You will love these short inspiring
stories ...
" Page I ",
" Page II
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Page III "
(This is a true story which
happened in the States.)
A man
came out of his home to admire his new truck.
To his
puzzlement, his three-year-old son was happily hammering dents into the shiny
paint of the truck.
The man
ran to his son, knocked him away, hammered the little boy's hands into pulp as
punishment.
When the
father calmed down, he rushed his son to the hospital. Although the doctor tried
desperately to save the crushed bones, he finally had to amputate the fingers
from both the boy's hands.
When the boy woke up from the surgery & saw his bandaged stubs, he innocently
said, " Daddy, I'm sorry about your truck." Then he asked, "but when are my
fingers going to grow back?"
The
father went home & committed suicide.
Think
about this story the next time someone steps on your feet or u wish to take
revenge. Think first before u lose your patience with someone u love. Trucks can
be repaired. Broken bones & hurt feelings often can't.
Too
often we fail to recognize the difference between the person and the
performance. We forget that forgiveness is greater than revenge.
People
make mistakes. We are allowed to make mistakes. But the actions we take while in
a rage will haunt us forever.
Pause and ponder. Think before you act. Be
patient. Forgive & forget. Love one and all.
|
If you judge people, you
have no time to love them. --
Mother Teresa
|
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A story is told about a soldier who was finally coming home after having fought
in Vietnam.
He called his parents from San Francisco.
"Mom and Dad, I'm coming home, but
I've a favor to ask. I have a friend I'd like to bring home with me."
"Sure," they replied, "we'd love to
meet him."
"There's something you should know
the son continued, "he was hurt pretty badly in the fighting. He stepped on a
land mind and lost an arm and a leg. He has nowhere else to go, and I want him
to come live with us."
"I'm sorry to hear that, son. Maybe
we can help him find somewhere to live."
"No, Mom and Dad, I want him to live
with us."
"Son," said the father, "you don't
know what you're asking. Someone with such a handicap would be a terrible burden
on us. We have our own lives to live, and we can't let something like this
interfere with our lives. I think you should just come home and forget about
this guy. He'll find a way to live on his own."
At that point, the son hung up the
phone. The parents heard nothing more from him. A few days later, however, they
received a call from the San Francisco
police. Their son had died after falling from a building, they were told. The
police believed it was suicide. The grief-stricken parents flew to San Francisco
and were taken to the city morgue to identify the body of their son. They
recognized him, but to their horror they also discovered something they didn't
know, their son had only one arm and one leg.
The parents in this story are like
many of us. We find it easy to love those who are good-looking or fun to have
around, but we don't like people who inconvenience us or make us feel
uncomfortable. We would rather stay away from people who aren't as healthy,
beautiful, or smart as we are. Thankfully, there's someone who won't treat us
that way. Someone who loves us with an unconditional love that welcomes us into
the forever family, regardless of how messed up we are.
Tonight, before you tuck yourself in
for the night, say a little prayer that God will give you the strength you need
to accept people as they are, and to help us all be more understanding of those
who are different from us!!!
There's a miracle called Friendship
That dwells in the heart. You don't know how it happens Or when it gets started
But you know the special lift It always brings And you realize that Friendship
Is God's most precious gift!
Friends are a very rare jewel,
indeed. They make you smile and encourage you to succeed They lend an ear, they
share a word of praise, and they always want to open their hearts to us.
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DETERMINATION
In 1883, a
creative engineer named John Roebling was inspired by an idea to build a
spectacular bridge connecting New York with the Long Island. However bridge
building experts throughout the world thought that this was an impossible feat
and told Roebling to forget the idea. It just could not be done. It was not
practical. It had never been done before.
Roebling could not ignore the vision he had in his mind of this bridge. He
thought about it all the time and he knew deep in his heart that it could be
done. He just had to share the dream with someone else. After much discussion
and persuasion he managed to convince his son Washington, an up and coming
engineer, that the bridge in fact could be built.
Working together for the first time, the father and son developed concepts of
how it could be accomplished and how the obstacles could be overcome. With great
excitement and inspiration, and the headiness of a wild challenge before them,
they hired their crew and began to build their dream bridge.
The
project started well, but when it was only a few months underway a tragic
accident on the site took the life of John Roebling. Washington was injured and
left with a certain amount of brain damage, which resulted in him not being able
to walk or talk or even move.
"We
told them so."
"Crazy men and their crazy dreams."
"It`s foolish to chase wild visions."
Everyone had a negative comment to make and felt that the project should be
scrapped since the Roeblings were the only ones who knew how the bridge could be
built. In spite of his handicap Washington was never discouraged and still had a
burning desire to complete the bridge and his mind was still as sharp as ever.
He
tried to inspire and pass on his enthusiasm to some of his friends, but they
were too daunted by the task. As he lay on his bed in his hospital room, with
the sunlight streaming through the windows, a gentle breeze blew the flimsy
white curtains apart and he was able to see the sky and the tops of the trees
outside for just a moment.
It
seemed that there was a message for him not to give up. Suddenly an idea hit
him. All he could do was move one finger and he decided to make the best use of
it. By moving this, he slowly developed a code of communication with his wife.
He
touched his wife's arm with that finger, indicating to her that he wanted her to
call the engineers again. Then he used the same method of tapping her arm to
tell the engineers what to do. It seemed foolish but the project was under way
again.
For
13 years Washington
tapped out his instructions with his finger on his wife's arm, until the bridge
was finally completed. Today the spectacular Brooklyn Bridge stands in all its
glory as a tribute to the triumph of one man's indomitable spirit and his
determination not to be defeated by circumstances. It is also a tribute to the
engineers and their team work, and to their faith in a man who was considered
mad by half the world. It stands too as a tangible monument to the love and
devotion of his wife who for 13 long years patiently decoded the messages of her
husband and told the engineers what to do.
Perhaps this is one of the best examples of a never-say-die attitude that
overcomes a terrible physical handicap and achieves an impossible goal.
Often
when we face obstacles in our day-to-day life, our hurdles seem very small in
comparison to what many others have to face. The Brooklyn Bridge shows us that
dreams that seem impossible can be realized with determination and persistence,
no matter what the odds are.
Even the most distant dream can be
realized with determination and persistence.
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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 a day to drain the fluids from his lungs. 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, where they had
been on vacation. And every afternoon when the man in the bed next to 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 would live for those one-hour periods where his world
would be broadened and enlivened by all the activity and color of the outside
world. The window overlooked a park with a lovely lake, the man had said. Ducks
and swans played on the water while children sailed their model boats. Lovers
walked arm in arm amid 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 by the window described all this 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 by. Although
the other man could not hear the band, he could see it in his mind's eye as the
gentleman by the window portrayed it with descriptive words. Unexpectedly, an
alien thought entered his head: Why should he have all the pleasure of seeing
everything while I never get to see anything? It didn't seem fair. As the
thought fermented, the man felt ashamed at first. But as the days passed and he
missed seeing more sights, his envy eroded into resentment and soon turned him
sour. He began to brood and found himself unable to sleep. He should be by
that window - and that thought now controlled his life.
Late
one night, as he lay staring at the ceiling, the man by the window began to
cough. He was choking on the fluid in his lungs. The other man watched in the
dimly lit room as the struggling man by the window groped for the button to call
for help. Listening from across the room, he never moved, never pushed his own
button which would have brought the nurse running. In less than five minutes,
the coughing and choking stopped, along with the sound of breathing. Now, there
was only silence--deathly silence.
The
following morning, the day nurse arrived to bring water for their baths. When
she found the lifeless body of the man by the window, she was saddened and
called the hospital attendant to take it away--no words, no fuss. As soon as it
seemed appropriate, the 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.
Finally, he would have the joy of seeing it all himself. He strained to slowly
turn to look out the window beside the bed. It faced a blank wall.
Moral
of the story:
The
pursuit of happiness is a matter of choice...it is a positive attitude we
consciously choose to express. It is not a gift that gets delivered to our
doorstep each morning, nor does it come through the window. And I am certain
that our circumstances are just a small part of what makes us joyful. If we wait
for them to get just right, we will never find lasting joy.
The
pursuit of happiness is an inward journey. Our minds are like programs,
awaiting the code that will determine behaviors; like bank vaults awaiting our
deposits. If we regularly deposit positive, encouraging, and uplifting thoughts,
if we continue to bite our lips just before we begin to grumble and complain,
if we shoot down that seemingly harmless negative thought as it germinates, we
will find that there is much to rejoice about.
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GENEROSITY
Mahatma Gandhi went from city to
city, village to village collecting funds for the Charkha Sangh. During one of
his tours he addressed a meeting in Orissa. After his speech a poor old woman
got up. She was bent with age, her hair was grey and her clothes were in
tatters. The volunteers tried to stop her, but she fought her way to the place
where Gandhiji was sitting. "I must see him," she insisted and going up to
Gandhiji touched his feet. Then from the folds of her sari she brought out a
copper coin and placed it at his feet. Gandhiji picked up the copper coin and
put it away carefully. The Charkha Sangh funds were under the charge of Jamnalal
Bajaj. He asked Gandhiji for the coin but Gandhiji refused. "I keep cheques
worth thousands of rupees for the Charkha Sangh," Jamnalal Bajaj said laughingly
"yet you won't trust me with a copper coin." "This copper coin is worth much
more than those thousands," Gandhiji said. "If a man has several lakhs and he
gives away a thousand or two, it doesn't mean much. But this coin was perhaps
all that the poor woman possessed. She gave me all she had. That was very
generous of her. What a great sacrifice she made. That is why I value this
copper coin more than a crore of rupees."
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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
and answers to our prayers
because they are not
packaged as we expected?
TODAY'S's affirmation: "Today
I look beyond the obvious and allow miracles to be created in my life."
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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
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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.
God whispers in our souls and speaks
to our hearts. Sometimes when we don't have time to listen, He has to throw a
brick at us. It's our choice: Listen to the whisper ... or wait for the brick!
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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 !
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In
ancient times, a king had a boulder placed on a roadway. Then he hid himself and
watched to see if anyone would remove the huge rock. Some of the king's
wealthiest merchants and courtiers came by and simply walked around it.
Many
loudly blamed the king for not keeping the roads clear, but none did anything
about getting the big stone out of the way. Then a peasant came along carrying a
load of vegetables. On approaching the boulder, the peasant laid down his burden
and tried to move the stone to the side of the road. After much pushing and
straining, he finally succeeded. As the peasant picked up his load of
vegetables, he noticed a purse lying in the road where the boulder had been. The
purse contained many gold coins and a note from the king indicating that the
gold was for the person who removed the boulder from the roadway. The peasant
learned what many others never understand.
Every obstacle presents an opportunity to improve one's condition.
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Value
A
well known speaker started off his seminar by holding up a $20 bill. In the room
of 200, he asked, "Who would like this $20 bill?"
Hands
started going up.
He
said, "I am going to give this $20 to one of you but first, let me do this." He
proceeded to crumple the dollar bill up.
He
then asked, "Who still wants it?"
Still
the hands were up in the air.
"Well," he replied, "What if I do this?" And he dropped it on the ground and
started to grind it into the floor with his shoe.
He
picked it up, now all crumpled and dirty. "Now who still wants it?" Still the
hands went into the air.
"My
friends, you have all learned a very valuable lesson. No matter what I did to
the money, you still wanted it because it did not decrease in value. It was
still worth $20.
Many
times in our lives, we are dropped, crumpled, and ground into the dirt by the
decisions we make and the circumstances that come our way.
We
feel as though we are worthless. But no matter what has happened or what will
happen, you will never lose your value. You are special - Don't ever forget it!
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The Quiz : You don't actually
have to take the quiz.
Just read straight
through, and you'll get the point, an awesome one. .....
Take this quiz:
1. Name the five wealthiest people
in the world.
2. Name the last five He-is-man trophy
winners.
3. Name the last five winners of the
Miss America contest.
4. Name ten people who have won the
Nobel or Pulitzer Prize.
5. Name the last half dozen Academy
Award winners for best actor actress.
6. Name the last decade's worth of
World Series winners.
How did you do?
The point is, none of us remember
the headliners of yesterday. These are
no second-rate achievers. They are
the best in their fields.
But the applause dies. Awards
tarnish. Achievements are forgotten.
Accolades and certificates are
buried with their owners.
Here's another quiz. See how you do
on this one:
1. List a few teachers who aided
your journey through school.
2. Name three friends who have
helped you through a difficult time.
3. Name five people who have taught
you something worthwhile.
4. Think of a few people who have
made you feel, appreciated and special.
5. Think of five people you enjoy
spending time with.
6. Name half a dozen heroes whose
stories have inspired you. Easier?
The lesson: The people who make a
difference in your life are not
the ones with the most credentials,
the most money, or the most awards. They are the ones that care.
Pass this on to those people who
have made a difference in your life.
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Life Still Has A
Meaning
If there is a future there is time
for mending-
Time to see your troubles coming to an ending.
Life is never hopeless however great your sorrow-
If you're looking forward to a new tomorrow.
If there is time for wishing then there is time for hoping-
When through doubt and darkness you are blindly groping.
Though the heart be heavy and hurt you may be feeling-
If there is time for praying there is time for healing.
So if through your window there is a new day breaking-
Thank God for the promise, though mind and soul be aching,
If with harvest over there is grain enough for gleaning-
There is a new tomorrow and life still has meaning.
~
Author unknown~
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THE 4
WIVES
There was a rich merchant who had 4
wives. He loved the 4th wife the most and adorned her with rich robes and
treated her to delicacies. He took great care of her and gave her nothing but
the best.
He also loved the 3rd wife very
much. He's very proud of her and always wanted to show off her to his friends.
However, the merchant is always in great fear that she might run away with some
other men.
He too, loved his 2nd wife. She is a
very considerate person, always patient and in fact is the merchant's
confidante. Whenever the merchant faced some problems, he always turned to his
2nd wife and she would always help him out and tide him through difficult times.
Now, the merchant's 1st wife is a
very loyal partner and has made great contributions in maintaining his wealth
and business as well as taking care of the household. However, the merchant did
not love the first wife and although she loved him deeply, he hardly took notice
of her.
One day, the merchant fell ill.
Before long, he knew that he was going to die soon. He thought of his luxurious
life and told himself, "Now I have 4 wives with me. But when I die, I'll be
alone. How lonely I'll be!"
Thus, he asked the 4th wife, "I
loved you most, endowed you with the finest clothing and showered great care
over you. Now that I'm dying, will you follow me and keep me company?" "No way!"
replied the 4th wife and she walked away without another word.
The answer cut like a sharp knife
right into the merchant's heart. The sad merchant then asked the 3rd wife, "I
have loved you so much for all my life. Now that I'm dying, will you follow me
and keep me company?" "No!" replied the 3rd wife. "Life is so good over here!
I'm going to remarry when you die!" The merchant's heart sank and turned cold.
He then asked the 2nd wife, "I
always turned to you for help and you've always helped me out. Now I need your
help again. When I die, will you follow me and keep me company?" "I'm sorry, I
can't help you out this time!" replied the 2nd wife. "At the very most, I can
only send you to your grave." The answer came like a bolt of thunder and the
merchant was devastated.
Then a voice called out : "I'll
leave with you. I'll follow you no matter where you go." The merchant looked up
and there was his first wife. She was so skinny, almost like she suffered from
malnutrition. Greatly grieved, the merchant said, "I should have taken much
better care of you while I could have !"
Actually, we all have 4 wives in our
lives
a. The 4th wife is our body. No
matter how much time and effort we lavish in making it look good, it'll leave us
when we die.
b. Our 3rd wife ? Our possessions,
status and wealth. When we die, they all go to others.
c. The 2nd wife is our family and
friends. No matter how close they had been there for us when we're alive, the
furthest they can stay by us is up to the grave.
d. The 1st wife is in fact our soul,
often neglected in our pursuit of material, wealth and sensual pleasure.
Guess what? It is actually the only
thing that follows us wherever we go. Perhaps it's a good idea to cultivate and
strengthen it now rather than to wait until we're on our deathbed to lament
.
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PUPPIES FOR SALE
A farmer had some puppies he needed
to sell. He painted a sign advertising the pups and set about Nailing it to a
post on the edge of his yard. As he was driving the last nail into the post, he
Felt a tug on his overalls. He looked down into the Eyes of a little boy.
Mister," he said, "I want to buy one of your puppies."
"Well," said the farmer, as he rubbed the sweat off the back of his neck, "these
puppies come from fine parents and cost a good deal of money."
The boy dropped his head for a moment. Then reaching deep into his pocket, he
pulled out a handful of change and held it up to the farmer. "I've got
thirty-nine cents. Is that enough to take a look?"
"Sure," said the farmer.
And with that he let out a whistle, "Here, Dolly!" he called.
Out from the doghouse and down the ramp ran Dolly followed by four little balls
of fur. The little boy pressed his face against the chain link fence. His eyes
danced with delight.
As the dogs made their way to the
fence, the little boy noticed something else stirring inside the doghouse.
Slowly another little ball appeared; this One noticeably smaller. Down the ramp
it slid. Then in a somewhat awkward manner the little pup began hobbling toward
the others, doing its best to catch up....
"I want that one," the little boy said, pointing to the runt.
The farmer knelt down at the boy's side and said, "Son, you don't want that
puppy. He will never be able to run and play with you like these other dogs
would."
With that the little boy stepped back from the fence, reached down, and began
rolling up one leg of his trousers. In doing so he revealed a steel brace
running down both sides of his leg attaching itself To a specially made shoe.
Looking back up at the farmer, he said, "You see sir, I don't run too well
myself, and he will need Someone who understands."
The world is full of people who need
someone who understands.
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A Box Full of Kisses
The
story goes that some time ago, a man punished his 3-year-old daughter for
wasting a roll of gold wrapping paper. Money was tight and he became infuriated
when the child tried to decorate a box to put under the Christmas tree.
Nevertheless, the little girl brought the gift to her father the next morning
and said, "This is for you, Daddy."
The man was embarrassed by his earlier overreaction, but his anger flared again
when he found out the box was empty. He yelled at her, stating, "Don't you know,
when you give someone a present, there is supposed to be something inside? The
little girl looked up at him with tears in her eyes and cried, "Oh, Daddy, it's
not empty at all. I blew kisses into the box. They're all for you, Daddy."
The father was crushed. He put his arms around his little girl, and he begged
for her forgiveness.
Only a short time later, an accident took the life of the child. It is also told
that her father kept that gold box by his bed for many years and, whenever he
was discouraged, he would take out an imaginary kiss and remember the love of
the child who had put it there.
In a very real sense, each one of us, as humans beings, have been given a gold
container filled with unconditional love and kisses... from our children, family
members, friends, and God. There is simply no other possession, anyone could
hold, more precious than this.
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The
Wooden Bowl
A frail old man went to live with
his son, daughter-in-law, and a four-year old grandson. The old man's hands
trembled, his eyesight was blurred, and his step faltered. The family ate
together nightly at the dinner table. But the elderly grandfather's shaky hands
and failing sight made eating rather difficult. Peas rolled off his spoon onto
the floor. When he grasped the glass often milk spilled on the tablecloth. The
son and daughter-in-law became irritated with the mess. "We must do something
about grandfather," said the son. I've had enough of his spilled milk, noisy
eating, and food on the floor. So the husband and wife set a small table in the
corner. There, grandfather ate alone while the rest of the family enjoyed dinner
at the dinner table. Since grandfather had broken a dish or two, his food was
served in a wooden bowl. Sometimes when the family glanced in grandfather's
direction, he had a tear in his eye as he ate alone. Still, the only words the
couple had for him were sharp admonitions when he dropped a fork or spilled
food. The four-year-old watched it all in silence.
One evening before supper, the
father noticed his son playing with wood scraps on the floor. He asked the child
sweetly, "What are you making?" Just as sweetly, the boy responded, "Oh, I am
making a little bowl for you and mama to eat your food from when I grow up." The
four-year-old smiled and went back to work. The words so struck the parents that
they were speechless. Then tears started to stream down their cheeks. Though no
word was spoken, both knew what must be done. That evening the husband took
grandfather's hand and gently led him back to the family table.
For the remainder of his days he ate
every meal with the family. And for some reason, neither husband nor wife seemed
to care any longer when a fork was dropped, milk spilled, or the tablecloth
soiled. Children are remarkably perceptive. Their eyes ever observe, their ears
ever listen, and their minds ever process the messages they absorb. If they see
us patiently provide a happy home atmosphere for family members, they will
imitate that attitude for the rest of their lives. The wise parent realizes that
every day that building blocks are being laid for the child's future.
Let us all be wise builders and role
models. Take care of yourself, ... and those you love, ... today, and everyday!
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Trees
That Wood
Once there were three trees on a
hill in the woods. They were discussing their hopes and dreams when the first
tree said, "Someday I hope to be a treasure chest. I could be filled with gold,
silver and precious gems. I could be decorated with intricate carving and
everyone would see the beauty."
Then the second tree said, "Someday
I will be a mighty ship. I will take kings and queens across the waters and sail
to the corners of the world. Everyone will feel safe in me because of the
strength of my hull."
Finally the third tree said, "I want
to grow to be the tallest and straightest tree in the forest. People will see me
on top of the hill and look up to my branches, and think of the heavens and God
and how close to them I am reaching. I will be the greatest tree of all time and
people will always remember me."
After a few years of praying that
their dreams would come true, a group of woodsmen came upon the trees. When one
came to the first tree he said, "This looks like a strong tree, I think I should
be able to sell the wood to a carpenter" ... and he began cutting it down. The
tree was happy, because he knew that the carpenter would make him into a
treasure chest.
At the second tree a woodsman said,
"This looks like a strong tree, I should be able to sell it to the shipyard."
The second tree was happy because he knew he was on his way to becoming a mighty
ship.
When the woodsmen came upon the
third tree, the tree was frightened because he knew that if they cut him down
his dreams would not come true. One of the woodsmen said, "I don't need anything
special from my tree so I'll take this one", and he cut it down.
When the first tree arrived at the
carpenters, he was made into a feed box for animals. He was then placed in a
barn and filled with hay. This was not at all what he had prayed for. The second
tree was cut and made into a small fishing boat. His dreams of being a mighty
ship and carrying kings had come to an end. The third tree was cut into large
pieces and left alone in the dark. The years went by, and the trees forgot about
their dreams.
Then one day, a man and woman came
to the barn. She gave birth and they placed the baby in the hay in the feed box
that was made from the first tree. The man wished that he could have made a crib
for the baby, but this manger would have to do. The tree could feel the
importance of this event and knew that it had held the greatest treasure of all
time. Years later, a group of men got in the fishing boat made from the second
tree. One of them was tired and went to sleep. While they were out on the water,
a great storm arose and the tree didn't think it was strong enough to keep the
men safe. The men woke the sleeping man, and he stood and said "Peace" and the
storm stopped. At this time, the tree knew that it had carried the King of Kings
in its boat.
Finally, someone came and got the
third tree. It was carried through the streets as the people mocked the man who
was carrying it. When they came to a stop, the man was nailed to the tree and
raised in the air to die at the top of a hill. When Sunday came, the tree came
to realize that it was strong enough to stand at the top of the hill and be as
close to God as was possible, because Jesus had been crucified on it.
The moral of this story is that when
things don't seem to be going your way, always know that God has a plan for you.
If you place your trust in Him, He will give you great gifts. Each of the trees
got what they wanted, just not in the way they had imagined. We don't always
know what God's plans are for us. We just know that His ways are not our ways,
but His ways are always best.
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Two
frogs
A group of frogs
were traveling through the woods, and two of them
fell into a deep pit. When the other frogs saw how deep the pit
was, they told the two frogs that they were as good as dead. The
two frogs ignored the comments and tried to jump up out of the pit
with all their might. The other frogs kept telling them to stop,
that they were as good as dead. Finally, one of the frogs took
heed to what the other frogs were saying and gave up. He fell down
and died.
The other frog continued to jump as hard as he could. Once again,
the crowd of frogs yelled at him to stop the pain and just die. He
jumped even harder and finally made it out. When he got out, the
other frogs said, "Did you not hear us?" The frog explained to
them that he was deaf. He thought they were encouraging him the
entire time.
This story teaches two lessons:
1. There is power of life and death in the tongue. An encouraging
word to someone who is down can lift them up and help them make it
through the day.
2. A destructive word to someone who is down can be what it takes
to kill them.
Be careful of what you say. Speak life to those who cross your
path. The power of words... it is sometimes hard to understand
that an encouraging word can go such a long way. Anyone can speak
words that tend to rob another of the spirit to continue in
difficult times. Special is the individual who will take the time
to encourage another.
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Mountain Story
"A son and his
father were walking on the mountains.
Suddenly, his son falls, hurts himself and screams: "AAAhhhhhhhhhhh!!!"
To his surprise, he hears the voice repeating, somewhere in the mountain: "AAAhhhhhhhhhhh!!!"
Curious, he yells: "Who are you?"
He receives the answer: "Who are you?"
And then he screams to the mountain: "I admire you!"
The voice answers: "I admire you!"
Angered at the response, he screams: "Coward!"
He receives the answer: "Coward!"
He looks to his father and asks: "What's going on?"
The father smiles and says: "My son, pay attention."
Again the man screams: "You are a champion!"
The voice answers: "You are a champion!"
The boy is surprised, but does not understand.
Then the father explains: "People call this ECHO, but really this is LIFE.
It gives you back everything you say or do.
Our life is simply a reflection of our actions.
If you want more love in the world, create more love in your heart.
If you want more competence in your team, improve your competence.
This relationship applies to everything, in all aspects of life;
Life will give you back everything you have given to it."
YOUR LIFE IS NOT
A COINCIDENCE. IT'S A REFLECTION OF YOU!"
-- Unknown Author
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