What You Will See

"You have a choice. You can wring your hands and be consumed with
concern for the future or choose to use the counsel the Lord has given to
live with peace and happiness in a world awash with evil. If you choose to
concentrate on the dark side, this is what you will see. . . . Now the
brighter side. Despite pockets of evil, the world overall is majestically
beautiful, filled with many good and sincere people. God has provided a way
to live in this world and not be contaminated by the degrading pressures
evil agents spread throughout it. You can live a virtuous, productive,
righteous life by following the plan of protection created by your Father
in Heaven: His plan of happiness."

(Richard G. Scott, "How to Live Well amid Increasing Evil," Ensign, May 2004, 100)

Reduce Stress

thank you, Holly P

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.'

Christian Ways to Reduce Stress

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 WAYOF TURNING THINGS AROUND FOR YOU.

'If God is for us, who can be against us?'

(Romans 8:31)

Why Did Jesus Fold the Napkin

Thank you, Ginger!

Why Did Jesus Fold the Napkin?

Why did Jesus fold the linen burial cloth after His resurrection?

The Gospel of John (20:7) tells us that the napkin, which was placed over the face of Jesus, was not just thrown aside like the grave clothes.

The Bible takes an entire verse to tell us that the napkin was neatly folded and was placed at the head of that stony coffin. Early Sunday morning,while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance. She ran and found Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved.

She said, 'They have taken the Lord's body out of the tomb, and I don't know where they have put him!'

Peter and the other disciple ran to the tomb to see. The other disciple out ran Peter and got there first. He stooped and looked in and saw the linen cloth lying there, but he didn't go in. Then Simon Peter arrived and went inside. He also noticed the linen wrappings lying there, while the cloth that had covered Jesus' head was folded up and lying to the side.

Is that important? Absolutely! Is it really significant? Yes!

In order to understand the significance of the folded napkin, you have to understand a little bit about Hebrew tradition of that day. The folded napkin had to do with the Master and Servant, and every Jewish boy knew this tradition. When the servant set the dinner table for the master, he made sure that it was exactly the way the master wanted it. The table was furnished perfectly, and then the servant would wait, just out of sight, until the master had finished eating, and the servant would not dare touch that table until the master was finished. Now if the master was done eating, he would rise from the table, wipe his fingers and mouth with that napkin and toss it on to the table. The servant would then know to clear the table. For in those days, the wadded napkin meant, 'I'm done.' But if the master got up from the table, and folded his napkin, and laid it beside his plate, the servant knew that the folded napkin meant, 'I'm not finished yet.'

The folded napkin meant, 'I'm coming back!'

Kids on Prayer and Bible Stories

A Sunday school teacher was telling her class the story of the Good
Samaritan, in which a man was beaten, robbed and left for dead. She
described the situation in vivid detail so her students would catch the
drama. Then, she asked the class, "If you saw a person lying on the
roadside, all wounded and bleeding, what would you do?"

A thoughtful little girl broke the hushed silence, "I think I'd throw
up."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
DID NOAH FISH?

A Sunday school teacher asked, "Johnny, do you think Noah did a lot of
fishing when he was on the Ark ?" "No," replied Johnny. "How could
he, with just two worms."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
HIGHER POWER:

A Sunday school teacher said to her children, "We have been learning
how powerful kings and queens were in Bible times. But, there is a
higher power. Can anybody tell me what it is?"

One child blurted out, "Aces!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~
MOSES & THE RED SEA :

Nine-year-old Joey, was asked by his mother what he had learned in
Sunday school. "Well, Mom, our teacher told us how God sent Moses
behind enemy lines on a rescue mission to lead the Israelites out of
Egypt . When he got to the Red Sea , he had his army build a pontoon
bridge and all the people walked across safely. Then, he radioed
headquarters for reinforcements. They sent bombers to blow up the
bridge and all the Israelites were saved and the Egyptians all drowned.
"Now, Joey, is that really what your teacher ta! ught you ?" h is mother
asked.

"Well, no, Mom. But, if I told it the way the teacher did, you'd never
believe it!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD:

A Sunday School teacher decided to have her young class memorize one

of the most quoted passages in the Bible; Psalm 23. She gave the
youngsters a month to learn the verse. Little Rick was excited about
the task, but, he just couldn't remember the Psalm. After much
practice, he could barely get past the first line.

On the day that the kids were scheduled to recite Psalm 23 in front of
the congregation, Ricky was so nervous. When it was his turn, he
stepped up to the microphone and said proudly, "The Lord is my
Shepherd, and that's all I need to know."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
UNANSWERED PRAYER?

The preacher's 5 year-old daughter noticed that her father always
paused and bowed his head, for a moment, before star ting his sermon.
One day, she asked him why. "Well, Honey," he began, proud that his
daughter was so observant of his messages, "I'm asking the Lord to help
me preach a good sermon."

"How come He doesn't do it?" she asked.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BEING THANKFUL

A rabbi said to a precocious six-year-old boy, "So your mother says
your prayers for you each night? Very commendable. What does she
say?"

The little boy replied, "Thank God he's in bed!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
UNTIMELY ANSWERED PRAYER

During the minister's prayer, one Sunday, there was a loud whistle
from one of the back pews. Gary 's mother was horrified. She pinched
him into silence and, after church, asked, " Gary , whatever made you
do such a thing?"

Gary answered, soberly, "I asked God to teach me to whistle, and He
just then did!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
TIME TO PRAY:
A pastor asked a little boy if he said his prayers every night. "Yes
sir," the boy replied.

"And, do you always say them in the morning, too?" the pastor asked.
"No sir," the boy replied. "I ain't scared in the daytime."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BEWARE OF TRASH:

One particular four-year old prayed, "And forgive us our 'trash
baskets' as we forgive those who put trash in our baskets."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
ALL MEN/ALL GIRLS?

When my daughter, Kelli, was 3, she and my son, Cody, would say their
nightly prayers, together.

As most children do, we have to bless every family member, every
friend, and every animal (current and past).
For several weeks, after we had finished the nightly prayer, Kelli
would say, "And all girls."

As this soon became part of her nightly routine, to include this at the
end, my curiosity got the best of me and I asked her, "Kelli, why do
you always add the part about all girls?"

Her response, "Because we always finish our prayers by saying 'All
Men'!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
SAY A PRAYER:

Little Johnny and his family were having Sunday dinner at his
Grandmother's house.

Everyone was seated around the table as the food was being served. When
little Johnny received his plate, he started eating right away.

"Johnny wait until we say our prayer."

"I don't have to," The boy replied.

"Of course, you do," his mother insisted. "We say a prayer, before
eating, at our house."

"That's at our house," Johnny explained. "But this is Grandma's house
and she knows how to cook."

A Woman's Influence

"Too frequently, women underestimate their influence for good. Well
could you follow the formula given by the Lord: 'Establish a house,
even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of
learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God' (D&C
88:119).

"In such a house will be found happy, smiling children who
have been taught, by precept and example, the truth. In a Latter-day
Saint home, children are not simply tolerated, but welcomed; not commanded,
but encouraged; not driven, but guided; not neglected, but loved."

(Thomas S. Monson, "The Spirit of Relief Society," Ensign, May 1992, 101-102)

Doing Our Best with Our Families

"Sometimes as parents we feel we have failed when our children make
mistakes or stray. Parents are never failures when they do their best to
love, teach, pray, and care for their children. Their faith, prayers, and
efforts will be consecrated to the good of their children. . . . No family
has reached perfection. All families are subject to the conditions of
mortality. All of us are given the gift of agency--to choose for
ourselves and to learn from the consequences of our
choices."

(Robert D. Hales, "With All the Feelings of a Tender Parent," Ensign, May 2004, 88)

Hot Chocolate

thanks, Ginger, I love hot chocolate.

A group of graduates, well established in their careers, were talking at a reunion and decided to go visit their old university professor, now retired.

During their visit, the conversation turned to complaints about stress in their work and lives. Offering his guests hot chocolate, the professor went into the kitchen and returned with a large pot of hot chocolate and an assortment of cups -porcelain, glass, crystal, some plain looking, some expensive, some exquisite - telling them to help themselves to the hot chocolate.

When they all had a cup of hot chocolate in hand, the professor said:

"Notice that all the nice looking, expensive cups were taken, leaving behind the plain and cheap ones. While it is normal for you to want only the best for yourselves, that is the source of your problems and stress. The cup that you're drinking from adds nothing to the quality of the hot chocolate. In most cases it is just more expensive and in some cases even hides what we drink. What all of you really wanted was hot chocolate, not the cup; but you consciously went for the best cups... And then you began eyeing each others cups.

Now consider this: Life is the hot chocolate; your job, money and position in society are the cups. They are just tools to hold and contain life.

The cup you have does not define, nor change the quality of life you have. Sometimes, by concentrating only on the cup, we fail to enjoy the hot chocolate God has provided us.

God makes the hot chocolate, man chooses the cups. The happiest people don't have the best of everything. They just make the best of everything that they have.

Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak
kindly. And enjoy your hot chocolate!!!

A Picture That Tells a Story

Thank you, Ginger!

The longer you look at this picture, the more you see. The artist drew scenes from the life of Christ to create the face.

Flight Delay

A plane was flying from Seattle to San Francisco. Unexpectedly, the
plane was diverted to Sacramento along the way. The flight attendant
explained that there would be a delay, and if the passengers wanted to
get off the aircraft the plane would re-board in 50 minutes.

Everybody got off the plane except one lady who was blind. A man
had noticed her as he walked by and could tell the lady was blind because
her Seeing Eye dog lay quietly underneath the seats in front of her
throughout the entire flight.

He could also tell she had flown this very flight before because the
pilot approached her, and calling her by name, said, "Kathy, we are in
Sacramento for almost an hour. Would you like to get off and stretch
your legs?" The blind lady replied, "No thanks, but maybe Buddy
would like to stretch his legs."

Picture this:

All the people in the gate area came to a complete standstill when
they looked up and saw the pilot walk off the plane with a Seeing Eye
dog! The pilot was even wearing sunglasses. People scattered. They not
only tried to change planes, but they were trying to change airlines!

True story... Have a great day and remember...

THINGS AREN'T ALWAYS AS THEY APPEAR.

A DAY WITHOUT LAUGHTER IS A DAY WASTED!!!

Health Findings

For those of you who watch what you eat, here's the final word on
nutrition and health. It's a relief to know the truth after all those
conflicting nutritional studies.

1. The Japanese eat very little fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.

2. The Mexicans eat a lot of fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.

3. The Chinese drink very little red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.

4. The Italians drink a lot of red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.

5. The Germans drink a lot of beers and eat lots of sausages and fats and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.

CONCLUSION

Eat and drink what you like. Speaking English is apparently what kills you.

IF I HAD MY LIFE TO LIVE OVER - by Erma Bombeck

I have read this before, but Ginger just sent it to me again.

IF I HAD MY LIFE TO LIVE OVER - by Erma Bombeck

(Written after she found out she was dying from cancer).

I would have gone to bed when I was sick instead of pretending the earth would go into a holding pattern if I weren't there for the day.

I would have burned the pink candle sculpted like a rose before it melted in storage.

I would have talked less and listened more.

I would have invited friends over to dinner even if the carpet was stained, or the sofa faded.

I would have eaten the popcorn in the 'good' living room and worried much less about the dirt when someone wanted to light a fire in the fireplace.

I would have taken the time to listen to my grandfather ramble about his youth.

I would have shared more of the responsibility carried by my husband.

I would never have insisted the car windows be rolled up on a summer day because my hair had just been teased and sprayed.

I would have sat on the lawn! With my grass stains.

I would have cried and laughed less while watching television and more while watching life.

I would never have bought anything just because it was practical, wouldn't show soil, or was guaranteed to last a lifetime.

Instead of wishing away nine months of pregnancy, I'd have cherished every moment and realized that the wonderment growing inside me was the only chance in life to assist God in a miracle.

When my kids kissed me impetuously, I would never have said, "Later. Now go get washed up for dinner."

There would have been more "I love you's"; more "I'm sorry's."

But mostly, given another shot at life, I would seize every minute...look at it and really see it... live it and never give it back. STOP SWEATING THE SMALL STUFF!!!

Don't worry about who doesn't like you, who has more, or who's doing what

Instead; let's cherish the relationships we have with those who do love us.

Let's think about what God HAS blessed us with, and what we are doing each day to promote ourselves mentally, physically, and emotionally. I hope you have a blessed day.

We Need to Prepare Our Warriors

Trials That Tax Courage and Extend Faith
---------------------------------------------------

"[Today's children] will see many events transpire in the
course of their lifetime. Some of these shall tax their courage and extend
their faith. But if they seek prayerfully for help and guidance, they shall
be given power over adverse things. Such trials shall not be permitted to
stand in the way of their progress, but instead shall act as
stepping-stones to greater knowledge."

(Boyd K. Packer, "Do not Fear," Ensign, May 2004, 77 )

Bible Humor

more from Ginger -

IT DOESN'T HURT TO HAVE A LITTLE BIBLICAL HUMOUR ONCE IN A WHILE.... but, my student friends, I don't suggest you use it in any exams!!!!

Q. What kind of man was Boaz before he married Ruth?

A. Ruthless.

Q. What do they call pastors in Germany?

A. German Shepherds.

Q. Who was the greatest financier in the Bible?

A. Noah. He was floating his stock while everyone else was in liquidation.

Q. Who was the greatest female financier in the Bible?

A. Pharaoh's daughter. She went down to the bank of the Nile and drew out a little prophet.

Q. What kind of motor vehicles are in the Bible?

A. Jehovah drove Adam and Eve out of the Garden in a Fury. David's Triumph was heard throughout the land. Also, probably a Honda, because the apostles were all in one Accord.

Q.. Who was the greatest comedian in the Bible?

A. Samson. He brought the house down.

Q. What excuse did Adam give to his children as to why he no longer lived in Eden?

A. Your mother ate us out of house and home.

Q. Which servant of God was the most flagrant lawbreaker in the Bible?

A. Moses. He broke all 10 commandments at once.

Q. Which area of Palestine was especially wealthy?

A. The area around Jordan The banks were always overflowing.

Q. Which Bible character had no parents?

A. Joshua, son of Nun.

Q. Why didn't they play cards on the Ark?

A. Because Noah was standing on the deck. (Groan..)

PS. Did you know it's a sin for a woman to make coffee?

Yup, it's in the Bible. It says . .. . "He-brews"

The Duck and the Devil

another gem from Ginger -

A little boy was visiting his grandparents on their farm.

He was given a slingshot to play with out in the woods.

He practiced in the woods; but he could never hit the target

Getting a little discouraged, he headed back home for dinner.

As he was walking back when he saw Grandma's pet duck.

Just 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 wood pile, only to see his sister watching! Sally had seen it all, but she said nothing.

After lunch the next 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, and Grandma said, "I'm sorry but I need Sally to help make supper."

Sally just smiled and said, "Well that's all right because Johnny told me he wanted to help." She whispered again, "Remember the duck?"So Sally went fishing and Johnny stayed to help.

After several days of Johnny doing both his chores and Sally's, he finally couldn't stand it any longer. He came to Grandma and confessed that he had

killed the duck. Grandma knelt down, gave him a hug and said, "Sweetheart, I know. You see, I was standing at the window and I saw the whole thing, but 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 and every day hereafter . . .

Whatever is in your past, whatever you have done. . . and the devil keeps throwing it up in your face . . . (lying, cheating, debt, fear, bad habits, hatred, anger, bitterness, etc.) . . .

Whatever it is, you need to know that God was standing at the window and He saw the whole thing. He has seen your whole life. He wants you to know that He loves you and that you are forgiven. He's just wondering how long you will let the devil make a slave of you.

The great thing about God is that when you ask for forgiveness, He not only forgives you, but He forgets. It is by God's grace and mercy that we are saved.

Always remember:

God is at the window!

When Jesus died on the cross; he was thinking of you!

How to Bury a Prophet

Sorry this got hashed up in the forwarding process, and I don't have time to clean it up, but it is well worth the read. - B

From: Ginger

---

This was interesting considering the writer...


February 7, 2008

How to Bury a Prophet
-by Kathleen Flake
Sightings (Martin Marty Center)
University of Chicago Divinity School.
(http://marty-center.uchicago.edu/sightings/archive_2008/0207.shtml)

The Latter-day Saints buried their prophet on Saturday. Thousands
attended the service in person and millions more faithful watched in
chapels around the globe, as well as on the internet. What they saw was
an unusually personal ceremony for a very public man who led and to
large degree defined the contemporary Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints. Notwithstanding the numbers and titles of
participants, Gordon Hinckley's funeral was a family affair both in
word and sacrament. It was an extraordinary display of what makes
Mormonism tick.

Gordon Hinckley died at the age of ninety-seven, having been in the
church's leading councils since 1958 and serving as its fifteenth
president since 1995. He shaped the church through a half century of
growth in one hundred and seventy countries. A third of its present
membership joined during his tenure as president. Displaying remarkable
vigor late in life, he met with church members on every continent,
responding to their needs with curricular, welfare, and building
programs whose costs are impossible to imagine and no one will admit.
He met the press to a degree unequaled and with an openness heretofore
unknown among Mormonism's leadership. This effort too was largely
successful. No less a cynic than CBS's Mike Wallace admitted that
Hinckley "fully deserves the almost universal admiration that he gets."

He was, as Newsweek's Jon Meacham said, "a charming and engaging man,
an unlikely prelate - and all the more impressiv e for that." The same
could be said of his funeral.

Hinckley's funeral was an unlikely but impressive mix of the
sacramental and the mundane, in large part because it observed
Mormonism's custom that families bury their dead. The family designs
the memorial program, participates actively in it, and performs the
ordinances that send their loved ones off to the next life. Yes, the
chapel in this case was the LDS Conference center that held 21,000
mourners; the lay pastor who conducted the meeting was Thomas Monson,
Hinckley's presumptive successor as "prophet, seer, and revelator;" and
the music was provided by the three-hundred-plus member Mormon
Tabernacle Choir. But, in all other essentials, the service was
performed by the family. A son gave the invocation. Monson conducted at
the request of the family, he said, not by ecclesiastical right. The
eulogy was given by a daughter who described her father's life as
half-way point in a now seven-generation story of sacrifice, death, and
survival that is the Mormon saga. Explicitly gathering the millions
watching into that story, she declared "we are one family sharing an
inheritance of faith." Friends with high titles spoke next. Though the
requisite list of Hinckley's ecclesiastical accomplishments was given,
it was subordinated to his success as a courageous and amusing friend
and a successful husband and father. Another daughter gave the
benediction: "We are buoyed by the knowledge that we will see him again
as family, as friends."

Hinckley's sons and daughters with their spouses led the casket out of
the hall and between an honor guard of church authorities. Cameras
followed the mourners, focusing on his five children, twenty-five
grandchildren and sixty-two great-grandchildren who formed the cortege
to the cemetery. There, possibly most surprisingly, the eldest son
dedicated the grave without fanfare. Notwithstanding the presence of
the entire church hierarchy, the son stepped forward to pronounce: "By
the authority of the Melchizedek priesthood, I dedicate this grave for
the remains of Gordon B. Hinckley, until such time as thou shall call
him forth." Then, church leaders were "dismissed," as Monson put it. As
the church teaches is the case in the afterlife, only the family remained.

Families are, as Latter-day Saints like to say, forever. What they
don't say is that the church is not forever. It is only the instrument
for endowing families with the right and duty to mediate the gifts of
the gospel to their members, thereby sealing the willing among them as
families in the life to come. This was Hinckley's message as a prophet.

As he would have it and as the best Mormon funerals do, his message was
embodied and enacted by his family who blessed him in death, no less
than in life. Thi s is how the Latter-day Saints, at least, bury a prophet.


Kathleen Flake is an associate professor of American Religious History
at Vanderbilt University Divinity School and Graduate Department of Religion.

---

Iron Ore Mine Discovered in Peru

MAJOR BOOK OF MORMON RELATED DISCOVERY Iron Ore Mine Discovered in Peru. Since a pre-Columbian iron ore mine had never been discovered in the New World, critics of the Book of Mormon have scoffed at the book's claim that ancient Americans mined ore (see 2 Nephi 5:15, Jacob 2:12, Mosiah.21:27, Helaman. 6:11, Ether 10:23). However, on 3 February 2008 several scientific websites announced that an ancient iron-ore mine has been discovered in Nasca, Peru. The mine is believed to be at least 2,000 years old.

The discovery is gratifying to George Potter, since his new book (which will be available in the fall of 2008) proposes that Nasca was the possible site of the Book of Mormon's city of Bountiful. The Spanish conquistadors claimed that when they first invaded Chile, the Indians fought them with iron weapons. All we need to find now is evidence of ore smelting and we have confirmed the Book of Mormon's claim that the Jaredites and Nephites made steel swords. Joseph Smith prophesized that one day the Book of Mormon would be proven true by physical evidence.

See more at Science Daily

The Medicine We Need

from Ginger






Prescribed by the Great Physician

~*~A GREAT RECIPE~*~
Fold two hands together,
And express a dash of sorrow.
Marinate it overnight,
And work on it tomorrow.

Chop one grudge in tiny pieces,
Add several cups of love.
Dredge with a large sized smile,
Mix with the ingredients above.

Dissolve the hate within you,
By doing a good deed.
Cut in and help your friend,
If he/she should be in need.

Stir in laughter, love and kindness,
From the heart it has to come.
Toss with genuine forgiveness,
And give your friends some.

The amount of people served,
Will depend on you.
It can serve the whole wide world.
If you really want it to!!!

author unknown
*****************************
The next time you feel like GOD can't use you, just remember...


Abraham was too old

Isaac was a daydreamer

Jacob was a liar

Leah was ugly

Joseph was abused

Moses had a stuttering problem

Gideon was afraid

Samson had long hair and was a womanizer

Jeremiah and Timothy were too young

David had an affair and was a murderer

Elijah was suicidal

Isaiah preached naked

Jonah ran from God

Naomi was a widow

Job went bankrupt

Peter denied Christ

The Disciples fell asleep while praying

Martha worried about everything

The Samaritan woman was divorced, more than once

Zaccheus was too small

Paul was too religious

Timothy had an ulcer..AND

Lazarus was dead!



Now! No more excuses!
God can use you to your full potential.

Besides you aren't the message, you are just the
messenger.

In the Circle of God's love, God's waiting to use your
full potential.



1. God wants spiritual fruit, not religious nuts.

2. Dear God, I have a problem, it's Me.

3. Growing old is inevitable .. growing UP is
optional.

4. There is no key to happiness. The door is always
open.

5. Silence is often misinterpreted but never
misquoted.

6. Do the math .. count your blessings.

7. Faith is the ability to not panic.

8. Laugh every day, it's like inner jogging.

9. If you worry, you didn't pray ... If you pray,
don't worry.

10. As a child of God, prayer is kind of like calling
home everyday.

11. Blessed are the flexible for they shall not be
bent out of shape.

12. The most important things in your house are the
people.

13 When we get tangled up in our problems, be still.
God wants us to be still so He can untangle the knot.

14. A grudge is a heavy thing to carry.

15 He who dies with the most toys is still dead.

GOD'S LOVE
WE CALL IT MERCY -------------
IT IS GOD'S FORGIVING LOVE.
WE CALL IT PROVIDENCE------
IT IS GOD'S CARING LOVE.
WE CALL IT KINDNESS-----------
IT IS GOD'S UNDERSTANDING LOVE
WE CALL IT CHRISTS' PASSION AND DEATH
IT IS GOD'S PROVEN LOVE
WE CALL IT HAPPINESS----------
IT IS GOD'S ENCOURAGING LOVE
WE CALL IT THE WILL OF GOD
IT IS GOD'S UNERRING LOVE
WE CALL IT HEAVEN----------------
IT IS GOD'S REWARDING LOVE
WE CALL IT ETERNITY--------------
IT IS GOD'S UNENDING LOVE.

"God grant me the serenity to accept the people
I cannot change ...
the courage to change the one I can ...
and the wisdom to know it's Me."

Have a great day!!! The SON is shining and he
can certainly use you!

The Secret

thank you, Ginger

The Secret One day, one friend asked another, 'How is it that you are always so happy? You have so much energy, and you never seem to get down.' With her eyes smiling, she said, 'I know the Secret!' 'What secret is that?' To which she replied, 'I'll tell you all about it, but you have to promise to share the Secret with others.' 'The Secret is this: I have learned there is little I can do in my life that will make me truly happy. I must depend on God to make me happy and to meet my needs. When a need arises in my life, I have to trust God to supply according to HIS riches. I have learned most of the time I don't need half of what I think I do. He has never let me down. Since I learned that 'Secret', I am happy.' The questioner's first thought was, 'That's too simple!' But upon reflecting over her own life she recalled how she thought a bigger house would make her happy, but it didn't! She thought a better paying job would make her happy, but it hadn't. When did she realize her greatest happiness? Sitting on th e floor with her grandchildren, playing games, eating pizza or reading a story, a simple gift from God. Now you know it too! We can't depend on people to make us happy. Only GOD in His infinite wisdom can do that. Trust HIM! And now I pass the Secret on to you! So once you get it, what will you do? YOU have to tell someone the Secret, too! That GOD in His wisdom will take care of YOU! But it's not really a secret... We just have to believe it and do it... Really trust God!

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What Dog Breed Are You?

I took the quiz and this is really what I got. I guess dogs and owners really do become like each other.

Kids' Perspectives on Mom

Thanks, Holly P

Answers given by 2nd grade school children to the following questions:

Why did God make mothers?
1. She's the only one who knows where the scotch tape is.
2. Mostly to clean the house.
3. To help us out of there when we were getting born.

How did God make mothers?
1. He used dirt, just like for the rest of us.
2. Magic plus super powers and a lot of stirring.
3. God made my Mom just the same like he made me. He just used bigger parts.

What ingredients are mothers made of?
1. God makes mothers out of clouds and angel hair and everything nice in the world and one dab of mean.
2. They had to get their start from men's bones. Then they mostly use string, I think.

Why did God give you your mother and not some other mom?
1. We're related
2. God knew she likes me a lot more than other people's moms like me.

What kind of little girl was your mom?
1. My Mom has always been my mom and none of that other stuff.
2. I don't know because I wasn't there, but my guess would be pretty bossy.
3. They say she used to be nice.

What did mom need to know about dad before she married him?
1. His last name.
2. She had to know his background. Like is he a crook? Does he get drunk on beer?
3. Does he make at least $800 a year? Did he say NO to drugs and YES to chores?

Why did your mom marry your dad?
1. My dad makes the best spaghetti in the world. And my Mom eats a lot.
2. She got too old to do anything else with him.
3. My grandma says that Mom didn't have her thinking cap on.

Who's the boss at your house?
1. Mom doesn't want to be boss, but she has to because dad's such a goof ball.
2. Mom. You can tell by room inspection. She sees the stuff under the bed.
3. I guess Mom is, but only because she has a lot more to do than dad.

What's the difference between moms & dads?
1. Moms work at work and work at home and dads just go to work at work.
2. Moms know how to talk to teachers without scaring them.
3. Dads are taller & stronger, but moms have all the real power 'cause that's whoyou got to ask if you want to sleep over at your friend's.
4. Moms have magic, they make you feel better without medicine.

What does your mom do in her spare time?
1. Mothers don't do spare time.
2. To hear her tell it, she pays bills all day long.

What would it take to make your mom perfect?
1. On the inside she's already perfect. Outside, I think some kind of plastic surgery.
2. Diet. You know, her hair. I'd diet, maybe blue.

If you could change one thing about your mom, what would it be?
1. She has this weird thing about me keeping my room clean. I'd get rid of that.
2. I'd make my mom smarter. Then she would know it was my sister who did it and not me.
3. I would like for her to get rid of those invisible eyes on the back of her head.

legend of the Cherokee Indian youth's rite of passage

thank you, Ginger



Do you know the legend of the Cherokee Indian youth's rite of passage?


His father takes him into the forest, blindfolds him and leaves him alone. He is required to sit on a stump the whole night and not remove the blindfold until the rays of the morning sun shine through it. He cannot cry out for help to anyone. Once he survives the night, he is a MAN.


He cannot tell the other boys of this experience, because each lad must come into manhood on his own.



The boy is naturally terrified. He can hear all kinds of noises. Wild beasts must surely be all around him. Maybe even some human might do him harm . The wind blew the grass and earth, and shook his stump, but he sat stoically, never removing the blindfold. It would be the only way he could become a man!



Finally, after a horrific night the sun appeared and he removed his blindfold. It was then that he discovered his father sitting on the stump next to him. He had been at watch the entire night, protecting his son from harm.



We, too, are never alone. Even when we don't know it, our Heavenly Father is watching over us, sitting on the stump beside us. When trouble comes, all we have to do is reach out to Him.