Book review

From time to time I thought I would write about a book that I read (that I enjoyed) and then let you decide.  The book I'm writing about today is Living Your Strengths.  In the back of the book is a code that you put in online to take a test to assess your strengths.  Because it was developed by the Gallup Organization, you can be sure that it is credible.  I took the test and was amazed (and pleased) with the results because it seemed to fit me to a "T".  (Where did that saying come from anyway)?  This test assesses 35 strengths and the results you get are your top 5 strengths.  You can find out the others (if you want to pay more), but the top 5 are your strongest.  Are you wondering what your purpose is in life or how you can make a difference where you are?  If so, this book may give you the insight or confirmation that you have been looking for.  

Diamonds are a man's best friend

Russell Conwell:
In 1870 when making a circuit of the earth as the correspondent of the New York Tribune, I visited Baghdad and there we hired a guide to show us down the Euphrates and the Tigris Rivers. He was full of ancient traditions and on the first day down the river, he told me their tradition concerning acres of diamonds, which I have used in my lecture six thousand times.
He said that there once lived, in, near the river Indus an ancient Persian by the name of Al Haphid. He said that Al Haphid owned a large farm, that he had orchards and grain fields and gardens—money at interest—and was counted as a wealthy and a happy man. Happy because he was wealthy and wealthy because he was contented. One day there visited him one of the ancient Buddhist priests—a wise man of the East—who told him about the discovery of diamonds in Europe. He said that the diamonds are so very valuable that if Al Haphid had a handful he could purchase the whole country, and with a mine of diamonds, he could place his children upon thrones, through the influence of their great wealth. Al Haphid heard all about diamonds, and determined to seek for them.

He sold his farm the next day and with the money departed, traveling up and down the whole of Europe. He sought in every place where he had heard of any indication of such gems but finding none, he spent all his money and became very poor, in rags, in poverty, and in hunger. And at last, in despair, he flung himself into the sea—on the shore of the Thames—and sank from sight, never to rise in this life again.

When the old guide had told me this half of his story, he left me to go back and fix the baggage. I had an opportunity to meditate upon that story, and wonder what the wise point of it could be, for the old guide never told a story but to illustrate some great principle or to fasten upon the mind some especial tradition. Therefore, when he was gone, I said to myself, “That story must mean that it is foolish for a man to move away from his own home.”

And very soon afterwards, the guide returned and took up the halter of my camel again and went into the second chapter of his story. When the old guide returned to my camel and took up the halter again he went right on with the same story as though there had been no break. He entered into the second chapter by saying that Al Haphid’s successor—the man who bought his farm in India—one day led his camel out into the garden to drink. And as that animal put his nose down into the shallow water of that garden brook, Al Haphid’s successor noticed a curious flash of light from the white sands of the stream, and reaching in, he pulled out a black stone having an eye of light which reflected all the hues of the rainbow.

And he took that pebble into the house, and put it on the mantle—which covers the central fires in an Eastern house—and then went his way, and forgot all about it. A few days after that, this same old priest came in to visit Al Haphid’s successor and the moment he entered the drawing room door he saw that flash of light from the mantle and he rushed up to it and shouted, “Here’s a diamond! Here’s a diamond! Has Al Haphid returned?” The old farmer said that Al Haphid had not returned and also said, “That is not a diamond. It is nothing but a stone. We found it right out here in our garden.” Said the old priest, “I know a diamond when I see it. That is a diamond.”
Then together they rushed out into that garden and they stirred up the white sands with their fingers, and 'lo there came up other more beautiful, more valuable gems than the first. “And, thus,” said the guide to me, “was discovered the great diamond mines of Galconda, the most magnificent diamond mine in all the history of the world. The Koohinor of England, and the Orlov of Russia, the greatest crown jewels on earth came from Galconda’s diamond mines.”
When the old guide had finished his second chapter, he then took his precious cap off his head and swung it around in the air to get my attention to his moral. And as he swung his hat over his head, he shouted to me: "Had Al Haphid remained at home and dug in his own cellar, or underneath his own wheat fields, or in his own garden, instead of wretchedness, starvation, poverty, and suicide in a strange land, he would have had acres of diamonds!"

This story is one of my favorites because it teaches us to quit looking in other places for our happiness or purpose. Our purpose is where we are. We already have what we need to accomplish what we have been called to do. Recently I was talking to a dear friend of mine that I knew in high school. We reconnected after many years and she shared with me that God has used her in many people's lives and that most of it has been through Facebook. Wow! God really can use us wherever we are, whatever we do, and who we are. Perhaps what we are doing isn't what we think we should be doing, but is God using us? I think yes! Can our attitude keep us from being effective for Him? Maybe where you are isn't where you think you should be. But while you wait, allow God to work His purpose through you - after all He has already equipped you to do His work - the diamonds are already there. Perhaps you just need to harvest them.

Here is the link to credit back to: http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/5768/

Color my Hope Pink

No doubt about it - we live in challenging times. For those who have lived through difficulties and have hung onto hope, we understand the struggles that many are going through. Wouldn't it be nice if we could share that hope with others? What if we rocked our world with hope? What if we made a difference in our world because of the hope that is within us? The Internet has changed our world and it allows us to come together in many different ways. I would like to invite you to join us at womanofhope.com.

At Woman of Hope we want to rock our world with hope by making a difference in people's lives. I know one thing - when women join together for a cause, great things happen! Please join us in making a difference in people's lives - whatever gift you have been blessed with is what God especially chose for you. We invite you to join with us as we live out our purpose and make a difference in our world! I have an opportunity to share this with you because of Beverly's wonderful idea of Pink Saturday. Bless you, Beverly for such a lovely idea. I hope that you visit Beverly's site at http://howsweetthesound.typepad.com/ as well as the other wonderful ladies who are a part of this fun event.

We are an online marketplace for women who have have a blog, etsy, or website to advertise. Each month one (or more) women will be in the spotlight and they will have an opportunity to share their website, products they might sell, and share their story of hope or what hope means to them. Right now I would like to invite you to submit your blog or website to woman of hope or leave me a message here that you would like to be a part of this marketplace and we will advertise your place until May 2011 - my compliments! I just ask that you take the woman of hope button and place it on your blog or website. Blessings to you wonderful ladies! I can't wait to see how God will work through us to rock our world with hope!

I Have A Dream

“Far away there in the sunshine are my highest aspirations. I may not reach them, but I can look up and see their beauty, believe in them, and try to follow where they lead.”
—Louisa May Alcott (1832-1888); Novelist

I am a dreamer - always have been - probably always will be and I'm no spring chicken either, sweetheart. Scripture teaches us that where there is no vision the people perish (Prov 29:18). How insightful those words are - we have to have hope - something to work toward. But, I have to add a word of caution. If we are not careful we can allow ourselves to always live toward the future without enjoying the present. I did that for years until one day I realized what I was doing...I had the "if onlys"...if only I lose weight, if only I had this job, this outfit, this house, was smarter....the list could go on and on (trust me). "If only" is a dangerous place to be because in our mind we are not "enough" until we get the "if only." So, I challenge you to look at your present circumstances and enjoy and embrace where you are and who you are because after all there "is only" one you!

Is Being Messy a Gift?

Find out who you are and do it on purpose.

Dolly Parton

I love this quote! Do you know people who try to figure out what their purpose is or if they are even here for a purpose? Or. . .have you seen people try to go out and create their purpose? We are all born with God-given talents and the combination of our talents is unlike anyone else - now if that is not knowing you are here for a purpose, then I don't know what is! If you are seeking to understand your strengths, then might I suggest the book, "Living Your Strengths." It has an online personality test by the Gallup Organization and helps you identify your top 5 strengths. When I took the test, I was amazed and pleased with the results because it was me. Sometimes people will say that their strengths are "boring" - not so!! We need all the strengths and whatever it is that you have, then use it! If it is organization, then come to my house cause I need it! If it is being responsible then teach others what that means. Did you know that one of the strengths even has to do with someone who likes to collect words or sayings or things? Now that was not in my top 5, but I'm tellin' ya that it was at least in my top 10 because I have the garage and basement to prove it - they are a (pleasing) mess of my collections of things that I see that have "potential." Oh, and let's not forget ALL OF THE BOOKS OF SAYINGS AND QUOTES that I have not to mention folders full of quotes on my computer. My office is full of them too. Yep, that is definitely a strength.

So, do like Dolly says, "Find out who you are and DO IT ON PURPOSE! Lookin' forward to meetin' ya!