Three Hairs

by: Author Unknown,

There once was a woman who woke up one morning, looked in the mirror, and noticed she had only three hairs on her head. "Well," she said, "I think I'll braid my hair today." So she did and she had a wonderful day.

The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and saw that she had only two hairs on her head. "H-M-M, " she said, "I think I'll part my hair down the middle today." So she did and she had a grand day.

The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and noticed that she had only one hair on her head. "Well," she said, "Today I'm going to wear my hair in a pony tail." So she did and she had a fun, fun day.

The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and noticed that there wasn't a single hair on her head...."YEAH!" she exclaimed, "I don't have to fix my hair today!"

Building Your Home

by: Author Unknown,

An elderly carpenter was ready to retire. He told his employer-contractor of his plans to leave the house-building business to live a more leisurely life with his wife and enjoy his extended family. He would miss the paycheck each week, but he wanted to retire. They could get by.The contractor was sorry to see his good worker go and asked if he could build just one more house as a personal favor. The carpenter said yes, but over time it was easy to see that his heart was not in his work. He resorted to shoddy workmanship and used inferior materials. It was an unfortunate way to end a dedicated career.When the carpenter finished his work, his employer came to inspect the house. Then he handed the front-door key to the carpenter and said, “This is your house… my gift to you.”The carpenter was shocked!What a shame! If he had only known he was building his own house, he would have done it all so differently.

Start Over

by: Author Unknown,

If you started out in pursuit of your goal,

And you really tried with your heart and soul,

But somehow things got out of control...START OVER

When you tried your best to do what you should,

And you thought this time that you surely would,

But once again you didn't do good...START OVER

When you tried so hard to yourself to be true,

And to do the things you know you should do,

But once again you failed to come through...START OVER

When the road to success seems much too long,

And each temptation is, oh, so strong,

And once again you gave into wrong...START OVER

When you told your friends what you planned to do,

And trusted them to help you through,

But soon discovered it's up to you...START OVER

When you know you must be physically fit,

But your hope is gone and you're stuck in a pit,

That's not the time for you to quit...START OVER

When the week seems long, and successes few,

And at weigh in time you're feeling blue,

Remember, tomorrow is "just for you"...START OVER

To start again means victory's been won,

And starting over means a race well run,

And starting over proves it can be done -

So don't just sit there...START OVER

3 Frogs

Question:

There were once three frogs on a log and one of them made a decision to jump in.

How many were left?

Answer:

There are still three frogs on a log, he only made a decision, he took no action!

Success

by: Author Unknown,

Success is speaking words of praise, In cheering other people's ways. In doing just the best you can, With every task and every plan. It's silence when your speech would hurt, Politeness when your neighbor's curt. It's deafness when the scandal flows, And sympathy with others' woes. It's loyalty when duty calls, It's courage when disaster falls. It's patience when the hours are long, It's found in laughter and in song. It's in the silent time of prayer, In happiness and in despair. In all of life and nothing less, We find the thing we call success.

DON'T QUIT

by: Author Unknown,

When things go wrong as they sometimes will, When the road you're trudging seems all uphill, When the funds are low and the debts are high, And you want to smile but you have to sigh, When care is pressing you down a bit... By all means pray, and don't you quit. Success is failure turned inside out, God's hidden gift in the clouds of doubt. You never can tell how close you are, It may be near when it seems afar. So trust in the Lord when you're hardest hit... It's when things go wrong that you must not quit!

Sioux Indian Story

by: Author Unknown,

"My grandfather took me to the fish pond on the farm when I was about seven, and he told me to throw a stone into the water. He told me to watch the circles created by the stone.Then he asked me to think of myself as that stone person.
"You may create lots of splashes in your life but the waves that come from those splashes will disturb the peace of all your fellow creatures," he said.
"Remember that you are responsible for what you put in your circle and that circle will also touch many other circles. You will need to live in a way that allows the good that comes from your circle to send the peace of that goodness to others. The splash that comes from anger or jealousy will send those feelings to other circles. You are responsible for both."
That was the first time I realized each person creates the inner peace or discord that flows out into the world. We cannot create world peace if we are riddled with inner conflict, hatred, doubt, or anger. We radiate the feelings and thoughts that we hold inside, whether we speak them or not. Whatever is splashing around inside of us is spilling out into the world, creating beauty or discord with all other circles of life.

BE THANKFUL

by: Author Unknown,

Be thankful that you don't already have everything you desire. If you did, what would there be to look forward to?
Be thankful when you don't know something, for it gives you the opportunity to learn.
Be thankful for the difficult times. During those times you grow.
Be thankful for your limitations, because they give you opportunities for improvement.
Be thankful for each new challenge, because it will build your strength and character.
Be thankful for your mistakes. They will teach you valuable lessons.
Be thankful when you're tired and weary, because it means you've made a difference.
It's easy to be thankful for the good things. A life of rich fulfillment comes to those who are also thankful for the setbacks.
Gratitude can turn a negative into a positive. Find a way to be thankful for your troubles, and they can become your blessings.

To Let Go

by: Author Unknown, Source Unknown

To let go does not mean to stop caring,it means I can't do it for someone else.
To let go is not to cut myself off,it's the realization that I can't control another.
To let go is not to enable,but to allow learning from natural consequences.
To let go is to admit powerlessness,which means the outcome is not in my hands.
To let go is not to try to change or blame another,it's to make the most of myself.
To let go is not to care for,but to care about.
To let go is not to fix,but to be supportive.
To let go is not to judge,but to allow another to be a human being.
To let go is not to be in the middle arranging all the outcomes,but to allow others to affect their own destinies.
To let go is not to be protective,it's to permit another to face reality.
To let go is not to criticize, or regulate anyone,but to try to become what I dream I can do.
To let go is to fear less, and to love more.

Honesty

by: Author Unknown, Source Unknown

Morality may consist solely in the courage of making a choice. Wickedness is always easier than virtue, for it takes a short cut to everything. But over time you learn, you can't make wrong work.
There are always two choices, two paths to take. One is easy. And your only reward is that it's easy. You cannot do wrong without suffering wrong.
Work joyfully and peacefully, knowing that right thoughts and right efforts will inevitably bring about right results.
You can never lose anything that really belongs to you, and you can't keep that which belongs to someone else.
You always experience the consequences of your own acts. If your acts are right, you'll get good consequences; if not, you'll suffer for it.
Sooner or later everyone sits down to a banquet of consequences.

Two Bags, The

by: Author Unknown, Source Unknown

Every man, according to an ancient legend, is born into the world with two bags suspended from his neck all bag in front full of his neighbors' faults, and a large bag behind filled with his own faults. Hence it is that men are quick to see the faults of others, and yet are often blind to their own failings.

When You Thought I wasn't Looking

by: Author Unknown, Source Unknown

A message every adult should read,

because children are watching you and doing as you do,

not as you say.
When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you hang my first painting on the refrigerator, and I immediately wanted to paint another one.
When you thought I wasn't looking saw you feed a stray cat, and I learned that it was good to be kind to animals.
When you thought I wasn't looking, saw you make my favorite cake for me and I learned that the little things can be the special things in life.
When you thought I wasn't looking I heard you say a prayer, and I knew there is a God I could always talk to and I learned to trust in God.
When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you make a meal and take it to a friend who was sick, and I learned that we all have to help take care of each other.
When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you give of your time and money to help people who had nothing and I learned that those who have something should give to those who don't.
When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you take care of our house and everyone in it and I learned we have to take care of what we are given.
When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw how you handled your responsibilities, even when you didn't feel good and I learned that I would have to be responsible when I grow up.
When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw tears come from your eyes and I learned that sometimes things hurt, but it's all right to cry.
When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw that you cared and I wanted to be everything that I could be.
When you thought I wasn't looking, learned most of life's lessons that I need to know to be a good and productive person when I grow up.
When you thought I wasn't looking, I looked at you and wanted to say, "Thanks for all the things I saw when you thought I wasn't looking."
LITTLE EYES SEE A LOT. Each of us, parent or friend, influence the life of a child. How will you touch the life of someone today? Maybe by Just sending this to someone else, you will make them at least think about their influence on children and others.

To Let Go

by: Author Unknown, Source Unknown

To let go does not mean to stop caring,

it means I can't do it for someone else.
To let go is not to cut myself off,

it's the realization that I can't control another.
To let go is not to enable,

but to allow learning from natural consequences.
To let go is to admit powerlessness,

which means the outcome is not in my hands.
To let go is not to try to change or blame another,

it's to make the most of myself.
To let go is not to care for,

but to care about.
To let go is not to fix,

but to be supportive.
To let go is not to judge,

but to allow another to be a human being.
To let go is not to be in the middle arranging all the outcomes,

but to allow others to affect their own destinies.
To let go is not to be protective,

it's to permit another to face reality.
To let go is not to criticize, or regulate anyone,

but to try to become what I dream I can do.
To let go is to fear less, and to love more.

This is Good!

by: Author Unknown, Source Unknown

The story is told of a king in Africa who had a close friend with whom he grew up. The friend had a habit of looking at every situation that ever occurred in his life (positive or negative) and remarking, "This is good!"
One day the king and his friend were out on a hunting expedition. The friend would load and prepare the guns for the king. The friend had apparently done something wrong in preparing one of the guns, for after taking the gun from his friend, the king fired it and his thumb was blown off.
Examining the situation the friend remarked as usual, "This is good!"
To which the king replied, "No, this is NOT good!" and proceeded to send his friend to jail.
About a year later, the king was hunting in an area that he should have known to stay clear of. Cannibals captured him and took them to their village. They tied his hands, stacked some wood, set up a stake and bound him to the stake. As they came near to set fire to the wood, they noticed that the king was missing a thumb. Being superstitious, they never ate anyone that was less than whole. So untying the king, they sent him on his way.
As he returned home, he was reminded of the event that had taken his thumb and felt remorse for his treatment of his friend.
He went immediately to the jail to speak with his friend. "You were right," he said, "it was good that my thumb was blown off."
And he proceeded to tell the friend all that had just happened. "And so I am very sorry for sending you to jail for so long.
It was bad for me to do this." "No," his friend replied, "This is good!"
"What do you mean, 'This is good'? How could it be good that I sent my friend to jail for a year?"
"If I had NOT been in jail, I would have been with you."
Situations may not always seem pleasant while we are in them, but the promise of God is clear. If we love Him and live our lives according to His precepts, even that which seems to be bleak and hopeless will be turned by God for His glory and our benefit. Hold on, God is faithful! May God bless you this week as you seek His will in every situation.

The Lesson of the Homeless

by: Author Unknown, Source Unknown

It was a cold winter's day that Sunday. The parking lot to the church was filling up quickly. I noticed as I got out of my car fellow church members were whispering among themselves as they walked in the church.
As I got closer I saw a man leaned up against the wall outside the church. He was almost laying down as if he was asleep. He had on a long trench coat that was almost in shreds and a hat topped his head, pulled down so you could not see his face. He wore shoes that looked 30 years old, too small for his feet, with holes all over them, his toes stuck out.
I assumed this man was homeless, and asleep, so I walked on by through the doors of the church.
We all fellowshipped for a few minutes, and someone brought up the man laying outside. People snickered and gossiped but no one bothered to ask him to come in, including me.
A few moments later church began. We all waited for the Preacher to take his place and to give us the Word, when the doors to the church opened.
In came the homeless man walking down the aisle with his head down.
People gasped and whispered and made faces.
He made his way down the aisle and up onto the pulpit where he took off his hat and coat. My heart sank.
There stood our preacher...he was the "homeless man."
No one said a word.
The preacher took his Bible and laid it on his stand.
"Folks, I don't think I have to tell you what I am preaching about today. If you judge people, you have no time to love them."

Simple Prayer, A

by: Author Unknown, Source Unknown

My son Gilbert was eight years old and had been in Cub Scouts only a short time. During one of his meetings he was handed a sheet of paper, a block of wood and four tires and told to return home and give all to "dad."
That was not an easy task for Gilbert to do. Dad was not receptive to doing things with his son. But Gilbert tried.
Dad read the paper and scoffed at the idea of making a pine wood derby car with his young, eager son. The block of wood remained untouched as the weeks passed.
Finally, mom stepped in to see if I could figure this all out. The project began.
Having no carpentry skills, I decided it would be best if I simply read the directions and let Gilbert do the work. And he did. I read aloud the measurements, the rules of what we could do and what we couldn't do.
Within days his block of wood was turning into a pinewood derby car. A little lopsided, but looking great (at least through the eyes of mom).
Gilbert had not seen any of the other kids cars and was feeling pretty proud of his "Blue Lightning," the pride that comes with knowing you did something on your own.
Then the big night came. With his blue pinewood derby in his hand and pride in his heart we headed to the big race.
Once there my little one's pride turned to humility. Gilbert's car was obviously the only car made entirely on his own. All the other cars were a father-son partnership, with cool paint jobs and sleek body styles made for speed.
A few of the boys giggled as they looked at Gilbert's, lopsided, wobbly, unattractive vehicle. To add to the humility Gilbert was the only boy without a man at his side. A couple of the boys who were from single parent homes at least had an uncle or grandfather by their side, Gilbert had "mom."
As the race began it was done in elimination fashion. You kept racing as long as you were the winner. One by one the cars raced down the finely sanded ramp.
Finally it was between Gilbert and the sleekest, fastest looking car there. As the last race was about to begin, my wide eyed, shy eight year old ask if they could stop the race for a minute, because he wanted to pray. The race stopped.
Gilbert hit his knees clutching his funny looking block of wood between his hands. With a wrinkled brow he set to converse with his Father.
He prayed in earnest for a very long minute and a half. Then he stood, smile on his face and announced, "Okay, I am ready."
As the crowd cheered, a boy named Tommy stood with his father as their car sped down the ramp. Gilbert stood with his Father within his heart and watched his block of wood wobble down the ramp with surprisingly great speed and rushed over the finish line a fraction of a second before Tommy's car.
Gilbert leaped into the air with a loud "Thank you" as the crowd roared in approval.
The Scout Master came up to Gilbert with microphone in hand and asked the obvious question, "So you prayed to win, huh, Gilbert?"
To which my young son answered, "Oh, no sir. That wouldn't be fair to ask God to help you beat someone else. I just asked Him to make it so I don't cry when I lose."
Children seem to have a wisdom far beyond us. Gilbert didn't ask God to win the race, he didn't ask God to fix the outcome, Gilbert asked God to give him strength in the outcome.
When Gilbert first saw the other cars he didn't cry out to God, "No fair, they had a fathers help."
No, he went to his Father for strength.
Perhaps we spend too much of our prayer time asking God to rig the race, to make us number one, or too much time asking God to remove us from the struggle, when we should be seeking God's strength to get through the struggle.
Gilbert's simple prayer spoke volumes to those present that night. He never doubted that God would indeed answer his request. He didn't pray to win, thus hurt someone else, he prayed that God supply the grace to lose with dignity.
Gilbert, by his stopping the race to speak to his Father also showed the crowd that he wasn't there without a "dad," but his Father was most definitely there with him. Yes, Gilbert walked away a winner that night, with his Father at his side.

Pig and the Cow, The

by: Author Unknown, More Sower's Seeds

"Why is it," said the rich man to his minister, "that people call me stingy when everyone knows that when I die I'm leaving everything to the church?"
"Let me tell you a fable about the pig and the cow," said the minister. "The pig was unpopular while the cow was beloved. This puzzled the pig. 'People speak warmly of your gentle nature and your sorrowful eyes,' the pig said to the cow. 'They think you're generous because each day you give them milk and cream. But what about me? I give them everything I have. I give bacon and ham. I provide bristles for brushes. They even pickle my feet! Yet not one likes me. Why is that?'"
"Do you know what the cow answered?" said the minister. "The cow said, 'Perhaps it is because I give while I'm still living.'"

Old West Justice

by: Author Unknown, Source Unknown

A man in the Old West was being tried for stealing a horse.
You need to remember that stealing a horse in the Old West was a very grave and serious offense. A person could be hanged if found guilty of such a deed.
It so happened that the man whose horse had been stolen had always made it a point to get the best of any person with whom he had any dealings. He had never tried to do anything good for anyone other than himself. Consequently, the man whose horse had been stolen didn't have a single friend in the entire town. The case was tried and presented to the jury.
The evidence against the accused man was pretty strong. After about thirty minutes of deliberation, the jury returned to the court chambers.
"Gentlemen of the jury, have you reached a verdict?" The judge asked. The chairman of the jury stood up. "Yes we have, your honor," he replied.
"What is your verdict?" inquired the judge.
There were a few moments of silence and then the chairman spoke. "We find the defendant not guilty if he will return the horse."
After the judge had silenced the laughter in the courtroom, he admonished the jury. "I cannot accept that verdict. You will have to retire until you reach another verdict," said the judge. The jury went back into their room to deliberate toward another verdict. No member of the jury had any particular liking for the man whose horse had been stolen. At one time or another he had gotten the best of each of them. About an hour passed before the jury could reach another verdict. They re-entered the courtroom. They took their place in the jury box and the courtroom grew silent.
"Gentlemen of the jury," began the judge, "have you reached a verdict?" The chairman of the jury stood up.
"Yes we have, your honor," he replied. "What is your verdict?" asked the judge.
The courtroom was totally silent. You could have heard a pin drop. Everyone eagerly awaited the verdict. The chairman read the decision reached by the twelve good men, tried and true.
"We find the defendant not guilty, and he can keep the horse!"
The courtroom burst into laughter!
Moral of the story: If you spend your life trying to take advantage of others, never caring about them in any way except what you can get from them or what they can do for you, you will end up a loser, like the man who lost his horse.
If you desire a friend, then be a friend. If you desire for other people to help you, then help other people. If you desire justice at the hands of others, then practice justice toward them.
Regardless of what you may think, the old Biblical admonition is true. We do reap what we sow.

New Pair of Shoes, A

by: Author Unknown,

When I got sober my sponsor told me that I had to be willing to change everything about my life -- everything. So, I wore bluejeans and switched to slacks. I wore western shirts and switched to T-shirts. But the one thing I just couldn't give up was my cowboy boots.
I went to my sponsor and said, "Surely I won't get drunk over a silly pair of cowboy boots. I'm willing to change a lot of things, and if needed I could even give up those boots, but it seems so silly."
My sponsor said, "I don't know how silly it is, or if you'll get drunk over those cowboy boots, but I can tell that you are not 'entirely' willing, though."
"Okay, okay," I said. "I'll prove it to you. I'll give up the boots for 30 days just to demonstrate my willingness to God."
So, I bought a pair of tennis shoes, and after 30 days of not wearing my cowboy boots, wearing tennis shoes instead, the strangest thing happened -- my feet stopped hurting.
That's how it was getting sober and giving up the high life. I never stopped to think that the boots were causing my feet to hurt, or the booze was causing my life to hurt. I got willing to give up the stuff, one day at a time, for 30 days, then 60 days, then 90 days ... and my life stopped hurting.
And everyday I do something different, some change in some small way. Maybe I just put my socks on different, or drive to work a new way. Everyday, I try to do Little Things in a Big Way so that when Big Things happen I can handle them in a Little Way.

Learn from Mistakes

by: Author Unknown, Source Unknown
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Thomas Edison tried two thousand different materials in search of a filament for the light bulb. When none worked satisfactorily, his assistant complained, "All our work is in vain. We have learned nothing."
Edison replied very confidently, "Oh, we have come a long way and we have learned a lot. We now that there are two thousand elements which we cannot use to make a good light bulb."