Lessons from the Tiger Woods Scandal

Unless you have been living in a cave the last month, you must have heard the gossip-laden news about golf great Tiger Woods' escapades and so-called scandal.

If you have not heard about it and are curious, just Google "Tiger Woods" news and you will have the next 8 months of reading material covering this public debacle at your fingertips!

Tiger messed up big time - no doubt. And he is suffering the pain as a result. But as I am following this train-wreck coverage the past 3 weeks, I cannot help but think about the true overall lesson inherent in this media circus involving the once squeaky-clean, teflon golfer.

Besides the obvious "lessons" learned involving infidelity and discussed ad nauseum in the media, I cannot get past the greatest baffler of them all:

How could this happen?

Let's face it - as youngsters we ALL want to be Tiger Woods in some aspects of our lives!

Where do you begin? Tiger is materially wealthy beyond belief (estimated net worth of $1BB (pre-scandal), $100MM plus in corporate endorsements alone (anchored by his choir boy, clean, honest image), married to a beautiful ex-model and 2 wonderful children, living in a mansion in Florida, a private jet, young, attractive, marketable, exciting, a legend in the making, and he plays golf - FOR A LIVING!!

Helloooo.... Not too shabby when you lay it out there like that! It is a materialistic climber's Nirvana!

What sticks out to me - and has with many other experiences and observations in my life so far - is that if THIS GUY cannot be happy and at peace with all he has been given, granted, blessed with in this world - who can actually be Happy??

How can he not be?? How can he implode with all he has in his life? The very treasures many of us seek, dream about, covet, and desire he actually possessed and he throws them all away in search of...... What????!!!!

Peace, Joy, love, acceptance, happiness???

I am no psychologist, but I do know that there is a pattern here!

Maybe, just maybe those things we seek - the material treasures and rewards that we use to judge our value, self-worth and measure our accomplishments - are not the right things to pursue if we aim to be truly HAPPY??!!!

Could it be??

Obviously for Tiger Woods they were not enough to provide him peace and happiness and joy.

Would it be the same for us in the same circumstances??

I am willing to bet the answer is YES!! Now granted, hand me a billion dollars in order to try it out and I am darn sure I can stay happy! Lol!

History is filled with examples of wealthy and powerful individuals who, when examined closely, were miserable in their lives despite the very things most of us as humans seek and long to have!

So what can we learn from Tiger here?

Be careful what you seek and wish for - as the achievement of those material goals may not be enough to satisfy what we all need and crave - love, peace, joy and happiness.

Those four treasures above - love, peace, joy and happiness - cannot be won, or bought, or achieved through material means. They come from an understanding in our hearts and our minds of our connections with each other and our pursuit here on earth is simple in my mind:

Love, love, love - and help each other to love!

There is nothing at all wrong with achievements that bring you wealth and fame - I am all for it if that is your goal!!

Just do not expect those accomplishments and all the trappings that follow to bring you to the goal of Happiness!

For it is a long way down from that reality once you get to that pinnacle and realize it is not there waiting for you!!

The amazing fact is that without needing to sink a 50 foot putt or hit a golf ball 500 yards, we ALREADY have that Happiness, Peace and Joy available to us - We just need to recognize it and recalibrate our measurements!!

Stay Strong and learn from Tiger!

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Bonfire of the Vanities

It has been an ancient custom in many parts of the world that those who are blessed with good fortune show gratitude and humility to the gods they felt made it possible.

They would take the items indicating the trappings of their wealth, like money, jewels, or favorite items and burn them to symbolize how good fortune could turn on them in the blink of an eye.

Anything that made them feel more important than other and fine things they coveted would be burned in this Bonfire of the Vanities in an effort to, if only temporarily, remind themselves of the pain of losing the things they hold so dear.

As is has been for thousands of years, there will be times in our own lives when a bonfire of our own vanities will humble us and remind us WHY WE ARE ACTUALLY HERE.

The souls understand how valuable it is, not only in our own journey here, but the souls' continuing journey there, to help us pick up the pieces of our lives and find HOPE again.

Sometimes it takes longer than they hoped, but no matter when it comes, they stand at the ready to show us that everything in our lives is a CHALLENGE WE WILL LEARN FROM.

Loss is not only confined to the bereaved. We will all suffer losses, of varying kinds and in varying degrees, in the course of our lifetime here.

Although we will never know where our spiritual road will take us, one thing is certain - if we are on the road here, there WILL be a challenge to face. It is the only way we can learn from our experiences here.

No matter what way the circumstances of being humbled appears in our lifetime, it is the only way for God to refocus the way we see our journey here, and to set us again to the GREATER PURPOSE for which we are here.

God has a plan for each and every one of us, and although we will mourn our losses, we must also understand that the experiences are part of the plan!

The souls promise that the struggles we endure here will be worth every second of the pain we feel, because the reward for our accomplishments is an ETERNITY of JOY!

We never know where our lives will take us, so it is impossible to curse our fate when things change suddenly for what we perceive to be the worst.

ONLY God knows the why and how of any life plan, and if we have some FAITH that EVERYTHING is a stone that will build the path of our spiritual purpose here, these bonfires of the vanities will become easier for us, and far less destructive in the course of our lives here."

- George Anderson, "Walking in the Garden of the Souls"
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Next Stop - The Land of Hope and Dreams

"Grab your ticket and your suitcase,
Thunder's rolling down this track,

Well, you don't know where you're going now but you know you won't be back.


Well Darling if you're weary lay your head upon my chest,
We'll take what we can carry and we'll leave the rest,


Big wheels roll thru fields where sunlight streams,
Meet me in a Land of Hope and Dreams,


Well I will provide for you and I'll stand by your side, you'll need a good companion now, for this part of the ride..


Now Leave behind your sorrows, let this day be the last,
Tomorrow there'll be sunshine and all this darkness passed,


Big wheels roll thru fields where sunlight streams,
Meet me in a Land of Hope and Dreams,


Well, This train carries Saints and Sinners,
This train carries losers and winners,
This train carries whores and gamblers,
This train carries lost souls,

This train carries broken-hearted,
This train carries thieves and sweet souls departed,
This train carries fools, carries kings,
All aboard..

On This train - dreams will not be thwarted
On this train - FAITH will be rewarded
On This train - hear the steel wheels singing,
On This train - bells of freedom ring...

---- B. Springsteen... Land of Hope and Dreams...

Stay Strong!!!

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Sunrise

I was running very late this morning and as I rushed out the door to attempt to catch the next train, I was struck like a punch in the stomach by something so beautiful, so powerful, so very overwhelming that I was literally stopped in my tracks!!

The sun was peeking it's head ever so slightly over the Long Island Sound, and just the mere sliver of it radiated such a massive and encompassing orange glow that I could not take another step toward my car!

I was struck motionless by the light and energy that I saw rising steadily over the water!

I literally dropped my bag and grabbed my camera phone, stuck motionless as the sliver quickly became a semi-circle of fire, in a feeble attempt to somehow catch and document this absolute thing of Beauty and spectacular Splendor!

I stood in the driveway staring and felt so moved by this sunrise I cannot begin to explain the emotion of it.

I stood there for at least 10 minutes - awestruck and not wanting to leave!

Now granted, I have seen many a sunrise in my lifetime fortunately and this was certainly not the first one to have moved me with it's beauty and massive strength.

However, for some reason today's sunrise felt different. It felt more meaningful, more beautiful, more of a message to me and now to you --- Every Day belongs to us and we MUST seize it - appreciate it - utilize it and realize that we have a Mission here on earth!

We have a duty to each other to help, assist, encourage, and strengthen every single person you encounter!!

There is NOTHING more important that that - I repeat: THERE IS NOTHING MORE IMPORTANT THAN OUR DUTY TO EACH OTHER!

The picture I managed to muster does not come even close to capturing what that amazing ball of Love, Fire, Hope and Strength conveyed to me this morning, but I hope you can at least gleem just a little inspiration from the photo to help you move through your day with Joy and Happiness and Peace!

Stay Strong!

Two MUST READS - and I mean TODAY!

I just gobbled up 2 books on my Kindle and I have to urge all of you to do the same!!! TODAY!!

The first is George Anderson's "Walking in the Garden of the Souls" http://www.amazon.com/Walking-Garden-Souls-George-Anderson/dp/0425186113/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1258466287&sr=1-1 and the second is "Lessons from the Light" by Kenneth Ring, PhD. http://www.amazon.com/Lessons-Light-Learn-Near-death-Experience/dp/1930491115/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1258466364&sr=1-2.

Both of these books, albeit differently in approach and specifics, deal with the prospect of what happens after we die and more importantly - give us inspiration as to how to find Joy in this life as a result of these lessons!!

Both are fascinating, inspirational, powerful and life-altering in their messages and lessons!

Bring only an open mind and your strong Faith and what you read in these two works will transform your outlook on life INSTANTLY! For the Better of course!!

George Anderson's book is an amazing work on lessons he has learned in his vocation as a spiritual medium. He has joked that he is more like a "small" than a medium.

His lessons are derived from the multitude of Souls he hears from beyond this earth as he connects them with their loved ones still here on Earth. I know it sounds bizarre but I witnessed first hand his ability and amazing gift with our own loss and healing (http://www.fallon.freewebsitehosting.com/) after losing our precious niece and Goddaughter Fallon. His work saved lives!!

Dr. Ring's book is a study on NDE survivors, or Near Death Experiences. His clinical yet riveting studies on the accounts of numerous NDE survivors is couched as such to share the amazing lessons these people learned in their brief time away from this earth - and to stress that you do not need your own NDE to grasp and learn these lessons and benefit from their POWER to change our lives and outlooks in this lifetime!

The accounts of what occurred to these people - all completely unrelated - are amazing in their consistencies, similarities, and shared lessons learned despite all of them being totally separate and different situations, people, lifestyles, circumstances, beliefs, backgrounds, and religions!

You must pick these books up and read them ASAP! For your own happiness and joy!!

These lessons are too valuable to leave unknown any longer!!! For any of us!!

Stay Strong!!!

The Relativity of "Happiness"

Who doesn't want to "BE HAPPY"?

I mean really - isn't that the ultimate goal we all seek in this life?

Every book we see on Amazon.com has some "secret" to happiness, the "125 ways to GET HAPPY", "Get Happy Now", "Your Way to Happiness", etc...or some variation.

With such an overwhelming emphasis on this seemingly elusive state of being and emotion, and with so many people, experts, pundits and ordinary folk (yours truly) spouting off about "Happiness" and ways to achieve it, wouldn't you think that EVERYONE - or at least the majority of people with access to all this genius, secrets, tips and know how would actually... Be.... Happy!

No?

Think about it - how many people can you name and count who are truly HAPPY? I mean 100%, unadulterated, genuine and all-encompassingly HAPPY?

Not many - if any at all... That I can cite off the top of my head!

Now, I understand there are many, many people that are NOT UNHAPPY - but that is an entirely different thing altogether is it not?

Why is that? Even if you named 2 people that you feel are really, truly happy in their current state, that does not really amount to that many people on this grand world on a strict percentage basis does it?

Again - why is that? Why is happiness so darn elusive and rare in these lives we are leading??

I think I have a theory!

I believe, in my Faith, that we are all Souls. Beautiful, amazing, loving, caring Souls.

Hear me out for a second!

Have you ever been somewhere amazing and beautiful and fun and peaceful in your life? Have you ever spent time somewhere special and spectacular and had to return to wherever it was you came from before you were in that amazing place. Or even more so, had to leave that amazing place for a lesser place?

How did that feel? Crummy, no doubt.

It gets so that you can only really remember that beautiful and amazing place while you are in the lesser venue and dream of how happy you were back in the beautiful place.

How difficult is it to duplicate that feeling of joy and happiness you experienced in the great place in the new place? How happy can you be in the new place having experienced the splendor of the beautiful spot??

It is challenging indeed.

Well, I believe that part of our struggle and difficulty in being happy in this current life is due to the fact that we had once experienced something so peaceful and beautiful and joyous, prior to our existence here on Earth, that although we cannot consciously remember it - we can sense it and feel it and just know that it was an amazingly special place compared to where we are now!

Subconsciously we long to be back in that place of Joy and Happiness and nothing material, earth-made, ego driven or in existence physically can bring us that total and complete sense of peace and love and joy that we have already tasted once before.

How does someone like Elvis Presley kill himself with drugs - when he seemingly has everything we all strive to achieve--- fame, fortune, adoration, wealth and celebrity? The obituaries are filled with unhappy, miserable people who have passed unhappy and incomplete.

Why???

I truly believe that our purpose on the earth is to serve each other - assist and help each other - to learn and grow and develop as beautiful Souls!

And I also believe we will end up back in that beautiful spot we know deep in our subconscious, surrounded by loved ones, experiencing only Joy and peace and love - and finally the true happiness that we seek will be ours!

But not so fast!!

We have work to do here first, people! There is a purpose and reason we are here and we must do our best to grow and develop and love one another until we can get to the greatest Happiness we could ever imagine!

Forget the material trappings and the measures of success we use on this earth!!

The measure of true success is the kindness and love we bring to others, the support and help we offer those who are struggling more than we may be - the growth we seek and achieve in service to one abother and to our God!

That is what we should use as a tape measure!! Because that is all that truly matters after this life is over here on this planet!!

Think about it - when are you closest to true joy??? True happiness?? What brings you closest to that feeling we so desire??

You know the answer!! ;)

Stay Strong and keep your eye on the Goal!!!

Happiness will be ours without doubt!!
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Free Play!!

For those of you who are familiar with American Football, the term "free play" means something to you.

For those who are not, a "free play" occurs when a penalty flag is thrown during a play and an impending penalty is signaled on the defense. The play, however, does not come to a stop as the rules allow the play to go on to completion before the penalty is assessed to the offender.

This creates a "free play" for the offense. They know there is a penalty on the defense and that NO MATTER WHAT they will either score, gain yardage, or if they fail to do so, will get the ball back due to the penalty! No worse for the wear!

It is a great feeling that allows you to take a risk you may not take normally - to really go for a big play - throw the ball deep toward the endzone in hopes of a big catch - all the while knowing that if the other team intercepts the ball - it will not hurt your team.

What a great concept huh?

A free play.

Well, I believe life is like a free play in American Football in that we have our spiritual strength and faith to fall back on - NO MATTER what happens to us, NO MATTER what is thrown our way, or what obstacles we must endure, etc!

We have a multitude of free plays because of the fact - that when all is said and done - and that final whistle blows - we will all be OK!

I truly believe that we cannot do wrong when we live rightly in our hearts - when we allow ourselves to be guided by FAITH, HOPE, LOVE and seek PEACE!

We have a plethora of FREE PLAYS at our disposal when we realize that after all of our battles, hard trials, pain and suffering, hurdles, uncertainty, and FEAR here on earth are over - when we reach the Final Goal -- what George Anderson call the "Garden of Souls" - we will look back and realize we had nothing but Free Plays in our lives!

Take the risk - LIVE and LOVE without fear or anxiety or worry!!! Throw the proverbial football all the way downfield and see what happens!! By doing so you cannot be harmed!!!

Do not play your life conservatively in the aspects of love, kindness, Faith and HOPE!!

Let it Fly!!

No harm will come of it! There is nothing to FEAR when you know it is a FREE PLAY!!

And all of our lives are filled with FREE PLAYS!!

Stay Strong!!
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Simplify your Life and Find Joy

Life is full of complications, dilemmas, choices, obstacles, roadblocks, unknowns, cross-roads, etc. It is often overwhelming when you think about exactly how complex we make our lives!

There are only 24 hours in a day yet we manage to easily fill up each day with activities, meetings, events, tasks, chores, responsibilities, etc!

Sometimes it seems there is no end in sight and we can sometimes feel the pressure of the life we have created bearing down on us so hard it takes your breath away!!

What can be done??

It comes down to a choice we all can make and control -- a choice to SIMPLIFY our lives!

Get back to the basics and remember what it is that makes you happy!!

Do not continue to add layers of complexities, drama and unnecessary things to your life.

Narrow down what it is you WANT in your life and FOCUS all of your attention to that single desire.

Put aside all else that distracts you from your goal and keep things simple.

Write it down - meditate on it - pray for guidance on it and pursue it!

If you can scale back all else except for this singular focus and purpose, it is amazing how simple your life suddenly appears to you!

You don't have to become a monk or a recluse, just focus your mind on exactly what it is that you want from your life and go after it fully.

It takes some practice but it is achievable!!

Life does not have to be so hard all of the time! Get past your fears and remember what it is you are here on this earth to do!

The Beatles summed it up nicely for all of us... "All you need is................"?????




LOVE - correct!! :)

Love and kindness is all the matters!

Try it and work at it .... You will be glad you did!

Stay Strong!!
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The Decision for God

A Course in Miracles... A Plan for Peace - RIGHT NOW! Please read all of it -- it is Powerful... Stay Strong!

Do you really believe you can make a voice that can drown out God's? Do you really believe you can devise a thought system that can separate you from Him?

Do you really believe you can plan for your safety and Joy better than He can? You need be neither careful or careless; you need merely cast your cares upon Him because he careth for you.

You are His care because he loves you.

His voice reminds you always that all Hope is yours because of His care! You cannot "choose" to escape His care because that is not His Will, but you can choose to accept His care and use the infinite power of his Care for all those He created by it.

Why should you listen to the endless insane calls you think are made upon you, when you can know the Voice of God is in you?

God commended His Spirit to you, and asks that you commend yours to Him. He wills to keep it in perfect peace, because you are of one mind and spirit with Him.

You have not been asked to work out a plan of "salvation" yourself because, as I told you before, the remedy could not be of your making.

Your part is merely to return your thinking to the point in which the error in deciding was made, and give it over to God in peace.

Say this to yourself as sincerely as you can, remembering the Holy Spirit will respond FULLY to YOUR SLIGHTEST INVITATION:

"I must have decided wrongly, because I am not at Peace.

I made the decision myself, but I can also decide otherwise.

I want to decide otherwise, because I want to be at Peace.

I do not feel guilty, because the Holy Spirit will undo all the consequences of my wrong decision if I will let Him.

I choose to let Him, by allowing Him to decide for God for me."
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DO IT ANYWAY!!

Do it Anyway

Sign In Mother Teresa's Office

People are unreasonable,illogical, and self-centered,

LOVE THEM ANYWAY

If you do good, people willaccuse you of selfish,ulterior motives,

DO GOOD ANYWAY

If you are successful, you win false friends and true enemies,

SUCCEED ANYWAY

The good you do will be forgotten tomorrow,

DO GOOD ANYWAY

Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable,

BE HONEST AND FRANK ANYWAY

What you spent years building may be destroyed overnight,

BUILD ANYWAY

People really need help but may attack you if you help them,

HELP PEOPLE ANYWAY

Stressed Out? Depressed? Solution: Remember what truly matters!

As a kid of about 6 years old, I remember vividly having this epiphany regarding life in general and it ranked up there with one other enlightening moment that brought me a sense of relief.

The other light bulb that went off in my mind and brought me such "whewwwwwww" relief was that as a Man, I would not have to endure childbirth! That whole prospect freaked me out and after asking my Dad (who must have really been concerned about my state of mind back then) and receiving the defimitive word back that I could actually skip that experience due to my gender, I was so relieved. And now having witnessed 2 of my own births up close and personal since that time, I know now that I had every right to be relieved! Lol

My respect and awe remains and grows daily for my lovely wife and all you women!

The other concept that struck me at that very young age was "We all end up in the same place".

I remember vividly grasping this notion while in my sister's room after Church and thinking that no matter what I do or become, I will end up in the same ending spot as everyone else on the planet.

Whether I am President or homeless, all of us will arrive at the same end! I remember thinking that "Nothing" I do in my life can change that - spare me the grave, or alter this FACT!

It was pretty heady stuff at that age but it is a truly insightful concept to remember as adults when you are down about your job, your relationships, your family, situation, your life, etc.

We all have unlimited potential to build a joyous and happy life while we are on Earth - but remember that when the final bell or buzzer (or horn for you hockey afficianados) sounds for each of us - we are ALL arriving at the same place - back from whence we came!

From the wealthiest, most powerful person to the most destitute and humble - it does not matter!!

So how can and does this knowledge help us in our daily lives?

This understanding should give us peace and take some pressure off of us in our stressful, hectic lives whereby we scrap and struggle and aim at goals that we feel will make us happy - only to find that no matter how high you rise, or how much money you have, or the amount of power you wield, we ALL are going to end up in that same resting spot!

What we need to focus upon instead is HOW we live this life!

Do not get me wrong - I am all for ambition, success, wealth, etc.... There is absolutely nothing wrong with these and I seek them myself.

However, in the end what truly matters is what kind of friend you were, what kind of co-worker, neighbor, spouse, parent, sibling, offspring, etc. How kind were you to others, helpful, compassionate, merciful. How did you ACT - not what did you DO. These are subtle but dramatic differences.

I believe that the greatest resume' in the world will not matter a lick when the final buzzer sounds, but the "report card" that matters is how did we help, treat, assist, nurture, console and comfort each other?

I read a story a while back about a child (since grown) who visited his Dad's work one day. He recalls in his later years that what struck him the most back then as he met his Dad's co-workers was NOT his reputation for being a high performer, top producer, or 8 time Sales Champion-- what struck him then and still resonates with him 40 years later is the "way my Dad's co-workers spoke of him as a person". "What a great man". "A great boss". "A great friend". "Supportive - kind-compassionate".
It was clear that his Dad's co-workers liked and respected him not only for his accomplishments but mostly for the way he acted and treated others. It was a lesson for him and it should be a lesson for all of us indeed!

So stop beating yourself up over your career, financial situation, number of sales awards, relationship struggles, the lack of car, houses, money, gadgets!

KEEP striving for all of this success - Just do not replace WHAT TRULY brings us all happiness and peace with that constant drive and importance to succeed and collect material goods at all costss!!

Balance is key!

As Mother Teresa pointed out:

"Everybody today seems to be in such a terrible rush - anxious for greater developments and greater riches and so on, so that parents have very little time for their children. Parents have very little time for each other, and in the HOME begins the disruption of the Peace of the World."

Remember what matters! We all have a purpose - we all have a responsibility to love, care for, and comfort one another!

We are all in this TOGETHER and we ALL end up in the same place in the end - so LOVE, LOVE , LOVE - Seek out each other and provide the STRENGTH and KINDNESS that others may need TODAY - and peace will be yours!!

Stay Strong!

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Don't Fight it - Yet still Overcome it!

The battle to stay positive, upbeat and happy is a constant one - every minute seems to matter as forces in our own minds tend to perpetually attempt to remind us of worry, fear and anxiety.

We struggle, battle and fight against this onslaught in an effort to stop from being overwhelmed and overrun by negative emotion.

Quite frankly, it is exhausting!

Well, it does not have to be exhausting if we grasp and understand one thing -- the battle and presence of these negative thoughts will always be there BUT we can ride them out and resist their urges each and every time!

We do not have to flail and continually fight back against each and every negative thought - but instead we can ACCEPT that we will be challenged and allow them to bounce off of us!

KNOW you will be faced with these negative emotions and KNOW that they will pass - that you have the POWER to let them roll off of your shoulders!

Often we are confronted with overwhelming pressure and we panic or overreact!

Be cool in the face of these enemy thoughts -- Be waiting for them and laugh them off!! Accept that they will nag at your mind and try to drag you down - and then HIT them with your FAITH, your Mental Aces in the Hole (MAITH), or simply respond with a prayer - recite it over and over a few times and you will be amazed how quickly these cowardly thoughts retreat!

THEY know they cannot beat you when you UNDERSTAND them and their intentions! And they disappear and wait to hit you again at another vulnerable time!

Forewarned is forearmed they say .. And it is true with our mind and thoughts!

Thought is SUPREME indeed and if you can control and have power over your thoughts - Happiness, peace and Joy are inevitably yours!!

Stay Strong!

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Choices

Sounds trite but when it all boils down to it, life is nothing more than a series of choices followed closely by the outcomes and effects of those choices on our lives.

Pretty simple really. All we have to do is make the RIGHT choices every time we are faced with a decision point!

How hard can that be?

Impossible, of course, is the answer and no matter how much we analyze, study, prepare, investigate, and research our choices, inevitably - at some point- we are going to make what is perceived to be the WRONG choice!

No one is immune to it!

But think about HOW MANY choices we make in a day. Sure, some of them seem trivial in the grand scheme of life, but even trivial choices and decisions we make every single day (sometimes hundreds a day) can impact our lives in a major way!

How often have you heard horror stories about someone making a seemingly small choice during their day only to have that choice be the difference between life and death? (Think Sept 11, 2001)

Or how often have you heard of someone's choice saving or impacting someone else's life by what appears to be sheer happenstance? (Think September 11, 2001)

If we break it down like that it can be overwhelming and downright frightening to think that "what time" I leave to catch my train can have lasting ramifications on my life and the lives of others!

Overwhelming, scary, paralyzing, and also fascinating!

Well, I have a way to avoid being overwhelmed, paralyzed, or scared by the cavalcade of decisions we face daily - DO NOT WORRY and follow your heart!

I can hear you now - "What does that garbage mean?". " That is a bunch of hooey". Etc....

Please - Hear me out!

I truly believe we have a guidance system in all of us and that guidance system is operated by a higher Power! Call it what you will! God, the Universe, Holy Spirit, Karma, etc.

I believe that the choices WE SEEM to make, and decisions WE SEEM to choose are actually chosen for us.

Sometimes we do not listen to the right choice in our hearts.

Sometimes we do not even know we CAN listen to the right choice and completely miss it!

As Bono of U2 says in his new hit tune, "How can you stand next to the Truth and not see it...."

Well, that is often us and it is because we do not ask for the right choice to be shown to us!

I will take it one step further too. I believe there are NO WRONG choices in light of what are lives are supposed to be!

A dear friend of mine just made a life altering decision with her career. I happen to believe that she made the RIGHT decision, yet others when given the facts may disagree based on their own life situations, value systems, fears, and opinions.

So was it the right choice to make?

I say ANY decision made with a pure heart of love, Faith and Trust is the RIGHT choice to make!

I believe that if you ask for the answer and you choose in Faith, you WILL NEVER make the wrong choice!

Sure, it may seem wrong at times, but you must look at the big picture and elongate the results before you know if it is "right" or "wrong".

We are led down paths - not by our own doings - but by a higher Power! And we MUST have faith, COURAGE, confidence and Trust that we will be led to where we belong!

I KNOW my friend had been led there and I am proud of her!

And I know she KNOWS it too...

So choose with these qualities in your heart and NO amount of FEAR can ever lead you astray!

Stay Strong and God Bless!

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Surrender your heart to God

"Surrender your heart to God, turn to him in prayer, and give up your sins….Your troubles will go away like water beneath a bridge." 

-Job 11:13-166 

Do you have troubles?  Doesn't everyone? 

Consider what Dr. Peale said:  "It makes no difference what your problems are or how many of them you have, you can find an answer. The answer may be what you desire and want, what you have hoped for. But on the other hand, the answer may be something far different from what you expect.

But if it has been hammered out with God, it is the right answer.


There is nobody who has a problem for which there is not an answer through the wisdom and the guidance of God."  

How do we hammer out our problems with God?  You have already taken the most important step in doing so, by tapping the power of prayer.

Lift it up to the Lord by name and need.  Watch and wait in faith for an answer to your prayer. 

The right answer will surely come…even if, perhaps, not in the way you expect.

Stay Strong!
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Choices! What are yours?

"The really positive people wake up each morning deciding to love the world, even as they are fully conscious of their own and other people's sufferings"
--- Mark Van Valkenburg

"Bill Genovese is one of those, who despite his own troubles, chose a courageous and constructive life.

As a teen. He coped with the devastating and senseless murder of his older sister. In 1964, 28 year old Kitty Genovese was sexually assaulted and repeatedly stabbed by a man in her Queens, NY neighborhood. While she was being brutally attacked neighbors, who heard the screams but either did not understand the gravity of the situation or did not want to get involved, did nothing.

Bill Genovese struggled with his anger. Two years later he joined the Army and went to Vietnam. There both his legs were destroyed by an explosion and had to be amputated.

He was 19 years old.

Bill had a choice to make at that point and he could have understandably given into his anger and resentment and despair. Who would have faulted him given all he had experienced in his 19 short years on this earth?

Bill determined "not to sit on the sidelines of life".

He chose to love and live and forgive!

"He is grateful for the Blessings God gave him like meeting and marrying his wife Dale, a nurse, having three children, a home, a job, his Faith and eventually grandchildren."

He chose to love.

How different from Bill's are your circumstances today? Your challenges? Your struggles? Your first thoughts as you awake to take on the day?

We have a choice - and not just daily- hour to hour - minute to minute - to change our minds and CHOOSE happiness - CHOOSE joy - CHOOSE peace, CHOOSE to love and live and help and forgive!

No formal applications are needed - just accept it in your heart and minds and it will set you (us) on a path to joy and peace!

Stay Strong - and take time today to really reflect and remember all of your blessings as they often become buried in our perceived daily struggles!!

"I thank my stars every day of my life that I learned it is not money that makes you happy, but rather what kind of life you live. Real richness comes not from dollars, but with "sense".
- Eartha Kitt

(Story partially adapted from the Christopher News Letter)

Ask, Seek, Knock

Stop worrying - simply ask with Faith and Trust and it will be granted to you.. How can it not be??

Stay Strong!

"Ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks WILL receive, and anyone who seeks WILL find, and the door WILL be opened to those who knock.

Would any of you who are fathers give your son a stone when he asks for bread? Or would you give him a snake when he asks for a fish?

As bad as you are, you know how to give good things to your children.

How much more, then, will your Father in Heaven give good things to those who ask Him?

Do for others what you want them to do for you: this is the meaning of the Law of Moses and of the teachings of the prophets."

(Matthew 6. 7-12)

Monday Blues? Only if you want 'em!

It was 6:25 this morning when I walked into the hallway and bumped smack into my 7 year old daughter. I was very surprised to see her not only awake, but fully dressed in her camp shirt, bathing suit underneath - Ready to take on the day!

"Wow, Sweetie, you are up early today."

" I already ate breakfast and brushed my teeth too Daddy!" She beamed.

"Wow - that is great! I am so proud of you! Why so early today?" I inquired.

" I just want my day to start now" she replied with a bright, dazzling smile.

It was quite the contrast - my daughter rip roaring to get on with her day and her Dad, sluggish, and slowly dragging himself to the shower to start his work week - safe to say with less enthusiasm as my little girl.

Now, I understand a day spent at the office versus a day spent literally at the beach and pool with your friends, playing, swimming and laughing are two vastly different motivations!

However,my daughter inspired me to get my butt in gear, lose the blah Monday attitude and get charged up for the day!

It is a matter of CHOICE! A choice in our minds that we control!

Which will you choose this morning?

Allow the Monday Blues to control you and run your day, week, life?

Or take control of it and CHOOSE to be happy, strong, enthusiastic, focused, enjoying and appreciating ALL the blessings you have been given this wonderfu day??

Remember - there are many people who cannot enjoy today's sunshine and walk around healthy - smiling and seeking positives! And you can bet they would trade their "Monday" for ours in a heartbeat!

Get it in perspective - give thanks for all the Gifts you are experiencing this morning - and go out and INSPIRE someone to have a great Monday like my precious daughter did to me today!

It does not matter what your situation - it is BETTER than the majority of people on the planet and chances are OUR perception of our so called "problems" are quite inflated when you start delving deeper into people's daily challenges!

Inspire someone today - pick them up from the Monday gloom! It does not take much to do it!

You will not regret it for a moment!

And please remember that You are not ALONE - Stay Strong!

It works!!!!

It happened again - and I could not be more delighted!!

We have spoken often on techniques to pull ourselves out of negativity, sadness, anxiety and fear!! We all go through it - some daily, some hourly, some weekly or monthly!!

Regardless of our circumstances, we all face these emotions constantly and seem to be in a never-ending battle against them!!

Well - I have good news!! The battle is Winnable and it is not difficult to do!!

It happened this morning on the way to work!! Negative thoughts crept into my mind, stealth-like but quite powerfully! Worries about my children, wife, health, finances, the future, family, work, the present, terrorism, health care reform, college costs, bonuses, air quality, Big Papi's steroid "allegations", American League East pennant race, radon, etc, seem to wait at the door to our thoughts fighting to barge in and flood our positive emotions!!

We cannot allow this to occur and WE CAN combat it!!

How??

Identify the negative thoughts as they appear --and focus ON what you WANT - not on what is currently going on with your life!

Focus on the good things you have - no matter how small they may seem - and take immediate steps to CHANGE your current situation!

EVERYONE has some good to point to and bolster their strength and courage!

Be it Family, friends, children, spouse, work, charity, health, etc...

Rely on these blessings to surpass any bad thoughts or ideas that surface!

They can be small baby steps - it does not matter - as long as you are embracing the change with enthusiasm, positive emotion, and Faith!!!

Focusing on your current situation and spinning your wheels will only keep you planted like a tree to your current situation!!

Stop that focus and rumination and FOCUS on what it is you WANT to be, have, do, etc!!!!

Practice this and in no time you will be able to immediately thwart those paralyzing fears and anxieties - and move beyond what it is that is currently keeping you from the Peace, Joy and Happiness you rightly deserve!!

You CAN DO IT! This is YOUR life - and YOU dictate how it is going to be!!

Stay Strong!!

Interesting Link of the Day

http://giveforgiveness.com/forgiveness/?gclid=CLjcksWZ-5sCFQtN5QodqHub-A

This is a site for catharsis - and forgiveness!

Forgiveness is a TREMENDOUS step toward Joy and Peace!

Check it out - and let it out! It is amazing how POWERFUL simply writing out your feelings and frustrations, and angers can be! And not only empowering - but uplifting!

http://giveforgiveness.com/forgiveness/?gclid=CLjcksWZ-5sCFQtN5QodqHub-A

Faith AND Trust - Both are Necessary!

When you give a problem to God, you exercise Faith.

When you leave that problem with God, you exercise Trust!

Your Faith can grow stronger and you can experience God's victorious results when, after giving God the problem, you TRUST him enough to not take it back and bear the full burden of it alone!

Even in times where God is silent or when his answer to your prayer is "no", you can still have faith, hope, trust, and the ASSURANCE that God is in charge, no matter how things may look!

God WANTS to be in charge in your life! Ask Him to be!

See with the eyes of Faith, face the impossible with TRUST and COURAGE, and have the confidence that God will work on your behalf even if the answer to your prayer does not come exactly as you want it to come!

- Deacon Ralph Torrelli

Stay Strong - God Bless!

Get back in the game - overcome the FEAR!

A good friend of mine contacted me yesterday to catch up and in the process, perhaps unwittingly, enlightened me!!

Turns out that when she started a new job about a year ago, she was in a large business meeting with her Superiors, her coleagues and her reports. She happened to be blindsided by being asked by her boss to speak -extemoraneously -on a topic she knew little about and had not been prepared to speak upon.

She did her best but it was a disaster and she left that meeting devastated, embarrassed, and disheartened. She was convinced that she had ruined her reputation, lost the respect of not only her superiors, but her colleagues and direct reports.

It ate at her day and night and she began to fear speaking at those monthly meetings! She avoided them like the plague, made excuses as to why she could not present or speak to the group.

It really wore down on her soul, her self esteem, and kept her living in a prison of fear!

That all changed last week! Finally, tired of this nagging dread and fear hanging over her head, she miraculously stepped up and volunteered to deliver a critical presentation to the same type of group!

She was beyond nervous - beyond apprehensive about the prospect of embarrassing herself even further the week before her event!

Yet, she prepared her presentation as if her life depended upon it. She practiced it over and over - visualized it constantly, anticipated questions, and despite her queasiness that morning - she DELIVERED!!

Not only delivered - but knocked it out of the park!!!

Her words: " People who have not barely uttered words to me since I began came by my office to chat - commenting on my presentation. My bosses both sent me emails telling me what a great job they thought I had done. It was crazy really."

She continued:

"You know what I took from this most? I am the same person I was BEFORE that presentation. Yet, once I overcame MY fear, and delivered what I was capable of delivering - I was PERCEIVED as a different person."

" I am not sure what I feel about that - except I do now realize that FEAR HAS TO BE removed to succeed, to live, to be at PEACE!"

She nailed it!!! FEAR - perceived or real - MUST be ERADICATED in order to live a life of peace!

It is that simple!! And that hard!!

The only way we BEAT FEAR is to SURFACE it - CONFRONT IT - let it make our knees weak, make us shake and quake ... THEN Step up and CONQUER it!!

Fear is in our minds - and CAN be overcome by surfacing the fears (whatever they may be) and then FACING them head on!

That is COURAGE and all of us are much more courageous than we know!

ALL of Us - to a person - HAS the power to overcome any FEAR - any doubt, any perceived weakness!! TODAY!! Inherent in all of us - IF we choose to believe it!!!

Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you - to walk with you - EVERY DAY! Literally ASK Him - in the morning - at night... During the day!

It only takes one request - and it will be delivered to you!

Enjoy the weekend - And be at Peace - because YOU CAN be if you simply ask!

Stay Strong!

What is Your Life Purpose?

"All my life, I always wanted to be somebody. Now I see that I should have been more specific."

- Jane Wagner


Everybody wants to feel important, that their life means something, that their time spent on earth is more than just passing days.

I believe that God has a unique plan for every man and every woman. Not only has He planted in us the seeds of greatness, but more importantly, a purpose for our lives and the ability to fulfill that purpose.

There is a powerful sense inside each of us that we are meant to do something important, to make something of our lives.

And yet, with the hustle and bustle of executing of our daily lives, we often end up feeling as if we have merely spent energy spinning our wheels and have come no closer to fulfilling our purpose in life.


There is no more desperate feeling than to watch the weeks, months, and years tick off the calendar while we grind away at life not knowing where we are going or what we are even grinding for.


Ask yourself these questions:

Who am I?

What is my purpose in life?

What is the legacy I want my life to leave behind when I die?

Imagine you are at your own funeral, invisible, hovering about.


What are people saying about you? What is the epitaph on your tombstone? Are you happy about what you hear and see? Are you satisfied with the person you became and what you did with your life?

While you still have time, pray about it, meditate on it.

Seek with an open mind what it is that God would have you to do.

It might be too late to accomplish certain objectives; I doubt it, but it's possible.

It is never too late to become the person you were meant to be.

Jeff Young

http://www.friendsofjeff.com/

The True meaning of the Crucifixion..

Such a simple statement for such a complex topic, I agree completely.

The sheer magnitude of the event, the many events and encounters leading up to those 6 hours on Calvary, the very thought of what occurred that day and then three days later is breathtaking indeed!

From Gethsemane to that final cry to His Father and last breath on Earth before dying a painful, humiliating death, Jesus had the Power to call on a legion of Angels to rescue Him and "deliver this cup from my lips" - yet He didn't do it.

He endured taunts, inhumane beatings, mockery, a crown of thorns, an excruciating death of barbaric proportions - all the while asking His Father to "forgive" those who did this to Him.

What Jesus did that day was show the world what we can, and must, endure at times if we are to enjoy His Kingdom! It was His adherence to God's Will - not His own - that was the lesson!

How difficult and torturous it must have been for Him to stick to what God had willed for His only Son - what Faith, Compassion and Strength it must have taken Him!

It boggles the mind to fathom it!!

So in our daily struggles - all of them hopefully less painful and less consequential - we must remember what His sacrifice meant for all of us and put our problems and tribulations in perpsective!

Jesus endured Death - the worst possible outcome of any of our problems as Humans - and demonstrated to everyone that NOTHING we face -NOTHING - can overcome us when we have Jesus in our hearts - and follow/trust God's Will instead of our own earthly wants!!

What a Joy and relief that is if we accept it in our hearts and live with that Faith daily!!

Give it up to the Holy Spirit - the Lord's messenger - and stop worrying!!

All is well - Jesus is Risen!
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

A Friend is Dying...

A friend of mine is dying.

He knows it. Everyone close to him and around him knows it - and it seems to be something that no one can stop, avoid, correct or remedy.

It really stinks.

I was thinking of him this morning, as he continues his battle and good fight - surely, albeit slowly and begrudgingly knowing the end is not a question mark any longer.

Fully knowing that his time here is limited and the end result is shortly out of his hands.

You often hear the ubiquitous phrase " live each day as if it were your last" bandied about whether it be on the radio, tv, literature, etc.

It is an American cultural theme and the sheer frequency of it's usage seems to have dampened and de-sensitized it's true meaning, impact and power.

I admit that I understand the concept, and yes I do agree we all should conduct our days in such a manner.

However I do not do this as often as I should and usually brush it off as something "that happens to the other guy". I don't need to do that as I (we) have all the time in the world to treat each day as it were my last! Plus I have other things to tend to - work, bills, children and family issues, etc...

My friend probably thought the exact same way too as he heard the lyrics playing on the radio in his car.

Until now that is...

We MUST remind ourselves that tomorrow is not guaranteed to any of us -- we may not actually have the time that we felt we did as youths - invincible, unstoppable, eternal!!

So, as I prayed for him this morning, I was thinking of the possible regrets he may have and thoughts he may be struggling with today - and it made me incredibly sorrowful for him - and for all of us!

If that were you - in his shoes this morning - would that fight with your family member you stopped speaking with really matter? Would the IRA account, bank accounts, home values, the job titles, resume, second homes, boats, cars matter to you if you were preparing for the final act?

Who would you want to forgive? Who would you ask to forgive you? What do you regret doing to someone that you would not want to take to your next life with you?

Imagine that feeling as you are running out of time - unable to correct things that you really should have corrected long ago. For so long being unable to tell a loved one or a friend what you really feel about them - how much they mean to you - until it is too late to enjoy it with them!

That feeling of regret and missed opportunity pains me already - and it is certainly not something I want to encounter as my days wind down and I have too little time to do the right thing!

Yet - I do not walk the walk, like many of us don't - when we have that time, that opportunity, that chance to DO IT NOW.

My friend is dying and if there is any morsel of goodness to come out of his inevitable passing, let it be that YOU will remember to use the God-given time you have to live, love, forgive, offer your mercy and kindness to those who need it most - serve others and do not wait until time is escaping to make things right!

So please, remember my friend and keep things in proper perspective! Life IS short and the things that truly matter as we look back on our lives do not come with $ or prestige!!

God Bless - Stay Strong and remind yourself daily to "Live each Moment as if it is your last"!

I am sure my friend would agree...

I could have done so much more....

"I could have done so much more.."

Who can possibly forget the moving scene at the end of the movie Schindler's List where Liam Neeson is coming to realize the enormity of what has occurred in his midst, only to lament and regret that he did not sell his car, or his gold pin, to save the lives of more victims.

His heartache and pain is palpable as he realizes that, despite the fact he did more than many to save some lives during that horrible period in history, he could have done so much more to make an impact! He could have saved one more innocent life if.. if... if......

So often in our lives we miss real opportunities that we may never get back again - opportunities to impact other's lives and to help them during their struggles.Life can be hard and challenging and "all-consuming" at times - there is no doubt about that!

However, you will find that if you SHIFT the focus of your worry, your disappointment, your fear, your concerns AWAY from your life and STRIVE to make a difference in someone else's life instead- it is INEVITABLE that you will feel better about your life!

Do not believe me?? Try it! It is a FACT - not a theory.

How many times during your day do you focus on how other's are struggling - how your spouse, or sibling, or co-worker, or parents, or even strangers you encounter are dealing with their challenges and hardships?

How many times do you take a step back and "put yourselves in their shoes"?

It is not easy to do -- but if you make it part of your daily discipline and try that approach - as opposed to attacking or judging (the easy route)-- you will see an immediate improvement in your current situation!

Whether it is helping a stranger who is lost, helping someone on the subway or train, a smile to someone who looks in pain or to be suffering, a small compliment to someone known or unknown to you that just might turn their day around - a note to someone to tell them how much you appreciate them or a "thank you" note to someone who has been there for you.... taking a moment to stop and ask a neighbor how THEIR day is going..How can this not make you feel better??

It is IMPOSSIBLE not to!!

Do not end up like Schindler - wishing you had done more, wish you had taken the action to help someone more when they needed it - AFTER THE FACT - and regretting it for the rest of your life!

Start right this moment to take that step - and you will see the immediate difference this makes in your life!Stay Strong!!

The purpose of life is not to be happy - but to matter, to be productive, to be useful, to have it make some difference that you have lived at all. ~Leo Rosten

YOU are NOT ALONE!

Certain days it seems like things pile up and pile up on you until you feel like you are at a breaking point. You feel helpless, hopeless, useless, anxious, lost, overwhelmed -- you feel like you are all ALONE in this universe!

Well I have news for you - You are NEVER alone!

It is easy for our minds to go immediately to the worst case scenario and isolate ourselves from others when we are in trials and strife! It is all to easy to rollover in the face of pain and fear!

Don't Do It!

You are Never alone!! The Holy Spirit waits for you to ask for His help! That is why He has been given to us by the Lord!

He is ALWAYS with you!! Utilize Him!

He is the answer to all sincere prayer!! He is the Comfort we seek in all times of challenge!!

Never despair! Never fear! Call upon the Holy Spirit for guidance - and it will come to you!

An example of the Holy Spirit at work amongst us

If we ever needed evidence that the Holy Spirit is among us via acts of our fellow brothers and sisters, the example of Frank Becerra, Sr should be the only proof we need!

Rarely in life do we encounter a soul as delightful, caring, pleasant and comforting as Frank Becerra.

No matter the occasion, Mr. Becerra was always upbeat, always had a smile and a "twinkle" in his eye. You were always delighted when you would see him at a function, a party, a ball game, or his home - and he always seemed delighted to see you (whether or not he was -haha)!

Mr. Becerra was a gift from Heaven to us all - an inspiration to everyone as to the kind of person we should strive to become and the life we should all attempt to lead.

He will be missed by all who had the true honor and privilege to have known him, laughed with him, and shared time with him.

His kind do not pass this way often!

Rest well, Mr. B - and Thank You!God Bless!

May 27, 2009Frank Becerra, retired newspaper artist, dies at 82

Retired senior editorFrank Becerra Sr., whose artistic talents brought him fame as an editorial cartoonist for The Journal News' predecessor newspapers and for thousands of portraits he did for the community, died Monday at Sarah Neuman Nursing Home, Mamaroneck, after a battle with Parkinson's disease.A resident of White Plains, he was 82.

More than an artist, Becerra was the newspaper's unofficial goodwill ambassador. In 1982, he was inducted into the Westchester County Sports Hall of Fame in recognition of his sports cartoons and illustrations. The work he did as an artist for charity causes was cited in 1998, when he was inducted into the White Plains High School Hall of Fame. He also was awarded the Luric Werden Golf Journalism Award by the Metropolitan Golf Writers Association.

But his portraits were not restricted to the Lower Hudson Valley.In 1962, when he painted and sent to the Vatican a picture of Pope John XXIII depicting the "adoration of the cross," Becerra received a warm letter of thanks from the papal secretary of state that granted him and his family "the paternal apostolic benediction of His Holiness.""

My father touched so many peoples lives, not only through his artwork but through his kindness and generosity," said his son, Frank Becerra of Brewster, a photographer for The Journal News. "I am so blessed to have had the opportunity to work with him, and observe firsthand his work ethic. Anyone who has ever met my father knows what a humble and wonderful man he was."

Former Gov. Mario Cuomo once invited Becerra and his wife, Isabel, to the state Capitol, where his drawing of Cuomo was mounted outside the governor's office.

On occasion, he illustrated the scenes during high-profile trials at the Westchester County Courthouse. In 1970, he drew Westchester's answer to Smokey Bear - "Flora the Fawn," a cute deer to illustrate directional signs in the county parks system and urge people to pick up their litter and be careful with fire.

Becerra was generous with his talents, often offering to draw pictures for friends, whether it be of their grandchildren, or in the case of Francesco Spinali, a portrait of the Francesco's Italian restaurant owner that has graced the cover of the menu for more than 30 years."It was special because he made it," Spinali said. "He was something special."

One of his best known editorial cartoons depicted New York City banks as octopuses with tentacles trying to move into Westchester and take over local banks. His cartoons concerning the accident carnage on Westchester's parkways helped convince the state to take over and modernize the county-built roads.

Becerra's infectious smile and the twinkle in his eyes drew the comments of a colleague in 1960, when he illustrated the newspapers' 12-part story, "The Year That Christmas Disappeared." In a promotional story, Madelaine Wilson wrote, "How nice they chose an artist who believes in Santa Claus. … Actually, Frank's eyes have a sort of built-in twinkle. It gives him the appearance of knowing something delightfully pleasant which, with a little encouragement, he will share with you."

He was born in White Plains to Theodore and Angelina Tedesco Becerra and, after high school, joined the Coast Guard in 1945, during World War II, serving as a radioman. After three years of service, he studied at night at the Art Students League in New York under the G.I. Bill while working with an ad agency during the day.

He joined what was the Macy Westchester Newspapers in 1954, rising to the post of chief artist for the group when it was called Gannett Westchester Rockland Newspapers, directing all editorial art, illustrations, cartoons and photo retouching.

He retired in 1992, but continued to draw portraits of high school students chosen as the Con Edison athlete of the week.The portraits appeared in the newspapers; the originals went to the students.

There were hundreds of drawings of celebrities Becerra met in his career, including Joe DiMaggio, Ralph Branca, Roy Campanella, Joe Louis, Jack Dempsey and Bob Hope.He and his wife met on a trip to Spain in 1950, and were married two years later.A considerable amount of art charity work that Becerra did in the community sprang from working next to Isabel in her many volunteer activities, which included White Plains Hospital Center and the former St. Agnes Hospital.

An avid fisherman, Becerra was a familiar figure knee-deep in the Bronx River on April 1, the start of trout season, and friends made it a habit to drive by and wave to him - and he waved back.

Besides his wife and son, he is survived by a daughter, Maria Gallagher of Yorktown; sons Peter, Joseph, Anthony and William, all of White Plains; nine grandchildren; and two brothers.

When Through one man a little more Love,

a little more Goodness, a little more Hope,

a little more Beauty, a little more Joy,

And a little more faith

Has come to the world

Then that man's life has has Meaning

One more Reminder...

Romans 15:13,

“Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.”

Reminder...

Joy Peace Righteousness Spirit
Romans 14:17. Having the Holy Ghost in our lives is the secret of happiness. The Holy Ghost provides us direction and encouragement to be in right standing with God. Without the Holy Ghost in our lives we are left to our own devices that result in sin and ultimately death. For us that have accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we have the spirit of God in us.

The Holy Ghost in us helps us to stay in right standing with God. By being in right standing with God (to be righteous) we can have peace and joy in our lives (Romans 14:17, “For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost”).

Give it up!

How many of us struggle daily with the seemingly overwhelming burdens we place on ourselves in the form of worry, anxiety and Fear?

How many of us continually pile problem atop issue atop worry atop fear and carry this gigantic weight of problems around on our shoulders every single day??

How do we handle these issues?

Usually we do 1 of 2 things:

1. We ignore them and hope they go away. We simply stick our heads in the sand like the proverbial ostrich and hope when we peek back out at reality that the problems will have simply disappeared.

Or we:

2. Allow the enormous weight of our issues to force us into attacking them one by one - using our own frame of reference of reality as a guide.

We should know from past experience that neither one of these actions or inactions deliver the results we seek - which is Peace and Joy!

So - what can we do to reach that goal??

It is simple - Just Give it Up!!

Give up your problems, fears, worries, and anxieties to the Holy Spirit!!

You may ask as I certainly did - "What does that mean exactly??"

It means that all of our efforts to gain peace and remove fear fail when we try to do it ourselves! We cannot do it alone!!

Why do we think that after so many tries to remove this Fear on our own, with our own perspective and limited knowledge, that simply doing the same thing repeatedly will yield different results?

Afterall - that is the definition of "insanity" - is it not?

Try this tonight -- either lying in bed prior to falling asleep or find a quiet spot without any interruptions. Summon to your mind ALL of your current worries, fears, concerns, troubles, problems, etc. Be specific - really feel the fear and worry that these thoughts bring to your awareness.

Then simply "Give Them Up" to the Holy Spirit!

That is right - Ask the Holy Spirit to assume these issues for you!

Turn them all over to Him and allow Him to take care of them for you!!

Literally say to Him "Holy Spirit, Please take these fears and worries from me and deliver me Peace - I trust in your guidance"

Say it numerous times if you must although only one invitation to Him is necessary!

I guarantee that after sincerely turning over all of your worries and fears to Him, you will have the most peaceful sleep you ever have experienced and wake in a state of peace!

Just Give it Up! He is waiting for your invite! It will not happen unless you open it up to Him!

I would love to hear of your results on the comments section...!!

Try it tonight - It works and what do you have to lose trying it?

God Bless!
DF

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

3 Proven Steps to "Dig You Out" and Heal in no time...

We are all susceptible to that creep of despair, uncertainty, anxiety, fear and worry no matter how strong we fashion ourselves to be.

Even more frustrating is the fact that we can feel absolutely invincible - on top of the world one week (or day) - only to find ourselves in the throes of doubting and anxiety the very next!!

It can be maddening indeed! At least until we get more consistent with our "mind work" and our "Mental Aces in the Hole" (MAITHs).

Well - critical to avoiding this trap and shortening the periods of time between the peaks and valleys of our moods and attitudes is the ability to "snap back" or "dig out" of the trough!

This can be done relatively easily but it takes some practice before it becomes second-hand!

Here are some tips on mastering this important catalyst:

1. Ask the Holy Spirit for Guidance! The Holy Spirit is at our disposal for guidance and assistance in achieving Joy and Peace! This is His only mission, objective and goal! The only "catch" is that WE have to invite Him! He will not impose Himself on us but once we ask - He will DELIVER. Therefore, take the time daily to ask for guidance, invite Him into your life and hand over all your fears, worries, and anxieties to Him! It NEVER fails.

2. Shift focus from what YOU want and need to helping out another person in need!! Seek out those who are suffering, confused, or facing a battle of their own! You will b e shocked how quickly YOU feel better helping someone else with their own struggles! Like inviting the Holy Spirit to handle your problems and reveal the Joy and Peace we all have waiting for us, this is also foolproof - and there is never a shortage of people in need of your support, smile, shoulder to lean on, or kind words!!

3. Focus on the NEXT Thing to come - not on your current situation! The surest way to stay stuck and mired in your present strife is to remain focused on it! Stop right now and close your eyes! Forget about your financial woes, your lack of whatever you want or need, and instead picture what you WANT!! What would make you happy right now if it were to be your present state? What do you WANT to become, do, visit, etc?? Focus on how that future state of joy and peace make you feel! Amazingly different than you felt 5 minutes ago I bet!

I know- I do it constantly! And it works wonders!!

Now take that future state of joy and peace you can almost taste and apply a PLAN to getting there! ATTRACT people and circumstances into your life by remaining faithful and positive on what it is you WANT - not where you are now!!

If you do these 3 steps - you will be amazed at how great your life will become, how much more fulfilling life will be - and how quickly Peace, love, happiness and Joy come into your reality! Just as the Lord has arranged it!!

Clear the clouds of illusion your mind and ego have created and embrace Reality!! It is waiting for you!

Stay Strong!

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God is the Strength in which I Trust

God is the Strength in which I Trust!

This is from our friends at "A Course in Miracles".

It takes an open mind to understand and accept the Power behind it's meaning.

God can mean so much to so many different people, but if it is more palatable for you to replace the word "God" with Universe, Divine Being, etc -according to your own beliefs - in order to Believe, then by all means please do.

For me the word God rings true in this exercise. It is the ultimate MAITH to call upon in times of weakness, fear, doubt, despair and concern.

And if you truly BELIEVE what it is saying, there is no STRENGTH more powerful or more apt to lead you to Peace and Joy than this one!

Open your mind -- Give it a try - what do you have to lose?

>>>>>>>>>

God is the Strength in which I Trust!

If you are trusting in your own strength, you have every reason to feel apprehensive, fearful, and anxious!

What can you predict or control?What is there in you that can be counted on? What would give you the ability to be aware of all the facets of any problem, and to resolve them in such a way that ONLY good can come from it?

What is in you that gives you the recognition of the right solution, and the GUARANTEE that it will be accomplished?

Of yourself you can do none of these things. To believe that you can is to put your trust where your trust is unwarranted, and to JUSTIFY fear, anger, depression, anxiety and sorrow.
Who can put his faith in weakness and feel safe?

Yet who can put his faith in Strength and feel WEAK?

God is your safety in every circumstance. His voice speaks for Him in all situations and in every aspect of all situations, TELLING you what to do to call upon His Strength and His Protection!
There are no exceptions because God has no exceptions. And the Voice which speaks for him thinks as He does.

Today we will try to reach past your own weakness to the Source of Real Strength!

Close your eyes and repeat the idea of the day. Then spend a minute or two searching for situations in your life which you have invested with FEAR, dismissing each one by telling yourself:

"God is the Strength in which I Trust",
Now try to slip past all concerns related to your own sense of inadequacy.

It is obvious that any situation that causes you concern is associated with feelings of inadequacy, or else you would believe that you could deal with the situation successfully.

It is not by trusting yourself that you will gain confidence.

But the Strength of God in you is sucessful in all things.

The recognition of your own frailty is a necessary step in the correction of your errors and misconceptions, but it is hardly a sufficient one in giving you the confidence you NEED, and to which you are ENTITLED.

You must also gain in awareness that confidence in your REAL STRENGTH is fully justified in all respects and in EVERY circumstance.

Try to use this exercise to really reach down into your mind to a place of real SAFETY. You will recognize that you have reached it if you feel a sense of deep PEACE, even if only for a brief instant.

Let go all the trivial things and concerns that churn and bubble on the surface of your mind, and reach down below them to the Kingdom of Heaven.

There IS a place within you now where there is Perfect Peace.

There is a place within you where NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE.

There is a place inside you where the STRENGTH of GOD abides.

During the day, repeat the idea often.

Use it as your answer to any disturbance.

Remember Peace is your RIGHT because you are giving your Trust to the STRENGTH of God!

Stay Strong!!!

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Try it today!

I will be Master of my Emotions!

Today I will be Master of my Emotions!!
(Og Mandino - The Greatest salesman in the World)

The tides advance; the tides recede.
Winter comes and summer goes.
The sun rises and the sun sets.
The moon is full; the moon is black.
The birds arrive; the birds depart.
Flowers bloom, flowers fade.
Seeds are sown; harvests are reaped.
All of nature ( that is you and I) is a circle of moods and we are a part of nature and so like the tides, my moods will rise; my moods will fall.

Today I will be Master of my Emotions!

It is one of nature's tricks, little understood, that each day I awaken with moods that have changed from yesterday.

Yesterday's joy will become today's sadness; yet today's sadness will grow into tomorrow's joy.

Inside me is a wheel, constantly turning from sadness to joy, from exhultation to depression, from happiness to melancholy.

Like the flowers, today's full bloom of joy may fade and wither into despondency, yet I will REMEMBER that as today's dead flower carries the seed of tomorrow's bloom, so, too, does TODAY'S SADNESS CARRY THE SEED OF TOMORROW'S JOY!!

Today I will be Master of my Emotions!

How?

How will I master these emotions so that each day will be productive?

For unless my mood is right the day will be a failure.

Trees and plants depend on the weather to flourish but I make my own weather, yea I transport it with me!

And how will I master my emotions so that EVERY DAY is a HAPPY DAY, a PRODUCTIVE one?
I will learn this SECRET of the AGES:

WEAK IS HE WHO PERMITS HIS THOUGHTS TO CONTROL HIS ACTIONS;
STRONG IS HE WHO FORCES HIS ACTIONS TO CONTROL HIS THOUGHTS!

Each day, when I awake, I will follow this plan of battle before I am captured by the forces of sadness, self-pity and failure --

If I feel depressed - I will Sing.
If I feel sad -- I will laugh.
If I feel ill -- I will double my labor.
If I feel fear -- I will plunge ahead.
If I feel inferior --I will wear new garments.
If I feel uncertain -- I will raise my voice.
If I feel incompetent -- I will remember past success.
If I feel insignificant -- I will remember my Goals.

Today I will master my emotions!!

Henceforth I will recognize and identify the mystery of moods of all mankind, and in me.

From this moment I am prepared to control whatever personality awakes in me each day.

I will master my moods through POSITIVE ACTION and when I master my moods I will CONTROL MY DESTINY!

Today I control my Destiny!

I will become Master of Myself!

I will become GREAT!!"

Stay Strong!!!

To Have All, Give All....

None of us can do anything worthwhile alone! Whether we recognize it or not, We all need each other to reach Peace and Joy!

We are all tied together as Brothers and Sisters with One Father and we cannot reach our Goal of Peace and Joy without helping our Brothers and Sisters get there as well!

So often we get so mired in our own little worlds, our own dramas and problems that we close ourselves off from the rest of the World!

We make our own trials and tribulations the centerpiece of our existence and remain so focused on these things that we miss the Big Picture!

Think about it - when our earthly bodies are dead and buried, or in those last few moments of our earthly lives before we pass to the Father's Kingdom - is there any real thought of a mortgage payment, a car payment, credit card bills, job, career or work worries?

No - of course not! All these things that consume our daily thoughts and create endless worry, anxiety, and pain for us and everyone around us WILL PASS!!

They really do not matter in the Grand Scheme of things and even though they are a fact of life, we cannot let these things overwhelm our lives!

Give All to Get All is a simple concept. Shift all of your focus from your problems and ceaseless worry to HELPING someone else with THEIR problems and issues!

There is no more of a sure thing to jolt you out of worry and fear than to set your mind, heart and soul to HELP mode and reach out to a Brother or Sister in need of comfort, a laugh, a smile, an ear, or a shoulder to lean on as they fight their daily battles!!

Give ALL to get all! It works wonders and puts things into perspective!!!

Try it today - and you will be amazed at how great you will feel - regardless of your curent state of mind!

Stay Strong!!

Misperceptions

So often we find ourselves dissatisfied, depressed, disappointed, and despairing (The 4 Bad "D"s) by our lives and our current situations!

We dwell on past events, on the various "lacks" we may perceive in our lives, we obsess on what we "don't have" in our lives - love, comfort, material goods, etc. This leads to fruitless pursuits of material gains, dead end targets, and insane beliefs and goals!

Imagine this - and indulge me on this without letting your "ego" blot out this truth:

What if I were to tell you that God has created us perfectly, in His image - in complete safety and joy and peace?

What if I were to tell you that our current existence, without consistent JOY and Happiness, is not the Truth apnor is it Reality?

You would allow your ego's voice to convince you that I am insane with such suggestions? And write it off as nonsense?

Well, what if I were tell you that ALL that God has in store for us is accessible NOW, if we can simply REMEMBER our origins and deny that voice of attack and competition?

We are BLIND to what God has given us - choosing instead to pursue worthless and pointless things because we BELIEVE that is what we must do in this life!

We have chosen to REPLACE God in our lives and voluntarily SEPARATED from the Gifts God has always planned for us - mainly PEACE, COMFORT, and JOY!!

Wake Up and ASK the HOLY SPIRIT to guide us!! Seek the Truth and not the illusions of the Ego and all it represents!!

It is that simple! We have FORGOTTEN our link to God and His Sons and we still choose to forget that connection!

Do not burden yourselves with any daunting tasks to re-connect!!

Just seek guidance from Jesus' translator - the Holy Spirit!!! He is waiting for the invitation from you!
Ask and He will respond - no doubt! Request Him to help you Remember God and our connection - sincerely and without Fear - and He will deliver that to you!

Try it -- say this at night before bed and once you wake:

" Holy Spirit, I hand over to You all my worries, fears, misperceptions, and confusion. Please Guide me and Help me remember my loving Father, my loving Brothers, and the Peace, Joy and Happiness the Lord has provided me from the start."

Your life will change once you sincerely speak these words and open your eyes with the awareness that we are asleep until we re-connect with our Father and His Sons!

Ask.....

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The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Joy - Listen to Him!

We have two voices in us that we can listen to and have the freedom to choose which we wil heed.

The first voice is an aggressive and dominating voice that constantly struggles and fights to take precedence in our lives. We can refer to this voice as our "Ego" and the ego is all about Fear, Negativity, Attack, Uncertainty, and Doubt.

The Second voice within us is given to us by Jesus and the Father- and it is the voice of the Holy Spirit.

The voice of the Holy Spirit is not aggressive, it does not compete with the voice of the ego, it does not try to overpower or overtake the other voice. It merely waits for us to listen to it, accept it, and invite it into our hearts and minds.

Whenever you do not feel joyous - your mind is miscreating and you are listening to the voice of the ego!

Shut it out and invite in the only voice you will ever need for peace, joy, and happiness - the messenger of the Lord and his Son - the Holy Spirit!

You can hear His voice if you want to - if you decide to stop the attacking, the fear, the competition and anxiety that the ego creates in your mind!!

Decide to invite Him in as He will never force His voice on you! He embodies our Free Will given to us by the Father and awaits our awakening to His calling!

All we need to do is recognize the ego and reject it!

Plain and simple! Invite the Holy Spirit to guide you, to awaken you to Reality, and to join us together with the Son as a Whole!

Life does not need be painful and depressing! The Lord has provided us an eternity of Joy and Peace! It is HERE NOW! We just do not recognize it in our current state!!

We do not need to go find it! We do not need to create it as it has already been created for us by Him!

We just have to awaken to Reality that we have rejected in favor of an ego that we believe will bring us Joy.

Choose the Right Voice and it will change your life!

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Ask and It will come to you!!

Ask and it will come!!

These days there is a seemingly over-abundance of negative news swirling around our heads!!
EVERYWHERE you turn it seems more bad news, negative situations, and Gloom & Doom commentary is being bandied about to the point of really affecting even the most positive person in a negative way!

We must be very careful to avoid this trap in these troubling and challenging times!

It is far too easy to allow our minds to fall in line with this overwhelmingly negative sentiment that has us in it's grasp!

This is a classic example of the negative "thought compounding" trap we have been discussing all this time and it is imperative that we identify it and snuff it out ASAP!

It is an amazing feeling to know that no matter how bleak things look, no matter how dark and gloomy the present and future appears-- THERE is NOTHING TO FEAR!!!!

Today I caught myself in a joyous and light mood walking the streets of midtown Manhattan at lunchtime - I didn't have a true, specific, identifiable reason to feel that way today or at that moment but the mood overtook me in spite of my current challenges, stresses, etc..

Now sure, I know I am blessed as you all are - with health, love, a great family and tremendous friends in my life -these things are a wonderful and powerful source of STRENGTH and JOY to me indeed! However, there are many days that we do not remember to reflect on those blessings and allow ourselves to develop into a little rut and feel down, apprehensive, fearful, even depressed! It happens to the best of us!

But remember it is only temporary and we can manage these emotions and overcome ANY OBSTACLE if we just try to do so!!

I know that my joyous and spontaneous mood today stemmed from my morning prayer asking for strength and joy and happiness from the Holy Spirit! I know for a fact that if we simply ASK for it, the Holy Spirit will deliver it to us!

EVERY TIME!!! Without a doubt!

Do your best to ASK for Strength daily - ask for assistance and aid when in fear or doubt or trouble!

But most of all KNOW that you will be OK - no matter the circumstance you face, the situation in which you find yourself embroiled, or the lack of light you perceive at the end of that dark tunnel!!

IT WILL PASS!!

ALL OF THIS darkness will pass!!

Happiness is inevitable and unstoppable if you ASK for it, Embrace it, and Accept it as your God Given Right - literally!

Because guess what - it is!!

Stay Strong!!