Time Diver

There was a boy by the name of Steve who was attending school in Utah. Brother Christianson taught at this particular school. He had an open-door policy and would take in any student that had been thrown out of another class as long as they would abide by his rules. Steve had been kicked out of his sixth period and no other teacher wanted him, so he went into Brother Christianson's class. Steve was told that he could not be late, so he arrived just seconds before the bell rang and he would sit in the very back of the room. He would also be the first to leave after the class was over. One day, Brother Christianson asked Steve to stay after class so he could talk with him. After class, Bro. Christianson pulled Steve aside and said, "You think you're pretty tough, don't you?" Steve's answer was, "Yeah, I do." Then Brother Christianson asked, "How many push-ups can you do?" Steve said, "I do about 200 every night....

...for thinking before acting. ...for hearing before judging. ...for forgiving your enemies. ...for being candid and frank. ...for helping a fallen brother. ...for being honest in business. ...for thinking before speaking. ...for being loyal to your church. ...for standing by your principles. ...for closing your ears to gossip. ...for bridling a slanderous tongue. ...for harboring pure thoughts. ...for sympathizing with the afflicted. ...for being courteous and kind to all. -- Author Unknown

Only an artistic genius could produce, in a single lifetime, some of the greatest-ever works in the classic categories of painting, architecture, and sculpture. The Italian Renaissance master Michelangelo was just such a genius.  Think of his painting on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel , the extraordinary dome of St. Peter’s Cathedral in Rome, and his monumental statue of David. After first-time visitors in the Galleria dell’ Accademia museum in Florence devour David from every angle, they gradually notice there are other Michelangelo statues in the corridors – specifically The Prisoners, four larger-than-life sculptures that appear to be unfinished, even imprisoned by marble.  Scholars have named the figure above/below Atlas.  He is reminiscent of the primordial Titan of Greek mythology whose job was to shoulder the entire world. Some have expressed regret that Michelangelo never got around to finishing these masterworks.

A few years ago I arranged to meet a good friend of mine, a pastor on the north side of Indianapolis, for lunch. We decided to try a restaurant well known for its savory Italian dishes.  We walked through the front door at high noon.  Interestingly, there was no one to greet us. Far across the dining room we could see a few tables of customers being tended by a single server. Looking toward the kitchen, we could see three cooks. They were standing motionless, looking at us plaintively.  OK, I thought they were looking at us plaintively. After five minutes the manager appeared.  He was deeply sorry, but he couldn’t seat us. 

He could hear the crowds screaming "crucify" "crucify"... He could hear the hatred in their voices, These were his chosen people. He loved them, And they were going to crucify him. He was beaten, bleeding and weakened... his heart was broken, But still He walked. He could see the crowd as he came from the palace. He knew each of the faces so well. He had created them.

A man found the cocoon of a butterfly.  One day a small opening appeared.  He sat and watched the butterfly for several hours as it struggled to force its body through the little hole.  Then it seemed to stop making any progress.  It appeared as if it had gotten as far as it could and could go no further. So the man decided to help the butterfly.  He took as pair of scissors and snipped off the remaining bit of the cocoon.  The butterfly then emerged easily.  But it had a swollen body and small, shriveled wings. The man continued to watch the butterfly because he expected that, at any moment, the wings would enlarge and expand to be able to support the body, which would contract in time.  Neither happened!  In fact, the butterfly spent the rest of its life crawling around with a swollen body and shriveled wings.  It never was able to fly.

Oh, God, make me a better parent. Help me to understand my children, to listen patiently to what they have to say and to answer all their questions kindly. Keep me from interrupting them, talking back to them and contradicting them. Make me as courteous to them as I would have them be to me. Give me the courage to confess my sins against my children and to ask of them forgiveness, when I know that I have done them wrong. May I not vainly hurt the feelings of my children. Forbid that I should laugh at their mistakes or resort to shame and ridicule as punishment. Let me not tempt a child to lie and steal. So guide me hour by hour that I may demonstrate by all I say and do that honestly produces happiness.

Do I Really Mean What I Pray? Examine how well you live what you pray as you meditate on the following: I cannot say OUR if I keep my faith only to myself and never share it with others. I cannot say FATHER if I do not trust in His loving and complete concern for me, forgetting that He always answers prayers how and when He knows is best.

Suatu ketika, ada seorang anak laki-laki yang bertanya kepada ibunya. "Ibu, mengapa Ibu menangis Ibunya menjawab, "Sebab, Ibu adalah seorang wanita, Nak". "Aku tak mengerti" kata si anak lagi. Ibunya hanya tersenyum dan memeluknya erat. "Nak, kamu memang tak akan pernah mengerti...."

A young man, a student in one of our universities, was one day taking a walk with a professor, who was commonly called the students' friend, from his kindness to those who waited on his instructions. As they went along, they saw lying in the path a pair of old shoes, which they supposed to belong to a poor man who was employed in a field close by, and who had nearly finished his day's work.

SPECIAL BEATITUDES for those who work with special people BLESSED ARE YOU who take time to listen to difficult speech FOR YOU help us know that if we persevere, we can be understood. BLESSED ARE YOU who walk with us in public places and ignore the stares of strangers, FOR in your companionship, we find havens of relaxation.

Pappy was a pleasant-looking old fellow. He had the whitest hair which he kept neatly cut and combed. His eyes were blue, though faded with age, and they seemed to emit a warmth from within. His face was quite drawn, but when he smiled, even his wrinkles seemed to soften and smile with him. He had a talent for whistling and did so happily each day as he dusted and swept his pawnshop; even so, he had a secret sadness, but everyone who knew him respected and adored him. Most of Pappy's customers returned for their goods, and he did not do much business, but he did not mind. To him, the shop was not a livelihood as much as a welcome pastime.

A sick man turned to his doctor, as he was leaving the room after paying a visit, and said, "Doctor, I am afraid to die. Tell me what lies on the other side."  Very quietly the doctor said, "I don't know." 

I was parked in front of the mall wiping off my car. I had just come from the car wash and was waiting for my wife to get out of work. Coming my way from across the parking lot was what society would consider a bum. From the looks of him, he had no car, no home, no clean clothes, and no money. There are times when you feel generous but there are other times that you just don't want to be bothered. This was one of those "don't want to be bothered times." "I hope he doesn't ask me for any money," I thought. He didn't.

They say that prayer changes things, but does it REALLY change anything? Oh yes! It really does! Does prayer change your present situation or sudden circumstances? No, not always, but it does change the way you look at those events.

That is why your ‘start filter’ is critical: what idea gets the privilege of accessing your time, energy and resources? In energy management, just as in time management, the filter only you can control is what will maximise your returns on your energy and emotional commitment in whatever endeavours you embark on. Making that first step onto the starting line is an easy, but fundamental milestone. What a lot of people have trouble with is mustering up enough desire and energy to actually finish what they started, especially when the going gets tough.

@rherwind: PERSPECTIVES! http://wp.me/p14PFj-bC Shared via TweetCaster

Some time ago, a few ladies met in a certain city to study the scriptures.   While reading the third chapter of Malachi, they came upon a remarkable expression in the third verse: "And He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver (Malachi 3:3)"

A mother of a 9 year old boy, Mark, received a phone call in the middle of the afternoon. It was the teacher from her son's school. "Mrs. Smith, something unusual happened today in your son's third grade class. Your son did something that surprised me so much that I thought you should know about it immediately." Mother seldom want to hear from their child's teacher in the middle of the day. The mother was uneasy and nervous by such a beginning to a phone call. "What now?" the mother wondered.

If I knew it would be the last time that I'd see you fall asleep,  I would tuck you in more tightly and pray the Lord your soul to keep. If I knew it would be the last time that I see you walk out the door,  I would give you a hug and kiss and call you back for one more. If I knew it would be the last time I'd hear your voice lifted up in praise,  I would video tape each action and word, so I could play them back day after day.