Sunday, November 8, 2009

The Shoebox

Talking about love...this is from an email...author unknown (comments in green, mine)

A man and woman had been married for more than 60 years. They had shared everything. They had talked about everything. It pays to marry your friend.
They had kept no secrets from each other except that the little old woman had a shoe box in the top of her closet that she had cautioned her husband never to open or ask her about.
For all of these years, he had never thought about the box, but one day the little old woman got very sick and the doctor said she would not recover. In trying to sort out their affairs, the little old man took down the shoe box and took it to his wife's bedside.


She agreed that it was time that he should know what was in the box.

When he opened it, he found two crocheted dolls And a stack of money totaling $95,000. He asked her about the contents. 'When we were to be married,' she said, ' my grandmother told me "The secret of a happy marriage was to never argue." She told me that If I ever got angry with you, I should just keep quiet and crochet a doll.'

The little old man was so moved; he had to fight back tears. Only two precious dolls were in the box. She had only been angry with him two times in all those years of living and loving. He didn't consider how long it took her to crochet one doll...I wonder if she kep crocheting until she cooled off?

He almost burst with happiness. 'Honey,' he said, 'that explains the doll, but what about all of this money? Where did it come from?' 'Oh,' she said, 'that's the money I made from selling the dolls.' I can't imagine how much each doll cost?


So what should those of us who don't know how to knit or crotchet do? Come to think of it, I used to knit and crotchet years ago...hmm wonder if I should reevaluate what I do in my spare time...


This one of those pieces that we smile (& some smirk) at when we read. There as lots of things and tips to takeaway from this piece...for me (& hopefully for all of us), one of them is that it is possible to redirect anger productively...and possibly make money too :).


This could very well be someone's "trigger" to consider starting their own business. Now if you do, you'll need to have the self-confidence and internal motivation to continue the business and not let anger be your "driving force". You could start earning money from one of your hobbies too...just an idea.


Another takeaway, is for me to do all I need to to make my marriage work and flourish. Bishop David Oyedepo says, you're not married to see if it will work...you're married to see (i.e. ensure) that it will work...and it's a 2-way street and ties in to the Courage to Love - the woman in the story sure had that Courage. My personal desire (& prayer) is that from now and in years (& decades) to come, the story of my marriage will one filled with WoW moments underpinned by Courage to Love amongst other things. AMEN!!!


Friday, November 6, 2009

Secret #3: Courage - (3) - Courage to Love

Courage to Love
So what is it about Loving that requires courage? Hm...good question. Not sure if we can fully answer that question - so will just share some of my TEA - (thoughts, experience and advice).
A long time ago, before I got married, I heard someone say that "love is acting in the other person's best interest". Talk about a tall order!

Thursday, November 5, 2009

And on these...

Some more from the same unknown author (pictures and comments in green, mine)

Ideas won't work unless ' You' do.


Your mind is like a parachute....it functions only when open...

The 10 commandments are not a multiple choice. They are summed up in 2 commandments hinged on "Love" and there so we can all have a better and happier life.
The pursuit of happiness is the chase of a lifetime!
The happiness of your life depends on the quality of your thoughts. Someone wisely advised: Watch your thoughts, for they become words. Watch your words, for they become actions.Watch your actions, for they become habits.Watch your habits, for they become character.Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.”

If you get a second chance, grab it with both hands. If it changes your life, let it. Nobody said life would be easy, they just promised it would be worth it. Remember, we have stepping stones all through our lives. If you haven't, get and read "Who moved my cheese?" Dale Carnegie said: "Develop success from failures. Discouragement and failure are two of the surest stepping stones to success."
It is never too late to become what you might have been.

Life is too short to wake up with regrets. Get on with doing!!!

We don't need more strength or more ability or greater opportunity. What we need to use is what we have.~ Basil Walsh

Think on these...

Just got it in the mail-Author Unknown (picture and comments in green, mine)

Be kinder than necessary because everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle. Proverbs 31:26 "She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness." (King James Version) Now that's another one of the verses I'm working on implementing in my life.

A sharp tongue can cut your own throat. Remember, the tongue has the power of life and death (Proverbs 18:21)

If you want your dreams to come true, you mustn't oversleep. Taking that a step further, someone wisely said: "When we wake up in the morning, we have two simple choices: Go back to sleep and dream, or wake up and chase those dreams. The choice is yours..."

Of all the things you wear, your expression is the most important. And this is a result of internal impressions - see previous series on Self-confidence...

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Courage to Give

Closely tied to the Courage to Live is the Courage to Give. I know this was not on our original list...it just came up. We cannot properly discuss Courage to Live without at least touching on the Courage to Give…

I know this may not be some ladies’ favourite topic…remember we’re here to make ourselves better people!

Looking around and at ourselves (ok, at myself), it’s as if so many of us live our lives taking all we can. It truly takes courage, not abundance, to give. Anne Frank* who died at age 15 said: “No-one has become poor by giving.” This may have been from her personal experience and that is so true.

The Bible says in Proverbs 11: 24-25:
There are those who [generously] scatter abroad, and yet increase more; there are those who withhold more than is fitting or what is justly due, but it results only in want. The liberal person shall be enriched, and he who waters shall himself be watered. (Amplified Bible)

Luke 6:38 and Act 20: 35 reiterate this. I’m almost convinced that was why John D. Rockefeller advised: “Think of giving not as a duty but as a privilege”. The giver always ends up “on top”.

Ask a farmer - I wonder if Anthony Norvell who said “Plant a kernel of wheat and you reap a pint; plant a pint and you reap a bushel. Always the law works to give you back more than you give”, was one. If he wasn't one, he sure knew about the principle of sowing and reaping...one we should all understand and latch on to.

Winston Churchill said: We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.

Ultimately, “it is every man's obligation to put back into the world at least the equivalent of what he takes out of it” (Albert Einstein)

Let’s start with simple ones…and of course progress

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Secret #3: Courage - (2) - Courage to Live

Courage to Live


What does that phrase mean to you? Even I wondered when I felt led by God to put it on the list of areas we'll focus on in discussing this Secret.

We already know that courage is all about being brave and bold in the face of adverse situations - now, who said that is or will be easy? Let's dig in...we're sure to come up with some "Destiny diamonds".

As women, too many times we let things happen to us or watch things happen to us rather than make things happen for us. Irrespective of the hurdles we face – which we all (will) face, we need to be courageous enough to make things happen in favour of ourselves and those in our sphere of influence.

Hard things are put in our way, not to stop us, but to call out our courage and strength ~ Anonymous

Ladies, any and all the stumbling blocks you have in your way should be seen for what they are - "Stepping stones." Stepping stones are "stones placed across a shallow river to form a step-stone bridge so people can step from each to the next and so cross the river without getting their feet wet"* So in fact, stepping stones are your path for "walking on water".

Walking on water huh? Think about it, if you need to get across the river/sea - any piece of water - you sometimes just have to go...whether the water is calm or not. I implore you to take Mark Victor Hansen's advice: “Don't wait until everything is just right. It will never be perfect. There will always be challenges, obstacles and less than perfect conditions. So what. Get started now. With each step you take, you will grow stronger and stronger, more and more skilled, more and more self-confident and more and more successful.”

This piece feels like it’s all over the place…I guess that’s how life is - isn't it - juggling various balls and wearing different hats? The bottom line is:
Courage to Live is about:
  • daring to dream and doing what you need to to make those dreams come true; "to accomplish great things, we must dream as well as act."***
  • being a path finder, a trail blazer and stepping up to the plate to "make an obstacle an opportunity."****
See what someone who definitely knows what he's talking about said: "All our dreams can come true if we have the courage to pursue them" ~ Walt Disney.
One of my pastors used to say: "after all is said and done, more is said than done." “Well done” is always a better praise than “well said”. Get on with doing...

YOU can do it! Yes YOU CAN!! Believe it and Live it!!! Decide & do!!!!
It takes courage to live up to your dreams - it takes courage to conquer!

References:
**http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stepping_stone
** John 16:33: I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace and confidence. In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted]! For I have overcome the world. [I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you.] (Amplified Bible)
*** Quote by Anatole France
****Quote by Linda Armstrong

Sunday, November 1, 2009

Secret #3: Courage - (1)

Secret #3: Courage: Courage means acting decisively, even while taking risk, in whatever way God directs you. Make decisions by design rather than by default. Courage is not one of those things that "just happens"...it needs to be developed, demonstrated and even tested consistently.*

Encarta defines Courage as: "quality of being brave: the ability to face danger, difficulty, uncertainty, or pain without being overcome by fear or being deflected from a chosen course of action."**

The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language defines Courage as: The state or quality of mind or spirit that enables one to face danger, fear, or vicissitudes with self-possession, confidence, and resolution; bravery.***

So courage starts in the mind; obviously, this is by no means easy...we all need to be courageous. By God’s grace, together will help each other cultivate and maintain:

  • Courage to Live
  • Courage to Love
  • Courage to Lead
  • Courage to Learn
  • Courage to Lean
  • Courage to Leave
The list is not in any order and is by no means exhaustive...just the starting point...

Before we start sharing our TEA, let's consider a few words of wisdom I found on the Internet:

Stay put...not out

When this common quote: "Go where you're celebrated not tolerated" crossed my mind, the first 2 words in the title "resp...