Oh Most Precious and Loving Heart of the Infinte ONE, the I AM THAT I AM, the Great Presence of all of Life MY BELOVED Mighty I AM Presence individualized from the GREAT "I AM" OF ALL LIFE — GOD THE ONE — and my very own BELOVED HOLY CHRIST SELF, BELOVED NAMELESS ONE IN THE CENTER OF THE UNIVERSE IN THE NAME OF GOD'S ALMIGHTY I AM PRESENCE, The Mighty I AM Presence IN THE GREAT CENTRAL SUN, GOD OF VERY GODS IN THAT SUN BEHIND THE SUN, BY THE POWER AND MOMENTUM OF THE MIGHTY NAMES OF GOD IN THE TEN SEFIROT: ADONAI, EL HAI, SHADDAI, ELOHIM TZEVAOT, ADONAI TZEVAOT, ADONAI, ELOHIM, EL, YAH, EHYEH ASHER EHYEH, I AM THAT I AM COSMIC I AM Presence OF ALL LIFE, THE COSMIC CHRIST, THE LIGHT OF GOD THAT NEVER FAILS, ALL WHO GOVERN THE COSMIC CRYSTAL CUP, and ALL ASCENDED and COSMIC BEINGS WITH THE AUTHORITY TO RELEASE SACRED FIRE, COSMIC LIGHT, AND DISPENSATIONS TO THE EARTH THE TRIUNE ONE - BRAHMA-VISHNU-SHIVA, INTEGRATORS OF THE GALAXIES, GREAT TEAMS OF CONQUERORS, and ALL COSMIC BEINGS WHO GOVERN THE UNIVERSES DIVINE MOTHER, COSMIC HOLY SPIRIT and the ENTIRE SPIRIT OF THE GREAT WHITE BROTHERHOOD ALPHA and OMEGA, ALL DIVINE BEINGS IN THE GREAT CENTRAL SUN, ANGELS OF THE GREAT CENTRAL SUN, (7) and ALL WHO HAVE ASCENDED FROM THIS ENTIRE GALACTIC SYSTEM MIGHTY COSMOS, THE LEGIONS OF MIGHTY COSMOS, (6) and THE LORDS, ARCHANGELS, and ELOHIM OF THE SECRET RAYS THE SEVEN SOLAR LOGOI: OSIRIS and ISIS, APOLLO and DIANA, KRISHNA and SOPHIA, HELIOS and VESTA, HERCULES and AMAZON, AUREOLE and AUREA, DAWN and LUZ; THE SOLAR LOGOS OF EVERY SUN CENTER IN ALL UNIVERSES ALL WHO DWELL IN THE SUN OF OUR SYSTEM, ALL WHO GOVERN OUR SYSTEM OF WORLDS, THE TWELVE SOLAR HIERARCHIES, and ALL WHO SERVE IN THE GREAT COSMIC TEMPLES IN THE ELECTRONIC BELT AROUND OUR PHYSICAL SUN ALL Ascended Masters and COSMIC BEINGS IN THE GREAT SILENCE ALL GREAT BEINGS, POWERS, and LEGIONS OF LIGHT THE GREAT ANGELIC HOST, the FORCES OF THE ELEMENTS, and ALL WHO GOVERN THE SACRED FIRE TO THE EARTH LORDS OF FORM, LORDS OF MIND, LORDS OF INDIVIDUALITY, LORDS OF LIFE, and LORDS OF CREATION LORDS OF BLUE FLAME FROM SIRIUS and LEGIONS OF THE WHITE FIRE/BLUE-FIRE SUN COSMIC COUNCILS, COSMIC CHRISTS OF OTHER SPHERES, and GREAT CENTRAL SUN MESSENGERS COUNCIL OF THE PLEIADES, GREAT COSMIC BEINGS and COSMIC CHRISTS FROM THE PLEIADES COSMIC SILENT WATCHER, SOLAR SILENT WATCHER, and ALL SILENT WATCHERS FOR THE EARTH and HER EVOLUTIONS ALL ANGELS and ASCENDED MASTERS WHO SERVE IN THE FOURTEEN ETHERIC CITIES OF OUR PLANET ALL THE Ascended Masters, COSMIC BEINGS, GREAT ANGELIC HOST and FORCES OF THE ELEMENTS IN OR ON ALL WORLDS WHATSOEVER: ADA ADELPHIA AFRA AKSOBHYA ALEXANDER GAYLORD and the Angels of Dominion ALICE BOSCOE ALOHA and the Legions of the Sixth Ray ALPHUS and All Who Serve in the Retreat of God's Will in Darjeeling AMARYLLIS and Elemental Life - Fire, Air, Water and Earth AMAZONIA and the Legions of the First Ray AMBASSADOR FROM BELOVED HELIOS AMEN BEY and All Who Serve at the Ascension Temple and Retreat At Luxor AMERISSIS (The Goddess of Light) and the Angels of Light AMETHYST AMITABHA AMOGHASIDDHI AMORA (Angelica) and the Legions of the Third Ray of Divine Love ANGEL DEVA OF THE JADE TEMPLE ANGEL OF THE AGONY, the Angel of Gethsemane ANGEL CLOTHED WITH A CLOUD AND A RAINBOW UPON HIS HEAD ANGEL OF LISTENING GRACE ANGEL OF THE RESURRECTION and the Restored Angels ANGEL OF THE REVELATION ANGEL WHO ROLLED AWAY THE STONE APOLLO (Cassiopea) and the Legions of Golden Flame from out the Great Central Sun ARCTURUS and the Legions of Violet Flame from out the Great Central Sun ARIES ARION ASTREA, the Legions of the Fourth Ray of Divine Purity, and the Legions of the Circle and Sword of Blue Flame HOLY ATMOS and the Angels of the Cosmic Holy Spirit AURORA BABAJI BEATITUDE (Beulah Haney) BECKY BETTY MUNDY MR. BLACKMAN MRS. BLACKMAN BOB SINGLETON BONNIE BLUE BRAHMA BUDDHA OF THE RUBY RAY and the Angels of the Ruby Ray CAPTAIN SELF CARRIE JACOBS BOND CARDINAL BONZANO CARDINAL MINDSZENTY CASIMIR POSEIDON CELESTE GOD CELESTE CHA ARA ARCHANGEL CHAMUEL and the Legions of Pink Lightning Angels CHAN CHANANDA and All Who Serve on the Indian Council CHARITY CHARLES SINDELAR CHERUBIM LOVELEE CHERUBIM OF THE GOLDEN HEART and the Legions of Cherubim CHRISTINE and the Angels of Constancy and the Angels of the Second Ray CLAIRE COLLINS CLARA LOUISE KIENINGER and the Angels of the Dawn (5) COLUMBIA and All Angel Devas Watching Over Nations CONFUCIUS and All Who Serve in the Royal Teton Retreat COSMIC MASTER OF THE GOLDEN CITY OF LIGHT OVER THE SAHARA CUZCO and All Who Serve at the Retreat at Suva CYCLOPEA (Vista) and the Legions of Emerald Green Flame from out the Great Central Sun DANIEL RAYBORN DAPHNE and the Weaver Angels DAVID LLOYD DAWN DENNY CREE DIANA and All Who Serve in the Temples of the Sacred Fire in the Upper Atmosphere of Earth, the Ascended Masters' Octave, the Electronic Belts Around our Physical Sun and the Great Central Sun DICK EMERY DJWAL KUL DURGA and the Avenging Angels MRS. DWIGHT EARL THOMAS ELIJAH and the Angelic Powers of God ELLA AMBER ELECTRA EL MORYA and the Angels of the Will of God and the Angels of the First Ray ELOHIM OF GOLD and the Elohim Angels (1) ELOHIM OF PEACE (Tranquility) and the Legions of Gold and Purple Flame from out the Great Central Sun ELOHIM OF PURITY (Claire) and the Legions of Purity and the Legions of White Flame from out the Great Central Sun ENOCH and the Angelic Thrones of God ERIEL, the BLESSED FAMILY FROM TUCSON, and All Who Serve in the Retreat in the Secret Valley in Arizona ERNON, Rai of Suern FAITH and the Angels of Faith FIDELIS MR. FISHER FORTUNA (The Goddess of Supply) and the Angels of Divine Abundance FOUNDERS OF THE ROYAL TETON RETREAT and All Who Have Ascended From Earth's First Three Root Races FOURTEEN ASCENDED MASTERS WHO GOVERN THE DESTINY OF AMERICA and the Mighty Blue Eagle from Sirius FRED LEIPHARDT FUN WEY and the Angels of Joy ARCHANGEL GABRIEL and the Legions of White Lightning Angels GANESHA GAUTAMA BUDDHA and All Who Serve at Shamballa GEORGE LANCASTER GERALDINE MR. GILBERT GOD OF GOLD and the Angels of the Golden Flame GOD OF THE JEWELS GOD OF JUSTICE and the Angels of Justice GOD OF LIGHT and the Angels of Light GOD OF MUSIC and the Gandharvas GOD OF NATURE and the Angels of Nature GOD OF PEACE and the Angels of the Cosmic Flame of Cosmic Peace GOD OF PURITY and the Angels of the Cosmic Flame of Cosmic Purity GOD OF THE SWISS ALPS GODDESS OF FREEDOM and the Angels of Freedom GODDESS OF GOLD and the Angels of Gold GODDESS OF LIBERTY (Demeter, Ceres) and the Angels of the Liberty Flame GODDESS OF MUSIC (Goddess of Harmony) and the Angels of Music GODDESS OF PEACE and the Angels of Peace GODDESS OF PURITY and the Angels of Purity GODFRE and the Angels of God Obedience GREAT DIVINE DIRECTOR and the Angels of Divine Direction GOD HARMONY and the Angels of the Cosmic Flame of Cosmic Harmony HELEN MACDONALD HELEN RIES MR. HEPPERLY HERCULES and the Legions of Blue Flame from out the Great Central Sun HEROS (Orion) and the Legions of Pink Flame from out the Great Central Sun HILARION and the Masters of Healing and the Angels of the Fifth Ray HIMALAYA and All Who Serve at the Retreat of the Blue Lotus HOPE (Spirit of the Resurrection) and the Angels of Hope and the Angels of the Fourth Ray IDA IGOR IMMACULATA (our Beloved Planetary Silent Watcher) and the Angels of the Watch ISHWARA IVA CREE JAR-EL-UM and the Angels of Harmony J. C. PENNEY JESUS THE CHRIST and All Who Serve in Your Retreat and Temple of the Resurrection Over the Holy Land JOHN THE BELOVED and All Who Serve in Your Etheric Retreat over Arizona ARCHANGEL JOPHIEL and the Legions of Golden Lightning Angels JOVE ASCENDED MASTER JUPITER JUSTINA (The Goddess of Victory) and the Angels of Victory HOLY JUSTINIUS and the Legions of the Seraphim of God from out the Great Central Sun K-17 and the Legions of the Cosmic Secret Service KALI and the Legions of Kali KAPILA KEEPER OF THE SCROLLS and the Angels of Record MR. KELLEY KRISHNA and the Angels of the Resurrection KRISTINE (Saint Teresa of Avila) KUAN YIN and All Who Serve in Your Temple of Mercy over China Kuthumi (Saint Francis) and the Lords of Wisdom LAKSHMI LANELLO and the Hundred and Forty-four Members Who Form the Nucleus of the Darjeeling Council LANTO and the Angels of the Second Ray LEON CHAGNON LETO and the Angels of Harmony LISTENING ANGEL and the Legions of Listening Angel LORD LING and the Angels of the Cosmic Flame of Cosmic Happiness LOTUS and the Legions of the Cosmic Honor Flame LOUISA LUARA LUMINA (Minerva) and the Legions of the Second Ray Maha Chohan, the Angels of the Holy Spirit, and All Who Serve in Your Temple of Cosmic Comfort MAGDA and the Angels of Healing MAGNUS Maitreya and the Angels of Initiation MANJUSHRI and the Angels of Divine Wisdom MARGUERITE BAKER MARGUERITE WERTZBAUGH LADY MASTER MARIA FROM MEXICO MARIA MONTESSORI MARY LOU and the Angels of the Cosmic Cross of White Fire MASTER OF PARIS and the Council of Paris MAXIMUS MELCHIZEDEK and the Angelic Dominions of God MERCURY (Hermes Trismegistus) and the Legions of Mercury GOD MERU and All Who Serve in the Temple of Illumination at Lake Titicaca GODDESS MERU MESSENGER NUMBER ONE FROM THE SECRET LOVE STAR META and All the Glorious Nameless, Numberless Healing Masters, Geometers, Angels and Crystal Beings MICAH (Great Cosmic Angel on whose Crown blazes the word "Union") and All Who Serve in the Temple of Faith and Protection near Banff Archangel Michael and the Legions of Blue Lightning Angels MILAREPA and the Legions of Victory MR. MILSON MINNIE PETITE MOTHER CABRINI Mother Mary and All Who Serve in Your Temple of the Sacred Heart over Fatima MOTHER TERESA and the Angels of Ministration LADY MASTER NADA and All Who Serve in the Arabian Retreat, and the Angels of the Sixth Ray NADA DARLING and the Sponsors of Youth from out the Great Central Sun NADA RAYBORN MRS. NADA RAYBORN NAJAH and All Who Serve in the Cave of Light in India NEPTUNE and All Undines Serving God's Electronic Force of the Water Element NICHOLAS ROERICH OMRI-TAS, Ruler of the Violet Planet, the Divine Hierarchy of the Violet Planet, the Legions of the Violet Planet, and All From the Violet Planet Who Have Volunteered To Help the Earth ORION, THE OLD MAN OF THE HILLS OROMASIS and All Fiery Salamanders Serving God's Electronic Force of the Fire Element OTTO SCHNEIDER PADRE PIO and the Angelic Principalities of God PADMA SAMBHAVA and the Angels of the Buddhas (4) PALLAS ATHENA, the Legions of Truth, and All Who Serve in the Temple of Truth Over Crete PARVATI PATRICIA JOHNSON PAUL CENTER PAUL O'NEAL PAUL STICKEL PAUL THE VENETIAN and the Angels of the Third Ray PEARL SINDELAR PEARL SINGLETON PELLEUR and All Gnomes Serving God's Electronic Force of the Earth Element PERSIS MACDONALD PHYLOS THE TIBETAN POLARIS POMONA and the Devas POPE JOHN XXIII POPE PIUS XII PORTIA and the Legions of Justice and the Angels of Opportunity PROSPERINA QUEEN OF LIGHT and the Star Angels (2) RAMAKRISHNA RAMONA RA MU RAPHAEL THE ARCHANGEL and the Legions of Emerald Green Lightning Angels RATNASAMBHAVA RAY-O-LIGHT and the Angels of Fearlessness Flame REX RAYBORN and the Angels of the Blue Ray ROSE OF LIGHT and the Angels of the Happiness Flame RUDOLPH RULER OF THE PINK PLANET and the Divine Hierarchy of the Pink Planet RULER OF THE SECRET LOVE STAR and All Who Dwell in the Secret Love Star RULER OF THE SECRET PLANET THAT GUARDS THE EARTH and the Divine Hierarchy of the Secret Planet RULER OF THE VIOLET TEMPLE and the Angels of the Violet Flame Temple RUTH FARNAM RUTH HAWKINS (The Goddess of Beauty) RUTH JONES SAINT CECILIA Saint Germain and the Angels of the Violet Flame and the Angels of the Seventh Ray SAINT PATRICK and the Angels of the Cosmic Christ SAINT STEPHEN and the Angelic Virtues of God SAINT THÉRÈSE OF LISIEUX SA ANANDA SA NA KUMARA SA NA TANA SANATKA and the Armies of the LORD SANAT KUMARA SARASVATI SERAPIS BEY and the Angels of the Fourth Ray SERVATUS and the Legions of Healing Angels SHIVA and the Legions of Ruby Ray Angels SIDNEY JONES SIR VALIANT (Carol Hedgepeth) SNOW KING SNOW QUEEN SPIRIT OF COSMIC FREEDOM SPIRIT OF COSMIC JUSTICE SPIRIT OF THE ASCENSION FLAME and the Angels of the Ascension Flame SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS and the Christmas Angels (8) SPIRIT OF SELFLESSNESS and the GREAT CENTRAL SUN MAGNET SRI MAGRA SUJATA SURYA and the FOUR AND TWENTY ELDERS TABOR and All Gods of the Mountains TARA (The White Goddess) THEOSOPHIA, the Goddess of Wisdom and the Angels of Wisdom THOR and All Sylphs Serving God's Electronic Force of the Air Element MR. TROMMER MRS. TROMMER TWO MEN IN WHITE APPAREL ARCHANGEL URIEL and the Legions of Purple and Gold Lightning Angels ARCHANGEL UZZIEL and Legions of Sacred Fire Angels VAIROCHANA VAIVASVATA MANU VAJRASATTVA LADY MASTER VENUS, the Divine Hierarchy of Venus, and the White Fire Eagle from Venus VICTORIA and the Legions of the Seventh Ray MIGHTY VICTORY and Your Blessed Twelve and All Who Came With You From Venus, and Your Limitless Legions of Cosmic Victory VIRGINIA and the Legions of the Fifth Ray of Divine Truth VIRGO VULCAN WARREN CARTER WILL EKEY ARCHANGEL ZADKIEL and the Legions of Violet Lightning Angels ZARATHUSTRA and the Angels of the Sacred Fire (3) ZEUS and the Great Solar Devas (3) BELOVED Mighty I AM Presence and Holy Christ Selves of Yogananda, Lao-Tzu, Lahiri Mahasaya, and all Ascended and Unascended Saints, Masters and Adepts of God on Earth, the Brotherhood of the Andes and the Priesthood of Melchizedek, the Brothers and Sisters of the Golden Robe, the Diamond Heart, the Blue Flame, the White Robe, and the Indigo Cape, all who Serve in the Retreats of the Great White Brotherhood throughout the Earth, BELOVED Mighty I AM Presence and Holy Christ Selves of every man, woman, and child throughout our entire Galactic System, In the Name BRAHMAN, in the Name I AM THAT I AM, by and through the Magnetic Power of the Sacred Fire vested in the Threefold Flame of Love, Wisdom, and Power burning within my heart, In the Name of my The Mighty I AM Presence, I command the dissolving and consuming of all humanly misqualified creation, discord, and hatred from within and around humanity, the Earth, and it's atmosphere - RIGHT NOW! MULTIPLY! MULTIPLY! MULTIPLY! my Decrees by the Power of the Giant Violet Flame Reservoir in the Heart of the Earth, by the Sacred Fire from the Ascended Masters' Octave, by the Cosmic Light and Cosmic Violet Consuming Flame from the Great Central Sun and Billions of Suns, INTENSIFY! INTENSIFY! INTENSIFY! the Inner Essence of the Great Central Sun, the Inner Essence of our Physical Sun, the Inner Essence of the Sun of Even Pressure in the Center of the Earth, the Inner Essence of the Violet Planet, the Inner Essence of the Planet Venus, and the Inner Essence of the Golden Flame of Life in, through, and around us and all Lightbearers of our world, BLAZE! BLAZE! BLAZE! the Violet Flame, the Sacred Love of the Sacred Fire, the Cosmic Flame of Cosmic Christ Illumination, the Cosmic Flame of Cosmic Happiness, and every Activity of the Sacred Fire that is most needed at this time throughout the earth, her people, and all elemental life, In the Name of ALMIGHTY GOD - "I AM", I decree: BLAZE THE Violet Flame THROUGH THE EARTH! (3x) ALMIGHTY "I AM"! BLAZE THE Violet Flame THROUGH THE EARTH! (3x) BY COSMIC CHRIST COMMAND! BLAZE THE Violet Flame THROUGH THE EARTH! (3x) BY GOD'S LOVE, WISDOM, AND POWER! BLAZE THE Violet Flame THROUGH THE EARTH! (3x) SUSTAIN AND TRIPLE IT EACH INSTANT OF EACH HOUR! BY THE COSMIC CHRIST COMMAND OF THE The Mighty I AM Presence IN THE GREAT CENTRAL SUN THAT NEVER, NEVER, NEVER FAILS TO FULFILL THIS CALL EVEN AS THESE WORDS GO FORTH! I DEMAND THIS MANIFEST NOW! I EXPECT THIS MANIFEST NOW! I AM THIS MANIFEST NOW! ALMIGHTY I AM! ALMIGHTY I AM! ALMIGHTY I AM! You can substitute for BLAZE any of the following: SWIRL, SURGE, SWEEP, EXPAND, INTENSIFY LAW OF FORGIVENESS I AM, I AM, I AM THE LAW OF FORGIVENESS FOR MYSELF AND ALL MANKIND - FOR ALL MISTAKES, MISQUALIFIED ENERGY, HUMAN CONSCIOUSNESS, AND FOR STRAYING FROM THE LIGHT. (3x) This invocation lists every Name of God's Cosmic Hierarchy of Ascended Masters, Cosmic Beings, Angels, and Beings of the Elements that has ever been mentioned by the Messengers of the Great White Brotherhood, or mentioned in an Ascended Master Dictation. You may choose the Names of Those most meaningful in the Path to your Ascension, or use All for your personal application and Alchemy. Either way, you will be adding the Purifying Love of Their Heart Flames and Their Momentum of Light to your Calls and Decrees. "Alleluia" References: I AM Adorations, Affirmations & Rhythmic Decrees, (Tucson, Arizona: The Temple of The Presence, 2003) I AM Ascended Master Dictation List, (Schaumburg, Illinois: Saint Germain Press, 1994) Luk, A.D.K. The Law of Life: Book II, (Pueblo, Colorado: A.D.K. Luk Publications, 1989) Pearls of Wisdom ®, (The Summit Lighthouse, 1958 - 2000) Prophet, Elizabeth Clare and Prophet, Mark L. Saint Germain on Alchemy: For the Adept in the Aquarian Age, (Livingston, Montana: Summit University Press, 1986) The Bridge to Freedom Journal, The Bridge to Freedom (1952-1961); reprinted by Ascended Master Teaching Foundation Voice of the I AM ®, (Saint Germain Foundation, 1936 - 2004) Picture Credits: Top of page: Symbols of the world's religions surrounding the Sri Yantra symbol. The Sri Yantra symbolizes the Cosmos and consists of a square and concentric circles which contain nine intersecting triangles. The shapes signify the respective male and female Cosmic Aspects of Shiva and Shakti. The central point (bindu) represents the Absolute. Bottom of page: Charles Sindelar's portrayal of the Spirit of the Ascension Flame ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Once upon a time there was a child ready to be born. So one day she asked God, "They tell me you are sending me to earth tomorrow, but how am I going to live there being so small and helpless?" God replied, "Among the many angels, I chose one for you. She will be waiting for you and will take care of you." "But tell me, here in Heaven, I don't do anything else but sing and smile. That's enough for me to be happy." God said, "Your angel will sing for you and will also smile for you every day. And you will feel your angel's love and be happy." "And how am I going to be able to understand when people talk to me if I don't know the language that men talk?" "Your angel will tell you the most beautiful and sweet words you will ever hear, and with much patience and care, your angel will teach you how to speak." "And what am I going to do when I want to talk to you?" God said, "Your angel will place your hands together and will teach you how to pray." "I've heard that on earth there are bad people. Who will protect me?" "Your angel will defend you even if it means risking its life." "But I will always be sad because I will not see YOU any more." "Your angel will always talk to you about me and will teach you the way for you to come back to me, even though I will always be next to you." At the moment there was much peace in Heaven, but voices from earth could already be heard, and the child in a hurry asked softly, "Oh God, if I am about to leave now, please tell me my angel's name." God silenced all fear when He said, "Your angel's name is of no importance. "You will simply call her 'Mom'." ------------------------------------------------------ We have one Angel standing watch above us as we sleep... Another gathers up the hopes and dreams we wish to keep... One Angel is the tiny voice that whispers in our ears... With words of love and comfort to conquer grief and fears... We have so many Angels with one friendship keeper too... Another just to help us mend the thoughtless things we do. ------------------------------------------------------------ People are unreasonable, illogical and self-centered. LOVE THEM ANYWAY. If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives. DO GOOD ANYWAY. If you are successful, you will win false friends and true enemies. SUCCEED ANYWAY. Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable. BE HONEST AND FRANK ANYWAY. The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow. DO GOOD ANYWAY. The biggest people with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest people with the smallest minds. THINK BIG ANYWAY. People favor underdogs but follow only top dogs. FIGHT FOR SOME UNDERDOGS ANYWAY. What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight. BUILD ANYWAY. Give the world the best you have and you'll get kicked in the teeth. GIVE THE WORLD THE BEST YOU'VE GOT ANYWAY. --------------------------------------------------------------------- I woke up early today, excited over all I get to do before the clock strikes midnight. I have responsibilities to fulfill today. I am important. My job is to choose what kind of day I am going to have. Today I can complain because the weather is rainy or I can be thankful that the grass is getting watered for free. Today I can feel sad that I don't have more money or I can be glad that my finances encourage me to plan my purchases wisely and guide me away from waste. Today I can grumble about my health or I can rejoice that I am alive. Today I can lament over all that my parents didn't give me when I was growing up or I can feel grateful that they allowed me to be born. Today I can cry because roses have thorns or I can celebrate that thorns have roses. Today I can mourn my lack of friends or I can excitedly embark upon a quest to discover new relationships. Today I can whine because I have to go to work or I can shout for joy because I have a job to do. I can complain because I have to go to school or eagerly open my mind and fill it with rich new tidbits of knowledge. Today I can murmur dejectedly because I have to do housework or I can feel honored because the Lord has provided shelter for my mind, body and soul. Today stretches ahead of me, waiting to be shaped. And here I am, the sculptor who gets to do the shaping. What today will be like is up to me. I get to choose what kind of day I will have! --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Jerry is the kind of guy you love to hate. He is always in a good mood and always has something positive to say. When someone would ask him how he was doing, he would reply, "If I were any better, I would be twins!" He was a unique manager because he had several waiters who had followed him around from restaurant to restaurant. The reason the waiters followed Jerry was because of his attitude. He was a natural motivator. If an employee was having a bad day, Jerry was there telling the employee how to look on the positive side of the situation. Seeing this style really made me curious, so one day I went up to Jerry and asked him, "I don't get it! You can't be a positive person all of the time. How do you do it?" Jerry replied, "Each morning I wake up and say to myself 'Jerry, you have two choices today. You can choose to be in a good mood or you can choose to be in a bad mood'. I choose to be in a good mood. Each time something bad happens, I can choose to be a victim or I can choose to learn from it. I choose to learn from it. Every time someone comes to me complaining, I can choose to accept their complaining or I can point out the positive side of life. I choose the positive side of life." "Yeah, right, it's not that easy," I protested. "Yes it is," Jerry said. "Life is all about choices. When you cut away all the junk, every situation is a choice. You choose how you react to situations. You choose how people will affect your mood. You choose to be in a good mood or bad mood. The bottom line It's your choice how you live life." I reflected on what Jerry said. Soon thereafter, I left the restaurant industry to start my own business. We lost touch, but I often thought about him when I made a choice about life instead of reacting to it. Several years later, I heard that Jerry did something you are never supposed to do in a restaurant business he left the back door open one morning and was held up at gunpoint by three armed robbers. While trying to open the safe, his hand, shaking from nervousness, slipped off the combination. The robbers panicked and shot him. Luckily, Jerry was found relatively quickly and rushed to the local trauma center. After 18 hours of surgery and weeks of intensive care, Jerry was released from the hospital with fragments of the bullets still in his body. I saw Jerry about six months after the accident. When I asked him how he was, he replied, "If I were any better, I'd be twins. Wanna see my scars?" I declined to see his wounds, but did ask him what had gone through his mind as the robbery took place. "The first thing that went through my mind was that I should have locked the back door," Jerry replied. "Then, as I lay on the floor, I remembered that I had two choices I could choose to live or I could choose to die. I chose to live." "Weren't you scared? Did you lose consciousness?" I asked. Jerry continued, "...the paramedics were great. They kept telling me I was going to be fine. But when they wheeled me into the ER and I saw the expressions on the faces of the doctors and nurses, I got really scared. In their eyes, I read 'he's a dead man'. I knew I needed to take action." "What did you do?" I asked. "Well, there was a big burly nurse shouting questions at me," said Jerry. "She asked if I was allergic to anything. 'Yes' I replied. The doctors and nurses stopped working as they waited for my reply. I took a deep breath and yelled, 'Bullets!' Over their laughter, I told them, 'I am choosing to live. Operate on me as if I am alive, not dead'." Jerry lived thanks to the skill of his doctors, but also because of his amazing attitude. I learned from him that every day we have the choice to live fully. After all, ATTITUDE IS EVERYTHING! ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Be thankful that you don't already have everything you desire. If you did, what would there be to look forward to? Be thankful when you don't know something, for it gives you the opportunity to learn. Be thankful for the difficult times. During those times you grow. Be thankful for your limitations, because they give you opportunities for improvement. Be thankful for each new challenge, because it will build your strength and character. Be thankful for your mistakes. They will teach you valuable lessons. Be thankful when you're tired and weary, because it means you've made a effort. It's easy to be thankful for the good things. A life of rich fulfillment comes to those who are also thankful for the setbacks. Gratitude can turn a negative into a positive. Find a way to be thankful for your troubles, and they can become your blessings. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cancer is so limited... It cannot cripple love. It cannot shatter hope. It cannot corrode faith. It cannot eat away peace. It cannot destroy confidence. It cannot kill friendship. It cannot shut out memories. It cannot silence courage. It cannot invade the soul. It cannot reduce eternal life. It cannot quench the spirit. It cannot lessen the power of the Resurrection. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The best thing to give an enemy is forgiveness; To an opponent, Tolerance; To a Friend, your Ear; To your child, a good Example; To a Father, Reverence; To your Mother, Conduct that will make her proud of you; To Yourself, Respect; And to all, Charity. Benjamin Franklin --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Count your blessings instead of your crosses; Count your gains instead of your losses. Count your joys instead of your woes; Count your friends instead of your foes. Count your smiles instead of your tears; Count your courage instead of your fears. Count your full years instead of your lean; Count your kind deeds instead of your mean. Count your health instead of your wealth; Love your neighbor as much as yourself. ------------------------------------------------------------------------