WORDS ARE POWERFUL -- HANDLE WITH CARE.

This line from a quote may come across as somewhat stern to some. But I think that's not the intention. It's more of real good sense, truthfully.

To quote:

"I am responsible only for what I say not for what you understand." - Unknown.

We never can read a person's mind, no matter how close that person is to us. The mind is a mystery and always will be. So is the heart.

So then when I say things or write my thoughts down, I do not expect listeners or readers to see it or understand it the way I may want it understood. Maybe some will and that's when I consider it such a blessing and appreciate it lots. But some won't or can't or will not. Still good because I respect the differences of our respective histories and nature. People are as different as the wide range of colors in the color spectrum. That simply makes it even more interesting. We may be looking at the same thing but you may be seeing apples where I see grapes -- or maybe you see some good where I can see only utter bad, and vice versa.

But I am responsible for what I say or write. I should be careful that whatever is said or written would not in any way be detrimental to another person's personal growth or well-being. Would not detract from the beauty of his god-given nature and soul. Would not diminish his self-worth. Would give credit where credit is due. Would seek more to understand individual differences and flaws. Would not feed his fears, doubts, frustrations, or even bias. But would allow for his greater potential and possibilities to shine through and out to the world. Better yet to help clear his way or nudge him gently along the path of his life journey, by God's design.

I see every person as my brother or sister -- as equals in this common journey we are taking in life. A travel companion regardless of gender, color, culture, creed or personal history.

It is a privilege and pleasure to travel this same road with you.
Blessings to you and your loved ones.

(A yellow rose, as been said, stands as a symbol of friendship. This is for you, lovely people in Christ. May I say thank you, too, for coming by my blog page every time.)

GOD AND YOUR PARTICIPATION EQUALS ANSWERED PRAYER

A good friend bemoans the fact that her earnest prayer hasn't been answered yet. I asked her how long... and she replied longgggg! And she added 'so what's wrong with God? doesn't he think my prayer worthy?' Whooah that's taking it too far.

Everything in life has its own allotted time and place and memory that would etch itself into life and living. (Something along that line which Ecclesiastes says so well.) There's no escaping that. Now you would ask me how that has something to do with her prayer. It's this. As hard as it may seem to understand how this works but strangely I think it works. (Believe me, I had some problems with that at the start but with the gifts of understanding and faith I have learned to see it now through the eyes of God.) Not always easy but it is worth trying for.

Time is what it's all about. Everything happens in its own time. The perfect time is not our time but that which God decides for you. And that time is when every factor of your life is in sync with the rest of the divine plan for your life. But He expects your participation in its granting.

You will get your dream but only after you have worked hard or honed your talent to deserve it when it comes.

You will get well but only after you have strengthened your faith and belief in the power of a God who heals. And further if you change bad habits detrimental to your well-being.

You will get your dream job but only after you have scoured all possible areas leading to it. And after you have kept up with the desire and persistence to land one.

You will find a good husband or wife but only after you have learned to love yourself first. Because how can you give something which you do not even have in full measure yourself? Be the person you want to see in others.

You will pass the important college exam but only after you have made yourself study hard and consistently have worked on good grades from day one. There are no short cuts to excellence.

You will overcome hurdles in whatever sphere of your life but only after you truly understand that it solely depends on you..... on your attitude towards life, on how you can understand that success or failure does work itself to make you come out even much better as a person. There is always something in either one that increases your worth and stature, it always adds up and not take away from you.

Your earnest prayers will be answered but only after you understand and understand all these very well ..... after all else has been considered --- after you have done your part --- after your faith has grown stronger with every moment that you prayed...... and when everything is in sync with His divine plan... you will have your prayer. Because God operates on the right timing ----- one that is especially right for YOU.

Oh yes, God sometimes makes exceptions... things called miracles. Blessedly wonderful things. Still it is good to ask from your simple humble human mind and heart with a faith that pleases a magnificent God so much more. Ending your prayer with 'Thy will be done here on earth as it is in heaven.'

BE THE GOOD THAT WE LOOK FOR OR WANT TO SEE IN PEOPLE AND IN THE WORLD

I believe the lines in the quote below. Though sometimes it's quite a challenge dealing with some rather odd and difficult character types. But I try to remember that basically people are good. That's how God made us all. So when I got this in my email this morning, I simply wanted to share it here.

Nope, we need not have to bother about those who make life miserable or mess things up big time. Well, maybe they could hurt us someway by intent or maybe not cos after all who can read their minds or hearts anyway ..... but they can hurt themselves even so much more than what they might have intended for someone. Because it is always true that 'what goes out ---- comes around.' It's one of the simple truths of life --- that the boomerangs of life can hit you where and when you least expect it. Things have a weird way of finally catching up with you. Everything that we do, good or bad, comes back to us in the same form it was created or intended. Maybe that's God's odd way of rewarding us and on the other hand punishing us too. That's some thought, don't you think?

But that isn't the whole point of my discourse here. Rather it is to say that we need to learn to refocus or set our aim on looking for the good in men and in life. We do know that there's enough bad or misery happening around us... we needn't add anymore to all that. Rather that we should make the choice to highlight the good, to promote it, to advertise it, to assert it, to believe it. More importantly..... to BE the good that we look for or want to see in people and in the world. It's been said and written about in many different ways by many before us... and will still be said by many more after we have gone. But the thought still remains........ to quote ----

"If you look for good, you'll find good.
If you look for bad, you'll find bad.
In life, you always find what you look for.
Only thing that matters is - what you choose to see."

- Unknown –

COUNT TIME WITH THE BEATINGS OF YOUR HEART WITH YOUR EYES ON YOUR DREAM

This got my attention this fine sunny morning.......

"Life is like having a cup of tea. You sit by the side of the window, Lift the cup and take a careless sip only to realize, Somebody forgot to put the sugar. Too lazy to go for it, you somehow struggle through the sugarless cup. Till you discover undissolved sugar crystal sitting at the bottom... That's LIFE... So move on and stir up your Life ......."
- (Unknown)

So I hope that wonderful quote will turn your attention to all the undissolved dreams sitting there in your heart. It's never too late to get it out up front of your life, begin even with tiny steps. Make it matter whatever it is you may think would feed those dreams. Little is big when the heart is in it.

Don't put up fences yourself; instead break down all those walls keeping you back from realizing your dream. If you have to do one painful task at a time, do it. Because nobody else will do it for you. And if you truly want it very much, nothing can ever stop you. Don't worry about time... Time is always there for anyone who knows how to handle it. Don't think that youth is enough excuse for not starting now. Neither should you think that old is. Grandma Moses did her famous paintings in her seventies. Age is just a number, as many have said, and it is. And even if perchance you don't get there to where you want to be... be comforted with the thought that you have worked towards a dream... for a dream... because of a dream. That you are luckier than some of us who don't even have a dream... or know what it is.

And when you enlist the help of the Big Guy up there, you can never lose. Don't count the days with time; count it with the beatings of your heart with your eyes on your dream. I am :-)

Blessings to you all! :-)

LIGHT TRUMPS DARKNESS EVERYTIME

Came across this quote: "There's always going to be bad stuff out there. But here's the amazing thing -- light trumps darkness, every time. You stick a candle into the dark, but you can't stick the dark into the light." -- Jodi Picoult

Exactly! Some friends I know curse the darkness with their hearts, hating everything bad that's happened to their lives. I don't blame them. It's hard enough having to go through misery to have to sing along through it. Easier said than done.

But I do know one thing... that bad is just as real as good. That it too has its own place and time in our lives. Yes, nothing beneficial derived from it. Well, that seems to be the general perception. But you know what, when you have gone through so much you come to this new understanding that it's temporary... that it's weakness is its own nature. Meaning that bad is strong as it is also weak. Weak in the sense that you can pierce through its darkness with the right tools.

And what are these tools? Easy. We do it everytime. The tools of hope, love, trust, faith, strength and courage, knowledge and understanding, and the belief that it too will pass... just like everything else in life does. It's fleeting - temporary - impermanent - transient - and that it has no defense against the good that could and would permeate it.

And it has no armor to shield itself against a person's willingness to learn from it. So thus it will be tossed and turned, beaten blue, shaken and rolled around, and squeezed tight until the lessons are extracted from it.

Neither can it revel in the mistakes it pounds upon a person because a person who sees clearly with the eyes of God is enabled to see mistakes as friends and not as enemies. We learn from mistakes.

Good and bad. Yin and Yang. Darkness and light. Each have their uses. But truly 'light trumps darkness everytime'.

Have a pleasant and blessed weekend, everyone! Blessings!

(Photo courtesy PDPhoto.org)