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A young man was getting ready to graduate from college. For many months
he had
admired a beautiful sports car in a dealer's showroom, and knowing
his father could well
afford it, he told him that was all he wanted.
As Graduation Day approached, the young man awaited signs that his father
had
purchased the car. Finally, on the morning of his graduation, his father
called him into his
private study. His father told him how proud he was to have such a
fine son, and told him
how much he loved him. He handed his son a beautifully wrapped gift
box.
Curious, and somewhat disappointed, the young man opened the box and
found a lovely,
leather-bound Bible, with the young man's name embossed in gold.
Angry, he rose his voice to his father and said "With all your money,
you give me a
Bible?" and stormed out of the house.
Many years passed and the young man was very successful in business.
He had a beautiful
home and wonderful family, but realized his father was very old, and
thought perhaps he
should go to him. He had not seen him since that graduation day.
Before he could make arrangements, he received a telegram telling him
his father had
passed away, and willed all of his possessions to his son. He needed
to come home
immediately and take care of things.
When he arrived at his father's house, sudden sadness and regret filled
his heart. He began
to search through his father's important papers and saw the still gift-wrapped
Bible, just as
he had left it years ago. With tears, he opened the Bible and began
to turn the pages. His
father had carefully underlined a verse, Matt. 7:11, " If you
then, who are evil, know how
to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father
who is in heaven give
good things to those who ask him!"
As he read those words, a car key dropped from the back of the Bible.
It had a tag with
the dealer's name, the same dealer who had the sports car he had desired.
On the tag was
the date of his graduation, and the words PAID IN FULL.
How many times do we miss God's blessings because we can't see past our own desires?
A story is told about a soldier who was finally coming home after having
fought in
Vietnam. He called his parents from San Francisco.
"Mom and Dad, I'm coming home, but I've a favor to ask. I have a friend
I'd like to bring
home with me."
"Sure," they replied, "we'd love to meet him."
"There's something you should know," the son continued. "He was hurt
pretty badly in the
fighting. He stepped on a land mind and lost an arm and a leg. He has
nowhere else to go,
and I want him to come live with us."
"I'm sorry to hear that, son. Maybe we can help him find somewhere to live."
"No, Mom and Dad, I want him to live with us."
"Son," said the father, "you don't know what you're asking. Someone
with such a
handicap would be a terrible burden on us. We have our own lives to
live, and we can't let
something like this interfere with our lives. I think you should just
come home and forget
about this guy. He'll find a way to live on his own."
At that point, the son hung up the phone. The parents heard nothing
more from him. A
few days later, however, they received a call from the San Francisco
police. Their son had
died after falling from a building, they were told. The police believed
it was suicide. The
grief-stricken parents flew to San Francisco and were taken to the
city morgue to identify
the body of their son.
They recognized him, but to their horror they also discovered something
they didn't know:
their son had only one arm and one leg.
A parable is told of a farmer who owned an old mule. The mule fell into
the farmer's well.
The farmer heard the mule 'braying' -or- whatever mules do when they
fall into wells.
After carefully assessing the situation, the farmer sympathized with
the mule, but decided
that neither the mule nor the well was worth the trouble of saving.
Instead, he called his
neighbors together and told them what had happened ...and enlisted
them to help haul dirt
to bury the old mule in the well and put him out of his misery.
Initially, the old mule was hysterical! But as the farmer and his neighbors
continued
shoveling and the dirt hit his back ... a thought struck him. It suddenly
dawned on him that
every time a shovel load of dirt landed on his back ... HE SHOULD SHAKE
IT OFF
AND STEP UP! This he did, blow after blow.
"Shake it off and step up...shake it off and step up...shake it off
and step up!" No matter
how painful the blows, or how distressing the situation seemed the
old mule fought against
panic and just kept right on SHAKING IT OFF AND STEPPING UP!
It wasn't long before the old mule, battered and exhausted, stepped
triumphantly out of
the well.
Wishing to encourage her young son's progress on the piano, a mother
took her boy to a
Paderewski concert. After they were seated, the mother spotted a friend
in the audience
and walked down the aisle to greet her.
Seizing the opportunity to explore the wonders of the concert hall,
the little boy rose and
eventually explored his way through a door marked "NO ADMITTANCE."
When the
house lights dimmed and the concert was about to begin, the mother
returned to her seat
and discovered that the child was missing.
Suddenly, the curtains parted and spotlights focused on the impressive
Steinway on stage.
In horror, the mother saw her little boy sitting at the keyboard, innocently
picking out
"Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star."
At that moment, the great piano master made his entrance, quickly moved
to the piano,
and whispered in the boy's ear, "Don't quit. Keep Playing."
Then leaning over, Paderewski reached down with his left hand and began
filling in the
bass part. Soon his right arm reached around to the other side of the
child and he added a
running obbligato.
Together, the old master and the young novice transformed a frightening
situation into a
wonderfully creative experience. The audience was mesmerized.
(return
to Contents)
A water bearer in India had two large pots, one hung on each end of
a pole which he
carried across his neck. One of the pots had a crack in it, and while
the other pot was
perfect and always delivered a full portion of water at the end of
the long walk from the
stream to the master's house, the cracked pot arrived only half full.
For a full two years this went on daily, with the bearer delivering
only one and a half pots
full of water to his master's house. Of course, the perfect pot was
proud of its
accomplishments, perfect to the end for which it was made. But the
poor cracked pot was
ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it was able to
accomplish only half of
what it had been made to do.
After two years of what it perceived to be a bitter failure, it spoke
to the water bearer one
day by the stream. "I am ashamed of myself, and I want to apologize
to you."
"Why?" asked the bearer. "What are you ashamed of?"
"I have been able, for these past two years, to deliver only half my
load because this crack
in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your master's
house. Because of
my flaws, you have to do all of this work, and you don't get full value
from your efforts,"
the pot said.
The water bearer felt sorry for the old cracked pot, and in his compassion
he said, "As we
return to the master's house, I want you to notice the beautiful flowers
along the path."
Indeed, as they went up the hill, the old cracked pot took notice of
the sun warming the
beautiful wild flowers on the side of the path, and this cheered it
some. But at the end of
the trail, it still felt bad because it had leaked out half its load,
and so again it apologized
to the bearer for its failure.
The bearer said to the pot, "Did you notice that there were flowers
only on your side of
your path, but not on the other pot's side? That's because I have always
known about your
flaw, and I took advantage of it. I planted flower seeds on your side
of the path, and every
day while we walk back from the stream, you've watered them. For two
years I have been
able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate my master's table.
Without you being just
the way you are, he would not have this beauty to grace his house."
We all have our own unique flaws. We are all cracked pots. But if we
will allow it, the
Lord will use our flaws to grace The Master's table. In God's great
economy, nothing goes
to waste. So as God calls us and we seek ways to minister together,
let us not be afraid of
your flaws. Acknowledge them, and allow God to take advantage of them,
and you, too,
can be the cause of beauty on life's pathway. Go out boldly, knowing
that in our weakness
there is strength, and in our imperfections there is purpose.
The Day Phillip Joined the Group
He was 9 -- in a Sunday school class of 8-year olds. Eight-year-olds
can be cruel. The
third-graders did not welcome Phillip to their group. Not just because
he was older. He
was "different." He suffered from Down's Syndrome and its obvious manifestations:
facial
characteristics, slow responses, symptoms of retardation.
One Sunday after Easter the Sunday school teacher gathered some of those
plastic eggs
that pull apart in the middle -- the kind in which some ladies' pantyhose
are packaged. The
Sunday school teacher gave one of these plastic eggs to each child.
On that beautiful
spring day each child was to go outdoors and discover for himself some
symbol of "new
life" and place that symbolic seed or leaf or whatever inside his egg.
They would then
open their eggs one by one, and each youngster would explain how his
find was a symbol
of "new life."
So ...
The youngsters gathered 'round on the appointed day and put their eggs
on a table, and
the teacher began to open them.
One child had found a flower. All the children "oohed" and "aahed" at
the lovely symbol of
new life.
In another was a butterfly. "Beautiful," the girls said. And it's not
easy for an 8-year-old to
say "beautiful".
Another egg opened to reveal a rock. Some of the children laughed. "That's
crazy!" one
said. "How's a rock supposed to be like a new life?'". Immediately
a little boy spoke up
and said, "That's mine. I knew everybody would get flowers and leaves
and butterflies and
all that stuff, so I got a rock to be different."
Everyone laughed.
The teacher opened the last one, and there was nothing in it. "That's
not fair," someone
said. "That's stupid," said another. The teacher felt a tug on his
shirt. It was Phillip.
Looking up he said, "It's mine. I did it. It's empty. I have new life
because the tomb is
empty."
The class fell silent.
From that day on Phillip became part of the group. They welcomed him.
Whatever had
made him different was never mentioned again. Phillip's family had
known he would not
live a long life; just too many things wrong with the tiny body. That
summer, overcome
with infection, Phillip died.
On the day of his funeral nine 8-year-old boys and girls confronted
the reality of death and
marched up to the altar -- not with flowers. Nine children with their
Sunday school teacher
placed on the casket of their friend their gift of love -- an empty
egg...
--Paul Havey.
One of the toughest tasks a church faces is choosing a good minister.
A member of an
official board undergoing this painful process finally lost patience.
He'd just witnessed the
Pastoral Relations Committee reject applicant after applicant for some
minor fault -- real
or imagined. It was time for a bit of soul-searching on the part of
the committee. So he
stood up and read this letter purporting to be from another applicant.
Gentlemen:
Understanding your pulpit is vacant, I should like to apply for the
position. I have many
qualifications. I've been a preacher with much success and also had
some success as a
writer. Some say I'm a good organizer. I've been a leader most places
I've been.
I'm over 50 years of age and have never preached in one place for more
than three years.
In some places, I have left town after my work caused riots and disturbances.
I must admit
I have been in jail three or four times, but not because of any real
wrongdoing.
My health is not too good, though I still accomplish a great deal. The
churches I have
preached in have been small, though located in several large cities.
I've not gotten along well with religious leaders in the towns where
I have preached. In
fact, some have threatened me, and even attacked me physically. I am
not too good at
keeping records. I have been known to forget whom I have baptized.
However, if you can use me, I promise to do my best for you.
The board member turned to the committee and said, "Well, what do you
think? Shall we
call him?"
The good church folks were appalled! Consider a sickly, trouble-making,
absent-minded
ex-jailbird? Was the board member crazy? Who signed the application?
Who had such
colossal nerve?
The board member eyed them all keenly before he replied, "It's signed,
'The Apostle
Paul.'" -- Unknown
When You Thought I Wasn't Looking (WYTIWL)
* When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you hang my drawing on the
refrigerator, and I wanted to draw another one.
* When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you make my favorite cake
for
me, and it wasn't even my birthday, and I knew that little things
are special things.
* When you thought I wasn't looking, I heard you say a prayer, and I
believed there is a God I could always talk to.
* When you thought I wasn't looking, I felt you kiss me goodnight, and
I
felt loved.
* When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw tears come from your eyes,
and I learned that sometimes things hurt, but it's all right to cry.
* When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you become very angry, and
stay calm and "use your words", and I learned to do that too.
* When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you give my clothes that
didn't fit any more to those less fortunate, and I learned to reach
out
to others to help.
* When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you read, just for fun, and
I
learned to love books, and learning.
* When you thought I wasn't looking I saw you look at the night sky,
and
I learned to see beauty in the world around me.
* When you thought I wasn't looking, I heard you sing as you worked,
and
I learned that work can bring great satisfaction.
* When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you fail, and make mistakes,
and I saw you keep doing your best, and I learned perseverance.
* When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw that you cared and I wanted
to be everything that I could be.
* When you thought I wasn't looking, I looked . . . and wanted
to say
thanks for all the things I saw when you thought I wasn't looking.
The value of Love
A woman came out of her house and saw 3 old men with long white
beards sitting in her front yard. She did not recognize them.
She said "I don't think I know you, but you must be hungry.
Please come in and have something to eat."
"Is the man of the house home?", they asked. "No", she said. "He's
out."
"Then we cannot come in", they replied.
In the evening when her husband came home, she told him what had happened.
"Go tell them I am home and invite them in!"
The woman went out and invited the men in.
"We do not go into a House together," they replied.
"Why is that?" she wanted to know.
One of the old men explained: "His name is Wealth," he said
pointing to one of his friends, and said pointing to another
one, "He is
Success, and I am Love." Then he added, "Now go in and
discuss with your
husband which one of us you want in your home."
The woman went in and told her husband what was said. Her
husband was overjoyed. "How nice!!", he said. "Since that
is the case,
let us invite Wealth. Let him come and fill our home with wealth!"
His wife disagreed. "My dear, why don't we invite Success?"
Their daughter-in-law was listening from the other corner of the
house. She jumped in with her own suggestion: "Would it
not be
better to invite Love? Our home will then be filled with love!"
"Let us heed our daughter-in-law's advice," said the husband to
his wife. "Go out and invite Love to be our guest."
The woman went out and asked the 3 old men, "Which one of you is
Love? Please come in and be our guest."
Love got up and started walking toward the house. The other 2
also got up and followed him. Surprised, the lady asked Wealth
and
Success: "I only invited Love, Why are you coming in?"
The old men replied together: "If you had invited Wealth or
Success, the other two of us would've stayed out, but since you invited
Love, wherever He goes, we go with him. Wherever there is Love,
there
is also Wealth and Success!!!!!!"
I dreamed I had an interview with God.
"Come in," God said. "So, you would like to interview Me?"
"If you have the time," I said.
God smiled and said: "My time is eternity and is enough to do everything;
what questions
do you have in mind to ask me?"
"What surprises you most about mankind?"
God answered: "That they get bored of being children, are in a rush
to grow up, and
then long to be children again.
That they lose their health to make money and then lose their money
to
restore their health.
That by thinking anxiously about the future, they forget the present,
such that they live neither for the present nor the future.
That they live as if they will never die, and they die as if they had
never lived..."
God's hands took mine and we were silent for while and then I asked...
"As a parent, what are some of life's lessons you want your children
to
learn?
God replied with a smile:
"To learn that they cannot make anyone love them. What they can
do is
to let themselves be loved.
To learn that what is most valuable is not what they have in their
lives, but whom they have in their lives.
To learn that it is not good to compare themselves to others.
All will
be judged individually on their own merits, not as a group on a comparison
basis!
To learn that a rich person is not the one who has the most, but is
one
who needs the least.
To learn that it only takes a few seconds to open profound wounds in
persons we love, and that it takes many years to heal them.
To learn to forgive by practicing forgiveness.
To learn that there are persons that love them dearly, but simply do
not
know how to express or show their feelings.
To learn that money can buy everything but happiness.
To learn that two people can look at the same thing and see it totally
differently.
To learn that a true friend is someone who knows everything about
you...and likes you anyway.
To learn that it is not always enough that they be forgiven by others,
but that they have to forgive themselves."
I sat there for awhile enjoying the moment.
I thanked Him for his time and for all that He has done for me and my
family, and He replied, "Anytime.
I'm here 24 hours a day. All you have to do is ask for me, and
I'll
answer."
People will forget what you said. People will forget what you
did...
but people will never forget how you made them feel.
A SURVIVAL KIT FOR EVERY DAY LIVING
Items Needed:
Toothpick
Rubber Band
Band Aid
Pencil
Eraser
Chewing Gum
Mint
Candy Kiss
Tea Bag
Why???
1) TOOTHPICK - to remind you to pick out the good qualities
in others.
2) RUBBER BAND - to remind you to be flexible, things might not
always go the way you want, but it will work out.
3) BAND AID - to remind you to heal hurt feelings, yours
or someone else's.
4) PENCIL - to remind you to list your blessings everyday.
5) ERASER - To remind you that everyone makes mistakes,
and it's OK.
6) CHEWING GUM - to remind you to stick with it and
you can accomplish anything.
7) MINT - to remind you that you are worth a mint.
8) CANDY KISS - to remind you that everyone needs a kiss
or a hug everyday.
9) TEA BAG - to remind you to relax daily and reflect on all the
positive things in your
life.
I have in my hands two boxes
Which God gave me to hold.
He said, "Put all your sorrows in the black,
And all your joys in the gold."
I heeded His words, and in the two boxes
Both my joys and sorrows I store,
But though the gold became heavier each day
The black was as light as before.
With curiosity, I opened the black
I wanted to find out why
And I saw, in the base of the box, a hole
Which my sorrows had fallen out by.
I showed the hole to God, and mused aloud,
"I wonder where my sorrows could be."
He smiled a gentle smile at me.
"My child, they're all here with me."
I asked, "God, why give me the boxes,
Why the gold, and the black with the hole?"
"My child, the gold is for you to count your
blessings,
the black is for you to let go."
God made
Adam bit
Noah arked
Abraham split
Joseph ruled
Jacob fooled
Bush talked
Moses balked
Pharaoh plagued
People walked
Sea divided
Tablets guided
Promise landed
Saul freaked
David peeked
Prophets warned
Jesus born
God walked
Love talked
Anger crucified
Hope died
Love rose
Spirit flamed
Word spread
God remained.
Customer: I'm not very technical, but I think I am ready to install
now. What do I do first?
CS Rep: The first step is to open your HEART. Have you located your
HEART
ma'am?
Customer: Yes I have, but there are several programs running right now.
Is
it okay to install while they are running?
CS Rep: What programs are running ma'am?
Customer: Let me see....I have PASTHURT.EXE, LOWESTEEM.EXE,
GRUDGE.EXE, and RESENTMENT.COM running right now.
CS Rep: No problem. LOVE will automatically erase PASTHURT.EXE from
your
current operating system. It may remain in your permanent memory,
but it
will no longer disrupt other programs. LOVE will eventually
overwrite
LOWESTEEM.EXE with a module of its own called HIGHESTEEM.EXE.
However,
you have to completely turn off GRUDGE.EXE and ESENTMENT.COM.
Those programs prevent LOVE from being properly installed. Can
you turn
those off ma'am?
Customer: I don't know how to turn them off. Can you tell me how?
CS Rep: My pleasure. Go to your Start menu and invoke
FORGIVENESS.EXE. Do this as many times as necessary until GRUDGE.EXE
and
RESENTMENT.COM have been completely erased.
Customer: Okay, I'm done. LOVE has started installing itself automatically.
Is that normal?
CS Rep: Yes it is. You should receive a message that says it will
reinstall for the life of your HEART. Do you see that message?
Customer: Yes I do. Is it completely installed?
CS Rep: Yes, but remember that you have only the base program.
You need
to begin connecting to other HEART's in order to get the upgrades.
Customer: Oops...I have an error message already. What should I do?
CS Rep: What does the message say?
Customer: It says "ERROR 412 - PROGRAM NOT RUN ON INTERNAL
COMPONENTS".
What does that mean?
CS Rep: Don't worry ma'am, that's a common problem. It means
that
the LOVE program is set up to run on external HEARTS but has
not yet been
run on your HEART. It is one of those complicated programming
things, but
in non-technical terms it means you have to "LOVE" your own machine
before
it can "LOVE" others.
Customer: So what should I do?
CS Rep: Can you find the directory called "SELF-ACCEPTANCE"?
Customer: Yes, I have it.
CS Rep: Excellent, you are getting good at this.
Customer: Thank you.
CS Rep: You're welcome. Click on the following files and then
copy
them to the "MYHEART" directory: FORGIVESELF.DOC, SELFESTEEM.TXT,
REALIZEWORTH.TXT, and GOODNESS.DOC. The system will overwrite
any
conflicting files and begin patching any faulty programming.
Also, you
need to delete SELFCRITIC.EXE from all directories, and
then empty your
recycle bin afterwards to make sure it is completely gone and never
comes back.
Customer: Got it. Hey! My HEART is filling up with really neat files.
SMILE.MPG is playing on my monitor right now and it shows that
WARMTH.COM, PEACE.EXE, and CONTENTMENT.COM are copying themselves
all over My HEART!
CS Rep: Then LOVE is installed and running. You should be able to
handle It from here. One more thing before I go...
Customer: Yes?
CS Rep: LOVE is freeware. Be sure to give it and its various modules
to
everybody you meet. They will in turn share it with other people
and they
will return some really neat modules back to you.
Customer: I will. Thank you for your help.
THE GOOSE STORY
Next fall, when you see Geese heading South
for the winter. ..flying along in V formation...
you might consider what science has discovered
as to why they fly that way:
As each bird flaps its Wings, it creates
an Uplift for the bird immediately Following.
By flying in V formation, the Whole Flock adds
at least 71% greater Flying Range
than if each bird Flew on its Own.
People who share a common direction
and sense of community
can get where they are going more quickly and easily
because
they are traveling on the thrust of one another.
When a goose Falls out of Formation
it suddenly feels the Drag and Resistance
of trying to go it alone...and quickly
gets back into formation to take Advantage
of the Lifting Power of the bird in front.
If we have as much sense as a goose
we will stay information with those
who are headed the same way we are.
When the Head Goose gets tired it rotates back
in the Wing and another goose flies Point.
It as sensible to take turns doing demanding jobs
with people or with geese flying south.
Geese honk from behind to Encourage those up Front
to keep up their Speed.
What do we say when we honk from behind?
Finally.. .and this is important...when a goose get sick,
or it is wounded by Gunshots, and falls out of Formation,
two other Geese fall out with that goose and
follow it down to lend Help and Protection.
They stay with the Fallen Goose until it is able to Fly,
or until it dies; and only then do they launch out
on their own, or with another Formation
to catch up with their Group.
If we have the sense of a goose
we will stand by each other like that.
STORY NO. 1
World War II produced many heroes. One such man was Butch O'Hare. He
was a
fighter pilot assigned to an aircraft carrier in the South Pacific.
One day his entire squadron was sent on a mission. After he was airborne,
he
looked at his fuel gauge and realized that someone had forgotten to
top off
his fuel tank. He would not have enough fuel to complete his
mission and get
back to his ship. His flight leader told him to return to the carrier.
Reluctantly he dropped out of formation and headed back to the fleet.
As he was returning to the mother ship, he saw something that turned
his
blood cold. A squadron of Japanese Zeroes were speeding their way toward
the
American fleet. The American fighters were gone on a sortie and
the fleet
was all but defenseless. He couldn't reach his squadron and bring them
back
in time to save the fleet. Nor, could he warn the fleet of the approaching
danger.
There was only one thing to do. He must somehow divert them from the
fleet.
Laying aside all thoughts of personal safety, he dove into the formation
of
Japanese planes. Wing-mounted 50 calibers blazed as he charged in,
attacking
one surprised enemy plane and then another.
Butch weaved in and out of the now broken formation and fired at as
many
planes as possible until finally all his ammunition was spent.
Undaunted he
continued the assault. He dove at the Zeroes trying to at least
clip off a
wing or tail, in hopes of damaging as many enemy planes as possible
and
rendering them unfit to fly. He was desperate to do anything he could
to keep
them from reaching the American ships. Finally, the exasperated Japanese
squadron took off in another direction. Deeply relieved Butch O'Hare
and his
tattered fighter limped back to the carrier.
Upon arrival he reported in and related the event surrounding his return.
The
film from the camera mounted on his plane told the tale. It showed
the extent
of Butch's daring attempt to protect his fleet. He was recognized as
a hero
and given one of the nation's highest military honors.
And today O'Hare Airport in Chicago is named in tribute to the courage
of
this great man.
STORY NO. 2
Some years earlier there was a man in Chicago called Easy Eddie.
At that
time Al Capone virtually owned the city. Capone wasn't famous for anything
heroic. His exploits were anything but praiseworthy. He was, however,
notorious for enmeshing the city of Chicago in everything from bootlegged
booze and prostitution to murder.
Easy Eddie was Capone's lawyer and for a good reason. He was very good.
In
fact, his skill at legal maneuvering kept Big Al out of jail. To show
his
appreciation, Capone paid him well. Not only was the money big; Eddie
got
special dividends. For instance, he and his family occupied a fenced
in
mansion with live-in help and all of the conveniences of the day. The
estate
was so large that it filled an entire Chicago city block. Yes, Easy
Eddie
lived the high life of the Chicago mob and gave little consideration
to the
atrocity that went on around him.
Eddie did have one soft spot, however. He had a son that he loved dearly.
Eddie saw to it that his young son had the best of everything: clothes,
cars,
and a good education. Nothing was withheld. Price was no object.
And, despite his involvement with organized crime, Eddie even tried
to teach
him right from wrong. Yes, Eddie tried to teach his son to rise above
his own
sordid life. He wanted him to be a better man than he was. Yet, with
all his
wealth and influence, there were two things that Eddie couldn't give
his son.
Two things that Eddie sacrificed to the Capone mob that he could not
pass on
to his beloved son--a good name and a good example.
One day Easy Eddie reached a difficult decision. Offering his son a
good name
was far more important than all the riches he could lavish on him.
He had to
rectify all the wrong that he had done. He would go to the authorities
and
tell the truth about Scar-face Al Capone. He would try to clean up
his
tarnished name and offer his son some semblance of integrity.
To do this he must testify against The Mob, and he knew that the cost
would
be great. But more than anything he wanted to be an example to
his son. He
wanted to do his best to make restoration and hopefully have a good
name to
leave his son. So, he testified. Within the year, Easy Eddie's life
ended in
a blaze of gunfire on a lonely Chicago street. He had given his son
the
greatest gift he had to offer at the greatest price he would ever pay.
I know what you're thinking. What do these two stories have to do with
one
another? Well you see, Butch O'Hare was Easy Eddie's son.
A man found a cocoon of a butterfly. One day, a small opening
appeared.
The man sat and watched the butterfly for several hours as it struggled
to
force its body through that little hole.
After a while, the butterfly seemed to stop making any progress.
It
appeared as if it had gotten as far as it could, and it could go no
further.
So, the man decided to help the butterfly. He took a pair of
scissors and
snipped off the remaining bit of the cocoon.
The butterfly then emerged easily. However, it had a swollen body
and
small, shriveled wings. The man continued to watch the butterfly.
He
expected that, at any moment, the wings would enlarge and expand to
be able
to support the body, which would contract in time. Neither happened!
In
fact, the butterfly spent the rest of its life crawling around with
a
swollen body and shriveled wings.
The butterfly was never able to fly. What the man, in his kindness
and
haste, did not understand was that the restricting cocoon and the struggle
required for the butterfly to get through the tiny opening were God's
way of
forcing fluid from the body of the butterfly into its wings so that
it would
be ready for flight once it achieved its freedom from the cocoon.
Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need in our lives. If
God allowed
us to go through our lives without any obstacles, it would cripple
us. We
would not be as strong as what we could have been. We could never
fly!
I asked for Strength.........And God gave me Difficulties to make me
strong.
I asked for Wisdom...........And God gave me Problems to solve.
I asked for Prosperity.......And God gave me Brain and Brawn to work.
I asked for Courage..........And God gave me Danger to overcome.
I asked for Love.............And God gave me Troubled people to help.
I asked for Favors..........And God gave me Opportunities.
I got nothing I wanted ......but I received everything I needed!
A weary mother returned from the store,
Lugging groceries through the kitchen door.
Awaiting her arrival was her 8 year old son,
Anxious to relate what his younger brother had
done.
"While I was out playing and Dad was on a
call, T.J. took his crayons and wrote on the wall!
It's on the new paper you just hung in the den.
I told him you'd be mad at having to do it
again."
She let out a moan and furrowed her brow,
"Where is your little brother right now?"
She emptied her arms and with a purposeful
stride, She marched to his closet where he had gone to
hide.
She called his full name as she entered his
room. He trembled with fear--he knew that meant doom!
For the next ten minutes, she ranted and raved
About the expensive wallpaper and how she had
saved.
Lamenting all the work it would take to repair,
She condemned his actions and total lack of
care.
The more she scolded, the madder she got,
Then stomped from his room, totally distraught!
She headed for the den to confirm her fears.
When she saw the wall, her eyes flooded with
tears. The message she read pierced her soul with a
dart. It said, "I love Mommy," surrounded by a heart.
Well, the wallpaper remained, just as she found
it, With an empty picture frame hung to surround it.
A reminder to her, and indeed to all,
Take time to read the handwriting on the wall.
Author Unknown
(return
to Contents)
"To the world you might be one person, but to one
person you might just be the world."
Going to church does not make you a Christian
anymore than going to McDonald's makes you a hamburger."
"Real friends are those who, when you feel you've
made a fool of yourself, don't feel you've done a
permanent job."
"A coincidence is when God performs a miracle, and
decides to remain anonymous."
"Sometimes the majority only means that all the
fools are on the same side." - Michael W. Smith
"I don't have to attend every argument I'm invited
to."
"Lead your life so you won't be ashamed to sell the
family parrot to the town gossip." -Will Rogers Jr.
"People gather bundles of sticks to build bridges
they never cross."
"Life is 10% of what happens to you, and 90% of how
you respond to it."
"We are not human beings having a spiritual
experience, we are spiritual beings having a human
experience."
"Life is like an onion; you peel off one layer at a
time and sometimes you weep." -Carl Sandburg
"Learn from the mistakes of others. You can't live
long enough to make them all yourself."
"Following the path of least resistance is what
makes rivers and men crooked."
Lord, thank you for this sink of dirty dishes;
we have plenty of food
to eat.
Thank you for this pile of dirty, stinky laundry;
we have plenty of
nice clothes to wear.
And I would like to thank you, Lord, for those
unmade beds; they were
so warm and comfortable last night.
I know that many have no bed.
My thanks to you, Lord, for this bathroom,
complete with all the
spattered mess, the soggy, grimy towels, and
the dirty lavatory; they are so
convenient.
Thank you for this finger-smudged refrigerator
that needs defrosting so
badly; it has served us faithfully for many
years. It is full of cold drinks
and enough leftovers for two or three meals.
Thank you, Lord, for this oven that absolutely
must be cleaned today;
it has baked so many things over the
years.
The whole family is grateful for that tall
grass that needs mowing and
the lawn that needs raking; we all enjoy
the yard.
Thank you, Lord, even for that slamming door.
My kids are healthy and
able to run and play.
Lord, the presence of all these chores awaiting
me say You have richly
blessed my family. I shall do them cheerfully
and I shall do them gratefully.
Even though I clutch my blanket and growl when
the alarm rings, thank
you Lord that
I can hear. There are many who are deaf.
Even though I keep my eyes closed against
the morning light as long as
possible, thank you Lord that I can see.
There are many who are blind.
Even though I huddle in my bed and put off
rising, thank you Lord that
I have the strength to rise. There are
many who are bedridden.
Even though the first hours of my day are hectic
when socks are lost,
toast is burned, tempers are short, and my
children are loud, thank you Lord for
my family; there are many who are lonely.
Even though our breakfast table never looks
like the pictures in the
magazines and the menu is at times not balanced,
thank you Lord for the food we
have; there are many who are hungry.
Even though the routine of my job is often
monotonous, thank you Lord
for the opportunity to work. There are
many who have no job. Even though I
grumble and bemoan my fate from day to day
and wish my circumstances were not
so modest, thank you Lord for LIFE!
-Author unknown
To Whom It May Concern:
I hereby officially tender my resignation as an adult. I have
decided I
would like to accept the responsibilities of a 6 year old again.
I want to go to McDonald's and think that it's a four star restaurant.
I
want to sail sticks across a fresh mud puddle and make ripples with
rocks.
I
want to think M&M's are better than money, because you can eat
them. I
want
to play kickball during recess and paint with watercolors in art.
I want
to
lie under a big oak tree and run a lemonade stand with my friends on
a hot
summer day.
I want to return to a time when life was simple. When all you
knew were
colors, addition tables, and simple nursery rhymes, but that didn't
bother
you, because you didn't know what you didn't know and you didn't care.
When
all you knew was to be happy because you didn't know all the things
that
should make you worried and upset. I want to think that the world
is fair.
That everyone in it is honest and good. I want to believe that
anything is
possible.
Somewhere in my youth I matured and learned too much. I learned
of nuclear
weapons, war, prejudice, starvation, and abused children. I learned
of
lies,
unhappy marriages, suffering, illness, pain and death. I learned
of a
world
where men left their families to go and fight for our country, and
returned
only to end up living on the streets, begging for their next meal.
I
learned
of a world where children knew how to kill....and did!!
What happened to the time when we thought that everyone would live forever,
because we didn't grasp the concept of death? When we thought
the worst
thing in the world was if someone took the jump rope from you or picked
you
last for kickball? I want to be oblivious to the complexity of
life and be
overly excited by little things once again. I want to return
to the days
when reading was fun and music was clean. When television was
used to
report
the news or for family entertainment and not to promote sex, violence,
and
deceit.
I remember being naive and thinking that everyone was happy because
I was.
I
would walk on the beach and only think of the sand between my toes
and
prettiest seashell I could find. I would spend my afternoons
climbing
trees
and riding my bike. I didn't worry about time, bills, or where
I was going
to find money to fix my car. I used to wonder what I was going
to do or be
when I grew up, not worry about what I'll do if this doesn't work out.
I want to live simple again. I don't want my day to consist of
computer
crashes, mountains of paperwork, depressing news, how to survive more
days
of
the month than there is money in the bank, doctor bills, gossip, illness,
and
loss of loved ones. I want to believe in the power of smiles,
hugs, a kind
word, truth, justice, peace, dreams, the imagination, mankind, and
making
angels in the snow. I want to be 6 again.
--author unknown--
May you get a clean bill of health from your
dentist, your
cardiologist, your gastro-endocrinologist, your urologist, your
proctologist, your
podiatrist, your psychiatrist, your gynecologist, your
plumber and the
IRS.
May your hair, your teeth, your face-lift,
your abs and your stocks
not fall; and may your blood pressure, your triglycerides, your
cholesterol,
your white blood count and your mortgage interest not rise.
May you find a way to travel from anywhere
to anywhere in the rush hour
in less than an hour, and when you get there may you find
a parking space.
May you wake up on January 1st, finding that the world
has not come to an
end, the lights work, the water faucets flow, and the
sky has not fallen.
May you go to the bank on Monday morning, January
3rd and find your
account is in order, your money is still there and any
mistakes are in
your favor.
May you ponder on January 4th; How did this
ultramodern civilization of
ours manage to get itself traumatized by a possible slip
of a blip on a
chip made out of sand.
May you be awe struck by God's sense of humor as
you wrestle with the
possibility that a professional wrestler could become
president of the
United States.
May what you see in the mirror delight you,
and what others see in you
delight them.
May someone love you enough to forgive your
faults, be blind to your
blemishes, and tell the world about your virtues.
May the telemarketers wait to make their sales
calls until you finish
dinner, and may your check book and your budget balance, and
may they
include generous amounts for charity.
May you remember to say "I love you" at least
once a day to your
spouse, your child, your parent; but not to your secretary, your
nurse, your
masseuse, your hairdresser or your tennis instructor.
A young man had been to Wednesday night Bible
Study.
The Pastor had shared about listening
to God and
obeying the Lord's voice. The young man couldn't
help but wonder, "Does God still speak to people?"
After service he went out with some friends
for
coffee and pie and they discussed the message.
Several different ones talked about how God had
led
them in different ways. It was about ten 'clock
when the young man started driving home. Sitting
in his
car, he just began to pray, "God.. If you
still
speak to people, speak to me. I will listen. I will
do my
best to obey."
As he drove down the main street of his town,
he
had the strangest thought, to stop and buy a gallon
of
milk. He shook his head and said out loud,
"God is
that you?" He didn't get a reply and started
on
toward home. But again, the thought, buy a
gallon
of
milk. The young man thought about Samuel and
how he
didn't recognize the voice of God, and how
little
Samuel ran to Eli.
"Okay, God, in case that is you, I will buy the
milk."
It didn't seem like too hard a test of obedience.
He could always use the milk. He stopped and
purchased
the gallon of milk and started off toward home.
As
he passed Seventh Street, he again felt the urge,
"Turn
down that street."
"This is crazy," he thought and drove on past
the
intersection. Again, he felt that he should
turn
down Seventh Street. At the next
intersection, he turned
back and headed down Seventh. Half jokingly,
he
said out loud, "Okay, God, I will."
He drove several blocks, when suddenly, he felt like
he should stop. He pulled over to the curb and
looked around. He was in semi-commercial
area of town. It
wasn't the best, but it wasn't the worst of
neighborhoods either.
The businesses were closed and most of the houses
looked dark like the people were already in bed.
Again, he sensed something, "Go and give the milk
to
the people in the house across the street."
The
young man looked at the house. It was dark and it
looked
like the people were either gone or they were
already asleep. He started to open the door and
then sat
back in the car seat.
"Lord, this is insane. Those people are asleep
and
if I wake them up, they are going to be mad
and I will
look stupid."
Again, he felt like he should go and give the milk.
Finally, he opened the door, "Okay God, if this
is
you, I will go to the door and I will give them
the
milk. If you want me to look like a crazy
person,
okay. I want to be obedient. I guess
that will
count for something but if they don't answer right
away, I
am out of here."
He walked across the street and rang the bell.
He
could hear some noise inside. A man's voice
yelled
out, "Who is it? What do you want?"
Then the door opened before the young man could get
away. The man was standing there in his jeans
and
T-shirt. He looked like he just got out of
bed. He
had a strange look on his face and he didn't seem
too happy to have some stranger standing on his
doorstep.
"What is it?"
The young man thrust out the gallon of milk, "Here,
I brought this to you."
The man took the milk and rushed down a hall way
speaking loudly in Spanish.
Then from down the hall came a woman carrying the
milk toward the kitchen. The man was following her
holding a baby. The baby was crying.
The man had tears
streaming down his face. The man began speaking
and
half crying, "We were just praying. We had
some big
bills this month and we ran out of money.
We didn't
have any milk for our baby. I was just praying
and
asking God to show me how to get some milk."
His
wife in the kitchen yelled out,
"I ask him to send an Angel with some. Are
you an
Angel?"
The young man reached into his wallet and pulled
all
the money he had on him and put it in the man's
hand.
He turned and walked back toward his car and the
tears were streaming down his face. He knew
that God
still answers prayers.
"God doesn't want us to do great things, only small
things with great
love."
-----Mother Theresa
Charles Sykes is the author of DUMBING DOWN OUR KIDS. He volunteered
for
high school and college graduates, a list of eleven things they did
not
learn in school. In his book, he talks about how the feel-good,
politically-correct garbage has created a generation of kids with no
concept
of reality and set them up for failure in the real world. The
following is
a list of real-life rules that you might want to share with your
kids and
friends.
Rule 1: Life is not fair; get used to it.
Rule 2: The world won't care about your self-esteem. The world
will expect
you to accomplish something BEFORE you feel good about yourself.
Rule 3: You will NOT make 40 thousand dollars a year right out of high
school. College either, most likely. You won't be a vice president
with a car
phone until you earn both.
Rule 4: If you think your teacher is tough, wait till you get
a boss. He
doesn't have tenure.
Rule 5: Flipping burgers is not beneath your dignity. Your grandparents
had
a different word for burger flipping; they called it opportunity.
Rule 6: If you screw up, it's not your parents' fault, so don't
whine about
your mistakes. Learn from them.
Rule 7: Before you were born, your parents weren't as boring as
they are
now. They got that way from paying your bills, washing your
clothes,
cooking your meals, and listening to you talk about how cool
you are. So
before you save the rain forest from the blood-sucking parasites of
your
parents' generation, try delousing the closet in your own
room.
Rule 8: Your school may have done away with winners and losers
but life has
not. In some schools they have abolished failing grades; they'll give
you as
many times as you want to get the right answer. This, of course, doesn't
bear the slightest resemblance to ANYTHING in real life.
Rule 9: Life is not divided into semesters. You don't get summers
off,
spring and winter breaks, and very few employers are interested in
helping
you find yourself. Do that on your own time.
Rule 10: Television is NOT real life. In real life people actually
have to
leave the coffee shop and go to jobs.
Rule 11: Be nice to nerds. Chances are you'll end up working for one.
A man's daughter had asked the local pastor to come
and pray with her father. When the pastor arrived, he found the man
lying in bed
his head propped up on two pillows and an empty chair beside
his bed. The
pastor assumed that the old fellow had been informed of his visit.
"I guess you were expecting me," he said.
"No, who are you?"
"I'm the new associate at your local church," the
pastor replied. "When I saw the empty chair, I figured you knew
I was going to
show up."
"Oh yeah, the chair," said the bedridden man. "Would you mind closing
the door?"
Puzzled, the pastor shut the door. "I've never told anyone this, not
even my
daughter," said the man. "But all of my life I have never known how
to pray.
At church I used to hear the pastor talk about prayer, but it always
went
right over my head. I abandoned any attempt at prayer," the old man
continued, "until one day about four years ago my best friend said
to me,
'Joe, prayer is just a simple matter of having a
conversation with Jesus. Here's what I suggest: Sit down on a chair;
place an
empty chair in front of you, and in faith see Jesus on the chair.
It's not
spooky because he promised, 'I'll be with you always.' Then just speak
to him and listen in the same way you're doing with me right
now.' So, I tried
it and I've liked it so much that I do it a couple of hours every day.
I'm
careful, though. If my daughter saw me talking to an empty chair,
she'd
either have a nervous breakdown or send me to off to the funny farm."
The pastor was deeply moved by the story and
encouraged the old guy to continue on the journey. Then he prayed
with him, and
returned to the church. Two nights later the daughter called to tell
the pastor that her daddy had died that afternoon.
"Did he seem to die in peace?" he asked.
"Yes, when I left the house around two o'clock, he
called me over to his bedside, told me one of his corny jokes,
and kissed me
on the cheek. When I got back from the store an hour later, I
found him
dead. But there was something strange, in fact, beyond strange--really
weird. Apparently, just before Daddy died, he leaned over and
rested his head
on a chair beside the bed."
--author unknown
....the mess to clean after a party because it means I have been
surrounded
by friends.
....the taxes I pay because it means I am employed.
....the clothes that fit a little too snug because it means I
have enough
to eat.
....a lawn that needs mowing, windows that need cleaning and
gutters that
need fixing because it means I have a home.
....my shadow who watches me work because it means I am out in
the sunshine.
....the spot I find at the far end of the parking lot because
it means I am
capable of walking.
....all the complaining about our government because it means
we have
freedom of speech.
....my large heating bill because it means I am warm.
....the lady behind me in church who sings off key because it
means that I
can hear.
....the alarm that goes off in the early morning hours because
it means I
am alive.
....the piles of laundry and ironing because it means my loved
ones are
nearby.
....weariness and aching muscles at the end of the day because
it means I
have been productive.
....and your friendship.
Happy Thanksgiving...
THINGS THAT MAKE YOU GO H-M-M--
"To the world you might be one person, but to one person you might be the world."
"Going to church does not make you a Christian anymore than going to
MacDonald's makes you a hamburger."
"Real friends are those who, when you feel you've made a fool of
yourself, don't feel you've done a permanent job."
"A coincidence is when God performs a miracle, and decides to remain
anonymous."
"Sometimes the majority only means that all the fools are on the same
side."
"I don't have to attend every argument I'm invited to."
"Lead your life so you won't be ashamed to sell the family parrot to the town gossip."
"People gather bundles of sticks to build bridges they never cross."
"Life is 10% of what happens to you, and 90% of how you respond to it."
"Did it ever occur to you that nothing occurs to God?"
"Life is like an onion; you peel off one layer at a time and sometimes
you weep."
"Learn from the mistakes of others. You can't live long enough to make them all yourself."
"There are two things I've learned: There is a God. And, I'm not Him."
"Following the path of least resistance is what makes rivers and men crooked."
"Your worst days are never so bad that you are beyond the reach of God's
grace. And
your best days are never so good that you are beyond the need of God's
grace."
"When it comes time to die...make sure all you got to do is die."
"Friends are angels who lift us to our feet when our wings have trouble
remembering how
to fly."
On the 6th day, God created men and women.
On the 7th day, he rested.
Not so much to recuperate, but rather
to prepare himself for the work he was
going to do on the next day.
For it was on that day-the 8th
day-that God created the FIRST TEACHER.
This TEACHER, though taken from among men and
women,
had several significant modifications.
In general, God made the TEACHER more
durable than other men and women.
The TEACHER was made to arise at a very early
hour and to go to bed no earlier than 11:30
p.m.-
with no rest in between. The TEACHER
had to be
able to withstand being locked up in an air-tight
classroom for six hours with thirty-five "monsters"
on a rainy Monday. And the TEACHER had
to be fit
to correct 103 term papers over Easter vacation.
Yes, God made the TEACHER tough...but gentle
too.
The TEACHER was equipped with soft hands to
wipe away
the tears of the neglected and lonely student...of
those
of the sixteen year old girl who was not asked
to the prom.
And into the TEACHER God poured a generous
amount of patience.
Patience when a student asks to repeat the
directions the
TEACHER has just repeated for someone else.
Patience when the kids forget their lunch
money for the
fourth day in a row.
Patience when one-third of the class fails
the test.
Patience when the text books haven't arrived
yet,
and the semester starts tomorrow.
And God gave the TEACHER a heart
slightly bigger than the average human heart.
For the TEACHER's heart had to be big enough
to love the kid who screams, "I hate this
class-it's boring!" and to love the kid who
runs
out of the classroom at the end of the period
without
so much as a "goodbye", let alone a "thank
you".
And lastly, God gave the TEACHER an abundant
supply of HOPE.
For God knew that the TEACHER would always
be hoping.
Hoping that the kids would someday learn how
to spell...
hoping not to have lunchroom duty...
hoping that Friday would come...
hoping for a free day....
hoping for deliverance.
When God finished creating the TEACHER, he
stepped back and admired
the
work
of his hands. And God saw that the TEACHER
was good.
Very Good!
And God smiled, for when he looked at the
TEACHER,
he saw into the future.
He knew that the future is in the hands of
the TEACHERS.
And because God loves Teachers so much, on
the 9th day
God created "Snow Days."
The Brick
A young and very successful executive was traveling down a neighborhood
street. He was going a bit too fast in his new Jaguar. He was
watching
for kids darting out from between parked cars and slowed down
when he
thought he saw something. As his car passed and no children appeared,
instead, a brick smashed into the Jag's side door! He slammed
on the
brakes, spun the Jag back to the spot from where the brick had
been
thrown. He jumped out of the car, grabbed some kid and pushed
him up
against a parked car, shouting, "What
was that all about and who are you? Just what the heck are you
doing?"
Building up a head of steam, he went on. "That's a new car and
that
brick you threw is gonna cost you a lot of money. Why did you
do it?"
"Please, mister, please, I'm sorry! I didn't know what else to
do!"
pleaded
the youngster. "I threw the brick because no one else would stop."
Tears were dripping down the boy's chin as he pointed around
the parked
car.
It's my brother," he said. "He rolled off the curband fell out
of his
wheelchair and I can't lift him up." Sobbing, the
boy asked the executive, "Would you please help me get him back
into his
wheelchair.
He's hurt and he's too heavy for me." Moved beyond words, the
driver
tried
desperately to swallow the
rapidly swelling lump in his throat. He helped the boy back into
the
wheelchair and took out his handkerchief and wiped the scrapes
and cuts,
checking to see that everything was going to be okay.
"Thank you, sir! God bless you!"
He then watched the boy push his brother down the sidewalk toward
their
home. It was a long walk back to his Jaguar, and he never did
repair
the side door. He kept the dent to remind him not to go through
life so
fast that someone would have to throw a brick at him to get his
attention.
Life whispers in our souls and speaks to our hearts. Sometimes,
when we
don't have the time to listen...life throws a brick
at your head.
It's our choice: We can listen to the whispers of our soul or
wait for
the brick.
During the heat of the space race in the 1960's, the U.S.
National Aeronautics and Space Administration decided it
needed a ball point pen to write in the zero gravity
confines of its space capsules.
After considerable research and development, the Astronaut
Pen was developed at a cost of $1 million. The pen worked
and also enjoyed some modest success as a novelty item back
here on Earth.
The Soviet Union, faced with the same problem of writing in
zero gravity, used a pencil.
57 CENTS WOW A TRUE STORY !!
author - Dr. Russel H. Conwell
A sobbing little girl stood near
a small church from which
she had been turned away because it 'was too crowded'.
"I can't go to Sunday School,"
she sobbed to the pastor as he walked by.
Seeing her shabby, unkempt appearance, the pastor
guessed the reason and, taking her by the hand, took
her inside and found a place for her in the Sunday School
class. The child was so touched that she went to bed that
night thinking of the children who have no place to
worship Jesus.
Some two years later, this child
lay dead in one of the
poor tenement buildings and the parents called for the
kind-hearted pastor, who had befriended their daughter,
to handle the final arrangements. As her poor little body
was being moved, a worn and crumpled purse was found
which seemed to have been rummaged from some trash
dump. Inside was found 57 cents and a note scribbled in
childish handwriting which read,
"This is to help build the little church bigger so more children
can go to Sunday school."
For two years she had saved for this offering of love.
When the pastor tearfully read that note, he knew instantly
what he would do. Carrying this note and the cracked,
red pocketbook to the pulpit, he told the story of her unselfish
love and devotion. He challenged his deacons to get busy
and raise enough money for the larger building.
But the story does not end there!
A newspaper learned of the story and published it.
It was read by a Realtor who offered them a parcel of land worth
many thousands. When told that the church could not pay so
much, he offered it for a 57 cents.
Church members made large subscriptions.
Checks came
from far and wide.
Within five years the little girl's gift had increased
to
$250,000.00 - a huge sum for that time (near the turn of the
century). Her unselfish love had paid large dividends.
When you are in the city of Philadelphia,
look up
Temple Baptist Church, with a seating capacity of 3,300,
and Temple University, where hundreds of students are
trained. Have a look, too, at the Good Samaritan Hospital
and at a Sunday School building which houses hundreds of
Sunday scholars, so that no child in the area will ever need to
be left outside during Sunday school time. In one of the rooms
of this building may be seen the picture of the sweet face
of the little girl whose 57 cents, so sacrificially saved, made
such remarkable history. Alongside of it is a portrait of her
kind pastor, Dr. Russel H. Conwell, author of the book,
"Acres of Diamonds." - a true story.
Goes to show WHAT GOD CAN DO WITH 57 cents.
Whenever your kids are out of control, take comfort from the
thought that
even God's omnipotence did not extend to His kids.
After creating heaven and earth, God created Adam and Eve. And
the first
thing He said to them was: "Don't."
"Don't what?" Adam asked.
"Don't eat the Forbidden Fruit," God replied.
"Forbidden fruit? We got Forbidden Fruit? Hey Eve, we got Forbidden
Fruit!"
"No way!"
"WAY!"
"Don't eat that fruit!" said God.
"Why?"
"Because I am your Father and I said so!" said God, wondering
why he
hadn't
stopped after making the elephants.
A few minutes later God saw the kids having an apple break and
was angry.
"Didn't I tell you not to eat that fruit?" the First Parent
asked.
"Uh huh," Adam replied.
"Then why did you?"
"I dunno," Eve answered.
"She started it!" Adam said.
"Did not!"
"DID so!"
"DID NOT!"
Having had it with the two of them, God's punishment was that
Adam and Eve
should have children of their own... thus the pattern was set
and it has
never changed. But there is reassurance in this story. If you
have
persistently and lovingly tried to give your children wisdom
and they
haven't taken it, don't be too hard on yourself. If God had
trouble
handling
His children, what made you think it would be a piece of cake
for you?
Kyle -This makes you think.......!
One day, when I was a freshman in high school, I
saw a kid from my class was walking home from school. His name
was Kyle.
It looked like he was carrying all of his books. I thought to
myself,
"Why would anyone bring home all his books on a Friday? He must
really be a
nerd." I had quite a weekend planned (parties and a football
game with
my friends tomorrow afternoon), so I shrugged my shoulders and went
on. As I was walking, I saw a bunch of kids running toward him.
They ran at
him, knocking all his books out of his arms and tripping him so he
landed
in the dirt. His glasses went flying, and I saw them land in
the grass
about ten feet from him. He looked up and I saw this terrible
sadness in
his
eyes. My heart went out to him. So, I jogged over to him
and as he crawled
around looking for his glasses, and I saw a tear in his eye.
As I handed
him
his glasses, I said, "Those guys are jerks. They really should
get lives."
He looked at me and said, "Hey thanks!" There was a big smile on his
face. It was one of those smiles that showed real gratitude.
I helped him
pick up his books, and asked him where he lived. As it turned out,
he lived
near me, so I asked him why I had never seen him before. He said
he had
gone
to private school before now. I would have never hung out with a private
school kid before. We talked all the way home, and I carried
his books. He
turned out to be a pretty cool kid. I asked him if he wanted
to play
football on
Saturday with me and my friends. He said yes.
We hung all weekend and the more I got to know Kyle, the more I liked
him. And my friends thought the same of him. Monday morning came,
and there
was Kyle with the huge stack of books again. I stopped him and
said, "Damn
boy, you are gonna really build some serious muscles with this
pile of books everyday!" He just laughed and handed me half the
books.
Over the next four years, Kyle and I became best friends. When
we
were seniors, began to think about college. Kyle decided on Georgetown,
and I was going to Duke. I knew that we would always be friends,
that
the miles would never be a problem. He was going to be a doctor,
and I was
going for business on a football scholarship. Kyle was valedictorian
of our
class. I teased him all the time about being a nerd. He
had to prepare a
speech for graduation. I was so glad it wasn't me having to get
up there
and speak. Graduation day, I saw Kyle. He looked great. He was
one of those
guys that really found himself during high school. He filled out and
actually
looked good in glasses. He had more dates than me and all the
girls
loved him! Boy, sometimes I was jealous. Today was one
of those days. I
could see that he was nervous about his speech. So, I smacked him on
the
back and said, "Hey, big guy, you'll be great!" He looked at
me with one of
those looks (the really grateful one) and smiled. "Thanks," he said.
As he started his speech, he cleared his throat, and began. "Graduation
is a time to thank those who helped you make it through those tough
years.
Your parents, your teachers, your siblings, maybe a coach... but mostly
your
friends. I am here to tell all of you that being a friend
to someone is
the
best gift you can give them. I am going to tell you a story."
I just looked at my friend with disbelief as he told the story of the
first day we met. He had planned to kill himself over the weekend.
He
talked
of how he had cleaned out his locker so his Mom wouldn't have to do
it later
and
was carrying his stuff home. He looked hard at me and gave me
a little
smile. "Thankfully, I was saved. My friend saved me from
doing the
unspeakable." I heard the gasp go through the crowd as this handsome,
popular boy
told us all about his weakest moment. I saw his Mom and dad looking
at me
and smiling that same grateful smile. Not until that moment did
I realize
it's depth.
Never underestimate the power of your actions. With one small gesture
you can change a person's life. For better or for worse.
God puts us all
in each other's lives to impact one another in some way.
There are times when we are timid and shy about
expressing the love we
feel. For fear of embarrassing the other person,
or ourselves, we
hesitate to say the actual words "I love you."
So we try to
communicate the idea in other words.
We say 'take care' or 'don't drive too fast'
or 'be good.' But really,
these are just other ways of saying 'I love
you,' 'you are important
to me,' 'I care what happens to you,' 'I don't
want you to get hurt.'
We are sometimes very strange people. The only
thing we want to say,
and the one thing that we should say, is the
one thing we don't say.
And yet, because the feeling is so real, and
the need to say it is so
strong, we are driven to use other words and
signs to say what we
really mean. And many times the meaning never
gets communicated at all
and the other person is left feeling unloved
and unwanted.
Therefore, we have to LISTEN FOR LOVE in the
words that people are
saying to us. Sometimes the explicit words
are necessary, but more
often, the manner of saying things is even
more important. A joyous
insult carries more affection and love within
the sentiments which are
expressed insincerely. An impulsive hug says
I LOVE YOU even though
the words might be saying very different.
Any expression of a person's concern for another
says I love you.
Sometimes the expression is clumsy, sometimes
even cruel. Sometimes we
must look and listen very intently for the love that it contains.
But it
is often there, beneath the surface.
A mother may nag her son constantly about his grades or cleaning
his
room. The son may hear only the nagging, but
if he listens carefully,
he will hear the love underneath the nagging.
His mother wants him to
do well, to be successful. Her concern and
love for her son
unfortunately emerge in her nagging.
But it is love all the same.
A daughter comes home late, way past her curfew,
and her father
confronts her with angry words. The daughter
may hear only the anger,
but if she listens carefully, she will hear
the love under the anger.
"I was worried about you," the father is saying.
'Because I care
about you and I love you. You are important
to me.
We say I love you in many ways-with birthday
gifts, and little notes,
with smiles and sometimes with tears.
Sometimes we show our love by
just keeping quiet and not saying a word,
at other times by speaking
out, even brusquely. We show our love
sometimes by impulsiveness.
Many times we have to show our love by forgiving
someone who has not
listened to the love we have tried to express.
The problem is listening for love is that we
don't always understand
the language of love which the other person
is using. A girl may use
tears or emotions to say what she wants to say, and her boyfriend
may not
understand her because he expects her to be talking his language.
Thus, we have to force ourselves to really listen for love.
The problem with our world is that people rarely
listen to each other.
They hear the words, but they don't listen
to the actions that
accompany the words or the expression on the
face. Or people listen
only for rejection or misunderstanding.
They do not see the love that
is there just beneath the surface, even if
the words are angry.
We have to listen for love in those around
us. If we listen intently
we will discover that we are a lot more loved
than we realize.
Listen for love and we will find that the world
is a
very loving place after all.
Noah's
Ark
All I
really need to know about Life, I learned from Noah's Ark:
(1) Don't
miss the boat.
(2) Don't
forget we're all in the same boat.
(3) Plan ahead-it wasn't raining when Noah built the ark.
(4)
Stay fit-when you're 600 years old someone might ask
you to do something really big.
(5) Don't
listen to critics, just get on with what has to
be done.
(6) For
safety's sake travel in pairs.
(7) Two heads are better than one.
(8) Build
your future on high ground.
(9) Speed isn't always an advantage, after all, the snails
were on the same ark with the cheetahs.
(10) When you're stressed, float awhile.
(11) Remember
the ark was built by amateurs; the Titanic
was built by professionals.
(12) Remember
that the woodpeckers inside are a larger
threat than the storm outside.
(13) No
matter what the storm, when God is with you,
there's a rainbow waiting.
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Some people never seem motivated to participate,
but are content to watch
others do.
They are called "Speck Tators."
Some people never do anything to help, but are gifted
at finding fault
with the way others do things.
They're called "Comment Tators."
Some are always looking to cause problems and really
get under your skin.
They are called "Aggie Tators."
There are those who are always saying they will,
but somehow, they never
get around to doing.
We call them "Hezza Tators."
Some people put on a front and act like someone
else.
They're called "Emma Tators."
Then, there are those who walk what they talk. They're
always prepared to
stop what they're doing to lend a hand to others and bring real
sunshine
into the lives of others.
You can call them "Sweet Tators."
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Life in the 1500's
Life in the 1500's
This is really interesting (and TRUE!)
Most people got married in June because they took their
yearly bath in May and were still smelling pretty good by June.
However,
they were starting to smell, so brides carried a bouquet of flowers
to hide
the BO
Baths equaled a big tub filled with hot water. The man
of the house had the privilege of the nice clean water, then
all the other
sons and men, then the women and finally the children. Last of
all the
babies. By then the water was so dirty you could actually lose
someone in it. Hence the saying, "Don't throw the baby
out with
the bath water."
Houses had thatched roofs. Thick straw, piled high,
with no wood underneath. It was the only place for animals to
get warm, so
all the pets...dogs, cats and other small animals, mice, rats,
bugs lived
in the roof. When it rained it became slippery and sometimes
the animals
would slip and fall off the roof. Hence the saying, "It's raining
cats and
dogs."
There was nothing to stop things from falling into the
house. This posed a real problem in the bedroom where bugs and
other
droppings could really mess up your nice clean bed. So,
they found that if
they made beds with big posts and hung a sheet over
the top, it addressed the problem. Hence those beautiful
big 4
poster beds with canopies. The sheet helped to keep out
the cold
at night.
Only the wealthy had floors that were something other
than dirt, hence the saying "dirt poor." The wealthy had
slate floors,
which would get slippery in the winter when wet. So they
spread thresh on
the floor to help keep their footing. As the winter wore on they
kept
adding more thresh until when you opened the door it would all
start
slipping outside. A piece of wood was placed at the entryway,
hence a
"threshold."
They cooked in the kitchen in a big kettle that always hung over
the fire. Every day they lit the fire and added things
to the
pot. They mostly ate vegetables and didn't get much meat. They
would eat
the stew for dinner leaving leftovers in the pot to get cold
overnight and then start over the next day. Sometimes the stew
had
food in it that had been in there for a month. Hence the rhyme:
"peas porridge hot, peas porridge cold, peas porridge in the
pot nine days
old."
Sometimes they could obtain pork and would feel really
special when that happened. When company came over, they would
bring out
some bacon and hang it to show it off. It was a sign of wealth
and that a
man "could really bring home the bacon." They would cut
off a little to share with guests and would all sit around and
"chew the fat."
Those with money had plates made of pewter. Food with a
high acid content caused some of the lead to leach onto the food.
This
happened most often with tomatoes, so they stopped eating tomatoes...
for
400 years.
Most people didn't have pewter plates, but had trenchers - a
piece
of wood with the middle scooped out like bowl. Trenchers were
never washed and a lot of times worms got into the wood. After
eating off
wormy trenchers, hence they would get "trench mouth."
Bread was divided according to status. Workers got the
burnt bottom of the loaf, the family got the middle, and guests
got the
top, or the "upper crust."
Lead cups were used to drink ale or whiskey. The
combination would sometimes knock them out for a couple of days.
Someone
walking along the road would take them for dead
and prepare them for burial. They were laid out on the
kitchen table for a couple of days and the family would gather
around and
eat and drink and wait and see if they would wake up. Hence the
custom of
holding a "wake."
England is old and small, and they started running out
of places to bury people. So, they would dig up coffins and would
take
their bones to reuse the grave. In reopening these coffins, one
out of 25
coffins were found to have scratch marks on the inside and they
realized they had been burying people alive. So they
thought they would tie a string on their wrist and lead it through
the
coffin and up through the ground and tie it to a bell. Someone
would have
to sit out in the graveyard all night to listen for the bell.
Hence on the
"graveyard shift" they would know that someone was
"saved by the bell" or he was a "dead ringer."
MEMO FROM GOD:
To: YOU
Date: TODAY
From: THE BOSS
Subject: YOURSELF
Reference: LIFE
I am God.
Today I will be handling all of your problems. Please remember
that I do not need your help. If life happens to
deliver a situation to you that you cannot handle, do not attempt to
resolve it.
Kindly put it in the SFGTD (something for God to do) box.
It will be addressed in My time, not yours. Once the matter is
placed into the box, do not hold on to it.
1. If you find yourself stuck in traffic; Don't despair.
There are people in this world for whom driving is an
unheard of privilege.
2. Should you have a bad day at work; Think of the man who has
been out of work for years.
3. Should you despair over a relationship gone bad; Think of
the person who has never known what it's like to
love and be loved in return.
4. Should you grieve the passing of another weekend; Think of
the woman in dire straits, working twelve hours a
day, seven days a week to feed her children.
5. Should your car break down, leaving you miles away from assistance;
Think of the paraplegic who would love
the opportunity to take that walk.
6. Should you notice a new gray hair in the mirror; Think of
the cancer patient in chemo who wishes she had hair
to examine.
7. Should you find yourself at a loss and pondering what is life
all about, asking what is my purpose? Be
thankful. There are those who didn't live long enough to get the opportunity.
8. Should you find yourself the victim of other people's bitterness,
ignorance, smallness or insecurities;
Remember, things could be worse. You could be them!!!!
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