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glad of life because it gives you the chance to love and to work and to
play and to look up at the stars; to be satisfied with your
possessions; to despise nothing in the world except falsehood and
meanness, and to fear nothing except cowardice; to be governed by your
admirations rather than by your disgusts; to covet nothing that is your
neighbor's except his kindness of heart and gentleness of manners; to
think seldom of your enemies, often of your friends…and to spend as
much time as you can, with body and with spirit. These are the little
guideposts on the footpath to peace. (Henry Van Dyke)
"Love and work and play, and be glad of life." What great advice to live by! This describes my life today . . . a long journey from the pain of yesterday.
"To be satisfied with your possessions . . ." Satisfaction
comes from the possessions you cannot lose, things no one can take
away, gifts God placed in your heart that cannot be stolen by greedy
people who try to take credit for what they have not done.
"To despise nothing in the world except falsehood and meanness . . ."
Why do people deceive themselves into believing they are being honest
when they tell only part of the truth and plant little seeds of doubt
which generate false assumptions or hide the hideous truth so their
deeds may appear justified?
Why do people who claim to be filled with Jesus' love act mean-spirited and vindictive toward others?
The only thing more despicable to me than falsehood and meanness in others is to recognize it in myself.
"To fear nothing except cowardice . . ." Fear is the paralysis that keeps a person from being fully alive. Who would you be if fear did not hold you back?
"To be governed by your admirations rather than by your disgusts . . . "
Finding the best in each person is like finding a pearl in the grit of
an oyster. Not only do you see the treasure in someone else, but it
becomes an incredible gift to you as well.
"To covet nothing that is your neighbor's other than his kindness of heart and gentleness of manners . . . "
Jealousy and envy is a disease that rots the soul and turns otherwise
"good" people into sad, greedy people who steal, kill, and destroy
others in order to build themselves up.
"To think seldom of your enemies, often of your friends . . ."
Forgiving your enemies releases you from their power and control, and
frees you to live life with passion and purpose. Good friends are
worth more than all the money and status in the world. Treasure them!
Life
is too short to wallow in past hurts and too precious to allow toxic
people to destroy you with their distorted thinking and manipulative
tactics. Let the passion of the Triune God thrill your soul and teach
you to really live--to be fully alive! That's my prayer for myself . .
. and for you.
Copyright 2008, www.brokenpeople.org
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