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Choices as Viewed by Max Lucado

July 3, 2010 By 4 Comments

Max Lucado Quotes, Beautiful!

I choose patience . . .

I will overlook the inconveniences of the world. Instead of cursing the one who takes my place, I’ll invite him to do so. Rather than complain that the wait is too long, I will thank God for a moment to pray. Instead of clinching my fist at new assignments, I will face them with joy and courage.

I choose kindness . . .

I will be kind to the poor, for they are alone. Kind to the rich, for they are afraid. And kind to the unkind, for such is how God has treated me.

I choose goodness . . .

I will go without a dollar before I take a dishonest one. I will be overlooked before I will boast. I will confess before I will accuse. I choose goodness.

I choose faithfulness . . .

Today I will keep my promises. My debtors will not regret their trust. My associates will not question my word. My wife will not question my love. And my children will never fear that their father will not come home.

I choose gentleness . . .

Nothing is won by force. I choose to be gentle. If I raise my voice may it be only in praise. If I clench my fist, may it be only in prayer. If I make a demand, may it be only of myself.

The above passage, one of the most beautiful and powerful passages ever written by a human hand, is from When God Whispers Your  Name by one of the greatest authors of all time, Max Lucado.  Mr. Lucado eloquently points out the importance of the choices we make.

The choices we make… daily…. hourly… define who we become.  In the end, they “identify” us to everyone around us.  We make the choice, and then the choice makes us.

No choice is so small that it shouldn’t warrant careful thought.  Very careful thought. One of the reasons for this is that we are – and always have been – creatures of habit.  In the morning, my husband or I, one, (depending on which climbed out of bed first and which one tried to steal 5 more minutes of shut eye) walk directly to the coffee pot and turn it on.  As the beautiful sound of coffee being created and the intoxicating aroma of said production fills the kitchen, we walk to the windows and open the blinds – letting the sunshine in as we watch the birds at the bird feeders.

All of this is done almost on auto pilot.  Our morning habits became so ROUTINE that they can almost carry themselves out without us.  Truth be told, we probably just get in the way.

Our morning habits aren’t unlike any other habits because that’s what habits do – they become ROUTINE.  They become FIXED.  They’re like permanent tattoos inked onto our lives.

Now tell me they aren’t worth careful thought and consideration.

If habits are going to become a permanent fixture in our life, shouldn’t we hold them accountable?  Shouldn’t we demand that our habits be the type of habits that will make us better people.  Smarter people.  More successful people. More giving people.  People funner to be around.  People who make the world a better place….

Spend a little time thinking about your own choices.  What habits are these choices creating and what impact are they having on your life? Your relationships? Your health? Your happiness?  Your future?

Your legacy?

Go back to the top of this post and re-read Max Lucado’s beautiful words.  How do your choices measure up?   If they fall short, congratulations…. you’re human!  However, you’re an intelligent human (after all, you’re on Self Help Daily – you’re top of  the line) and you realize that it’s never too late to break a bad habit and it’s never too soon to pick up a good one.  It’s always the right time to take a closer look at the choices you make.

Get in touch with your choices and be mindful of future choices.  They’re dictating your life – choose them wisely.

Also See Max Lucado Quotes

Filed Under: Books I Love, Daily Quote, Must Reads, Spiritual Tagged With: ,

8 Attributes of Great Achievers

May 18, 2010 By 4 Comments

Cameron C. Taylor's Latest Must Read

If you read even half as much as I do, you fully understand what it’s like to have favorite authors. Those men and women who simply speak to you on a level that others can’t seem to reach. I have quite a few favorite authors:

  • Max Lucado
  • Cameron C. Taylor
  • Dean Koontz
  • Stephen R. Covey
  • Agatha Christie
  • John Grisham

The list goes on – including other authors (fiction, non-fiction, inspirational, cookbooks, etc.), all falling in line behind God, Himself, of course.  Even the greatest authors in the world have peace with that positioning.

One of the books that can always be found in my home office is Cameron C. Taylor’s Does Your Bag Have Holes? Click the link for my review of this very special book. When I heard that Cameron had a new book out, 8 Attributes of Great Achievers, I was all kinds of anxious to get my hands on it. Fortunately, I was sent a copy and devoured it like it was covered in chocolate.

I, like a lot of people, love to read about successful men and women.  Not only are biographical profiles and stories more fascinating than anything even the wildest mind could make up (with a respectful nod toward Mr. Koontz), I realize that if you listen to what successful people have to say – - – really listen – - – you’ll learn from them.  Within their achievements are valuable lessons you’ll never find anywhere else.

Cameron C. Taylor, in 8 Attributes of Great Achievers, has taken some of the most fascinating and successful people to ever live and has given us wonderful insight into what made each one special.  Each of these individuals possessed special qualities, habits, and character traits that set each on his path to success.

“The greater danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it, but that it is too low and we reach it.” – Michelangelo

Last night my husband and I were watching a baseball game (our beloved St. Louis Cardinals). During a commercial, he handed me a USA Today book review for a book he thought I’d be interested in – you know, the kind you read.  I read the review and thought, “Wow, how professionally written.  How eloquent.”  How nice it’d be to be able to sit down and simply type out exactly what you’d like to say about a book and have it read as professionally as the book, itself did.

Alas, I’m many things but professional isn’t one of them.  So, I’ll just have to sum this outstanding book up “Joi style.”

Reading 8 Attributes of Great Achievers was as though Cameron C. Taylor had invited me to a dinner and sat me at the table with himself, Sam Walton, Walt Disney, George Washington, Winston Churchill, Benjamin Franklin, Abraham Lincoln, Orville Wright, Warren Buffett, Mahatma Gandhi, and others.  Large table.

He then introduced me to each giant and allowed each to share with me personal stories and words of motivation.  I wish you’d been there!

Several times, while reading 8 Attributes of Great Achievers, I closed the book simply to process what I’d just read.  After “meeting” Mahatma Gandhi, I closed the book for the entire day.  I simply wasn’t ready to meet anyone else yet – I wanted to spend time alone with everything I’d read from the life of this one remarkable man.

Funny how “remarkable” is usually such a sufficient word.

I have always known Mahatma Gandhi’s story – or, at least, I thought I knew his story.  However, within mere pages, Cameron C. Taylor showed me a side of Mahatma Gandhi that I’d never really seen before.  It, at once, broke my heart and made my hear soar. I was profoundly touched by the words and by Gandhi’s life.

Like I said, “remarkable” is usually so sufficient.

I also saw yet a different side of a man who has always been a personal hero.  A man who had a bulldog tenacity and strength that changed history: Winston Churchill.

As you read the words, from and about, these great men you can’t help but step into their shoes and realize how they must have felt as they trudged along life’s path.  By taking the journey with them, and retracing the most pivotal steps, I literally basked in the motivation, the inspiration, and the education.

I’ll close with a passage from the book.  This is from the Section where the reader spends time with Mahatma Gandhi.

Be the change you want to see in the world. – Gandhi

A mother once brought her child to (Gandhi), asking him to tell the young boy not to eat sugar, because it was not good for his diet or his developing teeth.  Gandhi replied, “I cannot tell him that.  But you may bring him back in a month.”  The mother was frustrated as… she had traveled some distance, and had expected the great leader to support her parenting… Four weeks later she returned, not sure what to expect.  The great Gandhi took the small child’s hand into his own, knelt before him, and tenderly cautioned, “Do not eat sugar my child.  It is not good for you.”  Then he embraced him and returned the boy to his mother.  The mother, grateful but perplexed, queried, “Why didn’t you say that a month ago?”  “Well,” said Gandhi, “a month ago, I was still eating sugar.” Gandhi knew that to effectively lead others he must first lead himself.  Gandhi wrote, “How can I control others if I cannot control myself?” - Page 25

Please head over to Amazon, or Does Your Bag Have Holes.org, to purchase your own copy of this very special book.  I absolutely love it and have instructed everyone in my family to read it.  As soon as they do, I intend to read it again!  I know you’ll love it as much as I do: Order 8 Attributes of Great Achievers and secure your spot at the dinner table with these remarkable men.

Photo Credit: Does Your Bag Have Holes

Filed Under: Book Reviews, Books I Love, Spiritual Tagged With: , ,

Four Very Powerful Words

April 12, 2010 By 6 Comments

“Do good, and disappear.” – Genevieve Hennet De Goutel (1886-1917)

The simple, yet beautiful, words above are from Genevieve Hennet De Goutel’s diary.  Genevieve was a heroic French nurse who served on several battlefields.  She died in World War I.  I’ve made a note to try to learn more about this remarkable woman.  As it  is, I have little more than the quote above.

But what a quote!

The quote needs no explaining or expounding from me.  The meaning is obvious:  When you do something helpful or kind for someone, you need not stand around waiting for a pat on the back.  You shouldn’t worry if anyone saw your good deed or heard your kind words, and you most certainly shouldn’t try to draw attention to yourself

You simply give, say, or do – and disappear.

Filed Under: Daily Quote, Make a Difference, Spiritual Tagged With: , ,

Blame Shifters: Spineless Cousins of Shapeshifters

March 31, 2010 By 13 Comments

blame shifting – n. a process in business and government wherein the blame for something bad is shifted from person to person.

Ever seen a movie or television show with shapeshifters?   I’m beyond fascinated with them.  My husband and I watched a television show for a few years (before FOX pulled the plug) that heavily featured shapeshifters.  One was a lovely red-haired lady who could shift into anything at will.  I’m not sure why, but it blew my little mind every single time.

Blame shifters are kind of like shapeshifters.  But nowhere near as entertaining.  But, oh they hope to be!  A blame shifter will, the instant something goes wrong, try to shift the entire situation around and put someone else in the hot seat. I don’t get that.  Why go through all the trouble and drama?  Just say, “I blew it.”  So much easier.  Sadly, as with many things in life, few people take the easy route.

And it’s been that way since the beginning of time.

The world’s first blame shifters were Adam and Eve.  The first two humans ever created became the first two humans ever to shift blame rather than accepting blame. How appropriate is that?

After Eve just had to have the forbidden fruit, God knew that she and Adam had done a bad, bad thing. (Come on, really, how are you going to keep something from God?!  Hope that He’s looking the other way and not listening?)

God: You took fruit from the one tree in the world you weren’t supposed to touch.
Eve: The snake made me do it.
Adam: The woman made me do it.  What’s more, er, you gave her to me.

We owe a huge debt to God that He didn’t just wipe humans off the face of the earth at that point and just go with animals and plants.  Maybe put out a giant recall notice:  Faulty reasoning!

How cool would Eve had been if she’d just said, “I became obsessed with the thought of that tree and its fruit.  I couldn’t get my mind off of it.  I put myself in a terrible position and I disobeyed you.  I am horrifically sorry.”  She thought she’d just go with shifting blame to the snake.

But Adam is, in my humble opinion, the biggest player in the blame shifting game…. and that’s anything but a good thing.  He didn’t just point his finger instinctively at Eve, he went on to pretty much point out that God’s the one who gave Eve to him!  It’s almost as if he threw up his hands and insinuated that God and Eve owed him quite the apology.

Again, I’m very thankful that the aerial view of the world today shows houses, buildings, cars, and humans.  If not for our Creator’s patience and grace, the view would show nothing but trees, elephants, giraffes, eagles, and so on.

Before we come down too hard on  Eve’s blame shifting, we might want to look in the mirror for a minute.  Even more alarming, we might want to look in the mirror before we cast any stones at Adam.  Think about it.  Have you ever blamed God for a situation?  Of course you have.  We all have been certain, at one time or another, that He was out to get us.  Whether it was after a really foul day, the loss of a relationship, the loss of a dream home, or a beautiful dream that went up in smoke.

Truth be told, we were probably solely responsible for whatever befell us.  Either through foolish spending habits, poor choices, or terrible decision-making.  When we come to the end of the month with fewer dollars in our pocket than our cat has in her’s, it’s not God’s fault.  It’s ours.

If we have a relationship that falls apart – it isn’t God’s fault.  The fault lies in the people involved in the relationship.

You see what I’m saying, and I’m sure that you understand now why we can’t be too hard on Adam. We’re just as outrageously guilty.

One of my pet peeves in the whole world is blame shifting. Truth be told, if I didn’t find it so ridiculously funny most of the time, it’d make me mad enough to scream.   Fortunately, blame shifters are usually pretty humorous.  Watch them.  The second something goes wrong, they instinctively throw the blame on someone else – usually on the person closest to them.

  • They spill a drink down the front of their top…. the server filled it too dang high! Never mind the fact that she filled everyone else’s glasses in the restaurant and they’re all walking out with dry tops.  Why not simply make a joke out of the situation? Laugh it off and realize that maybe you need to slow down and watch what you’re doing.  If the glass was incredibly full, didn’t you realize that before it made it all the way to your lips?!
  • They can’t afford something they’d like to have…. Obama! Bush! War! Wife! Why throw blame on anyone? Just be an adult and realize that that’s life – and, if you’re somewhere comfortable and reading this right now, you’re far luckier and far more blessed than most of the people in the world.  Many times, like Eve and the vile snake, we have a legitimate point when we throw blame.  But what’s the point? If I want a new dining room table but can’t afford it right now – listing off every politician who has been in office over the past 10 years isn’t going to make me feel any better and it isn’t going to put a new dining room table in my dining room. It’s just going to spill venom and negativity out into a world that has more than its share. Wouldn’t it be smarter to just remain calm, level-headed, and come up with a plan to put in motion? Operation: Dining Room Table before Thanksgiving.
  • A bad day at the office means that their co-workers are “losers” and the boss is a “jerk.” Instead of shifting blame at work when things don’t go your way, take an honest look at what you could have done differently.  Are you relying on others too much instead of relying entirely on yourself?  Don’t worry about them and what they do or don’t do – take care of your own work and your own responsibilities.   If you want them to work harder, set the example.
  • A college exam didn’t go as well as hoped for…. stupid test! Granted, some instructors seem to be sadistic when writing up exams and there are those who betray what they’ve told the class.  However, more times than not, if you don’t know the answers to the questions it’s because you don’t study as often as you should.  Preparation leads to success.  Do all you can and nothing less.  In the end, if you come up short, you’ll know you did all that you possibly could.  That’s what really counts.
  • Someone’s weight is out of control… it’s everyone’s fault except the one with the fork in their hand. True story.  About a month ago, I was waiting in line at Starbucks (my home sweet home away from home sweet home).  Two really, really large ladies were in front of me.  Bless them, they were very, very big girls.   They were also angry girls.  They were griping about the weather, the fact that small drinks are called “Tall,” the fact that Venti is a size option (I SO wanted to ask them what difference any of this made, but I just stood in the shade of their grumpiness), the weather and so on. They compared horror stories about their kids, how that they “had” to take them out for fast food everyday and that it was piling up pounds on the entire family.  Then they railed against this part of the country and how that, if they lived further south, they would never even  have a weight problem.  They could wear what they wanted to, wouldn’t have trouble breathing or walking up stairs, and so on.   Then they stepped up and each ordered  Venti fraps (one even wanted extra whipped topping on top) and two cookies each.  Two!  Yeah, it’s the weather.
  • Their kids misbehave and/or talk back….  it’s all thanks to the school system, television, and the music they listen to. I’ll be the first to admit that different influences influence children (go figure!) but you’ve heard the saying, “The buck stops here.”  When it comes to parenting, the buck truly does stop here.  Stop blame shifting and accept responsibility for your own kids.

Blame shifting is a waste of energy and time.  It also tends to make one look like a baboon. Never a good thing, unless you’re a baboon. It’s also counterproductive.  Think about the ladies in Starbucks. If they quit blaming everyone, including Mother Nature, they’d realize the cold, honest truth:  Bad choices.  Then they could begin making better choices and turn their whole world around.

Watch yourself over the next couple of days.  See how many times you point your finger at other people and how many times you instinctively bring up other people’s names when things go wrong.  You may be amazed to find that you are, in fact, a blame shifter!  If that’s the case, rejoice.  It’ll be the easiest step in your self growth journey that you ever take.  It’s one of those traits that, once you realize your tendency to do it, you’ll be able to overcome relatively easily.

As long as you don’t blame someone else for it.

Filed Under: Articles, Self Help, Spiritual Tagged With: , , ,

A Self Help Lesson from the Garden of Eden

March 30, 2010 By 3 Comments

The Garden of Eden, 1659

The Garden of Eden, 1659 Giclee Print

While reading a few chapters in Genesis yesterday, I was struck by all of the self help and self improvement lessons lingering in the Garden of Eden with Adam and his somewhat dysfunctional family.  Discontentment, resentment, hatred, unaccountability, and the modern practice of throwing someone under the bus.   Granted, she deserved to be thrown under the bus – but anyone who ever suffers the same fate will find Eve there when they arrive.

Adam and Eve had it all.  A home so beautiful that our minds could never even begin to grasp the imagery. They didn’t have taxes, traffic, health problems, health reform, social climbing, bickering relatives, nosy neighbors, politicians, wars, or any other disasters we’re familiar with.

God was their president, their pastor, and their friend.

Somehow, that wasn’t enough for Eve.  She wanted what she couldn’t and shouldn’t have:  The forbidden fruit. The one tree in her entire world that she was told she couldn’t have… that’s the one she just couldn’t do without.  Can you see her now? Picture it.  She is the perfect female specimen – and her sweetheart is the perfect male specimen,  AND she doesn’t have to worry about other females!  The lovely duo lives in Paradise and their every need is met and met beautifully.

There’s just ONE tree that they aren’t permitted to touch.  I believe Eve fixated on this tree.  She didn’t spend her days and nights looking at all that she had, she spent them looking at what she didn’t have.

In the early stages of fixation, we don’t think about what we don’t have 24/7.  We start out thinking about it, maybe, once or twice a week.  Then, if we don’t snatch our mind away in time – we start thinking about it once or twice a day.  Pretty soon, we’re thinking about the car, house, wardrobe, perfect body, bulldog, boat, bedroom furniture, Paula Deen Cookware, or baby that we DON’T have more often that we think about the things we DO have.

This is, of course, where discontentment and misery move into our minds and hearts.  Without us even realizing it, the discontentment makes us miserable and unhappy – inside and out. I believe that many of the most hateful, grumpity grumps in the world are, at heart, simply miserable themselves – because they don’t think they have all that’s coming to them.  All they deserve.

A couple of people recently told me about a co-worker who was so hateful and mean that you could FEEL her anger and negativity when she walked into a room. It wasn’t at all uncommon for her to leave other workers in tears after shredding their self worth and nerves.   No one likes the B word, but this gal apparently the reason the B word was ever invented in the first place!  After thanking God above that I would probably never meet this woman and after telling the two I was talking to to “stay on her good side, whatever you do,” I started wondering, “I wonder what she doesn’t have that she thinks she requires to be happy.”

Although I wouldn’t want to be the one to tell her, she should think about Eve and the Garden of Eden.  Can you imagine how she’d snap my head off at the suggestion?!? People would be so much happier, healthier, and fun to be around if they didn’t focus on the things that were “missing” and simply looked lovingly and thankfully at the things that were present and accounted for.

Poor Eve.  The mother of discontentment at least leaves us a perfect example of the path that leads from fixation and discontentment to failure and disaster.  They were banished from the Garden of Eden.  But why should she mind, right, it wasn’t good enough for her in the first place…. or so she thought.

I wonder how many people, if they lost what they have, would suddenly realize that it was their own private Eden.  Unfortunately, like Eve, it’d be too late then.

How much better is it to look around at the beauty that is your world and to be thankful and content for all that you have.  Then, the next time discontentment begins to whisper a poisonous sermon in your heart and mind, cut it off.  Say out loud, if you have to, “I have more than I could have ever hoped for and far more than I deserve!”  Discontentment will get the message.   Eve did.

Tomorrow: Adam, most definitely, is not off the hook!

Filed Under: Positive Thought, Self Help, Spiritual Tagged With: , , , ,

The World as Viewed by Mother Teresa

March 3, 2010 By Leave a Comment

“In these times of development, the whole world runs and is hurried.  But there are some who fall down on the way and have no strength to go ahead.  These are the ones we must care about.” – Mother Teresa

The powerfully beautiful and beautifully powerful quote above is just one of the gems from Mother Teresa found in In the Heart of the World: Thoughts, Stories and Prayers.

Mother Teresa’s name and image will forever be associated with her kindness, gentleness, and compassion.  Her selfless work with the “poorest of the poor” should be an inspiration to all of us.  In the Heart of the World, written by Mother Teresa, is filled with her eloquent wisdom, motivation, and inspirational teachings.  Below are a few more examples.

Be kind in your actions.  Do not think that you are the only one who can do efficient work, work worth showing.  This makes you harsh in your judgment of others who may not have the same talents.  Do your best and trust that others do their best.  And be faithful in small things because it is in them that your strength shines.

We too are called to withdraw at certain intervals into deeper silence and aloneness with God, together as a community as well as personally.  To be alone with him – not with our books, thoughts, and memories but completely stripped of everything – to dwell lovingly in his presence, silent, empty, expectant, and motionless.  We cannot find agitation.

If we were more willing to see the good and beautiful things that surround us, we would be able to transform our families.  From there, we would change our next-door neighbors and then others who live in our neighborhood or city.  We would be able to bring peace and love to our world, which hungers so much for these things.

As I read this book, I lost myself in the beauty that was and is Mother Teresa.  Reading her words was so incredibly peaceful and relaxing – yet, at the same time, an unrest crept up inside of me and stirred around.  I realized that there is far more that I can and should do to help others in the world who are far less fortunate.   While on the early pages, I kept thinking, “What the world needs right now is another Mother Teresa.”  But, as I approached the final pages, I thought, “What the world needs right now if for more men and women to start caring more about people and less about possessions.  It needs more hearts that are broken for the suffering of others.  And more people refusing to look the other way.”

We don’t need another Mother Teresa as much as we need to learn from the one we were blessed with.

“I must be willing to give whatever it takes to do good to others.  This requires that I be willing to give until it hurts.  Otherwise, there is no true love in me and I bring injustice, not peace, to those around me.”  – Mother Teresa

The Mother Teresa quotes are from In the Heart of the World: Thoughts, Stories and Prayers

Filed Under: Book Reviews, Books I Love, Daily Quote, Helping Children, Make a Difference, Positive Thought, Spiritual Tagged With: ,

Meet Gambaru: My New Favorite Word

March 2, 2010 By 6 Comments

Ann Curry and a Great Love Story

I recently read an article in Guideposts written by the beautiful Today Show Anchor Ann Curry.  I’ve always been a huge fan of this particular journalist – her grace, compassion, integrity, and intelligence set her apart.  I’m such a fan, I actually forgive her for being so ridiculously beautiful.

In the article, Ann Curry talks about her parents and her career among other things.  There were quite a few things about the article that stood out in my mind – I even wrote a few of them down.  Suffice to say, I came away an even bigger fan than I was before.  I’ll link to the article below, because I really hope you’ll read it – it’s absolutely beautiful.  But I wanted to share one part of Ann Curry’s story with you here on Self Help Daily.  I’ve thought about her mother several times since reading her story and I’ve written a new favorite word, colorfully, on a piece of paper that now hangs near my computer desk:  Gambaru.

Unless you’re Japanese or fluent in the language, you’re probably not familiar with this word.  I’ll tell you in a moment what it means.

Ann Curry’s mother, Hiroe, was the daughter of a Japanese rice farmer.  Bob Curry, Ann’s father, was a career Navy man who enlisted in the Navy right out of high school. After World War II, as part of the Allied occupation forces, Bob Curry was stationed in Japan.

The war left Hiroe’s family without seed to grow their crop, which obviously put them in a terrible predicament.   At the age of 18 Hiroe had to take a job as a streetcar conductor. Guess who happened to be on her streetcar one day?  You got it, the hero of our story, Bob Curry.  According to Ann, her dad took that very streetcar every day until he worked up the nerve to ask Hiroe on a date.

His efforts paid off and they went out for noodles.  They fell deeply and completely in love, but their road wasn’t paved with rose petals.

During this time, the Navy disapproved of marriages between American servicemen and Japanese women.  Sadly, Bob Curry was shipped out of Japan. It took two years, but he managed to get sent back to Japan.   You knew he wasn’t going to give up that easily, right?!

He later told his daughter that when he took Hiroe into his arms, he realized how painfully thin she had gotten.  As it turned out she had tuberculosis and wasn’t even expected to live.

Bob Curry ingeniously used her healthy sister’s lung X rays to get clearance from Navy doctors, and married her anyway!  Now that she was a U.S. military wife, she was able to get the medical care she needed.   Hiroe went on to have 5 healthy children, including the oldest, Ann Curry.

Hiroe endured bombing raids and starvation during World War II.   With the love of Bob Curry, she survived TB and lived to tell about it.  She also had to overcome language barriers and even racism when she came to the United States.  All of that is what makes the following (as well as the colorful word on my cork board) so special.

Ann Curry, thanks to financial struggles (five children on a serviceman’s income had to have been a challenge) and coming from a mixed heritage (during a time when that wasn’t very common or smiled upon), knew a few things about adversity.  Whenever she felt the sting of the challenges, Ann says that her mom always told her,“Gambaru.”

Gambaru  is Japanese for “Never ever give up, even and especially when there’s no chance of winning.”

This story is more than just a love story, it’s a story of perseverance and it’s most definitely a story of Gambaru.

Credit: An Act of Faith by Ann Curry

Filed Under: Positive Thought, Spiritual

Turning Your Upside Down World Right Side Up!

February 17, 2010 By 1 Comment

I just finished reading a book by Deb Scott, The Sky is Green and the Grass is Blue: Turning your upside down world right side up!.  There were so many things I loved about this book – from the author’s infectious positive and fun-to-read style to the catchy title – a title that starts the reader off on a journey to discover what the author has in mind.  As an avid book reader who always has more books that she wants to read than time in which to read them, I love something else about this book – something that I’ve started embracing books for having: Large enough text for me to lie the book on the front of my treadmill and read as I trudge along.  Big bonus!  I actually finished this wonderful book this afternoon while getting in my daily exercise on my treadmill.

There is great power in the now. Give up the hope of a better past, and start focusing your time and energy on a better present moment, right now. – Page 15, The Sky is Green and The Grass is Blue.

I’d categorize this book under the following categories:

  • Spiritual
  • Self Help
  • Self Improvement
  • Inspirational
  • Motivational
  • Recovery
  • A Book that Makes You Glad to Be Alive!

That last category?  Just made it up – Just for this book.   When I finish reading a book, I ask myself what my initial opinion of the book is.  After the standard, “Like it, love it, or eh -so-so,” I always have a few summarizing thoughts about the book, the author, or the way the book left me feeling.  After reading The Sky is Green and the Grass is Blue: Turning your upside down world right side up!, I thought, and subsequently wrote down, the following:  “This book was like a walk through an inspirational and spiritual garden.  There were so many lovely thoughts, quotes, stories, and illustrations along the way – just like beautiful flowers along a garden’s path.  I kept stopping to pick one and could see one just ahead – from the first page of the book to the last.”

I share a lot of books with you, my friends who also happen to be my readers.  If I got something out of a book, I want at least the same for you.  But it can be tricky.  I don’t want the article to come across as a book review, per se.  My goal for Self Help Daily is for you to truly get something out of every single post – whether it’s a dose of inspiration, a blast of motivation, something to think about over the course of the day, or even a good (loving) kick in the butt (speaking of which, put down that soft drink).    All of this means, I like to share something with you from the book that’ll give you food for thought for your day and, hopefully, your life.  However, in fairness to the author – I never want to give too much away.

Generally, I just approach it like I do everything else in life – I let my heart be my guide. So, here goes!

As I said, The Sky is Green and the Grass is Blue: Turning your upside down world right side up! is filled with insightful, wonderful gems. Some of these are quotes, some are examples, and some are stories. However, the majority of these gems are the author’s own lovely thoughts and views of life. Deb Scott has lived a full life and seen her share of troubles and triumphs. It’s because of this view that she’s able to write such a thought-provoking and inspirational book.

We may not be able to control the direction of the wind, but we can always adjust the direction of our sails. – Deb Scott

It seems to me that this book is written, primarily, with the individual in mind who has been in a battle or who is currently on the battle lines. Even though neither description fits me, personally (for which I thank God profusely), I did get a great, great deal from this author and this book. I can only imagine what someone who has suffered any sort of abuse or addiction would take away from this book. I have an idea that it’d be this: A new life.

I’m not even remotely exaggerating.

Deb Scott has battled a demon (alcohol) that many face but only the strong defeat. She also battled an abusive relationship. I love that she didn’t just find her way out of the darkness… she’s going back for others who haven’t found their way out yet.

The Sky is Green and the Grass is Blue: Turning your upside down world right side up! can serve as a beautiful guide and companion to those who are looking for the light at the end of the tunnel. Make no mistake about it, it’s there and Deb Scott can be your guide.

I want to hasten to add, however, that even those of us who have been ridiculously blessed – having never been mistreated by anyone and who can claim coffee or chocolate as the only addictions they’ve ever had – can, and will, benefit from this book and author.

We magnify what we focus on. - Deb Scott

Here’s an example. Deb Scott points out, beautifully, a truth that I have always felt strongly about: The more we focus on something, the larger we make it. We actually end up magnifying what we want most to diminish! If you keep focusing on a small habit or trait of a loved on… keep thinking about it…. keep talking about it…. keep obsessing over it… it will become so large that you won’t be able to stand being in the same room with it. That’s why it is so important to focus on positive things in life and positive traits in people.

Think about it, our thoughts fill the room that we happen to be in. Do you really want to be filled with negativity, criticisms, and pet peeves? Hadn’t you rather be surrounded by love, laughter, positive thoughts, and positive energy?

The next time you begin to zero in on insignificant, petty little habits or idiosyncrasies of someone, switch your frequency. Think about his sense of humor – how he always makes you laugh. Or think about her sweet nature – how she wouldn’t hurt anything or anyone, even if they struck first.

Instead of thinking about your “small” house, think about how “cozy” it is! Instead of thinking about all the work you have to do, think about how blessed you are to have a job and the health with which to do it. Instead of criticizing yourself for being overweight, focus on how young you look, your beautiful hair, or your eyes that your friends envy so.

Fill your thoughts and fill your world with positive energy and show negativity the back door. There’s no doubt in my mind that I come across as Mary Poppins sometimes. It’s a fact I don’t just live with, I actually embrace. And it’s something that isn’t reserved for my writings or blogs – I’m this way in the kitchen, in the store, while vacuuming, in the laundry room, working in my yard… and so on. I simply think any time spent generating negative energy is a waste of time and an insult to God. It’s also not fair to people around you – the ones you spew it all over!

My husband and I had a funny talk last night at supper. He was talking about a guy he has golfed with before. He said he wasn’t his favorite golfing buddy because he was so negative. Then he told a story about a guy he likes to golf with. This guy isn’t as good of a golfer as the other guy, but he apparently thinks he’s the next Tiger Woods. He’ll hit a so-so shot or even a bad one, then look at my husband and say, “Wow. I couldn’t have hit that one any better!”

I love this guy!

Remember, we can’t unscramble the scrambled eggs. But we can come up with delightful new recipes to serve and enjoy them. – Deb Scott, Page 39, The Sky is Green and The Grass is Blue

I wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone and everyone. I promise that you’ll find plenty of beautiful flowers to cut and enjoy along the garden’s path.

Buy The Sky is Green and the Grass is Blue: Turning your upside down world right side up! on Amazon today.

Filed Under: Book Reviews, Books I Love, Positive Thought, Spiritual Tagged With: , ,

New Jesus Movement Takes Social Media by Storm

January 6, 2010 By 3 Comments

What follows is a press release that I found to be fascination and I knew you would as well!

Innovative Strategies for Social Media Help Group Raise Funds

Dallas/ Ft. Worth, TX — Christians from all over the world are tweeting, facebooking, and blogging the same message: It’s time for a new Jesus film that will reach the next generation with the gospel. It’s time for a movie that captures the true character of Christ as revealed in Scripture—heroic, passionate, winsome, the Living God made man. What began as Bruce Marchiano’s God-given vision has now become a growing movement that is energizing the church through a social media blitz reaching Facebook, Twitter, and a host of other online tools. And now it’s easier than ever to join the movement that will bring Jesus…No Greater Love to the world.

In the past few years, social media has reshaped the way organizations and individuals share their stories with the world. Sites like Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube have made it possible to reach masses of people in an instant. Paradoxically, even as social media broadens the reach of any given message, it also provides opportunities to craft messages tailored specifically for different affinity groups. Drawing on the successful approaches of a variety of groups—everyone from Tom’s shoes to the Obama campaign—the executive team behind the new Jesus film has engineered a strategy that will unite Christians from around the world in support of the film.

The purpose of the social media blitz is two-fold: to spread the word about the movie through the viral nature of social networks and to recruit millions of producers who will contribute $10 to the production of the film. Social media will be the venue through which producers from around the world will interact with Marchiano and filmmakers. They will also be invited to submit their own videos as part of the promotion and creative process for the film. Upcoming additions to the social media campaign include a custom Facebook landing page and video submissions that will reach many video sites at once.

The film’s executive team recently added to its social media strategy a new mobile way to contribute—texting. Now anyone can easily donate $10 instantly via text message through an organization called Mobile Giving Foundation. When givers text “NJM” to the number 85944, a one-time $10 donation will be added to their mobile phone bill or deducted from their prepaid balance.

“Through this application, we have seen worthy causes meet 100% of their fundraising goals in one evening,” says Doug Plank, CEO of Mobile Giving Foundation. “As a supporter of Jesus…No Greater Love, I am excited to offer this tool that will help convert enthusiasm for the movement into instant donations.”

The fundraising aspect of the campaign is directly dependent on raising awareness of the project, so the film’s executive team is keeping social media the main emphasis of its communications strategy.

“So far, our use of social media has been very effective in raising awareness of the new Jesus movie project and engaging people of all ages. Contributions have been coming in from all over the world, including South Africa, Asia and Europe,” says Gary McClure, who is coordinating all social media for the New Jesus Film movement.

“The addition of mobile giving is an exciting complement to our many online ways to interact with people around the world. Not only will it be effective for individual users, we anticipate mobile giving will be a fun group action, such as at a concert or youth event,” McClure adds.

The mobile nature of social media has also proved invaluable for Bruce Marchiano and www.NewJesusMovie.com. During a recent trip to South Africa, he was able to maintain contact with the film’s supporters and to share compelling stories from the field. For Marchiano, social networking is symbolic of the heart and soul of the new film. “This film was never about a group of elite investors. In essence, this movie belongs to every believer. This is a movie produced by the body of Christ to reach the entire world for Christ,” Marchiano says.

For more information visit www.NewJesusMovie.com

Is this a movie you’d be interested in seeing?  Count me among those who’d love to see such a film!

Filed Under: Articles, Spiritual

The Importance of Attitude, Soul Exercises, and a Final Thought Worth Writing Down – Twice

December 17, 2009 By 3 Comments

101 Exercises for the Soul by Dr. Bernie S. Siegel

A lot of things fascinate me. I guess I’m easily fascinated. And amused. I laugh often and easily, and sometimes at inappropriate times. I can’t help it, really, life and the livers of it simply amuse me.

One of the aspects of life that fascinates me the most is people’s attitudes. You can take two individuals – living under the same situations, same conditions, and sometimes even the same roof – and they’ll often have two completely different attitudes about life. One will think life is a wonderful long party – one that requires all the dancing, singing, and merriment that you can muster. They’ll see the hope in even the most dire circumstances, a rainbow at the end of every storm, and reason to smile when others think they’re whacko for doing so. The next person will think of life as a long work day – one that needs to be plowed through like Sherman plowed through the south. They’ll resent others who aren’t plowing along beside them and secretly wish the dancers would fall into a pit. A deep pit. (What these people don’t realize is that even if we did fall into such a pit, we’d just party on. Heck, it’d be a funner party than ever without the plowers!)

Attitudes. They determine so much, yet we tend to overlook and neglect them. Bad on us.

I just finished an outstanding book, 101 Exercises for the Soul: Simple Practices for a Healthy Body, Mind, and Spirit by Dr. Bernie S. Siegel.  In the book, Dr. Siegel offers 101 exercises that can, honestly, help transform your life.  He starts off with a bang in precisely the right place – with our attitude.

…if your attitude is negative and your mind is filled with worry and fear, it takes its toll on your body, mind, and spirit.  In fact, by spending all your time creating a vision of an unhappy future, you help create that future.  Remember, your thoughts guide your decisions, and negative thoughts lead to negative decisions.  Nothing is solved by visualizing the worst outcome, but much can be accomplished when you desire and intend to achieve the best possible result.  Optimists may not be more accurate about life – whether interpreting the past or predicting the future – but they live longer than pessimists.  pages 5-6, 101 Exercises for the Soul: Simple Practices for a Healthy Body, Mind, and Spirit by Dr. Bernie S. Siegel

I believe this is why it’s so important to believe in yourself, your dreams, and your prayers.  When you have the right attitude – a positive one – you’ll keep doing everything in your power to make your dreams come true.  You’ll keep praying, keep believing, and your soul will lie its head on a pillow of Faith and cover up with a blanket of Hope.

However, when your attitude is negative and pessimistic, you’ll all but give up.  No one ever wins ANYTHING by giving up.  Nowhere worth going – that’s where a negative attitude will take you, dump you, and leave you.

I highly recommend clicking the following link and reading more about this wonderful book:   101 Exercises for the Soul: Simple Practices for a Healthy Body, Mind, and Spirit by Dr. Bernie S. Siegel.

It’s a very, very special book.  Grab a copy, then sit down to transform your life.  Be sure to have a pen and paper handy for exercises.  You’ll really get in touch with yourself during these exercises. You’ll find wonderful qualities you’d forgotten you had!  You’ll also uncover a few rotten habits you’ve picked up along the way.  Don’t fret, though – Dr. Siegel will help you cast them aside!

I’ll end with possibly my favorite passage from the book – again about attitudes and the importance of wearing the right one.

Over God’s desk there is a plaque that reads, “If you go around saying I’ve got a miserable life I’ll show you what  miserable really is.  And if you go around saying I’ve got a wonderful life, I’ll show you what wonderful really is.” – Dr. Bernie S. Siegel – 101 Exercises for the Soul: Simple Practices for a Healthy Body, Mind, and Spirit

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