“WHAT IS YOUR SECRET TO LIVING SUCH A LONGTIME?” asked a reporter of the gentleman celebrating his 100th birthday? “I take good care of myself,” replied the centenarian. “I watch what I eat, never smoked—the only drink I ever had was a glass of champagne on my wedding day; and I get some kind of physical exercise every day.” “Surely there’s more to it than that,” argued the reporter. “I knew a guy who lived exactly the same way and yet died when he turned 80. Why didn’t all that clean living work for him?” “Simple,” said the man. “He didn’t keep at it long enough.”  Adapted from How to Be the Life of the Podium SYLVIA SIMMONS

Fall seven times, stand up eight.  ~Japanese Proverb

Consider the postage stamp:  its usefulness consists in the ability to stick to one thing till it gets there.  ~Josh Billings

Do you find it hard to keep going sometimes?  When life is smashed with difficulties and pressure – I believe it may be the hardest thing to do.  To persevere, to go the distance is not a quality that we come by easy.  In fact, the dichotomy is the pressure itself aids in producing perseverance.  Go figure!

How many times have you stopped short of just making it over the top?  There have been several times when after the seventh time I didn’t get up for the eighth.   Later in life I discovered that had I gone one more day, one more week, I would have broken through to something I had no idea was attainable.

For me, the “stuff” to keep going isn’t found within the reservoirs of my soul but in the depth of my faith.  There are many things in life we can endure on our own strength – but there are times when we get hit with things that overwhelm us.  It is in those times we do our soul searching and question asking.  It is in those times we ask, “How do I go on?”

Life can throw us a lot of curves, hills, and valleys.  To endure, to turn into the problem, to search it out and seek answers and solutions is to be a wise person.  My encouragement to those who are facing difficult issues is – stay with it – don’t quit.  The answer, the relief may be right in the middle of the storm.

If your storm is too big give me a call – let’s talk.

Strength to all!

Chaplain,  Bill