My Mom's Vegetable Garden

 

Our Mom, her name is Mary..was unique as far as gardening was concerned..her real passion! It was absolutely gratifying to her. Fresh green vegetables that she grew were washed and sorted and then sold; when we were young children it was an awesome and routine sight..especially during July/August/September around the time when many of the Hindu/Nativity festivals celebrated in India. Her determination was such that It was amazing to see the shade she built all alone much taller than her less than five feet frame with wooden sticks for the Ridge gourd or such vegetable plants to climb up and grow as you see in the picture. Unfortunately once it rained heavily in the night and the whole structure collapsed and she was so heart broken. Next day my brother salvaged it somehow. Whatever warnings we gave her to be careful fell on deaf ears🙄 our concern was natural as she used to do this when no one was around. At times she even went to the extremes of threatening plants which didn't yield vegetables, to chop them off unless they bore fruit quickly, specially Papaya and Ridge gourd. And sure enough we saw magically next week both of them growing in plenty. Who was scared of whom I am not sure😀 Then she would ask either my two brothers or myself to offer a Thanksgiving Mass to St. Anthony or Infant Jesus😇 That was her child like faith and gratitude. We lost her early January this year.  We all miss her but I know wherever she is, she is happy 🙏❤️🤗

God's Gift 🎁

In my small garden in the front yard every morning I see a tiny bird chirping..looks like a Robin..I am not sure.. She has built a nest between two leaves...one live and the other a dead leaf.. precariously hanging from a Hydrangea/Hortensia plant. Birds are not educated in architecture or interiors or civil works...yet see the strength of the nest. 

We lost five close family members including my mom, since this January and I was feeling low. But this morning I saw three eggs in the nest and my mind was filled with wonder and gratitude to God.Thank you God🙏

Here is my ode to the little bird❤️

"GOD'S GIFT"

The other day I lamented 
Oh only death..death and death 
but no birth I see
so God said be happy 
and made a tiny bird weave 
such a beautiful nest 
and she lay eggs three
I know soon eggs will hatch
nestlings will be born 
and then fly away from their nest 
to build one of their own ❤️ 
This is God speaking 🙏

Evelyn Lobo

My Spiritual Journey Day 35

Sirach 16

God's Punishment of Sinners

A large family is nothing to be desired if the children are worthless. Godless children are nothing to be proud of. No matter how many children you have, don't look on them with pride unless they fear the Lord. Don't put much hope in their future or expect them to live a long time. One child who does the Lord's will is better than a thousand who do not. It is better to go to your grave with no children at all than to have children who are godless.

Almost every parent has experienced a few cringe-worthy moments where a child’s ungrateful attitude becomes evident. Whether your child says, “Is that all I’m getting for my birthday?” after opening a pile of presents, or you hear, “I never get to do anything fun” as you’re driving home from a fun-filled day at the park, the lack of gratitude can be frustrating.

While it’s normal for all kids to have moments where their sense of entitlement becomes evident if you are like most parents you don't want your child's ungrateful attitude to become permanent. But instilling a grateful heart is about more than teaching your child to say "yes please" and "thank you."

Being grateful comes from within and is more of a mindset than an action.

If your child is ungrateful more often than you’d like, the good news is, there are things you can do. Here are some discipline strategies that can help your child learn to be a bit more thankful.

Point out Ungratefulness

When you hear your child say or do something that shows an ungrateful attitude, point it out. Be specific without being insulting. For instance, avoid saying something like, “Stop being a brat.” Instead, say something like, “Complaining about not getting more presents is ungrateful. Your friends and family were kind enough to buy you a gift when they didn’t have to buy you anything.” 

Consistently pointing out incidents that portray an ungrateful attitude will help your child see what behavior constitutes entitlement. Just make sure your comments are aimed at raising awareness, not shaming your child.

You also can head off ungrateful behavior by talking to your child before a birthday party or holiday where gifts are given. Discuss the fact that gifts cost money and that people often spend a lot of time thinking about what to buy. Remind them that the gift giver is usually excited to see them open the gift.

So, responding with an ungrateful attitude could be really hurtful. Getting them to see the money and effort someone else puts into a gift helps them appreciate it a little more. And, it is more likely they will respond with a more grateful heart.

Teach Empathy

Kids need help in understanding how their behavior affects other people. You can do that by teaching your child empathy.1 Talk to them about how their words or behaviors impact others. Say things like, "When you say you never get to do anything fun, it hurts my feelings. I try to make sure we do plenty of fun things together, like go to the park or play games."

You also can use situations in books and movies to get them to consider how others might be feeling. For instance, when you are reading books or watching TV together, pause and ask how certain characters might feel. Ask questions like, "When that boy said those mean things, how do you think his brother felt?" Help your child identify and label feeling words. 

Delay Gratification

Showering your child with endless material items and countless indulgences will spoil her. Kids cannot be grateful for what they have unless they’re given an opportunity to delay gratification.

For instance, it is OK to say no when your kids ask for a new toy or an expensive gadget. Instead, tell them they need to wait until their birthday. Or, you could teach them how to save up their allowance for something they want.

Another way to delay gratification is to link privileges, like screen time and playdates, to good behavior. However, never confuse a bribe with a reward. Bribing your child will only fuel an ungrateful attitude. Saying, "Here's a balloon, now be good," is a bribe. A reward, on the other hand, is about saying, "You were really well behaved today. I am really proud of you. You earned a balloon." 

You also may want to implement a reward system. This type of plan helps children feel good about their accomplishments. They also learn to appreciate their privileges much more when they have actually earned them.

Foster Gratitude

There are many steps you can take to foster gratitude in children. One of the most important steps is to be a good role model of a grateful attitude. Talk regularly about all the things you have to be grateful for each day.

Express gratitude for things that can easily be taken for granted, like spending time together, seeing a beautiful sunset, or finding a great parking spot.

Also, strive to establish family habits that foster gratitude. Create a gratitude jar where everyone writes down one thing they're grateful for every day. Then, on a specific date, like New Year's, read through all the slips of paper.

You also can make it a habit to talk about gratitude each day at bedtime or around the dinner table.3 Ask everyone, "What was the best part of your day today?" Then, discuss why you are grateful for the good things in your day.

Focus on Helping Others

Make kindness a family habit. Take your children with you when you help an elderly neighbor or give them an opportunity to help you make a meal for someone who needs a helping hand.3 

Get your child involved in volunteer work too. Teach your kids that they are never too young to help other people. Helping others in need will decrease your child's self-centered outlook. It also will help foster compassion, which decreases the likelihood that your child will be ungrateful.

Talk about being kind often. Make it a daily habit to ask, "What is something kind you did for someone today?" or, "How did you help make the world better today?" When kids perform acts of kindness, they'll be more likely to focus on what they can give, rather than what they think they deserve. 

Keep in mind that it's normal for kids to be a bit egocentric at times. It's also normal to at times behave as the world revolves around them. So, don't get discouraged. But, over time, an ungrateful attitude should be getting better, not worse. When you see your child act entitled, take a step back and think about what steps you can take to foster a more grateful spirit.

The moment you have to recruit people to put another person down, in order to convince someone of your value is the day you dishonor your children, your parents and your God. If someone doesn't see your worth the problem is them, not people outside your relationship.
Shannon L. Alder

Never let ungrateful remarks prevent you from doing what you feel is right and good. Let God be your judge.” “One ungrateful person does an injury to all needy people.” “Some natures are so sour and ungrateful that they are never to be obliged.”

Another reason children can be ungrateful is that they don't have any experience to compare life to. When children are little, it's great to encourage them to donate toys or backpacks to others in need. However, unless they can get a firsthand experience of what it's like to live in that way, the lesson can be lost.

How to Unspoil Your Kids
Engage Your Kids in Discussion. One of the best ways to help our children be unselfish and kind is to simply talk about it. 
Set Goals and Delay Gratification. Remember saving your money when you were a child?
Help Children with Gratitude. 
Encourage Positive Outlets and Expressions.  
Lead by Example.

The beauty of God is that He will always be there to pick us up after we’ve exhausted ourselves attempting to be Him.
Craig D. Lounsbrough

Good night friends 😇

My Spiritual Journey Day 34

 

Sirach 15

If you fear the Lord, you will do this. Master his Law, and you will find Wisdom. She will come to welcome you, like a mother or a young bride. She will give you wisdom and knowledge like food and drink. Rely on her for support, and you will never know the disgrace of failure. She will make you more honored than all your neighbors; when you speak in the assembly, she will give you the right words. You will find happiness and genuine joy; your name will be remembered forever.

But people who are foolish or sinful will never even catch sight of Wisdom. She will have nothing to do with conceited people; she never enters the mind of liars. It is not appropriate for a sinner to sing hymns of praise, because his worship is insincere. A hymn should be an expression of wisdom, inspired by the Lord himself.

Free Will

Don't blame the Lord for your sin; the Lord does not cause what he hates. Don't claim that he has misled you; he doesn't need the help of sinners to accomplish his purposes. The Lord hates evil in all its forms, and those who fear the Lord find nothing attractive in evil. When, in the beginning, the Lord created human beings, he left them free to do as they wished. If you want to, you can keep the Lord's commands. You can decide whether you will be loyal to him or not. He has placed fire and water before you; reach out and take whichever you want.  You have a choice between life and death; you will get whichever you choose. The Lord's wisdom and power are great and he sees everything. He is aware of everything a person does, and he takes care of those who fear him. He has never commanded anyone to be wicked or given anyone permission to sin.

The rules of the game of life are quite simple. Always tell the truth. Never live in fear of anything or anyone. Be conscious of what you are thinking so you can always think positively. Do everything that you do for the love of doing it. If you devote yourself, your time and your energy to following these rules, have no doubt - you cannot lose!

The remarkable thing about God is that when you fear God, you fear nothing else, whereas if you do not fear God, you fear everything else. When men no longer fear God, they transgress His laws without hesitation. The person who fears God seeks to live all of life to the glory of God.

One should preach not from one's rational mind but rather from the heart. Only that which is from the heart can touch another heart. One must never attack or oppose anyone. If he who preaches must tell people to keep away from a certain kind of evil, he must do so meekly and humbly, with fear of God.

Unless we learn to know ourselves, we run the danger of destroying ourselves.

“Never, no, never did nature say one thing and wisdom say another.” Edmund Burke

“Knowledge is knowing what to say. Wisdom is knowing when to say it.” Anonymous

Seek the wisdom of the ages, but look at the world through the eyes of a child.” Ron Wild

“It is the province of knowledge to speak, and it is the privilege of wisdom to listen.” Oliver Wendall Holmes

“Wisdom is the daughter of experience.” Anonymous

“It is said that wisdom lies not in seeing things, but seeing through things.” 
Manly P. Hall

Wisdom is not a product of schooling but of the lifelong attempt to acquire it.
Albert Einstein

It's a funny thing about life, once you begin to take note of the things you are grateful for, you begin to lose sight of the things that you lack.
Germany Kent

Read in the name of your Lord Who created. He created man from a clot.Read and your Lord is Most Honorable, Who taught (to write) with the pen. Taught man what he knew not.
Anonymous

The older you get, the more quiet you become. Life humbles you so deeply as you age. You realize how much nonsense you’ve waste time on.” 
Anonymous

That's the thing about freewill: Every decision we make is a choice against something as much as it is for something else.” “God created every man to be free. The ability to choose whether to live free or enslaved, right or wrong, happy or in fear is something called freewill.

Free will is an illusion. Our wills are simply not of our own making. Thoughts and intentions emerge from background causes of which we are unaware and over which we exert no conscious control. We do not have the freedom we think we have.

Free will is the idea that we are able to have some choice in how we act and assumes that we are free to choose our behavior, in other words we are self determined. For example, people can make a free choice as to whether to commit a crime or not (unless they are a child or they are insane).

God remains free in choosing how to love, but the fact that God loves and therefore gives freedom/agency to others is a necessary part of what it means to be divine.

There are only two kinds of people in the
end: those who say to God, "Thy will be done," and those to whom God says, in the end, "Thy will be done." All that are in Hell, choose it. Without that self-choice there could be no Hell. No soul that seriously and constantly desires joy will ever miss it. Those who seek find. Those who knock it is opened.
C.S. Lewis

Good night friends 😇

My Spiritual Journey Day 33

 

Sirach 14

If a person never says anything carelessly, he is to be congratulated; he doesn't need to feel guilty. If a person has a clear conscience and never gives up hope, he is certainly to be congratulated!

Responsible Use of Wealth

It isn't right for someone who is selfish to be rich. What use is money to a stingy person? If you deny yourself in order to accumulate wealth, you are only accumulating it for someone else. Others will use your riches to live in luxury. How can you be generous with others if you are stingy with yourself, if you are not willing to enjoy your own wealth? No one is worse off than someone who is stingy with himself; it is a sin that brings its own punishment. When such a person does something good, it is only by accident; his selfishness will sooner or later be evident. A selfish person is evil; he turns his back on people's needs and is never satisfied with what he has. Greed will shrivel up a person's soul. Some people are too stingy to put bread on their own table.

My child, treat yourself as well as you can, and bring worthy offerings to the Lord.  Remember that death is coming for you some day, and you haven't been told when that will be. Before that day comes, be kind to your friends; be as generous as you can. Don't deny yourself a single day's happiness. If there is something you want to do and it is lawful, go ahead! Some day all that you have worked for will be divided up and given to others. So be generous; but also be willing to receive from others. Enjoy yourself, for you will not find any pleasures in the world of the dead. The human body wears out like a piece of clothing. The ancient law decrees that we must die. Human beings are like leaves on a spreading tree. New growth takes the place of the fallen leaves; while some of us die, others are being born.  Everything made by human hands will decay and perish, along with the person who made it.

The Happiness of Having Wisdom

It is a happy person who is concerned with Wisdom and who uses good sense.  Anyone who studies the ways of Wisdom will also learn her secrets. Go after Wisdom like a hunter looking for game. Look into her windows and listen at her doors. Camp as close to her house as you can get, and you will have a fine place to live. Build your home there, safe beneath her protecting branches, and shaded from the heat.

Let these wealth quotes give you thoughts about what it means to be wealthy. Having an abundance of love, or is it an abundance of cash or riches or it is health or is it a rare treasure.

Remember as the old saying goes health is wealth be sure to remember that on your way to fortune! 

Parents can only give good advice or put them on the right paths, but the final forming of a person's character lies in their own hands.
Anne Frank

A wise person should have money in their head, but not in their heart. –Jonathan Swift

Good night friends 😇

My Spiritual Journey Day 32

Sirach 13

Be careful not to be misled; you can be enjoying yourself and suddenly find yourself humiliated. If you are invited to the home of someone influential, be reserved in your behavior. Then he will invite you more often.  If you push yourself on him, he will put you in your place. On the other hand, if you keep your distance from him, he will forget about you. Don't pretend to be his equal or trust everything he says. In spite of all of his long and polite conversation, he is testing you.

If a person does not keep confidences, he is cruel; he will not hesitate to hurt you or have you put in jail. Keep your secrets to yourself and be very careful, for you are always walking on dangerous ground.  As long as you live, love the Lord and call on him to rescue you.

Every creature prefers its own kind, and people are no different. Just as animals of the same species flock together, so people keep company with people like themselves. A sinner has no more in common with a devout person than a wolf has with a lamb. Rich people have no more in common with poor people than hyenas have with dogs. The rich hunt down the poor just as lions hunt down wild donkeys in the open country. Arrogant people have nothing but scorn for the humble, and the rich think of the poor in the same way. When a rich person stumbles, his friends will steady him, but if a poor person falls, his friends will have nothing to do with him. When someone rich makes a mistake, there are many people to cover up for him and explain away all the things he never should have said. But let someone poor make a mistake, and he gets nothing but criticism. Even if what he says makes good sense, nobody will listen. When a rich person speaks, everyone is silent, and they praise him to the skies for what he says. But let a poor person speak, and everybody says,

Who is that? They push him down if he so much as stumbles.

There is nothing wrong with being rich if you haven't sinned to get that way. But there is nothing sinful about being poor, either. Only the ungodly think so. It's what is in your heart that makes the expression on your face happy or sad. If you feel cheerful, you will look cheerful, although making up proverbs calls for some intense thought.

We stay the same as we've always been, keeping to the path we've walked our whole lives. Paths that carry so much importance and perceived stability that we are utterly convinced it is the only one to walk – that anyone not walking it with us is being misled.
A.J. Darkholme

Just because something isn't a lie does not mean that it isn't deceptive. A liar knows that he is a liar, but one who speaks mere portions of truth in order to deceive is a craftsman of destruction.
Criss Jami

O Heavenly Children, the stories you have concocted in God's name have angered Him; for he would never instigate war between brothers, or encourage tribes to harbor resentment towards one another. He prefers the man who loves over the one who hates. And the man who spreads kindness, peace and knowledge, over the one who spreads lies, fear and terror — and misuses His name.
Suzy Kassem

Good night friends 😇

My Spiritual Journey Day 31

 

Sirach 13

If you touch tar, it will stick to you, and if you keep company with arrogant people, you will come to be just like them. Don't try to lift something too heavy for you, and don't keep company with people who are richer and more powerful than you. You cannot keep a clay pot next to an iron kettle; the pot will break if it hits the kettle. If a rich person wrongs someone, he can afford to add insult to injury; but if a poor person is wronged, he is forced to apologize for himself. A rich person will use you as long as he can profit from it, but when you need him, he will leave you helpless. He will live with you as long as you have anything and will gladly drain you dry. If he needs you, he will trick you with his smiles and cheerful, kindly words.

Do you need anything? he will ask. He will feed you until you are embarrassed. Finally, when he has drained you two or three times over, he will laugh at you. If you see him later, he will pretend he doesn't know you, and will pass you by.

I want to touch upon "arrogance". 

Arrogance is knowledge minus wisdom. Arrogance diminishes wisdom. Don't be arrogant, because arrogance kills curiosity and passion.

There is a thin line of difference between self-conviction and being arrogant. A person with self-conviction talks from a center of understanding and wisdom. He is all-inclusive and never has the intention to demean anybody. They dislike conformist behavior and false stupidity. On the other hand, an arrogant person is never inclusive of anybody and puts his knowledge and self-interest above others. An arrogant individual always wants to prove a point and has no self-conviction of any degree. An arrogant individual is mostly insecure and always wants to grab the attention of people. Arrogant people can be both loud mouth and extremely silent by nature. 

Toba Beta beautifully quotes "Arrogance likes to appear humble in public".

One of the most significant drawbacks that arrogance can do to a person is it blocks the road to learning and curiosity. Because when you are arrogant, you will say, yeah, I know what you are talking about, and let me enlighten you with my most valuable opinion. Such a person can never learn anything new in life or show any slightest inclination to new people and new experiences. Arrogant personalities are one of the deepest loners. Their arrogancy won’t allow this fact to be exhibited publicly. 

How to deal with Arrogant people? So, if you have to deal with an arrogant person, don’t waste your energy and time by getting into endless arguments with them. It gives them even more space to be arrogant. Keep showing through your company that love and affectionate behavior is way better than arrogancy. Be as light and let your inner calmness help them change for good. If nothing works, better ignore such people and move on instead of getting offended by their behavior. Also, don’t forget that arrogance is a grave mental tendency, and anybody can be arrogant in any given situation. So before pointing fingers at others, keep cross-checking your behavior and relationship with the world. 

Don’t be arrogant, because arrogance kills curiosity and passion. – Mina Bissell 

An arrogant bug is a cocky roach. – American Proverb 

Arrogance is blind to the stumbling block. – Toba Beta 

Arrogance is a roadblock on the highway of wisdom. – American Proverb 

The arrogance of some people makes even their virtues appear vices. – Bouhours 

Don’t confuse confidence with arrogance. Arrogance is being full of yourself, feeling you’re always right, and believing your accomplishments or abilities make you better than other people. People often believe arrogance is excessive confidence, but it’s really a lack of confidence. 

Arrogant people are insecure, and often repel others. Truly confident people feel good about themselves and attract others to them. – Christie Hartman 

Arrogance is a self-defense tactic to disguise insecurities. – Caroll Michels 

Arrogance is a kingdom without a crown. – American Proverb

Good night friends 😇

My Spiritual Journey Day 30

Sirach 12

An enemy will stay with you for a while, but not when trouble comes. He will speak fine words while he plots how to trap you. He will pretend to share your sorrows, but he will kill you if he gets a chance. If trouble comes your way, you will find him waiting, ready to trip you up while he pretends to help you. He will be a different person then, rubbing his hands, nodding his head, and spreading rumors about you.

You have enemies? Why, it is the story of every man who has done a great deed or created a new idea. It is the cloud which thunders around everything that shines. Fame must have enemies, as light must have gnats. Do no bother yourself about it; disdain. Keep your mind serene as you keep your life clear.
Victor Hugo

A Revealed Enemy & a Secret Enemy, the most dangerous kinds of enemies are those who you love & think are your friend, but behind you, they envy, hate and plot against you!

Here are signs to look out for in knowing who your Secret Enemy is:

Anyone who gets angry when good things happen to you is a Secret Enemy!

Anyone who tries to reduce the value of your Achievements & Success is an Envious Enemy in disguise!

Anyone who is intimidated by your Talent, Success, Anointing & Grace, yet holds a Special place in your heart, is a suspect!

Anyone who speak well of you in your presence but runs you down behind, or speaks evil of you to others is a Secret Enemy consumed with Envy!

Anyone who belittle your potentials and personality is a Suspect!

Anyone who becomes Sad when people Celebrates you, yet claims to be your friend! That's an Enemy in disguise.

Any friend who plots secretly against you & betrays you, exposes your Secrets & Weaknesses is another Judas Iscariot!

Secret enemies try to be good friends and make you believe that you can always lean on their shoulders, but you may never suspect their true intentions as regards the information you share with them. Be careful!

No Enemies
by Charles Mackay
You have no enemies, you say?
Alas! my friend, the boast is poor;
He who has mingled in the fray
Of duty, that the brave endure,
Must have made foes! If you have none,
Small is the work that you have done.
You've hit no traitor on the hip,
You've dashed no cup from perjured lip,
You've never turned the wrong to right,
You've been a coward in the fight.

Keyana Brown
Hold me Back!
My emotions are attacking again
and this time I won't let them win
It's clear to God that the enemy
is waiting for me to sin.

Anger!
is the enemy's thrill for desire,
Depression!
it's the enemy's greatest obsession,
Fear!
is the music to the enemy's ears,
Pain!
is what brought up the enemy's gain.

I was ready to fight
but God refused
he grasped my hand so tight
that I couldn't move.
He grabbed my other arm
as he pulled me close to him
he told me to stop, yet
I wanted to hit the enemy
with every whim!
The Lord held me back
like an imate in a straitjacket
forbidding me to attack
or allowing me to get the first hit
He dragged me so far away
that the enemy sighed in a bore,
God whispered to me in my ear
he said: "Ignore!"
I kicked, screamed, plead
away from God to fight the enemy,
but it's no use after many attempts
he still won't let me leave.
"Ignore!"
he said as I began to cry
in a fearful dread
it's no use, so I gave up
and alow the enemy to
beat me up until I'm dead.

Few minutes later...
the enemy looked at me
very disgusted and confused
he screamed: "Get sad! Be angry!"

Silence

The enemy was fuming,
fire bursting out of his nose,
sweating through his forehead,
at this rate he was about to explode!
The enemy's heart gave out
he screamed again:
"Be angry...be upset! Do it now!"

Silence

His arms are disintegrating
His legs are inflated like a balloon
His mouth were turning to ash
He was doomed.
The enemy retreats
as I called him weak
it was funny to think
that I was like him,
because my silence
was surprisingly meek.
I have now learned
and understand that
it's better to say nothing
or lay a hand
on the enemy.

We should all ignore
for what the enemy
has in store because it
makes all the difference.

Therefore I will no longer
be his slave... no more.

The Enemy
© Hariet

Seconds.
Hours.
Days.
The clock ticks.
Time.
Our most powerful opponent.
He tries to defeat us
In the game of life.
Like a king,
And we are his peasants.
Our life is in his hands.
It's only a matter of
Seconds.
Hours.
Days.
Until our clock
Runs out. 

Good night friends 😇

My Spiritual Journey Day 29

 

Sirach 12

When things are going well, it is hard to tell who your real friends are, but in hard times you can recognize your enemies; even your friends will leave you then. But when you are successful, your enemies will act like friends. Never trust an enemy; his wickedness is as destructive as rust. Watch out, and be on guard against him, even if he acts ever so humble. He is like a metal mirror that rusts away if you don't keep it polished. Seat an enemy at your right hand, and the next thing you know he'll be trying to get your own place of honor. Put him next to you, and he will overthrow you. Then you will realize the truth of my words, and be stung with regret when you remember them. Nobody feels sorry for snake charmers or wild animal tamers who get bitten, and nobody will feel sorry for you if you run around with sinners and get involved in their wrongdoing.

The definition of a true friendship is someone who has your back, no matter what. They watch out for you and ensure you are not in danger. They will never purposely lead you into making decisions that aren't good for you. A true friendship will always have your best interest at heart.

True friends are always together in spirit. Two things you will never have to chase: True friends & true love. True friends are those who came into your life, saw the most negative part of you, but are not ready to leave you, no matter how contagious you are to them.”

What is a true friend? A true friend says what they think their friend needs to hear even when they know that their friend may get angry. A true friend doesn't leave because they are afraid to be with you. A true friend doesn't leave when the fun stops and things get uncomfortable. These are just of few of the values that real friends hold dear. In short, a true friend recognizes the value of the friendship and holds it sacred.

Fake friends; those who only drill holes under your boat to get it leaking; those who discredit your ambitions and those who pretend they love you, but behind their backs they know they are in to destroy your legacies. When you see the genuine, you don't deal with the fakes anymore.

"Et tu Brute, then fall Caesar". Perhaps the most famous words in English literature speak of a betrayal of a friend. Julius Caesar is saying that if even his close friend Brutus is stabbing him, then he has no hope. Our friends are the ones that we expect will stand by us through thick and thin. When are going through hard times, we ask that they be "like a bridge over troubled waters". If we cannot count on our friends to pull us through, then who can we count on?

I have a lot acquaintances and friends, some quite close but in all my 64 years, I admit, surprisingly enough, so far I haven't found a true friend. To me only God is my true friend and I ❤️ this poem "My True Friend"

© Abimbola T. Alabi

You always answer when I call
And help me up if I should fall,
But you never complain at all,
My true friend.

You confront me when I am wrong
But will never scold me for long,
Instead, you try to keep me strong,
My true friend.

You know the funny things to say
To make me laugh my fears away.
Like the sun, you brighten my day,
My true friend.

You see in me gifts I deny
And urge me to give things a try.
You spread for me my wings to fly,
My true friend.

You always perceive what I need
And offer it before I plead.
Just like a book, my mind you read,
My true friend.

You value little things I do
But won't brag of what you do too.
How can I ever repay you,
My true friend?

And greatest of all I have found
When times are tough and I'm down,
You are the one who sticks around,
My true friend.

Share your weaknesses. Share your hard moments. Share your real side. It'll either scare away every fake person in your life or it will inspire them to finally let go of that mirage called "perfection," which will open the doors to the most important relationships you'll ever be a part of. 

Dan Pearce

Good night friends 😇

My Spiritual Journey Day 28

 

Sirach 12

When you do a good deed, make sure you know who is benefiting from it; then what you do will not be wasted. You will be repaid for any kindness you show to a devout person. If he doesn't repay you, the Most High will. No good ever comes to a person who gives comfort to the wicked; it is not a righteous act. Give to religious people, but don't help sinners. Do good to humble people, but don't give anything to those who are not devout. Don't give them food, or they will use your kindness against you. Every good thing you do for such people will bring you twice as much trouble in return. The Most High himself hates sinners, and he will punish them. Give to good people, but do not help sinners.

Acts of kindness have the potential to make the world a happier place. An act of kindness can boost feelings of confidence, being in control, happiness and optimism. They may also encourage others to repeat the good deeds they've experienced themselves – contributing to a more positive community.

Some good deed quotes:

“How far that little candle throws his beams! 

“Every time you do a good deed you shine the light a little farther into the dark. 

“Even though your time on the job is temporary, if you do a good enough job, your work there will last forever.” 

“The best deed of a great man is to forgive and forget.”

A GOOD DEED A WEEK:
Let your first check of the year be to charity.
Help a friend in need.
Volunteer for an hour at an organization of your choice.
Save electricity by unplugging your devices when not in use.
Buy a gift for your mother or grandmother – just because.
Allow a fellow driver to merge into your lane.

That sensation is known as 'helper's high' and is produced when your brain releases endorphins, the feel-good chemicals of the brain. When you do something good for someone else, your brain's pleasure centers light up, releasing endorphin and producing this high.

It takes many good deeds to build a good reputation, and only one bad one to lose it.
Benjamin Franklin

Good night friends 😇

My Spiritual Journey Day 27

 

Sirach 11

Be Careful in Choosing Friends

Be careful about the kind of person you invite into your home, because clever people can fool you in many ways. A proud person is a decoy to lure you into danger; like a spy, he will look for your weaknesses.  He will make good appear evil and find fault with the noblest actions. A single spark can set a pile of coals ablaze, and a sinner is just waiting for a chance to do violence. Watch out for such people and their evil plans; they will ruin you permanently. If you bring a stranger home with you, it will only cause trouble, even between you and your own family.

Elyn Saks Quotes:
Choose your friends wisely, and also choose friends that you can trust.

Why do we need friends?

Friends can help you celebrate good times and provide support during bad times. Friends prevent loneliness and give you a chance to offer needed companionship, too. Friends can also increase your sense of belonging and purpose.

The opinions of your friends are often more important than those of other people, even your family members. That's why it's in your interest to choose your friends wisely. They can be the reason why you succeed or fail in achieving your life goals.

There are two kinds of friendship: the beneficial friendship and the erroneous friendship. The erroneous friendship balances on the principle of "the closer we are, the more okay it is for me to say anything I want to you and for me to treat you any way that I want to, and for me to disrespect you and take advantage of you" while a true friendship is rooted in this principle: "the closer we are, the more respect I have for you, the better I will treat you, the higher I will regard you, the more good things I will wish for you." You will know someone is a true friend by basis of observing their actions towards you as the friendship grows deeper. A true friend will continue to hold you in higher and higher regard while the error of a friend will see your goodwill and newfound fondness as basis to do and say whatever he/she wants, that is disrespectful and non-beneficial to you.
C. JoyBell C.

Here are some secrets to choose your friends wisely:

Associate higher. Choose friends with similar values, common goals, who can bring balance in areas where you are weaker, those stretch, motivate, encourage you and share the same interests.

A good friend is like a four-leaf clover: hard to find and lucky to have. There is nothing I would not do for those who are really my friends. True friendship comes when the silence between two people is comfortable. Friendship is the hardest thing in the world to explain.

Honest friends can increase your career growth by their genuine opinions, appreciating you, and giving you the confidence to achieve whatever you want. Not only personal growth, but your future growth is also connected with your friends, that's why you have to be careful while choosing them.

Always make an effort to be around people who will help you grow.
Joyce Rachelle

This is my favourite hymn as I believe that Jesus is our only true and best friend ❤️

What a friend we have in Jesus

All our sins and griefs to bear
What a privilege to carry
Everything to God in prayer

Oh, what peace we often forfeit
Oh, what needless pain we bear
All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prayer

Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged
Take it to the Lord in prayer

Can we find a friend so faithful
Who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness
Take it to the Lord in prayer

Happy Friendship Day🌹

Good night friends 😇

My Spiritual Journey Day 26

Sirach 11

Be Cautious

Stand by your duty and stick to it; grow old at your work. Don't be jealous of what sinners achieve; just stick to your own work, and trust the Lord. It is very easy for the Lord to make a poor person suddenly rich. Devout people will receive the Lord's blessing as their reward, and that blessing can be given in a moment. Don't be concerned about what you need, or what success the future holds for you. On the other hand, don't think that you have everything you need or that nothing can go wrong for you in the future. When things are going well, people don't think about hard times; and when things are going badly, they forget about prosperity. The Lord can easily wait until the day of our death to reward or punish us. At that time our deeds are open for all to see; all our happiness can be erased in that one moment of misery. So then, don't think of anyone's life as happy until it is over, because all the evidence is not in until the person is dead.

Do your duty, that is best; leave unto the 

Lord the rest. Take responsibility for your thoughts, feelings, words and actions. Stop blaming. Stop complaining. Refuse to take anything personal. Make yourself happy. Live in the present moment. Use the power of intention. Feel calm and confident.

Only aim to do your duty, and mankind will give you credit where you fail. The reward of doing one duty is the power to do another. A man who neglects his duty as a citizen is not entitled to his rights as a citizen. Knowledge of our duties is the most essential part of the philosophy of life.

Every right has its responsibilities. Men who do things without being told draw the most wages. 
The real freedom of any individual can always be measured by the amount of responsibility which he must assume for his own welfare and security. Never mind your happiness; do your duty. 

After every storm the sun will smile; for every problem there is a solution, and the soul's indefeasible duty is to be of good cheer.
William R. Alger

The dead cannot cry out for justice. It is a duty of the living to do so for them.
Lois McMaster Bujold

The greatest want of the world is the want of men - men who will not be bought or sold; men who in their inmost souls are true and honest; men who do not fear to call sin by its right name; men whose conscience is as true to duty as the needle to the pole; men who will stand for the right though the heavens fall.
Ellen G. White

We never fail when we try to do our duty, we always fail when we neglect to do it.
Robert Baden-Powell

Justice is the sum of all moral duty.
William Godwin

With faith, discipline and selfless devotion to duty, there is nothing worthwhile that you cannot achieve.
Mohammad Ali Jinnah

Good night friends 😇

My Spiritual Journey Day 25

Sirach 11

Be Cautious

Everything comes from the Lord: success and failure, poverty and wealth, life and death.  Wisdom, understanding, knowledge of the Law, love, and the doing of good deeds—all these come from the Lord. Error and darkness have been with sinners from the beginning, and those who enjoy evil will have it with them into their old age. The Lord's gifts to religious people are gifts that endure. If he approves of you, you will always be successful. Someone may grow rich by working hard and denying himself pleasure, but what does he get for it? He says to himself, now I can finally sit back and enjoy what I have worked for. But he has no idea how long it will be before he must die and leave his wealth to others.

Truly, our own life is our gift from God but what we become as a person is our gift in return to God. Our body is the temple of God's Kingdom when we let our soul glitter like diamond upon the eyes of God if sense of righteousness lives within every breath we take as we deal with other people and so with God.

God will fight your battles if you just keep still. He is able to carry you through. Trust Him. Keep standing, keep believing and keep hoping. Where God guides, He provides. No matter how things look, God is still in control. Stay in peace and be hopeful. Your blessing is coming soon. So much can change from one day to the next, but the one thing that always remains the same is God. Stay focused on Him. In God We Trust. Ask God to use you. Ask Him to show you how you can be a blessing everywhere you go. Keep honoring Him so that others can see Him through you.
Germany Kent

Thy will be done, my Lord. Because you know the weakness in the heart of your children, and you assign each of them only the burden they can bear. May you understand my love–because it is the only thing I have that is really mine, the only thing that I will be able to take with me into the next life. Please allow it to be courageous and pure; please make it capable of surviving the snares of the world.
Paulo Coelho

Prayer:

Dear Lord, May we never forget that everything we have comes from God!

May we always remember that everything we have comes from you!

May we always remember that humility is the key to success!

May we always remember that we are blessed to be a blessing!

May we continually glorify God with everything God has blessed us with!

In Jesus’ precious name we pray, Amen.

Good night friends 😇

My Spiritual Journey Day 24

 

Sirach 11

Be Cautious

Before you start criticizing, get your facts straight and think the matter through. Don't interrupt while someone is speaking; hear what he has to say before you answer. Don't get into an argument over something that is none of your business. Don't take part in decisions that are being made by sinners.

My child, don't get involved in too many things. If you try to do too much, you will suffer for it. You won't be able to finish your work, and you won't be able to get away from it either. For instance, here is someone who never stops working like a slave, but gets further behind all the time. On the other hand, someone else may be very poor and not up to his task. He may be slow, and he may need help, but the Lord is pleased with him and pulls him out of his bad situation. When he is back on his feet again, everyone is astounded.

What do we tell our children? Haste makes waste. Look before you leap. Stop and think. Don't judge a book by its cover. We believe that we are always better off gathering as much information as possible and spending as much time as possible in deliberation.

The scars of others should teach us caution. 
Humanity has advanced, when it has advanced, not because it has been sober, responsible, and cautious, but because it has been playful, rebellious, and immature.

Misery don't call ahead. That's why you have to stay awake - otherwise it just walks on in your door.

Scars fade with time. And the ones that never go away, well, they build character, maturity, caution.
Erin McCarthy

Good night friends 😇

My Spiritual Journey Day 23

 

Sirach 11

The Deceptiveness of Appearances

The wisdom of a humble man will lift up his head, and will seat him among the great. Do not praise a man for his good looks, nor loathe a man because of his appearance.  The bee is small among flying creatures, but her product is the best of sweet things. Do not boast about wearing fine clothes, nor exalt yourself in the day that you are honored; for the works of the Lord are wonderful, and his works are concealed from men.  Many kings have had to sit on the ground, but one who was never thought of has worn a crown. Many rulers have been greatly disgraced, and illustrious men have been handed over to others.

All that glisters is not gold;
Often have you heard that told:
Many a man his life hath sold
But my outside to behold:
Gilded tombs do worms enfold.
William Shakespeare

Why is appearance important in society?

It boosts self-confidence and self-esteem. One feels very reassured when other people admire them and prefer to associate with them as they find them very attractive. An attractive physical appearance enhances personality. 

I have come across several wealthy acquaintances and friends and their down to earth behaviour has always made me respect them which they truly deserve.  

There are also with a 'poor thing' tag and we feel sorry for them and do whatever we can to put them at ease. While abroad, we had a next door neighbour with his wife and three kids, whose appearance being drab, dingy and depressing. Their looks including their living conditions were extremely pathetic. Looks sure can be deceiving as we learnt later, they were an absolute miserly lot who loved to live like beggars though the gentleman earned more than enough to feed an army. He saved what he earned for a rainy day perhaps and loved living on charity. Without spending a penny he earned, all the kids attended best schools and universities with the help of philanthropic organisations and later settled in the West. Such people make us think twice before extending any help to the real needy ones.

My favourite hobby is reading and I am a sucker for quotes. Here are a few for collection 🤗

Trust not too much to appearances.~ Virgil

Beauty is produced by the pleasing appearance and good taste of the whole, and by the dimensions of all the parts being duly proportioned to each other. ~ Vitruvius

Books are as useful to a stupid person as a mirror is useful to a blind person. ~ Chanakya

The face is the mirror of the mind, and eyes without speaking confess the secrets of the heart. ~ St. Jerome

We should look to the mind, and not to the outward appearance. ~ Aesop

Beauty is eternity gazing at itself in a mirror. ~ Khalil Gibran

People who don’t have it think beauty is a blessing, but actually it sets you apart.~ Candice Bergen

The Lord prefers common looking people. That is why he made so many of them.~ Abraham Lincoln

It is only shallow people who do not judge by appearances. The true mystery of the world is the visible, not the invisible.~ Oscar Wilde

Appearance rules the world.~ Johann Friedrich Von Schiller

When you look in the mirror, your ‘appearance,’ that outer you, is what you see first. ~ Teri Hatcher

You mirror what the world mirrors to you. ~ Jennifer Lopez

We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful about what we pretend to be.~ Kurt Vonnegut Jr.

People that seem so glorious are all show; underneath they are like everyone else.~ Euripides

The art of a people is a true mirror to their minds. ~ Jawaharlal Nehru

You are only what you are when no one is looking.~ Robert C. Edwards

We look into mirrors but we only see the effects of our times on us – not our effects on others. ~ Pearl Bailey

If one wishes to become rich they must appear rich.~ Oliver Goldsmith

Nothing so much prevents our being natural as the desire to seem so.~ Francois De La Rochefoucauld

First appearance deceives many.~ Ovid

What lies behind appearance is usually another appearance. ~ Mason Cooley

Outside show is a poor substitute for inner worth.~ Aesop

Think not I am what I appear.~ Lord Byron

Beware, so long as you live, of judging men by their outward appearance. ~ Jean de La Fontaine

Neglect of appearance becomes men.~ Ovid

Behavior is the mirror in which everyone shows their image. ~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

The biggest problem with every art is by the use of appearance to create a loftier reality. ~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Clothes and manners do not make the man; but when he is made, they greatly improve his appearance~ Henry Ward Beecher

Stop saying these negative things about yourself. Look in the mirror and find something about yourself that’s positive and celebrate that! ~ Tyra Banksia

We only see what we want to see; we only hear what we want to hear. Our belief system is just like a mirror that only shows us what we believe. ~ Don Miguel Ruiz

You use a glass mirror to see your face; you use works of art to see your soul. ~ George Bernard Shaw

Your best appearance may be what is most remembered about you; don’t leave home without it.~ Clarence E. Hodges

I’m a mirror. If you’re cool with me, I’m cool with you, and the exchange starts. What you see is what you reflect. If you don’t like what you see, then you’ve done something. If I’m standoffish, that’s because you are. ~ Jay-Z

Shadows cannot see themselves in the mirror of the sun. ~ Evita Peron

When I see a bird that walks like a duck and swims like a duck and quacks like a duck, I call that bird a duck.~ Richard C. Cushing

Who sees the human face correctly: the photographer, the mirror, or the painter? ~ Pablo Picasso

A beautiful woman should break her mirror early. ~ Baltasar Gracian

Smile in the mirror. Do that every morning and you’ll start to see a big difference in your life. ~ Yoko Ono

Things are entirely what they appear to be and behind them … there is nothing.~ Jean-Paul Sartre

Mirrors are ice which do not melt: what melts are those who admire themselves in them. ~ Paul Morand

If you begin to think you’re something you’re not, you’re looking in the wrong mirror. ~ Eugene Cernan

Monkeys are superior to men in this: when a monkey looks into a mirror, he sees a monkey. ~ Malcolm de Chazal

Things are not always what they seem; the first appearance deceives many; the intelligence of a few perceives what has been carefully hidden.~ Phaedrus

You’re only as good as your last haircut.~ Susan Lee

The world is governed more by appearances than by realities, so that it is fully as necessary to seem to know something as to know it.~ Daniel Webster

Nothing succeeds like the appearance of success. ~ Christopher Lasch

If you find the mirror of the heart dull, the rust has not been cleared from its face. ~ Rumi

Beauty is truth’s smile when she beholds her own face in a perfect mirror. ~ Rabindranath Tagore

He that has a great nose, thinks everybody is speaking of it.~ Thomas Fuller

The aim of art is to represent not the outward appearance of things, but their inward significance. ~ Aristotle

No one is so miserable as the poor person who maintains the appearance of wealth. ~ Charles Spurgeon

Life is a mirror and will reflect back to the thinker what he thinks into it. ~ Ernest Holmes

There are two ways of spreading light: to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it. ~ Edith Wharton

Hold up a mirror and ask yourself what you are capable of doing, and what you really care about. Then take the initiative – don’t wait for someone else to ask you to act. ~ Sylvia Earle

Things are seldom what they seem.~ W. S. Gilbert

A sister is both your mirror – and your opposite. ~ Elizabeth Fishel

Our environment, the world in which we live and work, is a mirror of our attitudes and expectations. ~ Earl Nightingale

To establish yourself in the world a person must do all they can to appear already established.~ Francois De La Rochefoucauld

A man’s manners are a mirror in which he shows his portrait. ~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Last but not the least:

Let us be grateful to the mirror for revealing to us our appearance only. ~ Samuel Butler

Good night friends 😇

My Spiritual Journey Day 22

 

Sirach 10

Humility and Self-respect

When you do your work, don't make a show of your skill, and don't try to put on a show when you are in trouble. It is better to work and have more than you need than to go around boasting but hungry.

My child, keep your self-respect, but remain modest. Value yourself at your true worth. There is no excuse for a person to run himself down. No one respects a person who has no respect for himself. Poor people can be honored for their good sense, and rich people can be honored for their wealth. If someone is honored while he is poor, think how much he will be honored if he becomes rich! If someone is despised while he is rich, think how much more he will be despised if he becomes poor!

One of the greatest regrets in life is being what others would want you to be, rather than being yourself.
Shannon L. Alder

A humble person is rare to come across now-a-days. However, it can be challenging to even free yourself from the pit of arrogance and pride. To be humble doesn’t mean to have low self-esteem. Humble people can have great talent, yet they’re extremely self-aware of their talents, and keep everything in perspective.

When you’re humble, the results speak for themselves. When you’re humble, you’re not afraid to ask for help, praise others, and even accept compliments. If you’re truly humble, people will notice and gravitate towards you.

Even though many people may think of humility as becoming weak, unworthy, and valueless, real humility is a powerful soul force, which when unleashed, can bring a person into a place of purpose, vision, power and wealth.

Self-respect is the opinion you have of yourself, or, in other words, your self-image. Self-respect is not about being arrogant or conceited. In fact, it is about having a healthy and realistic self-image – one that represents who you are.

Healthy self-respect has a number of benefits: it can help you focus on your strengths and achievements; it can help you work towards your goals rather than giving up; it offers motivation for change and improvement.

Self-respecting yourself should be an ongoing process because our opinions of ourselves change over time. Don’t disrespect yourself by undermining your capabilities!

I don’t respect those who don’t respect me. You call it ego. I call it self respect. I care for myself. The more solitary, the more friendless, the more unsustained I am, the more I will respect myself. We are all alone, born alone, die alone, and we shall all someday look back on our lives and see that, in spite of our company, we were alone the whole way. I do not say lonely—at least, not all the time—but essentially, and finally, alone. This is what makes your self-respect so important, and I don't see how you can respect yourself if you must look in the hearts and minds of others for your happiness.

To elaborate on Abraham Lincoln's quote, I have been driven many times upon my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had no where else to go except to cry out to God. In the midst of financial commitments while educating our only child, losing my job was a huge blow as his future was pinned on it. That was what I thought then. I ran pillar to post to get myself another job forgetting my dignity as my self-esteem was too low and things never worked out. I was desparate, scared and worried. I did pray to have my own way but God had his own plan for our future. My own wisdom and that of all about me seemed insufficient for that day. God's plan I could not understand at that moment, but now I do. He guided and protected me and my family from every difficult situation with his abundant blessings and peace. He does it every day of our lives. Thanks and praise be to God 🙏

These are the few ways we can practice humility:

To speak as little as possible of one's self.
To mind one's own business.
Not to want to manage other people's affairs.
To avoid curiosity.
To accept contradictions and correction cheerfully.
To pass over the mistakes of others.
To accept insults and injuries.
To accept being slighted, forgotten and disliked.
To be kind and gentle even under provocation.
Never to stand on one's dignity.
To choose always the hardest.
Mother Teresa.

Good night friends 😇

My Spiritual Journey Day 21

 

Sirach 10

People Who Should Be Honored

Who deserves honor? The human race does, because people fear the Lord. Who does not deserve honor? The human race does not, because people break the Lord's commands. A leader should be honored by those who follow him, and the Lord honors those who fear him.

Rich people, famous people, and poor people all take pride in their fear of the Lord. It is not right to refuse honor to a poor person who is intelligent, and it is not right to give honor to a sinner. People of influence, rulers, and judges will be honored, but none of them is greater than a person who fears the Lord. A slave who is wise will have free citizens serving him; and if they are sensible, they will not resent it.

You are no richer than what you carry in your mind, no stronger than what you hold in your heart, and no purer than what you harbor in your soul. If anyone is eligible for recognition as long as they have made a contribution to their local community or wider society and deserved to be honoured, to me, top of my list are my two grandmothers..one my very own and the other one is my hubby's. Both shared the same name "Magdalene". Though both were not educated, these young widows besides bringing up their children and grandchildren in dire poverty, dedicated their lives by their voluntary work, improved life for people less able, sick, poor or rich without any partiality, displayed moral courage and left behind a rich legacy to be carried on by us, their grandchildren.  My grandmother did voluntary work whereas my hubby's grandmother was employed in a reputed Charitable Institution as a helper and both were so devoted to share their spare time, helping the other less fortunate ones than themselves. We have tried our level best to follow their footsteps, however, have a long way to go because I feel we still are in the process of matching their good deeds..but I don't think we will be able to do full justice to their achievements. May God rest their souls in peace.

Famous Mark Twain Aphorism About Deserving Honors
On the whole it is better to deserve honors & not have them, than to have them & not deserve them.

Good night friends 😇

My Spiritual Journey Day 20

 

Sirach 10

Pride

Don't be angry with someone for every little thing he does wrong. Don't do anything out of injured pride. Arrogance and injustice are hated by both the Lord and people. Injustice, arrogance, and wealth cause nations to fall from power, and others then rise to take their place. We are only dust and ashes; what have we got to be proud of, our body decays even while we are alive.  A long illness puzzles the doctor.  Even a king may be alive today and dead tomorrow. When a person dies, all he then possesses is worms, flies, and maggots.

Pride has its beginning when a person abandons the Lord, his maker. Pride is like a fountain pouring out sin, and whoever persists in it will be full of wickedness. That is why the Lord brought terrible punishments on some people and completely destroyed them. The Lord has overthrown kings and put humbler people in their place. The Lord has pulled up nations by the roots and established humbler ones in their place. The Lord has overthrown empires and completely devastated their lands. He destroyed some so completely that they are not even remembered any more. The Creator never intended for human beings to be arrogant and violent.

“Vanity and pride are different things, though the words are often used synonymously. A person may be proud without being vain. Pride relates more to our opinion of ourselves, vanity to what we would have others think of us.” ― Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice

There are two kinds of pride, both good and bad. 'Good pride' represents our dignity and self-respect. Pride to me means accepting who you are and being proud of all you stand for. Regardless of what you believe or think, nobody should be able to make you feel ashamed of who you are or what you stand for. To me pride is saying to the world, “this is who I am and I'm proud of it.” 'Bad pride' is the deadly sin of superiority that reeks of conceit and arrogance, which goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall.

A proud man is always looking down on things and people; and, of course, as long as you are looking down, you cannot see something that is above you. Too many people spend money they haven't earned, to buy things they don't want, to impress people that they don't like. 

Reminds me of an incident..in an inebriated state an argument broke out among three egoistic men on a trivial issue, which took such an ugly turn by one of the proud men hurling uncalled for abuses at the other. The one who thought he was fighting for a just cause apologized, second one who had started the argument became a Saint but the third ever arrogant and proud one found it difficult to reconcile. Few months later, another argument..now with his own family and their offspring walked out of the house in the middle of the night. Even after several apologies, they have not been able to mend matters because his pride is bigger than his heart and his ego is bigger than his head, which has made him lonely. 

Do not let arrogance go to your head and despair to your heart; do not let compliments go to your head and criticisms to your heart; do not let success go to your head and failure to your heart.
Roy T. Bennett, 

Good night friends 😇

My Spiritual Journey Day 19

 

Sirach 9 & 10

Rulers

A skilled worker is admired for the things he makes, and a leader's wisdom is proved by his words. Someone who speaks rashly and recklessly is feared and hated by everyone in town.

A wise ruler will educate his people, and his government will be orderly. All the officials and all the citizens will be like their ruler. An uneducated king will ruin his people, but a government will grow strong if its rulers are wise. The Lord sees to the government of the world and brings the right person to power at the right time. The success of that person is in the Lord's hands. The Lord is the source of the honor given to any official.

“If you have power, be just; wealth, be generous; knowledge, be wise; titles, be humble; and life, be grateful.” 

Thucydides, is one of the greatest of ancient Greek historians and author of the History of the Peloponnesian War, which recounts the struggle between Athens and Sparta in the 5th century bc. His work was the first recorded political and moral analysis of a nation's war policies. He quotes: "Some legislators only wish to vengeance against a particular enemy. Others only look out for themselves. They devote very little time on the consideration of any public issue. They think that no harm will come from their neglect. They act as if it is always the business of somebody else to look after this or that. When this selfish notion is entertained by all, the commonwealth slowly begins to decay".

Politics and religion go hand in hand and I try my best to avoid any arguments on these two topics due to my lukewarm interest but today's  electronic media is so powerful and forceful you tend to read or hear what is communicated and that is unavoidable. 

I wish I could express like Mercedes Lackey, an American writer of fantasy novels whose quote I try to comprehend still.."When a ruler gives up on empathy and sentiment, it is a sign of desperation. It means they’re paring away emotion in favor of efficiency and numbers and a twisted fantasy of a better life without the joys and burdens of caring about something outside of themselves. Contempt for kindness and generosity is the surest sign there is that someone has nothing else left to them but a horrible emptiness much worse than weakness. It’s an—anti-strength. And the dying monster plods along, unaware it’s rotting".

The sign of a good leader is easy to recognise, though it is hardly ever seen. For the greatest leaders are those who share as equals in the trials and struggles, the demands and expectations, the hills and trenches, the laws and punishments placed upon the backs of those governed. A great leader is motivated not by power but by compassion. Therefore he can do nothing but make himself a servant to those whom he rules. Such a leader is unequivocally respected, and loved for loving.

The Inevitable

I like the man who faces what he must
With step triumphant and a heart of cheer;
Who fights the daily battle without fear;
Sees his hopes fail, yet keeps unfaltering trust
That God is God; That somehow, true and just,
His plans work out for mortals; not a tear
Is shed when fortune, which the world holds dear,
Falls from his grasp; better, with love, a crust
Than living is dishonor; envies it,
Nor loses faith in man; but does his best,
Nor even murmurs at his humbler lot;
But with a smile and words of hope, gives zest
To every toiler; he alone is great
Who by a life heroic conquers fate.
- Sarah Knowles Bolton

May God bless and guide all rulers to lead the countries and people they rule wisely.

Good night friends 😇

My Spiritual Journey Day 18

Sirach 9

Friendships with Others

Never abandon old friends; you will never find a new one who can take their place. Friendship is like wine; it gets better as it grows older. Don't be jealous of a sinner's success; you don't know what kind of disaster is in store for him. Don't take pleasure in the things that make ungodly people happy; remember that they will be held guilty as long as they live. If you keep away from someone who has the power to put you to death, you will not have to fear for your life; but if you must go near him, be very careful, or he may kill you. Be conscious that you are walking among hidden traps, that you are an easy target.

Get to know the people around you as well as you can, and take advice only from those who are qualified to give it. Engage in conversation with intelligent people, and let the Law of the Most High be the topic of your discussions. Choose righteous people for your dinner companions. Your chief pride should be your fear of the Lord.

I forget faces and names unintentionally, creating an identity crisis often and one such incident haunts me since the day it occurred. I left my hometown at a very young age for better future and after almost four decades abroad, returned home for good. Almost everyone around my hometown still recognise me easily, they say my looks haven't changed but I honestly feel downhearted to accept the fact that I have forgotten many a close old friends, which is appalling. It's not with purpose but my memory bank is blank. I met one of my close friends at a funeral service three years back, who sat next to me and stared at me as though trying to tell me something but I could not recall her face or name. After the service she came to me and said 'Hey, I am Rosalyn..remember me?'. And to my horror and embarrassment, I couldn't place her. She must have really felt hurt thinking it must an act on my part but seriously I was trying to recollect...alas I could only remember once she left the place. It was too late by then to go after her and give her my hug in apology🤗.We used to share and exchange novels on romance (Mills & Boon..Barbara Cartland..), crime (Agatha Christie, James Hadley Chase and alike) borrowed from the local library to read and I believe books that bound us in close friendship as I believe books are like old friends. Even if you're not reading them over and over again, you know they are there. And they're part of your history. They sort of tell a story about your journey through life. Now after three years I am still looking out for her but somehow I haven't been able to meet her. She will hug me back for sure❤️🤗

In her quote Shannon L. Alder beautifully explains old friendship:
A woman or man of value doesn’t love you because of what he or she wants you to be or do for them. He or she loves you because your combined souls understand one another, complements each other, and make sense above any other person in this world. You each share a part of their soul's mirror and see each other’s light reflected in it clearly. You can easily speak from the heart and feel safe doing so. Both of you have been traveling a parallel road your entire life. Without each other's presence, you feel like an old friend or family member was lost. It bothers you, not because you have given it too much meaning, but because God did. This is the type of person you don't have to fight for because you can't get rid of them and your heart doesn't want them to leave anyways.

And last but not the least I want to end the day with this poem titled "True Friendship"
by Alora M. Knight:

It isn't the years,
It isn't the tears
That makes life worthwhile.
It's the memories that grew
And the people you knew
That will bring back a smile.

Mistakes that were made,
Plans often mislaid
Are a part of the past.
What you've kept in your mind
Is where you will find
What you wished to hold fast.

Some things in life
May be had without strife.
It can happen that way.
Still, a friendship is earned,
And where love is concerned,
I'm willed to say.

When life draws to a close,
Let me be one of those
To cry, "Life has been great!"
It's the friends that were made,
Those who lived unafraid.
That is proof of the world we create.

Good night friends 😇