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Here you will find encouragement, inspiration, motivation . . . food for the soul!  We welcome your contributions! Submit poems, stories, etc to maren@oxycise.com

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The Daily Motivator http://greatday.com/motivate 

Must Read!
The Daffodil Principle
Happiness is a Journey
Live a Happy Life

Index

Hyacinths to Feed Thy Soul
He Maketh No Mistake
How to be Truly Happy (Charles Kingsley quote)
Angels
Attitude
Let's Give Thanks
Everyday Thanksgiving
The Builder
HUGS
Life is What YOU Make of It
Each Day is a Gift...
Look At Things As They CAN BE!
WHEN YOU BELIEVE YOU CAN... YOU CAN!
A Prayer for the Day
It Couldn't Be Done
On the Wings of Prayer
Concentrate on Effort rather than Results
Having the Courage to Begin...
Good Enough...
Excellence
Don't Quit
The Value of Time
If You THINK You Can...

Hyacinths to Feed Thy Soul
(Attributed to the Gulistan of Moslih Eddin Saadi,
a Mohammedan sheik and Persian poet who lived about 1184-1291.)

"If of thy mortal goods thou art bereft,
And from thy slender store two loaves alone to thee are left,
Sell one, and with the dole
Buy hyacinths to feed thy soul."

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 HE MAKETH NO MISTAKE
(author unknown)

My Father's way may twist and turn
My heart may throb and ache;
But in my soul I'm glad to know
He maketh no mistake.

My cherished plans may go astray,
My hopes may fade away;
But still I'll trust my Lord to lead,
For He doth know the way.

Though night be dark and it may seem
That day will never break,
I'll pin my faith, my all, on Him;
He maketh no mistake.

There's so much now I cannot see,
My eyesight's far too dim;
But come what may, I'll simply trust
And leave it all to Him.

For by - and - by the mist will lift,
And plain it all He'll make;
Through all the way, though dark to me,
He made not one mistake.

 

(Contributed by Dawn Bennett)

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We act as though comfort and luxury
were the chief requirements of life,
when all that we need to make us truly happy
is something to be enthusiastic about.

- Charles Kingsley

(contributed by Wendi Wells)

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ANGELS

 

What are Angels Like?

Like the little old lady who returned
your wallet yesterday.

Like the taxi driver who told you that your eyes
light up the world when you smile.

Like the small child who showed you
the wonder in simple things.

Like the poor man who offered to
share his lunch with you.

Like the rich man who showed you that it
really is all possible, if only you believe.

Like the stranger who just happened to come along,
when you had lost your way.

Like the friend who touched your heart,
when you didn't think you had one to touch.

Angels come in all sizes and shapes,
all ages and skin types.

Some with freckles, some with dimples,
some with wrinkles, some without.

They come disguised as friends, enemies,
teachers, students, lovers and fools.

They don't take life too seriously,
they travel light.

They leave no forwarding address,
they ask nothing in return.

They wear sneakers with gossamer wings,
they get a deal on dry cleaning.

They are hard to find when your eyes are closed, But
they are everywhere you look, when you choose to see.

 

(Contributed by Sharon Goodrich)

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ATTITUDE
by Charles Swindoll

"The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say, or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company...a church...a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past...we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude...I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it. And so it is with you...we are in charge of our attitudes.

(Contributed by Linda Albrew)

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  Let's Give Thanks...
(Excerpted from Joan Beck's column, The Evansville Press 11/25/98)

O Lord our God, we thank thee
for latke and laptops and love, for
diversity and dialysis and dishwashers
and answered prayers and amazing grace.

For violins and virtual reality,
for daughters and databanks and doughnuts and down,
for magic and Magi and miracles,
for browsers and brooks and brown paper packages tied up with string,
for tech-support hotlines when they help
and for carry-out and carry-ons and carry-overs,
for caregivers and caretakers and caramels.

For Grandparents and granola and grants and grand slams
and carousels and caucuses and crocuses,
oboes, and oysters and oceans and Oz,
blue jeans and teens and jelly beans,
docks and doctors and docents and ducks and documentaries and dogs, 
pasta and pesto and pro bono.

For cooks and courage and cousins and cougars,
for sun and sons and soupand soap and soul,
for modems and mothers and brothers
and significant others.

For teachers and preachers and for fathers and founding fathers
and forefathers and foster fathers and father figures,
for fajitas and farms and faith,
for fireflies and fireworks and firefighters and fireplaces,
for gingerbread houses and jumping ropes,
for Grisham and Gershwin and Grieg,
for hymns and hugs and hamburgers,
and for eagles and beagles and bagels.

For nurses and newspapers and newborns,
for readers and referees.
For "Your baby's just perfect," and
"Your lab report is normal" and
"You're hired" and
"You're covered" and
"It's benign" and
"You're admitted to the class of 2002,"
and for volunteers and vouchers and voters and votive candles,
for authors and aspic and autumn and auld lang syne.

For mentors and memories and melting pots,
for salad and salmon and salsa and salvation,
for beaches and bleaches and bleachers, and peaches
and for soccer and succor and success
and for physicians and musicians and electricians and magicians.

For kids who just say no,
for homes and homecomings and homemakers and homers,
Homer and home rule and holidays and holy days,
thesauruses and tyrannosauruses,
sleeping bags and sleeping babies
and the wonders your hands have made.

For Lincoln and licorice and libraries and lilacs,
for commissions and remissions and non-polluting emissions,
for chocolate and churches and chowder,
for Christmas and carols and choirs and coral reefs,
for sales and sails and ponytails,
for vacations and vocations and vaccinations,
for dreams that aren't deferred and hopes that come true.

Dear Lord and Father of Mankind, we thank you, once again,
for dawn after dark, for spring after winter,
for rest after work, for healing after hurt and life after life,
for a bridge over trouble and a shelter from the storm.
AMEN

(Contributed by Christina Banta)

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EVERYDAY THANKSGIVING

Even though I clutch my blanket
and growl when the alarm rings,
thank you, Lord, that I can hear.
There are many who are deaf.

Even though I keep my eyes
closed against the morning light
as long as possible,
thank you, Lord, that I can see.
Many are blind.

Even though I huddle in my bed
and put off rising, thank you Lord,
that I have the strength to rise.
There are many who are bedridden.

Even though the first hour of my day is hectic,
when socks are lost, toast is burned,
tempers are short, my children are so loud,
thank you, Lord, for my family.
There are many who are lonely.

Even though our breakfast table
never looks like the pictures in magazines
and the menu is at times unbalanced,
thank you, Lord, for the food we have.
There are many who are hungry.

Even though the routine of my job
is often monotonous,
thank you, Lord, for the opportunity to work.
There are many who have no job.

Even though I grumble
and bemoan my fate from day to day
and wish my circumstances were not so modest,
thank you, Lord, for life.

(Contributed by Christina Banta)

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The Builder    

An elderly carpenter was ready to retire. He told his employer-contractor of his plans to leave the construction business and live a more leisurely life with his wife, enjoying his extended family. He would miss the paycheck, but he needed to retire. They could get by. The contractor was sorry to see his good worker go and asked if he could build just one more house as a personal favor. The carpenter said yes, but in time it was easy to see that his heart was not in his work. He resorted to shoddy workmanship and used inferior materials. It was an unfortunate way to end his career.

When the carpenter finished his work and the builder came to inspect the house, the contractor handed the front-door key to the carpenter. "This is your house," he said, "my gift to you." What a shock!  What a shame! If he had only known he was building his own house, he would have done it all so differently. Now he had to live in the home he had built none too well.

SO IT IS WITH US. We build our lives in a distracted way, reacting rather than acting, willing to put up less than the best. At important points we do not give the job our best effort. Then with a shock we look at the situation we have created and find that we are now living in "the house we have built."  If we had realized, we would have done it differently.

Think of yourself as the carpenter. Think about your body as your home. Each day you hammer a nail (fuel your body), place a board (with nutrition or junkfood?), or erect a wall (strenghten or deplete those vital cells). BUILD WISELY. It is the only life you will ever build (the only body you’ll ever receive). Even if you live it for only one day more, that day deserves to be lived graciously and with dignity. The plaque on the wall says, "Life is a do-it-yourself project.”

Who could say it more clearly? Your life today is the result of your attitudes and choices in the past. Your Life Tomorrow Will Be The Result Of Your Attitude And The Choices YOU MAKE TODAY!

(Contributed by Christina Banta)

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HUGS
(author unknown)

It's wonderful what a hug can do.
A hug can cheer you when you're blue.
A hug can say "I love you so!"
Or, "Gee, I hate to see you go!"

A hug is, "Welcome back again!"
And, "Great to see you!" or "Where've you been?"
A hug can soothe a small child's pain,
And bring a rainbow after rain.

The hug! There's just no doubt about it,
We scarcely could survive without it.
A hug delights and warms and charms;
It must be why God gave us arms.

Hugs are great for fathers and mothers,
Sweet for sisters, swell for brothers,
And chances are some favorite aunts
Love them more than potted plants.

Kittens crave them, puppies love them.
Heads of State are not above them.
A hug can break the language barrier,
And make your travels so much merrier.

No need to fret about your store of 'em.
The more you give, the more there's more of 'em.
So stretch those arms without delay,
And give someone a hug today!

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Life Is What YOU Make of It!

No one can cheat you out of ultimate success but YOU..
YOU must choose the thoughts and actions that will lead you on to success.
YOU must set your own standards.

Nothing happens by itself.
It will all come your way, once you understand
that you have to make it come your way,
by YOUR OWN exertions.

Only YOU can hold yourself back,
or stand in your own way.
Only YOU can help yourself.

Not in time, place, or circumstances,
but IN YOU lies success

(Contributed by Christina Banta)

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"...each day is a miraculous gift and our job is to untie the ribbons"

    - Greg Anderson

(contributed by Trudi J. Jones)

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Look At Things As They CAN BE!

There is no such thing as no chance.
Don't think about the things you can't do.
Think about the things you can do.

No matter what the level of your ability,
you have more potential than you can ever develop in a lifetime.

You have powers you never dreamed of.
You can do things you never thought you could do.
There are no limitations in what you can do
except the limitations of your own mind.

Your range of available choices right now is limitless.
Never say never.

(Contributed by Christina Banta)

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WHEN YOU BELIEVE YOU CAN... YOU CAN!

Don't be afraid of life.
Believe that life is worth living
and your belief will help create the fact.

The barrier between you and success
is not something which exists in the real world.
It is composed simply of doubts about your ability.
Your only limits to your realization of tomorrow
will be your doubts of today.

Success is a state of mind.
If you want success, start thinking of yourself as a success.

What you believe yourself to be, you are!


(Contributed by Christina Banta)

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A Prayer for the Day
 (Author unknown)

Dear God,
So far today, I've done alright.
I haven't gossiped and I haven't lost my temper/

But in a few minutes I'm going to get out of bed,
And that's when I'm going to need a lot of help.
Amen.

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The following poem was contributed by Sara, who writes: "Whenever I feel a little down about myself or when someone tells me that breathing programs will not work, I turn to this poem for inspiration. I hope that everyone on the list will be equally inspired to keep on going!!      -- Love, Sara"

It Couldn't Be Done
By: Edgar Guest

Somebody said that it couldn't be done,
But he with a chuckle replied
That "maybe it couldn't," but he would be one
Who wouldn't say so till he'd tried.
So he buckled right in with the trace of a grin
On his face. If he worried he hid it.
He started to sing as he tackled the thing
That couldn't be done, and he did it.

Somebody scoffed: "Oh, you'll never do that;
At least no one ever has done it";
But he took off his coat and he took off his hat,
And the first thing we knew he'd begun it.
With a lift of his chin and a bit of a grin,
Without any doubting or quiddit,
He started to sing as he tackled the thing
That couldn't be done, and he did it.

There are thousands to tell you it cannot be done,
There are thousands to prophesy failure;
There are thousands to point out to you, one by one,
The dangers that wait to assail you.
But just buckle in with a bit of a grin,
Just take off your coat and go to it;
Just start to sing as you tackle the thing
That "cannot be done," and you'll do it.



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On The Wings Of Prayer

Just close your Eyes and open your heart,
And feel your worries and cares depart.
Just yield yourself to the Father above,
And let Him hold you secure in His love.

For life on earth grows more involved,
With endless problems that can't be solved,
But God only asks us to do our best,
Then He will take over and finish the rest...

So when you are tired, discouraged and blue,
There is always one door that is open to you,
And that is the door to The House of Prayer,
And you'll find God waiting to meet you there.

And The House of Prayer is no further away,
than the quiet spot where you kneel and pray.
For the heart is a temple when God is there
As we place ourselves in His loving care.

And He hears every prayer and answers each one
When we Pray in His name - Thy will be done.
The burdens that seemed too heavy to bear
Are lifted away on the Wings Of A Prayer!

(Contributed by Christina Banta . . ."Remember prayer is not answered in OUR time...but in His!")

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"Achievement is the physical manifestation of growth obtained through
making the journey.  Thus our attention must be focused not on results,
but on effort.  Results take care of themselves." -- James D. Dresen               

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Having the Courage To Begin...

Having The Courage To Begin Separates The Dreamers From The Achievers!

POSITIVE CONDITIONING LEADS TO SUCCESS.

Condition yourself to be positive. Being positive is an attitude that you can develop. You can control your attitude and your mood.

Block out the negativity around you. Negative people are a drain on your spirit and your desire to be successful. Surround yourself with positive people and their attitude rubs off on you.

Live in the present. FORGET the failures of your past and the anxieties of your future. The more difficult your environment the MORE positive you must be--CAN BE!!

Concentrating on your goals can be a gratifying and positive experience.


ENDURANCE IS THE CROWNING QUALITY OF SUCCESS.

Success in anything seems to be connected with action. Successful people keep moving. They make mistakes but they DON'T QUIT! They hang on after others have let go.

Persistence. Keep trying is the rule that must be followed to become successful in anything.

Persistence means taking pains to overcome EVERY obstacle, to do all that's necessary to reach your goal.

Never, never, never, never give up. If you keep on trying the odds are WITH you.

SECURITY COMES WHEN YOU ACCEPT CHANGE

Recognize and accept that change WILL take place. Be secure in the knowledge that you are willing to deal with what happens. Your ultimate security is in your understanding of reality. There is no permanent security on this earth: there is only opportunity.

You will become secure, not by standing still, but by growing, moving, and BEING energized. Security comes from being able to bend your insecurities, to avoid breaking when things don't go your way.

Have the courage to bet on your ideas, to take the calculated risk, and to act.

The tide of opportunity comes to EVERYONE... BE READY!


(Contributed by Christina Banta)

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"Good enough ISN'T!"

 (unknown)

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"We are what we repeatedly do.  Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit."

--- Aristotle

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DON'T QUIT
(Unknown)

When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,
When the road you're trudging seems all up hill,
When the funds are low and the debts are high,
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,
When care is pressing you down a bit,
Rest, if you must -- but don't you quit.

Life is queer with its twists and turns,
As everyone of us sometimes learns,
And many a failure turns about
When he might have won had he stuck it out;
Don't give up, though the pace seems slow --
You might succeed with another blow. 

Often the goal is nearer than
It seems to a faint and faltering man,
Often the struggler has given up
When he might have captured the victor's cup.
And he learned too late, when the night slipped down,
How close he was to the golden crown.

Success is failure turned inside out --
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt --
And you never can tell how close you are,
It may be near when it seems afar;
So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit --
It's when things seem worst that you mustn't quit.

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The Value of Time
 (author unknown)

Imagine there is a bank that credits your account each morning with $86,400. It carries over no balance from day to day. Every evening it deletes whatever part of the balance you failed to use during the day. What would you do? Draw out every cent, of course!

Each of us has such a bank. Its name is TIME. Every morning, it credits you with 86,400 seconds. Every night it writes off, as lost, whatever of this you have failed to invest to good purpose. It carries over no balance. It allows no overdraft. Each day it opens a new account for you. Each night it burns the remains of the day. If you fail to use the day's deposits, the loss is yours. There is no going back. There is no drawing against the "tomorrow".

You must live in the present on today's deposits. Invest it so as to get from it the utmost in health, happiness and success!

The clock is running. Make the most of today!

To realize the value of ONE YEAR, ask a student who failed a grade.

To realize the value of ONE MONTH, ask a mother who gave birth to a premature baby.

To realize the value of ONE WEEK, ask the editor of a weekly.

To realize the value of ONE DAY, ask a daily wage laborer with kids to feed.

To realize the value of ONE HOUR, ask the lovers who are waiting to meet.

To realize the value of ONE MINUTE, ask a person who missed the train.

To realize the value of ONE SECOND, ask a person who just avoided an accident.

To realize the value of ONE MILLI-SECOND, ask the person who won a silver medal in the Olympics.

Treasure every moment that you have! And treasure it more because you shared it with someone special, special enough to spend your time. And remember that time waits for no one.

Yesterday is history.

Tomorrow a mystery.

Today is a gift...that's why it's called the present!


(Contributed by Christina Banta)

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If   You THINK You Can...
 (Unknown)

                                                    If you THINK you are beaten,
                                                    You are.
                                                    If you THINK you dare not,
                                                    You don't.

                                                    If you'd like to win,
                                                    But THINK you can't,
                                                    It's almost a cinch
                                                    You won't.

                                                    If you THINK you're outclassed,
                                                    You are.
                                                    You've got to THINK high to rise;
                                                    You've got to be sure of yourself
                                                    Before you can ever win the prize.

                                                    Life's battles don't always go
                                                    To the stronger or faster man.
                                                    Sooner or later, the man who wins
                                                    Is the fellow who THINKS he can.

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