Mothers Day

A man stopped at a flower shop to order some flowers to be wired

to his mother who lived two hundred miles away. When he got out
of his car he noticed a young girl sitting on the curb crying. He
asked her what was wrong and she answered, "I wanted to buy a
red rose for my mother. But I only have seventy-five cents, and a
rose is two dollars." The man smiled and said, "Come in with me.
I'll buy you a rose." He bought the little girl her rose and ordered
his own mother's flowers. When they were leaving he offered the
girl a ride home. She said, "Yes, please! You can take me to my
mother." They went to a cemetery, where she put the rose on a
grave. The man returned to the flower shop, and he canceled the
wire order, picked up a bouquet and drove the two hundred miles
to his mother's house.

EAGLES IN A STORM
Did you know that an eagle knows when a storm comes? The
eagle will fly to some high place and it will wait for the winds to
come. When the storm starts, it opens its wings so that the wind
will pick it up and lift it above the storm. While the storm is
below, the eagle is flying 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 on us - and all of us will experience
them - we can rise above them by setting our minds
and our belief to God. The storms do not have to defeat us. We
can allow God's power to lift us above them. God enables us the
storm that bring sickness, tragedy, failure and sadness in our
lives. We can go above the storm. Remember, it is not the storms
of life that bring us down, it is how we manage them.

A Box Full of Kisses
Many years ago, a dad punished his little daughter for wasting a
roll of gold wrapping paper. Dad didnt have money and he
became sad when the child tried to decorate a box. The little girl
gave the gift to her father the next morning and said, "This is for
you, Daddy." The man was angry by his earlier behavior, but he
became angry when he found out the box was empty. He cried at
her, saying, "Don't you know, when you give someone a present,
there should be something inside? The little girl looked up at him
with tears in her eyes and cried, "Oh, Daddy, it's not empty at all. I
blew kisses into the box. They're all for you, Daddy." The father
was crushed. He put his arms around his little girl, and he begged
for her forgiveness. Only a short time later, an accident took the
life of the child. It
is also told that her father kept that gold box by his bed for many
years and, whenever he was discouraged, he would take out an
imaginary kiss and remember the love of the child who had put it
there. In a very real sense, each one of us, as humans beings, have
been given a gold container filled with unconditional love and
kisses... from our children, family members, friends, and God.
There is simply no other possession, anyone could hold, more
precious than this.

THE OBSTACLE IN OUR PATH
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.
GENEROSITY Mahatma Gandhi went from city to city, village
to village collecting funds for the Charkha Sangh. During one of
his tours he addressed a meeting in Orissa. After his speech a poor
old woman got up. She was bent with age, her hair was grey and
her clothes were in tatters. The volunteers tried to stop her, but
she fought her way to the place where Gandhiji was sitting. "I
must see him," she insisted and going up to Gandhiji touched his
feet. Then from the folds of her sari she brought out a copper coin
and placed it at his feet. Gandhiji picked up the copper coin and
put it away carefully. The Charkha Sangh funds were under the
charge of Jamnalal Bajaj. He asked Gandhiji for the coin but
Gandhiji refused. "I keep checks worth thousands of rupees for
the Charkha Sangh," Jamnalal Bajaj said laughingly "yet you
won't trust me with a copper coin." "This copper coin is worth
much more than those thousands," Gandhiji said. "If a man has
several lakhs and he gives away a thousand or two, it doesn't
mean much. But this coin was perhaps all that the poor woman
possessed. She gave me all she had. That was very generous of
her. What a great sacrifice she made. That is why I value this
copper coin more than a crore of rupees." Alexander Fleming
His name was Fleming, and he was a poor Scottish farmer. One
day, while trying to eke out a living for his family, he heard a cry
for help coming from a nearby bog. He dropped his tools and ran
to the bog. There, mired to his waist in black muck, was a terrified
boy, screaming and struggling to free himself. Farmer Fleming
saved the lad from what could have been a slow
and terrifying death. The next day, a fancy carriage pulled up to
the Scotsman's sparse surroundings. An elegantly dressed
nobleman stepped out and introduced himself as the father of the
boy Farmer Fleming had saved. "I want to repay you," said the
nobleman. "You saved my son's life." "No, I can't accept payment
for what I did," the Scottish farmer replied, waving off the offer.
At that moment, the farmer's own son came to the door of the
family hovel. "Is that your son?" the nobleman asked. "Yes," the
farmer replied proudly. "I'll make you a deal. Let me take him and
give him a good education. If the lad is anything like his father,
he'll grow to a man you can be proud of." And that he did. In time,
Farmer Fleming's son graduated from St. Mary's Hospital Medical
School in London, and went on to become known throughout the
world as the noted Sir Alexander Fleming, the discoverer of
Penicillin. Years afterward, the nobleman's son was stricken with
pneumonia. What saved him? Penicillin.The name of the
nobleman?Lord Randolph Churchill.His son's name? Sir Winston
Churchill. Someone once said what goes around comes around.
The Wooden Bowl
A frail old man went to live with his son, daughter-in-law, and a
four-year old grandson. The old man's hands trembled, his
eyesight was blurred, and his step faltered. The family ate
together nightly at the dinner table. But the elderly grandfather's
shaky hands and failing sight made eating rather
difficult. Peas rolled off his spoon onto the floor. When he grasped
the glass often milk spilled on the tablecloth. The son and
daughter-in-law became irritated with the mess. "We must do
something about grandfather," said the son. I've had enough of
his spilled milk, noisy eating, and food on the floor. So the
husband and wife set a small table in the corner. There,
grandfather ate alone while the rest of the family enjoyed dinner
at the dinner table. Since grandfather had broken a dish or two,
his food was served in a wooden bowl. Sometimes when the family
glanced in grandfather's direction, he had a tear in his eye as he
ate alone. Still, the only words the couple had for him were sharp
admonitions when he dropped a fork or spilled food. The four-
year-old watched it all in silence. One evening before supper, the
father noticed his son playing with wood scraps on the floor. He
asked the child sweetly, "What are you making?" Just as sweetly,
the boy responded, "Oh, I am making a little bowl for you and
mama to eat your food from when I grow up." The four-year-old
smiled and went back to work. The words so struck the parents
that they were speechless. Then tears started to stream down their
cheeks. Though no word was spoken, both knew what must be
done. That evening the husband took grandfather's hand and
gently led him back to the family table. For the remainder of his
days he ate every meal with the family. And for some reason,
neither husband nor wife seemed to care any longer when a fork
was dropped, milk spilled, or the tablecloth soiled. Children are
remarkably perceptive. Their eyes ever observe, their ears ever
listen, and their minds ever process the messages they absorb. If
they see us patiently provide a happy home atmosphere for family
members, they will imitate that attitude for the rest of their lives.
The wise parent realizes that every day that building blocks are
being laid for the child's future.
Let us all be wise builders and role models. Take care of yourself,
... and those you love, ... today, and everyday! Puppies For Sale
A farmer had some puppies he needed to sell. He painted a sign
advertising the pups and set about Nailing it to a post on the edge
of his yard. As he was driving the last nail into the post, he Felt a
tug on his overalls. He looked down into the Eyes of a little boy.
Mister," he said, "I want to buy one of your puppies." "Well," said
the farmer, as he rubbed the sweat off the back of his neck, "these
puppies come from fine parents and cost a good deal of money."
The boy dropped his head for a moment. Then reaching deep into
his pocket, he pulled out a handful of change and held it up to the
farmer. "I've got thirty-nine cents. Is that enough to take a look?"
"Sure," said the farmer. And with that he let out a
whistle,"Here,Dolly!" he called. Out from the doghouse and down
the ramp ran Dolly followed by four little balls of fur. The little
boy pressed his face against the chain link fence. His eyes danced
with delight.
As the dogs made their way to the fence, the little boy noticed
something else stirring inside the doghouse. Slowly another little
ball appeared; this One noticeably smaller. Down the ramp it slid.
Then in a somewhat awkward manner the little pup began
hobbling toward the others, doing its best to catch up.... "I want
that one," the little boy said, pointing to the runt. The farmer knelt
down at the boy's side and said, "Son, you don't want that puppy.
He will never be able to run and play with you like these other
dogs would." With that the little boy stepped back from the fence,
reacheddown, and began rolling up one leg of his trousers. In
doing so he revealed a steel brace running down both sides of his
leg attaching itself To a specially made shoe. Looking back up at
the farmer, he said, "You see sir, I don't run too well myself, and
he will need Someone who understands." The world is full of
people who need someone who understands.
The Rose WithinA certain 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, "How can any beautiful flower come from a plant
burdened with so many sharp thorns? 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 God-like 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.
This is one of the characteristic of love... to look at a person, know
their true faults and accepting that person into your life... all the
while recognizing the nobility in their soul. Help others to realize
they can overcome their faults. If we show them the "rose" within
themselves, they will conquer their thorns. Only then will they
blossom many times over.
Two frogs
A group of frogs were traveling through the woods, and two of
them fell into a deep pit. When the other frogs saw how deep the
pit was, they told the two frogs that they were as good as dead.
The two frogs ignored the comments and tried to jump up out of
the pit with all their might. The other frogs kept telling them to
stop, that they were as good as dead. Finally, one of the frogs took
heed to what the other frogs were saying and gave up. He fell
down and died. The other frog continued to jump as hard as he
could. Once again, the crowd of frogs yelled at him to stop the
pain and just die. He jumped even harder and finally made it out.
When he got out, the other frogs said, "Did you not hear us?" The
frog explained to them that he was deaf. He thought they were
encouraging him the entire time. This story teaches two lessons: 1.
There is power of life and death in the tongue. An encouraging
word to someone who is down can lift them up and help them
make it through the day. 2. A destructive word to someone who is
down can be what it takes to kill them.
Be careful of what you say. Speak life to those who cross your
path. The power of words... it is sometimes hard to understand
that an encouraging word can go such a long way. Anyone can
speak words that tend to rob another of the spirit to continue in
difficult times. Special is the individual who will take the time to
encourage another. The Four Wives There was a rich merchant
who had 4 wives. He loved the 4th wife the most and adorned her
with rich robes and treated her to delicacies. He took great care of
her and gave her nothing but the best. He also loved the 3rd wife
very much. He's very proud of her and always wanted to show off
her to his friends. However, the merchant is always in great fear
that she might run away with some other men. He too, loved his
2nd wife. She is a very considerate person, always patient and in
fact is the merchant's confidante. Whenever the merchant faced
some problems, he always turned to his 2nd wife and she would
always help him out and tide him through difficult times. Now,
the merchant's 1st wife is a very loyal partner and has made great
contributions in maintaining his wealth and business as well as
taking care of the household. However, the merchant did not love
the first wife and although she loved him deeply, he hardly took
notice of her. One day, the merchant fell ill. Before long, he knew
that he was going to die soon. He thought of his luxurious life and
told himself, "Now I have 4 wives with me. But when I die, I'll be
alone. How lonely I'll be!"
Thus, he asked the 4th wife, "I loved you most, endowed you with
the finest clothing and showered great care over you. Now that
I'm dying, will you follow me and keep me company?" "No way!"
replied the 4th wife and she walked away without another word.
The answer cut like a sharp knife right into the merchant's heart.
The sad merchant then asked the 3rd wife, "I have loved you so
much for all my life. Now that I'm dying, will you follow me and
keep me company?" "No!" replied the 3rd wife. "Life is so good
over here! I'm going to remarry when you die!" The merchant's
heart sank and turned cold. He then asked the 2nd wife, "I always
turned to you for help and you've always helped me out. Now I
need your help again. When I die, will you follow me and keep me
company?" "I'm sorry, I can't help you out this time!" replied the
2nd wife. "At the very most, I can only send you to your grave."
The answer came like a bolt of thunder and the merchant was
devastated. Then a voice called out : "I'll leave with you. I'll follow
you no matter where you go." The merchant looked up and there
was his first wife. She was so skinny, almost like she suffered from
malnutrition. Greatly grieved, the merchant said, "I should have
taken much better care of you while I could have !" Actually, we all
have 4 wives in our lives a. The 4th wife is our body. No matter
how much time and effort we lavish in making it look good, it'll
leave us when we die. b. Our 3rd wife ?Our possessions, status
and wealth. When we die, they all go to others.
c. The 2nd wife is our family and friends. No matter how close
they had been there for us when we're alive, the furthest they can
stay by us is up to the grave. d. The 1st wife is in fact our soul,
often neglected in our pursuit of material, wealth and sensual
pleasure. Guess what? It is actually the only thing that follows us
wherever we go. Perhaps it's a good idea to cultivate and
strengthen it now rather than to wait until we're on our deathbed
to lament Building Your House
An elderly carpenter was ready to retire. He told his employer-
contractor of his plans to leave the house-building business to live
a more leisurely life with his wife and enjoy his extended family.
He would miss the paycheck each week, but he wanted to retire.
They could get by. The contractor was sorry to see his good
worker go & asked if he could build just one more house as a
personal favor. The carpenter said yes, but over 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 a dedicated career. When the carpenter finished his
work, his employer came to inspect the house. Then he handed
the front-door key to the carpenter and said, "This is your house...
my gift to you." The carpenter was shocked! What a shame! If he
had only known he was building his own house, he would have
done it all so differently.
So it is with us. We build our lives, a day at a time, often putting
less than our best into the building. Then, with a shock, we realize
we have to live in the house we have built. If we could do it over,
we would do it much differently. But, you cannot go back. You are
the carpenter, and every day you hammer a nail, place a board, or
erect a wall. Someone once said, "Life is a do-it-yourself project."
Your attitude, and the choices you make today, help build the
"house" you will live in tomorrow. Therefore, Build wisely! The
Buzzard, The Bat, and the Bumblebee If you put a buzzard
in a pen six or eight feet square and entirely open at the top, the
bird, in spite of his 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 ten or twelve feet. Without space to run, as is his
habit, he will not even attempt to fly, but will remain a prisoner
for life in a small jail with no top. The ordinary bat that flies
around at night, a remarkable 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. A
Bumblebee if dropped into an open tumbler will be there until it
dies, unless it is taken out. 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.
In many ways, there are lots of people like the buzzard, the bat
and the bee. They are struggling about with all their problems and
frustrations, not realizing that the answer is right there above
them. Love and Time
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 constructed boats and left. Except for Love.
Love was the only one who stayed. Love wanted to hold out until
the last possible moment.When the island had almost sunk, 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,
"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. So blessed and overjoyed, Love even forgot to ask the
elder where they were going. When they arrived at dry land, the
elder went her own way. Realizing how much was owed the
elder, Love 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
valuable Love is." Dads Blessings
A young man was getting ready to graduate from college. For
many months he had admired a beautiful sports car in a dealer's
showroom, and knowing his father could well afford it, he told
him that was all he wanted. As Graduation Day approached, the
young man awaited signs that his father had purchased the car.
Finally, on the morning of his graduation, his father called him
into his private study. His father told him how proud he was to
have such a fine son, and told him how much he loved him. He
handed his son a beautifully wrapped gift box. Curious, but
somewhat disappointed, the young man opened the box and
found a lovely, leather-bound Bible, with the young man's name
embossed in gold. Angry, he raised his voice to his father and said
"With all your money, you give me a Bible?" and stormed out of
the house, leaving the Bible. Many years passed and the young
man was very successful in business. He had a beautiful home and
wonderful family, but realized his father was very old, and
thought perhaps he should go to him. He had not seen him since
that graduation day. Before he could make arrangements, he
received a telegram telling him his father had passed away, and
willed all of his possessions to his son. He needed to come home
immediately and take care of things.
When he arrived at his father's house, sudden sadness and regret
filled his heart. He began to search through his father's important
papers and saw the still new Bible, just as he had left it years ago.
With tears, he opened the Bible and began to turn the pages. And
as he did, a car key dropped from the back of the Bible. It had a
tag with the dealer's name, the same dealer who had the sports car
he had desired. On the tag was the date of his graduation, and the
words PAID IN FULL. How many times do we miss Spirit's
blessings and answers to our prayers because they do not arrive
exactly as we have expected? TODAY'S's affirmation: "Today I
look beyond the obvious and allow miracles to be created in my
life."The Making Of A Mother By the time the Lord made
mothers, He was into the sixth day working overtime. An Angel
appeared and said "Why are you spending so much time on this
one?" And the Lord answered and said, "Have you read the spec
sheet on her? She has to be completely washable, but not elastic;
have 200 movable parts, all replaceable; run on black coffee and
leftovers; have a lap that can hold three children at one time and
that disappears when she stands up; have a kiss that can cure
anything from a scraped knee to a broken heart; and have six
pairs of hands."
The Angel was astounded at the requirements for this one. "Six
pairs of hands! No way!"Said the Angel.
The Lord replied, "Oh, it's not the hands that are the problem. It's
the three pairs of eyes that mothers must have!" "And that's on
the standard model?" the Angel asked. The Lord nodded in
agreement, "Yep, one pair of eyes are to see through the closed
door as she asks her children what they are doing even though she
already knows. Another pair in the back of her head are to see
what she needs to know even though no one thinks she can. And
the third pair are here in the front of her head. They are for
looking at an errant child and saying that she understands and
loves him or her without even saying a single word." The Angel
tried to stop the LordThis is too much work for one day. Wait
until tomorrow to finish." "But I can't!" The Lord protested, "I am
so close to finishing this creation that is so close to my own heart.
She already heals herself when she is sick AND can feed a family
of six on a pound of hamburger and can get a nine year old to
stand in the shower." The Angel moved closer and touched the
woman, "But you have made her so soft, Lord." "She is soft," the
Lord agreed, "but I have also made her tough. You have no idea
what she can endure or accomplish." "Will she be able to think?"
asked the Angel. The Lord replied, "Not only will she be able to
think, she will be able to reason, and negotiate." The Angel then
noticed something and reached out and touched the woman's
cheek. "Oops, it looks like You have a leak with
this model. I told You that You were trying to put too much into
this one." "That's not a leak." the Lord objected. "That's a tear!"
"What's the tear for?" the Angel asked. The Lord said, "The tear is
her way of expressing her joy, her sorrow, her disappointment,
her pain, her loneliness, her grief, and her pride." The Angel was
impressed. "You are a genius, Lord. You thought of everything for
this one. You even created the tear!" The Lord looked at the Angel
and smiled and said, "I'm afraid you are wrong again. I created
the woman, but she created the tear!"
An Interview With God I dreamed I had an INTERVIEW
WITH GOD. "So, you would like to interview me?" GOD asked. "If
you have time," I said. GOD smile. "My time is eternity... what
questions do you have in mind for me?" "What surprises you the
most about humankind?" GOD answered... "That they get bored
with childhood, that they rush to grow up,
and then long to be children again." "That they lose their health to
make money... and then lose their money to restore their health."
"That by thinking anxiously about the future, they forget the
present, such that they live in neither the present nor the future."
"That they live as if they would never die, and die as though they
had never lived." GOD's hand took mine... and we were silent for a
while. And then I asked, "As a parent, what are some of life's
lessons you want your children to learn?" GOD replied, "To learn
they cannot make anyone love them. All they can do is let
themselves be loved." "To learn that it is not good to compare
themselves to others." "To learn to forgive by practicing
forgiveness." "To learn that it only takes a few seconds to open
profound wounds in those they love, and it can take many years to
heal them." "To learn that a rich person is not one who has the
most, but is one who needs the least.""To learn that there are
people who love them dearly, but simply do not yet know how to
express or show their feelings.""To learn that two people can look
at the same thing, and see it differently."
"To learn that it is not enough that they forgive one another, but
they must also forgive themselves." "Thank you for your time," I
said humbly. "Is there anything else you would like your children
to know?" GOD smiled, and said... "Just know that I am here."
"Always."Wait For The Brick
A young and successful executive was traveling down a
neighborhood street, going a bit too fast in his new Jaguar. He
was watching for kids darting out from between parked cars and
slowed down when he thought he saw something. As his car
passed, no children appeared. Instead, a brick smashed into the
Jag's side door! He slammed on the brakes and drove the Jag back
to the spot where the brick had been thrown. The angry driver
then jumped out of the car, grabbed the nearest kid and pushed
him up against a parked car, shouting, "What was that all about
and who are you? Just what the heck are you doing? That's a new
car and that brick you threw is going to cost a lot of money. Why
did you do it?" The young boy was apologetic. "Please mister ...
please, I'm sorry... I didn't know what else to do," he pleaded. "I
threw the brick because no one else would stop..." With tears
dripping down his face and off his chin, the youth pointed to a
spot just around a parked car. "It's my brother," he said.
"He rolled off the curb and fell out of his wheelchair and I can't lift
him up." Now sobbing, the boy asked the stunned executive,
"Would you please help me get him back into his wheelchair? He's
hurt and he's too heavy for me." Moved beyond words, the driver
tried to swallow the rapidly swelling lump in his throat. He
hurriedly lifted the handicapped boy back into the wheelchair,
then took out his fancy handkerchief and dabbed at the fresh
scrapes and cuts. A quick look told him everything was going to be
okay. "Thank you and may God bless you," the grateful child told
the stranger. Too shook up for words, the man simply watched the
little boy push his wheelchair-bound brother down the sidewalk
toward their home. It was a long, slow walk back to the Jaguar.
The damage was very noticeable, but the driver never bothered to
repair the dented side door. He kept the dent there to remind him
of this message: Don't go through life so fast that someone has to
throw a brick at you to get your attention! God whispers in our
souls and speaks to our hearts. Sometimes when we don't have
time to listen, He has to throw a brick at us. It's our choice: Listen
to the whisper ... or wait for the brick! Sand and Stone A story
tells that two friends were walking through the desert. During
some point of the journey they had an argument, and one friend
slapped the other one in the face. The one who got slapped was
hurt, but without saying anything, wrote in the sand: "TODAY MY
BEST FRIEND SLAPPED ME IN THE FACE."
They kept on walking until they found an oasis, where they
decided to take a bath. The one, who had been slapped, got stuck
in the mire and started drowning, but the friend saved him. After
the friend recovered from the near drowning, he wrote on a stone:
"TODAY MY BEST FRIEND SAVED MY LIFE." The friend who
had slapped and saved his best friend asked him, "After I hurt
you, you wrote in the sand and now, you write on a stone, why?"
The other friend replied: "When someone hurts us, we should
write it down in sand where winds of forgiveness can erase it
away. But, when someone does something good for us, we must
engrave it in stone where no wind can ever erase it." LEARN TO
WRITE YOUR HURTS IN THE SAND, AND TO CARVE YOUR
BENEFITS IN STONE Three Yellow Roses
I walked into the grocery store not particularly interested in
buying groceries. I wasn't hungry. The pain of losing my husband
of 37 years was still too raw. And this grocery store held so many
sweet memories. Rudy often came with me and almost every time
he'd pretend to go off and look for something special. I knew what
he was up to. I'd always spot him walking down the aisle with the
three yellow roses in his hands. Rudy knew I loved yellow roses.
With a heart filled with grief, I only wanted to buy my few items
and leave, but even grocery shopping was different since Rudy
had passed on. Shopping for one took time, a little more
thought than it had for two. Standing by the meat, I searched for
the perfect small steak and remembered how Rudy had loved his
steak. Suddenly a woman came beside me. She was blond, slim
and lovely in a soft green pantsuit. I watched as she picked up a
large pack of T-bones, dropped them in her basket, hesitated, and
then put them back. She turned to go and once again reached for
the pack of steaks. She saw me watching her and she smiled. "My
husband loves T-bones, but honestly, at these prices, I don't
know." I swallowed the emotion down my throat and met her pale
blue eyes. "My husband passed away eight days ago," I told her.
Glancing at the package in her hands, I fought to control the
tremble in my voice. "Buy him the steaks. And cherish every
moment you have together." She shook her head and I saw the
emotion in her eyes as she placed the package in her basket and
wheeled away. I turned and pushed my cart across the length of
the store to the dairy products. There I stood, trying to decide
which size milk I should buy. A quart, I finally decided and moved
on to the ice cream section near the front of the store. If nothing
else, I could always fix myself an ice cream cone. I placed the ice
cream in my cart and looked down the aisle toward the front. I
saw first the green suit, then recognized the pretty lady coming
towards me. In her arms she carried a package. On her face was
the brightest smile I had ever seen. I would swear a soft halo
encircled her blonde hair as she kept walking towards me, her
eyes holding mine. As she came closer, I saw what she held and
tears began misting in my eyes. "These are for you," she said and
placed three beautiful long stemmed yellow roses in my
arms."When you go through the line, they'll know these are paid
for." She leaned over and placed a gentle kiss on my cheek, then
smiled again.
I wanted to tell her what she'd done, what the roses meant, but
still unable to speak, I watched as she walked away, tears clouding
my vision. I looked down at the beautiful rosesnestledin the green
tissue wrapping and found it almost unreal. How did she know?
Suddenly the answer seemed so clear. I wasn't alone. "Oh, Rudy,
you haven't forgotten me, have you?" I whispered, with tears in
my eyes. He was still with me, and she was his angel. Dont We
All
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 to get out of
work. 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 "don't want to be
bothered 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. His
scraggly blond beard keep more than his face warm. 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?
Butterfly
A man found a cocoon of a butterfly. One day a small opening
appeared. He sat and watched the butterfly for several hours as it
struggled to force its body through that little hole. Then it
seemed to stop making any progress. It appeared as if it had
gotten as far as it could, and it could go no further. So the man
decided to help the butterfly. He took a pair of scissors and
snipped off the remaining bit of the cocoon. The butterfly then
emerged easily. But it had a swollen body and small, shriveled
wings. The man continued to watch the butterfly because he
expected that, at any moment, the wings would enlarge and
expand to be able to support the body, which would contract in
time. Neither happened! In fact, the butterfly spent the rest of its
life crawling around with a swollen body and shriveled wings. It
never was able to fly. What the man, in his kindness and haste,
did not understand was that the restricting cocoon and the
struggle required for the butterfly to get through the tiny opening
were God's way of forcing fluid from the body of the butterfly into
its wings so that it would be ready for flight once it achieved its
freedom from the cocoon. Sometimes struggles are exactly what
we need in our lives. If God allowed us to go through our lives
without any obstacles, it would cripple us. We would not be as
strong as what we could have been. We could never fly! I asked for
Strength......... And God gave me Difficulties to make me strong. I
asked for Wisdom......... And God gave me Problems to solve.
I asked for Prosperity......... And God gave me Brain and Brawn to
work. I asked for Courage......... And God gave me Danger to
overcome. I asked for Love......... And God gave me Troubled
people to help. I asked for Favors......... And God gave me
Opportunities. I received nothing I wanted ........ I received
everything I needed! DETERMINATON In 1883, a creative
engineer named John Roebling was inspired by an idea to build a
spectacular bridge connecting New York with the Long Island.
However bridge building experts throughout the world thought
that this was an impossible feat and told Roebling to forget the
idea. It just could not be done. It was not practical. It had never
been done before. Roebling could not ignore the vision he had in
his mind of this bridge. He thought about it all the time and he
knew deep in his heart that it could be done. He just had to share
the dream with someone else. After much discussion and
persuasion he managed to convince his son Washington, an up
and coming engineer, that the bridge in fact could be built.
Working together for the first time, the father and son developed
concepts of how it could be accomplished and how the obstacles
could be overcome. With great excitement and inspiration, and
the headiness of a wild challenge before them, they hired their
crew and began to build their dream bridge.
The project started well, but when it was only a few months
underway a tragic accident on the site took the life of John
Roebling. Washington was injured and left with a certain amount
of brain damage, which resulted in him not being able to walk or
talk or even move. "We told them so." "Crazy men and their crazy
dreams." "It`s foolish to chase wild visions." Everyone had a
negative comment to make and felt that the project should be
scrapped since the Roeblings were the only ones who knew how
the bridge could be built. In spite of his handicap Washington was
never discouraged and still had a burning desire to complete the
bridge and his mind was still as sharp as ever. He tried to inspire
and pass on his enthusiasm to some of his friends, but they were
too daunted by the task. As he lay on his bed in his hospital room,
with the sunlight streaming through the windows, a gentle breeze
blew the flimsy white curtains apart and he was able to see the sky
and the tops of the trees outside for just a moment. It seemed that
there was a message for him not to give up. Suddenly an idea hit
him. All he could do was move one finger and he decided to make
the best use of it. By moving this, he slowly developed a code of
communication with his wife. He touched his wife's arm with that
finger, indicating to her that he wanted her to call the engineers
again. Then he used the same method of tapping her arm to tell
the engineers what to do. It seemed foolish but the project was
under way again.
For 13 years Washington tapped out his instructions with his
finger on his wife's arm, until the bridge was finally completed.
Today the spectacular Brooklyn Bridge stands in all its glory as a
tribute to the triumph of one man's indomitable spirit and his
determination not to be defeated by circumstances. It is also a
tribute to the engineers and their team work, and to their faith in
a man who was considered mad by half the world. It stands too as
a tangible monument to the love and devotion of his wife who for
13 long years patiently decoded the messages of her husband and
told the engineers what to do. Perhaps this is one of the best
examples of a never-say-die attitude that overcomes a terrible
physical handicap and achieves an impossible goal. Often when
we face obstacles in our day-to-day life, our hurdles seem very
small in comparison to what many others have to face. The
Brooklyn Bridge shows us that dreams that seem impossible can
be realised with determination and persistence, no matter what
the odds are. Even the most distant dream can be realized with
determination and persistence.
The Window Two men, both seriously ill, occupied the same
hospital room. One man was allowed to sit up in his bed for an
hour a day to drain the fluids from his lungs. His bed was next to
the room's only window. The other man had to spend all his time
flat on his back.
The men talked for hours on end. They spoke of their wives and
families, their homes, their jobs, their involvement in the military
service, where they had been on vacation. And every afternoon
when the man in the bed next to the window could
sit up, he would pass the time by describing to his roommate all
the things he could see outside the window. The man in the other
bed would live for those one-hour periods where his world would
be broadened and enlivened by all the activity and color of the
outside world. The window overlooked a park with a lovely lake,
the man had said. Ducks and swans played on the water while
children sailed their model boats. Lovers walked arm in arm amid
flowers of every color of the rainbow. Grand old trees graced the
landscape, and a fine view of the city skyline could be seen in the
distance. As the man by the window described all this in exquisite
detail, the man on the other side of the room would close his eyes
and imagine the picturesque scene. One warm afternoon the man
by the window described a parade passing by. Although the other
man could not hear the band, he could see it in his mind's eye as
the gentleman by the window portrayed it with descriptive words.
Unexpectedly, an alien thought entered his head: Why should
hehave all the pleasure of seeing everything while I never get to
see anything? It didn't seem fair. As the thought fermented, the
man felt ashamed at first. But as the days passed and he missed
seeing more sights, his envy eroded into resentment and soon
turned him sour. He began to brood and found himself unable to
sleep. He should be by that window - and that thought now
controlled his life.
Late one night, as he lay staring at the ceiling, the man by the
window began to cough. He was choking on the fluid in his lungs.
The other man watched in the dimly lit room as the struggling
man by the window groped for the button to call for help.
Listening from across the room, he never moved, never pushed
his own button which would have brought the nurse running. In
less than five minutes, the coughing and
choking stopped, along with the sound of breathing. Now, there
was only silence--deathly silence. The following morning, the day
nurse arrived to bring water for their baths. When she found the
lifeless body of the man by the window, she was saddened and
called the hospital attendant to take it away--no words, no fuss. As
soon as it seemed appropriate, the man asked if he could be
moved next to the window. The nurse was happy to make the
switch and after making sure he was comfortable, she left him
alone. Slowly, painfully, he propped himself up on one elbow to
take his first look. Finally, he would have the joy of seeing it all
himself. He strained to slowly turn to look out the window beside
the bed. It faced a blank wall. Moral of the story: The pursuit of
happiness is a matter of choice...it is a positive attitude we
consciously choose to express. It is not a gift that gets delivered to
our doorstep each morning, nor does it come through the window.
And I am certain that our circumstances are just a small part of
what makes us joyful. If we wait for them to get just right, we will
never find lasting joy. The pursuit of happiness is an inward
journey. Our minds are like programs, awaiting the code that will
determine behaviors; like bank vaults awaiting our deposits. If we
regularly deposit positive, encouraging, and uplifting thoughts, if
we continue to bite our lips just before we begin to grumble and
complain, if we shoot down that seemingly harmless negative
thought as it germinates, we will find that there is much to rejoice
about.
Piano Lessons
I am a former elementary school music teacher from DeMoines,
Iowa. I've always supplemented my income by teaching piano
lessons - something I've done for over 30 years. Over the years I
found that children have many levels of musical ability. I've never
had the pleasure of having a protege, though I have taught some
talented students. However, I've also had my share of what I call
"musically challenged" pupils. One such student was Robby.
Robby was 11 years old when his mother (a single mom) dropped
him off for his first piano lesson. I prefer that students (especially
boys) begin at an earlier age, which I explained to Robby. But,
Robby said that it had always been his mother's dream to hear
him play the piano. So I took him as a student. Well, Robby began
with his piano lessons and, from the beginning, I thought it was a
hopeless endeavor. As much as Robby tried, he lacked the sense of
tone and basic rhythm needed to excel. But, he dutifully reviewed
his scales and some elementary pieces that I require all my
students to learn. Over the months he tried and tried while I
listened and cringed and tried to encourage him. At the end of
each weekly lesson he'd always say, "My mom's going to hear me
play someday." But, it seemed hopeless. He just did not have any
inborn ability. I only knew his mother from a distance as she
dropped Robby off or waited in her aged car to pick him up. She
always waved and smiled but never stopped in. Then one day
Robby stopped coming to our lessons. I thought about calling
him, but assumed, because of his lack of ability, that he had
decided to pursue something else. I also was glad that he stopped
coming. He was a bad advertisement for my teaching! Several
weeks later I mailed to the student's homes a flyer on the
upcoming recital. To my surprise Robby (who received a
flyer) asked me if he could be in the recital. I told him that the
recital was for current pupils and because he had dropped out he
really did not qualify. He said that his mom had been sick and
unable to take him to piano lessons, but he was still practicing.
"Miss Hondorf...I've just got to play!" he insisted. I don't know
what led me to allow him to play in the recital. Maybe it was his
persistence or maybe it was something inside of me saying that it
would be all right. The night for the recital came. The high school
gymnasium was packed with parents, friends and relatives. I put
Robby up last in the program before I was to come up and thank
all the students and play a finishing piece. I thought that any
damage he would do would come at the end of the program and I
could always salvage his poor performance through my "curtain
closer." Well, the recital went off without a hitch. The students
had been practicing and it showed. Then Robby came up on stage.
His clothes were wrinkled and his hair looked like he had run an
eggbeater through it. "Why didn't he dress up like the other
students?" I thought. "Why didn't his mother at least make him
comb his hair for this special night?" Robby pulled out the piano
bench and he began. I was surprised when he announced that he
had chosen Mozart's Concerto #21 in C Major. I was not prepared
for what I heard next. His fingers were light on the keys, they even
danced nimbly on the ivories. He went from pianissimo to
fortissimo... from allegro to virtuoso. His suspended chords that
Mozart demands were magnificent! Never had I heard Mozart
played so well by people his age. After six and a half minutes he
ended in a grand crescendo and
everyone was on their feet in wild applause. Overcome and in
tears I ran up on stage and put my arms around Robby in joy.
"I've never heard you play like that Robby! How'd you do it?"
Through the microphone Robby explained: "Well Miss Hondorf...
remember I told you my mom was sick? Well, actually she had
cancer and passed away this morning. And well... she was born
deaf, so tonight was the first time she ever heard me play. I
wanted to make it special." There wasn't a dry eye in the house
that evening. As the people from Social Services led Robby from
the stage to be placed into foster care, I noticed that even their
eyes were red and puffy and I thought to myself how much richer
my life had been for taking Robby as my pupil. No, I've never had
a prodigy, but that night I became a protege... of Robby's. He was
the teacher and I was the pupil. For it is he that taught me the
meaning of perseverance and love and believing in yourself and
maybe even taking a chance in someone and you don't know why.
This is especially meaningful to me since, after serving in Desert
Storm, Robby was killed in the senseless bombing of the Alfred P.
Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City in April of 1995, where
he was reportedly... playing the piano.
Angel On The Highway I just had one of the most amazing
experiences of my life, and wanted to share it with my family and
dearest friends. Here it is: I was driving home from a meeting this
evening about 5, stuck in traffic on Colorado Blvd., and my car
started to choke and sputter and died.
I barely managed to coast, cruising, into a gas station, glad only
that I would not be blocking traffic and would have a somewhat
warm spot to wait for the tow truck. It wouldn't even turn over.
Before I could make the call, I saw a woman walking out of the
"quickie mart" building, and it looked like she slipped on some ice
and fell into a gas pump! So I got out to see if she was okay. When
I got there, it looked more like she had been overcome by sobs
than that she had fallen. She was a young woman who looked
really haggard with dark circles under her eyes. She dropped
something as I helped her up, and I picked it up to give it to her. It
was a nickel. At that moment, everything came into focus for me:
the crying woman, the ancient Suburban crammed full of stuff
with 3 kids in the back (1 in a car seat), and the gas pump reading
$4.95. I asked her if she was okay and if she needed help, and she
just kept saying "I don't want my kids to see me crying," so we
stood on the other side of the pump from her car. She said she was
driving to California and that things were very hard for her right
now. So, I asked, "And you were praying?" That made her back
away from me a little, but I assured her I was not a crazy person
and said, "He heard you, and He sent me." I took out my card and
swiped it through the card reader on the pump so she could fill up
her car completely, and while it was fueling walked to the next
door McDonald's and bought 2 big bags of food, some gift
certificates for more, and a big cup of coffee. She gave the food to
the kids in the car who attacked it like wolves, and we stood by the
pump eating fries and talking a little. She told me her name, and
that she lived in Kansas City. Her boyfriend left 2 months ago and
she had not been able to make
ends meet. She knew she wouldn't have money to pay the rent
January 1st, and finally, in desperation, had called her parents,
with whom she had not spoken in about 5 years. They lived in
California and said she could come live with them and try to get
on her feet there. So.she packed up everything she owned in the
car. She told the kids they were going to California for Christmas,
but not that they were going to live there. I gave her my gloves, a
little hug and said a quick prayer with her for safety on the road.
As I was walking over to my car, she said, "So, are you like an
angel or something?" This definitely made me cry. I said,
"Sweetie, at this time of year angels are really busy, so sometimes
God uses regular people." It was so incredible to be a part of
someone else's miracle. And of course, you guessed it, when I got
in my car it started right away and got me home with no problem.
I'll put it in the shop tomorrow for a check, but I suspect the
mechanic won't find anything wrong. Sometimes the angels fly
close enough to you that you can hear the flutter of their wings.
"Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and He shall sustain thee. He
shall never suffer the righteous to be moved." -- Psalms 55:22 ---
Pass this inspiring story on to people you would like to bless with
its message. There is no cost, but there is a lot of reward. Let's
continue to lift up and pray for one another. Heres a wonderful,
short prayer to use:
"Father, I ask You to bless my children, grandchildren, friends,
other relatives and all of those who may be suffering in some way
right now. Show them a new revelation of your love and power.
Holy Spirit, I ask You to minister to their spirit at this very
moment. Where there is pain, give them Your peace and
mercy.Where there is self doubt, release a renewed confidence
through Your grace... In Jesus' precious name. Amen." When
Satan is knocking at your door, simply say, "Jesus, could You
please get that for me?"
Isn't No Horse or Mountain
High Enough Had I stepped on the
scales that morning, the needle would
not quite have come to rest on 200
pounds. It would have settled though,
way past my prime weight of 120.
Cowboy boots were not part of my
attire but I had managed to stuff my
thighs into a pair of denim jeans.