Thanks-Giving

There is hope if people will begin to awaken that spiritual part of themselves - that heartfelt acknowledgement that we are the caretakers of life on this planet.

- Brooke Medicine Eagle

There are not enough hours in the day to thank God for all my blessings, for God is continually blessing me.  So I say, "Thank You, God, for life and for all the blessings in my life.  You have given me a sacred trust, and I do not take that responsibility lightly."

I show my appreciation for God's greatness as well as speaking it.  When I am interacting with others or enjoying the great outdoors, I treat everyone and everything with love and respect.  I honour the wonder that God has created.

I also express my thanksgiving by sharing the blessings I have already received.  I devote time and energy to helping others.  Just maybe my best way of thanking God is living my life in appreciation of God.

Through God's blessings, I am fulfilled.

(From : 'Daily Word' magazine by Silent Unity, a world wide prayer ministry) 

GEM 742

Any work undertaken without discriminating it to be a personal work or God's work would become service.

(From : Garland of 1008 Gems, Bhagawan Shri Sathya Sai Baba's Sayings)

Work

Divine Mold

Joy is a deceptive trap; grief is the real preceptor, teaching caution, circumspection, discrimination, detachment, awareness and vigilance.  Death is not the merciless foe he is made out to be, he is the friend and companion, the teacher, the kindly kinsman who takes you into his fold and clothes you with the halo of remembrance.  The heart of man has to toughened, not hardened; it has to be made soft, not slithery.  This can be achieved only the blows of loss, grief and distress.  It is God's way of shaping us, in the Divine mold.  But man ins blind to His mercy; he revolts at the first blow of the sculptor's hammer.  Do not lose the great chance of association with the Divine, by identifying God with your trivial likes and dislikes, your tawdry aim and ambitions.  Having come into this un-eternal un-happiness filled world, adore Me in order to save yourself.

(Baba, The Breath Of Sai, pg 290)

GEM 741

Acquisition of skill and perfection in one's work delights one's self.

(From : Garland of 1008 Gems, Bhagawan Shri Sathya Sai Baba's Sayings)

Q499

Why is so much significance conferred on the Lord's Feet ?



'Feet' do not mean sandals made in silver or gold.  Feet refer to the Divine that sustains everything.  Viewing from the point of view of science, it will be noted that blood flows from the feet upwards to all parts of the body.  It is this blood which sustains the entire body.  The feet that bear the burden of the entire body are essential for life itself.

(SSS Vol 26, pg 339)

Sai Darshan II, Part 1 - Message 26

Sai Darshan II, Part 1 - Message 26

If you cannot change yourself

Then who will?

If you cannot believe in yourself

Then who will?

If you cannot inspire yourself

Then who will?

If you cannot awaken yourself

Then who will?

If you cannot love yourself

Then who will?

If you cannot realize yourself

Then who will?

(Extract from : Sai Darshan II written by Seema M Dewan)

Negligence

Control Desires

When you are able to control your desires, it will be possible for you to have the entire world in your palm.  If you become subservient to your ambitions, then you will become subservient to everything around you.  If you become a slave to your desires, then you become a slave to the entire world.  But if you control and conquer your desires, you can conquer the whole world.  If you want to keep them under control only apparently, the lasting results will not follow.  If you go and beat on the surface on an ant-hill with a stick, will the snake inside the ant-hill die?  Controlling desires only superficially will not be the right thing to do.

The bad ideas and thoughts that come within your body have to be controlled.  Mind is like the ant-hill.  Out of the ant-hill of your mind, several poisonous thoughts like poisonous snakes will be pouring out.  By using sacred thoughts of God and by using quiet and calm ideas about God, you should be able to put the snakes to sleep.  Yours is an age which is a sacred age.  To waste such sacred age and not to get good results out of that age is deplorable.  You should not desire to imitate or copy others in all your actions.  If from today, you are able to get rid of such qualities and control your thoughts, in future you will be able to acquire strength by which you can go close to God.

(Summer Showers in Brindivan, 1977, pg 37)

GEM 740

Real peace can be secured only by renunciation and sacrifice.

(From : Garland of 1008 Gems, Bhagawan Shri Sathya Sai Baba's Sayings)