Today, when I awoke, I suddenly realized that this is the best day of my life, ever!
There were times when I wondered if I would make it to today; but I did! And because I did I'm going to celebrate! Today, I'm going to celebrate what an unbelievable life I have had so far: the accomplishments, the many blessings, and, yes, even the hardships because they have served to make me stronger. I will go through this day with my head held high, and a happy heart. I will marvel at God's seemingly simple gifts: the morning dew, the sun, the clouds, the trees, the flowers, the birds. Today, none of these miraculous creations will escape my notice. Today, I will share my excitement for life with other people. I'll make someone smile. I'll go out of my way to perform an unexpected act of kindness for someone I don't even know. Today, I'll give a sincere compliment to someone who seems down. I'll tell a child how special he is, and I'll tell someone I love just how deeply I care for her and how much she means to me. Today is the day I quit worrying about what I don't have and start being grateful for all the wonderful things God has already given me. I'll remember that to worry is just a waste of time because my faith in God and his Divine Plan ensures everything will be just fine. And tonight, before I go to bed, I'll go outside and raise my eyes to the heavens. I will stand in awe at the beauty of the stars and the moon, and I will praise God for these magnificent treasures. As the day ends and I lay my head down on my pillow, I will thank the Almighty for the best day of my life. And I will sleep the sleep of a contented child, excited with expectation because I know tomorrow is going to be the best day of my life, ever! The Wemmicks were small wooden people. Each of the wooden people was carved by a woodworker named Eli. His workshop sat on a hill overlooking their village. Every Wemmick was different. Some had big noses, others had large eyes. Some were tall and others were short. Some wore hats, others wore coats. But all were made by the same carver and all lived in the village. And all day, every day, the Wemmicks did the same thing: They gave each other stickers. Each Wemmick had a box of golden star stickers and a box of gray dot stickers. Up and down the streets all over the city, people could be seen sticking stars or dots on one another. The pretty ones, those with smooth wood and fine paint, always got stars. But if the wood was rough or the paint chipped, the Wemmicks gave dots. The talented ones got stars, too. Some could lift big sticks high above their heads or jump over tall boxes. Still others knew big words or could sing very pretty songs. Everyone gave them stars. Some Wemmicks had stars all over them! Every time they got a star it made them feel so good that they did something else and got another star. Others though, could do little. They got dots. Punchinello was one of these. He tried to jump high like the others, but he always fell. And when he fell, the others would gather around and give him dots. Sometimes when he fell, it would scar his wood, so the people would give him more dots. He would try to explain why he fell and say something silly, and the Wemmicks would give him more dots. After a while he had so many dots that he didn't want to go outside. He was afraid he would do something dumb such as forget his hat or step in the water, and then people would give him another dot. In fact, he had so many gray dots that some people would come up and give him one without reason. "He deserves lots of dots", the wooden people would agree with one another. "He's not a good wooden person." After a while Punchinello believed them. "I'm not a good Wemmick," he would say. The few times he went outside, he hung around other Wemmicks who had a lot of dots. He felt better around them. One day he met a Wemmick who was unlike any he'd ever met. She had no dots or stars. She was just wooden. Her name was Lulia. It wasn't that people didn't try to give her stickers; it's just that the stickers didn't stick. Some admired Lulia for having no dots, so they would run up and give her a star. But it would fall off. Some would look down on her for having no stars, so they would give her a dot. But it wouldn't stay either. 'That's the way I want to be,' thought Punchinello. 'I don't want anyone's marks.' So he asked the stickerless Wemmick how she did it. "It's easy,"Lulia replied, "everyday I go to see Eli." "Eli?" "Yes, Eli. The woodcarver. I sit in the workshop with him." "Why?" "Why don't you find out for yourself? Go up the hill. He's there." And with that the Wemmick with no marks turned and skipped away. "But he won't want to see me!" Punchinello cried out. Lulia didn't hear. So Punchinello went home. He sat near a window and watched the wooden people as they scurried around giving each other stars and dots. "It's not right," he muttered to himself. And he resolved to go see Eli. He walked up the narrow path to the top of the hill and stepped into the big shop. His wooden eyes widened at the size of everything. The stool was as tall as he was. He had to stretch on his tiptoes to see the top of the workbench. A hammer was as long as his arm. Punchinello swallowed hard. "I'm not staying here!" and he turned to leave. Then he heard his name. "Punchinello?" The voice was deep and strong. Punchinello stopped. "Punchinello! How good to see you. Come and let me have a look at you." Punchinello turned slowly and looked at the large bearded craftsman. "You know my name?" the little Wemmick asked. "Of course I do. I made you." Eli stooped down and picked him up and set him on the bench. "Hmm," the maker spoke thoughtfully as he inspected the gray circles. "Looks like you've been given some bad marks." "I didn't mean to, Eli. I really tried hard." "Oh, you don't have to defend yourself to me, child. I don't care what the other Wemmicks think." "You don't?" "No, and you shouldn't either. Who are they to give stars or dots? They're Wemmicks just like you. What they think doesn't matter, Punchinello. All that matters is what I think. And I think you are pretty special." Punchinello laughed. "Me, special? Why? I can't walk fast. I can't jump. My paint is peeling. Why do I matter to you?" Eli looked at Punchinello, put his hands on those small wooden shoulders, and spoke very slowly. "Because you're mine. That's why you matter to me." Punchinello had never had anyone look at him like this - much less his maker. He didn't know what to say. "Every day I've been hoping you'd come," Eli explained. "I came because I met someone who had no marks." "Why don't the stickers stay on her?" "Because she has decided that what I think is more important than what they think. The stickers only stick if you let them." "What?" "The stickers only stick if they matter to you. The more you trust my love, the less you care about the stickers." "I'm not sure I understand." "You will, but it will take time. You've got a lot of marks. For now, just come to see me every day and let me remind you how much I care." Eli lifted Punchinello off the bench and set him on the ground. "Remember," Eli said as the Wemmick walked out the door. "You are special because I made you. And I don't make mistakes." Punchinello didn't stop, but in his heart he thought, "I think he really means it." And a dot fell to the ground. -- Max Lucado Ek sal jou sterk maak in My krag, en jy sal in My Naam lewe, se die Here! Sag10:12 en Rigters 6:12…die Here is met jou dapper Held!
God sien jou potensiaal . Jy het God in jou, en by jou , jy is tot alles instaat want Jesus is jou krag Philipense 4:13 'n Groep oud studente, waarvan die meeste die hoogste sport in hul beroep bereik het, het op 'n dag 'n besoek gereël by hul gunsteling oud professor van die universiteit waar hulle almal gestudeer het. Die geselskap het vinnig ontaard in 'n kla-sessie oor die spanning wat hulle in hul werk en lewens ervaar. Nadat die professor sy gaste koffie aangebied het,is hy kombuis toe en keer terug met 'n groot ketel koffie en 'n verskeidenheid koppies. Die koppies het gewissel van porselein, glas, kristal, sommige wat baie goedkoop gelyk het, ander wat baie duur gelyk het en sommige wat besonders mooi was. Hy het sy gaste genooi om hulself te help met die koffie. Toe al die oud studente 'n koppie koffie in die hand het, het die ou professor begin praat:"As julle sal oplet sal julle sien dat al die mooi, duur koppies gebruik is en dat dit die gewone goedkoop koppies is wat op die skinkbord oorgebly het. Alhoewel ek verstaan dat dit vir manne van julle status normaal is om slegs die beste vir julself te wil hê, is dit ook die bron van julle probleme en julle spanning. Wat julle moet besef is dat die koppie opsigself geen kwaliteit tot die koffie toevoeg nie. In die meeste gevalle is dit bloot net 'n kwessie van 'n duurder koppie wat boonop nog die inhoud van dit wat ons drink verberg ook. Wat julle almal regtig wou gehad het was koffie, nie die koppie nie, Maar bewustelik het julle almal die beste koppies uitgekies. Toe begin julle verder mekaar se koppies te beloer om te sien wie het die beste koppie gekry. Dink so bietjie na oor die volgende: Die lewe is die koffie;die werk, geld en aansien in die gemeenskap is die koppies- bloot die gereedskapstukke wat die lewe insluit en omvou. Die koppie wat ons het bepaal nie of verander nie die kwaliteit van die koffie, van die lewe wat ons leef nie. Soms gebeur dit egter dat ons só konsentreer op die koppie dat ons vergeet om die koffie te geniet wat God aan ons voorsien het." God berei vir ons die koffie, nie die koppies nie... so geniet jou koffie! "Die gelukkigste mense het nie die beste van alles nie. Hulle maak slegs die beste van dit wat hulle het ! The Lord is my Shepherd
THAT'S RELATIONSHIP! I shall not want THAT'S SUPPLY! He maketh me to lie down in green pastures THAT'S REST! He leadeth me beside still waters THAT'S REFRESHMENT! He restoreth my soul THAT'S HEALING! He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness THAT'S GUIDANCE! For His name sake THAT'S PURPOSE! Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death THAT'S TESTING! I will fear no evil THAT'S PROTECTION! For thou art with me THAT'S FAITHFULNESS! Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me THAT'S COMFORT! Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies THAT'S HOPE! Thou anointest my head with oil THAT'S CONSECRATION! My cup runneth over THAT'S ABUNDANCE! Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life THAT'S BLESSING! And I will dwell in the house of the Lord THAT'S SECURITY! Forever! THAT'S ETERNITY! Success in Gods kingdom is the maximum use of ones abilities and gifts within the range of responsibilities given by God. Such success differs from worldly standards and is based on faithfulness to god and obedience from the heart see 1 Samuel 16:7. It is not what you know but who you know i.e. Jesus that brings spiritual success see Jeremiah 9:23-24 and Dan 11 :32-33 therefore we need to seek first the kingdom of God and Jesus Matthew 6:33 and He will make you successful in everything else.
"For His great love is without end." (Many times in Psalm 136)
No one can exhaust the Love of God revealed in Jesus Christ. Look in the Gospel accounts. Look at the variety of humanity He encountered. Look at Peter after he had taken an oath that he never knew Jesus. Look at yourself. I always find it interesting when people say, "No one ever loved me." Really? Have you checked the Cross today? Have you checked the beating and torture of the Roman soldiers? Have you checked the abandonment of His closest friends? How soon God's children forget! Of course, God loved the world, but that is not an impersonal love. He "loved the world," one person at a time (that means YOU!). And the famous John 3:16 passage says that He "so loved the world, that is, He loved one person at a time "in this way." In what way? He gave Himself in Jesus. The passage does not primarily speak of the quantity of God's love, but the demonstration of God's love, "in this (demonstrated) way." Jesus became flesh and dwelt among us, and He will forever bear the scars of His "demonstrated" love for us. John saw "a Lamb as though it had been slain..." The slain Lamb, with the scars still in His side, in His feet, in His hands, on His brow, will be a continual reminder of how "God... loved the world." Now, you can never, ever, say again... "No one loves me," or, "No one cares." The Eternal Living Lamb Who was slain, Jesus Christ, will be an Eternal Living Reminder of that Love. Why not start getting use to it now? Father, in Jesus' Name, if I ever feel lonely, unappreciated, unloved, shame on me. You are such Love. Amen. |
Ana & Andre Schoonbee God uses us to motivate and encourage the body. Authors
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