Think of tomorrow today...

I listened to the news and was shocked to hear about the past of someone who was going to marry to a well-known person. I wonder if the person ever thought about their tomorrow when doing those things.

One thing I like to warn young and even married people about is the kind of pictures, situations, conversations and even environments we are in. The reason is simple:

"Today's moments are tomorrow's memories."

Knowing how he lived and died, I wasn't too surprised to read that Bob Marley said: "The good times of today, are the sad thoughts of tomorrow." They really don't need to be if we do good things in those good times. There are definitely some pictures, situations and such things that so many people wish they were never in. Their so-called good times have marred the path to a better and even best future.

Even if they seem to scale through such obstacles e.g. by marriage, the "but" continues to hang over their heads...for life. I pray all of us live making the most of evey moment today so we have wonderful memories tomorrow. Live fully today...think of tomorrow...

"Oh no! I don't believe it...it can't be"

Indeed that was how I felt and what I said to myself on the eve of the day I had finally convinced myself to go shopping. Earlier in that week, I went online to get an idea of what I wanted from that store especially as I had heard that they had a very nice brand. I then saw that they were having a "good sale" - you'll agree it was a good one too when you get some more details...otherwise I won't be talking about it. You may also know from experience that not every "sale" is a good one.

Before we too far, let me remind you that shopping is not my thing...it just doesn't excite me. Some of you may remember this posting from last year, If you don't remember it or didn't have the opportunity to read it, you're blessed - you just got a second opportunity to read it before we go on:

 http://sapphire-and-beryl.blogspot.com/2009/11/spiritual-lessons-from-shopping.html 

2 become 1

When I saw the phrase "2 become 1" as the title of the Marriage programme for a church, 2 things came to mind:

• 2 people become 1
• To become one

They both start with a decision followed by determination, despite the definite challenges that will come, to keep going towards the goal of "Oneness."

For those of us who are married - and hopefully went through pre-marital counselling - the first interpretation is most likely one you heard over and over again. Though I knew it was in the Bible, at first it sounded far-fetched for me - until I started living it.

Parent or Pamper

When I talk with parents - irrespective of whether they have two, three or more children, or only one child - at the time, all sorts of thoughts go through my mind.

I try to process what they are saying to me and assess what I am saying to them...trying to glean and learn from both sides of the conversation...knowing that sometimes, there is a sharp difference between what they are saying and what they mean and vice versa. 

Several questions go through my mind as we converse:

Are they planting the right virtues in their child(ren) or just tampering with the child's ability to be rooted in good soil and become a virtuous individual?

What do you find at the end of everything?

Answer: "The letter "g"?" Was that obvious? Maybe so - but not to me. When I read this on the plane, it sure got me thinking - and of course now sharing. So join me as we take this riddle a step further...

Indeed, the letter "g" is found at the end of everything and beyond that

God is found at the end of everything

and it's not because the word "God" starts with the letter "g" - I'll explain... 

It takes two...

...to tango.

When I was younger, I used to think the saying was "it takes two to tangle" not knowing that the saying is: "it takes two to tango". Both phrases sounds alike huh? However, the more I think about it the more I realise that in my naivity, I was and still am right because both phrases mean about the same thing...ok "almost about" the same thing...

To walk on water...

...you must have vision...both spiritually and physically. This struck me again when I read this statement by Cher Wang - co founder of HTC. When they had to decide on which business to exit and which one to continue in, she said "With a vision, we will not get lost."

Mummy merry-go-round

A few days ago...actually one early morning (@3.30am), I was chatting (IM) with my cousin - who's in a different time zone. When she asked and found out what time it was for me, she was wondering why I was up so early (or is it up so late). I explained that I needed to stay up in order to do things I couldn't get to do when my children were awake. When signing-off, I said to her that I needed to go to bed and rest before it's time for

 "Mummy merry-go-round."

Self-respect speaks...

1. If you want to be respected by others the great thing is to respect yourself. Only by that, only by self-respect will you compel others to respect you. ~Fyodor Dostoyevsky
2. Respect yourself and others will respect you. ~Confucius
3. Self-respect is the cornerstone of all virtue. ~John Herschel
4. Respect for self is the beginning of cultivating virtue in men and women. ~ Gordon B. Hinckley
5. That you may retain your self-respect, it is better to displease the people by doing what you know is right, than to temporarily please them by doing what you know is wrong. ~William J.H. Boetcker
6. Never esteem anything as of advantage to you that will make you break your word or lose your self-respect. ~ Marcus Aurelius
7. Respect your efforts, respect yourself. Self-respect leads to self-discipline. When you have both firmly under your belt, that's real power. ~Clint Eastwood
8. Self-respect is the fruit of discipline; the sense of dignity grows with the ability to say no to oneself. ~Abraham J. Heschel
9. Respect for ourselves guides our morals; respect for others guides our manners. ~Laurence Sterne
10. Self-respect permeates every aspect of your life. ~Joe Clark

Without self-respect there can be no genuine success. Success won at the cost of self-respect is not success for what shall it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his own self- respect

~ Forbes

Even worse - and beyond self-respect:
And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul?

~ Jesus (Matt 16:26 - NLT)

Uncle? Auntie?

2I was watching CNN recently when a nice memory flashed through my mind when I heard a correspondent mention his name – "Jim Clancy". Immediately, I remembered a few months (or is it “years”?) ago when one of my children would excitedly say to my husband (note I’m not saying “their Daddy” – not because he isn’t, he sure is.) Personally, I prefer to refer to him as "My Husband" – because that is more important (to me) and it happened before he was able to and actually became “their Daddy”...ok off topic- we’ll talk about that another time...

let's continue on this topic...