OUR ATTITUDE DETERMINES OUR ALTITUDE

OUR ATTITUDE DETERMINES OUR ALTITUDE

 

 

"All our feelings of pain and pleasure depend upon the attitude of our mind" – Sri Sai Satcharitra, Ch.  20

 

Three people were laying bricks. A passerby asked them what they were doing.

 

The first one replied, "Don't you see I am making a living?"

 

The second one said, "Don't you see I am lying bricks?"

 

The third one said, "I am building a beautiful monument."

 

Here were three people doing the same thing who had totally different perspective on what they were doing.

 

They had three very different attitudes about their work. And would their attitude affect their performance? The answer is clearly yes. Half-hearted effort does not produce half results; it produces no results!

GREEN _ YELLOW _ PRAY

GREEN _ YELLOW _ PRAY

 

"Did not know what to do, but began to pray to Baba for relief." – Sri Sai Satcharitra, Ch. 34.

 

Ever noticed that when you're in a hurry you hit every one of those red traffic lights? I am an elementary school teacher, and every minute counts in the morning. I want to get to my classroom early enough that I can get myself settled before all of the children rush in.

 

About two years ago, I found myself stuck behind a long line of cars at an intersection, waiting for the light to change to green… and waiting… and waiting. I tapped my fingers impatiently on the steering wheel. Change already, I thought.

 

All of a sudden, a friend's name popped into my mind. She had been dealing with some health troubles lately and I knew that things were difficult for her.

 

"Dear Lord," I said, "wrap your loving arms around my friend and please bring her the comfort and peace she needs." Saying those words immediately made me feel calmer too. Just as I finished saying the prayer, the light turned green.

 

Now, whenever I'm sitting at a red light, instead of waiting impatiently, I take a moment to pray. That's just the kind of stop I like to make.

YOU WILL RECEIVE FOR WHAT YOU GAVE

YOU WILL RECEIVE FOR WHAT YOU GAVE

 

 

Baba said - "You must suffer the consequences of your action"  Sri Sai Satcharitra, Ch. 29

 

 

There was a farmer who sold a pound of butter to the baker. One day the baker decided to weigh the butter to see if he was getting a pound and he found that he was not. This angered him and he took the farmer to court.

The judge asked the farmer if he was using any measure. The farmer replied, "Your Honor, I am primitive. I don't have a proper measure, but I do have a scale."

 

The judge asked, "Then how do you weigh the butter"

 

The farmer replied "Your Honor, long before the baker started buying butter from me, I have been buying a pound loaf of bread from him. Every day when the baker brings the bread, I put it on the scale and give him the same weight in butter. If anyone is to be blamed, it is the baker." !

Thus the truth of the matter came to light and the baker hung his face in shame.

We get back in life what we give to others

DISTANCE BETWEEN HEARTS

DISTANCE BETWEEN HEARTS

 

 

Baba advised "Why do you scold him unnecessarily. How is it that you are so quarrelsome? Can you not speak soft and sweet words? You read daily these sacred books and still your mind is impure and your passions uncontrolled" in Sri Sai Satcharitra, Ch. 27.

 

A saint asked his disciples, 'Why do we shout in anger? Why do people shout at each other when they are upset?' 

Disciples thought for a while, one of them said, 'Because we lose our calmness, we shout because of that.' 

'But, why to shout when the other person is just next to you?' asked the saint.

 

'Isn't it possible to speak to him or her with a soft voice? Why do you shout at a person when you're angry?'

 

Disciples gave some other answers but none satisfied the saint.

 

Finally he explained, 'When two people are angry at each other, their hearts distance a lot. To cover that distance they must shout to be able to hear each other. The angrier they are, the stronger they will have to shout to hear each other through that great distance.'

 

Then the saint asked, 'What happens when two people fall in love? They don't shout at each other but talk softly, why? Because their hearts are very close. The distance between them is very small...'

 

The saint continued, 'When they love each other even more, what happens? They do not speak, only whisper and they get even closer to each other in their love.

 

Finally they even need not whisper, they only look at each other and that's all. That is how close two people are when they love each other.'

 

 

When you argue do not let your hearts get distant, do not say words that distance each other more, else there will come a day when the distance is so great that you will not find the path to return!

 

GOD’S HOLDING MAY CAUSE WOUNDS AND PAINS

GOD'S HOLDING MAY CAUSE WOUNDS AND PAINS

"We are tested as it were. If we only hold on steadily to Baba with full faith and continue our endeavours, our efforts will be ultimately crowned with success." – Sri Sai Satcharitra, Ch. 24

 

Some years ago on a hot summer day in south Florida a little boy decided to go for a swim in the old swimming hole behind his house. In a hurry to dive into the cool water, he ran out the back door, leaving behind shoes, socks, and shirt as he went.

 

He flew into the water, not realizing that as he swam toward the middle of the lake, an alligator was swimming toward the shore. His mother in the house was looking out the window saw the two as they got closer and closer together. In utter fear, she ran toward the water, yelling to her son as loudly as she could.

 

Hearing her voice, the little boy became alarmed and made a U-turn to swim to his mother. It was too late. Just as he reached her, the alligator reached him.

 

From the dock, the mother grabbed her little boy by the arms just as the alligator snatched his legs. That began an incredible tug-of-war between the two. The alligator was much stronger than the mother, but the mother was much too passionate to let go. A farmer happened to drive by, heard her screams, raced from his truck, took aim and shot the alligator.

 

Remarkably, after weeks and weeks in the hospital, the little boy survived. His legs were extremely scarred by the vicious attack of the animal. And, on his arms, were deep scratches where his mother's fingernails dug into his flesh in her effort to hang on to the son she loved.

 

The newspaper reporter, who interviewed the boy after the trauma, asked if he would show him his scars. The boy lifted his pant legs. And then, with obvious pride, he said to the reporter, "But look at my arms. I have great scars on my arms, too. I have them because my Mom wouldn't let go."

 

 

We identify with that little boy. We have scars, too. Not from an alligator, but the scars of a painful past. Some of those scars are unsightly and have caused us deep regret. But, some wounds, my friend, are because God has refused to let go. In the midst of your struggle. He's been there holding on to you.