Just for Fun
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>
> THE YELLOW ROSES 
>
> I walked into the grocery store not particularly interested in buying
> groceries. I wasn't hungry. The pain of losing my husband of 7 years was
> still too raw. And this grocery store held so many sweet memories. He
often
> came with me and almost every time he'd pretend to go off and look for
> something special. I knew what he was up to. I'd always spot him walking
> down the aisle with the three yellow roses in his hands. He knew I loved
> yellow roses.
>
> With a heart filled with grief, I only wanted to buy my few items and
> leave, but even grocery shopping was different since he had passed on.
> Shopping for one took time, a little more thought than it had for two.
>
> Standing by the meat, I searched for the perfect small steak and
remembered
> how he had loved his steak. Suddenly a woman came beside me. ! She was
> blonde, slim and lovely in a soft green pantsuit. I watched as she picked
> up a large pack of T-bones, dropped them in her basket, hesitated, and
then
> put them back.
>
> She turned to go and once again reached for the pack of steaks. She saw me
> watching her and she smiled. "My husband loves T-bones, but honestly, at
> these prices, I don't know." I swallowed the emotion down my throat and
met
> her pale blue eyes. "My husband passed away eight days ago," I told her.
>
> Glancing at the package in her hands, I fought to control the Tremble in
my
> voice. "Buy him the steaks. And cherish every moment you have together."
>
> She shook her head and I saw the emotion in her eyes as she placed the
> package in her basket and wheeled away.
>
> I turned and pushed my cart across the length of the store to the dairy
> products. There I stood, trying to decide which size milk I should buy.
> Quart, I finally decided and moved on to the ice cream. If nothing else, I
> could always fix myself an ice cream cone. I placed the ice cream in my
> cart and looked down the aisle toward the front.
>
> I saw first the green suit, then recognized the pretty lady coming towards
> me. In her arms she carried a package. On her face was the brightest smile
> I had ever seen. I would swear a soft halo encircled her blonde hair as
she
> kept walking toward me, her eyes holding mine. As she came closer, I saw
> what she held and tears began misting in my eyes. "These are for you," she
> said and placed three beautiful long stemmed yellow roses in my arms.
>
> "When you go through the line, they will know these are paid for." She
> leaned over and placed a gentle kiss on my cheek, then smiled again. I
> wanted to tell her what she'd done, what the roses meant, but still unable
> to speak, I watched as she walked away as tears clouded my vision. I
looked
> down at the beautiful roses nestled in
> the green tissue wrapping and found it almost unreal.
>
> How did she know? Suddenly the answer seemed so clear. I wasn't alone..
>
> Oh, you haven't forgotten me, have you? I whispered, with tears in my
eyes.
>
> He was still with me, and she was his angel.
John 3:16
In the city of Chicago, one cold, dark night, a blizzard was setting in. A little boy was selling newspapers on the corner, the people were in and out of the cold. The little boy was so cold that he wasn't trying to sell many papers.
He walked up to a policeman and said, "Mister, you wouldn't happen to know where a poor boy could find a warm place to sleep tonight would you? You see, I sleep in a box up around the corner there and down the alley and it's awful cold in there for tonight. Sure would be nice to have a warm place to stay."
The policeman looked down at the little boy and said, "You go down the street to that big white house and you knock on the door. When they come out the door you just say John 3:16, and they will let you in."
So he did. He walked up the steps and knocked on the door, and a lady answered. He looked up and said, "John 3:16." The lady said, "Come on in, Son." She took him in and she sat him down in a split bottom rocker in front of a great big old fireplace, and she went off. The boy sat there for a while and thought to himself: John 3:16....I don't understand it, but it sure makes a cold boy warm.
Later she came back and asked him "Are you hungry?" He said, "Well, just a little. I haven't eaten in couple of days, and I guess I could stand a little bit of food." The lady took him in the kitchen and sat him down to a table full of wonderful food. He ate and ate until he couldn't eat any more. Then he thought to himself: John 3:16... Boy, I sure don't understand it but it sure makes a hungry boy full.
She took him upstairs to a bathroom to a huge bathtub filled with warm water, and he sat there and soaked for a while. As he soaked, he thought to himself: John 3:16... I sure don't understand it, but it sure makes a dirty boy clean. You know, I've not had a bath, real bath, in my whole life. The only bath I ever had was when I stood in front of that big old fire hydrant as they flushed it out.
The lady came in and got him. She took him to a room, tucked him into a big old feather bed, pulled the covers up around his neck, kissed him good night and turned out the lights. As he lay in the darkness and looked out the window at the snow coming down on that cold night, he thought to himself: John 3:16... I don't understand it but it sure makes a tired boy rested.
The next morning the lady came back up and took him down again to that same big table full of food. After he ate, she took him back to that same big old split bottom rocker in front of the fireplace and picked up a big old Bible. She sat down in front of him and looked into his young face.
"Do you understand John 3:16?" she asked gently. He replied, "No, Ma'am, I don't. The first time I ever heard it was last night when the policeman told me to use it." She opened the Bible to John 3:16 and began to explain to him about Jesus. Right there, in front of that big old fireplace, he gave his heart and life to Jesus. He sat there and thought: John 3:16. .. .. I don't understand it, but it sure makes a lost boy feel safe.
You know, I have to confess I don't understand it either, how God was willing to send His Son to die for me, and how Jesus would agree to do such a thing. I don't understand the agony of the Father and every angel in heaven as they watched Jesus suffer and die. I don't understand the intense love for ME that kept Jesus on the cross till the end. I don't understand it, but it sure does make life worth living.
John 3:16
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Bumper stickers for ladies
SO MANY MEN, SO FEW WHO CAN AFFORD ME.
GOD MADE US SISTERS, PROZAC MADE US FRIENDS.
COFFEE, CHOCOLATE, MEN ... SOME THINGS ARE JUST BETTER RICH.
DON'T TREAT ME ANY DIFFERENTLY THAN YOU WOULD THE QUEEN. I'M OUT OF ESTROGEN AND I HAVE A GUN.
WARNING: I HAVE AN ATTITUDE AND I KNOW HOW TO USE IT.
OF COURSE I DON'T LOOK BUSY...I DID IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME.
DO NOT START WITH ME. YOU WILL NOT WIN.
ALL STRESSED OUT AND NO ONE TO CHOKE.
I CAN BE ONE OF THOSE BAD THINGS THAT HAPPENS TO BAD PEOPLE.
HOW CAN I MISS YOU IF YOU WON'T GO AWAY?
DON'T UPSET ME! I'M RUNNING OUT OF PLACES TO HIDE THE BODIES.
IF YOU WANT BREAKFAST IN BED, SLEEP IN THE KITCHEN.
Some Funnies
1. Everyone has a photographic memory. Some don't have film.
2. He who laughs last, thinks slowest.
3. A day without sunshine is like, well, night.
4. Change is inevitable, except from a vending machine.
5. Back up my hard drive? How do I put it in reverse?
6. I just got lost in thought. It was unfamiliar territory.
7. When the chips are down, the buffalo is empty.
8. Seen it all, done it all. Can't remember most of it.
9. Those who live by the sword get shot by those who don't.
10. I feel like I'm diagonally parked in a parallel universe.
11. He's not dead, he's electroencephalographically challenged.
12. She's always late, in fact, her ancestors arrived on the June flower.
13. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say will be misquoted and used against you.
14. I wonder how much deeper the ocean would be without sponges.
15. Honk if you love peace and quiet.
16. Pardon my driving, I'm reloading.
17. Despite the cost of living, have you noticed how it remains so popular?
18. Nothing is foolproof to a sufficiently talented fool.
19. It is hard to understand how a cemetery can raise its burial costs and blame it on the higher cost of living.
20. Just remember...if the world didn't suck, we'd all fall off.
21. The 50-50-90 rule: Anytime you have a 50-50 chance of getting something right, there's a 90% probability you'll get it wrong.
22. It is said that if you line up all the cars in the world end to end, someone would be stupid enough to try and pass them.
23. You can't have everything. Where would you put it?
24. Latest survey shows that 3 out of 4 people make up 75% of the world population.
25. If the shoe fits, get another one just like it.
26. The things that come to those that wait may be the things left by those who got there first.
27. Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach a man to fish and he will sit in a boat all day drinking beer.
28. Flashlight: A case for holding dead batteries.
29. The shin bone is a device for finding furniture.
30. A fine is a tax for doing wrong. A tax is a fine for doing well.
31. It was recently discovered that research causes cancer in rats.
32. Everybody lies, but it doesn't matter since nobody listens.
33. I wished the buck stopped here, as I could use a few.
34. I started out with nothing, and I still have most of it.
35. When you go into court, you are putting yourself in the hands of twelve people that weren't smart enough to get out of jury duty.
36. Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak
Why go to church?
A Church goer wrote a letter to the editor of the newspaper and complained that it made no sense to go to church every Sunday. "I've gone for 30 years now," he wrote, "and in that time I have heard something like 3,000 sermons. But for the life of me, I can't remember a single one of them. So I think I'm wasting my time and the pastors are wasting theirs by giving sermons at all."
This started a real controversy in the "Letters to the Editor" column, much to the delight of the editor. It went on for weeks until someone wrote this clincher:
I've been married for 30 years now. In that time my wife has cooked some 32,000 meals. But for the life of me, I cannot recall the entire menu for a single one but all nourished me and gave me the strength I needed to do my work. If my wife had not given me these meals, I would be physically dead today. Likewise, if I had not gone to church for nourishment, I would be spiritually dead today!"
When you are DOWN to nothing.... God is UP to something! Faith sees the invisible, believes the incredible and receives the impossible! Thank God for our physical AND our spiritual nourishment!
Letter From Jesus
Ruth went to her mail box and there was only one letter. She picked it up and looked at it before opening, but then she looked at the envelope again. There was no stamp, no postmark, only her name and address. She read the letter:
Dear Ruth,
I'm going to be in your neighborhood Saturday afternoon and I would like to visit.
Love Always,
Jesus
Her hands were shaking as she placed the letter on the table. "Why would the Lord want to visit me? I'm nobody special. I don't have anything to offer." With that thought, Ruth remembered her empty kitchen cabinets."Oh my goodness, I really don't have anything to offer. I'll have to run down to the store and buy something for dinner." She reached for her purse and counted out its contents. Five dollars and forty cents. "Well, I can get some bread and cold cuts, at least." She threw on her coat and hurried out the door. A loaf of french bread, a half-pound of sliced turkey, and a carton of milk...leaving Ruth with the grand total of twelve cents to last her until Monday. Nonetheless, she felt good as she headed home, her meager offerings tucked under her arm. "Hey lady, can you help us, lady?" Ruth had been so absorbed in her dinner plans, she hadn't even noticed two figures huddled in the alleyway. A man and a woman, both of them dressed in little more than rags. "Look lady, I ain't got a job, ya know, and my wife and I have been living out here on the street, and, well, now it's getting cold and we're getting kinda hungry and, well, if you could help us, lady, we'd really appreciate it." Ruth looked at them both. They were dirty, they smelled bad, and frankly she was certain that they could get some kind of work if they really wanted to. "Sir, I'd like to help you, but I'm a poor woman myself. All I have is a few cold cuts and some bread, and I'm having an important guest for dinner tonight and I was planning on serving that to Him." "Yeah, well, okay lady, I understand. Thanks anyway." The man put his arm around the woman's shoulders, turned, and he headed back into the alley. As she watched them leave, Ruth felt a familiar twinge in her heart. "Sir, wait!" The couple stopped and turned as she ran down the alley after them. "Look, why don't you take this food. I'll figure out something else to serve my guest." She handed the man her grocery bag. "Thank you lady. Thank you very much!" "Yes, thank you!" It was the man's wife, and Ruth could see now that she was shivering. "You know, I've got another coat at home. Here, why don't you take this one." Ruth unbuttoned her jacket and slipped it over the woman's shoulders. Then smiling, she turned and walked back to the street, without her coat and with nothing to serve her guest. "Thank you lady! Thank you very much!" Ruth was chilled by the time she reached her front door, and worried too. The Lord was coming to visit and she didn't have anything to offer Him. She fumbled through her purse for the door key. But as she did, she noticed the mail had come twice in one day. She took the envelope out of the box and opened it.
Dear Ruth:
It was so good to see you again. Thank you for the lovely meal. And thank you, too, for the beautiful coat.
Love Always,
Jesus.
The air was still cold, but even without her coat, Ruth no longer noticed.
One sentence sermons
Be Fishers of Men.... You catch 'em, He'll Clean 'em.
A family altar can alter a family.
A lot of kneeling will keep you in good standing.
Don't put a question mark where God put a period.
Don't wait for 6 strong men to take you to church.
Exercise daily. Walk with the Lord!
Forbidden fruits create many jams.
Give God what's right, not what's left!
Give Satan an inch and he'll be a ruler.
God doesn't call the qualified, He qualifies the called.
God grades on the cross, not the curve.
God promises a safe landing, not a calm passage.
Having Truth decay? Brush up on your Bible!
The person who angers you, controls you!
Those who are good at making excuses, are seldom good for much else.
The one who kneels before God, can stand before anyone!
Kindness is difficult to give away, because it keeps coming back.
Most people want to serve God, but only in an advisory capacity.
Never give the devil a ride! He will always want to drive!
Nothing ruins the truth like stretching it.
Plan ahead. It wasn't raining when Noah built the ark.
"Pray" is a four letter word that you can use anywhere.
Prayer ! - Don't give God instructions - just report for duty!
The Will of God will never take you to where the Grace of God will
not
protect you.
This Church is "Prayer Conditioned"!
To be almost saved, is to be totally lost.
WARNING: Exposure to the Son may prevent burning!
Watch your step carefully! Everyone else does!
If we don't change the Message, the Message can change us.
We set the sail; God makes the wind.
We're too blessed to be depressed. (or stressed!)
Worry is the darkroom in which "negatives" are developed.
Hint: When facing the Son, you see no shadows.
His Glory and Grace - your peace in the "race".
God loves to answer knee-mail!
On The Computer
Jesus and Satan were having an ongoing argument about who was better on
his computer. They had been going at it for days, and God was tired of
hearing all of the bickering. Finally, God said, "Cool it. I am going to
set up a test that will run two hours and I will judge who does the
better job."
So Satan and Jesus sat down at the keyboards and typed away.
They moused.
They did spreadsheets.
They sent faxes.
They sent email.
They sent email with attachments.
They downloaded files.
They did some genealogy reports.
They created labels and cards.
They did every known job.
Jesus worked with heavenly efficiency, and Satan was faster than hell.
But ten minutes before their time was up, lightning suddenly flashed
across the sky, thunder rolled, rain poured and of course the
electricity went off. Satan stared at his blank screen and screamed
every curse word known in the underworld. Jesus just sighed. The
electricity finally came back on and each of them restarted their
computers. Satan started searching frantically, screaming "Its's gone!
It's all GONE! I lost everything when the power went out!"
Meanwhile Jesus quietly started printing out all of his files from the
past two hours.
Satan observed this and became irate. "Wait! He cheated! How did he do
it?"
God shrugged and said, "Jesus saves."
Seven Wonders
A group of Geography students were studying The Seven Wonders of the
World.
At the end of that session, the students were asked to list what they
considered to be The Seven Wonders of the World. Though there was
some disagreement, the following got the most votes:
1. Egypt's Great Pyramids
2. Taj Mahal
3. Grand Canyon
4. Panama Canal
5. Empire State Building
6. St Peter's Basilica
7. China's Great Wall
While gathering the votes, the teacher noted that one student, a quiet
girl, hadn't turned in her paper yet. So she asked the girl if she
was
having trouble with her list. The quiet girl replied, Yes, a
little. I couldn't quite makeup my mind because there
were so many.
The teacher said, Well, tell us what you have, and maybe we can
help.
The girl hesitated, then read, I think the Seven Wonders of the
world are:
1. to touch
2. to taste
3. to see
4. to hear
She hesitated a little, and then
5. to run
6. to laugh
7. and to love
It is far too easy for us to look at the exploits of man and refer to
them as wonders while we overlook all
God has done
May we all be reminded today of the things that are truly wondrous.
Amen!
21 LESSONS
ONE. Give people more than they expect and do it cheerfully.
TWO. Marry a man/woman you love to talk to. As you get older, their
conversational skills will be as important as any other.
THREE. Don't believe all you hear, spend all you have or sleep all you
want.
FOUR. When you say, "I love you," mean it.
FIVE. When you say, "I'm sorry, "look the person in the eye.
SIX. Be engaged at least 6 months before you get married.
SEVEN. Believe in love at first sight.
EIGHT. Never laugh at anyone's dreams. People who don't have dreams
don't have much.
NINE. Love deeply and passionately. You might get hurt but it's the only
way to live life completely.
TEN. In disagreements, fight fairly. No name calling.
ELEVEN. Don't judge people by their relatives.
TWELVE. Talk slowly but think quickly.
THIRTEEN. When someone asks you a question you don't want to answer,
smile and ask, "Why do you want to know?"
FOURTEEN. Remember that great love and great achievements involve great
risk.
FIFTEEN. Say "bless you" when you hear someone sneeze.
SIXTEEN. When you lose, don't lose the lesson.
SEVENTEEN. Remember the three R's:
Respect for self; Respect for others; and Responsibility for all your
actions.
EIGHTEEN. Don't let a little dispute injure a great friendship.
NINETEEN. When you realize you've made a mistake, take immediate steps
to correct it.
TWENTY. Smile when picking up the phone. The caller will hear it in your
voice.
TWENTY ONE. Spend some time alone.
ALMIGHTY GOD
This story involves a pastor of a store front church. The pastor's church
is called The Almighty God Tabernacle. On a Saturday night not long ago,
this pastor was working late, and decided to call his wife before he left
for home. It was about 10:00 PM, but his wife didn't answer the phone. The
pastor let it ring many times. He thought it was odd that she didn't
answer, but decided to wrap up a few things and try again in a few minutes.
When he tried again she answered right away. He asked her why she hadn't
answered before, but she said that it hadn't rang at their house. They
brushed it off as a fluke and didn't give it a second thought.
The following Monday, the pastor received a call at the church office,
which was the phone that he'd used that Saturday night.
The man that he spoke with wanted to know why he'd called on Saturday
night. The pastor couldn't figure out what the guy was talking about. Then
the guy said, "It rang and rang, but I didn't answer. "The pastor then
remembered the mishap and apologized for disturbing him, explaining that
he intended to call his wife.
The man said, "That's OK. Let me tell you my story. You see, I was planning
to commit suicide on Saturday night, but before I did, I prayed, 'God if
you're there, and you don't want me to do this, give me a sign now.' At
that point my phone started to ring. I looked at the caller ID, and it
said, 'Almighty God'. I was too afraid to answer!"
Author Unknown
The Cost Of Raising A Child
The government recently calculated the cost of raising a child from birth to 18
and came up $160,140! That doesn't even touch
college tuition.
For those with kids, that figure leads to wild fantasies
about all the money we could have banked if not for
(insert your child's name here). For others,that
number might confirm the decision to remain childless.
But $160,140 isn't so bad if you break it down.
It translates into $8,896.66 a year,
$741.38 a month,
or $171.08 a week.
That's a mere $24.44 a day!
Just over a dollar an hour.
Still, you might think the best financial advice says don't have children if you want to be "rich."
It is just the opposite.
What do your get for your $160,140?
Naming rights. First, middle, and last!
Glimpses of God every day.
Giggles under the covers every night.
More love than your heart can hold.
Butterfly kisses and Velcro hugs.
Endless wonder over rocks, ants, clouds, and warm cookies.
A hand to hold, usually covered with jam.
A partner for blowing bubbles, flying kites, building
sandcastles,and skipping down the sidewalk in the
pouring rain.
Someone to laugh yourself silly with no matter what
the boss said or how your stocks performed that day.
For $160,140, you never have to grow up.
You get to finger-paint, carve pumpkins, play
hide-and-seek, catch lightning bugs, and never stop
believing in Santa Claus.
You have an excuse to keep: reading the Adventures
of Piglet and Pooh, watching Saturday morning cartoons,
going to Disney movies,and wishing on stars.
You get to frame rainbows, hearts, and flowers
under refrigerator magnets and collect spray painted
noodle wreaths for Christmas, hand prints set in clay
for Mother's Day,and cards with backward letters for
Father's Day.
For $160,140, there is no greater bang for your buck.
You get to be a hero just for retrieving a Frisbee off the garage roof, taking the training wheels off the bike,
removing a splinter,filling the wading pool,coaxing a wad
of gum out of bangs,and coaching a baseball team that
never wins but always gets treated to ice cream regardless.
You get a front row seat to history to witness the
first step, first word, first bra, first date, and
first time behind the wheel.
You get to be immortal.
You get another branch added to your family tree, and
if you're lucky, a long list of limbs in your obituary called grandchildren.
You get an education in psychology, nursing, criminal
justice,communications,and human sexuality that no
college can match.
In the eyes of a child, you rank right up there with God. You have all the power to heal a boo-boo, scare away
the monsters under the bed, patch a broken heart,
police a slumber party, ground them forever,and love
them without limits, so one day they will, like you,
love without counting the cost.
You also have the wonderful benefit of
eating [low calorie] egg salad sandwiches for
2 weeks straight...after Easter Sunday each year.
COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS!! ENJOY YOUR KIDS AND GRANDKIDS
this weekend!
Afterall, that's what life is all
about, itsn't it???!!!!
Where Was Your God?
How many of us have heard that question "Where was your GOD when the
World Trade Center and the Pentagon was attacked?" Well I know where my
GOD was the morning of September 11, 2001, and He was very busy!
He was trying to discourage anyone from taking these flights. Those
four flights together held over 1000 passengers and there were only 266
aboard.
He was on 4 commercial flights giving terrified passengers the ability
to stay calm. Not one of the family members who were called by a loved
one on one of the hijacked planes said that passengers were screaming in
the background. On one of the flights he was giving strength to
passengers to try to overtake the hijackers.
He was busy trying to create obstacles for employees at the World Trade
Center. After all, only around 20,000 were at the towers when the first
jet hit. Since the buildings held over 50,000 workers, this was a
Miracle in itself. How many of the people who were employed at the World
Trade Center told the media that they were late for work or they had
traffic delays.
He was holding up 2-110 story buildings so that 2/3 of the workers
could get out. I was so amazed that the top of the towers didn't topple
when the jets impacted. And when they did fall, they fell inward. GOD
didn't allow them to topple over, as many more lives would have been
lost.
And when the buildings went down, my GOD picked up almost 6,000 of his
children and carried them home with him. Reassuring his frightened
children that the worst was over and the best was yet to come.
He sat down and cried that 19 of his children could have so much hate
in their hearts; That they didn't choose him, but another God that
doesn't exist, and now they are lost forever.
He sent his children that are best trained for this disaster and had
them save the few that were still alive, but unable to help themselves.
And then sent many others to help in anyway they were needed.
He still isn't finished though, He held the love ones that were left
behind in His arms. He comforts them daily. His other children are given
the strength to reach out to them and help them in any way they can.
And I believe He will continue to help us in what is to come. He will
give the people in charge of this great nation the strength and the
wisdom to do the right thing. He would never leave us in our time of
need.
So when anyone asks, "Where was your GOD on September 11", you can say
"everywhere"! And yes, although this is without a doubt the worst thing
I have seen in my life, I see God's miracles in every bit of it.
The Pulpit Search Committee
"The Lord sees not as man sees." 1 Samuel 16:7
A pulpit search committee brought the following report to the congregation. "In our search for 'just the right pastor,' only one was found to have the qualities we need. After interviewing each of the candidates, here are their names, along with our comments:
Noah: A failure as a preacher; 120 years experience, but no converts.
Moses: Stutters and loses his temper.
Abraham: Got into trouble with the authorities and lied his way out.
David: Would make a good minister of music if he had better morals.
Solomon: A walking encyclopedia of wisdom, but doesn't practice what he preaches.
Elijah: Prone to depression; folds under pressure.
Hosea: Divorced and remarried to a prostitute.
Jeremiah: Too emotional and negative; a real alarmist.
Amos: A farmer, better suited to picking figs and raising cattle.
John: Says he's a Baptist, lacks tact and dresses like a hippie.
Peter: Bad tempered; denied Christ publicly.
Paul: Not good media material; too long-winded.
Timothy: Has potential, but much too young.
Jesus: Offends church members with His preaching, hangs out with questionable characters and upset the committee with His pointed questions!
Judas: Practical, cooperative, good with money, cares for the poor,well-dressed. We all agree, he's the man!"
Aren't you glad that, ".the Lord sees not as man sees; for man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart" (1 Sam 16:7)
I Was There
You say you will never forget where you were when you heard the news,September 11, 2001. Neither will I.
I was on the 110th floor in a smoke filled room with a man who called his wife to say "Good-Bye". I held his fingers steady as he dialed. I gave him the peace to say, "Honey, I am not going to make it, but it is OK... I am ready to go". I was with his wife when he called as she fed breakfast to their children. I held her up as she tried to understand his words and as she realized that he wasn't coming home that night.
I was in the stairwell on the 23rd floor when a women cried out to me for help. "I have been knocking on the door of your heart for 50 years!" I said. "Of course I will show you the way home - only believe in Me now." I was at the base of the building with the Priest ministering to the injured and devastated souls. I took him home to tend to his Flock in Heaven. He heard my voice and answered.
I was on all four of those planes, in every seat, with every prayer. I was with the crew as they were overtaken. I was in the very hearts of the believers there. Comforting and assuring them that their Faith has saved them.
I was in Texas, Kansas, Mississippi, London, Quebec, Seattle. I was standing next to you when you heard the terrible news. Did you sense Me? I want you to know that I saw every face. I knew every name - though they did NOT all know Me. Some met me for the first time on the 100th floor. Some sought me out in their last breath. Some couldn't hear me calling to them through the smoke and flames. "Come to Me... This way.... Take my hand." Some chose, for the final time, to ignore me. But I WAS THERE.
Most of you were not in the TOWERS that day. However, if you were there in that explosive moment in time, would you have reached for Me? Would you have heard My call to follow me? September 11, 2001 was not the end of the journey for you. But someday your journey will end. And I will be there for you as well. Seek Me now while I may be found. Then, at any moment, you know you are "ready to go". I will be in the stairwell of your final moments.
Meet me there.
Love,
Jesus
How Great Love Is
Once upon a time there was an island where all the feelings lived; happiness, sadness, knowledge, and all the others, including love.
One day it was announced to all of the feelings that the island was going to sink to the bottom of the ocean. So all the feelings prepared their
boats to leave.
Love was the only one that stayed. She wanted to preserve the island paradise until the last possible moment.
When the island was almost totally under, love decided it was time to leave. She began looking for someone to ask for help.
Just then Richness was passing by in a grand boat. Love asked, "Richness, Can I come with you on your boat?" Richness answered, " I'm sorry, but there is a lot of silver and gold on my boat and there would be no room for you anywhere."
Then Love decided to ask Vanity for help who was passing in a beautiful vessel. Love cried out, "Vanity, help me please." "I can't help you",
Vanity said, "You are all wet and will damage my beautiful boat."
Next, Love saw Sadness passing by. Love said, "Sadness, please let me go with you." Sadness answered, "Love, I'm sorry, but, I just need to be alone now."
Then, Love saw Happiness. Love cried out, " Happiness, please take me with you." But Happiness was so overjoyed that he didn't hear Love calling to him.
Love began to cry. Then, she heard a voice say, "Come Love, I will take you with me." It was an elder. Love felt so blessed and overjoyed that she forgot to ask the elder his name.
When they arrived on land the elder went on his way. Love realised how much she owed the elder.
Love then found Knowledge and asked, "Who was it that helped me?"
"It was Time", Knowledge answered. "But why did Time help me when no one else would?", Love asked.
Knowledge smiled and with deep wisdom and sincerity, answered, "Because only Time is capable of understanding how great Love is."
The Facts of Life:
1. At least 5 people in this world, love you so much they would die for you.
2. At least 15 people in this world love you, in some way.
3. The only reason anyone would ever hate you, is because they want to be just like you.
4. A smile from you, can bring happiness to anyone, even if they don't like you.
5. Every night, SOMEONE thinks about you before they go to sleep.
6. You mean the world to someone.
7. Without you, someone may not be living.
8. You are special and unique, in your own way.
9. Someone that you don't know even exists, loves you.
10. When you make the biggest mistake ever, something good comes from it.
11. When you think the world has turned it's back on you, take a look, you most likely turned your back on the world.
12. When you think you have no chance at getting what you want, you probably won't get it, but if you believe in yourself, you probably sooner or later will get it.
13. Always remember complements you received, forget about the rude remarks.
14. Always tell someone how you feel about them, you will feel much better when they know.
15. If you have a great friend, take the time to let them know that they are great. Send this letter to as many people as you care about, you'll brighten up someone's day, and might change their perspective on life, for the better!
I'm Just A Mother
York gave me this about twelve months ago. He found it somewhere on the web.
A few months ago, when I was picking up the children at school, another mother I knew well rushed up to me. Emily was fuming with indignation. "Do you know what you and I are?" she demanded. Before I could answer - and I didn't really have one handy - she blurted out the reason for her question. It seemed she had just returned from renewing her driver's license at the County Clerk's office. Asked by the woman recorder to state her "occupation," Emily had hesitated, uncertain how to classify herself.
"What I mean is," explained the recorder, "Do you have a job, or are you just a … ?"
"Of course I have a job," snapped Emily. "I'm a mother."
"We don't list 'mother' as an occupation. 'Housewife' covers it" said the recorder emphatically.
I forgot all about her story until one day I found myself in the same situation, this time at our own Town Hall. The Clerk was obviously a career woman, poised, efficient, and possessed of a high-sounding title, like "Official Interrogator" or "Town Registrar".
"And what is your occupation?" she probed.
What made me say it, I do not know. The words simply popped out. "I'm … a Research Associate in the field of Child Development and Human Relations." The clerk paused, ball-point pen frozen in midair, and looked up as though she had not heard right. I repeated the title slowly, emphasizing the most significant words. Then I stared with wonder as my pompous pronouncement was written in bold, black ink on the official questionnaire.
"Might I ask," said the clerk with new interest, "just what you do in your field?"
Coolly, without any trace of fluster in my voice, I heard myself reply, "I have a continuing program of research (what mother doesn't) in the laboratory and in the field (normally I would have said indoors and out). I'm working for my Masters (the whole darned family) and already have four credits (all daughters). Of course, the job is one of the most demanding in the humanities (any mother care to disagree?) and I often work 14 hours a day (24 is more like it). But the job is more challenging than most run-of-the-mill careers and the rewards are in satisfaction rather than just money." There was an increasing note of respect in the clerk's voice as she completed the form, stood up, and personally ushered me to the door.
As I drove into our driveway buoyed up by my glamorous new career, I was greeted by my lab assistants --- age 13, 7, and 3. And upstairs, I could hear our new experimental model (six months) in the child-development program, testing out a new vocal pattern. I felt triumphant. I had scored a beat on bureaucracy. And I had gone down on the official records as someone more distinguished and indispensable to mankind than "just another......"
Home... what a glorious career. Especially when there's a title on the door.
Gods Work Ministry Inspirational and Encouragement E-Mail
Dwayne@godswork.org
Dear Friend,
We should never think it difficult when God asks us to do something. Most
likely when God lays a burden on our heart, it will be to our benefit
sooner or later. In this message we read how God will take the little that
we have to offer and by our obedience in giving; He will give to us the
desires of our heart.
I hope you'll be blessed and encouraged by this simple message that shows
how God will always work it out for our benefit.
A Coincidence?
I was very proud of my daughter Emily. At only 9 years old, she had been
carefully saving her allowance money all year and trying to earn extra
money by doing small jobs around the neighborhood. Emily was determined
to save enough to buy a girl's mountain bike, an item for which she'd been
longing for. She'd been faithfully putting her money away since the
beginning of the year.
"How are you doing, honey?" I asked soon after Thanksgiving. I knew she
had hoped to have all the money she needed by the end of the year. "I have
forty-nine dollars, Daddy," she said. "I'm not sure if I’m going to make."
"You've worked so hard," I said encouragingly. "Keep it up. But you know
that you can have your pick from my bicycle collection" "Thanks Daddy. But
your bikes are so old." I smiled to myself because I knew she was right.
As a collector of vintage bicycles, all my girls' bikes were 1950's
models--not the kind a kid would choose today.
When the Christmas season arrived, Emily and I went comparison shopping
and she saw several less expensive bikes for which she thought she'd have
to settle. As we left one store, she noticed a Salvation Army volunteer
ringing his bell by a big kettle. "Can we give them something Daddy?" She
asked. "Sorry, I'm out of change," I replied.
She continued to work hard all through December; it seemed she might make
her goal after all. Then suddenly one day, she came downstairs to the
kitchen and made an announcement to her mother.
"Mom," she said hesitantly, "You know all the money I’ve been saving?"
"Yes dear," smiled my wife Diane. "God told me to give it to the poor
people." Diane knelt down to Emily's level. "That's a very kind thought
sweetheart. But you've been saving all year. Maybe you could give some
of it." Emily shook her head vigorously. "God said all."
When we saw how serious she was, we gave her various suggestions about
where she could contribute. But Emily had received specific instructions,
and so one cold Sunday morning before Christmas, with little fanfare, she
handed her total savings of $58 to a surprised and grateful Salvation Army
volunteer.
Moved by Emily's selflessness, I suddenly noticed that a local car dealer
was collecting used bicycles to refurbish and give to poor children for
Christmas. And I realized that if my nine-year-old daughter could give
away all her money, I could certainly give up one bike from my collection.
As I picked up a shiny but old-fashioned kid's bike from the line in the
garage, it seemed as if a second bicycle in the line took on a glow. Should
I give a second bike? No, certainly this one would be enough. But as I got
to my car, I couldn't shake the feeling that I should donate that second
bike as well. If Emily could follow Heavenly instructions, I decided I
could too. I turned back and loaded the second bike into the trunk, then
took off to the dealership.
When I delivered the bikes, the car dealer thanked me and said, "You're
making two kids very happy, Mr. Koper. And here are your tickets."
"Tickets?" I asked. "Yes. For each bike donated, we're giving away one
chance to win a brand new man's 21-speed mountain bike from a local bike
shop. So here are your tickets for two chances."
Why wasn't I surprised when that second ticket won the bike? "I can't
believe you won!" Laughed Diane, delighted. "I didn't," I said. "It's
pretty clear that Emily did."
And why wasn’t I surprised when the bike dealer happily substituted a
gorgeous new girls mountain bike for the man's bike advertised?
Coincidence? Maybe. I like to think it was God's way of rewarding a little
girl for a sacrifice beyond her years--while giving her dad a lesson in
charity and the power of the Lord.
By: Ed Koper
Gift
What we are is God's gift to us...
What we become is our gift to God.
Author Unknown.
I Wish For You
I wish for you...
Comfort on difficult days,
Smiles when sadness intrudes,
Rainbows to follow the clouds,
Laughter to kiss your lips,
Sunsets to warm your heart,
Gentle hugs when spirits sag,
Friendships to brighten your being,
Beauty for your eyes to see,
Confidence for when you doubt,
Faith so that you can believe,
Courage to know yourself,
Patience to accept the truth,
And love to complete your life.
Author Unknown
The Master's Card.
There are some things money can't buy...... For everything else there's Mastercard.
I'm sure you've all seen those commercials on TV. Well, I'm not unlike those agencies promoting their favourite credit card. However, I'm here to advertise a different card. You see, my life is a commercial for others to see. I'm a card carrying representative for the Master's Card. That's right, the MASTERS CARD. Let me tell you about it.
There are no finance charges, no payments due. My bill has already been covered.... it's a prepaid deal. I couldn't afford the price, so Jesus stepped in and paid it for me. My name is written on the card for all to see. It is accessible twenty four hours a day from anywhere in the world.
The MASTERS CARD has so many benefits it's hard to list them all. Let me share some of them with you.....you might want to apply for a personal card yourself.
Just for starters there is UNLIMITED GRACE. That's right, there is no preset limit to the amount of grace you receive from the MASTERS CARD. Have you been looking for love in all the wrong places? Then, look no further than the MASTERS CARD. It offers the greatest rate on love that has ever been offered.
The MASTERS CARD gives you access to many "members only" benefits.
Want real joy despite the difficulties of life? Apply for the MASTERS CARD.
Want a lasting peace? Apply for the MASTERS CARD.
Looking for something you can always rely on in a jam? The MASTERS CARD is perfect for you.
Another great thing about the MASTERS CARD is that it never expires. Once you are a member, you're a member for life.... eternal life that is. Membership has it's privileges, you know. [Note: This membership is only revoked should you choose another master.]
How do you receive the MASTERS CARD? Dial 1800 - ROMANS 10 : 9 That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
Jesus is standing by right now to take your call. Don't delay. This is a great offer that will not last forever.
Peace, joy, and hope: INVALUABLE. Faith, contentment and assurance: INESTIMABLE. Salvation: PRICELESS.
Christian, yes, there are some things money can buy. But for those other jewels of life, there's the MASTERS CARD. Why not be an advertisement for the MASTERS CARD? Let your life be a commercial today for Jesus Christ.
AUTHOR UNKNOWN
Remember:
If God had a refrigerator, your picture would be on it. If he had a wallet, your photo would be in it.
He sends you flowers every spring, he sends you a sunrise every morning. Whenever you want to talk, he listens. He can live anywhere in the universe, yet he chooses your heart. Face it friend....... he is crazy about you!
Gal 2:21 I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!"
Author Unknown
The Lords Prayer
I found this wonderful link on a friends web site, thought we needed to add it to ours. The Lords Prayer will seem so different now, especially when you think of people you know who just recite it religiously. Have fun.
