Blood, Toil, Tears and Sweat

“I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat. We have before us an ordeal of the most grievous kind. We have before us many, many long months of struggle and of suffering. You ask, what is our policy? I can say: It is to wage war, by sea, land and air, with all our might and with all the strength that God can give us; to wage war against a monstrous tyranny, never surpassed in the dark, lamentable catalogue of human crime. That is our policy. You ask, what is our aim? I can answer in one word: It is victory, victory at all costs, victory in spite of all terror, victory, however long and hard the road may be..."

Winston Churchill

In “Blood, Toil, Tears, and Sweat,”

his first speech as Prime Minister to the House of Commons May 13, 1940

You Knit Me Together

"13 For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. 14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. 15 My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, 16 your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be."

Psalms 139: 13-16

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Whether you're White, POC, gay, straight, whatever, God knit you together in the womb.

Because God never says "Oops." I believe that you're exactly how you're supposed to be. What you choose to do with it, well, that's up to you. 

You were given Free Will for a reason -- so what will you choose to do with the life you were blessed with? Will you willingly choose to follow the Path set before you? Or not?

Stop Hesitating!

“If you are a woman, if you're a person of color, if you are gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, if you are a person of size, if you are a person of intelligence, if you are a person of integrity, then you are considered a minority in this world.

"...And it's going to be really hard to find messages of self-love and support anywhere. Especially women's and gay men's culture. It's all about how you have to look a certain way or else you're worthless. You know when you look in the mirror and you think 'oh, I'm so fat, I'm so old, I'm so ugly', don't you know, that's not your authentic self? But that is billions upon billions of dollars of advertising, magazines, movies, billboards, all geared to make you feel shitty about yourself so that you will take your hard earned money and spend it at the mall on some turn-around creme that doesn't turn around shit.

"When you don't have self-esteem you will hesitate before you do anything in your life. You will hesitate to go for the job you really wanna go for, you will hesitate to ask for a raise, you will hesitate to call yourself an American, you will hesitate to report a rape, you will hesitate to defend yourself when you are discriminated against because of your race, your sexuality, your size, your gender. You will hesitate to vote, you will hesitate to dream. For us to have self-esteem is truly an act of revolution and our revolution is long overdue.”
   

Margaret Cho

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While Margaret is pretty darn blunt, she has a valid point. 

Society's values are not our values and we need to stop allowing them to define our lives. We are all beautiful, we are all valuable, we are all children of God. 

Stop hesitating for fear of what others may think or do. 

 Do what YOU need to do. 

 

Thank You to All Our Veterans

"As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them." John F. Kennedy

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Thank you all for your service. 

May God bless you in your travels, you who have gone on ahead, and those who are still here on this Earth. 

God bless you all. 

A Simple Motivation -- Friday

"If you must have motivation, think of your paycheck on Friday." 

Noel Coward

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 While not everyone agrees with that philosophy, honestly, some days that's all that can get you through. So put a smile on your face and keep thinking, "I'm getting paid to do it -- and payday is Friday" (or whatever day payday arrives at your job). 

It may be a simple motivation, but it can keep you going through the day-to-day annoyances of dealing with bosses, customers, technical difficulties, co-workers, family and friends. 

There's a good reason for that common saying, "Thank God It's Friday!"

It's not just that the weekend is here, it's also the day that many get paid. Or you submit your unemployment forms so you can get paid next week -- not good to be unemployed, but thank goodness we have an unemployment program so you still have money coming in to help with the bills. 

So take a deep breath and be happy, Friday is here!

Courage and Will

“As for courage and will - we cannot measure how much of each lies within us, we can only trust there will be sufficient to carry through trials which may lie ahead.” 

Andre Norton

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There are always trials in life. 

Either you face them, or you pretend they aren't there and let them mess with you. 

I prefer to face them head on. They only have true power over you when you refuse to acknowledge that you're in a trial and you have things to do so you can pass through the storm and see the rainbow on the other side. 

Pass through the storm my friends.

Where Are You Going?

"Having an exciting destination is like setting a needle in your compass. From then on, the compass knows only one point -- its ideal. And it will faithfully guide you there through the darkest nights and fiercest storms." 

Daniel Boone

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 Whether you have a physical destination, or have set a goal, like Daniel Boone, you need to set your sights on it and just keep moving toward it. You'll never get there if you don't start. 

Take that step in faith and get going! 

He Who Fights With Monsters

"He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you."

Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche, “Beyond Good and Evil", Aphorism 146 (1886) 

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All too often, as you fight with monsters, whether in war, or inside yourself, you sacrifice the good with the bad, trying to rid that space of the darkness that threatens to overwhelm. You risk destroying the very things that you're trying to protect. 

My apologies, I don't know who created this wonderful picture. 

If you know, please let me know ASAP so I can properly credit it

or remove it if the artist objects.

All That Is Gold Does Not Glitter

“All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost;
The old that is strong does not wither,
Deep roots are not reached by the frost.

From the ashes a fire shall be woken,
A light from the shadows shall spring;
Renewed shall be blade that was broken,
The crownless again shall be king.”

  J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring

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One of my favorite books, the epic story of good and evil -- and redemption. 

Even Sauruman had a chance at redemption, and he made the choice to continue in his evil ways. And  thus, although he thought he had it all under control, he was still removed from his high position and in the end, paid the price.

Set a Goal -- Then Take Action!

"There are several paths to success; We are given multiple opportunities to achieve our potential throughout our lives. Some get there a little faster than others. But one thing is for sure; NO ONE gets there without first having a goal then taking action and LOTS of it!”

 Rachael Bermingham

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Without setting goals, you're drifting through life. 

Set some small goals for today, even if it's just washing the dishes or walking the dog. 

Set some larger goals for the future. 

In 1 year - Save some money

In 5 years - A new car

In 10 years - Buy a house

Whatever it is you're dreaming about, stop dreaming and set a goal!!

(OK, not the Lotto. You're more likely to be struck by lightning...)

Freed from Slavery

On October 18, 1775 - African-American poet Phillis Wheatley was freed from slavery

On Being Brought from Africa to America

'Twas mercy brought me from my Pagan land,
Taught my benighted soul to understand
That there's a God, that there's a Saviour too:
Once I redemption neither sought nor knew.
Some view our sable race with scornful eye,
"Their colour is a diabolic die."
Remember, Christians, Negro's, black as Cain,
May be refin'd, and join th' angelic train.

Phillis Wheatley

 

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Phillis Wheatley was stolen from her homeland in West Africa when she was a small child, perhaps seven or eight, and sold directly from the ship to John and Susanna Wheatley. While a slave, they found her writing on a wall with chalk, and taught her to read and write. 

Despite her poetry, she died a poor woman -- but she died free.

Step Back

“While you'll feel compelled to charge forward it's often a gentle step back that will reveal to you where you and what you truly seek.”

Rasheed Ogunlaru

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Oh, that's a tough one.

I do tend to charge forward, don't I? If I'd take a step back and look at the whole picture before racing ahead, I'd be far better off...

Positive Energy

“Positive energy is your priceless life force. Protect it. Don't allow people to draw from your reserves; select friends who recharge your energies . . . I'm not asking you to cut people out of your life, but I am asking you to invest your time with people who will push you to be your best. Winners love to see other people win.” 

Chalene Johnson

PUSH: 30 Days to Turbocharged Habits, a Bangin' Body, and the Life You Deserve! 

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And isn't that the truth? 

You should hang out with positive people who can bring you up, not drag you down. 

Yes, we all have friends who, well, they're downers and WE are their positive people who bring them up. Don't leave them by the side of the road, but don't let their negativity drag you down into the ditch. Hold onto your Path and drag them along with you if you must. 

And for you, find more positive people who can help you to recharge your own batteries.

Lincoln on Slavery

"Whenever I hear anyone arguing for slavery,

I feel a strong impulse to see it tried on him personally."

Abraham Lincoln

The Road to Success

“The road to success and the road to failure are almost exactly the same.”

Colin R. Davis

Yes, it's all in the details isn't it?

Did you pray on it, plan it, prepare it, work on it and not give up when the going got tough? Then you're way more likely to be successful than the guy that just plunged in without thinking, planning, preparing and working...

Missed Opportunity

“Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.”
Thomas Edison

Oh my, isn't that the truth!

I'm sure we all know a few people, maybe family members, and maybe (some days) ourselves. I know that I have my lazy moments where I have a great idea, but, but, but, it looks like hecka work. It's not until I pick myself up off my duff and get busy that the vision pays off. In the meantime, until I choose to get started, it's just another missed opportunity.

So, are you going to miss an opportunity today? Or are you going to choose to get busy with it?

Success and Criticism

"The man who makes a success of an important venture never wails for the crowd. He strikes out for himself. It takes nerve, it takes a great lot of grit; but the man that succeeds has both. Anyone can fail. The public admires the man who has enough confidence in himself to take a chance. These chances are the main things after all. The man who tries to succeed must expect to be criticized. Nothing important was ever done but the greater number consulted previously doubted the possibility. Success is the accomplishment of that which most people think can't be done."
C.V. White

That's so darn true! People who don't "get" what you're doing are quick to question you and criticize. Yet those who are true friends will also be the ones that, despite their doubts, will stand by you through thick and thin, and be your greatest supporters when you're a success according to the world's standards.

In the meantime, don't give up. Keep working away at your craft and celebrate the small successes as you go, knowing that the breakthrough is right around the corner -- usually right after you face your greatest challenges.

Success

"Success is the good fortune that comes from aspiration, desperation, perspiration and inspiration."
Evan Esar

I like this quote. Success, like freedom, must be bought and paid for or it's not worth a darn thing. How many people who win the lottery actually have the money in just a few short years? Most blow it all, despite all their careful plans and good advice received. How many star athletes waste their money on wine, women and song? Sadly, too many.

Yet those of us who plow along, day after day after day, we may struggle, we make our mistakes, but we appreciate the good fortune that we have in this opportunity to work at home and do our thing -- write! 

Now don't get me wrong, I have my own winning the lottery fantasy. But I think that winning in this this lottery of life, placing myself in front of the freight train of success by using the skills that the Lord blessed me with, is way better for me in the long run.

I really believe that reaching daily goals brings success every single day.

Opportunities

"A wise man will make more opportunities than he finds."

Francis Bacon

Isn't that the truth?

I think of my old boss and mentor, Bill Yenne.

Back in the day, jobs for graphic artists/designers (now known as visual communications specialists) were few and far between. The job market was just bad for us.

That didn't stop Bill, he went out and started his own graphic design firm, leading to years of successful book publishing and a whole writing career. And when the book market tanked in the mid-90s, he kept on writing and working, making his own opportunities.

Bill is now a well-known author, still writing, still doing his thing.

All because he made his own opportunities.

Where Are You Going?

"Without goals, and plans to reach them, you are like a ship that has set sail with no destination."

Fitzhugh Dodson

That's so true. Like a ship sailing toward an unknown port, how do you know where you're trying to go if you don't set a path before you step out?

Even if your plan changes, the mere fact that you have a plan helps you plot your direction, whether it's in your personal or professional life.

Never Defeated

"We are never defeated unless we give up on God."

Ronald Reagan

God always has your back.

He never gives up on you, even at your worst moments.

But when you give up on God, then you choose to make it hard for Him to work in your life. When you don't let God in, you choose to go it alone.

But He is still there, waiting for you to figure it out.

On God's Side

"Sir, my concern is not whether God is on our side; my greatest concern is to be on God's side, for God is always right."

Abraham Lincoln

I think we get way too caught up in thinking that God is "on our side". Well, He is, but not in the way that we think it. Lincoln was right, we need to be way more concerned about doing His Will in all things.

Two Kinds of People

"There are two kinds of people: those who say to God, 'Thy will be done,' and those to whom God says, 'All right, then, have it your way.'"

C.S. Lewis

Let Freedom Ring

So let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire.
Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York.
Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania!
Let freedom ring from the snowcapped Rockies of Colorado!
Let freedom ring from the curvaceous peaks of California!
But not only that; let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia!
Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee!
Let freedom ring from every hill and every molehill of Mississippi.
From every mountainside, let freedom ring.
Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

A Future Feast

"We must be careful not to let our current appetites steal away any chance we might have for a future feast."

Jim Rohn

I read this and thought, yes, we do that, don't we? We buy on credit, buy now - pay later, rather than setting our want as a goal, and then working and earning and saving toward it.

Instead we choose to sacrifice tomorrow's earnings for today's wants.

By doing this, we actually delay the satisfaction of a job well done...

We Never Lose

"My philosophy of life is that if we make up our mind what we are going to make of our lives, then work hard toward that goal, we never lose - somehow we win out."

Ronald Reagan

Wow, that was incredibly astute of Reagan.

Make a goal, work toward it, and somehow it'll all turn out just like it's supposed to be. Even if you have to revise your goals, that probably part of the Master Plan too...

My Apologies for Neglecting This Word

I've been absolutely swamped and fell behind on my blogging. Including this Word that was laid upon my heart. So what do I do now? Start anew. This is my personal quote:

"The road to Hell is paved with good intentions.

So is the road to Heaven.

What's the difference between the two? 

We choose to stop and pick up our good intentions,

and begin the Good Work that we'd been neglecting for far too long."

Me 

One Road

"He used often to say there was only one Road; that it was like a great river: it's springs were at every doorstep and every path was it's tributary. 'It's a dangerous business, Frodo, going out of your door,' he used to say. 'You step into the Road, and if you don't keep your feet, there is no telling where you might be swept off to.'"
Frodo quoting Bilbo Baggins

The Lord of the Rings

When you step outside today, where will your path lead you?

Which paths will you follow? Those that are safe, secure and boring -- or will you go off the beaten path and do something new and different? Will you see the cross lying beside the road and pick it up, accepting your mandate, or will you leave it lying there, thinking that someone else needs to handle that chore?

Will you plant good seeds, anticipating the harvest?

What good deeds will you do today?

Purpose

"If you have a purpose in which you can believe, there's no end to the amount of things you can accomplish."

Marian Anderson

On this day in 1939, Marian Anderson, African-American opera singer, performed at the Lincoln Memorial. She couldn't sing at Constitution Hall because she was not white.

On January 7, 1955, Ms Anderson became the first Black American to sing at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York. According to Times magazine, here were seven curtain calls.

Modern American Poetry: About Marian Anderson and Her Lincoln Memorial Concert

http://www.english.illinois.edu/maps/poets/s_z/taggard/anderson.htm

The Glory of Christianity

"The glory of Christianity is to conquer by forgiveness."

William Blake