The Two Wolves

An old Cherokee is teaching his grandson about life. “A fight is going on inside me,” he said to the boy.

“It is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves. One is evil – he is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.” He continued, “The other is good – he is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith. The same fight is going on inside you – and inside every other person, too.”

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather, “Which wolf will win?”
The old Cherokee simply replied, “The one you feed.”

Dear Jesus

“A little boy wanted a bicycle but he did not know best how to pray for one. So as he was watching a church television program, a very traditional service, he saw how the minister prayed. And so, at the end of the day the lad got on his knees and said: "Lord, if it is in Your Sovereign will and in Your Eternal plan that I can get myself a bicycle - in Your time and according to Your will - would you please get me a bicycle In Jesus name I pray. Amen."
Two days later, there was still no bicycle and he began to think he needed a different prayer. So, he turned on the television again to watch another type of ministry in operation. And at the end of the day, he got on his knees and said: "Lord, I declare my need for a bicycle! And I declare that it will be a nice blue-colored bicycle and delivered to my home within 24 hours. I lay claim to it, Amen!"
After several days and still not having received a bicycle. As he was passing through the hall he saw a statue of the Virgin Mary there on one of the shelves. He took the statue off of the shelf and disappeared somewhere. Later that night as he got ready for bed, the little boy got down on his knees and said, "Dear Jesus, if you ever want to see your mother again..."

Quote of the day

"Wisdom is what you get for a lifetime of listening when you would have preferred to talk."

By Doug Larson

Quote of the day

"Make allowances for your friend's imperfections as readily as you do for your own."

By H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

Quote of the day

"Before going to bed, whisper into the darkness what you expect from your sunrise. There is nothing like going to bed with a dream and waking up with a purpose."

By Palle Oswald

Bored to Death

As soon as he died, Juan found himself in a very beautiful place, surrounded by all the comfort and beauty that he had dreamed of.
A figure dressed in white came up to him: “You are entitled to anything you want.”
Enchanted, Juan did everything he had dreamed of during life.
After many years of pleasure, he sought out the figure in white.
He said that he had experienced everything and that now he needed a little work to make him feel useful.
“That’s the only thing I cannot get for you,” said the figure in white.
“But I’ll spend eternity dying of boredom! I’d much rather be in hell!”
“And where do you think you are?”

The Victor

If you think you are beaten, you are.
If you think you dare not, you don't.
If you like to win but think you can't,
It's almost a cinch you won't.
If you think you'll lose, you're lost.
For out in the world we find
Success begins with a fellow's will.
It's all in the state of mind.
If you think you are out classed, you are.
You've got to think high to rise.
You've got to be sure of your-self before
You can ever win the prize.
Life's battles don't always go
To the stronger or faster man.
But sooner or later, the man who wins
Is the man who thinks he can.

By C.W.  Longenecker

When I Say...

When I say ... "I am a Christian"
I'm not shouting, "I'm saved"
I'm whispering, "I get lost!"
"That is why I chose this way"

When I say ... "I am a Christian"
I don't speak of this with pride
I'm confessing that I stumble,
and need someone to be my guide

When I say ... "I am a Christian"
I'm not trying to be strong,
I'm professing that I'm weak,
and pray for strength to carry on

When I say ... "I am a Christian"
I'm not bragging of success,
I'm admitting that I've failed,
and cannot ever pay the debt

When I say ... "I am a Christian"
I'm not claiming to be perfect,
my flaws are way too visible
but God believes I'm worth it

When I say ... "I am a Christian"
I still feel the sting of pain
I have my share of heartaches
which is why I seek His Name

When I say ... "I am a Christian"
I do not wish to judge
I have no authority,
I only know I'm loved!

Quote of the day

"Imagination is everything. It is a preview of life's coming attractions. Imagination is more important than knowledge."

By Albert Einstein

The Healing Prayer

On a Sunday morning, an elderly couple were seated infront of the TV watching a church sermon when the pastor said, "To all those at home watching this, I will heal you from afar as Jesus once did. As I pray, put your right hand on your TV set and your left hand on where you have the sickness."
Immediately, the wife puts her right hand on the TV screen and puts her left hand on her swollen ankle. But the man puts his right hand on TV screen and his left between his legs.
The wife frowned. "It seems you did not understand, dear. This prayer is to heal the sick and not to raise the dead."

A Pound of Butter

There was a farmer who always sold a pound of butter to a baker. One day the baker decided to weigh the butter to see if he was getting a pound and he found that he was not. This angered him and he took the farmer to court. The judge asked the farmer if he was using any measure. 
The farmer replied, "Your Honor, I am primitive. I don't have a proper measure, but I do have a scale." 
The judge asked, "Then how do you weigh the butter?" 
The farmer replied, "Your Honor, long before the baker started buying butter from me, I have been buying a pound loaf of bread from him. Every day when the baker brings the bread, I put it on the scale and give him the same weight in butter. If anyone is to be blamed, it is the baker."
 
Don't lie to yourself. The man who lies to himself and listens to his own lie comes to a point that he cannot distinguish the truth within him, or around him, and so loses all respect for himself and for others. Self deception is the worst kind of blunder, the lie always comes home to roost.

Quote of the day

"Believe you can and you're halfway there."

By Theodore Roosevelt

Quote of the day

"Wine is constant proof that God loves us and loves to see us happy."

By Benjamin Franklin

Mind over Matter

Are you your body?
Most people would answer “yes”. But if you identify the body as yourself, and simultaneously accept that you exist now and also existed five years ago, then you are wrong: The body you had five years ago does not exist today. There is a dynamic turnover of atoms and molecules that make up your body. There isn’t a single particle of matter—not one atom—present in your body today that was present five years ago. It’s not that the body you had still exists but has now changed somewhat. No. The body you had is completely gone. That collection of atoms appearing as flesh, bone, blood, hair, and so on no longer exists. Yet you still exist.
Studies at the Oak Ridge Atomic Research Center revealed that about 98 percent of all the atoms in a human body are replaced every year. You get a new suit of skin every month and a new liver every six weeks. The lining of your stomach lasts only five days before it’s replaced. Even your bones are not the solid, stable structures you might have thought them to be: They are undergoing constant change. The bones you have today are different from the bones you had a year ago.
Experts in this area of research have concluded that there is a complete, 100 percent turnover of atoms in the body at least every five years. In other words, not one single atom present in your body today was there five years ago. So when you look at a picture of “yourself” taken only seven years ago, you are looking at a body that no longer exists. That collection of atoms and molecules that went by a particular, distinct, collective label (your name) no longer exists.
Yet you know that you existed seven years ago; you were there. You also know you exist right now. The same you, or self, who existed then also exists now. It's all in the mind, the self. If it can transcend the physical, maybe it can transform the spiritual. Therefore your mind is your world, why not give it a try. Condition your mind to break free from the drawbacks of your past, to dispense of the failures and tribulations of your old self. Train your mind to embrace the hope and beauty of new horizons and your world will make it happen.

Quote of the day

"The man who views the world at 50 the same as he did at 20 has wasted 30 years of his life."

By Muhammad Ali

Seasons of Life

There was a man who had four sons. He wanted his sons to learn not to judge things too quickly. So he sent them each on a quest, in turn, to go and look at a pear tree that was a great distance away.
The first son went in the winter, the second in the spring, the third in summer, and the youngest son in the fall.
When they had all gone and come back, he called them together to describe what they had seen.
The first son said that the tree was ugly, bent, and twisted.
The second son said no it was covered with green buds and full of promise.
The third son disagreed; he said it was laden with blossoms that smelled so sweet and looked so beautiful, it was the most graceful thing he had ever seen.
The last son disagreed with all of them; he said it was ripe and drooping with fruit, full of life and fulfillment.
The man then explained to his sons that they were all right, because they had each seen but only one season in the tree's life.
He told them that you cannot judge a tree, or a person, by only one season, and that the essence of who they are and the pleasure, joy, and love that come from that life can only be measured at the end, when all the seasons are up.
If you give up when it's winter, you will miss the promise of your spring, the beauty of your summer, fulfillment of your fall.
Moral:
Don't let the pain of one season destroy the joy of all the rest.
Don't judge life by one difficult season.
Persevere through the difficult patches and better times are sure to come sometime or later.

Quote of the day

"Great minds discuss ideas. Average minds discuss events. Small minds discuss people."

By Eleanor Roosevelt

The Clever Old Man

One evening an old farmer decided to go down to the pond, as he hadn't been there for a while, and look it over. He grabbed a five gallon bucket to bring back some fruits. As he neared the pond, he heard voices laughing and shouting with glee. As he came closer he saw it was a bunch of young women skinny dipping in his pond. He made the women aware of his presence and they all went to the deep end. One of them shouted to him, "We're not coming out until you leave."
The old man frowned. "I didn't come down here to watch you ladies swim naked or make you get out of the pond naked." Holding the bucket up he said, "I am here to feed the alligator."

PHONE CALLS

FATHER TO BOY:          00:00: 07

BOY TO FATHER:          00:00: 27

BOY TO MOTHER:        00: 01: 30

BOY TO GIRL:               01: 20: 59

GIRL TO GIRL:              12: 36: 32: 69: 23

BOY TO BOY:                MISSED CALL

Akpos the Police Aspirant

Akpos was taking his final exam at Police College and here is one of the questions:
"You are on patrol in the outskirts of town when there is an explosion. On investigation, you find a large hole has been blown in the footpath and there is an overturned van lying nearby. Inside the van there is a strong smell of alcohol. Both occupants - a man and woman - are injured. You recognize the woman as the wife of your Divisional Inspector, who is presently away on a Peace Making Mission In Sudan. A passing motorist stops to offer you assistance and you realize that he is a man who is wanted for armed robbery. Suddenly another man runs out of a nearby house, shouting that his wife is expecting a baby and that the shock of the explosion has made the birth imminent. Another man is crying for help, having been blown into an adjacent canal by the explosion, and he cannot swim. Describe in a few words, what action will you take?" 
Akpos thought for a moment, picked up his pen, and wrote: "I would take off my uniform and walk away. The mission is impossible."

Quote of the day

"Try to be like the turtle - at ease in your own shell."

By Bill Copeland

Quote of the day

"If you want to be thought a liar, always tell the truth."

By Logan Pearsall Smith

FBI

The following is a direct quote from the Center for Strategic and International Studies report on GLOBAL ORGANIZED CRIME; the author who introduces the story swears it's true.
FBI agents conducted a raid of a psychiatric hospital in San Diego that was under investigation for medical insurance fraud. After hours of reviewing thousands of medical records, the dozens of agents had worked up quite an appetite. The agent in charge of the investigation called a nearby pizza parlor with delivery service to order a quick dinner for his colleagues.
The following telephone conversation took place and was recorded by the FBI because they were taping all conversations at the hospital.

Agent: Hello. I would like to order 19 large pizzas and 67 cans of soda.
Pizza Man: And where would you like them delivered?
Agent: We're over at the psychiatric hospital.
Pizza Man: The psychiatric hospital?
Agent: That's right. I'm an FBI agent.
Pizza Man: You're an FBI agent?
Agent: That's correct. Just about everybody here is.
Pizza Man: And you're at the psychiatric hospital?
Agent: That's correct. And make sure you don't go through the front (go) to the service entrance to deliver the pizzas.
Pizza Man: And you say you're all FBI agents?
Agent: That's right. How soon can you have them here?
Pizza Man: And everyone at the psychiatric hospital is an FBI agent?
Agent: That's right. We've been here all day and we're starving.
Pizza Man: How are you going to pay for all of this?
Agent: I have my checkbook right here.
Pizza Man: And you're all FBI agents?
Agent: That's right. Everyone here is an FBI agent. Can you remember to bring the pizzas and sodas to the service entrance in the rear? We have the front doors locked.
Pizza Man: I don't think so.

Akpos the Blind man

Akpos sat by the road with a sign 'I am blind' around his neck. He was begging for alms when a passer-by dropped a counterfeit bill into his pan.
Akpos called, "Excuse me sir, but I have to tell you that your money is a counterfeit and I dont like it."
The man was surprised and said, "How did you know its a counterfeit?"
Akpos replied, "Well, I am not blind. I am standing in for my blind friend who always sits here."
"And where is your friend?" the man asked.
Akpos said, "He has gone to the cinema to watch a movie."

Ever Wonder?

 

Why the sun lightens our hair, but darkens our skin?
Why women can't put on mascara with their mouth closed?
Why don't you ever see the headline "Psychic Wins Lottery"?
Why is "abbreviated" such a long word?
Why is it that doctors call what they do "practice"?
Why is it that to stop Windows 98, you have to click on "Start"?
Why is lemon juice made with artificial flavor, and dish-washing liquid made with real lemons?
Why is the man who invests all your money called a broker?
Why is the time of day with the slowest traffic called rush hour?
Why isn't there mouse-flavored cat food?
When dog food is new and improved tasting, who tests it?
Why didn't Noah swat those two mosquitoes?
Why do they sterilize the needle for lethal injections?
You know that indestructible black box that is used on airplanes? Why don't they make the whole plane out of that stuff?
Why don't sheep shrink when it rains?
If flying is so safe, why do they call the airport the terminal?
If con is the opposite of pro, is Congress the opposite of Progress?

Quote of the day

"If you want to make a difference, think different."

By Palle Oswald

When You Thought I Wasn't Looking

When you thought I wasn't looking
You hung my first painting on the refrigerator
And I wanted to paint another.

When you thought I wasn't looking
You fed a stray cat
And I thought it was good to be kind to animals.

When you thought I wasn't looking
You baked a birthday cake just for me
And I knew that little things were special things.

When you thought I wasn't looking
You said a prayer
And I believed there was a God that I could always talk to.

When you thought I wasn't looking
You kissed me goodnight
And I felt loved.

When you thought I wasn't looking
I saw tears come from your eyes
And I learned that sometimes things hurt
But that it's alright to cry.

When you thought I wasn't looking
You smiled
And it made me want to look that pretty too.

When you thought I wasn't looking
You cared
And I wanted to be everything I could be.

When you thought I wasn't looking - I looked...
And wanted to say thanks
For all those things you did
When you thought I wasn't looking.

By Mary Rita Schilke

Quote of the day

"I don't understand why women want to be equal to men. If they know my mother, they will be ashamed. Show some ambition, be better."

By Palle Oswald

Great Moments in Physics

The following concerns a question in a physics degree exam at the University of Copenhagen.
"Describe how to determine the height of a skyscraper with a barometer."
One student replied:
"You tie a long piece of string to the neck of the barometer, then lower the barometer from the roof of the skyscraper to the ground. The length of the string plus the length of the barometer will equal the height of the building."
This highly original answer so incensed the examiner that the student was failed. The student appealed on the grounds that his answer was indisputably correct, and the university appointed an independent arbiter to decide the case. The arbiter judged that the answer was indeed correct, but did the problem it was decided to call the student in and allow him six minutes in which to provide a verbal answer which showed at least a minimal familiarity with the basic principles of physics.
For five minutes the student sat in silence, forehead creased in thought. The arbiter reminded him that time was running out, to which the student replied that he had several extremely relevant answers, but couldn't make up his mind which to use.
On being advised to hurry up the student replied as follows:
"Firstly, you could take the barometer up to the roof of the skyscraper, drop it over the edge, and measure the time it takes to reach the ground. The height of the building can then be worked out from the formula H = 0.5g x t squared. But bad luck on the barometer."
"Or if the sun is shining you could measure the height of the barometer, then set it on end and measure the length of its shadow. Then you measure the length of the skyscraper's shadow, and thereafter it is a simple matter of proportional arithmetic to work out the height of the skyscraper."
"But if you wanted to be highly scientific about it, you could tie a short piece of string to the barometer and swing it like a pendulum, first at ground level and then on the roof of the skyscraper. The height is worked out by the difference in the gravitational restoring force T = 2 pi sqroot (l / g)."
"Or if the skyscraper has an outside emergency staircase, it would be easier to walk up it and mark off the height of the skyscraper in barometer lengths, then add them up."
"If you merely wanted to be boring and orthodox about it, of course, you could use the barometer to measure the air pressure on the roof of the skyscraper and on the ground, and convert the difference in millibars into feet to give the height of the building."
"But since we are constantly being exhorted to exercise independence of mind and apply scientific methods, undoubtedly the best way would be to knock on the janitor's door and say to him 'If you would like a nice new barometer, I will give you this one if you tell me the height of this skyscraper'."
The student was Niels Bohr,the only person from Denmark to win the Nobel prize for Physics.

Quote of the day

"People often say that motivation doesn't last. Well, neither does bathing - that's why we recommend it daily."

By Zig Ziglar

Einstein's Chauffer

This is a true life anecdote about Albert Einstein, and his theory of relativity.
After having propounded his famous theory, Albert Einstein would tour the various Universities in the United States, delivering lectures wherever he went. He was always accompanied by his faithful chauffer, Harry, who would attend each of these lectures while seated in the back row. One fine day, after Einstein had finished a lecture and was coming out of the auditorium into his vehicle, Harry addresses him and says, "Professor Einstein, I've heard your lecture on Relativity so many times, that if I were ever given the opportunity, I would be able to deliver it to perfection myself!"
"Very well," replied Einstein, "I'm going to Dartmouth next week. They don't know me there. You can deliver the lecture as Einstein, and I'll take your place as Harry."
And so it went to be... Harry delivered the lecture to perfection, without a word out of place, while Einstein sat in the back row playing "chauffer", and enjoying a snooze for a change.
Just as Harry was descending from the podium, however, one of the research assistants intercepted him, and began to ask him a question on the theory of relativity, one that involved a lot of complex calculations and equations. Harry replied to the assistant, "The answer to this question is very simple. In fact, it's so simple, that I'm going to let my chauffer answer it!"

Quote of the day

"Procrastination is the art of keeping up with yesterday."

By Don Marquis

The Elephants and The Rope

There was a circus in town and as a man was passing the elephants, he suddenly stopped. He had just noticed that these huge creatures were being held by only a small rope tied to their front leg. No chains, no cages. It was obvious that the elephants could, at anytime, break away from their bonds. But for some reason, they did not.
Then he saw a trainer nearby and asked why these animals just stood there and made no attempt to get away. "Well," the trainer explained, “when they are very young and much smaller, we use the same size of rope to tie them and, at that age, it is enough to hold them. As they grow up, they are conditioned to believe they cannot break away. They believe the rope can still hold them, so they never try to break free.”

Most of us behave like the elephants as we go through life, believing that we can not do something, or be something. We meet our old challenges with the old mentality, fearing them because we had stumbled once before. However, failure is not fatal, but failure to change might be.

Quote of the day

"Love is like a mountain with many peaks and each new passion brings in a different view. Don't be afraid to love again and again...there are better horizons waiting. Climb until you find your perfect sky."

By Palle Oswald

Quote of the day

"If opportunity doesn't knock, build a door."

By Milton Berie

The Best Temptation

A group of devils were trying to enter the soul of a holy man who lived near Cairo; they had already tempted him with Nubian women, Egyptian food, Libyan treasure, but nothing had worked.
One day, Satan passed and saw his servants’ efforts.
– You’re hopeless – said Satan. – You haven’t used the only technique no one can resist; I’ll teach you.
He went over to the holy man and whispered in his ear:
– Remember the priest who studied under you? He’s just been made Bishop of Alexandria.
Immediately, the holy man was filled with rage, and blasphemed against God’s injustice.
– The next time, use this temptation – said Satan to his subjects.
“Men can resist almost everything, but they are always jealous of the victory of a fellow man.”

Dirty Laundry

A young couple moves into a new neighborhood. The next morning while they are eating breakfast, the young woman sees her neighbor hanging the wash outside.
“That laundry is not very clean, she doesn’t know how to wash correctly. Perhaps she needs better laundry soap.”
Her husband looks on, remaining silent. Every time her neighbor hangs her wash to dry, the young woman makes the same comments.
A month later, the woman is surprised to see a nice clean wash on the line and says to her husband:
“Look, she’s finally learned how to wash correctly. I wonder who taught her this? ”
The husband replies, “I got up early this morning and cleaned our windows.”
And so it is with life….what we see when watching others depends on the clarity of the window through which we look