Heaven's Grocery Store

As I was walking down life's highway many years ago I came upon a sign that read Heavens Grocery Store.

When I got a little closer the doors swung open wide And when I came to myself I was standing inside.
I saw a host of angels. They were standing everywhere One handed me a basket and said; "My child shop with care."
Everything a human needed was in that grocery store And what you could not carry you could come back for more.

First I got some Patience. Love was in that same row. Further down was Understanding, you need that everywhere you go.
I got a box or two of Wisdom and Faith a bag or two. And Charity of course I would need some of that too.
I couldn't miss the Holy Ghost It was all over the place. And then some Strength and Courage to help me run this race.

My basket was getting full but I remembered I needed Grace, And then I chose Salvation for Salvation was for free I tried to get enough of that to do for you and me.

Then I started to the counter to pay my grocery bill, For I thought I had everything to do the Masters will.

As I went up the aisle I saw Prayer and put that in, For I knew when I stepped outside I would run into sin.

Peace and Joy were plentiful, the last things on the shelf. Song and Praise were hanging near so I just helped myself.

Then I said to the angel "Now how much do I owe?"

He smiled and said; "Just take them everywhere you go."

Again I asked; "Really now, How much do I owe?"

"My child;" he said, "God paid your bill a long long time ago."

Short Stories...Leaving The Past Behind

...She looked at her father for the last time before he was finally laid to rest. And she said to herself, "I forgive you father." She has forgiven him but she has not forgotten the turmoil, terror and abuse that she went through.

Her father was working away most of the time when she was growing up. But when he was home, he was violent. She remembered crying in the middle of the night listening to him beating up her mother. She could
hear her sobs. And she wept because she could not do anything about it.

She was terrified of him. Her and her siblings were not supposed to do any thing wrong according to his terms. When she was six years old he pushed her head so hard onto the floor. She still have the scar on her forehead.

When her mother was diagnosed with depression, the four of them siblings had to move and they lived with their father. He hired someone to take care of them while he was away at work.

There was so much fear in every one of them when he was back. Her father was so angry with one of her brother's one day that he turned him upside down and wanted to throw him off. She watched that episode with horror.

From then on, she tried not to make any mistakes. She wept inside because he did not want to hear any whimpers. And she continued watching him vent his anger on the rest of her siblings.

When her father divorced her mother, she did not know how to feel or react. Her mother was back with them but her depression kept relapsing. They were neglected.

She found solace from friends at school. She enjoyed reading stories and literature. She spent her time in the school library. There was no home sweet home.

Her mother could not take care of her. Her father took her away to live with his new family. It did not work out. She was sent to a welfare home.

She did not deserve to be abandoned but she was helpless. She was mad with her father. She was not angry with her mother but she just did not understand why her mother had to be sick.

Until recently, she did not want to admit that her childhood affected her emotionally and mentally. She have brought the memories of bygone age along into her daily existence.

In all her relationships, everything went well until her partners suggested on serious commitments. She would then sabotage the relationships.

She was not able to open up to anyone. She was very defensive when given any advice or opinion on her attitude and behavior.

When there were arguments, she clamped up or walked off. She never wanted to face any issues and resolve them.

And she would not cry in front of anyone no matter how sad or hurt she was. She remembered a time when her sister was badly wounded and hospitalized. She did not want anyone to see her cry. She walked away and cried her heart out alone in a secluded place.

She excelled in her career by putting in lots of hours and efforts. Now she realized that it was one way of escaping reality. She kept herself so busy so that she do not notice things that needed attention. She was using work as a means to avoid commitments.

There was one thing that she gained from the experience of being abandoned. She was able to sit quietly alone for hours and reflect.

It has developed her fascination on nature's beauty. She love the feel of the wind blowing on her face. I enjoy watching the rain falling. And no matter how bad the weather is, it is still beautiful.

She became curious about many things. She questioned others and herself about life and how some things happen to certain people. She wondered why people behave the way they do. She looked for the answers.

She have developed the strength to persevere. But that is not enough. She want to become a survivor who is able to balance her life and enjoy the abundance that the universe has to offer.

She have decided to break herself free from the shackles of her fragile upbringing. She promise herself that she will not allow her past to continue ruining her future.

This child has grown up and will not weep in silence anymore....

This is a very sad story. 

Thank God I have a lovable father. Although he have a list of chores for me before he laid to rest, and a lot of time I feel so reluctant and want to escape from the chores, but he still the best father anyone could ever had. 

He was the second child out of 11. My elder uncle passed away at his young age leaving 4 children. 1940-1970 are tough years, in fact, I really don't know how he could possibly manage to support the family without a single complaint. He never spoke on his past, most of his stories was told by my mum. In his life, all things tie to goal. I do miss both of them very much and they will always lies in my heart. I am in the process of learning to let go but I won't give up.   

A History to learn...Determination

In 1883, a creative engineer named John Roebling was inspired by an idea to build a spectacular bridge connecting New York with the Long Island. However bridge building experts throughout the world thought that this was an impossible feat and told Roebling to forget the idea. It just could not be done. It was not practical. It had never been done before. 

Roebling could not ignore the vision he had in his mind of this bridge. He thought about it all the time and he knew deep in his heart that it could be done. He just had to share the dream with someone else. After much discussion and persuasion he managed to convince his son Washington, an up and coming engineer, that the bridge in fact could be built.

Working together for the first time, the father and son developed concepts of how it could be accomplished and how the obstacles could be overcome. With great excitement and inspiration, and the headiness of a wild challenge before them, they hired their crew and began to build their dream bridge.

The project started well, but when it was only a few months underway a tragic accident on the site took the life of John Roebling. Washington was injured and left with a certain amount of brain damage, which resulted in him not being able to walk or talk or even move.

"We told them so."
"Crazy men and their crazy dreams."
"It`s foolish to chase wild visions."

Everyone had a negative comment to make and felt that the project should be scrapped since the Roeblings were the only ones who knew how the bridge could be built. In spite of his handicap Washington was never discouraged and still had a burning desire to complete the bridge and his mind was still as sharp as ever.

He tried to inspire and pass on his enthusiasm to some of his friends, but they were too daunted by the task. As he lay on his bed in his hospital room, with the sunlight streaming through the windows, a gentle breeze blew the flimsy white curtains apart and he was able to see the sky and the tops of the trees outside for just a moment.

It seemed that there was a message for him not to give up. Suddenly an idea hit him. All he could do was move one finger and he decided to make the best use of it. By moving this, he slowly developed a code of communication with his wife.

He touched his wife's arm with that finger, indicating to her that he wanted her to call the engineers again. Then he used the same method of tapping her arm to tell the engineers what to do. It seemed foolish but the project was under way again.

For 13 years Washington tapped out his instructions with his finger on his wife's arm, until the bridge was finally completed. Today the spectacular Brooklyn Bridge stands in all its glory as a tribute to the triumph of one man's indomitable spirit and his determination not to be defeated by circumstances. It is also a tribute to the engineers and their team work, and to their faith in a man who was considered mad by half the world. It stands too as a tangible monument to the love and devotion of his wife who for 13 long years patiently decoded the messages of her husband and told the engineers what to do.

Perhaps this is one of the best examples of a never-say-die attitude that overcomes a terrible physical handicap and achieves an impossible goal. 

Often when we face obstacles in our day-to-day life, our hurdles seem very small in comparison to what many others have to face. The Brooklyn Bridge shows us that dreams that seem impossible can be realized with determination and persistence, no matter what the odds
are.

Even the most distant dream can be realized with determination and persistence.

Short Stories...A Mother's Love

A little boy came up to his mother in the kitchen one evening while she was fixing supper, and handed her a piece of paper that he had been writing on. After his Mom dried her hands on an apron, she read it, and this is what it said: 

For cutting the grass: $5.00 
For cleaning up my room this week: $1.00 
For going to the store for you: $.50 
Baby-sitting my kid brother while you went shopping: $.25 
Taking out the garbage: $1.00 
For getting a good report card: $5.00 
For cleaning up and raking the yard: $2.00 
Total owed: $14.75 

Well, his mother looked at him standing there, and the boy could see the memories flashing through her mind. She picked up the pen, turned over the paper he'd written on, and this is what she wrote: 

For the nine months I carried you while you were growing inside me: No Charge 

For all the nights that I've sat up with you, doctored and prayed for you: No Charge 

For all the trying times, and all the tears that you've caused through the years: No Charge 

For all the nights that were filled with dread, and for the worries I knew were ahead: No Charge 

For the toys, food, clothes, and even wiping your nose: No Charge 

Son, when you add it up, the cost of my love is: No Charge. 

When the boy finished reading what his mother had written, there were big tears in his eyes, and he looked straight at his mother and said, "Mom, I sure do love you." And then he took the pen and in great big letters he wrote: "PAID IN FULL". 

Lessons:

You will never how much your parents worth till you become a parent 

Be a giver not an requester, especially with your parents. there is a lot to give, besides money. 

Short Stories...A box of kisses

The story goes that some time ago, a man punished his 3-year-old daughter for wasting a roll of gold wrapping paper. Money was tight and he became infuriated when the child tried to decorate a box to put under the Christmas tree. Nevertheless, the little girl brought the gift to her father the next morning and said, "This is for you, Daddy." 

The man was embarrassed by his earlier overreaction, but his anger flared again when he found out the box was empty. He yelled at her, stating, "Don't you know, when you give someone a present, there is supposed to be something inside? The little girl looked up at him 
with tears in her eyes and cried, "Oh, Daddy, it's not empty at all. I blew kisses into the box. They're all for you, Daddy."

The father was crushed. He put his arms around his little girl, and he begged for her forgiveness. 

Only a short time later, an accident took the life of the child. It is also told that her father kept that gold box by his bed for many years and, whenever he was discouraged, he would take out an 
imaginary kiss and remember the love of the child who had put it there.

In a very real sense, each one of us, as humans beings, have been given a gold container filled with unconditional love and kisses... from our children, family members, friends, and God. There is simply no other possession, anyone could hold, more precious than this.

Short Stories...A tale of two salesmen

Maybe you have heard of the tale of the two salesmen who went to Africa. The story goes like this. 

A western shoe salesman went to Africa to scout the market. He wired his manufacturer, `I want to come home. Nobody wears shoes in this part of Africa.' 

They brought him home and sent another salesman. The new salesman hurriedly wired an order, `Everybody here needs shoes!" Seeing everyone bear-footed in that area of Africa may have discouraged the first salesman. 

He must have thought, "Geeesh, nobody uses shoes here, not even a hand-made footwear. How in the world can I sell shoes here when they don't see the benefit of it? I better go home." 
He missed the opportunity to make it big. He could not see. On the other hand, the second salesman thought, "If I can only convince them to wear shoes. If I can show them the benefit. I can almost imagine whole villages buying my shoes. Wow! Aside from helping them enjoy the benefit of wearing shoes, I am going to make a great profit! I can get married and start a family and I can buy that dream house…" 

When I first heard this story, I said to myself, "I am determined to be the second salesman who saw the opportunity rather than the trend." 

I must admit though that there were moments in my life that I stayed on the "what is" and accepted it rather than on the "what can be" and dared to make a difference. 

Now I cannot imagine life without vision. It is not worth living. Which of the two salesmen are you? The one who could not see the potential or the one who could see the vast opportunity? 
If you choose the former then you have destined yourself to be average or less. But if you wish to be the latter then you have taken the first step to a great life. 

"The most pathetic person in the world is someone who has sight, but has no vision." - Helen Keller 

"The poorest man is not he who is without a cent, but he who is without a dream." - Pennsylvania School Journal 

Short Stories...The Grace of God 神的恩典

The only survivor of a shipwreck was washed up on a small, uninhabited island. He prayed feverishly for God to rescue him, and every day he scanned the horizon for help, but none seemed forthcoming.

一次海難中唯一的倖存者被衝到一個又小又無人居住的島嶼。他狂熱地祈禱上帝救他，而每天都细看周围，但沒有任何援助到來。

Exhausted, he eventually managed to build a little hut out of driftwood to protect him from the elements and to store his few possessions. But then one day, after scavenging for food, he arrived home to find his little hut in flames, the smoke rolling up to the sky. 

精疲力尽之下，他用浮木给自己建立了一個簡陋来保護自己，並保存他所有剩下的東西。但有一天，捕完食物後，回到家，發現他的小茅屋着火了，濃煙匆天。

The worst had happened; everything was lost. He was stunned with grief and anger. "God, how could you do this to me!" he cried. Early the next day, however, he was awakened by the sound of a ship that was approaching the island. It had come to rescue him. "How did you know I was here?" asked the weary man of his rescuers. "We saw your smoke signal," they replied.

最悲的是，一切都沒有了。他震驚的感到悲痛和憤怒。 “上帝啊，你怎麼會這樣對我！”他哭了。然而，第二天一早，他被正靠近小島的船聲驚醒了。是的，有人來救他了。 “你怎麼知道我在這裡？”疲憊的他向救援人員問。他們回答說：“我們看到了你的濃煙信号。”

It is easy to get discouraged when things are going badly. But we shouldn't lose heart, because God is at work in our lives, even in the midst of pain and suffering. Remember, next time if your little hut is burning to the ground--it just may be a smoke signal that summons The Grace of God.

當事情變得糟糕，人就很容易氣餒。即使在動盪的痛苦和折磨下，也不可以失去信心，因為上帝一直都在我們的生活。記住，如果你的小木屋燃燒在地上 - 那可能只是一個煙霧信号，召喚神的恩典。

And of course, in the reality world, when there's a fire, please extinguish it. Do not fight a fire not worth fighting, evacuate the building, personal safety comes first!

當然，在现实世界，當有失火时，請立刻灭火！假如火太猛，立刻离开火场，安全第一！

Short Stories...What Goes Around Comes Around

One day a man saw a old lady, stranded on the side of the road, but even in the dim light of day, he could see she needed help. So he pulled up in front of her Mercedes and got out. His Pontiac was still sputtering when he approached her. 

Even with the smile on his face, she was worried. No one had stopped to help for the last hour or so. Was he going to hurt her? He didn't look safe; he looked poor and hungry.

He could see that she was frightened, standing out there in the cold. He knew how she felt. It was that chill which only fear can put in you.

He said, 'I'm here to help you, ma'am. Why don't you wait in the car where it's warm? By the way, my name is Bryan Anderson.'  Well, all she had was a flat tire, but for an old lady, that was bad enough. Bryan crawled under the car looking for a place to put the jack, skinning his knuckles a time or two. Soon he was able to change the tire. But he had to get dirty and his hands hurt. 

As he was tightening up the lug nuts, she rolled down the window and began to talk to him. Sh e tol d him that she was from St. Louis and was only just passing through. She couldn't thank him enough for coming to her aid.

Bryan just smiled as he closed her trunk. The lady asked how much she owed him. Any amount would have been all right with her. She already imagined all the awful things that could have happened had he not stopped. Bryan never thought twice about 

being paid. This was not a job to him. This was helping someone in need, and God knows there were plenty, who had given him a hand in the past. He had lived his whole life that way, and it never occurred to him to act any other way. 

He told her that if she really wanted to pay him back, the next time she saw someone who needed help, she could give that person the assistance they needed, and Bryan added, 'And think of me.'

He waited until she started her car and drove off. It had been a cold and depressing day, but he felt good as he headed for home, disappearing into the twilight.

A f ew miles down the road the lady saw a small cafe. She went in to grab a bite to eat, and take the chill off before she made the last leg of her trip home. It was a dingy looking restaurant. Outside were two old gas pumps. The whole scene was unfamiliar to her. The waitress came over and brought a clean towel to wipe her wet hair. She had a sweet smile, one that even being on her feet for the whole day couldn't erase. The lady noticed the waitress was nearly eight months pregnant, but she never let the strain and aches change her attitude. The old lady wondered how someone who had so little could be so giving to a stranger. Then she remembered Bryan .

After the lady finished her meal, she paid with a hundred dollar bill. The waitress quickly went to get change for her hundred dollar bill, but the old lady had slipped right out the door. She was gone by the time the waitress came back. The waitress wondered where the lady could be. Then she noticed something written on the na pkin.

There were tears in her eyes when she read what the lady wrote: 'You don't owe me anything. I have
been there too. Somebody once helped me out, the way I'm helping you. If you really want to pay me back, here is what you do: Do not let this chain of love end with you.'

Under the napkin were four more $100 bills.

Well, there were tables to clear, sugar bowls to fill, and people to serve, but the waitress made it through another da y. That night when she got home from work and climbed into bed, she was thinking about the
money and what the lady had written. How could the lady have known how much she and her husband needed it? With the baby due next month, it was going to be hard....

She knew how worried her husband was, and as he lay sleeping next to her, she gave him a soft kiss and whispered soft and low, 'Everything's going to be all right. I love you, Bryan Anderson.'

There is an old saying 'What goes around comes around.' Today I sent you this story, and I'm asking you to pass it on. Let this light shine.  

Types of Mother

I found this article from Psychologies Magazine, very interesting....The 5 types mother....so....which type of mother you have?

Perfectionist mother

Typically, an over-controlling, fearful and anxious woman for whom appearance is everything. ”Her children tend to be hypercritical of themselves, feeling inadequate and emotionally empty”, says Poulter.

Children of a perfectionist mother…

Your strengths: You can have a strong sense of commitment in relationships, and are responsible and reliable in everything you do. You value hard work and persistence as core character qualities.

Emotional legacy: You always feel that the opinions of others are far more important than your own. You often have a heightened sense that the world is watching and judging you.

Unpredictable mother 

Anxious, angry, excessively emotional, she is overwhelmed by feelings so her parenting style is based purely on mood. This type has the most chaotic of the five styles. She creates problems, issues and crises in her mind, through her emotions and relationships, and passes them on to her children.

Children of an unpredictable mother…
Your strengths: Excellent people skills and the ability to be empathic. Often great motivators, you offer emotional support to colleagues as well as friends and family.

Emotional legacy: Growing up with an ingrained need to take care of people and their emotional issues, you can be overwhelmed by emotions such as anger, anxiety and depression. You learn early on how to read people and situations, in order to manage the strong feelings of others.

The best friend mother 

She enjoys treating her children as equals in order to avoid the responsibility of setting boundaries. This mother believes her life would be over if she embraced motherhood so avoids that role. Instead, both child and parent assume the role of emotional confidante and partner, leaving the child effectively motherless. ‘In this situation, the emotional needs of the mother are so consuming, she has to rely on the child to meet them,’ says Poulter.
Children of a best friend mother…
Your strengths: You understand the importance of boundaries between parents, children, colleagues and families. Because of your sense of motherlessness, you are often aware that you take the lead and assume the responsible role as an adult.

Emotional legacy: You may feel emotionally neglected with a fear of rejection. You can be resentful and bitter in relationships, tending to feel unloved and under-appreciated.

The me-first mother

One of the most prevalent mothering styles, me-firsts are unable to view their children as separate individuals and tend to be self-absorbed and insecure. Their offspring will learn from an early age that their role is to make their mother shine.

Children of a me-first mother…
Your strengths: You are extremely good at supporting others, and are intuitive and insightful with people in all types ofrelationships. You are loyal and supportive, able to appreciate other people’s needs and solve problems.

Emotional legacy: You doubt your own decision-making abilities. You find it difficult to trust your own feelings on any matter because you view your mother’s opinion as more important and powerful than your own.

The complete mother

This ideal is only experienced by about 10 per cent of us, says Poulter. The complete mother combines the best elements of the other four styles. Emotionally balanced, she can see her children as individuals and help them achieve their own independence. She isn’t necessarily perfect herself but whatever her emotional circumstances, she is committed to motherhood — regardless of other responsibilities outside the home.

Children of a complete mother…
Strengths: Because you feel loved and understood you can take risks, embrace change and initiate relationships without fear of rejection.

Emotional legacy: You will have the ability and insight to appreciate that other people, colleagues and family members have their own perspectives. You’ll be able to navigate the challenges of becoming independent and won’t feel emotionally enmeshed with your mother.

Developing New Habits, 30 Day Trial

A powerful personal growth tool is the 30-day trial. This is a concept I borrowed from the shareware industry. It's also a great way to develop new habits, and best of all, it's brain-dead simple.

Let's say you want to start a new habit like an exercise program or quit a bad habit like sucking on cancer sticks. We all know that getting started and sticking with the new habit for a few weeks is the hard part. Once you've overcome inertia, it's much easier to keep going.

Could you do it? It still requires a bit of discipline and commitment, but not nearly so much as making a permanent change. Any perceived deprivation is only temporary. You can count down the days to freedom. And for at least 30 days, you'll gain some benefit. It's not so bad. You can handle it. It's only one month out of your life.

Now if you actually complete a 30-day trial, what's going to happen? First, you'll go far enough to establish it as a habit, and it will be easier to maintain than it was to begin it. Secondly, you'll break the addiction of your old habit during this time. Thirdly, you'll have 30 days of success behind you, which will give you greater confidence that you can continue. And fourthly, you'll gain 30 days worth of results, which will give you practical feedback on what you can expect if you continue, putting you in a better place to make informed long-term decisions.
Therefore, once you hit the end of the 30-day trial, your ability to make the habit permanent is vastly increased. But even if you aren't ready to make it permanent, you can opt to extend your trial period to 60 or 90 days. The longer you go with the trial period, the easier it will be to lock in the new habit for life. 

 

This 30-day method seems to work best for daily habits. I've had no luck using it when trying to start a habit that only occurs 3-4 days per week. However, it can work well if you apply it daily for the first 30 days and then cut back thereafter. This is what I'd do when starting a new exercise program, for example. Daily habits are much easier to establish.
Here are some other ideas for applying 30-day trials:
• Give up TV. Tape all your favorite shows and save them until the end of the trial. My whole family did this once, and it was very enlightening.
• Give up online forums, especially if you feel you're becoming forum addicted. This will help break the addiction and give you a clearer sense of how participation actually benefits you (if at all). You can always catch up at the end of 30 days.
• Shower/bathe/shave every day. I know YOU don't need this one, so please pass it along to someone who does.
• Meet someone new every day. Start up a conversation with a stranger.
• Go out every evening. Go somewhere different each time, and do something fun — this will be a memorable month.
• Spend 30 minutes cleaning up and organizing your home or office every day. That's 15 hours total.
• List something new to sell on ebay every day. Purge some of that clutter.
• Ask someone new out on a date every day. Unless your success rate is below 3%, you'll get at least one new date, maybe even meet your future spouse.
• If you're already in a relationship, give your partner a massage every day. Or offer to alternate who gives the massage each day, so that's 15 massages each.
• Give up cigarettes, soda, junk food, coffee, or other unhealthy addictions.
• Become an early riser.
• Write in your journal every day.
• Call a different family member, friend, or business contact every day.
• Make 25 sales calls every day to solicit new business. Professional speaker Mike Ferry did this five days a week for two years, even on days when he was giving seminars. He credits this habit with helping build his business to over $10 million in annual sales. If you make 1300 sales calls a year, you're going to get some decent business no matter how bad your sales skills are. You can generalize this habit to any kind of marketing work, like building new links to your web site.
• Write a new blog entry every day.
• Read for an hour a day on a subject that interests you.
• Meditate every day.
• Learn a new vocabulary word every day.
• Go for a long walk every day.

Again, don't think that you need to continue any of these habits beyond 30 days. Think of the benefits you'll gain from those 30 days alone. You can re-assess after the trial period. You're certain to grow just from the experience, even if it's temporary. The power of this approach lies in its simplicity. Even though doing a certain activity every single day may be less efficient than following a more complicated schedule — weight training is a good example because adequate rest is a key component — you'll often be more likely to stick with the daily habit. When you commit to doing something every single day without exception, you can't rationalize or justify missing a day, nor can you promise to make it up later by reshuffling your schedule.

Give trials a try. If you're ready to commit to one right now, please feel free to post a comment and share your goal for the next 30 days. If there's enough interest, then perhaps we can do a group postmortem around May 20th to see how it went for everyone. I'll even do it with you. Mine will be to go running or biking for at least 25 minutes or do a minimum 60-minute hike in the mountains every day for 30 days.

Short Stories...A Butterfly Story

A man found a cocoon of a butterfly. One day a small opening appeared. He sat and watched the butterfly for several hours as it struggled to force its body through that little hole. Then it seemed
to stop making any progress. It appeared as if it had gotten as far as it could, and it could go no further.

So the man decided to help the butterfly. He took a pair of scissors and snipped off the remaining bit of the cocoon.

The butterfly then emerged easily. But it had a swollen body and small, shriveled wings.

The man continued to watch the butterfly because he expected that, at any moment, the wings would enlarge and expand to be able to support the body, which would contract in time.

Neither happened! In fact, the butterfly spent the rest of its life crawling around with a swollen body and shriveled wings. It never was able to fly.

What the man, in his kindness and haste, did not understand was that the restricting cocoon and the struggle required for the butterfly to get through the tiny opening were God's way of forcing fluid from the body of the butterfly into its wings so that it would be ready for flight once it achieved its freedom from the cocoon.

Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need in our lives. If God allowed us to go through our lives without any obstacles, it would cripple us.

We would not be as strong as what we could have been. We could never fly!

Short Stories...Women's favourite email of the year

A man was sick and tired of going to work every day while his wife stayed home.

He wanted her to see what he went through so he prayed:

"Dear Lord: I go to work every day and put in 8 hours while my wife merely stays at home. I want her to know what I go through, so please allow her body to switch with mine for a day. Amen."

God, in his infinite wisdom, granted the man's wish.                                                                   

The next morning, sure enough, the man awoke as a woman. He arose, cooked breakfast for his mate, awakened the kids, set out their school clothes, fed them breakfast, packed their lunches, drove them to school, came home and picked up the dry cleaning, took it to the cleaners and stopped at the bank to make a deposit, went grocery shopping, then drove home to put away the groceries, paid the bills and balanced the checkbook. He cleaned the cat's litter box and bathed the dog. Then it was already 1 P.M. and he hurried to make the beds, do the laundry, vacuum, dust, and sweep and mop the kitchen floor.

Ran to the school to pick up the kids and got into an argument with them on the way home. Set out milk and cookies and got the kids organized to do their homework, then set up the ironing board and watched TV while he did the ironing.

At 4:30 P.M. he began peeling potatoes and washing vegetables for salad, breaded the pork chops and snapped fresh beans for supper.

   

After supper, he cleaned the kitchen, ran the dishwasher, folded laundry, bathed the kids, and put them to bed.

At 9 P.M. he was exhausted and, though his daily chores weren't finished, he went to bed where he was expected to make love, which he managed to get through without complaint.

The next morning, he awoke and immediately knelt by the bed and said:

"Lord, I don't know what I was thinking. I was so wrong to envy my wife's being able to stay home all day. Please, oh please, let us trade back."

The Lord, in his infinite wisdom, replied: "My son, I feel you have learned your lesson and I will be happy to change things back to the way they were. You'll just have to wait nine months, though. You got pregnant last night."

Worry Quote

"It is not work that kills, but worry." African Proverb

"Worry a little bit every day and in a lifetime you will lose a couple of years. If something is wrong, fix it if you can. But train yourself not to worry: Worry never fixes anything." Ernest Hemingway

"If you can't sleep, then get up and do something instead of lying there worrying. It's the worry that gets you, not the lack of sleep." Dale Carnegie

"Worry is a thin stream of fear trickling through the mind. If encouraged, it cuts a channel into which all other thoughts are drained." Arthur Somers Rache

"Drag your thoughts away from your troubles... by the ears, by the heels, or any other way you can manage it." Mark Twain

"Today is the tomorrow we worried about yesterday." Author Unknown

"The only thing you will ever accomplish by worrying is to elevate your stress levels." Catherine Pulsifer

"Worrying is like a rocking chair, it gives you something to do, but it doesn't get you anywhere. " Author Unknown

"The reason why worry kills more people than work is that more people worry than work." Robert Frost

"I believe God is managing affairs and that He doesn't need any advice from me. With God in charge, I believe everything will work out for the best in the end. So what is there to worry about." Henry Ford

"Blessed for the person who is too busy to worry in the daytime and too sleepy to worry at night." Author Unknown

Bob works from home to escape the distraction of office chit chat but no worries of the distraction at home! If he can assumes his office and imagine it as his home, he is completely worries free! So, wherever you are now, stop thinking, concentrate on your work, make sure you off your butt from your chair and walk out of the office on time! Traffic jam? On your radio, sing together, and only think you are on the way to a perfect date or perfect meal! Can't sleep? Stop thinking! Why worry for things that never will happen!
Don't worry, be happy.....

Short Stories...The Cab Ride

An inspiration story from a NY cab driver... touching.

Twenty years ago, I drove a cab for a living. When I arrived at 2:30 a.m., the building was dark except for a single light in a ground floor window. Under these circumstances, many drivers would just honk once or twice, wait a minute, and then drive away. But, I had seen too many impoverished people who depended on taxis as their only means of transportation. Unless a situation smelled of danger, I always went to the door. This passenger might be someone who needs my assistance, I reasoned to myself.

So I walked to the door and knocked. "Just a minute", answered a frail, elderly voice. I could hear something being dragged across the floor. After a long pause, the door opened. A small woman in her 80's stood before me. She was wearing a print dress and a pillbox hat with a veil pinned on it, like somebody out of a 1940s movie. By her side was a small nylon suitcase. The apartment looked as if no one had lived in it for years. All the furniture was covered with sheets. There were no clocks on the walls, no knickknacks or utensils on the counters. In the corner was a cardboard box filled with photos and glassware.

"Would you carry my bag out to the car?" she said. I took the suitcase to the cab, then returned to assist the woman. She took my arm and we walked slowly toward the curb. She kept thanking me for my kindness.

It's nothing", I told her. "I just try to treat my passengers the way I would want my mother treated".

"Oh, you're such a good boy", she said.

When we got in the cab, she gave me an address, then asked, "Could you drive through downtown?"

"It's not the shortest way," I answered quickly.

"Oh, I don't mind," she said. "I'm in no hurry. I'm on my way to a hospice".

I looked in the rear-view mirror. Her eyes were glistening.

"I don't have any family left," she continued. "The doctor says I don't have very long."

I quietly reached over and shut off the meter. "What route would you like me to take?" I asked.

For the next two hours, we drove through the city. She showed me the building where she had once worked as an elevator operator. We drove through the neighborhood where she and her husband had lived when they were newlyweds. She had me pull up in front of a furniture warehouse that had once been a ballroom where she had gone dancing as a girl. Sometimes she'd ask me to slow in front of a particular building or corner and would sit staring into the darkness, saying nothing.

As the first hint of sun was creasing the horizon, she suddenly said, "I'm tired. Let's go now."

We drove in silence to the address she had given me. It was a low building, like a small convalescent home, with a driveway that passed under a portico. Two orderlies came out to the cab as soon as we pulled up. They were solicitous and intent, watching her every move. They must have been expecting her.

I opened the trunk and took the small suitcase to the door. The woman was already seated in a wheelchair. "How much do I owe you?" she asked, reaching into her purse.

"Nothing," I said.

"You have to make a living," she answered.

"There are other passengers," I responded.

Almost without thinking, I bent and gave her a hug. She held onto me tightly. "You gave an old woman a little moment of joy," she said. "Thank you."

I squeezed her hand, then walked into the dim morning light. Behind me, a door shut. It was the sound of the closing of a life. I didn't pick up any more passengers that shift. I drove aimlessly lost in thought. For the rest of that day, I could hardly talk. What if that woman had gotten an angry driver, or one who was impatient to end his shift? What if I had refused to take the run, or had honked once, then driven away?

On a quick review, I don't think that I have done anything more important in my life. We're conditioned to think that our lives revolve around great moments. But great moments often catch us unaware-beautifully wrapped in what others may consider a small one. People may not remember exactly what you did, or what you said, but they will always remember how you made them feel.  

He's right! I recalled nothing regards to all my teenage best friends but I do remember how they make me feel. I still recalled how they making excuses to put efforts in our school project although the task was assigned by our teacher and how they teasing on me when I told them my health condition. I only remembered those who assisting me on our school project on the last minute. It wasn't their task and it didn't turn up perfectly but is their efforts to help me to finish the whole project, I thanked them and they said, "Although they're not assigned to it but the project was still part of them, and they are glad that they can be part of it!" I start my working life after my secondary school and never contact any of my best friend. I got the chance to know more people throughout my career and the things I've involved in and not all I did considered to have a longer friendship or relationship but I do remember those who gives me the best moment in my life, although it was not much, but I'm grateful that I've the chance to know them. 

    

Short Stories...The boy and the apple tree

This is a story where a lot of people have read it but how many of us do make use on it?

Long time ago, there was a huge apple tree. A little boy loved to come and play around it every day. He loved the tree top, ate the apples, took a nap under the shadow...He loved the tree and the tree loved to play with him. Time went by.......

The little boy had grown up and he no longer played around the tree everyday. One day this boy came back to the tree and he looked sad. "Come play with me," the tree asked the boy. I am no longer a kid, I don't ' play around trees anymore." He replied, "I want toys. I need money to buy them." "Sorry, but I don't have money.....but you can pick my apples and sell them. Then you will have money." The boy was so excited. He grabbed all the apples on the tree and left happily. He never came back after he picked the apples. The tree was sad..

One day the boy returned and the tree was so excited. "Come and play with me" the tree said. "I don't have time to play. I have to work for my family. We need a house for shelter. Can you help me?"he replied. "Sorry but I don't have a house. But you can chop off my branches to build your house." So the boy cut all the branches off the tree and left happily. The tree was glad to see him happy but he never came back since then.

The tree was lonely and sad. One hot summer day, the boy returned and the tree was so delighted. "Come and play with me!" the tree said. "I am so sad and getting old. I want to go sailing to relax myself. Can you give me a boat?" the boy asked. "Use my trunk to build your boat. You can sail far away and be happy." So the boy cut the tree trunk to make a boat. He went sailing and never showed up for a very long long time.

Finally, the boy returned after he left for so many years. "Sorry, my boy, I don't have anything for you anymore. No more apples for you...." the tree said. "I don't have teeth to bite" the boy replied. "No more trunk for you to climb on" the tree said. "I am too old for that now." the boy said. "I really can't give you anything.....the only thing left is my dying roots" the tree said with tears. The boy replied "Good! I don't need much now, just a place to rest. I am tired after all these years. Old Tree Roots is the best place to lean and rest on." "Come, come sit down with me and rest " The boy now an old man sat down and the tree was glad and smiled with tears......

This is a story for everyone. The tree is our parents. When we were young, we loved to play with Mom and Dad...When we grew up, we left them...only come to them when we need something or when we are in trouble. No matter what, parents will always be there and give
everything they can to make you happy. You may think the boy is cruel to the tree but that is how all of us are treating our parents.

In chinese culture, the burial of the dead is a matter taken very seriously in Chinese society. In Chinese belief improper funeral arrangements can wreak ill fortune and disaster on the family of the deceased. I'm a Chinese and I've gone through these arrangements. Sometimes I wonder, if the children or the family member of the deceased never visit, never bother, never care or paying their respect to him/her when he/she still around, what is the purpose for these arrangements and ceremony? Just because of the beliefs? I understand most people avoiding and giving excuses and regret when it was too late. Please, Love your your parents, no matter where they are, take more time to spent with them, there's always times assigned to you if you want it, listen to them, you will see the differences.

Short Stories...The Starfish

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 he was walking along the shore. As he looked down the beach, he saw a human figure moving like a dancer. He smiled to himself to think of someone who would dance to the day. So he began to walk faster to catch up. As he got closer, he saw that it was a young man and the young man wasn't dancing, but instead he was reaching down to the shore, picking up something and very gently throwing it into the ocean. 

As he got closer he called out, "Good morning! What are you doing?"

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

"I guess I should have asked, why are you throwing starfish in the ocean?"

"The sun is up, and the tide is going out. And if I don't throw them in they'll die."

"But, young man, don't you realize that there are miles and miles of beach, and starfish all along it. You can't possibly make a difference!"

The young man listened politely. Then bent down, picked another starfish and threw it into the sea, past the breaking waves and said, "It made a difference for that one."

Each of us can make a difference to this world. Everybody is useful and it is just the matter of whether you want to make a difference.