Long Live the Queen and in defense of Cain

The next biblical characters that I wanted to comment on, is the second set of people in the bible, Cain and Abel.

The general understanding of the biblical story is that Cain was a murderer that murdered his brother, because he was jealous of 

G-d's acceptance of his sacrifice. Those with more knowledge of the oral torah background know the story that he was also jealous of the fact that Abel was born with an extra twin sister, that Cain wanted as a wife, as opposed to Abel marrying his twin.

With more study, it appears that Cain has been getting a bum rap all these years. In Hebrew, Abel's name is Hevel, which means nothing or air or immaterial.  It was Cain that came up with the idea of sacrifice, Hevel just copied him. It was Cain that was the person of real interest. We were not there when the death happened, but the proof of the bible verses, is that the crime was manslaughter not murder. Murder is the premeditated unlawful killing of a human being. Manslaughter is the killing of a human being, which could actually be legal if it is a police officer or in a war.

We know that it was manslaughter and not murder, from the punishment that G-d gave him. He was forced to wander, simliarly  to later in history when a person accused of manslaughter goes to a city of safety. Since there were no one who was going to take revenge on Cain, he didn't need to stay in a city of safety. Nor was there one at the time. Finally, many generations later, one of his own relatives kills him. But interesting enough, while most people think that Cain's line dies out, Noah (of Noah's ark fame) takes as his wife a daughter (through many generations later) of Cain. Hence Cain's line lives on and his power as a person is preserved, and becomes 50% of the people of the world.

Love Yehuda

 
I KNEW SHE HAs BEEN AROUND A LONG TIME BUT THIS REALLY PUTS IT IN PERSPECTIVE.  !

 

 
Long Live the Queen!

 










 


 

 

 

Compassion and Strength of Isaac

The most misunderstood of the fore-fathers is the Patriarch Isaac. On the surface in the bible, he gets little on air time (meaning there is not too much text about him). An answer to this mystery is that It turns out that most of the text of the story of the death of his Mother, and the search for his wife, in which Isaac himself is not in the story, is truly about him, and in an ironic twist of fate, we learn more about him because he is not talked about.

We know that Abraham threw Isaac's half-brother (Ishmael) out of their home by direct order of G-d, so we can't criticize Abraham for this action, but this action traumatized Isaac so much, the rest of his life was affected.

He worked on this trauma, by reconciling with his half-brother Ishmael and brought him back to the path of spirituality. He brought his step-Mother back to his Father to remarry her. He was known for his inner strength, but he appears to have tremendous compassion.

In fact, one of the most mysterious parts of the opening stories of the bible is Isaac's choice of the evil Esau, over his brother, the good Jacob. Once we learn that Isaac was at effect his whole life over the cruel act of his Father, we can see how he could spare the rod and spoil the child with Esau, his son. He was committed to not repeating the mistakes of his Father and throwing out a child, whether it was deserved or not.

Each of the Fore Fathers was tested with tests that pushed their own button. Abraham known for his kindness was forced to be cruel. Isaac known for his strength or ability to judge was forced to be compassionate as opposed to being strong. Jacob who is known for his truth is forced to lie by circumstances. This is what makes a test, to be forced out of what you are good at, and to stretch yourself beyond human limits.

Many of the biblical stories can only be known after many years, but since they are from G-d, they are given to us for inspiration and motivation. Let us be blessed with the inspiration from these stories to know what is right to do in our own lives.

Love Yehuda

10 reasons to Smile and the rehabilitation of Ishmael

In my serious of articles on the little understood heroes of the bible, the three that stand out, because they are misunderstood are Cain (of Cain and Abel fame), Ishmael (considered the Father of the Arab nation) and Isaac (the middle patriarch of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob).

Focusing first on Isaac and Ishmael, it turns out there was an interesting little known relationship between the half brothers. After the death of Sarah (Abraham's wife) who had called for Ishmael's expulsion from the family home, Isaac reconnected with him.

In Judaism, we believe that one can turn over a new leaf, and if you reconnect with G-d, you are forgiven for your past miss-deeds. Rashi, the greatest of our commentators on the bible, says that Ishmael, not only repented at Abraham's (their Father), but respected the superiority of Isaac's spirituality.

The bible actually states that the two half brothers buried their Father together, and they were both righteous. The fact that today's Arab's are Israel's greatest enemies, claiming an antagonism between the brothers is not justified by the text of the bible. In fact, after Sarah's death, it appears that Isaac brought Ishmael's Mother (Hager) back to Abraham as a wife, and he had six more sons with her. Since Abraham is considered the Father of many nations, all of these sons of Abraham through Hager, are actually many of the peoples of the earth, so Hager is the Mother of many of the peoples of the Earth, and a powerful woman in her own right.

If the later children of Ishmael rebel, they can not blame, Abraham and Issac for their own problems. Whatever your own heritage is, if you are a spiritual person, you can not use it as an excuse to be responsible for your own behavior.

The purpose of the stories of the bible, rather than it just being a book of laws, is to inspire us to learn from other's mistakes and learn how to correct them in their own life. G-d could have just made a book of laws, but it would have been a skeleton without a covering. It has to be fleshed out, by how these biblical heroes handled their own lives.

Love Yehuda

TOP 10 REASONS TO SMILE!

1. Smiling Makes You Attractive.

We are drawn to people who smile.

There is an instant attraction.

We want to know them.

2. Smiling Changes Your Mood.

Next time you are feeling down,

try putting on a smile.

Smiling can trick the body.

3. Smiling is Contagious.

Smiling brings happiness to you.

Smile lots. You will lighten up a room

and draw people to you like a magnet.

4. Smiling Relieves Stress.

When you are stressed, put on a smile.

The stress should be reduced and

you'll be able to take action.

5. Smiling Boosts Your Immune System.

Your immune function improves

Because you are more relaxed.

Prevent flu and colds by smiling.

6. Smiling Lowers Your Blood Pressure

When smiling there is a measurable

reduction in your blood pressure.

Smile and you'll see.

7. Smiling Releases Endorphins,

Natural Pain Killers and Serotonin

Studies have shown that smiling releases

these three and makes us feel good.

Smiling is a natural drug.

8. Smiling Makes You Look Younger

The muscles used to smile lift the face.

Don't go for a face lift, just try

smiling your way through the day.

9. Smiling Makes You Seem Successful.

Smiling people appear more confident,

are more likely to be promoted, and

more likely to be approached.

10. Smiling Helps You Stay Positive.

Smile. Now try to think of something

negative without losing the smile.

It's hard. When we smile our body is

sending the rest of us a message that

"Life is Good!" Stay away from depression,

stress and worry by smiling.

.

Resend of what the bible can teach us and THIS DOG IS NOT GOING TO HEAVEN

This morning's writing was rejected by most of my recipients, because of the Bach attachment. Since I hope you will read what I wrote this morning --I am sending it with a new attachment.

Yesterday, I wrote about using the traditional bible for inspirational stories. If you are not familiar with the biblical text

it will be hard to get the depth of the characters in the story.

Western culture was formed by the Judea-Christian traditions from the bible, so most people in our culture have a passing knowledge

of most of the characters I turn to, to try to give you inspiration.

As I have stated before, in Judaism we have many traditions and customs. Since most Jews are non-religious (as opposed to non-spiritual--nearly all Jews are involved in some spiritual cause--from feeding the hungry to Socialism), most have not had the

opportunity that I have had to study the holy books.

One of our most important religious traditions is to read the entire five books of Moses (the old testament), one chapter a week, each

week. This is done so the entire bible is finished once a year. As a result at the beginning of the bible, the great inspirational stories

of the forefathers and Mothers and Adam and Eve are repeated and learned each year.

This allows one, over a period of many years, to make these characters, part of our lives and part of our inspiration. In today's world,

there are very few heroes. Leaning about ordinary people that actually talked to the one and only G-d and became heroes is the

height of inspiration. They may have been ordinary people, when they started, but they certainly were not ordinary after their challenges.

Unfortunately many of the characters are purposely made difficult to understand. There are many paths to understand spirituality and

to understand the bible. The tradition says there are at least 70 ways to understand the tradition. Fanatics however, think that they

can take the words of the bible literally and understand what G-d wants from us. This could not be further from the truth, which

necessities years of struggle and learning.

What is true however, that taking the bible on the surface is however, better than listening to your own desires, because our desires

are animalistic. Our brain however, can control our desires, and allow us avoid instant gratification.

Hence the Jewish concept is that if a person follows the ten commandants you are a spiritual person that gets a wonderful place in heaven. We don't ask you to be a hero, or be Jewish. Just follow the 10 and go to heaven. In fact a non-Jew only has to follow 7 of the ten.

That is a pretty good deal.

In the next week, I will talk about three biblical stories that are very much misunderstood.

If time allows me to in my life, I will turn these short pieces into three books, so I am copyrighting them here, now.

1) In defense of Cain ( the story you didn't hear)

2) In defense of Yishmael (Ishmael) (today's Arabs are not Ishmael)

3) In defense of Yitzhok (Issac) --The untold story of the quiet Patriarch

Subject: Fw: THIS DOG IS NOT GOING TO HEAVEN (You are going to love this video)

How to bring down spiritualty and five sets of solid gold teeth ....

.On Friday, I and three friends toured a large commercial property in downtown San Diego for investment purposes.

The property was only 25 years old, but it was built at a
pre-computer time. The structure was solid and the tour of a 10 story building
(3 floors of underground garages) was extremely interesting, but the real estate market has changed so much, there is no idea if any one would rent the property and it sits like a giant statute of a different time and place.

On Saturday, I went to temple, and learned that the same bible that I study each week

is fresh and every changing. Although I am very Jewish, not all of my readers are of course,

and I try to write my message in a non-denominational spiritual message for all people.

Although the bible teaches that the Jews are the chosen people, what they are chosen

for is to try to bring spirituality into the world.

This is not a an easy job, as the world looks like a very unspiritiual place, until you feel

the presence of spirituality in this world.

I have studied spiritually and kindness since I was a child. I was raised on the bible, but

I did not discover its power, until I went to Israel and studied it in the original Hebrew and learned the thousands of explanations that great minds have written in the 3500 years since G-d made his presence known to an entire generation of people.

Each year in the bible we read the same stories, but in the process of growth and getting

older, its depth and richness is discovered each year anew.

While the building I saw, is outdated, in today's world, the lessons I learn from the bible

are constantly fresh and inspirational.

The difficulty I have in relating the points from the bible, is that in order to understand the

point made, one must understand the context of the biblical story, and an understanding

of the entire bible, in order to appreciate its nuances. This is of course, next to impossible in the

few lines I have to make a point to you.

Since it is my function in life, however, I will attempt to do bring down some spirituality over the next week in a series of important inspirational pieces.

Many years ago, I discovered that my function in life was to "bring the truth home

and be happy". I hope that my pieces will accomplish that goal for you and me.

Love Yehuda

Morris Rabinowitz in 1936 fled his

native Germany.

He sold his assets and made five sets of solid gold

teeth with his cash, above the limit he could bring

into the U.S.

When he arrived in New York the customs

official was perplexed as to why anybody would have five

sets of gold teeth. So Morris explained:

"Jews who keep kosher have two separate sets of

dishes for meat products and dairy products but I am so

religious I also have separate sets of teeth."

The customs official shook his head and said, "Well

that accounts for two sets of teeth. What about the other

three?"

"Very religious Jews use separate dishes for

Passover, but I am so orthodox I have separate teeth

for Passover meat and for Passover dairy food.

The customs official shook his head and said, "You

must be a man of very strong faith to have

separate teeth for meat and dairy products and

likewise for Passover. That accounts for four sets of

teeth. What about the fifth set?"

Morris looked around and spoke softly. "To tell

you the truth," he said, "once in a while I like a

ham sandwich."

Stunning animal Antlers and appreciate all you have

Appreciate All You Have

Try imagining your life without all that you presently have. If you can master this ability, then you will

appreciate what you do have to such a degree that you will live a life of constant joy.

If you were lost in a wilderness without food and water - and then found some bread, you would enjoy

that bread more than the most sumptuous meal! Rabbi Simcha Zissel of Kelm wrote that he personally

had such an experience, and it was like living in paradise.

You will always be able to feel that joy if you use your mind wisely.

Today, spend a few moments imagining what it would be like if you had absolutely nothing: no family,

no friends, no possessions, no money at all, no knowledge, no eyes, ears, hands, feet - absolutely nothing.

Continue this exercise until you actually feel it.

Then do the second half of the exercise: Imagine yourself obtaining what you presently have,

one item at a time

Love Yehuda

A couple of days ago I sent pictures that didn't come out from artist Beever, here is a link

here is a link to his pics http://hubpages.com/hub/Incredible_Beever

HAT Racks

Luckiest man on earth and what unemployment does do you

For those that didn't get yesterday's pictures here is a link to the site:

here is a link to his pics http://hubpages.com/hub/Incredible_Beever

Not having a job is not only a financial difficulty. Perhaps just as importantly, it is a major emotional and psychological challenge as well. The unemployed feel rejected and of little use to themselves, their families and society generally. Most of the time this is not of their making but they are buffeted by a suddenly unfriendly economic downturn that forces employers to cut back on the number of employees that their businesses can support. Nonetheless the effects of losing a job and being unable to find another one quickly are devastating.

 

There are many who have highly developed professional skills or years of experience and they are simply unwilling or unable to accept what they consider to be work beneath their social or educational stature. All human egos are fragile and it is psychologically and emotionally difficult for former middle level managers for instance to become janitors or sanitation people if those jobs are in fact available to them.

 

Perhaps it is the emphasis on higher education and training which is so much a part of the ethos of our current society that prevents people from descending gracefully in rank and importance in order to be employed. In any event it is a difficult situation for those who find themselves to be talented, industrious and efficient in their chosen field of endeavor and yet without work or employment. Unemployment insurance may help to lessen the financial pain but I believe that many people resent having to be on the dole and the charity of others. Life is oftentimes tough, hard and unfair.

  

It is ironic that much of current unemployment is concentrated in the educated ranks of the upper middle class. 

But the current severe economic downturn has affected even those areas of endeavor  previously thought of as being immune.  

I knew someone who would tell me each week how happy he was that he met that week's payroll and families would be able to survive because of their work. Employment and unemployment are not only economic factors, like dots on a graph. There is a tremendous human profit and loss involved as well. That is what makes the current dire economic and job scene so depressing. There is more than the pure bottom line involved in these matters. Human lives and families should also be considered.

Love Yehuda  while we on the subject of counting our blessings, here is someone that could be considered the luckiest man alive!!

Subject: FW: 55 Chevy. . . . Luckiest man on earth

 

Bet he won't try that again!!!!

New Julian Beaver work (hope the pictures come out) and to forgive it to give

To Forgive Is To Give Sometimes the greatest kindness you can do for someone is to forgive. Some people will ask you directly for forgiveness. Others lack the awareness, courage or humility to ask your forgiveness. Forgive even if you aren't asked to do so. This can be extremely difficult. And that is why it's so elevating. Love Yehuda

Manitoba Fish and the Jewish Budist

Sayings of the Jewish Buddha

If there is no self, whose arthritis is this?

Be here now. Be someplace else later. Is that so complicated?

Drink tea and nourish life; with the first sip, joy; with the second sip, satisfaction;

 with the third sip, peace; with the fourth, a Danish.

Wherever you go, there you are. Your luggage is another story.

Accept misfortune as a blessing. Do not wish for perfect health, or a life without problems. What would you talk about?

The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single Oy.

There is no escaping karma. In a previous life, you never called, you never wrote, you never visited. 

And whose fault was that?

Zen is not easy. It takes effort to attain nothingness. And then what do you have? Bupkis.

The Tao does not speak. The Tao does not blame. The Tao does not take sides. The Tao has no expectations. 

The Tao demands nothing of others. The Tao is not Jewish.

Breathe in. Breathe out. Breathe in. Breathe out. Forget this and attaining Enlightenment will be the least of your problems.

Let your mind be as a floating cloud. Let your stillness be as a wooded glen. And sit up straight. You'll never meet the Buddha with such rounded shoulders.

Deep inside you are ten thousand flowers. Each flower blossoms ten thousand times. Each blossom

 has ten thousand petals. You might want to see a specialist.

Be aware of your body. Be aware of your perceptions. Keep in mind that not every physical sensation is a 

symptom of a terminal illness.

Love Yehuda and now for a fish story

Subject: FW: Manitoba Fish

> Subject: Manitoba Fish
>
> This happened on Sept 02.2009
> the pic was taken at 10:50pm


> Amazing!
>
> This is a darn interesting picture and story even if you aren't into fishing, but please show it to anyone you know that likes to fish.
>
> This sturgeon is still alive, just worn out from the fight. They turned him loose after the photo.
>
> This Sturgeon was caught on the Red River just below locks at Lockport, Manitobajust north of Winnipeg. It weighed out at over 1,000 lbs and measured out at 11'1'. It was 56' around the girth and took over 6 and a half hours, and 4 dozen beers, for the 4 guys taking turns at the reeling it in.
>
> Any Sturgeon OVER five feet has to be released unharmed and cannot be removed from the water.
>
> They are brood / breeding stock and probably older than most of us.
> ______________

Folks,,,,It's Not Stainless.its GOLD, .and elevate your past

Elevate Your Past

You can mentally elevate your past thoughts and actions.

You can look back at your past and use your present level of love for the Creator and love for other people,

 and think about the choices you would now make in those past situations. 

Using your present knowledge and wisdom, you can imagine yourself speaking and acting at your

 best and your wisest in those past situations.

Reviewing the past situations and encounters with your present wisdom can enlighten your soul right now. 

You are also filling your subconscious mind with your present knowledge and awareness.

 This gives you added inner resources for the future.

Love Yehuda

Subject: FW: Folks,,,,It's Not Stainless...

Have you seen one of these?                   Not Lately                                              It's a Mercedes Benz owned by an  Abu Dhabi  oil billionaire (naturally).   Featuring the newly developed V10 quad turbo  with 1,600 horsepower and 2800nm of torque  0-100km/h in less than 2secs, 1/4 mile in 6.89 secs  running on biofuel.    That is NOT stainless steel, people; it is WHITE GOLD!

Demolition Las Vegas Style!!!, If you don't like a situation, Change it!!

If You Don't Like a Situation, Change it 

There are always two possibilities about any unsatisfying situation: Either you will be able to change it, or you will be able to change your perception of it.

Telling yourself, "There is nothing at all I can do to change this situation, therefore I must feel bad," is not based on reality. How can anyone possibly say: "There is nothing at all I can do to change the situation"? You can always pray, can't you? Your Father, your King, Creator and Sustainer of the universe, can change any situation in a moment.

You might find a book or article that gives you ideas that can help you find a solution that you didn't think of before.

You might find a teacher, mentor, coach, or friend who can make suggestions and think of ideas that will enable you to change a situation. The sages teach that when you are ready to learn something, a teacher will come along to help you.

Events might unfold that totally change the situation. The Purim story teaches us that even an impossible situation that spelled total doom can be changed in a single moment.

You might think of a way to reframe the situation so that now you view it differently. What previously seemed like a problem and a difficulty can now be seen as a wonderful opportunity to grow and develop yourself. What was once considered a liability can now be seen as an asset.

You always have a choice of your self-talk. Ask yourself, "What can I think about now that will improve the way I am feeling?"

You can always think, "The more challenging a situation, the more I can grow from it."

The more skilled you are about creating positive self-talk in challenging situations, the easier it will be for you to handle new challenges in the future.

Love Yehuda  Now if you want to change a building, instead of a situation, here is how they do it  in Las Vegas. They BLOW IT UP!!!  You have the same opportunity to maintain your composure when faced with a hurtful situation. Reframe it (or blow it up) depending on the situation. By the way, I stayed in this hotel once.     This is something else....   IMPLOSION, implode, imploding, imploded.   I've seen these before, but not this one. This one is DEMOLITION LAS VEGAS STYLE STARTING WITH FIREWORKS.......

Northern Lights over Yellowknife, Yukon, Canada and Fire Rainbow at Idaho Canada border

Grow From Each Moment

Right now, in each present moment, your life is perfect for you to continue fulfilling your life's mission. Each moment of life provides you with opportunities to develop your character and elevate your life.

Some moments will give you exactly the experience you would want. Grow from each of these moments. Some experiences will not be exactly what you would choose. You may wish to be someplace else or to do something different at that moment. Grow from each of these moments.

Your thoughts can make every moment meaningful.

Love Yehuda

Subject: FW: Northern Lights over Yellowknife, Yukon, Canada and Fire Rainbow  at Idaho Canada border

Very beautiful!     Don't skip the last picture! THIS NEXT PICTURE IS A FIRE RAINBOW - THE RAREST OF ALL NATURALLY OCCURRING ATMOSPHERIC PHENOMENA.      THE PICTURE WAS CAPTURED THIS WEEK ON THE  IDAHO  /  WASHINGTON BORDER. THE EVENT LASTED ABOUT 1 HOUR.     CLOUDS HAVE TO BE CIRRUS, AT LEAST 20.000 FEET IN THE AIR, WITH JUST THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF ICE  CRYSTALS  AND THE SUN HAS TO HIT THE CLOUDS AT PRECISELY 58 DEGREES.   God's handiwork. Beautiful sight!  Pass along for others to see!!     You know you're getting old when you stoop to tie your shoelaces and wonder what else you could do while you're down there! George Burns

Today's Lesson and watch out for the woodpecker

Your Focus Creates Your Emotional State

When you feel happy or joyful, ask yourself, "What am I focusing on right now that is giving me these good feelings?" 

The more time you spend focusing on similar patterns, the more time you will spend feeling happy and joyful.

When you feel unhappy, ask yourself, "What am I focusing on right now that is causing me these distressful feelings?"

 The less time you spend on similar patterns of focus, the more time you will feel happy.

Fully understanding that your focus creates your emotional state, for better or for worse, is one

 of the most important lessons we can learn.

Love Yehuda--enjoy the Noah cartoon below

Too cute, read the after the cartoon.     The woodpecker might have to go! Everything I need to know about life, I learned from Noah 's Ark. One : Don't miss the boat. Two : Remember that we are all in the same boat. Three : Plan ahead. It wasn't raining when Noah built the Ark. Four : Stay fit. When you're 600 years old, someone may ask you to do something really big. Five : Don't listen to critics; just get on with the job that needs to be done. Six : Build your future on high ground. Seven : For safety  sake, travel in pairs. Eight : Speed isn't always an advantage. The snails were on board with the cheetahs. Nine : When you're stressed, float a while. Ten : Remember, the Ark was built by amateurs; the Titanic by professionals. Eleven: No matter the storm, when you are with God, there's always a rainbow waiting.

101 Top Inspirational Movies of all time and LIve and let Live

Live and Let Live

Happy people have a vast amount of things that they consider to be okay. We all have our limits. But we can develop attitudes and reactions that enable us to accept, tolerate, and ignore many of the things that annoy, irritate, and frustrate unhappy people.

Some people need things to be "just so" for them to feel comfortable and happy. The more rules and specifics that are needed for this, the more likely that a person will experience much unhappiness.

Are there any people you dread interacting with? Those with a low threshold of okay-ness are often in this category. They demand that everything has to be exactly as they wish it to be for them to be satisfied. These people are highly critical of others. They get annoyed at others for minor and trivial matters that are not to their liking. Don't be one of them for your own benefit and the welfare of those who interact with you.

Develop a sense of perspective. Keep asking yourself, "How important is this for me to fulfill my life's mission?" The clearer you are about which values are truly important to you, the easier it will be for you to accept and cope well with trivial and minor aspects of life that are not just the way you would have wanted them to be.

Love Yehuda

here is the link to download the e-book: http://www.selfgrowth.com/moviedownload.html

Young Bears Hibernating and inspirational thoughts

• Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass...it's about learning to dance in the rain.~Vivian Greene
• Sometimes our candle goes out, but is blown into flame by an encounter with another human being.~Albert Schweitzer
• When we have done our best, we should wait the result in peace.~J. Lubbock
• Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again more intelligently.~Henry Ford
• Inch by inch, life's a cinch. Yard by yard, life is hard.~Unknown
• To love what you do and feel that it matters – how could anything be more fun?~Katharine Graham
• Every thought is a seed. If you plant crab apples, don't count on harvesting golden delicious.~Bill Meyer
• You can have anything you want in life if you just help enough other people get what they want.~Zig Ziglar
• Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.~Abraham Lincoln
• A man wrapped up in himself makes a very small bundle.~Benjamin Franklin
• We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.~Winston Churchill
• What lies behind us, and what lies before us, are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.~Ralph Waldo Emerson
• We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit.~Aristotle
• You'll always miss 100% of the shots you don't take.~Wayne Gretsky
• Progress always involves risks. You can't steal second base and keep your foot on first.~Frederick B. Wilcox
• A journey of a thousand miles begins within a single step.~Chinese Proverb
• The key is not to prioritize what's on the schedule, but to schedule your priorities.~Stephen Covey
• All things are difficult before they are easy.~John Norley
• Even if you're on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there.~Will Rogers
• Three grand essentials to happiness in this life are something to do, something to love, and something to hope for...~Joseph Addison

Love Yehuda

A piece on New York for the world series and 26 Ideas for a happy marriage

26 KEY IDEAS FOR A HAPPY MARRIAGE

1. Keep your mind on your main goal, which is to have a happy marriage. 
2. Say and do what will enable you and your spouse to have a happy marriage. Avoid the opposite. Everything else is commentary.
3. Keep asking yourselves, "What can we do to have a happy, loving atmosphere in our home?"
4. Focus on giving, rather than taking. Say and do as many things as possible to meet your spouse's needs.
5. Keep doing and saying things that will give your spouse a sense of importance.
6. Frequently ask yourself, "What positive things can I say and do to put my (husband or wife) in a positive emotional state?"
7. Before speaking, clarify the outcome you want. The meaning of your communication is the response you actually get.
8.  If the first thing you say is not achieving your goal, change your approach. Remember that mutual respect and happiness is your real goal.
9. Show appreciation and gratitude in as many ways as possible. Say something appreciative a few times a day.
10. Be a good listener. Understand your spouse from his or her point of view.
11. Be considerate of the feelings and needs of your spouse.
12.  Think of ways that you have lacked consideration and be resolved to increase your level of consideration.
13. Instead of blaming and complaining, think of positive ways to motivate your spouse.
14.  If your first strategies aren't effective, think of other creative ways.
15. Give up unrealistic expectations. Don't expect your spouse to be perfect and don't make comparisons.
16. Don't cause pain with words. 
17. If your spouse speaks to you in ways that cause you pain, choose outcome wording, "Let's speak to each other in ways that are mutually respectful."
18. Be willing to compromise. Be willing to do something you would rather not do in return for similar behavior from your spouse.
19. Write a list of ways that you have benefited from being married to your spouse. Keep adding to the list and reread it frequently.
20. Write a list of your spouse's positive patterns and qualities. Keep adding to the list and read it frequently.
21. Keep thinking about what you can do to bring out the best qualities of your spouse. Reinforce those qualities with words and action.
22. Focus on finding solutions to any problems that arise. Be solution oriented. Don't just blame and complain.
23.  Don't focus on who is more wrong. For a happy marriage, work together to find mutually acceptable solutions.
24. Remember your finest moments. What did you say and do when you felt best about each other? Increase them.
25. Look for positive activities you can do together.
26. Live in the present. What went wrong in the past is the past. You create the present and future with your thoughts, words, and actions right now. Choose them wisely.

 this along to those I know who grew up in NY but now live elsewhere. All in all, it wasn't such a bad childhood.

 

Read this it has a lot of meaning to it!

 

 

Subject: FW: I am a New Yorker

 

 

If at some time you lived here, you would appreciate this sentiment about the "Big Apple."

I am a New Yorker Iam a New Yorker Ilive in the five boroughs or on the Island or Upstate I went to Queens College I may live hundreds or thousands of miles away Or I may live just over the GW Bridge But I am a New Yorker I am a New Yorker Whatever took me out of New York: Business, family or hating the cold did not take New York out of me. My accent may have faded and my pace may have slowed But I am a New Yorker I am a New Yorker I was raised on Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and Rockefeller Plaza, The Yankees or the Met's (Giants or Dodgers) Jones Beach, Rye Beach, Orchard Beach, Sunken Meadowor one of the beaches on the sound I know that 'THE END' means Montauk. Because I am a New Yorker Iam a New Yorker When I go on vacation, I never look up Sky scrapers are something I take for granted The Empire State Building and the Statue of Liberty are part of me Taxis and noise and subways and 'get outa heah' don't rattle me Because I am a New Yorker I am a New Yorker I was raised on cultural diversity before it was politically correct I eat Armenian food,Greek food and Italian food, Jewish and Middle Eastern food and Chinese food Because they are all American food to me. I even eat those Bellie whoppers-White Castle's I don't get mad when people speak other languages in my presence Because my relatives got to this country via Ellis Island and chose to stay They were New Yorkers People who have never been to New York have misunderstood me My friends and family work in the industries, professions and businesses that benefit all Americans My firefighters died trying to save New Yorkers and non-New Yorkers They died trying to save Americans and non-Americans Because they were New Yorkers. I am a New Yorker I feel the pain of my fellow New Yorkers I mourn the loss of my beautiful city I feel and dread that New York will never be the same But then I remember: I am a New Yorker And New Yorkers have: Tenacity, strength and courage way above the norm. Compassion and caring for our fellow citizens. Love and pride in our city, in our state, in our country. Intelligence, experience and education par excellence. Ability, dedication and energy above and beyond Faith--no matter what religion we practice. Terrorists hit America in its heart but America 's heart still beats strong. Demolish the steel in our buildings, but it doesn't touch the steel in our souls. Hit us in the pocketbook but we'll parlay what we have left into a fortune. End innocent lives leaving widows and orphans, but we'll take care of them because they are New Yorkers Wherever we live, whatever we do, whoever we are there are New Yorkers in every state and every city of this nation. We will not abandon our city. We will not abandon our brothers and sisters We will not abandon the beauty, creativity and diversitythat New York represents. We are New Yorkers and we are proud to be New Yorkers REMEMBER THE WTC Author - Vincent Pasquale, Maspeth, NY Thank you Vincent for allowing us to share this with our fellow New Yorkers all around the world. Only those that grew up or lived in NYC can understandthe meaning of this: THERE I S NO NORTH AND SOUTH. IT'S 'UPTOWN' OR 'DOWNTOWN.' IF YOU'REREALLY FROM NEW YORK , YOU HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO CONCEPT OF WHERE NORTH AND SOUTH ARE... AND EAST OR WEST IS 'CROSS-TOWN.' YOU KNOW HOW TO MAKE AN EGG CREAM. YOU RIDE IN A SUBWAY CAR WITH NO AIR CONDITIONING JUST BECAUSE THERE ARE SEATS AVAILABLE. YOU TAKE THE TRAIN HOME AND YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHERE ON THE PLATFORM THE DOORS WILL OPEN THAT WILL LEAVE YOU RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE EXIT STAIRWAY. YOU KNOW WHAT A 'REGULAR' COFFEE IS. IT'S NOT MANHATTAN ...IT'S THE 'CITY.' YOU CROSS THE STREET ANY WHERE BUT ON THE CORNERS AND YOU YELL AT CARS FOR NOT RESPECTING YOUR RIGHT TO DO IT. YOU MOVE 3,000 MILES AWAY, SPEND 10 YEARS LEARNING THE LOCAL LANGUAGE AND PEOPLE STILL KNOW YOU'RE FROM THE BRONX BROOKLYN ,OR LONG ISLAND, THE MINUTE YOU OPEN YOUR MOUTH. YOU RETURN AFTER 10 YEARS AND THE FIRST FOODS YOUWANT ARE A 'REAL' PIZZA FROM DENINOS OR JOE & PATS, AND A 'REAL' BAGEL. A 500 SQUARE FOOT APARTMENT IS LARGE. YOU ARE NOT UNDER THE MISTAKEN IMPRESSION THAT ANY HUMAN BEING WOULD BE ABLE TO ACTUALLY UNDERSTAND A P.A. ANNOUNCEMENT ON THE SUBWAY. YOU WOULDN'T BOTHER ORDERING PIZZA IN ANY OTHER CITY. YOU GET READY TO ORDER DINNER EVERY NIGHT AND MUST CHOOSE FROM THE MAJOR FOOD GROUP MENUS: CHINESE, ITALIAN, MEXICAN OR INDIAN. YOU'RE NOT THE LEAST BIT INTERESTED IN GOING TO TIMES SQUARE ON NEW YEAR'S EVE. YOUR INTERNAL CLOCK IS PERMANENTLY SET TO KNOW WHEN ALTERNATE SIDE OF THE STREET PARKING IS IN EFFECT. YOU KNOW WHAT (AND WHERE) A BODEGA IS. SOMEONE BUMPS INTO YOU AND YOU CHECK FOR YOUR WALLET. YOU DON'T EVEN NOTICE THE LADY WALKING DOWN THE STREET HAVING A PERFECTLY NORMAL CONVERSATION WITH HERSELF. YOU PAY 'ONLY' $230 A MONTH TO PARK YOUR CAR. YOU CRINGE AT HEARING PEOPLE PRONOUNCE HOUSTON ST . LIKE THE CITY IN TEXAS THE PRESIDENTIAL VISIT IS A MAJOR TRAFFIC JAM, NOT AN HONOR. YOU CAN NAP ON THE SUBWAY AND NEVER MISS YOUR STOP. (this always amazed me.) THE DELI GUY GIVES YOU A STRAW WITH ANY BEVERAGE YOU BUY, EVEN IF IT'S A BEER. THAT'S NEW YORK , BABY! YA GOTTA LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!

 

 

Let's Go For A Drive and the best things in life are free!

Everything that's really worthwhile in life comes to us free - our minds, our souls, our bodies, our hopes, our dreams, our intelligence, our love of family and friends and country. All of these priceless possessions are free."
~Earl Nightingale

Think about it. You can lose all of your money and start over. If your house burns down, you can rebuild it. But things that cost you nothing, you can never replace.

One of the most important keys to self-motivation is to clearly identify your core values in life. You must decide what matters most. Why the need to identify your values? Many people think, "I know what's important; I don't need a list to remind me." What they don't fully understand, however, is that those core values will often serve as critical guides for making important decisions. When they're in doubt, your core values will cut through the fog like a beacon in the night.

We all know there are many distractions along the "road of life" that will try to pull us away from our values. Sometimes we are forced to make difficult choices. But a good rule of thumb is that when you have to sacrifice material possessions for one of those "free things" that life has given you...you've made the right choice.

Speaking about the "road of life" enjoy this video about car taking a drive in the river

Love Yehuda

Subject: FW: Let's Go For A Drive

 

THE STORY OF SENIOR WEALTH and Problem solving

Problem Focus Versus Solution Focus

Develop the habit of thinking about potential solutions whenever your mind comes up with a problem. "What are some of the ways that I could possibly solve this problem?" is one of the worthy questions to get into the habit of asking yourself.

When you keep your mind focused on solving problems, you save yourself the anxiety you would have experienced if you had focused mostly on problems.

Moreover, when you think about finding solutions, you are more likely to find satisfactory solutions.

Keep your eyes and ears open to reading and hearing about how various people have solved different problems. Think of a list of people who excel at solving problems. Instead of spending an excessively large amount of time obsessing about a problem, ask yourself, "Who is good at solving problems? Let me contact this person." When you can't contact your problem-solving friend immediately, you can gain by asking yourself, "What do I think this person would say to help me solve this problem?"

Thinking about the situation in this way will bring out an aspect of your creativity that otherwise would not have been accessed

Love Yehuda

THE STORY OF SENIOR WEALTH...

  Silver in the Hair 

  Gold in the Teeth.

 

  Stones in the Kidneys 

  Sugar in the Blood.

  Lead in the Feet.

  Iron in the Arteries.

  And an inexhaustible supply of Natural Gas.

 

  We never thought we'd  accumulate such wealth.