As a child growing up in Sweden, Karolina Jurzyk didn’t pay much attention to her grandfather’s tales of wartime Poland.

Now, however, thanks to a long-forgotten letter, Jurzyk, 35, has uncovered the truth about how her family rescued and hid two Jewish sisters from the Nazis.

Having moved to Stockholm as a baby, Jurzyk grew up hearing from her grandparents about her great-grandfather’s bravery — though details were scant.

“I was very close to my grandparents,” she told CNN. “I spent every school holiday with them in Poland and World War II was very present because they both survived it.”

Jadwiga (L) and Fela (R) (in the photo above) wrote to Jurzyk’s great-grandfather after the war to thank him for saving their lives. (CNN)

When it comes down to doing THE RIGHT THING in the face of danger, will we?

There will be and perhaps have already been situations when our bravery is put to the test.

Will you and I be brave enough to do THE RIGHT THING regardless of the consequences?

There is a right time and a wrong time for each issue we may be considering.

A door of opportunity that was closed yesterday may be wide open today.

Sometimes, the right time for something might fall right into your lap.

That sure happened to me when I first laid eyes on my future wife.

I also, by the way, don’t believe in coincidence.

I firmly believe that God provides us with opportunities that we may decide to accept or reject.

How do you know when the timing is right for you to go in a certain direction?

It all comes down to your intuition.

IT HAS TO FEEL RIGHT!

And you’re intuition is the only one that counts.

Doors to most opportunities aren’t closed forever.

So, look for that moment when it FEELS RIGHT and GO FOR IT!

If not today, when?

You should have goals and there is a process for identifying the proper goals for yourself.

IDENTIFYING YOUR GOAL

What are the results you want from this goal?

How will this goal change your life for the better?

Is this a logical goal for this time in your life?

Do you have the skills necessary to obtain this goal?

If not, what other skills must you acquire?

What will be your deadline for obtaining this goal?

MAKING IT HAPPEN

What time allocation will you need to accomplish this goal?

Are you prepared to put forth the effort that will be  required?

What financial commitment will be needed, if any?

What are the obstacles you’ll face and how will you overcome them?

Will you need to seek help from others and if so, from whom and why?

In order to stay on track, will you tell others about your goal and make a commitment to its completion?

If not today, when?

There is obviously a difference of opinion between you and your superior.

So, what should you do about iI? Compile a fact sheet to present to your boss.

Some of the issues that should be included are:

How long has it been since your last raise?

Have you demonstrated that you are a team player?

Do you produce or exceed the amount of work expected of you?

What are the ways in which you have contributed to your company’s success? Do you show up for work on time and do you spend the hours on your job that are expected?

Have you brought any new ideas to management that can make your company more competitive?

After presenting and discussing your fact sheet, ask your boss if a raise should be given now. If not what other efforts will be expected of you in order to earn one?

If not today, when?

While driving yesterday morning, a family of deer crossed the road ahead of me in single file.

They crossed with parents leading them.

There was a much smaller deer at the back which was crossing after the others had made it safely to the other side.

The older ones stopped after crossing and all of them looked back to be sure that the “baby” had crossed safely.

IT TOOK MY BREATH AWAY!

Obviously, in the animal kingdom, FAMILY COMES FIRST.

The concern the older ones had about the safe crossing of the little one said it all.

And it is another teaching moment for those of us who have children.

As parents, we must strive to keep our family together even if there are some renegades.

The child we raise may take on habits or beliefs unique to him or her.

Regardless of their development into adulthood, we must look back to be sure they are safe and loved!

If not today, when?

As shown above, butterflies must struggle to emerge from their cocoons.

If you try to help it escape its cocoon, IT WILL DIE!

Is there a lesson here for parents?

I think so.

If you pamper your children, will they be adequately prepared for the rigors of adulthood?

They are growing up in a world of uncertainty and a degree of chaos in society.

Shouldn’t your kids have chores to perform around the house?

And shouldn’t those chores be strictly enforced?

How about when they are teenagers and eligible to join the workforce?

They should work whether your family does or does not need the money.

Every parent should, of course, love their kids.

Every parent should also, however, equip them with the tools needed to become self-sufficient adults.

When they face struggle as adults, they will be able to draw upon their struggles as children.

If not today, when?

“What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works?

Can faith save him? ¹⁵ 

If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, ¹⁶ and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? 

Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.”     (James: 2, 14-26) 

I guess it’s just that simple.

Faith is not enough until your faith is manifested in action.

And that action must be for the benefit of someone in need.

When you do reach out to help someone in need, you may or may not get a “Thank You” in return.

So, the motive within you must be the knowledge that you are truly living out your faith.

And that should be all the motive you’ll ever need.

If not today, when?

This great song from Simon and Garfunkel says it all.

And this line from their song: “If I never loved, I never would have cried.”

We have often cried because we have loved much.

When we love someone, we know we might lose them someday.

We enter every relationship fully aware of the possible outcome.

What made Simon and Garfunkel so much admired was the wisdom in their lyrics.

They understood suffering and loss.

So, we hang on to those we love with all our might while we still have them.

Be grateful for their gift.

I know they’re not perfect and neither are you.

Love them in this moment because this moment is all you have.

If not today, when?

Nine hours, 30 minutes and 1 second.

That’s how long Daniel Scali held an abdominal plank position, shattering the men’s world record.

When the 28-year-old Australian man broke the record last month, the tough feat was made even more difficult by complex regional pain syndrome, or CRPS, which causes almost constant pain in his left arm.

Scali told CNN he has been dealing with chronic pain since the age of 12 when he fell off a trampoline and broke his arm.

“The pain is still there.”

“The pains aren’t changing but my attitude towards the pain changes.” (CNN)

Can we change our attitude about what’s possible?

Most of us neglect to use our maximum potential in all areas of endeavor!

Let’s learn a valuable lesson from Daniel Scali.

If not today, when?