Hidden Treasure Amongst Us

I remember reading a story once about a man who was exploring some caves by the seashore. In one of the caves he found a canvas bag with a bunch of hardened clay balls. It was like someone had rolled up some clay and left them out in the sun to bake. They didn't look like much, but they intrigued the man so he took the bag out of the cave with him.

As he strolled along the beach, to pass the time, he would throw the clay balls one at a time out into the ocean as far as he could throw.

He thought little about it until he dropped one of the balls and it cracked open on a rock. Inside was a beautiful, precious stone. Excited, the man started breaking open the remaining clay balls. Each contained a similar treasure. He found thousands of dollars worth of jewels in the 20 or so clay balls he had left, then it struck him.

He had been on the beach a long time. He had thrown maybe 50 or 60 of the clay balls with their hidden treasure into the ocean waves. Instead of thousands of dollars in treasure, he could have had tens of thousands, but he just threw it all away.

You know sometimes, it's like that with people. We look at someone, maybe even ourselves, and we see the external clay vessel. It doesn't look like much from the outside. It isn't always beautiful or sparkling, so we discount it; we see that person as less important than someone more beautiful or stylish or well known or wealthy.



But we have not taken the time to find the treasure hidden inside that person.

There is a treasure in each and every one of us. If we take the time to get to know that person, and if we ask God to show us that person the way He sees them, then the clay begins to peel away and the brilliant gem begins to shine forth.

May we not come to the end of our lives and find out that we have thrown away a fortune in friendships because the gems were hidden in bits of clay. May we see the people in our world as God sees them.

You Are Special to those who love You

A well known speaker started off his seminar by holding up a $20 bill. In the room of 2000 he asked. Who would like this $20 bill.Hands started going up. He said, I am going to give this $20 to one of you - but first, let me do this.He proceeded to crumple the 20 dollar note up. He then asked. Who still wants it? Still the hands were up in the air.

Well, he replied, what if I do this. He dropped it on the ground and started to grind it into the floor with his shoe. He picked it up, now crumpled and dirty. Now, who still wants it? Still the hands went into the air.

My friends, you have all learned a very valuable lesson. No matter what I did to the money, you still wanted it because it did not decrease in value. It was still worth $20.

Many times in our lives, we are dropped, crumpled, and ground into the dirt by the decisions we make and the circumstances that come our way. We feel as though we are worthless; but no matter what happened or what will happen, you will never lose your value.

Dirty or clean, crumpled or finely creased, you are still priceless to those who love you. The worth of our lives comes, not in what we do or who we know, but by ...WHO WE ARE.



You are SPECIAL - don't ever forget it.

Why are Goals Important?

On the best sunny day, the most powerful magnifying glass will not light paper if you keep moving the glass. But if you focus and hold it, the paper will light up. That is the power of concentration.



A man was traveling and stopped at an intersection. He asked an elderly man, "Where does this road take me?" The elderly person asked, "Where do you want to go?" The man replied, "I don't know." The elderly person said, "Then take any road. What difference does it make?"
How true. When we don't know where we are going, any road will take us there.

Suppose you have all the football eleven players, enthusiastically ready to play the game, all charged up, and then someone took the goal post away. What would happen to the game? There is nothing left. How do you keep score? How do you know you have arrived?

Enthusiasm without direction is like wildfire and leads to frustration. Goals give a sense of direction. Would you sit in a train or a plane without knowing where it was going? The obvious answer is no. Then why do people go through life without having any goals?

The Value of Struggle in Life

A man found a cocoon of an emperor moth. He took it home so that he could watch the moth come out of the cocoon. On the day a small opening appeared, he sat and watched the moth for several hours as the moth struggled to force the body through that little hole

Then it seemed to stop making any progress. It appeared as if it had gotten as far as it could and it could go no farther. It just seemed to be stuck. Then the man, in his kindness, decided to help the moth, so he took a pair of scissors and snipped off the remaining bit of the cocoon. The moth then emerged easily.

But it had a swollen body and small, shriveled wings. The man continued to watch the moth because he expected that, at any moment, the wings would enlarge and expand to be able to support the body, which would contract in time. Neither happened! In fact, the little moth spent the rest of its life crawling around with a swollen body and shriveled body and shriveled wings. It never was able to fly.

What the man in his kindness and haste did not understand was that the restricting cocoon and the struggle required for the moth to get through the tiny opening was the way of forcing fluid from the body of the moth into its wings so that it would be ready for flight once it achieved its freedom from the cocoon. Freedom and flight would only come after the struggle. By depriving the moth of a struggle, he deprived the moth of health.

Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need in our life. If we were to go through our life without any obstacles, we would be crippled.We would not be as strong as what we could have been. Give every opportunity a chance, leave no room for regrets. 

The Big Rocks of Life

One day, an expert in time management was speaking to a group of business students and, to drive home a point, used an illustration those students will never forget. As he stood in front of the group of high-powered overachievers he said, “Okay, time for a quiz?”, and he pulled out a one-gallon, wide-mouth Mason jar and set it on the table in front of him.



He also produced about a dozen fist-sized rocks and carefully placed them, one at a time, into the jar. When the jar was filled to the top and no more rocks would fit inside, he asked, “Is this jar full?”.

Everyone in the class yelled, Yes! The time management expert replied, “Really?”. He reached under the table and pulled out a bucket of gravel. He dumped some gravel in and shook the jar causing pieces of gravel to work themselves down into the spaces between the big rocks.

He then asked the group once more, “Is the jar full?” By this time the class was on to him. “Probably not”, one of them answered. Good! he replied. He reached under the table and brought out a bucket of sand. He started dumping the sand in the jar and it went into all of the spaces left between the rocks and the gravel.

Once more he asked the question, “Is this jar full?” “No!” the class shouted. Once again he said, Good! Then he grabbed a pitcher of water and began to pour it in until the jar was filled to the brim.

He looked at the class and asked, “What is the point of this illustration?” One eager student raised his hand and said, “The point is, no matter how full your schedule is, if you try really hard you can always fit some more things in it!”.

“No”, the speaker replied, that’s not the point. “The truth is, this illustration teaches us that if you don’t put the big rocks in first, you’ll never get them in at all.”

“What are the ‘big rocks’ in your life, time with your loved ones, your faith, your education, your dreams, a worthy cause, teaching or mentoring others. Remember to put these ‘big rocks’ in first or you’ll never get them in at all.”

“What are the ‘big rocks’ in your life, time with your loved ones, your faith, your education, your dreams, a worthy cause, teaching or mentoring others. Remember to put these ‘big rocks’ in first or you’ll never get them in at all.”

So, tonight, or in the morning, when you are reflecting on this short story, ask yourself this question

-

What are the ‘big rocks’ in my life Then, put those in your jar first.

I say my prayers when it’s calm

There is an Inspirational story of about a sea captain who in his retirement skippered a boat taking day-trippers to Shetland Islands.

On one trip, the boat was full of young people.They laughed at the old captain when they saw him say a prayer before sailing out, because the day was fine and the sea was calm.

However they weren’t long at sea when a storm suddenly blew up and the boat began to pitch violently. The terrified passengers came to the captain and asked him to join them in prayer.

But he replied, “I say my prayers when it’s calm. When it’s rough I attend to my ship!”

Is there a lesson for us, here?

If we cannot seek God in quiet moments of our lives, we are not likely to find Him when trouble strikes. We are more likely to panic. But if we have learnt to seek Him and trust Him in quiet moments, then most certainly we will find Him when the going gets rough.

Personal Improvement Quotes - Part I

" Children are like an open letter; when they come to you, their faces tell a story."
Written in 2011 by James J. Dick --- South Africa
It is so true. When learners come to you, their faces tell stories of grieve and joy and that motivate me as an adult.


  " Advice is a device that isn't strong enough to change people. What people need is impartation?. Impartation is the combination of advice, knowledge with proof, experience and insight."
Written in 2011 by Sheye Hassan --- Nigeria
I discovered that advice only touches people when they can see they're on the wrong path. But unfortunately, majority on the wrong path are blind to it, only impartation can touch them.


  " Let us not deceive ourselves that we don't know what and who we are. It is only when we accept what and who we are the best can come out of us, knowing very well that pretense brings fear and fear failure. It's when we know and accept that we are fools, we will pursue wisdom. When we know and accept that we are not doing well, we will put more effort only if we're hungry for. The truth is, let us accept who and what we are."
Written in 2010 by Chris Udofa --- Nigeria

  " Children are like an open letter; when they come to you, their faces tell a story."
Written in 2011 by James J. Dick --- South Africa
It is so true. When learners come to you, their faces tell stories of grieve and joy and that motivate me as an adult.


  " Advice is a device that isn't strong enough to change people. What people need is impartation?. Impartation is the combination of advice, knowledge with proof, experience and insight."
Written in 2011 by Sheye Hassan --- Nigeria
I discovered that advice only touches people when they can see they're on the wrong path. But unfortunately, majority on the wrong path are blind to it, only impartation can touch them.


" Let us not deceive ourselves that we don't know what and who we are. It is only when we accept what and who we are the best can come out of us, knowing very well that pretense brings fear and fear failure. It's when we know and accept that we are fools, we will pursue wisdom. When we know and accept that we are not doing well, we will put more effort only if we're hungry for. The truth is, let us accept who and what we are."
Written in 2010 by Chris Udofa --- Nigeria


" Imagination was given to man to compensate him for what he is not; a sense of humor to console him for what he is."
Francis Bacon --- Submitted by Vijay Sharma --- India


" The only way to walk in the realm of reality is to walk out of the world of fantasy!"
Written in 2011 by Candace Chambers-Belida


" If a friend tells you that you are empty, refrain from him. He will actually make you empty."
Author Unknown --- Submitted by Felix Nguah --- Ghana


" Sometimes not making any decision IS making a decision."
Author Unknown --- Submitted by Siti Nurul Hidayah --- Malaysia


" We learn from people smarter than ourselves. When you discover that you're the smartest person in the room... it's time to leave the room."
Written in 2011 by Raymond C. Nolan --- Alabama


" Give yourself a chance to be optimistic in what you doing and you will be surprised at what you will achieve."
Written in 2010 by Christian Bishyika --- Rwanda


" You want to feel good? Eat right. You want to feel great? Exercise. You want to feel powerful? Educate yourself. You want to feel enlightened? Read the bible and show everyone love. (Enlightenment is a profound, emotional and spiritual experience in which an individual receives realizations and truths about their reason for being.) Do all these things and big changes will start happening in your life!"
Written in 2011 by Omar Lacayo --- Texas
Something on my mind, all these things I am doing are creating big changes in my life, thought maybe it could help someone else if they read it.


" The company you keep determines the altitude you go in life. So who are your friends? Either they make you 20% richer or make you 20% poorer."
Author Unknown --- Submitted by Akinlusi Lawrence Tope --- Nigeria


" Perhaps our eyes need to be washed by our tears once in a while, so that we can see Life with a clearer view again."
Alex Tan --- Submitted by Lauren Covington --- New Jersey


" Win through action and never through argument."
Author Unknown --- Submitted by Steve Mandate --- Nigeria
It gives me courage.


" Search for a beautiful heart but not a beautiful face. Beautiful things are not always good but good things are always beautiful."
Author Unknown --- Submitted by Ganesh Gupta --- India


" I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear."
Martin Luther King, Jr.


  " If you live in your past, there's no room for your future."
Written in 2011 by Dylan Byrd --- Oklahoma


  " Whatever words we utter should be chosen with care, for people will hear them and be influenced by them for good or ill."
Buddha --- Submitted by Narayan T.V. --- India


  " If you don't know what you should do in a situation, try knowing what you shouldn't do in that situation. You will reach your destination if you know which path you need to select or if you know which ones always to reject on your journey."
Author Unknown --- Submitted by Kamlesh Khareta --- India


  " When a person makes you feel inadequate about yourself remember: it is not you, it is them; they have the issue with themselves."
Written in 2010 by Renee Scalfani --- Massachusetts


" There are those who will pretend to be your friend and suppress your progress so as to fodder their depraved ego and failed lives. You must now step away from under that rotted oak tree, let the sun shine down on you and stimulate your own prosperity!"
Written in 2011 by Easton Leiba --- Jamaica


 
" Life is too hard for us all. Do not forget to love and care for the human being that we are in a world where we must be brave to face challenges."
Written in 2011 by Maria Uman --- California


 
" Hearing is merely picking up sound vibrations, listening is making sense out of it."
Written in 2008 by Daideepya Bhosale --- India


 
" The more tranquil a man becomes, the greater is his success, his influence, his power for good. Calmness of mind is one of the beautiful jewels of wisdom."
James Allen --- Submitted by George Wachirah --- Kenya


  " Sometimes success is better measured in smiles received, giggles heard, and hands held, than in dollars earned, deadlines met, and kilos shed."
Mike Dooley --- Submitted by George Wachirah --- Kenya


  " Success is liking yourself, liking what you do, and liking how you do it."
Maya Angelou --- Submitted by George Wachirah --- Kenya

" Life is simple. Everything happens for you, not to you. Everything happens at exactly the right moment, neither too soon nor too late. You don't have to like it... it's just easier if you do."
Byron Katie --- Submitted by Lauren Covington --- New Jersey


" Opportunity is a Book with Blank Pages. It is for us to write words of our success or defeats on the said pages!"
Author Unknown --- Submitted by Shyam Dewani --- India


" Life is beautiful only for those who know how to celebrate the pain."
Author Unknown --- Submitted by Devika Tiwari --- India 

" Nothing ever goes away until it has taught us what we need to know."
Pema Chodron --- Submitted by Lauren Covington --- New Jersey


" When something negative hits you like a ton of bricks, just smile and move on. Do not live in that moment for a long time because whatever you think is big, is probably small in the big picture of life. The only thing making a mountain out of a mole hill, is you."
Written in 2010 by Rich Barnes --- Massachusetts


" When you know who you are, you don't need to justify it to anyone. Life is so uncertain so why waste good energy on negativity & negative people? When you get older in life, and you deal with you some hard stuff, you learn to handle things differently. The best thing to do is walk away. Petty stuff is not worth it, believe me as I say this. People will gossip, accuse, assume - LET THEM. Worry about your loved ones & your friends, not people who live off of drama. Just walk away because your friends know you. Let others believe what they want because the truth is out there."
Written in 2011 by Renee Scalfani --- Massachusetts


" If you have a wounded heart, touch it as little as you would an injured eye. There are only two remedies for the suffering of the soul: hope and patience."
Pythagoras


" Look at a person's light, not their lampshade."
Gerald G. Jampolsky


" Every new day begins with possibilities. It's up to us to fill it with the things that move us toward progress and peace."
Ronald Reagan


" I'm not scared of commitment. I never was. I am just scared of who to commit myself to."
Written in 2011 by Juliet C. --- Philippines


" Forgiveness is important while we use wisdom for a clear direction. If a partner repeats the same old bad behavior in marriage, we need tolerance. Before marriage, we escape for our lives and destiny. The mistake you accept is the mistake you live with."
Written in 2011 by Bassey Ndon --- Nigeria


" An opinion on any given subject often sheds more light on the character of the person offering it than the subject on which it was offered."
Author Unknown --- Submitted by Gary Anderson --- Illinois

" One must assess the past to be able to face the future."
Written in 2011 by Myra Tejada --- Philippines


" We choose the way we feel... We choose to feel happy, we choose to be angry, or we choose to be sad... . Most times, most people are unconscious or have no control about the way they feel. All we have to do is observe our thoughts and reactions and eventually decide if we want to express them. But foremost we need to decide if those thoughts that eventually develop in reactions or emotions have a valid foundation and deserve to be given the attention we usually do. Sometimes I get angry at myself for letting myself feel the way I feel, for letting myself get angry or frustrated or jealous or allow any negative thoughts break into my "under new management" mind. We need to take charge of our subconscious and expose our inner thoughts to our conscious mind. That way we can clearly listen and decide which ones, among our daily avalanche of thoughts, are constructive and have a positive impact in our lives."
Written in 2011 by Leo Frincu --- California
Always helped me staying on a positive mindset.


" Do not just look but also see. Do not just hear but do listen. Do not just eat but also taste. Do not just touch but do feel. Do not just talk but speak."
Author Unknown --- Submitted by Quinn Tee --- Malaysia


" Your conscience tells you what your heart doesn't want you to know."
Written in 2011 by Louise Smith --- Illinois


" It takes an instant to change... for the better. Deciding to finally make the change could take years... or an instant."
Written in 2011 by Pete W. Zafra --- California


" Practice these three L'S throughout life: Live a little, laugh a lot and love forever. Whatever the circumstances you face in life, it's for your growth and understanding of this world."
Written in 2011 by Kerry Crew --- Florida

" Life, and the people in it, treats you the way you allow them to treat you. Life is not fair but be fair and kind to yourself."
Written in 20101 by Funmi Obis --- Nigeria
It helps to get on with the business of living despite all odds.


" The irony of taking yourself too seriously is being laughed at by others."
Written in 20101 by Meyer Leibovitch --- Maryland


 
" Don't put your happiness in the hands of someone else. If you really want to be happy, you have to find this happiness within yourself."
Written in 2010 by Lawal Olanrewaju Kazzym Success --- Nigeria
I don't make my choices based on whether or not I am happy; my happiness is based on the choices I make.


" Successful people always have two things on their lips... silence and a smile; a smile to solve the problem and silence to avoid the problem."
Author Unknown --- Submitted by Ganesh Gupta --- India


" If you have never made a mistake, you would have never learned anything."
Author Unknown --- Submitted by Chad Ogg --- Michigan
If you never touched a hot stove, how do you know it's hot?


  " When others treat you with aggression and contempt, it is because they have realized that you possess certain qualities, which they are unable to attain in life. Keep on being you. Hatred meted out by others is just fuel to boost your success!"
Written in 2011 by Easton Leiba --- Jamaica