MORNING COFFEE

[Guest guest]

When enthusiasm strikes, you know because you

want to jump up and down and scream with

happiness. It's a moment when your heart soars

because you have just felt or done something that

inspires you deep within.

 

Enthusiasm is where your body screams with

excitement and you hear that " Yes ! " from deep

inside. It's one of the best feelings in the world.

 

Today, no matter what your rational mind says look

and listen for places, events, ideas, people and

activities that make your heart shout a loud " Yes! "

Next, spend some time deciding how to bring more of

those into your life.

 

Make a commitment to yourself to do the things you

need to do to live a more enthusiastic life. When

you're enthusiastic you look forward to each and

every day. And, that is what makes life so fun!

 

 

 

SOMEONE TO LOOK AFTER

 

During my second year of college I was scouting around for a place tolive, as my roommates had dropped out of school. One Sunday afterchurch the pastor put his arm around me and said, " I understand you

need a room. Our daughter is in New Zealand this year as a foreignexchange student. If you'd like to stay with us you may use her room. "

 

To be honest, I really didn't want to stay with " the preacher'sfamily. " I was 19 years old and on my own. But then he told me howmuch rent would be -- a ridiculously low figure that included one

home-cooked meal a day. I thought about the offer for about a minuteand decided to move in.

 

At the end of the semester I had planned to find other livingarrangements, since the daughter was to return home. But they askedif I wanted to stay on another term, suggesting I move across the

hall and share a room with their son. By this time I seemed to havebeen adopted into their family -- her people became my people, as itwas put so beautifully in the old biblical story of Ruth. I happilyaccepted the offer.

 

 

As I vacated the daughter's bedroom, I thought it might be nice tohave a little sister to look after. But when I later met my newsister, I realized that this idea of looking after her might be more

interesting than I first imagined.

 

We eventually fell in love, married, and have looked after oneanother for many years. There have been times that life turned out tobe more challenging than either of us could have known. But we have

always been able to go forward largely because we knew that somebodydeeply cared.

 

It isn't about marriage ... it's about love. It's about mothers andfathers, sisters and brothers and special friends who are as close asfamily. It's about anybody who can say, " I'll be around -- you can

count on me. I'll try to look after you and sometimes I will needyou to look after me. "

 

Is there somebody you can depend on? And are others counting onyou? We travel the path of life best when there is somebody to look after, and when someone is looking after us.

 

Steve Goodier

 

 

 

On a regular basis, you will likely disagree with others. Don't let that disagreement control your life. When you are confident of your own path in life, you will not be threatened by differing opinions. Instead of fighting against others who disagree, allow those differing perspectives to strengthen your own. There's no need to become defensive when your opinions are challenged. Instead, let the challenges help you to further refine and clarify your own thinking. True success is not a matter of forcing others to adopt your viewpoint. True success comes from making your life a full, complete and valuable expression of your own unique point of view. There will always be those who think differently than you do. Learn to see that as a blessing, and learn to appreciate its value. When you gratefully, peacefully, and lovingly accept disagreement, it loses its power to control your life. And you can transform it into something positive that will truly enhance your world. Ralph Marston