Stretch

A wise person will make more opportunities than they find

Sir Francis Bacon

The word opportunity comes from the 11th Century root for elbow room

Why not give yourself some elbow room

C'mon...what have you got to lose?

Stretch a little

Reach!

Like this-

Or better still- like this!

Because Robert Browning said that:  

Ah, but man's reach should exceed his grasp 

or what's a heaven for?

Mary Poppins said:

"If you reach for the stars, all you get are the stars, but we have a brand new spin

If you reach for the heavens, you get the stars thrown in!"

 but if you want to reach for it

You have to give yourself some elbow room

and that's poetiquejustis

 

Now someone may argue, "Some people have faith; others have good deeds." But I say, "How can you show me your faith if you don't have good deeds? I will show you my faith by my good deeds."

James 2:18 

 

It's Just Possible

One isn't necessarily born with courage,
 but one is born with potential 

Maya Angelou

 

 

 

Potential...a word from the late 14th century and comes from the root of the words for "possible" and "power" 

 

Potential is not something you live up TO

It is something you are filled up WITH

 

It is all that power and strength and drive you have under the hood!

so step on it!

because today....

and that's poetiquejustis

Everything is possible for him who believes.

Mark 9:23

 

Yuk it up

 

Laugh out loud

Gretchen Ruben

I was on the Long Island Railroad one night

a somber face among many somber faces

chugging along in silence to home

so I could turn around and do it all again the next day

 It was the normal, silent evening commute

Until I saw a hand move slowly toward the floor 

and a man put a box down, opened it, and withdrew his hand

What happened next, I will never forget

it was am mechanical laughter machine

And as the laughter came from the little box 

and the people nearby heard  they began to laugh

and the laughter spread from row to row

and within minutes, these somber folks

were all laughing until they we could not breathe

And the man put the box away

and smiled

So go- be a laugh machine!

and that's poetiquejustis

He will yet fill your mouth with laughter, and your lips with shouting. 

Job 8:21

Growing Strong

 

Whilst we deliberate how to begin a thing,

 it grows too late to begin it.

Quintillian

Neil Diamond- the ultimate lyrics about beginning

“Where it began
I can't begin to know it

But, then I know it's growing strong”

Or the song that everyone danced to at their wedding in the 70’s by the Carpenters

“Before the rising sun, we fly

So many roads to choose
We start out walking

And learn to run
And yes! We've just begun”

What makes us so entranced with beginnings?

Because we believe this beginning will be the best of all beginnings

or, as Churchill said:

 "Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning."

 and that's poetiquejustis

  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.  All things were made through Him, and without Him was not any thing made that was made. In Him was life,and the life was the light of men.  

 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

John 1:1-5

Mindful

A little kingdom I possess, where thoughts and feelings dwell; 

And very hard the task I find of governing it well.

Louisa May Alcott

I was reminded to mind my manners

I was reminded to mind the time

 

I was reminded to

 I just wish someone had reminded me to mind my mind!

 

But I am positive....it is never too late to REmind yourself

and that is poetiquejustis

How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of hosts

Psalm 84:1 

 

Once More With Feeling

 

The last dejected effort often becomes the winning stroke

W J Camero

That one last spin of the dial for the salesperson

That one more crack at the books for a student

That extra hour of practice

That last read through to edit

That extra moment of prayer

Those efforts can make all the difference

And that is poetiquejustis

Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD!

Psalm 27:14

Out of the park

 

You got to take it one game at a time

Rick Dempsey

Major League Baseball Catcher

Things get thrown at you every day

Fast

Slow

Curved

Low shots

Cheap shots

 You choose what you want to take a swing at

It is your game, after all

and that's poetiquejustis

My brothers and sisters, consider it nothing but joy when you fall into all sorts of trials,

James 1:2