Psalm 103:8-12 The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. He will not always chide, nor will he keep his anger forever. He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us.
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Psalm 103:8-12 The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. He will not always chide, nor will he keep his anger forever. He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us.
Monday, January 30, 2012
EVERYONE WANTS HAPPINESS
NO ONE WANTS PAIN
BUT YOU CAN'T HAVE A RAINBOW
WITHOUT A LITTLE RAIN
Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him: “I now establish my covenant with you and with your descendants after you and with every living creature that was with you—the birds, the livestock and all the wild animals, all those that came out of the ark with you—every living creature on earth. I establish my covenant with you: Never again will all life be destroyed by the waters of a flood; never again will there be a flood to destroy the earth.”
And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come: I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth.
Genesis 9: 8-13
NO ONE WANTS PAIN
BUT YOU CAN'T HAVE A RAINBOW
WITHOUT A LITTLE RAIN
Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him: “I now establish my covenant with you and with your descendants after you and with every living creature that was with you—the birds, the livestock and all the wild animals, all those that came out of the ark with you—every living creature on earth. I establish my covenant with you: Never again will all life be destroyed by the waters of a flood; never again will there be a flood to destroy the earth.”
And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come: I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth.
Genesis 9: 8-13
Friday, January 27, 2012
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Friday, January 20, 2012
Breakfast at McDonald's
A mother of three (ages 14, 12, 3)recently completed her college degree.
The last class she had to take was Sociology. The teacher was absolutely inspiring with the qualities that she wished 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 reactions.
She was a very friendly person and always smiled at everyone and said hello anyway , so, she thought this would be a piece of cake, literally. Soon after she was assigned the project, she went out with her husband and youngest son to McDonald's one crisp March morning. It was just a way of sharing special playtime with their son.
They were standing in line, waiting to be served, when all of a sudden everyone around them began to back away, and then even the husband did.
She did not move an inch... an overwhelming feeling of panic welled up inside of her as she turned to see why they had moved.
As she turned around she smelled horrible body order, and there standing behind her were two poor homeless men. As she looked down at the short gentleman, closest to her, she noticed 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. She realized the second man was mentally challenged and the blue-eyed gentleman was his salvation.
She held her tears as she 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. (If they wanted to sit in the restaurant and warm up, they had to buy something). He just wanted to be warm.
Then she really felt it - the compulsion was so great that she almost reached out and embraced the little man with the blue eyes.
That is when she noticed that all eyes in the restaurant were set on her, judging her every action. She smiled and upon placing her order she asked the young lady behind the counter to give her two more breakfast meals on a separate tray.
She then walked around the corner to the table that the men had chosen as a resting spot. She placed the tray on the table before them and laid her hand on the blue-eyed gentleman's cold hand. He looked up at her, with tears in his eyes, and said, "Thank you."
She leaned over, began to pat his hand and said, "I did not do this for you. God is here working through me to give you hope."
She started to cry as she walked away to join her husband and son at their table. When she sat down her husband smiled at her and said, "That is why God gave you to me, Honey, to give me hope."
They held hands for a moment and at that time, they knew that only because of the Grace that they had been given were they able to give. They are not church goers, but they are believers.
That day showed her the pure Light of God's sweet love. She returned to college, on the last evening of class, with this story in hand. She turned in "her project" and the instructor read it.
The instructor then looked up at her after reading the story and said, "Can I share this?" She slowly nodded as the instructor got the attention of the entire class.
She began to read and that is when she knew that we as human beings and being part of God share this need to heal people and to be healed.
In her own way she had touched the people at McDonald's, her husband, her son, her instructor, and every soul that shared the classroom on the last night she spent as a college student. She graduated with one of the biggest lessons she would ever learn:
UNCONDITIONAL ACCEPTANCE.
Much love and compassion is sent to each and every person who may read this and learn how to LOVE PEOPLE AND USE THINGS - NOT LOVE THINGS AND USE PEOPLE.
A mother of three (ages 14, 12, 3)recently completed her college degree.
The last class she had to take was Sociology. The teacher was absolutely inspiring with the qualities that she wished 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 reactions.
She was a very friendly person and always smiled at everyone and said hello anyway , so, she thought this would be a piece of cake, literally. Soon after she was assigned the project, she went out with her husband and youngest son to McDonald's one crisp March morning. It was just a way of sharing special playtime with their son.
They were standing in line, waiting to be served, when all of a sudden everyone around them began to back away, and then even the husband did.
She did not move an inch... an overwhelming feeling of panic welled up inside of her as she turned to see why they had moved.
As she turned around she smelled horrible body order, and there standing behind her were two poor homeless men. As she looked down at the short gentleman, closest to her, she noticed 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. She realized the second man was mentally challenged and the blue-eyed gentleman was his salvation.
She held her tears as she 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. (If they wanted to sit in the restaurant and warm up, they had to buy something). He just wanted to be warm.
Then she really felt it - the compulsion was so great that she almost reached out and embraced the little man with the blue eyes.
That is when she noticed that all eyes in the restaurant were set on her, judging her every action. She smiled and upon placing her order she asked the young lady behind the counter to give her two more breakfast meals on a separate tray.
She then walked around the corner to the table that the men had chosen as a resting spot. She placed the tray on the table before them and laid her hand on the blue-eyed gentleman's cold hand. He looked up at her, with tears in his eyes, and said, "Thank you."
She leaned over, began to pat his hand and said, "I did not do this for you. God is here working through me to give you hope."
She started to cry as she walked away to join her husband and son at their table. When she sat down her husband smiled at her and said, "That is why God gave you to me, Honey, to give me hope."
They held hands for a moment and at that time, they knew that only because of the Grace that they had been given were they able to give. They are not church goers, but they are believers.
That day showed her the pure Light of God's sweet love. She returned to college, on the last evening of class, with this story in hand. She turned in "her project" and the instructor read it.
The instructor then looked up at her after reading the story and said, "Can I share this?" She slowly nodded as the instructor got the attention of the entire class.
She began to read and that is when she knew that we as human beings and being part of God share this need to heal people and to be healed.
In her own way she had touched the people at McDonald's, her husband, her son, her instructor, and every soul that shared the classroom on the last night she spent as a college student. She graduated with one of the biggest lessons she would ever learn:
UNCONDITIONAL ACCEPTANCE.
Much love and compassion is sent to each and every person who may read this and learn how to LOVE PEOPLE AND USE THINGS - NOT LOVE THINGS AND USE PEOPLE.
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
"Nothing happens to you, it happens FOR you!
When challenges appear in life we need to look at the solution, not the problem. Lying within that solution is Gods gift which he designed to make us better.
If every challenge was removed from your life, you wouln't be prepared for the blessings he has in store. When a hurdle appears, dont question why it is there, jump over it and soak in the strength it provides because it is one more step to being everything God created you to be!
Let wise people listen and add to what they have learned. Let those who understand what is right get guidence. Proverbs 1:5
When challenges appear in life we need to look at the solution, not the problem. Lying within that solution is Gods gift which he designed to make us better.
If every challenge was removed from your life, you wouln't be prepared for the blessings he has in store. When a hurdle appears, dont question why it is there, jump over it and soak in the strength it provides because it is one more step to being everything God created you to be!
Let wise people listen and add to what they have learned. Let those who understand what is right get guidence. Proverbs 1:5
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Attitude, After All, is Everything
Jerry was the kind of guy you love to hate. He was always in a good mood and always had something positive to say. When someone would ask him how he was doing, he would reply, "If I were any better, I would be twins!"
He was a unique manager because he had several waiters who had followed him around from restaurant to restaurant. The reason the waiters followed Jerry was because of his attitude. He was a natural motivator. If an employee was having a bad day, Jerry was there telling the employee how to look on the positive side of the situation.
Seeing this style really made me curious, so one day I went up to Jerry and asked him, "I don't get it! You can't be a positive person all of the time. How do you do it?" Jerry replied, "Each morning I wake up and say to myself, Jerry, you have two choices today. You can choose to be in a good mood or you can choose to be in a bad mood. I choose to be in a good mood. Each time something bad happens, I can choose to be a victim or I can choose to learn from it. I choose to learn from it. Every time someone comes to me complaining, I can choose to accept their complaining or I can point out the positive side of life. I choose the positive side of life."
"Yeah, right, it's not that easy," I protested. "Yes it is," Jerry said. "Life is all about choices. When you cut away all the junk, every situation is a choice. You choose how you react to situations. You choose how people will affect your mood. You choose to be in a good mood or bad mood. The bottom line: It's your choice how you live life." I reflected on what Jerry said. Soon thereafter, I left the restaurant industry to start my own business. We lost touch, but often thought about him when I made a choice about life instead of reacting to it.
Several years later, I heard that Jerry did something you are never supposed to do in a restaurant business. He left the back door open one morning and was held up at gun point by three armed robbers. While trying to open the safe, his hand, shaking from nervousness, slipped off the combination. The robbers panicked and shot him. Luckily, Jerry was found relatively quickly and rushed to the local trauma centre. After 18 hours of surgery and weeks of intensive care, Jerry was released from the hospital with fragments of the bullets still in his body.
I saw Jerry about six months after the accident. When I asked him how he was, he said, "If I were any better, I'd be twins. Wanna see my scars?" I declined to see his wounds, but did ask him what had gone through his mind as the robbery took place. "The first thing that went through my mind was that I should have locked the back door," Jerry replied. "Then, as I lay on the floor, I remembered that I had two choices: I could choose to live, or I could choose to die. I chose to live. "Weren't you scared? Did you lose consciousness?" I asked. Jerry continued, "The paramedics were great. They kept telling me I was going to be fine. But when they wheeled me into the emergency room and I saw the expressions on the faces of the doctors and nurses, I got really scared. In their eyes, I read, 'He's a dead man." I knew I needed to take action." "What did you do?" I asked. "Well, there was a big, burly nurse shouting questions at me," said Jerry. "She asked if I was allergic to anything. 'Yes,' I replied. The doctors and nurses stopped working as they waited for my reply. I took a deep breath and yelled, 'Bullets!' Over their laughter, I told them, "I am choosing to live. Operate on me as if I am alive, not dead." Jerry lived thanks to the skill of his doctors, but also because of his amazing attitude. I learned from him that every day we have the choice to live fully.
Attitude, after all, is everything.
"Keep thy heart with all diligence, for out of it (the heart) are found the issues of life. For as a man thinketh in his heart so is he." Proverbs 4:23, Proverbs 23:7
He was a unique manager because he had several waiters who had followed him around from restaurant to restaurant. The reason the waiters followed Jerry was because of his attitude. He was a natural motivator. If an employee was having a bad day, Jerry was there telling the employee how to look on the positive side of the situation.
Seeing this style really made me curious, so one day I went up to Jerry and asked him, "I don't get it! You can't be a positive person all of the time. How do you do it?" Jerry replied, "Each morning I wake up and say to myself, Jerry, you have two choices today. You can choose to be in a good mood or you can choose to be in a bad mood. I choose to be in a good mood. Each time something bad happens, I can choose to be a victim or I can choose to learn from it. I choose to learn from it. Every time someone comes to me complaining, I can choose to accept their complaining or I can point out the positive side of life. I choose the positive side of life."
"Yeah, right, it's not that easy," I protested. "Yes it is," Jerry said. "Life is all about choices. When you cut away all the junk, every situation is a choice. You choose how you react to situations. You choose how people will affect your mood. You choose to be in a good mood or bad mood. The bottom line: It's your choice how you live life." I reflected on what Jerry said. Soon thereafter, I left the restaurant industry to start my own business. We lost touch, but often thought about him when I made a choice about life instead of reacting to it.
Several years later, I heard that Jerry did something you are never supposed to do in a restaurant business. He left the back door open one morning and was held up at gun point by three armed robbers. While trying to open the safe, his hand, shaking from nervousness, slipped off the combination. The robbers panicked and shot him. Luckily, Jerry was found relatively quickly and rushed to the local trauma centre. After 18 hours of surgery and weeks of intensive care, Jerry was released from the hospital with fragments of the bullets still in his body.
I saw Jerry about six months after the accident. When I asked him how he was, he said, "If I were any better, I'd be twins. Wanna see my scars?" I declined to see his wounds, but did ask him what had gone through his mind as the robbery took place. "The first thing that went through my mind was that I should have locked the back door," Jerry replied. "Then, as I lay on the floor, I remembered that I had two choices: I could choose to live, or I could choose to die. I chose to live. "Weren't you scared? Did you lose consciousness?" I asked. Jerry continued, "The paramedics were great. They kept telling me I was going to be fine. But when they wheeled me into the emergency room and I saw the expressions on the faces of the doctors and nurses, I got really scared. In their eyes, I read, 'He's a dead man." I knew I needed to take action." "What did you do?" I asked. "Well, there was a big, burly nurse shouting questions at me," said Jerry. "She asked if I was allergic to anything. 'Yes,' I replied. The doctors and nurses stopped working as they waited for my reply. I took a deep breath and yelled, 'Bullets!' Over their laughter, I told them, "I am choosing to live. Operate on me as if I am alive, not dead." Jerry lived thanks to the skill of his doctors, but also because of his amazing attitude. I learned from him that every day we have the choice to live fully.
Attitude, after all, is everything.
"Keep thy heart with all diligence, for out of it (the heart) are found the issues of life. For as a man thinketh in his heart so is he." Proverbs 4:23, Proverbs 23:7
Louise Redden, a poorly dressed lady with a look of defeat on her face, walked into a grocery store. She approached the owner of the store in a most humble manner and asked if he would let her charge a few groceries. She softly explained that her husband was very ill and unable to work. They had seven children and they needed food.
John Longhouse, the grocer, scoffed at her and requested that she leave his store. Visualizing the family needs, she said: "Please, sir! I will bring you the money just as soon as I can." John told her he could not give her credit, as she did not have a charge account at his store.
Standing beside the counter was a customer who overheard the conversation between the two. The customer walked forward and told the grocer that he would stand good for whatever she needed for her family.
The grocer said in a very reluctant voice, "Do you have a grocery list?" Louise replied, "Yes sir." "Okay" he said, "put your grocery list on the scales and whatever your grocery list weighs, I will give you that amount in groceries."
Louise hesitated a moment with a bowed head. Then she reached into her purse and took out a piece of paper and scribbled something on it. She then laid the piece of paper on the scale carefully with her head still bowed.
The eyes of the grocer and the customer showed amazement when the scale went down and stayed down. The grocer, staring at the scales, turned slowly to the customer and said begrudgingly, "I can't believe it." The customer smiled and the grocer started putting the groceries on the other side of the scales.
The scale did not balance so he continued to put more and more groceries on them until the scales would hold no more. The grocer stood there in utter disgust.
Finally, he grabbed the piece of paper from the scales and looked at it with greater amazement. It was not a grocery list. It was instead a prayer which said: "Dear Lord, you know my needs and I am leaving this in your hands."
The grocer gave her the groceries that he had gathered and stood in stunned silence. Louise thanked him and left the store. The customer handed a fifty-dollar bill to the grocer and said, "It was worth every penny of it."
It was sometime later that the grocer discovered the scales were broken; therefore, only God knows how much a prayer weighs.
John Longhouse, the grocer, scoffed at her and requested that she leave his store. Visualizing the family needs, she said: "Please, sir! I will bring you the money just as soon as I can." John told her he could not give her credit, as she did not have a charge account at his store.
Standing beside the counter was a customer who overheard the conversation between the two. The customer walked forward and told the grocer that he would stand good for whatever she needed for her family.
The grocer said in a very reluctant voice, "Do you have a grocery list?" Louise replied, "Yes sir." "Okay" he said, "put your grocery list on the scales and whatever your grocery list weighs, I will give you that amount in groceries."
Louise hesitated a moment with a bowed head. Then she reached into her purse and took out a piece of paper and scribbled something on it. She then laid the piece of paper on the scale carefully with her head still bowed.
The eyes of the grocer and the customer showed amazement when the scale went down and stayed down. The grocer, staring at the scales, turned slowly to the customer and said begrudgingly, "I can't believe it." The customer smiled and the grocer started putting the groceries on the other side of the scales.
The scale did not balance so he continued to put more and more groceries on them until the scales would hold no more. The grocer stood there in utter disgust.
Finally, he grabbed the piece of paper from the scales and looked at it with greater amazement. It was not a grocery list. It was instead a prayer which said: "Dear Lord, you know my needs and I am leaving this in your hands."
The grocer gave her the groceries that he had gathered and stood in stunned silence. Louise thanked him and left the store. The customer handed a fifty-dollar bill to the grocer and said, "It was worth every penny of it."
It was sometime later that the grocer discovered the scales were broken; therefore, only God knows how much a prayer weighs.
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
If my days were untroubled and my heart always light,
would i seek that fair land where there is no right?
If I never grew weary with the weight of my load,
would i search for Gods peace at the end of the road?
If I never knew sickness and never felt pain,
would i search for a hand to help and sustain?
If i walked without sorrow and lived witout loss,
would my soul seek solace at the foot of the cross?
If all I desired was mine day by day,
would i kneel before God and earnestly pray?
If God sent no winter to freeze me with fear,
would i yearn for the warmth of Spring every year?
I ask myself these questions and the answer is plain,
if my life were all pleasures and I never knew pain
I'd seek God less often and need him much less,
for God is sought more often in times of distress.
Author: Helen Steiner Rice
The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. Psalm 34:18
would i seek that fair land where there is no right?
If I never grew weary with the weight of my load,
would i search for Gods peace at the end of the road?
If I never knew sickness and never felt pain,
would i search for a hand to help and sustain?
If i walked without sorrow and lived witout loss,
would my soul seek solace at the foot of the cross?
If all I desired was mine day by day,
would i kneel before God and earnestly pray?
If God sent no winter to freeze me with fear,
would i yearn for the warmth of Spring every year?
I ask myself these questions and the answer is plain,
if my life were all pleasures and I never knew pain
I'd seek God less often and need him much less,
for God is sought more often in times of distress.
Author: Helen Steiner Rice
The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. Psalm 34:18
Monday, January 2, 2012
"If you dont know where you are going, you'll end up someplace else" Yogi Berra
When we set out on a trip we usually know just where we are going and have a pretty good idea of how to get there. If we get a little unsure of our path we just reach for our GPS, punch in our destination and it leads us directly to where we want to go.
Now, we all want to get to heaven and know what it takes to get there. Along the way we get unsure of our path and doubt what we are doing is enough to get us there. When this happens, just reach for life's GPS, the Bibe, and it will surely lead you to where you want to go! Know without a doubt where you are going cause you definately dont want to end up somewhere else!
When we set out on a trip we usually know just where we are going and have a pretty good idea of how to get there. If we get a little unsure of our path we just reach for our GPS, punch in our destination and it leads us directly to where we want to go.
Now, we all want to get to heaven and know what it takes to get there. Along the way we get unsure of our path and doubt what we are doing is enough to get us there. When this happens, just reach for life's GPS, the Bibe, and it will surely lead you to where you want to go! Know without a doubt where you are going cause you definately dont want to end up somewhere else!
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