May the worst of 2008 be from the Best of 2007!Some thoughts to start the new year in a contemplative mind set ~
For our lives
"An inconvenience is only an adventure wrongly considered;an adventure is only an inconvenience rightly considered." ~ G. K. Chesterton
"Truth is always exciting. Speak it, then; life is dull without it." ~ Pearl S. Buck
For our world
"As nightfall does not come all at once, neither does oppression. In both instances, there is a twilight when everything remains seemingly unchanged.
And, it is in such twilight that we all must be aware of change in the air,
however slight, lest we become unwitting victims of the darkness." ~ Justice William O. Douglas, U.S. Supreme Court (1939-75)
For our spirit
"Our plans miscarry because they have no aim.When a man does not know what harbor he is making for, no wind is the right wind." ~ Seneca
"Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace; where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; and where there is sadness, joy. O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood, as to understand; to be loved, as to love; for it is in giving that we receive, it is in pardoning that we are pardoned, and it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life. Amen." ~ Hildegaard of Bingen
"Hope is the thing with feathers That perches in the soul And sings the tunes without the words And never stops - at all"~ Emily Dickinson
"I am only one; but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something. I will not refuse to do the something I can do."~ Helen Keller
"There are some things you learn best in calm, and some in storm." ~ Willa Cather
"Love is not blind...it sees more, not less. But because it sees more, it is willing to see less." ~ Rabbi Julius Gordon
"All things shall be well You shall see for yourself that All manner of things shall be well
For as the body is clad in the cloth, And the flesh in the skin, And the bones in the flesh And the heart in the trunk So are soul, and body, clad and enclosed in the goodness of God
As truly as God is our Father, so truly is God our mother And he revealed that in everything and especially in these sweet words where he says, "I am the power and goodness of fatherhood, I am the wisdom and lovingness of motherhood. I am the light and grace which is all blessed love."
I looked at the hazel nut with the eye of my understanding and thought, what can this be? I was amazed that it could last for I thought that because of its littleness it would suddenly have fallen into nothing. And I was answered in my understanding. It lasts and always will, because God loves it, and thus everything has being through the love of God.
You will not be overcome.God did not say you will not be troubled, You will not be belaboured, You will not be disquieted; But God said, You will not be overcome.
What, do you wish to know your Lord’s meaning in this thing? Know it well, love was his meaning. Who reveals it to you? Love What did he reveal to you? Love Why does he reveal it to you? For Love Remain in this. And you will know more of the same." ~ Julian of Norwich
"You may have to fight a battle more than once to win it." ~ Margaret Thatcher
"I'm not offended by all the dumb blonde jokes because I know I'm not
dumb -- and I'm also not blonde." ~ -Dolly Parton
"Nobody can make you feel inferior without your permission." ~
Eleanor Roosevelt
"All that is gold does not glitter, Not all those who wander are lost; The old that is strong does not wither, Deep roots are not reached by frost. From the ashes a fire shall be woken, A light from the shadows shall spring; Renewed shall be blade that was broken: The crown-less again shall be king." ~ J.R.R. Tolkein
"Whom God loves, He loves to the end. And not just to
their own end and to their death, but to His end, and His end is that
He might love them still." ~ John Milton
Print this last one and post it where you can read it Every Single Day.
"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our Light, not our Darkness, that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?
Actually, who are you not to be?
You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world.
There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you.
We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.
It is not just in some of us; it is in everyone.
And as we let our own Light shine, we
unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others." ~ Nelson Mandela
Blessings - a new year with new beginnings where the old is past and we embrace the new, looking forward covered with the Grace, Mercy and Peace of God through Jesus Christ His Son.
Aunt Esther celebrates her 90th birthday this month and she's looking great! Walks without a cane or walker, still drives, still cooks a fabulous meal, goes to church three times a week and Eastern Star twice a month.
