How Much Does Prayer Weigh

Louise Redden, a poorly dressed lady with a look of defeat on her face, walked into a grocery store. She approached the owner of the store in a most humble manner and asked if he would let her charge a few groceries. She softly explained that her husband was very ill and unable to work, they had seven children and they needed food. John Longhouse, the grocer, scoffed at her and requested that she leave his store. Visualizing the family needs, she said: 'Please, sir! I will bring you the money just as soon as I can." John told her he could not give her credit, as she did not have a charge account at his store.
Standing beside the counter was a customer who overheard the conversation between the two. The customer walked forward and told the grocer man that he would stand good for whatever she needed for her family. The grocer man said in a very reluctant voice, "Do you have a grocery list? Louise replied "Yes sir" "OK" he said, "put your grocery list on the scales and whatever your grocery list weighs, I will give you that amount in groceries." Louise, hesitated a moment with a bowed head, then she reached into her purse and took out a piece of paper and scribbled something on it. She then laid the piece of paper on the scale carefully with her head still bowed. The eyes of the grocer man and the customer showed amazement when the scales went down and stayed down. The grocer man staring at the scales, turned slowly to the customer and said begrudgingly, "I can't believe it." The customer smiled and the grocer man started putting the groceries on the other side of the scales. The scale did not balance so he continued to put more and more groceries on them until the scales would hold no more. The grocer man stood there in utter disgust. Finally, he grabbed the piece of paper from the scales and looked at it with greater amazement. It was not a grocery list, it was a prayer which said: "Dear Lord, you know my needs and I am leaving this in your hands." The grocer man gave her the groceries that he had gathered and placed on the scales and stood in stunned silence. Louise thanked him and left the store. The customer handed a fifty-dollar bill to John as he said, "It was worth every penny of it." It was sometime later that John Longhouse discovered the scales were broken; therefore, only God knows how much a prayer weighs.

When You Thought I Wasn't Looking

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you hang my first painting on the refrigerator, and I wanted to paint another one.
When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you feed a stray cat, and I thought it was good to be kind to animals.
When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you make my favorite cake just for me, 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 good night, 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 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.

What's So Great About Hugs?

There is no such thing as a bad hug!
Only good ones and great ones. They're not fattening and they don't cause cavities. They're all natural- with no preservatives, artificial ingredients, or pesticide residue. They're cholesterol-free, naturally sweet, 100% wholesome. And they're a completely renewable natural resource. They don't require batteries, tune-ups, or x-rays. They're non-taxable, fully returnable, and energy efficient. They're safe in all kinds of weather, in fact, they're especially good for cold or rainy days. And they're exceptionally effective in treating problems like bad dreams or the Monday blahs. Never wait until tomorrow to hug someone you could hug today!

Culture

Start with a cage containing five apes.
In the cage, hang a banana on a string and put stairs under it. Before long, an ape will go to the stairs and start to climb towards the banana.
As soon as he touches the stairs, spray all of the apes with cold water. After a while, another ape makes an attempt with the same result - all the apes are sprayed with cold water.
Turn off the cold water.
If, later, another ape tries to climb the stairs, the other apes will try to prevent it even though no water sprays them.
Now, remove one ape from the cage and replace him with a new one. The New ape sees the banana and wants to climb the stairs. To his horror, all of the other apes attack him.
After another attempt and attack, he knows that if he tries to climb the stairs, he will be assaulted.
Next, remove another of the original five apes and replace it with a new one. The newcomer goes to the stairs and is attacked. The previous Newcomer takes part in the punishment with enthusiasm.
Again, replace a third original ape with a new one. The new one makes it to the stairs and is attacked as well. Two of the four apes that beat him have no idea why they were not permitted to climb the stairs, or why they are participating in the beating of the newest ape.
After replacing the fourth and fifth original apes, all the apes which have been sprayed with cold water have been replaced. Nevertheless, no ape ever again approaches the stairs. Why not? "Because that's the way it's always been around here.
" That is how organizational behavior is indoctrinated into social/corporate policy and a culture becomes entrenched".

An Afternoon in the Park

There once was a little boy who wanted to meet God. He knew it was long trip to where God lived, so he packed his suitcase with Twinkies and a six-pack of root beer and he started his journey.
When he had gone about three blocks, he met an old woman. She was sitting in the park just staring at some pigeons. The boy sat down next to her and opened his suitcase. He was about to take a drink from his root beer when he noticed that the old lady looked hungry, so he offered a Twinkie. She gratefully accepted it and smiled at him. Her smile was so pretty that the boy wanted to see it again, so he offered a root beer. Once again she smiled at him. The boy was delighted!
They sat there all afternoon eating and smiling, but they never said a word.
As it grew dark, the boy realized how tired he was and he got up to leave, but before he had gone more than a few steps, he turned around, ran back to the old woman and gave her a hug. She gave him her biggest smile ever.
When the boy opened the door to his own house a short time later, his mother was surprised by the look of joy on his face.
She asked him, "What did you do today that made you so happy?"
He replied, "I had lunch with God." But before his mother could respond, he added, "You know what? She's got the most beautiful smile I've ever seen!"
Meanwhile, the old woman, also radiant with joy, returned to her home.
Her son was stunned by the look of peace on her face and he asked, "Mother, what did you do today that made you so happy?"
She replied, "I ate Twinkies in the park with God." But before her son responded, she added, "You know, he's much younger than I expected."
By Julie A. Manhan from A 3rd Serving of Chicken Soup for the Soul

How to be Unhappy

Make little things bother you. Don't just let them, MAKE them.
Lose your perspective on things and keep it lost: don't put first things first.
Get yourself a good worry, one about which you cannot do anything.
Be a perfectionist, which means not that you work hard to do your best, but that you condemn yourself and others for not achieving perfection.
Be right. Be always right. Be the only one who is always right, and be rigid in your rightness.
Don't trust or believe people, or accept them at anything but their worst and weakest.
Be suspicious. Insist that others always have hidden motives.
Always compare yourself unfavorably to others. This guarantees instant misery.
Take personally everything that happens to you.
Don't give yourself whole-heartily to anyone or anything.

If

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too:
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or, being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise;

If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim,
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same:.
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools;

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings,
And never breathe a word about your loss:
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on!"

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with Kings - nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much:
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man, my son!

- Rudyard Kipling

The Outward Expression of Simplicity

Here are 10 controlling principles for the outward expression of simplicity. They should not be viewed as laws but as one person's attempt to flesh out the meaning of simplicity in today's world.
Buy things for their usefulness rather than their status. Cars should be bought for their utility, not their prestige. A home should be chosen for its livability rather than how much it will impress others. Stop trying to impress people with your clothes and impress them with your life.
Reject anything that is producing an addiction in you. Learn to distinguish between a real psychological need, such as cheerful surroundings, and an addiction--something you cannot do without, such as television, coffee, newspapers, or chocolate. If money has a grip on your heart, give some away and feel the inner release. Simplicity is freedom, not slavery. Refuse to be a slave to anything but God.
Develop a habit of giving things away. De-accumulate. Masses of things that are not needed complicate life. They must be sorted and stored and dusted and resorted and restored ad nauseam. Most of us could get rid of half our possessions without any serious sacrifice.
Refuse to be propagandized by the custodians of modern gadgetry. Timesaving devices almost never save time. Most gadgets are built to break down and wear out and so complicate our lives rather than enhance them. Propagandists try to convince us that because the newest model of this or that has a new feature (trinket?) we must sell the old one and buy the new one. Such media dogma needs to be carefully scrutinized. Often "new" features are only a way of inducing us to buy what we do not need.
Learn to enjoy things without owning them. Many things in life can be enjoyed without possessing or controlling them. Share things. Enjoy the beach without feeling you have to buy a piece of it. Enjoy public parks and libraries.
Develop a deeper appreciation for the creation. Walk whenever you can. Listen to the birds. Marvel in the rich colors everywhere. Simplicity means to discover once again that "the earth is the Lord's, and everything in it" (Ps. 24:1).
Look with a healthy skepticism at all "buy now, pay later" schemes. They are a trap and serve to deepen your bondage. In biblical times, charging interest (not just exorbitant interest, but any interest) was viewed as unbrotherly exploitation of another's misfortune, hence a denial of Christian community. Jesus admonished His disciples to "lend . . . without expecting to get anything back" (Lk. 6:35). These words of Scripture should not be construed into some kind of universal law obligatory upon all cultures at all times. But neither should they be thought of as totally irrelevant to modern society. Behind such biblical injunctions stand centuries of accumulated wisdom. Certainly prudence as well as simplicity would demand that we use extreme caution before incurring debt.
Obey Jesus' instructions about plain, honest speech (Mt. 5:37). Let your yes be yes and your no be no. Make honesty and integrity the distinguishing characteristics of your speech. A lack of simplicity in one area, such as speech, can undermine simplicity in another area.
Reject anything that will breed the oppression of others. This is one of the most difficult and sensitive issues for today's Christians to face, but face it we must. Do we sip our coffee and eat our bananas at the expense of exploiting Latin American peasants? In a world of limited resources, does our lust for wealth mean the poverty of others?
Shun whatever would distract you from your main goal. God give us the courage, wisdom, and strength always to hold as the number one priority of our lives to seek first His kingdom and His righteousness. To do so is to live in simplicity.

Adapted from Celebration of Discipline. © 1978 by Richard J. Foster. Published by Harper & Row Publishers, Inc.

22 Thought-Provoking Questions

These are 22 questions the members of John Wesley's Holy Club asked themselves each day in their private devotions over 200 years ago.
1. Am I consciously or unconsciously creating the impression that I am better than I really am? In other words, am I a hypocrite?
2. Am I honest in all my acts and words, or do I exaggerate?
3. Do I confidentially pass on to another what was told to me in confidence?
4. Can I be trusted?
5. Am I a slave to dress, friends, work, or habits?
6. Am I self-conscious, self-pitying, or self justifying?
7. Did the Bible live in me today?
8. Do I give it time to speak to me everyday?
9. Am I enjoying prayer?
10. When did I last speak to someone else about my faith?
11. Do I pray about the money I spend?
12. Do I get to bed on time and get up on time?
13. Do I disobey God in anything?
14. Do I insist upon doing something about which my conscience is uneasy?
15. Am I defeated in any part of my life?
16. Am I jealous, impure, critical, irritable, touchy, or distrustful?
17. How do I spend my spare time?
18. Am I proud?
19. Do I thank God that I am not as other people, especially as the Pharisees who despised the publican?
20. Is there anyone whom I fear, dislike, disown, criticize, hold a resentment toward or disregard? If so, what I am doing about it?
21. Do I grumble or complain constantly?
22. Is Christ real to me?

Slow Dance

Have you ever watched kids
on a merry-go-round
Or listened to the rain
slapping on the ground?
Ever followed a butterfly’s erratic flight
Or gazed at the sun into the fading night?

You better slow down
Don’t dance so fast
Time is short
The music won’t last

Do you run through each day on the fly
When you ask How are you?
do you hear the reply?
When the day is done,
do you lie in your bed
With the next hundred chores
running through your head?

You’d better slow down
Don’t dance so fast
Time is short
The music won’t last

Ever told your child, We ll do it tomorrow
And in your haste, not see his sorrow?
Ever lost touch,
Let a good friendship die
Cause you never had time
to call and say Hi ?

You’d better slow down
Don’t dance so fast
Time is short
The music won’t last

When you run so fast to get somewhere
You miss half the fun of getting there.
When you worry and hurry through your day,
It is like an unopened gift....
Thrown away...

Life is not a race.
Do take it slower
Hear the music
Before the song is over.

Creed for Life

Be understanding to your enemies,
Be loyal to your friends.
Be strong enough to face the world each day.
Be weak enough to know you cannot do everything alone.
Be generous to those who need your help.
Be frugal with what you need yourself.
Be wise enough to know that you do not know everything.
Be foolish enough to believe in miracles.
Be willing to share your joys.
Be willing to share the sorrows of others.
Be a leader when you see a path others have missed.
Be a follower when you are shrouded by the mists of uncertainty.
Be the first to congratulate an opponent who succeeds.
Be the last to criticize a colleague who fails.
Be sure where your next step will fall, so that you will not tumble [or at least be sure of Who knows your next step, and have faith that He can keep you steady!].
Be loving to those who love you.
Be loving to those who do not love you, and they may change.
Above all, be yourself.

A Story to Live By

I'm reading more and dusting less. I'm sitting in the yard and admiring the view without fussing about the weeds in the garden.
I'm spending more time with my family and friends and less time at work. Whenever possible, life should be a pattern of experiences to savor, not to endure. I'm trying to recognize these moments now and cherish them.
I'm not "saving" anything; we use our good china and crystal for every special event such as losing a pound, getting the sink unstopped, or the first Amarillo blossom.
I wear my good blazer to the market. My theory is if I look prosperous, I can shell out $28.49 for one small bag of groceries. I'm not saving my good perfume for special parties, but wearing it for clerks in the hardware store and tellers at the bank.
"Someday" and "one of these days" are losing their grip on my vocabulary. If it's worth seeing or hearing or doing, I want to see and hear and do it now.
I'm not sure what my friends would've done had they known that they wouldn't be here for the tomorrow that we all take for granted. I think they would have called family members and a few close friends. They might have called a few former friends to apologize and mend fences for past squabbles. I like to think they would have gone out for a Chinese dinner, or for whatever their favorite food was. I'm guessing; I'll never know.
It's those little things left undone that would make me angry if I knew my hours were limited. Angry because I hadn't written certain letters that I intended to write one of these days. Angry and sorry that I didn't tell my friends and parents often enough how much I truly love them.
I'm trying very hard not to put off, hold back, or save anything that would add laughter and luster to our lives. And every morning when I open my eyes, I tell myself that it is special. Every day, every minute, every breath truly is a gift from God.

God’s Response To Our Negativity

For all the negative things we have to say to ourselves, God has a positive answer for it.
You say: "It's impossible" God says: All things are possible (Luke 18:27)
You say: "I'm too tired" God says: I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28-30)
You say: "Nobody really loves me" God says: I love you (John 3:16 & John 13:34)
You say: "I can't go on" God says: My grace is sufficient (II Corinthians 12:9 & Psalm (1:15)
You say: "I can't figure things out" God says: I will direct your steps (Proverbs 3:5-6)
You say: "I can't do it" God says: You can do all things (Philippians 4:13)
You say: "I'm not able" God says: I am able (II Corinthians 9:8)
You say: "It's not worth it" God says: It will be worth it (Roman 8:28)
You say: "I can't forgive myself" God says: I FORGIVE YOU (I John 1:9 & Romans 8:1)
You say: "I can't manage" God says: I will supply all your needs (Philippians 4:19)
You say: "I'm afraid" God says: I have not given you a spirit of fear (II Timothy 1:7)
You say: "I'm always worried and frustrated" God says: Cast all your cares on ME (I Peter 5:7)
You say: "I don't have enough faith" God says: I've given everyone a measure of faith (Romans 12:3)
You say: "I'm not smart enough" God says: I give you wisdom (I Corinthians 1:30)
You say: "I feel all alone" God says: I will never leave you or forsake you (Hebrews 13:5)

Community vs Organisation

A community self-selects; an organization directs
A community looks after its own; an organization looks after its owners
A community learns; an organization trains
A community is driven by intrinsic movitation; an organization motivates extrinsically.
A community embraces diversity; an organization enforces conformity
A community values its members; an organization evaluates its employees
A community rejoices in innovation; an organization restrains any change
A community has informal leaders; an organization has formal managers
A community thrives under freedom; an organization thrives under control
A community shares problems and successes; an organization assigns problems and successes to individuals

Mother Teresa

Once before Mother Teresa died, she was being honoured at the White House for her contributions to humanity. In her speech she said, "A country who allows abortion teaches its people how not to love."
With sober face, President Clinton kept his head bowed while she spoke. After she finished he approached the microphone and said, "It's hard to argue with a life so well lived."
Oh, that we live such consistent lives, so that the same would be said of us. Not so that we can be glorified, but so that the words of our mouths can be given full consideration because of the lives that we live.

Finding Fault

They're still laughing about this at IBM. Apparently the computer giant decided to have some parts manufactured in Japan as a trial project. In the specifications, they stated that they will only accept three defective parts per 10,000.
When the delivery came in there was an accompanying letter. "We Japanese had a hard time understanding North American business practices. But the three defective parts per 10,000 have been separately manufactured and have been included in the consignment. Hope this pleases you."

Under His Wings

An article in National Geographic several years ago provided a penetrating picture of God's wings... After a forest fire in Yellowstone National Park, forest rangers began their trek up a mountain to assess the inferno's damage. One ranger found a bird literally petrified in ashes, perched statuesquely on the ground at the base of a tree. Somewhat sickened by the eerie sight, he knocked over the bird with a stick. When he struck it, three tiny chicks scurried from under their dead mother's wings. The loving mother, keenly aware of impending disaster, had carried her offspring to the base of the tree and had gathered them under her wings, instinctively knowing that the toxic smoke would rise.
She could have flown to safety but had refused to abandon her babies. When the blaze had arrived and the heat had scorched her small body, the mother had remained steadfast. Because she had been willing to die, those under the cover of her wings would live... "He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge;..." (Psalm 91:4)
Being loved this much should make a difference in your life. Remember the One who loves you and then, be different because of it.

Dance Like No-one's Watching

We convince ourselves that life will be better after we get married. When we're married, we think things will be better when we have a baby. Then we are frustrated that the kids aren't old enough for us to relax but we know we'll be more content when they are.
After that we're frustrated that we have teenagers to deal with. We will certainly be happy when they are out of that stage. We tell ourselves that our life will be complete when our spouse gets his or her act together, when we get a nicer car, are able to go on a nice vacation, when we retire.
The truth is, there's no better time to be happy than right now. If not now, when? Your life will always be filled with challenges. It's best to admit this to yourself and decide to be happy anyway.
A great quote on this very subject comes from Alfred D. Souza. He said, "For along time it had seemed to me that life was about to begin - real life. But there are always some obstacles in the way, something to be gotten through first, some unfinished business, time still to be served, a debt to be paid. Then life would begin. At last it dawned on me that these obstacles were my life."
This perspective has helped me to see that there is no way to happiness. Happiness is the way. So treasure every moment that you have. And treasure it more because you shared it with someone special, special enough to spend your time... and remember that time waits for no one.
So stop waiting until you finish school, until you back to school, until you lose ten pounds, until you gain ten pounds, until you have kids, until your kids leave the house, until you start work, until you retire, until you get married, until you get divorced, until Friday night, until Sunday morning, until you get a new car or home, until your new car or home is paid off, until spring, until summer, until fall, until winter, until you are on welfare, until you are off welfare, until the first or the fifteenth to decide that there is no better time than right now to be happy.
Happiness is a journey, not a destination.

The Piano Master

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 a 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.
That's the way it is with our Heavenly Father. What we can accomplish on our own is hardly noteworthy. We try our best, but the results aren't exactly graceful flowing music. But with the hand of the Master, our life's work truly can be beautiful.
Next time you set out to accomplish great feats, listen carefully. You can hear the voice of the Master, whispering in your ear "Don't quit. Keep playing." Feel His loving arms around you. Know that His strong hands are there helping you turn your feeble attempts into true masterpieces.
Remember, God doesn't call the equipped, He equips the called. And He'll always be there to love and guide you on to great things.

Life Balance

Imagine life as a game in which you are juggling some five balls in the air .... work, family, health, friends and spirit .... and you're keeping all of these in the air.
You will soon understand that work is a rubber ball. If you drop it, it will bounce back. But the other four balls -- family, health, friends and spirit -- are made of glass.
If you drop one of these, they will be irrevocably scuffed, marked, nicked, damaged or even shattered. They will never be the same. You must understand that and strive for balance in your life.

The Cross Room

The young man was at the end of his rope. Seeing no way out, he dropped to his knees in prayer. "Lord, I can't go on," he said. "I have too heavy a cross to bear." The Lord replied, "My son, if you can't bear its weight just place your cross inside this room. Then, open that other door and pick out any cross you wish." The man was filled with relief. "Thank you Lord," he sighed, and he did as he was told. Upon entering the other door, he saw many crosses, some so large the tops were not visible. Then, he spotted a tiny cross leaning against a far wall. "I'd like that one, Lord," he whispered. And the Lord replied, "My son, that is the cross you just brought in."

Prayer of Thomas Merton

O Lord God,
I have no idea where I am going.
I do not see the road ahead of me,
I cannot know for certain where it will end.
Nor do I really know myself,
and the fact that I think I am following Your will
does not mean that I am actually doing so.
But I believe that the desire to please You does in fact please You.
And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing.
I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire to please You.
And I know that if I do this
You will lead me by the right road,
though I may know nothing about it.
Therefore, I will trust You always though I may seem to be lost
and in the shadow of death
I will not fear,
for You are ever with me,
and You will never leave me
to make my journey alone.
- Amen

From "A Seven Day Journey with Thomas Merton" by Thomas Merton

Sponges

I read quite a few years an article that that compared Christians to sponges. There were some that stayed in the bucket of water. They didn't do much except sit and soak till they fell apart. They served no purpose. Then there were those that came out of the bucket. In the beginning they prospered at their work, but then they dried up. As the dried they too fell apart. Now we have the ones that leave the bucket and start cleaning. They frequently return to the water to be washed and filled. And they continue there until their job is done. We need to provide a balance in our lives and that will cause a healthy growth. Eating food and not exercising will lead to the same end as exercising and not eating. Reaching out is as important as reaching in.

Living

When asked, this is what Erma Bombeck had to say about living life over.
If I had my life to live over...
I would have talked less and listened more.
I would have invited friends over to dinner even if the carpet was stained and the sofa faded.
I would have eaten the popcorn in the 'good' living room and worried much less about the dirt when someone wanted to light a fire in the fireplace.
I would have taken the time to listen to my grandfather ramble about his youth.
I would never have insisted the car windows be rolled up on a summer day because my hair had just been teased and sprayed.
I would have burned the pink candle sculpted like a rose before it melted in storage.
I would have sat on the lawn with my children and not worried about grass stains.
I would have cried and laughed less while watching television - and more while watching life.
I would have shared more of the responsibility carried by my husband.
I would have gone to bed when I was sick instead of pretending the earth would go into a holding pattern if I weren't there for the day.
I would never have bought anything just because it was practical, wouldn't show soil or was guaranteed to last a lifetime.
Instead of wishing away nine months of pregnancy, I'd have cherished every moment and realized that the wonderment growing inside me was the only chance in life to assist God in a miracle.
When my kids kissed me impetuously, I would never have said, "Later. Now go get washed up for dinner."
There would have been more "I love yous".. more "I'm sorrys"... but mostly, given another shot at life, I would seize every minute...look at it and really see it... live it...and never give it back.
- Erma Bombeck

Abraham Lincoln

Failed in business............................. 1831
Lost election for legislature................... 1832
Failed again in business......................... 1834
Sweetheart died................................... 1835
Nervous breakdown.................................. 1836
Lost second political race.......................... 1838
Defeated for Congress.............................. 1843
Defeated for Congress..............................1846
Defeated for Congress............................ 1848
Defeated for US Senate.......................... 1855
Defeated for Vice President.................... 1856
Defeated for US Senate.........................1858
Elected President of the United States........1860

Commitment

In Tuesdays with Morrie (Doubleday, 1997), author Mitch Albom converses with his old college professor, who is now dying of Lou Gehrig's disease - and passing along the wisdom of his experience:
"The fact is, there is no foundation, no secure ground, upon which people may stand today if it isn't the family. It's become quite clear to me as I've been sick. If you don't have the support and love and caring and concern that you get from a family, you don't have much at all....
"Say I was divorced, or living alone, or had no children. This disease - what I'm going through - would be so much harder. I'm not sure I could do it. Sure, people would come visit, friends, associates, but it's not the same as having someone who will not leave. It's not the same as having someone whom you know has an eye on you, is watching you the whole time.
"This is part of what the family is about, not just love, but letting others know there's someone who is watching out for them. It's what I missed so much when my mother died - what I call your 'spiritual security' - knowing that your family will be there watching out for you. Nothing else will give you that. Not money. Not fame."
He shot me a look.
"Not work," he added.

Ambition

A scenario, from a 1995 poll of 198 sprinters, swimmers, powerlifters and other athletes, most of them U.S. Olympians or aspiring Olympians: You are offered a banned performance-enhancing substance, with two guarantees: (1) you will not be caught, and (2) you will win. Would you take the substance? 195 athletes said yes; 3 said no.
Scenario II: You are offered a banned performance-enhancing substance that comes with two guarantees: (1) you will not be caught, and (2) you will win every competition you enter for the next five years, and then you will die from the side effects of the substance. Would you take it? More than half the athletes said yes.

Sports Illustrated (April 14, 1997)

Thirty-Nine Years - Too Short - Too Long - Long Enough

From 1929 to 1968 is only 39 short years. Too short to gather the fruits of your labour
Too short to comfort your parents when your brother drowns
Too short to comfort your father when mother dies
Too short to see your children finish school
Too short to ever enjoy grandchildren
Too short to know retirement
Thirty-nine years is just too short.
From 1929 to 1968 is only 39 short years, yet it's
Too long to be crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination, it's
Too long to stand in the quicksand of racial injustices, it's
Too long to receive threatening phone calls, often at the rate of forty per day, it's
Too long to live under the sweltering heat of continuous pressure, it's
Too long, 39 years is just too long.
From 1929 to 1968 is only 39 short years, yet it's Long enough.
It's long enough to journey all the way to India to learn under a great teacher how to walk through angry crowds and keep cool.
It's long enough to be chased by police dogs and lashed by the rushing waters from the fireman's hoses because you are dramatizing the fact that justice has a way of eluding me and my brother.
It's long enough to spend many days in jail while protesting the plight of others.
It's long enough to have a bomb thrown into your home.
It's long enough to teach angry violent men to be still while you pray for the bombers.
It's long enough.
It's long enough to lead many men to Christianity.
It's long enough to know it's better to go to war for justice than to live in peace with injustices.
It's long enough to know that more appalling than bigotry and hatred are those who sit still and watch injustices each day in silence.
It's long enough to realize that injustices are undiscriminating and people of all races and creeds experience its cruel captivity sooner or later.
It's long enough.
It's long enough to know that when one uses civil disobedience for his civil rights, he does not break the laws of the Constitution of the United States of America - rather he seeks to uphold the principles all men are created equal; he seeks to break down local ordinances that have already broken the laws of the Constitution of the United States.
It's long enough.
It's long enough to accept invitations to speak to the nation's leaders.
It's long enough to address thousands of people on hundreds of different occasions.
It's long enough to lead 200,000 people to the nation's capital to dramatize that all of America's people are heirs to the property of rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
It's long enough to enter college at 15.
It's long enough to finish and earn several degrees.
It's long enough to earn hundreds of awards.
It's long enough to marry and father four children.
It's long enough to become a drum major for peace.
It's long enough to earn a Nobel Peace Prize.
It's long enough to give the $54,000 prize money to the cause of justice.
It's long enough to visit the mountain top.
It's certainly long enough to have a dream. When we note how much Martin Luther King packed into 39 short years, we know it's long enough for any man who loves his country and his fellow man so much that life itself has no value - unless all men can sit at the table of brotherhood as brothers.
Thirty-nine years is long enough - for any man to knowingly flirt with death each day of his life - because to spare himself heartaches and sorrow meant two steps backward for his brother tomorrow.
Martin lived for several centuries, all rolled into 39 short years.
His memory will live forever.
How wonderful it would be if we could all live as well.
Martin, like all others, would have welcomed longevity - yet when he weighed the facts, he said, "It's not how long a man lives, but how well he uses the time allotted him. "And so we salute and honor the memory of a man who lived in the confusion of injustice for all his too short, too long, long enough 39 years- "For He's Free At Last. "

by Willa Perrier from: A 2nd Helping of Chicken Soup for the Soul (c) 1995 by Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen

Loyalty to God vs. Possessions

Dan Reiland, who serves as vice-president of leadership development at INJOY (John Maxwell's organization), has shared seven warning signals that can be used to see that loyalties are shifting from God to possessions.
1. When you go from managing your money to being anxious about it.
2. When envy and jealousy creep into your life.
3. When you lose appreciation for what God has already given you.
4. When you lose the joy of cheerful giving.
5. When you seek things more than God.
6. When you think that things will make you happy.
7. When enough is not enough.

The Big Rocks in Life

One day an expert in time management was speaking to a group of business students and, to drive home a point, used an illustration those students will never forget.
As this man stood in front of the group of high-powered overachievers he said, "Okay, time for a quiz." Then he pulled out a one-gallon, wide-mouthed mason jar and set it on a table in front of him. Then he produced about a dozen fist-sized rocks and carefully placed them, one at a time, into the jar. When the jar was filled to the top and no more rocks would fit inside, he asked, "Is this jar full?" Everyone in the class said, "Yes." Then he said, "Really?"
He reached under the table and pulled out a bucket of gravel. Then he dumped some gravel in and shook the jar causing pieces of gravel to work themselves down into the spaces between the big rocks. Then he asked the group once more, "Is the jar full?" By this time the class was onto him.
"Probably not," one of them answered. "Good!" he replied.
He reached under the table and brought out a bucket of sand. He started dumping the sand in and it went into all the spaces left between the rocks and the gravel. Once more he asked the question, "Is this jar full?" "No!" the class shouted. Once again he said, "Good!"
Then he grabbed a pitcher of water and began to pour it in until the jar was filled to the brim. Then he looked up at the class and asked, "What is the point of this illustration?"
One eager beaver raised his hand and said, "The point is, no matter how full your schedule is, if you try really hard, you can always fit some more things into it!"
"No," the speaker replied, "that's not the point. The truth this illustration teaches us is: If you don't put the big rocks in first, you'll never get them in at all."
What are the 'big rocks' in your life? Time with your loved ones? Your faith?
Remember to put these BIG ROCKS in first or you'll never get them in at all.

For the Garden of Your Daily Living

PLANT THREE ROWS OF PEAS:
1. Peace of mind
2. Peace of heart
3. Peace of soul
PLANT FOUR ROWS OF SQUASH:
1. Squash gossip
2. Squash indifference
3. Squash grumbling
4. Squash selfishness
PLANT FOUR ROWS OF LETTUCE:
1. Lettuce be faithful
2. Lettuce be kind
3. Lettuce be patient
4. Lettuce really love one another
NO GARDEN WITHOUT TURNIPS:
1. Turnip for meetings
2. Turnip for service
3. Turnip to help one another
TO CONCLUDE OUR GARDEN WE MUST HAVE THYME:
1. Thyme for each other
2. Thyme for family
3. Thyme for friends
WATER FREELY WITH PATIENCE AND CULTIVATE WITH LOVE. THERE WILL BE MUCH FRUIT IN YOUR GARDEN BECAUSE ..... YOU REAP WHAT YOU SOW.