The Red Rose.

He stood up from the bench, straightened his Army uniform, and studied the crowd of people making their way through Grand Central Station. He looked for the girl whose heart he knew, but whose face he didn't, the girl with the rose. His interest in her had begun thirteen months before in a Florida library. Taking a book off the shelf he found himself intrigued, not with the words of the book, but with the notes penciled in the margin. The soft handwriting reflected a thoughtful soul and insightful mind. In the front of the book, he discovered the previous owner's name. With time and effort he located her address. She lived in New York City. He wrote her a letter introducing himself and inviting her to correspond. The next day he was shipped overseas for service in World War II. During the next year and one month the two grew to know each other through the mail. Each letter was a seed falling on a fertile heart. A romance was budding. He requested a photograph, but she refused. She felt that if he really cared, it wouldn't matter what she looked like. When the day finally came for him to return from Europe, they scheduled their first meeting - 7:00 PM at the Grand Central Station in New York. "You'll recognize me," she wrote, "by the red rose I'll be wearing on my lapel." So at 7:00 he was in the station looking for a girl whose heart he loved, but whose face he'd never seen. Here is his Story:
A young woman was coming toward me, her figure long and slim. Her blond hair lay back in curls from her delicate ears; her eyes were blue as flowers. Her lips and chin had a gentle firmness, and in her pale green suit she was like springtime come alive. I started toward her, entirely forgetting to notice that she was not wearing a rose. As I moved, a small, provocative smile curved her lips. "Going my way, sailor?" she murmured. Almost uncontrollably I made one step closer to her, and then I saw HER. She was standing almost directly behind the girl. A woman well past 40, she had graying hair tucked under a worn hat. She was more than plump, her thick-ankled feet thrust into low-heeled shoes. The girl in the green suit was walking quickly away. I felt as though I was split in two, so keen was my desire to follow her, and yet so deep was my longing for the woman whose spirit had truly companioned me and upheld my own. And there she stood. Her pale, plump face was gentle and sensible, her gray eyes had a warm and kindly twinkle. I did not hesitate. My fingers gripped the small worn blue leather copy of the book that was to identify me to her. This would not be love, but it would be something precious, something perhaps even better than love, a friendship for which I had been and must ever be grateful. I squared my shoulders and saluted and held out the book to the woman, even though while I spoke I felt choked by the bitterness of my disappointment.I am so glad you could meet me; may I take you to dinner?" The woman's face broadened into a tolerant smile. "I don't know what this is about, son," she answered, "but the young lady in the green suit who just went by, she begged me to wear this rose on my coat. And she said if you were to ask me out to dinner, I should go and tell you that she is waiting for you in the big restaurant across the street. She said it was some kind of test!" It's not difficult to understand and admire her wisdom.The true nature of a heart is seen in its response to the unattractive.

The best portion of a good man's life is the little, nameless, unremembered acts of kindness and love.

---- William Wordsworth (1770-1850) English poet

History

There was once a hat-seller who passed by a forest. The weather was very hot and he decided to take a nap under one of the trees, so he left his whole basket of hats by the side.A few hours later, he woke up and realized that all his hats were gone.Then he heard some monkeys on top of the tree and he looked up. To his surprise, the tree was full of monkeys. They had taken all his hats!The hat-seller sits down and try to think of how he can get the hats down. He started to think and scratched his head. The next moment, he realized that the monkeys were doing the same thing.Next, he took down his own hat and fanned himself. The monkeys did exactly the same! An idea struck him - he took his hat and threw it on the floor. And the monkeys did the same too. Happily, he collected all his hats back.Fifty years later, his grandson also became a hat-seller and also got to hear the monkey story from his grandfather. One day, just like his grandfather, he passed by the same forest. Feeling very hot, he took a nap under the same tree and left the hats on the floor.Again, when he woke up, he realized that all his hats were gone. He looked up and found that the monkeys had taken all his hats. Remembering what his grandfather had told him, he started scratching his head and the monkeys followed.He took down his hat and fanned himself and again the monkeys followed.Now, very convinced of his grandfather's idea, he threw his hat on the floor... but to his surprise, the monkeys still held on to all the hats!Then one bold monkey climbed down the tree, grabbed the hat on the floor, and sneered ... "you think say na only you get grand-papa??"

IS PACKAGING IMPORTANT TO YOU?

A young man was getting ready to graduate from college. For many months he had admired a beautiful sports car in a dealer's showroom, and knowing his father could well afford it, he told him that was all he wanted.
As Graduation Day approached, the young man awaited signs that his father had purchased the car. Finally, on the morning of his graduation, his father called him into his private study. His father told him how proud he was to have such a fine son, and told him how much he loved him. He handed his son a beautiful wrapped gift box. Curious, but somewhat disappointed, the young man opened the box and found a lovely, leather-bound Bible, with the young man's name embossed in gold. Angrily, he raised his voice to his father and said,

"With all your money you give me a Bible?" He then stormed out of the house, leaving the Bible.

Many years passed and the young man was very successful in business. He had a beautiful home and a wonderful family, but realizing his father was very old, he thought perhaps he should go to see him. He had not seen him since that graduation day. Before he could make the arrangements, he received a telegram telling him his father had passed away, and willed all of his possessions to his son. He needed to come home immediately and take care of things.
When he arrived at his father's house, sudden sadness and regret filled his heart. He began to search through his father's important papers and saw the still new Bible, just as he had left it years ago. With tears, he opened the Bible and began to turn the pages. As he was reading, a car key dropped from the back of the Bible. It had a tag with the dealer's name, the same dealer who had the sports car he had desired. On the tag was the date of his graduation, and the words… " PAID IN FULL".

How many times do we miss blessings because they are not packaged as we expected?

Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; but remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for. Sometimes we don't realize the good fortune we have or we could have because we expect "the packaging" to be different. What may appear as bad fortune may in fact be the door that is just waiting to be opened.

I trust you enjoyed this. Pass it on to others and remain blessed.

Where is GOD?

Two brothers were extremely mischievous and their parents were at their wits' end. So they asked their pastor to talk with the boys.
The pastor sat the younger one down first. He wanted him to think about God, so he started the conversation by asking, "Where is God?" The boy didn't respond, so he repeated the question in a stern tone. Again he gave no answer. Frustrated, the pastor shook his finger in the boy's face and shouted, "Where is God?!"
The boy bolted from the room, ran home, and hid in his closet. His brother followed him and asked, "What happened?"
The younger boy replied, "We're in big trouble now. God is missing, and they think we did it!"
Sounds a bit like Adam and Eve, who were filled with guilt and tried to hide from God (Genesis 3:10). They had known the Lord's close fellowship, but now they were afraid to face Him. God pursued them, though, and asked, "What is this you have done?" Instead of repenting, Adam blamed God and Eve, and Eve blamed the serpent.

How do we respond when we've sinned against God? Do we hide, hoping He won't notice? If we are His, He'll pursue us. The wisest choice is to come out of our hiding place, confess our sin, and have our fellowship restored.

culled from Our Daily bread, Nov. 3rd 2007.

Scars of love

Some years ago, on a hot summer day in south Florida, a little boy decided to go for a swim in the old swimming hole that was behind his house. In a hurry to dive into the cool water, he ran out the back door, leaving behind shoes, socks, and shirt as he went. He flew into the water, not realizing that as he swam toward the middle of the lake, an alligator was swimming toward the shore. In the house, his mother was looking out the window. She saw the two as they got closer and closer together. In utter fear, she ran toward the water, yelling to her son as loudly as she could. Hearing her voice, the little boy became alarmed, and made a U-turn to swim to his mother. It was too late. Just as he reached her, the alligator reached him. From the dock, the mother grabbed her little boy by the arms, just as the alligator snatched his legs. That began a very incredible tug-of-war between the two. The alligator was much stronger than the mother, but the mother was much too passionate to let go. A farmer happened to drive by, heard her screams, raced from his truck, took aim, and shot the alligator. Remarkably, after weeks and weeks in the hospital, the little boy Survived. His legs were extremely scarred by the vicious attack of the animal. On his arms, there were deep scratches where his mother's fingernails dug into his flesh; in her effort to hang on to the son she loved.
The newspaper reporter, who interviewed the boy after the trauma, asked the boy if he would show him his scars. The boy lifted his pant legs. Then, with obvious pride, he said to the reporter, "But look at my arms. I have great scars on my arms, too. I have them because my Mom wouldn't let go."
You and I can identify with that little boy. We have scars, too. No, not from an alligator, but the scars of a painful past. Some of those scars are unsightly, and have caused us deep regret. But, some wounds, my friend, are because God has refused to let go. In the midst of your struggle, He's been right there, holding on to you. The Scripture teaches that God loves you.You are a child of God. He wants to protect you, and provide for you in every way. But, sometimes, we foolishly wade into dangerous situations, not knowing what lies ahead. The swimming hole of life is filled with peril ~ and we forget that the enemy is waiting to attack. That is when the tug-of-war begins.

If you have the scars of His love on your arms, be very, very grateful. He will not ever let you go.

It Stings - But it Disinfects

Got this from my good friend Olaitan.

Words can sting, too. You've probably noticed that - especially critical words. But they may be a lot like iodine. Listen to our word for today from the Word of God in Proverbs 15:31, "He who listens to a life-giving rebuke will be at home among the wise."
Notice, a rebuke can actually be "life-giving." It doesn't usually feel life-giving. When someone points out something they don't like about us, it hurts. It stings. But God says if we heed that criticism or rebuke, we're showing how wise we are. In fact, according to Proverbs 27:6, "wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses."
First, when someone who cares about us points out something they see in us, it does feel like a "wound." The Bible acknowledges that it hurts. But it also says that those comments can be "trusted" when they come from a friend. People who don't care about you may tell you whatever you want to hear, but those who care about you will tell you what you need to hear!
When we love someone, we have a responsibility to be a mirror for them; to show them what we see when we look at them. Sometimes, that means we'll be affirming what things they are doing right, praising them for strong points they have that they may not be able to see. But our love also means we must hold up that mirror sometimes to show them how they're coming across, what they're doing wrong. We all hate to hear that we're accidentally unbuttoned or unzipped, but it's a good thing they let us know. It can save us a lot of embarrassment!
So when a friend or loved one points out something that isn't fun to hear, don't get angry with them or don't just disregard what they said. Consider what it is that may have made them say that. What do they see that maybe you can't see about yourself? Maybe only a percentage of what they point out is accurate, but you need to prayerfully consider what part of it is true. It's hard for me to face this, but there must be something I'm doing or communicating that has made this person have this perception. The Bible says that those who listen openly and honestly to one of their "mirrors" will be "at home among the wise."
In some ways, the closer the person is to us, the harder it is for us to receive critical feedback from them. Like from our spouse, for example. But those are the comments we should give the greatest weight to, because this is someone who really loves us and someone who knows us well. And when we are giving someone constructive criticism, let's be sure that we assure them of our love and of our belief in them, and that that's the reason we're giving them this hard-to-hear input.

The "iodine" of some one's criticism does sting. But what stings can also kill infection!

A Glass of Milk

One day, a poor boy who was selling goods from door to door to pay his way through school, found he had only one thin dime left, and he was hungry. He decided he would ask for a meal at the next house. However, he lost his nerve when a lovely young woman opened the door. Instead of a meal he asked for a drink of water.
She thought he looked hungry so brought him a large glass of milk. He drank it slowly, and then asked, "How much do I owe you?"
"You don't owe me anything," she replied. "Mother has taught us never to accept pay for a kindness."
He said..... "Then I thank you from my heart." As Howard Kelly left that house, he not only felt stronger physically, but his faith in God and man was strong also. He had been ready to give up and quit.
Year's later that young woman became critically ill. The local doctors were baffled. They finally sent her to the big city, where they called in specialists to study her rare disease. Dr. Howard Kelly was called in for the consultation. When he heard the name of the town she came from, a strange light filled his eyes. Immediately he rose and went down the hall of the hospital to her room.
Dressed in his doctor's gown he went in to see her. He recognized her at once. He went back to the consultation room determined to do his best to save her life. From that day he gave special attention to the case.
After a long struggle, the battle was won. Dr. Kelly requested the business office to pass the final bill to him for approval.
He looked at it, then wrote something on the edge and the bill was sent to her room. She feared to open it, for she was sure it would take the rest of her life to pay for it all. Finally she looked, and something caught her attention on the side of the bill.
She read these words.....

"Paid in full with one glass of milk"
(Signed)
Dr. Howard Kelly.

ICE

We all carry our mobile phones with hundreds of names/ numbers stored in its memory but yet nobody, other than ourselves, knows which of these numbers belong to our near and dear ones?

In case we are involved in an accident or have a heart attack and the people attending us get hold of our mobile phone they won't know which number to call to inform our family members. Yes, there are many numbers stored but which one is the contact person in case of an emergency?

For this reason, we must have one or more telephone numbers stored under the name ICE (In case of Emergency) in our mobile phones.

The concept of "ICE" is catching on quickly. It is simple, an important method of contact during emergency situations.

As cell phones are carried by a majority of the population, just store the number of a contact person or persons who should be contacted in case of an emergency as ICE" (meaning, In Case of Emergency).

The idea was thought up by a paramedic, who found that when they went to the scenes of accidents, there were always mobile phones with patients, but they didn't know which number to call.

He therefore thought that it would be a good idea if there was a nationally recognized name for this purpose.

Following a disaster in London, the East Anglican Ambulance Service has launched a national "In case of Emergency (ICE)" campaign.

In an emergency situation, Emergency Service personnel and hospital staff would then be able to quickly contact your next of kin, by simply dialing the number stored as "ICE".

Please forward this. It won't take too many "forwards" before every body will know about this.

It really could save your life, or put a loved one's mind at rest.

For more than one contact name simply enter ICE1, ICE2 and ICE3 etc.
A great idea that will make a difference!

Please pass this info to your friends and family.

Vacancies for Nigerians.

Dear Readers,

I have just recently decided to heed John Chows advice in what he called the 7 habits of highly successful blogger;which is to reduce my posting frequency to twice weekly instead of daily postings,please bear with me.Nevertheless, I have a very important information to pass across to all readers who are interested in a job vacancy.This mail was sent few days back and it only recently occured to me that I could assist to publicise some of this vacancies here also.Please,look forward to many more of this in subsequent posts.

NOTE:This is mainly for Nigerians both at home and in diaspora.

LAGOS - KANO RAILWAY LINE

SENIOR ENGINEERING AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES

Background
The Railway Development Office (RDO) has been established under the Presidency to monitor the design and construction of the 1315 Km double track standard gauge Lagos-Kano railway line. The role of the RDO is pivotal to the successful delivery of this project. As the Client’s representative The RDO will provide ”Assurance” that the best engineering solutions are offered and act as the “Interface” between the Client, Consultant and the Contractor. The RDO now wants to fill vacancies in the Senior Technical Positions with Nigerian Engineers.

The Candidates
The RDO is therefore looking for dynamic and talented Nigerians in the Diaspora. They will be team players with excellent communications and inter personal skills and possess good technical knowledge, professional qualifications and direct relevant experience for the positions. These positions are offered as 2 years renewable contracts and will be well remunerated.


Positions Available:

1. Engineering Assurance Manager

You will have overall responsibility for all engineering functions and work closely with the Project Director. With minimum first degree in engineering you will have more than 15 years management experience with proven achievements and at least 7 years in a senior role within railway engineering, transportation or construction sectors.

2. Asset Assurance Engineers (6 Positions)

There are six vacancies, one position each for the following disciplines:
Ø Track
Ø Structural
Ø Stations/Building Services
Ø Power/Signaling/Communication
Ø Safety/Environmental
Ø Quality Assurance/Systems Integration
As the section leader, you will be responsible for a small team and so must have good technical knowledge of your discipline. Minimum first degree in engineering and more than 7 years direct relevant experience in the appropriate discipline is required.


3. Senior Project Interface Manager

You will have overall responsibility for the project management team and work closely with the Project Director. With good technical or engineering degree and possibly a master’s degree, you will be an experienced programmes manager and have more than 15 years proven experience of managing engineering projects some of which must be in the rail sector.

4. Project Interface Managers (4 Positions)

The project is divided into 5 geographic segments. Each PIM will having responsibility for a segment. You will have a technical or engineering degree and proven experience gained over more than 10 years as project manager on engineering projects.

5. Planning Manager

The main focus of the role will be to monitor and maintain project schedules. You will require knowledge of software such as Primavera and have experience as a planning engineer preferably in the railway sector. Applicants will have a degree in engineering with at least 10 years experience. Team play and communication skills are paramount for this position.


To Apply:

Please send your CV with career details as an attachment in Word document stating in the subject line which position by email to: railway@findajobinafrica.com
We will only contact candidates short-listed for interview.

The Deadline for all applications is 9Th May 2007.

Time to Leave

Starting school is no longer an issue for most of us. But leaving what's safe to step into the unknown is very much an issue for many of us. And some of us are refusing to take the step that will ultimately enlarge our life, like starting school enlarged mine.
Abraham is held up in the Bible as a model of faith that we should all emulate. And it's interesting to note the very first word God ever spoke to Abraham (or Abram as he was called at that time) in the Bible and Abraham's response. In our word for today from the Word of God, Genesis 12:1, it says, "The Lord said to Abram, 'Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you." In other words, "Leave everything that's your security, everything you know, for a place you don't know but I do." Abram's response? "So Abram left, as the Lord had told him."
That willingness to leave at the Lord's command opened up a whole new world for Abraham and for his family in what would become the Jews' "Promised Land." But first he had to "leave." Most of the major advances in our lives begin by taking the risk of leaving. Moses had to leave his "comfy" life as a shepherd in Midian to become the deliverer of God's people. Peter had to leave the security of his business to become a world-impacting leader for Jesus Christ.
And God's expanding of your life may depend on you taking a great faith-step in the near future. Leaving what is familiar and safe and secure; what seems economically feasible. God's great adventure often begins with a command to leave - to leave what is geographically familiar, relationally familiar, and methodologically familiar. And God usually doesn't show you the whole picture of what He's leading you into, just that next step. He asked Abraham to leave for a future that was described simply as "the land I will show you." God wants you to trust the Planner, not the plan.
Maybe your Lord has sent this message into your life at this time to give you one more encouragement to obey His leading to let go of something safe and follow Him into something bigger and better, but largely unknown. Do what He's telling you to do. If you don't, you'll be like a child who refuses to leave the safety of Mommy to go into the unknown of the first day of school. You will miss the step that will enlarge your whole life and take you into God's great adventure.

Biological Father

Got this joke from a friend this morning,it's quite hilarious,you will enjoy it.

A happily married couple having their first baby, were invited to make use of a new machine that would transfer a portion of the mother's labour pains to the Baby's biological father wherever he may be. Both were happy to try it. The pain transfer was set to 10 percent but the husband felt nothing. So the doctor increased it to 20 percent. The father said he still felt fine and his blood pressure was normal. He invited the doctor to kick it up to 50 percent. Still there was no reaction. The doctor was amazed and slowly transferred all the pain until the Wife delivered a healthy baby with virtually no pain. She and her husband and the doctor were ecstatic. When they got home, the gardener was lying almost dead at the gate.

The gardener is indeed a bad man.

My Visit From Beyond

Late June brought a stifling night in our apartment building. For some reason I tossed and turned, sensing an unknown danger about to transpire. Having checked the halls of our quiet building, I was able to finally fall into a fitful sleep. It’s probably just my imagination running wild, was my last conscious thought.
Suddenly I woke to the sound of my mother’s voice urging me to dress and then leave the building. Half-awake, my husband didn’t seem to make much sense of it all, but he went along with me, complete with cats in tow, and we drove to the park. It was much cooler there, with a breeze coming up from the river. Several of the locals use the park at night to escape the sweltering heat of their apartment buildings, too.
We’d been there perhaps an hour or two when suddenly we heard sirens coming from all directions and a red glow in the dark night was visible to us from the river! It was our twenty-seven-unit apartment building going up in flames with the entire third floor burning wildly out of control! Tenants were jumping from the second- and third-floor windows, many badly burned, only to die plummeting from their burning apartments. Everything we owned went up in smoke that night, and there were four deaths as a result. Thank God, we were out of there, hours before the fire began! It’s because of my mother’s voice pleading with me to get up and just go. Three little cats are alive today, also, because of her spirit. That was a very hot and swift-moving fire!
I call this incident my visit from beyond, as no one but my mother had any idea that this fire would begin. She led us, I believe, out of that building before catastrophe struck. Because of her, five lives were saved—my husband’s and mine, as well as the lives of three little cats.
Because of Mom’s guidance and spirit, we did not die. Readjustment was hard, as we lost everything that night, but thanks to God and my mother, we can get on with our lives.

A to Z inspiration

Although things are not perfect Because of trial or pain Continue in thanksgiving.
Do not begin to blame, Even when the times are hard.
Fierce winds are bound to blow,but our God is forever able.
Hold on to what you know and Imagine life without His love.
Joy would cease to be, Keep thanking Him for all the things Love imparts to thee, Move out of "Camp Complaining".
No weapon that is known On earth can yield the power to hurt you
Praise can do alone.
Quit looking at the future Redeem the time at hand
Start every day with worship, To "thank" is a command Until we see Him coming, Victorious in the sky We'll run the race with gratitude.
Xalting God most high.
Yes, there'll be good times and yes some will be bad, but... Zion waits in glory...where none are ever sad!

"I AM Too blessed to be stressed!"
The shortest distance between a problem and a solution is the distance between your knees and the floor. The one who kneels to the Lord can stand up to anything.
Love and peace be with you forever, Amen.

LIFE SAVING TIPS.

• Obtain complete information- (local, historical and scientific) on the remedies you intend to take. Where the questions on the concentration, toxicity and compatibility with other medications are yet to have full answers it is better to defer its use. For packaged drugs, this may be available on the web.
• Prevention is better than cure- exercise, healthy eating habits and stress management is the best.
• Natural is never equal to safe- This applies to…hmm…. sex, drinks and …U guessed right!!! Herbal medications. Watch closely, observation coupled with good judgment is advised.
• Please do not add to, or replace, your conventional medication with herbal medicines without seeking medical advice - The multiple ingredients of herbal preparations almost guarantee interaction with conventional drugs, whether synergistic or antagonistic, this is dangerous. For many it is a fine recipe for catastrophe or even ‘obito’.
• Always read the fine prints - Remember that sometimes, that which is not written tells more than that which is written. Check the labels/instructions

Some good news!

This old man visits his doctor and after a thorough examination, the doctor tells him;
"I have good news and bad news, which would you like to hear first?
Patient: Well, give me the bad news first.
Doctor: You have cancer; I estimate that you have about two years left.
Patient: That's terrible! In two years, my life will be over! What kind of good news could you probably tell me, after this?
Doctor: You also have Alzheimer's. In about three months you are going to forget everything I told you.

The Diamond Ring

“I’ve had two job offers and I think I’m going to accept the one in Tennessee.”
“Oh, so far away?” I said.
“I know, Mom, but it’s the best offer I’ve had. We’re already packing.”
My son’s pretty, young bride was raised in the farmlands of central Pennsylvania. A gold wedding ring shone proudly on her finger.
“The diamond will come later,” he’d promised her.
With our help the young couple arranged to have their few belongings moved from Pennsylvania to a townhouse near the university where my son would be teaching. That first night, waiting for their furniture to arrive, we ate fast food off paper plates and sat on the floor of the empty townhouse before we went to a motel for the night. I was concerned about the dark circles under my daughter-in-law’s eyes and I asked my son if she’d been sick.
“No, Mom, she’s just been working hard. But now that we’re here she can take it easy and get more rest. We don’t need to be in a hurry to get unpacked.”
We stayed in Tennessee until the moving truck arrived and their furniture was in place, and then drove back to our own home and jobs. From the beginning my son thrived in his work, but our daughter-in-law seemed tired and unable to adjust to the warm and humid weather of Tennessee. When she developed flu-like symptoms, my son took her to the emergency room, and the doctor diagnosed pneumonia.
On the phone, my son sounded worried. Daily phone calls told us that our daughter-in-law’s temperature was coming down and she seemed to be responding to the antibiotics that were being pumped into her. Business commitments made it difficult for my husband and I to leave home and the helpless feeling of knowing that loved ones were alone and in trouble caused us sleepless nights and restless days.
Then came the day when the news changed. I could hear the panic in my son’s voice as he told me that his wife had picked up a bug in the hospital and was very sick. His voice broke and so did my heart.
I caught the earliest plane out the next morning, praying all the while that my son wouldn’t have to face the tragic death of his young wife. My son picked me up at the airport and his face told me the story of his terrible fear for his wife. Because of her weakened condition, she’d contracted pneumonia from a virus that is sometimes present in hospitals.
At the hospital, we were informed that our daughter-in-law’s temperature had reached 105°. We were allowed to see her every two hours for ten minutes. She was pale as death in her sedated state, a trachea tube in her throat and machines beeping by her side. Between visits we sat in the crowded intensive care waiting room. The two days’ growth of beard on my son’s face added to the despair I saw in his sunken eyes.
At about eight o’clock that evening, a nurse asked us to step into a private consultation room. I held my son’s hand as the doctor gave us the devastating news: “We’re doing all we can, but I do not think she’ll survive. I don’t think her lungs can withstand the pressure of this disease.”
In our numbed state, the nurse led us back to the waiting room. As I held my son’s hand, I tried to erase the vision of his wife’s pale, young body in her coffin, surrounded by white satin, and wondered how I could ever make arrangements to send her body to her parents.
Back in intensive care, my daughter-in-law hadn’t moved. She lay with her eyes closed, her dark hair spread out on the pillow. My son leaned over her, stroking her hand while I prayed. Then I remembered an article that I’d read that said that an unconscious person can hear what’s going on around them.
“Talk to her, son,” I encouraged him.
He promised his young wife a vacation in Florida. He promised to buy her a house where they would raise a family. And he reminded her again of the promised diamond ring that they couldn’t afford when they became engaged. She lay still, tubes coming out of her nose, her mouth, and her neck. The machine behind her emitted an ominous beep. When the nurse arrived to lead us back to the waiting room, my son wiped the tears from his eyes.
The nurse followed us to our seats and slipped into the chair beside my son. “I saw you come out of the ‘doom room.’ ”
We nodded.
“I hope you don’t repeat what I’m telling you, but I have seen many families leave that room unnecessarily devastated. Your wife’s doctor is a wonderful doctor and he’ll do everything in his power to save your wife, but his bedside manner is terrible. For some reason he feels that he must prepare families for the worst that could happen. I’m taking care of your wife. She is young and strong and she has a will to live. She is not giving up. I believe she will come out of this. Talk to her. Help her get well.”
For the first time in days I saw a ray of hope in my son’s face. “I believe that, too. I have to.”
After receiving a promise from the nurse that she’d call us if there was any change, I drove my fatigued son home and we fell, exhausted, into bed. The next day when we returned to the hospital, the nurse met us.
“Her temperature is down. If she continues to improve, she’ll make it.”
We sat throughout the day, visiting every hour. My son held his wife’s hand and talked to her all the while. When the nurse left in the afternoon, she gave us the thumbs-up sign. On our next visit, I noticed that my daughter-in-law’s color was better and she seemed to be sleeping more peacefully. For the first time in days, we were able to enjoy the food in the hospital cafeteria before we drove wearily back to the townhouse.
Our prayers were answered. My daughter-in-law continued to improve and was released from the hospital and I was able to fly back to Pennsylvania.
I don’t know if my son has kept all of the promises he made to his wife on that dark day, but he and his wife have provided us with two lovely grandchildren and my daughter-in-law proudly wears a diamond ring on the third finger of her left hand.

My Genetic Miracle

I’d start to fall asleep and the monitors would wake me with what seemed like never-ending beeps, telling me that my soon-to-be newborn’s heartbeat was decelerating. I was told that I was only being kept for observation and that I had no reason to worry. As I fell in and out of sleep, I was constantly being reminded of where I was and why I was there—from the belts digging into my abnormally large stomach to the antiseptic smell that loomed all around me.
The next morning, the doctor came to check on me. He explained that he’d induce my labor early. He assured me that “the baby will have a better chance of survival if we take him now.” I just kept repeating, “Survival? What are you saying?” My heart started pounding incredibly hard, my mind raced, and my entire body trembled with fear.
Six hours after the doctor started the drug to induce my labor, it was time to deliver my baby. I was rushed to the delivery room with pain and fear battling against each other. The pain was so great that I’d pass out and when I came to, only seconds had gone by. My body shook involuntarily from head to toe. Why I was so frightened still baffles me now. I’d done it twice before, so I knew what I was doing. I knew that in only minutes I’d be holding my third of God’s blessings, and I did just that. They let me hold him for a minute, all bundled up and beautiful. I could see his long, sparse lashes in the corners of his eyes, even though they were closed. His cheeks were so plump and pink, and his little bow tie lips were pursed. He was every mother’s dream. Then they swooped him off to the nursery. The hard part is over, or so I thought, and I fell into an exhausted sleep.
A pediatrician came in a while later to discuss my son’s exam. I could tell by the look on her face that something was wrong. She wanted him transferred to Children’s Hospital because they have specialists there to deal with newborns like my son. The rest of the discussion—“dysmorphic features,” “deformed feet,” and “hernias” was a blur.
Four hours after I gave birth we arrived at the hospital, where I was hopeful to receive some answers. Day after day and test after test I waited. A genetics specialist finally broke the news to me. She told me that my son has a chromosome deletion, a genetic disorder that is too rare to have a name. My first thought was: Did I do this? I didn’t take my vitamins the first few months because they made me sick. Several times I forgot to drink my morning orange juice. I wondered about the cold medicine I took. Why wasn’t I more careful? The geneticist apparently could tell what I was thinking, and she explained that it occurs in one out of three pregnancies. Only one out of ten thousand babies live to be born. So the simple fact that I was holding my son was truly one of God’s miracles.
The day finally came when my son was healthy enough to go home. I went through CPR, heart monitor, and car seat classes before we were released. I’d anticipated this moment from the day he was born, but it wasn’t like I expected. We were home but a few hours before I was ready to bring him back to the hospital. The heart monitor constantly sounded, his feedings were slow and tedious, and I felt that at any moment he could go into arrest and I wasn’t going to be prepared. I felt like a first-time mother, constantly worrying about every detail of his well being.
We’ve been home now for about four months and my son is just as wonderful as I ever hoped. I continue to do research on his specific chromosome deletion, and I am learning more than I ever wanted to know about genetic disorders. Sometimes I watch other parents and hope that they cherish and appreciate every milestone their child achieves. My son may never reach them. He will, however, reach his own milestones at his own pace and for that, I am grateful. When he does something as simple as a new smile or makes eye contact, my heart leaps with joy and swells with pride for his accomplishments. There are few precious gifts in the world and they should never be taken for granted.

Life’s many choices!

Life have many choices,the choices we make determine who we are.It is always good to leave our life by choice and not by chance.Each person creates their life experience through the choices they make every day and are therefore responsible for the satisfaction or lack of it that they're getting out of life. Here is a list to keep.

The most destructive habit..............................
Worry
The greatest Joy.............................................
Giving
The greatest loss......................
Loss of self-respect
The most satisfying work....................
Helping others
The ugliest personality trait....................
Selfishness
The most endangered species........
Dedicated leaders
Our greatest natural resource....................
Our youth
The greatest "shot in the arm"...........
Encouragement
The greatest problem to overcome......................
Fear
The most effective sleeping pill.........
Peace of mind
The most crippling failure disease................
Excuses
The most powerful force in life..........................
Love
The most dangerous pariah......................
A gossiper
The world's most incredible computer.......
The brain
The worst thing to be without.........................
Hope
The deadliest weapon.............................
The tongue
The two most power-filled words.................
"I Can"
The greatest asset.........................................
Faith
The most worthless emotion......................
Self-pity
The most beautiful attire................................
SMILE!
The most prized possession.......................
Integrity
The most powerful channel of communication.......
Prayer
The most contagious spirit....................
Enthusiasm

To the WORLD, YOU may be ONE person;but to ONE person, YOU may be the WORLD!

Life has many choices . . . and Eternity has two"

A life without purpose is a languid, drifting thing; Every day we ought to review our purpose, saying to ourselves: This day let me make a sound beginning, for what we have hitherto done is naught!

****Thomas A. Kempis

THE POWER OF PRAYER

A poorly dressed woman with a look of defeat on her face, walked into a grocery store.She approached the owner of the store in a most humble manner and asked if he would let her charge a few groceries.
She softly explained that her husband was very ill and unable to work, they had seven children and they needed food.
The grocer scoffed at her and requested that she leave his store at once.
Visualizing the family needs, she said: "Please, sir! I will bring you the money just as soon as I can."
Grocer told her he could not give her credit, since she did not have a charge account at his store.
Standing beside the counter was a customer who overheard the conversation between the two. The customer walked forward and told the grocer that he would stand good for whatever she needed for her family.The grocer said in a very reluctant voice, "Do you have a grocery list?"
The woman replied, "Yes sir." "O.K" he said, "put your grocery list on the scales and whatever your grocery list weighs, I will give you that amount in groceries."
She hesitated a moment with a bowed head, then she reached into her purse and took out a piece of paper and scribbled something on it. She then laid the piece of paper on the scale carefully with her head still bowed.
The eyes of the grocer and the customer showed amazement when the scales went down and stayed down.
The grocer, staring at the scales, turned slowly to the customer and said begrudgingly, "I can't believe it."
The customer smiled and the grocer started putting the groceries on the other side of the scales. The scale did not balance so he continued to put more and more groceries on them until the scales would hold no more.
The grocer stood there in utter disgust. Finally, he grabbed the piece of paper from the scales and looked at it with greater amazement.

It was not a grocery list, it was a prayer, which said:

"Dear Lord, you know my needs and I am leaving this in your hands."

The grocer gave her the groceries that he had gathered and stood in stunned silence
The woman thanked him and left the store.The other customer handed a fifty-dollar bill to the grocer and said;
"It was worth every penny of it .. Only God Knows how much a prayer weighs."

THE POWER OF PRAYER: After reading this, say a prayer. That's all you have to do.
Just stop right now, and say a prayer of thanks for your own good fortune.Then please e-mail this to all your friends and relatives.
I believe if you will send this testimony out with prayer in faith, you will receive what you need God to do in your and your families' life.
So dear heart, trust God to heal the sick, provide food for the hungry, clothes and shelter for those that don't have as we do. Amen & Amen
Don't break this, please!Prayer is one of the best free gifts we receive.
There is no cost but a lot of rewards.

May you always walk with Angels.

Remain Bless.

Man Gave Up his Son's Life To Save His Son's Friend.

After a few of the usual Sunday evening hymns, the church's pastor slowly stood up, walked over to the pulpit and, before he gave his sermon for the evening, briefly introduced a guest minister who was in the service that evening. in the introduction, the pastor told the congregation that the guest minister was one of his dearest childhood friends and that he wanted him to have a few moments to greet the church and share whatever he felt would be appropriate for the service.With that, an elderly man stepped up to the pulpit and began to speak."A father, his son, and a friend of his son were sailing off the pacific coast," he began, "when a fast approaching storm blocked any attempt to get back to the shore. The waves were so high, that even though the father was an experienced sailor, he could not keep the boat upright and the three were swept into the ocean as the boat capsized."The old man hesitated for a moment, making eye contact with two teenagers who were, for the first time since the service began, looking somewhat interested in his story. The aged minister continued with his story, "grabbing a rescue line, the father had to make the most excruciating decision of his life: to which boy he would throw the other end of the life line. He only had seconds to make the decision. The father knew that his son was a Christian and he also knew that his son's friend was not. The agony of his decision could not be matched by the torrent of waves. As the father yelled out, "i love you, son!" he threw out the lifeline to his son's friend. By the time the father had pulled the friend back to the capsized boat, his son had disappeared beneath the raging swells into the black of night . . . his body was never recovered.

By this time, the two teenagers were sitting up straight in the pew, anxiously waiting for the next words to come out of the old minister's mouth.

"The father," he continued, "knew his son would step into eternity with Jesus and he could not bear the thought of his son's friend stepping into an eternity without Jesus. Therefore, he sacrificed his son to save the son's friend. How great is the love of god that he should do the same for us. Our heavenly father sacrificed his only begotten son that we could be saved. i urge you to accept his offer to rescue you and take a hold of the life line he is throwing out to you in this service.". . . With that, the old man turned and sat back down in his chair as silence filled the room.The pastor again walked slowly to the pulpit and delivered a brief sermon with an invitation at the end. However, no one responded to the appeal. Within minutes after the service ended, the two teenagers were at the old man's side. "That was a nice story,” politely stated one of the boys, "but i don't think it was very realistic for a father to give up his only son's life in hopes that the other boy would become a Christian.""Well, you've got a point there," the old man replied, glancing down at his worn bible. A big smile broadened his narrow face, he once again looked up at the boys and said, "it sure isn't very realistic, is it? But, I’m standing here today to tell you that story gives me a glimpse of what it must have been like for god to give up his son for me. You see --- I was that father and your pastor is my son's friend."

Remember John 3:16,

For this is the way God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life

Understanding Each Other

A man is a person who, if a woman says, “Never mind, I’ll do it myself,” lets her.
A woman is a person who, if she says to a man, “Never mind, I’ll do it myself,” and he lets her, gets mad.
A man is a person who, if a woman says to him, “Never mind, I’ll do it myself,” and he lets her and she gets mad, says, “Now what are you mad about'
A woman is a person who, if she says to a man, “Never mind, I’ll do it myself,” and he lets her, and she gets mad, and he says, “Now what are you mad about?” says, “If you don’t know I’m not going to tell you.”

A Miracle For Mom

In January of 1998, three weeks after my nephew was born, my grandfather died in his bed. A few weeks after the funeral, my mother decided to go back to work. Everything seemed to be going okay and getting back to normal. Then there was a grease fire in our kitchen that destroyed the stove, the walls, and the cabinets. Soon after the fire, my mother started getting notices from the city about the condition of our home, which had officially become my mother’s property. In order to keep from having to pay outrageous fines, my mother took out a mortgage loan on our home so that it could be remodeled, inside and out. When it was done, things appeared to be going well. Our home was beautifully redone and it felt good just to come home from school like I did every day of my life.
Then in early 1999 my mother was diagnosed with end-stage renal failure. Around the same time, she started getting letters from a ministry, claiming that they had visions of her and that Jesus sent them to help her. My mother didn’t pay much attention to the letters and usually discarded them. However, the letters kept coming seemingly every week.
But then in the summer of that same year, we found out that we were being evicted from our home. Unable to work because of her kidney failure, my mother fell behind on the mortgage payments. The same week we were notified about our eviction, another letter arrived from the ministry. This one, my mother decided to keep. She read the letter, followed the instructions, and sent a small donation. I guess she figured that it couldn’t make matters any worse.
A couple of weeks passed and we spent most of that time looking for an apartment, but most places wanted more than we could afford for a security deposit. Facing homelessness, my mother made plans to put our things in storage until we could find a place to live.
The day before our last day in our home, and while my mother was in the hospital with the first complications of her illness, we received a check in the mail for over three thousand dollars. It was enough for a security deposit and a couple months’ rent on a two-bedroom apartment in the same quiet neighborhood I grew up in. My mother still gets letters from that mysterious ministry and sends donations whenever possible. However, to this very day almost six years later, we still don’t know where the check came from, much less from whom.

Two Brothers

Once upon a time two brothers who lived on adjoining farms fell into conflict. It was the first serious rift in 40 years of farming side by side, sharing machinery, and trading labor and goods as needed without a hitch. Then the long collaboration fell apart.
It began with a small misunderstanding and it grew into a major difference, and finally it exploded into an exchange of bitter words followed by weeks of silence.
One morning there was a knock on John's door. He opened it to find a man with a carpenter's toolbox. "I'm looking for a few days work" he said. "Perhaps you would have a few small jobs here and there. Could I help you?"
"Yes," said the older brother. "I do have a job for you. Look across the creek at that farm. That's my neighbor, in fact, it's my younger brother. Last week there was a meadow between and he took his bulldozer to the river levee and now there is a creek between us. Well, he may have done this to spite me, but I'll go him one better. See that pile of lumber over by the barn? I want you to build me a fence --an 8-foot fence -- so I won't need to see his place anymore. Cool him down, anyhow."
The carpenter said, "I think I understand the situation. Show me the nails and the post-hole digger and I'll be able to do a job that pleases you."
The older brother had to go to town for supplies, so he helped the carpenter get the materials ready and then he was off for the day. The carpenter worked hard all that day measuring, sawing, nailing. About sunset when the farmer returned, the carpenter had just finished his job. The farmer's eyes opened wide, his jaw dropped. There was no fence at all. It was a bridge -- a bridge stretching from one side of the creek to the other! A fine piece of work, handrails and all -- and the neighbor, his younger brother, was coming across, his hand outstretched. "You are quite a fellow to build this bridge after all I've said and done."
The two brothers met at the middle of the bridge, taking each other's hand. They turned to see the carpenter hoist his toolbox on his shoulder. "No, wait! Stay a few days. I've a lot of other projects for you," said the older brother.
"I'd love to stay on," the carpenter said, "but I have so many more bridges to build."

Are there any bridges you need to build this month?

The Obstacle in Our Path

In ancient times, a king had a boulder placed on a roadway. Then he hid himself and watched to see if anyone would remove the huge rock. Some of the king's wealthiest merchants and courtiers came by and simply walked around it. Many loudly blamed the king for not keeping the roads clear, but none did anything about getting the big stone out of the way. Then a peasant came along carrying a load of vegetables. On approaching the boulder, the peasant laid down his burden and tried to move the stone to the side of the road. After much pushing and straining, he finally succeeded. As the peasant picked up his load of vegetables, he noticed a purse lying in the road where the boulder had been. The purse contained many gold coins and a note from the king indicating that the gold was for the person who removed the boulder from the roadway. The peasant learned what many others never understand.
***Every obstacle presents an opportunity to improve one's condition.

Bad ways to do a good thing.

Getting rid of mice; that's a good thing. Shooting up the house to get rid of them; that's a bad thing. But then, there are lots of bad ways to do good things. In fact, the Bible is full of examples from Moses killing an Egyptian to help free his people from slavery to Abraham trying to fulfil God's promise of a son by having a baby through his wife's servant.

There's a particularly haunting story about bad ways to do a good thing in our word for today from the Word of God. It's haunting because it exposes some of the most common mistakes we make in trying to get what we believe to be a good result. Just before Rebecca has her twin boys, Jacob and Esau, God promises her that, contrary to what usually happened in a Jewish family, "the older will serve the younger" (Genesis 25:23). Jacob, the second-born, will receive the blessing that she would expect Esau, the firstborn, to get.

But now father Isaac, who gives that blessing, is nearly blind and he appears to be dying. It looks as if Esau's going to get the blessing. In Genesis 26, beginning with verse 14, Rebecca schemes to pass off smooth-skinned Jacob as Esau the hairy outdoors man. The Bible says, "Rebecca took the best clothes of Esau ... and put them on her younger son Jacob. She also covered his hands ... with the goatskins." She also gave Jacob his father's favourite meal to deliver. When Isaac asked, "Are you really my son Esau?" Jacob replied, "I am." And it worked! Jacob got the blessing. That's a good thing - the thing God promised. But it was done through manipulation and deception.

Here's the sobering question for you and me: do I sometimes manipulate people and situations to help a good thing happen? The first syllable of manipulation tells the whole ugly story - man. I can't wait for God to do it His way. Human manipulation aborts the perfect processes of God. And it almost always demands some sacrifice of the truth; making things sound or look different than they really are.

Isaac didn't die, it turns out, for many more years. Rebecca's’s scheme ripped her family apart and made one brother ready to kill the other. Her favourite son, Jacob, had to leave for twenty years, during which he was repeatedly deceived and manipulated. And Rebecca never sees her precious son again. There's such a high price when you use a bad way to do a good thing! You may get what you want, but you'll lose more than you could ever imagine. Just ask Rebecca.

Christian writer, Warren Wiersbe, has an awesome insight on all this. He says, "Faith is the absence of scheming." Here's the equation you can't afford to forget: a good thing + a bad way of getting it = a price too high to pay.

Punctuation

An English professor wrote the words “Woman without her man is a savage” on the blackboard and directed his students to punctuate it correctly.

The men wrote: “Woman, without her man, is a savage.”

The women wrote: “Woman! Without her, man is a savage.”

Helpful Hints for Husband.

Some helpful hints for a husband who wants to see his spouse experience God’s best .

A husband can

1. Back off (give her some space).

2. Be patient (don’t rush things).

3. Love her as you love your own body (that’s going to take some work).

4. Affirm her role in the family (whether she stays home or works outside the home, she’s got the most important job in the world).

5. Pray for her as you’ve never prayed before (because God hears our prayers).

6. Lower your expectations (you’re not going to see fireworks every night).

7. Do the little things (without expecting anything in return).

8. Show her she’s the most cherished woman on earth (she’ll probably faint the first time you do this).

9. Above all, persevere (you’re in this for the long haul).

10. A wise husband builds his mate’s self-esteem, realizing that the subtle words and actions of a sinful world constantly assault her sense of self-worth. He remains sensitive to her needs and is always ready to offer his support.

11. Encourage your wife verbally and demonstratively. Words of cheer and praise are high octane fuel that boost your wife’s emotional fuel tanks.

Whistle To Warn Him

Jones was sitting with his wife behind a palm on a hotel veranda late one night when a young man and girl came and sat down on a bench near them. Hidden behind the palm, Mrs. Jones whispered to her husband, “Oh, John, he doesn’t know we’re here and he’s going to propose to her. Whistle to warn him.”
“What for?” said Jones, “Nobody whistled to warn me.”

Guest of Bride or Groom'

My friend’s son, Kelly, seemed young to be an usher at a wedding, but he was quickly coached in wedding protocol. A veteran usher instructed Kelly to ask the person he was escorting, “Are you a guest of the bride or groom?” to know where to seat them.
Imagine our surprise when we heard Kelly ask, as he graciously offered his arm to the first arrival, “Madam, whose side are you on?”

Marriage License: A Learner’s Permit

“It’s a wise groom who has to be dragged to the altar. He knows what love is. It’s death. If lovers don’t know this, they are headed for trouble. Never will you have your way again. You can’t be happy if this other person isn’t. No matter who wins the argument, you lose. Always. The sooner you learn this the better off you will be.
Love is an exercise in frustration. You leave the window up when you want it down. You watch someone else’s favorite TV program. You kiss when you have a headache. You turn the music down when you like it loud. You learn to be patient without sighing or sulking.
Love’s doing things for the other person. In marriage two become one but the one isn’t you. It’s the other person. You love this person more than you love yourself. This means that you love this person as she or he is. Acceptance. We ask ourselves frankly what that impulse is that makes us want to redesign a person. It isn’t love. We want the other person to be normal like us. But is that loving the other person or ourselves? Love brings out the best in people. They can be themselves without artificiality. People who know they are loved glow with beauty and charm.
Let this person talk. Create the assurance that any idea, any suggestion, any feeling can be expressed and will be respected. Allow the other person to star once in a while. A wife’s joke doesn’t have to be topped. Don’t interrupt your husband in the middle of his story. Cultivate kind ways of speaking. It can be as simple as asking them instead of telling them to do things. Don’t take yourself too seriously. Married life is full of crazy mirrors to see ourselves. How stubborn, how immature we really are. You may be waiting for your wife to finish because you never lift a finger to help her.
Love is funny. Its growth doesn’t depend on what someone does for you. It’s in direct property to what you do for him or her.

The country is swarming with people who have never learned this. So are divorce courts.

The Duration of Life

Arguing against God is arguing against the very power that makes you able to argue at all.

****C.S. Lewis

God originally determined 30 years as the ideal span of life for all animals, including mankind. The donkey, the dog, and the monkey considered it much too long, however, and begged God to reduce their years by 18, 12, and 10. Being healthy, vigorous, and somewhat greedy, the man asked to be given those extra years.
God agreed, so man’s years totaled 70. The first 30 are his own and they pass quickly. The next 18 are the “donkey years,” during which he has to carry countless burdens on his back. Then come the “dog years”…12 years when he can do little but grow and drag himself along. This is followed by the “monkey years,” his closing 10, when he grows rather strange and does things that make children laugh at him.

It’s What You Do—Not When You Do It

No one will improve your lot If you yourself do not.

****Bertolt Brecht, 1933

If;

• Ted Williams, at age 42, could slammed a home run in his last official time at bat.
• Mickey Mantle, age 20,could hit 23 home runs his first full year in the major leagues.
• Golda Meir at 71 could become the Prime Minister of Israel.
• William Pitt II at 24 became Prime minister of Great Britain.
• George Bernard Shaw at 94 produced his first play.
• Mozart's first composition was published at age seven.
• Benjamin Franklin was a newspaper columnist at 16 and a framer of the United States Constitution when he was 81.

Then you’re never too young or too old if you’ve got talent.

Recognize that age has little to do with ability.

Four wives.

Once upon a time there was a rich King who had four wives. He loved the 4th wife the most and adorned her with rich robes and treated her to the finest of delicacies. He gave her nothing but the best. He also loved the 3rd wife very much and was always showing her off to neighbouring kingdoms. However, he feared that one day she would leave him for another. He also loved his 2nd wife. She was his confidant and was always kind, considerate and patient with him. Whenever the King faced a problem, he could confide in her, and she would help him get through the difficult times. The King's 1st wife was a very loyal partner and had made great contributions in maintaining his wealth and kingdom. However, he did not love the first wife. Although she loved him deeply, he hardly took notice of her! One day, the King fell ill and he knew his time was short. He thought of his luxurious life and wondered, "I now have four wives with me, but when I die, I'll be all alone." Thus, he asked the 4th wife, "I have loved you the most, endowed you with the finest clothing and showered great care over you. Now that I'm dying, will you follow me and keep me company?" "No way!", replied the 4th wife, and she walked away without another word. Her answer cut like a sharp knife right into his heart. The sad King then asked the 3rd wife, "I have loved you all my life. Now that I'm dying, will you follow me and keep me company?" "No!", replied the 3rd wife. "Life is too good! When you die, I'm going to remarry!" His heart sank and turned cold. He then asked the 2nd wife, "I have always turned to you for help and you've always been there for me. When I die, will you follow me and keep me company?" "I'm sorry, I can't help you out this time!", replied the 2nd wife. "At the very most, I can only walk with you to the grave. Then a voice called out: "I'll go with you. I'll follow you no matter where you go." The King looked up, and there was his first wife. She was very skinny as she suffered from malnutrition and neglect. Greatly grieved, the King said, "I should have taken much better care of you when I had the chance!"
In truth, we all have the 4 wives in our lives:
Our 4th wife is our body. No matter how much time and effort we lavish in making it look good, it will leave us when we die.
Our 3rd wife is our possessions, status and wealth. When we die, it will all go to others.
Our 2nd wife is our family and friends. No matter how much they have been there for us, the furthest they can stay by us is up to the grave.
And our 1st wife is our Soul. Often neglected in pursuit of wealth, power and pleasures of the world. However, our Soul is the only thing that will follow us wherever we go.

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

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

If you could choose - the life you live

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I - I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.

**** Robert Frost (1875-1963) American Poet


If you could choose the life you live, how would it be? If you could choose your surroundings, what would they look like?
If you could choose the people with whom you associate, who would they be? If you could choose your activities, what would you be doing?
If you could choose your thoughts, what would you think? If you could choose your feelings, how would you feel?
If you could choose your priorities, what would they be? If you could choose to commit your time, your energy and your skills to something, what would it be?
If you could choose how to spend the next moment, what would you do with it? What would you do if you knew that all your choices, in each moment, in each circumstance, would mold and shape the life you live?
The good news is, you can choose, now and in every moment to come, and those choices add up to the life you live.

So remember each time to choose the best.

Transformation - Turn In Your Favor

There are many things that can hold you back. Yet there's always a way to turn them around, into forces that move you forward.
If you ever find yourself feeling envious, take that envy and turn it into inspiration. The envy will do nothing for you, but the inspiration can make an enormous positive difference.
When despair comes upon you, transform it into strength. When you've experienced a defeat, redirect its energy into commitment.
Take the pain of humiliation and let it spur you to build a real, lasting confidence. When you've experienced disappointment, turn it into wisdom.
Transform your most irritating frustrations into rock solid discipline. Change your negative anger into positive determination.
There's never any need to be tossed around by the fickle winds of fate. For you can take what life gives you, and turn it in your favor.
****Ralph Marston
http://team-bannronn.biz

A Mother's Tale

God could not be everywhere, so he created mothers.

****Jewish proverb

Three sons left home, started careers and prospered. Getting back together, they discussed the gifts that they were able to give their elderly mother for her seventieth birthday. The first said, "I built a big house for Mom."The second said, "I sent her a Mercedes with a driver."The third smiled and said, "I've got you both beat. You know how Mom enjoys the Bible and you know she can't see very well. I sent her a brown parrot that can recite the entire Bible. It took 20 monks in a monastery 12 years to teach him. I had to pledge to contribute $100,000 a year for 10 years, but it was worth it. Mom just has to name the chapter and verse and the parrot will recite it."

Soon thereafter, Mom sent out letters of thanks:

She wrote to the first son, "Milton, the house you built is not practical. I live in only one room, but I have to heat, cool, and clean the whole house."

She wrote to the second son, "Marvin, I am too old to travel. I stay home all the time, so I never use the Mercedes. And the driver is so rude!"

She wrote the third son, "Dearest Melvin, you were the only son to have the good sense to know what your mother likes. The chicken was delicious."

I did all I could to make my husband wealthy, but his wealth became my nightmare (2)

When my mother died, my husband felt very sad. Our acquaintances in the U.S did not even know whose mother actually died. We had to come to Nigeria for the burial. But on the day of the burial, the most shocking thing happened. My mother-in-law was conspicuously absent. My friends and family could not believe it.
Some people even said they sighted her in her shop early that morning, gorgeously dressed and attending to customers. They were therefore surprised that she did not show up at the burial.
Later, a friend of mine, who my mother-in-law did not know, went to her shop and met her discussing with her very close friend. After listening to their discussion, she came home to tell me that I should be careful with my mother-in-law. She quoted her as saying that she did not come for my mother’s burial because she could not pretend to be saddened by her death. She was even quoted as saying that now that my mother was dead, my husband follows her to heaven and continues to make her his mother.
That statement meant so much to me, so two days later, I went to a pastor and complained to her. She prayed and revealed that my mother-in-law and some others in her group were responsible for my mother’s death. I would not have believed her, but for the fact that I had not said anything before she told me that. She went on to say that if I were not careful, I would soon die like my mother. She said the woman was very wicked and that she was ready to do anything to make sure that her son obeyed her only.
I left the woman’s place, partially convinced that what she had said was true. But I decided to behave as if I never heard it since there was no way I could confirm it. But I was shocked when my elder sister also came and said the same thing. She said the circumstances that surrounded my mother’s death made an aunt of mine to go in search of spiritual help. She said my mother just shouted from her sleep that she had headache, and she died a few minutes later.
My sister said she was there with my aunt when the spiritualist told her that my mother-in-law was responsible for our mother’s death. I pretended as if I had never heard a similar story. I told God that since I was a Christian, He should never allow any evil to befall me in the course of fighting for my right.
My sister advised me to divorce my husband since I had only two children for him. She said it was better for me to do so early so that I could find another husband in good time. But I was not ready to marry two husbands. I told her to only pray for me.
Although my husband saw his mother, I went back to the U.S. without seeing her. I made efforts to see her, but I could not. We had barely spent a month in the US when my husband said he was going to Europe. He said he would call me as soon as he got a line. But instead of Europe, he travelled to Lagos. I would not have known about it if a cousin of mine had not called me to say that she saw my husband and had thought that we came to Nigeria together before my younger sister told her that I was not around.
When I heard that my husband was in Nigeria and not Europe, I knew something was fishing. So, I travelled secretly to Lagos. This time, I picked a cab from the airport and headed straight home, without even alerting my close friend who had brought me home the first time. When I got home, my husband was not there and everywhere was very quiet.
I did not even see the security man, so I made for my room upstairs. What I saw almost made me to faint. Unknown to me, my husband had come for the christening of a set of twins another woman had for him. This was apart from the one he threw a party for earlier. My mother-in-law was there, sitting with her on the bed and helping her to take care of one of the twins. That baby almost dropped from her hand when she looked up and saw that it was me.
I did not know whether to faint or die outright. All that had happened was too much for me to bear. And I could no longer cry to my mother. The next thing my mother-in-law did was to put the baby on the bed and made to leave the room. I almost pulled her back forcibly when she reached the door, but for the grace of God.
I decided that I was not going to fight, but quietly drive my point home. So, I turned to Iya Ibeji (the mother of the twins) and told her that she should please leave my room and go to wherever she came from. But she also proved stubborn. She said she belonged there. I told her to look at the wedding pictures on the wall and look at me again, for her to know I am the legally married wife. She did so, hissed and started to pack her things. Although I was glad she did that, I told myself that if I were in her shoes, I would not have moved an inch.
She had a driver, so she called him and within 30 minutes, they were all out of the premises. Immediately they left, my mother-in-law came and started shouting at me. She said there was no way a woman would come to her son’s house to control him; that his son could marry as many wives as he wanted. I told her that she wanted to ruin his life like she ruined those of others. She grabbed me and said since I had started to abuse her; I should cap it with beating her up. It was her children that came and separated us.
My husband, knowing what had happened, refused to pick his calls or come home. I later learnt that he had gone with the woman to one of our houses in Lagos. When I complained to my sister, she said I should leave them alone so that they would not kill me. But I felt that if I did as my sister advised, it would amount to wasting all the efforts I have invested in my husband. I was not ready to let another woman have the last laugh. But when I started falling ill and my husband did not show his face still, I had to think twice.
One of our tenants called me and told me that I should seek spiritual help to my problem. She said my mother-in-law would make the house so hot for me that I would pack out in a hurry. She said I should allow her to do whatever she liked with her son instead of exposing myself to danger.
Most of my friends have also been saying that the source of my husband’s sudden wealth is questionable and I should be careful with him. I have been back in the U.S for the past six months. I am torn between keeping my marriage by staying neck-deep in trouble and leaving my husband and enjoying peace. He has called to beg me, but he says he does not have the guts to face me, which is why he has not joined me in the U.S.

What should I do?

Readers’ responses will be published.

The one resolution, which was in my mind long before it took the form of a resolution, is the keynote of my life. It is this, always to regard as mere impertinences of fate the handicaps, which were placed upon my life almost at the beginning. I resolved that they should not crush or dwarf my soul, but rather be made to blossom, like Aaron's rod, with flowers.

****Helen Keller (1880-1968) American Writer

Advice To Strengthen Your Life

• Think about getting rich:friendships are priceless, time is invaluable, health is wealth, and love is a treasure.
• Create a nest egg of beautiful memories that you can dip into from time to time to ease any sorrows.
• Have the kind of remembrances that raise you up with their worth and keep you there with their wonder.
• Always have a secret supply of hopes on hand to help you plan your tomorrows.Remember that when you invest in your dreams it is impossible to overpay.
• Give away smiles, and watch them come back to you a hundred times over.
  Stuff your pockets with kindness and optimism;there is nothing more precious in the world.

CHEST PAIN

What is chest pain?
Chest pain is discomfort or pain that you feel anywhere along the front of your body between your neck and upper abdomen. This part of the body has the outer cage made up of the muscles, nerves, skin, bones and cartilage, and the protected soft, inner parts consisting the heart with its wrappings and major blood vessels, the lungs with its wrappings and air pipes, the oesophagus and the biggest blood vessels (Aorta, pulmonary artery and accompanying veins). Something going wrong in any of these body parts can cause chest pain.

***In children, chest pain is most often not caused by problems with the heart.

Causes of Chest Pain Not related to the HEART:

Chest wall pain:

• Bad posture
• Unusual exercise
• Repetitive action, anxiety or rapid breathing
• Inflammation of the ribs/ cartilage and joints
• Trauma Herpes zooster

Lungs:

• Infections /inflammations
• Blood clot to the lungs
• Damage to / ballooning of great vessels [aortic aneurism]

Digestive system:

• Ulcer of the stomach,
• Acid reflux from the stomach,
• Gas (indigestion)Gall stones

Sudden pain or discomfort in the chest can be a frightening experience not just for the person concerned but also for family, friend and work colleagues. Even though causes vary from life threatening ones like heart attack to mildly inconvenient things like indigestion, chest pain should never be taken casually. This is especially true in people who have diabetes, hypertension or other risk factors for heart disease, including over weight.Early presentation at the clinic for proper evaluation just might save a life, so do not hesitate to call for help if you think you or someone might be having a heart attack.

Remember;

With Heart Attack every minute counts.

Have a blessed life.

Wounded, But Still Fighting

That's a hero. Someone who's been wounded - even badly wounded - and they still keep fighting. That's what spiritual heroes do, too. You may be one of them. Or you may be in a position to rise to be one right now.
There's no greater example of this wounded but fighting kind of warrior than the great Apostle Paul. Listen to his powerful personal testimony, recorded for us in II Corinthians 4, beginning with verse 8, our word for today from the Word of God. He says, "We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed." He continues his testimony in chapter 6 with this report: "As servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger ... dying, yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything."
I read this and ask myself, "So what's your excuse, Ola?" Paul had been wounded over and over again - deeply wounded, but he's still in there fighting just like Jesus. Just like so many of His followers over the years who've been bloodied, but unbowed.
Sadly, some of us get wounded and we don't respond like, in Paul's words, "good soldiers of Jesus Christ" (II Timothy 2:1). It's all too easy to respond to being hit with self-pity and self-centeredness. It's the "poor me" thing, which simply focuses you on your wounds, letting them define who you are and even how you treat others. Some respond with bitterness and anger and stinky attitudes. Others get wounded and they start shutting down or giving up.
But a spiritual warrior realizes that the fight is more important than his feelings; the cause is more important than my condition. It could be that your wounds have made you start to give up the fight. Don't do it. Keep fighting for your marriage, keep fighting for that child of yours, keep fighting for the hard hearts you've been praying for, keep fighting for that ministry, that church, that calling from God. You serve a Savior who was attacked, brutalized and crushed, and yet He refused to turn back until He'd won the battle for your soul. Yes, you're wounded, but keep fighting. One day the battle will be over. You'll be home, and you will be rewarded by the King of all kings.

****Thanks to Olaitan for the above inspiration.

"The proper function of man is to live, not to exist. I shall not waste my days in trying to prolong them. I shall use my time."

*** Jack London

The Power of Love

The spiritual power of love is something that we hear about, but have we had the opportunity to really understand its meaning? Sometimes this can become confusing, as we mistake spiritual love for other forms.
Spiritual love is not a sentimental cloying where our need is to possess. It isn't the chemistry of lust or pheromones that cause us to act on instinct. Spiritual love is a combination of the heart and mind, unselfishly acting on the behalf of another. I emphasize "unselfishly" here, because there is no room for a hidden agenda with spiritual love.
Spiritual love has as its primary intention, the well-being of that which it is directed towards. It is far less important what one receives from the love object, than what one is able to give. It is a more detached love, more objective than what we normally experience in our daily relationships. Although we can put plenty of "heart" into it, we lose nothing by giving it away. We needn't have the love returned, no one is under any obligation, etc.
So, why does this have such power? Perhaps it is because this is the purest form of energy we can project as spiritual beings. Being free from attachment or expectation, yet full of caring and compassion, there is a healing power inherent in it which is capable of deep transformation for both the sender and the recipient.
Also, we are told that this is the creative energy which brought us into being from our Source. This is the functional nature of the Divine. It certainly makes sense, as this is the good stuff which can breathe new life into a soul who is going under for the last time.
The greatest saints, masters and teachers of our history are known primarily for their expression of this intangible, yet powerful quality. From their expression of spiritual love, sprang miracles.
Recently, someone wrote to me and said that common sense told her that we could not bless others. I disagree. Through the power of this golden energy, we shower those around us with the most magnificent blessings the human spirit can imagine. This is the truest power there is.
PURE LOVE

"Pure love is a willingness to give without a thought of receiving anything in return."