A message every adult should read because children
are watching you and doing as you do, not as you say. When you thought I wasn't looking I saw you hang my first painting on the refrigerator, and I immediately wanted to paint another one. When you thought I wasn't looking I saw you feed the birds in winter, and I learned that it was good to be kind to animals. When you thought I wasn't looking I saw you make my favorite cake for me, and I learned that the little things can be the special things in life. When you thought I wasn't looking I heard you say a prayer, and I knew that there is a God I could always talk to, and I learned to trust in Him. When you thought I wasn't looking I saw you make a meal and take it to a friend who was sick, and I learned that we all have to help take care of each other. When you thought I wasn't looking I saw you take care of our house and everyone in it, and I learned we have to take care of what we are given. When you thought I wasn't looking I saw how you handled your responsibilities, even when you didn't feel good, and I learned that I would have to be responsible when I grow up. When you thought I wasn't looking I saw you hold the door open for others and heard 'thank you' and 'you're welcome', and I learned respect for others. When you thought I wasn't looking I saw tears come from your eyes, and I learned that sometimes things hurt, but it's all right to cry. When you thought I wasn't looking I saw that you cared, and I wanted to be everything that I could be.. When you thought I wasn't looking I learned most of life's lessons that I need to know to be a good and productive person when I grow up. When you thought I wasn't looking I looked at you and wanted to say, Thanks for all the things I saw when you thought I wasn't looking.' I AM SENDING THIS TO ALL OF THE PEOPLE I KNOW WHO DO SO MUCH FOR OTHERS, BUT THINK THAT NO ONE EVER SEES. LITTLE EYES SEE A LOT .. Each of us (parent, grandparent, aunt, uncle, teacher, friend) influences the life of a child. How will you touch the life of someone today? Just by sending this to someone else, you will probably make them at least think about their influence on others. Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly. Leave the rest to God. Saying "I love you" isn't the only way to let someone know how you feel. Here is
verbal way to express your feelings to your someone special. Verbal Expressions Express consideration. Part of loving someone is wanting what's best for him or her. You can highlight this attitude by asking after your loved one's welfare. For instance, if you know he or she had a hard day yesterday, quietly ask them how they're doing today and how their day is going. Letting them know you care is a great sign of Love. If you're running an errand, ask if you can pick up anything for your loved one while you're out. If they are facing a particularly difficult situation, communicate that you'd be glad to help out in anyway you can. Using your words to show how much you care can go a long way. Don't over-say it. If you're telling someone that you love him or her 15 times a day, it starts to lose its meaning. Cut out a few of those verbal expressions and mix it up with some non-verbal cues instead. A man died, when he realized it, he saw God coming closer with a suitcase in his hand. God said: Alright son its time to go. Surprised the man responded: Now..? So soon..? I had a lot of plans... I am sorry but its time to go. Man Asked: What do you have in that suitcase..? God answered: Your belongings. My belongings..? You mean my things, my clothes, my money..? God answered: Those things were not yours they belonged to the earth. Is it my memories..? God answered: Those never belonged to you they belonged to Time. Is it my talents..? God answered: those were never yours they belonged to the circumstances. Is it my friends and family..? God answered: I'm sorry they were never yours they belonged to the path. Is it my wife and son..? God answered: They were never yours the belonged to your heart. Is it my body..?
God answered: that was never yours it belonged to the dust. Is it my soul..? God answered: No that is mine. Full of fear, the man took the suitcase from god and opened it just to find out the suitcase was empty. With a tear coming down his cheek the man said: I never had anything..? God answered: That is correct, every moment you lived were only yours. Life is just a moment. A moment that belongs to you. For this reason enjoy this time while you have it. Don't let anything that you think you own stop you from doing so. -Live now... -Live your life... - Don't forget to be happy, that is the only thing that matters. - Material things and everything else that you fought for stay here. -YOU CAN'T TAKE ANYTHING Share this reflection with anyone you love or appreciate. Enjoy every second you live. CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH CHRIST JESUS WHO STRENGTHENS US
Donna's fourth grade classroom looked like many others I had seen in the past.The teacher's desk was in front and faced the students. The bulletin board featured student work. In most respects it appeared to be a typically traditional elementary classroom. Yet something seemed different that day as I entered it for the first time. My job was to make classroom visitations and encourage implementation of a training program that focused on language arts ideas that would empower students to feel good about themselves and take charge of their lives. Donna was one of the volunteer teachers who participated in this project. I took an empty seat in the back of the room and watched. All the students were working on a task, filling a sheet of notebook paper with thoughts and ideas. The ten-year-old student next to me was filling her page with I Can'ts. "I can't kick the soccer ball past second base." "I can't do long division with more than three numerals." "I can't get Debbie to like me." Her page was half full and she showed no signs of letting up. She worked on with determination and persistence. I walked down the row glancing at student's papers. Everyone was writing sentences, describing things they couldn't do. By this time the activity engaged my curiosity, so I decided to check with the teacher to see what was going on but I noticed she too was busy writing. I felt it best not to interrupt. "I can't get John's mother to come for a teacher conference." "I can't get my daughter to put gas in the car." "I can't get Alan to use words instead of fists." Thwarted in my efforts to determine why students and teacher were dwelling on the negative instead of writing the more positive "I Can" statements, I returned to my seat and continued my observations. Students wrote for another ten minutes. They were then instructed to fold the papers in half and bring them to the front. They placed their "I Can't" statements into an empty shoe box. Then Donna added hers. She put the lid on the box, tucked it under her arm and headed out the door and down the hall. Students followed the teacher. I followed the students. Halfway down the hallway Donna entered the custodian's room, rummaged around and came out with a shovel. Shovel in one hand, shoe box in the other, Donna marched the students outside to the farthest corner of the playground. There they began to dig. They were going to bury their "I Can'ts"! The digging took over ten minutes because most of the fourth graders wanted a turn. The box of "I Can'ts" was placed in position at the bottom of the hole and then quickly covered with dirt. Thirty-one 10 and 11 year-olds stood around the freshly dug grave site. At this point Donna announced, "Boys and girls, please join hands and bow your heads." They quickly formed a circle around the grave, creating a bond with their hands. They lowered their heads and waited. Donna delivered the eulogy. "Friends, we gathered here today to honor the memory of 'I Can't.' While he was with us here on earth, he touched the lives of everyone, some more than others. We have provided 'I Can't' with a final resting place and a headstone that contains his epitaph. His is survived by his brothers and sisters, 'I Can', 'I Will', and 'I'm Going to Right Away'. They are not as well known as their famous relative and are certainly not as strong and powerful yet. Perhaps some day, with your help, they will make an even bigger mark on the world. May 'I Can't' rest in peace and may everyone present pick up their lives and move forward in his absence. Amen. " As I listened I realized that these students would never forget this day. Writing "I Can'ts", burying them and hearing the eulogy. That was a major effort for the teacher. And she wasn't done yet. She turned the students around, marched them back into the classroom and held a wake. They celebrated the passing of "I Can't" with cookies, popcorn and fruit juices. As part of the celebration, Donna cut a large tombstone from butcher paper. She wrote the words "I Can't" at the top and put RIP in the middle. The date was added at the bottom. The paper tombstone hung in Donna's classroom for the remainder of the year. On those rare occasions when a student forgot and said, "I Can't", Donna simply pointed to the RIP sign. The student then remembered that "I Can't" was dead and chose to rephrase the statement. I wasn't one of Donna's students. She was one of mine. Yet that day I learned an enduring lesson from her as years later, I still envision that fourth grade class laying to rest, "I Can't". You have to do the hard things.
You have to make the call you’re afraid to make. You have to get up earlier than you want to get up. You have to give more than you get in return right away. You have to care more about others than they care about you. You have to fight when you are already injured, bloody, and sore. You have to feel unsure and insecure when playing it safe seems smarter. You have to lead when no one else is following you yet. You have to invest in yourself even though no one else is. You have to look like a fool while you’re looking for answers you don’t have. You have to grind out the details when it’s easier to shrug them off. You have to deliver results when making excuses is an option. You have to search for your own explanations even when you’re told to accept the “facts.” You have to make mistakes and look like an idiot. You have to try and fail and try again. You have to run faster even though you’re out of breath. You have to be kind to people who have been cruel to you. You have to meet deadlines that are unreasonable and deliver results that are unparalleled. You have to be accountable for your actions even when things go wrong. You have to keep moving towards where you want to be no matter what’s in front of you. You have to do the hard things. The things that no one else is doing. The things that scare you. The things that make you wonder how much longer you can hold on. Those are the things that define you. Those are the things that make the difference between living a life of mediocrity or outrageous success. The hard things are the easiest things to avoid. To excuse away. To pretend like they don’t apply to you. The simple truth about how ordinary people accomplish outrageous feats of success is that they do the hard things that smarter, wealthier, more qualified people don’t have the courage — or desperation — to do. Do the hard things. You might be surprised at how amazing you really are. Be subject to one another in the fear of Christ. Ephesians 5:21
In reality shows like Survivor, we enjoy watching the contestant’s scheme, plot, and back-stab their way to the prize, hoping to avoid being voted off the island by looking out for number one. The winner of this reality show is always the person who best adopts an it's "all-about-me" attitude! The all-about-me philosophy is devastating to the family. Today, more marriages are terminated in divorce than by the death of a spouse. Most of our nation's children live apart from their biological fathers. That is the real reality of the all-about-me strategy. Christianity rejects the self-centered attitude and teaches that the winning strategy is really all about submission. We are to first commit to Jesus Christ, and then we are called to submit to Him. As part of that, we are called to submit to our employers, and spiritual leaders etc. While husbands are called to love their wives as Christ loves the church, wives are called to submit to their husbands; and children are called to submit to their parents. And within the family, there is to be mutual submission to one another, seeking the best interests of other members of the family before ourselves. The really good thing is that when our outlook changes from it's "all-about-me" to it's "all about God and family", there is peace with God and a better chance for peace within our families, and harmony with our fellowman. When that reality is real, we don't just survive--we soar! Bless the Lord, all you servants of the Lord, who stand by night in the house of the Lord. Lift up your hands in the sanctuary, and bless the Lord. May the Lord that made heaven and earth bless you out of Zion. (Psalm 134)
Years ago when I was attending seminary, I worked the night shift on occasion. It paid a little more money than the day shift, but it was a bit lonely. If you've ever had to work the night shift, you will appreciate Psalm 134. God never slumbers or sleeps. Therefore, we can serve and praise Him any time of day. The psalmist says there were priests who prayed and praised God in His temple at night. There was a constant repetition of praise and prayer from the temple. We can bless the Lord in the night seasons. It's not easy when we are going through the nighttime experiences of life to lift our hands and bless the Lord. But He does give us songs in the night. Paul and Silas were able to lift their hearts in praise to God while in the Philippian jail (Acts 16). They were on the night shift. They knew that God was awake, so they praised Him, and He sent deliverance. We can get some strange blessings in the night seasons, for God speaks to us in different ways. Others may not see your praise at night, but God sees and hears. Whether you are in the sunshine or in the darkness, whether you are serving on the day shift or the night shift, remember that you are serving the Lord. Because He never slumbers or sleeps, He hears your prayer and praise at all times, and He will bless you. So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. —Hebrews 10:35-36
The battle is not about what you’re facing. The battle is not with your family or marriage, a financial problem or an illness. The battle that must be won first is in your thinking. The devil desires to break down your mind. He wants to break you down mentally, to cause you to give up, to quit, to say, “I can’t take it anymore. I’m going to use my quit option. I’m going to ring the bell and go back to how things used to be.” You get to the point where you believe you have no more energy to fight and no ability to overcome. I’m here to remind you that you are more than conquerors in Christ Jesus, in His strength. But the only way that will become a reality in your life is if you remove the quit option. When you do that—the real battle is already won. I love Hebrews 10:35-36 because so many really do start out strong. They start out on fire for God, but somewhere along the way they enter into their own Hell Week and trouble starts breaking loose on every front. That’s when they start looking for the bell to ring; because they never got rid of that “quit option” before they started. It doesn’t matter how strong you start if quitting is always an option. If the Lord were to never answer another prayer, I will still never ring that bell. As Job said, “Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him” (Job 13:15). Job had thrown away the quit option. The three friends of Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego, had thrown away the quit option. They told king Nebuchadnezzar, “Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up” (Dan. 3:17-18). Make up your mind that no matter what the enemy throws at you, you’re not turning back. I have had prayers answered and I’ve had prayers go unanswered. I have had miracles happen and I’ve endured huge disappointments. But I am not in this for what I can get out of Jesus. I’m in this because He loved me first and gave Himself for me. When we recognize our weakness and trust in His strength, He will give us the mercy and grace to endure "Then God said, 'Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness. And let them rule over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the sky, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.' Genesis 1:26 What does it mean that man was made in God's image? Scripture does not imply a visual duplication of God; instead it refers to the nature of God. Like God, man can think and reason. We appreciate beauty and language. And unlike animals, we have an inner sense of morality and the ability to grasp deep concepts. This gives man the ability to commune with God, and that is the real reason God made us in His image. He desires a relationship with you and wants to fellowship with all mankind. In the same passage, God addresses our relationship with the earth. One reason God made us in His image is that we are responsible for caring for all of God's creation. We're to be an intermediary between God and all of His creation. How can we manage it unless we stay close to God; unless we think like God; unless we're able to fulfill the will of God? Part of having a relationship with God is having the right relationship with His creation. Being created in His image is an awesome gift, as well as a sacred responsibility. We are all faced with a series of great opportunities, brilliantly disguised as unsolvable problems. Unsolvable without God’s wisdom, that is. With His wisdom, they are changed to great opportunities. That change depends on our perspective.
We are faced with a problem that seems to have no human solution. And perhaps it doesn’t. There is no end in view. It has all the marks of an endlessly impossible situation. But I have found this is the platform upon which God does His greatest work. The more impossible the situation, the greater God accomplishes His work. "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." (Matthew 19:26) |
Ana & Andre Schoonbee God uses us to motivate and encourage the body. Authors
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