"Scoutopaedia ©, by Tom Vella-Zarb - Thoughts, Prayers, Quotes

Faith

It cost ABRAHAM the yielding of his son
It cost DANIEL to be cast in the lion's den
It cost STEPHEN death by stoning
It cost PETER a martyr's death
It cost JESUS His life
Does it cost you anything?

Climb 'till you reach your dream

Often your tasks will be many,
and more than you think you can do
Often the road will be rugged
and the hills insurmountable, too

Always remember, the hills ahead
Are never as steep as they seem,
And with faith in your heart start upward
And climb 'till you reach your dream,

Nothing in life that is worthy
Is ever too hard to achieve
If you have the courage to try it
And you have the faith to believe.

Faith is a force that is greater
Than knowledge or power or skill
And many defeats turn to triumph
If you trust in God's wisdom and will
Faith is a mover of mountains,
There's nothing that God cannot do,
So start out today with faith in your heart

And "Climb Until Your Dream Comes True".

Author Unknown

The fly in the ointment

Once life's little ills annoyed me
When life's little ills were few
One fly in my pot of ointment
Put me in an awful stew.

Now I am older; life has taught me
The infrequent good to prize;
I now rejoice to find some ointment
In my little pot of flies!

Trust In God

Trust in God when the sun sets
when the moon lights up the sky.
Trust in God for your dreams
as the darkness passes by.

Trust in God in the morning
when your day needs a fresh start.
Trust in God for protection
to place a hedge around your heart.

Trust in God through the daytime
when the pressure gets to you.
Trust in God for His guidance
and His will will see you through.

Trust in God when the sun sets
and there you will find a friend.
Trust in God with your life
until the very end.

Amanda Radandt

You are so Blessed

If you woke up this morning with more health than illness, you are more blessed than the million who won't survive the week.

If you have never experienced the danger of battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture or the pangs of starvation, you are ahead of 20 million people around the world.

If you attend a church meeting without fear of harassment, arrest, torture, or death, you are more blessed than almost three billion people in the world.

If you have food in your refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof over your head and a place to sleep, you are richer than 75% of this world.

If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a dish someplace, you are among the top 8% of the world's wealthy.

If your parents are still married and alive, you are very rare, especially in the United States.

If you hold up your head with a smile on your face and are truly thankful, you are blessed because the majority can, but most do not.

If you can hold someone's hand, hug them or even touch them on the shoulder, you are blessed because you can offer God's healing touch.

If you can read this message, you are more blessed than over two billion people in the world that cannot read anything at all.

You are so blessed in ways you may never even know.

He Loves Me

Song given to Brother Patrick A. Martin, F.I.C., April 14, 1977
Listen to Fr Patrick sing his own song

He loves me! He loves me!
He loves me as I am,
Oh yes, He loves me!
Yes, He loved me yesterday,
And yes, He'll love me still tomorrow,
For He loves me just today, the way I am!

He loves me! He loves me!
And all He asks is that I let Him love me!
Let Him love me as He chooses,
With no thoughts for wins or loses,
Let Him love me as I am is all He asks!

He knows me! He knows me!
Better than I know myself,
Oh yes, He knows me!
Who I was the other day, And who I will become tomorrow,
But He loves me just the same the way I am!

He calls me! He calls me!
He calls me as I am to spread His love!
Knowing well who I have been,
Who I will be, who I am,
Yet He calls me just the same to spread His love!

He frees me! He frees me!
He frees me to say YES
Whenever He calls me!
Showing me His own compassion, love and care and understanding,
He frees me to say my YES when He calls me!

He loves me! He loves me!
He loves me as I am
Oh yes, He loves me!
Finding me wherever I am,
He gently guides me by the hand,
For He loves me as I am,
oh, He loves me!
For He loves me as I am,
oh, He loves me!

(Please note that both the lyrics and the music are © by Fr Patrick A. Martin, a blind Catholic Itinerant Missionary Priest. Find out more about him click here )

American Indian Blessing

May the Great Spirit Bless you
with the knowledge of your inner strength and wisdom.
May you have the strength of eagles' wings,
The faith and courage to fly to new heights,
And the wisdom of the universe to carry you there.
We can only be what we give ourselves the power to be.

Reflection

Is anybody happier because you passed this way?
Does anyone remember that you spoke to them today?
The day is almost over and its toiling time is through:
Is there anyone to utter now a kindly word of you?
Can you say tonight in parting
With the day that's slipping fast
That you helped a single person
Of the many that you passed?
Is a single heart rejoining over what you did or said?
Does the one whose hopes were fading
Now with courage look ahead?
Did you waste the day or use it?
Was it well or sorely spent?
Did you leave a trail of kindness
Or a scar of discontent?
As you close your eyes in slumber,
Do you think that God will say:
"You have earned one more tomorrow
By what you did today."
Anonymous

NO TIME ?

I knelt to pray but not for long,
I had too much to do.
I had to hurry and get to work
For bills would soon be due.
So I knelt and said a hurried prayer,
And jumped up off my knees.
My Christian duty was now done
My soul could rest at ease.
All day long I had no time
To spread a word of cheer.
No time to speak of Christ to friends,
They'd laugh at me I'd fear.
No time, no time, too much to do,
That was my constant cry,
No time to give to souls in need
But at last the time, the time to die.
I went before the Lord,
I came, I stood with downcast eyes.
For in his hands God held a book;
It was the book of life.
God looked into his book and said
"Your name I cannot find.
I once was going to write it down...
But never found the time"

Enough

May God Grant You:
Enough Happiness to keep you Sweet
Enough Trials to keep you Strong
Enough Sorrows to keep you Human
Enough Hope to keep you Happy
Enough Failure to keep you Humble
Enough Success to keep you Eager
Enough Friends to give you Comfort
Enough Wealth to meet your Needs
Enough Enthusiasim to make you look Forward
Enough Faith to banish depression, and
Enough Determination to make each day a better day than the last

Pass It On

Someone taught you how to love,
and probably didn't know it.
And in return, with every day,
It's now your turn to show it.

When you love, you give a gift,
And when you're gone it stays
To be passed on by the ones you loved
To make some one else's day.

So remember someone who loved you,
And show how much you care,
By sharing all the love they gave
With people everywhere.

When you give away your love,
That doesn't mean it's gone.
Love will last forever,
so open your heart...
and pass it on.

Values

Greatest Handicap - Fear
Best Day - Today
Greatest Mistake - Giving Up
Greatest Stumbling Block - Ego
Easiest To Do - Find Fault
Top Comfort - Work Well Done
Greatest Need - Common Sense
Best Gift - Forgiveness
Greatest Knowledge - God

I've Learned

I've learned that no matter what happens, or how bad it seems today, life does go on, and it may be better tomorrow.

I've learned that you can tell a lot about a person by the way he/she handles a rainy day and lost luggage.

I've learned that regardless of your relationship with your parents, you'll miss them when they're gone from your life.

I've learned that making a"living"is not the same thing as making a "life."

I've learned that life sometimes gives you a second chance.

I've learned that you shouldn't go through life with a catcher's mitt on both hands. You need to be able to throw something back.

I've learned that whenever I decide something with an open heart, I usually make the right decision.

I've learned that even when I have pains, I don't have to be one.

I've learned that every day you should reach out and touch someone.

People love that human touch - holding hands, a warm hug, or just a friendly pat on the back.

I've learned that I still have a lot to learn.

Be Yourself

Be strong enough to face the world each day.
Be weak enough to know you cannot do everything.

Be generous to those who need your help.
Be frugal with what you need yourself.

Be willing to share your joys.
Be willing to share the sorrows of others.

Be a leader when you see a path others have missed.
Be a follower when you are shrouded in the midst of uncertainty.

Be the first to congratulate an opponent who succeeds.
Be the last to criticize a colleague who fails.

Be sure where your next step will fall, so that you will not stumble.
Be sure of your final destination, in case you are going the wrong way.

Be loving to those who love you.
Be loving to those who do not love you, and they may change.

Above all, be yourself!

Failures

'Tis better to have tried in vain,
Sincerely striving for a goal,
Than to have lived upon the plain
An idle and a timid soul.

'Tis better to have fought and spent
Your courage, missing all applause,
Than to have lived in smug content
And never ventured for a cause.

For he who tries and fails may be
The founder of a better day;
Though never his the victory,
From him shall others learn the way.

Edgar Guest

Counting Your Blessings

When we count our many blessings,
It isn't hard to see

That what we value most in life,
Are the treasures that are free.

For it's not the things That we possess That signify our wealth,
But the blessings that are precious, Like our family, friends, and health.

$86,400

Imagine there is a bank which credits your account each morning with $86,400. It carries over no balance from day to day, allows you to keep no cash balance, and every evening cancels whatever part of the amount you had failed to use during the day.

What would you do?

Draw out every cent, of course!

Well, everyone has such a bank. Its name is TIME. Every morning, it credits you with 86,400 seconds. Every night it writes off, as a loss, whatever of this amount you have failed to invest to good purpose. It carries over no balance. It allows no overdraft.

Each day it opens a new account for you.

Each night it burns the records of the day.

If you fail to use the day's deposits, the loss is yours.

There is no going back. There is no drawing against the "tomorrow".

You must live in the present on today's deposits.

Invest it so as to get from it the utmost in health, happiness and success!

The clock is running. Make the most of today.

Seize the day!

Today I Saw a Butterfly

Today I saw a butterfly,
as it floated in the air;
Its wings were spread in splendor,
Unaware that I was there.

It was such a thing of beauty,
It was a sight to see;
It was the perfect masterpiece,
Full of grace and majesty.

I found myself thinking,
to what can this compare?
And then, of course, I thought of you,
And I wished that you were there.

God sure was extra careful,
When He formed and fashioned you;
You too, became a masterpiece,
Yet God is still not through.

He's daily making changes,
that other folks can't see;
You're already true perfection,
At least you are to me.

~ Author Unknown ~

The Dali Lama's Instructions for Life

Take into account that great love and great achievements involve great risk.

When you lose, don't lose the lesson.

Always follow the three Rs:

Respect for self,
Respect for others
Responsibility for all your actions.

Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck.

Learn the rules so you break them properly.

Don't let a little dispute injure a great friendship.

When you realize you've made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.

Spend some time alone every day.

Open your arms to change, but don't let go of your values.

Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.

Live a good, honorable life. Then when you get older and think back, you'll be able to enjoy it a second time.

A loving atmosphere in your home is the foundation for your life.

In disagreements with loved ones, deal only with the current situation. Don't bring up the past.

Share your knowledge. It's a way to achieve immortality.

Be gentle with the earth.

Once a year go someplace you've never been.

Remember that the best relationship is one in which your love for each other exceeds your need for each other.

Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to get it.

Approach love and cooking with reckless abandon.

Hope

Hope looks for the good in people instead of harping on the worst.
Hope opens doors where despair closes them.
Hope discovers what can be done instead of grumbling about what cannot.
Hope draws its power from a deep trust in God and the basic goodness of human nature.
Hope "lights a candle" instead of "cursing the darkness."
Hope regards problems, small or large, as opportunities.
Hope cherishes no illusions, nor does it yield to cynicism.
Hope sets big goals and is not frustrated by repeated difficulties or setbacks.
Hope pushes ahead when it would be easy to quit.
Hope puts up with modest gains, realizing that “the longest Journey starts with one step.”
Hope accepts misunderstandings as the price for serving the greater good of others.
Hope is a good loser because it has the divine assurance of final victory.

Father James Keller, M.M.
Founder, The Christophers

Thank YOU for EVERYTHING!

Thank you for the gift of life,
For letting me be me,
For all that I can
know by words
And all that I can see.

For all the music I can hear
And all the song I sing.
For all the joy that come to me
And all the joy I bring.

For all the food that I can taste
And all the sweet scents smell,
For all the loved ones I can touch.
Who love and wish me well,
For all the beauty of life!

Thank YOU for EVERYTHING!

FROM FASTING TO FEASTING

Fast from judging others - Feast on the Christ dwelling in them
Fast from complaining - Feast on appreciation
Fast from apparent darkness - Feast on the reality of light
Fast from negatives - Feast on affirmatives
Fast from words that pollute - Feast on words that purify
Fast from unrelenting pleasures - Feast on unceasing prayer
Fast from personal anxiety - Feast on trust
Fast from pessimism Feast on optimism
Fast from discouragement - Feast on hope
Fast from acts that tear down - Feast on acts that build up
Fast from thoughts that weaken - Feast on promises that inspire
Fast from idle gossip - Feast on purposeful silence

[Note: this is especially good during Lent]

LIFE IS AN OPPORTUNITY

Life is an opportunity,
benefit from it.
Life is beauty, admire it.
Life is bliss, taste it.
Life is a dream, realize it.
Life is a challenge, meet it.
Life is a duty, complete it.
Life is a game, play it.
Life is costly, care for it.
Life is wealth, keep it.
Life is love, enjoy it.
Life is mystery, know it.
Life is a promise, fulfill it.
Life is sorrow, overcome it.
Life is a song, sing it.
Life is a struggle, accept it.
Life is tragedy, confront it.
Life is an adventure, dare it.
Life is luck, make it.
Life is too precious,
do not destroy it.
Life is life, fight for it.

Mother Teresa

Open to You

God, I am a pilgrim,
A pilgrim whose life does not depend
On reaching certain goals, but on being
Open to you, open to surprise,
For you know my way
Far better than I do.
Amen.

The four blessed looks

Look back and thank God.
Look forward and trust God.
Look around and serve God.
Look within and find God!

"I asked God, 'How do I get the best out of life?'

God said, 'Face your past without regrets. Handle your present with confidence. And prepare for the future without fear!'"

"Without God, our week is: Mournday, Tearsday, Wasteday, Thirstday, Fightday, Shatterday and Sinday. So, allow Him to be with you every day!"

Life is short, so forgive quickly.
Believe slowly.
Love truly.
Laugh uncontrollably.
Never regret anything that makes you happy.

"Any trouble that is too small to take to God in prayer is too small to worry about "

Let nothing trouble you

Let nothing trouble you
Let nothing frighten you
Everything passes
God never changes
Patience obtains all
Whoever has God
Wants for nothing
God alone is enough.

St. Teresa of Avila

Attitude

There once was a woman who woke up one morning, looked in the mirror, and noticed she had only three hairs on her head. "Well," she said, "I think I'll braid my hair today." So she did and she had a wonderful day.

The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and saw that she had only two hairs on her head. "Hmm," she said, "I think I'll part my hair down the middle today." So she did and she had a grand day.

The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and noticed that she had only one hair on her head. "Well," she said, "today I'm going to wear my hair in a pony tail." So she did and she had a fun, fun day.

The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and noticed that there wasn't a single hair on her head. "YEA!" she exclaimed, "I don't have to fix my hair today!"

Attitude is everything.

Be kinder than necessary. For everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.

Love generously; Care deeply; Speak kindly; Leave the rest to God.

Reading the Bible

An old Farmer lived on a farm in the mountains with his young grandson. Each morning Grandpa was up early sitting at the kitchen table reading his BIBLE. His grandson wanted to be just like him and tried to imitate him in every way he could.

One day the grandson asked, 'Grandpa! I try to read the BIBLE just like you but I don't understand it, and what I do understand I forget as soon as I close the book. What good does reading the BIBLE do?'

The Grandfather quietly turned from putting coal in the stove and replied, 'Take this coal basket down to the river and bring me back a basket of water.'

The boy did as he was told, but all the water leaked out before he got back to the house. The grandfather laughed and said, 'You'll have to move a little faster next time,' and sent him back to the river with the basket to try again. This time the boy ran faster, but again the basket was empty before he returned home. Out of breath, he told his grandfather that it was impossible to carry water in a basket, and he went to get a bucket instead.

The old man said, 'I don't want a bucket of water; I want a basket of water. You're just not trying hard enough,' and he went out the door to watch the boy try again.

At this point, the boy knew it was impossible, but he wanted to show his grandfather that even if he ran as fast as he could, the water would leak out before he got back to the house.

The boy again dipped the basket into river and ran hard, but when he reached his grandfather the basket was again empty.

Out of breath, he said, 'See Grandpa, it's useless!'

'So you think it is useless?' The old man said, 'Look at the basket.' The boy looked at the basket and for the first time realized that the basket was different. It had been transformed from a dirty old coal basket and was now clean, inside and out.

'Son, that's what happens when you read the BIBLE. You might not understand or remember everything, but when you read it, you will be changed, inside and out. That is the work of Jesus in our lives.'


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