. And I knew the truth of the thing in the very lyrics whose melody captured my mind in the quiet of the night. Yes, I knew He would be there for Landon and my family and me. And He was! Because He loved me….loved us all!

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BECAUSE YOU LOVED ME!

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written by Diane Warren (as a tribute to her father for his encouragement)

recorded and performed by Celine Dion

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For all those times you stood by me

 For all the truth that you made me see

For all the joy you brought to my life

For all the wrong that you made right

For every dream you made come true

For all the love I found in you

I’ll be forever thankful, baby

You’re the one who held me up

Never let me fall

You’re the one who saw me through

Through it all

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You were my strength when I was weak

You were my voice when I couldn’t speak

You were my eyes when I couldn’t see

You saw the best there was in me

Lifted me up when I couldn’t reach

You gave me faith ’cause you believed

I’m everything I am

Because you loved me, ooh, baby

You gave me wings and made me fly

You touched my hand I could touch the sky

I lost my faith, you gave it back to me

You said no star was out of reach

You stood by me and I stood tall

I had your love, I had it all

I’m grateful for each day you gave me

Maybe, I don’t know that much

But I know this much is true

I was blessed because I was

loved by you

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You were my strength when I was weak

You were my voice when I couldn’t speak

You were my eyes when I couldn’t see

You saw the best there was in me

Lifted me up when I couldn’t reach

You gave me faith ’cause you believed

I’m everything I am Because you loved me, ooh

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You were always there for me,

the tender wind that carried me

The light in the dark shining your love into my life

You’ve been my inspiration

through the lies you were the truth

My world is a better place because of you

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You were my strength when I was weak

You were my voice when I couldn’t speak

You were my eyes when I couldn’t see

You saw the best there was in me

Lifted me up when I couldn’t reach

You gave me faith ’cause you believed

I’m everything I am Because you loved me,

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You were my strength when I was weak

You were my voice when I couldn’t speak

You were my eyes when I couldn’t see

You saw the best there was in me

Lifted me up when I couldn’t reach

You gave me faith ’cause you believed

I’m everything I am Because you loved me, oh

I’m everything I am Because you loved me!

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Click the link to see the video

http://youtu.be/BFDvdW36NU0

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For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.  

Hebrews 4:12 ESV     

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Copyright © 2012 “MandysPath”

Thought For The Day 05/13/12

A Tale Of Two MOTHERS!

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Margaret Balbo Bruscella

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Elaine Stafford Pierce

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A mother is the truest friend we have, when trials heavy and sudden, fall upon us; when adversity takes the place of prosperity; when friends who rejoice with us in our sunshine desert us; when trouble thickens around us, still will she cling to us, and endeavor by her kind precepts and counsels to dissipate the clouds of darkness, and cause peace to return to our hearts. 

Washington Irving

http://quotegarden.com/mom-day.html

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They were as different as night and day. One was a Mediterranean beauty with dark eyes and a beautiful sun-kissed bronze glow. The other was a fair-skinned and blue-eyed all American beauty. One was born around the time of World War I. The other was a teen during World War II and lost her only sibling, her brother during that war. One was the oldest of 7 brothers and sisters and who helped her mother raise the youngest, born not many years away from the day she would be married herself. The other was the youngest and who became an only child the day her brother’s plane was lost over the Black Sea. One graduated from High School in an age when to be able to lay claim to this was not very common. The other graduated college and discovered her passion for teaching and children would become her lifelong pursuit. One would struggle for many, many years before she herself would discover motherhood, and that occurred when she decided to carry his first-born in her heart instead of in her body! The other would deliver her oldest just a few short years from the day she married. Both found what would be a lifetime of happiness with their very own Prince Charming! Neither would meet until fate intervened and the first meeting would best be described as a scene from “My Big Fat English-Italian Wedding”! They had nothing in common except for one thing…….Dan and me! The circle of life was being written anew when boy met girl in November of 1972. And yet what followed was a new chapter in what would prove to be the greatest years for them both. Grandparenthood! And even today, the best part of the two of them live on in the sparkle of shiny blue eyes of a tiny, redheaded little bundle of energy. Neither of them were blessed with the opportunity of meeting their great-grandchild, Landon, but he is the legacy they each left the world! And the circle of life continues!

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Landon John Hilliard

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25 She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come.

26 She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue.

27 She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.

28 Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her:

29 “Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all.”

30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.

31 Honor her for all that her hands have done,     and let her works bring her praise   at the city gate.

Proverbs 31:25-31 NIV

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Copyright © 2012 “MandysPath”

Thought For The Day 05/12/12

For The One That Bore Us!

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The real religion of the world comes from women much more than from men – from mothers most of all, who carry the key of our souls in their bosoms. 

Oliver Wendell Holmes

http://quotegarden.com/mom-day.html

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The tale that can be told of mothers throughout history is not a unique one. For even in ancient times, except for the Almighty himself, it was to the one that bore us and fed us and set our feet upon the road of life, they were the ones that we honored with the highest praises that could possibly be sung. Even today, as a mother, I serve myself food at the table last. It is not because I fear there will not be enough which is a fear that faces many mothers in today’s world. It is not because I am in less need of having my hunger assuaged. But it is because I want the choicest morsels, and only the most perfect pieces to go to the ones I love more than I do myself. It is a testament to the bond that formed as my heartbeat synced with theirs as I carried them inside of me for those 40 odd weeks before they burst forth into the new world.

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I do not say that all mothers are angels. Yes there are some that commit great evil upon the very innocent lives they were entrusted with by God. Not every mother there is has the mother gene perfectly affixed to each strand of DNA. In fact there are indeed some who never should have conceived, nor carried, nor delivered a child. And yet, we know that this number is infinitesimally small  compared to the millions upon millions throughout history that would have gladly sacrificed the air they breathe if it would in some way help their little ones. And this is the part of the story we tell today. It is the part of the tale that we cling to when we paint a picture in our mind of mothers and a mother’s love! It is the tale that was written for Good Housekeeping Magazine in 1933 by Temple Bailey!

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“Is this the long way?” asked the young mother as she set her foot on the path of life. And the Guide said:

“Yes, and the way is hard, and you will be old before you reach the end of  it. But the end will be better than the beginning.”

The young mother was happy, and she would not believe that anything could be  better than these years. So she played with her children, she fed them and  bathed them, taught them how to tie their shoes and ride a bike, and reminded  them to feed the dog and do their homework and brush their teeth. The sun shone  on them and the young mother cried,

“Nothing will ever be lovelier than this.”

Then the nights came, and the storms, and the path was sometimes dark, and  the children shook with fear and cold, and the mother drew them close and  covered them with her arms. The children said,

“Mother, we are not afraid, for you are near, and no harm can come.”

And the morning came, and there was a hill ahead, and the children climbed  and grew weary, and the mother was weary. But at all times she said to the  children,

“A little patience and we are there.”

So the children climbed and as they climbed they learned to weather the  storms. And with this, she gave them strength to face the world. Year after year  she showed them compassion, understanding, hope, but most of all unconditional  love. And when they reached the top they said,

“Mother, we could not have done it without you.”

The days went on, and the weeks and the months and the years. The mother grew  old and she became little and bent. But her children were tall and strong, and  walked with courage. And the mother, when she lay down at night, looked up at  the stars and said:

“This is a better day than the last, for my children have learned so much and  are now passing these traits on to their children.”

And when the way became rough for her, they lifted her, and gave her  strength, just as she had given them hers. One day they came to a hill, and  beyond the hill they could see a shining road and golden gates flung wide. And  Mother said,

“I have reached the end of my journey. And now I know the end is better than  the beginning, for my children can walk with dignity and pride, with their heads  held high, and so can their children after them.” And the children said,

“You will always walk with us, Mother, even when you have gone through the  gates.”

And they stood and watched her as she went on alone, and the gates closed  after her. And they said,

“We cannot see her, but she is with us still.” A mother is more than a  memory. She is a living presence. Your Mother is always with you. She’s the  whisper of the leaves as you walk down the street, she’s the smell of certain  foods you remember, flowers you pick and perfume that she wore, she’s the cool  hand on your brow when you’re not feeling well, she’s your breath in the air on  a cold winters day.

She is the sound of the rain that lulls you to sleep, the colors of a  rainbow, she is your birthday morning. Your Mother lives inside your laughter.  And she’s crystallized in every tear drop.

A mother shows through in every emotion – happiness, sadness, fear, jealousy,  love, hate, anger, helplessness, excitement, joy, sorrow – and all the while  hoping and praying you will only know the good feelings in life.

She’s the place you came from, your first home, and she’s the map you follow  with every step you take. She’s your first love, your first friend, even your  first enemy, but nothing on earth can separate you.

Not time, not space – not even death!

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When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home.        

John 19:26-27 ESV

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Copyright © 2012 “MandysPath”

Thought For The Day 05/11/12

God Never Makes Mistakes!

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HEAVENS VERY SPECIAL CHILD

written by Edna Massimilla

A meeting was held quite far from Earth, “It’s time again for another birth,” Said the angels to the Lord above, “This child will need much love.”

“Her progress may seem very slow, Accomplishments she may not show. And she’ll require extra care, From  folks she meets way down there.

She may not run or laugh or play, Her  thoughts may seem quite far away. In many ways she won’t adapt, And she’ll  be known as handicapped.

So let’s be careful where she’s sent, We want  her life to be content. Please, Lord, find the parents who will do a  special job for you.

They will not realize right away, The leading  role they’re asked to play. But with this child sent from above, Come  stronger faith and richer love.

And soon they’ll know the privilege given In  caring for this gift from Heaven. Their precious charge, so meek and  mild, Is Heaven’s very special child.”

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Life does not always happen the way we plan or hope it will. It is not always prettily wrapped in bright shiny paper complete with a curly, swirly bow. Life is messy and imperfect…………….and just wonderful! Especially when you are a few lucky little children named Christian, Leah, Stanley and Anthony!

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These last two little ones were my husband’s young cousins. They did not grace the Earth for very many years but the years they were here enriched the lives of our family more than I can describe! And I believe that is why God chose our family for Stanley and Anthony, just as He chose Meghan and Jeff for Leah, who passed away shortly before my grandson was born, and Christian’s family for him. Christian is a happy little guy who is growing and thriving today and, with God’s help, will grow to meet the challenges of adulthood head on! It is, after all, part of His plan to place children with challenges like these four with very special people! In His infinite wisdom, God knew that only the most loving, kind and generous hearts would be able to embrace and care for and nurture and cherish these very special angels whose time it was to arrive here on Earth!

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The story you are about to see is about Christian, who celebrated his first birthday this past February. Christian’s story is one that will warm your spirit and will serve to reaffirm something I have said before but which is worth repeating now. There are a few special people who wear their angel wings on the inside, where the world can’t see them but where God intended they be! Christian’s mom is one of these special angels! So is my friend Meghan and her husband Jeff. So is my husband’s Aunt Angie. And while they would be the first to say they did what they needed to do as loving and devoted parents, you and I really know the truth of the matter!

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Please CLICK the link below to view the video!

http://youtu.be/vcVYFxGixkU

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“And taking a child, he set him in the midst of them. Whom when he had embraced, he saith to them: Whosoever shall receive one such child as this in my name, receiveth me. And whosoever shall receive me, receiveth not me, but him that sent me.” 

 Mark 9:36-37

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Copyright © 2012 “MandysPath”

Thought For The Day 05/10/12

God Is Our Co-Pilot!

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To a Mouse, on Turning Her Up in Her Nest with the Plough

by Robert Burns

Small, crafty, cowering, timorous little beast, O, what a panic is in your little breast! You need not start away so hasty With argumentative chatter! I would be loath to run and chase you, With murdering plough-staff.

I’m truly sorry man’s dominion Has broken Nature’s social union, And justifies that ill opinion Which makes thee startle At me, thy poor, earth born companion And fellow mortal!

I doubt not, sometimes, but you may steal; What then? Poor little beast, you must live! An odd ear in twenty-four sheaves Is a small request; I will get a blessing with what is left, And never miss it.

Your small house, too, in ruin! Its feeble walls the winds are scattering! And nothing now, to build a new one, Of coarse grass green! And bleak December’s winds coming, Both bitter and keen!

You saw the fields laid bare and wasted, And weary winter coming fast, And cozy here, beneath the blast, You thought to dwell, Till crash! the cruel plough passed Out through your cell.

That small bit heap of leaves and stubble, Has cost you many a weary nibble! Now you are turned out, for all your trouble, Without house or holding, To endure the winter’s sleety dribble, And hoar-frost cold.

But little Mouse, you are not alone, In proving foresight may be vain: The best laid schemes of mice and men Go often awry, And leave us nothing but grief and pain, For promised joy!

Still you are blest, compared with me! The present only touches you: But oh! I backward cast my eye, On prospects dreary! And forward, though I cannot see, I guess and fear!

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Be thankful that I did not share this bit of poetic genius in its original form. I tried reading it. I also have a fair to middling ability to interpret the written word and yet I had not one inkling what he was trying to impart! And, except for some friends of mine who still live in the land of Robert Burns, I doubt many of you would have any idea what he was seeking to say either! But Mandy, ever the pragmatist, knows that its message must indeed be profound or else this prose would not have survived these many years. And it is an extremely profound message! So here, in plain speak, is what I believe Robert Burns was telling us all…..never embark on any journey in life without having plans that allow for the unexpected happening!

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Seldom do we plan out our every move as we travel through our days. There are actions we perform as instinctively as we do breathing! Yes, we might have a general idea when we are young of just where it is we hope our journey on life’s road will take us. But we are still young and do not yet have a full understanding of how those “best laid plans” sometimes become swallowed up by life’s realities!

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Even something as clearly defined as how we think faith should be embraced and lived, seldom finds us arriving at our final destination without taking multiple detours along our way! That is the way it is with human beings. And as long as we find it within to be able to plan our journey with the understanding that seldom will we find things etched in stone, we will arrive where we hope to be as a mentally healthy, emotionally sound, and spiritually whole person. However, if we choose to be rigid about the journey and not allow our hearts to be led on the right path, we will find ourselves angry and bitter, as if we have allowed some emotional wound to fester!

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God understands this about man. He designed us to be this way. He wants us to choose the direction we want to travel but to realize that as we steer our  ship through the dangerous waters of life, we need Him to be our co-pilot. And if we willingly surrender total control of the journey to Him and allow Him to help us to navigate as we make that journey, we will arrive at that final destination as people deserving of sharing His mansion on high!

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Consider Abraham: “He believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”  Understand, then, that those who believe are children of Abraham.  The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: “All nations will be blessed through you.”  So those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.
Galatians 3:6-9

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Copyright © 2012 “MandysPath”

Thought For The Day 05/09/12

A Tale of Two Men!

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The legacy of heroes is the memory of a great name and the inheritance of a great example.

Benjamin Disraeli

http://www.quotegarden.com/memorial-day.html

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I found a story circulating that teaches us that the lessons shared among people, whether they are shared with family or strangers, are never fruitless, especially when they are lessons that teach a moral or an ethical imperative. So pay close attention to the elders, ministers, parents, friends and even strangers, who strive to share their very personal brand of wisdom with us. Sit quietly, and listen closely!

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Eddie’s Tale

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Capone and Eddie

http://www.ussparenting.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/Easy_Eddie_with_Capone.jpg

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Al Capone is a name known by nearly every person alive. He was not a good or moral person, living a life that hurled Chicago into notoriety for being the home of bootlegging, prostitution and murder during the era of Prohibition!

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Capone had a lawyer whose nickname was “Easy Eddie.” Handpicked and cared for by Capone, Eddie was very, very good at his job, keeping his boss out of jail for many years! He also was involved directly in some of Capone’s criminal enterprises. As a reward for a job well done, Eddie was paid very well, not just with money, but with many luxuries including a mansion in Chicago. He gave little thought to the atrocities he fostered by the work he did, instead enjoying all the luxuries his position afforded his family….especially his beloved son, who was given the finest clothes, cars, education.  Now it is said by some that Eddie, although living a life quite to the contrary, wanted his son to be a better man than he was and so he sought to teach his son right from wrong. And yet these efforts were wanting because Eddie did not live a life worthy of being emulated!

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While some of Eddie’s story is in dispute, it is thought that he decided the time was right to clean up his tarnished name. This would mean testifying against Capone and the rest of the mob. Knowing the cost would likely be great, he decided on his course. And sure enough, once Eddie testified, he died in a hail of bullets less than one year later. And yet, when his body was found, the police removed from his pockets a crucifix, a rosary, a religious medal and a poem he had saved from a magazine! The poem read:

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 ”The clock of life is wound but once, and no man has the power to tell just when the hands will stop, at late or early hour.  Now is the only time you own. Live, love, toil with a will. Place no faith in time.  For the clock may soon be still.”

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Butch’s Tale

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http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/1/15/Butch_OHare_F6F-3.jpg

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The fighting during World War II produced many heroes, including Lieutenant Commander Butch O’Hare, who was a Navy fighter pilot assigned to the aircraft carrier Lexington in the South Pacific. His squadron was given a mission and as he took off he looked at his fuel gauge and realized that someone had forgotten to top it off before he took off on the mission. He realized that he would not have enough fuel to complete his mission and get back to his ship, and, after receiving permission from his flight leader, he headed back to his ship.

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Suddenly, as he was nearing the Lexington, he spied a squadron of Japanese aircraft heading directly toward his ship and the rest of the fleet. All the ships, having sent their air crews off on the mission, sat defenseless in the water. Butch could not make it to his squadron to bring them back nor did he have the capacity to warn the fleet. He knew there was only one option…he would need to try to divert the planes from the fleet!

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Butch dove his aircraft into the Japanese planes, his guns blazing gun fire through the sky. He divided the formation, weaving back and forth, shooting down as many of the enemy as he could, using up all his ammunition. Without bullets, he dove at the planes, hoping to damage as many as he could. The Japanese had no alternative but to retreat from this attacking wild man and Butch returned to the Lexington, his aircraft tattered and torn but still maneuverable!

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During his de-briefing, he reported what he did and a gun camera mounted on the wing gave support to his story. This hero became the Navy’s first “Ace” and he was given the Medal of Honor, the first Naval Aviator to be so honored!

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Just about a year later, Butch died during an aerial combat mission. He was only 29. However, to his home town, he was a hero, and they would make sure no one ever forgot his name. So the next time you fly into O’Hare International, stop by Butch O’Hare’s memorial and view his Medal of Honor, located between Terminals 1 and 2.

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Just in case you are wondering what makes this story so very special, here is the answer to that million dollar question! Butch O’Hare was the son of Eddie O’Hare! So if you find yourself ever wondering just what impact the way you live your life can possibly have on those around you, whether friend or foe, just remember this true story about Eddie and Butch O’Hare!

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Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.

Romans 12: 6-8 ESV

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Copyright © 2012 “MandysPath”

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