We spend January 1 walking through our lives, room by room, drawing up a list of work to be done, cracks to be patched.  Maybe this year, to balance the list, we ought to walk through the rooms of our lives... not looking for flaws, but for potential.  ~Ellen Goodman

Let's try to be a little nicer to ourselves in 2009:)

A happy New Year! Grant that I
May bring no tear to any eye
When this New Year in time shall end
Let it be said I've played the friend,
Have lived and loved and labored here,
And made of it a happy year.
~Edgar Guest
WISH EVERYONE A HAPPY NEW YEAR IN 2009!

Today...I wish you a day of ordinary miracles---

A fresh pot of coffee you did not have to make yourself.

An Unexpected phone call from an old friend.

Green stoplights on your way to work or shop.

I wish you a day of little things to rejoice in...

The fastest line at the grocery store.

A good sing along song on the radio.

Your keys right where you look.

I wish you a day of happiness and perfection-little bite-size pieces of perfection that give you the funny feeling that the lord is smiling on you,holding you so gently because you are someone special and rare.

I wish you a day of peace, happiness and joy.

They say it takes a minute to find a special person, an hour to appriciate them, a day to love them, but then an entire life to forget them.

Send this phrase to the people you'll never forget. It's a short message to let them know that you 'll never forget them.

If you don't send it to anyone, it means you're in too much a hurry and that you've probably forgotten your friends.

Take the time!

Wishing you the very best of 2008

Merry Christmas!

FATHERS DAY POEMS

DAD God took the strength of a mountain, The majesty of a tree, The warmth of a summer sun, The calm of a quiet sea, The generous soul of nature, The comforting arm of night, The wisdom of the ages, The power of the eagle's flight, The joy of a morning in spring, The faith of a mustard seed, The patience of eternity, The depth of a family need, Then God combined these qualities, When there was nothing more to add, He knew His masterpiece was complete, And so, He called it ... Dad DADDY'S HANDS I remember daddy's hands folded silently in prayer And reachin' out to hold me, when I had a nightmare You could read quite a story in the callous' and lines Years of work and worry had left their mark behind I remember daddy's hands how they held my mama tight And patted my back for something done right There are things that I'd forgotten that I loved about the man But I'll always remember the love in daddy's hands Daddy's hands were soft and kind when I was cryin' Daddy's hands were hard as steel when I'd done wrong Daddy's hands weren't always gentle but I've come to understand There was always love in daddy's hands. I remember daddy's hands workin' 'til they bled Sacrifised unselfishly just to keep us all fed If I could do things over, I'd live my life again And never take for granted the love in daddy's hands By Holly Dunn DADDY If all these Kisses aren't enough, There's two hands to help with garden stuff. If all these hugs don't work their charm, There's two arms to help keep you warm. If this gift doesn't show how much we care, We have REAL hugs & kisses to share! IT's SO NICE TO HAVE A DAD AROUND THE HOUSE DADS are special people No home should be without, For every family will agree They're 'SO NICE TO HAVE ABOUT' - They are a happy mixture Of a 'SMALL BOY' and a 'MAN' And they're very necessary In every 'FAMILY PLAN' - Sometimes they're most demanding And stern, and firm and tough But underneath they're 'soft as silk' For this is just a 'BLUFF' - But in any kind of trouble Dad reaches out his hand. And you can always count on him To help and understand - And while we do not praise Dad as often as we should, We love him and admire him, And while that's understood, It's only fair to emphasize His importance and his worth - For if there were no loving Dads This would be a 'LOVELESS EARTH'. By Helen Steiner Rice DAD, I LOVE YOU Walk a little slower, Daddy, Said a little child so small. I'm following in your footsteps And I don't want to fall. Sometimes your steps are very fast, Sometimes they are hard to see; So, walk a little slower, Daddy, For you are leading me. Someday when I'm all grown up, You're what I want to be; Then I will have a little child Who'll want to follow me. And I would want to lead just right, And know that I was true; So walk a little slower, Daddy, For I must follow you. Did I ever say thanks for all the toys you mended, games we played, outings to the park, and the way you always tried to cheer me when I was down? Did I ever say thanks for the sacrifices you made so I could be involved in so many enriching activities? Did I ever say thanks for working so hard to provide for our family? Did I ever say thanks for having such faith in me and always being there when I needed you? Most of all, Did I ever say thanks for caring? DAD, I LOVE YOU
What Is A Dad? A dad is someone who wants to catch you before you fall but instead picks you up, brushes you off, and lets you try again. A dad is someone who wants to keep you from making mistakes but instead lets you find your own way, even though his heart breaks in silence when you get hurt. A dad is someone who holds you when you cry, scolds you when you break the rules, shines with pride when you succeed, and has faith in you even when you fail... Dad, you're everything a dad should be and some. By Susan Ceylise   Fathers seldom say "I love you" Though the feeling's always there, But somehow those three little words Are the hardest ones to share. And fathers say "I love you" In ways that words can't match - With tender bedtime stories - Or a friendly game of catch! You can see the words "I love you" In a father's boyish eyes When he runs home, all excited, With a poorly wrapped surprise. A father says "I love you" With his strong helping hands - With a smile when you're in trouble With the way he understands. He says "I love you" haltingly, With awkward tenderness - (It's hard to help a four-year-old into a party dress!) He speaks his love unselfishly By giving all he can To make some secret dream come true, Or follow through a plan. A father's seldom-spoken love Sounds clearly through the years - Sometimes in peals of laughter, Sometimes through happy tears. Perhaps they have to speak their love In a fashion all their own. Because the love that fathers feel Is too big for words alone! DADS Delightful and loving, Loved and admired, Dad, you're my hero, My life you've inspired. And when all my blessings Are counted each day, I thank God in heaven For Dad when I pray. Dad thanks for your presence Throughout thick and thin; You're more than a parent, You're my wonderful friend. By Ken Brown
OUR FATHERS Our fathers toil with hands and heart To make our lives complete. They quietly brave the winter cold, Endure the summer heat. Our fathers' lives are busy, but There's always time for us. They boldly face the ups and downs And seldom ever fuss. Our fathers are the greatest dads. We know you know this, too. But thank you for the chance to share Our love for them with you.   A FATHER MEANS... A Father means so many things... A understanding heart, A source of strength and of support Right from the very start. A constant readiness to help In a kind and thoughtful way. With encouragement and forgiveness No matter what comes your way. A special generosity and always affection, too A Father means so many things When he's a man like you...     ----------------------------------------------------   There were times when all one associated one's father with, was a stern looking man with an invisible stick in hand. During those days, children were afraid to talk to their fathers and readily did whatever he ordered, for they knew only one thing - you can't disobey your father. Still, there was that deep-rooted respect that guided them throughout one's life. Times have changed. Today, dads are more indulgent. They don't expect their children to say, "Yes, father!" all the time. Today, they care for their children more than ever. They go out with them, play with them, pamper them and even change their diapers and cook their lunch whenever they get time. Yet, they haven't lost their position as the epitome of strength and respect in the household. Those times have changed but the love that one have for his/ her father in their heart haven't changed. Love for the father is also a unique one that also have a bit of fear and a feeling of need of that special person to guide our way through to our future. Let's see what these quotes, sayings and verses have to tell about their loving fathers: "I've had a hard life, but my hardships are nothing against the hardships that my father went through in order to get me to where I started." - Bartrand Hubbard "By the time a man realizes that maybe his father was right, he usually has a son who thinks he's wrong. " -Charles Wadsworth "I cannot think of any need in childhood as strong as the need for a father's protection."- Sigmund Freud "When I was a boy of fourteen, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be twenty-one, I was astonished at how much the old man had learned in seven years. " - Mark Twain "The older I get, the smarter my father seems to get." - Tim Russert " I watched a small man with thick calluses on both hands work fifteen and sixteen hours a day. I saw him once literally bleed from the bottoms of his feet, a man who came here uneducated, alone, unable to speak the language, who taught me all I needed to know about faith and hard work by the simple eloquence of his example." -Mario Cuomo "Be kind to thy father, for when thou wert young, Who loved thee so fondly as he? He caught the first accents that fell from thy tongue, And joined in thy innocent glee." - Margaret Courtney "Sometimes the poorest man leaves his children the richest inheritance." - Ruth E. Renkel "To be a successful father . . . there's one absolute rule: when you have a kid, don't look at it for the first two years." - Ernest Hemingway "A man knows when he is growing old because he begins to look like his father." - Gabriel García Márquez "It is a wise father that knows his own child." - William Shakespeare "All fathers are invisible in daytime; daytime is ruled by mothers and fathers come out at night. Darkness brings home fathers, with their real, unspeakable power. There is more to fathers than meets the eye." - Margaret Atwood "The most important thing a father can do for his children is to love their mother." - Anonymous "To her the name of father was another name for love." - Fanny Fern Fathers, like mothers, are not born. Men grow into fathers- and fathering is a very important stage in their development." - David M. Gottesman "It doesn't matter who my father was; it matters who I remember he was." - Anne Sexton "A Man's children and his garden both reflect the amount of weeding done during the growing season." - Anonymous "The greatest gift I ever had Came from God, and I call him Dad!" - Anonymous "A father is a guy who has snapshots in his wallet where his money used to be." - Anonymous "He didn't tell me how to live; he lived, and let me watch him do it." - Clarence Budington Kelland My father used to play with my brother and me in the yard. Mother would come out and say, "You're tearing up the grass." "We're not raising grass," Dad would reply. "We're raising boys." - Harmon Killebrew "One father is more than a hundred Schoolmasters." - George Herbert Fatherhood is pretending the present you love most is soap-on-a-rope." - Bill Cosby "It is not flesh and blood but the heart, which makes us fathers and sons." - Johann Schiller There's something like a line of gold thread running through a man's words when he talks to his daughter, and gradually over the years it gets to be long enough for you to pick up in your hands and weave into a cloth that feels like love itself." - John Gregory Brown "My father was a statesman; I'm a political woman. My father was a saint. I'm not.- Indira Gandhi "You know, fathers just have a way of putting everything together." - Erika Cosby "Father, whom I murdered every night but one, That one, when your death murdered me." - Howard Moss "Small boys become big men through the influence of big men who care about small boys." - Anonymous "To her the name of father was another name for love." - Fanny Fern "If the relationship of father to son could really be reduced to biology, the whole earth would blaze with the glory of fathers and sons. " - James Baldwin You can write these quotes and verses on your father day cards or gifts and express your true feelings to your Dad. Happy Fathers Day !!!

祝爸爸父亲节快乐！

 In Germany father's day, Vatertag, is always celebrated on Ascension Day (the Thursday forty days after Easter). Regionally, it is also called men's day, Männertag, or gentlemen's day, Herrentag.

It is tradition to do a hiking tour with one or more smaller wagons, Bollerwagen, pulled by manpower. In the wagons are wine or beer (according to region) and traditional regional food, Hausmannskost, which could be Saumagen, Liverwurst, Blutwurst (Blood Sausage), vegetables, eggs, etc. This tradition was famous in the years before WW II and in the 1950s - 70, but today it is unusual.

Taiwan

Father's Day in Taiwan is not an official holiday but is widely observed on August 8th, which is the eighth day of the eighth month of the year. In Mandarin Chinese, the pronunciation of the number 8 is ba. This pronunciation is very similar to the character "爸", which means "Papa" or "father". Taiwanese, therefore, usually call August 8th in its nick name as "Ba Ba Day" (八八節).

Thailand

In Thailand, people set the day of father day as the birthday of the king. 5 December is the birthday of king Phumiphon Adunyadet (Rama IX).

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 When God Created Fathers

When the good Lord was creating fathers, He started with a tall frame. And a female angel nearby said, "What kind of father is that? If you�re going to make children so close to the ground, why have you put fathers up so high? He won�t be able to shoot marbles without kneeling, tuck a child in bed without bending, or even kiss a child without a lot of stooping."

And God smiled and said, "Yes, but if I make him child size, who would children have to look up to?"

And when God made a father's hands, they were large and sinewy.

And the angel shook her head sadly and said, "Do You know what You're doing? Large hands are clumsy. They can't manage diaper pins, small buttons, rubber bands on pony tails or even remove splinters caused by baseball bats."

God smiled and said, "I know, but they're large enough to hold everything a small boy empties from his pockets at the end of a day yet small enough to cup a child's face."

Then God molded long, slim legs and broad shoulders.

The angel nearly had a heart attack. "Boy, this is the end of the week, all right," she clucked. "Do You realize You just made a father without a lap? How is he going to pull a child close to him without the kid falling between his legs?"

God smiled and said, "A mother needs a lap. A father needs strong shoulders to pull a sled, balance a boy on a bicycle or hold a sleepy head on the way home from the circus."

God was in the middle of creating two of the largest feet anyone had ever seen when the angel could contain herself no longer. "That's not fair. Do You honestly think those large boats are going to dig out of bed early in the morning when the baby cries? Or walk through a small birthday party without crushing at least three of the guests?"

And God smiled and said, "They'll work. You�ll see. They'll support a small child who wants to "ride a horse to Banbury Cross" or scare off mice at the summer cabin, or display shoes that will be a challenge to fill."

God worked throughout the night, giving the father few words, but a firm authoritative voice; eyes that see everything, but remain calm and tolerant.

Finally, almost as an afterthought, He added tears. Then He turned to the angel and said, "Now are you satisfied that he can love as much as a mother?"

And the angel shutteth up!

By Erma Bombeck

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2007母亲节特辑（二）

Why Mothers Cry ....

"Why are you crying?" he asked his mom.

"Because I'm a mother," she told him.

"I don't understand," he said.

His mom just hugged him and said, "You never will!"

Later the little boy asked his father why Mother

seemed to cry for no reason.

"All mothers cry for no reason," was all his dad could

say.

The little boy grew up and became a man, still

wondering why mothers cry. So he finally put in a call to God and

when God got on the phone the man said, "God, why do mothers

cry so easily."

God said, "You see son, when I made mothers

they had to be special. I made their shoulders strong enough to

carry the weight of the world, yet gentle enough to give

comfort. I gave them an

inner strength to endure childbirth and the rejection

that many times come from their children.

"I gave them a hardiness that allows them to keep

going when everyone else gives up, and to take care of their

families through sickness and fatigue without complaining.

"I gave them the sensitivity to love their children

under all circumstances, even when their child has hurt

them very badly.

This same sensitivity helps them to make a

child's boo-boo feel better and helps them share a teenager's

anxieties and fears.

"I gave them a tear to shed. It's theirs exclusively to

use whenever it's needed. It's their only weakness.

It's a tear for mankind."

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Things My Mother Taught Me

My Mother taught me LOGIC...

"If you fall off that swing and break your neck, you can't go to the store with me.

My Mother taught me MEDICINE...

"If you don't stop crossing your eyes, they're going to freeze that way."

My Mother taught me TO THINK AHEAD...

"If you don't pass your spelling test, you'll never get a good job!"

My Mother taught me ESP...

"Put your sweater on; don't you think that I know when you're cold?"

My Mother taught me TO MEET A CHALLENGE...

"What were you thinking? Answer me when I talk to you...Don't talk back to me!"

My Mother taught me HUMOR...

"When that lawn mower cuts off your toes, don't come running to me."

My Mother taught me how to BECOME AN ADULT...

"If you don't eat your vegetables, you'll never grow up."

My mother taught me ABOUT SEX...

"How do you think you got here?"

My mother taught me about GENETICS...

"You are just like your father!"

My mother taught me about my ROOTS...

"Do you think you were born in a barn?"

My mother taught me about the WISDOM of AGE...

"When you get to be my age, you will understand."

My mother taught me about ANTICIPATION...

"Just wait until your father gets home."

My mother taught me about RECEIVING...

"You are going to get it when we get home."

and my all time favorite thing- JUSTICE

"One day you will have kids, and I hope they turn out just like YOU...then you'll see what its like."

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SOME TYPICAL MOTHERLY ADVICE

There are a few things, which are common to all the mothers around the world. Apart from showering love and affection, mothers make it a point to keep an eye on every activity of their children- this of course arises as a result of her being too caring about her child, so that he/she is always unhurt. Here are some of the most common advices by mothers to their children:

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10 Good Reasons to Treat Your Mom

 

 

It is your mother who brings you to see the light of this world. It is she who looks after the helpless you and serves you with all her heart and does everything to make your life comfortable. Just for a day, at least, we shall stop taking our mothers for granted.

 

Mother's Day is one occasion that gives you the opportunity to do something for your mother. And if you start wondering about the reasons you need to treat your mother, you would end up with nothing less than a zillion reasons. Let's just remember the most important reasons for which we need to be grateful to our mom and that would be enough to arrange a lavish treat for her on the special occasion of Mother's Day.
Since your childhood you have watched your mom washing and ironing your clothes, keeping your school uniform sparkling and spotless, and your jumpers without a single crease.
You have been lucky enough to be picked and dropped to and from your school every single day right form your first day at school.
Whenever you had a fight and for the slightest reason or if you needed a reason to cry on someone's shoulders, your mom was the one giving you the comfort and patiently listening to all your heartburns and grumbling.
Just remember the innumerable times you wanted a fresh new set of designer clothes and your mother dug out her pocket money to fulfill your wish.
The food world in which you gorged ever since you were a child and grew up on, was cooked day in and day out by your beloved mother. Just think of the hundreds of incredible dishes she prepared for you, the tasty lunchboxes she fixed for you, the cakes she baked, the snacks, the cups of tea and delicious suppers. It surely makes your mouth water even now.
Your mother is always there for you through every thick-and-thin of your life. She is the person you can depend upon to stand by you anytime you need her.
Remember all those difficult undecided moments of life and you needed someone who could make you see reason and pour some worldly-wise advice in your ears. It was surely your mother who lent you patient ears and then pulled you out of the mess in your life.
Think about the tons of love she professes for you everyday through all her acts, big and small. It can't even be measured. It can only be felt.
What your mother does for you is absolutely beyond assessment but when the enormity of her love and sacrifice is felt you realize that surely your mom deserves a special treat this Mother's Day. It would only be a small way to show your gratefulness to her.

 

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现在你是不是觉得全世界的妈妈都很像？

 

孩子们怎么庆祝母亲节？

 

 

女孩子么，我们送鲜花给妈妈吧

 

 

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

 

 The history of Mother's Day is centuries old and goes back to the times of ancient Greeks, who held festivities to honor Rhea, the mother of the gods. The early Christians celebrated the Mother's festival on the fourth Sunday of Lent to honor Mary, the mother of Christ. Interestingly, later on a religious order stretched the holiday to include all mothers, and named it as the Mothering Sunday. The English colonists settled in America discontinued the tradition of Mothering Sunday because of lack of time. In 1872 Julia Ward Howe organized a day for mothers dedicated to peace. It is a landmark in the history of Mother's Day.

In 1907, Anna M. Jarvis (1864-1948), a Philadelphia schoolteacher, began a movement to set up a national Mother's Day in honor of her mother, Ann Maria Reeves Jarvis. She solicited the help of hundreds of legislators and prominent businessmen to create a special day to honor mothers. The first Mother's Day observance was a church service honoring Anna's mother. Anna handed out her mother's favorite flowers, the white incarnations, on the occasion as they represent sweetness, purity, and patience. Anna's hard work finally paid off in the year 1914, when President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed the second Sunday in May as a national holiday in honor of mothers.

Slowly and gradually the Mother's day became very popular and gift giving activity increased. All this commercialization of the Mother's day infuriated Anna as she believed that the day's sentiment was being sacrificed at the expense of greed and profit.

Regardless of Jarvis's worries, Mother's Day has flourished in the United States. Actually, the second Sunday of May has become the most popular day of the year. Although Anna may not be with us but the Mother's day lives on and has spread to various countries of the world. Many countries throughout the world celebrate Mother's Day at various times during the year, but some such as Denmark, Finland, Italy, Turkey, Australia, and Belgium also celebrate Mother's Day on the second Sunday of May.

O...means only that shes growing old

T...is for the tears she shed to save me

H...is for her heart of purest gold

E...is for her eyes, with love-light shining

R...means right, and right she'll always be

Put them all together, they spell "mother"...a word that means the world to me

by...Howard Johnson

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When God Created Moms

When the good Lord was creating mothers, he was in his 6th day of overtime.

when the angel appeared and said, "You're doing a lot of fiddling around on this one."

And the Lord said, "Have you read the specs on this order? She has to be completely washable, but not plastic. Has to have 180 movable parts that are all replaceable. Run on black coffee and leftovers. Have a lap that disappears when she stands up, a kiss that can cure anything from a broken leg to a disappointed love affair, and six pairs of hands."

And the angel shook her head slowly and said, "Six pairs of hands...no way."

It is not the hands that are causing me problems," said the Lord, "It's the three pairs of eyes that mothers haveto have."

 "Thats the standard model?" asked the angel.

The Lord nodded..."One pair that sees through closed doors when she asks 'what are you kids doing in there?' when she already knows.   Another here in the back of her head
that sees what she shouldn't, but what she has to know, and of course the ones in front that can look at a child when he goofs up and say, 'I understand and I love you' ."

"Lord," said the angel, "go to bed, tomorrow..." 

"I can't," said the Lord, "I'm so close to creating something so close to myself. Already, I have one who heals herself when shes sick...can feed a family of six on one pound of hamburger, and can get a nine year old to stand under a shower."

The angel circled the model of a mother very slowly, "Its too soft," she sighed.

"But tough" said the Lord excitedly. "You cannot imagine what this mother can do or
 endure."

"Can it think?" said the angel.

"Not only can it think, but it can reason and compromies," said the Creator.

Finally the angel bent over and ran her finger across the cheek. "Theres a leak." she pronounced. "I told you, you were trying to put too much into this model."

"Its not a leak," said the Lord. "Its a tear."
 

"Whats it for?" asked the angel.

"Its for joy, saddness, disappointment, pain, loneliness and pride."

"You're a genius," said the angel.

The Lord looked somber........"BUT I DIDN'T PUT IT THERE"

God could not be everywhere;

therefore

He made mothers!