Test is a Taste of God

Sathya Sai Baba in ‘My Dear Students’, Vol 3, Ch 3, Jun 30, 1996

One Sankaranti day, Rukmini, Sathyabhama, Jambavati, Gopikas, and Draupadi among others were with Lord Krishna, joyously munching sugarcane.

Krishna, in order to test them, pretended as if His finger was cut. God always tests His devotees. Test is nothing but a taste of God. If the devotee is successful in the test, he/she receives God’s bounteous Grace. 

God does not conduct tests as a sign of hatred or enmity; He always does it out of intense love and compassion. 

As soon as Krishna’s finger was cut, it started bleeding. 

Sathyabhama asked a servant to quickly get a piece of cloth. 

Rukmini ran herself. 

Draupadi saw this and immediately tore a piece of her own sari and tied it to Lord Krishna’s thumb to stop the bleeding.

Witnessing this, Rukmini and Sathyabama were ashamed that their love and actions did not match Draupadi’s love. 

Later Lord Krishna showered infinite grace when Draupadi needed it the most.

image curtsy: commons.wikimedia.org

The Ripple Effect

The Master was walking through the fields one day when a young man, a troubled look upon his face, approached him.

"On such a beautiful day, it must be difficult to stay so serious," the Master said.

"Is it? I hadn't noticed," the young man said, turning to look around and notice his surroundings. His eyes scanned the landscape, but nothing seemed to register; his mind elsewhere.

Watching intently, the Master continued to walk. "Join me if you like." The Master walked to the edge of a still pond, framed by sycamore trees, their leaves golden orange and about to fall. "Please sit down," the Master invited, patting the ground next to him. Looking carefully before sitting, the young man brushed the ground to clear a space for himself.

"Now, find a small stone, please," the Master instructed.

"What?"

"A stone. Please find a small stone and throw it in the pond." Searching around him, the young man grabbed a pebble and threw it as far as he could.

"Tell me what you see," the Master instructed. Straining his eyes to not miss a single detail, the man looked at the water's surface.

"I see ripples."

"Where did the ripples come from?"

"From the pebble I threw in the pond, Master."

"Please reach your hand into the water and stop the ripples," the Master asked. Not understanding, the young man stuck his hand in the water as a ripple neared, only to cause more ripples. The young man was now completely baffled. Where was this going? Had he made a mistake in seeking out the Master? After all he was not a student, perhaps he could not be helped? Puzzled, the young man waited.

"Were you able to stop the ripples with your hands?" the Master asked.

"No, of course not."

"Could you have stopped the ripples, then?"

"No, Master. I told you I only caused more ripples."

"What if you had stopped the pebble from entering the water to begin with?" The Master smiled such a beautiful smile; the young man could not be upset.

"Next time you are unhappy with your life, catch the stone before it hits the water. Do not spend time trying to undo what you have done. Rather, change what you are going to do before you do it. Take the responsibility for living your own life. No one else can do that for you."

The Master looked kindly upon the young man.

We hold on to so many things that cause us a great deal of pain, stress and suffering and instead of letting them all go and allowing ourselves to be stress-free and happy, we cling on to them. Its best to give up on our need to blame others for what we have or don't have, for what we feel or don't feel, stop giving our powers away and start taking responsibility for our life.

The Tea-cup

Found at http://www.inspirationalarchive.com/1692/the-tea-cup/#ixzz20kxOcdOY

There was a couple who used to go England to shop in the beautiful store. This was their 25th wedding anniversary. They both liked antiques and pottery and especially tea-cups. They said,”May we see that? We’ve never seen one quite so beautiful.”

As the lady handed it to them,suddenly the tea-cup spoke, “You don’t understand.” It said, “I have not always been a tea-cup.There was a time when I was red clay. My master took me and rolled me and patted me over and over and I yelled out, “Let me alone,” but he only smiled, “Not yet!!”

“Then I was placed on a spinning wheel and suddenly I was spun around and around and around. ‘Stop it !! I’m getting dizzy!’ I screamed. But the master only nodded and said, ‘Not yet.’

Then he put me in the oven. I never felt such heat. I yelled and knocked at the door. I could see him through the opening and I could read his lips as he shook hid head, ‘Not yet’.

“Finally, the door opened, he put me on the shelf, and I began to cool. And he brushed and painted me all over. The fumes were horrible. I thought I would gag. ‘Stop it, Stop it!!’ I cried. He only nodded, ‘Not yet!’.

Then suddenly he put me back in to the oven, not like the first one. This was twice as hot and I knew I would suffocate. I begged. I pleaded. I screamed. I cried. I would never make it. I was ready to give up. But the door opened and he took me out and placed me on the shelf.

An hour later he handed me a mirror and said ‘Look at yourself.’ And I did. I said, ‘That’s not me; that couldn’t be me. It’s beautiful. I’m beautiful.’

“I want you to remember, then,’ he said, ‘I know it hurts to be rolled and patted, but if I just had left you alone, you’d have dried up. I know it made you dizzy to spin around on the wheel, but if I had stopped, you would have crumbled. I know it hurts and it was hot and disagreeable in the oven, but if I hadn’t put you there, you would have cracked. I know the fumes were bad when I brushed and painted you all over, but if I hadn’t done that, you never would have hardened. You would not have had any colour in your life, and if I hadn’t put you back in that second oven, you wouldn’t survive for long because the hardness would not have held. Now you are a finished product. You are what I had in mind when I first began with you.” God knows what He’s doing [ for all of us ]. He is the potter, and we are His clay. He will mould us and make us, so that we may be made into a flawless piece of work to fulfill His good, pleasing and perfect will.

Brotherhood

Unknown Author

Ram received an automobile from his brother as Birthday present. One day when Ram came out of his office, he saw a street urchin was walking around the shiny new car, admiring it.

“Is this your car?” – He asked.

Ram nodded, “My brother presented me on my birthday.”

The boy was astounded. “You mean your brother gave it to you and it didn’t cost you nothing? Boy, I wish…” – He hesitated.

Of course Ram knew what he was going to wish for. He was going to wish he had a brother like his brother but what the lad said jerked Ram all the way down to his heels.

“I wish,” the boy went on, “that I could be a brother like that.”

Ram looked at the boy in astonishment, and then impulsively he added, “Would you like to take a ride in my automobile?”

“Oh yes, I’d love that.”

After a short ride, the boy turned and with his eyes aglow, said, “Would you mind driving in front of my house?”

Ram smiled a little. He thought he knew what the lad wanted. He wanted to show his neighbors that he could ride home in a big automobile.

But Ram was wrong again.

“Will you stop where those two steps are?” The boy asked. He ran up the steps. Then in a little while Ram heard him coming back, but he was not coming fast. He was carrying his little crippled brother. He sat him down on the bottom step, then sort of squeezed up against him and pointed to the car.

“There he is, brother. Like I told you upstairs, his brother gave it to him and it didn’t cost him a penny. Some day I’m going to give you one just like it then you can see for yourself all the pretty things in the shop windows that I’ve been trying to tell you about.”

Ram got out and lifted the crippled boy to the front seat of his car. The shining-eyed older brother climbed in beside him and the three of them began a memorable ride.

Bhagwad Gita

In short..........Bhagawad Gita is for ALL 

An Important Word to Learn

- By Steve Goodier www.LifeSupportSystem.com

An office reports that they have an answering machine that instructs callers to leave their name and address, and to spell any difficult words.

Early one Monday when an assistant was reviewing weekend messages, she heard an enthusiastic woman recite her name and address and then confidently say, "My difficult word is reconciliation. R-E-C-O-N-C-I-L-I-A-T-I-O-N."

Everyone's a comic. (And I love that.) But in another sense, reconciliation IS a difficult word. If not difficult to spell, then difficult to carry out. But it's also an important word.

When my son was eleven years old he came home from school in tears one day. A couple of the older kids had bullied him at the bus stop.

We soon learned that tension had been brewing for some time. For several days there had been taunts, then pushing and shoving. And now the conflict escalated to fists. Rob wanted to stay home from school so he wouldn't have to confront the boys in the future.

We called the school and found great support. "We'll be happy to call the boys' parents," we were told. "And you should call the police."

"We don't know what we will do yet," I said. I felt that calling the police was a resort to be used when everything else failed, and I wanted first to consider other ways of handling the situation. I asked him to hold off calling the boy's parents.

The next day was Saturday. Rob happened to look out the window and said in alarm, "There are the boys who beat me up!" Two older boys were standing in front of our house, as if they were waiting for Rob to step outside.

I immediately began to think of what I wanted to say to them, but my wife Bev, a natural peacemaker, acted first. She opened the door and said with a smile, "Hi guys. Would you like some ice cream?"

They looked at each other in puzzlement. But they were teenagers, after all, so they shrugged their shoulders and one of them said, "Sure. Why not?"

They followed her indoors and Bev promptly introduced herself, Rob's younger brothers and me. She even introduced Rusty the dog. "And I think you already know Rob," she said, pointing to our son. Her idea was to help them to see that Rob was a person, not a target. He had a family; he lived in a neighborhood and even owned a family pet.

Bev drew the boys into conversation while we ate ice cream. After a few minutes, she said, "I know there's been some trouble at the bus stop. I think there may be a misunderstanding."

They nodded that there had indeed been trouble at the bus stop.

She continued, "Maybe we can talk about the misunderstanding so you can be friends."

They nodded their agreement and we talked until the ice cream was finished. Eventually the boys apologized and said there would be no more trouble. And there wasn't. Ever.

The vice-principal of the school called back the following week and asked about the fighting. "Did you call the police?" he asked.

"No, but we've taken care of it," I said.

"What did you do?" he wondered.

I said, "We fed them ice cream."

Reconciliation is a difficult word...a difficult task. But what could be more important? It may be easier to control conflict by force than to persevere and find a way through to harmony and cooperation. Force can stabilize a situation; it can impose a truce. But reconciliation leads to peace, which is a far better outcome.

Blessed are the reconcilers. May they be given all the ice cream they can ever eat! 

Hope, Faith, Peace & Love

Author Unknown

In a room there were four candles burning. The ambiance was so soft you could hear them talking.

The first one said, “I am PEACE, however nobody can keep me lit. I believe I will go out.” It’s flame rapidly diminishes and goes out completely.

The second one says, “I am FAITH. Most of all I am no longer indispensable, so it does not make any sense that I stay lit any longer.” When it finished talking a breeze softly blew on it putting it out.

Sadly, the third candle spoke in its turn. “I am LOVE. I have not gotten the strength to stay lit. People put me aside and don’t understand my importance. They even forget to love those who are nearest to them.” And waiting no longer it goes out.

Suddenly a child entered the room and saw three candles not burning. “Why are you not burning you are supposed to stay lit till the end.” Saying this the child began to cry.

Then the fourth candle said, “Don’t be afraid, while I am still burning we can re-light the other candles, I am HOPE.”

With shining eyes, the child took the candle of Hope and lit the other candles.

The flame of Hope should never go out from our life and that each of us can maintain HOPE, FAITH, PEACE and LOVE.

Are You God's Wife?

by: Author Unknown

It was a cold day in December. A little boy about 10-year-old was standing before a shoe store, barefooted, peering through the window, and shivering with cold. A lady approached the boy and said, "My little fellow, why are you looking so earnestly in that window?"

"I was asking God to give me a pair of shoes," told the sad faced boy hesitatingly.

The lady took him by the hand and went into the store, and asked the clerk to get a half dozen pairs of socks for the boy. She then asked if he could give her a basin of water and a towel. He quickly brought them to her. 

She took the little fellow to the back part of the store and, removing her gloves, knelt down, washed his little feet, and dried them with a towel. By this time the clerk had returned with the socks. 

Placing a pair upon the boy's feet, she then purchased him a pair of shoes, and tying up the remaining pairs of socks, gave them to him. She patted him on the head and said, "My little fellow, you feel more comfortable now?"

The astonished lad caught her by the hand, and looking up in her face, with tears in his eyes, asked her in turn, "Are you God's wife?"

Nasrddin's Flower Garden ising Children, Not Flowers!

by: Jack Canfield, A 2nd Helping of Chicken Soup for the Soul

One day David was teaching his seven-year-old son how to push the gas-powered lawn mower around the yard. As he was teaching him how to turn the mower around at the end of the lawn, his wife called to him to ask a question. As David turned to answer the question, the son pushed the lawn mower right through the flower bed at the edge of the lawn - leaving a two-foot wide path levelled to the ground!

When David turned back around and saw what had happened, he began to lose control. He had put a lot of time and effort into making those flower beds the envy of the neighborhood.

As he began to raise his voice to his son, his wife walked quickly over to him, put her hand on his shoulder and said, "David, please remember, we're raising children, not flowers!"

It reminds us how important it is as a parent to remember our priorities. Kids and their self-esteem are more important than any physical object they might break or destroy. The window pane shattered by a baseball, a lamp knocked over by a careless child, or a plate dropped in the kitchen are already broken. The flowers are already dead.

Not to add to the destruction by breaking a child's spirit and deadening his sense of liveliness.

My thoughts: The best way to raise positive children in a negative world is to have positive parents who love them unconditionally and serve as excellent role models. All that the kids need is a little help, a little understanding, a little hope and someone who believes in them. What a child does not receive, he can seldom give later.

Only One Childhood

By Author Unknown

I stopped to watch my little girl busy playing in her room.
In one hand was a plastic phone; in the other a toy broom.
I listened as she was speaking to her make believe little friend
I'll never forget the words she said, even though it was pretend.

She said, "Suzie's in the corner cos she's not been very good.
She didn't listen to a word I said or do the things she should."
In the corner I saw her baby doll all dressed in lace and pink.
It was obvious she'd been put there to sit alone and think.

My daughter continued her conversation as I sat down on the floor.
"I'm all fed up, I just don't know what to do with her anymore?
She whines whenever I have work and wants to play games, too.
She never lets me do the things that I just have to do?

She tries to help me with the dishes,
but her arms just cannot reach...
And she doesn't know how to fold towels.
I don't have the time to teach.

I have a lot of work to do
and a big house to keep clean.
I don't have the time to sit and play
don't you know what I mean?"

And that day I thought a lot about making some changes in my life;
As I listened to her innocent words that cut me like a knife.
I hadn't been paying enough attention to what I hold most dear.
I'd been caught up in responsibilities that increased throughout the year.

But now my attitude changed, because, in my heart, I realize...
I saw the world in a different light through my little darling's eyes. 

Let the cobwebs have the corners and the dust bunnies rule the floor,
I'm not going to worry about keeping up with them anymore.

I'm going to fill the house with memories
of a child and her mother...
For we are granted only one childhood,
and we will never get another.

A true friend

Story source: http://www.jokeawhenever.com/inspirational/50-horror-gripped-the-heart-of.html

Horror gripped the heart of the World War I soldier as he saw his lifelong friend fall in battle.

Caught in a trench with continuous gunfire whizzing over his head, the soldier asked his lieutenant if he might go out into the "No Man's Land" between the trenches to bring his fallen comrade back.

"You can go," said the Lieutenant, "but I don't think it will be worth it. Your friend is probably dead and you may throw your own life away."

The Lieutenant's words didn't matter, and the soldier went anyway.

Miraculously he managed to reach his friend, hoist him onto his shoulder, and bring him back to their company's trench. As the two of them tumbled in together to the bottom of the trench, the officer checked the wounded soldier, then looked kindly at his friend. "I told you it wouldn't be worth it," he said. "Your friend is dead, and you are mortally wounded."

"It was worth it, though, sir," the soldier said.

"How do you mean, 'worth it?' " responded the Lieutenant. "Your friend is dead!"

"Yes sir," the private answered. "But it was worth it because when I got to him, he was still alive, and I had the satisfaction of hearing him say, 'Jim, I knew you'd come.' "

Wonderful Little Girl

Author Unknown, Source Unknown

There came a frantic knock at the doctor's office door. "Come in, Come in," the impatient doctor said.

In walked a frightened little girl, a child no more than nine. It was plain that she had troubles on her mind. "Oh doctor, I beg you, please come with me. My mother is surely dying, she's very sick."

"I don't make house calls, bring your mother here," said the doctor.

"But she's too sick, so you must come or I fear she will die," said the little one.

The doctor, touched by the child’s devotion, decided to go.

She led him to her house where her mother lay in bed. Her mother was so very sick she couldn't raise her head, but her eyes cried out for help. The doctor attended to her and realized that she would have died that very night had it not been for her kid.

The doctor got her fever down and she lived through the night and morning brought the signs that she would be all right. The doctor said he had to leave but would return again by two. And later just like he promised he came back to check.

The mother praised the doctor for all the things he'd done. He told her she would have died, were it not for her little one. "How proud you must be of your wonderful little girl. It was her pleading that made me come, she is really quite a darling!” said the doctor.

"But doctor, my daughter died over three years ago. Was she like the picture on the wall?”

The doctors legs went limp for the picture on the wall was the same little girl for whom he'd made this call.

The doctor stood motionless, for quite a little while. And then his solemn face was broken by his smile. He was thinking of that frantic knock heard at his office door and of the beautiful little angel that had walked across his floor. 

God gives miracles to those who believe
Courage to those who have faith
Hope to those who dream
And love to those who accept
If you believe in something
With all your heart and mind
You bring it to life

image curtsy: quoteperfect.net

Trustworthiness

Author unknown

A sage presented a prince with a set of three small dolls. The prince was not amused.

“Am I a girl that you give me dolls?” – He asked.

“This is a gift for a future king,” Said the sage. “If you look carefully, you’ll see a hole in the ear of each doll.”

The sage handed him a piece of string. “Pass it through each doll.” – He said.

Intrigued, the prince picked up the first doll and put the string into the ear. It came out from the other ear. “This is one type of person,” said the sage, “whatever you tell him, comes out from the other ear. He doesn’t retain anything.”

The prince put the string into the second doll. It came out from the mouth. “This is the second type of person,” said the sage, “whatever you tell him, he tells everybody else.”

The prince picked up the third doll and repeated the process. The string did not come out. “This is the third type of person,” said the sage, “whatever you tell him is locked up within him. It never comes out.”

“Does that mean that this one is the best type of person?” – Asked the prince.

"Not always," said the sage and handed him a fourth doll, in answer. When the prince put the string into the doll, it came out from the other ear.

“Do it again.” – Said the sage.

The prince repeated the process. This time the string came out from the mouth. When he put the string in a third time, it did not come out at all.

“This is the best type of person,” said the sage. “To be trustworthy, a man must know when not to listen, when to speak out and when to remain silent.”

Trustworthiness involves four major traits: loyalty, integrity, honesty and keeping up promises. Invariably all these traits are synonyms for a person’s ethical character. They clearly define how a trustworthy person behaves. Its important to keep your heart, mouth and ear perfectly coordinated to practice trustworthiness.

Criticism as an useful tool

Ole Bull was the famous Norwegian violinist of the past century.

His father, a chemist, sent him to the University to study for the ministry and forbade him to play his beloved violin. He promptly flunked out and devoted all his time and energy to the violin.

Unfortunately, though he had great ability, when he started his first concert tour he wasn't well prepared.

In Italy a Milan newspaper critic wrote: "He is an untrained musician. If he be a diamond, he is certainly in the rough and unpolished."

There were two ways Ole Bull could have reacted to that criticism.
1.He could have let it make him angry or
2. he could learn from it.

Fortunately he chose the latter. He went to the newspaper office and asked to see the critic. The astounded editor introduced him to the old man. Ole spent the evening with the 70-year-old critic, asked about his faults, and sought the older man's advice on how to correct them.

Then he cancelled the rest of his tour, returned home, and spent the next six months studying under really able teachers. He practiced hours upon hours to overcome his faults.

Finally, he returned to his concerts and, when only 26, became the sensation of Europe.

How a person reacts to criticism often means the difference between success and failure. Dealing with criticism positively is an important life skill.

How do we do it?
Lets first understand that there are two types of criticism –
1. constructive & valid and
2. destructive & unjustified. 

Learning to recognise the difference between the two can help us deal with any criticism that we may receive.

Destructive or unjustified criticism, as the name suggests itself, is aimed to hurt you. Its often insensitivity of the person who criticizes and gives rise to anger and belligerence on the one criticized. It does not give any positive feedback and puts down the one criticized.

Constructive or valid criticism, on the other hand, can be construed to be a useful feedback. No doubt it can also hurt you but its easier to accept because it is aimed not only to point out your mistakes but also show you where and how improvements can be made. It can help you improve yourself rather than put you down.

"He has the right to criticize, who has the heart to help," Abraham Lincoln

The key is to have confidence in your abilities. With self-confidence, criticism isn’t a threat. It’s a useful tool.

This Too Shall Pass

Author Unknown, Source Unknown

One day King Solomon decided to humble Benaiah ben Yehoyada, his most trusted minister. He said to him, "Benaiah, there is a certain ring that I want you to bring to me. It has magic powers. If a happy man looks at it, he becomes sad, and if a sad man looks at it, he becomes happy. I give you six months to find it."

"If it exists anywhere on earth, your majesty," replied Benaiah, "I will find it and bring it to you."

Solomon knew that no such ring existed in the world, but he wished to give his minister a little taste of humility.

Spring passed and then summer and still Benaiah had no idea where he could find the ring.

At the end of 6 months, he decided to take a walk in one of the poorest quarters of Jerusalem.

He passed by a merchant who had begun to set out the day's wares on a shabby carpet. "Have you by any chance heard of a magic ring that makes the happy wearer forgets his joy and the broken-hearted wearer forget his sorrows?" asked Benaiah.

He watched the old man take a plain gold ring from his carpet and engrave something on it. When Benaiah read the words on the ring, his face broke out in a wide smile.

"Well, my friend," said Solomon, "have you found what I sent you after?" All the ministers laughed and Solomon himself smiled.

To everyone's surprise, Benaiah held up a small gold ring and declared, "Here it is, your majesty!"

As soon as Solomon read the inscription, the smile vanished from his face. The jeweler had written three Hebrew letters on the gold band: "gimel, zayin, yud", which began the words "Gam zeh ya'avor" -- "This too shall pass."

At that moment Solomon realized that all his wisdom and fabulous wealth and tremendous power were but fleeting things, for one day he would be nothing but dust.

When we count our problems, it is essential that we count our blessings too. To be more thankful for all good things God has already blessed us with. Its true that counting our blessings do not make our problems disappear automatically. But it helps us cope with the negative emotions and thoughts that might be getting in the way of us appreciating all the great things that we are privileged to have. The law of Nature is, the longer you live on this earth, the more you will go through trials and tribulations. However, what is comforting to know is the fact that “this too shall pass” and while it is passing, we can experience peace in knowing that light exists at the end of the tunnel.

The Cold Within

Author Unknown, Source Unknown

Six humans trapped by happenstance
In black and bitter cold.
Each one possessed a stick of wood,
Or so the story's told.

Their dying fire in need of logs,
The first woman held hers back
For on the faces around the fire,
She noticed one was black.

The next man looking cross the way
Saw one not of his church,
And couldn't bring himself to give
The fire his stick of birch.

The third man sat in tattered clothes;
He gave his coat a hitch.
Why should his log be put to use
To warm the idle rich?

The rich man just sat back and thought
Of the wealth he had in store.               

And how to keep what he had earned
From the lazy poor.

The black man's face bespoke revenge
As the fire passed from his sight,
For all he saw in his stick of wood
Was a chance to spite the white.

And the last man of this forlorn group
Did naught except for gain.
Giving only to those who gave
Was how he played the game.

The logs held tight in death's still hands
Was proof of human sin.
They didn't die from the cold without,
They died from the cold within.

Effort brings transformation

An old man lived on a farm with his young grandson. Each morning Grandpa was up early sitting at the kitchen table reading his Holy Book.

His grandson wanted to be just like him and tried to imitate him in every way he could. One day the grandson asked, "Baba, I try to read the Holy Book just like you but I don't understand it, and what I do understand I forget as soon as I close the book. What good does the reading do?"

The Grandfather quietly turned from putting coal in the stove and replied, "Take this coal basket down to the river and bring me back a basket of water."

The boy did as he was told, but all the water leaked out before he got back to the house. 

The grandfather laughed and said, "You'll have to move a little faster next time," and sent him back to the river with the basket to try again.

This time the boy ran faster, but again the basket was empty before he returned home. Out of breath, he told his grandfather that it was impossible to carry water in a basket, and he went to get a bucket instead.

The old man said, "I don't want a bucket of water; I want a basket of water. You're just not trying hard enough," and he went out of the door to watch the boy try again.

At this point, the boy knew it was impossible, but he wanted to show his grandfather that even if he ran as fast as he could, the water would leak out before he got back o the house.

The boy again dipped the basket into river and ran hard, but when he reached his grandfather the basket was again empty.

Out of breath, he said, "See Baba, it's useless!"

"So you think it is useless?" The old man said, "Look at the basket."

The boy looked at the basket and for the first time realized that the basket was different. It had been transformed from a dirty old coal basket and was now clean, inside and out.

"Son, that's what happens when you read the Holy Book. You might not understand or remember everything, but when you read it, you will be changed, inside and out. That is the work of God in our lives."

My thoughts: One of the things we all notice on your journey towards our goal are roadblocks. They are a part of life. Everyone would have every success they ever wanted if there were no obstacles. If we take the time to study the life of any successful person, we will learn that the vast majority of them have had more 'failures' than they have had 'successes'. This is because successful people are persistent; the more they stumble and fall, the more they get right back up and get going again."It’s not about perfect. It’s about effort. When you bring that effort every single day, that’s where transformation happens. That’s how change occurs,” Jillian Michaels

Comparison is the thief of joy

A hummingbird was flying from flower to flower around the park. He was very content, minding his own business in his flight around the park, when a crow stopped him.

“Hey hummingbird. You are always so busy moving from one flower into another. You don’t even know what is going on in the park. Look, there is more than flowers.
Look at that white dove. Isn’t she beautiful? Most birds would kill to be like her…
Look at that Red Cardinal over there, that bird is 3 times your size and when he sings… oh boy! Everyone looks at him…
There you have “Champ” the dog. Never get close to him if you care for your life. He almost got me the other day when I was trying to get a piece of food from her owner.
As you can see there is more of life than jumping from flower to flower…”

The hummingbird looked at the crow and flew away. A few minutes later, he started to think about the words of the crow.

“Why I am not as beautiful as the dove? Why I am not as big as the Red Cardinal? I am not even able to sing … I must be a nobody in this park… I am so small that no one notices me except that dark crow. I think the crow is right. I am missing life. I need to be like those birds who everyone admires… Perhaps I should become fearless around 'Champ.' I bet if I do that, everyone will respect me in the park.”

The hummingbird was enjoying an empty mind so long, but took a belief from someone and made that belief his own twisted reality. He started comparing himself to others and became unhappy for he wasn’t as good as he thought. He developed an “inferiority complex.”

When he was near the white dove he became very shy and submissive. When he was near the Cardinal, he acted as if he didn’t hear his singing because he didn’t want to appreciate the melodious chirping of the Cardinal. He became bothersome towards “Champ” and would try to hit him in his head while other birds were around. In his mind, that activity was going to get him a “name” among his peers.

In the other birds’ minds; that was a very stupid action from the hummingbird. Something that may cost him his own life.

A wise tree, observed all of that and when the hummingbird sat down in one of his branches.

The tree said to him: “Hello, can’t you look at who you are?”

The hummingbird responded: “ I am a small and ugly bird who is not afraid of dogs.”

The wise tree said: “Is that who you are or what you believe to be? You are you, nobody else could be you even if they tried to be. Understand that you are unique and beautiful. Look at yourself in the mirror of relationships, then you will know."

All this while the hummingbird didn’t know that all birds were amazed to see him flying. There was no bird around who could accomplish his acrobatic movements in the air. He realized it was the jealous crow who snatched his joy away.

Comparing yourself with others is the game of ‘lack’.
Being grateful for what you have is a game of ‘abundance.’
Which sounds more fun?

Trust or Faith?

Trust and Faith are ‘seemingly’ similar concepts because of their similar usage. These two concepts go hand in hand because the common ground for both is--‘believing in something’. But they are separated by a very thin line. In a broader perspective, ‘faith’ is an allegiance or loyalty to a person or being; while ‘trust’ is placing a complete confidence, extreme faith on that person or being.

‘Faith’ can be believed to be more commonly used in spiritual concepts while ‘trust’ is used normally in worldly concepts. When we go through any turbulent phase in life, we pray to God having some kind of ‘faith’ in Him. When we lend money / any article to a friend we ‘trust’ that they would return it in due time. So, ‘faith’ is a belief that is not based on proof while trust is a reliance on integrity, strength, etc; a strong confidence.

Many times we misuse the word ‘trust’ for ‘faith’. For example, while going through tough times, many of us proudly say “I trust God; I have surrendered to Him; etc……” But continue to worry about the situation. Why? Because in reality, we have ‘faith’ but we don’t ‘trust’ that the situation will be resolved.

A story is told about a mountain climber. During a climbing trip, he put on his climbing gear and headed toward the summit. As he started his climb, there was a full moon to help him see where he was going. As he neared the summit, unfortunately, thick clouds were starting to build around the mountain as a winter storm developed. In just a few minutes heavy clouds and fog surrounded him.

He quickly started to come down hoping the storm would stop soon. On his way back, while moving along a narrow traverse, now in total darkness, he got into some rock, and slid down the edge of a cliff. He now found himself dangling in the air, suspended from his rope, unable to see anything around him. In desperation he cried out, “Oh dear God in Heaven, please help me!”

Suddenly, from above he heard a strong deep voice boom out, “Cut the rope!”

“What?!”

As the climber listened over the wind, once again he heard a deep voice say, “Cut the rope!”

Unable to see his true situation the climber concluded that hanging onto the rope was a better option. And he continued to hang onto the rope, while hoping to be able to grab onto something that would enable him to climb to safety.

The following day, the rest of his climbing party discovered him frozen to death, still dangling from his rope -- only eight feet above the ground!

Had he ‘trusted’ the voice and cut the rope, he would have been saved. His faith in God made him call out to Him, but he lacked trust to listen to the voice.

So ‘trust’ is ‘faith’ in action! It is the manifestation of our faith in our thoughts and actions. While faith says, "It ‘can’ happen..." trust says "It ‘will’ happen!"

What goes around comes around.

Author: Unknown

One day a man saw an old lady, stranded on the side of the road with her Mercedes. He could see she needed help. His humble Pontiac was still sputtering when he got out of his car and approached her.

It was obvious that the lady was frightened on seeing him. Was he going to hurt her? He didn’t look safe; he looked poor and hungry.

He could see that she was frightened. He knew how she felt. He said, “I’m here to help you, ma’am. Why don’t you wait in the car where it’s warm? By the way, my name is Bryan Anderson.”

All she had was a flat tire, but for an old lady, that was bad enough. Bryan crawled under the car looking for a place to put the jack, skinning his knuckles a time or two. Soon he was able to change the tire. But he had to get dirty and his hands hurt.

As he was tightening up the lug nuts, the lady couldn’t thank him enough for coming to her aid. Bryan just smiled as he closed her trunk. The lady asked how much she owed him. Any amount would have been all right with her.

Bryan never thought twice about being paid. This was not a job to him. This was helping someone in need, and God knows there were plenty, who had given him a hand in the past. He had lived his whole life that way, and it never occurred to him to act any other way.

He told her that if she really wanted to pay him back, the next time she saw someone who needed help, she could give that person the assistance they needed, and Bryan added, “and think of me.”

He waited until she started her car and drove off. It had been a cold and depressing day, but he felt good as he headed for home, disappearing into the twilight.

A few miles down the road the lady saw a small cafe. She went in to grab a bite to eat, and take the chill off before she made the last leg of her trip home. It was a dingy looking restaurant. Outside were two old gas pumps. The waitress came over and brought a clean towel to wipe her wet hair. She had a sweet smile, one that even being on her feet for the whole day couldn’t erase. The lady noticed the waitress was nearly eight months pregnant, but she never let the strain and aches change her attitude. The old lady wondered how someone who had so little could be so giving to a stranger. Then she remembered Bryan Anderson.

After the lady finished her meal, she paid with a hundred dollar bill. The waitress quickly went to get change for her hundred dollar bill, but the old lady had slipped right out the door. She was gone by the time the waitress came back. The waitress wondered where the lady could be. Then she noticed something written on the napkin.

There were tears in her eyes when she read what the lady wrote: “You don’t owe me anything. I have been there too. Somebody once helped me out, the way I’m helping you. If you really want to pay me back, here is what you do, do not let this chain of love end with you.” Under the napkin were four more $100 bills.

Well……..the story doesn’t end here……

There were tables to clear, sugar bowls to fill, and people to serve, but the waitress made it through another day. She was thinking about the money and what the lady had written. How could the lady have known how much she and her husband needed it? With the baby due next month, it was going to be hard…

That night when she got home from work she saw how worried her husband was, and whispered soft and low to him, “Everything’s going to be all right. I love you, Bryan Anderson.”

Always see yourself in others

'When you look at your companions, try to see yourself,' said the Guru.

'But isn't that an awfully selfish attitude?' asked a disciple. 'If we are always concerned about ourselves, we will never see the good things that others have to offer.'

'That’ll be true only if we always see the good things in others,' replied Guru, and continued,
'But the truth is that when we look at another person, we are only looking for defects.
We try to discover their wicked side because we want them to be worse than us.
We never forgive them when they hurt us because we do not believe that we would ever be forgiven.
We manage to hurt them with harsh words, declaring that we are telling the truth, when all we are doing is trying to hide it from ourselves.
We pretend that we are important so that no one else will see how fragile we are.

That is why whenever you judge your companion, be aware that you are the one who is on trial.'