The Stories
One night I had a dream
I dreamed I was walking along the beach with God and across the
sky flashed the scenes from my life. For each scene I noticed two
sets of footprints in the sand, one belonged to me, the other to
the God.
When the last scene of my life flashed before us, I looked back
at the footprints in the sand, I noticed that many times along
the path of life, there was only one set of footprints. I also
noticed that it happened at the very lowest and saddest times in
my life.
This really bothered me and I questioned God about it "God
you said that once I decided to follow you, you would walk with
me all the way, but I noticed that during the most troublesome
times in my life there is only one set of footprints, I don't
understand why in times when I needed you most you would leave me."
God replied "My precious child, I love you and I would never
never leave you during your times of trials and suffering. When
you see only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried
you."
In a class I teach for adults, I gave
the assignment to "go to someone you love, and tell them
that you love them.
"At the beginning of the next class, one of the students
began by saying, "I was angry with you last week when you
gave us this assignment. I didn't feel I had anyone to say those
words to. But as I began driving home my conscience started
talking.
Then I knew exactly who I needed to say `I love you' to. Five
years ago, my father and I had a vicious disagreement and never
really resolved it. We avoided seeing each other unless we
absolutely had to at family gatherings. We hardly spoke. So by
the time I got home, I had convinced myself I was going to tell
my father I loved him.
"Just making that decision seemed to lift a heavy load off
my chest.
"At 5:30, I was at my parents' house ringing the doorbell,
praying that Dad would answer the door. I was afraid if Mom
answered, I would chicken out and tell her instead. But as luck
would have it, Dad did answer the door.
"I didn't waste any time - I took one step in the door and
said, `Dad, I just came over to tell you that I love you.'
"It was as if a transformation came over my dad. Before my
eyes his face softened, the wrinkles seemed to disappear and he
began to cry. He reached out and hugged me and said, `I love you
too, son, but I've never been able to say it.'
"But that's not even my point. Two days after that visit, my
dad had a heart attack and is in the hospital. I don't even know
if he'll make it.
"So my message to all of you is this: Don't wait to do the
things you know need to be done. What if I had waited to tell my
dad? Take the time to do what you need to do and do it now!"
Narrated by a Teacher.
This is a story with a
beautiful message,
A water-bearer in India had two large pots, each hung on each end
of a pole which he carried across his neck. One of the pots had a
crack in it, and while the other pot was perfect and always
delivered a full portion of water at the end of the long walk
from the stream to the master's house, the cracked pot arrived
only half full. For a full two years this went on daily, with the
bearer delivering only one and a half pot full of water in his
master's house. Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its
accomplishments, perfect to the end for which it was made. But
the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and
miserable that it was able to accomplish only half of what it had
been made to do.
After two years of what it perceived to be a bitter failure, it
spoke to the water-bearer one day by the stream. "I am
ashamed of myself, and I want to apologize to you." "Why?"
asked the bearer. "What are you ashamed of?" "I
have been able, for these past two years, to deliver only half my
load because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all
the way back to your master's house. Because of my flaws, you
have to do all of this work, and you don't get full value from
your efforts," the pot said. The water-bearer felt sorry for
the old cracked pot, and in his compassion he said, "As we
return to the master's house, I want you to notice the beautiful
flowers along the path."
Indeed, as they went up the hill, the old cracked pot took notice
of the sun warming the beautiful wild flowers on the side of the
path, and this cheered it some. But at the end of the trail, it
still felt bad because it had leaked out half its load, and so
again it apologized to the bearer for its failure.
The bearer said to the pot, "Did you notice that there were
flowers only on your side of your path, but not on the other pot's
side? That's because I have always known about your flaw, and I
took advantage of it. I planted flower seeds on your side of the
path, and every day while we walk back from the stream, you've
watered them. For two years I have been able to pick these
beautiful flowers to decorate my master's table. Without you
being just the way you are, he would not have this beauty to
grace his house."
Each of us has our own unique flaws. We're all cracked pots. But
if we will allow it, the Lord will use our flaws to grace His
Father's table.
In God's great economy, nothing goes to waste.
My little boy came into the kitchen this
evening while I was fixing supper. And he handed me a piece of
paper he'd been writing on. So, after wiping my hands on my apron,
I read it, and this is what it said:
For mowing the grass, $5.
For making my own bed this week, $1.
For going to the store $.50.
For playing with baby brother while you went shopping, $.25.
For taking out the trash, $1.
For getting a good report card, $5.
And for raking the yard, $2.
Well, I looked at him standing there expectantly, and a thousand
memories flashed through my mind. So, I picked up the paper, and
turning it over, this is what I wrote:
For the nine months I carried you, growing inside me, No Charge.
For the nights I sat up with you, doctored you prayed for you, No
charge.
For the time and the tears, and the cost through the years, No
Charge.
For the nights filled with dread, and the worries ahead, No
Charge.
For advice and the knowledge, and the cost of your college, No
Charge.
For the toys, food and clothes, and for wiping your nose, No
Charge.
Son, when you add it all up, the full cost of my love is No
Charge.
Well, when he finished reading, he had great big tears in his
eyes. And he looked up at me and he said, "Mama, I sure do
love you." Then he took the pen and in great big letters he
wrote,
PAID IN FULL.
A man stopped at a flower shop to order
some flowers to be wired to his mother who lived two hundred
miles away.
As he got out of his car he noticed a young girl sitting on the
curb sobbing.
He asked her what was wrong and she replied, "I wanted to
buy a red rose for my mother.
But I only have seventy-five cents, and a rose costs two dollars."
The man smiled and said, "Come on in with me. I'll buy you a
rose."
He bought the little girl her rose and ordered his own mother's
flowers.
As they were leaving he offered the girl a ride home.
She said, "Yes, please! You can take me to my mother."
She directed him to a cemetery, where she placed the rose on a
freshly dug grave.
The man returned to the flower shop, canceled the wire order,
picked up a bouquet and drove the two hundred miles to his mother's
house.
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.
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."
Thankx SONA for all these emails,
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. "This is your house," he said, "my gift to you." 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 point, 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 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 in it for only one day more, that day deserves to be lived graciously and with dignity. The plaque on the wall says, "Life is a do-it-yourself project." Who could say it more clearly? Your life today is the result of your attitudes and choices in the past. Your life tomorrow will be the result of your attitudes and the choices you make today.
He was driving home one evening, on a two-lane country road.
Work in this small mid-western community was almost as slow as
his beat-up Pontiac. But he never quit looking. Ever since the
factory closed, he'd been unemployed, and with winter raging on,
the chill of poverty was really hitting hard.
The road was one of those lonely roads you find around small
dying communities. Most of his friends had left. They had
families to feed and dreams to fulfill. But he stayed on. After
all, this was where he buried his mother and father. He was born
here and he knew the country. He could go down this road blind,
and tell you what was on either side, and with only one headlight
working on the old Pontiac, this knowledge came in handy.
It was starting to get dark and light snow flurries were coming
down. He'd better get a move on. You know, he almost didn't see
the old lady, stranded on the side of the road. But even in the
dim light of day, he could see she needed help. So he pulled up
in front of her Mercedes and got out. His Pontiac was still
sputtering when he approached her. Even with the smile on his
face, she was worried. No one had stopped to help for the last
hour or so. Was he going to hurt her? He didn't look safe, he
looked poor and hungry.
He could see that she was frightened, standing out there in the
cold. He knew how she felt. It was that chill which only fear can
put in you. He said, "I'm here to help you ma'am. Why don't
you wait in the car where it's warm? By the way, my name is Bryan".
Well, all she had was a flat tire, but for an old lady, that was
bad enough. Bryan crawled under the car looking for a place to
put the jack, skinning his knuckles a time or two. Soon he was
able to change the tire. But he had to get dirty and his hands
hurt. As he was tightening up the lug nuts, she rolled down the
window and
began to talk to him.
She told him that she was from St. Louis and was only just
passing through. She couldn't thank him enough for coming to her
aid. Bryan just smiled as he closed her trunk. She asked him how
much she owed him. Any amount would have been all right with her.
She had already imagined all the awful things that could have
happened had he not stopped.
Bryan never thought twice about the money. This was not a job to
him. This was helping someone in need, and God knows there were
plenty who had given him a hand in the past... He had lived his
whole life that way, and it never occurred to him to act any
other way. He told her that if she really wanted to pay him back,
the next time she saw someone who needed help, she could give
that person the assistance that they needed, and Bryan added
"...and think of me".
He waited until she started her car and drove off. It had been a
cold and depressing day, but he felt good as he headed for home,
disappearing into the twilight.
A few miles down the road the lady saw a small cafe. She went in
to grab a bite to eat, and take the chill off before she made the
last leg of her trip home. It was a dingy looking restaurant.Outside
were two old gas pumps. The whole scene was unfamiliar to her.The
cash register was like the telephone of an out of work actor - it
didn't ring much.
Her waitress came over and brought a clean towel to wipe her wet
hair. She had a sweet smile, one that even being on her feet for
the whole day couldn't erase. The lady noticed that the waitress
was nearly eight months pregnant, but she never let the strain
and aches change her attitude. The old lady wondered how someone
who had so little could be so giving to a stranger. Then she
remembered Bryan.
After the lady finished her meal, and the waitress went to get
change for her hundred dollar bill, the lady slipped right out
the door. She was gone by the time the waitress came back. The
waitress wondered where the lady could be, then she noticed
something written on the napkin.
"You don't owe me anything, I have been there too. Somebody
once helped me out, the way I'm helping you. If you really want
to pay me back, here is what you do: Do not let this chain of
love end with you". Find someone, a stranger, who needs help
and help them out in your own way. And when you do think of me.
Tucked under the napkin were five more 100 dollar bills.
That night when she got home from work and climbed into bed, she
was thinking about the money and what the lady had written. How
could the lady have known how much she and her husband needed it?
With the baby due next month, it was going to be hard. She knew
how worried her husband was, and as he lay sleeping next to her,
she gave him a soft kiss and whispered soft and low, "Everything's
going to be all right; I love you, Bryan."
10.
Opening to
blessings beyond the obvious...
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."
1. In kindergarten your idea of a good friend was
the person who let you have the red crayon when all that was left
was the ugly black one.
2. In first grade your idea of a good friend was the person
who went to the bathroom with you and held your hand as you
walked through the scary halls.
3. In second grade your idea of a good friend was the
person who helped you stand up to the class bully.
4. In third grade your idea of a good friend was the person
who shared their lunch with you when you forgot yours on
the bus.
5. In fourth grade your idea of a good friend as the person
who was willing to switch square dancing partners in gym so you
wouldn't have to be stuck do-si-do-ing with Nasty Nicky or Smelly
Susan.
6. In fifth grade your idea of a friend was the person who
saved a seat on the back of the bus for you.
7. In sixth grade your idea of a friend was the person who
went upto Nick or Susan, your new crush, and asked them to dance
with you, so that if they said no you wouldn't have to be
embarrassed.
8. In seventh grade your idea of a friend was the person
who let you copy the social studies homework from the night
before that you had.
9. In eighth grade your idea of a good friend was the
person who helped you pack up your stuffed animals and old
baseball cards so that your room would be a "high schooler's"
room, but didn't laugh at you when you finished and broke out
into tears.
10. In ninth grade your idea of a good friend was the
person who went to that "cool" party thrown by a senior
so you wouldn't wind up being the only freshman there.
11. In tenth grade your idea of a good friend was the
person who changed their schedule so you would have someone to
sit with at lunch.
12. In eleventh grade your idea of a good friend was the
person who gave you rides in their new car, convinced your
parents that you shouldn't be grounded, consoled you when
you broke up with Nick or Susan, and found you a date to the prom.
13. In twelfth grade your idea of a good friend was the
person who helped you pick out a college, assured you that you
would get into that college, helped you deal with your parents
who were having a hard time adjusting to the idea of letting you
go...
14. At graduation your idea of a good friend was the person
who was crying on the inside but managed the biggest smile one
could give as they congratulated you.
15. The summer after twelfth grade your idea of a good
friend was the person who helped you clean up the bottles
from that party, helped you sneak out of the house when you just
couldn't deal with your parents, assured you that now that you
and Nick or you and Susan were back together, you could make it
through
anything,helped you pack up for college and just silently hugged
you as you looked through blurry eyes at 18 years of memories you
were leaving behind, and finally on those last days of childhood,
went out of their way to come over and send you off with a hug, a
lot of memories, reassurance that you would make it in college as
well as you had these past
16 years, and most importantly sent you off to college knowing
you were loved.
17. Now, your idea of a good friend is still the person who
gives you the better of the two choices, hold your and when you're
scared, helps you fight off those who try to take advantage of
you, thinks of you at times when you are not there, reminds you
of what you have forgotten, helps you put the past behind you but
understands when you need to hold on to it a little longer, stays
with you so that you have confidence, goes out of their way to
make time for you, helps you clear up your mistakes, helps
you deal with pressure from others,smiles for you when they are
sad, helps you become a better person, and most importantly loves
you!
Thank you for being a friend.....
No matter where we go or who we become, never forget who helped
us get there. There's never a wrong time to pick up a phone
or send a message telling your friends how much you miss them or
how much you love them. You know who you are, pass it on to
someone who you want to remind.
That unique person
this is for all of us who have been kissing many a frogs ( or
shall i say toads ) hoping that one of them would transform into
prince charming. but keep up the hope and the smooching sessions.
To some special people searching for that unique person in their
life.
It hurts to love someone and not be loved in return, but what is
more painful is to love someone and never find the courage to let
that person know how you feel.
Maybe God wants us to meet a few wrong people before meeting the
right one so that when we finally meet the right person, we will
know how to be grateful for that gift.
Love is when you take away the feeling, the passion, and the
romance in a relationship and find out you still care for that
person.
A sad thing in life is when you meet someone who means a lot to
you, only to find out in the end that it was never meant to be
and you just have to let go.
When the door of happiness closes, another opens but oftentimes
we look so long at the closed door that we don't see the one
which has been opened for us.
The best kind of friend is the kind you can sit on a porch and
swing with, never say a word, and then walk away feeling like it
was the best conversation you've ever had.
It's true that we don't know what we've got until we lose it, but
it's also true that we don't know what we've been missing until
it arrives.
Giving someone all your love is never an assurance that they'll
love you back! Don't expect love in return; just wait for it to
grow in their heart but if it doesn't, be content it grew in
yours.
There are things you'd love to hear that you would never hear
from the person whom you would like to hear them from, but don't
be so deaf as not to hear it from the one who says it from his
heart.
Never say good-bye if you still want to try never give up if you
still feel you can go on-
never say you don't love a person anymore if you can't let go.
Love comes to those who still hope although they've been
disappointed to those who still believe, although they've been
betrayed, to those who still need to love, although they've been
hurt before, and to those who have the courage and faith to build
trust again.
It takes only a minute to get a crush on someone, an hour to like
someone, and a day to love someone but it takes a lifetime to
forget someone.
Don't go for looks; they can deceive. Don't go for wealth even
that fades away. Go for someone who makes you smile because it
takes only a smile to make a dark day seem bright. Hope you find
the one that makes you smile.
There are moments in life when you miss someone so much that you
just want to pick them from your dreams and hug them for real!
Hope you dream of that special someone.
Dream what you want to dream; go where you want to go be what you
want to be , because you have only one life and one chance to do
all the things you want to do.
May you have enough happiness to make you sweet, enough trials to
make you strong,
enough sorrow to keep you human, enough hope to make you happy
and enough money to buy me gifts.
Always put yourself in others' shoes. If you feel that it hurts
you, it probably hurts the person too.
A careless word may kindle strife; a cruel word may wreck a life;
a timely word may level stress; a loving word may heal and bless.
The beginning of love is to let those we love be just themselves,
and not twist them with our own image - otherwise, we love only
the reflection of ourselves we find in them.
The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of
everything they just make the most of everything that comes along
their way.
Happiness lies for those who cry, those who hurt, those who have
searched, and those who have tried, for only they can appreciate
the importance of people who have touched their lives.
Love begins with a smile, grows with a kiss and ends with a tear.
The brightest future will always be based on a forgotten past,
you can't go on well in life until you let go of your past
failures and heartaches.
When you were born, you were crying and everyone around you was
smiling.
Live your life so that when you die, you're the one who is
smiling and everyone around you is crying.
13. Heavens Grocery List
I was walking down life's highway a long time ago.
One day I saw a sign that read, "HEAVEN'S GROCERY STORE".
As I got a little closer, the door opened wide, and then I found
myself standing inside.
I saw a host of ANGELS. They were standing everywhere. One handed
me a basket and said, "My Child, shop with care".
Everything a human needed was in that grocery store. And if you
couldn't carry all, you could come back the next day for more.
First, I got some PATIENCE. LOVE was in the same row. Further
down was UNDERSTANDING; you need that everywhere you go.
I got a box or two of WISDOM, a bag or two of FAITH. I just
couldn't miss the HOLY GHOST, for it was all over the place.
I stopped to get some STRENGTH and COURAGE TO HELP ME RUN THIS
RACE.
By then my basket was getting full, but I remembered I needed
some GRACE.
I didn't forget SALVATION, for SALVATION was free. So I tried to
get enough of that to save both you and me.
Then I started up to the counter to pay my grocery bill. For I
thought I had everything to do the MASTER'S will.
As I went up the aisle, I saw PRAYER; and I just had to put that
in, for I knew when I stepped outside, I would run into sin.
PEACE and JOY were plentiful; they were last on the shelf. SONG
and PRAISE were hanging near, so I just helped myself.
Then I said to the angel, "Now, how much do I owe?"
He smiled again and said, "MY CHILD, GOD PAID YOUR BILL A
LONG, LONG TIME AGO."
Good luck to all of you..GOD BLESS!
A story is told about a soldier who was finally coming home
after having fought in Vietnam. He called his parents from San
Francisco.
"Mom and Dad, I'm coming home, but I've a favor to ask. I
have a friend, I'd like to bring home with me." "Sure,"
they replied, "we'd love to meet him."
There's something you should know the son continued, "he was
hurt pretty badly in the fighting. He stepped on a land mind and
lost an arm and a leg. He has nowhere else to go, and I want him
to come live with us." "I'm sorry to hear that, son.
Maybe we can help him find somewhere to live."
No, Mom and Dad, I want him to live with us." "Son,"
said the father, you don't know what you're asking. Someone with
such a handicap would be a terrible burden on us. We have our own
lives to live, and we can't let something like this interfere
with our lives. I think you should just come home and forget
about this guy. He'll find a way to live on his own."
At that point, the son hung up the phone. The parents heard
nothing more from him. A few days later, however, they received a
call from the San Francisco police. Their son had died after
falling from a building, they were told. The police believed it
was suicide. The grief-stricken parents flew to San Francisco and
were taken to the city morgue to identify the body of their son.
They recognized him, but to their horror they also discovered
something they didn't know, their son had only one arm and one
leg.
The parents in this story are like many of us. We find it easy to
love those who are good-looking or fun to have around, but we don't
like people who inconvenience us or make us feel uncomfortable.
We would rather stay away from people who aren't as healthy,
beautiful, or smart as we are.
Thankfully, there's someone who won't treat us that way. Someone
who loves us with an unconditional love that welcomes us into the
forever family, regardless of how messed up we are. Tonight,
before you tuck yourself in for the night, say a little prayer
that God will give you the strength you need to accept
people as they are, and to help us all be more
understanding of those who are different from us!!!
There's a miracle called Friendship
That dwells in the heart
You don't know how it happens
Or when it gets started
But you know the special lift
It always brings
And you realize that Friendship
Is God's most precious gift!
Friends are a very rare jewel, indeed.
They make you smile and encourage you to succeed They lend an ear,
they share a word of praise, and they always want to open their
hearts to us.
Show your friends how much you care....
Right Now -
somebody is very proud of you.
somebody is thinking of you.
somebody is caring about you.
somebody misses you.
somebody wants to talk to you.
somebody wants to be with you.
somebody hopes you aren't in trouble.
somebody is thankful for the support you have provided.
somebody wants to hold your hand.
somebody hopes everything turns out all right.
somebody wants you to be happy.
somebody wants you to find him/her.
somebody is celebrating your successes.
somebody wants to give you a gift.
somebody thinks that you ARE a gift.
somebody hopes you're not too cold, or too hot
somebody wants to hug you.
somebody loves you.
somebody admires your strength.
somebody is thinking of you and smiling.
somebody wants to be your shoulder to cry on.
somebody wants to go out with you and have a lot of fun.
somebody thinks the world of you.
omebody wants to protect you.
somebody would do anything for you.
somebody wants to be forgiven.
somebody is grateful for your forgiveness.
somebody wants to laugh with you.
somebody remembers you and wishes that you were there.
somebody is praising God for you.
somebody needs to know that your love is unconditional.
somebody values your advice.
somebody wants to tell you how much they care.
somebody wants to share their dreams with you.
somebody wants to hold you in their arms.
somebody wants YOU to hold them in your arms.
somebody treasures your spirit.
somebody wishes they could STOP time because of you.
somebody praises God for your friendship and love.
somebody can't wait to see you.
somebody loves you for who you are.
somebody loves the way you make them feel.
somebody wants to be with you.
somebody wants you to know they are there for you.
somebody is glad that you're his/her friend.
somebody wants to be your friend.
somebody stayed up all night thinking about you.
somebody is alive because of you.
somebody is wishing that you noticed him/her.
somebody wants to get to know you better.
somebody wants to be near you.
somebody misses your advice/guidance.
somebody has faith in you.
somebody trusts you.
somebody needs you to send them this letter
somebody needs your support.
somebody needs you to have faith in them.
somebody will cry when they read this.
somebody needs you to let them be your friend.
somebody hears a song that reminds them of you.
SOMEBODY NEEDS YOU TO SEND THIS TO THEM......
The story goes that some time ago, a man was upset with his 3-year-old
daughter for wasting a roll of gold wrapping paper. Money was
tight and he became infuriated when the child tried to decorate a
box to put under the Christmas tree. Never the less, the little
girl brought the gift to her father the next morning and said,
"This is for you, Daddy."
He was embarrassed by his earlier overreaction, but his anger
flared again when he found the
box was empty. He yelled at her, "Don't you know that when
you give someone a present, there's supposed to be something
inside it?" The little girl looked up at him with tears in
her eyes and said, "Oh, Daddy, it is not empty. I blew
kisses into the box. Allfor you, Daddy."
The father was crushed. He put his arms around his little girl,
and he begged for her forgiveness.
It is told that the man kept that gold box by his bed for 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 of us as humans have been given a gold
container filled with
unconditional love and kisses from our children, friends, family
or God. There is no more precious possession anyone could hold.
So very true.......
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. "This is your house," he said, "my gift to you." 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 point, 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 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 in it for only one day more, that day deserves to be lived graciously and with dignity. The plaque on the wall says, "Life is a do-it-yourself project." Who could say it more clearly? Your life today is the result of your attitudes and choices in the past. Your life tomorrow will be the result of your attitudes and the choices you make today.
There once was a little boy who had a bad temper. His father
gave him a bag of nails and told him that every time he lost his
temper, he must hammer a nail into the back of the fence.
The first day, the boy had driven 37 nails into the fence. Over
the next few weeks, as he learned to control his anger, the
number of nails hammered daily gradually dwindled down. He
discovered it was easier to hold his temper than to drive those
nails into the fence.
Finally the day came when the boy didn't lose his temper at all.
He told his father about it and the father suggested that the boy
now pull out one nail for each day that he was able to hold his
temper. The days passed and the boy was finally able to tell his
father that all the nails were gone.
The father took his son by the hand and led him to the fence. He
said, "You have done well, my son, but look at the holes in
the fence. The fence will never be the same. When you say things
in anger, they leave a
scar just like this one. You can put a knife in a man and draw it
out. It won't matter how many times you say I'm sorry the wound
is still there. A verbal wound is as bad as a physical one."
Friends are a rare jewel, indeed. They make you smile and
encourage you to succeed. They lend an ear, they share a word of
praise, and they always want to open their hearts to us. It's
National Friendship Week. Show your friends how much you care.
Happy friendship week!
19. Be good to Yourself Therapy
Trust yourself. You know what you want and need.
Put yourself first.
You can't be anything for anybody else unless you take care of
yourself.
Let your feelings be known. They are important.
Express your opinions. It's good to hear yourself talk.
Value your thinking. You do it well. If you don't value it, no
one else will.
Take the time and space you need..
Even if other people are wanting something from you.
When you need something, don't talk yourself out of it.
Even if you can't have it, it's ok to need.
When you are scared, let someone know.
Isolating yourself when you're scared makes it worse.
When you feel like running away, let yourself feel the scare.
Think about what you fear will happen and decide what you need to
do.
When you're angry, let yourself feel the anger.
Decide what you want to do; just feel it, express it, or take
some action.
When you're sad, think about what would be comforting.
When you're hurt, tell the person who hurt you.
Keeping it inside makes it grow.
When you have work to do and you don't want to do it, decide what
really
needs to be done and what can wait.
When you want something from someone else, ask.
You'll be okay if they say no. Asking is being true to yourself.
When you need help, ask.
Trust people to say no if they don't want to give.
When people turn you down, it usually has to do with them,
and not with you. Ask someone else for what you need.
When you feel alone, know there are people who want to be with
you.
Fantasize what it would be like to be with each of them.
Decide if you want to make that happen.
When you feel anxious, let yourself know that in your head.
You've moved into the future to something scary
your body has gotten up the energy for it.
Come back to the present.
When you want to say something loving to someone, go ahead.
Expressing your feeling is not a commitment.
When someone yells at you, physically support yourself
by relaxing into your chair or putting your feet firmly
on the floor. Remember to breathe. Think about the message
they are trying to get across to you.
When you're harassing yourself, stop. You do it when you
need something. Figure out what you need and get it.
When everything seems wrong, you are overwhelmed and need
some comforting. Ask for it. Afterwards, you can think about
what you need to do.
When you want to talk to someone new and are scared, breathe.
Don't start rehearsing, just plunge in. If it doesn't go well,
you can stop.
If you're doing something you don't like to do,
(such as smoking or overeating), Stop.
Think about what you really want.
If you're stuck and can't think clearly,
talk out loud to someone.
When you can't think straight, Stop thinking. Feel.
When you're in need of love, reach out.
There are people who love you.
When you're confused, it's usually because you
think you should do one thing and you want to do another.
Dialogue with yourself or present both sides to a friend.
When you feel harried, slow down.
Deliberately slow your breathing, your speech,
and your movements.
When you have tears, cry.
When you feel like crying and it's not a safe place to cry,
acknowledge your pain and promise yourself a good cry later.
Keep your promise.
When everything seems gray, look for color.
If one of these rules seems wrong for you,
talk about it with someone.
Then, rewrite it so it fits you.
Remember, Be Good To Yourself!
Another wonderful story in the power of "SMILE"
I am a mother of three (ages 14, 12, 3) and have recently
completed my college degree. The last class I had to take was
Sociology. The teacher was absolutely inspiring with the
qualities that I wish every human being had been graced with. Her
last project of the term was called "Smile." The class
was asked to go out and smile at three people and document their
reaction.
I am a very friendly person and always smile at everyone and say,
hello anyway.....so, I thought, this would be a piece of cake
literally. Soon after we were assigned the project, my husband,
youngest son, and I went out to McDonalds, one crisp March
morning. It was just our way of sharing special play time with
our son. We were standing in line, waiting to be
served, when all of a sudden everyone around us began to back
away, and then even my husband did.
I did not move an inch...an overwhelming feeling of panic welled
up inside of me as I turned to see why they had moved. As I
turned around I smelled a horrible "dirty body" smell...
and there standing behind me were two poor homeless men.
As I looked down at the short gentleman, close to me, he was
"smiling". His beautiful sky blue eyes were full of God's
Light as he searched for acceptance. He said, "Good day"
as he counted the few coins he had been clutching. The second man
fumbled with his hands as he stood behind his friend. I realized
the second man was mentally deficient and the blue
eyed gentle man was his salvation. I held my tears.... as I stood
there with them. The young lady at the counter asked him what
they wanted. He said, "Coffee is all, Miss" because
that was all they could afford. To sit in the restaurant and warm
up, they had to buy something...he just wanted to be warm). Then
I really felt it..... the compulsion as so great I almost reached
out and embraced the little man with his blue eyes. That is when
I noticed all eyes in the restaurant were set on me...judging my
every
action.
I smiled and asked the young lady behind the counter to give me
two more breakfast meals on a separate tray. I then walked around
the corner to the table that the men had chosen as a resting spot.
I put the tray on the table and laid my hand on the blue eyed
gentleman's cold hand. He looked up at me, with tears in his eyes,
and said,
"Thank you." I leaned over, began to pat is hand and
said, "I did not do this for you...God is here working
through me to give you hope." I started to cry as I walked
away to join my husband and son. When I sat down my husband
smiled at me and said, "That is why God gave you to me honey....to
give me hope." We held hands for a moment and at that time
we knew that only because of the Grace that we had been given
that we were able to give.
We are not church goers but we are believers. That day showed me
the pure Light of God's sweet love. I returned to college, on the
last evening of class, with this story in hand. I turned in
"my project" and the instructor read it....then she
looked up at me and said, "Can I share this?" I slowly
nodded as she got the attention of the class. She began to read
and that is when I knew that we, as human beings and being part
of God, share this need to heal people and be healed. In my own
way I had touched the people at McDonalds, my husband, son,
instructor, and every soul that shared the classroom on the last
night I spent as a college student. I graduated with one of the
biggest lessons I would ever learn.....UNCONDITIONAL ACCEPTANCE.
Much love and compassion sent to each and every person who may
read this.
Learn how to LOVE PEOPLE AND USE THINGS -- NOT LOVE THINGS AND
USE PEOPLE.
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