continuation of circumstance from July newsletter

People for hundreds of years, in fact, probably since the beginning of human existance, have blamed their "circumstances" for their problems in life they face.

Thankfully life affords each of us the opportunity to allow circumstances to guide us or to allow us to determine our circumstances.

I reflect upon the Bibilical parable of the talents where three were given talents accordings to their abilities. The three recepients appoached their opportunities different. (Matthew 25:14-30; Luke 19:12-28).

My version: Make the most of your circumstances given and the circumstances will turn in your favor.

Continuation of Alexander Hamilton from Newsletter

Alexander Hamilton was killed by Aaron Burr, a political opponent. It is said that as he lay on the ground dying, Hamilton forgave Burr.

Hamilton "Achieved the Extraordinary" in his life against the terrible odds of success in life. He was a Patriot and hero of our Revolutionary War. He was inspirational then to his fellow countrymen and a study of his life indicates his inspiration transfers to us today.

People today who face abject poverty and the subject of malicious acts and the death of their mother and then left alone against the world can achieve greatness. It can be contributed to many things but he faced life with the attitude that he could contribute to his own life and the birth of our nation and help lay the foundation for the society we now enjoy as Americans.

TFTD - Possibilities

"Consult not your fears, but your hopes and your dreams, think not about your frustrations, but about your unfulfilled potential. Concern yourself not with what you tried and failed in, but what it is still possible for you to do." POPE JOHN XXIII

TFTD = Expectations

"Don't join the easy crowd. You won't grow. Go where the expectations and the demands to perform are high." - Jim Rohn

TFTD - Integrity

"As you live your values, your sense of identity, integrity, control, and inner-directedness will infuse you both with exhilaration and peace. You will define yourself from within, rather than by people's opinions or by comparisions to others" - Stephen Covey

TFTD - Decisiveness

"Control your destiny or someone else will" Jack Welch

TFTD - Success

"Believe in yourself! Have faith in your abilities! Without a humble yet reasonable confidence in your own powers you cannot be successful or happy" - Norman Vincent Peale

TFTD - Failure

I wrong this on Trey Ware's FB this morning (KTSA 550AM morning radio host):

"Every adversity, every failure, every heartache carries with ith the seed of an equal or greater benefit" Napolean Hill

TFTD - Procrasternation

From my freind Don Keating, a great Optimist member from South Carolina:

"Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass...it is about learning to dance in the rain" Vivian greene

TFTD - EFFORT

"Continuous effort - not strength or intelligence - is the key to unlocking our potential" - Winston Churchill

TFTD - Purpose

For my friend Rusty Rice who is becoming the President of the Texas Association of Health Undewriters on July 1, proud of you Rusty:

"Be the change you want to see in the world." Mahatma Gandhi

TFTD - Purpose

Great minds have purposes, others have wishes - Washington Irving

TFTD - Responsibility

This is from a dynamic Optimist from Oklahoma, Don Crall:

The responsibility for maintaining good performances is the employee's, not the manager's. The manager's job is to point out the discrepancy - the employee's job is to fix it. - Paul Sims

TFTD - Procrasternation

Take care of life today. Tomorrow is always tomorrow which never comes. And, today always becomes yesterday which never returns. Ron Graves, Jun 15, 2009

TFTD - Common Sense

Yes, a bird in the hand is usually worth more than two in the bush, unless, of course, the one in the hand is a vulture. Life involves using common sense, use it. Ron Graves 6/12/09

TFTD - Common Sense

Just because you believe in the old saying "If It Ain't Broke Don't Fix It" does not mean you should not inspect it every once in a while. "IT" may need more attention than you think. Ron Graves, 6/11/09

TFTD - DOING YOUR BEST

Doing a job right is more important than doing a job as fast - Ron Graves, 6/10/09

TFTD - Circumstances

People are always blaming their circumstances for what they are. I don't believe in circumstances. The people who get on in this world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want, and, if they can't find them, make them - G B Shaw, 1893

TFTD - Persistence

Nobody trips over mountains. It is the small pebble that causes you to stumble. Pass all the pebbles in your path and you will find you have crossed the mountain. - Unknown

TFTD - Persistence

Our greatest glory is not in never failing, but in rising up every time we fail - Ralph Waldo Emerson

TFTD - Determination

Problems are not stop signs, they are guidelines. - Robert Schuller

TFTD - Making Lemonade

The odds are life will hand you a lemon at some point; be prepared to make lemonade by storing up some sugar as you live your ife. Ron Graves June 3 2009

TFTD - Persistence

"If you leap for the stars but only land on the moon - leap again because the stars just becaem a little closer" - Ron Graves June 2 2009

TFTD - Persistence

You cannot go through life quitting everything. If you are going to achieve anything you've got to stick with something. - From the television show FAMILY MATTERS