Tag Archives: happiness

‘You could never know how wonderful everything is.’

Posted on March 23, 2016 by vincentsmithauthor

For fifty one years Bob Edens was blind. He felt his way through five decades of darkness until one day a skilled surgeon performed a complicated operation and, for the first time, Bob Edens had sight. He found it overwhelming. … Continue reading →

Posted in Appreciation, Joy, Life, Life's journey, Life's lessons, Sight, thankfulness | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Turning things right side up

Posted on February 13, 2016 by vincentsmithauthor

One of the most puzzling things about Jesus’ teaching was that he constantly took the accepted standards of the world and said they don’t work; and then turned them upside down to show what does work. The people whom Jesus … Continue reading →

Posted in Abundant life, Christlikeness, Jesus, Life, Living Life, Standards, Uncategorized, Values | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Life is a bridge

Posted on January 22, 2016 by vincentsmithauthor

The early church had a saying: ‘Life is a bridge. You cross over it, but you don’t build your house on it.’ It reminds us that we are travellers through this earthly existence and our true home lies beyond it. … Continue reading →

Posted in Faith, Heaven, Life, Life's journey, Life's lessons | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Not a bad deal after all!

Posted on May 22, 2015 by vincentsmithauthor

Economists tell us that it now costs middle income families nearly half a million dollars to raise a child. To ease the pain it’s worth thinking about what you actually get for it. You get a hand to hold, usually … Continue reading →

Posted in children, Cost, Family, Raising Children | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

I’m here to live my life

Posted on April 28, 2015 by vincentsmithauthor

A tourist once got an insight into life from an old native who refused to sell him the twenty strings of onions he had for sale, even though the tourist offered him top dollar for the lot. ‘Isn’t that what … Continue reading →

Posted in Life, Life's journey, Living Life, satisfaction, Work | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Insults never hurt unless you let them.

Posted on April 27, 2015 by vincentsmithauthor

A renowned Greek philosopher told one of his students that if he wanted to learn to be wise, he should give money to everyone who insulted him for a period of three years. And that’s what he did. When the … Continue reading →

Posted in Character, Insults, Self-control, Strength, Wisdom | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Longing for an island

Posted on March 14, 2015 by vincentsmithauthor

While holidaying in the Virgin Islands, magazine editor William Falk each day found himself gazing across the water to a little island and thinking that’s where he’d like to be – a place where life was simple. ‘My problem,’ he … Continue reading →

Posted in Abundant life, Contentment, Escape, Spiritual Insight | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Helping us laugh again

Posted on February 26, 2015 by vincentsmithauthor

Researchers say that children laugh around four hundred times a day, whereas adults, on average, only laugh fifteen times a day. Why is this? Do we stop laughing because we are old, or do we get old because we stop … Continue reading →

Posted in Cheerfulness, Faith, Joy, Laughter | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

My little red car

Posted on February 26, 2015 by vincentsmithauthor

I remember the first time I saw my little red Renault 750, sitting in a used car lot. It was my first car and I fell in love with it. It didn’t go very fast and sounded like a chaff … Continue reading →

Posted in Contentment, Disatisfaction, enjoyment, Envy | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

The more I have the more bored I am

Posted on February 25, 2015 by vincentsmithauthor

Family psychologist John Roseman has spent years researching the perennial problem of children complaining that they are bored. He reported that parents in less affluent countries tend to look at him with disbelief when he asks if their kids complain … Continue reading →

Posted in Affluence, Boredom, Contentment, Meaninglessness, Purpose in life | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment