You Are Special – Don't Ever Forget That

A well known speaker started off his seminar by holding up a $20 bill. In the room of 200, he asked. "Who would like this $20 bill?"
Hands started going up. He said, "I am going to give this $20 to one of you - but first, let me do this."
He proceeded to crumple the 20 dollar note up. He then asked. "Who still wants it?" Still the hands were up in the air.
"Well," he replied, "what if I do this?" He dropped it on the ground and started to grind it into the floor with his shoe. He picked it up, now crumpled and dirty. "Now, who still wants it?"
Still the hands went into the air.
"My friends, you have all learned a very valuable lesson. No matter what I did to the money, you still wanted it because it did not decrease in value. It was still worth $20. Many times in our lives, we are dropped, crumpled, and ground into the dirt by the decisions we make and the circumstances that come our way. We feel as though we are worthless. But no matter what happened or what will happen, you will never lose your value.

Lessons:

• Dirty or clean, crumpled or finely creased, you are still priceless to those who love you.
  
• The worth of our lives comes, not in what we do or who we know, but by who we are.

You are special – don't ever forget it."

I'm Longing For Someone

... who loves me for who I am.
... who focuses on me in a crowd.
... who loves to laugh and can always make me laugh.
... who is family oriented.
... who always talks to me about our future.
... who always helps me with my chores.
... who I can hang out with and have a great time with.
... who is honest with me and I will do the same.
... who is just the right size to cuddle with on those cold nights.
... who is by my side the whole time to provide for each other's needs.
... who can share joy and sorrow together.
... who do provide space for one another.
... who always take more interest in me.
... who can make me so very happy.
... who has so many good qualities.
... who will stand by me always.
... who will never give me a dull moment when we are together.
... who is always ready with a smile on his face and who smiles to me a lot.
... who is full of kind words.
... who always make me look forward to another day God has let us.
... who has few friends, but has close family.
... who always make me feel the closeness together as the day goes on.
... who will give up everything just to make sure that I'm okay.
... who will pull out a handkerchief and hand it to me when I sneeze.
... who is my calm after a storm.
... who thinks of my preferences when making plans and accepting invites to things for us.
... who is genuine in everything says and does.

---Who love me the way I do. Amen.

Everyday In Our Life Is A Special Occasion

Never save something for a special occasion.
Every day in your life is a special occasion.

Those words changed my life. Now I live and breathe and have my being without worrying about anything. I spend more time with my family, and less at work. I understood that life is a source of experience to be lived up to, and not survived through. I no longer keep anything for a special occasion. I will wear new clothes to the supermarket. I will drive new car and own new house. I will use my special perfume whenever I want to. The words "someday..." and "one day..." are fading away from my dictionary. If it is worth seeing, listening or doing, I want to see, listen or do it now.

Franking speaking, I don't know what I would have done if I knew I wouldn't be around the next day.

I think I might have called all my friends and relatives to make peace over past quarrels and to share things that we don't usually speak. I would go out for my favorite food and visit some beautiful places. I would write letters or send e-mails to those that I promised to write "one of these days". I would say to my family members and my loved ones now, how much I love them.

I make it a rule not to delay, postpone or keep anything that could bring laughter, joy and happiness into our lives.

Now, every morning, I say to myself that this could be a special day.

Each day, each hour, each minute, is special to me...and especially for you.

See What Your Dog Can Teach You

• Eat with enthusiasm. Stop when you have had enough.

• Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.
• On warm days, stop to lie on your back on the grass.
• On hot days, drink lots of water and lay under a shady tree.
• Avoid biting, when a simple growl will do.
• If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it.
• When you are happy, dance around and wag your entire body.
  
• When your loved ones come home, always run to greet them.
• When someone is having a bad day, be silent and sit close by, and nuzzle them gently.
• Be loyal. No matter how often you are scolded, run right back and make friends.

Happiness Is A Journey, Not A Destination

Many of us think that life will be much better after we get married and have babies. But then we are frustrated when the kids aren't old enough. After that, we are frustrated because we have teenagers to deal with. We hope that we will be happy when they are out of that stages.

Many of us tell ourselves that our life will be more beautiful when our spouse gets his or her act together, when we get a better house or car, when we are able to go on a nice vacation or when we retire.The fact is that all these are just dreams.

There is no way to happiness. Happiness is the way.

Our life is constantly filled with challenges.

There is no better time to be happy than right now.

Let us treasure and share every moment of happiness.

Life is beautiful because it is filled with happiness, no matter what happens.

Remember, Happiness Is A Journey, Not A Destination.

Stand Tall Like The Wild Flowers

Sometimes we see wild flowers along the roadsides. They thrive under difficult conditions. Some actually had begun under big rocks and grown under and around them to reach the sun.

The flowers didn't let the difficult conditions stand in their ways of developing. We too have the capability of doing the same thing. Once our environment begins to see that we believe in ourselves like the wild flowers, we can attain the same nourishment and nurturing as well.

We need to believe in ourselves, knowing we have the capabilities in achieving our desires. Like the wild flowers, they knew they had the capability to overcome their obstacles because they trusted in the Universal Truth and had faith they would succeed.

Stand tall like the wild flowers and be proud of who and what you are and the environment will begin to support you. You will find a way to go under or around your big obstacle in order to reach your desires.

The Sands of Forgiveness

Two friends were walking through the desert. During some point of the journey they had an argument, and one friend slapped the other one in the face.

The one who got slapped was hurt, but without saying anything, wrote in the sand:

Today My Best Friend Slapped Me In The Face.

They kept on walking until they found an oasis, where they decided to take a bath. The one who had been slapped got stuck in the mire and started drowning, but the friend saved him.

After he recovered from the near drowning, he wrote on a stone:

Today My Best Friend Saved My Life.

The friend who had slapped and saved his best friend asked him, "After I hurt you, you wrote in the sand and now, you write on a stone, why?"

The other friend replied "When someone hurts us, we should write it down in sand where winds of forgiveness can erase it away. But, when someone does something good for us, we must engrave it in stone where no wind can ever erase it."

Lesson: Learn to forgive and forget all your hurts but treasure and remember all your benefits.

What Does Love Mean?

A group of professional people posed this question to a group of 4 to 8 year-olds, "What does love mean?" The answers they got were broader and deeper than anyone could have imagined.

"When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn't bend over and paint her toenails anymore. So my grandfather does it for her all even when his hands got arthritis, too. That's Love."
Rebecca - age 8

When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different. You just know that your name is safe in their mouth."
Billy - age 4

"Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on shaving cologne and they go out and smell each other."
Karl - age 5

"Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your French Fries without making them give you any of theirs."
Chrissy - age 6

"Love is what makes you smile when you're tired."
Terri - age 4

"Love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is OK."
Danny - age 7

"Love is when you kiss all the time. Then when you get tired of kissing, you still want to be together and you talk more. My Mommy and Daddy are like that. They look gross when they kiss."
Emily - age 8

"Love is what's in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen."
Bobby - age 7

"If you want to learn to love better, you should start with a friend who you hate."
Nikka - age 6

"Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt, then he wears it everyday."
Noelle - age 7

"Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends even after they know each other so well."
Tommy - age 6

"During my piano recital, I was on a stage and I was scared. I looked at all the people watching me and saw my daddy waving and smiling. He was the only one doing that. I wasn't scared anymore."
Cindy - age 8

"My mommy loves me more than anybody. You don't see anyone else kissing me to sleep at night."
Clare - age 6

"Love is when Mommy gives Daddy the best piece of chicken."
Elaine-age 5

"Love is when Mommy sees Daddy smelly and sweaty and still says he is handsomer than Robert Redford."
Chris - age 7

"Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone all day."
Mary Ann - age 4

"I know my older sister loves me because she gives me all her old clothes and has to go out and buy new ones."
Lauren - age 4

"When you love somebody, your eyelashes go up and down and little stars come out of you"
Karen - age 7

"Love is when Mommy sees Daddy on the toilet and she doesn't think it's gross."
Mark - age 6

"You really shouldn't say 'I love you' unless you mean it. But if you mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget."
Jessica - age 8

The winner was a four year old child whose next door neighbor was an elderly gentleman who had recently lost his wife. Upon seeing the man cry, the little boy went into the old gentleman's yard, climbed onto his lap, and just sat there. When his Mother asked him what he had said to the neighbor, the little boy said, "Nothing, I just helped him cry."

The Seven Wonders of the World

A group of students were studying the Seven Wonders of the World. At the end of the lesson, the students were asked to list what they considered to be the Seven Wonders of the World. The following received the most votes:

1. Egypt's Great Pyramids
2. The Taj Mahal in India
3. The Grand Canyon in Arizona
4. The Panama Canal
5. The Empire State Building
6. St. Peter's Basilica
7. China's Great Wall

While gathering the votes, the teacher noted that one student, a quiet girl, hadn't turned in her paper yet. So she asked the girl if she was having trouble with her list. The quiet girl replied, "Yes, a little. I couldn't quite make up my mind because there were so many." The teacher said, "Well, tell us what you have, and maybe we can help."

The girl hesitated, then read, "I think the Seven Wonders of the World are:

1. to touch...
2. to taste...
3. to see...
4. to hear...
5. to feel...
6. to laugh...
7. and to love.

The room was so quiet, you could have heard a pin drop.

Lessons:

• The things we overlook as simple and ordinary are often the most wonderful things in life.
• We don't have to travel anywhere special to experience the Wonders of the World.
• The wonders of the world is around you.
• Never neglect the little things in life, like the dropping of the leaves and the breathing of the air.
• Enjoy your gifts and share them with the people around.
• Do something sociable and enjoyable every day.
• Be a blessing to all, especially to the body of believers. Amen.

Take Time To Love

Once upon a time, there was an island where all the Feelings lived: Happiness, Sadness, Knowledge, and all of the others, including Love.

One day it was announced to the Feelings that the island would sink, so all constructed boats and left. Except for Love. Love was the only one who stayed. Love wanted to hold out until the last possible moment.

When the island had almost sunk, Love decided to ask for help.

Richness was passing by Love in a grand boat. Love said, "Richness, can you take me with you?

"Richness answered, "No, I can't. There is a lot of gold and silver in my boat. There is no place here for you."

Love decided to ask Vanity who was also passing by in a beautiful vessel. "Vanity, please help me!"

"I can't help you, Love. You are all wet and might damage my boat," Vanity answered.

Sadness was close by. So Love asked, "Sadness, let me go with you." "Oh... Love, I am so sad that I need to be by myself!"

Happiness passed by Love, too, but she was so happy that she did not even hear when Love called her.

It takes time to love someone we care

Suddenly, there was a voice, "Come, Love, I will take you." It was an elder.

So blessed and overjoyed, Love even forgot to ask the elder where they were going.

When they arrived at dry land, the elder went her own way.

Realizing how much she owed the elder, Love asked Knowledge, another elder, "Who Helped me?"

"It was Time," Knowledge answered.

"Time?" asked Love. "But why did Time help me?"

Knowledge smiled with deep wisdom and answered, "Because only Time is capable of understanding how valuable Love is."

Lessons:

• Of all Feelings, Love stays the longest.
• Richness has no space for Love.
• Vanity wouldn't take in Love.
• Sadness rejects Love.
• Happiness neglects Love.
• All others just past by Love.
  
• It takes Time to value Love.
  
• It takes Knowledge to reveal Love.
  

Please don't hesitate to Love. You may not realize how much you have lost if you're too late.

The Trouble Tree

The carpenter I hired to help me restore an old farmhouse had just finished a rough first day on the job. A flat tire made him lose an hour of work, his electric saw quit, and now his ancient pickup truck refused to start. While I drove him home, he sat in stony silence.

On arriving, he invited me in to meet his family. As we walked toward the front door, he paused briefly at a small tree, touching the tips of the branches with both hands. When opening the door he underwent an amazing transformation. His tanned face was wreathed in smiles and he hugged his two small children and gave his wife a kiss.

Afterward he walked me to the car. We passed the tree and my curiosity got the better of me. I asked him about what I had seen him do earlier.

"Oh, that's my trouble tree," he replied." I know I can't help having troubles on the job, but one thing's for sure, troubles don't belong in the house with my wife and the children. So I just hang them on the tree every night when I come home. Then in the morning I pick them up again."

He paused. "Funny thing is," he smiled, "when I come out in the morning to pick 'em up, there ain't nearly as many as I remember hanging up the night before."

Lessons

• Everyone has a trouble tree.
• We can't help having troubles on our job.
• Troubles don't belong in the house with our families.
• Don't bring troubles home.