To be nobody but yourself in a world which is doing its best night and day to make you like everybody else means to fight the hardest battle any human being can fight and never stop fighting.

- E.E. Cummings

The more you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go.

Dr Seuss

Lenz: inspiring words for someone who loves to travel and meet people!

God, a man of his word

My word is like the snow and the rain
that comes down from the sky to water the earth.
They make the crops grow
and provide seed for planting and food to eat.

So also will be the word that I speak -
it will not fail to do what I plan for it;
it will do everything I send it to do.

Isaiah 55:10-11

Money should not be a major factor in influencing one's outlook and attitude in life.

You cannot run away from a weakness; you must sometimes fight it out or perish. And if that be so, why not now, and where you stand?

Robert Louis Stevenson
Scottish author (1850 - 1894)

God does not need to receive but human beings need to give. - wise saying

There are no certainties I know of in life except for God.

It is not His existence which is uncertain but our beliefs about Him that is.

Does He exist? Is He against or for us? Is He watching over us?

It is our fickle yes and no that contributes to our insecurity in this life.

Any better place to invest our faith and hope other than the Lord?

so i say to the non-religious that you may not believe in a god, but do not stop believing in the possible immensity of Love.

To be nobody but yourself in a world which is doing its best night
and day to make you like everybody else means to fight the hardest
battle any human being can fight and never stop fighting.

-- E. E. Cummings

“I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.”
— C.S. Lewis

there are always other implicated thoughts that come along with what others want to lead you to think, so be aware and beware.

talent and genius vs ...

for the Great amount of responsibility that comes with His power as God, let us not doubt His ability to use them wisely. there is reason why Heaven does not show itself to the common man, why some miracles do not come about when we ask for it.

in a time where every man is for himself, where friendships are formed through mutual gains, does the ideal of "to save the weak from sufferings" still apply?

to define by way of life and not logic

“If I read a book and it makes my whole body so cold no fire can ever warm me I know that is poetry. If I feel physically as if the top of my head were taken off, I know that is poetry.” Emily Dickinson

Similar to the definition of Creativity in the Creativity Thinking class under Prof Kirpal Singh, we cannot exactly define creativity, but we know it as surely as when we see it.

Strength of the Catholic (I)

Talking to competitive players from last year's WCG, and knowing Shao Wei as quite a competitive player especially in fighting games, I was reminded that it is best to have a calm spirit instead of sensual excitement or fear, especially when tackling with competition, challenges and work in general. A spiritual happiness and excitement for doing the right thing at the right time, but a consciously calm and thinking resolve, ready to make the next move.

In connection to the person who first acted as such:

One of the most amazing things we learn from studying the life of Jesus Christ is that He was never in a hurry. He was never worried sick; never got burned out; never run down; never so frightened that he panicked. While He did get tired and hungry like everyone else, those are just physical needs. A meal and some sleep would take care of that. You do not ever find Jesus being dominated by the demands and pressures of getting the Gospel out as efficiently as possible; or running for His life when someone was trying to kill Him. Jesus always stayed calm and composed. He completed His mission with purpose and resolve, at His own pace.

c/r: http://www.agapeindia.com/miracle_04.htm

Movie: Blindsight

“Teacher,” his disciples asked him, “Why was this man born blind? Was it a result of his own sins or those of his parents?”

“It was not because of his sins or his parent’s sins,” Jesus answered. “He was born blind so the power of God could be seen in him.

"Its not your fault"

[2:30 onwards]: Is this what God had in mind in wanting to pass down his message of forgiveness?

A Poetry: Jesus of the Scars

If we never sought, we seek Thee now;

Thine eyes burn through the dark, our only stars;

We must have sight of thorn-pricks on Thy brow,

We must have Thee, O Jesus of the scars.

*

The heavens frighten us; they are too calm;

In all the universe we have no place.

Our wounds are hurting us; where is Thy balm?

Lord Jesus, by Thy scars we claim Thy grace.

*

If when the doors are shut, Thou drawest near,

Only reveal those hands, that side of Thine;

We know today what wounds are, have no fear,

Show us Thy scars, we know the countersign.

*

The other gods were strong; but Thou wast weak;

They rode, but Thou didst stumble to a throne;

But to our wounds God’s wounds alone can speak,

And not a god has wounds but Thou alone.

(Edward Shillito)

Fusion of ideas

From a certain blog:

'was just reading Max Lucado's "In the eye of the Storm", and I think I just read my favourite chapter of the book so far.
This chapter is titled 'Laws of the Lighthouse', and the author makes a list of what he calls 'lights' to steer us through life and I found them really meaningful. Shall share some here!

When no one is watching, live as if someone is (1)

Succeed at home first"

For forty days after his death he appeared to them many times in ways that proved beyond doubt that he was alive. (3)- Acts 1:3

"Thine eyes burn through the dark, our only stars" (2)
- Jesus of the Scars by Edward Shillito

(1) + (2): As God's eyes sees all, there is truth in living out our lives as if someone is watching us. Not intently ready to judge us, but with a loving and caring intention.

(3): Thus, have no doubt that He is alive, as He has shown Himself to his disciples.

God seeks not our ability but our availability.

- Archbishop Gregory Yong

The Two Wolves

An old Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people.

He said, "My son, the battle is between two "wolves" inside us all.

One is Evil.

It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance,
self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies,
false pride, superiority and ego.

The other is Good.

It is Joy, Peace, Love, Hope, Serenity, Humility, Kindness,
Benevolence, Empathy, Generosity, Truth, Compassion and Faith.

The grandson thought about it for a minute
and then asked his grandfather:

"Which wolf wins?"

The old Cherokee simply replied,

"The one you feed."

to understand before criticize.

- Lenz

If good men passed by my door without stopping in to have a talk, I would feel regretful for not having make known myself and my desires to meet such men.

False Compassion & Responsibility of the Catholic

False compassion and human respect are, in my opinion, a large part of the reason for much of the corruption in the world and the Church.

Apathy, lukewarm faith, attachment to sin, and obstinacy in sin are not helped in any way by false compassion.

Sin is like a cancer. Imagine an oncologist having a compassionate attitude toward the cancer killing his patients! Although those patients might suffer less in the beginning because they wouldn't be forced to endure chemotherapy, more likely than not, the patients treated by such a physician would die much sooner, whereas if such patients were treated, many would very likely beat their cancer and live.

Sin is like poison. It's not compassionate to sit back and let someone drink poison.

The key is speaking the truth in love. Tone is very important when dealing with creatures as fragile, fickle, and prone to pride as human beings, who due to concupiscence, as a result of Original sin, are inclined to take the path of least resistance and follow their lower passions rather than right reason.

Although it is true that fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, it's very important to make sure that in sharing the truth, we do not become an obstacle to its acceptance. Who wants to sign up with a group filled with members that appear bitter, angry and unpleasant? Who would join a group that sought to enlist members by insulting and condemning people?

Quoting St. Thomas Aquinas:

Fear is chiefly required as being the foundation, so to speak, of the perfection of the other gifts, for "the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom" (Psalm 110:10; Sirach 1:16), and not as though it were more excellent than the others. Because, in the order of generation, man departs from evil on account of fear (Proverbs 16:16), before doing good works, and which result from the other gifts.

In order to judge aright, the speculative reason is perfected by "wisdom"; the practical reason by "knowledge." The appetitive power, in matters touching a man's relations to another, is perfected by "piety"; in matters touching himself, it is perfected by "fortitude" against the fear of dangers; and against inordinate lust for pleasures, by "fear," according to Proverbs 15:27: "By the fear of the Lord every one declineth from evil," and Psalm 118:120: "Pierce Thou my flesh with Thy fear: for I am afraid of Thy judgments." Hence it is clear that these gifts extend to all those things to which the virtues, both intellectual and moral, extend.

Catholics must learn their faith so as to be prepared with the questions and challenges to their Faith they will hear from those who do not believe and from those who cling to sinful lifestyles. Catholics must share their faith with others in a way that doesn't compromise the truth in any way, but still invites and attracts.

Christ did not compromise, but He remains attractive to sincere people, whether or not they have come to believe in Him.

Many non-believers will readily admit that Jesus is appealing – they claim that it's His followers that trouble them. This may be true, or it may be a excuse. Our job is to make sure we're part of the solution, and not part of the problem.

Many people will still, sadly, reject the truth, even when it is presented charitably, accurately, and truthfully. People rejected Christ during His public life, and they will reject His followers now, but we can't comfort ourselves with the false security that every rejection of the Christian method is due only to the sinfulness of those with whom we share the Holy Gospel.

Christians must walk a fine line. They must speak the truth, without compromise, but in love, with a desire to lead souls to Christ, and a prudent understanding about what may needlessly drive people away.

Test of Faith like Gold in Fire

Be glad about this, even though it may now be necessary for you to be sad for a while because of the many kinds of trials you suffer. Their purpose is to prove that your faith is genuine. Even gold, which can be destroyed, is tested by fire; and so is your faith, which is much more precious than gold, must also be tested, so that it may endure. Then you will receive praise and glory and honor on the Day when Jesus Christ is revealed.

1 Peter 1: 6-7

Happy is the man who is at peace in his work, just as God put Adam to work before he discovered Sin.

Lenz

The Living Years - Mike and the Mechanics

Every generation
Blames the one before
And all of their frustrations
Come beating on your door

I know that Im a prisoner
To all my father held so dear
I know that Im a hostage
To all his hopes and fears
I just wish I could have told him in the living years

Crumpled bits of paper
Filled with imperfect thought
Stilted conversations
Im afraid thats all weve got

You say you just dont see it
He says its perfect sense
You just cant get agreement
In this present tense
We all talk a different language
Talking in defence

(chorus)
Say it loud, say it clear
You can listen as well as you hear
Its too late when we die
To admit we dont see eye to eye

So we open up a quarrel
Between the present and the past
We only sacrifice the future
Its the bitterness that lasts

So dont yield to the fortunes
You sometimes see as fate
It may have a new perspective
On a different day
And if you dont give up, and dont give in
You may just be o.k.

I wasnt there that morning
When my father passed away
I didnt get to tell him
All the things I had to say

I think I caught his spirit
Later that same year
Im sure I heard his echo
In my babys new born tears
I just wish I could have told him in the living years

Pondering: Appreciating Women

Since most of us men are easily able to discern a woman's physical beauty, can we as easily appreciate her beliefs, ideals and character?

A business which can successfully combine the classics of a piano and the modern trend of hip-hop will be a gem, like this video.

kiss! kiss! =P

Creed of Power and Obedience

I believe, with my heart and soul, that the Lord has given me precious powers and resources to change the world and make it a better place.

The Lord has given me an amount of time to live here on earth. This is my gift from Him as a precious resource. This I believe.

The Lord has given me my five senses as a powerful tool to observe and make sense of this world. I will use it closely in conjunction with my mind, under the supervision of my spirit.

The Lord has given me the power of free will to consciously choose the righteous path in His honour.

I shall not idolize these powers, by using them as an end in itself.

I completely adhere to these truths.

Amen.

Prayer to be in the Here and Now

I want to be in the present moment.
My mind is aware that I am here and now.
And the only moment to be alive is the present moment.
I do not want to be in any other life.
There is only one life, one existence, one chance.
There is no other place I want to be more than where I am right now.
Let my body, mind and spirit settle into one place, focused.
This is Truth.

With inspiration from Thich Nhat Hanh, a Buddhist Monk:
"I know this is the only moment.
This is the only moment that is real.
To be here and now, and enjoy the present moment is our most important task.
Calming, Smiling, Present moment, Only moment.
I hope you will try it."

An academic course is not something to be learnt intensively over a short period of time before the examination, but over a reasonable period of time with patience, ‘simmering’ in its knowledge and growing as an intellectual person.

Work is Good!

Jesus answered them, "My Father is always working, and I too must work."
John 5 - 17

Empathy

the intellectual identification with or vicarious experiencing of the feelings, thoughts, or attitudes of another.

People who live a life of carnal pleasures do not like training and learning of the mind, body and spirit as it opposes their ideal beliefs. They cannot see past the pain and suffering of learning and into its growth and enlightenment of knowledge, strength and wisdom.

what do you think?

Lust and Love

Men in lust (in wanting) have sex to satisfy the urge like a bad habit. It will return time and again to haunt them like a bad memory.

Men in love (in giving), have sex to ultimately express his happiness and joy in knowing his partner, by giving his body as the greatest possible gift for a human being. To celebrate that close-knitted relationship of an experience unique only to the two of them.

what do you think?

Students like to ask:

"Do we have to do these questions for homework? Did the teacher prescribe it?"

A student with deeper foresight will first ask:

"Why do we have to do these questions?"

Having had the answer, he can decide on doing it on a more credible basis, based on the potential benefits reaped.

Being Peace by Thich Nhat Hanh, a Buddhist Monk

Being Peace

"From time to time, to remind ourselves to relax, to be peaceful, we may wish to set aside some time for a retreat, a day of mindfulness, when we can walk slowly, smile, drink tea with a friend, enjoy being together as if we are the happiest people on Earth. This is not a retreat, it is a treat. During walking meditation, during kitchen and garden work, during sitting meditation, all day long, we can practice smiling. At first you may find it difficult to smile, and we have to think about why. Smiling means that we are ourselves, that we have sovereignty over ourselves, that we are not drowned into forgetfulness. This kind of smile can be seen on the faces of Buddhas and bodhisattvas.

I would like to offer one short poem you can recite from time to time, while breathing and smiling.

Breathing in, I calm body and mind.
Breathing out, I smile.
Dwelling in the present moment
I know this is the only moment.

"Breathing in, I calm body and mind." This line is like drinking a glass of ice water - you feel the cold, the freshness, permeate your body. When I breathe in and recite this line, I actually feel the breathing calming my body, calming my mind.

"Breathing out, I smile." You know the effect of a smile. A smile can relax hundreds of muscles in your face, and relax your nervous system. A smile makes you master of yourself. That is why the Buddhas and bodhisattvas are always smiling. When you smile, you realize the won-der of the smile.

"Dwelling in the present moment." While I sit here, I don't think of somewhere else, of the future or the past. I sit here, and I know where I am. This is very important. We tend to be alive in the future, not now. We say, "Wait until I finish school and get my Ph.D. degree, and then I will be really alive." When we have it, and it's not easy to get, we say to ourselves, "I have to wait until I have a job in order to be really alive." And then after the job, a car. After the car, a house. We are not capable of being alive in the present moment. We tend to postpone being alive to the future, the distant future, we don't know when. Now is not the moment to be alive. We may never be alive at all in our entire life. Therefore, the technique, if we have to speak of a technique, is to be in the present moment, to be aware that we are here and now, and the only moment to be alive is the present moment.

"I know this is the only moment." This is the only moment that is real. To be here and now, and enjoy the present moment is our most important task. "Calming, Smiling, Present moment, Only moment." I hope you will try it.


***

Even though life is hard, even though it is sometimes difficult to smile, we have to try. Just as when we wish each other "Good morning," it must be a real "Good morning." Recently, one friend asked me, "How can I force myself to smile when I am filled with sorrow? It isn't natural." I told her she must be able to smile to her sorrow, because we are more than our sorrow. A human being is like a television set with millions of channels. If we turn the Buddha on, we are the Buddha. If we turn sorrow on, we are sorrow. If we turn a smile on, we really are the smile. We cannot let just one channel dominate us. We have the seed of everything in us, and we have to seize the situation in our hand, to recover our own sovereignty.

When we sit down peacefully, breathing and smiling, with awareness, we are our true selves, we have sovereignty over ourselves. When we open ourselves up to a TV program, we let ourselves be invaded by the program. Sometimes it is a good program, but often it is just noisy. Because we want to have something other than ourselves enter us, we sit there and let a noisy television program invade us, assail us, destroy us. Even if our nervous system suffers, we don't have the courage to stand up and turn it off, because if we do that, we will have to return to our self."

Mark Wills - Don't Laugh At Me (a song for the kids =P)

Naruto: Sasuke is my friend.
Someone who i was finally able to form a bond with,

Sai: A bond? But still, against Orochimaru, you...

Naruto: I don't care who I have to fight!
If he rips my arms off, I'll kick him to death.
If he rips my legs off, I'll bite him to death!
If he rips my head off, I'll stare him to death!

And if he gouges out my eyes, I'll curse him from beyond the grave!

Even if I'm torn to shreds, I'm taking Sasuke back from Orochimaru!

"There is a wide world out there, my friend, full of pain, but filled with joy as well. The former keeps you on the path of growth, and the latter makes the journey tolerable."

Montolio Debrouchee, The Dark Elf Trilogy

Nescire autem quid antequam natus sis acciderit, id est semper esse puerum."

"Not to know what happened before you were born is to be forever a child."
~Cicero

Our Mind of Brain - The Greatest Asset from God!

Hamlet: What is man,
If his chief good and market of his time
Be but to sleep and feed? A beast, no more.
Sure, he that made us with such large discourse,
Looking before and after, gave us not
That capability and god-like reason
To fust in us unused.

HAMLET, Prince of Denmark
Act IV, Scene iv

Loving and Forgiving

God's Love for theThirsty - The Real Drink =)

A Reflection:

O jesus, sometimes we are o thirsty! We thirst for your love, but seek to quench that thirst through human relationships that never completely satisfies us. We thirst for good things, so we buy and acquire, but they all perish. We thirst for excitement, so we go to the movies, or travel, or seeks whatever thrills our culture and finances allow, only to thirst for more and more.

c/r John 4:5-42

To live life willingly

Only when we make a choice of our own willing, and not out of fear, urgency or adrenaline, can we live a fulfilled and happier life.

c/r: 1 Peter 5:1-4

The Seven Wonders of the World

1. to touch...
2. to taste...
3. to see...
4. to hear...
5. to feel...
6. to laugh...
7. and to love.

From a short story.

Suffering from the resistance of a temptation or negative (addictive) habits as an offering of Love to the Lord, in always obeying His will to the best of our abilities, is in my opinion, as important as attending church services or reading the Bible regularly.

To Zanarkand

Handling insults and profanity *wink*

Autobiography in Five Short Chapters by Portia Nelson

I

I walk down the street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk
I fall in.
I am lost ... I am helpless.
It isn't my fault.
It takes me forever to find a way out.

II

I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I pretend I don't see it.
I fall in again.
I can't believe I am in the same place
but, it isn't my fault.
It still takes a long time to get out.

III

I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I see it is there.
I still fall in ... it's a habit.
my eyes are open
I know where I am.
It is my fault.
I get out immediately.

IV

I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I walk around it.

V

I walk down another street.

Friendship

Belwar reached into a deep pocket and took out the light-giving brooch. "take this, dark elf," He said softly, flipping it to Drizzt, "and do not forget me."

"Never for a single day in all the centuries of my future," Drizzt promised. "never once."

- The Dark Elf Trilogy

Spirit

Spirit. It cannot be broken and it cannot be stolen away. A victim in the throes of despair might feel otherwise, and certainly the victim's "master" would like to believe it so. But in truth, the spirit remains, sometimes buried but never fully removed. ... The physical powers of the body cannot be separated from teh rationale of the mind and the emotions of the heart. They are one and the same, a compilation of a singular being. It is in the harmony of these three - body, mind, and heart - that we find spirit.

Spirit. In every language (in all the Realms, surface and Underdark), in every time and every place, tbe word has a ring of strength and determination. It is the hero's strength, the mother's resilience, and the poor man's armor. It cannot be broken, and it cannot be taken away.

This I must believe.

- Drizzt Do'Urden

The Builders by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

All are architects of Fate,
 Working in these walls of Time;
Some with massive deeds and great,
 Some with ornaments of rhyme.
Nothing useless is, or low;
 Each thing in its place is best;
And what seems but idle show
 Strengthens and supports the rest.
For the structure that we raise,
 Time is with materials filled;
Our to-days and yesterdays
 Are the blocks with which we build.
Truly shape and fashion these;
 Leave no yawning gaps between;
Think not, because no man sees,
 Such things will remain unseen.
In the elder days of Art,
 Builders wrought with greatest care
Each minute and unseen part;
 For the Gods see everywhere.
Let us do out work as well,
 Both the unseen and the seen;
Make the house, where Gods may dwell,
 Beautiful, entire, and clean.
Else our lives are incomplete,
 Standing in these walls of Time,
Broken stairways, where the feet
 Stumble as they seek to climb.
Build to-day, then, strong and sure,
 With a firm and ample base;
And ascending and secure
 Shall to-morrow find its place.
Thus alone can we attain
 To those turrets, where the eye
Sees the world as one vast plain,
 And one boundless reach of sky.

I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.

- from Invictus (unconquered) by William Ernest Henley

Survival of the Fittest v The Will to Live

Kenshin: There are people waiting for my return!
The will to live is stronger, stronger than anything else!

Shishio: No! I am stronger than anything else. In the end, only the fittest survive in this world. If you are strong you live, and if you are weak you die. I'm the one who deserves to live! Become food for me and die, Battousai!

-Ruruoni Kenshin

The Truth Surpasses Time after Time, Generation after Generation

Yahiko: Hey Kenshin, we won, right? We were the ones who were correct, right?

Kenshin: If you are saying that the victor is correct, we'd be the same as Makoto Shishio, that we would. We fought for what we believe is right, and defeated Shishio. However, Shishio himself was also trying to prove that he was the one who was correct. He acted with faith in his own beliefs, that he did. In that aspect, he is no different from us.

If I were to explain it all, perhaps the age chose our side. What is correct will be determined by the people of the next generation after they learn our history, that it will.

But the idea of the survival of the fittest where the strong live and the weak die, is definitely mistaken. Definitely.

- Ruruoni Kenshin

A Relationship between Master & Disciple (II)

Dux: I'm going to Hong Kong.
Tanaka: You sure you want to do this?
Dux: To honour you means everything to me.
Tanaka: I have poured all my knowledge into you. When you fight, my spirit fights with you. In kumite, you will need it.

- Bloodsport

The Reason to My Absolute Resolve to Live

LOVE OF GOD

Either God exists, or He does not.
If there is no God, then all life is meaningless and without value or purpose.
If God does exist, then all life is infinitely valuable because it is both good and precious in the eyes of our Creator.

my heart earnestly yearns the teachings of wise men.

Human Beings are not of instincts and reactions, though they may choose to be, pitifully. Rather, they are of proactiveness and choice, with the potential to affect their surrounding lives and the world.

Hosea

Come back to me with all your heart,
don't let fear keep us apart.
Trees do bend, tho' straight and tall;
so must we to others' call.

Long have I waited for your coming
home to me and living deeply our new life.

The wilderness will lead you
to your heart where I will speak.
Integrity and justice
with tenderness you shall know.

Long have I waited for your coming
home to me and living deeply our new life.

You shall sleep secure with peace;
faithfulness will be your joy.

Long have I waited for your coming
home to me and living deeply our new life.

Choice: just because you can it doesn't mean you have to.

How Far Are You Willing to Go?

Intention without Action is Dead

I will show you my faith by my works... For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

James 2:18,26

Carpe Diem, even if i die.

The Road Not Taken - Robert Frost

TWO roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;	5
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,	10
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.	15
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.	20

No one can boast

Now remember what you were, my friends, when God called you. From the human point of view few of you were wise or powerful or of high social standing. God purposely chose what the world considers nonsense in order to shame the powerful. He chose what the world looks down on and despises and thinks is nothing, in order to destroy what the world thinks is important. This means that no one can boast in God’s presence.

But God has brought you into union with Christ Jesus, and God has made Christ to be our wisdom. By him we are put right with God; we become God’s holy people and are set free.

1 Cor 1: 26 - 30

"Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not yet come.

We have only today. Let us begin." Mother Teresa of Calcutta.

Pray!

Pope John Paul II indicates that people sometimes say they don't know how to pray. "How to pray? This is a simple matter. I would say: Pray any way you like, so long as you do pray." You can pray the way your mother taught you; you can use a prayer book. Sometimes it takes courage to pray; but it is possible to pray, and necessary to pray. Whether from memory or a book or just in thought, it is all the same. See, John Paul II, The Way of Prayer, Crossroad Publishing Co. (1995). See also The Necessity of Prayer, by St. Alphonsus.

Happiness is a byproduct of function, purpose, and conflict; those who seek happiness for itself seek victory without war
- William S. Burroughs

The Books We Read Determine Who We Are.

What Do You Do With the Resources That are Given to You?

The Past Does Not Equal to the Future.

"One filled with joy preaches without preaching." -- Blessed Mother Teresa

Adidas

One Tree Hill...

‘The rest of your life is a long time, and whether you know it or not, its being shaped right now, with the dreams you chase, the choices you make, and the person you decide to be. The rest of your life starts right now."

Haley James Scott

‘It’s my life; I’m taking a stand, is it ok?’

Jamie Scott