The Best Within You!!! Worth Reading!!

beachcottage

Bill Greer, Chicken Soup for the Veteran's Soul


The sun has begun to set and I hang up the smile I've worn all day. Though I will make sure it is the first thing I put back on in the morning because just in case it is 'that day,' I want her to see me at my very best.

I do the normal routine, eat dinner, clean the house, write -- the usual stuff.

And then I lay down hoping to fall asleep quickly so my new day will hurry up and arrive. A new day with a brand new sun.

But as I lay there and wait for the world to turn half way around, I think about her. And sometimes I smile, and sometimes that smile will turn into a snicker, and then often that snicker will turn into a burst of laughter.

And then there are times I get that lump in my throat and that tight feeling in my chest, and sometimes that feeling overwhelms me and begins to turn into a tear, and often that tear multiplies itself and I can no longer fight the feeling and I lose the battle.

Then somehow through either the joy or the sadness I drift and find myself asleep. Then the dreams begin and keep me company until my new day arrives.

When I awake it's with such excitement! Because I tell myself this could be the day that every other day has led up to and the first day of the rest of my life. I quickly dawn my smile, because I do so want her to see me at my very best. Then I look out the window even though I know it's dawn, but I still have to confirm I've been given another chance to find her.

And there it is ... the sun, even when it's cloudy; somehow I still see it. And it smiles at me and I say "thank you" and I smile back.

Then I ask myself, "Is this the day?" And the excitement rushes over me again. And then I ask myself, "Where's it going to be?"

Maybe it'll be at the water fountain and unexpectedly there I'll find her and much more than my thirst will be quenched.

Maybe it'll be at the grocery store, and there she'll appear as I'm picking out fruit and she'll show me the difference between fresh and spoiled. Then from that moment, nothing that I will eat will ever taste the same. Because she'll bring out the simplest beauties in everything I see, taste, smell, hear, or touch.

Or maybe today will be the day when my Angel brings an item up to the cash register without its price tag. And as I wait behind this Angel with all the frustrated people who are in such a hurry about their busy lives, I will find myself with such blessed extra time. Just enough time to start a conversation with this beautiful vision standing behind me that I might not otherwise would have noticed. But because of a "price check on register 5," I was able to find her.

So will today be the day I say, "THANK YOU GOD!" Thank you for the sun, which began my new day. Thank you for granting me the faith when I arose this morning that I would find her in this new day. But most of all, thank you for me not having to ever wait on another sunrise. Because whenever I want to see it, I will look at her and there it shall always be, in her eyes, she will forever hold it for me.

She is my sunrise, my dawn, my new day.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



Peace,love and great light to all...xoxo,Patti

beachcottage

A bird in a secluded grove sings like a flute.

Willows sway gracefully with their golden threads.

The mountain valley grows the quieter as the clouds return.

A breeze brings along the fragrance of apricot flowers.

For a whole day I have sat here encompassed by peace,

Till my mind is cleansed in and out of all cares and idle thoughts.

I wish to tell you how I feel, but words fail me.

If you come to this grove we can compare notes.



~ Fa-yen Wen-I,Fa-Yen, Zen Buddhist teacher and poet

...



xoxo,Patti

MJB

I have taken this from my Friendship Book 2005:

Surley one of the saddest things in life is to regret the lost opportunities for friendship and kindness once a friend or close relative has died.
So if there's a small kindness you could do,a promised letter to write or perhaps even a quick word on the phone just to say hello,then why not do it today?
Or even better...why not do it right NOW!!!!!!!
Love and warm thoughts. MJB

beachcottage

This afternoon I throw off my outside coat. A mild spring day. I must hie to the Great Meadows. The air is full of bluebirds. The ground almost entirely bare. The villagers are out in the sun, and every man is happy whose work takes him outdoors. I go by Sleepy Hollow toward the Great Fields. I lean over a rail to hear what is in the air, liquid with the bluebirds’ warble. My life partakes of infinity. The air is as deep as our natures. Is the drawing in of this vital air attended with no more glorious results than I witness? The air is a velvet cushion against which I press my ear. I go forth to make new demands on life. I wish to begin this summer well; to do something in it worthy of it and of me; to transcend my daily routine and that of my townsmen; to have my immortality now, that it be in the quality of my daily life; to pay the greatest price, the greatest tax, of any man in Concord, and enjoy the most!! I will give all I am for my nobility. I will pay all my days for my success. I pray that the life of this spring and summer may lie fair in my memory. May I dare as I have never done! May I persevere as I have never done! May I purify myself anew as with fire and water, soul and body! May my melody not be wanting to the season! May I gird myself to be a hunter of the beautiful, that naught escape me! May I attain to a youth never attained! I am eager to report the glory of the universe; may I be worthy to do it; to have got through with regarding human values, so as not to be distracted from regarding divine values. It is reasonable that a man should be something worthier at the end of the year than he was at the beginning.
from The Journals of Henry David Thoreau

xoxo,Patti

MJB

Wonderful reading Patti and so true! Thank you my friend.MJB

Like most of us I have,on many occasions,been offered various words of advice about getting on with the job in hand and speeding it forward to its completion. Don't we all tend to slow down a little while working on a project.

I recently came across an old Scottish proberb,however,that seems to inspire us to action more than most: "FOOLS LOOK TO TOMORROW," IT SAYS, "BUT WISE MEN USE TONIGHT."

These words may be as old as the Highland hills, but I'm sure they are well worth sharing this evening.

Love and warm thoughts.MJB

beachcottage

Thanks MJ>>
THE FLOWER'S LESSON

There grew a fragrant rose-tree where the brook flows,
With two little tender buds, and one full rose;
When the sun went down to his bed in the west,
The little buds leaned on the rose-mother's breast,
While the bright eyed stars their long watch kept,
And the flowers of the valley in their green cradles slept;
Then silently in odors they communed with each otber,
The two little buds on the bosom of their mother.
"O sister," said the little one, as she gazed at the sky,
"I wish that the Dew Elves, as they wander lightly by,
Would bring me a star; for they never grow dim,
And the Father does not need them to burn round him.
The shining drops of dew the Elves bring each day
And place in my bosom, so soon pass away;
But a star would glitter brightly through the long summer hours,
And I should be fairer than all my sister flowers.
That were better far than the dew-drops that fall
On the high and the low, and come alike to all.
I would be fair and stately, with a bright star to shine
And give a queenly air to this crimson robe of mine."
And proudly she cried, "These fire-flies shall be
My jewels, since the stars can never come to me."
Just then a tiny dew-drop that hung o'er the dell
On the breast of the bud like a soft star fell;
But impatiently she flung it away from her leaf,
And it fell on her mother like a tear of grief,
While she folded to her breast, with wilful pride,
A glittering fire-fly that hung by her side.
"Heed," said the mother rose, "daughter mine,
Why shouldst thou seek for beauty not thine?
The Father hath made thee what thou now art;
And what he most loveth is a sweet, pure heart.
Then why dost thou take with such discontent
The loving gift which he to thee hath sent?
For the cool fresh dew will render thee far
More lovely and sweet than the brightest star;
They were made for Heaven, and can never come to shine
Like the fire-fly thou hast in that foolish breast of thine.
O my foolish little bud, do listen to thy mother;
Care only for true beauty, and seek for no other.
There will be grief and trouble in that wilful little heart;
Unfold thy leaves, my daughter, and let the fly depart."
But the proud little bud would have her own will,
And folded the fire-fly more closely still;
Till the struggling insect tore open the vest
Of purple and green, that covered her breast.
When the sun came up, she saw with grief
The blooming of her sister bud leaf by leaf.
While she, once as fair and bright as the rest,
Hung her weary head down on her wounded breast.
Bright grew the sunshine, and the soft summer air
Was filled with the music of flowers singing there;
But faint grew the little bud with thirst and pain,
And longed for the cool dew; but now 't was in vain.
Then bitterly she wept for her folly and pride,
As drooping she stood by her fair sister's side.
Then the rose mother leaned the weary little head
On her bosom to rest, and tenderly she said:
"Thou hast learned, my little bud, that, whatever may betide,
Thou canst win thyself no joy by passion or by pride.
The loving Father sends the sunshine and the shower,
That thou mayst become a perfect little flower;--
The sweet dews to feed thee, the soft wind to cheer,
And the earth as a pleasant home, while thou art dwelling here.
Then shouldst thou not be grateful for all this kindly care,
And strive to keep thyself most innocent and fair?
Then seek, my little blossom, to win humility;
Be fair without, be pure within, and thou wilt happy be.
So when the quiet Autumn of thy fragrant life shall come,
Thou mayst pass away, to bloom in the Flower Spirits' home."
Then from the mother's breast, where it still lay hid,
Into the fading bud the dew-drop gently slid;
Stronger grew the little form, and happy tears fell,
As the dew did its silent work, and the bud grew well,
While the gentle rose leaned, with motherly pride,
O'er the fair little ones that bloomed at her side.

Night came again, and the fire-flies flew;
But the bud let them pass, and drank of the dew;
While the soft stars shone, from the still summer heaven,
On the happy little flower that had learned the lesson given.

The music-loving Elves clapped their hands, as Star-Twinkle ceased; and the Queen placed a flower crown, with a gentle smile, upon the Fairy's head, saying,--

"The little bud's lesson shall teach us how sad a thing is pride, and that humility alone can bring true happiness to flower and Fairy. You shall come next, Zephyr."

And the little Fairy, who lay rocking to and fro upon a fluttering vine-leaf, thus began her story:--

"As I lay resting in the bosom of a cowslip that bent above the brook, a little wind, tired of play, told me this tale of--Louisa Mae Alcott`````



xoxo,Patti

MJB

This is a memorable quotation from Mother Teresa to think about today.
She said: "If you are kind, people will accuse you of selfish motives--be kind anyway. If you're successful, you'll win both false friends and true enemies--succeed anyway. What you spend years building, someone may destroy overnight--build anyway.
The good you do today most people will forget-- do good anyway. Give the world the best between you and God; it was never between you and them anyway."

Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering...Hebrews 10:23

Love and warm thoughts.MJB

MJB

Here is a fine thought for all those who love to cherish their dreams and keep aiming high:

"Far away there, in the sunshine,are my highest aspirations.I may not reach them,but I can,now and always,look up,see their beauty,believe in them,and make it my constant aim to reach them."

Love and warm thoughts.MJB

MJB

We all go through spells of rough weather and it is sometimes easy to feel helpless when tossed about on life's seas.
Next time you are buffered by adversity,just remember this: we can't change the direction of the wind,but we can adjust our sails and steer a different course.
Love and warm thoughts.MJB

beachcottage

[bThe Light Upon The Sea
by Robert S. Bise

There was a time it seemed as though
My life was tossing to and fro
And I, left with nowhere to go,
Was subject to the sea.

But there, ahead, a beam of light
Peered through the darkness of the night
And granted to me clearer sight
That I might be set free.

I steered a course toward the land
To find a refuge on the sand
And maybe touch the gentle hand
That guided me along.

And when I reached the coast that night,
Upon a hill, the shining light
Was tended by a welcome sight . . .
My friends had led me home.
]

xoxo,Patti

beachcottage

In Time of Silver Rain

In time of silver rain
the earth
puts forth new life again,
green grasses grow
and flowers lift their heads,
and over all the plain
the wonder spreads

Of Life,
Of Life,
Of life!

In time of silver rain
the butterflies
lift silken wings
to catch a rainbow cry,
and trees put forth
new leaves to sing
in joy beneath the sky
as down the roadway
passing boys and girls
go singing, too,

in time of silver rain When spring
and life
are new.
Langston Hughes


xoxo,Patti

MJB

In every seed to breathe the flower,
in every drop of dew
To reverence a cloistered star
Within the distant blue;
To wait the promise of the bow
Despite the cloud between,
Is Faith-the fervid evidence
Of loveliness unseen...John B Tabb

Grow old along with me !
The best is yet to be,
The last of life for which the first was made.
Author Robert Browing

Love and warm thoughts.MJB

MJB

The gift of encouragement
Should be given each day---
Pass it out freely
And in gentle ways.
There's no need for ribbons
To make it look grand---
Just the simple encouragement
Of a kind,helping hand...Joan Stephen
Love and warm thoughts.MJB

MJB

"THE NUN'S TWENTY-THIRD PSALM"

The Lord is my pace-setter, I shall not rush.
He makes me stop and rest for quiet intervals;
He provides me with images of stillness,
which restore my serenity.
He leads me in ways of efficiency
through calmness of mind.
And His guidance is peace.
Even though I have a great many
things to accomplish each day,
I will not fret, for His presence is here.
His timelessness, his all -importance
will keep me in balance.
He prepares refreshment and renewal
in the midst of my activity
By anointing my mind with His oils of
tranquillity...All Saints Convent
Cantonville, Maryland.
Love and warm thoughts.MJB

Boop

God's Gifts

There are treasures that money can't buy,
Like the smile on a baby's face,
A stroll through a garden of flowers,
To rest in a tranquil place.

The magic of a sudden rainbow,
Colors that never change,
The pattern created by God,
A plan we can't re-arrange.

A meadow turned emerald green
By the touch of an April shower,
The warmth of the summer sun,
The scent of a beautiful flower.

The comfort of murmuring water
From a river sparkling with light,
The sun going down in the evening,
Making way for the stars at night.

The seasons that come and go,
Changing as God had planned,
His wondrous power we behold,
On every part of the land.

It's not the things that we buy,
That bring us the greatest pleasure,
If we look at the beauty around us,
We'll find joy in God given treasures.

Copyright Marian Jones 2002



Hugs and God Bless,
Cherie

beachcottage

This was sent to me today via email....xoxo,Patti

I wish you a day of ordinary miracles----
A fresh pot of coffee you didn't make yourself.
An unexpected phone call from an old friend.
Green stoplights on your way to work or shop.
I wish you a day of little things to rejoice in...
The fastest line at the grocery store.
A good sing along song on the radio.
Your keys right where you look.
I wish you a day of happiness and perfection--
I wish you little bite-size pieces of perfection that give you the funny
feeling that the Lord is smiling on you, holding you so gently because you
are someone special and rare.
I wish you a day of Peace, Happiness and Joy.
Remember to make the time today, To do something special for a Total Stranger.
Have a TERRIFIC day

beachcottage

Excerpt from the book "tending roses"

Tending Roses

Indian wisdom says our lives are rivers. We are born somewhere small and quiet and we move toward a place we can not see, but only imagine. Along our journey, people and events flow into us, and we are created of everywhere and everyone we have passed. Each event, each person, changes us in some way. Even in times of drought we are still moving and growing, but it is during seasons of rain that we expand the most-- when water flows from all directions, sweeping at terrifying speed, chasing against rocks, spilling over boundaries. These are painful times, but they enable us to carry burdens we could never have imagined.


xoox,Patti

MJB

Our dreams, O God,are thy realities,
And our realities,O God,thy Dream;
What to our thinking are finalities,
To thee are phrases of the cosmic Theme.
We hear faint echoes of an uncompleted song;
Thou knowest the harmonies that to the Whole belong.

We yearn for Truth,yet to illusions cling;
Thou art the Truth for which we lamely seek.
We picture in our thought a better thing;
Thou art the Best of which we only speak.
The transient gusts of mood from which we fain would
flee
In one vast calm of Peace are gathered up in Thee.

We hear the plashing waves that wash the shore,
Where on a narrow littoral we stand;
Thou art the mighty throbbing and the roar
Of oceanic billows,far from land.
We count the random drops caught in a shallow pool;
Thou art the flood that fills the ocean full.

Give us, O God, to dream until our dream
Becomes at last thy great Reality.
Give us to hear thy music,till its theme
Comes to our ears a finished symphony;
Into our shallow pool thy infinite ocean pour
Until thy Boundlessness has swallowed up our shore.
Dwight Bradley, Newton Centre, Mass.

Enjoy.
Love and warm thoughts.MJB

MJB

A SPECIAL POEM FOR SPECIAL FRIENDS

This is the journey and this is the road,
Helping each other and sharing the load,
Walking together and seeking the way,
Sharing the wonder and seizing the day.

Making discoveries,lessons to learn,
New exploration as seasons return,
Finding a way to forget and forgive,
Counting our blessings and learning to live.

This is the journey and now is the time ,
New paths to follow and mountains to climb,
Travelling onward,enjoying each mile,
Rejoice in the moment,the journey worthwhile...Iris Hesselden

Hope reigns in my life today
My illness does not rule me.
Daily I seek to
Acknowledge the physical,
Be positive in the mental,
Transcend the emotional,
And anchor in the spiritual,
Knowing that God's peace is my goal.
Thank You,Lord, for today's blessing.
Love and warm thoughts.MJB

MJB

Do You Still Have Hope?
If you can look at the sunset and smile,
then you still have hope.

If you can find beauty in the colors of a small flower,
then you still have hope.

If you can find pleasure in the movement of a butterfly,
then you still have hope.

If the smile of a child can still warm your heart,
then you still have hope.

If you can see the good in other people,
then you still have hope.

If the rain breaking on a roof top can still lull you to sleep,
then you still have hope.

If the sight of a rainbow still makes you
stop and stare in wonder,
then you still have hope.

If the soft fur of a favored pet still
feels pleasant under your fingertips,
then you still have hope.

If you meet new people with a trace of excitement and optimism,
then you still have hope.

If you give people the benefit of a doubt,
then you still have hope.

If you still offer your hand in friendship to others
that have touched your life, then you still have hope.

If receiving an unexpected card or letter still brings
a pleasant surprise, then you still have hope.

If the suffering of others still fills you with pain and frustration,
then you still have hope.

If you refuse to let a friendship die, or accept that it must end,
then you still have hope.

If you look forward to a time or place of quiet and reflection,
then you still have hope.

If you still buy the ornaments, put up the Christmas tree
or cook the turkey, then you still have hope.

If you still watch love stories or want the endings to be happy,
then you still have hope.

If you can look to the past and smile,
then you still have hope!!!!!

This was posted sometime last year and I enjoyed it so much I thought I would share it again.Enjoy.
Love and warm thoughts.MJB

beachcottage

"Little by little, week after week, we learned one of the prime rules of conversation: he who is overinterested in his own viewpoint spoils the game for everybody. It is not enough to listen to the other fellow--that's merely good manners. One must be interested in his mind, and for the good reason that such an interest is the magic key that opens one's own mind. Just as by loving we become lovable, so by a lively and sympathetic attention to another viewpoint, we become aware of the pitch and quality of our own."
--Clifton Fadiman, from Any Number Can Play

MJB

In the quiet of the evening after a long day, it's not unusual to think about and evaluate the events of the day. But thoughts can be disturbing, especially if you faced problems that remain unsolved.
Sometimes these thoughts are not easy to turn off and can threaten to rob you of a peaceful night's sleep But staying awake and worrying will not change or improve the situation at all.
This is a good time to share your concerns with God and ask for His help, He tells us in His Word to cast our cares on Him, so give your thoughts to Him and trust Him to provide a solution. Then lie down and sleep in peace.
Sleep in Peace from Ending Your Day Right by Joyce Meyer

Love and warm thoughts.MJB

beachcottage

To believe is to know that
every day is a new beginning.
It is to trust that miracles happen,
and dreams really do come true.

To believe is to see angels
dancing among the clouds,
To know the wonder of a stardust sky
and the wisdom of the man in the moon.

To believe is to know the value of a nurturing heart,
The innocence of a child's eyes
and the beauty of an aging hand,
for it is through their teachings we learn to love.

To believe is to find the strength
and courage that lies within us
When it is time to pick up
the pieces and begin again.

To believe is to know
we are not alone,
That life is a gift
and this is our time to cherish it.

To believe is to know
that wonderful surprises are just
waiting to happen,
And all our hopes and dreams are within reach.

If only we believe.
Author Unknown
xoxo,Patti

MJB

It is my joy in life to find
At every turning of the road
The strong arm of a comrade kind
To help me onward with my load.
And since I have no gold to give
And love alone must make amends,
My only prayer is, while I live----
God make me worthy of my friends...Frank Sherman

Love and warm thoughts.MJB

MJB

The souls's home is not the body---
the body craves and decays.
And the soul's home is not
a church,a house,a room---
they hold only empty space.
The soul-home is a tone,
vibrations of emotion
sustained.

A poem can house a soul---so can
a painting or a song.And
a soul will sing on invisible
strings,on resonant chords
of a love that simply
accompanies...Gale Swiontkowski
Love and warm thoughts.MJB

MJB

Quiet things
Lord grant the quiet things of life
That bring a sense of peace, not strife;
A tranquil hill of velvet green,
A robins song,pastoral scence.
The hush that comes at break of day
Before the rush of work and play;
The quiet patter of the rain
That dances on my windowpane.
The afterglow of sunset sky,
A mothers tender lullaby;
A time of prayer,a loved ones smile,
Contentment from a day worthwhile
Amid lifes noise and hurried pace,
Help us find time for calming grace
Of quiet things that bring release
And give us to an inner peace...
Message of Gratitude-By Helen Steiner Rice

Love and warm thoughts.MJB

beachcottage

[bThere will be storms, child
There will be storms
And with each tempest
You will seem to stand alone
Against cruel winds

But with time, the rage and fury
Shall subside
And when the sky clears
You will find yourself
Clinging to someone
You would have never known
But for storms.

"Storms"
by Margie DeMerell


When the night has been too lonely,
and the road has been too long,
and you think that love is only for the lucky and the strong,
just remember,
in the winter,
far beneath the bitter snow,
lies the seed that with the sun's love
in the spring becomes the rose.

Bette Midler

beachcottage

It is not easy to live life sometimes, And face the world with a
smile When you're crying inside. It takes a lot of courage to
reach down inside yourself, hold on to that strength that's still
there, And know that tomorrow is a new day with new possibilities.
But if you can hold on long enough to this through, You'll come
out a new person stronger, With more understanding and with a new
pride in yourself From knowing that you made it!
-Author Unknown

MJB

Isaac Newton is one of the great names in the history of science. He was an astronomer,a physicist and much else besides.
However,this modest man once said that,in his own eyes,he was like "a boy playing on the seashore,and diverting myself in now and then finding a smoother pebble or a prettier shell than ordinary."
In true greatness you will always find humility.
Love and warm thoughts.MJB

beachcottage

I posted this song a long time ago here...It got lost some where along the theads....Here it is again....xoxo,Patti

I Am Woman

-Artist: Helen Reddy from “Helen Reddy’s Greatest Hits
-Words and Music by Helen Reddy and Ray Burton

I am woman, hear me roar
In numbers too big to ignore
And I know too much to go back an’ pretend
‘Cause I’ve heard it all before
And I’ve been down there on the floor
No one’s ever gonna keep me down again

Oh yes, I am wise
But it’s wisdom born of pain
Yes, I’ve paid the price
But look how much I gained
If I have to
I can do anything
I am strong (strong)
I am invincible (invincible)
I am woman

You can bend but never break me
‘Cause it only serves to make me
More determined to achieve my final goal
And I come back even stronger
Not a novice any longer
‘Cause you’ve deepened the conviction in my soul

Oh, yes, I am wise
But it’s wisdom born of pain
Yes, I’ve paid the price
But look how much I gained
If I have to
I can face anything
I am strong (strong)
I am invincible (invincible)
I am woman

I am woman watch me grow
See me standing toe to toe
As I spread my lovin’ arms across the land
But I’m still an embryo
With a long, long way to go
Until I make my brother understand

Oh, yes, I am wise
But it’s wisdom born of pain
Yes, I’ve paid the price
But look how much I gained
If I have to
I can face anything
I am strong (strong)
I am invincible (invincible)
I am woman

Oh, I am woman
I am invincible
I am strong

I am woman
I am invincible
I am strong
I am woman