February 29 Daily Feast, Elder’s Meditation, THINK on THESE THING

February 29 - Daily Feast

We can't always gear our lives to the desires of others. And that doesn't mean we should be difficult or hard to get along with. It does mean there is a time to make it easy on ourselves. Take a few easy steps. When life crowds in, it is time to quit giving the impression of being superhuman. Going the extra mile has always been important, but we have days when someone else needs to go that extra mile and give us relief. It is somewhat like breathing - there's a time to inhale and a time to exhale.

~ You hear of us as murderers and thieves We are not so. If we had more lands to give you, we would give them, but we have no more. ~

RED CLOUD - SIOUX CHIEFTAIN

A Cherokee Feast of Days, Volume II" by Joyce Sequichie Hifler

Elder's Meditation of the Day

"So don't be afraid. What we left behind, leave it back there. Try to do some good. Let's try to take a step, try to think something good."

Wallace Black Elk, LAKOTA

Every day is a new day. Sometimes we make mistakes. We do not need to carry these mistakes along with us. Take the lessons and leave the mistakes behind. Look forward to today. Today we can do something good. Today we can have good thoughts. Today we can think kind, uplifting thoughts about ourselves. Today I will think good about ...

My Creator, today I ask You to direct my thoughts.

THINK on THESE THINGS
By Joyce Sequichie Hifler

In the day of emphasis on right connections with the right people, in the right places, at the right time, we must have truly extraordinary qualities to become successes on our own.

They who have worked hard and achieved success often carry a double burden by wrongful accusations of being privileged characters. Perhaps some to whom doors automatically open because of right connections seem to be privileged characters, but they, like dictators, have a limited existence.

Having connections may help us on the ladder of life, but it will never keep those rungs steady beneath our feet. Only our own greatness keeps us tall, sun-crowned. We must have something to give, something to offer before we can expect to be truly privileged characters. And then we will have earned the right to our privileges. We are somewhat like God, blamed for much we don't do and seldom given credit for the good we have done.

Whatever the future, the world still needs citizens like those J.G. Holland wrote about nearly a century ago: "God gives us men. The times demand strong minds, great hearts, true faith, and willing hands.... Tall men, sun-crowned, who live above the fog, in public duty and in private thinking!"