Many of our visitors send enlightening or inspiring thoughts to us.  If it is a good saying,
or one that may help others, please send us yours, that we may share it with others.

 

A Butterfly


A man found a cocoon for a butterfly. One day a small opening appeared, he sat and watched the butterfly for several hours as it struggled to force its body through the little hole. Then it seemed to stop making any progress. It appeared as if it had gotten as far as it could and could go no farther. Then the man decided to help the butterfly.

He took a pair of scissors and snipped the remaining bit of the cocoon. The butterfly then emerged easily. Something was strange. The butterfly had a swollen body and shriveled wings. The man continued to watch the butterfly because he expected at any moment, the wings would enlarge and expand to be able to support the body, which would contract in time. Neither happened. In fact, the butterfly spent the rest of its life crawling around with a swollen body and deformed wings. It was never able to fly.

What the man in his kindness and haste did not understand, was that the restricting cocoon and the struggle required for the butterfly to get through the small opening of the cocoon are God's way of forcing fluid from the body of the butterfly into its wings so that it would be ready for flight once it achieved its freedom from the cocoon. Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need in our life.

If God allowed us to go through all our life without any obstacles, that would cripple us. We would not be as strong as what we could have been. Not only that, we could never fly.

A little boy visited his grandparents on their
farm. He was given a slingshot to play with
in the woods. He practiced, but couldn't
hit the target.

Getting discouraged, he headed back to dinner.
As he walked back, he saw Grandma's pet duck.
Out of impulse, he let the slingshot fly, hit the
duck square in the head, and killed it.

He was shocked and grieved. In a panic, he hid
the dead duck in the woodpile, only to see his
sister watching. Sally had seen it all, but she said
nothing.

After lunch that day Grandma said, "Sally, let's
wash the dishes. "But Sally said, "Grandma,
Johnny told me he wanted to help in the kitchen."
Then she whispered to him, "Remember the duck?"
So Johnny did the dishes.

Later that day, Grandpa asked if the children
wanted to go fishing. Grandma said, "I'm sorry but
I need Sally to help make supper." Sally smiled
and said, "Well that's all right because Johnny told
me he wanted to help." So Sally went fishing and
Johnny stayed to help.

After several days of Johnny's doing his chores
and Sally's also, he could stand it no longer.
He came to Grandma and confessed that he had
killed the duck. Grandma knelt beside Johnny and
said, "I know. I was standing at the window and
I saw the whole thing. And because I love you, I
forgave you. I was just wondering how long you
would let Sally make a slave of you."


Thought for the day:

Whatever is in your past, whatever you have
done that the enemy throws in your face (lying,
debt, fear, hatred, bitterness, unforgiveness,
anger, etc.), whatever it is, Jesus Christ was
standing at the window and saw the whole thing.
He wants you to know He loves you and that you
are forgiven. He wonders how long you will let
the enemy make a slave of you.

Dirt Roads

What's mainly wrong with society today is that too many Dirt Roads have
been paved.
There's not a problem in America today, crime, drugs, education,
divorce, delinquency that wouldn't be remedied, if we just had more Dirt
Roads, because Dirt Roads give character.

People that live at the end of Dirt Roads learn early on that life
is a bumpy ride. That it can jar you right down to your teeth sometimes,
but it's worth it, if at the end is home...a loving spouse, happy kids and a dog.

We wouldn't have near the trouble with our educational system if our
kids got their exercise walking a Dirt Road with other kids, from whom
they learn how to get along. There was less crime in our streets before they
were paved.

Criminals didn't walk two dusty miles to rob or rape, if they knew
they'd be welcomed by 5 barking dogs and a double barrel shotgun. And
there were no drive by shootings. Our values were better when our roads were worse!

People did not worship their cars more than their kids, and motorists
were more courteous, they didn't tailgate by riding the bumper or the guy
in front would choke you with dust & bust your windshield with rocks.
Dirt Roads taught patience.

Dirt Roads were environmentally friendly, you didn't hop in your
car for a quart of milk you walked to the barn for your milk. For your
mail, you walked to the mail box.  What if it rained and the Dirt Road got washed
out?

That  was the best part, then you stayed home and had some family
time, roasted marshmallows and popped popcorn and pony rode on Daddy's
shoulders and learned how to make prettier quilts than anybody. At the end of Dirt
Roads, you soon learned that bad words tasted like soap.

Most paved roads lead to trouble, Dirt Roads more likely lead to a
fishing creek or a swimming hole. At the end of a Dirt Road, the only time
we even locked our car was in August, because if we didn't some neighbor
would fill it with too much zucchini.  At the end of a Dirt Road, there
was always extra  springtime income, from when city dudes would get stuck,
you'd have to hitchup a team and pull them out.  Usually you got a
dollar...always you got a new friend...at the end of a Dirt Road!

~by Paul Harvey~

FAMILY

I ran into a stranger as he passed by, "Oh excuse me please" was my reply.
He said, "Please excuse me too; I wasn't watching for you."
We were very polite, this stranger and I. We went on our way and we said good-bye.
But at home a different story is told, How we treat our loved ones, young and old.
Later that day, cooking the evening meal, My son stood beside me very still.
When I turned, I nearly knocked him down. "Move out of the way," I said with a frown.
He walked away, his little heart broken. I didn't realize how harshly I'd spoken.
While I lay awake in bed, God's still small voice came to me and said, "While dealing with a stranger, common courtesy you use, but the children you love, you seem to abuse.
Go and look on the kitchen floor, You'll find some flowers there by the door.
Those are the flowers he brought for you. He picked them himself: pink, yellow and blue.
He stood very quietly not to spoil the surprise, and you never saw the tears that filled his little eyes."
By this time, I felt very small, And now my tears began to fall.
I quietly went and knelt by his bed; "Wake up, little one, wake up," I said.
"Are these the flowers you picked for me?" He smiled, "I found 'em, out by the tree.
I picked 'em because they're pretty like you. I knew you'd like 'em, especially the blue."
I said, "Son, I'm very sorry for the way I acted today; I shouldn't have yelled at you that way." He said, "Oh, Mom, that's okay. I love you anyway."  I said, "Son, I love you too, and I do like the flowers, especially the blue."
Are you aware that if we died tomorrow, the company that we are working for could easily replace us in a matter of days.
But the family we left behind will feel the loss for the rest of their lives.
And come to think of it, we pour ourselves more into work than to our own family...
an unwise investment indeed, don't you think?

So what is behind the story? Do you know what the word FAMILY means? FAMILY = (F)ATHER (A)ND (M)OTHER, (I) (L)OVE (Y)OU! Pass this on to everyone that you care about. I just did!

People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered; 
Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives; 
Be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies;
Succeed anyway.
If you are honest and sincere people may deceive you;
Be honest and sincere anyway.
What you spend years creating others could destroy overnight;
Create anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous;
Be happy anyway.
The good you do today, will often be forgotten.
Do good anyway.
Give the best you have, and it may never be enough;
Give your best anyway.
In the final analysis, it is between you and God;
It was never between you and them anyway.
--Mother Teresa

GREAT TRUTHS ABOUT LIFE THAT LITTLE CHILDREN HAVE
LEARNED: 
1) No matter how hard you try, you can't baptize cats.
2) When your Mom is mad at your Dad, don't let her brush your hair. 
3) If your sister hits you, don't hit her back. They always catch the second person. 
4) You can't trust dogs to watch your food. 
5) Puppies still have bad breath, even after eating a Tic-Tac. 
6) Never hold a Dust-Buster and a cat at the same time. 
7) You can't hide a piece of broccoli in a glass of milk.
8) Don't wear polka-dot underwear under white shorts. 
GREAT TRUTHS ABOUT LIFE THAT ADULTS HAVE LEARNED: 
1) Raising teenagers is like nailing Jell-O to a tree. 
2) Families are like fudge....mostly sweet, with a few nuts. 
3) Today's mighty oak is just yesterday's nut that held its ground. 
4) My mind not only wanders; sometimes it leaves completely. 
5) If you can remain calm, you just don't have all the facts. 
GREAT TRUTHS ABOUT GROWING OLD 
1) Growing old is mandatory; growing up is optional. 
2) Insanity is my only means of relaxation. 
3) Forget the health food. I need all the preservatives I can get. 
4) You're getting old when you get the same sensation from a rocking hair
that you once got from a roller coaster. 
5) One of life's mysteries is how a two pound box of candy can make a person gain five pounds. 
6) God put me on earth to accomplish a certain number of things. Right now I am so far behind, I will live forever. 
7) I finally got my head together, and my body fell apart. 
8) There cannot be a crisis this week; my schedule is already full. 
9) Just when I was getting used to yesterday, along came today.
10) Sometimes I think I understand everything, then I regain consciousness.
11) Seen it all, done it all, can't remember most of it.

THE FOUR STAGES OF LIFE:
1) You believe in Santa Claus.
2) You don't believe in Santa Claus. 
3) You are Santa Claus 
4) You look like Santa Claus.

ALWAYS  HAVE  A  DREAM
 
Forget about the day when it's been cloudy,
but don't forget your hours in the sun. 
Forget about the times you've been defeated,
but don't forget the victories you've won. 
 
Forget about mistakes that you can't change now,
but don't forget the lessons that you've learned.
Forget about misfortunes you encounter,
but don't forget the times your luck has turned. 
 
Forget about the days when you've been lonely,
but don't forget the friendly smiles you've seen.
Forget about the plans that didn't work out right,
but don't forget to Always Have A Dream!
 
 Author Unknown.

Good Thoughts To Pass Along

1. The best way to get even is to forget...
2. Feed your faith and your doubts will starve to death...
3. God wants spiritual fruit, not religious nuts...
4. Some folks wear their halos much too tight...
5. Some marriages are made in heaven, but they ALL have to be maintained on earth...
6. Unless you can create the WHOLE universe in 5 days, then perhaps giving "advice" to God, isn't such a good idea!
7. Sorrow looks back, worry looks around, and faith looks up...
8. Standing in the middle of the road is dangerous; you will get knocked down by the traffic from both ways.
9. Words are windows to the heart.
10. A skeptic is a person who when he sees the handwriting on the wall, claims it's a forgery.
11. It isn't difficult to make a mountain out of a molehill; just add a little dirt.
12. A successful marriage isn't finding the right person-it's being the right person.
13. The mighty oak tree was once a little nut that held its ground.
14. Too many people offer God prayers, with claw marks all over them.
15. The tongue must be heavy indeed, because so few people can hold it.
16. To forgive is to set the prisoner free, and then discover the prisoner was you.
17. You have to wonder about humans, they think God is dead and Elvis is alive!
18. It's all right to sit on your pity pot every now and again. Just be sure to flush when you are done.
19. You'll notice that a turtle only makes progress when it sticks out Its neck...
20. If the grass is greener on the other side of the fence, you can bet the water bill is higher.

Everything I need to know, I learned from Noah's Ark:

                        One: Don't miss the boat.
                        Two: Remember that we are all in the same boat.
                        Three: Plan ahead. It wasn't raining when Noah built the Ark.
                        Four: Stay fit. When you're 600 years old, someone may ask you to do something really big.
                        Five: Don't listen to critics; just get on with the job that needs to be done.
                        Six: Build your future on high ground.
                        Seven: For safety's sake, travel in pairs.
                        Eight: Speed isn't always an advantage. The snails were on board with the cheetahs.
                        Nine: When you're stressed, float a while.
                        Ten: Remember, the Ark was built by amateurs; the Titanic by professionals.
                        Eleven: No matter the storm, when you are with God, there's always a rainbow waiting.

     Pass this along to make someone smile! 

The Mountain Story

"A son and his father were walking on the mountains.  Suddenly, his son falls, hurts himself and screams:
"AAAhhhhhhhhhhh!!!"  To his surprise, he hears the voice repeating, somewhere in the mountain: 
"AAAhhhhhhhhhhh!!!"

Curious, he yells: "Who are you?"  He receives the answer: "Who are you?"  And then he screams to the mountain: "I admire you!"  The voice answers: "I admire you!"  Angered at the response, he screams: "Coward!"  He receives the answer: "Coward!"

He looks to his father and asks: "What's going on?"  The father smiles and says: "My son, pay attention."  Again the man screams: "You are a champion!"  The voice answers: "You are a champion!"

The boy is surprised, but does not understand.  Then the father explains: "People call this ECHO, but
really this is LIFE.  It gives you back everything you say or do.  Our life is simply a reflection of our actions.  

If you want more love in the world, create more love in your heart.  If you want more competence in your team, improve your competence.  This relationship applies to everything, in all aspects of life!

Life will give you back everything you have given to it."

YOUR LIFE IS NOT A COINCIDENCE. IT'S A REFLECTION OF YOU!"

                                              -- Unknown Author
 

Be Happy Today!

We convince ourselves that life will be better after
we get married, have a baby, then another.
Then we are frustrated that the kids aren't old enough
and we'll be more content when they are.

After that, we're frustrated that we have teenagers to deal with.
We will certainly be happy when they are out of that stage.
We tell ourselves that our life will be complete when our
spouse gets his or her act together, when we get a nicer
car, are able to go on a nice vacation, or when we retire.

The truth is, there's no better time to be happy than right now.
If not now, when? Your life will always be filled with challenges.
It's best to admit this to yourself and decide to be happy anyway.
Happiness is the way. So, treasure every moment that you have
and treasure it more because you shared it with someone special,
special enough to spend your time with...and remember that time
waits for no one.

So, stop waiting

--until your car or home is paid off
--until you get a new car or home
--until your kids leave the house
--until you go back to school
--until you lose ten pounds
--until you gain ten pounds
--until you finish school
--until you get a divorce
--until you get married
--until you have kids
--until you retire
--until summer
--until spring
--until winter
--until fall
--until you die

There is no better time than right now to be happy.
Happiness is a journey, not a destination.

So -- work like you don't need money,
Love like you've never been hurt,
And dance like no one's watching.
 

GOD TEMPERS THE WIND TO THE SHORN LAMB

Meaning:  God is especially tender in his protection of the weak.  God
softens the trials that his defenseless children have to endure.

While many think this proverb is Biblical, many others attribute it to
Laurence Sterne's "Sentimental Journey Through France and Italy:
Maria."  In that writing, Sterne meets Maria, a character from one of
his earlier works.  She appears a bit mad, having roamed all over,
penniless and shoeless.  When asked how she had borne it, she replied,
"God tempers the wind to the shorn lamb."

In fact, that particular rendition is Sterne's poetic paraphrasing of
an old French proverb, "Dieu mesure le froid à la brebis tondue."  In
Herbert's "Jacula Predentum" of 1640, a leteral translation was
recorded as, "To a close shorn sheep, God gives wind by measure."

Let's see if I understand how the world works lately... If a man cuts his finger off while slicing salami at work, he blames the restaurant.

If you smoke three packs a day for 40 years and die of lung cancer, your family blames the tobacco company.

If your neighbor crashes into a tree while driving home drunk, he blames the bartender.

If your grandchildren are brats without manners, you blame television.

If your friend is shot by a deranged madman, you blame the gun manufacturer.

And if a crazed person breaks into the cockpit and tries to kill the pilot at 35,000 feet, and the passengers
kill him instead, the mother of the deceased blames the airline.

I must have lived too long to understand the world as it is anymore. So, if I die while my old, wrinkled butt is parked in front of this computer, I want you to blame
Bill Gates...okay?

 A water bearer in India had two large pots, each hung on the ends of a pole, which he carried across his neck. One of the pots had a crack in it, while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water.

At the end of the long walk from the stream to the house, the cracked pot arrived only half full. For a full two years this went on daily, with the bearer delivering only one and a half pots full of water to his house.

Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments, perfect for which it was made. But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it was able to accomplish only half of what it had been made to do. After 2 yrs of what it perceived to be a bitter failure, it spoke to the water bearer one day by the stream. "I am ashamed of myself, and I want to apologize to you. I have been able to deliver only half my load because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your house. Because of my flaws, you have to do all of this work, and you don't get full value from your efforts," the pot said.

The bearer said to the pot, "Did you notice that there were flowers only on your side of the path, but not on the other pot's side? That's because I have always known about your flaw, and I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back, you've watered them. For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate the table. Without you being just the way you are, there would not be this beauty to grace the house."

Moral: Each of us has our own unique flaws. We're all cracked pots. But it's the cracks and flaws we each have that make our lives together so very interesting and rewarding. You've just got to take each person for what they are, and look for the good in them.

Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be bent out of shape. Remember to appreciate all the different people in your life!

Dilbert's Rules of Order

1- I can only please one person per day. Today is not
your day. Tomorrow is not looking good either.

2- I love deadlines. I especially like the whooshing
sound they make as they go flying by.

3- Tell me what you need, and I'll tell you how to
get along without it.

4- Accept that some days you are the pigeon and some
days the statue.

5- Needing someone is like needing a parachute. If he
isn't there the first time, chances are you won't be
needing him again.

6- I don't have an attitude problem, you have a
perception problem.

7- Last night I lay in bed looking up at the stars
in the sky, and I thought to myself, where the heck is
the ceiling?

8- My reality check bounced.

9- On the keyboard of life, always keep one finger
on the escape key.

10- I don't suffer from stress. I am a carrier.

11- You are slower than a herd of turtles stampeding
through peanut butter.

12- Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons, because
you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup.

13- Everybody is somebody else's weirdo.

14- Never argue with an idiot. They drag you down to
their level, then beat you with experience.

15- A pat on the back is only a few centimeters from
a kick in the butt.

16- Don't be irreplaceable - if you can't be replaced,
you can't be promoted.

17- After any salary raise, you will have less money
at the end of the month than you did before.

18- The more crap you put up with, the more crap you
are going to get.

19- You can go anywhere you want if you look serious
and carry a clipboard.

20- Eat one live toad the first thing in the morning
and nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day.

21- People who go to conferences are the ones who shouldn't.

22- If it wasn't for the last minute, nothing would get done.

23- When you don't know what to do, walk fast and look worried.

A father wanted to read a magazine but was being bothered by his little daughter, Vanessa. Finally, he tore a sheet out of his magazine on which was printed the map of the world. Tearing it into small pieces, he gave it to Vanessa, and said, "Go into the other room and see if you can put this together."

After a few minutes, Vanessa returned and handed him the map correctly fitted together. The father was surprised and asked how she had finished so quickly. "Oh," she said, "on the other side of the paper is a picture of Jesus. When I got all of Jesus back where He belonged, then the world came together.

Pass this along to someone who needs it!