From The Desk of GOD

Effective Immediately:

Please be aware that there are changes you need to make in your life.
These changes need to be completed in order that I may fulfill my
promises to you to grant you peace, joy and happiness in this life. I
apologize for any inconvenience, but after all that I am doing, this
seems very little to ask of you. I know, I already gave you the 10
Commandments. Keep them. But follow these guidelines as well...

1. QUIT WORRYING

Life has dealt you a blow and all you do is sit and worry. Have you
forgotten that I am here to take all your burdens and carry them for
you? Or do you just enjoy fretting over every little thing that comes
your way?

2. PUT IT ON THE LIST

Something needs done or taken care of. Put it on the list. No, not YOUR
list. Put it on MY to-do-list. Let ME be the one to take care of the
problem. I can't help you until you turn it over to me. And, although my
to-do-list is long, I am, after all, God. I can take care of anything
you put into my hands. In fact, if the truth were ever really known, I
take care of a lot of things for you that you never even realize.

3. TRUST ME

Once you've given your burdens to me, quit trying to take them back.
Trust in me. Have the faith that I will take care of all your needs,
your problems and your trials. Problems with the kids? Put them on my
list. Problem with finances? Put it on my list. Problems with your
emotional roller coaster? For my sake, put it on my list. I want to help
you. All you have to do is ask.

4. LEAVE IT ALONE

Don't wake up one morning and say, "Well, I'm feeling much stronger now,
I think I can handle it from here." Why do you think you are feeling
stronger now? It's simple. You gave me your burdens and I'm taking care
of them. I also renew your strength and cover you in my peace. Don't you
know that if I give you these problems back, you will be right back
where you started? Leave them with me and forget about them. Just let me
do my job.

5. TALK TO ME

I want you to forget a lot of things. Forget what was making you crazy.
Forget the worry and the fretting because you know I'm in control. But
there's one thing I pray you never forget. Please don't forget to talk
to me - OFTEN! I love you. I want to hear your voice. I want you to
include me in on the things going on in your life. I want to hear you
talk about your friends and family. Prayer is simply you having a
conversation with me. I want to be your dearest friend.

6. HAVE FAITH

I see a lot of things from up here that you can't see from where you
are. Have faith in me that I know what I'm doing. Trust me, you wouldn't
want the view from my eyes. I will continue to care for you, watch over
you, and meet your needs. You only have to trust me. Although I have a
much bigger task than you, it seems as if you have so much trouble just
doing your simple part. How hard can trust be?

7. SHARE

You were taught to share when you were only two years old. When did you
forget? That rule still applies. Share with those who are less fortunate
than you. Share your joy with those who need encouragement. Share your
laughter with those who haven't heard any in such a long time. Share
your tears with those who have forgotten how to cry. Share your faith
with those who have none.

8. BE PATIENT

I managed to fix it so in just one lifetime you could have so many
diverse experiences. You grow from a child to an adult, have children,
change jobs many times, learn many trades, travel to so many places,
meet thousands of people, and experience so much. How can you be so
impatient then when it takes me a little longer than you expect to
handle something on my to-do-list? Trust in my timing, for my timing is
perfect. Just because I created the entire universe in only six days,
everyone thinks I should always rush, rush, rush.

9. BE KIND

Be kind to others, for I love them just as much as I love you. They may
not dress like you, or talk like you, or live the same way you do, but I
still love you all. Please try to get along, for my sake. I created each
of you different in some way. It would be too boring if you were all
identical. Please know I love each of your differences.

10. LOVE YOURSELF

As much as I love you, how can you not love yourself? You were created
by me for one reason only - to be loved, and to love in return. I am a
God of Love. Love me. Love your neighbors. But also love yourself. It
makes my heart ache when I see you so angry with yourself when things go
wrong. You are very precious to me. Don't ever forget that!

With all my heart, I love you,

GOD

SPIRITUAL VITAMINS FROM A TO Z

Remember to take your vitamins every day!

Anxious? Take Vitamin A. "All things work together for good for
those who love God, who are called according to his purpose."
(Romans 8:28)

Blue? Take Vitamin B. "Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is
within me, bless his holy name." (Psalm 103:1)

Crushed? Take Vitamin C. "Cast all your anxiety on him, because
he cares for you." (1 Peter 5:7)

Depressed? Take Vitamin D. "Draw near to God, and he will draw
near to you." (James 4:8)

Empty? Take Vitamin E. "Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and
his courts with praise. Give thanks to him, bless his name."
(Psalm 100:4)

Fearful? Take Vitamin F. "Fear not, for I am with you, do not be
afraid, for I am your God." (Isaiah 41:10)

Greedy? Take Vitamin G. "Give, and it will be given to you. A
good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be
put unto your lap; for the measure you give will be the measure you
get back." (Luke 6:38)

Hesitant? Take Vitamin H. "How beautiful upon the mountains are
the feet of the messenger who announces peace, who brings good news,
who announces salvation, who says to Zion, 'Your God reigns.'"
(Isaiah 52:7)

Insecure? Take Vitamin I. "I can do all things through Christ who
strengthens me." (Philippians 4:13)

Jittery? Take Vitamin J. "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and
today and forever." (Hebrews 13:8)

Know nothing? Take Vitamin K. "Know this that the Lord is God, it
is He that made us and not we ourselves. (Psalm 100:3)

Lonely? Take Vitamin L. "Lo, I am with you always, even to the
end of the age." (Matthew 28:20)

Mortgaged? Take Vitamin M. "My grace is sufficient for you, for
power is made perfect in weakness." (2 Corinthians 12:9)

Nervous? Take Vitamin N. "Never, no never will I leave you nor
forsake you." (Hebrews 13:5)

Overwhelmed? Take Vitamin O. "Overcome evil with good." (Romans
12:21)

Perplexed or puzzled? Take Vitamin P. "Peace I leave with you; my
peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do
not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid."
(John 14:27)

Quitting? Take Vitamin Q. "Quit you like men and women, be
strong." (1 Corinthians 16:13)

Restless? Take Vitamin R. "Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently
for him." (Psalm 37:7)

Scared? Take Vitamin S. "Stay with me, and do not be afraid; for
the one who seeks my life seeks your life; you will be safe with
me." (1 Samuel 22:23)

Tired? Take Vitamin T. "Those who wait for the Lord shall renew
their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they
shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint." (Isaiah
40:31)

Uncertain? Take Vitamin U. "Understand that I am (the Lord).
Before me no god was formed, nor shall there be any after me."
(Isaiah 43:10)

Vain? Take Vitamin V. "Vexed with unclean spirits: and they were
healed every one. (Acts 5:16)

Wondering what to do? Take Vitamin W. "What does the Lord require
of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly
with your God?" (Micah 6:8)

eXhausted? Take Vitamin X. "Exercise thyself rather unto
godliness." (1 Timothy 4:7)

Yearning for hope? Take Vitamin Y. "Yea, though I walk through
the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for you art
with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me." (Psalm 23:4)

Zapped? Take Vitamin Z. "Zealous for good deeds." (Titus 2:14)

-- Author Unknown

MY SON - A VERY WONDERFUL STORY

This is great, take a moment to read it, it will make your day!

The ending will surprise you



Take my Son







A wealthy man and his son loved to collect rare works of art. They had everything in their collection, from Picasso to Raphael. They would often sit together and admire the great works of art.







When the Vietnam conflict broke out, the son went to war. He was very courageous and died in battle while rescuing another soldier. The father was notified and grieved deeply for his only son.








About a month later, just before Christmas, there was a knock at the door. A young man stood at the door with a large package in his hands.









He said, 'Sir, you don't know me, but I am the soldier for whom your son gave his life. He saved many lives that day, and he was carrying me to safety when a bullet struck him in the heart and he died instantly. He often talked about you, and your love for art.' The young man held out this package. 'I know this isn't much. I'm not really a great artist, but I think your son would have wanted you to have this.'









The father opened the package. It was a portrait of his son, painted by the young man. He stared in awe at the way the soldier had captured the personality of his son in the painting. The father was so drawn to the eyes that his own eyes welled up with tears. He thanked the young man and offered to pay him for the picture. 'Oh, no sir, I could never repay what your son did for me. It's a gift.'








The father hung the portrait over his mantle. Every time visitors came to his home he took them to see the portrait of his son before he showed them any of the other great works he had collected.









The man died a few months later. There was to be a great auction of his paintings Many influential people gathered, excited over seeing the great paintings and having an opportunity to purchase one for their collection.









On the platform sat the painting of the son The auctioneer pounded his gavel. 'We will start the bidding with this picture of the son. Who will bid for this picture?'









There was silence.









Then a voice in the back of the room shouted, 'We want to see the famous paintings. Skip this one.'









But the auctioneer persisted. 'Will somebody bid for this painting. Who will start the bidding? $100, $200?'









Another voice angrily. 'We didn't come to see this painting. We came to see the Van Gogh's, the Rembrandt's. Get on with the real bids!'









But still the auctioneer continued. 'The son! The son! Who'll take the son?'









Finally, a voice came from the very back of the room. It was the longtime gardener of the man and his son. 'I'll give $10 for the painting.' Being a poor man, it was all he could afford.









'We have $10, who will bid $20?'









'Give it to him for $10. Let's see the masters.'









'$10 is the bid, won't someone bid $20?'









The crowd was becoming angry. They didn't want the picture of the son.









They wanted the more worthy investments for their collections.









The auctioneer pounded the gavel. 'Going once, twice, SOLD for $10!'









A man sitting on the second row shouted, 'Now let's get on with the collection!'









The auctioneer laid down his gavel. 'I'm sorry, the auction is over.'









'What about the paintings?'









'I am sorry. When I was called to conduct this auction, I was told of a secret stipulation in the will. I was not allowed to reveal that stipulation until this time. Only the painting of the son would be auctioned. Whoever bought that painting would inherit the entire estate, including the paintings.









The man who took the son gets everything!'









God gave His son 2,000 years ago to die on the cross. Much like the auctioneer, His message today is: 'The son, the son, who'll take the son?'









Because, you see, whoever takes the Son gets everything.









FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, WHO SO EVER BELIEVETH, SHALL HAVE ETERNAL LIFE...THAT'S LOVE

Why You’re Not Happy

Six common barriers to personal happiness and fulfillment and how to overcome them.

By Annie Stuart

WebMD FeatureReviewed by Brunilda Nazario, MDHappiness can be a paradox: The more you reach for it, the more it seems to slip through your fingers. “Ask yourself if you’re happy, and you cease to be so,” says Darrin McMahon, PhD, author of Happiness: A History.

How could this be true? Could it be you’re looking for happiness in all the wrong places? Do you think happiness is what you get when you get what you want? Some say happiness is a little like falling in love, that you can’t make it happen. If that’s the case, then how can you become happier?

At the 2008 Happiness & Its Causes Conference in San Francisco , a wide range of people -- from scientists, doctors, and psychologists to artists, philosophers, and Tibetan Buddhists -- offered their thoughts on the topic. Here are a few of their tips for overcoming six common barriers to happiness.



Happiness Barrier No. 1: Complexity

Solution: Simplify

Schooled in Buddhist monasteries since childhood, Thupten Jinpa, PhD, knows a thing or two about the benefits of simplicity. Why do you think monks and nuns shave their heads, he asks? For one, it simplifies their lives.

A principal English translator to the Dalai Lama, Jinpa is no longer a monk. But he still holds on to some of the lifestyle's spartan values. “My family has a one-car policy,” he says, pointing out the hassles of owning more than one -- the costs, the maintenance, and the time managing the details. Multiple credit cards? They don’t create freedom or happiness, he argues -- although, these days, he might get less of an argument about that.

Modern life has elevated individual choice to the highest level, he says, but these choices come at a big price. “We often conflate quality of life with standard of life,” Jinpa says, “but after a point, the connection [between the two] disappears.”

If you simplify your life, you create more space in your day, making it possible to reflect on your life.

Happiness Barrier No. 2: A Breakneck Pace

Solution: Take a Pause

The same culture that entangles you in a web of complexity may also have you on the constant chase, Jinpa says. “That kind of tension takes a toll on your soul and your psyche.” Whether you call it meditation, silence, or prayer, taking a “pause” just a few minutes a day can help you “recharge your batteries” and make you feel happier. A good time to do this is in the morning. Without it, your life may feel out of control.

Venerable Robina Courtin, a Buddhist nun and organizer of the Happiness & Its Causes Conference, recommends spending these minutes practicing mindful meditation. “During the day, we’re completely absorbed by our senses,” she says, “so we don’t pay attention to our minds.” Sit in a quiet place and simply anchor your mind on your breathing. When your mind wanders, bring it back to your breath. Through this process, you learn to observe what your mind is saying.

Happiness Barrier No. 3: Negativity

Solution: Let go

“Your prison is nothing in comparison with the inner prison of ordinary people: the prison of attachment, the prison of anger, the prison of depression, the prison of pride.” wrote Lama Zopa Rinpoche to a California prisoner, a student of the Liberation Prison Project, which offers Buddhist teachings to people in prison.

Some might view this statement as a bit of an exaggeration. But negative, compulsive thoughts do have a quality of stickiness to them, Jinpa says. How you see things and the way you experience the world are strongly linked, making it critical to adopt a positive outlook. “You interact with the world through your senses and mind,” he says. “If you can find a way to stand at the doorway of your senses, you can have a say in how you experience the world.”

In our culture, though, we take it as natural that people are angry, depressed, or dejected, Courtin says. “No wonder we get depressed -- it’s a depressing world view. It says you can’t do anything about it.” If you believe your abusive boss, father, or partner is the main cause of your suffering, for example, then you’ve tied your own hands and risk becoming imprisoned by toxic thoughts.

The Buddhist view, by contrast, is that happiness is what you get when you give up a neurotic state of mind, Courtin says. It’s empowering, she says, because knowing you can change it gives you the courage to look inside, pay attention, and take responsibility for your thoughts. Rather than judging negative thoughts, Courtin advises observing them with compassion. Then ask yourself, “What can I do about this?”

Techniques like mindful meditation can help with this, but may not be for everyone, especially those experiencing severe depression, says Philippe R. Goldin, PhD, research associate in the department of psychology at Stanford University .

But there are other simple steps you can take to counteract negativity and enhance your happiness. Practicing gratitude is one. People appear to have a certain set point for happiness, a range that’s influenced by genetics. But those who regularly practice gratitude can enhance this set point by as much as 25%, reports Robert Emmons, PhD in his book, Thanks!: How Practicing Gratitude Can Make You Happier. Through his research, Emmons found that people who kept gratitude journals felt better about their lives, exercised more, and were more optimistic.

Happiness Barrier No. 4: Despair

Solution: Stay hopeful

Did a parent attempt to protect you as a child by saying, “Don’t get your hopes up”? There’s no evidence that hope is hurtful, says David B. Feldman, PhD, assistant professor of counseling psychology at Santa Clara University in California . Instead, hope can greatly enhance happiness in people.

But genuine hope isn’t a yellow smiley face or the denial of death at the bedside of a loved one in hospice, says Feldman, who’s pursued research and clinical work addressing the question: “How do people maintain hope and meaning in the face of adversity?

Three components are essential for hope to thrive, Feldman says. They are having goals, as well as a plan and the motivation to achieve them. “Those who succeed don’t internalize the blame game, either internally or externally,” he says, “They ask, ‘what now?’”

In addition to reaching goals, these people perform better in sports and school, Feldman says. They have a greater tolerance for pain. They use health-promoting behaviors. They also have a lower risk for depression, anxiety, and heart disease.

Feldman advises setting personally meaningful goals and checking to see where your hope falters -- is it with the plan or the motivation? Allow yourself to daydream, he says. It’s a wonderful source of hope and, therefore, happiness.

Happiness Barrier No. 5: Suppressing sadness

Solution: Feel the real

Having a positive outlook doesn’t mean you never allow yourself to feel sadness. The parents who try to protect their children from dashed hopes -- or any kind of sadness -- may actually produce the opposite effect than is intended, says James R. Doty, MD, director of the Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education at Stanford University . Some suffering, he says, makes you a whole person and allows you to acclimate and move forward in your life. Doty speaks from experience. He had an alcoholic father and invalid mother. He lived on public assistance for much of his youth.

“Happiness is not the absence of sadness,” says David Spiegel, MD, medical director of the Center for Integrative Medicine at Stanford University School of Medicine. It is not a stiff upper lip or the pop psychology mantra, intoning “always stay upbeat” in the face of cancer. “Phony happiness is not good.” By suppressing sadness, you suppress other, more positive emotions, as well, he says, so people who try to suppress emotions actually become more anxious and depressed.

By finding outlets for sadness and frustration, you gain some measure of control, Spiegel says. Using others as a sounding board -- not as a toxic dumping ground -- can help convert generalized anxiety and depression into targeted feelings you can address with specific solutions.

Happiness Barrier No. 6: Navel-gazing

Solution: Connect with others

How important are social networks to your happiness? Perhaps even more important than you realized. A recent 20-year study of more than 4,000 people showed that happiness is influenced not just by your immediate friends and family. The happiness of a friend of a friend of a friend -- someone you’ve never even met -- can also influence your happiness. It turns out that happiness can spread through social networks, like a virus.

Unfortunately, many people spend so much time by themselves navel gazing, they don’t benefit from this positive “contagion.”

The more self-absorbed you are, the more your world closes in, and the less realistic you become, all of which produces a vicious circle. “You become oblivious to the needs of others, and the world shrinks still more, making you less able to see outside yourself.” If asked, ‘Why are your problems so special?” says Jinpa, you might respond, “Because they’re mine!”

“If you have such a huge ego, you’re setting yourself up as a huge target, which can easily get hit,” Jinpa says. But using a “wide-angle lens” instead helps you see connections you wouldn’t otherwise see, such as the universality of suffering. All it may take is having a loved one diagnosed with a serious disease to realize how many people are grappling with similar challenges. Feeling joined by others on this journey provides some comfort and happiness.

The straightest path to making connections like these? Compassion and caring for others.

Even primates seem to understand this, says Robert M. Sapolsky, PhD, author of Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers and research associate with the Institute of Primate Research at the National Museum of Kenya. Primates that groom each other after a stressful event experience a reduction in blood pressure. The clincher? Grooming others has a greater impact than getting groomed, says Sapolsky.

Compassion engages us with others, removes isolation, builds resilience, and leads to deep fulfillment, says Doty. “Without compassion, happiness is simply short-lived pleasure.”

Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama, may have said it best: “If you want others to be happy, practice compassion; if you want to be happy, practice compassion.”

5 Reasons Why God Uses Problems

The problems you face will either defeat you or develop you - depending on how you respond to them. Unfortunately, most people fail to see how God wants to use problems for good in their lives. They react foolishly and resent their problems rather than pausing to consider what benefit they might bring. Here are five ways God wants to use the problems in your life:

1. God uses problems to DIRECT you.

Sometimes God must light a fire under you to get
you moving. Problems often point us in a new direction and
motivate us to change. Is God trying to get your attention? "Sometimes it
takes a painful situation to make us change our ways."
Proverbs 20:30

2. God uses problems to INSPECT you.

People are like tea bags...if you want to know what's inside
them, just drop them into hot ever water! Has God tested
your faith with a problem What do problems reveal about
you? "When you have many kinds of troubles, you
should be full of joy, because you know that these troubles test
your faith, and this will give you patience."
James 1:2-3

3. God uses problems to CORRECT you.

Some lessons we learn only through pain and failure. It's
likely that as a child your parents told you not to touch a
hot stove. But you probably learned by being burned.
Sometimes we only learn the value of something...health,
money, a relationship... by losing it. "It was the best thing
that could have happened to me, for it taught me to pay attention to your laws."

Psalm 119:71-72

4. God uses problems to PROTECT you.

A problem can be a blessing in disguise if it prevents you from
being harmed by something more serious. Last year a friend
was fired for refusing to do something unethical that his boss
had asked him to do. His unemployment was a problem - but
it saved him from being convicted and sent to prison a year
later when management's actions were eventually discovered.
"You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good...
Genesis 50:20

5. God uses problems to PERFECT you.

Problems, when responded to correctly, are character builders.
God is far more interested in your character than your comfort.
Your relationship to God and your character are the only two
things you're going to take with you into eternity. "We can rejoice when we run into problems... they help us learn to be patient. And patience develops strength of
character in us and helps us trust God more each time we use it until finally our
hope and faith are strong and steady."

Romans 5:3-4

Here's the point:
God is at work in your life - even when you do not recognize it or understand it.
But it's much easier and profitable when you cooperate with Him.

"Success can be measured not only in achievements, but in lessons learned, lives touched and moments shared along the way"

LIFE IS AN ECHO. What you send out, you get back.
What you give, you receive.
WHEN YOU BRING OUT THE BEST IN OTHERS, YOU BRING OUT THE BEST IN YOURSELF.

JUST A LITTLE MAIL FROM GOD

As you got up this morning

I watched you and hope you would talk to me

Even if it was just a few words

Asking my opinion or thanking me for something good that happened in your life yesterday

But I noticed you were too busy

Trying to find the right outfit to put on and wear to work

I waited.

When you ran around the house getting ready

I knew there would be a few minutes to stop and say hello

But you were too busy

At one point you had to wait fifteen minutes with nothing to do except sit in a chair

Then I saw you sprang to your feet

I thought you wanted to talk to me but you ran to the phone

And called a friend to get the latest gossip

I watched as you went to work and I waited patiently all day long

With all your activities I guess you were too busy to say anything to me

I noticed that before lunch you looked around

Maybe you felt embarrassed to talk to me

That is why you didn’t bow your head

You glanced three for four tables over

And you noticed some of your friends talking to me briefly before they ate

But you didn’t, That’s Okay.

There is still more time left, and I hope that you talk to me yet

You went home and it seems as if you had lots of things to do

After a few of them were done you turned on the TV

I didn’t know if you like TV or not

Just about anything goes there and spend a lot of time each day in front of it

Not thinking about anything – just enjoying the show

I waited patiently again as you watched the TV

And ate your meal but again you didn’t talk to me

Bedtime I guess you felt too tired.

After you said goodnight to your family, you plopped on to bed and feel asleep in no time

That’s okay because you may not realize that I am always there for you

I’ve got patience more than you will ever know

I even want to teach you how to be patient with others as well

I love you so much that I wait everyday for a nod,

Prayer, or thought, or thankful part of your heart

It is hard to have one-sided conversation

Well, you are getting up again and once again I will wait with nothing but love

For you hoping that today you will give me sometime.

Have a nice day!

Your friend,

JESUS

A Poem

Why do we close our eyes when we sleep?
When we cry? When we imagine?
When we kiss? and When we pray?
This is because the most beautiful thing in the
world is unseen.

We are all a little weird and life's a little weird
and when we find someone whose weirdness is
compatible with ours, we join up with them and fall
in
mutual weirdness and call it love.

Happiness lies for those who cry, those who are
hurt,
those who have searched and those who have tried.
For only they can appreciate the importance of the
people who have touched their lives.

A great love? It's when you shed tears and still
you care for him, it's when
he ignores you and still you long for him.
It's when he begins to love another and
yet you still smile and say I'm happy for you.

If love fails, set yourself free, let your heart
spread its wings and fly again.
Remember you may find love and lose it,
but when love dies, you never have to die with
it.

The strongest people are not those who always win
but those who stand up back when they fall.
Somehow along the course of life, you learn about
yourself and realize there should never be
regrets,
only a lifelong appreciation of the choices you've
made.

A true friend understands when you say, I forgot,
waits forever when you say,
just a minute, stays when you say leave me alone,
opens the door even before you knock and says can I
come in?

It's more dangerous to weep inwardly rather than
outwardly. Outward tears can be wiped away while
secret tears scar forever.

There comes a time when we have to stop
Loving someone not because that person
has stopped loving us but because we have found
out that they'd be happier if we let go.

It's best to wait for the one you want than settle
for one that's available.
Best to wait for the one you love than one who is
around. Best to wait for the right one because
life is too short to waste on just someone.

Sometimes the one you love turns out to be the one
who hurts you the most, and sometimes the FRIEND ,
who takes you into his arms and cries when you cry
turns out to be the love you never knew you
wanted.

just want to brighten up your day.