MY 10 RESOLUTIONS Author Unknown

This coming year, I have decided that with God's help, I shall:-

Give up complaining . . . focus on gratitude.

Give up harsh judgments . . . think kind thoughts.

Give up worry . . . trust divine providence.

Give up discouragement . . . be full of hope.

Give up bitterness . . . turn to forgiveness.

Give up hatred . . . return good for evil.

Give up anger . . . practice patience.

Give up pettiness . . . put on maturity.

Give up gloom. . . enjoy the beauty that is around me.

Give up gossiping . . . control my tongue.

TIPS FOR SECURE INTERNET BANKING TRANSACTIONS

Here are a few tips to ensure the security of your internet banking transactions:

1. Do not click on web links embedded in emails or pop-ups in unfamiliar web sites. These may lead to malicious web sites designed to trick you into revealing personal and financial information.

2. Be skeptical of unsolicited e-mails, especially those that concern personal / account information. Delete suspicious emails or email attachments without opening them, even if they seem to have originated from someone you know.

3. Install the latest patches on your operating system, web browser, and anti-virus programs to safeguard your computer from attacks. Securely manage your password by:
• Using a password that is easy for you to remember but hard for others to guess.
• Keeping your password confidential at all times by not writing it down or divulging to anyone.
• Disabling the "save and remember the password" browser feature.
• Changing of your password if you think it has been compromised.

NO MORE WITH ME Author Unknown

"I'm sorry. Please forgive me! I don't mean to hold you up," he said as he struggled to get off the escalator.

I'll admit to it. There have been times when walking or driving behind an older person I've gotten impatient and upset. I've huffed and zoomed around them because I was in a hurry to get nowhere. Perhaps I'm more aware of it now because I see myself there one day soon. Today I saw myself in this old man's shoes and it caused me to slow down, stop and ask for his forgiveness.

He was about five or six people ahead of me. I was in a hurry and saw him as an obstacle. I've seen people get off the end of an escalator and stop dead in their tracks, gather their things and suddenly there's a pile up of angry people behind them. You can't stop an escalator full of people behind you. Like the Energizer bunny, they keep on goin'.

This man was well aware of the challenge. He tried desperately to step aside. Fumbling with his small packages, struggling to gain his footing, you could see how troubling this was for him. "I'm sorry. Please forgive me! I don't mean to hold you up," he said as he struggled to get off the escalator.

I suddenly saw this in a whole new light. It was like I was watching my future. I felt sorry for him. I felt sick to my stomach because this man was apologizing to everyone, when we should have been helping him and calming his fears.

One by one, people zipped around him. I heard a few angry comments whispered as one lady passed by him.

I saw me.

By the time I got to him he was just about steady on his feet.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't know there was more," he said.

"No, sir. No more with me," I said. This really hit me hard. I realized right then how sad it was that the world was in such a hurry. That, of course, included me. But...no more with me. Count me out.

This wonderful man paid his dues. For whatever time he had spent on this earth, he most likely walked many rough roads and too many important miles. Now he should be apologizing for moving slower?

My heart ached as I looked into his eyes. I wished that I could see what he had seen all those years. His face weathered from life itself, was creased and wrinkled. The small soft pockets under his eyes and the gentle lines that curved up and around them told me he had many happy moments, too. Those were traces left behind from laughter and a smiling, happy man.

"My friend, can I help you with those things?" I asked.

Hesitant at first, he finally said, "Well, yes, thank you!"

I placed my hand under his left arm and walked with him a safe distance away from the rush of people.

"So what are you shopping for, sir?"

"Oh, just a little something for my neighbor. She's a young mother raising kids on her own. She's always so nice to me. I thought a box of candy for Mother's Day..." he said, stopping suddenly as he searched his inside pocket of his sport coat.

"Do you need something?" I asked.

"Oh, no. Here. I think I have it right here. I always carry them with me," he said. Then pulling out a hand full of papers he shuffled through them and handed me a business card that read: "John A. Pomicter Friend to all...enemy to no one! I said a prayer today and you were the answer. Thank you!"

"That's for you," he said. "Thanks for stopping to help an old man."

"My friend, you helped me. I discovered that I was unhappy with the world and I was part of the problem. Now I'll be part of the solution. No more with me!"

"Then this was meant to be," he said smiling.

"You know God sends me gifts every day and always at least one special person. You were my gift for today! Let's go get some chocolates, my friend."

GREAT GOLF SHOT By Marion Smith

Every once in a while I hit a great golf shot. I feel so good as the ball flies down the fairway, arching beautifully before landing in the perfect spot. Or perhaps I sink that long putt that no one would have thought possible .”Yes, I would say to myself…those shots are in me, but they only seem to come out once in awhile!”

There is something else within me, and He is the Holy Spirit. God gave Him to live within my heart when I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior. He produced fruit in my life- love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness and self control. I am now wondering if this beautiful fruit of the Spirit only comes out of me once in awhile—just like that good golf shot! I hope not! I pray this fruit would constantly be evident in my life, showing others (and reminding myself) there IS something special about a person when she (or he) is indwelled by the Holy Spirit.

If you are a Christian, you too have the fruit of the Spirit. Is it ripe and ready to be shared with others?

THE STORY OF THE ALMONDS By Alan Bates

I woke up shivering on the morning of Thanksgiving Day 1969. I'd pulled a canvas tarp over me while laying on a hay bail in a barn just off the road I was hitchhiking on, north of Sacramento going north to Oregon . Freeway 5 was closed for repairs so I found myself on some country road in the middle of no where. I couldn't sleep with all those roosters crowing in my ear so I quietly sneeked back to the road with my friend Tom. We saw the sun come up to another clear crisp chilly California sunny day. The road was completely deserted of cars for a long time until a black man in a white pick up finally came by and graciously pulled over to pick us up. He headed north to the freeway and let us off at the first off ramp, again in the middle of no where.

We stood there on the side of the freeway for a long time watching the sun slowly rise in the sky and feeling our tongues slowly swell with thirst and hunger. Why was I doing this?

It must've been noon with the sun high and the air hot and dry. I thought, "I must be out of God's will. Nobody has come down this road to pick us up."

I said, "Why don't we test God to see what His will is. You stand on one side of the road and I'll stand on the other. The one who gets the first ride, that's the way we're suppose to go."

But then my heart smote me. I hadn't come this far to go back. I knew it was for God that I'd come this far. How could I be so unresolute? I wasn't anywhere near dead yet. I sure was in pain though, physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual pain.

Then I said, "Why don't we go over to that almond grove and see if we can get something to eat?" Tom agreed. So we jumped the fences and started going from tree to tree. Not one almond! I saw another grove on the other side of the drainage ditch and said, "Let's try over there." I found one hanging on a tree and another on the ground, but nothing else. So we gave up.

We jumped the fences back to the road and stood there quiet, thinking, praying. No traffic. I thought about all the early settlers, our forefathers who had walked into this land a hundred years ago. I thought about the early saints and Israelites who'd persevered though their wildernesses.

Finally it came to me I shouldn't just be dependent on some driver who might pass by.

If God wants me to go to Oregon I could walk just like all those who've paved this road before me. So I said to Tom, "Let's walk to a better place to hitchhike." I could see a long way. I didn't see a better place to hitchhike. But any place was better than here.

So we started walking through what felt like the Sahara desert. The sun baking down on our skin, the dry wind, the thirst, and the breeze of the cars going by. I didn't even turn to the traffic any more, I just put out my left arm, thumb up.

I was looking down at the gravel and sand I was walking on just putting one foot in front of the other. Then I saw a pebble that looked strangely different than the others and stopped to look at it. Tom caught up and said, "What are you looking at?" I bent down and picked up an almond just laying there along the side of the road.

We joked and rejoiced and said grace and very carefully divided it up savoring every morsel. Then we started stepping down the road again. Again and again we stopped and stooped to pick up more almonds until we started putting them in our pockets.

Then a white station wagon pulled over in front of us and we ran up to it.

The couple inside offered us a ride and said to get in the back seat. When we got in we saw the floor covered with almonds! They were almond growers who had just harvested. They said, "Help yourself."

They gave us a ride to a perfect place to hitchhike. We'd hardly got out of the car before someone else stopped and gave us a ride all the way to the front door of the commune we were going to in central Oregon , 10 miles off the freeway. We ate Thanksgiving dinner with them and slept under warm blankets that night.

Just before I woke up the next morning I heard a voice asking me, "Where were the almonds?" I said, "Lord, not on the trees, but on the road." Then was opened to me even further the scripture in Matthew 6:31 - 33, "... Do not be anxious then, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'With what shall we clothe ourselves?'. For all these things the Gentiles eagerly seek; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.

But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not be anxious for tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. ..."

27 INDICATIONS THAT WE NEED REVIVAL Author Unknown

1.. When we do not love Him as we once did.

2.. When earthly interests and occupations are more important to us than eternal ones.

3.. When we would rather watch TV and read secular books and magazines than read the Bible and pray.

4.. When we have little or no desire for prayer.

5.. When we would rather make money than give money.

6.. When our Christianity is joyless and passionless.

7.. When we know truth in our heads that we are not practicing in our lives.

8.. When we make little effort to witness to the lost.

9.. When we have time for sports, recreation, and entertainment, but not for Bible study and prayer.

10.. When we do not tremble at the Word of God.

11.. When we seldom think thoughts of eternity.

12.. When we are more concerned about our jobs and careers than about the Kingdom of Christ and the salvation of the lost.

13.. When Christian husbands and wives are not praying together.

14.. When our children are growing up to adopt worldly values, secular philosophies and ungodly lifestyles.

15.. When we watch things on TV and movies that we would not show in church.

16.. When our prayers lack fervency.

17.. When our hearts are cold and our eyes are dry.

18.. When our singing is half-hearted and our worship lifeless.

19.. When we aren't seeing regular evidence of the supernatural power of God.

20.. When we are bored with worship.

21.. When we are more concerned about what others think about us than what God thinks about us.

22.. When we are making little or no difference in the secular world around us.

23.. When we are unmoved by the thought of our neighbors, business associates and acquaintances going to hell.

24.. When we have ceased to weep and mourn and grieve over our sin.

25.. When we aren't exercising faith and believing God for the impossible.

26.. When the fire has gone out in our hearts, our marriages and our church.

27.. When we are blind to the extent of our need and don't think we need revival.

CHRISTMAS POEM Arlene Spanos

T'was eight centuries before Christ's birth and all around the Earth,
People did not really understand what their souls were worth.

The world then was in peril, there was distress and gloom.
Far and wide you could find so much destruction and doom.

God promised that a Savior would surely one day come.
Folks were deluded and lost - they were deaf, blind and dumb.

The Holy Bible told us about His ancestral line,
He would be the King of Kings, completely divine.

The angels told Mary that she would be the one.
To give birth to God's child, His only begotten Son.

The prophesies gave us the details of His birth,
T'was certain He would come to transform all the Earth.

He'd be born of a virgin, laid in a manger with hay
Then His hands and feet pierced on His final day.

The Lord had a mighty purpose for which He came.
God would be among us - Immanuel would be His name.

Mankind would then learn about peace, hope, and joy.
It would all come about in this small baby boy.

He was a humble servant, He showed us pure love.
He taught us about our Heavenly Father above.

His wisdom was divine, far beyond what any had known.
Many followed and believed Him, the crowds had really grown.

The Prince of Peace was amazing; He was a beacon of light.
He was holy and reverent as He taught us wrong from right.

He came to restore us and taught us to all share
And to help one another; He taught us to care.

He was the Counselor, Comforter, Redeemer and Friend.
He was fair and righteous; His rule never will end.

Folks were amazed and confused with all that went on.
They didn't understand.....until He was gone.

Though He was perfect and sinless, He never even told a lie,
He was mocked, and beaten, then crucified to die.

He was God as a man to His last dying breath.
Then He rose from the dead with His power over death.

He was goodness and grace and He came to relieve...
The wretched grasp of Satan.. to all who believe.

Upon Him all of our sins would be laid.
The full account of our debts had been paid.
This all really happened, it isn't just folklore.
He told us of Heaven and showed us there's more.

We call Him Jesus and He lives still today.
He is Lord of all Lords and He leads the way.

We celebrate this and all that it means
With songs and displays of Nativity scenes.

His Amazing Grace is the actual reason.
That we recognize and rejoice this season.

So again this year we celebrate His birth.
Merry Christmas to all and to all Peace on Earth!

TODAY'S QUOTE: from ARISTOTLE

The virtue of justice consists in moderation, as regulated by wisdom. - Aristotle

IN EVERYTHING I GIVE By Irene Budzynski

The night shift had finally ended. It was one of the worst nights I could remember in 10 years. No matter what I had done, it didn't seem as if I had accomplished anything of value. The hospital was unusually full, and the patients especially needy. Eight hours weren't enough time to get all my tasks completed, so I'd stayed an extra hour to finish. I drove home crying in frustration, nerve fibers stretched to maximum exhaustion.

Too tired to walk into the house, I sat on the front porch well past the hour of dawn's coolness and rocked in the wicker chair, oblivious to the weight-bearing heat on my skin. Devoid of energy, there was nothing left for me to do but to allow the sun's rays to warm me, wishing I was one of those people who didn't get so emotionally involved with my patients. I gripped the rounded curves of the oversized arms and pushed myself back and forth, chanting, "Why, why?" with the creaking rhythm.

My heart had been torn to shreds by a gentle giant whose illness I couldn't stop, whose pain I couldn't halt. Cancer had been invading his body cell by cell and all the years of training and experience and all the magical pills and potions couldn't stop it. Isaiah was dying. Nature was taking its course, and man had no power to reverse it.

A look of wide-eyed surprise and stiffening of his body were the only clues that he was suffering. He'd clutch his stomach and call out, "Lord, take it away. Please, Lord, take it away." The prescribed medication wasn't touching the racking pain rolling in waves through his system. Helplessly I gripped his hand and prayed aloud with him until the bout of agony had ended. The night crept along, second by second, as Isaiah waited for the next attack to render him helpless, knowing that death, ever vigilant, lurked in the shadows.

When I turned him to his side to make him more comfortable, swaddled with pillows, he squeezed my fingers and repeated, "Oh, God is so good. God is so good. Thank you, miss. Thank you."

When he had an episode of heavy bleeding from his wounds, he was bathed, dressings were changed, and his linens were replaced, but still he didn't complain. When asked what could be done for him, he replied, "I just want to sit and talk to my Master. I need to talk to my Master right now." He lay back, eyes closed, and murmured prayers of worship.

During brief interludes of respite we held hands, patient and nurse, the words spilling over from my heart. My tears fell on my lap as I leaned over Isaiah to fix yet another bleeding wound, reminded of someone else who had suffered over 2,000 years ago. Had the women of Jerusalem felt this same anguish? Had they railed about their own impotence as did I?

I was the silent witness to Isaiah's Calvary. Nursing care could temporarily beat back the discomfort, but he alone would walk the final walk with God. To be in communion with his Creator in preparation for their meeting was a sacred rite that couldn't be trespassed upon by mere mortals.

Before I left him to the care of the day shift, I tiptoed into his room and kissed both his cheeks. Words were unnecessary, but I wanted to open my heart.

"You are one of the bravest people I know, Isaiah. You have every right to whine to God about your situation, but, you pray for Him to be with you and to hold you in His arms while you suffer. You have opened a window for me and through it I have seen a glimpse of what it must have been like for Jesus. You are my hero."

A tear rolled down his face and he gripped my hands. "I am looking forward to seeing you in heaven," he whispered. Nodding my head, I left his side.

Safe on my porch, I asked for forgiveness for all the times I had complained about insignificant problems in my life, for my doubting and questioning. Then I prayed for grace to walk my walk with the same dignity and faith as did Isaiah. Rising from the chair, I felt the peace that comes when one has witnessed the work of God, and I gave praise.

"Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your request known to God." (Phil 4:6)

NEW SEAT BELT LAW (from Sheryl Apuhin)

The national Highway Safety Council has done extensive testing on a newly designed seat belt. Results show that accidents can be reduced by as much as 45% when the belt is properly installed. Correct installation is illustrated below.......

ALPHABETS OF HAPPINESS Author Unknown

* A--Accept *
Accept others for who they are and for the choices they've made even if you have difficulty understanding their beliefs, motives, or actions.

*B--Break Away *
Break away from everything that stands in the way of what you hope to accomplish with your life.

*C--Create *
Create a family of friends whom you can share your hopes, dreams, sorrows, and happiness with.

*D--Decide *
Decide that you'll be successful and happy come what may, and good things will find you. The roadblocks are only minor obstacles along the way.

*E--Explore *
Explore and experiment. The world has much to offer, and you have much to give. And every time you try something new, you'll learn more about yourself.

*F--Forgive *
Forgive and forget. Grudges only weigh you down and inspire unhappiness and grief. Soar above it, and remember that everyone makes mistakes.

*G--Grow *
Leave the childhood monsters behind. They can no longer hurt you or stand in your way.

*H--Hope *
Hope for the best and never forget that anything is possible as long as you remain dedicated to the task.

*I--Ignore *
Ignore the negative voice inside your head. Focus instead on your goals and remember your accomplishments. Your past success is only a small inkling of what the future holds.

*J--Journey*
Journey to new worlds, new possibilities, by remaining open-minded. Try to learn something new every day, and you'll grow.

*K--Know *
Know that no matter how bad things seem, they'll always get better. The warmth of spring always follows the harshest winter.

*L--Love *
Let love fill your heart instead of hate. When hate is in your heart, there's room for nothing else, but when love is in your heart, there's room for endless happiness.

*M--Manage *
Manage your time and your expenses wisely, and you'll suffer less stress and worry. Then you'll be able to focus on the important things in life.

*N--Notice *
Never ignore the poor, infirm, helpless, weak, or suffering. Offer your assistance when possible, and always your kindness and understanding.

*O--Open *
Open your eyes and take in all the beauty around you. Even during the worst of times, there's still much to be thankful for.

*P--Play *
Never forget to have fun along the way. Success means nothing without happiness.

*Q--Question *
Ask many questions, because you're here to learn.

*R--Relax *
Refuse to let worry and stress rule your life, and remember that things always have a way of working out in the end.

*S--Share *
Share your talent, skills, knowledge, and time with others. Everything that you invest in others will return to you many times over.

*T--Try *
Even when your dreams seem impossible to reach, try anyway. You'll be amazed by what you can accomplish.

*U--Use *
Use your gifts to your best ability. Talent that's wasted has no value. Talent that's used will bring unexpected rewards.

*V--Value *
Value the friends and family members who've supported and encouraged you, and be there for them as well.

*W--Work *
Work hard every day to be the best person you can be, but never feel guilty if you fall short of your goals. Every sunrise offers a second chance.

*X--X-Ray *
Look deep inside the hearts of those around you and you'll see the goodness and beauty within.

*Y--Yield *
Yield to commitment. If you stay on track and remain dedicated, you'll find success at the end of the road.

*Z--Zoom *
Zoom to a happy place when bad memories or sorrow rear a ugly head.

LET US SEEK GOD'S GUIDANCE By Helen Steiner Rice

As the threatening "Clouds of Chaos"
Gather in man's muddled mind;
While he searches for an answer
He alone can never find;
May God turn our vision skyward
So that we can see above ...
The gathering clouds of darkness,
And behold God's brightening love.

For today we're facing problems
Man alone can never solve,
For it takes much more than genius
To determine and resolve,
The conditions that confront us
All around on every side,
Daily mounting in intensity
Like the restless, rising tide.

But we'll find new Strength and Wisdom
If instead of proud resistance ...
We humbly call upon the Lord
And seek Divine Assistance;
For the spirit can unravel
Many tangled, knotted threads
That defy the skill and power
Of the world's best hands and heads.

For the plans of growth and progress
Of which we all have dreamed,
Cannot survive materially
Unless the spirit is redeemed.
So as another Year dawns,
Let us seek the Lord in prayer
And place our future hopes and plans
Securely in God's care.

6 REASONS WHY MAHIRAP MAINLOVE SA HEARTTHROB by SRCT (me)

http://sheryl1979.blog.friendster.com/category/love/
posted on: Tuesday, February 6th, 2007

1. Andami mong kaagaw. It’s simply the law of demand and supply. Since kokonti na lang naman talaga ang masasabing heartthrob sa mundo, talaga namang marami kang kaagaw sa atensyon ng man of your dreams mo. Upto what extent ba ang kaya mong gawin para mapansin ng prince charming mo?

2. Always busy ang line ni Lord pagdating sa kanya. Kasi naman, lahat na lang yata ay nagdadasal na mapansin ng Prince Charming mo. Paano iyan, hindi naman pwedeng lahat pagbigyan ni Lord ano?! Or baka naman ito talaga ang reason why ang kadalasang nagiging playboy ay ang mga heartthrobs. kasi para mapagbigyan lahat? arrgg!!!

3. Easy to get or pakipot? Pag napansin ka na ng love mo, malaking sakit sa ulo. Kasi naman, kapag pakipot ka, baka bigla kang iwan sa ere. Sa dami nga naman kasi ng babaeng naghahabol sa kanya, baka magbago ang isip at maghanap ng iba. Pag sinagot mo naman agad, baka sabihin niya easy to get ka. Remember, easy to get, easy to forget?

4. Andaming nagpi-prayer rally against you. Kahit si Cinderella, grabe muna ang inabot from her stepsisters/stepmother before siya uli natagpuan ni Prince Charming, di ba? Hindi pa kayo nagfi-first monthsary, kabi-kabila na ang nagdadasal na magbreak kayo. Remember, the ‘yong mga dati niyang nakarelasyon na nakikipagbalikan sa kanya? Pati na rin ‘yong nag-aambisyon na makarelasyon niya in the future. Carry mo ba iyan?

5. Kahit ayaw mo, nakaka-insecure. Admit it, kahit feeling mo ay secured ka na sa sarili mo at sa feelings niya, minsan hindi mo pa rin maiwasang mainsecure at magselos lalo na at sangkaterbang chikababes ang dumidisplay sa love mo. Paano ka kaya magiging cool niyan kung maya’t maya, may dumidikit na mga girls sa Prince Charming mo?

6. Ang hirap mangarap nang gising. Wala eh, kung talagang inlove ka na at talagang walang pag-asa, mangarap ka na lang nang gising. Just make sure hindi masyadong OA ang Ninoy Aquino-pose mo at pakitikom na rin ng bibig. Mahirap na at baka pasukan ng langaw ang bunganga mo sa sobrang pagdi-daydream.

DRY AND BRITTLE BRANCHES By Marion Smith

John 15:5 I am the vine, you are the branches

With the drought situation in the Atlanta area this year, the trees and shrubs in our yard have taken quite a beating. As I was strolling in our yard with my grandson yesterday, we investigated a part of the yard I usually avoid. Many dogwood trees had seeming dead and useless branches- dry, brittle looking and void of leaves. As I pulled one down to snap it off, I had a surprise. It wasn’t quite as dead as I had thought. I pulled and twisted, but right where the branch met the trunk of the tree, there was life. I was unable to snap the branch as I had intended, and now I would have to get a saw to finish the job.

Sometime our lives seem so dry and brittle..don;t you think? Sometimes I feel parched for strength, peace, and understanding, and I feel so brittle I could just snap and break! But Jesus is the Living Water and if we stay connected to Him we will receive spiritual living water and not wither up. Sometimes, when the valley we are in is very deep and we are not even able to pray, our friends may be the ones who hold us up in prayer to God. Sometimes Christian music will be the source of nourishment, manybe we can just call out the name- “Jesus”- and sometimes God just drops a happy surprise right in our laps to give us a great big laugh! (Laughter truly is such a wonderful thing!)

We may not be as spiritually dead as we think, you know. From all appearances, the dogwood branch(someone feeling lost) was a goner. But! No—there was life left in it… right close to the trunk(Jesus). If you are feeling dry and brittle- ready to snap-remember, God loves you and will see you through your difficult time. Ask Him..O.K.?

Marion Smith noles65@aol.com
comments and feedback welcome

MAYBE Author Unknown

Maybe God wanted us to meet the 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.

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

Maybe 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.

Maybe it is true that we don't know what we have got until we lose it, but it is also true that we don't know what we have been missing until it arrives.

Giving someone all your love is never an assurance that they will love you back. Don't expect love in return; just wait for it to grow in their heart; but if it does not, be content it grew in yours.

It takes only a minute to get a crush on someone, an hour to like someone, and a day to love someone, but it takes a lifetime to forget someone.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

MY LIFE by Arlene Spanos

My life is a special gift from God given just to me.
I'm one of a kind because He made me, exclusively!

He planned me to be who I am for I am His design.
Everything He does is right and good because He is divine.

He has a purpose just for me and that's why I was sent.
I'm not here by chance or from some fluke accident.

Some say we're the result of evolution, but I say that's absurd.
Because I trust God completely and I take Him at His Word.

He has given me many blessings and has many more to give.
He helps me take the high road for a better way to live.

He made me just right because everything He does is good.
He equipped me well with special gifts to be all that I could.

I know He watches over me all day and through the night.
I rely upon Him always to help me do what's right.

He gives me joy and passion and love right to my core.
Patience, strength and courage, He's given me and more.

He knows my heart and my mind and what I'm all about.
He knows my deepest secrets and He knows when I have doubt.

And when I'm facing troubles, have grief or feel pain,
I know He's there to help me and more blessings I will gain.

He provides comfort and assurance whenever I feel low.
I know He cares about me just because He loves me so.

I trust He gives me all I need because He knows what's best.
And when I grow tired and weary, it's Him that gives me rest.

I look to Him to guide me, where He leads me I shall go.
And when He gives me instructions, I never will say "no".

At times I sense His disapproval yet I feel His mighty love.
Sometimes I know He holds me back, some times a gentle shove.

He is wonderful and righteous; and He gratifies my soul.
He is sovereign and I'm so glad that He is in control

Through all my joys and sorrow, I put my life into His hands.
Because He has all things worked out within His mighty plans.

I long so much to make the most of all He has given me.
Until the time He calls me home to be with Him eternally.

DO YOU HAVE SCARS by Bo Sanchez

Most of you know I’m a recovering porn addict. I was addicted to it for years—and it almost destroyed me. Today, God has healed me and continues to heal me.

More than my writing or preaching, I think one of the greatest things I’ve ever done for others is to share my scars to them. It gives people hope that they too can be healed and change their life.

It’s like the vegetables I eat. (Be patient with my analogy.) My friend tells me I’m like a goat. Because everyday, he sees me munching on raw salad. Specifically, raw green “organic” vegetables.

Here’s something you may not know about organic: They’re physical appearance won’t be perfect. They’ll have pockmarks. Flaws. Blemishes. Why? Because they don’t have insecticides to protect them from bugs. Some people who don’t know this will choose the “perfect” veggies. The ones with no defects. No wounds. No scars.

A pity. Because their perfection is fake. They don’t have scars because they’re covered with a truckload of chemicals. A few of them may even be poisonous. They keep out the enemy, but they also make the veggie very unhealthy.

You know what? I’ve met people who don’t seem to have any defects. No scars on the outside. At least, they make it appear as if they have no scars. But it’s not true. Their real scar is their pretending to have no scars. It makes them inorganic. It makes them plastic.

Dear friend, give hope. Share your scars to others.

May your dreams come true,
Bo Sanchez

WASH DAY Author Unknown

Monday
Wash Day
Lord, help me wash away all my selfishness and vanity, so I may serve
you with perfect humility through the week ahead.

Tuesday
Ironing Day
Dear Lord, help me iron out all the wrinkles of prejudice I have
collected through the years so that I may see the beauty in others.

Wednesday
Mending Day
O God, help me mend my ways so I will not set a bad example for
others.

Thursday
Cleaning Day
Lord Jesus, help me to dust out all the many faults I have been hiding
in the secret corners of my heart.

Friday
Shopping Day
O God, give me the grace to shop wisely so I may purchase eternal
happiness for myself and all others in need of love.

Saturday
Cooking Day
Help me, my Savior, to brew a big kettle of brotherly love and serve
it with clean, sweet bread of human kindness.

Sunday
The Lord's Day
O God, I have prepared my house for you. Please come into my heart so
I may spend the day and the rest of my life in your presence.

THE JOY OF SECOND CHANCES By Shari Smyth

Whitney and I had been separated for eight months. Now we were on a first date, tentatively, fearfully moving toward reconciliation. We were at the Billy Graham Crusade in Nashville's Adelphia Stadium, waiting for the program to start. Side by side, we sat in silence on a hard bench, feeling the pain of our fractured marriage. Daylight thinned to dusk.The lights popped on over the football field, shining on the distant platform under the gigantic scoreboard. Empty folding chairs waited for the legendary evangelist and his team.

A memory bright as the lights flooded my mind. I was sixteen, my whole life stretching out ahead of me, sitting in a stadium in Philadelphia listening to Billy Graham. His message has stirred my devout teenage heart: I would serve God always and never stray, I vowed. And, at the end, when hundreds streamed forward to the strains of "Just As I Am," I was filled with happiness for them and for me.

Now as a silver-haired, slightly stooped Billy Graham rose to speak, my marriage lay broken.Though I'd served God, I'd also strayed at times. Instead of the years stretching lightly ahead of me, I felt weighted by the passage of time.

The sermon ended. The crowd of thousands shifted in their seats to pray. The choir began singing "Just As I Am," and tears ran down my cheeks. How I wished I could go back and do it over! Whitney reached for my hand, his grip strong and reassuring.

As I watched the hundreds streaming forward, something stronger than happiness lifted my burden: It was the joy of second chances, the joy of a sinner saved by grace -- again and again and again.

UNEXPECTED PLACES By Sally I. Kennedy

Our neighbors had been out fishing. What a beautiful day. The good catch made it all the better. Tired, happy hands threw the fish out of the cooler, up onto the dock. One guy started cleaning the boat, another started cleaning the fish.

The coconut telegraph was buzzing. Pelicans flew in, and floated over, to be in reach of the fish scraps being tossed out. An expected and familiar site. They always know, somehow, when and where there is fish-cleaning going on.

So later in the week, out for a short boat ride, I was unprepared to see pelicans, in an unexpected place. I did a double-take when we zipped by the mangroves, where several were roosting. I would expect to see them in the water, by the dock. But not up in the trees!

God comes to us in unexpected ways all the time. He is the God of the suddenlies (a few examples, below). There are many incidences, in the Bible, that tell of the Lord suddenly doing something.

Yes, He comes in expected and unexpected ways. He breaks through into our day, and whispers, Here I am! With you!.

Lord, today, please help me to see you in unexpected ways and places. Amen.

TWENTY TRUTHS TO REMEMBER Author Unknown

1. Faith is the ability to not panic.

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

3. As a child of God, prayer is kind of like calling home every day.

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

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

6. Do the math. Count your blessings.

7. God wants spiritual fruit, not religious nuts.

8. Dear God: I have a problem. It's me.

9. Silence is often misinterpreted, but never misquoted.

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

11. The most important things in your home are the people.

12. Growing old is inevitable, growing up is optional.

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

14. A grudge is a heavy thing to carry.

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

16. We do not remember days, but moments. Life moves too fast, so enjoy your precious moments.

17. Nothing is real to you until you experience it, otherwise it's just hearsay.

18. It's all right to sit on your pity pot every now and again. Just be sure to flush when you are done.

19. Surviving and living your life successfully requires courage. The goals and dreams you're seeking require courage and risk-taking. Learn from the turtle -- it only makes progress when it sticks out its neck.

20. Be more concerned with your character than your reputation. Your character is what you really are while your reputation is merely what others think you are.

WHITE BUTTERFLY By Sally I. Kennedy

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him and will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6

My husband and I were threading our way down the path from our trek up to the waterfall. Nothing around. No people, no birds, no animals... except for one very small chipmunk scurrying from rock to rock to avoid our big scary shoes coming toward him.

Then a tiny white butterfly appeared. It fluttered along in front of us all, as if leading the way. All the way down the trail to the bridge at the bottom. There, by the river's edge, it flew into the woods, only to reappear behind us when we moved on.

We weren't lost. But sometimes we don't have to be completely lost to need a little guidance and direction. Or even reassurance.

Ten thousand feet up in the Rocky Mountains, could a white butterfly be a reminder saying God will go ahead of us to lead the way? And that He will also come behind us?

God tells us in the Bible, "I will never leave you or forsake you." (Joshua 1, Deuteronomy 31, Hebrews 13)

It's a promise! That's good news.

TO EACH HIS OWN Author Unknown

I cannot change the way I am,
I never really try,
God made me different and unique,
I never ask him why.

If I appear peculiar,
There's nothing I can do,
You must accept me as I am,
As I've accepted you.

God made a casting of each life,
Then threw the mold away,
Each child is different from the rest,
Unlike as night from day.

So often we will criticize,
The things that others do,
But, do you know, they do not think,
The same as me and you.

So God in all his wisdom,
Who knows us all by name,
He didn't want us to be bored,
That's why we're not the same

THE THREE THINGS IN LIFE Author Unknown

Three things in life that, once gone, never come back -
1. Time
2. Words
3. Opportunity

Three things in life that may never be lost -
1. Peace
2. Hope
3. Honesty

Three things in life that are most valuable -
1. Love
2. Self-confidence
3. Friends

Three things in life that are never certain -
1. Dreams
2. Success
3. Fortune

Three things in life that are most appreciated -
1. Generosity
2. Humor
3. Forgiveness

Three things that make a person -
1. Hard work
2. Sincerity
3. Commitment

Three things in life that can destroy a person -
1. Alcohol / Drugs
2. Pride
3. Anger

Three things that are truly constant -
Father - Son - Holy Ghost

I CHOOSE Author Unknown

It's quiet. It's early. My coffee is hot. The sky is still black. The world is still asleep. The day is coming. In a few moments the day will arrive.

It will roar down the track with the rising of the sun. The stillness of the dawn will be exchanged for the noise of the day. The calm of the solitude will be replaced by the pounding pace of the human race.

The refuge of the early morning will be invaded by decisions to be made and deadlines to be met. For the next twelve hours I will be exposed to the day's demands.

It is now that I must make a choice. Because of Calvary, I'm free to choose. And so I choose.

I CHOOSE LOVE...
No occasion justifies hatred; no injustice warrants bitterness. I choose love. Today I will love God and what God loves.

I CHOOSE JOY...
I will invite my God to be the God of circumstance. I will refuse the temptation to be cynical...the tool of the lazy thinker. I will refuse to see people as anything less than human beings, created by God. I will refuse to see any problem as anything less than an opportunity to see God.

I CHOOSE PEACE...
I will live forgiven. I will forgive so that I may live.

I CHOOSE PATIENCE...
I will overlook the inconveniences of the world. Instead of cursing the one who takes my place, I'll invite him to do so. Rather than complaining that the wait is too long, I will thank God for a moment to pray. Instead of clinching my fist at new assignments, I will face them with joy and courage.

I CHOOSE KINDNESS...
I will be kind to the poor, for they are alone. Kind to the rich, for they are afraid. And kind to the unkind, for such is how God has treated me.

I CHOOSE GOODNESS...
I will go without a dollar before I take a dishonest one. I will be overlooked before I will boast. I will confess before I will accuse. I choose goodness.

I CHOOSE FAITHFULNESS. ..
Today I will keep my promises. My debtors will not regret their trust. My associates will not question my word. My wife will not question my love. And my children will never fear that their father will not come home.

I CHOOSE GENTLENESS.. .
Nothing is won by force. I choose to be gentle. If I raise my voice, may it be only in praise. If I clench my fist, may it be only in prayer. If I make a demand, may it be only of myself.

I CHOOSE SELF-CONTROL. ..
I am a spiritual being. After this body is dead, my spirit will soar. I refuse to let what will rot rule the eternal. I choose self-control. I will be drunk only by joy. I will be impassioned only by my faith. I will be influenced only by God. I will be taught only by Christ.

LOVE, JOY, PEACE, PATIENCE, KINDNESS, GOODNESS, FAITHFULNESS,
GENTLENESS, AND SELF-CONTROL. .......

To these I commit my day. If I succeed, I will give thanks. If I fail, I will seek God's face. And then when this day is done, I will place my head on my pillow and rest.

THE SCULPTOR'S ATTITUDE Author Unknown

I woke up early today, excited over all I get to do before the clock strikes midnight.

I have responsibilities to fulfill today. I am important. My job is to choose what kind of day I am going to have.

Today I can complain because the weather is rainy or...

I can be thankful that the grass is getting watered for free.

Today I can feel sad that I don't have more money or...

I can be glad that my finances encourage me to plan my purchases wisely and guide me away from waste.

Today I can grumble about my health or...

I can rejoice that I am alive.

Today I can lament over all that my parents didn't give me when I was growing up or...

I can feel grateful that they allowed me to be born.

Today I can cry because roses have thorns or...

I can celebrate that thorns have roses.

Today I can mourn my lack of friends or ...

I can excitedly embark upon a quest to discover new relationships.

Today I can whine because I have to go to work or...

I can shout for joy because I have a job to do.

Today I can complain because I have to go to school or...

eagerly open my mind and fill it with rich new tidbits of knowledge.

Today I can murmur dejectedly because I have to do housework or...

I can feel honored because the Lord has provided shelter for my mind,
body and soul.

Today stretches ahead of me, waiting to be shaped.

And here I am, the sculptor who gets to do the shaping.

What today will be like is up to me.

I get to choose what kind of day I will have!

TO MY CHILD Author Unknown

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

I will think about the mothers and fathers who are searching for their missing children, the mothers and fathers who are visiting their children's graves instead of their bedrooms. The mothers and fathers who are in hospital rooms watching their children suffer senselessly and screaming inside that little body.

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

I CANNOT DO ANYMORE...I NEED YOU, LORD Author Unknown

If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him." (James 1:5)

Once when I was operating deep inside a brain, an artery broke loose in an area that I couldn't see. This resulted in vigorous bleeding. Because we couldn't see where the blood was coming from, it looked as though we might lose the patient. Without consciously deciding to do so, I just started praying for God's help. I have learned to act on intuition in such emergencies.

Just then I did something that, in the telling, seems almost irrational. I placed the bipolar forceps into the pool of blood where the bleeding might be coming from. It started sucking away the blood. I pleaded, "God, you've got to stop this bleeding. Please, God, I cannot control it."

Strange as it may seem at that instant the bleeding stopped without my ever being able to locate its cause. Afterward, the patient awakened and recovered fully.

At another time we had a man from Bermuda who had trigeminal neuralgia (an extremely painful condition of face caused by irritation of the fifth cranial nerve). Before we had methods to treat this condition, many patients committed suicide because of the constant pain.

I had to put the needle into an exceptionally small hole at the base of his skull and pass it up to the level of the ganglion. This process requires a skill in which I had to develop a great deal of proficiency during my days as a medical student. On that particular day, however, no matter what I did, I could not get the needle into the hole. I had worked at this for nearly two hours before it occurred to me that perhaps I should just give up.

Just before quitting, I finally prayed: "Lord I cannot get the needle in. There is no way I can do it. I am going to take this needle and push it in one more time. I want You to guide it into the hole, because I cannot seem to do it."

I took the needle, pushed it, and went right through the hole as if it had a mind of its own. A feeling of deep gratitude came over me. I feel that it is a little risky to relate an incident like this because I can almost hear skeptics say, "Oh, come on, Ben, that is ridiculous. Why would you even say a thing like that?"

Yet, for me it is not absurd; it is what I expect. In talking with other Christian surgeons, I have learned that some of them understand because they have experienced similar feelings of God guiding their hands.

When we develop a relationship with God and believe that He is working through us, we still have moments of helplessness---when God has an opportunity to do something for us. This happens when we give our best---which, at the particular moment, does not seem good enough. Ready to give up, we say aloud or silently, "I cannot do anymore, Lord. I need You."

At such moments we provide God with the opportunity to respond. Truly, "Man's eternity is God's opportunity."

"A BELIEVER IN GOD NEEDS TO EXPLAIN THE EXISTENCE OF POVERTY, INEQUALITY, SUFFERING, AND DEATH; AN ATHEIST, ON THE OTHER HAND, WOULD NEED TO EXPLAIN THE EXISTENCE OF EVERYTHING ELSE" -JJ

CHRISTIAN HYPOCRISY forwarded by Jan Klein Chua

One Sunday morning during church service, a 2,000 member congregation was surprised to see two men enter, both covered from head to toe in black and carrying submachine guns. One of the men shouted, "Anyone willing to take a bullet for Christ remain where you are!" Immediately, the choir fled, the deacons fled, and most of the congregation fled. Out of the 2,000, there only remained around 20. The man who had spoken took off his hood, looked at the preacher and said "Okay Pastor, I got rid of all the hypocrites." Now you may begin your service. Have a nice day!" And the two men turned and walked out.

Funny how simple it is for people to trash God... and then wonder why the world's going to hell!

Funny how we believe what the newspapers say, but question what the Bible says. Funny how everyone wants to go to heaven provided they do not have to believe, think, say, or do anything the Bible says.

Funny how someone can say "I believe in God" but still follow Satan (who, by the way, also "believes"in God).

Funny how you can send a thousand 'jokes' through e-mail and they spread like wildfire, but when you start sending messages regarding the Lord, people think twice about sharing.

Funny how the lewd, crude, vulgar and obscene pass freely through cyberspace, but the public discussion of Jesus is suppressed in the school and work place. Funny, isn't it? Funny how someone can be so fired up for Christ on Sunday, but be an invisible Christian the rest of the week.

Funny how when you go to forward this message, you will not send it to many on your address list because you're not sure what they believe, or what they will think of you for sending it to them.

Funny how you can be more worried about what other people think of you than what God thinks of you.

LET GO forwarded by Jennifer Tilos

Let go of the Past,
Only then you move towards the future.

Let go of the Regrets,
Only then you move towards the happiness.

Let go of the Presumptions,
Only then you move towards the truth.

Let go of the Problems,
Only then you move towards the solution.

Let go of Yourself.
Only then you move towards the divinity.

GOOD TO KNOW By Sally I. Kennedy

At Thanksgiving. .....turkey. Pilgrims. Indians. Cranberry jelly. Don't forget the pumpkin pie!

Thanksgiving… .a good time to ask myself, what am I thankful for? Even better, whom should I thank?

Parents, spouse, children family, home, things, jobs, clothes, food, stuff, friends, health, life itself. Everything we need in our lives.

Often it looks like it's a person who deserves our thanks. Sometimes we think circumstance gets the credit. Yet ultimately, everything we have is a gift from God. Even who we are is a gift from God.

God uses people and situations to bring His gifts to us. He alone is the Great Gift-giver.

It is good to know Who to thank.

LESSONS ON LIFE Author Unknown

There was a man who had four sons. He wanted his sons to learn not to judge things too quickly. So he sent them each on a quest, in turn, to go and look at a pear tree that was a great distance away.

The first son went in the winter, the second in the spring, the third in summer, and the youngest son in the fall.

When they had all gone and come back, he called them together to describe what they had seen.

The first son said that the tree was ugly, bent, and twisted. The second son said no it was covered with green buds and full of promise.

The third son disagreed; he said it was laden with blossoms that smelled so sweet and looked so beautiful, it was the most graceful thing he had ever seen.

The last son disagreed with all of them; he said it was ripe and drooping with fruit, full of life and fulfillment.

The man then explained to his sons that they were all right, because they had each seen but only one season in the tree's life.

He told them that you cannot judge a tree, or a person, by only one season, and that the essence of who they are and the pleasure, joy, and love that come from that life can only be measured at the end, when all the seasons are up.

If you give up when it's winter, you will miss the promise of your spring, the beauty of your summer, fulfillment of your fall.

Moral:
Don't let the pain of one season destroy the joy of all the rest. Don't judge life by one difficult season. Persevere through the difficult patches and better times are sure to come some time or later.

IF TOMORROW STARTS WITHOUT ME Author Unknown

If tomorrow starts without me,
And I'm not there to see,
If the sun should rise and find your eyes
All filled with tears for me;

I wish so much you wouldn't cry
The way you did today,
While thinking of the many things,
We didn't get to say.

I know how much you love me,
As much as I love you,
And each time that you think of me,
I know you'll miss me too;

But when tomorrow starts without me,
Please try to understand,
That an angel came and called my name,
And took me by the hand,

And said my place was ready,
In heaven far above,
And that I'd have to leave behind
All those I dearly love.

But as I turned to walk away,
A tear fell from my eye,
For all my life, I'd always thought,
I didn't want to die.

I had so much to live for,
So much left yet to do,
It seemed almost impossible,
That I was leaving you.

I thought of all the yesterdays,
The good ones and the bad,
I thought of all that we shared,
And all the fun we had.

If I could relive yesterday,
Just even for a while,
I'd say good-bye and kiss you
And maybe see you smile.

But then I fully realized,
That this could never be,
For emptiness and memories,
Would take the place of me.

And when I thought of worldly things,
I might miss some tomorrow,
I thought of you, and when I did,
My heart was filled with sorrow.

But when I walked through heaven's gates,
I felt so much at home.
When God looked down and smiled at me,
From His great golden throne,

He said, "This is eternity,
And all I've promised you."
Today your life on earth is past,
But here life starts anew.

I promise no tomorrow,
But today will always last,
And since each day is the same way,
There's no longing for the past.

So when tomorrow starts without me,
Don't think we're far apart,
For every time you think of me,
I'm right here, in your heart "

IT LOOKS SO REAL! By Sally I. Kennedy

People drifted into the kitchen before the meeting, commenting one after another about the plant on the counter.

"I can't believe that's real!" "Is that orchid real?" "Oh my gosh, that can't be real." Yes, it was real. This was the third year it had bloomed so magnificently. In between the flowering times, it had been outside by the deck, in its' hibernation phase, resting and preparing to bloom again.

"Could that be real?", a question posed a couple thousand years ago, and sometimes still today. "Did Jesus really die? It looked so real." Yes, He did really die, from the horrendous death of crucifixion.

And then, "Did Jesus really rise from the dead?" Yes, He did. Many persons witnessed and spoke with the resurrected Christ. Historical writings, in addition to the Bible, record these events. Unequivocally it is true and a fact that Jesus died and was resurrected to life in three days. This was all predicted and prophesied hundreds of years prior by Isaiah, Daniel, and Malachi.

It looked so real because it was real. Thank God! He is risen, He is risen indeed; today we have a living Savior. That is GOOD NEWS.

GRANDMA'S HANDS Author Unknown

This is good; I'll never look at my hands the same!

Grandma, some ninety plus years, sat feebly on the patio bench. She didn't move, just sat with her head down staring at her hands. When I sat down beside her she didn't acknowledge my presence and the longer I sat I wondered if she was OK.

Finally, not really wanting to disturb her but wanting to check on her at the same time, I asked her if she was OK. She raised her head and looked at me and smiled. "Yes, I'm fine, thank you for asking," she said in a clear voice strong.

"I didn't mean to disturb you, grandma, but you were just sitting here staring at your hands and I wanted to make sure you were OK," I explained to her.

"Have you ever looked at your hands," she asked. "I mean really looked at your hands?"

I slowly opened my hands and stared down at them. I turned them over, palms up and then palms down. No, I guess I had never really looked at my hands as I tried to figure out the point she was making.

Grandma smiled and related this story: "Stop and think for a moment about the hands you have, how they have served you well throughout your years. These hands, though wrinkled, shriveled and weak have been the tools I have used all my life to reach out and grab and embrace life.

"They braced and caught my fall when as a toddler I crashed upon the floor. They put food in my mouth and clothes on my back. As a child my mother taught me to fold them in prayer. They tied my shoes and pulled on my boots. They held my husband and wiped my tears when he went off to war.

"They have been dirty, scraped and raw, swollen and bent. They were uneasy and clumsy when I tried to hold my newborn son. Decorated with my wedding band they showed the world that I was married and loved someone special. They wrote my letters to him and trembled and shook when I buried my parents and spouse.

"They have held my children and grandchildren, consoled neighbors, and shook in fists of anger when I didn't understand.

"They have covered my face, combed my hair, and washed and cleansed the rest of my body. They have been sticky and wet, bent and broken, dried and raw. And to this day when not much of anything else of me works real well these hands hold me up, lay me down, and again continue to fold in prayer.

"These hands are the mark of where I've been and the ruggedness of life. But more importantly it will be these hands that God will reach out and take when he leads me home. And with my hands He will lift me to His side and there I will use these hands to touch the face of Christ."

I will never look at my hands the same again. But I remember God reached out and took my grandma's hands and led her home. When my hands are hurt or sore or when I stroke the face of my children and husband I think of grandma. I know she has been stroked and caressed and held by the hands of God.

I, too, want to touch the face of God and feel His hands upon my face.

When you receive this, say a prayer for the person who sent it to you and watch God's answer to prayer work in your life. Let's continue praying for one another.

HEALTH BUZZ from www.banidad.com

It is popular in Japan today to drink water immediately after waking up every morning. Furthermore, scientific tests have proven a its value. We publish below a description of use of water for our readers. For old and serious diseases as well as modern illnesses the water treatment had been found successful by a Japanese medical society as a 100% cure for the following diseases:

Headache, body ache, heart system, arthritis, fast heart beat, epilepsy, excess fatness, bronchitis asthma, TB, meningitis, kidney and urine diseases, vomiting, gastritis, diarrhea, piles, diabetes, constipation, all eye diseases, womb, cancer and menstrual disorders, ear nose and throat diseases.

METHOD OF TREATMENT

1. As you wake up in the morning before brushing teeth, drink 4 x 160ml glasses of water

2. Brush and clean the mouth but do not eat or drink anything for 45 minutes

3. After 45 minutes you may eat and drink as normal.

4. After 15 minutes of breakfast, lunch and dinner do not eat or drink anything for 2 hours

5. Those who are old or sick and are unable to drink 4 glasses of water at the beginning may commence by taking little water and gradually increase it to 4 glasses per day.

6. The above method of treatment will cure diseases of the sick and others can enjoy a healthy life.

The following list gives the number of days of treatment required to cure/control/ reduce main diseases:

1. High Blood Pressure - 30 days

2. Gastric - 10 days

3. Diabetes - 30 days

4. Constipation - 10 days

5. Cancer - 180 days

6. TB - 90 days

7. Arthritis patients should follow the above treatment only for 3 days in the 1st week, and from 2nd week onwards - daily.

This treatment method has no side effects, however at the commencement of treatment you may have to urinate a few times.

It is better if we continue this and make this procedure as a routine work in our life.

Drink Water and Stay healthy and Active.

This makes sense .... the Chinese and Japanese drink hot tea with their meals ..not cold water. maybe it is time we adopt their drinking habit while eating!!! Nothing to lose, everything to gain...

For those who like to drink cold water, this article is applicable to you.

It is nice to have a cup of cold drink after a meal. However, the cold water will solidify the oily stuff that you have just consumed. It will slow down the digestion.

Once this "sludge" reacts with the acid, it will break down and be absorbed by the intestine faster than the solid food. It will line the intestine. Very soon, this will turn into fats and lead to cancer. It is best to drink hot soup or warm water after a meal.

A serious note about heart attacks: Women should know that not every heart attack symptom is going to be the left arm hurting.

Be aware of intense pain in the jaw line.

You may never have the first chest pain during the course of a heart attack.

Nausea and intense sweating are also common symptoms.

60% of people who have a heart attack while they are asleep do not wake up.

Pain in the jaw can wake you from a sound sleep. Let's be careful and be aware. The more we know, the better chance we could survive...

A cardiologist says if everyone who gets this mail sends it to everyone they know, you can be sure that we'll save at least one life.

IS PRAYING SUPPOSED TO BE FUN? by Bo Sanchez

Do you struggle praying daily?

I did. For years.

But no matter what I felt, I prayed anyway. That was the “teaching” and “rule” for good Christians like me.

So each day, I went into my room and talked to God.

30 minutes, I was taught. So 30 minutes I did.

Some days, it was Ok.

Some days, it was like being root-canalled.

Or lipo-suctioned. (Just in case you’re wondering, I’ve never experienced it, but my friends tell me it’s torture.)

During those difficult days of prayer, every part of me wanted to get out of that room. I felt so dry. So empty. So distant from God.

And I didn’t know why. Why did I feel so depressed?

I simply concluded it was the spiritual dryness that saints experienced regularly (Ahem.) I read that St. Therese of Avila had spiritual dryness that lasted for 20 years. Who was I to complain?

Until I stumbled upon what I now call “Prayer Language”.

Today, I realize that perhaps many people’s spiritual dryness come from simply not loving themselves. How? By not respecting their own personality, not listening to their needs, and not using their own prayer language.

Once upon a time, I thought there was only one way of praying: My way!

My way of praying meant going to a room, sitting down or standing up, and singing, listening, and talking to God. For years, I’d teach people to do this exact same thing. I called it “Prayer Time” and it had only one definition—Mine.

I remember a woman who said, “Bo, I do my gardening every morning. And when I do, I imagine Him gardening beside me. Surrounded by the fresh air and the beauty of the flowers around me, I spend time with Him. As I dirty my hands with the soil of the earth, I’m blessed. And I feel so refreshed each morning…”

I frowned at her. I said, “That’s nice. But you still need a formal prayer time where you go into a room—and then sit down and stand up. And then use A.C.T.S.—Adoration, Contrition, Thanksgiving, and Supplication…”

Forgive me Lord for my spiritual arrogance!

Perhaps a part of me looked down on anyone who was having too much fun in their prayer life. How could she when I was suffering through my prayers?

I never saw that she was probably closer to God than I was.

Because God made her a gardener. And He was meeting her in the garden. God was talking to her with the prayer language He gave her.

I still meet people who insist that others pray the way they pray.

“You should go to the Blessed Sacrament and kneel for an hour…”

“You should pray in tongues…”

“You should pray the Liturgy of the Hours…”

“You should pray, worship, jump, and dance like in a prayer meeting…”

“You should pray the rosary…”

“You should pray in quiet, emptying your mind…”

All of the above are prayer languages.

But never the language.

There is no such thing.

Today, I tell people to discover their own prayer language.

I did.

And boy, did I feel relieved that my prayer language wasn’t going into a room and doing the A.C.T.S. No wonder I had great difficulty! I felt disconnected.

Here’s what I do for my daily time with God….

In the morning, I walk out of the house and pray in tongues. That’s just a few minutes of walking slowly, absorbing the sunlight, and inhaling God’s Presence and the beauty of the new day. I claim the blessings of the day. I pray the Novena to God’s Love prayer. (Note: I mail this Novena to all those who partner with my ministry and sign up in www.kerygmafamily.com FREE.)

Why do I pray outside? Because I love nature. I feel God’s Presence much more outdoors than indoors. That’s just how God made me.

I then go into the house, fire up my laptop, and “pray” my Dreambook. This is a 15-page document that lists my ultimate mission in life. (My mission in life is composed of 4 words: “To Communicate God’s Love”.) It also lists my long-term dreams as well as my goals for the year. Why do I pray this way? Because God designed my psychology as a “futurist”.

And then, I start writing. I write my prayers, my reflections, and my insights. When I do this, I feel God’s Presence in a very palpable way. Why? Because God made me a writer, and writing is my prayer language.

I no longer struggle much when I pray.

I love praying. I have fun.

Because now, prayer can be all these activities and more.

Because I’m not stuck with one way of praying.

Because I’m using my prayer language—the language God gave me.

Because prayer is a relationship, not a fixed set of things to do imposed upon me by other people.

Hey, I’ve now come to respect the prayer languages of my friends too…

Examples of Prayer Languages

· One of my friends is a music lover. So each morning, he plays his worship CD. And he sings along for the next 8 to 10 songs, worshipping the Lord. He tells me that this prayer time really connects him to the Lord.

· My athletic uncle jogged daily. (He’s 80 now, so he’s slowed down.) But for years, he ran for miles. And he told me that each morning, he’d talk to God like the Almighty was jogging right beside him.

· A friend loves quiet. She walks to a nearby chapel and spends quiet time before the Blessed Sacrament. She loves it.

Praying Creatively In Difficult Circumstances

Some friends pray in creative ways by the force of their circumstances. In my immature days, I used to judge them, insisting that they “find” proper time for God. Today, I’ve come to admire them very much…

· A friend lives in Sta. Rosa Laguna and travels two hours to work and another two hours going home. She can sleep only 4 hours a day. But thanks to the heavy roadwork now in South Luzon Express Way, her relationship with God has been repaired too. Half of her travel time, she sleeps. And the other half, she turns the bus into her private chapel.

· A new mother can only grab snippets of prayer when she makes her baby sleep. Her “lullabies” are worship songs.

Friend, are you having difficulty praying daily?

What is your prayer language?

Tell me about it in the comments below. And share it to the world too. Someone might get encouraged by your way of praying.

And yes, forward this article to anyone who needs encouragement to pray!

May your dreams come true,

Bo Sanchez

ROUNDS By Sally I. Kennedy

For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Hebrews 4:12

In our back yard we have 2 bird feeders. Since I try to attract cardinals, I keep them filled with sunflower seeds. Early in the mornings, or late in the afternoons, the birds make their rounds. Seems as if they spend all their time looking for food. From one feeder to another, they are continually hunting for something to eat.

On the other hand, my dog will eat anything. Well, except dill pickles. And she doesn't much like olives either. But she will eat anything else. Lettuce. Tomatoes. She'll even lick a lemon. She's not picky about what she eats, or how much she eats.

We sometimes make the rounds looking for spiritual "food". We go from place to place, from New Age literature to Zen, trying to find something that will satisfy us.

But nothing seems to. Except the Bible. We don't have to settle for just anything in our searching for spiritual nourishment. The Word of God is right in front of us all the time.

There's a saying, "Don't read just any book, read the best". Spiritually speaking, we have a smorgasbord of the best food available to us in the Bible. We can literally feast to our hearts' content, and be glad we did!

Do I make use of the very best "food" there is? Not nearly enough. Thank God we have it! And I resolve (again) to go there first.....before I make the rounds.

ALWAYS LOOK ON THE INSIDE Author Unknown

I remember reading a story once about a man who was exploring some caves by the seashore. In one of the caves he found a canvas bag with a bunch of hardened clay balls. It was like someone had rolled up some clay and left them out in the sun to bake. They didn't look like much, but they intrigued the man so he took the bag out of the cave with him.

As he strolled along the beach, to pass the time, he would throw the clay balls one at a time out into the ocean as far as he could throw.

He thought little about it until he dropped one of the balls and it cracked open on a rock. Inside was a beautiful, precious stone. Excited, the man started breaking open the remaining clay balls. Each contained a similar treasure. He found thousands of dollars worth of jewels in the 20 or so clay balls he had left, then it struck him.

He had been on the beach a long time. He had thrown maybe 50 or 60 of the clay balls with their hidden treasure into the ocean waves. Instead of thousands of dollars in treasure, he could have had tens of thousands, but he just threw it all away.

You know sometimes, it's like that with people. We look at someone, maybe even ourselves, and we see the external clay vessel. It doesn't look like much from the outside. It isn't always beautiful or sparkling, so we discount it; we see that person as less important than someone more beautiful or stylish or well known or wealthy.

But we have not taken the time to find the treasure hidden inside that person. There is a treasure hidden in every one of us. We are wonderfully made. Not just our physical bodies, our spiritual selves, which are sometimes hidden from others by the *earthen vessel*

But if you take the time to get to know that person, and if you ask the Spirit to show you that person the way He sees them, then the clay begins to peel away and the brilliant gem begins to shine forth.

The glory of friendship is not the outstretched hand, nor the kindly smile, nor the joy of companionship; it is the spiritual inspiration that comes to one when he discovers that someone else believes in him and is willing to trust him with his friendship.

TO DIE FOR By Rhonda Rhea

I was signing books after a speaking engagement this week and I was telling the folks how "valuable" the books became once they had my signature in them (clearing throat here). Oh, yeah. Get the author's signature and you can sell those puppies on E-bay for gajillions.

Especially if I die.

Though I did tell them I probably wasn't willing to go quite that far for them. I liked those folks a lot, mind you, but the whole death thing seemed just a little too far to go to give them a good value for their book dollar.

On the other hand, if we don't have SOMETHING in our lives we're willing to die for, we don't really have anything in our lives worth living for. Jesus said in Luke 9:23-25, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self?" (NIV).

Taking up the cross of Christ daily? Denying self? Dying to my way to follow his? Sounds a little extreme, doesn't it? Yet following him is the only way to find a life of extreme peace, extreme joy and extreme purpose.

Every once in a while I have to ask myself if I'm ever and always ready and "extremely" willing to give Jesus my all. Loving him gives life real meaning. And real value. Even without a signature.

"Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts" Colossians 3:15

MERRY-GO-ROUND By Marion Smith

He daily bears our burdens as we drove over the bridge spanning the intercostal waterway we headed straight into St Augustine, Fla. When we got to the heart of town, there was a merry-go-round. How enticing it looked to those who hopped aboard- shiny, exciting and fun, fun, fun. Some children took the ride once, while others stayed on the merry go round for ride after ride. It seemed they were unable to disembark! They just loved the ride so much, they stayed planted on their little plastic animal, having fun. The good news is, they always had a parent with them who finally said…"that's enough!" It is time for you to get off the merry go round.

Life can be a merry go round for people. The enticement of living in the secular life style can be very inviting. The draw to make more, have more, do more pulls people in, and then, unfortunately, makes them dizzy at maddening pace of the endless cycle of life chasing itself. Worries, anxieties and fears can keep you on the merry go round of life, not being able to get off the never ending turning cycle, and not knowing where to go if you do disembark.

Our Heavenly Father is right there, on the merry go round with us, waiting for us to call out to Him for help. He will not insist we get off the endless cycle, but He will lovingly and most willingly take our hand as we make a decision to leave the trappings of the secular world, and instead, follow Him and live by the principles He has given us. God says He loves each of us (John 4:10) and He thinks of each one of us continually (Psalm 139:17,18) How amazing is that!? He is willing to daily bear our burdens (Psalm 68:19) and Jesus will give us abundant life (John 10:10) He has given us the Bible- full of wonderful promises and hope. If you will read it and ask God what He is trying to tell YOU through it, your mind and heart will be opened in a new and marvelous manner.

So if the merry go round of life has gotten your head in a spin, take the hand of our loving heavenly Father and step into each tomorrow with Him. He is waiting for you to cast all your burdens upon Him. He is more than able and is willing to shoulder them for you and give you guidance each step you take.

TWO HORSES IN A FIELD Author Unknown

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

Listening, one will hear the sound of a bell. Looking around for the source of the sound, one will see that it comes from the smaller horse in the field. Attached to her bridle is a small bell. It lets her blind friend know where she is, so he can follow her.

As one stands and watches these two friends, one sees how she is always checking on him, and that he will listen for her bell and then slowly walk to where she is trusting that she will not lead him astray.

Like the owners of these two horses, God does not throw us away just because we are not perfect or because we have problems or challenges. He watches over us and even brings others into our lives to help us when we are in need. Sometimes we are the blind horse being guided by God and those whom he places in our lives. Other times we are the guide horse, helping others see God.

HELP WANTED: EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER forwarded by Jennifer Tilos

A local business was looking for office help. They put a sign in the window, stating the following: "HELP WANTED. Must be able to type, must be good with a computer and must be bilingual. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer."

A short time afterwards, a dog trotted up to the window, saw the sign and went inside. He looked at the receptionist and wagged his tail, then walked over to
the sign, looked at it and whined.

Getting the idea, the receptionist got the office manager. The office manager looked at the dog and was surprised, to say the least.

However, the dog looked determined, so he lead him into the office. Inside, the dog jumped up on the chair and stared at the manager.

The manager said, "I can't hire you. The sign says you have to be able to type." The dog jumped down, went to the typewriter and proceeded to type out a perfect
letter. He took out the page and trotted over to the manager and gave it to him, then jumped back on the chair. The manager was stunned, but then told the dog,
"The sign says you have to be good with a computer."

The dog jumped down again and went to the computer. The dog proceeded to enter and execute a perfect program, that worked flawlessly the first time. By this time the manager was totally dumbfounded!

He looked at the dog and said, "I realize that you are a very intelligent dog and have some interesting abilities. However, I still can't give you the job."
The dog jumped down and went to a copy of the sign and put his paw on the sentences that told about being an Equal Opportunity Employer. The manager said, "Yes,
but the sign also says that you have to be bilingual."

The dog looked at the manager calmly and said, "Meow".

LAUGH LINES 2 from Reader's Digest

"When you don't know what you're talking about, it's hard to know when you're finished."
— Tommy Smothers

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Six things you never want to hear at the tattoo parlor:

" 'Eagle?' I thought you said 'beagle.' "

"Boy, I hate it when I get hiccups."

"Hey, buddy, we ran out of red, so I used pink."

"Two O's in 'Bob,' right?"

"I bet you can't tell I've never done this before."

"Anything else you want to say? You've got all kinds of room back here."

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As an airline reservation agent, I took a call from a man who wanted to book a flight for two but wasn't happy with the price of $59 per ticket. "I want the $49 fare I saw advertised," he insisted, saying he would accept a flight at any time.

I managed to find two seats on a 6 a.m. flight. "I'll take it," he said, then worried his wife might not like the early hour. I warned there was a fee of $25 per person if he changed the reservation. "Oh, that's no problem," he said dismissively. "What's fifty bucks?"
Submitted by Anna Zogg

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My son, age 13, was sick in bed with bronchitis, and although he showed some general improvement, his harsh cough persisted and could be heard all over the house. Worried, too, that he was missing so much school, I went into his room to see how he felt. There he was, propped up in bed, earphones on, listening to a baseball game -- while the tape recorder coughed on and on. The next morning, he was in school.
Submitted by James S. Woods

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One Saturday night my boss and her family came to our house to play cards. As they were driving away at the end of the evening, I discovered that she had left her purse in a corner next to the dining-room hutch. I was about to call her house, intending to leave a message on the answering machine, when my son reminded me that they had a cell phone.

As I dialed the number, I marveled at the technology that would alert them before they had driven all the way home. A few seconds later the purse began to ring.
Submitted by Patty Dunham

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Safety is job one in the Air Force. Overstating the obvious is job two, as I discovered when crawling into my military-issue sleeping bag. The label read "In case of an emergency, unzip and exit through the top."
Submitted by Keith J. Walters

LAUGH LINES from Reader's Digest

"I believe in an open mind, but not so open that your brains fall out."
— Arthur Hays Sulzberger, former New York Times publisher

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All Creatures Great and Small

One beautiful morning, my husband and I decided to go for a drive in the country. Unfortunately, no matter which road we took, we kept seeing dead possums lying on the shoulder.

After several miles of this, my husband turned to me and said, "Now I think I know the answer to the age-old question 'Why did the chicken cross the road?'"

"What is it?" I asked.

"Well," he replied, "it was to prove to the possums that it could be done."
Submitted by Juanita Page

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Some of my co-workers and I decided to remove the small, wooden suggestion box from our office because it had received so few entries. We stuck the box on top of a seven-foot-high metal storage cabinet and then promptly forgot about it. Months later, when the box was moved during remodeling, we found a single slip of paper inside. The suggestion read, "Lower the box!"
Submitted by Frank J. Monaco

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One October my wife and I spent a vacation on Washington's Olympic Peninsula. We were eager to visit the rain forests near the coast, but we heard that snow slides had made some of the roads impassable. Although apprehensive about the conditions we might run into, we drove on.

Sure enough, we had gone only a short way up the Hoh Rain Forest road when we saw a sign: "Ice 10 miles."

Five miles farther on there was another: "Ice 5 miles."

The next one was: "Ice 1/2 mile." We practically crept that half-mile.

Then we came to the last sign. It was outside a small grocery, and it read: "Ice 50 cents."

Submitted by Gifford S. Walker

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Aging Gracelessly

One of the salesclerks at a local stationery store had to be a good sport to survive her 40th birthday. Not only did she have to put up with two large banners that announced "Cathy is 40 today!" but she also had to spend the day with other saleswomen who wore tags saying "I'm not Cathy."
Submitted by Helen Becouvarakis

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My son, Barry, came home from a three-month deployment aboard his submarine, and told us that one of the ways the sailors kept up morale was to make wooden cars out of kits and run derby races.

"What do you do for a ramp?" my husband inquired.

"Don't need one," Barry said. "We just put the cars on the floor and then tilt the sub."
Submitted by Mary C. Ryan

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LIFE AS A MIRROR forwarded by Jennifer Tilos

"Everything that irritates us about others can lead us to an understanding of ourselves."

-- C.G. Jung

We get clues about our unconscious programming if we watch our reactions, responses, feelings and thoughts about other people and events. Ask yourself: How do I judge or stereotype people? What pushes my buttons? What makes me angry or fearful or sad?

The outer incidents that trigger these reactions in me simply MIRROR my own nature. If I didn't have beliefs around the issues that upset me, where would my reactions come from? If I didn't have some internal reference, I wouldn't react at all.

When outer events spark a reaction, we need to look inside to explore what’s going on.

"We discover in ourselves what others hide from us and we recognize in others what we hide from ourselves."

-- Vauvenargues

PARABLE OF THE SERVANTS Author Unknown

There once was a man who had two indentured servants. One day a disagreement arose between them as to who was the greatest in the eyes of their master. So they
went to the master of the house and asked him, "My lord, which of us is greater?"

The master of the house replied, "I will let you discover that for yourself. I will ask each of you a question and you must answer truthfully."

So the servants stood before him and he started to question them. To the first servant, he asked, "What do you do for me?"

"Sir, I work in the fields all day long to grow wheat for my lord's granary," the first servant replied. "Then, at night, I go through the house and fill all
the lamps so that my lord will have light. For this you pay me a wage, but I hope that one day that I may earn my freedom."

The master nodded his head. He turned to the second indentured servant and asked, "And what do you do for me?"

"Sir," he replied, "I am an educated man. I am well-versed in literature, music, mathematics and science. I teach your children all that I know so that one day they may leave your house and make a success in the world. And when they do, I hope that you will grant me my freedom. In the meantime, you give me a wage for what I do."

Again, the master nodded. Then he turned to a lowly slave who was standing nearby, and asked, "And what do you do for me?"

"You know that I love you, my lord, and my only wish is to do whatever you ask," the slave answered without hesitation. "You bought me and I know that I will be a
slave for life, therefore I earn no wage. But you are kind and merciful to me, and do not beat me as other masters beat their slaves. You are wise and just and
kind and that is why I love you."

The master of the house smiled. "Then you are the greatest of all my servants and I will make you a free man."

When they heard this, the two servants were aghast. "Why him?" they cried. "We do much more work than he does. He waits around for you to give him an order, but we labor in your fields without orders, teach your children, and light your lamps. We work unceasingly and should be rewarded."

"Yes," the master of the house replied. "You do work in my fields, and do all the other things that you said. But this man wants only to serve me, not himself. He waits patiently until I tell him what I want him to do. His faithfulness has never failed him. He now has his reward -- his freedom. And I will place him as overseer, and you will be his servants. Because of his faithful service to me -- though he was once a lowly slave -- he is truly the greater."

Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but like slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. Serve wholeheartedly, as if
you were serving the Lord, not men, because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free. (Ephesians 6:6-8
NIV)