HOW TO SUCCEED

How to succeed

You don't need all of these, and some are mutually exclusive (while others are not). And most don't work, don't scale or can't be arranged:

1. Be very focused on your goal and work on it daily
2. Go to college with someone who makes it big and then hires you
3. Be born with significant and unique talent
4. Practice every day
5. Network your way to the top by inviting yourself from one lunch to another, trading favors as you go
6. Quietly do your job day in and day out until someone notices you and gives you the promotion you deserve
7. Do the emotional labor of working on things that others fear
8. Notice things, turn them into insights and then relentlessly turn those insights into projects that resonate
9. Hire a great PR firm and get a lot of publicity
10. Work the informational interview angle
11. Perform outrageous acts and say obnoxious things
12. Inherit
13. Redefine your version of success as: whatever I have right now
14. Flit from project to project until you alight on something that works out very quickly and well

NUGGETS OF SUCCESS.

Human society is made up of people who have met success and those who have not. No one knows for sure whether their life will be blessed by fortune or burdened by fate. The elation of triumph is short-lived, but those who understand that every setback, too, is only temporary and who continue to make steady efforts with confidence and conviction, canachieve truly great things. Ultimately, victory comes from never giving in to defeat What is success in life? Who are the truly successful? There are famous and powerful people who become pitiful figures in their old age. There are people who die alone, feeling empty and desolate inside. Just what is success? The person who lives life fully, glowing with life’s energy, is the person who lives a successful life.

CAUSES OF INFIDELITY IN RELATIONSHIP

*. 1) Poor choice because of Low self worth: People who have a low self esteem might get committed to people whom they don't truly love just because they believe that they can't attract the ones they really love! Those people don't only stop at this stage but they take a step further by deceiving themselves and claiming that they married the ones they really wanted to marry only to end up as cheaters! *. 2) Poor choice because of fear: Out of the fear of ending up alone or out of the pressure thatthe society puts on certain people they get into a relationship whenever they get the chance to even if they were not that convinced. After some time those people find themsleves unhappy and thus start cheating if their values allowed them to cheat. *. 3) Poor choice because of the influence of friends and constant programming of someone's mind by friends can make him become attracted to a person whom he wasn't interested in. A third group of people get into relationships after their friends keep convincing them over and over to be with certain persons! Usually friends recommend people who are good for them but this doesn't mean that those people are going to be good for you! People who get into relationships because of that same kind of pressure might end up being unfaithful when they discover that they didn't marry the person they wanted to marry! *. 4) poor choice because of lack ofself understanding: Most people don't really understand their needs and as a result they don't know what they want. Because of that problem those people confuse attraction with long term commitment and get committed to the first person they get attracted to without realizing that they are doing a big mistake. One of the major causes of infidelity is finding that your spouse is not helping you meet your important unmetneeds. If you didn't get enough self understanding you won't get the chance to understand your needs and you might make the wrong choice

WHAT IT TAKES TO ENCOURAGE

I have a passion for encouraging and inspiring people to live life to its fullest. It warms my heart to see people discover who they really are, especially when encouraged by family, friends and mentors, and act to live the life they were born to live. I challenge individuals to seek their purpose and destiny, to move towards its realization, and to let it be their life's work. I have given many speeches over the years on various topics. All of them at their core motivated people to be true to their authentic selves and live on purpose. The next logical step was to publish a book that included the nuggets of inspiration from these speeches

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The book contains one nugget per page. One may think they could easily read through the pages in a few minutes and be done. However, these nuggets latch on to the human spirit and engage the heart and mind, it challenges the individual to really think about life; what's really important and how to enjoy life's simple pleasures. I encourage people to keep the book on their night stand, in their office and other places where they can easily pick it up and read a page. There is something there for many aspects of life.
I intentionally included one nugget per page to enable an individual to write their own thoughts or notes on the nugget page. Maybe a thought, memory, idea or dream that was important to them, or jumped out at them and motivates them to write it down.

These nuggets have been presented in book form in the spirit of love and encouragement. It is my prayer and hope that you enjoy them for years to come. May the nuggets be beacons of light in the midst of darkness, rays of hope to the hopeless, showers of excitement to the victorious, excited and delighted, and pillars of encouragement, motivation and inspiration to the downtrodden, those who have given up and the lost. Know that you are never alone. Be encouraged my brother! Be inspired my sister!

THE ISSUES OF LOVE AND RELATIONSHIP.

Partners in a relationship have different roles. There are times when the burning intensity and power of the sun are called for, and times when the soothing luminescence and serene wisdom of the moon is what’s needed. A complementary relationship in which the partners cooperate and work together is a beautiful thing. In a relationship, it is demeaning to constantly seek your partner's approval. If you find yourself in a relationship where you are not treated the way your heart says you should be, have the courage anddignity to decide that you are better off risking the scorn of your partner than enduring unhappiness with him or her. Happiness in life is not determinedby marriage. The secret to happiness lies in building a strong inner self, a self that no trial or hardship can diminish. Daily life can seem all too drab andunexciting. Living itself can sometimes seem a strain, and few of us realistically expect what joy we feel to last forever. But when we fall in love, life seems filled with drama and excitement. We feel like the leading character in a novel. We can lose ourselves in romantic attachment, but the truth is, the euphoria is unlikely to last for long.Indeed, the likelihood of undergoing suffering and sadness only grows over time. As long as we remain unable to redress our own weaknesses, we will be miserable no matter where or to whom we may take flight. More The important thing is to overcome the sorrow that accompanies any type of separation, such as death or divorce. The vital thing is to continue advancing. Do not look back. Just forge on. There are many reasons why people bid farewell to one another. People have their own thoughts and situations. The deep scars within your heart may not heal quickly. Yet brace yourself so you can look forward. More If you are neglecting things you should be doing, forgetting your purpose in life because of the relationship you’re in, then you’re on the wrong path. A healthy relationship is one in which two people encourage each other to reach their respective goals while sharing each other’s hopes and dreams. A relationship should be a source of inspiration, invigorationand hope.

THE POWER OF MOTIVATION

if something goes good, they did it.
if it goes worse, we did it.
if it goes worst, i did it.
                                    John Mill

THE GREAT LADDER TO LEADERSHIP.HOW AND HOW?

You want to be a leader at work but you do not carry the title. So, how do you go about positioning yourself as a leader at work? There are many ways, but listed below are some that comes to mind. You can use these actions that will inevitably position yourself as a leader at work without having to be too obvious about your ambitions. 1. Take Responsibility You want to be a leader at work, learn to take responsibility for anything that has your fingerprint on it. That means, as long as you participate in the project, you have a hand at the failure of the project. Learn to take responsibility for not just the good things, but even bad ones. Admit to your mistakes because it’s okay to be wrong. You cannot learn if you have not made any mistakes. 2. Believe In Win-Win A rising tide lifts all boats – alwaysthink win-win. It exists. Just because the world thinks the business world is nasty, and that you need to be manipulative and maneuvering to win, you need not participate in it. In fact make it your contribution not to be nasty and bullying in your ways. You wantto be a leader at work, believe in your hands as leader to change the world. The power of positive influence you have on the people around you and the power to inspire people to greater heights isin front of you. 3. Push The Envelope Try new things. Take some risk. Make yourself uncomfortable. Do the things that may risk making you look foolish - what do you haveto lose? Leaders take risks. They are not afraid of doing what they believe. What do you believe in thatyou are willing to take some risk? To be a leader at work, you need totake even simple risks like taking on the project no one wants. 3. Do It, Write It I have often said this. This world isfull of people who talk too much and don’t do enough. If you want to be a leader at work, act upon something . Work that plan. If youhave any ideas that are simmering in your mind, write it down. It doesn’t matter if it is not a plan yet, just write it down. If you don’t write it down, there isno one to present to and there is no record of the idea. How can it count? If you want to be a leader at work, you have practice writing down everything. 4. See Opportunities Everywhere There is no need to create opportunities for yourself to lead. The opportunities to lead are everywhere. You need to be mindful of these opportunities . I have just mentioned one earlier. Are there any opportunities to take on the project no one wants?If you don’t see opportunities everywhere, you are missing the point. 5. Be Open Be open to criticism, otherwise youare just living off yourself. What does it mean? When you are open to feedback, you are being fed ideas from others that are free. Often times, these ideas come from people smarter than you. They will give you tips on how to improve and how to be better. That’s what a leader needs - constant feedback . You need feedback to be a leader at work, otherwise you are “feed-own” (I just created that word to mean feeding yourself) and you will go hungry soon. With no new ideas, a leader dries up. 6. Give, Give, Give That’s how you open up. Pour out allyou got from inside you. Give all you have ideas, thoughts, plans. Feel the vulnerability and learn to like it. When you pour all your ideas out you will need new ones. Where do new ideas come from? From critics who want to tear you down, from well-meaning supporters and from people you least expect. More comes back to you. You have more to input. It enriches you. That’s how you become a leader at work. These are the seven actions to position yourself as a leader at work. You want to be a leader at work? Do not be afraid of taking risks. You have more to gain than lose when you open up

SECRETS TO BEING ON TOP IN YOUR CAREER.

Many expect to read short cuts when they search for tips on how to move up the corporate ladder. The fact is clear, there are no short cuts no matter how much one wants to believe in it. It is all too easy to think that the way up the corporate ladder is through connections and networking. There is no denying there are the lucky few who know how to move up the corporate ladder via short cuts. Maybe they know someone important. But fact remains to sustain being in that position, it takes skills and knowledge . Not to mention the respect and trust onewould have to earn in order to command the authority to lead and manage. How to move up the corporate ladder? There are a few tried and tested tips – if you like to call them– that may even sound cliché but they have worked for ages. 1. Be a Leader This may sound counter-intuitive considering that you are a newbie at work. How does one become a leader when one is at the bottom of the hierarchy? Be a leader means to take a leadership stance.Which means to inspire and motivate . You know how to move up the corporate ladder if you know how to develop cooperation amongst colleagues. Learn to keep morale high regardless of good or bad times in the office. The thing to remember here is notto issue instruction. You are not the boss yet. Even when you are the boss, you need not issue instruction, even though a boss’s request is often times seen as instruction. You need to take charge. Taking charge here means to take responsibility for what your role and responsibilities are. Do not sit by the sidelines waiting for instructions. Take initiatives and get people to give their best. 2. Generate Ideas Ideas are currency in the corporateworld. Now, it doesn’t mean you go hand your boss ideas after ideas. That will drive him/her nuts!Come up with ideas to improve thesystem in the office whether it is productivity in your department oreven as simple as how to keep staff motivation high . Of course, if it has got to do with directly increasing the bottom line, all the better. Ideas can come from anyone. Even though you are a junior in the office, it doesn’t mean you cannot come up with a good idea. Maybe your ideas can be crafted and molded better in the hands of someone with more experience. In that case, do not be afraid to share credit . Learning how to share credit is something you need to learn if you want to know how to move up the corporate ladder. 3. Be Willing to Work Hard You knew this was coming didn’t you? Be willing to work hard is probably the toughest to swallow for many newbies at work. If you want to know how to move up thecorporate ladder, you need to ask yourself how badly do you want it ?Do you want it bad enough that youare willing to work hard for it? Work really hard for it? To climb the corporate ladder takes lots of personal sacrifices. Is it something you are willing to do? There are no special formulas for how to move up the corporate ladder. Wherever you start, you need to work hard. We hear of people getting that promotion based on connection all the time. Sure it happens. But rest assured any managers worth working for would rather give the promotion to someone with a winning attitude rather than connections. Besides, chances are people who know how to move up the corporate ladder that way cannot sustain their position. And they hold it with a ghost in their heart knowing they did not earn it. 4. Do Not Scheme Which brings me to my next advice on how to move up the corporate ladder. Do not scheme. Please, whatever you do and however tempting – do not scheme. The amount of time you take to plot your moves and plan your strategy is better used for generating ideas, working hard and improving yourself. Doing all these positive things has more long-term benefits than you know. Now that is not to say you should not have a career plan. Yes, plan your career path. What you need tolearn, skills to improve, maybe even places to be transferred to should be carried out in order to reach your goals . What I am referring to here is scheming when to do what, who to see, what important meeting to impress whom and plotting it all the way. When you plan to outsmart, impress and compare, you will run out of stamina. Such behavior is not sustainable without it taking a toll on real performance. When you scheme people will notice, higher ups will notice too. They will find it hard totrust someone like that at the top.Think about it. Is it worth it playing games? When you do the right thing and do things right, the answer of how to move up the corporate ladder will come naturally. Work hard and deliver the results beyondthe expected and you will soon be moving upwards

POWER OF HOPE 2

Resolve to be the “sun.” Then no matter what problems you may face, the dawn will always break, fine weather will always return, and spring will never fail to come. Even in the face of the severe crisis confronting humanity today, I cannot side with the advocates of apocalypse. Rather than the spurs and promptings of fear, we can best negotiate the challenges we face when guided by a vision of hope. When we limit ourselves with low expectations, the growth of the tree of happiness ceases. The power of growth, of improvement, the power to overcome all stagnation and breakthrough every obstacle and transform a barren wasteland into a verdant field—that unstoppable power of hope residesright within your own heart. Hope transforms pessimism intooptimism. Hope is invincible. Hope changes everything. It changes winter into summer, darkness into dawn, descent into ascent, barrenness into creativity, agony into joy. Hope is the sun. It is light.It is passion. It is the fundamentalforce for life’s blossoming. Material wealth does not necessarily make for happiness. Nor does fame. Hope is life’s greatest treasure. A life without hope is bleak and gray. If you have no hope, create some. When we change, the world changes. The key to all change is in our inner transformation—a change of our hearts and minds. This is human revolution. We all have the power to change. When we realize this truth, we can bring forth that power anywhere, anytime, and in any situation. No matter what may have happened yesterday, a new day of fresh possibility has dawned. You are not the same person today as you were yesterday!

THE POWER OF HOPE!

.When we possess the treasure of hope, it gives rise to other treasures, too. Hope draws forth our inner potential and strength. Hope is a magic weapon that enables us to make our dreams come true. As long as one has hope, there is nothing one cannot achieve; everything is born from hope. No matter how hopeless or bleak things appear, the moment always comes when suddenly our spirit revives, and hope is reborn. That is why we must never give up. Age is not an excuse for giving up. Allowing yourself to grow passive and draw back is a sign of personal defeat. There may be a retirement age at work, but there is no retirement age in life. Our life force, our fundamental energy, is fueled by hope. “Hope,” Beethoven cried, “you forge the heart into steel.” Hope isconfidence. Hope is determination.Hope is courage. And faith is the ultimate expression of hope. Belieffortifies the heart. No matter what kind of difficult situation one may find oneself in, some opening, some opportunity to fight one’s way out, can always be found. What’s most importantis to hold fast to hope, to face thefuture with courage.

POWER OF HAPPINESS

What is true victory in life? Whatis the meaning of true happiness? Who is truly great? The answer to such questions is determined not by superficial criteria such as fame, status and wealth, but by the inner reality of one’s heart. It is vital to have a resilient spiritso that without complaints or feelings of disaffection, one is able to always look on the bright side of a situation and find in it a source of hope and happiness. Such wisdom makes it possible to lead athoroughly fulfilled life. Just as a tree that lived a thousand years lasts another thousand years after it has been cut, happiness will continue and endure to the extent that we have suffered to attain it. Though it might be difficult to appreciate at first, the “mud” of our suffering provides the building material from which we can erect a solid bulwark for the palace of happiness within. The deeper the mire of suffering, the more indomitable a palace we can establish. Worth is not found in joy alone. Nor is success the only valuable outcome. Suffering is the mother of realization; worries and failures, so long as we are not defeated by them, become the rawmaterial with which to construct lasting happiness. Buddhism teaches that whatever our individual circumstances, we can always discover the capacity tohelp others; it also assures us that those who have suffered the mosthave the right to the greatest happinessWhat is true victory in life? Whatis the meaning of true happiness? Who is truly great? The answer to such questions is determined not by superficial criteria such as fame, status and wealth, but by the inner reality of one’s heart. It is vital to have a resilient spiritso that without complaints or feelings of disaffection, one is able to always look on the bright side of a situation and find in it a source of hope and happiness. Such wisdom makes it possible to lead athoroughly fulfilled life. Just as a tree that lived a thousand years lasts another thousand years after it has been cut, happiness will continue and endure to the extent that we have suffered to attain it. Though it might be difficult to appreciate at first, the “mud” of our suffering provides the building material from which we can erect a solid bulwark for the palace of happiness within. The deeper the mire of suffering, the more indomitable a palace we can establish. Worth is not found in joy alone. Nor is success the only valuable outcome. Suffering is the mother of realization; worries and failures, so long as we are not defeated by them, become the rawmaterial with which to construct lasting happiness. Christianity teaches that whatever our individual circumstances, we can always discover the capacity tohelp others; it also assures us that those who have suffered the mosthave the right to the greatest happiness

THE EDGES OF LONELINESS

Friendship is a lot like food. We need it to survive. What is more, we seem to have a basic drive for it. Psychologists find that human beings have fundamental need for inclusion in group life and for close relationships. We are truly socialanimals. The upshot is, we function best when this social need is met. It is easier to stay motivated, to meet the varied challenges of life. In fact, evidence has been growing that when our need forsocial relationships is not met, we fall apart mentally and even physically. There are effects on the brain and on the body. Some effects work subtly, through theexposure of multiple body systems to excess amounts of stress hormones. Yet the effects are distinct enough to bemeasured over time, so that unmet social needs take a serious toll on health, eroding our arteries, creating high blood pressure, and even undermining learning and memory. A lack of close friends and a dearth of broader social contactgenerally bring the emotional discomfort or distress known as loneliness. It begins with an awareness of a deficiency of relationships. This cognitive awareness plays through our brain with an emotional soundtrack. It makes us sad. We might feel an emptiness. We may be filled with a longing for contact. We feel isolated, distanced from others, deprived. These feelings tear away at our emotional well-being. Despite the negative effects of loneliness, it can hardly be considered abnormal. It is a most normal feeling. Everyone feels lonely sometimes—after a break-up with a friend or lover, when we move to a new place, when we are excluded from some social gathering. Chronic loneliness is something else entirely. It is one of the surest markers in existence for maladjustment. In children, it leads to all kinds of problems. Failure to be sociallyconnected to peers is the real reason behind most school dropouts. It sets in motion a course on which children spin their way to outcast status and develop delinquency and other forms of antisocial behavior. In adults, loneliness is a major precipitant of depression and alcoholism. And it increasingly appears to be the cause of a range of medical problems, some of which take decades to show up. Psychologist John Cacioppo of the University of Chicago has been tracking the effects of loneliness. He performed a seriesof novel studies and reported that loneliness works in some surprising ways to compromise health. *. Perhaps most astonishing, in a survey he conducted, doctors themselves confidedthat they provide better or more complete medical care to patients who have supportive families and are not socially isolated. *. Living alone increases the risk of suicide for young and old alike. *. Lonely individuals report higher levels of perceived stress even when exposed tothe same stressors as non-lonely people, and even when they are relaxing. *. The social interaction lonely people do have are not as positive as those of other people, hence the relationships they have do not buffer them from stress as relationships normally do. *. Loneliness raises levels of circulating stress hormones and levels of blood pressure. It undermines regulation of the circulatory system so that the heart muscle works harder and the blood vessels are subject to damage by blood flow turbulence. *. Loneliness destroys the quality and efficiency of sleep, so that it is less restorative, both physically and psychologically. They wake up more at night and spend less time in bed actually sleeping than do the nonlonely. Loneliness, Cacioppo concludes, sets in motion a variety of"slowly unfolding pathophysiological processes." The net result is that the lonely experience higher levels of cumulative wear and tear. In other words, we are built for social contact. There are serious—life-threatening—consequences when we don't get enough. We can't stay on track mentally. And we are compromised physically. Social skills are crucial for your health.

PERSONAL MOTIVATION AND POSTIVE ATTITUDE

All of us have a desire to achieve something in our lives. We want to know  that we have achieved something important, of value, of quality, or of meaning. Being motivated to meet our goals means that we are able to:

v Improve our self-confidence

v Enhance our self discipline

v Set examples for ourselves of what we can achieve

v Challenge ourselves to stretch beyond our perceived limits

v Reward ourselves for reaching our goals

v Enjoy the recognition or perks associated with reaching our goals

The more that we are able to achieve, the more self-confident we become. Then the more self-confident we become, the more we are able to achieve.

The reverse can happen if we fail to meet our goals. If we fall short of achieving something, we may experience a dip in our confidence levels, which in turn may impact our motivation to try again. Understanding this relationship between motivation and goal setting and achievement is important if you want to be able to improve either trait in yourself or in others.

When you are responsible for motivating others, your own personal motivation matters in two ways. First, you need to be motivated to continue applying techniques until you have found what works best for the individuals on your team. But second, though just as important, you need to make sure that your motivation is grounded in the right intentions. If you simply try to force others to achieve what you want them to do without considering their own needs and values, you will end up with temporary motivation- if they are motivated at all. Eventually you would face turnover, job shirking, and poor attitudes.

A positive attitude is one of the most valuable asserts a person can have in life. So often, what people say their problem is really isn’t their problem. Their problem is the attitude which causes them to handle life’s obstacle poorly.

The individual whose attitude causes him to approach life from an entirely positive perspective is someone who can be called a no limit person. In other words, the person doesn’t accept the normal limitations of life as most people do. He or she is determined to walk to the very edge of his potential, or his product’s potential, before he accepts defeat. People with positive attitudes are able to go places where others can’t. They do things that others can’t. They are not restricted by self-imposed limitations.

A person with a positive attitude is like a bumblebee. The bumblebee should not be able to fly because the size, weight, and shape of its body in relationship to its wingspread make flying aerodynamically impossible. But the bumblebee, being ignorant of scientific theory, flies anyway and makes honey every day.

This no-limit mind-set allows a person to start each day with a positive disposition. The positive person understands that the journey is as enjoyable as the destination.

Think of attitude like this:

v It is the advance man of our true selves

v Its roots are inward but its fruit is outward

v It is our best friend or our worst enemy

v It is more honest and more consistent than our words

v It is an outward look based on past experiences

v It is a thing which draws people to us or repels them

v It is never content until it is expressed

v It is the librarian of our past.

v It is the speaker of our present

v It is the prophet of our future.

Attitude sets the tone, not only for the leader with the attitude, but for the people following him.

 

 

THE POWER OF FORGIVENESS

“When you forgive somebody who has wronged you, you’re spared thedismal corrosion of bitterness and wounded pride. For both parties, forgiveness means the freedom again to be at peace inside their own skins and to be glad in each others’ presence." Fredrick Buechner Peace is not possible without forgiveness. Martin Luther King once said, “Forgiveness is not an occasional act; it is a permanent attitude.” The only way children can learn the habit of forgivenessis by seeing us, their parents, forgive others and forgive ourselves. The freedom to be at peace in our own skins - that’s what forgiveness allows. We relinquish this freedom when we hold onto anger and resentment. Enormous amounts of energy are wasted when we hold back our love, hold onto hate, and harbor acrimonious feelings. The only remedy is letting go, and being willing to forgive. But how? Here are four powerful steps to forgiveness from one of the world’s foremost experts on the subject, Dr. Fredrick Luskin: 1. Close your eyes, and for about 20seconds, picture the person who hurt or angered you. Let all your grievances come up. Notice what happens in your body -- acceleration of heart-beat, shallow breathing, tension, etc. 2. Now let go of this image and take some slow, deep abdominal breaths. Focus on your abdomen, and imagine the breath going down into it as you inhale. Expand your abdomen on each inhalation, and deflate your abdomen as you exhale. Take about five breaths and keep your focus on your abdomen. If your mind goes back to the person who hurt you or to anything else, bring the focus backto the rhythm of your breath and the movement of your abdominal muscles as you inhale and exhale. 3. Bring into your mind an image of someone you love very much, or a place of peace and beauty. Allow yourself to be flooded with the positive feelings this image elicits.Now bring those feelings down to the area around your heart. Allow the good feelings to penetrate your heart and soothe you. 4. Lastly, keep breathing the good feelings into your heart. Now takea look again at the person you are angry at. Let the good feelings protect you. The purpose of doing this step is to break the pattern of stress reactions that normally occur in your mind and body when you think of the person who hurt you. When you surround your heart with positive energy, the power the person has had over you beginsto dissipate. Resentment is a habit, and habits take twenty-five days to change. So if you do this exercise each timeyou think of the person who hurt you over twenty-five days, you willliterally change your mental and physical reactions. They will no longer have power to hurt you because you will have reprogrammed your own reactions. And when this happens,you start to become free. Sometimes we need to forgive without reconciliation: forgiving for the mere purpose of forgiving. Certainly, what we strive for is to reconcile all conflicts, clear the air, and understand one another. But thereare times this is impossible - with a parent who has passed away, with someone who has wronged you and is long gone, with someone who is unwilling to communicate. These are the times we must dip deep into our own souls and see if we are willing to forgive anyway. I have on the bulletin board above my desk a yellowed article written by the scholar and Holocaust survivor Elie Weisel in 1997. In it, Weisel expresses the most profound act of forgiveness imaginable. It is here that Elie Weisel expresses forgiveness toward God for the Holocaust. In the article Weisel asks God the question he has struggled with all his life: “Where were you, God of Kindness, in Auschwitz?” Weisel had never been able to understandhow a loving God could have allowed the Holocaust to exist. But out of the question that has tormented him for fifty years, Weisel gleans a sudden insight: “Watching your children suffer at the hands of your other children, haven’t you also suffered?” In this moment of compassion, Weisel is finally moved to offer God his forgiveness: “Let us make up, Master of the Universe,” he says. “In spite of everything that happened? Yes, in spite. Let us make up: for the child in me, it is unbearable to be divorced from you for so long.” This story is a reminder to me that forgiveness and compassion are essential and possible under all circumstances. For the child in all of us, we must learn to forgive. And for the sake of the children we love with unparalleled ferocity, we must model the most magnanimous and humbling of all acts - the act of forgiveness.

THE POWER OF CONFESSION AND RESOLUTIONS

Fear and loneliness are two inseparable lovers with a tragic common denominator: they seek to destroy the Kingdom within. The Kingdom within. As believers, together we share this sacred bond. The Kingdomunites us—makes us one body. We need each other to function, to live, to thrive andto be Christ’s love and mercy here on earth. We are assuredthis communion will be challenging. The Gospel of John says the enemy is only out to defeat us. He is focused.He is attentive. Fear and loneliness permeate the soul of our world. A recentsurvey conducted by the American Sociological Review noted that a quarter of Americans say they don’t have a close friend to confide in. When you add on the culturally imposed (and widely erroneous) requirements of “being a good Christian” today, I imagine that percentage goes up for those in religious circles. A community of believers shouldbe the safest place one could turn and admit weaknesses. But in a world where holiness is based on a scale of morality and being faithful means never having doubts, it’s no wonder we keep our mouths shut and our masks on. Attempts to foster community have turned into programs where we are afraid to be our true selves—ifwe’re even given the chance to be our true selves to begin with; sometimes the clock rules the day. Genuine fellowship requires commitment, sacrifice and grace, but when we hear the word fellowship , we think coffee and potlucks or a church picnic. The vocabulary of community has changed, and with it, so have our experiences. We’re compelled to schedules and appearances but not obligated one to another. The business of community satisfies our appetite for productivity, but it does nothing to nourish the relational anemia that afflicts us. Letting all disguises fall off and confessing appropriately in the context of community is not an easy or painless process. However, it’s completely necessary in order for us to experience the full and abundant life God has for us and for the body we’rea part of. If you’re tussling with something, you may be apprehensive to discuss it with someone. What will happen to your ministry if youconfess? What will people think? We often dwell on potential consequences of our confession, but how often do we consider the consequences of our concealment? Admitting something may cause life to be messy for a while, but ultimately there is healing and grace in confession. There is power in truth, and it’s truth alone that will set us free from our fear and our loneliness. Two beautiful things happen when we open up our deepest wounds and let the infection bleed over and out. First, we are humbled, vulnerable and ready to accept grace and healing. But there’s a consequential event: We give others permission to uncover their injuries and their shame.Creating an environment of safety and trust is a gift you can give by confessing. Sure, it’s difficult. It can be embarrassing. And there isn’tmuch of a guarantee in how the person on the other side of your confession will respond. But why not take a chance? Perhaps after your admission,the bond between two people will be strengthened with the power of truth that is present in the practice of confession.

ESSENCE OF COURAGE

Small things matter. What may look like a small act of courage is courage nevertheless. The important thing is to be willing totake a step forward. Running away from things you find unpleasant causes suffering. But facing and challenging such situations will enrich your life. No matter what our personal circumstances may be, if we ourselves become a source of light, then there will be no darkness in the world. Courage is the force that makes our lives brilliant. True courage and adventure is found in exploring the meaning of life and discovering the reason foryour existence. Even greater joy and fulfillment is found in the persistent struggle to contribute to others’ happiness. Those who lack courage run away from hardship, seeking only to livea life of ease and comfort. Thus one who lacks courage cannot help others. Courage, strength and wisdom wellup in those who consciously take oneverything as the protagonist andperson responsible for achieving their goals. Unlimited wisdom and ardent resolve arise from a sense of responsibility.

A Gallant Bride

Tomorrow’s history makers

Future record breakers

Are the infants of this day

They should be taught well

In order to lead the way

 

They should be taken forward

In the fear of God

By the responsible one’s above them

Ye parents, guardians and lecture givers

Train them to keep of boozing

Instruct them never to go logger heads

 

Improve their knowledge of moral uprightness

So as not to make their regime

Bite the just

 

Our guardians of later days

Subtract yourselves from the disguised devils

Less they turn you into a bag of disgust

Make yourself confident in yourself

And keep a cold shoulder

Of relying on them

Or at last you become failure’s hosts

 

Disembark from the plane of the unjust

And board the plane of the just

Desist from hitting below the belt

And permit fairplay to rule

For it is a praise worthy value

 

Let the truth prevail in all you do

Let your attitude be reflected in your records

So as to be known as an accountable man

And a scrupulously honest woman

Always be on the level

So that they would be your face saver

When the doubting Thomas talks

 

Deprive yourself from going against the rules

Even when you fail

But move on gallantly

Till you win the race

Lend a helping hand

To those who lose

When you win

 

Cease to get satisfied

With where you are

Escape from the clutches of laziness

For it hinders your success

Put your best foot forward

And work as if your whole life depends on it

 

Don’t mask yourself from your responsibility

Express love and care to your mother land

Show her all the beauty

She possess inside her

Give her the strength of pride

To be a gallant bride.     

LET US LAUGH

Maid: what do you want, sir?

Visitor: I want to see your master.

Maid: what’s your business, please?

Visitor: there is a bill…

Maid: Ah! He left yesterday for his village…

Visitor: Which I have to pay to pay him…

Maid: And he returned this morning.

HEHEHEHEHEHEHE

 

 

The doctor had just finished giving the young man a thorough physical examination.

‘The best thing for you to do,’ the doctor said, ‘is give up drinking and smoking, get to bed early and stay away from women.’

‘Doctor, I don’t deserve the best, ‘said the patient. ‘What’s next best?’ 

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA

FAMILIAR WITH THE THIRTY WISE SAYINGS??? Everyday guide

                                                                -1-

(PROV 22:22) Don’t take advantage of the poor just because you can; don’t take advantage of those who stand helpless in court. The LORD will argue their case for them and threaten the life of anyone who threatens theirs.

                                                                                -2-

Don’t make friends with people who have hot, violent tempers. You might learn their habits and not be able to change.

                                                                                -3-

Don’t promise to be responsible for someone else’s debts. If you should be unable to pay, they will take even your bed.

                                                                                -4-

Never move an old boundary mark that your ancestors established.

                                                                                -5-

Show me someone who does a good job, and I will show you someone who is better than most and worthy of the company of kings.

                                                                                -6-

When you sit down to eat with someone important, keep in mind who he is. If you have a big appetite, restrain yourself. Don’t be greedy for the fine food he serves; he may be trying to trick you.

                                                                                -7-

Be wise enough not to wear yourself out trying to get rich. Your money can be gone in a flash, as if it had grown wings and flown away like an eagle.

                                                                                -8-

Don’t eat at the table of a stingy person or be greedy for the fine food he serves. “Come on and have some more,” he says, but he doesn’t mean it. What he thinks ih what he really is. You will vomit up what you have eaten, and all your flattery will be wasted.

                                                                                -9-

Don’t y to talk to sense to a fool; he can’t appreciate it.

                                                                                -10-

Never move an old boundary mark or take over land owned by orphans. The LORD is their powerful defender, and he will argue their case against you.

                                                                                -11-

Pay attention to your teacher and learn all you can.

                                                                                -12-

Don’t hesitate to discipline children. A good spanking won’t kill them. As a matter of fact, it may save their lives.

                                                                                -13-

Son, if you become wise. I will be very happy. I will be proud when I hear you speaking words of wisdom.

                                                                                -14-

Don’t be envious of sinful people; let reverence for the LORD be the concern of your life. If it is, you have a bright future.

                                                                                -15-

Listen, my son, be wise and give serious thought to the way you live. Don’t associate with the people who drink too much wine or stuff themselves with food. Drunkards and gluttons will be reduced to poverty. If all you is eat and sleep, you will soon be wearing rags.

                                                                                -16-

Listen to your father; without him you would not exist. When your mother is old, show her your appreciation. Truth, wisdom, learning, and good sense – these are worth paying for, but too valuable for you to sell. A righteous man’s father has good reason to be happy. You can take pride in a wise son. Make your father and mother proud of you; give your mother that happiness.

                                                                                -17-

Pay close attention, son, and let my life be your example. Prostitutes and immoral women are a deadly trap. The wait for you like robbers and cause many men to be unfaithful.

                                                                                -18-

Show me someone who drinks too much, who has to try out some new drink, and I will show you someone miserable and sorry for himself, always causing trouble and always complaining. His eyes are bloodshot, and he has bruises that could have been avoided. Don’t let wine tempt you, even though it is rich red, though it sparkles in the cup, and it goes down smoothly. The next morning you will feel as if you had been bitten by a poisonous snake. Weird sights will appear before your eyes, and you will not be able to think or speak clearly. You will feel as if you were out on the ocean, sea-sick, swinging high up in the rigging of a tossing ship. “I must have been hit,” you will say; “I must have been beaten up, but I don’t remember it. Why can’t I wake? I need another drink.”

                                                                                -19-

Don’t be envious of evil people, and don’t try to make friends with them. Causing trouble is all the ever think about; every time they open their mouths someone is going to be hurt.

                                                                                -20-

Homes are built on foundations of wisdom and understanding. Where there is knowledge, the rooms are furnished with valuable, beautiful things.

                                                                                -21-

Being wise is better than being strong; yes, knowledge is more important than strength. After all, you must make careful plans before you fight a battle, and the more good advice you get, the more likely you are to win.

                                                                                -22-

Wise saying are too deep for stupid people to understand. They have nothing to say when important matters are being discussed.

                                                                                -23-

If you are always planning evil, you will earn a reputation as a troublemaker. Any scheme a fool thinks up is sinful. People hate a person who has nothing but scorn for others.

                                                                                -24-

If you are weak in a crisis, you are weak indeed.

                                                                                -25-

Don’t hesitate to rescue someone who is about to be executed unjustly. You may say that it is none of your business, but God knows and judges your motives. He keeps watch on you; he knows. And he will reward you according to what you do.

                                                                                -26-

Son, eat honey; it is good. And just as honey from the comb is sweet on your tongue, you may be sure that wisdom is good for the soul. Get wisdom and you have a bright future.

                                                                                -27-

Don’t be like the wicked who scheme to rob honest people or to take away their homes. No matter how often honest people fall, they always get up again; but disaster destroys the wicked.  

                                                                                -28-

Don’t be glad when your enemies meet disaster, and don’t rejoice when they stumble. The LORD will know if you are gloating, and he will not like I; and then he might not punish them.

                                                                                -29-

Don’t let evil people worry you; don’t be envious of them. A wicked person has no future – nothing to look forward to.

                                                                                -30-

Have reverence for the LORD, my son, and honor the king. Have nothing to do with people who rebel against them; such people could be ruined in a moment. Do you realize the disaster that God or the king can cause?