In the past few months, I have seen some patients with family members who came to visit and support their Loved ones who recovered and were able to return home, while others languished with no one to visit or, support them. For them; I say Thank God for the dedicated Nurses,Doctors, Aides and Staff members who selflessly care for them on a DailyBasis. I will never forget their kindness toward my Dad during his time in the facility. However, the flip side, is that I discovered that as we all move toward the end of Physical Life in this world, oftentimes all we have is Time and those who love and care for us. I came to the conclusion that, In the end, it doesn't really matter How much money we made or, How prestigious our Job was etc...; The main Lessons are that we learned to live One Day at a Time and to Live it to the full or, as my old High School Football Coach Ed Agresta always says:...
"Don't Count the Days, Make the Days Count", because when our time comes near, God will not ask us How much money did you make?, How Big was your home? or, How many friends did you have? No,... in my opinion, that won't be what we are Judged on in the end, it is much simpler than I thought.
What I believe is that God will ask us all in the end is,
- How Did you use all the Gifts and Blessings I gave you to help others?
- Did you use the gifts I freely gave you to lighten someone Else's burden and pain?
- Did you help the poor?
- Did you visit the Sick and Imprisoned?
- Did you take the time to Comfort those in Mourning?
- Were you humble enough to avoid Boasting about yourself?
- Did you do the right thing, even when no one was watching over you? Character Counts
- Did you show Mercy to those who asked for Mercy?
- Did you try your best to maintain a pure heart?
- Were you a Peacemaker or, a Crazy-maker?
- Finally, did you continue to believe in me, even when it was Unpopular and Difficult to stay the Course?
Most of the people I met on this Journey over these past few months with my Dad need us to Live the Gospel, not just talk about it, especially when many of them are left to languish with no one to visit them. No one deserves to be abandoned and forgotten. Fortunately, I came away much more THANKFUL that my Dad does not have to endure this journey alone, He is Blessed with Family, Children and Friends who have given new meaning to the phrase:
"A True Friend, is one who walks in, when the Rest of the World Walks out."
The Golden Rule
"So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you,
for this sums up the Law and the Prophets."
Thanks for Listening._________________________________________________________________________________
Sincerely,
Jim Greene, M.A.
Motivational Speaker
http://www.jimgreenespeaks.com/
Office: 201-305-5400
More Food for thought. Enjoy!
Matthew 5: Sermon on the Mount
His disciples came to him, 2 and he began to teach them.
12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
The Fulfillment of the Law
18 For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.
19 Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
20 For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.
25 “Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court.
Do it while you are still together on the way, or your adversary may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison.
26 Truly I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.
Oaths
37 All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.[g]
40 And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well.
41 If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles.
42 Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.
44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
45 that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.
46 If you love only those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?
47 And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others?
Do not even pagans do that?
48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.
3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,
4 so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
Prayer
6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
7 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words.
8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
14 For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
15 But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.
21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
23 But if your eyes are unhealthy,your whole body will be full of darkness.
If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!
Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other.
You cannot serve both God and money.
26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?
27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?
See how the flowers of the field grow.
They do not labor or spin.
29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.
30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith?
31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’
32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.
33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow has enough worries of it's own.
Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Matthew 7
Avoid Gossiping and Breaking others Down, Be A Builder-Upper Instead
2 For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and
with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
4 How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye?
5 You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.
Ask, Seek, Knock
8 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake?
11 If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children,
how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!
The Narrow and Wide Gates
For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.
14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
17 Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.
18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit.
19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
20 Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.
22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’
23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’
25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.
26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand.
27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”
29 because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.
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