n Seuntjie het buite gespeel en hy was besig om vir hom huisies te bou en paaie te maak sodat hy met sy karretjies daarop kon ry. In die proses was daar n baie groot rots wat in sy pad was, en hy het alles probeer om die rots geskuif te kry. Hy het dit getrek, hy het dit gestoot, hy het naderhand sy fietsie gaan haal en n tou daarom vasgemaak en dit so probeer wegtrek, maar alles tevergeefs. Die sweet het hom afgetap, en hy het moedeloos langs sy pa gaan sit wat onder n boom op n bank gesit het, en hierdie hele petalje aanskou het. Sy pa het hom vol liefde aangekyk en vir hom gevra: "Boetman het jy nou alles probeer?" Baie verontwaardig se hy vir sy pa: "Pappa het gesien hoe hard ek gesukkel het, ek is nou so moeg en die rots beweeg nie".
Sy pa het saggies oor sy koppie gestreel, en vir hom gese: "Maar jy het nog nie als probeer nie". Boetman het opgespring en gese: "Maar pappa het gesien hoe sukkel ek" En toe antwoord sy pa in n sagte stem, "Nee my seun, jy het nog nie alles probeer nie, want jy het my nog nie gevra nie". Here hoe dikwels het ons hierdie vreeslike rots in ons pad, en niks wat ons doen of se beweeg dit nie, en as ons dan op n hopie neersak en ons wil huil van moedeloosheid, dan vra U so saggies: " My kind, het jy my al gevra" Ons erken vandag dat ons eers in ons eie krag probeer, en as niks wil werk nie, dan gaan ons na U toe as n laaste poging. Here, van hierdie dag af, onderneem ek om eerste by U Voete te gaan sit, dan het ek nie nodig om my eie kragte so uit te put nie. Amen. One young academically excellent person went to apply for a managerial position in a big company.
He passed the first interview, the director did the last interview, made the last decision. The director discovered from the CV that the youth's academic achievements were excellent all the way, from the secondary school until the postgraduate research, never had a year when he did not score good grades. The director asked, "Did you obtain any scholarships in school ?" the youth answered "None." The director asked, " Was it your father who paid for your school fees ?" The youth answered, "My father passed away when I was one year old, it was my mother who paid for my school fees." The director asked, "Where did your mother work?" The youth answered, "My mother worked as clothes cleaner." The director requested the youth to show his hands. The youth showed a pair of hands that were smooth and perfect. The director asked, " Have you ever helped your mother wash the clothes before ?" The youth answered, "Never, my mother always wanted me to study and read more books. Furthermore, my mother can wash clothes faster than me." The director said, "I have a request. When you go back today, go and clean your mother's hands, and then see me tomorrow morning." The youth felt that his chance of landing the job was high. When he went back, he happily requested his mother to let him clean her hands. His mother felt strange, happy but with mixed feelings, she showed her hands to the kid. The youth cleaned his mother's hands slowly. His tear fell as he did that. It was the first time he noticed that his mother's hands were so wrinkled, and there were so many bruises in her hands. Some bruises were so painful that his mother shivered when they were cleaned with water. This was the first time the youth realized that it was this pair of hands that washed the clothes every day to enable him to pay the school fee. The bruises in the mother's hands were the price that the mother had to pay for his graduation, academic excellence and his future. After finishing the cleaning of his mother hands, the youth quietly washed all the remaining clothes for his mother. That night, mother and son talked for a very long time. Next morning, the youth went to the director's office. The Director noticed the tears in the youth's eyes, asked: "Can you tell me what have you done and learned yesterday in your house?" The youth answered, "I cleaned my mother's hand, and also finished cleaning all the remaining clothes." The Director asked, "Please tell me your feelings." The youth said,
The director said, "This is what I am looking for to be my manager." I want to recruit a person who can appreciate the help of others, a person who knows the sufferings of others to get things done, and a person who would not put money as his only goal in life. You are hired. Later on, this young person worked very hard, and received the respect of his subordinates. Every employee worked diligently and as a team. The company's performance improved tremendously. Lessons to be Learnt: A child, who has been protected and habitually given whatever he wanted, would develop "entitlement mentality" and would always put himself first. He would be ignorant of his parent's efforts. When he starts work, he assumes that every person must listen to him, and when he becomes a manager, he would never know the sufferings of his employees and would always blame others. For this kind of people, who may be good academically, may be successful for a while, but eventually would not feel sense of achievement. He will grumble and be full of hatred and fight for more. If we are this kind of protective parents, are we really showing love or are we destroying the kid instead? You can let your kid live in a big house, eat a good meal, learn piano, watch a big screen TV. But when you are cutting grass, please let them experience it. After a meal, let them wash their plates and bowls together with their brothers and sisters. It is not because you do not have money to hire a maid, but it is because you want to love them in a right way. You want them to understand, no matter how rich their parents are, one day their hair will grow gray, same as the mother of that young person. The most important thing is your kid learns how to appreciate the effort and experience the difficulty and learns the ability to work with others to get things done.e ID We can give our children a bed to sleep in, but only the Lord can make them lie down in green pastures and beside still waters.
We can encourage our kids, but only God can restore their souls. We can advise our youngsters, and we may have goals and dreams for them; but only God can lead them in paths of righteousness for His Name’s sake. We can try our best to protect our children, but only the Lord can walk with them through the valley of the shadow of death and save them from evil, guarded by His rod and staff. We try to provide for their needs, but only the Lord can spread a table for them in the wilderness and make their cups overflow. We can gift them with our love and resources; but only God can give them unfailing goodness and mercy all the days of their lives. We can provide a temporary home for our youngsters on earth, but through Jesus Christ they can dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Robert J.Morgan www.robertjmorgan.com Psalm 62:8 teaches us to have faith in God constantly. We need to live from faith to faith. Rom1:17 Trust God in Good and bad times. The more stable we become applying Gods word in our lives and diciplining our emotions, our moods and our mouths the more ability can be released through us.
A little girl stood near a small church from which she had been turned
away because it was 'too crowded.' I can't go to Sunday School,' she sobbed to the Pastor as he walked by. Seeing her shabby, unkempt appearance, the Pastor guessed the reason and, taking her by the hand, took her inside and found a place for her in the Sunday school class. The child was so happy that they found room for her, and she went to bed that night thinking of the children who have no place to worship Jesus. Some two years later, this child lay dead in one of the poor tenement buildings. Her parents called for the kindhearted Pastor who had befriended their daughter to handle the final arrangements. As her poor little body was being moved, a worn and crumpled red purse was found which seemed to have been rummaged from some trash dump. Inside was found 57 cents and a note, scribbled in childish handwriting, which read: 'This is to help build the little church bigger so more children can go to Sunday School.' For two years she had saved for this offering of love. When the Pastor tearfully read that note, he knew instantly what he would do. Carrying this note and the cracked, red pocketbook to the pulpit, he told the story of her unselfish love and devotion. He challenged his deacons to get busy and raise enough money for the larger building. But the story does not end there... A newspaper learned of the story and published It. It was read by a wealthy realtor who offered them a parcel of land worth many thousands. When told that the church could not pay so much, he offered to sell it to the little church for 57 cents. Church members made large donations. Checks came from far and wide. Within five years the little girl's gift had increased to $250,000.00 - a huge sum for that time (near the turn of the century). Her unselfish love had paid large dividends. When you are in the city of Philadelphia, look up Temple Baptist Church, with a seating capacity of 3,300. And be sure to visit Temple University, where thousands of students are educated. Have a look, too, at the Good Samaritan Hospital and at a Sunday School building which houses hundreds of beautiful children, built so that no child in the area will ever need to be left outside during Sunday school time. In one of the rooms of this building may be seen the picture of the sweet face of the little girl whose 57 cents, so sacrificially saved, made such remarkable history. Alongside of it is a portrait of her kind pastor, Dr. Russell H. Conwell, author of the book, 'Acres of Diamonds'. This is a true story, which goes to show WHAT GOD CAN DO WITH 57 CENTS. Be thankful that you don't already have everything you desire. If you
did, what would there be to look forward to? Be thankful when you don't know something, for it gives you the opportunity to learn. Be thankful for the difficult times. During those times you grow. Be thankful for your limitations, because they give you opportunities for improvement. Be thankful for each new challenge, because it will build your strength and character. Be thankful for your mistakes. They will teach you valuable lessons. Be thankful when you're tired and weary, because it means you've made a difference. It's easy to be thankful for the good things. A life of rich fulfillment comes to those who are also thankful for the setbacks. Gratitude can turn a negative into a positive. Find a way to be thankful for your troubles, and they can become your blessings. - Unknown Did you ever see a tree after it has been soaked with rain? As the wind blows, it drops rain from its branches. That’s how I want you to be. Spend time with Me and I will fill you up so you are drenched with Me. Then when the winds blow you will rain Me down on others. (This is so different from the picture of the cup that gets bumped and we ask what spills out. This has always felt so negative.) If you are drenched in Me, you can only spill out Me. What else? You have never really walked in this. You have had times of sitting with Me. Now, My lamb, come to the water and be filled with Me daily. Stir up the oil and let Me renew and replace so it stays fresh in you. The oil inside – Me in you – that’s what this is all about. Let Me set you on fire. Warm oil washing over you brings cleansing. Cold oil is dead – there is no life in it. Like oil from a bottle, we try to package up an experience with God and see how long it can last and try to pour out the old oil from years ago and wonder why it has no effect. You cannot bottle up the old to use later like manna. There is no life in it. It has to be fresh daily, sometimes hourly! Sit and let Me pour in the warm oil to every part of you. Others will come and nest in your branches for there is safety there. Some will sit at your feet just to receive from the drops of the branches. Do not disappoint them. Stay filled with me so that your branches and leaves will always be drenched and ready to drench others. Proverbs 24:10 if you faint in the day of adversity your strength is small. The bible never promises that we will not face adversities, it does however promise us the strength and grace we need in order to overcome it. With Gods strength we never have to become fainthearted or give up no matter what trail or tribulation we face.
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