God knows

When you are tired and discouraged from fruitless efforts...
God knows how hard you have tried.
When you've cried so long and your heart is in anguish...
God has counted your tears.
If you feel that your life is on hold and time has passed you by...
God is waiting with you.
When you're lonely and your friends are too busy even for a phone call...
God is by your side.
When you think you've tried everything and don't know where to turn...
God has a solution.
When nothing makes sense and you are confused or frustrated...
God has the answer.
If suddenly your outlook is brighter and you find traces of hope...
God has whispered to you.
When things are going well and you have much to be thankful for...
God has blessed you.
When something joyful happens and you are filled with awe...
God has smiled upon you.
When you have a purpose to fulfill and a dream to follow...
God has opened your eyes and called you by name.
Remember that wherever you are or whatever you are facing...
GOD KNOWS

A lesson on Value

In the room of 200, he asked, "Who would like this $20 bill?" Hands started going up. He said, "I am going to give this $20 to one of you but first, let me do this."
He proceeded to crumple the dollar bill up. He then asked, "Who still wants it?" Still the hands were up in the air. "Well," he replied, "what if I do this?" And he dropped it on the ground and started to grind it into the floor with his shoe.
He picked it up, now all crumpled and dirty.
"Now who still wants it?" Still the hands went into the air. "My friends, you have all learned a very valuable lesson. No matter what I did to the money, you still wanted it because it did not decrease in value. It was still worth $20. Many times in our lives, we are dropped, crumpled and ground into the dirt by the decisions we make and the circumstances that come our way. We feel as though we are worthless. But no matter what has happened or what will happen, you will never lose your value in God's eyes. To Him, dirty or clean, crumpled or finely creased, you are still priceless to Him.
Psalm 17:8 states that God will keep us, "as the apple of His eye."
THOUGHT: The worth of our lives comes not in what we do or who we are but by WHOSE WE ARE!

Still Learning

There's a chimp at the Fort Worth zoo who's making headlines - they've taught him to read! He's now reading the Bible, and Darwin's "Origin of the Species." It is confusing him - he's not sure if he's his brother's keeper or his keeper's brother.

True Heroes

The Christian ideal changed and reversed everything so that, as the gospel puts it, "That which was exalted among men has become an abomination in the sight of God." The ideal is no longer the greatness of Pharaoh or of the Roman emperor, nor the beauty of a Greek nor the wealth of Phoenicia, but humility, purity, compassion, love. The hero is no longer Dives, but Lazarus the beggar; not Mary Magdalene in the day of her beauty but the day of her repentance; not those who acquire wealth, but those who have abandoned it; not those who dwell in palaces, but those who dwell in catacombs and huts; not those who rule over others, but those who acknowledge no other authority but God's. - Leo Tolstoy in What Is Art?

Growth and Change

I believe a man is born first unto himself - for the happy developing of himself, while the world is a nursery, and the pretty things are to be snatched for, and pleasant things tasted; some people seem to exist thus right to the end. But most are born again on entering manhood; then they are born to humanity, to a consciousness of all the laughing, and the never-ceasing murmur of pain and sorrow that comes from the terrible multitudes of brothers.

- D. H. Lawrence -

The state of humanity

A person asked God, "What surprises you most about mankind?"
And God answered:
"That they lose their health to make money, 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..."
"But this is no real surprise to me, for what may be known about Me was plain to them -- I made it plain to them. Ever since the creation of the world, My invisible qualities -- My eternal power and divine nature -- have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.
"For although humankind once knew me, they neither glorified Me as God nor thanked Me, so their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged My truth for a lie, and worshipped and served created things rather than Me, their Creator -- who they should praise forever."
adapted from Paul's letter to the Christians in Rome.

(source unknown)

Success and Mistakes

To some people, I am kind of a Merlin who takes lots of crazy chances, but rarely makes mistakes. I've made some bad ones, but fortunately, the successes have come along fast enough to cover up the mistakes. When you go to bat as many times as I do, you're bound to get a good average.

- Walt Disney -

The Bible in 50 Words

God made
Adam bit
Noah arked
Abraham split
Joseph ruled
Jacob fooled
Bush talked
Moses balked
Pharaoh plagued
People walked
Sea divided
Tablets guided
Promised 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.

Conversion

“What must be destroyed, then, is the old way of thinking, and this must be replaced with a new nature. This is all accomplished when Christ, by His Spirit, is invited to take up residence within us. "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me."...
We must never assume that conversion is simply obeying commands. It is much more than outward performance. It is allowing our vary nature to be changed so that from the heart we are participants in the things of God.”

Artificial Intelligence

Several years ago we had an office junior who was none too swift. One day he was typing and turned to a secretary and said, "I'm almost out of typing paper. What do I do?" "Just use copier machine paper," she told him. With that, the intern took his last remaining blank piece of paper, put it on the photocopier and proceeded to make five blank copies.

Inspiration

The great composer does not set to work because he is inspired, but becomes inspired because he is working. Beethoven, Wagner, Bach, and Mozart settled down day after day to the job in hand. They didn't waste time waiting for inspiration. - Ernest Newman

Individual and Team

My wife and I were in Sydney, Australia, and we had an opportunity to attend a performance of the Sydney Philharmonic Orchestra at the famed Opera House... When we arrived thirty minutes early, the orchestra members were already warming up... As they warmed up, the music sounded like noise to me.
At one minute before eight the conductor walked onto the stage. Immediately everybody sat up straight. As he stepped onto the riser, everybody came to attention. At eight o'clock he raised the baton, and when his arms came down, the music started. What had been noise a few seconds earlier became a beautiful melody.
The orchestra leader had converted a team of all-stars to an all-star team... No one instrument dominated any other; rather, each harmonized with and became part of the others.
The conductor had, for a number of years, been a musician in an orchestra. He had learned to be obedient and follow the orchestra conductor when he was a performer. In short, he had learned to obey so that later he could command.
I once saw a young man with a T-shirt emblem proclaiming, "I follow no one." What a tragedy! Because until he learns to follow, he will never be able to lead. – Zig Ziglar

A Prayer for Quiet

I have, O Lord, a noisy heart. And entering outward silence doesn’t stop the inner clamour. In fact, it seems only to make it worse. When I am full of activity, the internal noise is only a distant rumble; but when I get still, the rumble amplifies itself. And it is not like the majestic sound of a symphony rising to a grand crescendo; rather it is the deafening din of clashing pots and clanging pans. What a racket! Worst of all, I feel helpless to hush the interior pandemonium.
Dear Lord Jesus, once you spoke peace to the wind and the waves. Speak your shalom over my heart. I wait silently … patiently. I receive into the very core of my being your loving command, ‘Peace, be still.’
Amen.

from Richard Foster, Prayers from the Heart

Achievements

Some of the world's greatest feats were accomplished by people not smart enough to know they were impossible.

- Doug Larson-

It’s all in how you tell it

An interoffice softball game was held every year between the marketing and support staff of one company.
The support staff whipped the marketing department soundly.
To show just "how" the marketing department earns their keep, they posted this memo on the bulletin board after the game:
"The Marketing Department is pleased to announce that for the 1996 Softball Season, we came in 2nd place, having lost but one game all year. The Support Department, however, had a rather dismal season, as they won only one game."

Boxed Kisses

Some time ago a friend of mine punished his 3-year-old daughter for wasting a roll of gold wrapping paper. Money was tight, and he became infuriated when the child tried to decorate a box to put under the tree. Nevertheless, the little girl brought the gift to her father the next morning and said, "This is for you, Daddy." He was embarrassed by his earlier overreaction, but his anger flared up again when he found that the box was empty. He yelled at her, "Don't you know that when you give someone a present there's suppose to be something inside of it?" The little girl looked up at him with tears in her eyes and said, "Oh, Daddy it's not empty. I blew kisses into the box. All for you, Daddy." The father was crushed. He put his arms around his little girl, and he begged her forgiveness. My friend told me that he kept the gold box by his bed for years. Whenever he was discouraged, he would take out an imaginary kiss and remember the love of the child who put it there. In a very real sense, each of us has been given a gold container filled with unconditional love and kisses. There is not more precious possession anyone could hold.

First Funeral

A young minister, in the first days at his first parish, was obliged to call upon the widow of an eccentric man who had just died.
Standing before the open casket and consoling the widow, he said, "I know this must be a very hard time, Mrs. Vernon. But we must remember that what we see here is the husk only, the shell - the nut has gone to Heaven."

Reading the Bible

Some seem to expect the Word of God to hit them like a jolt of adrenaline each time they read or study it. Although the "jolt" may hit us periodically, the benefits of the Word of God act more like vitamins. People who regularly take vitamins do so because of their long-term benefits, not because every time they swallow one of the pills, they feel new strength surging through their bodies. They have developed a habit of consistently taking vitamins because they have been told that, in the long haul, vitamin supplements are going to have a beneficial effect on their physical health, resistance to disease and, general well-being The same is true of reading the Bible. At times it will have a sudden and intense impact on us. However, the real value lies in the cumulative effects that long-term exposure to God's Word will bring to our lives.

How to Give Your Cat a Pill

1. Grasp cat firmly in your arms. Cradle its head on your elbow, just as if you were giving baby a bottle. Coo confidently, "That's a nice kitty." Drop pill into its mouth. The retrieve cat from top of lamp and pill from under sofa.
2. Follow same procedure as in 1, but hold cat's front paws down with left hand and back paws down with elbow of right arm. Poke pill into its mouth with right forefinger. Then retrieve cat from under bed. Get new pill from bottle. (Resist impulse to get new cat.)
3. Again proceed as in 1, except when you have cat firmly cradled in bottle-feeding position, sit down on edge of chair, fold your torso over cat, bring your right hand over your left elbow, open cat's mouth by lifting the upper jaw and pop the pill in - quickly. Since your head is down by your knees, you won't be able to see what you're doing. That's just as well. Leave cat hanging on drapes. Leave pill in your hair. If you're a woman, have a good cry. If you're a man, have a good cry.
4. Now pull yourself together. Who's the boss here anyway? Retrieve cat and pill. Assuming position 1, say sternly, "Who's the boss here, anyway?" Open cat's mouth, take pill and... Oooops!
5. This isn't working, is it? Collapse and think. Aha! Those flashing claws are causing the chaos.
6. Crawl to linen closet. Drag back large beach towel. Spread towel on floor.
7. Retrieve cat from kitchen counter and pill from potted plant. Spread cat on towel near one end with its head over long edge. Flatten cat's front and back legs over its stomach. (Resist impulse to flatten cat.)
8. Roll cat in towel. Work fast; time and tabbies wait for no man-or woman.
9. Resume position 1. Rotate your left hand to cat's head. Press its mouth at the jaw hinges like opening the petals of a snapdragon. Drop pill into cat's mouth and poke gently. Voila! It's done.
10. Vacuum up loose fur (cat's). Apply bandages to wounds (yours). Take two aspirins and lie down.

by Peggy Althoff

Some Powerful Motivation

A U.S. Army officer told of the contrast in his pupils during two different eras of teaching at the artillery training school at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. In 1958; the attitude was so lax that the instructors had a problem getting the men to stay awake to listen. During the 1965; classes, however, the men, hearing the same basic lectures, were alert and took copious notes. The reason: these men knew that in less than six weeks they would be facing the enemy in Vietnam. One reason that Bible study seems to be irrelevant to many Christians is that they have no interaction with non- Christians, no vital ministry to growing believers, and no personal and internal struggle for godliness, all of which are factors that bring the truths of the Bible to apply to life.

Is Your Hut Burning?

The only survivor of a shipwreck was washed up on a small, uninhabited island. He prayed feverishly for God to rescue him, and every day he scanned the horizon for help, but none seemed forthcoming.
Exhausted, he eventually managed to build a little hut out of driftwood to protect him from the elements, and to store his few possessions.
But then one day, after scavenging for food, he arrived home to find his little hut in flames, the smoke rolling up to the sky. The worst had happened; everything was lost. He was stunned with grief and anger. "God, how could you do this to me!" he cried.
Early the next day, however, he was awakened by the sound of a ship that was approaching the island. It had come to rescue him. "How did you know I was here?" asked the weary man of his rescuers. "We saw your smoke signal," they replied.
It is easy to get discouraged when things are going bad. But we shouldn't lose heart, because God is at work in our lives, even in the midst of pain and suffering. Remember, next time your little hut is burning to the ground - it just may be a smoke signal that summons the grace of God.

New era?

The means by which we live have outdistanced the ends for which we live. Our scientific power has outrun our spiritual power. We have guided missiles and misguided men.
- Martin Luther King, Jr.

Losing our Bible?

A story is told of a devout father whose son was studying for the ministry. The son decided to go to Europe for an advanced degree, and the father worried that his simple faith would be spoiled by sophisticated, unbelieving professors. "Don't let them take Jonah away from you," he admonished, figuring the swallowed- by-a-great-fish story might be the first part of the Bible to go. Two years later when the son returned, the father asked, "Do you still have Jonah in your Bible?" The son laughed. "Jonah! That story isn't even in your Bible!" The father replied, "It certainly is! What do you mean?" Again the son laughed and insisted, "It's not in your Bible. Go ahead, show it to me." The old man fumbled through his Bible, looking for the Book of Jonah, but he couldn't find it. At last he checked the table of contents for the proper page. When he turned there, he discovered the three pages comprising Jonah had been carefully cut from his Bible "I did it before I went away," said the son. "What's the difference whether I lose the Book of Jonah through studying under non-believers or you lose it through neglect?"

Production

Times of general calamity and confusion create great minds. The purest ore is produced from the hottest furnace, and the brightest thunderbolt is elicited from the darkest storms.

- Charles Caleb Colton -

Making the Hard Choices

Have you ever seen a straight river? Canals are straight, but all rivers seem to be crooked. We call it "meandering." Why are rivers crooked? Because the natural tendency of a river is to take the easiest way around any obstacle. So rivers are always crooked, and they always run downhill. Some people are like rivers - always following the line of least resistance; too lazy or immature to put forth much effort into the journey of faith, into shaping their spiritual identity. It is always easier to watch TV than it is to pray; easier to read the newspaper than the Bible; easier to stay as we are than confront difficult realities in ourselves and work for transformation; easier to complain about the world as it is rather than be part of its change and part of a better future...

Knowing Your Gifts

One of the great modern church searches is for individuals to find their spiritual gifts. And it is an important search. However, it seems to me that the people who are best placed to see and affirm our spiritual gifts do not look back at us when we shave in the morning (or put on our makeup!) The greatest way to discover gifts is to point them out in others. In that way, we can help each other fulfil the plan that God has for us, both individually, and as a church!
Look for, and affirm the gifts you see in others!

The Communal Need

When I first became a Christian, about fourteen years ago, I thought that I could do it on my own, by retiring to my rooms and reading theology, and wouldn't go to the churches and Gospel Halls; . . . . I disliked very much their hymns which I considered to be fifth-rate poems set to sixth-rate music. But as I went on I saw the merit of it. I came up against different people of quite different outlooks and different education, and then gradually my conceit just began peeling off. I realized that the hymns (which were just sixth-rate music) were, nevertheless, being sung with devotion and benefit by an old saint in elastic-side boots in the opposite pew, and then you realize that you aren't fit to clean those boots. It gets you out of your solitary conceit

- C.S. Lewis -

If only God were...

A Sunday School teacher challenged her children to take some time on Sunday afternoon to write a letter to God. They were to bring their letter back the following Sunday. One little boy wrote, "Dear God, We had a good time at church today. Wish you could have been there."

Top 10 Hymns for the Aged

10. It is Well with My Soul (but my legs are tired).
9. "Nobody Knows the Trouble I Have Seeing"
8. "Amazing Grace (considering My Age)".
7. "Just a Slower Walk with Thee"
6. "Count Your Many Birthdays, Name them one by one"
5. "Go Tell it on the Mountain - and Speak up !"
4. "Give Me That Old Timer's Religion".
3. "Blessed Insurance"
2. "Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah - I've Forgotten where I Parked"
And the NUMBER ONE HYMN is...
1. "Nearer, My God, to Thee".

Good Advice

Edited from material handed out at freshman orientation at the University of Minnesota.
• Never give up because life gets harder as you get older. After preschool the road of life keeps getting bumpier and bumpier and bumpier - Angela, age 11
• Take risks. I mean, if you like this person and you don't know if they like you, ask them out and see what happens. I liked this girl and I asked her out. She said no and she hates me now, but I took that risk - Bruce, age 13
• A realist is more correct about things in life than an optimist. But the optimist seems to have more friends and much more fun. - Megan, age 14
• Don't think life is easy, because when you get older it is hard work. I used to think life was easy, now I have to do the dishes every other day. - Nick, age 9
•Never blow in a cat's ear because if you do, usually after three or four times, they will bite your lips! And they don't let go for at least a minute. - Lisa, age 9.

Signs Of Stress

1. Relatives that have been dead for years come visit you and suggest that you should get some rest.
2. You can achieve a "runner's high" just by sitting up.
3. Trees begin chasing you.
4. You can see individual air molecules vibrating.
5. You begin to explore the possibility of setting up an I.V. drip solution of espresso.
6. You wonder if brewing is really a necessary step for the consumption of coffee.
7. You and Reality file for a divorce.
8. It appears that people are speaking to you in binary code.
9. Antacid tablets become your sole source of nutrition.
10. You begin to talk to yourself, then disagree about the subject, get into a nasty row about it, lose, and refuse to speak to yourself for the rest of the night.

Sayings

• Words can't break bones, but they can break hearts.
• Those who walk with God won't run from people's needs.
• Sorrow looks back, worry looks around, but faith looks up.
• We're richer when we give and poorer when we keep.
• Because of the cross of Christ, we can become friends of Christ.
• Amid the darkness of sin, the light of God's grace shines in.
• Enthusiasm for Christ is contagious; has anyone caught it from you?
• Be as patient with others as God has been with you.
• It is better by far to die for something, than to live for nothing.
• The God who sends you will also sustain you.

- Maria Hutchison

Time to Act

There are many fine things that you mean to do some day, under what you think will be more favourable circumstances. But the only time that is surely yours is the present, so this is the time to speak the word of appreciation and sympathy, to do the generous deed, to forgive the fault of a thoughtless friend, to sacrifice a little more for others.
Today is the day to express your noblest qualities of mind and heart, to do at least one worthy thing that you have long postponed. Today you can make your life significant and worthwhile. The present is yours to do with as you will.

- Grenville Kleiser -

Life's Discipline

Life has no other discipline to impose, if we would but realise it, than to accept life unquestioningly. Everything we shut our eyes to, everything we run away from, everything we deny, denigrate or despise, serves to defeat us in the end. What seems nasty, painful, evil, can become a source of beauty, joy and strength, if faced with an open mind. Every moment is a golden one for him who has the vision to recognise it as such.

- Henry Miller -

Keep On

Do not undermine your worth by comparing yourself with others. It is because we are different that each of us is special.
Do not set your goals by what other people deem important. Only you know what is best for you.
Do not let your life slip through your fingers by living in the past nor for the future. By living your life one day at a time, you live all the days of your life.
Do not give up when you still have something to give. Nothing is really over until the moment you stop trying. It is a fragile thread that binds us to each other.
Do not be afraid to encounter risks. It is by taking chances that we learn how to be brave.
Do not shut love out of your life by saying it is impossible to find. The quickest way to receive love is to give love; The fastest way to lose love is to hold it too tightly.
Life is not a race, but a journey to be savoured each step of the way.

Children

A group of expectant fathers were in a waiting room, while their wives were in the process of delivering babies. A nurse came in and announced to one man that his wife had just given birth to twins. "That's quite a coincidence" he responded, "I play for the Minnesota Twins!" A few minutes later another nurse came in and announced to another man that he was the father of triplets. "That's amazing," he exclaimed, "I work for the 3M company." At that point, a third man slipped off his chair and laid down on the floor. Somebody asked him if he was feeling ill. "No," he responded, "I happen to work for the 7-up company."

Good Memory

An elephant and a crocodile were swimming in the Amazon when the elephant spots a turtle sunning himself on a rock. The elephant walks over to the turtle, picks him up in his trunk and hurls him far into the jungle.
"What did you do that for?" asks the crocodile.
The elephant answers, "That turtle was the one that bit me almost fifty years ago."
The crocodile says, "And you remembered him after all these years? Boy, you sure do have a good memory."
"Yep," says the elephant. "Turtle recall."

Creativity

Because of their courage, their lack of fear, they (creative people) are willing to make silly mistakes. The truly creative person is one who can think crazy; such a person knows full well that many of his great ideas will prove to be worthless.
The creative person is flexible - able to change as the situation changes, to break habits, to face indecision and changes in conditions without undue stress. They are not threatened by the unexpected as rigid, inflexible people are.

- Frank Goble -

Mother Teresa

Once before Mother Theresa 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."
How do our lives speak???

Never defeated

I play to win even when common sense should tell me that I no longer have a chance. Even when I have been playing at my worst, or when all the breaks have been going against me, I approach each new day, each new hole, as a glorious opportunity to get going again.

- Arnold Palmer -

From Blaming to Forgiving

Our most painful suffering often comes from those who love us and those we love. The relationships between husband and wife, parents and children, brothers and sisters, teachers and students, pastors and parishioners - these are where our deepest wounds occur. Even late in life, yes, even after those who wounded us have long since died, we might still need help to sort out what happened in these relationships.
The great temptation is to keep blaming those who were closest to us for our present, condition saying: "You made me who I am now, and I hate who I am." The great challenge is to acknowledge our hurts and claim our true selves as being more than the result of what other people do to us. Only when we can claim our God-made selves as the true source of our being will we be free to forgive those who have wounded us.
- Henri Nouwen

Sermons We See

I’d rather watch a winner, than hear one any day.
I’d rather have one walk with me, than merely show the way.
The eye’s a better pupil and more willing than the ear.
Fine counsel is confusing, but example’s always clear.
And the best of all the coaches are the ones who live their deeds.
For to see the truth in action is what everybody needs.
I can soon learn how to do it, if you’ll let me see it done.
I can watch your hands in action, but your tongue too fast may run.
And the lectures you deliver may be very wise and true.
But, I’d rather get my lessons by observing what you do.
For I may misunderstand you and the high advice you give.
But there’s no misunderstanding how you act and how you live.
I’d rather watch a winner, than hear one any day.
- Edgar A. Guest

Extraordinary People

Ordinary people believe only in the possible. Extraordinary people visualize not what is possible or probable, but rather what is impossible. And by visualizing the impossible, they begin to see it as possible.

- Cherie Carter-Scott -

Interesting Interpretation

The Rabbi was carefully explaining the story of Elijah the Prophet and the false prophets of Baal. He explained how Elijah built the altar, put wood upon it, cut the steer in pieces and laid it upon the altar.
And then Elijah commanded the people of God to fill four barrels of water and pour it over the altar. He had them do this four times.
"Now, said the Rabbi, "can anyone in the class tell me why the L--D would have Elijah pour water over the steer on the altar?"
A little girl raised her hand with great enthusiasm and said "To make the gravy?"

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.

Choose your burden

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."

And God said ‘No’

I asked God to take away my pride,
And God said, "No." He said it was not for Him to take away,
But for me to give up.
I asked God to make my handicapped child whole,
and God said "No." He said her spirit is whole,
Her body is only temporary.
I asked God to grant me patience,
And God said "No." He said that patience is a byproduct of tribulation,
It isn't granted, it's earned.
I asked God to give me happiness,
And God said "No." He said He gives blessings,
Happiness is up to me.
I asked God to spare me pain,
And God said, "No." He said "Suffering draws you apart from worldly cares and brings you closer to Me."
I asked God to make my spirit grow
And God said, "No." He said I must grow on my own.
But he will prune me to make me fruitful.
I asked God to help me love others,
As much as He loves me,
And God said "Ah, finally, you have the idea."

By Claudia Miden Weisz

I will cling to the old rugged cross,
Blood-stained timber, slowly rotting.
My hopes are pinned there, and I cling and cannot let go.
My Saviour bids me move away,
But I’m not sure. In the cross
I have security, a sense of permanence.
Away from the cross are only his promises.
I can feel and see my precious cross.
It is more than a mere symbol.
The image of tortured death is my only reality.
Its shadow covers me,
and I have grown used To the pain of the splinters
And its oppressing weight.
It is my only comfort, even though
My Lord says he will carry it for me.
Others pass me by,
Whispering what good kindling it would make.
Their voices are demons hissing.
I shake the darkening doubts they stir up.
And cling ever tighter to the old rugged cross
Watching the Lord walk away, beyond the rise.

- Stephen R Clark

Fasting and Feasting

I’m going to try to fast today.
I’m not doing it to lose weight, Although I know I need to lose weight.
I’m fasting because I’m hungry.
The starvation I feel is within my shrivelled spirit.
My soul is as empty as my stomach is full.
The pangs of my physical hunger remind me of my stronger need.
Until I am fed by God’s own Spirit, I will always be hungry.
So I’m going to try to feast today…
At a table spread with love and peace.

Audrey Diebel Collins

A Constructive Marriage

In a constructive marriage... the partners must regularly, routinely, and predictably, attend to each other and their relationship no matter how they feel. As has been mentioned, couples sooner or later always fall out of love, and it is at the moment when the mating instinct has run its course that the opportunity for genuine love begins....

- M Scott Peck, The Road Less Travelled -

Get the Picture?

A kindergarten teacher was observing her classroom of children while they drew. She would occasionally walk around to see each child's artwork. As she came to one little girl who was working diligently, she asked what the drawing was.
The girl replied, "I'm drawing God."
The teacher paused and said, "But no one knows what God looks like."
Without missing a beat, or looking up from her drawing the girl replied, "They will in a minute."

Different Perspectives

A Mathematician, a Biologist and a Physicist are sitting in a street cafe watching people going in and coming out of the house on the other side of the street.
First they see two people going into the house. Time passes.
After a while they notice three persons coming out of the house.
The Physicist says: "The measurement wasn't accurate."
The Biologist concludes: "They have reproduced."
The Mathematician says: "Now if another person enters the house, it'll be empty again."

All I Really Need to Know I Learned From Noah's Ark:

1. Don't miss the boat.
2. Don't forget that 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. Build your future on high ground.
7. For safety's sake, travel in pairs.
8. Two heads are better than one.
9. Speed isn't always an advantage; the snails were on board with the cheetahs.
10. When you're stressed, float awhile.
11. Remember that the ark was built by amateurs; the Titanic was built by professionals.
12. Remember that woodpeckers inside are a larger threat than the storm outside.
13. No matter the storm, when God is with you there's a rainbow waiting.

Trouble

Trouble makes us one with every human being in the world - and unless we touch others, we're out of touch with life. If I had a formula for bypassing trouble, I wouldn't pass it around. Wouldn't be doing anybody a favour. Trouble creates a capacity to handle it. I don't say embrace trouble. That's as bad as treating it as an enemy. But I do say meet it as a friend, for you'll see a lot of it and had better be on speaking terms with it.

- Oliver Wendell Holmes -

Off the Ark

After he opened the door to the ark, Noah told the animals to go forth and multiply, which they did--most of them. A little while later, he found a pair of snakes that hadn't multiplied and asked them why not. "We can't multiply," they replied. "We're adders."
Well, this was quite a dilemma, so Noah asked God what he should do. God told him to construct a platform out of stripped tree trunks and put the snakes on the platform. Noah did so, and the snakes multiplied forthwith.
And so Noah learned the deep spiritual truth that adders need log tables to multiply.

A Shot at Life

...one of my favourite stories...
A tough old cowboy once counselled his grandson that if he wanted to live a long life, the secret was to sprinkle a little gunpowder on his oatmeal every morning.
The grandson did this faithfully and he lived to the age of 93. When he died, he left 14 children, 28 grandchildren, 35 great grandchildren and a fifteen foot hole in the wall of the crematorium.

Hand Prints On The Wall

One day as I was picking
the toys up off the floor,
I noticed a small hand print
on the wall beside the door.

I knew that it was something
that I'd seen most every day,
but this time when I saw it there
I wanted it to stay.

Then tears welled up inside my eyes,
I knew it wouldn't last
for every mother knows
her children grow up way too fast.

Just then I put my chores aside
and held my children tight.
I sang to them sweet lullabies
and rocked into the night.

Sometimes we take for granted,
all those things that seem so small.
Like one of God's great treasures...
A small hand print on the wall.

The Discipline of Solitude

The very first thing we need to do is set apart time and place to be with God and Him alone. The concrete shape of this discipline of solitude will be different for each person, depending on individual character and ministerial tasks. But a real discipline never remains vague or general. It is as concrete and specific as daily life itself.

- Henri Nouwen, “The Way of the Heart” -

Child-like Trust

A grandfather overheard his granddaughter repeating the alphabet in reverent, hushed tones. "What are you doing?" he asked. "I'm praying, Grandpa," she said. "I can't think of the right words, so I just say all the letters. God will put them together for me, 'cause He knows what I'm thinking."

Driving the Negatives Away

Where there is charity and wisdom, there is neither fear nor ignorance. Where there is patience and humility, there is neither anger nor vexation. Where there is poverty and joy, there is neither greed nor avarice. Where there is peace and meditation, there is neither anxiety nor doubt.

- Francis of Assisi -

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 unfavourably to others. This guarantees instant misery.
• Take personally everything that happens to you.
• Don't give yourself whole-heartily to anyone or anything.

Keep on…

* Do not undermine your worth by comparing yourself with others. It is because we are different that each of us is special.
* Do not set your goals by what other people deem important. Only you know what is best for you.
* Do not let your life slip through your fingers by living in the past nor for the future. By living your life one day at a time, you live all the days of your life.
* Do not give up when you still have something to give. Nothing is really over until the moment you stop trying. It is a fragile thread that binds us to each other.
* Do not be afraid to encounter risks. It is by taking chances that we learn how to be brave.
* Do not shut love out of your life by saying it is impossible to find. The quickest way to receive love is to give love; The fastest way to lose love is to hold it too tightly.
* Life is not a race, but a journey to be savoured each step of the way.

Letting Go

To let go is not to care for, but to care about,
To let go is not fix, but to be supportive.
To let go is not to judge, but to allow another to be a human being.
To let go is not to be protective, it is to permit another to face reality.

To let go is not to deny but to accept.
To let go is not to adjust everything to my desires but to take each day as it comes and to cherish the moment.
To let go is not to regret the past but to grow and live for the future.
To let go is to fear less and love more.

All I Need to Know About Life I Learned from Trees

It's important to have roots.
In today's complex world, it pays to branch out.
Don't pine away over old flames.
If you really believe in something, don't be afraid to go out on a limb.
Be flexible so you don't break when a harsh wind blows.
Sometimes you have to shed your old bark in order to grow.
If you want to maintain accurate records, keep a log.
To be politically correct, don't wear firs.
Grow where you're planted.
It's perfectly okay to be a late bloomer.
Avoid people who would like to cut you down.
Get all spruced up when you are meeting friends.
If the party gets boring, just leaf.
You can't hide your true colours as you approach the autumn of your life.
It's more important to be honest than poplar.

(author unknown)

An Ordinary Member

'Just an ordinary member of the church,' I heard him say;
But you'd always find him present - even on a rainy day.
He had a hearty handclasp for the stranger in the aisle;
And a friend who was in trouble found sunshine in his smile.
He always paid up promptly and tried to do his share,
in all the ordinary tasks for which some have no care.
His talents were not many, but his love for God was true;
His prayers were not in public but he prayed for me and you.
An ordinary member? I think that I would say….
He was an extra-ordinary, in a humble sort of way.

Author unknown

Greatness

Let every man or woman here, if you never hear me again,
remember this, that if you wish to be great,
you must begin where you are and with what you are, now.
He who can give to his city any blessing,
he who can be a good citizen while he lives here,
he who can make better homes,
he who can be a blessing
whether he works in the shop
or sits behind the counter
or keeps house,
whatever be his life,
he who would be great anywhere
must first be great in his own community.
Right here. Right now.

- Russell H. Conwell

The paradox of our time

The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings, but shorter tempers;
wider freeways, but narrower viewpoints;
we spend more, but have less;
we buy more, but enjoy it less;
We have bigger houses and smaller families;
more conveniences, but less time;
we have more degrees, but less sense;
more knowledge, but less judgement;
more experts, but more problems;
more medicine, but less wellbeing
We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values.
We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often.
We've learned how to make a living, but not a life;
We've added years to life, not life to years.
We've been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet the new neighbour.
We've conquered outer space, but not inner space;
we've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul;
we've split the atom, but not our prejudice;
we have higher incomes, but lower morals;
we've become long on quantity, but short on quality.
These are the times of tall men/women, and short character, steep profits and shallow relationships.
These are the times of world peace, but domestic warfare; more leisure, but less fun; more kinds of food, but less nutrition.
These are the days of two incomes, but more divorce; of fancier houses, but broken homes. It is a time when there is much in the show window and nothing in the stockroom; a time when technology can bring this letter to you, and a time when you can choose either to make a difference, or just read and continue on as you were...

The Discipline of Service

The service of listening: the first service that one owes to others in the fellowship consists in listening to them. Just as love to God begins with listening to His Word, so the beginning of love for the brethren is learning to listen to them. We need so desperately the help that can come through listening to one another. We do not need to be trained psychoanalysts to be trained listeners. The most important requirements are compassion and patience.
We do not have to have the correct answers to listen well. In fact, often the correct answers are a hindrance to listening for we become more anxious to give the answer than to hear. An impatient half-listening is an affront to the person sharing.
To listen to others quiets and disciplines the mind to listen to God.

Taken from Celebration of Discipline by Richard Foster

Beginnings

Each morning is the open door to a new world - new vistas, new aims, new plans and new thoughts. Each new day will bring new experiences - some not to our liking, some we could well do without. Others will challenge and inspire us. We wake to new ideas, friendships, opportunities and to the knowledge that we never face a day alone for God is with us every moment of every day. So we should leave behind our fears, failures, anxieties and disappointments when the dawn breaks and step out with God in faith and anticipation.

from In God's Presence by Joan Stott

Life

I want it, I fight for it, it's only given once. You!, You take it for granted, you even by choice put yourself at risk. Some even take it completely. Why then? Why should I undergo pain, tears, agony to keep it, when you, you use it like a tissue, use it, throw it away. You don't even think of us, the people who want it most, who would use it, who would cherish it. It's so precious, yet you don't know, it's so wanted but you don't care.
Think about it. Think next time you want/wish to be dead. Think! There's someone out there that just died who wanted to live.
LIFE….IT'S SOO PRECIOUS

(written by April Shewan, aged 14 1999 - as she shared her grandmother's struggles with a brain tumour).

Working Together

An out-of-towner in a desolated area drove his car into a ditch. Luckily, a local farmer came to help with his big strong horse named Buddy.
He hitched Buddy up to the car and yelled, "Pull, Nellie, pull!" Buddy didn't move.
Then the farmer hollered, "Pull, Buster, pull!" Buddy didn't respond.
Once more the farmer commanded, "Pull, Coco, pull!" Nothing.
Then the farmer nonchalantly said, "Pull, Buddy, pull!"
And the horse easily dragged the car out of the ditch.
The motorist was most appreciative and very curious. He asked the farmer why he called his horse by the wrong name three times. The farmer said, "Oh, Buddy is blind. If he thought he was the only one pulling, he wouldn't even try!"

Serve God Where You Are

The essential assignment of God's children is
To love their fellow-beings and to demonstrate that love and concern in their daily lives.
Whereas some of you may be compelled
to leave your family and homeland
in order to carry out God's global purposes,
most of you will find your arena of service
on your own street or in your own neighbourhood.
The elderly lady next door,
a sick child down your street,
an oppressed minority community in your city,
the victims of injustice, poverty, crime and violence
these may well be the people you are to serve,
the situations in which you are to witness.
It is not enough to proclaim God's presence;
you are to be that presence.
He may not be able to touch those people except through you.
Do not measure your success
by the visible response, or results that may or may not be the consequence of your ministry.
You know well that Jesus' ministry
among the people He physically related to in this world could hardly be statistically ascertained.
Our Father in heaven will keep accurate records.
His concern for you is not that you be successful, but that you be faithful.
Keep the lines of communication open between you and God.
Allow Him through His Spirit within you to accomplish His purposes through you.
As your feet run His errands,
and your hands perform His deeds of love among your fellow-beings,
may your tongue be ready to express the joy of God's life and Word that is in you.
This is your assignment as God's children and servants in your broken world.

Luke 10:1-9 (Taken from Jesus/Now)

Remember the Y2K problem?

TRANSLATED FROM LATIN SCROLL DATED 2BC...
Dear Cassius
Are you still working on the Y zero K problem? This change from BC to AD is giving us a lot of headaches and we haven't much time left. I don't know how people will cope with working the wrong way around. Having been working happily downwards forever, now we have to start thinking upwards. You would think that someone would have thought of it earlier and not left it to us to sort it all out at this last minute.
I spoke to Augustus the other evening. He was livid that Julius hadn't done something about it when he was sorting out the calendar. He said he could see why Brutus turned nasty. We called in Consultus, but he simply said that continuing downwards using minus BC won't work and as usual charged a fortune for doing nothing useful. Surely we will not have to throw out all our hardware and start again? Macrohard will make yet another fortune out of this I suppose.
The money lenders are paranoid of course! They have been told that all usery rates will invert and they will have to pay their clients to take out loans. It's an ill wind ......
As for myself, I just can't see the sand in an hourglass flowing upwards. We have heard that there are three wise men in the East who have been working on the problem, but unfortunately they won't arrive until it's all over.
I have heard that there are plans to stable all horses at midnight at the turn of the year as there are fears that they will stop and try to run backwards, causing immense damage to chariots and possible loss of life.
Some say the world will cease to exist at the moment of transition. Anyway, we are still continuing to work on this blasted Y zero K problem. I will send a parchment to you if anything further develops.
If you have any ideas please let me know,
Plutonius

Learning to Affirm One Another…

(we don't have to limit this to children!)
If affirming words were something rarely spoken in your home growing up, let me give you some tips on words and phrases that can brighten your own child's eyes and life. These words are easy to say to any child who comes into your life. I'm proud of you, Way to go, Bingo ... you did it, Magnificent, I knew you could do it, What a good helper, You're very special to me, I trust you, What a treasure, Hurray for you, Beautiful work, You're a real trooper, Well done, That's so creative, You make my day, You're a joy, Give me a big hug, You're such a good listener, You figured it out, I love you, You're so responsible, You remembered, You're the best, You sure tried hard, I've got to hand it to you, I couldn't be prouder of you, You light up my day, I'm praying for you, You're wonderful, I'm behind you, You're so kind to your (brother/sister), You're God's special gift, I'm here for you.

John Trent, Ph.D., Vice President of Today's Family, Men of Action, Winter 1993, Page 5

Past, Present and Future

* Eternal God, Alpha and Omega, you have called us to be a part of Your story of grace at work in the world.
We thank you for the history of faith which affirms your presence for people in all walks and every station of life.
We praise you for the life of Jesus, demonstrating your empathy with us in life's journey, your willingness to suffer as a human being, still offering the way of hope.
As we look back, Lord God, remind us that your mercies are as fresh as the morning dew, renewed in each time, fresh for each new moment.
** Living and eternal God, we are reminded of your ongoing presence in our world.
By your spirit you walk with us each day, bringing guidance, giftedness and strength to continue the work of faith which we celebrate.
Keep us from consigning your work and your presence to the pages of history. Keep us alive to the fresh opportunities to experience and share your mercy and grace in the midst of contemporary life.
Grant that life each day might be shaped in purpose by our desire to live as Jesus would live, to steward our time, talents and resources in ways which demonstrate your priority in our lives.
*** Coming Lord Jesus, you call us not only to be part of your coming kingdom, but also to be part of creating a new future.
Though at times we struggle to adapt to and understand the changes which rage about us, teach us to keep our eyes fixed to you.
Teach us to shape our home lives, our work practices and our leisure experiences as an expression of your mission in and through us.
Let the full creativity of your Spirit be found in us, that our whole lives might be transformed by your renewing of our minds.
* Lord God, in a rapidly changing world, help us not to be swept away in the stampede of our consumer society.
Instead, help us to consciously choose the way of Jesus, echoed in the prayer he taught his disciples to pray...

Study the Horse

Ancient wisdom says that when you discover you are riding a dead horse, the best strategy is to dismount. However in organisations we often try many other strategies, including the following:
1. Changing riders
2. Buying a stronger whip
3. Appointing a committee to study the horse
4. Arranging a visit to other sites to see how they ride dead horses
5. Increasing the standards for riding dead horses
6. Creating training sessions to improve riding skills
7. Comparing the state of dead horses in today's environment
8. Changing the requirements so that the horse no longer meets the standards of death
9. Hiring an outside consultant to show how dead horses can be ridden
10. Increasing funding to improve the horse's performance
11. Declaring that no horse is too dead to beat.

The Guide Book

On the table side by side, the Holy Bible and the TV guide.
One is well worn but cherished with pride - (not the bible, the TV guide)
One is used daily to help folks decide -
No it isn't the Bible, it's the TV guide.
As pages are turned, what shall we see -
Oh, what does it matter, turn on the TV
So they open the book in which they confide - (no not the Bible, it's the TV guide).
The work of God is seldom read, maybe a verse as they fall into bed, exhausted and sleepy and tired as can be.
Not from reading the bible, from watching TV.
So then back on the table side by side, is the Holy Bible and the TV guide.
No time for prayer, no time for the word,
The plan of salvation is seldom heard.
Forgiveness for sin so full and free, is in the BIBLE, not on TV!!

(From Church News Services)

What About Abstinence?

I was holding a notice from my 13-year-old son's school announcing a meeting to preview the new course in sexuality. Parents could examine the curriculum and take part in an actual lesson presented exactly as it would be given to the students.
When I arrived at the school, I was surprised to discover only about a dozen parents there. As we waited for the presentation, I thumbed through page after page of instructions in the prevention of pregnancy or disease. I found abstinence mentioned only in passing.
When the teacher arrived with the school nurse, she asked if there were any questions. I asked why abstinence did not play a noticeable part in the material. There was a great deal of laughter, and someone suggested that if I thought abstinence had any merit, I should go back to burying my head in the sand.
The teacher and the nurse said nothing as I drowned in a sea of embarrassment. My mind had gone blank, and I could think of nothing to say. The teacher explained to me that the job of the school was to teach "facts" and the home was responsible for moral training. I sat in silence for the next 20 minutes as the course was explained. The other parents seemed to give their unqualified support to the materials.
"Donuts at the back," announced the teacher during the break. "I'd like you to put on the name tags we have prepared. They're right by the donuts and mingle with the other parents." Everyone moved to the back of the room. As I watched them affixing their name tags and shaking hands, I sat deep in thought. I was ashamed that I had not been able to convince them to include a serious discussion of abstinence in the materials.
I uttered a silent prayer for guidance. My thoughts were interrupted by the teacher's hand on my shoulder. "Won't you join the others, Mr. Layton?" The nurse smiled sweetly at me. "The donuts are good."
"Thank you, no," I replied. "Well, then, how about a name tag? I'm sure the others would like to meet you." "Somehow I doubt that," I replied. "Won't you please join them?" she coaxed.
Then I heard a still, small voice whisper, "Don't go." The instruction was unmistakable. "Don't go!"
I said, "I'll just wait here."
When the class was called back to order, the teacher looked around the long table and thanked everyone for putting on name tags. She ignored me. Then she said, "Now we're going to give you the same lesson we'll be giving your children.
Everyone please peel off your name tags." I watched in silence as the tags came off. "Now, then, on the back of one of the tags, I drew a tiny flower. Who has it, please?" The gentleman across from me held it up. "Here it is!"
"All right," she said. "The flower represents disease. Do you recall with whom you shook hands?" He pointed to a couple of people. "Very good," she replied. "The handshake in this case is intimacy. So the two people you had contact with now have the disease."
There was laughter and joking among the parents. The teacher continued, "And with whom did the two of YOU shake hands? "The point was well taken, and she explained how this lesson would show students how quickly disease is spread. "Since we all shook hands, we all have the disease"
It was then that I heard the still, small voice again. "Speak now," it said, "but be humble." I noted wryly the latter admonition, then rose from my chair. I apologized for any upset I might have caused earlier, congratulated the teacher on an excellent lesson that would impress the youth, and concluded by saying I had only one small point I wished to make.
"Not all of us were infected," I said. "One of us .... abstained."

by Robert Layton

The Book

Announcing the new Built-in Orderly Organized Knowledge device, otherwise known as the BOOK. It's a revolutionary breakthrough in technology: no wires, no electric circuits, no batteries, nothing to be connected or switched on. It's so easy to use even a child can operate it. Just lift its cover. Compact and portable, it can be used anywhere -- even sitting in an armchair by the fire -- yet it is powerful enough to hold as much information as a CD-ROM disk.
Here's how it works: each BOOK is constructed of sequentially numbered sheets of paper (recyclable), each capable of holding thousands of bits of information. These pages are locked together with a custom-fit device called a binder which keeps the sheets in their correct sequence. By using both sides of each sheet, manufacturers are able to cut costs in half.
Each sheet is scanned optically, registering information directly into your brain. A flick of the finger takes you to the next sheet. The BOOK may be taken up at any time and used by merely opening it. The "Browse" feature allows you to move instantly to any sheet, and move forward or backward as you wish. Most come with an "index" feature, which pinpoints the exact location of any selected information for instant retrieval.
An optional "BOOKmark" accessory allows you to open the BOOK to the exact place you left it in a previous session -- even if the BOOK has been closed. BOOKmarks fit universal design standards; thus a single BOOKmark can be used in BOOKs by various manufacturers.
Portable, durable and affordable, the BOOK is the entertainment wave of the future, and many new titles are expected soon, due to the surge in popularity of its programming tool, the Portable Erasable-Nib Cryptic Intercommunication Language Stylus...

Remember to Count your Blessings

A newly arrived soul in Heaven was met by St. Peter. The saint toured the soul around Heaven. Both of them walked side by side inside a large workroom filled with angels.
St. Peter stopped in front of the first section and said, "This is the Receiving Section. Here all the petitions to God said in prayer are received. The soul looked at the section, and it was terribly busy with so many angels sorting out petitions written on voluminous sheets of paper from all over the world.
They walked again until they reached the second section. "This is the Packaging and Delivery Section. Here the graces and blessings asked for are packed and delivered to those who asked for them down on earth". Oh, how busy it was! There were many angels working in that room, since so many blessings were being packed and delivered to earth.
Finally at the farthest corner of the room, the soul stopped at the last section. To the surprise of the soul, only one angel was there, hardly doing anything. "This is the Acknowledging Section," St Peter told the soul.
"How is it that there is no work here?"
St. Peter answered, "That's the sad thing. After people receive their blessings they asked for, very few send their acknowledgments".
"How does one acknowledge God's blessing?".
"Simple, St. Peter answered, "Just say, "Thank you, Lord".

Growth and Change

If we don't change, we don't grow. If we don't grow we are not really living. Growth demands a temporary surrender of security. It may mean a giving up of familiar but limiting patterns, safe but unrewarding work, values no longer believed in relationships that have lost their meaning. As Dostoevsky put it, "Taking a new step, uttering a new word, is what people fear most". The real fear should be of the opposite course.

- Gail Sheehy -

Things my mother taught me

My Mother taught me LOGIC... "If you fall off that swing and break your neck, you can't go to the store with me."
My Mother taught me MEDICINE... "If you don't stop crossing your eyes, they're going to freeze that way."
My Mother taught me TO THINK AHEAD... "If you don't pass your spelling test, you'll never get a good job!"
My Mother taught me ESP... "Put your sweater on; don't you think that I know when you're cold?"
My Mother taught me TO MEET A CHALLENGE... "What were you thinking? Answer me when I talk to you...Don't talk back to me!"
My Mother taught me HUMOR... "When that lawn mower cuts off your toes, don't come running to me."
My Mother taught me how to BECOME AN ADULT... "If you don't eat your vegetables, you'll never grow up.
My mother taught me about GENETICS... "You are just like your father!"
My mother taught me about my ROOTS... "Do you think you were born in a barn?"
My mother taught me about the WISDOM of AGE... "When you get to be my age, you will understand."
My mother taught me about ANTICIPATION... "Just wait until your father gets home."
My mother taught me about RECEIVING... "You are going to get it when we get home."
And my all time favourite thing- JUSTICE... "One day you will have kids, and I hope they turn out just like YOU.. then you'll see what it's like."

It Could be Worse

Next time you think you are having a bad day, remember ......
1. The average cost of rehabilitating a seal after the Exxon Valdez oil spill in Alaska was $80,000. At a special ceremony, two of the most expensively saved animals were released back into the sea amid cheers and applause from onlookers. A minute later they were both eaten by a killer whale.
2. Iraqi terrorist Khay Rahnajet, didn't pay enough postage on a letter bomb. It came back with "return to sender" stamped on it. Forgetting it was the bomb, he opened it and was blown to bits.

Valuing One Another

At one time Andrew Carnegie was the wealthiest man in America. He came to America from his native Scotland when he was a small boy, did a variety of odd jobs, and eventually ended up as the largest steel manufacturer in the United States. At one time he had forty-three millionaires working for him. In those days a millionaire was a rare person; conservatively speaking, a million dollars in his day would be equivalent to at least twenty million dollars today.
A reporter asked Carnegie how he had managed to hire forty- three millionaires. Carnegie responded that those men had not been millionaires when they started working for him but had become millionaires as a result.
The reporter's next question was, "How did you develop these men to become so valuable to you that you have paid them this much money?" Carnegie replied that men (people) are developed the same way gold is mined. When gold is mined, several tons of dirt must be moved to get an ounce of gold; but one doesn't go into the mine looking for dirt -- one goes in looking for the gold.

Kids' Instructions on Life

Never trust a dog to watch your food. Patrick, Age 10
When you want something expensive, ask your grandparents. Matthew, Age 12
Never smart off to a teacher whose eyes and ears are twitching. Andrew, Age 9
Sleep in your clothes so you'll be dressed in the morning. Stephanie, Age 8
Never try to hide a piece of broccoli in a glass of milk. Rosemary, Age 7
Never ask for anything that costs more than five dollars when your parents are doing taxes. Carrol, Age 9
Don't ever be too full for dessert. Kelly, Age 10
When your dad is mad and asks you, "Do I look stupid?" don't answer him. Heather, Age 16
Never tell your mom her diet's not working. Michael, Age 14
When you get a bad grade in school, show it to your mom when she's on the phone. Alyesha, Age 13
Never try to baptise a cat. Laura, Age 13
Never spit when on a roller coaster. Scott, Age 11
Never do pranks at a police station. Sam, Age 10
Beware of cafeteria food when it looks like it's moving. Rob, Age 10
Never tell your little brother that you're not going to do what your mom told you to do. Hank, Age 12
You're never too old to hold your father's hand. Molly, Age 11
Listen to your brain. It has lots of information. Chelsey, Age 7
Never dare your little brother to paint the family car. Phillip, Age 13
Forget the cake, go for the icing. Cynthia, Age 8

Genuine Community is built when

...instead of complaining that people don't call us, we take a moment to call someone else and show that we care.
...instead of wondering why someone doesn't invite us to their home, we invite another to ours and enjoy sharing together
...we affirm the good things we see in others, and do not focus on other's (or our own!) shortcomings
...we are prepared to take risks in order to get to know others at more than a superficial level, rather than hold back and wonder what others are thinking.
...we are prepared to be a friend in order to make a friend.
...forgiveness and grace are central features of our life together, while judgment and condemnation are left outside.
...we are happy to share a meal with someone else, without undue concern for the fare we eat.
...everyone sees that they have a part in building community, so it is not always left to "someone else"
...we reach out because we care!

Warning signs

Dan Reiland, who serves as vice-president of leadership development at INJOY, 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.

World Elections

It is time to elect a world leader, and your vote counts. Here are the facts about the three leading candidates:
Candidate A: Associates with crooked politicians, and consults with astrologers. He's had two mistresses and was not discrete about it. He also chain smokes and drinks 8 to 10 martinis a day.
Candidate B: Was kicked out of office twice, sleeps until noon, used opium in college and drinks a quart of whisky every evening.
Candidate C: Is a decorated war hero. He's a vegetarian, politically conservative, doesn't smoke, drinks an occasional beer and hasn't had any extramarital affairs.
Which of these candidates would be your choice??

World Elections: Candidates revealed

Candidate A is Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR)
Candidate B is Winston Churchill
Candidate C is Adolph Hitler
Hmmm! Something to ponder on. Isn't it?

Mergers

You might remember the failed merger between Yahoo and Netscape - Net'n'yahoo. It didn't work out because they were afraid they would have to relocate the headquarters - Intel Aviv. There is a new merger in the works involving Polygraph Records, Warner Brothers, and Arnotts. It will be called Poly-Warner-Cracker.

The Conquerors

Jesus and Alexander died at thirty-three!
One lived and died for self, One died for you and me.
The Greek died on a throne; the Jew died on a cross.
One’s life a triumph seemed; the Other — but a loss.
One led vast armies forth the Other walked alone.
One shed a whole world’s blood; the Other gave His own!
One won the whole world in life and lost it in death;
The Other lost His life — to win a whole world’s faith.

Jesus and Alexander died at thirty-three!
One died in Babylon, and One on Calvary.
One gained all for himself; and One Himself He gave.
One conquered every throne; the Other — every grave!
The one made himself god; and God made Himself less;
The one lived but to blast; the Other but to bless.
When died the Greek — forever fell his throne of swords;
But Jesus died to live forever — King of kings and Lord of lords!

Jesus and Alexander died at thirty-three!
The Greek made all men slaves; the Jew can make all free!
One built a throne on hate; the Other built on love.
The one was born of earth; the Other from above!
One conquered all the earth to lose all earth and heaven;
The Other gave up all — that all to Him be given.
The Greek forever died; the Jew forever lives,
And to all who trust His finished Word — Eternal Life He gives!

- Charles Ross Weed

Unlock Your Potential

Michaelangelo worked on forty-four statues and completed fourteen of them. The unfinished ones are in a museum in Italy - the unfulfilled potential of a great genius. What's sadder to see are people who could become masterpieces - if only they were developed. You say, "How do I discover and develop my gifts?" First , look up. Find somebody who's a little bigger and a little better than you are, then spend time with them. That's what Joshua did with Moses and Timothy did with Paul. It's still God's way.
Next, give up. You've got to be willing to give up what you are, in order to be what you can become - Abraham gave up his home to seek a better country. Moses gave up the riches of Egypt to identify with the people of God. Paul gave up the comfort of being a Pharisee to pay the price of being an apostle. Every achiever has a 'give up' story - nothing comes free!
Finally, show up. If you want to win the game, you must face your opponent! Jephthah said, " . . . I have opened my mouth unto the Lord and I cannot go back." (Judg 11:35) In spite of his terrible family background and his personal problems, he became Israel's youngest judge and finished up with the heroes of faith in Hebrews chapter 11. God can do it for you too - if you'll let Him!

Character: Who you are when no-one’s looking

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. from Sports Illustrated (April 14, 1997)

Character

Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved.

- Helen Adams Keller (1880-1968) -

What is Maturity?

• Knowing myself.
• Asking for help when I need it and acting on my own when I don't.
• Admitting when I'm wrong and making amends.
• Accepting love from others, even if I'm having a tough time loving myself.
• Recognising that I always have choices, and taking responsibility for the ones I make.
• Seeing that life is a blessing.
• Having an opinion without insisting that others share it.
• Forgiving myself and others.
• Recognising my shortcomings and my strengths.
• Having the courage to live one day at a time.
• Acknowledging that my needs are my responsibility.
• Caring for people without having to take care of them.
• Accepting that I'll never be finished -- I'll always be a work-in-progress.

from Courage to Change: One Day At a Time in Al-Anon, p 63

Real life begins...

For a long time it seemed to me that real life was about to begin, but there was always some obstacle in the way. Something had to be got 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.

- Bette Howland -

The Rules for Being Human

1. You will receive a body. You may like it or hate it, but it will be yours for the entire period this time around.
2. You will learn lessons. You are enrolled in a full time informal school called life. Each day in this school you will have the opportunity to learn lessons. You may like the lessons or think them irrelevant and stupid.
3. There are no mistakes, only lessons. Growth is a process of trial and error, experimentation. The "failed" experiments are as much a part of the process as the experiment that ultimately "works."
4. A lesson is repeated until learned. A lesson will be presented to you in various forms until you have learned it. When you have learned it, you can go on to the next lesson.
5. Learning lessons does not end. There is no part of life that does not contain its lessons. If you are alive there are lessons to be learned.
6. "There" is no better than "here." When your "there" has become a "here" you will simply obtain another "there" that will again look better than "here."
7. Others are merely mirrors of you. You cannot love or hate something about another person unless it reflects to you something you love or hate about yourself.
8. What you make of your life is up to you. You have all the tools and resources you need. What you do with them is up to you. The choice is yours.
9. Your answers lie inside you. The answer to life's questions lie inside you. All you need to do is look, listen, and trust.
10. This will often be forgotten, only to be remembered again.
(Author unknown)

Three Animals and an Argument

Three animals were having a huge argument over who was the best: The first, a hawk, claimed that because of his ability to fly, he could attack anything repeatedly from above, and his prey had nary a chance. The second, a lion, based his claim on his strength, and none in the forest dared to challenge him. The third, a skunk, insisted he needed neither flight nor strength to frighten off any creature. As the trio debated the issue, a grizzly bear came along and swallowed them all: hawk, lion and stinker!

Ever Wondered Why?

WHY DO MEN'S CLOTHES HAVE BUTTONS ON THE RIGHT AND WOMEN'S ON THE LEFT?
This custom began for practical purposes. Since most people are right-handed it's easier to push a button through its hole with the right hand. Thus, men's clothes have buttons on the right side.
But when clothes with buttons were first introduced, women who could afford to buy them were dressed by servants. Since the servant would be facing the woman, the buttons were put on the servant's right side, which of course is the woman's left side.

The Rogue Warrior's Leadership Code

* I will test my theories on myself first. I will be my own guinea pig.
* I will be totally committed to what I believe, and I will risk all I have for these beliefs.
* I will back my subordinates all the way when they take reasonable risks to help me achieve my goals.
* I will not punish my people for making mistakes. I'll only punish them for not learning from their mistakes.
* I will not be afraid to take action, because I know that almost any action is better than inaction. And I know that sometimes not acting is the boldest action of all.
* I will always make it crystal clear where I stand and what I believe.
* I will always be easy to find: I will be at the centre of the battle.