How Life is Measured

I had a very special teacher in high school many years ago whose husband unexpectedly and suddenly died of a heart attack.

About a week after his death, she shared some of her insight with a classroom of students.

As the late afternoon sunlight came streaming in through the classroom windows and the class was nearly over, she moved a few things aside on the edge of her desk and sat down there. With a gentle look of reflection on her face, she paused and said, "Before class is over, I
would like to share with all of you a thought that is unrelated to class, but which I feel is very important."

"Each of us is put here on earth to learn, share, love, appreciate and give of ourselves. None of us knows when this fantastic experience will end. It can be taken away at any moment. Perhaps this is a way of telling us that we must make the most out of every single day."......

Her eyes beginning to water, she went on, "So I would like you all to make me a promise. From now on, on your way to school, or on your way home, find something beautiful to notice. It doesn't have to be something you see, it could be a scent -- perhaps of freshly baked bread wafting out of someone's house, or it could be the sound of the breeze slightly rustling the leaves in the trees, or the way the morning light catches the autumn leaf as it falls gently to the
ground.

Please look for these things, and cherish them. For, although it may sound trite to some, these things are the "stuff" of life. The little things we are put here on earth to enjoy. The things we often take for granted. We must make it important to notice them, for at any
time...it can all be taken away." The class was completely quiet. We all picked up our books and
filed out of the room silently.

That afternoon, I noticed more things on my way home from school than had that whole semester. Every once in a while, I think of that teacher and remember what an impression she made on all of us, and I try to appreciate all of those things that sometimes we all overlook.

Take notice of something special you see on your lunch hour today. When you go home, Go barefoot. Or walk on the beach at sunset. Stop off on the way home tonight to get a double-dip ice cream cone.

"For as we get older, it is not the things we did that we often regret, but the things we didn't do."

“Don't cry because it's over; smile because it happened."

"Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away."

Can You Relate?

I drive into work listening to gospel music or a pre-recorded sermon on the radio. I get out of the car and walk to the building entrance.

As I open the building door I leave just enough room for me to get in and I leave Jesus standing outside as the door closes behind me. He's standing with His palms on the door glass and watches me as I get on the elevator.

His eyes are sad and He turns and goes to sit on the stone bench. There He'll sit patiently and wait for me for the next 9 hours.

First two hours of work - I fuss and complain about things not going right. Jesus, sitting with his chin in His hand looks upward toward the building wishing He could help me.

By lunch time - I'm flustered, regretting I work in this place and sputtering bitterness all over folks.

Jesus comes around to the side of the building where my cubicle is located. He looks up from the ground trying to get my attention but I can't hear him; my focus is on my problems.

Jesus goes back to the front of the building, sits down and continues to wait for me. He thinks to Himself as He looks up to the third floor, "She went in there defenseless. If only she had taken me in there with her. When will she learn?"

End of the day - I'm pooped, run down, no energy, irritable & frustrated. I leave the building & Jesus gets up happily to greet me but I'm in no mood for Him now. I've just been to hell and back and the last thing I want to do is be bothered with anyone.

God just actually showed me this is how I'VE been acting. He showed me each act and worst of all, He let Me feel a small portion of how grieved he was because of my actions and attitude. I left Jesus standing outside, almost let the door smack him in His face.

From time to time our jobs overwhelm us and we completely forget to "take Jesus with us". We may not go around cursing anyone out or punching anyone in the face (hopefully not) but what are our actions saying about us and about who or whose we are?

We are the salt of the Earth and the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. [Matt. 5:13-15].

We should be bringing peace to our jobs and not be the cause of confusion. We should be the ones to bring our gifts & talents to the table to help in WHATEVER area God has chosen for us to work in.

Col.3:23-24- "Whatever you do, work at it with ALL your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving."

WHAT IS FAITH?

By Max Lucado

Faith means being sure of the things we hope for and knowing that something is real even if we do not see it...it is by faith we understand that the whole world was made by God's command so that what we see was made by something that cannot be seen...without faith no one can please God. Anyone who comes to God must believe that He is real and that He rewards those who truly find Him. (Hebrews 11:1,3,6)

Faith is the belief that God is real and that God is good...it is a choice to believe that the One who made it all hasn't left it all and that He still sends light into the shadows and responds to gestures of faith.

Faith is belief that God will do what is right.

God says that the more helpless your circumstances, the more likely your salvation. The greater your cares, the more genuine your prayers. The darker the room, the greater need for light.

God's help is near and always available, but it is only given to those who seek it.

COINCIDENCE OR MIRACLE

By Joseph J. Mazzella

I was asked the other day if I believed in coincidences.

I said that, "No I don't believe that there are any coincidences in this life. I do believe that there are miracles in this life, however. I see more proof of them everyday."

Just look at the world around us. Is it a coincidence that the sun rose so beautifully today that it filled countless hearts and souls with wonder, love, peace, and joy? It seemed more like a miracle to me. Is it a coincidence that life developed so intelligently and perfectly on this world? Is it coincidences that birds know to fly south each winter, that the seasons change and flowers bloom each spring, and that thousands upon thousands of different plants and animals live, grow, and thrive here?

It seems to me more like a hundred million miracles created by a glorious, joyous mind and a loving hand.

Look at your own lives as well. Is it a coincidence that you accidentally walked into the wrong room and met the person who changed your life and blessed you with love?

Are they all coincidences or are they all little miracles?

Is it a coincidence that you followed a silent urge to turn off the road before you had to and later learned you avoided a deadly accident because of it? Is it a coincidence that you were on the verge of despair and then heard a song, or read a line, or got a call that lifted your spirits and strengthened your soul once again?

Are they all coincidences or are they all little miracles created by God and His angels to guide you, protect you and help you to ever greater love, joy, and goodness in your life?

Embrace the miracles in your life then. Embrace the miracle of life. Rejoice in these miracles and use them to choose and share ever more love and joy with others. It's not a coincidence that God put you in their life. You're there to share His miracle of life!

Celebrate in the knowledge that you are loved, cared for, and watched over by God, and always remember that Life is full of Miracles not coincidences.

THROWING IT ALL AWAY

THROWING IT ALL AWAY
By Rich McLawhorn

"He who neglects the present moment throws away all he has." That observation by Johann Friedrich von Schiller, a great German historian and playwright, holds much truth for all of our lives.

Early one morning fire broke out in a house on a narrow street. The fire spread quickly, and flames were leaping high into the air before the fire engines could get to the scene.

A young man appeared at an upper window in his pajamas. Firefighters quickly placed a ladder against the burning building, but the man refused to come down. Instead, he yelled that he had to get dressed first. The firefighters pleaded, "Come as you are! Come as you are!, but to no avail.

The firefighters tried to climb the stairs from below, but they were turned back by the flames. When a rescuer tried to enter through a lower window, the heat and smoke forced him away.

Suddenly the walls and roof fell in. The man waited too long, and was buried under the ruins.

How Does This Apply to Our Lives?

The man refused to immediately do what was best for himself because of what someone might say about his appearance later. Thus, the young man literally threw his life away.

We can make the same foolish mistake. I read about an experiment in which a rat was placed in a box and shocked until it huddled in a particular corner. To avoid future shocks, the rat soon learned to run to that corner as soon as it was placed in the box.

How much of your life is spent avoiding the disapproving "shocks" of those around you? Do you disregard your own beliefs, and compromise who you are as a person, so others will like you?

That is easy to do, especially in matters of faith. Many people do not live according to their beliefs because they are concerned about what others will think or say. If that includes you, then in effect you are throwing away the most significant part of yourself--your spiritual life.

Instead of trying to become someone others will like in the future, focus on God's love for you right now. Live each day according to God's standards, no matter how people may react. Because some things are too important to throw away--including yourself..

"Your love is ever before me, and I walk continually in your truth."
~ Psalm 26:3 ~

The Pain of the Soul

The Pain of the Soul
By Warren Kramer

In our society, we're witnessing the decline of conscience. It's concurrent with the unfashionability and political incorrectness of a certain traditional belief. Doesn't anybody see a connection?

If you subscribe to this traditional belief, you are immediately stereotyped as a wild-eyed fanatic, and worse, just for believing the same message that's been accepted by millions for centuries. Yet, exactly concurrent with today's declining conscience and subsequent increase in crime, hate, unethical behavior and apathy, has been the public trashing of this traditional faith. I say again, doesn't anyone see a connection? The only group that it's actually "politically correct" to hate is the group that still holds this traditional belief.

Guilt has become something to be purged at all cost. But guilt is like pain, only for the soul. If you deaden all pain, sooner or later you'll lean against a hot stove and burn off your fingers. If you deaden all guilt, you'll eventually find the rest of your body in a similar situation.

Can I Cope?

CAN I COPE?
By Dennis J. Prutow


To cope with life means you are up to the challenge. Not only so, to cope means you meet the challenge head on. You are equal to the task. But our own inner strength is not enough. We often fail. When we do, we throw our hands in the air and cry, "I can't cope."

What is the answer? It is written, "I can do everything through Him who gives me strength."In other words, "I am able; I can." The point is not positive thinking. We don't conjure up the strength. The point is we are given real ability, strength, and usefulness.

What we are talking about is heart power. We think differently than we did before. We see problems from a new perspective. Our emotions are also tempered. Like a rod of tempered steel, we bend but snap back. We simply handle things better. We are also given new will power. We are not afraid to make decisions. So we can make decisions more easily. As a result, we can cope with the life that comes our way.

If you find you can't cope, the power is at hand. It is not in your hand. It is in the hands of Him Who gives us strength. Turn to Him.