Peace

A teenager gave me the peace sign the other day. I waved to him as I was walking past his home and he held up the two fingered salute made famous in the 1960's. I hadn’t realized that it had survived the last 40 years to find its way into the hearts of a new generation. The last time I saw it widely used was when I was a young boy. Seeing those two fingers did make me smile, though, because they reminded me of the two truths that can bring peace to us all. I only pray that one day we all can welcome them into our hearts, souls, minds, and lives.

The first of these simple truths is that God loves us. God loves us when we do good and He loves us even when we mess up. God loves us enough to forgive us, guide us, and help us through all the mistakes me make, choices we face, and difficulties we must overcome. God loves us from the second of our birth to our very last breath. His love is eternal like our souls not temporary like these bodies that carry them around. He loves us all through this life and His love carries us into the next.

The second truth I know that fills my life with peace is the fact that we all can choose and share love as well. We may not always be able to love each other as God loves us, but we can have the time of our lives trying. There is nothing that brings you more happiness, greater joy, and more peace of heart than sharing your love with everyone. Love is the hardest thing in the world to give away, though, because it keeps coming back to you as well. Loving others is what we are meant for. It is the Way of Life that Jesus showed us all. It is the only thing that matters.

The next time you feel troubled then hold up those two fingers and remind yourself of what can truly bring you peace. God loves you and is with you always. Take peace in His love and then go out and share your own love, joy, and peace with the world.

~ Joseph J. Mazzella ~

HAVE A TERRIFIC DAY MY FRIENDS, LOVE, HUGS N BLESSINGS

Big Feet and Big Heart 

It was an unseasonably hot day. Everybody it
seemed, was looking for some kind of relief,
so an ice cream store was a natural place to stop.

A little girl, clutching her money tightly, entered the
store. Before she could say a word, the store clerk sharply
told her to get outside and read the sign on the door,
and stay out until she put on some shoes. She left slowly,
and a big man followed her out of the store.

He watched as she stood in front of the store and read
the sign: 'No Bare Feet'. Tears started rolling down her
cheeks as she turned and started to walked away. Just then
the big man called to her. Sitting down on the curb, he took
off his size-12 shoes, and set them in front of the girl saying,
"Here, you won't be able to walk in these, but if you sort of
slide along, you can get your ice cream cone."

Then he lifted the little girl up and set her feet into the shoes.
"Take your time," he said, "I get tired of moving them around,
and it'll feel good to just sit here and eat my ice cream."
The shining eyes of the little girl could not be missed
as she shuffled up to the counter and ordered her ice cream cone.

He was a big man, all right.
Big belly, big shoes, but most
of all, he had a big heart.

Author Unknown

Count Your Many Blessings

Count the stars up in the sky
Where the eyes of God doth lie.

Count the many grains of sand
Found throughout this wondrous land.

Count the birds up in the air
Feathered friends are everywhere.

Count the lakes and rivers too
Found beneath a sky of blue.

Count the sunsets all aglow
Where the lovely rainbows flow.

Count the fireflies in the night
Makes for quite a stunning site.

Count the waves upon the sea
Hear their splashing melody.

Count the snowflakes swirling down
Tumbling like a circus clown.

Count the planets hung in space
Each one in its proper place.

Count the thunder in the storm
Where the bolts of lightening form.

Count your blessings one by one
Where the God’s promises are spun.

~ Marilyn Ferguson ~

Telephone Poetic Justice

Leola, who lived in Tennessee, had a serious telephone problem. But unlike most people, she did something about it . . . .

The brand-new $10 million Ribrock Plaza Motel opened near her house and had acquired almost the same telephone number as Leola's.

From the moment the motel opened, Leola was besieged by calls not for her. Since she had the same phone number for years, she felt that she had a case to persuade the motel management to change its number.

Naturally, the management refused claiming that it could not change all its stationery, etc.

The phone company was not helpful, either. A number was a number, and just because a customer was getting someone else's calls 24 hours a day didn't make it responsible. After her pleas fell on deaf ears, Leola decided to take matters into her own hands.

At 9 o'clock the phone rang. Someone from Memphis was calling the motel and asked for a room for the following Tuesday. Leola said,

"No problem. How many nights?"

A few hours later Dallas checked in. A secretary wanted a suite with two bedrooms for a week. Emboldened, Leola said the Presidential Suite on the 10th floor was available for $600 a night. The secretary said that she would take it and asked if the hotel wanted a deposit.

"No, that won't be necessary," Leola said. "We trust you."

The next day was a busy one for Leola. In the morning, she booked an electric appliance manufacturers convention for Memorial Day weekend, a college prom and a reunion of the 82nd Airborne veterans from World War II.

She turned on her answering machine during lunchtime so that she could watch Days Of Our Lives, but her biggest challenge came in the afternoon when a mother called to book the ballroom for her daughter's wedding in June.

Leola assured the woman that it would be no problem and asked if she would be providing the flowers or did she want the hotel to take care of it. The mother said that she would prefer the hotel to handle the floral arrangements. Then the question of valet parking came up.

Once again Leola was helpful.

"There's no charge for valet parking, but we always recommend that the client tips the drivers."

Within a few months, the Ribrock Plaza Motel was a disaster area. People kept showing up for weddings, bar mitzvahs, and Sweet Sixteen parties and were all told there were no such events.

Leola had her final revenge when she read in the local paper that the motel might go bankrupt. Her phone rang, and an executive from Marriott said:

"We're prepared to offer you $200,000 for your motel."

Leola replies . . . .

"We'll take it . . . . . . . . . . .  but only if you change your phone number."

[ Author Unknown ]

The Attack Of The Killer Bunny

Becky was her name and chasing rabbits was her game. One in particular. Being a Cairn Terrier, Becky felt it her duty to live up to the reputation of her breed and excel at hunting, tracking, barking at and just the general terrorizing of one of our pet rabbits.

She soon became very good at it and as soon as she was allowed out doors, the games began. If the bunny was nowhere to be found then a chipmunk would have to suffice. Groundhogs were another problem for her to deal with and she gave it her all.

I would let her out the back door in the morning and soon I would hear her announcing to the world at large that soon the yard would be free of furry interlopers. She took her responsibilities seriously you see.

She would watch from the gate as I made my way to the hen house, and be there to greet me when I returned. It was also her duty to make sure no renegade chickens were accompanying me back to her yard.

We had kept rabbits for years and one in particular had become a pet. He was a little golden lop eared sweetheart named Flower. The rabbits lived in their custom made village at the back of our property and every now and then, Flower hopped out of the coop and came visiting.

Becky would announce his presence to me in loud, hysterical happy yaps and the chase was on. Round and round we'd go. Becky chasing Flower, me chasing Becky, my husband sitting on the back porch shaking his head.

Flower would weave through the landscape like a pro. Under the bushes and around the trees they'd go till with gasping breath, I would join my husband on the porch to watch the usual outcome.

Becky always tired first and would sit her self down in the middle of the yard, yapping merrily, while Flower continued to run circles around her.

That was my opportunity to grab the dog, secure her in the house and get Flower back into the Rabbit Village. A task not easily done because, by that time, Flower was mad as the proverbial wet hen and wasn't in a mood to be messed with.

This drama was acted out every time those two were in the yard together and it always ended the same way. Becky sitting there yapping, Flower in a mad tizzy and me trying desperately to keep the two of them separated.

One summer afternoon, Flower, having had enough of the race, decided to take matters into his own hands.... or should that be feet?

We had invited my in-laws over for a cook out and as I was preparing the grill on the back deck, I heard the beginnings, of what turned out to be, the last rabbit rumble in the yard.

Sure enough, here they came! As I stood watching, a flash of gold whizzed by with a flash of white fast on his trail. Round and round the yard they ran with me, spatula in hand, bringing up the rear.

Then, in an instant, the tables turned forever. Flower ran behind a bush and stopped. Becky went into her "A HA, I'VE GOT YOU" mode and I sat down behind her and tried to catch my breath.

Slowly a golden nose emerged, Becky prepared to resume the chase and I stretched out in the grass for a much needed nap. The chase was on again, only this time with a different twist.

You see, while he was hidden behind the bush, our little Flower had changed into a raging weed! No more Mr. nice guy for him. He had donned his mask and cape and morphed into "SUPER BUNNY!" He stepped out flexing his muscles and beating his chest, and with a flick of his floppy ears, he leaped into the air with a single bound and landed square on Becky's back.

Surprised, shocked and amazed, Becky took off with a howl! Flower exited her back and was in hot pursuit. Round and round they ran, Becky fleeing, Super Bunny pursuing her all the way to the dogie door through which the newly pursued, disappeared in a flash. The weed, being unable to apply his brakes, crashed into the bottom panel of the door with a loud thud.

Stepping back, he gave his long ears a shake for emphasis, turned around and hopped proudly off the porch. He took his time as he made his way across the yard. Stopping to nibble on sweet-grass now and then, he moved in proud confidence toward the rabbit compound. There was no hurry. After all, Super Bunny had arrived and never again would he be bothered by the yapping monster that had made his life so tedious.

There is something to be said for turning the other cheek. But I found out that day, there is also something to be said for standing your ground. Becky never bothered Flower again. In fact, from then on, whenever I let her out the back door she would sit on the deck for a while, scanning the yard, making sure it was free of marauding bunnies. Flower had conquered.

[ by Sylvia Carroll ]

Blessings

I knelt to pray when day was done
And prayed, "O Lord, bless everyone,
Lift from each saddened heart the pain
And let the sick be well again."

And then I woke another day
And carelessly went on my way,
The whole day long I did not try
To wipe a tear from any eye.
I did not try to share the load
Of any brother on the road.

I did not even go to see
The sick man just next door to me.
Yet once again when day was done
I prayed, "O Lord, bless everyone."

But as I prayed, into my ear
There came a voice that whispered clear,
"Pause now, my son, before you pray.
Whom have you tried to bless today?

Gods sweetest blessing always go
By hands that serve him here below."
And then I hid my face and cried,
"Forgive me, God, I have not tried,
But let me live another day
And I will live the way I pray."

When There's No Where to Turn

They say that behind every cloud is a silver lining
And I guess this is true.
But finding the bright spot behind each cloud
Is largely up to you!

If everything in sight looks hopeless,
Try to find one spot,
That doesn't look quite so dark
It doesn't matter what!

When there's no where to turn that you can see,
It's time to look above.
Our Lord will come into your heart
And fill it with His love!

Think and pray until you see,
Just a glimmer of light.
Then one by one toss the rest behind you,
Until you make it bright!

Talking to God each day will help.
Your troubles He will share.
So if you're troubled with no where to turn,
Just talk to Him - He's always there!

[ by Dot Wilson ]

The "real story" of the three bears...

It's a sunny morning in the Big Forest, and the Bear family is just waking up.

Baby Bear goes downstairs and sits in his small chair at the table. He looks into his small bowl. It is empty! "Who's been eating my porridge" he squeaks?

Daddy Bear arrives at the table and sits in his big chair. He looks into his big bowl, and it is also empty! "Who's been eating my porridge!," he roars?

Momma Bear puts her head through the serving hatch from the kitchen and yells, "For Pete's sake, how many times do we have to go through this?"

• "It was 'Momma Bear' who got up first."
  
  
• "It was 'Momma Bear' who woke everybody else in the house up."
  
  
• "It was 'Momma Bear' who made the Coffee."
  
  
• "It was 'Momma Bear' who unloaded the dishwasher from last night, and put everything away."
  
  
• "It was 'Momma Bear' who went out into the cold early morning air to fetch the newspaper."
  
  
• "It was 'Momma Bear' who set the table."
  
  
• "It was 'Momma Bear' who put the cat out, cleaned the litter box and filled the cat's water & food dish."

[ Author Unknown ]

He Knows Your Name

When you are having problems
And feel there's no help around.
First take one step forward,
To get to higher ground.

If you think that God doesn't hear you
Then that, is really a shame
Not only does He hear every prayer you say;
But He knows you, by your name.

It does not matter just where you are
When you call upon the Lord.
He will be listening with a well-tuned ear
And will understand every word.

Be ready to listen to what He says,
As He tells you what to do.
For that will be your instructions
Because the rest will be up to you.

You should thank Him for His kindness,
Because He was standing by.
And not as you thought; He had turned away
And would never, hear your cry.

Even though you have made so many mistakes.
He will not hold you to blame.
For now, you are fully forgiven.
And remember, He knows your name.

[ Author Unknown ]

My Evil Brother Was A Saint.

There were two evil brothers. They were rich and used their money to keep their ways from the public eye. They even attended the same church and looked to be perfect Christians.

Then, their pastor retired and a new one was hired. Not only could he see right through the brothers' deception, but he also spoke well and true, and the church started to swell in numbers.

A fundraising campaign was started to build a new assembly.

All of a sudden, one of the brothers died. The remaining brother sought out the new pastor the day before the funeral and handed him a check for the amount needed to finish paying for the new building.

"I have only one condition," he said. "At his funeral, you must say my brother was a saint."

The pastor gave his word and deposited the check.

The next day at the funeral, the pastor did not hold back. "He was an evil man," he said. "He cheated on his wife and abused his family." After going on in this vein for a small time, he concluded with, "But, compared to his brother, he was a saint."

The Cross In My Pocket

I carry a cross in my pocket,
A simple reminder to me
That I am a Christian,
No matter where I may be.

This little cross isn't magic,
Nor is it a good luck charm.
It isn't meant to protect me
From every physical harm.

It's not for identification
For all the world to see.
It's simply an understanding
Between my Savior and me.

It reminds me too, to be thankful
For my blessings every day,
And to strive to serve Him better
In all that I do or say.

When I put my hand in my pocket
To bring out a coin or a key,
The cross is there to remind me
Of the price He paid for me.

It's also a daily reminder
Of the peace and comfort I share
With all who know my Master
And give themselves to His care.

So, I carry a cross in my pocket
Reminding none but me
That Jesus Christ is Lord of my life,
If only I'll let Him be.

[ by: Verna Thomas, Copyright © 1968 ]

Ugliest Suit...

When the store manager returned from lunch, he was surprised to see that his clerk's hand was bandaged. Before having the chance to ask him what had happened, the clerk had some very good news for him.


"Guess what, sir?" the clerk said. "I finally sold that horribly, ugly suit we've had for so long."


"Are you referring to that repulsive orange and brown, double-breasted thing?" asked the manager.


"That's the one, sir," replied the clerk.


"That's great!" exclaimed the manager. "I was afraid we'd never get rid of that horrid monstrosity! That had to have been the ugliest suit we've ever had! But, tell me, why is your hand bandaged?"


"Oh, that," the clerk replied. "Well, after I sold the guy the suit, his darn guide dog bit me!"

[ Author Unknown ]

Computer Wife

Dear Wife,

I'm sending you this email, to bring you up to date on the events of our family!

I tried to talk to you, While you were on your computer, But you just kept telling me that, You would BRB...?? Whatever that means! So, I decided to send you this email.

John Jr. cut his first tooth today. He's the one you bounce on your knee while typing. Remember how he giggles when... He hears the "UT OH" sound?

Sorry about him dropping his Peanut butter sandwich on your keyboard. Is it working ok since I cleaned it up for you? Can you read the letters I tried to paint back on your keyboard? Most of the letters had been rubbed off!

Susie had her first date Saturday night. She had a good time and said to thank you for letting them use your car. She put the keys back on the key rack, underneath the cobwebs, where she found them!

Do you realize that she wears the same size clothes as you do? In case you've forgotten her, she's the one who has you raise your feet when she's running the sweeper.

Tim is playing football. He looks forward to going to school Now that he has a sport to play. He wanted to know if you would come to one of his games... if... we bought you a laptop to bring along?

Do you remember him? He's the one who... empties your Port-a-Potty for you!

Let's see... since the last time I wrote you... ( 3 months ago ), the refrigerator had to be replaced, The dog died from old age, your mother and dad painted the room, where your computer is... hope you like the color! The church has a new pastor, the president has been impeached, and oh yes... and I have a new job!

Well, I think that's about it. I'll email you again in about 3 months. You take care of yourself, honey. We all miss you very much, and look forward to seeing you again... next time... the power goes off!   : ))

Love,
Your Husband

[ Author Unknown ]

Amen Crackers

Have you ever heard of “Amen Crackers”? I hadn’t either until my granddaughter, Amanda, came for a visit. Amanda is not quite two but ever since her parents taught her to pray she always prays for each individual thing on her plate.

One evening at suppertime Amanda was in the high chair and I went over to the kitchen counter to fill her plate. Her Mother had put three small crackers on her high chair tray to give her something to eat while I fixed her plate. I watched as she bowed her head and touched the first cracker with her index finger and said, “Amen cracker”. She touched the next cracker and said, “Amen cracker”, and then she went to the last cracker, touching it, and again saying, “Amen Cracker.” She thought the tiny crackers were her supper so she was saying her prayers.

Amanda has figured out that prayers have an “amen” in them but sometimes she gets the “amen” at the beginning instead of at the end of her prayers.

I got to thinking about the word, “amen” and I found that in Hebrew the word “amen” means to confirm and it is spoken to state, “so be it”. When we end our prayers with “amen” we are reaffirming our dedication to God. Sometimes church members or congregations say, “Amen”, to show confirmation or agreement when something powerful is spoken from the Word of God.

Amanda’s prayer might seem very simple but maybe she wasn’t so far off in what she was doing because she would have been confirming her dedication to God first of all instead of at the end. At any rate, we can gain wisdom from “the mouths of babes”. I learned several things from Amanda and her “Amen Crackers”.

• I learned that prayer should be a priority.
  
  
• I learned that whatever is on my “plate” I should be thankful for it.
  
  
• I learned I should keep it simple and be specific.
  
  
• I learned to have faith and trust God even when all I have is three crackers.
  
  
• I learned it is best to tend to my own crackers that have been provided for me and allow God to fill my plate.
  
  
• I learned to be patient. Even if I’m sitting in a high chair, I can’t see what is going on in God’s kitchen from where I sit.
  
  
• I learned to thank God for the small things, and not complain, even if all I have is crackers.
  
  
• I learned it doesn’t matter if you get the prayer backwards, God hears our hearts.

Have you thanked God for the crackers in your life?

“In everything give thanks for this is the will of Christ Jesus for you.”
(1 Thessalonians. 5:18)

Amen,

~ Pamela Perry Blaine ~

Three Legged Chicken

A man was driving along a rural road one day when he saw a three legged chicken. He was amused enough to drive along side it for a while, as he was driving he noticed the chicken was running 30 mph. Pretty fast chicken, he thought, I wonder just how fast it can run. So he sped up and the chicken did too! They were now moving along the road at 45 mph! The man in the car sped up again, to his surprise the chicken was still running ahead of him at 60 mph!!!

Suddenly the chicken turned off the road and ran down a long driveway leading to a farmhouse. The man followed the chicken to the house and saw a man in the yard and dozens of three legged chickens. The man in the car called out to the farmer "How did you get all these three legged chickens?"

The farmer replied, "I breed 'em. Ya see it's me, my wife and my son living here and we all like to eat the chicken leg. Since a chicken only has two legs, I started breeding this three legged variety so we could all eat our favorite piece."

"That's amazing!" said the driver. "How do they taste?"

"Don't rightly know," said the farmer, "we can't catch 'em."

[ Author Unknown ]