FOOD FOR THOUGHT

"A person's true character is revealed by what he does when no one is watching."

"Although the tongue weighs very little, very few people are able to hold it,"

"Success in a marriage is more than finding the right person. It's becoming the right person."

"Falling down doesn't make you a failure, but staying down does."

"Don't be afraid of pressure. Remember that pressure is what turns a lump of coal into a diamond."

"Even a woodpecker owes his success to the fact that he uses his head."

"The only preparation for tomorrow is the right use of today."

"People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care."

"Temper is what gets most of us into trouble. Pride is what keeps us there."

"The heart is the happiest when it beats for others."

"He who thinks by the inch and talks by the yard deserves to be kicked by the foot."

A Boy's Best Friend.

My grandson Sam is 10 years old and is as handsome and energetic as a boy ought to be. He's very funny and loves imitating those Hollywood celebrities. He is a very good student too, taking second place in the science fair at his school. He built himself a radio of some sort. I think he's an extraordinary young man. He does have one physical limitation though. He was born missing a foot.

Three months ago his father got a job transfer and so the whole family moved out here to Kentucky. I was overjoyed that my son and his family moved closer to me. The two older boys seemed to adjust to their new home fine but Sammy needed a little help. The whole family favors Sam a little and would do just about anything for him. His older brothers are very protective and don't let anyone make fun of him without paying for it. They're good boys.

One Saturday morning with Sammy having a birthday coming up I took him to the mall to pick out some clothes. We walked by the pet store and Sam wanted to go take a look inside. When he got inside he fell in love with the little puppies. I hadn't seen that big a smile on that child's face in a long time. It was wonderful to watch. I wanted to buy him one of those puppies in the worst way.

When we got home I told his father about the puppies and how much Sammy loved them. He and his wife talked it over and later that evening at dinner it was decided that for Sam's birthday he should have a dog. Sam was in heaven. The father spoke up, "We'll make it an early birthday present. Tomorrow we'll all go to the pet store." Sam had another plan. "I know just the dog I want and its not at the pet store."

When I arrived at the house the next morning one of the older boys told me the good news, that the family was getting a dog. "You mean one of those cute puppies we saw at the store yesterday?" I asked. The boy picked up a flyer off the kitchen counter and handed it to me. "No, this one," he said. The flyer read, "DOG NEEDS SPECIAL HOME."

An hour later Mom, Dad and Sam arrived home with the dog. After the car pulled into the driveway and the rear door opened, most dogs would have jumped out of the car all excited and everything. Not this dog. Sam lifted the dog out and gently placed it on the ground. It was the cutest Dalmatian you'd ever seen. Tail wagging a mile a minute and licking the boy everywhere. Sammy reached down, put the leash on and helped the dog to its feet. "Come on girl."

The whole family crowded around this little dog. Sammy was beaming while tears welled up in everyone's eyes. The sight of this beautiful boy smiling at his new dog was a once in a lifetime moment. Ten minutes later he and the dog were still making there way from the car to the house, stopping here and there. I was watching from the front porch. His Mom came out with a water bowl and asked, "How are you two doing?" Sammy smiled back, "We're doing just fine Mom. Mom, I love you."

The flyer that read, "DOG NEEDS SPECIAL HOME" really should have read, "DOG NEEDS SPECIAL BOY," a boy that understands the special needs of someone with a physical limitation.

You see, this little dog was born missing a leg.

Indecent Proposal

A famous author found himself seated beside an attractive young woman in a dinner tendered in his honor. He couldn't take his eyes off that seductive-looking woman. When they were left alone, he looked at the woman straight in the eyes and said, "Would you like to go to bed with me if I were to give you $100,000?" The woman initially felt insulted, but after a moment, said, "I guess I would." Silence.

Breaking the pregnant pause, the man fired his second question, "Then would you go to bed with me if I were to give you $10?" This time the woman really got mad. She stood and said, "Just what do you think I am?" To which the author replied cooly, "But, my dear, we have already established what you are, I am simply negotiating for the price."

It has been said that all of us has a price. And looking at the things we assign premium value to, it just might be true.

Sometime ago I was introduced to a foreign businessman who wanted to sell his products locally. He gave the right to me, and with that resolved, the deal was on.

But a few days later, I found out the same products sold to practically all my competitors. The foreigner vehemently denied this. After I gathered all the necessary physical evidences, I flew to visit this foreigner in his country.

I gathered that this well-dressed, smooth-talking businessman was not honest in his dealings with me, so I decided to cancel my orders

I set up an appointment for dinner to formalize the cancellation. A long Mercedes Benz limousine was sent to pick me up from my hotel and be brought to an elegant Italian restaurant. The dinner was expensive but the gift he gave during the meal was even more expensive -- an antique collector's watch.

He was insistent that I accept the watch so, for fear of being poisoned to death, I accepted it. "Isn't this the price in exchange for a few signatures on the order sheets?" I thought to myself.

I can't seem to understand why because bribery is not the style of business in this country. Later on, it became clear to me that the problem is not his country; but rather, mine. Many of our businessmen accept gifts from him; those whom he can buy with the "right" price.

Finally, after a night of prayer, I returned the watch together with the cancelled orders to this businessman with a note, "Please accept my apologies, but I cannot receive your gift, for I view it as a form of bribery. I just would like to let you know that not everyone from our country could be brought for a price."

Exodus 23:8 says, "And you shall not take a bribe, for a bribe blinds the clear-sighted and subverts the cause of the just."

I went home that day fulfilled. And by the way, I never enjoyed that expensive dinner. Who cares if it's Italian?"

One of Life's Lessons

There was a little boy with a bad temper. His father gave him a bag of nails and told him that every time he lost his temper, to hammer a nail in the back fence.

The first day the boy had driven 37 nails into the fence. Then it gradually dwindled down. He discovered it was easier to hold his temper than to drive those nails into the fence. Finally the day came when the boy didn't lose his temper at all. He told his father about it and the father suggested that the boy now pull out one nail for each day that he was able to hold his temper.

The days passed and the young boy was finally able to tell his father that all the nails were gone. The father took his son by the hand and led him to the fence.

"You have done well, my son, but look at the holes in the fence. The fence will never be the same. When you say things in anger, they leave a scar just like this one. You can put a knife in a man and draw it out, it won't matter how many times you say I'm sorry, the wound is still there. A verbal wound is as bad as a
physical one."

Inspiring Story - What goes around comes around

He almost didn't see the old lady, stranded on the side of the road. But even in the dim light of day, he could see she needed help. So he pulled up in front of her Mercedes and got out. His Pontiac was still sputtering when he approached her. Even with the smile on his face, she was worried. No one had stopped to help for the last hour or so. Was he going to hurt her? He didn't look safe, he looked poor and hungry. He could see that she was frightened, standing out there in the cold. He knew how she felt. It was that chill which only fear can put in you.

He said, "I'm here to help you ma'am. Why don't you wait in the car where it's warm? By the way,my name is Bryan."

Well, all she had was a flat tire, but for an old lady, that was bad enough. Bryan crawled under the car looking for a place to put the jack, skinning his knuckles a time or two. Soon he was able to change the tire. But he had to get dirty and his hands hurt. As he was tightening up the lug nuts, she rolled down the window and began to talk to him. She told him that she was from St.Louis and was only just passing through. She couldn't thank him enough for coming to her aid. Bryan just smiled as he closed her trunk.

She asked him how much she owed him. Any amount would have been all right with her. She already imagined all the awful things that could have happened had he not stopped. Bryan never thought twice about the money. This was not a job to him. This was helping someone in need, and God knows there were plenty who had given him a hand in the past. He had lived his whole life that way, and it never occurred to him to act any other way.

He told her that if she really wanted to pay him back, the next time she saw someone who needed help, she could give that person the assistance they needed, and Bryan added, "...and think of me".

He waited until she started her car and drove off. It had been a cold and depressing day, but he felt good as he headed for home, disappearing into the twilight.

A few miles down the road the lady saw a small cafe. She went in to grab a bite to eat, and take the chill off before she made the last leg of her trip home. It was a dingy looking restaurant. Outside were two old gas pumps. The whole scene was unfamiliar to her. The cash register was like the telephone of an out-of-work actor it didn't ring much.

Her waitress came over and brought a clean towel to wipe her wet hair. She had a sweet smile, one that even being on her feet for the whole day couldn't erase. The lady noticed the waitress was nearly eight months pregnant, but she never let the strain and aches change her attitude. The old lady wondered how someone who had so little could be so giving to a stranger. Then she remembered Bryan.

After the lady finished her meal, and the waitress went to get change for her hundred dollar bill, the lady slipped right out the door. She was gone by the time the waitress came back. The waitress wondered where the lady could be, then she noticed something written on the napkin under which was four $100 bills. There were tears in her eyes when she read what the lady wrote: "You don't owe me anything, I have been there too. Somebody once helped me out, the way I'm helping you. If you really want to pay me back, here is what you do: Do not let this chain of love end with you".

Well, there were tables to clear, sugar bowls to fill, and people to serve, but the waitress made it through another day.

That night when she got home from work and climbed into bed, she was thinking about the money and what the lady had written. How could the lady have known how much she and her husband needed it? With the baby due next month, it was going to be hard. She knew how worried her husband was, and as he lay sleeping next to her, she gave him a soft kiss and whispered soft and low, "Everything's gonna be all right; I love you, Bryan."

There is an old saying "What goes around comes around".

Motivating Poem - Open My Eyes and Let Me See...!!!

Let me see.
Open my eyes and guide me carefully
Through the mazes of my heart
To the place where truth lies
And there is light . . .
Let me see.

I know it's there.
I've just been disconnected from the path
That will take me there.
And I'm tired of running circles
To nowhere.
I need to feel the care . . . and share.

My soul has always known what I forgot.
I'm going to the door now,
Please hear me knock.
Open up
The pupil seeks the master
To show her how.
Remind me how.

Then . . . I see so clearly what I blocked!
The light has always been there,
It was me that sent up clouds,
Obscured the view . . .
Now I see it all brand new!!!
Can you see it too?

All is well, sweet one
All is well!
I heard the voice tell me
All is well!

Keep your dreams alive!
Have no doubts inside!
And just believe!
Have faith, Believe!
It's just that easy.

Keep life fun.
You never get it wrong
and you never get it done.
All paths you take will lead you to the One
You can't get lost . . .
Even if you run!!!

So now the light
Shines in all the crevices of me.
I opened up the shades to see
The beauty that is me.
Allowing the beauty that is you . . . too.
For what is me is you
And there's the truth.

(Copyright 1998 Denise Jankas)

Story of Life

A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, wordlessly, he picked up a verylarge and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.

So the professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was. The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up the remaining space. He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with anunanimous 'yes'.

The professor then produced two cans of beer from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively filling the space between the sand particles. The students laughed. Now, said the professor, as the laughter subsided, "I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. " "The golf balls are the important things - your family, your children, your health, your friends, your favourite passions -things that if everything else were lost, and only they remained, your life would still be full. The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house, your car. The sand is everything else - the small stuff.

"If you put the sand into the jar first," he continued, "there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important to you. Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Take your partner out to dinner. Go out with friends. There will always be time to clean the house and fix the washing. Take care of the golf balls first, the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand........