Stories found on this page

The value of a funeral

The Good Shepherd

Walking with God

Courage of Conviction

Real Love

Living with Cancer through Faith

Praying for Ice Cream

Mpotherhood

Humor, fishing

Trusting God

 

 

 

Thought of the day

Value of the Funeral:

Acknowledges that a life has been lived. Allow mourners to remember and honor their loved one in a special way. Serves as a central place for family and friends to give emotional and physical support to one another.

Provides closure for the bereaved. Initiates the grieving process. Confirms the reality and finality of death. Encourages mourners to face the pain of their loss and express their thought and feelings. Helps survivors to better cope with their grief and enables them to move forward with their lives.

Author Unknown

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Today's Verse

I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.--John 10:11

 

Today's Quote

Is what your living for worth Christ dying for?

Today's Quote

Those who walk with God won't run from people's needs.

 COURAGE OF CONVICTION

Rollo May so accurately asserts that the opposite of courage in our society is not cowardice, but conformity. It takes guts to break from the herd.

Sen. John Tyler was a man who built his life around the courage of his convictions. Consequently, people trusted him enough to elect him president of the United States.

An example of his ability to do what he believed was right, in spite of its unpopularity, occurred once when he was caught up in a critical senate vote. His vote was the deciding vote and the pressure from his colleagues was tremendous. His name was called and Tyler voted his conscience. He voted against the pressure. Feeling the weight of his vote, he visibly slumped in his seat.

At that moment there was only shocked and unbelieving silence in the great hall. Tyler then arose and walked out, as one writer puts it, "in the proud company of his own self-respect."

He knew that exercising the courage to make those difficult decisions is part of building a life that matters.

REAL LOVE

An old story reminds us of the humor of romance:

A man was going to the county fair one day with a pig under one arm and a chicken under the one arm, and a basket on his head. He came to a crossroad and didn't know which way to turn. While he stood there deciding, a young woman approached him, heading the same direction.

"Please, ma'am, I'm on the way to the county fair. Can you tell me which way to go?"

"Yes," she replied. "I'm on my way there, too. We'll go right down this way about a mile, turn left about a mile and a half, left again about a mile and we're right there."

He said, "Wait a minute... down here, turn left and left again? Couldn't we save a lot of time by walking through these woods?"

She replied, "Yes, we could. But I couldn't walk through those woods with you. Why... you might try to kiss me!"

"Listen," he said, "how could I possibly kiss anybody with a pig under one arm, a chicken under one arm and a basket on my head?"

"Well," she replied, "you could put that chicken on the ground, turn the basket upside down over the chicken, and I could hold that little bitty ole pig."

Where there is love, there's a way! Although one would be hard- pressed to define a romantic attraction as "love." They are really not at all the same things. And as nice as it is to keep romance in our lives, in the end, isn't it love which we are really after?

In her article, "Turning Sweet Nothings into Sweet Somethings," Marjorie Holmes points out some differences between romance and authentic love:

Romance is seeking perfection, love is forgiving faults. Romance is flying, love is a safe landing. Romance is the anguish of waiting for the phone to ring to bring you a voice that will utter endearments, love is the anguish of waiting for a call that will assure you someone else is happy and safe. Romance is eager, striving always to appear attractive for each other, love is two people who find beauty in each other no matter how they look.

Authentic love will find many expressions -- the love of spouses; the love of friends; the love of families. And if your love is real, watch out -- once it starts growing, there's nothing that can stop it!

Edith Burns was a wonderful Christian who lived in San Antonio, Texas. She was the patient of doctor by the name of Will Phillips. Dr. Phillips was a gentle doctor who saw patients as people.

His favorite patient was Edith Burns. One morning he went to his office with a heavy heart and it was because of Edith Burns. When he walked into that waiting room, there sat Edith with her big black Bible in her lap earnestly talking to a young mother sitting beside her.

Edith Burns had a habit of introducing herself in this way: "Hello, my name is Edith Burns. Do you believe in Easter?" Then she would explain the meaning of Easter, and many times people would be saved.

Dr. Phillips walked into that office and there he saw the head nurse, Beverly. Beverly had first met Edith when she was taking her blood pressure. Edith began by saying, "My name is Edith Burns. Do you believe in Easter?"

Beverly said, "Why yes I do." Edith said, "Well, what do you believe about Easter?" Beverly said, "Well, it's all about egg hunts, going to church, and dressing up."

Edith kept pressing her about the real meaning of Easter, and finally led her to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

Dr. Phillips said, "Beverly, don't call Edith into the office quite yet. I believe there is another delivery taking place in the waiting room. After being called back in the doctor's office, Edith sat down and when she took a look at the doctor she said, "Dr. Will, why are you so sad? Are you reading your Bible? Are you praying?"

Dr. Phillips said gently, "Edith, I'm the doctor and you're the patient."

With a heavy heart he said, "Your lab report came back and it says you have cancer, and Edith, you're not going to live very long."

Edith said, "Why Will Phillips, shame on you. Why are you so sad? Do you think God makes mistakes? You have just told me I'm going to see my precious Lord Jesus, my husband, and my friends. You have just told me that I am going to celebrate Easter forever, and here you are having difficulty giving me my ticket!"

Dr. Phillips thought to himself, "What a magnificent woman this Edith Burns is!"

Edith continued coming to Dr. Phillips. Christmas came and the office was closed through January 3rd. On the day the office opened, Edith did not show up. Later that afternoon, Edith called Dr. Phillips and said she would have to be moving her story to the hospital and said, "Will, I'm very near home, so would you make sure that they put women in here next to me in my room who need to know about Easter."

Well, they did just that and women began to come in and share that room with Edith. Many women were saved. Everybody on that floor from staff to patients were so excited about Edith, that they started calling her Edith Easter; that is everyone except Phyllis Cross, the head nurse. Phyllis made it plain that she wanted nothing to do with Edith because she was a "religious nut". She had been a nurse in an army hospital. She had seen it all and heard it all. She was the original G.I. Jane. She had been married three times, she was hard, cold, and did everything by the book.

One morning the two nurses who were to attend to Edith were sick. Edith had the flu and Phyllis Cross had to go in and give her a shot. When she walked in, Edith had a big smile on her face and said, "Phyllis, God loves you and I love you, and I have been praying for you."

Phyllis Cross said, "Well, you can quit praying for me, it won't work. I'm not interested." Edith said, "Well, I will pray and I have asked God not to let me go home until you come into the family."

Phyllis Cross said, "Then you will never die because that will never happen," and curtly walked out of the room.

Every day Phyllis Cross would walk into the room and Edith would say, "God loves you Phyllis and I love you, and I'm praying for you." One day Phyllis Cross said she was literally drawn to Edith's room like a magnet would draw iron. She sat down on the bed and Edith said, "I'm so glad you have come, because God told me that today is your special day." Phyllis Cross said, "Edith, you have asked everybody here the question, 'Do you believe in Easter?' but you have never asked me."

Edith said,"Phyllis, I wanted to many times, but God told me to wait until you asked, and now that you have asked..."

Edith Burns took her Bible and shared with Phyllis Cross the Easter Story of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Edith said, "Phyllis, do you believe in Easter? Do you believe that Jesus Christ is alive and that He wants to live in your heart?" Phyllis Cross said, "Oh I want to believe that with all of my heart, and I do want Jesus in my life." Right there, Phyllis Cross prayed and invited Jesus Christ into her heart. For the first time Phyllis Cross did not walk out of a hospital room, she was carried out on the wings of angels.

Two days later, Phyllis Cross came in and Edith said, "Do you know what day it is?"

Phyllis Cross said, "Why Edith, it's Good Friday."

Edith said, "Oh, no, for you every day is Easter. Happy Easter Phyllis!"

Two days later, on Easter Sunday, Phyllis Cross came into work, did some of her duties and then went down to the flower shop and got some Easter lilies because she wanted to go up to see Edith and give her some Easter lilies and wish her a Happy Easter. When she walked into Edith's room, Edith was in bed. That big black Bible was on her lap. Her hands were in that Bible. There was a sweet smile on her face.

When Phyllis Cross went to pick up Edith's hand, she realized Edith was dead.

Her left hand was on John 14: "In my Father's house are many mansions. I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also." Her right hand was on Revelation 21:4, " And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes, there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying; and there shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away."

Phyllis Cross took one look at that dead body, and then lifted her face toward heaven, and with tears streaming down here cheeks, said, "Happy Easter, Edith - Happy Easter!"

Phyllis Cross left Edith's body, walked out of the room, and over to a table where two student nurses were sitting. She said, "My name is Phyllis Cross. Do you believe in Easter?"

Ice Cream

Last week I took my children to a restaurant. My six-year-old son asked if he could say grace. As we bowed our heads he said, "God is good. God is great. Thank you for the food, and I would even thank you more if Mom gets us ice cream for dessert. And Liberty and justice for all! Amen!"

Along with the laughter from the other customers nearby I heard a woman remark, "That's what's wrong with this country. Kids today don't even know how to pray. Asking God for ice-cream! Why, I never!"

Hearing this, my son burst into tears and asked me, "Did I do it wrong?

Is God mad at me?" As I held him and assured him that he had done a terrific job and God was certainly not mad at him, an elderly gentle man approached the table.

He winked at my son and said, "I happen to know that God thought that was a great prayer."

"Really?" my son asked.

"Cross my heart." Then in theatrical whisper he added(indicating the woman whose remark had started this whole thing), "Too bad she never asks God for ice cream. A little ice cream is good for the soul sometimes."

Naturally, I bought my kid's ice cream at the end of the meal. My son stared at his for a moment and then did something I will remember the rest of my life. He picked up his sundae and without a word, walked over and placed it in front of the woman. With a big smile he told her, "Here,this is for you. Ice cream is good for the soul sometimes and my soul is good already.

We are sitting at lunch when my daughter casually mentions that she and her husband are thinking of "starting a family." "We're taking a survey," she says, half-joking. "Do you think I should have a baby?"

"It will change your life," I say, carefully keeping my tone neutral.

"I know," she says, "no more sleeping in on weekends, no more spontaneous vacations...."

But that is not what I meant at all. I look at my daughter, trying to decide what to tell her. I want her to know what she will never learn in child birth classes. I want to tell her that the physical wounds of child bearing will heal, but that becoming a mother will leave her with an emotional wound so raw that she will forever be vulnerable.

I consider warning her that she will never again read a newspaper without asking "What if that had been MY child?" That every plane crash, every house fire will haunt her. That when she sees pictures of starving children, she will wonder if anything could be worse than watching your child die.

I look at her carefully manicured nails and stylish suit and think that no matter how sophisticated she is, becoming a mother will reduce her to the primitive level of a bear protecting her cub. That an urgent call of "Mom!" will cause her to drop a soufflé or her best crystal without a moment's hesitation.

I feel I should warn her that no matter how many years she has invested in her career, she will be professionally derailed by motherhood. She might arrange for childcare, but one day she will be going into an important business meeting and she will think of her baby's sweet smell. She will have to use every ounce of her discipline to keep from running home, just to make sure her baby is all right.

I want my daughter to know that everyday decisions will no longer be routine. That a five year old boy's desire to go to the men's room rather than the women's at McDonald's will become a major dilemma. That right there, in the midst of clattering trays and screaming children, issues of independence and gender identity will be weighed against the prospect that a child molester may be lurking in that restroom.

However decisive she may be at the office, she will second-guess herself constantly as a mother.

Looking at my attractive daughter, I want to assure her that eventually she will shed the pounds of pregnancy, but she will never feel the same about herself. That her life, now so important, will be of less value to her once she has a child. That she would give it up in a moment to save her offspring, but will also begin to hope for more years - not to accomplish her own dreams, but to watch her child accomplish theirs.

I want her to know that a cesarean scar or shiny stretch marks will become badges of honor. My daughter's relationship with her husband will change, but not in the way she thinks. I wish she could understand how much more you can love a man who is careful to powder the baby or who never hesitates to play with his child. I think she should know that she will fall in love with him again for reasons she would now find very unromantic.

I wish my daughter could sense the bond she will feel with women throughout history who have tried to stop war, prejudice and drunk driving.

I hope she will understand why I can think rationally about most issues, but become temporarily insane when I discuss the threat of nuclear war to my children's future.

I want to describe to my daughter the exhilaration of seeing your child learn to ride a bike. I want to capture for her the belly laugh of a baby who is touching the soft fur of a dog or a cat for the first time. I want her to taste the joy that is so real, it actually hurts.

My daughter's quizzical look makes me realize that tears have formed in my eyes. "You'll never regret it," I finally say. Then I reach across the table, squeeze my daughter's hand and offer a silent prayer for her, and for me, and for all of the mere mortal women who stumble their way into this most wonderful of callings. This blessed gift from God . . .that of being a Mother.

Author Unknown

Two fellows meet in Florida. One says: 'I went fishing last week and caught a herring that weighed 450 pounds.'

The other guy looks at him and says: 'I too was fishing last week, and I didn't catch anything, but I pulled up the hook, and standing on the hook was a lantern from an old ship. God only knows how long it was lying in the mud, because it was covered with seaweed and barnacles. I washed it the best I could and polished it, and on the bottom was a scripted engraving, 'Manufactured 1467'. This was before Columbus and would you believe it, the light was still burning!'

The other guy says, 'I'll take off 100 pounds from the herring, you blow out the light.'

They tell the story of a mountain climber, desperate to conquer the Aconcagua, initiated his climb after years of preparation. But he wanted the glory to himself, therefore,he went up alone.

He started climbing and it was becoming later and later. He did not prepare for camping but decided to keep on going. Soon it got dark... Night fell with heaviness at such high altitude and there was zero visibility. Everything was black, no moon, and the stars were covered by clouds. As he was climbing a ridge at about 100 meters from the top, he slipped and fell...falling rapidly and could only see blotches of darkness that passed in the same darkness and a terrible sensation of being suctioned by gravity.

He kept falling.... and in those anguishing moments good and bad memories passed through his mind. He thought he would die. Nevertheless, he felt a jolt that almost tore him in half...Yes! Like any good mountain climber he had staked himself with a long rope tied to his waist. In those moments of stillness, suspended in the air he had no other choice but to shout, "HELP ME GOD", "HELP ME!"

All of a sudden he heard a deep voice from heaven... "What do you want me to do?"

"SAVE ME"

"Do you REALLY think that I can save you?"

"OF COURSE, MY GOD"

"Then cut the rope that is holding you up." There was another moment of silence and stillness. The man held tighter to the rope.

The rescue team says that the next day they found, a frozen mountain climber hanging strongly to a rope... TWO FEET OFF THE GROUND.

How about you? How trusting are you in that rope? Why don't you let it go? I tell you, God has great and marvelous things for you. CUT THE ROPE AND SIMPLY TRUST IN HIM