> Things My Mother Taught Me: 
 
My mother taught me TO APPRECIATE A JOB WELL DONE - "If you're going 
> to kill each other, do it outside - I just finished cleaning!" 
 
> My mother taught me RELIGION - "You better pray that will come out of 
> the carpet." 
 
> My mother taught me about TIME TRAVEL: "If you don't straighten up, 
> I'm going to knock you into the middle of next week!" 
 
> My mother taught me LOGIC: "Because I said so, that's why." 
 
> My mother taught me FORESIGHT - "Make sure you wear clean underwear, 
> in case you're in an accident." 
 
> My mother taught me IRONY - "Keep crying and I'll *give* you 
> something to cry about." 
 
> My mother taught me about the science of OSMOSIS - "Shut your mouth 
> and eat your supper!" 
 
> My mother taught me about CONTORTIONISM - "Will you *look* at the 
> dirt on the back of your neck!" 
 
> My mother taught me about STAMINA - "You'll sit there 'til all that 
> spinach is finished." 
 
> My mother taught me about WEATHER - "It looks as if a tornado swept 
> through your room." 
 
> My mother taught me how to solve PHYSICS PROBLEMS - "If I yelled 
> because I saw a meteor coming toward you; would you listen then?" 
 
> My mother taught me about HYPOCRISY - "If I've told you once, I've 
> told you a million times - Don't Exaggerate!!!" 
 
> My mother taught me THE CIRCLE OF LIFE - "I brought you into this 
> world, and I can take you out." 
 
> My mother taught me about BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION - "Stop acting like 
> your father!" 
 
> My mother taught me about ENVY - "There are millions of less fortunate 
> children in this world who don't have wonderful parents like you do!" 
> THANKS, MOM 

**********************************************

I've Learned With Age

I've learned.....
I've learned that I like my teacher because
she cries when we sing "Silent Night".......
Age 6
I've learned that our dog doesn't
want to eat my broccoli either.
Age 7
I've learned that when I wave to people in the country,
they stop what they are doing and wave back.
Age 9
I've learned that just when I get my room the way I like it,
Mom makes me clean it up again.
Age 12
I've learned that if you want to cheer yourself up,
you should try cheering someone else up.
Age 14
I've learned that although it's hard to admit it,
I'm secretly glad my parents are strict with me.
Age 15
I've learned that silent company is often
more healing than words of advice.
Age 24
I've learned that brushing my child's hair
is one of life's great pleasures.
Age 26
I've learned that wherever I go,
the world's worst drivers have followed me there.
Age 29
I've learned that if someone says something unkind about me,
I must live so that no one will believe it.
Age 39
I've learned that there are people who love you dearly
but just don't know how to show it.
Age 42
I've learned that you can make some one's day
by simply sending them a little note.
Age 44
I've learned that the greater a person's sense of guilt,
the greater his or her need to cast blame on others.
Age 46
I've learned that children and grandparents
are natural allies.
Age 47
I've learned that no matter what happens,
or how bad it seems today, life does go on,
and it will be better tomorrow.
Age 48
I've learned that singing "Amazing Grace"
can lift my spirits for hours.
Age 49
I've learned that motel mattresses are better
on the side away from the phone.
Age 50
I've learned that you can tell a lot about a man
with: a rainy day, lost luggage,
and tangled Christmas tree lights.
Age 52
I've learned that keeping a vegetable garden
is worth a medicine cabinet full of pills.
Age 52
I've learned that regardless of your
relationship with your parents,
you miss them terribly after they die.
Age 53
I've learned that making a living is not
the same thing as making a life.
Age 58
I've learned that if you want to do something positive
for your children, work to improve your marriage.
Age 61
I've learned that life sometimes gives you a second chance.
Age 62
I've learned that you shouldn't go through life with
a catchers mitt on both hands.
You need to be able to throw something back.
Age 64
I've learned that if you pursue happiness, it will elude you.
But if you focus on your family, the needs of others,
your work, meeting new people, and doing the very best you can,
happiness will find you.
Age 65
I've learned that whenever I decide something with kindness,
I usually make the right decision.
Age 66
I've learned that everyone can use a prayer.
Age 72
I've learned that it pays to believe in miracles.
And to tell the truth, I've seen several.
Age 75
I've learned that even when I have pains, I don't have to be
one.
Age 82
I've learned that every day you should reach out
and touch someone.
People love that human touch - holding hands, a warm hug, or
just a friendly pat on the back.
Age 85
I've learned that I still have a lot to learn.
Age 92
I've learned that you should pass
this on to someone you care about.
Sometimes they just need a little
something to make them smile.
Ageless.
**********************************************************************

People come into your life for a reason, a season, or a lifetime. When you
figure out which it is, you know exactly what to do.

REASON
When someone is in your life for a REASON, it is usually to meet a need you
have expressed outwardly or inwardly. They have come to assist you through a
difficulty, to provide you with guidance and support, to aid you physically,
emotionally, or spiritually. They may seem like a godsend, and they are.  They
are there for the reason you need them to be.

Then, without any wrong doing on your part or at an inconvenient time, this
person will say or do something to bring the relationship to an end. Sometimes
they die. Sometimes they walk away.  Sometimes they act up or out and force
you to take a stand. What we must realize is that our need has been met, our desire fulfilled; their work is done. The prayer you sent up has been answered and it is now time to move on.

SEASON
When people come into your life for a SEASON, it is because your turn has come
to share, grow, or learn.  They may bring you an experience, a peace, or make
you laugh. They may teach you something you have never done. They usually give
you an unbelievable amount of joy.  Believe it!  It is real! But, only for a season.

LIFETIME
LIFETIME relationships teach you lifetime lessons; those things you must build
upon in order to have a solid emotional foundation.  Your job is to accept the
lesson, love the person/people anyway); and put what you have learned to use in all other relationships and areas of your life. It is said that love is blind but friendship is clairvoyant.


**********************************************************************
My First Christmas In Heaven 
I see the countless Christmas trees around the world below 
With tiny lights, like Heaven's stars, reflecting on the snow 
The sight is so spectacular, please wipe away the tear 
For I am spending Christmas with Jesus Christ this year. 
I hear the many Christmas songs that people hold so dear 
But the sounds of music can't compare with the Christmas choir up here. 
I have no words to tell you, the joy their voices bring, 
For it is beyond description, to hear the angels sing. 
I know how much you miss me, I see the pain inside your heart 
But I am not so far away, We really aren't apart. 
So be happy for me, dear ones, You know I hold you dear. 
And be glad I'm spending Christmas with Jesus Christ this year. 
I sent you each a special gift, from my heavenly home above. 
I sent you each a memory of my undying love. 
After all, love is a gift more precious than pure gold. 
It was always most important in the stories Jesus told. 
Please love and keep each other, as my Father said to do. 
For I can't count the blessing or love he has for each of you. 
So have a Merry Christmas and wipe away that tear 
Remember, I am spending Christmas with Jesus Christ this year. 
------ 
This poem was written by a 13 year old boy who died of a brain tumor 
that he had battled four years. He died on December 14, 1997. He gave this to his mom before he died. His name was Ben. 
**********************************************************************
Since a very long time ago, people have searched for the meaning of
love.
But even the great philosophers, with their profound definitions, could
not fully touch its true essence.
In a survey of 4-8 year olds, kids share their views on love. But what
do little kids know about love? Read on and realize their young and
innocent minds, kids already have a simple but deep grasp of that
four-letter word.
===========================
Love is that first feeling you feel before all the bad stuff gets in the
way.
When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn't bend over and paint her
toenails anymore. So my grandfather does it for her all the time, even
when his hands got arthritis too. That's love.
When someone loves you, the way she says your name is different. You
know that your name is safe in her mouth.
If life is 'A,' love is the whole alphabet.
God could have said magic words to make the nails fall off the cross,
but He didn't. That's love.
Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on shaving cologne
and they go out and smell each other.
Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your French
fries without making them give you any of theirs.
Love is what makes you smile when you're tired.
Love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip
before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is OK.
Love is when you kiss all the time. Then when you get tired of kissing,
you still want to be together and you talk more. My mommy and daddy are
like that. They look gross when they kiss but they look happy and
sometimes they dance in the kitchen while kissing.
Love is what's in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening
presents for a minute and look around.
If you want to learn to love better, you should start with a friend who
hates you.
There are 2 kinds of love. Our love. God's love. But God makes both
kinds of them.
Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt, then he wears it
everyday.
Love comes from people's hearts, but God made hearts.
During my piano recital, I was on a stage and scared. I looked at all
the people watching me and saw my daddy waving and smiling. He was the
only one doing that. I wasn't scared anymore.
My mommy loves me more than anybody. You don't see anyone else kissing
me to sleep at night.
Love is when mommy gives daddy the best piece of chicken.
Love is when mommy sees daddy smelly and sweaty and still says he is
handsomer than Robert Redford.
If you want somebody to love you, then just be yourself. Some people try
to act like somebody else, somebody the boy likes better. I think the
boy isn't being very good if he does this to you and you should just
find a nicer boy.
Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone
all day.
When you're born and see your mommy for the first time. That's love.
Love goes on even when you stop breathing and you pick up where you left
off when you reach heaven.
My enemies taught me how to love.
I know my older sister loves me because she gives me all her old clothes
and has to go out and buy new ones.
You really shouldn't say 'I love you' unless you mean it. But if you
mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget.
You have to fall in love before you get married. Then when you're
married, you just sit around and read books together.
I let my big sister pick on me because my mom says she only picks on me
because she loves me. So I pick on my baby sister because I love her.
Love cards, like Valentine's cards, say stuff on them that we'd like to
say ourselves, but we wouldn't be caught dead saying.
When you love somebody, your eyelashes go up and down and little stars
come out of you.
Love is when mommy sees daddy on the toilet and she doesn't think it's
gross.
You never have to be lonely. There's always somebody to love, even if
it's just a squirrel or a kitten.
You can break love, but it won't die.
8^)
Thanks, Wayne 
**********************************************************************
Perseverance
This is a story about a skinny young boy who loved football with all his heart.  Practice after practice, he eagerly gave everything he had, but being half the size of the other boys, he got absolutely nowhere.
At all the games, this hopeful athlete sat on the bench and hardly ever played.  This teenager lived alone with his father, and the two of them had a special relationship.  Even though the son was always on the bench, his father was always in the stands cheering.  He never missed a game.
This young man was still the smallest in the class when he entered high school.  But, his father continued to encourage him but also made it very clear that he did not have to play football if he didn't want to. But the young man loved football and decided to hang in there.  He was determined to try his best at every practice, and perhaps he'd get to play when he became a senior.  All through high school he never missed a practice nor a game, but remained a bench warmer all four years.  His faithful father was always in the stands, always with words of encouragement for him.
When the young man went to college, he decided to try out for the
football team as a 'walk-on.'  Everyone was sure he could never make
the cut, but he did.  The coach admitted that he kept him on the roster because he always put his heart and soul into every practice and at the same time provided the other members with the spirit and hustle they badly needed.  The news that he survived the cut thrilled him so much that he rushed to the nearest phone and called his father.  His father shared his excitement and bought season tickets for all the college games.  This persistent young athlete never missed practice during his four years at college, but he never got to play in the game.
It was the end of his senior football season, and as he trotted onto
the practice field shortly before the big play-off game, the coach met him with a telegram.  The young man read the telegram and he became deathly silent.
Swallowing hard, he mumbled to the coach, "My father died this
morning. Is it alright if I miss practice today?"  The coach put his arm gently around his shoulder and said, "Take the rest of the week off, son.  And don't even plan to come back to the game on Saturday."
Saturday arrived, and the game was not going well.  In the third quarter, when the team was ten points behind, a silent young man quietly slipped into the empty locker room and put on his football gear.  As he ran onto the sidelines, the coach and his players were astounded to see their faithful teammate back so soon.  "Coach, please let me play.  I've just got to play today", said the young man.  The coach pretended not to hear him.  There was no way he wanted his worst player in this close play-off game.  But, the young man persisted, and finally feeling sorry for the kid, the coach gave in.  "All right," he said, "You can go in."
Before long the coach, the players, and everyone in the stands could not believe their eyes.  This little unknown, who had never played before, was doing everything right.  The opposing team could not stop him.  He ran, he passed, blocked, and tackled like a star.  His team began to triumph.
The score was soon tied.  In the closing seconds of the game, the
kid intercepted a pass and ran all the way for the winning touchdown.
The fans broke loose.  His teammates hoisted him onto their shoulders.
Such cheering you've never heard!
Finally, after the stands had emptied and the team had showered and
left the locker room, the coach noticed that the young man was sitting quietly in the corner all alone.  The coach came to him and said, "Kid, I can't believe it.  You were fantastic!  Tell me what got into you?  How did you do it?"
He looked at the coach, with tears in his eyes he said, "Well, you know my dad died, but did you know my dad was blind?"  The young man swallowed hard and forced a smile.  "Dad came to all my games, but today was the first time he could see me play, and I wanted to show him I could do it!"
RIGHT NOW:
Somebody is proud of you.
Somebody is thinking of you.
Somebody is caring about you.
Somebody misses you.
Somebody wants to talk to you.
Somebody wants to be with you.
Somebody hopes you are not in trouble.
Somebody is thankful for the support you have provided.
Somebody wants to hold your hand.
Somebody hopes everything turns out all right.
Somebody wants you to be happy.
Somebody wants to hug you.
Somebody thinks you ARE a gift.
Somebody is thinking of you and smiling.
Somebody can't wait to see you.
Somebody loves you for who you are.
Somebody treasures your spirit.
Somebody is glad you are their friend.
Somebody wants to get to know you better.
Somebody wants to share their dreams with you.
Somebody is alive because of you.
Somebody needs your support.
Somebody will cry when they read this.
Somebody needs you to have faith in them.
Somebody hears a song that reminds them of you.
**********************************************************************
THE SENDER TELLS ME THIS IS A TRUE STORY.
(Note: Not sure if it's true but it does inspire!)
His name was Fleming, and he was a poor Scottish farmer.
One day, while trying to make a living for his family, he heard a cry
for
help coming from a nearby bog. He dropped his tools and ran to the bog.
There, mired to his waist in black muck, was a terrified boy, screaming
and struggling to free himself.
Farmer Fleming saved the lad from what could have been a slow and
terrifying death.
The next day, a fancy carriage pulled up to the Scotsman's sparse
surroundings. An
elegantly dressed nobleman stepped out and introduced himself as the
father of the boy Farmer Fleming had saved.
"I want to repay you," said the nobleman. "You saved my son's life."
"No, I can't accept payment for what I did," the Scottish farmer
replied,
waving off the offer. At that moment, the farmer's own son came to the
door of
the family hovel. "Is that your son?" the nobleman asked.
"Yes," the farmer replied proudly. "I'll make you a deal. Let me take
him and give him a good education. If the lad is anything like his
father, he'll grow to a
man you can be proud of."
And that he did. In time, Farmer Fleming's son graduated from St.Mary's
Hospital
Medical School in London, and went on to become known throughout the
world as the noted Sir Alexander Fleming, the discoverer of Penicillin.
Years afterward, the nobleman's son was stricken with pneumonia. What
saved him? Penicillin. The name of the nobleman? Lord Randolph
Churchill. His son's name? Sir Winston Churchill.
Someone once said: What goes around comes around. Work like you don't
need the money. Love like you've never been hurt.
Dance like nobody's watching.
**********************************************************************
This story is about an elementary teacher many years ago.  Her name was Mrs. Thompson.  And as she stood in front of her fifth grade class on the  very first day of school, she told the children a lie.
Like most teachers, she looked at her students and said that she loved them all the same.
But that was impossible, because there in the front row, slumped in his seat, was a little boy named Teddy Stoddard.  
Mrs. Thompson had watched Teddy the year before and noticed that he didn't play well with the other children, that his clothes were messy and that he constantly needed a bath.  And Teddy could be unpleasant.
It got to the point where Mrs.Thompson would actually take delight in
marking his papers with a broad red pen, making bold X's and then putting a big "F" at the top of his papers.
At the school where Mrs.Thompson taught, she was required to review
each child's past records and she put Teddy's off until last.  However, when she reviewed his file, she was in for a surprise.
Teddy's first grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is a bright child with a ready laugh.  He does his work neatly and has good manners...he is a joy to be around."
His second grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is an excellent student, well
liked by his classmates, but he is troubled because his mother has a terminal illness and life at home must be a struggle."
His third grade teacher wrote, "His mother's death has been hard on him.  He tries to do his best, but his father doesn't show much interest and his  home life will soon affect him if some steps aren't taken."
Teddy's fourth grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is withdrawn and doesn't show much interest in school.  He doesn't have many friends and sometimes sleeps in class."
By now, Mrs. Thompson realized the problem and she was ashamed of
herself.
She felt even worse when her students brought her Christmas presents,
wrapped  in beautiful ribbons and bright paper, except for Teddy's. His present was clumsily wrapped in the heavy, brown paper that he got from a grocery bag.  Mrs. Thompson took pains to open it in the middle of the other
presents.  Some of the children started to laugh when she found a rhinestone bracelet with some of the stones missing and a bottle that was one quarter full of perfume.  But she stifled the children's laughter when she exclaimed how pretty the bracelet was. She put it on and dabbed some of the perfume on her wrist.
Teddy Stoddard stayed after school that day just long enough to say,
"Mrs.Thompson, today you smelled just like my Mom used to."
After the children left she cried for at least an hour.  On that very
day, she quit teaching reading, writing, and arithmetic.  Instead, she began to  teach children.
Mrs. Thompson paid particular attention to Teddy.  As she worked with
him, his mind seemed to come alive.  The more she encouraged him, the
faster he responded.  By the end of the year, Teddy had become one of the smartest children in the class, and despite her lie that she would love all the children the same, Teddy became one of her "pets."
A year later, she found a note from Teddy that told her that she was
still the best teacher he ever had in his whole life.
Six years went by before she got another note from Teddy. Then he wrote that he had finished high school, third in his class, and she was still the best teacher he ever had in his whole life.
Four years after that, she got another letter, saying that while things had been tough at times he stayed in school, had stuck with it, and would soon graduate from college with the highest of honors.  He assured Mrs.Thompson that she was still the best and favorite teacher he ever had in his whole life.
Then more years passed and yet another letter came.  This time he
explained that after he got his bachelor's degree, he decided to go a
little further.  The letter explained that she was still the best and
favorite teacher he ever had. But now his name was a little longer. The letter was signed, Theodore F. Stoddard, M.D.
The story doesn't end there.  You see, there was yet another letter
that spring.  Teddy said he'd met this girl and was going to be married.  He explained that his father had died a couple of years ago and he was wondering if Mrs. Thompson might agree to sit in the place at the wedding that was usually reserved for the mother of the groom.
Of course, Mrs. Thompson did.  And guess what?  She wore that bracelet, the one with several rhinestones missing.  And she made sure she was wearing the perfume that Teddy remembered his mother wearing on their last Christmas together.
They hugged each other, and Dr. Stoddard whispered in Mrs. Thompson's
ear, "Thank you, Mrs. Thompson, for believing in me.  Thank you so much for making me feel important and showing me that I could make a difference."
Mrs. Thompson, with tears in her eyes, whispered back.  She said,
"Teddy, you have it all wrong.  You were the one who taught me that I
could make a difference.  I didn't know how to teach until I met you."
Warm someone's heart today.
**********************************************************************
We are living in a time of...
              Taller building, but shorter tempers;
              Wider freeways, but narrower viewpoints;
               Higher incomes, but lower morals;
               More knowledge, but broken homes;
We have...
               Conquered outer-space, but not inner-space;
               Learned to make a living, but not a life;
               Added years to our life, but not life to our years.
We...
              Spend too recklessly;  Drive too fast; Laugh too little;
              Anger too quickly;  Stay up too late;  Get up too tired;
              Read too little;  Watch TV too much;  PRAY TOO SELDOM!
**********************************************************************
The Country Preacher and A Bear 
A country preacher decided to skip services one Sunday and head to the hills to do some bear hunting. As he rounded the corner on a perilous twist in the trail, he and a bear collided, sending him and his rifle tumbling down the mountainside. Before he knew it, his rifle went one way and he went the other, landing on a rock and breaking both legs. 
That was the good news. 
The bad news was the ferocious bear charging at him from a distance, and he couldn't move. 
"Oh, Lord," the preacher prayed, "I'm so sorry for skipping services today to come out here and hunt. Please forgive me and grant me just one wish . . . please make a Christian out of that bear that's coming at me. Please, Lord!" 
That very instant, the bear skidded to a halt, fell to its knees, clasped its paws together and began to pray aloud right at the preacher's feet. 
"Dear God, bless this food I am about to receive . . ." 
**********************************************************************
The Painting of the Last Supper
The story behind the painting of the Last Supper is extremely
interesting and instructive.  Two incidents connected with this painting afford a most convincing lesson on the effects of thought in the life of a boy or girl, man or woman.
The Last Supper was painted by Leonardo Da Vinci, a noted Italian
artist.  The time engaged for its completion was seven years.  The figures representing the twelve apostles and Christ himself  were painted from living persons.  The live model for the painting of the figure of Jesus was chosen first.
When it was decided that Da Vinci would paint this great picture,
hundreds and hundreds of young men were carefully viewed in an endeavor to find a face and personality unaffected by sin.  Finally, after weeks of laborious searching a young man, nineteen years of age, was selected as the model for the portrayal of Christ.  For six months Da Vinci worked on the production of this leading character of the famous painting.
During the next six years Da Vinci continued his labors on his sublime
work of art.  One by one, fitting persons were chosen to represent each of the eleven apostles, space being left for the painting of the figure representing Judas Iscariot as the final task of this masterpiece.  This was the apostle, you remember, who betrayed his Lord for thirty pieces of silver worth $16.95, in our present day currency.
For weeks Da Vinci searched for a man with hard callous face, with a
countenance marked by scars of avarice, deceit, who would betray his
best friend.  After many discouraging experiences in searching for the type of person required to represent Judas, word came to Da Vinci that a man whose appearance fully met the requirements had been found.  He was in a dungeon in Rome, sentenced to die for a life of crime and murder.  Da Vinci made the trip to Rome at once, and this man was brought out from his imprisonment in the dungeon and led out into the light of the sun.  There Da Vinci saw before him a dark, swarthy man, his long shaggy and unkempt hair sprawled over his face.  A face which portrayed a character of viciousness and complete ruin.
At last the painter had found the person he wanted to represent the
character of Judas in his painting.  By special permission from the
king, this prisoner was carried to Milan where the fresco was being painted.
For six months the prisoner sat before Da Vinci, at appointed hours each day, as the gifted artist diligently continued his task of transmitting to his painting this base character in the picture representing the traitor and betrayer of the Savior.
As he finished his last stroke, he turned to the guards and said, "I
have finished, you may take the prisoner away", he suddenly broke loose from their control and rushed up to Da Vinci, crying as he did so; "Oh, Da Vinci, look at me!  Do you not know who I am?
Da Vinci, with the trained eyes of a great character student, carefully scrutinized the man upon whose face he had constantly gazed for six months and replied; "No, I have never seen you in my life until you were brought before me out of the dungeon in Rome."
Then lifting his eyes toward heaven, the prisoner said, "O God, have I
fallen so low?"  Then turning his face to the painter he cried,
"Leonardo Da Vinci, look at me again, for I am the same man you painted just seven years ago as the figure of Christ!"
This is the true story of the painting of the Last Supper that teaches
so strongly the lesson of the effects of right and wrong thinking of an individual.  He was a young man whose character was so pure and
unspoiled by the sins of the world, that he represented a countenance and innocence and beauty fit to be used for the painting of a representation of Christ.  But during the seven years, following a life of sin and crime, he was
changed into a perfect picture of the most notorious character ever
known in the history of the world.
**********************************************************************
        INSTRUCTIONS FOR LIFE
1.   Give people more than they expect and do it cheerfully.
2.   Memorize your favorite poem.
3.   Don't believe all you hear, spend all you have or sleep all you
want.
4.   When you say, "I love you", mean it.
5.   When you say, "I'm sorry", look the person in the eye.
6.   Be engaged at least six months before you get married.
7.   Believe in love at first sight.
8.   Never laugh at anyone's dreams. People who don't have dreams don't have much.
9.   Love deeply & passionately. You might get hurt but it's the only way to live life completely.
10.  In disagreements, fight fairly. No name calling.
11.  Don't judge people by their relatives.
12.  Talk slowly but think quickly.
13.  When someone asks you a question you don't want to answer, smile and ask, "Why do you want to know?"
14.  Remember that great love and great achievements involve great risk.
15.  Say "bless you" when you hear someone sneeze.
16.  When you lose, don't lose the lesson.
17.  Remember the 3 R's: Respect for self; Respect for others;
Responsibility for your actions.
18.  Don't let a little dispute injure a great friendship.
19.  When you realize you've made a mistake, take immediate steps to
correct it.
20.  Smile when picking up the phone. The caller will hear it in your
voice.
21.  Marry someone you love to talk to. As you get older, their
conversational skills will be as important as any other.
22.  Spend some time alone.
23.  Open your arms to change, but don't let go of your values.
24.  Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.
25.  Read more books and watch less TV.
26.  Live a good, honorable life. When you get older & think back, you'll enjoy it a 2nd time.
27.  Trust in God but lock your car.
28.  A loving atmosphere in your home is so important. Do all you can to create a tranquil and harmonious home.
29.  In disagreements with loved ones, deal with the current situation.  Don't bring up the past.
30.  Read between the lines.
31.  Share your knowledge. It's a way to achieve immortality.
32.  Be gentle with the earth.
33.  Pray. There's immeasurable power in it.
34.  Never interrupt when you are being flattered.
35.  Mind your own business.
36.  Don't trust a man/woman who doesn't close his/her eyes when you
kiss.
37.  Once a year, go someplace you've never been before.
38.  If you make a lot of money, put it to use helping others while you are living. That is wealth's greatest satisfaction.
39.  Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a stroke of
luck.
40.  Learn the rules, then break some.
41.  Remember that the best relationship is one where your love for each other is greater than your need for  each other.
42.  Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to get it.
43.  Remember that your character is your destiny.
44.  Approach love and cooking with reckless abandon.
**********************************************************************
This is a true story of something that happened just
a few years ago at USC.
There was a professor of philosophy there who was a
deeply committed atheist.  His primary goal for one
required class was  to spend the entire  semester
attempting  to prove  that God couldn't  exist.
His Students were always afraid to argue with him
because of his impeccable logic.
For twenty years, he had taught this class and no
one had ever had the  courage to  go against him.
Sure,some had argued in class at times, but no one
had ever really  gone against  him because of his
reputation.
At the end of every semester on the last day,
the would say to his class of 300 students,
"If there is anyone here who still believes in
Jesus, stand up!"
In twenty years, no one had ever stood up.
They knew what he was going to do next. He would say,
"Because anyone who believes in God is a fool.
If God existed, he could keep the piece of chalk from
hitting the ground and breaking. Such a simple task to
prove that He is God, and yet He can't do it."
And every year, he would drop the chalk onto the tile
floor of the classroom and it would shatter into a
hundred pieces. All of the students would do nothing
but stop and stare.
Most of the students thought that God couldn't exist.
Certainly, a number of Christians had slipped through,
but for 20 years, they had been too afraid to stand up.
Well, a few years ago there was a freshman who happened
to enroll. He was a Christian, and had heard the stories
about his professor. He was required to take the class
for his major, and he was afraid.  But for three months
that semester,  he prayed every  morning that he would
have the courage to stand up no matter what the professor
said, or what the class thought. Nothing they said could
ever shatter his faith ... he hoped.
Finally, the day came.  The professor said, "If there is
anyone here who still believes in God, stand up!"
The professor and the class of 300 people looked at him,
shocked, as he stood up at the back of the classroom.
The professor shouted, "You FOOL!!! If God existed, he
would keep this piece of chalk from breaking when it hit
the ground!"
He proceeded to drop the chalk, but as he did, it slipped
out of his fingers, off his shirt cuff, onto the pleat of
his pants, down his leg, and off his shoe.  As it hit the
ground, it simply rolled away unbroken.
The professor's jaw dropped as he stared at the chalk.
He looked up at the young man, and then ran out of the
lecture hall.
The young man who had stood, proceeded to walk to the
front of the room and shared his faith in Jesus for the
next half hour.  300 students stayed and listened as he
told of God's love for them and of His power through Jesus.
You have 2 choices.
1. Delete this and never look at it again.
2. Pass this along to your Christian and non-Christian
friends,giving them encouragement we all need every day.
I pray you will choose option 2. =20
Sometimes all we have to do is STAND UP.
**********************************************************************
When minister Joe Wright was asked to open the new session of the Kansas Senate, everyone was expecting the usual politically correct
generalities, but what they heard instead was a stirring prayer, passionately calling our country to repentance and righteousness. 
The response was immediate. 
A number of legislators walked out during the prayer in protest. In six short weeks, the Central Christian Church had logged more than 5,000 phone calls with only 47 of those calls responding negatively. 
The church is now receiving international requests for copies of the prayer from India, Africa and Korea. Commentator PAUL HARVEY aired the prayer on The Rest of the Story on the radio and received a larger response to this program than any
other he has ever aired !!
THE PRAYER
Heavenly Father, we come before you today to ask Your forgiveness and to seek Your direction and guidance.
We know Your Word says, "Woe on those who call evil good," but that's exactly what we have done.
We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and reversed our values.
We confess that: We have ridiculed the absolute truth of Your Word and called it pluralism.
We have worshiped other gods and called it multiculturalism.
We have endorsed perversion and called it an alternative lifestyle.
We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery.
We have neglected the needy and called it self-preservation.
We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare.
We have killed our unborn children and called it a choice.
We have shot abortionists and called it justifiable.
We have neglected to discipline our children and called it building
self-esteem.
We have abused power and called it political savvy.
We have coveted our neighbor's possessions and called it ambition.
We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it freedom of expression.
We have ridiculed the time-honored values of our forefathers and called it enlightenment.
Search us, O God, and know our hearts today; cleanse us from every sin and set us free. 
Guide and bless these men and women who have been sent to direct us to the center of Your will. 
I ask it in the name of Your Son, the living Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.
With the Lord's help, may this prayer sweep our nation and wholeheartedly become our desire so that we again can be called a Christian nation that fears the Lord! 
Please send this prayer to as many of your Christian friends as you can. Let us all help to get the Lord back into our lives and most importantly into the lives of our children & grandchildren. Amen.
**********************************************************************
If Jesus were to do his same ministry on earth over again in 1999, he
would
be
wanted by:
the FDA
for turning water into wine without a license.
the EPA
for killing fig trees.
the AMA
for practicing medicine without a license.
the Board of Health
for asking people to open graves, for raising the dead, and for feeding
5,000
people in the wilderness.
the NEA
for teaching without a certificate.
OSHA
for walking on water without a life jacket, and for flying without an
airplane.
the SPCA
for driving hogs into the sea.
the National Board of Psychiatrists
for giving advice on how to live a guilt-free life.
NOW
for not choosing a woman apostle.
the Abortion Rights League
for saying that if anyone harms children, it is better that they had
never
been
born.
the Inter-faith Movement
for condemning all other religions.
and the Zoning Board
for building mansions without a permit.
**********************************************************************
                         Limitless
                I've wondered, Lord, how it can be
                You hear me when I call.
                I'm only one of millions, and
                Your love is over all.
                How can it be Your holy ear
                Is tuned to hear my cries?
                How can you know what troubles me
                And see tears in my eyes?
		Do I presume too much when I
	        Approach Your sacred throne,
                And dare to think that I can spend
                Some time with You alone?
                Sometimes I am so weary
                I don't even want to pray.
                I feel confused;
                things all look wrong
                I don't know what to say.
                In quietness and confidence,
                I seek a place apart
                And rest until I feel Your Spirit
                Touch my trembling heart.
                Although I cannot understand
                Show me how, I know you've heard,
                Like lovers who communicate
                Without a single word.
                You are so great!
                I am so small.
                I'm glad it is this way.
                All things are possible with You;
                You hear me when I pray.
                Great God of all the universe,
                In joy or in distress,
                I rest myself in all You are
                For you are limitless!
                             Arleen C. Russell
                              The Little Boy and the Old Man
                                  Said the little boy,
                                  "Sometimes I drop my spoon."
                                  Said the little old man,
                                  "I do that too."
                                 The little boy whispered, "
                                 I wet my pants."
                                 "I do that too," laughed the old man.
                                 Said the little boy, "I often cry."
                                 The old man nodded. "So do I."
                                "But worst of all," said the boy,
                                "It seems that Grown-ups
                                don't pay attention to me."
                                And he felt the warmth
                                of a wrinkled old hand.
                                "I know what you mean,"
                                said the little old man.
**********************************************************************
"The point is not that the world is too sad to love or too glad
not to love; the point is that if you love a thing, its gladness
makes you love it, and its sadness makes you love it more."
       
      G. K. Chesterton
**********************************************************************				
Birthdays are good for you - the more you have the longer you live.  
**********************************************************************                              
Something we all should keep in mind on our bad days!!!!!
There was a little boy with a bad temper.  
His father gave him a bag of  nails and told him that every time he
lost his temper, to hammer a nail in the back fence.  The first
day the boy had driven 37 nails into the fence.
Then it gradually dwindled down.  
He discovered it was easier to hold his temper than to drive those 
nails into the fence.  Finally the day came when the boy didn't lose 
his temper at all.  He told his father about it and the father 
suggested that the boy now pull out one nail for each day that he was 
able to hold his temper.
The days passed and the young boy was finally
able to tell his father that all the nails were gone.
The father took his son by the hand and led
him to the fence. He said, "You have done well, my son, but look at
the holes in the fence.  The fence will never be the same.  
When you say things in anger, they leave a scar just like this
one.  You  can put a knife in a man and draw it out.  It won't
matter how many times you say 'I'm sorry,' the wound is still there.
A verbal wound is as bad as a physical one.  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."
Show your friends how much you care.
Send this to everyone you consider a FRIEND
**********************************************************************
Subject: For the Ladies ! 
> 
> "I'm not offended by all the dumb blonde jokes because I know I'm not dumb...and I also know that I'm not blonde."  Dolly Parton 
> 
> "You see a lot of smart guys with dumb women, but you hardly ever see a smart woman with a dumb guy."  Erica Jong 
> 
>  "I want to have children, but my friends scare me.  One of my friends told me she was in labor for 36 hours.  I don't even want to do anything 
that feels good for 36 hours."  Rita Rudner 
> 
> "My husband and I are either going to buy a dog or have a child.  We can't decide to ruin our carpet or ruin our lives."  Rita Rudner 
> 
> "I've been on so many blind dates, I should get a free dog."  Wendy 
Liebman 
> 
> "Never lend your car to anyone to whom you have given birth."  Erma 
Bombeck 
> 
> "If high heels were so wonderful, men would still be wearing them." 
Sue Grafton 
> 
> "I'm not going to vacuum 'til Sears makes one you can ride on." 
Roseanne Barr 
> 
>  "I think--therefore I'm single."  Lizz Winstead 
> 
>  "When women are depressed they either eat or go shopping.  Men invade another country."  Elayne Boosler 
> 
>  "Behind every successful man is a surprised woman."  Maryon Pearson 
> 
>  "I base most of my fashion taste on what doesn't itch."  Gilda Radner 
> 
>  "In politics, if you want anything said, ask a man; if you want 
anything done, ask a woman."  Margaret Thatcher 
> 
>  "I have yet to hear a man ask for advice on how to combine marriage and a career."  Gloria Steinem 
> 
>  "Some of us are becoming the men we wanted to marry."  Gloria Steinem 
> 
>  "I never married because there was no need.  I have three pets at home which answer the same purpose as a husband.  I have a dog which growls every morning, a parrot which swears all afternoon, and a cat that comes home late at night."  Marie Corelli 
> 
>  "Nagging is the repetition of unpalatable truths."  Baroness Edith 
Summerskill 
> 
>  "If men can run the world, why can't they stop wearing neckties?  
>   How intelligent is it to start the day by tying a little noose around your neck?"  Linda Ellerbee 
> 
>  "I am a marvelous housekeeper.  Every time I leave a man, I keep his house."  Zsa Zsa Gabor 
> 
>  "Nobody can make you feel inferior without your permission."  Eleanor Roosevelt 
**********************************************************************
Subject: Beautiful Women Month 
> 
> To all the beautiful women I know...inside and out!!!  Keep this for those days when you are feeling less than beautiful...because in my eyes you all  are... 
> 
> Did you know that it's Beautiful Women Month? Well, it is and that 
means you and that means me!!  Read On.....We're All Beautiful Women! 
> Did you know ... If shop mannequins were real women, they'd be too thin to menstruate? 
> There are 3 billion women who don't look like super models and only 
eight who do. 
> Marilyn Monroe wore a size 14.  (GO Marilyn!!!) 
> If Barbie was a real woman, she'd have to walk on all fours due to her proportions. 
> The average American woman weighs 144 lbs. and wears between a  size 12 and 14. 
> One out of every four college aged women has an eating disorder. 
> The models in the magazines are airbrushed-they're not perfect!! 
> A psychological study in 1995 found that three minutes spent looking at models in a fashion magazine caused 70% of women to feel depressed, 
guilty,and shameful. 
> Models twenty years ago weighed 8% less than the average woman, today they weigh 23% less. 
> Please send this to five phenomenal women today in celebration of 
Beautiful Women's Month If you do, something good will happen ---  you will boost another woman's self-esteem. 
**********************************************************************
Motherhood - given to me by my dear friend Monica Ladwig.
Time is running out for my friend.  We are sitting at lunch when she casually mentions that she and her husband are thinking of "starting a family."  What she means is that her biological clock has begun its countdown, and she is being forced to consider the prospect of motherhood.
"We're taking a survey," she says, half joking.  "Do you think I should have a baby?"
"It will change your life," I say cheerfully, keeping my tone neutral.
"I know," she says.  "No more sleeping in on Saturdays, no more spontaneous vacations..."
But, that is not at all what I meant.  I look at my friend, trying to decide what to tell her.  I want her to know what she will never learn in childbirth classses.  I want to tell her that the physical wounds of childbearing heal, but that becoming a mother will leave her with an emotional wound so raw that she will be forever vulnerable.  I consider warning her that she will never read a newspaper again without asking, "What if that had been my child?"  That every plane crash, every fire, will haunt her.  That when she sees pictures of starving children, she will wonder if anything could be worse than watching your child die.  I look at her carefully manicured nails and stylish suit and think that no matter how sophisticated she is, becoming a mother will reduce her to the primative level of a bear protecting her cub.  That an urgent call of "MOM!" will cause her to drop a perfect souffle or her best crystal without a moment's hesitation.
I feel I should warn her that no matter how many years she has invested in her career, she will be professionally derailed by motherhood.  She might arrange for child care, but one day she will be going into an important business meeting and she will think about her baby's sweet smell...  She will have to use every ounce of discipline to keep from running home, just to make sure her child is all right.
I want my friend to know that every day decisions will no longer be routene.  That a five year old boy's desire to go to the men's room rather than the women's at McDonald's will become a major dilemma.  that right there, in the midst of clattering trays and screaming children, issues of independence and gender identity will be weighed against the prospect that a child molester may be lurking in the restroom.  However decisive she may be at the office, she will second-guess herself constantly as a mother.
Looking at my attractive friend, I want to assure her that eventually she will shed the pounds of pregnancy, but she will never feel the same about herself.  That her life, now so important, will be of less value to her once she has a child.  That she would give it up in a moment to save her offspring.  But will also begin to hope of more years -- not to accomplish her own dreams, but to watch her child accomplish his.  I want her to know that a cesarean scar or shiny stretch marks will become badges of honor.
My friend's relationship with her husband will change, but not in the way she thinks.  I wish she could understand how much more you can love a man who is always careful to powder the baby or who never hesitates to play with his son or daughter.  I think she should know that she will fall in love with her husband again for reasons she would now find very unromantic.
I wish my friend could sense the bond she will feel with women throughout history who have tried desperately to stop war and prejudice and drunk driving.
I hope she will understand why I can think rationally about most issues, but become temporarily insane when I discuss the threat of nuclear war to my children's future.  I want to describe to my friend the exhilaration of seeing your child learn to hit a baseball.  I want to capture for her the belly laugh of a baby who is touching the soft fur of a dog for the first time.  I want her to taste the joy that is so real, it hurts.
My friend's quizzical look makes me realize that tears have formed in my eyes.
"You'll never regret it," I say finally.  Then I reach across the table, squeeze my friend's hand and offer a prayer for her and me and all of the mere mortal women who stumble their way into this holiest of callings.
**********************************************************************
The Burden
"Why was my burden so heavy?"
I slammed the bedroom door and leaned against it. Is there no rest from
this life? I wondered. I stumbled to my bed and dropped onto it,
pressing
my pillow around my ears to shut out the noise of my existence. "Oh
God,"
I cried, "let me sleep. Let me sleep forever and never wake up!"
With a deep sob I tried to will myself into oblivion, then welcomed the
blackness that came over me. Light surrounded me as I regained
consciousness. I focused on its source: the figure of a man standing
before a cross.
"My child," the person asked, "why did you want to come to Me before I
am
ready to call you?"
"Lord, I'm sorry. It's just that... I can't go on. You see how hard it
is
for me. Look at this awful burden on my back. I simply can't carry it
anymore."
"But haven't I told you to cast all of your burdens upon Me, because I
care for you? My yoke is easy, and My burden is light."
"I knew You would say that. But why does mine have to be so heavy?"
"My child, everyone in the world has a burden. Perhaps you would like to
try a different one?"
"I can do that?"
He pointed to several burdens lying at His feet. "You may try any of
these." All of them seemed to be of equal size. But each was labeled
with
a name.
"There's Joan's," I said. Joan was married to a wealthy businessman. She
lived in a sprawling estate and dressed her three daughters in the
prettiest designer clothes. Sometimes she drove me to church in her
Cadillac when my car was broken. "Let me try that one." How difficult
could her burden be? I thought.
The Lord removed my burden and placed Joan's on my shoulders. I sank to
my
knees beneath its weight. "Take it off!" I said. "What makes it so
heavy?"
"Look inside."
I untied the straps and opened the top. Inside was a figure of her
Mother-in-law, when I lifted it out, it began to speak. "Joan, you'll
never be good enough for my son," it began. "He never should have
married
you. You're a terrible mother to my grandchildren..."
I quickly placed the figure back in the pack and withdrew another. It
was
Donna, Joan's youngest daughter. Her head was bandaged from the surgery
that had failed to resolve her epilepsy. A third figure was Joan's
brother. Addicted to drugs, he had been convicted of killing a police
officer. "I see why her burden is so heavy, Lord. But she's always
smiling
and helping others. I didn't realize..."
"Would you like to try another?" He asked quietly.
I tested several. Paula's felt heavy: She was raising four small boys
without a father. Debra's did too: a childhood of sexual abuse and a
marriage of emotional abuse. When I came to Ruth's burden, I didn't even
try. I knew that inside I would find arthritis, old age, a demanding
full-time job, and a beloved husband in a nursing home.
"They're all too heavy, Lord" I said. ""Give back my own." As I lifted
the
familiar load once again, It seemed much lighter than the others. "Lets
look inside" He said. I turned away, holding it close. "That's not a
good
idea," I said. "Why?" "There's a lot of junk in there." "Let Me see."
The
gentle thunder of His voice compelled me. I opened my burden.
He pulled out a brick. "Tell me about this one."
"Lord, You know. It's money. I know we don't suffer like people in some
countries or even the homeless here in America. But we have no
insurance,
and when the kids get sick, we can't always take them to the doctor.
They've never been to a dentist. And I'm tired of dressing them in
hand-me-downs."
"My child, I will supply all of your needs... and your children's. I've
given them healthy bodies. I will teach them that expensive clothing
doesn't make a person valuable in My light."
Then He lifted out the figure of a small boy. "And this?" He asked.
"Andrew..." I hung my head, ashamed to call my son a burden. "But, Lord,
he's hyperactive. He's not quiet like the other two. He makes me so
tired.
He's always getting hurt, and someone is bound to think I abuse him. I
yell at him all the time. Someday I may really hurt him...."
"My child," He said, "if you trust Me, I will renew your strength, if
you
allow Me to fill you with My Spirit, I will give you patience."
Then He took some pebbles from my burden. "Yes, Lord," I said with a
sigh.
"Those are small. But they're important. I hate my hair. It's thin, and
I
can't make it look nice. I can't afford to go to the beauty shop. I'm
overweight and can't stay on a diet. I hate all my clothes. I hate the
way
I look!"
"My child, people look at your outward appearance, but I look at your
heart. By My Spirit you can gain self-control to lose weight. But your
beauty should not come from outward appearance. Instead, it should come
from your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit,
which is of great worth in My sight."
My burden now seemed lighter than before. "I guess I can handle it now,*
I
said. "There is more," He said. "Hand Me that last brick." "Oh, You
don't
have to take that. I can handle it." "My child, give it to Me." Again
His
voice compelled me.
He reached out His hand, and for the first time I saw the ugly wound.
"But, Lord, this brick is so awful, so nasty, so...Lord! What happened
to
Your hands? They're so scarred!" No longer focused on my burden, I
looked
for the first time into His face. In His brow were ragged scars -- as
though someone had pressed thorns into His flesh.
"Lord," I whispered. "What happened to You?" His loving eyes reached
into
my soul. "My child, you know. Hand Me the brick. It belongs to Me. I
bought it." "How?" "With My blood." "But why, Lord?" "Because I have
loved
you with and everlasting love. Give it to Me."
I placed the filthy brick into His wounded palm. It contained the entire
dirt and evil of my life: my pride, my selfishness, and the depression
that constantly tormented me. He turned to the cross and hurled my brick
into the pool of blood at its base. It hardly made a ripple.
"Now, My child, you need to go back. I will be with you always. When you
are troubled, call to Me and I will help you and show you things you
cannot imagine now." "Yes, Lord, I will call on You."
I reached to pick up my burden. "You may leave that here if you wish.
You
see all these burdens? They are the ones that others have left at My
feet.
Joan's, Paula's, Debra's, Ruth's...When you leave your burden here, I
carry it with you. Remember, My yoke is easy and My burden is light."
As I placed my burden with Him, the light began to fade. Yet I heard Him
whisper, "I will never leave you, nor forsake you."
A peace flooded my soul.
Author Unknown
**********************************************************************
Subject: We Reap What We Sow
Let's see...
     
I think it started when Madelyn Murray O'Hare
complained that she didn't want any prayer in ourschools, and we said O.K.
 
Then someone said, "You had better not read the Bible
in school - the Bible that says thou shalt not kill, thou shalt
not steal, and love your neighbor as yourself." And wesaid, O.K.
    
Remember Dr. Benjamin Spock, who said we shouldn't
spank our children when they misbehave, because their
little personalities would be warped and we might
damage their self-esteem?  And we said, O.K.
   
Then someone said that teachers and principals better
not discipline our children when they misbehave.  And
our administrators said, "Whoa, no one in this school
better touch a student when they misbehave because we
don't want any bad publicity, and we surely don't want
to be sued."  And we said, O.K.
     
Then someone said, "Let's let our daughters have
abortions if they want, and we won't even have to tell
their parents." And we said, O.K.
     
Then someone else said, "Let's give our sons and
daughters all the condoms they want, so they can have
all the 'fun" they desire, and we won't have to tell
their parents." And we said, O.K.
      
And then some of our top officials said that it
doesn't matter what we do in private as long as we do
our jobs.  And we said, "As long as I have a job and
the economy is good, it doesn't matter to me what anyone
does in private, it's nobody's business."  In short, it's O.K.
    
So now we're asking ourselves why some of our children
have no conscience, why they don't know right from wrong, and
why it doesn't bother them to kill.  Probably, if we think
about it long and hard enough, we can figure it out.
I think it has a great deal to do with "we reap what we sow."
Whoa!  What a concept!
**********************************************************************
By Danny Dutton, age 8, from Chula Vista, California, for
his third grade homework assignment to "Explain God."
One of God's main jobs is making people. He makes them to replace
the ones that die so there will be enough people to take care of things on earth. He doesn't make grown-ups, just babies. I think because they are smaller and easier to make. That way, He doesn't have to take up His valuable time teaching them to talk and walk. He can just leave that to others and fathers. God's second most important job is listening to prayers.
An awful lot of this goes on, since some people, like preachers and
things, pray at times besides bedtime. God doesn't have time to listen to the radio or TV because of this. Because He hears everything there must be a terrible lot of noise in His ears, unless He has thought of a way to turn it off. God sees everything and hears everything and is everywhere which keeps Him pretty busy. So you shouldn't go wasting His time by going over your mom and dad's head asking for something they said you couldn't have.
Atheists are people who don't believe in God. I don't think there
are any in Chula Vista. At least there aren't any who come to our
church. Jesus is God's Son. He used to do all the hard work like walking on water and performing miracles and trying to teach the people who didn't  want to learn about God. They finally got tired of Him preaching to them and they crucified Him. But He was good and kind like His Father and He told His Father that they didn't know what they were doing and to forgive them and God said OK. His Dad (God) appreciated everything that He had done and all His hard work on earth so He told Him He didn't have to go out on the road anymore, He could stay in heaven. So He did. And now He helps His Dad out by listening to prayers and seeing things which are important for God to take care of and which ones He can take care of Himself without having to bother God. Like a secretary only more important.
You can pray anytime you want and they are sure to hear you because they got it worked out so one of them is on duty all the times. You should always go to Church on Sunday because it makes God happy, and if there's anybody you want to make happy, it's God.
Don't skip church to do something you think will be more fun like going to the beach. This is wrong! And, besides, the sun doesn't come out at the beach until noon anyway. If you don't believe in God, besides being an atheist, you will be very lonely, because your parents can't go everywhere with you, like to camp, but God can. It is good to know He's around you when you're scared in the dark or when you can't swim very good and you get thrown into real deep water by big kids. But you shouldn't just always think of what God can do for you.
I figure God put me here and He can take me back anytime He pleases.
And that's why I believe in God."
**********************************************************************
Life 
One day an expert in time management was speaking to a group of business students and, to drive home a point, he used an illustration those students will never forget.  As he stood in front of the group of high powered overachievers he said, "Okay, time for a quiz." Then he pulled out a one-gallon, wide mouth mason jar and set it on the table in front of him.  Then he produced about a dozen fist-sized rocks and carefully placed them, one at a time, into the jar.
When the jar was filled to the top and no more rocks would fit inside, he asked, "Is this jar full?" Everyone in the class said "Yes."  Then he said, "Really?" He reached under the table and pulled out a bucket of gravel.  Then he dumped some gravel in and shook the jar causing pieces of gravel to work themselves down into the space between the big rocks.  Then he asked the group once more, "Is the jar full?"  By this time the class was on to him. "Probably not," one of them answered.  "Good!" hereplied. He reached under the table and brought out a bucket of sand. He started dumping the sand in the jar and it went into all of the spaces left between the rocks and the gravel. Once more he asked the question, "Is this jar full?" "No!" the class shouted. Once again he said, "Good."
Then he grabbed a pitcher of water and began to fill the jar until it was filled to the brim. Then he looked at the class and asked, "What is the point of this illustration?" One eager beaver raised his hand and said, "The point is, no matter how full your schedule is, if you try really hard you can always fit some more things in it!"
"No," the speaker replied, "that's not the point. The truth this
illustration teaches us is:  If you don't put the big rocks in first,
you'll never get them in at all." 
What are the 'big rocks' in your life?
Your family? Your friends? Your faith, your education, your dreams? A
worthy cause? Teaching or mentoring others? 
Remember to put these BIG ROCKS in first or you'll never get them in at all.
So, tonight, or in the morning, when you are reflecting on this short
story, ask yourself this question: What are the 'big rocks' in my life?
Then, put those in your jar first.
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Sayings 
1. I started with nothing. I still have most of it. 
  
2. When did my wild oats turn to prunes and all bran? 
  
3. I finally got my head together, now my body is falling apart. 
  
4. Funny, I don't remember being absent minded. 
  
5. All reports are in. Life is now officially unfair. 
  
6. If all is not lost, where is it? 
  
7. It is easier to get older than it is to get wiser. 
  
8. If at first you do succeed, try not to look astonished. 
  
9. The first rule of holes: if you are in one, stop digging. 
  
10. I tried to get a life once, But they told me they were out    ofstock. 
  
11. I went to school to become a wit, only got halfway though. 
  
12. It was so different before everything changed. 
  
13. Some day's you're the dog, and some day's you're the hydrant. 
  
14. Nostalgia isn't what it use to be. 
  
15. Old programmers never die. They just terminate and stay resident. 
  
16. A day without sunshine is like a day in Seattle. 
  
17. I wish the buck stopped here! I could use a few. 
  
18. Kids in the back seat cause accidents; accidents in the back seat
  cause kids. 
  
19. It's not the pace of life that concerns me, it's the sudden stop
at the end.   
20. It's hard to make a comeback when you haven't been anywhere. 
  
21. Living on Earth is expensive, But it does include a trip aroundthe sun. 
  
22. The only time the world beats a path to your door is if you're in
 the bathroom. 
  
23. If God wanted me to touch my toes, He would have put them on my knees. 
  
24. Never knock on death's door, ring the bell and run (he hatesthat). 
  
25. Lead me not into temptation (I can find the way myself). 
  
26. When you are finally holding all the cards, why does everyone else
  decide to play chess. 
  
27. If you are living on the edge, make sure your wearing yourseatbelt. 
  
28. There are two kinds of pedestrians. The quick and the dead. 
  
29. An unbreakable toy is useful for breaking other toys. 
  
30. A closed mouth gathers no feet. 
  
31. Health is merely the slowest possible rate at which one can die. 
  
32. Its not hard to meet expenses; they are everywhere. 
  
33. Jury: Twelve people who determine which client has the better  attorney. 
  
34. The only difference between a rut and a grave is the depth.
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An article in National Geographic several years ago provided a
penetrating picture of God's wings...
After a forest fire in Yellowstone National Park, forest rangers  began their trek up a mountain to assess the inferno's damage. 
One ranger found a bird literally petrified in ashes, perched
statuesquely on the ground at the base of a tree.  
Somewhat sickened by the eerie sight, he knocked over the bird with a stick.  When he struck it, three tiny chicks scurried from under their dead mother's wings.  The loving mother, keenly aware
of impending disaster, had carried her offspring to the base of the tree and had gathered them under her wings, instinctively knowing that the toxix smoke would rise.  She could have flown to safety but had refused to abandon her babies. 
When the blaze had arrived and the heat had scorched her small body, the mother had remained steadfast.  Because she had been willing to die, those under the cover of her wings would live... 
"He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge;..."  (Psalm 91:4)
"How oft will I gather you as a hen gathereth her chickens under herwings, if ye will repent and return unto me with full purpose of heart." (3 Nephi 10:6) 
Being loved this much should make a difference in your life.  Remember the One who loves you and then, be different because of it.
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Wealth is All in One's Point of View
One day...a wealthy family man took his son on a trip to the country
so he could have his son see how poor country people were.
They stayed one day and one night in the farm of a very humble farm house.  At the end of the trip and back home the father asked the son some  questions.   The Father asked:  What did you think of the trip?
   The son replied: Very nice Dad
   Father: Did you noticed how poor they were?  Son: Yes
   Father: What did you learn?
   Son: I learned that we have one dog in the house...and they have four.
   We have a fountain in the garden and they have a stream that has no end.
   We have imported lamps in the garden, they have the stars.
   Our garden goes to the edge of our property, they have the entire
   horizon as their back yard.
   At the end of the son's reply the father was speechless and his son added:
   "Thank you dad for showing me how poor we really are."
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Trust And Obey
The cheerful girl with bouncy golden curls was almost five. Waiting 
with her mother at the checkout stand, she saw them:  a circle of 
glistening white pearls in a pink foil box.
"Oh please,  Mommy. Can I have them?  Please, Mommy, please?" Quickly 
the mother checked the back of the little foil box and then looked 
back into the pleading blue eyes of her little girl's upturned face.  
"A dollar ninety-five.That's almost $2.00.    If you really want 
them, I'll think of some extra chores for you and in no time you can 
save enough money to buy them for yourself.  Your birthday's only a 
week away and you might get another crisp dollar bill from Grandma."
As soon as Jenny got home, she emptied her penny bank and counted 17 
pennies.  After dinner, she did more than her share of chores and she 
went to the neighbor and asked Mrs. McJames if she could pick 
dandelions for ten cents.  On her birthday, Grandma did give her 
another new dollar bill and at last she had enough money to buy the necklace.
Jenny loved her pearls.  They made her feel dressed up and grown up. 
She wore them everywhere - church, kindergarten, even to bed. The 
only time she took them off was when she went swimming or had a 
bubble bath. Mother said if they got wet, they might turn her neck 
green.
Jenny had a very loving daddy and every night when she was ready for 
bed, he would stop whatever he was doing and come  upstairs to read 
her a story.
                  
One night when he finished the story, he asked Jenny, "Do you love 
me?"  "Oh yes, Daddy.  You know that I love you."  "Then give me your 
pearls," he said.  "Oh, Daddy, not my pearls.  But you can have 
Princess - the white horse from my collection. The one with the pink 
tail.  Remember, Daddy? The one you gave me. She's my favorite."
"That's okay, Honey.  Daddy loves you.  Good night."  And he brushed 
her cheek with a kiss. 
About a week later, after the story time, Jenny's daddy asked again, 
"Do you love me?"  "Daddy, you know I love you."  "Then give me your 
pearls."  "Oh Daddy, not my pearls.   But you can have my baby doll.  
The brand new one I got for my birthday.  She is so beautiful and you 
can have the yellow blanket that matches her sleeper."
"That's okay. Sleep well.  God bless you, little one.  Daddy loves 
you." 
And as always, he brushed her cheek with a gentle kiss.
A few nights later when her daddy came in, Jenny was sitting on her 
bed with her legs crossed Indian-style.  As he came close, he noticed 
her chin was trembling and one silent tear rolled down her cheek. 
"What is it, Jenny?  What's the matter?" Jenny didn't say anything 
but lifted her little hand up to her daddy.  And when she opened it, 
there was her little pearl necklace. With a little quiver, she  
finally said, "Here, Daddy. It's for you."
With tears gathering in his own eyes, Jenny's kind daddy reached out 
with one hand to take the dime-store necklace, and with the other 
hand he reached into his pocket and pulled out a blue velvet case 
with a strand of genuine pearls and gave them to Jenny.  He had them 
all the time.  He was just waiting for her to give up the dime-store 
stuff so he could give her a genuine treasure.
                 
Jenny's father is like our heavenly Father. He also is waiting for us 
to give up our dime store stuff and seek Him first... so He can fling 
open the windows of Heaven and pour us out such a blessing that we 
will not have room enough to hold it.  What are you hanging on to?   
Never be afraid to try something new.
Remember, amateurs built the ark.... Professionals built the Titanic.
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TEXAN'S GUIDE TO LIFE
Don't squat with your spurs on.
Good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that comes from bad
judgment.
Lettin' the cat outta the bag is a whole lot easier 'n puttin' it back
in.
Never drop yer gun to hug a grizzly.
If you're ridin' ahead of the herd, take a look back every now and then
to
make sure it's still there.
If you get to thinkin' you're a person of some influence, try orderin'
somebody else's dog around.
A good horse never comes in a bad color.
After eating an entire bull, a mountain lion felt so good he started
roaring. He kept it up until a hunter came along and shot
him...........The
moral: When you're full of bull, keep your mouth shut.
Never kick a cow chip on a hot day.
There's two theories to arguin' with a woman.    Neither one works.
Don't worry about bitin' off more than you can chew. Your mouth is
probably
a whole lot bigger'n you think.
If you find yourself in a hole, the first thing to do is stop diggin'.
Never slap a man who's chewin' tobacco.
It don't take a genius to spot a goat in a flock of sheep.
Always drink upstream from the herd.
When you give a lesson in meanness to a critter or a person, don't be
surprised if they learn their lesson. 
When you're throwin' your weight around, be ready to have it thrown
around
by somebody else.
Always take a good look at what you're about to eat.  It's not so
Important
to know what it is, but you might need to know what it was.
The quickest way to double your money is to fold it over and put it back
in
your pocket.
Never miss a good chance to shut up.
There are three kinds of men:   The one that learns by reading;  The few
who
learn by observation;  The rest of them have to pee on the electric
fence
for themselves.
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Something to ponder... 
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 it 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, but more problems; more medicine, but lesswellness.
We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too
little, drive too fast, get too angry too quickly, stay up too late,
get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much, and pray tooseldom.
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 the new neighbor.  We've 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 split 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 have higher incomes, but
lower morals; we have more food, but less appeasement; we build more
computers to hold more information to produce more copies than ever, but
have less communication; we've become long on quantity, but short onquality.
These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion; tall men, and
short character; steep profits, and shallow relationships. These are the
times of world peace (?), but domestic warfare; more leisure, but less
fun; more kinds of food, but less nutrition.   
These are days of two incomes, but  more divorce; of fancier houses, but
broken homes.
These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throw away 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 show 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 make a difference, or to just hitdelete...
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God are you real ??????
The little child whispered, "God, speak to me"
And a meadowlark sang.
But the child did not hear.
So the child yelled, "God, speak to me!"
And the thunder rolled across the sky 
But the child did not listen.
The child looked around and said, "God let me see you"
And a star shone brightly
But the child did not notice.
And the child shouted,"God show me a miracle!"
And a life was born
But the child did not know.
So the child cried out in despair,"Touch me God, and let me know you  are there!"
Whereupon God reached down
And touched the child.
But the child brushed the butterfly away 
And walked away unknowingly.
-Anonymous
Take time to listen.
Often times, the things we seek are right underneath 
our noses. 
Don't miss out on your blessing because it 
isn't packaged the way that you expect.
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Here's some fun ones about kids sayings....
A little boy opened the big and old family Bible with
fascination, and looked at the old pages as he turned them.
Suddenly, something fell out of the Bible,
and he picked it up and looked at it closely. It was an old leaf  from a tree that had been pressed in between the pages.
"Momma, look what I found," the boy called out.
"What have you got there, dear?" his mother asked. With
astonishment in the young boy's voice, he answered:
"I think it's Adam's suit!"
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A Sunday school class was studying the Ten Commandments. They
were ready to discuss the last one. The teacher asked if anyone   could tell her what it was. Susie raised her hand, stood tall, and quoted, "Thou shall  not take the covers off the neighbor's wife.
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The preacher was wired for sound with a lapel mike, and as he
preached, he moved briskly about the platform, jerking the mike
cord as he went. Then he moved to one side, getting wound up in
the cord and nearly tripping before jerking it again.
After several circles and jerks, a little girl in the third
pew leaned toward her mother and whispered,
"If he gets loose, will he hurt us?"
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Six-year-old Angie and her four-year-old brother Joel were
sitting together in church. Joel giggled, sang, and talked out loud.
Finally, his big sister had enough. "You're not supposed to talk out
loud in church."   "Why? Who's going to stop me?" Joel asked.
Angie pointed to the back of the church and said, "See those
two men standing by the door? They're hushers."
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A ten-year-old, under the tutelage of her grandmother, was
becoming quite knowledgeable about the Bible. Then one day
she floored her grandmother by asking, "Which Virgin was the mother
of Jesus: the Virgin Mary or the King James Virgin?"
My grandson was visiting one day when he asked, "Grandma, do
you know how you and God are alike?" I mentally polished my halo
while I asked, "No, how are we alike?" "You're both old," he replied.
 
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A little girl was diligently pounding away on her father's word
processor. She told him she was writing a story. "What's it about?"
he asked. "I don't know," she replied. "I can't read."
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I didn't know if my granddaughter had learned her colors yet,
so I decided to test her. I would point out something and ask
what color it was. She would tell me, and always she was correct.
But it was fun for me, so I continued. At last she headed for the door, saying sagely, "Grandma, I think you should try to figure out some of these yourself!"
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The Father's Eyes
This teenager lived alone with his father, and the two of them had a very special relationship.  Even though the son was always on the bench, his father was always in the stands cheering.  The father never missed agame. This young man was still the smallest of the class when he entered high school, but his father continued to encourage him, but also made it very clear that he did not have to play football if he didn't want to.  But the young man loved football and decided to hang in there.  He was determined to try his best at every practice, and perhaps he'd get to play when he became a senior.  All through high school he never missed a practice nor a game, but remained a bench warmer all four years.  His faithful father was always in the stands, always with words of
encouragement for him. When the young man went to college, he decided to try out for the football team as a "walk-on."  Everyone was sure he could never make the cut, but he did.  The coach admitted that he kept him on the roster because he always put his heart and soul into every practice and at the same time, provided the other members with the spirit and hustle they badly needed.  The news that he had survived the cut thrilled him so much that he rushed to the nearest phone and called his father.  His father shared his excitement and was sent season tickets for all the college games.
This persistent young athlete never missed practice during his four years at college, but he never got to play in a game.  It was the end of his senior football season, and as he trotted onto the practice field shortly before the big play-off game, the coach met him with a telegram.   The young man read the telegram and he became deathly silent... Swallowing hard, he mumbled to the coach, "My father died this morning.  Is it all right if I miss practice today?"  The coach put his arm gently around his shoulder and said, "Take the rest of the week off, son.  And don't even plan to come back for the game on Saturday."  Saturday arrived, and the game was not going well.  In the third quarter, when the team was ten points behind, a silent young man quietly slipped into the empty locker room and put on his football gear.  As he ran onto the sidelines, the coach and his fellow players were astounded to see their faithful teammate back so soon.  "Coach, please let me play.  I've just got to play today," said the young man.  The coach pretended not to hear him.  There was no way he wanted his smallest practice player in this close play-off game.  But the young man persisted, and finally feeling sorry for the kid, the coach gave in.   "All right," he said.  "You can go in."
Before long, the coach, the players and everyone in the stands could not believe their eyes.  This little unknown who had never played before was doing everything right.  The opposing team could not stop him.  He ran, he passed, blocked and tackled like a star.  His team began to triumph.  The score was soon tied.  In the closing seconds of the game, this kid intercepted a pass and ran all the way for the winning touchdown.  The fans broke loose.  His teammates hoisted him onto their shoulders.  Such cheering you've never heard!
Finally, after the stands had emptied and the team had showered and left the locker room, the coach noticed that the young man was sitting quietly in the corner all alone. The coach came to him and said, "Kid, I can't believe it.  You were fantastic!  Tell me what got into you?  How did you do it?"
He looked at the coach, with tears in his eyes, and said, "Well, you knew my dad died, but did you know that my dad was blind?"  The young man swallowed hard and forced a smile,  "Dad came to all my games, but today was the first time he could see me play, and I wanted to show him I coulddo it!"
SO, REMEMBER RIGHT NOW:
Somebody is very proud of you.
Somebody is thinking of you.
Somebody is caring about you.
Somebody misses you.
Somebody wants to talk to you.
Somebody wants to be with you.
Somebody hopes you are not in trouble.
Somebody is thankful for the support you have provided.
Somebody wants to hold your hand.Somebody hopes everything turns out all right.
Somebody wants you to be happy.
Somebody wants you to find him/her.
Somebody wants to give you a gift.
Somebody wants to hug you.
Somebody thinks you ARE a gift.
Somebody admires your strength.
Somebody wants to protect you.
Somebody can't wait to see you.
Somebody loves you for who you are.
Somebody treasures your spirit.
Somebody is glad that you are their friend.
Somebody wants to get to know you better.
Somebody wants to be near you.
Somebody wants you to know they are there for you.
Somebody would do anything for you.
Somebody wants to share their dreams with you.
Somebody is alive because of you.
Somebody needs your support.
Somebody will cry when they read this.
Somebody needs you to have faith in them.
Somebody trusts you.
Somebody hears a song that reminds them of you.
SOMEBODY NEEDS YOU TO SHARE JESUS WITH THEM.
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The Most Caring Child
Author and lecturer Leo Buscaglia once talked about a
contest he was asked to judge.  The purpose of the contest was to findthe most caring child. The winner was a four year old child whose next door neighbor was an elderly gentleman who had recently lost his wife.  Upon seeing the man cry, the little boy went into the old,gentleman's yard, climbed onto his lap, and just sat there. When his mother  asked him what he had said to the neighbor, the little boy said, "Nothing, I just helped him cry."                 
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What It Means to Be Adopted
Teacher Debbie Moon's first graders were discussing a
picture of a family.  One little boy in the picture had a different
color hair than the other family members.  One child suggested that he
was adopted  and  a little girl said, "I know all about adoptions
because I was adopted."  "What does it mean to be adopted?" asked another child.   "It means," said the girl, "that you grew in your mommy's heart  instead of her tummy."                 *******                 
Barney
A four year old was at the pediatrician for a check up.  As the doctor    looked down her ears with an otoscope, he asked, "Do you think I'll find Big Bird in here?"  The little girl stayed silent.
Next, the doctor took a tongue depressor and looked
down her throat. He asked, "Do you think I'll find the Cookie Monster
down there?" Again, the little girl was silent.  Then the doctor put a
stethoscope to her chest.  As he listened to her  heartbeat, he asked,
"Do you think I'll hear Barney in there?"
"Oh, no!" the little girl replied.  "Jesus is in my
heart. Barney's on my  underpants."                 
********
Discouraged?
As I was driving home from work one day, I stopped to
watch a local  Little League baseball game that was  being played in a
park near my home.  As I sat down behind the bench on the first-base
line, I asked  one of the boys what the score was.  "We're behind 14 to nothing," he answered with a smile.
"Really," I said. "I have to say you don't look verydiscouraged."
"Discouraged?" the boy asked with a puzzled look on his
face. "Why  should we be discouraged?  We haven't been up to bat yet."
**********                 
Roles And How We Play Them
                 
Whenever I'm disappointed with my spot in my life, I
stop and think  about little Jamie Scott.  Jamie was trying out for a
part in a school play.  His mother told me that he'd set his heart on
being in it, though she feared he would not be chosen.  On the day the
parts were awarded, I went with her to collect him after school. Jamie
rushed up to her, eyes shining with pride and excitement.
"Guess what Mom," he shouted, and then said those words
that will remain a lesson to me: "I've been chosen to clap and cheer."
*********                 
A Lesson In Heart
                 
A lesson in "heart" is my little, 10 year old daughter,
Sarah, who was born with a muscle missing in her foot and wears a brace all the    time.  She came home one beautiful spring day to tell me she had competed in field day"-that's where they have lots of races and other competitive events.  Because of her leg support, my mind raced as I tried to think of encouragement for my Sarah, things I could say to her  about not   letting this   get her down-but before I could get a word out, she said "Daddy, I won two of the races!" I couldn't believe it!  And then Sarah said, "I had an
advantage."   Ah. I knew it.  I thought she must have been given a
head start...some kind of physical advantage
But again, before I could say anything, she said,
"Daddy, I didn't get  a head start... My advantage was I had to tryharder!"
*******
An Eye Witness Account from New York City, on a cold
day in  December... (Wishfully, this is the kind of thing that would
happen   frequently, everywhere...) A little boy about 10 years old was standing before a shoe store on  the roadway, barefooted, peering through the window, and shivering  with cold.  A lady approached the boy and said, "My little fellow,  why are you looking so earnestly in that window?"
"I was asking God to give me a pair of shoes," was the
boy's reply.    The lady took him by the hand and went into the store
and asked the clerk to get half a dozen pairs of socks for the boy.  She then asked if he could give her a basin of water and a towel.  He
quickly brought them to her.  She took the little fellow to the back
part of the store  and, removing her gloves, knelt down, washed his
little feet, and dried them with a towel.  By this time the clerk had
returned with  the socks.  Placing a pair upon the boy's feet, she
purchased him a pair of shoes.  She tied up the remaining pairs of socks and gave them to him.  She patted him on the head and said, "No doubt, my little fellow, you feel more comfortable now?"  As she turned to go, the astonished lad caught her by the hand, and  looking up in her face, with tears his eyes, answered the question  with these words: "Are you God's Wife?"                 
*****
                 
To laugh often and much; to win the respect of
intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the
appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of  false
friends; to appreciate beauty, to find the best in others; to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived.  This is to have succeeded.
                 -- Ralph Waldo Emerson                 
*****
                 
Dear God,                 
So far today, I've done all right.                 
                 I haven't gossiped.
                 I haven't lost my temper.
                 I haven't been greedy, grumpy, nasty,
                 selfish or overindulgent.
                 I'm very thankful for that.
                 But in a few minutes, God,
                 I'm going to get out of bed;
                 and from then on, I'm probably
                 going to need a lot more help.                 
Have a GREAT Day
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Great Easter Story
A Jewish father was concerned about his son who was about a year away from his Bar Mitzvah but was sorely lacking in his knowledge of the Jewish faith.  To remedy this, he sent his son to Israel to experience his heritage.  A year later, the young man returned home.
"Father, thank you for sending me to the land of our Fathers," the son said.  "It was wonderful and enlightening, however, I must confess that while in Israel I converted to Christianity."
"Oi vey," replied the father, "what have I done?"  So in the tradition of the patriarchs, he went to his best friend and sought his advice and solace.
"It is amazing that you should come to me," stated his friend.  "I, too, sent my son to Israel and he returned a Christian."
So in the traditions of the Patriarchs, they went to the Rabbi.  "It is amazing that you should come to me," stated the Rabbi.  "I, too, sent my son to Israel and he returned a Christian.  What is happening to our sons?"
"Brothers, we must take this to God," said the Rabbi.
They fell to their knees and began to wail and pour out their hearts to the Almighty.  As they prayed, the clouds above opened and a mighty voice stated, "Amazing that you should come to Me.  I, too, sent My Son to Israel."
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Who Is This Jesus?
The Bible, from cover to cover,
addresses the question,
"Who is this Jesus?"
Consider the themes of the sixty-six books as follows:
In Genesis,
He is the Creator God.
In Exodus,
He is the Redeemer.
In Leviticus,
He is you sanctification.
In Numbers,
He is your guide.
In Deuteronomy,
He is your teacher.
In Joshua,
He is the mighty conqueror.
In Judges,
He gives victory over enemies.
In Ruth,
He is your kinsman, your lover, your redeemer.
In I Samuel,
He is the root of Jesse.
In II Samuel,
He is the Son of David.
In I Kings and II Kings,
He is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
In I and II Chronicles,
He is your intercessor and High Priest.
In Ezra,
He is your temple, your house of worship.
In Nehemiah, 
He is your mighty wall, protecting you from your enemies.
In Esther,
He stands in the gate to deliver you from your enemies.
In Job,
He is the arbitrator who not only understands your struggles, but He can do something about them.
In Psalms,
He is your song -- and your reason to sing.
In Proverbs,
He is your wisdom, helping you make sense of life and live it successfully.
In Ecclesiastes,
He is your purpose, delivering you from vanity.
In Song of Solomon,
He is your lover, your Rose of Sharon.
In Isaiah,
He is the Mighty Counselor, the Prince of Peace, the Everlasting Father, and more.
In Jeremiah,
He is your balm of Gilead, the soothing salve for your sin-sick soul.
In Lamentations,
He is the ever-faithful one upon whom you can depend.
In Ezekiel,
He is your wheel in the middle of a wheel -- the one who assures that dry, dead bones will come alive again.
In Daniel,
He is the ancient of days, the everlasting God who never runs out of time.
In Hosea,
He is your faithful lover, always beckoning you to come back -- even when you have abandoned Him.
In Joel, He is your refuge, keeping you safe in times of trouble.
In Amos, He is the husbandman, the one you can depend on to stay by your side.
In Obadiah,
He is Lord of the Kingdom.
In Jonah,
He is your salvation, bringing you back within His will.
In Micah,
He is judge of the nation.
In Nahum, 
He is the jealous God.
In Habakkuk,
He is the Holy One.
In Zephaniah,
He is the witness.
In Haggai,
He overthrows the enemies.
In Zechariah,
He is Lord of Hosts.
In Matthew,
He is King of the Jews.
In Mark,
He is the servant.
In Luke,
He is the Son of Man, feeling what you feel.
In John,
He is the Son of God.
In Acts,
He is Savior of the world.
In Romans,
He is the righteousness of God.
In I Corinthians,
He is the rock that followed Israel.
In II Corinthians,
He is the triumphant one, giving victory.
In Galatians,
He is your liberty; He sets you free.
In Ephesians,
He is head of the Church.
In Phillippians,
He is your joy.
In Collossians,
He is your completemess.
In I and II Thessalonians,
He is your hope.
In I Timothy,
He is your faith.
In II Timothy,
He is your stability.
In Philemon,
He is your benefactor.
In Hebrews,
He is your perfection.
In James,
He is the power behind your faith.
In I Peter,
He is your example.
In II Peter,
He is your purity.
In I John,
He is your life.
In II John,
He is your pattern.
In III John,
He is your motivation.
In Jude,
He is the foundation for your faith.
In Revelation,
He is your coming King as "King of Kings and Lord of Lords!"
**********************************************************************
Gardening Tips
This works even for those of us who are not much good at gardening!
Plant three rows of peas:
Peace of mind
Peace of heart
Peace of soul
Plant four rows of squash:
Squash gossip
Squash indifference
Squash selfishness
Plant four rows of lettuce:
Lettuce be faithful
Lettuce be kind
Lettuce be obedient
Lettuce really love one another
No garden should be without turnips:
Turnip for meetings
Turnip for service
Turnip to help one another
Water freely with patience, and:
Cultivate with love.
There is much fruit in your garden
Because you reap what you sow.
To conclude our garden we must have thyme:
Thyme for God
Thyme for study
Thyme for prayer.
Author is unknown --
**********************************************************************
Traveling Angels
Two traveling angels stopped to spend the night in the home of a wealthy family.  The family was rude and refused to let the angels stay in the mansion's guest room.  Instead the angels were given a space int he cold basement.  As they made their bed on the hard floor, the older angel saw a hole in the wall and repaired it.  When the younger angel asked why, the older angel replied "Things aren't always what they seem."
The next night the pair came to rest at the house of a very poor but very hospitable farmer and his wife.  After sharing what little food they had, the couple let the angels sleep in their bed where they could have a good night's rest.  When the sun came up the next morning, the angels found the farmer and his wife in tears.  Their only cow, whose milk had been their sole income, lay dead in the field.
The younger angel was infuriated and asked the older angel, "How could you have let this happen?!  The first man had everything, yet you helped him!  The second family had little but was willing to share everything, and you let their cow die!"  "Things aren't always what they seem," the older angel replied.  "When we stayed in the basement of the mansion, I noticed there was gold stored in that hole in the wall.  Since the owner was so obsessed with greed and unwilling to share his good fortune, I sealed the wall so he wouldn't find it.  Then last night as we slept in the farmer's bed, the angel of death came for his wife.  I gave him the cow instead.  Things aren't always what they seem."
Sometimes this is exactly what happens when things don't turn out the way they should.  If you have faith, you just need to trust that every outcome is always to your advantage.  You might not know it until some time later...
**********************************************************************
Little Boy
A sweet little boy surprised his grandmother one morning and brought her a cup of coffee.  He made it himself and was so proud.  He anziously waited to hear the verdict on the quality of the coffee.  The grandmother had never in her life had such a bad cup of coffee, and as she forced down the last sip, she noticed three of those little green army guys in the bottom of the cup.  She asked, "Honey, why would three little green army guys be in the bottom of my cup?"  Her grandson replied, "You know grandma, it's like on TV, 'The best part of waking up is soldiers in your cup.'"
**********************************************************************
What if you were to get an E-mail from God
Perhaps the message would be something like...
Hi,
As you got up this morning, I watched you and hoped you would talk to me, even if it was just a few words, asking my opinion or thanking me for something good that happened in you life yesterday - but I noticed that you were too busy trying to find the right outfit to put on and wear to work.
I waited again.  When you ran around the house getting ready, I knew there would be a few minutes for you to stop and say hello, but you were again too busy.
At one point, you had to wait fifteen minutes with nothing to do except sit in a chair.  Then I saw you spring to your feet.  I thought you wanted to talk to me but you ran to the phone and called a friend to get the latest gossip.
I watched as you went to work and I waited patiently all day long.
With all your activities, I guess you were too busy to say anything to me.  I noticed that before lunch you looked around, maybe you felt embarrassed to talk to me, that is why you didn't bow your head.  You glanced three or four tables over, and you noticed some of your friends talking to me briefly before they ate, but you didn't.
That's okay.
There is still more time left, and I have hoped that you will talk to me.  However, you went home and it seems as if you had lots of things to do.  After a few of them were done, you turned on TV, and I don't know if you like TV or not because just about anything goes there as you spend a lot of time each day in front of it, not thinking about anything - just enjoying the show.  I waited patiently again as you watched the TV and ate your meal, yet again you didn't talk to me.
Now it's bedtime - I guess you felt too tired.  After you said goodnight to your family, you plopped into bed and fell asleep in no time.  That's okay because you may not realize that I am always there for you.  I've got patience more than you will ever know.  I even want to teach you how to be patient with others as well.  I love you so much that I wait everyday for a nod, a prayer, a thought, or a thankful part of your heart.  
It is hard to have a one-sided conversation, though.
Well, you are getting up again, and once again I will wait with nothing but love for you - hoping that today you will give me some time.
Have a nice day!
Your friend,
God
P.S. Did you say "hello" this morning?
Do you have enough time to send this to another person?
**********************************************************************
SHMILY
My grandparents were married for over half a century, and played their own special game from the time they had met each other.  The goal of their game was to write the word "shmily" in a surprise place for the other to find.  They took turns leaving "shmily" around the house, and as soon as one of them discovered it, it ws their turn to hide it once more.
They dragged "shmily" with their fingers through the sugar and flour containers to await whoever was preparing the next meal.  They smeared it in the dew on the windows overlooking the patio where my grandma always fed us warm, homemade pudding with blue food coloring.  "Shmily" was written in the steam left on the mirror after a hot shower, where it would reappear bath after bath.  At one point, my grandmother even unrolled an entire roll of toilet paper to leave "shmily" on the very last sheet.  There was no end to the places "shmily" would pop up.  Little notes with "shmily" scribbled hurriedly were found on dashboards and car seats, or taped to steering wheels.  The notes were stuffed inside shoes and left under pillows.  "Shmily" was written in the dust upon the mantel and traced int he ashes of the fireplace.  This mysterious word was as much a part of my grandparents' house as the furniture.
It took me a long time before I was able to fully appreciate my grandparents' game.  Skepticism has kept me from believing in true love - one that is pure and enduring.  However, I never doubted my grandparents' relationship.  They had love down pat.  It was more than their flirtatious little games; it was a way of life.  Their relationship was based on a devotion and passionate affection which not everyone is lucky to experience.  Grandma and Grandpa held hands every chance they could.  They stole kisses as they bumped into each other in their tiny kitchen.  They finished each other's sentences and shared the daily crossword puzzle and word jumble.  My grandma whispered to me about how cute my grandpa was, how handsome and old he had grown to be.  She claimed that she really knew how to pick 'em.  Before every meal they bowed their heads and gave thanks, marveling at their blessings - a wonderful family, good fortune, and each other.
But there was a dark cloud in my grandparents' life - my grandmother had breast cancer.  The disease had first appeared ten years earlier.  As always, Grandpa was with her every step of the way.  He comforted her in their yellow room, painted that way so that she could always be surrounded by sunshine, even when she was too sick to go outside.  Now the cancer was agin attacking her body.  With the help of a cane and my grandfather's steady hand, they went to church every morning.  But my grandmother grew steadily weaker until, finally, she could not leave the house anymore.  For a while, Grandpa would go to church alone, praying to God to watch over his wife.  Then one day, what we all dreaded finally happened.  Grandma was gone.
"Shmily."  It was scrawled in yellow on the pink ribbons of my grandmother's funeral bouquet.  As the crowd thinned and the last mourners turned to leave, my aunts, uncles, cousins and other family members came forward and gathered around Grandma one last time.  Grandpa stepped up to my grandmother's casket and, taking a shaky breath, he began to sing to her.  Through his tears and grief, the song came, a deep and throaty lullaby.  Shaking with my own sorrow, I will never forget that moment.  For I knew that, although I couldn't begin to fathom the depth of their love, I had been privileged to witness its unmatched beauty.
S-h-m-i-l-y:  See How Much I Love You.
**********************************************************************
**********************************************************************
Subject: We Reap What We Sow
Let's see...
     
I think it started when Madelyn Murray O'Hare
complained that she didn't want any prayer in ourschools, and we said O.K.
 
Then someone said, "You had better not read the Bible
in school - the Bible that says thou shalt not kill, thou shalt
not steal, and love your neighbor as yourself." And wesaid, O.K.
    
Remember Dr. Benjamin Spock, who said we shouldn't
spank our children when they misbehave, because their
little personalities would be warped and we might
damage their self-esteem?  And we said, O.K.
   
Then someone said that teachers and principals better
not discipline our children when they misbehave.  And
our administrators said, "Whoa, no one in this school
better touch a student when they misbehave because we
don't want any bad publicity, and we surely don't want
to be sued."  And we said, O.K.
     
Then someone said, "Let's let our daughters have
abortions if they want, and we won't even have to tell
their parents." And we said, O.K.
     
Then someone else said, "Let's give our sons and
daughters all the condoms they want, so they can have
all the 'fun" they desire, and we won't have to tell
their parents." And we said, O.K.
      
And then some of our top officials said that it
doesn't matter what we do in private as long as we do
our jobs.  And we said, "As long as I have a job and
the economy is good, it doesn't matter to me what anyone
does in private, it's nobody's business."  In short, it's O.K.
    
So now we're asking ourselves why some of our children
have no conscience, why they don't know right from wrong, and
why it doesn't bother them to kill.  Probably, if we think
about it long and hard enough, we can figure it out.
I think it has a great deal to do with "we reap what we sow."
Whoa!  What a concept!
**********************************************************************
By Danny Dutton, age 8, from Chula Vista, California, for
his third grade homework assignment to "Explain God."
One of God's main jobs is making people. He makes them to replace
the ones that die so there will be enough people to take care of things on earth. He doesn't make grown-ups, just babies. I think because they are smaller and easier to make. That way, He doesn't have to take up His valuable time teaching them to talk and walk. He can just leave that to others and fathers. God's second most important job is listening to prayers.
An awful lot of this goes on, since some people, like preachers and
things, pray at times besides bedtime. God doesn't have time to listen to the radio or TV because of this. Because He hears everything there must be a terrible lot of noise in His ears, unless He has thought of a way to turn it off. God sees everything and hears everything and is everywhere which keeps Him pretty busy. So you shouldn't go wasting His time by going over your mom and dad's head asking for something they said you couldn't have.
Atheists are people who don't believe in God. I don't think there
are any in Chula Vista. At least there aren't any who come to our
church. Jesus is God's Son. He used to do all the hard work like walking on water and performing miracles and trying to teach the people who didn't  want to learn about God. They finally got tired of Him preaching to them and they crucified Him. But He was good and kind like His Father and He told His Father that they didn't know what they were doing and to forgive them and God said OK. His Dad (God) appreciated everything that He had done and all His hard work on earth so He told Him He didn't have to go out on the road anymore, He could stay in heaven. So He did. And now He helps His Dad out by listening to prayers and seeing things which are important for God to take care of and which ones He can take care of Himself without having to bother God. Like a secretary only more important.
You can pray anytime you want and they are sure to hear you because they got it worked out so one of them is on duty all the times. You should always go to Church on Sunday because it makes God happy, and if there's anybody you want to make happy, it's God.
Don't skip church to do something you think will be more fun like going to the beach. This is wrong! And, besides, the sun doesn't come out at the beach until noon anyway. If you don't believe in God, besides being an atheist, you will be very lonely, because your parents can't go everywhere with you, like to camp, but God can. It is good to know He's around you when you're scared in the dark or when you can't swim very good and you get thrown into real deep water by big kids. But you shouldn't just always think of what God can do for you.
I figure God put me here and He can take me back anytime He pleases.
And that's why I believe in God."
**********************************************************************
Life 
One day an expert in time management was speaking to a group of business students and, to drive home a point, he used an illustration those students will never forget.  As he stood in front of the group of high powered overachievers he said, "Okay, time for a quiz." Then he pulled out a one-gallon, wide mouth mason jar and set it on the table in front of him.  Then he produced about a dozen fist-sized rocks and carefully placed them, one at a time, into the jar.
When the jar was filled to the top and no more rocks would fit inside, he asked, "Is this jar full?" Everyone in the class said "Yes."  Then he said, "Really?" He reached under the table and pulled out a bucket of gravel.  Then he dumped some gravel in and shook the jar causing pieces of gravel to work themselves down into the space between the big rocks.  Then he asked the group once more, "Is the jar full?"  By this time the class was on to him. "Probably not," one of them answered.  "Good!" hereplied. He reached under the table and brought out a bucket of sand. He started dumping the sand in the jar and it went into all of the spaces left between the rocks and the gravel. Once more he asked the question, "Is this jar full?" "No!" the class shouted. Once again he said, "Good."
Then he grabbed a pitcher of water and began to fill the jar until it was filled to the brim. Then he looked at the class and asked, "What is the point of this illustration?" One eager beaver raised his hand and said, "The point is, no matter how full your schedule is, if you try really hard you can always fit some more things in it!"
"No," the speaker replied, "that's not the point. The truth this
illustration teaches us is:  If you don't put the big rocks in first,
you'll never get them in at all." 
What are the 'big rocks' in your life?
Your family? Your friends? Your faith, your education, your dreams? A
worthy cause? Teaching or mentoring others? 
Remember to put these BIG ROCKS in first or you'll never get them in at all.
So, tonight, or in the morning, when you are reflecting on this short
story, ask yourself this question: What are the 'big rocks' in my life?
Then, put those in your jar first.
**********************************************************************
Sayings 
1. I started with nothing. I still have most of it. 
  
2. When did my wild oats turn to prunes and all bran? 
  
3. I finally got my head together, now my body is falling apart. 
  
4. Funny, I don't remember being absent minded. 
  
5. All reports are in. Life is now officially unfair. 
  
6. If all is not lost, where is it? 
  
7. It is easier to get older than it is to get wiser. 
  
8. If at first you do succeed, try not to look astonished. 
  
9. The first rule of holes: if you are in one, stop digging. 
  
10. I tried to get a life once, But they told me they were out    ofstock. 
  
11. I went to school to become a wit, only got halfway though. 
  
12. It was so different before everything changed. 
  
13. Some day's you're the dog, and some day's you're the hydrant. 
  
14. Nostalgia isn't what it use to be. 
  
15. Old programmers never die. They just terminate and stay resident. 
  
16. A day without sunshine is like a day in Seattle. 
  
17. I wish the buck stopped here! I could use a few. 
  
18. Kids in the back seat cause accidents; accidents in the back seat
  cause kids. 
  
19. It's not the pace of life that concerns me, it's the sudden stop
at the end.   
20. It's hard to make a comeback when you haven't been anywhere. 
  
21. Living on Earth is expensive, But it does include a trip aroundthe sun. 
  
22. The only time the world beats a path to your door is if you're in
 the bathroom. 
  
23. If God wanted me to touch my toes, He would have put them on my knees. 
  
24. Never knock on death's door, ring the bell and run (he hatesthat). 
  
25. Lead me not into temptation (I can find the way myself). 
  
26. When you are finally holding all the cards, why does everyone else
  decide to play chess. 
  
27. If you are living on the edge, make sure your wearing yourseatbelt. 
  
28. There are two kinds of pedestrians. The quick and the dead. 
  
29. An unbreakable toy is useful for breaking other toys. 
  
30. A closed mouth gathers no feet. 
  
31. Health is merely the slowest possible rate at which one can die. 
  
32. Its not hard to meet expenses; they are everywhere. 
  
33. Jury: Twelve people who determine which client has the better  attorney. 
  
34. The only difference between a rut and a grave is the depth.
**********************************************************************
An article in National Geographic several years ago provided a
penetrating picture of God's wings...
After a forest fire in Yellowstone National Park, forest rangers  began their trek up a mountain to assess the inferno's damage. 
One ranger found a bird literally petrified in ashes, perched
statuesquely on the ground at the base of a tree.  
Somewhat sickened by the eerie sight, he knocked over the bird with a stick.  When he struck it, three tiny chicks scurried from under their dead mother's wings.  The loving mother, keenly aware
of impending disaster, had carried her offspring to the base of the tree and had gathered them under her wings, instinctively knowing that the toxix smoke would rise.  She could have flown to safety but had refused to abandon her babies. 
When the blaze had arrived and the heat had scorched her small body, the mother had remained steadfast.  Because she had been willing to die, those under the cover of her wings would live... 
"He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge;..."  (Psalm 91:4)
"How oft will I gather you as a hen gathereth her chickens under herwings, if ye will repent and return unto me with full purpose of heart." (3 Nephi 10:6) 
Being loved this much should make a difference in your life.  Remember the One who loves you and then, be different because of it.
**********************************************************************
Wealth is All in One's Point of View
One day...a wealthy family man took his son on a trip to the country
so he could have his son see how poor country people were.
They stayed one day and one night in the farm of a very humble farm house.  At the end of the trip and back home the father asked the son some  questions.   The Father asked:  What did you think of the trip?
   The son replied: Very nice Dad
   Father: Did you noticed how poor they were?  Son: Yes
   Father: What did you learn?
   Son: I learned that we have one dog in the house...and they have four.
   We have a fountain in the garden and they have a stream that has no end.
   We have imported lamps in the garden, they have the stars.
   Our garden goes to the edge of our property, they have the entire
   horizon as their back yard.
   At the end of the son's reply the father was speechless and his son added:
   "Thank you dad for showing me how poor we really are."
**********************************************************************
Trust And Obey
The cheerful girl with bouncy golden curls was almost five. Waiting 
with her mother at the checkout stand, she saw them:  a circle of 
glistening white pearls in a pink foil box.
"Oh please,  Mommy. Can I have them?  Please, Mommy, please?" Quickly 
the mother checked the back of the little foil box and then looked 
back into the pleading blue eyes of her little girl's upturned face.  
"A dollar ninety-five.That's almost $2.00.    If you really want 
them, I'll think of some extra chores for you and in no time you can 
save enough money to buy them for yourself.  Your birthday's only a 
week away and you might get another crisp dollar bill from Grandma."
As soon as Jenny got home, she emptied her penny bank and counted 17 
pennies.  After dinner, she did more than her share of chores and she 
went to the neighbor and asked Mrs. McJames if she could pick 
dandelions for ten cents.  On her birthday, Grandma did give her 
another new dollar bill and at last she had enough money to buy the necklace.
Jenny loved her pearls.  They made her feel dressed up and grown up. 
She wore them everywhere - church, kindergarten, even to bed. The 
only time she took them off was when she went swimming or had a 
bubble bath. Mother said if they got wet, they might turn her neck 
green.
Jenny had a very loving daddy and every night when she was ready for 
bed, he would stop whatever he was doing and come  upstairs to read 
her a story.
                  
One night when he finished the story, he asked Jenny, "Do you love 
me?"  "Oh yes, Daddy.  You know that I love you."  "Then give me your 
pearls," he said.  "Oh, Daddy, not my pearls.  But you can have 
Princess - the white horse from my collection. The one with the pink 
tail.  Remember, Daddy? The one you gave me. She's my favorite."
"That's okay, Honey.  Daddy loves you.  Good night."  And he brushed 
her cheek with a kiss. 
About a week later, after the story time, Jenny's daddy asked again, 
"Do you love me?"  "Daddy, you know I love you."  "Then give me your 
pearls."  "Oh Daddy, not my pearls.   But you can have my baby doll.  
The brand new one I got for my birthday.  She is so beautiful and you 
can have the yellow blanket that matches her sleeper."
"That's okay. Sleep well.  God bless you, little one.  Daddy loves 
you." 
And as always, he brushed her cheek with a gentle kiss.
A few nights later when her daddy came in, Jenny was sitting on her 
bed with her legs crossed Indian-style.  As he came close, he noticed 
her chin was trembling and one silent tear rolled down her cheek. 
"What is it, Jenny?  What's the matter?" Jenny didn't say anything 
but lifted her little hand up to her daddy.  And when she opened it, 
there was her little pearl necklace. With a little quiver, she  
finally said, "Here, Daddy. It's for you."
With tears gathering in his own eyes, Jenny's kind daddy reached out 
with one hand to take the dime-store necklace, and with the other 
hand he reached into his pocket and pulled out a blue velvet case 
with a strand of genuine pearls and gave them to Jenny.  He had them 
all the time.  He was just waiting for her to give up the dime-store 
stuff so he could give her a genuine treasure.
                 
Jenny's father is like our heavenly Father. He also is waiting for us 
to give up our dime store stuff and seek Him first... so He can fling 
open the windows of Heaven and pour us out such a blessing that we 
will not have room enough to hold it.  What are you hanging on to?   
Never be afraid to try something new.
Remember, amateurs built the ark.... Professionals built the Titanic.
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TEXAN'S GUIDE TO LIFE
Don't squat with your spurs on.
Good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that comes from bad
judgment.
Lettin' the cat outta the bag is a whole lot easier 'n puttin' it back
in.
Never drop yer gun to hug a grizzly.
If you're ridin' ahead of the herd, take a look back every now and then
to
make sure it's still there.
If you get to thinkin' you're a person of some influence, try orderin'
somebody else's dog around.
A good horse never comes in a bad color.
After eating an entire bull, a mountain lion felt so good he started
roaring. He kept it up until a hunter came along and shot
him...........The
moral: When you're full of bull, keep your mouth shut.
Never kick a cow chip on a hot day.
There's two theories to arguin' with a woman.    Neither one works.
Don't worry about bitin' off more than you can chew. Your mouth is
probably
a whole lot bigger'n you think.
If you find yourself in a hole, the first thing to do is stop diggin'.
Never slap a man who's chewin' tobacco.
It don't take a genius to spot a goat in a flock of sheep.
Always drink upstream from the herd.
When you give a lesson in meanness to a critter or a person, don't be
surprised if they learn their lesson. 
When you're throwin' your weight around, be ready to have it thrown
around
by somebody else.
Always take a good look at what you're about to eat.  It's not so
Important
to know what it is, but you might need to know what it was.
The quickest way to double your money is to fold it over and put it back
in
your pocket.
Never miss a good chance to shut up.
There are three kinds of men:   The one that learns by reading;  The few
who
learn by observation;  The rest of them have to pee on the electric
fence
for themselves.
**********************************************************************
Something to ponder... 
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 it 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, but more problems; more medicine, but lesswellness.
We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too
little, drive too fast, get too angry too quickly, stay up too late,
get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much, and pray tooseldom.
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 the new neighbor.  We've 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 split 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 have higher incomes, but
lower morals; we have more food, but less appeasement; we build more
computers to hold more information to produce more copies than ever, but
have less communication; we've become long on quantity, but short onquality.
These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion; tall men, and
short character; steep profits, and shallow relationships. These are the
times of world peace (?), but domestic warfare; more leisure, but less
fun; more kinds of food, but less nutrition.   
These are days of two incomes, but  more divorce; of fancier houses, but
broken homes.
These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throw away 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 show 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 make a difference, or to just hitdelete...
**********************************************************************
God are you real ??????
The little child whispered, "God, speak to me"
And a meadowlark sang.
But the child did not hear.
So the child yelled, "God, speak to me!"
And the thunder rolled across the sky 
But the child did not listen.
The child looked around and said, "God let me see you"
And a star shone brightly
But the child did not notice.
And the child shouted,"God show me a miracle!"
And a life was born
But the child did not know.
So the child cried out in despair,"Touch me God, and let me know you  are there!"
Whereupon God reached down
And touched the child.
But the child brushed the butterfly away 
And walked away unknowingly.
-Anonymous
Take time to listen.
Often times, the things we seek are right underneath 
our noses. 
Don't miss out on your blessing because it 
isn't packaged the way that you expect.
**********************************************************************
Here's some fun ones about kids sayings....
A little boy opened the big and old family Bible with
fascination, and looked at the old pages as he turned them.
Suddenly, something fell out of the Bible,
and he picked it up and looked at it closely. It was an old leaf  from a tree that had been pressed in between the pages.
"Momma, look what I found," the boy called out.
"What have you got there, dear?" his mother asked. With
astonishment in the young boy's voice, he answered:
"I think it's Adam's suit!"
*********************************************************************
A Sunday school class was studying the Ten Commandments. They
were ready to discuss the last one. The teacher asked if anyone   could tell her what it was. Susie raised her hand, stood tall, and quoted, "Thou shall  not take the covers off the neighbor's wife.
****************************************************************
The preacher was wired for sound with a lapel mike, and as he
preached, he moved briskly about the platform, jerking the mike
cord as he went. Then he moved to one side, getting wound up in
the cord and nearly tripping before jerking it again.
After several circles and jerks, a little girl in the third
pew leaned toward her mother and whispered,
"If he gets loose, will he hurt us?"
******************************************************************
Six-year-old Angie and her four-year-old brother Joel were
sitting together in church. Joel giggled, sang, and talked out loud.
Finally, his big sister had enough. "You're not supposed to talk out
loud in church."   "Why? Who's going to stop me?" Joel asked.
Angie pointed to the back of the church and said, "See those
two men standing by the door? They're hushers."
**********************************************************************
A ten-year-old, under the tutelage of her grandmother, was
becoming quite knowledgeable about the Bible. Then one day
she floored her grandmother by asking, "Which Virgin was the mother
of Jesus: the Virgin Mary or the King James Virgin?"
My grandson was visiting one day when he asked, "Grandma, do
you know how you and God are alike?" I mentally polished my halo
while I asked, "No, how are we alike?" "You're both old," he replied.
 
**********************************************************************
A little girl was diligently pounding away on her father's word
processor. She told him she was writing a story. "What's it about?"
he asked. "I don't know," she replied. "I can't read."
**********************************************************************
I didn't know if my granddaughter had learned her colors yet,
so I decided to test her. I would point out something and ask
what color it was. She would tell me, and always she was correct.
But it was fun for me, so I continued. At last she headed for the door, saying sagely, "Grandma, I think you should try to figure out some of these yourself!"
**********************************************************************
**********************************************************************
By Danny Dutton, age 8, from Chula Vista, California, for
his third grade homework assignment to "Explain God."
One of God's main jobs is making people. He makes them to replace
the ones that die so there will be enough people to take care of things on earth. He doesn't make grown-ups, just babies. I think because they are smaller and easier to make. That way, He doesn't have to take up His valuable time teaching them to talk and walk. He can just leave that to others and fathers. God's second most important job is listening to prayers.
An awful lot of this goes on, since some people, like preachers and
things, pray at times besides bedtime. God doesn't have time to listen to the radio or TV because of this. Because He hears everything there must be a terrible lot of noise in His ears, unless He has thought of a way to turn it off. God sees everything and hears everything and is everywhere which keeps Him pretty busy. So you shouldn't go wasting His time by going over your mom and dad's head asking for something they said you couldn't have.
Atheists are people who don't believe in God. I don't think there
are any in Chula Vista. At least there aren't any who come to our
church. Jesus is God's Son. He used to do all the hard work like walking on water and performing miracles and trying to teach the people who didn't  want to learn about God. They finally got tired of Him preaching to them and they crucified Him. But He was good and kind like His Father and He told His Father that they didn't know what they were doing and to forgive them and God said OK. His Dad (God) appreciated everything that He had done and all His hard work on earth so He told Him He didn't have to go out on the road anymore, He could stay in heaven. So He did. And now He helps His Dad out by listening to prayers and seeing things which are important for God to take care of and which ones He can take care of Himself without having to bother God. Like a secretary only more important.
You can pray anytime you want and they are sure to hear you because they got it worked out so one of them is on duty all the times. You should always go to Church on Sunday because it makes God happy, and if there's anybody you want to make happy, it's God.
Don't skip church to do something you think will be more fun like going to the beach. This is wrong! And, besides, the sun doesn't come out at the beach until noon anyway. If you don't believe in God, besides being an atheist, you will be very lonely, because your parents can't go everywhere with you, like to camp, but God can. It is good to know He's around you when you're scared in the dark or when you can't swim very good and you get thrown into real deep water by big kids. But you shouldn't just always think of what God can do for you.
I figure God put me here and He can take me back anytime He pleases.
And that's why I believe in God."
**********************************************************************
Life 
One day an expert in time management was speaking to a group of business students and, to drive home a point, he used an illustration those students will never forget.  As he stood in front of the group of high powered overachievers he said, "Okay, time for a quiz." Then he pulled out a one-gallon, wide mouth mason jar and set it on the table in front of him.  Then he produced about a dozen fist-sized rocks and carefully placed them, one at a time, into the jar.
When the jar was filled to the top and no more rocks would fit inside, he asked, "Is this jar full?" Everyone in the class said "Yes."  Then he said, "Really?" He reached under the table and pulled out a bucket of gravel.  Then he dumped some gravel in and shook the jar causing pieces of gravel to work themselves down into the space between the big rocks.  Then he asked the group once more, "Is the jar full?"  By this time the class was on to him. "Probably not," one of them answered.  "Good!" hereplied. He reached under the table and brought out a bucket of sand. He started dumping the sand in the jar and it went into all of the spaces left between the rocks and the gravel. Once more he asked the question, "Is this jar full?" "No!" the class shouted. Once again he said, "Good."
Then he grabbed a pitcher of water and began to fill the jar until it was filled to the brim. Then he looked at the class and asked, "What is the point of this illustration?" One eager beaver raised his hand and said, "The point is, no matter how full your schedule is, if you try really hard you can always fit some more things in it!"
"No," the speaker replied, "that's not the point. The truth this
illustration teaches us is:  If you don't put the big rocks in first,
you'll never get them in at all." 
What are the 'big rocks' in your life?
Your family? Your friends? Your faith, your education, your dreams? A
worthy cause? Teaching or mentoring others? 
Remember to put these BIG ROCKS in first or you'll never get them in at all.
So, tonight, or in the morning, when you are reflecting on this short
story, ask yourself this question: What are the 'big rocks' in my life?
Then, put those in your jar first.
**********************************************************************
Sayings 
1. I started with nothing. I still have most of it. 
  
2. When did my wild oats turn to prunes and all bran? 
  
3. I finally got my head together, now my body is falling apart. 
  
4. Funny, I don't remember being absent minded. 
  
5. All reports are in. Life is now officially unfair. 
  
6. If all is not lost, where is it? 
  
7. It is easier to get older than it is to get wiser. 
  
8. If at first you do succeed, try not to look astonished. 
  
9. The first rule of holes: if you are in one, stop digging. 
  
10. I tried to get a life once, But they told me they were out    ofstock. 
  
11. I went to school to become a wit, only got halfway though. 
  
12. It was so different before everything changed. 
  
13. Some day's you're the dog, and some day's you're the hydrant. 
  
14. Nostalgia isn't what it use to be. 
  
15. Old programmers never die. They just terminate and stay resident. 
  
16. A day without sunshine is like a day in Seattle. 
  
17. I wish the buck stopped here! I could use a few. 
  
18. Kids in the back seat cause accidents; accidents in the back seat
  cause kids. 
  
19. It's not the pace of life that concerns me, it's the sudden stop
at the end.   
20. It's hard to make a comeback when you haven't been anywhere. 
  
21. Living on Earth is expensive, But it does include a trip aroundthe sun. 
  
22. The only time the world beats a path to your door is if you're in
 the bathroom. 
  
23. If God wanted me to touch my toes, He would have put them on my knees. 
  
24. Never knock on death's door, ring the bell and run (he hatesthat). 
  
25. Lead me not into temptation (I can find the way myself). 
  
26. When you are finally holding all the cards, why does everyone else
  decide to play chess. 
  
27. If you are living on the edge, make sure your wearing yourseatbelt. 
  
28. There are two kinds of pedestrians. The quick and the dead. 
  
29. An unbreakable toy is useful for breaking other toys. 
  
30. A closed mouth gathers no feet. 
  
31. Health is merely the slowest possible rate at which one can die. 
  
32. Its not hard to meet expenses; they are everywhere. 
  
33. Jury: Twelve people who determine which client has the better  attorney. 
  
34. The only difference between a rut and a grave is the depth.
**********************************************************************
An article in National Geographic several years ago provided a
penetrating picture of God's wings...
After a forest fire in Yellowstone National Park, forest rangers  began their trek up a mountain to assess the inferno's damage. 
One ranger found a bird literally petrified in ashes, perched
statuesquely on the ground at the base of a tree.  
Somewhat sickened by the eerie sight, he knocked over the bird with a stick.  When he struck it, three tiny chicks scurried from under their dead mother's wings.  The loving mother, keenly aware
of impending disaster, had carried her offspring to the base of the tree and had gathered them under her wings, instinctively knowing that the toxix smoke would rise.  She could have flown to safety but had refused to abandon her babies. 
When the blaze had arrived and the heat had scorched her small body, the mother had remained steadfast.  Because she had been willing to die, those under the cover of her wings would live... 
"He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge;..."  (Psalm 91:4)
"How oft will I gather you as a hen gathereth her chickens under herwings, if ye will repent and return unto me with full purpose of heart." (3 Nephi 10:6) 
Being loved this much should make a difference in your life.  Remember the One who loves you and then, be different because of it.
**********************************************************************
Wealth is All in One's Point of View
One day...a wealthy family man took his son on a trip to the country
so he could have his son see how poor country people were.
They stayed one day and one night in the farm of a very humble farm house.  At the end of the trip and back home the father asked the son some  questions.   The Father asked:  What did you think of the trip?
   The son replied: Very nice Dad
   Father: Did you noticed how poor they were?  Son: Yes
   Father: What did you learn?
   Son: I learned that we have one dog in the house...and they have four.
   We have a fountain in the garden and they have a stream that has no end.
   We have imported lamps in the garden, they have the stars.
   Our garden goes to the edge of our property, they have the entire
   horizon as their back yard.
   At the end of the son's reply the father was speechless and his son added:
   "Thank you dad for showing me how poor we really are."
**********************************************************************
Trust And Obey
The cheerful girl with bouncy golden curls was almost five. Waiting 
with her mother at the checkout stand, she saw them:  a circle of 
glistening white pearls in a pink foil box.
"Oh please,  Mommy. Can I have them?  Please, Mommy, please?" Quickly 
the mother checked the back of the little foil box and then looked 
back into the pleading blue eyes of her little girl's upturned face.  
"A dollar ninety-five.That's almost $2.00.    If you really want 
them, I'll think of some extra chores for you and in no time you can 
save enough money to buy them for yourself.  Your birthday's only a 
week away and you might get another crisp dollar bill from Grandma."
As soon as Jenny got home, she emptied her penny bank and counted 17 
pennies.  After dinner, she did more than her share of chores and she 
went to the neighbor and asked Mrs. McJames if she could pick 
dandelions for ten cents.  On her birthday, Grandma did give her 
another new dollar bill and at last she had enough money to buy the necklace.
Jenny loved her pearls.  They made her feel dressed up and grown up. 
She wore them everywhere - church, kindergarten, even to bed. The 
only time she took them off was when she went swimming or had a 
bubble bath. Mother said if they got wet, they might turn her neck 
green.
Jenny had a very loving daddy and every night when she was ready for 
bed, he would stop whatever he was doing and come  upstairs to read 
her a story.
                  
One night when he finished the story, he asked Jenny, "Do you love 
me?"  "Oh yes, Daddy.  You know that I love you."  "Then give me your 
pearls," he said.  "Oh, Daddy, not my pearls.  But you can have 
Princess - the white horse from my collection. The one with the pink 
tail.  Remember, Daddy? The one you gave me. She's my favorite."
"That's okay, Honey.  Daddy loves you.  Good night."  And he brushed 
her cheek with a kiss. 
About a week later, after the story time, Jenny's daddy asked again, 
"Do you love me?"  "Daddy, you know I love you."  "Then give me your 
pearls."  "Oh Daddy, not my pearls.   But you can have my baby doll.  
The brand new one I got for my birthday.  She is so beautiful and you 
can have the yellow blanket that matches her sleeper."
"That's okay. Sleep well.  God bless you, little one.  Daddy loves 
you." 
And as always, he brushed her cheek with a gentle kiss.
A few nights later when her daddy came in, Jenny was sitting on her 
bed with her legs crossed Indian-style.  As he came close, he noticed 
her chin was trembling and one silent tear rolled down her cheek. 
"What is it, Jenny?  What's the matter?" Jenny didn't say anything 
but lifted her little hand up to her daddy.  And when she opened it, 
there was her little pearl necklace. With a little quiver, she  
finally said, "Here, Daddy. It's for you."
With tears gathering in his own eyes, Jenny's kind daddy reached out 
with one hand to take the dime-store necklace, and with the other 
hand he reached into his pocket and pulled out a blue velvet case 
with a strand of genuine pearls and gave them to Jenny.  He had them 
all the time.  He was just waiting for her to give up the dime-store 
stuff so he could give her a genuine treasure.
                 
Jenny's father is like our heavenly Father. He also is waiting for us 
to give up our dime store stuff and seek Him first... so He can fling 
open the windows of Heaven and pour us out such a blessing that we 
will not have room enough to hold it.  What are you hanging on to?   
Never be afraid to try something new.
Remember, amateurs built the ark.... Professionals built the Titanic.
**********************************************************************
TEXAN'S GUIDE TO LIFE
Don't squat with your spurs on.
Good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that comes from bad
judgment.
Lettin' the cat outta the bag is a whole lot easier 'n puttin' it back
in.
Never drop yer gun to hug a grizzly.
If you're ridin' ahead of the herd, take a look back every now and then
to
make sure it's still there.
If you get to thinkin' you're a person of some influence, try orderin'
somebody else's dog around.
A good horse never comes in a bad color.
After eating an entire bull, a mountain lion felt so good he started
roaring. He kept it up until a hunter came along and shot
him...........The
moral: When you're full of bull, keep your mouth shut.
Never kick a cow chip on a hot day.
There's two theories to arguin' with a woman.    Neither one works.
Don't worry about bitin' off more than you can chew. Your mouth is
probably
a whole lot bigger'n you think.
If you find yourself in a hole, the first thing to do is stop diggin'.
Never slap a man who's chewin' tobacco.
It don't take a genius to spot a goat in a flock of sheep.
Always drink upstream from the herd.
When you give a lesson in meanness to a critter or a person, don't be
surprised if they learn their lesson. 
When you're throwin' your weight around, be ready to have it thrown
around
by somebody else.
Always take a good look at what you're about to eat.  It's not so
Important
to know what it is, but you might need to know what it was.
The quickest way to double your money is to fold it over and put it back
in
your pocket.
Never miss a good chance to shut up.
There are three kinds of men:   The one that learns by reading;  The few
who
learn by observation;  The rest of them have to pee on the electric
fence
for themselves.
**********************************************************************
Something to ponder... 
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 it 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, but more problems; more medicine, but lesswellness.
We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too
little, drive too fast, get too angry too quickly, stay up too late,
get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much, and pray tooseldom.
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 the new neighbor.  We've 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 split 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 have higher incomes, but
lower morals; we have more food, but less appeasement; we build more
computers to hold more information to produce more copies than ever, but
have less communication; we've become long on quantity, but short onquality.
These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion; tall men, and
short character; steep profits, and shallow relationships. These are the
times of world peace (?), but domestic warfare; more leisure, but less
fun; more kinds of food, but less nutrition.   
These are days of two incomes, but  more divorce; of fancier houses, but
broken homes.
These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throw away 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 show 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 make a difference, or to just hitdelete...
**********************************************************************
God are you real ??????
The little child whispered, "God, speak to me"
And a meadowlark sang.
But the child did not hear.
So the child yelled, "God, speak to me!"
And the thunder rolled across the sky 
But the child did not listen.
The child looked around and said, "God let me see you"
And a star shone brightly
But the child did not notice.
And the child shouted,"God show me a miracle!"
And a life was born
But the child did not know.
So the child cried out in despair,"Touch me God, and let me know you  are there!"
Whereupon God reached down
And touched the child.
But the child brushed the butterfly away 
And walked away unknowingly.
-Anonymous
Take time to listen.
Often times, the things we seek are right underneath 
our noses. 
Don't miss out on your blessing because it 
isn't packaged the way that you expect.
**********************************************************************
Here's some fun ones about kids sayings....
A little boy opened the big and old family Bible with
fascination, and looked at the old pages as he turned them.
Suddenly, something fell out of the Bible,
and he picked it up and looked at it closely. It was an old leaf  from a tree that had been pressed in between the pages.
"Momma, look what I found," the boy called out.
"What have you got there, dear?" his mother asked. With
astonishment in the young boy's voice, he answered:
"I think it's Adam's suit!"
*********************************************************************
A Sunday school class was studying the Ten Commandments. They
were ready to discuss the last one. The teacher asked if anyone   could tell her what it was. Susie raised her hand, stood tall, and quoted, "Thou shall  not take the covers off the neighbor's wife.
****************************************************************
The preacher was wired for sound with a lapel mike, and as he
preached, he moved briskly about the platform, jerking the mike
cord as he went. Then he moved to one side, getting wound up in
the cord and nearly tripping before jerking it again.
After several circles and jerks, a little girl in the third
pew leaned toward her mother and whispered,
"If he gets loose, will he hurt us?"
******************************************************************
Six-year-old Angie and her four-year-old brother Joel were
sitting together in church. Joel giggled, sang, and talked out loud.
Finally, his big sister had enough. "You're not supposed to talk out
loud in church."   "Why? Who's going to stop me?" Joel asked.
Angie pointed to the back of the church and said, "See those
two men standing by the door? They're hushers."
**********************************************************************
A ten-year-old, under the tutelage of her grandmother, was
becoming quite knowledgeable about the Bible. Then one day
she floored her grandmother by asking, "Which Virgin was the mother
of Jesus: the Virgin Mary or the King James Virgin?"
My grandson was visiting one day when he asked, "Grandma, do
you know how you and God are alike?" I mentally polished my halo
while I asked, "No, how are we alike?" "You're both old," he replied.
 
**********************************************************************
A little girl was diligently pounding away on her father's word
processor. She told him she was writing a story. "What's it about?"
he asked. "I don't know," she replied. "I can't read."
**********************************************************************
I didn't know if my granddaughter had learned her colors yet,
so I decided to test her. I would point out something and ask
what color it was. She would tell me, and always she was correct.
But it was fun for me, so I continued. At last she headed for the door, saying sagely, "Grandma, I think you should try to figure out some of these yourself!"
**********************************************************************
The Father's Eyes
This teenager lived alone with his father, and the two of them had a very special relationship.  Even though the son was always on the bench, his father was always in the stands cheering.  The father never missed agame. This young man was still the smallest of the class when he entered high school, but his father continued to encourage him, but also made it very clear that he did not have to play football if he didn't want to.  But the young man loved football and decided to hang in there.  He was determined to try his best at every practice, and perhaps he'd get to play when he became a senior.  All through high school he never missed a practice nor a game, but remained a bench warmer all four years.  His faithful father was always in the stands, always with words of
encouragement for him. When the young man went to college, he decided to try out for the football team as a "walk-on."  Everyone was sure he could never make the cut, but he did.  The coach admitted that he kept him on the roster because he always put his heart and soul into every practice and at the same time, provided the other members with the spirit and hustle they badly needed.  The news that he had survived the cut thrilled him so much that he rushed to the nearest phone and called his father.  His father shared his excitement and was sent season tickets for all the college games.
This persistent young athlete never missed practice during his four years at college, but he never got to play in a game.  It was the end of his senior football season, and as he trotted onto the practice field shortly before the big play-off game, the coach met him with a telegram.   The young man read the telegram and he became deathly silent... Swallowing hard, he mumbled to the coach, "My father died this morning.  Is it all right if I miss practice today?"  The coach put his arm gently around his shoulder and said, "Take the rest of the week off, son.  And don't even plan to come back for the game on Saturday."  Saturday arrived, and the game was not going well.  In the third quarter, when the team was ten points behind, a silent young man quietly slipped into the empty locker room and put on his football gear.  As he ran onto the sidelines, the coach and his fellow players were astounded to see their faithful teammate back so soon.  "Coach, please let me play.  I've just got to play today," said the young man.  The coach pretended not to hear him.  There was no way he wanted his smallest practice player in this close play-off game.  But the young man persisted, and finally feeling sorry for the kid, the coach gave in.   "All right," he said.  "You can go in."
Before long, the coach, the players and everyone in the stands could not believe their eyes.  This little unknown who had never played before was doing everything right.  The opposing team could not stop him.  He ran, he passed, blocked and tackled like a star.  His team began to triumph.  The score was soon tied.  In the closing seconds of the game, this kid intercepted a pass and ran all the way for the winning touchdown.  The fans broke loose.  His teammates hoisted him onto their shoulders.  Such cheering you've never heard!
Finally, after the stands had emptied and the team had showered and left the locker room, the coach noticed that the young man was sitting quietly in the corner all alone. The coach came to him and said, "Kid, I can't believe it.  You were fantastic!  Tell me what got into you?  How did you do it?"
He looked at the coach, with tears in his eyes, and said, "Well, you knew my dad died, but did you know that my dad was blind?"  The young man swallowed hard and forced a smile,  "Dad came to all my games, but today was the first time he could see me play, and I wanted to show him I coulddo it!"
SO, REMEMBER RIGHT NOW:
Somebody is very proud of you.
Somebody is thinking of you.
Somebody is caring about you.
Somebody misses you.
Somebody wants to talk to you.
Somebody wants to be with you.
Somebody hopes you are not in trouble.
Somebody is thankful for the support you have provided.
Somebody wants to hold your hand.Somebody hopes everything turns out all right.
Somebody wants you to be happy.
Somebody wants you to find him/her.
Somebody wants to give you a gift.
Somebody wants to hug you.
Somebody thinks you ARE a gift.
Somebody admires your strength.
Somebody wants to protect you.
Somebody can't wait to see you.
Somebody loves you for who you are.
Somebody treasures your spirit.
Somebody is glad that you are their friend.
Somebody wants to get to know you better.
Somebody wants to be near you.
Somebody wants you to know they are there for you.
Somebody would do anything for you.
Somebody wants to share their dreams with you.
Somebody is alive because of you.
Somebody needs your support.
Somebody will cry when they read this.
Somebody needs you to have faith in them.
Somebody trusts you.
Somebody hears a song that reminds them of you.
SOMEBODY NEEDS YOU TO SHARE JESUS WITH THEM.
**********************************************************************
The Most Caring Child
Author and lecturer Leo Buscaglia once talked about a
contest he was asked to judge.  The purpose of the contest was to findthe most caring child. The winner was a four year old child whose next door neighbor was an elderly gentleman who had recently lost his wife.  Upon seeing the man cry, the little boy went into the old,gentleman's yard, climbed onto his lap, and just sat there. When his mother  asked him what he had said to the neighbor, the little boy said, "Nothing, I just helped him cry."                 
**********
What It Means to Be Adopted
Teacher Debbie Moon's first graders were discussing a
picture of a family.  One little boy in the picture had a different
color hair than the other family members.  One child suggested that he
was adopted  and  a little girl said, "I know all about adoptions
because I was adopted."  "What does it mean to be adopted?" asked another child.   "It means," said the girl, "that you grew in your mommy's heart  instead of her tummy."                 *******                 
Barney
A four year old was at the pediatrician for a check up.  As the doctor    looked down her ears with an otoscope, he asked, "Do you think I'll find Big Bird in here?"  The little girl stayed silent.
Next, the doctor took a tongue depressor and looked
down her throat. He asked, "Do you think I'll find the Cookie Monster
down there?" Again, the little girl was silent.  Then the doctor put a
stethoscope to her chest.  As he listened to her  heartbeat, he asked,
"Do you think I'll hear Barney in there?"
"Oh, no!" the little girl replied.  "Jesus is in my
heart. Barney's on my  underpants."                 
********
Discouraged?
As I was driving home from work one day, I stopped to
watch a local  Little League baseball game that was  being played in a
park near my home.  As I sat down behind the bench on the first-base
line, I asked  one of the boys what the score was.  "We're behind 14 to nothing," he answered with a smile.
"Really," I said. "I have to say you don't look verydiscouraged."
"Discouraged?" the boy asked with a puzzled look on his
face. "Why  should we be discouraged?  We haven't been up to bat yet."
**********                 
Roles And How We Play Them
                 
Whenever I'm disappointed with my spot in my life, I
stop and think  about little Jamie Scott.  Jamie was trying out for a
part in a school play.  His mother told me that he'd set his heart on
being in it, though she feared he would not be chosen.  On the day the
parts were awarded, I went with her to collect him after school. Jamie
rushed up to her, eyes shining with pride and excitement.
"Guess what Mom," he shouted, and then said those words
that will remain a lesson to me: "I've been chosen to clap and cheer."
*********                 
A Lesson In Heart
                 
A lesson in "heart" is my little, 10 year old daughter,
Sarah, who was born with a muscle missing in her foot and wears a brace all the    time.  She came home one beautiful spring day to tell me she had competed in field day"-that's where they have lots of races and other competitive events.  Because of her leg support, my mind raced as I tried to think of encouragement for my Sarah, things I could say to her  about not   letting this   get her down-but before I could get a word out, she said "Daddy, I won two of the races!" I couldn't believe it!  And then Sarah said, "I had an
advantage."   Ah. I knew it.  I thought she must have been given a
head start...some kind of physical advantage
But again, before I could say anything, she said,
"Daddy, I didn't get  a head start... My advantage was I had to tryharder!"
*******
An Eye Witness Account from New York City, on a cold
day in  December... (Wishfully, this is the kind of thing that would
happen   frequently, everywhere...) A little boy about 10 years old was standing before a shoe store on  the roadway, barefooted, peering through the window, and shivering  with cold.  A lady approached the boy and said, "My little fellow,  why are you looking so earnestly in that window?"
"I was asking God to give me a pair of shoes," was the
boy's reply.    The lady took him by the hand and went into the store
and asked the clerk to get half a dozen pairs of socks for the boy.  She then asked if he could give her a basin of water and a towel.  He
quickly brought them to her.  She took the little fellow to the back
part of the store  and, removing her gloves, knelt down, washed his
little feet, and dried them with a towel.  By this time the clerk had
returned with  the socks.  Placing a pair upon the boy's feet, she
purchased him a pair of shoes.  She tied up the remaining pairs of socks and gave them to him.  She patted him on the head and said, "No doubt, my little fellow, you feel more comfortable now?"  As she turned to go, the astonished lad caught her by the hand, and  looking up in her face, with tears his eyes, answered the question  with these words: "Are you God's Wife?"                 
*****
                 
To laugh often and much; to win the respect of
intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the
appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of  false
friends; to appreciate beauty, to find the best in others; to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived.  This is to have succeeded.
                 -- Ralph Waldo Emerson                 
*****
                 
Dear God,                 
So far today, I've done all right.                 
                 I haven't gossiped.
                 I haven't lost my temper.
                 I haven't been greedy, grumpy, nasty,
                 selfish or overindulgent.
                 I'm very thankful for that.
                 But in a few minutes, God,
                 I'm going to get out of bed;
                 and from then on, I'm probably
                 going to need a lot more help.                 
Have a GREAT Day
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Great Easter Story
A Jewish father was concerned about his son who was about a year away from his Bar Mitzvah but was sorely lacking in his knowledge of the Jewish faith.  To remedy this, he sent his son to Israel to experience his heritage.  A year later, the young man returned home.
"Father, thank you for sending me to the land of our Fathers," the son said.  "It was wonderful and enlightening, however, I must confess that while in Israel I converted to Christianity."
"Oi vey," replied the father, "what have I done?"  So in the tradition of the patriarchs, he went to his best friend and sought his advice and solace.
"It is amazing that you should come to me," stated his friend.  "I, too, sent my son to Israel and he returned a Christian."
So in the traditions of the Patriarchs, they went to the Rabbi.  "It is amazing that you should come to me," stated the Rabbi.  "I, too, sent my son to Israel and he returned a Christian.  What is happening to our sons?"
"Brothers, we must take this to God," said the Rabbi.
They fell to their knees and began to wail and pour out their hearts to the Almighty.  As they prayed, the clouds above opened and a mighty voice stated, "Amazing that you should come to Me.  I, too, sent My Son to Israel."
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Who Is This Jesus?
The Bible, from cover to cover,
addresses the question,
"Who is this Jesus?"
Consider the themes of the sixty-six books as follows:
In Genesis,
He is the Creator God.
In Exodus,
He is the Redeemer.
In Leviticus,
He is you sanctification.
In Numbers,
He is your guide.
In Deuteronomy,
He is your teacher.
In Joshua,
He is the mighty conqueror.
In Judges,
He gives victory over enemies.
In Ruth,
He is your kinsman, your lover, your redeemer.
In I Samuel,
He is the root of Jesse.
In II Samuel,
He is the Son of David.
In I Kings and II Kings,
He is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
In I and II Chronicles,
He is your intercessor and High Priest.
In Ezra,
He is your temple, your house of worship.
In Nehemiah, 
He is your mighty wall, protecting you from your enemies.
In Esther,
He stands in the gate to deliver you from your enemies.
In Job,
He is the arbitrator who not only understands your struggles, but He can do something about them.
In Psalms,
He is your song -- and your reason to sing.
In Proverbs,
He is your wisdom, helping you make sense of life and live it successfully.
In Ecclesiastes,
He is your purpose, delivering you from vanity.
In Song of Solomon,
He is your lover, your Rose of Sharon.
In Isaiah,
He is the Mighty Counselor, the Prince of Peace, the Everlasting Father, and more.
In Jeremiah,
He is your balm of Gilead, the soothing salve for your sin-sick soul.
In Lamentations,
He is the ever-faithful one upon whom you can depend.
In Ezekiel,
He is your wheel in the middle of a wheel -- the one who assures that dry, dead bones will come alive again.
In Daniel,
He is the ancient of days, the everlasting God who never runs out of time.
In Hosea,
He is your faithful lover, always beckoning you to come back -- even when you have abandoned Him.
In Joel, He is your refuge, keeping you safe in times of trouble.
In Amos, He is the husbandman, the one you can depend on to stay by your side.
In Obadiah,
He is Lord of the Kingdom.
In Jonah,
He is your salvation, bringing you back within His will.
In Micah,
He is judge of the nation.
In Nahum, 
He is the jealous God.
In Habakkuk,
He is the Holy One.
In Zephaniah,
He is the witness.
In Haggai,
He overthrows the enemies.
In Zechariah,
He is Lord of Hosts.
In Matthew,
He is King of the Jews.
In Mark,
He is the servant.
In Luke,
He is the Son of Man, feeling what you feel.
In John,
He is the Son of God.
In Acts,
He is Savior of the world.
In Romans,
He is the righteousness of God.
In I Corinthians,
He is the rock that followed Israel.
In II Corinthians,
He is the triumphant one, giving victory.
In Galatians,
He is your liberty; He sets you free.
In Ephesians,
He is head of the Church.
In Phillippians,
He is your joy.
In Collossians,
He is your completemess.
In I and II Thessalonians,
He is your hope.
In I Timothy,
He is your faith.
In II Timothy,
He is your stability.
In Philemon,
He is your benefactor.
In Hebrews,
He is your perfection.
In James,
He is the power behind your faith.
In I Peter,
He is your example.
In II Peter,
He is your purity.
In I John,
He is your life.
In II John,
He is your pattern.
In III John,
He is your motivation.
In Jude,
He is the foundation for your faith.
In Revelation,
He is your coming King as "King of Kings and Lord of Lords!"
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Gardening Tips
This works even for those of us who are not much good at gardening!
Plant three rows of peas:
Peace of mind
Peace of heart
Peace of soul
Plant four rows of squash:
Squash gossip
Squash indifference
Squash selfishness
Plant four rows of lettuce:
Lettuce be faithful
Lettuce be kind
Lettuce be obedient
Lettuce really love one another
No garden should be without turnips:
Turnip for meetings
Turnip for service
Turnip to help one another
Water freely with patience, and:
Cultivate with love.
There is much fruit in your garden
Because you reap what you sow.
To conclude our garden we must have thyme:
Thyme for God
Thyme for study
Thyme for prayer.
Author is unknown --
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Traveling Angels
Two traveling angels stopped to spend the night in the home of a wealthy family.  The family was rude and refused to let the angels stay in the mansion's guest room.  Instead the angels were given a space int he cold basement.  As they made their bed on the hard floor, the older angel saw a hole in the wall and repaired it.  When the younger angel asked why, the older angel replied "Things aren't always what they seem."
The next night the pair came to rest at the house of a very poor but very hospitable farmer and his wife.  After sharing what little food they had, the couple let the angels sleep in their bed where they could have a good night's rest.  When the sun came up the next morning, the angels found the farmer and his wife in tears.  Their only cow, whose milk had been their sole income, lay dead in the field.
The younger angel was infuriated and asked the older angel, "How could you have let this happen?!  The first man had everything, yet you helped him!  The second family had little but was willing to share everything, and you let their cow die!"  "Things aren't always what they seem," the older angel replied.  "When we stayed in the basement of the mansion, I noticed there was gold stored in that hole in the wall.  Since the owner was so obsessed with greed and unwilling to share his good fortune, I sealed the wall so he wouldn't find it.  Then last night as we slept in the farmer's bed, the angel of death came for his wife.  I gave him the cow instead.  Things aren't always what they seem."
Sometimes this is exactly what happens when things don't turn out the way they should.  If you have faith, you just need to trust that every outcome is always to your advantage.  You might not know it until some time later...
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Little Boy
A sweet little boy surprised his grandmother one morning and brought her a cup of coffee.  He made it himself and was so proud.  He anziously waited to hear the verdict on the quality of the coffee.  The grandmother had never in her life had such a bad cup of coffee, and as she forced down the last sip, she noticed three of those little green army guys in the bottom of the cup.  She asked, "Honey, why would three little green army guys be in the bottom of my cup?"  Her grandson replied, "You know grandma, it's like on TV, 'The best part of waking up is soldiers in your cup.'"
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What if you were to get an E-mail from God
Perhaps the message would be something like...
Hi,
As you got up this morning, I watched you and hoped you would talk to me, even if it was just a few words, asking my opinion or thanking me for something good that happened in you life yesterday - but I noticed that you were too busy trying to find the right outfit to put on and wear to work.
I waited again.  When you ran around the house getting ready, I knew there would be a few minutes for you to stop and say hello, but you were again too busy.
At one point, you had to wait fifteen minutes with nothing to do except sit in a chair.  Then I saw you spring to your feet.  I thought you wanted to talk to me but you ran to the phone and called a friend to get the latest gossip.
I watched as you went to work and I waited patiently all day long.
With all your activities, I guess you were too busy to say anything to me.  I noticed that before lunch you looked around, maybe you felt embarrassed to talk to me, that is why you didn't bow your head.  You glanced three or four tables over, and you noticed some of your friends talking to me briefly before they ate, but you didn't.
That's okay.
There is still more time left, and I have hoped that you will talk to me.  However, you went home and it seems as if you had lots of things to do.  After a few of them were done, you turned on TV, and I don't know if you like TV or not because just about anything goes there as you spend a lot of time each day in front of it, not thinking about anything - just enjoying the show.  I waited patiently again as you watched the TV and ate your meal, yet again you didn't talk to me.
Now it's bedtime - I guess you felt too tired.  After you said goodnight to your family, you plopped into bed and fell asleep in no time.  That's okay because you may not realize that I am always there for you.  I've got patience more than you will ever know.  I even want to teach you how to be patient with others as well.  I love you so much that I wait everyday for a nod, a prayer, a thought, or a thankful part of your heart.  
It is hard to have a one-sided conversation, though.
Well, you are getting up again, and once again I will wait with nothing but love for you - hoping that today you will give me some time.
Have a nice day!
Your friend,
God
P.S. Did you say "hello" this morning?
Do you have enough time to send this to another person?
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SHMILY
My grandparents were married for over half a century, and played their own special game from the time they had met each other.  The goal of their game was to write the word "shmily" in a surprise place for the other to find.  They took turns leaving "shmily" around the house, and as soon as one of them discovered it, it ws their turn to hide it once more.
They dragged "shmily" with their fingers through the sugar and flour containers to await whoever was preparing the next meal.  They smeared it in the dew on the windows overlooking the patio where my grandma always fed us warm, homemade pudding with blue food coloring.  "Shmily" was written in the steam left on the mirror after a hot shower, where it would reappear bath after bath.  At one point, my grandmother even unrolled an entire roll of toilet paper to leave "shmily" on the very last sheet.  There was no end to the places "shmily" would pop up.  Little notes with "shmily" scribbled hurriedly were found on dashboards and car seats, or taped to steering wheels.  The notes were stuffed inside shoes and left under pillows.  "Shmily" was written in the dust upon the mantel and traced int he ashes of the fireplace.  This mysterious word was as much a part of my grandparents' house as the furniture.
It took me a long time before I was able to fully appreciate my grandparents' game.  Skepticism has kept me from believing in true love - one that is pure and enduring.  However, I never doubted my grandparents' relationship.  They had love down pat.  It was more than their flirtatious little games; it was a way of life.  Their relationship was based on a devotion and passionate affection which not everyone is lucky to experience.  Grandma and Grandpa held hands every chance they could.  They stole kisses as they bumped into each other in their tiny kitchen.  They finished each other's sentences and shared the daily crossword puzzle and word jumble.  My grandma whispered to me about how cute my grandpa was, how handsome and old he had grown to be.  She claimed that she really knew how to pick 'em.  Before every meal they bowed their heads and gave thanks, marveling at their blessings - a wonderful family, good fortune, and each other.
But there was a dark cloud in my grandparents' life - my grandmother had breast cancer.  The disease had first appeared ten years earlier.  As always, Grandpa was with her every step of the way.  He comforted her in their yellow room, painted that way so that she could always be surrounded by sunshine, even when she was too sick to go outside.  Now the cancer was agin attacking her body.  With the help of a cane and my grandfather's steady hand, they went to church every morning.  But my grandmother grew steadily weaker until, finally, she could not leave the house anymore.  For a while, Grandpa would go to church alone, praying to God to watch over his wife.  Then one day, what we all dreaded finally happened.  Grandma was gone.
"Shmily."  It was scrawled in yellow on the pink ribbons of my grandmother's funeral bouquet.  As the crowd thinned and the last mourners turned to leave, my aunts, uncles, cousins and other family members came forward and gathered around Grandma one last time.  Grandpa stepped up to my grandmother's casket and, taking a shaky breath, he began to sing to her.  Through his tears and grief, the song came, a deep and throaty lullaby.  Shaking with my own sorrow, I will never forget that moment.  For I knew that, although I couldn't begin to fathom the depth of their love, I had been privileged to witness its unmatched beauty.
S-h-m-i-l-y:  See How Much I Love You.
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Motherhood
Time is running out for my friend.  We are sitting at lunch when she casually mentions that she and her husband are thinking of "starting a family."  What she means is that her biological clock has begun its countdown, and she is being forced to consider the prospect of motherhood.
"We're taking a survey," she says, half joking.  "Do you think I should have a baby?"
"It will change your life," I say cheerfully, keeping my tone neutral.
"I know," she says.  "No more sleeping in on Saturdays, no more spontaneous vacations..."
But, that is not at all what I meant.  I look at my friend, trying to decide what to tell her.  I want her to know what she will never learn in childbirth classses.  I want to tell her that the physical wounds of childbearing heal, but that becoming a mother will leave her with an emotional wound so raw that she will be forever vulnerable.  I consider warning her that she will never read a newspaper again without asking, "What if that had been my child?"  That every plane crash, every fire, will haunt her.  That when she sees pictures of starving children, she will wonder if anything could be worse than watching your child die.  I look at her carefully manicured nails and stylish suit and think that no matter how sophisticated she is, becoming a mother will reduce her to the primative level of a bear protecting her cub.  That an urgent call of "MOM!" will cause her to drop a perfect souffle or her best crystal without a moment's hesitation.
I feel I should warn her that no matter how many years she has invested in her career, she will be professionally derailed by motherhood.  She might arrange for child care, but one day she will be going into an important business meeting and she will think about her baby's sweet smell...  She will have to use every ounce of discipline to keep from running home, just to make sure her child is all right.
I want my friend to know that every day decisions will no longer be routene.  That a five year old boy's desire to go to the men's room rather than the women's at McDonald's will become a major dilemma.  that right there, in the midst of clattering trays and screaming children, issues of independence and gender identity will be weighed against the prospect that a child molester may be lurking in the restroom.  However decisive she may be at the office, she will second-guess herself constantly as a mother.
Looking at my attractive friend, I want to assure her that eventually she will shed the pounds of pregnancy, but she will never feel the same about herself.  That her life, now so important, will be of less value to her once she has a child.  That she would give it up in a moment to save her offspring.  But will also begin to hope of more years -- not to accomplish her own dreams, but to watch her child accomplish his.  I want her to know that a cesarean scar or shiny stretch marks will become badges of honor.
My friend's relationship with her husband will change, but not in the way she thinks.  I wish she could understand how much more you can love a man who is always careful to powder the baby or who never hesitates to play with his son or daughter.  I think she should know that she will fall in love with her husband again for reasons she would now find very unromantic.
I wish my friend could sense the bond she will feel with women throughout history who have tried desperately to stop war and prejudice and drunk driving.
I hope she will understand why I can think rationally about most issues, but become temporarily insane when I discuss the threat of nuclear war to my children's future.  I want to describe to my friend the exhilaration of seeing your child learn to hit a baseball.  I want to capture for her the belly laugh of a baby who is touching the soft fur of a dog for the first time.  I want her to taste the joy that is so real, it hurts.
My friend's quizzical look makes me realize that tears have formed in my eyes.
"You'll never regret it," I say finally.  Then I reach across the table, squeeze my friend's hand and offer a prayer for her and me and all of the mere mortal women who stumble their way into this holiest of callings.
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