sometimes the hardest thing and the right thing are the same

PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT TO WHICH ICON, QUOTE, VERSE, AND SHORT STORY IS YOUR FAVORITE! PLEASE DO THIS BECAUSE I AM TAKING A POLL!!!! PLEASE VOTE!!! YOU VOTE FOR THE NUMBER BESIDE THE QUOTE, VERSE, OR SHORT STORY!!

ICONS
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

13.

14.

15.

16.

17.

18.

19.

20.

21.

22.

23.

24.

25.

26.

27.

28.

29.

30.

31.

32.

33.

34.

35.

36.

37.

38.

39.

40.

41.

42.

43.

44.

45.

46.

47.

48.

49.

50.

51.

52.

53.

54.

55.

56.

57.

58.

59.

60.

61.

62.

63.

64.

65.

66.

67.

68.

69.

70.

71.

72.

73.

74.

75.

76.

77.

78.

79

80.

81.

82.

83.

84.

85.

86.

87.

88.

89.

90.

91.

92.

93.

94.

95.

96.

97.

98.

99.

100.

101.

102.

103.

104.

105.

106.

107.

108.

109.

110.

111.

112.

113.

114.

115.

116.

117.

118.

119.

120.

121.

122.

123.

124.

125.

126.

127.

128.

129.

130.

131.

132.

133.

134.

135.

136.

137.

138.

139.

140.

141.

142.

143.

144.

145

146.

147.

148.

149.

150.

151.

152.

153.

154.

155.

156.

157.

158.

159.

159.

160.

162.

163.

164.

165.

166.

167.

168.

169.

170.

171.

172.

173.

174.

175.

176

177.

178.

179.

180.



QUOTES
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
1. Laugh Often~
Smile Much~
Love Always~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
2. Sometimes the hardest thing and the right thing are the same.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
3. Yes, everyone's different but that's what makes the world such an amazing place to live.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
4. Laugh when you can, Apologize when you should, and Let go of what you can't change!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
5. Failure is divided into two classes those who thought and never did, and those who did and never thought.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
6. You've failed many times, although you don't remember. You fell down the first time you tried to walk. You almost drowned the first time you tried to swim. Don`t worry about failure..worry about the chances you miss when you don't even try.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
7. I've worked too hard and too long to let anything stand in the way of my goals. I will not let my teammates down and I will not let myself down.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
8. Don't let what other people think decide who you are.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
9. it's not our abilities that show what we truly are, it's our choices.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
10. When they push when they pull, tell me can you hold on
When they say you should change can you lift your head high and stay strong
Will you give up, give in, when your heart's crying out that it's wrong
Will you love you for you at the end of it all
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
11.If the problem can be fixed, fix it, but if the problem can't be fixed stop worrying about it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
12. dare to dream your dreams, dare to believe you can acheive your dreams, dare to have faith in yourself, & dare to love.
what have you got to loose? it's just a dare.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
13. If you're gonna be a failure, at least be one at something you enjoy.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
14. Where there is great love, there are always miracles.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
15. Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a harder battle.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
16. All things are possible until they are proved impossible.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
17. God could not be everywhere, and therefore he made mothers.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
18. Reality isn't the way you wish things to be, nor the way they appear to be, but the way they actually are.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
19. Any person who can maintain a positive attitude without much playing time certainly has earned my respect.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
20. You don't get to choose on how you're going to die. Or when. You can decide how you're going to live now.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
21. Sometime in our lives we all have pain, we all have sorrow, but if we are wise we know that there's always tomorrow
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
22. Never say goodbye because goodbye means going away and going away means forgetting.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
23. Obstacles are put in your way to see if what you want is really worth fighting for.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
24. -if you choose to swear, please use your name and not mine. -God
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
25. Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
26. don't miss what was; don`t anticipate what will be; just enjoy what is.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
27. Imperfection is beauty, madness is genius, and it's better to be absolutely ridiculous than absolutely boring.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
28. sometimes you have to make a really big mistake to figure out how to make things right.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
29. Don't let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
30. you can't stay mad at somebody who makes you laugh.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
31. people say that you're going the wrong way when it`s simply a way of your own
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
32. we spend our whole lives searching for all the things we think we want, never really knowing what we actually have.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
33. This is your life so give it a happy ending
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
34. There is only one happiness in life, to love and be loved.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
35. If you get the choice to it it out or dance, I hope you dance.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
36. When you love someone, all your saved-up wishes start coming out.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
37. Love is like a mountain, hard to climb, but once you get to the top the view is beautiful.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
38. Before God we are all equally wise............and equally foolish.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
39. I never think of the future......it comes soon enough.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
40. Don't go around saying the world owes you a living. The world owes you nothing. It was here first.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
41.If a man does his best, what else is there?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
42. I feel like an idiot. But I am an idiot, so it kinda works out.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
43. People are like stained-glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in, their true beauty is revealed only if there is a light from within.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
44. When you are down to nothing, God is up to something.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
45. If I have been of service, if I have glimpsed more of the nature and essence of ultimate good, if I am inspired to reach wider horizons of thought and action, if I am at peace with myself, it has been a successful day.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
46. The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen, nor touched ... but are felt in the heart.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
47. Do you love me because I'm beautiful, or am I am beautiful because you love me?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
48. The pain passes, but the beauty remains.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
49. Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. And today? Today is a gift. That's why we call it the present.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
50. I'm a great believer in luck and I find the harder I work, the more I have of it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
51. don't be afraid to take chances. and make some mistakes. you'll remember the good ones. and learn from the bad ones.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
52. You can't go through life thinking everyone you meet will one day let you down.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
53. when things get bad, we take comfort in the fact that things can't get any worse. and when they do, we must have faith that things are so bad they can only get better.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
54. The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
55. Don't walk in front of me; I may not follow. Don't walk behind me; I may not lead. Just walk beside me and be my friend.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
56. Dream as if you'll live forever, live as if you'll die tomorrow.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
57. When one of your dreams come true, you begin to look at the others more carefully.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
58. A dream becomes a goal when action is taken toward its achievement.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
59. Your vision will become clear only when you can look into your own heart. Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakes.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
60. Love has nothing to do with what you are expecting to get, it's what you are expected to give -- which is everything.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
61. The wise have something to say, the foolish have to say something.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
62. What we have done for ourselves alone dies with us. What we have done for others and the world remains and is immortal.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
63. Success is getting what you want; happiness is wanting what you have.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
64. I've had a wonderful evening, but this wasn't it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
65. the best feeling in the world is doing something that everyone else said you couldn't.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
66. Gravity is not responsible for people falling in love.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
67. Be not afraid of greatness because some are born great, some achieve great, but some have greatness thrust upon them.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
68. Don't always judge people by the things they have done. You should judge them by what they are doing now.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
69. I believe, sometimes, that the whole world have an aching heart.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
70. As long as we have memories, yesterday remains. As long as we have hope, tomorrow awaits. As long as we have love, today is beautiful.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


VERSES:
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
1. For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
Romans 3:23

2. Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.
Psalm 119:105

3. Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.
Proverbs 16:24

4. No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.
1 Corinthians 10:13

5. I go to prepare a place for you.
John 14:2

6. If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.
Matthew 21: 22

7. The LORD is with me; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?
Psalm 118:6

8.Do not be overcome by evil but overcome evil with good.
Romans 12:21

9. For God so loved the world that he gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.
John 3:16

10. Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.
1 Thessalonians 5:18

11. Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.
Proverbs 16:3

12. Great peace have they who love your law, and nothing can make them stumble.
Psalm 119:165

13. He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me scatters.
Matthew 12:30

14. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.
Matthew 7:8

15. In the beginning GOD created the heavens and the earth.
Genesis 1:1

16. The truth will set you free.
John 8:32

17. Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.
James 1:2-4

18. Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angelic tongues, but do not have love, I have become sounding brass or a clashing symbol. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so as to move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. And though I give away everything I own, and I give my body so that I may boast, but do not have love, I have nothing. Love suffers long and kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself , is not puffed easily; does not behave rudely, does not seek it's own interest, thinks no evil; does not rejoice over wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth; love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things. Love NEVER fails.
Corinthians 13:1-8

19. Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law.
Romans 13:8

20. So they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, no human being must separate.
Mark 10:2-16



Short Stories
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
1. A young and successful executive was traveling down a neighborhood street, going a bit too fast in his new Jaguar. He was watching for kids darting out from between parked cars and slowed down when he thought he saw something. As his car passed, no children appeared. Instead, a brick smashed into the Jag's side door! He slammed on the brakes and drove the Jag back to the spot where the brick had been thrown. The angry driver then jumped out of the car, grabbed the nearest kid and pushed him up against a parked car, shouting, "What was that all about and who are you?
Just what the heck are you doing? That's a new car and that brick you threw is going to cost a lot of money.
Why did you do it?" The young boy was apologetic. "Please mister ... please, I'm sorry... I didn't know what else to do," he pleaded. "I threw the brick because no one else would stop..." With tears dripping down his face and off his chin, the youth pointed to a spot just around a parked car. "It's my brother," he said. "He rolled off the curb and fell out of his wheelchair and I can't lift him up." Now sobbing, the boy asked the stunned executive, "Would you please help me get him back into his wheelchair? He's hurt and he's too heavy for me." Moved beyond words, the driver tried to swallow the rapidly swelling lump in his throat. He hurriedly lifted the handicapped boy back into the wheelchair, then took out his fancy handkerchief and dabbed at the fresh scrapes and cuts. A quick look told him everything was going to be okay. "Thank you and may God bless you," the grateful child told the stranger. Too shook up for words, the man simply watched the little boy push his wheelchair-bound brother down the sidewalk toward their home. It was a long, slow walk back to the Jaguar. The damage was very noticeable, but the driver never bothered to repair the dented side door. He kept the dent there to remind him of this message: Don't go through life so fast that someone has to throw a brick at you to get your attention! God whispers in our souls and speaks to our hearts. Sometimes when we don't have time to listen, He has to throw a brick at us. It's our choice: Listen to the whisper ... or wait for the brick!
******************************************************************************************
2. A group of frogs were traveling through the woods, and two of them fell into a deep pit. When the other frogs saw how deep the pit was, they told the two frogs that they were as good as dead. The two frogs ignored the comments and tried to jump up out of the pit with all their might. The other frogs kept telling them to stop, that they were as good as dead. Finally, one of the frogs took heed to what the other frogs were saying and gave up. He fell down and died. The other frog continued to jump as hard as he could. Once again, the crowd of frogs yelled at him to stop the pain and just die. He jumped even harder and finally made it out. When he got out, the other frogs said, "Did you not hear us?" The frog explained to them that he was deaf. He thought they were encouraging him the entire time. This story teaches two lessons: 1. There is power of life and death in the tongue. An encouraging word to someone who is down can lift them up and help them make it through the day. 2. A destructive word to someone who is down can be what it takes to kill them. Be careful of what you say. Speak life to those who cross your path. The power of words... it is sometimes hard to understand that an encouraging word can go such a long way. Anyone can speak words that tend to rob another of the spirit to continue in difficult times. Special is the individual who will take the time to encourage another.
******************************************************************************************
3. A story tells that two friends were walking through the desert. During some point of the journey they had an argument, and one friend slapped the other one in the face. The one who got slapped was hurt, but without saying anything, wrote in the sand: "TODAY MY BEST FRIEND SLAPPED ME IN THE FACE." They kept on walking until they found an oasis, where they decided to take a bath. The one, who had been slapped, got stuck in the mire and started drowning, but the friend saved him. After the friend recovered from the near drowning, he wrote on a stone: "TODAY MY BEST FRIEND SAVED MY LIFE." The friend who had slapped and saved his best friend asked him, "After I hurt you, you wrote in the sand and now, you write on a stone, why?" The other friend replied: "When someone hurts us, we should write it down in sand where winds of forgiveness can erase it away. But, when someone does something good for us, we must engrave it in stone where no wind can ever erase it." LEARN TO WRITE YOUR HURTS IN THE SAND, AND TO CARVE YOUR BENEFITS IN STONE
******************************************************************************************
4. Once upon a time, there was an island where all the feelings lived: Happiness, Sadness, Knowledge, and all of the others, including Love. One day it was announced to the feelings that the island would sink, so all constructed boats and left. Except for Love. Love was the only one who stayed. Love wanted to hold out until the last possible moment. When the island had almost sunk, Love decided to ask for help. Richness was passing by Love in a grand boat. Love said, "Richness, can you take me with you?" Richness answered, "No, I can't. There is a lot of gold and silver in my boat. There is no place here for you."
Love decided to ask Vanity who was also passing by in a beautiful vessel. "Vanity, please help me!" "I can't help you, Love. You are all wet and might damage my boat," Vanity answered. Sadness was close by so Love asked, "Sadness, let me go with you." "Oh . . . Love, I am so sad that I need to be by myself!" Happiness passed by Love, too, but she was so happy that she did not even hear when Love called her. Suddenly, there was a voice, "Come, Love, I will take you." It was an elder. So blessed and overjoyed, Love even forgot to ask the elder where they were going. When they arrived at dry land, the elder went her own way. Realizing how much was owed the elder, Love asked Knowledge, another elder, "Who Helped me?"
"It was Time," Knowledge answered. "Time?" asked Love. "But why did Time help me?" Knowledge smiled with deep wisdom and answered, "Because only Time is capable of understanding how valuable Love is."
******************************************************************************************
5. A young man was getting ready to graduate from college. For many months he had admired a beautiful sports car in a dealer's showroom, and knowing his father could well afford it, he told him that was all he wanted. As Graduation Day approached, the young man awaited signs that his father had purchased the car. Finally, on the morning of his graduation, his father called him into his private study. His father told him how proud he was to have such a fine son, and told him how much he loved him. He handed his son a beautifully wrapped gift box. Curious, but somewhat disappointed, the young man opened the box and found a lovely, leather-bound Bible, with the young man's name embossed in gold. Angry, he raised his voice to his father and said "With all your money, you give me a Bible?" and stormed out of the house, leaving the Bible.
Many years passed and the young man was very successful in business. He had a beautiful home and wonderful family, but realized his father was very old, and thought perhaps he should go to him. He had not seen him since that graduation day. Before he could make arrangements, he received a telegram telling him his father had passed away, and willed all of his possessions to his son. He needed to come home immediately and take care of things. When he arrived at his father's house, sudden sadness and regret filled his heart. He began to search through his father's important papers and saw the still new Bible, just as he had left it years ago. With tears, he opened the Bible and began to turn the pages. And as he did, a car key dropped from the back of the Bible. It had a tag with the dealer's name, the same dealer who had the sports car he had desired. On the tag was the date of his graduation, and the words PAID IN FULL. How many times do we miss Spirit's blessings and answers to our prayers because they do not arrive exactly as we have expected?
******************************************************************************************
6. The story goes that some time ago, a man punished his 3-year-old daughter for wasting a roll of gold wrapping paper. Money was tight and he became infuriated when the child tried to decorate a box to put under the Christmas tree. Nevertheless, the little girl brought the gift to her father the next morning and said, "This is for you, Daddy." The man was embarrassed by his earlier overreaction, but his anger flared again when he found out the box was empty. He yelled at her, stating, "Don't you know, when you give someone a present, there is supposed to be something inside? The little girl looked up at him with tears in her eyes and cried, "Oh, Daddy, it's not empty at all. I blew kisses into the box. They're all for you, Daddy." The father was crushed. He put his arms around his little girl, and he begged for her forgiveness. Only a short time later, an accident took the life of the child. It is also told that her father kept that gold box by his bed for many years and, whenever he was discouraged, he would take out an imaginary kiss and remember the love of the child who had put it there.
In a very real sense, each one of us, as humans beings, have been given a gold container filled with unconditional love and kisses... from our children, family members, friends, and God. There is simply no other possession, anyone could hold, more precious than this.
******************************************************************************************

******************************************************************************************