A Scoutmaster Saves the Day

For weeks the troop has been engaged in expectant preparation for its Parents' Night program. Everything was in order. The walls were filled with displays, the scouts with enthusiasm and the tables with good things to eat.
The toastmaster was well under way. The crowd sang with that respectably restrained enthusiasm that typified a Parents' Night program. Then Jimmie Davis arose to give his oration. This was the moment he had looked forward to for many weeks. As he arose, he caught a glimpse of his mother's beaming face and his father's stolid assured countenance. He started with a great burst of enthusiasm. He waxed more eloquent, conscious that his listeners were paying a high tribute to him by their careful attention.
Then something happened. The world seemed to swim before him. He slowed down - faltered - stopped. His face flushed, his hands sought each other frantically and in desperation he looked helplessly toward his scoutmaster.
And ever prepared, having heard that boyish masterpiece rehearsed again and again, the boy's leader supplied the missing words and the lad went on. But somehow it was different now. The masterpiece had been marred.
Jimmie paused again - and the scoutmaster prompted him again. For the remaining two minutes, the oration seemed more the scoutmaster's than the boy's. But Jimmie finished it. In the heart of the lad who sat down, knowing that he had failed, there was a heavy load. Chagrin was plainly written on the face of the boy's mother, and a twitch of the father's face indicated a pained consciousness of shame.
The audience applauded in a perfunctory way, sorry for and pitying the boy who they thought had failed. But the scoutmaster was on his feet. His quiet eyes twinkled. All listened tensely, for he did not talk loudly. What was he saying?
"I am more happy than any of you can possibly understand because of what has just happened. You have seen a boy make a glorious victory out of what might have been a miserable failure.
"Jimmie had his chance to quit. To have quit would have been easy. But to finish the job even in the face of 200 people required the highest kind of bravery and courage I know.
"You may someday hear a better oratorical effect, but I am confident that you will never see a finer demonstration of the spirit of our troop than Jimmie has just given you - to play the game even under difficulties!"
The people thundered their applause now. Jimmie's mother sat straight and proud. The old look of assurance was back on the face of the boy's father. The entire group was enthusiastic again and Jimmie, with a lump in his throat, said something to the friend beside him that sounded like, "Gee, if I can be that kind of scoutmaster someday."

Creative Visualization

Creative visualization involves the use of your imagination and a belief that we are co-creators of our reality. One of my favorite, easy to use techniques is "the Pink Bubble Technique."
1. Image what it is you want to create (the first time I did this, I was presenting a workshop called "Stage II Recovery" and I imaged a room filled with people who were enthusiastic and responsive.) Use as many senses as possible--see it, hear it, smell it, feel it, etc.
2. Staying with that image, picture a pink bubble surrounding it. Then let it go into the universe with words something like, "This or something better, whatever is for the highest good." In my example, I was very disappointed that I only had 5 people attend the workshop that was held two weeks later. I really believed the Pink Bubble Technique would work so I was confused. I forgot about it, however, until 2 or 3 months later. Walking into the room where I was again presenting, "Stage II Recovery," I was delighted to see it filled with enthusiastic, responsive people! So, the technique worked for me but not necessarily in the time frame I had expected!

For those of you who try this, I would love to hear your results.

More on Affirmations

Affirmations are positive statements stated in the present tense--I am happy (rather that I want to be happy or I will be happy). Some believe that repeating the affirmation many, many times will plant it into your unconscious and magnetize it to you. I believe it is first necessary to address the "Yeah, buts" that show up. There are many ways to do this.
For example, using the above affirmation: "I am happy." What does the chatter voice say next? If it says, "Yes, that is true" then it is an affirmation that you can own. However, if it says, "Yes, but my back hurts today," or "but I am not happy," or even, "this is stupid--I don't believe this stuff," then it is necessary to release these "Yeah, buts" before you can accept and own the affirmation.
There are many ways to do this. One is to use one of the meridian therapy approaches if you are familiar with that. Another is to do some writing--on a piece of paper write the affirmation and then write down one ofthe "Yeah, but" voices. Write the affirmation, write another "Yeah, but"...continue on [sometimes this may take pages and pages] until there are no more "Yeah but" voices and you own the affirmation. Then you anchor it in so it is yours to keep.

Neale Donald Walsch's Conversations With GOD

God: Think of it this way. The word "I" is the key that starts the engine of creation. The words "I am" are extremely powerful. They are statements to the universe. Commands. Now, whatever follows the word "I" (which calls forth the Great I Am) tends to manifest in physical reality.
Therefore "I" + "want success" produces you wanting success. "I" + "want money" must produce you wanting money. It can produce no other thing, because thoughts, words are creative. Actions are, too. And if you act in a way which says that you want success and money, then your thoughts, words, and actions are in accord, and you are sure to have the experience of wantingness. . . . . . .instead of thinking "I want success," think "I have success.". . .think a thought you can accept. "My success is coming to me now," or "all things lead to my success."

Neale: So this is the trick behind the New Age practice of affirmations.

God continues: Affirmations do not work if they are merely statements of what you want to be true. Affirmations work only when they are statements of something you already know to be true. The best so-called affirmation is a statement of gratitude and appreciation. "Thank you, God, for bringing me success in my life." Now that idea, thought, spoken and acted upon, produces wonderful results--when it comes from true knowing; not from an attempt to produce results, but from an awareness that results have already been produced.
Jesus had such clarity. Before every miracle, he thanked Me in advance for its deliverance. It never occurred to him not to be grateful, because it never occurred to him that what he declared would not happen. The thought never entered his mind. So sure was he of who he was and of his relationship to Me that his every thought, word, and deed reflected his awareness--just as your thoughts, words, and deeds reflect yours. . . If, now, there is something you choose to experience in your life, do not "want" it--choose it.

Do you choose success in worldly terms? Do you choose more money?
Good. Then choose it. Really. Fully. Not half-heartedly.

What are Our Beliefs About Money?

Do we believe that money is evil and wrong? Money is neither. It is a commodity on earth, a necessity. It is what people need to purchase many of their basic needs, as well as luxuries and treats; it is one way they are rewarded for their work. Loving money, however, can be as self-defeating as loving any other commodity. We can become obsessed with money; we can use it compulsively to gain a temporary sense of power. Money is simply money. [MB Note: Money is just another form of energy.] Do we believe there is a scarcity of money? Many of us grew up with deprived thinking concerning money: There's not enough. There will never be enough. If we get a little, we may guard it and hoard it because there's no more.
Money is not in short supply. We do not have to waste our energy resenting those who have enough. There is plenty of money here on earth. How much do we believe we deserve? Many of us are limiting ourselves by what we believe we deserve. Money is not evil. There is no scarcity, except in our mind and attitudes. And what we believe we deserve will be about what we shall receive.
We can change our beliefs through affirmations, by setting goals, by starting where we are, and working slowly forward to where we want to be.

Today, I will examine my beliefs about money. I will begin the process of letting go of any self-defeating beliefs that may be limiting or blocking the financial part of my life.

One can Acquire Everything in Solitude-Except Character!

One friend of mine is fond of telling me that every difficult experience I undergo is "character building." No matter what the situation is or how upset I am, she never indulges me with pity and soft words. Her favorite saying is "Out of the hottest fires come the strongest metals." Unfortunately, she's right. Our maturity, our personalities and our attitudes are only tested and formed when we are in the thick of life, being challenged and pushed to the limits by others. Setbacks and sadnesses are what give us the opportunity to develop wisdom, tolerance and maturity, as well as to see what we need to work on. The person who has never fought for what she believes in, or taken a stand on a difficult issue, is someone who
has not developed her character.
Solitude is important to our recovery because it is a renewing, healing time. But we must be careful not to take too much of it because it is only in the rough-and-tumble of life that we will acquire our passion and uniqueness. Make sure that today is balanced with appropriate amounts of reflection and action, and remember that too little or too much of either one can only leave us unbalanced, unhappy and unfulfilled.

AFFIRMATION FOR THE DAY: When I am spending too much time alone, I am missing
out on life.

Each Day a New Beginning

Our lives in all aspects are a journey toward a destination, one fitting to our purpose, our special gifts, our particular needs as men or women. Each day contributes to our journey, carrying us closer to our destination. However, we often take a circuitous route. We get stranded or waylaid by our selfish desires, by the intrusion of our controlling ego.
We can reflect on the progress we've made toward our destination, the steps we've taken that have unknowingly contributed to our journey. Our easiest steps have been the ones we took in partnership with God. It's in God's mind that our path is well marked. We are just where we need to be today. The experiences that we meet are like points on the map of our journey. Some of them are rest stops. Others resemble high-speed straightaways. The journey to our destination is not always smooth, but the more we let God sit in the driver's seat, the easier will be our ride.

I will plan my journey today with God's help, and my ride will be smooth.

Enjoy Your Life at Every Moment

Once a fisherman was sitting near seashore , under the shadow of a tree smoking his beedi. Suddenly a rich businessman passing by approached him and enquired as to why he was sitting under a tree smoking and not working. To this the poor fisherman replied that he had caught enough fishes for the day.
Hearing this the rich man got angry and said "why dont you catch more fishes instead of sitting in shadow wasting your time.
Fisherman asked "what would i do by catching more fishes?"
Businessman "you could catch more fishes , sell them and earn more money, and buy a bigger boat."
Fisherman "what would i do then?"
Businessman "you could go fishing in deep waters and catch even more fishes and arn even more money."
Fisherman "what would i do then?"
Businessman "you could buy many boats and employ many people to work for you and earn even more money."
Fisherman "what would i do then?"
Businessman "you could become a rich businessman like me."
Fisherman "what would i do then"
Businessman "you could then enjoy your life peacefully."
Fisherman "what do you think i'm doing right now?"

MORAL - you don't need to wait for tomorrow to be happy and enjoy your life. you dont even need to be more rich , more powerful to enjoy life. LIFE is at this moment, enjoy it fully.

As some great man has said "My riches consist not in extent of my possessions but in the fewness of my wants".

The Promise of A New Day

To wait for someone else, or to expect someone else to make my life richer, or fuller, or more satisfying, puts me in a constant state of suspension.

How tempting it is to make another person responsible for our happiness, and how absurd. To give such power to others means we're at their mercy; it does not mean we're happy. Whereas, accepting full responsibility for our own acts and feelings does give us the power to be as happy as we choose, as often as we choose. Emotional maturity precludes our blaming or praising another for our personal well-being. There is reason to be exhilarated that we are blessed with as much control as we choose to have over our own growth, happiness, and commitment to change. We're in another's control only by choice -- never by necessity. And when we've given our precious power away, we're reduced to waiting -- waiting for someone else's nod of approval, waiting for their invitation to live.

The time is now to decide for myself who I am, where I'm going, and why! The
time is now.

The Menorah Story

Young Private Winneger was with the U.S. Army as it marched through Europe at the end of World War II. His unit was assigned to a European village with the orders to secure the town, search for any hiding Nazis and to help the villagers in any way they could.
Winneger was on patrol one night when he saw a figure running through a field just outside the village. He shouted, "Halt or I'll shoot." The figure ducked behind a tree. Winneger waited and eventually the figure came out and figuring that Winneger was no longer nearby, went to a spot near a large tree and started to dig. Winneger waited until the figure had finished digging and was once more on the move before he stepped out and again shouted, "Halt or I'll shoot!" The figure ran. Winneger decided not to shoot but to try to catch the furtive figure. He shortly caught up with the figure and tackled it to the ground.
To his surprise he found he had captured a young boy. An ornate menorah had fallen from the boy's hands in the scuffle. Winneger picked up the menorah. The boy tried to grab it back shouting, "Give it to me. It's mine!" Winneger assured the boy that he was among friends. Furthermore, he himself was Jewish. The boy who had just survived several years of the Holocaust and had been in a concentration camp was mistrustful of all men in uniforms. He had been forced to watch the shooting of his father. He had no idea what had become of his mother.
In the weeks that followed, Winneger took the young boy, whose name was David, under his wing. As they became closer and closer, Winneger's heart went out to the boy. He offered David the opportunity to come back to New York City with him. David accepted and Winneger went through all the necessary paperwork and officially adopted David.
Winneger was active in the New York Jewish community. An acquaintance of his, a curator of the Jewish Museum in Manhattan, saw the menorah. He told David it was a very valuable historic, European Menorah and should be shared with the entire Jewish Community. He offered David $50,000 for the menorah.
But David refused the generous offer saying the menorah had been in his family for over 200 years and that no amount of money could ever make him sell it.
When Chanukah came, David and Winneger lit the menorah in the window of their home in New York City. David went upstairs to his room to study and Winneger stayed downstairs in the room with the menorah. There was a knock on the door and Winneger went to answer. He found a woman with a strong German accent who said that she was walking down the street when she saw the menorah in the window. She said that she had
once had one just like it in her family and had never seen any other like it. Could she come and take a closer look? Winneger invited her in and said that the menorah belonged to his son who could perhaps tell her more about it. Winneger went upstairs and called David down to talk to the woman and that is how David was reunited with his mother.
This is retelling from memory (so some of the details may be wrong) from a true story told by Rabbi Allan C.