Daily Positive Thread for Tuesday

gloriajean — Tue, 28 Jan 2014 04:08:37 GMT

Hello my friends! It was a blessing when Lori called and invited herself over for supper tonight - we had pork chops - and Ollie was so happy to come as always!! She wanted to talk more about the weekend and her surgery time and going back again for post-op care and all that. We'll stay at my sister, Ethel's. Ollie and Sammy are coming along. It isn't settled yet, there may be a possibility we'll have to stay Sunday night too, if she has to go in again Monday morning. All this she found out today. Because of the stigmatism in both eyes, one other procedure has to be done first before the laser - good thing they know what they're doing! All complicated to me! So Darla goes to Miami on Friday for a job interview, and on the 6th to Tampa - may God bring her to the right place for her where she and Greg will be happy. If she doesn't get St. Thomas in St. Paul, it must be His Will then, and I have to accept it. All my prayers won't be wasted though. No prayer is ever wasted.

The most important things in life can't be held in your hands. Lord, may I

never be shy in showing the people in my life how much I value them.

S C R I P T U R E F O R T H E D A Y

"'Well done, good and trustworthy servant; you have been trustworthy in

a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy

of your master." ~Matthew 25:23

M E D I T A T I O N F O R T H E D A Y

"Well done, good and trustworthy servant. Enter into the joy of your

master." These words are for many ordinary people whom the world may

pass by, unrecognizing. Not to be world-famed, the proud, the wealthy, are

these words spoken, but the quiet followers who serve God unobtrusively yet

faithfully, who bear their crosses bravely and put a smiling face to

the world. "Enter into the joy of your master." We can pass into that

fuller spiritual life which is a life of joy and peace.

P R A Y E R F O R T H E D A Y

I pray that I may not desire the world's applause. I pray that I may

not seek rewards for doing what I believe is right.

A PILLOW AND A BLANKET

Author Unknown

A long time ago, a young, wealthy girl was getting ready for bed. She

was saying her prayers when she heard a muffled crying coming through

her window. A little frightened, she went over to the window and

leaned out.

Another girl, who seemed to be about her age and homeless was

standing in the alley by the rich girl's house. Her heart went out to

the homeless girl, for it was the dead of winter, and the girl had no

blanket, only old

newspapers someone had thrown out.

The rich girl was suddenly struck with a brilliant idea. She called

to the other girl and said, "You there, come to my front door,

please."

The homeless girl was so startled she could only manage to nod.

As quick as her legs could take her, the young girl ran down the hall

to her mothers closet, and picked out an old quilt and a beat up

pillow. She had to walk slower down to the front door as to not trip

over the quilt which was

hanging down, but she made it eventually. Dropping both the articles,

she opened the door. Standing there was the homeless girl, looking

quite scared.

The rich girl smiled warmly and handed both articles to the other

girl. Her smile grew wider as she watched the true amazement and

happiness alight upon the other girl's face. She went to bed

incredibly satisfied.

In mid-morning the next day a knock came to the door. The rich girl

flew to the door hoping that it was the other little girl there. She

opened the large door and looked outside. It was the other little

girl. Her face looked happy, and she smiled. "I suppose you want these

back."

The rich little girl opened her mouth to say that she could keep them

when another idea popped into her head. "No, I want them back."

The homeless girl's face fell. This was obviously not the answer she

had hoped for. She reluctantly laid down the beat up things, and

turned to leave when the rich girl yelled, "Wait! Stay right there."

She turned in time to see the rich girl running up the stairs and

down a long corridor. Deciding whatever the rich little girl was doing

wasn't worth waiting for she started to turn around and walk away. As

her foot hit the first step, she felt someone tap her on the shoulder,

turning she saw the rich little girl, thrusting a new blanket and

pillow at her. "Have these." she said quietly.

These were her own personal belonging made of silk and down feathers.

As the two grew older they didn't see each other much, but they were

never far from each other's minds. One day, the Rich girl, who was now

a Rich woman got a telephone call from someone. A lawyer, saying that

she was requested to see him.

When she arrived at the office, he told her what had happened. Forty

years ago, when she was nine years old, she had helped a little girl

in need. That grew into a middle-class woman with a husband and two

children. She had recently died and left something for her in her

will. "Though," the lawyer said, "it's the most peculiar thing. She

left you a pillow and a blanket."

DAILY PRAYER

All through today, O God, help me to be

quick to praise and slow to criticize;

quick to forgive, and slow to condemn;

quick to share and slow to refuse to give.

Grant me all through today

complete control over my temper,

that I may be slow to anger;

complete control over my tongue,

that I may speak no hasty word.

So grant that all through today I may help everyone and

hurt no one, so that I may find true joy in living. Amen.

THANKS FOR YOUR TIME

A young man learns what's most important in life from the guy next door. It

had been some time since Jack had seen the old man. College, girls, career,

and life itself got in the way. In fact, Jack moved clear across the country

in pursuit of his dreams. There, in the rush of his busy life, Jack had

little time to think about the past and often no time to spend with his wife

and son. He was working on his future, and nothing could stop him.

Over the phone, his mother told him, "Mr. Belser died last night. The

funeral is Wednesday." Memories flashed through his mind like an old

newsreel as he sat quietly remembering his childhood days.

"Jack, did you hear me?"

"Oh, sorry, Mom. Yes, I heard you. It's been so long since I thought of him.

I'm sorry, but I honestly thought he died years ago," Jack said.

"Well, he didn't forget you. Every time I saw him he'd ask how you were

doing. He'd reminisce about the many days you spent over 'his side of the

fence' as he put it," Mom told him.

"I loved that old house he lived in," Jack said.

"You know, Jack, after your father died, Mr. Belser stepped in to make sure

you had a man's influence in your life," she said.

"He's the one who taught me carpentry," he said. "I wouldn't be in this

business if it weren't for him. He spent a lot of time teaching me things he

thought were important...Mom, I'll be there for the funeral," Jack said.

As busy as he was, he kept his word. Jack caught the next flight to his

hometown. Mr. Belser's funeral was small and uneventful. He had no children

of his own, and most of his relatives had passed away.

The night before he had to return home, Jack and his Mom stopped by to see

the old house next door one more time. Standing in the doorway, Jack paused

for a moment. It was like crossing over into another dimension, a leap

through space and time. The house was exactly as he remembered. Every step

held memories. Every picture, every piece of furniture.... Jack stopped

suddenly.

"What's wrong, Jack?" his Mom asked.

"The box is gone," he said.

"What box? " Mom asked.

"There was a small gold box that he kept locked on top of his desk. I must

have asked him a thousand times what was inside. All he'd ever tell me was

'the thing I value most,'" Jack said.

It was gone. Everything about the house was exactly how Jack remembered it,

except for the box. He figured someone from the Belser family had taken it.

"Now I'll never know what was so valuable to him," Jack said. "I better get

some sleep. I have an early flight home, Mom."

It had been about two weeks since Mr. Belser died. Returning home from work

one day Jack discovered a note in his mailbox. "Signature required on a

package. No one at home. Please stop by the main post office within the next

three days," the note read.

Early the next day Jack retrieved the package. The small box was old and

looked like it had been mailed a hundred years ago. The handwriting was

difficult to read, but the return address caught his attention.

"Mr. Harold Belser" it read. Jack took the box out to his car and ripped

open the package. There inside was the gold box and an envelope. Jack's

hands shook as he read the note inside.

"Upon my death, please forward this box and its contents to Jack Bennett.

It's the thing I valued most in my life."

A small key was taped to the letter. His heart racing, as tears filling his

eyes, Jack carefully unlocked the box. There inside he found a beautiful

gold pocket watch. Running his fingers slowly over the finely etched casing,

he unlatched the cover.

Inside he found these words engraved: "Jack, Thanks for your time! Harold

Belser."

"The thing he valued most...was...my time."

Jack held the watch for a few minutes, then called his office and cleared

his appointments for the next two days.

"Why?" Janet, his assistant asked.

"I need some time to spend with my son," he said.

"Oh, by the way, Janet...thanks for your time!"

"Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take but by the moments

that take our breath away,"

Thank you for your time.....

-- Author Unknown

Mother Teresa Said...

Do I give the Christ who is full of zeal, love, joy, and sunshine?

Do I come up to the mark?

Or am I a dark light, a false light, a bulb without connection,

having no current and therefore shedding no radiance?

Put your heart into being a bright light.

Letting Go of Resentments

A story tells of a merchant in a small town who had identical twin sons. The

boys worked for their father in the department store he owned and, when he

died, they took over the store.

Everything went well until the day a dollar bill disappeared. One of the

brothers had left the bill on the cash register and walked outside with a

customer. When he returned, the money was gone. He asked his brother,

"Did you see that dollar bill on the cash register?"

His brother replied that he had not. But the young man kept probing and

questioning. He would not let it alone.

"Dollar bills just don't get up and walk away! Surely you must have seen

it!"

There was subtle accusation in his voice. Tempers began to rise. Resentment

set in. Before long, a deep and bitter chasm divided the young men. They

refused to speak. They finally decided they could no longer work together

and a dividing wall was built down the center of the store. For twenty years

hostility and bitterness grew, spreading to their families and to the

community.

Then one day a man in an automobile licensed in another state stopped in

front of the store. He walked in and asked the clerk,

"How long have you been here?"

The clerk replied that he'd been there all his life. The customer said,

"I must share something with you. Twenty years ago I was 'riding the rails'

and came into this town in a boxcar. I hadn't eaten for three days. I came

into this store from the back door and saw a dollar bill on the cash

been able to forget that. I know it wasn't much money, but I had to come

back and ask your forgiveness."

The stranger was amazed to see tears well up in the eyes of this middle-aged

man.

"Would you please go next door and tell that same story to the man in the

store?" he said.

Then the man was even more amazed to see two middle-aged men, who looked

very much alike, embracing each other and weeping together in the front of

the store. After twenty years, the brokenness was mended. The wall of

resentment that divided them came down.

It is so often the little things -- like resentments -- that finally divide

people. And the solution, of course, is to let them go. There is really

nothing particularly profound about it. But for fulfilling and lasting

relationships, letting them go is a must. Refuse to carry around bitterness

and you may be surprised at how much energy you have left for building bonds

with those you love.

Re: Daily Positive Thread for Tuesday

gloriajean — Wed, 29 Jan 2014 03:13:02 GMT

rondell - so nice to see you again! Hope everything is going well for you and family.

serenity - Darla is my oldest daughter, thanks for your prayers, may God grant her the right job for her where she can be happy. I'm still hoping she can get a job closer to home, but maybe that isn't meant to be. Still praying for that, though. So glad you stay here with us, because we love having you!!

Bobbiesue - Oh no, don't you dare get sick!! Praying for you, take Vit. C's and take good care of yourself. thanks for praying for us!

Felicia - Blessings to you too, and we are staying warm inside!! Thank you!

Angela - I saw you posted on the last thread - I do hope you see this here, thanks so much for coming, glad you still read the thread! You have it cold there too! Wow! What a winter we are having! How long till Spring? Thanks for your prayers! Much appreciated.

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