How Company Policies are made

Start with a cage containing five monkeys.

Inside the cage, hang a banana on a string and place a set of stairs under it. Before long, a monkey will go to the stairs and start to climb towards the banana. As soon as he touches the stairs, spray all of the other monkeys with cold water.

After a while, another monkey makes an attempt with the same result - all the other monkeys are sprayed with cold water. Pretty soon, when another monkey tries to climb the stairs, the other monkeys will try to prevent it.

Now, put away the cold water. Remove one monkey from the cage and replace it with a new one. The new monkey sees the banana and wants to climb the stairs. To his surprise and horror, all of the other monkeys attack him.

After another attempt and attack, he knows that if he tries to climb the stairs, he will be assaulted.

Next, remove another of the original five monkeys and replace it with a new one. The newcomer goes to the stairs and is attacked. The previous newcomer takes part in the punishment with enthusiasm! Likewise, replace a third original monkey with a new one, then a fourth, then the fifth. Every time the newest monkey takes to the stairs, he is attacked.

Most of the monkeys that are beating him have no idea why they were not permitted to climb the stairs or why they are participating in the beating of the newest monkey.

After replacing all the original monkeys, none of the remaining monkeys have ever been sprayed with cold water. Nevertheless, no monkey ever again approaches the stairs to try for the banana. Why not? Because as far as they know that's the way it's always been done round here.

And that, my friends, is how company policies are made.Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

Mantra For Happines

The mantra For Happiness

A great emperor asked his wise men to give him a mantra that could be used in any dangerous,fatal situation. Clueless, eventually they went to a Sufi mystic who gave them a piece of paper and said, “This should not be opened unless there really is
danger and there is no more hope!”


The king put the piece of paper under the diamond of his ring.

There were many moments when danger approached, but the Sufi had emphatically said, “Unless you feel this is really the last hope – that nothing can be more dangerous
– do not open it!” Many dangers came and went, but the king always felt that he could face it,and that he was not yet at the end of his tether.

Finally, death approached, and the king had still had not opened the piece of paper. His wise men pleaded,“Please open it. We want to see what is there.” But the king said, “It is now irrelevant what is there; the mantra has worked upon me. Ever
since I received this mantra, I have not felt any danger at all.

Whatsoever the danger was, I have felt still more was possible, and I have remained unperturbed.”

The king continued, “That Sufi is a wise man. I am not concerned about what he has written.”

After the king died, his wise men hastened to open the ring and pull out the paper. There was nothing written on it; it was a blank piece of paper. But the advice worked; the mantra worked.


Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

Buy a husband of your choice

A store that sells new husbands has just opened in New York City, where a woman may go to choose a husband. Among the instructions at the entrance is a description of how the store operates:



You may visit this store ONLY ONCE! There are six floors and the value of the products increase as the shopper ascends the flights. The shopper may choose any item from a particular floor, or may choose to go up to the next floor, but you cannot go back down except to exit the building!



So, a woman goes to the Husband Store to find a husband. On the first floor the sign on the door reads:



Floor 1 - These men Have Jobs.



Floor 2 - These men Have Jobs and Love Kids.



The third floor sign reads:



Floor 3 - These men Have Jobs, Love Kids,and are Extremely Good Looking.



"Wow," she thinks, but feels compelled to keep going. She goes to the fourth floor and sign reads:



Floor 4 - These men Have Jobs, Love Kids, are Drop-dead Good Looking and Help With Housework.



"Oh, mercy me!" she exclaims, "I can hardly stand it!" Still, she goes to the fifth floor and sign reads:



Floor 5 - These men Have Jobs, Love Kids, are Drop-dead Gorgeous, Help with Housework, and Have a Strong Romantic Streak.



She is so tempted to stay, but she goes to the sixth floor The Sign reads:



Floor 6 - You are visitor 31,456,012 to this floor. There are no men on this floor. This floor exists solely as proof that women are impossible to please. Thank you for shopping at the Husband Store.



**To avoid gender bias charges, the store's owner opened a New Wives store just across the street.**



The first floor has wives that love sex.



The second floor has wives that love sex and have money.



The third through sixth floors have never been visited.*



Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

Life is a journey take it easy

A mother passing by her daughter's bedroom was astonished to see the bed was nicely made and everything was picked up. Then she saw an envelope propped up prominently on the center of the bed. It was addressed, "Mom." With the worst premonition, she opened the envelope and read the letter with trembling hands:



Dear Mom: It is with great regret and sorrow that I'm writing you. I had to elope with my new boyfriend because I wanted to avoid a scene with Dad and you. I've been finding real passion with Ahmed and he is so nice-even with all his piercings, tattoos, beard, and his motorcycle clothes. But it's not only the passion Mom, I'm pregnant and Ahmed said that we will be very happy. He already owns a trailer in the woods and has a stack of firewood for the whole winter. He wants to have many more children with me and that's now one of my dreams too. Ahmed taught me that marijuana doesn't really hurt anyone and we'll be growing it for us and trading it with his friends for all the cocaine and ecstasy we want. In the meantime, we'll pray that science will find a cure for AIDS so Ahmed can get better; he sure deserves it!! Don't worry Mom, I'm 15 years old now and I know how to take care of myself. Someday I'm sure we'll be back to visit so you can get to know your grand children.



Your daughter, Judith



PS: Mom, none of the above is true. I'm over at the neighbor's house. I just wanted to remind you that there are worse things in life than my report card that's in my desk center drawer. I love you! Call when it is safe for me to come home.



Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

The Red Phone

There was a simple and little Hindu priest who lived in Mathura, India. Once he had the chance to go visit the Pope at the Vatican in Italy. After traveling to the Vatican, he walked up the steps and through the halls of the opulent building where the Pope stayed. He looked in awe at the beautiful marble floors and majestic columns. Then he came into the Pope's office and he greeted the Pope who was seated behind his desk. The little Hindu priest sat nearby and they exchanged pleasantries. Then the Hindu priest noticed a red phone sitting at the end of the desk. So the Hindu priest asked what it was.

"Oh, that's my hotline to God," replied the Pope. "Whenever things get too difficult and I need to have a personal talk with God, I give Him a call."

"Oh," said the priest. "Would you mind if I tried it?"

"No, not at all," the Pope responded.

So the little Hindu priest picked up the phone, dialed the number, and sure enough, he got through to God. So he offered his respects and prayers, said he was very happy to talk to Him, and then hung up the phone after only five minutes. He was a simple priest and did not have much more to say to God. He then thanked the Pope for the privilege of using the special red phone.

The Pope replied, "Oh that is quite all right. By the way, that will be $75."

"Seventy-five dollars?" inquired the Hindu priest.

"Oh yes," said the Pope. "You know long distance charges. It's a long way from here to God, you know."

So the priest pulled out his wallet and gave the pope the seventy-five dollars.

Several months later, the Pope had the opportunity to visit India, and it was arranged for him to come to Mathura and visit the little Hindu priest. So the Pope approached the little hut of the Hindu priest, ducking his head as he walked through the door. He sat in a chair in front of the little table where the Hindu priest was pleased to meet the Pope again. They exchanged greetings when the Pope noticed the same kind of red phone on the priest's table as he had at the Vatican. So the Pope asked what that was.

"Why, I also have a hotline to God," replied the Hindu priest.

"Do you mind if I use it?" asked the Pope. "I really have a lot on my mind."

"Please do," responded the priest.

So the Pope got on the phone, got a good connection, and managed to get through to God. He offered his prayers, but then had many things to discuss. He talked about the trouble in the Vatican, the difficulties with the priests and legal charges in the United States, the changing attitudes of the congregation in England and Europe, and so on. Fifteen minutes went by, and then a half-hour, then finally after nearly an hour he was able to put the phone down. Then he said, "Thank you very much. I feel a lot better now. I had so much to talk about. By the way, how much will that be?"

The Hindu priest thought a moment and then said, "Two rupees."

"What," the Pope replied, surprised at how inexpensive it was. "Why so cheap?"

"Why don't you know?" asked the little Hindu priest. "Here it is a local call." Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

The Hot Water Bottle

The Hot Water Bottle
A True Story By Helen Roseveare, Missionary to Africa

One night I had worked hard to help a mother in the labor ward; but in spite of all we could do, she died, leaving us with a tiny, premature baby and a crying two-year-old daughter. We would have difficulty keeping the baby alive; as we had no incubator (we had no electricity to run an incubator).

We also had no special feeding facilities. Although we lived on the equator, nights were often chilly with treacherous drafts. One student midwife went for the box we had for such babies and the cotton wool that the baby would be wrapped in.

Another went to stoke up the fire and fill a hot water bottle. She came back shortly in distress to tell me that in filling the bottle, it had burst (rubber perishes easily in tropical climates). 'And it is our last hot water bottle!' she exclaimed. As in the West, it is no good crying over spilled milk, so in Central Africa it might be considered no good crying over burst water bottles. They do not grow on trees, and there are no drugstores down forest pathways.

'All right,' I said, 'put the baby as near the fire as you safely can, and sleep between the baby and the door to keep it free from drafts. Your job is to keep the baby warm.'

The following noon, as I did most days, I went to have prayers with any of the orphanage children who chose to gather with me. I gave the youngsters various suggestions of things to pray about and told them about the tiny baby. I explained our problem about keeping the baby warm enough, mentioning the hot water bottle, and that the baby could so easily die if it got chills. I also told them of the two-year-old sister, crying because her mother had died.

During prayer time, one ten-year-old girl, Ruth, prayed with the usual blunt conciseness of our African children. 'Please, God' she prayed, 'Send us a hot water bottle today. It'll be no good tomorrow, God, as the baby will be dead, so please send it this afternoon.'

While I gasped inwardly at the audacity of the prayer, she added, 'And while You are about it, would You please send a dolly for the little girl so she'll know You really love her?'

As often with children's prayers, I was put on the spot. Could I honestly say 'Amen?' I just did not believe that God could do this.

Oh, yes, I know that He can do everything; the Bible says so. But there are limits, aren't there? The only way God could answer this particular prayer would be by sending me a parcel from the homeland. I had been in Africa for almost four years at that time, and I had never, ever, received a parcel from home.

Anyway, if anyone did send me a parcel, who would put in a hot water bottle? I lived on the equator!

Halfway through the afternoon, while I was teaching in the nurses' training school, a message was sent that there was a car at my front door. By the time I reached home, the car had gone, but there on the verandah was a large 22-pound parcel. I felt tears pricking my eyes. I could not open the parcel alone, so I sent for the orphanage children. Together we pulled off the string, carefully undoing each knot. We folded the paper, taking care not to tear it unduly. Excitement was mounting. Some thirty or forty pairs of eyes were focused on the large cardboard box. From the top, I lifted out brightly-colored, knitted jerseys. Eyes sparkled as I gave them out. Then there were the knitted bandages for the leprosy patients, and the children looked a little bored. Then came a box of mixed raisins and sultanas - that would make a batch of buns for the weekend.

Then, as I put my hand in again, I felt the.....could it really be? I grasped it and pulled it out. Yes, a brand new, rubber hot water bottle. I cried. I had not asked God to send it; I had not truly believed that He could.

Ruth was in the front row of the children. She rushed forward, crying out, 'If God has sent the bottle, He must have sent the dolly, too!'

Rummaging down to the bottom of the box, she pulled out the small, beautifully-dressed dolly. Her eyes shone! She had never doubted!

Looking up at me, she asked, 'Can I go over with you and give this dolly to that little girl, so she'll know that Jesus really loves her?' 'Of course,' I replied!

That parcel had been on the way for five whole months, packed up by my former Sunday school class, whose leader had heard and obeyed God's prompting to send a hot water bottle, even to the equator.

And one of the girls had put in a dolly for an African child - five months before, in answer to the believing prayer of a ten-year-old to bring it 'that afternoon.'

'Before they call, I will answer.' (Isaiah 65:24)


Prayer is one of the best free gifts we receive. There is no cost, but a lot of rewards. Let's continue praying for one another.


Heavenly Father, I ask you to bless my friends reading this. I ask You to minister to their spirit. Where there is pain, give them Your peace and mercy. Where there is self doubting, release a renewed confidence to work through them. Where there is tiredness or exhaustion, I ask You to give them understanding, guidance, and strength. Where there is fear, reveal your love and release to them Your courage. Bless their finances, give them greater vision, and raise up leaders and friends to support and encourage them. I ask You to do these things in Jesus' name. Amen

Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

Paying Attention to Our Habits

Paying Attention to Our Habits
There was a fire one night at a convent and several nuns who lived on the fourth floor were trapped. They were praying for divine providence to show them a way out of the fire when one of the sisters screamed, “We need to take off our robes, tie them together, and climb down to safety.”
Later as they were recounting the event to reporters, they were asked if they were afraid that the crude rope might not hold up. “Oh, no,” they said, “Old habits are hard to break.”

Then there’s the story of the touchstone. It tells of a fortunate man who was told that, if he should find the “touchstone,” its magical powers could give him anything he wanted. It could be found, he was informed, among the pebbles of a certain beach. All he need do is pick up a stone – if it feels warm to the touch, unlike the other pebbles, he has found the magical touchstone.

The man went immediately to the beach and began picking up stones. When he grasped a pebble that felt cold, he threw it into the sea. He continued This practice hour after hour, day after day, week after week. Each pebble felt cold. Each pebble was immediately tossed into the sea.

Then, late one morning, he happened to take hold of a pebble that felt warm, unlike the other stones. The man, whose consciousness had barely registered the difference, tossed it into the sea. He hadn’t meant to, but he had formed a habit, and…old habits can be hard to break.

Most of my habits are more like routines. I wake up earlier and earlier, the older I get. When I arise, I say my morning prayers. I think about exercising and, unfortunately, lie down again until that thought passes. I check my emails. I give Sweetie (our dog who we treat as a child) a back rub and then make some breakfast. Most days I make my plan for the day – the people I need to call or visit – the reading I must do – the thank you notes I want to write — which usually goes out the window by about 10:30 am. Late at night, (and I’m not proud of this,) I love to watch movies. I’m a big fan of Netflix.
My routines are fairly predictable. But what I call routine is more like a series of habits, some of which work well for me and some I should perhaps look at a bit more closely.

In fact, any behavior that I repeat, I reinforce. If I repeat it often enough, it becomes habit. Soon I don’t even think about it – old habits are hard to break. Even good ones.

A Spanish proverb says: “Habits are first cobwebs, then cables.” The metaphor works well for “bad” habits. They first entice, and then ensnare us like a cobweb. And if we continue in the behavior, the web grows stronger and can be as difficult to break as a steel cable.

Fortunately, some habits can work in our favor. Such as patterns in the way we live our lives. Or positive attitudes and healthy ways of thinking. Our habitual attitudes and behaviors can either help us or hinder us.

The truth is this: we form our habits, then our habits form us. So we ought to pay attention to the habits we’re forming.

As part of our preparation for the High Holidays, we can consider whether or not there is a particular behavior or attitude we would like to make into a habit. Once we identify it, we can reinforce it by repeating it at every opportunity.

If there is something we wish to change, we can substitute a different attitude or behavior and repeat the new one every chance we get.

When it comes to habits, practice may not make perfect. But practice will certainly make permanent. Our habits will form us. So it is helpful to form the habits we want to integrate into our lives and let them mold us into the person we want to be.

Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

Humility is not thinking less of yourself

Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it's thinking of yourself less. Rick Warren

A Humble Spirit In his own eyes, Mike was the most popular guy around. "A lot of women are gonna be totally miserable when I marry," he boasted to his date.

"Really?" she said. "And just how many women are you intending to marry?" (Maybe you knew guys like that.)

But I like the story of a young woman who wanted to go to college. Her heart sank, however, when she read the question
on the admission form that asked, "Are you a leader?" Being both honest and conscientious, she wrote, "No" and returned the application form expecting the worst.

To her surprise, she received this letter from the college:

"Dear applicant: A study of the admission forms reveals that this year our school will enroll 1,452 new leaders. We would like to accept you because we feel that it is imperative that they have at least one follower."

Sometimes a little bit of humble pie goes well with a rich meal.

Actually, what passes for conceit in many people is often just a plea for attention. A poor sense of self may cause one to want to be the prominent star in every constellation.

Humility, on the other hand, does not require that one shine less brightly than others, simply that all be given opportunity to shine.

There is a story about the great 19th century African American educator Booker T Washington that exemplified the power of a simple and modest spirit.

It is told that one day when Washington, then a professor at Tuskegee Institute in Alabama, happened to pass the mansion of a wealthy woman as he walked to work.

The woman did not recognise him and called out, "Hey you! Come here! I need some wood chopped!"

She was a product of her southern post-Civil War culture and simply perceived him as a black man who was there to do her bidding.

Without a word, Dr Washington peeled off his jacket, picked up the axe and went to work. He not only cut a large pile of wood, he also carried the firewood into the house and arranged it neatly by the fireplace.

He had scarcely left when a servant said to the woman, "I guess you didn't recognise him, ma'am, but that was Professor
Washington!"

Embarassed and ashamed, the woman hurried over to Tuskegee Institute to apologise.

The great educator respectfully replied: "There's no need to apologise, madam. I'm delighted to do favours for my friends."

The professor may have taught one of his greatest lessons that day. It was a lesson about astronomy: he taught that every star can shine without one out-shining all the others.

It was a lesson about peace: he taught how self-interest must often be set aside for the good of the whole. It was also a lesson about spirituality: he taught about the power of a meek and humble spirit in a world where aggression is too often confused with strength.

It is a lesson we are still learning.

"Pride slays thanksgiving, but a humble mind is the soil out of which thanks naturally grow. A proud man is seldom a grateful man, for he never thinks he gets as much as he deserves." Henry Ward Beecher

Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

I Was Born To FLY

In olden days, a king who was fond of hunting birds received a gift of two magnificent falcons from another king. They were peregrine falcons, the most beautiful birds he had ever seen. He gave the precious birds to his head falconer to be trained.

Months passed and one day the head falconer informed the king that though one of the falcons was flying majestically, soaring high in the sky. But, the other bird had not moved from the single branch of a dried up tree since the day it had arrived.

The king summoned experts from all the land to tend to the falcon, but no one could make the bird fly from its perch. Having tried everything else, the king thought to himself, "May be I need someone more familiar with the countryside to understand the nature of this problem." So he cried out to his court, "Go and get a farmer."

In the morning, the king was thrilled to see the falcon soaring high above the palace gardens.

The king asked the farmer "How did you make the falcon fly?"

With a bow, he replied “I cut the branch which this falcon had come to like and preferred sitting on it, rather than fly. Moreso, as he was getting good food to eat and fresh water to drink through courtesy of the royal attendants.”

We are all made to fly -- to realize our incredible potential as human beings. But instead of doing that, we sit on our branches, clinging to the things that are easier or become familiar to us. The possibilities are endless, but for most of us, they remain undiscovered. We conform to the familiar, the comfortable, the mundane. So for the most part, our lives are mediocre instead of exciting, thrilling and fulfilling.

So let us learn to destroy the branch of fear we cling to and free ourselves to the glory of flight.

Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

A Letter from Father

Beautiful letter written by a father to his son...

Following is a letter to his son from a renowned HongKong TV broadcaster/ Child Psychologist. The words are actually applicable to all of us, young or old, children or parents.! This applies to daughters too. All parents can use this in their teachings to their children.

Dear son ,

I am writing this to you because of 3 reasons:

1. Life, fortune 'n mishaps are unpredictable; nobody knows how long he lives. Some words are better said early.

2. I am your father, 'n if I don't tell you these, no one else will.

3. What is written is my own personal bitter experiences that perhaps could save you a lot of unnecessary heartaches.

Remember the following as you go through life

1. Do not bear grudge towards those who are not good to you. No one has the responsibility of treating you well, except your mother 'n I. To those who are good to you, you have to treasure it 'n be thankful, 'n ALSO you have to be cautious, because, everyone has a motive for every move. When a person is good to you, it does not mean he really likes you. You have to be careful, don't hastily regard him as a real friend.

2. No one is indispensable, nothing in the world that you must possess. Once you understand this idea, it would be easier for you to go through life when people around you don't want you anymore, or when you lose what/who you love most.

3. Life is short. When you waste your life today, tomorrow you would find that life is leaving you. The earlier you treasure your life, the better you enjoy life.

4. Love is but a transient feeling, 'n this feeling would fade with time 'n with one's mood. If your so called loved one leaves you, be patient, time will wash away your aches 'n sadness. Don't over exaggerate the beauty 'n sweetness of love, 'n don't over exaggerate the sadness of falling out of love.

5. A lot of successful people did not receive a good education, that does not mean that you can be successful by not studying hard! Whatever knowledge you gain is your weapon in life. One can go from rags to riches, but one has to start from some rags!

6. I do not expect you to financially support me when I am old, neither would I financially support your whole life. My responsibility as a supporter ends when you are grown up. After that, you decide whether you want to travel in a public transport or in your limousine, whether rich or poor.

7. You honour your words, but don't expect others to be so. You can be good to people, but don't expect people to be good to you. If you don't understand this, you would end up with unnecessary troubles.

8. I have bought lotteries for umpteen years, but I never strike any prize. That shows if you want to be rich, you have to work hard! There is no free lunch!

9. No matter how much time I have with you, let's treasure the time we have together. We do not know if we would meet again in our next life.


Your Dad
Regards,
Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

Every Kindness is Rewarded

Ahmad the shepherd was very sad. He had lost almost everything he owned during the terrible years of war.

His wife had died and he had also lost his son.

When he lost his job in town, he began to work as a shepherd in the countryside.

One day, as his sheep grazed near the road, he saw a group of people taking a young man to the hospital in town.

It was obvious that this young man was even poorer than him. He was shivering in his thin jacket.

Ahmad the shepherd immediately took off his own coat, which he had owned for years, and put it on the young man. As the young man was waiting in the hospital to be examined, he was surprised to hear someone calling him “Dad.”

He looked up but he couldn’t recognize the young man standing in front of him. The latter, who had called him dad, was surprised as well. He apologized, saying, “I’m sorry, sir. I had mistaken your coat for my father’s, whom I haven’t seen for many years. I thought you were my father.” The sick man asked him who his father was. After talking for a few minutes, he realized that the young man was the

How true is the saying of our beloved Prophet, “Every kindness will be rewarded tenfold.”

Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

The Thorn..

Once upon a time there was a terrible punishment under way in a certain country.

They were feeding the criminals to the hungry lions. People would gather to watch this horrifying scene.

The criminal that day was a slave who had escaped from his owner. He was left in the middle of an arena surrounded by high walls. They let a hungry lion into the arena.

At first the lion got ready to pounce on the poor man, but suddenly it stopped and started to lick the slave’s hands! The spectators were astonished.


They asked the slave why the lion had not attacked him.

The slave said: ”One day, I saw this lion in the forest. A thorn had lodged itself in its paw, and it was in great pain. I pulled out the thorn and since that day we have been good friends.”

People got touched by this story. They set both the lion and the slave free. To the people’s amazement the lion was following the slave as if it was his pet cat.

“God shows his mercy to those who are merciful. Have compassion to creatures on earth so that those in heaven may have mercy upon you.”

Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

Pray first

Three Bullets

There once was a man who had nothing for his family to eat.

He had an old rifle and three bullets. So, he decided that he would go out hunting and kill some wild game for dinner.
As he went down the road, he saw a rabbit. He shot at the rabbit and missed it. The rabbit ran away.
Then he saw a squirrel and fired a shot at the squirrel and missed it.
The squirrel disappeared into a hole in a cottonwood tree As he went further, he saw a large wild "Tom" turkey in the tree, but he had only one bullet remaining.
A voice spoke to him and said, "Pray first, aim high and stay focused "

However, at the same time, he saw a deer which was a better kill.
He brought the gun down and aimed at the deer But, then he saw a rattlesnake between his legs about to bite him, so he naturally brought the gun down further to shoot the rattlesnake.

Still, the voice said again to him, "I said 'Pray, Aim high and Stay focused.
So, the man decided to listen to God's voice. He prayed , then aimed the gun high up in the tree and shot the wild turkey.

The bullet bounced off the turkey and killed the deer. The handle fell off the gun and hit the snake in the head and killed it. And, when the gun had gone off, it knocked him into a pond.

When he stood up to look around, he had fish in all his pockets, a dead deer and a turkey to eat for his family.

The snake (Satan) was dead simply because the man listened to God.
Moral of the story:

Pray first before you do anything, aim and shoot high in your goals, and stay focused on God.
Never let others discourage you concerning your past. The past is exactly that, "the past " very day one day at a time and remember that only God knows our future and that he will not put you through any more than you can bear.

Do not look to man for your blessngs, but look to the doors that only He has prepared in advance for you in your favor.

Wait, be still and patient: keep God first and everything else will follow.

Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

Digging A Way Out

Digging A Way Out
There's a man who has been by himself in a prison cell with a dirt floor, crude stone
walls, and there's two windows one of which looks out towards the ocean. All of the sudden, he hears a scratching noise, and he looks down at the ground that is furthest away from the window facing the ocean. He sees the ground moving, and he starts to think he's losing his mind. But soon the ground breaks, and up pops a head with long hair and a beard... it's a prisoner.

And the prisoner says "Sssh. Listen. A group of us have been tunneling for about
six years, and we've finally reached your cell. We have ways to cover up my entrance into this, but now it's all on your shoulders, man. All you have to do," he said while pointing out the window towards the ocean, "you just start digging here and go down about six feet and about 75 feet in that direction and there is freedom, and we're outta here!"
"Oh, I love that! That's great; I want to be free!"

"Okay, I'll check back with you in a few weeks."

Two weeks later, the pops back in to check on his friend's progress, and his friend nods
back with great affirmation. "Yeah, I've done it."

So the man who was providing the instructions pops down the hole, and two seconds later
pops right back up and says, "What have you done?!?!?"
"Huh?"
"I told you to dig in the direction towards the OCEAN! This tunnel that you dug
goes back under the wall and into the prison yard."

"Well, the digging was easier in the other direction..."

Reflection:
In your life right now, what is one way you are digging in the "easy" direction?
How might your life be different if you were to dig towards the metaphorical "ocean"?
What tools or resources would enable you to dig in the direction of the "ocean" more often?

Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

The Sormy Ocean

Swamiananda, and his disciple Ranga, were strolling on the beach by the ocean. It was a cold day and the wind was blowing strongly over the ocean, raising very high waves.

After walking for some time, Swamiananda stopped, looked at his disciple and asked:
"What does the choppy ocean remind you?"

"It reminds me of my mind. Of my rushing and restless thoughts", answered Ranga.

"Yes, the stormy ocean is like the mind, and the waves are the thoughts. The mind is neutral like the water. It is neither good, nor bad. The wind is causing the waves, as desires and fears produce thoughts", said Swamiananda.

"I wouldn't want to be on a boat, in the middle of the ocean, in a storm like this", said Ranga.

"You are there all the time." Responded Swamiananda and continued, "Most people are on a rudderless boat in the middle of a choppy ocean, even if they do not realize it. The mind of most people is very restless. Thoughts of all kinds come and go incessantly, agitating the mind like the ocean's waves."

"Yes", Ranga interrupted him, "You don't have to tell me. This is the reason I am with you. I want to calm down the waves of my mind."

Swamiananda looked at Ranga for a while, smiled and said:
"You don't calm the ocean by holding the water and not letting it move. What is necessary is to stop the wind. The wind is made of your thoughts, desires and fears. Don't let them rule your life. Learn to control them by controlling your attention, and then the ocean of your mind becomes calm."

"And how do I do that?"

"Suppose it is possible for the ocean to disregard the wind, what would happen then?" asked Swamiananda.

"The waves would cease. However, no one can stop the wind."

Swamiananda looked at him with a mysterious smile and said:
"Why not? The wind, the ocean, and thoughts are all within the mind. When you can control the mind, you can control everything within it. But first you have to control your mind, which means you have to control your attention."

"Yes master", said Ranga, " this is what I am trying to do. You say whoever controls his mind can also control the wind. Can you do that?"

"First learn to calm down the ocean of your mind, and then find out if you can calm down the ocean. It is better to learn to control the mind, than enjoying mental tricks. When you calm your mind, you can calm down everything."

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The Elephant and the Fly

A disciple and his teacher were walking through the forest. The disciple was disturbed by the fact that his mind was in constant unrest.

He asked his teacher: "Why most people's minds are restless, and only a few possess a calm mind? What can one do to still the mind?"

The teacher looked at the disciple, smiled and said:
"I will tell you a story. An elephant was standing and picking leaves from a tree. A small fly came, flying and buzzing near his ear. The elephant waved it away with his long ears. Then the fly came again, and the elephant waved it away once more".

This was repeated several times. Then the elephant asked the fly:
"Why are you so restless and noisy? Why can't you stay for a while in one place?"

The fly answered: "I am attracted to whatever I see, hear or smell. My five senses pull me constantly in all directions and I cannot resist them. What is your secret? How can you stay so calm and still?"

The elephant stopped eating and said:
"My five senses do not rule my attention. Whatever I do, I get immersed in it. Now that I am eating, I am completely immersed in eating. In this way I can enjoy my food and chew it better. I rule and control my attention, and not the other way around."

Upon hearing these words, the disciple's eyes opened wide and a smile appeared on his face. He looked at his teacher and said:
"I understand! If my five senses are in control of my mind and attention, then my mind is in constant unrest. If I am in charge of my five senses and attention, then my mind becomes calm".

"Yes, that's right", answered the teacher, " The mind is restless and goes wherever the attention is. Control your attention, and you control your mind".

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The Lion And The Mouse

Lion lay asleep in the forest, his great head resting on his paws. A timid little Mouse came upon him unexpectedly, and in her fright and haste to get away, ran across the Lion's nose. Roused from his nap, the Lion laid his huge paw angrily on the tiny creature to kill her.

"Spare me!" begged the poor Mouse. "Please let me go and some day I will surely repay you." The Lion was much amused to think that a Mouse could ever help him. But he was generous and finally let the Mouse go.

Some days later, while stalking his prey in the forest, the Lion was caught in the toils of a hunter's net. Unable to free himself, he filled the forest with his angry roaring.

The Mouse knew the voice and quickly found the Lion struggling in the net. Running to one of the great ropes that bound him, she gnawed it until it parted, and soon the Lion was free. "You laughed when I said I would repay you," said the Mouse. "Now you see that even a Mouse can help a Lion."

And The Moral Of The Story Is ...
A kindness is never wasted.

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The Fox and The Goat

A Fox fell into a well, and though it was not very deep, he found that he could not get out again.

After he had been in the well a long time, a thirsty Goat came by.

The Goat thought the Fox had gone down to drink, and so he asked if the water was good.

"The finest in the whole country," said the crafty Fox, "jump in and try it. There is more than enough for both of us."

The thirsty Goat immediately jumped in and began to drink. The Fox just as quickly jumped on the Goat's back and leaped from the tip of the Goat's horns out of the well. The foolish Goat now saw what a plight he had got into, and begged the Fox to help him out. But the Fox was already on his way to the woods.

"If you had as much sense as you have beard, old fellow," he said as he ran, "you would have been more cautious about finding a way to get out again before you jumped in."


And The Moral Of The Story Is ...
Look before you leap.

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Before you allow a thought

THE RIPPLES
A man was sitting by a lake. He was throwing small pebbles into it from time to time. A young boy happened to cross by.

He was intrigued to see that after every few minutes or so, the man would toss a pebble into the
lake. The boy went up to the man and said, "Good pastime, this stone throwing, he?" "Hmmm," said the man.

He seemed to be deep in thought and obviously did not wish to be disturbed.
Sometime later, the man said softly, "Look at the water, it is absolutely still." The boy said, "Yeah, it is." The man tossed a pebble into the water and continued, "Only till I toss a pebble into it now do you see the ripples?" "Yeah," said the boy, "they spread further and further." "And soon, the water is still again," offered the man.

The boy said, "Sure, it becomes quiet, after a while." The man continued, "What if we want to stop the ripples? The root cause of the ripples is the stone. Lets take the stone out. Go ahead and look for it." The boy put his hand into the water and tried to take the stone out.

But he only succeeded in making more ripples. He was able to take the stone out, but the number of ripples that were made in the process were a lot more than before.

The wise man said, "It is not possible to stop the movement of the water once a pebble has been thrown into it. But if we can stop ourselves from throwing the pebble in the first place, the ripples can be avoided altogether! So too, it is with our minds. If a thought enters into it, it creates ripples.

The only way to save the mind from getting disturbed is to block and ban the entry of every superfluous thought that could be a potential cause for disturbance. If a disturbance has entered into the mind, it will take its own time to die down. Too many conflicting thoughts just cause more and more disturbances. Once the disturbance has been caused it takes time to ebb out. Even trying to forcibly remove the thought may further increase the turmoil in the mind. Time surely is a great healer, but prevention is always better than cure."

Before you allow a thought or a piece of information to enter your mind, put it through the triple filter test of authenticity, goodness and value.

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It is better to have a little

Two robbers were crossing a dense forest. On the way they saw a cave. Inside the cave, they found a vast collection of jewellery. It was a treasure house of other robbers. They decided to steal the treasure, but could not find suitable bags or sacks to carry the jewellery. So one of them went to the neighbouring village to fetch sacks and food. The other robber guarded the cave.

The first man collected food and sacks from the village and returned with food for his friend.

On the way he thought that if he could kill his friend, he could have the whole treasure for himself. So he poisoned the food for his friend.

The other man also made a similar plan to kill his friend when he arrived with food.

The second robber hid himself and when his friend arrived, he sprang out of the bushes and killed him. Overjoyed at the idea of owning the whole treasure, he ate the food brought by his friend, not knowing that it was poisoned. Soon the second robber also fell down dead. Thus both of the greedy robbers lost their lives.

"It is better to have a little, honestly earned, than to have a large income gained dishonestly {Proverbs 16: 8}. Jesus taught us, "Do not store up riches for yourselves here on earth, where moths and rust destroy, and robbers break in and steal. Instead, store up riches for yourselves in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and robbers cannot break in and steal"[Matthew 6:19, 20}.

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