Some Uplifting words

(Messages from Faith)

I have a good friend named Faith. One of the ways that she helps me keep going is by dropping me an email message from time to time. Sometimes she sends me jokes or humorous stories. There are already lots of places on the web that have those. Other times she sends me a personal note, and I’m not going to share those. But, the ones that make me think are the uplifting messages she finds and forwards to me. Here are a few of them. I hope they can help someone else as much as they have me.


An Angel wrote:

Many people will walk in and out or your life, but only true friends will leave footprints in your heart.To handle yourself, use your head. To handle others, use your heart.

Anger is only one letter short of danger.

If someone betrays you once, it’s his fault. If he betrays you twice, it’s your fault.

Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people.

God Gives every bird its food, but He does not throw it into its nest.

He who loses money, loses much; he who loses a friend, loses more; he who loses faith, loses all.

Beautiful young people are acts of nature, but beautiful old people are works of art.

Learn from the mistakes of others. you can’t live long enough to make them all yourself.

The tongue weighs practically nothing, but so few people can hold it.


Friends, you and me..you brought another friend…
and then there were 3….we started our group…..
Our circle of friends……and like that circle…….
there is no beginning……..there is no end.


                An Angel To Watch over You

                                       Oooo
         Some people            (   )
           come into our lives  )  /
         and quickly go...      (_/

                                  oooO
                                  (   )  Some people
                                   \  (    become friends
                                    \_)  and stay a while...

          leaving beautiful   Oooo
          footprints on our  (   )
          hearts...             )  /
                                  (_/

                                   oooO
                                  (   )  and we are
                                   \  (    ~ never ~
                                    \_)  quite the same
                                          because we have
                                         made a good friend!!

Yesterday is history.
Tomorrow a mystery.
Today a gift.
That’s why it’s called the present!


Live and savor every moment…..this is not a dress rehearsal!


                   (\         /)
                    ( \  _   / )
                     ( \ (  ) / )
                      ( /<>\ )        TAKE THIS LITTLE ANGEL
                       ( /\/\ )        AND KEEP HER CLOSE TO  YOU
                         /  \          SHE IS YOUR GUARDIAN  ANGEL
                        (    )         SENT TO WATCH OVER YOU!
                         ~~~

CNN reports a new human virus has been recently discovered. One person can pass it on to millions as it is very contagious. The U.S. Center for Disease Control has reported this week that the virus spreads very rapidly from one person to the next. They have put a very interesting name on this virus.
it is called……… a smile :)) Smiley Face
OH! OH! TOO LATE!! I SEE IT ON YOUR FACE ALREADY! You’ve got the virus!!!!


The Letter

Ruth went to her mail box and there was only one letter. She picked it up and looked at it before opening, but then she looked at the envelope again. There was no stamp, no postmark, only her name and address. She read the letter:

Dear Ruth, I’m going to be in your neighborhood Saturday afternoon and I’d like to stop by for a visit.

Love Always,
Jesus

Her hands were shaking as she placed the letter on the table. “Why would the Lord want to visit me? I’m nobody special. I don’t have anything to offer.” With that thought, Ruth remembered her empty kitchen cabinets.

“Oh my goodness, I really don’t have anything to offer. I’ll have to run down to the store and buy something for dinner.” She reached for her purse and counted out its contents. Five dollars and forty cents.

“Well, I can get some bread and cold cuts, at least.” She threw on her coat and hurried out the door. A loaf of french bread, a half-pound of sliced turkey, and a carton of milk…leaving Ruth with grand total of twelve cents to last her until Monday.

Nonetheless, she felt good as she headed home, her meager offerings tucked under her arm.

“Hey lady, can you help us, lady?” Ruth had been so absorbed in her dinner plans, she hadn’t even noticed two figures huddled in the alleyway. A man and a woman, both of them dressed in little more than rags.

“Look lady, I ain’t got a job, ya know, and my wife and I have been living out here on the street, and, well, now it’s getting cold and we’re getting kinda hungry and, well, if you could help us, lady, we’d really appreciate it.”

Ruth looked at them both. They were dirty, they smelled bad and, frankly, she was certain that they could get some kind of work if they really wanted to.

“Sir, I’d like to help you, but I’m a poor woman myself. All I have is a few cold cuts and some bread, and I’m having an important guest for dinner tonight and I was planning on serving that to Him.”

“Yeah, well, okay lady, I understand. Thanks anyway.” The man put his arm around the woman’s shoulders, turned and headed back into the alley. As she watched them leave, Ruth felt a familiar twinge in her heart.

“Sir, wait!” The couple stopped and turned as she ran down the alley after them. “Look, why don’t you take this food. I’ll figure out something else to serve my guest.” She handed the man her grocery bag.

“Thank you lady. Thank you very much!”

“Yes, thank you!” It was the man’s wife, and Ruth could see now that she was shivering.

“You know, I’ve got another coat at home. Here, why don’t you take this one.” Ruth unbuttoned her jacket and slipped it over the woman’s shoulders.

Then smiling, she turned and walked back to the street…without her coat and with nothing to serve her guest. “Thank you lady! Thank you very much!”

Ruth was chilled by the time she reached her front door, and worried too. The Lord was coming to visit and she didn’t have anything to offer Him. She fumbled through her purse for the door key. But as she did, she noticed another envelope in her mailbox.

“That’s odd. The mailman doesn’t usually come twice in one day.” She took the envelope out of the box and opened it.

Dear Ruth, It was so good to see you again. Thank you for the lovely meal And thank you, too, for the beautiful coat.

Love Always

Jesus

The air was still cold, but even without her coat, Ruth no longer noticed.


Time is precious

  • To realize the value of ONE YEAR, ask a student who failed a grade.
  • To realize the value of ONE MONTH, ask a mother who gave birth to a premature baby.
  • To realize the value of ONE WEEK, ask the editor of a weekly newspaper.
  • To realize the value of ONE HOUR, ask the lovers who are waiting to meet.
  • To realize the value of ONE MINUTE, ask a person who missed the train.
  • To realize the value of ONE SECOND, ask a person who just avoided an accident.
  • To realize the value of ONE MILLISECOND, ask the person who won a silver medal in the Olympics.

Treasure every moment that you have! And treasure it more because you shared it with someone special, special enough to spend your time.


And remember that time waits for no one. Yesterday is history … tomorrow is a mystery … today is a gift. That’s why it’s called the present!!


This is an angel saying a prayer for you!!!

                              -=====-
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                    ,_\'--, \   _.'`~~/
                     \'--,_`{_,}    -(
                      '.`-.`\;--,___.'_
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                         /     '--;_        _ {@}  _Y{@}
                        _\          `\     {@}\Y/_{@} Y/
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             ^^^^^^`--`------'`--`^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

A real man would do these things for his girl

  1. Call her the next day.
  2. Always laugh at her jokes.
  3. Tell her (truthfully) that you can’t wait to see her again.
  4. Offer her a backrub, without asking for one in return.
  5. Call her just to say you were thinking about her.
  6. Bring her a teddy bear and chicken soup when she’s sick.
  7. Write her a poem.
  8. Slow dance with her (not only on a dance floor).
  9. Bring her flowers for no reason.
  10. Send her a (handwritten) letter just to say hello.
  11. Always remember your anniversaries and bring her something sweet.
  12. Kiss her in the middle of a sentence.
  13. Take her for a walk at sunset and stay to look at the stars.
  14. Tell her something about you that noone else knows.
  15. Remind her that you still think she’s beautiful.
  16. Take a bubble bath together.
  17. Watch a sappy movie with her.
  18. Surprise her with a candlelight dinner.
  19. Never stop trying to impress her.
  20. Tell her you love her.
  21. Never forget how much she means to you.
  22. Give her great big hugs for no reason.

Friendship, like love, is destroyed by long absence though it may be increased by short intermission. – George Eliot


Instructions for Life

  1. Give people more than they expect and do it cheerfully.
  2. Memorize your favorite poem.
  3. Don’t believe all you hear, spend all you have or sleep all you want.
  4. When you say “I love you”,mean it.
  5. When you say “I’m sorry”,look the person in the eye.
  6. Be engaged at least six months before you get married.
  7. Believe in love at first sight.
  8. Never laugh at anyone’s dreams. People who don’t have dreams don’t have much.
  9. Love deeply and passionately. You might get hurt but it’s the only way to live life completely.
  10. In disagreements,fight fairly. No name calling.
  11. Don’t judge people by their relatives.
  12. Talk slowly but think quickly.
  13. When someone asks you a question you don’t want to answer, smile and ask,”Why do you want to know?”
  14. Remember that great love and great acheivements involve great risk.
  15. Call your Mom.
  16. Say “bless you” when you hear someone sneeze.
  17. When you lose, don’t lose the lesson.
  18. Remember the three R’s: Respect for self; Respect for others; Responsiblity for all your actions.
  19. Don’t let a little dispute injure a great friendship.
  20. When you realize you’ve made a mistake, take immediate action to correct it.
  21. Smile when you pick up the phone. The caller will hear it in your voice.
  22. Marry a man/woman you love to talk to. As you get older, their conversational skills will be as important as any other.
  23. Spend some time alone.
  24. Open your arms to change, but don’t let go of your values.
  25. Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.
  26. Read more books and watch less TV.
  27. Live a good, honorable life. Then when you get older and think back, you’ll enjoy it a second time.
  28. Trust in God but lock your car.
  29. A loving atmosphere in your home is so important. Do all you can to create a tranquil harmonious home.
  30. In disagreements with loved ones, deal with the current situation. Don’t bring up the past.
  31. Read between the lines.
  32. Share your knowledge. It’s a way to achieve immortality.
  33. Be gentle with the earth.
  34. Pray, there’s immeasurable power in it.
  35. Never interrupt when you are being flattered.
  36. Mind your own business.
  37. Don’t trust a man/woman who doesn’t close his/her eyes when you kiss.
  38. Once a year, go someplace you’ve never been before.
  39. If you make a lot of money, put it to use helping others while you are living. That is wealth’s greatest satisfaction.
  40. Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a stroke of luck.
  41. Learn the rules then break some.
  42. Remember that the best relationship is one where your love for each other is greater than your need for each other.
  43. Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to get it.
  44. Remember that your character is your destiny.
  45. Approach love and cooking with reckless abandon.

I hold in in my hands
A box of gold,
With a secret inside
That has never been told. The box is priceless
But as I see,
The treasure inside
Is far more precious to me.

Today I share
this treasure with thee,
It’s the treasure of friendship
You’ve given to me!


The Paradox of Our Age

(Norris Peters)


We have taller buildings, but shorter tempers;
wider freeways, but narrower viewpoints;
we spend more, but have less;
we buy more, but enjoy it less.We have bigger houses and smaller families;
more convenience, but less time;
we have more degrees, but less sense;
more knowledge, but less judgment;
more experts, but more problems;
more medicine, but less wellness.

We drink too much,
smoke too much,
spend too recklessly,
laugh too little,
drive too fast,
get too angry too quickly,
stay up too late,
get up too tired,
read too seldom,
watch TV too much,
and pray too seldom.

We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values.
We talk to much, love too seldom and lie too often.
We’ve learned how to make a living, but not a life;
We’ve added years to life, not life to years.
We’ve been all the way to the moon and back,
but have trouble crossing the street to meet the new neighbor.

We’ve conquered outer space, but not inner space;
We’ve done larger things, but not better things;
We’ve cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul;
We’ve split the atom, but not our prejudice;
We write more, but learn less;
We plan more, but accomplish less.

We’ve learned to rush, but not to wait;
We have higher incomes, but lower morals;
We have more food, but less appeasement;
We build more computers to hold more information,
to produce more copies than ever, but have less communication;
We’ve become long on quantity, but short on quality.

These are the times of fast food and slow digestion;
tall men, and short character;
steep profits, and shallow relationships.
These are the times of world peace, but domestic warfare;
more leisure and less fun;
more kinds of food, but less nutrition.
These are days of two incomes, but more divorce;
of fancier houses, but broken homes.

These are days of quick trips,
disposable diapers,
throwaway morality,
one-night stands,
overweight bodies,
and pills that do everything from cheer,
to quiet, to kill.

It is a time when there is much in the show window
and nothing in the stockroom;
a time when technology can bring this letter to YOU,
and a time when you can CHOOSE either to make a difference, or to just continue on surfing… choose the latter, and forfeit your right to complain.


Rainbows

If I could catch a rainbow,
I would do it just for you


A Friend

A friend is like a flower
a rose to be exact,
Or maybe like a
brand new gate that
never comes unlatchedA friend is like an owl,
both beautiful and wise
Or perhaps a friend
is like a ghost, whose
spirit never dies.

A friend is like
those blades of grass you
can never mow, standing straight,
tall, and proud in a perfect
little row.

A friend is like a heart
that goes strong
until the end. Where would we be
in this world if we didn’t
have a friend.

My friend, my companion,
Through good times and bad
my friend, my buddy,
through happy and sad,
beside me you stand,
beside me you walk,
you’re there to listen,
you’re there to talk,
with happiness,
with smiles,
with pain and tears,
I know you’ll be there, throughout the years!


Good ideas

  • Birthdays are good for you – the more you have the longer you live.
  • Never drive faster than your guardian angel can fly
  • Pain and Suffering is inevitable but Misery is optional.
  • If nobody knows the troubles you’ve seen, then you don’t live in a small town.
  • Never ask the barber if you need a haircut or a salesman if his is a good price.
  • If you lend someone $20, and never see that person again, it was probably worth it.
  • If you laugh a lot, when you get older your wrinkles will be in the right places.
  • Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes. That wayyou’re a mile away, and you have their shoes too.
  • Always hold your head up, but be careful to keep your nose at a friendly level.
  • Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow. It empties today of its strength.
  • Speak when you are angry and you will make the best speech you will ever regret.
  • Live life to the fullest…think of all the people on the Titanic who passed up chocolate dessert.
  • Never put both feet in your mouth at the same time, because then you don’t have a leg to stand on.
  • You’ve got to stand for something or you’ll fall for anything.
  • Communications without intelligence is noise…Intelligence without communication is irrelevant.
  • I keep my ideals, because in spite of everything, I still believe that people are really good at heart. (Anne Frank, who died in a Nazi Concentration Camp)
  • A fanatic is one who can’t change his mind and won’t change the subject. (Winston Churchill)
  • So many times in life we try to outsmart circumstances and people around us only to find ourselves frustrated, angry, and moody. We would do much better to keep ourselves upbeat, congenial, and vibrant. It might prove most beneficial.

If Tomorrow Never Comes

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
I’d see you walk out the door,
I would give you a big 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 in praise,
I would video tape each action and word
so I could play them back day after day.

If I knew it would be the last time
I could spare an extra minute or two
to stop and say “I love you,”
instead of assuming you would KNOW I do.

If I knew it would be the last time
I would be there to share your day,
well, I’m sure you’ll have so many more,
so I can let just THIS one slip away.

For surely there’s always Tomorrow
to make up for an oversight,
and don’t we always get a second chance
to make everything all right?

Won’t there will always be another day
to say our “I love you?”
And certainly there’s another chance
to say our “Anything I can do?”

But — just in case I might be wrong,
and today is all I get,
I’d like to say how much I love you
and hope we never forget
that Tomorrow is not promised to anyone,
young or old alike,
and Today may be the very last chance
to hold our loved ones tight.

So — if you’re waiting for Tomorrow,
why not do it Today?
For IF Tomorrow never comes
you’ll surely regret the day
that you didn’t take that extra time
for a smile, a hug, or a kiss,
and you were too busy to grant
what turned out to be their one last wish.

So hold your loved ones close today
and whisper in their ear,
Tell them how much you love them
and that you’ll always hold them dear,

Take time to say “I’m sorry” . . “please forgive me” . .
“thank you” . . “it’s okay” . .
And IF Tomorrow never comes
you’ll have no regrets – about Today.


A Friend

                         
Accepts you as you are
  Believes in “you”
  Calls you just to say “HI”
  Doesn’t give up on you
  Envisions the whole of you (even the unfinished parts)
  Forgives your mistakes
  Gives unconditionally
  Helps you
  Invites you over
  Just “be” with you
  Keeps you close at heart
  Loves you for who you are
  Makes a difference in your life
  Never Judges
  Offers support
  Picks you up
  Quiets your fears
  Raises your spirits
  Says nice things about you
  Tells you the truth when you need to hear it
  Understands you
  Values you
  Walks beside you
  X-plains things you don’t understand
  Yells when you won’t listen and
Zaps you back to reality

Flexible people don’t get bent out of shape.


My Special List

I have a list of folks I know…
all written in a book,
And every now and then..
I go and take a look.That is when I realize
these names… they are a part,
not of the book they’re written in…
but taken from the heart.

For each Name stands for someone…
who has crossed my path sometime,
and in that meeting they have become…
the reason and the rhyme.

Although it sounds fantastic…
for me to make this claim,
I really am composed…
of each remembered name.

Although you’re not aware…
of any special link,
just knowing you, has shaped my life…
more than you could think.

So please don’t think my greeting…
as just a mere routine,
your name was not…
forgotten in between.

For when I send a greeting…
that is addressed to you,
it is because you’re on the list…
of folks I’m indebted to.

So whether I have known you…
for many days or few,
in some ways you have a part…
in shaping things I do.

I am but a total…
of many folks I’ve met,
you are a friend I would prefer…
never to forget.


S L O W D A N C E

Have you ever watched kids
on a merry-go-round
Or listened to the rain
slapping on the ground?
Ever followed a butterfly’s erratic flight
Or gazed at the sun into the fading night?
You better slow down
Don’t dance so fast
Time is short
The music won’t last
Do you run through each day on the fly
When you ask “How are you?”
do you hear the reply?
When the day is done,
do you lie in your bed
With the next hundred chores
running through your head?
You’d better slow down
Don’t dance so fast
Time is short
The music won’t last
Ever told your child,
We’ll do it tomorrow
And in your haste, not see his sorrow?
Ever lost touch,
Let a good friendship die
‘Cause you never had time
to call and say “Hi”?
You’d better slow down
Don’t dance so fast
Time is short
The music won’t last
When you run so fast to get somewhere
You miss half the fun of getting there.
When you worry and hurry through your day,
It is like an unopened gift….
Thrown away…
Life is not a race.
Do take it slower
Hear the music
Before the song is over.


Natural Highs

  • Falling in love.
  • Laughing so hard your face hurts.
  • A hot shower.
  • A special glance.
  • A letter in the mail.
  • Taking a drive on a pretty road.
  • Lying in bed listening to the rain outside.
  • Hot towels out of the dryer.
  • Finding the sweater you want is on sale for half price.
  • Chocolate milkshake
  • Getting invited to a dance.
  • A bubble bath.
  • Giggling.
  • A good conversation.
  • The beach.
  • A care package.
  • Finding a $20 in your coat from last winter.
  • Laughing at yourself.
  • Midnight phone calls that last for hours.
  • Running through sprinklers.
  • Laughing for absolutely no reason at all.
  • Having someone tell you that you’re beautiful.
  • An inside joke.
  • Friends.
  • Falling in love for the first time.
  • Accidentally overhearing someone say something nice about you.
  • Waking up and realizing you still have a few hours left to sleep.
  • Your first kiss.
  • Being part of a team.
  • Making new friends or spending time with old ones.
  • Playing with a puppy.
  • Sweet dreams.
  • Road trips with good friends.
  • Having someone play with your hair.
  • Swinging on swings.
  • Watching a movie cuddled up on a couch with someone you love.
  • Wrapping presents under the Christmas tree.
  • Going to a good concert.
  • Getting butterflies in your stomach every time you see that one person.
  • Making eye contact with a cute stranger.
  • Winning a really competitive game.
  • Making chocolate chip cookies.
  • Riding a bike downhill.
  • Seeing smiles and hearing laughter from your friends.
  • The feeling after running a few miles – an accomplishment!
  • Holding hands with someone you care about.
  • Wearing your boyfriend’s shirt that still smells like him.
  • Riding the best roller coaster over and over.
  • Hugging the person you love.
  • Watching the expression on someone’s face as they open a much desired present from you.
  • Kisses on your forehead from the first and only boy you have ever loved.
  • Watching the sunrise.
  • Getting out of bed every morning and thanking God for another beautiful day.
  • Discovering that love is unconditional and stronger than time.

Ark Wisdom

Plan ahead… It wasn’t raining when Noah built the ark.
Stay fit. When you’re 600 years old, someone might ask you to do something REALLY big.
Don’t listen to critics – do what has to be done.
Build on high ground.
For safety’s sake, travel in pairs.
Two heads are better than one.
Speed isn’t always an advantage. The cheetahs were on board, but so were the snails.
If you can’t fight or flee – float!
Take care of your animals as if they were the last ones on earth.
Don’t forget that we’re all in the same boat.
When things get really deep, don’t sit there and complain – shovel!
Stay below deck during the storm.
Remember that the ark was built by amateurs and the Titanic was built by professionals.
If you have to start over, have a friend by your side.
Remember that the woodpeckers INSIDE are often a bigger threat than the storm outside.
Don’t miss the boat.
No matter how bleak it looks, there’s always a rainbow on the horizon.


Friends in Life

In kindergarten, your idea of a good friend was the person who let you have the red crayon when all that was left was the ugly grey one. In first grade, your idea of a good friend was the person who went to the bathroom with you and held your hand as you walked through the scary halls.

In second grade, your idea of a good friend was the person who helped you stand up to the class bully.

In third grade, your idea of a good friend was the person who shared their lunch with you when you forgot yours on the bus.

In fourth grade, your idea of a good friend was the person who was willing to switch square dancing partners in gym so you wouldn’t have to be stuck do-si-do-ing with Nasty Nicky or Smelly Susan.

In fifth grade, your idea of a friend was the person who saved a seat on the back of the bus for you.

In sixth grade, your idea of a friend was the person who went up to Nicky or Susan, your new crush, and asked them to dance with you, so that if they said no you wouldn’t have to be embarrassed.

In seventh grade, your idea of a friend was the person who let you copy the social studies homework from the night before that you had.

In eighth grade, your idea of a good friend was the person who helped you pack up your stuffed animals and old baseball cards so that your room would be a “high schooler’s” room, but didn’t laugh at you when you finished and broke out into tears.

In ninth grade, your idea of a good friend was the person who went to that “cool” party thrown by a senior so you wouldn’t wind up being the only freshman there.

In tenth grade, your idea of a good friend was the person who changed their schedule so you would have someone to sit with at lunch.

In eleventh grade, your idea of a good friend was the person who gave you rides in their new car, convinced your parents that you shouldn’t be grounded, consoled you when you broke up with Nick or Susan, and found you a date to the prom.

In twelfth grade, your idea of a good friend was the person who helped you pick out a college/university, assured you that you would get into that college/university, helped you deal with your parents who were having a hard time adjusting to the idea of letting you go…

At graduation, your idea of a good friend was the person who was crying on the inside but managed the biggest smile one could give as they congratulated you.

The summer after twelfth grade, your idea of a good friend was the person who helped you clean up the bottles from that party, helped you sneak out of the house when you just couldn’t deal with your parents, assured you that now that you and Nick or you and Susan were back together, you could make it through anything, helped you pack up for university and just silently hugged you as you looked through blurry eyes at 18 years of memories you were leaving behind, and finally on those last days of childhood, went out of their way to give you reassurance that you would make it in college as well as you had these past 18 years, and most importantly sent you off to college knowing you were loved.

Now, your idea of a good friend is still the person who gives you the better of the two choices, holds your hand when you’re scared, helps you fight off those who try to take advantage of you, thinks of you at times when you are not there, reminds you of what you have forgotten, helps you put the past behind you but understands when you need to hold on to it a little longer, stays with you so that you have confidence, goes out of their way to make time for you, helps you clear up your mistakes, helps you deal with pressure from others, smiles for you when they are sad, helps you become a better person, and most importantly loves you!

Pass on to those friends of the past, and those of the future…and those you have met along the way…

There’s never a wrong time to pick up a phone or send a message telling your friends how much you miss them or how much you love them.

If you love someone, tell them. Remember always to say what you mean.

Never be afraid to express yourself. Take this opportunity to tell someone what they mean to you. Seize the day and have no regrets.

The difference between expressing love and having regrets is that the regrets may stay around forever.


Three Trees

Once there were three trees on a hill in the woods. They were discussing their hopes and dreams when the first tree said, “Someday I hope to be a treasure chest. I could be filled with gold, silver and precious gems. I could be decorated with intricate carving and everyone would see the beauty.” Then the second tree said, “Someday I will be a mighty ship. I will take kings and queens across the waters and sail to the corners of the world. Everyone will feel safe in me because of the strength of my hull.”

Finally the third tree said, “I want to grow to be the tallest and straightest tree in the forest. People will see me on top of the hill and look up to my branches, and think of the heavens and God and how close to them I am reaching. I will be the greatest tree of all time and people will always remember me.”

After a few years of praying that their dreams would come true, a group of woodsmen came upon the trees. When one came to the first tree he said, “This looks like a strong tree, I think I should be able to sell the wood to a carpenter” … and he began cutting it down. The tree was happy, because he knew that the carpenter would make him into a treasure chest.

At the second tree a woodsman said, “This looks like a strong tree, I should be able to sell it to the shipyard.” The second tree was happy because he knew he was on his way to becoming a mighty ship.

When the woodsmen came upon the third tree, the tree was frightened because he knew that if they cut him down his dreams would not come true. One of the woodsmen said, “I don’t need anything special from my tree so I’ll take this one”, and he cut it down.

When the first tree arrived at the carpenters, he was made into a feed box for animals. He was then placed in a barn and filled with hay. This was not at all what he had prayed for. The second tree was cut and made into a small fishing boat. His dreams of being a mighty ship and carrying kings had come to an end. The third tree was cut into large pieces and left alone in the dark.

The years went by, and the trees forgot about their dreams. Then one day, a man and woman came to the barn. She gave birth and they placed the baby in the hay in the feed box that was made from the first tree. The man wished that he could have made a crib for the baby, but this manger would have to do. The tree could feel the importance of this event and knew that it had held the greatest treasure of all time.

Years later, a group of men got in the fishing boat made from the second tree. One of them was tired and went to sleep. while they were out on the water, a great storm arose and the tree didn’t think it was strong enough to keep the men safe. The men woke the sleeping man, and he stood and said “Peace” and the storm stopped. At this time, the tree knew that it had carried the King of Kings in its boat.

Finally, someone came and got the third tree. It was carried through the streets as the people mocked the man who was carrying it. When they came to a stop, the man was nailed to the tree and raised in the air to die at the top of a hill. When Sunday came, the tree came to realize that it was strong enough to stand at the top of the hill and be as close to God as was possible, because Jesus had been crucified on it.

The moral of this story is that when things don’t seem to be going your way, always know that God has a plan for you. If you place your trust in Him, He will give you great gifts. Each of the trees got what they wanted, just not in the way they had imagined. We don’t always know what God’s plans are for us. We just know that His ways are not our ways, but His ways are always best.