The Beatitudes

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth,

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will be called children of God.

Blessed are those who are perscuted for righteousness sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 5: 10

Through the Camera Lens

Photography

(All images taken by me, Jan 2008)

"It takes a lot of imagination to be a good photographer. You need less imagination to be a painter because you can invent things. But in photography everything is so ordinary; it takes a lot of looking before you learn to see the extraordinary." ~ David Bailey

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Couldn't really think of a title for this post so I decided to leave it blank at first. Then I thought this might be quite appropriate.

One of my colleagues sent us an email about a man named Nick Vujicic. I visited the website to find out more. Here's the link.

http://www.gospelforafrica.eu/Verschiedenes/English/Nick%20Vujicic/Vujicic%20Nick.htm

Most of us go about our daily activities on two feet, worry about what shoes we should match with which bag etc. But after reading about Nick, I thought " what fools we have been".

I watched Evan Almighty a few weeks ago. Evan was instructed to build an ark by God. The reply he gave God was " I have made so many plans. Building an ark is not one of them." God laughs and says " YOU have made plans?"

If only we could leave it all up to Him and trust that He knows what's best for us and stick with His plan, we might spend more time living and less time worrying, don't you think?

" Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?" Matthew 6: 25-27

Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.

Footprints

The first time I read this poem must have been years ago. But the effect, it has on me has remained the same.

Click on the link below to read and feel.

http://www.llerrah.com/footprints.htm


"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?" ----- Matthew 6:25,27

Laugh and the world laughs with you...

He who laughs, lasts!

• Our 5 senses are incomplete without the 6th - a sense of humour
• Supress neither a sneeze nor a laugh
• Laugh at yourself. Laugh with others.
• You know you have a good sense of humour if you can laugh when someone tells your joke better than you.
• If you can laugh at yourself, you are guaranteed a lifetime of chuckling.
• If you doubt God has a sense of humour, look in the mirror.
• A true sense of humour does not rely on the humilation of others.
• Humour works best when it brings joy to others.

Quoted from "God Is In The Small Stuff And It All Matters" (Bickel B and Jantz S 1998)

Just a book I borrowed from the NLB.

For those of us who have had no time to laugh or are just too seriously absorbed in whatever it is that we do everyday, the mirror might be just the thing we need!

"You don't stop laughing because you grow old. You grow old because you stop laughing. "

----- Michael Pritchard

You Raise Me Up

Sometimes a song is all anyone needs to comfort them....



If you are looking for one such song, click on the link below. There are many versions, Josh Groban, Secret Garden, Westlife etc. My favourite is the Secret Garden version.





http://ladynwavsone.com/raisemeup.html

"Dreams"

Just thought of quoting from a book I've been reading.

" The first symptom of the process of our killing our dreams is the lack of time. The busiest people I have known in my life always have time enough to do everything. Those who do nothing are always tired and pay no attention to the little amount of work they are required to do. They complain constantly that the day is too short..."

" The second symptom of the death of our dreams lies in our certainties. Because we don't want to see life as a grand adventure, we begin to think of ourselves as wise and fair and correct in asking so little of life."

" And finally, the third symptom of the passing of our dreams is peace. Life becomes a Sunday afternoon, we ask for nothing grand, and we cease to demand anything more than we are willing to give. In that state, we think of ourselves as being mature, we put aside the fantasies of our youth, and we seek personal and professional achievement."

Quoted from "The Pilgrimage" by Paulo Coelho (2005)

~~ Paulo Coelho is also the author of "The Alchemist"

Personally, I find that there is a lot that one can pick up and reflect upon from his books. Check out the entire selection of titles by him at Kinokuniya..

"We must nurture our dreams like we would a child. They are God-given and just as precious. Without ambition how would a child learn to ride a bicycle, play an instrument or whistle? We deny the spirit of God when we as adults settle for less than our dreams!” " -Conway Stone