Putting Pieces of World Together

A father was trying to read the newspaper, but his little son kept pestering him. Finally, the father grew tired of this and, tearing a page from the newspaper – one that bore a map of the world – he cut it into several pieces and handed them to his son.

‘Right, now you’ve got something to do. I’ve given you a map of the world and I want to see if you can put it back together correctly.’

He resumed his reading, knowing that the task would keep the child occupied for the rest of the day. However, a quarter of an hour later, the boy returned with the map.

‘Has your mother been teaching you geography?’ asked his father in astonishment.

‘I don’t even know what that is,’ replied the boy. ‘But there was a photo of a man on the other side of the page, so I put the man back together and found I’d put the world back together too.’

"What did I do to deserve this ?"

Sometimes we wonder,

"What did I do to deserve this ?" or "Why did God have to do this to me ?"

Here is a wonderful explanation!

God's Cake

A daughter is telling her Mother how everything is going wrong, she's failing algebra, her boyfriend broke up with her and her best friend is moving away.

Meanwhile, her Mother is baking a cake and asks her daughter if she would like a snack, and the daughter says, "Absolutely Mom, I love your cake."

"Here, have some cooking oil," her Mother offers.

"Yuck" says her daughter.

"How about a couple raw eggs?" "Gross, Mom!"

"Would you like some flour then?

Or maybe baking soda?"

"Mom, those are all yucky!"

To which the mother replies: "Yes, all those things seem bad all by themselves. But when they are put together in the right way, they make a wonderfully delicious cake! "

God works the same way. Many times we wonder why He would let us go through such bad and difficult times. But God knows that when He puts these things all in His order, they always work for good! We just have to trust Him and, eventually, they will all make something wonderful!

God is crazy about you . He sends you flowers every spring and a sunrise every morning. Whenever you want to talk, He'll listen. He can live anywhere in the universe, and He chose your heart.

If you like this, send this on to the people you really care about.

Life may not be the party we hoped for, but while we are here we might as well dance.

I just want to live like a TV

One day a teacher of a primary school asked her students to write a essay about what they would like God to do for them.

Later in the evening while checking those essays at home, she came across one that made her very emotional. Her husband, who just walked in saw her crying, enquired: “What happened?”

Handing over a sheet of paper, she answered, “Read this. It's an essay by one of my students”

The essay, “I just want to live like a TV” read as under:

Oh God, tonight I ask you something very special: Make me into a television. I want to take its place.

Live like the TV in my house. Have my own special place and have my family around ME.

To be taken seriously when I talk . . . I want to be the centre of attention and be heard without interruptions or questions.

I want to receive the same special care that the TV receives even when it is not working.

Have the company of my dad when he arrives home from work, even when he is tired. And I want my mom to want me when she is sad and upset, instead of ignoring me . . .

And . . . I want my brothers to fight to be with me . . . I want to feel that family just leaves everything aside, every now and then, just to spend some time with me.

And last but not least make it that I can make them all happy and entertain them.

Lord I don't ask you for much . . . I just want to live like every TV.”

Having finished reading the essay, the husband gravely remarked: “My God, poor kid. What horrible parents!”

Tears rolling down her cheek, she looked up at him and calmly said: “That essay is written by our son!!!”

Don't Blame Others For Your FAILURE

One of the fathers of psychology, Carl Young, says that none else is responsible for the failures of a person other than himself or herself. One has to climb many steps to reach the top of the ladder of success and just one wrong step may lead to one's fall. TO BE SUCCESSFUL and realise true potential, one has to persevere with full body and mind coordination.

Demon king Ravana became the target of despise because of his misbehaviour with women, and dictator Hitler, because of his hatred for Jews.

We come across people who succeed initially but slide into infamy because of their greed. Popularity acquired with persistence thus vanishes with just one wrong step in life.

Vinaasa kaale vipareeta buddhi is a wise saying in Telugu. A person who is not content even after reaching a comfortable position either in career or in life is bound to fail.

The slippery path

Any one of the following tendencies can jeopardize the career of any individual. They are negative thinking, ego, greed, trickery, impatience, vengeance, extortion, postponement, eccentricity, rigidity, self-pity, obsession and negligence. Such characteristics symbolise a negative person. Negative people jeopardize not only their lives but also of those dependent on them.

If, people, besides living in the present, begin to like others and their surroundings, the situation improves over a period. This is the success secret of many stalwarts viz. Dr. Abdul Kalam, Mother Therese and many a more.

You can alter your thoughts

Your thoughts are your own and you can modify them in the direction you want any time.

Your thoughts fall into two categories. Your thoughts may concern changing your behaviour to achieve a desired result or they concern your desire to achieve something.

People need to practice a lot to change their behaviour. For instance, the husband of a foolish woman, instead of trying to change his wife's behaviour, should strive to give up anger and develop patience. When the husband thus changes himself, he finds the world around him more beautiful.

Similarly, instead of blaming the boss for his/her bad behavior, a subordinate should ensure that he does not incense the boss.

EVERY THING IS POSSIBLE

If you want to achieve something, you have to change your negative thoughts into positive ones. There is nothing wrong with people desiring to earn a fortune.

To achieve the goal, they should not adopt dishonest means. Such behavior lands them in jail one day or the other

A person who held several important positions continued to indulge in irregularities, he had to bow out of office in shame.

Similarly, a senior bureaucrat who indulged in irregularities even after his retirement is cooling his heels behind the bars.

To lead a peaceful life, a person needs to be healthy. He or she should have enough income to support the family and confidence to steer it out of difficulties, and love-based friends and not need-based friends.

BE THANKFUL

Be thankful that you don't already have everything you desire. If you did, what would there be to look forward to?

Be thankful when you don't know something, for it gives you the opportunity to learn.

Be thankful for the difficult times. During those times you grow.

Be thankful for your limitations, because they give you opportunities for improvement.

Be thankful for your mistakes. They will teach you valuable lessons.

Be thankful when you're tired and weary, because it means you've made a difference.

It's easy to be thankful for the good things.

A life of rich fulfillment comes to those who are also thankful for the setbacks.

Find a way to be thankful for your troubles, and they can become your blessings.

Real Meaning of Christmas

A time for christmas trees, a time to sing carols,
A time for a new beginning and to end all our quarrels

A time to forgive, a time to start afresh
Its the season of good will, so let's hope we're all blessed

For the coming year holds, the hope of a new beginning
So we can learn from our mistakes and correct where we were sinning

My fear is this though, that somewhere in our minds
The real meaning of Christmas is somewhat in decline

What happened to the baby, in a manger who was born
Who came on to this earth, to repair all that was torn

The birth of a chosen one, Lord Jesus Christ His name
He taught us about one global family and said we're all the same

For Lord Christ came on to this Earth and taught us all to care
He broke his bread in half and told us all to share

The message that He left, is not just for a season
To bring people together, that was His real reason

So if I could have one wish for Christmas, what would it be?
It would be a wish for all and not just one for me

That all our words are sweet, that they hold a sweet flavour
My wish is that we can all, learn to love "thy neighbour"

That we can all, learn to love "thy neighbour"

Believe this and see the world

Once there was a small kid on earth.

One fine day it came to know that god is distributing apples to humans in his place at heaven.

The kid was so happy to receive that news and it went with lot of enjoyment to heaven to get the apple from god.

There was a big queue standing to get apple from god and this kid also joined in that queue.

While it was standing, it was fully excited and thrilled for the fact that it is going to receive in person from god's hands. Its turn too came and the kid showed its both the hands to receive apple.

God gave the apple but unfortunately the tiny hands couldn't hold that big apple. Apple fell down and got wasted in mud.

The kid got so disappointed.

The ministers near the god informed that if the kid likes to have an apple from god again then it has to again follow the queue.

Having waited for so long the kid didn't want to return back to earth with empty hands so it decided to wait again in the queue.

This time the queue has become even longer than the previous one. While waiting in queue, the kid could see lot of people who returns back with apple in hands and utmost satisfaction on their faces.

The kid was so much disappointed and thought why me alone didn't get the apple in hand when all others were easily able to get it.

What is the sin I did that I alone should suffer like this. Now the kid was so scared that it should not miss the apple again. Again its turn came and god gave the apple to the kid's hands and after giving the apple god spoke to the kid.

"My dear child, last time after giving you the apple only I noticed the apple I gave to you was a rotten apple and that's why I made that to fell down from your hands. Having given you a rotten apple, I felt bad for you and I wanted to give you the best apple in the farm and that time the best apple in the farm was growing and that's why I made you to wait such a long time in the queue. Here it is. Now the apple that you have in hand is 'The Best' apple in the farm till to date. Enjoy."

So, friends, sometimes it happens as even after we put our 100% dedication and commitment things may get delayed or things may go wrong. Believe that god has something great for us and that's why this has happened. Always say, 'Gratitude is absolutely the best way to bring more in one's life'.

Believe this and see the world... Your world will also look green...

A Lesson in Life

Everything happens for a reason. Nothing happens by chance or by means of good or bad luck. Illness, injury, love, lost moments of true greatness and sheer stupidity all occur to test the limits of your soul. Without these small tests, if they be events, illnesses or relationships, life would be like a smoothly paved, straight, flat road to nowhere.

If someone hurts you, betrays you , or breaks you heart, forgive them. For they have helped you learn about trust and the importance of being cautious to who you open your heart to.

If someone loves you, love them back unconditionally, not only because they love you, but because they are teaching you to love and opening your heart and eyes to things you would have never seen or felt without them.

Make every day count. Appreciate every moment and take from it everything that you possibly can, for you may never be able to experience it again.

Talk to people you have never talked to before, and actually listen. Hold your head up because you have every right to. Tell yourself you are a great individual and believe in yourself, for if you don't believe in yourself, no one else will believe in you either.

You can make of your life anything you wish. Create your own life and then go out and live it.

How To Practice Spirituality

To become SPIRITUAL, you first have to be humane and practice HUMANITY. One cannot be Spiritual, if they lack humanity. And to practice the Humanity factor, one must first aim to be a SAINT.

A saint is not a person who is wearing a robe, walking around seeking alms, as we Indians, traditionally picture a saint to be. Instead, a Saint is someone who lives his life as per God’s rules and follows the scriptures. In today’s world, a saint can be found in a pair of jeans and sneakers!!! A saint is determined, not from what he is wearing or how he looks, but from how he lives his life. Becoming a saint, does not mean giving up the materialistic world. A true saint knows exactly how to create the perfect balance between the materialistic world and the spiritual world.

This year, aim on living your life like a SAINT because only a saint knows how to live spiritually, in this materialistic world. There are three steps to follow, if you want to aim on living like a saint: just remember the rule of the 3 S’s!….It’s SEWA, SATSANG & SIMRAN. Each of these “S” factors, further involve 3 aspects.

1. SEWA: is service: Service to mankind! Sewa is done in a GIVING MODE. When you serve others, serve irrespective of their caste, color or religious background. Just serve humans, with humanity! Sewa, should be “Nishkaam”: without any benefits in return. When the left hands gives, the right hand should not even find out. You normally do sewa in 3 ways: with your “tan, man & dhan”: your BODY, MIND and WEALTH. Doing sewa with your body involves physical work towards doing something for someone. Eg: physically going somewhere to run errands & chores for someone who is old or incapable, rendering care to the sick, donating blood, cooking for the hungry, cleaning and volunteering for your respective places of worship etc.

Sewa by mind, is wishing well for others and praying for their well being. Sewa by mind is also compromising to keep Harmony. Whenever we do sewa, our mind has to first become humble and give up the “I” factor. Never think that I: did something. Feel fortunate that God chose you to serve someone. Don’t forget that if He wanted, He could have easily done it Himself. Instead, He blessed YOU, with the opportunity. Every time we do sewa, always remember that we are just a medium via which God is getting something done. Hence, the importance of being humble. The minute we think that WE have done something, just take it, that we just flushed down all our efforts of sewa! Sewa is also done by spending your money for the benefit of others who are incapable. Buying food or groceries for the poor, medicines or treatments for the ones who cannot afford them, or spending your money to benefit the community because someone’s gotta do it!!!

2. The next S factor is SATSANG: or Congregation! Which is done in a RECEIVING MODE. Satsang means “sat ka sang” :the company of the truth. We all need to go to school or college to get materialistic knowledge. Similarly, we need to go to congregations and spiritual seminars to earn spiritual awareness. These are the grounds to seek inspiration and motivation to stay on the right track. The world today lacks spiritual knowledge and hence the motivation to remain spiritual, mainly because congregations or staying in the company of saints is not given enough importance. Just like the body needs food to keep it going, the Soul also requires nourishment with spiritual knowledge. A Satsang requires 3 aspects as well: GOING, LISTENING and IMBIBING: Your mind will always rationalize with you telling you that it is not a priority. But YOU, have to make the effort to GO to a satsang and then leave it up to GOD to help you learn. Making that initial effort to GO to a congregation, is vital to transforming you into a 21^st century saint. To benefit yourself from a congregation, you have to LISTEN and switch yourself into the receiving mode, because only then, will you be able to learn. And lastly, make sure your IMBIBE everything you hear, into your life. A true satsang starts AFTER you leave a satsang, because how much you imbibe into your life, determines how spiritual you are.

3. The last S factor is SIMRAN: or meditating upon God’s name, or simply praying to God. Simran, should always be done in a NEUTRAL MODE. Ideally, a prayer should not be asking for materialistic benefits. A prayer should involve 3 steps to ACKNOWLEDGE God, SURRENDER to God and SEEK from God. Acknowledge the fact that God, and God alone is the formless, all powering source, surrender yourself to Him and seek His forgiveness and blessings. A perfect prayer is as follows:

"Dear Formless God, I surrender to thee, please forgive me and bless me!!!"

Put yourself in a neutral frame of mind and meditate upon his name. Thinking about God and the awareness that He is around us, is also Simran.

Remember, we all have to eventually leave this world, and when we go, the only thing we take along is our Spiritual knowledge! Everything else is materialistic and is left behind. So invest in spirituality, it’s the most precious asset you can possess and every time you do Sewa, Satsang or Simran, its yet another installment paid towards that eternal investment.

Source: Radio Roohaniyat