Tuesday, April 24, 2012
The Good Samaritan
I'm sure you've all heard this before but I thought we all could use a reminder. . .
On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
“What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?”
He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’[a]; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[b]”
“You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.”
But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”
In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. 31 A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 32 So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two denarii[c] and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’
“Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”
The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”
Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”
On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
“What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?”
He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’[a]; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[b]”
“You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.”
But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”
In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. 31 A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 32 So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two denarii[c] and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’
“Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”
The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”
Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”
Adversity and Prosperity
"Adversity makes men, and prosperity makes monsters."
Adversity makes us stronger, wiser, tougher, more mature. . . When a hard time comes, fight through it and we can conquer all!! I let us all have faith!
Adversity makes us stronger, wiser, tougher, more mature. . . When a hard time comes, fight through it and we can conquer all!! I let us all have faith!
Monday, April 23, 2012
Confidence
"A man who has confidence in himself gains the confidence of others."
I think a huge part of gaining confidence is finding something we are particularly good at. Finding talents and increasing them through practice is a great way to increase self worth. After gaining self worth, we are more likely to give service and use our talents to help others, in which we gain their confidence. So I challenge all of us to find our talents :)
I think a huge part of gaining confidence is finding something we are particularly good at. Finding talents and increasing them through practice is a great way to increase self worth. After gaining self worth, we are more likely to give service and use our talents to help others, in which we gain their confidence. So I challenge all of us to find our talents :)
Parable of the Talents
Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more. So also, the one with the two talents gained two more. But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.
After a long time, the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. The man who had received the five talents brought the other five. “Master,” he said, “you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.”
His master replied, “Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!”
The man with the two talents also came. “Master,” he said, “you entrusted me with two talents; see, I have gained two more.”
His master replied, “Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!”
Then the man who had received the one talent came. “Master,” he said, “I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.”
His master replied, “You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.
“Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents. For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
- Matthew 25:14-30 (NIV)
(Credit doesn't go to me)
Truth and Lies
"A little lie can travel half way 'round the world while truth is still lacing up her boots"
I absolutely love this quote! It's so true!!! Little lies always make it around so quick and by the time the truth comes around, the lie is spread so wide and far that it's too late!! So the moral of the story is. . .tell the truth :)
I absolutely love this quote! It's so true!!! Little lies always make it around so quick and by the time the truth comes around, the lie is spread so wide and far that it's too late!! So the moral of the story is. . .tell the truth :)
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Be A Blessing
Let us endeavor so to live that when we come to die even the undertaker will be sorry!
We all should be living a life that the second we wake up, everyone can sense we what are capable of and what we will conquer!! The undertaker won't even be able to reach us :)
I believe most of this is due to how we treat other people and how to keep them on the right path. That way not only will the undertaker not be able to reach us but he will tremble because he is scared! Wouldn't that be perfect??
We all should be living a life that the second we wake up, everyone can sense we what are capable of and what we will conquer!! The undertaker won't even be able to reach us :)
I believe most of this is due to how we treat other people and how to keep them on the right path. That way not only will the undertaker not be able to reach us but he will tremble because he is scared! Wouldn't that be perfect??
Better Than I Used To Be
This song pretty much sums up my blog . . . as long as we are striving to be better that's all we can ask for :)
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Things Are Not Always As They Seem
Two angels disguised as humans stopped at a house and knocked at the door, hoping for some food and lodging. The residents of the house proved to be terribly rude and obnoxious. They were negative
and greedy, giving barely (and resentfully) a crust of bread, and a very small serving of putrid water.
Grudgingly, they allowed the strangers to spend the night, but made them sleep in the back room on
a cold, hard floor without blankets or pillows.
As the two angels prepared to turn in, they noticed a hole in the wall. One of the angels immediately
went to the wall and began to patch it. He worked until the wall was completely repaired – smooth,
without any evidence of the hole.
“I sure don’t understand why you went to the bother of fixing that wall for them” the second angel
said, “Those people were downright mean and nasty. They didn’t deserve to have their hole
patched!”
“Things are not always as they seem,” said the first angel.
The next morning, the two angels made their way down the road to another house. It was a small
cottage, belonging to a poor farmer and his wife. This poverty stricken couple hardly had enough to
survive, and barely scraped by. Yet, in contrast to the first hosts, they were kind, generous and
gracious.
“We don’t have much food in the house, but we gladly share it with you, friends,” said the good
hearted farmer. After a simple meal, the angels were given the farmer’s bed for the night. “My wife
and I will sleep on the floor. We don’t mind.”
The angels slept comfortably.
In the morning, the farmer and his wife were horrified to discover that something terrible had
happened in the night. Their only cow died -- just keeled over and went belly up. Now, they really
needed this cow. They depended on her for milk every day. It was a heartbreaking experience, and
they wept bitterly.
Leaving the home, the second angel said, “Now, I REALLY don’t understand this! At the first home,
the people were rotten and treated us badly, and you fixed the hole in their wall. Now, the second
couple was kind and good to us, and this is how they are repaid? It doesn’t make sense at all!”
Again, the first angel said, “Things are not always as they seem.”
“Well they sure seem wrong to me!” complained the first angel, “Can you give me an explanation?”
The first angel replied, “At the first home, a long time ago, someone hid a great treasure trove of gold
and diamonds in that wall. I patched the hole, so those selfish people would never have it.”
“Yes, but what about the cow?” the second angel inquired.
“Last night the angel of death came into the house. He had come for the farmer’s wife, but I talked
him into taking the cow instead.”
Things are not always as they seem.
and greedy, giving barely (and resentfully) a crust of bread, and a very small serving of putrid water.
Grudgingly, they allowed the strangers to spend the night, but made them sleep in the back room on
a cold, hard floor without blankets or pillows.
As the two angels prepared to turn in, they noticed a hole in the wall. One of the angels immediately
went to the wall and began to patch it. He worked until the wall was completely repaired – smooth,
without any evidence of the hole.
“I sure don’t understand why you went to the bother of fixing that wall for them” the second angel
said, “Those people were downright mean and nasty. They didn’t deserve to have their hole
patched!”
“Things are not always as they seem,” said the first angel.
The next morning, the two angels made their way down the road to another house. It was a small
cottage, belonging to a poor farmer and his wife. This poverty stricken couple hardly had enough to
survive, and barely scraped by. Yet, in contrast to the first hosts, they were kind, generous and
gracious.
“We don’t have much food in the house, but we gladly share it with you, friends,” said the good
hearted farmer. After a simple meal, the angels were given the farmer’s bed for the night. “My wife
and I will sleep on the floor. We don’t mind.”
The angels slept comfortably.
In the morning, the farmer and his wife were horrified to discover that something terrible had
happened in the night. Their only cow died -- just keeled over and went belly up. Now, they really
needed this cow. They depended on her for milk every day. It was a heartbreaking experience, and
they wept bitterly.
Leaving the home, the second angel said, “Now, I REALLY don’t understand this! At the first home,
the people were rotten and treated us badly, and you fixed the hole in their wall. Now, the second
couple was kind and good to us, and this is how they are repaid? It doesn’t make sense at all!”
Again, the first angel said, “Things are not always as they seem.”
“Well they sure seem wrong to me!” complained the first angel, “Can you give me an explanation?”
The first angel replied, “At the first home, a long time ago, someone hid a great treasure trove of gold
and diamonds in that wall. I patched the hole, so those selfish people would never have it.”
“Yes, but what about the cow?” the second angel inquired.
“Last night the angel of death came into the house. He had come for the farmer’s wife, but I talked
him into taking the cow instead.”
Things are not always as they seem.
Humble
Life is a long lesson in humility. . .
Things will go our way. . .other things will not! There will be times when things are said behind our back and secrets kept from us. These are the things that humble us and keep us trying to do our best! And that's what really matters :)
Things will go our way. . .other things will not! There will be times when things are said behind our back and secrets kept from us. These are the things that humble us and keep us trying to do our best! And that's what really matters :)
Thursday, April 12, 2012
The Key to Success
"No one is useless in this world who lightens the burden of it for anyone else."
I once was told by a wise man that there is a way to tell just how well we are doing in this life. It's not the riches you may have. It's not how many friends you have. The key to your success is how well you treat other people, how you give to those around you.
When I was told that, it really hit me hard. I've always wondered how I can tell how well I'm doing. It makes me want to treat people so much better if that's the best way to tell.
I once was told by a wise man that there is a way to tell just how well we are doing in this life. It's not the riches you may have. It's not how many friends you have. The key to your success is how well you treat other people, how you give to those around you.
When I was told that, it really hit me hard. I've always wondered how I can tell how well I'm doing. It makes me want to treat people so much better if that's the best way to tell.
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
That's Not My Dog
This comes from my mom who shared this with me the other day. . .
One day a man was on a walk. As he was strolled, he saw another man walking toward him walking a dog. As they approached each other, the first man asked, "Does your dog bite?"
The man responded, "No my dog doesn't bite."
All of a sudden with a leap and a growl, the dog attacked the man and bit his face.
"I thought you said your dog didn't bite!!" the man said, now mad.
"Oh this isn't my dog. . ."
The moral of the story is. . . Make sure you get all the information before you make judgements or decisions. Often we try to do things without receiving all the correct information and it turns out badly or has to be redone. We don't want to end up getting "bit" in the end :)
One day a man was on a walk. As he was strolled, he saw another man walking toward him walking a dog. As they approached each other, the first man asked, "Does your dog bite?"
The man responded, "No my dog doesn't bite."
All of a sudden with a leap and a growl, the dog attacked the man and bit his face.
"I thought you said your dog didn't bite!!" the man said, now mad.
"Oh this isn't my dog. . ."
The moral of the story is. . . Make sure you get all the information before you make judgements or decisions. Often we try to do things without receiving all the correct information and it turns out badly or has to be redone. We don't want to end up getting "bit" in the end :)
Thursday, April 5, 2012
Love the People
Today's lesson. . .
Go out into the world and love the people you meet. Let your presence light new light in the hearts of people.
A smile says a lot! Just by smiling at a person you pass or a new person you meet, you can completely turn around their day! Your light radiates and sets place in the hearts of others. Love all those you meet and continue to change lives in those you my pass on your way!
Go out into the world and love the people you meet. Let your presence light new light in the hearts of people.
A smile says a lot! Just by smiling at a person you pass or a new person you meet, you can completely turn around their day! Your light radiates and sets place in the hearts of others. Love all those you meet and continue to change lives in those you my pass on your way!
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
The "Clicker"
I wish I could remember exactly who told this story, but I thought it had a good lesson behind it.
A mom once heard that we think over 100 negative thoughts in a day, so she decided to keep track to see if it was true. She bought a clicker, and every time she thought a negative thought, she clicked it. She was taking her son to school in the morning, and he said to her "Mom, wow you've already thought 18 negative thoughts this morning." So she covered up the clicker with tape so she couldn't look all day. After a week of using the clicker, she woke up one morning completely in the dumps. She couldn't understand why. Then she realized it was because she was completely focused on all the negative for a whole week. She was so concerned about keeping track of the negative that she totally neglected the positive. She decided from that day forward, she would use the clicker every time she had a positive thought. It made all the difference!
I know this is true especially for me lately. There are times during the day where I feel distraught and discouraged, and it takes me a while to realize. It's because I've been so consumed with the negative aspects of my life. I have to stop for a minute and rethink my day and focus on the positive. It's amazing how much better it makes me feel! I will always strive to focus on the positive!!
A mom once heard that we think over 100 negative thoughts in a day, so she decided to keep track to see if it was true. She bought a clicker, and every time she thought a negative thought, she clicked it. She was taking her son to school in the morning, and he said to her "Mom, wow you've already thought 18 negative thoughts this morning." So she covered up the clicker with tape so she couldn't look all day. After a week of using the clicker, she woke up one morning completely in the dumps. She couldn't understand why. Then she realized it was because she was completely focused on all the negative for a whole week. She was so concerned about keeping track of the negative that she totally neglected the positive. She decided from that day forward, she would use the clicker every time she had a positive thought. It made all the difference!
I know this is true especially for me lately. There are times during the day where I feel distraught and discouraged, and it takes me a while to realize. It's because I've been so consumed with the negative aspects of my life. I have to stop for a minute and rethink my day and focus on the positive. It's amazing how much better it makes me feel! I will always strive to focus on the positive!!
Monday, April 2, 2012
Needing to Know Why
So I downloaded an app on my phone that sends me an inspirational quote every day. This was the very first one it sent me:
Be open minded about everything in life, at risk of missing something vitally important. Not everything is obvious nor has immediate explanation.
Often in my life if I am overcome with something or having a difficult time in a situation, I become so overwhelmed with that that I know I miss a lot of things. I'm so worried about knowing why I'm facing it NOW that I miss little things that happen.
I think we all could be a little bit more open minded and realize that everything happens for a reason and someday we will all understand why! We just need to have patience :)
Be open minded about everything in life, at risk of missing something vitally important. Not everything is obvious nor has immediate explanation.
Often in my life if I am overcome with something or having a difficult time in a situation, I become so overwhelmed with that that I know I miss a lot of things. I'm so worried about knowing why I'm facing it NOW that I miss little things that happen.
I think we all could be a little bit more open minded and realize that everything happens for a reason and someday we will all understand why! We just need to have patience :)
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