Daily Quote

"Truth has no special time of its own. Its hour is now - always."

-Albert Schweitzer

The truth isn't like a comet. It isn't like there is a certain short period of time every so often where it can be told. Truth doesn't have any special times. The truth can be told now, the truth can be told always. Don't wait to tell the truth, because the longer you keep a lie within you, the heavier it will press on you. When you tell the truth, that weight is lifted, and trust me. It feels amazing. I guess you could say my New Year's resolution (although not intentionally-- I didn't plan for it to be my New Year's resolution but thinking back, I started doing this right about then) was to really not tell lies. I had given up lying not to far before, but I wasn't really serious about it and I would still tell lies but quickly (by that I mean within 10 seconds) tell the truth because it weighed on me. But now, I have reached the next level in the gradual staircase leading me out of the dark pit of lies. I am able to tell the truth immediately for the vast majority of things. This is great, because you just suffer a little punishment, learn your lesson, use what you did wrong for the next time, but you won't have any weights of any kind on your shoulder. I encourage all of you to try to do the same and stop telling lies. I do have some advice, though: just remember it can't be done overnight and the whole process takes a while. I compared lying to a deep dark pit, and it really is. As humans, we get sucked in, and many don't find a way out. The 'gravity' in the pit is so strong that getting out is difficult. It takes a while, it takes slow, steady, gradual steps. But once you get past a certain point, it is so much easier and it comes naturally. It is really quite amazing when facing a situation I would have lied about in the past, and just speaking the truth right then and there. I hope you will take what I said into consideration and, if you haven't already, take the first step towards the truth. I myself am still somewhere on the staircase. I have not yet reached the top. But I can tell you this: even from where I am on the staircase I can experience some of the amazing things that come from the truth, and trust me. It is very rewarding.

Daily Quote

"The best thing one can do when it's raining is to let it rain."

-Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

If it feels like your life is raining, just let it rain. Sometimes that is just the best thing you can do. If you are the type who never cries and you find yourself in a situation where you are crying, just let it rain. Let it all out, drain your clouds so when everything dries up again there will be a nice rainbow. If it starts to sprinkle, just let it rain, not little by little, but simply let it all go. We all need a breather. Nobody is perfect. You can't hold your chin up forever, sometimes it needs a rest. And the best thing you can do when something happens is to let it happen. Let whatever unexpected event happen the way it is supposed to happen, the way God planned for it to happen. If it is something like losing your house, then of course try to fix it! But if it is something like the death of a loved one, don't get mad and angry at God for the death. Be grateful and thankful and praise the Lord for the wonderful life your loved one lived. Let it rain and don't get in the rain's way. Just let it rain. Sometimes we all need a storm to wash all the dust away and to freshen us up again. Besides, after rain comes a rainbow. May your rainbow be ten times brighter then it has ever been before.

Quote of the day

"What makes the desert beautiful is that somewhere it hides a well."

-Antoine de Saint-Exupery

In every desert is an oasis, it just might be dozens of miles away. Keep your eyes peeled and don't give up. Wander as far as you have to to reach your goal, and while you journey, keep an eye out for the extraordinary. Everything's extraordinary if you look at it long enough and really think about it. People can sometimes seem like deserts. Hot-tempered, dry, empty, unforgiving. They seem like, no matter how far into them you go, you will never find a drop of water. But within every desert there is a well, and that's what makes them beautiful. Within all of your enemies is love, and that's what makes humankind beautiful. Everyone is capable of love and compassion, somewhere deep in their hearts. Before you hate someone, get to know them first. Explore deep and find that love, and once you find your shimmering oasis, learn how to get to it every time. Not only can you make friends with your enemies, but you can help them eventually create a fertile forest out of their dry desert.

Quote of the day

Until you have loved an animal, part of your soul remains unawakened. We've all had our pets as kids-- dogs, cats, birds, lizards, ducks, turtles, fish. If you've ever loved one an animal, you know what I'm talking about. Having an animal and loving the animal is different from anything you will ever experience. You love your animal in a different way you love your direct family. You don't exactly cuddle your parents' heads and stroke them, do you? Animals are also a great responsibility. You can learn so much by simply trying to keep that animal alive. There are so many aspects of your life that can only be completed by loving an animal. Besides, animals are great because it is a way to express the love within you at any age. Pets are great companions that will stick by your side if you stick by theirs. Anyone who has ever loved an animal can understand this: unless you've loved an animal, part of your soul remains unawakened.

Daily Quote

“Do not let the behavior of others destroy your inner peace.”

-Dalai Lama XIV

Be peaceful, and don't let anything stop you from it. While others may be mean all around you, don't let it get to you. Be peaceful no matter what. They can be as mean as they want, but you can tune it out. You are strong enough, so you can. Everything is possible if you try and if you want it enough. I know for fact that others can be so mean that you just want to scream and let it out. It gets to the point where the bucket of revenge keeps filling inside you until one day it just wants to dump. I've been there. I've dumped it before. It isn't worth it, in the end. But there comes a point where all of the pestering and meanness of someone gets to you so much that you explode. Sometimes, on better days, I am able to keep that bucket of revenge from tipping. It has never been drained completely before, because I am afraid if I let it then I will never be able to control it on my own anymore. So when my bucket gets too full I usually accidentally let out bits at a time. The point is, as hard as I try, the behavior of others has broken my inner peace. Just as soon as I get my inner peace back, I lose part of it again to the behavior of others. So trust me, this one is something I am working on as well, but this one is incredibly important. Few can master this skill. Don't let it get to you, it isn't worth it in the end. It gets you nowhere. 

Daily Quote

"Step by step and the thing is done."

-Charles Atlas

To get something done, you can't just jump in and do it all at one time. You have to take your time and get it done right. Take small chunks and work those chunks into perfection, then move on and do some more. For example, if you wanted to eat an entire pizza yourself, you can't just stuff the entire thing in your mouth without choking. You take slices from the pizza, then you take bites from the slices. Eventually, though, the pizza will be gone. It takes time and effort. But just remember that. Taking it step by step will actually help you get it done better. Don't put things off, because you are more likely to try to take bigger bites or just stuff the whole thing in your mouth. The results aren't as favorable. So take it slow, plan out in advance, and take it step by step until the thing is done.

Quote of the day

"Tomorrow hopes we have learned something from yesterday."

-John Wayne

In the future, you will probably do something different than what you did yesterday. Yesterday, you probably made some mistakes. Yesterday, you hopefully learned from those mistakes. Tomorrow, you will apply it. Tomorrow hopes that you did learn from your mistakes, because you will apply what you got out of the situation one way or another. Either you will do it again and make the same bad choice, or you will change your way and do it right the next time around. Learn from your mistakes so you can do better and be better the next time you are in the same situation. Keep making new mistakes though, so you can continue learning new skills for yourself. It is one thing to be told not to do something, but once you do it and experience the consequences for yourself, you will have a more personal connection to why you think you shouldn't do it. You will also be more likely to not do it again in the future. There are some things, though, you should just trust everyone else when they say not to do it. Things that can get you addicted or things that can kill you or both are things you shouldn't experience for yourself first to judge them. Trust others on that one. But most other (safer) things are good to discover for yourself, not purposefully though, and learn from. Take as much advice as you can from others and listen to it, but if you run across a new struggle, simply experience it and learn how to deal with it. Tomorrow, you will be smarter about it, and you will know how to prevent or stop it all together. The main point is, learn from your mistakes. It is ok to have a mistake, because the only mistake there would be is if you fail to learn from it.

Quote of the day

Saying something nice to someone doesn't take much effort on your part, but the results can be amazing. I know firsthand that if nobody says anything mean, the dinner table won't explode many nights at dinner. Saying something kind doesn't take much effort if it is genuine. A genuine compliment should be easy to say if you mean it. Good words make people feel good which is why they are so easy to say. Bad things are more difficult, because most of the time you know that it will hurt them (sometimes, we know it will hurt them and we are glad because that is what we intended to do. Don't worry, we all do it sometimes). Even if you are meaning to hurt them, a part of you deep down doesn't want the other person to be hurt, so saying those words might pain you in a way you don't even realize. Good words don't cost as much. You can say them as much as you want and the results will most always be desirable. They are worth so much but cost so little. Spread the joy of kindness, because that is something this world is slowly losing. Fill someone else's day with happiness with a few kind but powerful words.

Daily Quote

Good leaders don't mind who gets the most credit. Good leaders want the whole team to thrive and grow. Good leaders are in it for the team,  and don't care as much about what is in it for them. They are willing to take one for the team, even if they know that it isn't their fault. A good leader will step up and take responsibility for what his or her team did, even if it was an individual's doings. When the team does something good, a good leader will give more credit to everyone else in the team, and won't claim all of the credit just because they are the team leader. Good leaders are hard to find, because in our modern world, everyone wants all the credit for themselves but wants to blame everything on everyone else. Step up to the challenge, and be the good leader you are looking for to lead you. Lead yourself and others around you into a better world and better life.

Daily Story

Before electrically warmed incubators became common, the only available procedure to hatch eggs was by placing them under a broody mother hen. She has a maternal instinct and carefully covers the eggs with her warm wings for several weeks. Hen’s eggs need three weeks while duck’s eggs require four weeks of incubation for hatching.

Ducks refuse to sit on their eggs for hatching and so duck’s eggs are usually hatched by farmers by placing them under a broody mother hen. When a mixture of hen’s eggs and duck’s eggs are to be hatched, first the duck’s eggs alone are placed under the mother hen. A week later, hen’s eggs are placed along with the duck’s eggs so that all eggs hatch together.

A farmer hatched out several chicks and ducklings together. The mother hen did not realize that some of the young birds were ducklings. She had a strong, aggressive and protective maternal instinct and used to give a stern and strong signal as warning, whenever a danger was imminent. After a few days, the hen moved into the field and started to train the young ones to collect feed. The ducklings were not very attentive.

When they reached a small pool of water, by their natural instinct, the ducklings jumped into the water and started to swim. The chicks were warned by the mother hen. She made a loud command to the ducklings to return to the dry land, but they did not listen. But a naughty chick followed the ducklings and fell into the water. It started to sink and tried its best to escape but was almost drowned. Fortunately, the farmer who heard the hen’s cry ran to the scene and rescued the chick. It was wet and weak and shivering with cold but he wiped it carefully and placed it under the hen for its tender care and warmth. Possibly, the chick learned a lesson that blind imitation of others can be dangerous.

Comparison of our assets and talents with those of others and attempts to copy the lifestyle of others can be dangerous. Let us be conscious of our capacity and be content with our possessions. Jealousy towards others’ achievements and lack of contentment may make our lives miserable.

Enjoy what you have, because you have your own gifts and talents!

Moral Stories

Quote of the day

"God proved His love on the Cross. When Christ hung, and bled, and died, it was God saying to the world, 'I love you.'"

-Billy Graham

Some people don't understand this. Why did Jesus have to die on the cross to save us? That makes no sense! I didn't know the answer to this when I was younger, but now I can. Jesus died to forgive our sins. He didn't want to, but he loved us so much that he died and took all of our sins with him to the grave. When he was resurrected, he left our sins there in the grave. He left them behind then went up to heaven, leaving us free of our sins. We as people still commit sins, but because of what Jesus did for us, we can be forgiven. Jesus is our savior. He died to save us of our sins. He took our sins and buried them for us. He didn't want to, and we know this because he cried out "Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani," which means"My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" Be thankful. This was God's way of showing us that he loves us.

Alleluia! Christ is risen!

He is risen indeed. Alleluia!

Happy Easter! 

God has mercy on all of us. Go and do likewise.

Quote of the day

"But O, how bitter a thing it is to look into happiness through another man's eyes."

-William Shakespeare

When you look through someone else's eyes, you will see that different things make others happy. While a hug might make you happy, it might not make someone else happy. That other person might be happy when someone talks to them, but that might not be something that makes you happy. Look through other peoples' eyes, because then you can do something to make them happy. Even if you absolutely hate doing it, do it to make them happy. For example, some people feel loved and happy when other people do service for them. Sometimes, that means unloading the dishwasher for them. Other people feel happy when you care for them. Sometimes that means giving extensively long back rubs. Look through their eyes and see what makes them happy, then do it. Don't try to do something that makes you happy to them, because it could possibly not be their favorite thing. If you like hugs and they don't, don't hug them. Strive to make others happy before you make yourself happy.

Daily Quote

The more elaborate the ways we communicate are, the less people actually tend to communicate face to face. Back in the old days, if someone wanted to say something to someone, they had to tell them. To their face. So sometimes, that meant riding a horse across incredible distances to get the message across. Eventually, people began writing notes which were then delivered by other people on horses, and even later, telegrams came along, then a phone, somewhere in the mix came mail and mailmen, then newer phones, then email, instant messaging, easy cell phone calls, Skype, and Facetime (an easier Skype type of thing that comes with iPhones). Our means of communication have become so elaborate that we don't even bother to talk to people face to face anymore unless they are within short walking distance (in the same building or next door or convenient distance from you, for example). Sure, email and calls and texting is great, but I have been in a carpool where two of the passengers were sitting in the same car and were texting each other. Sometimes I wonder what technology has come to? I will admit, technology is incredibly convenient when you really need to call someone to question why they haven't showed up at whatever it is you were doing yet, or texting your best friend to ask if they want to come over next weekend. But the more elaborate our communication devices are, the less people will actually speak face to face.

Daily Quote

"The marble not yet carved can hold the form of every thought the greatest artist has."

-Michelangelo

An un-carved slab of marble can be carved into any shape the artist wants. It could be anything the artist thinks of, and anything the artist dreamed of. It can be carved the way the artist wants. This is very true in life. Our life is one big sculpture that we are carving. As we live our life, we carve more into the marble and create something wonderful. Whether we carve something great or something not so great is our choice, but once you are on the path to carving something not so great, it is hard to change it into something else after a certain point because it will already look too much like the terrible thing it is being carved after. Sometimes these terrible carvings are smaller then the good carvings. You can choose the design you want to carve, but you need to be careful because your knife could slip at any moment. 

Quote of the day

"All our sweetest hours fly fastest."

-Virgil

Time flies the fastest when we are having fun. If you aren't having fun, every time you look at the clock it will look like no time even passed at all! But when you are enjoying yourself, time will fly just like that. Time is funny that way. When you want it to slow down it seems to speed up, and when you want it to speed up it seems to slow down. I remember when I was in elementary school (but I don't remember what grade it was), on the day we were all going to leave for spring break I got to leave early. We were flying across the country that day, so I was to be excused from my last class early. In that class, I kept looking at the clock and then looking at the clock again willing it to go faster so I can go on spring break. That clock ticked so slowly that I started getting extremely restless. Then I decided to focus again on the lesson, and I ended up forgetting to look at the clock for a while. It didn't seem like it had been very long, but I looked up again, and I was supposed to be excused in less than 5 minutes. Time flew so quickly because I was occupied. I watched the clock for the last 5 minutes, and time froze again. Finally I was able to leave. But the point is, if you are occupied or having fun, time will seem to go faster. If you watch the clock because you want it to go faster, it will feel slower.

Quote of the day

Life means different things for everyone. For wise people, life is a dream. It is full of new opportunities and new things to discover. It is full of people to meet, things to create. It is a dream come true because these wise people are able to wisely choose for themselves a wonderful life. Rich or poor, the wise people see life as a dream. Life is a game for the fool. Getting drunk to be drunk, spending themselves broke in casinos, and doing all sorts of things they shouldn't just because they think it is fun. They don't realize that life isn't a game. It is real, and everything you can be tracked back to you; what you do can even kill you, so be careful where you are leaving your footprints. Rich people, if they are the type who is a stereotypical rich person (burns money because he/she has money to burn), probably live life more as a comedy. They pay their way through everything and feel safe with their money by their side. They probably see life as a comedy, just watching those who are less fortunate and laughing at them without even a clue on what they are going through. On that note, the poor peoples' lives are a bit more of a tragedy. Sometimes without a roof above their heads, and if they have one, it might not be the best living conditions. Small, cramped quarters. They sometimes don't know where they will find their next meal. Life is a tragedy as they live each day one day at a time trying to keep themselves alive.

Here is my big 'be careful' of the day for you:

When talking to someone about life and how either terrible or amazing it is for you, be aware of who they are. If you are rich and you are talking about your life of luxury to someone less fortunate, you might hurt their feelings a lot. So just be wary and conscious about other people's feelings.

There are other morals to this quote, too. What do you think this quote is trying to tell us, if anything at all?

Daily Story

One evening, a thirsty deer was feeding in the forest. He was happy to see a pond nearby. He bent down to drink the water. Looking into the clear and still water, he could see his reflection. The sight of his attractive and alluring antlers made him proud and happy. He then noticed his long, thin and skinny legs. Sadly, he said to himself, “These legs are so ugly and do not match my majestic and appealing antlers.”

 Suddenly he sensed the approach of a wolf.

The stag ran at top speed, knowing that the wolf was fast chasing him. He suspected that other wolves in the pack would have spotted him and joined the race. His long and slender legs helped him to run at a great speed. He ran with all his might and reached much ahead of his predators. But unexpectedly his antlers got entangled in the branches of a bushy tree. 

He tried but could not free the antlers from the branches. He pulled with all his strength but all his efforts were in vain. Finally he made a frantic attempt and luckily could release the antlers just before the wolf could reach him. He made another frantic run for his life and could fortunately outrun the wolf.

Reaching a safe spot, he turned back and found that the predators had given up the chase. He sighed with relief and thought how foolish he was in praising his pretty antlers and cursing his ugly legs. Gratefully regarding his long and lean legs, with great appreciation, he remarked, “These legs are really lovely. They saved me while the dangerous antlers would have caused my death.”

Appearances may be deceptive. All that glitters is not gold. The Bible teaches, "Charm is deceptive and beauty disappears."

Moral Stories

Daily Quote

"There is little difference in people, but that little difference makes a big difference. That little difference is attitude. The big difference is whether it is positive or negative."

-Robert Collier

If you took two identical twins, you would think they are very similar with little difference between them. But if one of them has a negative attitude and one has a positive, you will notice that the difference is actually enormous. One of them will be quite pleasant to be around, and one won't. These small differences are actually huge differences. Be positive, because not only do people want to be around you more, but it sets you apart from the majority of the world. Being different is usually a good thing! Be unique! Be special! Be yourself.

Quote of the day

"In order to succeed, your desire for success should be greater than your fear of failure."

-Bill Cosby

I feel like I have done this quote before. It is really important and so true, so here it is again. If you want to succeed at something, you really do have to want that success. It is ok to be a little bit afraid of failure so you can help avoid it, but you really need to focus on what is more important. Success. If you are too focused on the potential failure, you won't spend enough time working towards the success and you will ultimately end up failing. Just let it go and know that the chance of failure will always be there, but the more you desire for that success, the more likely you are to put it to action, and the more likely you will actually succeed.

Quote of the day

Spending your time urging time to go faster won't do you any good. Unfortunately, the only way to make time seem to go quickly is to be actively engaged in something. Working hard makes time fly. Keep going. Go as long as you can and get as much as you can done, because if you stop, there is no telling how long it will take you to start again. Procrastination is also an issue many people have. I have it, too. But when I do actually work ahead and get things done, not only does time fly, but I have less of a workload to do later. Don't keep looking up at the clock, or it will seem like each second takes a minute. Just keep going and you will be fine.

Daily Quote

"The world hates change, yet it is the only thing that has brought progress."

-Charles Kettering

People tend to hate change. I know some people that get really angry when something is changed. I don't really like change sometimes, but sometimes you just have to realize that it is probably either for the best or seriously not worth worrying about. The world hates change. But change is the only thing that makes our world keep progressing and getting better and becoming more advanced. For example, some of the older people still living might not like the newest technology such as iPhones and laptops. It just isn't normal to them. They might not like these things very much because they are change. But without these technology advancements, where would we be right now? You may not like change very much, but it is the only thing that has ever brought progress.

Daily Story

A cow was resting and ruminating in her cowshed. A mosquito appeared and challenged the cow. "You have a feeling that you are stronger and larger than I am. I will show you how powerful I am."

 He gave sharp bites on the soft parts of the cow, evading every attempt of the cow to drive him away. The cow warned him with a kind and considerate look, "Please remember that pride goes before a fall."

The mosquito continued his attack, flying away from the wagging tail of the cow. Suddenly he was caught and entrapped in a spider web. His wings got stuck and he could not move. The spider sensed the fall of the prey and approached fast to paralyze the mosquito and kill it. The mosquito was frightened. He cried aloud, "Help me. I am caught in the web. Kindly forgive me. I am going to be killed. Please help me!"

The cow was very kind and gentle. With a careful light wag of her tail, she broke the web and released and saved the mosquito. The mosquito was ashamed of himself for boasting before the cow. He admitted his mistake. He pleaded, "You are definitely more powerful. Please forgive my ignorance and arrogance. Thank you for saving me. I will never disturb you."

"Please remember that pride goes before a fall."

These words, which the kind cow spoke to the mosquito in the effort of saving the mosquito before the incident happens, mean that sometimes peoples' pride gets to the point of destruction. They might be so proud and/or jealous of someone else that they become prideful and boastful. Usually, this behavior lands you in all kinds of trouble. Keep your compassionate heart and forgive others. Don't let their jealousy and rage get to you, for it is probably something going on in their lives. Be kind, and when the angry person "takes a fall," help them up again. This is what we were meant to do. 

Unfortunately, in this world we live in, this isn't what usually happens. People get angry, the person who is getting yelled at gets angry, and then there is a fight. Be different. Be the one to end the fight and help the person back up when they fall.

Quote of the day

"O, what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive!"

-Walter Scot

When you begin doing things intentionally to deceive someone or hurt them in any way, you begin leaving a trail of string behind you. Chances are, if you do something once you will probably want to do it again because it made you feel good. So you will probably go and pick on someone else as well. You will keep dragging that piece of string and it will keep getting snagged on everything, and before you know it, you are in a tangled web with no way out of your lies. Don't purposefully be mean to someone! If it makes you feel good to put someone else down, you need to think it out. Why is it making you feel good? Perhaps it is because you are jealous of something they have you don't, so putting them down temporarily weakens them so you can feel stronger and better? If this is the case, you just need to recognize that you have things that they don't, too, and you should instead be thankful for what you have. Don't want what others have, be happy with what you have. Also, don't purposefully deceive someone, because before long, you will be tangled in a hopeless web.

Quote of the day

"The moon looks upon many night flowers; the night flowers see but one moon."

-Jean Ingelow

This is the quote I think of when I think of all of these famous people. Everyone knows who they are, but they don't know us at all. We look upon one moon, but the one moon looks upon thousands upon thousands upon thousands of us. Sometimes, the moon sheds positive light on us and influences us to do good things. Other times, the moon might make a bad decision and burn us with it's influential rays. It is ok to look upon the moon that looks upon all of us, but if the moon isn't making good choices, perhaps you should turn your head away. Do you see what I am saying here? Sometimes famous people can be good role models and you want to be just like them. Other times, they can turn to the wrong direction, and don't let them lead you down that dark path. You are still your own person. Your petals are yours and yours only, just make sure your stem is strong enough to withhold your own decisions and not someone else's. Make good choices, and only let positive influences influence you.

Daily Quote

"If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough."

-Albert Einstein

To be able to understand something fully is to be able to explain it to a four year old. If you can't use simple enough terms to be able to teach the concept to that little four year old, then you really don't know it well enough. A sign of if you know it well enough or not is whether you can explain it to not only a four year old, but someone that knows nothing of the topic. If that person who knows nothing about it understands after your explanation, I would say you're doing a pretty good job. This is good for when you are learning something, too. Try learning it in simple terms, and understanding the more complex part to it a little later. Get the basics down first. This is true with anything in life. Get the basics down first. When you learned to walk, you didn't just get up and run a marathon, now did you? No. You took baby steps and slowly learned to walk and talk. Take baby steps with everything you do, and when you learn something, dissect it into baby steps again and walk someone else through slowly and clearly. If you are wondering if you truly know something, then be able to explain that something to a four year old and you are good to go!

Daily Quote

"God didn't make a mistake when He made you. You need to see yourself as God sees you."

-Joel Osteen

Sometimes, you may question yourself. You may question your morals, you may question your appearance, you may question countless things about yourself. We have all had that moment in our lives where we wondered why God made us, and what he has in store for us. What are we here for? Sometimes, we feel completely useless. Sometimes, we wonder if we were a mistake when we were born. Well, nobody is a mistake. We might feel that way sometimes, but that is just because we are human. Humans are far from perfect, and these kinds of feelings about our imperfections pop up all of the time. Ignore those feelings! Just remember that God is with you always and he will always be there for you. No matter how many good things or bad things you do with your life, He will always be there. There was no mistake when you were made. Try seeing yourself as God sees you. Because in God's eyes, you are perfect. The only thing keeping you back is the way you see yourself. You are perfect. You are worth it. You aren't a mistake. Live the life you were made to live, see yourself the way He who made you sees you.

Happy 400th Post!

-LifeOO

Quote of the day

"We need to find God, and he cannot be found in noise and restlessness. God is the friend of silence. See how nature - trees, flowers, grass- grows in silence; see the stars, the moon and the sun, how they move in silence... We need silence to be able to touch souls."

-Mother Teresa

As the years progress, I feel like the human race is losing connections with God. People don't visit church or synagogue unless it is a religious holiday, which I know for Christians usually means twice a year (for the two major holidays: Christmas and Easter). With all of our modern day distractions and the hustle-bustle of everyday life, we just aren't as religiously active. Even those who go to church every single Sunday or temple or synagogue whenever those take place aren't as connected as someone back in biblical days might have been. People and their religious practices have changed their ways, and we just aren't as strongly connected. Sometimes, we go a few days without even thinking about God. If you eat dinner with your family every night and bless the food every night but use the same prayer every night, chances are that prayer might simply be words to you. No more than just words you recite every night at the dinner table. They just aren't as meaningful as a made-up on the spot prayer thanking the Lord for everything we have and everything we are.

At this point, you may be wondering: How do I find God, then? Well, like I said, life now is all hustle-bustle and get things done because they are due tomorrow and all of that stuff. "Gotta make money to support my family," and "Have to work extra hard to keep my job" are normal things you might think during a day. God is always around you, but to truly find Him, you need to step away from the noise and business. You simply have to find solitude. If possible, go outside. Connect with nature. Notice that each little flower and each leaf on each and every tree grows and lives in calm, simple, God-made nature without the distractions of man-made inventions. These bits of nature spend their lives in silence, waiting for the appreciation humans used to give them... but don't as much anymore. Find this solitude, and pray. When you are connected with God, you will know you are. You can just feel it. For everyone it is different... But you will simply know. Don't ask me how I know this... I just know that you will know. For example, if I offer God a legitimate prayer, I will know I am connected if my eyes start to tear up. I might not be sad at all, but those tears; that holy water God sent to my eyes; that is what lets me know he is listening.

Yesterday, everyone in my grade at school was assigned to find a spot in nature and simply sit there in silence for 30 minutes. For many, this was a challenge as many of the people hadn't gone 60 seconds without opening their mouth to say something while surrounded by friends. But we all managed to do it successfully. We went out into the still of nature, and we sat. Some people slept, some people were lost in thought. There were probably people who couldn't wait to get out of there, and that is fine. Some people just don't connect that way. Everyone was encouraged to use the opportunity to pray. I'm not sure how many actually did, but the 30 minutes in nature helped me feel so connected. Since I'm not in elementary school, we don't get a nice playground to go play on every day. So I spend my days inside. All day. Glued to a computer screen or taking notes on something or another that I quite honestly don't feel like doing at that moment. I really needed that connection with nature. It helped my mental health as well as my spiritual health become healthier than it has been in a while.

So I encourage all of you to just stop. Go outside, find somewhere away from the distractions of human made things. Go out into nature, find a comfortable place to sit, and just appreciate everything around you. You never know what you might discover.
Also try offering up your best prayer to God. It doesn't have to be out loud. It can be said in your head, but if you are sincerely offering it up to the Lord, he will hear it. Find the special Godly connection symbol that is given to you, and cherish the warm, buttery feeling of it. Good luck, and happy praying.

Take this advice... Please. You will never experience something so real as you do when you know God is there.

Quote of the day

"I often think that the night is more alive and more richly colored than the day."

-Vincent Van Gogh

Sometimes, the night can be more colorful than the day. Sometimes, the days can be cold and gray, and usually they are pretty quiet in terms of nature. But night time and early morning... Just hear those hundreds of birdcalls singing! (Mostly in the morning.) Even though it is dark outside, the colors of night are so much richer than that of day. The beautiful cobalt and dark blues of the sky, the twinkle of the stars, and the silhouettes of the trees against the pretty blue sky. Also, the moon shines so brightly it looks like a nighttime sun. Take the opportunity to look outside tonight. If it is clear out, it just might amaze and dazzle you what you might see.

Daily Quote

Don't judge the day you've had based on how many things you got out of it, judge it based on what you put into it. Did you put your best effort into everything? Did you start something that you can pick up tomorrow and still be proud of? What have you set up that increases the chances of success for later when you harvest that fruit? If you have no answer to any of these questions, I suggest you start planting some good, wholesome seeds so you can carefully tend to them and be able to reap them later. Another thing-- if you did harvest some fruit today, was it yours? Be sure to do things for yourself and harvest the fruit you have planted for yourself. Share your successes with others, too. Sometimes, a seed planted may be planted by a couple people together. Work with them and make sure that seed grows big and strong. Carefully tend to your seeds not out of the attitude of just wanting the outcome, but do it because you want the seed to grow. Do it because you want your work to be actually good. Do it for the good of yourself and others.

Daily Quote

"People deal too much with the negative, with what is wrong. Why not try and see positive things, to just touch those things and make them bloom?"

-Nhat Hanh

Nobody is perfect. Nothing is perfect. As hard as we try, perfection is reserved for only one: God. People tend to deal too much with what is wrong, and they loose focus on what is right. People look at things and immediately look for the bad side of it. They look for the potential problems with it. I do that too, don't get me wrong. Before purchasing something (or looking at things to potentially purchase just for the fun of it), I always look at the negative reviews just so I can get an idea of what might be wrong with the product. What we should all be focusing on is the benefits. What is good about the product? What is good about the person you don't like? There has to be something! While God didn't make us to be perfect, he did give to each of us a special talent or something that makes us even more unique than we already are. So instead of looking for what is wrong in something, try looking for what is right. Seeing things more positively will likely result in a more positive outlook on life, which would make your entire attitude more positive, therefore making people want to be around you more. 

Blog Shutting Down

Hello,

I have decided that I have lost interest in this blog and I will be deleting it tomorrow.
Sorry, and thanks for everything.

-LifeOO

April Fool's!

I am definitely not stopping anytime soon!