Message of the Day - The Ultimate Gift

Good Morning,

 

I was reading “Influencer: The Power to Change Anything” this week and starting to get into it. Yesterday, one of the readers on this list, Ginger, asked me about a book “The Ultimate Gift” by Jim Stovall. During lunch I went to Borders and picked up the book, and told Ginger I would have it ready by Monday. So last night, I cracked it open and started to read to get a feel for the book. Two hours later, I sat there, having finished the book, with a sense of wow and wonderment.

 

The Ultimate Gift is a fictional story, but it gives us twelve powerful, yet simple, lessons on how to improve our lives. Each Gift adds into the next Gift, which leads into the 12^th and Ultimate Gift.

 

1. The Gift of Work: Putting in a hard days work, doing anything, is a great gift. You understand the power of your mind and your hands to craft items or make things happen. You appreciate it more when you can sit back at the end of the day and say, yes…I did that!

 

2. The Gift of Money: This is not having money so much as being able to help others with money. You may have a lot or a little, but giving some to others in their time of need has a lasting impact on both of you. And this gift is not just for money, but could probably work for any resources.

 

3. The Gift of Friends: Friends are the family we choose. Many people are surrounded by folks who call themselves friends, but when times get tough, that crowd often dwindles pretty quick and if you are lucky, you will have one or two true blue friends standing by you. How many people can say that about you?

 

4. The Gift of Learning: Learning helps you grow. Many people can go online and surf the web to learn, others go to libraries or bookstores, others learn by living. Some, sadly even with all the learning opportunities surrounding them, do not take them up. Others have huge obstacles to hurdle to learn, but they never give up.

 

5. The Gift of Problems: Problems are annoying, but they help us grow. When we overcome a problem, we are smarter, stronger and better. Just like stretch goals, they help make us more than we are. Face problems, and grow, don’t hide from them and whither.

 

6. The Gift of Family: They are there, and for some, that is too much, for others, not enough. Family is what you make of it. Embrace what you have and remember, friends can be the family you choose, so embrace them.

 

7. The Gift of Laughter: Life has a lot of issues, challenges and darkness in it. Learning to laugh at yourself and at life’s problems helps you survive the day and live a longer life. Remember, happy people live longer, it is scientific fact. Don’t brood over what upsets you, look for the lighter side, or find memories of fun times in the darkness, you may surprise yourself.

 

8. The Gift of Dreams: Have them, and keep updating them. The reason a lot of retirees die shortly after retiring was that their ultimate dream was to retire, not what they were going to do when they go there. Have something to live for and when you obtain it, get another dream or two.

 

9. The Gift of Gratitude: If you truly looked at the things in your life that you could give thanks for, you would find that list would grow quickly. Sadly we often take the simple things for granted. I am thankful for my health, my wife, my family, my friends, this list, the authors who write the books I read, the company that employees me, my coworkers, and most of all, God.

 

10. The Gift of a Day: If you had one last day to live, and it was coming next Tuesday, what would you do in that day. Think about it after reflecting on the earlier 9 Gifts and see what that day would hold for you. Most folks would pass on the trip to Mount Everest in lieu of a nice get together with loved ones and friends, sharing tales of love and happiness.

 

11. The Gift of Love: Love makes the world go round. Love is what makes everything worth living for. Focus on what you love and who you love, and embrace them more often.

 

12. The Ultimate Gift: Living life with all eleven prior Gifts together. Everyday, is another gift, a chance to share with those you love the gifts above.

 

Wow, what a powerful message. Thank you Ginger!!

 

I truly enjoyed the Ultimate Gift, I hope you will to!

 

Enjoy!

 

Sanford Berenberg

Sanford@berenberg.net

http://sanfordberenberg.blogspot.com/  ß Check out the new Blog site

502-533-9336

 

PS: If you know others who may enjoy this message of the day, please pass this message on or invite them to receive them themselves by sending a request to me. If you wish to stop receiving these, please also let me know. Thank you!!!