The great use of life...

The great use of life is to spend it on something that will outlast it.

- William James

ME! ME! ME! My Kids! My House! My Dog! My Cat! My Stuff! That pretty much describes society today. I'm sure there have always been greedy selfish people in the world, but they seem to be every where I go today.

I went Christmas shopping last Friday (the day after Thanksgiving). Everywhere I went people were rude, impolite and down right mean. Everyone was pushing trying to be the first in line, rushing to beat someone to a parking space or snatching things off of shelves. I don't know, maybe its just me, but none of is that important to me. I would rather let the lady that has 2 children in tow, who are screaming and into everything, go ahead of me. I held the door open for people. When you do things like that people look at you like you must me insane. They aren't used to people being helpful. It's a very sad commentary on the world today!

That's why I love this quote from the great American philosopher William James. It's not about me, me, me, it's about doing something that matters. Make a mark on the world. One that will make a difference in the lives of others. Donate to a charity, help in a disaster relief program, go on a mission trip with your church, or give some time to a homeless shelter or soup kitchen. The list is endless. And remember, just being kind, may make the difference in someone's day. You never know what a difference it might make. So the next time you see a Mom walking through the parking lot with a buggy full of groceries and a couple of kids, how about you remember this and let her go first, I'm sure the 10 seconds that it takes won't make that much difference in your day, but it might for her.

All we have to decide...

...that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us. There are other forces at work in this world besides the will of evil.

- Gandalf the Grey

As a teenager I never read The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Then when the movies came out, I did not want to see them, because when something is hyped that much, I am usually disappointed.

I ended up getting the first on as a gift. I had it for a couple of months, before I ever watchd it. Needless to say I made a mistake by not seeing it sooner. I loved it so much I went out and bought the books. For those of you out there that have seen the movies, but never read the books, you don't know what you're missing.

These books are filled with hundreds, if not thousands of quotes that are full of wisdom and insight. However, this is probably my favorite one.

If you may remember, Gandalf is giving this advice to Frodo, when they are in the cave near the beginning of their journey. In the book, it is actually much sooner, when Gandalf explains the Ring to Frodo, shortly after Bilbo had left. The meaning is the same, because the context in which he says it is the same.

Frodo is worried that all of these terrible things are happening in his "time". Gandalf quite simply tells him, it is not his place to worry about what happens in his time, but what he will do with the time that is given him.

This is a profound statement, that I think we can all learn something from. We all get tied up in our own lives, and all the bad things going on in the world. We don't need to "worry" about these things. It is our place to decide what we are going to do for the short time we are here. Are you going to make a difference in the world, or are you going to set back and be crushed by all the evil in the world around you!

We all have the responsibility to step up and be the absolute best we can be so that as Mark Twain says, "Let us so live, that when we come to die, even the undertaker will be sorry"

Another related quote is from Jesus himself. It is found in Matthew 6:34; "So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."