An
optimist sees an opportunity in every calamity; a pessimist sees a calamity
in every opportunity, according to Sir Winston Churchill.
The greatest discovery of our generation is that,
we can alter
our lives by altering our attitudes of mind.
Optimism
is a cheerful frame of mind that enables a tea kettle to sing though
it's in hot water up to its nose. Although something happens to us or something
happens around us, what is more important is what happens within us.
So let’s talk happiness. The world is
sad enough without our woes. No path is
wholly rough; let’s look for the places that are smooth and clear, and speak
of them to rest the weary ear of those who
are so hurt by continuous strain, of human discontent, grief and pain.
Let’s talk
faith.
The world is
better off without our uttered ignorance and morbid doubt. If we have
faith in God, or man, or self, let’s say so. If not, let’s push back upon
the shelf of silence all our thoughts, till faith shall come. No one will
grieve because our lips are dumb.
Let’s talk
health.
The dreary,
never-changing tale of mortal maladies is worn and stale. We could not
charm, or interest, or please by harping on that minor chord--disease. Let’s
say that we
are well, or all is well with us, and God shall hear our words and make them
true (Ella Wheeler Wilcox).
Keep looking
up and smile; remember there is only mud under our feet. Cheerfulness is what greases
the axles of the world. Though we travel the world over to find the
beautiful, we must carry it with us, or we find it not (Ralph
Waldo Emerson).
God has two dwellings: one in Heaven and the other in a thankful heart (Izaak
Walton).
When we know that everything has two sides, let us look at the bright side
only
(Mahatma
Gandhi).
Are you
dissatisfied with yourself?
Man looks on
the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart
(1 Samuel 16:7).
We are often discontented and much dissatisfied that
our wish for recognition has not been gratified.
We feel that we've been cheated in beauty, charm, and brains, and we dwell
upon our "losses", forgetting all our "gains." The qualities
we think we lack make us miserable inside, as we brood on supposed
"deficits" as seen by selfish pride.
We begin to
harbor hatred and envy fills our heart that we do not possess the things
that make others "seem so smart." And in our
condemnation of the traits that we possess, we magnify our painful plight,
sinking deeper in distress.
Please do forgive us oh, Lord, for vanity and pride, for desiring to please the
eye of man and not You who see inside!
Little do we
realize how contented we would be if we know that we are beautiful when our
hearts are touched by God!
The wise and
true Scripture tells us,
"As a man
thinketh in his heart, so is he."
(Proverbs 23:7) And…
“Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things
are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely,
whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there
be any praise think of these things.
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Tim
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