Spiritual Quote Of The Day

Some believe in existence.

Others believe nothing exists.

Rare is the one who believes nothing

And is never confused.

Astavakra Gita.

Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

The Hot Water Bottle

The Hot Water Bottle
A True Story By Helen Roseveare, Missionary to Africa

One night I had worked hard to help a mother in the labor ward; but in spite of all we could do, she died, leaving us with a tiny, premature baby and a crying two-year-old daughter. We would have difficulty keeping the baby alive; as we had no incubator (we had no electricity to run an incubator).

We also had no special feeding facilities. Although we lived on the equator, nights were often chilly with treacherous drafts. One student midwife went for the box we had for such babies and the cotton wool that the baby would be wrapped in.

Another went to stoke up the fire and fill a hot water bottle. She came back shortly in distress to tell me that in filling the bottle, it had burst (rubber perishes easily in tropical climates). 'And it is our last hot water bottle!' she exclaimed. As in the West, it is no good crying over spilled milk, so in Central Africa it might be considered no good crying over burst water bottles. They do not grow on trees, and there are no drugstores down forest pathways.

'All right,' I said, 'put the baby as near the fire as you safely can, and sleep between the baby and the door to keep it free from drafts. Your job is to keep the baby warm.'

The following noon, as I did most days, I went to have prayers with any of the orphanage children who chose to gather with me. I gave the youngsters various suggestions of things to pray about and told them about the tiny baby. I explained our problem about keeping the baby warm enough, mentioning the hot water bottle, and that the baby could so easily die if it got chills. I also told them of the two-year-old sister, crying because her mother had died.

During prayer time, one ten-year-old girl, Ruth, prayed with the usual blunt conciseness of our African children. 'Please, God' she prayed, 'Send us a hot water bottle today. It'll be no good tomorrow, God, as the baby will be dead, so please send it this afternoon.'

While I gasped inwardly at the audacity of the prayer, she added, 'And while You are about it, would You please send a dolly for the little girl so she'll know You really love her?'

As often with children's prayers, I was put on the spot. Could I honestly say 'Amen?' I just did not believe that God could do this.

Oh, yes, I know that He can do everything; the Bible says so. But there are limits, aren't there? The only way God could answer this particular prayer would be by sending me a parcel from the homeland. I had been in Africa for almost four years at that time, and I had never, ever, received a parcel from home.

Anyway, if anyone did send me a parcel, who would put in a hot water bottle? I lived on the equator!

Halfway through the afternoon, while I was teaching in the nurses' training school, a message was sent that there was a car at my front door. By the time I reached home, the car had gone, but there on the verandah was a large 22-pound parcel. I felt tears pricking my eyes. I could not open the parcel alone, so I sent for the orphanage children. Together we pulled off the string, carefully undoing each knot. We folded the paper, taking care not to tear it unduly. Excitement was mounting. Some thirty or forty pairs of eyes were focused on the large cardboard box. From the top, I lifted out brightly-colored, knitted jerseys. Eyes sparkled as I gave them out. Then there were the knitted bandages for the leprosy patients, and the children looked a little bored. Then came a box of mixed raisins and sultanas - that would make a batch of buns for the weekend.

Then, as I put my hand in again, I felt the.....could it really be? I grasped it and pulled it out. Yes, a brand new, rubber hot water bottle. I cried. I had not asked God to send it; I had not truly believed that He could.

Ruth was in the front row of the children. She rushed forward, crying out, 'If God has sent the bottle, He must have sent the dolly, too!'

Rummaging down to the bottom of the box, she pulled out the small, beautifully-dressed dolly. Her eyes shone! She had never doubted!

Looking up at me, she asked, 'Can I go over with you and give this dolly to that little girl, so she'll know that Jesus really loves her?' 'Of course,' I replied!

That parcel had been on the way for five whole months, packed up by my former Sunday school class, whose leader had heard and obeyed God's prompting to send a hot water bottle, even to the equator.

And one of the girls had put in a dolly for an African child - five months before, in answer to the believing prayer of a ten-year-old to bring it 'that afternoon.'

'Before they call, I will answer.' (Isaiah 65:24)


Prayer is one of the best free gifts we receive. There is no cost, but a lot of rewards. Let's continue praying for one another.


Heavenly Father, I ask you to bless my friends reading this. I ask You to minister to their spirit. Where there is pain, give them Your peace and mercy. Where there is self doubting, release a renewed confidence to work through them. Where there is tiredness or exhaustion, I ask You to give them understanding, guidance, and strength. Where there is fear, reveal your love and release to them Your courage. Bless their finances, give them greater vision, and raise up leaders and friends to support and encourage them. I ask You to do these things in Jesus' name. Amen

Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

There is a magnet in your heart

Paramahansa Yogananda

"There is a magnet in your heart that will attract true friends. That magnet is unselfishness, thinking of others first... when you learn to live for others, they will live for you.”

"Learn to be calm and you will always be happy."

“The happiness of one's own heart alone cannot satisfy the soul; one must try to include, as necessary to one's own happiness, the happiness of others.”

"From Joy we came; for Joy we live; and in the sacred divine joy we will one day melt again."

- Paramahansa Yogananda

Hazrat Inayat Khan

"Words that enlighten are more precious than jewels."

"Untill the heart is empty, it cannot receive the knowledge of God."

"Our success or failure depends upon the harmony or disharmony of our individual will with the Divine will."

"All the disharmony of the world caused by religious differences is the result of man's failure to understand that religion is "One", truth is "One", God is "One"; How "can" can there be two religions?"

- Hazrat Inayat Khan



Buddha

"Believe nothing, no matter where you read it, or who said it, no matter if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense."

"Work out your own salvation. Do not depend on others."

"There are only two mistakes one can make along the road to truth; not going all the way, and not starting."

"Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without."

"The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, nor to worry about the future, but to live the present moment wisely and earnestly."

"On life's journey faith is nourishment, virtuous deeds are a shelter, wisdom is the light by day and right mindfulness is the protection by night. If a man lives a pure life, nothing can destroy him."

"Teach this triple truth to all: A generous heart, kind speech, and a life of service and compassion are the things which renew humanity."

"Thousands of candles can be lighted from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared."

"You can search throughout the entire universe for someone who is more deserving of your love and affection than you are yourself, and that person is not to be found anywhere. You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe deserve your love and affection."

"Your work is to discover your world and then with all your heart give yourself to it."

- Buddha
Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

Dont worry be happy

Dont Worry Quotes

Shree Maa



Guru/Disciple



"These are the qualities of a disciple: humility, modesty, causing harm to none, patience, the purification of knowledge, worship of the teacher, purity, consistency, self control, constant equanimity of consciousness, unswerving devotion, distaste for the society of gossip, always residing in spiritual wisdom. All that is opposed is ignorance."















Tukaram



"He who utters the Name of God while walking

gets the merit of a sacrifice at every step

His body becomes a place of pilgrimage.

He who repeats God's Name while working

always finds perfect peace."



- Tukaram Extract from "Name of God"

Sri Aurobindo



"The last stage of perfection occurs when you are completely identified with the Divine Mother and feel yourself to be no longer another and separate instrument, servant, or worker but truly a child and eternal portion of her consciousness; it will be your constant, simple, and natural experience that all your thought and seeing and action, your very breathing or moving come from her and are hers."



- Sri Aurobindo



Peter Deunov



"Nothing else is demanded of you but to be in harmony with the entire Universe."



"Peacemakers are living in the Divine Fire.

Peacemaking is the Divine beam,

which comes from the depth of the human soul.

The peacemakers are the Sons of God.

Peacemaking is a Divine Light and it comes from the flame that has created it."



"The greater the sacrifice one makes, the bigger one becomes.

The more sacrifices one makes, the wiser one becomes,

the stronger one becomes, and the better one becomes.

Good people have sacrificed themselves, that is why they are strong."



"Open your hearts to the Divine and do not think about what will happen to you.

Open your minds to the sublime and bright thoughts and do not worry about tomorrow."



"Joy should accompany you. Your mind cannot grow without joy.

Your mind cannot be strong if you have no peace."



"Love is the only force that acts without any bias.

It opens your eyes instead of clouding them.

When you love, you can see clearly.

Only through love can you know people."



"Love is the basis, the foundation of everything,

for it is a virtue that is blind to human mistakes, and is never offended.

Even in in the worst mistakes it only sees something positive."



"I teach a great love, an active love, a love of kisses but also meaningful,

a love of feelings but also intense and noble, a love of power but of a light-giving power,

so that there may be love wherever we go!"



"Until now, man was living for himself. But from now on Mother Love,

as an impulse within the consciousness of humanity,

is urging an improvement for everyone without exception.

Therefore, all people must act together for the well-being and happiness of the whole of humanity".



"Unconditional Mother Love is the door through which man can enter the Kingdom of Heaven.

Christ also pointed out to us that Love is the only path for salvation of the human soul."



"Your Mother is coming."



- Peter Deunov



Ramprasad Sen (1718 - 1775),

the ecstatic poet-mystic of Bengal.



"O foolish mind, do not indulge in hatred for any sacred way if you wish to enter pure Reality. With desperate longing for truth alone, the singer of this song has plunged into the ocean of ancient Scriptures, discovering at last that my blissful Mother, her black hair falling free in ecstasy, is the living power within every religious symbol, the coherent core of every philosophy. She is the warrior spirit, Kali dancing, and she is Shiva, all-transcending. She is ineffable sweetness, Radha-Krishna, the love play that dissolves conventionality. She is Sita-Ram, compassionately wise, the complete evolution of humanity."



- Ramprasad



Teresa of Avila



"It is love alone that gives worth to all things."



"Accustom yourself continually to make many acts of love, for they enkindle and melt the soul."



"Do not dismayed, at the number of things which you have to consider

before setting out on this divine journey,

which is the royal road to heaven.

By taking this road we gain such precious treasures

that it is no wonder if the cost seems to us a high one.

The time will come when we shall realize that all we have paid

has been nothing at all by comparison with the greatness of our prizes."



"Each of us has a soul, but we forget to value it.

We don't remember that we are creatures made in the image of God.

We don't understand the great secrets hidden inside of us."



"Prayer is nothing else than being on terms of friendship with God."



- Teresa of Avila



Haidakhan Babaji



"Everything in this world is transient. It has no reality. True reality is to proceed on the path of truth, to keep the company of saintly people, and to render service to men."



"There is no saint without a past, and no sinner without a future."



"You all think devotion is fun. Some day you will have to jump without fear of life or death; then you will be able to make progress. When the time comes, you will have to walk through fire and water."



"You should become pioneers of this age and search for truth. You have to become adventurous and awaken truth within you. This is real yoga."



"Courage is the most important thing...Wake up yourselves and others. Control your mind and have firm determination... Be firm like a rock, deep and serious like the sea. Think of the earth as a mother. Have great courage and patience - and be not afraid of water, fire or great storms - face them bravely. Face the fire and it will turn to ice. This requires control of mind and a firm determination."



"Awake! Arise! And be exalted! Make your life a success!."



-Haidakhan Babaji



Meher Baba



"A mind that is fast is sick. A mind that is slow is sound. A mind that is still is divine."



"Love is essentially self-communicative: those who do not have it catch it from those who have it.... No amount of rites, rituals, ceremonies, worship, meditation, penance and remembrance can produce love in themselves. None of these is necessarily a sign of love. On the contrary, those who sigh loudly and weep and wail have yet to experience love. Love sets on fire the one who finds it. At the same time it seals his lips so that no smoke comes out.



"Love can attain what the intellect cannot fathom."



"Don't worry. Be happy."



-Meher Baba



Ramana Maharshi



"Happiness is your nature. It is not wrong to desire it. What is wrong is seeking it outside when it is inside."



"Nearly all mankind is more or less unhappy because nearly all do not know the true Self. Real happiness abides in Self-knowledge alone. All else is fleeting. To know one's Self is to be blissful always."



" Bliss is not something to be got. On the other hand you are always Bliss. This desire [for Bliss] is born of the sense of incompleteness. To whom is this sense of incompleteness? Enquire. In deep sleep you were blissful. Now you are not so. What has interposed between that Bliss and this non-bliss? It is the ego. Seek its source and find you are Bliss."



"Nobody doubts that he exists, though he may doubt the existence of God. If he finds out the truth about himself and discovers his own source, this is all that is required."



"That inner Self, as the primeval Spirit, Eternal, ever effulgent, full and infinite Bliss, Single, indivisible, whole and living, Shines in everyone as the witnessing awareness. That self in its splendour, shining in the cavity of the heart This self is neither born nor dies, Neither grows nor decays, Nor does it suffer any change. When a pot is broken, the space within it is not, And similarly, when the body dies the Self in it remains eternal."



"Reality is simply the loss of ego. Destroy the ego by seeking its identity. Because the ego is no entity it will automatically vanish and reality will shine forth by itself."



"God dwells in you, as you, and you don't have to 'do' anything to be God-realized or Self-realized, it is already your true and natural state." Just drop all seeking, turn your attention inward, and sacrifice your mind to the One Self radiating in the Heart of your very being. For this to be your own presently lived experience, Self-Inquiry is the one direct and immediate way."



"Heart" is merely another name for the Supreme Spirit, because He is in all hearts. The entire Universe is condensed in the body, and the entire body in the Heart. Thus the Heart is the nucleus of the whole Universe."



"Your own Self-Realization is the greatest service you can render the world. "



- Ramana Maharshi

Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

Dont Worry Quotes

Always try to perform your duties

Paramahansa Ramakrishna

"Perform your duties in an unselfish spirit. Always try to perform your duties without desiring any result. All, without exception, perform work. Even to chant the name and glories of God is work, as is the meditation of the non-dualist on 'I am He'. Breathing is also an activity. There is no way of renouncing work altogether. So do your work, but surrender the result to God." - Paramahansa Ramakrishna

Devotee: You mean we can do the work of the world and also contemplate God?

Ramakrishna: Yes, you will do them both. You have to perform the work of the world, but from time to time go into solitude and pray that you can perform those activities without personal desire. Then you will say, "Hey, God, reduce my worldly desires because when I see that there is so much work in front of me, I forget you. I think that I am acting selflessly, but I actually have lots of desires." If you are pursuing name, gain, and fame, you cannot be free from desire.

"Devotion to God may be said to be 'green' so long as it doesn't grow into love of God; but it becomes 'ripe' when it has grown into such love. A man with 'green bhakti cannot assimilate spiritual talk and instruction; but one with 'ripe' bhakti can. The image that falls on a photographic plate covered with black film is retained. On the other hand, thousands of images may be refelected on a piece of bare glass, but not one of them is retained. As the object moves away, the glass becomes the same as it was before." - Sri Ramakrishna

"There are certain characteristics of God-vision. One sees light, feels joy, and experiences the upsurge of a great current in one's chest, like the bursting of a rocket."
- from "The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna" (Abridged Edition): The Master and Keshab

Once, Sri Ramakrishna was asked: "Where is God? How can we reach him?" Sri Ramakrishna replied: "Adopt adequate means for the end you seek to attain. You cannot get butter by crying, "There is butter in the milk!" If you wish to make butter, turn the milk into curds, and churn it well. Then alone can you get butter. Therefore, if you long to see God, practice spiritual exercises. Everything depends upon the will of the Lord. Effort is necessary for God-vision. There are pearls in the deep sea, but one must hazard all to find them. If diving once does not bring you pearls, you need not conclude that the sea has none. Dive again and again. You are sure to be rewarded in the end. So is it with the finding of the Lord. If your first attempt proves fruitless, do not lose heart. Persevere in your efforts. You are sure to realize him at last."

Ramakrishna: The devotion that sadhus derive from their sadhana is not the same as the devotion of worldly people. Worldly devotion always calculates, "I have to do this much japa. I have to sit for so many hours in meditation. I have to do that much worship." They keep an account of how much they do.
- from Ramakrishna The Nectar of Eternal Bliss Copyright 2005 Devi Mandir Publications First Edition

SAYINGS OF PARAMAHANSA RAMAKRISHNA

More are the names of God and infinite are the forms through which He may be approached. In whatever name and form you worship Him, through them you will realize Him.

One should not think, 'My religion alone is the right path and other religions are false.' God can be realized by means of all paths. It is enough to have sincere yearning for God. Infinite are the paths and infinite are the opinions.

You see many stars in the sky at night, but not when the sun rises. Can you therefore say that there are no stars in the heavens during the day? Because you cannot find God in the days of your ignorance, say not that there is no God.

Little children play with dolls in the outer room just as they like, without any care of fear or restraint; but as soon as their mother comes in, they throw aside their dolls and run to her crying, "Mamma, mamma." You too, are now playing in this material world, infatuated with the dolls of wealth, honour, fame, etc., If however, you once see your Divine Mother, you will not afterwards find pleasure in all these. Throwing them all aside, you will run to her.

As the cloud covers the sun, so Maya hides God. When the cloud moves away, the sun is seen again, when Maya is removed, God becomes manifest.

The sun can give heat and light to the whole world, but he cannot do so when the clouds shut out his rays. Similarly as long as egotism veils the heart, God cannot shine upon it.

Rain-water never stands on high ground, but runs down to the lowest level. So also the mercy of God remains in the hearts of the lowly, but drains off from those of the vain and the proud.

If you feel proud, let it be in the thought that you are the servent of God, the son of God. Great men have the nature of a child. They are always a child before Him; so they are free from pride. All their strength is of God and not their own. It belongs to Him and comes from Him.

To explain God after merely reading the scriptures is like explaining to a person the city of Benares after seeing it only in a map.

Common men talk 'bagfuls' of religion but do not practise even a 'grain' of it. The wise man speaks a little, even though his whole life is religion expressed in action.

The nearer you come to God, the less you are disposed to questioning and reasoning. When you actually attain Him, when you behold Him as the reality, then all noise, all disputations, come to an end.

Sugar and sand may be mixed together, but the ant rejects the sand and carres away the grains of sugar. So the holy and pious men successfully sift the good from the bad.

The spiritually minded belong to a caste of their own, beyond all social conventions.

A boat may stay in water, but water should not stay in boat. A spiritual aspirant may live in the world, but the world should not live within him.

Forgiveness is the true nature of the ascetic.

As a toy fruit or a toy elephant reminds one of the real fruit and the living animal, so do the images that are worshipped remind one of the God who is formless and eternal.

God comes not where reign timidity, hatred and fear.

A young plant should always be protected against goats and cows and the miscief of little urchins, by means of a fence. But when it becomes a big tree, a flock of goats or a herd of cows can freely find shelter under its spreading boughs and fill their stomachs with their leaves. So when your faith is yet in its infancy, you should protect it from the evil influences of bad company. But when you grow strong in faith, no worldliness or evil inclination will dare approach your holy presence; and many who are wicked will become godly through their holy contact with you.

In a potter's shop there are vessels of different shapes and forms — pots, jars, dishes, plates, etc., — but all are made of the same clay. So God is one, but He is worshipped in different ages and climes under different names and aspects.

One can ascend the top of a house by means of a ladder or a bamboo or a staircase or a rope; so too, diverse are the ways of approaching God, and each religion in the world shows one of the ways.

He who has faith has all, and he who lacks faith lacks all.

As one thinks, so does one become.

Unless one always speaks the truth, one cannot find God Who is the soul of truth.

It is very pleasant to scratch an itching ring-worm, but the sensation one gets afterwards is very painful and intolerable. In the same way the pleasures of this world are very attractive in the beginning, but their consequences are terrible to contemplate and hard to endure.

To drink pure water from a shallow pond one should gently take the water from the surface without disturbing the pond in the least. If it is disturbed, the sediments rise up and make the whole water muddy. If you desire to be pure, have firm faith, and slowly go on with your devotional practices, without wasting your energy in useless scriptural discussions and arguments. Your little brain will otherwise be muddled.

Sunlight is one and the same wherever it falls; but only a bright surface like that of water, or of a mirror reflects it fully. So is the light Divine. It falls equally and impartially on all hearts, but the pure and pious hearts of holy men receive and reflect that light well.

Who is whose Guru? God alone is the guide and Guru of the universe.

It is immaterial whether one believes or not that Radha and Krishna were incarnations of God. One may believein God's incarnation. Or one may not believei His assuming form, human or otherwise. But let all have a yearning for this Anuraga (intense love for the Lord). This intense love is the one thing needful.

As water, when congealed, becomes ice, so also the visible form of the Almighty is the materialised manifestation of the all-prevading formless Brahman. It may be called in fact Sachchidananda (Existance - Knowledge - Bliss Absolute) solidified. As the ice, which is a part and parcel of water, remains in water and afterwards melts into it, so the Personal God, Who is a part and parcel of the Impersonal, rises from the Impersonal, remains there, and ultimately merges into It and disappears.

As the shell, the pith and the kernel of the fruit are all produced form one parent seed of the tree, so from the one Lord is produced the whole of creation, animate and inanimate, spiritual and material.

A jar kept in water is full of water inside and outside. Thus the soul immersed in God sees the all-prevading Spirit within and without.

When the head of a goat is severed from its body, the trunk struggles for some time, still showing signs of life. Similarly, though ahamkara (egotism) is slain in the perfect man, yet enough of its vitality is left to make him carry on the functions of physical life; but it is not sufficient to bind him again into the world.

The body is born, and it will have to die. But there is no death to the soul. When the betel-nut is ripe, the nut seperates from the outer case, but it is very difficult to seperate it while the nut is green. When God is attained, there dawns the conciousness that the soul is separate from the body.

When the tail of the tadpole drops off, it can live both in water and on land. When the tail of delusive ignorance drops off from man, he becomes free. He can then live in God and the world equally well.

Do yourself what you wish others to do.

Reality with attributes, saguna Brahman, has been unanimously declared by the Vedas, Puranas, and Tantras to be Mahakali, the primordial energy of awareness. Her Energy is like the rays of the sun. The original sun is attributeless Reality, nirguna Brahman, boundless Awareness alone. Proceed to the Original through its Radiance. Awaken to non-dual Reality through Mother Kali. She holds the key.

My Mother is the principle of consciousness. She is akhanda satchidananda; indivisible Reality, Awareness, and Bliss. The night sky between the stars is perfectly black. The waters of the ocean depths are the same. The infinite is always mysteriously dark. This inebriating darkness is my beloved Kali....

Think of Brahman, Existance, Knowledge - Bliss Absolute, as a shoreless ocean. Through the cooling influence, as it were, of the bhakta's love, the water has frozen at places into blocks of ice. In other words, God now and then assumes various forms for His lovers and reveals Himself to them as a Person.

The one goal of life is to cultivate love for God, the love that the milkmaids, the milkmen, and the cowherd boys of VrindAvan felt for Krishna. When Krishna went away to Mathura, the cowherds roamed about weeping bitterly because of their separation from Him.

Live in the world like a waterfowl. The water clings to the bird, but the bird shakes it off. Live in the world like a mudfish. The fish lives in the mud, but its skin is always bright and shiny.

He who is called Brahman by the jnanis is known as Atman by the yogis and as Bhagavan by the bhaktas. The same brahmin is called priest, when worshipping in the temple, and cook, when preparing a meal in the kitchen. The jnani, following the path of knowledge, always reason about the Reality saying, 'not this, not this.' Brahman is neither 'this' nor 'that'; It is neither the universe nor its living beings. Reasoning in this way, the mind becomes steady. Finally it disappears and the aspirant goes into samadhi. This is the Knowledge of Brahman. It is the unwavering conviction of the jnani that Brahman alone is real and the world is illusory. All these names and forms are illusory, like a dream. What Brahman is cannot be described. One cannot even say that Brahman is a Person. This is the opinion of the jnanis, the followers of Vedanta. But the bhaktas accept all the states of consciousness. They take the waking state to be real also. They don't think the world to be illusory, like a dream. They say that the universe is a manifestation of the God's power and glory. God has created all these - sky, stars, moon, sun, mountains, ocean, men, animals. They constitute His glory. He is within us, in our hearts. Again, He is outside. The most advanced devotees say that He Himself has become all this - the 24 cosmic principles, the universe, and all living beings. The devotee of God wants to eat sugar, and not become sugar. Do you know how a lover of God feels? His attitude is: 'O God, Thou art the Master, and I am Thy servant. Thou art the Mother, and I Thy child.' Or again: 'Thou art my Father and Mother. Thou art the Whole, and I am a part.' He does not like to say, 'I am Brahman.' They yogi seeks to realize the Paramatman, the Supreme Soul. His ideal is the union of the embodied soul and the Supreme Soul. He withdraws his mind from sense objects and tries to concentrate on the Paramatman. Therefore, during the first stage of his spiritual discipline, he retires into solitude and with undivided attention practices meditation in a fixed posture. But the reality is one and the same; the difference is only in name. He who is Brahman is verily Atman, and again, He is the Bhagavan. He is Brahman to the followers of the path of knowledge, Paramatman to the yogis, and Bhagavan to the lovers of God.

Man cannot really help the world. God alone does that - He who has created the sun and the moon, who has put love for their children in parents' hearts, endowed noble souls with compassion, and holy men and devotees with divine love. The man who works for others, without any selfish motive, really does good to himself.

A man cannot realize God unless he gets rid of all such egoistic ideas as 'I am such an important man' or 'I am so and so'. Level the mound of 'I' to the ground by dissolving it with the tears of devotion.

Can you weep for Him with intense longing of heart? Men shed a jugful of tears for the sake of their children, for their wives, or for money. But who weeps for God?

Whatever appears in the Pure Mind is the voice of God. That which is Pure Mind is also Pure Buddhi; that, again, is Pure Atman, because there is nothing pure but God.

God is realized as soon as the mind becomes free from attachment. But in order to realize God one must go beyond dharma and adharma.

Knowledge leads to unity; ignorance to diversity.

Once a man realizes God through intense dispassion, he is no longer attached to woman. Even if he must lead the life of a householder, he is free from fear of and attachment to woman. Suppose there are two magnets, one big and the other small. Which one will attract the iron? The big one,of course. God is the big magnet. Compared to Him, woman is a small one. He who has realized God does not look upon a woman with the eye of lust; so he is not afraid of her. He perceives clearly that women are but so many aspects of the Divine Mother. He worships them all as the Mother Herself.

God is realized by following the path of truth. One should always chant His name. Even while one is performing one's duties, the mind should be left with God.

All will surely realize God. All will be liberated. It may be that some get their meal in the morning, some at noon, and some in the evening, but none will go without food. All, without any exception, will certainly know the real Self. * It is said that truthfulness alone constitutes the spiritual discipline of the Kaliyuga. If a man clings tenaciously to Truth he ultimately realizes God.

To be humble is to be on the first leg of the journey to purity. The humble has yet to be on the first leg of the journey to purity. The humble has yet to be pure. He is on the way to it. One cannot be pure without being humble, because there is no greater impurity than ego."

Spiritual discipline is necessary in order to see God. I had to pass through very severe discipline. How many austerities I practised under the bel-tree! I would lie down under it, crying to the Divine Mother, 'O Mother, reveal Thyself to me.' The tears would flow in torrents and soak my body.

The great Goal can never be reached unless a man makes his mind strong and firmly resolves that he must realize God in this very birth, nay, in this very moment.

God can be realized through all paths. All religions are true. The important thing is to reach the roof. You can reach it by stone stairs or by wooden stairs or by bamboo steps or by a rope. You can also climb up by a bamboo pole. * The formless Absolute is my Father, and God with form is my Mother. God reveals Himself in the form which His devotee loves most. His love for the devotee knows no bounds.

If you desire to be pure, have firm faith, and slowly go on with your devotional practices without wasting your energy in useless scriptural discussions and arguments. Your little brain will otherwise be muddled.

A poor devotee points to the sky and says, "God is up there." An average devotee says, "God dwells in the heart as the Inner Master." The best devotee says, "God alone is and everything I perceive is a form of God."

- Sri Ramakrishna

Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

Fruit Of Faith is Love

Once Mother Theresa was asked
how she could continue day after day after day,
visiting the terminally ill:
feeding them, touching them, wiping their brows,
giving them comfort as they lay dying.


And she said, "It's not hard,
because in each one I see the face of Christ
in one of His more distressing disguises."


And that is Mother's teaching:
To urge us to see the face of Christ
in each of His numerous disguises
wherever we go.

Her plea was that we look for holiness
not just in those who are ill or hungry
or in obvious pain, but in the all the others, too.
I mean those who are suffering
from spiritual despair or emotional imprisonments
which block their aliveness; restrict their freedom
and wall them off from limitless joy
and self realization.

These beings too, need our Silent Love
for their pain is just as deep.

That is Mother Theresa's message
about spiritual healing.
And the truth is there are countless numbers
of brothers and sisters who urgently need our blessing.


You don't have to go far to find them.
They're right beside you at work;
they drive next to you
on the freeway.
They shop with you at the grocery store.


In fact, you can probably
find someone you need to bless
right in your own mirror.

Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

Intelligence is impartial

He who is the same to friend and foe...

that man is dear to Me.

Bhagavad Gita 12:15-19
*
There is no enemy out of your soul.

The real enemies live inside yourself,

they are anger, proud, cussedness, greed, attachments and hate...

It is better to win over self than to win
over a million enemies.

Mahavira
*

No one is my enemy,
nor is anyone a stranger to me;

I am a friend of all.

Guru Arjan De
*

An insincere friend is more to be feared than a wild beast;

a wild beast may wound your body, but an insincere friend
will wound your mind.

Gautama Buddha
*

Keep your friends close... and your enemies closer.
Sun Tzu

*
Intelligence is impartial;

no man is your enemy, no man is your friend.

All alike are your teachers.

Mabel Collins

Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

Want To be Happy ..

INSTRUCTIONS FOR LIFE - H H Dalai Lama

• 
  
  
  Take into account that great love and great achievements involve great risk.
  When you lose, don’t lose the lesson.




• 
  
  
  Follow the three R’s:
  - Respect for self,
  - Respect for others and
  - Responsibility for all your actions.




• 
  
  
  Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck.




• 
  
  
  Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly.




• 
  
  
  Don’t let a little dispute injure a great relationship.




• 
  
  
  When you realize you’ve made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.




• 
  
  
  Spend some time alone every day.




• 
  
  
  Open your arms to change, but don’t let go of your values.




• 
  
  
  Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.




• 
  
  
  Live a good, honorable life. Then when you get older and think back, you’ll be able to enjoy it a second time.




• 
  
  
  A loving atmosphere in your home is the foundation for your life.




• 
  
  
  In disagreements with loved ones, deal only with the current situation. Don’t bring up the past.




• 
  
  
  Share your knowledge. It is a way to achieve immortality.




• 
  
  
  Be gentle with the earth.




• 
  
  
  Once a year, go someplace you’ve never been before.




• 
  
  
  Remember that the best relationship is one in which your love for each other exceeds your need for each other.




• 
  
  
  Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to get it.




• 
  
  
  If you want others to be happy, practice compassion.




• 
  
  
  If you want to be happy, practice compassion. Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

White Sands of Mexico

In southcentral New Mexico, west of Alamagordo, are the world's largest dune fields of gypsum sand. The brilliant white sand dunes cover an area of nearly 230 square miles, with many dunes rising to over 60 feet. The best time to visit the dunes is on a warm winter day; there will be few tourists compared to the large numbers during the summer months, and the winter light is absolutely beautiful on the shimmering sands. Wander far out upon the dunes and spend hours playing and lying in the sand. The spirit here offers an expansive sense of calmness and a childlike joy in the heart. The dunes also seem to attract visitors from very, very far away; while National Park and government officials will resolutely deny their existence, hundreds of UFO's have been sighted at White Sands during the past 30 years. The dunes were a fabled site for vision quests of Indians from throughout the southwest and northern Mexico.

Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

Famous Kabir

The Lord is in me, and the Lord is in you,/ As life is hidden in every seed./ So rubble your pride, my friend,/ And look for Him within you... This is the music/ That transcends all coming and going.
*
Do not go to the garden of flowers!/ O Friend! go not there;/ In your body is the garden of flowers./ Take your seat on the thousand petals of the lotus, and there gaze on the Infinite Beauty.
*
O servant, where dost thou seek Me?/ Lo! I am beside thee./ I am neither in temple nor in mosque: I am neither in Kaaba nor in Kailash:/ Neither am I in rites and ceremonies, nor in Yoga and renunciation./ If thou art a true seeker, thou shalt at once see Me: thou shalt meet Me in a moment of time.
*
Devotion should be like the river that retains water even in the hottest season.

Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

Come to Light

We face numerous challenges in life. We may have illnesses and financial or relationship problems. We may face dark spells, but we do not have to be blinded by the darkness. The following story has an instructive message to help us through the dark patches our life.

There was once a cave that lived underground, as most caves do. Since it spent its entire life in darkness, it had never seen any light. One day, a voice talked to the cave, and said, "Come up into the light. Come and enjoy the sunlight." The cave replied, "I do not know what you mean by light. All I have ever known is darkness." "Come and see for yourself," said the voice.

The cave mustered up enough courage and climbed slowly up from the depths of the earth. Suddenly, it reached the top of the earth and was surrounded by magnificent light, the likes of which the cave had never seen in its life. "This is beautiful," said the cave. After enjoying the light for a while, the cave said to the sunlight, "Now it is your turn to come with me and see the darkness."

"What is darkness?" asked the sunlight. The cave answered, "Come and see for yourself." So the sunlight decided to visit the cave's home. As the sunlight entered the cave, it said, "Now show me your darkness." But with the sunlight there, there was no darkness to be found!

Where there is light, there can be no darkness. Whenever we feel we are in a dark phase, we need only tap into the light of our soul. Our true nature is light. If we would only identify with our true nature, we would find there is no darkness. If we would also bring our own innate goodness and light into our daily life, we would never be overcome by the darkness of life again.

We each have within us the light of the soul, which has been described by saints as being equal to the light of sixteen outer suns. But we are not aware of it because we identify ourselves with the outer world of darkness and illusion. If we would invert our attention within through meditation, we would discover that we are Light. Then, whenever the dark spells of life threaten to bring us down, we could invert, find the Light within, and bring it forth into the darkness to dispel it.

When we associate with the temporary illusions of this world, we feel pain. But when we realize that the outer events are but a dream existence, a passing show that is but temporary, we can rise above the pain and disappointment.

When we find misfortune, let us count the numerous times we have experienced good fortune. When we fail, take that as an opportunity to learn from our mistakes and try again. When we find ourselves in darkness, let us close our eyes and focus within until we see the light that brings peace, joy, and love. If we bring that light into our lives, then like the cave in the story, we will find that there is no more darkness.

If we sit in meditation, we can experience the light waiting for us within. Let us not be distracted by the darkness of thought, but instead sit in stillness and wait lovingly for God to shine light upon us.

Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

Then I'm coming with you

Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865), the sixteenth President of U.S.A, was a great philanthropist and champion of human rights and dignity. His long struggle against slavery led to the amendment of the Constitution, abolishing slavery in the United States of America. He was assassinated in 1865.

There is a popular legend about his early days. Once, Abraham Lincoln happened to see a slave auction. He was disgusted by the sights and sounds of buying and selling of human beings in public. He saw a young woman displayed for sale as a slave. Her eyes were filled with contempt on everyone around her. She showed signs of the intense sufferings she encountered throughout her life. When the bidding began, Lincoln offered a bid for her. He countered others' bids with larger amounts until he won. He paid the auctioneer the money and took title to the young woman. She stared at her new master with hatred. She asked him what he was going to do with her. Lincoln told her, "I'm going to set you fully free. You can say and do whatever you want and go anywhere you wish to." She was hearing such kind words for the first time.
"Then I'm coming with you!" she said with a smile.

Man was under the slavery of sin. Jesus redeemed us and made us God's children {Galatians 4: 3-5}. Jesus provides true and complete liberation to man. St. Paul says, "Freedom is what we have - Christ has set us free! Stand, then, as free people, and do not allow yourselves to become slaves again" {Galatians 5:1}.

Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

Help every one you come across

Mr. George. C. Boldt reached USA as a poor immigrant from Europe. He did humble jobs in different hotels. In recognition of his honesty, hard work and dedication, he was raised to the level of manager in a hotel in Philadelphia.

On a cold, raining and stormy night, an enormously wealthy man, Mr. William Waldorf Astor visited the hotel with his wife and requested a room for the night. All the rooms in the hotel were already occupied. Mr. Boldt, who was very kind and considerate, did not have the mind to send them away in the stormy night to search for a room in another hotel. He offered them his own room in the hotel and spent the night in the office itself. The couple was immensely impressed by the managers compassionate concern for them.
The next morning, they thanked the manager most sincerely. While departing, Mr. Astor told him, You are the kind of manager who should be the boss of the best hotel in the USA. May be some day, I will build a hotel for you.
Mr. William Waldorf Astor (1848-1919), was a Senator and Statesman and the richest man in the USA. He later moved to England and was made a Baron in 1916 and a Viscount in 1917.
In 1893, he completed the construction of the grand, glamorous and splendid Waldorf Hotel in New York. He kept his promise to Mr. Boldt and invited him to New York. He appointed M. Boldt as the first manager of the grand new hotel. Mr. Boldt gladly accepted the offer and managed it most efficiently. Four years later, Mr. John Jacob Astor, the cousin of Mr. William Waldorf Astor erected the Astoria Hotel in the adjacent land and joined the two hotels as Waldorf-Astoria. Mr. Boldt managed the joint hotel excellently for several years and raised it to the level of the finest hotel in the world. It was world-renowned for the magnificent management and superb service.
God sees and values our actions, even the simplest and humblest of them. Every one who comes to us needs our care, concern and kindness. In the Parable of the Gold Coins, the king says to the faithful servant, You are a good servant! Since you were faithful in small matters, I will put you in charge of ten cities {Luke, 19: 17}.
Remember to welcome strangers in your homes. There were some who did that and welcomed angels without knowing it {Hebrews 13:2}.

Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

Helping Hand always for you

A father was working in his garden. His child was with him, trying his best to impress his father by performing minor works as directed by his father. The father saw a stone in the garden near his son and asked him to remove it. “We will plant a nice plant there instead”, he said. The child tried to move the stone but it did not move. He declared aloud that he could not move it. The father was at a distance and so he replied aloud, “Try again. Use all your means to remove it.” The child used all his might and still could not dislodge the stone. So he started to cry aloud. The father ran to him and pacified him.

“I told you to use all your means, didn’t I?" he asked. “Yes, I tried my best”, replied the crying child. “But you forgot about me, my dear. You could have sought my help. Why didn’t you include me in your ‘means’?” the child was enlightened. Working along with his father, he could easily move the large stone and plant a new plant in its place.

This happens to all of us. When we fail in an action, we feel depressed and dejected. We may forget God and His infinite strength. We must seek His help, always.

He is sure to help us, if our action suits His plan for us.

Without God, we are zeroes. With God, we are heroes.

God says,

“Do not be afraid- I am with you!

I am your God- let nothing terrify you!

I will make you strong and help you;

I will protect you and save you” {Isaiah 41: 10}.

Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

I alone know the plans I have for you, plans to bring you prosperity and not disaster

A king had an earnest and honest minister. The king trusted him but disliked his frequent statement, "God gives everything for our own good."


Once they went together for hunting. While making a way through the forest by cutting the bushes with his sword, the king cut off the tip of his middle finger. They treated the wound using medicinal herbs and bandaged the wound to stop bleeding. As they finished the treatment, the minister made his usual remark, "God gives everything for our own good." The king was furious. "You are really cruel", he said, "I am in great pain and you say it is for good. You will say the same thing when I lose my head!" Filled with rage, he flung the minister into a dirty pit and raced off alone.

In the dense forest, the king was caught by a group of savages. They tied him up and carried him to their chieftain. They were celebrating a religious festival. They wanted to offer the king as a human sacrifice before their deity. As the rituals were progressing, the chief priest examined the 'offering' in detail and found out that the tip of his middle finger was missing. He declared that only perfect bodies without any defect would be acceptable as sacrifice before the deity. Hence the king was released. The king realized that the minister's statement was correct. So he returned to the pit and rescued the minister. The king narrated the events and apologized for his action. The minister repeated, "God gives everything for our own good."

The king asked for an explanation for this statement. The minister said, "If you had not put me in the pit, I would have been with you when the savages attacked and they would have sacrificed me instead of you!" The king now confessed with conviction, "You are correct. God gives everything for our own good."

God speaks through Jeremiah, "I alone know the plans I have for you, plans to bring you prosperity and not disaster, plans to bring about the future you hope for {Jeremiah 29: 11}.

Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

When we show kindness to others, others will shower it on us especially when we are in need

Miss. Maria was a poor, old woman staying alone in a cheap house in the outskirts of New York City. She subsisted on the meager pension granted by the Government to unemployed poor people.

She was kind and considerate to everyone. She was fond of children. They enjoyed her company and her nice words. She enlightened them by her wise words and interesting illustrations. She was loved by all her neighbors. They were willing to support her financially, but she thankfully refused all their offers. Still, they were waiting for a chance to help her.

On the first of a month, she returned home after collecting her regular pension. Later, she could not find the money in her house. She assumed that she had lost it on the way. She put up a notice on a board near her house stating that she had lost 100 dollars on the road and anyone who finds the money may kindly give it to her. She then went to the church and returned soon.

Reaching home, she was surprised to find several packets dropped into her house through an open window. She examined them and found that each contained exactly 100 dollars and a note that the money was picked up from the road. Obviously, these were the voluntary contributions of her loving neighbors, who were awaiting a chance to help her. She removed the notice soon, saying, "If it remains here, many more may find out the missing money!" Later, she could recover the missing money from her own house as it had been misplaced by her by mistake.

When we show kindness to others, others will shower it on us, especially when we are in need. But we must be kind to all, expecting nothing in return.

"Happy are those who are merciful to others; God will be merciful to them! {Matthew 5: 7}
Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

He gives generously to the needy, and His kindness never fails

It was a Christmas Eve. A mother and her child were shopping in a large super market. There was a heavy rush of customers as the shop was to be closed on Christmas day.

The shop was decorated beautifully. At the exit, a large bowl full of toffees was placed for the children. A stout gate-keeper was asking the children coming out of the store to have a handful each of the sweet toffees as Christmas gift.

When the mother and child came out, he politely asked the child to take the gift. But he stood still. The mother compelled him, but he was not willing to take it. Since more children were coming out, the gate-keeper took a handful of sweets from the bowl and put them into their carrier bag. The child was happy.

When they were outside, the mother asked the child why he refused to take the toffees himself. He showed her his tiny hands and told innocently, My hands are small, Mommy; but the gate-keepers hands were so large in size. If I collect a handful, it will be too little. But he filled his large hand and gave me all of it. That was much more than what I could have collected! I was waiting for him to do it.

The child's attitude teaches us an important lesson about the abundance of Gods grace being bestowed upon us. What we acquire by our own efforts is too little compared to the infinite gifts of God. If we seek Gods grace, He will shower His gifts on us. Gods hands and mind are infinitely larger than ours. His gifts will be the best and most suitable for us and much more than what we can ask or think of {Ephesians 3:20}.

Jesus promised, Ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened for you {Matthew 7: 7, Luke 11: 9}. I have come in order that you might have life life in all its fullness {John 10: 10}.

He gives generously to the needy, and His kindness never fails {Psalms 112:9}.

But if any of you lacks wisdom, he should pray to God, who will give it to him; because God gives generously and graciously to all {James 1:5}.

And God is able to give you more than you need, so that you will always have all you need for yourselves and more than enough for every good cause {2 Corinthians 9: 8}.

And with all His abundant wealth through Christ Jesus, my God will supply all your needs {Philippians 4: 19}.

Let us praise God for His glorious grace, for the free gift He gave us in His dear Son! For by the sacrificial death of Christ we are set free, that is, our sins are forgiven. How great is the grace of God, which He gave to us in such large measure! {Ephesians 1:6-8}.
Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

Who is yor DADDY

A seminary professor was vacationing with his wife in Gatlinburg, TN. One morning, they were eating breakfast at a little restaurant, hoping to enjoy a quiet, family meal. While they were waiting for their food, they noticed a distinguished looking, white-haired man moving from table to table, visiting with the guests. The professor leaned over and whispered to his wife, "I hope he doesn't come over here." But sure enough, the man did come over to their table.

"Where are you folks from?" he asked in a friendly voice. "Oklahoma," they answered. "Great to have you here in Tennessee," the stranger said. "What do you do for a living?" "I teach at a seminary," he replied. "Oh, so you teach preachers how to preach, do you? Well, I've got a really great story for you." And with that, the gentleman pulled up a chair and sat down at the table with the couple. The professor groaned and thought to himself, "Great... Just what I need... another preacher story!"

The man started, "See that mountain over there? (Pointing out the restaurant window). Not far from the base of that mountain, there was a boy born to an unwed mother. He had a hard time growing up, because every place he went, he was always asked the same question, 'Hey boy, who’s your daddy?' Whether he was at school, in the grocery store or drug store, people would ask the same question! 'Who's your daddy?' He would hide at recess and lunchtime from other students. He would avoid going in to stores because that question hurt him so bad. When he was about 12 years old, a new preacher came to his church. He would always go in late and slip out early to avoid hearing the question, 'Who's your daddy?' But one day, the new preacher said the benediction so fast he got caught and had to walk out with the crowd. Just about the time he got to the Back door, the new preacher, not knowing anything about him, put his hand on his shoulder and asked him, Son, who's your daddy? The whole church got deathly quiet. He could feel every eye in the church looking at him. Now everyone would finally know the answer to the question, 'Who's your daddy.'

This new preacher, though, sensed the situation around him & using discernment that only the Holy Spirit could give, said the following to that scared little boy..." Wait a minute!' he said. 'I know who you are. I see the family resemblance now. You are a child of God.' With that he patted the boy on his shoulder and said, Boy, you've got a great inheritance. Go and claim it. With that, the boy smiled for the first time in long time and walked out the door a changed person. He was never the same again. Whenever anybody asked him, 'Who's your Daddy?' he'd just tell them, 'I'm a Child of God.'"

The distinguished gentleman got up from the table and said, "Isn't that a great story" The professor responded that it really was a great story! As the man turned to leave, he said, "You know, if that new preacher hadn't told me that I was one of God's children, I probably never would have amounted to anything!" And he walked away.

The seminary professor and his wife were stunned. He called the waitress over & asked her, "Do you know who that man was who just left that was sitting at our table?" The waitress grinned and said, "Of course. Everybody here knows him. That's Ben Hooper. He's the former governor of Tennessee!"
Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

Be strong, be courageous, all you that hope in the LORD

There are several legends about King David and his wise son, King Solomon. Different versions of the same folk tale are popular. In one of these stories, King David sees in a dream a magic ring, wearing which makes a hopeless man happy and a merry man worried.

The next morning, he summoned his goldsmith and ordered him to make such a ring for him to wear, as a cure for the frequent episodes of depression in his stressful life. The confused goldsmith went out worried about his fate if he failed to follow the kings order. On the way home, he met prince Solomon. Solomon asked him about his worry. He told about the kings strange order.

The wise prince consoled him and told him, It is easy. Make an ordinary golden ring for the king. Engrave the words, THIS TOO SHALL PASS on the ring and present it to the king. When he reads it in a depressed mood, he will become hopeful and happy, learning that his problems would pass away. Later, when he reads it in a merry mood, it will remind him that his pleasures are not permanent. It will enlighten him and remove his joy.

The old goldsmith fashioned the ring as suggested by the prince and presented it to the king. The king was pleased to read the meaningful message. He gave rich rewards to the goldsmith and praised the wisdom of the young prince.

King David wore the ring and after several years, gifted it to his heir, Solomon. King Solomon also preserved it as a treasure . It provided him inspiration and peace of mind both in prosperity and adversity.

The words on the ring could provide consolation to a depressed mind and enlightenment during moments of pride. The ring could make a sad person glad and a glad person sad.

Life is short and all worldly riches and luxury have to be left behind when we die. They give only a temporary joy. Sinful indulgence in worldly pleasures may lead to everlasting agony in a hell of horror.

If winter comes, can spring be far behind? There is an Easter following every Good Friday. Hope in the promises of Christ enable us to overcome periods of pain, poverty and adversity. Our ultimate goal is a close communion with our Creator in a heaven of happiness.

Be strong, be courageous, all you that hope in the LORD {Psalms 31: 24}

The Book of Revelation reveals the good news about The New Heaven and the New Earth: God Himself will be with them, and He will be their God. He will wipe away all tears from their eyes. There will be no more death, no more grief or crying or pain. The old things have disappeared {Revelation 21: 3, 4}.Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You