The STrong Bond of FaiTh

I don't how is this really called..but I would say a sharing or a sermon perhaps...The important thing is the lesson that it brings to us...keep reading!

The STrong Bond of faiTh

We have many times heard the saying that “blood is thicker than water.” These words of wisdom tell us that there is nothing that could rival natural family affinity in binding persons. It is to the family that we go back to so that we may find our life’s bearing amidst life’s ups and downs. Our family is always our haven, our refuge, our reference point.

Going through life, though, we learn that not all family members and close blood relatives are reliable allies. Many times we have also heard how siblings go against each other in scandalous court cases. Serious political differences and ambitions brought bloodbath to persons who are supposedly of the same ancestry and lineage. In contrast, we hear how non-related couples who just met in Marriage Encounter weekends refer to one another as “Tito,” “Tita,” “Brother” or “Sister.” We witness how Christians who meet in renewal groups, such as the charismatic movement, greet each other with sincere embraces of fraternal love and concern. Members of these Christian groups claim that their relationship with one another have made them even closer to each other compared to their not-so-casual relationships with their blood relations.

Indeed, our spiritual ties of faith in Jesus do not only make us come close to God in prayer. Necessarily, true faith builds up our friendships into deeper ties conditioned not by any financial or material considerations. Faith makes us more open to sincerely share our experiences, our trials and triumphs. Faith makes us more generous to give and receive, even beyond the guarantees of material resources. Faith makes it more possible for us to forgive and to ask forgiveness in the face of human frailties. Fr. Domie Guzman, SSP from Kyregma

Thinking Influences Performance

One of the better-known quotes is, "Whether you think you can or think you can't, you are probably right." For a long time, it's been accepted that your attitude plays a significant role in your success. Documented studies time after time have proved that attitudes are more important than facts and that it's your attitude, not your aptitude, that determines your altitude. Fortunately, attitude is one of those things that can be substantially influenced and controlled.

Not a Man Will Follow You

History records that in the first part of the 15th century, a young French peasant girl, Joan of Arc, was called to save her country from its enemies. There was something about her that endeared her to her followers and caused them to have a respect -- almost a reverence, an awe -- for what she was attempting to do. Her sacred sword, her consecrated banner and her belief in her mission helped her to sweep away the armies that were before her.

It has been said, and rightly so, that courage is transferable and that if a leader has a sense of mission and purpose and an absolute conviction in what can be accomplished, people gather around and follow this leader. This conviction was demonstrated by the courage displayed by Joan of Arc. She sent a thrill of enthusiasm through the French army and gave them the courage and confidence that a king, a statesman and a president could not produce.

However, she, like all other leaders, had her share of cynics and skeptics. On one occasion, she said to one of her generals, "I will lead the men over the wall."

The general said, "Not a man will follow you."

At that point, Joan of Arc did what leaders with a mission and a conviction always do. She replied, "I won't be looking back to see whether they're following me."

Yes, commitment and courage were on display, and those are two qualities that will win many battles and enable you to accomplish worthwhile objectives. Think along those lines, develop those qualities, and you'll succeed!!!

Jeremiah 7:23-28

Sincerity is important to civilized living. If people are not going to be true to what they say, then we live in a poor reflection of Gospel truth. Unfortunately, this is so often the case today. When a politician says something, it is not being cynical to question if they really mean it. This shows us how far we have to go before truth is truly honored in our society.

Jeremiah 7:23-28

23 This is what I commanded them: Listen to my voice; then I will be your God and you shall be my people. Walk in all the ways that I command you, so that you may prosper. 24 But they obeyed not, nor did they pay heed. They walked in the hardness of their evil hearts and turned their backs, not their faces, to me. 25 From the day that your fathers left the land of Egypt even to this day, I have sent you untiringly all my servants the prophets. 26 Yet they have not obeyed me nor paid heed; they have stiffened their necks and done worse than their fathers. 27 When you speak all these words to them, they will not listen to you either; when you call to them, they will not answer you. 28 Say to them: This is the nation which does not listen to the voice of the LORD, its God, or take correction. Faithfulness has disappeared; the word itself is banished from their speech.

The 'Tudes' of Life

There are many "tudes" of life. The first "tude" I want to talk about is "gratitude" because the more you express gratitude for what you have the more you will have to express gratitude for. It's equally true that you never will find a happy person who is not a grateful person, so gratitude is a marvelous place to start.

The second "tude" is "attitude." Psychologists have maintained for generations that attitudes are more important than facts. An attitude with the facts, however, is going to be tremendously rewarding and productive. It's also a fact that attitude is the determining factor in the major accomplishments of life, and fortunately, attitude is something you can control.

The next "tude" is "magnitude." We need to magnify the important things and reduce the magnitude of things that appear to be insurmountable problems. "Don't make a mountain out of a molehill" is a wise observation all of us would do well to observe.

The next "tude" is latitude, which is another way of expressing the fact that we have the freedom to do virtually anything within the bounds of human decency and law in this land of ours. We have the latitude to be all that we can be and accomplish some incredible objectives. Regardless of our ancestors and the circumstances of our youths, we have the latitude to move from where we are to where we want to be.

The next "tude" is "multitude." We face a multitude of challenges and opportunities every day. It's a fact that you can hold a dime close enough to your eye to blot out the sun. If we concentrate on the multitude of challenges we face, we will blot out the opportunities of life. It is equally true that if we concentrate on the opportunities of life, we will blot out the challenges to the degree that we can overcome those challenges.

With a good set of "tudes," you can accomplish some incredible objectives in life, so concentrate on the "tudes"....