Advice from Gary to our Newlyweds!

I wanted to share a few rules or principles of living A Better Way to Live together...

Rule 1 -
Count your blessing. Appreciate the assets you already possess.

Rule 2 -
Today, and every day, deliver more than you are getting paid to do. The victory of success will be half won when you learn the secret of putting out more than is expected in all that you do. Make yourself so valuable in your work that eventually you will become indispensable. Excercise your privilege to go the extra mile, and enjoy all the rewards you receive. You deserve them!

Rule 3 -
Whenever you make a mistake or get knocked down in life, don't look back at it too long. Shake off your blunders. Never quit. If you want to succeed, you must learn to live with failure. The only people who never fail are those who never, never try.

Rule 4 -
Always reward your long hours of labor and toil in the very best way, surrounded by your family. Nuture their love carefully, remembering that your children need models, not critics, and your own progress will hasten when you constantly strieve to present your best side to your children.

Rule 5 -
Build this day on a foundation of pleasant thoughts. Let the vision in your heart be in your life's blueprint. Smile!

Rule 6 -
Let your actions always speak for you, but be forever on guard against the terrible traps of false pride and conceit that can halt your progress.

Rule 7 -
Each day is a special gift from God, and while life may not always be fair, you must never allow the pains, hurdles, and handicpas of the moment to poision your attitude and plans for yourself and your future.

Rule 8 -
Never again clutter your days or nights with so many menial and unimportant things that you have no time to accept a real challenge when it comes along. This applies to play as well as work. A day merely survived is no cause for celebration. Leave time, leave space, to grow. Now, Now! Not tomorrow!

Rule 9 -
Live this day as if it will be your last. Remember that you will only find "Tomorrow" on the calendars of fools. This is your day! Never treat time as if you had an unlimited supply.

Rule 10 -
Beginning today, treat everyone you meet, friend or foe, loved one or stranger, as if they were going to be dead at midnight. Extend to each person, no matter how trivial the contact, all the care and kindness and understanding and love that you can muster, and do it with no thought of any reward.

Rule 11 -
Laugh at yourself and at life. Never take yourself too seriously.

Rule 12 -
Never neglect the little things. Never skimp on that extra effort, that additional few minutes, that soft word of praise or thanks, that delivery of the very best that you can do. It does not matter what others think, it is of prime importance, however, what you think about you. You can never do your best, which should be your trademark, if you are cutting corners and shirking responsibilities. You are special. Act it. Never neglect the litle things!

Rule 13-
Welcome every morning with a smile. Be a self-starter. Today will never happen again. Don't waste it with a false start or no start at all. You were not born to fail. Open to the obituary page!

Rule 14 -
You will achieve your grand dream, a day at a time, so set goals for each day -- not long diffucult projects, but chores that will take you, step by step, toward your rainbow. Write them down, if you must, but limit your list so that you won't have to drag today's undone matters into tomorrow. Remember that you cannot build your pyramid in twenty-four hours. Be patient. Never allow your day to become so cluttered that you neglect your most important goal -- to do the best you can, enjoy this day, and rest satisfied with what you have accomplished.

Rule 15 -
Never allow anyone to rain on your parade and thus cast a pall of gloom and defeat on the entire day. Nothing external can have any power over you unless you permit it. Guard your fragile life carefully. Only God can shape a flower, but any foolish child can pull it to pieces.

Rule 16 -
Search for the seed of good in every adversity. Master that principle and you will own a precious shield that will guard you well through all the darkest valleys you must traverse. So will you learn things in adversity that you would never have discovered without trouble. "That's terrific"...

Rule 17 -
Realize that true happiness lies within you. Waste no time and effort searching for peace and contentment and joy in the world outside. Remember that there is no happiness in having or in getting, but only in giving. Reach out. Share. Smile. Hug. Happiness is a perfume you cannot pour on others without geting a few drops on yourself.

What a blessing to share these past 40 days. Remember to focus on the urgent and not the important priorities today. Your priorities are to enjoy each other and this precious day.

What a blessing to witness Karen working side by side with each and all of you preparing for this day. She has been the love of my wife these 28 years. Thank you Karen for your dedication and agape love. I love you.
Your passion is so contagious during this entire process and time.

I have three precious things which I hold fast and prize. The first is gentleness;, the second is frugality;, the third is humility......
Be gentle and you can be bold ; be frugal and you can be liberal; avoid putting yourself before others and you can become a leader among men or women.

Practice what you preach....I have heard this expressed so many times...how true to do what I know is right. The principles of righteousness are truth and the outcome is zoe life.

Your dreams will come true when your ways will please the Lord and your marriage will be blessed when you follow His steps.

Enjoy this day. Great memories. Treasure this time. I never did anything alone. Whatever I accomplished was accomplished collectively. I love you guys so much. Gabe and Hannah, Michael and Bethany....you're the best.

Love you dad