Wisdom Is Great!

Make Better Choices Beginning Today

2012-02-09T06:13:00.000-08:00

by: Jim Rohn

What we ponder and what we think about sets the course of our life. Any day we wish; we can discipline ourselves to change it all. Any day we wish, we can open the book that will open our mind to new knowledge. Any day we wish, we can start a new activity. Any day we wish, we can start the process of life change. We can do it immediately, or next week, or next month, or next year.

We can also do nothing. We can pretend rather than perform. And if the idea of having to change ourselves makes us uncomfortable, we can remain as we are. We can choose rest over labor, entertainment over education, delusion over truth, and doubt over confidence. The choices are ours to make. But while we curse the effect, we continue to nourish the cause. As Shakespeare uniquely observed, "The fault is not in the stars, but in ourselves." We created our circumstances by our past choices. We have both the ability and the responsibility to make better choices beginning today.

Believe in yourself!

2012-02-09T06:11:00.001-08:00

Believe in yourself!

Believe you were made to do any task without calling for aid.

Believe, without growing too scornfully proud,
that you, as the greatest and least are endowed.

A mind to do thinking, two hands and two eyes
are all the equipment God gives to the wise.

Believe in yourself!

You are divinely designed and perfectly made
for the work of mankind.

The truth you must cling to through danger and pain;
the heights others have reached you can also attain.

Believe to the very last hour, for it is true.
That what ever you will, you've been gifted to do.

Believe in yourself and step out unafraid.

By misgivings and doubt be not easily swayed.

You've the right to succeed;
the precision of skill which betokens the great
you can earn if you will!

The wisdom of the ages is yours if you'll read.

But you've got to believe in yourself to succeed.

Winning Words of Champions,
p. 103

Faith In Myself

2012-02-09T06:06:00.000-08:00

by: Marjorie Holmes

God gave me faith in myself,
not only on days when I'm going great and winning
and nothing seems impossible
but on days when the whole world looks lousy
and I'm losing and the road ahead seems too hard.
When I wonder if I'm brave enough, smart enough
and I must be crazy to try,
don't let me quit Lord, not ever.

Let me keep the faith in myself.
No matter how many people
discourage me…
doubt me…
laugh at me…
warn me…
think me a fool…
Don't let me listen.

Let me hear another voice telling me,
"You can do it and you will!"
If nobody else in this world gives a darn or believes in me,
let me believe in myself.

I know there'll be times when I will doubt my own abilities,
when I'll be discouraged and on the verge of despair,
don't let me give up,
hang onto me.
Fan the fires so that I'll try even harder.
Give me more faith in myself.

Dear Lord, you are the source of life and power.
You are the source of my abilities and my faith.
Thank you for reinforcements.
I know that you will give me for what I ask…
Faith in myself.

Consulting Tips from the Million Dollar Consultant: How to Create A Speech from Scratch

2011-10-15T14:18:00.000-07:00

By: Dr. Alan WeissEven if you're not a professional speaker, you will often have to present a speech for a client, a civic group, a trade association, or a social club. By a "speech" I don't mean a report or a facilitation of a meeting. I mean that you're responsible for delivering information to a group of people for at least 30 minutes or more in an engaging and positive manner.Piece of cake.Here are the basic components of a first-rate presentation: First, prepare a catchy opening. It doesn't have to be humorous or clever, but it should capture people's attention. (An audience usually decides in the first two minutes of a talk whether or not to pay close attention to the rest of it.) You might say that you have a very different report from what people expected. Or you might quote some statistics ("We are the seventh largest group of our kind"). You may foreshadow the rest of your talk by citing the fact that there are five important points you want to convey. Whatever you do, the first two minutes will be key, so put yourself in the audience's shoes, and use an opening that would cause you to sit up and listen. Second, in the "body" or middle of the speech, create a clear structure you can work around. For a 30-60 minute talk, I suggest 5-7 points. Support each one with an anecdote, example, or facts. If your overall theme is "How to increase membership," your five points might be: Our membership history The composition of our current membership Competition for members Sources of new members Actions required for attracting new members If we were to take point #3 as an example, supporting anecdotes, examples and facts could include: 3a. There are now 27 sources for similar interests, whereas there were only 7 two years ago. 3b. The impact of cable TV and the Internet 3c. A conversation you had last week with a prospective member who is still undecided If you want to take questions, do it after the "body" but prior to the close. Third, create a closing which summarizes the five main points and then calls for the action you wish from the group. The closing should have a formal ending and a "thank you," and not just drift off into vague questions. Some other rules of thumb: Don't tell a story for the sake of the story. It must be relevant to your point. Don't use humor at someone else's expense, although self-effacing humor almost always is effective. Repeat all questions, to give yourself time to think and to allow everyone in the room to hear them. Don't overdo visual aids-PowerPoint is almost always overkill. Some overheads will usually do the trick if the group isn't too large, but keep the visual professional and in very large type. Don't present things that are already in handouts and which can be read later. Control the room-if someone gives you a hard time, tell them to see you later, but that you owe time to the group and not to one-on-one debates. If you don't know the answer to a question admit it, and ask if anyone else does.Finally, no speech is the turning point of Western Civilization. Prepare carefully, do the best you can, and then go home. You'll find that you did much better than you would have thought.

Consulting Tips from the Million Dollar Consultant: The Ultimate Tip

2011-10-15T14:12:00.000-07:00

By: Dr. Alan Weiss
This article concludes five years of the "hot tip of the month," spanning categories from rebutting objections to establishing fees, and from professional development to marketing. I'm bringing it to an end here not because I don't have more to say--a continuing stream of books, tapes, articles, and newsletters will attest to that--but because this forum is becoming unwieldy in its sheer volume.This edition brings us to the 60th entry, one a month, unfailing, for our duration. All the tips will remain on these pages, indexed, for complimentary downloading, ongoing reference, and incentive for new readers.This final "hot tip" is my ultimate tip, not just in the sense of being the final one, but in terms of being, perhaps, the most important.If you want to be successful as a consultant, speaker, trainer, facilitator, coach, or entrepreneur in general, here is the ultimate tip: First be successful as a person.As Popeye said, "I am what I am." Robespierre observed that no man has the ability to step outside the shadow of his own character. You must be comfortable with yourself as a contributing human being if you are to be comfortable and successful as a contributing professional.I've found very, very few good, hard working people who fail dismally as professionals. Similarly, I've found few conniving, insincere, unethical people who succeed spectacularly in their work. Oh, there are temporary anomalies, and we've all had bosses at one time or another who should have been lobotomized for the good of the company, but those are the exceptions.If you're reading this, you're probably not an "organization man" (or woman). You're an entrepreneur trying to do the best you can running your own practice or business. And, funny thing, I've long noticed that the harder I work, the luckier I get. The more that I plan and anticipate, the more the breaks tend to fall in my direction.If you improve your own performance as a person, you'll improve your business. Are you creating happiness, and not just consuming it? Are you a sincere lover, an engaging friend, a loyal colleague? Do you do what you say you will do, and is it predicated on what's right and not just what's expedient? Are you tolerant of honest differences but intolerant of unethical behavior and corrupt actions?Your clients don't have to like you, but they should respect you and admire you (and liking you, of course, doesn't hurt). How does your family regard you? How do your friends react to you? How do your colleagues perceive you?Ultimately, as Billy Joel sang it, we all have to get up with ourselves. Are you a person whom you would respect and admire as a friend? If not, what do you have to change about yourself? If so, then how do you also convey that in your business?The job is merely a means to an end. Your life is that end. How are you living it?

You Have The Power to Succeed

2011-09-07T14:20:00.000-07:00

by Max Steingart

Nothing will happen by itself. It will all come your way once you understand that you have to make it come your way.

Life to a large extent is what you make of it. Success on any major scale requires you to accept responsibility. Choose the thoughts and actions that will lead you to success.

Nobody can do it for you. Only you can make it happen. You're the only one that has to live your life.

The day you take complete responsibility for yourself, the day you stop making any excuses, that's the day you start on the road to success.

You have the power to succeed at anything. The power to fulfill your dreams is within you.

Creating Your Character

2011-08-28T04:02:00.000-07:00

By Jim Rohn
from Cultivating an Unshakable Character

Could creating your character be likened to an artist creating a sculpture? In my opinion, I believe that character is not something that just happens by itself, any more than a chisel can create a work of art without the hand of an artist guiding it. In both instances, a conscious decision for a specific outcome has been made. A conscious process is at work. Character is the result of hundreds and hundreds of choices you make that gradually turn who you are, at any given moment, into who you want to be. If that decision-making process is not present, you will still be somebody. You will still be alive, but may have a personality rather than a character.

Character is not something you were born with and can't change like your fingerprint. In fact, because you weren't born with it, it is something that you must take responsibility for creating. I don't believe that adversity by itself builds character and I certainly don't think that success erodes it. Character is built by how you respond to what happens in your life. Whether it's winning every game or losing every game. Getting rich or dealing with hard times. You build character out of certain qualities that you must create and diligently nurture within yourself. Just like you would plant and water a seed or gather wood and build a campfire. You've got to look for those things in your heart and in your gut. You've got to chisel away in order to find them. Just like chiseling away the rock in order to create the sculpture that has previously existed only in your imagination.

But do you want to know the really amazing thing about character? If you are sincerely committed to making yourself into the person you want to be, you'll not only create those qualities, but you'll continually strengthen them. And you will recreate them in abundance even as you are drawing on them every day of your life. Just like the burning bush in the biblical book of Exodus, the bush burned but the flames did not consume it. Character sustains itself and nurtures itself even as it is being put to work, tested, and challenged. And once character is formed, it will serve as a solid, lasting foundation upon which to build the life you desire.

To Your Success,
Jim Rohn

© 2003 Jim Rohn International.
All rights reserved worldwide.
www.jimrohn.com

I Dream To Become A Great Man

2011-08-11T05:42:00.000-07:00

By: Moises P. Reconalla

I was born as a poor boy and grew up in the street without the care, guidance and supervision of my beloved parents. I have experienced an empty stomach, being almost naked, existing without permanent shelter and without proper education.

As a young man, with deprived and some sad experiences of life, I started to think of innovation and dream for my future. I dream to become famous, I dream to become a great man!

Yes, I to dream to become a great man, a great man with power and authority; a great man like Abraham Lincoln, Brian Tracy, Benjamin Franklin, Dave Higgins, John Maxwell, Manuel Quezon, Martin Luther King Jr., Og Mandino, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Theodore Roosevelt and Winston Churchill.

Yes, I dream to become a great man because I want to have a change and improvement, a change and improvement to my beloved country, a change and improvement to the lives of the needy.

I thought to become a great man was to have power and authority, power and authority over the lives of the people, power and authority to become their lord and master.

But now I realize that to become a great man, it is not to become the lord of their lives, instead the lord of good example.

I also realized that to become a great man it is not to become the master of their lives, instead a master of change in helping to improve their way of living.

Now, with these precious thoughts that are still fresh in my mind, I am thankful to my beloved Creator for helping me to realize this.

Another thing is that to become a great man, is to change and improve first myself. Not be a self-centered, lord and master to others, instead a lord and master of my own self.

I realize that by changing my own self, I can gradually change my own destiny. I realize that by changing my own self, I can gradually brighten up my future.

Lo! Today I will live as if it is my last. I will improve my character, my skills, my talents and myself. I will serve and help others with love and care and I will become great!

Yes, I will become a great man if I will think about the good of others before myself. For only in serving, helping, loving, and sharing the blessings from Above, I can finally win the hearts, favors and support from my beloved human being. And my name will be hailed forever in the pyramid and pages of history!

--- Copyright © 2007 Moises P. Reconalla

Article Source: http://motivateus.com/stories/becoming-a-great-man.htm

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Sing, Dance and Climb

2011-08-11T02:37:00.000-07:00

By: William Arthur Ward

"Sing a new song; dance a new step; take a new path.

Think a new thought; accept a new responsibility; memorize a new poem.

Try a new recipe; plan a new adventure; entertain a new idea.

Learn a new language; blaze a new trail; enjoy a new experience.

Make a new friend; read a new book; see a new movie.

Climb a new hill; scale a new mountain; launch a new career.

Find a new purpose; fill a new need; light a new lamp.

Exercise a new strength; grasp a new truth; practice a new awareness.

Add a new dimension; encourage a new growth; affirm a new beginning.

Discover a new answer; envision a new image; conceive a new system.

Dream a new dream; chart a new course; build a new life.

Open a new door; explore a new possibility; capture a new vision.

Start a new chapter; seek a new challenge; express a new confidence.

Write a new plan; turn a new page; follow a new direction.

Watch a new program; be a new person; radiate a new enthusiasm."

My Creed

2011-08-11T02:30:00.000-07:00

By: Edgar Guest

To live as gently as I can;
To be, no matter where, a man;
To take what comes of good or ill
And cling to faith and honor still;
To do my best, and let that stand
The record of my brain and hand;
And then, should failure come to me,
Still work and hope for victory.

To have no secret place wherein
I stoop unseen to shame or sin;
To be the same when I'm alone
And when my every deed is known;
To live undaunted, unafraid
Of any step that I have made;
To be without pretense or shame
Exactly what men think I am.

To leave some simple mark behind
To keep my having lived in mind;
If enmity to aught I show.
To be an honest, generous foe,
To play my little part, nor whine
That greater honors are not mine.
This, I believe, is all I need
For my philosophy and creed.

LIFE IS WORTH LIVING

2011-08-11T01:29:00.000-07:00

By: Jeanine Van Wyk

THROUGHOUT LIFE COMES GOOD AND BAD
THINGS MAKE US HAPPY OR SAD
PEOPLE GIVE OUT LOVE, BUT ALSO HATE
THOSE THAT SHARE LOVE ARE CLOSEST MATES
THERE ARE TIMES WE FEEL UNAPPRECIATED
AND THAT ALL PEOPLE ARE FILLED WITH HATRED
WE CAN KEEP GRUDGES BUT WHAT ARE THEY WORTH
FEELINGS OF BITTERNESS WHILST WE LIVE ON THIS EARTH
FORGIVE AND FORGET THE MISTAKES PEOPLE MAKE
WE’VE ALL FALLEN GUILTY TO GIVING LESS THAN WE TAKE
SHARE LOVE, LAUGHTER AND POSITIVE FEELINGS
AND YOU'LL BEGIN TO SEE THAT LIFE IS WORTH LIVING.

Our Deepest Fear

2011-08-09T23:53:00.000-07:00

By: Marianne Williamson
Return to Love

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear in that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our Light, not our Darkness, that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?
Actually, who are you not to be?

You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the World.
There is nothing enlightening about shrinking
so that other people won’t feel unsure around you.
We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.
It is not just in some of us; it is in everyone.
As we let our own Light shine,
we consciously give other people permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our own fear,
our presence automatically liberates others."

Learn How to Put Failures Behind

2011-08-09T23:50:00.000-07:00

By: Steve Goodier

Unless we learn how to put failure behind us:

We will never ask for what we need for fear of rejection.

We will never ask a boss for a promotion for fear of her saying no.

We will never go back and take classes for fear of failing.

We will never change careers for fear of it not working out.

We will never forgive others who hurt us for fear of being hurt by them again.

We won't do the things we want to do for fear of letting ourselves and others down.

Unless we learn how to put failure behind us, we won't take any risk at all! And we'll never fully live, either.

Believe in yourself

2011-08-09T23:48:00.000-07:00

CHARACTER

2011-08-09T23:45:00.000-07:00

By: Jim Rohn
Success Philosopher

CHARACTER is the result of hundreds and hundreds of choices you make that gradually turn who you are, at any given moment, into who you want to be. If that decision-making process is not present, you will still be somebody. You will still be alive, but may have a personality rather than a character.…

CHARACTER is not something you were born with and can't change like your fingerprint. In fact, because you weren't born with it, it is something that you must take responsibility for creating. I don't believe that adversity by itself builds character and I certainly don't think that success erodes it. Character is built by how you respond to what happens in your life. Whether it's winning every game or losing every game. Getting rich or dealing with hard times. You build character out of certain qualities that you must create and diligently nurture within yourself.…

CHARACTER sustains itself and nurtures itself even as it is being put to work, tested, and challenged. And once character is formed, it will serve as a solid, lasting foundation upon which to build the life you desire.

To Your Success,
Jim Rohn

www.jimrohn.com

The Roadmap to Happiness

2011-08-09T23:41:00.000-07:00

By: Coach Frank DiCocco
Thought of the Week
used with author's permission

I have thought deeply about what constitutes real happiness—true, genuine happiness.

I have tried to simplify these thoughts as much as possible into brief, straightforward guidelines, that hopefully will serve you well for many years to come. What follows is my best personal opinion of how to go about creating a truly worthwhile and happy life:

Be good, and do good. That is simple enough.

Know what is right, and do what is right. (Again, that is simple enough.)

Live each day in such a manner that, when you go to sleep each night, you do so with a clear conscience. This will come from making every effort that you can to live the life you know you should be living.

Live your life the best way you know how.

Never do something you won't be proud of.

Never become someone you won't be proud of.

Do not search for riches, fame, or material wealth. Live your life the best way that you can, and if you do, you will attain the most valuable possession there is: peace of mind.

Realize that there is no substitute for being a good person.

Work hard at developing meaningful, genuine relationships. As legendary coach, John Wooden, said: "Make friendship a fine art."

Contribute to the lives of others.

Help make other people's lives a little better and more pleasant than they might otherwise be.

Have a positive impact on other people. Care for others as much as you can, and show appreciation to the important people in your life as often as you can.

Leave a legacy of love and respect.

Learn to forgive, and actually practice forgiveness.

Learn to ask for forgiveness.

Learn to control your emotions. Learn to think before you speak and act.

Learn to control your anger, or else it will control you.

Never judge anyone. Be kind and respectful to everyone; you never know what someone might be going through.

Keep an open mind. Accept the fact that you may not always be right.

Keep an open heart. Understand that what you want in life, and that what you are called to do may change as you gather more knowledge and experiences.

Do not fear change. Embrace the exciting opportunities that come with the future.

Always be positive. Remember, you can be realistic and positive at the same time.

Enjoy the life you have, because it's the only one you're going to get.

Don't always take yourself too seriously. Learn to laugh at yourself and at your circumstances. Find ways to make the arduous and tedious things enjoyable.

Don't waste time complaining. Find something to be thankful for, and make the most of the good things you have in your life. Focus on the positives, and you will find that everything else seems to disappear from view.

Appreciate what you have. Pursue what you want.

Do not be contented with the work of yesterday. Keep moving forward, and keep striving toward something worthwhile.

Always do your best. If your best is good enough, then enjoy the rewards. If your best isn't good enough, then keep working and keep giving your best until one day it is.

Be humble; it is better to be humble of your own choosing than to be humbled by other people or by circumstances.

Never be satisfied with any accomplishments, but instead, resolve to continue to do your best every single day.

Find out what you have a passion for, and then do it. And don't just do it for your own benefit; find a way to use your gifts and your passion to help others.

Do two things with your life: simplify it, and maximize it.

Hold on tightly to your sense of self-worth and your dreams. They belong to you, and you alone. No one can take away any of those things unless you allow them too.

Learn to value your integrity. You come into this world with it: make sure you do all you can to leave this world with it as well.

Don't just go through the motions in life. Make the most of yourself and your time in this world.

Don't wish for better circumstances. Go out and make them.

Make the most of your talent and your opportunities, and find a way to do it in service to something that is greater than your own immediate self.

Leave your mark on this world. Leave a piece of your spirit behind in the hearts and minds of everyone you meet.

Let the world be a better place for your having been here.

Realize that we are all part of something larger than ourselves, and that we are called to do as much good in this lifetime as we possibly can.

Live with honor, live a life that matters.

Live in such a way so that at the end of your life, you will be able to say, in the words of Henry David Thoreau, "My life has been the poem I would have writ. But I could not both live and utter it."

... in other words: Make Your Life a Masterpiece.

MAN CANNOT DISCOVER NEW OCEANS UNLESS HE HAS THE COURAGE TO LOSE SIGHT OF THE SHORE..

2011-08-07T06:45:00.000-07:00

Peter got out of the boat, and walked on the water and came toward Jesus. Matthew 14:29 NASB.

When Luciano Pavarotti was a boy, his grandmother often put him on her lap and said, “you’re going to be great, you’ll see.” His grandmother, however, had dreams of Luciano becoming a banker!

Instead, Pavarotti became a schoolteacher. He taught elementary school for a while, singing infrequently at special events. His father became the one who goaded him into developing his voice, chiding him for singing below his potential.

Finally, at age twenty-two, Pavarotti stopped teaching…to sell insurance. He continued to look for something stable on which he could rely financially, in case he couldn’t make it in the music world. The insurance business allowed him time to take voice lessons, and the rest is history. The opera star now says, “Studying voice was the turning point in my life. It’s a mistake to take the safe path in life.”

He adds with a twinkle in his eye, “My teacher groomed me. But no teacher ever told me I would become famous. Just my grandmother.”

It takes courage to leave a position you consider safe and launch out in a new direction. But without taking a risk, you can never realize your potential or know all God created you to be. From: God’s Little Devotional Book

Thanks God, Almighty! I am Free at last!

2011-08-04T02:11:00.000-07:00

I asked God: "how do I get the best out of life?" God answered: "don't be a prisoner from your past, leave your past behind because we can never change the past, but we can correct our mistakes, handle ur present with confidence, prepare for the future without fear." Then He added: "keep the faith and drop the fear. Don't believe your doubts and never doubt your beliefs. life is wonderful if you know how to handle!"

"The past doesn't determine your future unless you carry it with you into the present." Marianne Williamson

Worry less on your problems

2011-08-01T23:01:00.000-07:00

Less you worry about your problems, the easier they will be to solve.

Deep down, we all know that for every problem there is a solution. Many times, the solution is obvious to a dispassionate observer, which is the primary reason corporations as well as entrepreneurs hire outside consultants.

Often, the reason we cannot see these obvious solutions is that we are trapped in our emotional reactions and habitual ways of seeing life.

The alternative to dealing head on with problems is to clear your mind instead of filling it with painful, confusing details. Quiet down, reflect, and listen.
Allow your wisdom, that softer part of your thinking, to surface. More often than not, seemingly out of nowhere (actually from Supersoul – the Lord in the heart), you will have an insight, an answer to your problem.

The less you worry about your problems, the easier they will be to solve! ^_^

Balance sheet of Life

2011-08-01T22:58:00.000-07:00

Our Birth is our Opening Balance

Our Death is our Closing Balance ?

Our Prejudiced Views are our Liabilities

Our Creative Ideas are our Assets

Heart is our Current Asset

Soul is our Fixed Asset

Brain is our Fixed Deposit

Thoughts are our Current Account

Achievements are our Capital

Character & Morals, our Stock-in-Trade

Friends are our General Reserves

Values & Behaviour are our Goodwill

Patience is our Interest Earned

Love is our Dividend

Children are our Bonus Issues

Education is Brands / Patents

Knowledge is our Investment

Experience is our Premium Account

Our aim is, to tally the Balance Sheet accurately.. ….. and the goal is, to get the ‘Best Presented Accounts’ Award. How’s your Life’s balance sheet is doing?

Life is a Miracle

2011-07-31T14:30:00.000-07:00

Life is a miracle
Don't let it slip away,
Open your heart to others
Give of yourself each day.
See the Beauty in everyone
Regardless of where they've been,
Some have a difficult journey
And really need a friend.

Share your talents
Listen with your heart.
Do the things you dream about
But take your time to start.
Pick a bouquet of flowers
Show someone that you care,
Be gracious and forgiving
Life is never fair.

Hold on to your courage
You may need it down the road,
We all have a cross to bear
It could be a heavy load.

If you practice all these things
No matter where you roam,
You may find both sun and rain
But you'll never feel alone.

My New Rosary

2011-02-18T00:28:00.000-08:00

Dear God,

My faithful Friend and My Redeemer,the Creator of heaven & earth,

I Thank you for this day. I know I have not accomplished as yet you expect of me, and if that is your reason for bathing me in the fresh dew of another dawn, I am most grateful. I am prepared at last, to make you proud of me.

I will forget yesterday, with all its trials and tribulations, aggravations and setbacks, angers and frustrations. The past is already a dream from which I can neither retrieve a single word nor erase any foolish deeds.

i will resolve, however, that if I have injured anyone yesterday through my thoughtlessness, i will not let this day's sun set before i make amends, and nothing I do today will be of greater importance.

I will remain aware of how little it takes to make this a happy day. Never will I pursue happiness, because it is not a goal, just a by-product, and there is no happiness in having or in getting, only in giving.

I will run from no danger I might encounter today, because I am certain that nothing will happen to me that I am not equipped to handle with Your help. Just as any gem is polished by friction, I am certain to become more valuable through this day's adversities, and if you close one door, You always open another for me.

I will live this day as if were Christmas. I will be a giver of gifts and deliver to my enemies the gift of forgiveness; my opponents, tolerance; my friends, a smile; my children, a good example, and every gift will be wrapped with unconditional love.

I will waste not even a precious second today in anger or hate or jealousy or selfishness.I know that the seeds I sow I will harvest, because every action, good or bad, is always followed by an equal reaction. I will plant only good seeds this day.

I will keep a smile on my face and in my heart even when it hurts today. I know that the world is a looking glass and gives back to me the reflection of my own soul. Now I understand the secret of correcting the attitude of others and that is to correct my own.

I will turn away from any temptation today that might cause me to break my word or lose myself respect. I am positive that the only thing I am possess more valuable than my life is my honor.

I will pause whenever I am feeling sorry for myself today, and remember that this is the only day I have and I must play it to fullest. What my part may signify in the great whole, I may not recognize, but I am here to play it and now is the time.

This is my day!
These are my seeds.
Thank you, God, for this precious garden of time.

The Future Belongs to the Risk Takers

2011-02-01T01:04:00.000-08:00

By Brian Tracy

The future belongs to the risk takers, not the security seekers. Life is perverse in the sense that the more you seek security, the less of it you have. But the more you seek opportunity, the more likely it is that you will achieve the security that you desire.

Action is Everything

If learning about success was all that it took to do great things with your life, then your success would be guaranteed. The bookstores are full of self-help books, each one of them loaded with ideas that you can use to be more successful. The fact is, however, that all the best advice in the world will only help you if you can motivate yourself to take persistent, continuous action in the direction of your goals until you succeed.

Self-Discipline is the Core Quality

The single most important quality of success is self-discipline. Self-discipline means that you have the ability, within yourself, based on your strength of character and willpower, to do what you should do, when you should do it, whether you feel like it or not. Character is the ability to follow through on a resolution after the enthusiasm with which the resolution was made has passed. It is not what you learn that is decisive for your future. It is whether or not you can discipline yourself to pay the price, over and over, until you finally obtain your objective.

Persistence is Self-Discipline in Action

Perhaps the most important demonstration of self-discipline is your level of persistence when the going gets tough. Persistence is self-discipline in action. Persistence is the true measure of individual human character. Your persistence is, in fact, the real measure of your belief in yourself and your ability to succeed.

The Common Quality of Success in History

The history of the human race is the story of the triumph of persistence. Every great man or women has had to endure tremendous trials and tribulations before reaching the heights of success and achievement. The endurance and perseverance is what made them great.

Your Guarantee of Eventual Success

Calvin Coolidge, a president who was so reluctant to speak in public that he was given the nickname of “Silent Cal,” will go down in history for his simple but memorable words on success. He wrote, “Press on. Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education alone will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.”

Action Exercise

Identify the biggest challenge or problem facing you today on the way to achieving your biggest goal. Imagine that it has been sent to test your resolve and desire. Decide that you will never give up.

About the author:

Brian Tracy has been empowering business professionals by sharing his knowledge all over the world. His techniques will allow you to reach your goals and achieve the unthinkable.

Change Begin wth Choice

2010-10-25T14:14:00.000-07:00

Any day we wish; we can discipline ourselves to change it all. Any day we wish; we can open the book that will open our mind to new knowledge. Any day we wish; we can start a new activity. Any day we wish; we can start the process of life change. We can do it immediately, or next week, or next month, or next year.

We can also do nothing. We can pretend rather than perform. And if the idea of having to change ourselves makes us uncomfortable, we can remain as we are. We can choose rest over labor, entertainment over education, delusion over truth, and doubt over confidence. The choices are ours to make. But while we curse the effect, we continue to nourish the cause. As Shakespeare uniquely observed, "The fault is not in the stars, but in ourselves." We created our circumstances by our past choices. We have both the ability and the responsibility to make better choices beginning today. Those who are in search of the good life do not need more answers or more time to think things over to reach better conclusions. They need the truth. They need the whole truth. And they need nothing but the truth.

We cannot allow our errors in judgment, repeated every day, to lead us down the wrong path. We must keep coming back to those basics that make the biggest difference in how our life works out. And then we must make the very choices that will bring life, happiness and joy into our daily lives.

And if I may be so bold to offer my last piece of advice for someone seeking and needing to make changes in their life—If you don’t like how things are, change it! You’re not a tree. You have the ability to totally transform every area in your life—and it all begins with your very own power of choice.

To Your Success,

Jim Rohn

Finish Every Day

2010-10-25T04:16:00.000-07:00

By: Ralph Waldo Emerson

Finish every day and be done with it.
You have done what you could.
Some blunders and absurdities
no doubt have crept in;
forget them as soon as you can.

Tomorrow is a new day;
begin it well and serenely
and with too high a spirit
to be cumbered with
your old nonsense.

This day is all that is
good and fair.
It is too dear,
with its hopes and invitations,
to waste a moment on yesterdays.

Being Self-Reliant

2010-10-25T03:58:00.000-07:00

By: Dr. Denis Waitley

To be self-reliant adults,
we need to set some guidelines:

Be different, if it means higher personal
and professional standards.

Be different, if it means being more gracious
and considerate to others.

Be different, if it means being cleaner, neater
and better groomed than the group.

Be different, if it means putting more time
and effort into all you do.

And be different,
if it means taking the calculated risk.

The Seeds of Greatness Treasury
www.deniswaitley.com

Attainment of Success and Happiness

2010-10-25T03:54:00.000-07:00

By: Jim Rohn

All of the books that we will ever need to make us as rich, as healthy, as happy, as powerful, as sophisticated and as successful as we want to be have already been written.

People from all walks of life, people with some of the most incredible life experiences, people that have gone from pennies to fortune and from failure to success have taken the time to write down their experiences so that we might share in their wealth of knowledge. They have offered their wisdom and experience so that we can be inspired by it and instructed by it, and so that we can amend our philosophy by it. Their contributions enable us to reset our sail based upon their experiences. They have handed us the gift of their insights so that we can change our plans, if need be, in order to avoid their errors. We can rearrange our lives based on their wise advice.

All of the insights that we might ever need have already been captured by others in books. The important question is this: In the last ninety days, with this treasure of information that could change our lives, our fortunes, our relationships, our health, our children and our careers for the better, how many books have we read?

Why do we neglect to read the books that can change our lives? Why do we complain but remain the same? Why do so many of us curse the effect but nourish the cause? How do we explain the fact that only three percent of our entire national population possess a library card - a card that would give us access to all of the answers to success and happiness we could ever want? Those who wish for the better life cannot permit themselves to miss the books that could have a major impact on how their lives turn out. The book they miss will not help!

And the issue is not that books are too expensive! If a person concludes that the price of buying the book is too great, wait until he must pay the price for not buying it. Wait until he receives the bill for continued and prolonged ignorance.

There is very little difference between someone who cannot read and someone who will not read. The result of either is ignorance. Those who are serious seekers of personal development must remove the self-imposed limitations they have placed on their reading skills and their reading habits. There is a multitude of classes being taught on how to be a good reader and there are thousands of books on the shelves of the public libraries just waiting to be read. Reading is essential for those who seek to rise above the ordinary. We must not permit anything to stand between us and the book that could change our lives.

A little reading each day will result in a wealth of valuable information in a very short period of time. But if we fail to set aside the time, if we fail to pick up the book, if we fail to exercise the discipline, then ignorance will quickly move in to fill the void.

Those who seek a better life must first become a better person. They must continually seek after self-mastery for the purpose of developing a balanced philosophy of life, and then live in accordance with the dictates of that philosophy. The habit of reading is a major stepping stone in the development of a sound philosophical foundation. And in my opinion it is one of the fundamentals required for the attainment of success and happiness.

To Your Success,
Jim Rohn

Autograph Your Career And Your Life With Your Life Excellence

2010-10-25T03:47:00.000-07:00

By: Dr. Denis Waitley

In 1644, a child was born. He lived to be 93 at a time in history when the average life span was but 35 to 40. He taught himself his trade and began his career. He often worked alone with primitive tools, but his focus every day was to put the best he had into his work. The man made violins. He labored over each and every process and step to ensure that he had "autographed" them with excellence and the best that was in him. He created his own personal standard of excellence for his craft, and he actually signed his name on each instrument that passed the test.

Today, some three hundred years later, the name of this craftsman who was committed to excellence is the benchmark for the best in musical instruments. His name? Antonio Stradivari! His Stradivarius violins sell for hundreds of thousands of dollars because they are the best.

When Stradivari labored, he did not know of the legacy he was creating. He was doing his best, day in and day out, to reach his standard of excellence. He didn’t spend the extra time and care to get the accolades of upper management or to be the top producer in the company. He did it because excellence was part of his focus, mission, and obsession.

It is easy to do world-class work when a boss is looking or a supervisor is around. But the test is in what you do when no one is looking. High achievers have developed the ability to stay focused when no one else is around. Does your quality or performance fluctuate based on who is in the office or which customer you are serving? Excellence is not something that you can just turn on and off whenever you feel you need it. It is a habit rooted in your attitude about your life and career.

Are you just going through the motions day to day, or are you creating a masterpiece? Autographs are valuable because they are rare and are tied to excellent performance. In today’s world, superior effort and service are becoming endangered species. Is the autograph you place on your work and service each day a Stradivarius or a Michael Jordan or a Tiger Woods? Or is it unknown, with little value? Autograph your career and your life with excellence.

Having a firm commitment to excellence, like Stradivari, has an amazing effect on your achievement motivation. When people who are simply going through the motions or who are just working for a paycheck hit a challenge or obstacle, they often run to their boss and get him or her to do it, or they procrastinate by getting a cup of coffee or shuffling the papers on their desk. On the other hand, when individuals who are committed to excellence hit a similar challenge, they immediately bounce back with energy, and they are actually exhilarated by the chance to stretch themselves to overcome the problem. A commitment to excellence will create focus, and focus will assist you in maintaining your positive motivation and in creating a balanced life.

Do You Use These Alibis

2010-10-25T03:36:00.000-07:00

By: Dr. Napoleon Hill

People who do not succeed have one distinguishing trait in common. They know all the reasons for failure and have what they believe to sir-tight alibis to explain away their own lack of achievement.

*If only I had time…
*If times were better…
*If other people understood…
*If conditions around me were only different…
*If I could live my life over again…
*If I did not fear what "They" would say…
*If I had been given a chance…
*If I were only younger…
*If I had the talent that some people have…
*If I dared assert myself…
*If only I had someone to help me…
*If I could just get started…
*If my talents were known…
*If I could just get a "break"…
*If I didn't have so many worries…
*If I were sure of myself…
*If luck were not against me…
*If I didn't have to work so hard…
*If I didn't have a past…
*If other people would only listen to me…
*If—and this is the greatest of them all—if I had the courage to see myself as I really am…

Building alibis with which to explain away failure is a national pastime. The habit is as old as the human race and is fatal to success!

Life's 10 Principles of Success

2010-10-25T03:31:00.000-07:00

By: Dennis Gaskill

As with any subjective list, there could be points you believe are missing and perhaps points you believe don't belong here. I'm under no illusion that everyone will agree with everything I say, so take what you can use and leave the rest behind.
Live Thoughtfully

When I was a very young man I tended to live for myself. I thought I was thoughtful at the time because I would help my friends, remember my mom's birthday, hold the door open for people and things like that. But I really wasn't very thoughtful. I confused being polite and being helpful with being thoughtful. I didn't think too far ahead. I didn't look for ways to make people feel good about themselves. In truth, something would have to be very obviously wrong with someone before I'd even notice it.

When we're that wrapped up in ourselves we really don't make a very impressive package. I can say that with hindsight. We really need to live for more than our own benefit and comfort. If we just take the time to find ways to add sweetness and light to the lives of others our own joy will increase.

Live Reflectively

Great philosophers from antiquity to modern times have encouraged us to live an examined life. To mark the growth and decay of our soul, as George Herbert put it, is to let go of ego attachments and learn what we can from our daily living. The idea is simple—learn what we can about ourselves from each day so we can be better tomorrow. Hard to argue with that.

Live with Integrity

Integrity means moral soundness, and I mean it in that way, but I also have a deeper meaning in mind for living with integrity. It's also being true to yourself. It's standing up for what you believe in. It's not compromising your deeply held beliefs for the sake of convenience, profit, or to gain an unfair advantage over others. It's also respecting others as your equal, and yourself as the equal to others.

Own Your Life

In an age where it's popular to blame our parents, the government, our teachers, religion, lack of religion, and everyone or anything but ourselves for our troubles, it may seem odd to say we have to take responsibility for our own life and everything in it, but that's how it is.

Until we come to that point, where we own our lives and all the results we get from living it, we'll never have the kind of life we want. Being a victim, however legitimate or illegitimate the claim, just does not produce happiness and prosperity. Playing the victim role is antithetical to happiness and prosperity. Until we accept responsibility for all we do and say, and for all the outcomes of what we do and say, we will never be in charge of our own evolution. We cannot assign blame to someone without also giving up some of our power and promise.

Live with Intent

The difference between living with intent and just living can be subtle. Living with intent is having a passion for life and choosing our course, while just living is going through the motions needed to get by. Perhaps most of us are not called to do great things, but we can all do small things in a great way.

Living with intent is also choosing the direction your life takes as much as possible, as opposed to taking the path of least resistance. We are not made strong by being washed downstream by every passing influence. We are made strong by choosing our own course and standing against the tide when it isn't flowing in our chosen direction.

Be Willing to Pay the Price

Success is never guaranteed, but if you want to succeed, we have to be willing to pay the price. The "price" depends on what we want to succeed at: it could mean years of education, years of developing a skill or skills, years of sacrifice, years of failure, or any number of things.

Paying the price may also mean being willing to make changes. These changes could be in our self, in our environment, in our location, or even in who we associate with if they are detrimental to our success. This trips up a lot of people. We humans like our comfort zones. The trouble is, we grow very little within our comfort zones. We must step outside of the familiar and safe and into the unknown in order to become more than we already are.

Have Finishing Power

Fortitude is having the strength of mind to endure adversity with courage. Focus is the ability to concentrate our attention where it's needed. Having the fortitude and focus to keep working toward our goals in the midst of difficulties, distractions, obstacles, and opposition will give you the finishing power that carries you past any hindrances and into the rarified air of high achievement. Finishing what they start sets the winners apart from those who shrink away in laziness or defeat.

Live in the Now

Someday never gets here, it is always now. Don't put off your goals because it isn't the ideal time, or you lack funds, or lack time. You can work toward your goals in spite of all those excuses. The time will never be right if you aren't prepared for it, so prepare! You can prepare while you save money as well. As for not having the time, a person that says they have no time for something usually does find time to do other things that aren't necessary, such as watching television for example. In most cases, it's really a matter of where we place our priorities.…

Never Stop Learning

The more knowledge and wisdom you possess, the better the mental resources you have to draw upon for problem solving, brainstorming, product development, creativity, and a host of other needs. It's been proven that learning helps keep us young, and some studies indicate learning helps stave of diseases…And then there's the way Dr. Albert Einstein put it, "Once you stop learning, you start dying."…

Be a Goal Setter

We can have all kinds of marvelous ideas, but until we set them down on paper as goals we aren't likely to act on them. If we don't set them down on paper we are more likely to give up on them in the face of difficulties. By putting our goals down on paper and making an action plan to achieve them, it sinks into our mind better. We will be more likely to follow through.

Writing our goals down also serves notice to our subconscious that these ideas are important because we made the effort to separate them from the thousands of other ideas that flow through our consciousness on a daily basis. That tells our subconscious mind these are the ideas to go to work on, on our behalf, bringing ideas and intuition to us that will help us achieve our goals.

There you have my ten principles to success. I firmly believe you can succeed at anything you care enough about.

Treat Yourself With Respect

2010-10-25T03:27:00.000-07:00

* Live your life on the basis of what is possible, right and good for you instead of what you or others think you should do.

* Find out what you want and what you are good at, value those, and take actions designed to fulfill your potential.

* Respect your own needs. Identify what really fulfills you – not just immediate gratification. Respecting your deeper needs will increase your sense of worth and well-being.

* Make decisions. Practice making and implementing positive choices flexibly but firmly, and trust yourself to deal with the consequences.

To Be Successful - Have A Mentor

2010-10-25T03:21:00.000-07:00

By: Dr. Sheila Murray Bethel

During my first years as a speaker and author, the most important factor in my success was the wisdom and experience of my mentors. It would have taken years of research and experience to acquire all the minute details involved in the success I was seeking. Instead, I cut my learning time by at least one half through the guidance of my mentors. The late Cavett Roberts, the dean of professional speaking and founder of the National Speakers' Association, originated the quote, "O.P.E." (Other People's Experience). That's what the mentor-protégés relationship is based upon: other people's experience.

I've found that most people who have become successful in life and/or business are proud to share their knowledge and experience. If you find someone who can act as your mentor, it would be a wonderful experience for both of you. I now act as a mentor for several people. Having discussed mentorship with several friends who are also mentors, we have agreed that there are some tips on the mentor-protégé relationship that would be helpful to pass on. I have listed them in the hopes that you can make the most of one of the best resources available to you—a mentor!

1. As defined by Webster's, a mentor is an adviser, coach/teacher–not a partner or replacement for your active participation. Look upon your mentor as a source of inspiration and information, not a replacement for action.

2. Be very careful of your mentor's time. The quickest way to alienate a mentor is to be on the telephone, e-mail or in his or her office for repeated information and unimportant details. On the other hand, don't be afraid to ask what you may think is a dumb question. There are no dumb questions, only uninformed, unprepared people. If you have already covered the material or problem and you still have questions, make sure you aren't just being lazy. If you do need further clarification and help, then certainly contact your mentor.

3. When working with a mentor take careful notes so you don't have to go back for repeated information. Always take notes; they will help you in preparing intelligent, meaningful questions and in retaining the information.

4.If you are asking advice of a mentor—take it! Proteges, in their enthusiasm, often ask advice and then argue the point. Don't reinvent the wheel.

5. When you receive advice and suggestions from you mentor, report back on the results or action taken. Your mentor may see that you need a slight adjustment or correction. Small game- plan refinements can be extremely helpful. If you are proceeding correctly and all is well, you need to know that also. Reporting to your mentor will give you this knowledge.

Finally, once you have had a mentor, pass on the legacy. It is a wonderful and rewarding endeavor. One of the fastest ways to go from success to significance is to be a mentor to someone else!

© Bethel Institute 2000

12 Elements That Make Great Service Possible

2010-10-25T03:16:00.000-07:00

There are 12 elements that make great service possible. None of which have ever been taught in school.

1. Establishing and maintaining a positive attitude;

2. Establishing and achieving goals;

3. Understanding yourself, your co-workers and your customer;

4. Having pride in yourself, your company and what you do;

5. Taking responsibility for your actions, what happens to you, and the
success of your company;

6. Listening with the intent to understand;

7. Communicating to be understood;

8. Embracing change as a natural progression of things and of life;

9. Establishing, building and maintaining relationships;

10. Gaining the ability to make effective decisions (which means taking risks);

11. Learning to serve others in a memorable way, and,

12. Working as a team to make everyone more productive.

In order to serve—you must be prepared to serve. How important are each of these subjects in your success? Have you ever taken a course in any of these subjects?

Jeffrey Gitomer

Author of The Sales Bible, Knock Your Socks Off Selling and Customer Satisfaction is Worthless Customer Loyalty is Priceless

May God protect you…

2010-10-06T02:29:00.000-07:00

May God protect you…
From scary nights,
from hasty flights;

From too much food,
from a somber mood;

From ringing bells,
from self-made hells;

From sickish pains,
from dishonest gains;

From excessive needs,
from tricky deeds;

From foolish quarrels,
from resting on laurels;

From silly fears,
from idle tears;

From forgotten lines,
And from all bad times.

We pray,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

from The Irish, p.55
by Fr. Andrew Greeley

Wedding Prayer of Spouses for Each Other

2010-10-06T02:20:00.000-07:00

LORD JESUS, grant that I and my spouse may have a true and understanding love for each other. Grant that we may both be filled with faith and trust. Give us the grace to live with each other in peace and harmony.

MAY we always bear with one another’s weaknesses and grow from each other’s strengths. Help us to forgive one another’s failings and grant us patience, kindness, cheerfulness and the spirit of placing the well-being of one another ahead of self.

MAY the love that brought us together grow and mature with each passing year. Bring us both ever closer to You through our love for each other. Let our love grow to perfection.

Amen.

A Prayer for Husbands and Wives

2010-10-06T02:08:00.000-07:00

Lord Jesus Christ our God Who taught us to pray continually for one another, thus fulfilling Your commandment and manifesting our desire for Your mercy, in Your compassion watch over and protect us from all seen and unseen enemies.

Grant us health and complete wisdom so that we may fulfill all our obligations according to Your will and commandments. Protect us from all temptations which we do not have the strength to resist. Strengthen us in the right faith and in perfect love, that we may live together in virtue, and direct our lives according to Your precepts.

We implore You, O merciful Lord: Help us to remember that marriage is indeed holy, and strengthen the sanctity, of our union. Shower Your grace upon us so that we may live our lives in true faithfulness and love. Help us to understand and trust each other fully, keeping quarrels and arguments far from us. Bestow Your blessings upon us, and in Your mercy, count us worthy of Your kingdom, for You are our sanctification, and we offer glory to You: to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit now and ever and unto ages of ages.

Amen.

Hints for Happy Marriages

2010-10-06T02:06:00.000-07:00

Interview with
Father Michael Ryan, L.C.
Philosophy Dean

ROME, APRIL 16, 2006 (Zenit.org/english/).- Within a happy marriage the positive comments should outnumber the negative about 5 to 1, says an experienced marriage counselor.

Legionary Father Michael Ryan, who is also dean of philosophy at the Regina Apostolorum university in Rome, spells out other points of advice in his book, "The Last Straw: Ways to Overcome the Stumbling Blocks in Communication Towards a Stronger and Happier Marriage" (Circle Press).

In this interview with ZENIT, Father Ryan touched on some of the advice he gives married couples.

Q: In your book you say that many marriages break up because of misunderstandings and comparatively small things which could have been avoided. What are these things and what should be done in order to resolve them in time?

Father Ryan: Marriages break up when there is hurting going on in the relationship. It is very difficult to persevere in the company of somebody who is sour and unpleasant.

In a nutshell I would say that we must avoid in every way possible hurting others with words or actions. Second, we must foster the atmosphere in which one can express to the other what is hurting. And, finally, we must accept the fact that we can hurt others even when we don’t intend to do so.

As a general rule we must monitor frequently our relationship in order to cure as soon as possible any problem that may arise, even in spite of our good will. Each person is different and the sensitivity of each person is different.

Therefore, there is no set list of things that can cause problems to a marriage. Each man and women must become aware of what hurts a spouse.

The dangerous aspect of all this consists in the fact that we can hurt others without us realizing that we are doing so. This leads to the accumulation of pain which then can easily spill over.

Q: How can married persons cultivate a form of dialogue necessary for addressing problems or disagreements in an open but delicate way? When is the right time to speak about difficulties? How can you say the truth without hurting another?

Father Ryan: First, we should not be "complaining" all the time about everything. It is important to reserve our complaints for really important issues or for issues that have hurt us in a special way.

Remember that the proportion between positive and negative moments in marriage must be always about 5 to 1. For each negative moment, for each criticism I allow myself to issue, there should be another five positive inputs. Our toleration for negativity is very short.

Then, when I must address a negative subject I should always begin stating my love for the other person. This is like stretching a safety net below us before we begin our delicate act of complaining, opening a bleeding issue.

With this I am saying that however we may get engaged in a discussion, there must be no doubt about our love for each other. That will not be touched.

Third, we should treat one subject at a time. Sometimes when we get angry we spit out many issues and this only confuses the whole relationship. One critical issue at a time!

Finally, try not to get personal in the sense of accusations. Try to use what is called the "I messages." Instead of saying that "you are a horrible person," say, "I feel that you are a horrible person."

The difference might seem small, but the second way is much better because you are stating what you feel and not hammering the other on the head directly.

Q: Love and pain go together. The more one loves, the more one gets hurt if the loved one doesn’t seem to react in the expected way. How can love prevail over pain? How can each other’s understanding become more sensitive? How can one stop being selfish and egoistic?

Father Ryan: This is certainly the greatest challenge for love. I don’t think it is always a question of being selfish or egoistic.

It is a fact that we can love others when we feel that we too are loved. Even with God this is the way and this is what St. John says to us in his Letter: It is God that loves us first.

Q: But how do we get beyond this vicious circle, when love in the other is lacking?

Father Ryan: If we were only instinct, then there would be no way out. But we are also intellect and we can understand what the good of the other person means and we can love that good for him or for her.

But we will be able to overcome our own pain more fully if we get inspiration for love from above, from the source of love. This reminds us of what John Paul II says in his "Letter to Families": If we want to love, we must be united to the source of Love, with the big "L."

Q: How can the deep feelings for each other felt in the beginnings keep growing instead of dying down? How can they transform into true love?

Father Ryan: The couple must become aware of the phenomena of change and growth. It is very important to get off to a good start.

This means that the first years of marriage must be intense and full of loving commitment. Then they should renew their commitment often, every year or at least every time that life is going to change in an important way.

In other words, they should prepare for each stage of marriage: the arrival of children, the long years of raising the family, the seven-year itch period, when their children are adolescent and the couple are midway in their lives, etc.

Each stage should sum up the positives and negatives of the previous stage, make new commitments, let go of certain things that will never be, and strive to be interdependent in a healthy way.

Q: In your opinion, what’s the real secret of happy marriages?

Father Ryan: To answer that question I refer to the results of an extensive inquiry made in more that 20 countries, with more than 40 researchers asking questions to more that 17,000 families.

The results tells us that a happy marriage has the following characteristics: The couple spend time together, in quantity and quality; they know how to express their affection for each other; they show commitment to family life; they know how to discuss in a constructive way; they have shared spiritual values.

This is the recipe I would give any couple who want to build a happy future.

Q: What’s the difference between a Christian marriage and other ones?

Father Ryan: I would say that it is the horizon that the Christian faith gives to marriage -- a horizon that help me understand the design of God the Creator when he instituted marriage.

The knowledge of this design tells us that we are created in the image of God, with the capacity of love. Faith also tells us that we have the grace of a sacrament to help us live our lives in love.

When marriage or families express all this in their prayer life, then they can feel its efficacy. It is shown that the practice of religion is an important factor in keeping families together and growing in plenitude.

Q: What’s the meaning and the significance of the sacrament of marriage?

Father Ryan: When a man loves a woman he will surely feel that he is not capable by himself of giving that woman all he would like for her in terms of complete happiness. Then he asks God for help.

Then God says to him: How nice, you and I love that same woman; we must make an alliance, a pact, to love her together.

This is the sacrament: God joins his love to our love. In this way every husband and every wife can say to each other: "I love you, with my human love, with all the characteristics proper to a human and sexual love, but my love has been enriched by the love that God has for you."

Q: What’s the will of God for married persons?

Father Ryan: I would like to summarize in the following way: To care for each other in the everyday things live, to make that person as happy as humanly possible, to raise a family, and to help each other and their children to strive for and reach the final destination of heaven.

Q: What can the Virgin Mary and St. Joseph tell a wife and husband?

Father Ryan: That life is made up of the small things but that these ordinary things can be lived in an extraordinary way.

Q: What would you advise young couples heading for a new form of life with each other?

Father Ryan: I would tell them to make sure that they begin their married life well. I believe in the saying that a good start is half the journey.

Therefore they must be aware that the wedding is only the beginning. From that moment onward they must build a new unity, gradually leaving behind many of the things to which they were accustomed.

They must be very sincere and tell one another what is happening in their hearts, especially if they perceive any clouds on the horizon. They should not be frightened if such clouds appear, because it is natural to find some difficulties on the way.

Finally, if any couple has a problem that they are not solving satisfactorily, then they should look for external help as early as possible.

Many a marriage could have been saved if they had looked for help in a timely fashion. To look for help is not a sign of weakness but a sign of wisdom.

Cloth Your Marriage With...

2010-10-06T01:58:00.000-07:00

Because you are God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Bear with one another; forgive whatever grievances you have against one another. Forgive as the Lord has forgiven you.

Over all these virtues put on love, which binds the rest together and makes them perfect. Christ’s peace must reign in your hearts, since as members of the one body you have been called to that peace. Dedicate yourselves to thankfulness.

Let the word of Christ, rich as it is, dwell in you. In wisdom made perfect, instruct and admonish one another, Sing gratefully to God from your hearts in psalms, hymns, and inspired songs. Whatever you do, whether in speech or in action, do it in the name of the Lord Jesus. Give thanks to God the Father through him.

Colossians 3:12–17 (NAB)

Three Gems To Polish Your Marriage

2010-10-06T01:46:00.000-07:00

Strong marriages take work.
But, with these tips, it can become a labor of love

by Susan Yates
Condensed From A House Full of Friends

NEXT to our relationship with God, our relationship with our mate is the most important one of all. A solid marriage friendship sets the tone for building other healthy relationships within the family.

If we want our children to have strong marriages, then they need to see us taking time to cultivate our own marriages. Strong marriage friendships take work. And as our children see us working on ours, they will have a realistic picture for their own marriages. In seeking to build a strong marriage friendship, there are three gems to polish.

1. Express Gratitude. If each day we thank God for one or two specific things we appreciate about our mate, our hearts will be filled with gratitude rather than criticism. In addition, tell your mate, each day, something you appreciate.
My husband, John, has always been incredibly disciplined about getting up early to prepare for the day, to pray, and to read the Bible for guidance. He prays for specific things in each of our children's lives and in my life. Recently, I realized I should tell him how much it means to me. When I did, he was pleased and I was filled with a fresh sense of gratitude for John.

For years, I've been in a prayer group with my friend Holly. Each time we pray, Holly prays for our husbands, thanking God that they work hard to support us and that they want to be good husbands and fathers. She also asks God to bless them. Her prayers remind all of us to have a thankful spirit.

Titus 2:4 says that older women are to teach younger women to love their husbands. Holly's prayers do this; so does her counsel to younger women. A thankful heart doesn't mean, "Everything's fine because we just praise the Lord." Things may be rotten. Loving, honest confrontation may be needed. Counseling may be crucial. But day in and day out, we are going to build a strong marriage only if we choose to cultivate a thankful spirit.

2. Create on Accepting Atmosphere. Our homes should, above all, be a place of acceptance—a place where we are loved simply because we belong. A simple greeting at the end of the day can set the tone for the rest of the evening. An enthusiastic greeting at the front door says, "I'm so glad you are here." That's acceptance.

An accepting atmosphere also allows for the freedom of honesty. It enables us to deal with conflict. We remember that we are on the same team and God is on our side.
An accepting atmosphere stresses service rather than roles. "It's the woman's job to…" or "It's the man's job to…" is not the basis for a relationship. Rather, we are both called to serve each other. And, when we do, we honor our mates. Such honor causes our marriage friendships to deepen.

An accepting atmosphere is one in which mates express an interest in each other. Many wives complain that their husbands don't talk to them on a deep level. The reason: Often, we don't ask good questions. "What made you feel particularly happy today?" is a question that might lead to a deeper conversation.

Sometimes our mates don't discuss difficulties with us because we have too many answers. An exhausted mother of toddlers may tell her husband about her long day of cleaning and disciplining. She doesn't need him to respond with a plan. She needs empathy and appreciation. A husband struggling with a project doesn't necessarily want solutions from his wife. He just needs a listening ear. As mates, we must resist the tendency to fix everything in each other's lives, and pray for wisdom to know when to advise and when to listen.

3. Develop a Fresh Vision. Each marriage goes through different seasons, and each season has distinct challenges and specific blessings. Newlyweds have the challenge of considering another person's desires. But they soon discover the joys of married life as they learn to care for each other.

The arrival of a first child ushers in a different season in marriage and brings with it the challenge of sacrificing the couple's wants to care for the needs of a baby. Both mates are challenged to learn flexibility, for life with a young child is unpredictable and taxing. But there is a wonderful blessing in watching this treasure begin to respond to your love.

The season of having children at home brings many challenges. One is finding time to cultivate our marriage relationships. We are forced to reorder our priorities and determine what really matters in family life. That reordering brings blessings to our marriages.

Some seasons are more challenging than others. The benefit lies in working through the challenges and focusing on the blessings. Ask God to give you a fresh vision for the season you are in right now.

Fresh vision often comes when we recognize and develop our gifts. We want to be with those who bring out the best in us and encourage us. A blessing we can give each other is to encourage one another's gifts.

Bill was in commercial development, which he loved. But when the economy soured, his work became discouraging. His wife encouraged him to become involved in their church's new building program. With her support, he became the head of the church's multimillion-dollar building program. Encouraged by his wife, Bill used his talents to help his church; in the process, his faith blossomed, his relationships deepened, and his personal fulfillment increased.

Women who have stayed home with their children face a new season in their lives when the last child leaves home. It's a wise husband who encourages his wife to begin thinking about a new career before their children leave. Perhaps as the children get older, he could encourage her to take some classes or begin working part-time. Often when a morn has put her own interests on hold for years, she lacks confidence about re-entering the workplace. Now, more than ever, she needs her husband's loving support.

A fresh vision includes having creative fun. Life is filled with serious issues, and it can easily become an exhausting existence. "Too tired to have fun" might be an accurate statement of marriages today. What a shame! Perhaps some of these simple, fun ideas might help you polish the gems in your marriage:

• Plan a weekly date. An evening out or a breakfast date allows time to cultivate your friendship.

• Develop common hobbies. A friend recently took up tennis because her husband likes to play. She took lessons and now the two of them play together.

• Take turns planning an adventure of the month. It may be a play, an all-day hike and a picnic, or some other creative activity. Keep the activity a surprise until the day of the event.

• Spend an evening looking at old photos together.

• Enlist the children's help in honoring your spouse by serving him/her breakfast in bed, writing love notes, doing your mate's chores.

• Bake cookies or hot pretzels together. Send some to a friend.

• Put on your favorite music and dance together. Invite the kids to join in. It's guaranteed to produce laughter.

A thankful spirit, an accepting atmosphere, and a fresh vision will encourage us as we continue to cultivate friendships with our mates. We must remember, however, that we will never enjoy a perfect relationship with our partners. Author Larry Crabb contends that this is how God intended it, because our deepest longing for a totally fulfilling relationship will be met only when we are with Him in heaven.

Many people go from mate to mate looking for what they cannot find. Instead, we must rejoice in the mate God has given us, remembering that He has given us the partner we need to help us become the person He intended for us to be.

Copyright © 1995 by Susan Alexander Yates
from Positive Living
September /October 1998
pp. 27-29

Ambition Takes You Far

2010-08-29T18:13:00.000-07:00

By: Rabbi Zelig Pliskin

"Taking Action" - pp. 86-87
Artscroll.com

Ambition can be powerful. Ambition helps a person mobilize his resources. Ambition enables someone to face challenges and persist. Ambition prevents a person from giving up.

A person with a high degree of ambition will be able to accomplish much more than someone with similar intelligence and skills but without ambition.

Ambition enables a person to overcome laziness and a tendency to procrastinate. When you have an authentic ambition to excel in a certain area, you will put in the necessary time and energy to gain the knowledge. You will have the energy to practice the skill you want to perfect.

Ambition helps you overcome potential obstacles that might get in the way. The stronger your ambition, the less any obstacle can deter you from proceeding.

The Big Rocks of Life

2010-08-29T18:08:00.000-07:00

One day this expert was speaking to a group of business students and, to drive home a point, used an illustration I’m sure those students will never forget. After I share it with you, you’ll never forget it either.

As this man stood in front of the group of high-powered over-achievers he said, "Okay, time for a quiz." Then he pulled out a one-gallon, wide-mouthed mason jar and set it on a table in front of him. Then he produced about a dozen fist-sized rocks and carefully placed them, one at a time, into the jar.

When the jar was filled to the top and no more rocks would fit inside, he asked, "Is this jar full?" Everyone in the class said, "Yes." Then he said, "Really?" He reached under the table and pulled out a bucket of gravel. Then he dumped some gravel in and shook the jar causing pieces of gravel to work themselves down into the spaces between the big rocks.

Then he smiled and asked the group once more, "Is the jar full?" By this time the class was onto him. "Probably not," one of them answered. "Good!" he replied. And he reached under the table and brought out a bucket of sand. He started dumping the sand in and it went into all the spaces left between the rocks and the gravel. Once more he asked the question, "Is this jar full?"

"No!" the class shouted. Once again he said, "Good!" Then he grabbed a pitcher of water and began to pour it in until the jar was filled to the brim. Then he looked up at the class and asked, "What is the point of this illustration?"

One eager beaver raised his hand and said, "The point is, no matter how full your schedule is, if you try really hard, you can always fit some more things into it!"

"No," the speaker replied, "that’s not the point. The truth this illustration teaches us is: If you don’t put the big rocks in first, you’ll never get them in at all."

What are the big rocks in your life? A project that you want to accomplish? Time with your loved ones? Your faith, your education, your finances? A cause? Teaching or mentoring others? Remember to put these Big Rocks in first or you’ll never get them in at all.

About the Author

Dr. Stephen Covey is the author of a world best selling book "The Seventh Habits of Highly Effective People."

7 Things You Must Give to Others If You Want to Achieve Success!

2010-08-29T17:43:00.000-07:00

A major part of the process of achieving success and living the kind of life that you dream of is to give. Many people think that to get what you want you have to take it. There is a universal truth though that the true path to get what you want is to give. When you give, you get. What you sow, you shall reap. If this is true, then what is it we must give? I'll show you the way…

1.Give Others Your Honesty. The world we live in has a simple rule that most follow: Lie when you have to. Unfortunately, this may make some people wealthy but it make us humans poor. To achieve success is to become wealthy not only in money, but in character. To be successful, truly successful, is to be able to attain your goals and keep your character at the same time!…

How about you? Are you honest in all things? The problem with little lies is they become big ones. Lies spin out of control. You get caught in one lie and you lie to get out of it etc. In all things and at all times, give others your honesty.

2.Give Others Your Respect. Most of the time we give people respect based on what they have done or what they have accomplished. We gauge whether or not they are "worthy" of it based on what we know of what they have achieved or who they know or are related to.

But I believe we should have a higher standard: We respect people not for what they have done or for who they are related to or for what they can do for us. Instead, we respect people for simply being.…

3.Give Others Your Vulnerability. We are taught to "be strong." And yes, we should be strong. But we have also embraced something that I think keeps us from having the kind of life that we long for. It is an idea that keeps us from experiencing the kind of relationships that would bring deep meaning to us. It is the idea of vulnerability.…

"But Chris, make yourself vulnerable and people will step all over you!" It is true that this will happen. But I have also seen that most people will be drawn to you. They will help you. They will open up to you. You see, we are all broken people inside. We all have secrets. Yet everyone plays the poser. When one let's down their veil, others soon follow—and we all win.

4.Give Others Your Care. Too many people are running around this old earth not caring about others. The days of "Look Out for Number One" and "Winning Through Intimidation" are over! Let's bring about a new day when we can care about others and succeed!

Take the time to show people you care. Listen to them. Empathize with them. Love them. Now, I don't mean that you have to go around hugging everyone—that probably wouldn't fly in corporate America anyway—but we can take some time to step back from business and be human! And I have found that when we do so, our business succeeds as well!

5.Give Others Your Passion. There is nothing this world needs more than passionate people. And people need passionate people. Living in this day and age can be tiring. The hustle and bustle of it all can wear you down and tire you out. Give your passion to others and fire them up.

Don't just be humdrum—be excited. Give people all the energy you can muster up. And you will find that energy reciprocal. They will get energized and passionate. This in turn will fire you up more when you are already charged and get you going altogether when you don't feel like moving at all!

6.Give Others Your Experience. We all have areas that we excel in and they are usually areas that we have experience in. One of the things we can do to make our lives more meaningful and be of utmost help to others is to show them the way through the experiences we have.

Sometimes it will be what they should do: Shortcuts to take, people to meet etc. Sometimes it will be what they should not do: Shortcuts not to take and people to stay away from! Whatever it is, we can be of service to others by giving them our experience and ultimately it will make us all better!

7.Give Others Your Help. All in all, what we want to do is to help others. Zig Ziglar says that if we will "help others get what they want, we will in turn get what we want." If we want to be successful, we should consider ourselves servants of other people. What can we do to help them and make them better? This is the true path to greatness and success, not only in business but in life!

About the Author:

Chris Widener is a popular speaker and writer
as well as the President of Made for Success
Your Success Store.

Remember Your Dreams

2010-02-24T03:42:00.000-08:00

Looking back, I can still see the face of my closest friend. How happy and excited he was but a little bit hesitant in saying, “Really? You will treat me in the Jollibee?”

I was then in my third year of high school when God showed me His mercy and love in due time, the deepest confusion, inferiorities and hardships of my life.

I'm an ambitious young man and I have a lot of great dreams for my future. But how can they be? They're the same questions that are always lingering in my mind.

I'm a product of a broken home family. Grew up in the street and stayed with different people - even with the cruelest person in this world! It's good that that part is finished; the bitter memory of my childhood!

Now, I'm renting in this lonely old small house a room of my own while working on a construction site. My salary is P120.00 pesos per day and I must pay for house rent, food and my studies.

In this kind of situation I felt as if I was still trapped in misery and strife but living with great hope and determination to reach out, even for a single one of my dreams: to finish my studies as a capital and to have a brighter future because I believe in sayings that go like this, "Do your best and God will do the rest".

One day, one of my closest friends approached me and said, “Friend, are you still working?”

“Yes!” I said, “Why?”

“We have a quiz today. Please attend the class because if you miss it, then you know absolutely what will happen, right? Remember your dreams that you told me?”

These were the warning words of my friend while leaving.

“Thanks so much friend, I will,” I assured back to him.

So I hurried up to finish my work, loading the truck with some cement and gravel. When I was done, I quickly headed toward my lonely home to make some quick preparations of my school things because the class would start at 1:30 p.m. and it was then 12:30 p.m.

“At least I have one hour to prepare myself.” I thought.

While doing so, this close friend of mine knocks on my door and we leave to go to school together.

It was not yet time for the class to start, so we decided to go into the library. While there, my adviser saw and called me!

“Mr. Reconalla, can you come to my office? I have an urgent matter to discuss with you!”

I paused for a while to think and guess what we were going to discuss and oh, what came in my mind just made me feel nervous and a little bit sick!

Why? Because I was thinking that most of the time the adviser talks privately with his/her students when they are delinquent in their academics, behavior or for any kind of poor performances. I felt too weak to think about a positive reason since I hadn’t eaten or rested well before I went to school.

Of course I don't have any choice but to go see her. With heavy feet and heart, I entered my adviser's office and there she was waiting patiently. I could hardly wait to hear what she was going to tell me because before she opened her mouth to start, I can hear the tremendous pounding of my heartbeat. I almost couldn’t hold down the different emotions and feelings I was feeling, anticipating the horrible things she was going to tell me. And at last, she started to talk.

“I understand what you feel right now, my dear!” she said, as she was reading the expression on my face and looking straight into the window of my soul.

“Oh! Thanks!” I said relaxing a little and finding some relief.

“You know, I have a better plan for you! I am aware of the situation you are in, through your friend, and I have been observing you for a long time in your class performance and I salute you!”

“ It's really hard for you to finish your schooling in high school with this kind of situation for there are only a few opportunities here to help you to support your needs to go to college, so I encourage you to take the Philippine Examination Placement Test by next week. I have confidence in you that you can do it!” she said, unaware of my informal education background.

I did not passed through a step-by-step grade level from elementary and some of my cards were just faked by merciful teachers to let me jump to a higher grade. And now, here in my third year of high school, I could hardly believe my teacher wants me to jump again to college and that she has confidence on me!

Confidence- a word that I needed most to hear at that time for inferiorities succumbed me most of my life!

“Just prepare this and that, and so and so... and I will help you to register when you have all the things you need.”

Some other things she was talking about were not clear anymore because of my excitement and happiness that replaced the feelings I felt before I entered her office. I thanked God and my adviser for such a good opportunity for me!

I really thanked God with great relief and with a deep sigh for providing an instrument so that step by step, I could fulfill my dreams.

After our class, I shared the news with my closest friend. He was so very happy and excited for me. I told him that I would treat him in Jollibee if I was able to pass the exam, and I also asked him to pray for me.

“Of course my dear friend!” he assured me and we separated from each other with happiness and excitement in our hearts.

Night came and I was visited with so many various emotions in my heart and thoughts in my mind that I could hardly sleep. What if I failed? What if I did not finish my studies? So many, many ‘what ifs' questions entered my mind again.

“Oh! My life maybe has really no direction and I’ll be worthless after if I fail this good chance for me.”

So I bowed down and prayed hard for wisdom and strength to face another challenge of everyday life that would come, especially the coming test that I was about to take!

After that, I slept peacefully with a lighter load of burden and cares of uncertainties of life!

A few days before the examination, I went to my sister's house to ask for money that I would need. When I arrived, she was so happy that I was able to visit her but when I told her the real reason for the visit, she was a little bit disappointed but granted my request and gave me her last bit of money in her pocket.

She wished me luck and I immediately headed to my adviser's house because she promised that she would go with me to register.

So we went to the registration office and lo and behold! There was only one blank registration form left - as if it was really waiting for me. If we would have been late a little bit or just a second, then it might have been taken by someone else and I would need to wait another year or perhaps some other year to try again.

My kind teacher and I were so very thankful to God for this miracle event.

The examination day came. Nervousness haunted me once again, for I was thinking that maybe I'm the oldest guy taking an exam there and can't imagine being surrounded by young people staring at me to make me feel embarrassed and uncomfortable.

So again, I prayed fervently to God that just do His Will for me and let me overcome the feelings I had.

When I entered and sat in my designated place, I tried to look around to see if I was right in my imagination. But I was surprised. There's a lot, lot older people than myself, more than I was thinking before.

The exams were so hard for me. I couldn't remember anything that I had to study or learn from the classroom. Why? Because many times I arrived late for class, and if I wasn’t late, I was absent. So I had to rely on the Will and Wisdom from above and information I learned from my personal readings of books, books that I had sometimes borrowed from my good friends.

One month had passed; I could hardly wait for the result of my exams. My closest friend and adviser were also waiting with me. During this time, I could hardly sleep because I was always thinking about it, so I decided to go on the office of the examination center and ask for a result.

Surely, I was not disappointed; they gave it to me!

When I got the result, I wanted to shout... shout for joy because I made it! But instead, I looked up to heaven and ascended my thanksgiving prayer!

I went to my adviser and thanked her and she said that I am free now to enroll in college. Oh! What a blessing for me! But of course before my story ends, for sure we have a little celebration in Jollibee with my closest friend.

How happy I was during those times but for sure I was much, much happier when I received my diploma! A Bachelor holder in History and Minor in Political Science and passed the Philippine National Teachers Board Exam; the fulfilled dream of my life!

Now, I am upgrading in Guidance and Counseling and the same time working as a School Guidance Counselor, Part-time College Instructor, and Working Students Supervisor.

To you, my dear readers, always remember that the only person who can stop you from what our Great Creator intends for you to become is you!

About the Author:

Moises P. Reconalla is the Guidance Counselor at North Davao Colleges, Panabo City, Philippines.

All rights reserved worldwide. Copyright © 2006 -2010 by Moises P. Reconalla

NOTE: You're free to republish this article on your website, in your newsletter, in your e-book or in other publications provided that the article is reproduced in its entirety, including the author information.

It's Up To Us

2009-12-22T21:17:00.000-08:00

Our Loving and Merciful God is truly wise and great!

He gave us the mind to think, to create, to innovate, to decide, and to choose for our life but it’s up to us if we'll use it for good or bad!

He gave us the eyes to see and appreciate the beauty of our world, our self and our fellow human being but it’s up to us if we'll use it for good or bad!

He gave us the ear to hear the music, the sounds of nature and the voice of our love ones, friends, neighbors, and co-workers but it’s up to us if we'll use it for good or bad!

He gave us the nose to smell the fragrance of the flowers, the aroma of foods from the kitchen and odorless smell of air but it’s up to us if we'll use it for good or bad!

He gave us the mouth to speak of encouragement, praises and support but it’s up to us if we'll use it for good or bad!

He gave us the heart to freely express our love, our emotions and our concerns to others but it’s up to us if we'll use it for good or bad!

He gave us the hands to use in writing down all our plans for the future to work for a living but it’s up to us if we'll use it for good or bad!

He gave us the feet to move forward to plant the seeds of our uniqueness and productivity in this world to stand firm for our self but it’s up to us if we'll use it for good or bad!

He gave us the power to sing praises, to brighten up our soul and make the world a little better place of gladness, joyfulness, happiness, and peacefulness but it’s up to us if we'll use it for good or bad!

He gave us the power to smile, to laugh, to make the world a little better place to live but it’s up to us if you we'll use it for good or bad!

He gave us knowledge and wisdom to distinguish between right and wrong but it’s up to us if we'll use it for good and bad!

He gave us equal time to do our activity under the sun but it’s up to us if we'll use it for good or bad!

He gave us the family, our parents, brothers, sisters, relatives, sweetheart, friends, neighbors, and co-workers but it’s up to us if we'll use them for good or bad!

He gave us the natural resources to supply all our needs but it’s up to us if we'll use it for good or bad!

He gave us the Book, the Bible to strengthen up our faith and guidance in the way we should go but it’s up to us if we'll use it for good or bad!

He gave us free hotline to communicate with Him but it’s up to us if we'll use it for good or bad!

About the Author:

Moises P. Reconalla is the School Guidance Counselor at North Davao College, Panabo City, Philippines.

All rights reserved worldwide. Copyright2009 by Moises P. Reconalla

17 RULES TO LIVE BY

2009-12-22T20:59:00.000-08:00

From A Better Way to Live BY: OG MANDINO

1. Count your blessings. Once you realize how valuable you are and how much you have going for you, the smiles will return, the sun will break out, the music will play and you will finally be able to move forward toward the life that God intended for you...with grace, strength, courage and confidence.

2. Today, and every day, deliver more than you are getting paid to do. The victory of success will be half won when you learn the secret of putting out more than is expected in all that you do. Make yourself so valuable in your work that eventually you will become indispensable. Exercise your privilege to go the extra miles, and enjoy all the rewards you receive. You deserve them!

3. Whenever you make a mistake or get knocked down by life, don't look back at it too long. Mistakes are life's way of teaching you. Your capacity for occasional blunders is inseparable from your capacity to reach your goals. No one wins them all, and your failures, when they happen, are just part of your growth. Shake off your blunders. How will you know your limits without an occasional failure? Never quit. Your turn will come.

4. Always reward your long hours of labor and toil in the very best way, surrounded by your family. Nurture their love carefully, remembering that your children need models, not critics, and your own progress will hasten when you constantly strive to present your best side to your children. And even if you have failed at all else in the eyes of the world, if you have a loving family, you are a success.

5. Build this day on a foundation of pleasant thoughts. Never fret at any imperfections that you fear may impede your progress. Remind yourself, as often as necessary, that you are a creature of God and have the power to achieve any dream by lifting up your thoughts. You can fly when you decide that you can. Never consider defeat again. Let the vision in your heart be in your life's blueprint. Smile!

6. Let your actions always speak for you, but be forever on guard against the terrible traps of false pride and conceit that can halt your progress. The next time you are tempted to boast, just place your fist in a full pail of water, and when you remove it, the hole remaining will give you a correct measure of your importance.

7. Each day is a special gift from God, and while life may not always be fair, you must never allow the pains, hurdles, and handicaps of the moment to poison your attitude and plans for yourself and your future. You can never win when you wear the ugly cloak of self-pity, and the sour sound of whining will certainly frighten away any opportunity for success. Never again. There is a better way.

8. Never again clutter your days or nights with so many menial and unimportant things that you have no time to accept a real challenge when it comes along. This applies to play as well as work. A day merely survived is no cause for celebration. You are not here to fritter away your precious hours when you have the ability to accomplish so much by making a slight change in your routine. No more busywork. No more hiding from success. Leave time, leave space, to grow. Now. Now! Not tomorrow!

9. Live this day as if it will be your last. Remember that you will only find "tomorrow" on the calendars of fools. Forget yesterday's defeats, and ignore the problems of tomorrow. This is it. Doomsday. All you have. Make it the best day of your year. The saddest words you can ever utter are, "If I had my life to live over again..." Take the baton, now. Run with it! This is your day!

10. Beginning today, treat everyone you meet, friend or foe, loved one or stranger, as if they were going to be dead at midnight. Extend to each person, no matter how trivial the contact, all the care and kindness and understanding and love that you can muster, and do it with no thought of any reward. Your life will never be the same again.

11. Laugh at yourself and at life. Not in the spirit of derision or whining self-pity, but as a remedy, a miracle drug, that will ease your pain, cure your depression, and help you to put in perspective that seemingly terrible defeat of the moment. Banish tension and concern and worry with laughter at your predicaments, thus freeing your mind to think clearly toward the solution that is certain to come. Never take yourself too seriously.

12. Never neglect the little things. Never skimp on that extra effort, that additional few minutes, that soft word of praise or thanks, that delivery of the very best that you can do. It does not matter what others think, it is of prime importance, however, what you think about you. You can never do your best, which should always be your trademark, if you are cutting corners and shirking responsibilities. You are special. Act it. Never neglect the little things.

13. Welcome every morning with a smile. Look on the new day as another special gift from your Creator, another golden opportunity to complete what you were unable to finish yesterday. Be a self-starter.

Let your first hour set the theme of success and positive action that is certain to echo through your entire day. Today will never happen again. Don't waste it with a false start or no start at all. You were not born to fail.

14. You will achieve your grand dream, a day at a time, so set goals for each day-not long and difficult projects, but chores that will take you, step by step, toward your rainbow. Write them down, if you must, but limit your list so that you won't have to drag today's undone matters into tomorrow. Remember that you cannot build your pyramid in twenty-four hours. Be patient. Never allow your day to become so cluttered that you neglect your most important goal-to do the best you can, enjoy this day and rest satisfied with what you have accomplished.

15. Never allow anyone to rain on your parade and thus cast a pall of gloom and defeat on the entire day. Remember that no talent, no self-denial, no brains, no character, are required to set up in the faultfinding business. Nothing external can have any power over you unless you permit it. Your time is too precious to be sacrificed in wasted days combating the menial forces of hate, jealousy and envy. Guard your fragile life carefully. Only God can shape a flower, but any foolish child can pull it to pieces.

16. Search for the seed of good in every adversity. Master that principle and you will own a precious shield that will guard you well through all the darkest valleys you must traverse. Stars may be seen from the bottom of a deep well, when they cannot be discerned from the mountaintop. So will you learn things in adversity that you would never have discovered without trouble? There is always a seed of good. Find it and prosper.

17. Realize that true happiness lies within you. Waste no time and effort searching for peace and contentment and joy in the world outside. Remember that there is no happiness in having or in getting, but only in giving. Reach out. Share. Smile. Hug. Happiness is a perfume you cannot pour on others without getting a few drops on yourself.

--- From A Better Way to Live by Og Mandino

The ABCDE Method for Setting Priorities

2009-09-24T03:43:00.000-07:00

Efficiency is doing things right. Effectiveness is doing the right things. Your ability to plan and organize your work, in advance, so you are always working on your highest value tasks determines your success as much as any other factor.

The ABCDE Method for Priorities…
The process of setting short-term priorities begins with a pad of paper and a pen. Whenever you feel overwhelmed by too many things to do and too little time in which to do them, sit down, take a deep breath, and list all those tasks you need to accomplish. Although there is never enough time to do everything, there is always enough time to do the most important things, and to stay with them until they are done right.

Setting Better Priorities…
The best method for setting priorities on your list, once you have determined your major goals or objectives, is the A-B-C-D-E method. You place one of those letters in the margin before each of the tasks on your list before you begin.

“A” stands for “very important;” something you must do. There can be serious negative consequences if you don’t do it.

“B” stands for “important;” something you should do. This is not as important as your ‘A’ tasks. There are only minor negative consequences if it is not completed.

“C” stands for things that are “nice to do;” but which are not as important as ‘A’ or ‘B,’ tasks. There are no negative consequences for not completing it.

“D” stands for “delegate.” You can assign this task to someone else who can do the job instead of you.

“E” stands for “eliminate, whenever possible.” You should eliminate every single activity you possibly can, to free up your time.

When you use the A-B-C-D-E method, you can very easily sort out what is important and unimportant. This then will focus your time and attention on those items on your list that are most essential for you to do.

Just Say No…
Once you can clearly determine the one or two things that you should be doing, above all others, just say no to all diversions and distractions and focus single-mindedly on accomplishing those priorities.

Much of the stress that you experience in your work life comes from working on low-priority tasks. The amazing discovery is that as soon as you start working on your highest-value activity, all your stress disappears. You feel a continuous stream of energy and enthusiasm.

As you work toward the completion of something that is really important, you feel an increased sense of personal value and inner satisfaction. You experience a sensation of self-mastery and self-control. You feel calm, confident and capable.

Action Exercises:

Here are three ideas that you can use, every day, to help you set priorities and to keep you working at your best:

First, take the time to be clear about your goals and objectives so that the priorities you set are moving you in the direction of something that is of real value to you.

Second, remember that what counts is not the amount of time that you put in overall; rather, it’s the amount of time that you spend working on high-priority tasks.

Third, understand that the most important factor in setting priorities is your ability to make wise choices. You are always free to choose to engage in one activity or another.

Resolve today to set clear priorities in every area of your life, and always choose the activities that will assure you the greatest health, happiness and prosperity in the long term.

Brian Tracy
______________

Brian Tracy is one of the world’s leading authorities on personal and business success.

You Too, Can Succeed!

2009-09-24T03:39:00.000-07:00

We are now living in the information age. Every details and information’s we need to improve our life, to restore our magnificence are now available in the internet, in the library and in the bookstore. So, there are no reasons and alibis that we cannot help our self to rise above the ashes!

If you are really sincere to succeed, to reach your dreams and become the ideal person you intend to become, this is the right time to think for a change, make a proper action and seize the opportunity to improve your life. Never wait for tomorrow or next day in what you can do today. For tomorrow my friend, is but a dream and today is the salutation to the dawn!

In my readings, I learned and discovered that all great men in the pages of history were a man of action. They have a firm resolution, an iron will to make their dreams a reality. They believed in their powers. They create their own opportunity rather than to find it in other places and they never make excuses from their mistakes and failures instead they learned, laughed from it and make a glorious one!

Kitto, the poor, deaf pauper, who made shoes in the alms house, and who became the greatest Biblical scholars, wrote in his journal, on the threshold of manhood: “I am not myself a believer in impossibilities. I think that all the fine stories about natural ability, etc., are mere rigmarole, and that every man may according to his opportunities and industry, render himself almost anything he wishes to become.”

So, if you’re seriously enough to succeed in life and intend to becoming the person you really want to become, beginning today, make a firm resolution to work hard on it. Remember the world always stands aside for the determined individual. The world will makes a way, even through seeming impossibilities. That is why Goethe declares that “he who has a firm will mould the world to himself.”

Below are just simple guidelines that can guide and help you to succeed in life.

1. Think always on the ideal person you intend to become. Hold it in your mind and work hard on it until you become as what you think!

2. Always believe in your powers. Avoid belittle yourself. Focus always on your strengths rather than on your weaknesses.

3. Avoid socializing to a person with a pessimistic attitude and character. An individual who is only fun of talking, bragging on himself and always finding faults on others are the person can only ruin your visions and dreams in life as well as can corrupt your good character.

4. Nurture your character. Character is your only valuable assets that can help to protect your reputation from the sharp tongue of the backbiter, wicked individual.

5. Read good books. Books are wise, patient mentors and excellent professors that can assess and teach you to become the master among men, yourself!

Finally remember my friend, You Too, Can Succeed!

Good luck to your journey in life!

Moises P. Reconalla
________________

About the Author:

Moises P. Reconalla is the School Guidance Counselor at North Davao College, Panabo City, Philippines.

All rights reserved worldwide. Copyright 2008 by Moises P. Reconalla

Be an Embodiment of the Person You’d Like to Be

2009-09-24T03:34:00.000-07:00

Being starts with simply being that which you would like to become. Once you mediate and hold the belief within yourself that you are what you would like to be, you start becoming that very thing, from the inside out!

Embodying what you would like to become transforms you. You already hold the traits within you that you would like to become.

In fact, it wouldn’t be possible to envision this new “person” you would like to be if you weren’t actually able to achieve that very vision. Allow yourself to feel it. And allow yourself to believe it.

Action Step:

Sit down for a few minutes in the week ahead and make a list of everything you would like to be and do. Then, over the next few days, for each item on your list, take a few minutes and sit with each thought.

Meditate on how you would feel being that person in that very place, having turned that vision into reality. Don’t let any negative thought patterns or incredulous talk (i.e. “you can’t possibly be that!”) force you to back down from envisioning this person you want to be. Just be still and let that thought warm you.

As I always say, what warms you the most is what you most resonate with. Focus on what you resonate with. Then, as you hone in on that person you wish to be, ask yourself what practice or trait you can consciously incorporate that further embodies this “future person” into your reality today.

Yours in Success,
Mark Victor Hansen
_____________
Mark Victor Hansen is the co-author of the wildly successful Chicken Soup For The Soul Be an Embodiment of the Person Youd Like to Be By Mark Victor Hansen series of books. For over 30 years, Mark Victor Hansen has focused solely on helping people in all walks of life reshape their personal vision of what’s possible for themselves. Visit the Mark Victor Hansen website.

Seven Steps To Achieving Your Dream

2009-09-24T03:28:00.000-07:00

“Vision is the spectacular that inspires us to carry out the mundane.” — Chris Widener

Can achievement be broken down into steps? Well, it isn’t always that clean and easy, but I do know that those who achieve great things usually go through much of the same process, with many of the items listed below as part of that process.

So if you have been struggling with achievement, look through the following and internalize the thoughts presented. Then begin to apply them. You will be on the road to achieving your dream!

1. Dream it - Everything begins in the heart and mind. Every great achievement began in the mind of one person. They dared to dream, to believe that it was possible.

Take some time to allow yourself to ask “What if?” Think big. Don’t let negative thinking discourage you. You want to be a “dreamer.”

Dream of the possibilities for yourself, your family, and for others. If you had a dream that you let grow cold, re-ignite the dream! Fan the flames. Life is too short to let it go.

2. Believe it - Yes, your dream needs to be big. It needs to be something that is seemingly beyond your capabilities. But it also must be believable.

You must be able to say that if certain things take place, if others help, if you work hard enough, though it is a big dream, it can still be done. Good example: A person with no college education can dream that he will build a 50 million-dollar a year company. That is big, but believable.

Bad example: That a 90 year-old woman with arthritis will someday run a marathon in under 3 hours. It is big alright, but also impossible. She should instead focus on building a 50 million-dollar a year business! And she better get a move on!

3. See it - The great achievers have a habit. They “see” things. They picture themselves walking around their CEO office in their new 25 million-dollar corporate headquarters, even while they are sitting on a folding chair in their garage “headquarters.”

Great free-throw shooters in the NBA picture the ball going through the basket. PGA golfers picture the ball going straight down the fairway. World-class speakers picture themselves speaking with energy and emotion.

All of this grooms the mind to control the body to carry out the dream.

4. Tell it - One reason many dreams never go anywhere is because the dreamer keeps it all to himself. It is a quiet dream that only lives inside of his mind. The one who wants to achieve their dream must tell that dream to many people.

One reason: As we continually say it, we begin to believe it more and more. If we are talking about it then it must be possible. Another reason: It holds us accountable.

When we have told others, it spurs us on to actually do it so we don’t look foolish.

5. Plan it - Every dream must take the form of a plan. The old saying that you “get what you plan for” is so true. Your dream won’t just happen.

You need to sit down, on a regular basis, and plan out your strategy for achieving the dream. Think through all of the details.

Break the whole plan down into small, workable parts. Then set a time frame for accomplishing each task on your “dream plan.”

6. Work it - Boy, wouldn’t life be grand if we could quit before this one! Unfortunately the successful are usually the hardest workers. While the rest of the world is sitting on their couch watching re-runs of Gilligan’s Island, achievers are working on their goal – achieving their dream.

I have an equation that I work with: Your short-term tasks, multiplied by time, equal your long-term accomplishments. If you work on it each day, eventually you will achieve your dream. War and Peace was written, in longhand, page by page.

7. Enjoy it - When you have reached your goal and you are living your dream, be sure to enjoy it. In fact, enjoy the trip too. Give yourself some rewards along the way.

Give yourself a huge reward when you get there. Help others enjoy it. Be gracious and generous. Use your dream to better others. Then go back to number 1. And dream a little bigger this time!

Chris Widener
____________
Chris Widener is an internationally recognized speaker, and best-selling author. Visit his website to receive his newsletter as well as learn about the inspiring work he does helping others to achieve their full potential!

My 14 Vows of Success

2009-09-24T03:19:00.000-07:00

Dear Lord,

Thank you! Today you wake up my mind from a deep sleep. Thank you for reminding me that today is the preparation of my future success. Thank you for helping me to realize that life is full of hardships, pains, sorrows, and trials. The only way to beat these odds is to face and take them as challenges of life and continue on improving myself.

Therefore, beginning today dear Lord, I will not waste my time with idleness, laziness, cowardliness, and timidity. Instead, I will use it as an opportunity for the improvement of my being.

Beginning today, I will take charge of my mind. I've learned from my life experiences that if I think a negative, the result is always a negative. But if I think a positive, the result is always a positive.

Beginning today, I will take charge of my mouth. I'll be careful and tactful in my words when I am engaging in conversation with my beloved fellow human being. I know that life and death is in the power of the tongue.

Beginning today, I will take good care of my health for it is my only investment and tool to reach my goals and dreams in life.

Beginning today, I will take charge of my emotions. Everyday, I will motivate myself to act as an educated and emotionally mature individual. If it happens that I encounter insult and disappointment, I will just remind myself that this too shall pass!

Beginning today, I will put the others first and serve them honestly with love and care for these are my only chances to share the love, kindness and blessings from above.

Beginning today, I will teach myself to be compassionate, humble, lovable, and open-minded in dealing with people. I've learned from the counsels and writings of the great men of the ages that being a compassionate, humble, lovable, and open-minded person is the best cure in healing of the old wounds of the broken-hearted.

By being this way, I can help to cast out the doubts, feeling of inferiority and hatred in their hearts and minds. It can also be the best technique in winning the hearts of the wicked men and eventually to become his friend.

Beginning today, I will teach myself the importance of hard work, honesty, sincerity, time management, frugality, initiative, planning, creativeness, determination, patience, persistence, enthusiasm, cooperation, extra mile, faith, and trust in myself for these are the secrets of success in any field of work.

Beginning today, I will embrace all the hardships, pains, sorrows, and trials as challenges and stepping-stones for success. Trials are medicines, which my Loving God prescribed because I need them. He proportions the frequency and weight of them to what the case requires. Therefore, let me trust His skill and eventually thank Him for His prescription.

Beginning today, I will nurture my character for my character is the only shield to protect and cover my reputation against the trap and honey words of wicked individuals.

Beginning today, I will improve myself. I will encourage and teach myself the importance of self-respect and self-discipline for these are the foundations of success.

Beginning today, I will treasure the importance of reading good books. Books are the best, wise, patient mentors, and professors of all/any colleges and universities in the world. Books are the best source of knowledge and wisdom. Doing this can help me to become more discerning, a deeper individual and a great thinker.

Beginning today, I will practice to have my own originality. Today is my only chance that I can prove and show to the world that I am a unique individual, created by the loving hands of the Almighty God, who has a mission and vision to fulfill - to plant the seeds of my uniqueness and productivity in this land!

Beginning today, I will remove from my vocabulary such words and phrases as defeat, failure, improvable, impossible, hopeless, and retreat from these for they are the words and phrases of fools and losers.

Finally, beginning today, I will make my Loving God a partner in every plan and decision of life. With Him, I can do all things that others think and see as impossible!

Now, with these precious short 14 vows of success in my hands, if I just diligently follow each precept daily and put it in my heart and mind, surely, I'll be the most happiest and successful person in the future.

Moises P. Reconalla
________________

About the Author:

Moises P. Reconalla is the School Guidance Counselor at North Davao College, Panabo City, Philippines.

All rights reserved worldwide. Copyright 2007-2008 by Moises P. Reconalla

Seven Character Traits of Successful People

2009-09-24T03:10:00.000-07:00

1.They are hard working. There is no such thing as easy money. Success takes hard work and people who are willing to do it.

2.They are honest. Those who are successful long-term are the honest ones. Dishonest people may get the first sale, but honest people will get all the rest!

3.They persevere. How many success stories will go untold because they never happened? And all because someone quit. Successful people outlast everybody else.

4.They are friendly. Have you noticed that most successful people are friendly and people oriented? This endears them to others and enables them to lead others to accomplish the task.

5.They are lifelong learners. Successful people are people who stretch themselves and grow continually, learning from all areas of life, including from their mistakes.

6.They over-deliver. The old statement of under-promise and over- deliver became famous because it made a lot of people successful, including the richest man in the world—Bill Gates.

7.They seek solutions in the face of problems. Problems are opportunities to do the impossible, not just complain. Successful people are the ones who find solutions.

Chris Widener
____________
Chris Widener is an internationally recognized speaker, and best-selling author. Visit his website to receive his newsletter as well as learn about the inspiring work he does helping others to achieve their full potential!

Your Achievement Ezine, # 148
YourSuccessStore.com

Dare Mighty Things

2009-09-24T03:06:00.000-07:00

Theodore Roosevelt
26th President of the U.S. and
winner of 1906 Nobel Peace Prize

In the battle of life, it is not the critic who counts; nor the one who points out how the strong person stumbled, or where the doer of a deed could have done better.

The credit belongs to the person who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; who does actually strive to do deeds; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotion, spends oneself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement; and who at worst, if he or she fails, at least fails while daring greatly.

Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs even though checkered by failure, than to rank with those timid spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much because they live in the gray twilight that knows neither victory nor defeat.

Rise Above The Ashes

2009-09-24T03:01:00.000-07:00

If you are now living in the lowest status of life and a life that have always a storm, great disappointment and failures, don't be discourage and worry my friend, I tell you, you can rise! Rise Above the Ashes!

Yes, you can rise above the ashes! For you are destined to be a conqueror of this world. The Loving God gave you the power of choice to choose and to live an ideal life that you want to be. Therefore, stop wasting your time living in a mediocre life. Learn to stand once again and prove to the world that you are a dare to fail individual. That cannot be easily sway and cannot be easily discourage by the challenges of life.

Beginning today, tag yourself with a higher price. Dream a big dream. Think a big plan for your life and make a firm resolution to dare mighty things to make your plan into reality.

To achieve your dreams, always work hard with definite purpose and don't ever think of backsliding because the world cannot be won with a doubtful spirit.

So, move on and don't ever give up! Always motivate your mind to have faith and believe in yourself. Remember, the larger your faith, the smaller your fears. The great your trust, the lesser your doubts. The stronger your beliefs, the weaker your worries. Therefore, keep your faith and believe in yourself for it will guide, help and bring you to the door of success!

If the time comes spark to tempt you to give up and back to the life of mediocrity, remind yourself with these words... My Loving God balances my life by giving me enough blessings to keep me happy. Enough failures, to keep me humble. Enough trials, to keep me strong in the challenges of life. Therefore, I will face these tests of life with an open-mind, enthusiasm, persistence, and determination that once again, I can rise! Rise Above the Ashes!

Finally, remember my friend, that the Loving God helps those who help themselves!

Wish you many blessings to come and God bless!

Moises P. Reconalla

About the Author:

Moises P. Reconalla is the School Guidance Counselor at North Davao College, Panabo City, Philippines.

All rights reserved worldwide. Copyright 2007 by Moises Padin Reconalla

NOTE: You're free to republish this article on your website, in your newsletter, in your e-book or in other publications provided that the article is reproduced in its entirety, including the author information.

Article Source: Reconalla, Moises. (2007, November 13). Rise Above the Ashes!. EzineArticles. Retrieved November 29, 2007, from http://ezinearticles.com/?Rise-Above-the-Ashes!&id=828121

30 Qualities for Success

2009-09-24T02:55:00.000-07:00

Honesty, Humor, Friendliness, Confidence,
Integrity, Persistence, Humility, Goal Setter,
Decisive, Hard Worker, Learner,
Positive Mental Attitude, Compassionate,
Disciplined, Dedicated, Faithful,
Dependable, Knowledgeable, Communicator,
Loving, Enthusiastic, Motivated, Patient,
Loyal, Organized, Good Listener,
Empathetic, Self-Respect,
Common Sense, and Character.

Go ahead now.
Look yourself in the mirror
and claim these qualities!
Do it for several weeks
and you’ll notice a change in your life.

ZIG ZIGLAR Newsletter
14 June 2000, Volume II, Number 2
www.zigziglar.com

I Dream To Become A Great Man

2009-09-24T02:51:00.000-07:00

I was born as a poor boy and grew up in the street without the care, guidance and supervision of my beloved parents. I have experienced an empty stomach, being almost naked, existing without permanent shelter and without proper education.

As a young man, with deprived and some sad experiences of life, I started to think of innovation and dream for my future. I dream to become famous, I dream to become a great man!

Yes, I to dream to become a great man, a great man with power and authority; a great man like Abraham Lincoln, Brian Tracy, Benjamin Franklin, Dave Higgins, John Maxwell, Manuel Quezon, Martin Luther King Jr., Og Mandino, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Theodore Roosevelt and Winston Churchill.

Yes, I dream to become a great man because I want to have a change and improvement, a change and improvement to my beloved country, a change and improvement to the lives of the needy.

I thought to become a great man was to have power and authority, power and authority over the lives of the people, power and authority to become their lord and master.

But now I realize that to become a great man, it is not to become the lord of their lives, instead the lord of good example.

I also realized that to become a great man it is not to become the master of their lives, instead a master of change in helping to improve their way of living.

Now, with these precious thoughts that are still fresh in my mind, I am thankful to my beloved Creator for helping me to realize this.

Another thing is that to become a great man, is to change and improve first myself. Not be a self-centered, lord and master to others, instead a lord and master of my own self.

I realize that by changing my own self, I can gradually change my own destiny. I realize that by changing my own self, I can gradually brighten up my future.

Lo! Today I will live as if it is my last. I will improve my character, my skills, my talents and myself. I will serve and help others with love and care and I will become great!

Yes, I will become a great man if I will think about the good of others before myself. For only in serving, helping, loving, and sharing the blessings from Above, I can finally win the hearts, favors and support from my beloved human being. And my name will be hailed forever in the pyramid and pages of history!

--- Copyright © 2007 Moises P. Reconalla

Reaping A Multiple Reward

2009-09-24T02:32:00.000-07:00

For every disciplined effort, there are multiple rewards. That’s one of life’s great arrangements. In fact, it’s an extension of the Biblical law that says that if you sow well, you will reap well.

Here’s a unique part of the Law of Sowing and Reaping. Not only does it suggest that we’ll all reap what we’ve sown, it also suggests that we’ll reap much more. Life is full of laws that both govern and explain behaviors, but this may well be the major law we need to understand: for every disciplined effort, there are multiple rewards.

What a concept! If you render unique service, your reward will be multiplied. If you’re fair and honest and patient with others, your reward will be multiplied. If you give more than you expect to receive, your reward is more than you expect. But remember: the key word here, as you might well imagine, is discipline.

Everything of value requires care, attention, and discipline. Our thoughts require discipline. We must consistently determine our inner boundaries and our codes of conduct, or our thoughts will be confused. And if our thoughts are confused, we will become hopelessly lost in the maze of life. Confused thoughts produce confused results.

Remember the law: "For every disciplined effort, there are multiple rewards." Learn the discipline of writing a card or a letter to a friend. Learn the discipline of paying your bills on time, arriving to appointments on time, or using your time more effectively. Learn the discipline of paying attention, or paying your taxes or paying yourself. Learn the discipline of having regular meetings with your associates, or your spouse, or your child, or your parent. Learn the discipline of learning all you can learn, of teaching all you can teach, of reading all you can read.

For each discipline, multiple rewards. For each book, new knowledge. For each success, new ambition. For each challenge, new understanding. For each failure, new determination. Life is like that. Even the bad experiences of life provide their own special contribution. But a word of caution here for those who neglect the need for care and attention to life’s disciplines: everything has its price. Everything affects everything else. Neglect discipline, and there will be a price to pay. All things of value can be taken for granted with the passing of time.

That’s what we call the Law of Familiarity. Without the discipline of paying constant, daily attention, we take things for granted. Be serious. Life’s not a practice session.

If you’re often inclined to toss your clothes onto the chair rather than hanging them in the closet, be careful. It could suggest a lack of discipline. And remember, a lack of discipline in the small areas of life can cost you heavily in the more important areas of life. You cannot clean up your company until you learn the discipline of cleaning your own garage. You cannot be impatient with your children and be patient with your distributors or your employees. You cannot inspire others to sell more when that goal is inconsistent with your own conduct. You cannot admonish others to read good books when you don’t have a library card.

Think about your life at this moment. What areas need attention right now? Perhaps you’ve had a disagreement with someone you love or someone who loves you, and your anger won’t allow you to speak to that person. Wouldn’t this be an ideal time to examine your need for a new discipline? Perhaps you’re on the brink of giving up, or starting over, or starting out. And the only missing ingredient to your incredible success story in the future is a new and self-imposed discipline that will make you try harder and work more intensely than you ever thought you could.

The most valuable form of discipline is the one that you impose upon yourself. Don’t wait for things to deteriorate so drastically that someone else must impose discipline in your life. Wouldn’t that be tragic? How could you possibly explain the fact that someone else thought more of you than you thought of yourself? That they forced you to get up early and get out into the marketplace when you would have been content to let success go to someone else who cared more about themselves.

Your life, my life, the life of each one of us is going to serve as either a warning or an example. A warning of the consequences of neglect, self-pity, lack of direction and ambition…or an example of talent put to use, of discipline self-imposed, and of objectives clearly perceived and intensely pursued.

To Your Success,
Jim Rohn

© 2000 Jim Rohn International
All rights reserved worldwide.
Reproduced with permission
from the Jim Rohn Weekly E-zine:
subscribe at: www.jimrohn.com

Always Be True To Yourself

2009-01-01T00:29:00.000-08:00

Always be true to yourself!

Never attempt to delete those words in your heart and mind.
For they are a valuable treasure, that can aid and lead you
To understand who you are.

Always be true to yourself!

Never be afraid to accept who you are.
Think positively and believe in yourself
So you can be able to accept and appreciate who you are.

Always bear in mind you are a unique individual.
Created by the loving hands of the Almighty God.
He created you with special purpose, to plant and spread seeds
Of your uniqueness and productivity in this land.

Always be true to yourself!

Never be discouraged or afraid of negative comments or feedback.
Welcome them with an open-mind, for these can also help and guide you
To become a well-grown individual.

If you have an enemy, remember never to hate him.
When you hate him, you give him power over you.
Power over your thinking, your sleep, your health and happiness.
Your hatred is not hurting him at all;
It only turns your days and nights into a hellish turmoil.

Always be true to yourself!

Remember the best strategies to deal an enemy -
Prayer, love, forgiveness, humility, open-mindedness,
reconciliation, smile, tactfulness, and service.
Start now to apply those precepts in yourself,
So you can be able to win favor from God
And live at peace with your enemy.

As you travel in the games of life,
Always remember to think innovation of your being.
For that's the one and only key to excel in this land.
Remember that a gifted man will stand before kings,
A simple man will serve the skilled and kings!

Therefore, always be true to yourself!

Remember God love you so much!
He cares and believes in you!
That's why,

ALWAYS BE TRUE TO YOURSELF!

About the Author:

Moises P. Reconalla is the Guidance Counselor at North Davao Colleges, Panabo City, Philippines.
All rights reserved worldwide. Copyright 2007 by Moises P. Reconalla

NOTE: You're free to republish this article on your website, in your newsletter, in your e-book or in other publications provided that the article is reproduced in its entirety, including the author information.

Change Begins with Choice

2009-01-01T00:13:00.000-08:00

We can also do nothing. We can pretend rather than perform. And if the idea of having to change ourselves makes us uncomfortable, we can remain as we are. We can choose rest over labor, entertainment over education, delusion over truth, and doubt over confidence. The choices are ours to make. But while we curse the effect, we continue to nourish the cause. As Shakespeare uniquely observed, "The fault is not in the stars, but in ourselves." We created our circumstances by our past choices. We have both the ability and the responsibility to make better choices beginning today. Those who are in search of the good life do not need more answers or more time to think things over to reach better conclusions. They need the truth. They need the whole truth. And they need nothing but the truth.

We cannot allow our errors in judgment, repeated every day, to lead us down the wrong path. We must keep coming back to those basics that make the biggest difference in how our life works out. And then we must make the very choices that will bring life, happiness and joy into our daily lives.

And if I may be so bold to offer my last piece of advice for someone seeking and needing to make changes in their life—If you don’t like how things are, change it! You’re not a tree. You have the ability to totally transform every area in your life—and it all begins with your very own power of choice.

To Your Success,

Jim Rohn

About the Author

Jim Rohn is a popular American motivational and business coach that has been giving seminars to large companies and indivuals for more than 40 years. He is a published author of many books that cover leadership, business skills, self development, dealing with customers, and motivation.

Jim Rohn simply cannot be described nor defined. Instead, he must be experienced. The remarkable combination of his personal style and his message does something to people that cannot be captured in a text description. The power that is behind his extraordinary effect on people is not found just in what he enables them to learn, but in what he makes them feel. Time spent with Jim Rohn, whether at a live seminar or through his audio and video programs, is an indescribable emotional journey that will expand your self-confidence, rekindle your determination to succeed and enrich your attitude - further intensifying your ambition to alter your life for the better.

Reproduced with permission
from the Jim Rohn Weekly E-zine:
subscribe at: http://www.jimrohn.com

I AM A TEACHER

2009-01-01T00:07:00.000-08:00

I am a Teacher.

I was born the first moment that a question leaped from the mouth of a child.

I have been many people in many places.

I am Socrates exciting the youth of Athens to discover new ideas through the use of questions.

I am Anne Sullivan tapping out the secrets of the universe into the outstretched hand of Helen Keller.

I am Aesop and Hans Christian Andersen revealing truth through countless stories.

I am Marva Collins fighting for every child's right to an education.

I am Mary McCloud Bethune building a great college for my people, using orange crates for desks.

And I am Bel Kaufman struggling to go Up The Down Staircase.

The names of those who have practiced my profession ring like a hall of fame for humanity…Booker T. Washington, Buddha, Confucius, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Leo Buscaglia, Moses and Jesus.

I am also those whose names and faces have long been forgotten but whose lessons and character will always be remembered in the accomplishments of their students.

I have wept for joy at the weddings of former students, laughed with glee at the birth of their children and stood with head bowed in grief and confusion by graves dug too soon for bodies far too young.

Throughout the course of a day I have been called upon to be an actor, friend, nurse and doctor, coach, finder of lost articles, money lender, taxi driver, psychologist, substitute parent, salesman, politician and a keeper of the faith.

Despite the maps, charts, formulas, verbs, stories and books, I have really had nothing to teach, for my students really have only themselves to learn, and I know it takes the whole world to tell you who you are.

I am a paradox. I speak loudest when I listen the most. My greatest gifts are in what I am willing to appreciatively receive from my students.

Material wealth is not one of my goals, but I am a full-time treasure seeker in my quest for new opportunities for my students to use their talents and in my constant search for those talents that sometimes lie buried in self-defeat.

I am the most fortunate of all who labor.

A doctor is allowed to usher life into the world in one magic moment. I am allowed to see that life is reborn each day with new questions, ideas and friendships.

An architect knows that if he builds with care, his structure may stand for centuries. A teacher knows that if he builds with love and truth, what he builds will last forever.

I am a warrior, daily doing battle against peer pressure, negativity, fear, conformity, prejudice, ignorance and apathy. But I have great allies: Intelligence, Curiosity, Parental Support, Individuality, Creativity, Faith, Love and Laughter all rush to my banner with indomitable support.

And who do I have to thank for this wonderful life I am so fortunate to experience, but you the public, the parents. For you have done me the great honor to entrust to me your greatest contribution to eternity, your children.

And so I have a past that is rich in memories. I have a present that is challenging, adventurous and fun because I am allowed to spend my days with the future.

I am a teacher…and I thank God for it every day.

John W. Schlatter

Get Rid of Timidity

2008-11-23T15:10:00.000-08:00

Life is a series of trials and errors. Trials and errors make you to become strong or to become weak. The matter of choice it’s depend upon you, if you will accept the challenge of life or to give up!

Timidity is considered by the writer as a great crime. For the reason that it can diminish the reasoning power and poise of its bearer that sometimes destroy the bearer’s precious name and pride.

A person with a timid spirit cannot trust on his intuition. He kept on wandering and blaming the circumstances as well as people around him due to the lack of success. A timid individual suffer without acknowledging his own defects in the matter of insight. He tortures himself by building judgments upon feelings and not upon evidence. If he will not learn to get rid of it, he is the most less fortunate human being ever existed in this land!

To enable to get rid of timidity, an individual should encourage himself to apply the following precepts.

1. Think positively. Exercise your will-power to dwell in the positive aspects of your personality. Never mind what people think of you. Do what you think is right!

2. Love and learn to appreciate your being. Never hate and blame yourself for the lack of success in life. If you experience hardships and setbacks today, remind yourself that this too, shall pass! Comfort yourself with this word: Learn, Laugh at your mistakes and makes a glorious one!

3. Learn to discipline yourself. Remember no one can help you, only yourself! If you really want to conquer the impossible and to shoot the star of your dream, then, learn to discipline yourself and everything you do will run smoothly as what you have plan.

4. Learn to focus your attention in one object at a time until you’ll be able to finish it. This is one of the secret formulas applied by the great men of the ages that makes them attained great success and famed in life.

5. Be an optimist in all times. Don’t wait for love instead feel, apply and share it. Don’t wait for opportunity instead find and create it. Don’t go for less instead gets the best. Don’t compare yourself to others instead be true and unique. Don’t avoid failures instead face and accept it as a challenge. Don’t dwell on errors instead learn from them and makes a glorious one. Don’t ever give up instead move forward and believe that you can if you think you can. Don’t close your eyes instead open your mind and think. Don’t run from life instead play your role and enjoy it!

6. Don’t be shy and afraid to speak out of your emotions and feelings. Share your knowledge and ideas. Prove to them that there is an iron and gold in your mind!

Starting today, make this as resolution as well as motto in life: I am the master of myself, I am the master of my destiny, I am the master of my fate, and I can excel in this land!

Remember, there is no impossible to a person who thinks he can!

Wish you many blessings to come and God bless!

Moises P. Reconalla

About the Author:

Moises P. Reconalla is the School Guidance Counselor at North Davao College, Panabo City, Philippines.

NOTE: You're free to republish this Article on your website, in your newsletter, in your e-book or in other publications provided that the Article is reproduced in its entirety, including the author information.

Article Source: Reconalla, M. (2007, September 21). Get Rid of Timidity. Retrieved November 23, 2008, from http://ezinearticles.com/?Get-Rid-of-Timidity&id=743711

Have Faith and Believe in Yourself

2008-11-23T14:45:00.000-08:00

"Our doubts are traitors, Shakespeare says, "and make us lose the good we oft might win by fearing to attempt."

The writer as a young man schooled in the schooled of hard knocks, I often learned and realized that the greatest obstacle to a man's success in life is not due to below average IQ but because of lack of will to start his plan and a lack of courage to do it till the end as well as a lack of faith and believe in his power.

Dear reader if you want to accomplish something in this world or to become the ideal person you dreamed of yourself, condition and teach your mind to think positively. Eliminate self - pity, worries, doubts, and fears in your life, for these can only create a hellish turmoil and makes your mind to function unproductively.

Don't be like a mouse that dwelt near the abode of a great magician was kept in such constant distress by its fear of a cat, that the great magician, taking pity on it, turned it into a cat itself. Immediately it began to suffer from its fear of a dog, so the magician turned it into a dog. Then it began to suffer from fear of a tiger. Then the magician therefore turned it into a tiger. Then it began to suffer from fear of a hunter, and the magician said in disgust: "Be a mouse again. As you have only the heart of a mouse, it is impossible to help you by giving you the body of a nobler animal."

Again, don't be like a mouse! You are a special and unique individual. The loving God gives you the mind, the ears, the eyes, the mouth, the hands, and the feet to help you to transform your plans into reality. Therefore stop thinking negatively! Be good to your self. Choose to be a captain of your soul today, and surely, the world will make a way for you!

Remember that the "Kingdom of God is within you"! So continue on conditioning your mind to think positively, to have faith and believe in yourself!

But if times come and you will fall back into negative thoughts such as fear, worries, and self-pity, remind yourself again and again with this word: "Take charge of your thoughts, so you can do what you will, will."

Use that affirmation every time you will succumb by inferiority complex, so the feeling of insecurity and fear will banish from you.

Finally, remember that God helps those who help themselves!

Good luck to your journey in life!

Moises P. Reconalla

About the Author:

Moises P. Reconalla is the School Guidance Counselor at North Davao College, Panabo City, Philippines.

NOTE: You're free to republish this article on your website, in your newsletter, in your e-book or in other publications provided that the article is reproduced in its entirety, including the author information.

Article Source: Reconalla, M. (2008, August 22). Have Faith and Believe in Yourself. Retrieved November 23, 2008, from http://ezinearticles.com/?Have-Faith-and-Believe-in-Yourself&id=1434236

Dare to Fail!

2008-11-23T13:59:00.000-08:00

“If you want to succeed, Og Mandino advised, “You must learn to live with failure.”

I firmly believed that life is a game! That there are rules we should and must to learn and we need to follow in order to succeed. The rules are to learn, laugh at your own mistakes and failures, and make a glorious one!

So whatever adversities, setbacks and failures you will encounter, will come and meet along your way today, never be discouraged nor be hopeless and retreat. Instead, when tempted to give up, remind yourself again and again with these words: I am not a failure! Failure exists only in the grave!

So, as long as I am alive and kicking; as long as I have faith and believe in myself that I can succeed; as long as the whole part of my body still functioning and cooperating with me, I will proudly announce and declare this words to myself and to the world: I am not a failure! For failure exists only in the tomb! Therefore, I will move forward to make my every single dreams come true! For I know by daring to move forward, I will succeed.

Remember you can succeed for whatever your heart will desire as long as your dreams will not violate the rights of your fellowmen. For the kingdom of God is within you! What you need to do is know yourself; Know your potential; Know your power and polish it!

Know the purpose and desire of your heart. Learn to in tune yourself with the Infinite and promise yourself every single day that whatever problems, failures and adversity will come into your way, you will never give up! You will always dare to move forward to prove again to the world that you can rise above the ashes! That you are somebody; that there is an iron and gold in your mind. By always doing this to yourself, you will become unconquerable! You will become the leader and master among men…Yourself!

Finally, before we depart with each other, remember this inspiring word of Les Brown “shoot for the moon. Even if you miss it, you’ll land among the stars.”

Good luck to your journey in life and God bless!

Moises P. Reconalla

About the Author:

Moises P. Reconalla is the School Guidance Counselor at North Davao College, Panabo City, Philippines.

NOTE: You’re free to republish this article on your website, in your newsletter, in your e-book or in other publications provided that the article is reproduced in its entirety, including the author information.

There Is Always Room At The Top!

2008-03-29T03:24:00.000-07:00

"Good chances for the young no longer exist as formerly, "complained a youthful law student to Daniel Webster. "You are mistaken, "replied the great statesman and jurist, "there is always room at the top."

Yes! I believed that until now there is always room at the top if we will be ready for the opportunity to come. Always work hard on our self and be higher than our calling. The world will make a path to our door!

Below are few suggested guidelines that can help to bring you to the room at the top. I suggest that you try to follow the precepts daily and surely, you will not be disappointed!

1. Think for a change. Think for the innovation of your being. Do not waste your time for something which you think not worthy, not valuable and could not help to harness your will power to think and grow rich!

2. Read a good book. For these are the vitamins and nutrients for your mind and soul that can help to awaken your giant within.

3. Apply what you have learned from your reading. Remember knowledge will be became power if only you will apply them and put them in the right application.

4. Study the lives of highly successful people. Read their biographies, their writings and copy their formula of success and apply it to yourself. Surely, two to five years from now, you will be at the top of your dreams.

5. Be true to yourself. Always follow the dreams and desire of your heart. Remember, you are the architect of your destiny and you are the architect of your fate. Avoid looking back instead move forward and follow your calling.

6. Keep on moving. Remember this secret formula that can guide and help you to avoid to much disappointment, failures and headaches as you travel in the games of life: work slowly but surely.

7. Never give up. Remember all the greatest men in history were a product of courage and courage you know is born in the cradle of adversity! So hold on! Be strong! Don't ever give up! You can if you think you can! Remember that the only person who can stop you of what God intend you to become is you!

Finally remember my friend, that the best investment you can give to yourself is you! You can make a lot of money by investing in you than any other investment. Therefore always work hard on yourself and you will earn a fortune!

Remember, THERE IS ALWAYS ROOM AT THE TOP!

Good luck to your journey in life and God bless!

Moises P. Reconalla

About the Author:

Moises P. Reconalla is the School Guidance Counselor at North Davao College, Panabo City, Philippines.

You can send your comments about this article through his email wisdomisgreat@gmail.com

Article Source: Reconalla, Moises. (2008, March 26). There Is Always Room At The Top!. EzineArticles. Retrieved March 29, 2008, from http://ezinearticles.com/?There-Is-Always-Room-At-The-Top!&id=1071122

Rise Above the Ashes!

2007-11-29T04:06:00.000-08:00

Yes, you can rise above the ashes! For you are destined to be a conqueror of this world. The Loving God gave you the power of choice to choose and to live an ideal life that you want to be. Therefore, stop wasting your time living in a mediocre life. Learn to stand once again and prove to the world that you are a dare to fail individual. That cannot be easily sway and cannot be easily discourage by the challenges of life.

Beginning today, tag yourself with a higher price. Dream a big dream. Think a big plan for your life and make a firm resolution to dare mighty things to make your plan into reality.

To achieve your dreams, always work hard with definite purpose and don't ever think of backsliding because the world cannot be won with a doubtful spirit.

So, move on and don't ever give up! Always motivate your mind to have faith and believe in yourself. Remember, the larger your faith, the smaller your fears. The great your trust, the lesser your doubts. The stronger your beliefs, the weaker your worries. Therefore, keep your faith and believe in yourself for it will guide, help and bring you to the door of success!

If the time comes spark to tempt you to give up and back to the life of mediocrity, remind yourself with these words... My Loving God balances my life by giving me enough blessings to keep me happy. Enough failures, to keep me humble. Enough trials, to keep me strong in the challenges of life. Therefore, I will face these tests of life with an open-mind, enthusiasm, persistence, and determination that once again, I can rise! Rise Above the Ashes!

Finally, remember my friend, that the Loving God helps those who help themselves!

Wish you many blessings to come and God bless!

Moises P. Reconalla

About the Author:

Moises P. Reconalla is the School Guidance Counselor at North Davao College, Panabo City, Philippines.

You can send your comments about this article through his email wisdomisgreat@gmail.com

Article Source: Reconalla, Moises. (2007, November 13). Rise Above the Ashes!. EzineArticles. Retrieved November 29, 2007, from http://ezinearticles.com/?Rise-Above-the-Ashes!&id=828121

I Dream To Become A Great Man

2007-10-21T16:28:00.000-07:00

I was born as a poor boy and grew up in the street without the care, guidance and supervision of my beloved parent. I have been experienced an empty stomach, Almost naked, without permanent shelter and without proper education.

As a young man with deprived and sad experiences of life, I started to think of innovation and dream for my future. I dream to become a famous, I dream to become a great man!

Yes, I to dream to become a great man. A great man with power and authority. A great man like Abraham Lincoln, Benjamin Franklin, Dave Higgins, Hernando Zamora, John Maxwell, Manuel Quezon, Og Mandino, Ralp Wardo Emerson, Theodore Roosevelt and Winston Churchill.

Yes, I dream to become a great man. ‘Coz I want to have a change and improvement. A change and improvement to my beloved country, A change and improvement to the lives of the needy.

‘Coz I thought to become a great man is to have power and authority. Power and authority over the lives of the people. Power and authority to become their lord and master.

But now, I realized that to become a great man It is not to become the lord of their lives, instead the lord of good example. But now, I also realized that to become a great man it is not to become the master of their lives, instead a master of change in helping to improve their way of living.

Now with this precious thoughts that still fresh in my mind, I am thankful to my beloved Creator for helping me this to realize. Another thing is that, to become a great man is to change and improve first myself. Not be a self-centered, lord and master to others, instead a lord and master of my own self.

I realized that, for changing my own self, I can gradually change my own destiny. I realized that, for changing my own self, I can gradually brighten up my future.

Lo! Today I will live as if it is my last. I will improve myself, my character, my skills, and my talents. I will serve and help others with love and care, And I will become great!

Yes, I will become a great man if I will think the good of others before myself. For only in serving, helping, loving, and sharing the blessings from Above, I can finally win the hearts, favors and support from my beloved human being. And my name will be hailed forever in the pyramid and pages of history!

Wish you many blessings to come and God bless!

Moises P. Reconalla

Poem Source: Reconalla, Moises. (2007, June 10). I Dream To Become A Great Man. EzineArticles. Retrieved October 21, 2007, from http://ezinearticles.com/?I-Dream-To-Become-A-Great-Man&id=600582

2007-10-21T16:20:00.000-07:00

Dear God,

2007-10-09T17:30:00.000-07:00

I give you this morning.
Please take away
My despair of yesterday.
Help me to forgive the things
That caused me pain
And would keep me bound.
Help me to begin again.
Please bless my path
And illumine my mind.
I surrender to You
The day ahead.
Please bless every person
And situation
I will encounter.
Make me who You would have me be,
That I might do as You would have me do.
Please enter my heart
And remove all anger,
Fear and pain.
Renew my soul
And free my spirit.
Thank you, God,
For this day.
Amen.

What Does It Mean to Love God Above All?

2007-10-09T17:03:00.000-07:00

What does it mean to love God above all? This is the question that once asked by my beloved professor in graduate school, that eagerly trigger my subconscious mind to think for how many days and eventually motivated me to answer the query.

In my point of view, to love God above all, it means that we should make Him be the center of our life. Being a Christian, it is one of our duties to stay focus on the light, the source of knowledge, guidance and strength. Without God, we are nothing. We are vanities in all vanities under heaven!

To love God above all, it means that we should encourage, motivate ourselves to know Him more intellectually, emotionally and spiritually. In doing that way, we can easily feel and understand, that we need to do our part to worship and glorify Him with all our hearts and minds without the dictates of others. Above all, apply what we have learned from His teachings to our lives, enable for us to grow and become a mature productive Christian.

The Apostle Paul once says, “Faith without works is dead.” So for me, words without action are useless.

There some groups of Christians who are proclaiming that they really love God and obey His Words but when you ask them who is He? They cannot easily give an answer. That’s why for me, I firmly believe, to love God above all, we must teach and encourage ourselves first to know Him well, so we can avoid creating confusion to the other Christian believers. Now, I will give an answer to the question “Who is God?”

He is the First and Last, the Beginning and the End!
He is the keeper of Creation and the Creator of all!
He is the Architect of the universe and The Manager of all times.
He always was, He always is,
and He always will be... Unmoved,
Unchanged, Undefeated, and never Undone!
He was bruised and brought healing!
He was pierced and eased pain!
He was persecuted and brought freedom!
He was dead and brought life!
He is risen and brings power!
He reigns and brings Peace!
The world can't understand Him,
The armies can't defeat Him,
The schools can't explain Him,
and The leaders can't ignore Him.
Herod couldn't kill Him,
The Pharisees couldn't confuse Him,
and The people couldn't hold Him!
Nero couldn't crush Him,
Hitler couldn't silence Him,
The New Age can't replace Him,
He is light, love, longevity, and Lord.
He is goodness, Kindness, Gentleness, and God.
He is Holy, Righteous, mighty, powerful, and pure.
His ways are right, His word is eternal,
His will is unchanging, and His mind is on me.
He is my Redeemer, He is my Savior,
He is my guide, and He is my peace! He is my Joy,
He is my comfort, He is my Lord, and He rules my life!
I serve Him because His bond is love,
His burden is light, and His goal for me is abundant life.
I follow Him because He is the wisdom of the wise,
The power of the powerful,
The ancient of days,
the ruler of rulers,
The leader of leaders,
the overseer of the over comers,
and The sovereign Lord of all that was and is and is to come.
And if that seems impressive to you, try this for size.
His goal is a relationship with ME!
He will never leave me,
Never forsake me, Never mislead me,
Never forget me,
Never overlook me,
and Ever cancel my appointment in His appointment book!
When I fall, He lifts me up!
When I fail, He forgives!
When I am weak,
He is strong!
When I am lost, He is the way!
When I am afraid, He is my courage!
When I stumble, He steadies me!
When I am hurt, He heals me!
When I am broken, He mends me!
When I am blind, He leads me!
When I am hungry, He feeds me!
When I face trials, He is with me!
When I face persecution, He shields me!
When I face problems, He comforts me!
When I face loss, He provides for me!
When I face Death, He carries me Home!
He is everything for everybody, everywhere, Every time, and every way.
He is God, He is faithful.
I am His, and He is mine!
My Father in heaven can whip the father of this world.
So, if you're wondering why I feel so secure, understand this...
He said it and that settles it.
God is in control,
I am on His side,
and That means all is well with my soul.
Everyday is a blessing for GOD Is!
I love the Lord and thank Him for all that He does in my life,
He is my source of existence and my Savior.
He keeps me functioning each and everyday.
Without Him, I am nothing.
But with Him I can do all things. - Philippians 4:13

Dear readers, always bear these in your mind: with men everything is impossible but with God all impossible things will become possible!

Wish you many blessings to come and God Bless!

Moises P. Reconalla

Article Source: Reconalla, Moises. (2007, February 16). What Does It Mean to Love God Above All?. EzineArticles. Retrieved October 09, 2007, from http://ezinearticles.com/?What-Does-It-Mean-to-Love-God-Above-All?&id=457326

Get Rid of Timidity

2007-09-27T05:07:00.000-07:00

Timidity is considered by the writer as a great crime. For the reason that it can diminish the reasoning power and poise of its bearer that sometimes destroy the bearer’s precious name and pride.

To enable to get rid of timidity, an individual should encourage himself to apply the following precepts.

1. Think positively. Exercise your will-power to dwell in the positive aspects of your personality. Never mind what people think of you. Do what you think is right!

6. Don’t be shy and afraid to speak out of your emotions and feelings. Share your knowledge and ideas. Prove to them that there is an iron and gold in your mind!

Starting today, make this as resolution as well as motto in life: I am the master of myself, I am the master of my destiny, I am the master of my fate, and I can excel in this land!

Remember, there is no impossible to a person who thinks he can!

Wish you many blessings to come and God bless!

Moises P. Reconalla

Article Source: Reconalla, Moises. (2007, September 21). Get Rid of Timidity. EzineArticles. Retrieved September 27, 2007, from http://ezinearticles.com/?Get-Rid-of-Timidity&id=743711

The Secret Power of Kindness

2007-09-20T16:04:00.000-07:00

Be Kind one to another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s hath forgiven you (Eph. 4:32 KJV).

In this short article, I would like to share with you a short story of a certain great, good man who wrote a beautiful essay “The Kingliness of Kindness.”

This great, good man tells of his experience stranded in a strange city late at night and in need of transportation between railroad stations. When he called the telephone operator for information, she provided it in rude and discourteous language. Later he called her back to thank her for the help. Apparently, it was something she rarely had happened to her and the change in her voice and her whole telephone personality indicated that the expression of his appreciation had uplifted her spirit. How simple it is to say thank you. Yet how much it means when spoken in sincerity!

The above story reminds us that a kind word is better than a big pie!

The word of God clearly explained “A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger” (Proverbs 15:1 NKJV).

Dear readers, when you are engaging in the conversation, always encourage yourself to say something good to somebody. Always bear in mind, to be patient and tactful in dealing with people. For you are not dealing with a people of logic but you are dealing with a people of emotions too!

If you don’t have a kind words to say, it is better to shut up your mouth than be an instrument of making other lives to become ruin because of your idle tongue. James, the disciple of our Lord Jesus Christ reminds you that “If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless” (James 1:26 NIV).

Our Lord Jesus Christ warned “… if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a large millstone tied around his neck” (Mark 9:42 NKJV).

Dear readers always motivate your mind and mouth to practice giving honey instead of giving stings.

Remember your life is so short! Your life is like a vapor that appears for a moment and then disappears! Therefore, any good that you can do or any kindness you can show to any human being let you do it now. Let you not defer it or neglect it; for you shall not pass this way again.

For thousands of men breathe, move, and live pass off the stage of life and are heard no more. Why? They did not give a particle of good in the world. None were blessed by them. None could point to them as the instrument of their redemption. Their light went out in darkness and they were not remembered more than insects of yesterday. Will you live and die? Live for something!

Instead of giving stings to your family, friends, neighbors, co-workers, and strangers, why not encourage yourself to give them a honey! Why not encourage yourself to say these words when you are alone:

Dear Lord, make me an instrument of your peace; Where there is hatred, let me show love; Where there is injury, pardon; Where there is doubt, faith; Where there is despair, hope; Where there is darkness, light. Where there is sadness, joy; Where there is an idle tongue, help me to keep away from them.

Before I conclude, don’t and don’t ever forget that the hardest thing to give is kindness; it’s always come back to the giver!

Wish you many blessings to come and God bless!

Moises P. Reconalla

You can send your comments about this article through his email wisdomisgreat@gmail.com

Article Source: Reconalla, Moises. (2007, March 06). The Secret Power of Kindness. EzineArticles. Retrieved September 20, 2007, from http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Secret-Power-of-Kindness&id=479441

Never, Never Give Up

2007-09-20T15:44:00.000-07:00

Our world is full of educated and talented individuals. But why are some of them unable to reach the heights of their potentials and success? What are the other reasons, why these groups of individuals will not successfully conquer the impossible despite having the ability and capacity to excel? These are the questions that I would like to seek and find an answer for.

I'll still remember the great man named Dr. Napoleon Hill, a man that I greatly admired most. During the 1930's, he started conducting a study on the lives of some certain successful great men of America. He investigated why these groups of individuals were so successful in their life struggles and reaches the top of the ladders. Through personal interviewed with them, he found out that their main secrets why they gradually win to beat the odds and got the crown of life are because of their being positive thinkers, positive attitudes, self-determination to win and the philosophy of NEVER, NEVER GIVE UP!

People, when you experience a great trials and challenges in life, you should encourage yourself to "Never give up or the burden may sink you; Providence kindly has mingled the cup and in all trials and troubles, that challenges you. The watchword of life must be, NEVER, NEVER GIVE UP! DARE MIGHTY THINGS! HOLD ON TO YOUR DREAMS! YOU CAN IF YOU THINK YOU CAN!

Billi Lim exclaims, "Do not measure a person by how many times he falls, measure him by how many times he climbs up again. A person who can climb up again after he falls will never be drawned." He added and commented, "But it is sad to note that many people are just like those who, after a temporary defeat, prefer to stay there and finally die a real failure, fallen and never to rise again."

What really is the quality of an individual that would help him to rise once again after he falls? A great president of America, President Calvin Coolidge gave a very enthusiastic and very inspiring answer in this query.

President Coolidge answered, "Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence, Talent will not; nothing is more common than successful men with talent. Geniuses will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts, persistence and determination alone are omnipotent."

I am certainly agreed with that great maxim of the late great President Calvin Coolidge. I'll prove it already to myself. I’ll still remember when I was a young boy. I have a lot of great dreams for my future. But how could it be? It’s the same questioned that always lingering in my mind. I’m a product of a broken home family, grew up in the street, and stayed with different and even with the cruel person in this world! It’s good that was over! The bitter memory of my childhood!

I have learned through my life experiences and studies from the profiles and writings of the great wise men that the only way to beat the odds in life is to face and to take it as a challenge and continue on remaking ourselves into a better person! Also by making God as a partner in every aspiration in life because in Him everything is possible!

Because of the positive attitude that I had and by encouraging myself to believe in the beauty of my dreams, I gradually finished my Bachelor’s degree in History and Minor in Political Science with my own self-determination, passed the Philippine Teachers Board Exam and now I am working as School Guidance Counselor, College Instructor, and Working Students Supervisor.

To you my dear readers, I would like you to think and ponder this:

If you think you are beaten, you are.
If you think you dare not, you don't.
If you've like to win but you think you can't, it's certainly you won't.
Life battles are not always go to the stronger or the faster man.
But sooner or later, the man who wins is the man who thinks he can!

Here is the last and the best final keys to make you become a winner and succeed in every struggle in life. Encourage yourself to make God be as your partner and everything will come together (Romans 8:28).

People, if your feeling defeated and hopeless think of this: If you have tried and met with failure; if you have planned and watched your plans as they were crushed before your eyes; just remember that the greatest men in all history were the products of courage. And courage, you know, is born in the cradle of adversity.

Dear readers remember this, when you are at your weakest, God is in His greatest! So don't worry, be happy! What shall you need to do is call Him and God promised, "Call me and I will answer you, and show you the great and mighty things which you do not know" (Jeremiah 33:3).

Before I will conclude, I would like to encourage and remind you, NEVER, NEVER GIVE UP! DARE MIGHTY THINGS! HOLD ON TO YOUR DREAMS! AND always remember THAT THE FUTURE BELONGS TO THOSE WHO BELIEVE IN THE BEAUTY OF THEIR DREAMS!

Wish you many blessings to come and God Bless!

Moises P. Reconalla

You can send your comments about this Article through his email wisdomisgreat@gmail.com

Article Source: Reconalla, Moises. (2006, October 19). Never, Never Give Up. EzineArticles. Retrieved September 20, 2007, from http://ezinearticles.com/?Never,-Never-Give-Up&id=333279

Look At Yourself Before Looking To Others

2007-09-18T17:51:00.000-07:00

Look at yourself before looking to others. For this is your secret power to determine and discover who you are. Gift you can use to decipher the hidden talents, skills and abilities of your being. Never and never waste it for idleness and laziness.

The world has no place for the people, who cannot help themselves. The world belongs only to those individuals, who are keeping on watching and keeping on improving their being.

There are no enough places to the person who are timid and afraid to take a risk. So beginning today, look at yourself before looking to others. For that is your special gift given by thy Loving Creator. Try now to think the innovation of your being, while still you have time to think of yourself.

Never and never attempt to compare yourself unto others. Compare only yourself to your past self. So you can be able to appreciate the uniqueness of your being, that can lead you to become a mature and productive individual.

As you travel in the game of life, always expect that there are obstacles and trials that awaiting for you. Never be discourage nor be afraid and dismay. For thy Loving God will be your guide, your strength, your light, your comforter, and shelter in time of storm.

Never be afraid of failures and mistakes. For the diamond cannot be polish without friction, nor man be perfected without trials. Henceforth, welcome the failures and mistakes whole heartedly with an open-mind. For it can refine and teach you to become a man of excellence and valor.

Motivate your mind always in the importance of knowledge and wisdom. Never and never allow time to pass by without reading good books. As much as possible use your time in reading. For time come, the knowledge you absorbed will be your only shelter in time of famine.

Therefore, look at yourself before looking to others. Never ever forget to appreciate yourself and give thanks to thy Creator. Like you, He needs to be appreciated, too! Make a thankful heart and prayer as your habits. Always look at yourself before looking to others!

Wish you many blessings to come and God bless!

Moises P. Reconalla

Poem Source: Reconalla, Moises. (2007, April 07). Look At Yourself Before Looking To Others. EzineArticles. Retrieved September 18, 2007, from http://ezinearticles.com/?Look-At-Yourself-Before-Looking-To-Others&id=518166

Always Be True To Yourself

2007-09-18T17:42:00.000-07:00

Always be true to yourself!
Never attempt to delete those words in your heart and mind.
For that is a valuable treasure,
That can aid and lead to understand who you are.

Always be true to yourself!
Never be afraid to accept who you are.
Think positively and believe in yourself.
So you can be able to accept and appreciate who you are.

Always bear in mind you are a unique individual
Created by the loving hands of the Almighty God.
He created you with special purpose,
To plant and spread seeds of your uniqueness, and productivity in this land.

Always be true to yourself!
Never be discourage nor be afraid by negative comments or feedback.
Welcome it with an open-mind,
For these can also help and guide you to become a well-grown individual.

If you have an enemy, remember never to hate him.
When you hate him, you give him power over you.
Power over your thinking, your sleep, your health and happiness.
Your hatred is not hurting him at all; it only turns your days and nights into a hellish turmoil.

Always be true to yourself!
Remember that the best strategy to deal an enemy –
Pray, love, forgiveness, humility, open-mindedness, reconciliation, smile, tactfulness, and service. Start now to apply those precepts in yourself,
So you can be able to win favor from God and live at peace with your enemy.

As you travel in the games of life,
Always remember to think innovation of your being.
For that’s the one and only keys to excel in this land.
Remember that a gifted man will stand before kings,
A simple man will serve the skilled and kings!

Therefore, always be true to yourself!
Remember God love you so much!
He cares and believes in you!
That’s why, ALWAYS BE TRUE TO YOURSELF!

Wish you many blessings to come and God bless!

Moises P. Reconalla

Poem Source: Reconalla, Moises. (2007, April 21). Always Be True To Yourself. EzineArticles. Retrieved September 18, 2007, from http://ezinearticles.com/?Always-Be-True-To-Yourself&id=535901

Don't Worry - Be Happy

2007-09-15T05:15:00.000-07:00

Worry…worry! Why are you worrying? Are you worrying of your sweetheart if he/she is still love you and honest with you? Or you are worrying of your face on how you can make it more attractive and beautiful? Or you are worrying of your debts on how you can pay it? Or you are worrying of yourself and asking why until now you are still in unfortunate life?

Encarta Encyclopedia defines worry as “keep thinking about something: to think about a problem repeatedly in an effort to find a solution.”

Why are you worrying for something that in reality does not yet happen to you? Why not give yourself some space to relax and enjoy for a while and think for a solution? Remember you are the architect of your destiny and the author of your future! If you would continue worrying, it can only lead your life into destruction. Remember our life is short. Our life is like vapors that appears for a moment and then disappear. So therefore, do not let your life die like an insect without doing something good to yourself and to your fellowmen.

If you are feeling fake, lonely, and feeling defeated, why not encourage yourself to kneel down for a while and voice-out your errs and concerns to our Loving God? Our Merciful God said in Jeremiah 33:3, “Call me and I will answer you and show you the great and mighty things which you do not know” (NKJV). This verse emphasize that our Loving God is ready to answer you my dear readers, what shall you need to do is just go with Him, Call Him and He will give the desire of your heart! Because with God everything is possible!

Paramahan Yogananda reminds you “…not take life’s experiences too seriously. Above all, do not let them hurt you for in reality they nothing worthy but dream experiences.”

She adds, “If circumstances are bad and you have to bear them, do not make them part of you. Play your part in life, but never forget that it is only a role!”

Edmund Burke added, “The battle of life in most cases is fought uphill, and to win it without a struggle is almost like winning without honor. Difficulties may intimidate the weak, but the act only as wholesome stimulus to men of resolution and valor. All experiences of life, indeed serves to prove that the impediments thrown in the way of human advancement way, for the most part, be overcome by steady good conduct, honest zeal, activity, perseverance, and by a determination to overcome difficulties.”

Billi Lim asserted that, “Most people think that taking the easy way out or having an easy life without difficulties or problems is good. It is a very serious misconception. Who wants a tough, hard life? I for one would not like it. But what I am putting forward here is that struggle, be it physical or mental, is necessary to make us grow stronger in body and mind.”

Dr. Vincent Peale argued, “Mental control is the secret of mature and creative judgment. Your mind is an instrument designed to serve you not, not to destroy you.” Dr. Peale further argued, “When uncontrolled, your mind can be very damaging to you, but when controlled it can develop unlimited power.”

Dr. Peale pointed out why “Everywhere men and women are failing simply because they have not mastered their minds. At the same time others do amazing things through the exercise of mental control.”

Talking of mental control, I recall Dr. Napoleon Hill, my most admired author in self-improvement. Dr. Hill encourages you if you really not want to be defeated in all your life you should learn to “take charge of your thoughts, so that you can do what you want with them.”

Dr. Peale elaborates and convinced you readers, to “Know yourself. Control your mind. Think. Make right decisions. Never accept defeat. Believe in yourself. Mentally accept your great future. Never think of failing. Believe that you can if you think you can!”

My dear readers, I encouraged you, do not fear the winds of adversity. Remember, a kite rises against the winds rather than go with it!

Before I conclude, I would like you to recall this, when you are at your weakest, God is in His greatest!

So DON’T WORRY, BE HAPPY!

Wish you many blessings to come and God Bless!

Moises P. Reconalla

Article Source: Reconalla, Moises. (2006, October 05). Don't Worry - Be Happy. EzineArticles. Retrieved September 15, 2007, from http://ezinearticles.com/?Dont-Worry---Be-Happy&id=319811

If You Are Wise!

2007-09-15T04:55:00.000-07:00

If you are wise, you should have to take time to think before you react.

If you are wise, you should have take time to listen before you criticize.

If you are wise, you should have to take time to analyze before you emphasize.

If you are wise, you should have to take to time to lend your ears before you argue.

If you are wise, you should give enough time others to speak before you clarify.

If you are wise, you should give enough time others to clarify before you justify.

If you are wise, you should learn to cultivate yourself as well as practice encouragement instead of discouragement.

If you are wise, you should learn as well as teach yourself to be patient in dealing with people. Remember, you are not dealing with a people of logic but you are dealing with a people of emotions too!

If you are wise, you should learn and teach yourself to manage as well as control your temper.

If you are wise, you should learn to hold as well as manage your tongue not to back fight, criticize, gossip, condemn and insult other people.

Remember criticizing that is a mark of an inferior person. A real wise person has no time in back fighting, criticizing, condemning, gossiping and insulting other people. They are busy in cultivating and improving themselves and helping the lowly ones.

If you are wise, do not snub people. A real wise person did not snub but greet people with a sweet smile.

If you are wise, be honest in giving praises. Do not give a flattering answer or else people will hate and mock at you!

If you are wise, remain humble instead of being proud. Remember, God mocked the proud but He lifted up the humble.

If you are wise, do not praise yourself in front of the people. Let people praise you, not yourself!

If you are wise, you should be careful as well as watchful in your character. For your character will be your only weapon against the bad tongues of negative, toxic people.

If you are wise, be an open-minded person. Remember, there is more hope to the fools than to the close-minded individuals!

If you are wise, you should continue feeding your mind with fresh knowledge and wisdom. Remember knowledge is power. No knowledge, no power!

If you are wise, you should encourage as well as teach yourself to value other people. Remember no man is an Island!

If you are wise, cultivate yourself to have your own originality. I’ve learned and discovered that one of the greatest mistakes of the young people nowadays is a lack of originality!

If you are wise, you should practice being kind to yourself as well as to other people. Always bear in mind that the hardest things to give is kindness, it’s always comes back to the giver!

Finally, if you are wise, cultivate as well as teach yourself to put God in the center and everything will come together.

That’s it!

If You Are Wise!

Wish you many blessings to come and God Bless!

Moises P. Reconalla

Poem Source: Reconalla, Moises. (2006, December 07). If You Are Wise!. EzineArticles. Retrieved September 15, 2007, from http://ezinearticles.com/?If-You-Are-Wise!&id=379912

Oh, What A Wonderful World

2007-09-15T04:48:00.000-07:00

Oh, What a wonderful world...

If there is only a love, there is no time for hatred.

If there is no time for hatred, there is no violence.

If there is no violence, there is no crime.

If there is no crime, there is peace.

If there is peace, there is a harmony.

If there is harmony, there is a friendship.

If there is a friendship, there is a friend.

If there is a friend, there is a relationship.

If there is a relationship, there is closeness.

If there is closeness, there is a loyalty.

If there is loyalty, there is honesty.

If there is honesty, there is integrity.

If there is integrity, there is respect.

If there is respect, there is understanding.

If there is understanding, there is kindness.

If there is kindness, there is tender-care.

If there is tender-care, there is longsuffering.

If there is longsuffering, there is joyfulness.

If there is joyfulness, there is happiness.

If there is happiness, there is contentment.

If there is contentment, there is frugality.

If there is frugality, there is abundant living.

If there is abundant living, there is prosperity.

If there is prosperity, there is hard-work.

If there is hard-work, there is originality.

If there is originality, people will mind their own business.

If people will mind their own business, there is no idle mouth.

If there is no idle mouth, there is no idle tongue.

If there is no idle tongue, there is no back-fighter, gossiper and mocker.

If there is no back-fighter, gossiper and mocker, there are no enemies.

If there are no enemies, there is no headache.

If there is no headache, there is no loneliness.

If there is no loneliness, there is no need to worry.

If there is no need to worry, there are no wrinkles.

If there are no wrinkles, there is a peace of mind.

If there is a peace of mind, there is no insecurity.

If there is no insecurity, there is self-confidence.

If there is self-confidence, there is no need to be afraid.

There is no need to be afraid because there is a loving and merciful God.

If there is a loving and merciful God, all impossible things will turn into possible.

If all impossible things will turn into possible, there is no need to doubt.

If there is no need to doubt, you can begin right now to dare mighty things to shoot for the stars of your dreams!

Oh, what a wonderful world if people around the globe will only imitate, exercise, ponder, possess, and apply the precepts above. Our world will be become a better, safer, and peaceful place to live!

Poem Source: Reconalla, Moises. (2007, January 01). Oh, What A Wonderful World. EzineArticles. Retrieved September 15, 2007, from http://ezinearticles.com/?Oh,-What-A-Wonderful-World&id=401193

I Am Glad

2007-09-15T04:20:00.000-07:00

I am glad to learn
In order that I may educate properly.

I am glad to search knowledge
In order that I may discover wisdom.

I am glad to laugh
In order that I may brighten up my soul.

I am glad to cry
In order that I may ease the heartache and pain of life.

I am glad to welcome error
In order that I may learn and improve more.

I am glad to compare myself to the past self
In order that I may learn to love and appreciate my being.

I am glad to be an open-minded
In order that I may become more understanding.

I am glad to cooperate
In order that I may uphold unity.

I am glad to help
In order that I may share the blessings to the needy.

I am glad to love
In order that I may impart the greatest virtue of God.

I am glad to give an encouragement words
In order that I may lift up and comforted the broken-soul.

I am glad to sing
In order that I may sing praises to my beloved Creator.

I am glad to preach
In order that I may spread the light and good news to the world.

I am glad to read His book; the Bible
In order that I may guide and have an eternal life.

I am glad to pray daily
In order that I may have communication and close-relationship to Him.

Wish you many blessings to come and God bless!

Moises P. Reconalla

Poem Source: Reconalla, Moises. (2007, April 29). I Am Glad. EzineArticles. Retrieved September 15, 2007, from http://ezinearticles.com/?I-Am-Glad&id=545615

It Hurts, It Hurts You Know!

2007-09-15T04:15:00.000-07:00

It hurts, it hurts you know!
If people will tell that you have a bad breath.

It hurts, it hurts you know!
If people will tell that your teeth is yellowish.

It hurts, it hurts you know!
If people will tell that you have a bad smell.

It hurts, it hurts you know!
If people will tell that you’re an idiot.

It hurts, it hurts you know!
If someone you love, doesn’t love you.

It hurts, it hurts you know!
If you’re close friend will betray you.

It hurts, it hurts you know!
If your neighbors will back fight and mock at you.

It hurts, it hurts you know!
If your boss will fire you without legal basis.

It hurts, it hurts you know!
If there’s no one else will trust you.

To stop repeating it hurts, it hurts you know!
Starting today, encourage yourself to have a new life,
Evaluate as well as examine your being,
So you can be able to decipher the real cause of always saying…It hurts, it hurts you know!

Listen now to the counsel of the wise
What you do not want others to do to you, do not do to others, forgive injuries.
Forgive thy enemy, be reconciled to him, give him assistance, and invoke God in his behalf. For
that is the secret to have a good and peaceful life.

Always remember, none but one can harm you
None but yourself, who are your greatest foe,
He that respects himself is safe from others,
He wears a coat of mail that none can pierce.

Always bear in mind, that the best investment you can give to yourself is you!
You can make a lot of money, by investing in you than any other investment,
Therefore, feed your mind always with knowledge and wisdom,
For that is your only treasure as well as your shields in times of famine.

Above all, don’t and don’t ever forget to nurture your character
For your character are your only tools and weapons,
To protect and cover your reputation,
Against the mighty foe, the trap, and the honey words of the evil men.

Wish you many blessings to come and God Bless!

Moises P. Reconalla

About the Author

Moises P. Reconalla is the School Guidance Counselor, College Instructor and Working Students Supervisor at North Davao Colleges, Panabo City, Philippines.

Mr. Reconalla has taught several courses at the college including: Guidance and Counseling, General Psychology, Philippine History: Roots and Development, General Anthropology and Sociology and Dr. Jose Rizal: Life, Works & Writings.

Poem Source: Reconalla, Moises. (2007, January 29). It Hurts, It Hurts You Know!. EzineArticles. Retrieved September 15, 2007, from http://ezinearticles.com/?It-Hurts,-It-Hurts-You-Know!&id=434859

Hey! Is That You?

2007-09-15T04:10:00.000-07:00

Hey! Is that you?
Why are you crying?
Does people told you that you have a bad breath?
Never mind about it,
Just remind and promise yourself with these words: beginning today I will not neglect to brush my teeth everyday.

Hey! Is that you?
Why are you angry?
Does people told you that you have a bad smell?
Never mind about it,
Just remind and promise yourself with these words: beginning today, I will take a bath everyday!

Hey! Is that you?
Why are you sad?
Does people told you that you’re an idiot?
Never mind about it,
Just remind and promise yourself with these words: beginning today, I will read good books, so the
wisdom of the ages will be mine.

Hey! Is that you?
Why you are trying to tie your head at the Moringa Tree?
Does your sweetheart breaking and left you?
Take that rope out in your head,
Stand-up, don’t act like coward and never mind about it,
Just remind and talk to yourself with these words: Hurt and aching, breaking heart, this too shall pass!

Hey! Is that you?
Why are you shouting?
Does your neighbor gossiping and laughing at you?
Never mind about it,
Just remind and talk to yourself with these words: I will encourage myself to confront them. But I should be tactful in dealing with. For I know that I am not dealing with people of logic but dealing with people of emotions. But before doing it, I will remind myself with these words: “A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” For I know that a kind word is better than a big pie!

Hey! Is that you?
Why are you worrying?
Does people told that your dreams are impossible?
Never mind about it,
Just remind and talk to yourself with these words: if you think you are beaten, you are! If you think you dare not, you don’t! If you’d like to win but you think you can’t, it’s certainly you won’t. Life battles are not always go to stronger or faster man. But sooner or later, the man who wins is the man who thinks he can! Therefore, I can if I think I can!

Finally, I will continue to remind myself that the future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams!

Wish you many blessings to come and God Bless!

Moises P. Reconalla

Poem Source: Reconalla, Moises. (2007, March 14). Hey! Is That You?. EzineArticles. Retrieved September 15, 2007, from http://ezinearticles.com/?Hey!-Is-That-You?&id=489409

You're A Plain Idiot!

2007-09-15T04:05:00.000-07:00

You’re a plain idiot!
That’s the notion of shallow minded individuals,
They kept on accusing and judging foolishly,
But are they qualify to judge a man?

They continue to laugh
They continue to shout,
You’re a plain idiot!
You’re a plain idiot!

The great men of the ages
Gen. Wellington, Goldsmith, Dr. Chalmers, Dr. Isaac Barrow, Samuel Drew, Demosthenes, Charles Dickens, Napoleon Hill, and Thomas Alva Edison
Were been victimized by accusation, you’re a plain idiot!
But was this prediction is accurate?

Wake up young man, wake up!
Stop on doubting,
Stop on weeping,
Have faith and believe in yourself!

Yes, have faith and believe in yourself!
Remember faith sees the invisible,
Believes the unbelievable,
And achieve the impossible.

Beginning today, says these words to yourself
I am the master of my fate,
I am the master of my destiny,
And I can excel in this land!

Yes, you can excel in this land
If you just learned from mistakes of the past.
Keep on dreaming and improving with your being,
So you can change your destiny and conquer the impossible.

Remember the Loving God
Does not give you the spirit of negativism,
He does not give you the spirit of cowardness,
Instead He gave you the spirit of love, humility, courage,enthusiasm, persitence, and determination.

Always bear these in mind
That the world is cruel to those who cannot help themselves. But the world is also kind to those who keep on dreaming, working, aiming high, and improving with their being.

Remember! Never to waste time thinking
What others think about you,
Because you will have little time left to think,
What you think about yourself.

Remember! If you really want to be a successor in life
Don’t look and wait to anyone to motivate you,
But look at your inner soul,
As it’s your best motivator!

Finally, God and I reminds you
Motivate your mind to think positively,
Have faith and believe in yourself,
Act now for you are not a plain idiot instead a unique individual!

Wish you many blessings to come and God bless!

Moises P. Reconalla

Poem Source: Reconalla, Moises. (2007, May 02). You're A Plain Idiot!. EzineArticles. Retrieved September 15, 2007, from http://ezinearticles.com/?Youre-A-Plain-Idiot!&id=549564

Don't and Don't Ever Believe Them!

2007-09-15T03:58:00.000-07:00

If people will tell that you are an idiot, don’t, and don’t ever believe them. Just remind and talk to yourself with these words: I am a unique, an intelligent, and an extra-ordinary individual; who has the ability and power to think, to create, to decide, and to react; Above all, has the power to make a good and most concrete wises decision than any other creatures.

If people will tell that you’re a calamitous man that ever existed in this world, don’t, and don’t ever believe them. Just remind and talk to yourself with these words: there is no such a calamitous, a disastrous, a doomed individual that created by his Loving and Merciful Creator; For thy Creator is a Loving and a Merciful God; Therefore He cannot allow watching and seeing his beloved human being will suffer as well as will live in miserable life. There is only such a doom and unfortunate being because he accepts and believes all the comment and dictate of others. Whose fault is it?

If people will tell that your English as well as grammar is poor and has no chance to succeed to your dreams, don’t, and don’t ever believe them. Just remind and talk to yourself with these words: if the great Abraham Lincoln, Benjamin Franklin and Napoleon Hill was been able to overcome and improve their English as well as their grammar and became a man of excellence and valor and was been able to succeed in their longings in life, how much more I?

I too, can be capable to succeed and improve my command in English as well as in grammar by only encouraging, motivating, and nurturing myself in the importance of reading of good books as well as practicing always in speaking and writing. I believed that excellence can only be attained by a matter of believing in me that I can! And practice, practice, practice until I can make it perfect! Man has the power to achieve and change anything what he wants. It’s only a matter of constructive thinking, preparation, determination, perseverance, and a will that he can make it.

If people will tell that you can’t find a real happiness within you, don’t and don’t ever believe them. Just remind and talk to yourself with these words: What is real happiness? It is just keeping your heart free from hate; free your mind from worry. Live simply, be contented of what you have but don’t be contented of what you are, expect little, and give much. Fill your life with love. Scatter sunshine, forget self, think and help others. Do as you would like to be done by.

If people will tell that you are a failure, don’t and don’t ever believe them. Just remind and talk to yourself with these words: The true measure of a man’s success lies not on the number of times he falls, but on the number of times he rises and tries again. Therefore, I will not accept and believe in the word such as defeat and failure. For this is the word and vocabulary of the fools and the losers.

If people will continue to tell that you are a real failure man, don’t and don’t ever believe them. Just remind and talk to yourself with these words: If you think you are beaten, you are! If you think you dare not, you don’t! If you’d like to win but you think you can’t, it’s certainly you won’t. Life battles are not always go to stronger or faster man. But sooner or later, the man who wins is the man who thinks he can!

If people will tell that you are the weakest man in the world, don’t and don’t ever believe them. Just remind and talk to yourself with these words: When you at your weakest, God is in His greatest. So don’t worry, be happy. You can if you think you can! And finally, I will always ponder and think in this wise counsel of the great man, John Maxwell that the only person who can stop you on becoming of what God intend you to become is you!

Wish you many blessings to come and God Bless!

Moises P. Reconalla

Poem Source: Reconalla, Moises. (2007, January 21). Don't and Don't Ever Believe Them!. EzineArticles. Retrieved September 15, 2007, from http://ezinearticles.com/?Dont-and-Dont-Ever-Believe-Them!&id=425412

Remember Your Dreams

2007-09-15T03:49:00.000-07:00

Looking back behind, I can still see the face of my closest friend how happy and excited he was but a little bit hesitate in saying really? you will treat me in the Jollibee?

I was then in a third year high school, when God showed me His mercy and love in due time, the deepest confusion, inferiorities and hardships of my life.

I’m an ambitious young man and I have a lot of great dreams for my future. But how could it be? It’s the same questioned that always lingering in my mind. I’m the product of a broken home family, grew up in the street, and stayed with different and even with the cruel person in this world! It’s good that was finished! The bitter memory of my childhood! And now, I’m renting in this lonely old small room house with my own at least but working on a construction with P120.00 pesos salary per day paying for house rent, foods, and my studies. With this kind of situation, I felt as if I’m still trapped in misery and strife but living with great hope and determination to reach out even just a single of my dream, to finish my studies as a capital to have a brighter future because I believe in sayings that goes like this, “Do your best and God will do the rest”.

One day, one of my closest friend approached me and said…friend, are you still working? Yes! I said…why? He answered …we have quiz today; please attend the class because if you will missed it then you know absolutely what happened, right? Remember your dreams that you told me! Was the warned word of my friend while leaving. Thanks so much friend, I will! I assured back to him. So I hurried up to finish my work, loading the truck with some cements and gravels. When I finished, I hurriedly headed toward my lonely home to make some quick preparations of my school things that I needed because the class will start at 1:30 p.m. and it was then 12:30 so at least I have one hour to prepare myself. While doing so, this closest friend of mine knocks on my door, so we went to school together.

It was not yet time for the class to start, so we decided to pass by in the library. By there, my adviser saw and called me! Mr. Reconalla, can you go in my office? I have an urgent matter to discuss with you! I paused for a while to think and guess what were going to discuss and oh! What came in my mind just make me feel nervous and makes me a little bit sick! Because I was thinking that most of the cases like mine that the adviser talk privately with his/her students was when you’re a delinquent kind of students on academic, behavior or in any kind of poor performances and despite of that I felt very weak to think a positive one since I didn’t eat and rest well yet before I went here in school. Of course I don’t have any choice, with a heavy feet and heart, I followed and entered into my advisers’ office and there she was waiting patiently. I could hardly wait what she will going to tell me because before she opened her mouth to start, I could not almost hold the different emotions and feelings to the things she going to tell me. I can hear the tremendous pounding of my heartbeat. And at last! She started to talk. I understand what you feel right now my dear! She said, as she was reading the expression in my face and as she was looking straight in the window of my soul….Oh! Thanks I said for minimizing and giving a little relief.

You know, I have a better plan for you! I was aware of the situation you have through your friend and I observing you for so long in your class performance and I salute you! It’s really hard for you to finish your schooling in high school with such kind of situation for it’s only few opportunities here to help you to support your needs than to college, so I encourage you to take a Philippine Examination Placement Test by next week. I have confident with you that you can do it! She said, unaware of my informal education background. I did not passed through a step-by-step grade level from elementary and some of my cards were just faked by merciful teachers to let me jumped to a higher grade and now here in high school with this third year level. And here I am, I could hardly believe, my teacher wants me to jump again to college and she has confident on me!” Confident”, a word that I needed most to hear on that time for inferiorities succumbed me most of the time in my life! Just prepare this so and so…. And I will help you to register when you have all the things that I said you would needed.

Some other things she was talking about were not clear anymore because of my excitement and happiness in replacement of my feelings I felt before I entered in the office. I thank God and my adviser for such good opportunity for me! I really thanked God with great relief and with a deep sighed for providing an instrument so that step by step I can fulfill my dreams. After our class, I shared it with my closest friend and he too was so very happy and excited with me because I told him that I’m going to treat him in Jollibee if I am able to pass this exam, so I let him pray for me. Of course my dear friend! He assured me! So we separated from each other with happiness and excited in our hearts. Night came and I was visited with various emotions in my heart and thought in mind that I could hardly sleep. What if I failed, what if I did not finish my studies… and so many, many what ifs’ questioned that entered in my mind again. Oh! My life maybe has really no direction and worthless after if I failed this good chance for me. So I bowed down and prayed hard to give me wisdom and strength to face another challenge of everyday life that would come especially the coming test that I am going to take! After that, I slept peacefully with a lighter load of burden and cares of uncertainties of life!

A days before examination, I went to my sisters’ house to lent money that I would needed, and when I arrived there she was so happy that I was able to visit her but when I told the real reason why visited her she was a little bit disappointed but grant my request and gave me her last money in her pocket. She said luck for me and I immediately headed to my advisers house because she promised that she’s the one who will go to register me. So we went to the registration office and lo and behold! It was only one blank registration form left for me as if it was really waiting for me because if we were late a little bit or just a second then it might get by others and I need to wait another year or perhaps some other year again. My kind teacher and I were so very thankful to God with that miracle event I could say!

Examination day came. Nervousness haunted me once again for I’m thinking that maybe I’m the oldest guy taking an exam there and can’t imagine I’m surrounded by young persons staring at me to let me feel embarrass and uncomfortable. So again, I prayed fervently to God that just do His Will for me and let me overcome the feelings I had. When I entered and seat in my designated place, I tried to look around if I was right in my imagination and see! There’s a lot, lot older persons than myself, than I was thinking before. The exams were so hard for me and I can’t remember any that I was able to studied and learned from the classroom, why? Because despite of my informal education background, if I’m not late then I was absent then. So I just relied on the Will and Wisdom from above and with some information’s I learned from my personal readings of books which I borrowed for sometimes in some of my good friends.

One month had passed; I could hardly wait for the result of my exams. My closest friend and adviser were also waited for me. Also, sometimes I could hardly sleep to think about it, so I decided to go on the office of the examination center and asked for a result. Surely, I was not disappointed, they gave it to me! When I got to know the result, I want to shout…… shout for joy! Because I made it! But instead I looked up my head up to heaven and ascended my thanks giving prayer! I went to my adviser and thanked her and she said that I am free now to enroll in college. Oh! What a blessing for me! But of course before my story end, for sure we have a little celebration in Jollibee with my closest friend.

How happy I was during those times but for sure I will much, much happy when I had received my diploma! As a bachelor holder in History and Minor in Political Science and passed the Philippine National Teachers Board Exam, the fulfilled dream of my life! Now, I am upgrading my Master’s degree in Guidance and Counseling and the same time worked as a School Guidance Counselor, College Instructor, and Working Students Supervisor.

To you, my readers, I firmly encouraged you, Do your best and God will do the rest!

Always remember that The Future Belongs To Those Who Believe In The Beauty Of Their Dreams!

Wish you many blessings to come and God Bless!

Moises P. Reconalla

Article Source: Reconalla, Moises. (2006, October 07). Remember Your Dreams. EzineArticles. Retrieved September 15, 2007, from http://ezinearticles.com/?Remember-Your-Dreams&id=321405

Remember The World Awaits You

2007-09-15T03:40:00.000-07:00

Young man, don’t be sad and lonely
For the failures and mistakes that came your way.
Welcome it whole heartedly
For it can teach you to become a man of excellence.

Don’t be discourage if the world is against you
Move on, move on and move on!
Prove to the world that you are man
That cannot be easily swayed by the will of others.

Always remember to think positively
Have faith and believe in yourself.
For that’s the precious gift given by your loving Creator,
That can bring you safe from wondering in the valley of confusions.

Young man, listen now to my counsel,
To make your dreams come true
Learn to discipline yourself
Love and appreciate your being
Learn the value of time
Never dwell your mind in idleness and laziness
Use your time wisely for the innovation of your being and for helping the lowly ones.

Always motivate your mind
To never allow time to pass by without reading good books.
Books are the hidden treasure,
That can motivate your intellect to think and grow rich!

Remember if you have a dream
Hold on to your dream
If your dream’s die
You’re like a wounded bird without a wing!

So hold on, hold on, and hold on
Never and never give up!
You can if you think you can!
Remember that the future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.

Finally, remember the world awaits you
He needs a young man like you.
For you have power and many gifts
That can help to make a change and improvement to the lives of the needy.

Wish you many blessings to come and God bless!

MOises P. Reconalla

Poem Source: Reconalla, Moises. 2007 Remember The World Awaits You. EzineArticles (June, 22), http://ezinearticles.com/?Remember-The-World-Awaits-You&id=617112 (accessed July 25, 2007)

I Am The Master of Myself!

2007-09-15T02:08:00.000-07:00

I am the master of myself!
No other creatures can deteriorate; match the skills, talents and abilities of my being. For the Loving God gave a mind to think for the innovation of myself, He gave the eyes, the hands and the feet to transform all my plans into action.

Yes, I am the master of myself!
I am the master of my fate.
I am the master of my destiny,
And I can excel in this land!

Yes, I can excel in this land that full of hardships, pain and trials. For the Loving God gave me the power. Power to laugh at my short coming and error, and power to cry, to release all the pain and sorrow of life.

Yes, I am the master of myself!
For the Loving God gave additional power.
Power to rise up once again after I fall,
And power to continue to move on, to conquer the impossible!

Now, I learned lesson from the past that self-discipline, preparation, determination, persistence, love of God and love of my fellowmen is a passport for success. Trials and hardships make a man strong, Failure and mistakes make a man humble but only the Loving God keeps a man going.

Therefore, beginning today no longer I think what others think about me. No longer I doubt and weep. No longer have I compared myself unto others, instead I compare only my past self so I can be able to love and learn to appreciate my being.

Yes, I am the master of myself!
To keep me moving and improving,
Everyday, I will motivate myself to read the Bible and other inspirational and motivational books, for these are the nutrients and vitamins for my mind and soul.

Yes, I am the master of myself!
To keep my spirit alive, I’ll endure to think positively.
I’ll persist to imitate the lives of the great men of excellence. And I’ll continue to motivate, nurture my intellect to have faith and believe in myself.

Finally, I’ll motivate myself to pray and give thanks daily to my beloved Creator. For He is the source of my strength and energy. For He is my only treasure and faithful friend. Without Him, I am meaningless in all meaningless under the sun!

Therefore, beginning today, I’ll talk to Him with these words: Dear Lord, thank you for the gift of life. Thank you for loving and being patient to me. Thank you for giving me the chance and opportunity to plant the seeds of my uniqueness and productivity in this land. Please continue to guide and use me, so I can help and give comfort to the lonely, doubting broken soul and bring them nearer unto you. Finally, forgive me to all my short comings that I committed against thee. In Christ name, I’ll pray…Amen.

Wish you many blessings to come and God bless!

Moises P. Reconalla

Poem Source: Reconalla, Moises. (2007, May 30). I Am The Master of Myself!. EzineArticles. Retrieved September 09, 2007, from http://ezinearticles.com/?I-Am-The-Master-of-Myself!&id=585138

My 14 Vows of Success

2007-09-13T20:36:00.000-07:00

Beginning today, I will take charge of my mind. I’ve learned from my life experiences that if I think a negative, the result is always a negative. But If I think a positive, the result is always a positive.

Beginning today, I will take charge of my mouth. I’ll be careful and tactful in my words when I am engaging in conversation with my beloved fellow human being. I know that life and death is in the power of the tongue.

Beginning today, I will take good care of my health. For it is my only investment and tools to reach my goals and dreams in life.

Beginning today, I will take charge of my emotions. Everyday, I will motivate myself to act as an educated and emotionally mature individual. If happened that I encountered insult and disappointment, I will just remind myself that this too, shall pass!

Beginning today, I will put the others first and serve them honestly with love and care. For these are my only chance to share the love, kindness and blessings from Above.

Beginning today, I will teach myself to be compassionate, humble, lovable, and open-minded in dealing with people. I’ve learned from the counsels and writings of the great men of the ages that being a compassionate, humble, lovable, and open-minded person is the best cure in healing of the old wounds of the broken-hearted. That can help to cast out the doubts, feeling of inferiority and hatred in their hearts and minds. It can also be the best technique in winning the hearts of the wicked men and eventually to become his friend.

Beginning today, I will teach myself the importance of hard work, honesty, sincerity, time management, frugality, initiative, planning, creativeness, determination, patience, persistence, enthusiasm, cooperation, extra mile, faith, and trust in myself. For these are the secret of success in any field of works.

Beginning today, I will embrace all the hardships, pains, sorrows, and trials as a challenge and stepping-stone for success. Trials are medicines which my Loving God prescribed because I need them. He proportions the frequency and weight of them to what the case requires. Therefore, let me trust His skill, and eventually thank Him for His prescription.

Beginning today, I will nurture my character. For my character is the only shield to protect and cover my reputation against the trap and honey words of the wicked individuals.

Beginning today, I will improve myself. I will encourage and teach myself the importance of self-respect and self-discipline. For these are the foundations of success.

Beginning today, I will treasure the importance of reading good books. Books are the best, wise, patient mentors, professors of all any colleges and universities in the world. Books are the best source of knowledge and wisdom. It can help me to become more discerning, depth and great thinker.

Beginning today, I will practice to have my own originality. Today is my only chance that I can prove and show to the world that I am a unique man created by the loving hands of the Almighty God. That have has a mission and vision to fulfill. To plant the seeds of my uniqueness and productivity in this land!

Beginning today, I will remove from my words and vocabulary such words and phrases: defeat, failure, improvable, impossible, hopeless, and retreat for these are the words and vocabulary of the fools and losers.

Finally, beginning today, I will make my Loving God as a partner in every plans and decisions of life. With Him, I can do all things that others think and sees it is impossible!

Now, with these precious short 14 vows of success in my hands, If I just diligently follow each precept daily and put it in my heart and mind, surely! I’ll be the most happiest and successful person in the future.

Wish you many blessings to come and God bless!

Moises P. Reconalla

Poem Source: Reconalla, Moises. (2007, July 15). My 14 Vows of Success. EzineArticles. Retrieved September 13, 2007, from http://ezinearticles.com/?My-14-Vows-of-Success&id=646343

I Dream To Become A Great Man

2007-09-13T20:33:00.001-07:00

As a young man with deprived and sad experiences of life, I started to think of innovation and dream for my future. I dream to become a famous, I dream to become a great man!

Yes, I to dream to become a great man. A great man with power and authority. A great man like Abraham Lincoln, Benjamin Franklin, Dave Higgins, Hernando Zamora, John Maxwell, Manuel Quezon, , Og Mandino, Ralp Wardo Emerson, Theodore Roosevelt and Winston Churchill.

Yes, I dream to become a great man. ‘Coz I want to have a change and improvement. A change and improvement to my beloved country, A change and improvement to the lives of the needy.

‘Coz I thought to become a great man is to have power and authority. Power and authority over the lives of the people, Power and authority to become their lord and master.

I realized that, for changing my own self, I can gradually change my own destiny. I realized that, for changing my own self, I can gradually brighten up my future.

Lo! Today I will live as if it is my last. I will improve myself, my character, my skills, and my talents. I will serve and help others with love and care, And I will become great!

Wish you many blessings to come and God bless!

Moises P. Reconalla

About the Author:

Moises P. Reconalla is the School Guidance Counselor and Working Students Supervisor at North Davao College, Panabo City, Philippines.

He has taught several courses at the college including: Guidance and Counseling, General Psychology, Philippine History: Roots and Development, General Anthropology and Sociology, and Dr. Jose Rizal: Life, Works & Writings.

NOTE: You're free to republish this Poem on your website, in your newsletter, in your e-book or in other publications provided that the Poem is reproduced in its entirety, including the author information.

Poem Source: Reconalla, Moises. (2007, June 10). I Dream To Become A Great Man. EzineArticles. Retrieved September 13, 2007, from http://ezinearticles.com/?I-Dream-To-Become-A-Great-Man&id=600582

How to Gather Honey Instead of Bee Stings

2007-08-29T23:28:00.000-07:00

Few people realize the importance of the words they speak. There is almost no way to overemphasize the importance of what we say. Yet most people give it almost no thought, usually speaking without thinking.

The Inspirational Classical author, Og Mandino once asked to himself “Why is it, then that so many of us go out of our own way to offend others with criticism and offensive judgments that so often come back to haunt us? Why do we allow our big mouths to dig ruts in our path so deep that our forward progress is finally nil? Is this more of that “will to fail” that has already been covered?”

He continued and commented “If your tongue has been busy accumulating enemies for you, enemies you do not need who can harm you, now is as good time as many to cease and desists. How said it would be for such a petty habit to destroy your great potential.”

Another very well-known inspirational and classical author described the worst effects of criticism to the receivers. Dale Carnegie, in his book entitled “How to win friends and influence people” articulates that “Criticism is futile because it puts a man on the defensive, and usually makes him strive to justify himself. Criticism is dangerous, because it wounds a man’s precious pride, hurts his sense of importance, and arouses his resentment.”

My dear readers, Dale Carnegie remind “When dealing with people, let us remember we are not dealing with creatures of logic. We are dealing with creatures of emotion, creatures bristling with prejudices and motivated by pride and vanity.” He warns that doing “criticism is a dangerous spark – a spark that is liable to cause an explosion in the powder magazine of pride – an explosion that sometimes hastens death.”

Carnegie continued and gave a very good examples in his above statements, “General Leonard Wood was criticized and not allowed to go with the army to France. That blow to his pride probably shortened his life. Bitter criticism drove Thomas Chatterton, the English poet, to suicide.”

I remember the Greek Philosopher, Phytagoras once says “A wound from a tongue is worse than a wound from a sword for that latter affects only the body, the former affects the spirit.”

In the Bible, James the disciple of Jesus Christ gave a warning of the evil poison of the tongue. He described some who try to use their tongue as praise and blessing to God, then turn around to use their tongue to speak evil of one another. “With it we bless our God and Father, and with it rue curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so” (James 3:9-10). We cannot use our tongue to curse and bad-mouth our brethren, then continue “business as usual” with our relationship with God. The Bible clearly says that such tongue behavior is characteristic of hypocrites. “The hypocrite with his mouth destroys his neighbor... “(Prov. 11:9).

The great teacher of all times, The Lord Jesus Christ revealed to us that our words are important. In the book of Matthew 12:36-37, Jesus exclaimed “But I tell you that men will have to give account on the Day of Judgment for every careless word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted and by your words you will be condemned” (NIV).

Certainly, my dear readers this is not a negative message. When we understand the importance and power of our words, we can use them for good. The Word of God clearly says “death and life are in the power of the tongue (Proverbs 18:21 NIV). James the disciple of Jesus Christ adds, “The tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a word of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and itself set on fire by hell” (NIV).

The above texts mean that life is controlled by words. I repeat, life is controlled by words. Words release authority. Words determine the course of events. Words matter. What should you do about this?

Ellen G. White one of the great founder of Seventh-day Adventist, gave a very good and inspiring answers in above query. In her book entitled “Ministry of Healing” she encouraged us that we should “Cultivate the habit of speaking well of others. Dwell upon the good qualities of those with whom you associate, and see as little as possible of their errors and failings.”

She further encouraged us “When tempted to complain of what someone has said or done, praise something in that person’s life or character. Cultivate thankfulness. Praise God for His wonderful love in giving Christ to die for us.”

And for those who are enjoying and making fun of criticism, she warned, “Evilspeaking is a twofold curse, falling more heavily upon the speaker than upon the hearer. He who scatters the seeds of dissension and strife reaps in his own soul the deadly fruits. The very act of looking for evil in others develops evil in those who look. By dwelling upon the faults of others, we are changed into the same image.”

She encouraged “Instead of criticizing and condemning others, say, “I must work out my own salvation. If I co-operate with Him who desires to save my soul, I must watch myself diligently. I must become a new creature in Christ. Then, instead of weakening those who are striving against evil, I can strengthen by encouraging words.” She added, “We are too indifferent in regard to one another. Too often we forget that our fellow laborers are in need of strength and sympathy. Help them by your prayers, and let them know that you do it.”

James asserted that “If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless” (James 1:26 NIV).

People remember no one knows when life is over. Our life is like a vapor that appears for a moment and then disappears! So I encouraged you, don’t let your life die like an insects without doing something good to yourself and to your fellowmen.

Rebecca Barlow Jordan reminds “It’s not how much you accomplish in life that really counts but how much you give to other. It’s not how many goals you reach, but how many lives you touch. Believe in the impossible, hold tight to the incredible, and live each day to its fullest potential. You can make a difference in your world.”

Before my conclusion with my article, I would like to share with you a short story of the Song of the Bird.

Sufi Bayazi says this about himself: “I was a revolutionary when I was young, and all my prayer to God was … “Lord, give me the energy to change the world.”

As I approached middle age and realized that half my life was gone without changing a single soul, I changed my prayer to… “Lord, give me the grace to change all those who came contact with me. Just my family and friends, I shall be content.”

Now that I am an old man and my days are remembered, my one prayer is “Lord, give me the grace to change MYSELF.”

Had I prayed for this right from the start, I should not have wasted my life.

My prayer and my aim to God may this article that I have written here will help and assist you on how to improve your life in becoming a productive individual, a source of encouragement and a source of inspiration to other people!

Once again, I encouraged you do not let your life die like an insects without doing something good to yourself and to your fellowmen. Use your life as source of encouragement and a source of inspiration to other people!

Remember life is so short! So use it for a productive, for a meaningful, and for a peaceful living with yourself and with your fellowmen.

"Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable...if anything is excellent or praiseworthy...think about such things" (Philippians 4:8 NIV).

Wish you many blessings to come and God Bless!

Moises Padin Reconalla

About the Author

Moises P. Reconalla is the School Guidance Counselor and Working Students Supervisor at North Davao College, Panabo City, Philippines.

He has taught several courses at the college including: Guidance and Counseling and General Psychology.

Article Source: Reconalla, Moises. (2006, September 30). How to Gather Honey Instead of Bee Stings. EzineArticles. Retrieved August 30, 2007, from http://ezinearticles.com/?How-to-Gather-Honey-Instead-of-Bee-Stings&id=314367

Just For Today

2007-08-25T06:23:00.000-07:00

Just for today, I will improve myself. For today is the sure preparation for future success.

Just for today, I will no longer compare myself to others; instead I compare only my past self so I can be able to become the master of myself!

Just for today, I will laugh at myself, at my errors and at my failures in life for these are the secret of refinement and emotional maturity.

Just for today, I will remind myself often with these words: Life is yours to enjoy. Don’t waste it. Don’t pass up living by thinking yourself into a failure and defeat. For there is always a room for opportunity and success. What you shall need to do, is to create one!

Just for today, I will cultivate myself to give its best to the world and the world will give back its best to me. For the world is a mirror of king and slave.

Just for today, I will be careful, watchful and vigilant. For the world is full of treacherous individuals. Therefore, in order not to fall in their traps, I’ll think thrice before I act and do my activities under the sun!

Just for today, I will motivate myself to be self-reliant, honest, hard working, humble, open-minded, have word of honor, respect, and originality. For these are the true secret of power, fame and integrity.

Just for today, no longer I compete myself to others, instead I compete only with my own self for here is a true secret of greatness and success.

Just for today, I will value the reading of good books. Books are gifts where hidden treasures laid given by Loving God to motivate my intellect to think and grow rich!

Just for today, I will share my knowledge, skills and talents to the world, so I can be able to lift up and give comfort to the wondering broken-soul.

Just for today, I will greet my beloved fellow human being with a sweet smile instead of frown. Encouragement instead of discouragement for “whatever a man soweth that shall he also reap.”

Just for today, I will not neglect to give praises and thanks to my Loving Creator. For He is the source of my energy, breath, strength, and wisdom. Without Him, I am vanities in all vanities under the sun!

Just for today, I will talk to Him with these words: My Great Creator, Loving and faithful Friend of mine, I am here now in your front to glorify your name. I would like to thank thee for all the trials, pains and sorrows in life you prescribed to me because it help me a lot to refine my character and views in life. I pray that you now help me to remove every single defect of my character, stands in the way of usefulness to you and to my fellow human being. Please help me to follow these precepts in my hands diligently, so I can gradually become a catalyst of change and inspiration to those people around me. Finally, can be able to bring them successfully nearer and closer to you. Thank you, dear Lord for listening and answering my petitions. In Christ name, I’ll pray…Amen.

Wish you many blessings to come and God bless!

Moises P. Reconalla

About the Author:

Moises P. Reconalla is the School Guidance Counselor and Working Students Supervisor at North Davao College, Panabo City, Philippines.

He has taught several courses at the college including: Guidance and Counseling, General Psychology, Philippine History: Roots and Development, General Anthropology and Sociology, and Dr. Jose Rizal: Life, Works & Writings.

All rights reserved worldwide. Copyright 2007 by Moises Padin Reconalla

NOTE: You're free to republish this Poem on your website, in your newsletter, in your e-book or in other publications provided that the Poem is reproduced in its entirety, including the author information.

Poem Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/coaching-articles/just-for-today-203993.html

16 Step Recipes for Success

2007-08-21T16:18:00.000-07:00

1. Keep on Dreaming. Only in dreaming you can awaken your giant within!

2. Believe in yourself. Believe in your skills, talents and abilities that you can if you think you can! Remember, no one will feel you insecure and inferior without your consent!

3. Read Good Books. Make reading good books as part of your habits. Good books are hidden treasures that can help you to become wise and leader among men.

4. Know what you are doing. Believe in what you are doing. Love what you are doing and never think of backsliding. For the world cannot be won with a doubtful spirit.

5. Act. Dreaming without acting is meaningless in all meaningless under the sun! To make your dreams come true...you must work and strive for it with all your might!

6. Never accept defeat and failure, for that is the word and vocabulary of the fools and losers. Remember, success is never ending and failure is never final!

7. Learn, laugh at your mistakes and make a glorious one.

8. Be contented of what you have but don't be contented of what you are.

9. Manage your time wisely. Remember time is gold.

10. Take good care of your health. Good health is your only capital and investment to reach your dreams and goals in life.

11. Be careful, watchful and vigilant! Don't ever forget to nurture your character, for your character will cover and protect your reputation from the trap and honey words of wicked individuals.

12. Be an open-minded person. Remember there is more hope to the fool than to a close minded individual.

13. Have self-respect. Remember none but one can harm you. None but yourself is your greatest foe. He that respects himself is safe from others. He wears a coat of mail that none can pierce.

14. Be interested in people. Remember no man is an island.

15. Value your family and friends. Remember there is always a need of the family and good friends.

16. Don't worry, be happy. If you are worried about something, tell God. If you cannot remember something, ask God. Try to get in the habit of taking everything to God first and your plan will succeed!

Good Luck!

Wish you many blessings to come and God bless!

Moises P. Reconalla

About The Author

Moises P. Reconalla is the School Guidance Counselor, College Instructor and Working Students Supervisor at North Davao College, Panabo City, Philippines.

He has taught several courses at the college including: Guidance and Counseling, General Psychology, Philippine History: Roots and Development, General Anthropology and Sociology, and Dr. Jose Rizal: Life, Works & Writings.

All rights reserved worldwide. Copyright 2007 by Moises Padin Reconalla

NOTE: You're free to republish this article on your website, in your newsletter, in your e-book or in other publications provided that the article is reproduced in its entirety, including the author information.

Article Source: http://findinarticles.com/aNZUfSo/307482/16-Step-Recipes-for-Success.html

Dare Mighty Things

2007-08-16T04:24:00.000-07:00

Life is good. But it depends upon on the individual on how to use and make his life meaningful and productive. The Word of God clearly emphasize this in the book of Jeremiah 29 11-12 says, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you” (NIV).

Did you use your life that our loving and merciful God gave to you for productive and meaningful living? Did you exert all your effort and strength to attain your desired goal? Or sometimes you become discourage because of the severe criticism you heard from the evilspeaking tongues of your friends, relatives, and neighbors? Or sometimes you doubt about your ability and capacity to succeed to your adhering in life?

If your answer is yes to all of the above questions, I encouraged you my dear readers, to read the following stories of great people on how they used their life, to worked and strive hard for excellence despite of the severe criticisms and insults they received from those negative and toxic people they encountered.

Napoleon Hill, a poor boy and have a deficient education had the ambition to be a writer but his good friends assured him his ambition was impossible. But because he believes in the beauty of his dreams finally he became a great writer and author of the very famous inspirational classical book “Think and Grow Rich” that until now, is one of the best seller in the Philippines.

Chester Carlson his ideas in the 1940’s were turned down by 20 companies including some of the biggest in the country. After 7 long years, in 1947, his idea was accepted. The idea was the XEROX MACHINE.

Marilyn Monroe in 1944 was criticized by Emmeline Snively, the director of the Blue Book Modeling, telling her “You’d better learn secretarial work or else get married” but later on she became one of the famous international celebrity artist.

The Beatles in 1962, criticized by the Decca Recording Company, Telling them “We don’t like their sound, and guitar music is on the way out” but gradually because of their persistence and determination to achieve their dreams, they became a great international band. And now they are known in their song “Yesterday” “Michelle” “Mr. Postman” etc.

Me too, during my student life, I experienced a severe criticism from a short-sighted individuals. Though, young as I am, as a young historian and school guidance counselor, I am always thirsty, hunger for knowledge and wisdom! Through reading the profiles as well as the writings of the great people in the world, I discovered, came up, and finally concluded that a statue has never, never, and never been erected in honor for a critic!

Dear readers if you have similar experienced like the writer and others, please do not take heed to that group of toxic, negative people but focus on your main goal to win!

Teddy Roosevelt, an American great president once says, “In the battle of life, it is not the critic who counts; nor the one who points out how the strong person stumbled, or where the doer of a deed could have done better.

The credit belongs to the person who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; who does actually strive to do deeds; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotion, spends oneself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement; and who at worst, if he or she fails, at least fails while daring greatly.

Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs even though checkered by failure, than to rank with those timid spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much because they live in the gray twilight that knows neither victory nor defeat.”

Anthony Robbins adds “There are no real successes without rejection. The more rejection you get, the better you are, the more you’ve learned, the closer you are to your outcome.”

Dear readers, if you have tried and met with failure; if you have planned and watched your plans as they were crushed before your eyes; just remember that the greatest men in all history were the products of courage, and courage, you know, is born in the cradle of adversity.

George Bernard Shaw exclaims, “When I was a young man, I observed that nine out of ten things I did were failures. I didn’t want to be a failure so I did ten times more work.”

My dear readers, here is the best secret formula on how to beat the odds in your life. Read and think of this carefully:

“Know what you are going to do and then do it and don’t backslide. If you make a mistake, make a glorious one. It’s like the man who comes to the tree at the fork in the road and says, ‘which way shall I go, this way or that?’ Go! Take one way and go. There is always the element of timing. Everything has a time and place” (Gurn Rutt).

My dear readers, I firmly remind you that…

If you have a dreams

Hold on to your dreams

If your dreams die

You’re like a wounded bird without a wing!

Once again, I firmly convince you! Focus in your goals to win! Once again, read and think of these carefully;

If you think you are beaten, you are.

If you think you dare not, you don’t.

If you’d like to win but think you can’t, it’s almost certain you won’t.

Life’s battles don’t always to the stronger or faster man,

But sooner or later, the man who wins is the man who thinks he can.

Calvin Coolidge argued, “Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talents will not, nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not, unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Educations will not, the world is full of education derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.”

Dear readers, I’ve found out that before any great accomplishment is achieved in reality, it’s believed within your heart. If you need to hear the applause of the crowd, you have to begin your attack in the face of criticism, believing that the applause will come later.

That is why I would like to remind you…do your best and God will do the rest!

Remember the future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams! So hold on…hold on…hold on to your dreams, dare mighty things, and never, never, never, and never give up!!

You can if you think you can!

Wish you many blessings to come and God Bless!

Moises Padin Reconalla

About the Author

Moises P. Reconalla is the School Guidance Counselor, College Instructor and Working Students Supervisor at North Davao Colleges, Panabo City, Philippines.

You can send your comments about this article through his email wisdomisgreat@gmail.com

Article Source: Reconalla, Moises. "Dare Mighty Things." EzineArticles 01 October 2006. 16 August 2007 <http://ezinearticles.com/?Dare-Mighty-Things&id=315337>.

It's Up To You

2007-08-14T21:22:00.000-07:00

Our Loving and Merciful God is truly wise and great!

He gave us the mind to think, to create, to innovate, to decide, and to choose for our life but it’s up to you if you use it for good or bad!

He gave us the eyes to see and appreciate the beauty of our world, our self and our fellow human being but it’s up to you if you use it for good or bad!

He gave us the ear to hear the music, the sounds of nature and the voice of our love ones, friends, neighbors, and co-workers but it’s up to you if you use it for good or bad!

He gave us the nose to smell the fragrance of the flowers, the aroma of foods from the kitchen and odorless smell of air but it’s up to you if you use it for good or bad!

He gave us the mouth to speak of encouragement, praises and support but it’s up to you if you use it for good or bad!

He gave us the heart to freely express our love, our emotions and our concerns to others but it’s up to you if you use it for good or bad!

He gave us the hands to use in writing down all our plans for the future to work for a living but it’s up to you if you use it for good or bad!

He gave us the feet to move forward to plant the seeds of our uniqueness and productivity in this world to stand firm for our self but it’s up to you if you use it for good or bad!

He gave us the power to sing praises, to brighten up our soul and make the world a little better place of gladness, joyfulness, happiness, and peacefulness but it’s up to you if you use it for good or bad!

He gave us the power to smile, to laugh, to make the world a little better place to live but it’s up to you if you use it for good or bad!

He gave us knowledge and wisdom to distinguish between right and wrong but it’s up to you if you use it for good and bad!

He gave us equal time to do our activity under the sun but it’s up to you if you use it for good or bad!

He gave us the family, our parents, brothers, sisters, relatives, sweetheart, friends, neighbors, and co-workers but it’s up to you if you use them for good or bad!

He gave us the natural resources to supply all our needs but it’s up to you if you use it for good or bad!

He gave us the Book, the Bible to strengthen up our faith and guidance in the way we should go but it’s up to you if you use it for good or bad!

He gave us free hotline to communicate with Him but it’s up to you if you will take time and use it for good or bad!

Wish Many Blessings To Come and God Bless!

Moises P. Reconalla

About the Author:

Moises P. Reconalla is the School Guidance Counselor, College Instructor and Working Students Supervisor at North Davao College, Panabo City, Philippines.

You can send your comments about this Poem through his email wisdomisgreat@gmail.com

Poem Source: Reconalla, Moises. "It's Up To You." EzineArticles 31 March 2007. 14 August 2007 <http://ezinearticles.com/?Its-Up-To-You&id=510211>.

Beginning Today, Promise These to Yourself

2007-08-13T04:05:00.000-07:00

Beginning today, promise these to yourself that you will only socialize to the group of good and wise people, for they were a good influence of good character, knowledge as well as wisdom. By associating and socializing with them, eventually you will be also influenced to have a good character, knowledgeable as well as to become a wise person!

Beginning today, promise these to yourself that you will avoid the negative, toxic people who are only fun of talking, back-fighting, criticizing as well as mocking the mistakes and faults of other people, for their virus and venom are severe that even the medical surgeon cannot help them heal with their disease and also experiencing a difficulty in curing the poisons and scars of those victims.

Beginning today, promise these to yourself that you will begin to establish your goal in life. Make your goal achievable, concise and specific so you can have a sense of direction in your life as well as a sense of purpose and have a meaningful and a productive living.

Beginning today, promise these to yourself that you will nurture your character, for your character will be your only and best weapon to close the mouth against the evil-tongues of your enemies. For your character will cover and protect your reputation.

Beginning today, promise these to yourself that you will do your work as perfect as possible. Make it a life – rule to give your best to whatever passes through your hands. Stamp it with your manhood. Let superiority be your trademark; let it characterize everything you touch. This is what every employer is looking for; it indicates the best kind of brain; it is as the best substitute for genius. It is better capital than cash; it is a better promoter than friends, or pulls with the influential.

Beginning today, promise these to yourself, never to allow any dishonest gain or faults in your work that will come in your hands. For every fault you allow to become a habit, to get control over you, helps to make you a second-class and puts you at a disadvantage in the race of honor, position, wealth, as well as happiness.

Beginning today, promise these to yourself, never to criticize people. Criticizing only marks, shows as well as acknowledges that you are an inferior person. Always bear in mind that a wound from a tongue is worst than a wound from the swords. For latter affects only the body; the former affects the spirit. Always remember to be patient in dealing with people for you are not dealing with a people of logic but you are dealing with a people of emotions too.

Beginning today, promise these to yourself that you will practice encouragement instead of discouragement. Remember your life is like a vapor that appears for a moment and then disappears! Therefore, any good that you can do or any kindness you can show to any human being let you do it now. Let you not defer it or neglect it; for you shall not pass this way again.

Beginning today, promise these to yourself that you will make your life not just for a living, for thousands of men breath, move and live pass off the stage of life and are heard no more. Why? They did not give a particle of good in the world. None were blest by them. None could point to them as the instrument of their redemption. Their light went out in darkness and they were not remembered more than insects of yesterday. Will you live and die? Live for something!

Beginning today, promise these to yourself that you will make God be as your partner in every adhering in life. By making and putting God the center as well as partner of your life, everything will come together. Always bear in mind this, with men everything is impossible but with God all things are possible!

Wish you many blessings to come and God bless!

Moises P. Reconalla

About the Author:

Moises P. Reconalla is the School Guidance Counselor and Working Students Supervisor at North Davao College, Panabo City, Philippines.

He has taught several courses at the college including: Guidance and Counseling, General Psychology, Philippine History: Roots and Development, General Anthropology and Sociology, and Dr. Jose Rizal: Life, Works & Writings.

You can send your comments about this Poem through his email wisdomisgreat@gmail.com or visit his blog at http: //www.mosesreconalla.blogspot.com and read his poems and articles that can motivate your intellect to think and grow rich!

All rights reserved worldwide. Copyright 2006-2007 by Moises Padin Reconalla

NOTE: You're free to republish this Poem on your website, in your newsletter, in your e-book or in other publications provided that the Poem is reproduced in its entirety, including the author information.

Poem Source; Reconalla, Moises. "Beginning Today, Promise These to Yourself." EzineArticles 15 December 2006. 13 August 2007 <http://ezinearticles.com/?Beginning-Today,-Promise-These-to-Yourself&id=388035>.

You're A Plain Idiot!

2007-07-29T23:07:00.000-07:00

About the Author:

Moises P. Reconalla is the School Guidance Counselor and Working Students Supervisor at North Davao College, Panabo City, Philippines.

He has taught several courses at the college including: Guidance and Counseling, General Psychology, Philippine History: Roots and Development, General Anthropology and Sociology, and Dr. Jose Rizal: Life, Works & Writings.

You can send your comments about this Poem through his email wisdomisgreat@gmail.com

All rights reserved worldwide. Copyright 2007 by Moises Padin Reconalla

NOTE: You're free to republish this Poem on your website, in your newsletter, in your e-book or in other publications provided that the Poem is reproduced in its entirety, including the author information.

Poem Source: Reconalla, Moises. "You're A Plain Idiot!." EzineArticles 02 May 2007. 19 July 2007 <http://ezinearticles.com/?Youre-A-Plain-Idiot!&id=549564>.

My 14 Vows of Success

2007-07-15T18:38:00.000-07:00

Dear Lord, thank you that today you wake-up my mind from a depth sleep. Thank you for reminding me that today is the preparation of my future success. Thank you for helping me to realize that life is full of hardships, pains, sorrows, and trials. Then, the only way to beat these odds is to face and take it as a challenge of life and so just continue on improving myself. Therefore, beginning today dear Lord, I will not waste my time for idleness, laziness, cowardness, and timidity instead I will use it as an opportunity for the improvement of my being.

Beginning today, I will take charge of my mind. I’ve learned from my life experiences that if I think a negative, the result is always a negative. But If I think a positive, the result is always a positive.

Beginning today, I will take charge of my mouth. I’ll be careful and tactful in my words when I am engaging in conversation with my beloved fellow human being. I know that life and death is in the power of the tongue.

Beginning today, I will take good care of my health. For it is my only investment and tools to reach my goals and dreams in life.

Beginning today, I will take charge of my emotions. Everyday, I will motivate myself to act as an educated and emotionally mature individual. If happened that I encountered insult and disappointment, I will just remind myself that this too, shall pass!

Beginning today, I will put the others first and serve them honestly with love and care. For these are my only chance to share the love, kindness and blessings from Above.

Beginning today, I will teach myself to be compassionate, humble, lovable, and open-minded in dealing with people. I’ve learned from the counsels and writings of the great men of the ages that being a compassionate, humble, lovable, and open-minded person is the best cure in healing of the old wounds of the broken-hearted. That can help to cast out the doubts, feeling of inferiority and hatred in their hearts and minds. It can also be the best technique in winning the hearts of the wicked men and eventually to become his friend.

Beginning today, I will teach myself the importance of hard work, honesty, sincerity, time management, frugality, initiative, planning, creativeness, determination, patience, persistence, enthusiasm, cooperation, extra mile, faith, and trust in myself. For these are the secret of success in any field of works.

Beginning today, I will embrace all the hardships, pains, sorrows, and trials as a challenge and stepping-stone for success. Trials are medicines which my Loving God prescribed because I need them. He proportions the frequency and weight of them to what the case requires. Therefore, let me trust His skill, and eventually thank Him for His prescription.

Beginning today, I will nurture my character. For my character is the only shield to protect and cover my reputation against the trap and honey words of the wicked individuals.

Beginning today, I will improve myself. I will encourage and teach myself the importance of self-respect and self-discipline. For these are the foundations of success.

Beginning today, I will treasure the importance of reading good books. Books are the best, wise, patient mentors, professors of all any colleges and universities in the world. Books are the best source of knowledge and wisdom. It can help me to become more discerning, depth and great thinker.

Beginning today, I will practice to have my own originality. Today is my only chance that I can prove and show to the world that I am a unique man created by the loving hands of the Almighty God. That have has a mission and vision to fulfill. To plant the seeds of my uniqueness and productivity in this land!

Beginning today, I will remove from my words and vocabulary such words and phrases: defeat, failure, improvable, impossible, hopeless, and retreat for these are the words and vocabulary of the fools and losers.

Finally, beginning today, I will make my Loving God as a partner in every plans and decisions of life. With Him, I can do all things that others think and sees it is impossible!

Now, with these precious short 14 vows of success in my hands, If I just diligently follow each precept daily and put it in my heart and mind, surely! I’ll be the most happiest and successful person in the future.

Wish you many blessings to come and God bless!

Moises P. Reconalla

About the Author:

Moises P. Reconalla is the School Guidance Counselor and Working Students Supervisor at North Davao College, Panabo City, Philippines.

He has taught several courses at the college including: Guidance and Counseling, General Psychology, Philippine History: Roots and Development, General Anthropology and Sociology, and Dr. Jose Rizal: Life, Works & Writings.

You can send your comments about this Poem through his email wisdomisgreat@gmail.com

All rights reserved worldwide. Copyright 2007 by Moises Padin Reconalla

NOTE: You're free to republish this Poem on your website, in your newsletter, in your e-book or in other publications provided that the Poem is reproduced in its entirety, including the author information.

Poem Source: Reconalla, Moises. "My 14 Vows of Success." EzineArticles 15 July 2007. 18 August 2007 <http://ezinearticles.com/?My-14-Vows-of-Success&id=646343>.

IF You Are Wise!

2007-07-08T03:01:00.000-07:00

If you are wise, you should have to take time to think before you react.

If you are wise, you should have take time to listen before you criticize.

If you are wise, you should have to take time to analyze before you emphasize.

If you are wise, you should have to take to time to lend your ears before you argue.

If you are wise, you should give enough time others to speak before you clarify.

If you are wise, you should give enough time others to clarify before you justify.

If you are wise, you should learn to cultivate yourself as well as practice encouragement instead of discouragement.
If you are wise, you should learn as well as teach yourself to be patient in dealing with people. Remember, you are not dealing with a people of logic but you are dealing with a people of emotions too!