THE QUIET SERMON

A member of a certain church, who previously had been attending services regularly, stopped going.

After a few weeks, the pastor decided to visit him.

It was a chilly evening. The pastor found the man at home alone, sitting before a blazing fire.

Guessing the reason for his pastor's visit, the man welcomed him, led him to a comfortable chair near the fireplace and waited.

The pastor made himself at home but said nothing.  In the grave silence, he contemplated the dance of the flames around the burning logs.  After some minutes, the pastor took the fire tongs, carefully picked up a brightly burning ember and placed it to one side of the hearth all alone.

Then he sat back in his chair, still silent.

The host watched all this in quiet contemplation.  As the one lone ember's flame flickered and diminished, there was a momentary glow and then its fire was no more.  Soon it was cold and dead.

Not a word had been spoken since the initial greeting.  The Pastor glanced at his watch and realized it was time to leave.  He slowly stood up, picked up the cold, dead ember and placed it back in the middle of the fire.

Immediately it began to glow, once more with the light and warmth of the burning coals around it.

As the pastor reached the door to leave, his host said with a tear running down his cheek, "Thank you so much for your visit and especially for the fiery sermon.  I shall be back in church next Sunday."

We live in a world today, which tries to say too much with too little.  Consequently, few listen.

Sometimes the best "sermons" are the ones left unspoken.

 --Author Unknown

The Window

Two men, both seriously ill, occupied the same hospital room. One man was allowed to sit up in his bed for an hour each afternoon to receive his daily medical treatment. His bed was next to the room's only window. The other man had to spend all his time flat on his back. The men talked for hours on end. They spoke of their wives and families, their homes, their jobs, their involvement in the military service, and where they had been on vacation.

Every afternoon when the man in the bed by the window could sit up, he would pass the time by describing to his roommate all the things he could see outside the window. The man in the other bed began to live for those one-hour periods where his world would be broadened and enlivened by the description of activity and color of the world outside.

The window overlooked a park with a beautiful lake. Ducks and swans played on the water while children sailed their model boats. Young lovers held hands and walked amidst flowers of every color of the rainbow. Grand old trees graced the landscape, and a fine view of the city skyline could be seen in the distance. As the man described his view from the window in exquisite detail, the man on the other side of the room would close his eyes and imagine the picturesque scene.

One warm afternoon the man by the window described a parade passing through the park. Although the other man could not hear the band, he could see the parade in his mind's eye, as the gentleman by the window developed a detailed picture with his descriptive words.

One morning, the nurse arrived to bring water for their baths only to find the lifeless body of the man by the window, who had died peacefully in his sleep. She was saddened and called the hospital attendants to take the body away.

As soon as it seemed appropriate, the other man asked if he could be moved next to the window. The nurse was happy to make the switch, and after making sure he was comfortable, she left him alone. Slowly, painfully, he propped himself up on one elbow to take his first look at the world outside. Finally, he would have the joy of seeing it for himself. He strained to slowly turn to look out the window beside the bed. To his surprise the window faced a brick wall.

The man called for the nurse and asked what could have compelled his deceased roommate to describe such wonderful things outside this window. The nurse responded that the man was blind and could not even see the wall. She said, "Perhaps he just wanted to encourage you."

The moral of the story is there is tremendous joy in making others happy, despite our own situations. Shared grief is half the sorrow, but happiness when shared, is doubled. If you want to feel rich, just count all the things you have that money cannot buy. Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is mystery. Today is a gift, that is why it is called the present.

Wise Proverbs

"SEEK AND YE SHALL FIND!"

"If we have God in all things while they are ours, we shall have all things in God when they are taken away."

You do not really understand something unless you can explain it to your grandmother.

 Love is when you take away the feeling, the passion, the romance and you find out you still care for that person. Giving someone all your love is never an assurance that they'll love you back. Don't expect love in return, just wait for it to grow in their hearts. But... if it doesn't, be content that it grew in yours.

To love and win is the best thing in the world. To love and lose is the second best one.

A manager does the thing right. A leader does the right thing.

Unless you try to do something beyond what you have already mastered, you will never grow.

Dream as if you'll live forever, live as if you'll die today.

Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference.

Real friends are those who, when you've made a fool of yourself, don't feel that you've done a permanent job.

Never cut what can be untied.

Every job is a self-portrait of the person who did it. Autograph your work with excellence.

People are not the best because they work hard, they work hard because they are the best.

Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

Talking comes by nature, silence by wisdom.

If Columbus had turned back, no one would have blamed him. Of course, no one would have remembered him either.

The hardest work in the world is that which should have been done yesterday.

"If you don't have the time to do it right, where do you think you're going to find the time to do it over?"

Good judgment comes from experience, and experience comes from bad judgment.

You should never wear your best trousers when you go out to fight for freedom and truth.

To dream of a person you would like to be is to waste the person you are.

He who sweats more in peace, bleeds less in war.

Opportunity knocks only once, but temptation bangs on your door for years.

To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all.

Speak when you are angry and you will make the best speech you will ever regret.

The smallest good deed is better than the grandest good intention.

Worry is like a rocking chair. It gives you something to do but it doesn't get you anywhere.

Be careful of the words you say, to keep them soft & sweet.
You never know from day to day which ones you'll have to eat.

The chief cause of failure and unhappiness is trading what we want most for what we want in the moment.

Words hurt more than swords.

Don't bite off more than you can chew

Time invested in improving ourselves cuts down on time wasted in disapproving of others.

Time is like the snowflake that on your finger lit. It disappeared while you were thinking of what to do with it...

A word to the wise is... unnecessary.

"I want to know God's thoughts, the rest are details."

Do not judge your friend until you stand in his place.

From the moment you set your sights on a goal and start to take action, you begin to reap its rewards. The actual attainment is only the final award. There are many more along the way.

"When you go in search of honey you must expect to be stung by bees."

A good plan today is better than a perfect plan tomorrow.

The search for perfection begins with detecting imperfection.

Some people dream of success... while others wake up and work hard at it.

The distance between success and failure can only be measured by one's desire.

Originality is the art of concealing your sources.

An open mind leaves a chance for someone to drop a worthwhile thought in it.

Winners are not those who never fail, but those who never quit.

We may raise and fall but at the end we meet our fate together.

The sooner you fall behind, the more time you'll have to catch up.

Sometimes it has to get really dark to be able to see the stars.

There are no strangers, only friends we have yet to meet.

A smile is a curve that can set a lot of things straight.

It is nice to be important, but more important to be nice.

If you think you have no faults, that makes one.

Learn from the mistakes of others... you can never live long enough to make them all yourself.

A conscience is what hurts when all your other parts feel so good. 

Success is more likely when you strive to deserve it than when you strive to achieve it.

The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is that little extra.

Government is like gravity, it doesn't matter whether you believe in it or not, accept it

The Essence of Survival: Every morning in Africa, a gazelle wakes up. It knows it must run faster than the fastest lion or it will be killed... Every morning a lion wakes up. It knows it must outrun the slowest gazelle or it will starve to death.
It doesn't matter whether you are a lion or a gazelle ...when the sun comes up, you'd better be running.

Some people make things happen, some watch things happen, while others wonder what has happened...

Be ready for changes. A bend in the road, is not the end of the road... unless you fail to make the turn.
The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits.

The greatest ability is dependability.

Successful is the person who has lived well, laughed often and loved much, who has gained the respect of children, who leaves the world better than they found it, who has never lacked appreciation for the earth's beauty, who never fails to look for the best in others or give the best of themselves.

The harder you work the luckier you get.

You never get a second chance to make the first impression.

Opportunities multiply as they are seized.

Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

He who fails to plan, plans to fail.

The probability of someone watching you is directly proportional to the stupidity of your action.

The shortest pencil is better than the longest memory.

The words you say are the bricks you lay for the road you will walk on tomorrow.

Our deeds determine us, as much as we determine our deeds.

The roots grow deep when the winds blow strong.

People who mind don't matter, and people who matter won't mind.

Happiness is not having what one wants, but wanting what one has.

Initiative is doing the right thing without being told.

Attitude determines altitude.

Countless, unseen details are often the only difference between mediocre and magnificent.

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.

You become successful the moment you start moving toward a worthwhile goal.

Many times the difference between failure and success is doing something nearly right... or doing it exactly right.

You'll always miss 100% of the shots you don't take.

There is an island of opportunity in the middle of every difficulty.

Life is a team sport. Sometimes you give, and sometimes you get.

Tough times don't last but tough people do.

The one thing worse than a quitter is the person who is afraid to begin.

You get the best out of others when you get the best out of yourself.

To think too long about doing something often becomes its undoing.

You can't plow a field by turning it over in your mind.

Marriage is like any other job - it's much easier if you like the boss.

Never wrestle with a pig - you both get dirty and the pig enjoys it.

Behind every great idea is someone saying "it won't work".

Out of the mouth of babes come things parents never should have said.

If at first you do succeed, hide your astonishment.

Act like a duck - keep calm and unruffled on the surface, but paddle like the dickens underneath!

Do the dreaded job first, so you'll have the rest of the day to look forward to.

During the difficult times in life, remember, this too shall pass.

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.

You can't tell how deep a puddle is until you step into it.
-Miller's law

You can take a horse to water, but you can't make it drink.

Imitation is the most serious form of flattery.

Sin will take you further than you wanted to go, Keep you longer than you wanted to stay, and Cost you more than you were willing to pay.

To handle yourself, use your head; To handle others, use your heart.

Anger is only one letter short of danger.

If someone betrays you once, it's his fault;

It's the little things that make up the richest part of the tapestry of our lives.

If he betrays you twice, it's your fault.

Great minds discuss ideas;
Average minds discuss events;
Small minds discuss people.

God gives every bird it's food, but he does not throw it into it's nest.

He who loses money, loses much;
He who loses a friend, loses more;
He who loses faith, loses all.

Learn from the mistakes of others. You can't live long enough to make them all yourself.

The tongue weighs practically nothing, but so few people can hold it.

Beautiful young people are accidents of nature, but beautiful old people are works of art.

You've got to dance like nobody's watching and love like it's never going to hurt.

"Knowledge becomes wisdom, only after it has been put to practical use."

"Excellence is never an accident."

No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.

Make yourself indispensable, and you will move up.

"The quickest way to become an old dog is to stop learning new tricks."

"Work is the price you pay for money."

"Every job is the self portrait of the person who did it."

"Ideas are funny things – they do not work unless you do."

There are always two choices, two paths to take. One is easy. And its only reward is that its easy.

"The one who says it can’t be done should never interrupt the one who is doing it."

"If you do what you’ve always done, you’ll get what you’ve always gotten."

"Always remember that the best things in life aren’t things."

"The man on top of the mountain didn’t fall there."

"What the caterpillar calls ‘the end’… the butterfly calls the beginning.’"

"Reach for the possible… not just the expected."

"You are young at any age… if you’re planning for tomorrow."

"Fame is a vapor,

Popularity is an accident,

Riches take wings.

Only one thing endures…
CHARACTER."

"We are paid the best for the things we do for nothing."

"He who makes a mistake and fails to correct it… makes another."

"He who criticizes is seldom forgiven. He who encourages is seldom forgotten."

"If you try to improve another person by setting a good example… then you are really improving two people."

"Improvement begins with I."

"If you don’t have time to do it right… when will you have time to do it over?"

"There is no right way to do the wrong thing."

"Success is getting what you want. Happiness is liking what you get."

"Success comes in cans… failure comes in can’ts."

"An optimist is one who takes the cold water thrown on his idea… heats it with enthusiasm… and uses the steam to push ahead."

"Success seems to be largely a matter of hanging on… after others have let go."

"Those who don’t find time for exercise will have to find time for illness."

" If you have something you love, you have something that can cause you pain. Therefore love nothing and you can not feel pain. Then again, sometimes, once in a while, love can be so strong and good that it allows one to transcend all pain."

" Love is the lubricant of life. "

" When life throws you a hurricane... make sure you are not in the eye before you relax."

" The greatest feeling a person can have is: knowing they have helped someone else feel the greatest feeling they can have. "

The Almighty moves mountains but don't forget to bring your shovel. " He who can not believe in things greater than he sees, can not grow. "

" Anybody is thought of as wise, if (s)he is intelligent in the way considered important by the observer."

" People fear what they do not know, and rightly so. It's not curiosity that killed the cat, but lack of cautiousness."

Nobody knows the age of the human race, but everybody agrees that it is old enough to know better. If you're not a liberal when you're twenty, you have no heart. If you're not a conservative when you're forty, you have no brain.

"Adulthood is reached when one has knowledge and responsibility."

"To find success do two things: prepare for the worst and make the best of every situation."

"Life is a hard teacher because she gives the test first, and the lesson afterward."

"There are three ways to get something done: do it yourself, hire someone, or forbid your kids to do it."

"Anybody with money to burn will easily find someone to tend the fire."

"To let a fool kiss you is stupid, to let a kiss fool you is worse."

"We must accept the truth, even if it changes out point of view."

"The saddest moment of a person's life comes but once."

"People are more violently opposed to fur than leather, because it's safer to pick on rich women than biker gangs."

"Procrastinate later."

"Better to light a candle than to curse the darkness."

"The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of meeting the schedule has been forgotten."

"The person who knows how will always have a job, but the person who knows why will always be his boss."

"Its not the load that breaks you down, it's the way you carry it."

"If everything is coming your way, you're in the wrong lane."

"Maturity does not come with age but with the acceptance of responsibility."

"Always remember that you are unique. Just like everyone else."

"Anything free is worth what you pay for it."

"Music expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossible to be silent."

"Wisdom has two parts: having a lot to say, and knowing when not to say it."

Don't undermine your worth by comparing yourself with others. It is because we are different that each of us is special.

Don't set your goals by what other people deem important. Only you know what is best for you.

Don't take for granted the things closest to your heart. Cling to them as they were your life, for without them, life is meaningless.

Don't let your life slip through your fingers by living in the past or for the future. By living your life one day at a time, you live ALL the days of your life.

Don't give up when you still have something to give. Nothing is really over until the moment you stop trying.

Don't be afraid to admit that you are less than perfect. It is this fragile thread that binds us to each together.

Don't shut love out of your life by saying it's impossible to find time.

The quickest way to receive love is to give; the fastest way to lose love is to hold it too tightly; and the best way to keep love is to give it wings.

Don't run through life so fast that you forget not only where you've been, but also where you are going.

Don't forget, a person's greatest emotional need is to feel appreciated.

Don't be afraid to learn. Knowledge is weightless, a treasure you can always carry easily.

Don't use time or words carelessly. Neither can be retrieved.

Life is not a race, but a journey to be savoured each step of the way.

Yesterday is History, Tomorrow is a Mystery, and Today is a gift: that's why we call it The Present.

"When a distinguished but elderly scientist states that something is possible, he is almost certainly right. When he states that something is impossible, he is very probably wrong."

- Clarke's First Law.

"The only way of discovering the limits of the possible is to venture a little way past them into the impossible."

- Clarke's Second Law.

"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic."

- Clarke's Third Law.

GUIDELINES FOR LIFE

Trust God.

Be generous with your lives.

Don’t say anything you don’t mean.

Don’t be unthinkingly angry, especially with those close to you, that's as bad as murder.

Of all the things you wear, your expression is the most important

You should be more concerned with character than reputation because character is who you are, while reputation is merely what others think.

If you don't stand for something, you'll fall for everything.

My boyfriend used to ask his mother, 'How can I find the right woman for me?' and she would answer, 'Don't worry about finding the right woman--concentrate on becoming the right man.

Ask yourself what you want people to do for you, then grab the initiative and do it for them.

Judge people less on their mistakes than on how they handle their mistakes

Be a cause for the future rather than a result of the past.

Without forgiveness life is governed by an endless cycle of resentment and retaliation.

Don't argue with someone whose neck is bigger than your head.
Beware of the man who knows the answer before he understands the question. Be wary of false preachers who smile a lot, dripping with practiced sincerity. Look for character not charisma. A genuine
leader will never exploit your emotions or your money.

May you have the hindsight to know where you've been, the foresight to know where you're going and the insight to know
when you're going too far.
When you remember a grudge a friend has against you, go immediately and make things right.

If an old enemy accosts you, make the first move and make things right with him.

Don’t let your heart be corrupted by lust, that's as bad as adultery.

If someone takes unfair advantage of you, use the occasion to practice the servant life.

If someone strikes you, stand there and take it. No more ‘eye for an eye’.

If you divorce your wife, you're responsible for making her an adulteress (unless she has already made herself that by sexual promiscuity). Don’t marry a divorced adulteress.

If someone sues you for the shirt off your back, gift wrap your best coat and make a present of it.

Love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst.

When someone gives you a hard time respond with the energies of prayer.

When trying to be good, don’t make a performance of it. Help someone out unobtrusively.

Pray in a quiet place, simply and honestly, focusing on God not on you.

Don’t fuss about what's on the table at mealtimes or whether the clothes you have are in fashion.

There is far more to your life than the food you put in your stomach, more to your outward appearance than the clothes you hang on your body. Look at the birds free and unfettered.

Instead of looking at fashions, walk out into the fields and look at the wildflowers, the ten best dressed men and women in the country look shabby alongside them.

Don’t be so occupied with getting, instead respond to Gods giving. All your everyday human concerns will be met when you steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative and God-provisions.

Give your attention to what God is doing right now, don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow, God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up.

Don’t pick on people, jump on their failures or criticise their faults - unless you want the same.

Do you remember the things you were worrying about a year ago? How did they work out? Didn't you waste a lot of fruitless energy on account of most of them? Didn't most of them turn out all right after all?
-Dale Carnegie

Don’t be flippant with the sacred, don’t reduce holy mysteries to slogans.

Don’t bargain with God, be direct, ask for what you need.

Do not follow where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.

When your dreams turn to dust, vacuum.

You will have to rough it, pursue life.

Spend time with those who need it, the sick not the healthy; mercy not religion.

You don’t need fund-raising or a lot of equipment, you are the equipment, all you need is three meals a day. Travel light. When you enter a town, get a modest place with some modest people, and be content there until you leave.

Top 10 Things to Give Away

1) Your Time

How many of you are too busy with your
own lives to give your time to others? Being busy
is an excuse and a reason not to go out of your way.
People need you and love you. They want to see you.
Let them have some time with you.

2) Your Support
How many of you really support the
people in your life? What I mean by support is
encouragement and reasons to try something new,
not 10 different reasons why it won't work for them.
Just because it didn't work this time. There's nothing
better than telling a person that they can do
whatever they want in this world.

3) Your Acceptance
This may be a toughie for some.
This means unconditional love and the ability to
love someone for who they are and not what you want
them to be. It means giving up how you think their life
should go ... accepting them for what they want to do
with their lives. This is the greatest gift that you
can give to the people in your life.

4) Your Attention
How many of you really listen to the
people in your life? For everyone who just said
"Of course I do" then why are the people in your life
asking you to repeat what they have just said?
It's because they know that you didn't hear them. Take
a few minutes, stop what you are doing, and focus
on the people who you love. Aren't they worth it? And
who knows, you may even learn something that you
thought you already knew.

5) Your Forgiveness
Forgiving people for past mistakes
and hurts is one of the greatest gifts you can
give them. After all they are only human. Plus, I'm
sure that you haven't been the perfect human being either.
Keeping hurt and anger in your life is just an
excuse not to get close to people for fear that they
will hurt you again.

6) Your Patience
How many of you can't even be with
the people you love because they are taking too
long to tell a story or are taking longer than "you
think" to complete a project that you think should take a
lesser time. How do you know that there isn't a
better way to do something if the people around you
always have to do it your way? Having patience with
people shows that they are respected and loved. Isn't
this a great gift to give to people around you?

7) Your Love
People want to know that they are special
in your life and that you care about them. If
there are things that are keeping you from loving them
such as conversations that you want to have with them,
but you're afraid, my advice is to say it. Sometimes
you have to take risk to achieve an open and
rewarding relationship. Take the risk and give your love.

8) Your Ideas
Sometimes people want to move forward in
their lives but they don't know how. You may know
something that they never thought of. And who
knows, your ideas may change somebody's life. So
go ahead, don't be afraid to share what you know.

9) Your Smile
There is nothing better than entering a
room seeing someone smile when you walk in. Right
then and there you know that your presence makes a
difference in their life. A smile is easy. You
just grin upward. Plus, you burn many more calories
then from frowning.

10) A Hug
Human touch warms the heart and keeps us
connected. In addition, it doesn't take much
effort, it costs nothing, and it makes someone's
day. Couldn't you find time in your schedule to hug
someone you love today?

"It's good to have money and the things money can buy. But it's good too, to check up once in a while and make sure you haven't lost the things that you can't buy."

Beauty & Love

"Can I see my baby?" the happy new mother asked. When the bundle was nestled in her arms and she moved the fold of cloth to look upon his tiny face, she gasped.

The doctor turned quickly and looked out the tall hospital window. The baby had been born without ears. Time proved that the baby's hearing was perfect.

It was only his appearance that was marred.

When he rushed home from school one day and flung himself into his mother's arms, she sighed, knowing that his life was to be a succession of heartbreaks.

He blurted out the tragedy. "A boy, a big boy. . . called me a freak."

He grew up, handsome for his misfortune. A favorite with his fellow students, he might have been class president, but for that.

He developed a gift, a talent for literature and music.

"But you might mingle with other young people," his mother reproved him, but felt a kindness in her heart.

The boy's father had a session with the family physician. Could nothing be done? "I believe I could graft on a pair of outer ears, if they could be procured" the doctor decided. Whereupon the search began for a person who would make such a sacrifice for a young man. Two years went by. Then, "You are going to the hospital, son. Mother and I have someone who will donate the ears you need. But it's a secret" said the father.

The operation was a brilliant success, and a new person emerged. His talents blossomed into genius, and school and college became a series of triumphs. Later he married and entered the diplomatic service.

"But I must know!" He urged his father. "Who gave so much for me? I could never do enough for him."

"I do not believe you could," said the father, "but the agreement was that you are not to know . . . not yet."

The years kept their profound secret, but the day did come. . . one of the darkest days that ever pass through a son. He stood with his father over his mother's casket. Slowly, tenderly, the father stretched forth a hand and raised the thick, reddish-brown hair to reveal. . . that the mother had no
outer ears.

"Mother said she was glad she never let her hair be cut," he whispered gently, "and nobody ever thought mother less beautiful, did they"?

Real beauty lies not in the physical appearance, but in the heart. Real treasure lies not in what that can be seen, but what that cannot be seen. Real love lies not in what is done and known, but in
what that is done but not known

Making Time

A man came home from work late again, tired and irritated, to find his 5 year old son waiting for him at the door.

"Daddy, may I ask you a question ?"
"Yeah, sure, what is it ?" replied the man.
"Daddy, how much money do you make an hour?"
"'that's none of your business! What makes you ask such a thing?" the man said angrily.

"I just want to know. Please tell me, how much do you make an hour?" pleaded the little boy.

"If you must know, I make £10.00 an hour."
"Oh," the little boy replied, head bowed.
Looking up, he said, "Daddy, may I borrow £4.00 please?"

The father was furious. "If the only reason you wanted to know how much money I make is just so you can borrow some to buy a silly toy or some other nonsense, then you march yourself straight to your room and go to bed. Think about why you're being so selfish. I work long, hard hours everyday and don't have time for such childish games."

The little boy quietly went to his room and shut the door. The man sat down and started to get even madder about the little boy's questioning. How dare he ask such questions only to get some money.

After an hour or so, the man had calmed down, and started to think he may have been a little hard on his son. May be there was something he really needed to buy with that £4.00 and he really didn't ask for money very often.

The man went to the door of the little boy's room and opened the door.

"Are you asleep son?" he asked.
"No daddy, I'm awake," replied the boy.
"I've been thinking, maybe I was too hard on you earlier," said the man.
"It's been long day and I took my aggravation out on you. Here's that £4.00 you asked for."

The little boy sat straight up, beaming.
"Oh, thank you daddy!" he yelled.

Then, reaching under his pillow, he pulled out some more old coins. The man, seeing that the boy already had money, started to get angry again.

The little boy slowly counted out his money, then looked up at the man.

"Why did you want more money if you already had some?" the father grumbled.

"Because I didn't have enough, but now I do," the little boy replied.

"Daddy, I have £10.00 now. Can I buy an hour of your time?"

Share this story with someone you like... but even better, share £10.00 worth of time with someone you love.

Don't Abandon Your Dream

There were once 2 brothers who lived on the 80th level. On coming home one day, they realized to their dismay that the lifts were not working and that they have to climb the stairs home.

After struggling to the 20th level, panting and tired, they decided to abandon their bags and come back for them the next day. They left their bags then and climbed on. When they have struggled to the 40th level, the younger brother started to grumble and both of them began to quarrel. They continued to climb the flights of steps, quarreling all the way to the 60th floor.

They then realized that they have only 20 levels more to climb and decided to stop quarreling and continue climbing in peace. They silently climbed on and reached their home at long last. Each stood calmly before the door and waited for the other to open the door.

And they realized that the key was in their bags which was left on the 20th floor

This story is reflecting on our life...many of us live under the expectations of our parents, teachers and friends when young. We seldom get to do the things that we really like and love and are under so much pressure and stress so that by the age of 20, we get tired and decided to dump this load.

Being free of the stress and pressure, we work enthusiastically and dream ambitious wishes.

But by the time we reach 40 years old, we start to lose our vision and dreams. We began to feel unsatisfied and start to complain and criticize. We live life as a misery as we are never satisfied. Reaching 60, we realize that we have little left for complaining anymore, and we began to walk the final episode in peace and calmness.

We think that there is nothing left to disappoint us, only to realize that we could not rest in peace because we have an unfulfilled dream ...... a dream we abandoned 60 years ago.

So what is your dream?

Follow your dreams, so that you will not live with regrets.

Tomorrow Starts Today

Tomorrow Starts Today



Focusing on several guidelines can make today and this year better than previous ones. Here’s how:

GUIDELINE 1: Live today. Some live in the past; others in the future. A paraphrase of Matthew 6:34 puts it like this: “Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow”(The Message). Live today.

GUIDELINE 2: Say it today. Some folks, though they care, miss saying encouraging words. Make it a daily practice to tell people—say it, write it—words of encouragement.

GUIDELINE 3: Pray about it today. “O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear, All because we do not carry everything to God in prayer,” wrote hymn writer Joseph Scriven. 

GUIDELINE 4: Refuse to worry about it today. Pray about what worries you, reminding yourself that God is far greater than your problem, and He can do what you can’t. Let God engineer your life. 

GUIDELINE 5: Smell the flowers today. This helps you put life in perspective and live to a ripe old age. 

 GUIDELINE 6: Trust God today. Tomorrow isn’t as important as today. Can you say, “God, just for today, I’m going to trust You with all my heart! I refuse to live tomorrow until it comes”? “Therefore,” said Jesus, “do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself” (Matthew 6:34). 

 GUIDELINE 7: Have a blessed day today. And I am confident you will when you follow these simple but effective guidelines because God blesses the one who puts Him first and walks in the light of His Word.

The BRICK

About ten years ago, a young and very successful executive named Josh was traveling down a Chicago neighborhood street. He was going a bit too fast in his sleek, black, 12 cylinder Jaguar XKE, which was only two months old.

He was watching for kids darting out from between parked cars and slowed down when he thought he saw something. As his car passed, no child darted out, but a brick sailed out and – WHUMP! – it smashed Into the Jag’s shiny black side door! SCREECH..!!!! Brakes slammed! Gears ground into reverse, and tires madly spun the Jaguar back to the spot from where the brick had been thrown. Josh jumped out of the car, grabbed the kid and pushed him up against a parked car. He shouted at the kid, “What was that all about and who are you? Just what the heck are you doing?!” Building up a head of steam, he went on. “That’s my new Jag, that brick you threw is gonna cost you a lot of money. Why did you throw it?”

“Please, mister, please. . . I’m sorry! I didn’t know what else to do!” Pleaded the youngster. “I threw the brick because no one else would stop!” Tears were dripping down the boy’s chin as he pointed around the parked car. “It’s my brother, mister,” he said. “He rolled off the curb and fell out of his wheelchair and I can’t lift him up.” Sobbing, the boy asked the executive, “Would you please help me get him back into his wheelchair? He’s hurt and he’s too heavy for me.”

Moved beyond words, the young executive tried desperately to swallow the rapidly swelling lump in his throat. Straining, he lifted the young man back into the wheelchair and took out his handkerchief and wiped the scrapes and cuts, checking to see that everything was going to be OK. He then watched the younger brother push him down the sidewalk toward their home.

It was a long walk back to the sleek, black, shining, 12 cylinder Jaguar XKE -a long and slow walk. Josh never did fix the side door of his Jaguar. He kept the dent to remind him not to go through life so fast that someone has to throw a brick at him to get his attention. . . Some bricks are softer than others. Feel for the bricks of life coming at to you. For all the negative things we have to say to ourselves, God has positive answers.

Thanks

Don't We ALL

I was parked in front of the mall wiping off my car. I had just come from the car wash and was waiting for my wife to get out of work. Coming my way from across the parking lot was what society would consider a bum. From the looks of him, he had no car, no home, no clean clothes, and no money. There are times when you feel generous but there are other times that you just don't want to be bothered. 

This was one of those "don't want to be bothered times." 

"I hope he doesn't ask me for any money," I thought. He didn't.
He came and sat on the curb in front of the bus stop but he didn't look like he could have enough money to even ride the bus. After a few minutes he spoke.

"That's a very pretty car," he said.

He was ragged but he had an air of dignity around him. His scraggly blond beard keep more than his face warm. I said, "thanks," and continued wiping off my car.

He sat there quietly as I worked. The expected plea for money never came. As the silence between us widened something inside said, "ask him if he needs any help." I was sure that he would say "yes" but I held true to the inner voice.

"Do you need any help?" I asked.

He answered in three simple but profound words that I shall never forget. We often look for wisdom in great men and women. We expect it from those of higher learning and accomplishments.

I expected nothing but an outstretched grimy hand. He spoke the three words that shook me.
"Don't we all?" he said.

I was feeling high and mighty, successful and important, above a bum in the street, until those three words hit me like a twelve gauge shotgun.

Don't we all?

I needed help. Maybe not for bus fare or a place to sleep, but I needed help. I reached in my wallet and gave him not only enough for bus fare, but enough to get a warm meal and shelter for the day. Those three little words still ring true. No matter how much you have, no matter how much you have accomplished, you need help too. No matter how little you have, no matter how loaded you are with problems, even without money or a place to sleep, you can give help.

Even if it's just a compliment, you can give that. You never know when you may see someone that appears to have it all. They are waiting on you to give them what they don't have. A different perspective on life, a glimpse at something beautiful, a respite from daily chaos, that only you through a torn world can see. Maybe the man was just a homeless stranger wandering the streets. Maybe he was more than that.

Maybe he was sent by a power that is great and wise, to minister to a soul too comfortable in themselves.

Maybe God looked down, called an Angel, dressed him like a bum, then said, "go minister to that man cleaning the car, that man needs help."

Don't we all?

Author Unknown

Thanks

Touching life story.....Paid in Full

Touching life story.....

A young man was getting ready to graduate college. For many months he had admired a beautiful sports car in a dealer's showroom, and knowing his father could well afford it, he told him that was all he wanted.

As Graduation Day approached, the young man awaited signs that his father had purchased the car. Finally, on the morning of his graduation his father called him into his private study. His father told him how proud he was to have such a fine son, and told him how much he loved him. He handed his son a beautiful wrapped gift box. Curious, but somewhat disappointed the young man opened the box and found a lovely, leather-bound Bible. Angrily, he raised his voice at his father and said, "With all your money you give me a Bible?" and stormed out of the house, leaving the holy book.

Many years passed and the young man was very successful in business. He had a beautiful home and wonderful family, but realized his father was very old, and thought perhaps he should go to him. He had not seen him since that graduation day. Before he could make arrangements, he received a telegram telling him his father had passed away, and willed all of his possessions to his son. He needed to come home immediately and take care things.

When he arrived at his father's house, sudden sadness and regret filled his heart. He began to search his father's important papers and saw the still new Bible, just as he had left it years ago. With tears, he opened the Bible and began to turn the pages. As he read those words, a car key dropped from an envelope taped behind the Bible. It had a tag with the dealer's name, the same dealer who had the sports car he had desired. On the tag was the date of his graduation, and the words...PAID IN FULL.

How many times do we miss God's blessings because they are not packaged as we expected?

Thanks!

Courage

Courage is not something that comes from flying to your heart in moments of need or in emergencies. Courage is not something that can be handed over to you through lessons either.

Courage is a way of life. It is as much a habit as anything else. Like getting up and brushing your teeth in the morning, or drinking coffee.

It’s a matter of routine more than anything else. People tend to speak of courage only in terms of deeds. For instance, they might speak of courage in the battlefield. Soldiers and policemen are supposed to show courage. Or they might refer to courage in the face of devastation. Flood-affected people or earthquake victims must show courage.

However, courage is not merely the name you can give to your putting up with a bad situation. After all, in a bad situation, there is not much one can do expect cope with whatever strength and forbearance you can muster.

But though we don’t notice it, a lot of courage is part of our routines. The man who gets into a blocked sewer shows courage. The man who tills the land, not knowing whether he will have a good monsoon shows courage. The woman who resists the temptation to lavish goodies on her children shows courage. The child who breaks a leg on the football field but goes back to the game later shows courage. The student who is bent on following his dreams shows courage.

The real test of courage is in our daily lives. Or should be.

The courage to speak the truth. All the time. Because lies are the biggest and most obvious sort of cowardice that all of us hide behind.

The courage to speak our mind and not stay silent, simply because we are afraid that other people might not agree with us. Of course, there will be conflicting views. And of course, conflict is unpleasant. But not speaking your mind can lead to much worse unpleasantness.

The courage to stand up for what we believe in. The courage to follow public rules and laws and insist that other people follow them too. The courage to resist those who take easy ways out, which only leads to more corruption and red tape in our social systems.

Courage is not the absence of fear. It is acting in spite of it.

The sign of a courageous person, then, is someone who is feels, fear, recognizes fear and still goes on to do what he or she believes is right.

May you be courageous!

Thanks

Butterfly

A man found a cocoon of a butterfly. One day a small opening appeared. He sat and watched the butterfly for several hours as it struggled to force its body through that little hole. Then it seemed to stop making any progress. It appeared as if it had gotten as far as it could, and it could go no further.

So the man decided to help the butterfly. He took a pair of scissors and snipped off the remaining bit of the cocoon.

The butterfly then emerged easily. But it had a swollen body and small, shriveled wings.

The man continued to watch the butterfly because he expected that, at any moment, the wings would enlarge and expand to be able to support the body, which would contract in time.

Neither happened! In fact, the butterfly spent the rest of its life crawling around with a swollen body and shriveled wings. It never was able to fly.

What the man, in his kindness and haste, did not understand was that the restricting cocoon and the struggle required for the butterfly to get through the tiny opening were God’s way of forcing fluid from the body of the butterfly into its wings so that it would be ready for flight once it achieved its freedom from the cocoon.

Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need in our lives. If God allowed us to go through our lives without any obstacles, it would cripple us.

We would not be as strong as what we could have been. We could never fly!

I asked for Strength………
And God gave me Difficulties to make me strong.

I asked for Wisdom………
And God gave me Problems to solve.

I asked for Prosperity………
And God gave me Brain and Brawn to work.

I asked for Courage………
And God gave me Danger to overcome.

I asked for Love………
And God gave me Troubled people to help.

I asked for Favors………
And God gave me Opportunities.

I received nothing I wanted ……..
I received everything I needed!

Trust in God. Always !

Thanks

George Carlin

GEORGE CARLIN (His wife recently died....)

Isn't it amazing that George Carlin - comedian of the 70's and 80's - could write something so very eloquent...and so very appropriate.

A Message by George Carlin:

The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers, wider Freeways , but narrower viewpoints. We spend more, but have less, we buy more, but enjoy less. We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences, but less time. We have more degrees but less sense, more knowledge, but less judgment, more experts, yet more problems, more medicine, but less wellness.

We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom.

We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often.

We've learned how to make a living, but not a life. We've added years to life not life to years. We've been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor. We conquered outer space but not inner space. We've done larger things, but not better things.

We've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul. We've conquered the atom, but not our prejudice. We write more, but learn less. We plan more, but accomplish less. We've learned to rush, but not to wait. We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, but we communicate less and less.

These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion, big men and small character, steep profits and shallow relationships. These are the days of two incomes but more divorce, fancier houses, but broken homes. These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill. It is a time when there is much in the showroom window and nothing in the stockroom. A time when technology can bring this letter to you, and a time when you can choose either to share this insight, or to just hit delete...

Remember; spend some time with your loved ones, because they are not going to be around forever.

Remember, say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe, because that little person soon will grow up and leave your side.

Remember, to give a warm hug to the one next to you, because that is the only treasure you can give with your heart and it doesn't cost a cent.

Remember, to say, 'I love you' to your partner and your loved ones, but most of all mean it. An embrace will mend hurt when it comes from deep inside of you.

Remember to hold hands and cherish the moment for someday that person will not be there again.

Give time to love, give time to speak! And give time to share the precious thoughts in your mind.

AND ALWAYS REMEMBER:

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.

If you don't send this to other people....Who cares?

George Carlin

The World Is Mine Oh God, Forgive Me When I Whine

The World Is Mine
Oh God, Forgive Me When I Whine

Today, upon a bus, I saw a girl with golden hair.
I envied her, she seemed so gay, and wished I was as fair.
When suddenly she rose to leave, I saw her hobbled down the aisle.
She had one leg and wore a crutch.
And as she passed... a smile.

Oh God, forgive me when I whine.
I have 2 legs, the world is mine

I stopped to buy some candy. The lad who sold it had such charm.
I talked with him, he seemed so glad.
If I were late, it'd do no harm.
And as I left, he said to me, "I thank you, you've been so kind.
It's nice to talk with folks like you. You see," he said, "I'm blind."

Oh God, forgive me when I whine.
I have 2 eyes, the world is mine.

Later while walking down the street,
I saw a child with eyes of blue.
He stood and watched the others play.
He did not know what to do.
I stopped a moment and then I said,
"Why don't you join the others, dear?"
He looked ahead without a word. And then I knew,
he couldn't hear.

Oh God, forgive me when I whine.
I have 2 ears, the world is mine.
With feet to take me where I'd go.
With eyes to see the sunset's glow.
With ears to hear what I'd know.

Oh God, forgive me when I whine.
I've been blessed indeed, the world is mine........

~ Red Foley