Peace

Reflections

I vow never to repay evil with evil. 

I will only seek out a man for good. 

(Dead Sea Scrolls 1QS 10:17-18)

Put away your sword. 

All, who use a sword will die by a sword.

(Matthew 26: 52)

Don't take anything personally.

Nothing others do is because of you.

What others say and do is a projection of their own reality.

When you are immune to the opinions

and actions of others,

you won't be the victim of needless suffering.

(Don Miguel Ruiz)

No one is my enemy

No one is a foreigner

With all I am at peace

God within us renders us

Incapable of hate and prejudice.

(Sikh Scripture on Peace)

Scripture Reading

May all beings all live happily and safe

And may their hearts rejoice within themselves

Whatever there may be with breath of life,

Whether they be frail or very strong,

Without exception, be they long or short,

Or middle-sized, or be they big or small, 

Or thick, or visible, or invisible,

Or whether they dwell far or they dwell near,

Those that are here, those seeking to exist-

May beings all rejoice within themselves.

Let no one bring about another's ruin

And not despise in any way or place,

Let them not wish each other any ill

From provocation or from enmity.

-The Buddha, Sutta Nipata

Moment of Reflection


Scripture Reading

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden,

and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you

and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart,

and you will find rest for your souls. 

For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

(Matthew 11:28-30)

Sermon

Peace of mind is something that we all want.  We all want to be able to rest, to not have to worry, to feel free to enjoy life, family, friends, work, church, hobbies, entertainment, etc.  We want to be able to enjoy ourselves and not be burdened down with worries that rob us of vigor, life, and purpose.

Sometimes when we can'tfind peace of mind, we get depressed.  We often get angry and lash out at God or someone else near to you.

What do you do to get peace?  I mean real peace in your life.  Where do you start?  What do you do?

Well, the best place to start is with God (1)

Memory Verse

The worshippers of the All-Merciful

are they who tread gently upon the earth,

and when the ignorant address them, they reply,

"Peace!"

(Qur'an 25:63)

Closing Prayer

We pray for the power to be gentle,

the strength to be forgiving; the patience to be understanding;

and the endurance to accept the consequences to holding

to what we believe to be right.

May we put our trust in the power of good to

overcome evil and the power of love to

overcome hatred. We pray for the vision to see

and the faith to believe in a world

emancipated from violence, a new world

where fear shall no longer lead men to commit injustice,

nor selfishness to make them bring suffering to others.

Help us devote our whole life and thought and energy

to the task of making peace, praying always for 

inspiration and the power to fulfill the destiny for which 

we were created.

(Prayer for World Peace, 1978)

(1)     Slick, Matt. "True Peace in Your Life." http://carm.org/christianity/sermons/philippians-46-9-true-peace-your-life (accessed November 30, 2012).

Gratitude is the Attitude

Reflections

This is the day the Lord has made,

let us rejoice and be glad in it. (Psalm 118:24)

Give thanks in all circumstances; 

for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (1 Thess. 1:16)

May the passions of lust, anger, greed, pride, and 

attachment depart from me. O Lord, I come to

seek Thy shelter: Bless me with thy grace. (Sikh Prayer)

Scripture Reading

The primary spiritual weakness of human beings is 

their lack of constant, heartfelt gratitude directed

toward the Source of and Goal of the universe.

The history of humanity testifies clearly to this fundamental

thanklessness. Persons commit vast amounts of energy

to acquiring and enjoying the abundant goods of

earthly life, without making serious efforts to know

and consciously praise the source of life.

At the end time, those asleep in death will

suddenly awaken, and the secrets of every heart and mind

will shine forth, illuminated by the Source of Light

who is intimately acquainted with all souls.

On that infinite day, humanity will recognize its own 

extreme ingratitude, and will humbly know true

gratitude at last. (Quran 100:6-11)

Moment of Reflection

Scripture Reading

Infinite mind-streams flowing throughout beginning less time

have been my mothers and have thus poured forth 

inconceivable tenderness and loving sacrifice for me.

To all these beloved, intimately connected living beings,

who are manifesting as animals, humans, gods, and demons,

I now offer profound gratitude. 

I vow to liberate all of them from their complex and painful

emotional and conceptual bondage.

I vow to struggle for their physical and spiritual

well-being throughout all my future lifetimes.

I vow to bring them all, through the powerful teaching

of the Buddha, into Final Nirvana of non dual emptiness

and bliss. (Budda)

Moment of Reflection

Sermon

Two men were walking through a field one day when they spotted an enraged bull. Instantly, they darted toward the nearest fence. The storming bull followed in hot pursuit, and it was zoo apparent they wouldn't make it. Terrified the one shouted to the other, "Put up a prayer, John. We're if for it!" John answered, "I can't. I've never made a public prayer in my life." "But you must!" implored his companion. "The bull is catching up to us." "All right," panted John, "I'll say the only prayer I know, the one my father used to repeat at 

the table" 'O Lord, for what we are about to receive, make us truly thankful.'"

If there is one sin that most prevalent today, it is a sin of ingratitude. God does so much for us. Our indebtedness to him is enormous and yet we rarely, at least infrequently offer thanks for what he has done, in fact, most professing Christians don't even offer thanks over their meals much less

offer thanks over all that God does in their lives. We are much like the little boy that is given an orange by a man. The boy's mother asked: "What do you say to the nice man?" The little boy thought and handed the orange back and said, "Peel it."

For a child of God thankfulness is not confined to a day, or a season, it is an attitude that we should have everyday. (Belcher, 2001)

Memory Verse

A thankful person is thankful under 

all circumstances. (Baha'u'llah)

Closing Prayer

Drop Thy still dews of quietness,

Till all our strivings cease; 

Take from our souls the strain and strew,

And let our ordered lives confess

The beauty of Thy peace. (John Greenleaf Whittier)

Belcher, Michael. SermonCentral.com, "An Attitude of Gratitude." Last modified 2001. Accessed November 28, 2012. http://www.sermoncentral.com/sermons/an-attitude-of-gratitude-michael-belcher-sermon-on-christian-disciplines-41069.asp.

Charitable Living, Charitable Love

Reflections:

Owe no one anything, except to love each other,

for the one who loves another has 

fulfilled the law. (1)

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God,

and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. (2)

There is liberation of mind through love. (3)

Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future,
concentrate the mind on the present moment. 

Scripture Reading:

How easily we can forget how precious life is!
So long as we can remember, we've just been here, 
being alive.
Unlike other things for which we have a comparison-
black to white, day to night, good to bad-
we are so immersed in life that we can
see it only in the context of itself.
We don't see life as compared to anything, to
not-being, for example, to never having been born.
Life just is.
But life itself is a gift.
It's a compliment just being born:
to feel, breathe, think play, dance, sing, work, 
make love, for this particular lifetime.
Today, let's give thanks for life. 
For life itself! For simply being born. (4)

Moment of Reflection

Scripture Reading

The Buddha saw into the heart of the supporter of orphans; 

and knowing that unselfish charity was the moving cause of his offer,

in acceptance of the gift, the Blessed One said:

'The charitable man is loved by all; his friendship is

prized highly; in death his heart is at rest and full of joy, for he suffers

not from repentance; he receives the opening flower of his

reward and the fruit that ripens from it. Hard it is to

understand: By giving away our food,

we get more strength, by bestowing clothing on others, 

we gain more beauty; by donating abodes of purity and truth,

we acquire great treasures.' (5)

Moment of Reflection

Sermon

When the love of God is manifested through the life of the child of God, someone becomes the recipient of that which the Bible calls “charity.” God’s supreme and sacrificial, unconditional compassion for mankind is captured in the Greek word “agape” and is on most occasions translated love. However, in more than two dozen instances in our King James Bible, we find the word charity selected to describe God’s love at work in and then through a believer to a needy person. People who live in the love of God are living charitably. This way of living leads to loving others with the love of God, hence, “Charitable Living: Charitable Loving.” (6)

Memory Verse

Thou hast given so much to me,

Give one thing more, a grateful heart. (7)

Closing Prayer

Great spirit, who hast blessed the earth that it should

be fruitful and bring forth whatsoever is needful for the

life of man, and hast commanded us to work with

quietness, and eat our own bread; Bless the labors of

those who till the fields and grant such seasonable

weather that we may gather in the fruits of the earth. (8)

(1)The Holy Bible(NIV). Romans 13:8. Colorado Springs, CO: The International Bible Society, 1984. 

(2)The Holy Bible(NIV). 1John 4:7. Colorado Springs, CO: The International Bible Society, 1984.
(3) Ragland, Thomas. The Noble Eightfold Path of Christ- Jesus teaches the Dharma of Buddhism. Victoria, BC: Trafford, 2003.
(4)Kingma, Daphne Rose. How easily we can forget.... A Grateful Heart. Edited by M. J. Ryan. San Fracisco: Conari Press, 1994.
(5)  Carus, Paul. Buddha, The Gospel. Chicago: The Open Court Publishing Company, 1894. http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/btg/index.htm (accessed November 27, 2012).
(6)Wikel, Andrew. FastPencil, "Charitable Living: Charitable Loving." Last modified 2011. Accessed November 27, 2012. http://www.fastpencil.com/publications/1581-Charitable-Living-Charitable-Loving.
(7)Herbert, George. Thou hast given...A Grateful Heart. Edited by M. J. Ryan. San Fracisco: Conari Press, 1994.
(8)  Book of Common Prayer

The Weather and Mindfulness

Reflections

The Lord is slow to anger and great in power,

and the Lord will by no means clear the guilty.

His way is in the whirlwind and storm,

and the clouds are the dust of his feet. (1)

But the Lord hurled a great wind upon the sea,

and there was a mighty tempest on the sea,

so that the ship threatened to break up. (2)

Have you not seen how God [Allah] makes the

clouds move gently, then joins them together,

then makes them into a stack,

and then you see the rain come out of it...(3)

Scripture Reading

I lift up my eyes to the mountains-

where does my help come from?

My help comes from the Lord,

the Maker of heaven and earth.

He will not let your foot slip-

he who watches over you will not slumber;

The Lord watches over you-

the Lord is your shade at your right hand;

the sun will not harm you by day,

nor the moon by night.

The Lord will keep you from all harm-

he will watch over your life;

the Lord will watch over your coming

and going both now and forevermore. (6)

Moment of Meditation


Scripture Reading

Feelings, whether of compassion or irritation,

should be welcomed, recognized, and treated on 

an absolutely equal basis; because both are ourselves.

The tangerine I am eating is me. The mustard greens

I am planting are me. I plant with all my heart and mind.

I clean this teapot with the kind of attention I

would have were I giving a baby Buddha or Jesus a bath.

Nothing should be treated more carefully than anything else.

In mindfulness, compassion, irritation, mustard green plant,

and teapot are all sacred. (5)

Moment of Meditation


Sermon

Mindfulness is a state of mind that brings about internal peace and calm. Some people call it living in the now or being present in a moment-to-moment existence manner. Being present in your day to day, moment by moment existence of your life is maintaining an awareness of where you are

and who you are perpetually, if possible, so that you always have your wits about you. You are calm and peaceful, and understanding of the various situations you may encounter day to day throughout your life. I remember a conversation years ago I had with person that went like this:

I said:   "Beautiful weather this summer."

He said:   "It's been bloody cold."

I said:   "Really, we've been setting record highs."

He said: "Not from what I see."

Even though it was summer, it was very warm. How do we

get two extremes like this? For this individual it may have been that he wasn't feeling well and was a bit chilled. He may have had a long term cold of some sort. Maybe he was depressed and this is how he perceived the external world. Whatever the cause, the reality is that he viewed the world this way. So, in order to be more mindful, start observing your reality. (4)

Memory Verse

My help and the weather come from the Lord.

Closing Prayer

Just for today I will experience all 

in complete acceptance, joy, gratitude, and

freedom from fear. 

Every morning, during my meditation, I repeat:

Just for today...

I will not worry.

I will not get angry.

I will count my many blessings.

I will love and respect every living creature (including myself)

I will do an honest days work (on myself)

Amen (7)

1)     Open Bible, "Nahum 1:3." Accessed November 26, 2012  http://www.openbible.info/topics/the_weather.

2)     Open Bible, "Jonah 1:4." Accessed November 26, 2012 http://www.openbible.info/topics/the_weather.

3)     Illustrated Guide to Understanding Islam. "The Qur'an 24:43." Accessed November 26, 2012 http://www.islam-guide.com/ch1-1-g.htm

4)     Noble Buddhism, "The Action of Mindfulness." Accessed November 26, 2012. http://www.noble-buddhism-beliefs.com/mindfulness.html.

5)     Hanh, Thich Nhat. "The Miracle of Mindfulness: An Introduction to the Practice of Meditation." Accessed November 26, 2012. http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/tag/mindfulness.

6)     BibleGateway.com, "Psalm 121 (NIV)." Accessed November 26, 2012. http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm 121&version=NIV.

7)     Abramowitz, Jane. "Jane's Mindfulness Journal." Accessed November 26, 2012. http://mindfulnessjournal.wordpress.com/tag/blessings-prayer/.

Creation

Opening Reflections

All that is in heaven and earth gives glory to Allah.

He is the Mighty, the Wise One.

His is the kingdom of the heavens and the earth. 

He ordains life and death and has power over all.

He is the first and the last, the visible and the unseen. 

He has knowledge of all things.

(Quran 57:1)

Scripture Reading

The source of all creation is pure consciousness...

pure potentiality seeking expression from

the unmanifest to the manifest.

And when we realize that our true Self

is one of pure potentiality,

we align with the power 

that manifests everything in the universe.

In the beginning

there was neither existence nor non-existence,

All this world was unmanifest energy.

The One breathed, without breath,

by its own power,

Nothing else was there.

-The Rig Veda (1)

Moment of Reflection

Scripture Reading

In the beginning was the word, 

and the word was with God,

and the Word was God.

He was with God in the beginning.

Through him all things were made;

without him nothing was made that has been made.

In him was life,

and tha life was the light of men.

The light shines in the darkness,

but the darkness has not understood it.

-Bible, John 1:1-5

Moment of Reflection

Sermon

After years and years of trying to please other people's

images of what you should be, after attempting different

kinds of rebellion and trying to find who you really are,

you finally give up and accept other people's images

of what you are. But, there is something inside you that longs 

to be free; it is always telling you,

"This is not who I really am. This is not 

what I really want. " 

You are not free to be who you really are

because you are trapped by images of what 

you think you should be.

Your whole point of view of your whole reality

is based on what you believe you are,

but what you believe about yourself is just a concept. 

It is knowledge, but knowledge does not mean it is truth. 

Knowledge only means it is what you know. (2)

-Ruiz, 2000

Memory Verse

In the beginning God [Allah] created the heaven and the earth...

And God [Allah] saw every thing that he had made,

and. behold, it was very good.

Bible, Genesis 1:1, 31

Closing Prayer

Loving Father and Creator of all we come to you today deeply grateful for your creation. As we look around us we are amazed at the greatness and majesty of all that you have made. Nature around us speaks of your greatness - the vast expanse of the sky, the mountains, trees, lakes and streams speak of your great design. You have given us such beauty in the colors of the rainbow, the beauty of flowers and fields. Words cannot adequately express the magnificence of all you have created. We join in praise with the writer of the psalms when he says, "O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth." May we show our love and reverence to you, our Lord, by caring for all that you have created. We humbly give you praise and thanks. Amen

(1) Deepak Chopra, The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success, (San Rafael, CA: New World Library, 1994), 8-9.

(2)Don Miguel Ruiz, The Four Agreements Companion Book, (San Rafael, CA: Amber-Allen Publishing, 2000), 17-18.

Living Honorably

Opening Reflections:

Better than a thousand hollow words, 

is one word that brings peace.

-The Buddha

• The only real failure in life is not be true 
• to the best one knows.
• -The Buddha
• Surely goodness and mercy
• shall follow me all the days of my life:
• and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
• -Bible, Psalm 23:6
• The Prophet Muhammad said: “None of you
• truly believes until he wishes for his 
• brother what he wishes for himself.”
• -Sahih Al Bukhari 8: Hadith 47

Scripture Reading:

““When we contemplate the duration of the universe, we see it limited to the present moment, which is nothing more but the point which separates two infinities of time. The past and the future are as meaningless as if they did not exist. Is anyone more misguided than the man who barters an eternal future for a moment which passes quicker than the blink of an eye?”.”
——— Ibn Hazm Al Andalousi (994-1064 A.D., Al Akhlaq wa’l Siyar

Moment of Reflection: 

(moment of quiet reflection)

Scripture Reading:

Lord, I do not puff myself up or stare about,

  or walk among the great or seek wonders beyond me.

Truly calm and quiet I have made my spirit:

  quiet as a weaned child in its mother’s arms –

  like an infant is my soul.

Let Israel hope in the Lord, now and for all time.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,

  as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,

  world without end.

Amen.

(Bible, Psalm 130)

Moment of Reflection

(moment of quiet reflection)

Sermon

“Our opportunities to give of ourselves are indeed limitless, but they are also perishable. There are hearts to gladden. There are kind words to say. There are gifts to be given. There are deeds to be done. There are souls to be saved.

As we remember that “when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God,” (Mosiah 2:17) we will not find ourselves in the unenviable position of Jacob Marley’s ghost, who spoke to Ebenezer Scrooge in Charles Dickens’s immortal "Christmas Carol." Marley spoke sadly of opportunities lost. Said he: 'Not to know that any Christian spirit working kindly in its little sphere, whatever it may be, will find its mortal life too short for its vast means of usefulness. Not to know that no space of regret can make amends for one life’s opportunity misused! Yet such was I! Oh! such was I!'

Marley added: 'Why did I walk through crowds of fellow-beings with my eyes turned down, and never raise them to that blessed Star which led the Wise Men to a poor abode? 

Were there no poor homes to which its light would have conducted me!'

Fortunately, as we know, Ebenezer Scrooge changed his life for the better. 

I love his line, 'I am not the man I was.

-Thomas Monson, 16th President of the

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints

Memory Verse:

Three Things Cannot be long hidden:

the Sun, the Moon, and the Truth

-The Buddha

Closing Prayer:

Grant O merciful God, that I may ardently desire, carefully examine, truly know and perfectly fulfill those things that are pleasing to You and to the praise and glory of Your holy name.

Direct my life, O my God, and grant that I might know what you would have me to do and for me to fulfill it as is necessary and profitable to my soul.

Grant to me, O Lord my God, that I may not be found wanting in prosperity or in adversity and that I may not be lifted up by one nor cast down by the other.

May I find joy in nothing but what leads to You and sorrow in nothing but what leads away from You.

May I seek to please no one or fear to displease anyone save only You.

St. Thomas Aquinas

Reflections on Food

Opening Reflections:

So, whether you eat or drink, 
or whatever you do, do all to the
glory of God.
-Bible, 1 Corinthians 10-31

And God said, "Behold, I have
given you every plant yielding seed
that is on the face of all the earth,
and every tree with see in its fruit.
You shall have them for food."
-Bible, Genesis 1:29

"On life's journey faith is nourishment,
virtuous deeds are a shelter, 
wisdom is the light by day and right
mindfulness is the protection by night.
- The Buddha

Eat of what Allah has given you, lawful and 
good things, and give thanks for
Allah's favor if him you serve.
- Quran, 16:114

Scripture Reading:

When the mind is polluted by sin and shame,

it is cleansed by the love of God's Name.

Our actions keep us away from God

or draw Him bear.

If one earns Merit here, one lives in

Bliss forever.

That food, that pleasure is vain which 

fills the mind with evil and makes

the body writhe in pain.

- Sikh scriptures

Moment of Reflection: 

(moment of quiet reflection)

Scripture Reading:

Friend do it this way- that is,
whatever you do in life, do the very best you can
with both your heart and mind.
And if you do it that way,
the Power of the Universe
will come to your assistance,
if your heart and mind are Unity.
When one sits in the Hoop of the People
one must be responsible because
All of creation is related,
And the hurt of one is the hurt of all.
And the honor of one is the honor of all.
And whatever we do effects everything in the universe.

If you do it that way- that is,
If you truly join your heart and mind- as one-
whatever you ask for, 
that's the Way It's Going to Be.
-Native American, Lakota Instructions for Living

Moment of Reflection

(moment of quiet reflection)

Sermon

Can you imagine eating nothing but Junk Food? What would happen to Your Body – Your Health – to You? What would be the consequences of allowing every meal to be defined by these unhealthy food cravings? When it comes to eating right, you can’t simply do that when it’s CONVENIENT, can you? The fact that so much ‘JUNK FOOD’ can also be referred to as “FAST FOOD” is a good reminder of the lack of benefits. Eating Healthy:
• It often costs more, in terms of both money and time
• It often costs more to eat healthy
• It’s often not convenient
• But if we know we need it, it won’t matter if it’s convenient or not.

Junk food has a severe lack of nutrition. Most junk food provides nothing but empty calories and nothing in terms of vital ingredients. Our bodies need adequate nutrition to function properly and junk food deprives our bodies of this nutrition. There is something even more harmful than physical junk food. Let’s talk about SPIRITUAL JUNK FOOD this morning. Just as our bodies need proper nutrition, we even more need the FORGIVENESS
- Wayne Lawson, Sermons

Memory Verse for Today:

And whatever of blessings 
and good things you have,
 it is from Allah [God]” 
[al-Nahl 16:53]

Closing Prayer:

Honor the sacred.

Honor the Earth, our Mother,

Honor the Elders.

Honor all with whom we share the Earth.

Walk in balance and beauty.

-Native American Elder

Thanksgiving Gratitude

Opening Reflections:

Let us rise up and be thankful,
for if we didn't learn a lot today,
at least we learned a little, and if we didn't
learn a little, at least we didn't get sick,
and if we got sick, at least we didn't die;
so, let us be thankful. 
-Buddha

In everyone's life, at some time,
our inner fire goes out. It is then burst into flame by
an encounter with another human being.
We should all be thankful for those people 
who rekindle the inner spirit.
-Albert Schweitzer

Indeed blessings are attained 
through gratitude, and gratitude is
related to increase and these two are
linked so that increase from 
Allah does not diminish
until gratitude from the 
servant diminishes.
-Ali

Scripture Reading:

Gratitude helps us focus our minds on Allah, 
something that has unfortunately become so difficult today on account of life’s distractions and attractions. 
Gratitude, therefore, corrects our perceptions 
by reminding us that everything 
that happens to us doesn’t happen 
because of its own volition and 
thus we shouldn’t take matters for “granted”. 
Allah says in the Quran: “And whatever of blessings and good things you have, it is from Allah” [al-Nahl 16:53]. He also says, “And He found you poor and made you rich (self?sufficient with self?contentment)” [al-Duha 93:8]. Let’s therefore constantly remind ourselves 
of Allah’s bounties by expressing 
our gratitude to Him 
in prayers and at other times.(8)

Moment of Reflection: 

(moment of quiet reflection)

Scripture Reading:

And let the peace of Christ

rule in your hearts, so to which indeed

you were called in one body.

And be thankful. Let the word of

Christ dwell in you richly, teaching

and admonishing one another

in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns

and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in

your hearts to God.

-Bible, Colossians 3:15-18

Moment of Reflection

(moment of quiet reflection)

Sermon

Practicing mindfulness of gratitude consistently leads to a direct experience of being connected to life and the realization that there is a larger context in which your personal story is unfolding. Being relieved of the endless wants and worries of your life's drama, even temporarily, is liberating. Cultivating thankfulness for being part of life blossoms into a feeling of being blessed, not in the sense of winning the lottery, but in a more refined appreciation for the interdependent nature of life. It also elicits feelings of generosity, which create further joy. Gratitude can soften a heart that has become too guarded, and it builds the capacity for forgiveness, which creates the clarity of mind that is ideal for spiritual development.(7)

Memory Verse for Today:

And whatever of blessings 
and good things you have,
 it is from Allah [God]” 
[al-Nahl 16:53]

Closing Prayer:

Thank you, Lord God, Allah, Creator Spirit.
Amen

(1) Biddulph, Desmond and Flynn, Darcy. Teachings of the Buddha: The Wisdom of the Dharma, From the Pali Canon to the Sutras. London: Duncan Baird Publishers, 1988.

(2) The Holy Bible(NIV). Colorado Springs, CO: The International Bible Society, 1984.

Dalai Lama and Cutler, Howard. The Art of Happiness. New York: The Penguin Group, 1998.

(3) "Pearls of Wisdom." Last modified 2012. Accessed November 19, 2012. http://www.sapphyr.net/natam/quotes-nativeamerican.htm.

(4) Gammard, Ibrahim. Dar-Al-Masnavi, "Thanksgiving from the Islamic Perspective." Last modified 2002. Accessed November 19, 2012. http://www.dar-al-masnavi.org/thanksgiving.html.

(5) Ragland, Thomas. The Noble Eightfold Path of Christ- Jesus teaches the Dharma of Buddhism. Victoria, BC: Trafford, 2003.

(6)  Daily Prayer. Philadelphia, PA: Westminster Press, 1987.

(7) Moffit, Phillip. Dharma Wisdom, "Selfless Gratitude." Accessed November 22, 2012. http://www.lifebalanceinstitute.com/dharmawisdom/articles/selfless-gratitude-0.

(8) IqraSense.com, "The Blessings of Gratitude and Shukr." Accessed November 22, 2012. http://www.iqrasense.com/muslim-character/the-blessings-of-gratitude-and-shukr.html.