This Will Make Your Day..

A nurse on the pediatric ward, before listening to the little ones chests, would plug the stethoscope into their ears and let them listen to their own hearts. Their eyes would always light up with awe, but she never got a response equal to four-year old David's comment.

Gently she tucked the stethoscope into his ears and placed the disk over his heart. 'Listen', she said...........'What do you suppose that is?'

He drew his eyebrows together in a puzzled line and looked up as if lost in the mystery of the strange tap – tap – tapping deep in his chest.

Then his face broke out in a wondrous grin and he asked, 'Is that Jesus knocking on my door?'

The Two Wolves One evening an old Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people. He said, 'My son, inside us all is a battle going on between two great wolves.'  One is Evil. It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret , greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.  The other is Good. It is joy, peace , love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith. The grandson thought about it for a while... And then he asked his grandfather...  'Which wolf wins?' The old Cherokee replied softly, 'The one you feed .'

---

9-17-08

What Goes Around----

 

Cherokee Indian Legend .  Cherokee Indian youth's rite of passage? His father takes him into the forest, blindfolds him and leaves him alone. He is required to sit on a stump the whole night and not remove the blindfold until the rays of the morning sun shine through it. He cannot cry out for help to anyone. Once he survives the night, he is a MAN. He cannot tell the other boys of this experience, because each lad must come into manhood on his own. The boy is naturally terrified. He can hear all kinds of noises. Wild beasts must surely be all around him. Maybe even some human might do him harm. The wind blows the grass and earth, and shakes his stump, but he sits stoically, never removing the blindfold. It is the only way he can become a man! Finally, after a horrific night the sunrays warm him and he removes his blindfold. It is then that he discovers his father sitting on the stump next to him. He has been at watch the entire night, protecting his son from harm. We, too, are never alone. Even when we don't know it, our Heavenly Father is watching over us, sitting on the stump beside us. When trouble comes, all we have to do is reach out to Him.

One day I hopped in a taxi and we took off for the airport. We were driving in the right lane when suddenly a black car jumped out of a parking space right in front of us. My taxi driver slammed on his breaks, skidded, and missed the other car by just inches! The driver of the other car whipped his head around and started yelling at us. My taxi driver just smiled and waved at the guy. And I mean, he was really friendly.

So I asked, "Why did you just do that? This guy almost ruined your car and sent us to the hospital!" This is when my taxi driver taught me what I now call, "The Law of the Garbage Truck."

He explained that many people are like garbage trucks. They run around full of garbage, full of frustration, full of anger, and full of disappointment. As their garbage piles up, they need a place to dump it and sometimes they'll dump it on you. Don't take it personally. Just smile, wave, wish them well, and move on. Don't take their garbage and spread it to other people at work, at home, or on the streets.

The bottom line is that successful people do not let garbage trucks take over their day. Life's too short to wake up in the morning with regrets, so..... "Love the people who treat you right. Pray for the ones who don't."

October 2007

Lucky and His Dog:

Mary and her husband Jim had a dog, Lucky. Lucky was a real character. Whenever Mary and Jim had company come for a weekend visit they would warn their friends to not leave their luggage open because Lucky would help himself to whatever struck his fancy.

Inevitably, someone would forget and something would come up missing. Mary or Jim would go to Lucky's toy box in the basement and there the treasure would be, amid all of Lucky's favorite toys. Lucky always stashed his finds in his toy box and he was very particular that his toys stay in the box.

It happened that Mary found out she had breast cancer. Something told her she was going to die of this disease, she was just sure it was fatal. She scheduled the double mastectomy, fear riding her shoulders.

The night before she was to go to the hospital she cuddled with Lucky. A thought struck her...what would happen to Lucky? Although the three-year-old dog liked Jim, he was Mary's dog through and through. If I die, Lucky will be abandoned, Mary thought. He won't understand that I didn't want to leave him. The thought made her sadder than thinking of her own death.

The double mastectomy was harder on Mary than her doctors had anticipated and Mary was hospitalized for over two weeks. Jim took Lucky for his evening walk faithfully, but the little dog just drooped, whining and miserable.

Finally the day came for Mary to leave the hospital. When she arrived home, Mary was so exhausted she couldn't even make it up the steps to her bedroom. Jim made his wife comfortable on the couch and left her to nap.

Lucky stood watching Mary but he didn't come to her when she called. It made Mary sad but sleep soon overcame her and she dozed. When Mary woke for a second she couldn't understand what was wrong. She couldn't move her head and her body felt heavy and hot. But panic soon gave way to laughter when Mary realized the problem. She was covered, literally blanketed, with every treasure Lucky owned!

While she had slept, the sorrowing dog had made trip after trip to the basement bringing his beloved mistress all his favorite things in life. He had covered her with his love.

Mary forgot about dying. Instead she and Lucky began living again, walking further and further together every night.

It's been 12 years now and Mary is still cancer-free. Lucky? He still steals treasures and stashes them in his toy box but Mary remains his greatest treasure.

Live everyday to the fullest. Remember it is a blessing from God.

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.

"Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle."

"We are not human beings having a spiritual experience. We are spiritual beings having a human experience."

WHEN YOUR HUT'S ON FIRE

The only survivor of a shipwreck was washed up on a small, uninhabited island. He prayed feverishly for God to rescue him. Everyday he scanned the horizon for help, but none seemed forthcoming. Exhausted, he eventually managed to build a little hut out of driftwood to protect him from the elements, and to store his few possessions.

One day, after scavenging for food, he arrived home to find his little hut in flames, with smoke rolling up to the sky. He felt the worst had happened, and everything was lost. He was stunned with disbelief, grief, and anger He cried out, "God! How could you do this to me?"

Early the next day, he was awakened by the sound of a ship approaching the island! It had come to rescue him! "How did you know I was here?," asked the weary man of his rescuers. "We saw your smoke signal," they replied.

The Moral of This Story: It's easy to get discouraged when things are going bad, but we shouldn't lose heart, because God is at work in our lives.... even in the midst of our pain and suffering. Remember that the next time your little hut seems to be burning to the ground. It just may be a smoke signal that summons the Grace of God.

P

Shoes In Church

I showered and shaved, I adjusted my tie.

I got there and sat in a pew just in time.

Bowing my head in prayer, as I closed my eyes,

I saw the shoe of the man next to me touching my own. I sighed.

With plenty of room on either side I thought, "Why must our soles touch?"

It bothered me, his shoe touching mine, but it did not bother him much.

A prayer began "Our Father". I thought, "This man with the shoes has no pride.

They are dusty, worn, and scratched. Even worse, there are holes on the side!"

"Thank You for blessings," the prayer went on. The shoe man said a quiet "Amen."

I tried to focus on the prayer but my thoughts were on his shoes again.

Aren't we supposed to look our best when walking through that door?

"Well, this certainly isn't it," I thought, Glancing toward the floor.

Then the prayer was ended and the songs of praise began.

The shoe man was certainly loud, sounding proud as he sang.

His voice lifted the rafters. His hands were raised high.

The Lord could surely hear the shoe man's voice from the sky.

It was time for the offering and what I threw in was steep.

I watched as the shoe man reached into his pockets so deep.

I saw what was pulled out what the shoe man put in.

Then I heard a soft "clink" as when silver hits tin.

The sermon really bored me to tears, and that's no lie.

It was the same for the shoe man for tears fell from his eyes.

At the end of the service as is the custom here.

We must greet new visitors and show them all good cheer. 

But I felt moved somehow and wanted to meet the shoe man.

So after the closing prayer I reached over and shook his hand. 

He was old, his skin was dark, and his hair was truly a mess.

But I thanked him for coming, for being our guest.

 He said, "My names' Charlie I'm glad to meet you, my friend."

There were tears in his eyes but he had a large, wide grin.

"Let me explain," he said. Wiping tears from his eyes.

"I've been coming here for months and you're the first to say 'Hi.'"

"I know that my appearance "Is not like all the rest.

But I really do try "To always look my best."

"I always clean and polish my shoes before my very long walk.”

"But by the time I get here they’re dirty and dusty, like chalk."

My heart filled with pain and I swallowed to hide my tears.

As he continued to apologize for daring to sit so near.

He said, "When I get here "I know I must look a sight.

But I thought if I could touch you then maybe our souls might unite."

I was silent for a moment. Knowing whatever was said

Would pale in comparison I spoke from my heart, not my head.

Oh, you've touched me," I said "And taught me, in part;

"That the best of any man.” Is what is found in his heart."

The rest, I thought, this shoe man will never know.

 Like just how thankful I really am that his dirty old shoe touched my soul.

He could hear the crowds screaming "crucify" "crucify

He could hear the hatred in their voices,

These were His chosen people.

He loved them, And they were going to crucify Him.

He was beaten, bleeding and weakened...His heart was broken,

But still He walked.

He could see the crowd as He came from the palace.

He knew each of their faces so well.

He had created them.

He knew every smile, laugh, and shed tear,

But now they were contorted with rage and anger...His heart broke,

But still He walked.

Was he scared?

You and I would have been,

So His humanness would have mandated that He was. He felt alone.

His disciples had left, denied, and even betrayed Him.

He searched the crowd for a loving face and He saw very few.

Then He turned His eyes to the only one that mattered

And He knew that He would never be alone.

He looked back at the crowd, at the people who were spitting

At Him, throwing rocks at Him and mocking Him and He knew

That because of Him, they would never be alone.

So for them, He walked.

The sounds of the hammer striking the spikes echoed through

The crowd. The sounds of His cries echoed even louder,

The cheers of the crowd, as His hands and feet

Were nailed to the cross, intensified with each blow.

Loudest of all was the still small voice inside His

Heart that whispered "I am with you, my Son",

And God's heart broke.

He had let His Son walk.

Jesus could have asked God to end His suffering,

But instead He asked God to forgive.

Not to forgive Him, but to forgive the ones who were persecuting Him.

As He hung on that cross, dying an unimaginable death,

He looked out and saw, not only the faces in the crowd,

But also, the face of every person yet to be,

And His heart filled with love.

As His body was dying, His heart was alive.

Alive with the limitless, unconditional love He feels for each of us.

That is why He walked.

When I forget how much My God loves me,

 I remember His walk.

When I wonder if I can be forgiven,

 I remember His walk.

When I need reminding of how to live like Christ,

 I think of His walk.

And to show Him how much I love Him,

 I wake up each morning, turn my eyes to Jesus,

 And I walk.

Author Unknown

 

 

How Hot and Dry is Oklahoma?

The Baptists have started sprinkling,

       The Methodists are using a wet wash cloth,

       The Presbyterians are giving rain checks and,

       The Catholics are turning wine back in to water.

       Now friends, that is DRY.

DO IT ANYWAY

             People are often unreasonable, illogical,
        and self-centered;
        Forgive them anyway. 

        If you are kind, People may accuse you
       of selfish, ulterior motives;
        Be kind anyway. 

        If you are successful, you will win some
        false friends and some true enemies;
        Succeed anyway. 

        If  you are honest and frank,
        people may cheat you;
        Be honest and frank anyway. 

        What you spend years building, someone
        could destroy overnight;
        Build anyway. 

        If you find serenity and happiness,
        they may be jealous;
        Be happy anyway. 

       The good you do today,
        people will often forget tomorrow;
        Do good anyway. 

        Give the world the best you have,
        and it may never be enough;
        Give the world the best you've got anyway. 

        You see, in the final analysis,
        it is between you and God;
        It was never between you and them anyway 

6-21-06

6-14-06

The Clay Balls