Stay Strong

Steve Jobs 3 Rules of Life...

2012-02-24T07:39:00.001-05:00

Steve Jobs' Three Rules of Life ...

1. Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life.

2. Don't be trapped by dogma -which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of other's opinions drown out your own inner voice.

3. Have the courage to follow your heart and intuition -they somehow already know what you truly want to become.

- Steve Jobs

Stay Strong!!

Strength today!

2012-02-23T07:30:00.001-05:00

"Greatness lies, not in being strong, but in the right using of strength; and strength is not used rightly when it serves only to carry a man above his fellows for his own solitary glory.

He is the greatest whose strength carries up the most hearts by the attraction of his own."

- Henry Ward Beecher

Happy Birthday Beautiful!

2012-02-22T17:23:00.001-05:00

Enjoy your day!!!

Xoxo

;)

Keep up the Good Fight!!

2012-02-20T08:20:00.000-05:00

"The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather a lack of
will."
- Vince Lombardi

"Life is not easy for any of us. But what of that? We must have perseverance and above all confidence in ourselves."
- Marie Curie

I don't care what particular struggle or battle you are in the midst of fighting right now, all that matters is that you KNOW you are not battling alone!!! We are all in the same boat and our thoughts, prayers, and actions buoy each other!

Do not underestimate the power of a quick phone call, a simple voicemail message, note, email, text, visit, etc to someone in need of encouragement, hope, and faith!!

It can be immeasurable and life altering!

You are not battling alone!! We are here for you!

Stay Strong!!!

A Saturday thought on Taking Action...

2012-02-18T15:59:00.001-05:00

Faith Without Works Is Dead

"What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?

If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, "Go in peace, be warmed and filled," without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that?

So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

But someone will say, "You have faith and I have works."

Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.

You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!

Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless?

Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar?

You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed BY his works;

and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness"—and he was called a friend of God.

You see that a person is justified by works and NOT by faith alone.

For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead."

James 14:16-24

Add to prayer list..... Your prayers needed!!

2012-02-17T10:13:00.000-05:00

Knowing we can't do it alone, I'm asking you to pray for my friend's son who is multiple myeloma.

Storm the heavens for continued miracles.

Thanks!

Love,
Liz
________________________________
,
> I can't do it alone, I need help from the world, I stand up to say,
> There's more to life than the pot of gold some chase every day,
> I can't do it alone...
> If my tear was a coin, I'd know the riches of life,
> If my heart was a rock, I'd need a boulder to stand,
> And if my wrist bled love, I'd give you my hand, take from me what you will,
> I offer what I can,
> I can't do it alone, I need help from the world, I stand up to say,
> There's more to life than the pot of gold some chase every day,
> I can't do it alone...
> - Barry Kingston
> "I can't do it alone"
> Speaks for itself! What else is there for us to do here on this planet but help each other in any way possible!!
> Stay Strong and thank you BK!!! Genius work.....
>
>

I can't do it alone....

2012-02-17T09:02:00.001-05:00

If I never woke up would this place be the same,

Would anyone care, would anything change,

I feel my strength is worn thin, I don't know where to begin,

Will I find my way, I don't know where I've been.

I can't do it alone, I need help from the world, I stand up to say,

There's more to life than the pot of gold some chase every day,

I can't do it alone...

I can hear the rain, the clouds bursting at night, I can feel the pain, closing in, closing on me tight,

So I say,

I can't do it alone, I need help from the world, I stand up to say,

There's more to life than the pot of gold some chase every day,

I can't do it alone...

If my tear was a coin, I'd know the riches of life,

If my heart was a rock, I'd need a boulder to stand,

And if my wrist bled love, I'd give you my hand, take from me what you will,

I offer what I can,

I can't do it alone, I need help from the world, I stand up to say,

There's more to life than the pot of gold some chase every day,

I can't do it alone...

- Barry Kingston
"I can't do it alone"

Speaks for itself! What else is there for us to do here on this planet but help each other in any way possible!!

Stay Strong and thank you BK!!! Genius work.....

Your Prayers are working!!!

2012-02-16T21:28:00.000-05:00

Below is an update on our friend Vinny ....please keep the prayers coming!!! They are being heard and are being answered!!!

"Hi Buddy,
I saw Vinny last night and he looked better, he is holding his head up for the first time and they had him out of bed and supported so he could shuffle 45 steps. He was very excited last night because someone brought him holy water from Lourdes and a priest sprinkled it on him and later anointed him. Overall, he is in the right direction."

Please keep the prayers coming!!!!

Thank you!! Stay Strong!!

Into the Fire...

2012-02-16T18:20:00.000-05:00

"May your Strength give us Strength,
May your Faith give us Faith,
May your Hope give us Hope,
May your Love bring us Love."

-- Bruce Springsteen
"Into the Fire"

Happy Valentine's Day!!!

2012-02-14T08:36:00.001-05:00

Whether you are a hopeless romantic or not, today is the perfect day to celebrate all things Love and everything about the Heart!!!

Spread the love today ..... And Stay Strong!!

Live and battle just this ONE day!!

2012-02-13T08:33:00.001-05:00

There are two days of the week about which we should not worry...two days which should be kept from fear and apprehension.

One of these days is called Yesterday, with it's mistakes and cares, it's faults and its blunders, aches and pains. Yesterday has passed forever beyond our control.
All the money in the world cannot bring back yesterday.

We cannot undo a single act we performed or erase a single word we said.

Yesterday is GONE!

The other day we should not worry about it Tomorrow, with it's possible adversities, its burdens, its large promise and poor performance.

Tomorrow is beyond our immediate control.

Tomorrow's sun will rise, whether in splendor or behind a mask of clouds, but it will rise.

Until it does, however, we have no stake in tomorrow, for its yet unborn.

This leaves only one day - TODAY!

Any one of us can fight the battle of just one day.

It is when you and I add burdens of two awful eternities - YESTERDAY AND TOMORROW - that we break down.

It is not necessarily the experiences of today that disturbs one's peace of mind. It is often times the remorse or bitterness for something which happened yesterday and the dread of what tomorrow may bring!

Fight the urge to dwell on the past, and embrace tomorrow with faith, hope and courage - but do not fear what it may bring!!

Let us therefore live ONE DAY AT A TIME.

Stay Strong! Just One Day!!!

Happy Saturday!!!

2012-02-11T16:54:00.001-05:00

Remember, for any old thing you did today, there are tens of thousands of people who would trade places with us in a heartbeat, beginning with an hour without physical pain, mental anguish, or being able to get out of bed or a chair!!! And these are things that do not even cross our minds until we see someone who suffers daily.

You are so BLESSED!!

Remember to Count them daily!!

NOW, stop the anxiety, relax, enjoy the rest of the weekend and smile!!

Stay Strong!!

Great words of Inspiration....

2012-02-09T08:04:00.001-05:00

Having a bad morning? Well, try beginning this same day with no use of your arms and legs, barely able to speak or swallow and confined to a wheelchair. Hmmm... Still having a bad morning?? Really? Read on please....

Stay Strong

"Great achievements always are born of hardship and struggle and barriers which seem insurmountable;
obstacles which yield to nothing but an indomitable will backed by an abiding faith."
- Napoleon Hill

This quotation is one of the most empowering quotations I have ever come across. This may not pack the same punch for you as it does for me, but this quotation, and the philosophy behind it, helped me to transmute my handicaps and weaknesses into empowering assets.

I have almost no use of my hands and arms. A lack of motor coordination in my legs has me confined to a wheelchair, and my speech is barely intelligible. I admit that in many ways I am almost completely helpless. But when I understand that it is the struggle and hardship and the staring down of obstacles that seem insurmountable that gives birth to great achievements, I embrace these HUGE challenges and expect a commensurate HUGE payoff when I triumph over them.

Shouldn't you do the same?

Jeff

www.friendsofjeff.com

To sign up for Jeff's Inspirational Quotation for Today, send an e-mail to warriors-on@friendsofjeff.com or use the automated link on the website (www.friendsofjeff.com)

Urgent Prayers needed!!!

2012-02-08T18:35:00.001-05:00

A friend of ours, Vinny Corso, is currently fighting for his life with this disease.

Attached is an amazing and scary story you have to read right now about this disease and one man's battle against it!

Vinny had levels much higher than this inspirational warrior!!

Please send your prayers to Vinny and his family and keep them coming. He has had some minor success and positive movement recently but needs a lot of prayers to keep progressing!! He has a long road ahead of him, as does his family!!

Thank you, remember to count your blessings, God Bless and Stay Strong!!

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1194725/1/index.htm

Secret of Success

2012-02-08T08:02:00.001-05:00

"If there is any one secret of success, it lies in the ability to get the other person's point of view and see things from that person's angle as well as from your own."
- Henry Ford

The Key! A Terrific message courtesy of E.P.! Obrigado!!!

2012-02-04T21:34:00.001-05:00

"Is there some problem in your life to solve? Some passage seeming full of mystery?

God knows, who brings the hidden things to light.

He keeps the key.

Is there some door closed by the Father's hand, Which widely opened you had hoped to see?

Trust God and wait - for when He shuts the door, He keeps the key.

Is there some earnest prayer unanswered yet,

Or answered NOT as you had thought 'twould be?

God will make clear His purpose by and by.

He keeps the key.

Have patience with your God, your patient God, All wise, All knowing, no long lingerer He,

And of the door of all your future life.

He keeps the key.

Unfailing comfort, sweet and blessed rest, To know of EVERY door He keeps the key.

That He at last when just He sees is best,

Will give it to THEE.

Anonymous.

Please take a moment and reflect on this intriguing concept regarding out lives..

2012-02-03T18:34:00.001-05:00

"There is within us–in even the blithest, most light hearted among us—a fundamental disease.

It acts like an unquenchable fire that renders the vast majority of us incapable in this life of ever coming to full peace.

This desire lies in the marrow of our bones and the deep regions of our souls.

All great literature, poetry, art, philosophy, psychology, and religion tries to name and analyze this longing. We are seldom in direct touch with it, and indeed the modern world seems set on preventing us from getting in touch with it by covering it with an unending phantasmagoria of entertainments, obsessions, addictions, and distractions of every sort.

But the longing is there, built into us like a jack-in-the-box that presses for release.

Two great paintings suggest this longing in their titles—Gauguin's Who Are We? Where Did We Come From? Where Are We Going? and de Chirico's Nostalgia for the Infinite—but I must work with words.

Whether we realize it or not, simply to be human is to long for release from mundane existence, with its confining walls of finitude and mortality."

—Huston Smith, Why Religion Matters: The Fate of the Human Spirit in an Age of Disbelief (New York, N.Y.: Harper Collins, 2001), p.28

Great Advice for a Great Friday!!!

2012-02-03T08:21:00.001-05:00

"Work Hard.
Do your best.
Keep your word.
Never get too big for your britches. Trust in God.
Have no fear;
and Never forget a friend."
- Harry S. Truman

To err is human......

2012-02-02T08:12:00.001-05:00

You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.
- Jesus Christ (Matthew 5:43-44)

I can forgive, but I cannot forget, is only another way of saying, I will not forgive. Forgiveness ought to be like a canceled note - torn in two, and burned up, so that it never can be shown against one.
- Henry Ward Beecher

So much of our daily energy is spent and wasted ruminating on past hurts and harboring grudges.

Forgiveness is not an easy thing to accomplish but if we really step back and see the drastic negative effects we impose on OURSELVES by holding on to anger and past grievances we would do everything we can to forgive! And as quickly as possible!!

It is an ego driven emotion and once we get to the point where we can forgive we will experience such freedom and peace!

Forgive past offenses today and redeploy your energies toward productive means!! You will not be sorry!!

Stay Strong!!

Be Happy....regardless! It is a choice!

2012-01-31T08:15:00.001-05:00

The foolish man seeks happiness in the distance; the wise grows it under his feet.
- J. Robert Oppenheimer

A happy life consists not in the absence, but in the mastery of hardships.
- Helen Keller

Do yourself a favor!

Today try to focus on your blessings instead of your hardships.

It is so easy to get caught in a negative spiral of despair and anxiety, but choose to combat that urge by proactively focusing on what you have in your life today! Write them down and re-read them as often as possible!!

We can endure hardships, heartache, and any challenge if we practice this daily!

Have faith and believe that you are right where you are supposed to be at this moment and understand life is cyclical....this too shall pass!!!

Stay Strong!!

Will you be the spark for someone else today?

2012-01-29T11:40:00.001-05:00

"At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us."
- Albert Schweitzer

Remember today and going forward that YOU already possess tremendous powers beyond what you really think you possess!

These powers hold in you the ability to change, influence, and increase the quality of other people's lives. You do it daily without knowing, sometimes negatively and other times positively, but you can be the spark that lights others burned out wick of life!!!

Think about the power you have to make such an impact!!

Others need you to spark them, to give them the vision, hope, encouragement and support to carry them through the day, the week, the month, etc.

Be sensitive of this power you possess and use it wantonly and unsparingly today.

No matter what is on the surface of what you see in the person across from you, everyone can use that spark!!! Do not assume someone is not desperately, albeit quietly praying for one!

Wield it!!!!

Stay Strong!!

The importance and pervasiveness of love

2012-01-27T19:58:00.001-05:00

"Love lays siege to each being and seeks to discover an opening, a path leading into the heart, by means of which love can permeate everywhere.

The difference between the sinner and the saint is that the sinner closes his heart to love while the saint opens himself to this same love.

In both cases the love is the same and the pressure is the same."

—Lev Gillet, The Burning Bush, (Springfield IL: Templegate, 1976), pp. 12-1

Seven Steps for Stress Free Living...

2012-01-26T06:46:00.001-05:00

How to Live a Stress-Free Life: 7 Tips for Stress-Free Living
http://www.how-to-self.com/stress/stress-free-living.php

Stay Strong!

Strength

2012-01-22T08:55:00.001-05:00

Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will.
- Mohandas Gandhi

Life is not easy for any of us. But what of that? We must have perseverance and above all confidence in ourselves.
- Marie Curie

Sage Advice from a Courageous man

2012-01-19T12:21:00.001-05:00

A friend of mine, Jim Griffin, passed away Sunday at the tragically young age of 47, leaving behind two beautiful young daughters and a lovely wife.

He also left behind an amazing legacy as a High School Counselor and Coach over the past decades and more, positively effecting thousands of young lives with his attitude, lessons, and wisdom.

The Principal of Jim's High School wrote a wonderful letter to the community about Jim's rare character and his passing, and passed in some terrific advice that Jim had given him upon learning of his grim prognosis of pancreatic cancer.

I have copied the letter below for you to read. Please do.

Jim accomplished so much in his short 47 years through his dedication to so many young minds and he will truly be missed by all who were blessed to have known him.

Please pray for his family's peace, strength, and healing during this terrible time.

And please remember and take to heart his words to not waste a single minute of our lives, and to not take anything for granted as life can truly change in an instant!

Stay Strong and God Bless!

http://wayland.patch.com/articles/principal-tutwiler-comment-on-death-of-wayland-high-counselor

Principal Tutwiler: Comment on Death of Wayland High Counselor

Jim Griffin, longtime Wayland High School counselor, passed away Sunday after a battle with cancer. By Brooklyn Lowery | January 16, 2012

Wayland High School Principal Pat Tutwiler provided the note below.

It is with deep regret that I write to inform you that our dear friend and colleague, Jim Griffin, passed away on Sunday morning after his valiant battle with cancer. For his colleagues and friends here at Wayland High School, there are no words that can describe our profound sadness at hearing this news. Given the enormous impact Jim has had on the lives of students and the wonderful relationships he developed and nourished over the years with parents and other members in the Wayland community, I know this news will be equally as devastating to all who read this letter.

Please know that we have organized the appropriate resources for your children and we are prepared to support them in partnership with you. Wayland Public Schools counselors, Wayland Youth and Family Services, and Human Relations Services have all volunteered to help us support students and faculty through this difficult time. Given Jim's role in the WHS Guidance Department for so many years, members of that department may not be readily available over the next few days. Nonetheless, there will be plenty of support through our WPS colleagues and outside partners. We realize that, for many students, the best support vehicle is a normal school day. Accordingly, classes will be held as scheduled. Students who require support should report to the Guidance/Main Office suite.

I ask that you keep Jim's family foremost in your thoughts. I continue to have the deepest confidence that if there is a community that can come together in a time of loss such as this, to support those in need and to supporteach other, it is the Wayland community.

I am equally confident that Jim's legacy as an educator, mentor, and friend will live on through the countless achievements of our young people and through the Wayland community, which was so fortunate to have been the community to which Jim decided to contribute his talents and his time.

When Jim delivered the difficult news of his sickness to me back in the fall, even then, he was selfless enough to extend a piece of advice to me, not as a principal or an educator but as a man, as a father.

It was this: don't waste a minute; don't take anything in your life for granted because life can change in an instant. Even at his darkest moment, Jim never stopped giving guidance. I share this advice with you now because I know that Jim would have shared it with you all if he could.

As a community and family, let's honor Jim and live that advice.

Best, Pat

If you are interested in contributing to the Jim Griffin Family Support Trust, please send your donation to:

Jim Griffin Family Support Trust c/o Middlesex Savings Bank 150 Commonwealth Road Wayland, MA 01778

If your world is falling apart....

2012-01-18T07:41:00.001-05:00

"The key is to keep company only with people who uplift you, whose presence calls forth your best."
- Epictetus

What To Do When Your Whole World Is Falling Apart? 6 Support Ideas To Stop Anxiety and Give You Back Your Life

http://www.quotes-daily.com/2009/02/what-to-do-when-your-whole-world-is.html

Happy Birthday Ben Franklin and Gertrude Flaherty!!!

2012-01-17T09:18:00.001-05:00

"Search others for their virtues, thyself for thy vices."
- Benjamin Franklin

Life....

2012-01-16T17:47:00.001-05:00

"I bargained with Life for a penny, And Life would pay no more, However I begged at evening When I counted my scanty store.

For Life is a just employer, He gives you what you ask,
But once you have set the wages, Why, you must bear the task.

I worked for a menial's hire, Only to learn, dismayed,
That any wage I had asked of Life, Life would have willingly paid."

That's it... 14 lines, 72 words... it's just called "Life."

How many people go through life only to find at the end that they could have had it all... more time, more money, more health... more good things instead of so much struggle, stress and strife.*

Seize your day and take all the necessary risks to chase your dream! Do not be afraid to go after and EXPECT to receive whatever it is that you desire! It can all be yours if you BELIEVE it and expect results from your efforts! Life is short and can be all you want it to be - if you have the FAITH!

Stay Strong!!

* courtesy of John Assaraf.

Helping others...Happy MLK Day

2012-01-16T09:04:00.001-05:00

"Life's most persistent and urgent question is, 'What are you doing for others?'"
- Martin Luther King, Jr.

The whole picture...

2012-01-13T08:02:00.001-05:00

"There are many windows through which we can look out into the world, searching for meaning …

…Most of us, when we ponder on the meaning of our existence, peer through but one of these windows onto the world. And even that one is often misted over by the breath of our finite humanity.

We clear a tiny peephole and stare through.

No wonder we are confused by the tiny fraction of a whole that we see.

It is, after all, like trying to comprehend the panorama of the desert or the sea through a rolled-up newspaper."

—Jane Goodall, Primatologist/Anthropologist (1924-).

Photo: DSF sunrise over Long Island, today 1/13/12

The Prayer of St. Teresa

2012-01-12T10:43:00.000-05:00

Thanks,Lizzy! ;)

The Prayer of St. Teresa

May today there be peace within.

May you trust your highest power that you are exactly where you are meant to be.

May you not forget the infinity possibilities that are born of FAITH.

May you use those gifts that you have received, and pass
on the love that has been given to you.

May you be content knowing you are a child of God.

Let this presence settle into our bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love.

It is there for each and every one of you.

Stay Strong

Master your own self....

2012-01-12T06:42:00.001-05:00

"We all go through life bristling at our external limitations, but the most difficult chains to break are inside us."
- Bradley Whitford

One's purpose in life....to be of benefit to others!

2012-01-07T17:16:00.001-05:00

"If one sees that the purpose of one's life is to be of benefit to others, and from the depths of one's heart there is a real sense of dedication of one's entire life for the benefit of other sentient beings, and that kind of strong courage and principle – for that kind of person, then time doesn't seem to matter much.

Whether or not that person becomes enlightened, as far as he or she is concerned, it doesn't make any difference, because the purpose of existence is to be of benefit to others, and if the person is able to be of service to others, then that person is really able to fulfill his or her true purpose.

Such is the kind of courage and determination to altruistic principles that bodhisattvas should adopt."

—The Dalai Lama in a talk at UCLA in 1997 in reference to a passage in Nagarjuna's Precious Garland that deals with feeling discouraged over the length of time required to become "enlightened.

The Solution ....

2012-01-06T08:11:00.001-05:00

Life's most urgent question is: what are you doing for others?
- Martin Luther King, Jr.

One thing I know: the only ones among you who will be really happy are those who will have sought and found how to serve.
- Albert Schweitzer

What do we live for, if it is not to make life less difficult for each other?
- George Eliot

Overcome Fear

2012-01-04T09:33:00.001-05:00

"Thinking will not overcome fear but action will."
- W. Clement Stone

Planting Seeds of Success...Persevere!!

2012-01-03T08:41:00.001-05:00

"Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap, but by the seeds that you plant."
- Robert Louis Stevenson

"Gardening is all about optimism. I put a seed in the ground. I consistently tend it, confident I will see the results, in time, of the nurture I have provided."
- Mary Anne Radmacher

Start today and 2012 with a positive, invincible attitude of success, peace, joy and love!!!

Because whatever you want to accomplish in 2012 and beyond..no matter what...it will be yours!!!

Just believe, visualize it, and take action! The rest is sticking with your goals until you reach them!!!

Stay Strong!!!

Happy New Year!!!!

2012-01-01T09:57:00.001-05:00

"In the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years."
- Abraham Lincoln

May the Lord grant all of us peace, love, joy and happiness for all of 2012 and beyond. Let us count our blessings and live each day as if it were our last!

Stay Strong!!

Happy New Year!

2011-12-31T12:07:00.001-05:00

Although this is not Thanksgiving, it is the perfect time of year to take stock in our lives, give thanks for all the many blessings we enjoy (hidden ones and the ones we take for granted especially) and pray for those in need of strength, healing, joy, peace and love this coming year!

Happy and Blessed New Year to all of you!

"We return thanks to our mother, the earth, which sustains us.
We return thanks to the rivers and streams which supply us with water.
We return thanks to all herbs, which furnish medicines for the cure of our diseases.
We return thanks to the corn, and to her sisters, the beans and squashes, which give us life. ...

We return thanks to the sun, that he has looked upon the earth with a beneficent eye.

Lastly, we return thanks to the Great Spirit, in whom is embodied all goodness, and who directs all things for the good of his children."

- Iroquois traditional

It all starts with a thought...

2011-12-30T07:46:00.000-05:00

"Watch your thoughts, for they become words.
Watch your words, for they become actions.
Watch your actions, for they become habits.
Watch your habits, for they become character.
Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.
- Anonymous

Perception

2011-12-29T15:24:00.001-05:00

"We can always choose to perceive things differently.

You can focus on what's wrong in your life, or you can focus on what's right."
- Marianne Williamson

Merry Christmas!!!

2011-12-25T09:10:00.001-05:00

May you have the gladness of Christmas which is hope;

The spirit of Christmas which is peace;

The heart of Christmas which is love.

- Ada V. Hendricks

Merry Christmas!!!

2011-12-25T08:49:00.001-05:00

Another Christmas is upon us and it is hard to believe!!

What a magnificent time of year on many different levels and what a terrific time for self-reflection!!

All of us, no matter our station in life, are burdened with our own issues, problems, challenges, crisis', and reasons to have a woe-is-me attitude.

I do not care who you are or where you are in your life, we all have our crosses to bear daily and we all find out own reasons to curse life and despair.

Despite this, we must and in fact owe it to ourselves take the time this weekend to really reflect and identify the many many blessings we have in our lives!!

And we are all beyond Blessed!!

Merry Christmas everyone!

Whatever you are doing today enjoy the gift of life, remember the true meaning of Christmas, and take a second to give thanks for all we have been given!

God Bless and Stay Strong!

I am with you still..

2011-12-21T15:10:00.001-05:00

I am with you still..

2011-12-21T15:05:00.001-05:00

Change

2011-12-17T11:45:00.001-05:00

"At all times and under all circumstances, we have the power to transform the quality of our lives."
- Werner Erhard

Kindness knocks

2011-12-14T08:22:00.001-05:00

"The holiday season promotes a heightened sense of community. It draws our chins up and helps us look above and over the limiting fence of our own events, activities and preoccupations. The opportunity for a heroic gesture can tap you quietly on the shoulder in the midst of a holiday bustle.

If you are attentive, you will notice the gentle touch and will be able to respond.

Remember... There are no small acts of kindness.

Every compassionate act makes large the world.

- Mary Anne Radmacher

Perspective....Seize today!

2011-12-13T13:57:00.001-05:00

"The question is not what you look at, but what you see."
- Henry David Thoreau

"Look at everything as though you were seeing it either for the first or last time. Then your time on earth will be filled with glory."
- Betty Smith

Happiness and Joy in our lives is truly in our control and a lot of it depends on our outlook, faith and perspective on our purpose here on earth.

The quotes above are such great reminders of this control.

The second quote really rings true to me.

I will always remember my Dad's last few weeks on earth and specifically taking my Dad, at that point in a wheelchair, around in the car to spots he loved on Cape Cod - the beach especially. He looked at these sights, for the last time as it turned out, that we take for granted with such perspective and value as he knew he may not see the ocean or sunset again.

We must look at each and every day as a GIFT because it is and we may never know when our time to move on is upon us until it is too late.

Put petty differences aside and love one another as though your time is at hand, it will certainly improve the quality of all of our lives regardless!

Stay Strong!

Do Not Surrender!!!

2011-12-12T08:05:00.001-05:00

"Although the world is full of suffering, it is full also of the overcoming of it.

My optimism, then, does not rest on the absence of evil, but on a glad belief in the preponderance of good and a willing effort always to cooperate with the good, that it may prevail."
- Helen Keller

"Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome."
- Booker T. Washington

This too shall pass and make us stronger!!

2011-12-11T10:00:00.001-05:00

"We shall draw from the heart of suffering itself the means of inspiration and survival."

- Winston Churchill

"One who gains strength by overcoming obstacles possesses the ONLY strength which can overcome adversity."

- Albert Schweitzer

We are all works in progress... Be Patient!

2011-12-10T11:42:00.001-05:00

"Keep in mind that our community is not composed of those who are already saints, but of those who are trying to become saints. Therefore, let us be extremely patient with each other's faults and failures."

—Mother Teresa of Calcutta

Brendan and The Invitation

2011-12-09T07:25:00.001-05:00

I had seen this poem a few weeks back and it was very very moving but also, even back then before he passed from this earth, it reminded me so much of Brendan.

To me this hits on what B knew to be the true measure of a man, a man's true worth and soul, and also reminded me of any conversation I had with him. He really did want to know these things about our inner desires and character and scoffed at the other petty ridiculous things in life that people love to talk about.

To me the "see Beauty" line was penned with his very own hand..

I hope you can read it all and enjoy it.

If the spirit of Brendan does not lift you up and grab you during this I would be amazed. ;)

God bless and Stay Strong..

The Invitation by Oriah

It doesn't interest me what you do for a living. I want to know what you ache for and if you dare to dream of meeting your heart's longing.

It doesn't interest me how old you are. I want to know if you will risk looking like a fool for love for your dream for the adventure of being alive.

It doesn't interest me what planets are squaring your moon... I want to know if you have touched the centre of your own sorrow if you have been opened by life's betrayals or have become shrivelled and closed from fear of further pain.

I want to know if you can sit with pain,mine or your own, without moving to hide it or fade it or fix it.

I want to know if you can be with joy, mine or your own, if you can dance with wildness and let the ecstasy fill you to the tips of your fingers and toes without cautioning us to be careful to be realistic to remember the limitations of being human.

It doesn't interest me if the story you are telling me is true. I want to know if you can disappoint another to be true to yourself.

If you can bear the accusation of betrayal and not betray your own soul.

If you can be faithless and therefore trustworthy.

I want to know if you can see Beauty even when it is not pretty every day. And if you can source your own life from its presence.

I want to know if you can live with failure yours and mine and still stand at the edge of the lake and shout to the silver of the full moon, "Yes."

It doesn't interest me to know where you live or how much money you have. I want to know if you can get up after the night of grief and despair weary and bruised to the bone and do what needs to be done to feed the children.

It doesn't interest me who you know or how you came to be here. I want to know if you will stand in the centre of the fire with me and not shrink back.

It doesn't interest me where or what or with whom you have studied. I want to know what sustains you from the inside when all else falls away.

I want to know if you can be alone with yourself and if you truly like the company you keep in the empty moments.

Kindness is all that matters

2011-12-09T06:52:00.003-05:00

"What do we live for, if it is not to make life less difficult for each other?"
- George Eliot

Immaculate Conception

2011-12-08T19:42:00.001-05:00

An amazing event celebrated today and an enduring and shining example of following the Lord's Will even when it does not make sense in our earthly world!

Say one Hail Mary.

God Bless and Stay Strong!

Lessons learned from Brendan O'Toole

2011-12-06T11:59:00.002-05:00

Sorry for such a long post, but you cannot write about someone like Brendan O'Toole in a few simple paragraphs. ;).

It may be best to read in installments if at all... Lol...

Wow!! What an emotional roller-coaster of a week to say the least.
Brendan's sudden and tragic departure from this earth hit me like a ton of bricks across the nose and although I loved and cared for Brendan, I could not lay claim to being as intimately close to him as obviously his immediate family and close friends were.

Still, the news of his death still reverberates into my very core. I am still besieged with feelings of profound sadness, regret, anger, confusion, helplessness, hopelessness, despair, hope, love, and inspiration!!

All at once at times, and independently during the day at other times. It is chaotic and surreal.

My feelings today are much like what having a deep conversation with Brendan brought forth in me, and many others it appears. It ran the gamut of emotions and as I believe his brother Tim remarked to the effect, a conversation with Brendan was so comprehensive, so intense, it left you exhausted but totally fulfilled. His energy could not be matched, his passion could not be surpassed! You never left a conversation with Bren wanting or needing more at that time.

But, sadly, we all surely want more now.

Spending time with Brendan was entertaining, amusing, and fun but above all, it was always educational.

His depth of knowledge on so many topics was dizzying and this encyclopedic intellect, combined with his raw passion and his pure love of living made for a rare, unique and tremendous human being and soul!

He touched so many lives, so many people, and truly helped people by saving lives.

He was trained as an EMT, but amazingly he saved more lives as a Pedicab transportation engineer and through his leadership and compassion displayed with his brethren at Midnight Madness, than he did in an ambulance.

He was truly doing God's work on the tough, mean streets of Manhattan on a daily basis and there are undoubtedly thousands of souls touched by his energy and compassion that we will never have the joy of hearing about.

And maybe that is for the best, at least it is the way Brendan would probably prefer it to be.

People who may or may not have even known his name but were surely, as all who met him were, swept up in the BTO vortex of positive energy and passion and inspiration as he yelled out their name, pumped his fist, stopped to chat and listen to them, or helped them with whatever they were doing.

The coffee or bagel guy, local shopkeepers, street vendors, politicians - no one was immune or escaped his humor, wit, and energy field! And no one forgot him!

Tireless, endless, passionate work helping others in need, not for the praise or glory, but because it was the right thing to do - and he just did it quietly, anonymously, and with nothing but the goal of making others' lives better.

Is there a better example of what my son Thomas said of his Uncle Brendan through sobs upon hearing how he was mistreated at the hospital when he crawled into the waiting room - "Brendan is like a modern day Jesus"... High praise from the mouth of babes.

And as we hear more and more from the people who worked and saw him on a daily basis, he truly was a modern day Jesus and Mother Teresa and Saint Theresa wrapped into one ball of love, passion, fury and energy!!!

He gave and gave and gave, helped ALL in need regardless of who they were or what they needed, all because of his tremendously huge heart and because he knew to do the right thing!

He could not do otherwise!!

As long as I knew him, Brendan was always a "blow in and blow out" type of guy. He was always heading somewhere or just coming from something and despite this lifestyle, as Tiffany said, you never questioned his presence and his place in the family. You always knew he stood ready to jump to your assistance at the drop of a hat! He had all of our backs...continuously!

As he displayed with our niece Fallon when he would either sneak in or talk his way into the hospital after a night of work to stay overnight with her and Lizzy in those darkest hours of her illness - a steady rock of support and love in the toughest times was what we all came to know and expect of Brendan.

You did not need to see him daily to have 100% confidence that when someone - anyone - needed help or assistance or defense that Brendan would be the first on the scene, throwing the full brunt of his passion and compassion into the solution and leading the charge!

This was a given and an irrefutable fact.

I consider myself blessed to have known Brendan and to be a part of his family. As with the entire family, just being around them makes you a better human being.

One cannot help but be shown what it means to be a caring, giving, and passionate soul by living near and with every member of the O'Toole family. It is a privilege and a wonderful gift to be anywhere near their love and support network.

Brendan led that charge as well. As we heard from his co-workers and friends this week, his capacity for kindness and compassion was boundless and he was truly his father's son.

Listening to the stories from the people he helped ("Brendan truly saved my life") it was like deja vu all over again from his Dad, Tom O'Toole's, wake and funeral.

Brendan, your Dad would have been bursting with pride if he lived to see what you accomplished with your life, the enormous impact you had on people's lives, the unconditional love you showered on your son, Jonah, and the tireless work ethic you displayed on a daily basis. All without losing sight of what truly matters in life.

Any dad would be thrilled to hear his son describe what their dad meant to them as eloquently as Jonah did about his father, Brendan. It was an amazing and accurate tribute to a great man and summed up what made B so special....no judgments and unconditional love.

So as I attempt to go back to a semblance of normalcy and fight through the fog of emotions that his passing has caused in all of us, I reflect on what lessons we can take from Brendan's way too short life here on earth.

1. Never give up on anyone. He never did and as Jonah said, he would see what was special in you and work with you, regardless of your shortfalls.

2. There are second chances for everyone. No matter what path you start down, or how far we stray from "normal", there are always second and third and fourth chances to get to where we are destined to be. Brendan had amazing courage, willpower, and guts to do all he did in his 55 years and as my daughter Teaghan quoted, he lived 5 lives in his 55 years on this planet. His last 12 years especially were an example for everyone as to the way a real man conducts himself, for his family, his beloved, and his fellow human beings!! Brendan nailed it and then some!!

3. None of the crap we use to measure our worth as humans matters at all! You hear it consistently but does it ever really sink in? Who can look past societal norms and not let themselves be caught up on the chase for material wealth? "What does it profit a man to gain the whole world yet lose his soul?" Brendan had the courage and heart to do just that!! He lived simply, with only a few material wants (his blue convertible) and understood exactly what should be valued, what the measure of a man truly is by the standards that really count, and showed us all how very off base we are in that regard! Few people including myself, even if I won the lottery, could ever be as rich as Brendan was and this lesson should be a wake up call to us all!

4. As his brother, Robert "Bruce" O'Toole sang so perfectly at the funeral, "Read, Read, Read, and help all those in need". Brendan did both of these things tirelessly and was brilliant! How often do we have the opportunity to help a fellow human and sadly do not do it for whatever reason and whatever excuse? B did not make excuses, he JUST DID IT! Each and every time. He WAS the Good Samaritan on this earth!! How much strength, courage and selflessness did this man possess? All in anonymity, all for the sole benefit of those who needed help. How can any of us ever measure up to Brendan's standard? To me, it is like the difference between a mole hill and Mt Everest!

5. Do not take anyone for granted. Life is so fleeting and short! If you have to say something to someone, SAY IT!! Show the love now, let them know you value them and this earth would not be the same without them! Do not wait!! Do not put it off until tomorrow. Do it today, because tonight it may be too late to say it!!

6. No regrets! There can be no regrets. We all screw up and make mistakes. Dwelling on regret gets us nowhere at all. Instead, learn from the mistakes and fix the problem. Teach others to do the same. Life is a bizarre trip, and the real rules of this game are questionable and up for debate. Follow your heart and soul and do the right thing, with others as the focal recipients of our actions, and you cannot go wrong! Brendan embodied this approach!

7. You never know what your actions, however small and seemingly insignificant, do to others. People derive such strength and inspiration from our words and actions, so do not be afraid to share your thoughts with others and lead by example above all!!

Brendan will live on in our hearts and I am certain he will be a guiding force for us all going forward from his perch in Heaven!

Listen for him, speak to him, and above all follow his lead and example as to what a successful life truly means!!!

To me, he was by far the richest and most successful man I have ever known and I would be lucky to be 1/100000th as successful as Uncle B!!!

We all would!!

And that is my goal now!!!

We miss you and love you, Brendan. Fortunately for us your energy level and passion cannot be held back even from Heaven and we feel it today!!

You did indeed fight the good fight and you were the Champion in all of our hearts!!

Rest well!!! I will miss the sight of you rolling up on your bike and hearing your stories, opinions, and feeling that blast of positive inspiration and energy that blew in like a hurricane whenever you appeared!!

We have a lot of work to do here until we meet again!!!

But meet again we certainly shall and I hope by then you can be proud of what we carried forward from your example!

If not, I am sure you will let me know!!!! ;)

Love ya, B!
Uncle Doug

Love will heal all that hurts right now.....

2011-12-06T08:28:00.003-05:00

"Love is a fruit in season at all times, and within reach of every hand."

- Mother Teresa

Brendan Thomas O'Toole 1956-2011

2011-12-01T22:01:00.001-05:00

"There is a sacredness in tears. They are not the mark of weakness, but of power.
They speak more eloquently than 10,000 tongues.
They are the messengers of overwhelming grief, of deep contrition, and of unspeakable love."

- Washington Irving

In Memory of Brendan Thomas O'Toole

2011-11-28T06:57:00.000-05:00

"Happiness doesn't depend on any external conditions, it is governed by our mental attitude."
- Dale Carnegie

http://mcmahonfh.frontrunnerpro.com/runtime/70664/runtime.php?SiteId=70664&NavigatorId=269034&ItemId=1041865&op=tributeObituary&viewOpt=dpaneOnly

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

2011-11-24T07:19:00.001-05:00

"Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more.

It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity.

It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend.

Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow."
- Melody Beattie

Happy Thanksgiving to all!!!! Please take the time today to focus on all the blessings and good in our lives. Despite the trials and challenges all of us face, we all have so much to be grateful for today and should really, sincerely, give thanks for it all!!!

God Bless and Stay Strong!

Appreciation

2011-11-22T14:54:00.001-05:00

"Appreciate again and again, freshly and naively, the basic goods of life, with awe, pleasure, wonder and even ecstasy, however stale these experiences may have become to others."
- Abraham Maslow

We cannot do it alone.....

2011-11-21T17:51:00.001-05:00

"Just as the wave cannot exist for itself, but is ever a part of the heaving surface of the ocean, so must I never live my life for itself, but always in the experience which is going on around me."

- Albert Schweitzer

Happy Monday!!! Inner Peace ....preserve it!!

2011-11-21T08:11:00.001-05:00

"Never be in a hurry; do everything quietly and in a calm spirit.

Do not lose your inner peace for anything whatsoever, even if your whole world seems upset."

- Saint Francis de Sales

Do not let a rainy Monday get you down today!! We control our moods, not the cliche of days of the week!

It takes practice but it can be accomplished by ANYONE regardless of who we are....it is our mind that must be mastered, not the rest of the world!

Start today by focusing ONLY on your blessings and what you are striving to accomplish in this life!!!

Forget the past, focus on solutions to your current problems, put them in perspective to the rest of the world, and remember that no matter how alone you feel, you are NEVER ALONE!!!

Pray for guidance and strength! Help others as much as you can, especially when you don't feel like it.....this is the path to inner Peace!!!

Stay Strong!!!

Thomas O'Toole. 11/18/1996

2011-11-18T08:44:00.001-05:00

Today is the 15th death anniversary of a Great man, Thomas O'Toole.

Here was a man who truly lived life to its fullest, in service to others and constantly spending his time making others feel good, joyous and special!

He is truly missed by all who knew him or had the good fortune to have had him in their lives. I am sure his work is still being carried on in Heaven and that is a blessing for all of us!

God Bless and Rest in Peace Mr .OT.

No man is an Island - Thomas Merton

2011-11-17T12:34:00.001-05:00

Just now a friend of mine handed me a passage he thought I would appreciate, and I sure do. Enjoy and take it to heart as it carries much truth and food for thought!!

"Why do we spend our lives striving to be something that we would never want to be, if only we knew what we wanted?

Why do we waste our time doing things, which, if we only stopped to think about them, are just the opposite of what we are made for?

We cannot be ourselves until we know ourselves. But self-knowledge is impossible when thoughtless and automatic activity keeps our souls in confusion.

In order to know ourselves it is not necessary to cease all activity in order to think about ourselves. That would be useless, and would probably do most of us a great deal of harm.

But we have to cut down our activity to the point where we can think calmly and reasonably about our actions.

We cannot begin to know ourselves until we see the REAL reasons we do the things we do, and cannot be ourselves until our actions correspond to our intentions, and our intentions are appropriate to our own situation.

But that is enough.

It is not necessary that we succeed in everything.

A man can be perfect and still reap no fruit from his work, and it may happen that a man who is able to accomplish very little is much more of a person than another who seems to accomplish very much."

Keep up the good fight!!!

2011-11-16T12:28:00.001-05:00

For those of us in the midst of battles, challenges, trials and periods of doubt, despair or strife, perhaps this may help us today, to get back up and keep up the good fight for Peace and Joy:

Finding the Strength

"O, Mighty Lord, I pray that you will be my shield as I do battle against ignorance, cruelty and injustice.

Through your unending love, I pray that you will grant me goodness and steadfastness, so that I might lead others to do your will and glorify your name.

Amen"

Stay Strong!!!

For those in need of a little Strength today!!

2011-11-15T10:18:00.001-05:00

St Terese, the Little Flower, is always ready and willing to lend strength of Spirit and hope to all who seek it from her!

All you need to do is ask!!

Stay Strong!

All we need is within!!!

2011-11-14T08:11:00.001-05:00

"The resources we need to turn our dreams into reality are within us, merely waiting for the day when we decide to wake up and claim our birthright."
- Anthony Robbins

We all have a purpose and reason for being here on this earth and it is our DUTY to explore and search and discover exactly what that purpose is!!!

We all have gifts and talents given by God that the world needs to see so today, start BELIEVING in ourselves today and go after that dream!!

Do not second guess, do not hesitate, act as if what you seek and desire HAS ALREADY HAPPENED! and lo and behold it will occur!!!

Stay Strong!!

Happy Sunday!!

2011-11-13T14:14:00.001-05:00

Nothing like taking a quiet moment on a beautiful Sunday to reflect and seek guidance from a higher authority and give thanks for all of our many many blessings!

"We feel secure even in trials, knowing that trials produce patience, from patience comes merit, merit is the source of hope, and hope does not disappoint us because the Holy Spirit has been given to us, pouring into our hearts the love of God."

--Romans 5:3-5

Compassionate God.
Send the Power of yourHoly Spirit upon us.
Give us STRENGTH to walk in the footsteps of Jesus.
Let not the trials or difficulties of life discourage us from following His Gospel.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, Who lives and reigns with the Holy Spirit.
One God forever and ever.
Amen.

Stay Strong!!

Do What You Love and Love What You Do

2011-11-12T14:49:00.001-05:00

"Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful."
- Albert Schweitzer

"People rarely succeed unless they have fun in what they are doing."
- Dale Carnegie

"Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life." - Confucius

If you hate your job, you aren't going to please your boss or your customers, so you aren't going to succeed in the long run.

In a perfect world, each of us would have a job doing what we most enjoy doing - for example writing or testing video games if that is what you love.

At the very least, choose a career that matches your strongest preferences and abilities.

If you hate dealing with complaints, don't work in customer service. If you want some room to be innovative, choose a smaller company. If you love being outdoors and working with your hands, don't confine yourself with a desk job.

Be flexible, but remember that you won't be successful in a job you hate, and more important, you will have spent your life in unnecessary misery.

Great advice!!!! Act on it and Stay Strong!!!

Human nature but completely avoidable...

2011-11-11T22:02:00.000-05:00

"These roses under my window make no reference to former roses or to better ones; they are for what they are;

They exist with God today.

There is no time for them. There is simply the rose; it is perfect in every moment of its existence.

But man postpones or remembers;
he does not live in the present, but with reverted eye laments the past, or heedless of the riches that surround him, stands on tiptoe to forsee the future.

He cannot be happy and strong until he too lives with nature in the present, above time."

―Ralph Waldo Emerson: "Essays and Lectures"

Do not Quit!! Do not Surrender!!

2011-11-08T10:25:00.001-05:00

We all have our daily battles to fight in our lives.

No one escapes this fact, no matter your lot in life, your situation, or your circumstances.

From the very Richest people to the most impoverished, we all have our crosses to bear on a daily basis.

Granted, they are often different concerns and worries, but they are challenges, fears, unrest and loneliness nonetheless.

We all possess the POWER and STRENGTH inside of us to not only face these hourly battles, but to defeat and overcome anything life throws us!

A critical step in this is to put your challenge in perspective!!

To every one of us, our own problems are Mountainous!!! Often there does not appear to be anything more important going on in the world!!!

And sometimes we do have challenges and trials that large and overwhelming!

However, if we truly size up the trials and problems we struggle with daily and put them into a range of true urgency and importance, we will probably find that we are more often than not making a mountain out of a mole hill!

Try and look at the big picture when faced with a trial and place a level on it if that helps!

Rely on the faith you have in whomever you choose to put your faith in and reflect, pray and believe that a solution will surface - and it will.

Excessive worry and fear brought on by our ranking every issue we face as "critical" serves no purpose to anyone but to create more worry and fear, and distraction from the true solution and course of action!!

You are never alone in this world!

Even the birds and insects find a way to live and survive!!!

Ask for help! Ask for guidance!

You will be answered!

Replace Fear with Faith and Hope and Love!!!

There is no challenge we face that cannot be dealt with and a solution found if we believe and receive guidance!!

Pray for others who may be down on their knees with worry and fear, ask that they may find strength and hope and a solution to whatever ails them!

Stay Strong and never ever give up!!!

Sage Advice on becoming worry free!

2011-11-08T08:41:00.001-05:00

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 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."

-Og Mandino

The Bright side of any situation...

2011-11-07T17:40:00.001-05:00

"There are people who make the worst of everything. I always see the good side of things, and even if my portion be suffering, without a glimmer of solace, well, I make it my joy."

--St Therese de Lisieux

Happy Sunday!! No matter the darkness, there is always Hope!

2011-11-06T09:34:00.000-05:00

"Become a possibilitarian.

No matter how dark things seem to be or actually are, raise your sights and see possibilities --
always see them, for they're always there."

~ Dr. Norman Vincent Peale

What will you shoot for today?

2011-11-05T09:34:00.001-04:00

"Let me today do something that shall take A little sadness from the world's vast store,

And may I be so favoured as to make Of joy's too scanty sum a little more

Let me not hurt, by any selfish deed
Or thoughtless word, the heart of foe or friend;

Nor would I pass, unseeing, worthy need, Or sin by silence when I should defend.

However meagre be my worldly wealth,Let me give something that shall aid my kind -

A word of courage, or a thought of health, Dropped as I pass for troubled hearts to find.

Let me to-night look back across the span'Twixt dawn and dark, and to my conscience say -

Because of some good act to beast or man -

"The world is better that I lived to-day."

- Ella Wheeler Wilcox
"Morning Prayer"

The Little Flower

2011-11-05T09:23:00.001-04:00

"I am a spring flower which the Divine Master culls for His pleasure.

We are all flowers, planted on this earth, and God will gather us in His own good time--some sooner, some later...

I, little flower of one day, am the first to be gathered! But we shall meet again in Paradise, where lasting joy will be our portion."

----Sister Teresa of the Child Jesus, using the words of the angelic martyr-- Theophane Venard

Perspective on life's trials and daily challenges

2011-11-04T09:17:00.001-04:00

"The souls that are most dear to My Father," Our Lord once said to Saint Teresa, "are those He tries the most, and the greatness of their trials is the measure of His love."

-The Story of a Soul (L'histoire d'une Ame): The Autobiography of Saint Therese de Lisieux, 1873-1897

Happy Friday All!!

2011-11-04T08:19:00.001-04:00

"What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us."

--Ralph Waldo Emerson

A poem worth reading in it's entirety...and with something for everybody today!

2011-11-03T08:50:00.001-04:00

"If you can keep your head when all about you Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;

If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you, But make allowance for their doubting too:

If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,

Or, being lied about, don't deal in lies, Or being hated don't give way to hating,

And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise;

If you can dream, and not make dreams your master;

If you can think, and not make thoughts your aim,

If you can meet with triumph and disaster And treat those two impostors just the same:

If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,

Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken, And stoop and build'em up with worn-out tools;

If you can make one heap of all your winnings And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss, And lose, and start again at your beginnings,
And never breathe a word about your loss:

If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew To serve your turn long after they are gone,

And so hold on when there is nothing in you Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on!"

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue, Or walk with kings, nor lose the common touch,

If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,

If all men count with you, but none too much:

If you can fill the unforgiving minute With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,

Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,

And—which is more—you'll be a Man, my son!"

-- "If"
Rudyard Kipling

Stay Strong

All Souls Day

2011-11-02T18:23:00.001-04:00

Today, remember all who have gone before us.

Stay Strong

Await and Receive Guidance

2011-11-02T08:37:00.001-04:00

"You can't live a perfect day without doing something for someone who will never be able to repay you."

- John Wooden

What truly matters?

2011-10-29T15:19:00.001-04:00

"It doesn't interest me what you do for a living.

I want to know what you ache for and if you dare to dream of meeting your heart's longing."

- Oriah

Feast of St. Jude today

2011-10-28T13:08:00.002-04:00

Please remember the Feast of St. Jude today.

There are so many in our very midst in need of spiritual hope and strength, some just to get out of bed in the morning.

Please offer a prayer to St. Jude today and every day for all of us in need of his holy intervention for our specific trials and challenges.

Especially pray for Jim Griffin to beat his challenge and for an unnamed gentleman in need of a job and facing foreclosure on his home - as well as any others in need of St. Jude's intervention in their desperate and hopeless cases!

His Novena has NEVER been known to fail!

Novena To St. Jude

Most holy Apostle, St. Jude, faithful servant and friend of Jesus, the Church honors and invokes you universally, as the patron of difficult cases, of things almost despaired of, Pray for me, I am so helpless and alone.

Intercede with God for me that He bring visible and speedy help where help is almost despaired of. Come to my assistance in this great need that I may receive the consolation and help of heaven in all my necessities, tribulations, and sufferings, particularly -

(make your request here)

- and that I may praise God with you and all the saints forever. I promise, O Blessed St. Jude, to be ever mindful of this great favor granted me by God and to always honor you as my special and powerful patron, and to gratefully encourage devotion to you.
Amen

PRAYER

May the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus be adored, and loved in all the tabernacles until the end of time. Amen.

May the most Sacred Heart of Jesus be praised and glorified now and forever. Amen

St. Jude pray for us and hear our prayers. Amen.

Blessed be the Sacred Heart of Jesus

Blessed be the Immaculate Heart of Mary

Blessed be St. Jude Thaddeus, in all the world and for all Eternity.

(say this prayer, followed by the Our Father and the Hail Mary)

Stay Strong and Thank you St Jude as always for your consideration and guidance daily.

Give Thanks for all that we take for granted!

2011-10-27T09:27:00.001-04:00

"The roots of all goodness lie in the soil of appreciation for goodness."

-Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama

Where is Joy found?

2011-10-26T17:25:00.001-04:00

"I realised thoroughly that Joy is not found in the things which surround us , but joy lives in the soul.

One could possess it as well in an obscure prison as in the palace of a king.

And so now I am happier here at the Carmel, in the midst of trials within and without, than I was in the world where I had everything I wanted, and above all else, all the joys of a happy home."

- St. Therese de Lisieux, The Little Flower

Need help? Help others!!!!

2011-10-25T12:04:00.001-04:00

"As we work to create light for others, we naturally light our own way."

-Mary Anne Radmacher

At the impromptu suggestion of my wife on her Dad's death anniversary, I took up reading a book called The Story of a Soul -The autobiography of Saint Therese de Lisieux.

The book is a compilation of writings from Saint Therese to her "mother" from her early years and it is an amazing look into a life given over to Jesus, service, and charity from an amazingly early age.

In her writings, she recalls details of her childhood and revelations about her growth that are inspirational and leave no doubt as to her "calling".

She too put he needs of others first as a means to escape any trials in her early years, and she had many trials from age 4 to 14 to deal with indeed.

It is a great lesson for us all and one the continually endures!

Stay Strong

Arthur Prochnow. Rest in Peace

2011-10-25T09:34:00.001-04:00

Please set aside a few moments today to say a prayer of strength and faith for my good friend Eliane who lost her Dad in Brazil last night.

Arthur Prochnow fought a long and courageous battle with his illness and endured many trials in his later years. There is no question he has received his just reward in Heaven today and the suffering and pain has vanished. He is home now and in eternal peace.

Please pray for strength and faith for his family left here with us as they face the next challenging months of adjustment.

Elaine wrote this passage with her Dad in mind:

"The words of Jesus during His last days on earth vividly express His desire to go "back to the Father" (John 16:28). We, as His people, also have a vision of something far beyond the difficulties and disappointments of this life and are traveling toward fulfillment, completion, and an enriched life.

We too are going "to the Father".

Much of our new home is still unclear to us, but two things are certain: our "Father´s house" (John 14:2) is our home.

And it is in the presence of the Lord. As believers, we know and understand that we are all travelers and not permanent residents of this world."

--R. C. Gillie.

Stay Strong!

Count your Blessings!! And there are many!!

2011-10-24T17:51:00.001-04:00

I received this from my brother-in -law today. It came at the exact perfect time and it changed my day immediately and dramatically! Thanks, Tim!

Enjoy, please do yourself a favor and act on this, and Stay Strong!!!

"To realize The value of a sister/brother: Ask someone Who doesn't have one.

To realize The value of ten years: Ask a newly Divorced couple.

To realize The value of four years: Ask a graduate.

To realize The value of one year: Ask a student who Has failed a final exam.

To realize The value of nine months: Ask a mother who gave birth to a stillborn.

To realize The value of one month: Ask a mother Who has given birth to a premature baby

To realize The value of one week: Ask an editor of a weekly newspaper.

To realize The value of one minute: Ask a person Who has missed the train, bus or plane.

To realize The value of one second: Ask a person Who has survived an accident.

To realize the value of a friend or family member: LOSE ONE

Time waits for no one.

Treasure every moment you have.

You will treasure it even more when You can share it with someone special."

The origin of this letter is unknown, But it brings good luck to everyone who passes it on.

Remember.... Hold on tight to the ones you love!

Do not keep this letter. Send it to friends & family to whom you wish good fortune. And don't forget the one who sent it to you!

What will you leave behind???

2011-10-24T09:36:00.001-04:00

"Remember that when you leave this earth, you can take with you nothing that you have received --only what you have given:

a full heart enriched by honest service, love, sacrifice and courage."
~ St. Francis of Assisi

Give thanks today....for so much....

2011-10-23T13:44:00.001-04:00

"I thank you God for this most amazing day, for the leaping greenly spirits of trees and for the blue dream of sky and for everything which is natural, which is infinite, which is yes."
-e. e. cummings

Dare to Dream

2011-10-22T06:58:00.001-04:00

"Stand often in the company of dreamers. They believe you can achieve impossible things."

-Mary Anne Radmacher

Every day is a GIFT!!!

2011-10-21T12:15:00.001-04:00

"If, before going to bed every night, you will tear a page from the calendar, and remark, "there goes another day of my life, never to return," you will become time conscious."

~ A. B. Zu Tavern

Stay Enthusiastic!!! It is a lifetime gift we should not lose sight of!!

2011-10-20T08:25:00.001-04:00

"None are so old as those who have outlived enthusiasm."

-Henry David Thoreau

The Power of the Mind can change our lives!

2011-10-18T10:43:00.001-04:00

"There is great treasure there behind our skull and this is true about all of us. This little treasure has great, great powers, and I would say we only have learnt a very, very small part of what it can do."

~ Isaac Bashevis

I am reading a terrific book called simply Resurrection by Neville Goddard. It is truly a life altering book and one that everyone should read if they desire to obtain fulfillment, joy, and peace!!!

The power of our minds, attitudes, visualization and concept of self is extraordinary and we can tap into these powers to reach all of our goals!!

Order it today!

Also please keep the prayers coming for our good friend Jim!!!! He will beat this!!!

Stay Strong!!

Dream, Discover, Explore..No Regrets!!

2011-10-16T09:35:00.001-04:00

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do.
So throw off the bowlines.
Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover."

-Mark Twain

Hope and Faith

2011-10-15T11:49:00.001-04:00

"With every rising of the sun, Think of your life as just begun."

-Ella Wheeler Wilcox

Give Thanks, no matter your situation

2011-10-13T08:47:00.001-04:00

"If the only prayer you said in your whole life was, Thank you, that would suffice."

-Meister Eckhart

Too Big to Pray? Not really!

2011-10-11T13:52:00.001-04:00

"With realization of one's own potential and self-confidence in one's ability, one can build a better world."

-Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama

2011-10-10T10:55:00.001-04:00

"Leaders aren't born, they are made. And they are made just like anything else, through hard work. And that's the price we'll have to pay to achieve that goal, or any goal."

~ Vince Lombardi

Amazing Life Advice

2011-10-07T10:59:00.000-04:00

As we all know, Steve Jobs the co-founder of Apple and what many are calling the "Father of the 21st Century" passed away this week.

The sheer volume of articles, insights, tributes and farewells on light of his death is just amazing and he clearly effected millions of people's lifestyles with his vision and execution.

Of these tributes, one stood out to me.

I was sincerely impressed and moved by the commencement address he had given to Stanford graduates after he thought he had beaten cancer.

It is a speech everyone should read or watch as it seems to really come from his heart and it is filled with such sage advice, insight, and is extremely thought provoking and inspiring to boot.

It is difficult to pick one piece of advice to highlight after reviewing and reading all the great comments and words of guidance Steve dropped over the last 3 decades, but one of them really struck me and if he did follow his own advice, I respect him even more!

It is so true, but takes amazing courage and bravery to carry it out.
I for one am guilty of not acting on this advice and pray that one day that will change!

I encourage you to read or watch this amazing address at the below link and I hope you gain as much from it as I certainly did!

He certainly left us with more than Ipads and Iphones, he left us with a lot to ponder.....

Stay Strong!

"When I was 17, I read a quote that went something like: "If you live each day as if it was your last, someday you'll most certainly be right." It made an impression on me, and since then, for the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself:

"If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?" And whenever the answer has been "No" for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something." -Steve Jobs

http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/Print/754153.aspx

Edward J. Flaherty 1923-1998

2011-10-02T20:17:00.001-04:00

October 1st marked the 13th year since my Dad passed and continued his eternal journey beyond this earth.

He was truly a great man and a great father!

He is missed every single day but I am certain he is watching over all of us!

Stay Strong!! Miss you and love you, Dad!!