Thought For The Day

Quote #1

“Someday, everything will make perfect sense. So for now, laugh at the confusion, smile through the tears, be strong and keep reminding yourself that everything happens for a reason.” (John Mayer)

Quote #2

“I believe everything happens for a reason. People change so you can learn to let go, things go wrong so that you can appreciate them when they’re right. You believe lies so that you will eventually learn to trust no one but yourself, and sometimes, good things fall apart so better things can fall together. (Marilyn Monroe)

Quote #3

“I trust that everything happens for a reason even if we are not wise enough to see it.” (Oprah Winfrey)

Bonus Quote

“Do you believe that there are no coincidences in life, that everything happens for a reason? Maybe every person we meet has a roll in our life, either big or small. Some may hurt, betray and even make us cry, but all are meant to teach us lessons, not necessarily to purposely change us, but to make us be a better person.” (Andrew Arthur Dawson)

Peace, love, light, and joy,
Andrew Arthur Dawson

Daily Reflection

“You have to think there’s a reason for everything. When a door closes another door opens.” (Chris Daughtry)

I was pumped. The weekend retreat my sponsee Michael was about to go on was finally upon him. This being the very same retreat I went on 20 years ago for a spiritual organization that has completely changed my life, enough so that my passion for it has convinced many over the years to go on it as well, including Michael. On the night before his was to begin, we spoke on the phone where I wished him well and told him I’d speak to him on the other side. I could hear the excitement in his voice. The next afternoon, just about the time he was supposed to be arriving at his retreat, my phone rang, it was him. Wondering if he had a last-minute question to ask me, I picked up, only to find out his girlfriend had just gotten into a pretty serious accident. Sadly, he had to abruptly cancel his participation on the retreat because of it and said he hoped to go on one in the very near future.

While I supported his decision because it was the right thing to do, to be there for his girlfriend who got pretty banged up, I instantly became mad at God. Mad that He had let this accident happen when He knew how much Michael wanted to go on this retreat. And mad because I know He knew Michael has been looking for some much-needed guidance and direction in life, especially as of late.

I’m quite sure everyone has experienced this at some point or another in life, where they suddenly saw their spiritual path diverted due to some type of emergency that arose in their life.

As I sat there and pondered why God allowed this, it hit me. Maybe the retreat Michael was meant to be on with the specific guidance and direction he needs wasn’t going to happen during this one? Maybe the piece of spiritual work he was going to do on the retreat wouldn’t have gotten achieved for his highest potential there? Knowing each of this organization’s retreats gets different leaders and different staff, I started to see that maybe God saw a better path for Michael beyond my limited ego’s perception of the matter.

The truth is, maybe everything really does happen for a reason, that this door needed to be closed for another one to open, the best one for Michael, one that only God could see. After I came to acceptance of that, I must say I felt a whole lot better…

Dear God, I know it’s quite easy to get upset at You when life doesn’t go our way, when something we’re looking forward to in our life or in another’s ends up having to change because something else suddenly alters the course of things. Help us to accept that everything happens for a reason and that when one door closes, another one opens, and when it does, it’s typically one that will bring us close to our Highest Potential that only You can see…

Peace, love, light, and joy,
Andrew Arthur Dawson

Silly Joke Friday

Silly Joke #1

Morris is at work one day when he notices that his co-worker, Joe, is wearing an earring. This man knows his co-worker to be a normally conservative fellow, and is curious about his sudden change in “fashion sense.” “Hey Joe, he yells out – I didn’t know you were into earrings.” “Don’t make such a big deal out of it,…it’s only an earring.” Says Joe sheepishly. “No really,” probes Morris, “How long have you been wearing one?” “Ever since my wife found it in our bed.”

Silly Joke #2

A bright young executive had just been hired as the new CEO of a large high-tech firm. The CEO who was stepping down met with him privately and handed him three numbered envelopes. “Open these if you run up against a problem you don’t think you can handle,” he said. Well, things went along pretty smoothly, but six months later, sales took a nosedive and he was really catching a lot of heat from the board. At wit’s end, he remembered the envelopes. He went to his drawer and took out the first envelope. The message read, “Blame your predecessor.” The new CEO called a press conference and tactfully laid the blame at the feet of the previous CEO. Satisfied with his comments, the board, the press, and Wall Street responded positively, sales picked up, stock prices rose and the problem was soon behind him. About a year later, the company was again experiencing a slight dip in sales, combined with serious problems getting new product to market. Having learned from his previous experience, the CEO wasted no time in opening the second envelope. The message read, “Reorganize.” This he did, and again the company quickly rebounded. After several consecutive profitable quarters, the company once again fell on difficult times. The CEO went to his office, closed the door and opened the third envelope. The simple message said, “Prepare three envelopes…”

Silly Joke #3

A man awoke one evening to discover prowlers in his storage shed. He immediately called 911, gave his address, to report the prowlers and possible burglary. The operator at the other end said “Are they in your house?” He said they were not, only in his storage shed in back of the house. The operator said there were no cars available at that time. He thanked the operator, hung up the phone and counted to 30 and called again. “I just called you about prowlers in my storage shed. Well you do not have to worry, as I just shot them all dead!” Within seconds there were 3 police cars, an ambulance and fire engine at the scene. After capturing the prowlers red-handed, the policeman asked the caller, “I thought you said you had shot them all!” The man answered, “I thought you said there were no police available!”

Bonus Silly Joke

A nun was going to Chicago. She went to the airport and sat down, waiting for her flight. She looked over in the corner and saw one of those weight machines that tells your fortune. So, she thought to herself, “I’ll give it a try just to see what it tells me.” She went over to the machine and put her nickel in and out came a card that said, “You’re a nun. You weigh 128 lbs., and you are going to Chicago, Illinois.” She sat back down and thought about it. She told herself it probably tells everyone the same thing, but decided to try it again. She put her nickel in, and out came a card that read, “You’re a nun. You weigh 128 lbs. You’re going to Chicago, Illinois, and you are going to play a fiddle.” The nun said to herself, “I know that’s wrong. I have never played a musical instrument a day in my life.” She sat back down. From out of nowhere, a cowboy came over and set his fiddle case down next to her. The nun picked up the fiddle and started playing beautiful music. Startled, she look back at the machine and said, “This is incredible! I’ve got to try it again! Back to the machine she went, put her nickel in, and another card came out. It said, “You’re a nun, you weigh 128 lbs., you’re going to Chicago, Illinois, and you’re going to break wind.” Now, the nun knew the machine was wrong. “I’ve never broken wind in public in my whole life!” Just then, she tripped, fell off the scales and broke wind. Stunned, she sat back down and looked at the machine. She said to herself, “This is truly unbelievable! I’ve got to try it one more time.” She went back to the machine, put her nickel in and collected the card. It said, “You’re a nun, you weigh 128 lbs., you have fiddled and farted around and missed your flight to Chicago!!!”

Peace, love, light, and joy,
Andrew Arthur Dawson