The Most

Unknown

Parable of the Pencil

Unknown

The Pencil Maker took the pencil aside, just before putting him into the box.
“There are 5 things you need to know,” he told the pencil, “Before I send you out into the world. Always remember them and never forget, and you will become the best pencil you can be.
“ONE: You will be able to do many great things, but only if you allow yourself to be held in someone's hand.
“TWO: You will experience a painful sharpening from time to time. But, you'll need it to become a better pencil.
“THREE: I will be able to correct mistakes you might make.
“FOUR: The most important part of you will always be what's inside.
“And FIVE: On every surface you are used on, you must leave your mark. No matter what the condition, you must continue to write.”
The pencil understood and promised to remember, and went into the box with purpose in its heart.
••••••••••
Now remember the pencil is like you. Always remember it and never forget, and you will become the best person you can be.
ONE: You will be able to do many great things, but only if you allow yourself to be held in God's hand and allow other human beings to access you for the many gifts you possess.
TWO: You will experience a painful sharpening from time to time, by going through various problems. But, you'll need it to become a stronger person.
THREE: God will be able to forgive mistakes you might make.
FOUR: The most important part of you will always be what's on the inside.
And FIVE: On every surface you walk through, you must leave your mark. No matter what the situation, you must continue to do your duties. By understanding and remembering, let us proceed with our life on this earth having a meaningful purpose in our heart.

A Little Something on Joy, Love, Strength, and Peace

Unknown

Joy—
Enjoy the Journey
You will need: *Patience *Cheer *Optimism
“Happiness is not a destination. It is a method of life.” Burton Hills
Sometimes we find ourselves thinking, “I'll be happy when I get married…when my child is old enough to go to school.” The truth is, happiness doesn't arrive as the result of a certain event. It comes when you decide to laugh more, take yourself less seriously, and focus on enjoying your journey instead of reaching for your destination.
Simple Steps
*Make the everyday routine more enjoyable by adding something special to it—put a silly note in your child's lunchbox, do your chores in a whimsical hat—whatever might bring a smile to your face.
*Break up your routine. Take a pen and mark a few “fun dates” on your calendar. Make the reservations now—don't forget!
Discover Joy
You will need: *Humor *Love *Playfulness
“Joy is a net of love by which you catch souls.” Mother Theresa
Think back to your youth and remember how easy it was to find joy in every day—by riding a bike really fast or jumping into a pile of leaves. What types of things bring you that kind of joy today? Seek them out. The smiles and laughter they bring will help you connect with others and fill your heart with happiness.
Simple Steps
*Seek out joy. Tonight, think of four things that made you happy as a child. Then, ask yourself what kinds of things bring you joy now. Make it a point to indulge in any one of them this week. To cast your “net of love” wide, invite a friend or family member to join you.
Look Around You
You will need: *Curiosity *Wonder
“To see a world in a grain of sand and a heaven in a wildflower, hold infinity in the palm of your hand and eternity in an hour.” William Blake
Have you ever been stopped in your tracks by the majesty of a great old tree or the power of the ocean? Natural wonders like these help reshape our definitions of joy. It's easy to “tune up your senses” to be more observant of the joy around you. When you do, you begin to realize the world is at your fingertips.
Simple Steps
*Take a moment to sit outside and enjoy the splendor of a star-filled sky or sunrise. Invite a loved one to join you.
*On a day when you're not too rushed, carry a camera with you and take pictures of things that bring you joy. Compile the photos in a “Joy” scrapbook, or post them in easy-to-see places to remind you joy is everywhere.

Love—
Make a Wish
You will need: *Imagination *Trust *Faith
“When you love someone, all your saved-up wishes start coming out.” Elizabeth Bowen
Isn't it amazing how much the world seems to change when we're in love? Everything looks rosier and we feel the confidence to express our deepest hopes and dreams. This feeling isn't reserved solely for romantic love. Every time you open your heart and allow love to enter, you automatically give love to the people around you.
Simple Steps
*Wish upon a star, or throw a penny in a fountain, but instead of keeping your wish a secret, share it with someone you love. Your wishes, like your dreams, are precious. Sharing them demonstrates great trust—and a willingness to open yourself to new possibilities.
Hug Someone
You will need: *Affection *Tenderness
“There's something in a simple hug that always warms the heart; it welcomes us back home and makes it easier to part.” Jill Wolf
We have hundreds of ways to express feelings—through words and gestures large and small. All too often, however, we keep our feelings to ourselves and assume the people we care about know how much they mean to us. Very often, they don't. For those people, think how much joy a simple note or hug might bring.
Simple Steps
*Give a hug or a note of appreciation or any little something to let the people in your life know how much you care. It can be as simple as a note on a bed pillow or refrigerator door saying, “I love you.”
*Get a hug. The people special to you like to feel needed too. Before the day is out, ask for a great big hug. It will give you both a lift.
A Child's Gift
You will need: *Joyfulness *Caring *Innocence
“Give a little love to a child, and you get a great deal back.” John Ruskin
Children are easy to please. Food, clothes, shelter, and love are all they need to make them feel whole. Remember their innocence the next time your heart is clouded by some disappointment. Children offer you a priceless gift—a reminder that loving and being loved matter more than anything.
Simple Steps
*Do something fun with a kid. Here's one idea: Walk barefoot in the park or on a beach and collect pretty shells or stones. Use the items you find to make a “treasure box” and store inside it mementos of the occasion.
*Create a photo album of family adventures. Give each page a theme and let your child help you decorate it with pictures and souvenirs.

Strength—
Hope is Eternal
You will need: *Faith *Perseverance
“All the darkness in the world cannot put out the light of one small candle.” Anonymous
Sometimes it feels like we are surrounded by darkness and we wonder if we'll ever smile again. At times like this it is essential to remember that we are not alone. Seek out comfort from family, friends, neighbors—or volunteer to help others. Ironically, bringing hope to someone else's life is the best way to strengthen it in our own.
Simple Steps
*Designate a safe place in your home to keep a “hope candle.” Light it regularly, saying a few positive words aloud, as a symbol to yourself and to the world that hope endures.
*Make a “hope box.” Cover a shoe box with pretty paper and fill it with items that inspire hope in you—a drawing from a child, a loving note from your spouse, or a newspaper article.
Forgive Others
You will need: *Compassion *Empathy
“Those who cannot forgive others break the bridge over which they themselves must pass.” Confucius
We all get angry at times, even at the people who mean the most to us. But imagine if we stayed angry at them and shut them out of our lives. Our world wouldn't be the same. Forgiveness diffuses a dialogue for a better relationship. Even if the pain is hard to forget, forgiveness feels right because it liberates the soul.
Simple Steps
*Forgive from the heart first. If you can find it in your heart to forgive, you can express it later in words or actions.
*Don't “hold” a grudge. Think of a grudge as a five-hundred-pound monster. The effort required to hold it is enormous. Write the feelings for your grudge in a letter, then toss it into the fireplace. You'll feel more powerful than the beast itself.
Don't Give Up
You will need: *Tenacity *Focus
“Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will.” Mohandas K. Ghandi
Look at a young child working on a project—cutting with little plastic scissors, drawing with markers, taping the loose ends—and never a thought of failure. There is just, “What do I need to make this what I want it to be?” When it's all done, no matter what it looks like, there's a sense of pride and accomplishment. What does this tell us?
Simple Steps
*Don't fear failure. It's not very often that we get it right on the first try. It's the second, third, or one hundredth try that makes it work. Understand that there will be failures and learn from them.
*Avoid judgment. If things are not turning out exactly as you envisioned, don't get discouraged. See what you end up with. Some of the world's greatest inventions were borne from mistakes.

Peace—
A Moment of Kindness
You will need: *Compassion *Courtesy
“Peace is a daily, a weekly, a monthly process.” John F. Kennedy
Often when we hear the word “peace,” we think of world peace. Yet, peace begins closer to home. It starts in our own backyard and extends to people we encounter from our next door neighbor to a stranger on the street. For peace to continue as a process, it must start with you. Maybe your one peaceful gesture will start a chain reaction!
Simple Steps
*Try turning rush hour into “peace hour.” This hectic time of day offers us many opportunities to be courteous, even if it's as simple as letting another driver pass you. We spend so much time in our cars—if we can find peace there, it can easily extend to other parts of our lives.
Enjoy Small Pleasures
You will need: *Awareness *Reflection
“Little things seem nothing, but they give peace, like those meadow flowers which individually seem odorless but all together perfume the air.” Georges Bernanos
Don't underestimate the importance of small gestures that bring you and others happiness. Any kind word or deed counts. Pieced together, these tiny “gifts of love” weave a fabric of peace that makes life easier and more enjoyable. Think of how you can add pockets of peace to every day with just a slight adjustment to your routine.
Simple Steps
*Buy some flowers, or candies, and put them someplace where you and others can enjoy them. Count the smiles that they bring.
*Think of one way to bring a special moment of peace into your home. It can be a time for prayer or maybe a “quiet hour” after dinner when you and your family can talk about the day's events.

“The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen, nor touched…but are felt in the heart.” Helen Keller

“You grow up the day you have your first laugh at yourself.” Ethel Barrymore

Right Now

Ralph Marston

A nice way to start your day…or end your evening.

Even Now

Ralph Marston

And another nice message.

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