We Are Awesome! Abused Women Everywhere Speak Out Make Example

I've Learned Alot!

2007-02-10T18:45:00.001-08:00

I've learned that you cannot make someone love you. All you can do is be someone who can be loved. The rest is up to them.

I've learned that no matter how much I care, some people just don't care back.

I've learned that it's not what you have in your life, but who you have in your life that counts.

I've learned that you can get by on charm for about 15 minutes. After that, you'd better know something.

I've learned that you shouldn't compare yourself to the best others can do, but to the best you can do.

I've learned that it's not what happens to people that's important. It's what they do about it.

I've learned that no matter how thin you slice it, there are always two sides.

I've learned that it's taking me a long time to become the person I want to be.

I've learned that it's a lot easier to react than it is to think.

I've learned that you should always leave loved ones with loving words. It may be the last time you see them.

I've learned that you can keep going long after you think you can't.

I've learned that we are responsible for what we do, no matter how we feel.

I've learned that either you control your attitude or it controls you.

I've learned that regardless of how hot and steamy a relationship is at first, the passion fades and there had better be something else to take its place.

I've learned that heroes are the people who do what has to be done when it needs to be done, regardless of the consequences.

I've learned that learning to forgive takes practice.

I've learned that there are people who love you dearly, but just don't know how to show it.

I've learned that money is a lousy way of keeping score.

I've learned that my best friend and I can do anything or nothing and have the best time.

I've learned that sometimes the people you expect to kick you when you're down may be the ones to help you get back up.

I've learned that I'm getting more and more like my grandma, and I'm kinda happy about it.

I've learned that sometimes when I'm angry I have the right to be angry, but that doesn't give me the right to be cruel.

I've learned that true friendship continues to grow, even over the longest distance. Same goes for true love.

I've learned that just because someone doesn't love you the way you want them to doesn't mean they don't love you with all they have.

I've learned that maturity has more to do with what types of experiences you've had and what you've learned from them and less to do with how many birthdays you've celebrated.

I've learned that you should never tell a child her dreams are unlikely or outlandish. Few things are more humiliating, and what a tragedy it would be if she believed it.

I've learned that your family won't always be there for you. It may seem funny, but people you aren't related to can take care of you and love you and teach you to trust people again. Families aren't biological.

I've learned that no matter how good a friend someone is, they're going to hurt you every once in a while and you must forgive them for that.

I've learned that it isn't always enough to be forgiven by others. Sometimes you have to learn to forgive yourself.

I've learned that no matter how bad your heart is broken the world doesn't stop for your grief.

I've learned that our background and circumstances may have influenced who we are, but we are responsible for who we become.

I've learned that sometimes when my friends fight, I'm forced to choose sides even when I don't want to.

I've learned that just because two people argue, it doesn't mean they don't love each other. And just because they don't argue, it doesn't mean they do.

I've learned that sometimes you have to put the individual ahead of their actions.

I've learned that we don't have to change friends if we understand that friends change.

I've learned that if you don't want to forget something, stick it in your underwear drawer.

I've learned that you shouldn't be so eager to find out a secret. It could change your life forever.

I've learned that the clothes I like best are the ones with the most holes in them.

I've learned that two people can look at the exact same thing and see something totally different.

I've learned that no matter how you try to protect your children, they will eventually get hurt and you will hurt in the process.

I've learned that there are many ways of falling and staying in love.

I've learned that no matter the consequences, those who are honest with themselves, get further in life.

I've learned that many things can be powered by the mind, the trick is self-control.

I've learned that no matter how many friends you have, if you are their pillar, you will feel lonely and lost at the times you need them most.

I've learned that your life can be changed in a matter of hours by people who don't even know you.

I've learned that even when you think you have no more to give, when a friend cries out to you, you will find the strength to help.

I've learned that writing, as well as talking, can ease emotional pains.

I've learned that the paradigm we live in is not all that is offered to us.

I've learned that credentials on the wall do not make you a decent human being.

I've learned that the people you care most about in life are taken from you too soon.

I've learned that although the word "love" can have many different meanings, it loses value when overly used.

I've learned that it's hard to determine where to draw the line between being nice and not hurting people's feelings and standing up for what you believe.

I've learned that no matter how fast or how far you go, you can't outrun God.

I've learned that no matter how far away I've been, He'll always welcome me back.

I've learned that love is not for me to keep, but to pass on to the next person I see.

I've learned that even if you do the right thing for the wrong reason, it's still the wrong thing to do.

The Whole World Stinks

2007-02-10T18:43:00.000-08:00

Wise men and philosophers throughout the ages have disagreed on many things, but many are in unanimous agreement on one point: "We become what we think about." Ralph Waldo Emerson said, "A man is what he thinks about all day long." The Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius put it this way: "A man's life is what his thoughts make of it." In the Bible we find: "As a man thinks in his heart, so is he."

One Sunday afternoon, a cranky grandfather was visiting his family. As he lay down to take a nap, his grandson decided to have a little fun by putting Limburger cheese on Grandfather's mustache. Soon, grandpa awoke with a snort and charged out of the bedroom saying, "This room stinks." Through the house he went, finding every room smelling the same. Desperately he made his way outside only to find that "the whole world stinks!"

So it is when we fill our minds with negativism. Everything we experience and everybody we encounter will carry the scent we hold in our mind.

*********************************************************************************************

Complain! Complain! Complain!

It takes a disciplined spirit to endure the monastery on Mount Serat in Spain. One of the fundamental requirements of this religious order is that the young men must maintain silence. Opportunities to speak are scheduled once every two years, at which time they are allowed to speak only two words.

One young initiate in this religious order, who had completed his first two years of training, was invited by his superior to make his first two-word presentation. "Food terrible," he said. Two years later the invitation was once again extended. The young man used this forum to exclaim, "Bed lumpy." Arriving at his superior's office two years later he proclaimed, "I quit." The superior looked at this young monk and said, "You know, it doesn't surprise me a bit. All you've done since you arrived is complain, complain, complain."

Exaggerated? Maybe. What if you were asked to share two words that describe your Life? Would your focus be the lumps, bumps, and unfairness...or are you committed to dwell on those things that are good, right, and lovely?

God Can Use You

2006-12-13T10:10:00.000-08:00

The next time you feel like GOD can't use you, just remember...

Noah was a drunk.

Abraham was too old.

Isaac was a daydreamer.

Jacob was a liar.

Leah was ugly.

Joseph was abused.

Moses had a stuttering problem.

Gideon was afraid.

Samson had long hair and was a womanizer.

Rahab was a prostitute.

Jeremiah and Timothy were too young.

David had an affair and was a murderer.

Elijah was suicidal.

Isaiah preached naked.

Jonah ran from God.

Naomi was a widow.

Job went bankrupt.

Peter denied Christ.

The Disciples fell asleep while praying.

Martha worried about everything.

The Samaritan woman was divorced, more than once.

Zaccheus was too small.

Paul was too religious.

Timothy had an ulcer.

... AND

Lazarus was dead!

Now! No more excuses!

God can use you to your full potential.

Besides you aren't the message, you are just the messenger.

In the Circle of God's love, God's waiting to use your full potential.

1. God wants spiritual fruit, not religious nuts.

2. Dear God, I have a problem, it's Me.

3. Growing old is inevitable.. . growing UP is optional.

4. There is no key to happiness. The door is always open.

5. Silence is often misinterpreted but never misquoted.

6. Do the math... count your blessings.

7. Faith is the ability to not panic.

8. Laugh every day, it's like inner jogging.

9. If you worry, you didn't pray. If you pray, don't worry.

10. As a child of God, prayer is kind of like calling home everyday.

11. Blessed are the flexible for they shall not be bent out of shape.

12. The most important things in your house are the people.

13. When we get tangled up in our problems, be still. God wants us to be still so He can untangle the knot.

14. A grudge is a heavy thing to carry.

15. He who dies with the most toys is still dead.

Have a great day!!! The SON is shining and he can certainly use you!

The Best Christmas Gift To You

2006-12-07T15:09:00.000-08:00

A Christmas Letter From God

2006-12-05T12:18:00.000-08:00

Dear Children,

It has come to my attention that many of you are upset that folks are taking My name out of the season. Maybe you've forgotten that I wasn't actually born during this time of the year and that it was some of your predecessors who decided to celebrate My birthday on what was actually a time of pagan festival--although I do appreciate being remembered anytime.

How I personally feel about this celebration can probably be most easily understood by those of you who have been blessed with children of your own.

I don't care what you call the day. If you want to celebrate My birth just, GET ALONG AND LOVE ONE ANOTHER. Now, having said that let Me go on.

If it bothers you that the town in which you live doesn't allow a scene depicting My birth, then just get rid of a couple of Santas and snowmen and put in a small Nativity scene on your own front lawn. If all my followers did that, there wouldn't be any need for such a scene on the town square because there would be many of them all around town.

Stop worrying about the fact that people are calling the tree a holiday tree, instead of a Christmas tree. It was I who made all trees. You can remember me anytime you see any tree. Decorate a grape vine if you wish: I actually spoke of that one in a teaching explaining who I am in relation to you and what each of our tasks were. If you have forgot that one, look up John 15: 1-8.

If you want to give Me a present in remembrance of My birth, here is My wish list. Choose something from it.

1. Instead of writing protest letters objecting to the way My birthday is being celebrated, write letters of love and hope to soldiers away from home. They are terribly afraid and lonely this time of year. I know; they tell me all the time.

2. Visit someone in a nursing home. You don't have to know them personally. They just need to know that someone cares about them.

3. Instead of writing George complaining about the wording on the cards his staff sent out this year, why don't you write and tell him that you'll be praying for him and his family this year? Then follow up. It will be nice hearing from you again.

4. Instead of giving your children a lot of gifts you can't afford and they don't need, spend time with them. Tell them the story of My birth, and why I came to live with you down here. Hold them in your arms and remind them that I love them.

5. Pick someone that has hurt you in the past and forgive him or her.

6. Did you know that someone in your town will attempt to take their own life this season because they feel so alone and hopeless? Since you don't know who that person is, try giving everyone you meet a warm smile. It could make the difference.

7. Instead of nit picking about what the retailer in your town calls the holiday, be patient with the people who work here. Give them a warm smile and a kind word. Even if they aren't allowed to wish you a "Merry Christmas" that doesn't keep you from wishing them one.

8. If you really want to make a difference, support a missionary, especially one who takes My love and Good News to those who have never heard My name.

9. Here's a good one. There are individuals and whole families in your town who not only will have no "Christmas" tree, but neither will they have any presents to give or receive. If you don't know them, buy some food and a few gifts and give them to the Salvation Army or some other charity which believes in Me and they will make the delivery for you.

10. Finally, if you want to make a statement about your belief in and loyalty to Me, then behave like a Christian. Don't do things in secret that you wouldn't do in My presence. Let people know by your actions that you are one of mine.

PS: Don't forget; I am God and can take care of Myself. Just love Me and do what I have told you to do. I'll take care of all the rest. Check out the list above and get to work; time is short. I'll help you, but the ball is now in your court. And, do have a most blessed Christmas with all those whom you love and remember -

I LOVE YOU, JESUS

The Difference Between Poor People And Rich People

2006-12-01T22:20:00.000-08:00

One day, the father of a very wealthy family took his son on a trip to the country with the express purpose of showing him how poor people live.

They spent a couple of days and nights on the farm of what would be considered a very poor family.

On the return from their trip, the father asked his son, "How was the trip?"

"It was great, Dad."

"Did you see! how poor people live?" the father asked.

"Oh yeah," said the son.

"So, tell me, what did you learn from the trip?" asked the father.

The son answered: "I saw that we have one dog and they had four.

We have a pool that reaches to the middle of our garden and they have a creek that has no end.

We have imported lanterns in our garden and they have the stars at night.

Our patio reaches to the front yard and they have the whole horizon. We! have a small piece of land to live on and they have fields that go beyond our sight.

We have servants who serve us, but they serve others.

We buy our food, but they grow theirs.

We have walls around our property to protect us, they have friends to protect them."

The boy's father was speechless. Then his son added, "Thanks, Dad, for showing me how poor we are."

Isn't perspective a wonderful thing? Makes you wonder what would happen if we all gave thanks for everything we have, instead of worrying about what we don't have.

Appreciate every single thing you have, especially your friends!

Pass this on to friends and acquaintances and help them refresh their perspective and appreciation.

"Life is too short and friends are too few.

And Life Goes On!!!

The Greatest Irony Of Love

2006-12-01T22:03:00.000-08:00

Loving the right person at the wrong time,
having the wrong person when the time is right
and finding out you love someone right after
that person walks out of your life...

And sometimes, you think you're already over a person,
but when you see them smile at you,
you'll suddenly realize that you're just pretending
to be over them just to ease the pain of knowing that
they will never be yours again...

For some, they think that letting go is one way
of expressing how much they love that person...
in my opinion, some are afraid to see the one they love
being held by someone else...

Most relationships tend to fail not because
the absence of love. Love is always present.
It's just that one was being loved too much and the
other was being loved too little...

As we all know that the heart is the center of the body
but it beats on the left. maybe that's the reason
why the heart is not always right...

Most often we fall in love with the person we think we love
but to only discover that for them
we are just for passing time, while the one who truly
loves us remains either a friend or a stranger...

So here's a piece of advice;
Let go when you're hurting too much.
Give up when love isn't enough.
And move on when things are not like before...

It's certain... there is someone out there
WHO WILL LOVE YOU EVEN MORE...

The Real Stuff

2006-11-30T21:20:00.000-08:00

By Leslie Snyder

"Do everything without complaining or arguing"
-Philippians 2:14

"That we ought not to be weary of doing little things for the love of God."
-Brother Lawrence

I have a love-hate relationship with this verse. I love it when it applies to someone else (like my kids, husband, or the teenagers with whom I work), and I hate it when it applies to me. My guess is that I'm not alone in my sentiments.

Little makes me grumble and complain more than mundane tasks. Daily responsibilities like household chores and routine reminders just aren't exciting. The same is true of commuting to and from work, punching a time clock, redoing the work you did yesterday and planning to do the same tomorrow. The truth is no one wants to live a mundane life filled with mundane activities.

I guess the part of me that wants to hustle through these mundane tasks longs for the excitement of the "real" work, the stuff that really matters. You know, the exciting stuff that God is calling me to do that is so much more important than the mundane tasks that fill my days.

Then the thought occurred to me, "What if the seemingly mundane activities of my day are the real stuff? What if things like driving the carpool, hosting the neighborhood kids after school, fixing endless cold lunches and hot dinners, changing diapers, finding lost shoes, helping with homework, paying the bills while not complaining or arguing are the very tasks God is calling me to fulfill?" Brother Lawrence, a 17th century monastic leader, said, that the most excellent method he had found of going to God was that of doing our common business without any view of pleasing men, and (as far as we are capable) purely for the love of God.

Ouch! That one hurts! I suppose that different seasons in our lives bring different definitions to the word "mundane", but in his letter to the church at Colossae, Paul encourages, "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving" Colossians 3:23-24.

GOING DEEPER:
What mundane things in your life may, in reality, be the "real" stuff? Thank God today for His presence in the everyday things of life.

FURTHER READING:
Matthew 25:40

Hang In There!

2006-11-26T14:01:00.000-08:00

The Fly Lady Speaks

2006-11-26T11:10:00.000-08:00

Dear Dear Friends,

As SHEs we have struggled with many problems that are the result of
our SHEness. We forget to pay a bill, we leave the clothes in the
washer and they sour, we burn things up in the oven, we are
habitually late, we beat ourselves up because we lost a library book,
we miss an appointment and countless other ways we torture ourselves
daily.

I want you to look at what happens to this self inflected pain.

GUILT is a silent killer of body, mind and spirit.

1. Have you ever noticed that you are sick with colds more than most
people you know?

2. Do you have muscle and joint problems?

3. Does your head hurt?

4. Are you nervous and uneasy and don't know why?

5. Do you cry easily?

6. Do you have lapses in memory?

7. Do you feel that you are being pulled apart limb by limb?

8. Does your heart jump when the phone rings?

9. Do you yell at the children or your spouse for no reason.

10. Do you yearn for a new life?

11. Are you over weight?

When we feel stress for what ever reason our bodies produce chemicals
to protect us. These chemicals are there to help us deal with the
problem at hand, but they were not meant to be in our systems on a
continual basis. When we are constantly under stress and guilt, those
chemicals eat away at our immune systems.

In order to de-stress our lives we need to find those areas that are
laying a guilt trips on us and remove it. What do you have eating at
you? Too much credit card debt. A friendship that has ended over an
argument. A secret you are keeping from your spouse.

What ever is causing you discomfort, it is time to deal with it? It
can be big or it can be tiny. But left alone it will fester and become
a huge ugly abscess. Isn't that the way your homes looked? Think
about when the clutter and chaos started to overtake your lives and
homes. Was it about the time that you began hiding from this problem.

I am not telling you to run out and ask for forgiveness from someone
you have wronged. That will come in it's own time. I just want you to
think about that deep dark secret that has been eating away at you.
We all have them. I want you to forgive yourself and start to heal.
Until you do this your success is going to be limited. Your house may
be clean, but your heart is still dirty. We have to clean everything.
If you do not go through this process, your home will become that
nasty sore again.

Take a few moments to think about the things that lay that guilt trip
on you. Be totally alone, and write it down. Do not keep this! Then
take it outside or put it in a fireplace and set it on fire. Fire is
so cleansing. Do it even though it is symbolic. Feel that stress go up
with that smoke. Say a prayer asking for the forgiveness you desire
from God and then forgive yourself. Purge those negative thoughts and
get on with life. Tomorrow will be brighter when you release this
burden. Let the sun shine through your troubled clouds.

When I did this 11 years ago, my life changed. I took all of those
things that gave me guilt, stress, and bad feelings and burned them in
a wood stove. After that process, I began to feel happier, healthier
and more in tune with my spirit. There was nothing blocking the
sunlight of my soul.

I love all of you and I want for you what I have found. Peace

FlyLady

If you need to write things down and purge them from your head and
heart put them in a email to me and I will help you get rid of them.
FlyLady@flylady. net with FIRE in the subject line.

Forgiveness is a powerful tool! We all make mistakes. Forgive yourself
and get on with the act of living each day and not beating yourself up
over spilled milk.

For Who I Am

2006-11-23T22:42:00.000-08:00

Alone in this world…. I am scared and sad and I have no where to go, where I am cared for.

Alone in this world… I wonder alone through the dark and cold world. I have no home to return to...at least not one where I belong.

I long to have someone hold me and keep me safe from harm. I yearn to feel a gentle touch. Reach out and assure me that it’s all right...

Be a friend and listen. Do not judge or criticize. Do not give me advice or cut me down and make me feel guilty. Do not discourage me. Love me for who I am and what I am. Accept me for me and not want me to change.

Make me feel better. Wipe away my tears. Look into my swollen eyes. Understand what I’m feeling and make that feeling go away. Fill the long empty silences.

No longer would I have to be alone. I want to fit in and I try so hard… but no matter how hard I try it doesn’t work. I act as I am and also as I think others want me to act and I still get it wrong. I want to be a good person but I need to be loved.

I wonder if there is anyone who could ever love me for me...who wouldn’t want me to change...who would tell me that I’m a good person and that I deserve to be loved.

Someone who would save me from drowning in this pool of loneliness and intolerance. Someone who would keep me away from self pity and heartache.

I don’t know what’s wrong with me, what makes it so hard for anyone to love me. Do I push them away when I desparately try to love them the way I know how? Or am I that terrifying and suck that much that they run when they see me appear?

Am I that stupid that I don’t know who I am? Or who I am suppose to be? I wish I could be in heaven with the one person I know loves me. He has to… because He is supposed to love everyone no matter how they are. No matter how many people they’ve hurt with good intentions and no matter what’s wrong with them. I know that I was put here for a purpose and that one day God will use me. Maybe I will be able to help someone.

Until then I will pray that someone will love me. Even if only for a minute. That they will really love me... not because they want something or because they feel bad for me or because they have to...

But because they really do love me and want me to be happy and they are proud of me for who I am, not who they think I could be. But for the truly wierd, silly, colorful, sinful person I am.

Not because I appear to be nice and good but because they know me and because they like the little girl that they know. But for know I will try to hold on... To keep my grip... To try to keep from slipping and losing my place...

Because I don’t want to start over, to pretend to be strong while I’m crying inside... To act happy when my soul withers away and to be a “good person” and to live each day to the fullest. But I know every day I am alone. Everyday that I sit alone, unaccepted for who I am, that every day a part of me dies.

The Cold Within

2006-11-16T14:40:00.000-08:00

Six humans trapped by happenstance in the dark and bitter cold.
Each one possessed a stick of wood,Or so the story`s told.

Their dying fire in needs of logs,the frist woman held hers back.
For on the faces around the fire she noticed one was black.

The next man looking cross the way saw one not of his church.
And couldn`t bring himself to give the fire his stick of birch.

The third one sat in tattered clothes he gave his coat a hitch.
Why should his log be put to use to warm the idle rich?

The rich man just sat back and thought of the wealth he had in store.
And how to keep what he had earned from the lazy, shiftless poor.

The black man`s face bespoke revenge as the fire passed from sight.
For all he saw in his stick of wood was a chance to spite the white.

The last man of this forlorn group did naught except for gain.
Giving only to those who gave was how he played the game.

The logs held tight in death`s still hands was proof of human sin.
They didn`t die from the cold without they died from the cold within.

The Bell

2006-11-16T08:59:00.000-08:00

Just up the road from my home is a field, with two horses in it. From a distance, each looks like every other horse. But if you stop your car, or are walking by, you will notice something quite amazing. Looking into the eyes of one horse will disclose that he is blind. His owner has chosen not to have him put down, but has made a good home for him.

This alone is amazing. If nearby and listening, you will hear the sound of a bell. Looking around for the source of the sound, you will see that it comes from the smaller horse in the field. Attached to her halter is a small bell. It lets her blind friend know where she is, so he can follow her.

As you stand and watch these two friends, you'll see how she is always checking on him, and that he will listen for her bell and then slowly walk to where she is, trusting that she will not lead him astray. When she returns to the shelter of the barn each evening, she stops occasionally and looks back, making sure her friend isn't too far behind to hear the bell.

Like the owners of these two horses, God does not throw us away just because we are not perfect or because we have problems or challenges. He watches over us and even brings others into our lives to help us when we are in need.

Sometimes we are the blind horse being guided by the little ringing bell of those who God places in our lives. Other times we are the guide horse, helping others see. Good friends are like this. You don't always see them, but you know they are always there.

Please listen for my bell and I'll listen for yours.

"Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle".

The Pause That Refreshes

2006-11-15T20:41:00.000-08:00

Spiritual writer and teacher, Elsa Joy Bailey, shares the following
story:

"The day was innocent. Had a little swing to it, even.
Days like that are fun to be in. I was walking over to the grocery
store, wearing my favorite jacket (which by now is severely
shape-challenged), carrying a tote bag over one arm. I recall that
the sun was winking.

Suddenly a carload of teenagers appeared out of nowhere, like
misdirected lightning, and hurled their vehicle around a corner.
They missed swiping three pedestrians by a hair. A thin hair.

I jumped. The suddenness of it threw me into an unsettled
place, and I began walking over-carefully, as though I were
sidestepping broken glass. By the time I arrived at the store I was
in a fret. My mind was chattering - always a bad sign.

So I needed to recenter. There was a friendly little
delicatessen planted right next to the grocery; I went inside the
deli. Immediately I was engulfed in that delicious aroma common to
all delis everywhere: spiced meats, cheeses, garlic, tomato sauce,
creative pastas. You know: food cooked the way you wish mom had
cooked it.

There was a huge, eclectic beverage freezer in back; I pulled
out a mainstream soda and took it over to a table. Sat down, drank
some soda, inhaled the glorious essence of deli. For a while I just
sat there with closed eyes, remembering how I felt when the day
began, and how the sun had waved hello to everyone.

After I while, my mind got quieter. I thought about how much
fun it is to be a teenager, full of vim and vitamins and ready to
attempt spirited speeds in your car.

A moment or two later, I began to see they meant no harm, that
carful of youngsters; they were simply trying out one of the
planet's toys with sixteen year old abandon. Their energy scared a
few of us; it hurt no one.

As I thought about the way minds work when they are in teen
mode, and recalled the years I had worn that very same mindset, I
began to relax even more. Not long after, I even managed to start
chuckling over the entire incident.

The deli owner saw me smile and asked me why. I told him the
soda had turned out to be especially nourishing, and then inquired
if he had some fresh sliced turkey. He did. I bought it. It was
lovely.

On the way home, no car swooshed by me at a dizzying pace, but
if it had I would have been ready. I would have stepped back,
paused, and tossed a pound of Peace after it.
Fair's fair."

There truly is a blessing contained in every moment. Whether it
reveals itself as a lesson or an insight or a precious memory
rekindled, it is a blessing, still. But sometimes, as Ms. Bailey's
story suggests, we first must pause and quiet the world around us
before the blessing can be found.

Being Me

2006-11-12T15:32:00.000-08:00

What I've learnt from being me...

Not everyone will like it.

Not everyone will see,

That when I smile and be happy,

Thats just me.

But when I'm quiet

And left all silent

That's not really the heart of me.

I'm still this little kid I've always been,

But I've learnt that I will always be me.

You can't change yourself deep inside.

You can change your looks but not yourself...

Fake puppet is what I became.

But I couldn't keep it up at all,

I crumbled, I fell.

Down in a swirl of abuse, of keeping feelings in

not telling anyone.

But now I've learnt from being me,

That I'm me no matter what I am.

And you should never change yourself

Because God made you the way you are...

Variety is the spice of life.

Please learn from my mistakes.

No problem is too big for God, or the real you.

I Need This

2006-11-09T19:54:00.000-08:00

My Story

2006-11-06T18:58:00.000-08:00

I grew up in Bible Temple. I loved every part of it. My dream was to be a pastor's wife, a mother, a housewife. I wanted to serve God ever since I was 4 years old.

Then my parents split up. I was no longer fit for ministry because I had a damaged family. My friends were still my friends but back then we all knew divorce meant the end for the children as well.

We left Bible Temple in embarassment. I felt alone and lost. So when I met a man who seemed to be everything I wanted and who seemed to agree with everything I wanted, I got married with the intention of never getting a divorce and of serving God my whole life.

It didn't turn out that way. You can read my story by clicking on the title My Story above.

I want to serve God still with all my heart. I think about how unfair life is sometimes. I didn't cause my parent's divorce and I saved myself for marriage. I only desired to serve God. But because of circumstances beyond my control and because of the view the church and Christians have on divorce and "broken people", I have learned very hard lessons in life about intolerance and unacceptance by the people I most desire to be around; those who love God as much as I do.

To my mind, my ex is right. He said no Christian man would want me if I divorced him. To this day, when I tell Christians I'm divorced, I'm treated like a leper. They'll be friendly but not get too close.

But to God, these are lies the devil is telling me. He wants me even though no man ever has loved me and though sometimes I feel maybe no one man ever will. He is my true Prince Charming.

In my heartache, I wrote a poem called The Bleeding Rose:

I am a sweet and fragrant rose.
Innocent and pure...
Loving life and open to love.

What is this? What is he doing?
My petals are being torn.
I am bleeding.
Watch me bleed.

Bright red drops fall.
I am no longer trusting.
I am scared and cautious.

Here comes the rain.
Gently falling and caressing my brokenness,
It washes away the blood
And cleans the wounds.

Now here I am,
My petals have grown back.
They are more beautiful than ever.

I wait patiently,
Strong and confident and standing proud.
I'm waiting for the one who will cherish me.
The one who is loving life and open to love.

And you know what?

I now believe:

I've waited patiently,
Strong and confident and standing proud.
I've found the one who cherishes me,
The one who gave me life and is open to love.

My Jesus.

So, I started this blog.

And someday I will be a missionary or a pastor's wife who teaches God's true love to all, especially to someone like me.

Swallowed Up In Life

2006-11-06T12:00:00.000-08:00

****I'm posting this because I feel the atitude Mr. Andrew has is a testimony to all. Please pray for the Andrew family. Thank you!****

Swallowed Up in Life

-By Larry Andrew October 26, 2006

The most common question we received back in Portland was, "What happened to your son, David? I didn't know he was sick. He looked fine. He was bright and energetic. Why did he need surgery?" and "What went wrong at the hospital?"

So let me tell you what happened. Shortly after David married Shanin, he complained of pain in his neck. Nobody could figure out why. He took an anti-inflammatory, which helped. Within the next couple years, his condition worsened. He lost weight and became very weak. He had little use of his right arm and his pulse could not be read in the normal manner. There was too little blood flow.

His doctors determined that his disease was Arteritis—not arthritis, but an inflammation of the arteries—Takayasu's Arteritis. He began receiving a stronger anti-inflammatory. The disease had caused the insides of the arteries to his arms and brain to scar and reduce in size. This caused the aorta—the big artery leaving the heart—to weaken and enlarge. It's called an aneurism. If David had not had the surgery, his weakness would have worsened, he would likely have suffered strokes, or his aorta would have burst—immediately stopping the flow of blood.

David did his best to avoid causing pain to others. He kept the magnitude of his condition from all that he could. Few knew the extent of it.

In consultation with his doctors, it was decided that he must have surgery to replace his aorta and bypass arteries to his arms and brain. The amazing thing was that Kaiser Permanente paid to have another hospital perform the procedure—at great cost to them. The best heart hospital in the world is the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio. Dave and Shanin went there, tests were performed and the date of the surgery was set for the end of the September.

Shanin's employer instituted a new policy to allow her four weeks paid leave to accompany David to Ohio and aide him in his lengthy recovery in Portland.

I told the elders that I would need a couple weeks off in October, so that Lynette and I could help David when Shanin went back to work. We were not even planning on attending the surgery.

Fortunately, the elders decided that we should go to Cleveland and support Dave and Shanin, and you were asked to fund the trip. The finances that came in were overwhelming. Lynette and I can't convey in strong enough terms how important that was to us. Besides the expression of love and encouragement, we were able to determine what was best to do—not what we could afford.

So we packed for a five-day trip and went to Ohio. When we got there, David was in the midst of tests, mostly to determine how much needed to be replaced.

We enjoyed a day and a half with Dave and Shanin, while he did his best to show us a good time. Other family members arrived—his brother, Rick, with his wife and two-year-old daughter, and Shanin's Dad. David checked into the hospital and on Thursday morning, we all went in early to pray for him before his 6:30 surgery.

We went to the waiting room, chatted in a relaxed manner, and played with our granddaughter, whom we had not seen for sixteen months. We knew that there was no significant risk of complications.

That evening, we were allowed into the Intensive Care Unit, two-at-a-time, to see David. The ICU has beds a few feet apart, separated by thin curtains and each bed is surrounded by life-support machines with many highly-trained medical people in attendance.

David had not yet aroused from the anesthetic. He had a breathing tube attached to his mouth and various other systems functioning. We touched him and talked to him, glad to have the surgery over. Sometime during the night, he would awaken. All was well.

About 7 o'clock the next morning, the hospital called us at the hotel, and told us to hurry over. We got there very quickly and waited. We waited for the doctor to arrive, we waited for a special conference room to be unlocked, and we listened while the doctor gave us bad news.

He said that David was very sick. Since he had not awakened from the surgery in the allotted time, the specialists were called in. They administered an EEG and found little brain activity. The doctor who reported this to us also said that he had had a stroke. "He is very sick," he said, again. Shanin naturally burst out each time more bad news was given to us. "This wasn't supposed to happen!" "I can't handle this!" Finally, the doctor said that since David was young—only 32—they would wait and see what would happen. Once more he said, "David is very sick." It was a harbinger of worse news to come.

Our other son, Kevin, arrived later that day—Friday. We took turns going in to see David and praying for him. It was a very somber time, alleviated by periods of our granddaughter's cheerfulness. She would run down the hall and call me, "Grampa." When she saw Shanin crying, she would crawl up on her lap and say, "No cry, Shanin, no cry. I love you."

Each report was more devastating than the last. By Saturday morning, it was clear that David had died. He was with the Lord in Heaven. We didn't quit praying, though. The Bible talks of Jesus and his disciples raising people from the dead. In Mt 10:8, Jesus said, Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead. So we prayed to that effect.

We weren't denying obvious circumstances. David was dead; his spirit was gone. We just did what Jesus did and what he told us to do. We spent portions of Saturday calling David's spirit back. Crazy? No. Fanatical? No.

That evening, at 9 o'clock, we were informed that David had been declared dead and that in two hours, life support would be halted and David's body would be removed from ICU—unless, his next-of-kin would allow his organs to be transplanted. Since it would take some time to arrange the transplanting, we would be given 24 hours more in ICU.

Shanin signed the heart-wrenching documents and we went back to the hotel and had a prayer meeting in Shanin's room. We prayed and sang and ministered to Shanin. This encouraged her, as well as the rest of us.

We determined to find a church to go to on Sunday morning, and Lynette went to work on it. But which one? We had a couple connections but Lynette wasn't satisfied with them and asked God for help in finding just the right one.

She got out the Yellow Pages and hunted. One church jumped out at her and we called and got a recording of the service times and took off.

When we got there, we realized that the Yellow Pages don't advise what race churches are. I never saw one white person there. It was totally black. It didn't bother us, but I wondered if it would bother them. It didn't.

One of us told an elder that we had an urgent prayer request. He went to the pastor and told him to come to the back to pray for us. The pastor said, "If we have an urgent prayer request, we're not going to the back, we're going to the front. Bring them up!"

So we were brought up to the front of the church—all eight of us, while the pastor ordered the doors closed during the in-between-services time and announced to all present what our need was. The church went to prayer, with all the noise and intensity of a black church. It was glorious. When he was done, he invited the 80 or so present to come and "love on them." All of us got hugs from all those passionate people. How encouraged we were. He told us that they had just finished a conference where they had asked God to send them people of other races with impossible problems. He said that we blessed them.

I invited the pastor to come to the hospital to pray for David's return and he did. He spent a couple hours with us, but David's spirit did not return to his body. Why not? In modern times we have heard of people coming back from clinical death. That is, when the heart has stopped, it has been restarted. Reports of going to Heaven and returning are ample. People have even returned from brain death after short periods of time. But we realized that by the time we began praying for David's spirit to return, he had been dead for a long time. I'm convinced that he died some time early on Friday morning. They were just letting us down easy—and hoping the tests were wrong.

By the time we called for his spirit to return on Saturday, David had been in Heaven for more the 24 hours. The pastor who ministered to us in Cleveland asked us, "Would you leave Heaven, if you had been there with Jesus that long?" We had to admit that we wouldn't. Who would?

So, as the deadline of midnight approached, we began saying good-bye to David. We did it as a group and individually. David had a two-day growth on his beard by then—which was typical. I stroked his beard and his cheek, rubbed his hair, and kissed him. There's a line from an old black-and-white movie, called, To Kill a Mockingbird, set in the Depression-era South, where a girl invites a visitor to touch her brother who's in a coma. She says, "You can pet him if you want. He wouldn't let you if he was awake, but you can pet him if you want." So that's what we did.

The following Saturday we had an amazing funeral in a very large church. About 1200 came. We asked my brother Jim to conduct the service. David's old trumpet teacher played Great Is Thy Faithfulness. Lynette and I and our two other sons shared our comments, as well as two of his closest friends and his business partner.

The last question people ask is "How are you doing?" The answer is, "very well—most of the time." Our family has walked through the long valley of death's shadow. We found it to be a very trying place. The only reason we could endure it is because God was with us, because our family was united, and because the people of God supported us—here, in Portland and in Cleveland. David is dwelling in the house of the Lord forever and one day we will, too. Through it all, the rod and the staff of the Shepherd comforted us, guiding us along the difficult, dark path.

At the funeral, my brother reminded us that Paul gives us a heavenly view of this life. 2 Corinthians 5:1 says, For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. He's talking about our new bodies. Verse 4 For we who are in this tent, groan, being burdened, not because we want to be unclothed (or die), but further clothed, that mortality may be swallowed up by life.

While we look at death as the end, it's really only the end of this tent, the body. God looks at the death of the body as being released from this existence and being swallowed up by life. He has promised believers that when we leave our tents, that we will live for eternity in Heaven with him, where He will wipe away every tear from [our] eyes; [where] there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away. Rev 21:3

He has prepared a place where He will transform our lowly bodies that they may be conformed to His glorious body. Philippians 3:21 says. Your glorified body won't get sick. It won't get weak. It won't get old. It is going to be absolutely perfect.

One day, Lynette and I are going to be ushered through the gates of Heaven and we expect to be greeted by our son and which ever one of us precedes the other. There we will see David in his glorified body and we will rejoice with him and with the most important one in Heaven: the Lord Jesus Christ.

When God Winks At You

2006-11-03T20:27:00.000-08:00

Every so-called coincidence or answered prayer is God's way of letting you know He's thinking of you. By Squire Rushnell

You've had another one of those days. Everything seems uncertain.

You think: Wouldn't it be great to wake up one morning and have everything be certain? Certain in love? Certain about your job? Certain about your future?

Who could you talk to about this? Bigger question, who'd listen?

Tentatively your eyes drift skyward.

Hello? Are you there, God?

Then your mind quickly assesses the immensity of your request. You want God to listen to you, right now. How ridiculous. There are six billion people on this planet. What if they're all calling God at the same time?

You slump. Deeper into the dumps.

Then--something happens.

A little silly thing.

Someone you just thought about for the first time in years phones out of the blue--a silly little coincidence, so silly you shrug it off. Or a prayer you didn't really expect to be answered--was! Immediately, your left brain repeats something you once heard: There's a mathematical explanation for everything.

"But…" you say, "mayyyyybe…it's not just coincidence or chance!"

Maybe God is communicating with you.

Yes directly to you!

You shake your head.

Naw. Couldn't be.

But…what if God is communicating with you--in a nonverbal way--making a little miracle happen, right in front of you? After all, God doesn't speak to people in a human voice. He's God…He'd do something no one else could do, just to show you it's Him!

If so, that would mean that He is listening! Right?

He has heard you!

What if through this odd little coincidence, or answered prayer, He's sending you--you… out of all of those billions of people--a direct personal message of reassurance? To stop worrying? To keep the faith? That everything will be all right?

Every time you receive what some call a coincidence or an answered prayer, it's a direct and personal message of reassurance from God to you--what I call a godwink.

It's similar to when you were a kid at the dining room table. You looked up and saw someone you loved looking back. Mom or Dad or Granddad. They gave you a little wink.

You had a nice feeling from that small silent communication.

What did it mean? Probably--"Hey kid…I'm thinking about you right this moment. I'm proud of you. Everything is going to be all right."

That's what a godwink is.

Every so-called coincidence or answered prayer is God's way of giving you His small, silent, communication. A little wink saying, "Hey kid! I'm thinking of you…right now!"

It's a clear message of reassurance-that not matter how uncertain your life seems at the moment, He will help move you toward certainty.

And it's a sign that you're never alone. In fact, you're always on His GPS--a global positioning system I like to call God's Positioning System….

When It's Crystal Clear

In Anaheim, California, Mavis Jackson drove past the Crystal Cathedral. For twenty years, she said the same thing: "Someday I'm going to go there."

One Sunday morning, she did. Putting on her best outfit, she simply decided, "Today is the day."

Getting there early, Mavis took a seat in the middle and watched the huge three thousand-seat megachurch fill with people. She was awed as the majestic voices of the choir seemed to encircle her. She marveled at the manner in which a huge section of the glass ceiling slid open at the start of the worship was if to invite even the birds to worship.

At the end of the service, Mavis stood up and waited for the aisle to clear. Trying not to sound too excited, she said to the young lady next to her, "I am so glad I came today. Wasn't it wonderful?"

The young woman nodded.

"Are you from here?" asked Mavis.

"No, I'm from the Midwest," said the young woman adding, "I'm actually here on a mission. To find my birth mother."

There was a pause.

"I know how you must feel," said Mavis. "A long time ago, I had to give up a little girl for adoption. I didn't want to…but…"

Another pause.

The young woman looked deeply into Mavis's eyes.

"Do you…remember her birthday?"

"Yes," said Mavis cautiously. "October 30th."

"That's my birthday," gasped the young woman.

That's right! A remarkable "coincidence"--a godwink--had reunited a long-lost mother and daughter. What are the odds of that?

They sat down.

The young woman introduced herself as Cheryl Wallace.

Cheryl explained that for years she had been haunted by the lingering uncertainty of not knowing who her birth mother was and, more important, why her mother had given her up.

In her small midwest town, everyone was discouraging.

"You're looking for a needle in a haystack," counseled the town clerk.

"There's no trace of her," said others.

Eventually a suggestion from someone who thought she'd once heard that Cheryl's birth mother had moved to Orange County, California, led her to this time and place.

Even on her most optimistic days, Cheryl never could have forecast such a remarkable outcome--that such uncertainty would end in such certainty, in a manner that only God could have made happen.

And when they confirmed that their wonderful miracle was true--that they were long-lost mother and daughter--they knew that Mother's Day would never be the same again.

Actions Speak Louder Than Words

2006-11-02T20:14:00.000-08:00

A law-abiding man was being tailgated by a stressed-out woman on a busy boulevard. Suddenly, the light turned yellow, just in front of him. He did the right thing, stopping at the crosswalk, even though he could have beaten the red light by accelerating through the intersection.

The tailgating woman hit the brakes, then the roof, and the horn, screaming in frustration as she missed her chance to get through the intersection with him. As she was still in mid-rant, she heard a tap on her window and looked up into the face of a very serious police officer.

The officer ordered her to exit her car with her hands up. He took her to the police station where she was searched, fingerprinted, photographed, and placed in a cell. After a couple of hours, a policeman approached the cell and opened the door. She was escorted back to the booking desk where the arresting officer was waiting with her personal effects.

He said, "I'm very sorry for this mistake. You see, I pulled up behind your car while you were blowing your horn, flipping the guy off in front of you, and cussing a blue streak at him. I noticed the 'Choose Life' license plate holder, the 'What Would Jesus Do' bumper sticker, the 'Follow Me to Sunday School' bumper sticker, and the chrome-plated Christian fish emblem on the trunk. Naturally, I assumed you had stolen the car."

The Best Prayer Ever

2006-11-01T06:33:00.000-08:00

Heavenly Father,

Help us remember that the jerk who cut
us off in traffic last night is a single mother who worked nine hours
that day and is rushing home to cook dinner, help with homework, do
the laundry and spend a few precious moments with her children.

Help us to remember that the pierced, tattooed, disinterested young man
who can't make change correctly is a worried 19-year-old college student,
balancing his apprehension over final exams with his fear of not getting
his student loans for next semester.

Remind us, Lord, that the scary looking bum, begging for money in the
same spot every day (who really ought to get a job!) is a slave to
addictions that we can only imagine in our worst nightmares .

Help us to remember that the old couple walking annoyingly slow through
the store aisles and blocking our shopping progress are savoring this moment,
knowing that, based on the biopsy report she got back last week, this will
be the last year that they go shopping together .

Heavenly Father, remind us each day that, of all the gifts you give
us, the greatest gift is love. It is not enough to share that love with
those we hold dear. Open our hearts not to just those who are close to us,
but to all humanity.

Let us be slow to judge and quick to forgive, show patience, empathy
and love.

Working for God on earth doesn't pay much......but His
retirement plan is out of this world.

I Am God

2006-10-31T21:21:00.000-08:00

I am God. Today I will be handling all of your problems. Please remember that I do not need your help. If life happens to deliver a situation to you that you cannot handle, do not attempt to resolve it. Kindly put it in the SFGTD (something for God to do) box. It will be addressed in My time, not yours. Once the matter is placed into the box, do not hold onto it.

If you find yourself stuck in traffic; Don't despair. There are people in this world for whom driving is an unheard of privilege.

Should you have a bad day at work; Think of the man who has been out of work for years.

Should you despair over a relationship gone bad; Think of the person who has never known what it's like to love and be loved in return.

Should you grieve the passing of another weekend; Think of the man in dire straits, working twelve hours a day, seven days a week to feed his children.

Should your car break down, leaving you miles away from assistance; Think of the paraplegic who would love the opportunity to take that walk.

Should you notice a new gray hair in the mirror; Think of the cancer patient in chemo who wishes she had hair to examine.

Should you find yourself at a loss and pondering what is life all about, asking what is my purpose? Be thankful. There are those who didn't live long enough to get the opportunity.

Should you find yourself the victim of other people's bitterness, ignorance, smallness or insecurities; Remember, things could be worse. You could be them!!!!

Fear Factor

2006-10-30T06:48:00.000-08:00

"Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly."
~Robert F. Kennedy, former U.S. Attorney General

The moment your fear of not trying overrides your fear of failure
in that one spectacular moment -- the pathway to success is
cleared of all debris and you take the first steps toward a
magnificent future. Never let fear stop you when it can just as
easily push you forward.

The Real Love Of God

2006-10-23T19:22:00.000-07:00

I want to tell you what I've learned about the real love of God by sharing a story that happened to me.

When I was a teenager at Bible Temple, I remember going to a Generation Gathering with my youth group. Bob McGregor had gone on the "mean streets" of downtown Portland and interviewed many young people about their view of God.

He had us watch a video. There were these kids with spiked hair, earrings in odd places talking about God being a ball of energy or God being like a friendly alien and other ideas of God. At the time, it was pretty amusing and the whole youth group was hysterical....even through the last part, which was an explanation of God's love and acceptance of all of us and how to be saved.

Then Bob McGregor got up and he was very angry.

Here is what he said, and I'll never forget it:

"I am completely ashamed of you. I invited those kids here to learn about the acceptance of God, His love for them and what He did for them. I hope none of them showed up."

See, they were the outcasts of the church, the sinners like me that God came to save. I was horrified but my Bible Temple friends just blew it off like it was no big deal.

Then, my dad left my mom. I was no longer church elite. I was an outcast like them. I was on the other end now. My righteous friends wouldn't talk to me. They were ashamed to be seen with a kid of divorced parents.My mom left town with us, in shame.

And you know what I discovered? The most friendly people who showed the most love to me were the outcasts like me. They wore punk hair, dog collars...or their parents were divorced... people that I know Bible Temple youth would have been ashamed to be seen with.

So, I don't hate the institutional church. And I do cherish very special memories. But I do think that they will never show God's love to those who need it most until they step off their church pedestals and realize that Jesus came for the sinners, not the saved.

I'm a divorced single mom...and He loves me just the way I am. And I thank Him every day that He let me fall from man's grace so that I might fully experience His true grace.

And that is something the CBC leaders and most of my old friends have never experienced. They've never experienced what it feels like to be shunned by "men of God." So, even though I no longer attend CBC, I'm the lucky one. For I have experienced pain and suffering that led me to the foot of the cross.

Having Sons

2006-10-19T18:28:00.000-07:00

You find out interesting things when you have sons, like...

1. A king size waterbed holds enough water to fill a 2000 sq. ft.
house 4 inches deep.

2. If you spray hair spray on dust bunnies and run over them with
roller blades, they can ignite.

3. A 3-year old Boy's voice is louder than 200 adults in a crowded
restaurant.

4. If you hook a dog leash over a ceiling fan, the motor is not
strong enough to rotate a 42 pound Boy wearing Batman underwear and a
Superman cape. It is strong enough, however, if tied to a paint can, to
spread paint on all four walls of a 20x20 ft. room.

5. You should not throw baseballs up when the ceiling fan is on.
When using a ceiling fan as a bat, you have to throw the ball up a few
times before you get a hit. A ceiling fan can hit a baseball a long
way.

6. The glass in windows (even double-pane) doesn't stop a baseball
hit by a ceiling fan.

7. When you hear the toilet flush and the words "uh oh", it's
already too late.

8. Brake fluid mixed with Clorox makes smoke, and lots of it.

9. A six-year old Boy can start a fire with a flint rock even
though a 36-year old Man says they can only do it in the movies.

10. Certain Lego's will pass through the digestive tract of a 4-
year old Boy.

11. Play dough and microwave should not be used in the same
sentence.

12. Super glue is forever.

13. No matter how much Jell-O you put in a swimming pool you still
can't walk on water.

14. Pool filters do not like Jell-O.

15. VCR's do not eject "PB & J" sandwiches even though TV
commercials show they do.

16. Garbage bags do not make good parachutes.

17. Marbles in gas tanks make lots of noise when driving.

18. You probably DO NOT want to know what that odor is.

19. Always look in the oven before you turn it on; plastic toys do
not like ovens.

20. The fire department in Austin, TX has a 5-minute response time.

21. The spin cycle on the washing machine does not make earthworms
dizzy.

22. It will, however, make cats dizzy.

23. Cats throw up twice their body weight when dizzy.

24. 80% of Women will pass this on to almost all of their friends,
with or without kids.

25. 80% of Men who read this will try mixing the Clorox and brake
fluid.

We Had Drug Problems Too

2006-10-18T06:09:00.000-07:00

The other day, someone at a store in our town read that a
methamphetamine lab had been found in an old farmhouse in the adjoining
county and he asked me a rhetorical question, ''Why didn't we have a
drug problem when you and I were growing up?''

I replied: "I had a drug problem when I was young!"

I was drug to church on Sunday morning.

I was drug to church for weddings and funerals.

I was drug to family reunions and community socials no matter the
weather.

I was drug by my ears when I was disrespectful to adults.

I was also drug to the woodshed when I disobeyed my parents , told a
lie, brought home a bad report card, did not speak with respect, spoke
ill of the teacher or the preacher, or if I didn't put forth my best
effort in everything that was asked of me.

I was drug to the kitchen sink to have my mouth washed out with soap if
I uttered a profane four-letter word.

I was drug out to pull weeds in mom's garden and flower beds and
cockleburs out of dad's fields.

I was drug to the homes of family, friends, and neighbors to help out
some poor soul who had no one to mow the yard, repair the clothesline,
or chop some firewood;

and, if my mother had ever known that I took a single dime as a tip for this
kindness, she would have drug me back to the woodshed.

Those drugs are still in my veins; and they affect my behavior in
everything I do, say, and think. They are stronger than cocaine, crack,
or heroin; and, if today's children had this kind of drug problem,
America would be a better place.

Tips For Staying Young

2006-10-14T11:09:00.000-07:00

1. Throw out nonessential numbers. This includes age, weight
and height. Let the doctor worry about them. That is why you
pay him/her.

2. Keep only cheerful friends. The grouches pull you down.

3. Keep learning. Learn more about the computer, crafts,
gardening, whatever. Never let the brain idle. "An idle mind
is the devil's workshop;" the devil's name is Alzheimer's.

4. Enjoy the simple things. When the children are young,
that is all that you can afford. When they are in college,
that is all that you can afford. When you are on retirement,
that is all that you can afford!

5. Laugh often, long and loud. Laugh until you gasp for breath.
Laugh so much that you can be tracked in the store by your
distinctive laughter.

6. The tears happen. Endure, grieve, and move on. The only
person who is with us our entire life, is ourselves. Be alive
while you are alive, don't put out a mailbox on the highway
of death and just wait in residence for your mail.

7. Surround yourself with what you love, whether it is family,
pets, keepsakes, music, plants, hobbies, whatever. Your
home is your refuge.

8. Cherish your health. If it is good, preserve it. If it is unstable,
improve it. If it is beyond what you can improve, get help.

9. Don't take guilt trips. Go to the mall, the next county, a
foreign country, but not to guilt country.

10. Tell the people you love, that you love them, at every
opportunity.

AND ALWAYS REMEMBER, Life is not measured by the
number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take
our breath away.

Great Expectations

2006-10-10T18:41:00.000-07:00

On the first day of school, a teacher was glancing over the roll when she noticed a number after each student's name, such as 154, 136 or 142.

"Wow! Look at these IQs," she said to herself. "What a terrific class."

The teacher promptly determined to work harder with this class than with any other she ever had.

Throughout the year, she came up with innovative lessons that she thought would challenge her students, because she didn't want them to get bored with work that was too easy.

Her plan worked! The class outperformed all the other classes that she taught in the usual way.

Then, during the last quarter of the year, she discovered what those numbers after the students' name really were: their locker numbers.

****With hard work and determination, anything can be accomplished.****

Procrastination

2006-10-10T18:34:00.000-07:00

A painfully shy man fell in love with a young woman.

He sensed that she felt the same way, but he couldn't find the courage to ask her out.

Finally he decided he would mail her a love letter every day for one year, and then ask her for a date.

Faithfully, he followed his plan, and at year's end he was courageous enough to call her...

Only to discover she'd married the letter carrier.

Moral of the story?

If you love someone, let them know.

And...

You snooze, you lose!

Secrets To Happiness

2006-10-10T06:40:00.000-07:00

The secret to happiness and well-being is no mystery. All it takes is the ability to do the following:

Forget.
Forgive.
Apologize.
Avoid mistakes.
Listen to advice.
Keep your temper.
Shoulder the blame.
Make the best of things.
Maintain high standards.
Think first and act accordingly.
Put the needs of others before your own.
Follow God above all else and in all situations.

Seem like a tall order?

Then try slipping as many of these "secrets to happiness" into your day
as possible. You'll soon be rewarded with a more positive outlook on life.

Only One You

2006-10-09T19:51:00.000-07:00

by John Fischer

Mister Rogers was right after all: There is only one you. But this information is much more important than just boosting your self-esteem. It should help you better serve others by being more confident about your God-given role in life.

No one else fits your shape. No one else has your blend of gifts, talents, and natural abilities, making you very important in the whole scheme of things. 'God made our bodies with many parts,' Paul wrote, 'and he has put each part just where he wants it.' (1 Corinthians 12:18) And as it is with the human body, so it is with the Body of Christ, which is the corporate collection of all who believe.

But this uniqueness goes beyond giftedness; it reaches as well into the depth of each of our experiences in our life of faith. No one else has your life. No one else has your pain, your hardships, your joys, or your sorrows. Everything in life shapes us and we are shaped by everything for a reason, so that we can touch others in a unique way based upon who we are and what we've been through. God is amazing. He doesn't waste anything in our lives.

Every piece of our lives and experiences can be used by Christ to touch someone else. We were made for each other; we live for each other; we even die for each other by 'dying well,' as it was once referred to in a memorial service I attended. We die with hope so that others who live might see the reality of Christ in even the darkest of hours. See? God uses everything.

Are you just getting by, or are you living for a reason? Think about your unique gifts and ask yourself how those gifts are benefiting others. What specific way is God using you to touch others in the Body of Christ? Do you seem to have an extra measure of wisdom, or mercy, or discernment, or knowledge, or administration, or desire to serve? These will help determine how you can look for opportunities to help others.

And then, think about the things you have gone through so far in your life, especially the difficult or challenging things where God has met you with his faith. That information is not just for you, it's for you to empathize with and encourage others who have encountered similar struggles.

God isn't messing around here. There are no accidents with our lives. Whatever we have received and experienced has shaped who we are, and because of that, we are qualified. There is truly no one else like you, for a reason.

A Story To Live By

2006-10-08T13:46:00.000-07:00

My brother-in-law opened the bottom drawer
of my sister's bureau and lifted out
a tissue-wrapped package.

"This," he said,"is not a slip. This is lingerie."
He discarded the tissue and handed me the slip.
It was exquisite; silk, handmade and trimmed
with a cobweb of lace. The price tag with an
astronomical figure,on it was still attached.

"Jan bought this the first time we went to New York,
at least 8 or 9 years ago.She never wore it.
She was saving it for a special occasion.
Well, I guess this is the occasion."

He took the slip from me and put it on the bed
with the other clothes we were taking to the mortician.
His hands lingered on the soft material for a moment,
then he slammed the drawer shut and turned to me.
"Don't ever save anything for a special occasion.
Every day you're alive is a special occasion."

I remembered those words through the funeral and
the days that followed when I helped him and my niece
attend to all the sad chores that follow an unexpected death.
I thought about them on the plane returning to California
from the Midwestern town where my sister's family lives.
I thought about all the things that she hadn't
seen or heard or done.
I thought about the things that she had done
without realizing that they were special.

I'm still thinking about his words, and they've changed my life.
I'm reading more and dusting less.
I'm sitting on the deck
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 in committee meetings.

Whenever possible, life should be a pattern of
experience to savor, not 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, the first Camellia blossom.

I wear my good blazer to the market if I feel like it.
My theory is if I look prosperous, I can shell out $28.49
for one small bag of groceries without winching.
I'm not saving my good perfume for special parties.
Clerks in hardware stores and tellers in banks
have noses that function as well as my party-going friends'.

"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 sister
would have done had she known that she wouldn't be here for the
tomorrow we all take for granted. I think she would have called family
members and a few close friends. She might have called a few former
friends to apologize and mend fences for past squabbles.
I like to think she would have gone out for a Chinese dinner,
her favorite food. I'm guessing-
I'll never know.

It's those little things left undone that would make
me angry if I knew that my hours were limited.
Angry because I put off seeing good Friends whom
I was going to get in touch with-someday.
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 husband and daughter
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.
You've got to dance like nobody's watching,
and love like it's never going to hurt.
People say true friends must always hold hands,
but true friends don't need to hold hands
because they know the other hand will
always be there.

-Anne Wells

Step From the Shadow

2006-10-08T13:32:00.000-07:00

"Man stands in his own shadow and wonders why it is dark."
~Zen saying

We stand in the shadow of our lives every time we tell ourselves
that something cannot be done because we are not good enough, or
strong enough, or rich enough, or young enough or thin enough, or
anything else enough. It is only when we boldly declare, "I am
enough!" that we are able to step from the shadow and into the
light of a beautiful new day.

Happy Fall

2006-10-06T14:03:00.000-07:00

Being a Christian is like being a pumpkin. God lifts you up, takes you in, and washes all the dirt off of you. He opens you up, touches you deep inside and scoops out all the yucky stuff-- including the seeds of doubt, hate, greed, etc. Then He carves you a new smiling face and puts His light inside you to shine for all the world to see.

Happy Fall and God bless all of you!

Starfish

2006-10-06T08:41:00.000-07:00

Once upon a time there was a wise man
who used to go to the ocean
to do his writing.
He had a habit of walking
on the beach
before he began his work.

One day he was walking along
the shore.
As he looked down the beach,
he saw a human
figure moving like a dancer.

He smiled to himself to think
of someone who would
dance to the day.
So he began to walk faster
to catch up.

As he got closer, he saw
that it was a young man
and the young man wasn't dancing,
but instead he was reaching
down to the shore,
picking up something
and very gently throwing it
into the ocean.

As he got closer he called out,
"Good morning! What are you doing?"

The young man paused,
looked up and replied,
"Throwing starfish in the ocean."

"I guess I should have asked,
why are you throwing starfish
in the ocean?"

"The sun is up and the tide is going out.
And if I don't throw them in they'll die."

"But, young man, don't you realize that
there are miles and miles of beach
and starfish all along it.
You can't possibly make a difference!"

The young man listened politely.
Then bent down, picked up another starfish
and threw it into the sea,
past the breaking waves and said-
"It made a difference for that one."

There is something very special in each and every one of us.
We have all been gifted with the ability to make a difference.

Butterfly

2006-10-06T08:37:00.000-07:00

Once upon a time in a land far far away.
There was a wonderful old man who loved everything. Animals, spiders, insects....

One day while walking through the woods the
nice old man found a cocoon.

Feeling lonely he decided to take the cocoon home
to watch its beautiful transformation from
a funny little cocoon to a beautiful butterfly.

He gently placed the cocoon on his kitchen table, and
watched over it for days.

Suddenly on the seventh day the cocoon started to move.
It moved frantically! The old man felt sorry
for the little butterfly inside the cocoon.
He watched it struggle and struggle and struggle!

Finally the old man feeling so sorry for the cocooned
butterfly rushed to its aide with a surgical scalpel and
gently slit the cocoon so the butterfly could emerge.

Just one slice was all it took,
and the butterfly broke free
from its cocoon only to wilt over in a
completely motionless state.

The old man did not know what to think.
Had he accidentally killed the little butterfly?
No, it's still moving a little bit.! Maybe it's sick!

Who the heck would know?
He was dumbfounded, and quite perplexed!
What should I do, he said. Well he felt so sorry for the little creature
that he decided the best thing he could
do for the butterfly
was to place it gently back into its cocoon.

He did so, and placed a drop of honey
on it to seal the cocoon,
leaving the butterfly to nestle
in its natural state.

Well the next day he noticed that the
cocoon was moving again.
Wow, he said! It moved and moved and
struggled and struggled.

Finally the butterfly broke free
from its cocoon and
stretched its wings out far and wide.

Its beautiful wings were filled with
wonderful colors! It looked around and took off!
It was flying! Its so beautiful!
The old man was jumping with joy! Wow!

Go Baby, Go! And that wonderful butterfly did that just that,
it flew and flew till it was almost
out of the old mans sight.

What a joy, he exclaimed!
But then he started to think.
What did I do wrong by trying
to help that beautiful little butterfly out at first?

The old man went into town.
Found the library, and
read every book he could on
butterflies and cocoons.

Finally the answer appeared.
The butterfly has to struggle and struggle
while inside the cocoon.

That's how it gets its strength.
That's just what they are designed to
overcome in order to be strong and beautiful.

Well needless to say the old man was shocked,saddened, and somewhat relieved.

Now he knows the reason why they do what they do.
It was only his perception that made
it appear that the butterfly was
having a hard time.

Well from then on the old man knew that loving
something sometimes means to
pray for it and cheer it on!

He realized that God was wonderful, and
that sometimes appearances aren't what
they seem to be.

That we all are beautiful butterflies,
even though we have our apparent struggles in life...

Spread your wings and prepare to fly
For you have become a butterfly.

Fly abundantly into the sun.

If you should return to me
We truly were meant to be,

So spread your wings
and fly, Butterfly.

Oatmeal Kisses

2006-10-06T08:18:00.000-07:00

A young mother writes:

"I know you've written before
about the empty-nest syndrome,
that lonely period after the children
are grown and gone.

Right now I'm up to my eyeballs
in laundry and muddy boots.

The baby is teething,
the boys are fighting.

My husband just called and said
to eat without him, and
I fell off my diet.

Lay it on me again, will you?"

Okay.

One of these days, you'll shout,
"Why don't you kids grow up and act your age!"
And they will.

Or, "you guys get outside and find
yourselves something to do...
and don't slam the door!"
And they won't.

You'll straighten up the boys'
bedroom neat and tidy:
bumper stickers discarded,
bedspread tucked and smooth,
toys displayed on their shelves.
Hangers in the closet.
Animals caged.

And you'll say out loud,
"Now I want it to stay this way."
And it will.

You'll prepare a perfect dinner
with a salad that hasn't been
picked to death and a
cake with no finger traces in the
icing, and you'll say,
"Now, there's a meal for company."
And you'll eat it alone.

You'll say,
"I want complete privacy on the phone.
No dancing around.
No demolition crews.
Silence!
Do you hear?"
And you'll have it.

No more plastic tablecloths
stained with spaghetti.
No more bedspreads to protect
the sofa from damp bottoms.

No more gates to stumble over
at the top of the basement steps.
No more clothespins under the sofa.
No more playpens to arrange a room around.

No more anxious nights
under a vaporizer tent.
No more sand in the sheets or
Disney movies in the bathroom.

No more iron-on patches,
rubber bands for ponytails,
tight boots or wet knotted shoestrings.
Imagine.

A lipstick with a point on it.
No baby-sitter for New Year's Eve.
Washing only once a week.
Seeing a steak that isn't ground.

Having your teeth cleaned
without a baby on your lap.
No PTA meetings. No car pools.
No blaring radios. No more washing her hair
at 11 o'clock at night.

Having your own roll of Scotch tape!
Think about it.

No more Christmas presents out of
toothpicks and library paste.

No more sloppy Oatmeal kisses.
No more tooth fairy.
No giggles in the dark.

No knees to heal,
no responsibility.
Only a voice crying,
"Why don't you grow up?"

and the silence echoing,
"I did."

-written by Erma Bombeck

Eyes Of Wonder

2006-10-06T08:00:00.000-07:00

"Look at everything as though you were seeing it either for the
first or last time. Then your time on earth will be filled with
glory."
~Betty Smith

When was the last time you stopped and really looked at the world
around you? I mean really looked. Beginning today, commit yourself
to spending time seeing your surroundings through eyes filled with
wonder. When you do, you will quickly discover the world you see is
wonder-filled.

Be Special

2006-10-04T20:26:00.000-07:00

A group of frogs were traveling through the woods, and two of them fell into a deep pit. All the other frogs gathered around the pit.

When they saw how deep the pit was, they told the two frogs that they were as good as dead.

The two frogs ignored the comments and tried to jump up out of the pit with all of their might. The other frogs kept telling them to stop, that they were as good as dead.

Finally, one of the frogs took heed to what the other frogs were saying and gave up. He fell down and died.

The other frog continued to jump as hard as he could. Once again, the crowd of frogs yelled at him to stop the pain and just die.

He jumped even harder and finally made it out.

When he got out, the other frogs said, 'Did you not hear us?'

The Frog explained to them that he was deaf.

He thought they were encouraging him the entire time.

And the moral of this story?

1. There is power of life and death in the tongue. An encouraging word to someone who is down can lift them up and help them make it through the day.

2. A destructive word to someone who is down can be what it takes to kill them. Be careful of what you say. Speak life to those who cross your path.

The power of words ... it is sometimes hard to understand that an encouraging word can go such a long way. Anyone can speak words that tend to rob another of the spirit to continue in difficult times.

Special is the individual who will take the time to encourage another. Be Special to others.

Tater People

2006-10-04T20:22:00.000-07:00

Some people never seem motivated to participate, but are just content to watch while others do the work.
They are called "Speck Taters".

Some people never do anything to help, but are gifted at finding fault with the way others do the work.
They are called "Comment Taters".

Some people are very bossy and like to tell others what to do, but don't want to soil their own hands.
They are called "Dick Taters".

Some people are always looking to cause problems by asking others to agree with them. It is too hot or too cold, too sour or too sweet.
They are called "Agie Taters".

There are those who say they will help, but somehow just never get around to actually doing the promised help.
They are called "Hezzie Taters".

Some people can put up a front and pretend to be someone they are not.
They are called "Emma Taters".

Then there are those who love others and do what they say they will. They are always prepared to stop whatever they are doing and lend a helping hand. They bring real sunshine into the lives of others.
They are called "Sweet Taters".

The Apple Of His Eye

2006-10-04T20:20:00.000-07:00

A well known speaker started off his seminar by holding up a $20 bill. 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 continued, "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."

I've Learned

2006-10-04T20:18:00.000-07:00

-that we don't have to change friends if we understand that friends change.

-that no matter how good a friend is, they're going to hurt you every once in a while and you must forgive them for that.

-that true friendship continues to grow, even over the longest distance. Same goes for true love.

-that you can do something in an instant that will give you heartache for life.

-that it's taking me a long time to become the person I want to be.

-that you should always leave loved ones with loving words. It may be the last time you see them.

-that you can keep going long after you can't.

-that we are responsible for what we do, no matter how we feel.

-that either you control your attitude or it controls you.

-that regardless of how hot and steamy a relationship is at first, the passion fades and there had better be something else to take its place.

-that heroes are the people who do what has to be done when it needs to be done, regardless of the consequences.

-that money is a lousy way of keeping score.

-that my best friend and I can do anything or nothing and have the best time.

-that sometimes the people you expect to kick you when you're down, will be the ones to help you get back up.

-that sometimes when I'm angry I have the right to be angry, but that doesn't give me the right to be cruel.

-that just because someone doesn't love you the way you want them to doesn't mean they don't love you with all they have.

-that maturity has more to do with what types of experiences you've had and what you've learned from them and less to do with how many birthdays you've celebrated.

-that it isn't always enough to be forgiven by others. Sometimes you have to learn to forgive yourself.

-that no matter how bad your heart is broken the world doesn't stop for your grief.

-that our background and circumstances may have influenced who we are, but we are responsible for who we become.

-that just because two people argue, it doesn't mean they don't love each other And just because they don't argue, it doesn't mean they do.

-that you shouldn't be so eager to find out a secret. It could change your life forever.

-that two people can look at the exact same thing and see something totally different.

-that your life can be changed in a matter of hours by people who don't even know you.

-that even when you think you have no more to give, when a friend cries out to you will find the strength to help.

-that credentials on the wall do not make you a decent human being.

-that the people you care about most in life are taken from you too soon.

Wisdom Thoughts

2006-10-04T20:13:00.000-07:00

Maybe God wants us to meet a few wrong people before meeting the right one so that
when we finally meet the right person, we will know how to be grateful for that gift.

When the door of happiness closes, another opens, but often times we look so long
at the closed door that we don't see the one which has been opened for us.

The best kind of friend is the kind you can sit on a porch and swing with,
never say a word, and then walk away feeling like it was the best conversation you've every had.

It's true that we don't know what we've got until we lose it, but it's also true
that we don't know what we've been missing until it arrives.

Giving someone all your love is never an assurance that they'll love you back!
Don't expect love in return; just wait for it to grow in their heart but if it doesn't,
be content it grew in yours. It takes only a minute to get a crush on someone,
an hour to like someone, and a day to love someone,
but it takes a lifetime to forget someone.

Don't go for looks; they can deceive.
Don't go for wealth; even that fades away.
Go for someone who makes you smile because it takes only a smile to make a dark day seem bright.
Find the one that makes your heart smile.

There are moments in life when you miss someone so much that you
just want to pick them from your dreams and hug them for real!

Dream what you want to dream; go where you want to go; be what you want to be,
because you have only one life and one chance to do all the things you want to do.

May you have enough happiness to make you sweet, enough trials to make you strong,
enough sorrow to keep you human, enough hope to make you happy.

Always put yourself in others' shoes.
If you feel that it hurts you,
It probably hurts the other person, too.

The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything;
they just make the most of everything that comes along their way.

Happiness lies for those who cry, those who hurt, those who have searched,
and those who have tried, for only they can appreciate the importance of people who have touched their lives.

Love begins with a smile, grows with a kiss and ends with a tear.

The brightest future will always be based on a forgotten past, you can't go on
well in life until you let go of your past failures and heartaches.

When you were born, you were crying and everyone around you was smiling.
Live your life so that when you die, you're the one who is smiling and everyone around you is crying.

Happiness Fairy

2006-10-04T20:10:00.000-07:00

Overcoming Wounds Of Rejection

2006-10-02T06:33:00.000-07:00

When He had come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed Him. And behold, a leper came and worshiped Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” Then Jesus put out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.” Immediately his leprosy was cleansed. (Matthew 8:1-3)

I was watching a television program this week with the woman who won The Swan. The Swan is a reality television program based on the classic story of The Ugly Duckling. The ugly duckling was really a swan. But before his metamorphosis into a swan he was unsightly to the other ducklings. And because of the way he looked, the other ducklings despised him and rejected him. He was an outcast. And nobody wanted to play with him until he went through a radical transformation and became a swan. This story is a metaphor for the superficial, looks conscious, lust driven, competitive popular culture in which we live.

The woman who won The Swan was plain and average before she underwent four months of cosmetic surgeries. But after her transformation she was beautiful and stunning. However, she never got over the hurt and the pain of the rejection she felt when she was plain and average. Even though she went through a radical external transformation, her internal communication was still the same. “I’m ugly. Nobody wants me for me.”

Consequently, she was rejecting potential relationships. She wasn’t giving them a chance to get to know her and wasn’t giving herself a chance to get to know them. Her internal wounds were so deep that her rejection manifested into rejecting others. Rejected people reject people. And although her body image had changed, her self-image remained the same. She may have looked like a swan on the outside, but she still felt like an ugly duckling on the inside.

Many times when we come to Christ we get saved, but we still have some deep wounds that need to be healed. Rejection is a part of life for every human being. And for most people the wounds are quite difficult to overcome. Why? Because rejection is a demon spirit that Satan releases to destroy your life and systematically breakdown your mind, will, and emotions, until you cease to effectively function in society.

And even once you get delivered from rejection, you still have to be able to handle rejection in life. Deliverance from rejection does not mean that you get so delivered that you never feel the sting of rejection again. Deliverance from rejection means that you got delivered from a demon of rejection and now you can experience and encounter rejection, but not live your life being controlled and dominated by it.

And not only must we overcome the demon of rejection, but we must learn to love rejected people.

The spirit of rejection works two ways. It causes you to feel hurt, because someone is doing something and acting a certain way that is rejecting you. Or it causes you to feel hurt, because you are doing things and acting a certain way that causes people to reject you.

Many times we’re too caught up into our relationships with people and what they think of us that we don’t have a healthy and balanced walk with God. You’ve got to have a daily prayer life, a daily Word life, and a daily worship life. You’ve got to be so connected to the Father that no matter what comes your way you know that He loves you. The closer you get to God the less rejection will bother you.

Jesus was the most rejected man who ever lived. Isaiah 53:3 says, “He was despised and rejected by men.” Mark 8:31 says, “And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.” Jesus knew that He would be rejected, and that He would be betrayed, and that He would be crucified. But He never came under the power of demonic control. Jesus never had a demon spirit. He was sinless. Every time He ran into rejection, He ran to His father in prayer. And it was His connection to the Father that sustained Him during times of rejection.

Jesus loved rejected people. And here in Mathew Chapter 8 Jesus is ministering to a rejected person. This man was an ostracized outcast banished from society, because he had leprosy. To be a leper in the Bible was very traumatic. This man was rejected and discarded by his community, his culture, and his religion. He was despised and to be avoided. Everyone was afraid of him and nobody wanted to be bothered with him. He was a reject. He didn’t belong. He had no right to expect acceptance, love, friendship or kindness. He was to be refused and thrown away like yesterday’s garbage. He was a leper. And to be a leper was the epitome of rejection. The spirit of rejection was moving against him everyday of his life. He couldn’t escape it. It was apart of who he was. You can only imagine how it undermined and destroyed his self-esteem, his purpose, and his potential.

And just as Jesus finished His big message, the Sermon on the Mount, and ministering to the multitudes with the cheers of the crowd still ring in His ears and everyone jockeying for some face time with the preacher. Behold this leper, a social outcast, a religious misfit comes before Him. A man rejected by society. A man rejected by the church. A man discriminated against by his community and his culture. And he’s saying to himself, “He ministered to all of them, but will he minister to me? I’m a leper. He preaches to multitudes, but will He touch me? I’m a reject."

And he drops to his knees before Jesus in an attitude of humility and in a position of desperation and brokenness to worship the Lord. He heard the sermon and now he’s responding to the altar call. Desperate for deliverance and risking rejection once again, he said, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” You can hear the nervousness and the timidity and the pain of rejection in his voice. “Lord, I don’t know if You want to, But if You want to maybe You could heal me. Maybe You could make me clean. Maybe you could remove this stigma, this shame, this disgrace from my life. I just want to be loved and accepted and received. Lord, if You’re willing, You can make me normal. I just want to be normal and regular like other people. Will You receive me? Will You love me? Will You accept me?”

And Jesus reached out to the leper and touched him and said, “I’m willing, be cleansed.” The despised and rejected Savior was willing to deliver the despised and rejected leper. Jesus was willing to take the time to minister to someone who nobody else wanted to be bothered with.

Why did this man come to Jesus? Something drew him. It was the love of God that compelled him. Jesus was willing to reach out and intimately touch someone who no one would touch. Compassion (love in action) will have you reach out to the rejects and love the unlovable and touch them with the mercy and the miracles of Christ. Once we can come to the knowledge and understanding that God loves us it breaks the root of rejection and draws us to Jesus Christ.

And immediately the leper was healed. Jesus touched an untouchable and in that moment, in that instant he was delivered from leprosy. One touch of from Jesus (love manifested in the flesh) removed his stigma and his pain. He was cured. He was cleansed. And he was free. All the external and internal wounds were a distant memory.

God is no respecter of persons. He loves the unlovable. He loves the leper. He loves the reject. And He loves you. Jesus loves you enough to reach out to you, to touch you, and to set you free. The ministry of deliverance has the power to pull you out of bondage and demonic control. In one moment this man went from being a reject to being recognized and received by Christ.

If you have a wounded heart or a broken spirit, Jesus loves you. He draws near to them that have broken heart and saves as such that have a contrite spirit. And nothing can separate you from His love. He’s willing to heal you and make you whole. He that cometh to Jesus, He will no wise cast out. He won’t reject you. You are accepted in the Beloved. You are received and loved in Jesus Christ. Remember that you are no longer an ugly duckling. You are a beautiful swan. If you can see yourself the way that God sees you, you can overcome.

Heart Prints

2006-09-24T11:11:00.000-07:00

Whatever our hands touch-
We leave fingerprints!
On walls, on furniture
On doorknobs, dishes, books.
There's no escape.
As we touch we leave our identity.

Oh God, wherever I go today
Help me leave heartprints!
Heartprints of compassion
Of understanding and love.

Heartprints of kindness
And genuine concern.
May my heart touch a lonely neighbor
Or a runaway daughter
Or an anxious mother
Or perhaps an aged grandfather.

Lord, send me out today
To leave heartprints.
And if someone should say,
"I felt your touch,"
May that one sense YOUR LOVE
Touching through ME.

-- Author Unknown

I Don't Do Windows

2006-09-24T10:44:00.000-07:00

I don't do windows because...
I love birds and don't want one to run
into a clean window and get hurt.

I don't wax floors because...
I am terrified a guest will slip and get hurt
then I'll feel terrible (plus they may sue me).

I don't mind the dust bunnies because...
They are very good company, I have named most
of them, and they agree with everything I say.

I don't disturb cobwebs because...
I want every creature
to have a home of their own.

I don't Spring Clean because...
I love all the seasons and don't want the
others to get jealous.

I don't pull weeds in the garden because...
I don't want to get in God's way,
HE is an excellent designer!

I don't put things away because...
My children will never be able
to find them again.

I don't do gourmet meals when I entertain because...
I don't want my guests to stress out over what
to make when they invite me over for dinner.

I don't iron because...
I choose to believe them when they say "Permanent Press".

I don't stress much on anything because...
"A Type" personalities die young
and I want to stick around
and become a wrinkled up crusty ol' woman!!!!

Ugly Seeds

2006-09-24T10:29:00.000-07:00

"Regret is an appalling waste of energy; you can't build on it,
it's only good for wallowing in."
~ Katherine Mansfield, British writer, 1888-1923

Mistakes are like ugly seeds that if planted in the dark soil of
forgetfulness may eventually sprout and grow into beautiful
blessings. If we insist on taking them out ever so often to examine
their ugliness, however, they will never be anything but
unattractive and utterly useless. Within every error is the seed of
blessing. Regret is the herbicide that destroys its potential.

Thoughts For Today

2006-09-23T20:26:00.000-07:00

A Faithful Friend

2006-09-22T21:58:00.000-07:00

In a Peanuts comic strip, Charlie Brown stops at the psychiatric help stand to talk with Lucy and confesses, "My trouble is I never know if I'm doing the right thing. I need to have someone around who can tell me when I'm doing the right thing." Lucy says, "Okay. You're doing the right thing. That'll be five cents, please!" Charlie Brown walks away with a smile on his face.

In a few minutes, he returns with a frown. "Back already?" asks Lucy. "What happened?" Charlie Brown says, "I was wrong. It didn't help. You need more in life than just having someone around to tell you when you're doing the right thing." Lucy says, "Now you've really learned something! That'll be another five cents please."

We all like having someone tell us when we do the right thing. And when we're doing the right thing, it's important to have friends who encourage us. But what we don't like so much is having someone tell us when we're do the wrong thing. It's not easy to hear someone say, "I'm worried about you. You've made a mistake. You don't want to end up in the direction you're headed." But that's just as important.

One of the qualities of a faithful friend is honesty even when the truth is painful. We all need someone who will love us enough not to let us head in a harmful direction, someone who with gentleness and love will help steer us back on the path of righteousness. Solomon put it this way:

"Open rebuke is better than love carefully concealed. Faithful are the wounds of a friend, But the kisses of an enemy are deceitful." (Proverbs 27:5-6)

Charlie Brown was right. You need more in life than just having someone around to tell you when you're doing the right thing. That'll be five cents, please!

Things We Learn

2006-09-20T20:05:00.000-07:00

I've learned that I like my teacher because she cries when we sing "Silent Night".
Age 6

I've learned that our dog doesn't want to eat my broccoli either.
Age 7

I've learned that when I wave to people in the country, they stop what they are doing and wave back.
Age 9

I've learned that just when I get my room the way I like it, Mom makes me clean it up again.
Age 12

I've learned that if you want to cheer yourself up, you should try cheering someone else up.
Age 14

I've learned that although it's hard to admit it, I'm secretly glad my parents are strict with me.
Age 15

I've learned that silent company is often more healing than words of advice.
Age 24

I've learned that brushing my child's hair is one of life's great pleasures.
Age 26

I've learned that wherever I go, the world's worst drivers have followed me there.
Age 29

I've learned that if someone says something unkind about me, I must live so that no one will believe it.
Age 30

I've learned that there are people who love you dearly but just don't know how to show it.
Age 42

I've learned that you can make someone's day by simply sending them a little note.
Age 44

I've learned that the greater a person's sense of guilt, the greater his or her need to cast blame on others.
Age 46

I've learned that children and grandparents are natural allies.
Age 47

I've learned that no matter what happens, or how bad it seems today, life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow.
Age 48

I've learned that singing "Amazing Grace" can lift my spirits for hours.
Age 49

I've learned that motel mattresses are better on the side away from the phone.
Age 50

I've learned that you can tell a lot about a man by the way he handles these three things: a rainy day, lost luggage,and tangled Christmas tree lights.
Age 52

I've learned that keeping a vegetable garden is worth a medicine cabinet full of pills.
Age 52

I've learned that regardless of your relationship with your parents, you miss them terribly after they die.
Age 53

I've learned that making a living is not the same thing as making a life.
Age 58

I've learned that if you want to do something positive for your children, work to improve your marriage.
Age 61

I've learned that life sometimes gives you a second chance.
Age 62

I've learned that you shouldn't go through life with a catchers mitt on both hands You need to be able to throw something back.
Age 64

I've learned that if you pursue happiness, it will elude you But if you focus on your family, the needs of others, your work, meeting new people, and doing the very best you can, happiness will find you.
Age 65

I've learned that whenever I decide something with kindness, I usually make the right decision.
Age 66

I've learned that everyone can use a prayer.
Age 72

I've learned that it pays to believe in miracles And to tell the truth, I've seen several.
Age 75

I've learned that even when I have pains, I don't have to be one.
Age 82

I've learned that every day you should reach out and touch someone People love that human touch-holding hands, a warm hug, or just a friendly pat on the back.
Age 85

I've learned that I still have a lot to learn.
Age 92

I've learned that you should pass this on to someone you care about Sometimes they just need a little something to make them smile.
Ageless

Keep Your Fork

2006-09-20T20:00:00.000-07:00

There was a woman who had been diagnosed with a terminal illness and had been given three months to live. As she was getting her things "in order," she contacted her pastor and had him come to her house to discuss certain aspects of her final wishes. She told him which songs she wanted sung at the service, what scriptures she would like read, and what outfit she wanted to be buried in. The woman also requested to be buried with her favourite Bible.

Everything was in order and the pastor was preparing to leave when the woman suddenly remembered something very important to her.

"There's one more thing," she said excitedly. "What's that?" came thepastor's reply. "This is very important," the woman continued.."I want to be buried with a fork in my right hand." The pastor stood looking at the woman, not knowing quite what to say.. "That surprises you, doesn't it?" the woman asked. "Well, to be honest, I'm puzzled by the request," said the pastor.

The woman explained. "In all my years of attending church socials and potluck dinners, I always remember that when the dishes of the main course were being cleared, someone would inevitably lean over and say, "keep your fork." It was my favorite part because I knew that something better was coming..like velvety chocolate cake or deep-dish apple pie. Something wonderful, and with substance! So, I just want people to see me there in that casket with a fork in my hand and I want them to wonder 'What's with the fork?' Then I want you to tell them: "Keep Your Fork..The best is yet to come"

The pastor's eyes welled up with tears of joy as he hugged the woman good-bye. He knew this would be one of the last times he would see her before her death. But he also knew that the woman had a better grasp of heaven than he did. She KNEW that something better was coming. At the funeral people were walking by the woman's casket and they saw the pretty dress she was wearing and her favorite Bible and the fork placed in her right hand. Over and over the pastor heard the question "What's with the fork?" And over and over he smiled.

During his message, the pastor told the people of the conversation he had with the woman shortly before she died. He also told them about the fork and about what it symbolized to her. The pastor told the people how he could not stop thinking about the fork and told them that they probably would not be able to stop thinking about it either.

He was right.

So the next time you reach down for your fork, let it remind you oh so gently, that the best is yet to come...

Whispering To You

2006-09-20T19:46:00.000-07:00

Not long ago I heard a story about a young man and an old preacher. The young man had lost his job and didn't know which way to turn. So he went to see the old preacher.

Pacing about the preacher's study, the young man ranted about his problem. Finally he clenched his fist and shouted, "I've begged God to say something to help me. Tell me, Preacher, why doesn't God answer?"

The old preacher, who sat across the room, spoke something in reply - something so hushed it was indistinguishable. The young man stepped across the room. "What did you say?" he asked.

The preacher repeated himself, but again in a tone as soft as a whisper. So the young man moved closer until he was leaning on the preacher's chair. "Sorry," he said. "I still didn't hear you."

With their heads bent together, the old preacher spoke once more. "God sometimes whispers," he said, "so we will move closer to hear Him." This time the young man heard and he understood.

The next time you think that God is ignoring you, it may be that He is whispering to you, with the knowledge that it will draw you closer to Him.

In Psalm 73, the psalmist struggles with the fact that the wicked are prospering, and he is tempted to conclude that it doesn't do any good to do what is right (if you're struggling with the same thing, this is a great chapter to read and meditate on).

But, in the end, the psalmist concludes that he is being "foolish and ignorant" (73:22). When it seemed that God was nowhere to be found, the psalmist was led by God's whispering to "draw near":

"But it is good for me to draw near to God; I have put my trust in the Lord God, That I may declare all Your works." (Psalm 73:28)

May the whispers of God in your life draw you closer to Him.

My Kind Of Religion

2006-09-20T19:44:00.000-07:00

"When I do good, I feel good. When I do bad, I feel bad. And that is my religion."
– Abraham Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln, the American president remembered as Honest Abe, is renowned for his strong leadership during the Civil War and for ending slavery in the United States. He was born in a Kentucky cabin in 1809. He taught himself law and passed the Illinois bar in 1837, the same year he first spoke out against slavery. The Southern states seceded in response to his election to the presidency in 1860. Lincoln was assassinated in 1865, mere days after General Robert E. Lee surrendered to end the war.

When Heaven Seems Silent

2006-09-19T17:52:00.000-07:00

-By Linda Evans Shepherd
(Excerpt from Grief Relief from Jubilant Press)

Scenes swirled through my memories: Eighteen-month-old Laura snuggled in her car seat — red taillights — damp pavement — my foot reaching for the brakes — my car skidding out-of-control — a thunderous explosion.

Then chilling silence.

Why… why isn't my baby crying?

I turned to the back seat. Only a gaping hole remained.

I frantically clawed through the wreckage searching for my baby. Finally, I found her — still strapped in her baby seat — alive, but barely. Our lives were forever changed.

One by one, 21 health care professionals told me: “We’re giving up on your daughter. We’re denying therapy services: they are only a waste of time.”
“Laura’s a vegetable.”
“There is no hope of recovery.”
“No hope.”

I couldn’t believe God would do this to my family and me. But apparently He had.

Almost two decades later, I can see that He has turned those terrible circumstances into good. And although my daughter is severely disabled, she is not in a vegetative state. She is aware and loved.

Am I totally over the grief I faced? The answer is no. I still grieve the lost dreams I had for my daughter.

At the same time, I have given my situation up — up to God. Giving it to God was the best solution. I have tried to carry it myself, but my burden was bigger than me, more than I could possibly manage.

Remember: God is the giver of all good gifts and a salvager of pain. He can use our tragedies for good. He says all things work together for the good of those that love the Lord and are called according to His
purpose. (Rom 8:28)

But note: God does not do BAD THINGS to us so He can use them for His glory. But before God can turn our suffering into something good, we have to give the situation up to Him by repeatedly praying:
“I give my situation to You, God. Please take it from my shoulders and carry it for me.”

Does God want to carry our burdens? YES!

1 Peter 5:7 says: “Let Him have all your worries and cares, for He is always thinking about you and watching everything that concerns you.” TLB The New International Version puts it this way: “Cast all your anxiety
on Him because He cares for you.”

This means God wants you to cast, throw, toss, give your cares, worries, and burdens on Him.

At first I was too blinded by grief to see what God was up to. I felt forgotten. I peppered Him with pleading prayers and quoted Scriptures on faith to try to convince Him to heal my daughter. Yet the healing I
longed for failed to appear.

His response sounded like silence. I felt I rejected by heaven. All I could do was survive to face another day.

Then came the miracle. Even with her handicaps, Laura’s life has been a blessing beyond my wildest imagination, a blessing in more ways than I can relate here. He has indeed turned my broken child’s life into the miraculous.

Most of us are sheltered from truly tragic events. We do not see them up-close and personal everyday. But the truth is that real life is hard. Following God’s way does not usually lead to ease or easy living.
Why? Because THIS IS NOT HEAVEN! The day that the Bible promises all tears are wiped from our eyes has not arrived.

In the meantime, we struggle. We who search for meaning may never see a purpose to our suffering. And maybe that is the point! Maybe we are not supposed to understand. Instead, we are supposed to trust. Otherwise, we may follow God to get ‘benefits’ and totally miss the joy of a trusting relationship with Him.

Linda Evans Shepherd is the publisher of the Right to the Heart of Women e-zine, the President of Right to the Heart and a publisher at Jubilant Press, and the author of numerous books on spiritual growth. She can be contacted for comments or speaking engagements at LindaEvansShepherd.com

The Snake

2006-09-18T18:25:00.000-07:00

-By Lewis K.

The Snake is the one whose legs were taken away and was forced to craw on his belly. He really has low self esteem but it comes out in ways of manipulation and control. Because he cannot really control anyone with love and honesty, he must win your attention and attract you with things like the rattler on a rattle snake saying "Here I am."

There are warnings of what is to come if one is not naive to the warnings but if one is naive and they get close then the snake must raise to striking position like the Cobra with its beautiful cape because you are a threat to them. Everything is a threat to one condemned to crawl on their belly. Once the snake gets you close, you are in trouble. Because they cannot see well, they only look for movement or heat. If it moves too quick he will strike.

Many women who marry the snake get struck for no reason what so ever. That is because the snake feels threaten by your ability to live and move and he must kill it so he will feel safe. Once the snake gets you close, he must crush you or fill your with his poison. Either way you will not be doing much living with the suffocating love of a snake.

They seem to always take but never give because they have very little to give. They use their tongues to test all of life; to smell, to sense, even to see. If you find you are being manipulated by someone in a dating relationship, open your eyes... you may be dating the snake. They use their tongue to control from the beginning. It just gets worse as it goes, if you believe the first lies, they will feed you more.

The only antidote for their poison is derived from their own poison, recognizing the lies and choose the truth. Once you have taken an antidote, the only safe thing to do with the snake is RUN, and keep distance between you and it!

For My Children

2006-09-18T17:55:00.000-07:00

Just for this morning, I am going to smile when I see your face and laugh when I feel like crying.

Just for this morning, I will let you choose what you want to wear, and smile and say how perfect it is.

Just for this morning, I am going to step over the laundry, and pick you up and take you to the park to play.

Just for this morning, I will leave the dishes in the sink, and let you teach me how to put that puzzle of yours together.

Just for this afternoon, I will unplug the telephone and keep the computer off, and sit with you in the backyard and blow bubbles.

Just for this afternoon, I will not yell once, not even a tiny grumble when you scream and whine for the ice cream truck, and I will buy you one if he comes by.

Just for this afternoon, I won't worry about what you are going to be when you grow up, or second guess every decision I have made where you are concerned.

Just for this afternoon, I will let you help me bake cookies, and I won't stand over you trying to fix them.

Just for this afternoon, I will take us to McDonald's and buy us both a Happy Meal so you can have both toys.

Just for this evening, I will hold you in my arms and tell you a story about how you were born and how much I love you.

Just for this evening, I will let you splash in the tub and not get angry.

Just for this evening, I will let you stay up late while we sit on the porch and count all the stars.

Just for this evening, I will snuggle beside you for hours, and miss my favorite TV shows.

Just for this evening when I run my finger through your hair as you pray, I will simply be grateful that God has given me the greatest gift ever given.

I will think about the mothers and fathers who are searching for their missing children, the mothers and fathers who are visiting their children's graves instead of their bedrooms, and mothers and fathers who are in hospital rooms watching their children suffer senselessly, and screaming inside that they can't handle it anymore.

And when I kiss you good nigh t I will hold you a little tighter, a little longer. It is then, that I will thank God for you, and ask him for nothing, except one more day...

Random Thoughts

2006-09-15T06:14:00.000-07:00

The nicest thing about the future
is that it always starts tomorrow.

Money will buy a fine dog, but only
kindness will make him wag his tail.

If you don't have a sense of humor,
you probably don't have any sense at all.

Seat belts are not NEAR as confining
as a wheel-chair!

A good time to keep your mouth shut
is when you're in deep water.

How come it takes so little time for a child
who is afraid of the dark to become a
teenager who wants to stay out all night?

Business conventions are important because
they demonstrate how many people a
company can operate without.

Why is it that at class reunions you feel
younger than everyone else looks?

Scratch a dog behind the ears,
and you'll find a permanent job.

No one has more driving ambition
than the boy who wants to buy a car.

There are really no "new sins"....the
old ones just getting more publicity.

There are worse things than getting
a call for a wrong number at 4 AM.
.....It could be a RIGHT number!

Think about this..., No one ever says,
"It's only a game" when his team is
doing the winning.

I've reached the age where
the happy hour is a nap.

Be careful reading the fine print.
There's no way you're going to like it.

The trouble with bucket seats is that
not everybody has the same size bucket.

Do you realize that in about 40 years,
we'll have thousands of old ladies
running around with tattoos?

Money can't buy happiness -- but
somehow it's more comfortable to
cry in a Corvette than in a Yugo.

After a certain age, if you don't
wake up aching in every joint
........you are probably dead!

Good, Bad and Ugly

2006-09-15T06:12:00.000-07:00

Good: Your hubby and you agree, no more kids
Bad: You can't find your birth control pills
Ugly: Your daughter borrowed them

Good: Your son studies a lot in his room
Bad: You find several porn movies hidden there.
Ugly: You're in them

Good: Your husband understands fashion
Bad: He's a cross-dresser
Ugly: He looks better than you

Good: Your son's finally maturing
Bad: He's involved with the woman next door
Ugly: So are you

Good: Giving the birds & bees talk to your daughter
Bad: She keeps interrupting
Ugly: With corrections

Good: Your wife's not talking to you
Bad: She wants a divorce
Ugly: She's a lawyer

Good: The postman's early
Bad: He's wearing fatigues and carrying an AK47
Ugly: You gave him nothing for Christmas

Good: Your daughter got a new job
Bad: As a hooker
Ugly: Your coworkers are her best clients
Way ugly: She makes more money than you do

Good: You're son is dating someone new
Bad: It's another man
Ugly: He's your best friend

Good: You're wife is pregnant.
Bad: It's triplets
Ugly: You had a vasectomy five years ago.

Good For The Soul

2006-09-13T19:45:00.000-07:00

Last week I took my children to a restaurant. My
six-year-old son asked if he could say grace. As
we bowed our heads he said, "God is good, God is
great. Thank you for the food, and I would even
thank you more if Mom gets us ice cream for
dessert. And Liberty and justice for all! Amen!"

Along with the laughter from the other customers
nearby I heard a woman remark, "That's what's wrong
with this country. Kids today don't even know how
to pray. Asking God for ice cream! Why, I never!"

Hearing this, my son burst into tears and asked
me, "Did I do it wrong? Is God mad at me?"

As I held him and assured him that he had done a
terrific job and God was certainly not mad at him,
an elderly gentleman approached the table. He
winked at my son and said, "I happen to know that
God thought that was a great prayer." "Really?" my
son asked. "Cross my heart," the man replied. Then
in a theatrical whisper he added (indicating the
woman whose remark had started this whole thing),
"Too bad she never asks God for ice cream. A little
ice cream is good for the soul sometimes."

Naturally, I bought my kids ice cream at the end
of the meal. My son stared at his for a moment
and then did something I will remember the rest of
my life. He picked up his sundae and without a
word, walked over and placed it in front of the
woman. With a big smile he told her, "Here, this
is for you. Ice cream is good for the soul
sometimes; and my soul is good already."

Sometimes we all need some ice cream.

I hope God sends you some Ice Cream today!

A Tough Choice

2006-09-12T20:08:00.000-07:00

A man and his ever-nagging wife went on vacation to Jerusalem. While they were there, the wife passed away. The undertaker told the husband, "You can have her shipped home for $5,000, or you can bury her here, in the Holy Land, for $150." The man thought about it and told him he would just have her shipped home.

The undertaker asked, "Why would you spend $5,000 to ship your wife home, when it would be wonderful to be buried here and you would spend only $150?"

The man replied, "Long ago a man died here, was buried here, and three days later he rose from the dead. I just can't take that chance."

How Come?

2006-09-12T20:01:00.000-07:00

How come when you mix water and flour together,
you get glue?...

and
then you add eggs...

and sugar...
and you get cake?

So where did the glue go ?
Do you need the answer?
You know darned well where it went!

That's what makes the cake
Stick to your BUTT !!!

Just P.U.S.H.

2006-09-11T21:16:00.000-07:00

A man was sleeping at night in his cabin when suddenly his room filled with light, and God appeared. The Lord told the man he had work for him to do, and showed him a large rock in front of his cabin. The Lord explained that the man was to push against the rock with all his might.

So, this the man did, day after day. For many years he toiled from sun up to sun down; his shoulders set squarely against the cold, massive surface of the unmoving rock, pushing with all of his might. Each night the man returned to his cabin sore and worn out, feeling that his whole day had been spent in vain.

Since the man was showing discouragement, the Adversary (Satan) decided to enter the picture by placing thoughts into the weary mind: "you have been pushing against that rock for a long time, and it hasn't moved." Thus, giving the man the impression that the task was impossible and that he was a failure. These thoughts discouraged and disheartened the man.

Satan said, "Why kill yourself over this?" "Just put in your time, giving just the minimum effort; and that will be good enough." That's what he planned to do, but decided to make it a matter of prayer and take his troubled thoughts to the Lord.

"Lord," he said, "I have labored long and hard in your service, putting all my strength to do that which you have asked. Yet, after all this time, I have not even budged that rock by half a millimeter. What is wrong? Why am I failing?"

The Lord responded compassionately, "My friend, when I asked you to serve Me and you accepted, I told you that your task was to push against the rock with all of your strength, which you have done. Never once did I mention to you that I expected you to move it. Your task was to push.

And now you come to Me with your strength spent, thinking that you have failed. But, is that really so? Look at yourself. Your arms are strong and muscled, your back sinewy and brown, your hands are callused from constant pressure, your legs have become massive and hard. Through opposition you have grown much, and your abilities now surpass that which you used to have.Yet you haven't moved the rock. But your calling was to be obedient and to push and to exercise your faith and trust in My wisdom. This you have done. Now I, my friend, will move the rock."

At times, when we hear a word from God, we tend to use our own intellect to decipher what He wants, when actually what God wants is just a simple obedience and faith in Him. By all means, exercise the faith that moves mountains, but know that it is still God who moves mountains.

When everything seems to go wrong ... just P.U.S.H.
When the job gets you down ... just P.U.S.H.
When people don't react the way you think they should... just P.U.S.H.
When your money is "gone" and the bills are due...just P.U.S.H.
When people just don't understand you ... just P.U.S.H.!

P=Pray
U=Until
S=Something
H=Happens

A Trucker's Story

2006-09-11T21:12:00.000-07:00

I try not to be biased, but I had my doubts about hiring Stevie. His placement counselor assured me that he would be a good, reliable busboy. But I had never had a mentally handicapped employee and wasn't sure I wanted one. I wasn't sure how my Customers would react to Stevie. He was short, a little dumpy with the smooth facial features and thick-tongued speech of Down Syndrome. I wasn't worried about most of my trucker customers because truckers don't generally care who buses tables as long as the meatloaf platter is good and the pies are homemade. The four-wheeler drivers were the ones who concerned me; the mouthy college kids traveling to school; the yuppie snobs who secretly polish their silverware with their napkins for fear of catching some dreaded "truck stop germ"; the pairs of white shirted business men on expense accounts who think every truck stop waitress wants to be flirted with.

I knew those people would be uncomfortable around Stevie so I closely watched him for the first few weeks. I shouldn't have worried. After the first week, Stevie had my staff wrapped around his stubby little finger, and within a month my truck regulars had adopted him as their official truckstop mascot. After that, I really didn't care what the rest of the customers thought of him. He was like a 21-year-old in blue jeans and Nikes, eager to laugh and eager to please, but fierce in his attention to his duties.

Every salt and pepper shaker was exactly in its place, not a bread crumb or coffee spill was visible when Stevie got done with the table. Our only problem was persuading him to wait to clean a table until after the customers were finished. He would hover in the background, shifting his weight from one foot to the other, scanning the dining room until a table was empty. Then he would scurry to the empty table and carefully bus dishes and glasses onto cart and meticulously wipe the table up with a practiced flourish of his rag. If he thought a customer was watching, his brow would pucker with added concentration. He took pride in doing his job exactly right, and you had to love how hard he tried to please each and every person he met.

Over time, we learned that he lived with his mother, a widow who was disabled after repeated surgeries for cancer. They lived on their Social Security benefits in public housing two miles from the truck stop. Their Social worker, who stopped to check on him every so often, admitted they had fallen between the cracks. Money was tight, and what I paid him was probably the difference between them being able to live together and Stevie being sent to a group home.

That's why the restaurant was a gloomy place that morning last August, the first morning in three years that Stevie missed work. He was at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester getting a new valve or something put in his heart. His social worker said that people with Down syndrome often had heart problems at an early age so this wasn't unexpected, and there was a good chance he would come through the surgery in good shape and be back at work in a few months.

A ripple of excitement ran through the staff later that morning when word came that he was out of surgery, in recovery and doing fine. Frannie, the head waitress, let out a war hoop and did a little dance in the aisle when she heard the good news. Belle Ringer, one of our regular trucker customers, stared at the sight of the 50-year-old grandmother of four doing a victory shimmy beside his table. Frannie blushed, smoothed her apron and shot Belle Ringer a withering look. He grinned. "OK, Frannie, what was that all about?" he asked. "We just got word that Stevie is out of surgery and going to be okay." "I was wondering where he was. I had a new joke to tell him. What was the surgery about?"

Frannie quickly told Belle Ringer and the other two drivers sitting at his booth about Stevie's surgery, then sighed. "Yeah, I'm glad he is going to be OK" she said. "But I don't know how he and his Mom are going to handle all the bills. From what I hear, they're barely getting by as it is." Belle Ringer nodded thoughtfully, and Frannie hurried off to wait on the rest of her tables. Since I hadn't had time to round up a busboy to replace Stevie and really didn't want to replace him, the girls were busing their own tables that day until we decided what to do. After the morning rush, Frannie walked into my office. She had a couple of paper napkins in her hand a funny look on her face."

What's up?" I asked. "I didn't get that table where Belle Ringer and his friends were sitting cleared off after they left, and Pony Pete and Tony Tipper were sitting there when I got back to clean it off" she said. "This was folded and tucked under a coffee cup." She handed the napkin to me, and three $20 bills fell onto my desk when I opened it. On the outside, in big, bold letters, was printed "Something For Stevie."

"Pony Pete asked me what that was all about," she said, "so I told about Stevie and his Mom and everything, and Pete looked at Tony and Tony looked at Pete, and they ended up giving me this." She handed me another paper napkin that had "Something For Stevie" scrawled on its outside. Two $50 bills were tucked within its folds. Frannie looked at me with wet, shiny eyes, shook her head and said simply "truckers."

That was three months ago. Today is Thanksgiving, the first day Stevie is supposed to be back to work. His placement worker said he's been counting the days until the doctor said he could work, and it didn't matter at all that it was a holiday. He called 10 times in the past week, making sure we knew he was coming, fearful that we had forgotten him or that his job was in jeopardy.

I arranged to have his mother bring him to work, met them in the parking lot and invited them both to celebrate his day back. Stevie was thinner and paler, but couldn't stop grinning as he pushed through the doors and headed for the back room where his apron and busing cart were waiting. "Hold up there, Stevie, not so fast," I said. I took him and his mother by their arms. "Work can wait for a minute. To celebrate you coming back, breakfast for you and your mother is on me." I led them toward a large corner booth at the rear of the room. I could feel and hear the rest of the staff following behind as we marched through the dining room. Glancing over my shoulder, I saw booth after booth of grinning truckers empty and join the procession.

We stopped in front of the big table. Its surface was covered with coffee cups, saucers and dinner plates, all sitting slightly crooked on dozens of folded paper napkins. "First thing you have to do, Stevie, is clean up this mess," I said. I tried to sound stern. Stevie looked at me, and then at his mother, then pulled out one of the napkins. It had "Something for Stevie" printed on the outside. As he picked it up, two $10 bills fell onto the table. Stevie stared at the money, then at all the napkins peeking from beneath the tableware, each with his name printed or scrawled on it. I turned to his mother. "There's more than $10,000 in cash and checks on that table, all from truckers and trucking companies that heard about your problems. Happy Thanksgiving."

Well, it got real noisy about that time, with everybody hollering and shouting, and there were a few tears, as well. But you know what's funny? While everybody else was busy shaking hands and hugging each other, Stevie, with a big, big smile on his face, was busy clearing all the cups and dishes from the table. Best worker I ever hired. Plant a seed and watch it grow.

She Has Done What She Could

2006-09-11T21:04:00.000-07:00

Jesus was in Bethany at the home of Simon, a man who had leprosy. During supper, a woman came in with a beautiful jar of expensive perfume. She broke the seal and poured the perfume over his head. Some of those at the table were indignant. "Why was this expensive perfume wasted?" they asked. "She could have sold it for a small fortune and given the money to the poor!" And they scolded her harshly.

But Jesus replied, "Leave her alone. Why berate her for doing such a good thing to me? You will always have the poor among you, and you can help them whenever you want to. But I will not be here with you much longer. She has done what she could and has anointed my body for burial ahead of time. I assure you, wherever the Good News is preached throughout the world, this woman's deed will be talked about in her memory."

The woman's name is not mentioned here, but in John 12 we are told that her name was Maria. Jesus said that what she did was so important that it would be a memorial to her throughout the ages! She did what she could. Am I doing what I can? There is something I can do, something God Himself has gifted me to do. It may not be much. It may not draw much attention, but it is what I can do and the Lord will receive it gladly as a gift from me to Him.

Every individual is a genius in one area of life or another. There is something you can do better than anyone around you simply because you are specifically gifted to do that unique thing easily and effectively.

God does not require of me that I do what others are doing. This often leads to a spirit of competition. He wants me to do what He has enabled me to do either through natural gifting or through special training that improves my natural or spiritual gifts.

Go forward doing what He has designed you to do. This special thing, or things, is something He placed within you to grow and blossom in its own time. Do what you feel comfortable doing because you know you can do it well. "It is God at work in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure." Go and do what you can do! Do what you want to do! One of the blessings of a consecrated life is that God is the one who works in your "wanter" to do what He wants you to do!

-Robert & Joni Fitts

Pray For Strength

2006-09-06T20:48:00.000-07:00

"Do not pray for easy lives. Pray to be stronger men."
-JFK

B-U-S-Y

2006-09-06T20:39:00.000-07:00

Satan Called a Worldwide Convention.

In his opening address to his evil angels, Satan said, "We can't keep the Christians from being Christians. We can't keep them from reading their Bibles and knowing the truth. We can't even keep them from forming an intimate, abiding relationship experience in Christ. If they gain that connection with Jesus, our power over them is broken.

So, let them go to their churches; let them have their conservative lifestyles, but steal their time, so they can't gain that relationship with Jesus Christ. This is what I want you to do, angels. Distract them from gaining hold of their Saviour and maintaining that vital connection throughout their day!"

"How shall we do this?" shouted his angels.

"Keep them busy in the non-essentials of life and invent innumerable schemes to occupy their minds," he answered. "Tempt them to spend, spend, spend, and borrow, borrow, borrow. Persuade the wives to go to work for long hours and the husbands to work 6-7 days each week, 10-12 hours a day, so they can afford empty lifestyles. Keep them from spending time with their children. As their family fragments, soon, their home will offer no escape from the pressures of work!

"Over-stimulate their minds so that they cannot hear that still, small voice. Entice them to play the radio or cassette player whenever they drive. To keep the TV, VCR, CDs and their PCs going constantly in their home and see to it that every store and restaurant in the world plays non-biblical music constantly. This will jam their minds and break that union with Christ. Fill the coffee tables with magazines and newspapers.

"Pound their minds with the news 24 hours a day. Invade their driving moments with billboards. Flood their mailboxes with junk mail, mail order catalogues, sweepstakes, and every kind of newsletter and promotional offering free products, services and false hopes. Keep skinny, beautiful models on the magazines so the husbands will believe that external beauty is what's important, and they'll become dissatisfied with their wives. Ha! That will fragment those families quickly!

"Even in their recreation, let them be excessive. Have them return from their recreation exhausted, disquieted and unprepared for the coming week. Don't let them go out in nature to reflect on God's wonders. Send them to amusement parks, sporting events, concerts and movies instead. Keep them busy, busy, busy! And when they meet for spiritual fellowship, involve them in gossip and small talk so that they leave with troubled consciences and unsettled emotions.

"Go ahead, let them be involved in soul winning; but crowd their lives with so many good causes they have no time to seek power from Jesus. Soon they will be working in their own strength, sacrificing their health and family for the good of the cause. It will work! It will work!"

It was quite a convention. The evil angels went eagerly to their assignments causing Christians everywhere to get more busy and more rushed, going here and there. I guess the question is: Has the devil been successful at his scheme? You be the judge! Does "busy" mean:

B-eing U-nder S-atan's Y-oke?

****I think we probably sabotage our selves and are oppressed by the physical world as much as the demon world, but these are no doubt vises in our lives where the devil can get a foothold. I'm all for not giving him any footholds! However, I think we need the body to help each other identify the areas of distraction in our lives. For we tend not to see them ourselves.

Lord, I thank you for bringing to our attention the areas of distraction we often fall into. I thank you also for allowing us to suffer through them for a time in order to convince us of just how detrimental our fleshly ways are to our relationship with you. Continue to convict our hearts I pray, and bring around us others Saints who will encourage a narrow and Holy walk with you.****

The Rim

2006-09-06T20:29:00.000-07:00

"Never let yesterday use up too much of today."
~ Will Rogers, American humorist, 1879-1935

Using up today by rehashing yesterday is like traveling to the
Grand Canyon and spending the entire visit in the gift shop looking
at postcards. We have to be willing to leave the past behind us and
step to the rim of today to take full advantage of the view.

How To Install Love

2006-09-06T06:39:00.000-07:00

Tech Support: Yes, ... how can I help you?

Customer: Well, after much consideration, I've decided to
install Love. Can you guide me through the process?

Tech Support: Yes, I can help you! Are you ready to proceed?

Customer: Well, I'm not very technical, but I think I'm ready.
What do I do first?

Tech Support: The first step is to open your Heart. Have you located
your Heart?

Customer: Yes, but there are several other programs running now.
Is it okay to install Love while they are running?

Tech Support: What programs are running?

Customer: Let's see, I have Past Hurt, Low Self-Esteem, Grudge
and Resentment running right now.

Tech Support: No problem, Love will gradually erase Past Hurt from
your current operating system. It may remain in your permanent memory
but it will no longer disrupt other programs. Love will eventually override
Low Self-Esteem with a module of its own called High Self-Esteem. However,
you have to completely turn off Grudge and Resentment. Those programs
prevent Love from being properly installed. Can you turn those off?

Customer: I don't know how to turn them off. Can you tell me how?

Tech Support: With pleasure. Go to your start menu and invoke
Forgiveness. Do this as many times as necessary until Grudge and
Resentment have been completely erased.

Customer: Okay, done! Love has started installing itself. Is
that normal?

Tech Support: Yes, but remember that you have only the base program.
You need to begin connecting to other Hearts in order to get the upgrades.

Customer: Oops! I have an error message already. It says, "Error
Program not run on external components." What should I do?

Tech Support: Don't worry. It means that the Love program is set up to
run on Internal Hearts, but has not yet been run on your Heart. In
non-technical terms, it simply means you have to Love yourself before
you can Love others.

Customer: So, what should I do?

Tech Support: Pull down Self-Acceptance; then click on the following
files: Forgive-Self; Realize Your Worth; and Acknowledge your
Limitations.

Customer:Okay, done.

Tech Support: Now, copy them to the "My Heart" directory. The system
will overwrite any conflicting files and begin patching faulty programming.
Also, you need to delete Verbose Self-Criticism from all directories
and empty your Recycle Bin to make sure it is completely gone and never
comes back.

Customer: Got it. Hey! My heart is filling up with new files.
Smile is playing on my monitor and Peace and Contentment are copying
themselves all over My Heart. Is this normal?

Tech Support: Sometimes. For others it takes awhile, but eventually
everything gets it at the proper time. So Love is installed and
running.

One more thing before we hang up. Love is Freeware. Be sure to give it
and its various modules to everyone you meet. They will in turn share it
with others and return some cool modules back to you.

Customer: Thank you, God.

Don't Stop Now!

2006-09-06T06:36:00.000-07:00

It was a sultry Saturday, July 2002. Hundreds of onlookers gazed at the
participants in the annual track and field event in Durham, North
Carolina. Parents, friends, and spectators sat under colossal umbrellas
shielding from the blazing sun, while restlessly shifting on the rigid and
uncomfortable aluminum bleachers that surrounded the stadium.

At nine years old, she came running full speed and straight ahead,
leaving everyone else behind while completing her 440-yard race. With arms
outstretched, she crossed the finish line and victoriously walked off
the track exhausted -- and a conqueror. Truly, she was the winner
because everyone else in the race was -- what seemed like miles behind.

Listening for the cheers of family and friends, she heard none. There
were no victory cheers, no clapping, and no smiles. Instead, her
supporters were yelling and motioning for her to keep going, because she had
not won the race. Her race was not complete, because she stopped too
soon! She stopped 12 feet before the official finish line!

Onlookers were stunned. Supporters' heads dropped and then emotions
flared as outcries of disgust and blame rang throughout the stadium toward
the event timers. "You're standing at the wrong line," someone yelled
at the event timer. "You misled her into thinking that you were at the
finish line," someone else shouted.

What had really happened? And, who was really to blame?

The true winner -- or so she thought -- did not complete her race. The
true winner was in fact, not the winner at all.

Perhaps misguided by the event timers standing 12 feet before the
finish line, she stopped, thinking that she had won. In her mind, she was
the winner -- but according to the rules, she was not.

Trailing her, another runner crossed the official finish line and won
the race. Why, because evidently, she knew what the goal was and was not
going to stop until she reached it. She did not allow distractions to
stop her. She did not allow anyone to mislead her. She was not going to
stop until she was indeed the WINNER!

What goals must you reach to be declared the winner in your life? What
distractions must you ignore or get rid of to reach your goals?

Whatever your goals are, it is up to you, and no one else to reach
them. Whatever the distractions are, it is up to you to honestly and wisely
deal with or do away with them.

If you want to live a purposeful and fulfilling life, then wisely and
wholeheartedly do what you must -- but don't stop until you reach them.

Don't stop now!

Copyright 2003 by Audrina Jones Bunton.

Looking For Love

2006-09-04T18:18:00.000-07:00

-By Jenny
jmgroo@yahoo.com

I feel extreme pity on those still looking for love in all the wrong
places. So desperate to be loved they look everywhere except in
the face of the One who loves them with a love so pure, so strong,
so true, so faithful.

They wonder if anyone cares, and all the while there is a God who
continually thinks on them.

Psalm 139 says:

How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!
How vast is the sum of them!
Were I to count them,
they would outnumber the grains of sand.

Here is a beautiful song I have been enjoying on the 'in love-ness'
God has with us, and therefore us with Him:

ALWAYS ON HIS MIND by Misty Edwards

Lord, I will seek You
On my bed, think upon You
In the day, I'll dream of You

You're always on my mind

With my whole heart I'll love You
With my mind and my strength too
Waste my life searching for You

You're always on my mind

Though I'm poor and needy, the Lord thinks upon me
Though His name is Holy,

I'm always on His mind -
I'm always on His mind

Though I'm weak and lowly,
the Lord dreams about me
Though He's high and lofty,

I'm always on His mind -
I'm always on His mind

I'm in love with God
God's in love with me (This is who I am and this is who I'll be)
Hey - Yeah (repeat)

How far will You let me go?
How abandoned will You let me be? (repeat)

Live loved!!!

Love, Jenny

Quotes:

All the glory and beauty of Christ are manifested within, and there
He delights to dwell; His visits there are frequent, His
condescension amazing, His conversation sweet, His comforts
refreshing; and the peace that He brings passeth all understanding.
- Thomas a Kempis

Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on
society. -- Mark Twain

God Is At The Window

2006-09-03T16:51:00.000-07:00

There was a little boy visiting his grandparents on their farm. He was given a slingshot to play without in the woods. He practiced in the woods, but he could never hit the target. Getting a little discouraged, he headed back for dinner.

As he was walking back he saw Grandma's pet duck. Just out of impulse, he let the slingshot fly, hit the duck square in the head, and killed it. He was shocked and grieved. In a panic, he hid the dead duck in the wood pile, only to see his sister watching! Sally had seen it all, but she said nothing.

After lunch the next day Grandma said, "Sally, let's wash the dishes." But Sally said, "Grandma, Johnny told me he wanted to help in the kitchen." Then she whispered to him, "Remember the duck?" So Johnny did the dishes.

Later that day, Grandpa asked if the children wanted to go fishing and Grand! ma said, "I'm sorry but I need Sally to help make supper." Sally just smiled and said," Well that's all right because Johnny told me he wanted to help." She whispered again, "Remember the duck?"

So Sally went fishing and Johnny stayed to help.

After several days of Johnny doing both his chores and Sally's he finally couldn't stand it any longer. He came to Grandma and confessed that he had killed the duck. Grandma knelt down, gave him a hug, and said, "Sweetheart, I know. You see, I was standing at the window and I saw the whole thing. But because I love you, I forgave you. I was just wondering how long you would let Sally make a slave of you."

Thought for the day and every day thereafter: Whatever is in your past, whatever you have done -- and the devil keeps throwing it up in your face (lying, debt, fear, hatred , anger, unforgiveness, bitterness, etc.) whatever it is, you need to know that God was standing at the window and He saw the whole thing, He has seen your whole life. He wants you to know that He loves you and that you are forgiven. He's just wondering how long you will let the devil make a slave of you.

The great thing about God is that when you ask for forgiveness, He not only forgives you, but He forgets -
It is by God's Grace and Mercy that we are saved.

I Got More Than I Asked God For

2006-09-03T16:43:00.000-07:00

I asked God for water,

He gave me an ocean.

I asked God for a flower,

He gave me a garden.

I asked God for a friend,

He gave me many.

If God brings you to it, He will bring you through it.

Happy moments, praise God.

Difficult moments, seek God.

Quiet moments, worship God

Painful moments, trust God.

Every moment, thank God.

The Empty Chair

2006-09-03T16:30:00.000-07:00

A man's daughter had asked the local minister to come and pray with her father. When the minister arrived, he found the man lying in bed with his head propped up on two pillows. An empty chair sat beside his bed.

The minister assumed that the old fellow had been informed of his visit.
"I guess you were expecting me," he said. "No, who are you?" said the father.

The minister told him his name and then remarked, "I see the empty chair
I figured you knew I was going to show up." "Oh yeah, the chair," said the bed ridden man. "Would you mind closing the door?" Puzzled, the minister shut the door.

"I have never told anyone this, not even my daughter," said the man.
"But all of my life I have never known how to pray. At church I used to hear the pastor talk about prayer, but it went right over my head. I abandoned any attempt at prayer," the old man continued, "until one day about four years ago my best friend said to me, 'Johnny, prayer is just a simple matter of having a conversation with Jesus. Here is what I suggest."

"Sit down in a chair; place an empty chair in front of you, and in faith see Jesus on the chair. It's not spooky because he promised, "I'll be with you always." Then just speak to him in the same way you're doing with me right now."

"So, I tried it and I've liked it so much that I do it a couple of hours every day. I'm careful though. If my daughter saw me talking to an empty chair, she'd either have a nervous breakdown or send me off to the funny farm."

The minister was deeply moved by the story and encouraged the old man to continue on the journey. Then he prayed with him, anointed him with oil, and returned to the church.

Two nights later the daughter called to tell the minister that her daddy had died that afternoon. "Did he die in peace?" he asked. "Yes, and when I left the house about two o' clock, he called me over to his bedside and told me he loved me and kissed me on the cheek. When I got back from the store an hour later, I found him dead. But there was something strange about his death. Apparently, just before Daddy died, he leaned over and rested his head on the chair beside the bed. What do you make of that?" The minister wiped a tear from his eye and said, "I wish we could all go like that."

The Letter

2006-08-31T17:32:00.000-07:00

She jumped up as soon as she saw the surgeon
come out of the operating room. She said: "How is
my little boy? Is he going to be all right?
When can I see him?"

The surgeon said, "I'm sorry. We did all we could,
but your boy didn't make it."

Sally said, "Why do little children get cancer?
Doesn't God care any more? Where were you,
God, when my son needed you?"

The surgeon asked, "Would you like some time
alone with your son? One of the nurses will be out
in a few minutes, before he's transported to the
university."

Sally asked the nurse to stay with her while she
said good-bye to son. She ran her fingers lovingly
through his thick red curly hair.

"Would you like a lock of his hair?" the nurse
asked. Sally nodded yes.

The nurse cut a lock of the boy's hair, put it in a
plastic bag and handed it to Sally. The mother said,
"It was Jimmy's idea to donate his body to the University
for Study. He said it might help somebody else.

"I said no at first, but Jimmy said, 'Mom, I won't be using it
after I die. Maybe it will help some other little boy spend
one more day with his Mom."

She went on, "My Jimmy had a heart of gold. Always thinking of
someone else. Always wanting to help others if he could."

Sally walked out of Children's mercy Hospital for
the last time, after spending most of the last six
months there. She put the bag with Jimmy's
belongings on the seat beside her in the car.

The drive home was difficult. It was even harder to
enter the empty house. She carried Jimmy's belongings,
and the plastic bag with the lock of his hair to her
son's room.

She started placing the model cars and other personal things
back in his room exactly where he had always kept them. She laid
down across his bed and, hugging his pillow, cried herself to sleep.

It was around midnight when Sally awoke. Laying beside her on the
bed was a folded letter.

The letter said:

"Dear Mom, I know you're going to miss me; but
don't think that I will ever forget you, or stop
loving you, just 'cause I'm not around to say I LOVE
YOU. I will always love you, Mom, even more with
each day. Someday we will see each other again.

Until then, if you want to adopt a little boy so you
won't be so lonely, that's okay with me. He can
have my room and old stuff to play with. But, if you
decide to get a girl instead, she probably wouldn't
like the same things us boys do. You'll have to buy
her dolls and stuff girls like, you know.

Don't be sad thinking about me. This really is a neat place.
Grandma and Grandpa met me as soon as I got here and showed me
around some, but it will take a long time to see everything.

The angels are so cool. I love to watch them fly. And, you know
what? Jesus doesn't look like any of his pictures. Yet, when I saw
Him, I knew it was Him. Jesus himself took me to see GOD!

And guess what, Mom? I got to sit on God's knee and talk to Him,
like I was somebody important. That's when I told Him that I wanted
to write you a letter, to tell you good-bye and everything. But I
already knew that wasn't allowed.

Well, you know what Mom? God handed me some paper and His own
personal pen to write you this letter. I think Gabriel is the
name of the angel who is going to drop this letter off to you.

God said for me to give you the answer to one of the questions you
asked Him 'Where was He when I needed him?' "God said He was in the
same place with me, as when His son Jesus was on the cross. He was
right there, as He always is with all His children.

Oh, by the way, Mom, no one else can see what I've written except you.
To everyone else this is just a blank piece of paper. Isn't that cool?

I have to give God His pen back now. He needs it to write some more
names in the Book of Life. Tonight I get to sit at the table with Jesus
for supper. I'm sure the food will be great.

Oh, I almost forgot to tell you. I don't hurt anymore.
The cancer is all gone. I'm glad because I couldn't
stand that pain anymore and God couldn't stand to
see me hurt so much, either. That's when He sent
The Angel of Mercy to come get me.

The Angel said I was a Special Delivery! How about that?

Signed with Love from God, Jesus & Me.

When you're down to nothing, God is up to something.

Desire To Please

2006-08-26T20:15:00.000-07:00

"My 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."
~Thomas Merton

Mercy

2006-08-26T19:58:00.000-07:00

My name is Mercy. I have now been single 5 1/2 years. I was from a Christian background, but always suffered from rejection issues. I craved attention from men. I already had a 2yr son. So, it was quite easy to be taken by a man professing interest in Christianity.

He claimed to be a good dad to his exes children. He loved my son. It wasn't until I was six months pregnant that I found out that he was still married to his ex. By then he was back into the drugs that he was supposedly clean from.

At first it was just the verbal abuse. Nobody would want me with 2 kids. I couldn't cook right, clean right, have sex right. I was raised messed up because I was a Christian. Normal people look at porn. Normal people get high, etc.

Then the physical abuse started around the time my youngest son was one. In an argument over who did laundry last, I got hit. I kicked him, it landed in a sensitive area (unintentionally) . Next thing I knew, I was on the floor.

His hands were wrapped around my throat. Afterwards he cried and begged my forgiveness. Usually he just hit or broke things. He threatened to choke me one other time because I told someone the truth. He threw things at me.

The marijuana use was sporadic. He couldn't keep a job. And then he'd spend our last three dollars on Taco Bell for him, while my son and I (while pregnant) had only tortillas with butter.

Looking back I strongly suspect other drugs. Staying up for 3 days, keeping the garage locked so that I couldn't get in. He had a baby monitor hidden under the couch so that he could listen to my conversations from the garage.

When I saw that my son was no longer the happy kid who loved everbody, and was afraid of the man he knew as dad I decided to leave. Then one day it happened. A situation where I suspected that I was going to get a beating after he got home from work.

I left and never went back. If he knows where I am, he has made no contact. I don't know where he is. I stayed unlisted for awhile. About a year ago, I finally felt the fear gone. I no longer worry about him stealing my son. I think he would have located us by now if he wanted to.

I will never try to get child support from him, because that would notify him where I was. He wouldn't hold a job long enough for me to get it anyway. I have found out many things about myself since leaving.

I am strong. I can cook. I can provide myself with a better life. I am going to school to be a midwife. Something that I wanted to do since before I met him.

I own my own home through Habitat for Humanity. I have friends, something I wasn't allowed before. I get to decorate my house. God has blessed me after my long, hard journey.

Hello, My Child

2006-08-23T16:40:00.000-07:00

Good Morning, Cherished One!

This is God speaking.

I will be handling all your problems today.

I will not need your worry, only your trust.

So move everything on your worry list,

To your prayer list.

Then watch your praise list grow faster than the worry list.

I am ready to help you.

Read my love letter to you (the Bible).

Any part of it will do.

Talk with me, not TO me.

Do what I say. Obey me and you'll be glad you did.

Have a good day!

The Room

2006-08-22T18:59:00.000-07:00

17-year-old Brian Moore had only a short time to write something for a class. The subject was what Heaven was like. "I wowed 'em," he later told his father, Bruce. "It's a killer. It's the best thing I ever wrote." It also was the last.

Brian's parents had forgotten about the essay when a cousin found it while cleaning out the teenager's locker at Teary Valley High School. Brian had been dead only hours, but his parents desperately wanted every piece of his life near them-notes from classmates and teachers, his homework.

Only two months before, he had handwritten the essay about encountering Jesus in a file room full of cards detailing every moment of the teen's life. But it was only after Brian's death that Beth and Bruce Moore realized that their son had described his view of heaven. "It makes such an impact that people want to share it. You feel like you are there." Mr. Moore said.

Brian Moore died May 27, 1997, the day after Memorial Day. He was driving home from a friend's house when his car went off Bulen-Pierce Road in Pickaway County and struck a utility pole. He emerged from the wreck unharmed but stepped on a downed power line and was electrocuted.

The Moores framed a copy of Brian's essay and hung it among the family portraits in the living room. "I think God used him to make a point. I think we were meant to find it and make something out of it," Mrs. Moore said of the essay. She and her husband want to share their son's vision of life after death. "I'm happy for Brian. I know he's in heaven. I know I'll see him."

Brian's Essay: The Room...

In that place between wakefulness and dreams, I found myself in the room. There were no distinguishing features except for the one wall covered with small index card files. They were like the ones in libraries that list titles by author or subject in alphabetical order. But these files, which stretched from floor to ceiling and seemingly endless in either direction, had very different headings. As I drew near the wall of files, the first to catch my attention was one that read "Girls I have liked." I opened it and began flipping through the cards. I quickly shut it, shocked to realize that I recognized the names written on each one. And then without being told, I knew exactly where I was.

This lifeless room with its small files was a crude catalog system for my life. Here were written the actions of my every moment, big and small, in a detail my memory couldn't match. A sense of wonder and curiosity, coupled with horror, stirred within me as I began randomly opening files and exploring their content. Some brought joy and sweet memories; others a sense of shame and regret so intense that I would look over my shoulder to see if anyone was watching.

A file named "Friends" was next to one marked "Friends I have betrayed." The titles ranged from the mundane to the outright weird "Books I Have Read," "Lies I Have Told," "Comfort I have Given," "Jokes I Have Laughed at." Some were almost hilarious in their exactness: "Things I've yelled at my brothers." Others I couldn't laugh at: "Things I Have Done in My Anger", "Things I Have Muttered Under My Breath at My Parents." I never ceased to be surprised by the contents.

Often there were many more cards than I expected. Sometimes fewer than I hoped. I was overwhelmed by the sheer volume of the life I had lived. Could it be possible that I had the time in my years to fill each of these thousands or even millions of cards? But each card confirmed this truth. Each was written in my own handwriting. Each signed with my signature.

When I pulled out the file marked "TV Shows I have watched", I realized the files grew to contain their contents. The cards were packed tightly, and yet after two or three yards, I hadn't found the end of the file. I shut it, shamed, not so much by the quality of shows but more by the vast wasted time I knew that file represented.

When I came to a file marked "Lustful Thoughts," I felt a chill run through my body. I pulled the file out only an inch, not willing to test its size and drew out a card. I shuddered at its detailed content.

I felt sick to think that such a moment had been recorded. An almost animal rage broke on me. One thought dominated my mind: No one must ever see these cards! No one must ever see this room! I have to destroy them!" In insane frenzy I yanked the file out. Its size didn't matter now. I had to empty it and burn the cards. But as I took it at one end and began pounding it on the floor, I could not dislodge a single card. I became desperate and pulled out a card, only to find it as strong as steel when I tried to tear it.

Defeated and utterly helpless, I returned the file to its slot. Leaning my forehead against the wall, I let out a long, self-pitying sigh.

And then I saw it.. The title was "People I Have Shared the Gospel With." The handle was brighter than those around it, newer, almost unused. I pulled on its handle and a small box not more than three inches long fell into my hands. I could count the cards it contained on one hand.

And then the tears came. I began to weep. Sobs so deep that they hurt. They started in my stomach and shook through me. I fell on my knees and cried. I cried out of shame, from the overwhelming shame of it all. The rows of file shelves swirled in my tear-filled eyes. No one must ever, ever know of this room. I must lock it up and hide the key. But then as I pushed away the tears, I saw Him.

No, please not Him. Not here. Oh, anyone but Jesus. I watched helplessly as He began to open the files and read the cards. I couldn't bear to watch His response. And in the moments I could bring myself to look at His face, I saw a sorrow deeper than my own.

He seemed to intuitively go to the worst boxes. Why did He have to read every one? Finally He turned and looked at me from across the room. He looked at me with pity in His eyes. But this was a pity that didn't anger me. I dropped my head, covered my face with my hands and began to cry again. He walked over and put His arm around me. He could have said so many things. But He didn't say a word. He just cried with me.

Then He got up and walked back to the wall of files. Starting at one end of the room, He took out a file and, one by one, began to sign His name over mine on each card. "No!" I shouted rushing to Him. All I could find to say was "No, no," as I pulled the card from Him. His name shouldn't be on these cards. But there it was, written in red so rich, so dark, so alive. The name of Jesus covered mine. It was written with His blood. He gently took the card back. He smiled a sad smile and began to sign the cards. I don't think I'll ever understand how He did it so quickly, but the next instant it seemed I heard Him close the last file and walk back to my side.

He placed His hand on my shoulder and said, "It is finished." I stood up, and He led me out of the room. There was no lock on its door. There were still cards to be written.

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."-Phil. 4:13 "For God so loved the world that He gave His only son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life." If you feel the same way forward it to as many people as you can so the love of Jesus will touch their lives also. My "People I shared the gospel with" file just got bigger, how about yours?

More Valuable

2006-08-22T17:51:00.000-07:00

There was once a wise woman traveling in the mountains who found a
precious stone in a stream. The next day she met another traveler
who was hungry, and she opened her bag to share her food. The
hungry traveler saw the precious stone and asked if she might give
it to him. She did so without hesitation. The traveler left,
rejoicing in his good fortune. He knew the stone was worth enough
to give him security for a lifetime. But only a few days later he
came back to return the stone to the woman who had given it to him.

"I've been thinking," he said, "I know how valuable the stone is,
but I'm giving it back in the hope that you can give me something
even more precious. I want you to give me what you have within you
that enabled you to give me the stone."

-Author Unknown

Sometimes in our continual drive to get ahead, we forget that the
those things we gather around us, no matter how precious they might
seem, pale in comparison to the love and light we hold within.

Turtle Crossing

2006-08-22T07:00:00.000-07:00

"Behold the turtle. He makes progress only when he sticks his neck out."
– James Bryant Conant

Hang On

2006-08-21T19:11:00.000-07:00

"When I despair, I remember that all through history, the ways of
truth and love have always won. There have been tyrants and
murderers and, for a time, they can seem invincible, but in the end
they always fall. Think of it...always."
-Mahatma Ghandi

Often, when we are in the midst of turmoil, and all around us is
spinning out of control, it is diffcult to believe the storms of
life will ever pass. In such times as this, we can, it seems, do
nothing but tie a knot in the end of our rope and hang on. And this
is all we need to do. We need only to hang on to love, hang on to
light and hang on to truth. For when the storm has passed -- and
they always do -- these three will remain, as strong and certain
and invincible as they have been since time began. As Ghandi said,
love always wins.

Should I Stay?

2006-08-18T21:59:00.000-07:00

Should you stay or should you go?

Signs that your relationship is over, or is in serious trouble...

There are vital relationship signs that indicate your relationship is in trouble and it might be better for you, and your partner, if you end it. Here’s how to know.

Toxic disrespect.
Putting you down, outrageous flirting that makes you feel uncomfortable and humiliated and hurtful remarks that aren’t easily forgotten are signs you partner lacks respect for you. You need to be clear about what you will and will not tolerate from your partner. If your partner does not respect you - it's time to go.

Abuse.
Your partner should be there to pick you up when you're down – not put the boot in. If your partner is physically, or emotionally abusive, negative and critical - you don't need to put up with it. And remember that physical abuse is a criminal offence.

No Trust.
Trust is vital. Some relationships therapists say it's the backbone of a healthy relationship. If you can't believe what your partner is telling you – because they have lied too many times before – your relationship will stagnate and die. You don’t want to spend the rest of your life wondering if they are telling the truth. Let them know that if they can't keep their word, then you have only one word for them – "goodbye".

On and off.
If you keep splitting up with your boyfriend/girlfriend it's a sign there is something very wrong. Frequent bust-ups, in the early days indicate there is great chemistry, but little else. Try to work on communicating, without exploding. If, after persistent effort, nothing is changing and the lows outweigh the highs, it may be time to move on.

If you are trying to make the decision of whether to stay in or leave the relationship by yourself, your answers to these questions will give you a lot of insight into what decision is best for you.

1) Why am I considering leaving this relationship?

When things get tough, most everyone has had the thought roll through their minds at some time or another that maybe they might be better off without their partner. Although this question seems obvious, reflecting on it will shed light on how deep your pain is in this relationship.

2) What is the real reason you are considering leaving this relationship?

There's always a reason underneath what you say is the problem. This question is not to trivialize your answers to the first question but rather to ask you to delve deeper. For example, if Susie had been asked this question about her previous marriage, she would have answered the first question with - “We no longer have the same interests, the passion has gone out of the marriage and we seem to be leading separate lives.” After going deeper, she would have said, “I realize I will never get the love that I want in this relationship.”

3) What are the most important things you need to consider in order to make this decision?

You might want to consider housing for you and your children, financial concerns, health concerns, or other life circumstances. An example of this may be: “If I leave (or stay in) this relationship, I won't be able to attend college and that is an important goal of mine.”

4) How will the other people in my life be affected if I stay or leave and can I deal with that?

We never know how others will be affected when we make a decision of this magnitude. While we need to consider how this decision will impact them, the ultimate, conscious choice should be ours and ours alone.

5) If children are involved, will they be able to see a better example of love in action if you stay or if you leave?

Considering how staying in or leaving a relationship affects the children is usually a major consideration for anyone in this situation. We feel that this is an important question to answer to help you focus on the current and future welfare of your children.

6) Are there any commitments or agreements you will be breaking if you decide to leave this relationship and how do you feel about that?

A marriage commitment is an obvious example of this. Examining your beliefs, including religious beliefs, about commitments is an important consideration as you make your way to your decision.

7) How important is love to you compared to other things in your life?

We're asking you to look at your values when you answer this question. For example: If you are considering leaving, is having the love you want more important to you than keeping your current lifestyle or home?

8) Is there any chance the two of you will be able to heal the issues surrounding this relationship?

Ask yourself if both of you are willing to do what is necessary to break down the walls and heal what is happening between the two of you.

9) How have you changed since you entered into this relationship and how have your wants, needs, and desire for what you want in a relationship changed?

Taking an honest look at how you have changed will help you to see if your partner is the kind of person you want to be in a relationship with today.

10) What is the biggest payoff if you were to stay in this relationship and what is the payoff if you were to leave?

Honestly considering what you would be getting out of each of these scenarios will help you to determine what is right for you.

Just A Widow Joke

2006-08-18T21:50:00.000-07:00

Two women were in a hair salon talking about their home lives when the subject of flighty husbands came up.

"It's unbelievable," one woman said. "I can never figure out where he goes at night."

"I know exactly what you mean," said the other woman. "One second he's in the house, and the next he's gone without a trace."

"Well," said a woman eavesdropping nearby. "I always know where my husband is."

"How do you manage that?" the other two women asked.

"Easy," she replied. "I'm a widow."

Helping Others

2006-08-17T19:13:00.000-07:00

Friends can help each other. A true friend is someone who lets you have total freedom to be yourself-and especially to feel. Or, not feel. Whatever you happen to be feeling at the moment is fine with them. That's what real love amounts to-letting a person be what he really is.
-Jim Morrison

You see, we are here, as far as I can tell, to help each other; our brothers, our sisters, our friends, our enemies. That is to help each other and not hurt each other. And sometimes to help them we have got to help ourselves. So that we will know that they are around in the first place.

Its a big world out there; with enough pain and misery in it; without me going around and helping it out by hurting myself; and consequently, those that care about me.
What I am trying to get across to you; is please take of yourselves and those that you love; because that is what we are here for, that's all we got, and that is all we can take with us. Are you with me ?”
-Stevie Ray Vaughan

"Our job is not to straighten each other out, But to help each other up."
-Neva Cole

“I like peace, not violence. The people see that, and perhaps that is why they respect me...If we are human beings, then we have to help each other..."
-Panchito Ramírez

"It is only when we help each other that we can fly."
-Luciano de Crescenzo

When we hurt each other we should write it down in the sand, so the winds of forgiveness can make it go away for good. When we help each other we should chisel it in stone, lest we never forget the love of a friend.
-Christian H. Godefroy

"No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted"
-Aesop

"Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on Earth."
-Muhammad Ali

"Not being able to do everything is no excuse for not doing everything you can."
-Ashleigh Brilliant

"It's easy to make a buck. It's a lot tougher to make a difference."
-Tom Brokaw

"Nobody made a greater mistake than he who did nothing because he could do only a little."
-Edmond Burke

"Our lives are to be used and thus to be lived as fully as possible, and truly it seems that we are never so alive as when we concern ourselves with other people."
-Harry Chapin

You make a living by what you get, but you make a life by what you give.
-Winston Churchill

"He who wishes to secure the good of others has already secured his own."
-Confucius

"Our prime purpose in this life is to help others. And if you can't help them, at least don't hurt them."
-The Dalai Lama

"Only a life lived for others is worth living."
-Albert Einstein

"It is one of the most beautiful compensations of this life that no man can sincerely try to help another without helping himself."
-Ralph Waldo Emerson

"I am only one,
But still I am one.
I cannot do everything,
But still I can do something;
And because I cannot do everything
I will not refuse to do the something that I can do."
-Edward Everett

"If you ever need a helping hand, it is at the end of your arm. As you get older you must remember you have a second hand. The first one is to help yourself. The second hand is to help others."
-Audrey Hepburn

Go out and do something for somebody. Go out and give something to somebody. It will take you away from yourself and make you happy.
-Joseph Jefferson (1829-1905)

"Whenever you are to do a thing, though it can never be known but to yourself, ask yourself how you would act were all the world looking at you and act accordingly."
-Thomas Jefferson

It is from the numberless diverse acts of courage and belief that human history is shaped. Each time a man stands up for an ideal or acts to improve the lot of others or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring, those ripples build a current that can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance.
-Robert F. Kennedy

"Everyone can be great, because everyone can serve."
-Martin Luther King, Jr.

"A man never stands as tall as when he kneels to help a child."
-Knights of Pythogoras

"All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them."
-Matthew 7:12

"Do all the good you can
By all the means you can
In all the ways you can
In all the places you can
At all times you can
To all the people you can
As long as you can."
-Bernard Meltzer

"What we have done for ourselves alone dies with us. What we have done for others and the world remains and is immortal."
-Albert Pike

"Noble deeds and hot baths are the best cures for depression."
-Dodie Smith

"It is not how much you do, but how much love you put in the doing."
-Mother Teresa

Dreams

2006-08-17T19:11:00.000-07:00

"Dreams come true. Without that possibility, nature
would not incite us to have them."
– John Updike

God Has Wonderful Plans For Your Life

2006-08-17T18:55:00.000-07:00

How can hope for the future help me live today?

What we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will give us later. For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who his children really are. Against its will, everything on earth was subjected to God's curse. All creation anticipates the day when it will join God's children in glorious freedom from death and decay. For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. And even we Christians, although we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, also groan to be released from pain and suffering. We, too, wait anxiously for that day when God will give us our full rights as his children, including the new bodies he has promised us. Now that we are saved, we eagerly look forward to this freedom. For if you already have something, you don't need to hope for it. But if we look forward to something we don't have yet, we must wait patiently and confidently.
Romans 8:18-25 NLT

Facing trials:

We have strength and courage to face the trials of this life because we can look beyond them to the glory that God has in store for us. We know the sacrifices we make now will be rewarded by God.

What Next?

2006-08-16T19:42:00.000-07:00

Online Dating Is Planned for Orangutans

Aug 15 4:13 PM US/Eastern

By MIKE CORDER
Associated Press Writer

THE HAGUE, Netherlands

Single male (red hair, long arms, interests include hanging in trees and grooming) seeks female for long-distance relationship and possibility of meeting up in future to help save species.

Zookeepers in the Netherlands are planning to hook up Dutch and Indonesian orangutans over the Internet and believe the link could at some stage be used as an online dating service where apes could get to know one another and keepers could work out whether they would be compatible mates.

First things first: A romantic dinner for two.

"We are going to set up an Internet connection between Indonesia and Apeldoorn so that the apes can see each other and, by means of pressing a button, be able to give one another food, for example," said Anouk Ballot, a spokeswoman for the Apenheul ape park in the central Dutch city of Apeldoorn.

She said the chance of two orangutans actually mating as a result of the online interaction was small due to the problem of transporting them between the Netherlands and Indonesia. "But I wouldn't rule it out completely," she told The Associated Press.

Ballot said the primary aim of the computer link between Apenheul and an orangutan center on the Indonesian part of Borneo was to raise public awareness of the apes and their plight. Activists say that the spread of palm oil plantations, coupled with logging, especially on Malaysian and Indonesian territories on Borneo island, is threatening animals such as wild orangutans with extinction by chewing up their native jungle habitat.

Ballot said that, in the past, captive orangutans separated by a wall have communicated with one another via a mirror placed in front of the two enclosures. Using Web cams and computer screens is an extension of that, she said.

She stressed that only orangutans who show a natural interest and aptitude will take part. The Apenheul park has 13 orangutans among its collection of apes.

There is still work to be done to set up the Internet connection. "We need to find ape-proof cables and screens," Ballot said, adding that the zoo hopes to have the orangutans online by the end of this year or early 2007.

So next time you run into someone in a chatroom and think "what a baboon," think twice: it just might be.

Beauty Tips

2006-08-16T19:41:00.000-07:00

Here's a wonderful poem Audrey Hepburn wrote when asked to share her "beauty tips." It was read at her funeral years later:

For attractive lips, speak words of kindness.

For lovely eyes, seek out the good in people.

For a slim figure, share your food with the hungry.

For beautiful hair, let a child run his/her fingers through it once a day.

For poise, walk with the knowledge that you never walk alone.

We Are Awesome

2006-08-14T19:41:00.000-07:00

No Nursing Home For Me

2006-08-14T07:03:00.000-07:00

This sounds like a great idea!!

About 2 years ago I was on a cruise through the western
Mediterranean aboard a Princess liner. At dinner I noticed an elderly
lady sitting alone along the rail of the grand stairway in the main
dining room.

I also noticed that all the staff, ships officers, waiters, busboys,
etc., all seemed very familiar with this lady. I asked our waiter who
the lady was, expecting to be told that she owned the line,but he said he
only knew that she had been on board for the last four cruises, back-to-back.

As we left the dining room one evening I caught her eye and stopped to
say hello. We chatted and I said, "I understand you've been on this ship
for the last four cruises". She replied, "Yes, that's true." I stated, "I
don't understand".

She replied, without a pause, "It's cheaper than a nursing home".

So, there will be no nursing home in my future. When I get old and
feeble, I am going to get on a Princess Cruise Ship. The average cost for a
nursing home is $200 per day. I have checked on reservations on a Princess and
I can get a long term discount and senior discount price of $135 per day.

That leaves $65 a day for:

1. Gratuities which will only be $10 per day.

2. I will have as many as 10 meals a day if I can waddle to the
restaurant, or I can have room service (which means I can have
breakfast-in-bed every day of the week).

3. Princess has as many as three swimming pools, a workout room, free
washers and dryers, and shows every night.

4. They have free toothpaste and razors, and free soap and shampoo.

5. They will even treat you like a customer, not a patient. An extra
$5 worth of tips will have the entire staff scrambling to help you.

6. I will get to meet new people every 7 or 14 days.

7. T.V. broken? Light bulb need changing? Need to have the mattress
replaced? No Problem! They will fix everything and apologize for your
inconvenience.

8. Clean sheets and towels every day, and you don't even have to ask
for them.

9. If you fall in the nursing home and break a hip you are on Medicare;
if you fall and break a hip on the Princess ship they will upgrade you
to a suite for the rest of your life.

Now hold on for the best! Do you want to see South America, the Panama
Canal, Tahiti, Australia, New Zealand, Asia, or name where you want to
go?

Princess will have a ship ready to go. So don't look for me in a
nursing home, just call shore to ship.

P.S.: And don't forget, when you die, they just dump you over the side --
at no charge.

Cheap Perfume

2006-08-13T19:37:00.000-07:00

After being away on business,a husband thought it would be nice to bring his wife a little gift.

"How about some perfume?" he asked the cosmetics clerk.

She showed him a bottle costing $50.00.

"That's a bit much," he said, so she returned with a smaller bottle for $30.00.

"That's still quite a bit," he complained.

Growing annoyed, the clerk brought out a tiny $15.00 bottle.

"What I mean," he said , "is I'd like to see something really cheap."

The clerk handed him a mirror.

Reaching Those In Need

2006-08-13T19:34:00.000-07:00

-By Marc Estes
www.marcestes.com

The world is filled with people who have immense needs. It is my firm conviction that one of the greatest ways to preach the good news to a dead and dying world is through meeting their needs and touching them at their point of brokenness. In the gospels, Jesus models this approach by reaching out to people’s needs on forty-six different occasions before ever opening His mouth with a gospel message. He may have been on to something?

It says in 1 John 3:16-19, “We know what real love is because Christ gave us his life for us…Dear children, let us stop saying we love each; let us really show it by our actions.” John is trying to communicate a fundamental point that is missing in the lives of many Christians and many churches today; demonstration precludes proclamation!

It was Christ’s dying on the cross that validated His ministry and ultimately the gospel’s power and affect on humanity. The same applies to sharing the gospel. What validates our proclamation to a needy world is our willingness to meet them at their point of need, just as the guy in the ditch who was touched by the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37).

In addition to our actions, we must make the motive behind our actions, compassion. It is important that we reach out and show action to our words, but they too are in vain with out genuine love, care and concern for the person you are attempting to reach.

Let us make love our great aim, and SHOW a world the love of Christ as we proclaim the good news. The end result will be many people coming to Christ as a result of your sacrifice and love.

History, Honesty and Hope

2006-08-09T20:12:00.000-07:00

-History is a selective interpretation of events designed to justify those currently in power. Memory is the same thing on an individual scale.

-History is a set of lies agreed upon by the victors.

-History repeats itself, but each time the price goes up.

-Hoffer's law: When people are free to do what they want they usually imitate one another.

-Holding on to a hurt creates more hurt.

-Hollywood's a place where they'll pay you a thousand dollars for a kiss, and fifty cents for your soul. (Marilyn Monroe)

-Honest criticism is hard to take, particularly from a relative, a friend, an acquaintance, or a stranger. (Franklin P. Jones)

-Hope for the best, prepare for the worst.

-Hope is not the conviction that something will turn out well but the certainty that something makes sense, regardless of how it turns out. (Vaclav Havel)

-Hope is the ability to hear the music of the future.
Faith is having the courage to dance to it today.

-Hospital is a place where they wake you up to give you a sleeping pill.

-Hospitality is making your guests feel at home -- even when you wish they were.

-Hot heads and cold hearts never solved anything.

-Housework is something you do that nobody notices until you don't do it.

-How far you go in life is determined by how tender you are with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with those striving, and tolerant with the weak and strong, because some day in life you will have been all of them.

-How long a minute is depends on what side of the bathroom door you're on.

-How many of you believe in telekinesis? Raise MY hand!

-How would you like to spend eternity: Smoking or Non-Smoking?

-Hugs are not measured by quantity; they are measured by quality.

-Humans are interesting creatures, when given everything they need, they can't live through hardships.But when given very little they surpass every hardship.

-Humans are like tea bags. They never realize their strength until they are put in hot water.

-Human things must be known to be loved: but Divine things must be loved to be known.

-Humor to a man is like a feather pillow. It is filled with what is easy to get but gives great comfort.

-Hurt leads to bitterness, bitterness to anger, travel too far that road and the way is lost.(Terry Brooks)

-Hurt people hurt people. Whole people heal people.

-If you MUST speed on the highway, sing these hymns loudly:
at 45 mph.... "God Will Take Care of Me"
at 55 mph.... "Guide me, O Great Jehovah"
at 65 mph.... "Nearer My God to Thee"
at 75 mph.... "Nearer Still Nearer"
at 85 mph.... "This World is Not My Home"
at 95 mph.... "Lord, I'm Coming Home"
at 100 mph.... "Precious Memories"

He Who

2006-08-09T20:04:00.000-07:00

-He who angers you controls you!

-He who asks is a fool for five minutes, but he who does not ask remains a fool forever. (Chinese proverb)

-He who blames others has a long way to go on his journey.
He who blames himself is halfway there. He who blames no one has arrived.
(Chinese proverb)

-He who breaks a thing to find out what it is, has left the path of wisdom. (J.R.R. Tolkien)

-He who builds to every man's advice will have a crooked house. (Danish proverb)

-He who buys what he does not need steals from himself.

-He who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe is as good as dead; his eyes are closed. (Albert Einstein)

-He who cannot forgive breaks the bridge over which he himself must pass. (George Herbert)

-He who can take no interest in what is small, will take false interest in what is great.

-He who dies with the most toys, is, nonetheless, still dead.

-He who fails to prepare, prepares to fail.

-He who has a thing to sell and goes and whispers in a well is
not as apt to get the dollars as he who climbs a tree and hollers.

-He who has no Christmas in his heart will never find Christmas under a tree.

-He who hesitates is not only lost, but miles from the next exit.

-He who is not grateful for the good things he has would not be happy with
what he wishes he had.

-He who kneels before God can stand before anyone!

-He who kneels the most stands best. (D.L. Moody)

-He who knows not and knows not that he knows not is a fool. Shun him.
He who knows not and knows that he knows not is a child. Teach him.
He who knows and knows not that he knows is asleep. Wake him.
He who knows and knows that he knows is a wise man. Follow him. (Arab Proverb)

-He who knows others is learned.
He who knows himself is wise. (Lao Tse 604-531 BC)

-He who laughs last thinks slowest!

-He who receives a good turn should never forget it; he who does one should never remember it.

-He who sees the calamity of other people finds his own calamity light. (Arabian Proverb)

-He who slings mud loses ground.

-He who stands for nothing, falls for anything.

Because I Love Her

2006-08-09T18:05:00.000-07:00

I made her...she is different. She is unique.

With love I formed her in her mother's womb.

I fashioned her with great joy.

I remember, with great pleasure, the day I created her.

(Psalms 139:13-16)

I love her smile. I love her ways.

I love to hear her laugh at the silly things she says and does.

She brings me great pleasure.

This is how I made her.

I made her pretty but not beautiful, because I knew her heart.

I knew she would be vain...I wanted her to search out her heart.

And to learn that it would be Me in her that would make her beautiful.

And it would be Me in her that would draw friends to her.

(1 Peter 3:35)

I made her in such a way that she would need Me.

I made her a little more lonesome than she would like to be.

It was only because I need for her to lean and depend on Me.

I know her heart...I know if I had not made her
like this she would go her own chosen way.

And forget me...her Creator.

I have given her many good and happy things.

BECAUSE I LOVE HER.

(Psalms 84:11)

Because I love her, I have seen her broken heart.

And the tears she cried, alone.

I have cried with her, and had a broken heart too.

Many times she has stumbled and fallen alone
only because she would not hold my hand.

So many lessons she's learned the hard way.

Because she would not listen to my voice.

(Isaiah 53:6)

So many times I have sat back and sadly
watched her go her merry way alone.

Only to watch her return to My arms, sad and broken.

(Isaiah 62:2)

And know she is mine again.

I made her and then I bought her.

Because I love her, I have to reshape and mold her.

It has not been easy for her or for me.

(Jeremiah 29:11)

I want her to be conformed to MY image.

This high goal I have set for her.

BECAUSE I LOVE HER.

-By Kathleen Redmond