The Will to Endure
In Loving Memory
of
My Mom

Express a heart of goodness
in everything you do,
to beat through all of the turmoil in life,
to find out what still holds true.

The will to endure through every wear and tear
still kept in the heart of the making,
brings hope with more mending
to be found in the heart of giving,
than in more of the taking.

A heart of happiness brings life to any flower found
always in bloom in the midst of strife,
and continues to thrive and grow blossoms of joy
to put in every single room of life.

I Would If I Could

I would use my mind to its fullest if I could make undermining non-existent.  A humble community is accepting everyone for who they are regardless of ability. 

I would use my body to its fullest if I could bend rules wholeheartedly.  What does a contortionist and rules, policies, and laws in life have in common including the one's still in the making?  They have the power of flexibility to rightfully bend anything when needed. 

I would express myself to the fullest if I could make wonder a true belief.   The universe always shines with the power of a star's everlasting magnitude even when they burn out like humans, because we can always find more.  

I would fulfill my purpose and commitment in life with goodness if I could help others do the same.  When you learn to give your all for the benefit of others and want only the joy of what others receive from it in return, then your reward becomes the meaning of love's greatest gift.

I would make all dreams worth their value if I could make them all come true as one of the most important goals to achieve in life.  This is the meaning of significance and success joined together as partners to last a lifetime.

I would find more balance in life if I could find more valuing toward others in life.  Humanistic values such as praising others with compliments can make life just as rich as all of the materialistic values we have and possess in life such as money, getting a raise or a bonus check.

No judgement is made by pure hearts of generosity
when caring hearts show acceptance.
The content of character is based only on the image of goodness along with,
imagining what could be, is really what should be.

Point Toward A Positive Direction 

I used the letters of the word "point" to show a way of building character in our lives.

 P= Position our lives in the direction to preserve our
       surroundings in order to appreciate what's more
       in store for us in life.

O=  Optimistic lives build a stronger foundation on the
       grounds of perseverance.

I=   Use inner self energy to move outward
        in circumference.

N=  Nurture the self and others in order to value the 
        goodness of what life has to offer.

T=   Time is the most important asset to give in life
        and in return, to fulfill in life. Time well spent
        portrays the greatest gift of love.

How to Value Life
from the book Rise with the Sun

V=  Build your character on the essential virtues in life.

A=   Act upon what matters to you in life, but don't hurt
        others in the process.  It only weakens the good
        in who we are and indifference eventually overpowers
        the zest for life. 

L=   Listen  to the inner self and others.  "This above all,
        to thine own self be true and it must follow as the
        night the day, thou canst not be false to any man."
        William Shakespeare

U=  Understand and accept all situations in life. Whether
       they're right or wrong, you don't have to agree
       on them.

E=  Find the "extra" in the ordinary of life.

When all seems lost and you have given all you can give and there are no benefits to yourself; there is one word that gives back everything you need.  IF you can't find the appreciation you deserve, all you need is the appreciation that is always given back to you through the holy spirit.  You never have to second-guess the spirit's existence because it will never let a kindly hearted soul down. 

IF you uphold to the gifts that every good principle in life has to offer, then the goodness of life will be given back to you and is yours forever.  Here is one of my favorite poems.

IF
by
Rudyard Kipling

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good nor talk too wise:

If you can dream--and not make dreams your master;
If you can think--and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those imposters just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build'em up with worn-out tools;

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-loss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And hold on where there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on!"

If you can walk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings--nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run--
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And--which is more--you'll be a Man, my son!

The Noble Victim vs. The Noble Victor
by Jeanbean

I wrote a poem about a rock from my book Rise with the Sun called "A Prayer."  It never occurred to me, at the present time, that the rock could very easily represent the large stone from the King Arthur story and his knights of the round table.  Whenever there is a great challenge for someone to face in life, a sword suddenly appears.  Here is my interpretation of how both stories are one in the same.
              Based on the story The Sword and the Stone

King Arthur exclaimed, "Who and when is there ever the rightful one to draw the sword out to be the noble victor?  To me, it has never been easy to grasp, but only when you change the grip of the handle and think of the direction you want to take the sword.  Again I say, who is the rightful one to draw the sword out and carry it to its rightful place?  Is this what true fate or pure luck is all about?  Oh how exceptional it would be if it would be both.  My dear friends and trustworthy knights of the round table hear me clearly, distinctly, but not blindly.  My kingdom must be built not on the love of power, but on the power of love."

King Arthur slowly grasped the handle of the sword and then let go and instead grabbed his mug filled with wine. 

"Join with me together oh courageous knights of the round table.  Let us not harden our hearts to be sealed in the enormous strength of what this stone represents for us all.  Let us drink wholeheartedly to the true meaning of being not as a noble victim, but a noble victor who will always come to the rescue and be there for those in dire need of our care.  There is nothing more noble than this."

As he attempted to draw the sword out, it disappeared.  A huge sigh filled the room in amazement.  Then, King Arthur extended out his rightful hand and gestured his knights to do the same.  When they did, there was not one sword, but a sword in each hand of every knight.  The promise they made had been known to be the rightful one, draw it out together as one and put it at their rightful side and carry it to their rightful place. 

---

The only thing wrong with this interpretation is the female is missing so...check this out.  King Arthur had a queen and every knight in shining armor charmed a dazzling princess in distress to eventually reign right along with them. 

King Arthur's kingdom male and female became known as King Arthur and Queen Arthurette and the knights and princesses of the round table better known as 
K-P Duty 24-7! :-)

---

ONLY WITHIN THE LIGHT  
   Where is the faith when you lose everything including your self-esteem and wonder if you'll ever find it again to make enough of a difference before it's time to leave this world?  It can only be found in the greatness of God. 

It took everything in me to have gotten this far.  I just reached beyond a star.
Now, I know I'm finally the one, to follow what's in my heart.
When every day is done, I still strive to find my strength still shining toward the sun.

Refrain
Only within the light, helps lead the way to where I want to be.
Only within the light, I never gave up on me.
It took so many roads to walk and many hills and mountains to climb,
to achieve my greatest dream of dreams for once in a lifetime.

Only within the light, I'll be able to give so much more.
Only within the light, it's what I've been waiting for.
Only within the light, only within the light, because if I believe I know,
it's always in sight.
(2nd time through, go to Coda)

Yet, when darkness lingers on in the shadows of my doubts and fears along the way.
I've just got to keep thinking of holding onto each and every sunlit ray.
But when I hold onto what seems right, even when it shines so small,
I keep going to where I'll feel the lasting joy in having it all.
(to refrain)

(Coda)
If I believe I know,
If I believe I know,
If I believe I know...
It's always in sight...only within the light.

---

        DARE TO CARE

Learn to stand your ground with decency,
Accept many differences to understand cultural diversity.

Always mind your own P's and Q's.
And try hard not to blow a fuse.

We need more caring in the world today.
Live by the Golden Rule in a respectful way.

Violence is always harmful when we hurt humanity,
Then the heart of character can't beat wholeheartedly.

Please don't give a cold shoulder shrug.
Surprise an unhappy person who needs a hug.

Set a positive example by playing fair,
Everyone feels good when you dare to care.

---

        THE VALUE OF A SMILE

   It costs nothing, but saves much.
   It enriches those who receive, without impoverishing
those who give.
   It happens in a flash, and the memory of it sometimes
lasts forever. None is so rich that he can get along without
it, none so poor that he is not enriched by it.
   It creates happiness in the home, fosters good will in
business and it is the countersign of friends.
   It is rest to the weary, daylight to the discouraged, sun-
shine to the sick, and Nature's best antidote for trouble.
   Yet it cannot be bought, borrowed, or stolen, for it is
something that is of no earthly good to anyone until given
away. If you meet folks who are too burdened with grief
or worry to smile, just give them one of yours.
   For nobody needs a smile so much as those who have
none left to give.

Anonymous

---

How do we step out of our comfort zone?

Most of us would like to say it's as easy as the Nike commerical "Just Do It," but it's not.
People that are overly sensitive and get easily intimidated find it the hardest thing to do. 

There's a character trait we could easily step into called "nurture" if there was enough of it around.  Do we use it enough outside our comfort zone?   Some of us don't know enough of how to go about it.  With all the Taboo in the world today we either accept the standards of other cultures or we don't.  It's mind over matter to learn to understand Taboo.  But does Taboo make it right to hurt yourself or others because it makes you feel good?  What kind of a message is this supposed to give us when it happens?

Can we humble ourselves?  Because it shows weakness.  We are made in the image of God and what would it take to humble ourselves in the way of our great creator?  It's how certain people choose to do it and it shouldn't matter because in order to withstand all of the burdens in life everyone has their own way of fitting in, in order to be accepted by others. 

But with any ethnic extremity, where is the norm?  I'm still trying to find that out...and hopefully when I continue to step in and out of my own comfort zone, it'll be worth the challenge. 

    

---