Words To Live By
It's just a little inspiration to get your day rolling. Listen for Words to Live By at 7:45 a.m. Monday through Saturday on The Wake Up With The Wolf Show!
by Words To Live By
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posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By Michael T. Smith
A few weeks after my first wife, Georgia, was called to heaven, I was cooking dinner for my son and myself. For a vegetable, I decided on frozen peas. As I was cutting open the bag, it slipped from my hands and crashed to the floor. The peas, like marbles, rolled everywhere. I tried to use a broom, but with each swipe the peas rolled across the kitchen, bounced off the wall on the other side and rolled in another direction.
My mental state at the time was fragile. Losing a spouse is an unbearable pain. I got on my hands and knees and pulled them into a pile to dispose of. I was half laughing and half crying as I collected them. I could see the humor in what happened, but it doesnât take much for a person dealing with grief to break down.
For the next week, every time I was in the kitchen, I would find a pea that had escaped my first cleanup. In a corner, behind a table leg, in the frays at the end of a mat, or hidden under a heater, they kept turning up. Eight months later I pulled out the refrigerator to clean, and found a dozen or so petrified peas hidden underneath.
At the time I found those few remaining peas, I was in a new relationship with a wonderful woman I met in a widow/widower support group. After we married, I was reminded of those peas under the refrigerator. I realized my life had been like that bag of frozen peas. It had shattered. My wife was gone. I was in a new city with a busy job and a son having trouble adjusting to his new surroundings and the loss of his mother. I was a wreck. I was a bag of spilled, frozen peas. My life had come apart and scattered.
When life gets you down; when everything you know comes apart; when you think you can never get through the tough times, remember, it is just a bag of scattered, frozen peas. The peas can be collected and life will move on. You will find all the peas. First the easy peas come together in a pile. You pick them up and start to move on. Later you will find the bigger and harder to find peas. When you pull all the peas together, life will be whole again.
The life you know can be scattered at any time. You will move on, but how fast you collect your peas depends on you. Will you keep scattering them around with a broom, or will you pick them up one-by-one and put your life back together?
How will you collect your peas?
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By Bob Perks
If you want to be the first to see what the day has to offer, stand on the hill and be the first to see the sun.
Keep in mind that there is a possibility that someone else is standing on a taller mountain.
It really shouldn't matter. Eventually, even those down in the valley will see the light.
If you want no part of the day, try staying in bed.
Chances are the sun will find you, still.
The sun waits for no one.
At the back of my property, we placed a converted shed we call "Hope House."
Long before I am ready the house up on the hill begins to glow ever so brightly.
First the peak and then washing slowly over the top of the door, it reflects back toward where I am standing.
Imagine a spot light on one single object on a darkened stage. There, now fully exposed, the house on the hill beckons me and I run up the pathway in a hurry to claim my spot in the sun before it even kisses the petunias in the window boxes.
For me "Hope" glows in the early morning sun but I need not see it to know it's always there.
I have seen the sun rise for more than 59 years. It is only lately that I appreciate it more.
Get up before the dawn and with the rising of the sun you will not waste a moment.
For it is not just another day...it is another chance.
So, what does it bring?
That is best answered by asking "What will you bring into it?"
The sun does not bring sadness, nor joy. You do.
The sun does not create success or failure. You do.
The sun does not make opportunities. You do.
God does not sound an alarm nor call your name in the early morning hours begging you to participate.
You must "Rise to meet the sun."
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By Joseph Walker
There's a new guy in the office.
I don't know his name, but he seems nice enough. He's pleasant, but kind of quiet. He seems bright. He smiles a lot.
A few days after he started here he asked me to provide some information for a project he's working on, and he asked nicely. It took me a few days to get the information, and he was nicely patient. And when I delivered it to him, he thanked me. Nicely.
So clearly he's... you know... nice.
When we walk by each other in the hallway we smile and say hi. Actually, he says, "Hi, Joe." I just say "hi" because... well... I don't know his name, and I'm embarrassed to ask. I mean, he's been here for a couple of weeks. I SHOULD know his name. But I don't. So I just say "hi" when I see him. And I smile.
Last week I overheard one of his colleagues talking to him. I listened for a minute to see if his name was mentioned. The new guy mentioned the other person's name a couple of times, but the other person never called the new guy by name. It occurred to me that maybe the other person didn't know the new guy's name either. Maybe nobody in the office knows his name. He's just... the new guy, and he's doomed to be the new guy even when he's not new anymore because nobody knows what else to call him.
I passed him in the hall again yesterday.
As usual, he said "Hi, Joe." And as usual, I just said, "Hi!" Well, actually, I said "Hey, how's it going?" If someone says "Hi, Joe" and you just say "Hi" back, it sounds like you don't know his name -- which is a bad thing, especially if you really DON'T know his name. So you have to say something else, something that sounds warm and familiar -- like you DO know his name -- without... actually KNOWING his name.
So anyway, I pass the new guy, he says "Hi, Joe" and I say, "Hey, how's it going?" And I move on down the hall feeling pretty good about how well I'm coping with not knowing his name, when I hear a familiar voice behind me.
"I don't know you!"
It was Sylvia, one of the kindest, most genuine people I know. Sylvia is friendly, gregarious and warm, a welcoming mother figure to everyone in the office. She had been walking a few paces behind me, and evidently she didn't know the new guy either.
But rather than just smile and say "hi," Sylvia did what Sylvia does. Not only did she announce that she didn't know him, she asked him his name, told him her name and engaged him in conversation -- clearly an interpersonal tactic aimed at getting personal information out of him. Before long they were chatting like old friends about some things they had in common.
And suddenly for Sylvia, the new guy wasn't the new guy anymore.
He was Mitch, a colleague with children, hobbies, interests and a little shared history.
I was stunned -- and a little embarrassed -- by the ease with which Sylvia negotiated that transition. Turns out it doesn't take much to turn an unfamiliar face in the hall into a friend. You just have to get over yourself and reach out a little. Ask a question. Learn a name.
And just like that -- no more new guy.
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by Words To Live By
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posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By Dr. Fred Craddock of Emory University
A number of years ago a seminary professor was vacationing with his wife in Gatlinburg, Tennessee where they were eating breakfast at a little restaurant, hoping to enjoy a quiet family meal.
While they were waiting for their food, they noticed a distinguished looking, white-haired man moving from table to table visiting with the guests. Â The professor leaned over and whispered to his wife:
"I hope he doesn't come over here." Â But sure enough, the man did come over to their table.
"Where are you folks from?" he asked in a friendly voice.
"Oklahoma," they answered.
"Great to have you here in Tennessee," the stranger said. "What do you do for a living?"
"I teach at a seminary," he replied.
"Oh, you teach preachers how to preach? Â Well, I've got a really great story for you." Â And with that, the gentleman pulled up a chair and sat down at the table with the couple.
"See that mountain over there?" (pointing out the restaurant window). Â Not far from the base of that mountain, there was a boy born to an unwed mother. Â He had a hard time growing up, because every place he went, he was always asked the same question:
'Hey boy, Who's your daddy?'
Whether he was at school, in the grocery store or drug store, people would ask the same question, "Who's your daddy?" He would hide at recess and lunchtime from other students. He would avoid going into stores because that question hurt him so bad.
When he was about 12 years old, a new preacher came to his church. Â He would always go in late and slip out early to avoid hearing the question, "Who's your daddy?" Â But one day, the new preacher said the benediction so fast he got caught and had to walk out with the crowd.
Just about the time he got to the back door, the new preacher not knowing anything about him, put his hand on his shoulder and asked him,
"Son, who's your daddy?"
The whole church got deathly quiet. Â He could feel every eye in the church looking at him. Â By now, everyone knew the answer to the question, 'Who's your daddy?'
This new preacher, though, sensed the situation around him and using discernment that only the Holy Spirit could give, said the following to that scared little boy...
'Wait a minute!' he said, 'I know who you are. Â I see the family resemblance now. Â You are a child of God.'
With that he patted the boy on his shoulder and said:
'Boy, you've got a great inheritance. Â Go and claim it.'
With that, the boy smiled for the first time in a long time and walked out the door a changed person. Â He was never the same again. Â Whenever anybody asked him, 'Who's your Daddy?' he'd just tell them,
'I'm a Child of God.'
The distinguished gentleman got up from the table and said, "Isn't that a great story?"
The professor responded that it really was a great story! As the man turned to leave, he said,
"You know, if that new preacher hadn't told me that I was one of God's children, I probably never would have amounted to anything!" Â And he walked away.
The seminary professor and his wife were stunned. He called the waitress over and asked her,
"Do you know who that man was who just left who was sitting at our table?" Â The waitress grinned and said,
"Of course. Â Everybody here knows him. Â That's Ben Hooper. He's the former governor of Tennessee!"
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By John C. Maxwell
You can make a decision to have a good attitude, but if you donât make plans to manage that decision every day, then you are likely to end up right back where you started. But hereâs the good news: maintaining the right attitude is easier than regaining the right attitude.
How do you do that? A Chinese proverb I came across gives insight: âAssume a cheerfulness you do not feel, and shortly you feel the cheerfulness you assumed.â Or as editor and publisher Elbert Hubbard says, âBe pleasant until 10 a.m. and the rest of the day will take care of itself.â When you get up in the morning, you need to remind yourself of the decision youâve made to have a positive attitude. You need to manage your thinking and direct your actions so that they are consistent with your decision.
If you take responsibility for your attitude â recognizing that it can change how you live, managing it every day, and cultivating and developing positive thoughts and habits â then you can make your attitude your greatest asset. It can become the difference maker in your life, opening doors and helping you overcoming great obstacles.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Author unknown
Hot sun. Salty air. Rhythmic waves.
A little boy is on his knees scooping and packing the sand with plastic shovels into a bright blue bucket. Then he upends the bucket on the surface and lifts it. And, to the delight of the little architect, a castle tower is created.
All afternoon he will work. Spooning out the moat. Packing the walls. Bottle tops will be sentries. Popsicle sticks will be bridges. A sandcastle will be built.
Big city. Busy streets. Rumbling traffic.
A man is in his office. At his desk he shuffles papers into stacks and delegates assignments. He cradles the phone on his shoulder and punches the keyboard with his fingers. Numbers are juggled and contracts are signed and much to the delight of the man, a profit is made.
All his life he will work. Formulating the plans. Forecasting the future. Annuities will be sentries. Capital gains will be bridges. An empire will be built.
Two builders of two castles. They have much in common. They shape granules into grandeurs. They see nothing and make something. They are diligent and determined. And for both the tide will rise and the end will come.
Yet that is where the similarities cease. For the boy sees the end while the man ignores it. Watch the boy as the dusk approaches.
As the waves near, the wise child jumps to his feet and begins to clap. There is no sorrow. No fear. No regret. He knew this would happen. He is not surprised. And when the great breaker crashes into his castle and his masterpiece is sucked into the sea, he smiles. He smiles, picks up his tools, takes his father's hand, and goes home.
The grownup, however, is not so wise. As the wave of years collapses on his castle he is terrified. He hovers over the sandy monument to protect it. He blocks the waves from the walls he has made. Salt-water soaked and shivering he snarls at the incoming tide.
"It's my castle," he defies.
The ocean need not respond. Both know to whom the sand belongs...
I don't know much about sandcastles. But children do. Watch them and learn. Go ahead and build, but build with a child's heart. When the sun sets and the tides take - applaud. Salute the process of life and go home.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By Pastor Nathaniel Bronner
Dr. Marilyn spoke at our staff meeting. She took us through exercises as she worked to get our minds and spirits adjusted to a more positive direction.
"Close your eyes and think back to when you were small. What did you want to be? What were your dreams? What did you want to do? Close your eyes and think back." she instructed.
I closed my eyes and thought back. I remembered what I wanted to be.
Dr. Marilyn then told of her early beginnings as a writer. She told of the articles and the publishing successes that she experienced but so many of them were punctuated by, "I didn't get paid for that."
Her words struck me.
I worked in a corner drug store when I was very small. I was below the age limit to work, but the store made an exception. My father owned the store, thus the exception.
I worked long and hard. I treasured my lunch breaks. Not so much for the food or the rest, it was what I did during my lunch breaks that I treasured. I read comic books. I read the action books, not the romance or the comedies, action, pure action.
When I closed my eyes and thought back, I knew instantly what I had aspired to be.
A Super Hero!
Superman, Batman, Spiderman and Ironman were some of my heroes.
In all of the action comics that I read, there were two distinct patterns. Those two patterns were in every action comic book that I can recall.
First, there was always a battle between good and evil. The battle was always tough. The battle was always a close call. No matter how strong or how many powers the Super Hero had, evil pushed him to the very limit and most times almost defeated him.
Second, the Super Hero was never paid for his contribution to society; he always earned his living in his alter ego.
Superman made money as Clark Kent, a newspaper reporter.
Batman made money as Bruce Wayne, a rich industrialist.
Spiderman made money as Peter Parker, a photographer.
Ironman made money as Tony Stark, owner of Stark Industries.
None of them were paid for being a Super Hero and the contributions they made as Super Heroes.
As I listened to Dr. Marilyn state how she had never been paid for many things, a light popped on in my mind.
"The real Super Heroes don't get paid for the Super Hero stuff!"
I pastor a church and have never accepted a salary or taken up love offerings for myself. It's correct to be fairly compensated but I, like Paul, simply choose not to.
I am the editor of MountainWings and the AirJesus.com websites, and I donât get any money for that either.
I realized as my eyes were closed that it is Super Hero stuff and my dream has been realized.
You've got Super Hero stuff too.
Parenting
Volunteering
Helping a stranger or friend in need
Doing anything beneficial that takes time, effort, energy or resources and where you expect no monetary return is Super Hero stuff.
Use your powers well.
A very special thank you to Pastor Nathaniel Bronner of MountainWings.com for allowing us to share this story.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
In a now-classic commencement address at Stanford University in 2005, Apple CEO Steve Jobs dispensed the following advice about life and death. It perhaps takes on even more meaning since we lost Steve on October 5th:
No one wants to die. Even people who want to go to heaven don't want to die to get there. And yet death is the destination we all share. No one has ever escaped it. And that is as it should be, because Death is very likely the single best invention of Life. It is Life's change agent. It clears out the old to make way for the new. Right now the new is you, but someday not too long from now, you will gradually become the old and be cleared away. Sorry to be so dramatic, but it is quite true.
Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma â which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By Alex W. Miller
For most people, graduation is an exciting day - the culmination of years of hard work. My graduation day... was not.
I remember that weekend two years ago. Family and friends had flown in from across the country to watch our class walk across that stage. But like everyone else in my graduating class, I had watched the economy turn from bad to worse my senior year. We graduates had degrees, but very limited prospects. Numerous applications had not panned out and I knew that the next day, when my lease ended, I would no longer have a place to call home.
The weeks ahead weren't easy. I gathered up everything I couldn't carry and put it into storage. Then, because I knew my small university town couldn't offer me any opportunities, I packed up my car and drove to Southern California to find work. But what I thought would take a week dragged into two, and then four, and 100 job applications later, I found myself in the exact same spot as I was before. And the due date to begin paying back my student loans was creeping ever closer.
You know that feeling when you wake up and you are just consumed with dread? Dread about something you can't control - that sense of impending failure that lingers over you as you hope that everything that happened to you thus far was just a bad dream? That feeling became a constant in my life.
Days felt like weeks, weeks like months, and those many months felt like an unending eternity of destitution. And the most frustrating part was no matter how much I tried, I just couldn't seem to make any progress.
So what did I do to maintain my sanity? I wrote. Something about putting words on a page made everything seem a little clearer - a little brighter. Something about writing gave me hope. And if you want something badly enough... sometimes a little hope is all you need!
I channeled my frustration into a children's book. Beyond the River was the story of an unlikely hero featuring a little fish who simply refused to give up on his dream.
And then one day, without any sort of writing degree or contacts in the writing world - just a lot of hard work and perseverance - I was offered a publishing contract for my first book! After that, things slowly began to fall into place. I was offered a second book deal. Then, a few months later, I got an interview with The Walt Disney Company and was hired shortly after.
The moral of this story is... don't give up. Even if things look bleak now, don't give up. Two years ago I was huddled in my car drinking cold soup right out of the can. Things change.
If you work hard, give it time, and don't give up, things will always get better. Oftentimes our dreams lie in wait just a little further upstream... all we need is the courage to push beyond the river.
Alex is the author of a new children's story called "Beyond The River" about a little fish who is looking for answers. Copyright ©2011.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Author unknown
I had not really planned on taking a trip this time of year, and yet I found myself packing rather hurriedly. This trip was going to be unpleasant and I knew in advance that no real good would come of it. This is my annual "Guilt Trip."
I got tickets to fly there on "WISH-I-HAD" airlines. It was an extremely short flight. I got my "baggage," which I could not check. I chose to carry it myself all the way. It was loaded down with a thousand memories of "what might have been."
No one greeted me as I entered the terminal to the Regret City International Airport. I say international because people from all over the world come to this dismal town. As I checked into the "Last Resort" Hotel, I noticed that they would be hosting the year's most important event -- the annual "Pity Party."
I wasn't going to miss that great social occasion. Many of the townâs leading citizens would be there. First, there would be the "Done" family: you know, "Should Have," "Would Have" and "Could Have." Then came the "I Had" family. You probably know old "Wish" and his clan. Of course, the "Opportunities" family; "Missed and Lost," would be present. The biggest family there would be the "Yesterday's."
There are far too many of them to count, but each one would have a very sad story to share. Of course, "Shattered Dreams" would surely make an appearance. "It's Their Fault" family would regale us with stories (excuses) about how things had failed in their life. Each story would be loudly applauded by the "Don't Blame Me" and "I Couldn't Help It" committee.
To make a long story short, I went to this depressing party, knowing full well there would be no real benefit in doing so. And, as usual, I became very depressed. But as I thought about all of the stories of failures brought back from the past, it occurred to me that this trip and subsequent "pity parties" COULD be canceled by ME!
I started to realize that I did not have to be there. And I didn't have to be depressed. One thing kept going through my mind, I CAN'T CHANGE YESTERDAY, BUT I DO HAVE THE POWER TO MAKE TODAY A WONDERFUL DAY. I can be happy, joyous, fulfilled, encouraged, as well as being encouraging.
Knowing this, I left Regret City immediately, and didn't leave a forwarding address. Am I sorry for mistakes I've made in the past? YES! But there is no way to undo them. So, if you're planning a trip back to Regret City, please cancel all those reservations now. Instead, take a trip to a nice place called: "Starting Again."
I like it so much that I made it my permanent residence. My neighbors, "Been Forgiven" and the "We're Saved" are so very helpful. By the way, you don't have to carry around the heavy baggage anymore either. That load is lifted from your shoulders upon arrival. Just thank God for salvation.
If you need directions, just look into your heart, and enter by "Grace Way." No taxes or other cost. God's Son paid the price, in full, for all sins and transgressions, a long time ago. Look me up if you're ready for a total change in your life. I now live on "His Will Way."
Sincerely, "Born Again."
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By Bob Perks, from âI Wish You Enoughâ
I've done it myself. Maybe you have, too. In an effort to separate ourselves from life for whatever reason, we attempt to build walls.
These walls are made up of excuses, lies, and denial. Like the ostrich we think by burying our heads in the ground no one can see us.
Life starts closing in on us and instead of pushing back we begin to limit ourselves. The barrier may begin with a refusal to participate in something. A family party, a gathering of friends. We shut the door and lie to ourselves thinking no one cares.
"I won't be missed. They don't need me there."
Then it begins to show at work. We produce less, expect nothing and get nothing in return. We see it as life punishing us and why shouldn't it? We are simply not worthy of it. Or so the lie goes.
Layer by layer, piece by piece we dig deeper, build higher until we have completely removed ourselves.
Then while inside this invisible wall we have created we begin to blame others for shutting us out. The perceived darkness comes not from the lack of light, but the self induced blindness created by denial.
You begin to believe "There's no way out!" "There's no way in."
But you're wrong.
There isn't a fortress, there isn't a barrier, there isn't a negative thought, action or ideal that God can't break through.
Like a leaky basement, a house built of brick, or grave you have mentally dug for yourself, there is always a way.
It begins with a note from a friend. A knock on your door, a spoken word overheard that grabs your attention and pierces your heart.
An email from someone arriving right just as you think you have sealed off the world completely suddenly shakes the very foundation.
In the once stuffy confines you suddenly and dramatically feel a breath of fresh air. There's someone pounding on the walls relentlessly because they know you're in there and they won't stop until you come out.
Why? Because love penetrates all. It softens the hardest hearts. It soothes the most painful loss. It extinguishes the fires of loneliness and surrounds you like a blanket on a cold night.
Buried deep in doubt and depression it takes awhile for your eyes to adjust to the brightness and beauty of the day until the very moment when you look around and realize how very much you are needed and the world does indeed have a place for you in it.
If you shut yourself off, God will break through. He sent me today just to say "I love you."
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By Bob Perks
A tiny drop of water washed away the land and buildings fell, floating away with other people's dreams.
Roadways planned and formed by huge machines and men who sweat and hammer the world into shape, were pushed away with little effort.
People ran and cars clogged highways in an effort to stay ahead of the possible destruction that tiny drop of water could cause.
"Wait!" you say.  "It was much more than a tiny drop of water. The streams overflowed and the rivers broke through their banks causing a wall of water to destroy those things."
Yes, but it was made up of tiny drops of water.  Raindrops which together wore a path right through my yard with little effort.  One drop, then two then thousands, millions and all together they changed the world, our world.
Can't you see the significance in that?
I want to change the world.  I am tired, worn out from weeping at the sight of still another death not just on the field of battle laid out by warriors, but in the streets of every city, in the fields of the impoverished, desolate reaches of the world. They are dying in my country and yours by bullet, by starvation, disease, arrogance, stupidity and pride.
AÂ tiny drop of water gave me hope.
I am but one drop in the sea of humanity, but like the rain I can join together with others and wash away the hatred and pain I anguish over.  One drop, then two, then thousands, millions and all together we can change the world. Our world.
I want to change my life.  I am tired of being in debt.  I am worn out from trying to keep pace with the world.  I have tried my very best to get ahead and find myself falling behind each step of the way.
AÂ tiny drop of water gave me hope.
It fell upon the hillside just behind my house.   One single drop of water joined with others forming a stream.
Like trying one more time.  Like doing one more thing. Like pushing one more inch to reach the goal, the dream I long to touch and make reality. All my little efforts make big changes.
The little stream that ran down my driveway, never having been there before, began as one single drop, until one drop after another, trying again and again, washed the soil away and moved the tiny pebble and eventually the rock.
I cannot push away the fear nor change my life overnight, but if I dedicate myself to one single effort each and every day, I will see the power of changing little things to make a big difference.
AÂ tiny drop of water gave me hope.
I am just one drop in the sea of humanity.  But I have the power to change my life and the sacred obligation to move the world in the right direction.
How?
One drop, then two, then thousands, millions and all together we change the world, our world.
AÂ tiny drop of water gave me hope.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Author unknown
A little boy was spending his Saturday morning playing in his sandbox. He had with him his box of cars and trucks, his plastic pail, and a shiny, red plastic shovel. In the process of creating roads and tunnels in the soft sand, he discovered a large rock in the middle of the sandbox. The lad dug around the rock, managing to dislodge it from the dirt. With no little bit of struggle, he pushed and nudged the rock across the sandbox by using his feet. (He was a very small boy and the rock was very large.)
When the boy got the rock to the edge of the sandbox, however, he found that he couldn't roll it up and over the little wall. Determined, the little boy shoved, pushed, and pried, but every time he thought he had made some progress, the rock tipped and then fell back into the sandbox. The little boy grunted, struggled, pushed, shoved -- but his only reward was to have the rock roll back, smashing his chubby fingers. Finally he burst into tears of frustration.
All this time the boy's father watched from his living room window as the drama unfolded. At the moment the tears fell, a large shadow moved across the boy and the sandbox. It was the boy's father. Gently but firmly he said, "Son, why didn't you use all the strength that you had available?"
Defeated, the boy sobbed back, "But I did, Daddy, I did! I used all the strength that I had!"
"No, son," corrected the father kindly. "You didn't use all the strength you had. You didn't ask me."
With that the father reached down, picked up the rock, and removed it from the sandbox.
Do you have "rocks" in your life that need to be removed? Are you discovering that you don't have what it takes to lift them? There is One who is always available to us and willing to give us the strength we need.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Author unknown
A man I knew in Arizona began with a small gas station. One day, while one of his young attendants filled a manâs gas tank, he watched the customer while he stood about waiting for the job to be finished. It dawned upon him that the man had money in his pockets and there were things he needed or wanted that he would pay for if they were conveniently displayed where he could see them.
So he began adding things. Fishing tackle, then fishing licenses, hunting and camping equipment, rifles, shot guns, ammunition, hunting licenses. He found an excellent line of aluminum fishing boats and trailers. He began buying up the contiguous property around him. Then he added an auto parts department. He always sold cold soft drinks and candy, but now he but now he added an excellent line of chocolates in a refrigerated case. Before long, he sold more chocolates than anyone else in the state. He carried thousands of things his customers could buy while waiting for their cars to be serviced.
All the products he sold also guaranteed that most of the gas customers in town would come to his station. He sold more gas. He began cashing checks on Friday, and his sales grew. It all started with a man with a human brain watching a customer standing around with money in his pockets and nothing to spend it on. Others would have lived and died with the small service station, and they do. My friend saw the diamonds.
Many service station operators, upon seeing a wealthy customer drive in, might say to themselves, I ought to be in his business. Not so. Thereâs just as much opportunity in one business as another, if weâll only stop playing copycat and begin to think creatively, in new directions. Itâs there, believe me. And itâs your job to find it.
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by Words To Live By
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posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By Mariane Holbrook â retired teacher, author of two books, musician and artist. She lives with her husband on coastal North Carolina.
My husband, John, has a gray, tattered T-shirt that's been laundered so many times it has the exquisite texture of Burberry silk. It's frayed and has a few holes in it. He can't sleep without it.
I want it.
No matter where or when or what condition he's in, he drapes it over his eyes at night like a bandana or a skull cap. It's his "Linus blanket," his throwback to some wadded up blanket he cuddled when he was two years old. The instant it touches his eyes, he's off to sandman land, the most perfect picture of contentment you've ever seen.
I've tried everything to wrestle that T-shirt from him. I've argued, cajoled, pleaded that I need it more than he, that my chronic sleep disorder requires it, that basic compassion demands he surrender it to me. Â He remains unmoved.
Unarguably, the most popular security blanket of modern times belonged to a cartoon character. Ever since Linus was introduced on September 19, 1952 into my favorite cartoon series, Â Peanuts, Â I have loved Linus. He has the quiet philosophical wisdom of a grownup while tenaciously holding onto a beloved remnant of his childhood.
Entire college courses have been fashioned around that now-famous baby blanket. If the blanket had been real and not a figment of writer Charles Schultz's vivid imagination, millions of Peanuts fans would have bid exorbitant prices at auction for just one square inch of it. It's that symbolic and valuable in the eyes of the world.
Isn't it nice that we have a far greater Security Blanket? We can't lovingly rub it against our cheeks for comfort as Linus did. We can't fold it and place it over our eyes, luxuriating in its soft, smooth texture as John does.
But the ageless Security Blanket of God's love wraps itself around our fragile shoulders, tucked firmly in and around the chambers of our trembling hearts, warming us against the piercing winter gales and the blinding rains of life.
It cools us from life's unbearable heat of pain and distress. It's an all-weather comforter; it's passed every known test imposed on it by man through the centuries. It wears heaven's highest Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval. Its strength is not in enclosed fibers of manufactured steel but in fine-textured threads woven from the very heart of God.
Today, God's Security Blanket of Love is wrapped around the tendrils of my heart for comfort, around my head and body for protection, and around my life for purpose. His Security Blanket warehouse is packed to overflowing. And it's available for all.
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by Words To Live By
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posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By Steve Goodier
Not many people realize that U. S. President Calvin Coolidge did not always live in the White House. As Vice-President, he became President upon the death of Warren G. Harding. Mrs. Harding continued to live in the White House for a time, so the Coolidges remained where they had been living - in the third-floor suite of nearby Willard Hotel.
Once in the middle of the night, the new President awoke to see an intruder going through his clothes. He watched as the thief first removed a wallet, then unhooked a watch chain. Coolidge calmly spoke up from the darkness: "About that watch, I wish you wouldn't take that."
The startled man, gaining his voice, asked, "Why?"
Coolidge answered, "I don't mean the watch and chain, only the charm. I'm very fond of that charm. It means a great deal to me. Take it near the window and read what is engraved on the back of it."
The burglar read: "Presented to Calvin Coolidge, Speaker of the House, by the Massachusetts General Court." And now he was more surprised!
"Are you President Coolidge?" he asked. He evidently did not think he'd find the President sleeping in a hotel!
"Yes, I am, and I don't want you to take that charm," he said. Then he asked, "Why, Son, are you doing this?"
The young man explained that he and a friend traveled to Washington during their college break. They spent all of their money and had no money to pay the hotel bill or pay for train passage back to school. "If you don't mind," he said, "I'll just take the wallet."
Coolidge did mind. He knew he had about $80 in his wallet. So he said, "How much will it take to pay your hotel bill and get you and your friend back to the campus? Sit down and let's talk this over."
Coolidge added up the room rate and two rail tickets. It came to $32. That may not sound like much now, but it was a considerable sum then. "I'll give you the $32 as a loan," the President said, "and I expect you to pay me back."
The youth thanked him. Coolidge then advised him to leave by the same window he used to enter the room, as secret service agents were sure to be patrolling the hallway. As the young man climbed out, Coolidge left him with this admonition: "Son, you're a nice boy. You are better than you are acting. You are starting down the wrong road. Just remember who you are."
It wasn't until after the death of Mrs. Coolidge in 1957 that this story was allowed to come out. It was first published in the "Los Angeles Times." And most interesting of all is that the President's notes show that the young man was indeed better than he was acting. He repaid the $32 loan in full.
Kurt Hahn, the founder of Outward Bound, said this: "There is more in us than we know. If we can be made to see it, perhaps, for the rest of our lives, we will be unwilling to settle for less."
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by Words To Live By
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posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By Lawrence Brotherton
In some circles it is not "politically correct" to be considered a Christian who believes in eternal salvation, but I am guilty of believing that once saved, always saved. I have been cleansed by and washed in the blood of Jesus. Knowing this, gives me a piece of God and peace with God to go to bed every night knowing that whether I go or whether I stay, I'm a winner either way.
But because I don't deserve His salvation and did not do anything to earn it, sometimes I wake up not feeling saved and wondering why it would please God to bruise His Son for me. When I do, I am reminded of a young boy, an older man and an out-of-sight kite.
The story goes of a young boy flying a kite in the park one windy afternoon. The kite was so small and so high that an elderly man sitting on a bench watching him could not see the kite high in the heavens. After watching him a few minutes, he walked over asking the young boy what he was doing.
"Flying my kite." he replied.
"Are you sure? I don't see anything in the sky? Perhaps, the string broke and the kite is gone."
"Nope." the boy said. "I still feel a tug."
That is the way it is with me. Those mornings when I wake up questioning my salvation, I feel a Heavenly tug in my heart assuring me God's Spirit has removed all condemnation and made me to sit in Heavenly places.
As long as I feel that Heavenly tug, He assures me I am His and He is mine.
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by Words To Live By
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posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By Bob Perks
It seemed like a long time to be dealing with this. The truth is, I have been complaining about it for years.
I've had tests, xrays, nerve conduction, MRI's and never any results that solved the problem.
Recently, it had gotten worse so I went to my doctor with a list of about a dozen things that was wrong with me.
Nothing fatal. Nothing life threatening.
Still, life was not the same.
When you reach 50 everything changes. It is a label, a neon light that goes with you wherever you go.
Everything you felt at 49 was a concern. Everything you feel after 50 is simply classified as "getting old."
I am 58.
Add to that I have Fibromyalgia and I can never have another symptom that won't be labeled as age or fibro.
I think doctors stop listening and friends your age always have something worse than you.
"I have this pain in my shoulder."
"Pain? You want to know pain? I have such pain you could never handle it."
I have been blessed. I have never been in the hospital or had an operation. I really have not had any terrible diseases. So, having to go to a physical therapist is a first for me.
"How long have you had this pain in your neck?" he asked.
"Well, my wife and I have been married for 20 years," I replied. "Oh, you mean this pain."
He laughed and I knew I had the right guy.
So, what great lesson have I taken from this experience?
Are you ready?
In order to ease this discomfort in my neck, I need to stretch it.
The stretching will appear to cause more discomfort, but doing so will eventually relieve the pain and strengthen the muscles.
Your discomfort in life right now, no matter how painful, can only be relieved when you stretch beyond your present circumstances, causing temporary discomfort, but eventually strengthening your stance.
I need to stick out my neck in order to relieve the pressure and pain.
I will never find relief without creating more discomfort.
One more thing. I really love MY "pain in the neck!"
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by Words To Live By
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posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By Joseph Walker
"Joe? Is that you?"
The woman speaking to me at the baseball game looked vaguely familiar.
"Marci?"
"It IS you!" she exclaimed, smiling broadly. "Gosh, it's good to see you again!"
It was good to see Marci, too. Off and on during the past few decades I've wondered about her. I almost tried to track her down a few years ago after talking to a mutual friend who had indicated that the 1990s had been pretty rocky for Marci. So bumping into her at the baseball game was, at the very least, fortuitous.
We spent a few minutes catching up on the business of our lives: kids and grandkids, spouses and houses, education and recreation (it's always a little disconcerting to see how few words are required to summarize 32 years of living). We played a little "have you seen...?" and "did you know...?" and we reminisced about the good old, bad old days.
Then Marci grew quiet for a moment, looking out over the crowd milling about the concession area.
"You know, Joe," she said, "I've always wanted to tell you... how... you know... how sorry I am for the way I treated you."
I squirmed. One does not like to remember when one has been unceremoniously dumped.
"It's OK," I said. "No big deal." At least, I thought to myself, not now.
"But I was such a jerk," she continued.
Yes you were, I thought. "We were both pretty young," I said.
"I know," she said. "But that's no excuse for..." She hesitated, then continued. "It's just always bothered me, remembering how mean I was to you. And I've wanted to tell you that I'm sorry. So... I'm sorry."
The smile on her face was warm and sincere. And there was something in her eyes -- it looked a lot like relief -- that melted any vestiges of icy resentment that may have built up within me during the years since she had played Wiffle ball with my heart.
"OK," I said. "Apology accepted!"
Overcome by the sweetness of the moment, I reached an arm around her and gave her a quick hug. Just then, the crowd erupted with a huge cheer, and Marci and I both returned our attention to the game. By the time I looked over to where she had been, she was gone. But the warm, wonderful feeling of our brief exchange was still there, and continues to this day whenever I think about it.
We all carry bitter, discomforting memories of deeds done or undone, and words said or unsaid. And we all bear wounds -- some slight, some not-so-slight -- that have been inflicted upon us by others. The healing balm of forgiveness can soothe a troubled conscience and bring peace to an injured soul -- even years after the fact.
Of course, it isn't enough to just say "I'm sorry" and "You're forgiven." While there is indeed great power in those simple words, it is not available to those who are insincere, or who are only looking for a way to control, manipulate or exploit.
But when those words are truly felt and sincerely expressed, they can open the door to miracles of the heart and soul -- miracles of forgiveness.
Even at a baseball game.
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by Words To Live By
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posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Author unknown
The upstate NY man was rich in almost every way. His estate was worth millions. He owned houses, land, antiques and cattle. But though on the outside he had it all, he was very unhappy on the inside. His wife was growing old, and the couple was childless. He had always wanted a little boy to carry on the family legacy.
Miraculously, his wife became pregnant in her later years, and she gave birth to a little boy. The boy was severely handicapped, but the man loved him with his whole heart. When the boy was five, his mom died. The dad drew closer to his special son. At age 13, the boy's birth defects cost him his life and the father died soon after from a broken heart.
The estate was auctioned before hundreds of bidders. The first item offered was a painting of the boy. No one bid. They waited like vultures for the riches.
Finally, the poor housemaid, who helped raise the boy and loved him, offered $5 for the painting and easily took the bid. To everyone's shock, the auctioneer ripped a handwritten will from the back of the picture.
This is what it said: "To the person who thinks enough of my son to buy this painting, to this person I give my entire estate."
The auction was over. The greedy crowd walked away in shock and dismay.
How many of us have sought after what we thought were true riches only to find out later that our Father was prepared to give us His entire estate if we had only sought after His Son alone?
Matthew 6:33 "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." Matthew 6:21 "For where your treasure is there your heart will be also."
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by Words To Live By
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posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By Michael Josephson, www.charactercounts.org
Ready or not, some day it will all come to an end.
There will be no more sunrises, no minutes, hours or days. All the things you collected, whether treasured or forgotten will pass to someone else.
Your wealth, fame and temporal power will shrivel to irrelevance. It will not matter what you owned or what you were owed.
Your grudges, resentments, frustrations and jealousies will finally disappear. So too, your hopes, ambitions, plans and to do lists will expire.
The wins and losses that once seemed so important will fade away.
It won't matter where you came from or what side of the tracks you lived on at the end.
It won't matter whether you were beautiful or brilliant. Even your gender and skin color will be irrelevant.
So what will matter? How will the value of your days be measured?
What will matter is not what you bought but what you built, not what you got but what you gave.
What will matter is not your success but your significance.
What will matter is not what you learned but what you taught.
What will matter is every act of integrity, compassion, courage, or sacrifice that enriched, empowered or encouraged others to emulate your example.
What will matter is not your competence but your character.
What will matter is not how many people you knew, but how many will feel a lasting loss when you're gone.
What will matter is not your memories but the memories that live in those who loved you.
What will matter is how long you will be remembered, by whom and for what.
Living a life that matters doesn't happen by accident. It's not a matter of circumstance but of choice.
Choose to live a life that matters.
Michael Josephson is a nationally known ethicist and radio commentator. For more information, please visit this site: www.charactercounts.org
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by Words To Live By
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posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Author unknown
Many years ago the Rev. Robert Burris, now 92 years of age, worked for four and one-half years as a missionary in South China. As part of his ministry he journeyed into the mountains carrying copies of the Scriptures in Chinese for distribution. In this way, although he could not speak fluent Chinese, the people were given God's word.
Toward the end of his term Mr. Burris and three companions began a 180- mile journey with 4,000 copies of the Chinese New Testament. In the first ten days about half of these New Testaments had been distributed. Then, in the remote countryside, they were stopped by five armed bandits who took everything--money, clothing, shoes--- and the remaining 2,000 copies of the New Testament. Mr. Burris and friends limped home barefooted in their shirts and trousers, glad to be alive.
Approximately 25 years later when Mr. Burris was the pastor of a church in Ohio, he and his wife attended a lecture with slides presented by a missionary to South China. Among the slides shown was a picture of the very place in which he had been robbed by the bandits."Now," the missionary said, "we come to the most important slide in my collection.
I call it The Miracle Church." The picture on the screen showed a large rough empty building."This is The Miracle Church," the missionary continued, "because no one knows who started it, or how, every Sunday, 400 people attend, each with a copy of The New Testament in Chinese.
No one knows where they got these New Testaments. So far as is known, no missionary or distributor ever went into these mountains which are infested with bandits and robbers. Yet today, the church is there and the people have God's Word".
Mr. Burris smiled in gratitude. God's Word, taken from him that day by bandits had been building its own church in China for 25 years.
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by Words To Live By
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posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Author unknown
Everybody Knows:
You can't be all things to all people.
You can't do all things at once.
You can't do all things equally well.
You can't do all things better than everyone else.
Your humanity is showing just like everyone else's.
So:
You have to find out who you are, and be that.
You have to decide what comes first, and do that.
You have to discover your strengths, and use them.
You have to learn not to compete with others,
Because no one else is in the contest of *being you*.
Then:
You will have learned to accept your own uniqueness.
You will have learned to set priorities and make decisions.
You will have learned to live with your limitations.
You will have learned to give yourself the respect that is due.
And you'll be a most vital mortal.
Dare To Believe:
That you are a wonderful, unique person.
That you are a once-in-all-history event.
That it's more than a right, it's your duty, to be who you are.
That life is not a problem to solve, but a gift to cherish.
And you'll be able to stay one up on what used to get you down.
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by Words To Live By
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posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Excerpted from the book âYou Canât Be Neutral on a Moving Trainâ by Howard Zinn
To be hopeful in bad times is not just foolishly romantic. It is based on the fact that human history is a history not only of cruelty but also of compassion, sacrifice, courage, kindness.
What we choose to emphasize in this complex history will determine our lives. If we see only the worst, it destroys our capacity to do something. If we remember those times and places â and there are so many â where people have behaved magnificently, this gives us the energy to act, and at least the possibility of sending this spinning top of a world in a different direction.
And if we do act, in however small a way, we donât have to wait for some grand utopian future. The future is an infinite succession of presents, and to live now as we think human beings should live, in defiance of all that is bad around us, is itself a marvelous victory.
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by Words To Live By
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posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By Michael Josephson ©2003
According to legend, a young man while roaming the desert came across a spring of delicious crystal-clear water. The water was so sweet he filled his leather canteen so he could bring some back to a tribal elder who had been his teacher. After a four-day journey he presented the water to the old man who took a deep drink, smiled warmly and thanked his student lavishly for the sweet water. The young man returned to his village with a happy heart.
Later, the teacher let another student taste the water. He spat it out, saying it was awful. It apparently had become stale because of the old leather container. The student challenged his teacher: "Master, the water was foul. Why did you pretend to like it?"
The teacher replied, "You only tasted the water. I tasted the gift. The water was simply the container for an act of loving-kindness and nothing could be sweeter."
I think we understand this lesson best when we receive innocent gifts of love from young children. Whether it's a ceramic tray or a macaroni bracelet, the natural and proper response is appreciation and expressed thankfulness because we love the idea within the gift.
Gratitude doesn't always come naturally. Unfortunately, most children and many adults value only the thing given rather than the feeling embodied in it. We should remind ourselves and teach our children about the beauty and purity of feelings and expressions of gratitude. After all, gifts from the heart are really gifts of the heart.
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by Words To Live By
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posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Author unknown
It was an unseasonably hot day. Everybody, it seemed, was looking for some kind of relief, so an ice cream store was a natural place to stop.
A little girl, clutching her money tightly, entered the store. Before she could say a word, the store clerk sharply told her to get outside and read the sign on the door, and stay out until she put on some shoes. She left slowly and a big man followed her out of the store.
He watched as she stood in front of the store and read the sign: 'No Bare Feet.' Tears started rolling down her cheeks as she turned and started to walk away. Just then the big man called to her. Sitting down on the curb, he took off his size-12 shoes, and set them in front of the girl saying, "Here, you won't be able to walk in these, but if you sort of slide along, you can get your ice cream cone."
Then he lifted the little girl up and set her feet into the shoes. "Take your time," he said, "I get tired of moving them around and it'll feel good to just sit here and eat my ice cream." The shining eyes of the little girl could not be missed as she shuffled up to the counter and ordered her ice cream cone.
He was a big man, all right. Big belly, big shoes, but most of all, he had a big heart.
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by Words To Live By
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posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By Bob Perks ©2009
"What do you do with all the junk?" he asked as he walked down the hill.
"What you see as junk, I see as possible treasure," I replied.
"You call all that treasure?" he asked.
"Only when I see it as something else; something new."
I've been working in my back yard the last few weeks. It's part of a "keep myself busy" plan. Since the economy is flat and speaking engagements few, I try to keep myself busy doing things that need doing around the house.
I am self-employed. Well, unemployed. Noâ¦self reliant, independent and sometimes bored.
So, the yard and the shed need attention. Next week is clean up week in my community, so we get to haul all the things we no longer need to the dumpsters outside the township building.
There was, indeed, a hidden treasure in this pile of throwaways. It was during my digging phase that I found it. My wife decided she wanted to expand a section of the rock garden in the corner of the yard.
While cleaning up I found this tiny bottle. It's about two inches high and a half inch thick. It looks like it had a cork in the top, but I am thinking perhaps a glass stopper. Like one in a perfume bottle.
Of course, my mind begins to play with all kinds of possibilities. I wondered who it belonged to, where it came from, was it a gift from a young man to his sweetheart?
I showed it to my neighbor and challenged him with the idea.
"It's junk! Look, there's a piece broken on the top. I'd toss it out," he concluded.
Not me. It's still useful. I know every time I see it my mind will dance. I like seeing it as a gift. Not only the imagined one from a guy to his girl, but the gift I was given just because I found it.
It can still hold something. I'll find a small cork and add a little colored water to it.
When I hold it I will imagine the hand that tossed it aside.
Junk? Just because it's slightly damaged doesn't mean it has lost it's purpose.
Like me. I've been damaged, broken, chipped and after all that I still have a purpose. God picked me up out of the trash pile, dusted me off and found something new I could do many times.
Perhaps this time, writing is the one thing I was meant to do all along. Maybe, just maybe, I needed to be broken and tossed aside in order to fulfill His plans for me.
So, next time you pass by a lost soul, beaten down and damaged, tossed aside and seen as junk by others, remember, that is God's vessel.
In the right hands, even a broken bottle is a treasure.
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by Words To Live By
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posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Author unknown
There was a farmer who collected horses; he only needed one more breed to complete his collection. One day, he found out that his neighbor had the particular horse breed he needed. So, he constantly bothered his neighbor until he sold it to him. A month later, the horse became ill and he called the veterinarian, who said:
"Well, your horse has a virus. He must take this medicine for three days. Iâll come back on the 3rd day and if heâs not better, weâre going to have to put him down."
Nearby, the pig listened closely to their conversation.
The next day, they gave him the medicine and left. The pig approached the horse and said:
"Be strong, my friend. Get up or else theyâre going to put you to sleep!"
On the second day, they gave him the medicine and left. The pig came back and said:
"Come on buddy, get up or else you're going to die! Come on, I'll help you get up. Letâs go! One, two, three..."
On the third day, they came to give him the medicine and the vet said:
"Unfortunately, weâre going to have to put him down tomorrow. Otherwise, the virus might spread and infect the other horses."
After they left, the pig approached the horse and said:
"Listen pal, it's now or never! Get up, come on! Have courage! Come on! Get up! Get up! Thatâs it, slowly! Great! Come on, one, two, three... Good, good. Now faster, come on.... Fantastic! Run, run more! Yes! Yeh! Yes! You did it, youâre a champion!"
All of a sudden, the owner came back, saw the horse running in the field and began shouting:
"Itâs a miracle! My horse is cured. This deserves a party. Let's kill the pig!"
Points for reflection: this often happens in the workplace. Nobody truly knows which employee actually deserves the merit of success, or whoâs actually contributing the necessary support to make things happen.
LEARNING TO LIVE WITHOUT RECOGNITION IS A SKILL!
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by Words To Live By
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posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Author unknown; submitted by Wolf Gang member Pam Dunn
Someone asked the other day, 'What was your favorite fast food when you were growing up?'
'We didn't have fast food when I was growing up,' I informed him. 'All the food was slow.'
'C'mon, seriously. Where did you eat?'
'It was a place called 'at home,' I explained. 'Mum cooked every day and when Dad got home from work, we sat down together at the dining room table, and if I didn't like what she put on my plate I was allowed to sit there until I did like it.'
By this time, the kid was laughing so hard I was afraid he was going to suffer serious internal damage, so I didn't tell him the part about how I had to have permission to leave the table.
Here are some other things I would have told him about my childhood if I figured his system could have handled it:
Some parents NEVER owned their own house, wore Levis, set foot on a golf course, traveled out of the country or had a credit card.
My parents never drove me to school. I had a bicycle that weighed probably 50 pounds, and only had one speed: slow.
We didn't have a television in our house until I was 19. It was, of course, black and white, and the station went off the air at midnight, after playing the national anthem and a poem about God. It came back on the air at about 6 a.m. And there was usually a locally produced news and farm show on, featuring local people...
I never had a telephone in my room. The only phone was on a party line. Before you could dial, you had to listen and make sure some people you didn't know weren't already using the line.
Pizzas were not delivered to our home... But milk was.
All newspapers were delivered by boys and all boys delivered newspapers --my brother delivered a newspaper, six days a week. He had to get up at 6AM every morning.
Movie stars kissed with their mouths shut. At least, they did in the movies. There were no movie ratings because all movies were responsibly produced for everyone to enjoy viewing, without profanity or violence or most anything offensive.
If you grew up in a generation before there was fast food, you may want to share some of these memories with your children or grandchildren. Just don't blame me if they bust a gut laughing.
Growing up isn't what it used to be, is it?
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by Words To Live By
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posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By Jackie Papandrew ©2008
My son recently turned 13, and the last traces of that sweet little boy who thought I hung the moon seem to have vanished. In his place is a strange, slouching creature with a pencil-thin mustache and adolescent angst oozing from every pore.
This extraterrestrial I once called flesh and blood, whose mood swings dwarf the Grand Canyon, seems intent on bungee jumping from that rickety bridge connecting a child with adulthood. And I think he plans on dragging his rapidly aging mother along for the ride.
A drastic language change was the first indication of alien infestation in my once-cherished offspring. The rosy-cheeked cherub who used to run to me, eyes shining with adoration and shouting "Mommy!" began to address me (and everyone else) as "Dude."
At 13 months, he was a sponge, joyfully soaking up new words, becoming more communicative every day. At 13 years, the hormones surging through his body have cut a swath through the speech center in his brain; his mouth, when it speaks at all, produces mere shrunken shreds of complete sentences apparently understood only by other members of his species.
"S'up" is a perfectly acceptable, all-purpose phrase in an adolescent's world.
"Mom, I love you," on the other hand, would burn his monosyllabic lips like acid and permanently corrupt his coolness.
Communication with this high-tech yet illiterate generation is fraught with frustration. My son, who can't seem to utter two intelligible sentences to me, airs his gripes through text messaging. Just the other day, a message flashed on my cell phone in fractured syntax designed to torture my English-major soul.
"i no u h8 me. i try so hard 2 b good. y r u mad @ me?"
Cave men scribbling on walls were more eloquent.
Then there's the alteration in appearance. While I'm desperately trying to avoid bags and sags, this long-haired Neanderthal living in my house embraces them as fashion. Wearing gravity-defying pants slung low across his scrawny backside, he looks just like a baby with an overly full diaper. When I helpfully pointed this out, I got another overwrought electronic missive that ended with the text message equivalent of a scream.
This modern means of communication does keep the house quiet.
Adolescent males seem to lose all capacity for living like civilized human beings. This means that my boy constantly raids the refrigerator but can't manage to close a door, that he can take 30-minute showers but never hang up a wet towel, that he stuffs freshly laundered clothes back into his hamper rather than putting them away. I find sticky cereal bowls in his closet because he was too lazy to return them to the kitchen, and the lunchbox he claimed he lost growing whole colonies of bacteria under his bed.
I now understand why some animals eat their young.
The child who begged me to read to him daily now rolls his eyes in disgust when I suggest we turn off the video games and pick up a book. The angel who proudly showed me off to his kindergarten classmates now pretends not to know the deranged woman waving to him in the middle school hallway. My fall from grace, seemingly overnight, has left me depressed, bewildered and prone to emotional excess.
"You could cut the apron strings without slicing through my heart, you know," I whimper in one of my calmer moments.
"Mom," he mumbles in that teenage tone of voice, "why can't you just act normal?"
Normal is, of course, a relative term. In about 10 years, I will magically return to normalcy as my pubescent boy turns into an adult. At least I hope I do. In the meantime, I'm going to hang on to those severed apron strings. I may need them to strangle him.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By âSir Daveâ
Once upon a time, there was an island where all the feelings lived: Happiness, Sadness, Knowledge and all of the others, including Love. One day it was announced to the feelings that the island would sink, so all prepared their boats and left.
Love wanted to persevere until the last possible moment. When the island was almost sinking, Love decided to ask for help. Richness was passing by Love in a grand boat. Love said, "Richness, can you take me with you?" Richness answered, "No, I can't. There is a lot of gold and silver in my boat. There is no place here for you."
Love decided to ask Vanity who was also passing by in a beautiful vessel, "Vanity, please help me!" "I can't help you Love. You are all wet and might damage my boat." Vanity answered.
Sadness was close by so Love asked for help, "Sadness, let me go with you." "Oh.... Love, I am so sad that I need to be by myself!"
Happiness passed by Love too, but she was so happy that she did not even hear when Love called her!
Suddenly, there was a voice, "Come, Love, I will take you." It was an elder. Love felt so blessed and overjoyed that he even forgot to ask the elder his name. When they arrived at dry land, the elder went his own way.
Love realized how much he owed the elder and asked Knowledge, another elder, "Who helped me?" "It was Time," Knowledge answered. "Time?" asked Love. "But why did Time help me?" Knowledge smiled with deep wisdom and answered, "Because, only Time is capable of understanding how great Love is."
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Author unknown
As you might know, the head of a major company survived the tragedy of â9/11â in New York because his son started kindergarten.
Another fellow was alive because it was his turn to bring donuts.
One woman was late because her alarm clock didnât go off in time.
One was late because of being stuck on the NJ Turnpike because of an auto accident.
One of them missed his bus.
One spilled food on her clothes and had to take time to change.
Oneâs car wouldnât start.
One went back to answer the telephone.
One had a child that dawdled and didnât get ready as soon as he should have.
One couldnât get a taxi.
The one that struck me was the man who put on a new pair of shoes that morning, took the various means to get to work but before he got there, he developed a blister on his foot. He stopped at a drugstore to buy a Band-Aid. That is why he is alive today.
Now when I am stuck in trafficâ¦
miss an elevatorâ¦
turn back to answer a ringing telephoneâ¦
all the little things that annoy meâ¦
I think to myselfâ¦
this is exactly where God wants me to be at this very moment.
The next time your morning seems to be going wrong,
the children are slow getting dressed,
you canât seem to find the car keys,
you hit every traffic lightâ¦
donât get mad or frustrated;
God is at work watching over you.
May God continue to bless you with all those annoying little things â and may you remember and appreciate their possible purpose.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By Bob Perks
It was by chance I discovered this. Discovering things is what I do.
A friend once called me a "scavenger" and in doing so, finally gave me the answer I longed for when someone asked, "What do you do for a living?"
"I am a scavenger!" I now declare proudly.
Miners dig for gold and precious gems. I rummage through lives and words in search of the same thing.
Yesterday I discovered that "Happiness has two doors."
I believe it would be safe to say that everyone wants to be happy. Some want it to last forever and more realistic dreamers would appreciate even a moment or two in each day. Perhaps even, if they should be so bold as to dream so big, they would like much longer periods mixed throughout the reality of life's ups and downs. Moments turn into hours and days into one greatly appreciated week. It is with this realization I discovered that there are two doors that lead to happiness.
You always enter one and leave through the other.
Some enter the door at the speed of light skipping past others in pursuit. They do anything they believe will make them happy without taking the time to understand the consequences. They gamble, they lie, they dive right into an opportunity without thinking, simply because they see it as a "chance of a lifetime," when in fact, God provides a lifetime of chances.
They step on and over others to get to the head of the line. They profit little but spend more than they have in order to give the appearance of success and the illusion of being happy.
This happiness is short lived and the door they exit leads most times to pain, depression and much longer periods of regret. Sometimes it simply leads nowhere.
The door to true happiness opens easily for those who believe that happiness is a choice.
Everything need not be perfect in their life in order to be happy. They don't need to have fancy clothes to feel properly dressed for any occasion. They don't need an expensive car to make a statement. They need a car to get them to work. How they live speaks volumes.
They may not come from a story book family or have a perfect marriage, but they see them as a mosaic portrait of God's plan for their life.
They remember the joy of playing with an old rag doll or stick of wood for hours because their parents could not afford better.
They have witnessed love in the eyes of the elderly because they stopped to say hello and share their time.
They have fallen down but their faith has never let them down.
Although at times, happiness may be short lived, the door they exit always leads them to another and another, for when God opens one door...oh, you know the rest.
You find happiness there, too, right?
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Author unknown
Somebody said that it couldn't be done,
But he with a chuckle replied
That "maybe it couldn't," but he would be one
Who wouldn't say so till he'd tried.
So he buckled right in with the trace of a grin
On his face. If he worried he hid it.
He started to sing as he tackled the thing
That couldn't be done, and he did it.
Somebody scoffed: "Oh, you'll never do that;
At least no one ever has done it";
But he took off his coat and he took off his hat,
And the first thing we knew he'd begun it.
With a lift of his chin and a bit of a grin,
Without any doubting or quit it,
He started to sing as he tackled the thing
That couldn't be done, and he did it.
There are thousands to tell you it cannot be done,
There are thousands to prophesy failure;
There are thousands to point out to you, one by one,
The dangers that wait to assail you.
But just buckle in with a bit of a grin,
Just take off your coat and go to it;
Just start to sing as you tackle the thing
That "cannot be done," and you'll do it.â
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Author unknown
A missionary on furlough told this true story while visiting his home church in Michigan...
While serving at a small field hospital in Africa, every two weeks I traveled by bicycle through the jungle to a nearby city for supplies. This was a journey of two days and required camping overnight at the halfway point. On one of these journeys, I arrived in the city where I planned to collect money from a bank, purchase medicine and supplies, and then begin my two-day journey back to the field hospital.
Upon arrival in the city, I observed two men fighting, one of whom had been seriously injured. I treated him for his injuries and at the same time witnessed to him of the Lord Jesus Christ. I then traveled two days, camping overnight, and arrived home without incident.
Two weeks later I repeated my journey. Upon arriving in the city, I was approached by the young man I had treated. He told me that he had known I carried money and medicines. He said, "Some friends and I followed you into the jungle, knowing you would camp overnight. We planned to kill you and take your money and drugs. But just as we were about to move into your camp, we saw that you were surrounded by 26 armed guards." At this I laughed and said that I was certainly all alone out in that jungle campsite. The young man pressed the point, 26 guards. "My five friends also saw them and we all counted them. It was because of those guards that we were afraid, and left you alone."
At this point in the sermon, one of the men in the congregation jumped to his feet and interrupted the missionary and asked if he could tell him the exact day that this happened. The missionary told the church congregation the date, and the man who interrupted told him this story: "On the night of your incident in Africa, it was morning here and I was preparing to go play golf. I was about to putt when I felt the urge to pray for you. In fact, the urging of the Lord was so strong, I called men in this church to meet with me here in the sanctuary to pray for you. Would all of those men who met with me on that day stand up?" The men who had met together to pray that day stood up. The missionary wasn't concerned with who they were -- he was too busy counting how many men he saw. There were 26.
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by Words To Live By
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posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Adapted by Louis Lapides from John Powellâs âWhy I am Afraid to Tell You Who I Am?â
The late US syndicated columnist Sydney J. Harris accompanied his friend George to his favorite newsstand. George greeted the man selling the newspapers courteously, but in return he received gruff service. He barely acknowledged his customer and never even looked up at him when he requested the late night edition. Accepting the newspaper, which was shoved rudely in his direction, George politely smiled and wished the newsman a pleasant weekend. The proprietor grunted an indiscernible sound and seemed relieved that the two men had completed their transaction.
As the two friends walked down the street the columnist asked, "Does he always treat you so rudely?" "Yes, unfortunately, he does," George responded. "And are you always so kind and friendly to him?" "Yes, I am!" George continued as they turned a corner. "Why are you so nice when he is so unfriendly to you?" With a look of deep contemplation, George explained, "Because I don't want him to decide how I am going to act."
Who decides how you are going to act? Is it your circumstances or the difficult people in your life that determine your responses? When we allow our conflicts to control us, we behave as though getting rid of our predicaments is our only priority. Therefore, it doesn't really matter how we treat one another.
For example, we say, "This person is causing me distress right now so I don't care about exercising patience, self-control, and loving kindness. Instead, I want to let them to know how angry I am because of their actions."
We forget our trials will eventually subside. But the way we handle conflicts will influence our lives for a long time. Will you only respond to the momentary crisis or will you be more concerned about the enduring value of what kind of person you are becoming? Who decides how you will act when the pressure is on?
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by Words To Live By
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posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By Roger Dean Kiser, from âTrue Stories from the Life & Times of Roger Dean Kiserâ
Seeing the United Parcel truck pull into my driveway, I opened the garage door knowing that another package had arrived helping us with the Christmas in July party we were putting together for the children at a local orphanage.
As I stood watching the driver get the packages from the back of the truck, I saw Madison, my three year old granddaughter, picking weeds from the lawn.
âThese are for my mommy and daddy,â she said, as she held out a hand full of worthless little weeds. I just smiled and nodded my head as I looked at her tight little closed fist.
The UPS driver walked into the garage and set the two packages down on the wooden bench. He and I stood talking about the numerous baseball gloves, baseball bats, helmets and baseballs sitting about the room. I told him I had been raised in a Jacksonville, Florida, orphanage and that during my entire childhood that I never once owned anything of my own. I told him that these presents were for the children themselves and not for the orphanage.
After talking for a few minutes the driver told me he had to leave. He waved and began walking back down the driveway. I turned around, locked the garage door and began walking up onto the front porch. Just as I closed the dog gate, Madison came running up to where I was standing.
âMy flowers, my flowers!â she screamed aloud.
I soon realized that I had locked her weeds in the garage. âWeâll get them later,â I told her. I just did not want to walk back down the stairs and unlock the garage door for a bunch of worthless weeds. It just was not worth the effort.
Putting my hand onto her small shoulder, I began directing her back into the house. After about ten feet I stopped dead in my tracks.
âYou can walk out to the garage for the kids in the orphanage but you cannot walk to the garage for your granddaughter?â I kept thinking. âThose baseball gloves are like gold to those orphan children just as those weeds are beautiful flowers to your granddaughter,â I thought.
I turned around, walked back to the end of the porch and opened the dog gate. Then I walked down the three stairs, took out my keys and opened the garage door. Madison ran past me, grabbed the little treasures which she had picked but moments before, and she stood there smiling. I knelt down and looked through the green, now drooping, limp, sagging lifeless weeds and I smiled as I saw the beauty of a dozen beautiful red roses reflecting in her eyes.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By Steve Goodier
I recall reading that a man from Virginia Beach filed a lawsuit against his hospital. He opted to have surgery in order to lose weight. So he had his stomach stapled â a procedure that reduced the size of his stomach so he couldnât eat as much.
A couple of days after surgery he sneaked down the hospital corridors to the kitchen. There he raided the refrigerator and ate so much that his staples burst.
The lawsuit? He claimed it was the hospitalâs fault. They should have locked the refrigerator. And no â I donât know how the suit came out. Just the staples.
He wanted to make other people responsible for what he put into his mouth. Which raises the question: who decides what we bring into our lives?
One man told me, âIâm not a garbage truck.â
âWhat do you mean by that?â I asked him.
âI mean that sometimes other people want to dump their garbage on me,â he said. âThey fill themselves up with negativity and complaints and want to dump all of that garbage on me. Iâm not going to take all of their garbage. They may need to get rid of it, but not all over me.â
He believes people need to be responsible for the garbage in their lives. And thatâs probably true for the good stuff, too. For me, that includes just about everything. It means I am responsible for everything I put into my mouth, but also for everything I choose to watch and hear. Some of itâs good and some of itâs garbage. It even means everything that comes into my head through my eyes and ears. Itâs also about everything that fills up my time. Everything.
And to be honest, I donât always do a great job with everything that comes into my life. But I am clear that what I allow in is up to me, not somebody else.
When we fill our bodies with the right foods, they perform well.
When we fill our heads with learning, they wonât easily stagnate.
When we fill our minds with healthier attitudes, we will have a better outlook.
When we fill our hearts with a little more courage, we will be able to face life with confidence.
When we fill our talk with more gratitude, we will be happier.
When we fill our lives with more love, we will never be alone.
Only we can decide how to fill ourselves up.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By Bob G. Shaw, from â2 the Heartâ
Some folks have a tendency to believe a bad day fishing is better than a good day at work. Then along comes a day like today. The two inch snow that was predicted had turned in to a six incher, and more in some of the drifts. And at three AM, it made for a pretty interesting trip to work. A half-hour later, I had the windshield cleared and backed up to the door to load. By five, the bread was loaded and ready to roll.
Everything went pretty well, considering the parking lots were far from being cleared. Everything that was taken in was either packed or dragged. Around seven o'clock, it started getting light. I was headed down a two-lane highway, going to the "country" part of the route, and just starting to see the beauty of the first snowfall. Just a few more stops, then I'd turn and head north, to the top end of the route.
Just a few miles out of town, the countryside starts changing. The rolling hills and valleys are considered to be the foothills of the Ozarks. With the snowfall fresh on the landscape, it was a quite a sight. The hilltops were capped with snow, and the valleys were blanked with a deep white layer, drifting sometimes even deeper. The trees were laden with snow, their limbs drooping under the weight. As I topped the highpoint, I stopped the truck just to look out over the landscape. The winter scene spread out before me like a giant painting. With the white trees, and everything covered, and the gray sky background, it gave everything a quiet and peaceful setting.
I was surprised to see a beam of sunshine break through the clouds, and shine in to the crystals of ice and snow. The light broke into thousands of tiny rainbows from the natural prisms. A small stream wound its way down and around the hills, it's crystal water bubbling over the stones and gravel, and ran by close to the road. Just down and off to the right, a deer had stopped for a drink from the stream, and was staring, unafraid. The whole scene was like a moment suspended in time, not moving, just there to be appreciated, savored.
At that particular moment, it was easy to feel very small, almost insignificant. And I realized that all of this, no matter how large or small, is Godâs creation. And that nothing he created is insignificant or unimportant to him. Everything has its space and reason for being, a purpose. Everything. A snowflake, an ice crystal, a rainbow that dances like the laughter of a child. Everything . . .
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By Bob Perks
I have so much going on in my head.
Too much going on in my heart.
A hundred times a day something new jumps in front of me begging for me to tell you about it. But my mind can't hold onto everything, that's when it ends up in my heart.
It turns from a thought to a wish there. My heart is home to a million wishes for you to be happy, full of life and in particular, hopeful.
So, when suddenly I realized the other day that I can't save the entire world, it was overwhelming. I want to. But then, as quickly as it came, another more satisfying thought took its place.
I can save one person at a time.
Just one person. Maybe today that person is you.
This is what I held onto today.
I have heard and believed at times that we need to just live for today. It sounds simple enough.
If you find it too difficult to look at your life and think about where you want to go and what you want to accomplish, then dealing with one day at a time is easy.
No sense worrying about tomorrow's problems. Here's the better idea.
You are not making a life just for today; you are making a lifetime from it.
That means everything you do, every decision you make today is like a single thread in the fabric you are weaving.
Those threads together form a pattern.
Be guided by the principle that you become a thread in someone else's pattern by how you interact with them.
All of us woven together over a lifetime become the patchwork quilt generations after us must build on.
If you have faith, don't just apply it randomly. Often we do the right thing when it doesn't take much effort.
Making a life means being faithful.
Have fun. Take time to be silly. God loves the child in us, not just the children.
Making a life means living fully. Laughing often.
Love. Take time to love unconditionally. Our faith tells us to love one another not just a select few. Not just those who are like us. All people.
Making a life means loving the life in others.
Finally, sacrifice. Stop asking for what you can get, ask what you can give, what you can do.
Making a life means giving life to others.
"You are not making a life for a day; you are making a lifetime from it."
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By âAliceâ
My nephew's 10 year old son came for a visit one hot, July weekend. I was enticing him to stay inside by joining him in a Nintendo game. After being mercilessly defeated by a more experienced player, I suggested that we relax awhile. I collapsed into my favorite recliner to let my neck muscles relax and my ego recover from such a beating. He had slipped out of the room and I was catching a few relished moments of peace and quiet.
"Look, Alice," he said enthusiastically as he ran over to the chair where I was recovering.
"I found a kite. Could we go outside and fly it?"
Glancing out a nearby window, I noticed there was not a breeze stirring. "I'm sorry, Tripper," I said, sad to see his disappointed eyes, but thankful for the respite from more activity. "The wind is not blowing today. The kite won't fly."
The determined 10 year old replied, "I think it's windy enough. I can get it to fly," as he hurried out the back door. I peeked through the slats in the venetian blinds to watch determination in action. Up and down the yard he ran, pulling the kite attached to a small length of string. The plastic kite, proudly displaying a picture of Batman, remained about shoulder level. He ran back and forth, as hard as his ten year old legs would carry him, looking back hopefully at the kite trailing behind. After about ten minutes of unsuccessful determination, he came back in.
I asked, "How did it go?"
"Fine," he said, not wanting to admit defeat. "I got it to fly some."
As he walked past me to return the kite to the closet shelf, I heard him say under his breath, "I guess I'll have to wait for the wind."
At that moment I heard another Voice speak to my heart. "Alice, sometimes you are just like that. You want to do it your way instead of waiting for the Wind."
And the voice was right. How easy it is to use our own efforts to accomplish what we want to do. We wait for the Wind only after we have done all we can and have exhausted our own strength. We must learn how to rely on Him in the first place!
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Author unknown
His name is Bill. He has wild hair, wears a T-shirt with holes in it, jeans and no shoes. This was literally his wardrobe for his entire four years of college. He is brilliant. Kind of esoteric and very, very bright. He became a Christian while attending college.
Across the street from the campus is a well-dressed, conservative church. They want to develop a ministry to the students, but are not sure how to go about it. One day Bill decides to go there. He walks in with no shoes, jeans, his T-shirt, and wild hair. The service has already started and so Bill starts down the aisle looking for a seat.
The church is completely packed and he can't find a seat. By now people are looking a bit uncomfortable, but no one says anything. Bill gets closer, closer, and closer to the pulpit and when he realizes there are no seats, he just squats down right on the carpet. (Although perfectly acceptable behavior at a college fellowship, trust me, this had never happened in this church!) By now the people are really uptight, and the tension in the air is thick.
About this time, the minister realizes that from way at the back of the church, a deacon is slowly making his way toward Bill. Now the deacon is in his eighties, has silver-gray hair, a three-piece suit, and a pocket watch. The deacon is a godly man, very elegant, very dignified, very courtly. He walks with a cane and as he starts walking toward this boy, everyone is saying to themselves, you can't blame him for what he's going to do. How can you expect a man of his age and of his background to understand some college kid on the floor?
It takes a long time for the man to reach the boy. The church is very silent except for the clicking of the man's cane. All eyes are focused on him. You can't even hear anyone breathing. The people are thinking, the minister can't even preach the sermon until the deacon does what he has to do. Then they watch, as this elderly deacon drops his cane on the floor. With great difficulty he lowers himself and sits down next to Bill to worship with him so he won't be alone. Everyone chokes up with emotion.
The minister gains control and says: "What I'm about to preach, you won't remember. What you just saw, you will never forget."
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By Roger Dean Kiser, âTrue stories from The Life and Times of Roger Dean Kiserâ
Once, many years ago, I pulled a family out of a burning car somewhere in the middle of Wyoming. Last week I received a telephone call from a woman who could not stop crying as she told me that one of my stories had saved her son from committing suicide. In closing she called me âa hero.â
That got me to thinking about what a hero really is. Was I a hero because I pulled a family from a burning car? If so, how could I be a hero just because I wrote a story that saved someoneâs life?
Today I decided to look up the word âheroâ in the dictionary to see exactly what it meant.
It read, âA person who does something brave.â
As I read on, it also said, âA person who is good and noble.â
That statement impressed me more than did the part about being brave.
It got me to thinking about something very important. Say I was walking into the local Wal-Mart store and I happened to open and hold the door for someone as a courtesy. As they passed me by, I say, âHow are you today?â Most of the time that would be no big deal, but this time letâs say it was for someone who is deeply depressed and near the end of their rope. That may have very well been the only kindness or courtesy shown to them in a very long time.
Having been near the âend of my ropeâ after my marriage of twenty years ended, I was in such a condition. I was within hours of trying to get up enough nerve to end the pain and misery. When I returned home, someone had sent me a card in the mail which told me how much they appreciate me as a friend. That wonderful card probably saved my life. That person, without even knowing it, saved a life and became a hero.
I went on to write many stories which last week saved the life of a teenage boy. In turn, that makes the person who sent me the card a double hero.
I suppose that is why I fight so hard to help the children now living in orphanages. Most children come out of these institutions with a very hard and vindictive attitude against the world. The gifts we send them let them know that they have not been forgotten. Hopefully, most of them will never hurt anyone because of the kindness shown to them by those of us who cared. If it works we will also become âheroes.â
Who would have ever thought that anyone can become a hero, and possibly save a life, just by being kind and courteous to others? The best part of all is that becoming a âheroâ is free to all who wish to wear such an honor.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By Bob Perks, from âI Wish You Enoughâ
Once you have smiled at someone you can't take it back.
Once you have held the tiny hand of a newborn child and the frail, weak hand of an elderly soul with his one last breath, you cannot possibly justify wasting another moment of your own life. Life is not just a beginning and an end; it is how you live it in between.
Once you have stood on the edge of mentally spent, physically exhausted and financially drained you have every right to say, "I quit!" But follow that by shouting, "Now, you take over, God!" Then watch what He can do with spent, exhausted and drained.
Once you have seen a sunrise and a sunset , you know that God has kept His promise and has every day of your life. Have you kept yours?
Once you have said "I will" then you must follow through. "I will" is your word; not a "maybe."
Once you have more, you must give more to those who have less.
Once you have anything, you must give thanks.
Once you have nothing, you must give thanks, too. It's not just in having that we should be grateful. Just being alive is a gift, too.
Once you have stood in awe looking at the stars you realize how incredibly special you must be. For in all the universe there is only one "you." But realize that the universe is looking back in awe at you, too. All of God's creation is "Awe-some!"
Once you have heard the old man tell the story for what seems like the "hundredth" time, be happy if he lives to tell it to you a hundred more times. One day you will wish he were there to tell it again.
Once you have faith, you can never give into the power of doubt. Faith builds, doubt destroys.
Once you have love, you always will.
© Wake Up With the Wolf Show â 93.1 the Wolf â WPAW. Please share this with your friends!
by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By a Vietnam veteran who wishes to remain anonymous.
The other day I was walking into the local Wal-Mart store when I noticed an older man walking beside a younger man. The younger man was wearing Army fatigues.
I was curious, so I stopped and asked, "Excuse me, young man, but I was just wondering if you were in the service or are you just wearing fatigues?"
The young man stated that he was really in the Army and then his Dad added in a strong voice that was filled with pride, "This is my son and he has just returned from his second tour in Iraq."
I told him how glad I was that he had returned home safely and then I said, "Young man, I would like to do something for you that no one outside of my family did for me when I returned home from serving in Viet Nam."
"What is that?" he asked.
"I'd be proud to welcome you home by shaking your hand if I might, and say thank you for your service to our country," I said as I held out my hand.
The young soldier and his Dad both stood a little taller as the young man stuck out his hand which I readily grasped and we just stood there, the three of us, with our right hands joined. We were three strangers drawn together by a common bond, we all understood, not needing to say anything more.
After nodding to each other, I started to break the grasp and walk away but the young soldier seemed to have something on his mind as he hesitated and stopped me before I could move. He was quiet for a moment and then he looked me straight in the eye and then he ever so clearly uttered the words, "Thank you. . . and . . . Welcome Home".
We then parted company as we went our separate ways. I finished buying the supplies I needed, walked on home, and oh yeah - I cried.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By Lee Ryan Miller, from "Teaching Amidst the Neon Palm Trees."
At the beginning of my 8:00 a.m. class one Monday at UNLV, I cheerfully asked my students how their weekend had been. Â One young man said that his weekend had not been very good. Â Heâd had his wisdom teeth extracted. Â The young man then proceeded to ask me why I always seemed to be so cheerful.
His question reminded me of something I'd read somewhere before: Â âEvery morning when you get up, you have a choice about how you want to approach life that day,â I said to the young man. âI choose to be cheerful.
âLet me give you an example,â I continued. Â The other sixty students in the class ceased their chatter and began to listen to our conversation. Â âIn addition to teaching here at UNLV, I also teach out at the community college in Henderson, about seventeen miles down the freeway from where I live. Â One day a few weeks ago I drove those seventeen miles to Henderson. I exited the freeway and turned onto College Drive. Â I only had to drive another quarter-mile down the road to the college. But just then my car died. Â I tried to start it again, but the engine wouldnât turn over. Â So I put my flashers on, grabbed my books, and marched down the road to the college.
âAs soon as I got there I called AAA and asked them to send a tow truck. Â The secretary in the Provost's office asked me what had happened. Â âThis is my lucky day,â I replied, smiling.
ââYour car breaks down and today is your lucky day?â Â She was puzzled. Â âWhat do you mean?â
ââI live seventeen miles from here.â Â I replied. Â âMy car could have broken down anywhere along the freeway. Â It didn't. Â Instead, it broke down in the perfect place: Â off the freeway, within walking distance of here. Â I'm still able to teach my class, and I've been able to arrange for the tow truck to meet me after class. Â If my car was meant to break down today, it couldn't have been arranged in a more convenient fashion.â
âThe secretary's eyes opened wide, and then she smiled. Â I smiled back and headed for class.â So ended my story to the students in my economics class at UNLV. I scanned the sixty faces in the lecture hall. Â Despite the early hour, no one seemed to be asleep. Â Somehow, my story had touched them. Â Or maybe it wasn't the story at all. Â In fact, it had all started with a student's observation that I was cheerful.
A wise man once said, âWho you are speaks louder to me than anything you can say.â Â I suppose it must be so.
© Wake Up With the Wolf Show â 93.1 the Wolf â WPAW. Please share this with your friends!
by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By Steve Goodier
I heard about an elderly patient in an American hospital who was recovering from a medical procedure. He decided to take a look at his recovery-room record attached to the bed frame. He leafed through the pages, then stopped at one particular notation and furled his brow in consternation.
âI know I was in a bit of a muddle, but I didnât realize I was that bad,â he said apologetically to his nurse. âI hope I didnât offend anyone.â
She glanced to the spot where he pointed. âDonât worry,â she said. âSOB doesnât mean what you think. It stands for âshort of breath.ââ
But I suspect that in some cases it does have a double meaning. Especially if the patient is in pain, fearful or just plain out of sorts. (And that goes for some of the hospital staff, too.)
(British) Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher once said, âI am extraordinarily patient, provided I get my own way in the end.â But we donât always get our own way. And patience can be taxed beyond reason. Where does understanding come from when it feels as if there is nothing left?
It can come from the simple act of remembering. To remember is to understand. It is not about gritting oneâs teeth and forcing oneself to be more patient. It is actually easier than that.
Do you remember what it was like to be a child? No parent should ever forget. And to remember is to understand.
Do you remember what it was like to be a student? Every teacher should try to remember, and especially if they feel frustrated.
Do you remember what it is like to be a patient? Doctors and nurses show more empathy after they have also spent time in a hospital bed.
Do you remember what it was like to be lonely? To be first? To be last? To fail? To succeed? To be afraid? To remember is to understand.
And to understand is to be patient.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By Michael Josephson, www.charactercounts.org
More often than we like, most of us face choices that can have serious and lasting impact on our lives. Do we go along with the crowd? Do we tell someone off, quit a job, or end a relationship? Unfortunately, these decisions are not preceded by a drum roll warning us that the stakes are high. Even worse, we often donât have a lot of time to figure out what to do.
Itâs no surprise that most bad decisions â the ones that mess up our lives â are made impulsively or without sufficient reflection.
Ancient proverbs tell us to âcount to ten when youâre angryâ or âthink ahead.â But anger and lack of preplanning are only two factors that can impede excellent decision making. Fatigue, fear, frustration, stress, impatience, and emotions also create obstacles to wise choices.
Just as we learned to look both ways before we cross the street, we can learn to analyze every important decision-making situation to allow us to arrive at conclusions that are both effective and ethical.
Each decision, therefore, should start with a stop â a forced moment of reflection to help us clarify our goal, evaluate the completeness and credibility of our information, and devise an alternate strategy, if necessary, to achieve the best possible result. Stopping also allows us to muster our moral willpower to overcome temptations and emotions that could lead to a rash, foolish, or ill-considered decision.
While itâs great to have a day or two to sleep on a problem, or even a few hours, many situations donât afford us that luxury. But a pause of even a few seconds can often be enough.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Author unknown
Why do I always have to be the one that starts to do laundry and there's no detergent? I guess it was time for me to do my 'Dollar Store' run, which included light bulbs, paper towels, trash bags and Clorox. So off I went.
I scurried around the store, gathered up my goodies, and headed for the checkout counter only to be blocked in the narrow aisle by a young man that appeared to be about sixteen years old. I wasn't in a hurry, so I patiently waited for the boy to realize that I was there.
This was when he waved his hands excitedly in the air and declared in a loud voice, 'Mommy, I'm over here.' It was obvious now, he was mentally challenged, and also startled as he turned and saw me standing so close to him, waiting to squeeze by. His eyes widened and surprise exploded on his face as I said, 'Hey Buddy, what's your name?' 'My name is Denny and I'm shopping with my mother,' he responded proudly. 'Wow,' I said, 'that's a cool name; I wish my name was Denny, but my name is Hal.' 'Hal like Halloween?' he asked. 'Yes,' I answered. 'How old are you Denny?
'How old am I now Mommy?' he asked his mother as she slowly came over from the next aisle. 'You're fifteen years old, Denny; now be a good boy and let the man pass by.' I acknowledged her and continued to talk to Denny for several more minutes about summer, bicycles and school. I watched his brown eyes dance with excitement because he was the center of someone's attention.
He then abruptly turned and headed toward the toy section.
Denny's mom had a puzzled look on her face and thanked me for taking the time to talk with her son.
She told me that most people wouldn't even look at him, much less talk to him... I told her that it was my pleasure and then I said something I have no idea where it came from, other than by the prompting of the Holy Spirit.
I told her that there are plenty of red, yellow and pink roses in God's garden; however, 'blue roses' are very rare and should be appreciated for their beauty and distinctiveness. You see, Denny is a 'Blue Rose' and if someone doesn't stop and smell that rose with their heart and touch that rose with their kindness, then they've missed a blessing from God.
She was silent for a second, then with a tear in her eye she asked, 'Who are you?' Without thinking I said, 'Oh, I'm probably just a 'daffodil or maybe even a dandelion,' but I sure love living in God's garden.
© Wake Up With the Wolf Show â 93.1 the Wolf â WPAW. Please share this with your friends!
by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Author unknown
If you are holding on to something that doesn't belong to you and was never intended for your life, then you need to...LET IT GO!!!
If you are holding on to past hurts and pains... LET IT GO!!!
If someone can't treat you right, love you back, and see your worth... LET IT GO!!!
If someone has angered you... LET IT GO!!!
If you are holding on to some thoughts of evil and revenge... LET IT GO!!!
If you are involved in a wrong relationship or addiction... LET IT GO!!!
If you are holding on to a job that no longer meets your needs or talents... LET IT GO!!!
If you have a bad attitude... LET IT GO!!!
If you keep judging others to make yourself feel better... LET IT GO!!!
If you're stuck in the past and God is trying to take you to a new level in Him...LET IT GO!!!
If you are struggling with the healing of a broken relationship...LET IT GO!!!
If you keep trying to help someone who won't even try to help themselves...LET IT GO!!!
If you're feeling depressed and stressed...LET IT GO!!!
If there is a particular situation that you are so used to handling yourself and God is saying 'take your hands off of it,' then you need to... LET IT GO!!!
Let the past be the past. Forget the former things. GOD is doing a new thing!!!
LET IT GO!!!
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Author unknown
In ancient Greece, Socrates was reputed to hold knowledge in high esteem. One day an acquaintance met the great philosopher and said, "Do you know what I just heard about your friend?"
"Hold on a minute," Socrates replied. "Before you talk to me about my friend, it might be good idea to take a moment and filter what youâre going to say. Thatâs why I call it the triple filter test. The first filter is Truth. Have you made absolutely sure that what you are about to tell me is true?"
"Well, no," the man said, "actually I just heard about it andâ¦"
"All right," said Socrates. "So you donât really know if itâs true or not. Now, letâs try the second filter, the filter of Goodness. Is what you are about to tell me about my friend something good?"
"Umm, no, on the contraryâ¦"
"So," Socrates continued, "you want to tell me something bad about my friend, but youâre not certain itâs true. You may still pass the test though, because thereâs one filter leftâthe filter of Usefulness. Is what you want to tell me about my friend going to be useful to me?"
"No, not really."
"Well," concluded Socrates, "if what you want to tell me is neither true, nor good, nor even useful, why tell it to me at all?
© Wake Up With the Wolf Show â 93.1 the Wolf â WPAW. Please share this with your friends!
by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Author unknown
A freshman in college started his first day of philosophy class. His professor was clearly an atheist, and started the class by saying the following:
"Students, is there anyone here who can see God? If so, raise your hand. If anyone can hear God, raise your hand. If anyone here can smell God, raise your hand."
After a short pause, with no response from any of the students, he concluded, "Since no one can see, hear, or smell God -- there is no God.â
A student then raised his hand and asked to address the class. The student then asked, "Students, can anyone here see the professor's brain? Can anyone here hear the professor's brain? Can anyone here smell the professor's brain?"
After a short pause, he concluded, "Since no one can see, hear, or smell the professor's brain -- it appears he has no brain!"
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By Steve Goodier
A man lay in a hospital bed worried about whether he would live or die. He called his pastor to come pray for him. He told her that if he got well, he'd donate $20,000 to the church.
The pastor prayed and the man eventually DID get well and returned home. But no check came to the church. So the pastor paid him a visit.
"I see you're doing quite well now," she observed. "I was just wondering about the promise you made."
"What promise?" he asked.
"You said you'd give $20,000 to the church if you recovered."
"I did?" he exclaimed. "That goes to show you just how sick I really was!"
It is easy to give thanks -- or to show it -- when we feel grateful. But gratitude is not a feeling we can manufacture. Nor are we born feeling grateful.
Children are not thankful by nature. We teach them to say thanks and, in time, they develop stronger feelings of gratitude. My children could talk before they were weaned from diapers, but one thing they never said was, "Thank your for changing my dirty diapers. Dad, I know that is a messy job. I appreciate all you are doing for me." Too bad. Sometimes I deserved a BIG thank you.
When they were sick, they never thanked us for sitting up with them at night. And when they became car sick at the beginning of a road trip, they never said thanks for cleaning it up. Even though their mother and I spent almost a half hour scrubbing the carpet in a convenience store parking lot at seven degrees below zero (our metric system readers will recognize that as -22 degrees Celsius), they never did said, "Gosh, guys, you're the greatest parents ever! We are SO lucky to be part of this family."
Naturally, we wouldn't expect small children to thank their parents for being parents. And for most people, feelings of gratitude come with empathy as we mature.
But can we learn to feel more thankful? Here are three simple steps to help anybody live more thankfully and to respond more authentically.
First, recognize WHEN a thankful response is appropriate. We take for granted too many of the things that we should be giving thanks for.
Second, spend a moment reflecting on how another's thoughtfulness makes you feel. Be intentional about this.
Then third, from a sincere feeling of gratitude, give thanks. When you do, you will also discover that you are becoming a happier person.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Author unknown
There once was a woman who woke up one morning, looked in the mirror, and noticed she had only three hairs on her head.
"Well," she said, "I think I'll braid my hair today." So she did and she had a wonderful day.
The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and saw that she had only two hairs on her head.
"Hmmâ¦" she said, "I think I'll part my hair down the middle today." So she did and she had a grand day.
The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and noticed that she had only one hair on her head.
"Well," she said, "today I'm going to wear my hair in a pony tail."Â So she did and she had a fun, fun day.
The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and noticed that there wasn't a single hair on her head.
"Yay!" she exclaimed, "I don't have to fix my hair today!"
Attitude is everything.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By Steve Goodier
We humans experience two kinds of limitations: physical and mental.
I had a remarkable conversation with a woman about physical limitations. Nancy was a sufferer of M.S. She could no longer walk and spent her waking hours in a wheelchair.
"I'm not 'confined' to a wheelchair," she insisted one day. "It doesn't confine me. It sets me free."
She asked me, "Do you want to know my reason for living?"
"What is it?" I wondered.
"To liberate people. To set them free. Before I got my wheelchair," she explained, "I had trouble getting around. Now I can go places! However I can free people, I want to do it."
"People speak of being 'shut in,'" she continued. "People who are confined to a room or a house or a bed are not 'shut in.' They're 'shut out' - shut out of activities and shut out of people's lives. So my mission is to liberate people, to set them free, however I can."
Because of her disease, Nancy now helps people find ways of gaining more physical freedom. But we humans suffer from other kinds of limitations, too. We need liberation from enslaving beliefs and attitudes.
"Almost everybody walks around with a vast burden of imaginary limitations inside his head," says J. H. Brennan. "While the burden remains, personal success is as difficult to achieve as the conquest of Everest with a sack of rocks tied to your back."
What burden of limiting beliefs and attitudes are you walking around with? Do you ever say, "I can't do that" or "I can't change this or that"? Do you ever think that you'll never be able to pursue your passion or achieve a cherished dream? Do you believe that other people can experience the good things of life, or simply be happy, but not you? These patterns of thinking are as much of a burden as a sack of rocks tied to your back.
Listen to these words from Darwin P. Kingsley: "You have powers you never dreamed of. You can do things you never thought you could do. There are no limitations in what you can do except the limitations of your own mind."
Okay, certain limitations are a part of life. You may be more able to see those that are physical. After all, "stinkin' thinkin'" can be easily hidden. But, as Kingsley says, when you get rid of limiting attitudes and beliefs, those rocks tied to your back, you'll discover powers you never dreamed of. You'll do things you never thought you could do! And you'll be truly free.
Besides an unhealthy mental outlook, what have you got to lose?
© Wake Up With the Wolf Show â 93.1 the Wolf â WPAW. Please share this with your friends!
by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By John Gray, Ph.D., âMen, Women and Relationshipsâ -- from 'Love Quotes'
There are seven basic emotional needs or attitudes that are essential to creating a truly loving and emotionally supportive relationship: love, caring, understanding, respect, appreciation, acceptance, and trust.
All of these are present to various degrees when a person feels emotionally supported. Positive sentiments like fulfillment, peace, happiness, gratitude, satisfaction, excitement and confidence are automatically generated when we are able to fulfill our primary emotional needs.
The Seven Positive Attitudes
1.   Love
Love is a connecting, uniting, sharing, or joining attitude. Without judgment or evaluation it says, "We may be different but we are also alike. I see myself in you and I see you in myself." On a mental level, love is expressed through understanding. Acknowledging a sense of relatedness, it says, "I relate to you in this similar way." On an emotional level, love is expressed through empathy. It acknowledges a relatedness of feeling. It says, "I relate to your feelings; I have had similar feelings." On a physical level, love is expressed through touch.
2.   Caring
A caring attitude acknowledges one's felt responsibility to respond to the needs of another. To care is to show deep interest or heartfelt concern for another's well-being. When we care about someone, it is a sign that we are affected by their well-being or lack of it. The more one cares, the more one is naturally motivated to fulfill or support others. Caring is also an acknowledgement of that which is important to a person. Caring for a person validates that he or she is special.
3.   Understanding
An understanding attitude validates the meaning of a statement, feeling or situation. It does not presume to know all the answers already. An understanding attitude starts from not knowing, gathers meaning from what is heard, and moves toward validating what is being communicated. Through understanding we are able to see the world through another person's eyes. An understanding attitude says, "Before I judge you, I will take off my shoes and walk in yours for a while."
4.   Respect
A respectful attitude acknowledges another person's rights, wishes and needs. It yields to another's wishes and needs, not out of fear, but through acknowledging their validity. Respect acknowledges the value and importance of who a person is, as well as their needs. Respect is the attitude that motivates one to truly serve another because he or she deserves it.
5.   Appreciation
An appreciative attitude acknowledges the value of another's efforts or behavior. It recognizes that the expression of another person's being or behavior has enriched the well-being of the appreciator. Appreciation is the natural reaction to being supported. Appreciation inspires us to give back to others with a feeling of fullness and joy. Appreciation acknowledges that we have benefited from the gift offered to us.
6.   Acceptance
An accepting attitude acknowledges that another's being or behavior is received willingly. It does not reject, but rather affirms that the other person is being favorably received. Indeed, acceptance is accompanied by a sense of gratitude for what we have received. It is not a passive, overlooking, or slightly disapproving attitude. To accept a person means to validate that they are enough for you. It does not mean that you think they could not improve; it indicates that you are not trying to improve them. Acceptance is the attitude that forgives another's mistakes.
7.   Trust
A trusting attitude acknowledges the positive qualities of another's character, such as honesty, integrity, reliability, justice, and sincerity. When trust is absent, people commonly jump to negative and wrong conclusions regarding a person's intent. Trust gives every offence the benefit of the doubt, positing that there must be some good explanation for why it happened. Trust grows in a relationship when each partner recognizes that the other never intends to hurt. To approach one's partner with trust is to believe that they are able and willing to support.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Author unknown
Many parents are hard pressed to explain to their kids why some movies, music, books, and magazines are not acceptable material for them -- to see, listen to, or read.
One parent came up with an original idea that is hard to refute.
The father listened to all the reasons his children gave for wanting to see a particular PG-13 movie. It had their favorite actors. Everyone else was seeing it. Even church members said it was great. It was only rated PG-13 because of the suggestion of sex -- they don't really show it. The language is pretty good -- the Lord's name is only used in vain three times in the whole movie.
The teens did admit there was a scene where a building and a bunch of people were blown up, but the violence was just the normal stuff. It wasn't anything really bad. Even if there was "just a little" stuff wrong, the special effects were fabulous and the plot was action packed.
However, even with all the justifications the teens made for the movie, the father still wouldn't give in. He just said, "No!"
A little later on that evening the father asked his kids if they would like some brownies he baked, knowing they loved brownies. He said that he'd taken the family's favorite recipe and added "just a little" something extra. The children asked what it was.
The father calmly said that he had added "just a little" dog poop. However, he quickly assured them, it was "just a little" bit. All the other ingredients were gourmet quality and he had taken great care to bake the brownies at the precise temperature for the exact time. He was sure the brownies would be superb.
Even with their father's assurance that the brownies were of almost perfect quality, the teens would not take any. The father acted surprised. After all, it was "just a little" small part that was causing them to reject the brownies.
He said he was certain they would hardly notice "just a little" bit of dog poop he had put in the brownies. Still the teens held firm, and would not try the brownies.
The father then explained to his children how the movie they wanted to see with "just a little" bit of bad stuff in it was just like the brownies. Satan tries to enter our minds and our lives by deceiving us into believing that "just a little" bit of evil won't matter. The truth is "just a little" bit of poop makes the difference between a great treat and something disgusting, which is totally unacceptable.
The father went on to explain that even though the movie industry would have us believe most of today's movies, with "just a little" bit of bad stuff, are acceptable for adults and kids, they are not.
Now, when this father's children want to see something that is of questionable material, the father merely asks them if they want some of his special dog poop brownies. That closes the subject.
Put the movie you or your kids really want to see to the ultimate test. Would you be comfortable taking Jesus with you?
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By Steve Goodier
You may have heard the old story about the world's most dedicated fisherman. He had out-fished his companion all morning long. They used the same live bait, the same equipment and fished together in the same mountain stream. But he had almost caught his limit of fish while his friend had yet to catch even one.
"What's your secret?" asked the friend. "I haven't even gotten a bite!"
The angler mumbled an unintelligible answer, causing his companion to ask again.
The successful fisherman emptied the contents of his mouth into a cupped hand and replied: "I said, 'You have to keep your worms warm.'"
Talk about dedication. But did you know there are at least three types of fresh water fishermen (or fisherwomen, if that fits better)?
First, there are those who fish for sport. They like to "catch and release," quickly throwing their catch back into the water. For these anglers, it's all about recreation.
Then there are those who fish because they like the taste of fish. They are selective. They only keep the fish they will someday eat.
Finally, there are those who fish because they are hungry. If they don't catch, they don't eat. It is important for this group to succeed, and they are fully dedicated to what they do.
Whether or not we fish or even eat fish, there is a lesson to be learned here. We are most likely to succeed when we approach a task fully dedicated. Especially if the task before us is difficult or there seems little likelihood of success. Whether we want to patch a relationship, build a new business, write that first novel, kick a drug habit, or go back to school, we should see how willing we are to do what it takes - even if it means keeping the worms warm.
There are two important questions I ask myself to see just how dedicated I am. Question number one: "How much do I want this?" When some people fish, if they don't catch, they don't eat. Some things are too important for me to risk failure. So how much do I want to succeed at this relationship, this career or this dream?
The other question I ask is similar: "How hard am I willing to work?" If 'success' only comes before 'work' in the dictionary, I may have to work harder than I've ever worked before. But if I want it enough, the hard work will be worth it.
"Always bear in mind," said Abraham Lincoln, "that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other one thing." And that is where it always begins: with a whole-hearted resolution to succeed - in a task, in a calling, in a life.
How much do I want this? And, how hard am I willing to work? Start there, and great things can happen.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Author unknown; from âDenialâ
Plant three rows of Peas:
Peace of mind.
Peace of heart.
Peace of soul.
Plant four rows of Squash:
Squash gossip.
Squash indifference.
Squash grumbling.
Squash selfishness.
No garden should be without Turnips:
Turnip for service when needed.
Turnip to help one another.
Turnip the music and dance.
Plant four rows of Lettuce:
Lettuce be faithful.
Lettuce be kind.
Lettuce be happy.
Lettuce really love one another.
To conclude our garden we must have Thyme:
Thyme for fun.
Thyme for rest.
Thyme for others.
Thyme for ourselves.
Water freely with patience and cultivate with love.
We reap what we sow -- you should have a bountiful garden.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By Bonnie L. Mohr, submitted by Wolf Gang member Doug Solomon in honor of Mrs. Audrey Henderson who recently was promoted to be an angel.
Life is not a race, but instead a journey.
Be honest.
Work hard.
Be choosy.
Say "thank you," "I love you," and "great job" to someone each day.
Go to church; take time for prayer.
The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh.
Let your handshake mean more than pen and paper.
Love your life and what you have been given, it is not accidental - search for your purpose and do it as best you can.
Dreaming does matter. It allows you to become that which you aspire to be.
Laugh often.
Appreciate the little things in life and enjoy them.
Some of the best things really are free.
Do not worry, less wrinkles are more becoming.
Forgive, it frees the soul.
Take time for yourself - plan for longevity.
Recognize the special people you've been blessed to know.
Live for today, enjoy the moment.
© Wake Up With the Wolf Show â 93.1 the Wolf â WPAW. Please share this with your friends!
by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By Steve Goodier
I read of a New Jersey artist who capitalized on people's need to let go of the past by selling them "guilt kits." Each kit contained ten disposable brown paper bags and a set of instructions which said, "Place bag securely over your mouth, take a deep breath and blow the guilt out. Dispose of bag immediately." Amazingly, about 2,500 kits sold at $2.50 each. But perhaps not so amazing when you think of the guilt many of us carry around.
Of course, guilt serves its purpose. More than once I made a better decision so that I could look myself in the mirror without blushing. And the kits probably also serve a purpose - if nothing else, to remind us to get rid of those unnecessary and destructive feelings we seem to have so much trouble shaking.
But if blowing in a bag doesn't do it for you, then you might try another man's method. He hired a friend to go into therapy for him. He says he always hires other people to carry his baggage.
And if that doesn't work, here are a few simple steps that that should get at the problem:
First, if you make a mistake, resolve to try never to repeat it. The whole function of guilt is to change behavior.
We underrate our mistakes as effective learning devices. When possible, welcome your mistake, learn from it and decide to do things differently next time.
Second, seek forgiveness from any others who were affected. If possible, make amends.
In Ernest Hemingway's short story "The Capitol of the World," a Spanish father decides to reconcile with his son who has run away. Now remorseful, the father takes out a newspaper ad in El Liberal: "Paco, meet me at Hotel Montana noon Tuesday. All is forgiven." When the father goes to the square he is surprised to find eight hundred young men named Paco waiting for their fathers. We can't underestimate the need for reconciliation and wholeness.
Finally, forgive yourself. No purpose is served in continuing to whip yourself over past events you can do nothing about. And how will you truly learn to love when there is one person in your life you refuse to completely forgive?
If you follow these steps, you can rid yourself of unnecessary guilt. You will find that you are happier and healthier - and you can save all those brown paper bags for lunch.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Author unknown
An elderly carpenter was ready to retire. He told his employer-contractor of his plans to leave the house building business and live a more leisurely life with his wife enjoying his extended family. He would miss the paycheck, but he needed to retire. They could get by.
The contractor was sorry to see his good worker go and asked if he could build just one more house as a personal favor. The carpenter said yes, but in time it was easy to see that his heart was not in his work. He resorted to shoddy workmanship and used inferior materials. It was an unfortunate way to end his career. When the carpenter finished his work and the builder came to inspect the house, the contractor handed the front-door key to the carpenter.
âThis is your house,â he said, âmy gift to you.â What a shock! What a shame! If he had only known he was building his own house, he would have done it all so differently. Now he had to live in the home he had built none too well.
So it is with us. We build our lives in a distracted way, reacting rather than acting, willing to put up less than the best. At important points we do not give the job our best effort. Then with a shock we look at the situation we have created and find that we are now living in the house we have built. If we had realized that we would have done it differently. Think of yourself as the carpenter. Think about your house. Each day you hammer a nail, place a board, or erect a wall. Build wisely. It is the only life you will ever build. Even if you live it for only one day more, that day deserves to be lived graciously and with dignity.
The plaque on the wall says, âLife is a do-it-yourself project.â Who could say it more clearly?
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By Steve Goodier, © 2007 (LifeSupport@yahoogroups.com)
Simeon Ford, the proprietor of the old Grand Union Hotel in New York, said, "You don't need to know anything about a hotel to run one. You just open up and the customers tell you how to run it."
That must be true of other businesses, too. I heard of a newspaper editor who called in her assistant and handed him a stack of papers. "These are suggestions sent in by subscribers on how to run our paper. Make sure you carry them out," she said.
He did. He carried them out and dropped them in the trash bin.
Many people are quick to suggest, and quicker to criticize. When asked why she was always so critical, one woman said, "I guess I just have a knack for seeing other people's faults!" (There's a gift she could hide under a bushel.)
Criticizers are not hard to find. What the world needs are good encouragers. Not more people to find fault, but people to point out strengths and encourage us to excel. The most successful people look for positive qualities. They see potential where others see failure. And they encourage success in others.
Mark Twain put it like this: "Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you too, can become great."
Who do you spend time with â criticizers or encouragers? Surround yourself with those who believe in you. Your life is too important for anything less.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Author unknown
One day I had lunch with some friends. Rod, a short, good looking golfer type about 62 years old, came along with them â all in all, a pleasant bunch.
When the menus were presented, we ordered salads, sandwiches and soups â except for Rod, who said, "Ice Cream, please. Two scoops, chocolate.â
I wasn't sure my ears heard right, and the others were aghast. "Along with heated apple pie," Rod added, completely unabashed.
We tried to act quite nonchalant, as if people did this all the time. But when our orders were brought out, I didn't enjoy mine.
I couldn't take my eyes off Rod as his pie a-la-mode went down. The other guys couldn't believe it. They ate their lunches silently and grinned.
The next time I went out to eat, I called and invited Rod. I lunched on white meat tuna. He ordered a parfait.
I smiled. He asked if he amused me. I answered, "Yes, you do, but also you confuse me.
âHow come you order rich desserts, while I feel I must be sensible?â He laughed and said, "I'm tasting all that is possible.
âI try to eat the food I need, and do the things I should. But life's so short, my friend, I hate missing out on something good.
âThis year I realized how old I was. (He grinned) I haven't been this old before. So, before I die, I've got to try those things that for years I had ignored.
âI haven't smelled all the flowers yet. There are too many trout streams I haven't fished. There are more fudge sundaes to wolf down and kites to be flown overhead.
âThere are too many plays I have not been to. I've not laughed at all the jokes. I've missed a lot of sporting events and potato chips and beer.
âI want to wade again in water and feel ocean spray on my face. I want to sit in a country church once more and thank God for His grace.
âI want peanut butter every day spread on my morning toast. I want un-timed long distance calls to the folks I love the most.
âI haven't cried at all the movies yet, or walked in the morning rain. I need to feel wind on my face. I want to be in love again.
âSo, if I choose to have dessert, instead of having dinner, then should I die before night fall, I'd say I died a winner, because I missed out on nothing. I filled my heart's desire. I had that final chocolate mousse before my life expired."
With that, I called the waitress over. "I've changed my mind," I said. "I want what he is having; only add some more whipped cream!"
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By Mark Phillips from âChristian Love Notesâ
Behind an apartment at the edge of town stands an arbor. Six feet high, it was designed and built to support climbing plants, and it has been put to good use. The residents have planted climbing roses at the base of the arbor posts, and then added trellises to help the roses climb to the top. Beneath the arbor are shrubs, flowering bushes, and statuary. Hanging from the rungs at the top are bird-feeders. The arbor is beautiful to see, and undoubtedly a source of great pleasure to its owners.
Nearby sits a second arbor. Almost identical to the first, it stands stark, bare, and unused. Its sole adornment is a fading, yellow thermometer, nailed to one of the posts. With nothing to cover it, the wood appears much older and more weathered. A monument to futility and unrealized purpose, the second arbor stands stark, bare, and wasted.
Your life stands like an arbor, a gift from God, waiting to be used. You can choose to complain that your arbor is too short, or too weathered, or not as nice as somebody else's, or you can start planting. God is not going to judge you on whether your life flowered as beautifully as someone else's. But God will judge you on whether you used what he gave you or not.
Beethoven could have complained that his hearing was worse than others, and excused himself from even trying. He chose to plant instead, and in the process, revolutionized music.
The famous physicist Steven Hawking could have complained that few other people have to cope with a debilitating illness like his. Instead, he chose to plant, and revolutionized the science of physics.
For every arbor larger than yours, I can show you one that is smaller or more dilapidated or more limited. The choice is yours: complain, or start planting.
Your life is God's gift to you. What you make of it is your gift to God.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By Steve Goodier
Have you noticed how health insurance is like a hospital gown: every time you turn around, you find something that isn't covered? But health researchers are discovering what many people have known all along -- that getting healthy is about more than medicine and treatment. It also involves a healthy outlook on life.
Various studies have validated the mind/ body connection. Cancer is often diagnosed within months of the death of one's spouse. People who are cynical or angry have been shown to be more prone to heart attacks than those with a more positive outlook. And former Saturday Evening Post editor Norman Cousins has demonstrated for years how humor, laughter and hope can aid the healing process.
Not only is a healthy mental outlook necessary, but a healthy spiritual outlook seems to be equally important. Noted psychologist Carl Jung (1865-1961) made a telling observation about the connection between one's mental health and spiritual outlook. "During the past 30 years, people from all civilized countries of the earth have consulted me," he said. "Among all my patients in the second half of life -- that is to say, over 35 -- there has not been one whose problem in the last resort was not that of finding a (spiritual) outlook on life. It is safe to say that every one of them fell ill because he had lost that which living religions of every age have given to their followers."
A healthy person is not one with a certain lifestyle, a certain income or certain favorable circumstances. A healthy person is usually one with certain attitudes. Positive mental attitudes and fruitful spiritual attitudes are part of it. One might say that a robust spiritual outlook is good health insurance.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By Joseph J. Mazzella
The longest line that I ever stood in wasnât in a store. It wasnât to see a movie or a concert either. It wasnât even in the Department of Motor Vehicles. The longest line I ever stood in was at my friend Timâs wake. Tim had died a young man and his loss had shocked our small community. When I arrived at the wake I was amazed to see the line stretching from inside the small funeral home to down the street as far as the eye could see. People had come from hundreds of miles away to be there and to offer their love to Tim one last time. I saw people there that I hadnât seen since high school and others whom I had thought I would never see again.
The line moved slowly forward as we waited and shared our memories of Tim. We talked about how funny he had always been without ever seeming mean-spirited once. He loved a good joke and would share them even in a football huddle during the middle of a game. We talked about how Tim was always kind and helpful to anyone in need. In his short but loving life his joyful spirit had touched a thousand people in a thousand different ways. We grieved about how he would never see his kids graduate from school, but also took comfort in knowing that a part of Tim lived on in each of them. We laughed, cried, remembered, and thanked God for the time we had Timâs good soul with us. When his funeral was held later no indoor building could hold it. We had it on the junior high school football field that was later renamed after him.
In his short time here Tim had made his family, our community, and the world so much better. His loss left a hole in us all. Still, I think that we now laugh a little more, love a little deeper, and share joy a bit more often because of how he touched our hearts. Is there any more fitting tribute to a life well lived? May all of us live as well and love as much. May all of us too never wait in line when it comes to sharing Godâs love and making the Earth a little more like Heaven.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By Gavin Newsham, âOnce In a Lifetime: The Extraordinary Story Of The New York Cosmosâ
While professional soccer is still struggling to find a firm foothold in the United States, in the 1970s the North American Soccer League marked the brave first attempt to introduce the game to American sports fans. While most teams had only limited success at best, one did manage to break through to genuine mainstream popularity â the New York Cosmos.
It was the brainchild of Steve Ross, a passionate soccer fan who was also a major executive at Warner Communications.
Max Ross told his son Steve: âIn life there are those who work all day, those who dream all day, and those who spend an hour dreaming before setting to work to fulfill those dreams. Go into the third category because thereâs virtually no competitionâ.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Author unknown
What if,
GOD couldn't take the time to bless us today because
we couldn't take the time to thank Him yesterday?
What if,
GOD decided to stop leading us tomorrow because
we didn't follow Him today?
What if,
we never saw another flower bloom because
we grumbled when GOD sent the rain?
What if,
GOD didn't walk with us today because
we failed to recognize it as His day?
What if,
GOD took away the Bible tomorrow because
we would not read it today?
What if,
GOD took away His message because
we failed to listen to the messenger?
What if,
GOD didn't send His only begotten Son because
He wanted us to be prepared to pay the price for sin.
What if,
the door of the church was closed because
we did not open the door of our heart?
What if,
GOD stopped loving and caring for us because
we failed to love and care for others?
What if,
GOD would not hear us today because
we would not listen to Him yesterday?
What if,
GOD answered our prayers the way
we answer His call to service?
What if,
GOD met our needs the way
we give Him our lives???
What if,
We fail to share this message.... ???
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By Steve Goodier
A snooty millionaire took some of his upper class friends yachting. They passed a deserted island where a man with a long beard and tattered clothes stood, waving his arms and screaming in their direction.
"Who is that?" asked the friend.
"I don't know," said the host, "but every time we sail by he goes crazy."
That may be an exception to a universal rule, which is that most people are happy to help if they can. But there is another universal principle in play, which is, unless you are stranded on a deserted island, you are probably reluctant to ask for help - especially from a stranger. Thankfully, most of the time we are not coping with a mayday emergency.
I recently learned that the word "mayday" has nothing to do with the month of May. Instead, it comes from the French word "m'aidez," which means "help me." But it is used only as a last resort. The plane is nose-diving. The ship is fatally wounded. "Mayday! Mayday! Mayday!" a voice screams over the radio. If help doesn't arrive quickly, all will be lost.
We laugh at the notion that men are famously bad about asking for directions. But, in truth, most people do not easily ask for the help they need. They wait until they are hopelessly lost, or the marriage is on the brink of collapse or a simple job has become a nightmare before they seek help.
And it is also true that help is not usually too hard to get. But we have to ASK for it.
Entrepreneur Brian Tracy puts it well: "Ask for what you want. Ask for help, ask for input, ask for advice and ideas -- but never be afraid to ask." Or like one man is fond of saying, "You don't always get what you ask for, but you never get what you don't ask for (unless it's contagious)."
I once heard of a little girl who confidently approached a police officer. "Are you a cop?" she asked.
"Yes."
"My mommy said that if I ever needed help I could ask you."
"Of course you can," the officer replied. "What do you need?"
She stuck out her foot. "Can you please tie my shoe?"
Do you need help? It may be easier to get than you think. Just ask for it.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Author unknown
It was advertised that the devil was going to put his tools up for sale. On the date of the sale, the tools were placed for public inspection; each tool being marked with its sale price.
They were a treacherous lot of implements... Hatred, Envy, Jealousy, Deceit, Lying, Pride, and so on.
Laid apart from the rest was a harmless looking tool, that appeared to have been heavily used, and was priced very high.
"What is the name of this tool?" asked one of the purchasers, pointing to it. "That is Discouragement," replied the devil.
"Why have you priced it so high?"
"Because it is more useful to me than all the others. I can pry open and get inside people's hearts with that when I cannot get near them with my other tools. Once I get inside, I can make them do what I choose. It is badly worn because I use it on almost everyone, since very few people know that it belongs to me."
Luke 18:1 (GNB) Â "Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to teach them that they should always pray and never become discouraged." Â {Luke 18:1-8 'The Parable of the Persistent Widow'}
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By Joseph J. Mazzella, âWalking the Path of Loveâ
"Do you believe that this is the end of days?" That was the question a friend wrote me a few days ago. It is a question that I have gotten a lot of times over the years. With all the wars, tornados, earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes, fires, and nuclear meltdowns we are facing these days, it is easy to understand why people would wonder and ask as well.
The truth is no one knows when the last days of this world will be. No one knows when their own last day will be either. All that we can do is to live each day we have here to the fullest with love, kindness, goodness, joy, and oneness with God.
This is why I start each day by saying, "Good morning God; thank you for my life!" This is why I watch every sunrise and sunset I can. This is why I stop to smell the flowers and listen to the birds sing every spring. This is why I hug my grown up children every day and tell them that I love them. This is why I always take the time to bend down and pet a dog or cat. This is why I lend a hand to a neighbor who needs my help. This is why I share a smile and a friendly wave with the people I pass on lifeâs road. This is why I do what I can to house the homeless, feed the hungry, and care for the sick. This is why I write my simple words and share them with the world. I want to do all I can to show others that they can choose life, share love, and spread joy. I want to show them that every day is precious, that every act of kindness is priceless, and that every one of them is a powerful person who can make this world a better place.
None of us knows when this world will end. None of us knows when our own lives here will end. What we do know is that we can love today. We can learn today. We can laugh today. We can help each other today. We can bring a little Heaven to Earth today. Live today then and when the end does come, you will be able to face God with a loving and happy heart.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By Steve Goodier
A sign in a pet store read, "If anybody has seen the Bluebird of Happiness, would you please notify this pet store?"
Happiness seems to be in short supply for many people. If the results of recent surveys can be trusted, there is a general decline of happiness in today's world. And people were not all that cheerful a few years back! It was Oliver Wendell Holmes who stated, "I might have been a minister for aught I know, if a certain clergyman had not looked and talked like an undertaker." (I have to say, though, that some clergy and undertakers I've known could teach the rest of us something about joy.)
Joy and happiness are not always the same things. Happiness can be thought of as more of a temporary, emotional condition, often based on outside circumstances. Joy, on the other hand, is deeper. It is often contentment in spite of the unsettling present. We can be basically joyful, regardless of a particular unhappy situation that we may be enduring. It is sometimes just a matter of keeping perspective on our troubles, and especially when those troubles seem to be in long supply.
You may know the story of the man who had a marvelous way of keeping joy in his life. He was a carpenter. He followed the same ritual every day when he came home from the job. He stopped by a small tree in his front yard and placed his hand on a couple of branches. Then, when he walked into his home, it was as if a magical transformation had occurred. All of a sudden, the stress was lifted from him. He became energetic and joyful, able to fully interact with his children and his wife.
He explained it this way: "That tree is my trouble tree. When I come home I stop by the tree and, just like I leave my tools in the truck, I leave my troubles outside of my home. I hang them on that tree before greeting my family. Anything that does not have to come in my house stays outside. Anything that I do not have to deal with at home, I leave on that tree. And in the morning, I stop by the tree and pick up the troubles I left there in the evening."
Then he adds, "It's a funny thing, though. Every morning I always find fewer troubles remaining than I hung the night before."
Here is a man who has no doubt seen the Bluebird of Happiness. Chances are, it is nesting in a tree just outside his home.
There is wisdom in knowing that some problems can wait until tomorrow. And more wisdom in knowing what to hang on the tree and what to bring in. Managing daily problems well is vital to maintaining joy.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Author unknown
To love and to lose is one of the biggest tragedies in life, yet one fails to see the blessing in the loss. We lose for many reasons â a death, a divorce, a broken friendship and the end of a relationship. In that moment, we feel our life has come to an end. How are we to go on? A piece of your soul is taken leaving an empty hole in your heart.
The question of âwhy meâ repeats in your mind but as the beauty of time progresses, we see the answer. Loss makes us stronger and wiser. A loss helps us to appreciate even the smallest, insignificant things in life. Our hearts become softer and full of even more love than we had to begin with. A loss helps us to see that we canât do it alone, that we need faith and hope to get us through. We learn the mercy and grace of God.
When the grieving and the healing have taken their course, we are renewed, ready to begin a new chapter in our lives with a whole new outlook and attitude. Only then are we able to appreciate the lesson learned through that loss. One never forgets those we lost, but we do learn to let go.
We learn to keep living even though we donât want to. We learn to treasure each moment and each person. In turn, losses make our lives a lot richer.
To love and lose is a tragedy, but itâs not the end of our lives. Itâs part of our journey.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Submitted by Wolf Gang member Sherri Frazier; author unknown
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 was furious and honked her horn, screaming in frustration, as she missed her chance to get through the intersection, dropping her cell phone and makeup.
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 holding cell.
After a couple of hours, a policeman approached the cell and opened the door. The woman was escorted back to the booking desk where the arresting officer was waiting with her personal effects.
He said, ''I apologize for this mistake. You see, I pulled up behind your car while you were blowing your horn, flipping off the guy in front of you and cussing a blue streak at him. I noticed the 'What Would Jesus Do'  bumper sticker, the 'Choose Life' license plate holder, the 'Follow Me to Sunday School' bumper sticker, and the chrome-plated Christian fish emblem on the trunk, so naturally...I assumed you had stolen the car.''
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Submitted by Wolf Gang member Ashley Welch
I asked God to take away my habit.
God said, âNo. It is not for me to take away, but for you to give it up.â
I asked God to make my handicapped child whole.
God said, âNo. His spirit is whole, his body is only temporary.â
I asked God to grant me patience.
God said, âNo. Patience is a byproduct of tribulations; it isn't granted, it is learned.â
I asked God to give me happiness.
God said, âNo. I give you blessings; Happiness is up to you.â
I asked God to spare me pain.
God said, âNo. Suffering draws you apart from worldly cares and brings you closer to me.â
I asked God to make my spirit grow.
God said, âNo. You must grow on your own, but I will prune you to make you fruitful.â
I asked God for all things that I might enjoy life.
God said, âNo. I will give you life, so that you may enjoy all things.â
I asked God to help me LOVE others, as much as He loves me.
God said...âAhhhh, finally you have the idea.â
May God Bless you. "To the world you might be one person, but to one person you just might be the world."
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By Steve Goodier
You heard about the sign posted on a rancher's fence? On the other side of the fence resides the biggest, meanest looking bull you can imagine. The sign is intended to strike fear into the hearts of would-be trespassers. It reads: "Don't attempt to cross this field unless you can do it in 9.9 seconds. The bull can do it in 10 flat!"
Don't try to cross that field unless you are prepared! And isn't that the way it is in life? We have to be ready when the opportunity arises or else we will have little chance of success.
Sixth-grade schoolteacher Ms. Shelton believed in readiness. Students remember how she walked in on the first day of class and began writing words of an eighth-grade caliber on the chalkboard. They quickly protested that the words were not on their level and they couldn't learn them.
Their teacher insisted that the students could and would learn these words. She said that she would never teach down to them. Ms. Shelton ended by saying that one of the students in that classroom could go on to greatness, maybe even be president some day, and she wanted to prepare them for that day.
Ms. Shelton spoke those words many years ago. Little did she know that someday one of her students - Jesse Jackson - would take them seriously ("Leadership," Summer 1992). She believed that if they were well prepared, they could achieve high goals.
Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, "People only see what they are prepared to see." If that's true, then it is also true that they only become what they are prepared to become. And a lot of life is just about getting ready.
"I want to be doing something more significant with my life than what I am doing now," a young man once said to me. He felt like what he was doing was just not that important. Other people have said things to me such as, "I only wish I had a meaningful relationship." And, "I'd really like to get a better job, but I just don't see how."
You fill in the blanks. What is it you would like to happen that isn't happening? Perhaps the answer is that you are not yet ready. Maybe you need more time to prepare before you are truly ready for that which you desire.
Think of today as another chance to prepare yourself for that exciting future you are looking for. Today is not wasted. If you desire more from life, then you can use today as training. For you will experience only what you are prepared to experience. Something wonderful can happen. And you can use today to get ready for tomorrow.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By Steve Goodier
Anger is just one letter short of danger -- it seems to be as true in English as well as in practice. Dr. Bedford Williams at Duke University has determined that students who score high on a "hostility test" are in far greater danger of dying young than their peers. In fact, those who are prone to anger are in greater physical danger than those who smoke, have high blood pressure or even high cholesterol.
Not that we should never be angry. It is a normal part of life. We all get "worked up," "overheated" or just plain "hopping mad" at times. Those closest to us know it best. (Just ask my kids!)
One little boy said about his mother: "When she starts to act real weird, you have to look scared and serious. Don't giggle. When mommies are mad, they get madder when you giggle."
The good news is that simply getting angry does not seem to be the problem. Well-directed anger can be a helpful emotion. But STAYING angry is dangerous -- to our health and to our relationships.
Here are four simple steps that can help move us out of the danger zone when we feel as if our hostility is running the show.
1.   Control it. Uncontrolled anger will take over.
2.   Talk it out. Don't keep it in and let it fester.
3.   Act on it. Do what needs to be done to resolve the situation. Helplessness will only provoke more anger and, eventually, despair.
4.   End it. Just as there is a starting point for anger, there must be an ending. Make a decision not to prolong destructive hostility.
It can help to remember that for every minute we're angry, we lose sixty seconds of happiness and sixty seconds of peace. The sooner we get out of the danger zone, the sooner we can get back to truly living.
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by Words To Live By
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posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By Steve Goodier
Demographic experts tell us that there is a general spiritual awakening among people of various faiths. Some are returning to "organized" religions. Others are seeking spiritual answers along other paths. However it is done, people are realizing the importance of a healthy spiritual dimension to their lives.
One man tells about a time when his wife suffered from a headache. She took medication and lay down, but nothing seemed to help.
Her six-year-old daughter was concerned about her Mommy's health, so the ailing woman asked her if she would like to pray for her. Little Leia said that she would. Leia put her hand on her mother's head and prayed the only prayer she knew: "Lord, thank you for this food..."
I imagine that the words she uses are not important. In fact, I don't know if any words are really adequate to express our deepest spiritual desires. Moreover, what seems most crucial is not so much how "good" we are at praying, but that we simply pause regularly to nurture the souls. Prayer is a dose of spiritual medication that, taken daily, can enhance all of life.
Leonardo da Vinci spent countless hours ruminating upon things of the spirit as he worked on his famous canvas of the Last Supper. He spent so much time meditating in the cloister that some of the monks in the community became concerned. They remonstrated with the artist about his wasting precious time and money. "Why do you spend so much time with us in prayer when you have come here to work?" they wondered.
Leonardo answered, "When I pause the longest, I make the most telling strokes with my brush."
I do not feel I am all that good with prayer, but I am sure I'm not much good without it.
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by Words To Live By
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posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By Steve Goodier
When a first-time father cuddled his newborn son, he immediately noticed the baby's ears conspicuously standing out from his head. He expressed his concern to the nurse that some children might taunt his child, calling him names like "Dumbo." A doctor examined the baby and reassured the new dad that his son was healthy - the ears presented only a minor cosmetic problem.
But the nervous father persisted. He wondered if the child might suffer psychological effects of ridicule, or if they should consider plastic surgery.
The nurse assured him that it was really no problem, and he should just wait to see if the boy grows into his ears.
The father finally felt more optimistic about his child, but now he worried about his wife's reaction to those large, protruding ears. She had delivered by cesarean section, and had not yet seen the child.
"She doesn't take things as easily as I do," he said to the nurse.
By this time, the new mother was settled in the recovery room and ready to meet her new baby. The nurse went along with the dad to lend some support in case this inexperienced mother became upset about her baby's large ears.
The infant was swaddled in a receiving blanket with his head covered for the short trip through the chilly air-conditioned corridor. The baby was placed in his mother's arms, who eased the blanket back so that she could gaze upon her child for the first time.
She took one look at her baby's face and looked to her husband and gasped, "Oh, Honey! Look! He has your ears!"
No problem with Mom. She married those ears...and she loves the man to whom they are attached.
The poet Khalil Gibran said, "Beauty is not in the face; beauty is a light in the heart." It's hard to see the ears when you're looking into the light.
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by Words To Live By
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posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Author unknown; from âSermon Fodderâ
Everything I Needed To Know About Life, I Learned From A Jigsaw Puzzle.
1.   Don't force a fit. If something is meant to be, it will come together naturally.
2.   When things aren't going so well, take a break. Everything will look different when you return.
3.   Be sure to look at the big picture. Getting hung up on the little pieces only leads to frustration.
4.   Perseverance pays off. Every important puzzle went together bit by bit, piece by piece.
5.   When one spot stops working, move to another. But be sure to come back later (see #4).
6.   The creator of the puzzle gave you the picture as a guidebook.
7.   Variety is the spice of life. It's the different colors and patterns that make the puzzle interesting.
8.   Working together with friends and family makes any task fun.
9.   Establish the border first. Boundaries give a sense of security and order.
10.   Don't be afraid to try different combinations. Some matches are surprising.
11.   Take time often to celebrate your successes - even little ones.
12.   Anything worth doing takes time and effort. A great puzzle can't be rushed.
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by Words To Live By
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posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By Joseph J. Mazzella
When I was a boy I was always amazed by what a heavy sleeper my Grandma was. I knew this mainly because her bedroom was right next to the one my brother and I shared. When I would wake up in the morning I would hear her steady snoring echoing through the thin walls. She rarely if ever got up during the night and when she napped in her chair the television and record player never woke her up.
It seemed a strange coincidence then that during the middle of one night she would suddenly awake the moment that frayed wiring in her room caught fire. Her screams awoke my brother who then rushed through the house waking up the rest of the family. The house was made of old, dry timbers and the fire raced through it in a matter of minutes. Smoke filled every room. None of us could see anything. We were all filled with fear and confusion. Still, thanks to my Grandma waking up at just that moment we all made it out safely. My Mom even found our small dog cowering at her feet and picked him up just as we ran out the front door.
Doris Lessing once said that "Coincidences are Godâs way of remaining anonymous." I fully believe that to be true. Without the coincidence of my Grandma waking up at just the right second that fire would have cost us our lives as well as our home. Without that coincidence my Grandma, Mom, and Dad would never have touched the lives they did over the years that followed. Without it my brother would never have become a teacher and I would never have written a word. Without it my brothers and I would never have raised seven wonderful children. Without it all the love, learning, and joy my family has shared with others would have been lost.
The next time a coincidence blesses your life, embrace it for the gift from God that it is. We are all watched over with so much love. May we make our lives a gift of love as well.
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by Words To Live By
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posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Author unknown
When I look at a patch of dandelions, I see a bunch of weeds that are going to take over my yard. My kids see flowers for Mom and blowing white fluff you can wish on.
When I look at an old drunk and he smiles at me, I see a smelly, dirty person who probably wants money and I look away. My kids see someone smiling at them and they smile back.
When I hear music I love, I know I can't carry a tune and don't have much rhythm so I sit self consciously and listen. My kids feel the beat and move to it. They sing out the words. If they don't know them, they make up their own.
When I feel wind on my face, I brace myself against it. I feel it messing up my hair and pulling me back when I walk. My kids close their eyes, spread their arms and fly with it, until they fall to the ground laughing.
When I pray, I say thee and thou and grant me this, give me that. My kids say, "Hi God! Thanks for my toys and my friends. Please keep the bad dreams away tonight. Sorry, I don't want to go to Heaven yet. I would miss my Mommy and Daddy."
When I see a mud puddle I step around it. I see muddy shoes and dirty carpets. My kids sit in it. They see dams to build, rivers to cross and worms to play with.
I wonder if we are given kids to teach or to learn from? No wonder God loves the little children!!
"Enjoy the little things in life, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things."
I wish you mud puddles and dandelions...
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by Words To Live By
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posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By Erma Bombeck
When the good Lord was creating fathers, He started with a tall frame.  A female angel nearby said, "What kind of father is that? If you're going to make children so close to the ground, why have you put fathers up so high?  He won't be able to shoot marbles without kneeling, tuck a child in bed without bending or even kiss a child without a lot of stooping.  And God smiled and said, "Yes, but if I make him child size, who would children have to look up to?"
And when God made a father's hands, they were large and sinewy. Â The angel shook her head sadly and said, "Large hands are clumsy. Â They can't manage diaper pins, small buttons and rubber bands on ponytails, or even remove splinters caused by baseball bats." Â And God smiled and said, "I know, but they're large enough to hold everything a small boy empties from his pockets at the end of a day, yet small enough to cup a child's face."
And then God molded long, slim legs and broad shoulders. The angel nearly had a heart attack. "Boy, this is the end of the week, all right," she clucked. Â "Do you realize you just made a father without a lap? Â How is he going to pull a child close to him without the kid falling between his legs?" Â And God smiled and said, "A mother needs a lap. Â A father needs strong shoulders to pull a sled, balance a boy on a bicycle or hold a sleepy head on the way home from the circus."
God was in the middle of creating two of the largest feet anyone had ever seen when the angel could contain herself no longer. Â "That's not fair. Â Do you honestly think those large boats are going to dig out of bed early in the morning when the baby cries? Â Or walk through a small birthday party without crushing at least three of the guests?" Â And God smiled and said, "They'll work. Â You'll see. They'll support a small child who wants to ride a horse to Banbury Cross or scare off mice at the summer cabin or display shoes that will be a challenge to fill."
God worked throughout the night, giving the father few words but a firm, authoritative voice and eyes that saw everything but remained calm and tolerant. Finally, almost as an afterthought, He added tears. Â Then He turned to the angel and said, "Now, are you satisfied that he can love as much as a mother?"
The angel shutteth up.
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by Words To Live By
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posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Author unknown; from www.dadcentric.com
âDadâ, Lucas said as he settled into his seat at the dinner table, with a serious look about him, âcan we talk?â
I felt a twinge of anxiety. Things have been challenging lately; we were forced to move him to a new preschool due to his old one closing, and weâve been dealing with an increased need for attention, manifesting itself in the form of tantrums and whining. Itâs hard to be four when you have a baby sister and a whole new school. Earlier in the day, he had run off and had received a stern lecture about Evil Strangers Who Snatch Little Boys Who Donât Stick With Their Parents. Gave him a good scareâ¦maybe too good? Yep, heâs reaching that age when worry starts to set in, when kids become aware of the bad and sad in the world. I looked into his eyes, and saw a timeless question written there, and felt the urge to give him a big hug and tell him that everything was going to be ok.
âSureâ, I said.
He paused to gather his thoughts. âDad, do bears play football?â
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by Words To Live By
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posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By Steve Goodier
The name "Benedict Arnold" is synonymous with "traitor." But he was actually a loyal citizen of what was to become the United States, a gallant soldier and a five-star general. Wounded twice in battle, he was highly respected for his military leadership. He even enjoyed the friendship of George Washington.
But during the Revolutionary War, Arnold saw five subordinates promoted over him, and the blow to his esteem was more than he could manage. The injury to his pride was far greater than those physical injuries he sustained in battle. So he laid plans to get revenge.
In 1780, he attempted to betray vital West Point to the British. He later moved to England and was paid a sum of money to compensate for his property loss, but he was never fully accepted in British society. He eventually returned to trading and died a mostly unsuccessful and unhappy man. His downfall was not greed -- his problem was rather one of jealousy.
Do you know who the most difficult person to love is? It is easy to love friends and not too difficult to love those less fortunate than ourselves. It certainly isn't easy loving enemies, but sometimes the person most difficult to love is the one who is MORE fortunate than we are. The one who receives the promotion we deserved. The one who gets the recognition we desired, the honor we sought or the affections of the lover we had hoped to win. It is easy to resent those who seem to be more fortunate.
But as one person said to me, "Let go, or get dragged. Unless you let things go, you should be prepared to have that thing drag you around until you do let it go." Even envy. Let it go or get dragged.
Besides, if you ever want to grab onto something good, you'll need a free hand.
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by Words To Live By
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posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By Author Unknown -- from "Aiken Drum "
1.   TODAY I WILL NOT STRIKE BACK:
If someone is rude, if someone is impatient, if someone is unkind... I will not respond in a like manner.
2.   TODAY I WILL ASK GOD TO BLESS MY "ENEMY:"
If I come across someone who treats me harshly or unfairly, I will quietly ask GOD to bless that individual. I understand the "enemy" could be a family member, neighbor, co-worker or stranger.
3.   TODAY I WILL BE CAREFUL ABOUT WHAT I SAY:
I will carefully choose and guard my words being certain that I do not spread gossip.
4.   TODAY I WILL GO THE EXTRA MILE:
I will find ways to help share the burden of another person.
5.   TODAY I WILL FORGIVE:
I will forgive any hurts or injuries that come my way.
6.   TODAY I WILL DO SOMETHING NICE FOR SOMEONE, BUT I WILL NOT DO IT SECRETLY:
I will reach out anonymously and bless the life of another.
7.   TODAY I WILL TREAT OTHERS THE WAY I WISH TO BE TREATED:
I will practice the golden rule - "Do unto others as I would have them do unto me" - with everyone I encounter.
8.   TODAY I WILL RAISE THE SPIRITS OF SOMEONE WHO IS DISCOURAGED:
My smile, my words, my expression of support, can make the difference to someone who is wrestling with life.
9.   TODAY I WILL NURTURE MY BODY:
I will eat less; I will eat only healthy foods. I will thank GOD for my body.
10.   TODAY I WILL GROW SPIRITUALLY:
I will spend a little more time in prayer today: I will begin reading something spiritual or inspirational today; I will find a quiet place (at some point during this day) and listen to GOD's voice!!!
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by Words To Live By
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posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By Steve Goodier
Writer Gordon MacDonald said that each night he reads a story to his little daughter. One day he was preparing to be away from home for a few days and he taped a selection of stories for his daughter to listen to while he was gone.
When he came back, he was eager to hear his daughter's reaction. She answered, "Dad, the stories were fine, but it wasn't the same -- I couldn't sit on the tape recorder's lap."
Too often we underestimate the power of touch. Negative as well as positive touch has the power to elicit strong emotions. It can hurt and it can heal. Touch people in a negative way and you may get a strong reaction you didn't expect. Touch them in a safe, affirming and affectionate way, and you'll probably get just as strong a response -- only this one you will welcome.
Touch is powerful for infants. Newborns who are touched will thrive. Studies have shown that babies deprived of touch have a significantly higher mortality rate than those who are held and cuddled by caring adults -- even when the "touched" babies are reared in unsanitary conditions.
Touch is powerful for teenagers. Teens who are touched communicate better. Many adolescents assert their independence by refusing to be hugged by their parents. But most of them will accept a simple back or shoulder massage. That act of touch communicates love in a powerful way. It will frequently break down emotional barriers and even help young people to "open" up and talk about what is on their minds.
Touch is powerful for adults. Both men and women who are touched are happier and healthier. According to University of Colorado researchers, most adults would like to be touched more. Holding a hand or offering a hug can warm hearts and heal relationships like nothing else can.
Touching is powerful. Learn the art of a caring touch and you'll discover a magical key that opens the lives and hearts of those you care about.
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by Words To Live By
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posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By Joseph Z. Mazzella
We have all had those times. They are the times when one bad thing after another seems to crash into your life. Your heart feels bruised, your soul feels weak, and your body feels tired. Then just when you think that you canât handle one more bad thing, two more bad things hit you from either side.
I was going through one of those times recently. I was driving home in a mood that would have had to climb 50 feet just to reach dejected and depressed. As I rounded the last curve before my house I noticed that my carâs antenna had smashed into a butterfly. Seeing that beautiful creatureâs wings crumbled around it was the last straw.
Butterflies had always been special to me. My Mom had loved their simple beauty and delicate grace. Seeing them always reminded me too of her own lovely and loving spirit. Now I was going to have to peel a dead one off my car. After I stopped I walked sadly around to the antenna. I reached over, gently touched the tip of the butterflyâs wing, and lifted it away from the antenna. Suddenly, to my utter delight the butterfly moved. It hadnât been crushed at all! It fluttered its wings and flew happily up into the air. It swirled around my head and then floated off to find a good flower to feast on.
I was left smiling and laughing with joy. It felt like God and my Mom had found the perfect way to remind me that I was still watched over and still loved. Squire Rushnell calls these moments "Godwinks." They can be a coincidence, an answered prayer, or a second of great happiness that reminds you that God loves you and is forever one with you. My life didnât instantly get any better after this moment, but my soul sure did. In that wink I was shown once again that Godâs eyes are upon us and His love is with us forever.
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by Words To Live By
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posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Author unknown; from âE-Mail Ministryâ
One rich man owned 19 horses when he died. In his last will and testament he had written that upon his death, half the horses he owned should go to his only son; one fourth to the village temple and one fifth to the faithful servant. The village elders could not stop scratching their heads. How can they give half of the 19 horses to the son? You cannot cut up a horse. They puzzled over this dilemma for more than two weeks and then decided to send for a wise man who was living in a neighboring village.
The wise man came riding on his horse and asked the villagers if he can be of any help to them. The village elders told him about the rich man's last will and testament which stated that half of the (19) horses must be given to his only son, one fourth must go to the temple and one fifth to the faithful servant.
The wise man said he will immediately solve their problem without any delay whatsoever. He had the 19 horses placed in a row standing next to one another. Then he added his own horse as the 20th horse. Now he went about giving half of the 20 horses that is ten horses to the son. One fourth of 20-that is 5 horses were given to the temple committee. One fifth of twenty-that is 4 horses were given to the faithful servant. Ten plus five plus four made 19 horses. The remaining 20th horse was his own which he promptly mounted, spoke a few inspiring words, and rode back home.
The villagers were simply dumfounded, full of disbelief and filled with admiration. And the parting words of the wise man were inscribed in their hearts and minds which they greatly cherished and passed on to their succeeding generations till today.
The wise man said: In our daily lives, in our daily affairs, simply add God's name and then go about facing the day's happenings. Ever come across problems in life that are seemingly insurmountable? (Like the villagers, do we feel that such problems cannot be solved?).
The wise man continued: Add the God Principle in our daily lives and the problems will become lighter and eventually will disappear. In the manner of the ice which, with the addition of the heat principle will turn into water and that will eventually evaporate as steam and disappear. And how do we add God's name in our daily lives? Through prayers, filled with true love and devotion, with sincerity of purpose and dedication that only total faith can bring about. Meditation is a powerful means of directing the mind toward God. But without true love and devotion entering into it, it remains like a boat without water. It is not difficult to push a boat that is floating in water, but extremely hard to drag the same boat on dry land.
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by Words To Live By
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posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By Steve Goodier
Vicki Huffman, in PLUS LIVING (Harold Shaw Publishers, 1989) , tells about a man who loved to hunt and bought two pedigreed setters that he trained to be fine bird dogs. He kept them in a large, fenced pen in his backyard.
One morning he observed a little bulldog trotting down the alley behind his home. It saw the two dogs and squeezed under the fence. The man thought he should perhaps lock up the setters so they wouldn't hurt the little dog, but changed his mind. Maybe they would "teach that bulldog a lesson," he reasoned.
As he predicted, fur began to fly, and all of it was bulldog fur. The feisty intruder soon had enough and squeezed back under the fence to get away.
To the man's surprise, the visitor returned again the next morning. He crawled under the fence and once again took on the tag-team of setters. And like the day before, he soon quit and squeezed out of the pen.
The incident was repeated the following day, with the same results.
The man left early the next morning on a business trip and returned after several weeks. He asked his wife what finally became of the bulldog.
"You won't believe it," she replied. "At the same time every day that little dog came to the backyard and fought with our setters. He never missed a day! It has come to the point now that when our setters simply hear him snorting down the alley, they start whining and run down into the basement. Then the little bulldog struts around our backyard as if he owns it."
That bulldog inspires me when it comes to managing problems. Not that think I have to fight and impose my will on whatever is in my way. But I appreciate that little dog's perseverance. He persisted with his problem until it disappeared.
Dale Carnegie made this observation: "Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all." In the end, it's the persistent bulldog that will own the backyard.
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by Words To Live By
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posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By Steve Goodier
Marlin Perkins, long-time host of television's "Wild Kingdom," spent most of his life trying to put people on a first-name basis with animals. His wife Carol wanted to marry him so badly that she never let on that she did not fully share his passion for wildlife.
Soon after their marriage they went to central Africa. She tried valiantly not to complain during the long expedition, but one night she was exhausted. She said she wasn't hungry and just wanted to go to bed. So she undressed and reached for her pillow, when out from underneath crawled a huge lizard that ran up her chest and down her arm.
Carol started to scream and couldn't stop. She was so tired of being brave. Marlin came running, and after he saw that Carol wasn't hurt, he put his arm around her and said, "Honey, think of how lucky you were to see him up close."
I'm with Carol. I would find it difficult to appreciate the experience. But I am enthralled by Marlin's awe and enthusiasm for all things alive. He was able to marvel at the wonder of creatures and never lost his passion for animals. All living things, in their own way, were beautiful and splendid to this irrepressible lover of creation.
You may not choose to share your bed with a lizard, but do you find this world an exciting and wondrous place? Do you marvel at nature's handiwork? Do you want to "see it up close"? Does a spectacular sunset, the smell of seawater, that first spring flower, or the soft fall of snow soothe your soul? In short, are you excited about life and this magnificent world in which we live?
That amazing man Albert Einstein once said, "There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle." But only one is the way of joy.
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by Words To Live By
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posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Author unknown; based on an (apparently) true story
An elderly couple retired to the countryside â to a small isolated cottage overlooking some rugged and rocky heathland.
One early morning the woman saw from her window a young man dressed in working clothes walking on the heath, about a hundred yards away. He was carrying a spade and a small case, and he disappeared from view behind a copse of trees.
The woman thought no more about it but around the same time the next day she saw the man again, carrying his spade and a small case, and again he disappeared behind the forest.
The woman mentioned this to her husband, who said he was probably a farmer or gamekeeper setting traps, or performing some other country practice that would be perfectly normal, and so not to worry.
However after several more sightings of the young man with the spade over the next two weeks the woman persuaded her husband to take a stroll â early, before the man tended to arrive â to the copse of trees to investigate what he was doing.
There they found a surprisingly long and deep trench, rough and uneven at one end, becoming much neater and tidier towards the other end.
âHow strange,â the old lady said, âWhy dig a trench here â and in such difficult rocky ground?â and her husband agreed.
Just then the young man appeared â earlier than his usual time.
âYouâre early,â said the old woman, making light of their obvious curiosity, âWe wondered what you were doing â and we also wondered what was in the case.â
âIâm digging a trench,â said the man, who continued, realizing a bigger explanation was appropriate, âIâm actually learning how to dig a good trench, because the job Iâm being interviewed for later today says that experience is essential â so Iâm getting the experience. And the case â itâs got my lunch in it.â
He got the job.
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by Words To Live By
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posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Author unknown (*based on a true storyâsee note below)
They walked in tandem, each of the ninety-three students filing into the already crowded auditorium. With rich maroon gowns flowing and the traditional caps, they looked almost as grown up as they felt.
Dads swallowed hard behind broad smiles, and moms freely brushed away tears.
This class would not pray during the commencements ----- not by choice but because of a recent court ruling prohibiting it. The principal and several students were careful to stay within the guidelines allowed by the ruling. They gave inspirational and challenging speeches, but no one mentioned divine guidance and no one asked for blessings on the graduates or their families.
The speeches were nice, but they were routine...until the final speech received a standing ovation.
A solitary student walked proudly to the microphone. He stood still and silent for just a moment, and then he delivered his speech. An astounding-- SNEEZE!
The rest of the students rose immediately to their feet, and in unison they said, "GOD BLESS YOU."
The audience exploded into applause. The graduating class found a unique way to invoke God's blessing on their future with or without the court's approval.
*The commencement ceremony described was for the Washington Community High School class of 1991. Class valedictorian Natasha Appenheimer and the American Civil liberties Union won a court injunction the day before graduation that banned any type of prayer at the event. Even though the Benediction and invocation were suggested by the students and intended to be student-led, U.S. District Judge Joe B. McDade ruled that, since the prayers were subject to teacher review and would be promoted in school-printed programs, that the prayers violated the constitutional separation of church and state.
During the ceremony, Ryan Brown, a fellow student and one of the scheduled speakers, paused on his way to the podium to bow in silent prayer, which was greeted with cheers. During his speech, he faked a sneeze, and a few students, with whom he had previously arranged, shouted "God Bless You" in response.
Subtle protests by students were seen throughout the ceremony. Many used tape to spell out the words "Let's Pray" and "Amen" on their caps, while others wore cross necklaces passed out before the ceremony.
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by Words To Live By
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posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By Robin Eaton
How many of you can relate to the following story? Saturday morning arrives, and mounds of laundry along with it. You have just returned home from a short trip to the in-laws. Although the trip was only a few days long, you would never know it by the mounds of dirty clothes waiting to be washed in the hamper. You load a bundle of laundry in the machine, put in the soap, turn on the water, and close the lid. Shortly afterward, you notice something is not working here. You open the lid again, only to notice the machine isn't churning. You call the repairman who, upon inspecting the machine tells you that your agitator isn't working properly. Your response is, WHAT THE HECK IS AN AGITATOR? The repairman tells you that the agitator is the part of the machine that works your soap and water through the clothes. Ahh, so that's what an agitator is.
An agitator stirs things up, works through the mix and gets the things clean. That washing machine needs the agitator to get the clothes clean, water and soap alone won't do it, there has to be a stirring up of the soap and water to get the stains and filth out. The same is true for our lives. If we claim salvation, but never work it through our lives, we stagnate in our ways. We never get those old habits out of our lives, we simply let them soak with us, and that just makes for dirty water.
So what is the agitator in our spiritual lives? The Holy Spirit, that thing which brings the voice of Jesus up in our hearts and motivates us to do what we should is our agitator. The part of us that tells us to get out and volunteer and give of ourselves, that part that says to abstain from our sinful past, that part that reminds us to praise God everyday for His goodness. That is the Holy Spirit. God's voice in our hearts, our whispering conscience that stirs our souls and makes us want to obey Him, to do works for him, to love our brothers, to tithe and give our all for Jesus name sake.
Faith and hope live in us and unless we allow it to work through us, and we put ourselves to work for Him, it will not grow. Isn't our biggest mission to spread His love and His message to the world? If we live our lives with the attitude of I am saved, yet we don't tune in to the Holy Spirit, we aren't really living for God, are we? There is more to salvation than simply accepting the gift. There is a responsibility that comes with it, which becomes more and more a joy, and less a responsibility once we come to know Christ. Living a life that witnesses through our deeds and spreading the message of Jesus with others is something all of us as Christians need to be doing. I don't say this to be lecturing to all of those reading, but more of a reminder to myself and you all that our gift of salvation should kindle in us a desire to do what our Lord wants us to do. One of those things is to share the gospel.
I hope this silly little analogy makes you smile. And I hope it motivates you to listen and do that which the Holy Spirit is telling you that you should. Now whether that is abandoning old habits that are sinful, or whether it is serving your community in missions, or whether it is simply getting up and going to church on Sunday mornings; that is for you to interpret. I know I've got some work to do, now that I have heard my agitator.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Author unknown
Two men went fishing. One man was an experienced fisherman, the other wasnât. Every time the experienced fisherman caught a big fish, he put it in his ice chest to keep it fresh. Whenever the inexperienced fisherman caught a big fish, he threw it back.
The experienced fisherman watched this go on all day and finally got tired of seeing this man waste good fish. âWhy do you keep throwing back all the big fish you catch?â he asked. The inexperienced fisherman replied, âI only have a small frying pan.â
Sometimes, like that fisherman, we throw back the big plans, the big dreams, the big jobs and the big opportunities that God gives us. Our faith is too small.
We laugh at that fisherman who didnât figure out that all he needed was a bigger frying pan; yet how ready are we to increase the size of our faith?
Whether itâs a problem or a possibility, God will never give you anything bigger than you can handle. That means we can confidently walk into anything God brings our way.
Philippians 4:13 tells us, you can do all things through Christ. Nothing is too big for God.
Stop telling God youâve got big problems. Tell your problems youâve got a big God!
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by Words To Live By
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posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Author unknown
Thereâs a story told about an elderly lady in Arkansas, where the state voted to increase welfare payments to indigents. Hoping for a tear-jerker story, a television interviewer went into the back hills where many welfare recipients lived.
The old woman he chose to interview lived in a one-room shack: drafty in winter; stifling in summer. Her bed was a few rough planks nailed together, with a pine-needle mattress. A couple thin blankets and a fireplace, did little to protect her from the cold.
Her furniture, a table and two chairs, were fashioned from the same rough wood as her bed. Some shelves held a few cans of food from the general store, a three mile walk down the road. Several jars of preserves and a few squash completed her larder.
She had no fridge or freezer. The fireplace provided heat for cooking. With no phone or television her only connection with the outside world was an old radio that pulled in two or three local stations on a good day.
The old woman had one convenience, running water. A crystal clear stream gurgled a short distance behind her home.
A small garden near her back door provided fresh vegetables during the summer, and some squash and turnips for the winter. A tidy flower garden brightened the front of her house.
The television crew arrived and set up their big expensive cameras. Their mobile station broadcast pictures of the woman and the place she called home.
Eventually the interviewer asked the old woman, âIf the government gave you $200 more each month, what would you do with it?â
Without hesitation the woman replied, âIâd give it to the poor.â
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by Words To Live By
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posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By Lillian Leader, June 2, 2006
Have you ever looked, really looked, at a soldier's face? Sometimes it's young, barely an adult, the hopes of youth still painted in its features. Sometimes it's old; older than faith, older than wisdom, older than time. And sometimes...sometimes it's a bit of both all at once.
Sometimes it's gritty and pained, remembering the face of another who has fallen. Sometimes it's laughing, pleased to have a moment of peace. Most of the time it's proud because it knows, oh yes it knows, the world is a different place â a better place because of it.
Next time you look at a soldier's face, see if you can find that glint of pride. Sometimes itâs hidden and you have to search it out. You'll find it in the eyes; always in the eyes. For the eyes are indeed the windows to the soul, even a soldier's soul.
And when you've carefully examined every feature of that soldier's face, stand up straight and tall, and smile your best smile. Thank that soldier, because it does what some cannot or will not. It defends what it believes to be right with its very life.
But more important, it defends a perfect stranger: you. And when you see a flag-covered casket, stand in memoriam of all the soldier's faces you've examined. For when one of them falls, they all fall. And when one of them stands, they all stand.
Shouldn't we stand with them?
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by Words To Live By
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posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By Capt. John Rasmussen (Army News Service, May 22, 2002)
EAGLE BASE, Bosnia and Herzegovina -- It was raining "cats and dogs" and I was late for physical training.
Traffic was backed up at Fort Campbell, Ky., and was moving way too slowly. I was probably going to be late and I was growing more and more impatient.
The pace slowed almost to a standstill as I passed Memorial Grove, the site built to honor the soldiers who died in the Gander airplane crash, the worst redeployment accident in the history of the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault).
Because it was close to Memorial Day, a small American flag had been placed in the ground next to each soldier's memorial plaque.
My concern at the time, however, was getting past the bottleneck, getting out of the rain and getting to PT on time.
All of a sudden, infuriatingly, just as the traffic was getting started again, the car in front of me stopped.
A soldier, a private of course, jumped out in the pouring rain and ran over toward the grove.
I couldn't believe it! This knucklehead was holding up everyone for who knows what kind of prank. Horns were honking.
I waited to see the butt-chewing that I wanted him to get for making me late.
He was getting soaked to the skin. His BDUs were plastered to his frame. I watched-as he ran up to one of the memorial plaques, picked up the small American flag that had fallen to the ground in the wind and the rain, and set it upright again.
Then, slowly, he came to attention, saluted, ran back to his car, and drove off.
I'll never forget that incident. That soldier, whose name I will never know, taught me more about duty, honor, and respect than a hundred books or a thousand lectures.
That simple salute -- that single act of honoring his fallen brother and his flag -- encapsulated all the Army values in one gesture for me. It said, "I will never forget. I will keep the faith. I will finish the mission. I am an American soldier."
I thank God for examples like that.
And on this Memorial Day, I will remember all those who paid the ultimate price for my freedom, and one private, soaked to the skin, who honored them.
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by Words To Live By
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posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By Rob Gilbert, editor of âBits & Piecesâ
Last spring I was walking in a park. A short distance ahead of me was a mom and her three-year-old daughter. The little girl was holding on to a string that was attached to a helium balloon. All of a sudden, a sharp gust of wind took the balloon from the little girl. I braced myself for some screaming and crying.
But, no! As the little girl turned to watch her balloon go skyward, she gleefully shouted out, âWow!â
I didnât realize it at that moment, but that little girl taught me something.
Later that day, I received a phone call from a person with news of an unexpected problem. I felt like responding with âOh no, what should we do?â
But remembering that little girl, I found myself saying, âWow, thatâs interesting! How can I help you?â
One thingâs for sure â lifeâs always going to keep you off balance with its unexpected problems. Thatâs a given. Whatâs not preordained is your response. You can choose to be frustrated or fascinated.
No matter what the situation, a fascinated âWow!â will always beat a frustrated âOh, no.â
So the next time you experience one of lifeâs unexpected gusts, remember that little girl and make it a âWow!â experience. The âWow!â response always works.
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by Words To Live By
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posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Author Unknown -- from 'E-Mail Ministry'
My mother used to ask me what the most important part of the body is, and through the years I would take a guess at what I thought was the correct answer. When I was younger I thought sound was very important to us as humans so I said, âMy ears, mommy.â She said "No, many people are deaf. But you keep thinking about it and I will ask you again soon."
Several years passed before she asked me again. Since my last attempt I contemplated a correct answer. So I told her, "Mommy, sight is very important to everybody, so it must be our eyes." She looked at me and told me that I was learning fast, but the answer is not correct because there are many people who are blind.
Stumped again I continued my quest for knowledge and over the years she asked me a couple more times and always the same answer, "No. But you are getting smarter every year my young child."
Then last year my Grandpa died. Everybody was hurt. Everybody was crying. Even my father cried. I remember that especially because it is only the second time I saw him cry. My Mom looked at me when it was our turn to say our final good-bye to Grandpa. She asked me, "Do you know the most important body part yet my son?" And I was shocked she asked me this now. I always thought this was a game between her and me. She saw the confusion on my face and told me, "This question is very important. It shows that you have really lived in your life. For every body part you gave me in the past I have told you that it was wrong and given you an example why. But today is the day you need to learn this important lesson."
She looked down at me like only a mother can. I saw her eyes well up with tears. She said, "Son the most important body part is your shoulder." Was it because it held up my head? She replied, "No, because it can hold the head of a friend or loved one when they cry. Everybody needs a shoulder to cry on sometime in life my son. I only hope that you have enough love and friends that you will always have a shoulder to cry on when you need it." Then and there I knew the most important body part was not selfish, it was sympathetic to the pain of OTHERS.
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by Words To Live By
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posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Excerpt from Guidepost magazine © 2008
1. Visualize a good day. Each night, review 10 successes. âWorriers tend to remember their failures rather than their successes. Acknowledge success.â
2. Make a list of your worries. Allow yourself a short period each day to stress. When the time is up, quit worrying and move on.
3. Grade your anxiety on a scale of one to 10. Worry is manageable
4. Focus on the world around you. Notice the sights, sounds and smells. Connecting with nature can be a real nerve soother.
5. Act as if. Even when you feel bad, choose to imagine the best and act as if you feel good.
6. Wear a rubber band on your wrist. Whenever a negative thought takes hold, literally snap yourself out of it.
7. Do a reality check. Is what youâre worried about likely to happen? Probably not, so get out of your head and involved in the movement.
8. Ban the words always, never and forever from your vocabulary. Think more realistically, using words like sometimes and maybe.
9. Keep your body healthy.
10. Be your own coach. Fill your mind with encouraging thoughts. Magnify the positive, minimize the negative and remind yourself you can handle even the worst situation.
Above all â Stop worrying and start living!
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by Words To Live By
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posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By Steve Goodier
An airline passenger struck up a conversation with a stranger who was sniffling, apparently due to a recent head cold.
"Look at me!" the healthy one boasted. "Never a day's sickness in my life, and all due to simple food. Why, from the age of twenty to that of forty I lived an absolutely simple, regular life -- no pampering, no late hours, no extravagances. Every day, in fact, I was in bed regularly at nine o'clock and up again at five in the morning. I ate a plain meal at noon and, after that, exercised for an hour, then..."
"Excuse me," interrupted the sniffling stranger in the next seat, "but what were you in for?"
That regimented life does sound too much like a prison sentence. Some people can go overboard with a rigid routine. I once went on a near-starvation diet just to drop a few pounds. In two weeks I lost five pounds and the will to live.
Self discipline is important to happiness, but a rigid routine may not be the answer.
Mark Twain gave some advice about discipline. "Do one thing every day you don't want to do," he suggested. I think I can do that. One thing I've been putting off. One thing I always said I "ought" to do, but never made the effort.
I believe that doing something important that we don't want to do every day is a price we pay for success. Call it discipline. Call it duty. Call it paying your dues, for that may be what it really is.
And the other part is this: leave some time to do something you WANT to do, too. Paying your dues gets you where you want to go. Then having fun along the way makes the journey worthwhile.
For me, the "road to success" has been more like a toll road. If I pay that small, daily fee, I can go most anywhere I want. And when I leave enough time for fun, I enjoy the ride.
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by Words To Live By
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posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By Joseph J. Mazzella
Each of us in this life wants more than anything to be loved. We work for love. We strive for love. We make fools out of ourselves for love. We long to feel that love warming our hearts and souls. We strain our ears each day for just a whisper of those three glorious words: "I love you."
What most of us donât realize, however, is just how much God loves us. God is showing us and telling us how much He loves us every day. When you see the sun rising over the mountains, feel the cool breeze kissing your face, and hear the sweet songs of birds blessing your ears that is God saying, "I love you." When you see the adoring eyes of your dog looking up at you and feel the gentle brush of your cat against your hand that is God saying, "I love you." When you hear music that uplifts your soul with joy and read words that make your heart and mind soar into the heavens that is God saying, "I love you." When you hear the laughter of children playing and feel the warm hug of your own child against you that is God saying, "I love you." When you have the loving support of your family and the wonderful kindness of your friends no matter what you are going through that is God saying, "I love you." When you find your thoughts and feelings always leading you towards growth, learning, love, and joy that is God saying, "I love you." When your lifeâs circumstances both good and bad help you to keep growing stronger, better, happier, and more loving each day that is God saying, "I love you."
God is always telling you and showing you just how much He loves you. Donât be afraid then to say, "I love you too God." Donât be afraid to live that love in your life either. Love God with everything you have and with everything you are. Love yourself, love your neighbor, and make this whole world your neighborhood. Always remember that God is love, that life is joy, and that we are one. And always listen for the million ways that God says, "I love you."
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by Words To Live By
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posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Author unknown
And the Lord spoke to Noah and said: "In six months Iâm going to make it rain until the whole earth is covered with water and all the evil people are destroyed. But I want to save a few good people, and two of every kind of living thing on the planet. I am ordering you to build Me an Ark." And in a flash of lightning He delivered the specifications for an Ark.
"OK," said Noah, trembling in fear and fumbling with the blueprints.
"Six months, and it starts to rain," thundered the Lord. "Youâd better have the Ark completed, or learn how to swim for a very long time."
And six months passed. The skies began to cloud up and rain began to fall. The Lord saw that Noah was sitting in his front yard, weeping. And there was no Ark.
"Noah," shouted the Lord, "where is My Ark?"
A lightning bolt crashed into the ground next to Noah. "Lord, please forgive me!" begged Noah. "I did my best. But there were big problems. First I had to get a building permit for the Ark construction project, and your plans didnât meet code. So I had to hire an engineer to redraw the plans. Then I got into a big fight over whether or not the Ark needed a fire sprinkler system. My neighbors objected claiming I was violating zoning by building the Ark in my front yard, so I had to get a variance from the city planning commission..
Then I had a big problem getting enough wood for the Ark because there was a ban on cutting trees to save the Spotted Owl. I had to convince U.S. Fish and Wildlife that I needed the wood to save the owls. But they wouldnât let me catch any owls. So no owls. Then the carpenters formed a union and went out on strike. I had to negotiate a settlement with the National labor Relations Board before anyone would pick up a saw or a hammer. Now we have 16 carpenters going on the boat, and still no owls.
Then I started gathering up animals, and got sued by an animal rights group. They objected to me taking only two of each kind. Just when I got the suit dismissed, EPA notified me that I couldnât complete the Ark without filing an environmental impact statement on your proposed flood. They didnât take kindly to the idea that they had no jurisdiction over the conduct of a Supreme Being.
Then the Army Corps of Engineers wanted a map of the proposed new flood plan. I sent them a globe. Right now Iâm still trying to resolve a complaint from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission over how many Croatians Iâm supposed to hire, the IRS has seized all my assets claiming Iâm trying to avoid paying taxes by leaving the country, and I just got a notice from the state about owing some kind of use tax. I really donât think I can finish your Ark for at least another five years," Noah wailed.
The sky began to clear. The sun began to shine. A rainbow arched across the sky. Noah looked up and smiled. "You mean youâre not going to destroy the earth?" Noah asked, hopefully.
"Wrong!" thundered the Lord. "But being Lord of the Universe has its advantages. I fully intend to smite the Earth, but with something far worse than a flood. Something Man invented himselfâGOVERNMENT!"
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by Words To Live By
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posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By Leo Babauta
Many days, I try to humble myself and hold a 2-minute gratitude session. I simply sit or kneel, with no distractions, close my eyes, and think about what Iâm grateful for and who Iâm grateful for.
I donât do it every day, but let me tell you, on the days I do it, it makes me very happy.
Why should that be? Why should the simple act of thinking about who and what Iâm grateful for make such a big difference in my life?
Just a few reasons:
Because it reminds you of the positive things in your life. It makes you happy about the people in your life, whether theyâre loved ones or just a stranger you met who was kind to you in some ways.
Because it turns bad things into good things. Having problems at work? Be grateful you have work. Be grateful you have challenges, and that life isnât boring. Be grateful that you can learn from these challenges. Be thankful they make you a stronger person.
Because it reminds you of whatâs important. Itâs hard to complain about the little things when you give thanks that your children are alive and healthy. Itâs hard to get stressed out over paying bills when you are grateful there is a roof over your head.
Because it reminds you to thank others. The simple act of saying âthank youâ to someone can make a big difference in that personâs life. Calling them, emailing them, stopping by to say thank you ⦠just taking that minute out of your life to tell them why you are grateful toward them is important to them. People like being appreciated for who they are and what they do. It costs you little, but makes someone else happy. And making someone else happy will make you happy.
What do I give thanks for, privately, in my little gratitude session? It varies every day.
I thank my loved ones, for all they do to me. I thank strangers whoâve shown me little acts of kindness. I thank God, for the life heâs given me. I thank people around the world for the things theyâve done to make the world better. I thank myself, for things that Iâve done (itâs important to recognize your own accomplishments).
Meister Eckhart said âIf the only prayer you said in your whole life was, âthank you,â that would suffice.â
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by Words To Live By
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posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Author unknown
I find what I look for in people. If I look for God, I find God. If I look for bad qualities, I find them. I, in a sense, select what I expect, and I receive it.
A life without challenges would be like going to school without lessons to learn. Challenges come not to depress or get me down, but to master and to grow and to unfold thereby.
In the Father's wise and loving plan for me, no burden can fall upon me, no emergency can arise, no grief can overtake me, before I am given the grace and strength to meet them.
A rich, full life is not determined by outer circumstances and relationships. These can be contributory to it, but cannot be the source. I am happy or unhappy because of what I think and feel.
I can never lose anything that belongs to me, nor can I posses what is not really mine.
To never run from a problem: either it will chase me or I will run into another just like it, although it may have a different face or name.
To have no concern for tomorrow. Today is the yesterday over which I had concern.
To never bang on a closed door: Wait for it to open and then go through it.
A person who has come into my life has come either to teach me something, or to learn something from me.
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by Words To Live By
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posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Author unknown
A Native American and his friend were in downtown New York City, walking near Times Square in Manhattan. It was during the noon lunch hour and the streets were filled with people. Cars were honking their horns, taxicabs were squealing around corners, sirens were wailing, and the sounds of the city were almost deafening. Suddenly, the Native American said, "I hear a cricket."
His friend said, "What? You must be crazy. You couldn't possibly hear a cricket in all of this noise!"
"No, I'm sure of it," the Native American said, "I heard a cricket."
"That's crazy," said the friend.
The Native American listened carefully for a moment, and then walked across the street to a big cement planter where some shrubs were growing. He looked into the bushes, beneath the branches, and sure enough, he located a small cricket. His friend was utterly amazed.
"That's incredible," said his friend. "You must have super-human ears!"
"No," said the Native American. "My ears are no different from yours. It all depends on what you're listening for."
"But that can't be!" said the friend. "I could never hear a cricket in this noise."
"Yes, it's true," came the reply. "It depends on what is really important to you. Here, let me show you."
He reached into his pocket, pulled out a few coins, and discreetly dropped them on the sidewalk. And then, with the noise of the crowded street still blaring in their ears, they noticed every head within twenty feet turn and look to see if the money that tinkled on the pavement was theirs.
"See what I mean?" asked the Native American. "It all depends on what's important to you."
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Author unknown
Listen to everyone
Listen to those who love you and those who donât; to those who bore you; even to your enemies. It works a small miracle, and perhaps a great one.
Listen to what hasnât been said
Listen to what has been said and especially to the unspoken â therein lie nuggets of truth and beauty.
Listen to your inner self
Learn to listen to the whispers of your heart and your soul; of whatâs right and whatâs not. You know so much more than you give yourself credit for.
Listen more than you speak
The less we speak, the more we listen. The more we listen, the more we learn.
Listen without interrupting
It takes courage to stand up and speak, and even more courage to sit down and listen
Listen with absolute patience.
Words donât come easily to everyone. Yet each person has something to say. So keep on listening and be rewarded with words of wisdom.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Author unknown
Love starts with a smile, grows with a kiss, and ends with a tear.
Don't cry over anyone who won't cry over you.
If love isn't a game, why are there so many players?
Good friends are hard to find, harder to leave, and impossible to forget.
You can only go as far as you push.
Actions speak louder than words.
The hardest thing to do is watch the one you love, love somebody else.
Don't let the past hold you back; you're missing the good stuff.
Life's short. If you don't look around once in a while you might miss it.
A BEST FRIEND is like a four leaf clover, HARD TO FIND and LUCKY TO HAVE.
Some people make the world SPECIAL just by being in it.
BEST FRIENDS are the siblings God forgot to give us.
When it hurts to look back, and you're scared to look ahead, you can look beside you and your BEST FRIEND will be there.
TRUE FRIENDSHIP "NEVER" ENDS. Friends are FOREVER.
Good friends are like stars.... You don't always see them, but you know they are always there.
Don't frown. You never know who is falling in love with your smile.
What do you do when the only person who can make you stop crying is the person who made you cry?
Nobody is perfect until you fall in love with them.
Everything is okay in the end. If it's not okay, then it's not the end.
Most people walk in and out of your life, only friends leave footprints in your heart.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By Dr. Charles Garfield, from âCondensed Chicken Soup for the Soulâ
If you have ever gone through a toll booth, you know that your relationship to the person in the booth is not the most intimate you'll ever have. It is one of life's frequent non-encounters: You hand over some money; you might get change; you drive off.
Late one morning in 1984, headed for lunch in San Francisco, I drove toward a booth. I heard loud music. It sounded like a party. I looked around. No other cars with their windows open. No sound trucks. I looked at the toll booth. Inside it, the man was dancing.
"What are you doing?" I asked.
"I'm having a party," he said.
"What about the rest of the people?" I looked at the other toll booths.
He said, "What do those look like to you?" He pointed down the row of toll booths.
"They look like...toll booths. What do they look like to you?"
He said, "Vertical coffins. At 8:30 every morning, live people get in. Then they die for eight hours. At 4:30, like Lazarus from the dead, they reemerge and go home. For eight hours, brain is on hold, dead on the job. Going through the motions."
I was amazed. This guy had developed a philosophy, a mythology about his job. Sixteen people dead on the job, and the seventeenth, in precisely the same situation, figures out a way to live. I could not help asking the next question: "Why is it different for you? You're having a good time."
He looked at me. "I knew you were going to ask that. I don't understand why anybody would think my job is boring. I have a corner office, glass on all sides. I can see the Golden Gate, San Francisco, and the Berkeley hills. Half the Western world vacations here...and I just stroll in every day and practice dancing."
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Author unknown
Hold on to faith; it is the source of believing that all things are possible. It is the fiber and strength of a confident soul.
Hold on to hope; it banishes doubt and enables attitudes to be positive and cheerful.
Hold on to trust; it is at the core of fruitful relationships that are secure and content.
Hold on to love; it is lifeâs greatest gift of all, for it shares, cares, and gives meaning to life.
Hold on to family and friends; they are the most important people in your life, and they make the world a better place. They are your roots and the beginnings that you grew from; they are the vine that has grown through time to nourish you, help you on your way, and always remain close by.
Hold on to all that you are and all that you have learned, for these things are what make you unique. Donât ignore what you feel and what you believe is right and important; your heart has a way of speaking louder than your mind.
Hold on to your dreams; achieve them diligently and honestly. Never take the easy way or surrender to deceit. Remember others on your way, and take time to care for their needs. Enjoy the beauty around you. Have the courage to see things differently and clearly. Make the world a better place one day at a time, and donât let go of the important things that give meaning to your life.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By Jan Peck, Chicken Soup for the Kid's Soul
During summer vacations, I would volunteer at the vet's, so I'd seen a lot of dogs. Minnie was by far the funniest-looking dog I'd ever seen. Thin curly hair barely covered her sausage-shaped body. Her bugged-out eyes always seemed surprised. And her tail looked like a rat's tail.
She was brought to the vet to be put to sleep because her owners didn't want her anymore. I thought Minnie had a sweet personality, though. "No one should judge her by her looks," I thought. So the vet spayed her and gave her the necessary shots. Finally, I advertised Minnie in the local paper: "Funny-looking dog, well behaved, needs loving family."
When a young man called, I warned him that Minnie was strange looking. The boy on the phone told me that his grandfather's sixteen-year-old dog had just died. They wanted Minnie no matter what. I gave Minnie a good bath and fluffed up what was left of her scraggly hair. Then we waited for them to arrive.
At last, an old car drove up in front of the vet's. Two kids raced to the door.
They scooped Minnie into their arms and rushed her out to their grandfather, who was waiting in the car. I hurried behind them to see his reaction to Minnie.
Inside the car, the grandfather cradled Minnie in his arms and stroked her soft hair. She licked his face. Her rattail wagged around so quickly that it looked like it might fly off her body. It was love at first lick.
"She's perfect!" the old man exclaimed.
I was thankful that Minnie had found the good home that she deserved.
That's when I saw that the grandfather's eyes were a milky white color - he was blind.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By Sharon L. Twitchell ©2002
Before I was a Mom,
I made and ate hot meals,
I had unstained clothing,
I brushed my hair every day,
I had quiet conversations on the phone,
I slept as late as I wanted and I slept all night long.
Before I was a Mom,
I cleaned my house each day,
I never tripped over toys or forgot lullabies,
I didn't worry whether or not my plants were poisonous,
I had never been puked on, pooped on, spit on, chewed on, peed on, or pinched by tiny fingers.
Before I was a Mom,
I never thought about immunizations,
I never held a screaming child so the doctors could give shots,
I never looked into teary eyes and cried,
I never felt my heart break into pieces when I couldn't stop the hurt,
I never got gloriously happy over a simple grin.
Before I was a Mom,
I never held a sleeping baby just because I didn't want to put it down,
I never sat up late hours of the night watching a baby sleep,
I never got up in the middle of the night to make sure everything was okay,
I didn't know how special it could feel to feed a hungry baby.
Before I was a Mom,
I had complete control of my mind, my thoughts and my body,
I didn't know the feeling of having my heart outside of my body,
I didn't know that having something so small could make me feel so important,
I had never known the warmth, the joy, the love, the heartache, the wonderment, or the satisfaction of being a mom.
Before I was a Mom,
I never knew that something so small could affect my life so much,
I never knew that I could love someone so much,
I never knew I would love being a Mom,
I didn't know the bond between a Mother and her child,
I didn't know I was capable of feeling so much.
Before I was a Mom.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By John âGibbyâ Gilbert
A little boy came up to his mother in the kitchen one evening while she was fixing supper, and he handed her a piece of paper that he had been writing on. After his mom dried her hands on an apron, she read it, and this is what it said:
For cutting the grass: $5.00
For cleaning up my room this week: $1.00
For going to the store for you: .50
Baby-sitting my kid brother while you went shopping: .25
Taking out the garbage: $1.00
For getting a good report card: $5.00
For cleaning up and raking the yard: $2.00
Total owed: $14.75
Well, his mother looked at him standing there, and the boy could see the memories flashing through her mind. She picked up the pen, turned over the paper he'd written on, and this is what she wrote:
"For the nine months I carried you while you grew inside me: No Charge.
For all the nights that I've sat up with you, doctored and prayed for you: No Charge.
For all the trying times, and all the tears that you've caused through the years: No Charge.
For all the nights that were filled with dread, and for the worries I knew were ahead: No Charge.
For the toys, food, clothes, and even wiping your nose: No Charge.
When you add it up, Son, the cost of my love is: No Charge."
When the boy finished reading what his mother had written, there were big tears in his eyes, and he looked straight up at his mother and said, "Mom, I sure do love you."
And then he took the pen and in great big letters he wrote: "PAID IN FULL".
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Author unknown; submitted by Wolf Gang member Tammie Braxton
The story is told of an old man who lived on a farm in the mountains of eastern Kentucky with his young grandson.
Each morning, Grandpa was up early sitting at the kitchen table reading from his old worn-out Bible. His grandson who wanted to be just like him tried to imitate him in any way he could..
One day the grandson asked, 'Papa, I try to read the Bible just like you but I don't understand it, and what I do understand I forget as soon as I close the book. What good does reading the Bible do?'
The Grandfather quietly turned from putting coal in the stove and said, 'Take this old wicker coal basket down to the river and bring back a basket of water.'
The boy did as he was told, even though all the water leaked out before he could get back to the house. The grandfather laughed and said, 'You will have to move a little faster next time,' and sent him back to the river with the basket to try again.
This time the boy ran faster, but again the old wicker basket was empty before he returned home. Out of breath, he told his grandfather that it was 'impossible to carry water in a basket,' and he went to get a bucket instead.
The old man said, 'I don't want a bucket of water; I want a basket of water. You can do this. You're just not trying hard enough,' and he went out the door to watch the boy try again.
At this point, the boy knew it was impossible, but he wanted to show his grandfather that even if he ran as fast as he could, the water would leak out before he got far at all.
The boy scooped the water and ran hard, but when he reached his grandfather the basket was again empty. Out of breath, he said, 'See Papa, it's useless!'
'So you think it is useless?' the old man said. 'Look at the basket.'
The boy looked at the basket and for the first time he realized that the basket looked different.
Instead of a dirty old wicker coal basket, it was clean.
'Son, that's what happens when you read the Bible. You might not understand or remember everything, but when you read it, it will change you from the inside out.'
Moral of the wicker basket story:
Take time to read a portion of God's word each day; it will affect you for good even if you don't retain a word.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By Jack Canfield, Chicken Soup for the Soul
I have a friend named Monty Roberts who owns a horse ranch in San Ysidro. He has let me use his house to put on fund-raising events to raise money for youth at risk programs.
The last time I was there he introduced me by saying, "I want to tell you why I let Jack use my house. It all goes back to a story about a young man who was the son of an itinerant horse trainer who would go from stable to stable, race track to race track, farm to farm and ranch to ranch, training horses. As a result, the boy's high school career was continually interrupted. When he was a senior, he was asked to write a paper about what he wanted to be and do when he grew up.
"That night he wrote a seven-page paper describing his goal of someday owning a horse ranch. He wrote about his dream in great detail and he even drew a diagram of a 200- acre ranch, showing the location of all the buildings, the stables and the track. Then he drew a detailed floor plan for a 4,000-square-foot house that would sit on a 200-acre dream ranch.
"He put a great deal of his heart into the project and the next day he handed it in to his teacher. Two days later he received his paper back. On the front page was a large red F with a note that read, 'See me after class.'
"The boy with the dream went to see the teacher after class and asked, 'Why did I receive an F?'
"The teacher said, 'This is an unrealistic dream for a young boy like you. You have no money. You come from an itinerant family. You have no resources. Owning a horse ranch requires a lot of money. You have to buy the land. You have to pay for the original breeding stock and later you'll have to pay large stud fees. There's no way you could ever do it.' Then the teacher added, 'If you will rewrite this paper with a more realistic goal, I will reconsider your grade.'
"The boy went home and thought about it long and hard. He asked his father what he should do. His father said, 'Look, son, you have to make up your own mind on this. However, I think it is a very important decision for you.'
"Finally, after sitting with it for a week, the boy turned in the same paper, making no changes at all. He stated, 'You can keep the F and I'll keep my dream.'"
Monty then turned to the assembled group and said, "I tell you this story because you are sitting in my 4,000- square-foot house in the middle of my 200-acre horse ranch. I still have that school paper framed over the fireplace." He added, "The best part of the story is that two summers ago that same schoolteacher brought 30 kids to camp out on my ranch for a week." When the teacher was leaving, he said, 'Look, Monty, I can tell you this now. When I was your teacher, I was something of a dream stealer. During those years I stole a lot of kids' dreams. Fortunately you had enough gumption not to give up on yours.'"
Don't let anyone steal your dreams. Follow your heart, no matter what.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
From âBe Inspired Todayâ
There was a little boy visiting his grandparents on their farm. He was given a slingshot to play with out 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 Grandmaâs 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 woodpile, only to see his sister watching! Sally had seen it all, but she said nothing.
After lunch the next day Grandma said, âSally, letâs wash the dishes.â But Sally said, âGrandma, Johnny told me he wanted to help in the kitchen.â Then she whispered to him, âRemember the duck?â So Johnny did the dishes.
Later that day, Grandpa asked if the children wanted to go fishing and Grandma said, âIâm sorry but I need Sally to help make supper.â Sally just smiled and said,â Well thatâs all right because Johnny told me he wanted to help.â She whispered again, âRemember the duck?â
So Sally went fishing and Johnny stayed to help.
After several days of Johnny doing both his chores and Sallyâs he finally couldnât 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, âSweetheart, 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.â
Thought for the day and every day thereafter: Whatever is in your past, whatever you have done â and the devil keeps throwing it up in your face (lying, debt, fear, hatred, anger, un-forgiveness, 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. Heâs 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 Godâs Grace and Mercy that we are saved.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By Debbi Smoot
Carolâs husband was killed in an accident last year. Jim, only fifty-two years old, was driving home from work; the other driver was a teenager with a very high blood alcohol level. Jim died instantly. The teenager was in the emergency room for less than two hours.
There were other ironic twists: It was Carolâs fiftieth birthday, and Jim had two plane tickets to Hawaii in his pocket. He was going to surprise her. Instead, he was killed by a drunk driver.
âHow have you survived this?â I finally asked Carol, a year later.
Her eyes welled up with tears. I thought I had said the wrong thing, but she gently took my hand and said, âItâs all right; I want to tell you. The day I married Jim, I promised I would never let him leave the house in the morning without telling him I loved him. He made the same promise. It got to be a joke between us, and as babies came along, it got to be a hard promise to keep. I remember running down the driveway, saying âI love youâ through clenched teeth when I was mad, or driving to the office to put a note in his car. It was a funny challenge.
âWe made a lot of memories trying to say âI love youâ before noon every day of our married life.
âThe morning Jim died, he left a birthday card in the kitchen and slipped out to the car. I heard the engine starting. Oh, no, you donât, buster, I thought. I raced out and banged on the car window until he rolled it down.
âHere on my fiftieth birthday, Mr. James E. Garret, I Carol Garret, want to go on record as saying I love you!â
âThatâs how Iâve survived. Knowing that the last words I said to Jim were âI love you!â
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Author unknown
One Sunday morning, an old cowboy entered a church just before services were to begin. Although the old man and his clothes were spotlessly clean, he wore jeans, a denim shirt and boots that were worn and ragged. In his hand he carried a worn-out old hat and an equally worn, dog-eared Bible.
The church he entered was in a very upscale and exclusive part of the city. It was the largest and most beautiful church the old cowboy had ever seen. The people of the congregation were all dressed with expensive clothes and fine jewelry. As the cowboy took a seat, the others moved away from him. No one greeted, spoke to, or welcomed him. They were all appalled by his appearance and did not attempt to hide it.
As the old cowboy was leaving the church, the preacher approached him and asked the cowboy to do him a favor. "Before you come back in here again, have a talk with God and ask him what he thinks would be appropriate attire for worship in church." The old cowboy assured the preacher he would.
The next Sunday, he showed back up for the services wearing the same ragged jeans, shirt, boots, and hat. Once again he was completely shunned and ignored. The preacher approached the cowboy and said, "I thought I asked you to speak to God before you came back to our church."
"I did," replied the old cowboy.
"And what was his reply?" asked the preacher.
"Well, sir, God told me that he didn't have a clue what I should wear. He said he'd never been in this church.â
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Author unknown
âNow imagine you and the Lord walking down the road together. For much of the way, the Lordâs footprints go along steadily, consistently, rarely varying the pace. But your prints are a disorganized stream of zigzags, starts, stops, turnarounds, circles, departures and returns.
For much of the way it seems to go like this. But gradually, your footprints come more in line with the Lordâs, soon paralleling His consistently. You and the Lord are walking as true friends.
This seems perfect, but then an interesting thing happens: your footprints that once etched the sand next to the Masterâs are now walking precisely in His steps. Inside His larger footprints is the small âsandprintâ, safely enclosed. You and Lord are becoming one.
This goes on for many miles. But gradually you notice another change. The footprint inside the larger footprint seems to grow larger. Eventually it disappears altogether. There is only one set of footprints. They have become one. Again, this goes on for a long time. But then something awful appens. The second set of footprints is back. And this time it seems worse. Zigzags all over the place. Stops. Starts. Deep gashes in the sand. A veritable mess of prints.
Youâre amazed and shocked. But this is the end of your dream. Now you speak. âLord, I understand the first scene with the zigzags and fits and starts and so on. I was a new Christian, just learning. But You walked on through the storm and helped me learn to walk with you.â
âThat is correct.â
âYes, and when the smaller footprints were inside of Yours, I was actually learning to walk in Your steps. I followed You very closely.â âVery good. You have understood everything so far.â
âThen the smaller footprints grew and eventually filled in with Yours. I suppose that I was actually growing so much that I was becoming like you in every way.â
âPrecisely.â
âBut this is my question: Lord⦠Was there a regression or something? The footprints went back to two, and this time it was worse than the first.â
The Lord smiles, then laughs. âYou didnât know?â He says. âThat was when we dancedâ.â
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By âPoppyâ
I raised Him as a good boy, taught Him well, all through His life.
I tried to do the best I could, as a Mother and a wife.
His Step-Dad was a good man, taught Him well in every way,
And treated Him as his own son, until His dying day.
He always was a good boy, never even raised His voice.
Except on some occasions, when He really had no choice.
He treated people kindly, treated everybody fair.
And if somebody had a problem, He would always care.
People always listened, to the words He had to say,
And they would stay and listen, even late into the day.
Everybody loved Him, from the rich to down and out,
But there were some, who did not want Him going all about.
He never did an evil deed, as everybody knows.
There were a few who said, "He's always stepping on our toes."
"This Man is speaking blasphemy," said leaders in their quote.
"We have the perfect setup here, and He's rocking our boat."
"If only we could shut Him up, and go on like it's been,
But, if He will not shut His mouth, we must get rid of Him."
So, on that Friday, I stood by and watched them kill my son.
While other's watched and wondered, 'what on earth has this boy done?'
I raised Him as a good boy, He made life so rich and full,
And just because He spoke like God, He's called a criminal.
A mother loves her children and she gives the very best.
A mother does the best she can and prays God does the rest.
If God blessed you with children, you must give them back to Him,
And realize deep in your heart, that He's in charge of them.
In this life, there will be times, when you don't understand,
What God is doing, but you know you've done the best you can.
On that Friday, it felt like my heart ripped from my chest,
But, I knew God was in charge and I had done my best.
To be a mother is a blessing, that God does bestow,
But, someday, wants His children back and I thought you should know.
-Mary
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Author unknown
I am GOD.
Today I will be handling all of your problems.
Please remember that I do not need your help.
If life happens to deliver a situation to you that you cannot handle, do not attempt to resolve it.
Kindly put it in the SFGTD (something for GOD to do) box. It will be addressed in My time, not yours. Once the matter is placed into the box, do not hold on to it.
1.   If you find yourself stuck in traffic, donât despair. There are people in this world for whom driving is an unheard of privilege.
2.   Should you have a bad day at work, think of the man who has been out of work for years.
3.   Should you despair over a relationship gone bad, think of the person who has never known what itâs like to love and be loved in return.
4.   Should you grieve the passing of another weekend, think of the woman in dire straits, working twelve hours a day, seven days a week to feed her children.
5.   Should your car break down, leaving you miles away from assistance, think of the paraplegic who would love the opportunity to take that walk.
6.   Should you notice a new gray hair in the mirror, think of the cancer patient in chemotherapy who wishes she had hair to examine.
7.   Should you find yourself at a loss and pondering what is life all about, asking âWhat is my purpose?â, be thankful. There are those who didnât live long enough to get the opportunity.
8.   Should you find yourself the victim of other peopleâs bitterness, ignorance, smallness or insecurities, remember, things could be worse. You could be them!
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By Shari Smith, âA 4th Course of Chicken Soup for the Soulâ
Even at the age of 75, Thelma was very vivacious and full of life. When her husband passed away, her children suggested that she move to a "senior living community." A gregarious and life-loving person, Thelma decided to do so.
Shortly after moving in, Thelma became a self-appointed activities director, coordinating all sorts of things for the people in the community to do and quickly became very popular and made many friends.
When Thelma turned 80, her newfound friends showed their appreciation by throwing a surprise birthday party for her. When Thelma entered the dining room for dinner that night, she was greeted by a standing ovation and one of the coordinators led her to the head table. The night was filled with laughter and entertainment, but throughout the evening, Thelma could not take her eyes off a gentleman sitting at the other end of the table.
When the festivities ended, Thelma quickly rose from her seat and rushed over to the man. "Pardon me," Thelma said. "Please forgive me if I made you feel uncomfortable by staring at you all night. I just couldn't help myself from looking your way. You see, you look just like my fifth husband."
"Your fifth husband!" replied the gentleman. "Forgive me for asking, but how many times have you been married?"
With that, a smile came across Thelma's face as she responded, "Four."
They were married shortly after.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By Steve Goodier
I heard a story about an older woman who stood in line at the Post Office. She struck up a conversation with a young man next to her. He noticed that she had no packages to mail, and asked why she was standing in line. She said that she just needed a few stamps.
"Ma'am, you must be tired standing here. Did you know there's a stamp machine over there in the corner?" He pointed to the machine built into the wall.
"Why yes, thank you," the lady replied, "but I'll just wait here a little while longer. I'm getting close to the window."
The customer became insistent.
"But it would be so much easier for you to avoid this long line and buy your stamps from the machine."
The woman patted him on the arm and answered, "Oh, I know. But that old machine would never ask me how my grandchildren are doing."
She had a need greater than the need for postage stamps -- a need to feel connected to other people. And it was a need that could not be met by a stamp machine.
When Harry Truman was thrust into the U.S. presidency at the death of Franklin Roosevelt, a colleague and friend -- Congressman Sam Rayburn of Bonham, Texas -- gave Truman some fatherly advice.
Rayburn said, "Harry, from here on out, you're going to have lots of people around you. They'll try to put a wall around you and cut you off from any ideas but theirs. They'll tell you what a great man you are, Harry. But you and I both know you ain't." Friends can say those things to each other.
Later, when Sam Rayburn discovered that he was seriously ill, he told his friends in Congress that he was going home to Bonham for medical tests. "But there are excellent doctors and medical facilities in Washington D.C." some of them argued. "Why would you want to go to Bonham?"
"Because," the congressman replied, "Bonham is a place where people know it when you're sick, and where they care when you die."
Rayburn had a need greater than good medical assistance. He needed friends. Someone to ask how his grandchildren were doing. Someone to sit by him and stop by his home. Someone to care. A few close friends meant more than the best medical facilities in the world.
Who is such a friend to you? That person is more valuable than your greatest possession.
Have you said ... thanks?
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By Terri Vandermark, âChicken Soup for the Teenage Soulâ
On June 18th, I went to my little brother's baseball game as I always did. Cory was 12 years old at the time and had been playing baseball for a couple of years. When I saw that he was warming up to be next at bat, I decided to head over to the dugout to give him a few pointers. But when I got there, I simply said, "I love you."
In return, he asked, "Does this mean you want me to hit a home run?"
I smiled and said, "Do your best."
As he walked up to the plate, there was a certain aura about him. He looked so confident and so sure about what he was going to do. One swing was all he took and, wouldn't you know, he hit his first home run! He ran around those bases with such pride - his eyes sparkled and his face was lit up. But what touched my heart the most was when he walked back over to the dugout. He looked over at me with the biggest smile I've ever seen and said, "I love you too, Ter."
I don't remember if his team won or lost that game. On that special summer day in June, it simply didn't matter.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Author unknown
I was parked in front of the mall wiping off my car. I had just come from the car wash and was waiting for my wife. Coming my way from across the parking lot was what society would consider a bum. From the looks of him, he had no car, no home, no clean clothes, and no money.
There are times when you feel generous but there are other times that you just don't want to be bothered. This was one of those âI don't want to be botheredâ times. "I hope he doesn't ask me for any money," I thought. He didn't.
He came and sat on the curb in front of the bus stop, but he didn't look like he could have enough money to even ride the bus. After a few minutes he spoke.
"That's a very pretty car," he said.
He was ragged but he had an air of dignity around him. I said, "Thanks," and continued wiping off my car.
He sat there quietly as I worked. The expected plea for money never came. As the silence between us widened something inside said, "Ask him if he needs any help." I was sure that he would say "yes," but I held true to the inner voice.
"Do you need any help?" I asked.
He answered in three simple but profound words that I shall never forget.
We often look for wisdom in great men and women. We expect it from those of higher learning and accomplishments. I expected nothing but an outstretched grimy hand. He spoke the three words that shook me.
"Don't we all?" he said.
I was feeling high and mighty, successful and important, above a bum in the street, until those three words hit me like a twelve gauge shotgun.
Don't we all?
I needed help. Maybe not for bus fare or a place to sleep, but I needed help. I reached in my wallet and gave him not only enough for bus fare, but enough to get a warm meal and shelter for the day.
Those three little words still ring true. No matter how much you have, no matter how much you have accomplished, you need help too. No matter how little you have, no matter how loaded you are with problems, even without money or a place to sleep, you can give help. Even if it's just a compliment, you can give that. You never know when you may see someone that appears to have it all. They are waiting on you to give them what they don't have. A different perspective on life, a glimpse at something beautiful, a respite from daily chaos, that only you through a torn world can see.
Maybe the man was just a homeless stranger wandering the streets. Maybe he was more than that. Maybe he was sent by a power that is great and wise, to minister to a soul too comfortable in themselves.
Maybe God looked down, called an Angel, dressed him like a bum, then said, "go minister to that man cleaning the car, that man needs help."
Don't we all?
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Author unknown
We convince ourselves that life will be better after we get married, have a baby, then another. Then we are frustrated that the kids aren't old enough and we'll be more content when they are.
After that, we're frustrated that we have teenagers to deal with. We will certainly be happy when they are out of that stage. We tell ourselves that our life will be complete when our spouse gets his or her act together, when we get a nicer car, when we are able to go on a nice vacation, or when we retire.
The truth is, there's no better time to be happy than right now. If not now, when? Your life will always be filled with challenges. It's best to admit this to yourself and decide to be happy anyway. Happiness is the way. So, treasure every moment that you have and treasure it more because you shared it with someone special, special enough to spend your time with... and remember that time waits for no one.
So, stop waiting....
--until your car or home is paid off
--until you get a new car or home
--until your kids leave the house
--until you go back to school
--until you finish school
--until you lose 10 lbs.
--until you gain 10 lbs.
--until you get married
--until you get a divorce
--until you have kids
--until you retire
--until summer
--until spring
--until winter
--until fall
--until you die
There is no better time to be happy than right now.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Author unknown
I have always dreaded old age. I cannot imagine anything worse than being old. How awful it must be to have nothing to do all day long but stare at the walls or watch TV? So last year, when the President suggested we all celebrate Senior Citizen Week by cheering up a senior citizen, I decided to do just that. I would call on my new neighbor, an elderly retired gentleman, recently widowed, and who, I presumed, had moved in with his married daughter because he was too old to take care of himself. I baked a batch of cookies, and, without bothering to call (some old people cannot hear the phone), I went off to brighten this old guy's day.
When I rang the doorbell this "old guy" came to the door dressed in tennis shorts and a polo shirt, looking about as ancient and decrepit as Donny Osmond. "I'm sorry I can't invite you in," he said when I introduced myself, "but I'm due at the Racquet Club at two. I'm playing in the semifinals today."
"Oh that's all right," I said. "I baked you some cookies..."
"Great!" he interrupted, snatching the box. "Just what I need for bridge club tomorrow! Thanks so much!"
I continued, "...and just thought we'd visit a while. But that's okay! I'll just trot across the street and call on Granny Grady."
"Don't bother," he said. "Gran's not home. I know; I just called to remind her of our date to go dancing tonight. She may be at the beauty shop. She mentioned at breakfast (at which house?) that she had an appointment for a tint job."
So I went home and called my Mother's cousin (age 83); she was in the hospital....working in the gift shop. I called my aunt (age 74); she was on vacation in China. I called my husband's uncle (age 79); I forgot...he was on his honeymoon.
I still dread old age, now more than ever. I just don't think I'm up to it.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Author unknown
A man was giving his testimony at one of those old Salvation Army open air street meetings. As he was testifying, a heckler in the crowd yelled, "Why don't you shut up and sit down? You're just dreaming."
Immediately that heckler felt a tug on his coat. He looked down to see a little girl, who said. "Sir, may I speak to you? That man who is talking up there is my daddy.
âDaddy used to be a drunkard. He used to spend all of the money he made on whiskey. My mother was very sad and would cry most of the time. Sometimes when my daddy came home, he would hit my mother. I didn't have shoes or a nice dress to wear to school.
âNow look at my shoes. And see this pretty dress? My daddy bought these for me." But the little girl wasn't through with that heckler yet.
"See my mother over there? She's the one with the bright smile on her face. She's happy now. She sings even when she's doing the ironing."
Then the little girl said, "Mister, if my daddy is dreaming, please don't wake him up."
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By Joseph J. Mazzella
I try not to listen to other peopleâs conversations, but sometimes you canât help but hear something that sticks with you. Sometimes a pearl of great wisdom slips into your ears and finds its way into your heart, mind, and soul.
This is what happened to me the other day while I was walking in a store. I was looking for acne pads to help my youngest sonâs teenage face. As I rounded the corner I heard a middle-aged woman with a little girl in her arms asking her grandmother what she thought about a brand new face cream that was supposed to diminish wrinkles and laugh lines. The grandmother just laughed and said, "Sweetie, I am 80 years old. I have learned to love all my laugh lines. After all, I earned every one of them." Then just to prove her point she laughed again and tickled her great granddaughter. The little girlâs and the old womanâs laughter blended together with a sound as musical and beautiful as an angelâs song.
I left the store feeling a lot better about all the laugh lines I had earned in my own life. I remembered too all the beautiful faces I had seen over the years. The most radiant ones of all always seemed to have the most laugh lines as well as the fewest frown creases. They shined with joyous smiles and sparkling, loving eyes. Their beauty was ageless and eternal. It didnât matter if they were 48, or 80 years old. They still glowed as true Children of God.
I think then that I will follow that wise grandmaâs advice and continue to love my laugh lines for all the years I have left here. They are the living proof of a life well lived. They are the foot prints that a loving soul leaves on the face. They are the roadmap that traces our wonderful journey with God. I hope that all of you learn to love your laugh lines as well. May you have the time of your life earning every one of them.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By Joseph J. Mazzella
When she was in her eighties a lifetime of health problems finally caught up with my Grandmother and forced her into a nursing home. It was a difficult time for us all. I had grown up in her home as a child and lived just across the road from her as an adult. It was hard seeing her then losing weight and confined to a wheelchair. Still, we adjusted. My children and I would load up the car every Saturday for the 25 mile trip to visit her. She always had a tender hug and loving kiss waiting for us. The nurses there fell in love with her too. Her loving but feisty spirit touched them all. She made them laugh and smile and sometimes even taught them a few choice words of Italian that they didnât need to know. I can remember the whole family gathering to celebrate her 90th birthday in that nursing home cafeteria. The entire room was filled with love.
In the last few years of her life, however, my Grandmaâs mind started to fail her as well. Sometimes she would know us when we visited her and sometimes she would not. As she got worse and worse I would often just sit with her and hold her hand. Words were no longer needed. Her body may have given out and her memory may have left her, but in those moments I felt connected to her soul. I knew that her spirit would soon pass from this world, but I also knew that the love we had shared would live on in my heart always.
Even now years after her death I still feel that connection. I still feel that love. It reminds me every day that we are all one family in this world. We are all Children of God. We are all here to love each other, to help each other, and to grow in oneness with each other. We are here to build bridges to each otherâs hearts and to find connections to each otherâs souls. Donât be afraid to love others then. Donât be afraid to share your life with them. Yes, you may suffer pain and even loss. But as my Grandma taught me so well, the love you share will live on forever.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Author unknown
A man meets a guru in the road. The man asks the guru, âWhich way is success?â
The berobed, bearded sage speaks not, but points to a place off in the distance.
The man, thrilled by the prospect of quick and easy success, rushes off in the appropriate direction. Suddenly, there comes a loud âSPLAT.â Eventually, the man limps back, tattered and stunned, assuming he must have misinterpreted the message. He repeats his question to the guru, who again points silently in the same direction.
The man obediently walks off once more. This time the splat is deafening, and when the man crawls back, he is bloody, broken, tattered, and irate. âI asked you which way is success,â he screams at the guru. âI followed the direction you indicated. And all I got was splatted! No more of this pointing! Talk!â
Only then does the guru speak, and what he says is this: âSuccess IS that way. Just a little PAST splat.â
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Author unknown
Sometimes in life,
You find a special friend,
Someone who changes your life
Just by being a part of it
Someone who makes you laugh
Until you can't stop
Someone who makes you believe
That there really is good in the world
Someone who convinces you that
There really is an unlocked door
Just waiting for you to open it.
This is a Forever Friendship
When you're down,
And the world seems dark and empty,
Your forever friend lifts you up in spirit
And makes that dark and empty world
Suddenly seem bright and full.
Your forever friend gets you through
The hard times, the sad times,
And the confusing times.
If you turn and walk away,
Your forever friend follows.
If you lose your way,
Your forever friend guides you
And cheers you on.
Your forever friend holds your hand
And tells you that everything
Is going to be okay.
And if you find such a friend,
You feel happy and complete,
Because you need not worry.
You have a forever friend for life,
And forever has no end.
"Two are better than one...
If one person falls, the other can reach out and help.
But people who are alone when they fall are in real trouble."
Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 (NIV, NLT)
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By Steve Goodier
A snooty millionaire took some of his upper class friends yachting.
They passed a deserted island where a man with a long beard and tattered clothes stood, waving his arms and screaming in their direction.
âWho is that?â asked the friend.
âI donât know,â said the host, âbut every time we sail by he goes crazy.â
That may be an exception to a universal rule, which is that most people are happy to help if they can. But there is another universal principle in play, which is, unless you are stranded on a deserted island, you are probably reluctant to ask for help â especially from a stranger. Thankfully, most of the time we are not coping with a mayday emergency.
I recently learned that the word âmaydayâ has nothing to do with the month of May. Instead, it comes from the French word âmâaidez,â which means âhelp me.â But it is used only as a last resort. The plane is nose-diving. The ship is fatally wounded: âMayday! Mayday! Mayday!â a voice screams over the radio. If help doesnât arrive quickly, all will be lost.
We laugh at the notion that men are famously bad about asking for directions. But, in truth, most people do not easily ask for the help they need. They wait until they are hopelessly lost, or the marriage is on the brink of collapse or a simple job has become a nightmare before they seek help.
And it is also true that help is not usually too hard to get. But we have to ASK for it.
Entrepreneur Brian Tracy puts it well: âAsk for what you want. Ask for help, ask for input, ask for advice and ideas â but never be afraid to ask.â Or like one man is fond of saying, âYou donât always get what you ask for, but you never get what you donât ask for (unless itâs contagious).â
I once heard of a little girl who confidently approached a police officer. âAre you a cop?â she asked.
âYes,â he answered.
âMy mommy said that if I ever needed help I could ask you.â
âOf course you can,â the officer replied. âWhat do you need?â
She stuck out her foot. âCan you please tie my shoe?â
Do you need help? It may be easier to get than you think. Just ask for it.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By Joseph J. Mazzella
"Forgiveness is the sweetest revenge." I saw this wonderful old saying again in a book recently. It got me to thinking about all the times that I have been able to forgive others in my life and all the joy that it has brought me. One memory stands out particularly well. I was a young boy spending a week at 4-H camp during the summer. I was having a great time and enjoying everything about it except for another young boy about my age. To say we didnât get along would be an understatement. We spent most of the week irritating, insulting, and picking on each other. Words finally came to blows on the next to last day of camp. We got into a fist fight which I lost. Thankfully, older boys broke it up before I was hurt too much. I spent the rest of the day alone, sulking and stewing in my own anger.
The next day my spirits were lifted, however, when my Mom brought the boys in our cabin some of her delicious homemade pizzas. I was enjoying a few slices of it when I saw the other boy sitting by himself at the bottom of the steps outside. He seemed very lonely right then. I am not sure what moved me to do so, but I took my pizza down and shared it with him. It made all the anger and pain inside me go away. We became friends after that. I never got into another fist fight either. I had found out that sharing and forgiving were way more fun and a lot less painful.
Forgiveness truly is the sweetest revenge. It can turn an enemy into a friend. It can free a heart from the chains of anger, hatred, and pain. It can open a soul to the sweetness of love and joy once again. It can help you to live by the Golden Rule and to create a Golden Life. It can bring you back to oneness with God in everything you think, feel, and do. That is why I often pray, "God help me to forgive, help me to give, and help me to love." May your life always be full of sweet forgiveness then. May you always delight in its Heavenly charms.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Author unknown (from âAiken Drumâ)
People come into your life for a reason, a season, or a lifetime... When you figure out which it is, you know exactly what to do.
When someone is in your life for a REASON, it is usually to meet a need you have expressed outwardly or inwardly. They have come to assist you through a difficulty, to provide you with guidance and support, to aid you physically, emotionally, or spiritually. They may seem like a godsend, and they are. They are there for the reason you need them to be.
Then, without any wrong doing on your part or at an inconvenient time, this person will say or do something to bring the relationship to an end. Sometimes they die. Sometimes they walk away. Sometimes they act up or out and force you to take a stand. What we must realize is that our need has been met, our desire fulfilled; their work is done. The prayer you sent up has been answered and it is now time to move on.....
When people come into your life for a SEASON, it is because your turn has come to share, grow, or learn. They may bring you an experience of peace or make you laugh. They may teach you something you have never done. They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy...Believe it! It is real! But, only for a season....
LIFETIME relationships teach you lifetime lessons--those things you must build upon in order to have a solid emotional foundation. Your job is to accept the lesson, love the person/people (any way); and put what you have learned to use in all other relationships and areas of your life.
Some of you are more than friends--you are family. And some of you are more than family--you are friends.
Thank you for being part of my life.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By Joseph J. Mazzella
It is hard at times to eat the right foods for our bodies when the wrong foods can taste so delicious. I am just glad then that when it comes to food for the soul the choices are a little easier to make. Imagine, for instance, that you had two types of food before you. The first one is great for you. It makes your heart healthier, your mind clearer, and your body more energetic. It makes you feel fantastic both inside and out. It also tastes delicious. You could eat it for a million years and never get tired of it. It just takes a bit of effort and a few minutes to cook each day. The second food is terrible for you. It is hard on your heart and destroys your health. It depresses your mind and steals your bodyâs vitality. It makes you feel miserable both inside and out. It also tastes terrible. You can eat it right away, though. It is instant and takes no effort to make. Which one would you choose?
Sadly, more people than you would think make the second choice. The second choice is acting from fear. It is choosing to feed the soul hatred, violence, negativity, misery, pain, meanness, and loneliness. It is easy to do even though it hurts you every time you do it. It slowly poisons your life and the lives of those around you if they let it. The first choice, however, is choosing love. It is feeding the soul joy, peace, positivity, happiness, delight, goodness, and oneness with God. It takes a bit of effort, but it brings a lot of Heaven to Earth. It enriches your life and the lives of everyone you share it with.
What you eat is up to you. Choose your foods wisely then. God wants you to eat well not just with your stomach but also with your heart, soul, mind, and life. Lay out a table full of all the love, joy, light, goodness, and oneness with God that you possibly can. Then pull up a chair and invite everyone to the feast.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By Glen Hopkins
Imagine for a moment one of those nights when you just canât fall asleep and you have to get up early the next morning for a very important meeting of which you are the keynote speaker. Your alarm clock goes off early in the morning waking you from what little sleep you had. You stumble out of bed, have a quick shower, grab a coffee and some toast, and off you go to fight the traffic on the way to work.
Does that sound like the start of a terrible day? Most would answer âyesâ. A few people however, would answer, ânoâ. These are the people who are, in my opinion, blessed with a gift; a gift that determines how they view their life. These people live with âan attitude of gratitudeâ. For them, the situation described could be worseâ¦much worse.
For example, think of the man who doesnât have a bed, let alone a roof over his head. When he is awakened from what little sleep he is able to get, it is by the rain falling on his cold body. He too stumbles to his feet and begins his journey to work in his bare feet. His work is in the field of survival. He searches though garbage cans for scraps of half-rotten food to eat and odd bits of clothes to keep him warm.
The purpose of this example is to illustrate that we all have so much to be grateful for. Even in times when it seems that nothing could be worse, there is always a reason to be grateful. And when you feel a sense of gratitude, you feel a sense of happiness and content. My challenge to you today is to learn to look for the good in every situation and live with âan attitude of gratitudeâ.
I challenge you now to take a moment to think of five things in your life that you are grateful for today. For example, your friends, your family, your job, your sense of smell, touch, sight, and sound. The list can go on and on. Imagine what your life would be like without these things. Write them down on a piece of paper and really think about the things you are grateful for. You will be amazed at how great you will feel!
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Author unknown
As the Lord God was
creating the world
he called upon his archangels.
The Lord asked his archangels
to help him decide where to put
the Secret of Life
"Bury it in the ground," one angel replied.
"Put it on the bottom of the sea," said another.
"Hide it in the mountains," another suggested.
The Lord replied, "If I see to do any of those
only a few will find the Secret of Life.
The Secret of Life must be accessible
to EVERYONE!"
One angel replied, "I know; put it in each
man's heart. Nobody will think to look there."
"Yes!" said the Lord.
"Within each man's heart."
And so it was -
The SECRET OF LIFE
lies within all of us.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By Steve Goodier
Someone quipped that a classified newspaper ad read: "For sale. Parachute. Only used once, never opened, small stain."
I realize that we cannot afford to fail in some endeavors. But I also know that we cannot afford NOT to fail in most of what we do. Unfortunately, too many of us live by the motto: If at first you don't succeed, don't admit that you tried. Why? We often feel ashamed or embarrassed when we fall flat.
In his book THE COURAGE TO FAIL (McGraw-Hill, Inc. 1993), Art Mortell tells about a conversation he had with baseball's Lou Brock. It took place when Brock held the record for stolen bases. He was about 35 years old at the time and his days as a professional player were winding down. Brock was talking about why he successfully stole more bases than younger, faster players
"When you start out in baseball," Brock said, "you're young and you have the speed and reflexes. However, when you try to steal second base and you get thrown out, it's a long walk back to the dugout, with 40,000 fans watching you. When you reach my age, you come to understand that records are not set by being the quickest, but by the willingness to look bad in the eyes of others."
There are other ways to avoid failure throughout life:
·   Never ask anyone out. There will be no possibility of rejection and embarrassment.
·   Never ask for a promotion. That way you will not risk the humiliation of being turned down.
·   Never go back to school. You cannot fail a class you do not take.
·   Never change careers. You'll never fail at something you never try.
·   Never try anything you've never done before.
If success is just avoiding failure, I don't want it. But if success is about pursuing a passion or finding the guts to risk in order to experience life fully, then I want it. Even if it means a lot of long walks back to the dugout while everyone is watching.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Author unknown; submitted by Wolf Gang member Kayla
I could have saved a life that day,
But I chose to look the other way.
It wasnât that I didnât care;
I had the time, and I was there.
But I didnât want to seem a fool
Or argue over a safety rule.
I knew heâd done the job before.
If I called it wrong, he might get sore.
The chances didnât seem that bad.
Iâve done the same; he knew I had.
So I shook my head and walked on by;
He knew the risk as well as I.
He took the chance, I closed an eye,
And with that act, I let him die.
I could have saved a life that day,
But I chose to look the other way.
Now every time I see his wife,
Iâll know I should have saved his life.
That guilt is something I must bear,
But it isnât something you need to share.
If you see a risk others take
That puts their health or life at stake,
The question asked, or thing you say,
Could help them live another day.
If you see a risk and walk away,
Then hope you never have to say,
âI could have saved a life that day,
But I chose to look the other way.â
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
In memory of Melissa Rierson Loftin, 1981-2011
By psychologist and writer David L. Weatherford (www.davidlweatherford.com)
Have you ever watched kids
On a merry-go-round?
Or listened to the rain
Slapping on the ground?
Ever followed a butterfly's erratic flight?
Or gazed at the sun into the fading night?
You better slow downâ¦
Don't dance so fast.
Time is short.
The music won't last.
Do you run through each day
On the fly?
When you ask, âHow are you?â
Do you hear the reply?
When the day is done
Do you lie in your bed
With the next hundred chores
Running through your head?
You'd better slow down.
Don't dance so fast.
Time is short.
The music won't last.
Ever told your child,
We'll do it tomorrow?
And in your haste,
Not see his sorrow?
Ever lost touch,
Let a good friendship die
Cause you never had time
To call and say, âHiâ?
You'd better slow down.
Don't dance so fast.
Time is short.
The music won't last.
When you run so fast to get somewhere
You miss half the fun of getting there.
When you worry and hurry through your day,
It is like an unopened gift... thrown away.
Life is not a race.
Do take it slower
Hear the music
Before the song is over.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By Joseph J. Mazzella
The dandelions are back here in the fields around my home. My favorite flowers are always among the first to show up in Spring and among the last to leave in Fall. Their sweet, gentle beauty always warms my heart, delights my eye, and brings joy to my soul. They literally fill the lawns and meadows at this time of the year and continue on throughout the summer in spite of the countless attacks from lawn mowers and weed killers that they must endure.
I have loved dandelions ever since I was a little boy. I can remember picking handfuls of them to give to my Mom and seeing her beautiful smile when she smelled their sweet fragrance. I can remember too gathering hundreds of their blossoms so that my Grandma could make her famous dandelion wine. I can also remember using all the air in my lungs to help flower after flower scatter its seeds to the winds. I can remember most of all, however, just lying in the grass surrounded by these tiny, golden suns and wishing that summer would never end.
As I look out my window right now I can literally see thousands of these miraculous, little wonders sharing their beauty with the world. They remind me a lot of our own acts of love and joy. They are small but strong. They are sweet but hardy. They are simple but long lasting. They may seem tiny and insignificant by themselves, but if you fill a field or a life with them then Earth looks a lot more like Heaven.
May your days always bloom with loving acts then. May your mind always blossom with joyous thoughts. May your heart always flower with compassionate feelings. May you always feel the love of God sprouting up within you and around you. And may you always make all your life as beautiful as a field full of dandelions.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Author unknown (from âColorado Commentsâ)
1.   Do not yell at one another unless the house is on fire.
2.   Showering together saves water.
3.   The correct answer to "Do you love me?" is not "I married you, didn't I?"
4.   Have a regular date night.
5.   If you slow dance in your underwear ... do it in private.
6.   Scrabble has been known to ignite arguments. (See rule #1)
7.   Major house projects may need to be followed by marital counseling.
8.   You're never too old for crazy (or colored) underwear.
9.   The silent treatment was invented by a kindergartner.
10.   Read the "Song of Solomon" together.
11.   Love begins in the morning with the way you talk to each other and treat each other.
12.   Schedule your mid-life crisis.
13.   Enjoy making up after a quarrel.
14.   Be spontaneous. Tickling never goes out of style.
15.   Find humor in negative situations.
16.   Eat cookie dough in bed together at least once a year.
17.   For Heaven's Sake, get a lock on the bedroom door or a "Do Not Disturb" sign!
18.   True love means valuing your spouse as much as God does.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By Steve Goodier
Albert Einstein said that wonder is the source of all true art and all science. "He to whom this emotion is a stranger, who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead; his eyes are closed."
I remember standing in rapt awe when I gazed upon the wonders of the ancient Incan city of Machu Picchu in Peru. That amazing city was built above the clouds, and it was more than the high altitude that took my breath away. Can you say, "Awe"?
I'm reminded of the little girl who rode a train with her mother. Looking out the window, she exclaimed, "Look! A horse!" And a moment later, "Look! Houses!"
She gave every indication of keeping this up, so her embarrassed mother apologized to the man next to her. "I'm sorry my daughter is going on like this," she said. "She still thinks everything is wonderful."
When do we stop thinking everything is wonderful? When we grow up? When do we stop saying, "Awe"? Does growing older mean growing jaded?
And must we travel to faraway places to marvel once again? Can't we experience wonder and awe today - this moment?
The slice of raisin toast I ate this morning was no less marvelous today than when I first tasted it. But I did not notice how good it really was. I think that few things are commonplace in themselves â it's our reaction to them that grows dull over the years.
A man on his way to lunch happened to notice a visitor in Venice's Piazza San Marco standing among the pigeons and gazing in apparent rhapsody at the Doge's Palace. After his meal he noticed the same man still studying the magnificent structure. Curious as to whether he'd been standing there all morning, he asked the man, "How long have you been here?"
"Twenty six years," came the reply, "and I never grow tired of it."
As Einstein observed, those who will "pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe" will TRULY LIVE. They will see what others miss. They will feel what others cannot. Life will be for them both exquisite and mysterious when they learn to say, "Awe."
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By Dawn Stobart, ©2003
Have you ever had "one of those days"? You know, the kind of day that begins with the ear piercing sound from an alarm clock? You just want to sleep a little longer. Just ten more minutes. You can't hit the snooze button because, after all, that only gives you seven more minutes of rest.
Suddenly you awaken and realize forty-five minutes have passed. You should have been out the door and on your way to work by now. You scramble around the house muttering how stupid you are, run out the door to your car and hope traffic is light, only to end up behind a car whose driver insists on going five miles below the speed limit. Now you are really upset. You mutter words that you would punish your child for saying. You think to yourself, "The whole day is shot." You spend all day trying to make up for those forty-five minutes of rest. By day's end you are exhausted, and wonder was the extra sleep worth it.
I've had days like that. Days that I have been so exhausted both physically and mentally, I could â and have â cried. I'm learning though. When I feel overwhelmed with work and self-pity, I turn to my Creator. I ask Him to open my eyes, so that I may see what is really important in my life: my family, friends, and health. I behold His wonders: the sweet song of a bird, the vastness of the ocean, the beauty of the mountains, the delicate petals of a flower, the splendor of the colors in a sunsetâ¦all of His glorious creation that surrounds me. How insignificant my problems then seem to be. How wonderfully blessed my day has become.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Author unknown
In ancient Greece, Socrates was reputed to hold knowledge in high esteem. One day an acquaintance met the great philosopher and said, "Do you know what I just heard about your friend?"
"Hold on a minute," Socrates replied. "Before you talk to me about my friend, it might be a good idea to take a moment and filter what youâre going to say. Thatâs why I call it the triple filter test. The first filter is Truth. Have you made absolutely sure that what you are about to tell me is true?"
"Well, no," the man said, "actually I just heard about it andâ¦"
"All right," said Socrates. "So you donât really know if itâs true or not. Now, letâs try the second filter, the filter of Goodness. Is what you are about to tell me about my friend something good?"
"Umm, no, on the contraryâ¦"
"So," Socrates continued, "you want to tell me something bad about my friend, but youâre not certain itâs true. You may still pass the test though, because thereâs one filter leftâthe filter of Usefulness. Is what you want to tell me about my friend going to be useful to me?"
"No, not really."
"Well," concluded Socrates, "if what you want to tell me is neither true, nor good, nor even useful, why tell it to me at all?"
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By John R. Ware
There were two men, both of whom decided to get a horse. One man found a red Rhone with much spirit. The other chose one more docile. They would go riding together every day. It so happened on the route they would take around the countryside there was a ditch about eight or nine feet wide. After a time it was apparent that the Rhoneâs spirit could not be shaken and he gave everything he had in all he did. When coming up to this gap in the trail he hurdled it the first time. Because of the spirit in him he was quick to respond and jumped it with no problem. Yet the more docile horse would balk every time he came to the edge. He wasnât sure of the distance. He would stand on the edge trembling with indecision and doubt because the distance to him looked too great. Then one day after a while, coming up to the ditch and watching his companion take it with ease, something happened within him: a knowing was born that he could, too. So with agility and ease he gracefully bounded over the barrier.
Life is much like the two horses. When we as people come up against trials or situations, sometimes we just donât feel like we can make the distance or that it just is too big and we donât know if weâll make it. So we balk, standing on the edge, trembling. Itâs not until we depend upon the spirit within. Then we are able to make it with ease. Until we quit looking at the obstacle or trial through our eyes, it will always seem too big for us. But there is a spirit within us that can judge the distance to the other side and will give us the strength to make it through.
As long as we let it.
It all comes to a choice whether we look for the spirit within or just stand on the edge and balk. We will always have a choice.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By Dick Sutpehn
Have you ever wondered why life can sometimes seem so frustrating, when you have such awesome power at your disposal?
Itâs true. The power of your mind is far beyond reckoning. You know this yourself, from those moments when everything âcomes togetherâ⦠when youâre âin the zoneâ⦠when you âcanât take a wrong stepâ⦠when one of those fortuitous âcoincidencesâ happens⦠when, somehow, you know exactly what to say or do.
What is your purpose for living? There comes a time in our lives when we all ask: âWhy am I here?â Deep down, we expect ourselves to make some worldly contribution. To do something profound and memorable. To impact othersâ lives. And when you really think about it, youâll realize something. You already have.
Itâs been said, âMaybe you are here on earth to learn that life is what you make of it, and itâs to be enjoyed.â
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Author unknown
The other day a young person asked me how I felt about being old.
I was taken aback, for I do not think of myself as old. Upon seeing my
reaction, she was immediately embarrassed, but I explained that
it was an interesting question, and I would ponder it, and let her know.
Old Age, I've decided, is a gift.
I am now, probably for the first time in my life,
the person I have always wanted to be.
Oh, not my body ... the wrinkles, the baggy eyes, and the
sagging butt. And often I am taken aback by that old person
that lives in my mirror (who looks like my mother!), but I don't
agonize over those things for long.
I would never trade my amazing friends,
my wonderful life, my loving family for
less gray hair or a flatter belly.
As I've aged, I've become kinder to myself,
and less critical of myself. I've become my own friend.
I don't chide myself for eating that extra cookie, or for not making
my bed, or for buying that silly cement gecko that I didn't need,
but looks so avante garde on my patio. I am entitled to a
treat, to be messy, to be extravagant.
I have seen too many dear friends leave
this world too soon; before they understood the
great freedom that comes with aging.
Whose business is it if I choose to read or play on the
computer until 4 AM and sleep until noon?
I will dance with myself to those wonderful tunes of the 60 &70's,
and if I, at the same time, wish to weep over a lost love ... I will.
I will walk the beach in a swim suit that is stretched over a bulging body,
and will dive into the waves with abandon if I choose to,despite the pitying glances from the jet set. They, too, will get old.
I know I am sometimes forgetful.
But there again, some of life is just as well forgotten.
And I eventually remember the important things.
Sure, over the years my heart has been broken.
How can your heart not break when you lose a loved one,
or when a child suffers, or even when somebody's beloved pet
gets hit by a car? But broken hearts are what give us
strength and understanding and compassion.
A heart never broken is pristine and sterile and
will never know the joy of being imperfect.
I am so blessed to have lived long enough to have
my hair turning gray, and to have my youthful laughs
be forever etched into deep grooves on my face.
So many have never laughed, and so many have
died before their hair could turn silver.
As you get older, it is easier to be positive.
You care less about what other people think.
I don't question myself anymore. I've even earned
the right to be wrong. So, to answer your question,
I like being old â it has set me free.
I like the person I have become.
I am not going to live forever, but while I am still here,
I will not waste time lamenting what could have been,
or worrying about what will be.
And I shall eat dessert every single day
(if I feel like it).
by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By Steve Goodier
Groucho Marx quipped, "Those are my principles, and if you don't like them... well, I have others." Though he is joking, I wonder if he is actually hitting close to home. I need to regularly check in with myself and ask questions like, "Is the thing I'm doing now guided by sound principles?
Principled people are the heart and soul of a society. But who teaches our young people about character? Who teaches them how important it is to be honest and to do what is right?
Even ETHICS classes might not touch on matters of character. They discuss the medical ethics of cloning, stem cell research and genetic engineering. They consider euthanasia, abortion and capital punishment. And they even look at the ethics of governments and multi-national corporations.
But one college professor recently made a disturbing discovery: she assumed her students shared her principles of honesty, honor, integrity, and the like. She taught ethics, but assumed that her students shared her personal ethical standards.
Then one day she dropped an armful of final exams on her desk in disgust and complained that over 50% of her students CHEATED on their social justice exam. (Do you think they caught the irony here?) They'd spent months learning about ethical issues most societies face, but they never discussed personal morality. They could talk convincingly about good and bad behaviors of corporations, governments and societies, but they cheated on their exams. They just didn't get it: cheating is wrong. And can we expect societies, governments and businesses to do better than the people who run them and live in them?
Principled people are the heart and soul of our lives together. Church leader John Wesley simplifies it for us. In regards to what is right and wrong, he says simply this:
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 the times you can,
To all the people you can,
As long as ever you can.
I think those are principles I want to live by.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By speaker/author Bob Proctor
Relative to the whole scheme of things, your life span could be compared to lighting a candle and immediately blowing it out. In other words, life is short â very short. Missing out on any of the joys life offers is a tragedy.
If your life is being controlled by your fears, you are most certainly cheating yourself.
Courage is the mental muscle that conquers fear. Like all muscles, the more you use them the stronger they become. Courage is not something you are born with, it must be developed. Individuals who fail to develop courage remain confined in mental prisons and face each day as mental lightweights.
It has been said if you face the thing you fear, fear leaves you.
For years I believed that courageous individuals had no fear. I was wrong. Eddie Richenbacher put it very well when he said, âThere is no courage without fear.â We all have fear; however, not everyone becomes subservient to their fears.
There is, very likely, something you have wanted to do for years â move to another city, start your own business, apply for that better position, go after the big account. Whatever it is, you should do it. Remember, life is not a practice run. This is it. A little courage leads to more.
Observe those poor souls who are without courage. They merely tiptoe through life hoping they make it safely to death.
You and I were never meant to live that way. Learn to live the way you like by no longer living as you dislike. Forge into the remainder of your day with an abundance of courage. Thatâs living!
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By Virelle Kidder (c) 1999 from âChicken Soup for the Girlfriend's Soul"
"Oh, no! Not company!" I groaned, the moment my car rounded the corner and our house came into full view. Usually I'd be thrilled to see four cars lined up in our driveway, but after I spent a weeklong vigil at the hospital with an ill child, my house was a colossal mess. Turning off the car engine, I dragged myself to the front door.
"What are you doing home so soon?" my friend Judie called from the kitchen. "We weren't expecting you for another hour! We thought we'd be long gone before you got home." She walked toward me and gave me a hug, then asked softly, "How are you doing?"
Was this my house? Was I dreaming? Everything looked so clean. Where did these flowers come from?
Suddenly more voices, more hugs. Lorraine, smiling and wiping beads of perspiration from her forehead, came up from the family room where she had just finished ironing a mountain of clean clothes. Regina peeked into the kitchen, having finished vacuuming rugs and polishing and dusting furniture in every room in the house. Joan, still upstairs wrestling with the boys' bunk-bed sheets, called down her "Hello," having already brought order out of chaos in all four bedrooms.
"When did you guys get here?" was my last coherent sentence. My tears came in great heaving waves. "How come . . . how come . . . you did all this?" I cried unashamedly, every ounce of resistance gone.
I had spent the week praying through a health crisis, begging God for a sense of his presence at the hospital. Instead, he laid a mantle of order, beauty and loving care into our home through these four "angels."
"You rest a while, Virelle," Lorraine said firmly. "Here's your dinner for tonightâthere are more meals in the freezer." The table was set with flowers and fancy napkins, and a little gift was at my place. A small banquet was arranged, complete with salad and dessert.
"Don't you worry; we're all praying," my friends said. "God has everything under control."
After my friends left, I wandered from room to room, still sobbing from the enormity of their gift of time and work. I found beautiful floral arrangements in every room . . . and little wrapped gifts on each bed. More tears.
In the living room I found a note under a vase filled with peonies. I was to have come home and found it as their only identity: "The Love Squad was here."
And I knew that God had everything under control.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Author unknown
There was once a Shakespearean actor who was known everywhere for his one-man shows of readings and recitations from the classics. He would always end his performance with a dramatic reading of Psalm 23.
Each night, without exception, as the actor began his recitation - "The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want"â¦the crowd would listen attentively. And then, at the conclusion of the Psalm, they would rise in thunderous applause in appreciation of the actor's incredible ability to bring the verse to life.
But one night, just before the actor was to offer his customary recital of Psalm 23, a young man from the audience spoke up. "Sir, do you mind if tonight I recite Psalm 23?"
The actor was quite taken back by this unusual request, but he allowed the young man to come forward and stand front and center on the stage to recite the Psalm, knowing that the ability of this unskilled youth would be no match for his own talent. With a soft voice, the young man began to recite the words of the Psalm. When he was finished, there was no applause. There was no standing ovation as on other nights. All that could be heard was the sound of weeping.
The audience had been so moved by the young man's recitation that every eye was full of tears. Amazed by what he had heard, the actor said to the youth, "I don't understand. I have been performing Psalm 23 for years. I have a lifetime of experience and training - but I have never been able to move an audience as you have tonight. Tell me, what is your secret?"
The young man quietly replied, "Well, sir, you know the Psalm... I know the Shepherd."
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Author unknown
Once upon a time two brothers, who lived on adjoining farms, fell into conflict. It was the first serious rift in 40 years of farming side by side, sharing machinery, and trading labor and goods as needed without a conflict. Then the long collaboration fell apart. It began with a small misunderstanding and it grew into a major difference, and finally it exploded into an exchange of bitter words followed by weeks of silence.
One morning there was a knock on John's door. He opened it to find a man with a carpenter's tool box. "I'm looking for a few days' work" he said. "Perhaps you would have a few small jobs here and there I could help with? Could I help you?" "Yes," said the older brother. "I do have a job for you."
"Look across the creek at that farm. That's my neighbor; in fact, it's my younger brother. Last week there was a meadow between us and he took his bulldozer to the river levee and now there is a creek between us. Well, he may have done this to spite me, but I'll do him one better."
"See that pile of lumber by the barn? I want you to build me a fence --an 8-foot fence -- so I won't need to see his place or his face anymore." The carpenter said, "I think I understand the situation. Show me the nails and the post-hole digger and I'll be able to do a job that pleases you."
The older brother had to go to town, so he helped the carpenter get the materials ready and then he was off for the day. The carpenter worked hard all that day measuring, sawing, nailing. About sunset when the farmer returned, the carpenter had just finished his job.
The farmer's eyes opened wide, his jaw dropped. There was no fence there at all. It was a bridge -- a bridge stretching from one side of the creek to the other! A fine piece of work, handrails and all -- and the neighbor, his younger brother, was coming toward them, his hand outstretched. "You are quite a fellow to build this bridge after all I've said and done." The two brothers stood at each end of the bridge, and then they met in the middle, taking each other's hand.
They turned to see the carpenter hoist his toolbox onto his shoulder. "No, wait! Stay a few days. I've a lot of other projects for you," said the older brother. "I'd love to stay on," the carpenter said, "but I have many more bridges to build."
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By Catherine Pulsifer, ©2010
I have written about many different people I have met. And I do meet lots of people. We have a small shop at the Cruise Terminal in Saint John. Depending on the size of the ship docking in Saint John, we see 2,000 to 4,000 people in one day.
We meet some of the most interesting people. Last week I was fortunate to meet an older woman with a very sunny disposition. We had a discussion about many different things; she was one of those people who you would want to be your grandmother. When she was leaving our shop, I said to her, "Have a great day." She looked up at me from her wheelchair and said, "No, have a great life!"
Her words made me smile and I said to her, "You are right." To which she replied, "Yes it is not just today that it is great; it is life that is great, so enjoy it all!"
The next day I was reading a book by William Arthur Ward and came across these words of wisdom he had written many years ago but that still apply today:
Regardless of age, you are still young at heart as long as you exclaim "Wow!" instead of "What's the use?"â¦
When you say "Hot dog" instead of "Oh, well"â¦
When you yell "Yippee!" instead of "So what?"â¦
When you contend "Everyone's important" instead of "You can't fight City Hall"â¦
When you insist "Folks are swell" instead of "You can't trust people anymore"â¦
When you greet others with "What a great day to be alive!" instead of "The world is shot to pieces"â¦
When you proclaim "What an opportunity" instead of "What a predicament."
So, I share with you the message that I was getting from people I met, and from the books I was reading last week -
"Enjoy your life, not just the day!"
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Author unknown
1] Prayer is not a "spare wheel" that you pull out when in trouble, but it is a "steering wheel" that directs the right path through-out.
2] Do you know why a car's windshield is so large & the rear view mirror is so small? Because our PAST is not as important as our FUTURE. So look ahead and move on.
3] Friendship is like a BOOK. It takes a few seconds to burn, but it takes years to write.
4] All things in life are temporary. If going well, enjoy them; they will not last forever. If going wrong, don't worry; they can't last long, either.
5] Old Friends are Gold! New Friends are Diamonds! If you get a Diamond, don't forget the Gold. Because to hold a Diamond, you always need a Base of Gold!
6] Often when we lose hope and think this is the end, GOD smiles from above and says, "Relax, sweetheart, it's just a bend, not the end!
7] When GOD solves your problems, you have faith in HIS abilities; when GOD doesn't solve your problems, HE has faith in YOUR abilities.
8] A blind person asked St. Anthony: "Can there be anything worse than losing eyesight?" He replied: "Yes, losing your vision!â
9] When you pray for others, God listens to you and blesses them. And sometimes, when you are safe and happy, remember that someone has prayed for you.
10] WORRYING does not take away tomorrow's TROUBLES; it takes away todayâs PEACE.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Author unknown
Have you heard the story of spilt milk? You know, âthereâs no use crying over spilt milk.â But this story is different.
I recently heard a story about a famous research scientist who had made several very important medical breakthroughs. He was being interviewed by a newspaper reporter who asked him why he thought he was able to be so much more creative than the average person. What set him so far apart from others?
He responded that, in his opinion, it all came from an experience with his mother that occurred when he was about two years old. He had been trying to remove a bottle of milk from the refrigerator when he lost his grip on the slippery bottle and it fell, spilling its contents all over the kitchen floorâa veritable sea of milk!
When his mother came into the kitchen, instead of yelling at him, giving him a lecture, or punishing him, she said, âRobert, what a great and wonderful mess you have made! I have rarely seen such a huge puddle of milk. Well, the damage has already been done. Would you like to get down and play in the milk for a few minutes before we clean it up?â
Indeed, he did. After a few minutes, his mother said, âYou know, Robert, whenever you make a mess like this, eventually you have to clean it up and restore everything to its proper order. So, how would you like to do that? We could use a sponge, a towel, or a mop. Which do you prefer?â He chose the sponge and together they cleaned up the spilled milk.
His mother then said, âYou know, what we have here is a failed experiment in how to effectively carry a big milk bottle with two tiny hands. Letâs go out in the back yard and fill the bottle with water and see if you can discover a way to carry it without dropping it.â The little boy learned that if he grasped the bottle at the top near the lip with both hands, he could carry it without dropping it. What a wonderful lesson!
This renowned scientist then remarked that it was at that moment that he knew he didnât need to be afraid to make mistakes.
Instead, he learned that mistakes were just opportunities for learning something new, which is, after all, what scientific experiments are all about. Even if the experiment âdoesnât work,â we usually learn something valuable from it.
Wouldnât it be great if all parents would respond the way Robertâs mother responded to him?
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Submitted by Wolf Gang member Jennifer Gibbons
To my brothers and sisters in developing countries: While I was deciding which oat bran cereal to eat this morning, you were searching the ground for leftover grains from the passing wheat truck.
While I was jogging at the health center, you were working in the wealthy landownerâs field under a scorching sun.
While I was choosing between diet and regular soda, your parched lips were yearning for a sip of clean water.
While I complained about the poor service in the gourmet restaurant, you were gratefully eating a bowl of rice.
While I poured my âfresh and betterâ detergent into the washing machine, you stood in the river with your bundle of clothes.
While I read the newspaper and drank my cup of steaming coffee, you walked the long, dusty miles to a crowded schoolroom to learn how to read.
While I scanned the ads for a bargain on an extra piece of clothing, you woke up and put on the same shirt and pants that you have worn for many months.
While I built a fourteen-room house for the three of us, your family of ten found shelter in a one-room hut.
While I went to church last Sunday and felt more than slightly bored, you stood on the land with those around you and felt gratitude to God for being alive for one more day.
My brothers and sisters, forgive me for my arrogance and my indifference. Forgive me for my greed of always wanting newer, bigger, and better things. Forgive me for not doing my part to change the unjust systems that keep you suffering and impoverished.
I offer you my promise to become more aware of your situation and to change my lifestyle as I work for the transformation of our world.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Author unknown
A woman came out of her house and saw 3 old men with long white beards sitting in her front yard. She did not recognize them. She said, "I don't think I know you, but you must be hungry. Please come in and have something to eat."
"Is the man of the house home?" they asked.
"No," she replied. "He's out."
"Then we cannot come in," they replied.
In the evening when her husband came home, she told him what had happened.
"Go tell them I am home and invite them in!"
The woman went out and invited the men in.
"We do not go into a house together," they replied.
"Why is that?" she asked.
One of the old men explained: "His name is Wealth," he said pointing to one of his friends. Then pointing to the other one, "He is Success, and I am Love."
Then he added, "Now go in and discuss with your husband which one of us you want in your home."
The woman went in and told her husband what was said. Her husband was overjoyed. "How nice!" he said. "Since that is the case, let us invite Wealth. Let him come and fill our home with wealth!"
His wife disagreed. "My dear, why don't we invite Success?"
Their daughter-in-law was listening from the other corner of the house. She jumped in with her own suggestion: "Would it not be better to invite Love? Our home will then be filled with love!"
"Let us heed our daughter-in-law's advice," said the husband to his wife.
"Go out and invite Love to be our guest."
The woman went out and asked the three old men, "Which one of you is Love? Please come in and be our guest."
Love got up and started walking toward the house. The other two also got up and followed him. Surprised, the lady asked Wealth and Success, "I only invited Love; why are you coming in?"
The old men replied together: "If you had invited Wealth or Success, the other two of us would've stayed out, but since you invited Love, wherever he goes, we go with him. Wherever there is Love, there is also Wealth and Success!"
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By Karim Hajee
Hanging on to negative past events is a process that can destroy your life in ways youâre not even aware of. Ask yourself these questions: Do the negative things you hang on to serve you any purpose? Do they help you move forward? Do they work in your favor in any way? If you said no to any or all of the above then tell yourself this: This emotion/feeling doesnât help me so Iâm letting it go and focusing on what is important. Then begin focusing on what you want next, focus on what is important and what can improve your life.
This is a simple process that gets the mind moving in a new direction and you stop building negative energy created from the negative events/emotions, which only attracts more negative situations. When you begin focusing on more positive things you begin attracting positive situations.
The next step is to create an action plan; the past is over. Where do you want to go now and how do you plan to get there? You may not have the answers but merely thinking about the options forces your mind to go in a new direction and you automatically let go of unwanted feelings and emotions.
The key to your success is to train your mind to move in a new direction so you send new messages to your subconscious mind, which then brings you the opportunities to move forward.
The final step is to live in the present moment, to start living in the now. Living in the now is different than living for the moment. Living in the now is the process of enjoying everything that is going on at this present moment. Take a look around you and appreciate those things that you once thought were trivial. When you are here now you can be nowhere else. You are not hanging on to something, you are here now. This forces your mind to look at things differently and tells your subconscious mind that youâre ready for new possibilities, then youâll begin to let go and move forward.
© Wake Up With the Wolf Show â 93.1 the Wolf â WPAW. Please share this with your friends!
by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By Steve Goodier
I have a friend who prepares taxes. He lamented with me once about some of his wealthier clients - those with six and seven figure incomes. Some of these people, he said, even despite the obvious tax benefits, refused to give any of their money away. Some are spending more money on grooming their pets than on feeding hungry children. They simply have not discovered the importance and power of giving. And sadly, these wealthier clients are in a position to do something significant, but they choose to do nothing at all.
Author Kent Nerburn wrote a book titled LETTERS TO MY SON: A Father's Wisdom on Manhood, Life, and Love. In one letter, he teaches his son the value of generosity:
"Remember to be gentle with yourself and others. We are all children of chance, and none can say why some fields will blossom and others lay brown beneath the August sun. Care for those around you. Look past your differences. Their dreams are no less than yours, their choices in life no more easily made. And give. Give in any way that you can, of whatever you possess. To give is to love. To withhold is to wither. Care less for your harvest than how it is shared, and your life will have meaning and your heart will have peace."
How fortunate for one boy that his father is showing him how to truly live!
People who live well are experts at giving. They give their money; they give their time. They share their wisdom and their skills. They quickly say yes when asked to help.
For them, the formula is simple: to give is to love and to love is to live. It's a formula for a successful life.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Author unknown
Our church was saddened to learn this week of the death of one of our most valued members, Someone Else. Someone's passing creates a vacancy that will be difficult to fill. Else has been with us for many years and for every one of those years, Someone did far more than a normal person's share of the work.
Whenever there was a job to do, a class to teach, or a meeting to attend, one name was on everyone's list, "Let Someone Else do it." Whenever leadership was mentioned, this wonderful person was looked to for inspiration as well as results; "Someone Else can work with that group." It was common knowledge that Someone Else was among the most liberal givers in our church. Whenever there was a financial need, everyone just assumed Someone Else would make up the difference.
Someone Else was a wonderful person; sometimes appearing superhuman. Were the truth known, everybody expected too much of Someone Else. Now Someone Else is gone! We wonder what we are going to do.
Someone Else left a wonderful example to follow, but who is going to follow it? Who is going to do the things Someone Else did? When you are asked to help this year, remember - we can't depend on "Someone Else" anymore.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By Colette Baron-Reid, âThe MAP: Finding the Magic and Meaning in the Story of Your Lifeâ
Many people believe that the Law of Attraction says that if someone shows up in their lives, itâs because they attracted that person. I know that when Iâm in a lousy mood and I get into my car, it sure seems that every bad driver and tailgater in the vicinity is in my lane. Iâm irritated, theyâre aggressive, and we are all resonating together. If you could âhearâ our vibration, it would sound like a head-banging, heavy-metal rock song called âGet Out of My Way!â
But on that same road there are drivers who are tuned in to a different frequency. Theyâve got âTake It Easyâ playing on the car stereo. Theyâre smiling as all the angry drivers zip through the lanes and wear out their accelerators. These travelers let the others pass and give them no energy or attention.
The Law of Attraction has been misinterpreted by some to mean that we are actually acting as magnets, drawing in and repelling people and situations that perfectly match up with our vibration. This is a mechanistic view of how attraction and resonance works.
Like attracts like, so you will notice, approach, and interact with those you feel a connection to. However, youâre not personally responsible for everyone who is on the freeway today just because you chose to go for a drive. You, like everyone else, will always be surrounded by people who are angry and intense, and others who are calmly enjoying the ride. The Law of Attraction simply ensures that youâll notice those vibrating at your level and overlook everyone else. So which song are you going to tune in to?
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Author unknown
A lecturer, when explaining stress management to an audience, raised a glass of water and asked: âHow heavy is this glass of water?â Answers called out ranged from 20g to 500g. The lecturer replied, âThe absolute weight doesnât matter. It depends on how long you try to hold it. If I hold it for a minute, thatâs not a problem. If I hold it for an hour, Iâll have an ache in my right arm. If I hold it for a day, youâll have to call an ambulance. In each case, itâs the same weight, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes.â He said, âAnd thatâs the way it is with stress management. If we carry our burdens all the time, sooner or later, as the burden becomes increasingly heavy, we wonât be able to carry on. As with the glass of water, you have to put it down for a while and rest before holding it again. When weâre refreshed, we can carry on with the burden.â
âSo, before you return home tonight, put the burden of work down. Donât carry it home. You can pick it up tomorrow. Whatever burdens youâre carrying now, let them down for a moment if you can.â
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Author unknown
Imagine life as a game in which you are juggling some five balls in the air. You name them: Work - Family - Health - Friends - Spirit, and you're keeping all of these in the air.
You will soon understand that work is a rubber ball. If you drop it, it will bounce back. But the other four balls -- family, health, friends and spirit are made of glass. If you drop one of these, they will be irrevocably scuffed, marked, nicked, damaged or even shattered.
They will never be the same. You must understand that and strive for balance in your life. How?
1.   Don't undermine your worth by comparing yourself with others. It is because we are different that each of us is special.
2.   Don't set your goals by what other people deem important. Only you know what is best for you.
3.   Don't take for granted the things closest to your heart. Cling to them as you would your life, for without them, life is meaningless.
4.   Don't let your life slip through your fingers by living in the past or for the future. By living your life one day at a time, you live ALL the days of your life.
5.   Don't give up when you still have something to give. Nothing is really over until the moment you stop trying.
6.   Don't be afraid to admit that you are less than perfect. It is this fragile thread that binds us together.
7.   Don't be afraid to encounter risks. It is by taking chances that we learn how to be brave.
8.   Don't shut love out of your life by saying it's impossible to find. The quickest way to receive love is to give; the fastest way to lose love is to hold it too tightly; and the best way to keep love is to give it wings.
9.   Don't run through life so fast that you forget not only where you've been, but also where you are going.
10.   Don't forget that a person's greatest emotional need is to feel appreciated.
11.   Don't be afraid to learn. Knowledge is weightless, a treasure you can always carry easily.
12.   Don't use time or words carelessly. Neither can be retrieved.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Author unknown; from âAiken Drumâ
Don't ever be reluctant
to show your feelings when
you're happy, give in to it.
When you're not, live with it.
Don't ever be afraid to
try to make things better,
you might be surprised at the results.
Don't ever take the weight of the
world on your shoulders.
Don't ever feel threatened by the future,
take life one day at a time.
Don't ever feel guilty about the past,
what's done is done.
Learn from mistakes you might have made.
Don't ever feel that you are alone,
there is always somebody there
for you to reach out to.
Don't ever forget that you can achieve
so many of the things you can imagine ...
It's not as hard as it seems.
Don't ever stop loving,
don't ever stop believing,
don't ever stop dreaming your dreams.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By Steve Goodier
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Author unknown
As I faced my Maker at the last judgment, I knelt before the Lord along with all the other souls. Before each of us laid our lives like the squares of a quilt in many piles. An angel sat before each of us sewing our quilt squares together into a tapestry that is our life.
But as my angel took each piece of cloth off the pile, I noticed how ragged and empty each of my squares was. They were filled with giant holes. Each square was labeled with a part of my life that had been difficult, the challenges and temptations I was faced with in everyday life. I saw hardships that I endured, which were the largest holes of all.
I glanced around me. Nobody else had such squares. Other than a tiny hole here and there, the other tapestries were filled with rich color and the bright hues of worldly fortune. I gazed upon my own life and was disheartened.
My angel was sewing the ragged pieces of cloth together, threadbare and empty, like binding air.
Finally the time came when each life was to be displayed, held up to the light, the scrutiny of truth. The others rose, each in turn, holding up their tapestries. So filled their lives had been! My angel looked upon me and nodded for me to rise.
My gaze dropped to the ground in shame. I hadnât had all the earthly fortunes. I had love in my life, and laughter. But there also had been trials of illness, wealth and false accusations that took from me my world as I knew it. I often struggled with the temptation to quit, only to somehow muster the strength to pick up and begin again. I spent many nights on my knees in prayer, asking for help and guidance in my life. I had often been held up to ridicule, which I endured painfully, each time offering it up to the Father in hopes that I would not melt within my skin beneath the judgmental gaze of those who unfairly judged me.
And now, I had to face the truth. My life was what it was, and I had to accept it for what it was.
I rose and slowly lifted the combined squares of my life to the light.
An awe-filled gasp filled the air. I gazed around at the others who stared at me with wide eyes.
Then I looked at the tapestry before me. Light flooded the many holes, creating an image, the face of Christ. Then our Lord stood before me with warmth and love in His eyes. He said, âEvery time you gave over your life to Me, it became My life, My hardships and My struggles. Each point of light in your life is when you stepped aside and let Me shine through, until there was more of Me than there was of you.â
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By Steve Goodier
One man said, "I had a brain scan and was told not worry --there was nothing there!" Which is all right because some of my best ideas over the years have come from others, anyway. And I have discovered that wisdom can be found in most any place and from most any person -- even the youngÂest of us.
It was a child who passed on this morsel: "If your sister hits you, don't hit her back. They always catch the second person." It is wisdom borne of hard experience.
Yet another child teaches us that "the best place to be when you are sad is in Grandma's lap."
Adults, too, have wisdom to share. One parÂent observed that "the best way to keep kids at home is to make the home a pleasant place to be... and let the air out of their car tires."
Wisdom can also be found among the youngest of us. And the most elderly will share it too, if we listen. I am related by marriage to a woman who is 103 years old. During her 100th year, "Aunt Pearl" was asked to speak to a group of high school students. She offered a century of wisÂdom in a few short sentences: "Enrich your life by becoming a better perÂson, a better student and an individual worthy of trust and faithful in your commitments. Aspire to help and not hinder in all your good and worthy undertakings. Use these words often: 'thank you,' 'please,' 'I'm sorry.' AfÂter living 100 years, I admonish you to think deeply, speak gently, work hard, give freely, pay promptly, pray earnestly and be kind."
Wisdom doesn't come much better than that.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By Steve Goodier
It is well said: "Strength and courage aren't always measured in medals and victories. They are measured in the struggles we overcome. The strongest people aren't always the people who win but the people who don't give up when they lose."
It's been said that Andrew Jackson's boyhood friends just couldn't understand how he became a famous general and then the President of the United States. They knew of others who had greater talent but who never succeeded. One of Jackson's friends commented, "Why, Jim Brown, who lived right down the pike from Jackson, was not only smarter, but he could throw Andy three times out of four in a wrestling match. But look where Andy is now."
Another friend responded, "How did there happen to be a fourth time? Don't they usually say three times and out?"
"Sure, they were supposed to, but not Andy. He would never admit he was beat - he would never stay 'throwed.' Jim Brown would get tired, and on the fourth try Andy would throw him and be the winner."
Andrew Jackson just wouldn't stay "throwed"! And that determination served him well for many years.
Life will knock us off our feet again and again. You've been there and so have I. But some people just won't stay "throwed." They get up again, dust themselves off and go for it one more time. These are people of courage. They are also people of faith and hope.
Maybe you have been knocked off your feet. Will you stay "throwed," or will you rise and give it your best one more time?
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By Joseph J. Mazzella
I winced as I filled up the tank on my car the other day. Seeing another record high at the gas pump didnât bode well for the rest of the day. I knew too that the food prices would be up again as well. I put just what we needed on the shopping list and nothing more. I had promised my boys that we could eat out first, so we headed to a local fast food place and gazed at the value menu. On the counter by the cash register was the half-empty box for a childrenâs charity. I had often put my extra change in it over the years but this time when the cashier handed the coins back to me I slowly put them in my pocket. I ate sadly still wondering about how high the prices would go when I heard my thoughts echoed by the couple in the next booth. "The prices just keep going up," said the dejected husband. "I know," his wife replied. "Everything costs an arm and a leg these days."
In that moment of stress and worry, though, somehow the sweet voice of wisdom sounded in my mind. "Godâs love is still free," it said, "and it always will be." I got up then and smiled at the couple. I fished the change back out of my pocket and some bills out of my wallet, walked over and put them in the childrenâs charity box. "Prices may keep going up," I thought, "but the most priceless thing in the world is still free to us all."
The next time you feel squeezed by the price of living remember that the thing that makes life worth living is still free. God loves us and is willing to fill us with His love everyday of our lives. Even when our wallets are empty our hearts can still be full. God will always give us just what we need as well to live, learn, and love. There is no supply and demand with Godâs love either because the supply is endless. The more love you give away, the more love you will have. May we all help God share His love today, then. It costs us nothing but gives us everything.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Author unknown
Proven ways to get along better with EVERYONE:
1.   Before you say anything to anyone, ask yourself 3 things:  Is it true?  Is it kind? Is it necessary?
2.   Make promises sparingly and keep them faithfully.
3.   Never miss the opportunity to compliment or say something encouraging to someone.
4.   Refuse to talk negatively about others; don't gossip and don't listen to gossip.
5.   Have a forgiving view of people. Believe that most people are doing the best they can.
6.   Keep an open mind; discuss, but don't argue. (It is possible to disagree without being disagreeable.)
7.   Forget about counting to 10. Count to 1,000 before doing or saying anything that could make matters worse.
8.   Let your virtues speak for themselves.
9.   If someone criticizes you, see if there is any TRUTH to what he is saying; if so, make changes. If there is no truth to the criticism, ignore it and live so that no one will believe the negative remark.
10.   Cultivate your sense of humor; laughter is the shortest distance between two people.
11.   Do not seek so much to be consoled, as to console; do not seek so much to be understood, as to understand; do not seek so much to be loved as to love.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Author unknown
This is a story within a story, that starts out from a wholesaler in New York who sent a letter to the postmaster of a small Midwestern town. He asked for the name of an honest lawyer who would take a collection case against a local debtor who had refused to pay for a shipment of the wholesaler's goods. He got this reply:
"Dear Sir,
I am the postmaster of this village and received your letter. I am also an honest lawyer and ordinarily would be pleased to accept a case against a local debtor. In this case, however, I also happen to be the person you sold those crummy goods to. I received your demand to pay and refused to honor it. I am also the banker you sent the draft to draw on the merchant, and I sent that back with a note stating that the merchant had refused to pay. And if I were not, for the time being, substituting for the pastor of our local church, I would tell you just where to stick your claim."
Unlike the postmaster, not many of us are multi-talented. We cannot do ALL things well, or even fairly well. You may be a skilled chef, for example. Or, on the other hand, your motto may be more like mine: "Where there's smoke, there's dinner."
As gifted as the great mathematician was, even Albert Einstein experienced feelings of inadequacy. In 1948 Einstein was offered the first presidency of the new nation of Israel. He turned it down with this statement: "I know little about the nature of people.... And I am saddened and ashamed that I cannot accept it... I lack both the natural aptitude and the experience to deal properly with people."
Einstein knew plenty about the nature of the universe, but this wise and sensitive man also knew that he lacked the necessary political skill for such a demanding position. Is there really any shame in knowing our limitations?
Einstein focused on that which he did well and the world is the better for it. Madame Marie Curie said, "Life is not easy for any of us, but what of that? We must have perseverance and above all confidence in ourselves. We must believe that we are gifted for something and that this thing must be attained."
Be confident! You may not recognize it, but you are gifted for something! Whether it be big or small, do what you are gifted to do and you will be happy.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By Oriah Mountain Dreamer; submitted by Wolf Gang member Amanda H.
It doesn't interest me what you do for a living
I want to know what you ache for
and if you dare to dream of meeting your heart's longing.
It doesn't interest me how old you are
I want to know if you will risk looking like a fool
for love
for your dreams
for the adventure of being alive.
It doesn't interest me what planets are squaring your moon...
I want to know if you have touched the center of your own sorrow
if you have been opened by life's betrayals
or have become shriveled and closed
from fear of further pain.
I want to know if you can sit with pain
mine or your own
without moving to hide it
or fade it
or fix it.
I want to know if you can be with joy
mine or your own
if you can dance with wildness
and let the ecstasy fill you to the tips of your
fingers and toes
without cautioning us to
be careful
be realistic
to remember the limitations of being human.
It doesn't interest me if the story you are telling me
is true.
I want to know if you can
disappoint another
to be true to yourself.
If you can bear the accusation of betrayal
and not betray your own soul.
If you can be faithless
and therefore trustworthy.
I want to know if you can see Beauty
even when it is not pretty
every day.
And if you can source your own life
from its presence.
I want to know if you can live with failure
yours and mine
and still stand on the edge of the lake
and shout to the silver of the full moon,
"Yes."
It doesn't interest me
to know where you live or how much money you have.
I want to know if you can get up
after a night of grief and despair
weary and bruised to the bone
and do what needs to be done
to feed the children.
It doesn't interest me who you know
or how you came to be here.
I want to know if you will stand
in the center of the fire
with me
and not shrink back.
It doesn't interest me where or what or with whom
you have studied.
I want to know what sustains you
from the inside
when all else falls away.
I want to know if you can be alone
with yourself
and if you truly like the company you keep
in the empty moments.
© 1995 by Oriah House, From "Dreams Of Desire"
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Submitted by Wolf Gang member Susan Jones
When I was a kid, my Mom liked to make breakfast food for dinner every now and then. And I remember one night in particular when she had made breakfast after a long, hard day at work. On that evening so long ago, my Mom placed a plate of eggs, sausage and extremely burned biscuits in front of my dad. I remember waiting to see if anyone noticed. Yet all my dad did was reach for his biscuit, smile at my Mom and ask me how my day was at school. I don't remember what I told him that night, but I do remember watching him smear butter and jelly on that biscuit and eat every bite!
When I got up from the table that evening, I remember hearing my Mom apologize to my dad for burning the biscuits. And I'll never forget what he said: "Honey, I love burned biscuits."     Later that night, I went to kiss Daddy good night and I asked him if he really liked his biscuits burned. He wrapped me in his arms and said, âYour Momma put in a hard day at work today and she's real tired. And besidesâ¦a little burned biscuit never hurt anyone!"
Life is full of imperfect things and imperfect people. I'm hardly the best at anything, and I forget birthdays and anniversaries just like everyone else. But what I've learned over the years is that learning to accept each other's faults - and choosing to celebrate each othersâ differences - is one of the most important keys to creating a healthy, growing, and lasting relationship.
And that's my prayer for you today. That you will learn to take the good, the bad, and the ugly parts of your life and lay them at the feet of God. Because in the end, He's the only One who will be able to give you a relationship where a burnt biscuit isn't a deal-breaker!
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Author unknown
Yesterday is a day that I won't forget for a long time. My 9-year-old daughter had told me yesterday morning that one of her year-younger friends (third grade) wanted to interview me for a school assignment. Wow! A third-grader wants to interview me! I was thrilled. All during the day, I was anticipating questions and how I would respond. "How did you become CyberSis?" I could hear her ask. "How many hours do you work on the column?" was another obvious question. "How many readers do you have?" might pop in there as a candidate. I prepared to field most questions she could throw at me with responses that would be comprehended by 8-year-old children. Nothing too complicated. Nothing too condescending. A tough job, if you really think about it.
While shopping at a fresh produce stand, I imagined all the similes and metaphors I could use (for comedic effect) using fruit. "What do you think of your work?", answered with "It's a peach"! "How do you think people see you?", to be followed with "I'm a watermelon -- hard on the outside, but soft at the center." All day long, the muted excitement built.
I even changed clothes, just to appear "fresher" for the interview. When I went to the bus stop, I was primed! Upon returning home, I offered the girls after school refreshments. Anxious to begin, I asked Kayla where she would like to hold the interview.
She said, "Oh, it's okay. I don't need to interview you. I found somebody else."
Crestfallen (to say the very least), I replied, "Oh, really? Who did you get to interview?" trying to mentally size up the competition. She said, "Oh, just my mother's boss's mother." "Really?" was my catchy comeback. "And what type of work does SHE do?" "I don't think she works. She's in a rest home." Not seeing any relationship between the targeted interview subjects, I asked, "Why did you happen to chose her?" "I had to interview somebody REALLY old, around 50, who could tell me about life in the 1960's. She LOOKS a LOT older than you do!" she casually commented, munching on carrot sticks.
And that was the best interview I never had.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By Mac Anderson and BJ Gallagher; submitted by Wolf Gang member Beverly Christian
When I travel on business, I like to talk to the taxi drivers who take me from the airport to my hotel, or to a convention center, or to a restaurant. Taxi drivers are often immigrants with interesting personal histories and unusual cultural backgrounds. I ask them how long they've been in America, how they chose which city to live in, and what they like best about where they live. Of course, I also ask them for advice on good local restaurants and any special attractions they'd recommend to a visitor. I've had some great experiences on my travels, thanks to the advice of taxi drivers!
On one trip about ten years ago, I was making conversation with the taxi driver, asking him my usual questions about how he came to live where he lived. Then I asked him a hypothetical question: "If you could live anywhere in the world-and if money was no object-where would you live?"
Without hesitating even for a second, he replied, "I live in my heart. So it really doesn't matter where my body lives. If I am happy inside, then I live in paradise, no matter where my residence is."
I felt humbled and a little foolish for my question. Of course he was right-happiness is an inside job. He had reminded me of something I already knew, but had forgotten. If you can't find happiness inside yourself, you'll never find it in the outside world, no matter where you move. Wherever you go, there you are. You take yourself with you.
I am grateful for the wisdom of that taxi driver. And I'm grateful for all the wisdom others have shared with me about how to be happy.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Author unknown
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!
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By Byron Pulsifer
Recently, we went on a vacation for a week that involved visiting four different ports in the sunny and warm climate of the Caribbean. There were moments of laughter, fun, and great food. It's a funny thing when you go away that each day of the vacation also counts down to the end and a return to work.
It was twelve years since we went on a vacation, so this vacation was viewed with anticipation of a great break away from my daily routine. And, we weren't disappointed.
But, there was something very different about this vacation compared to those when we worked in a corporate environment. The main difference was that when we returned, when the vacation was rapidly drawing to a close, we didn't have the same feelings of approaching stress and dread.
In this most recent vacation, it wasn't that we didn't thoroughly enjoy the various fun and new activities, the break away from routine, the pleasure of touring different countries and cultures, the opportunity to do what we wanted when we wanted, or the leisurely pace of each day. What was significant was that we didn't even dread the last day of vacation knowing that we would soon have to return to my previous field. You see, we knew that we were returning to what we love to do; not what we had to do.
The feelings experienced in the last couple of days of vacation were viewed with the same joy as the very first days. In previous times, the last days of vacation were dreaded, we experienced a mounting sense of stress because we knew that a return to our field of employment was "work" and not something that we loved and thoroughly enjoyed.
The point is this: if you do what you love, it doesn't matter in the least that a vacation has to end. If you love what you do you will not find yourself wishing for even a few more days of vacation, or wishing that you could keep enjoying this vacation for much, much longer. A love of what you do draws you back like a magnet; draws you back to pleasure not to toil; draws you back where you feel comfort and completeness.
© Wake Up With the Wolf Show â 93.1 the Wolf â WPAW. Please share this with your friends!
by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Author unknown
We complain about the cross we bear but donât realize it is
preparing us for the dip in the road that God can see and we canât.
Whatever your cross, whatever your pain,
there will always be sunshine, after the rain.
Perhaps you may stumble, perhaps even fall;
But Godâs always ready, to answer your call.
He knows every heartache, sees every tear,
a word from His lips, can calm every fear.
Your sorrows may linger, throughout the night,
But suddenly vanish, with dawnâs early light.
The Savior is waiting, somewhere above,
to give you His grace, and send you His love.
God promises a safe landing, not a calm passage.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Author unknown
There are two days in every week about which we should not worry, two days which should be kept free from fear and apprehension.
One of these days is Yesterday with all its mistakes and cares,
its faults and blunders, its aches and pains.
Yesterday has passed forever beyond our control.
All the money in the world cannot bring back Yesterday.
We cannot undo a single act we performed;
we cannot erase a single word we said.
Yesterday is gone forever.
The other day we should not worry about is Tomorrow
with all its possible adversities, its burdens,
its large promise and its poor performance;
Tomorrow is also beyond our immediate control.
Tomorrow's sun will rise,
either in splendor or behind a mask of clouds, but it will rise.
Until it does, we have no stake in Tomorrow,
for it is yet to be born.
This leaves only one day, Today.
Any person can fight the battle of just one day.
It is when you and I add the burdens of those two awful eternities Yesterday and Tomorrow that we break down.
It is not the experience of Today that drives a person mad,
it is the remorse or bitterness of something which happened Yesterday and the dread of what Tomorrow may bring.
Let us, therefore, Live but one day at a time.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Author unknown
A mouse looked through the crack in the wall to see the farmer and his wife open a package.
What food might this contain? The mouse wondered â he was devastated to discover it was a mousetrap.
Retreating to the farmyard, the mouse proclaimed the warning: âThere is a mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap in the house!â
The chicken clucked and scratched, raised her head and said, "Mr. Mouse, I can tell this is a grave concern to you, but it is of no consequence to me. I cannot be bothered by it."
The mouse turned to the pig and told him, "There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap in the house!"
The pig sympathized, but said, âI am so very sorry, Mr. Mouse, but there is nothing I can do about it, but pray. Be assured you are in my prayers."
The mouse turned to the cow and said, "There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap in the house!"
The cow said, "Wow, Mr. Mouse. I'm sorry for you, but it's no skin off my nose."
So, the mouse returned to the house, head down and dejected, to face the farmer's mousetrap alone.
That very night a sound was heard throughout the house -- like the sound of a mousetrap catching its prey.
The farmer's wife rushed to see what was caught. In the darkness, she did not see it was a venomous snake whose tail the trap had caught. The snake bit the farmer's wife. The farmer rushed her to the hospital, and she returned home with a fever.
Everyone knows you treat a fever with fresh chicken soup, so the farmer took his hatchet to the farmyard for the soup's main ingredient.
But his wife's sickness continued, so friends and neighbors came to sit with her around the clock. To feed them, the farmer butchered the pig. The farmer's wife did not get well; she died.
So many people came for her funeral, the farmer had the cow slaughtered to provide enough meat for all of them.
The mouse looked upon it all from his crack in the wall with great sadness.
So, the next time you hear someone is facing a problem and think it doesn't concern you, remember -- when one of us is threatened, we are all at risk. We are all involved in this journey called life. We must keep an eye out for one another and make an extra effort to encourage one another.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Author unknown
Did you know that an eagle knows when a storm is approaching before it breaks?
The eagle will fly to some high spot and wait for the winds to come. When the storm hits, the eagle sets its wings so that the wind will pick it up and lift it above the storm. While the storm rages below, the eagle is soaring above it.
The eagle does not escape the storm. It simply uses the storm to lift it higher. It rises on the winds that bring the storm. When the storms of life come upon us â and all of us will experience them â we can rise above them by setting our minds and our belief toward God. The storms do not have to overcome us. We can call on a higher power to lift us above them.
We have the power that enables us to ride the winds of the storms that bring sickness, tragedy, failures and disappointment in our lives. We can soar above the storm. Remember, it is not the burdens of life that weigh us down, it is how we handle them!
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By Bob Perks
"The last thing I did was the most exciting thing ever!" he said.
I couldn't wait to hear what it was. "I can't imagine what you might have done--but whatever it was you must share it with me," I said.
I was visiting the senior center where Iâm a regular volunteer, and Iâd dropped in on this older gentleman from time to time. At this moment he looked at me with a somewhat surprised look on his face. We stared at each other, and I became a bit uncomfortable. Had I misunderstood what he said? Did he say something else, and had I insulted him?
"Oh, I'm sorry. Did I misunderstand you?" I finally said.
"What did I say?" he replied. Hmm, I thought, maybe he was having a senior moment.
"Didn't you just say, âThe last thing I did was the most exciting thing ever?â" I repeated.
"Yes, I did."
"What was it? What was the most exciting thing ever?" I asked.
"Oh, I see," he replied. "You're waiting for me to tell you that I won something or accomplished some great thing, right?"
"Well, yes. Isn't that what you implied?" I asked.
"In a sense, yes. But permit me to clear things up," he said."You look like a healthy man--are you?" he asked.
"Basically. I mean I have problems, but nothing life-threatening that I know of."
"Then you might not understand this," he said. Then, placing his arm around my shoulder, he explained. "About a year ago I nearly died. I had a heart attack that almost ended my life. It was an experience that brought me to my knees and lifted me back up again. It was then that I really began to see how valuable every moment is in my life."
He stood in front of me, and placing his hands on my shoulders, said, "Every last thing I do is the most exciting thing I have ever done. It's one more moment, day, week, month past the day I almost died. To me, that's exciting!"
How very powerful that thought was. I have always believed that everyone should have a near-death experience so that they can appreciate life more. I confess Iâve never had one. But I have lived through something similar when my son and wife both had cancer. Nearly losing them certainly changed the way I look at life. That way when my last breath does finally come, I will go out seeing the real value of "the last thing I did."
Feeling down? Thinking you have nothing to be excited about in your life? Think again. Try appreciating life so very much that the last thing you did would be the most exciting thing you ever did.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Author unknown
One man tells of driving a long and lonely road, the last 65 miles of it unpaved, in order to watch Hopi Indian ceremonial dances in the state of Arizona. After the dances, he returned to his car only to find that it had a flat tire. He put on the spare and drove to the only service station on the Hopi reservation.
âDo you fix flats?â he inquired of the attendant.
âYes,â came the answer.
âHow much do you charge?â he asked.
With a twinkle in his eye, the man replied, âWhat difference does it make?â This is what has been called a âHobsonâs choice.â A Hobsonâs choice is a situation that forces a person to accept whatever is offered or go without.
According to Barbara Berliner (The Book of Answers), the phrase was inspired by sixteenth-century entrepreneur Thomas Hobson, who hired out horses in strict rotation at Cambridge University. There was no choosing by the customer â it was strictly Hobsonâs choice.
But most of the time we really do have a choice, and the choice we make does make a difference. We may not always believe it. We may feel as if we have no choice, but almost always there is a choice in the matter. And when we realize that most of what we do we do by choice, then we are taking control of our own lives.
Someone challenged me to try an experiment that completely changed my perspective. âFor the next seven days,â he said, âeliminate the words âI have toâ from your vocabulary and substitute the words âI choose to.â Donât say, âI have to work late tonight.â Instead, say, âI choose to work late.â When you choose to do it, you take control of your life. Instead of saying, âI have to stay home,â try âI choose to stay home.â The way you spend your time is your choice. You set the priorities. You are responsible. You have control.â
In just seven days I was no longer saying âI have toâ and I felt better about my decisions. I learned that there is very little in this life I actually HAVE to do.
You and I decide to do certain things because we believe that it will be for the best. When we eliminate âI have toâ from our vocabularies, we take control.
Try it for a week (after all, itâs your choice) and you see what happens
© Wake Up With the Wolf Show â 93.1 the Wolf â WPAW. Please share this with your friends!
by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Author unknown
A man dies and goes to heaven. Of course, St. Peter meets him at the Pearly Gates.
St. Peter says, "Here's how it works: You need 100 points to make it into heaven. You tell me all the good things you've done, and I give you a certain number of points for each item, depending on how good it was. When you reach 100 points, you get in."
"Okay," the man says, "I was married to the same woman for 50 years and never cheated on her, even in my heart."
"That's wonderful," says St. Peter, "that's worth three points!"
"Three points?" he says. "Well, I attended church all my life and supported its ministry with my tithe and service."
"Terrific!" says St. Peter. "That's certainly worth a point."
"One point!?!!"
"I started a soup kitchen in my city and worked in a shelter for homeless veterans."
"Fantastic, that's good for two more points," he says.
"Two points!?!!" Exasperated, the man cries, "At this rate the only way I'll get into heaven is by the grace of God!"
"Bingo, 100 points! Come on in!"
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Author unknown
I stopped to watch my little girl busy playing in her room.
In one hand was a plastic phone; in the other a toy broom.
I listened as she was speaking to her make believe little friend
And I'll never forget the words she said, even though it was pretend.
She said, "Suzie's in the corner âcuz she's not been very good.
She didn't listen to a word I said or do the things she should."
In the corner I saw her baby doll all dressed in lace and pink.
It was obvious she'd been put there to sit alone and think.
My daughter continued her "conversation," as I sat down on the floor.
She said, "I'm all fed up, I just don't know what to do with her anymore!
She whines whenever I have to work and wants to play games, too.
She never lets me do the things that I just have to do.
âShe tries to help me with the dishes, but her arms just cannot reach...
And she doesn't know how to fold towels. I don't have the time to teach.
I have a lot of work to do and a big house to keep clean.
I don't have the time to sit and play -- don't you know what I mean?"
And that day I thought a lot about making some changes in my life;
as I listened to her innocent words that cut me like a knife.
I hadn't been paying enough attention to what I hold most dear.
I'd been caught up in responsibilities that increased throughout the year.
But now my attitude has changed, because, in my heart, I realize...
I've seen the world in a different light through my little darling's eyes.
So, let the cobwebs have the corners and the dust bunnies rule the floor,
I'm not going to worry about keeping up with them anymore.
I'm going to fill the house with memories of a child and her mother...
For we are granted only one childhood, and we will never get another.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By Steve Goodier
I sometimes wish I had a road map for living. If only someone would occasionally show me a way to go, a direction to take, it seems things could be easier. Have you ever thought like that? But it doesnât take me long to remember that others probably feel as confused as I do.
Passengers on a regular flight from Detroit to Tri-City Airport (which is situated between the Michigan cities of Saginaw, Bay City and Midland), must have felt a little more than confused during a flight attendantâs greeting. Obviously not familiar with the area, she welcomed everyone warmly and stated that the destination would be Midland. A few concerned passengers alerted her to the mistake, so she quickly corrected herself by saying they were headed to Tri-City and Bay City.
Chuckles rippled along the aisle as she bravely tried again. This time she informed passengers that their destination was Saginaw. Now laughter broke out.
At that point, an authoritative voice came over the intercom and rescued her. âIâm your pilot, folks,â he said, âand donât worry â I know where weâre going.â
Itâs nice when someone knows the way. But does anyone know the way YOU should be going? The way you should go in your life?
The truth is â we really canât depend on others for the most important answers about living our lives. People can help, but nobody can truly decide what is best for us; nobody else can steer us along that individual path that we should take.
But the good news is this: we will eventually find the way ourselves. And I believe weâll find it best by listening. Listening to our hearts; listening to an inner voice.
Iâve learned that if I listen well, I will discover that the solution I need is usually there, hiding within. It may be irritatingly well hidden, but it is there nevertheless.
Perhaps you feel a bit lost. Most of us do at times. And if so, donât worry. This may be a perfect time to listen. Listen to that quiet voice within. And while you listen, remember this â your inner pilot knows where youâre going.
© Wake Up With the Wolf Show â 93.1 the Wolf â WPAW. Please share this with your friends!
by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Author unknown
A group of alumni, highly established in their careers, got together to visit their old university professor. Conversation soon turned into complaints about stress in work and life.
Offering his guests coffee, the professor went to the kitchen and returned with a large pot of coffee and an assortment of cups â porcelain, plastic, glass, crystal; some plain looking, some expensive, some exquisite â telling them to help themselves to the coffee.
When all the students had a cup of coffee in hand, the professor said: "If you noticed, all the nice looking expensive cups were taken up, leaving behind the plain and cheap ones. While it is normal for you to want only the best for yourselves, that is the source of your problems and stress.
âBe assured that the cup itself adds no quality to the coffee. In most cases it is just more expensive and in some cases even hides what we drink. What all of you really wanted was coffee, not the cup, but you consciously went for the best cups. And then you began eyeing each other's cups.
âNow consider this: life is the coffee; the jobs, money and position in society are the cups. They are just tools to hold and contain Life, and the type of cup we have does not define, nor change the quality of life we live.
Sometimes, by concentrating only on the cup, we fail to enjoy the coffee God has provided us."
God brews the coffee, not the cups. Enjoy your coffee!
© Wake Up With the Wolf Show â 93.1 the Wolf â WPAW. Please share this with your friends!
by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Author unknown
Take twelve whole months,
Clean them thoroughly of all bitterness, hate, and jealousy,
Make them just as fresh and clean as possible.
Now cut each month into twenty-eight, thirty, or
thirty-one different parts,
but don't make up the whole batch at once.
Prepare it one day at a time out of these ingredients.
Mix well into each day one part of faith,
one part of patience, one part of courage,
and one part of work.
Add to each day one part of hope,
faithfulness, generosity, and kindness.
Blend with one part prayer,
one part meditation, and one good deed.
Season the whole with a dash of good spirits,
a sprinkle of fun, a pinch of play,
and a cupful of good humor.
Pour all of this into a vessel of love.
Cook thoroughly over radiant joy,
garnish with a smile,
and serve with quietness, unselfishness,
and cheerfulness.
You're bound to have a happy new year.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
by Lance Corporal James M. Schmidt
'Twas the night before Christmas, he lived all alone,
in a one bedroom house made of plaster and stone.
I had come down the chimney with presents to give,
and to see just who in this home did live.
I looked all about, a strange sight I did see,
no tinsel, no presents, net even a tree.
No stocking by mantle, just boots filled with sand,
on the wall hung pictures of far distant lands.
With medals and badges, awards of all kinds,
a sober thought came through my mind.
For this house was different, it was dark and dreary,
I found the home of a soldier, once I could see clearly.
The soldier lay sleeping, silent, alone,
curled up on the floor in this one bedroom home.
The face was so gentle, the room in such disorder,
not how I pictured a United States Soldier.
Was this the hero of whom I'd just read?
Curled up on a poncho, the floor for a bed?
I realized the families that I saw this night,
owed their lives to these soldiers who were willing to fight.
Soon round the world, the children would play,
and grownups would celebrate a bright Christmas day.
They all enjoyed freedom each month of the year,
because of the soldiers, like the one lying here.
I couldn't help wonder how many lay alone,
on a cold Christmas Eve in a land far from home.
The very thought brought a tear to my eye,
I dropped to my knees and started to cry.
The soldier awakened and I heard a rough voice,
"Santa don't cry, this life is my choice;
I fight for freedom, I don't ask for more,
my life is my God, my Country, My Corps."
The soldier rolled over and drifted to sleep,
I couldn't control it, I continued to weep.
I kept watch for hours, so silent and still
and we both shivered from the cold night's chill.
I didn't want to leave on that cold, dark night,
this guardian of honor so willing to fight.
The the soldier rolled over, with a voice soft and pure,
whispered, "carry on Santa, it's Christmas day, all is secure."
One look at my watch and I knew he was right.
Merry Christmas my friend, and to all a good night.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
by Marla Poncsak, "Heartwarmers4u"
There are many occurrences in our day to day lives that go unnoticed, but there is one which will remain clear in my mind for the rest of my life, and I would love to share it with you, as a Christmas story.
Throughout much of 1996 and 1997 I was forced to watch helplessly as Parkinson's disease claimed my father. It is a horrible disease which strips its victims of their dignity, but not their will to live.
My father had not lived an easy life, but he never complained or tried to lay blame elsewhere. He was a warm and loving father and husband who would spend many hours of every day working on our farm, but each fall he loved to take a breather and enjoy his favorite sport, hunting. It was like he was totally transformed when hunting season opened. It was his holiday and you could see how much he loved to get out with some of his friends or my brothers for a few days away from the daily demands of farm life. He was always happy if lady luck smiled on him and he were able to bring home a nice deer, but it was just the release that brought out that special something in him at that time of year.
Then as he got older and hunting became too hard for him he would spend hours going for drives in the evening just to see if he could catch a glimpse of some deer. He loved to sit and watch them graze and see if maybe a fawn would appear with the doe.
Towards the end, he was confined to hospital for a long time and there were days when he would simply lay there looking out the window towards the hills, and you could see a tear trickle from his eye. I often thought that he must just be wishing he could be out there again, but it was not to be. He passed away on October 22, 1997, and just before he died he looked directly at me and with a final effort said, "I'll see you."
My father and I had always been especially close, and it was so hard for me to accept he was finally gone. The thought of getting life back to normal just didn't seem possible. Then before we knew it, it was time to begin preparations for Christmas. That winter proved to be a harsh one and we were buried under mounds of snow. Time slipped away and when Christmas day arrived a storm made travel very difficult and we decided to stay home.
All day I kept busy with preparations, and by early afternoon the storm seemed to subside. Just before supper the sky cleared, the wind died down, and everything was so still.
Then, just as I was about to call everyone to sit at the table, I looked out our big living room window. I was nearly blinded by the brilliance of the sunset on the fresh snow, but out of the corner of my eye I saw some movement. It was a beautiful whitetail doe, and she seemed to have her mind set or at least her eye set on something. She had her head held high, and she jumped the fence and plunged through the heavy snowdrifts heading directly towards the house. I called for everyone to come and see her. She didn't stop until she was right up to the window. We all stood side by side at the window looking face to face at her only three feet away. Then she took a step to the right and it was like she was staring straight into my eyes. In that instant, and I do not know why, it was like my mind was bombarded with this intense image of my father saying, "I'll see you."
We stood there in such close contact with this beautiful creature for several minutes, and then she just slowly turned and went back the way she had come.
No one will ever know why she paid us that special visit, but in my heart and in my mind I will never forget the impact it had on me, because I had been wishing all day that my Father were with us.
It will remain a cherished memory for me throughout my life, a wonderful Christmas gift.
© Wake Up With the Wolf Show â 93.1 the Wolf â WPAW. Please share this with your friends!
by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
by Author Unknown, Source Unknown
"Daddy", he said, his eyes full of tears,
"will you talk to me and quiet my fears?
Those bad boys at school are spreading a lie
'bout the impossibility of reindeer that fly.
There's no Santa Claus, they say with a grin
there's not one now, and there never has been.
How can one man take all of those toys
to thousands of girls and boys?
But I told them Daddy, that they were not right,
that I would come home and find out tonight.
Mamma said wait until you come home.
Please tell me now that I was not wrong."
His Daddy looked at his questioning face
and puffed his pipe while his frantic mind raced.
He had put this off as long as he could,
he had to think fast and it better be good.
Whispering a prayer, he began with a smile,
"well climb on my lap, dear, let's talk awhile."
"Remember at church how we learned to pray,
asking God to take care of us each day?
And you know how we say grace before each meal?
To this same God whom we know to be real.
Though we never see him, we know he is there
watching his children with such loving care."
"God started Christmas a long time ago
when he gave us His son to love and to know.
A spirit of giving came with that birth,
and God's generosity filled the whole earth.
Man had to name this spirit of giving
just as he names all things that are living.
The name Santa Claus came to someone's mind
probably the best name of any to find.
There is, you can see, and I think quite clear
Truly a Santa who visits each year.
A spirit like God, whom we never see,
he enters the hearts of your mother and me."
"Each year at Christmas for one special night
we become him and make everything right.
But the real spirit of Christmas is in you and in me
and I hope you are old enough now to see
that as we believe and continue to give,
our friend Santa Claus will continue to live."
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Submitted by Wolf Gang member Michael Whisenhunt
Once there were three trees on a hill in the woods. They were discussing their hopes and dreams when the first tree said, 'Someday I hope to be a great treasure chest. I could be filled with gold, silver and precious gems. I could be decorated with an intricate carving and everyone would see the beauty.'
Then the second tree said, 'Someday I will be a mighty ship. I will take kings and queens across the waters and sail to the corners of the world. People will feel safe in me because of the strength of my hull.'
Finally the third tree said, âI want to grow to be the tallest and straightest tree in the forest. People will see me on top of the hill; look up to my branches, and think of the heavens and God and how close to them I am reaching. I will be the greatest tree of all time and people will always remember me.'
After a few years of praying that their dreams would come true, a group of woodsmen came upon the trees. When one came to the first tree he said, 'This looks like a strong tree. I think I should be able to sell the wood to a carpenter, and he began cutting it down. The tree was happy, because he knew the carpenter would make him into a treasure chest.
At the second tree the woodsman said, âThis looks like a strong tree. I will be able to sell it to the shipyard.' The second tree was happy because he knew he was on his way to becoming a mighty ship.
When the woodsmen came upon the third tree, the tree was frightened because he knew that if they cut him down his dreams would not come true. One of the men said, âI don't need anything special from my tree. Iâll take this one,' and he cut it down.
When the first tree arrived at the carpenterâs, he was made into a feed box for animals. He was then placed in a barn and filled with hay. This was not at all what he had prayed for.
The second tree was cut and made into a small fishing boat.  His dreams of being a mighty ship and carrying kings had come to an end.
The third tree was cut into large pieces, and left alone in the dark.
The years went by, and the trees forgot about their dreams.
Then one day, a man and woman came to the barn. She gave birth and they placed the baby in the hay in the feed box that was made from the first tree. The man wished that he could have made a crib for the baby, but this manger would have to do. The tree could feel the importance of this event and knew that it had held the greatest treasure of all time.
Years later, a group of men got in the fishing boat made from the second tree. One of them was tired and went to sleep. While they were out on the water, a great storm arose and the tree didnât think it was strong enough to keep the men safe. The men woke the sleeping man, and he stood and said 'Peace' and the storm stopped. At this time, the tree knew that it had carried the King of Kings in its boat.
Finally, someone came and got the third tree. It was carried through the streets as the people mocked the man who was carrying it. When they came to a stop, the man was nailed to the tree and raised in the air to die at the top of a hill. When Sunday came, the tree came to realize that it was strong enough to stand at the top of the hill and be as close to God as was possible, because Jesus had been crucified on it.
The moral of this story is that when things donât seem to be going your way, always know that God has a plan for you. If you place your trust in Him, God will give you great gifts.
Each of the trees got what they wanted, just not in the way they had imagined.
We don't always know what God's plans are for us. We just know that His ways are not our ways, but His ways are always best.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By Carol Stigger
At the Christmas Eve church service, I sat with my two boisterous grandchildren, ages three and five. Their parents sat in front of the church to present a nativity reading titled "Silent Night." They had warned the children to behave. I had warned the children to behave. With scrubbed angelic faces and Christmas wonder in their eyes, they looked like model children posing for a magazine holiday spread. I indulged myself in a few moments of pride.
Alec pinched Aubrey. I was grateful that the organ thundered into the first hymn just then, drowning out her yelp. I grabbed her hand before she could return the pinch. During the Lord's Prayer, Aubrey shredded the program I had given her to color on. The crayons had already rolled under the pew. I watched bits of paper fall on the carpet like snow. I would help her pick it up later, but for now the naughtiness I was allowing kept her occupied and her brother quietly admiring.
We were enjoying an uneasy truce when their parents stood to deliver the reading.
"Mommy!" Alec yelled.
She frowned, and he sat back in his seat.
"Silence," my son said to the congregation. "Think for a moment what that word means to you."
My daughter-in-law signed his words. Earlier that year, she began to use her new signing skills for the benefit of the few hearing-impaired members of our church.
Alec said a naughty word, thankfully too low for many to hear. I scowled at him, shaking my finger and my head. Aubrey grinned. Then she proclaimed, every syllable enunciated perfectly, in a clear voice that carried to far corners of the sanctuary, "Alec is a potty mouth!"
Everyone stared. I was too stunned to speak. My son and his wife looked at each other. But instead of anger, I saw surprise.
My son set aside his script and told another story. He told about their daughter being born profoundly deaf. He talked about four years of hearing aids and speech therapy with no guarantee she would ever learn to speak plainly. He talked about the rugged faith that kept the family praying she would have a normal life.
He said Aubrey's outburst was an answer to prayer: the first perfectly enunciated sentence she had ever spoken.
From the back of the room, a lone voice sang the last line of a beloved Christmas Carol: Hark! The herald angels sing, Glory to the newborn king.
While the congregation sang four verses of the unscheduled hymn, my two little angels wiggled in their parents' arms, adding laughter and giggles to the joyful Christmas noise.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By Ted A. Thompson
The year our youngest daughter, Shelly, was four, she received an unusual Christmas present from "Santa."
She was the perfect age for Christmas, able to understand the true meaning of the season, but still completely enchanted by the magic of it. Her innocent joyfulness was compelling and catching -- a great gift to parents, reminding us of what Christmas should represent no matter how old we are.
The most highly prized gift Shelly received that Christmas Eve was a giant bubble-maker, a simple device of plastic and cloth the inventor promised would create huge billowing bubbles, large enough to swallow a wide-eyed four-year-old. Both Shelly and I were excited about trying it out, but it was after dark so we'd have to wait until the next day.
Later that night I read the instruction booklet while Shelly played with some of her other new toys. The inventor of the bubble-maker had tried all types of soaps for formulating bubbles and found that Joy dishwashing detergent created the best giant bubbles. I'd have to buy some.
The next morning, I was awakened very early by small stirrings in the house. Shelly was up. I knew in my sleepy mind that Christmas Day festivities would soon begin, so I arose and made my way toward the kitchen to start the coffee. In the hallway, I met my daughter, already wide awake, the bubble- maker clutched in her chubby little hand, the magic of Christmas morning embraced in her four-year-old heart. Her eyes were shining with excitement, and she asked, "Daddy, can we make bubbles now?"
I sighed heavily and rubbed my eyes. I looked toward the window, where the sky was only beginning to lighten with the dawn. I looked toward the kitchen, where the coffeepot had yet to start dripping its aromatic reward for early-rising Christmas dads.
"Shelly," I said, my voice almost pleading and perhaps a little annoyed, "it's too early. I haven't even had my coffee yet."
Her smile fell away. Immediately I felt a father's remorse for bursting her bright Christmas bubble with what I suddenly realized was my own selfish problem, and my heart broke a little.
But I was a grown-up. I could fix this. In a flash of adult inspiration, I unshouldered the responsibility. Recalling the inventor's recommendation of a particular brand of bubble-making detergent -- which I knew we did not have in the house -- I laid the blame squarely on him, pointing out gently, "Besides, you have to have Joy."
I watched her eyes light back up as she realized, in less than an instant, that she could neutralize this small problem with the great and wonderful truth she was about to reveal.
"Oh, Daddy," she promised, with all the honesty and enthusiasm and Christmas excitement she could possibly communicate, "Oh, Daddy, I do."
I broke records getting to the store, and in no time at all we were out on the front lawn creating gigantic, billowing, gossamer orbs--each one filled with Joy and sent forth shimmering into the Christmas sun.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Submitted by Wolf Gang member Linda Fields
A woman was out Christmas shopping with her two children. After many hours of looking at row after row of toys and everything else imaginable, and after hours of hearing both her children asking for everything they saw on those many shelves, she finally made it to the elevator with her two kids.
She was feeling what so many of us feel during the holiday season time of the year. Overwhelming pressure to go to every party, every housewarming, taste all the holiday food and treats, getting that perfect gift for every single person on our shopping list, making sure we don't forget anyone on our card list, and the pressure of making sure we respond to everyone who sent us a card.
Finally the elevator doors opened and there was already a crowd in the car. She pushed her way into the car and dragged her two kids in with her and all the bags of stuff. When the doors closed she couldn't take it anymore and stated, "Whoever started this whole Christmas thing should be found, strung up and shot."
From the back of the car everyone heard a quiet, calm voice respond, "Don't worry; we already crucified him." For the rest of the trip down the elevator it was so quiet you could have heard a pin drop.
Don't forget this year to keep the One who started this whole Christmas thing in your every thought, deed, purchase, and word. If we all did it, just think of how different this whole world would be.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Submitted by Wolf Gang member Joyce
While shopping for gifts for needy children, picking out clothes was a breeze. The list given to us was sufficient to make selections without much trouble. However, since my own children are grown, picking out the toys was a much harder task. Then out of nowhere came my Christmas Angel. A nine-year-old boy was standing in the toy aisle and I walked up to him. After asking several other children how old they were, this wonderful childâs face lit up and he answered, âNine years old.â I told him we were shopping for childrenâs toys and the ages varied. My Angel, with so much Christmas spirit, helped me with every toy for each child. The personality and sense of humor in this boy surpassed most grownups. We had more fun than all the other people in the entire WalMart in Reidsville.
If you ever get the chance to have a child help you shop, please enjoy every second. There is no other Christmas present I will need this year because my Christmas Angel, Logan, gave me the best present he could.
Logan, I will do my best to pass this gift you gave to me along to someone else this Christmas. Hope to see you next year!
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
From InspirationPeak.com
According to our sources, the following letter was found in the 'Letters to Santa' box at the Post Office in Thompson Falls, Montana.
Dear Santa:
What do I ask this year? I have perused each ad in my mailbox, pored over the colorful ads in the newspaper. So many lovely things, and yet I need nothing.
I realize this as I walk up the hill on my strong legs. I can hear the air fill my lungs. I feel the cold on my cheeks. I smell the smoke of the fire that warms my home. I see the snow-capped mountains and the slate gray river peppered with fat geese.
I need nothing: there are people who love me. There are people who forgive my sometimes wretched temper and who touch me with loving hands. There are neighbors who smile in the store. There are shopkeepers who are tolerant when I donât have enough money. There are kind faces in public places.
There is a fat pregnant cat who sneaks into my garage. Dogs and other cats share my hearth; I love to feel their fur with my feet. There are hawks that teach their young of flight, right there behind my house. There are deer that tiptoe into my yard and savor the fat apples in the snow.
Rows of glassed vegetables; green beans, tomatoes, peas and carrots color my pantry. And a rusty bucket of hand tools and neatly dried seeds promises next yearâs riches.
I need nothing! Christmas promises already fulfilled redeem my foolish life, and occasionally I glimpse the feast that awaits me when this earthly one is done.
Today I discovered a hole in my jeans. I felt the December air slither down my leg. How mighty is the hand that sweeps the wind along the mountains. Santa, dear old soul, just give me another day like this one in my life.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Author Unknown, thanks to Ellen for submitting
I remember tearing across town on my bike to visit my Grandma on the day my big sister dropped the bomb: "There is no Santa Claus," she jeered. "Even dummies know that!"
My Grandma was not the gushy kind, never had been. I fled to her that day because I knew she would be straight with me. I knew Grandma always told the truth, and I knew that the truth always went down a whole lot easier when swallowed with one of her world-famous cinnamon buns. Grandma was home, and the buns were still warm. Between bites, I told her everything. She was ready for me. "No Santa Claus!" she snorted. "Ridiculous! Don't believe it. That rumor has been going around for years, and it makes me mad, plain mad. Now, put on your coat, and let's go."Â "Go? Go where, Grandma?" I asked.
"Where" turned out to be Kerby's General Store, the one store in town that had a little bit of just about everything. As we walked through its doors, Grandma handed me ten dollars. That was a bundle in those days. "Take this money and buy something for someone who needs it. I'll wait for you in the car." Then she turned and walked out of Kerby's. I was only eight years old. I'd often gone shopping with my mother, but never had I shopped for anything all by myself. The store seemed big and crowded, full of people scrambling to finish their Christmas shopping. For a few moments I just stood there, wondering what to buy, and who on earth to buy it for. Suddenly I thought of Bobbie Decker. He sat right behind me in Mrs. Pollock's grade-two class. Bobbie Decker didn't have a coat. I knew that because he never went out for recess during the winter. I fingered the ten-dollar bill with growing excitement. I would buy Bobbie Decker a coat. I settled on a red corduroy one that had a hood to it. It looked real warm, and he would like that.
That evening, Grandma helped me wrap the coat in Christmas paper and ribbons, and write, "To Bobbie, From Santa Claus" on it - Grandma said that Santa always insisted on secrecy. Then she drove me over to Bobbie Decker's house, explaining as we went that I was now and forever officially one of Santa's helpers. Grandma parked down the street from Bobbie's house, and she and I crept noiselessly and hid in the bushes by his front walk. Then Grandma gave me a nudge. "All right, Santa Claus," she whispered, "get going." I took a deep breath, dashed for his front door, threw the present down on his step, pounded his doorbell and flew back to the safety of the bushes and Grandma. From there we watched Bobbie come to the door and pick up his present from "Santa."
Forty years haven't dimmed the thrill of those moments spent shivering, beside my grandma, in Bobbie Decker's bushes. That night, I realized that those awful rumors about Santa Claus were just what Grandma said they were: ridiculous. Santa was alive and well, and we were on his team."
Merry Christmas everyone.....The spirit is in you......Remember that!
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Author/source unknown
It was a rainy night in New Orleans.
At a bus station in town,
I watched a young girl weeping
As her baggage was taken down.
It seems she'd lost her ticket
Changing buses in the night.
She begged them not to leave her there
With no sign of help in sight.
The bus driver had a face of stone
And his heart was surely the same.
"Losing your ticket's like losing cash money,"
He said, and left her in the rain.
Then an old man stood up
And blocked the driver's way,
And would not let him pass
Before he said what he had to say.
"How can you leave that girl out there?
Have you no God to fear?
You know she had a ticket.
You can't just leave her here.
You can't put her out in a city
Where she doesn't have a friend.
You will meet your schedule,
But she might meet her end."
The driver showed no sign
That he'd heard or even cared
About the young girl's problem
Or how her travels fared.
So the old gentleman said,
"For her fare I'll pay.
I'll give her a little money
To help her on her way."
He went and bought the ticket
And helped her to her place,
And helped her put her baggage
In the overhead luggage space.
"How can I repay," she said,
"the kindness you've shown tonight?
We're strangers who won't meet again;
A mere 'thank you' doesn't seem right."
He said, "What goes around comes around.
This I've learned with time â
What you give, you always get back;
What you sow, you reap in kind.
Always be helpful to others
And give what you can spare;
For by being kind to strangers,
We help angels unaware."
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
by Deborah Linne, "Heartwarmers 4 U"
During the busyness of this holiday season, my one year old daughter caught a cold that wouldn't seem to let go of her. She had it especially rough at night when she had coughing fits. Being a first time, nervous mom, I brought her to bed with me after a particularly bad cough.
As we were drifting to sleep, she wiggled around and her hand fell across my face, brushed my cheek and rested there. I felt as if an electric current was running through my body. Simultaneously, a picture came to mind of a most beautifully wrapped gift -- gold foil with delightful maroon ribbons. I realized that God had just sent a wonderful message and gift to me about the things I should be focusing on this Christmas.
Amidst all the buying, decorating, and entertaining, I was shown through the simple touch of my child the most precious gift of all.
My baby's touch, this year in 1998, must not be so unlike the touch of another precious child 2000 years ago.
Did his mother feel the same way when his hand brushed against her cheek? His life was to touch the world and affect all of us. Hopefully, with my gentle guidance and love, my baby's touch will affect others as she grows.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Author unknown
Santa lives at the North Pole...
JESUS is everywhere.
Santa rides in a sleigh...
JESUS rides on the wind and walks on the water.
Santa comes but once a year...
JESUS is an ever present help.
Santa fills your stockings with goodies...
JESUS supplies all your needs.
Santa comes down your chimney uninvited...
JESUS stands at your door and knocks, and then enters your heart when invited.
You have to wait in line to see Santa...
JESUS is as close as the mention of His name.
Santa lets you sit on his lap...
JESUS lets you rest in His arms.
Santa doesn't know your name, all he can say is, "Hi, little boy or girl, what's your name?"...
JESUS knew our name before we were born. Not only does He know our name, He knows our address too. He knows our history and future and He even knows how many hairs are on our heads.
Santa has a belly like a bowl full of jelly...
JESUS has a heart full of love
All Santa can offer is HO HO HO...
JESUS offers health, help and hope.
Santa says "You better not cry"...
JESUS says "Cast all your cares on me for I care for you."
Santa's little helpers make toys...
JESUS makes new life, mends wounded hearts, repairs broken homes and builds mansions.
Santa may make you chuckle but...
JESUS gives you joy that is your strength.
While Santa puts gifts under your tree...
JESUS became our gift and died on a tree...the cross.
We need to put Christ back in CHRISTmas. Jesus is still the reason for the season!
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By A. Brian Fielder, âHeartwarmers4Uâ
I recently relocated, bought a house and moved in the first weekend of July.
Since I have been in my new neighborhood, I have had the pleasure of meeting a few of my neighbors who seem to be extremely nice people. For Christmas, I thought I would do something nice for each of the neighbors that I know. I sat down and counted. There were nine neighbors whom I knew by name or spoke with often when I was out in my yard. I also knew which houses they lived in.
I decided to add one more person to my list for a total of ten. This lady that I decided to add lives down the street from me. I meet her every morning walking to work as I drive down the street. She always manages a contagious smile and a hearty wave. I had no idea what her name was and not even sure which house she lived in.
My gift idea was to make small fruit baskets and leave them on each of my neighbor's front porches or door steps the night of Christmas Eve for them to find, either that night or the next morning. I signed the cards: "Happy Holidays from 5104 Northumberland Road."
I saved the friendly lady for last, since I was still not exactly sure where she lived. I finally decided upon a house down about where I met her each morning and felt relatively sure that it was hers.
My neighbors really appreciated the baskets and would tell me as they saw me in the yard or they would call, and a couple even came by to thank me.
This morning on my way to work, I placed my mail in the mailbox and noticed a small note inside. It was addressed simply -- Resident, 5104 Northumberland Road.
I opened the envelope and took out a Thank You card. I opened the card and read the message which really caught me by surprise.
The card said. "Thank you for the lovely fruit basket you left on the porch of Richard Kelly. It was very thoughtful. Richard Kelly passed away on January 19th. He never stopped talking about how nice it was that someone remembered him in his time of illness. He really appreciated it."
I was sincerely stunned. I had no idea who Richard Kelly was or that he had been gravely ill. I had left that nice lady's basket on Mr. Kelly's porch by accident. I wanted to say by mistake, but that would be wrong. I believe that Richard Kelly was meant to have that basket and the Lord knew that he only had less than a month to live. I hate that the nice lady did not get to receive a fruit basket from me this Christmas, but I believe that if she knew what happened, she would have had the outcome no other way.
I feel blessed to have helped Richard Kelly's last days be more cheerful. This just further reinforces my belief that there are never any mistakes in life -- just detours, shortcuts, and small excursions along the way.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Submitted by Wolf Gang member Debbie Walters
An old legend relates that long ago God had a great many burdens which He wished to have carried from one place to another on earth, so He asked the animals to lend a hand. But all of them began to make excuses for not helping: the elephant was too dignified; the lion, too proud; and so on. Finally the birds came to God and said, "If you will tie the burdens into small bundles, we'll be glad to carry them for you. We are small but we would like to help."
So God fastened upon the back of each one a small bundle and they all set out walking across the plain to their destination. They sang as they went and did not seem to feel the weight of their burdens at all. Every day the burdens seemed lighter and lighter, until the loads seems to be lifting the birds, instead of the birds carrying the burdens.
When they arrived at their destination, they discovered that when they removed their loads, there were wings in their place, wings which enabled them to fly to the sky and the tree tops.
They had learned how to carry their burdens and their loads had become wings to carry them nearer to God.
Burdens we carry for others may become wings of the spirit, to lift us into happiness such as we have never known.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By Verna S. Teeuwissen
We won't have a Christmas this year, you say
For now the children have all gone away;
And the house is so lonely, so quiet and so bare
We couldn't have a Christmas that they didn't share.
We won't have a Christmas this year, you sigh,
For Christmas means things that money must buy.
Misfortunes and illness have robbed us we fear
Of the things that we'd need to make Christmas this year.
We won't have a Christmas this year you weep,
For a loved one is gone, and our grief is too deep;
It will be a long time before our hearts heal,
And the spirit of Christmas again we can feel.
But if you lose Christmas when troubles befall,
You never have really had Christmas at all.
For once you have had it, it cannot depart
When you learn that true Christmas is Christ in your heart.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Author Unknown, Source Unknown
I am flat broke from overspending at Christmas time. But I need to go shopping again soon because I am completely out of self-respect. I've said things I wish I could take back and I am not feeling too good about myself.
I also want to exchange a carton of self righteousness for an equal amount of humility. I hear that it is less expensive and wears well, and while I'm at it I'm going to check on tolerance and see if there is any available in my size.
I must remember to try to match my patience with the little I have left. My neighbor is loaded with it and it looks awfully good on her. I was told the same department has a repair shop for mending integrity. Mine has become frayed around the edges from too much compromising. If I don't get it refurbished soon, there won't be any left.
I almost forgot the most important thing of all -- compassion. If I see some -- no matter what the color, size or shape -- I'm going to stock up heavily regardless of the price. I have run out of it so many times and I always feel ashamed when it happens.
I don't know why it has taken me so long to get around to shopping for these items. They don't cost nearly as much as some of the frivolous things I bought at Christmas time. And I'll get a lot more satisfaction from them.
Yes, I'm going shopping today and I can leave my checkbook and credit cards at home! The things I'm looking for have no price-tags. What a joy!
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
© B. Matthew Bingham
I sit looking out my window
The 4th time today
wondering who might pass by
And give a look my way
I have so much to give
I just need you to say
Come with me my child
This is your lucky day.
I know that this is just my dream
It probably will never happen
Like a fish swimming upstream
Each day my chances lessen
Some say time passes slowly
But for me it's much too fast
I know not much time is left for me
To have a family-a home at last
If you want to see my resume
It goes something like this
Born of Mom and Dad this day
Left by them for the rest.
I sit here looking out my window
The 5th time today
Wondering who might pass by
And give a look my way
Written after our experience in adoption from Russia. It is dedicated to all those precious children left behind.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Submitted by Sixto Salas, author unknown
There was a man who had four sons. He wanted his sons to learn not to judge things too quickly. So he sent them each on a trip to go and look at a pear tree that was a great distance away. The first son went in the winter, the second in the spring, the third in summer and the youngest son in the fall.
When they had all gone and come back, he called them together to describe what they had seen. The first son said that the tree was ugly, bent and twisted. The second son said no--it was covered with green buds and full of promise. The third son disagreed, he said it was laden with blossoms that smelled so sweet and looked so beautiful, it was the most graceful thing he had ever seen. The last son disagreed with all of them; he said it was ripe and drooping with fruit, full of life and fulfillment.
The man then explained to his sons that they were all correct because they had each seen but ONLY one season in the tree's life. He told them that you cannot judge a tree or a person by only one season and that the essence of who they are and the pleasure, joy and love that come from that life can only be measured at the end when all the seasons have been passed through.
If you give up when it's winter, you will miss the promise of your spring, the beauty of your summer, fulfillment of your fall. Don't let the pain of one season destroy the joy of all the rest. Don't judge life by one difficult season. Persevere through the difficult patches and better times are sure to come during the next season.
May all of your seasons be full of joy!
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Submitted by Wolf Gang member Pam Dunn
A voyaging ship was wrecked during a storm at sea and only two of the men on it were able to swim to a small, desert like island. The two survivors, not knowing what else to do, agreed that they had no other recourse but to pray. However, to find out whose prayer was more powerful, they agreed to divide the territory between them and stay on opposite sides of the island.
The first thing they prayed for was food. The next morning, the first man saw a fruit-bearing tree on his side of the land, and he was able to eat its fruit. The other man's parcel of land remained barren.
Soon the first man prayed for a house, clothes, more food. The next day, like magic, all of these were given to him. However, the second man still had nothing. Finally, the first man prayed for a ship, so that he could leave the island. In the morning, he found a ship docked at his side of the island. He boarded the ship and decided to leave the second man on the island.
As the ship was about to leave, the first man heard a voice from heaven booming, "Why are you leaving your companion on the island?" "My blessings are mine alone, since I was the one who prayed for them," the first man answered. "His prayers were all unanswered and so he does not
deserve anything."
"You are mistaken!" the voice rebuked him. "He had only one prayer, which I answered. If not for that, you would not have received any of my blessings." "Tell me," the first man asked the voice, "what did he pray for that I should owe him anything?"
"He prayed that all your prayers be answered."
We should remember our blessings are rarely the result of only our own prayers â but also the fruits of others praying for us.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Submitted by Wolf Gang member Catherine Pipkin
A lecturer when explaining stress management to an audience raised a glass of water and asked, âHow heavy is this glass of water?â
Answers called out ranged from barely an ounce to over a pound.
The lecturer replied, âThe absolute weight doesn't matter. It depends on how long you try to hold it.
âIf I hold it for a minute, that's not a problem. If I hold it for an hour, I'll have an ache in my right arm. If I hold it for a day, you'll have to call an ambulance. In each case, it's the same weight, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes.â
He continued, âAnd that's the way it is with stress management. If we carry our burdens all the time, sooner or later, as the burden becomes increasingly heavy, we won't be able to carry on.
âAs with the glass of water, you have to put it down for a while and rest before holding it again. When we're refreshed, we can carry on with the burden.
âSo, before you return home tonight, put the burden of work down. Don't carry it home. You can pick it up tomorrow.
âWhatever burdens you're carrying now, let them down for a moment if you can.â
So, my friend, put down anything that may be a burden to you right now. Don't pick it up again until after you've rested a while.
© Wake Up With the Wolf Show â 93.1 the Wolf â WPAW. Please share this with your friends!
by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Submitted by Wolf Gang member Pam Dunn
A butcher, who had had a particularly good day, proudly flipped his last chicken on a scale and weighed it. "That will be $6.35," he told the customer.
"That's a good price, but it really is a little too small," said the woman. "Don't you have anything larger?"
Hesitating, but thinking fast, the clerk returned the chicken to the refrigerator, paused a moment, then took it out again.
"This one," he said faintly," will be $6.65."
The woman paused for a moment, then made her decision:
"You know what," she said, "I'll take both of them!"
It is always the right thing to be honest and ethical. But for those perpetually challenged, you should also know that being dishonest always comes back to "bite you."
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By Phyllis Murphy
I was catching a later flight to St. Louis, then on to Minnesota. A couple of seats in front and the aisle over sat a very pretty lady. She smiled back at me. I smiled at her, noticing her pretty floral dress.
The rest of the flight was uneventful, but as I was getting off the plane I noticed her again standing by the prompters seeing what flight she was to take and what gate. I stood beside her looking for my gate and flight number. I commented to her that I had noticed her on the flight to St. Louis and she had on a pretty dress. She said, "Thank you." I asked what flight she was taking. She said she was going to Phoenix. I looked and she had a two-hour layover. I also had a two and a half hours layover and asked her if she would like to go to the cafeteria for something to eat or drink. She said, "Sure." We introduced ourselves on the way down the ramp and she told me that her name was "Phyllis". I laughed and said, "My name is Phyllis also."
As we sat in the booth she began telling me that she had been told she was dying of cancer and had less than 6 months to live. She was on her way to visit her children and grandchildren before she began taking treatment. She then told me that she had never flown before and she had prayed a specific prayer. She was afraid she would get lost at the airport and not be able to find her way to the gate, and didn't know what she was going to do for the two hours she was there. She prayed that someone would meet her at the gate and stay with her until she left the airport. She then asked me, "Are you an Angel God has sent?â No, I assured her I was no angel, but did God use me to answer her prayer? Yes, He did.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Author unknown
Don't spend major time with minor people.
If there are people in your life who continually disappoint you, break promises, stomp on your dreams, are too judgmental, have different values and don't have your back during difficult times...that is not friendship.
To have a friend, be a friend.
Sometimes in life as you grow, your friends will either grow or go. Surround yourself with people who reflect values, goals, interests and lifestyles.
When I think of any of my successes, I am thankful to God from whom all blessings flow and to my family and friends who enrich my life.
Over the years my phone book has changed because I changed for the better.
At first, you think you're going to be alone, but after awhile, new people show up in your life making it so much sweeter and easier to endure.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Author unknown
A fifth grade teacher in a Christian school asked her class to look at TV commercials and see if they could use them in some way to communicate ideas about God. Here are some of the results:
God is like BAYER ASPIRIN -- He works miracles.
God is like a FORD -- He's got a better idea.
God is like COKE -- He's the real thing.
God is like HALLMARK CARDS -- He cares enough to send His very best.
God is like TIDE -- He gets the stains out that others leave behind.
God is like GENERAL ELECTRIC -- He brings good things to life.
God is like SEARS -- He has everything.
God is like ALKA-SELTZER -- Try him, you'll like Him.
God is like SCOTCH TAPE -- You can't see him, but you know He's there.
God is like DELTA -- He's ready when you are.
God is like ALLSTATE -- You're in good hands with Him.
God is like VO-5 Hair Spray -- He holds through all kinds of weather.
God is like DIAL SOAP -- Aren't you glad you have Him. Don't you wish everybody did.
God is like the U.S. POST OFFICE -- Neither rain, nor snow, nor sleet nor ice will keep Him from His appointed destination.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Author unknown, from âMore Sower's Seedsâ
"Why is it," said the rich man to his minister, "that people call me stingy when everyone knows that when I die I'm leaving everything to the church?"
"Let me tell you a fable about the pig and the cow," said the minister. "The pig was unpopular while the cow was beloved. This puzzled the pig. 'People speak warmly of your gentle nature and your sorrowful eyes,' the pig said to the cow. 'They think you're generous because each day you give them milk and cream. But what about me? I give them everything I have. I give bacon and ham. I provide bristles for brushes. They even pickle my feet! Yet not one likes me. Why is that?'"
"Do you know what the cow answered?" said the minister. "The cow said, 'Perhaps it is because I give while I'm still living.'"
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
submitted by Wolf Gang member Pam Dunn
Shakespeare said: I always feel happy, You know why? Because I don't expect anything from anyone, Expectations always hurt. Life is short. So love your life, be happyâ¦and keep smiling.
Just Live for yourself and
âBefore you speak »Listen
Before you write »Think
Before you spend »Earn
Before you pray »Forgive
Before you hurt »Feel
Before you hate »Love
Before you quit »Try
Before you die »Live
That's Life...Feel it, Live it & Enjoy it.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By Joanna Fuchs; submitted by Wolf Gang member Jeff Myers
Some of them were drafted;
Some were volunteers;
For some it was just yesterday;
For some it's been many years.
Some came back; some didn't.
They defended us everywhere.
Some saw combat; some rode a desk.
All of them did their share.
Let every veteran be honored;
Don't let politics get in the way.
Without them, freedom would have died;
What they did, we can't repay.
We owe so much to them,
Who kept us safe from terror.
So when we see a uniform,
Let's say "thank you" to every wearer.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By Charles M. Province
It is the Soldier, not the minister
Who has given us freedom of religion.
It is the Soldier, not the reporter
Who has given us freedom of the press.
It is the Soldier, not the poet
Who has given us freedom of speech.
It is the Soldier, not the campus organizer
Who has given us freedom to protest.
It is the Soldier, not the lawyer
Who has given us the right to a fair trial.
It is the Soldier, not the politician
Who has given us the right to vote.
It is the Soldier who salutes the flag,
Who serves beneath the flag,
And whose coffin is draped by the flag,
Who allows the protester to burn the flag.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By Neil Eskelin
If you want to understand adversity, take two identical acorns from the same oak tree and plant them in two different locations. Plant the first in the middle of a dense forest, and the other on a hill by itself.
Here's what will happen. The oak standing on a hillside is exposed to every storm and gale. As a result its roots plunge deep into the earth and spread in every direction, even wrapping themselves around giant boulders. At times it may seem the tree isn't growing fast enough - but the growth is happening under ground. It's as if the roots know they must protect the tree from the threatening elements.
What about the acorn planted in the forest? It becomes a weak, frail sapling  having to compete with giant oaks for nutrients and space. And since it is protected by its neighbors, the little oak doesn't sense the need to spread its roots for support.
Don't be afraid of adversity;Â welcome it! That's your sure-fire route to ultimate success.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Be thankful that you don't already have everything you desire. If you did, what would there be to look forward to?
Be thankful when you don't know something, for it gives you the opportunity to learn.
Be thankful for the difficult times. During those times you grow.
Be thankful for your limitations, because they give you opportunities for improvement.
Be thankful for each new challenge, because it will build your strength and character.
Be thankful for your mistakes. They will teach you valuable lessons.
Be thankful when you're tired and weary, because it means you've made a difference.
It's easy to be thankful for the good things. A life of rich fulfillment comes to those who are also thankful for the setbacks.
Gratitude can turn a negative into a positive. Find a way to be thankful for your troubles, and they can become your blessings.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By Ron Atchison
I've had the opportunity to evaluate the condition of the world over the course of the last 48 hours and I'm pleased to report that there are many reasons to be hopeful.
In this short amount of time I've seen a very diverse group of two-year olds build sandcastles together and I stood witness as a nineteen-year-old Japanese woman learned to ride a bicycle for the first time. I watched as the sun rose twice, set twice and became partially eclipsed by the moon. I stared into the eyes of a California sea lion and saw myself in his reflection. I shared a table with a seventy-seven year old woman in Tijuana who offered me cookies and Seven-Up. I witnessed a car accident on Interstate 5 and a middle-aged trucker sprinting towards the wreckage to see if he could help.
I know that there is much adversity and suffering in today's world... and sometimes I think this is the path we must take to greater wisdom. But there's a lot of love out there too... and I'm convinced that this is still the most powerful force in the world.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Author unknown
Don't bother getting a pen and paper... just read. If you can't answer a question, just keep going:
1. Name the five wealthiest people in the world.
2. Name the last five Heisman trophy winners.
3. Name the last five winners of the Miss America contest.
4. Name ten people who have won the Nobel or Pulitzer Prize.
5. Name the last five Academy Award winners for Best Actor and Actress.
How did you do?
The point is, none of us remembers the headliners of yesterday. These are no second-rate achievers; they're the best in their fields. But the applause dies. Awards tarnish. Achievements are forgotten. Accolades and certificates are buried with their owners.
Now here's another quiz. See how you do on this one:
1. Name three teachers who aided your journey through school.
2. Name three friends who helped you through a difficult time.
3. Name five people who have taught you something worthwhile.
4. Think of a few people who have made you feel appreciated and special.
5. Think of five people you enjoy spending time with.
Was that easier? The lesson here?
The people who make a difference in your life aren't the ones with the most credentials, the most money, or the most awards. They're the ones who care.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Author unknown
I was taught a lesson that just six simple letters could make a difference.
Those six letters made the word - SILENT.
Those letters when rearranged also spell the word - LISTEN.
I never truly understood that until the day I stood silent and learned there was more to life than everyday living.
When you don't take the time to listen and be silent, then everything is easily taken for granted.
The things I wasn't silent for and listened for, I now miss the most:
A simple "I love you" from my children.
The request of a loved one that I was too busy for at the time.
Little did I know that if I stayed quiet and savored things, I could have imprinted their voices in my mind and made memories that would have lasted.
The one thing I always will be thankful for is that I learned my lesson and heeded the call.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Author unknown
Brenda was a young woman who was invited to go rock climbing. Although she was scared to death, she went with her group to a tremendous granite cliff.
In spite of her fear, she put on the gear, took a hold on the rope, and started up the face of that rock. Well, she got to a ledge where she could take a breather.
As she was hanging on there, the safety rope snapped against Brenda's eye and knocked out her Contact lens. Well, here she is on a rock ledge, with hundreds of feet below her and hundreds of feet above her. Of course, she looked and looked and looked, hoping it had landed on the ledge, but it just wasn't there.
Here she was, far from home, her sight now blurry. She was desperate and began to get upset, so she prayed to the Lord to help her to find it. When she got to the top, a friend examined her eye and her clothing for the lens, but there was no contact lens to be found. She sat down, despondent, with the rest of the party, waiting for the rest of them to make it up the face of the cliff.
She looked out across range after range of mountains, thinking of that Bible verse that says, "The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole Earth." She thought, "Lord, You can see all these mountains. You know every stone and leaf, and You know exactly where my contact lens is. Please help me."
Finally, they walked down the trail to the bottom. At the bottom there was a new party of climbers just starting up the face of the cliff. One of them shouted out, "Hey, you guys! Anybody lose a contact lens?"
Well, that would be startling enough, but you know why the climber saw it? An ant was moving slowly across the face of the rock, carrying it!
Brenda told me that her father is a cartoonist. When she told him the incredible story of the ant, the prayer, and the contact lens, he drew a picture of an ant lugging that contact lens with the words, "Lord, I don't know why you want me to carry this thing. I can't eat it, and it's awfully heavy. But if this is what you want me to do, I'll carry it for you."
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Author unknown
It was the coldest winter ever and many animals died because of the cold.
Some porcupines, realizing the gravity of the situation, decided to group together to share warmth. This way they were better covered and protected; however - the quills of each one wounded their closest companions.
After a while they decided to distance themselves one from the other and soon after they began to die, alone and frozen. So they had to make a choice: either accept the quills of their companions or disappear from the Earth.
Wisely, they decided to go back to being together.
They learned to accept the little wounds that were caused by these close relationships, in order to benefit from what their companions offered. It was this way that they were able to survive and thrive.
Moral of the story: The best relationships are not ones that bring together perfect beings, but are instead ones where individuals learn to live with the imperfections of others and can still accept the gifts they have to offer.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Author unknown
One day, an expert in time management was speaking to a group of business students and, to drive home a point, used an illustration those students will never forget.
As he stood in front of the group of high-powered overachievers he said,
"Okay, time for a quiz" and he pulled out a one-gallon, wide-mouth Mason jar and set it on the table in front of him. He also produced about a dozen fist-sized rocks and carefully placed them, one at a time, into the jar.
When the jar was filled to the top and no more rocks would fit inside, he asked, "Is this jar full?" Everyone in the class yelled, "Yes."
The time management expert replied, "Really?" He reached under the table and pulled out a bucket of gravel. He dumped some gravel in and shook the jar causing pieces of gravel to work themselves down into the spaces between the big rocks. He then asked the group once more, "Is the jar full?"
By this time the class was on to him. "Probably not," one of them answered.
"Good!" he replied. He reached under the table and brought out a bucket of sand. He started dumping the sand in the jar and it went into all of the spaces left between the rocks and the gravel. Once more he asked the question, "Is this jar full?" "No!" the class shouted.
Once again he said, "Good." Then he grabbed a pitcher of water and began to pour it in until the jar was filled to the brim. Then he looked at the class and asked, "What is the point of this illustration?"
One eager student raised his hand and said, "The point is, no matter how full your schedule is, if you try really hard you can always fit some more things in it!"
"No," the speaker replied, "that's not the point. The truth this illustration teaches us is: If you don't put the big rocks in first, you'll never get them in at all."
What are the 'big rocks' in your life? Time with your loved ones, your faith, your education, your dreams, a worthy cause, teaching or mentoring others?
Remember to put these big rocks in first or you'll never get them in at all. So, tonight, or in the morning, when you are reflecting on this story, ask yourself this question: What are the 'big rocks' in my life? Then, put those in your jar first.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Author unknown
Donât spoil me. I know quite well that I ought not to have all I ask for, Iâm only testing you.
Donât be afraid to be firm with me. I prefer it, it makes me feel secure.
Donât let me form bad habits. I have to rely on you to detect them in a early stage.
Donât make me feel smaller then I am. It only makes me behave stupidly "big"
Donât correct me in front of people, if you can help it. I`ll take much more notice if you talk quietly with me in private.
Donât make me feel that my mistakes are sins. It upsets my sense of values.
Donât protect me from consequences. I need to learn the painful way sometimes.
Donât be too upset when I say "I hate you". Sometimes it isn't you I hate but your power over me.
Donât take too much notice of my ailments. Sometimes they get me attention I don't need.
Donât nag. If you do, I shall have to protect myself by being deaf.
Donât forget that I cannot explain myself as well as I should like. Thatâs why I am not always accurate.
Donât put me off when I ask questions. If you do youâll find that I stop asking and seek my information elsewhere.
Donât be inconsistent. That completely confuses me and makes me lose faith in you.
Donât tell me my fears are silly. They are terribly real and you can do much to reassure me if you try to understand.
Donât ever suggest that you are perfect or infallible. It gives me too great a shock when I discover that youâre neither.
Donât ever think that it is beneath your dignity to apologize to me. An honest apology makes me surprisingly warm towards you.
Donât forget I love experimenting. I couldnât get along without it, so please put up with it.
Donât forget how quickly I am growing up. It must be difficult for you to keep pace with me, but please try to.
Donât forget that I donât thrive without lots of love and understanding, but I donât need to tell you that, do I?
Please keep yourself fit and healthy. I need you.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Submitted by Wolf Gang member Kaylyn Sluss-Hammack
I feared being alone
Until I learned to like myself.
***************
I feared failure
Until I realized that I only fail when I don't try.
***************
I feared people's opinions
Until I learned that people would have opinions about me anyway.
***************
I feared rejection
Until I learned to have faith in myself.
***************
I feared life
Until I experienced its beauty.
***************
I feared the past
Until I realized that It could no longer hurt me.
***************
I feared love
Until it touched my heart, making the darkness fade into endless sunny days.
***************
I feared hate
Until I saw that it was nothing more than ignorance.
***************
I feared ridicule
Until I learned how to laugh at myself.
***************
I feared growing old
Until I realized that I gained wisdom every day.
***************
I feared change,
Until I saw that even the most beautiful butterfly had to undergo a metamorphosis before it could fly.
***************
I feared death
Until I realized that it's not an end, but a beginning.
***************
I feared to choose
Until I realized that I am chosen by God.
You Choose!
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Author unknown
A girl grumbled to her father about her hard life. She didn't know what she had to do and wanted to give up. She felt tired of fighting and fighting. One problem had been finished, but the other overcame.
Her father, a cook, took her into the kitchen. He poured water into three pans and boiled them. After boiling, in the first pan he put some carrots, in the second he put some eggs and in the last he added coffee. He waited for them for a few minutes, without any words from his mouth.
The girl waited impatiently, confused by what her father did. After approximately 20 minutes, her father turned off the stove, took out the carrots and put them in a bowl. He took the eggs and put them into the bowl. After that, he poured coffee into a cup.
Turning back to his daughter, he asked, "My sweetheart, what do you see?" "Carrots, eggs, and coffee", she replied.
Her father asked her to close her eyes and touch the carrots. She did, and felt that the carrots were soft. After that he asked her to take the eggs and break them. She found that the eggs were cooked and hard. At last, the father asked her to smell the coffee. She asked, "What's the meaning of all this, Father?" He explained that each thing had felt the same unfortunate, boiling water but each reacted differently. The strong and hard carrots became soft and weak after being in the boiling water. The fragile eggs and thin epidermis covering them became hard after cooking. Coffee cores were very unique, but they could change water. "Who are you?" asked her father. "When calamity knocks your door, what is your reaction? Are you carrots, eggs, or coffee?"
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Submitted by Wolf Gang member Greg Rice
A 92-year-old, petite, well-poised and proud man â who is fully dressed each morning by 8:00, shaved perfectly with his hair fashionably combed even though he is legally blind â moved to a nursing home today.
His wife of 70 years recently passed away, making the move necessary. After many hours of waiting patiently in the lobby of the nursing home, he smiled sweetly when told his room was ready.
As he maneuvered his walker to the elevator, I provided a visual of his tiny room, including the eyelet sheets that had been hung on his window.
âI love it,â he stated with the enthusiasm of an eight-year-old having just been presented with a new puppy.
âMr. Jones, you haven't seen the room,â I said.  âJust wait. That doesnât have anything to do with it,â he replied.
âHappiness is something you decide on ahead of time. Whether I like my room or not doesn't depend on how the furniture is arranged... it's how I arrange my mind. I already decided to love it⦠It's a decision I make every morning when I wake up. I have a choice: I can spend the day in bed recounting the difficulty I have with the parts of my body that no longer work, or get out of bed and be thankful for the ones that do.
âEach day is a gift, and as long as my eyes open, I'll focus on the new day and all the happy memories I've stored away, just for this time in my life.â
Old age is like a bank account. You withdraw from it what you've put in.  So, my advice to you would be to deposit a lot of happiness in the bank account of memories!  Thank you for your part in filling my Memory Bank. I am still depositing.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Submitted by Wolf Gang member Kathy Murphy
We all wonder many, many times over WHY?
Sometimes we wonder, "What did I do to deserve this?" or "Why did God have to do this to me?" Here is a wonderful explanation!
A daughter is telling her Mother how everything is going wrong, she's failing algebra, her boyfriend broke up with her and her best friend is moving away.
Meanwhile, her Mother is baking a cake and asks her daughter if she would like a snack, and the daughter says, "Absolutely Mom, I love your cake."
"Here, have some cooking oil," her Mother offers.
"Yuck," says the daughter.
"How about a couple raw eggs?"
"Gross, Mom!"
"Would you like some flour then? Or maybe baking soda?"
"Mom, those are all yucky!"
To which the mother replies: "Yes, all those things seem bad all by themselves. But when they are put together in the right way, they make a wonderfully delicious cake! "
God works the same way. Many times we wonder why He would let us go through such bad and difficult times. But God knows that when He puts these things all in His order, they always work for good! We just have to trust Him and, eventually, they will all make something wonderful!
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
submitted by Wolf Gang member Pam Dunn
When I was a child, my mother used to embroider a great deal. I would sit at her knee and look up from the floor and ask what she was doing. She informed me that she was embroidering.
I told her that it looked like a mess from where I was. As from the underside I watched her work within the boundaries of the little round hoop that she held in her hand, I complained to her that it sure looked messy from where I sat.
She would smile at me, look down and gently say, "My son, you go about your playing for awhile, and when I am finished with my embroidering, I will put you on my knee and let you see it from my side."
I would wonder why she was using dark threads along with the bright ones and why they seemed so jumbled from my view. A few minutes would pass and then I would hear Mother's voice say, "Son, come sit on my knee." I did this, only to be surprised and thrilled to see a beautiful flower or a sunset.
I could not believe it, because from underneath it looked so messy.
Then Mother would say to me, "My son, from underneath it did look messy and jumbled, but you did not realize that there was a pre-drawn plan on the top. It was a design. I was only following it. Now look at it from my side and you will see what I was doing."
Many times through the years I have looked up to God in heaven and said, "What is going on here? What are you doing?" He has answered, "I am embroidering your life." I responded, "But it looks like a mess to me down here. It seems so jumbled. The threads seem so dark. Why can't they all be bright?"
"My child,â a powerful voice from above said, âyou go about your business of doing My business, and one day I will bring you to Heaven and put you on My knee and you will see the plan from My side."
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Submitted by Wolf Gang member Brenda Boone
A father wanted to read a magazine but was being bothered by his little girl, Shelby. She wanted to know what the United States looked like.
Finally, he tore a sheet out of his new magazine on which was printed the map of the country.
Tearing it into small pieces, he gave it to Shelby and said, 'Go into the other room and see if you can put this together. This will show you our whole country today.'
After a few minutes, Shelby returned to her Dad and handed him the map, correctly fitted and taped together. The father was surprised and asked how she had finished so quickly.
'Oh,' she said, 'on the other side of the paper is a picture of Jesus. When I got all of Jesus back where He belonged, then our country just came together.'
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By Eileen Bennett
I was sitting at my desk yesterday and I was stuck. Nothing was flowing or moving the way it should and I was getting more and more frustrated. As usual, the dog was sleeping at my feet, oblivious to everything.
As the thought, 'maybe I'll go for a walk' formed in my mind, she got up, stretched and then shook herself vigorously before doing her usual 'we're going for a walk' dance.
That shake seemed to move her from semi-conscious to bubbling with energy in seconds, so I decided to give it a go! By moving my shoulders and arms in one direction and my hips and knees in the opposite direction and letting my head do its own thing I was able to do a pretty good impression of a doggy shake.
The effect was instantaneous and amazing.
First, it made me laugh at the thought of how ridiculous I must look. Then I realized that I was having fun. And then, I became aware that the energy within and around me had changed dramatically.
Try it yourself (at your own risk!) and see what a difference it makes to your energy level. (If you have a bad back or any other ailment or injury itâs best to find another way to boost your energy.)
I suppose the message here is, when youâre stuck, you don't have to stay stuck. Move the energy surrounding you by doing something completely different to the task at hand.
The fact that my dog knew I was going to take a walk almost before I did is for another day!
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Submitted by Wolf Gang member Angie Purgason
Last week I threw out worrying, it was getting old and in the way.
It kept me from being me; I couldn't do things God's way.
I threw out a book on MY PAST (didn't have time to read it anyway).
Replaced it with NEW GOALS, started reading it today.
I threw out hate and bad memories, (Remember how I treasured them so?)
Got me a NEW PHILOSOPHY, too, threw out the one from long ago.
Brought in some new books too, called I CAN, I WILL, and I MUST.
Threw out I might, I think and I ought. Wow, you should've seen the dust.
I ran across an OLD FRIEND, I hadn't talked to in a while.
His name is GOD the Father, and I really like His style.
He helped me to do some cleaning and added some things Himself.
Like PRAYER, HOPE, FAITH and LOVE, yes... I placed them right on the shelf.
I picked up this special thing and placed it at the front door.
I FOUND IT- it's called PEACE. Nothing gets me down anymore.
Yes, I've got my house looking nice.
Looks good around the place.
For things like Worry and Trouble there just isn't any space.
It's good to do a little house cleaning, get rid of the things on the shelf.
It sure makes things brighter; maybe you should TRY IT YOURSELF.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Author unknown
* Your fences need to be horse-high, pig-tight and bull-strong.
* Keep skunks and bankers at a distance.
* Life is simpler when you plow around the stump.
* A bumble bee is considerably faster than a John Deere tractor.
* Words that soak into your ears are whispered...not yelled.
* Meanness don't jes' happen overnight.
* Forgive your enemies. It messes up their heads.
* Do not corner something that you know is meaner than you.
* It don't take a very big person to carry a grudge.
* You cannot unsay a cruel word.
* Every path has a few puddles.
* When you wallow with pigs, expect to get dirty.
* The best sermons are lived, not preached.
* Most of the stuff people worry about ain't never gonna happen anyway.
* Don't judge folks by their relatives.
* Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.
* Live a good, honorable life. Then when you get older and think back, you'll enjoy it a second time.
* Don't interfere with somethin' that ain't botherin' you none.
* Timing has a lot to do with the outcome of a rain dance.
* If you find yourself in a hole, the first thing to do is stop diggin'.
* Sometimes you get, and sometimes you get got.
* The biggest troublemaker you'll probably ever have to deal with, watches you from the mirror every mornin'.
* Always drink upstream from the herd.
* Good judgment comes from experience, and a lotta that comes from bad judgment.
* Lettin' the cat outta the bag is a whole lot easier than puttin' it back in.
* If you get to thinkin' you're a person of some influence, try orderin' somebody else's dog around.
* Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly. Leave the rest to God.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Author unknown
He was just a little boy on the week's first day.
He was wandering home from Sunday School, and dawdling on the way.
He scuffed his shoes into the grass; he found a caterpillar.
He found a fluffy milkweed pod, and blew out all the "filler."
A bird's nest in a tree overhead, so wisely placed on high,
Was just another wonder that caught his eager eye.
A neighbor watched his zigzag course and hailed him from the lawn;
Asked him where he'd been that day and what was going on.
"I've been to Bible School," he said and turned a piece of sod.
He picked up a wiggly worm replying, "I've learned a lot of God."
"M'm, very fine way for a boy to spend his time," the neighbor said.
"If you'll tell me where God is, I'll give you a brand new dime."
Quick as a flash the answer came! Nor was his accent faint.
"I'll give you a dollar, Mister, if you can tell me where God ain't."
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Author unknown
Today, I am giving you a
DAILY SURVIVAL KIT
to help you each day...
Toothpick ... to remind you to pick the good qualities in everyone, including yourself.
Rubber band ... to remind you to be flexible. Things might not always go the way you want, but it can be worked out.
Band-Aid ... to remind you to heal hurt feelings, either yours or someone else's.
Eraser ... to remind you everyone makes mistakes. That's okay, we learn by our errors.
Candy Kiss ... to remind you everyone needs a hug or a compliment every day.
Mint ... to remind you that you are worth a mint to your family & me.
Bubble Gum ... to remind you to stick with it and you can accomplish anything.
Pencil ... to remind you to list your blessings every day.
Tea Bag ... to remind you to take time to relax daily and go over that list of God's blessings.
This is what makes life worth living every minute, every day
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Author unknown
One day I decided to quit. I quit my job, my relationship, my spirituality.
I wanted to quit my life.
I went to the woods to have one last talk with God.
"God", I said. "Can you give me one good reason not to quit?"
His answer surprised me...
"Look around", He said. "Do you see the fern and the bamboo?"
"Yes," I replied.
"When I planted the fern and the bamboo seeds, I took very good care of them. I gave them light. I gave them water. The fern quickly grew from the earth. Its brilliant green covered the floor. Yet nothing came from the bamboo seed. But I did not quit on the bamboo. In the second year the Fern grew more vibrant and plentiful. And again, nothing came from the bamboo seed. But I did not quit on the bamboo."
He said, "In the third year, there was still nothing from the bamboo seed. But I would not quit. In the fourth year, again, there was nothing from the bamboo seed. I would not quit."
God said, "Then in the fifth year a tiny sprout emerged from the earth. Compared to the fern it was seemingly small and insignificant. But just 6 months later the bamboo rose to over 100 feet tall. It had spent the five years growing roots. Those roots made it strong and gave it what it needed to survive. I would not give any of my creations a challenge it could not handle."
He said to me, "Did you know, my child, that all this time you have been struggling, you have actually been growing roots. I would not quit on the bamboo. I will never quit on you. Don't compare yourself to others."
God continued, "The bamboo had a different purpose than the Fern, yet, they both make the forest beautiful."
"Your time will come," God said to me. "You will rise high!"
"How high should I rise?" I asked.
"How high will the bamboo rise?" He asked in return.
"As high as it can?" I questioned.
"Yes." He said, "Give me glory by rising as high as you can."
I left the forest and brought back this story.
I hope these words can help you see that God will never give up on you.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By John Kanary, âA Cup of Chicken Soup for the Soulâ
Charlie Boswell has always been one of my heroes. He has inspired me and thousands of others to rise above circumstances and live our true passion. Charlie was blinded during World War II while rescuing his friend from a tank that was under fire. He was a great athlete before his accident and in a testimony to his talent and determination he decided to try a brand new sport, a sport he never imagined playing, even with his eyesight . . . golf!
Through determination and a deep love for the game he became the National Blind Golf Champion! He won that honor 13 times. One of his heroes was the great golfer Ben Hogan, so it truly was an honor for Charlie to win the Ben Hogan Award in 1958.
Upon meeting Ben Hogan, Charlie was awestruck and stated that he had one wish and it was to have one round of golf with the great Ben Hogan.
Mr. Hogan agreed that playing a round together would be an honor for him as well, as he had heard about all of Charlie's accomplishments and truly admired his skills.
"Would you like to play for money, Mr. Hogan?" blurted out Charlie.
"I can't play you for money, it wouldn't be fair!" said Mr. Hogan.
"Aw, come on, Mr. Hogan...$1,000 per hole!"
"I can't, what would people think of me, taking advantage of you and your circumstance," replied the sighted golfer.
"Chicken, Mr. Hogan?"
"Okay," blurted a frustrated Hogan, "but I am going to play my best!"
"I wouldn't expect anything else," said the confident Boswell.
"You're on Mr. Boswell, you name the time and the place!"
A very self-assured Boswell responded "10 o'clock . . . tonight!"
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By Brian Cavanaugh, âThe Sowerâs Seedsâ
In the 1930s a young traveler was exploring the French Alps. He came upon a vast strech of barren land. It was desolate. It was forbidding. It was ugly. It was the kind of place you hurry away from.
Then, suddenly, the young traveler stopped dead in his tracks. In the middle of this vast wasteland was a bent-over old man. On his back was a sack of acorns. In his hand was a four-foot length of iron pipe.
The man was using the iron pipe to punch holes in the ground. Then from the sack he would take an acorn and put it in the hole. Later the old man the traveler, "I've planted over 100,000 acorns. Perhaps only a tenth of them will grow." The old man's wife and son had died, and this was how he chose to spend his final years. "I want to do something useful," he said.
Twenty-five years later the now-not-as-young traveler returned to the same desolate area. What he saw amazed him. He could not believe his own eyes. The land was covered with a beautiful forest two miles wide and five miles long. Birds were singing, animals were playing, and wild flowers perfumed the air.
The traveler stood there recalling the desolation that once was; a beautiful oak forest stood there now - all because someone cared.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By Catherine Pulsifer
During the month of September, a dear friend of mine lost her husband suddenly in an accident. The tragedy was a shock to everyone.
This accident was sudden and certainly unexpected. It drove home the realization that you just don't know when a loved one is no longer going to be with you. We sometimes take our love ones for granted and expect that they will be with us forever. However, as we all know, life does not work that way and sometimes we get a wake-up call that shocks us and makes us stand back and realize how short life is.
In consoling her, I tried to imagine if I was in her shoes how would I feel. It was impossible to imagine what she was going through. What words do I say to help her?
Sometimes words just cannot express our feelings. Sometimes our actions are much more meaningful than words. A hug can sometimes express more than our words will ever express. Sometimes, just being there to listen is more meaningful and helpful to people.
As I was leaving the funeral parlor, I ran into Marilyn. Marilyn has been a true friend to me over the years. She is one of those friends who is with you in the good times and is always by your side in the bad times. She has a sense of humor that makes everyone laugh and she makes everyone feel at ease. We chatted for a few moments, and then she asked me how my job was. So I started talking and talking and talking (am sure she wished she had never asked!). I was having a stressful week with my job and I was telling her all the issues and how I was feeling. She listened to me as I was raving about my frustrations, then without saying a word, she took her hands and placed them on my face, and said to me, "But at least you had a day."
The touch of her hands on my cheeks, the calmness in her voice, and the words she spoke, "BUT AT LEAST YOU HAD A DAY," hit me like a ton of bricks. All the frustrations, all the stress that was building up inside of me - came to a complete stop.
Since that day, when I start feeling stressed, I remind myself of Marilyn's words - but at least I had a day! Things could be a lot worse, the stress of the situation always could be worse, but I am alive and I have a lot to be thankful for - so I shall not waste my days with stress and frustrations - Life is too short!
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By Jackie Sagner
Always is a boy who always goes by the book, never breaks the rules and is never in trouble. He always pleased his family and friends and never let them down. He is usually stressed out and gets headaches and stomach aches from stress.
Always became very ill one day and had to be rushed to the hospital. The doctors were baffled at what could be wrong with him. Many tests were run and in the end they were inconclusive. He was released and went home only to be stressed some more about missing school and possibly letting everyone down if he received a grade less than an A.
Now his brother, Sometimes, was doing poorly in school and he knew it. He decided that he would just do what he could to get by. He thought, "Why should I stress out? Look what happened to Always."
Well, Always was having the same thoughts: "Why should I stress and make myself sick? Sometimes gets by OK," and at that time he started missing school and just barely got passing grades.
Their parents decided to sit the boys down and talk to them and tell them that they just need to do their best and that is all that can be asked of them. They do not need to stress and get ill, but also do not slack off and get failing grades.
Their parents just wanted them to know that whatever they did they would be proud of them as long as they did their best.
Finally, Sometimes spoke up and said, "You mean even if we don't do well all the time that you will still love us and be proud of us?"
The parents answered the question, "Yes, we will love you, ALWAYS!!!"
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Author unknown
In ancient times, a king had a boulder placed on a roadway. Then he hid himself and watched to see if anyone would remove the huge rock. Some of the king's wealthiest merchants and courtiers came by and simply walked around it. Many loudly blamed the king for not keeping the roads clear, but none did anything about getting the big stone out of the way.
Then a peasant came along carrying a load of vegetables. On approaching the boulder, the peasant laid down his burden and tried to move the stone to the side of the road. After much pushing and straining, he finally succeeded. As the peasant picked up his load of vegetables, he noticed a purse lying in the road where the boulder had been. The purse contained many gold coins and a note from the king indicating that the gold was for the person who removed the boulder from the roadway.
The peasant learned what many others never understand. Every obstacle presents an opportunity to improve one's condition.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Submitted by Wolf Gang member Toni Kennedy
Everything I need to know about life, I learned from Noah's Ark.
One: Don't miss the boat.
Two: Â Remember that we are all in the same boat.
Three: Plan ahead. It wasn't raining when Noah built the Ark.
Four: Stay fit. When you're 600 years old, someone may ask you to do something really big.
Five: Don't listen to critics; just get on with the job that needs to be done.
Six: Build your future on high ground.
Seven:Â Â For safetyâs sake, travel in pairs.
Eight: Speed isn't always an advantage. The snails were on board with the cheetahs.
Nine: When you're stressed, float a while.
Ten: Â Remember, the Ark was built by amateurs; the Titanic by professionals.
Eleven: No matter the storm, when you are with God, there's always a rainbow waiting.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Author unknown
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.
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.
Send me out today
To leave heartprints.
And if someone should say,
'I felt your touch,'
May they also sense the love
that is deep within my heart.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By Jackie Sagner
As a little girl my father loved to play catch with me. I wasn't very good at it but he would play anyway. He was always telling me "keep your eye on the ball," as I would not be able to catch even the easiest of throws.
As I got older, we didn't play catch as much. If I had a problem and would go to my father and ask for his advice, he would try to make a joke with me and say" keep your eye on the ball". We would both laugh because usually that advice did not apply to the problem, but he would just try to make me smile.
My father became ill in 1995 when I was 23. There weren't any more conversations, as he was paralyzed from having a stroke. He could not speak; he could only mouth words which were sometimes hard to understand. I seemed to be pretty good at reading his lips after a while, even better than the nurses that were caring for him.
During one of our last conversations, I was telling him about a problem I was having with my then boyfriend. Once again, I could read his lips, "Keep your eye on the ball" he said. We both chuckled.
That was the last time I saw my father before he passed away.
Sometimes now, all those years later when I get in a stressful situation I just tell myself "keep your eye on the ball."
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Author unknown
A group of students was asked to list what they thought were the present "Seven Wonders of the World." Though there were some disagreements, the following received the most votes:
1. Egypt's Great Pyramids
2. Taj Mahal
3. Grand Canyon
4. Panama Canal
5. Empire State Building
6. St. Peter's Basilica
7. China's Great Wall
While gathering the votes, the teacher noticed that one quiet student hadn't turned in her paper yet. So she asked the girl if she was having trouble with her list. The girl replied, "Yes, a little. I couldn't quite make up my mind because there were so many."
The teacher said, "Well, tell us what you have, and maybe we can help." The girl hesitated, then read, "I think the 'Seven Wonders of the World' are:
1. to see
2. to hear
3. to touch
4. to taste
5. to feel
6. to laugh
7. and to love."
The room was so quiet you could have heard a pin drop.
The things we overlook as simple and ordinary and that we take for granted are truly wondrous!
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
by Joseph J. Mazzella
A friend wrote me the other day and told me that I sure do seem to have a lot of good days in my life. This friend wanted to know what is the difference between having a good day and having a bad day. I thought about it a long time and I think that I finally figured it out. The difference is about 15 minutes.
Think about it. Just how long does it take to really live the way that God always meant for you to live? How long does it take to say, "I love you, God. Thank you for my life"? How long does it take to say a little prayer for someone you care about? How long does it take to tell a friend, "You are looking good today"? How long does it take to stop your child in the hallway and give him a hug? How long does it take to bend down and smell a flower as you walk down the street? How long does it take to scratch your cat's chin or pet your dog's head? How long does it take to share a warm smile and a heartfelt "thank you" with a cashier in a store? How long does it take to compliment a loved one, to share a laugh with a friend, and to think a joyous, optimistic thought? You can do all of these things and even more in just 15 minutes a day.
Is 15 minutes a day too long to turn your life around? Is 15 minutes a day too long to live a life full of love, joy and oneness with God? Is 15 minutes a day too long to make this world a better and more Heavenly place? If you want to be doing good in your life then spend that 15 minutes a day truly doing some good in your life. If you want to be doing even better try 20, 30 or 60 minutes a day. If you do you will see how the power of your love can change the world moment by precious moment. If you do you will feel the love of God inside you and hear the laughter of angels surrounding you as you bless the world with your life. Who could ask any more for just 15 minutes a day?
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Author unknown; submitted by Wolf Gang member Ed Hitchcock
As you might remember, the head of a company survived 9/11 because his son started kindergarten.
Another fellow was alive because it was his turn to bring donuts.
One woman was late because her alarm clock didn't go off in time.
One was late because of being stuck on the NJ Turnpike because of an auto accident.
One of them missed his bus.
One spilled food on her clothes and had to take time to change.
One's car wouldn't start.
One couldn't get a taxi.
The one that struck me was the man who put on a new pair of shoes that morning, took the various means to get to work, but before he got there, he developed a blister on his foot. He stopped at a drugstore to buy a Band-Aid. That is why he is alive today.
Now when I am stuck in traffic, miss an elevator, turn back to answer a ringing telephoneâall the little things that annoy meâI think to myself, âThis is exactly where God wants me to be at this very moment.â
Next time your morning seems to be going wrong, you can't seem to find the car keys, you hit every traffic light, donât get mad or frustrated⦠It may be just that God is at work watching over you.
May God continue to bless you with all those annoying little things and may you remember their possible purpose.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Submitted by Wolf Gang member Kathy Murphy
Six year-old Brandon decided one Saturday morning to fix his parents pancakes. He found a big bowl and spoon, pulled a chair to the counter, opened the cupboard and pulled out the heavy flour canister, spilling it on the floor.
He scooped some of the flour into the bowl with his hands, mixed in most of a cup of milk and added some sugar, leaving a floury trail on the floor which by now had a few tracks left by his kitten.
Brandon was covered with flour and getting frustrated. He wanted this to be something very good for Mom and Dad, but it was getting very bad.
He didn't know what to do next, whether to put it all into the oven or on the stove and he didn't know how the stove worked!. Suddenly he saw his kitten licking from the bowl of mix and reached to push her away, knocking the egg carton to the floor. Frantically he tried to clean up this monumental mess but slipped on the eggs, getting his pajamas
white and sticky.
And just then he saw Dad standing at the door. Big crocodile tears welled up in Brandonâs eyes. All he'd wanted to do was something good, but he'd made a terrible mess. He was sure a scolding was coming, maybe even a spanking. But his father just watched him.
Then, walking through the mess, he picked up his crying son, hugged him and loved him, getting his own pajamas white and sticky in the process!
That's how God deals with us. We try to do something good in life, but it turns into a mess. Our marriage gets all sticky or we insult a friend, or we can't stand our job, or our health goes sour.
Sometimes we just stand there in tears because we can't think of anything else to do. That's when God picks us up and loves us and forgives us, even though some of our mess gets all over Him.
But just because we might mess up, we can't stop trying to "make pancakes" for God or for others. Sooner or later we'll get it right, and then they'll be glad we tried!
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By Charlie Badenhop
One of the first things I noticed about my newly purchased parrot was that he couldn't fly. Chico's wings had been clipped and he was stuck here on earth just like us humans. Once the weather turned nice I took Chico and sat him on a branch of a tree in my backyard, hoping to make him happier. At first he seemed confused. He walked back and forth on the branch looking like an agitated father pacing back and forth in the maternity waiting room. I was surprised to see that he didn't flap his wings in an attempt to fly. Somehow he knew he was incapable. I always wondered how he knew such a thing.
One day, while sitting on his branch, Chico got way more agitated then he had been when I first took him outside months ago. He was pacing back and forth and talking up a storm. Then all of a sudden, he stopped pacing, let out a spine tingling scream, and started madly flapping his wings for the first time ever. About three seconds later, he lifted off from the branch like the space shuttle! I was amazed and shocked. Little did I know his feathers had been growing back in, and just like a sly convict, Chico had been biding his time until the moment was ripe for escape!
Chico made his break for freedom on a late Monday afternoon, and by late Monday night I knew he was not coming home. Finally, on Tuesday evening Chico returned, but stayed way out of reach. I talked to him and showed him some food, but to no avail. Then I took his cage inside so he would not relate coming back to getting locked up again. Finally, I made him a firm promise that if he did come back I would let him out every day the weather was nice. Shortly after making my solemn oath, he flew onto my shoulder and I took him upstairs.
From that day on, whenever the weather was good I would let him out early and he would fly around and be back before dark. This routine lasted for about two months and then suddenly Chico became ill. The vet said that he had contracted a disease from the pigeons in the neighborhood. Within a few days he died, and I mourned his loss.
Just once the thought crossed my mind that if I had not set him free to fly every day, he would still be alive. It was then that I realized that the quality of one's life is much more important than the number of years one lives. What sense is there in being a bird if you can't fly?
Chico made his initial break for freedom on a late Monday afternoon in April. When will you make yours? You too can take a chance when the conditions are right, knowing you too in your own way, were built to fly. If you don't set yourself free, what will be the purpose of your life? I would suggest that the quality of one's life is dependent on feeling one's essence, and living the design that is you. If you are a fish, your life needs to be all about swimming. If you are a bird, your life needs to be all about flying and spreading your message to all that you meet along the way. What sense is there in being you, if you don't really let yourself free and express your heart?
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Author unknown
You spend years trying to get them off the ground.
You run with them until you are both breathless. They crash ... they hit the roof ... you patch, comfort and assure them that someday they will fly.
Finally, they are airborne.
They need more string, and you keep letting it out.
They tug, and with each twist of the twine, there is sadness that goes with joy.
The kite becomes more distant, and you know it won't be long before that beautiful creature will snap the lifeline that binds you together and will soar as meant to soar ... free and alone.
Only then do you know that you have done your job.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By Wilferd Peterson
We are the decent people of the world. We are in the majority, for men and women are essentially decent. We live in all nations; we live under all the flags that fly.
Decency is not determined by our economic status, our religion, the language we speak, the color of our skin, or the ideology under which we live. Human decency is a universal quality.
We, the decent people of the world, often have our voices drowned out by the shouts of leaders who misrepresent the things for which we stand.
We the decent people carry enough weight to tip the scale for decency if we will make ourselves heard...
We believe that war is the great indecency, that it kills and destroys all the higher sensibilities of man and leaves only death, suffering, and destruction in its wake.
We believe that this is a beautiful universe and that it is made for love and not for hate; for peace and not war; for freedom and not slavery; for order and not riot; for compassion and not violence; for happiness and not misery.
We believe that there is only one war to be waged in the name of human decency, and that is the war against all the common enemies of man... hunger, disease, poverty, ignorance, crime and failure.
We believe that every child should have the chance to grow up in an atmosphere of faith, not of fear.
We believe that the ultimate decency is to help men and never harm men, to lift men and not degrade men, and to respect the dignity of all men as individual human beings.
We the decent people of the world stand for the kind of life that will be good for all of the people, all of the time, everywhere.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Submitted by Wolf Gang member Sherri Frazier
A churchgoer wrote a letter to the editor of a newspaper and complained that it made no sense to go to church every Sunday. âI've gone for 30 years now,â he wrote, âand in that time I have heard something like 3,000 sermons. But for the life of me, I can't remember a single one of them. So, I think I'm wasting my time and the pastors are wasting theirs by giving sermons at all.â
This started a real controversy in the 'Letters to the Editor' column, much to the delight of the editor. It went on for weeks until someone wrote this clincher:
âI've been married for 30 years now. In that time my wife has cooked some 32,000 meals. But, for the life of me, I cannot recall the entire menu for a single one of those meals. But I do know this: they all nourished me and gave me the strength I needed to do my work. If my wife had not given me these meals, I would be physically dead today. Likewise, if I had not gone to church for nourishment, I would be spiritually dead today!â
When you are DOWN to nothing.... God is UP to something! Faith sees the invisible, believes the incredible and receives the impossible! Thank God for our physical AND our spiritual nourishment!
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Submitted by Wolf Gang member Tabitha Price
We mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who has been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape. He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as knowing when to come in out of the rain, why the early bird gets the worm, life isn't always fair, and maybe it was my fault.
Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don't spend more than you earn) and reliable parenting strategies (adults, not children, are in charge). His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place.
Reports of a six-year-old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate, teens suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened his condition.
Common Sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the job they themselves failed to do in disciplining their unruly children. It declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer Tylenol, sunscreen or a Band-Aid to a student, but could not inform the parents when a student became pregnant or wanted birth control.
Common Sense lost the will to live as the Ten Commandments became contraband, churches became businesses and criminals received better treatment than their victims. Common Sense took a beating when you couldn't defend yourself from a burglar in your own home and the burglar can sue you for assault. Common Sense finally gave up the will to live, after a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot. She spilled a little in her lap and was promptly awarded a huge settlement.
Common Sense was preceded in death by his parents, Truth and Trust; his wife, Discretion; his daughter, Responsibility; and his son, Reason. He is survived by three stepbrothers; I Know My Rights, Someone Else is to Blame and I'm A Victim. Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Author unknown
A wise woman who was traveling in the mountains found a precious stone in a stream.
The next day she met another traveler who was hungry, and the wise woman opened her bag to share her food. The hungry traveler saw the precious stone and asked the woman to 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 a few days later, he came back to return the stone to the wise woman. "I've been thinking," he said. "I know how valuable this stone is, but I give it back in the hope that you can give me something even more precious. Give me what you have within you that enabled you to give me this stone."
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Author unknown
There was a blind girl who hated herself because she was blind. She hated everyone, except her loving boyfriend. He was always there for her. She told her boyfriend, "If I could only see the world, I will marry you."
One day, someone donated a pair of eyes to her. When the bandages came off, she was able to see everything, including her boyfriend.
He asked her, "Now that you can see the world, will you marry me?" The girl looked at her boyfriend and saw that he was blind. The sight of his closed eyelids shocked her. She hadn't expected that. The thought of looking at them the rest of her life led her to refuse to marry him.
Her boyfriend left in tears and days later had a note sent to her saying, "Take good care of your eyes, my dear, for before they were yours, they were mine."
This is often how our human nature works when our status changes. Only a very few remember what life was like before and who was always by their side in the most painful situations.
Life is a gift.
Today, before you say an unkind word, think of someone who can't speak.
Before you complain about the taste of your food, think of someone who has nothing to eat.
Before you complain about your husband or wife, think of someone who's crying out to God for a companion.
Today, before you complain about life, think of those who may have died before their time.
Before whining about the distance you drive, think of those who walk the same distance on foot.
When you are tired and complain about your job, think of the unemployed, the disabled, and those who wish they had your job.
And, when depressing thoughts seem to get you down, put a smile on your face and think: you're alive and still around for a reason.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Author unknown
A man planted a rose and watered it faithfully and before it blossomed, he examined it.
He saw the bud that would soon blossom, but noticed thorns upon the stem and he thought, âHow can any beautiful flower come from a plant burdened with so many sharp thorns?â
Saddened by this thought, he neglected to water the rose, and just before it was ready to bloom, it died.
So it is with many people. Within every soul there is a rose. The qualities planted in us at birth, grow amid the thorns of our faults. Many of us look at ourselves and see only the thorns, the defects.
We despair, thinking that nothing good can possibly come from us. We neglect to water the good within us, and eventually it dies. We never realize our potential.
Some people do not see the rose within themselves; someone else must show it to them.
One of the greatest gifts a person can possess is to be able to reach past the thorns of another, and find the rose within them.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By Diane Loomans
If I had my child to raise all over again,
I'd build self-esteem first, and the house later.
I'd finger paint more, and point the finger less.
I would do less correcting and more connecting.
I'd take my eyes off my watch, and watch with my eyes.
I would care to know less and know to care more.
I'd take more hikes and fly more kites.
I'd stop playing serious, and seriously play.
I would run through more fields and gaze at more stars,
I'd do more hugging and less tugging.
I'd see the oak tree in the acorn more often,
I would be firm less often, and affirm much more.
I'd model less about the love of power,
And more about the power of love.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By Stacey Randall
You say you will never forget where you were when you heard the news on September 11, 2001. Neither will I.
I was on the 110th floor in a smoke filled room with a man who called his wife to say "Goodbye." I held his fingers steady as he dialed. I gave him the peace to say, "Honey, I am not going to make it, but it is OK ... I am ready to go." I was with his wife when he called as she fed breakfast to their children. I held her up as she tried to understand his words and as she realized he wasn't coming home that night.
I was in the stairwell of the 23rd floor when a woman cried out to Me for help. "I have been knocking on the door of your heart for 50 years!" I said. "Of course I will show you the way home - only believe on Me now."
I was at the base of the building with the Priest ministering to the injured and devastated souls. I took him home to tend to his Flock in Heaven. He heard my voice and answered.
I was with the Firefighters, the Police Officers, the Emergency Workers. I was there, watching each brave step they took.
I was on all four of those planes, in every seat, with every prayer. I was with the crew as they were overtaken. I was in the very hearts of the believers there, comforting and assuring them that their faith has saved them.
I was in Texas, Kansas, London. I was standing next to you when you heard the terrible news. Did you sense Me?
I want you to know that I saw every face. I knew every name - though not all know Me. Some met Me for the first time on the 86th floor. Some sought Me with their last breath. Some couldn't hear Me calling to them through the smoke and flames; "Come to Me...this way...take My hand." Some chose, for the final time, to ignore Me. But, I was there.
I did not place you in the Tower that day. You may not know why, but I do. However, if you were there in that explosive moment in time, would you have reached for Me?
September 11, 2001 was not the end of the journey for you. But someday your journey will end. And I will be there for you as well.
Seek Me now while I may be found. Then, at any moment, you know you are "ready to go." I will be in the stairwell of your final moments.
Remember...I love you.
~~~ God ~~~
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Author unknown
I've never made a fortune,
and it's probably too late now.
But I don't worry about that much,
I'm happy anyhow.
And as I go along life's way,
I'm reaping better than I sowed.
I'm drinking from my saucer,
'Cause my cup has overflowed.
Haven't got a lot of riches,
and sometimes the going's tough.
But I've got loving ones all around me,
and that makes me rich enough.
I thank God for his blessings,
and the mercies He's bestowed.
I'm drinking from my saucer,
'Cause my cup has overflowed.
I remember times when things went wrong,
My faith wore somewhat thin.
But all at once the dark clouds broke,
and the sun peeped through again.
So Lord, help me not to gripe,
about the tough rows I have hoed.
I'm drinking from my saucer,
'Cause my cup has overflowed.
If God gives me strength and courage,
When the way grows steep and rough.
I'll not ask for other blessings,
I'm already blessed enough.
And may I never be too busy,
to help others bear their loads.
Then I'll keep drinking from my saucer,
'Cause my cup has overflowed.
When I think of how many people
in this world have it worse than I do.
I realize just how blessed most of us really are.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By Ina Hughes
We pray for the children
who sneak popsicles before supper,
who erase holes in math workbooks,
who can never find their shoes.
And we pray for those
who stare at photographers from behind barbed wire,
who can't bound down the street in a new pair of sneakers,
who never "counted potatoes,"
who are born in places where we wouldn't be caught dead,
who never go to the circus,
who live in an X-rated world.
We pray for the children
who bring us sticky kisses and fistfuls of dandelions,
who hug us in a hurry and forget their lunch money.
And we pray for those
who never get dessert,
who have no safe blanket to drag behind them,
who watch their parents watch them die,
who can't find bread to steal,
who don't have rooms to clean up,
whose pictures aren't on anybody's dresser,
whose monsters are real.
We Pray for the Children
who spend their allowance before Tuesday,
who throw tantrums in the grocery store and pick at their food,
who like ghost stories,
who shove dirty clothes under the bed,
who never rinse out the tub,
who get visits from the tooth fairy,
who don't like to be kissed in front of the carpool,
who squirm in church and scream in the phone,
whose tears we sometimes laugh at and
whose smiles can make us cry.
And we pray for those
Whose nightmares come in the daytime,
Who will eat anything,
Who have never seen a dentist,
Who aren't spoiled by anybody,
Who go to bed hungry and cry themselves to sleep,
Who live and move, but have no being
We pray for the children
Who want to be carried and for those who must,
Who we never give up on and for those who don't get a second chance.
We pray for those we smother and for those who will grab the hand of
anybody kind enough to offer it.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Author Unknown, Source Unknown
One day, a one dollar bill and a hundred dollar bill got folded together and began talking about their life experiences.
The hundred dollar bill began to brag:
"I've had a great life," he said. "I've been to all the big hotels, Donald Trump himself used me at his casino, I've been in the wallets of Fortune 500 board members, and Iâve flown from one end of the country to the other! I've even been in the wallet of two Presidents of the United States, and once when Princess Diana visited the US, she used me to buy a packet of gum."
In awe, the dollar humbly responded, "Gee, nothing like that has ever happened to me...but I have been to church a lot!"
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Author Unknown, Source Unknown
Hello, God, I called tonight
To talk a little while
I need a friend who'll listen
To my anxiety and trial.
You see, I can't quite make it
Through a day just on my own...
I need your love to guide me,
So I'll never feel alone.
I want to ask you please to keep
My family safe and sound.
Come and fill their lives with confidence
For whatever fate they're bound.
Give me faith, dear God, to face
Each hour throughout the day,
And not to worry over things
I can't change in any way.
I thank you God, for being home
And listening to my call,
For giving me such good advice
When I stumble and fall.
Your number, God, is the only one
That answers every time.
I never get a busy signal,
Never had to pay a dime.
So thank you, God, for listening
To my troubles and my sorrow.
Good night, God, I love You, too,
And I'll call again tomorrow!
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Author unkown
I've learned that, no matter what happens, how bad it seems today, life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow.
I've learned that you can tell a lot about a person by the way he/she handles four things: a rainy day, the elderly, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights.
I've learned that, regardless of your relationship with your parents, you'll miss them when they're gone from your life.
I've learned that making a "living" is not the same thing as making a "life."
I've learned that life sometimes gives you a second chance.
I've learned that you shouldn't go through life with a catcher's mitt on both hands. You need to be able to throw something back.
I've learned that if you pursue happiness, it will elude you. But if you focus on your family, your friends, the needs of others, your work and doing the very best you can, happiness will find you.
I've learned that whenever I decide something with an open heart, I usually make the right decision.
I've learned that even when I have pains, I don't have to be one.
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.
I've learned that I still have a lot to learn.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Author unknown
Take time to think. Thoughts are the source of power.
Take time to play. Play is the secret of perpetual youth.
Take time to read. Reading is the fountain of wisdom.
Take time to pray. Prayer can be a rock of strength in time of need.
Take time to love. Loving is what makes living worthwhile.
Take time to be friendly. Friendships give life a delicious flavor.
Take time to laugh. Laughter is the music of the soul.
Take time to give. Sharing brings joy to your heart.
Take time to work. Work is the price of success.
Take time to dream. Dreams show you what is possible.
Take time to do your work well. Pride in your work nourishes the mind and the spirit.
Take time to show appreciation. Itâs the frosting on the cake of life.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Submitted by Wolf Gang member Pam Dunn
I wonder what would happen if we treated our Bible like we treat our cell phone?
What if we carried it around in our purses or pockets?
What if we flipped through it several times a day?
What if we turned back to go get it if we forgot it?
What if we used it to receive messages from the text?
What if we treated it like we couldn't live without it?
What if we gave it to kids as gifts?
What if we used it when we traveled?
What if we used it in case of emergency?
This is something to make you go, âHmm...where is my Bible?â
Oh, and one more thing... Unlike our cell phone, we don't have to worry about our Bible being disconnected because Jesus already paid the bill.
Makes you stop and think, âWhere are my priorities?â
And no dropped calls!
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Author unknown
I met this guy once while I was in Albuquerque and he has a motto he lives by every day. He says listen carefully and live by these 4 rules:   Drink, Steal, Swear, & Lie.
I was shaking my head 'no', but he then told me to listen while he explained his four rules. So here they are:
1. "Drink" from the "everlasting cup" every day.
2. "Steal" a moment to help someone that is in worse shape than you are. 3. "Swear" that you will be a better person today than yesterday.
4. And last, but not least, when you "lie" down at night thank God you live in America.
I am not as good as I should be, I am not as good as I could be. But THANK GOD I am better than I used to be!
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Submitted by Wolf Gang member Lisa Motsinger
Her eyes met mine as she walked down the corridor peering apprehensively into the kennels. Â I felt her need instantly and knew I had to help her. Â I wagged my tail, not too exuberantly, so she wouldn't be afraid.
As she stopped at my kennel I blocked her view from a little accident I had in the back of my cage. Â I didn't want her to know that I hadn't been walked today. Â Sometimes the shelter keepers get too busy and I didn't want her to think poorly of them.
As she read my kennel card I hoped that she wouldn't feel sad about my past. Â I only have the future to look forward to and want to make a difference in someone's life.
She got down on her knees and made little kissy sounds at me. Â I shoved my shoulder and side of my head up against the bars to comfort her. Gentle fingertips caressed my neck; she was desperate for companionship.
A tear fell down her cheek and I raised my paw to assure her that all would be well. Â Soon my kennel door opened and her smile was so bright that I instantly jumped into her arms. Â I would promise to keep her safe. Â I would promise to always be by her side. I would promise to do everything I could to see that radiant smile and sparkle in her eyes. Â I was so fortunate that she came down my corridor. Â So many more are out there who haven't walked the corridors. Â So many more to be saved. Â At least I could save one.
I rescued a human today.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
By David Cook
I have always seen life for what it really is.
Ever since I was a child growing up, hard times are all I know.
I had to sit back and watch my mother work from sunup to sundown.
I had to sit back and watch my mother work herself to her grave.
Nothing ever came easy for her.
But she always had a heart and kept a smile on her face.
Life is like a newborn baby struggling to come out of its mother's womb,
life is a struggle true enough, but after all the struggling you have done,
and after all the hell you have been through, there is success.
Life is a big struggle, but just keep the faith and focus on your goals.
Don't let life beat you or you will be walking around like zombies.
Keep on pushing, keep on trying; life can be whatever you make it to be.
But life can also be a bowl of cherries with whip cream and apple pie.
I say this again; life is what you make of it.
You can achieve or conquer anything it throws at you,
you can't quit or give up; you have got to keep on working.
Look higher. Some way, somehow you are going to make it.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Author unknown; submitted by Wolf Gang member Monty
THE BUZZARD:
If you put a buzzard in a pen that is 6 feet by 8 feet but that is entirely open at the top, the bird, in spite of its ability to fly, will be an absolute prisoner.
The reason is that a buzzard always begins a flight from the ground with a run of 10 to 12 feet. Without space to run, as is its habit, it will not even attempt to fly, but will remain a prisoner for life in a small jail with no top.
THE BAT:
The ordinary bat that flies around at night, a remarkably nimble creature in the air, cannot take off from a level place. If it is placed on the floor or flat ground, all it can do is shuffle about helplessly and, no doubt, painfully, until it reaches some slight elevation from which it can throw itself into the air. Then, at once, it takes off like a flash.
THE BUMBLEBEE:
A bumblebee, if dropped into an open tumbler, will be there until it dies, unless it is taken out. Â It never sees the means of escape at the top, but persists in trying to find some way out through the sides near the bottom. It will seek a way where none exists, until it completely destroys itself.
PEOPLE:
In many ways, we are like the buzzard, the bat, and the bumblebee. We struggle about with all our problems and frustrations, never realizing that all we have to do is look up!
That's the answer, the escape route and the solution to any problem! Â Just look up.
Sorrow looks back, worry looks around, but faith looks up!
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Author unknown; submitted by Wolf Gang member Jimikay Hilton
One day a farmer's donkey fell down into a well. The animal cried piteously for hours as the farmer tried to figure out what to do.
Finally, he decided the animal was old, and the well needed to be covered up anyway; it just wasn't worth it to retrieve the donkey. He invited all his neighbors to come over and help him. They all grabbed a shovel and began to shovel dirt into the well. At first, the donkey realized what was happening and cried horribly. Then, to everyone's amazement he quieted down. A few shovel loads later, the farmer finally looked down the well. He was astonished at what he saw. With each shovel of dirt that hit his back, the donkey was doing something amazing.
He would shake it off and take a step up. As the farmer's neighbors continued to shovel dirt on top of the animal, he would shake it off and take a step up. Pretty soon, everyone was amazed as the donkey stepped up over the edge of the well and happily trotted off!
Life is going to shovel dirt on you, all kinds of dirt. The trick to getting out of the well is to shake it off and take a step up. Each of our troubles is a stepping stone. We can get out of the deepest wells just by not stopping, never giving up! Shake it off and take a step up.
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Author unknown
One day, a man went to visit a church. He got there early, parked his car and got out. Another car pulled up nearby and the driver got out and said, âI always park there! You took my place!â The visitor went inside for Sunday school, found an empty seat and sat down. A young lady from the church approached him and said, âThatâs my seat! You took my place!â The visitor was somewhat distressed by the rude welcome, but said nothing.
After Sunday school, the visitor went into the sanctuary and sat down. Another member walked up to him and said, âThatâs where I always sit! You took my place!â The visitor was even more troubled by this treatment, but still he said nothing. Later, as the congregation was praying for Christ to dwell among them, the visitor stood up and his appearance began to change. Horrible scars became visible on his hands and feet. Someone from the congregation noticed him and called out, âWhat happened to you?â The visitor replied, as his hat became a crown of thorns, and a tear fell from his face, âI took your place.â
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by Words To Live By
,
posted Oct 27 2011 8:54AM
Submitted by Wolf Gang member Tabitha White-Jones
One day a woman's husband died, and on that clear, cold morning, in the warmth of their bedroom, the wife was struck with the pain of learning that sometimes there isn't any more. No more hugs, no more special moments to celebrate together, no more phone calls just to chat, no more "just one minute." Sometimes, what we care about the most gets all used up and goes away, never to return. Before we can say good-bye, say "I love you."
While we have it, it's best we love it and care for it and fix it when it's broken ... and heal it when it's sick. This is true for marriage ... and old cars ... and children with bad report cards ... and dogs with bad hips ... and aging parents and grandparents. We keep them because they are worth it, because we are worth it.
Some things we keep - - like a best friend who moved away or a classmate we grew up with. There are just some things that make us happy, no matter what.
Life is important, like people we know who are special. And so, we keep them close!
I was thinking...I could die today, tomorrow or next week, and I wondered if I had any wounds needing to be healed, friendships that needed rekindling or three words needing to be said.
Let every one of your friends know you love them. Even if you think they don't love you back, you would be amazed at what those three little words and a smile can do.
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