Sunday, July 22, 2012

The Interview


In a dream, I had an interview with God.

"Come in," God said to me, "So, you would like to interview Me?"

"If you have the time," I said.

God smiled and said: "My time is called eternity and is enough to do everything; what questions do you have in mind to ask me?"

"None that are new to you. What's the one thing that surprises you most about mankind?"

God answered: "That they get bored of being children, are in a rush to grow up, and then long to be children again.

That they lose their health to make money and then lose their money to restore their health.

That by thinking anxiously about the future, they forget the present, such that they live neither for the present nor the future.

That they live as if they will never die, and they die as if they had never lived..."

God's hands took mine and we were silent. After a long period, I said, "May I ask you another question?" "As a Parent, what would you ask your children to do?"

God replied with a smile: "To learn that they cannot make anyone love them. what is important is who they love. To learn that it takes years to build trust, and a few seconds to destroy it.

To learn that what is most valuable is not what they have in their lives, but who they have in their lives.

To learn that it is not good to compare themselves to others. There will be others better or worse than they are.

To learn that a rich person is not one who has the most, but is one who needs the least.

To learn that they should control their attitudes, otherwise their attitudes will control them.

To learn that it only takes a few seconds to open profound wounds in persons we love, and that it takes many years to heal them.

To learn to forgive by practicing forgiveness.

To learn that there are persons that love them dearly, but simply do not know how to show their feelings.

To learn that money can buy everything but happiness.

To learn that while at times they may be entitled to be upset, that does not give them the right to upset those around them.

To learn that great dreams do not require great wings, but a landing gear to achieve.

To learn that true friends are scarce, he/she who has found one has found a true treasure.

To learn that it is not always enough that they be forgiven by others, but that they forgive themselves.

To learn that they are masters of what they keep to themselves and slaves of what they say.

To learn that they shall reap what they plant; if they plant gossip they will harvest intrigues, if they plant love they will harvest happiness.

To learn that true happiness is not to achieve their goals but to learn who they are through striving towards them.

To learn that happiness is a decision. They decide to be happy with what they are and have, or die from envy and jealousy of what they lack.

To learn that two people can look at the same thing and see something totally different.

To learn that those who are honest with themselves without considering the consequences go far in life.

To learn that even though they may think they have nothing to give, when a friend cries with them, they find the strength to appease the pain.

To learn that by trying to hold on to loved ones, they very quickly push them away; and by letting go of those they love, they will be side by side forever.

To learn that even though the word "love" has many different meanings, it loses value when it is overstated.

To learn that they can never do something extraordinary for Me to love them; I simply do.

To learn that the shortest distance they could be from Me is the distance of a prayer.

Monday, July 16, 2012

Never Alone....


A minister passing through his church in the middle of the day, decided to pause by the altar and see who had come to pray.  Just then the back door opened, a man came down the aisle. The minister frowned as he saw the man hadn’t shaved in a while.  His shirt was kinda’ shabby and his coat was worn and frayed.  The man knelt, he bowed his head, then rose and walked away.

In the days that followed, each noon time came this chap, each time he  knelt  just for a moment, a lunch pail in his lap.  Well, the minister’s suspicions grew, with robbery a main fear, He decided to stop the man and ask him, “Watcha’ doin’ here?”

The old man said, he worked down the road.  Lunch was half an hour.  Lunchtime was his prayer time, for finding strength and power.”I stay only moments, see, ‘cause the factory is so far away. As I kneel here talking’ to the Lord, this is kinda’ what I say:

“I JUST CAME AGAIN TO TELL YOU, LORD, HOW HAPPY I’VE BEEN, SINCE WE FOUND EACH OTHER’S FRIENDSHIP AND YOU TOOK AWAY MY SIN.  I DON’T KNOW MUCH OF  HOW TO PRAY, BUT I THINK ABOUT YOU EVERYDAY.  SO, JESUS, THIS IS JIM  CHECKIN’ IN.”

The minister feeling foolish, told Jim, that was fine. He told the man he was welcome to come and pray just anytime.  Time to go, Jim smiled, said “Thanks.”  He hurried to the door.  The minister knelt at the alter, he’d never done it before.  His cold heart melted, warmed with love, he met with Jesus there.  As the tears flowed, in his heart, he repeated old Jim’s prayer:  

“I JUST CAME AGAIN TO TELL YOU, LORD, HOW HAPPY I’VE BEEN, SINCE WE FOUND EACH OTHER’S FRIENDSHIP AND YOU TOOK AWAY MY SIN.  I DON’T KNOW MUCH OF HOW TO PRAY, BUT I THINK ABOUT YOU EVERYDAY.  SO, JESUS, THIS IS ME CHECKIN’ IN.”  

Past noon one day, the minister noticed that old Jim hadn’t come. As more days passed without Jim, he began to worry some.  At the factory, he asked about him, learning he was ill.  The hospital staff was worried, but he’d given them a thrill.  The week that Jim was with them, brought changes in the ward. His smiles, a joy contagious. Changed people, his reward.  The head nurse couldn’t understand why Jim was so glad, when no flowers, calls or cards came, not a visitor he had.

The minister stayed by his bed, he voiced the nurse’s concern: No friends came to show they cared. He had nowhere to turn. Looking surprised, old Jim spoke up and with a winsome smile “The nurse is wrong, she couldn’t know, that all the while Everyday at noon. He’s here, a dear friend of mine, you see, He sits right down, takes my hand, leans over and says to me:  

“I JUST CAME AGAIN TO TELL YOU, JIM, HOW HAPPY I HAVE BEEN, SINCE WE FOUND THIS FRIENDSHIP, AND I TOOK AWAY YOUR SIN.  I ALWAYS LOVE TO HEAR YOU   PRAY, I THINK ABOUT YOU EACH DAY, AND SO JIM, THIS IS JESUS CHECKIN’ IN.”

Sunday, July 1, 2012

Rules to Live By...




Rules to live by...
 Wake Up !!Decide to have a good day. “Today is the day the Lord hath made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.”Psalms 118:242. Dress Up !!The best way to dress up is to put on a smile. A smile is an inexpensive way to improve your looks.“The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at outward appearance; but the Lord looks at the heart.”I Samuel 16:73. Shut Up!!Say nice things and learn to listen.God gave us two ears and one mouth, so He must have meant for us to do twice as much listening as talking. “He who guards his lips guards his soul.”Proverbs 13:34. Stand Up!!…For what you believe in. Stand for something or you will fall for anything.. “Let us not be weary in doing good; for at the proper time, we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good…”Galatians 6:9-105. Look Up !!…To the Lord.“I can do everything through Christ who strengthens me.”Philippians 4:136. Reach Up !!…For something higher. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not unto your own understanding. In all your ways, acknowledge Him, and He will direct your path.”Proverbs 3:5-67. Lift Up !!…Your Prayers.“Do not worry about anything; instead PRAY ABOUT EVERYTHING.”Philippians 4:6