GIVING

I saw the movie THE BLINDSIDE last night and it got me thinking about how much we can impact the lives of others if we're just open to the opportunities around us. We can not only change our own lives by changing our attitudes, thoughts & beliefs, but our actions stemming from those very same traits can impact the lives of those around us forever. We can change ourselves and/or impact someone else the second we commit to doing so.

Without giving away too much of the movie - it's based on the life of Michael Oher, who now plays professional football for the Baltimore Ravens. At one point in his life, Michael is homeless and the Tuohy family sees him on a cold night walking outside in shorts and a t-shirt. Their kids know him from school. At that point they make a decision that changes ALL their lives from that point on, simply by asking him to spend the night with them. How many of us would have turned our cars around to make that offer? If we HAD made the offer, how many people would go on to actually accept an outsider into our home as family? Not many would be my guess. Even of the people who would shelter him for a night or two after that other arrangements would be made.

We are ALL capable of being, doing and contributing more to the benefit of ourselves, our families and our world. But as humans we get caught up in getting more for ourselves, keeping what we own, our jobs, our responsibilities and all the stress that comes with just paying bills, running a household and living day to day that what we tend to ignore is probably the one thing that would give us the most comfort. We can give of ourselves, we can contribute to society, we can make life better for someone in our family with a phone call or a visit. We can begin to see opportunities and realize God places them in our lives every day if we're just open to receiving and letting love flow from our hearts in the act of giving.

When you see yourself as abundant you'll realize how much you have to give. However small, give of yourself every day until it becomes a habit :)

The Cookie Thief

I first heard this through Wayne Dyer:

A woman was waiting at an airport one night
With several long hours before her flight
She hunted for a book in the airport shop
Bought a bag of cookies and found a place to drop
She was engrossed in her book but happened to see
That the man beside her as bold as could be
Grabbed a cookie or two from the bag between
Which she tried to ignore to avoid a scene
She munched cookies and watched the clock
As this gutsy cookie thief diminished her stock
She was getting more irritated as the minutes ticked by
Thinking "If I wasn't so nice I'd blacken his eye"
With each cookie she took he took one too
And when only one was left she wondered what he'd do
With a smile on his face and a nervous laugh
He took the last cookie and broke it in half
He offered her half as he ate the other
She snatched it from him and thought "Oh brother
This guy has some nerve and he's also rude
Why he didn't even show any gratitude"
She had never known when she had been so galled
And sighed with relief when her flight was called
She gathered her belongings and headed for the gate
Refusing to look back at the thieving ingrate
She boarded the plane and sank in her seat
Then sought her book which was almost complete
As she reached in her baggage she gasped with surprise
There was her bag of cookies in front of her eyes
"If mine are here" she moaned with despair
"Then the others were his and he tried to share"
"Too late to apologize she realized with grief"
That she was the rude one, the ingrate, the thief

:)

Jim Rohns Mysteries of Life

Motivation is a mystery.Why does one salesperson see his first prospect at seven in the morning and another salesperson is just getting out of bed at eleven?I don't know.It's part of the mysteries of life.

Give a lecture to a thousand people.One walks out and says,I'm going to change my life." Another one walks out with a yawn and says,"I've heard all this before."Why is that? Why wouldn't both be affected the same way?Another mystery.

The millionaire says to a thousand people,"Iread this book and it started me on the road to wealth."Guess how many go out and get the book?Very few.Isn't that incredible?Why would everyone get the book?A mystery of life.

My suggestion would be to walk away from the 90% who don't and join the 10% who do.

- JIM ROHN

Keeping Life Simple

Keeping life simple means having faith that your spiritual connection flourishes in a life dedicated to joy, love and peace. If your daily activities are so overwhelming that you don't make these things your priority, you're disregarding the value of living a simple life - Dr Wayne Dyer