I stole this from another encouraging blog, and LOVE IT. Enjoy!! DON'T be AFRAID to DREAM BIG! Posted: 01 Dec 2011 01:34 PM PST (posted by Christina) Let nothing hold you back from exploring your wildest fantasies, wishes, and aspirations. Don't be afraid to dream big and to follow your dreams wherever they may lead you. Open your eyes to their beauty; open your mind to their magic; open your heart to their possibilities. Dare to dream. Whether they are in color or in black and white, whether they are big or small, easily attainable or almost impossible, look to your dreams, and make them become reality. Wishes and hopes are nothing until you take the first step towards making them something! Dare to dream. Because only by dreaming, will you ever discover who you are, what you want, and what you can do. Don't be afraid to take risks, to become involved, to make commitment. Do whatever it takes to make your dreams come true. Always believe in miracles, and always believe in you!

HOPE

I found this saying on another encouraging blog by Kristen, and I wanted to share it. I absolutely loved it!!! Enjoy :)

If you can look at the sunset and smile, Then you still have hope.

If you can find beauty in the colors of a small flower, Then you still have hope.

If you can find pleasure in the movement of a butterfly, Then you still have hope.

If the smile of a child can still warm your heart, Then you still have hope.

If you can see the good in other people, Then you still have hope.

If the rain breaking on a roof top can still lull you to Sleep, then you still have hope.

If the sight of a rainbow still makes you stop and stare in wonder, then you still have hope.

If the soft fur of a favored pet still feels pleasant under your fingertips, then you still have hope.

If you meet new people with a trace of excitement and Optimism, then you still have hope.

If you give people the benefit of a doubt, Then you still have hope.

If you still offer your hand in friendship to others that have touched your life, then you still have hope.

If receiving an unexpected card or letter still brings a pleasant surprise, then you still have hope.

If the suffering of others still fills you with pain and frustration, then you still have hope.

If you refuse to let a friendship die, or accept that it must end, then you still have hope.

If you look forward to a time or place of quiet and reflection, then you still have hope.

If you still watch love stories or want the endings to be happy, then you still have hope.

If you can look to the past and smile, then you still have hope.

If, when faced with the bad, when told everything is futile, you can still look up and end the conversation with the phrase... "yeah... BUT..." then you still have hope.

Hope is such a marvelous thing. It bends, it twists, it sometimes hides, but rarely does it break. It sustains us when nothing else can. It gives us reason to continue and courage to move ahead, when we tell ourselves we'd rather give in. Hope puts a smile on our face when the heart cannot manage. Hope puts our feet on the path when our eyes cannot see it. Hope moves us to act when our souls are confused of the Direction. Hope is a wonderful thing, something to be cherished and nurtured, and something that will refresh us in return. And it can be found in each of us, and it can bring light into the darkest of places.

Never lose hope.

Love, Chastened, Growth.

"For of him unto whom much is given much is required; and he who sins against the greater light shall receive the greater condemnation." D&C 82:3

"For whom the Lord loveth he ^achasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth." Hebrews 12:6

"And I did read many things unto them which were written in the books of Moses; but that I might more fully persuade them to believe in the Lord their Redeemer I did read unto them that which was written by the prophet Isaiah; for I did liken all scriptures unto us, that it might be for our profit and learning." 1 Ne 19:23

These three scriptures have always made an impact on me, ever since I was little. When I was thinking what to write about today, all three scriptures came to mind. So the highlighted words are what I am focusing on. :)

The Lord is a wonderful God. He is almighty, all knowing, all powerful, and he LOVES us. Why? Because we are his children. His creation. His divinity. And he SEES our potential...to be as he is. Through his love for us. BUT...that cannot happen without much trial and tribulation. Many people do not understand, and cannot fathom if the Lord loves us, why would he allow bad things to happen to us, especially if we are doing "whats right". Heres the written word--proof. First, where much is given, much is required. If he believes we are divine potential, and knows are capability to become something magnificent, he is going to give us more, to help us become that person. He has a great plan for each one of his children, there for, much is required on our end. We must acknowledge Gods trust in us to fulfill his plan for us--unique to each one of us. Second, he chastens those who he loves. If your life went perfectly, you always got everything you ever wanted, nothing went wrong...would you need God? No. Never. You would never need a reason to turn to him, rely on him, focus on HIM. The times we turn to him most, is when? When were suffering. We also would not acknowledge his goodness and blessings towards us because we wouldn't see them as that. We only learn to appreciate GOOD from experiencing BAD. Learning opposition in all things. Thats where the third scripture applies. It is ALL for OUR profit and learning. Just like all the prophets and apostles of old, who did nothing but preach Gods word...look at all they endured? Just like likening the scriptures to our lives--helps us grow. Using the every day experiences we have, good or bad, and using the scriptures to help us through that life experience. Everything we go through is for OUR learning, OUR growth. We become stronger, better, brighter, happier as we learn to allow Gods hand in our lives, and through his written words. He loves us. He wants us to be happy. He allows negative things to happen to help us GROW and become one step closer to being like him--the all knowing God and Savior of the world. He is our example. We cant become sanctified and Christlike without cleansing, without needing a reason to be renewed, forgiven and receive a helping hand. It just isn't done. Feel encouraged, that the Lord loves you. He is there for you to lift you up when you feel small, to carry your burdens when you cant handle them anymore, to lighten your load, and to make you feel exactly how you should. A son/daughter of God. Divine. Accepted. Loved. Appreciated. Adored. Can it get any more magnificent than that? I believe not.

Light

"He is the light and the life of the world; yea, a light that is endless, that can never be darkened; yea, and also a life which is endless, that there can be no more death." Mosiah 16:9
The Lord is our light...he leads the way. With him there is no darkness, no fear. Only HE is the life of the world. The joy. The happiness. The peace. He IS the way, the truth, and the life.

Adveristy.

After Abraham had patiently endured, he obtained the promise, Heb. 6:15

All thrones and dominions shall be set forth upon all who have endured valiantly for the gospel of Jesus Christ, D&C 121:29

Adversity is one of the hardest parts about this earth life. We strive as hard as we can to live a "normal easy life" like everyone else...but what does that even mean? Trials and adversity are here for our own good. They provide character. They establish patience and endurance. They mold us into becoming more Christlike, which is our ultimate goal. Its hard to see all this while going through them though.

It seems like every time there is something really good and really powerful about to occur in life, there is always a lot of opposition leading up to it. Just like when people decide to get baptized. Opposition comes, and adversity strikes, to try and steer those away from making the best decision to change their life forever; to create a whole new generation of members in the church. Some fail to recognize this and fall deep into despair. They cant pick themselves back up and they walk way, because its just too hard. Often times this also happens when those prepare to enter the temple. Same things happens. Why? Because the adversary doesnt want more righteous and valiant saints. He doesnt want us to be strong and everlasting. He doesnt want us to serve in the right church and come closer to God and eternal salvation. He doesnt want us to become so enrapt in helping others and leading others to do the same- to follow Christ. So he tries in every way possible to break that. To create reasonable and believable ideas in our minds that, it just cant be right, or making us feel inadequate, or make us doubt our decision after we already prayed and received an answer, create anger and frustration inside of us over any little thing to make us want to give up hope. Thats his plan. Thats his goal. He has been studying us for thousands of years and knows all of our weaknesses...and thats his target. Hit us where it hurts. Where we really can hardly hold on anymore.

The wonderful most beautiful blessing in all of this is, there is way out. The Savior. He suffered for us to help us get through this mortal existence. He can provide the strength that we need. He can help us get through those moments. He places people (or in my words-angels) in our lives to help us when we struggle or when we dont even recognize it in ourselves. We arent meant to walk alone. We arent meant to BE alone. Thats what we have the Savior for. Thats what we have people-friends family and wards-for. From the wonderful words of Elder Jeffery R. Holland, my favorite apostle, "Beware the Tempation to retreat from a good thing (or a bad thing). If it was right when you prayed about it (or wrong) and trusted in it, it is right now." Be strong. Know that the Lord is on your side and WANTS you to be happy. Satan wants you to be miserable and steer far away from GOOD. Remember who is on your side. Follow your gut...and your heart. It will always lead you back to where you belong. If we endure the temptation..if we stick the path we know we should be on...we will be able to have exaltation with God. What is better than that?

WOMEN.

"There is a great power that emanates from good women who, in the midst of the pressures of the day, arise above their challenges in a mighty force for righteousness." - Kapp

"A woman's heart should be so lost in God that a man must seek Him in order to find her." -Unknown

-These are two of my favorite quotes on the power that women have. We do not even begin to understand the power within ourselves...to change lives, through love, understanding, nuturing hearts that we, as women, have been blessed with. A thirst for righteousness...a thirst to do good and to be good. That alone will do great and marvelous things in the world. We ARE wonderful. We CAN do great things. We WILL change the world. Through the Lord anything is possible, and we can do all things. Allow people to know the Savior because they know YOU.

Something New.

So today I decided to try a little something different. I decided to post one of my poems on my blog. Never been public before. So tell me what you think :)

Along the Road

Taking it day by day...waiting for some clarity and direction along the way.

Take this heart of mine-shape it into your desire.

Love me, accept me, prove me.

Show me all the life lessons I need to acquire.

Along this road, that we call life.

One step in front of the other.

Struggling, learning, growing.

Allowing our bodies and minds to fully strive.

Access to another world. Another perspective. Another mind. Dont miss a beat, or you could fall desperately behind.

Focus. Stay on track. Dont loose hope.

Misinterpretation, misguided...always leads to growth.

Taking a breath. Breathing...in and out. Never understanding what this life is all about.

Don't loose faith...along this road. Words unspoken..life changing-untold.

All we have is the day up ahead.

New experience. Learning from past mistakes. Disappointments.

Yeseterday-rejection. Today-new direction. Tomorrow-can lead to perfection.

This is all we need. A new day ahead...along this road...accumulating perfection...quite magnificent indeed.

"Imagine yourself as a living house. God comes in to rebuild that house. At first, perhaps, you can understand what he is doing. He is getting the drains right and stopping the leaks in the roof and so on; you knew that those jobs needed doing and so you are not surprised. But presently he starts knocking the house about in a way that hurts abdominable and does not seem to make any sense. What on earth is he up to? The explanation is that he is building quite a different house from the one you thought of-throwing out a new wing here, putting on an extra floor there, running up towers, making courtyards. You thought you were being made into a decent little cottage: but he is building a palace. He intends to come and live in it himself." -C.S. Lewis

-SO POWERFUL. I love this. <3

Reflection...

I've been thinking back on many moments in my life recently...and it has allowed me to come to a realization and even MORE of a comfirmation that everything truly does happen for a reason, and its all apart of God's plan. It is often times hard to believe this. Many times...we have moments in our lives of doubt, confusion, misunderstanding, or even self pity and sadness-feeling as if God isnt listening to our prayers, things arent happening right or the way they should, or the famous lines that we confine ourselves to of "life isnt fair". This is completely and 100% false. Though it is ridiculously easy to give into and believe this idea. Every moment in our lives...whether good or bad...happy or sad...tough or easy...is literally ALL apart of God's plan.

Every step you take, every decision you make, every incident and experience thrusted upon you, is all apart of the bigger picture. Those moments get you to now. Here. And THAT is beautiful. THAT... is powerful. Life in this moment. The capacity to do miraclous things...to live outrageous and life changing experiences...the freedom and ability to choose, and make choices...the unlimited possibilities. Incredible moments. You cant change WHAT has happened to you. You cant change choices you make last week or a year ago. You cant determine or predict what will happen tomorrow. But you can live for today. You can make choices for yourself today. You can change whatever you want today. Today....you can make every moment matter...every moment cherished. People, come and go in our lives. They can hurt you and they can move you. Situations always change. Friendships can be made and taken away. Jobs can be given and lost. Health can be good and bad. There can be trials and there can be blessings. But every moment spent in whatever way, leads you to now. Grows you. Moves you. Changes you. Strengthens you. And allows you the opportunity to be exactly what you want to be, and exactly what God wants you to be. Think back on your life...what would you change? I wouldnt change a thing. Its brought me to this moment. And this moment is exactly where I should be. Unlimited possibilities.

“Only as high as I reach can I grow, only as far as I seek can I go, only as deep as I look can I see, only as much as I dream can I be.” -Karen Ravn

WE are in control of our lives, of our happiness, and of our destiny. Only through ourselves, with God's infinite power, can we achieve greatness. No one else can grant us with that.

"Learn from yesterday, live for today, and hope for tomorrow."

These words are so powerful. Need I say more?

The Power.

"There are powers inside of you which, if your could discover and use, would make of you everything you ever dreamed or imagined you could become." -Orison Swett Marsden

"...the estranged self, hidden with its inexhaustible potential, lies undiscovered by many people who die without even knowing that it exists." -Kazuo Chiba/William Gleanson

~Only you can unlock and unlease the divine power within you to change the world, one step at a time, by knowing your potential, worth, and capacity to achieve magnificent things. -Me

I just LOVE this.

"A characteristic of a depressed spirit is an overconcentration on cares and concerns—an unwise wallowing in feelings of foreboding. What a difference it would make if, instead, we took account of our strengths, raised our eyes off the ground, and gave ourselves credit for how far we have already come and how much we have already achieved."By Elder David S. Baxter Of the Seventy

HAPPY.

"May the lilt of Irish laughter lighten every load, May the mist of Irish magic shorten every road. May you taste the sweetest pleasures that fortune e're bestowed. And may all your friends remember all the favors you are owed. " -Irish Blessing

"For our light affliction, which is both for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal." 2 Cor 4:17-18

This scripture is profound to me. I love everything that it means. The strongest impression I wanted to emphasize on was the LIGHT affliction with the WEIGHT of glory. Isnt it interesting to think that through our Savior, his atoning sacrifice, and through the salvation of God...our afflictions, or burdens, or sufferings can be made light...while our GLORY, or ability to obtain glory, is a weight, or symbolized as heavy. I dont think this meant to be portrayed as a bad thing that will carry you downward. I think it means something to keep you firm and true-in knowing the glory that can be given to you, if you choose it. I think of it this way: when you buy balloons...often times you purchase a little heavy weight to hold the balloons from flying all over the place, to keep them there, together, united, and beautifully synced while floating in the air. Its the same way with us-our testimonies-and our spirituality. Knowing that we can obtain God's Glory is our weight, keeping us afloat and not drifting us away into worldly things...things that dont matter..and things that wont get us back to where our ultimate goal is. With this knowledge-our afflictions can be made light. Keeping things in an eternal perspective can allow us to see whats in front of us NOW, as a stepping stone onto our path that leads us to glory, instead of a boulder blocking our way to anywhere but misery. God truly is aware of us. If we choose to follow him, he will guide us and make it easier, than if we had done it all ourselves. We dont understand everything...often times, we dont understand anything. But he knows. And he is leading us exactly to where we need to be. We must trust in that. In his goodness. In his glory. In his love.

Kindness

"It is all too easy to consider kindness a secondary virtue, the one we reach for only as a last resort. But if we look at the strength of kindness-the way it reminds us of a sense of inner abundance, the way it helps us feel connected to others instead of isolated and apart-we can appreciate kindness as the force it is. Kindness isnt an ally of foolishness or gullibility, but rather an ally of wisdom and courage." -Christine

~I love, love, LOVE this quote. This is the epitomy of the perfect description of kindness, what it stands for, and how it should be perceived. So many people in the world today, view kindness as weak, passive, soft, or unattractive. I, for one, DISAGREE completely! Kindness is the way we show pure love. And love, is exactly the action that emulates God. Kindness isnt what you do...it is what and who you are.

"This is my wish for you: Comfort on difficult days, smiles when sadness intrudes, rainbows to follow the clouds, laughter to kiss your lips, sunsets to warm your heart, hugs when spirits sag, beauty for your eyes to see, friendships to brighten your being, faith so that you can believe, confidence for you when you doubt, courage to know yourself, patience to accept the truth, Love to complete your life." -unknown

"The ship of my life may or may not be sailing on calm and amiable seas. The challenging days of my exsistence may or may not be bright and promising. Stormy or sunny days, glorious or lonely nights, I maintain an attitude of gratitude. If I insist on being pessimistic, there is always tomorrow. Today I am blessed."

~I love this quote. It pretty much sums up alot of how many people may feel. During tough times, its always hard to be "smiley" or "bubbly" or even an encouragement to be around. But thats OK. Tomorrow is a new day. No matter what comes, you can always try again tomorrow. And realize your blessings...that today...there is something good. As in any day. There is always something to be grateful for.

One Step At a Time.

"Some of us think holding on makes us strong; but sometimes it is letting go." -Hermann Hesse Have you ever had to let go of something, a desire or dream, or even a person, and with everything in you-you did not want to-but you knew you had to? Sometimes we think that because we are able to hold tight and firm, that we are being strong. When in some cases, we must let go completely in order to show true strength. This is a hard concept to fathom at times. Doesnt always make a lot of sense. I have succumbed to the fact that I will not understand 3/4 of my life-why things happen, why certain people enter my life when they dont even get to stay, why situations are brought upon me, why I cant ever have my own desires. I think this is because I have become selfish, thinking that my way is the right way, that my choice (if not selfish thinking) is the right choice, and that I can have my own righteous desires and they should come to pass. This is wrong. ha. I have had to humble myself a lot lately, and realize that this isnt true. Until my entire will becomes the Lords will for me, I will always struggle with this-as will anyone. Its not up to me to dictate all the great and incredible things to happen in my life. Only the lord knows the full picture..and only he can be the one to lead me there. Only he knows all the answers, and only through him can we obtain pure strength, and ultimately... happiness. Its by giving up our will, and allowing God's will to be the will we desire, that we then show true...honest...pure...STRENGTH. Strength in God, in his power, in his miracles....and strength to get through every moment of every day, even when it seems impossible to do so at times. He is our one and only anchor. Find your true strength. Your strength, through the Lord.

Power of Darkness

"Neither Satan nor any other power can destroy or undermine your growing character." -Elder Richard G. Scott "Beware the Tempation to retreat from a good thing (or a bad thing). If it was right when you prayed about it (or wrong) and trusted in it, it is right now." -Elder Jeffery R. Holland (my favorite apostle) -During my entire life, I have always been aware of the power that the adversary (or in other cases-evil, negativity, darkness, or Satan) has over us-it is very strong-especially for members of the true and living church on the earth. The closer you are to God, the stronger that power is, the more it increases temptation in your life. This I have experienced many times in my life. Three points I want to make concern this topic: 1. You are what you think you are-dont let the adversary allow you to believe anything differently. You are a choosen son/daughter of God, regardless of what you do, or your belief in him, or the life you choose to lead. YOU are part of his heavenly family. He created you in HIS image. We all have his light dwelling inside of us. We choose to believe that or not-but it is truth. The world will tell you anything to grab a hold of you and make you think you are worthless and nothing, if you arent "this mold" that the world has created. If you arent a size zero and have flawless skin, and can achieve the impossible-you arent a desired woman to the world. If you dont have muscles the size of boulders and can have a successful career making millions- you arent an appealing man to the world. This is FALSE. You are who you are because God created you that way. WHO you are is much more important than what you look like or how successful you can become. GROW to become more like him, every single day. LOVE yourself the way he does. Walk around in life knowing that you are priceless. Your worth is GREAT in the sight of God, and THAT is what matters. 2. Turn to God in times of decision. However small or undermining that decision may seem-it could ultimately alter your entire life. If he says no, dont do it. If he says yes, do it-no questions asked. Have a relationship with him, TRUST him, that he knows best-because HE DOES. If he says to not go to a certain party, or not date a certain person, or to stay home instead of going out, LISTEN TO IT. If he says yes..I want you to do --blank-- or go to school --here--or whatever...DONT question it. Act. Every time we try to take control of our own lives-it never ends the way we want to. Most often times, it ends in a lot of heartache, betrayal, sadness, hurt, or guilt. This is a very hard thing to do at times, especially when you do not understand the meaning behind whatever answer is given. But in the end-the reason will be known and it will bless your life. This too I have experienced many times in my life. Believe in him, and allow him to guide you to reach your fullest potential. 3. Pray to always have God's spirit with you. It can be the only thing to save you from a bad choice, or the dark moments of sadness, or negative actions. In the lowest of low moments of your life, the only thing to help you through is God. Sometimes he works through other people-and grants you with a friend to show up randomly at your door. Sometimes he comforts you with words from a song that you were inspired to listen to. Sometimes...his spirit is there, to hold you and be with you while you cry. No matter what way, he is always there. He never leaves us. And if we choose it, he will always show his love in whatever way he chooses to grant us with it. ~Be aware of God's love. Of your worth. Of Satans power. Of the constant need to have goodness and spirituality lifting you upward. His strength. His peace. And..his blessings.

If you want..

"If you want to change the world, begin by changing yourself. If you want the world to be more fair, treat the world fairly even when you are treated unfairly. If you want the world to be more kind, treat the world with kindness and return a blessing for every insult. SHOW the world by your good actions-not by empty protest or violence-that you are willing to love according to what you profess to believe."

-Every change of heart, every change of circumstance, every ounce of happiness comes from YOU.

Standing For Truth

Moroni 10:32

"Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God"

-There is a painting up at the temple visitors center-Book of Mormon painting exhibit-that is mesmerizing with this scripture underneath. Its a picture of Moroni holding one of his "friends" in battle that had been slain. He is weeping...saddened by it. This painting and scripture stuck out to me so much. Its applicable to my life right now, and it is absolute truth that we CANNOT deny Christ. No matter what. No matter who we may loose in our lives, no matter what chastisement we may bare, no matter what the world tries to convince us of. Christ is our Savior and redeemer who died for us, and lives for us, and loves US. HE is our way back to living in Heaven in happiness and peace. HE is the answer to all life's troubles. HE is the way, the truth, and the life. Love him with EVERYTHING you have. Stand true to what YOU believe to be true, no matter what, and in the end...you WILL be blessed for doing so. Sometimes it is not the easiest thing to do. Sometimes we get hurt, or loose people we love in the process...but in the end, the only person that matters is the person who walks every moment in life with you-never changing-always constant-Our Lord and Savior. In the end...it will be worth all we endure. And we can come to learn more of the Saviors love for us through it all.

The Atonement

"The Atonement is fundamentally a doctrine of human development, not a doctrine that simply erases black marks. One who chooses Christ chooses to be changed.... The Atonement (is) the means whereby our hearts might be cleansed and our souls transformed and prepared to dwell with Christ and our Eternal Father.... The Atonement does more than fix the mistakes. It does more than balance the scales. It even does more than forgive sins. It rehabilitates, regenerates, renews, and transforms human nature. Christ makes us better, worlds better, than we would have been had there been no Fall." -Brad Wilcox (The continuous Atonement)

-I LOVE this quote. Its in a book I am now reading about the Atonement. This alone, proves that the only way we can heal-heal our hearts, our wounds, our mistakes, our sins, our sorrows-is by finding the Atonement and allowing it-through Christ our Savior- to heal us. To change us. To make us better. And make us who we need to be, and who we want to be.

Peace

"Restlessness and impatience change nothing except our peace and joy. Peace does not dwell in outward things, but in the heart prepared to wait trustfully and quietly on him who has all things safely in his hands." -Elizabeth Elliott

This is something I need constant reminder of, on a daily basis. I am not in control. I can do all within my own power to change, fix, or make decisions for myself, but everything else is left up to the Lord. He is the only one. When we sit so long in confusion, idylness, impatience, or even doubt, all we do is disrupt and destroy our own peace. The only way to have true peace, is by faith. Leaving our lives, and our worries, our doubts and our fears, our love and our inner most desires, and putting it all into the hands of our Savior-this is how we can achieve steady peace. This is not easy. Especially in the life we live in, with instant graitification, temptation surrounding us, and giving in to the natural man has become an every day acceptance by the world. But we wont be truly happy without it. Peace is the only thing to keep us going when it seems impossible. To help us keep fighting,when we really dont want to. To lift us up, when we feel we have sunk. Peace, which is felt through God's love, can be contentment and strength that we didnt know we had. Surround yourself with love, have the faith to push forward blindly, and allow God to fill your soul with never-ending peace.

Gratitude...SMILES!!

"Gratitude unlockes the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, an stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow." -Melody Beattie

~It is said that gratitude is one of the most valuable things of life. To be grateful, is to be in acceptance, and acquire of pure selflessness. Gratitude can change your views of everything important in this life.

"What sunshine is to flowers, smiles are to humanity. These are but trifles, to be sure; but, scattered along life's pathway, the good they do is inconceivable." -Joseph Addison

~I, personally, feel that smiles are one of God's greatest gifts given to man. Along with physical touch and kind words, a smile is the softest, simplest of gestures that can enliven your soul and feel you with a moment of undescribable joy. Its a way of showing kindness, responsiveness, and love to man kind. I LOVE SMILES. :)

God's Love

Its fascinating to me, how much we can feel God's presence and love in our lives if we all but allow it. Just a change in thought, or attitude, can allow you to see things in a different way than you never saw before. Allowing our minds and our hearts to be free from anger, frustration, disappointment, self-pity, and pride-will in turn give us a complete opportunity to open ourselves to love: love of others, love of ourself, and most importantly, love of God. Nothing can be more fulfilling and gratifying to our own beings, than feeling of God's love for us, and in turn showing our love for him. In this earthly life that we have been blessed with, people-come and go, decisions-have to be made, hardships and trials-never cease, consequences for all actions-are inevitable. There is only one thing that is constant. One thing that can fulfill us fully. One thing, that can give us never-ending happiness and peace. God. HE is the answer to everything. No matter where we turn, or what we do, the road to happiness, joy, and love will always turn directly to him. Allow God in to your life. Into your heart. Let him fill all voids within you. Let him work through you. And allow him to turn all your sorrows, all your mistakes, all your flaws, into nothing but unconditional love.