Tuesday, December 31, 2013
Friday, December 27, 2013
Thursday, December 26, 2013
"Jacob & Esau"
Henry Eicher - Genesis 27,
Jacob and Esau
There is one thing quite noticeable in the Bible. Very often you will find together one of God's very best and one of Satan's very, very worst, like the case of Cain and Abel. Abel was one of God's best, and his brother was one of the worst. He was a murderer. Then in the case of Jacob and Esau, Jacob turned out at the last to be one of God's very best, and his own brother, his twin, one of the worst. He had a great influence on others, and because of him there are many people who are outside of the Kingdom of God today.
I would like to speak a little about these twins. These two brothers grew up together in one home, under the very same influence - everything the same, and still one ended with God, and the other ended far from God, and both had an influence. Jacob loved and lived for the things that God loved. Esau loved and lived for the things that God hated. There are people in the world tonight, friends, who are loving and living for things that God hates, while others have turned from their own way and have begun to live for the things that God loves. You have studied many times the story of these two boys, Jacob and Esau, how they grew up together, worked together, ate together, maybe even fought together. Then the time came when they chose. Isn't it marvelous thing that in life we can choose? Little by little, that choice is going to send us in one direction or another. Jacob chose the things that are eternal. He loved the things that God loved.
There certainly were many good marks about Esau. He was not lazy. He was a good provider. His father loved him. It doesn't say that his father loved Jacob. Esau made some mistakes at the beginning of life. He married into the world, and he saw that his wives were a continual grief to his father and mother. So he tried to correct that, and took a wife of the daughters of Ishmael, which was a little closer anyhow, than his former wives. I think that in some ways, Esau tried to please his father and mother. The trouble with Esau was that he never came to an end of himself. He never came to the end of his own way, never made a covenant with God. Some people depend so much on their own goodness. We were talking to a woman some time ago in the city of Manila. We were having meetings and quite a few children were coming. We went to visit a certain home because the children had been coming, but their mother, a widow, had never come to the meetings. so we asked her to come to the meetings. She said, "Why should I go to the meetings? I never do anything wrong. I am always at home, cooking and taking care of the home; I am not doing anything wrong." That is not why people go to heaven, just because they are not doing anything wrong.
The reason why people go to heaven is because God has put something in them already, from heaven. John 3:13 "And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven." You could say it like this: Nothing can go to heaven, only what has come from heaven. Nobody can go to be with God unless there is something from heaven in them already. That is what it means to be a child of God. It is more than being good. It means that God gives a portion of His Spirit that enables us to understand and enjoy the things of God. If a person claims to be a Christian, and they enjoy the things that God hates, there is something wrong with that person's profession. A true Christian receives a portion of the nature of heaven, and when they pass from earth to heaven, they only go to a fuller enjoyment of that Spirit and nature. Nobody can go to heaven unless they have something from heaven in them now.
Esau, while he may have had some good marks as far as man is concerned, still he never, never came to the realization of his own need of God, and of making a surrender to God, and of letting God do something in his heart and life. But Jacob was different. Jacob was a crooked supplanter, and he knew how to get the better, and how to take advantage of his brother and others. Jacob had some marks in him that were not very nice. But the time came later on in life when Jacob got down on his knees and surrendered his life to God, and he vowed, "If you will be with me, and keep me in the way that I go, I will serve you all my lifetime." God showed Jacob, there is a way for you. There is a way like a ladder. There is a way that reaches all the way from where you are to God in heaven. There is nothing lacking, there is everything you need to help along the way. Jacob is not the only one who has seen that ladder. This is the way for everyone. You can take one step, however small and feeble that step may be, but it separates you a little from the world. You can continue taking steps, so that the things of the world will lose their value to you, and you value more the things that are eternal. Jacob saw the ladder, and he walked on that ladder, and God helped him. Nobody can walk on that ladder, nobody can walk in the way of God without the help of God.
Esau was a great hunter. Jacob was in the house and he was cooking something. Esau came in from the field and he was hungry. Some people have just never been able to say "No" to themselves in hardly anything. They have no control. Esau came in from the field, and he had control over himself. Maybe he was used to having his own way. Jacob said to him, "Sell me this day thy birthright." Esau had the right to the birthright. They were twins, but he was the oldest, and he had a right to the largest part of the inheritance. Jacob knew that Esau didn't really prize this very much so Esau sold it, right there, just for a mess of pottage, just for something to satisfy his fleshly appetite, just for something for himself. When Esau sold his birthright, he was no longer the firstborn. Jacob got the big portion because he valued it. Then Jacob had a right to the blessing and the inheritance, and everything. Later on Esau tried to get that, but he couldn't get it. God saw to it that he couldn't get it, because he had sold it. Later when it came time to get the blessing, Esau thought he would get the blessing but he couldn't get it. He wept with exceeding bitter tears, but he couldn't get it - it was sold. Many people are selling their birthright to the Kingdom of Heaven just for foolish things. You would wonder if people really believe that God is looking on.
It may not be for silver, it may not
be for gold,
but still by tens of thousands, the price of life is sold.
Sold for a Godless friendship, sold for a selfish aim,
sold for a fleeting trifle, sold for an empty name.
Sold in the mart of science, sold in the seat of power,
sold at the shrine of fortune, sold at pleasure's bower.
Sold where the awful bargain, none but God can see;
Ponder my soul the question, "Shall He be sold by me?"
but still by tens of thousands, the price of life is sold.
Sold for a Godless friendship, sold for a selfish aim,
sold for a fleeting trifle, sold for an empty name.
Sold in the mart of science, sold in the seat of power,
sold at the shrine of fortune, sold at pleasure's bower.
Sold where the awful bargain, none but God can see;
Ponder my soul the question, "Shall He be sold by me?"
I have pondered quite a little over this man Esau, and some things that we see even in our own experience. Sometimes we will see people who live for things that displease God, and they justify themselves in doing it. They use verses in the Bible to prove what they are doing is right in the sight of God. Some of you people have been studying the Epistles of the Thessalonians, and in 2nd Thessalonians 2:4 it tells us of Satan setting himself in the place of God. He tries to get people to believe that his way is God's way, his interpretation is God's interpretation, and that the way he wants you to go is the way God wants you to go. He sets himself in the place of God, shewing himself that he is God, and putting forth ideas to make you believe that that is God's way.
Another thing you notice about people, when they get a wrong spirit in them, they are like Esau. He sought for a place of repentance and found no place. If a person is not honest, and they continue to justify themselves in wrong doing, in things that are a bad example to other people, and are not according to the teachings of Christ, and they continue to justify themselves in wrong doing, even though some day they might want to repent they won't be able to. We blind our eyes by our willful justification of our wrong doing, and destroy our own conscience. Then we can't repent, we do not know how to repent. I have heard people trying to repent, to say "I am a sinner." When a person really feels that they have done wrong, they feel like a dead dog. When a person knows that they have sinned, that they have done wrong, and they have really sinned, and they are willing to turn from their sin, when there is true repentance, there is forgiveness, absolute forgiveness from God and from God's people too. But when a person accuses others - "Yes, I have done wrong alright, but it is not my fault. Others have done wrong too, and I am not as bad as they are." That is not true repentance. Repentance is a gift of God, just like salvation. It is a gift when God can make us see we are wrong and what to do about it. God pity the people that don't see that there is anything wrong with them, and just go and believe they are right, to the destruction of themselves and other people.
I was talking to a young man not long ago about yielding his life to God, and he said, "You know, the biggest trouble is unbelief." I said, "What do you mean by unbelief? Do you have any doubt that there is a God?" "Oh, no," he said, "I know there is a God." "Do you have any doubt but that this is God's way and God's truth?" "I have no doubt about that." "What kind of doubt, then do you have?" "Well, I have doubts like this: I have questions many times about things that I am doing. Are they really wrong? These habits that I have, are they really wrong? What is wrong with them?" Did you ever hear that voice? That has been the voice of the adversary ~ from the Garden of Eden until now. "Hath God said?" "Will I go to hell if I continue doing as I am doing now?" If Satan can make you believe that wrong things are not so bad and will not destroy you, then it is very hard for God to help you. It is a wonderful thing if God can show us the things that are wrong, and we know that they are wrong and we are willing to do something about it. There's a ladder that reaches from where you are to God. You can save yourself and others. But unless your salvation means more to you than anything or anybody on earth, unless it is more precious to you than anything or anybody on earth, you will never get to heaven.
The birthright meant more to Jacob than anything else, and he got it. In the book of Romans, Paul uses Jacob and Esau to show that the Jews were like Esau. They had the birthright, the promise, the Bible. They had everything, but didn't value it. They depended a lot on their self righteousness and what they were naturally, just like Esau did. But the Gentiles came by choice. In the 9th chapter it tells us that it is not what you are naturally that counts. The Jews had everything. Even Christ came to the Jewish people, but they were setting up their own righteousness and did not submit themselves to the righteousness of God. God has a right to choose to whom He is going to give the birthright. He is not a Jew who is a Jew naturally, but one who is a Jew spiritually. God has a right to choose. He doesn't have to cast His pearls before swine, nor to give that which is Holy to dogs. "Therefore hath He mercy on whom He will have mercy, and whom He will, He hardeneth." Doesn't the Potter have power over the clay? Here is a piece of clay, and you make it into two lumps. Of the same lump you can make a vessel unto honor and another unto dishonor. Certainly God doesn't have to submit to men and women who have no love for clean, pure, holy things.
It doesn't make any difference what you do, how much money you might give, or anything along that line. The Pharisees were those who were teaching people the Bible, but they themselves were not born again. They were not God's children even though they believed the Bible and believed in God. It was pretty hard for Paul. He was a Pharisee himself. But God saw that Saul, as he was called then, was a good man, even though he was blind. God had mercy on Saul, opened his eyes, and Saul did something about it too. He turned away from man's way and walked in the way of God.
Many years ago when I was a little boy, God's servants came to our home. My mother never thought that maybe the way she was worshiping was the will of God. But my father sometimes used to ask, "Why are the preachers here in the Bible different from our preachers?" He had an opportunity and went to a meeting; and later on God's servants came to our home and my father and mother went to the meetings. Sometimes they would say, "I know that it is not in the Bible that way." But when they would go home they would find it. By and by they could see that if ever God had a people and a way upon earth, these are God's people, and this is God's way. But when they were children and worshiping in a false way they had taken a vow: "I will never never leave the church as long as I live." But now what about this? Here are God's people and here is God's way. Surely God will not hold us responsible for a vow that we made in ignorance. I am glad that they had the courage to make their choice to walk in God's way. The reason I am preaching the Gospel is because I knew there were others in the world who would be just as grateful as I am, if only they knew God's way. What if nobody had left their home, left their country, and come to our place to show us God's way? Where would I be? ~ ~ ~
The Story Of Jesus Birth
There is no story any better in all of the world than the story of the
Lord Jesus. There is no story that can be repeated again and again, and
the more we hear it the more we love it and the more hope there is. We
learn about Jesus so that we might learn about our Creator, the eternal
Almighty God who sent His son to this earth that we might understand the
spirit and nature of the Creator. We read of Him being the brightness
of His glory and the express image of His person in Hebrews 1. The one
whom he made all of the world was made through Jesus. When God created
all the heavens and the earth, the earth, the moon, the sun, the stars,
everything, it was made through the Lord Jesus. I hope we can believe
that. It is hard to believe, it's almost an incredible story of the Lord
Jesus.
We are coming into a time of the year when there is a lot of festivity, celebration, about the birth of Christ here on the earth. Christmas they call it. It is rather difficult to sort out because a lot of it is ancient mythology, even pagan feasts, mixed up with some fact. People have a strange conception of it all. Back in northern Europe, it would seem that this Christmas feasting started when there was snow around. There were several feasts. One seemed to perhaps coincide with the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year in the northern hemisphere, which they seem to think may have been December 25; now they say December 20-22, very little difference. Several pagan feasts. Some religious authorities in the first few centuries after the time of Christ decided to put it all together to maintain [adepts?] or converts. Hence Santa Claus, reindeers and giving of gifts. When Jesus was really born, the time of the year, we don't know. No indication, it would really seem, of even the season. It doesn't say. But because they had some feasts at that time of the year, it seemed convenient, to suit some people, to just put it all together. That is what the world likes to do. Just mix things up. A little bit of truth,a little bit of mythology, put it together and people don't know the difference.
Well, its very good, friends, if we go back and look at what the bible has left on record for us about the truth of the matter. It is uplifted a lot, and it should be uplifted, but it is changed to suit our thoughts. There in the city of Nazareth was a young couple, promised in marriage together but not yet married. That was in the northern part of the nation of Israel. Israel, the Jewish people, those who had the promise of God in the time of Moses, over 1000 years, maybe some 1400 years before. They had left obeying, they had lost many blessings, they were being dominated by the very powerful and cruel Roman empire. They left them to some liberty but they were very cruel, harsh people. There was lots of corruption, even amongst the Jewish people. They had promises of natural health and prosperity that were promised just to the Jewish people if they were obedient to the natural laws given through Moses so many centuries before. But they weren't. There were blind and lame and incapacitated people there in the time of Christ. Very strong indication that people had left the promises of God to follow their own human desires. There was violence, terrible violence upon the earth. Sometimes we complain about the trends of the world but, friends, I believe that things were far, far worse in those days. There was a man, a Godly sincere man, in whom there was no guile, no deceit: Nathaniel. When the disciples brought Jesus to him he knew He came from the city of Nazareth where Joseph and Mary were living. Nathaniel said 'can any good thing come out of Nazareth, is it possible in such a terrible corrupt city that there could be one good honest life?' Now sometimes, friends, you might think it is difficult to bring up your family in this modern age. I believe it was far, far worse [then].
This was no accident, the story of Jesus. It was planned by God. God in His love wanted to extend to us His tremendous love and favor and show to us His plan to help each one of us. There was the Roman emperor. He sent a decree, a law, out to the whole countryside to be counted or registered, taxed it says in some bibles. It wasn't postal services and computers so all the families had to go back to the city where the father was born, or where the father grew up. The angel had spoken to Joseph and Mary. Mary was expecting this child of promise. She couldn't understand much but it was a very, very special child that was to be born. The most special child of all the history of the whole world was entrusted to that young couple. Joseph was a simple carpenter.
Now I don't know if you have Jewish people here, but there are Jewish people all around the world and they are very well known for their business capacities. I was in a kind of a meeting with a religious man some years ago on the other side of the world. He asked, 'Are there any Jews here?' No; 'Do you know some Jews?' Yes, some people did. He said, 'Do you know any Jews who are poor?' No. Prosperous industrious people in business but they weren't known to be tradesmen. The time when Solomon built the temple, centuries before this, he used foreigners as carpenters and stonemasons. It wasn't a skill that the Jews were great in. Joseph was a humble man, doing what he could in a poor situation. They were struggling, friends. In spite of all the corruption, corruption in the Jewish priesthood amongst the rulers and all. Here were two people, young people, fearing God, looking to God, when everyone else would seem to be so much against it. And now Mary expecting to give birth, a first child. They said you will have to go down to the city of Bethlehem, the town, maybe almost 100 km away, to be registered with Joseph. She could have said 'well, that is not reasonable.' No motorcars or trains or planes. Better people might have had horses or donkeys. It seems doubtful that Joseph and Mary had that. You just go walking. She could have said, 'well this child I am to bear is so important'. Just go down, no complaint. We don't read of one complaint, from either party. Here they are with several days’ journey, and no 5 star hotels on the way either. They get there. A lot of people there. They were very poor. We can be sure, the Jews are not much different in our time. If they had money they would have found a place to stay. They didn't have it, friends. They went to the inn, a type of hostel for the travelers; full up. Go round the back where they look after the animals.
I grew up singing Christmas carols at school, and they paint these dear little pictures of a lovely little shed and the animals inside. I grew up thinking that is what a manger is. You know what a manger is, friends? A manger is just a feeding box for the animals. It's no building. Maybe of wood, maybe of stone, just where they put the food for the animals. Jesus was not born in a manger, we want to read the account carefully. Can you imagine, friends, that poor couple, that young couple, no one paid any notice of them, walking all those days, nowhere to stay, just with the animals.
The Son of God was being born into this world in such a situation. We read there in Luke's gospel Chapter 2, "She brought forth her first born son and wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger because there was no room for them in the inn." Swaddling clothes, strips of cloth, of rag. They had no special little clothes for their first born child. Some bible scholars say there was some sort of a cave, some sort of natural protection there for the animals, nothing more. No bed, no midwife, no doctor friends, just on the ground. The hard cold ground and hard cold hearts around about them. God planned it that way, for your sake and mine that we might have access to this most wonderful story told in the whole world. We read He was born. She bought forth. She wrapped Him and she laid Him in the manger. No one to help, just Joseph. They should have had a midwife, someone to help. If there had been people of any standing at all, they were probably regarded as poor beggars. This is the Son of God, the Son of the almighty Creator who was with God when God created the whole universe. Would you plan for your child to be born in such situation, your grandchildren, your loved ones? I think not.
But there were shepherds. They were watching over their flocks of sheep by night. Simple men, friends. Out in the country. It wasn't a safe place. They just couldn't leave their sheep in the paddock at night. They were out there with them. Very simple men. Just enough to live on. Just a few years ago I visited some place in the mountains of Bolivia. A poor little lady there, looking after a flock of goats and a couple of sheep. Barely enough to live on. Just looked after them and walked with them, there almost in the midst of a small town, dogs and other animals around, her simple house she shared with those animals. Nothing more in life, friends. Here were these simple shepherds, I believe something very similar. Just a few animals, caring for them, living for them. An angel of the Lord came and spoke to them. "Do not be afraid, for I bring you good tidings, or good news of great joy, which shall be to all people." News of great joy to all people. Here we see the beginning of the new covenant of the new testament, as we were hearing this afternoon. God bringing to this world His promises through His Son. Before it was especially to the Jewish people but here Jesus was born, dear friends, to all people. Everyone who would have wished to have seen that young child had free access. There the poorest of the people, those shepherd men, they could go and see the little brand new baby, the Lord Jesus. Good tidings of great joy, friends. Great joy. Isn't that what all of the world wants and needs and just doesn't know where to look for it. People are disappointed and sad and confused in life. They go towards the entertainment of this world, they go to everything that men can build and construct, feeling that's going to be joy for them. And fierce competition in the world. People have to have bigger houses and bigger cars and more and more and more. Here we hear of the news of great joy, in the most simple situation and environment we can imagine, friends. Great joy. Joy exceeding all other joys.
Those shepherds were just so privileged to go and see that young child. They could understand there is hope even for us. I'm glad the Lord Jesus was born in a situation like that. That left access for even you and me, friends, to listen to this story, this most wonderful story, Salvation coming to us, the hope and joy of our souls now and forever. Let's use what we can for the good of life to maintain life, to be a help one to another, a help to the gospel, a help to bring salvation. But we want to be careful of this illusion that great big things and great appearance and show are going to bring joy to our lives. I don't believe it brought anything of the joy that came to those simple humble shepherds. The angel said, "Do not fear, for there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior who is Christ the Lord". Then suddenly there was with the angel, a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying glory to God in the highest and on earth peace and goodwill toward men. A multitude of the heavenly host. A multitude of angels, not 10 or 20 or 100, a multitude praising God and bringing a message of peace and hope to everyone who wanted to listen. That's the way the gospel goes forth these days, friends. To bring exceedingly great joy.
We can read a little bit later on when those wise men went from the East, when they saw the star in the skies, they were filled with exceeding great joy. A joy, a hope, a satisfaction in life, a love that God loves you and me, friends. God, the great eternal One who has the power of everything but is so humble, friends, that He brings this gospel in a beautiful simplicity to each one of us. We heard today in Isaiah 55 the thoughts of God are not our thoughts. As the heavens are higher than the earth so are God's thoughts higher than ours and His ways higher than ours. God planned for this most precious life to be born here on the earth. The most important birth in all the history of the earth. How would we plan it? We would want a great palace. We would want a great army of soldiers around to protect it. That would perhaps call the attention of all the other nations of the world and there would be great danger. A war. Jesus came to bring peace and peace to us. How did God make provision to protect His beloved Son? He protected Him with humility and simplicity. Born in such humble and down to earth situation that no one even opened an eye. Safer there than all the armies of the world could have provided, in humility and simplicity and sincerity. Friends, that can be our safety as we are willing to walk in this life humbly and with our Lord. Enjoy the hope and the love that is out stretched to all of us through this wonderful gospel story.
It has been my privilege to be in different parts of this earth. One of the great impressions I have in life was there in the mountains of Peru, some have been there. It was all so simple, there wasn't any electricity, no roads, no cars, no vehicles. There in a tent on the top of a mountain, away up, we had a Wednesday night meeting before the convention. It was getting dark. Here comes one little lantern from one corner. Another one, another one, and another one.150 or 200 people, some of them walking two hours with little children coming to listen to the gospel story. Just a one or two hour meeting, not so long. Their joy to be there. The meeting finishes and then those little lights disappearing in every direction, down through the valleys, walking, little children on their backs, others walking beside them. Another hour or two to walk home, full of joy. They had heard the message of hope; they had heard the message of salvation. They were embracing it. It meant everything to them. This gospel comes within the reach of everyone, friends, to all the world, not just the Jews, not just the wealthy, the intelligent of this world but to everyone who would be willing to listen to the story of Jesus. Showing the love of God to us in ways that we wouldn't be willing to even show to our best friends. Born in such humble contrite situation.
We read back in Leviticus 12, it describes the Mosaic law. When the first-born was born, whether a son or daughter, the offering for them was a lamb, one year old, and a pair of doves. A young pigeon or a turtle dove as a sin offering. Bring that to the tabernacle, or which was later the temple, in Jerusalem. Did Joseph and Mary take that at about 40 days? No; Luke just says, 'They took two turtle doves or pigeons because there back in the law it does say that if they are not able to bring one little lamb then they may bring two turtle doves or two young pigeons. That was all that Mary and Joseph could bring. I'm sure that if it was possible within their reach, they would have brought a lamb, but they couldn't, friends. They didn't have that much. God entrusted His son to people like that. God has entrusted the life, the eternal life, to us, if we are willing to embrace it. The life of love, the life of forgiveness, the life of mercy. Sometime later there were wise men from the East. Maybe months later, went to visit, opened their treasures. Just cannot be sure where they went. It could have been to Bethlehem, it may have been Nazareth, the bible does not say. They went quite some time later. Mary and Joseph were in a house. Then they were warned to flee to Egypt because that terribly cruel king, Herod, was wanting to destroy the One who was born to be King of Kings and Lord of Lords. We know the story.
Friends, don't complain about the times we live in. That king made another decree to the soldiers. 'You go forth and kill every little baby boy' in the district of Bethlehem from the age of two years and under. Kill them. Murder them. Can you imagine the soldier knocking on your door? 'Any little baby boys in here? Give them to us, we are going to kill them, in front of you'. Can you imagine the knocking on the door and the mother trying to hide it, and the little boy cries out, and then they go and destroy it. God saw fit to send his Son into a place like that. What a privilege we have, friends, to listen to this story, the most wonderful story of love that the world has ever known. God in His greatness, friends, in His eternal mind, is a humble God, and loves humble people. If we could just put our pride and arrogance aside and learn more of the wonderful story of Jesus, of the love of God for us, that emanates from every side of this wonderful story.
It wasn't a great fancy place where the Master was born. He wasn't born to great wealthy parents. They had to flee then to Egypt. It would be the last place on earth that they would want to go. It was the story of the Jewish people for centuries of how they had escaped from slavery and cruel bondage of Egypt. It was told to be told from generation to generation. That was the beginning of the year, the feast of the Passover. They were to tell it, how that God, through the hand of Moses, delivered the people out of cruel bondage of Egypt. Now the angel was saying to Joseph and Mary, 'You go back to Egypt'. They went, friends, in perfect obedience to the heavenly Father. Then later back to Nazareth. It's a wonderful story, friends.
The love of God is far deeper than we could ever imagine, for you and for me. It’s a story that is open to all of the world. You know, sometimes our human pride and arrogance would stop us listening. We would like to doctor up this story. We would like to make it prettier, more attractive, to our own human ideas and ways and thoughts and miss the joy. That exceeding great joy that came to those who participated in the story of Jesus. Exceedingly great was their joy. They heard the multitude of the heavenly host in perfect harmony singing praises to God, greater than any. I love to hear you singing. I love to hear you singing, 'Tell me the story of Jesus'. Let God write on our hearts every word.” ~ ~ ~
Sunday night, 14th December 2008, 1st Pukekohe Convention
We are coming into a time of the year when there is a lot of festivity, celebration, about the birth of Christ here on the earth. Christmas they call it. It is rather difficult to sort out because a lot of it is ancient mythology, even pagan feasts, mixed up with some fact. People have a strange conception of it all. Back in northern Europe, it would seem that this Christmas feasting started when there was snow around. There were several feasts. One seemed to perhaps coincide with the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year in the northern hemisphere, which they seem to think may have been December 25; now they say December 20-22, very little difference. Several pagan feasts. Some religious authorities in the first few centuries after the time of Christ decided to put it all together to maintain [adepts?] or converts. Hence Santa Claus, reindeers and giving of gifts. When Jesus was really born, the time of the year, we don't know. No indication, it would really seem, of even the season. It doesn't say. But because they had some feasts at that time of the year, it seemed convenient, to suit some people, to just put it all together. That is what the world likes to do. Just mix things up. A little bit of truth,a little bit of mythology, put it together and people don't know the difference.
Well, its very good, friends, if we go back and look at what the bible has left on record for us about the truth of the matter. It is uplifted a lot, and it should be uplifted, but it is changed to suit our thoughts. There in the city of Nazareth was a young couple, promised in marriage together but not yet married. That was in the northern part of the nation of Israel. Israel, the Jewish people, those who had the promise of God in the time of Moses, over 1000 years, maybe some 1400 years before. They had left obeying, they had lost many blessings, they were being dominated by the very powerful and cruel Roman empire. They left them to some liberty but they were very cruel, harsh people. There was lots of corruption, even amongst the Jewish people. They had promises of natural health and prosperity that were promised just to the Jewish people if they were obedient to the natural laws given through Moses so many centuries before. But they weren't. There were blind and lame and incapacitated people there in the time of Christ. Very strong indication that people had left the promises of God to follow their own human desires. There was violence, terrible violence upon the earth. Sometimes we complain about the trends of the world but, friends, I believe that things were far, far worse in those days. There was a man, a Godly sincere man, in whom there was no guile, no deceit: Nathaniel. When the disciples brought Jesus to him he knew He came from the city of Nazareth where Joseph and Mary were living. Nathaniel said 'can any good thing come out of Nazareth, is it possible in such a terrible corrupt city that there could be one good honest life?' Now sometimes, friends, you might think it is difficult to bring up your family in this modern age. I believe it was far, far worse [then].
This was no accident, the story of Jesus. It was planned by God. God in His love wanted to extend to us His tremendous love and favor and show to us His plan to help each one of us. There was the Roman emperor. He sent a decree, a law, out to the whole countryside to be counted or registered, taxed it says in some bibles. It wasn't postal services and computers so all the families had to go back to the city where the father was born, or where the father grew up. The angel had spoken to Joseph and Mary. Mary was expecting this child of promise. She couldn't understand much but it was a very, very special child that was to be born. The most special child of all the history of the whole world was entrusted to that young couple. Joseph was a simple carpenter.
Now I don't know if you have Jewish people here, but there are Jewish people all around the world and they are very well known for their business capacities. I was in a kind of a meeting with a religious man some years ago on the other side of the world. He asked, 'Are there any Jews here?' No; 'Do you know some Jews?' Yes, some people did. He said, 'Do you know any Jews who are poor?' No. Prosperous industrious people in business but they weren't known to be tradesmen. The time when Solomon built the temple, centuries before this, he used foreigners as carpenters and stonemasons. It wasn't a skill that the Jews were great in. Joseph was a humble man, doing what he could in a poor situation. They were struggling, friends. In spite of all the corruption, corruption in the Jewish priesthood amongst the rulers and all. Here were two people, young people, fearing God, looking to God, when everyone else would seem to be so much against it. And now Mary expecting to give birth, a first child. They said you will have to go down to the city of Bethlehem, the town, maybe almost 100 km away, to be registered with Joseph. She could have said 'well, that is not reasonable.' No motorcars or trains or planes. Better people might have had horses or donkeys. It seems doubtful that Joseph and Mary had that. You just go walking. She could have said, 'well this child I am to bear is so important'. Just go down, no complaint. We don't read of one complaint, from either party. Here they are with several days’ journey, and no 5 star hotels on the way either. They get there. A lot of people there. They were very poor. We can be sure, the Jews are not much different in our time. If they had money they would have found a place to stay. They didn't have it, friends. They went to the inn, a type of hostel for the travelers; full up. Go round the back where they look after the animals.
I grew up singing Christmas carols at school, and they paint these dear little pictures of a lovely little shed and the animals inside. I grew up thinking that is what a manger is. You know what a manger is, friends? A manger is just a feeding box for the animals. It's no building. Maybe of wood, maybe of stone, just where they put the food for the animals. Jesus was not born in a manger, we want to read the account carefully. Can you imagine, friends, that poor couple, that young couple, no one paid any notice of them, walking all those days, nowhere to stay, just with the animals.
The Son of God was being born into this world in such a situation. We read there in Luke's gospel Chapter 2, "She brought forth her first born son and wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger because there was no room for them in the inn." Swaddling clothes, strips of cloth, of rag. They had no special little clothes for their first born child. Some bible scholars say there was some sort of a cave, some sort of natural protection there for the animals, nothing more. No bed, no midwife, no doctor friends, just on the ground. The hard cold ground and hard cold hearts around about them. God planned it that way, for your sake and mine that we might have access to this most wonderful story told in the whole world. We read He was born. She bought forth. She wrapped Him and she laid Him in the manger. No one to help, just Joseph. They should have had a midwife, someone to help. If there had been people of any standing at all, they were probably regarded as poor beggars. This is the Son of God, the Son of the almighty Creator who was with God when God created the whole universe. Would you plan for your child to be born in such situation, your grandchildren, your loved ones? I think not.
But there were shepherds. They were watching over their flocks of sheep by night. Simple men, friends. Out in the country. It wasn't a safe place. They just couldn't leave their sheep in the paddock at night. They were out there with them. Very simple men. Just enough to live on. Just a few years ago I visited some place in the mountains of Bolivia. A poor little lady there, looking after a flock of goats and a couple of sheep. Barely enough to live on. Just looked after them and walked with them, there almost in the midst of a small town, dogs and other animals around, her simple house she shared with those animals. Nothing more in life, friends. Here were these simple shepherds, I believe something very similar. Just a few animals, caring for them, living for them. An angel of the Lord came and spoke to them. "Do not be afraid, for I bring you good tidings, or good news of great joy, which shall be to all people." News of great joy to all people. Here we see the beginning of the new covenant of the new testament, as we were hearing this afternoon. God bringing to this world His promises through His Son. Before it was especially to the Jewish people but here Jesus was born, dear friends, to all people. Everyone who would have wished to have seen that young child had free access. There the poorest of the people, those shepherd men, they could go and see the little brand new baby, the Lord Jesus. Good tidings of great joy, friends. Great joy. Isn't that what all of the world wants and needs and just doesn't know where to look for it. People are disappointed and sad and confused in life. They go towards the entertainment of this world, they go to everything that men can build and construct, feeling that's going to be joy for them. And fierce competition in the world. People have to have bigger houses and bigger cars and more and more and more. Here we hear of the news of great joy, in the most simple situation and environment we can imagine, friends. Great joy. Joy exceeding all other joys.
Those shepherds were just so privileged to go and see that young child. They could understand there is hope even for us. I'm glad the Lord Jesus was born in a situation like that. That left access for even you and me, friends, to listen to this story, this most wonderful story, Salvation coming to us, the hope and joy of our souls now and forever. Let's use what we can for the good of life to maintain life, to be a help one to another, a help to the gospel, a help to bring salvation. But we want to be careful of this illusion that great big things and great appearance and show are going to bring joy to our lives. I don't believe it brought anything of the joy that came to those simple humble shepherds. The angel said, "Do not fear, for there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior who is Christ the Lord". Then suddenly there was with the angel, a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying glory to God in the highest and on earth peace and goodwill toward men. A multitude of the heavenly host. A multitude of angels, not 10 or 20 or 100, a multitude praising God and bringing a message of peace and hope to everyone who wanted to listen. That's the way the gospel goes forth these days, friends. To bring exceedingly great joy.
We can read a little bit later on when those wise men went from the East, when they saw the star in the skies, they were filled with exceeding great joy. A joy, a hope, a satisfaction in life, a love that God loves you and me, friends. God, the great eternal One who has the power of everything but is so humble, friends, that He brings this gospel in a beautiful simplicity to each one of us. We heard today in Isaiah 55 the thoughts of God are not our thoughts. As the heavens are higher than the earth so are God's thoughts higher than ours and His ways higher than ours. God planned for this most precious life to be born here on the earth. The most important birth in all the history of the earth. How would we plan it? We would want a great palace. We would want a great army of soldiers around to protect it. That would perhaps call the attention of all the other nations of the world and there would be great danger. A war. Jesus came to bring peace and peace to us. How did God make provision to protect His beloved Son? He protected Him with humility and simplicity. Born in such humble and down to earth situation that no one even opened an eye. Safer there than all the armies of the world could have provided, in humility and simplicity and sincerity. Friends, that can be our safety as we are willing to walk in this life humbly and with our Lord. Enjoy the hope and the love that is out stretched to all of us through this wonderful gospel story.
It has been my privilege to be in different parts of this earth. One of the great impressions I have in life was there in the mountains of Peru, some have been there. It was all so simple, there wasn't any electricity, no roads, no cars, no vehicles. There in a tent on the top of a mountain, away up, we had a Wednesday night meeting before the convention. It was getting dark. Here comes one little lantern from one corner. Another one, another one, and another one.150 or 200 people, some of them walking two hours with little children coming to listen to the gospel story. Just a one or two hour meeting, not so long. Their joy to be there. The meeting finishes and then those little lights disappearing in every direction, down through the valleys, walking, little children on their backs, others walking beside them. Another hour or two to walk home, full of joy. They had heard the message of hope; they had heard the message of salvation. They were embracing it. It meant everything to them. This gospel comes within the reach of everyone, friends, to all the world, not just the Jews, not just the wealthy, the intelligent of this world but to everyone who would be willing to listen to the story of Jesus. Showing the love of God to us in ways that we wouldn't be willing to even show to our best friends. Born in such humble contrite situation.
We read back in Leviticus 12, it describes the Mosaic law. When the first-born was born, whether a son or daughter, the offering for them was a lamb, one year old, and a pair of doves. A young pigeon or a turtle dove as a sin offering. Bring that to the tabernacle, or which was later the temple, in Jerusalem. Did Joseph and Mary take that at about 40 days? No; Luke just says, 'They took two turtle doves or pigeons because there back in the law it does say that if they are not able to bring one little lamb then they may bring two turtle doves or two young pigeons. That was all that Mary and Joseph could bring. I'm sure that if it was possible within their reach, they would have brought a lamb, but they couldn't, friends. They didn't have that much. God entrusted His son to people like that. God has entrusted the life, the eternal life, to us, if we are willing to embrace it. The life of love, the life of forgiveness, the life of mercy. Sometime later there were wise men from the East. Maybe months later, went to visit, opened their treasures. Just cannot be sure where they went. It could have been to Bethlehem, it may have been Nazareth, the bible does not say. They went quite some time later. Mary and Joseph were in a house. Then they were warned to flee to Egypt because that terribly cruel king, Herod, was wanting to destroy the One who was born to be King of Kings and Lord of Lords. We know the story.
Friends, don't complain about the times we live in. That king made another decree to the soldiers. 'You go forth and kill every little baby boy' in the district of Bethlehem from the age of two years and under. Kill them. Murder them. Can you imagine the soldier knocking on your door? 'Any little baby boys in here? Give them to us, we are going to kill them, in front of you'. Can you imagine the knocking on the door and the mother trying to hide it, and the little boy cries out, and then they go and destroy it. God saw fit to send his Son into a place like that. What a privilege we have, friends, to listen to this story, the most wonderful story of love that the world has ever known. God in His greatness, friends, in His eternal mind, is a humble God, and loves humble people. If we could just put our pride and arrogance aside and learn more of the wonderful story of Jesus, of the love of God for us, that emanates from every side of this wonderful story.
It wasn't a great fancy place where the Master was born. He wasn't born to great wealthy parents. They had to flee then to Egypt. It would be the last place on earth that they would want to go. It was the story of the Jewish people for centuries of how they had escaped from slavery and cruel bondage of Egypt. It was told to be told from generation to generation. That was the beginning of the year, the feast of the Passover. They were to tell it, how that God, through the hand of Moses, delivered the people out of cruel bondage of Egypt. Now the angel was saying to Joseph and Mary, 'You go back to Egypt'. They went, friends, in perfect obedience to the heavenly Father. Then later back to Nazareth. It's a wonderful story, friends.
The love of God is far deeper than we could ever imagine, for you and for me. It’s a story that is open to all of the world. You know, sometimes our human pride and arrogance would stop us listening. We would like to doctor up this story. We would like to make it prettier, more attractive, to our own human ideas and ways and thoughts and miss the joy. That exceeding great joy that came to those who participated in the story of Jesus. Exceedingly great was their joy. They heard the multitude of the heavenly host in perfect harmony singing praises to God, greater than any. I love to hear you singing. I love to hear you singing, 'Tell me the story of Jesus'. Let God write on our hearts every word.” ~ ~ ~
Sunday night, 14th December 2008, 1st Pukekohe Convention
Tuesday, December 24, 2013
Roll Back The Curtain
by Kenneth Dissmore
Men seek for the treasure hid deeply in earth,
Though brightly it glitters, so little its worth,
So vain is the labor to seek and to find,
And when life is over, it's all left behind.
Chorus:
Lord, roll back the curtain that men may behold,
And leave earthly silver, to seek heaven's gold.
So great is Thy promise, so clear is Thy work;
The treasure in heaven no foe can disturb.
They only have treasure and comfort to share,
Who wisely in lifetime will lay treasure there.
Thou knowest, dear Father, so precious is time;
So much has been wasted on things left behind.
Oh, roll back the curtain and show things divine,
So worthless earth's treasure when compared to Thine.
We look at the mighty, the rich and the strong;
So many their sorrows, so rare is their song.
The godly are happy for Thy blest control,
Such peace and contentment, so rich is their soul.
This is a song as well as a poem written by Kenneth Dissmore
Men seek for the treasure hid deeply in earth,
Though brightly it glitters, so little its worth,
So vain is the labor to seek and to find,
And when life is over, it's all left behind.
Chorus:
Lord, roll back the curtain that men may behold,
And leave earthly silver, to seek heaven's gold.
So great is Thy promise, so clear is Thy work;
The treasure in heaven no foe can disturb.
They only have treasure and comfort to share,
Who wisely in lifetime will lay treasure there.
Thou knowest, dear Father, so precious is time;
So much has been wasted on things left behind.
Oh, roll back the curtain and show things divine,
So worthless earth's treasure when compared to Thine.
We look at the mighty, the rich and the strong;
So many their sorrows, so rare is their song.
The godly are happy for Thy blest control,
Such peace and contentment, so rich is their soul.
This is a song as well as a poem written by Kenneth Dissmore
Monday, December 23, 2013
Friday, December 20, 2013
The Alphabet Of Happiness
| The Alphabet: |
|---|
| A – ACCEPT | Accept others for who they are and for the choices they’ve made even if you have difficulty understanding their beliefs, motives, or actions. |
| B – BREAK AWAY | Break away from everything that stands in the way of what you hope to accomplish with your life. |
| C – CREATE | Create a family of friends whom you can share your hopes, dreams, sorrows, and happiness with. |
| D – DECIDE | Decide that you’ll be successful and happy come what may, and good things will find you. The roadblocks are only minor obstacles along the way. |
| E – EXPLORE | Explore and experiment. The world has much to offer, and you have much to give. And every time you try something new, you’ll learn more about yourself. |
| F – FORGIVE | Forgive and forget. Grudges only weigh you down and inspire unhappiness and grief. Soar above it, and remember that everyone makes mistakes. |
| G – GROW | Leave the childhood monsters behind. They can no longer hurt you or stand in your way. |
| H – HOPE | Hope for the best and never forget that anything is possible as long as you remain dedicated to the task. |
| I – IGNORE | Ignore the negative voice inside your head. Focus instead on your goals and remember your accomplishments. Your past success is only a small inkling of what the future holds. |
| J – JOURNEY | Journey to new worlds, new possibilities, by remaining open-minded. Try to learn something new every day, an you’ll grow. |
| K – KNOW | Know that no matter how bad things seem, they’ll always get better. The warmth of spring always follows the harshest winter. |
| L – LOVE | Let love fill your heart instead of hate. When hate is in your heart, there’s room for nothing else, but when love is in your heart, there’s room for endless happiness. |
| M – MANAGE | Manage your time and your expenses wisely, and you’ll suffer less stress and worry. Then you’ll be able to focus on the important things in life. |
| N – NOTICE | Never ignore the poor, infirm, helpless, weak, or suffering. Offer your assistance when possible, and always your kindness and understanding. |
| O – OPEN | Open your eyes and take in all the beauty around you. Even during the worst of times, there’s still much to be thankful for. |
| P – PLAY | Never forget to have fun along the way. Success means nothing without happiness. |
| Q – QUESTION | Ask many questions, because you’re here to learn. |
| R – RELAX | Refuse to let worry and stress rule your life, and remember that things always have a way of working out in the end. |
| S – SHARE | Share your talent, skills, knowledge, and time with others. Everything that you invest in others will return to you many times over. |
| T – TRY | Even when your dreams seem impossible to reach, try anyway. You’ll be amazed by what you can accomplish. |
| U – USE | Use your gifts to your best ability. Talent that’s wasted has no value. Talent that’s used bill bring unexpected rewards. |
| V – VALUE | Value the friends and family members who’ve supported and encouraged you, and be there for them as well. |
| W – WORK | Work hard every day to be the best person you can be, but never feel guilty if you fall short of your goals. Every sunrise offers a second chance. |
| X – X-RAY | Look deep inside the hearts of those around you and you’ll see the goodness and beauty within. |
| Y – YIELD | Yield to commitment. If you stay on track and remain dedicated, you’ll find success at the end of the road. |
| Z – ZOOM | Zoom to a happy place when bad memories or sorrow rears its ugly head. Let nothing interfere with your goals. Instead, focus on your abilities, your dreams, and a brighter tomorrow. |
Author Unknown
I Wish You Enough!
Recently, I overheard a mother and daughter in their last moments
together at the airport as the daughter’s departure had been announced.
Standing near the security gate, they hugged and the mother said: “I love you and I wish you enough.”
The daughter replied, “Mom, our life together has been more than enough. Your love is all I ever needed. I wish you enough, too, Mom.”
They kissed and the daughter left.
The mother walked over to the window where I sat. Standing there, I could see she wanted and needed to cry.
I tried not to intrude on her privacy but she welcomed me in by asking, “Did you ever say good-bye to someone knowing it would be forever?”
“Yes, I have,” I replied. “Forgive me for asking but why is this a forever good-bye?”
“I am old and she lives so far away. I have challenges ahead and the reality is the next trip back will be for my funeral,” she said.
When you were saying good-bye, I heard you say, “I wish you enough.” May I ask what that means?”
She began to smile. “That’s a wish that has been handed down from other generations. My parents used to say it to everyone.”
She paused a moment and looked up as if trying to remember it in detail and she smiled even more.
“When we said ‘I wish you enough’ we were wanting the other person to have a life filled with just enough good things to sustain them”.
Then turning toward me, she shared the following, reciting it from memory.
I wish you enough sun to keep your attitude bright.
I wish you enough rain to appreciate the sun more.
I wish you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive.
I wish you enough pain so that the smallest joys in life appear much bigger.
I wish you enough gain to satisfy your wanting.
I wish you enough loss to appreciate all that you possess.
I wish you enough hellos to get you through the final good-bye.
She then began to sob and walked away.
Author: Bob Perks
Standing near the security gate, they hugged and the mother said: “I love you and I wish you enough.”
The daughter replied, “Mom, our life together has been more than enough. Your love is all I ever needed. I wish you enough, too, Mom.”
They kissed and the daughter left.
The mother walked over to the window where I sat. Standing there, I could see she wanted and needed to cry.
I tried not to intrude on her privacy but she welcomed me in by asking, “Did you ever say good-bye to someone knowing it would be forever?”
“Yes, I have,” I replied. “Forgive me for asking but why is this a forever good-bye?”
“I am old and she lives so far away. I have challenges ahead and the reality is the next trip back will be for my funeral,” she said.
When you were saying good-bye, I heard you say, “I wish you enough.” May I ask what that means?”
She began to smile. “That’s a wish that has been handed down from other generations. My parents used to say it to everyone.”
She paused a moment and looked up as if trying to remember it in detail and she smiled even more.
“When we said ‘I wish you enough’ we were wanting the other person to have a life filled with just enough good things to sustain them”.
Then turning toward me, she shared the following, reciting it from memory.
I wish you enough sun to keep your attitude bright.
I wish you enough rain to appreciate the sun more.
I wish you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive.
I wish you enough pain so that the smallest joys in life appear much bigger.
I wish you enough gain to satisfy your wanting.
I wish you enough loss to appreciate all that you possess.
I wish you enough hellos to get you through the final good-bye.
She then began to sob and walked away.
My friends, I wish you enough!
Arms And Legs For Others
Bob Butler lost his legs in a 1965 land mine explosion in Vietnam. He
returned home a war hero. Twenty years later, he proved once again that
heroism comes from the heart.
Butler was working in his garage in a small town in Arizona, USA on a hot summer day; when he heard a woman’s screams coming from a nearby house. He began rolling his wheelchair toward the house but the dense shrubbery wouldn’t allow him access to the back door. So he got out of his chair and started to crawl through the dirt and bushes.
“I had to get there”, he says. “It didn’t matter how much it hurt”. When Butler arrived at the pool there was a three-year-old girl named Stephanie Hanes lying at the bottom. She had been born without arms and had fallen in the water and couldn’t swim. Her mother stood over her baby screaming frantically. Butler dove to the bottom of the pool and brought little Stephanie up to the deck. Her face was blue, she had no pulse and was not breathing.
Butler immediately went to work performing CPR to revive her while Stephanie’s mother telephoned the fire department. She was told the paramedics were already out on a call. Helplessly, she sobbed and hugged Butler’s shoulder.
As Butler continued with his CPR, he calmly reassured her. Don’t worry, he said. “I was her arms to get out of the pool. It’ll be okay. I am now her lungs. Together we can make it”.
Seconds later the little girl coughed, regained consciousness, and began to cry. As they hugged and rejoiced together the mother asked Butler how he knew it would be okay. The truth is, “I didn’t know”, he told her. “But when my legs were blown off in the war, I was all alone in a field. No one was there to help except a little Vietnamese girl. As she struggled to drag me into her village, she whispered in broken English, ‘It okay. You can live. I be your legs. Together we make it’ “. Her kind words brought hope to my soul and I wanted to do the same for Stephanie.
There are simply those times when we cannot stand alone. There are those times when we need someone to be our legs, our arms, our friend.
Butler was working in his garage in a small town in Arizona, USA on a hot summer day; when he heard a woman’s screams coming from a nearby house. He began rolling his wheelchair toward the house but the dense shrubbery wouldn’t allow him access to the back door. So he got out of his chair and started to crawl through the dirt and bushes.
“I had to get there”, he says. “It didn’t matter how much it hurt”. When Butler arrived at the pool there was a three-year-old girl named Stephanie Hanes lying at the bottom. She had been born without arms and had fallen in the water and couldn’t swim. Her mother stood over her baby screaming frantically. Butler dove to the bottom of the pool and brought little Stephanie up to the deck. Her face was blue, she had no pulse and was not breathing.
Butler immediately went to work performing CPR to revive her while Stephanie’s mother telephoned the fire department. She was told the paramedics were already out on a call. Helplessly, she sobbed and hugged Butler’s shoulder.
As Butler continued with his CPR, he calmly reassured her. Don’t worry, he said. “I was her arms to get out of the pool. It’ll be okay. I am now her lungs. Together we can make it”.
Seconds later the little girl coughed, regained consciousness, and began to cry. As they hugged and rejoiced together the mother asked Butler how he knew it would be okay. The truth is, “I didn’t know”, he told her. “But when my legs were blown off in the war, I was all alone in a field. No one was there to help except a little Vietnamese girl. As she struggled to drag me into her village, she whispered in broken English, ‘It okay. You can live. I be your legs. Together we make it’ “. Her kind words brought hope to my soul and I wanted to do the same for Stephanie.
There are simply those times when we cannot stand alone. There are those times when we need someone to be our legs, our arms, our friend.
Author Unknown
Words Of Wisdom
Words of great wisdom, The Native American Code Of Ethics:
- Rise with the sun to pray. Pray alone. Pray often. The Great Spirit will listen, if you only speak.
- Be
tolerant of those who are lost on their path. Ignorance, conceit,
anger, jealousy and greed stem from a lost soul. Pray that they will
find guidance.
- Search for yourself, by yourself. Do not
allow others to make your path for you. It is your road, and yours
alone. Others may walk it with you, but no one can walk it for you.
- Treat
the guests in your home with much consideration. Serve them the best
food, give them the best bed and treat them with respect and honor.
- Do
not take what is not yours whether from a person, a community, the
wilderness or from a culture. If it was not earned or given, it is not
yours.
- Respect all things that are placed upon this earth – whether it be people or plant.
- Honor
other people’s thoughts, wishes and words. Never interrupt another or
mock or rudely mimic them. Allow each person the right to personal
expression.
- Never speak of others in a bad way. The negative energy that you put out into the universe will multiply when it returns to you.
- All persons make mistakes. And all mistakes can be forgiven.
- Bad thoughts cause illness of the mind, body and spirit. Practice optimism.
- Nature is not FOR us, it is a PART of us. They are part of your worldly family.
- Children
are the seeds of our future. Plant love in their hearts and water them
with wisdom and life’s lessons. When they are grown, give them space to
grow.
- Avoid hurting the hearts of others. The poison of your pain will return to you.
- Be truthful at all times. Honesty is the test of ones will within this universe.
- Keep
yourself balanced. Your Mental self, Spiritual self, Emotional self,
and Physical self – all need to be strong, pure and healthy. Work out
the body to strengthen the mind. Grow rich in spirit to cure emotional
ails.
- Make conscious decisions as to who you will be and how you will react. Be responsible for your own actions.
- Respect
the privacy and personal space of others. Do not touch the personal
property of others – especially sacred and religious objects. This is
forbidden.
- Be true to yourself first. You cannot nurture and help others if you cannot nurture and help yourself first.
- Respect others religious beliefs. Do not force your belief on others.
- Share your good fortune with others. Participate in charity.
The Seed Of Honesty
A successful business man was growing old and knew it was time to choose a successor to take over the business.
Instead of choosing one of his Directors or his children, he decided to do something different. He called all the young executives in his company together.
He said, “It is time for me to step down and choose the next CEO. I have decided to choose one of you.”
The young executives were shocked, but the boss continued. “I am going to give each one of you a SEED today – one very special SEED. I want you to plant the seed, water it, and come back here one year from today with what you have grown from the seed I have given you. I will then judge the plants that you bring, and the one I choose will be the next CEO.”
One man, named Jim, was there that day and he, like the others, received a seed. He went home and excitedly, told his wife the story. She helped him get a pot, soil and compost and he planted the seed.
Everyday, he would water it and watch to see if it had grown. After about three weeks, some of the other executives began to talk about their seeds and the plants that were beginning to grow.
Jim kept checking his seed, but nothing ever grew. Three weeks, four weeks, five weeks went by, still nothing. By now, others were talking about their plants, but Jim didn’t have a plant and he felt like a failure.
Six months went by — still nothing in Jim’s pot. He just knew he had killed his seed. Everyone else had trees and tall plants, but he had nothing. Jim didn’t say anything to his colleagues, however… He just kept watering and fertilizing the soil – He so wanted the seed to grow.
A year finally went by and all the young executives of the company brought their plants to the CEO for inspection.
Jim told his wife that he wasn’t going to take an empty pot. But she asked him to be honest about what happened. Jim felt sick to his stomach, it was going to be the most embarrassing moment of his life, but he knew his wife was right.
He took his empty pot to the board room. When Jim arrived, he was amazed at the variety of plants grown by the other executives. They were beautiful — in all shapes and sizes.
Jim put his empty pot on the floor and many of his colleagues laughed, a few felt sorry for him!
When the CEO arrived, he surveyed the room and greeted his young executives.
Jim just tried to hide in the back. “My, what great plants, trees, and flowers you have grown,” said the CEO. “Today one of you will be appointed the next CEO!”
All of a sudden, the CEO spotted Jim at the back of the room with his empty pot. He ordered the Financial Director to bring him to the front.
Jim was terrified. He thought, “The CEO knows I’m a failure! Maybe he will have me fired!”
When Jim got to the front, the CEO asked him what had happened to his seed – Jim told him the story.
The CEO asked everyone to sit down except Jim. He looked at Jim, and then announced to the young executives, “Behold your next Chief Executive Officer! His name is Jim!”
Jim couldn’t believe it. Jim couldn’t even grow his seed.
“How could he be the new CEO?” the others said.
Then the CEO said, “One year ago today, I gave everyone in this room a seed. I told you to take the seed, plant it, water it, and bring it back to me today. But I gave you all boiled seeds; they were dead – it was not possible for them to grow. All of you, except Jim, have brought me trees and plants and flowers. When you found that the seed would not grow, you substituted another seed for the one I gave you. Jim was the only one with the courage and honesty to bring me a pot with my seed in it. Therefore, he is the one who will be the new Chief Executive Officer!”
* If you plant honesty, you will reap trust.
* If you plant goodness, you will reap friends.
* If you plant humility, you will reap greatness.
* If you plant perseverance, you will reap contentment.
* If you plant consideration, you will reap perspective.
* If you plant hard work, you will reap success.
* If you plant forgiveness, you will reap reconciliation.
* If you plant faith in God , you will reap a harvest.
So, be careful what you plant now; it will determine what you will reap later..
“Whatever You Give To Life, Life Gives You Back”
Author Unknown
Instead of choosing one of his Directors or his children, he decided to do something different. He called all the young executives in his company together.
He said, “It is time for me to step down and choose the next CEO. I have decided to choose one of you.”
The young executives were shocked, but the boss continued. “I am going to give each one of you a SEED today – one very special SEED. I want you to plant the seed, water it, and come back here one year from today with what you have grown from the seed I have given you. I will then judge the plants that you bring, and the one I choose will be the next CEO.”
One man, named Jim, was there that day and he, like the others, received a seed. He went home and excitedly, told his wife the story. She helped him get a pot, soil and compost and he planted the seed.
Everyday, he would water it and watch to see if it had grown. After about three weeks, some of the other executives began to talk about their seeds and the plants that were beginning to grow.
Jim kept checking his seed, but nothing ever grew. Three weeks, four weeks, five weeks went by, still nothing. By now, others were talking about their plants, but Jim didn’t have a plant and he felt like a failure.
Six months went by — still nothing in Jim’s pot. He just knew he had killed his seed. Everyone else had trees and tall plants, but he had nothing. Jim didn’t say anything to his colleagues, however… He just kept watering and fertilizing the soil – He so wanted the seed to grow.
A year finally went by and all the young executives of the company brought their plants to the CEO for inspection.
Jim told his wife that he wasn’t going to take an empty pot. But she asked him to be honest about what happened. Jim felt sick to his stomach, it was going to be the most embarrassing moment of his life, but he knew his wife was right.
He took his empty pot to the board room. When Jim arrived, he was amazed at the variety of plants grown by the other executives. They were beautiful — in all shapes and sizes.
Jim put his empty pot on the floor and many of his colleagues laughed, a few felt sorry for him!
When the CEO arrived, he surveyed the room and greeted his young executives.
Jim just tried to hide in the back. “My, what great plants, trees, and flowers you have grown,” said the CEO. “Today one of you will be appointed the next CEO!”
All of a sudden, the CEO spotted Jim at the back of the room with his empty pot. He ordered the Financial Director to bring him to the front.
Jim was terrified. He thought, “The CEO knows I’m a failure! Maybe he will have me fired!”
When Jim got to the front, the CEO asked him what had happened to his seed – Jim told him the story.
The CEO asked everyone to sit down except Jim. He looked at Jim, and then announced to the young executives, “Behold your next Chief Executive Officer! His name is Jim!”
Jim couldn’t believe it. Jim couldn’t even grow his seed.
“How could he be the new CEO?” the others said.
Then the CEO said, “One year ago today, I gave everyone in this room a seed. I told you to take the seed, plant it, water it, and bring it back to me today. But I gave you all boiled seeds; they were dead – it was not possible for them to grow. All of you, except Jim, have brought me trees and plants and flowers. When you found that the seed would not grow, you substituted another seed for the one I gave you. Jim was the only one with the courage and honesty to bring me a pot with my seed in it. Therefore, he is the one who will be the new Chief Executive Officer!”
* If you plant honesty, you will reap trust.
* If you plant goodness, you will reap friends.
* If you plant humility, you will reap greatness.
* If you plant perseverance, you will reap contentment.
* If you plant consideration, you will reap perspective.
* If you plant hard work, you will reap success.
* If you plant forgiveness, you will reap reconciliation.
* If you plant faith in God , you will reap a harvest.
So, be careful what you plant now; it will determine what you will reap later..
“Whatever You Give To Life, Life Gives You Back”
Author Unknown
Planting Potatoes
When I was a boy growing up we had several gardens around our old
house. The largest one of all was used just for growing potatoes.
I can still remember those potato planting days. The whole family helped. After my Dad had tilled the soil, my Mom, brothers, and I went to work. It was my job to drop the little seed potatoes in the rows while my Mom dropped handfuls of fertilizer beside them. My brothers then covered them all with the freshly turned earth.
For months afterward I would glance over at the garden while I played outside and wonder what was going on underneath the ground. When the harvest time came I was amazed at the huge size of the potatoes my Dad pulled out of the soil. Those little seedlings had grown into bushels and bushels of sweet sustenance. They would be turned into meal after meal of baked potatoes, mashed potatoes, fried potatoes, and my personal favorite: potatoes slowed cooked in spaghetti sauce. They would keep the entire family well fed throughout the whole year. It truly was a miracle to behold.
Thinking back on those special times makes me wonder how many other seeds I have planted in this life that have grown unseen in the hearts and minds of others. How many times has God used some little thing that I said or did to grow something beautiful? How many times has Heaven used these little seedlings to provide another’s soul with sweet sustenance?
Every single day of our lives we step out into the garden of this world. Every single day we plant seeds that can grow into something wonderful. We may never see the growth that comes from the kind words or loving acts we share but God does. I hope then that you always tend the garden around you with care. I hope that you plant only goodness, peace, and compassion in the lives of everyone you meet. I hope that everyday you help miracles to grow.
I can still remember those potato planting days. The whole family helped. After my Dad had tilled the soil, my Mom, brothers, and I went to work. It was my job to drop the little seed potatoes in the rows while my Mom dropped handfuls of fertilizer beside them. My brothers then covered them all with the freshly turned earth.
For months afterward I would glance over at the garden while I played outside and wonder what was going on underneath the ground. When the harvest time came I was amazed at the huge size of the potatoes my Dad pulled out of the soil. Those little seedlings had grown into bushels and bushels of sweet sustenance. They would be turned into meal after meal of baked potatoes, mashed potatoes, fried potatoes, and my personal favorite: potatoes slowed cooked in spaghetti sauce. They would keep the entire family well fed throughout the whole year. It truly was a miracle to behold.
Thinking back on those special times makes me wonder how many other seeds I have planted in this life that have grown unseen in the hearts and minds of others. How many times has God used some little thing that I said or did to grow something beautiful? How many times has Heaven used these little seedlings to provide another’s soul with sweet sustenance?
Every single day of our lives we step out into the garden of this world. Every single day we plant seeds that can grow into something wonderful. We may never see the growth that comes from the kind words or loving acts we share but God does. I hope then that you always tend the garden around you with care. I hope that you plant only goodness, peace, and compassion in the lives of everyone you meet. I hope that everyday you help miracles to grow.
By Joe Mazzella
Give Time To Our Family
After 21 years of marriage, my wife wanted me to take another woman
out to dinner and a movie. She said, “I love you, but I know this other
woman loves you and would love to spend some time with you.”
The other woman that my wife wanted me to visit was my MOTHER, who has been a widow for 19 years, but the demands of my work and my three children had made it possible to visit her only occasionally. That night I called to invite her to go out for dinner and a movie. “What’s wrong, are you well?” she asked.
My mother is the type of woman who suspects that a late night call or a surprise invitation is a sign of bad news. “I thought that it would be pleasant to spend some time with you,” I responded. “Just the two of us.” She thought about it for a moment, and then said, “I would like that very much.”
That Friday after work, as I drove over to pick her up I was a bit nervous. When I arrived at her house, I noticed that she, too, seemed to be nervous about our date. She waited in the door with her coat on. She had curled her hair and was wearing the dress that she had worn to celebrate her last wedding anniversary. She smiled from a face that was as radiant as an angel’s. “I told my friends that I was going to go out with my son, and they were impressed, “she said, as she got into the car. “They can’t wait to hear about our meeting.”
We went to a restaurant that, although not elegant, was very nice and cozy. My mother took my arm as if she were the First Lady. After we sat down, I had to read the menu. Her eyes could only read large print. Half way through the entries, I lifted my eyes and saw Mom sitting there staring at me. A nostalgic smile was on her lips. “It was I who used to have to read the menu when you were small,” she said. “Then it’s time that you relax and let me return the favor,” I responded. During the dinner, we had an agreeable conversation – nothing extraordinary but catching up on recent events of each other’s life. We talked so much that we missed the movie. As we arrived at her house later, she said, “I’ll go out with you again, but only if you let me invite you.” I agreed.
“How was your dinner date?” asked my wife when I got home. “Very nice. Much more so than I could have imagined,” I answered.
A few days later, my mother died of a massive heart attack. It happened so suddenly that I didn’t have a chance to do anything for her. Some time later, I received an envelope with a copy of a restaurant receipt from the same place mother and I had dined. An attached note said: “I paid this bill in advance. I wasn’t sure that I could be there; but nevertheless, I paid for two plates – one for you and the other for your wife. You will never know what that night meant for me. I love you, son.”
At that moment, I understood the importance of saying in time: “I LOVE YOU” and to give our loved ones the time that they deserve. Nothing in life is more important than your family. Give them the time they deserve, because these things cannot be put off till “some other time.”
The other woman that my wife wanted me to visit was my MOTHER, who has been a widow for 19 years, but the demands of my work and my three children had made it possible to visit her only occasionally. That night I called to invite her to go out for dinner and a movie. “What’s wrong, are you well?” she asked.
My mother is the type of woman who suspects that a late night call or a surprise invitation is a sign of bad news. “I thought that it would be pleasant to spend some time with you,” I responded. “Just the two of us.” She thought about it for a moment, and then said, “I would like that very much.”
That Friday after work, as I drove over to pick her up I was a bit nervous. When I arrived at her house, I noticed that she, too, seemed to be nervous about our date. She waited in the door with her coat on. She had curled her hair and was wearing the dress that she had worn to celebrate her last wedding anniversary. She smiled from a face that was as radiant as an angel’s. “I told my friends that I was going to go out with my son, and they were impressed, “she said, as she got into the car. “They can’t wait to hear about our meeting.”
We went to a restaurant that, although not elegant, was very nice and cozy. My mother took my arm as if she were the First Lady. After we sat down, I had to read the menu. Her eyes could only read large print. Half way through the entries, I lifted my eyes and saw Mom sitting there staring at me. A nostalgic smile was on her lips. “It was I who used to have to read the menu when you were small,” she said. “Then it’s time that you relax and let me return the favor,” I responded. During the dinner, we had an agreeable conversation – nothing extraordinary but catching up on recent events of each other’s life. We talked so much that we missed the movie. As we arrived at her house later, she said, “I’ll go out with you again, but only if you let me invite you.” I agreed.
“How was your dinner date?” asked my wife when I got home. “Very nice. Much more so than I could have imagined,” I answered.
A few days later, my mother died of a massive heart attack. It happened so suddenly that I didn’t have a chance to do anything for her. Some time later, I received an envelope with a copy of a restaurant receipt from the same place mother and I had dined. An attached note said: “I paid this bill in advance. I wasn’t sure that I could be there; but nevertheless, I paid for two plates – one for you and the other for your wife. You will never know what that night meant for me. I love you, son.”
At that moment, I understood the importance of saying in time: “I LOVE YOU” and to give our loved ones the time that they deserve. Nothing in life is more important than your family. Give them the time they deserve, because these things cannot be put off till “some other time.”
Believe In Yourself
There may be days when you get up in the morning and things aren’t the way you had hoped they would be.
That’s when you have to tell yourself that things will get better. There are times when people disappoint you and let you down.
But those are the times when you must remind yourself to trust your own judgments and opinions, to keep your life focused on believing in yourself.
There will be challenges to face and changes to make in your life, and it is up to you to accept them.
Constantly keep yourself headed in the right direction for you. It may not be easy at times, but in those times of struggle you will find a stronger sense of who you are.
So when the days come that are filled with frustration and unexpected responsibilities, remember to believe in yourself and all you want your life to be.
Because the challenges and changes will only help you to find the goals that you know are meant to come true for you.
That’s when you have to tell yourself that things will get better. There are times when people disappoint you and let you down.
But those are the times when you must remind yourself to trust your own judgments and opinions, to keep your life focused on believing in yourself.
There will be challenges to face and changes to make in your life, and it is up to you to accept them.
Constantly keep yourself headed in the right direction for you. It may not be easy at times, but in those times of struggle you will find a stronger sense of who you are.
So when the days come that are filled with frustration and unexpected responsibilities, remember to believe in yourself and all you want your life to be.
Because the challenges and changes will only help you to find the goals that you know are meant to come true for you.
Keep Believing in Yourself!
Marriage ~ Very Touching
When I got home that night as my wife served dinner, I held her hand
and said, I’ve got something to tell you. She sat down and ate quietly.
Again I observed the hurt in her eyes.
Suddenly I didn’t know how to open my mouth. But I had to let her know what I was thinking. I want a divorce. I raised the topic calmly.
She didn’t seem to be annoyed by my words, instead she asked me softly, why?
I avoided her question. This made her angry. She threw away the chopsticks and shouted at me, you are not a man! That night, we didn’t talk to each other. She was weeping. I knew she wanted to find out what had happened to our marriage. But I could hardly give her a satisfactory answer; she had lost my heart to Jane. I didn’t love her anymore. I just pitied her!
With a deep sense of guilt, I drafted a divorce agreement which stated that she could own our house, our car, and 30% stake of my company.
She glanced at it and then tore it into pieces. The woman who had spent ten years of her life with me had become a stranger. I felt sorry for her wasted time, resources and energy but I could not take back what I had said for I loved Jane so dearly. Finally she cried loudly in front of me, which was what I had expected to see. To me her cry was actually a kind of release. The idea of divorce which had obsessed me for several weeks seemed to be firmer and clearer now.
The next day, I came back home very late and found her writing something at the table. I didn’t have supper but went straight to sleep and fell asleep very fast because I was tired after an eventful day with Jane.
When I woke up, she was still there at the table writing. I just did not care so I turned over and was asleep again.
In the morning she presented her divorce conditions: she didn’t want anything from me, but needed a month’s notice before the divorce. She requested that in that one month we both struggle to live as normal a life as possible. Her reasons were simple: our son had his exams in a month’s time and she didn’t want to disrupt him with our broken marriage.
This was agreeable to me. But she had something more, she asked me to recall how I had carried her into out bridal room on our wedding day.
She requested that every day for the month’s duration I carry her out of our bedroom to the front door every morning. I thought she was going crazy. Just to make our last days together bearable I accepted her odd request.
I told Jane about my wife’s divorce conditions. She laughed loudly and thought it was absurd. No matter what tricks she applies, she has to face the divorce, she said scornfully.
My wife and I hadn’t had any body contact since my divorce intention was explicitly expressed. So when I carried her out on the first day, we both appeared clumsy. Our son clapped behind us, daddy is holding mommy in his arms. His words brought me a sense of pain. From the bedroom to the sitting room, then to the door, I walked over ten meters with her in my arms. She closed her eyes and said softly; don’t tell our son about the divorce. I nodded, feeling somewhat upset. I put her down outside the door. She went to wait for the bus to work. I drove alone to the office.
On the second day, both of us acted much more easily. She leaned on my chest. I could smell the fragrance of her blouse. I realized that I hadn’t looked at this woman carefully for a long time. I realized she was not young any more. There were fine wrinkles on her face, her hair was graying! Our marriage had taken its toll on her. For a minute I wondered what I had done to her.
On the fourth day, when I lifted her up, I felt a sense of intimacy returning. This was the woman who had given ten years of her life to me.
On the fifth and sixth day, I realized that our sense of intimacy was growing again. I didn’t tell Jane about this. It became easier to carry her as the month slipped by. Perhaps the everyday workout made me stronger.
She was choosing what to wear one morning. She tried on quite a few dresses but could not find a suitable one. Then she sighed, all my dresses have grown bigger. I suddenly realized that she had grown so thin, that was the reason why I could carry her more easily.
Suddenly it hit me… she had buried so much pain and bitterness in her heart. Subconsciously I reached out and touched her head.
Our son came in at the moment and said, Dad, it’s time to carry mom out. To him, seeing his father carrying his mother out had become an essential part of his life. My wife gestured to our son to come closer and hugged him tightly. I turned my face away because I was afraid I might change my mind at this last minute. I then held her in my arms, walking from the bedroom, through the sitting room, to the hallway. Her hand surrounded my neck softly and naturally. I held her body tightly; it was just like our wedding day.
But her much lighter weight made me sad. On the last day, when I held her in my arms I could hardly move a step. Our son had gone to school. I held her tightly and said, I hadn’t noticed that our life lacked intimacy.
I drove to office… jumped out of the car swiftly without locking the door. I was afraid any delay would make me change my mind… I walked upstairs. Jane opened the door and I said to her, Sorry, Jane, I do not want the divorce anymore.
She looked at me, astonished, and then touched my forehead. Do you have a fever? She said. I moved her hand off my head. Sorry, Jane, I said, I won’t divorce. My marriage life was boring probably because she and I didn’t value the details of our lives, not because we didn’t love each other anymore.
Now I realize that since I carried her into my home on our wedding day I am supposed to hold her until death do us apart.
Jane seemed to suddenly wake up. She gave me a loud slap and then slammed the door and burst into tears. I walked downstairs and drove away.
At the floral shop on the way, I ordered a bouquet of flowers for my wife. The salesgirl asked me what to write on the card. I smiled and wrote, I’ll carry you out every morning until death do us apart.
That evening I arrived home, flowers in my hands, a smile on my face, I run up stairs, only to find my wife in the bed – dead.
My wife had been fighting CANCER for months and I was so busy with Jane to even notice. She knew that she would die soon and she wanted to save me from the whatever negative reaction from our son, in case we push thru with the divorce –At least, in the eyes of our son— I’m a loving husband…
The small details of your lives are what really matter in a relationship. It is not the mansion, the car, property, the money in the bank. These create an environment conducive for happiness but cannot give happiness in themselves. So find time to be your spouse’s friend and do those little things for each other that build intimacy. Do have a real happy marriage!
Suddenly I didn’t know how to open my mouth. But I had to let her know what I was thinking. I want a divorce. I raised the topic calmly.
She didn’t seem to be annoyed by my words, instead she asked me softly, why?
I avoided her question. This made her angry. She threw away the chopsticks and shouted at me, you are not a man! That night, we didn’t talk to each other. She was weeping. I knew she wanted to find out what had happened to our marriage. But I could hardly give her a satisfactory answer; she had lost my heart to Jane. I didn’t love her anymore. I just pitied her!
With a deep sense of guilt, I drafted a divorce agreement which stated that she could own our house, our car, and 30% stake of my company.
She glanced at it and then tore it into pieces. The woman who had spent ten years of her life with me had become a stranger. I felt sorry for her wasted time, resources and energy but I could not take back what I had said for I loved Jane so dearly. Finally she cried loudly in front of me, which was what I had expected to see. To me her cry was actually a kind of release. The idea of divorce which had obsessed me for several weeks seemed to be firmer and clearer now.
The next day, I came back home very late and found her writing something at the table. I didn’t have supper but went straight to sleep and fell asleep very fast because I was tired after an eventful day with Jane.
When I woke up, she was still there at the table writing. I just did not care so I turned over and was asleep again.
In the morning she presented her divorce conditions: she didn’t want anything from me, but needed a month’s notice before the divorce. She requested that in that one month we both struggle to live as normal a life as possible. Her reasons were simple: our son had his exams in a month’s time and she didn’t want to disrupt him with our broken marriage.
This was agreeable to me. But she had something more, she asked me to recall how I had carried her into out bridal room on our wedding day.
She requested that every day for the month’s duration I carry her out of our bedroom to the front door every morning. I thought she was going crazy. Just to make our last days together bearable I accepted her odd request.
I told Jane about my wife’s divorce conditions. She laughed loudly and thought it was absurd. No matter what tricks she applies, she has to face the divorce, she said scornfully.
My wife and I hadn’t had any body contact since my divorce intention was explicitly expressed. So when I carried her out on the first day, we both appeared clumsy. Our son clapped behind us, daddy is holding mommy in his arms. His words brought me a sense of pain. From the bedroom to the sitting room, then to the door, I walked over ten meters with her in my arms. She closed her eyes and said softly; don’t tell our son about the divorce. I nodded, feeling somewhat upset. I put her down outside the door. She went to wait for the bus to work. I drove alone to the office.
On the second day, both of us acted much more easily. She leaned on my chest. I could smell the fragrance of her blouse. I realized that I hadn’t looked at this woman carefully for a long time. I realized she was not young any more. There were fine wrinkles on her face, her hair was graying! Our marriage had taken its toll on her. For a minute I wondered what I had done to her.
On the fourth day, when I lifted her up, I felt a sense of intimacy returning. This was the woman who had given ten years of her life to me.
On the fifth and sixth day, I realized that our sense of intimacy was growing again. I didn’t tell Jane about this. It became easier to carry her as the month slipped by. Perhaps the everyday workout made me stronger.
She was choosing what to wear one morning. She tried on quite a few dresses but could not find a suitable one. Then she sighed, all my dresses have grown bigger. I suddenly realized that she had grown so thin, that was the reason why I could carry her more easily.
Suddenly it hit me… she had buried so much pain and bitterness in her heart. Subconsciously I reached out and touched her head.
Our son came in at the moment and said, Dad, it’s time to carry mom out. To him, seeing his father carrying his mother out had become an essential part of his life. My wife gestured to our son to come closer and hugged him tightly. I turned my face away because I was afraid I might change my mind at this last minute. I then held her in my arms, walking from the bedroom, through the sitting room, to the hallway. Her hand surrounded my neck softly and naturally. I held her body tightly; it was just like our wedding day.
But her much lighter weight made me sad. On the last day, when I held her in my arms I could hardly move a step. Our son had gone to school. I held her tightly and said, I hadn’t noticed that our life lacked intimacy.
I drove to office… jumped out of the car swiftly without locking the door. I was afraid any delay would make me change my mind… I walked upstairs. Jane opened the door and I said to her, Sorry, Jane, I do not want the divorce anymore.
She looked at me, astonished, and then touched my forehead. Do you have a fever? She said. I moved her hand off my head. Sorry, Jane, I said, I won’t divorce. My marriage life was boring probably because she and I didn’t value the details of our lives, not because we didn’t love each other anymore.
Now I realize that since I carried her into my home on our wedding day I am supposed to hold her until death do us apart.
Jane seemed to suddenly wake up. She gave me a loud slap and then slammed the door and burst into tears. I walked downstairs and drove away.
At the floral shop on the way, I ordered a bouquet of flowers for my wife. The salesgirl asked me what to write on the card. I smiled and wrote, I’ll carry you out every morning until death do us apart.
That evening I arrived home, flowers in my hands, a smile on my face, I run up stairs, only to find my wife in the bed – dead.
My wife had been fighting CANCER for months and I was so busy with Jane to even notice. She knew that she would die soon and she wanted to save me from the whatever negative reaction from our son, in case we push thru with the divorce –At least, in the eyes of our son— I’m a loving husband…
The small details of your lives are what really matter in a relationship. It is not the mansion, the car, property, the money in the bank. These create an environment conducive for happiness but cannot give happiness in themselves. So find time to be your spouse’s friend and do those little things for each other that build intimacy. Do have a real happy marriage!
Author Unknown
Thursday, December 19, 2013
Merry Christmas
The Wreath Is On The Door
The wreath is on the door
And the snow is on the tree
God has laid His holy hands
On all that we can see.
Be quick to raise your voice
And praise what He has brought.
Keep now His love in every choice
And Christmas in every thought.
Merry Christmas
Christmas Gift Suggestions:
To your enemy, forgiveness.
To your friend, your heart.
To all, charity.
To every child, a good example,
To yourself, respect.
To your friend, your heart.
To all, charity.
To every child, a good example,
To yourself, respect.
The Real Gift Of Christmas
It isn't the size of the gift that matters, but the size of the heart that gives it.
Love is, above all, the gift of oneself.
To perceive Christmas through its wrappings becomes more difficult with every year.
Each day comes bearing its own gifts. Untie the ribbons.
The Christmas season has come to mean the period when the public plays Santa Claus to the merchants.
The best of all gifts around any Christmas tree: the presence of a happy family all
wrapped up in each other.
wrapped up in each other.
Nothing's as mean as giving a little child something useful for Christmas.
Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. And today? Today is a gift. That's why we call it the present.
God's gifts put man's best dreams to shame.
The manner of giving is worth more than the gift.
Christmas is the season when you buy this year's gifts with next year's money.
A hug is a great gift - one size fits all, and it's easy to exchange.
The Lord loveth a cheerful giver. He also accepteth from a grouch.
Love is, above all, the gift of oneself.
May Peace be your gift at Christmas and your blessing all year through!
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