The important things in life !

A philosophy professor stood before his class with some items on the table in front of him. When the class began, wordlessly he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with rocks, about 2 inches in diameter.

He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.

So the professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles, of course, rolled into the open areas between the rocks.

He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.

The professor picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up the remaining open areas of the jar.

He then asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with a unanimous “Yes.”

“Now,” said the professor, “I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The rocks are the important things – your family, your partner, your health, your children – things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full. The pebbles are the other things that matter–like your job, your house, your car. The sand is everything else, the small stuff.”

“If you put the sand into the jar first,” he continued, “there is no room for the pebbles or the rocks. The same goes for your life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important to you. Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Take your partner out dancing. There will always be time to go to work, clean the house, give a dinner party, or fix the disposal.”

“Take care of the rocks first–the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.”

(I just remember what I have read elsewhere and like to add a bit more.)

The professor asked, can the jar accept anything more? even before the students could answer he took a small bottle of water & poured into it and the water slowly sink into the jar. the students shook their head in disbelief of the lessons that they have learned

Together with all our efforts we need the support & grace of God. Water represents the grace of God or the Holy Spirit that renews us. Even with all our efforts and hard work we still have an element to add, the spiritual aspect. Let us not  forget of this. so let us give a chance to God & his Spirit to renew us and fill us to the full.

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The Weight Of Prayer

GROCERY LIST

Louise Redden, a poorly dressed lady with a look of defeat on her face, walked into a grocery store. She approached the owner of the store in a most humble manner and asked if he would let her charge a few groceries.

She softly explained that her husband was very ill & unable to work, they had seven children and they needed food.

John Longhouse, the grocer, scoffed at her and requested that she leave his store at once.

Visualizing the family needs, she said: 'Please, sir! I will bring you the money just as soon as I can.'

John told her he could not give her credit, since she did not have a charge account at his store. Standing beside the counter was a customer who overheard the conversation between the two The customer walked forward & told the grocer that he would stand good for whatever she needed for her family. The grocer said in a very reluctant voice, 'Do you have a grocery list?'

Louise replied, 'Yes sir.' 'O.K' he said, 'put your grocery list on the scales and whatever your grocery list weighs, I will give you that amount in groceries.'

Louise hesitated a moment with a bowed head, then she reached into her purse and took out a piece of paper and scribbled something on it. She then laid the piece of paper on the scale carefully with her head still bowed.

The eyes of the grocer and the customer showed amazement when the scales went down and stayed down.

The grocer, staring at the scales, turned slowly to the customer and said begrudgingly, 'I can't believe it.'

The customer smiled and the grocer started putting the groceries on the other side of the scales. The scale did not balance so he continued to put more & more groceries on them until the scales would hold no more.

The grocer stood there in utter disgust. Finally, he grabbed the piece of paper from the scales and looked at it with greater amazement.

It was not a grocery list, it was a prayer, which said: 'Dear Lord, you know my needs & I am leaving this in your hands.'

The grocer gave her the groceries that he had gathered & stood in stunned silence.

Louise thanked him & left the store. The other customer handed a hundred-dollar bill to the grocer & said; 'It was worth every penny of it.

Only God Knows how much a prayer weighs.

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True Master !

One fine morning, the king was going for walk with his ministers. On his way he saw a young boy playing in the mud. The king ordered his soldiers to bring that boy to him.

The soldiers followed the orders and escorted that boy to the king.The king asked the boy .

KING: Why are you playing in the mud, you seem to be educated, then why are you spoiling your clothes?

The boy smiled and said, your Majesty, I am playing in the mud because I am made up of this mud. And after I die, I will again turn into this mud.

The king was amazed & surprised with the young boy’s answer.

The minister went to the king and whispered in his ear, “Your Majesty, I think this boy is very intelligent and learned, why not make him our advisor, since we need one.

The king was convinced by his ministers words and thought this boy would be the perfect advisor for him.

The king asked the boy, will you became my chief advisor?  I will give you a lot of money, power and everything you want.

The boy just smiled at the king’s comment, and said politely. Your Majesty, I’ll love to be your advisor, your servant but, I have 4 wishes, If you fulfill those 4 wishes then I’ll definitely be your advisor.

The king agreed without thinking and asked the boy to name his wishes. The boy started with his first wish.

Your Majesty my first condition is that "Whatever dish I want to eat, you’ll provide me, but you will not eat it yourself”.

Boy then said, my second condition is “You will give me all expensive clothes to wear but you will not wear them yourself”

Boy continued, my third condition is “When ever we go for a walk I’ll not follow you but we should walk together”

The boy then presented his last condition. “Whenever I sleep you will look after me, but I will not look after you”.

After hearing all the condition the king was surprised and said what nonsense is this.I’m the King, I can give you all the delicious dishes you wish to eat but I will also eat them, I can give you all the expensive clothes but I’ll also wear them, I’m the King so whenever we go for a walk you should follow me, why should I walk with you. And whenever I sleep you should look after me why should I.

The boy smiled at that & said, sorry your Majesty you cannot fulfill my 4 wishes how can I became your servant and you cannot be my  Master.

My TRUE MASTER can only be my BOSS. He gives me everything I want to eat but He Himself doesn’t ask for them. He gives me all the clothes I want to wear but He doesn’t want them back. Whenever I go He is always with me, looking after me and whenever I sleep He always take care of me, but He never asks the same from me in return.

So this way only HE & He alone can be my BOSS and my Master.

After hearing the boy’s words, the King fell at the boy’s feet  and Said, "Please become my advisor and teach me how to live a good life and I'll follow that.

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Million Frogs

A farmer came into town and asked the owner of a restaurant if he could use a million frog legs. The restaurant owner was shocked and asked the man where he could get so many frog legs!

The farmer replied, “There is a pond near my house that is full of frogs-millions of them. They all croak all night long and they are about to make me crazy!”

So the restaurant owner and the farmer made an agreement that the farmer would deliver frogs to the restaurant, five hundred at a time for the next several weeks.

The first week, the farmer returned to the restaurant looking rather sheepish, with two scrawny little frogs. The restaurant owner said, “Well! where are all the frogs?”

The farmer said, “I was mistaken. There were only these two frogs in the pond. But they sure were making a lot of noise!

Next time you hear somebody criticizing or writing something about you, spreading rumours, or making fun of you, remember, it is probably just a couple of noisy frogs. Also remember that problems always seem bigger in the dark. Have you ever laid in your bed at night worrying about things which seem almost overwhelming like a million frogs croaking? Chances are pretty good that when the morning comes & you take a closer look, you will wonder what all the fuss was about.

“Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. (Mt 6:34)

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Sharpen Your Axe !

Once upon a time, there was a very strong Woodcutter. He asked for a job from a timber merchant & he got it. The pay was really good and so were the work conditions. For that reason the Woodcutter was determined to do his best. His boss gave him an axe & showed him the area where he was supposed to work.

The first day, the woodcutter brought down 18 trees. The Boss was very much impressed & said, “Congratulations keep it up!” Very motivated by the words of the boss, the woodcutter tried harder the next day, but he only could bring down 15 trees. The third day he tried even harder, but he only could bring down 10 trees. Day after day he was bringing down less and less trees. “I must be losing my strength”, the woodcutter thought to himself. He went to the boss & apologized, saying that he could not understand what was going on. When was the last time you sharpened your Axe”? the boss asked.  I had no time to sharpen my Axe. I have been very busy trying to cut trees.

Moral :Our lives are like that. We sometimes get so busy that we don’t take time to sharpen the axe. In today’s world, it seems that everyone is busier than ever, but less happy than ever. Why is that? Could it be that we have forgotten how to stay sharp? There is nothing wrong with activity & hard work. But we should not get so busy that we neglect the truly important things in life, like our personal life, taking time to care for others, taking time to read, etc.

We all need time to relax, to think & meditate, to learn & grow. If we don’t take time to sharpen the axe, we will become dull and lose our Effectiveness.

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. (Psalm 119: 105)

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Can’t Recover !

A young lady was waiting for her flight in the boarding room of a big airport. As she would need to wait many hours, she decided to buy a book to spend her time. She also bought a packet of cookies.She sat down in an armchair, in the VIP room of the airport to rest and read in peace.

Beside the armchair  where the packet of cookies lay, a man sat down in the next seat, opened his magazine and started reading.When she took out the first cookie, the man took one also. She felt irritated but said nothing. She just thought: “What a nerve! If I was in the mood I would punch him for daring!”

For each cookie she took, the man took one too. This was:infuriating her but she didn’t want to cause a scene. When only one cookie remained, she thought, “ah, what this abusive man do now?”

Then, the man, taking the last cookie,divided it into half, giving her one half.

Ah, that was too much! She was much too angry now!

In a huff, she took her book, her things and stormed to the boarding place.

When she sat down in her seat, inside the:plane, she looked into her purse to take her eyeglasses, and to her surprise, her:packet of cookies was there, untouched, unopened!

She felt so ashamed! She realized that she was wrong. She had forgotten that her cookies were kept in her purse. The man:had divided his cookies with her,without feeling angered or bitter,while she was very angry, thinking that she was dividing her cookies with him. And now there was no chance to explain herself nor to apologize.

The moral of the story:

There are four things that you cannot recover:

The stone…after the throw,

The word…after it’s said,

The occasion…after the loss,

The time…after it’s gone.

Did anyone ever tell you just how special you are? The light that you emit might even light a star.

Did anyone ever tell you how important you make others feel?

Somebody out there is smiling, about love that is so real.

Did anyone ever tell you that many times when they were sad your e-mail made them smile a bit, in fact it made them glad.

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Easy Way To Know God’s Will !

A new young preacher was walking with an older preacher in the garden one day. Feeling a bit insecure about what God wanted him to do, he asked the older preacher for some advice.

The older preacher walked up to a rosebush and handed the young preacher a rosebud and told him to open it without tearing off any petals.

The young preacher looked in disbelief at the older preacher and was trying to figure out what a rosebud could possibly have to do with his wanting to know the will of God for his life and ministry.

But because of his great respect for the older preacher, he proceeded to try to unfold the rose, while keeping every petal intact. It wasn’t long before he realized how impossible this was to do.

Noticing the younger preacher’s inability to unfold the rosebud without tearing it, the older preacher began to recite the following poem..

It is only a tiny rosebud,

A flower of God’s design;

But I cannot unfold the petals,

With these clumsy hands of mine.

The secret of unfolding flowers,

Is not known to such as I.

God opens this flower so easily, 

But in my hands they die.

If I cannot unfold a rosebud,

This flower of God’s design,

Then how can I have the wisdom,

To unfold this life of mine?

So I’ll trust in God to lead me,

Each moment of my day.

I will look to God for guidance,

In each step along the way.

For the path that lies before us, only our Lord and Saviour knows.

So trust Him to unfold your life, just as he would this precious rose.

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Why Jews Missed Jesus?

They were looking for a Lion,
He came as a Lamb,
And they missed Him.

They were looking for a Warrior,
He came as a Peacemaker,
And they missed Him.

They were looking for a King,
He came as a Servant,
And they missed Him.

They were looking for Liberation from Rome,
He submitted to the Roman Cross,
And they missed Him.

They were looking for a fit to their mold,
He was the mold maker,
And they missed Him.

What are you looking for?
 A Lion? A Warrior? A King? A Liberator?

They were looking for their temporal needs to be met,
He came to meet their eternal need,
And they missed Him.

He came as a Lamb to be sacrificed for your sin.
Will you miss Him?
He came to make peace between God and man.
Will you miss Him?
He came to model servant-hood for all mankind.
Will you miss Him?
He came that we might have true Liberty.
Will you miss Him?
He came to give you eternal life.
Will you miss Him?

When we submit to the Lamb,
We will meet the Lion.
When we join with the Peacemaker
We will meet the Warrior.
When we work with the Servant
We will meet the King.
When we walk with the Submitted
We will meet the Liberator.
When we concern ourselves with the eternal
We will meet the temporal.
Lets not miss Jesus....

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Criticizing is Easy, Art is Difficult !

Once upon a time there was a painter who had just completed his course under disciple-hood of a great painter. This young artist decided to assess his skill of skills and so he decided to give his best strokes on the canvass. He took three days and painted a beautiful scenery.

Suddenly an idea flashed in his mind and he decided to display it on a busy street- square of that small town he was resident of. He wanted  people’s opinion about his caliber and painting skills.

He put his creation at a busy street-crossing. And just down below a board which read-”Gentlemen, I have painted this piece. Since I am new to this profession I might have committed some mistakes in my strokes etc. Please put a cross wherever you see a mistake.”

While he came back in the evening to collect his painting he was completely shattered to see that whole canvass was filled with Xs (crosses) & some people had even written their comments on the  painting.

Disheartened and broken completely he ran to his master’s place & burst into tears. Sobbing and crying inconsolably he told his master  about what happened and showed the pathetic state of his creation which was filled with marks everywhere. Such was the state that colours were not visible, only things one could see were crosses and correction remarks.

This young artist was breathing heavily and master heard him saying, "I am useless and if this is what I have learnt to paint I am not worth  becoming a painter. People have rejected me completely. I feel like dying”

Master smiled and suggested “My Son, I will prove that you are a great artist and have learnt a flawless painting.” Young disciple couldn’t  believe it and said, “I have lost faith in me and I don’t think I am  good enough. Don’t make false hopes."

"Do as I say without questioning it. It WILL work.” Master interrupted him. ”Just paint exactly similar painting once again for me and give it to me. Will you do that for your master?” Master instructed.

Young artist reluctantly agreed and two days later early morning he  presented a replica of his earlier painting to his master. Master took that gracefully and smiled. ”Come with me.” master said.

They reached the same street-square early morning & displayed the same painting exactly at the same place. Now master took out another board which read- ”Gentlemen, I have painted this piece. Since I am new to this profession I might have committed some mistakes in my strokes etc. I have put a box with colours & brushes just below. Please do a favour. If you see a mistake kindly pick up the brush & correct it.” Master & disciple walked back home.

They both visited the place same evening. Young painter was surprised to see that actually there was not a single correction done so far. But master wasn’t satisfied as yet and he told his disciple “May be one day was too little a time for people to come up with ideas and take out time out of their busy schedules to correct it so let us keep it here for one more day.Tomorrow is Sunday, so we can expect some corrections coming in.”

Next day again they visited and found painting remained untouched. They say the painting was kept there for a month for no correction came in!

It is easier to criticize, but difficult to improve. If you want to help people improve their behaviour it is worth investing your effort in learning how to help people change their  behaviors, attitudes and skills. Also, always remember not to get carried away or judge yourself by someone else’s  criticism and feel depressed as you are the best judge to judge yourself. Take Criticism in your stride; consider that which are genuine and implement those which you think is the best to improve you  as a person!

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The Inner Eye !

Two men, both seriously ill, occupied the same hospital room. One man was allowed to sit up in his bed for an hour each afternoon to help drain the fluid from his lungs.

His bed was next to the room’s only window. The other man had to spend all his time flat on his back. The men talked for hours on end.

They spoke of their wives ans families, their homes, their jobs,their involvement in the military service, where they had been on vacation..

Every afternoon, when the man in the bed by the window could sit up, he would pass the time by describing to his roommate all the things he could see outside the window.

The man in the other bed began to live for those one hour periods where his world would be broadened and enlivened by all the activity and colour of the world outside.

The window overlooked a park with a lovely lake.Ducks and swans played on the water while children sailed their model boats. Young lovers walked arm in arm amidst flowers of every color and a fine view of the city skyline could be seen in the distance.

As the man by the window described all this in exquisite details, the man on the other side of the room would close his eyes and imagine this picturesque scene.

One warm afternoon, the man by the window described a parade passing by. Although the other man could not hear the band-he could see it in his mind’s eye as the gentleman by the window portrayed it with descriptive words.

Days, weeks and months passed. One morning, the day nurse arrived to bring water for their baths only to find the lifeless body of the man by the window, who had died peacefully in his sleep.

She was saddened and called the hospital attendants to take the body away.

As soon as it seemed appropriate, the other man asked if he could be moved next to the window.The nurse was happy to make the switch, and after making sure he was comfortable, she left him alone.

Slowly, painfully, he propped himself up on one elbow to take his first look at the real world outside. He strained to slowly turn to look out the window besides the bed. It faced a blank wall.

The man asked the nurse what could have compelled his deceased room-mate who had described such wonderful things outside this window.

The nurse responded that the man was blind and could not even see the wall. She said, ‘Perhaps he just wanted to encourage you.’

Epilogue:

There is tremendous happiness in making others happy, despite our own situations.Shared grief is half the sorrow, but happiness when shared, is doubled. If you want to feel rich, just count all the things you have that money can’t buy.

Today is a gift, that is why it is called The Present.

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Diwali !

It is Diwali and I thank you for being with me in this part of my journey.

While we all light our houses today, do spend some time today to light a few lamps inside you & sit in silence with your eyes closed.

Light the first lamp inside you and let it burn your anger and jealousy that you may have for any one till date. See that it melt away.

Light the second lamp and let it burn away unwanted greed & desires. Feel happy and contented with what you have been blessed with.

Light the third lamp and let it fade away all insecurities that you may have in your mind related to anything or financials. Just believe that God has given you life and he will surely give you enough to survive.

Light the 4th lamp and carry that lamp to each part of ur body. Let it burn away all your diseased cells or any disease in making. Feel healthy as this lamp travels to each body part and illuminates each organ.

The 5th lamp is a miniature of the Sun...nothing but the divine light..light it in the center of your body and let it fill the warmth & love inside your whole body. Feel one with the Divine. Let the love and warmth filled inside you ooze out of you through your smile, eyes,speech and body. Carry this love with you through out the day. You will find that everyone who meets you is happy and elated. This is the biggest blessing that whoever meets you becomes happier after meeting you. this will also make you happier in return.

Light these 5 lamps each day morning and carry the positivity wherever you go.

Wish you a very happy Diwali.

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The 90/10 Principle !

What is this principle? 10% of life is made up of what happens to you and 90% of life is decided by how you react. What does this mean? We really have no control over 10% of what happens to us.

We cannot stop the car from breaking down.The plane will be late arriving, which throws our whole schedule off. A driver may cut us off in traffic. We have no control over this 10%.

The other 90% is different. You determine the other 90%. How? By your reaction. You cannot control a red light but you can control your reaction. Don't let people fool you. You can control how you react, for example: You are eating breakfast with your family. Your daughter knocks over a cup of coffee onto your business shirt. You have no control over what just happened. What happens next will be determined by how you react.

You curse. You harshly scold your daughter for knocking the cup over. She breaks down in tears. After scolding her, you turn to your spouse and criticize her for placing the cup too close to the edge of the table. A short verbal battle follows.You storm upstairs and change your shirt.Back downstairs, you find your daughter has been too busy crying to finish breakfast and could not get ready for school.  She misses the bus.Your spouse must leave immediately for work. You rush to the car and drive your daughter to school.Because you are late, you drive 40 miles an hour in a 30 mph speed limit. After a 15-minute delay and throwing $60 traffic fine away, you arrive at school. 'Your daughter runs into the building without saying goodbye. After arriving at the office 20 minutes late, you find you forgot your briefcase. Your day has started terrible.

As it continues, it seems to get worse & worse. You look forward to coming home. When you arrive home, you find small wedge in your relationship with your spouse & daughter.Why? Because of how you reacted in the morning.

Why did you have a bad day?

A) Did the coffee cause it.

B) Did your daughter cause it.

C) Did the policeman cause it.

D) Did you cause it.

The answer is “D". You had no control over what happened with the coffee. How you reacted in those 5 seconds is what caused your bad day.

Here is what could have & should have happened. Coffee splashes over you. Your daughter is about to cry. You gently say, "Its ok honey, you just need to be more careful next time". Grabbing a towel you rush upstairs. After grabbing a new shirt and your briefcase, you come back down in time to look through the window & see your child getting on the bus. She turns and waves. You arrive 5 minutes early and cheerfully greet the staff. Your boss comments on how good the day you are having.

Notice the difference.Two different scenarios. Both started the same. Both ended different,Why? Because of how you REACTED. You really do not have any control over 10% of what happens. The other 90% was determined by your reaction. Here are some ways to apply the 90/10 principle.

If someone says something negative about you, don't be a sponge. Let the attack roll off like water on glass. You don't have to let the negative comment affect you.React properly & it will not ruin your day.

A wrong reaction could result in losing a friend or dear one /being fired/getting stressed out etc. How do you react if someone cuts you off in traffic? Do you lose your temper? Pound on the steering wheel? 'Do you curse?

Do your blood pressure skyrocket? Do you try and bump them? WHO CARES if you arrive ten seconds later at work? Why let the cars ruin your drive?

Remember the 90/10 principle and do not worry about it. You are told you lost your job. Why lose sleep and get irritated? It will work out. Use your worrying energy and time into finding another job. The plane is late; it is going to mangle your schedule for the day.Why take out pour frustration on the flight attendant? She has no control over what is going on. Use your time to study, get to know the other passenger. Why get stressed out? It will just make things worse. Now you know the 90-10 principle.

Apply it and you will be amazed at the results. You will lose nothing if you try it.

The 90-10 principle is incredible. Very few know & apply this principle.

The result?

Millions of people are suffering from undeserved stress, trials, problems & heartache. We all must understand and apply the 90/10 principle.

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Knowing where to tap !

An engine in a factory failed. The owners tried one expert after another, but none of them could figure how to fix the engine.

Then they brought in an old man who had been fixing engines since he was young. He carried a large bag of tools with him, and when he arrived, he immediately went to work.

He inspected the engine very carefully, top to bottom. Two of the owners were there, watching this man, hoping he would know what to do. After looking things over, the old man reached into his bag and pulled out a small hammer. He gently tapped something. Instantly, the engine lurched into life. He carefully put his hammer away.

The engine was fixed!  A week later, the owners received a bill from the old man for Rs.10,000.

"What?!" the owners exclaimed. "He hardly did anything!"

So they wrote the old man a note saying, "Please send us an itemized bill."

The man sent a bill that read: Tapping with a hammer..Rs. 2/-

Knowing where to tap...Rs 9,998/-

Effort is important, but knowing where to make an effort in your life, makes all the difference.

"Life doesn't change in ONE MINUTE, but taking decision after thinking for ONE MINUTE can change life."

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The 10th pple effect!

A hunter once lost his way deep inside the jungle while chasing a deer. He used all his navigation skills but neither did he find any way out of the jungle nor could he find any food to eat for 8 days at a stretch. He started feeling so damn hungry that he could eat an entire elephant at one go. Disappointed, he lost all hope. And that is exactly when an apple tree caught his sight. He collected a dozen apples to feed him for the rest of his search.

As he ate the 1st apple, his joy knew no bounds and he just couldn't stop feeling grateful and blessed. He thanked life. He thanked God. He could not believe his luck when he ate the 1st apple but he was less grateful while having the 2nd apple and even lesser grateful when he had the 5th apple. Somehow, with each passing apple, the hunger still kept on increasing and the joy kept on reducing drastically. He just could not enjoy the 10th apple.

Why? He had already taken for granted the gift of having found an apple tree in the middle of a forest after 8 long days of wandering with hunger. When he took the 10th apple in his hand, he was still very hungry but he just did not feel like having it any more. Economics calls this diminishing marginal utility. I would like to call it diminishing gratitude, in simple words, taking things for granted. Or let’s just call it the 10th apple effect.

The 10th apple did not lack taste, it did not lack the potential to satisfy his hunger but the only thing lacking was his gratitude for finding food in the middle of the jungle.

The hunter represents us. And the apple represents the gifts that life gives us. The 10th apple represents our lack of gratitude for these gifts of life and our ‘take everything for granted’ attitude. As we continue receiving the gifts of life, our hunger, our greed keeps on increasing and the joy we get from these gifts diminishes.

The 10th apple is as sweet as the first apple. If the 10th apple fails to give you as much pleasure as the first one, nothing is wrong with the apple, everything is wrong with you. If you get bored on a dull day, it is not because the day is dull and boring. It is because your gratitude has become dull and boring. The gift of life for another day cannot be taken for granted. The Nth year of life should seem as exciting as the 16th year, as the 25th year, as the 50th year.

Never let the ‘10th apple effect’ make you take these gifts of life for granted. Never let your gratitude for life fade away.

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Don't Judge Life By One Difficult Season!

There was a man who had four sons. He wanted his sons to learn not to judge things too quickly. So he sent them each on a quest, in turn, to go and look at a pear tree that was a great distance away.

The first son went in the winter, the second in the spring, the third in summer, and the youngest son in the fall.

When they had all gone and come back, he called them together to describe what they had seen.

The first son said that the tree was ugly,bent and twisted. The second son said no it was covered with green buds and full of promise.

The third son disagreed; he said it was laden with blossoms that smelled so sweet and looked so beautiful, it was the most graceful thing he had ever seen.

The last son disagreed with all of them; he said it was ripe, drooping with fruit, full of life and fulfillment.

The man then explained to his sons that they were all right, because they had each seen but only one season in the tree's life.

He told them that you cannot judge a tree, or a person by only one season and that the essence of who they are. The pleasure, joy and love that come from that life can only be measured at the end when all the seasons are up.

If you give up when it is winter, you will miss the promise of your spring, the beauty of your summer and the fulfillment of your fall.

Moral:- Don't let the pain of one season destroy the joy of all the rest. Don't judge life by one difficult season. Persevere through the difficult patches and better times are sure to come sometime or later.

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Be faithful to Jesus!

Two Christians were lost in the Sahara desert on their way to Libya. One was David and the other was Christian. They were terribly dying of hunger & thirst when they suddenly came upon an oasis with what looked like an emirate with a mosque in the middle.

David said to Christian “Let’s pretend as if we are Muslims otherwise we will not get food or drink. I am going to call myself Muhammad Gambo”!  Christian refused to change his name “My name is Christian and I will Not pretend to be what I am not."

When they got there, the Imam of the Mosque received both of them well and asked for their names. David said “My name is Muhammad Gambo” but Christian said, “My name is Christian”. The Imam turned to the helpers of the Mosque and said, “Please bring some food & water for Christian only". Then he turned to the other and said,  “Well Muhammad, I hope you are aware that we are still in the month of Ramadan?"

The guy fainted.

It pays to be faithful to Jesus.

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The 99 Club !

 Once upon a time, there lived a King who, despite his luxurious lifestyle, was not happy at all.

One day, the King came upon a servant who was singing happily while he worked. This fascinated the King. Why was he, the Supreme Ruler of the Land, unhappy and gloomy, while a lowly servant had so much joy?

The King asked the servant, 'Why are you so happy?'

The servant replied, 'Your Majesty, I am nothing but a servant, but my family and I, don't need too much, just a roof over our heads & little warm food to fill our tummies.'

The king sought the advice of his most trusted advisor. After hearing the story, the advisor said, "Your Majesty, the servant has not yet joined 'The 99 Club'."

'The 99 Club? And what is that?' the King inquired.

The advisor replied, "To truly know what the 99 Club is, just place 99 Gold coins in a bag and  leave it at servant's doorstep."

When the servant saw the bag, he shouted with joy, Oh! so many gold coins. He began to count them. After several counts, he was at last convinced that there were only 99 coins.

He wondered, 'What could have happened to that last gold coin? Surely, no one would leave 99 coins!'

He looked for that 100th gold coin everywhere, but he could not find. Finally he decided that he will work harder than ever to earn that 100th gold coin.

From that day, the servant was totally a changed man. He overworked and looked grumpy. He blamed his family for not helping him to make that 100th gold coin. He stopped singing while he working.

Witnessing this drastic transformation, the King was puzzled. The advisor said, "Your Majesty, the servant has now officially joined The 99 Club."

He continued, 'The 99 Club is a name given to those people who have enough to be happy but are never content, because they are always wanting that extra one, saying to themselves: "Let me get that one final thing & then I will be happy for life."

We can be happy with very little in our lives, but the minute we are given something bigger & better, we want more & even more! We lose our sleep, our happiness, as the price for our growing needs & desires.

That is "The 99 Club". Zero Membership fee to enter, but you pay for it with your entire life!

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Things aren’t always what they seem!

Two traveling angels stopped to spend the night in the home of a wealthy family. The family was rude and refused to let the angels stay in the mansion’s guest room.

Instead the angels were given a space in the cold basement. As they made their bed on the hard floor, the older angel saw a hole in the wall and repaired it. When the younger angel asked why, the older angel replied, “Things aren’t always what they seem”.

The next night the pair came to rest at the house of a very poor, but very hospitable farmer and his wife. After sharing what little food they had the couple let the angels sleep in their bed where they could have a good night’s rest. When the sun came up the next morning the angels found the farmer & his wife in tears. Their only cow, whose milk had been their sole income, lay dead in the field.

The younger angel was infuriated & asked the older  angel, “how could you have let this:happen!? The first man had everything, yet you helped him,” “The second family had little but was willing to share everything, and you let their cow die.”

“Things aren’t always what they seem,” the older angel replied. “When we stayed in the basement of the mansion, I noticed there was gold stored  in that hole in the wall. Since the owner was so obsessed with greed & unwilling to share his good fortune, I sealed the wall so he wouldn’t find it. Then last night as we slept in the farmers bed, the angel of death came for his wife. I gave:her the cow instead. Things aren’t always what they seem.”

Sometimes this is exactly what happens when things don’t turn out the way they should. If you have faith, you just need to trust that every outcome is always to your advantage. You might not know it until some time later.

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Be Faithful To God!

An aging King without children realized that if he dies he has no one to take over the throne. So he decided to adopt a son.

He launched a competition & ten boys made it to the top. The King said to them, "I have one last test & whoever comes top will become my adopted son & heir to my throne".

He gave each boy a seed of corn & told them to take the seed home, plant & nurture it for three weeks. The ten boys took their seeds & ran home to plant their seeds.

In one home, the boy & his parents were sad when the seed failed to sprout. The boy had done everything but he failed.

His friends advised him to buy a seed & plant it but his God fearing parents who had always taught him honesty refused to do so. The day came and the ten boys went to the palace. All the nine boys were successful.

The King went to each boy asking–“Is that what came out of the seed I gave you?" And each boy said "Yes, your majesty". The King would nod & move down the line until the last boy in the line who was shaking with fear.

The King asked him- "What did you do with the seed I gave you?" The boy said "I planted it and cared for it your majesty but it failed to sprout."The King went to the throne with the boy and said, "I gave these boys boiled seeds and a boiled seed cannot sprout. If a King must have one quality, it must be honesty and only this boy passed the test.”

We live in a society where people will do anything and everything for success.

God sometimes does not give us things because He wants to teach us a lesson.

How many people out there have achieved success the wrong way? How many people send their children to expensive schools and build houses, buy expensive cars with stolen money?

How many people are occupying top positions yet they stole the certificates? How many people occupy top position due to flattery and friendship, due to being relative or of same caste? How many people are successful out there at all costs?

HOW MANY PEOPLE WILL BE CROWNED AS KINGS IN HEAVEN FOR BEING FAITHFUL UNTIL THE END? I PRAY THAT I BE FAITHFUL TILL THE END!!

Please be faithful to God no matter what life throws at you, even if life gives you boiled seed. Don't worry, honesty and faithfulness will reward you in the long run and it will be due to your own talent and capability. Learn to pass through narrow gate.

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Effective Sign !

A blind boy sat on the steps of a building with a hat by his feet. He held up a sign which said: "I am blind, please help." There were only a few coins in the hat.

A man was walking by. He took a few coins from his pocket and dropped them into the hat. He then took the sign, turned it around, and wrote some words. He put the sign back so that everyone who walked by would see the new words.

Soon the hat began to fill up. A lot more people were giving money to the blind boy. That afternoon the man who had changed the sign came to see how things were.The boy recognized his footsteps and asked, "Were you the one who changed my sign this morning? What did you write?"

The man said, "I only wrote the truth. I said what you said but in a different way." What he had written was: "Today is a beautiful day and I cannot see it."

Do you think the first sign and the second sign were saying the same thing? Of course both signs told people the boy was blind. But the first sign simply said the boy was blind. The second sign told people they were so lucky that they were not blind. Should we be surprised that the second sign was more effective?

Moral: Your language & use of words can heal many aches or can hurt many hearts and can leave scars for many years.

Remember, a sweet tongue can sell honey, sugar and chilly but a venomous tongue cannot sell even honey.

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Help others to win !

A few years ago at the Seattle Special Olympics, nine contestants, all physically or mentally disabled, assembled at the starting line for the 100 yard dash. At the gun, they all started out, not exactly in a dash, but with a relish to run the race to the finish and win. All, that is, except one boy who stumbled on the asphalt, tumbled over a couple of times and began to cry. The other eight heard the boy. They slowed down & looked back. They all turned around and went back. Every one of them. One girl with Down’s Syndrome bent down &  kissed him and said,”This will make it better.” All nine linked arms & walked across the finish line together. Everyone in the stadium stood, and the cheering went on for several minutes.

People who were there are still telling the story. Why? Because deep down we know one thing. What matters most in this life is more than winning for ourselves. What truly matters in this life is helping others win, even if it means slowing down & changing our course.

There is no grater love than this, to give ones life for one’s friends. John 15:13

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Lateral Thinking !

Many years ago in a small Indian village, a farmer had the misfortune of owing a large sum of money to a village moneylender. The Money lender, who was old and ugly, fancied the farmer's beautiful daughter. So he proposed a bargain. He said he would forgo the farmer's debt if he could marry his Daughter. Both the farmer and his daughter were horrified by the proposal.

So the cunning money-lender suggested: let Providence decide the matter. He told them that he would put a black pebble and a white pebble into an empty money bag. Then the girl would have to pick one pebble from the bag.

1) If she picked the black pebble, she would become his wife and her father's debt would be forgiven.

2) If she picked the white pebble she need not marry him and her father's debt would still be forgiven.

3) But if she refused to pick a pebble, her father would be thrown into Jail.

They were standing on a pebble strewn path in the farmer's field. As they talked, the moneylender bent over to pick up two pebbles. As he picked them up, the sharp-eyed girl noticed that he had picked up two Black pebbles & put them into the bag. He then asked the girl to pick a pebble from the bag.

Careful analysis would produce three possibilities:

1. The girl should refuse to take a pebble.

2. The girl should show that there were two black pebbles in the bag and expose the money lender as a cheat.

3. The girl should pick a black pebble and sacrifice herself in order to save her father from his debt & imprisonment.

Take a moment to ponder over the story. The above story is used with the hope that it will make us appreciate the difference between lateral and logical thinking.

The girl's dilemma cannot be solved with Traditional logical thinking. Think of the consequences if she chooses. The above logical answers. What would you recommend to the girl to do?

Well, here is what she did. The girl put her hand into the money bag and drew out a pebble. Without Looking at it, she fumbled and let it fall onto the pebble strewn path where it immediately became lost among all the other pebbles."Oh, how clumsy of me," she said. "But never mind, if you look into the bag for the one that is left, you will be able to tell which pebble I picked." Since the remaining pebble is black, it must be assumed that she had picked the white one. And since the money-lender dared not admit his dishonesty, the girl changed what seemed an impossible situation into an extremely advantageous one.

MORAL OF THE STORY: Most complex problems do have a solution. It is only that we don't attempt to think. KEEP SMILING AND GOD BLESS YOU.

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Sweetness of Sour Oranges!

He often bought oranges from an old lady. After they were weighed, paid for and put in his bag, he would always pick one from his bag, peel it, put a segment in his mouth complain it's sour and pass on the orange to the seller.

The old lady would put one segment  in her mouth and retort, "why, it's sweet," but by then he was gone with his bag.

His wife, always with him, asked, "the oranges are always sweet, then why this drama every time?"

He smiled, "the old mother sells sweet oranges but never eats them herself. This way I get her to eat one, without losing her money. That's all."

The vegetable seller next to the old lady, saw this everyday. She chided, "every time this man fusses over your oranges, and I see that you always weigh a few extra for him. Why?"

The old lady smiled, "I know he does this to feed me an orange, only, he thinks I don't understand. I never weigh extra. His love tilts the scale slightly every time."

Life's joys are in these sweet little gestures of love and respect for our fellow beings.

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Perseverance can make miracles happen!

An 8 year-old child heard her parents talking about her little brother. All she knew was that he was very sick and they had no money left. They were moving to a smaller house because they could not afford to stay in the present house after paying the doctor's bills. Only a very costly surgery could save him now & there was no one to loan them the money.

When she heard her daddy say to her tearful mother with whispered desperation, 'Only a miracle can save him now', the little girl went to her bedroom and pulled her piggy bank from its hiding place in the closet.She poured all the change out on the floor and counted it carefully.

Clutching the precious piggy bank tightly, she slipped out the back door and made her way six blocks to the local drugstore. She took a quarter from her bank and placed it on the glass counter.

"And what do you want?" asked the pharmacist.

"It's for my little brother," the girl answered back. "He's really very sick & I want to buy a miracle."

"I beg your pardon?" said the pharmacist.

"His name is Andrew and he has something bad growing inside his head and my daddy says only a miracle can save him. So how much does a miracle cost?"

"We don't sell miracles here, child. I'm sorry," the pharmacist said, smiling sadly at the little girl.

"Listen, I have the money to pay for it. If it isn't enough, I can try and get some more. Just tell me how much it costs."

In the shop was a well-dressed customer. He stooped down & asked the little girl, "What kind of a miracle does you brother need?"

"I don't know," she replied with her eyes welling up. "He's really sick & mommy says he needs an operation. But my daddy can't pay for it, so I have brought my savings".

"How much do you have?" asked the man. "One dollar & eleven cents; but I can try and get some more", she answered barely audibly.

"Well, what a coincidence," smiled the man, "A dollar and eleven cents-the exact price of a miracle for little brothers."

He took her money in one hand and held her hand with the other. He said, "Take me to where you live. I want to see your brother and meet your parents. Let's see if I have the kind of miracle you need."

That well-dressed man was Dr. Carlton Armstrong, a neurosurgeon. The operation was completed without charge and it wasn't long before Andrew was home again & doing well.

"That surgery," her mom whispered, "was a real miracle. I wonder how much it would have cost."

The little girl smiled. She knew exactly how much the miracle cost ...one dollar & eleven cents...plus the faith of a little child.

Perseverance can make miracles happen! Miracle can come in various forms - as a doctor, as a lawyer, as a teacher, as a police ,as a friend, as a stranger and many others..

A river cuts the rock not because of its power, but because of its consistency Never lose your hope & keep walking towards your vision.

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Even Devil obeys when God orders!

A very poor woman with a small family called-in to a radio station asking for help from God.

A non-believer man who was also listening to this radio program decided to make fun of the woman. He got her address, called his secretary & ordered her to buy a large amount of foodstuffs and take to the woman.

However, he sent it with the following instruction: "When the woman asks who sent the food, tell her that its from the devil.''

When the secretary arrived at the woman's house, the woman was so happy and grateful for the help that had been received. She started putting the food inside her small house.

The Secretary then asked her, ''Don't you want to know who sent the food?''

The woman replied, ''No, Say thanks to whomever sent this! I don't care who the person is because when GOD orders, even the devil obeys!

WORRIES END Where FAITH BEGINS.

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Beautiful letter written by a father to his son.

Dear son ,

I am writing this to you because of three reasons.

Reason:1. Life, fortune and mishaps are unpredictable, nobody knows how long he lives. Some words are better said early.

Reason: 2. I am your father, and if I don't tell you these, no one else will.

Reason: 3. What is written, is my own personal bitter experiences that perhaps could save you a lot of unnecessary heartaches. Remember the following as you go through life.

1. Do not bear grudge towards those who are not good to you.No one has the responsibility of treating you well, except your mother and I.

To those who are good to you, you have to treasure it and be thankful, and also you have to be cautious, because, everyone has a motive for every move. When a person is good to you, it does not mean he really likes you. You have to be careful, don't hastily regard him as a real friend.

2. No one is indispensable, nothing is in the world that you must possess. Once you understand this idea, it would be easier for you to go through life when people around you don't want you anymore, or when you lose what/who you love most.

3.Life is short. When you waste your life today, tomorrow you would find that life is leaving you. The earlier you treasure your life, the better you enjoy life.

4.Love is but a transient feeling, and this feeling would fade with time and with one's mood. If your so called loved one leaves you, be patient, time will wash away your aches and sadness.

Don't over exaggerate the beauty and sweetness of love, and don't over exaggerate the sadness of falling out of love.

5. A lot of successful people did not receive a good education, that does not mean that you can be successful by not studying hard! Whatever knowledge you gain is your weapon in life. One can go from rags to riches, but one has to start from some rags!

6.I do not expect you to financially support me when I am old,neither would I financially support your whole life. My responsibility as a supporter ends when you are grown up.After that, you decide whether you want to travel in a public transport or in your limousine, whether rich or poor.

7.You honour your words, but don't expect others to be so. You can be good to people, but don't expect people to be good to you. If you don't understand this, you would end up with unnecessary troubles.

8. I have bought lotteries for umpteen years, but I could never strike any prize. That shows if you want to be rich, you have to work hard! There is no free lunch!

9. No matter how much time I have with you, let's treasure the time we have together. We do not know if we would meet again in our next life.

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Forgiveness!

Once, a Junior School teacher asked her students to bring some tomatoes in a plastic bag to school. Each tomato will be given a name of the person whom that child hates. Like this, the number of tomatoes will be equal to the number of persons they hate.

On a decided day, the children brought their tomatoes well addressed. Some had two, some had three and some had even five tomatoes .

Teacher said they have to carry tomatoes with them everywhere they go for a week.

As the days passed the children started to complain about the spoiled smell of tomatoes . Students who had many tomatoes complained it was very heavy to carry.

Teacher asked, "How did you feel this one week?"

Children complained of smell and heavy weight of the tomatoes .

Teacher said, "This is very similar to what you carry in your heart when you don't like some people. Hatred makes heart unhealthy and you carry that hatred everywhere.

If you can't bear the smell of spoiled tomatoes for a week, imagine the impact on your heart that you carry throughout  life."

Heart is a beautiful garden that needs regular cleaning of unwanted weeds.

Forgive those who have angered you. This makes room for storing good things.

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How God Answers our Prayers?

Dr. Stephen, a well-known doctor, was once on his way to an important medical conference in another city where-in he was going to be granted an award for medical research he had recently done.

He was very excited to attend the conference and was desperate to reach as soon as possible. He had worked long and hard on his research and felt his efforts deserved the award he was about to obtain.

However, two hours after the plane took off, the pilot announced that there was a problem with the plane and that they were going to make an emergency landing at the nearest airport. Afraid that he wouldn’t make it in time for the conference, Dr. Stephen immediately went to the help desk as soon as the plane landed and explained to the woman at the desk that he was expected to be at a very important conference and that he needed to know the immediate next flight to his destination.She told him that there was nothing she could do to help him as there wouldn’t be another flight to his destination for another ten hours; but suggested he rent a car and drive down to the city as it was only four hours away. Having no other choice, he agreed to the idea despite his hatred for driving long distances.

Dr. Stephen rented a car and started his journey. However, soon after he left, the weather suddenly changed and a heavy storm began. The pouring rain made it very difficult for him to see and he missed a turn he was supposed to take.

After two hours of driving, he was convinced he was lost. Driving in the heavy rain on a deserted road, feeling hungry and tired, he frantically began to look for any sign of civilization. After some time, he finally came across a small tattered house. Desperate, he got out of the car and knocked on the door. An old woman opened the door for him. He explained his situation and asked if he could use her telephone. She told him that she didn’t have a phone or electricity but that he was welcome to come in for some food and something warm to drink as he had completely lost his way and that it would take him some time to get back on the right road.

Hungry, wet and exhausted, the doctor accepted her kind offer and walked in. The woman told him to help himself to some food and hot tea on the table and then excused herself to finish her prayers. Sitting on the table sipping his tea, the doctor watched the woman in the dim light of candles as she prayed next to what appeared to be a small baby crib.

Every time she finished a prayer, she would start another one. Feeling that the woman might be in need of help, the doctor seized the opportunity to speak as soon as she finished her prayers and told her that he hoped God would answer her prayers. He then said that he noticed that she had been making a lot of prayers and asked if there was something she needed that he could get for her or help her with. The woman smiled and said that God had answered all her prayers except one. She said she didn’t know why God hadn’t answered this specific prayer yet but perhaps it was because of her weak faith.

The doctor asked if she didn’t mind telling him what she needed. Nodding her head in approval, she said that the child in the crib was her grandson. She said that the child had a very rare type of cancer and that all the doctors she had seen were unable to treat him. She also said that she had been told that there was a doctor who specialized in the type of cancer her grandson had, but there was no way for her to get to this doctor as he lived very far from her; so she has been spending her days and nights praying to God to help her find a way to get to Dr. Stephen – the doctor who could treat her grandson.

Upon hearing her words, tears began to flow down the doctor’s cheeks and He said: God is great, there was malfunction in the plane, a thunderstorm hit, and I lost my way; and all of this happened because God did not just answer your prayer by helping you find a way to get to Dr. Stephen, but He brought Dr. Stephen to your house. I am Dr. Stephen. Tears begun to stream down her cheek.

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What a nice story!

An American man walked into a restaurant in London. As soon as he entered, he noticed an African man sitting in the corner.

So he walked over to the counter, removed his wallet and shouted, "Waiter! I am buying food for everyone in this restaurant, except that black African guy over there!"

So the waiter collected the money from the man and began serving free food to everyone in the restaurant, except the African.

However,instead of becoming upset, the African simply looked up at the American and shouted, "Thank you!"

That infuriated the man. So once again, the American took out his wallet and shouted, "Waiter! This time I am buying bottles of wine & additional food for everyone in this bar, except for that African sitting in the corner over there!"

So the waiter collected the money from the man and began serving free food and wine to everyone in the bar except the African.

When the waiter finished serving the food and drinks, once again, instead of becoming angry, the African simply smiled at the American man and shouted, "Thank you!"

That made the American man furious. So he leaned over on the counter and said to the waiter, "What is wrong with that African man? I have bought food and drinks for everyone in this bar except him, but instead of becoming angry, he just sits there and smiles at me and shouts 'Thank you.'Is he

mad?"

The waiter smiled at the American and said, "No, he is not mad. He is the owner of this

restaurant.

May your enemies work unknowingly in your favour.

Do remember:

*Stay away from Anger..It hurts only You!

*If you are right then there is no need to get angry,

*And if you are wrong then you don't have any right to get angry.

*Patience with family is love,

*Patience with others is respect.

*Patience with self is confidence and Patience with GOD is faith.

*Never Think Hard about the Past, It brings Tears..

*Don't think more about the FUTURE, It brings Fear..

*Live this Moment with a Smile,It brings Cheer.

*Every test in our life makes us bitter or better,

*Every problem comes to make us or break us,

*The choice is ours whether we become victims or victorious.

*Beautiful things are not always good but good things are always beautiful

*Do you know why God created gaps between fingers?

*So that someone who is special to you comes and fills those gaps by holding your hand forever.

*Happiness keeps You Sweet..But being sweet brings happiness.

Do Share it with all the Good People in your Life.

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Spend time with people!

I had spent an hour in the bank with my Uncle, as he had to transfer some money.  I couldn't resistu myself & asked.

''Uncle, why don't we activate your internet banking?'' ''Why would I do that?'' He asked.

''Well, then you wont have to spend an hour here for things like transfer. You can even do your shopping online.Everything will be so easy!'' I was so excited about initiating him into the world of Net banking.

He asked, ''If I do that, I wont have to step out of the house?

''Yes, yes''! I said. I told him how even grocery can be delivered at door now and how amazon delivers everything! His answer left me tongue-tied.

He said, ''Since I entered this bank today, I have met four of my friends, I have chatted a while with the staff who know me very well by now.

You know I am alone.This is the company that I need. I like to get ready and come to the bank. I have enough time, it is the physical touch that I crave.

Two years back I got sick. The store owner  from whom I buy fruits, came to see me and sat by my bedside and cried.

My wife fell down few days back while on her morning walk. My local grocer saw her and immediately got his car to rush her home as he knows where I live.

Would I have that 'human' touch if everything became online? Why would I want everything delivered to me and force me to interact with just my computer?

I like to know the person that I'm dealing with and not just the 'seller'. It creates bonds. Relationships.

Does Amazon deliver all this as well?

Technology isn' t life.  Spend time with people. Not with devices.

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God Is At The Window !

There was a little boy visiting his grandparents on their farm. He was given a slingshot to play with out in the woods. He practiced in the woods; but he could never hit the target. Getting a little discouraged, he headed back for dinner. As he was walking back he saw Grandma's pet duck. Just out of impulse, he let the slingshot fly, hit the duck square in the head and killed it .He was shocked and grieved!

In a panic, he hid the dead duck in the wood pile; only to see his Sister watching! Sally had seen it all, but she said nothing. After lunch the next day Grandma said, 'Sally, let's wash the dishes'. But Sally said 'Grandma, Johnny told me he wanted to help in the kitchen.' Then she whispered to him, "Remember the duck?' So Johnny did the dishes.

Later that day, Grandpa asked if the children wanted to go fishing and Grandma said, 'I'm sorry but I need Sally to help make supper.' Sally just smiled and said, 'well that's all right because Johnny told me he wanted to help? She whispered again, 'Remember the duck?' So Sally went fishing & Johnny stayed to help.

After several days of Johnny doing both his chores & Sally's; he finally couldn't stand it any longer. He came to Grandma and confessed that he had killed the duck. Grandma knelt down, gave him a hug and said, 'Sweetheart, I know. You see, I was standing at the window & I saw the whole thing, but because I love you, I forgave you. I was just wondering how long you would let Sally make a slave of you.'

Thought for the day and every day thereafter:Whatever is in your past, whatever you have done ? And the devil keeps throwing it up in your face (lying, cheating, debt, fear, bad habits, hatred, anger, bitterness, etc) whatever it is, you need to know that:God was standing at the window and He saw the whole thing.

He has seen your whole life. He wants you to know that He loves you and that you are forgiven. He's just wondering how long you will let the devil make a slave of you.

The great thing about God is that when you ask for forgiveness; He not only forgives you, but He forgets.

It is by God's grace and mercy that we are saved.

Aways remember: God is at the window.GOD bless.

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The Carpenter's House

An elderly carpenter was ready to retire. He told his employer-contractor of his plans to leave the house building business & live a more leisurely life with his wife enjoying his extended family.

He would miss the pay check, but he needed to retire. They could get by. The contractor was sorry to see his good worker go & asked if he could build just one more house as a personal favour. The carpenter said yes, but in time it was easy to see that his heart was not in his work. He resorted to shoddy workmanship & used inferior materials. It was an unfortunate way to end his career.

When the carpenter finished his work & the builder came to inspect the house, the contractor handed the front-door key to the carpenter. “This is your house,” he said, “my gift to you.”

What a shock! What a shame! If he had only known he was building his own house, he would have done it all so differently. Now he had to live in the home he had built none too well.

So it is with us. We build our lives in a distracted way, reacting rather than acting, willing to put up less than the best. At important points we do not give the job our best effort. Then with a shock we look at the situation we have created & find that we are now living in the house we have built. If we had realized that we would have done it differently.

Think of yourself as the carpenter. Think about your house. Each day you hammer a nail, place a board, or erect a wall. Build wisely. It is the only life you will ever build. Even if you live it for only one day more, that day deserves to be lived graciously & with dignity.The plaque on the wall says, “Life is a do-it-yourself project.” Your life tomorrow will be the result of your attitudes and the choices you make today.

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