A man came home from work late, tired and irritated, to find his 5-year old son waiting for him at the door.
SON: 'Daddy! , may I ask you a question?'
DAD: 'Yeah sure, what is it?' replied the man.
SON: 'Daddy, how much do you make an hour?'
DAD: 'That's none of your business. Why do you ask such a thing?' the man said angrily.
SON: 'I just want to know. Please tell me, how much do you make an hour?'
DAD: 'If you must know, I make $50 an hour.'
SON: 'Oh,' the little boy replied, with his head down.
SON: 'Daddy, may I please borrow $25?'
The father was furious, 'If the only reason you asked that is so you can borrow some money 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 are being so selfish. I don't work hard everyday for such childish frivolity's.'
The little boy quietly went to his room and shut the door.
The man sat down and started to get even angrier about the little boy's questions. How dare he ask such questions only to get some money?
After! about an hour or so, the m an had calmed down , and started to think:
Maybe there was something he really needed to buy with that $25.00 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 a long day and I took out my aggravation on you. Here's the $25 you asked for.'
The little boy sat straight up, smiling. 'Oh, thank you daddy!' he yelled. Then, reaching under his pillow he pulled out some crumpled up bills.
The man saw that the boy already had money, started to get angry again.
The little boy slowly counted out his money, and then looked up at his father.
'Why do you want more money if you already have some?' the father grumbled.
'Because I didn't have enough, but now I do,' the little boy replied.
' Daddy, I have $50 now. Can I buy an hour of your time? Please come home early tomorrow. I would like to have dinner with you.'
The father was crushed. He put his arms around his little son, and he begged for his forgiveness.
This is just a short reminder to all of us working so hard in life. We should not let time slip through our fingers without having spent some time with those who really matter to us, those close to our hearts. Do remember to share that $50 worth of your time with someone you love.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Family Matters ~ Cheryl
There is one thing for sure…there are not any of us who can say that we have never made a mistake in our relationships with our spouses and children. The good news is that there is always an opportunity to change things. Edmunde Burke said, “The past should be a springboard, not a hammock.”
In other words, don’t plan your future by your past! Don’t sit back & look at your mistakes and think it is too late to do anything about it, so I will just settle for the way things are. The Apostle Paul said, “Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead…” (Phil.3: 13-14)
Let’s all take the opportunity to get past the wrong things we have done and said in our relationships and make the effort to get past them. It may require asking for, or, accepting an apology, but the desire to move forward could be the springboard to get us into a more peaceful and loving family life.
Refuse to continue dwelling on the past mistakes of yourself or others. None of us can walk backward into the future!
In other words, don’t plan your future by your past! Don’t sit back & look at your mistakes and think it is too late to do anything about it, so I will just settle for the way things are. The Apostle Paul said, “Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead…” (Phil.3: 13-14)
Let’s all take the opportunity to get past the wrong things we have done and said in our relationships and make the effort to get past them. It may require asking for, or, accepting an apology, but the desire to move forward could be the springboard to get us into a more peaceful and loving family life.
Refuse to continue dwelling on the past mistakes of yourself or others. None of us can walk backward into the future!
Selling Bibles ~ Wanda
A pastor concluded
that his church was getting into very
serious financial troubles. While
checking the church storeroom, he
discovered several cartons of new bibles
that had never been opened and distributed.
So at his Sunday
sermon, he asked for three volunteers from
the congregation who would be
willing to sell the bibles door-to-door for
$10 each to raise the
desperately needed money for the church.
Jack, Paul and Louie all
raised their hands to volunteer for the
task.
The minister knew
that Jack and Paul earned their living as
salesmen and were likely capable
of selling some bibles. But he had serious
doubts about
Louie who was a local farmer, who had
always kept to himself
because he was embarrassed by his speech
impediment.
Poor
Louie stuttered badly. But, NOT WANTING TO
discourage Louie, the
minister decided to let him try anyway.
He sent the three of
them away with the back seat of their cars
stacked with bibles. He asked
them to meet with him and report the
results of their door-to-door selling
efforts the following Sunday.
Anxious to find out how
successful they were, the minister
immediately asked Jack, 'Well, Jack,
how did you make out selling our bibles
last week?'
Proudly handing
the reverend an envelope, Jack replied,
'Using my sales prowess, I was
able to sell 20 bibles, and here's the
$200 I collected on behalf of the
church.'
'Fine job, Jack!' The minister said, vigorously
shaking his hand... 'You are indeed a fine
salesman and the Church is indebted to
you.'
Turning to Paul, 'And Paul, how many
bibles did you sell for
the Church last week?'
Paul, smiling and sticking out his chest,
confidently replied, 'I am a
professional salesman. I sold 28 bibles on
behalf of the church, and here's $280 I
collected.'
The minister
responded, 'That's absolutely
splendid, Paul. You are truly a professional
salesman and the church is indebted to you.'
Apprehensively, the
minister turned to Louie and said, 'And
Louie, did you manage to sell any
bibles last week?' Louie silently
offered the minister a large
envelope.
The minister opened it and counted the
contents. 'What is
this?' the minister exclaimed.
'Louie, there's $3200 in here!
Are you suggesting that you sold 320 bibles
for the church, door to door,
in just one week?'
Louie just nodded. That's
impossible!' both Jack
and Paul said in unison. 'We are
professional salesmen, yet you claim to
have sold 10 times as many bibles as we
could.'
'Yes, this
does seem unlikely,' the minister!
agreed. 'I think you'd better explain
how you managed to accomplish this,
Louie.'
Louie shrugged.. 'I-I-I
re-re-really do-do-don't kn-kn-know
f-f-f-for sh-sh-sh-sure,'
he stammered.
Impatiently, Peter interrupted. 'For
crying out
loud, Louie, just tell us what you said to
them when they answered the
door!'
'A-a-a-all I-I-I s-s-said
wa-wa-was,' Louis replied,
'W-w-w-w-would y-y-y-you l-l-l-l-l-like
t-t-to b-b-b-buy th-th-th-this
b-b-b-b-bible F -f-for t-t-ten b-b-b-bucks
---o-o-o-or--- wo-wo-would
yo-you j-j-j-just l-like m-m-me t-t-to
st-st-stand h-h-here and
r-r-r-r-r-read it t-to y-y-you??'
that his church was getting into very
serious financial troubles. While
checking the church storeroom, he
discovered several cartons of new bibles
that had never been opened and distributed.
So at his Sunday
sermon, he asked for three volunteers from
the congregation who would be
willing to sell the bibles door-to-door for
$10 each to raise the
desperately needed money for the church.
Jack, Paul and Louie all
raised their hands to volunteer for the
task.
The minister knew
that Jack and Paul earned their living as
salesmen and were likely capable
of selling some bibles. But he had serious
doubts about
Louie who was a local farmer, who had
always kept to himself
because he was embarrassed by his speech
impediment.
Poor
Louie stuttered badly. But, NOT WANTING TO
discourage Louie, the
minister decided to let him try anyway.
He sent the three of
them away with the back seat of their cars
stacked with bibles. He asked
them to meet with him and report the
results of their door-to-door selling
efforts the following Sunday.
Anxious to find out how
successful they were, the minister
immediately asked Jack, 'Well, Jack,
how did you make out selling our bibles
last week?'
Proudly handing
the reverend an envelope, Jack replied,
'Using my sales prowess, I was
able to sell 20 bibles, and here's the
$200 I collected on behalf of the
church.'
'Fine job, Jack!' The minister said, vigorously
shaking his hand... 'You are indeed a fine
salesman and the Church is indebted to
you.'
Turning to Paul, 'And Paul, how many
bibles did you sell for
the Church last week?'
Paul, smiling and sticking out his chest,
confidently replied, 'I am a
professional salesman. I sold 28 bibles on
behalf of the church, and here's $280 I
collected.'
The minister
responded, 'That's absolutely
splendid, Paul. You are truly a professional
salesman and the church is indebted to you.'
Apprehensively, the
minister turned to Louie and said, 'And
Louie, did you manage to sell any
bibles last week?' Louie silently
offered the minister a large
envelope.
The minister opened it and counted the
contents. 'What is
this?' the minister exclaimed.
'Louie, there's $3200 in here!
Are you suggesting that you sold 320 bibles
for the church, door to door,
in just one week?'
Louie just nodded. That's
impossible!' both Jack
and Paul said in unison. 'We are
professional salesmen, yet you claim to
have sold 10 times as many bibles as we
could.'
'Yes, this
does seem unlikely,' the minister!
agreed. 'I think you'd better explain
how you managed to accomplish this,
Louie.'
Louie shrugged.. 'I-I-I
re-re-really do-do-don't kn-kn-know
f-f-f-for sh-sh-sh-sure,'
he stammered.
Impatiently, Peter interrupted. 'For
crying out
loud, Louie, just tell us what you said to
them when they answered the
door!'
'A-a-a-all I-I-I s-s-said
wa-wa-was,' Louis replied,
'W-w-w-w-would y-y-y-you l-l-l-l-l-like
t-t-to b-b-b-buy th-th-th-this
b-b-b-b-bible F -f-for t-t-ten b-b-b-bucks
---o-o-o-or--- wo-wo-would
yo-you j-j-j-just l-like m-m-me t-t-to
st-st-stand h-h-here and
r-r-r-r-r-read it t-to y-y-you??'
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Hope For The Future
Regardless of where you are in life today , there is always hope for the future!
Jer. 29:11 “For I know the thoughts and plans I have for you says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace, not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome.”
Thank God for that Word! If you are not where you desire to be in relationships, in your health, financially, or whatever, keep your hope and faith for a better future. God wants good for us, regardless of what our nations economy is, or what the DR.says, or how others treat us. Our job is, and has always been, to continue to trust HIM!
Henry Ward Beecher said, “Every tomorrow has two handles. We can take hold of it with the handle of anxiety or the handle of faith.”
The choice is ours to make in every situation that arises in our life. We have to stay hopeful and agree with what God says about our future. Expect good things to happen every day! Keep a positive attitude about every area of your life. We only get one chance at this life. Why spend it staying down and depressed? Why not make a decision to live life to the fullest and stand firmly on what God says about our future?
Anyone can be positive when everything is going good! But I think God wants us, even in the hard times, to keep our focus and our faith on Him! Lets make the choice to believe and expect good and not evil, to give us hope in our final outcome.
Jer. 29:11 “For I know the thoughts and plans I have for you says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace, not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome.”
Thank God for that Word! If you are not where you desire to be in relationships, in your health, financially, or whatever, keep your hope and faith for a better future. God wants good for us, regardless of what our nations economy is, or what the DR.says, or how others treat us. Our job is, and has always been, to continue to trust HIM!
Henry Ward Beecher said, “Every tomorrow has two handles. We can take hold of it with the handle of anxiety or the handle of faith.”
The choice is ours to make in every situation that arises in our life. We have to stay hopeful and agree with what God says about our future. Expect good things to happen every day! Keep a positive attitude about every area of your life. We only get one chance at this life. Why spend it staying down and depressed? Why not make a decision to live life to the fullest and stand firmly on what God says about our future?
Anyone can be positive when everything is going good! But I think God wants us, even in the hard times, to keep our focus and our faith on Him! Lets make the choice to believe and expect good and not evil, to give us hope in our final outcome.
Saturday, December 13, 2008
The road to success.... ~ Norma
The road to success is not straight. There is a curve called Failure, a loop called Confusion, speed bumps called Friends, red lights called Enemies, caution lights called Family. You will have flats called Jobs. But, if you have a spare called Determination, an engine called Perseverance, insurance called Faith, a driver called Jesus, you will make it to a place called Success.
God determines who walks into your life....it's up to you to decide who you let walk away, who you let stay, and who you refuse to let go."When there is nothing left but God, that is when you find out that God is all you need.
"Happiness keeps You Sweet, Trials keep You Strong, Sorrows keep You Human, Failures keeps You Humble, Success keeps You Glowing, But Only God keeps You Going
God determines who walks into your life....it's up to you to decide who you let walk away, who you let stay, and who you refuse to let go."When there is nothing left but God, that is when you find out that God is all you need.
"Happiness keeps You Sweet, Trials keep You Strong, Sorrows keep You Human, Failures keeps You Humble, Success keeps You Glowing, But Only God keeps You Going
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Joy In The Journey #5
It is so good to know that we as Christians serve a God who loves us and wants us to have a joyful, abundant filled life! Our part in this is for us to make God a priority in our lives so that we can receive the direction & wisdom from Him that we need in order to make the right choices that will lead us to His goodness. When God first created man & woman, He said they were to “Be fruitful, subdue the earth, & have dominion.” We are to strive to do the same.
In our busy society today it sometimes seems that, “Life is living us instead of us living life.” I believe that busyness is one of the enemies main tactics to keep us from enjoying the blessings of God, and also of our family and loved ones.
I have heard it said many times, “If you are too busy for God, then you are too busy.” I think we could say the same about our family relationships.
I don’t think there will ever be a person who will get to the end of their life and say, “I wish I had not given so much of my life to God” or “I wish I had not spent so much time & effort on loving my family.” That is not going to happen! However, I am sure there are plenty who get to the end of their life & wish they had done more for God & family.
Well there is nothing we can do about the past, but there is definitely something we can do about our own future. Maybe we should all take a look at how we are spending our valuable time & see if we could make some changes that will be more beneficial for God, us, and our families. I know I could!
In our busy society today it sometimes seems that, “Life is living us instead of us living life.” I believe that busyness is one of the enemies main tactics to keep us from enjoying the blessings of God, and also of our family and loved ones.
I have heard it said many times, “If you are too busy for God, then you are too busy.” I think we could say the same about our family relationships.
I don’t think there will ever be a person who will get to the end of their life and say, “I wish I had not given so much of my life to God” or “I wish I had not spent so much time & effort on loving my family.” That is not going to happen! However, I am sure there are plenty who get to the end of their life & wish they had done more for God & family.
Well there is nothing we can do about the past, but there is definitely something we can do about our own future. Maybe we should all take a look at how we are spending our valuable time & see if we could make some changes that will be more beneficial for God, us, and our families. I know I could!
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Don't Worry ~ Norma
It has been a long day of phone calls. A couple of times I was on the phone, call waiting was beeping and the call phone was ringing. This was one of those days when I want to cry out,"Lord, why did you call me to be a goodlistener ?? During the day God gave me a message, seems so many are WORRIED !! Losing jobs, too many bills, not enough money to go round, Obama is President, what will happen ??
Jesus admonished us to not worry, he even said it was a sin. At one time in my life worry consumed me, I would become worried if I was not worrying about something.
When we worry God can not help us, as worry is a condition of the mind and does not mix with faith. How did I condition myself to not worry ? It was a time of learning to trust Him.
One day as I was reading Rom. 12 v 2, Paul talks about renewing our mind to the Word and not being conformed to this world. I had a Holy Ghost moment and saw clearly that as long as I was always worried my mind could not become renewed to His Word.
I have heard it said many times 90% of worry never happens and the 10% that does we could not stop or change the situation. It is our attitude and how we react that will weaken or strengthen us. I want to share a couple of things that I have used that have helped me to overcome worry.
1. Take worry apart, do not let your thoughts run away.
Find scriptures for the worrisome thoughts, memorize them, when you worry attack it with the verse, use it consistently, you will begin to see the thought fade away and come less often. This becomes a lifestyle and over time you will become victorious in this area.
2. There is no worry/problem/situation/trial bigger than God and His Word unless you allow it to be so.
The Word is the TRUTH and the TRUTH sets us FREE !!
3. Rise above the worry by using Bible principles, apply Scripture to your problems. Worry will lose its power over you. If you dwell on the problem too long you will become confused.
4. This is a process, as you make it a lifestyle it becomes easier to apply, you will begin to see your life take a turn, where you where you were once full of fear and worry you will now be able to find a place in the Word to fit your problem, pray and know the He is able to see you through no matter what it looks like in the natural.
God works in the Supernatural !! "Jesus said,"Without Me you can do nothing". It took me years to realize how true these Words are. My prayer is you will learn to attack worry with the truth of the Word.
Jesus said, "Without ME YOU can do NOTHING !"
Jesus admonished us to not worry, he even said it was a sin. At one time in my life worry consumed me, I would become worried if I was not worrying about something.
When we worry God can not help us, as worry is a condition of the mind and does not mix with faith. How did I condition myself to not worry ? It was a time of learning to trust Him.
One day as I was reading Rom. 12 v 2, Paul talks about renewing our mind to the Word and not being conformed to this world. I had a Holy Ghost moment and saw clearly that as long as I was always worried my mind could not become renewed to His Word.
I have heard it said many times 90% of worry never happens and the 10% that does we could not stop or change the situation. It is our attitude and how we react that will weaken or strengthen us. I want to share a couple of things that I have used that have helped me to overcome worry.
1. Take worry apart, do not let your thoughts run away.
Find scriptures for the worrisome thoughts, memorize them, when you worry attack it with the verse, use it consistently, you will begin to see the thought fade away and come less often. This becomes a lifestyle and over time you will become victorious in this area.
2. There is no worry/problem/situation/trial bigger than God and His Word unless you allow it to be so.
The Word is the TRUTH and the TRUTH sets us FREE !!
3. Rise above the worry by using Bible principles, apply Scripture to your problems. Worry will lose its power over you. If you dwell on the problem too long you will become confused.
4. This is a process, as you make it a lifestyle it becomes easier to apply, you will begin to see your life take a turn, where you where you were once full of fear and worry you will now be able to find a place in the Word to fit your problem, pray and know the He is able to see you through no matter what it looks like in the natural.
God works in the Supernatural !! "Jesus said,"Without Me you can do nothing". It took me years to realize how true these Words are. My prayer is you will learn to attack worry with the truth of the Word.
Jesus said, "Without ME YOU can do NOTHING !"
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