DON'T WHITTLE YOURSELF AWAY

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I thought that I had lost Mr. Quote Man (and worried a bit there) for there weren't any quotes in my inbox for some weeks. But this morning I got one from him with a brief explanation that he had just recovered from the sick bed. Not serious but enough to get him resting as advised by his doctor.
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Now the quote...... "He who trims himself to suit everyone will soon whittle himself away." --Raymond Hull (1919–1985) - Canadian playwright, television screenwriter, lecturer, and author.
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Unquote.
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Does this strike you as something familiar? But before we come to that.... In a popular sense, trim would be something like trimming a bush, a hedge, or a small tree in trying to remove run-away branches or leaves which are considered unnecessary or not helpful or useless to the overall aesthetic appearance or value. It's almost the same in the human world at the work place where companies retire or fire people they consider unproductive or liabilities to the grander common objective or goal. Sad but true.
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When I was in my early teens, I remember being so insecure that I would give my allowance (a pittance compared to that of my best friend who seemed to receive a fortune from her dad everyday) ... to whoever could make me the big superstar on the school campus. But none volunteered for the job as they too were being busy trying to be one themselves. Well, high-school is just the perfect setting for the battle of insecurities from one teen to another in every time or clime.
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Hilda (not her real name) was your ordinary teenager but a notch different from the rest... in a strange kind of way. We sat in the same class so I practically had her under my microscopic sight wherever-whatever. At one time she acted like a bitch because her gang of cool chicks acted like one. Then again when she hung out with a bunch of nerds she practically borrowed books from the school library but which she never really read but held in her arms as she chatted with the nerdy bunch. When in the company of boisterous rowdy school mates she talked and laughed the loudest. She was everything you wanted her to be it seemed.
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You think that's being adaptable? Naah... she looked more like peeling off parts of herself to fit into the group she was wanting to belong to. Whether she was peeling off much or too little isn't the whole point of the story. What she was doing was trimming herself too much just to fit in or be accepted until nothing was seen left of the original to thrive, nurture, or survive. She was shaking off values which started off her young human life and throwing away the potential to be someone worthy of life. She embraced the superficial thinking that it would lead her to better things and better times. But did it or does it? She was many persons other than Hilda.
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But it's not just teenagers who do that; adults do it too. And I have learned from life that if you really need to trim out anything .... just make sure it's something you are better off without permanently. That it's loss should not diminish you but rather would transform you into your best potential. By Divine design.
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Have a great week, folks! Be blessed. Stay blessed.

PRAYER IS A PATH WHERE THERE IS NONE

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Have been reading a book this past few days. A book I have read a dozen times before. Why do I keep coming back to it? Because it IS good. Not only that but also because it is short, only 113 pages composed of 43 chapters... short chapters. I have an array of 'shorties', which I call them, lined up in my mini library. Long stories and thick books have no place in it except for an encyclopedia or a family album. Written in simple English .... (as a rule I shy away from long big complicated words; have always believed that there is always a simpler less complicated way to express yourself verbally or in writing) ..... so simple that if I gave this book to my seven-year-old nephew he would be able to read it in one sitting. Except of course when he needs someone to guide him through the wisdom parts of the book. --
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"JACOB THE BAKER -- General Wisdom For A Complicated World" Author Noah BenShea --- Here in the author's own words is a brief description: -------- "Jacob is a poor but pious baker who lives an anonymous life in a timeless world. While waiting for the ovens to rise to baking temperature in the morning he writes little notes to himself trying to make sense of life. Unknown to Jacob, one of his notes falls into the mixer and is baked into a loaf of bread. It is then sold to a woman, who comes upon the note, reads Jacob’s thought, is dumbstruck and rushes to the bakery to see who wrote it and where it came from.
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Soon word is out that there is a special person in the community who has been ignored, and now everyone near and far comes to see Jacob with their questions about life, prayer, love, family, growing older and…and…Without any sense of hubris, Jacob answers the growing line of visitors with his parables and stories. Even the children come after school and sit on the flour sacks to listen to Jacob."
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Unquote.
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I finished the book in just a few minutes (yes, that short and will pick it up again another time you bet) and went through every piece of wisdom like I was seeing it for the every first time. Wisdom never grows old; we do. And if you are wisdom's good student, it always seems new each time you meet it.
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Like this one on page 36 -- PRAYER IS A PATH WHERE THERE IS NONE
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Is there anyone out there who has not acquainted himself with prayer? No matter your color, race, or creed....... no matter how independent you believe yourself to be....... no matter your titles or string of degrees attached to your name........ whether male, female, young or old, rich or poor........ you have spoken a prayer sometime somewhere there in your life. Probably it was just a sigh, a tear, a whisper, or simply a thought of God when you suddenly find yourself in a place similar to this.....
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"What if neither my heart or mind can help me find a way?"
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And Jacob answered, "Prayer is a path where there is none."
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I end this post with that thought. And I pray that prayer leads you to the path or paths to your dreams... essentially to His Throne. God bless you. Have a pleasant weekend, friends! 

A DAUGHTER MAY OUTGROW YOUR LAP... but SHE WILL NEVER OUTGROW YOUR HEART

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Each day which unfolds in my life brings with it lessons and I appreciate that. Always has been back then and still is now and I guess will continue forward as life moves me along with it.
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As family comprises about 80% of our full existence, most of the lessons are thus packed into it undeniably by a higher divine intent and wisdom. If you will pay close attention you will discover that to be true. Therefore, it behooves me (and so would everybody else I believe) to strive to see or better yet understand the lessons sent within that mold, sphere, and environment. Could it be that all these are really intended to serve the higher divine agenda of becoming a better human being.... the goal of our temporary earthly lives?
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Have you also thought about this? That the goal comes forth for two reasons. Firstly, for the development of the self (quite obviously) .... and secondly, to serve others with (this though not often well understood). You may have also read this somewhere in the Book... of what use is new knowledge or talents, insights or experience which undoubtedly enrich our lives (the lessons aim to achieve that) if it be not used to serve others with too? Correct? So then whatever is gained from the learning is not meant solely or exclusively for self-consumption. Although for awhile it may be and is by all intents but you will be nudged on to move forward with it sooner or later. In that context, self is just one part of the learning. The other part is service. One isn't without the other. And it's in the realm of family that initially one gets some serious practice.
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You might think that after churning out two posts on family that I would now run out of things to say for a third post. (Did it on another site. Sorry.)  Well, on the contrary and at the risk of losing your interest I will venture out to write another sequel on the subject. Because I love the subject of family.... I love my family. And this is like the tons of family pictures I see posted on Fb everyday by countless people of different race-color-or-creed over the various important milestones in their lives or over simple ordinary mundane things as eating a cone of ice cream or of baby taking her first step. And.... honestly -- it's all great because I see people who in their own special ways love their families tremendously and show it. Carry on, people, it's a beautiful life with family!!
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I have written about two members of my family God has so generously blessed my life with. There's a third one to whom I dedicate this post.
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Well, she loves springing surprises on her family like swooping down with goodies .. or a birthday cake where there isn't a birthday .. or a trip to some place never-been-there-before .. or shopping for nice stuff when you least expect it .. or a gorgeous bouquet of roses delivered to your doorstep! Further she's a bundle of crazy antics which always brighten up the house anytime she turns it on. And oh boy how she turns it on full blast everyday!
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With her older sister now married, she without any further ado stepped into her shoes or rather should I say glided into her shoes with ease like a ballerina with her ballet shoes. Gracefully, responsibly, with hard work and with her heart all over the place you simply can't miss it. She provides, nurtures, supports, protects her family with everything she is and has. (Proud is this mother!) Furthermore, she is an 'encourager' -- a beautiful soul who inspires one to be more or better than one could ever be. She helps nurture dreams.
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Again my thoughts and heart run through awesome once more! All three blossoming into their fullest potential under God's careful watch. Makes me think how sometimes God sends in trials but not to defeat you ---- but to make you stronger. That's what He did to my girls. I am a happy and proud mother because God blessed me with my three Steel Magnolias!
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I suppose you will ask 'What's a steel magnolia?' As I have read it somewhere, it is this  ---- Combining the contrasting images of steel (strong, durable, unflinching in character) - and magnolia, a beautiful flower. Steel Magnolia is beauty which shines from within and without.
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By God's design.
What a wonderful God we have!

LOVING YOUR JOB IS THE PREREQUISITE FOR A JOB WELL DONE

Many years ago when I was in my first job, I would often sit by myself wracking my brains dry trying to figure out the what-and-how of doing a great job. One day Mom, having noticed my bewilderment and anxiety, came to me, sat down, and said............. 'The only way to do a great job is to love it and give it your best shot. Even the geniuses of men with all their brilliance won't make it if what they do is simply out of the exercise of competition and rivalry. That would simply be a display of lame motivation. Because the truly motivated person knows that only by genuinely loving your work..... being passionate about it..... by learning something everyday..... and sincerely caring enough to put out the very best can performance be said to be truly outstanding. So whether you are a simple janitor, street-cleaner, salesperson, the office clerk or the president of your company, loving your job is the prerequisite for a job well done. The rest will follow.'
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I still miss her today as I did that year she left me and my brother. Life would have been so much lighter and grand with her by my side and with her bottomless stack of wisdom and care. She always had the right words, encouragement, strength, hope, faith, and positivity when my own failed. I remember best what she would always say to me............ 'Press on, Honey, got you covered with prayers.'   That made a great deal of difference in my life back then. But I have with me all those wonderful memories she left behind. I can say that with those golden memories inside my backpack, my life journey would be a breeze.
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"Older and wiser voices can always help you find the right path, if you are only willing to listen." -- Jimmy Buffett

ENGINEERED FOR ONE PURPOSE -- OUR BEST SELF

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-- You know what, our life journey serves just one purpose.... and that is to work us towards our better self. Every bit of joy, sadness, success, failure, trials and difficulties are all engineered for that end purpose of shaping us into the best person, individual, creation we were meant to be by design. The self is engaged not for any selfish agenda (although many mistakenly read it as such) but to materialize the hopes and intent of the Great Designer himself. Not even our human frailties or imperfections can keep us from it.
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Until we learn to think out of the small negative box of our mundane lives we will always see ourselves as small.. helpless.. powerless.. inadequate.. ordinary.. trivial.. mediocre.. useless.. worthless.. failures... devoid of talent... and everything else which we negatively call ourselves as we drag our feet down the dusty road of life and living.
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Now do you still wonder why some people make a living and even get rich by telling us to get up and be somebody!? They know what ails us.
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Because we forget, easily forget that we are somebody. But we ARE somebody. We just keep forgetting that we are children of GOD! God's children ----- and that, in any language, is SPECIAL!! That is where our self-worth and self-confidence lie. Let no one tell you otherwise.
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God bless you.