by pattyptakkogutek | Jun 3, 2019 | inspiration
While gathering the votes the teacher noted that one student had not finished her paper yet. So she asked the girl if she was having trouble with her list. The girl replied, “Yes, a little. I couldn’t quite make up my mind because there were so many.” The teacher...
by pattyptakkogutek | May 24, 2019 | inspiration
Wondering if there would be golf in heaven, two friends who were ardent golfers made an agreement that whoever died first would bring back the news. Eventually one did pass on, and keeping his promise came back and reported, “ I have good news and bad news,” he said....
by pattyptakkogutek | May 19, 2019 | inspiration
Birthdays, anniversaries, 16 years old, 21 years old and 65 years old – all act as milestones of important events as we journey down this road of life. Each of these special junctures is observed with joy and special celebrations. But what about our spiritual...
by pattyptakkogutek | May 13, 2019 | inspiration
“You are never too old to set another goal or dream a new dream.” C. S. Lewis Time is a precious commodity! And we are never too old! No excuses! No matter how old we are it is never too late to begin anew. God gives us time and abilities to invest wisely. There’s a...
by pattyptakkogutek | May 6, 2019 | inspiration
“It’s not that optimism solves all of life’s problems; it is just that it can sometimes make the difference between coping and collapsing.” – Lucy Macdonald Remember the small magazine, “Reader’s Digest”? That publication had a section called “Laughter is the Best...
by pattyptakkogutek | Apr 28, 2019 | inspiration
As we run about our busy schedule we casually greet people, “Hi”, “Good to see you”, “Have a good day” or some upbeat message to acknowledge them or brighten someone’s day. But as we all know, life is tough and the “good” is sometimes not that apparent. But it is...
by pattyptakkogutek | Apr 22, 2019 | inspiration
Millions of people sat glued to their televisions heartbroken watching Notre Dame cathedral aflame. As a symbol of Western civilization, the structure served as a reminder of man’s journey to his creator, through art, relics, religious services and the history of its...
by pattyptakkogutek | Apr 13, 2019 | inspiration
Do live your life with a question mark? Do you hedge your bets and hold back, keeping one eye on the nearest exit, and always making sure you have a way out? On one hand this makes a lot of sense covering all your bases, but on the other hand that is not what God asks...
by pattyptakkogutek | Apr 8, 2019 | inspiration
“It’s been ‘one of those days’….3 years in a row.” A couple of years ago I wrote about the old fashioned virtue of perseverance, looking at hardship influencing all aspects of our lives. We all know that adversity, no matter to what degree, is a part of life with...
by pattyptakkogutek | Apr 1, 2019 | inspiration
There once was a king who wanted absolute power over his people. Being threatened by the people’s devotion to God, He called his advisors together in hopes of “hiding” God. Suggestions were made to hide God at the top of the mountain, or at the bottom of the ocean....
by pattyptakkogutek | Mar 21, 2019 | inspiration
I’ve heard that life is like a roller coaster with all the ups and downs. I’ve heard that life is a bowl of cherries with all the sweetness and a few pits! I’ve heard that life is like a river winding its way to a bigger body of water. And of course, life is like a...
by pattyptakkogutek | Mar 18, 2019 | inspiration
We are now in the Lenten season. For the Christian churches it is a time of retreat, renewal and rededication. Looking back at Lent when I was growing up, Lent was easy. Back when, this penitential season of Lent turned its focus from the “lesser material world”, the...
by pattyptakkogutek | Mar 11, 2019 | inspiration
An old man was walking along the beach, when he noticed a little girl ahead of him picking up starfish that had been cast ashore by the storm the night before. The old man hurried to catch up to her, and asked what she was doing. “Rescuing starfish,” the young lady...
by pattyptakkogutek | Mar 1, 2019 | inspiration
“The majority of people perform well in a crisis and when the spotlight is on them; it’s on the Sunday afternoons of life, when nobody is looking, that the spirit falters.” (Alan Bennett’s autobiography) Don’t you agree that the “et cetera” parts of life, those flat...
by pattyptakkogutek | Feb 25, 2019 | inspiration
The celebrating couple mingled among the guests at their 50th wedding anniversary. One of the guests pulled the “groom” aside and asked, “You make marriage look easy. Has it always been this easy?” The celebrant replied, “No, I even considered divorce and my...
