Live A Life That Matters Ready or not, someday it will all come to an end. There will be no more sunrises, no minutes, hours or days. All the things you collected, whether treasured or forgotten, will pass to someone else. Your wealth, fame and temporal power will shrivel to irrelevance. It will not matter what you owned or what you were owed. Your grudges, resentments, frustrations, and jealousies will finally disappear. So, too, your hopes, ambitions, plans, and to-do lists will expire. The wins and losses that once seemed so important will fade away. It won't matter where you came from, or on what side of the tracks you lived, at the end. It won't matter whether you were beautiful or brilliant. Even your gender and skin color will be irrelevant. So what will matter? How will the value of your days be measured? What will matter is not what you bought, but what you built; not what you got, but what you gave. What will matter is not your success, but your significance. What will matter is not what you learned, but what you taught. What will matter is every act of integrity, compassion, courage or sacrifice that enriched, empowered or encouraged others to emulate your example. What will matter is not your competence, but your character. What will matter is not how many people you knew, but how many will feel a lasting loss when you're gone. What will matter is not your memories, but the memories that live in those who loved you. What will matter is how long you will be remembered, by whom and for what. Living a life that matters doesn't happen by accident. It's not a matter of circumstance but of choice. Choose to live a life that matters!       

  A very small female janitor (4'10", 90 pounds) worked at an amusement park and was told to go out and sweep up the grounds. As she was getting ready to head out to clean up, her supervisor noticed her putting rocks in her pockets. When asked what she was doing, she pointed out that it was so windy out she was afraid of getting knocked over by the wind.   'So,' she said, 'now I weigh me down to sweep.' ===============

>>>60th High School Reunion >>>60th High >>>School Reunion >>>He was a >>>widower and she a widow. >>>They had known each other for a number of years being high school classmates and having attended class reunions in the past without fail. >>> >>>This 60th anniversary of their class, the widower and the widow made a foursome with two other singles. >>> >>>They had a wonderful evening, their spirits high. >>>The widower throwing admiring glances across the table. The widow smiling coyly back at him. >>> >>>Finally, he picked up courage to ask her, "Will you marry me?" >>> >>>After about six seconds of careful consideration, she answered, "Yes,..... yes I will!" >>> >>>The evening ended on a happy note for the widower. But the next morning he was troubled. >>>Did she say “Yes” or did she say “No?” >>> >>>He couldn't remember. Try as he would, he just could not recall. He went over the conversation of the previous >>>evening, but his mind was blank. >>> >>>He remembered asking the question but for the life of him he could not recall her response. With fear and trepidation >>>he picked up the phone and called her. >>> >>>First, he explained that he couldn't remember as well as he used to. Then he reviewed the past evening. >>> >>>As he gained a little more courage he then inquired of her. "When I asked if you would marry me, did you say “Yes” or did you say “No?” >>> >>>"Why you silly man, I said ‘Yes. Yes I will.’ And I meant it with all my heart." >>> >>>The widower was delighted. He felt his heart skip a beat. >>> >>>Then she continued. "And I am so glad you called because I couldn't remember who asked me!”        

Monday “The best thing about the future is that it comes one day at a time.” Tuesday Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy. Wednesday “There are two primary choices in life: to accept conditions as they exist, or accept the responsibility for changing them.” Thursday “To forgive is the highest, most beautiful form of love. In return, you will receive untold peace and happiness.” Friday ”Things turn out best for the people who make the best out of the way things turn out.” Saturday “You wouldn't worry so much about what others think of you If you realized how seldom they do.” Eleanor Roosevelt Sunday It is funny about life: If you refuse to accept anything but the very best, you will very often get it.”

“Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusing to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.” submitted by Lyn 

TODAY Today I will treasure each moment, For tomorrow's a mystery. I'll not take this day for granted, I have faith that God's guiding me. There may be mountains to climb, Or struggles and problems to face, But today I'll put my worries aside; Enjoy the gift of God's grace. I'll start the day at dawning, When all the world seems new; Take a stroll around the garden; As the sky dons its mantle of blue. My jewels are in the garden; The shrubs, the plants, the trees; Here I feel a sense of peace As I'm brushed by a gentle breeze. I'll treasure each moment I share With friends, and family too; Such love and laughter in my life My blessings are more than a few. When the twilight is falling And the day draws to a close I'll offer up a thankful prayer As I drift into sweet repose. 

I have often wondered in times of great despair, if just a simple kind word might lighten someone’s cares; Or if I’d sit and listen, giving full attention to … All they were saying; I think it’d help, don’t you? It’s not always in words spoken, or even things I do. It’s just in knowing someone, truly cares for you. I may not have the answers but this I know for sure, when life for me, turns upside down, A hug might be the cure. So if you’re feeling lonely, or just a little blue, just call on me, I’ll be there. I’ll even pray with you. my words may not be flowery, ‘Tho spoken from my heart, They’ll be lined in silver; By the Spirit, God imparts. Days will look much brighter, Full, will be your cup. Joy will spring forth from your heart; You’ll be sunny side up! ~~*~~ Copyright © 2003 M. Williams      

GETTING RID OF THE  CAT! Harry really hated his old lady's cat. He put it in the car and drove twenty blocks  away and dropped it off. Just as he pulled in the driveway, he noticed the cat sitting on the porch. The next day he decided he would take the cat 40 blocks away and drop it off. But again, the cat found it's way home. Each day he  kept going further and further away, but the cat would  always find it's way home. Harry was so furious that he decided to take the  cat a few miles away, turned right, then left, circled around, then right  again, another right, backtracked a couple of blocks, then left again. Harry then dropped  the cat off. Hours later, he called his wife on the phone, "Honey, is the cat there?" "Yeah", she answers. "Why?" Harry replies, "Put the freaking cat on  the phone. I'm lost and I need  directions!"        

  >> >>Several days ago as I left a meeting at a hotel; I desperately gave myself a personal TSA pat down. I was looking for my keys. They were not in my pockets. A quick search in the meeting room revealed nothing. >>  >>Suddenly I realized I must have left them in the car. Frantically, I headed for the parking lot. My husband has scolded me many times for leaving the keys in the ignition. >>  >>My theory is the ignition is the best place not to lose them. His theory is that the car will be stolen. >>  >>As I burst through the door, I came to a terrifying conclusion. His theory was right. The parking lot was empty. >>  >>I immediately called the police. I gave them my location, confessed that I had left my keys in the car, and that it had been stolen. >>  >>Then I made the most difficult call of all, "Honey," I stammered; I always call him "honey" in times like these. "I left my keys in the car, and it has been stolen." >>  >>There was a period of silence. I thought the call had been dropped, but then I heard his voice. He barked, "I dropped you off!" >>  >>Now it was my time to be silent. Embarrassed, I said, "Well, come and get me." >>  >>He retorted, "I will, as soon as I convince this policeman I have not stolen your car." >>  >>Yep, it's the golden years. >> >> >> >  >  > 

A friend told the blonde: "Christmas is on a Friday this year" The blonde then said, "Let's hope it's not the 13th. --- A blonde woman and her neighbor were talking...The neighbor said:"Close your curtains the next time you & your husband are having sex. The whole street was watching and laughing at you yesterday."To which the blond replied: "Well the joke's on all of you because I wasn't even at home yesterday." --- Two blondes find three grenades, and they decide to take them to a police station. One asked: "What if one explodes before we get there?"The other says: "We'll lie and say we only found two." --- A blonde goes to the vet with her goldfish. "I think it's got epilepsy, "she tells the vet. The vet takes a look and says, "It seems calm enough to me". The blonde says, "I haven't taken it out of the bowl yet". --- A blond man is in jail. Guard looks in his cell and sees him hanging by his feet. "What the hell you doing?" he asks. "Hanging myself, "the blond replies. "It should be around your neck" says the Guard."I know," he replies, "but I couldn't breathe". --- An Italian tourist asks a blonde:"Why do Scuba divers always fall backwards off their boats?"To which the blonde replies: "If they fell forward, they'd still be in the boat."

In a murder trial, the defense attorney was cross-examining the coroner. Attorney: Before you signed the death certificate, had you taken the pulse? Coroner: No. Attorney: Did you listen to the heart? Coroner: No. Attorney: Did you check for breathing? Coroner: No. Attorney: So, when you signed the death certificate, you weren't sure the man was dead, were you? Coroner: Well, let me put it this way. The man's brain was sitting in a jar on my desk. But I guess it's possible he could be out there practicing law somewhere.

Don't let the unexpected control your attitude You wake up in the morning feeling great about your day. Then, you get in your car and it won't start, or you spill coffee on your new skirt just before a meeting, or the babysitter calls to say she'll be late. And, that’s just the tip of the iceberg. One after another, unexpected things happen until you want to scream! Wait a minute; force yourself to relax and recognize the unexpected for what it is – one of life’s surprises. Take a deep breath and rationally consider your options. Choose the most appropriate way to deal with the situation, then move on. When you slow down and take this calm approach, you're empowering yourself with control. And, soon, your attitude will brighten back to the eagerness and energy with which you originally greeted the dawn. IF If you think you are beaten, you are; If you think you dare not, you don't; If you want to win but think you can't, It’s almost a cinch you won't. If you think you'll lose, you're lost; for out of the world we find success begins with a fellow’s will; it’s all in a state of mind. Life’s battles don't always go to the stronger and faster man, but sooner or later the man who wins, is the man who thinks he can. –Unknown Give a little more in every situation there is the opportunity to give a little bit more. By doing so, you can vastly improve the value created in that situation. If you've already invested time and effort in something, consider giving just a little bit more. Add to the momentum that’s already there. If you're already making the effort, giving a little bit more gives even more value to the effort you've already made. It creates greater value from the combined effort. There are plenty of opportunities to give a little bit more. By doing so, you can easily distinguish yourself and set yourself apart from the crowd. Make the most of the momentum you've already established by extending the momentum as long as you can. Once you're on a roll, give a little more, and keep your efforts rolling strong.

After 35 years of marriage, a husband and wife came for counseling. When asked what the problem was, the wife went into a tirade listing every problem they had ever had in the years they had been married. On and on and on: neglect, lack of intimacy, emptiness, loneliness, feeling unloved and unlovable, an entire laundry list of unmet needs she had endured. >  >Finally, after allowing this for a sufficient length of time, the therapist got up, walked around the desk and after asking the wife to stand, he embraced and kissed her long and passionately as her husband watched - with a raised eyebrow. The woman shut up and quietly sat down as though in a daze. >  >The therapist turned to the husband and said, "This is what your wife needs at least 3 times a week. Can you do this?" >  >"Well, I can drop her off here on Mondays and Wednesdays, but on Fridays, I go golfing." >  > > 

Life is a miracle don't let it slip away, Open your heart to others, give of yourself each day. See the beauty in everyone, regardless of where they've been, some have a difficult journey and really need a friend.   Share your gifts and talents, listen with your heart. Do the things you dream about but don't have time to start. Pick a bouquet of flowers, show someone that you care, Be gracious and forgiving, for life is never fair.   Hold on to your courage, you may need it down the road, We all have a cross to bear, it could be a heavy load. If you practice all these things, wherever you may roam, You might find both sun and rain, but you'll never feel alone!

  1. The Magical World Inside The Abandoned Refrigerator 2. Where to Find the toys in the Oven 3. 101 Games to Play in the Road 4. Homemade Fireworks using a Bathtub,a Blowdryer,and a Fork 5. Your Nightmares are real 6. Monsters Killed Grandpa 7. All Guns Squirt Water 8. How Fun it is to Tie a Squirrel to a Kite 9. If its Storming out the Best Place to keep shelter is under a tree 10. Dad's New Wife Robert   .

As a Delta Air Lines jet was flying over Arizona on a clear day, the copilot was providing his passengers with a running commentary about landmarks over the PA system. "Coming up on the right, you can see the Meteor Crater, which is a major tourist attraction in northern Arizona. It was formed when a lump of nickel and iron, roughly 150 feet in diameter and weighing 300,000 tons, struck the earth at about 40,000 miles an hour, scattering white-hot debris for miles in every direction. The hole measures nearly a mile across and is 570 feet deep." >From the cabin, a passenger was heard to exclaim, "Wow! It just missed the highway!"

An elderly man is stopped by the police around 2 a.m. and is asked where he is going at this time of night. The man replies, "I am on my way to a lecture about alcohol abuse and the effects it has on the human body, as well as smoking and staying out late." The officer then asks, "Really? Who is giving that lecture at this time of night?" The man replies, "That would be my wife." ============== Waiting Tables A waitress became violently ill while at work and was rushed by ambulance to the emergency room. In typical hospital fashion, she was placed on an examining table and then all but ignored for the next half-hour. Finally, she noticed a doctor out in the hall and yelled, "Please help me!" "Sorry," he replied, "it's not my table." =========== Q: Why do golfers carry two pairs of trousers with them? A: Just in case they get a hole in one.

Life is a mixture Of sunshine and rain, Laughter and pleasure, Teardrops and pain, All days can’t be bright, But it’s certainly true, There was never a cloud The sun didn’t shine through. So just keep on smiling Whatever betide you, Secure in the knowledge God is always beside you, And you’ll find when you smile Your day will be brighter And all of your burdens Will seem so much lighter. For each time you smile You will find it is true Somebody, somewhere Will smile back at you. And nothing on earth Can make life more worthwhile Than the sunshine and warmth Of a beautiful smile.

ARAPROSDOKIANS... are figures of speech in which the latter part of a sentence or phrase is surprising or unexpected; frequently humorous. 1. Where there's a will, I want to be in it. 2. The last thing I want to do is hurt you. But it's still on my list. 3. Since light travels faster than sound, some people appear bright until you hear them speak. 4. If I agreed with you, we'd both be wrong. 5. We never really grow up. We only learn how to act in public. 6. War does not determine who is right - only who is left. 7. Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad. 8. They begin the evening news with 'Good Evening,' and then proceed to tell you why it isn't. 9. To steal ideas from one person is plagiarism. To steal from many is research. 10. Buses stop in bus stations. Trains stop in train stations. On my desk is a work station. 11. I thought I wanted a career. Turns out I just wanted paychecks. 12. In filling out an application, where it says, 'In case of emergency, notify:' I put 'DOCTOR.' 13. I didn't say it was your fault, I said I was blaming you. 14. Women will never be equal to men until they can walk down the street with a bald head and a beer gut, and still think they are sexy. 15. Behind every successful man is his woman. Behind the fall of a successful man is usually another woman. 16. A clear conscience is the sign of a fuzzy memory. 17. You do not need a parachute to skydive. You only need a parachute to skydive twice. 18. Money can't buy happiness, but it sure makes misery easier to live with. 19. There's a fine line between cuddling and holding someone down so they can't get away. 20. I used to be indecisive. Now I'm not so sure. 21. You're never too old to learn something stupid. 22. To be sure of hitting the target, shoot first and call whatever you hit the target. 23. Nostalgia isn't what it used to be. 24. Change is inevitable, except from a vending machine. 25. Going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than standing in a garage makes you a car. 26. Where there's a will, there are relatives. And I'm supposed to respect my elders, but its getting harder and harder for me to find one now!

We'll always have another dawn When morning ends the night. We'll always know this world of ours Will somehow turn out right. A peace will strangely fill our hearts When weary work is done, and though the storm is long and rough, A bright new day will come. Because there is a God, I'm sure we'll always have a smile, and somehow we will find a way to make each day worthwhile. A friend will bring us endless joy And love will live through all. We'll have a Winter wonderland Where snowflakes gently fall. I do not know why days are sad, Why life must bring a care. I only know that God above Is ever watching there. And sometimes though my heart can't smile, Though dark the road I trod, I always find my way at last Because there is a God ~~ by G.  Schultz ~~