Something Worth Sharing!

Saw this on Cyn's blog and had to pass it on here. Very Powerful!

There was A blind girl who hated herself because she was blind. She hated everyone, Except her loving boyfriend. He was always there for her. She told her boyfriend, 'If I could only see the world, I will marry you.'

One day, Someone donated a pair of eyes to her. When the bandages Came off, she was able to see everything, including her Boyfriend. He asked her, 'Now that you can see the world, Will you marry me?' The girl looked at her boyfriend and saw that he was blind. The sight of his closed eyelids shocked her. She hadn't expected that. The thought of looking at them the rest of her life Led her to refuse to marry him.
Her Boyfriend left in tears and days later wrote a note to her saying: 'Take good care of your eyes, My dear, for before they were yours, they were mine.'

This is How the human brain often works when our status changes. Only a very few remember what life was like before, and who was always by their side in the most painful situations.

Life Is a Gift

Today Before you say an unkind word - Think of someone who can't Speak.

Before You complain about the taste of your food - Think of someone Who has nothing to eat.

Before You complain about your husband or wife - Think of someone who's crying for a companion.

Today Before you complain about life - Think of someone who went Too early to heaven.

Before Whining about the distance you drive Think of someone who Walks the same distance with their feet. And when You are tired and complain about your job - Think of the Unemployed, the disabled, and those who wish they had your Job.

And when Depressing thoughts seem to get you down - Put a smile on Your face and think: you're alive and still Around.

Thoughtful Thursday: A Brand New Day...

There are 31 chapters in the book of Proverbs. Someone once told me that we needed wisdom daily, so there was one chapter for each day of the month....Anyway, on the 30th of September, I accidentally started reading Psalm 30 instead of Proverbs 30. I knew I was in the wrong book after reading two or three verses, but I went ahead and kept reading. I am so glad that I did. Of course, it was no accident after all. I have been thinking about the wonderful study I had that day and thought I would share a bit with you here.

In Psalm 30, David talked about an experience he had when he went from complete sadness to joy in a very short amount of time. He said in verse 11, "Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing." Well, that was great for David, but sometimes we can go from dancing to mourning or from joy to sorrow in just a moment. We keep waiting for "joy to come in the morning" as verse 5 says, but sorrow just seems to want to linger!

It may be an illness, death of a loved one, a broken relationship, a wayward child or financial hardship. It may be a dream that has been shattered or a goal that has fallen by the wayside. What happened to those goals we set? Did you set a goal to read through your Bible, lose weight, get out of debt, make new friends, get more organized, forgive someone....? You probably feel sick over it. If you are like me, those things will tend to make your heart heavy. Proverbs 13:12 says, "Hope deferred maketh the heart sick." It's no surprise that we would feel bad. We have let other things distract us, we have let ourselves think that we were being too "lofty", we put blame on others for our unfulfilled dreams and goals.

Philippians 3:13-14 says, "Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus."

Isn't this an encouraging verse? Forget about all of those things at which you've "failed". You can dream again. You can hope and set goals. You can forgive someone - really forgive them. Problems may always seem to loom over us, casting darkness and night our way, but joy WILL come in the morning. Press on - reach forth and welcome your brand new day!

I Believe...

I found this on a card blog and I had to share. I must be getting sentimental, because it's the second of this type that I've posted this week. Well, sometimes the things that you've wanted to write or say have already been written or said - so, I will just pass it on and share! It's good stuff...Enjoy!

"A Birth Certificate shows that we were born

A Death Certificate shows that we died

Pictures show that we lived!"

I Believe...That just because two people argue, it doesn't mean they don't love each other.

And just because they don't argue, It doesn't mean they do love each other.

I Believe...That we don't have to change friends if we understand that friends change.

I Believe...That no matter how good a friend is, they're going to hurt you every once in a while and you must forgive them for that.

I Believe...That true friendship continues to grow, even over the longest distance.

Same goes for true love.

I Believe...That you can do something in an instant that will give you heartache for life.

I Believe...That it's taking me a long time to become the person I want to be.

I Believe...That you should always leave loved ones with loving words.

It may be the last time you see them.

I Believe...That you can keep going long after you think you can't.

I Believe...That we are responsible for what we do, no matter how we feel.

I Believe...That either you control your attitude or it controls you.

I Believe...That heroes are the people who do what has to be done when it needs to be done, regardless of the consequences.

I Believe...That money is a lousy way of keeping score.

I Believe...That my best friend and I, can do anything, or nothing and have the best time.

I Believe...That sometimes the people you expect to kick you when you're down, will be the ones to help you get back up.

I Believe...That sometimes when I'm angry I have the right to be angry, but that doesn't give me the right to be cruel.

I Believe...That maturity has more to do with what types of experiences you've had and what you've learned from them and less to do with how many birthdays you've celebrated.

I Believe...That it isn't always enough, to be forgiven by others.

Sometimes, you have to learn to forgive yourself.

I Believe...That no matter how bad your heart is broken the world doesn't stop for your grief. You must pick yourself up and move on.

I Believe...That our background and circumstances may have influenced who we are, but, we are responsible for who we become.

I Believe...That you shouldn't be so eager to find out a secret. It could change your life Forever.

I Believe...Two people can look at the exact same thing and see something totally different.

I Believe...That your life can be changed in a matter of hours by people who don't even know you.

I Believe...That even when you think you have no more to give, when a friend cries out to you - you will find the strength to help.

I Believe...That credentials on the wall do not make you a decent human being.

I Believe...That the people you care about most in life are taken from you too soon.

"The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything;

They just make the most of everything."

The Red Marbles Story...

This was one of those e-mails that people love to forward. I usually skim through these and then hit delete. This one though, made me pause. Many of you have already seen this, but maybe it is time for a reminder.

........................................................................................................................................................

Three red marbles
By W. E. Petersen
This story first appeared in the October 1975 Ensign Magazine

One day Mr. Miller was bagging some early potatoes for me. I noticed a small boy, delicate of bone and feature, ragged but clean, hungrily apprising a basket of freshly picked green peas.
I paid for my potatoes but was also drawn to the display of fresh green peas. I am a pushover for creamed peas and new potatoes.
Pondering the peas, I couldn't help overhearing the conversation between Mr. Miller and the ragged boy next to me.
"Hello Barry, how are you today?"
"H'lo, Mr. Miller. Fine, thank ya. Jus' admirin' them peas ... sure look good."
"They are good, Barry. How's your Ma?"
"Fine. Gittin' stronger alla' time."
"Good. Anything I can help you with?"
"No, Sir. Jus' admirin' them peas."
"Would you like to take some home?"
"No, Sir. Got nuthin' to pay for 'em with."
"Well, what have you to trade me for some of those peas?"
"All I got's my prize marble here."
"Is that right? Let me see it."
"Here 'tis. She's a dandy."
"I can see that. Hmmmmm, only thing is this one is blue and I sort of go for red. Do you have a red one like this at home?" "Not zackley ... but almost."
"Tell you what. Take this sack of peas home with you and next trip this way let me look at that red marble."
"Sure will. Thanks Mr. Miller."
Mrs. Miller, who had been standing nearby, came over to help me. With a smile she said, "There are two other boys like him in our community, all three are in very poor circumstances. Jim just loves to bargain with them for peas, apples, tomatoes, or whatever. When they come back with their red marbles, and they always do, he decides he doesn't like red after all and he sends them home with a bag of produce for a green marble or an orange one, perhaps."
I left the stand smiling to myself, impressed with this man. A short time later I moved to Colorado but I never forgot the story of this man, the boys, and their bartering.
Several years went by, each more rapid that the previous one. Just recently I had occasion to visit some old friends in that Idaho community and while I was there learned that Mr. Miller had died. They were having his viewing that evening and knowing my friends wanted to go, I agreed to accompany them.
Upon arrival at the mortuary we fell into line to meet the relatives of the deceased and to offer whatever words of comfort we could. Ahead of us in line were three young men. One was in an army uniform and the other two wore nice haircuts, dark suits and white shirts ... all very professional looking.
They approached Mrs. Miller, standing composed and smiling by her husband's casket. Each of the young men hugged her, kissed her on the cheek, spoke briefly with her and moved on to the casket. Her misty light blue eyes followed them as, one by one, each young man stopped briefly and placed his own warm hand over the cold pale hand in the casket. Each left the mortuary awkwardly, wiping his eyes.
Our turn came to meet Mrs. Miller. I told her who I was and mentioned the story she had told me about the marbles. With her eyes glistening, she took my hand and led me to the casket. "Those three young men who just left were the boys I told you about. They just told me how they appreciated the things Jim 'traded' them. Now, at last, when Jim could not change his mind about color or size ... they came to pay their debt."
"We've never had a great deal of the wealth of this world," she confided, "but right now, Jim would consider himself the richest man in Idaho."
With loving gentleness she lifted the lifeless fingers of her deceased husband.
Resting underneath were three exquisitely shined red marbles.

Today I wish you a day of ordinary miracles ~ A fresh pot of coffee you didn't make yourself. An unexpected phone call from an old friend. Green stoplights on your way to work. The fastest line at the grocery store. A good sing-along song on the radio. Your keys found right where you left them.

"...love one another; as I have loved you.... By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another." John 13:34-35

It is but for a moment...

My pastor (my sweet husband) preached a message this Sunday that is still with me today. I have been playing the Scripture he shared over and over in my mind. My heart has been heavy lately with some things that I think I do have control over - but lost it - and some things that I don't have control over at all. I don't like it when things are "unsure" or "unsettled". I like a plan. I like to know what to expect...no, I am not a control freak. Why do you ask? *Ehem*

Anyway, he preached from 2 Corinthians 4:15-18 which says:

15For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God.
16For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.
17For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;
18While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

Aren't those verses powerful? I was so encouraged by it. We can not understand why bad things happen to good people. We will never understand why storms come into our lives, but let's remember that they are but for a moment.

Remember when you went through that hardship a while back? At the time, it seemed impossible to get through - but you did. Now, it is but a memory. You may have even grown from the situation. I know that when it rains, it pours. Yes, some things will not pass away as easily, but it is what life is all about. We have to take the good and the bad.

Do not be discouraged my friend. Like I said, my heart has been heavy and still is in some areas, but I feel as if the burden was made lighter by this Scripture reference.

It is my prayer, for all of my friends and family out there, that you will look on that which you can not see - not just what is in front of you - and have faith. Be strong. You too can be renewed day by day.

How's Your Juggling Act?

Marco and I were talking about life yesterday. We were discussing our priorites. I, of course, am always talking about wanting to be more organized, get more done in the day, be a better teacher... We also started talking about our responsibilities at church. He mentioned this speech that he heard on the radio. I knew that I wanted to share it all with you here. It puts a lot of things into perspective.

Five Balls Of Life

This was written by the CEO of Coca-Cola Brian G. Dyson.It was used as Georgia Tech's Commencement Address:
Imagine life as a game in which you are juggling some five balls in the air. You name them - Work - Family - Health - Friends - Spirit, and you're keeping all of these in the air.

You will soon understand that work is a rubber ball. If you drop it, it will bounce back. But the other four balls -- family, health, friends and spirit are made of glass. If you drop one of these, they will be irrevocably scuffed, marked, nicked, damaged or even shattered. They will never be the same. You must understand that and strive for balance in your life. How?

1. Don't undermine your worth by comparing yourself with others. It is because we are different that each of us is special.

2. Don't set your goals by what other people deem important. Only you know what is best for you.

3. Don't take for granted the things closest to your heart. Cling to them as you would your life, for without them, life is meaningless.

4. Don't let your life slip through your fingers by living in the past or for the future. By living your life one day at a time, you live ALL the days of your life.

5. Don't give up when you still have something to give. Nothing is really over until the moment you stop trying.

6. Don't be afraid to admit that you are less than perfect. It is this fragile thread that binds us together.

7. Don't be afraid to encounter risks It is by taking chances that we learn how to be brave.

8. Don't shut love out of your life by saying it's impossible to find. The quickest way to receive love is to give; the fastest way to lose love is to hold it too tightly; and the best way to keep love is to give it wings.

9. Don't run through life so fast that you forget not only where you've been, but also where you are going.

10. Don't forget that a person's greatest emotional need is to feel appreciated.

11. Don't be afraid to learn. Knowledge is weightless, a treasure you can always carry easily.

12. Don't use time or words carelessly. Neither can be retrieved.

Double Happiness...

I got this from Lee's Blog and I liked it so much, I decided to take it for my blog. =] Thanks for sharing, Lee. This is good stuff!

40 Keys to Happiness and it kind of sums up how I want to live my life.

1. Take a 10-30 minute walk every day. And while you walk, smile. It is the ultimate anti-depressant.

2. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day. Buy a lock if you have to.

3. Try to get enough sleep.

4. When you wake up in the morning complete the following statement, 'My purpose is to____ today.'

5. Live with the 3 E's -- Energy, Enthusiasm, and Empathy.

6. Watch more movies, play more games and read more books than you did in 2007.

7. Make time to practice meditation, yoga, tai chi, or prayer. They provide us with daily fuel for our busy lives.

8. Spend more time with people over the age of 70 and under the age of 6.

9. Dream more while you are awake.

10. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants.

11. Drink green tea and plenty of water. Eat blueberries, wild Alaskan salmon, broccoli, almonds & walnuts.

12. Try to make at least three people smile each day.

13. Clear your clutter from your house, your car, your desk and let new and flowing energy into your life.

14. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip, energy vampires, issues of the past, negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.

15. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.

16. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a college kid with a maxed out charge card.

17. Smile and laugh more. It will keep the energy vampires away.

18. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.

19. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.

20. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

21. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

22. Make peace with your past so it won't mess up the present.

23. Don't compare your life to others'. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

24. Burn the candles, use the nice bed sheets, Don't save them for a special occasion. Today is special.

25. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.

26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words: 'In five years, will this matter?'

27. Forgive everyone for everything.

28. What other people think of you is none of your business.

29. Time heals almost everything. Give Time, time.

30. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

31. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.

32. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.

33. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

34. The best is yet to come.

35. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.

36. Do the right thing!

37. Call your family often. Keep in touch with them.

38. Each night before you go to bed complete the following statements: 'I am thankful for ___.' Today I accomplished ____.

39. Remember that you are too blessed to be stressed.

40. Enjoy the ride. Remember that this is not Disney World and you certainly don't want a fast pass. You only have one ride through life so make the most of it and enjoy the ride.

Forgiveness...

Think about the following story. Who do you need to forgive?

The Sands of Forgiveness by Author Unknown

A story tells that two friends were walking through the desert. During some point of the journey they had an argument, and one friend slapped the other one in the face.
The one who got slapped was hurt, but without saying anything, wrote in the sand:
TODAY MY BEST FRIEND SLAPPED ME IN THE FACE.
They kept on walking until they found an oasis, where they decided to take a bath. The one who had been slapped got stuck in the mire and started drowning, but the friend saved him.
After he recovered from the near drowning, he wrote on a stone:
TODAY MY BEST FRIEND SAVED MY LIFE.
The friend who had slapped and saved his best friend asked him, "After I hurt you, you wrote in the sand and now, you write on a stone, why?"
The other friend replied "When someone hurts us we should write it down in sand where winds of forgiveness can erase it away. But, when someone does something good for us, we must engrave it in stone where no wind can ever erase it."
LEARN TO WRITE YOUR HURTS IN THE SAND AND TO CARVE YOUR BENEFITS IN STONE.

Corrie Ten Boom, a Christian woman who survived a Nazi concentration camp during the Holocaust, said, "Forgiveness is to set a prisoner free, and to realize the prisoner was you."

Matthew 18: 21-22 (KJV) --- Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?
Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.

So...I noticed this leaf on my tree...

it may seem like an ordinary leaf to you, but I think it is extra-ordinary. You see, for the last month or so, we have been having some terrible wind storms. As a matter of fact, right now the wind is blowing at about 30 mph here and it is daytime. At night, it's enough to shake you out of your bed! We had some winds a few weeks back that even made the headlines. We are right at the Cajon pass and there were several semi trucks that were blown over on its' sides.

This little leaf is the last one left on the tree. I will post a picture of the whole tree in case you don't believe me. When I noticed the leaf, because of it being the only one and because of the beautiful color, it made me think.

Sometimes, we may feel like that little leaf. How many storms have you endured? Are the winds and torments of life beating at you from all sides? The wind is a powerful force. Remember what happened to Job's children? (Job 1:18, 19) We must remember that God controls the winds, even the winds and storms in our life. Those winds obey him. (Matthew 8:26) He is in control. Sometimes, during a trial in life, I think that it is the worst time of my life - only to find out later that God was preparing me for the best time of my life!

Now, who knows why this leaf happened to still be on our tree when he should've been gone by now? I don't know. But it made me think. It made me realize that I need to continue to trust God no matter what. During the good times and during the storms - trust Him. Maybe, just maybe, that was the job that the Lord had for that little leaf. To remind me to trust Him.

Romans 8:28 Reminds us: "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose."