Sunday Sunshine: The Key to Serenity

The Key to Serenity

When you know

and believe

without question

or doubt

That in all you do

God is there

to help out,

You hold in your hand

the golden key

to peace and joy

and serenity.

--Helen Steiner Rice

Sunday Morning Peace

Let not your heart be troubled.

Ye believe in God.

Believe also in me.

--Jesus, St John 14:1

I Believe!

 

A Birth Certificate shows that we were born

A Death Certificate shows that we died

Pictures show that we lived!

I Believe . . .

That just because two people argue, it doesn't mean they don't love each other.

And just because they don't argue, it doesn't mean they do love each other.

 I Believe . . .

That we don't have to change friends if we understand that friends change.

I Believe . . . That no matter how good a friend is they're going to hurt you every once in a while and you must forgive them for that.

I Believe . . .
That true friendship continues to grow, even over the longest distance. Same goes for true love.

I Believe . . .
That you can do something in an instant that will give you heartache for life.

I Believe . . .
That it's taking me a long to become the person I want to be.

 I Believe . . .
That you can keep going long after you think you can't.

I Believe . . .
That we are responsible for what we do, no matter how we feel.

I Believe . . .
That either you control your attitude or it controls you. 

I Believe . . .
That heroes are the people who do what has to be done when it needs to be done, regardless of the consequences.

I Believe . . .
That my best friend and I can do anything or nothing and have the best time .

I Believe . . .
That sometimes when I'm angry, I have the right to be angry, But that doesn't give me the right to be cruel.

I believe . . .

That maturity has more to do with what types of experiences you've had and what you've learned from them and less to do with how many birthdays you've celebrated.

I Believe . . .
That it isn't always enough, to be forgiven by others. Sometimes, you have to learn to forgive yourself.

I Believe . . .
That no matter how bad your heart is broken the world doesn't stop for your grief.

I Believe . . .
That our background and circumstances may have influenced who we are, But, we are responsible for who we become.

I Believe . . .
That you shouldn't be so eager to find out a secret. It could change your life forever.

I Believe . . .
Two people can look at the exact same thing and see something totally different.
 
I Believe . . .
That your life can be changed in a matter of hours by people who don't even know you.

I Believe . . .
That even when you think you have no more to give, when a friend cries out to you - you will find the strength to help.

I Believe . . .
That credentials on the wall do not make you a decent human being.

I Believe . . .
That sometimes the people you expect to kick you when you're down will be the ones to help you get back up.

I believe . . .
The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the most of everything they have.

I Believe . . .
That the people you care about most in life are taken from you too soon. That you should always leave loved ones with loving words. It may be the last time you see them.


I love you, readers!
A happy and blessed New Year!

LIVE FOR TODAY
FOR TOMORROW MAY NEVER COME

You always hear the usual stories of pennies on the sidewalk being good luck, gifts from angels, etc. This is the first time I've ever heard this twist on the story. Gives you something to think about.

Several years ago, a friend of mine and her husband were invited to spend the weekend at the husband's employer's home. My friend, Arlene, was nervous about the weekend. The boss was very wealthy, with a fine home on the waterway, and cars costing more than her house

The first day and evening went well, and Arlene was delighted to have this rare glimpse into how the very wealthy live. The husband's employer was quite generous as a host, and took them to the finest restaurants. Arlene knew she would never have the opportunity to indulge in this kind of extravagance again, so was enjoying herself immensely.

As the three of them were about to enter an exclusive restaurant that evening, the boss was walking slightly ahead of Arlene and her husband. He stopped suddenly, looking down on the pavement for a long, silent moment.

Arlene wondered if she was supposed to pass him. There was nothing on the ground except a single darkened penny that someone had dropped, and a few cigarette butts Still silent, the man reached down and picked up the penny.

He held it up and smiled, then put it in his pocket as if he had found a great treasure. How absurd! What need did this man have for a single penny? Why would he even take the time to stop and pick it up?

Throughout dinner, the entire scene nagged at her. Finally, she could stand it no longer. She casually mentioned that her daughter once had a coin collection, and asked if the penny he had found had been of some value

A smile crept across the man's face as he reached into his pocket for the penny and held it out for her to see. She had seen many pennies before! What was the point of this?

"Look at it." He said. "Read what it says."

She read the words " United States of America "
"No, not that; read further."
"One cent?"

"No, keep reading."
"In God we Trust?"

"Yes!"

"And?"

"And if I trust in God, the name of God is holy, even on a coin. Whenever I find a coin I see that inscription. It is written on every single United States coin, but we never seem to notice it! God drops a message right in front of me telling me to trust Him? Who am I to pass it by? When I see a coin, I pray, I stop to see if my trust IS in God at that moment. I pick the coin up as a response to God; that I do trust in Him. For a short time, at least, I cherish it as if it were gold. I think it is God's way of starting a conversation with me. Lucky for me, God is patient and pennies are plentiful!”

When I was out shopping today, I found a penny on the sidewalk. I stopped and picked it up, and realized that I had been worrying and fretting in my mind about things I cannot change. I read the words, "In God We Trust," and had to laugh. Yes, God, I get the message.

It seems that I have been finding an inordinate number of pennies in the last few months, but then, pennies are plentiful! And, God is patient . . .

Garden Hints:

TIPS FOR VEGETABLES:

• Store carrots in ground if they are in well drained soil.
• By mid-October, or if frost is predicted, pick all tomatoes, whether they are ripe or not. Refrigerate or freeze ripe tomatoes.
• Wrap green tomatoes or hang the entire plants (with unpicked fruit) upside down. Alternatively these can be stored in a brown paper bag in a cool dark area.
• In late October cut back asparagus stalk to the ground. Mark the location. Mulch 3 to 4 inches.
• Prepare vegetable beds for spring and remove all debris.

Quote:
October's poplars are flaming torches
lighting the way to winter. --Nova Bair

Blessings

I Believe . . .

That our background and circumstances may have influenced who we are, but we are responsible for who we became.

That no matter how good a friend is, they're going to hurt you sometime, and you must forgive them for that.

That just because someone doesn't love you the way you want them to, doesn't mean they don't love you with all they have.

That it's taking me a long time to become the person I want to be . . .

That you should always leave loved ones with loving words. It may be the last time you ever see them.

That either you control your attitude or it controls you.

That money is a lousy way to keep score!

That I have a right not to like something, but never a right to be cruel.

That it isn't always enough to be forgiven by others. Sometimes you have to forgive yourself.

That no matter how bad your heart is broken, the world doesn't stop for your grief.

That the people you care about most in this world are taken from you much too soon.

Life is more precious than money will ever be.




Here are some more color hints to brighten up your rooms for autumn:

• Use rugs and pillows to color coordinate your room. Bright reds such as cherry, persimmon, or cranberry are great!
• Traditional neutral colors, including some new ones like sand, wheat, mustard, and stone never go out of style and blend harmoniously with most existing color schemes.
• Using a few different but coordinating colors can be a great way to add dimension to a room and highlight certain things, or even divide a room into separate areas when it's used for multiple functions.
• Experiment! Be brave. Try new colors on small sections first to see how it looks.

Quote:
Winter is an etching, spring a watercolor, summer an oil painting and autumn a mosaic of them all. -- Stanley Horowitz


Cloudy Day Blessings!

Rainbows, and Shamrocks, and the pot of gold . . .

We saw a double rainbow coming home one evening from the northern part of a state. Low on the horizon shimmering over the river, the sight was magnificent.

My eyes searched immediately for the tips of the rainbow. I know that in real life no one can find the end of the rainbow . . .

Or can we?

Isn't the rainbow a promise that we can grasp? Isn't the spirit behind the Irish blessings and beliefs--even though they bridge the gap between life and make-believe--what we NEED to realize? That in spite of hardships and setbacks and problems and worries, there are good things that deserve our attention and appreciation. That there are beautiful flowers and beautiful people out there . . . that occasionally there are rainbows, and grandmothers who are good at finding four-leaf clovers, that all of us have some kind of gold in our life if we only realize it and believe in it and accept it?

So many of their blessings and proverbs and sayings are based on an inherent belief in good and rich well-meaning to our lives.

There's a rainbow after the storm.
There are lilies in the valleys.
Behind every dark cloud is the face of Jesus.
Lucky stars, four-leaf clovers, charms, and wishing wells.
The sun shining on a couple's marriage day.
Whistling in the rain.
Soft rain and warm sun upon your face.
Joy in work and play, friends within reach, coins in your pocket.
God's blessings and protection.

Aaach . . . God, help us stretch our imaginations and beliefs and appreciation just a wee bit more . . . today and tomorrow.


Magic Green Cookies
Mix together:
1 pkg INSTANT Pistachio pudding mix;
1/4 cup vegetable oil;
1 egg;
3/4 Bisquick mix;
Roll into 1 inch balls, flatten gently on cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes. Feel free to decorate as you wish (icing, sprinkles, add nuts, whatever . . .). Makes 15 cookies.



Here are a few more hints to a less stressful lifestyle.
1) Separate worries from concerns. If a situation is a concern, find out what God would have you do and let go of the anxiety. If you can't do anything about a situation, forget it.

2) Live within your budget. Don't use credit cards for ordinary purchases.

3) Have backups; an extra car key, house key, stamps, etc.

4) K.M.S. (Keep mouth shut)! This single piece of advice can prevent an enormous amount of trouble.

5) Do something for yourself everyday.



An Irish blessing for you today and tomorrow:
May there always be work for your hands to do;
May your purse always hold a coin or two;
May the sun always shine on your windowpane;
May a rainbow be certain to follow each rain;
May the hand of a friend always be near you;
May God fill your heart with gladness to cheer you.