Welcome To My World!

Hi,

Imagine there is a bank that credits your account each morning with US $86,400.

It carries over no balance from day to day; allows you to keep no cash balance; every night deletes whatever part of the balance you failed to use during the day.

What would you do with such an account? Draw out every Centavo, of course!!!

Every one of us has such a 'bank'. Its name is TIME.

Every morning it credits you with 86,400 seconds.

Every night it writes off as lost whatever of this you have failed to invest to good purpose.

It carries over no balance. It allows no overdraft. Each day it opens a new account for you.

Each night it burns the records of the day. If you fail to use the day's deposits, the loss is yours.

There is no going back. There is no drawing against tomorrow. You must live in the present -on today's deposits.

Invest it so as to get from it the utmost in health, happiness and success!

The clock is running.

Live life as if its the last..

An Angel says, "Never borrow from the future. If you worry about what may happen tomorrow and it doesn't happen, you have worried in vain. Even if it does happen, you have to worry twice."

1. Pray

2. Go to bed on time.

3. Get up on time so you can start the day unrushed.

4. Say No to projects that won't fit into your time schedule, or that will compromise your mental health.

5. Delegate tasks to capable others.

6. Simplify and unclutter your life.

7. Less is more. (Although one is often not enough, two are often too many.)

8. Allow extra time to do things and to get to places.

9. Pace yourself. Spread out big changes and difficult projects over time; don't lump the hard things all together.

10. Take one day at a time.

11. Separate worries from concerns. If a situation is a concern, find out what God would have you do and let go of the anxiety. If you can't do anything about a situation, forget it.

12. Live within your budget; don't use credit cards for ordinary purchases.

13. Have backups; an extra car key in your wallet, an extra house key buried in the garden, extra stamps, etc.

14. K.M.S. (Keep Mouth Shut). This single piece of advice can prevent an enormous amount of trouble.

15. Do something for the Kid in You everyday.

16. Carry a Bible with you to read while waiting in line.

17. Get enough rest.

18. Eat right.

19. Get organized so everything has its place.

20. Listen to a tape while driving that can help improve your quality of life.

21. Write down thoughts and inspirations.

22. Every day, find time to be alone.

23. Having problems? Talk to God on the spot. Try to nip small problems in the bud. Don't wait until it's time to go to bed to try and pray.

24. Make friends with Godly people.

25. Keep a folder of favorite scriptures on hand.

26. Remember that the shortest bridge between despair and hope is often a good "Thank you Jesus."

27. Laugh.

28. Laugh some more!

29. Take your work seriously, but not yourself at all.

30. Develop a forgiving attitude (most people are doing the best they can).

31. Be kind to unkind people (they probably need it the most).

32. Sit on your ego.

33. Talk less; listen more.

34. Slow down.

35. Remind yourself that you are not the general manager of the universe.

36. Every night before bed, think of one thing you're grateful for that you've never been grateful for before. GOD HAS A WAY OF TURNING THINGS AROUND FOR YOU. "If God is for us, who can be against us?" (Romans 8:31)
...........................

Have a blessed day!

* Winning isn't everything. But wanting to win is.

* You would achieve more, if you don't mind who gets the credit.

* When everything else is lost, the future stillremains.

* Don't fight too much. Or the enemy would know your art of war .

* The only job you start at the top is when you dig a grave.

* If you don't stand for something, you'll fall for everything.

* If you do little things well, you'll do big ones better.

* Only thing that comes to you without effort is old age.

* You won't get a second chance to make the first impression .

* Only those who do nothing do not make mistakes.

* Never take a problem to your boss unless you have a solution.

* If you are not failing you're not taking enough risks.

* Don't try to get rid of bad temper by losing it.

* Those who don't make mistakes usually don't make anything.

* There are two kinds of failures. Those who think and never do, and those who do and never think.

* Pick battles big enough to matter, small enough to win.

* All progress has resulted from unpopular decisions.

* Change your thoughts and you change your world.

* Understanding proves intelligence, not the speed of the learning.

* There are two kinds of fools in this world. Those who give advise and those who don't take it.

* The best way to kill an idea is to take it to a meeting.

* Management is doing things right. Leadership is doing the right things.

* Friendship founded on business is always better than business founded on friendship .

******

Have a nice day!

JUST TO MAKE YOU LAUGH...

Going Out
A couple was going out for the evening. The last thing they did was to put the cat out.

The taxi arrived, and as the couple walked out of the house, the cat shoots back in. So the husband goes back inside to chase it out.

The wife, not wanting it known that the house would be empty, explained to the taxi driver, “He's just going upstairs to say goodbye to my mother.”

A few minutes later, the husband got into the taxi and said, “Sorry I took so long, the stupid thing was hiding under the bed and I had to poke her with a coat hanger to get her to come out!”

Future Irish Mother-in-Law
This young Dublin fella comes home all excited to tell his Ma he’s fallen in love and going to get married. He says: “Just for fun, Ma, I’m going to bring over three women and you just try and guess which one I’m going to marry.”

The mother agrees, so the next day he brings along three beautiful and sits them down on the couch and they chat away for a while. He then says: “Right, OK Ma, guess which one I'm going to marry.”

She immediately replies, “The one in the middle.”

“That's amazing, Ma. You're right. How did ye know?”

“I don't like her.”

Can I stay here?
This guy says to his buddy, “You'll never believe what happened last night.”

His buddy says, “Well then, tell me what happened.”

The guy says, “Last night the doorbell rang, and when I opened the door, there was my ex-mother-in-law on the front porch.”

She said, “Can I stay here for a few days?”

I said, “Of course, you can,” and shut the door.

Couldn't Spell
Mrs. Jones was reading a letter at breakfast. Suddenly she looked up suspiciously at her husband.

“Henry,” she said, “I've just received a letter from mother saying she isn't accepting our invitation to come and stay, as we do not appear to want her. What does she mean by that? I told you to write and say that she was to come at her own convenience. You did write, didn't you?”

“Err, yes, I did,” said the husband. “But I, I couldn't spell ‘convenience’, so I made it ‘risk.’”

Standard Security
I was scheduled to fly from North Carolina to Germany , where my husband was stationed in the military. As I checked in at the airport, the ticket agent asked me some standard security questions.

“Has anyone given you any packages that you didn't pack yourself?” he asked.

I told him that my mother-in-law had given me a parcel to take to her son.

He looked at me very carefully and asked, “Does she like you?”

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

HAVE A NICE DAY!!!

He met her on a party. She was so outstanding, many guys chasing after her, while he so normal, nobody paid attention to him.

At the end of the party, he invited her to have coffee with him, she was surprised, but due to being polite, she promised. They sat in a nice coffee shop, he was too nervous to say anything, she felt uncomfortable, she thought, please, let me go home.... suddenly he asked the waiter. "would you please give me some salt? I'd like to put it in my coffee."

Everybody stared at him, so strange! His face turned red, but still, he put the salt in his coffee and drank it.

She asked him curiously; why you have this hobby? He replied: "when I was a little boy, I was living near the sea, I like playing in the sea, I could feel the taste of the sea, just like the taste of the salty coffee. Now every time I have the salty coffee, I always think of my childhood, think of my
hometown, I miss my hometown so much, I miss my parents who are still living there". While saying that tears filled his eyes. She was deeply touched .

That's his true feeling, from the bottom of his heart. A man who can tell out his homesickness, he must be a man who loves home, cares about home, has responsibility of home.

Then she also started to speak, spoke about her faraway hometown, her childhood, her family. That was a really nice talk, also a beautiful beginning of their story.

They continued to date. She found that actually he was a man who meets all her demands; he had tolerance, was kind hearted, warm, careful. He was such a good person but she almost missed him! Thanks to his salty coffee!

Then the story was just like every beautiful love story , the princess married to the prince, then they were living the happy life... And, every time she made coffee for him, she put some salt in the coffee e, as she knew that's the way he liked it.

After 40 years, he passed away, left her a letter which said: "My dearest, please forgive me, forgive my whole life lie. This was the only lie I said to you---the salty coffee.

Remember the first time we dated? I was so nervous at that time, actually I wanted some sugar, but I said salt. It was hard for me to change so I just went ahead.I never thought that could be the start of our communication! I tried to tell you the truth many times in my life, but I was too afraid to do that, as I have promised not to lie to you for anything..

Now I'm dying, I afraid of nothing so I tell you the truth: I don't like the salty coffee, what a strange bad taste.. But I have had the salty coffee for my whole life! Since I knew you, I never feel sorry for anything I do for you.

Having you with me is my biggest happiness for my whole life. If
I can live for the second time, still want to know you and have you for my whole life,even though I have to drink the salty coffee again".

Her tears made the letter totally wet. Someday, someone asked her: what's the taste of salty coffee?

It's sweet. She replied.

Love is not to forget but to forgive, not to see but to understand, not to hear but to listen, not to let go but to HOLD ON !!!!

Don't ever leave the one you love for the one you like, because the one you like will leave you for the one they love.

If you're not married yet, share this with a friend.
If you are married, share it with your spouse or other married couples and
reflect on it.

An African proverb states, "Before you get married, keep both eyes
open, and after you marry, close one eye."

Before you get involved and make a commitment to someone, don't let lust, desperation, immaturity, ignorance, pressure from others or a low self-esteem, make you blind to warning signs. Keep your eyes open, and don't fool yourself that you can change someone or that what you see as faults aren't really important.

Once you decide to commit to someone, over time his or her flaws,
vulnerabilities, pet peeves, and differences will become more obvious. If you love your mate and want the relationship to grow and evolve, you've got to learn to close one eye and not let every little thing bother you. You and your mate have many different expectations, emotional needs, values, dreams, weaknesses, and strengths. You are two unique individual children of God who have decided to share a life together.

Neither of you are perfect, but are you perfect for each other? Do youbring out the best in each other? Do you compliment and compromise with each other, or do you compete, compare, and control? What do you bring to the relationship? Do you bring past relationships, past hurt, past mistrust, past pain? You can't take someone to the altar to alter him or her. You can't make someone love you or make someone stay.

If you develop self-esteem, spiritual discernment, and "a life", you won't find yourself making someone else responsible for your happiness or responsible for your pain.

Manipulation, control, jealousy, neediness, and selfishness are not the ingredients of a thriving, healthy, loving and lasting relationship!

Seeking status, sex, wealth, and security are the wrong reasons to be in a relationship. What keeps a relationship strong?
Communication, intimacy, trust, a sense of humor, sharing household tasks, some getaway time without business or children and daily exchanges (a meal, shared activity, a hug, a call, a touch, a note). Leave a nice message on their voicemail or send a nice email.

Sharing common goals and interests. Growth is important. Grow
together, not away from each other, giving each other space to grow without feeling insecure. Allow your mate to have outside interest. You can't always be together. Give each other a sense of belonging and assurances of commitment. Don't try to control one another. Learn each other's family situation. Respect his or her parents regardless. Don't put pressure on each other for material goods. Remember for richer or for poorer.

If these qualities are missing, the relationship will erode as
resentment, withdrawal, abuse, neglect, dishonesty, and pain replace the passion.

The difference between 'United' and 'Untied' is where you put the I.

A man's daughter had asked the local minister
to come and pray with her father.
When the minister arrived,
he found the man lying in bed with his head
propped up on two pillows.

An empty chair sat beside his bed.
The minister assumed that the old fellow
had been informed of his visit.
"I guess you were expecting me, he said.

'No, who are you?" said the father.
The minister told him his name and then remarked,
"I saw the empty chair and I figured you knew
I was going to show up."

"Oh yeah, the chair," said the bedridden man.
"Would you mind closing the door?"
Puzzled, the minister shut the door.
"I have never told anyone this,
not even my daughter," said the man.

"But all of my life I have never
known how to pray.
At church I used to hear the pastor talk about prayer, but it went right over my head."

I abandoned any attempt at prayer,"
the old man continued, "
until one day four years ago, my best friend said to me, "Johnny, prayer is just a simple matter
of having a conversation with Jesus.
Here is what I suggest.
"Sit down in a chair;
place an empty chair in front of you,
and in faith see Jesus on the chair.

It's not spooky because he promised,
'I will be with you always'.
"Then just speak to him in the same way
you're doing with me right now."

"So, I tried it and I've liked it so much
that I do it a couple of hours every day.
I'm careful though. If my daughter saw me talking
to an empty chair, she'd either have a nervous breakdown or send me off to the funny farm."

The minister was deeply moved by the story and encouraged the old man to continue on the journey.
Then he prayed with him, anointed him with oil,
and returned to the church.

Two nights later the daughter called
to tell the minister that her daddy
had died that afternoon.
Did he die in peace?" he asked.

Yes, when I left the house about two o'clock,
he called me over to his bedside,
told me he loved me and kissed me on the cheek.
When I got back from the store an hour later,
I found him .

But there was something strange about his death. Apparently, just before Daddy died,
he leaned over and rested his head on the chair
beside the bed. What do you make of that?"

The minister wiped a tear from his eye and said,
"I wish we could all go like that."

Prayer is one of the best free gifts we receive.

I asked God for water, He gave me an ocean.*
I asked God for a flower, He gave me a garden.*
I asked God for a friend, He gave me all of YOU...
If God brings you to it, He will bring you through it.

Happy moments, praise God.
Difficult moments, seek God.
Quiet moments, worship God
Painful moments, trust God.
Every moment, thank God.

May God Bless You, My Friend!

HE IS JESUS

WHO IS HE?
IN CHEMISTRY, HE TURNED WATER TO WINE.

IN BIOLOGY, HE WAS BORN WITHOUT THE
NORMAL CONCEPTION;

IN PHYSICS, HE DISPROVED THE LAW OF
GRAVITY WHEN HE ASCENDED INTO HEAVEN;

IN ECONOMICS, HE DISPROVED THE LAW
OF DIMINISHING RETURN BY FEEDING 5000 MEN WITH
TWO FISHES & 5 LOAVES OF BREAD;

IN MEDICINE, HE CURED THE SICK AND THE
BLIND WITHOUT ADMINISTERING A SINGLE DOSE OF DRUGS,

IN HISTORY, HE IS THE
BEGINNING AND THE END;

IN GOVERNMENT, HE SAID THAT HE SHALL
BE CALLED WONDERFUL COUNSELOR, PRINCE OF PEACE;
IN RELIGION, HE SAID NO ONE COMES TO
THE FATHER EXCEPT THROUGH HIM;
SO. WHO IS HE?

HE IS JESUS!

JOIN ME AND LET'S CELEBRATE HIM; HE IS
WORTHY.

The Greatest Man in History

Jesus had no servants, yet they called Him Master.
Had no degree, yet they called Him Teacher.
Had no medicines, yet they called Him Healer.
He had no army, yet kings feared Him.
He won no military battles, yet He conquered the world.

He committed no crime, yet they crucified Him.

He was buried in a tomb, yet He lives today.

“…In everything you do, put God first and He will direct and crown your efforts with success”.

May God Bless You Always!

When I Asked God for Strength

He Gave Me Difficult Situations to Face

When I Asked God for Brain & Brown

He Gave Me Puzzles in Life to Solve

When I Asked God for Happiness

He Showed Me Some Unhappy People

When I Asked God for Wealth

He Showed Me How to Work Hard

When I Asked God for Favors

He Showed Me Opportunities to Work Hard

When I Asked God for Peace

He Showed Me How to Help Others

God Gave Me Nothing I Wanted

He Gave Me Everything I Needed

May God Bless You All!

Once upon a time there was a rich King who
had four wives. He loved the 4th wife the
most and adorned her with rich robes and
treated her to the finest of delicacies. He
gave her nothing but the best.

He also loved the 3rd wife very much
and was always showing her off to
neighboring kingdoms. However, he
feared that one day she would leave
him for another.

He also loved his 2nd wife. She was his
confidante and was always kind,considerate
and patient with him. Whenever the King
faced a problem, he would confide in her,
and she would help him get through the
difficult times.

The King's 1st wife was a very loyal
partner and had made great
contributions in maintaining his
wealth and kingdom.However,he did
not love the first wife.

Although she loved him deeply, he
hardly took notice of her!

One day, the King fell ill and he knew his
time was short.He thought of his luxurious
life and wondered, I now have four wives
with me, but when I die, I'll be all alone."

Thus, he asked the 4th wife, "I have loved
you the most, endowed you with the finest
clothing and showered great care over you.
Now that I'm dying, will you follow me and
keep me company?"

"No way!", replied the 4th wife, and
she walked away without another
word.Her answer cut like a sharp knife
right into his heart.

The sad King then asked the 3rd wife,
"I have loved you all my life. Now that
I'm dying,will you follow me and keep
me company?"

"No!", replied the 3rd wife. "Life is
too good! When you die, I'm going to
remarry!" His heart sank and turned
cold.

He then asked the 2nd wife, "I have always
turned to you for help and you've always
been there for me. When I die, will you
follow me and keep me company?"

"I'm sorry, I can't help you out this
time!", replied the 2nd wife. "At the
very most, I can only walk with you
to your grave." Her answer struck him
like a bolt of lightning, and the King
was devastated.

Then a voice called out: "I'll go with you.
I'll follow you no matter where you go."
The King looked up, and there was his first
wife.

She was very skinny as she suffered from
malnutrition and neglect. Greatly grieved,
the King said, "I should have taken much
better care of you when I had the chance!"

In truth,we all have the 4 wives in our lives:
Our 4th wife is our body. No matter how
much time and effort we lavish in making it
look good, it will leave us when we die.

Our 3rd wife is our possessions, status and
wealth. When we die, it will all go to others.

Our 2nd wife is our family and friends. No
matter how much they have been there for
us, the furthest they can stay by us is up
to the grave.

And our 1st wife is our Soul.Often neglected
in pursuit of wealth, power and pleasures of
the world. However, our Soul is the only
thing that will follow us wherever we go.

Cultivate, strengthen and cherish it now, for
it is the only part that will follow us to
the throne of God and continue with us
throughout Eternity.

Thought for the day:

Remember,when the world pushes you
to your knees, you're in the perfect
position to pray.

(Click the Picture to Enlarge It)

The beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears, the figure she carries, or the way she combs her hair.

The beauty of a woman must be seen from her eyes, because that is the doorway to her heart...the place where love resides. The beauty of a woman is not in a facial mole, but true beauty in a woman is reflected in her soul.

It is the caring that she lovingly gives... the passion that she shows.

An old man lived alone in Minnesota. He wanted to spade his potato garden, but it was very hard work.

His only son, who would have helped him, was in prison. The old man wrote a letter to his son and mentioned his situation.

Dear Son, I am feeling pretty bad because it looks like I won't be able to plant my potato garden this year.

I hate to miss doing the garden, because your mother always loved planting time. I'm just getting too old to be digging up a garden plot.If you were here, all my troubles would be over. I know you would dig the plot for me, if you weren't in prison.

Love, Dad

.........

Shortly, the old man received this telegram:

" For Heaven's sake, Dad,don't dig up the garden!! That's where I buried the GUNS!" At 4a.m.

The next morning,

A dozen FBI agents and local police officers showed up and dug up the entire garden without finding any guns.

Confused, the old man wrote another note to his son telling him what happened, and a sked him what to do next.

His son's reply was: "Go ahead and plant your potatoes, Dad. It's the best I could do for you from here ."

****

- Moral Of the Story

NO MATTER WHERE YOU ARE IN THE WORLD, IF YOU HAVE DECIDED TO DO

SOMETHING DEEP FROM YOUR HEART, YOU CAN DO IT.

(Here's one amusing story sent by one of my friends that I wish to share with you...just to make you laugh and brighten your day.)

On the first day, God created the dog and said:

"Sit all day by the door of your house and bark at anyone who comes in or walks past. For this, I will give you a life span of twenty years."

The dog said: "That's a long time to be barking. How about only ten years and I'll give you back the other ten?"

So God agreed.

On the second day, God created the monkey and said:

"Entertain people, do tricks, and make them laugh. For this, I'll give you a twenty-year life span."

The monkey said: "Monkey tricks for twenty years? That's a pretty long time to perform. How about I give you back ten like the Dog did?"

And God agreed.

On the third day, God created the cow and said:

"You must go into the field with the farmer all day long and suffer under the sun, have calves and give milk to support the farmer's family. For this, I will give you a life span of sixty years."

The cow said: "That's kind of a tough life you want me to live for sixty years. How about twenty and I'll give back the other forty?"

And God agreed again.

On the fourth day, God created man and said:

"Eat, sleep, play, marry and enjoy your life. For this, I'll give you twenty years."

But man said: "Only twenty years? Could you possibly give me my twenty, the forty the cow gave back, the ten the monkey gave back, and the ten the dog gave back; that makes eighty, okay?"

"Okay," said God, "You asked for it."

So that is why for our first twenty years we eat, sleep, play and enjoy ourselves. For the next forty years we slave in the sun to support our family. For the next ten years we do monkey tricks to entertain the grandchildren. And for the last ten years we sit on the front porch and bark at everyone.

Life has now been explained to you.

Have a nice day!

A Father's Prayer

May God give you the grace of wit and wisdom to understand that rainbows are only the result of showers, dust, and hope.

May you always have joy in the morning and trust in the evening and may your sorrows be short and without scars.

May your lives have a spirit neither bent by belligerence nor broken by failure; may you simply love each other.

May you share with each other spring flowers, dirty dishes, music, rain, death, mushrooms, a measure of boredom, strawberries, and God.

May that God never make you immune to the wonderful afflictions of real love, making you instead farsighted to each other's faults, tongue-tied to criticism, and short of memory to petty hurts and slights.

May God provide the confidence and serenity that comes only from the assurance of each other's fidelity and the tolerance, as years go by, of wrinkles and gray hairs, short tempers, curlers, and Monday mornings.

May no one steal from you laughter at the top of the stairs or giggles and whispers in a dark room.

May you keep a hunger for each other, the appetite to taste tomorrow, and deep knowledge of and devotion to your past, heritage and families.

May you perpetuate trust, the radiation of vitality, kind answers to sharp questions and sharp humor to unkind attitudes.

May your fights be fierce and short, and may each truce be warm and long and held in each other's arms before the sun comes up.

May you walk with wise men, sing loud songs at late hours, share secrets, have healthy children, and provide smiles for lonesome strangers and prayers for those without hope.

May you never forget small things; smiles, birthdays, holding hands, family, old friends, the neglected, and the simplicity of saying please and thank you.

May you keep a warm, generous, and happy house where love is the insulation and God is present. May your children be friends of God's child, Jesus.

May your union bring a smile to the face of the Holy Spirit and may he live in your pots and pans, in your hope and aspirations.

Happy Father's Day!

The greatest handicap - Fear

***

The best day - Today

***

Hardest thing to do - To begin

***

Easiest thing to do - Finding faults

***

Most useless asset - Pride

***

Most useful asset - Humility

***

Most disagreeable person - The complainer

***

Great need - Common sense

***

Meanest feeling - Regret at another's success

***

Best gift - Forgiveness

***

The hardest & most painful to accept - Defeat

***

The greatest knowledge - Experience

***

The greatest thing - LOVE

***

The greatest success in the world - PEACE OF MIND

***

Here's a message that will bring you chills. Have you
ever felt the urge to pray for someone and then just
put it on a list and said, "I'll pray for them later?"

Or has anyone ever called you and said, "I need you to
pray for me, I have this need?"

Read the following story that was sent to me and may
it change the way that you may think about prayer and
also the way you pray.

You will be blessed by this.

A missionary on furlough told this true story while
visiting his home church in Michigan

"While serving at a small field hospital in Africa,
eve ry two weeks I traveled by bicycle through the
jungle to a nearby city for supplies. This was a
journey of two days and required camping overnight at
the halfway point.

On one of these journeys, I arrived in the city where
I planned to collect money from a bank, purchase
medicine, and supplies, and then begin my two-day
journey back to the field hospital.

Upon arrival in the city, I observed two men fighting,
one of whom had been seriously injured. I treated him
for his injuries and at the same time talked to him
about the Lord.

I then traveled two days, camping overnight, and
arrived home without incident...

Two weeks later I repeated my journey.

Upon arriving in the city, I was approached by the
young man I had treated. He told me that he had known
I carried money and medicines. He said, 'Some friends
and I followed you into the jungle, knowing you would
camp overnight. We planned to kill you and take your
money and drugs.

But just as we were about to move into your camp, we
saw that you were surrounded by 26 armed guards.

At this, I laughed and said that I was certainly all
alone in that jungle campsite.

The young man pressed the point, however, and said,
'No, sir, I was not the only person to see the guards,
my friends also saw them, and we all counted them. It
was because of those guards that we were afraid and
left you alone.'

At this point in the sermon, one of the men in the
congregation jumped to his feet and interrupted the
missionary and asked if he could tell him the exact
day this happened.
The missionary told the congregation the date, and the
man who interrupted told him this story:

"On the night of your incident in Africa , it was
morning here and I was preparing to go play golf. I
was about to putt when I felt the urge to pray for
you. In fact, the urging of the Lord was so strong, I
called men in this church to meet with me here in the
sanctuary to pray for you. Would all of those men who
met with me on that day stand up?"

The men who had met together to pray that day stood
up. The missionary wasn't concerned with who they
were, he was too busy counting how many men he saw.

There were 26!

This story is an incredible example of how the Spirit
of the Lord moves in mysterious ways. If you ever hear
such prodding, go along with it.

Nothing is ever hurt by prayer except the gates of
hell.

If we all take it to heart, we can turn this world
toward God once again. As the above true story clearly
illustrates, "with God all things are possible".

More importantly, how God hears and answers the
prayers of the faithful.

Who says God does not work in mysterious ways?

I asked the Lord to bless you as I prayed for you
today. To guide you and protect you as you go along
your way. His love is always with you, His promises
are true, and when we give Him our cares you know He
will see us through.

So when the road you're traveling on seems difficult
at best, Just remember I'm here praying, and God will
do the rest.

Have a blessed day to all!

A man came out of his home to admire his new truck. To his puzzlement, his three-year-old son was happily hammering dents into the shiny paint.

The man ran to his son, knocked him away, hammered the little boy's hands into a pulp as punishment. When the father calmed down, he rushed his son to the hospital.

Although the doctor tried desperately to save the crushed bones, he finally had to amputate the fingers from both the boy's hands.

When the boy woke up from the surgery & saw his bandaged stubs, he innocently said, "Daddy, I'm sorry about your truck ." Then he asked, "but when are my fingers going to grow back? "

The father went home and committed suicide.

Think about the story the next time you see someone spill milk at a dinner table or hear a baby crying. Think first before you lose your patience with someone you love.

Trucks can be repaired. Broken bones & hurt feelings often can't. Too often we fail to recognize the difference between the person and the performance. People make mistakes. We are allowed to make mistakes. But the actions we take while in a rage will haunt us forever.

****

Pause and ponder. Think before you act. Be patient. Understand and love .

Many times God will allow a painful situation or a painful
circumstance in our life to "swallow us up." This season in our
spiritual growth is a holding pattern. We can't move to the left or
the right. All we can do is sit, like Jonah sat in the belly of that
great fish, so God can have our undivided attention and speak to us.

God put Jonah in a holding pattern because He needed to speak to his
heart. Jonah was all alone. There were no friends to call, no
colleagues to drop by, no books to read, no food to eat, no
interferences, and no interruptions. He had plenty of time to sit,
think, meditate, and pray.

When we're deep down in the midst of a difficult situation, God
can talk to us. When He has our undivided attention, He can show us
things about ourselves that we might not otherwise have seen.

A Few Of God's Holding Patterns:

1. When you are sick in your physical body and you have prayed, but
God has not healed you yet, you are in a holding pattern

2. When you are having problems with your children and you have put
them on the altar, but God has not delivered them yet, you are in
a holding pattern.

3. When you have been praying for the salvation of a loved one and
they have not been saved yet, you are in a holding pattern.

4. When you are in a broken relationship and you have given it over
to God, but it has not been restored yet, you are in a
holding pattern.

5. When the doors slam shut before you can knock on them, you are in
a holding pattern.

When we are deep in the belly of a difficult situation, there are no
interruptions. God has our undivided attention. All we can do is sit,
think, meditate, and pray. We cannot run from God because there are no
mountains that are high enough, valleys that are low enough, rivers
that are wide enough, rooms that are dark enough, or places that are
hidden enough from Him. We must remember to praise Him while we're
waiting and remember three things:

1. The pattern has a purpose.
2. The pattern has a plan.
3. The pattern has a process.

So stop struggling and start listening, praying and trusting. He'll
keep you right where you are until you can clearly hear Him say, "I
love you."

PRAYER
"Father God, forgive my unbelief. I know you love me and will turn
anything around to benefit me. You have planned nothing for me but
victories and I am ready to receive them regardless of how difficult
the path. Amen."

I once had a friend who grew to be very close to me. Once when we were sitting along the river bank, she filled the palm of her hand with some water and held it before me, and said this: "You see this water carefully contained on my hand? It symbolizes Love.

" This was how I saw it: As long as you keep your hand caringly open and allow it to remain there, it will always be there. However, if you attempt to close your fingers round it and try to posses it, it will spill through the first cracks it finds.

This is the greatest mistake that people do when they meet love ... They try to posses it, they demand, they expect ... And just like the water spilling out of your hand, love will retrieve from you. For love is meant to be free,

You can not change its nature.

If there are people you love, allow them to be free beings.

Give and don't expect.

Advise, but don't order.

Ask, but never demand.

It might sound simple, but it is a lesson that may take a lifetime to truly practice.

It is the secret to true love. To truly practice it, you must sincerely feel no expectations from those who you love, and yet an unconditional caring."

Passing thought ... Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take; but by the moments that take our breath away.

*****

(This story tells us something about LOVE & LIFE.)

My husband is S/W Engineer by profession, I love him for his steady nature and I love the warm feeling when I lean against his broad shoulders.

Two years of courtship and now, five years into marriage, I would have to admit, that I am getting tired of it. The reasons of me loving him before, has now transformed into the cause of all my restlessness.

I am a sentimental woman and extremely sensitive when it comes to a relationship and my feelings. I yearn for the romantic moments, like a little girl yearning for candy. My husband is my complete opposite; his lack of sensitivity, and the inability of bringing romantic moments into our marriage has disheartened me about LOVE.

One day, I finally decided to tell him my decision, that I wanted a divorce.

"Why? " he asked, shocked.

"I am tired. There are no reasons for everything in the world!" I answered.

He kept silent the whole night, seemingly in deep thought. My feeling of disappointment only increased. Here was a man who was not able to even express his predicament, so what else could I expect from him?

And finally he asked me: "What can I do to change your mind?"

Somebody said it right... It's hard to change a person's personality, and I guess, I have started losing faith in him.

Looking deep into his eyes I slowly answered: "Here is the question. If you can answer and convince my heart, I will change my mind.

Let's say, I want a flower located on the face of a mountain cliff, and we both are sure that picking the flower will cause your death. Will you do it for me?"

He said: " I will give you your answer tomorrow...." My hopes just sank by listening to his response.

I woke up the next morning to find him gone, and saw a piece of paper with his scratchy handwriting underneath a milk glass, on the dining table near the front door, that goes....

My dear, "I would not pick that flower for you, but....please allow me to explain the reasons further.....

This first line was already breaking my heart. I continued reading.

"When you use the computer you always mess up the Software programs, and you cry in front of the screen. I have to save my fingers so that I can help to restore the programs.

You always leave the house keys behind, thus I have to save my legs to rush home to open the door for you.

You love traveling but always lose your way in a new city. I have to save my eyes to show you the way.

You always have the cramps whenever your "good friend" approaches every month. I have to save my palms so that I can calm the cramps in your tummy.

You like to stay indoors, and I worry that you will be infected by infantile autism. I have to save my mouth to tell you jokes and stories to cure your boredom.

You always stare at the computer, and that will do nothing good for your eyes. I have to save my eyes so that when we grow old, I can help to clip your nails and help to remove those annoying white hairs. So I can also hold your hand while strolling down the beach, as you enjoy the sunshine and the beautiful sand...and tell you the colour of flowers, just like the colour of the glow on your young face...

Thus, my dear, unless I am sure that there is someone who loves you more than I do... I could not pick that flower yet, and die ... "

My tears fell on the letter, and blurred the ink of his handwriting. .. And as I continue on reading... "Now, that you have finished reading my answer, and if you are satisfied, please open the front door for I am standing outside bringing your favorite bread and fresh milk...

I rushed to pull open the door, and saw his anxious face, clutching tightly with his hands, the milk bottle and loaf of bread....Now I am very sure that no one will ever love me as much as he does, and I have decided to leave the flower alone...

That's LIFE, and LOVE. When one is surrounded by love, the feeling of excitement fades away, and one tends to ignore the true love that lies in between the peace and dullness.

Love shows up in all forms; even in very small and cheeky forms. It has never been a model. It could be the dullest and most boring form ...

Flowers, and romantic moments are only used and appear on the surface of the relationship. Under all this, the pillar of true love stands... AND THAT'S LIFE!

**

Once upon a time there was a wise man who used to go to the ocean to do his writing. He had a habit of walking on the beach before he began his work. One day he was walking along the shore.

As he looked down the beach, he saw a human figure moving like a dancer. He smiled to himself to think of someone who would dance to the day. So he began to walk faster to catch up.

As he got closer, he saw that it was a young man and the young man wasn't dancing, but instead he was reaching down to the shore, picking up something and very gently throwing it into the ocean.

As he got closer he called out, "Good morning! What are you doing?"

The young man paused, looked up and replied, " Throwing starfish in the ocean." "I guess I should have asked, why are you throwing starfish in the ocean?" "The sun is up, and the tide is going out, and if I don't throw them in they'll die."

"But, young man, don't you realize that there are miles and miles of beach, and starfish all along it. You can't possibly make a difference!"

The young man listened politely. Then bent down, picked up another starfish and threw it into the sea, past the breaking waves and said, "It made a difference for that one. "

There is something very special in each and every one of us. We have all been gifted with the ability to make a difference, and if we can become aware of that gift, we gain through the strength of our visions the power to shape the future.

We must each find our starfish. And if we throw our stars wisely and well, the world will be blessed.

1. Do Not Interfere In Others' Business Unless Asked
Most of us create our own problems by interfering too often in others' affairs. We do so because somehow we have convinced ourselves that our way is the best way, our logic is the perfect logic and those who do not conform to our thinking must be criticized and steered to the right direction, our direction. This thinking denies the existence of individuality and consequently the existence of God Who has created each one of us in a unique way. No two human beings can think or act in exactly the same way.
All men or women act the way they do because God within them prompts them that way. There is God to look after everything. Why are you bothered? Mind your own business and you will keep your peace.

2. Forgive And Forget
This is the most powerful aid to peace of mind. We often develop ill feelings inside our heart for the person who insults us or harms us. We nurture grievances. This in turn results in loss of sleep, development of stomach ulcers, and high blood pressure. This insult or injury was done once, but nourishing of grievance goes on forever by constantly remembering it. Get over this bad habit. Believe in the justice of God. Let Him judge the act of the one who insulted you. Life is too short to waste in such trifles. Forgive, Forget, and march on. Love flourishes in giving and forgiving.

3. Do Not Crave For Recognition
This world is full of selfish people. They seldom praise anybody without selfish motives. They may praise you today because you are in power or useful to them, but no sooner than you are powerless, they will forget your achievement and will start finding faults in you. Why do you wish to kill yourself in striving for their recognition? Their recognition is not worth the aggravation. Do your duties ethically and sincerely and leave the rest to God.

4. Do Not Be Jealous
We all have experienced how jealousy can disturb our peace of mind. You know that you work harder than your colleagues in the office, but sometimes they get promotions; you do not. You started a business several years ago, but you are not as successful as your neighbor whose business is only one year old. There are several examples like these in everyday life. Should you be jealous? No. Remember everybody's life is shaped by Nature, which has now become his/her destiny. If you are destined to be rich, nothing in the world can stop you. If you are not so destined, no one can help you either. Nothing will be gained by blaming others for your misfortune. Jealousy will not get you anywhere; it will