ONWARD: Quotes about New Beginnings

"From small beginnings come great things."__Proverb Quotes

"Whatever you do, or dream you can begin it.  Boldness has genius and power and magic in it."__Goethe Quotes

"Take the first step in faith.  You don't have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step."__Martin Luther King Jr. Quotes

"How many a man has started a new era in his life from the reading of a book."__Henry David Thoreau Quotes

"Happiness is too many things these days for anyone to wish it on anyone lightly. So let's just wish each other a bile less New Year and leave it at that."__Judith Crist Quotes

Sources:  www.searchquotes.com/quotes/about/New-Beginnings/2/

corrine bailey-put your records on lyrics

ONWARD: Encouragement by Quotes

Reading and sharing quotes is a good way to encourage yourself and others.

Never give up, for that is just the place and time that the tide will turn.__Harriet Beecher Stowe

Sometimes it is the smallest decisions that can change your life forever.__Keri Russell

Life-transforming ideas have always come to me through books.__Ella Wheeler Wilcox

Change starts when someone sees the next step.__William Drayton

Nine tenths of education is encouragement.__Anatole France

Correction does much, but encouragement does more.__Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe

Creativity is a natural extension of our enthusiasm.__Earl Nightingale


Sources:  http://www.searchquotes.com

ONWARD: The Future is Now with Artifical Intelligence

Some scientists claim that robots, or Artificial Intelligences will someday do away with the human race.  However for now you can talk to Artificial Intelligence Robots, called A.I., online.  How is that for moving onward into the future?!

Joan is an Artificially Intelligent speaking, video centric Avatar that you can have contact with at http://www.icogno.com/.  You can click on the link in this post or go to Google search engine and type in the name Joan to find it.

At cleverbot.com or www.existor.com/ you can speak with Evie. 
Evie is an Electronic Virtual Interactive Enity.  AI learns from interactions with people so don't be surprised at the topics it brings up or the answers it gives you to your questions.  If you talk with Evie be careful because she might wink at you!

Also see the previous post from You Tube where two chatbots are hooked up and talk to each other. You Tube has  several videos about AI so feel free to explore them if you are interested in the subject of Artifical Intelligence. 

Magnificent

AI vs. AI. Two chatbots talking to each other

EVERY MOVE I MAKE-HILLSONG KIDS

Monica For You I Will

ONWARD: 10 Quotable Quotes

"What the caterpillar calls the end, the rest of the world calls a butterfly."__Lao Tzu

"It's not what you look at that matters, it's what you see."__Henry David Thoreau

"Trust yourself.  You know more than you think you do."__Benjamin Spock

"Our greatest weakness lies in giving up.  The most certain way to suceed is always to try just one more time."__Thomas Edison

"Life must be lived as play."__Plato

"Moving on is a simple thing, what it leaves behind is hard."__Dave Mustaine

"I am somebody.  I am me.  I like being me. And I don't need anybody to make me somebody."__Louis L'Amore

"Progress is impossible without change and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything."__George Bearnard Shaw

"When you are sorrowful look again in your heart, and you shall see that in truth you are weeping for that which has been your delight."__Kahil Gibran

"Never say there is nothing beautiful in the world anymore.  There is always something to make you wonder in the shape of a tree, the trembling of a leaf."__Albert Schweitzer

Sources:  http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/ik07Sa/www.buzzle.com/articles/short-quotes-to-live-by.html

Onward: More Quotes

To avoid criticism do nothing, say nothing, be nothing.__Elbert Hubbard

We must embrace pain and burn it as fuel for our journey.__Kenji Miyazawa

You may have to fight a battle more than once to win it.__Margaret Thatcher

If liberty has any meaning it means freedom to improve__PhilipWylie

When you come to a fork in the road,take it.__Yogi Berra

There are many ways of breaking a heart.  Stories were full of hearts broken by love, but what really broke a heart was taking away its dream-- whatever that dream might be.__Pearl S. Buck

About all you can do in life is be who you are.  Some people will love you for you.  Most will love you for what you can do for them, and some won't like you at all.__Rita Mae Brown

Always forgive your enemies- nothing annoys them so much.__Oscar Wilde


Sources:  http:www.stumbleupon.com/su/9jHEM9/quotes4all.net/george%252520bernard%252520shaw.html

http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/2Azro7/www.finestquotes.com/select_quote-category-One$252520liners-page-1.htm

Onward: Move Onward With Quotes

Here are more quotes for your consideration as we move onward:

You change your life by changing your heart.__Max Lucado

I believe that every person is born with talent.__Maya Angelou

Here is the test to find whether your mission on earth is finished:  if you are alive, it isn't.__Richard Bach

Unrest of spirit is a mark of life.__Karl A Menninger

Even if you fall on your face, you are still moving forward.__Victor Kiam

A number 2 pencil and a dream can take you anywhere.__Joyce A Meyer

Change your thoughts and you change your world.__Norman Vincent Peale

There is a certain relief in change, even though it be from bad to worse!  As I have often found in traveling in a stagecoach, that it is often a comfort to shift one's position, and be bruised in a new place.__Washington Irving

Sources:

www.brainyquote.com/quotes/topics/topic_inspirational4.html
www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/m/maya_angelou_3.html/
www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/w/washington_irving_2.html
www.brainyquote.com/quotes/topics/topic_motivational4.html/

Onward: Seeking a Humble Future

Josh Broward has a blog entitled HUMBLE FUTURE.  He writes that he seeks to move onward by becoming more humble!  Broward currently serves in the KNU International English Church and presently resides in Cheonan, South Korea.  His blog includes bible lessons, sermons, church planning details, secular book and movie reviews, and           information on how to navigate through daily life in South Korea.

 Personally I find Broward's sermons to be well presented , insightful, and deeply effective in the art of exhortation.  There have been several sermons of Broward's that have encouraged me or that I was glad I had read for other reasons.  I also enjoy the posts that detail tips of how to navigate life in the foreign land of South Korea.  The posts about South Korea help me to remember that there is more going on in the world then  just the small town happenings in Kentucky!

The book and movie reviews Broward posts on his blog are about books and movies most Americans have heard of, read, or viewed at some point in life.  The reviews are also very general in nature and there is no one niche being covered exclusively which means that people of all types or ages can find reviews on the blog that they can relate to.

You can find Broward's blog here at www.humblefuture.blogspot.com or you can search for it through Google.  I hope you enjoy exploring HUMBLE FUTURE as much as I have. 

(warning! Christian Content!)

Onward: Drink It In

While starting my own blog I have discovered the big,wide world of blogging! One of my favorite blogs that I follow is "drink it in."
It covers several years of a young, christian woman's life as she leaves the USA to study in Egypt to the present time as a wife and new mother. Her name is Sarah and it is refreshing to read her comments on different decisions she has made and some of the details of her life that she reveals in her blog.  You can find her blog here at http://www.drinkitin.blogspot.com/ or you can search for it through Google. 
Sarah is an awesome,creative individual who states plainly what she believes in.

Unwritten Lyrics

Onward: Through the Spring, Part II

While it is still Spring, take the time to consciously enjoy the season.  Listed below are happy, inexpensive ways to move through Spring even if there is a tight budget to stick to.

1.  Leave the Internet and all technology inside while you head outdoors.  Enjoy the sunshine and the pleasant weather without constant interruptions from cell phones, texts, emails, faxes, tweets, or facebook banter.  Take a break from technology and breathe in some fresh air while taking note of activities around the neighborhood.  Enjoy being quiet instead of being in an constant multi-tasking mode.  In other words take a real break!

2.  Enjoy ice cream or deserts with fruit that is in season such as strawberries or peaches.  First come, first served!  It won't last long...

3.  Round up books needed for a spring and summer reading list.  Make a reading list but also look for interesting finds to read from yard sales, thrift type stores, etc.  There are also good reads to borrow from neighbors, the church library as from the county or city library.

4.  Make a list of goals to achieve during the coming summer months.  Finalize vacation plans and other loose ends also.

5.  Open up the shades and curtains to let the sun shine in.  Take advantage of the natural light of the season and the light of extended daylight hours.  Opening the curtains and shades vastly changes the feeling and appearance of the house or office for the better. 

6.  Take advantage of the season to exercise or be more active physically. Shoot some hoops, go for an early Sunday morning walk, or wash the car.

7.  Don't miss out on local happenings such as attending local community theater presentations, local school graduations, or church activities.  Support the local civic and non-profit organizations by going to fundraisers such as a fish fry, pancake breakfasts, and grill outs where you are fed for a small donation.

See Previous posts also for other inexpensive ideas to enjoy Spring.

Onward: Through the Spring

Easter has come and gone but it is now officially spring. The grass is extra green from so many April showers and the outside temperature is just right as it is not too cold or too warm. Even as nature is renewed it is also time to renew ourselves. Even though gas prices have continued to rise the past few weeks there are so many simple ways (and inexpensive ways)to enjoy the season of Spring. Listed below are a few things to do to help get started enjoying the season.

1.  Freshen up the house by opening up the windows.  Enjoy the warm (or cool) breezes as your house gets aired out.

2.  Continue to freshen the atmosphere in your house by pouring bleach down all the drains in your house.  This will make the house smell fresh and clean.

3.  Don't forget to feed the birds your leftover bread, chips, or cereals.  That way food is not wasted and there is also the enjoyment of watching the birds eat the food you scattered and put out for them.

4.  When it rains take the opportunity for a long restful nap.  Listen to the pitter-patter of  the rain and the thunder while snuggled up in your bed all comfy.

5.  Plant flower seeds indoors in trays or pots.  Transfer the seedlings or flowers outdoors later in the season.

6.  Get out your spring and summer wardrobe from last year.  Brighten your clothes by washing them in a good detergent that contains bleach.  At the same time get rid of clothes that are not fit to wear anymore.  Think of new ways to combine and wear your wardrobe in different ways from last year.

7.  Freshen up with a good spring hair cut.  I have heard it said that a good hair cut can take ten years off of a person's appearance.  Find out if this is true!

8.  Remember activities you used to participate in or enjoy in the spring when you were younger.  Incorporate those remembered activities into your life in new ways in the present.

You can do anything

ONWARD: Quotable Quotes Part II

It will be Easter Sunday in a few weeks.  The year is moving onward if we are ready for it to or not! Listed below are some more quotable quotes I have found for contemplation and encouragement.

"At school, new ideas are thrust at you every day.  Out in the world, you'll have to find the inner motivation to search for new ideas on your own."  __Bill Watterson

"We all have different desires and needs, but if we don't discover what we want from ourselves and what we stand for, we will live passively and unfulfilled."__Bill Watterson (American Author of the Comic Strip CALVIN & HOBBES, b.1958)

"Courage doesn't always roar.  Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying,"I will try again tomorrow."__Mary Anne Radmacher

"Consider calling it a challenge rather than calling it a crisis."__Mary Anne Radmacher

"Postpone not a good action."__Irish Sayings Quote

"The more intensely we feel about an idea or goal, the more assuredly the idea, buried deep in our subconscious, will direct us along the path to fulfillment."__Earl Nightingale

"Think left and think right and think low and think high.  Oh, the things you can think up if only you try!"__Dr. Seuss 

"Just go out there and do what you have to do." __Martina Navratilova 


Sources:
ThinkExist com Quotations. "Mary Anne Radmacher Quotes". ThinkExist Com Quotations Online Mar. 20 2011 9 Apr. 2011 http://einstein/quotes/mary__anne__radmacher
ThinkExist Com Quotations.  "Dr. Seuss quotes."  ThinkExistCom Quotations Online 1 Mar. 2011.  9 Apr. 2011 http://einstein/quotes/dr.__seuss/
ThinkExist Com Quotations.  "Irish Sayings Quotes."  ThinkExistCom Quotations Online 1 Mar. 2011.  9 Apr. 2011 http://einstein/quotes/irish__sayings/4html
ThinkExist Com Quotations.  "Doing Your Best Quotes."  ThinkExistCom Quotations Online 1 Mar. 2011.  9 Apr. 2011.  http://einstein/quotations/doing__your__best/4html
*All Quotes taken from ThinkExist.Com
  

 

Onward: Ways to Save Money Part III

It is April now and Gas prices are still on the rise even as we speak!  It is more then time for people to make changes in behavior to save money in other ways.  It appears to be the general consensus online and in magazines that small changes in spending behavior can add up to large savings.  Listed below are more ways to save money. Also see the two previous posts on this blog about other ways to save money.

1.  Save money on gas by not making as many trips out in the first place.  Stock up on items the family uses regularly by ordering online from drugstore chains that offer free shipping.

2.  Instead of fancy dinner parties give potluck dinners and picnics. Everyone who attends can contribute and the upshot is that everyone is more then likely to be able to find dishes they enjoy eating.

3.  Take tea, juice, or other beverages with you to work in plastic water bottles that have previously been used.  This saves the expense of buying yet another beverage in a bottle for the sake of convenience.

4.  Whiten and brighten your smile with the simple inexpensive use of peroxide.  Simply mix peroxide in a small cup with water and rinse your mouth out with it.
This not only brightens your smile but helps considerably with oral hygiene.

5.  Enjoy holiday candy the day after the holiday when it will be priced up to 50 percent less. Buy the biggest heart shaped box of candy you want or the cutest chocolate Easter bunny.

6.  Check the back of grocery store receipts and fast food receipts for free food offers and discounts.  For calling and completing a telephone survey you might be eligible for a free sandwich, etc.

7.  Do away with expensive hair products and use cheaper, more natural methods to make your hair look fantastic.  Shiny hair can be achieved by rinsing hair with cold water. Or try rinsing hair in vinegar for a clean, clarifying effect.

Move Ownard: Quotable Quotes

Spring has arrived but it is not too late to make new resolutions or to get back on track with the original resolutions that may have been made at the first of the year.  For encouragement in this matter of self improvement and new resolutions I am posting quotes that are related to these subjects as well as the subject of moving onward.  I am listing quotes from the noted American psychic Edgar Cayce (1877-1945) first as he lived in our neck of the woods in Kentucky.  After so many years of driving up and down the area where he lived and was later buried, it is interesting to look into some things he said. Some other individuals whose quotes I am posting include Benjamin Franklin and Albert Einstein.

EDGAR CAYCE:

"When you are prepared for a thing, the opportunity to use it presents itself."

"There is progress whether ye are going forward or backward.  The thing is to move!"

"Dreams are today's answers to tomorrow's questions."

"Know this:  that whatever situation you find yourself in, it is what is necessary for your development.  An entity must apply in its associations from day to day a word here and a word there, one today, another tomorrow, and the next day, with the understanding that from such activities in word and deed, self-development will come...when an entity has prepared itself through constant forward movement towards service, the necessary circumstances for change will come about so that he may see the next step, the next opportunity...Haste not and be not overanxious; for is not the whole of the building of His making"?

OTHER QUOTES:

"When you are finished Changing, you are finished."  __Benjamin Franklin

"If you are going through hell, keep going."  __Winston Churchill

"Life is like riding a bicycle.  To keep your balance you must keep moving."  __Albert Einstein

"Don't wait.  The time will never be just right."  __Napoleon Hill

"The best time to plant a tree is twenty years ago.  The second best time is now."  __Proverb

"When you know what you want, and want it bad enough, you will find a way to get it."__Jim Rohn

"You are the embodiment of the information you choose to accept and act upon.  To change your circumstances you need to change your thinking and subsequent actions."  __Adin Sinclair

"Never, never, never give up."  _Winston Churchill

"People often say that motivation doesn't last.  Well, neither does bathing-- that's why we recommend it daily."  __Zig Ziglar

"If you want to reach a goal, you must 'see the reaching' in your own mind before you actually arrive at your goal."  __Zig Ziglar  

"The secret of getting ahead is getting started.  The secret of getting started is breaking your complex overwhelming tasks into small manageable tasks, and then starting on the first one."  __Mark Twain



Sources:
ThinkExist.com Quotations.  "Zig Ziglar quotes."  ThinkExist.com Quotations Online 1 Feb. 2011. 22 mar. 2011 http://einstein/quote/zig__Ziglar/
ThinkExist.com Quotations.  "Edgar Cayce quotes."  ThinkExist.com Quotations Online/ 1 Feb. 2011.  22 Mar 2011 http://einstein/quotes/edgar__cayce/
ThinkExist.com Quotations.  "Proverb quotes."  ThinkExist.com Quotations Online  1 Feb. 2011. 22 Mar 2011 http://einstein/quotes/proverb__/   
ThinkExist.com Quotations. "Napoleon Hill quotes."  ThinkExist.com Quotations Online 1 Feb. 2011. 22 Mar 2011 http://einstein/quotes/napoleon__hill/4.html/
ThinkExist.com Quotations.  "Jim Rohn Quotes."  ThinkExist.com Quotations Online 1 Feb2011. 22 Mar.2011 http://einstein/quotes/jim__rohn/
ThinkExist.com Quotations.  "Albert Einstein quotes."  ThinkExist.Com Quotations Online 1 Feb. 2011. 22 Mar. 2011.  http://einstein/quotes/albert__einstein/
ThinkExist.com Quotations. "Benjamin Franklin quotes." ThinkExist.com Quotations Online 1 Feb. 2011. 22 Mar. 2011 http://einstein/quotes/benjamin__franklin/
ThinkExist.com Quotations "Winston Churchill quotes."  ThinkExist.com Quotations Online 1 Feb. 2011. 22 Mar. 2011 http://einstein/quotes/winston__churchill/
                                                    

Move Onward: Saving Money Part II

More ways to move onward through the economic crisis by saving money:

1.  Pay utility bills by the 1st due date every month to avoid a six to nine dollar late fee every month.

2.  Take advantage of programs at the local health department such as Family Planning and Wic.  Family Planning will provide services based on your income concerning birth control.  Several health departments provide condoms free of charge simply by asking for them and no doctor's appointment is needed to receive condoms for free.  Wic is a nutrition program for women and preschool age children.  Pregnant women and small children receive vouchers for food items such as milk, baby formula, cheese, juice, and cereal.  Call the local health department to find out more information or to make appointments.

3.  Take college classes online instead of on a college campus in order to save money on gas.  This may also save you considerable driving time that can be used for studying instead.

4.  Cut up old clothes to use as rags for cleaning, instead of constantly buying paper towels.  If necessary rags can be cleaned in the washer in order to use again.

5.  Shop at stores like the Dollar Tree that only charge $1 for each item for sale in the store.  Merchandise in these type of stores vary but there are many name brand products to be found there.  Look for shampoo, soap, toothpaste, Reynold's wrap, party supplies, school supplies, make-up, baby items, wrapping paper; the list can go on and on!

6.  Don't waste paper towels on cleaning mirrors and glass when newspaper cleans glass and mirrors better.  Newspapers will get glass and mirrors squeaky clean!  Using old newspaper to clean glass will also give a 2nd use to newspapers which will help the household "go green".

7.  Take full advantage of  federal programs such as Pell Grants, work study positions, and grants from individual states to continue higher education.

8.  Turn the lights off when leaving the room to save money as well as energy.  This is nothing new but everyone can use a reminder on subjects like this.  Turn the thermostat down when leaving the house for long periods of time.  Unplug appliances at night that are not being used. Switch to using energy saving fluorescent light bulbs.  Look for inserts in your utility bills for more money saving and energy saving ideas like these.

9.  Don't spend money on expensive permanent tattoos. Instead use fake tattoos for the same look as well as more versatility in style as can change fake tattoos frequently instead of being stuck with the same tattoo for life.

10.  Wash plastic containers food comes in to re-warm food in the microwave, store food in the refrigerator, use as impromptu plates or bowls, and to pack your lunch for work in.  Reusing plastic containers saves money on tin foil, plastic wrap, or having to buy plastic containers.

11.  Grow a small garden in your yard to have close access to your favorite vegetables and flowers as well as saving money on these items.  It is even possible to grow tomatoes indoors in a pail.

The bottom line is to be creative in ways to not waste resources.

Money Saving Ways to Move Onward

The past few weeks gas prices have risen in dramatic amounts in our already struggling economy!  According to the latest news, gas prices will not quit climbing anytime soon.  Many households have suffered job losses or are trying to get back on their feet with new employment. Listed below are a few ways to save money and resources in order to move onward through this latest economic crisis.

1.  Instead of buying new furniture make do with the furniture you already have by painting it or putting a new stain on it.  Experiment all you want with bright colors or different paint techniques!

2.  Don't spend money buying wrapping paper for gifts as you can "make" your own wrapping paper with materials already  in the house such as the Sunday comics from the newspaper, old maps, Chinese takeout menus, tin foil, etc.

3.  Save on entertainment costs by bringing home old magazines from work that you haven't read.  Another source for free reading materials are magazines provided at church. 

4.  To save on the health and beauty aid budgets send away for free samples listed on the Internet.  Many companies give away samples of new products such as lotion, shampoo, makeup, cologne, tampons, medicine, etc.  The samples to sign up for are easy to find on magazine and/or freebie websites.

5.  Bring snacks and drinks from home to work instead of  feeding money into vending machines for the same products.  For example a soft drink from a vending machine can cost one dollar or more, while the same product bought at a grocery store can be thirty-three cents to fifty cents.  Over a period of one month, bringing food from home to work can add up to significant savings!

6.  Twice a week prepare meals that do not have meat featured in them.  Instead put items like grilled cheese, pancakes, pasta, and vegetables on the menu.

7.  Use cell phones only and don't maintain a land line phone at home.  Also take advantage of family plans cell phone service providers offer.

8.  Buy books to read at places such as thrift stores for fifty cents to one dollar.  It has been my experience that books at thrift shops can be found in good condition .  There are books to be found at thrift shops that are older classics as well as books that are current best sellers.

9.  Find a bank where there are checking accounts that do not have monthly service charges but that provide checking accounts free of charge.  The savings in doing this may be as little as five dollars , however there is no need to be charged five dollars a month if it can be avoided otherwise!

10.  Instead of buying new athletic shoes wash ones currently owned in the washer and then wear them like they are new.

11.  Instead of buying new clothes for a special occasion such as a dance or a wedding, borrow or trade dresses and suits from friends and family.  Doing this will save money as well not wasting resources by buying an outfit to be used for one special occasion only.

12.  Quit eating out at restaurants or buying takeout food.  Eating food prepared at home saves a family money as well as providing more food for the same amount of money. 

13.  Do not buy anything at all, including food, unless the item is on sale or at already rock bottom prices.  Not anything!

14.  Use plastic bags from the grocery or retail stores to line small trashcans in the house.  The bags can be doubled up to then dispose of the trash without having to use or buy a traditional trash bag.  Doing this also makes full use of the plastic bags from the store by having a second use for them.

15.  Save money and energy by not drying laundry in the dryer. Instead hang clothes and laundry up in the house to dry.  Small items like washcloths or underwear dry surprisingly quick on their own without help from a clothes dryer.

16.  Take advantage of buy one get one free offers or buy one get one half off offers.  Use one product for yourself while putting up the second product as a gift for someone else.

17.  Share any extra resources with others such as coupons, old books, movies, clothes, phones, extra food, unused toys, household furniture, household decorating items, dishes, etc.  This helps reduce clutter as well as helping other people who may also have other extra resources to help other people with.

18.  Make lists and notes on scrap paper from magazine adds, newspapers and used envelopes instead of using paper from a new notebook or new package.

19.  Save money by going to a local beauty college for haircuts, perms, hair color, deep conditioning, facials, and manicures.  The savings obtained by doing this may be around  ten dollars or even in the range of hundreds of dollars.

20.  Get free haircuts and beauty treatments from a talented friend or family member.  Or consider skipping a few haircuts and then experiment with new hairstyles on your own.

21.  Getting vaccinations or flu shots at a local health department will be cheaper then the same vaccinations at a doctor's office or pharmacy.

22.  Have family portraits and special occasion photos taken by a talented non-professional photographer
who enjoys the work as an hobby or who may want more experience.  Photos for special occasions can then be obtained merely for the price of supplies or a small gift or tip.

23.  Do as many errands as possible at one time instead of making more then one trip. This will save time as well as money on gas!

24.  Ditch the cost of extra cable channels for movies or sports as there are enough of those type resources to enjoy online for free.

25.  Save up the money for purchases instead of having purchases heavily financed and instead of making monthly payments on purchases.  In these tough economic times who needs to create another bill?

26.  Use items for yourself that are
 no longer being used or worn by other family members such as jewelry, shoes, coats, and purses.


Th bottom line is to remember two rules of thumb:

1.  Be creative in providing for your families wants and needs.

2.  Remember the old saying, "waste not, want not"!

Helping People Move Onward by Making a Difference

In an article in USA WEEKEND best-selling author Patricia Cornwell wrote how she was rescued twice in her life by Ruth Graham, the wife of noted evangelist Billy Graham.  The first time she was rescued was when the author's mother wrecked her car on a snowy day and ran into a ditch.  It was around Christmastime and this was the last straw that the author's mother, who was newly single, could take.  Her mother marched her three young children to the Graham's house and told the Grahams that she wanted them to have her children so that the children could be raised "in their kingdom."  The Grahams arranged for foster care for the children with retired missionaries while Cornwell's mother was hospitalized for several months.  Cornwell was very impressed at that time with how nicely Ruth Graham had welcomed complete strangers into her home.

When Cornwell was nineteen she had dropped out of college and she states she had a severe eating disorder, as well as low self-esteem.  She still lived in the same town as Ruth Graham and was very grateful when Mrs. Graham took an interest in her and befriended her.  Graham encouraged Cornwell in her talent as a writer.  When Cornwell returned to college Graham visited her, sent her money, and encouraged her.  Cornwell cites this kindness from Graham as making a great difference in the author's life as well as her success as a writer.  Cornwell went on to write bestsellers such as THE LAST PRECINCT, which is a medical thriller.

Cornwell stated in the article how people do not have to help large "masses" of people in order to make a positive difference in the world.  She stated that if people will simply reach out to a hurting person in their own vicinity then the world could be a better place.  Cornwell also wrote that she wants to leave this world in a better state then she found it.  She believes in justice as well as enlightening people.  This is a mission everyone can participate in.  By doing this people would help others move onward as well as helping themselves.


Cornwell, Patricia; USA WEEKEND, Dec. 15-17, 2000.

New Year!

    At the beginning of the new year I viewed some young peoples new year's resolutions online.  New year's resolutions are very personal and can often sound corny to other people. One young lady, for example, said  her new year's resolution was to use less heat on her hair on a regular basis to avoid damage of it.  What do I think of this new year's resolution?  I think the United States of America is a wonderful country where the young people can be allowed to think of something as simple as improving the quality of their hair instead of having to think of  constant stress and turmoil that some young people have to face in other countries. Indeed, let the children and the young people of this nation be happy while they can!
     It is in human nature for humans to want to strive to improve themselves and improve upon their lives.  That is why new year's resolutions are made even as trivial as some resolutions may seem.  It is comman knowledge that even little changes in your life can make a big difference.  If there are things that are not working out well in your life then make some tweaks and change whatever it is that is not working for you.  If you cannot make major changes in your life then start with just a minor change and try to dispose of whatever is not working in your life.  If you do something as simple as changeing your mind you are changeing your life! Another way this idea has been phrased is along the lines of if you want something different then you will have to do something you never did before.
      Of couse life often doesn't go as we plan it.  Interuptions we did not expect might come in the form of many ailments as simple as a sprained ankle, a heat wave, or an allergy.  As my ex-husband used to say, "We can't always go straight but we can go forward."  So indeed in this new year let us all strive to move forward.  Let us all  keep going onward.