Life Just Is!

Life isn’t about keeping score. It’s not about how many friends you have or how accepted you are. Not about if you have plans this weekend or if you’re alone. It isn’t about whom you’re dating, whom you used to date, and how many people you’ve dated, or if you haven’t been with anyone at all. It isn’t about who your family is or how much money they have, or what kind of car you drive, or where you are sent to school. It’s not about how beautiful or ugly you are. Or what clothes you wear, what shoes you have on, or what kind of music you listen to. It’s not about if your hair is blonde, red, black, or brown, or if your skin is too light or too dark. Not about what grades you get, how smart you are, how smart everybody else thinks you are, or how smart standardized tests say you are. It’s not about what clubs you’re in or how good you are at “your sport.” It’s not about representing your whole being on a piece of paper and seeing who will “accept the written you.” LIFE JUST ISN’T! Rather, life is about whom you love and whom you hurt. It’s about whom you make happy or unhappy purposefully. It’s about keeping or betraying trust. Its about friendship used as sanctity or a weapon. It’s about what you say and mean, maybe hurtful, maybe supportive. It’s about starting rumors and contributing to petty gossip. It’s about what judgments you pass and why and who your judgments are spread to. It’s about whom you’ve ignored with full control and intention. It’s about jealousy, fear, ignorance, and revenge. It’s about carrying inner hate and love, letting it grow, and spreading it. But most of all, it’s about using your life to touch or poison other people’s hearts in such a way that could have never occurred alone. Only you choose the way those hearts are affected, and those choices are what life’s all about. LIFE JUST IS! ~ Author Unknown ~

“Praise the Lord” Horse

A new minister had just moved into his beautiful ancient ministry, and found that he now had a lot of land, fields and woodland. He decided to buy a magnificent mare so that he could ride around his new parish to see all his parishioners. When the animal arrived, he was told, “his horse has only just been broken in So you will have to teach it the commands that you want it to obey.” This was a bit of a challenge to the minister, so he thought, “I know I will teach it some church words.” First, instead of the command to gallop, he taught it the words, “Praise the Lord” and as soon as the horse heard this command it raced forward. The next command was to make it stop, so instead of Whoa, he taught it “Amen,” and the horse would skid to a halt. Everything went fine for a few years, and then the time came for the minister to move to a new parish. He advertised his beloved animal for sale, and a local man bought it, but before the minister would part with the animal he decided to tell the new owner about the language that the horse had been taught. “Now young man, don’t forget, when you want the horse to go at a gallop you say “Praise the Lord,” and when you want it to stop, you say “Amen.” Later the man decided to try the horse. “Praise the Lord,” he said, and off they went at full gallop. The man suddenly remembered there is a cliff ahead with a five hundred foot drop to the sea. “Whoa, Whoa,” he shouted, but the horse raced on towards the long drop. “Whoa, Whoa,” he shouted but to no avail. Just before they reached the cliff, he remembered to say “Amen.” The horse skidded to a halt inches away from the drop. The rider looked over the edge sighed and muttered, “Praise the Lord.” ~ Author Unknown ~

P.U.S.H.

A man was sleeping at night in his cabin when suddenly his room filled with light, and the Savior appeared. The Lord told the man he had work for him to do, and showed him a large rock in front of his cabin. The Lord explained that the man was to push against the rock with all his might. The man did this, day after day. For many years he toiled from sun up to sun down, his shoulders set squarely against the cold, massive surface of the unmoving rock, pushing with all his might. Each night the man returned to his cabin sore, and worn out, feeling that his whole day had been spent in vain. Since the man was showing signs of discouragement, the Adversary decided to enter the picture by placing thoughts into the man’s weary mind: “You have been pushing against that rock for a long time, and it hasn’t budged. Why kill yourself over this? You are never going to move it.” Thus giving the man the impression that the task was impossible and he was a failure. These thoughts discouraged and disheartened the man. “Why kill myself over this?” he thought. “I’ll just put in my time, giving just the minimum effort; and that will be good enough.” And that is what he planned to do, until one day he decided to make it a matter of prayer and take his troubled thoughts to the Lord. “Lord,” he said, “I have labored long and hard in your service, putting all my strength to do that which you have asked. Yet, after all this time, I have not even budged that rock by half a millimeter. What is wrong? Why am I failing?” The Lord responded compassionately, “My child, when I asked you to serve me and you accepted, I told you that your task was to push against the rock with all your strength, which you have done. Never once did I mention to you that I expected you to move it. Your task was to push. And now you come to me with your strength spent, thinking that you have failed. But is that really so? Look at yourself. Your arms are strong and muscled, your back is sinewy and brown, your hands are callused from constant pressure, and your legs have become massive and hard. Through opposition you have grown much, and your abilities now surpass that which you used to have. Yet you haven’t moved the rock. But your calling was to be obedient and to push and to exercise your faith and trust in My wisdom. This you have done. Now I, my child, will now move the rock.”

When everything seems to go wrong just P. U. S. H.! When the job gets you down just P. U. S. H.! When people don’t react the way you think they should just P. U. S. H.! When your money looks “gone” and the bills are due just P. U. S. H.! When people just don’t understand you just P.U.S.H.! Pray Until Something Happens! ~ Author Unknown ~

At times, when we hear a word from God, we tend to use our own intellect to decipher what He wants, when actually what God wants is just simple bedience and faith in Him. By all means, exercise the faith that moves mountains, but know that it is still God who moves the mountains.

Reflections of a Parent

I gave you life, but cannot live it for you. I can teach you things, but I cannot make you learn. I can give you directions, but I cannot be there to lead you. I can allow you freedom, but I cannot account for it. I can take you to church, but I cannot make you believe. I can teach you right from wrong, but I cannot always decide for you. I can buy you beautiful clothes, but I cannot make you beautiful inside. I can offer you advice, but I cannot accept it for you. I can give you love, but I cannot force it upon you. I can teach you to share, but I cannot make you unselfish. I can teach you respect, but I cannot force you to show honor. I can advise you about friends, but cannot choose them for you. I can advise you about sex, but I cannot keep you pure. I can tell you the facts of life, but I can’t build your reputation. I can tell you about drinking, but I can’t say “no” for you. I can warn you about drugs, but I can’t prevent you from using them. I can tell you about lofty goals, but I can’t achieve them for you. I can teach you about kindness, but I can’t force you to be gracious. I can warn you about sins, but I cannot make you moral. I can pray for you, but I cannot make you walk with God. I can tell you how to live, but I cannot give you eternal life. I can love you with unconditional love all of my life and I will. ~ Author Unknown ~

Starfish Thrower

Once upon a time there was a wise man that used to go to the ocean to do his writing. He had a habit of walking on the beach before he began his work. One day he was walking along the shore. As he looked down the beach, he saw a human figure moving like a dancer. He smiled to himself to think of someone who would dance to the day. So he began to walk faster to catch up. As he got closer, he saw that it was a young man and the young man wasn’t dancing, but instead he was reaching down to the shore, picking up something and very gently throwing it into the ocean. As he got closer he called out, “Good morning! What are you doing?” The young man paused, looked up and replied, “Throwing starfish in the ocean.” “I guessed that, but why are you throwing starfish in the ocean?” “The sun is up and the tide is going out. And if I don’t throw them in they’ll die.” “But, young man, don’t you realize that there are miles and miles of beach and starfish all along it. You can’t possibly make a difference!”

The young man listened politely. Then bent down and picked up another starfish. He threw it into the sea, past the breaking waves and said, “It made a difference for that one.” ~ Author Unknown ~

There is something very special in each and every person that we meet. We have all been gifted with the ability to make a difference in another person’s life. And if we can become aware of that gift, we gain through the strength of our visions the power to shape the future. We must each find our starfish. And if we throw our stars wisely and well, the world will be blessed.

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