All you need is LOVE

Being a father of three, I am always pressed for time.
I truly believe that even though I'm a millionaire, but I will be a total failure if I'm a horrible dad.
Thus, the most important lesson to impart to my kids is LOVE.


If I live in a house of spotless beauty with everthing in its place, but have not love, I am a housekeeper --not a homemaker.


If I have time for waxing, polishing, and decorative achievements, but have not love, my children learn cleanliness--not godliness.

Love leaves the dust in search of a child's laugh. Love smiles at the tiny fingerprints on a newly cleaned window.


Love wipes away the tears before it wipes up the spilled milk. Love picks up the child before it picks up the toys.


Love is present through the trials. Love reprimands, reproves, and is responsive. Love crawls with the baby, walks with the toddler, runs with the child, then stands aside to let the youth walk into adulthood.


Love is the key that opens salvation's message to a child's heart.


Before I became a parent, I took glory in my house of perfection.
Now I glory in God's perfection of my child.

As a father, there is much I must teach my child, but the greatest of all is love.

Why worry

Being a business owner, I have had sleepless nights. Thinking out the next A&P campaign, the right product mix, HR issues etc.

Worrying is an everyday staple.

Then I read this poem by Cynthia Groopman.


Worry not



Worry not, dear ones,

Do not rob yourself of joy and fun.

Life should be for rejoicing and for pleasure,

Savour each moment in mirthful measure.

Worry not, my dear ones,

Life battles with God's help you have successfully won.

Remember that worry will not be a solution but will cause lots of stress,

Weakening your spirit and denying you with quiet rest.

Just look at the rainbow of hope,

With prayers, and faith and courage, you will successfully overcome and cope.

A tribute to my Dad

I know it's 2 weeks too late, but I just emailed my Dad and I wanted to keep this memory.

By Joseph J. Mazzella
Hi Dad. 

I just wanted to write you a little note to thank you for all the things you have done
for me over the years, but I realized if I did that it would be a whole book. I hope you don’t mind
then if I just hit the highlights.

     Thanks Dad for having the good sense to marry Mom all those years ago. You couldn’t have
chosen a better wife or mother for all of us.

Thanks Dad for not stopping at two kids or else I wouldn’t be here today. Thanks Dad for that stack of books you kept in the corner of the living room. It got me reading early and I haven’t stopped since.  Thanks for everyone of those dinners over the years. They were food for both the stomach and the soul.  Thanks too for giving me your old car. You kept me driving instead of walking or riding.

     Thanks Dad for always encouraging me and supporting my choices even when I made the
wrong ones. Thanks for always being there to talk to when I had problems and pain. You helped
me through a lot more than you know over the years. Thanks for being such a great dad to all
your kids and such a loving grandfather to all of your grandchildren.

     Thanks so much Dad for being there through laughter and tears, triumph and tragedy, love
and loss, happiness and heartbreak. I am so happy that you were my Dad. You taught me how to
always be there for my own children. You showed me how to be a good man. You helped me to
find my way through life and back to love, joy, and God. Happy Father’s Day Dad. I hope that
we share many more of them together. I love you.

What we should pray for

 I asked God to take away my pain.
 God said, No. It is not for me to take away your pain,
 but for you to give it up.

 I asked God to make that handicapped child whole.
 God said, No. Her spirit is whole, her body was only
 temporary.

 I asked God to grant me patience.
 God said, No. Patience is a by product of
 tribulations; It isn't granted, it is learned.

 I asked God to give me happiness
  God said, No. I give you blessings. Happiness is up
 to you.

 I asked God to spare me pain.
  God said, No. Suffering draws you apart from worldly
 cares and brings you closer to me.

 I asked God to make my spirit grow.
  God said, No. You must grow on your own, but I will
 prune you to make you fruitful.

 I asked for all things that I might enjoy life.
  God said, No. I will give you life so that you may
 enjoy all things.

 I ask God to help me LOVE others, as much as he loves
 me.
 God said...Ahhhh, Finally you have the idea.

Why no one should whine and gripe

Today, upon a bus,


I saw a girl with golden hair.

I envied her, she seemed so gay,

And I wished I was as fair.

When suddenly she rose to leave,

I saw her hobble down the aisle.

She had one leg and used a crutch.

But as she passed, she gave a smile.



Oh, God, forgive me when I whine.

I have 2 legs, the world is mine.



I stopped to buy some candy.

The lad who sold it had such charm.

I talked with him, he seemed so glad.

If I were late, it'd do no harm.

And as I left, he said to me,

"I thank you, you've been so kind.

It's nice to talk with folks like you.

You see," he said, "I'm blind."



Oh, God, forgive me when I whine.

I have 2 eyes, the world is mine.



Later while walking down the street,

I saw a child with eyes of blue.

He stood and watched the others play.

He seemed not to know what to do.

I stopped a moment and then I said,

"Why don't you join the others dear?"

He looked ahead without a word.

And then I knew he couldn't hear.



Oh, God, forgive me when I whine.

I have 2 ears, the world is mine.

With feet to take me where I'd go.

With eyes to see the sunset's glow.

With ears to hear what I'd know.

Oh, God, forgive me when I whine

I've been blessed indeed, the world is mine

Shipping and life

I used to be in the shipping industry.
I had a great boss who taught us that you should always always motivate your staff to be the best.
"Shoot for the stars, for if you miss, you get the moon" he said.

Now that I'm running a business of my own with a big group of staff to feed, I have to inculcate the exact same culture into my associates.

I remember this quote:

If you want to build a ship, don't drum up people together to collect wood and don't assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the sea.


- Antoine de Saint-Exupery