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Finding Your Own Shoes Wednesday, June 25, 2008 June 2008 Finding Your Own Shoes By Bud Beuttenmuller The Wonderful Story Man I recently read the book “Walking in Your Own Shoes”, By Robert A. Schuller, the present Senior Pastor of The Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove California, who succeeded his father Dr. Robert H Schuller the founding pastor. This is an excellent book about discovering God’s direction for your life. I could identify with the message in this book, for it took me back over my life, and my search for my ultimate destiny and purpose for my life. Walking in your own shoes is fine, but I feel that first you must find your own shoes. They would be unique custom made shoes that fit only you. If you ever had a pair of ill fitting shoes you know how they can hurt your feet and negatively impact your entire being. You are like no one else in the world that ever been or will ever be endowed with your particular special gifts talents and abilities. There has never been and never will be an exact duplicate of you, and therein is promise and the difficulty of finding your true purpose and your destiny in life. Therefore, only you can find, realize, and reach this sometimes elusive goal. I remember as a child searching for my place in life, and not being able to identify with the status quo in my small world. I searched for answers without success, for I knew that I had a destiny to fulfill but no clear path. I found no creditable guidance from the adults in my life or school guidance counselors. I do remember well a remark from one of my Aunts; that if I do as well as my Father I would have done well. Not that I wish to detract from my father’s accomplishments for he was the superintendent of a machine shop where I worked in my twenties. He had followed his father in the same position in the same shop, and I followed in this family tradition for lack of any other direction. However, I was only there by default, since I was still searching and had not yet found direction and guidance to fulfill my destiny. Unfortunately, many people do not even try; they just accept things as they are, and do not realize that they have a God given destiny. They have just given up for lack of direction. They may be waiting to hit the lottery, their ship to come in, or their luck to change for the better. I believe that what some define as luck is nothing more than preparation meeting opportunity. As far as your ship coming in, I think that first you should identify the ship and the manifest to find if your cargo is on board; it’s arrival time in port. Without that information there is no ship. There are some fortunate rare individuals who, as a child, know their destiny. One of these individuals is no less than Dr. Robert H. Schuller the founding pastor of The Crystal Cathedral. I have been fortunate to meet a few others in my life who, as a child, knew their destiny. Once you have found your shoes, you can walk life’s path with the knowledge that you are traveling in the right direction on that never ending life path fulfilling your destiny. I found my shoes and path to my destiny by reading books by W. Clemet Stone. Dr. Robert H. Schuller, Norman Vincent Peale, Wayne Dyer, and many others who expound on the virtues of positive thinking. Over the years I have added many others to my list. But these are the ones who initially gave me direction, and to them I owe a great debt of gratitude. These and others continue to guide me on; for without these valuable resource people and God’s guidance, you would not be able to read my monthly positive uplifting articles for they would not exist. Also, I probably would not have the courage to impart God’s message to others with my ministry of music in churches which reach people at the soul level. I also attempt to accomplish that mission in these positive monthly messages. I encourage you to find the shoes that are yours alone, and walk your true path in them. They will take you to new heights beyond your wildest dreams. Find a mentor, someone who is accomplished, experienced in life, and that you admire. Enjoy and love every step that you take on that exciting journey to your destiny. Blessings TWSM

Acceptability Mentality Wednesday, May 28, 2008 May 2008 Acceptability Mentality By Bud Beuttenmuller The Wonderful Story Man From my life experience, I feel that to be successful in life or any endeavor you must first determine the parameters acceptable to you within the context of any activity, or situation in which you may be engage. Without factoring acceptability into any situation you could be negatively influenced by others and thrown off course, and become as a rudderless storm tossed ship, never reaching your goals. In order to adopt as a part of your being Acceptability Mentality, you must first determine in any situation what is acceptable to you, and set your parameters. You can use this as a test to determine whatever action you will take in any situation. When you adopt this mentality, you must never violate or shrink from those boundaries that you have set. Some will not like the parameters that you have set, or consider that your acceptability standards are too high, but they will have to respect you for honoring your commitment to excellence. This commitment may be viewed by some as inflexibility or ego, which it is not. It is an indication that you are responsible, reliable, honest, and principled. In any situation you will be known as a one who will not waiver, and can be counted upon to complete any assigned or self assigned task or goal. You will be able to accomplish what others state most firmly will not happen or is impossible. Never give in to the naysayers for they, as well as you, have no idea as to the extent of what you are capable of accomplishing. How could others possibly know for they are not you with your God given unique talents and abilities. Even you do not know to what heights you may reach or what you are able to accomplish. Acceptability Mentality applies to every thing that you do in life. For example something as simple as replacement windows that I wanted for our home. I had certain specific requirements as to the placement of the grid pattern and determined that I would accept nothing less. I had to wade through the muck of countless naysayers who informed me with all due authority that I would never find such a window; a position that I determined was outside my parameters of acceptability. I knew that I would find what I wanted somehow someway, for I never give up when I am determined to accomplish my goal. It took over a year to find the contractor that would take the time and trouble to do the research in order to provide a window which complied with my specifications. I did find exactly what I was looking for. I invest in Real Estate and in 1985 I had plans to build an industrial building with specifications that did not conform to the existing codes. The code required that there be a twenty five foot setback from the property line on each side of the building. I intended to comply with the combined total requirement of fifty feet; however it would be rearranged as forty feet on one side and ten feet on the other side of the building. I had had determined that that was the way this building would be built. The township was equally determined that it would be built strictly according to the code or not at all. I had fully anticipated their position in advance and found it to not to be within my parameters of acceptability. I determined that in order to accomplish my goal that I would first have to investigate how this part of the code originated and for what reason. I found after investigating that it had been determined that the twenty five feet setback was to allow access to the building for the fire department. Armed with that information I arrived at the next appointed meeting fully prepared to prove that my plan was more advantageous than the existing code in this case. I proposed that the fire department would have greater access with a forty foot driveway than a twenty five foot, since the overhead and office entrance doors would be on the forty foot side of the building. They recognized these advantages and granted me the variance. This was only one of the many problems to be overcome in procuring the necessary approvals and permits before construction could begin. This process took more than a year and a half and comprised twenty two percent of the total cost of the project. I was able to overcome all of there objections to construct the building in a manor that met my acceptable parameters. However, I have never built another building after that since the constantly increasing time frame and cost from inception to completion does not meet my acceptability parameters. I now only buy existing buildings that meet my standards. This principal applies to interpersonal relational relationships as well. If you should have guests in your home or your personal space these rules should apply as well. Do you allow behavior, language or words that are demeaning to others in your home that are not acceptable to you. If someone uses unacceptable language in your presence, do you let them know that you do not appreciate the use of such terms? It is amazing how many people will apologize for offended you, and appreciate that you let them know. You will find that you will gain the respect of others, and set yourself apart from the crowd who just go along with things. I have to disagree with those who would say that my standards are too high and that I should accept less than my acceptability parameters allow. To them my answer would be “never”. Blessings TWSM

Forgotten Dreams Friday, April 25, 2008 April 2008 Forgotten Dreams By Bud Beuttenmuller We all have dreams of something that we would like to accomplish in our lifetime. Unfortunately, for most, their dreams of what they would like to accomplish never come to fruition With advanced age those unfulfilled aspirations return to haunt them as they reflect over the years that have passed so quickly and regrets fill the mind. Those regrets are embodied in the words should have, could have, would have. Regrettably they go to their grave with all their promise and potential remaining locked inside and never fulfilled. I have learned over my lifetime that everyone is multifaceted with innumerable yet to be discovered talents, abilities, and creativity within them. Unfortunately, most people never set out on that marvelous voyage of self discovery and attempt to plum the depths of their potential. Never do they even to begin on that exciting journey due to fear, self doubt, or considering what others may say if they should fail in an endeavor. I have most likely heard most of the reasons for not starting that journey, some of which are I’m too young or too old, the time is not right, I can’t do that right now, I’ll start someday, I will wait until I hit the lottery. The truth is that there is never a right time, someday never arrives, and you are never too young or old. Colonel Sanders started at sixty five years of age with Kentucky Fried Chicken, Grandma Moses started painting at eighty. I started writing at seventy one. I remember during my youth hearing my family talking about all the great things that they could accomplish, the discussion mainly centered around investing in Real Estate or a business, but it was all empty talk with no action. Great plans have to rise from the paper to have life. At twenty nine years of age I made the decision to break the family tradition, and bought a fledgling ornamental business. I was not going to arrive at sixty five years of age and say should, have could have, would have. I sold the business and retired at fifty two years of age. Now consider that I knew nothing about the ornamental iron business; welding or selling. Additionally, I did not consult with anyone as to the rationality of this move from a good well paying job. I knew that anyone who possessed the least bit of intelligence would advise against such a move. I have since made a habit of diving off the deep end of the pool without knowing the depth and then learning how to swim. It may drive others to distraction, but it is my self portrait and I feel that it is a beautiful accomplishment. My wife of fifty five years has become accustom to it and still loves me. She never knows what new adventure was yet to come, but I remind her that life with me has never been boring. Every venture or task in life becomes your self portrait. The action of becoming the artist will carry you through life to your destiny and, in the end, you will have created a most beautiful work of art. There will be obstacles, difficulties, stormy days, and perhaps a rock slide along that path, but the human spirit will always overcome any obstacle in the way of a dream when you have the will to succeed. You will then find the overwhelming joy of celebrating your accomplishments and the fulfillment of your dreams. Napoleon Hill said that anything the mind of man can conceive and believe it can achieve. It has been said that starting is half done, and the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Do not delay, start today for today is all we have. Yesterday is a cancelled check and tomorrow is a promise. Start painting your beautiful self portrait today. May God’s blessings be upon the path to your destiny. Blessings TWSM

Self imposed Prison Saturday, March 29, 2008 March 2008 Self imposed prison By Bud Beuttenmuller There are all types of prisons in this world. In general a prison would be considered a facility to house those who are convicted of breaking laws. However there are many different types of prisons. There are maximum security prisons for the most hardened criminals. General prisons for the majority of criminals. Minimum security prisons for those not prone to violence. There are those referred to as country club prisons for the white collar crimes. Then those which allow the person to go to work or business during the day returning to be incarcerated over night and weekends. Then those under house arrest requiring a monitoring bracelet to insure that you stay within certain boundaries prescribed by your sentence. If you have never been accused or convicted of breaking any laws can you still be in a prison? My answer is absolutely yes, and I feel that we have all committed ourselves to a self imposed prison at some point in our lives. I happened upon this revelation not long ago in a Comcast office. I was there to exchange a non working digital remote control. I happened to be in line behind a woman that I judged to be about forty five to fifty years of age who was there to pick up a cable box. She was apparently confused as to which one she needed. During the lengthy exchange with the clerk she kept repeating the words “I am so stupid” which became something of a mantra. This continued unabated as they determined which box she required, and then continued on with the directions for the wiring of the connections. During this exchange I reached a point at which I attempted to intervene in order to bring some positive thinking into this situation by interrupting to inform her that she was not stupid, but only technologically challenged. I viewed this as a 911 emergency, but she was on a roll and did not wish to hear anything positive from anyone; thus she totally ignored my attempt to change her opinion of herself and continued her mantra. This entire session took place in no more than fifteen minutes in which this poor woman kept repeating “I’m so stupid” more than fifteen times. I can’t begin to imagine what experiences and circumstances could have brought her to this point in her life, to weave such a negative opinion of herself so totally into the fabric of her being. That encounter led me to ponder this question. Do we all have the capacity to commit ourselves to some form of self imposed prison? The woman I encountered in the Comcast office that day I considered to have convicted and sentenced herself to a maximum security prison with a self imposed life term and no possibility of parole. She may be an extreme case, but others will do the same thing in principal. There are those who after suffering a great loss of home, business, job or a loved one, withdraw themselves into their own self imposed prison. Some put themselves into a minimum security prison due to a life event. Still others put themselves into a self imposed prison that no one is aware of since they perform their daily job perfectly but at night and on weekends they admit themselves to their prison locked away until the next business day. Then there are those who from all outward appearances seem whole and well adjusted except for that phantom ankle bracelet, held back by those issues that keep you from moving forward to fulfill their destiny and promise in life. I firmly believe that everyone has been incarcerated in one of these self imposed prisons at some point in their life, if only for a brief period of time. We all possess a get out of jail free card, but are sometimes held back by fear of the unknown, reluctance to take a risk, or the haunting of past failings. I feel that failing is an excellent learning experience if you do not repeat the same mistakes. These events are the courses you take in the College of Life, and the money that you may have lost is your tuition to that most esteemed institution The lessons professors and tests are extraordinary. For a long time I have been taking courses at The College of Life, and will never cease until my last day. Blessings TWSM

The Pendulum Effect Wednesday, Feburary 20, 2008 February 2008 The pendulum Effect By Bud Beuttenmuller The Wonderful Story Man Recently I was at a breakfast meeting where the conversation turned to the miserable state of affairs in this country and the world. We have global warming, a faltering economy, the national debt, and are involved in wars in two countries the housing market is shot, the dollar currency exchange has gone down the chute. Things just seem to be going from bad to worse, and there is no sign of hope or improvement. I find these observations amusing since they are so shortsighted. Two days after that breakfast, I read my online copy of Kiplinger’s newsletter in which was posted the results of a poll they had taken of their readers as to how they thought they would fare financially in 2008. 41.8% said that they expected it to be better than last year, 32.5% about the same as last year, 23% worse than last year, 2.7% not sure. In another news article, I read about this country’s booming Metro Areas. The housing market is just shedding the excesses of the past few years, and creating new opportunities for buyers and realtors alike. As far as global warming is concerned, it is reality at the present time, but thirty years ago the same scientific community was as equally concerned about the global cooling. Having passed my seventy sixth year of life, I believe that I have achieved some perspective on life. Having been born in nineteen thirty two in the depths of what has become known as the Great Depression has been a great advantage in my life. Not that that period of time was so great, but that it was a time of great difficulty and trial for so many. You had to learn to make do with what you had and almost nothing was wasted It was necessary to learn the mantra “waste not want not“ and “make do with what you have”, “also always live below your means”. All of which became thoroughly ingrained in the fabric of my being. These lessons that I learned early in my life have served me well over the years, and that often maligned Depression Mentality will serve me well over the remainder of my years. Having been born and lived through that difficult period of time, followed by wars and recessions, I have found that nothing in life ever stays the same it is always in a state of flux, never static. When anything goes too far one way, at that point it stops and swings back as a pendulum on a clock. The seeds of greatest profit and attaining new heights are generally sown during adverse periods of time and situations. There were those who did well financially during the depression of the 1930s because they saw only opportunity where others saw only despair. After World War Two our National Debt was 110% of our Gross National Product, and the predictions were that we were entering a period of great economic depression. After the war, we, instead entered the greatest economic expansion that this country has ever known. Not all our Governments have served us well, but fortunately the founders of our Country crafted a firm foundation in such a manor that we would always survive our Governments, and not only survive, but prosper. So don’t waste time in worry, for worry has been described as interest paid on a loan that you never made; instead use your time and energy to seek out solutions and opportunities. Always live your life in a state of thankfulness. Remember as the pendulum swings, and in all situations SMILE GOD LOVES YOU. Blessings TWSM

Winter Wonders Friday, Feburary 1, 2008 January 2008 Winter Wonders By Bud Beuttenmuller The Wonderful Story Man I stepped outside one January morning into the clear crisp air to start on my traditional one and one half mile walk on our road. With my senses in a heightened state, I felt that this would be another walk of discovery. As I stepped out of the house, I noticed through the woods the sky becoming a golden canvas as the sun’s rays emerged over the horizon. The tree branches being free of their leaves emerged as the master’s brushstrokes to create this magnificent painting. I felt honored and blessed that God would create this winter masterpiece and in a private showing just for me. Considering the great artists of all the ages, not one could create such beauty as this which reaches to the very core of your soul. While on my walk the barren tree branches seemed to stand in stark contrast to the fully dressed evergreens. Yet, perhaps not a contrast at all, for the evergreens hold the promise of the greening of springtime for the other trees. The mighty oak are the exception, for they refuse to shed all their leaves and stubbornly cling to a few shriveled brown leaves. If asked why they would most likely reply “because God allows it to be so; also I am the mighty oak and I can”. All of the tree’s branches including the mighty oak reach up toward heaven as to give praise and thanks to the Creator as should we all. Then the whisper of a gentle breeze stirs them into a beautiful dance, so entrancing that no ballerina could recreate. Everything seems to be just waiting there to be noticed, even such mundane things as mailboxes. They were always there, but today was a different, they seemed to lean out to the road with great anticipation to perform their assigned duty of receiving their daily ration of mail. What a great joy to be able to see the stars in the chill of the clear blue sky so long hidden in the other seasons. What blessings are there for us every day if we take the time to pause and observe all the beauty that God has created just for us. Blessings TWSM

The Caregiver Tuesday, January 1, 2008 December 2007 The Caregiver By Bud Beuttenmuller The roll of the caregiver is something that you accept as a very important part of the contract with your partner. Marie and I made a contract fifty four years ago in which we agreed for richer for poorer for better or worse in sickness and in health. We are totally unprepared for the challenging roll of caregiver; it is thrust upon us and we must find a way to perform duties that we know nothing about. On November 28th of this year, Marie had a total knee replacement on both knees. In her past surgeries I have always handled the roll of caregiver very well, and fully expected that I would be equal to the task this time. This time; however I was in for a rude awakening. I was to bring her home on December 7th. The discharge process was a disorganized disaster, instead of taking one and one half hours as intended it became six hours. They finally discharged her but with a catheter attached on which I was given a three second course that in no way prepared me for the care and feeding of that equipment, with a leg bag for the daytime and a larger bag at night. There was also the proper cleaning and changing of the bags involved. In addition, there are compression stockings to put on every day and washing at night, as well as applying Vitamin E to the incision. Since this surgery involves a very painful recovery there are powerful medications involved which are required to be given on a certain time schedule in order that not too much pain is endured. This is to provide an opportunity for the proper therapy in order to facilitate recovery. However it becomes a delicate balance to attempt the weaning of these powerful medications and yet provide enough to allow the proper therapy, plus balance all the other medications and vitamins that may be required. This may involve my getting up during the night and not receiving the proper amount of sleep; also the medication regimen may not always work as desired. She can also be difficult and uncooperative at times due to the pain. Doing the best I can but feeling overwhelmed and at a loss can at times cause me to loose patience. It is very difficult to witness your loved one in pain and know that you are doing your very best to be an adequate caregiver and know that it is not enough. Dealing with all the duties of being a nurse/therapist encourager sometimes cleaning up after her can wear you down due to the stress and cumulative sleep depravation. Now I can fully appreciate the need for caregiver support groups for those who are providing this service in a long term situation, and having someone to relieve you for a period of time to allow you time to regroup and get some much needed rest. I can very easily handle the laundry and meal preparation since I have done this for years. Some of our friends have provided meals for us which was greatly appreciated. The support of the church and our friends in providing prayer and flowers and visits has been invaluable, I truly don’t know how people survive without this type of support system. We are blessed to have had the very best Doctors, Physicians Assistants, Nurses, Therapists, and home care Professionals and support staff at Abington Hospital to perform the services necessary to bring this procedure to a successful conclusion. Marie will in the end have the mobility that she has not had for years in order to once again fully enjoy life. Fortunately our difficult situation is only temporary. Others have to provide the service of caregiving for years. No matter what difficulties you encounter in life, you don’t have to look too far in order to find those with much greater challenges. Therefore, you know how blessed you are. She is progressing well and I learned many new skills. Life seems to be a constant series of courses taught by a professor by the name of On The Job Training I wonder what new courses I will be taking in 2008. Blessings and Peace to All TWSM

Smiley Faces Saturday, November 24, 2007 November 2007 Smiley faces By Bud Beuttenmuller I find it to be interesting that most people pass through toll booths mechanically just handing in their payment due and or receiving change, not taking notice to the person taking the toll or passing along a greeting to them? Perhaps Marie and I could be considered by some to be a bit odd for generally when we travel, we have two of our hand puppet animals with us who hand in the toll and receive change. The reactions of the toll takers vary but are always interesting We most always receive a positive response from the person and find that they are always surprised and some don’t know what to make of it. Generally they are appreciative that someone does care about them as a person not just their job. When we receive a positive response, we ask if he or she would care for prayers and blessings for them, a family member, or friend. Sometimes if there are no cars waiting behind us we have the opportunity to engage in an extended conversation. Then we will ask for their name and or the name of the person in need, and in parting wish them a blessed day. There are times that we are fortunate enough to have the same person and find that the prayer has been answered. What a blessing it is to receive that information. There are occasions when we encounter someone we refer to as a grump, which is one who is totally unresponsive or angry. For those we identify as grumps, we say a special prayer and blessing, We cannot begin to know what troubles have caused their anger or indifference. We also consider how fortunate we are not to be in living in their body or living their life. I have learned that no matter how positive a person you may think yourself to be, we all have occasions when we feel despondent. This applies also to the many famous personalities who speak so elegantly of incorporating positive thinking into your life for a richer life experience and better health. When you consider that the toll taker’s occupation can be boring, repetitive and sometimes dangerous. They can be the recipients of angry rage and abuse from frustrated drivers with verbal or physical threats. In the summer we travel from our home in Huntingdon Valley, Pennsylvania to our summer home in Ocean City, New Jersey weekly crossing the Delaware River by way of the Betsy Ross Bridge. We never use the easy pass lanes, preferring instead to enjoy the experience of the interaction of giving and receiving blessings with the toll taker; always using the second booth from the right. On that beautiful sunny day of October 15 of this year at about three o clock in the afternoon, we approached the Betsy Ross Bridge toll booth, second from the right in anticipation of a positive interaction with the toll taker on duty at the time. This time something was different, for we found our toll taker to be a black gentleman with a beautiful round face and a radiant engaging smile. As I presented to him the toll being presented by our hand puppet he was delighted. There being no cars to our rear waiting in line, we took the opportunity to chat. When we asked if he needed any prayers for he or his family and asked his name he informed us that his name was Robert and he could use prayer, for his real occupation was praying them through. I have seen many types of yellow smiley faces but never a black one. That magnificent face is imprinted not only on our minds but also our hearts. I sincerely hope to have the opportunity to see Robert again, for he is such a blessing. You never know where you will find one of God’s angels; therefore you may want to consider always taking the second toll booth from the right as we do and may find one as well. Blessings TWSM

Cake Thursday, November 1, 2007 October 2007 Cake By Bud Beuttenmuller I feel that as a comfort food a great cake is at the top of the list. My Marie’s pound cake ranks above all the others. She has been baking this cake for almost all of the fifty four years that we have been married, and it is one of the great joys of her life to bake and give it away to others. Over the years she has given the recipe to many who wished to enjoy making that cake, but it seems that no one can duplicate the particular flavor or taste. Marie has no idea why there should be a difference. The recipients of the recipe claim to have followed the directions and ingredients exactly as prescribed; yet the result is so different. Could it be that a spirit of her love flows into that cake since the only reason for baking the cake at all is to give of herself to others, and through that cake experience the joy of giving to others? I feel that love may be given and through many different mediums; even cake. No two people receive or dispense information exactly the same. I have seen many receive the same information or education; yet they all use it in a different way. I have found that if you have an overwhelming desire to reach a certain goal there is a guaranteed way to be successful. You must first find someone that you greatly admire who has been successful in a similar situation. You cannot follow verbatim every step that that person took to attain the success for that will surely lead to failure. However if you apply the precepts and examples set forth in the journey and personify them you will surely succeed. Even though none are able to duplicate Marie’s cake, isn’t it wonderful that God arranged things in such a way that it is impossible for us to all be the same or accomplish similar goals in the same way. The difference is that no two people can be exactly alike. We all have the opportunity to share our spirit of love and caring; each in our own way. We add that indefinable ingredient that is uniquely ours and give something of ourselves to others. We then are able to derive the extreme joy of sharing and any labor required in the process has been a labor of love. I am twice blessed for I not only have the opportunity to enjoy eating this delectable cake at will, but also to enjoy the sweet delightful fragrance as it fills the entire house during the baking process. Blessings TWSM

Synchronicity Friday, September 28, 2007 September 2007 Synchronicity By Bud Beuttenmuller In July, Marie and I were fortunate to be able to take a 17 day cruise known as The Voyage of the Vikings from Boston across the North Atlantic to Rotterdam Holland. This also afforded us the opportunity to enjoy 2 nights in Amsterdam. The cruise was truly a rewarding and unique experience; however by the time we reached Amsterdam Marie’s knees gave out. She has actually needed knee replacements for the last five years, but has managed up until this time to avoid that procedure. Now this situation proved to be somewhat of a challenge since we had two nights there. The hotel staff was very accommodating; they provided her with a wheelchair for her use during our stay. Unfortunately she would be unable to accompany me the next day on a planned tour to Schagen to see the Noah’s Ark which had been built over a period of two years by a local contractor in that town. You may find the information of his mission on the website. www.arkvannoach.com The following day we were to fly home to Boston on Northwest Airlines. When we arrived at the airport, I found that they have no curbside check in and no staff to assist us. Our driver from the hotel did thankfully load our baggage onto a cart; however we did need a wheelchair and none was in sight, and no one to assist us. I had a real challenge for there was nowhere for Marie to sit down and I had a cart full of luggage which, in today’s reality, I could not leave unattended; therefore I decided that I must enter the terminal to find assistance. I had not traveled far when I discovered a wheelchair hiding behind a large luggage carrier. Now I had somewhere for her to sit while I wheeled our luggage into the terminal where I was directed to a help desk and found assistance to have her brought in. The check in was expedited but I was informed that we would have to wait 45 minutes before being taken through security and onto the aircraft. We found the seating area to be quite full, but as we approached a young lady offered her seat. We thanked her and started a conversation relating to Marie’s condition, which caused her to relate to us that she and her girlfriend with her husband would like to pray over Marie’s knees. We gratefully accepted their offer of healing prayer. We found that she was from Curacao and the couple were from Aruba both of which we had visited often. The girls were in Holland studying of all things Geriatric Nursing. After the blessings of a prayer circle, we parted and were whisked by staff through security and onto the airplane. The flight home was difficult but our hotel in Boston graciously provided a wheelchair for our use during our stay. When we arrived home on Friday, Marie was in pain and having difficulty standing from a sitting or laying position and needed my assistance, which required me to be there for her at any hour of the day or night. On Monday morning I took her to Abington Hospital ER and fortunately we were escorted in immediately. The tests indicated that she needed both knees replaced as soon as possible. We left with a supply of heavy duty pain pills, which had a limited effect on the pain. We had many people praying for us, but having to be on call day and night was taking its toll on me; therefore I engaged in a search for an agency to provide help at night. On Thursday evening I signed all the papers and gave her a check for the amount requested Expecting to have someone the following evening. That night Marie miraculously slept for about five hours and so did I, which eliminated the need for help. I had to call the agency in the morning to cancel the service. I still had to help her with many things and procure equipment that she needed, but I was getting some sleep. When you are married fifty four years you do whatever is needed by your partner. Finding the wheelchair at the airport, those young people being there for us at just the right time to generously provide prayer for us in our time of need, the need for nighttime assistance evaporating, going to the ER at just the right time to be attended to immediately, are these only coincidence? No when you live in faith that God will provide, you are living in his world of synchronicity, and therefore have nothing to fear. God never gives to those who are in faith with him anything that you and he together cannot handle. She is doing much better now and the procedure has been scheduled. We are comforted in the knowledge that our faith, and God’s guidance will continue to lead us onto the path we should travel. We are truly blessed. Blessings TWSM You may pass this positive message on to others. Comments are always appreciated.

A walk in the rain Monday, August 27, 2007 August 2007 A walk in the rain By Bud Beuttenmuller I usually take a mile and a half walk every morning on the tree lined road on which I live. If it is raining, I would generally use the treadmill or stationary bike. Little did I know how different today’s walk would be and where I would be lead . When I started out today, there was a light rain falling. The first thing that came to mind were the words that I had heard so many times as a child “Have enough sense to come in from the rain”. Then I realized that being seventy five, who cares. I would prefer to live with child like abandon and proceeded to carry on with my usual walk. The worst that could happen would be that I would get a little wet, but with no chance of me melting. As a result, I enjoyed one of the most pleasant experiences of my life. The soft gentle warm rain anointed my head with grace; then ever so softly kissed my face calling me to a higher level being than I have ever known before. I eagerly followed this call to a wonderful new world. I found myself moving forward almost effortlessly with my senses heightened to a new level. Everything became fresh and new on this well worn path that I had previously traveled hundreds of times. I noticed that even the air was fresher than ever before. I noticed for the first time the small things such as a blade of grass yielding to the gentle pressure of a rain drop, and I would follow in an attempt to be one with all of this beautiful newly discovered world. From something as small as a blade of grass to the large trees providing a protective canopy overhead at points along my path, all seemed to be there just for me. The mature stately oak; a tower of strength as well as birch and beech bid me to carry on and stay strong. A light breeze arrives to stir these gentle giants. Their leaves gently begin their dance magnificently adorned with clinging delicate raindrop jewels finer in their beauty than I have ever witnessed. The birds break forth in choral excellence to accompany the dance. I have been privileged to enter into God’s Cathedral, provided with lively dance and a heavenly choir. No Ballerina, Dance Company, or choir could begin to compare to this level of perfection. God had blessed me with this life changing experience that allowed me be so very much alive with every fiber of my being. I will never understand why some people will travel a similar path shutting out any possibility of this experience by wearing earphones listening to something manmade. There have even been songs written about the experience of walking in the rain. I invite you to try to enjoy this experience for yourself, and gratefully receive all of God’s inexhaustible supply of blessings for you. Blessings TWSM

The Dash Thursday, July 5, 2007 July 2007 Positive Thoughts From The Wonderful Story Man By Bud Beuttenmuller After sending out my June message, I received this lovely poem from Robert F. Ploder, one of the friends to whom I send my monthly messages. Robert is a recent addition to my large circle of friends that I dearly treasure. I met Robert and his wife Joyce on a southern Caribbean cruise in February of this year. It is such a joy to have others contribute added value to my writings and mission to elevate the positive energy in this world. Blessings Twsm The Dash by Linda Ellis I read of a man who stood to speak At the funeral of a friend. He referred to the dates on her tombstone From the beginning to the end. He noted that first came the date of her birth And spoke of the following date with tears, But he said what mattered most of all Was the dash between those years. For that dash represents all the time That she spent alive on earth And now only those who loved her Know what that little line is worth. For it matters not, how much we own, The cars, the house, the cash, What matters is how we live and love And how we spend our dash. So think about this long and hard; Are there things you'd like to change? For you never know how much time is left That can still be rearranged. If we could just slow down enough To consider what's true and real And always try to understand The way other people feel. And be less quick to anger And show appreciation more And love the people in our lives Like we've never loved before. If we treat each other with respect And more often wear a smile, Remembering that this special dash Might only last a little while. So when your eulogy is being read With your life's actions to rehash Would you be proud of the things they say About how you spent your dash? © 1996 Linda Ellis

Your Dash Tuesday, June 5, 2007 June 2007 Your Dash Bud Beuttenmuller I have now reached the age of what I am given to understand is my life expectancy, and I have attended many funerals and memorial services. At the last memorial service that I attended the minister spoke about the dash which refers to the time between the date of birth and that of passing. I wondered as to how ones whole life could be summed up in a brief mark. It would be similar to the blank page in a financial report on which is written (This page intentionally left blank); that very statement makes the page no longer blank. Life is like a car in the sense that as it ages it requires more attention to maintenance, as you acquire more mileage. Parts start to need replacing and repair; it needs the proper fuel and servicing, new tires and attention to the body. You have a rear view mirror to look back over your life. Did you always try to do the right thing or did you always place your self interest first? What words were spoken that you wish had never come out of your mouth? Did you always deal fairly with others. Was your word your bond? I know that I have been guilty of not living up to the ideal at times; however the one thing that always was the most important to me is my word. Honesty and dependability are to me are the most important attributes one can possess. To be known as one who you can count on regardless of the situation, just as with your car dependability is the most important factor. At times this mode of living my life has cost me in time, money and effort, but in the end result it has paid big dividends particularly in business. In business being true to your word is known as street credit, for it is just as important as financial credit in order to conduct business, particularly when entering verbal orders. The supplier must know that he will be paid on time and the customer must be assured that his material will be delivered or installed on time. It has been said that what goes around comes around and there is no free lunch. I have been around long enough to have witnessed how true this is. Those who seem to get away with wrongdoing for a long time do have their actions catch up with them. Always remember that you are at this point the sum total of the life that you have created. What will your dash say about you? Will it say that you intended to leave that page blank? What kind of legacy will you leave? Did you try to make the world a better place for others? I would surely hope so. I would like to see a large footprint between the dates to represent my life, not just a simple dash. (Aspire to inspire before you expire.) Blessings TWSM You may pass this positive message on to others. Comments are always appreciated.

Power Words Tuesday, May 1, 2007 May 2007 Power Words Bud Beuttenmuller In March, I was reminded of the power of words after Marie and I took a cruise for the first time on Celebrity Cruise Lines. The Caribbean cruise in itself was not much different than others that we had taken with similar itineraries. Most of the major cruise lines offer adequate food, entertainment, shipboard activities, and shore excursions. We have taken many cruises on various lines but the one thing that set this one apart was the outstanding service by the staff. No matter what staff person you might encounter in your travels around the ship they pleasantly and enthusiastically provided service. The one thing that set this line apart were the words “my pleasure”, which was the response from crew members when you said thank you for any service they had provided for you. That response is now integrated into our daily vocabulary affording us the opportunity of verbalizing our mutual respect and love in serving each other. These two words can elevate your life into a new higher level of life experienced by very few. This is one example of Power words; there are many others such as Could you help me?, which will allow you to get past gate keepers receptionists, secretaries, and gain information. Some others would be I need to talk to you, would you please. Try to make your own list of power words, use them daily and you will notice the difference it can make in your life and that of others. One should never underestimate the power of simple courtesy. The ways in which you interact with others will define who you are. Being courteous to others by holding a door, speaking a kind word, or a smile will not only brighten someone’s day, but also set you apart from those who do not. Take pleasure and pride in becoming known as a positive loving person who will start every day with the express intention of being a blessing to someone. This is accomplished not only by your words and actions, but also by the energy that emits from you. Without having to say a word, others will unknowing feel that there is something good and desirable, and valuable about this person. It is not that difficult to become such a person; it only takes that little extra. Walt Disney when introducing a new experience into one of his Disneylands was never satisfied with the final product created by his staff. When they were finished with the design he would challenge to take the extra step and “Plus it”; making it just a little better and setting it apart from anything similar. Words can become powerful tools in business and your personal life when properly used, and produce the desired result. I now try to book cruises only on Celebrity because of the words “my pleasure”. (Aspire to inspire before you expire.) Blessings TWSM You may pass this positive message on to others. Comments are always appreciated.

Sand and Stone Tuesday, April 3, 2007 April 2007 Sand and Stone By Bud Beuttenmuller There were two men Abtat and Betri who were lifelong friends traveling in the desert for a very long time. One day they had a disagreement which became so heated that Abtat slapped Betri so hard that he landed on the hot sand. As Betri was lying on that hot sand recovering from that violent blow, he pulled his knife from his belt. Abtat was about to flee, fearing for his life. Then to his surprise he noticed his friend using his knife to write Abtat’s name in the sand and not to harm him. Without a word being spoken they traveled on. Days later at an oasis where they had stopped to rest, Betri became mired in extremely soft mud and had sunk up to waist with no way to get out. When Abtat saw what was happening to his friend he reached out to bring Betra out of the mud. While Betra was lying exhausted from his ordeal, he once again drew his knife from his belt and proceeded to write Abtat’s name on a stone. Just think what a lesson we could learn from this simple tale, to write your friends transgressions in the sand to be blown away by the wind, and to remember his helping hand in stone for all of eternity. True forgiveness is probably the most difficult human traits to master, for we tend to see the faults in others and not realize that they are a reflection of our own failings. It has been said that all conflict is born out of unmet expectations. When I analyze any situation in my life where conflict has occurred I find this to be true. Jesus addressed this problem of our human condition when he told a man to cast the plank out of his own eye so that he may see clearly to cast the speck out of the other person’s eye. So you see this problem most likely reaches back to the beginnings of out ancestry. We could throw up our hands in despair and consider that it would be a waste of time and energy to engage in an attempt to change the course of human history; or you could try to move forward on your spiritual journey toward this lofty and elusive goal of true forgiveness. Is it really as simple to accomplish as in the story at the beginning of this article? Is that lesson the key to this age old riddle? I believe that it is and working towards that goal is worthwhile endeavor. You may think of me as an incurable optimist and I would consider that to be one of the highest compliment that I have ever received. Blessings Twsm

A View From Seventy Five Forward Sunday, March 11, 2007 March 2007 The View from Seventy Five Forward By Bud Beuttenmuller I view seventy five years of life as a launching pad not a plateau. To take the experiences and lessons learned over the past seventy five years and mold them into a solid base for the future explorations. This will be the foundation for the adventures of my life that is yet to be. I know that this will be the dawning of my new and exciting life to come; a rebirth of life filled to overflowing with great abundance of love and in life itself. With God as my north star guiding me to my destiny with a gentle loving hand, how could it be otherwise. I look forward to this new life with unbounded expectations. I fully realize that no one can know what the future will hold, but I also know that you cannot outrun your destiny. How many remaining years are allotted to me is one of the great unknowns; however, I am content with the knowledge that my life on this earth will be as long as it is destined to be. I know that I cannot control the events that may occur in the coming years, just as I cannot control the direction of the wind. I do however, have the option of adjusting the sails and rudder on this my ship of life that carries me forward through seas that may be calm or angry, and glorious days filled with sunshine, and rain. I look forward with gusto to my new life whatever it may be with the knowledge that I am equal to anything that may occur in the coming years, for nothing is good or bad, it just is. I have great lessons to learn from future adversities, and great pleasures to enjoy from future experiences. I have found travel to be the perfect vehicle for learning from and about other people, their customs and traditions. There are so many places in this world to visit, and to be enriched by the people you meet producing an enriching environment for all. I am writing this article while on a cruise where I happened to meet a lecturer giving seminars on relationships. In only three days of knowing each other, Ilene and her husband Alan have become dear friends and a blessing to Marie and I. While at tea with them yesterday afternoon Ilene presented Marie with a beautiful necklace that she had just purchased in at a port call in Panama. We were overwhelmed by the generosity of our newfound friends. It constantly amazes me that Angels such as these enter into our presence and we are all blessed by the experience Blessings Twsm

The View from Seventy Five Friday, Feburary 2, 2007 February 2007 The View from Seventy Five By Bud Beuttenmuller The following is a poem written by my very good friend Jane Ward, for my seventy fifth birthday celebration given by wife Marie, with many of my good friends in attendance. To Bud on the celebration of his 75th birthday The man with the top hat, the man with a smile Jeepers you’ve been on earth for a while The Wonderful Story Man, a birthday boy too Positive messages for me and you For seventy five years you have trod this earth And over the years you have still kept your girth A man who is kindly, a man filled with love Certainly blessed from above With Marie by your side to have and to hold And family and friends, riches worth more than gold Your seventy fifth birthday we come to salute Knowing your own horn you never would toot We gather together to wish you good cheer And blessings abundant year after year This poem allowed me to pause at this point in my life, to take a look back over the years of my life and to consider what I had accomplished. Apparently I have been blessed to have a positive effect on other people’s lives, and my fervent prayer is that I may continue and expand this life mission in the coming years. I have been asked what I have learned about life; what I value the most, what is truly important, and where will I go from here. First, I have learned that life is not completed as people perceive to be, it is really very simple. Never take yourself too seriously. Always try to be positive. Always remember that you only control two things in life; your view of any given event and what you do with that information. If a situation arises that you positively cannot handle, don’t even try for that will only lead to frustration and create a more difficult situation not a solution. Do everything that you can and then turn it over to God. You will be amazed at the outcome, let go and let God. What I value most is my wife and my close friends, for life is not found in things but in relationships. I feel so blessed to have so many good genuine friends that I can count on. To have friends, you must first be a friend that others can count on. These relationships create such a rich tapestry of life, for each adds a different and separate and beautiful dimension to your life. As a result, your life can be a beacon shining in the darkness to help others, for it is not what they see but what they feel. What is truly important in life is that I live my life with honor, that I am dependable, honest, and pass on blessings to others, so that their load may be lighter, and the knowledge that God never gives us more than we can handle, Where I will go from here is a difficult question, for we do not know what the future will hold. I do expect that I will be lead into new and exciting adventures. Look for my March 2007 article for the continuing story. Blessings Twsm

Life School Wednesday, January 3, 2007 January 2007 New Year Positive thoughts from the Wonderful Story Man By Bud Beuttenmuller Life school You may have graduated from grade, high school, a university, or postgraduate school, but you never graduate from Life School. Life School presents you with never ending continuing education courses wherein you take the test and then the course. You have the opportunity to learn from your mistakes and the mistakes of others, and take advantage of the wealth of information and resources available to us in this electronic information age. January 1, 2007 presents us with the opportunity of another twelve months in Life School; that is 365 days, 8,760 hours, 525,600 minutes, or 31,536,000 seconds. What a great opportunity to spend this wealth of time granted to us to learn from the past, and how to adequately handle the unknown unforeseen challenges that will surely arise in the coming months, hours, minutes, and seconds. This may appear to give us a great span of time, but the time spent in this life is so short, and there never seems to be enough time to learn enough to be able manage the ever increasing volume of information and opportunities available to us. We make plans and resolutions for the year, and if you are like me, you highly prioritize this list of plans and resolutions in order to accomplish the intended outcome. There are always however, the unforeseen events that inevitably appear, often at the most inopportune time, but deal with them regardless of any previous plans or commitments. The most important of unforeseen often deal with health issues of a family member or friend which can sometimes be serious enough in nature to cause you to stop and put all other things aside to attend to the needs of that person. The importance of those other things seem to vanish, and you suddenly discover those things of higher value than your plans and dreams. I had this experienced this on November 15th of this year when my wife had a mini stroke; her needs suddenly became my most important priority, everything else was moved aside, and had no importance at that time. Fortunately with the loving thoughts and prayers of many, and excellent medical attention she survived with the blessing of no long lasting effects resulting from this mini stroke. I truly enjoy writing this positive newsletter each month but there was none for December of 2006, my wife's health issues were more important. I wish you a Blessed and prosperous, and healthy New Year TWSM

Potentially Friday, November 3, 2006 November 2006 Positive Thoughts From The Wonderful Story Man By Bud Beuttenmuller Potentially In today's world there seems to be a test for everything; IQ and the newest one on the scene EQ which is emotional quotient, and scores of other tests seem to be created. These are all well and good as far as they go, but there is only so much that these tests can indicate. They can provide entrance to institutes of higher learning or assist in securing employment. In many cases they can be limiting rather than of help to the individual in a search for his or her true purpose or calling in life. Everyone has so many unexplored talents and abilities in which they could excel, and they can only emerge an open mind and spirit over a period of time, or a lifetime. There are sometimes so many that it would impossible to explore or perfect them all in one lifetime. When I was in the formal educational system, I tried repeatedly to find direction and true purpose for my life without much success. School counselors were of no help at all and as I understand it, they still aren't. Lacking any other guidance, I followed my Father and Grandfather into the machine shop. Then in 1960 I went into the Ornamental Iron business which I sold and retired in 1984. Since then I have been involved in many endeavors. I have learned over the years that the only method to finding your way is to follow those things for which you have a passion, and don’t be afraid to fail. Find someone in that field that you admire and respect who is accomplished in your chosen field and follow the precepts and examples of their success and apply them to your life and your endeavor. I have traveled down many paths in my search not knowing exactly where that path would lead me. I have failed many times but the experience that I have gained and the people that I have met along the way have greatly enriched my life. I will continue to attend the school of life, where you take the test and then the course. The money that I lose sometimes is my tuition; the time invested is my class time. How can we measure potential since we have no test for it? It seems the search must be entirely up to the individual. Don’t be afraid to dream, don’t be afraid try, don’t be afraid to fail and if you are able to find a mentor; you are truly blessed twsm

The Blessings of Friends Saturday, October 7, 2006 Positive Thoughts From The Wonderful Story Man By Bud Beuttenmuller The Blessings of Friends Friends come in all different varieties. There are general friends, close friends, and special friends. They are acquired from all different sources such as business/work, travel, church, organizations, and in your daily travels. Some are temporal and some are keepers. The keepers are extremely important for your good health and wellbeing; the more that you have the richer you are. Sometimes you drift apart only to reconnect years later. In order to have a friend you must be a friend, try to stay in contact by snail mail or Email, or a telephone call just to say hello, or Christmas card. This morning I received one of those telephone calls from a friend with a cheery voice which was like sunshine on a this rainy day; a real blessing. The older I become the more I realize the value of friends, but especially that of a true friend. A true friend will always be there for you in your time of need, often forsaking other commitments to be with you; one that you can confide in with the knowledge that any information discussed with him or her will be kept in confidence. These are people on whom you can depend, with the friendship built on a foundation of mutual respect, and their value is incalculable. Out of this group there will usually be one special true friend that you are especially close to; one that you could never do without. This person is a special blessing and you must in turn be a special blessing to him or her. I love this quote from Charles Caleb Colton True friendship is like sound health, its value is seldom known until it is lost. It has been said that if you should acquire one true friend in your lifetime, that you are indeed extremely wealthy. Marie, my Wife, and best friend have been blessed with many. Some are longtime friends and others recently acquired. Some are closer than others, but all fill a place and a need in your life, as you do in their life Looking back over my life I feel that God arranges for you to meet these people, but you must be spiritually open to receive the connection with them. If you should so blessed to have such a friend, remember to tend and nurture that relationship. Friendship neglected can be like a balloon; once lost it may never be recovered. People may not always remember what you did or said, but they will remember how you made them feel. To the world you may be one person, but to one person you may be the world and they to you. They will remember a touch, a hug, a smile, or a kind word. Blessings Twsm

The Ringmaster Friday, September 1, 2006 September 2006 POSITIVE THOUGHTS FROM THE WONDERFUL STORY MAN By Bud Beuttenmuller The Ringmaster In the circus, the Ringmaster bellows out Ladies and Gentlemen and Children of all ages as a preface to announcing the show. We unknowingly do basically the same thing in our daily lives. What we do, how we act or react in differing situations towards other people; how you communicate to others even nonverbally and with body language. It has been said that all the world is a stage and that we are the actors on that stage in the play of life. I have found that you cannot only be the actor but also the writer of the play and your lines; additionally be the observer in the audience watching yourself in the role that you have chosen. Trust yourself, believe in yourself, your hopes and dreams. Follow your star, and you can achieve more than you ever imagined. Choose your role wisely and live it with exuberance, gusto and incorporating the eleventh commandment (Thou shall not postpone joy). Joy is not to be confused with pleasure. Pleasure will only last as the activity that produced it, genuine deep seated joy however; once found and experienced can last a lifetime. In my life I have found that true joy can only be experienced at the deepest level of the soul; to absorb the essence of a beautiful sunset, rainbow, flowering meadow or a gentle soft spring rain enveloping you. The wonder of a child exploring and taking such delight in discovering each new aspect of the world around him or her; everything being fresh and new. To watch a friend or family member take extraordinary delight in something you have shared with him or her. Today, freely experience and share the wonder of the world around you to truly find unending joy at the deepest level of your being; for we have only today. Take time to add something of beauty to each passing day therefore; become that joyous soul today and don't delay. Blessings Twsm

Mothers Day Wednesday, August 2, 2006 August 2006 Positive Thoughts From The Wonderful Story Man By Bud Beuttenmuller One fine June day. my wife Marie and I had occasion to visit our favorite health food store. On this occasion, upon entering the store, we found directly in front of us, a young mother with four small boys in steps ranging in age from about eight to two. Overwhelming curiosity caused me to inquire as to whether they were all hers, as many times children take friends with them. She immediately proudly and so lovingly informed me that they were indeed all hers then proceeded to introduce them in order of age Luke being the oldest then Cole, Blake, and Brooks. I was impressed for I concluded that raising four young boys would be quite a task, but she seemed to be more than capable. The boys appeared to be so well behaved. I felt that in the future with their mother's guiding loving hand that they would surely mature into fine young gentlemen. I, having nothing better to do while my wife was consulting with the store clerk and trying to stay out of the way, I observed how the boys helped their mother with her shopping. I noticed how she interacted with them with love and respect, when one of the boys approached her with a particular food product. She said thank you mentioning his name, but had to inform him that one of the other boys could not have that product due to the ingredients. Apparently she had determined that any food selection must be for all the boys. Having seldom seen a mother handle herself with such style, grace, love and respect for her children that I felt compelled to introduce myself and hand her one of my business cards; informing her that she should receive the award of mother of the year. After inquiring, I found her name to be Delana and upon reflection of this meeting that if there were more mothers of this caliber, this would be a far better world. She did indeed, visit my web site, read my June article, and realized that God must have arranged our meeting that day. She sent me an email note informing that before our meeting she had been having a difficult morning, feeling that she was failing as a mom due to the boys being at each other all morning. She expressed that she felt she was at the end of her rope until we met, and I informed her that she should be mother of the year. She started to cry since that was exactly what she needed to hear at that moment. We, who constantly strive to do and be the very best and be all that we can possibly be, often become much too self-critical, focusing on our supposed failings rather than our accomplishments. In the school of life you graduate, then take the tests, and we are more equal to the tasks than we know. Gain strength from the knowledge that you only control two things in life; your view of any given event and what you do with that information. I have learned this great life lesson and strive to live by it, which placed me where I was needed at that particular time to impart to Delana the words she needed to hear. We never know where when and how God will place us to do his work. TWSM You can read past articles in the archives.

Sculpting Life Thursday, June 29, 2006 July 2006 Positive Thoughts From The Wonderful Story Man By Bud Beuttenmuller Sculpting Life You shape the life that you were destined to live by sculpting; that is to say chipping away the undesirable negative in your life and thinking a little bit at a time to reveal all the beauty of who you are and were meant to be. Shakespeare stated that all the world is a stage and that we are the players playing our part. I have found this to be so true, for I constantly find myself to be on the stage of life and simultaneously being the audience watching me play my predestined part in this wonderful play called my life. In that part I know that I control nothing but my action or reaction to any given event. Even though God has written my part in this play of life, I must have the wisdom to choose my action or reaction to any given situation presented by events and actions of the other players. Every situation and line in my play is uniquely mine and was not meant for or could be played by anyone else, they are mine and I claim them with boundless joy. The Serenity Prayer is a perfect lesson to help you to start you on this glorious path. God grant me the serenity to accept the things that I cannot change and the courage to change the things that I can and the wisdom to know the difference. You can free yourself from the shackles of fear and insufficiency to a new life filled with bright hope, and confident in the knowledge that you are exactly where you are supposed to be in your life, and be filled with unending joy . A very good friend of mine whose Mother is in her eighties was recently diagnosed with cancer had a very profound statement for the doctor who informed her that the treatment for her condition could cause her death if it failed. She stated to the doctor that she would win ether way. If the treatment worked she would be alive and well to enjoy more of this life, and if it caused her death she would have the opportunity to join her husband of fifty three years who passed last year. This wise woman is sculpting her life in the most beautiful fashion. Start today to creating this Joy filled beauty in your life. Blessings TWSM Please pass this on.

Control Thursday, June 8, 2006 June 2006 Positive Thoughts From The Wonderful Story Man By Bud Beuttenmuller Control Are you shaping your world or is the world shaping you? Who would you be if you were not defined by others? Do you allow outside forces to pull you in one direction or another? What would happen if you did not allow others to define you or pull you in one direction or another? What could you accomplish if you were free of these outside influences? I most fully realize that we must obey the laws and most rules and regulations. Outside of those requirements the field is wide open. Albert Einstein made a regular habit of breaking and bending existing rules and theories in physics to make brilliant breakthroughs, and always thought outside the box. Could our failures and shortcomings be the result of playing it safe and following the tried and true or feeling that we are in control of events? I have learned over time that we really have total control of almost nothing that happens or is happening. In reality you can only control two things; which are your view of any given event and how you act or react or what you do with that information. This may seem to some to be a radical theory, but to me it is the most freeing lifestyle that I have ever experienced. It can fully relieve you of fear and worry. My wife and I were recently involved in an automobile accident. We were stopped in a line of traffic at a traffic light when a car hit us from behind driving our car into the car in front of us. Now consider all the things that had to take place for us to be at that exact place at that exact time, and the driver to be preoccupied or inattentive enough to hit our car. It is truly amazing. How could I possibly have any control over that event? Was this a case of predestination? So you have to come to the realization that you control nothing except your view of any given event and what you do with that information. My reaction and view is to seek out the meaning and what is it trying to teach me. What can I learn from this event? Blessings, TWSM

The Blessings of May Wednesday, May 3, 2006 May 1, 2006 Positive Thoughts from the Wonderful Story Man By Bud Beuttenmuller The blessings of May Now we cross the threshold into the wonderful month of May, welcomed by flowers fields and foliage to a glorious rebirth and renewal throughout all of nature as foretold by April. The trees are dressed in their new fresh spring foliage, and the softness of the spring showers touch your face to nourish you as well as all of nature. We are filled with delight when being in the embrace of the warm gentle breezes, the succulent fragrance of blossoming flowers and greening of trees and earth beckon us onward to summer. Let us enthusiastically accept all of natures gifts with renewed spirit of joyfulness, and revel in the casting off of the cold and cares of winter. To delight in laying in the sweet fresh grass and study the clear blue sky punctuated with the purity of white fluffy clouds becomes pure bliss. Free your mind of all cares and realize how blessed you are to receive this free and freeing gift of untold wealth available to you and all. You must take time to slow down; turn off the noise in order to experience the gifts given to you that are much greater in value than all the material wealth in the world. Accepting these free and freeing gifts can be a life changing experience and be the beginning of a new life, with renewed energy and vigor. Take time today to meditate contemplate and enter a state of continual thankfulness for all the blessings that you have received. It has been said that you are what you eat. You also are what you think about all day long. Choose a diet of information that is positive and reject the negative, to change your destiny. Choose to change your mental diet today, and take in only the positive Start each day shouting with gusto that you are HAPPY, HEATHY, TERRIFIC, and WEALTHY with the free gifts God has given you. Have a great day! Blessings Twsm

Off The Trail Saturday, April 1, 2006 Positive Thoughts From The Wonderful Story Man By Bud Beuttenmuller April 2006 A boy when asked about his summer camp experience, replied " The way is not very well marked when you get off the trails". To most this statement doesn't make much sense, but to me it's indicative of life's journey. Most people prefer to follow the well marked path of life laid out before them by friends, relatives and our formal educational system. Then there are the mavericks who do not fair well in this formal educational setting and prefer to veer away from the conventional tried and true well worn path, to find there own way. I personally never did well in formal education. I suppose my teachers in school did get some education through to me, but my most important occurred in the school of life. My first great lesson arrived shortly after I went into business in 1960. A customer who was a businessman probably 20 years my senior granted to me the following pearl of wisdom "always take care of your business and your business will take care of you". Shortly thereafter my wife and I attended a wedding wherein the Rabbi advised the groom to spend as much time and attention to his marriage as he would to his business in order to have the union be successful. Thus began my real education in the School of life. Other great teachers followed in the persons of Napoleon Hill, W Clement Stone, Dr.Norman Vincent Peale, Dr.Robert Schuller, Dr. Ernst G. Schmidt, Deepak Chopra, and so many others to numerous to mention. They taught me how to find my own way off the well marked trails traveled by most, to find your darma as Deepak Chopra refers to it, or true propose in life, or God's propose for your life. Once you find your damra you must have the courage to follow that path, for it is seldom rational by most conventional standards. Many famous people practiced this way of life. A few that come to mind are Albert Einstein who broke all the rules to discover his genius, the others who created companies such as Microsoft, Fed Ex, and the list goes on without end. Those who carve out their own way in life finding and following there true path in life must ignore the critics who tell them that they are not traveling the proven path with it's safety nets. They travel their sometimes lonely road, but experience the rewards of being one of the few who have tasted that sweetness of knowing and living life to the fullest. TWSM

Living Life Successfully Thursday, March 2, 2006 March 1, 2006 Lessons in living life successfully By Bud Beuttenmuller The Wonderful Story Man March is the month that the old adage of the Lion and the Lamb come to mind with regard to the weather. However thoughts of the lion and the lamb transport me back to French Polynesia from which Marie and I recently returned. The great contrast of the powerfully fierce and the gentle have created the extraordinary beauty of the South Pacific islands. I have seen pictures and movies of this area, but those do not compare to being there and immersed in this paradise. The work and beauty of our God, the creator, is reflected in this paradise, and you can sense the spiritual presence here. This spirit is evident through the beauty of the people and the abundance of small churches. To consider the awesome power of the volcanic eruptions which formed these islands, then to feel powerful ocean waves crashing against the coral reefs surrounding the island, and thereby creating the magnificent wide calm lagoons. The greens and blues of the waters would create a most difficult task for even the most talented artist to capture. The angry storms that lash the land with drenching rains, and then a beautiful rainbow appears to lovingly embrace the landscape. The lush vegetation from which high craggy peaks reach for the sky occasionally complimented by a waterfall. At night, the brilliant undiminished canopy of stars above are the crowning glory. The bustling small town of Papeete Tahiti is only a small interruption in the abundant lush tropical landscape. This study in contrasts is reflected in the islands native people. They may have the very same stress of business, but I found that they have such a gentle way about them. No request seems to be too much trouble for them to assist you. Time there is flexible; there is standard time and Tahitian time; it's there for you to choose . Cars will stop for you to cross the road or to allow another car to merge into traffic. In our world where everything seems to move with ever increasing speed, I feel that we could all learn a great deal from these gentle people about living life successfully with grace and respect for others. Blessings, TWSM

Valentines Thoughts Sunday, Feburary 5, 2006 VALENTINE THOUGHTS FROM THE WONDERFUL STORY MAN By Bud Beuttenmuller As you enter this season of February expressing thoughts of love to your Spouse, or Significant other on Valentines Day, consider extending those thoughts to others. This month try to view others that you pass by, meet or associate with in a different light. Try to send a silent message of spiritual love to each one without expecting anything in return. During your lifetime many people will cross your path, and walk in and out of your life. Leave spiritual footprints on their hearts, and allow them to do the same for you. Your life and theirs will be greatly enriched by this exchange. Remember, use your head to handle yourself, and your heart to handle others. On a recent flight home from Los Angeles, I happened to notice the necklace that Shirley, our flight attendant was wearing. It was an inexpensive valentine red necklace formed with the words hug me, and hearts between those statements. When I inquired as to the significance to her, she informed me that it would get her through the tough flights, which to her meant difficult passengers. I felt that she had a great grasp on reality. If we all realized that hugs and a big heart might get us through tough situations. We all need the loving touch of another to stay connected as one with our brothers and sisters in this world. Make Valentine’s day a year round lifestyle for others, give hugs and embrace them in your heart, and you will become immersed in a joyous life. TWSM

New Year Thoughts Tuesday, January 3, 2006 New Year Positive thoughts from the Wonderful Story Man By Bud Beuttenmuller Every year at this time we celebrate the coming of the new year on new years eve with a wild party or we may join the very few recognize and celebrate this event in church, or in quiet meditation. No mater at which end of the scale you choose to celebrate your entrance into the new year, most of us would wish; To leave the old behind. To recall the right and forgive the wrong. To forget the things that bind you fast to the vain regrets of the year that has past. To have the strength to let go of those things not worth holding onto. We make our New Year’s Resolutions with the best of intentions, knowing full well that some of those commitments that we now make with all fervent sincerity, for one reason or another may fall by the wayside as the weeks and months pass. As I was sitting at the breakfast table this morning I noticed the sunrise through the woods to the east of our house, and saw it as I had never seen it before in all the many years that I have lived in this house. As it rose above the horizon, and danced through the trees in there lovely state of winter undress, It was as though I had seen it for the first time. An artist no matter how talented, could create such beauty. Only God can create an experience such as this, that can reach down to the depths of your soul, to fill you with such joy and awe of divine presence within you. It seemed to remind me that I have God’s light within me which cast a beam before me . Always I am in the place where I can reveal god more perfectly This was a opportunity to celebrate, not just a new year but to celebrate every day. I had been blessed another 86,400 seconds. What would I do with this great wealth, and how would I spend it. So consider celebrating not only on new years eve, but celebrate the dawning of each and every day, for you have been blessed with the untold wealth of 86,000 seconds, which can’t be banked or saved. How will you spend you great wealth today? I wish a happy and healthy 2006 to all Twsm

Thoughs on the holiday season Sunday, December 4, 2005 Thoughts on the holiday season It seems that the holiday season begins with Thanksgiving and concludes after the New Years celebrations. With this in mind, we should start this holiday season with an attitude of gratitude; being thankful for all that we have in such abundance, and having compassion for those less fortunate than we are. We should always keep in mind that there but for the grace of God go I. This season is loved, for the magic it weaves, for the joy it inspires, for the memories it leaves. From Thanksgiving, we proceed to the season of lights. Lights on houses, Christmas trees and Menorah, and various commercial establishments. All of these lights convey a message of hope to bring spiritual light into the dark places in peoples lives and the world. As we take time to enjoy this holiday season with family and friends, take time to share and bring a loving light into someone else’s dark places. How to let your light shine at Christmas and always Work with joy. Pray with love. Dream from your heart. Share what you have. Live simply. Love deeply. Thank God always. When you see a bell ringer, do not just deposit your contribution and rush off; take time to stop and chat. You will be amazed with the results of a conversation with a bell ringer by asking them about their reason for performing this noble service. At the Acme market, I met Bill who was volunteering his time because the Salvation Army had come to his aid in his time of dire need for he and his family. He was extremely grateful for this opportunity for him to give back to the organization and the community. This was only one of many blessed experiences with Salvation Army bell ringers. Try it in order that you too may receive your blessings. ENJOY THIS BLESSED SEASON! Twsm

Making Travel a Blessing Tuesday, November 1, 2005 To me travel is always both a great adventure and educational. What new things are to be discovered, whether it is a place that you have visited previously or it is new to you. There is always something that that you may not have noticed; it may be buildings, roads or the scenery at different seasons or the people that you happen to meet. I happen to believe that people are the most important. On a recent trip that my wife and I took to Arizona and New Mexico, I prayed at the outset that we might be a blessing to those that we meet along the way. With that mission, it is amazing how well you are received by others that you happen to meet along the way; you connect with others at a soul level. This enhances and adds so much joy to every day. The beauty of the places you experience is multiplied exponentially by the soul connection with others at the most unexpected time and place. While staying in Page (Lake Powell) Arizona, I visited a Laundromat for wash and fold service where I met Cici (short for Cecilia) the clerk. She was so delightful we immediately engaged in a joy filled conversation. She did a great job with the laundry and we had acquired a new friend. We dined that night at the Rainbow Room at Lake Powell and met the hostess who was a beautiful young lady from Argentina. Having spent some time Argentina, we immediately engaged in an exhilarating conversation about her country which gave her much pleasure and we were able to share in her joy. In Taos New Mexico we stopped for lunch at a Wendys and I immediately connected with Shirley while she was taking our order; a woman with a quick smile and greeting to warm your heart. The food was good but not as good as the psychic meal we shared. Next was Santa Fe New Mexico where I happened to meet Krystle, Carol, and Tina in Pep Boys of all places. They were the sales clerks behind the counter and the exchange of conversation resulted in my receiving atriple dose of spiritual joy. My mission in coming to Santa Fe was to visit the Loretto Chapel and see the Miraculous Staircase which had been built in that Chapel. We experienced a warm greeting by Brennan, a charming young man at the entrance, who was more than gracious in answering our questions. We were captivated by the narration and information we gained during our visit. The staircase from an engineering standpoint is an impossibility. There was a TV movie about this staircase. The exit from the Chapel leads through the gift shop. We don’t generally make purchases in gift shops, but we were so taken with our experience; this became the exception. There we met Donna, a lovely lady at the sales counter, who assisted us with the purchase of a magnificent print on canvas, a tape of the narration in the Chapel, an audio CD, and a booklet containing all the information about the Chapel and staircase. After the transaction she informed us that we had lifted her spirits.If you desire information go to rettochapel.com Next was Roswell New Mexico to visit the UFO Museum. We didn’t happen to meet any live Aliens; however we were impressed with the knowledge we gained from Tom, a volunteer with the museum. We found an excellent restaurant for dinner that evening. Upon entering The Cattle Baron restaurant, we were warmly greeted by two lovely young ladies Ashley and Jessica. Ashley seated us at a table with another delightful young lady, Mary who was to be our server. The quality of the food was outstanding and plentiful, but what made the occasion memorable were the staff. Upon leaving, we located the manager Clint and expressed our overwhelming joy with his fine accommodating staff and quality food. Ashley, if you happen to be reading this, I am keeping your Mother in my daily meditation and prayers. These were only some of the highlights of this journey; there were many others. We sometimes tend to wish to change people to our image. A person is not to be moulded, but a gift to be unfolded

TWSM message Thursday, October 6, 2005 Our educational system seems to be set up in such a manner that adults teach the children. That is fine as far as it goes, but it seems that adults miss out on the things that they can learn from the children. It has been said that a normal child can laugh as many as four hundred times a day. They seem to find so many simple things amusing, without the aid of a chemical stimulus, just the pure joy of the moment. Two recent occurrences make this very point. It was on a cloudy summer afternoon that a gentle rain started falling softly to the ground, that I happened to observe two little girls perhaps four or five years old who instead of avoiding the rain, ventured out into it with abandon. They danced and squealed with delight as the gentleness of the rain caressed and enfolded them in their joy of being one with their environment. I watched longingly wishing to be infected with some of their joy. It was a few days later when I was having my car washed. After I had paid I ventured outside to a waiting area enclosed with a railing, and equipped with benches. As I waited on one of the benches for my car to be finished three little boys burst through the door followed by their Father. Apparently they had been there many times before, for they went directly to a space behind the bench on which I was seated and the railing. They perched themselves on the back of the bench with their feet on the railing. From that vantage point they were able to announce to all that there was a car about to emerge from the car wash, laughing and finding great joy in this endeavor. Again I found myself wishing to join with them in their joy and laughter. I don’t think many adults laugh four times a day let alone four hundred. Perhaps there should be an educational class for joy and laughter, so that adults could recapture the pure joy of childhood without the use of any chemical stimulants. It has been said that laughter is the best medicine, it releases natural occurring chemicals within the body that have healing qualities. So engage in and expose yourself to clean humor that will cause you to have a great belly laugh, to gain health and a happy life. If you go laughing and smiling every day for the remainder of your life, people will wonder what you are up to, but they will also be attracted to you, and want what you have. So when you wake up in put a big smile on your face to start the day off right, to create a happy healthy life for yourself, those around you, and those you happen to meet along the way. twsm