Thought for the week (week of August 4th)...

Why do they call the small candy bars the "fun sizes"? Wouldn't it be more "fun" to have one that's regular size?


Discuss.

My Friend Kyle....

A friend of mine sent me this story and I KNEW I had to share it with everyone here:


One day, when I was a freshman in high school, I saw a kid from my class was walking home from school. His name was Kyle.

It looked like he was carrying all of his books. I thought to myself, "Why would anyone bring home all his books on a Friday? He must really be a nerd."

I had quite a weekend planned (parties and a football game with my friends
tomorrow afternoon), so I shrugged my shoulders and went on.

As I was walking, I saw a bunch of kids running toward him. They ran at him, knocking all his books out of his arms and tripping him so he landed in the dirt.
His glasses went flying, and I saw them land in the grass about ten feet from him.

He looked up and I saw this terrible sadness in his eyes.

My heart went out to him. So, I jogged over to him as he crawled around looking for his glasses, and I saw a tear in his eye. As I handed him his glasses, I said, 'Those guys are jerks. They really should get lives."

He looked at me and said, "Hey thanks!" There was a big smile on his face. It was one of those smiles that showed real gratitude. I helped him pick up his books, and asked him where he lived.

As it turned out, he lived near me, so I asked him why I had never seen him before.
He said he had gone to private school before now. I would have never hung out with a private school kid before.

We talked all the way home, and I carried some of his books. He turned out to be a pretty cool kid. I asked him if he wanted to play a little football with my friends
He said yes.

We hung out all weekend and the more I got to know Kyle, the more I liked him, and my friends thought the same of him. Monday morning came, and there was Kyle with the huge stack of books again.

I stopped him and said, 'Boy, you are gonna really build some serious muscles with this pile of books everyday! He just laughed and handed me half the books.

Over the next four years, Kyle and I became best friends... When we were seniors we began to think about college. Kyle decided on Georgetown and I was going to Duke.

I knew that we would always be friends, that the miles would never
be a problem. He was going to be a doctor and I was going for business on a football scholarship.

Kyle was valedictorian of our class. I teased him all the time about being a nerd. He had to prepare a speech for graduation.(I was so glad it wasn't me having to get up there and speak!)

On graduation day, I saw Kyle. He looked great. He was one of those guys that really found himself during high school. He filled out and actually looked good in his glasses. He had more dates than I had and all the girls loved him.

Boy, sometimes I was jealous! Today was one of those days.

I could see that he was nervous about his speech. So, I smacked him on the back and said, "Hey, big guy, you'll be great!" He looked at me with one of those looks (the really grateful one) and smiled. "Thanks," he said.

Finally, the time came in the ceremony for Kyle's speech. He walked up to the podium and readied himself. As he started his speech, he cleared his throat, and began:

"Graduation is a time to thank those who helped you make it through those tough years. Your parents, your teachers, your siblings, maybe a coach...but mostly your friends...

I am here to tell all of you that being a friend to someone is the best gift you can give them. I am going to tell you a story."

I just looked at my friend with disbelief as he told the story of the first day we met.

He had planned to kill himself over the weekend.

He talked of how he had cleaned out his locker so his Mom wouldn't have to do it later and was carrying his stuff home. He looked hard at me and gave me a little smile. "Thankfully, I was saved. My friend saved me from doing the unspeakable."

I heard the gasp go through the crowd as this handsome, popular boy told us all about his weakest moment. I saw his Mom and dad looking at me and smiling that same grateful smile. Not until that moment did I realize it's depth.

Never underestimate the power of your actions. With one small gesture you can change a person's life. For better or for worse. God puts us all in each others lives to impact one another in some way.

Never forget that.

Thought for the week (July 7th)

"If you were on a plane going the speed of sound and walked from the back of the plane to the front, would you be walking faster than the speed of sound?"



Discuss.

Sand and Stone...author unknown

I found this today, and it's something that I'm sure we've all witnessed or been through personally. So many times people let anger or hurt feelings steal moments away from us that otherwise should be cherished.


Two friends were walking through the desert.
During some point of the journey,
they had an arguement, and one friend slapped
the other one in the face.

The one who got slapped was hurt,
but without saying anything, wrote in the sand:

"Today my best friend slapped me in the face..."

They kept on walking until they found an oasis,
where they decided to take a bath.

The one who had been slapped got stuck in the mire
and started drowning, but the friend saved him.

After he recovered from the near drowing, he wrote on a stone:

"Today my best friend saved my life"

The friend who had slapped and saved his best friend asked him,

"After I slapped you, you wrote in the sand, and now,
you write on a stone...

Why is that?"

The friend said, "When someone hurts us,
we should write it down in sand, where the winds
of forgiveness can erase it away.


But when someone does something good for us,
we must engrave it in stone, where no wind can ever erase it."

Learn to write your hurts in the sand, and to carve your benefits
and blessings in stone.

Happy Birthday to Me!!!

Yes, I just had another birthday. June 26th. They just seem to fly by now. As a kid, a birthday came about once every millennium, but now, about every few months. That has to be the reason for it...there's no way its been 42 whole YEARS since I first took a breath...

How could that be?

Let's see...I remember being a little kid...then moving when I was going into 4th grade. Going on to Jr. High. Going into high school. Graduating. Attempting college. Working multiple jobs. Getting married. Having a child.

But 42 years....OLD? Unbelievable. Where does all the time go?

Honestly though, I wouldn't change much. Sure, I'd like a nicer car, house, have a great bod etc, but I'm grateful for the life I have now.

"Where you are going is MUCH more important than where you've been."

I don't know if that's someone's quote, but it's what came to me today. Because that's how I feel. And I hope you do too. You can test that by asking yourself "don't you wish you knew THAT 10 years ago?"

Your answer should be "He_ll yes!" That will tell you that you are on the right track. That you are growing, seaching and discovering yourself more and more.

(Now if you say "it doesn't matter", I'd worry a bit.)

But nearly all of us are searching to improve ourselves. I think that's human nature. To be a better ME, whatever that means to each of us. And that's what's so enjoyable and facinating about us in general.

So, what path are you on? Are you working on a better you too? Let me know.

When Life Hands You Lemons...

Yes, it happens to all of us...even us bloggers:-) What would you have done in my shoes?

Mobile post sent by jeffbunnell using Utterz.  Replies.  mp3

The Starfish Story....

This story is very famous; sometimes the old man is the boys grandfather, other times the main characters are mother and daughter. What matters most is that the message remains the same...


"Once upon a time, there was a wise man who used to go to the ocean to do his writing. He had a habit of walking on the beach before he began his work.

One day, as he was walking along the shore, he looked down the beach and saw a human figure moving like a dancer. He smiled to himself at the thought of someone who would dance to the day, and so, he walked faster to catch up.

As he got closer, he noticed that the figure was that of a young man, and that what he was doing was not dancing at all. The young man was reaching down to the shore, picking up small objects, and throwing them into the ocean.

He came closer still and called out "Good morning! May I ask what it is that you are doing?"

The young man paused, looked up, and replied "Throwing starfish into the ocean."

"I must ask, then, why are you throwing starfish into the ocean?" asked the somewhat startled wise man.

To this, the young man replied, "The sun is up and the tide is going out. If I don't throw them in, they'll die."

Upon hearing this, the wise man commented, "But, young man, do you not realize that there are miles and miles of beach and there are starfish all along every mile? You can't possibly make a difference!"

At this, the young man bent down, picked up yet another starfish, and threw it into the ocean. As it met the water, he said, "I made a difference to that one!"


Every day we all come in contact with people that we may never meet again. Did you make a difference in their life? You may have, with just a simple wink, a smile, or holding the door open for the mother with groceries in her arms. Big or small, we all have the power to make a difference.

Great Poem that I want to share...

I found this earlier today and really wanted to share it with everyone...

I Asked God...

I asked God to take away my pride.
God said "No. It is not for me to take away,
but for you to give it up."

I asked God to make my handicapped child whole.
God said. "No. Her spirit is whole,
her body is only temporary."

I asked God to grant me patience.
God said "No. Patience is a byproduct of tribulations;
it isn't granted, it is earned."

I asked God to give me happiness.
God said "No. I give you blessings,
happiness is up to you."

I asked God to spare my pain.
God said "No. Sufferings draw you apart from worldly cares and brings you closer to me."

I asked God to make my spirit grow.
God said "No. You must grow on your own,
but I will prune you to make you fruitful."

I asked for all things that I might enjoy life.
God said, "No. I will give you life so that you may enjoy all things."

I asked God to help me LOVE others,
as much as God loves me. God said....

" Ahhhhh............ Finally you have the idea!"

The Everyday Miracles That Go Unrecognized....

Every day we get up and begin our day. It doesn't matter if we wake up early, or late, or even if we go to work or stay home. The moment that we awaken, our lives have been blessed.

Now, the way the average individual acts, you'd have no idea that they have been blessed with unbelievable miracles every day. Most of us get up, grumble at the rising sun coming through the window, and yell at the shower when it’s too cold or too hot.

We go downstairs for breakfast, and say some choice four-letter words when our toast resembles something out of a Kingsford bag, and again when your shoe discovers the gift that your dog has left for you in the garage.

Then we get in our cars, and drive to work, barely noticing that while traffic is going in all directions, we have all been given another glorious day to accomplish our dreams.

"Accomplish our dreams? Are you kidding me? I barely get enough sleep as it is, I have to go to work every day and when I get home, I’m certainly not thinking about doing anything but unwinding…”

I know, I know. That's true for nearly all of us. But do you have any idea why this is the reality (and eventual rut) for so many people? It's because we allow it to happen. We don't know any other way.

But what if I told you that your life was full of miracles? That you have been blessed, and put here for a reason. And that YOU are meant for a life of joy and abundance.

“Well I don’t feel blessed. Tell me how I can feel blessed when my life is so crazy…”

OK, I will.

Have you ever thought of what life is like for someone who has lost the use of a limb, one of their senses (hearing, vision, etc) or even someone who lives day after day with health problems?

If that suddenly happened to us, or one of our loved ones, we would pray for a MIRACLE.

“Oh just one more day...give me my life back.”

Guess what? Your prayers have been answered, before you have even asked. You CAN see! You CAN walk! You CAN hear!
It’s MIRACLES many times over! You have been BLESSED! Every day of your life you have been blessed!

You just never noticed…

Now that you are aware, what are you going to do with it?