LESSON OF THE DAY 1236

Ayahs of the Day:
When the sky bursts open and hearkens to its Lord and is given its due, and when the earth is distended and throws up what is in it and becomes empty and hearkens to its Lord and is given its due: O man, you are striving toward your Lord, and you will meet your Lord; then the one who is given his record in his right hand will be called to account for an easy reckoning and return to his people delighted. [84: 1 to 9]

Hadith of the Day:
Our Lord says: "Do not be misled by your egos, or you will be led away from the truth and into lies." [Hadith Qudsi]

Wise Quote of the Day:
Three things destroy a person: Persisting in sins with false hopes of repentance; delaying repentance with the delusion of long life; and despairing of His mercy. [Shaqeeq al Balkhi]

Guidance of the Day:
Buying or leasing a simpler car saves money and possibly trips to the mechanics. Having fewer things means less things to take care of, insure, think about, worry about, and keep clean. Each item you purchase on credit is more to pay for you, but is also one more bill to pay each month. I can go on, but I'm sure you get the picture. Voluntary Simplicity is not about giving up everything you own. To the contrary, there are obviously certain instances when obtaining (rather than getting rid of) something makes your life easier and simpler. For example, I can't imagine giving up my computer or fax machine. To do so would clearly make my life far more complicated and difficult.

Voluntary Simplicity is not about any single decision, nor is it about voluntary poverty. It's more of a direction, a series of conscious decisions that you make because you want to improve the quality of your life. The key is to take an honest look at what's truly important in your life. If you'd like a little more time, a little more energy, and a little more peace of mind, I encourage you to explore this topic a little more carefully. [Carlson, Don't Sweat the Small Stuff -- with your family]

Food for Thought:
Our minds can shape the way a thing will be because we act according to our expectations. All that a man does outwardly is but the expression and completion of his inward thought. To work effectively -- he must think clearly; to act nobly -- he must think nobly. The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts -- you cannot escape the results of your thoughts. You will become as small as your controlling desire, as great as your dominant aspiration.