Tuesday, 25 August 2009
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A Story on How To Practise LOVE  FaithHopeCharity 09:19:54 |
| | I was at the corner grocery store buying some
early potatoes. 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 (the store
owner) and the ragged boy next to me.
Hello Barry, how are you today?'
'H'lo, Mr. Miller. Fine, thank ya.
Jus' admirin' them peas. They 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' th em peas.'
Would you like to take some home?' asked Mr.Miller
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' said Miller.
Here 'tis.. She's a dandy.'
'I can see that. Hmm mmm, only thing is this one
is blue and I sort of go for red. Do you have a
red one like this at home?' the store owner asked.
'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'. Mr. Miller told the boy.
'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, when they come on
their next trip to the store.
I left the store 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 for marbles.
Several years went by, each more rapid than 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 visitation 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 reminded her of the story from those many
years ago and what she had told me about her husband's
bartering for 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.
***
The Moral:
We will not be remembered by our words, but by
our kind deeds. Life is not measured by the breaths
we take, but by the moments that take our breath.
IT'S NOT WHAT YOU GATHER, BUT WHAT YOU SCATTER
THAT TELLS WHAT KIND OF LIFE YOU HAVE LIVED!
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.
 Soft
Mood: Pensive
I want: to count my blessings
Tags: Marbles, Barter, Love, Practise |
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Tuesday, 4 August 2009
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| Jesus Welcomes FaithHopeCharity 16:07:55 |
| | A sick man turned to his doctor as he was preparing to leave
the examination room and said, 'Doctor, I am afraid to die.
Tell me what lies on the other side.'
Very quietly, the doctor said, 'I don't know.'
'You don't know? You, a Christian man, do not know what is
on the other side?'
*
The doctor was holding the handle of the door; on the other
side came a sound of scratching and whining. And as he opened
the door, a dog sprang into the room and leaped on him with
an eager show of gladness.
*
Turning to the patient, the doctor said, 'Did you notice my dog?
He's never been in this room before. He didn't know what was inside.
He knew nothing except that his master was here, and when the door
opened, he sprang in without fear. I know little of what is on the
other side of death, but I do know one thing...
I know my Master is there and that is enough.'
Happy
Mood: Good
I want: to be hopeful
Tags: Blessings, Knowledge, Safe, Faithful |
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|
| A Letter From God FaithHopeCharity 15:42:33 |
| | Here is a reminder from Our Loving Father, through kind courtesy
of Brother Rajiv, prompted by the Holy Spirit; to be read specially
during troubled times.
My dear beloved child,
*
I want to let you know how much I love and believe in you. My child,
I made you in my same image and likeness. I can count every single strand
of hair on your head. I know your every thought and word even before you
think of it. My child, I have a secret for you. I have something planned
for you to do for me while you are here. I have blessed you with so many
talents that you will be able to bring my lost children back to me.
My other children are hurt, sad and in pain. You are to be my sign to them.
You are going to be my sign to them. You are going to be my messenger
of my love and compassion. I know what is in your mind right now.
What are you supposed to do? Do you have a mission in this world? Oh yes,
my child. You definitely do. You may not believe me when I say this,
but right now, I am strengthening you for this work.
*
My child, do not be afraid of anything. My Son, Jesus, He was afaid that
lonely Thursday night. He was scared and worried but do you remember what
His words were in the garden? “Father, let your will be done and not mine”
Don't be frightened my dear child. That warm feeling in your heart is me
comforting you. If ever you feel afraid, just look at my Son on the cross.
He did not care how He looked nor did He care about what He possessed.
All He cared about was you. Just like Jesus, just whisper these words
every day, slowly, “Father, into your hands, I commit my spirit”.
*
I will work wonders with you that the world has never seen. I have always
loved you and I will always love you forever for you are my beloved child.
*
Yours sincerely,
God
Softly spiritual
Mood: Quiet
I want: to be reminded of the Cross
Tags: Reminder, Letter, Message, Comfort |
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|
| Easter Joy, Sunday 12 April 2009 FaithHopeCharity 15:30:22 |
| | Christians everywhere celebrate EASTER which is the most
important day in their lives as Jesus Christ who is God
made man, and the second person of the Holy Trinity,
resurrected after dying for all sinners on Good Friday,
and returned to Heaven.
*
Whether you celebrate Easter or not, Spring brings
Happiness, so Enjoy and dance with the daffodils.
*
*
DAFFODILS by William Wordsworth
I wandered lonely as a cloud, That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd, A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees, Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.
Continuous as the stars that shine, And twinkle on the milky way,
They stretched in never-ending line, Along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance, Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.
The waves beside them danced, but they out-did the sparkling leaves in glee;
A poet could not be but gay, In such a jocund company!
I gazed—and gazed—but little thought, What wealth the show to me had brought:
For oft, when on my couch I lie, In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye, Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills, And dances with the daffodils.
Wishing Everyone Peace & Love this Happy Easter 2009
Memorable
Mood: Blissful
I want: to dance
Tags: Easter, Spring, Daffodils, Grateful |
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|
| Start a Smiling Pandemic FaithHopeCharity 14:11:17 |
| | A SMILE can go a looong way......
Smiling is infectious; you catch it like the flu
When someone smiled at me today, I started smiling too
I passed around the corner, and someone saw my grin
When he smiled I realised I'd passed it on to him
I thought about that smile then I realised its worth,
A single smile, just like mine, could travel round the earth.
So, if you feel a smile begin, don't leave it undetected,
Let's start an epidemic quick, and get the world infected!
Enjoy some Holy Hour Humour and Smile
There was a very gracious lady who was mailing an old
family Bible to her brother in another part of the country.
"Is there anything breakable in here?" asked the postal clerk.
"Only the Ten Commandments." answered the lady.
Somebody has said there are only two kinds of people
in the world. There are those who wake up in the morning
and say, "Good morning, Lord," and there are those who
wake up in the morning and say, "Good Lord, it's morning."
Give me a sense of humor, Lord,
Give me the grace to see a joke,
To get some humor out of life,
And pass it on to other folk!
Joyful
Mood: Amused
I want: to smile at you
Tags: Smile, Share, Passiton |
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|
| Abundance and Charity FaithHopeCharity 11:07:31 |
| | "The thief's only purpose in coming is to steal, to slaughter and destroy.
(Jesus said) I have come so they may have life and have it abundantly" -
John 10:10
++
A successful American by the name of Jeff Johnson teaches about wealth and
gives training on how to obtain it at his site: http://www.abundantwealth.com.
He also provides factual answers to two insigntful questions :
Q1. Is Abundant Wealth a religious organization?
A. Many of the principles we teach are found in the Bible. We make reference
to many scriptures throughout our website and in our educational materials.
These scriptures form the foundation of what we teach. There are many
financial teachings in the Bible and they have been used by the wealthy
for thousands of years. There are many scriptures that favor money and
they teach us, for example, about borrowing, lending, giving, and interest.
There are also many teachings on what not to do, like not to love money.
The Bible does not teach us that it is wrong to be wealthy, in fact, the
Bible teaches us how to prosper. We believe wealth encompasses both
spiritual and financial aspects. We will address issues such as tithing
and giving as we believe this is an important part of any overall wealth
building plan. Take a moment to think about the wealthiest people you know.
Now ask yourself, do they give their time and money to others? Yes!
Giving is an integral part of the wealthy person.
Q2. I just inherited a great deal of money. How could this help me?
A. History has taught us those who are given or inherit money are at
a high risk of 'spending it away' and in ending right back in the
same financial situation in a few short years. There are many high
profile athletes or lottery winners whom at one time had literally
millions that end up in financial distress or even bankruptcy.
What if these people had known the financial rules of the wealthy
and applied those rules when they had those millions? They would
be more wealthy than they could imagine, and think of the blessings
their community lost out on, all because they didn't know what to do.
There is a huge difference between rich and wealthy. The lottery winner
is rich for a period, and whether he becomes wealthy or poor depends
on what he does with the lottery winnings.
NOTE: Many people believe in the saying that 'Charity begins at home',
but the church teaches that we should always be charitable towards
others who are less fortunate than ourselves.
A well-known spiritual saying states – "Give, and you shall receive
in abundance" - so if you are rich or become wealthy do not forget
to start to give and a place you could go to is at : http://www.kiva.org
where for a small sum of money you will add to the wellbeing of a family
that needs help in a third-world country.
joyfilled
Mood: happy
I want: to share my blessings
Tags: Abundance, Wealth, Charity, Share |
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|
| A Joke About Catholic Horses FaithHopeCharity 07:58:33 |
| | One day while he was at the track playing the ponies and all but
losing his shirt, Mitch noticed a priest who stepped out onto the track
and blessed the forehead of one of the horses lining up for the 4th race.
Lo and behold, that horse - a very long shot - won the race.
Before the next race, as the horses began lining up, Mitch watched with
interest the old priest step onto the track. Sure enough, as the 5th race
horses came to the starting gate the priest made a blessing on the forehead
of one of the horses.
Mitch made a beeline for a betting window and placed a small bet on the horse.
Again, even though it was another long shot, the horse the priest had blessed
won the race. Mitch collected his winnings, and anxiously waited to see which
horse the priest would bless for the 6th race. The priest again blessed a horse.
Mitch bet big on it, and it won. Mitch was elated. As the races continued the
priest kept blessing long shot horses, and each one ended up coming in first.
Bye and bye, Mitch was pulling in some serious money. By the last race, he knew
his wildest dreams were going to come true. He made a quick dash to the ATM,
withdrew all his savings, and awaited the priest's blessing that would tell him
which horse to bet on.
True to his pattern, the priest stepped onto the track for the last race and blessed
the forehead of an old nag that was the longest shot of the day. Mitch also observed
the priest blessing the eyes, ears, and hooves of the old nag. Mitch knew he had a
winner and bet every cent he owned on the old nag. He then watched dumbfounded as
the old nag come in dead last. Mitch, in a state of shock, made his way down to the
track area where the priest was.
Confronting the old priest he demanded, 'Father! What happened? All day long you
blessed horses and they all won. Then in the last race, the horse you blessed lost
by a Kentucky mile. Now, thanks to you I've lost every cent of my savings - all of it!'.
The priest nodded wisely and with sympathy. 'Son,' he said, 'that's the problem with you
Protestants, you can't tell the difference between a simple blessing and the last rites.'
 
percussion
Mood: happy
I want: to give more
Tags: Finance, Bets, Faith, Racing |
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|
| Happiness is Being Grateful for Our Blessings FaithHopeCharity 07:39:18 |
| | Gratitude is Power, and here's why...
When you are thankful for what you have - for the friends you have,
and for the things you've got, you attract more good people and good
things!
People who always complain about what they Don't Have, stay stuck.
Complainers attract more things to complain about! It is a Law of Life!
It is hard to explain, but you can observe it around you. We get more
of what we dwell upon. That is why all the spiritual masters have taught
the same lesson ....
"Start by being thankful. Be happy with what you have now, and more will
come your way." It is practical advice for you to pay attention to.
Every time you say a silent 'Thank You' you become more peaceful, have
more happiness and power.
The way to happiness is to keep your heart free from hate and your mind
from worry.
Live simply, expect little, give much. Fill your life with love.
Scatter sunshine, Forget self, Think of others
Do as you would be done by. Try this for a week and you will be surprised.
What we need is a purpose which can be expressed in some tangible and
concrete way.
We find our happiness in caring for our families, in achieving mastery
of our trades, business or professions. Any purpose is healthy so long
as it meets the demands of our mental and spiritual natures, and so long
as it does not call on us to abuse our instincts; to give more than
we have or sell ourselves short.
Go the extra mile!
Make the most of the here and now for positive, purposeful living; put
your ideals into practice today. The people who really find life worth
living are those who know exactly what they want to do with their lives,
and do it.
Relaxing
Mood: Thoughtful
I want: to count my blessings
Tags: Caregiving, Blessings, Family, Friends |
| | 2 comment | Add comment |
|
| I Prayed for You Today by Donna Fargo FaithHopeCharity 06:57:01 |
| | I prayed for you today, gave thanks for your life,
wished you the best, asked the heavens to bless you
with good health and happiness.
I sent you good thoughts, surrounded you with hope
and faith and love. I asked your guardian angels to
protect you and keep you safe from any harm and to
blanket you with joy and contentment and peace and
prosperity.
I prayed for you today. I asked that you be guided
with wisdom to make choices to enhance your life and
the awareness to make changes that are in your best
interest. I wished for you a storehouse of opportunities,
the ability to meet your goals, and the joy of your own
approval and acceptance.
I wished for you your heart's desire, every need met,
every prayer answered, and every dream come true.
I prayed for you today. I asked that you be prepared for
whatever life hands you or whatever you're going through.
I asked that your spirit be strong and lead you and guide
you each step of the way down the path you take. I asked
the universe to confirm for you that you are someone very
special. I asked the earth to be good to you, and I asked
God to show you his perfect way.
I prayed for you today.
Relaxing
Mood: Pensive
I want: to pray for peace
Tags: Prayer, Comfort, Strength, Goodness |
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