What if You're God

Written by Michael D. Pollock


His words echo in my consciousness. Even now - nearly 20 years later.

"You can learn something from every person you encounter in your life."

These wererepparttar words spoken by my 9th grade Latin teacher, Mr. Harker. It's unclear why his words have stuck with me all these years. After all, how much wisdom could come from one who spends his days teaching teenagers a dead language they'll never use?

Little did I know then. Thank you Mr. Harker.

"What if she's an angel," asks country music newcomer Tommy Shane Steiner in his poignant, debut song withrepparttar 123831 same title.

"A little girl on daddy's lap, hiding her disease with a baseball cap. You can turnrepparttar 123832 channel. Most people do. But what if you were sitting in her daddy's shoes."

"Maybe she's an angel, sent here from Heaven, and she's making certain that you're doing your best to takerepparttar 123833 time to help one another. Brother are you going to pass that test . . . What if she's an angel."

I remember first hearingrepparttar 123834 song. It touched something very deep in me. So deep, in fact, I can't find words to adequately describerepparttar 123835 feeling that surfaced. It's enough to say a tremendous wave of emotion washed over me, and I began crying without really understanding why.

Nine short months ago much ofrepparttar 123836 world began a struggle to make sense ofrepparttar 123837 events which took place on September 11. Questions still remain, andrepparttar 123838 healing continues.

I recallrepparttar 123839 words of Reverend Billy Graham as he spoke at repparttar 123840 National Cathedral in Washington D.C. on September 14.

"We come together today to affirm our conviction that God cares for us, whatever our ethnic, religious or political background may be.

"The Bible says that He's "the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles."

I also recall my tears, very soon after that speech, atrepparttar 123841 sight of a vulnerable, mourning people united aroundrepparttar 123842 world. Not so much being comforted by God but by one another. Is there really any difference? Perhaps that's how God wants it.

7 Ways To Put Your Life On A Diet

Written by Kathy Gates


Life is hard enough without piling more and more expectations on yourself. It's like trying to diet in a chocolate factory! Instead try these 7 ways to help you lighten up, reduce worry, and give yourself a break. You'll come out onrepparttar other side with a simpler, happier, easier life.

1. Decide Right Now To Expect Nothing. "Wait a minute", you say, "if I expect nothing, won't I get nothing?" Of course you can live "down" to expectations. In this context, however, it means to not get so hung up on needing, wanting, striving, wishing, and pursuing that you miss what's right in front of you. Setting goals to move you towards what you want is definitely important. But what is good and sweet and wonderful in your life right now? What are you missing out on by expecting something better to be aroundrepparttar 123830 next corner?

2. Let Some Long-Standing Idealist Goals Die. This can berepparttar 123831 most freeing thing you do, and a tremendous sense of relief. Always wanted to berepparttar 123832 world's first perfect parent? Are you disappointed in yourself because you haven't yet wonrepparttar 123833 Pulitzer Prize? Are you comparing yourself torepparttar 123834 body of a runway model? Does your marriage lackrepparttar 123835 romance of daytime soap operas? It's time to get over these types of unrealistic goals. Allow yourself to be human.

3. Truly Accept that Failure is The Only Way To Succeed. There's a famous quite that says, "the only place where success comes before work is inrepparttar 123836 dictionary." The story goes that famous basketball player Michael Jordan was cut from his high school team because he wasn't good enough. History would have been very different if he had let "failure" stop him from working hard at what he wanted to do. Practice patience. Practice failure. Practice. Practice. Practice.

4. Make Peace With Something That You Already Know. What do you already know that you will "learn" in 6 months? What this means is, what is in your life today that is probably going to catch up to you and cause you big trouble 6 months from now? Are you overspending? Is your marriage on shaky ground? Are you living without insurance? Do you have a healthy problem that you're trying to ignore? Make peace with what's going on in your life now, AND make a plan to deal with it.

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