Editor: Richard (Dick) Innes
Published by: ACTS International
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Vol. 10 – No. 3408 August 23, 2008
Thought for the week: "When David focused on himself, he stumbled. But when David focused on God, giants tumbled." – Unknown
"I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character." – Martin Luther King
"Your attitude, not your aptitude, will determine your altitude." – Zig Ziglar
"Our safety does not lie in the present perfection of our knowledge of the will of God, but in our sincerity in obeying the light we have, and in seeking for more." – Edward Worsdell
"Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do." – John Wooden
"A successful man is one who can lay a firm foundation with the bricks that others throw at him." – Sidney Greenberg
"What is the meaning of human life, or of organic life altogether? To answer this question at all implies a religion." – Albert Einstein
"Three things in human life are important. The first is to be kind. The second is to be kind. And the third is to be kind." – Henry James
Teacher Debbie Moon's first graders were discussing a picture of a family. One little boy in the picture had a different hair color than the other members. One of her students suggested that he was adopted.
A little girl said, "I know all about adoption, I was adopted."
"What does it mean to be adopted?", asked another child.
"It means," said the girl, "that you grew in your mommy's heart instead of her tummy!"
Everything I Needed to Know About Life I Learned From a Jigsaw Puzzle:
Don't force a fit—if something is meant to be, it will come together
naturally.
When things aren't going so well, take a break. Everything will look different when you return.
Be sure to look at the big picture. Getting hung up on the little pieces only leads to frustration.
Perseverance pays off. Every important puzzle went together bit by bit, piece by piece.
When one spot stops working, move to another. But be sure to come back later (see #4).
The creator of the puzzle gave you the picture as a guidebook. Refer to the Creator's guidebook often.
Variety is the spice of life. It's the different colors and patterns that make the puzzle interesting.
Working together with friends and family makes any task fun.
Establish the border first. Boundaries give a sense of security and order.
Don't be afraid to try different combinations. Some matches are surprising.
Take time often to celebrate your successes (even little ones).
Anything worth doing takes time and effort. A great puzzle can't be rushed.
When you finally reach the last piece, don't be sad. Rejoice in the masterpiece you've made and enjoy a well-deserved rest.
Copyright 2001 Jacquie Sewell (jsewell416@hotmail.com).
Permission is granted to send this to others, but not for commercial
purposes. Cited on, Alan Smith, Thought for the Day. To subscribe send a blank email to
join-thought-for-the-day@hub.xc.org. http://www.tftd-online.com
Chris's parents were proud of him when he graduated from college. But after six months, he still hadn't gotten a job. In fact, he hadn't looked seriously. He had no idea what he wanted to do and was thinking of grad school.
He was living at home with his parents and things were getting tense, especially with his father, who accused him of being lazy and afraid to enter the real world.
Chris thought his dad was being unreasonable. After all, you're only young once and he needed some space. During a recent argument, Chris said, "I'm not you, Dad. I have my own way of doing things. I want a job I enjoy."
His dad replied, "That's a nice idea, but in the end they call it 'work' because it's about making a productive living—not about having fun."
There are many youngsters like Chris who are having trouble getting started with a serious job and becoming self-reliant. Some, like Peter Pan, just don't want to grow up. Some are afraid of making a wrong decision or of being rejected. Others are victims of what psychologists call "magical thinking." They believe when the time is right, everything will fall into place. So they wait for opportunity to come knocking or until they feel inspired or excited about their next step.
Unfortunately, life doesn't work that way. What's crucial is to begin. Things happen and opportunities appear most often when we're moving, not when we're standing still.
Momentum is vital. Basic physics contends that it's easier to alter the course of a moving object than to start movement initially. In the end, it's not really about finding yourself. It's about making yourself.
The first steps are the hardest, but the key to success in anything is getting started.
This is Michael Josephson reminding you that character counts.
"Give and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."1
On one occasion when I was in a particular group, one man constantly and bitterly complained how negatively other people treated him.
As kindly as I could I finally said to him, "You know, John, what we project is what we get back!"
I felt as though my words fell on "deaf, angry" ears!
The fact remains, if we constantly project negative vibes and express negative words, that is what we will receive in return. Also, if we constantly project feelings of anger and express angry words, anger responses is what we will receive in return.
On the other hand, if we constantly project loving and warm feelings and express kind, loving and encouraging words, that, too, is what we will receive in return.
Unless we are being persecuted because of our Christian faith, as a general rule what we consistently project is what we consistently get back. As Jesus also said, "We reap what we sow."
Suggested prayer: "Dear God, please help me to realize and accept the fact that if I am constantly feeling put down, rejected or criticized, chances are (in most cases) it may just be because of the attitude that I am projecting. Help me see what my problem is and lead me to the help I need to change. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus' name, amen."
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Oprah Winfrey: "Books were my pass to personal freedom. I learned to read at age three, and soon discovered there was a whole world to conquer that went beyond our farm in Mississippi." – Oprah Winfrey
Books:
Books by Dick Innes, Editor of Weekend Encounter You Can't Fly With a Broken Wing How to Mend a Broken Heart I Hate Witnessing—A Handbook for Effective Christian
Communications
Books by Bestseller and Popular Authors: The Miracle of Kindness His Needs, Her Needs by Willard F. Harley, Jr.
has topped the charts as the best marriage
book available. More than one million couples
have read it ... made their marriage sizzle. Fall in Love Stay in Love Just Hand Over the Chocolate ... Love, Sex, and Lasting Relationships Sex Starts in the Kitchen Making Children Mind Without Losing Yours Harried With Children Adolescence Is Not an Illness Show Time It Takes a Church to Raise a Christian
On Sale at: http://www.actscom.com/store
Cassettes:
Healing, Wholeness & Happiness by Dick Innes
Loving & Understanding People by Dick Innes
I Hate Witnessing by Dick Innes
God's Formula for Success by Dick Innes
Damaged Emotions by David Seamands Healing of the Memories by David Seamands...
On SALE at:http://tinyurl.com/2unmmy
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