The Chill Out Zone
 

This is the Chill Out Zone. Please post your inspirational quotes and poems for other Brothers (and others) to read and reflect on.

The Ten Virtues of the Initiates

1. Control your thoughts.
2. Control your actions.
3. Have devotion of purpose.
4. Have faith in your master’s ability to lead you along the path of truth.
5. Have faith in your own ability to accept the truth.
6. Have faith in your ability to act with wisdom.
7. Be free from resentment under the experience of persecution.
8. Be free from resentment under experience of wrong.
9. Learn how to distinguish between right and wrong.
10. Learn to distinguish the real from the unreal.

From Ancient Egyptian Proverbs by Dr. Muata Ashby
c/o Buffalo Soldier 9-MA-Sp99

“God give us grace to realize that education is not simply doing the things we like, studying the tasks that appeal to us, or wandering in the world of thought whither and where we will. In a universe where good is hidden underneath evil and pleasure lurks in pain, we must work if we would learn and know. It is the unpleasant task, the hard lesson, the bitter experience that often leads us to knowledge and power and good. Let us, O Lord, learn this in the days of youth while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, ‘I have no pleasure in them.’’

W.E.B. Dubois
c/o Animal
6-MA-Fa99

Whew! We sure do need a chill out zone here! :D
I never guess that we would ever have five page threads and all that drama here on the APO board! :eek:

"Man's rejection can be a form of God's protection."

"Expect the best, prepare for the worst."

"You can fool all people sometimes, you can also fool some people all the time, but you can't fool all people all the time."
-Abraham Lincoln

bump!
 

Just wanted to bump this up again! Brothers, I KNOW you have some inspirational or otherwise meaningful thoughts to post here. . .thanks, Dionysus!

Don't Quit
 

When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,
When the road you're trudging seems all uphill,
When the funds are low and the debts are high,
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,
When care is pressing you down a bit,
Rest if you must -- But never quit!

Life is queer with it's twists and turns,
As every one of us sometimes learns,
And many a failure turns about
When you might have won, if you'd stuck it out;
Stick to your task, though the pace seems slow,
You may succeed with one more blow.

Success is failure turned inside out,
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt...
And you can never tell how close you are,
It may be near when it seems far,
So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit,
It's when things seem worse, that you musn't quit!

This is my personal favorite
 

This is my favorite poem. I had all my pledges put this poem in their books.


The Man Who Thinks He Can!

If you think you are beaten, you are;
If you think you dare not, you dont!
If you'd like to win, but think you can't,
It's almost a cinch that you wont.

If you think you'll lose, you're lost
For out in the world we find
Success begins with a fellow's will;
It's all in the state of mind!

If you think you're outclassed, you are;
You've got to think high to rise.
You've got to be sure of yourself
before you can win the prize.

Life's battles don't always go
To the strongest or fastest man;
But sooner or later the man who wins
Is the man who thinks he can!

Author ~ Walter D. Wintle

Faith
 

Faith is the substance of things hoped for; the evidence of things not seen.

We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they are good for us-- they help us learn to endure. And endurance develops strenght of character in us, and character strenghtens our confident expectation of salvation.
And this expectation will not disappoint us. For we know how dearly God loves us,because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with L O V E
ROMANS 5: 3&4

Brothers and sisters I've been reading a lot of posts and I felt so much anger and tention between our organization.
APO/ GSS shouldn't be strictly about service, IT SHOULD BE ABOUT LOVE , TOGETHERNESS CONSTRUCTIVE CRITISISM. Handling the critics words in a professional manner is most important. We must remember that words are sharper than a double edge sword and we cannot take back what we say. Often times a sensable individual will regret what they say but and unforgiving person will not be as excepting.
We must remain conscious of what we say , and how we react to
others words.
Family suppose to be just that, so lets start acting like it.

Chocolatechip #8
14 Ladies of Distinction
Winter '82
Phyette for Life

Anger
 

"Anger and holding grudges is like holding the blade of a butcher knife. It'll only be a matter of time before you hurt yourself"

Brother
 

You are so right.

It was told to me that when we hold grudges , we carry that person or people around with us for years, or until we learn to forgive.
Forgiveness is good for the soul.



Chocolatechip

OUTWITTED
 

He drew a circle that shut me out--
Heretic, rebel, a thing to flout.
But Love and I had the wit to win:
We drew a circle that took him in!

Edwin Markham

Some body answer this
 

there is a poem or some biblical verse or something that would fit here something like

god Help me to change the things i can and accept the things i cannot.

Not to much of a theologian so could somebody...well someone give me the rest of that.

Re: Some body answer this
 

"God grant me the Serenity to accept the things I Cannot change…

Courage to change the things I can

And Wisdom to know the difference"

It is a prayer; I don't think it is in the Bible though.

Re: Re: Some body answer this
 

well i wouldnt know the difference. thanks man. I am glad you posted the whole thing WISDOM seems to be the most important right about now.

INVICTUS
 

Invictus
By William Ernest Henley

Out of the night that covers me
Black as the Pit from pole to pole
I thank whatever gods may be
for my unconquerable soul

In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed

Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the horror of the shade
And yet the menace of the years
Finds and shall find me unafraid

It matters not how strait the gate
How charged with punishments the scroll
I am the Master of my Fate
I am the Captain of my Soul