Nice Guys Finish Last

Depending on your perspective, you may view this statement as a truth. I do. I accommodate others. I live to see others thrive. I am a nice guy.

I have been stepped on, discarded, passed up and gone unnoticed, and I have never felt an ounce of regret because of it.

Many will say that this is no way to live. I disagree. All of the cracks in my esteem tell a story. They tell a story of joy for another. Each opportunity that has been passed up goes to someone else. Every instance I have refrained from stepping up becomes a learning opportunity for someone else. The more I step back, the further those around me are able to step forward. This is what brings me joy.

What brings me joy is not success – it is leading others to success. What brings me peace is not ensuring that I am taking care of myself – it is taking care of others. What brings me comfort is not knowing that my future is bright – it is doing what I can to brighten the future of others.

Getting ahead means that others are behind me. It means that there are individuals struggling - individuals that need to be listened to, cared for and pushed to the top. I take pride in the accomplishments of those I have helped. When I put others first, I succeed more than I ever could on my own.

When crossing life’s finish line, I would rather be last.

Time as an Investment

Let the Lord take your Hand                              

            Let the Spirit be your Guide

Let the Father be your Joy                                 

          Let the Son be your Pride

    Be a Light in the Darkness                                   

            Be a Diamond in the Rough

Have hope for the Hopeless                            

                    When things may seem too Tough

Smile brightly in the Sunshine and on the Darkest Day

For the Lord is the Light, the Truth and the Way

Keep an open heart and mind in all walks of Life

Beat the evils of Temptation

Pray to overcome Strife

In Thanksgiving, Praise the Lord for the gifts you've been Given

For us, He has Died and, for us, He has Risen

Ask for his Guidance in everything you Do

Maintain Positivity

Time Won't Stop

So, Why should You?

The way that you spend you time is an investment. Like money, you should be careful where and how much you spend because your return can most certainly be negative. Invest your time in things that will help you grow into the person that you want to be. 

Be honest with yourself.

 Do not waste time trying to be like someone else.

“Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You.”

                                                         -Dr. Seuss

We are all unique in our individuality. Spend time bettering yourself, nurturing your soul. Take time to think about the long-term. What is your vocation? What do you want to be remembered for? Where do you want to leave your mark? What are your goals? What is your wildest hope? Dream? Keep ever forward. However, you must remember that the more time you spend dwelling on the past and worrying about the future, the less time in the present you will have to do something great. 

One of my favorite books, The Last Lecture, is about a college professor who is suffering from a terminal illness. As he writes this book, he looks back and sees that he has accomplished almost all of his wildest dreams. In hindsight, he sees that it is not about the cards you are dealt, but how you play the hand. He took every chance he could to gain experience, take opportunities, and become a better person. He did all of this, not for someone else, but for himself. He spent his time wisely.

The Present is a Gift. Cherish it.

Life is trial and error, give and take.

 Learn from your mistakes and give just as much if not more than you receive.

 Remember the words of St. Francis, "Preach the Gospel at All Times: when Necessary, Use Words"

10:10

The Lord's time is 10:10. When a clock approaches the time of 10:10, the hands of the clock look like outstretched arms. Like the clock's hour and minute hands, we must always have our arms outstretched to God, for it is always the Lord's time. It is always 10:10. There is an importance to take time out of your day to center yourself and give thanks to God for the graces you have been given. As your arms become readily outstretched toward the Lord, you will more easily see the graces you have been given. Also, with arms outstretched, you will be ready to pass these graces onto others. I challenge you to set an alarm for 10:10 (a.m., p.m., or both) to ensure that you remember to send prayers of thanksgiving to the Lord and keep your arms outstretched.

 [My watch has been set to 10:10 for the past 8 months and I do not plan on changing it anytime soon.! A big thanks to Nazareth Farm (nazarethfarm.org) for the concept and the opportunity to live and work here for the past five weeks!]

First and Foremost

To be able to truly love others, you must first love yourself. Be who you want to be. You must trust in yourself and your abilities before you can instill trust in others. No one said love was easy. It is often simple to put yourself at blame for happenings or to get down on yourself and your abilities. If you have the will to achieve your dreams, it will happen. Your shortcomings may seem larger than they actually are. Actions speak louder than any sentence you can put together. Do not merely speak about bettering yourself. Make those changes that are necessary to becoming who you want to be. Remember: Perfection is nonexistent. Positivity, realism, strength, will, and spirituality are all it takes to reach your goals. In addition, you must acknowledge that near-perfection is perfect enough. Mistakes and failures will occur. You must learn from them. Use them as building blocks. As you climb to the top, bring God with you. He is your rope. The higher you climb, the more you will need Him. As you gain confidence, however, it is easy to forget Him. As a rock climber fastens his rope along the way, you must check in with God at each milestone in your life. You must pray and reflect on the things that God has made possible. As you continue up the mountain, if you have checked in with God frequently, the chances of you falling all the way to the bottom are very slim. If you have fastened your rope at every blessing you received, you can only fall so far when failure happens and mistakes are made. Now comes the tricky part.If you have fallen to the place you last checked in with God, you are safely dangling on the side of the mountain only a few feet from where you were. At this point, you have three choices. (1) you can begin to safely climb back down the mountain and accept defeat. (2) You can remain in that position, confused, unsure about where to turn. -or- (3) You can find sturdy rocks to grasp onto, friends and family, and continue this journey to success with God. This is not easy. You must have the strength and the will. The choice is yours. Remember: With God, all things are possible.

Strength of Will

Love who you are and be true to who you love. As time goes by, take every opportunity you can to change yourself for the better. You never know what the future holds. Remember, love not only yourself but also those around you. As I have been coming to know, strangers are merely friends we have not yet met. As we all share in this one world, we too share in one God. We must be willing to share our faith with others just as we must be willing to serve them. When we have hopes, dreams, and goals set for ourselves we must not lose sight of them. They must be rooted in faith and shared with others. Success is not far away if an effort to succeed is shown. The human will is a powerful thing. Willingness, want, and drive are more than half the battle. As you develop your necessary skill set and take opportunities, the rest will fall into place. Remember: God helps those who help themselves. If you have the will and the want for strength, pray. In addition, no matter how often you pray in times of need, you must never forget your prayers of thanksgiving. Today, I thank the Lord for giving me the opportunity to spread His Word, I thank Him for the songbirds outside my window, and I thank Him for bringing so many new people into my life. The more often you profess prayers of thanksgiving, the more you realize how many things have been given to you. These are the things that will help you achieve your hopes and dreams: as long as you are willing. 

Strength in Scripture.

The Paschal Mystery shows us that God is merciful. He sacrificed his only son to offer us eternal life. As Psalm 145: 8-9 states, “The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in mercy. The Lord is good to all, and his compassion is over all that he has made.” As humans, we are a central part of God’s creation. We are responsible for caring for, catering to, and appreciating the other aspects of God’s creation. We are made in the image and likeness of God. Our work has special value and we possess great dignity. The Lord created us each with individual souls. We all have a purpose in life, each, like our souls, is different. We must embrace our individual gifts that we have been given. If we refuse to offer our talents to God and those around us, we will not live up to our potential as prominent components in the workings of this planet that we inhabit. 

Seven Places to Find God

Opportunity.

Opportunities come before you with every question posed. Constantly you are cluttered with decisions, like the summer night sky is cluttered with fireflies. Remember, you are the master of your own destiny. Every decision you have made has contributed to making you who you are today. And YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL.! As you realize your own personal beauty, do not overlook the beauty of the world around you. The most beautiful places are the seven places where you can find God. 

Nature is the Lord manifested on Earth.

You are the means for God to reach others.

These Others, also, are channels for God to reach you.

Prayer and Scripture help you uphold your relationship with God.

In addition to these are Silence and the Eucharist, which are the best ways to be one with God.

Reflect on these seven places. Use these outlets to help your decision making skills. Again, these opportunities are all around you. Do not take advantage of what you have been given. Be grateful and NEVER forget to give thanks to God.

<3 Al