While traveling the other day I came across a field whose only crop seemed to be these thistles.  Hundreds of these dangerous looking purple and green plants swayed in the morning breeze seemed to be waiving at me, trying to catch my attention.  I park and take a little stroll on the wild side looking for something of beauty amongst the weeds.   

        I was amazed at the variety of creatures (bugs, insects, spiders, and one very large & ill tempered snake) that also were drawn to this strange garden.  Each purple leaf appeared to be adorned with a creepy-crawly and a stinger.  Bugs of all shapes and sizes buzzed about in bewilderment as I browsed the mid-evil foliage.  Once again I was rewarded as I simply slowed down and looked for something good in an unexpected place.  I have decided you can find beauty and blessings wherever you are if you will just look for them.

        So here I am and I notice this one plant was surrounded by ladybugs.  The base of the plant had a few dozen of these feminine creatures all riding the slow bus and headed for the top floor.  This one beauty was perched high above the others and enjoying her breakfast with a wonderful view of Bugville.  No doubt she had been climbing for a long time and had suffered some hardship along the way.  She was missing a good portion of her right wing (I repaired it in Photoshop).  But in spite of the difficulties and her handicaps she kept climbing until she reached the buffet in Bugville.

        Let my Lady friend be an encouragement to you today.  When you are faced with difficult circumstances, keep on climbing.  Do not stop.  Keep on going and following your dreams.  Don't quit.  If you fall down, get back up.  You can reach your goal if you just keep on climbing.  Put your heart into what you do, and you will find that it will put heart into you.  Perhaps you have been hurt in the past, maybe you too have a damaged wing; forget about it, just keep on climbing.  Happiness is a choice; choose to keep climbing.

Something to think about:

• The difference between the impossible and the possible lies in a man’s determination.

• Faith will lead you where you cannot walk.  Reason has never been a mountain climber.

• The toughest kind of climbing is getting out of a rut.

• If you don’t climb the mountain you can’t see the view.

• The hardest thing about climbing the ladder of success is getting through the crowd at the bottom.

• Courage isn’t having the strength to go on—it’s going on when you don’t have the strength.

• Accept the circumstances, then seek to overcome them.

• The best time to hold on is when you reach the place where the average person gives up.

Better a fall than not to climb.
Rickey Moore