I love this saying, it reminds me of how I feel about my family and friends, even the ones I no longer have.  Some might be gone but never forgotten.

 

I WROTE YOUR NAME ON A PIECE OF PAPER BUT I ACCIDENTALLY THREW IT AWAY. I WROTE YOUR NAME ON MY HAND, BUT IT WASHED AWAY. I WROTE YOUR NAME IN THE SAND, BUT THE WAVES WHISPERED IT AWAY. I WROTE YOUR NAME IN MY HEART, AND FOREVER IT WILL STAY.

 

"25 REASONS I OWE MY MOTHER"

1. My mother taught me TO APPRECIATE A JOB WELL DONE .
"If you're going to kill each other, do it outside. I just finished cleaning."

2. My mother taught me RELIGION.
"You better pray that will come out of the carpet."

3. My mother taught me about TIME TRAVEL.
"If you don't straighten up, I'm going to knock you into the middle of next week!"

4. My mother taught me LOGIC.
" Because I said so, that's why."

5. My mother taught me MORE LOGIC
"If you fall out of that swing and break your neck, you're not going to the store with me."

6. My mother taught me FORESIGHT.
"Make sure you wear clean underwear, in case you're in an accident."

7. My mother taught me IRONY
"Keep crying, and I'll give you something to cry about."

8. My mother taught me about the science of OSMOSIS .
"Shut your mouth and eat your supper."

9. My mother taught me about CONTORTIONISM.
"Will you look at that dirt on the back of your neck!"

10. My mother taught me about STAMINA.
"You'll sit there until all that spinach is gone."

11. My mother taught me about WEATHER .
"This room of yours looks as if a tornado went through it."

12. My mother taught me about HYPOCRISY.
"If I told you once, I've told you a million times. Don't exaggerate!"

13. My mother taught me the CIRCLE OF LIFE.
"I brought you into this world, and I can take you out."

14. My mother taught me about BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION.
"Stop acting like your father!"

15. My mother taught me about ENVY.
"There are millions of less fortunate children in this world who don't have wonderful parents like you do."

16. My mother taught me about ANTICIPATION.
"Just wait until we get home."

17. My mother taught me about RECEIVING .
"You are going to get it when you get home!"

18. My mother taught me MEDICAL SCIENCE.
"If you don't stop crossing your eyes, they are going to freeze that way."

19. My mother taught me ESP.
"Put your sweater on; don't you think I know when you are cold?"

20. My mother taught me HUMOR .
"When that lawn mower cuts off your toes, don't come running to me."

21. My mother taught me HOW TO BECOME AN ADULT.
"If you don't eat your vegetables, you'll never grow up."

22. My mother taught me GENETICS.
"You're just like your father."

23. My mother taught me about my ROOTS .
"Shut that door behind you. Do you think you were born in a barn?"

24. My mother taught me WISDOM.
"When you get to be my age, you'll understand."

25. And my favorite: My mother taught me about JUSTICE
"One day you'll have kids, and I hope they turn out just like YOU" !!!

I thought I had a very good friend here on Grab but I guess I was very wrong.  We spent a lot of time together and I thought I knew her well enough to place my trust in her and thought she knew me enough to trust me back.   Wellllllllll, I'm being accused by her of something I didn't do.  She gave me no consideration to even give her my side of things....she just snapped me out of her life.  Called me on the phone screaming at me and accusing me of something she did to herself.   How can "good friends" do that to another?  Was I being stupid to think this couldn't happen?  Was she ever REALLY my friend to begin with? When I make friends I like to keep them not hurt them and throw them aside. Yes, I'm hurt but I guess I'm glad now that I know what she REALLY thinks of me.   This is a person I cared very much about and did all I could to help her.  This is a person I just bought a 6 month membership to Pogo for because I knew she was having problems and I wanted to make her happy and keep her around so we could have fun together.  This is a person I bought Pogo gems for a few times and also Pogo albums just so she would have something to busy herself with and try to forget her many problems.  I've sent her many little surprise packages through the mail to her and even sent her money and gift cerfificates to restaurants.  I didn't want anything in return but a friendship with her.  I'm didn't do all that I did for her just to throw it up in her face.  I did it because I knew she was severly stressed and needed to find some joy in her life.  I did it out of love for a good friend in need. I thought she knew how much I cared for her and her friendship.  What did she do back to me>>>>>she kicked me in my teeth and made assumptions that were NOT TRUE.  She called me on the phone screaming and accusing me of something she did to herself and when I tried to talk to her she hung up on me.   All this because she assumed something wrong.  She's also upset because I have a friend she doesn't like.....wow, how childish can she get?  I never expected this from her, I can honestly say she surprised me and hurt me BIG TIME.  I've been told she is going around telling people what a piece of crap I am.  All I can say is this.......I'm NOT a bad friend, I didn't do what she accused me of, she wouldn't let me give my side of the story....watch your backs, if she can do this to me after all I did for her, you're not safe either.   I'm glad she let me know how ungrateful she is and that I was a fool to trust her.  This is MY side of things.  I'm sure she doesn't agree with me but that's ok.  It's HER loss, I can be a excellent friend to many and don't expect anyone to pick and choose sides.   If you have any questions about what she has told you about me....PLEASE feel free to come and ask me yourselves.   I don't bite lol

---Cleaning Poem

Thank you for being my e-mail buddy and friend!

 DADDY'S EMPTY CHAIR
>
>             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.'
>
>             Just send this to four people or more,
>
>             and do not break this, please.
>
>             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.

GRANDMA'S HANDS A must read thru to the end please!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Grandma, some ninety plus years, sat feebly on the patio bench. She didn't move, just sat with her head down staring at her hands. When I sat down beside her she didn't acknowledge my presence and the longer I sat I wondered if she was okay.

Finally, not really wanting to disturb her but wanting to check on her at the same time, I asked her if she was okay. She raised her head and looked at me and smiled. "Yes, I'm fine, thank you for asking," she said in a clear voice strong.

"I didn't mean to disturb you, Grandma, but you were just sitting here staring at your hands and I wanted to make sure you were okay," I explained to her.

"Have you ever looked at your hands?," she asked. "I mean really looked at your hands?"

I slowly opened my hands and stared down at them. I turned them over, palms up and then palms down. No, I guess I had never really looked at my hands as I tried to figure out the point she was making.

Grandma smiled and related this story:

"Stop and think for a moment about the hands you have, how they have served you well throughout your years. These hands, though wrinkled shriveled and weak, have been the tools I have used all my life to reach out and grab and embrace life.

"They braced and caught my fall when as a toddler I crashed upon the floor.  They put food in my mouth and clothes on my back. As a child, my mother taught me to fold them in prayer. They tied my shoes and pulled on my boots. They held my husband and wiped my tears when he went off to war.

"They have been dirty, scraped and raw , swollen and bent. They were uneasy and clumsy when I tried to hold my newborn son. Decorated with my wedding band they showed the world that I was married and loved someone special.  They wrote my letters to him and trembled and shook when I buried my parents and spouse.

"They have held my children and grandchildren, consoled neighbors, and shook in fists of anger when I didn't understand.

"They have covered my face, combed my hair, and washed and cleansed the rest of my body. They have been sticky and wet, bent and broken, dried and raw. And to this day when not much of anything else of me works real well, these hands hold me up, lay me down, and again continue to fold in prayer.

"These hands are the mark of where I've been and the ruggedness of life. But more importantly, it will be these hands that God will reach out and take when He leads me home. And with my hands He will lift me to His side and there I will use these hands to touch the face of Christ."

I will never look at my hands the same again, but I remember God reached out and took my grandma's hands and led her home.

When my hands are hurt or sore or when I stroke the face of my children and husband I think of grandma. I know she has been stroked and caressed and held by the hands of God. I, too, want to touch the face of God and feel His hands upon my
face.

When you receive this, say a prayer for the person who sent it to you, and watch God's answer to prayer work in your life. Let's continue praying for one another.

Passing this on to anyone you consider a friend will bless you both.

Passing this on to one not yet considered a friend is something Christ would do.

*Twas the month before Christmas*
*When all through our land,*
*Not a Christian was praying*
*Nor taking a stand.*
*See the PC Police had taken away*
*The reason for Christmas - no one could say.*
*The children were told by their schools not to sing*
*About Shepherds and Wise Men and Angels and things.*
*It might hurt people's feelings, the teachers would say*
* December 25th is just a "Holiday."*

*Yet the shoppers were ready with cash, checks, and credit*
*Pushing folks down to the floor just to get it!*
*CDs from Beyonce, an X BOX, an I-pod*
*Something was changing, something quite odd! *
*Retailers promoted Ramadan and Kwanzaa*
*In hopes to sell books by Franken & Fonda.*
*As Target was hanging their trees upside down*
*At Lowe's the word Christmas - was nowhere to be found.*
*At K-Mart and Staples and Penny's and Sears*
*You won't hear the word Christmas; it won't touch your ears.*

*Inclusive, sensitive, Di-ver-si-ty*
*Are words that were used to intimidate me.*
*Now Daschle, Now Darden, Now Sharpton, Wolf, Blitzen*
*On Boxer, on Rather, Obama, or Clinton!*
*At the top of the Senate, there arose such a clatter*
*To eliminate Jesus, in all public matter.*
*And we spoke not a word, as they took away our faith*
* Forbidden to speak of salvation and grace*

*The true Gift of Christmas was exchanged and discarded*
*The reason for the season never even got started.*
*So as you celebrate "Winter Break" under your "Dream Tree"*
*Sipping your Starbucks, listen to me.*
*Choose your words carefully, choose what you say*

"MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!" 

AND

NOT

"Happy Holiday"

 *Shout

Mother....... 

The young mother set her foot on the path of life. "Is this the long way?"

she asked.

 

And the guide said "Yes, and the way is hard. And you will be old before

you reach the end of it. But the end will be better than the beginning."

 

But the young mother was happy, and she would not believe that anything

could be better than these years.

 

So she played with her children, she fed them and bathed them, and taught

them how to tie their shoes and ride a bike and reminded them to feed the

dog and do their homework and brush their teeth.

The sun shone on them, and the young Mother cried, "Nothing will ever be

lovelier than this."

 

Then the nights came, and the storms, and the path was sometimes dark, and

the children shook with fear and cold, and the mother drew them close and

covered them with her arms, and the children said, "Mother, we are not

afraid, for you are near, and no harm can come."

 

And the morning came, and there was a hill ahead, and the children climbed

and grew weary, and the mother was weary. But at all times she said to the

children, “A little patience and we are there."

 

So the children climbed, and as they climbed they learned to weather the

storms. And with this, she gave them strength to face the world. Year

after year, she showed them compassion, understanding, hope, but most of all

 ...... unconditional love.

 

And when they reached the top they said, "Mother, we would not have done

it without you."

 

The days went on, and the weeks and the months and the years, and the

Mother grew old and she became little and bent. But her children were tall and

strong, and walked with courage. And the mother, when she lay down at

night, looked up at the stars and said, "This is a better day than the last, for

my children have learned so much and are now passing these traits on to their

children."

 

And when the way became rough for her, they lifted her, and gave her their

strength, just as she had given them hers. One day they came to a hill,

and beyond the hill, they could see a shining road and golden gates flung wide.

 

And mother said: "I have reached the end of my journey. And now I know the

end is better than the beginning, for my children can walk with dignity

and pride, with their heads held high, and so can their children after them."

 

And the children said, " You will always walk with us, Mother, even when

you have gone through those gates."

 

And they stood and watched her as she went on alone, and the gates closed

after her. And they said: "We cannot see her, but she is with us still. A

Mother like ours is more than a memory. She is a living presence."

 

Your Mother is always with you. She's the whisper of the leaves as you

walk down the street, she's the smell of certain foods you remember, flowers

you pick and perfume that she wore, she's the cool hand on your brow when

you're not feeling well, she's your breath in the air on a cold winter's day. She

is the sound of the rain that lulls you to sleep, the colors of a rainbow,

she is Christmas morning.

 

Your Mother lives inside your laughter. And she's crystallized in every

tear drop. A mother shows every emotion... happiness, sadness, fear, jealousy,

love, hate, anger, helplessness, excitement, joy, sorrow... and all the

while, hoping and praying you will only know the good feelings in life.

She's the place you came from, your first home, and she's the map you

follow with every step you take. She's your first love, your first friend, even

your first enemy, but nothing on earth can separate you. Not time, not

space...............not even death!

Just up the road from my home is a field, with two horses in it. From a distance, each looks like every other horse. But if you stop your car or are walking by, you will notice something quite amazing. Looking into the eyes of one horse will disclose that he is blind. His owner has chosen not to have him put down but has made a good home for him. This alone is amazing. If nearby and listening, you will hear the sound of a bell. Looking around for the source of the sound, you will see that it comes from the smaller horse in the field. Attached to her halter is a small bell.  It lets her blind friend know where she is, so he can follow her. As you stand and watch these two friends, you'll see how she is always checking on him, and that he will listen for her bell and then slowly walk to where she is, trusting that she will not lead him astray. When she returns to the shelter of the barn each evening, she stops occasionally and looks back, making sure her friend isn't too far behind to hear the bell.    Like the owners of these two horses, God does not throw us away just because we are not perfect or because we have problems or challenges. He watches over us and even brings others into our lives to help us when we are in need. Sometimes we are the blind horse being guided by the little ringing bell of those who God places in our lives. Other times we are the guide horse, helping others see. Good friends are like this . You don't always see them, but you know they are always there. Please listen for my bell and I'll listen for yours. "Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle".

BEING A MOTHER

After 21 years of marriage, My wife wanted me to take another woman
out to dinner and a movie. She said, "I love you, but I know this other woman loves you and would love to spend some time with
you."

The other woman that my wife wanted me to visit was my
MOTHER, who has been a widow for 19 years, but the demands of my work and
my three children had made it possible to visit her only
occasionally. That night I called to invite her to go out for dinner and a
movie."What's wrong, are you well," she asked?

My mother is the type of woman who suspects that a late night
call or a surprise invitation is a sign of bad news.
"I thought that it would be pleasant to spend some time with
you," I responded. "Just the two of us." She thought about it for a moment, and then said, "I would
like that very much."

That Friday after work, as I drove over to pick her up I as a
bit nervous. When I arrived at her house, I noticed that she, too, seemed
to be nervous about our date.

She waited in the door with her coat on. She had curled her
hair and was wearing the dress that she had worn to celebrate her
last wedding anniversary.
She smiled from a face that was as radiant as an angel's.

"I told my friends that I was going to go out with my son,
and they were impressed," she said, as she got into the car "They can't wait to hear about our meeting."We went to a restaurant that, although not elegant, was very nice and cozy. My mother took my arm as if she were the First Lady.

After we sat down, I had to read the menu. Her eyes could
only read large print. Half way through the entries, I lifted my
eyes and saw Mom sitting there staring at me. A nostalgic smile was on her
lips. "It was I who used to have to read the menu when you were
small," she said.

"Then it's time that you relax and let me return the favor,"
I responded. During the dinner, we had an agreeable conversation, nothing extraordinary but catching up on recent events of each
other's life.
We talked so much that we missed the movie.

As we arrived at her house later, she said, "I'll go out with
you again, but only if you let me invite you." I agreed.
" How was your dinner date?" asked my wife when I got home. "Very nice. Much more so than I could have imagined," I answered.

A few days later, my mother died of a massive heart attack.
It happened so suddenly that I didn't have a chance to do anything for
her.

Some time later, I received an envelope with a copy of a restaurant receipt from the same place mother and I had
dined.

An attached note said: "I paid this bill in advance. I wasn't sure that I could be there; but nevertheless, I paid for two plates - one for you and the other for your wife. You will never know what that night meant for me. I love you, son." At that moment, I understood the importance of saying in time: "I LOVE YOU" and to give our loved ones the time that they deserve.

Nothing in life is more important than your family. Give them the time
they deserve, because these things cannot be put off till "some
other time". Somebody said it takes about six weeks to get back to normal
after you've had a baby ... somebody doesn't know that once you're
a mother, "normal" is history.

Somebody said you learn how to be a mother by instinct,somebody never took a three-year-old shopping. Somebody said being a mother is boring ... somebody never rode in a car driven by a teenager with a driver's permit.

Somebody said if you're a "good" mother, your child will "turn out good"... ..somebody thinks a child comes with directions and aguarantee. Somebody said "good" mothers never raise their voices somebody never came out the back door just in time to see her child hit a golf ball through the neighbor's kitchen window.

Somebody said you don't need an education to be a mother.... somebody never helped a fourth grader with his math.Somebody said you can't love the second child as much as you love the first ... somebody doesn't have two children.

Somebody said a mother can find all the answers to her child-rearing questions in the books.... somebody never had a child stuff beans up his nose or in his ears.

Somebody said the hardest part of being a mother is labor and delivery....somebody never watched her "baby" get on the bus for the first day of kindergarten or on a plane headed for military "boot camp."

Somebody said a mother can do her job with her eyes closed
and one hand tied behind her back ....somebody never organized seven
giggling Brownies to sell cookies.

Somebody said a mother can stop worrying after her child gets married....somebody doesn't know that marriage adds a new son or daughter-in-law to a mother's heartstrings.

Somebody said a mother's job is done when her last child
leaves home....somebody never had grandchildren.

Somebody said your mother knows you love her, so you don't
need to tell her.... somebody isn't a mother.

Pass this along to all the "mothers" in your life, and to
everyone who ever had a mother. This isn't just about being a mother,
it's about appreciating the people in your life while you have them....no matter who that person is.

John is the kind of guy you love to hate. He is always in a good mood and always has something positive to say. When someone would ask him how he was doing, he would reply, "If I were any better, I would be twins!"



He was a natural motivator.



If an employee was having a bad day, John was there telling the employee how to look on the positive side of the situation.



Seeing this style really made me curious, so one day I went up and asked him, "I don't get it!



You can't be a positive person all of the time. How do you do it?"



He replied, "Each morning I wake up and say to myself, you have two choices today. You can choose to be in a good mood or ... you can choose to be in a bad mood.



I choose to be in a good mood."



Each time something bad happens, I can choose to be a victim or...I can choose to learn from it. I choose to learn from it.



Every time someone comes to me complaining, I can choose to accept their complaining or... I can point out the positive side of life. I choose the positive side of life.



"Yeah, right, it's not that easy," I protested.



"Yes, it is," he said. "Life is all about choices. When you cut away all the junk, every situation is a choice. You choose how you react to situations. You choose how people affect your mood.



You choose to be in a good mood or bad mood. The bottom line: It's your choice how you live your life."



I reflected on what he said. Soon hereafter, I left the Tower Industry to start my own business. We lost touch, but I often thought about him when I made a choice about life instead of reacting to it.



Several years later, I heard that he was involved in a serious accident, falling some 60 feet from a communications tower.



After 18 hours of surgery and weeks of intensive care, he was released from the hospital with rods placed in his back.



I saw him about six months after the accident.



When I asked him how he was, he replied, "If I were any better, I'd be twins...Wanna see my scars?"



I declined to see his wounds, but I did ask him what had gone through his mind as the accident took place.



"The first thing that went through my mind was the well-being of my soon-to-be born daughter," he replied. "Then, as I lay on the ground, I remembered that I had two choices: I could choose to live or...I could choose to die. I chose to live."



"Weren't you scared? Did you lose consciousness?" I asked



He continued, "..the paramedics were great.



They kept telling me I was going to be fine. But when they wheeled me into the ER and I saw the expressions on the faces of the doctors and nurses, I got really scared. In their eyes, I read 'he's a dead man.' I knew I needed to take action."



"What did you do?" I asked.



"Well, there was a big burly nurse shouting questions at me," said John. "She asked if I was allergic to anything 'Yes, I replied.' The doctors and nurses stopped working as they waited for my reply. I took a deep breath and yelled, 'Gravity.' "



Over their laughter, I told them, "I am choosing to live. Operate on me as if I am alive, not dead."



He lived, thanks to the skill of his doctors, but also because of his amazing attitude... I learned from him that every day we have the choice to live fully.



Attitude, after all, is everything.



Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." Matthew 6:34.



After all today is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday.